cast off all dulnesse of flesh and spirit and with all might stirre vp our selues to attentiue hearing so shall the word be blessed vnto vs otherwise our hearing shall turne to our deeper condemnation Verse 11. Saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last and that which thou seest write in a booke and send it vnto the seuen Churches which are in Asia vnto Ephesus and vnto Smyrna and vnto Pergamus and vnto Thyatira and vnto Sardai and vnto Philadelphia and vnto Laodicea These words containe the third description of this voice whereby Iohns heart was prepared touching the substance and matter which was vttered which consisteth in two things The first is a testimonie in these words I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last The second a commaundement in the wordes following That which thou seest write and send c. I. Touching the testimonie the substance thereof is set downe in the eight verse where the words were handled and the meaning shewed They do serue directly to proue the Godhead and eternitie of Christ which Christ himselfe doth here auouch to giue vnto Iohn and vnto the Church full assurance that the things now vttered and deliuered were from God for saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last it is as much as if he had said I which speake vnto thee am God and therefore the things I deliuer are from God In this testimonie note Gods speciall care in regard of his truth hee doth not content himselfe with reuealing his will vnto his Church but more specially his care is to certifie the Church of the truth thereof that it is indeed from God This hath beene Gods care from the beginning When Peter receiued a vision from God withall Gods spirit assured him that the things reuealed therein were certen sure And so when Christ preached the will of his father among men hee did withall worke strange miracles to confirme and seale vp the truth of his doctrine that it was from God This speciall care of God ouer his Church doth first confute the Papists opinion touching Scripture They hold the Scripture to bee certen in it selfe but not vnto men till the Church giue testimonie thereunto But this is false for God euer had this care ouer his Church not onely to reueale his will vnto them but also to vse meanes for the assurance of their consciences that that which was reuealed was his vndoubted and perfect will And therefore the word of God is certen and euer was not onely in it selfe bâ—t to the consciences of beleeuers and that without the testimonie of the church and so should bee through the testimonie of the church should neuer come thereunto Secondly hereby are confuted many carnall men who will be of no religion because say they there is no certainetie in the matters of religion mens opinions therein are so diuers that so many men so many minds almost and no man can tell who speakes the truth Answ. It may be that men in sundry matters hold sundry priuat opinions yet in the church of God all the true members of Christ hold the same opinions touching the foundation of religion But let it bee graunted That all men on earth were of diuers opinions touching matters of religion should religion therefore bee vncertaine God forbid For religion is certaine vnto men by the meanes that God hath appointed to certifie the conscience of the truth thereof and thereby might men come to the truth and certainetiâ— of religion taught by the Prophets and Apostles though all men in the world were of diuers opinions touching the same Thus much of the Testimonie II. point The commaundement giuen to Iohn is in these words That which thou seest write in a booke and send it to the seuen Churches which are in Asia This commaundement hath two parts First To write the things seene in a booke secondly to send the booke to the seuen churches here named And both these must Iohn do being now disabled by his exile to preach these things vnto them personally for these causes First that these churches might be edified in the faith and strengthened in these most grieuous times of persecution Secondly that they might become keepers of this booke for the good of others for the church of God is the pillar of truth not onely for that it publisheth Gods truth but also because it keepeth it and giueth testimonie therunto In this commaundement note sundry things First that the word of God written and penned by the hand of man is a notable helpe to the church of God and a worthy meanes to edifie the same els Christ would neuer haue commaunded Iohn to haue written these visions and sent them to the Churches Which serueth to confute the blind Papists which say the word written is but an inkie letter and a nose of waxe because the sence thereof may be turned euery way as man will This also confuteth the Anabaptists which so much magnifie their Reuelations and make no account of the word written If the Lord had thought it best hee would haue taught these churches by reuelations but they must learne by the word written Secondly that the reading of Gods word either publickly or priuately is an ordinance of God for the Lord commaunding Iohn to write this booke and send it to the churches hereby implieth that they must reade the same as they did other bookes of Scripture The preaching of the word is indeede the most worthy instrument for the founding and confirming of Gods Church whereby ordinarily iustifying faith is wrought in the heart and yet reading must haue his due reuerence as a meanes