vs to know that our names particularly are knowne to Christ and be written in his bil which is the King of heauen and earth The Lord to comfort Moses in trouble vsed this that he knoweth him by his name and so should it be to vs that our names are knowne to Christ and he will accordingly help vs. 2. Timoth. 2. there it is made the foundation of saluation that the Lord knoweth who be his Which haue not defiled These were commended for sinceritie and vprightnesse of life and conuersation though the rest of the church were dead yet these were aliue and kept themselues from all appearance of sin Now Christ commending them he leaueth in them a patterne of sinceritie for vs to follow to be as a looking glasse to see how we should professe religion We must not onely know and speake of the Gospell but we must liue accordingly we must keep our garments frō pollutiō liue without al occasion of sin and that we may liue sincerely we must first abstaine frō al sin in our own persons take heed we practise no sin Secondly we must take heed of contagion of sin not partake in other mens sins by cōsent or winking at them or giuing counsel to sin Thirdly we must abstaine from all occasions of sinne from all appearance of euill we must not once name sin nor giue the least approbation thereof Let not fornication be named among you Eph. 5. Then we must behold this patterne labor to be like them that Christ may commend vs as he did them and this we must do by liuing well for religion stands not in knowledge but in practise and by doing these three that is abstaining from the practise of all sinne from the contagion of sin and from all prouocation to sin we shall imitate them and become a most excellent people and a worthy church of Christ. Out of this place the Papists gather that a man after baptisme may liue without al mortall sins for these few hauing put on Christ liued free from all sinne nay from all appearance of sin But first though they liued so till this time yet how proue they they liued so after secondly they be said to keepe their garments vndefiled not because they sinned not at all but because they liued and endeuored in constant purpose not to sinne but in all things to please God and so the Lord accepts their will and constant endeuour for the deed and they be righteous before God and no sinners but keepers of the law And these shall walke with me in white Here after the commendation is a promise to walk that is liue in white that is in ioy and happinesse Eccles. 9. 8. Let thy garments be white that is reioyce and take thy lawfull pleasure in the things of this life The church before was threatned to haue Christ as iudge and to destroy them but these few they shall not taste of his wrath but be with Christ for euer in glory and happinesse By which we see that men which communicate not with the sins of townes countries or nations shall not partake in iudgement with them Lot liued in Sodom yet his righteous soule was not partaker of their sins neither was it of their punishment Gen. 19. Ezech. 6. 9. they which mourned for the sins of the people were marked and in the destruction not touched By reason of our long peace sins abound so that there is plentie of sin of contempt of the word of religion c. These sins call for iudgment and wil haue iudgement now if we would escape this iudgement we must take heed we communicate not with these sins and then we shall escape though we liue in Sodome After the promise followeth a reason of the same For they be worthy Hence the Papists gather that a man by his workes may merit heauē because here they be worthy of reward be worthy to walke with Christ in glory But I answer all true seruants of God be worthy of life euerlasting because God the father giueth Christ to euery true beleeuer so that euery beleeuer may truly say Christ is mine and withall he giueth the spirit of Christ which stirreth vp in the heart true iustifying faith which layeth hold on Christ applieth him and all his righteousnesse Now Christ being giuen to vs by God and receiued of vs by faith is wholly ours and his righteousnesse is made ours by imputation so that Christ with all his benefits is truly ours and when one stands thus iustified in Christ and clothed with his righteousnesse he is said to be worthy of saluation not for any thing of his owne but for Christs righteousnesse for there is a double righteousnesse one of the person as when Christs righteousnesse is imputed to vs another of the work as when a work is done answerable to the rigour of the law and then it is meritorious Now Christ speaketh here of the worthinesse of the person not of the worke of the person standing righteous in Christs righteousnesse Verse 5. To him which ouercometh Here is the conclusion in it note two parts first a promise secondly a commaundement of these before To him which ouercometh that is which getteth victory ouer all his spirituall enemies which we do by holding faith and a good conscience in all things to the end and this is first the partie to whom Seeing that the promises are euer made to him which ouercometh we must labour to haue that estate in conscience truly to say we haue laboured in all things to keepe faith and a good conscience and to thinke it a miserable estate to be ouercome of any enemy be it sin the diuell the world or our flesh I come to the thing promised which is threefold in words but one in substance namely glory happines and life euerlasting First He shall be clothed in white aray that is with eternall glory happines and life Out of this the Papists gather that a man may do a good work in respect of reward It is true indeed one may do so as Moses had respect to the recompence of reward Hebr. 11. 26. yet that must not be the principall end but faith to edifie the church and other men thē we may do it to receiue eternal life as a reward And will not cut his name out of the booke of life Here two questiōs must be assoiled 1. What is the book of life 2. Whether one can be blotted out of it for thou hast the booke of life in Gods predestination or his decree in election by which he hath ordained some men to life in his good pleasure this decree of God is called in a resemblance the booke of life For as a General in the field hath his book wherein he writes al his souldiers names and a Magistrate keepes a record writing in it all the citizens of that citie so God hath his decree wherein he writes the names of all those whom he will saue in his
secret counsell The second question is Whether one can be put out of this booke Ans. A man is written in this booke two wayes first in the iudgement of God truly secondly in the iudgement of men Now if a man be truly written in the counsell of God then he cannot be put out but if he be onely in the iudgement of men he may be blotted out For the first they cannot because Gods counsell is vnchangeable and Rom. 8. whom he predestinates he calleth iustifieth and sanctifieth This golden chaine cannot be broken but whom he predestinateth he glorifieth ergo they cannot fall finally As for the other being onely in the iudgement of men as all be liuing in the church professing Christ these may be put out Psal. 69. Let them be blotted out of the booke of life he prayeth that they might be manifested that they were neuer indeed in the booke of life Hence first we see the number of the elect is certaine for their names are in Gods bill they cannot be put out but remaine for euer This then is no vniuersall election for what neede God a bill or booke to write in some if all were elected Seeing some men being in this booke onely in the iudgement of men may be blotted out and manifested to men to be but hypocrites then we must take heed of all sin and make conscience of euery sinne for so often as we sin we reach vp a pen to heauen to crosse our names to blot them out as much as in vs lieth Let vs then looke to haue our consciences assured that we be in that booke which we may if we find our consciences free from all sin and from all appearance of sin But some godlesse person will hence gather I will liue as I list for if I be in the booke of life I shall be saued if not damned liue how I can But these deceiue themselues for if their names be in it they cannot liue in sin but in faith and obedience in newnesse of life and repentance for he which is predestinated is iustified and must liue in repentance and faith and as surely as he shall be saued he shall liue in faith and repentance 3. I will confesse him in the kingdom of heauen That is at the last day I wil take him for mine he which thus ouercometh and liueth in faith a good conscience I wil confesse him to belong to me to be my mēber I wil separate him from al the world and take him to my selfe and pronounce to him the sentence of absolution Come thou blessed of my Father Math. 25. The end why Christ propounds this third blessing is to moue euery person in the church of Sardis to confesse Christ in this world for he reasons thus If thou shalt confesse me before men I wil confesse thee before my Father if not I will deny thee euen before my Father And so to vs if we will haue Christ confesse vs before God we must confesse him before men and let no creature make vs deny him but stand out against all his enemies euen against the gates of hel and the diuel which is indeed a hard matter for flesh blood yet Christ perswades vs to do it to take paines to professe him before all men for he will confesse vs before God If a King should come in company and choose out one and come to salute him familiarly call him by his name and take him by the hand that would be a great credit but what a happinesse is it to haue Christ Iesus King of all kings to come and call vs by our names take vs by the hands confesse vs to be his friends and pronounce the sentence of absolution before God his Angels the diuel and all men euen our enemies Vers. 7. And write vnto the Church of Philadelpha Here beginneth the sixth particular Epistle reaching to the fourteenth verse And as before euery particular Epistle was set downe a particular commandement to write so here Christ giueth Iohn a particular commandement to write the end of which commādement is to warrant Iohns calling as before often I haue shewed The Epistle hath three parts first the Preface secondly the matter thirdly the conclusion The Preface is in the seuenth verse and it sheweth in whose name this Epistle was written to wit in the name of Christ. And as in other Epistles Christ was described to get credit to the Epistle so is he here by two properties first of holinesse secondly of truth besides he is desscribed by his kingly office which hath the keyes of Dauid The 1 propertie of Christ is he is holy But how can Christ be holy seeing he cometh of Adam as he is man To this many answer that Christ tooke his substance indeed from Adam yet so sanctified as that it is free from all sinne This though it be true yet is not sufficient for as we take from Adam the corruption of nature so we haue from him the guilt of sin Now though sanctification taketh away corruption of nature yet it taketh not away the guilt of sinne Then the true answer is this All which come of Adam by naturall generation and that commaundement which God gaue in the creation Increase and multiply they take from Adam both corruption of nature aud guilt of sin for both be equally conueyed to vs from Adam But God to preuent this ordained that Christ should be borne not by naturall generation but by a miraculous conception and so though he take of man mans nature yet he taketh not mans sinne which he should as well haue had if he had come by ordinarie and naturall generation Now in that it is said Christ is holy note that he is so first in regard of himselfe secondly of vs his church In regard of himselfe first as he is God his Godhead is holy nay his diuine nature is holinesse it selfe there is no difference betweene Christ as he is God and his holinesse Secondly in regard of his humane nature it was not onely free from all sin but filled with all holinesse aboue all men and Angels he had the holy Ghost without measure Thirdly in his actions he was holy as in his actuall obedience and fulfilling the law Secondly Christ is holy in regard of his Church euen of vs his members because he is the author of all holinesse in vs we haue all our holinesse from him nay he is the very roote of holinesse not as the Father or the holy Ghost but in a more speciall maner because from Christ as the roote springeth holinesse in all his members And as from Adam being the root in whom all mankind stood was conueyed sin and corruption to all which came of him so from Christ being the roote is conueyed holinesse to all his members in him he is our sanctification because we fetch our righteousnesse from him as a branch doth sappe from the root for the humane nature of Christ is the very
LECTVRES VPON THE THREE FIRST CHAPTERS OF THE REVELATION PREACHED IN CAMbridge Anno Dom. 1595. by Master William Perkins and now published for the benefite of this Church by Robert Hill Bachelor in Diuinitie To which is added an excellent Sermon penned at the request of that noble and wise Councellor AMBROSE Earle of Warwicke in which is proued that Rome is Babylon and that Babylon is fallen Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works follow them REV. 13. 13. LONDON Printed by Richard Field for Cuthbert Burbie and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Swan 1604. ⧠To the right VVorshipfull Sir Edward Montagu Sir Walter Montagu Sir Henry Montagu and Sir Charles Montagu Knights M. Iames Montagu Doctor of Diuinitie Deane of his Maiesties Chappell and M. Sidney Montagu Esquire the Ladie Susan Sandys and the Ladie Theodosia Capel children of that right worthy and religious Sir Edward Montagu of Bowghton in the Countie of Northhampton Knight and of the Ladie Elizabeth his worthie wife sister to the right Honorable Sir Iohn Harington Baron of Exton and father to the vertuous Ladie the Countesse of Bedford Grace and Peace RIGHT Worshipfull as the Patriarch Iacob had twelue sonnes so Christ the Messiah had twelue disciples but as Ioseph was beloued aboue all those sonnes so Iohn was beloued aboue all the disciples Ioseph was apparelled better then the rest and Iohn was inspired farre better then the rest Had it not bene for Ioseph Egypt had wanted her food temporall and had it not bene for Iohn the Church had wanted her food eternall The future state of Egypt was reuealed to Ioseph and the future state of the Church was reuealed to Iohn The one was exiled because his father loued him and the other exiled because his Maister loued him The place of his exile was into the Island of Pathmos being before by Traian put into a vessell of scalding oyle But that God who shewed his visions to Abraham in the mount to Iacob in the field to Ioseph in the stockes to Moses in Midian to Ieremie in the prison to Daniel in Babylon and to the Apostle Peter in the house of a Tanner euen he sheweth his visions to Iohn in his exile He is not bound to persons he can aduance whome he list he is not bounden to place he can reueale where he list For persons he can preferre Abel before Cain Iacob before Esau Dauid before Eliab Matthias before Iudas He can make Moses a Courtier Iob a Potentate Samuel a Iudge Dauid a King Salomon a Soueraigne Elysha a plowman Amos a Neatheard Ieremie a Priest Daniel a Prince Isaiah of the bloud Royall Matthew a Publicane Peter a Fisher and Paule a Tent-maker to be penners and preachers of the word of God For place as no time can prescribe against the King of a nation so no place can prescribe against this King of all nations The wind bloweth where it listeth and the Spirit worketh where it listeth It pleased Christ who is called in this Reuelation that faithfull witnesse that first begotten of the dead that Prince of the kings of the earth Alpha and Omega the first and last he that hath the keyes of hell and of death which hath that sharpe sword his eyes like fire his feete like brasse the seuen Spirits of God the seuen Starres in his hand the key of Dauid who is called here Amen the beginning of the creatures of God and in Daniel he that reuealeth secrets it pleased this Christ to reueale secrets to Iohn Not by dreame as to Iacob or apparition as to Moses or by voice as to Adam but partly by vision and partly by voice as he did when he turned Saule into Paule This Iohn was Legatus à latere that Ambassadour who leaned on his Lords brest He writeth Christs historie there he sheweth his loue to Christ he writeth the Churches historie there Christ sheweth his loue to him especially in this that he will do nothing which he doth not reueale to his seruant this Prophet For the Church in his time we may see how it stood in the three first Chapters and what condition it should haue for the time to come it is plainely set downe in the rest of this booke If we respect the generall estate of the Church after Iohn had described the authors of this Reuelation which are God the Father chap. 4. and Christ his Sonne chap. 5. he cometh to the works of God which are predictions cha 6. obsignations chap. 7. indignations chap. 8. 