to confirme and encrease true knowledge faith and repentance where it is begun Thirdly here note that a man may be vnder the crosse and in persecution and yet remaine in the speciall fauor of God for this banishment into such a desart place was vnto Iohn a grieuous crosse and yet the Lord vouchsafed there to reueale himselfe vnto him and to make him the penman of this booke Which honour hee vouchsafeth not to all but to them that are most dear vnto him Which thing each one should carefully obserue for our nature is so corrupt that when wee are vnder the crosse it would persuade vs we are cast out of the loue and fauour of God In the end of the verse the seauen Churches Ephesus Smyrna and the rest are named Which seuen places were seuen famous cities in Asia wherein were planted the most famous churches that were in those parts and for their excellencie are they named And thus much for the meanes of Iohns preparation Now follow the parts thereof which are two first is hearing folded vp with the former meanes And I heard a voyce Second is Turning of himselfe to see the partie that spake vnto him in these words Verse 12. Then I turned backe to see the voice which spake with me and when I was turned I saw seuen
charitie to bee persuaded that godly professors are the sons and daughters of God But the man himselfe that hath receiued this new name and new estate hee knowes it otherwise and therefore certainely and infallibly Secondly if no man know this name but hee that receiueth it then can none beside God and the conscience know from within the man his particular faith and adoption And hereby we are to bee admonished to beware of charging the euill and hard censure of hypocrisie vpon any that liue in the church in so doing we ouershoot our selues this iudgement belongs to God not to man saue onely to the man himselfe for wee cannot discerne the good within the man properly but by effects Quest. How farre forth may a man iudge of another mans election Answ. There be two degrees of iudgement iudgement of certentie and iudgement of charitie Iudgement of certentie is when a man can set downe certainely such a man shall be saued This is peremptorie iudgement belonging vnto God and to some men onely so farre forth as the Lord reuealeth it vnto them as he did the estate of some men to Dauid and to some Prophets Whereupon Dauid sometimes prayes for the finall destruction of his enemies but this is not giuen ordinarily no not to Gods ministers The iudgement of charity is that which bindâ— a man to iudge the best of another and herein bee two degrees First touching the vnregenerate charitie binds vs not to despaire of such as yet liue profanely but to hope that God will in good time call them And touching the regenerate who haue giueÌ„ good testimonies of their vocation charitie binds vs to be persuaded without doubt that they be the children of God And this we may doe without repugnance to this place for though wee cannot from within the man know his estate yet by the fruits we may which is the highest degree of iudgement that charitie can exercise Thirdly here wee see the church of Rome is deceiued who make Visibilitie the marke of Gods church for Gods church is a companie of men which beleeue the ground of the church is Gods election and adoption and mans faith which none other can see but the parties that haue them The signes thereof may be seene but properly the church cannot bee seene It comes to bee visible by the fruits of election and by the outward works of loue which proceed from faith We therefore hold farre better that wee beleeue there is a church and not that we see the church Lastly if others know not the name of Gods children then what maruell is it if the wicked miscall them 1. Iohn 3.2 The world knowes vs not Gods children therefore must not be daunted at the reproches of the wicked but pray with Christ Father forgiue them they know not what they doe Luk. 23.34 Verse 18. And vnto the Angell which is at Thyatira write These things sayth the sonne of God which hath his eyes like to a flame of fire and his feete like fine brasse Here followeth the fourth particular commaundement of Christ vnto Iohn as also the fourth particular Epistle The commaundement in these words To the Angell which is at Thyatira write of the substance of this commaundement I haue spoken before onely remember the end thereof which is to certifie this church of Thyatira that Iohn had a calling and commaundement from God to write this Epistle vnto them and further to certifie the whole Church of God to the end of the world of his calling to write this booke of the Reuelation The Epistle it selfe containeth three parts a Preface a Proposition and a Conclusion The Preface in these words These things sayth the sonne of God which hath his eyes like vnto a flame of fire and his feete like fine brasse all which things almost haue beene handled in the beginning of this chapter and in the former from whence they are borrowed In the Preface first is set downe in whose name the Epistle is written to wit in Christs name the causes thereof we haue shewed before Then Christ is described by three arguments First To be the sonne of God Secondly To haue eyes like a flame of fire Thirdly To haue feete like fine brasse For the first In the former chapter he was called The sonne of man but here he is called The sonne of God where by God wee must not absolutely vnderstand the godhead of the whole Trinitie but the person of the