9. Predictions of things to come obsignations of such as must be saued indignation on things to be destroyed And for the more particular estate of the Church hauing chap. 10. shewed his warrant to write he cometh to her actions first in her Prophets secondly in her bodie In her Prophets their fighting falling rising chap. 11. In her bodie comparing her to a woman clothed with the Sunne chap. 12. and describing her by her combats conquests triumphs her combats defensiue chap. 13. and offensiue in Christ by words chap. 14. threatnings chap. 15. and iudgements chap. 16. her victories gotten against that whore chap. 17. and 18. the Beast chap. 19. and the Dragon chap. 20. And all that glorie which she shall haue in the kingdome of God is vnder the type of Ierusalem most comfortably set downe chap. 21. 22. The things in this booke were I grant very darke to them that liued in the dayes of Iohn as the Prophecie of Daniel was to them who liued in the time of Daniel But as that Prophecie being fulfilled we can now tell what was foretold in it so many things being fulfilled which were foretold in this booke we may easily see what is meant by it and the posteritie to come shall better vnderstand this booke then we do because it may be all things are not yet fulfilled Neither is this booke like the cities of the Anakims or the tree of knowledge which may not be reached to for blessed is he that readeth the words of this booke But to come to these three Chapters written by Iohn surnamed the Diuine expounded by one a most worthie Diuine The first Chapter is a Proeme or Preface to the booke the two latter are Epistles dedicating this booke The dedication is made to seuen seuerall Churches and by name to the Ministers which are called Angels In the word of God Ministers haue many excellent titles giuē them though now they are scarcely graced with titles they are called Prophets Seers Remembrancers Trumpets Watchmen Husbandmen Stewards Maydens Fishers
by your countenance it may be profitable to the Church The God of heauen giue you all that blessing of blessings which if Ierome say true few men haue that you may transire à deliciis ad delicias go on from grace to grace and be a long time happie in this life and for euer happie in the life to come London Saint Martins in the fields from my worshipful friend Master Oldisworths house by which familie as Paul was by the house of Onesiphorus in the time of this late and I wish I may say the last visitation I haue receiued no small refreshing March 12. 1604. Your VVorships to command Robert Hill Fellow of S. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge LECTVRES VPON THE THREE FIRST CHAPters of the Reuelation REVEL 1. 1. The reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue vnto him MY purpose in choosing this text is to speake of the three first Chapters of this booke namely the seuen seuerall Epistles written to the Churches in Asia which containe sundrie vses instructions fit for our time and age Before we come to the matter we must consider of one question which is whether this present booke of the Reuelation be canonicall or not for some haue heretofore some now do call the authoritie of it in question But we hold that it is canonicall of equall authoritie with other canonicall Scriptures Our arguments and reasons be these The first is because the doctrine contained in this booke is Apostolicall as anie which diligently reades the booke may perceiue Secondly because the style and maner of opening and expounding the prophecie contained in it is Apostolicall that is plaine simple and easie if we consider that it is a prophecie Thirdly because this booke hath bene approued generally of all Churches refused of no one Church in any age since Iohn wrote it it was neuer called into questiō but of some particular man neuer of any whole Church Fourthly the things foretold in this booke came to passe as they were foretold As among the rest in one for all may appeare by that signe Iohn saw in the thirteenth Chapter two beasts came one out of the sea the second out of the earth the first signifying the Romaine Empire the second the Romaine apostaticall Church which both are come to passe in this last age Now follow the reasons which some alleage to proue it not canonicall but they be all of no force First S. Iohn he names him selfe in this booke where he neuer named himselfe once in all his Gospell no not then when he had iust occasion to name him selfe but sought to auoid it therefore they conclude that it is not his booke but written by some other and published in his name The reason is not good For there is great difference betweene an historie and a prophecie S. Iohn in his historie doth not name himselfe for there is no necessarie reason why one in an historie of another man should name himself But in a prophecie as this booke is it is more requisite he should mention his owne name And so did other Prophets as Ieremiah mentioneth his name in his booke at least an hundred times so Esay and Daniel in euerie Chapter mention their names Then seeing they do it so often it is no maruell if S. Iohn in his booke repeate his name yet he doth it but fiue times in the whole booke They obiect that his style in this booke is not the same with that he vsed in the penning of the Gospell Ans. The difference of the stile riseth from the difference of the matter seeing there he writes an historie here he pens a Prophecie Againe here he writes not his own words but those which he receiued from Christ by particular reuelation They say his booke hath bene reiected in diuerse ages as not canonicall Ans. It cannot be proued that it was euer refused of any generall Church but of some priuate man Now the disallowing of any priuate man cannot make a whole booke to be reiected for then the Epistle to the Hebrewes and Iames his Epistle should not be canonicall which be receiued of all Churches Now come to the words which containe two parts First a Preface Secondly a Vision The Preface first containes an entrance to his matter from the first to the ninth verse the vision from the ninth to the end of the chapter The Preface hath two parts First the title of the booke Secondly the inscription The title in the three first verses the inscription from the fourth to the ninth verse The title in these words The reuelation of Iesus Christ c. A reuelation is nothing else but a manifestation or discouerie of things secret in respect of men for the common good of the Church and so this word is taken here Reuelations from God in the Scriptures were of three kinds first by dreames secondly by vision thirdly by created voice of God face to face as we may see Num 12. 6. 8. 4. partly by vision partly by voice Now this was not by dreame for he receiued these things not by dreame vision or voyce alone but by vision from Christ and by voice from God so then it is mixt partly receiued by vision partly by voice vttered from God In these three first verses the Reuelation is described by seuen arguments first by the author Iesus Christ secondly the end thirdly the persons to whom it was directed fourthly the matter fiftly the instrument sixtly the manner of deliuering it seuenthly the fruit of the reuelation The first argument by which it pleaseth the holy Ghost to describe this reuelation is the author vz. Iesus Christ he is the author of it it comes from him It is called his reuelation in these respects first not to exclude the Father and the holy Ghost but to shew the speciall office of Christ for the peculiar office belonging to the second person is to reueale and to publish and to manifest the will of God the Father to the Church and for that cause he is called the Angell of the couenant the doctor of the Church the wisedome of the Father because his office is to reueale the will of his Father to man Secondly it is called the reuelation of Iesus Christ to teach vs to put difference betweene this reuelation and all satanicall reuelations for as God hath his true reuelations so Satan his ape hath his counterfeit reuelations and deliuers them in shew like to Gods but they differ much First the diuels reuelations be for the most part ambiguous and doubtfull that a man cannot tell how to take the speech and phrase he giues them in but the reuelations of God and that in this booke are certaine and in plaine tearmes deliuered Secondly the diuels reuelations be betweene him and his instruments wicked and bad men these in this and other bookes be to the godly to his children and seruants as here to Iohn and the Church
must haue our eares opened to become listeners and pliable to the word that when the Lord cals vs to do his wil we may answer with Dauid I am ready to do thy will O God Further after we haue read or heard the word we must practise that we heare in performing true repentance and laboring faithfully in our vocation for as we see men of trades become cunning by the continuall practise of their trades so if we practise true obedience in repentance and our vocation we shal be skilfull in the word It followeth Which are written in the booke of this prophesie The child of God must keepe and remember the whole word of God yet it is his speciall duty to keepe these prophesies which are to come So the Angell bids Daniel seale vp the booke of the Prophesie till the time come that is remember and keepe it diligently So Mathew 24. 15. When they shall see the abhomination of desolation speaking of things to come he would haue them to marke and remember what he saith Mat. 24. 25. Behold I haue told you before where he shewes that when any great things are to befall the Church then we must in these be most carefull to remember them For the time is at hand Here is a reason of the former words Blessed is he which readeth c. Seeing the time of the accomplishing of this Prophesie is at hand and must shortly be fulfilled therefore those be blessed which reade and keepe this prophesie and it is an answer to a secret obiection For they might haue said We need not reade this Prophesie seeing it shal not be fulfilled in our dayes but he addeth The time is at hand and so taketh that obiection away Now seeing these words were in the first verse and here repeated againe he would teach vs that they containe some waighty matter for vs to be considered and to be earnestly thought of Now S. Iohn addes these words for two causes first because the Church though it cannot be ouertaken with deadly sleepe yet it may slumber and be cast into some beginnings of sleepe as the fiue wise virgins though they slept not so carelesly as the other yet they all slept not a deadly sleepe but a slumber for in the Church there may be some remnants of security Cant. 5. 2. The Church sleepes but so as she alwayes listens as awaken being in a light slumber Now least the Church should be carelesse sleeping and drowsie the holy Ghost addes these words The time of the last iudgement is at hand Secondly he addes these words to confirme the Church and all the true members of Christ against afflictions seeing by these words he foretels them that they be to last but a short time the time of iudgement is at hand the affliction cannot long endure Then this should comfort those which suffer for Christ his sake In this that Christ foretels the Church that now in the last age the time is at hand we must be assured that whatsoeuer befalleth the mēbers of Christ shal shortly befal them temtations afflictions the crosse and calamity shall presently befall vs the time of iudgement is at hand it will presently befall vs. And if we had this confidence that the last iudgement is at hand it would make vs do all in good conscience stay vs frō many sins and the want of this is the cause of much mischiefe for so the bad seruant thinking his maister would defer his comming he smites and beates his fellow seruants And the old world liued in sinne and would not beleeue the flood should come though they were foretold of it till they were all swept away by water We then should lay this to our harts euer think the Lord is at the doore he is presently to come to iudgement And we ought the rather to thinke of this for we haue had ease peace and the Gospell flourishing this 8 yeares with all temporall blessings Now the state of the Church is now peace and now trouble and persecution Now then seeing these crosses which must fall on the Church they be to be done presently we cannot but looke for affliction and persecution after so long peace and preaching Iohn to the seuen Churches in Asia grace and peace c. In this fourth verse is the second part of this Chapter which is the inscription of this booke wherein is first the party which writes it and dedicates it secondly the parties to whō it is dedicated first the party which dedicates it is Iohn secondly the parties to whom the seuen Churches in Asia In the inscription are two parts first a dedication secondly a salutation contained from the fourth till the ninth verse In the dedication there be first the party which dedicates it secondly the parties to whom it is dedicated The party which dedicates it is Iohn who here againe in this fourth verse repeates his name yet so as he repeates no more but his bare name without any titles of commendation he repeats it againe to shew and certifie euery Reader of this booke that he was without all doubt the true pen-man of the holy Ghost in writing this Reuelation But though he repeate his name yet he doth not adde any titles of honour as he did in the first verse many titles of praise and commendation This he doth to giue vs a true patterne of modesty and humility which is neuer to speake in our own causes to our owne praises but onely in cases of necessity when Gods glory may be aduanced and the credit of our particular callings maintained This Paul practised who often humbles himselfe and cals himselfe the least of all the Apostles yea the chiefe of all sinners yet when the credit of his Apostleship came into question then he sets out himselfe shewing he was a true Apostle and aboue those which did falsly call themselues so 2. Cor. 11. So may we when the glory of God or the credit of our particular callings be in question set out our selues with titles of commendation The persons to whom he wrote were the seuen Churches in Asia concerning them note two things first he cals them Churches secondly in Asia Why writes he to the Churches rather then to the Church seeing there is but one true Church Ans. The Church may be considered first as it is the whole company of the elect and so it is but one secondly as it is parted and diuersly sundred into parts as in one country there is one Church or one part of the Church is in one city or towne another part in some other And there may be many Churches seeing euery congregation professing the Gospell of Christ is a Church being a member of the true Catholicke Church as the sea is but one yet there be many parts of the sea which lying against other countries are called by their names as the English French Spanish Italian sea So the particular Churches in particular countries townes and
is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie Aristotle could say that parents were not blessed vnlesse they were after their death blessed in their children And surely it is no small part of a fathers blessednesse to see his children like to flourish when he is gone Nay of all monuments that parents can leaue behind them there is none as one saith like to a vertuous sonne But all parents are not so blessed Adams two sonnes could not agree in one field Abrahams in one house Isaaks in one wombe Dauids in one pallace nor those two brethren in the diuision of an inheritance And though concord amongst brethrē especially such as must deuide the inheritance be very rare yet do you euen in this most comfortably agree You are not as Simeon and Leui Romulus and Remus Eteocles and Polynices Atreus and Thyestes Aeta and Perseus but as Castor and Pollux Dauid Ionathan Ioseph and Beniamin and as a true friend is described to be one soule in two bodies It seemeth that as Agrippa the brother of Augustus was beholding to Salust for that one sentence Small things increase by concord but perish through discord so you haue all learned the same lesson as being perswaded that as the members of a bodie being once dismembred they cannot possibly be ioyned againe so if naturall brethren be once vnnaturally disioyned no glue will conioyne them fast againe It were infinite to shew examples of brotherly loue and hatred and others haue eased me of this paines Now that good God who hath brought you from one roote placed you in one countrie aduanced you to like credit and giuen you one heart giue you also one inheritance in the kingdome of heauen Thus right worshipfull I am bold to speake vnto you and the world knoweth I speake the truth and the Lord knoweth I desire not to flatter Go on therefore I beseech you continue in loue be setled in the truth and labour to honor him who thus honoureth you Be not caried away with the shew of this world but thinke religion the best nobilitie and that as Prudentius said Generosa Christi secta nobilitat viros Cui quisquis seruit ille verè est nobilis He noble is that comes of Christ his race Who serues this Lord he surely is not base And this made Theodosius more to thanke God that he was a Christian then a king considering that he must lose the one he could not lose the other Now as to one of you I am bounden in particular and by him being a Minister the despised Ministry is not a litle graced so for him I pray that he may be an Abraham to our Abimelech a Nathan to our Dauid a Iehoida to our Ioash an Ebedmelech to Ieremiah an Elisha to the widow of this Prophet deceased a light in the Court a trumpet in the Church and that Ahashuerosh may long hold out his golden scepter vnto him that by his meanes great men may not want such as will tell them the truth no earthly Alexander accounted a sonne of Iupiter and that no man may be more respected then a good Pastor and that he may euer remember that saying of wise Salomon He that loueth purenes of heart for the grace of his lips the King shall be his friend His Cyrus will not be spoken to verbis bissinis in silken words to his Alexander he needeth not speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either sweet words or no words For if one Antiochus might be surnamed holy another good Prince called the Good King much more may he whose religious knowledge surpasseth all the Princes that haue bene of this nation and whose humilitie is such that he will haue his sonne to remember that he dissereth not in stuffe but in vse from the rest of his people and that by Gods ordinance I am the bolder for that one to make choice of you all in the dedication of this booke no man knew loued conuersed with and respected this Author more then he He resorted to him in his health visited him in sicknesse and preached a learned Sermon for him at his death Concerning this author as he said of Carthage I had rather be silent then say litle and his worthie labours do speake enough for him by name that his Posthume dedicated to his excellent Maiestie by an excellent Diuine In a word therefore whatsoeuer this man did he desired to profite others by it he thought as it is written of Bernard in his life that he was not his owne man but deputed to the seruice of others He was neuer idle but as Hierome reporteth of Ambrose and Bernard of himselfe he did either reade or meditate or pray or conferre or counsell or comfort or write or preach And thus as the Embleme is of a faithfull Teacher he like a waxe candle in giuing light to others in a short time extinguished himselfe Yet in this short time of his what art was he not a maister of what vertue was he not endued with He was a complet Diuine and hath this blessing in the Church that no mans writings are read of all sorts and in all countries with greater grace and profite then his He was peaceable in the Church patient of wrongs and free from ambition For as Ierome said of Nepotian aurum calcans schedulas consectabatur he regarded not his purse but followed his booke and as Bernard said he liued in terra auri sine auro in a kingdome of gold without gold An excellent gift he had to define properly deuide exactly dispute subtilly answer directly speake pithily and write iudicially and how he preached if these Sermons do giue a testimonie what witnesse had they who often heard him themselues I haue published of his now two Discourses and I onely did it that these his labours might not perish I haue no benefite by them but exceeding great paines And since I vnderstand that his other labours are in the hands of his friends to make benefite for his children I will ease my selfe of the like labour be a means that they may haue the benefit of the future impressions of this booke the which how faithfully I haue published I appeale to the godly and indifferent Reader and I hope no honest minded man will be hired to calumniate it Thus as one desirous to be seruiceable in my calling profitable to the Church not forgetfull of my friend and to testifie the happinesse of your house which was in your fathers time and is now as it is said of Aurelian the Emperors Referta piis Ecclesia Dei replenished with the godly and a Church of God and withall to leaue a monument of my dutie to you all I haue as you see published this exposition of seuen Epistles vnder your eight names nothing doubting but it will be as welcome to you as
and reading the writings of men contemning the word of God And yet the writings of men be sinfull and erronious euery way imperfect the writings of God holy certain and euery way absolute being giuen to the Sonne as he is king priest and Prophet To shew to his seruants cōcerning this testament shortly to be done In these words be 3. arguments for the description of this Reuelatiō First the end vz. to shew it secondly the persons his seruants thirdly the matter of it vz. things shortly to be reuealed The end of this reuelation was to manifest declare to his seruants to wit the Church of God his seruants and children to publish to them those things which should shortly be fulfilled and this is the maine drift of this Reuelation Hence then we note that the Papists erre who say that lay men should not haue the word but barre them the reading of the Scriptures but the holy Ghost saith this reuelation was to reueale things to come not onely to the Clergie nor to the doctors of the Church but to his seruants if so then to the lay man as well as the Clergie vnlesse they will say he is none of his seruants Then this I gather if that this booke being most hard must be learned of the lay man then those bookes which be not so hard must be learned and read and much more those which be more easie as the historie of the Gospell the Epistles c. Secondly the persons are the seruants of Christ this booke then of Reuelation belongs not to all men indifferently but it is written for the seruants of Christ that is such as repent of their sinnes beleeue truly in Christ and shew their faith by the fruites thereof in their liues And so the Lord saith he will reueale his secrets to his seruants the Prophets and the Lord will not keepe backe but reueale to Abraham the things he was to bring vpon Sodome and Gomorrha Then seeing those to whō the Lord shewes his will to whom he declares this book and others they must be his seruants we must not content our selues only to heare the word and receiue the Sacraments but we must seeke to be his seruants we must repent truly beleeue in Christ and shew this faith in obedience and then the Lord will more and more daily acquaint vs with his will And the cause why we heare the word daily and neuer profit but be as ignorant and blind as before the cause is because we be not his seruants we be bare hearers neuer practise that we heare in faith and obedience we repent not neither liue a new life by repentance in new obedience For else if the Lord see any which is his true seruant he approues of him he likes of him and acquaints him daily with his will and word increaseth his knowledge and obedience Secondly seeing that this reuelation is written for the seruants of Iesus Christ I obserue that Christ is true God the reason is because they be called his seruants that is Christs The reason stands thus he which is Lord of the Church the members thereof and also of Angels as it followeth after he is true God but Christ is Lord of men and Angels ergo he is true God His seruants not to all men to the whole world and euery singular man but to his seruants Hereby we see the opinion of those which hold God would haue all to be saued and cals all men is false For if he called all effectually then he would offer al the meanes to wit the word of God that so they might be called but he writes it not to all but to his seruants now that which is true of this booke is true of the whole Scripture The Lord shewed his word to Iacob not to all the world not to all nations as to him Psal. 147. 19. 20. he shewed to Iacob that is his true members his seruants and true Christians Now followeth the matter which is the fourth argument of the description of this reuelation vz. Things which shortly must come to passe and in this the matter of this booke is distinguished from all other bookes of the Scripture which speake generally of things either present or now past but this speakes of things to come The matter of this booke is described by two arguments first these things be necessarie they must be done Secondly by the circumstance of time shortly or quickly First the matter is things to come which must be done so speakes the holy Ghost in many places of the word As Christ saith shewing the necessitie Offences must come so Paule saith There must be heresies Act. 14. We must through manie tribulations enter into heauen c. So to Timothy they which be godly must suffer afflictions Shewing in all these places that things which are to come must necessarily come to passe But this doctrine agrees not with mans reason though it be the will of God for men will say If all things come to passe necessarily then it takes away mans free will for necessitie and free will can not stand together Answer They may Indeed constraint and mans will can not stand but mans will and vnchangeable necessitie may stand both together As I shew thus In God there is absolute free will yet he doth many things of necessitie as he willeth that which is good necessarily for he can not possibly will that which is euill but willes that which is good most freely So Christ he died necessarily he could not but die for he died in regard of Gods counsell and yet he died most willingly and gaue himselfe most freely to die when he suffered death ergo these two mans free will and vnchangeable necessitie though not constraint may stand together Men will obiect againe If things come to passe by necessitie then it is in vaine to vse anie meanes as to heare the word receiue the sacraments for Gods will must come to passe do we what we will do Answer These men must consider that as God hath appointed what things must come to passe so he hath appointed the meanes how they must come to passe Then seeing the Lord hath appointed as well the meanes as the ende we should by this necessitie rather be induced to vse the meanes then not to vse them To make this more plaine we must know there is a double necessitie one is absolute another is but in part I call that absolute necessitie which can not be otherwise possibly As that God liues it cannot be otherwise he is omnipotent he cannot but be so There is a necessitie which is not absolute but in part as when anie thing done is necessarie because it depends on necessarie causes As fire to burne this is not absolutely necessarie but in part because it depends on that order which God set in things in the creation It is not absolute for if God should change that order in the creation