father who being opposed either to the sonne or to the holy ghost is vsually called God not that he is God more than the sonne or than the holy ghost but because he is the first in order and because hee is that person from whom the godhead is communicated to the sonne and to the holy ghost So that here Christ is called the sonne of the father which mysterie wee cannot fully vnderstand for the word hath not reuealed the same neither can wee find it elsewhere out of the word But yet for the better conceiuing thereof remember these two rules I. That Christ is the son of the father not in respect of his godhead but in respect of his person For the godhead of the sonne is the same with the godhead of the father The godhead of the father doth not beget neither is the godhead of the sonne begotten II. Rule Christ is the sonne of the father not by creation as the Angels and Adam were nor by adoption as euery beleeuer is but by nature in that hee is begotten of the substance of his father before all worlds for the father communicates from himselfe the whole godhead that is in himselfe vnto his sonne Christ is here called the sonne of God to stirre vp reuerence attention and care in this church in marking and obeying the things that follow in this particular Epistle And in their example Christ also teacheth vs that when we heare the word of God preached or read vnto vs wee should receiue it with fear and trembling and reuerence because he that speaketh vnto vs out of his word is the sonne of God When Pilate was about to condemne our Sauiour Christ he heard it said that Christ was the sonne of God And thereupon hee trembled and was the more afraid Ioh. 19. verse 8. shall a â—illie heathen man that knowes not Christ tremble towards him when hee heares his name and yet wee that professe our selues to beleeue in him bee nothing mooued with reuerence towards him when hee speakes vnto vs in his word At his presence the hils melt and at his voyce the rockes cleaue in sunder and therefore if our hearts shall not melt and cleaue asunder with a reuerent feare when he shall speake vnto vs wee are worser than these sencelesse creatures Secondly Christ is sayd To haue eyes like a flame of fire which we must not conceiue literally The words are borrowed from the former chapter vers 14. where Christ is described not as hee is in truth but
must giue up at the last day 1. Cor. 15.24 And here we must consider in what manner God giues his Reuelation to his sonne First therefore Christ Iesus as he is Mediator is made Lord of this Reuelation so as hee may say it is his owne right and royaltie being a part of that law whereby his Church is now gouerned whereof he is Lord and King Againe this Reuelation was reuealed vnto Christ as he is man before it was euer knowne to any creature man or Angell by reason of the vnion of his manhood with the godhead In this which hath been said we may obserue that this booke of the Reuelation is Christ his right and belongeth vnto him as his owne royaltie and priviledge For as the lawes in any kingdome belong to the prince thereof and are called his lawes alone and no mans els So this booke being a part of that law whereby Christ gouerneth his Church is his royaltie alone for God gaue it him and he hath by his Angell sent it to his Church And that which is here said of this booke must be vnderstood proportionally of all other books of holy scripture Christ is made Lord of all and they are all of them his royalties and possessions And from hence will follow necessarily First That no man in the world hath authoritie aboue this booke or any other part of Canonicall Scripture indeed Monarchs and princes haue great authoritie and preheminence in their dominions ouer all persons and ouer all causes of men but in the Church they with all others owe homage vnto Christ there hee hath the Canonicall Scriptures to be his laws whereto euery one must subiect himselfe The dispensation of the word and the adminisâ—ration of the Sacraments bee his royall ordinances ouer which none may dare to claime rule or authoritie for so should the Scriptures haue beene giuen vnto them for their prerogatiues as they were to Christ but God gaue them to him alone and hee disposeth thereof as pleaseth him And therefore the Pope in taking vpon him to dispence with the word and to mangle the Sacraments doth herein steppe into the roome of Christ and so declare himselfe to be that man of sinne by seeking to rob him of that princely royaltie which belongs to him alone Secondly that the soueraigne power and authoritie of expounding Scripture belongeth to Christ alone and to none other with him True it is that man hath a ministerie committed vnto him by vertue whereof he may expound Scripture by scripture but men haue no power of themselues to determine of the proper sence of Scripture And therefore the Popish practise in giuing to the Church absolute authoritie to determin of the sence of Scripture of themselues without Scripture is flat robbery against Christ for therein they giue vnto men that soueraigne power which is proper to Christ. Thirdly herein wee obserue the excellencie of this booke and of the whole Scripture of God for all of it is the gift of the father to the sonne and of the son vnto his Church The like cannot bee said of any writings of men whatsoeuer bee they neuer so excellent herein the Scriptures surpasse them all Whereby we are taught to esteeme more reuerently of the Scriptures of God than of all