then it may be fire should ceasse to burne as it did in the three children in the ouen Now in this place where he saith These things must be done it is not to be meant of absolute necessitie but of that which is but in part for they must come to passe necessarily onely in regard of Gods decree In them selues they be contingent necessary by the vnchangeable decree of God In regard of which decree of God all things which come to passe be necessarie yet can it not be inferred therefore man hath no free will For this necessitie taketh it not away neither the second causes but rather disposeth them and inclines mans free will Secondly the matter is described by the time shortly or quickly But how can this be true seeing things spoken of in this booke came not to passe a thousād years after which is a lōg time Ans. They may be said to come to passe shortly though a thousand yeares after in two respects First of God to whom a thousand years is but as one day Secondly in regard of men for though a thousand years seeme a long time to men ere it be expired yet when it is once past it seemes but a short time Which must shortly come He sets downe these wordes for two causes First to terrifie all carnall and carelesse men for it foretelleth iudgements and destructions to those which liue in their sinnes which be enemies to the Church of God and so it strikes a terror into their hearts seeing their destruction comes shortly And no doubt if anie carnall man could lay this to his heart that iudgement must come quickly it would rowze him if he belonged to Christ or else would terrifie his soule We here liue still in our sinnes though we heare the word daily we neuer repent of our sinnes But if we which be so carelesse wold consider that destruction and iudgement must come shortly to those which be carelesse it would stirre vs vp to repentance if we had anie grace Let these carelesse men let these consider that the hand of God may be on them quickly take hold on them ere they be aware Let the young man not runne on in his sins lest the Lord come ere he be prepared and prouided For the Lord will come quickly his iudgements they make hast and are not farre off they delay not Secondly the holy Ghost setteth downe this circumstance of time to arme the seruants of Christ the true members of the Church against all persecutions afflictions calamities which might befall them For the children of God being afflicted and crossed they might be impatient and discouraged but lest they should be so the Lord here telleth them that his coming shall be shortly they shall not alwayes beare the heauie burthen of afflictions on their shoulders but for a while a short time and then the Lord will come and ease them deliuer them and comfort their troubled minds lest they should be swallowed vp with griefe It followeth Which he sent That is which reuelation he sent and shewed by his Angell These words are set downe for two causes First to shew that S. Iohn he opened and published this booke not rashly but by calling and warrant from God This teacheth vs what must be our dutie in all our actions whatsoeuer we take in hand we must looke we haue our calling and warrant This was the Apostles practise as here S. Iohns he opened not this reuelation before he had speciall warrant So must we looke for our warrant in the word and till we haue it we must not enterprise anie thing If this dutie were practised there would be more conscience in the seruice and worship of God more care and conscience in our dealings with men then there is Secondly he setteth downe these words to get more reuerence and greater authoritie to this booke that it might more be accepted of and therefore he saith it was sent by an Angell to the Church And this is a verie good reason to get credite to it and reuerence For if an earthly Prince should write his letter to his subiect and withall send it by one of his gard no doubt the subiect would receiue it most reuerently The Scriptures they be the epistle of God sent to his Church not by anie but by his Angell then this should procure a thousand times more reuerence seeing God sends his letter to his Apostle S. Iohn and so to the Church by the hand of an Angell Now followeth the fifth argument of the description of this reuelation which is the instruments of this reuelation whereby it is conueyed from God to the Church and these be two First an Angell Secondly Iohn the Apostle or Euangelist The first instrument is an Angell by whom he sent this Reuelation to conuey it to his Church And so the Lord hath vsed their ministerie in other places of the scriptures So when the Law was giuen it was by the hand of an Angel Daniel had many of his dreames expounded by an Angell And the seuen visions in this booke of the Reuelation were shewed to Iohn by an Angell Yet we must take heede we gather not hence that we may worship them or pray to them because they be present about vs and see our wants but before we pray to them we must haue a commandement from God and a speciall promise that they can and will heare and helpe vs else we must not pray to them The second instrument is Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist which penned one of the Gospels that Disciple whom Iesus loued sonne to Zebedeus kinsman to Christ. Now to procure credit and more reuerence to his reuelatiō he describeth himselfe by two arguments First calling himselfe his seruant Iohn Secondly by an effect Which bare record c. First he cals him selfe the seruant of Christ not the Disciple of Christ not Christ his cosin or kinsman which he might haue done but he cals himself the seruant of Christ. For he had learned that which Christ speaks Mat. 12. 50. He which doth the will of my Father he is my mother sister and brother not he which is kinsmā or cosin but in this to do his fathers wil stands the note of his kinsman And in this to be the seruant of Christ stands the dignitie of a Christian. Had not the blessed Virgin Christs mother bene a seruant of Christ she had neuer bin saued by Christ. Then by this we see it is nothing to helpe a man to saluation to be borne of great kinred to come of Princes noble bloud but to be the seruants of Christ to do the will of Christ this is to be allyed and cosin to Christ. And if we will be the seruants of Christ we must become new creatures we must leaue off our old seruice and as S. Paule saith he knewe not Christ in the flesh but serued him in the spirit And we must not content our selues to be his
seruants in the generall calling of a Christian but in our particular callings For S. Iohn was his seruant not onely in beleeuing in him and obeying him generally but in beleeuing and obeying him in the particular calling of an Apostle So Paule he was the seruant of Christ not only generally but in the speciall calling of the Gospell in preaching the same This example of his and the Apostles must be our direction we must not content our selues with the generall calling of Christians but serue Christ in our particular callings It is not inough to professe Christ in publike assemblies to heare the word receiue the Sacraments but in our particular callings we must serue him at home as the magistrate not onely in his generall calling of Christianitie but in his particular calling as he is a magistrate the Minister as he is a Minister the maister of a familie as he is a maister and so all men in their particular callings must obey Christ. And if the maister of a familie come to the assembly heare the word receiue the Sacraments yet in his familie faile and performe not the duties of a maister he is but an hypocrite he is no true Christian though men accept so of him because he must be obedient to Christ both in generall and particular calling Now followeth the second argument by which Iohn is described namely the effect that he bare record of the word of God Which Iohn bare this record partly by preaching partly by penning the Gospell of Christ. And because the word of God hath two parts the Law and the Gospell he shewes in the next words that he meanes especially the Gospell of Christ adding Of things done and sayd by Christ. And lest any man should call his testimonie into question he saith he testifies that whereof he was an eye witnesse he saw it and therefore could not be deceiued and therefore his testimonie was true The end why he alleageth these words is to shew that he is a faithfull pen-man of this booke that so it might haue more reuerence for he which was faithfull in penning the Gospell of Christ the same also is faithfull in penning this Prophecie of the Church By these words we may gather that to testifie the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles to be the truth of God is a true note of a true Prophet And by these we may distinguish betweene a true Prophet and a false if they bring the doctrine of the Apostles and the Prophets it is true Deut. 13. If they worke wonders and their doctrine be to draw men from the true God they are false Prophets and must be put to death And our Sauiour Christ being asked of his authoritie he alledges Luk. 10. 1. Iohns testimonie and confirmeth Iohns testimonie to be true asking them this question The baptisme of Iohn was it from heauen or of men shewing that Iohn was a true Prophet seeing his Baptisme that is his doctrine was from heauen Hereby we see the difference of a true Prophet and false alledged by the Papists is no true difference for they say If one can worke miracles he is a true Prophet whereas Deut. 13. false Prophets may do that But the true marke of a true Prophet is the doctrine deliuered by the Prophets and Apostles and he which brings this though he can not worke a miracle is a true Prophet Now followeth the sixth argument by which this reuelation is described which is in the manner of propounding and deliuering of it to the Church And this maner and forme of deliuerie of it stands in foure degrees First God the Father giueth it to Christ the Mediator Secondly Christ the Mediatour and head of the Church giueth it to an Angell Thirdly the Angell conueyes it to Iohn the Apostle Fourthly Iohn directed and assisted by the holie Ghost deliuereth it to the Churches Now as this particular booke was so no doubt all the whole Scriptures were conueyed to the Church Now in that the Lord hath so conueyed his Scriptures to man we see his perpetuall care and loue of man and of the members of his Church Also we see the great excellencie and dignitie as also the perfection of these bookes seeing they were deliuered to man by God and by him he deliuers his will to his Church This shewes the blasphemie and sin of the Church of Rome who call the written word of God a dead letter a dumbe iudge they hold that generall Councels be equall to the word that the vniuersall consent of the Church is aboue the Scriptures it giues life and sense to them which otherwise they say of themselues be but an inkie and dumbe word But we see they be farre aboue all these for they be most absolute and perfect and also most excellent seeing they being giuen of God the Father to Christ the mediator and head of the Church and by him conueyed to an Angell who deliuers them to Iohn and he published them to the Church these degrees of the deliuerie of thē shew they be most excellent and perfect Blessed are they which heare c. Here is the seuenth and last argument of this description of the Reuelation which is by the fruite effect and the profite which comes of it being heard or read and ioyned with marking and attention it brings happinesse Blessed That is blessednesse which stands in the fellowship of God and life euerlasting belongs to them which heare and reade this booke and marke it keepe it in memorie remember the things contained in it being a prophecie of the estate of the Church partly present partly to come Blessed is he which reades Here the holy Ghost setteth downe the proper end of the Scriptures of this booke particularly For the ende of this booke and so of all other bookes of the Scriptures is to bring men to happinesse and felicitie and life euerlasting Ioh. 20. last the Scriptures be to make vs beleeue in Christ that so beleeuing we might haue eternall life 1. Ioh. 1. ◠He declared to them the word of Christ that by it they might haue fellowship with God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost which fellowship is true happinesse it selfe Ioh. 5. 39. Search the scriptures for in them you thinke to haue eternall life And in this they differ from all other books and writings of men For mens writings being penned either by the light of nature and so be thence erronious and misse of the end of happinesse and euerlasting life or else they be penned by them which haue light by by the word and so as they agree with the word they be grounded on the word and haue all their truth from it Seeing the end of this booke as of the other bookes of scripture is to bring men to happinesse we see the opinion and practise of the Church of Rome is damnable who barre the people of God from reading and hearing the Scriptures in their vulgar tongue for in barring them of
cities be Churches though not the Catholicke Church but members of it Note first the matter of this book concernes the Church seeing it is a propheticall history concerning the estate of the Church from the time of Iohn to the end and therefore it is meet it should be dedicated to the Church Secondly it is dedicated to the Church seeing the true members of the Catholicke Church be the pillars and ground of truth not that their authority is aboue the word but because they preserue the scriptures as a treasury from age to age And they be pillars and grounds of truth because they giue testimony to the truth of Gods word 3. Because they publish the truth of Gods word in and by the ordinary ministery of the word and so the church being the pillar and ground of truth it is fit this booke should be dedicated to it Secondly he writes it not to all Churches but makes choise of these seuen Churches in Asia first because they were then most famous as the Chapters following and histories of the Church do shew Secondly he sayes not to the Churches of Ierusalem and of the Iewes but of Asia to shew them that which was long before foretold was now fulfilled namely that the Gentiles according as the Prophets foretold should be called which now was verified seeing the Gentiles dwelt in Asia Seeing Iohn wrote and dedicated this booke to the Churches in Asia many yeares after Christ not to the Church of Rome then we see that the Papists are deceiued who would haue their Church the mother Church and all other Churches must rely on theirs but if that Church of Rome had bene the mother and most famous no doubt Iohn would haue dedicated it to her But he doth dedicate it to the Churches in Asia shewing they were then more famous then Rome 2 Now followes the salutation Grace and peace c. Salutation is of two forts ciuill or religious ciuil as that which men vse ordinarily with one another 2. religious which is more peculiar and proper to the Church and so it is here a religious salutation And seeing the Apostles vse it commonly in all their Epistles may be called an Apostolicall salutation They vsed this in all their Epistles Grace and peace c. which they did because their ministery was of grace and peace and they made their salutation answerable to their ministery for their Apostleship stood in these two to preach the word and to pray for the people that they might haue grace peace And the apostles vse this phrase in manner of blessing for when their ministery stood in two actions in preaching and praying for the people vnder the second action of praying was contained this to blesse the people and so did the high Priests and Leuites as also Christ he vsed this so Ministers to shew their duty more fully after they preach the word they blesse the people Grace be with you Most excellent words and containe in them the summe and substance of the whole Gospell Grace signifies two things first Gods fauour and good will secondly his graces Here it signifies his fauour because in this salutation grace is opposed to peace which is a grace of God so that it cannot be meant of a grace of God then by it is meant his good will and fauour whereby he accepts of vs for Christ his sake S. Iohn begins with Grace first and not with Peace because grace is the ground of peace and all blessings graces of God We must first be in Gods fauour then we must looke to haue prosperitie and graces from God Grace is the ground of all blessings as of our election vocation redemption iustification sanctification of faith repentance and perseuerance in faith and repentance nay it is all in all in the matter of our saluation For this cause he begins with it And peace Peace is taken first for welfare and good successe in things of this world by Gods blessing Exod. 18. 