the writings of men in the world Here then behold the sinne of this age which more delighteth to speake and heare the sayings of men in the publicke ministerie than the glorious word of the euerliuing God Whereas the writings of men be full of darkenesse of errour and deceit but the word of God is most holy and pure and euery way perfect proceeding wholly from the father of lights vnto his beloued sonne who hath faithfully dispersed the same for the good of his Church To shew to his seruants things that must shortly be done These words containe the second third and fourth Arguments whereby this Reuelation is described viz. the end of it the persons to whom it must be shewed and the matter which it containeth Arg. II. The end of this Reuelation is To shew that is to make knowne and manifest things to come for the good of the whole Church Whence we may obserue that the Papists erre exceedingly in debarring lay people as they call them from the reading of the Scripture for the end of this booke is To make manifest to Gods seruants things to come And who are Gods seruants Are the Cleargie onely and not lay people also God forbid the lay man is Christ his seruant as well as one of the Cleargie And therefore it is Gods will that he should learne to know and vnderstand this booke like one of his seruants And here consider that if this booke of Scripture which is hard and difficult must be learned of the lay man then much more must he search into all other bookes of God which bee more plaine and easie as the histories of Gospell Epistles c. Arg. III. The persons to whom it must be shewed viz. The seruants of Christ. This Reuelation was not giuen of God for all men indefinitely but for all his seruants that is such alone as repent of their sinnes and truly beleeue in Christ for the pardon of them and shew forth the same by new obedience So hee teacheth elsewhere The secret of the Lord is with them that feare him and his covenant to giue them vnderstanding Psalm 25.14 The Lord will reueale his secret to his servants the Prophets Amos 3.7 And God will not keepe backe from Abraham the thing hee was to doe vnto Sodome and Gomorrah because hee knew Abraham would doe his will and teach his familie after him Genes 18. vers 17.19 The consideration whereof should admonish vs not to content our selues with the bare hearing of the word and outward participation of the sacraments but to labor principally to become Gods seruants and to shew the same by the practise of that which we heare Hereby shall wee receiue instruction from the Lord and grow in knowledge dayly more and more our vnderstandings shall more easily conceiue the will of God for they that will doe the will of his father shall know his doctrine Iohn 7.17 Here then is the cause why most hearers after long teaching profit little but remaine as blind and ignorant as euer they were euen their owne impietie they liue in their sinnes and labour not to become Gods seruants Secondly in this argument we may obserue that Christ Iesus is true God for here he is made the head of the Church euery true beleeuer is his seruant and he his Lord the angels of the Churches be his angels as after we shall see which prerogatiue none can haue but he that is true and very God Thirdly in this Argument are those confuted which hold that God would haue all to bee saued and cals all men without exception For if hee called all effectually then hee would offer the meanes to all to wit his holy word that so they might
polluted with sinne that once washing was not ynough but sayth hee Wash mee againe and againe rince bathe and swill me in the bloud of Christ till I be purged and cleansed from all my sinnes And this same affection should be in euery one of vs wee should labour that our hearts may bee touched with a liuely sence of our vile estate by reason of our sinnes which make both bodie and soule most vgly and filthie in Gods sight and that the staine hereof is so deepely set in our soules that we can neuer be cleansed but by the washing of Christ his own hand and that in his owne hearts bloud yea that one washing will not serue but wee must be rinced and bathed therein For till such time as this consideration doe in some measure take place in our hearts it is not possible that we should loath sinne as we ought or come to this comfortable assurance of Gods loue that he hath washed away our sinnes in his bloud for this humilitie in our soules by reason of our sins is the beginning of all true grace and comfort Now this worke of Christ in washing vs from our sinnes doth comprehend a double benefit First the remission of our sinnes whereby the guilt and punishment due to them is taken away Secondly the mortification of sinne whereby the corruption of sinne is remooued and abolished And we must obserue that S. Iohn propounds this benefit generally without limitation saying Which washed vs from our sinnes That is from all our sinnes to giue vs to vnderstand that if any beleeue truly in Christ hee hath pardon of all his sinnes without any restraint or limitation either of number or qualitie bee they neuer so many or neuer so great By his bloud How can bloud wash away filthinesse nay it rather defiles a man Answ. This washing stands not in the substance of Christs bloud but in the merit thereof for that substance of bloud which was shed is lost and wee know not what is become of it whatsoeuer the Papists say but the merit therof remaineth still And Christs bloud deserues to