7. Moses askes Iethro his father in law of his peace that is of his welfare and so it is partly taken in this place Secondly it is taken for that vnity and blessed concord we shall haue in the kingdome of God and so it is especially taken here And being thus taken it hath sixe parts first when we haue peace with God which is when we stand in the fauour of God reconciled to him in Christ Iesus Secondly when we haue peace with Gods Angels in that they guard vs and cary vs as a nurse doth her child in her armes that we hurt not our feete at any stone and when they reioyce at our good estate Psal. 91. 11. The third is peace with a mans selfe when his conscience will not accuse him but excuse and cleare him as when our conscience is washed in the blood of Christ Phil. 4. 7. this peace passeth all vnderstanding The fourth is peace with the church So Act. 4. 32. those which beleeued were all of one mind and heart had peace with each other So Esa. 11. 6. The wild beast and the Lion the Lamb and the Cockatrise and the yong child shall lie together Fiftly this peace fauor of God is with the enemies of God so far as it is for the good of the Church and the glory of God So Ioseph had peace in Pharaohs house So Daniel had peace with the Kings Eunuches for though he was free when the children were cast into the ouen yet he did not reuolt but being fauoured they saued him The sixt is peace with all Gods creatures beasts birds all creatures in heauen and earth Ose. 2. 18. The Lord will make a couenant betweene vs and all his creatures Psal. 91. 13. The child of God he shall tread vpon the lion and serpent and they shall not hurt him for when a man is in Gods fauour what creature dares to hurt him nay al the creatures are ready and willing to serue him Grace and peace As though he had said first you must be in the fauour of God you must haue vnity and reconciliation with and in Christ and then this peace welfare prosperity in all good things as farre as is necessary yea then concord and vnity with God and all his creatures will follow Whereas the Apostle wishes them grace in the first place he would teach vs that this Gods fauour is to be sought for aboue all things yea in the first place Psal. 4. 6. Many say Who will shew vs any good But Dauid he seekes this grace and fauour of God Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon me let me be in thy fauour And often he sayes the Lord he is his portion inheritance and his lot shewing to be in the loue and fauor of God is to be preferred before all things in the world So must we seeke first to be in Gods fauour make that our chiefest care seeke it aboue all things but we litle
this last day when he shall see his Iudge with his eyes then it wil stirre it wil torment him it will attach accuse and condemne him it will lay to his charge his sinnes his contempt of Christ and his word his vnbeleefe in the time of grace it will be as a thousand witnesses to condemne him This should cause all men to labour to get a good conscience washed and purged in the blood of Christ which will not lay to our charge any one sinne but assure vs we be in the fauour of God which wil not make vs feare but looke vp to our redeemer and to reioyce in him We must take heed when our conscience lieth asleepe and accuseth not no not at death for it will then deceiue vs but search and examine our hearts and consciences and seeke to haue them washed and bathed in the blood of Christ. Lastly he confirmeth this doctrine of the second comming of Christ by a double note of asseueratiō Euē so Amen One of these is taken frō the Ebrewes Amen the second from the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euen as we auouch a thing first by a simple and bare affirmation or negation secondly by an earnest asseueration thirdly by an oath Now in that S. Iohn vseth these two kinds of assuring in this weightie matter of Christs second coming we see our dutie we must not vse the like at any time or thing but onely in matters of weight and moment so S. Iohn here he shall come and that certainly vndoubtedly it shal be so Then the practise of thē is wicked which vse these words in matters of no weight at euery word and much more which bind euery word with an oath which is far more Yea though our Sauior oftē vseth these words of asseueration yet onely in matters of weight and moment and when the hearers were to be certified of the truth of a thing which was of importance 2 He would by this shew that the coming of Christ is certaine and most vndoubted and to make vs out of all doubt he addeth these two words of asseueratiō Euē so Amē most certainly it will come then we should often thinke of this matter for in our nature there is a corruption which perswadeth vs that the coming of Christ is not yet that we shall not be summoned either by generall or particular iudgement therefore as the wicked seruant we deferre the comming of Christ. To take away this corruption he saith he cometh yea certainely vndoubtedly he cometh and that out of hand Thirdly to shew a speciall note and marke of Gods child for he doth not onely asseuere but withall desireth and longeth for the coming of Christ Lord let it be so Amen let it euen be so They long for and desire Christ his coming to iudgment but the wicked could wish with all their hearts that it might neuer be The godly they know that when Christ shall come then they shall haue that crowne of immortalitie and glorie which he hath prepared for all which desire his coming But the wicked and they which are not reconciled to God in Christ nor assured of their owne saluation they cannot for their life once wish and desire the coming of Christ. So that by this one note we may iudge of our owne estates whether we belong to Christ or not for if we desire and long for his second comming to iudgement if we wish he would come quickly then it is a certain token and signe we be reconciled to God in Christ that we belong to him But if as yet we feele not this longing and hungring desire in vs then we must suspect our selues and labour to feele it euery day for it is the desire of the Saints and of all the true children of God After that S. Iohn had described Christ at large here in this eighth verse he bringeth him in speaking of himselfe by a figure I am Alpha and Omega saith the Lord. The end and scope of this eighth verse is to confirme the former description of Christ. The reason is thus framed He which is the beginning and the end of all he is sufficient to be a King Priest and Prophet and is both able and willing to bestow all blessings on his Church This first part of the argument is omitted the second part is contained in this eighth verse But I am the beginning and the end c. I am sufficient c. In this eighth verse are three points concerning Christ first he is the beginning and the end I am alpha and omega secondly he is was and is to come thirdly he is almightie omnipotent 1 The first point is that Christ is the beginning and the end which he expresseth by a comparison taken from the Greeke alphabet or the A. B. C. of the Grecians for as in their Greeke alphabet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the first letter and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last so I saith Christ am the beginning of all things and the end of all as those letters in the Greeke alphabet so am I in all things the first and last Out of this that Christ borroweth this comparison from the Greeke alphabet the Papists gather that the word may be read and deliuered to the people in an vnknowne toung because Christ here vseth an vnknowne toung to those whom he gaue this vision But though the vnlearned and vnlettered English man knoweth not what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is yet the Church to whō this booke was written being the Grecians knew what they meant generally Againe though the spirit of God vseth a strange word in one place we may not follow that in the whole word of God in the whole seruice and worship of God as the Papists do Christ is said to be the beginning and the end first because he is the very first of all things there was nothing before he was he had a being when all other creatures were not but begunne to be then was he the same that he is now he had his being and subsisting before all creatures and for this saith S. Iohn chap. 1. verse 1. In the beginning was the word that is the Son of God he had his being and subsisting when all other creatures wanted it and began to be This proueth the eternitie of Christ because he had his being before any creature was created he was a substance and essence begotten of the Father before all worlds not created as other creatures are or made of any other Secondly he is called the beginning because he giueth a beginning to all creatures for all things which were created were created by him and had their being from him So that he is the true beginning of all things Coloss. 1. 16. All things are from him he is the beginning of all and all are for him he is the end of all Seeing Christ giues a being to all things then we when
subsisting These words proue the Godhead and eternitie of Christ the second person The end why Christ alleadgeth them is to certifie him that these things he was about to shew him came from God and therefore he bringeth his owne testimonie namely I which speake vnto thee am God therefore the things I deliuer vnto thee are from God euen from Iesus Christ the second person in the Trinitie which am God equall to my Father In this testimonie of Christ note a singular care of God in respect of his Church he is carefull not onely to reueale his will to his Church but withal to certifie his Church of the truth of the same As here he telleth Iohn that they come from God to certifie his soule and conscience in the truth of the same so he reuealeth not onely his will but withall assureth men of the truth thereof Act. 10. Peter hath a vision and withall the Lord assureth him of the truth of that visioÌ„ And when Christ preached his Fathers will he wrought many miracles which were as sâ—ales to confirme the same that it came from God Seeing the Lord he doth not only declare his will but withall assureth men of the certainetie and truth of his will this first confuteth the Papists who teach that the word of God is certaine in it selfe but to vs it is not certaine till we heare the testimonie of the Church which maketh the Scripture which is vncertaine to vs though certaine in it selfe to be certaine to vs. But we must here know and learne that the Lord doth not onely reueale his will to his children but withall vseth meanes to certifie mens hearts of the truth thereof and so the word of God is most sure not only in it self but euen to men though the testimonie of the Church shold neuer speake word of the same â— This confutes all carnall men There be many which will be of no Religion because there is as they thinke no certaintie in Religion seeing mens opinions in matters of Religion be so diuers that one cannot tell who speakes the truth Indeed we differ in many points of religion and so many men so many diuers opinions yet the true members of Christ they differ not in the fundamentall points of Religion And though all the world should differ in opinion yet it followes not there should be no Religion but the doctrine taught by the Prophets and Apostles should stand sure and be the true Religion of God for euer and the Lord can make men out of it to learne his will and assure them of the certainty of Religion Now followeth the commaundement That which thou seest write in a book c. This hath two parts first S. Iohn must write the things he receiueth secondly he must send them to the seuen famous Churches of Asia Now the Lord commaunds Iohn to write these things in a booke and he must set downe that which he receiued of God to send it to the seuen Churches of Asia because he being now in banishment and could not come to them and be present with them to instruct them therfore he must write these in a booke that so they might be holpen by them Secondly he must not only write them in a booke but send them to these seuen Churches first that they might be confirmed and strengthened in the matters of faith now in the cruell time of their persecution secondly that they might keepe these books for the Church of God which is the pillar ground of truth first because it publisheth the word secondly because she keepeth the same from time to time and also giues testimony of the truth of the same So then that these Churches might keepe publish and giue testimony of these things he must send them written to them Hence we learne that the word of God written is an excellent help for the church of God to edifie the same else he would neuer haue commaunded Iohn to send this booke to the seuen Churches in Asia This confutes first the Papists who hold that the writteÌ„ word is but a dead inky letter a nose of waxe to be turned any way secondly the Anabaptists who looke for reuelations contemne the written word but seeing the Lord bids him send it to the seuen Churches in Asia he sheweth it is an excellent meanes to edifie the Church We may learne that the reading of this booke as of other Scripture is Gods ordinance whether it be publike or priuate and that they must be so vsed as Gods ordinance with reuerence and good conscience Indeed the word preached is the ordinary meanes to begin faith and to worke repentance but the reading of them publikely and priuatly hath his proper vse to confirme our faith yea to increase knowledge faith and repentance in vs. Write and send it to the seuen Churches c. Here is the third point namely that a man in the crosse and persecution may be the deare child of God S. Iohn a famous Apostle and deare seruant of God yet he is in banishment and continues a long time from all company of men yet God reuealeth his wil to him and maketh him the pen-man of this book which he giueth to none but them which be his seruants Then a man may be and continue in banishment yet be the deare seruant of God We reason if a man be in the crosse and persecution and continue in the same he is surely out of Gods fauour but we see the contrary in Iohn In the end of the verse he setteth downe the names of these seuen Churches in particular and these seuen places were seuen most famous cities in Asia in which were planted seuen most excellent Churches of all those parts of the world and for that cause here are named one by one Then I turned backe Here is his preparation or entrance into the vision When I heard a voice behind me being loud and great I turned to see him which deliuered it to me In the preparation we must consider first the meanes to moue Iohn to attention namely a voice secondly the end to make him attentiue and to inioyne him his dutie namely to write and to send it to the Churches Now followeth the second part of his preparation which is that he turned backe when he heard this loud and great voice to see who it was which gaue the voice By this practise of S. Iohn we may learne our duty for as he dealeth with the man which giues the voice so must we deale with God S. Iohn heareth a voice and then he turnes backe to see who it is so must we do with the Lord we are all by nature ready to turne from God and runne from him as fast as we can by our sinnes Now when the Lord speaketh to vs by the preaching of the word when we are running on in another way we must turne to him turne our hearts to his wayes confesse our sinnes to him that so
not only pronounce sinne to be forgiuen as the reformed churches hold and which they denie but properly to forgiue sinne Seeing Christ hath power ouer hell and death we must reuerence him do him all honour and obedience we can if we haue not done this already yet now to begin if we haue then to do it more Seeing he hath the key of death he can shut open saue and destroy But if we dishonour and disobey him then he will not shut but open the doore to death and hell to plague vs. We thinke all is well Christ he is a Sauiour and all shall be well he is mercifull and so make him our packehorse of our sinnes but we must know he is not onely a Sauiour but a Iudge he can destroy and saue open and shut he hath the key of heauen and hel and of death This is a comfort to the godly which cleaue to Christ that he can keep them frō hell death so as they cannot hurt them and this consideration might comfort vs in time of persecution in the time of sicknesse or any calamitie Write these things In these words he describeth Christ by a second action for after he had comforted S. Iohn now he giueth him a commandement which commandement was giuen in the eleuenth verse before and here repeated to Iohn againe First because Christ intended by this to shew Iohn his especiall care of his Church that he is now still a prouident and carefull head of his Church and therefore sayth not once Write these things but the second time that the Church of God might vnderstand in al ages to come that it is necessary mē should know the estate of the Church for else he would not haue repeated it againe if it had not bene very necessary It is necessary for men to know that the estate of the church is to be in troubles that they might the better prepare thēselues to beare thē Thirdly he doth it that S. Iohn might be more assured certainly of his calling to write and pen this booke Fourthly that the Church in all ages might be fully assured without doubt that this booke is a booke of God and part of holy Scripture not inuented by man but reuealed by God to Iohn for the good of the Church Obiect But though Christ reuealed his wil aright Iohn might mistake it and erre in penning Answ. S. Iohn penned this booke both for matter and maner as Christ gaue it to him for this we must know that there is a difference betweene Apostles and Prophets in the old and new Testament and Ministers of the Gospell for they were called immediatly by God and Christ and had speciall assistance of the spirit of God which appeareth by those promises they haue made to thē by God as Christ saith He which receiueth you receiueth me c. Luke 10. 16. And It is not you which speake but the spirit of my Father therfore feare not And Iohn 14. The holy Ghost shall leade you into all truth which though some apply it to all Ministers yet if we mark the place it can agree to none but the Apostles And they meeting at Ierusalem concluded as it seemed good to the holy Ghost to them so that we see they could not erre though they were but men But it is not so with the Ministers of the word they may and do erre often Now S. Iohn being a faithfull Apostle he receiued this of Christ without errour and so penned it In this commaundement of Christ is a plaine diuision of this whole booke Write the things thou hast seene that is this vision I haue offered to thee the things thou sawest In the secōd place he sets downe the present estate of the church Thirdly the things to come that is the future estate of the church to the end of the world So that this booke containeth two things in it first the estate of the church in time present secondly in time to come to the end of the world the words of Christ make this diuision plainly If it be lawfull to vse diuisions then it is lawfull to set downe rules for direction of diuiding aright but the first is lawfull ergo the second Therefore the art of reasoning and diuiding as also Rhetoricke is not vnlawfull as some would haue it The mystery of the seuen starres Here is the third action of Christ which is the interpretation of the vision which he had shewed to Iohn and he onely interprets the principall parts of it Now Christ expounds this visiō to Iohn namely because he was to shew himselfe to be an holy man of God namely a Prophet Now the principall thing in a Prophet is to be able to expound visions either his owne or any others as we see in Daniel Now that he might shew himselfe to be an absolute Prophet in this booke Christ doth not onely shew him the vision but the intertation of it he expounds it that Iohn might be incouraged in penning and receiuing the things in this booke Now Christ expounds not the whole vision but the two principall parts what is meant by the seuen starres and seuen candlestickes namely by the seuen starres seuen Angels of the seuen churches by the candlestickes we shewed before In this verse note why Christ expounds the two principall parts leaues the rest vnexpounded The reason is first because Christ hath giuen his church power to expound visions and scripture Now if he had expounded euery part and circumstance then there had bene no matter left to the church to exercise her power Secondly to stir vp to diligence study of the scripture both Ministers all mēbers of the church for if all were plaine then men wold be idle neuer take paines to interpret the word therefore Christ expounds the chiefe and leaues the circumstances and appurtenances for the church to interpret Thirdly that men might dayly grow in knowledge of the Scripture for if all were knowne at first they would not study to increase in knowledge fourthly to stir vp inuocatiō for grace to vnderstand Scripture Now these Ministers are called Angels which be the Pastors and Ministers of the church Mat. 11. 10. Iohn Baptist is called Christs Angel or messenger or Ambassadour By this we haue direction to expound another place of Scripture where it is said Women must be couered because of the Angels that is because of the Ministers for the couering of the head in the church of Corinth was a signe of subiection and inferioritie contrary to our vse Now the women when they come into the congregation before the Ministers they must be couered to shew their subiection and submission to the Gospell and doctrine deliuered to them Seeing Ministers be called Angels that is messengers and Ambassadors they must behaue themselues as Ambassadors they must haue speciall care first of the matter of the ambassage secondly of the maner that they deliuer nothing but their Lords
he which receiues it for no man can know or discerne it then men must not thinke strange though be be not called by this new name The world knoweth vs not 1. Iohn 3. 1. Now in that he which hath this new name knowes it and seeth that he is the child of God and fellow-heire with Christ that he is called iustified sanctified and that none knowes it but he which hath receiued it This cōfutes the Papists who say they know it but not certainly but in hope and by coniecture and probabilitie But we see he knowes it certainly infallibly without doubt for he knowes it better then any other other men know it by coniecture but he knoweth it certainly No man knowes this new name so certainly infallibly and frō within as he which receiues the same for no man can determine of the faith adoption or calling of any but himself for that is proper to God to search the heart This must stay our censure and iudgement to iudge men to be hypocrites to condemne either the better or bad sort of men for we know not a mans heart his faith is but knowne to God and himselfe Obiect How farre may we iudge of anothers state of saluation Answ. We iudge of another mans estate either certainly or not certainly as when one iudgeth and sets downe certainly and resolutely that such men are elected to saluation without all doubt but this is proper to God no man can know the spirit of man but God and the man himself and so farre as it pleaseth him to reueale the same to some of his children as to Dauid he reuealed the damnation and reiection of some for which cause he prayeth for their destruction Now besides this there is the iudgement of charitie when we iudge of another as charitie moueth vs now charitie maketh a man iudge the best This charitie hath two parts first it is not to despaire secondly it is to iudge of a mans saluation vndoubtedly to be perswaded of it certainly We must not despaire though we see men liue in sin And we must iudge certainly of mens saluation and without doubt that they be called effectually in that they testifie their faith by their obedience not that we can set down certainly but we must in charitie iudge so of them And this is charitie in the highest degree when we iudge that such a one is the child of God by the fruites of his faith Here again they of the Church of Rome are deceiued making the Church to haue this note and property to be visible but not visibilitie but election adoption and faith are the principall markes of the Church Now these cannot be seene onely the fruites of them may And to the Angell Here beginneth the fourth particular Epistle The end scope of these words is to certifie the church of Thyatyra that Iohn had a speciall commandement and calling from God first to write this Epistle secondly to certifie all Churches to the end of the world that he had a commandement and calling from God to write not onely this Epistle but this whole booke and for that cause this is seuen times repeated To the Angell c. The Epistle beginneth here These things write c. and continueth almost to the end of this Chapter in it note three parts first a Preface secondly a Proposition thirdly a Conclusion The preface or entrance in the eighteenth verse all which were in the former Chapter verses 5. 14. 15. These things saith In the preface note first in whose name it is written namely in the name of Christ. The cause why his name is in the Preface is set downe before Christ is described by three arguments first he is the Son of God secondly his eyes are like a flame of fire thirdly his feet like fine brasse Christ is here said to be the Son of God In the former Chapter he was called the sonne of man here the Sonne of God By God he meaneth not the Godhead as it is absolutely or common to all the three persons but by it is meant the Father who when he is conferred with any person in the Trinitie is called God not that he is more God then the Sonne and holy Ghost or that they be not equall but for order in that he is the first person frō him the Godhead is cōmunicated to the Sonne and holy Ghost How Christ is called the Sonne of God we may know by these two rules first Christ is the Sonne of the Father not in respect of his Godhead or as he is God but in respect of his person and in respect of his person he is begotten of the Father before all worlds For the Godhead of Christ the Sonne is not begotten or begetteth not nor proceedeth but he hath one and the same Godhead with the Father therefore it no more begetteth or is begotten or proceeding then his The second rule Christ is the Sonne of the Father not by creation as the Angels and Adam nor by grace as true beleeuers in Christ but by nature in that he is begotten of the substance of the Father before all worlds Because the Father cōmunicated to him from himself his whole Godhead and nature and by this communication of the Godhead to his Son wholly he is said to beget the Sonne and he is said to be begotten of the Father The end why Christ is called the Sonne of God is namely to stirre vp in this Church of Thyatira care and diligence reuerence and attention in marking and obeying the things of this Epistle seeing that he which teacheth them is the Sonne of God teaching vs in their example when we heare the word read or preached we must haue attention diligent care and feare seeing it is the Sonne of God which speaketh to vs. When Pilate was condemning Christ and heard he was the Sonne of God he was affraid Shall an heathen man which knew not God feare to heare of Christ the Son of God and shall not we tremble to heare him speake to vs himselfe At the voice of Christ the mountaines melted and the rockes claue asunder and shall not our stonie and rockie hearts tremble to heare him speake to vs out of his word His eyes were like a flame of fire We must not take these words literally but as in the former Chapter for Christ is set out as he appeared in vision to Iohn By his fierie eye is meant first that in him is infinite wisedome he seeth all things he knoweth by his fierie and piercing eye all things present past and to come Secondly it signifieth his vigilancie and watchfulnesse ouer his Church and euery particular member of the same for these two ends first to preserue and protect his own children secondly to take reuenge and punishment on his enemies Thirdly by his fierie eye is signified his anger against sinnes and sinners Christ is said to haue fierie eyes to teach vs that he can discerne secret and hidden