purge away sinne rather than any other mans bloud as of Peter Iohn c. because his bloud was the bloud of God not of the godhead but of him who was both God and man For the manhood of Christ was receiued into the vnion of the second person And so it may be called the bloud of God as Paule sayth God redeemed his Church by his bloud that is Christ God incarnate And so it being the bloud of him that is God is more meritorious than the bloud of any creature whatsoeuer Besides Christ was appointed by God to be a publicke person in the worke of redemption and in his death and passion he stood in the roome and stead of all his elect so as when his bloud was shed their bloud was shâ—â— because it was shed for them But the bloud of other priuate men cannot answer for any besides themselues because it is shed onely for themselues Then damâ—â—ble is the doctrine of the Papists who hold the bloud of Martyrs can merit for others being applied vnto them for seeing they be but priuate men and suffered in their owne persons onely they cannot profit any other thereby By bloud we must vnderstand the passion of Christ a part for the whole and with all his fulfilling of the law vpon the crosse for in his suffering hee fulfilled the law and in fulfilling the law he suffered These two cannot be seuered saue onely in thought And so this word containes the whole obedience of Christ whereby he procured the remission and mortification of our sinnes Here then wee see two notable benefites of Christ vnto his church his loue the washing away of sinnes which S. Iohn sets downe to moue the churches with reuerence diligence to reade and delight in this booke All of vs will say wee are sure God loues vs and hath pardoned our sinnes in Christ why then doe wee not shew our loue againe to him by hearing and reading his word set downe in this or any other booke of Scripture and by yeelding answerable obedience thereto Why then do we not offer vp ourselues soules and bodies to serue him as the Apostle requires Rom. 1â— 1 by way of recompence for his mercies and loue shed out vnto vs But alas that is more common which is most shamefull to turne Gods grace into wantonnesse for when men say God loues them and hath washed away their sinnes yet they rebell against him when as these two benefites are here recorded to bee inâ—ucements of continuall loue and obedience to his holy word Verse 6. And made vs kings and 〈◊〉 to God euen his father to him be glory and dominion for 〈◊〉 Amen In these words is set downe the third worke and benefit of Christ bestowed on his church and on euery true member thereof For the better vnderstanding whereof we must consider in them foure points First the dignitie and excellencie of all true beleeuers and memberâ— of Christ They are kings and priests Secondly when they be made kings and priests in this life noted by the phrase of speech hath maâ—â— Wherein 〈◊〉 speaketh of the church on earth and vseth a word that signifieth the time past Thirdly the maner how they become kings and priests they are not so borne but Christ hath made them such Fourthly to whom they be made such to God euen the father For the first The dignitie of all true beleeuers hath two heads first They bee kings secondly Priests They are called kings not in regard of an earthly kingdome for vsually the condition of most beleeuers on earth is base and contemptible but in regard of a spirituall kingdome the kingdome of heauen whereto the Lord giues them right title and interest in and by Iesus Christ. So our Sauiour Christ speaketh to his disciples Feare not little flocke it is your fathers will to giue you the kingdome And againe Behold I giue vnto you a kingdome Now the faithfull are kings in these respects first because by Christ they bee lords and conquerours of all these enemies sinne Sathan the world death hell and their owne flesh Secondly because in and by Christ they are partakers of the glorie of Christs kingdome and saluation for they receiue of Christ grace for grace and so answereably glory for glory and felicitie for felicitie Thirdly because they be made lords of all things in heauen and earth except good Angels and the church All things are yours whether it be Paule or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether things present or to come euen all are yours and yee Christs Quest. But if Christ bee king and all his members kings how do they differ Answ. In two points First Christ is the sonne of God by nature and so a king by nature hauing the right of the kingdome of heauen by inheritance but the members of Christ
future estate of the church to the end of the world as I will reueale it vnto thee Thus then is the whole booke distinguished I. It containeth things touching the present estate of the church in Iohns daâ—es II. It entreateth of things which concerne the future estate thereof from Iohns time to the end of the world Hence obserue the lawfulnesse of the art of Logicke for diuisions be lawfull else the holy ghost would not here haue vsed them and so by proportion are other arguments of reasoning and therefore that art which giueth rules of direction for the right vse of these arguments is lawfull and good Those men then are farre deceiued who account the arts of Logicke and Rhetoricke to be friuolous and vnlawfull and in so saying they condemne the practise of the holy ghost in this place Vers. 20. The mysterie of the seuen starres which thou sawest in my right hand and the seuen golden candlestickes is this The seuen starres are the seuen Angels of the Churches and the seuen candlesticks which thou sawest are the seuen Churches This is the third action of Christ namely the interpretation of the Vision in the principall parts thereof which he expoundeth for these causes First Iohn in this businesse was to shew himselfe a Prophet of God by declaring the present and future estate of Gods church Now the principall part of a Prophet is to expound visions or dreames reuealed either to himselfe or to others as wee may see in Daniell and the rest of the prophets Secondly that Iohn might bee encouraged in the publishing of this booke and of the things reuealed vnto him For Iohns calling respected the Church of God And when he should perceiue these visions to concerne the Churches this would stirre vp his diligence in obseruing and penning the things reuealed Now Christ expoundeth not the whole vision but two principall things therein namely what was meant by the seuen starres to wit the seuen Angels or the seuen ministers of the Churches And what was meant by the seuen golden candlesticks namely The seueÌ„ Churches theÌ„selues The reasons why both were so called wee haue showed before with the vse therof Here onely I will obserue these three points First why Christ in the interpretation of his vision doth not expound the whole but onely two principall parts thereof This he doth for these causes First because hee hath giuen vnto his church the gift of interpretation which hee would haue them to exercise about this vision For if hee had expounded euery part himselfe then he had left herein no matter to his church whereabout shee might exercise her gift Secondly to prouoke Gods ministers especially with other members of his church vnto all diligence in studying this and other parts of scripture For if all things were easie and plaine then men would grow carelesse in reading and searching out the knowledge of Gods word Thirdly to stir vp in euery Reader of this booke an earnest and hartie desire to vnderstand the same Fourthly to excite all his seruants to prayer and inuocation vpon God for his grace that they may with reading the Scripture vnderstand the true meaning thereof II. point Note here the ministers of the churches are called Angels What these Angels are appeareth in the chapters following to wit the pastors and ministers of these seuen churches of Asia So Mat. 11.10 Iohn Baptist is called Christs Angell or messenger whereby wee haue good light for the expounding of a place in Paule 1. Cor. 11.10 saying That the woman ought to haue power ouer her head that is bee couered because of the Angels Where by Angels may well bee vnderstood the preachers and ministers of the Gospell And the reason of that precept may bee this Among the Corinthians the couering of the head was not as it is with vs a token of prelieminence and superioritie but a signe of subiection And therefore the Apostle would haue the women of Corinth when they came into the congregation to haue their heads couered according to the custome of their countrey in other assemblies to signifie their submission and reuerence vnto the ministerie of the Gospell Whereas Ministers are the Lords angels and embassadours hence wee gather that euery Minister of the Gospell must carry himselfe as the messenger of the Lord. Messengers haue regard of two things of the matter of their message and of their manner of deliuerie that they speake all which they are commanded and in such order as their Lord and master would haue it spoken or speake it himselfe if hee were present and he that faileth in either of these may iustly bee chalenged of vnfaithfulnesse The Minister therefore being Christs messenger must deliuer the whole will of Christ alone vnto his people as also in that manner which Christ approoueth and would himselfe obserue if hee were present Now can we once imagine that Christ would deliuer his will partly in English partly in Latine and other Languages or intermingle with the testimonies of the Prophets and Apostles the sentences of Fathers of Philosophers Poets and other writers Those therfore that in this sort dispence Christs gospel doe hereby bewray vnfaithfulnesse in their deliuerie Indeed this is counted the learned kind of preaching But it is not that manner which Christ approoueth And besides if this kind of teaching may take place it will bring in as great Barbarisme in regard of true Diuinitie as was among the Schoolemen when Gods word was wholly turned vnto needlesse disputation yea it would shortly banish the Gospell out of this land III. point Note the phrase which the holy ghost vseth he sayth not The seuen starres signifie the seuen Angels but Are the seuen Angels and the seuen candlestickes Are the seuen churches giuing to the signe the name of the thing signified Wherein wee haue a good warrant for our exposition of that phrase in the Sacrament This bread is my body this cup is my bloud Which the Papists vnderstand properly of the very bodie and bloud of Christ by reall transmutation But as these seuen starres are sayd to bee seuen Ministers because they did signifie the seuen Ministers so is the bread called the body of Christ because it signifieth and representeth his bodie and the cup his bloud And as it is absurd to say the seuen ministers were indeed seuen starres because they are so called so it is absurd to hold the bread in the Sacraments to be really Christs body or the wine his bloud because it is so called And thus much of the third action of Christ in the interpretation of this Vision THE SECOND CHAPTER Vers. 1. Vnto the Angell of the Church of Ephesus write These things sayth he that holdeth the seuen starres in his right hand and walketh in the middest of the seuen golden candlestickes IN this Chapter and in the next is contained the fourth action of our Sauiour Christ wherein he giueth seuen particular commaundements to Iohn to write vnto the