bow and crowch and humble our selues before him And this is the cause why most of the people euery where content themselues with outward and formal worship with mumbling ouer their Creed Pater noster and the tenne Commandements they were neuer smitten downe with feare of Gods iudgements and their owne sinnes their natural pride was neuer beaten downe with their owne vnworthinesse Then if we would be true worshippers of God let vs come willingly let vs worship God in soule and bodie and let vs come with humbled hearts with mortified minds and affections and so we shall worship him aright The second fruite of the conuersion concerneth man Before thy feete meaning the church of Philadelphia namely that they being conuerted to the church of God should reuerence it and the members thereof They shall cast themselues downe in the congregation as men not worthie to be mēbers of the church but as a footstoole for them to trample and tread on by reason of the great sinnes which these conuerted Iewes had before committed This their exceeding reuerence shewes it selfe in the roote of the same which is a base conceit and vile opinion of themselues and so should euery true conuert study to confesse namely that he is the greatest sinner of all Gods children and thinke so basely of himselfe that he can be content to be not a member but the footstoole of the congregation and this must we follow if we be truly cōuerted we must haue a base opiniō of our selues think we are the most vile of all Gods people giue place to all men in regard of our sins Paul Tim. 2. calleth himselfe the chiefe of all sinners and we must do the like for the proud Pharisaicall heart is farre from repentance but the lowly and humble heart is accepted of God And shalt know that I loue thee Here is a reason of the former words for why did these persecuted Iewes become true worshippers of God and beleeue in him and reuerence his church The reason is because I wil make them perswaded that I loue them and this is the ground of all true reuerence All superiours haue reuerence due to them by Gods ordinance as the father master Magistrate c. Now that they may haue true reuerence of their inferiours they must first labour to be beloued of the Lord and then they procure to themselues true reuerence for the loue of God to vs is the ground of this Then those which excel in birth or riches they must not looke to be reuerenced for them but for that they be loued of God And whence cometh it that men in authoritie as the father master Magistrate Prince c. want their due honor and reuerence but because they seeke not the ground of it namely to be in the fauour of God Because thou hast kept the words of my patience Here is the second promise of Christ namely preseruation of this church in time of most bloudie persecution This Epistle and booke was written by Iohn after Christs ascension in the daies of Diocletian Now after him came Traian who raysed a most bloudy persecution against the church in al countries putting to death many of Gods children Now of this persecution Christ foretels this church and withall makes this promise that he will preserue them out of the Emperors hand and addeth a reason They were constant to obey his Gospell In the promise consider first the occasion Because thou hast kept secondly the thing promised Deliuerance thirdly a prediction or prophecie of that which should come on this Church The occasion Because thou hast kept the word of my patience Some vnderstand by word of patience the cōmandement of patience which she shold obey but that is too narrow but it signifieth the doctrine of saluatiō taught in Christ. And this doctrine of saluation is called the word of patience first because the doctrine of the Gospell teacheth vs patience secondly because it is an instrument of patience to worke it in vs for when a man beleeueth his saluation in Christ then he is patient in all things Thirdly and especially because the Gospell cannot be obeyed constantly to the end without patience For a time one may obey but it is impossible to obey and be constant to the end without patience The good ground bringeth foorth fruit but in patience Luk. 8. This Church receiued the doctrine of the Gospell and constantly beleeued it for which is promised deliuerance in persecution Then we see that the grace of God well vsed is rewarded with plentie and increase of grace so that they which haue but small measure of grace yet if they be faithfull the Lord will reward it with greater increase This should make vs take pains to increase and vse our talent of faith patience repentance and obedience to the glorie of God and good of men and the Lord will double and triple the same otherwise he will take that talent from vs. The doctrine of the Gospell being a doctrine of patience how necessarie is it for vs to learne the same seeing the calamities and afflictions belonging to any calling are very many We must get our bread in the sweat of our browes and no man is free from sicknesse sorrow and death Now if we would indure these afflictions we must haue this grace of patience and constantly beleeue the doctrine of saluation by Christ which will make vs patient in any crosse whatsoeuer Againe we professe the Gospell of Christ now this is a doctrine not of disorder but of all order and moderation teaching vs to moderate and hold in our affections and will whereas if we want it we are caried away at their pleasure My patience Christ calleth it his because he is the author of it and worketh it in vs. And this is added to beate downe the pride of this Church For when Christ commended them for obedience they might begin to be too proud Therefore he hauing commended her lest she shold be so he telleth her it is not her owne but his gift he putteth it into her heart And this may beate downe the pride of our hearts when we consider that we haue nothing of our selues but all good things in vs come from Christ he bestoweth them on vs he giueth all nothing we haue of our selues What hast thou that thou hast not receiued why then should we be proud of it I will deliuer thee That is from the great and bloudie persecution of Traian which lasted fourteene yeares wherein many of Gods children were put to death Hence note that God hath set downe the very times and houres in which he will trie the faith of his children Deut. 8. the Lord led Israel through the wildernesse fortie yeares to trie them Chap. 13. 3. he sendeth false Prophets to trie his seruants whether they will cleaue to him or not So the Lord hath set times to trie his for their sins and to see what grace is in their hearts So he
precisenes ready for them because they haue care to do that which they professe In this very reproch they shew that they are luke-warme their mouthes proclaime it and their liues professe it and they are neuer a whit ashamed of it Whosoeuer opens his mouth to fasten this reproch vpon his neighbor he fastens vpon himselfe this marke of luke-warmnesse without shame And so they go beyond the Laodiceans which were ashamed of it and would not defend it whereas these boast of it My meaning is not to fasten this vpon euery man but I say it is a common sin more then any other Well now it being manifest that this is the common sinne of our time yea our common sin a sin that taketh hold of all sorts mark what followeth they are in a worse case then the heathen and Infidels are The common Christian is worse in some case then they for Christ preferreth them before these A man may perswade himselfe that he is in a good estate for all that but you see Christs iudgement sentence O it had bin better for them neuer to haue knowne the truth at all They are in a worse case which know Gods will and obey it not then they that neuer knew it Let vs not deceiue our selues then if we be but drowsie Protestants we are worse then Turkes We boast of our estate and we despise the Infidels but except thou ioyne with knowledge purpose of obedience thou art more vile and contemptible then they Publicans and harlots shall come into heauen before thee it is not the external profession of religion that will make the better then they but grace in the heart and obedience And this is the first point The second point is that we are in danger to be spued out of Christs mouth for this was written for our instruction and for all Churches that as luke-warme water troubleth mens stomackes so do we trouble Christ and therefore are like to be cast out euen as that is We may flatter our selues and thinke all is well as they did in Noahs time but know it we are in danger of a most grieuous iudgement namely to be cut off from Christ to be made no people Though we had no more sins but this we are in danger to be cut off for it And God can do this diuers wayes either by taking his Gospell from vs or sending in our enemies among vs. And by example of other countries the Lord sets this before our eyes dayly how he can and will do this therfore let vs not stand vpon any outward priuiledge but lay this to our hearts And so much for the first sin The second vice followeth in the seuenteenth verse Verse 17. Thou saist I am rich c. Here is a new reproofe of a new fault and that is spiritual pride These words depend on the former as a reason and cause for before they were charged with luke-warmenesse Now the cause of that is pride this is the mother that is the daughter Thou saist That is thou thinkest thus It is the maner of the holy Ghost to expresse the thoughts of men by speeches and when men thinke thus and thus the holy Ghost saith they say thus and thus because as manifest as our speeches be to one another so manifest be our thoughts to Christ. In that Christ doth thus expresse mens thoughts we may gather that this booke is canonicall for men cannot set downe in writing what be their owne thoughts much lesse other mens And so in all the bookes of Scripture the thoughts and imaginations of men are set downe euen as they conceiue them the like cannot be shewed in any writings of men It remaineth therfore that we receiue this booke as the word of God For could the Apostle Iohn by any art or learning come to know their thoughts No. Now I come the thought He expresseth their pride by the effect of it that is their thought and what is their thought I am rich That is I abound with spirituall graces as knowledge iudgement vnderstanding and memory By this thought Christ describeth their pride not outward but inward not carnal but spiritual whereby they perswaded themselues that they were in much better case and state then they were And this is the common sin of churches Against this sin of pride learne we that Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance But what is there any righteous since Adams fal No but some thinke themselues righteous as did the proud Pharises which said as the Church of Laodicea here I am rich And Paul brings in the Corinthians saying We shall raigne Thus you see that this hath bin a common sin and so it is at this time In the popish Churches this opinion takes place when they perswade themselues to satisfie Gods iustice for temporall punishments by their workes and that they can merite sufficiently for themselues and others And amongst vs this wretched thought finds harbour We thinke we abound with knowledge none will seeme to be ignorant or to want knowledge and therefore not one of a hundred will aske a question nay many therefore will not heare the word because they know as much for substance as the Preacher can tell them for all a mans dutie say they is but to feare God and keepe his commaundements and thou shalt loue God aboue all and thy neighbour as thy selfe and what would you more Thus they perswade themselues that they are rich and want no knowledge when they know not one principle of religion more then the law of nature teacheth them namely Do as you would be done to Others pleade that they haue had euer since they could remember such a strong faith that they neuer doubted of Gods mercy But this is no strong faith but a strong presumption and a strange faith for true faith is alway ioyned with doubting and distrusting Others professe that they are rich in loue and they will not be drawne from it but they loue God and their neighbours when they haue neither knowledge faith nor loue Which appeareth thus let a man make relation of any bodily calamitie and you are astonished but let the Ministers tel you that you are in danger of spirituall iudgement and who is afraid where is the person that trembleth Worldly newes troubleth you but the word neuer scares you the remembrance of your owne damnable estate grieueth you not Let vs say what we will of your soules state alas you regard it not but the drunkard will continue in his drunkennesse and the adulterer and blasphemer in their wickednesse and euery man blesseth himselfe in his sins and saith God loues him and he loues God I am rich in regard of Gods fauour of spirituall blessings c. This being our sin it stands vs all in hand to labour to see it and to be humbled for it Increased in wealth or made rich This is added only for amplification to shew the measure
wil sup c. This is the promise it self namely a mutual fellowship with Christ this is the ground of al ioy comfort happines therfore it is here propounded as the principal thing and it hath two parts first I will sup with him secondly and he with me The true communion betweene Christ and his members stands in these two things Here is a double feast and these two containe the summe and substance of Salomons book called the Canticles for there Christ entertaineth feasteth the church and the church feasteth him For the first I will sup with him How Cant. 4. end Come my wel beloued and eate of the delicate things and pleasant fruites there you may see how euery Christian soule conuerted makes Christ a feast to wit with the fruites of true repentance Psal. 51. The broken and contrite heart that is a most worthie part of the feast and a sacrifice acceptable to God Secondly a beleeuing heart for without saith it is vnpossible to please God Heb. 11. and when we giue vp our bodies and soules a liuing sacrifice Rom 12. 1. bring broken beleeuing and obedient harts these are the dishes and delicates wherewith Christ is fed wherein he delights And he with me We must also be feasted by Christ for Christ comes not for this end to be entertained but to entertaine The feast which Christ makes is his own bodie and bloud in the administration of his Supper his bodie is true meate and his bloud is true drinke And the vessels in which it is serued out are the seales of the word and the guests are penitent sinners which haue broken hearts which hunger and thirst after Christ. Now from this feast ariseth righteousnesse peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. All ioy that heart can thinke comes by this feast Now seeing Christ makes these promises as a principall token of his loue we must make some vse of them We must renounce all our carnal vanities and earthly delights and giue our selues no more to surfetting and drunkennesse and sumptuous banquetting Here is a better kind of feasting therefore turne your eyes from those lift vp your hearts and haue care to entertaine Christ feast him with the graces that God hath giuen you and labor againe to be feasted of him feed of his bodie and bloud to life eternall Labour to be acquainted with these that you may know by experience how Christ feasts you and you him You know one friend how to entertaine another euerie man according to his dignitie but you should haue more care of this spirituall and mutuall entertainment betweene Christ and you Againe see here a notable abuse of those that come to the Lords table for marke how these two go together Christ feasts vs and we must feast him so that there may be an enterchange of feasting but our communicants come to the Lords table and they will haue Christ feast then but they will not feast him whereas we should feast him daily by faith obedience and repentance and good duties of our callings but we like churlish vngratefull Nabals haue not one good dish to feast him withall This is our shame Or if we be good guests for a day yet after that is past we haue no care to entertaine Christ. Looke to it therefore and see that you feed Christ not by your owne natural power but by your gifts of grace To him that ouercometh c. This is the conclusion of the Epistle in which note two parts first a promise secondly a precept The promise To him that ouercometh that is he that holds out keeping faith and a good conscience against all the enemies of his saluation Shall sit that is haue fellowship with Christ in his glorie Christ doth not promise equall glorie and honor for that is not possible for anie creature because he is the head of his church but onely a participation as if he should say he shall be partaker of my glorie so farre as shall be meete and conuenient for him as appeareth by the words following But this wil some say is no great matter True the carnall heart of man may surmise so therefore he addes as I ouercame c. This is no small glorie for like as my father did aduance me when I had ouercome so will I aduance all my members when they haue ouercome their spirituall enemies Now as Christ is inferiour to the Father as he is Mediator and yet sits with him so the members of Christ may sit with him and yet be vnequall to him in glorie Verse 22. Let him that hath an eare This hath bene expounded often before The memoriall of the righteous is euerlasting but the name of the wicked shall rot Prou. 10. Laus Christo nescia finis ⧠An excellent Sermon plainely prouing that Rome is Babylon and that Babylon is fallen Preached long since by a famous Diuine and added as a Commentarie to the hardest part of the Reuelation REVEL 14. VERS 8. She is fallen she is fallen euen Babylon that great Citie for of the wine of the furie of her fornication she hath made all Nations to drinke THE holy Euangelist S. Luke in the fourth chapter of his Gospell recordeth that on a time when our Sauior came into the Synagogue at Nazareth to reade as his custome was there was deliuered to him a booke containing the Prophecie of the Prophet Esay Which after he had opened at the first he found the place where it was written in these words The spirit of the Lord is vpon me because he hath annoynted me that I should preach the Gospell to the poore He hath sent me that I should heale the broken in heart that I should preach deliuerance to the captiues and sight to the blind that I should set at libertie them that are bruised and to preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord. Then after he had closed the booke and deliuered it to the Minister he sate downe to preach and the eyes of all them that were in the congregation were bent vpon him Then he opened his mouth and spake vnto them these words This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your eares and they all gaue him testimonie that it was so In like maner may I say concerning this place of Scripture which I haue read vnto you In your eyes and eares is this Scripture this day fulfilled And I pray God you may all likewise beare witnesse with me that it is so The last time that I spake in this auditorie I intreated of the flourishing and prosperous estate of Ierusalem which is the Church of God set foorth in the 122. Psalme and therefore good order now requireth that I should speake of the decay and ouerthrow of the enemie of Ierusalem which is Babylon the See and Church of Antichrist and for that purpose principally haue I chosen this text of Scripture to speake of that by the one we might be enflamed with loue of the true Church
to seek the sea of Antichrist at Rome They themselues to proue their doctrine catholicke alleage authoritie of eleuen or twelue hundred yeares antiquitie behold this opinion is thirteene or foureteene hundred yeares old that Antichrist should be a Romaine and that the sea of his tyrannie should be at Rome The second witnesse of this assertion that Babylon is Rome is Tertullianus a very auncient writer also who in plaine words affirmeth that Babylon signifieth Rome in the third booke against Martion which denied that Christ had a true bodie Wherefore Tertullian vseth this reason against him That thing which hath a figure of it must be a thing of truth and so discoursing of many things figured and the figures of them cometh to these words Sic Babylon apud Iohannem nostrum Romana vrbis figuram portat perinde magna regno superbae sanctorum debellatricis that is to say euen so doth Babylon in the Apocalips of our S. Iohn beare the figure of the citie of Rome which is altogether as great and as proud in raigne and as great a persecutor of the Saints as Babylon was You see therefore most clearely and plainely that Tertullian with all his learning could not interprete these things that be written in this Reuelation concerning Babylon to be applied to any other citie then Rome and he is also a witnesse voide of all partialitie or affection to either part of them that striue in our dayes for he departed neare about foureteene hundred yeares before our time why should he not then be credited in this case Well next vnto him I will ioyne Chrysostome in his Commentarie vpon the second Epistle to the Thessalonians the second chapter in his fourth Homilie where as S. Paul speaking of the manifestation of Antichrist saith they knew what was the stay that he was not presently reuealed But when that stay is taken away he should be reuealed in his due time Chrysostome expoundeth this stay to be the Romaine Empire which must giue place vnto Antichrist that like as the Persians came in place of the Chaldeans the Grecians in place of the Persians and the Romaines in place of the Grecians euen so Antichrist should inuade the Empire of the Romaines Vacantem imperij principatum inuadet tentabit ad se rapere hominum Dei imperium Antichrist saith he shall inuade the vacant principalitie of the Empire and shall assay to draw vnto himselfe the Empires both of God and men And is it not manifest that the Papacie grew and tooke increase by the decay of the Empire and at the fall of the Monarchie chalenged full possession of all dominion both spirituall and temporall Of the same iudgement is S. Ierome writing vpon the same place of Paul vnto Algasia in the eleuenth question whose words are these Nec vult apertè dicere Romanum imperium destruendum quod ipsi qui imperant aeternum putant vnde secundum Apocalypsim Iohannis in fronte purpuratae meretricis scriptum est nomen blasphemiae id est Romae aeternae c. that is neither will he openly say that the Romane Empire shold be destroyed which they that gouerne it thinke to be euerlasting wherefore according to the Reuelation of Saint Iohn in the forehead of the purple whoore there is written a name of blasphemie which is Rome euerlasting Lo here another witnesse of good antiquitie and sufficient credite which not onely agreeth plainely with Chrysostome that Antichrist should take possession of the Romaine Empire when it should be decayed in the Emperours but also most plainely agreeing with Tertullian calleth that Babylonicall strumpet which is described in the seuenteenth chapter of this Apocalypse that purple whoore of Rome and the name of blasphemie to be Rome euerlasting as though he had heard the Pope brag of the eternitie of his sea which he saith is the rocke against which the gates of hell cannot preuaile But he is foully beguiled for Rome the sea of his Popedome is by Saint Ieromes iudgement that Babylom of whom the Angell preached that howsoeuer she boasts of her eternity She is fallen she is fallen euen Babylon that great city and neuer shal rise againe They crie out against vs that we raile and speake contumeliously of the holy sea of the Pope when we cal Rome the whore of Babylon but when the old Doctors to whose iudgement they themselues appeale from the authoritie of the Scriptures feare not so plainely in their writings to paint out the Babylonicall Strumpet in her right colours and in flat words to say she is Rome the mother of all abhomination and the sea of Antichrist why should we be blamed for saying as we are taught by them And especially of those men that make so great vaunts that the iudgement of the Fathers is altogether on their side by whom they offer to be tried when they dare not abide the iudgment of the Scriptures Againe consider I pray you if the old Doctors before Antichrist were openly reuealed did vnderstand by the Scriptures that he should sit at Rome what thinke you would they haue said and written if they had liued in these daies and knowne and seene all that was prophesied to be fulfilled in him With what confidence suppose ye would they haue inueyed against him With how open mouthes would they haue cried out vpon him At least wise do you not thinke in your conscience that when they had considered the authoritie of the Pope and his wholesome doctrine they would haue changed their minds and recanted their writings against Rome and repented that euer they had called her the purple whoore of Babylon seeing she is the holy mother Church of Rome the sea of the most holy father the Pope the head of the same Church I must needs say thus much in your behalfe ô ye Papists as ill as I loue you that if Ierome Tertullian and the rest of the Doctors did so account of Rome as you affirme of them they were much too blame to defame her with such odious names as to call her the whoore of Babylon which must needs make her vehemently suspected to be the Church of Antichrist and not of Christ for what Papist in these dayes dare say that which Ierom said that Rome is that purple Harlot Babylon which S. Iohn speaketh of in the Apocalypse The same Ierome in his 13. booke of Cōmentaries of the Prophecie of Esay vpon the 47. chapter writeth in this maner Licet ex eo quod iuxta 70. scriptū est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est filia Babylonis non ipsam Babylonē quidam sed Romanā vrbem interpretantur quae in Apocalypsi Iohannis Epist. Petri Babylō specialiter appellatur c. That is to say For as much as the seuentie Interpreters write not the daughter Babylon but the daughter of Babylon some do interpret thereof not Babylon in Caldea but the citie of Rome which in the Reuelation of S. Iohn and the Epistle of
Peter is specially called Babylon Note that Ierome in this place accounted Rome to be Babylon the younger daughter of Babylon the elder And secondly that this was not his opinion onely but the consent of many other in his time and namely of such as vsed to interpret the Prophet Esay Thirdly and especially consider that he affirmeth Rome in the Apocalypse to be especially called Babylon So that Babylon in the Apocalypse by his iudgement can be vnderstood for nothing else but Rome because Rome is there specially figured by Babylon What meaneth Ierome so often to beate in this naile that Babylon is Rome If it had slipped out of his pen but once he might haue bene pardoned for his ouersight but when he hath neuer done writing that Rome is Babylon why should we account him any longer for a Catholike For in his Preface vnto the booke of Didimus De Spiritu sancto which he translated out of Greeke into Latine writing to Paulinianus he vttereth these words Cùm in Babylone versarer purpuratae Meretricis essem Colonus iure Quiritum viuerem c. Of late saith he when I was in Babylon and was an inhabitant of the purple Harlot and liued after the lawes of the Romaines I thought to intreat somwhat of the holy Ghost What needed Ierome in this place so odiously and contumeliously to call Rome by the name of Babylon but that he could neuer consider Rome otherwise but to be the See appointed for Antichrist For in other places where he interpreteth the Scriptures and Prophecies concerning Antichrist we may lesse maruell if he interpret Babylon for Rome because no reason could leade him to expound it otherwise But here talking pleasantly with his friend what necessitie compelled him to vse such descriptions of Rome but that this perswasion was so deepely grauen in his mind that Babylon is Rome that neither in earnest nor iest he could forget it but is alwaies harping vpon it as though he thought scorne to call Rome by any other name then that he had learned in the Scriptures to be Babylon and the purple harlot For in like maner writing to Marcella a vertuous Gentlewoman of Rome whome he allured to forsake Rome and to dwell neare vnto him in Bethelem one speciall reason that he vseth to perswade her is this That as Bethelem whither he wold haue her to repaire is situate in the holy Land and the place consecrated to the birth of CHRIST so Rome where she desired to remaine was the Babylonicall harlot according to the Reuelation of S. Iohn appointed for the birth of Antichrist which there should arise and exercise his tyrannie and from thence should deceiue the whole world with his wicked wiles But who so will reade the workes of Ierome may find yet more places in which he is bold to call Rome Babylon the very See of Antichrist Whereby it is apparant that it is no new or strange matter to seeke Antichrist at Rome when such old Doctors of the Church so commonly in Commentaries Epistles and other writings do teach vs that Rome is Babylon and the Scripture affirmeth that Babylon is the See of Antichrist But let vs leaue S. Ierome and see what other say of the same matter S. Ambrose writing a Commentarie vpon the Reuelation of S. Iohn is of the same iudgement Of the authoritie of the worke I wil moue no question at this time seeing it is commended to vs by Cuthbert Tonstall late bishop of Duresme who found it in an old Librarie and first set it in print vnder the name of that great S. Ambrose and is willing that men should so thinke of it It is good authoritie I say against the Papists being commended by so Catholike a Prelate and because they are wont to receiue whatsoeuer cometh vnder the name of an old Doctor though it be neuer so vnlike his writing and crie out vpon vs for reiecting at our pleasure the workes of auncient Doctors that make against our doctrine as though we reiected any without cause or they refused none for any cause whereas Pigius their great Patron blushed not to reiect the report of two generall Councels the fift and sixt of Constantinople which are commended to vs by publike faith of the Church of Constantinople because in the one Pope Honorius is condemned and accursed for an heretike and in neither of both the Popes Legates could haue the highest place according to the request of their ambitious Maister But as for this Ambrose if he were not Ambrose of Millaine yet is it apparant by the stile that he was some auncient Writer of the Latine Church and he throughout this Prophecie interpreteth Babylon to be Rome and Antichrist to be sought no where but at Rome Primasius also a very auncient Writer who likewise commenteth vpon the Apocalypse expoundeth these Prophecies of Antichrist to be fulfilled in the Romaine Empire and of the citie of Rome S. Augustine in his learned worke De Ciuitate Dei not once or twice but oftentimes is bold to call Rome Babylon and Babylon Rome as in his sixteenth booke and seuenth chapter he calleth Rome another Babylon in the West And in his eighth booke and second chapter he calleth Babylon of Caldea the first Rome and Rome of Italie the second Babylon willing men to consider that in the beginning of the citie of God which was the Church in Abrahams time the first Rome that was Easterne Babylon her enemie was builded in Caldea and about the same time that the first Babylon was destroyed lest the citie of God should lacke her enemie the second Babylon which is Rome in Italie was erected It is a strange matter that the same citie which is the professed enemie of the citie of God should be the mother of all religion and the very citie of God it selfe O Augustine thou wast not well aduised to make the Citie of Rome enemie to the Citie of GOD that Rome shold be the same to the Church of GOD that Babylon of old was to Ierusalem The same Augustine in the 22. Chapter of the 18. booke calleth Rome another Babylon and daughter of the first Babylon And in the 27. Chapter he calleth Rome westerne Babylon By these other testimonies of old Writers that might be brought but for tediousnesse I suppose it is sufficiently proued that Babylon in this my text spoken of is Rome and that we should not seek Antichrist to proceed from any other place then from Rome But what need I trouble my selfe to seeke further testimoniall for confirmation of this matter that Babylon is Rome then of the Papists themselues which affirme that S. Peter in his Epistle where he sendeth salutations frō the Church gathered in Babylon by Babylon vnderstandeth Rome And they learne it of Ieronime which in the life of S. Marke doth so expound it So greedie they are to find a place in Scripture where Peter should be said to haue bene at Rome that they are content to