holy Ghost but by Christ it is manifest that none can haue fellowship with the Father but by Christ. And here the same is verified touching fellowship with the holy ghost especially for the obtaining of those graces that concerne eternall life This serueth for our speciall instruction for among the Papists there are many that haue worthy and excellent gifts of God as knowledge memorie c. And yet in them be wanting the special giftes of the spirit as faith which iustifieth regeneration for touching assurance of these in themselues they professe themselues to be ignorant And whence coÌ„meth this but onely from their want of Christ for the Christ of the Papists as they teach him is an idoll Christ and therefore wee are not to maruell though wee see the most learned among them to scoffe and mock at our doctrin of assurance of Faith certainty of electioÌ„ Secondly we haue many among vs that will say they looke to be saued by Christ to haue their sins pardoned by him and yet you shall perceiue in them no grace of knowledge or conscience of true obedience But these things caÌ„not stand together to wit loosnes of life and forgiuenes of sins therfore these men deceiue themselues for if they had Christ they should haue his spirit and the graces thereof purging their hearts for Christ and his spirit are neuer seuered he that hath the spirit of Christ working in him faith good conscience hath an infallible token that Iesus Christ is his This must admonish vs to labour for 〈◊〉 vnion with Christ Iesus our head to become flesh of his flesh bone of his bone that in him we may haue fellowship with the father and with the holy Ghost for till we be vnited vnto Christ we shall neuer haue the graces of saluation wrought effectually in our hearts The second royaltie of Christ is that he hath the seuen starres that is the seuen Pastors of the seuen Churches of Asia they are called starres because in their ministerie they inlighten men in the way that leadeth vnto life And Christ is said to haue them because hee is a soueraigne Lord ouer them they bee his seruants For he â—ppointeth that person that shall be his minister among men hee giueth him gifts meet for his calling he prescribeth also vnto him his office and duties But the Pastors of Churches will some say are made by the Church Answ. The right of ordaining Pastors belongs to Christ as his royaltie the office of the Church is to testifie ratifie according to the word of God to approoue of them whom Christ maketh and indueth with gifts and for that cause is the Church said to call and ordaine Ministers The end why Christ is said to haue soveraigntie ouer the Ministers is to strike the heart of the minister of this Church of Sardis with conscience of his former negligence to stir him vp to diligence and carefulnes in his place And indeede the consideration of Christs soueraigntie ouer them is an excellent motiue to stir vp all Ministers to bee diligent in their place and so likewise all Christians For considering that they are Christs and the gifts they haue come from him this must mooue them to make conscience of all good duties for being Christs they must giue themselues wholy to do the will of Christ whose they are If he would haue vs liue we must be thankefull because he is Lord of life if our death will glorifie him we must be content because wee are his Thus much of the Preface The matter of this Epistle containeth two parts A reproofe of a vice with the remedie thereof Vers. 1.2.3 And a praise or commendation vers 4. The reproofe in these words I know thy works that is I know all thy workes they are all manifest vnto me and I mislike of them So must these wordes be vnderstood in this place as may appeare by the reason of this reproofe in the wordes following Thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art dead Wherein is set downe the fault of this Church namely Hypocrisie for that they pretended christian religion in outward profession but yet wanted the life of christianitie the power of godlines for the meaning of the reason is this Thou hast a name that thou liuest that is Churches round about thee iudge and speak of thee as of a church that is borne anew in Christ and is guided by his spirit for by life we must vnderstand spirituall life not corporall but yet for all this thou art dead that is thou wantest true spirituall life by regeneration and art indeed dead in thy sinnes this is a great and a sharpe reproofe That which is here said of this Church of Sardis may be truly verified of diuers churches in this age As first of the great church of Rome who are guided by the Pope as by their head That church hath a name to be aliue in their owne pretence it is the only true church of God in the world but in truth and before God it is dead Some say it is as a body full of diseases and whose throat is cut but yet the heart panteth life remaineth therin But we may say it hath no manner of spirituall life but lyeth starke dead as a carkasse in the graue The reasons that some alledge for it are of small moment first they say it hath the SacrameÌ„t of baptisme which is a note of a true Church and therefore it hath some life Ans. First Baptisme is not alwayes a note of a true church for circumcision in whose stead commeth baptisme was a sacrament vsed of the Samaritans when they were no people of God and so no church of God Againe Baptisme without the true preaching of the Gospel is no infallible signe of a church it is but a seale pulled from the writing or set to a bare paper to no vse and further outward Baptisme without inward Baptisme is no note of a church but such is baptisme in the church of Rome it hath not inward baptisme ioyned vnto it neither the true preaching of the word for the doctrine which they teach is a quite ouerturning of Christ and his Gospel and therefore outward baptisme may bee where there is no church Secondly I answer that baptisme in the church of Rome is a Sacrament not to their synagogue but to the hiddeÌ„ church of God among them For God had his Church among them euen in the midst of Poperie There were alwayes some among them that renounced their religion whom God called home vnto himself by the meanes which were among them as the vse of this Sacrament the Apostles Creed and of other books of holy Scripture For as God said to Elias in Ahabs time I haue reserued seuen thousand that neuer bowed the knee to Baal So may it bee sayd of many among the Papists God hath there his secret Church who neuer yeelded to the Popes gouernment
come vpon all the world to trie them that dwell vpon the earth These words containe the second promise of Christ vnto this Church concerning their preseruation in time of most bloodie persecution for this Epistle vnto this Church as also this Booke was written by Iohn after the Ascention of Christ in the daies of Domitian the Emperour of Rome after whome succeeded Traâ—anus who when hee was seated in his Empire raysed vp greeuous persecution against GODS Church in all places of his Dominion wherein he put to death innumerable thousandes of Christians for the space of foureteene yeares Of this persecution our Sauiour Christ fore-tels this Church calling it The houre of temptation and withall he promiseth to preserue this Church in the time of this bloodie persecution adding a reason thereof Because they had constantly and syncerely professed his Gospell In this promise of preseruation note sundry points I. the occasion thereof The keeping of the word of his patience II. The thing promised deliuerance vnder Traianus III. A prâ—diction of this persecution That it shall come vpon the world for this end to trie them I. point The word of Christs patience some expound to be Christs commandement of patience but that exposition is too strait here it signifieth the whole Doctrine of saluation by Christ which is called the word of patience first because it teacheth patience Secondly because it is the instrument of patience for when a man knowes saluation by Christ and also belâ—eues the same to belong to him that will make him patient in all the miseries of this life Thirdly because it cannot bee professed and holden vnto death without patience but as it is sayd of the good ground It bringeth forth fruit with patience so must euerie one doe that professeth this Gospell In this occasion of Gods promise obserue that Gods grace well vsed is rewarded with increase Those which haue receiued but small measure of grace at the first by becomming faithfull therein haue receiued increase which serues to mooue vs to bee faithfull in the vse of those tallents which wee haue receiued For heereby wee shall receiue increase when as those which hauing receiued good gifts from God as knowledge and such like because they haue not beene faithfull in the vse thereof haue beene depriued of the same Wherefore whosoeuer hath begun to know the will of God to beleeue and to repent let the same parties proceed to vse those giftes still to Gods glorie and the good of his Church and people among whom they liue and they shall see the Lord will double and treble and greatly increase the same vnto them Againe note the doctrine of the Gospell is a Doctrine of patience This sheweth how good and meete it is for euerie one to learne the Gospell in the dayes of peace for euerie one in times of tryall wold wish for strength and patience and wee know not how long these dayes of peace will last Againe each man in his calling is subiect to many crosses and miseries for in the sweat of our face must wee eat our bread And who is free from paines and diseases yea who can scape death it selfe Now in all these and in all other troubles wee haue neede of patience And therefore in the time of health and ease let vs hide in our hearts the seedes of this grace to wit the Doctrine of the Gospell and then in due time wee shall reape the fruit of patience which will make vs contented in all distresses both of life and death And if wee would know why most men are so impatient in afflictions it is because they haue so little knowledge and faith in the Gospell of his grace Secondly seeing the Gospell is the word of patience heereby all persons that looke to bee saued by the Gospell must learne to put on patience keeping a moderation in all their thoughts wils and affections for when wee be impatienâ— any way wee are not sutable to the Doctrine of our saluation Thirdly this word of patience is called Christs The word of my patience because Christ is the author of it This is added to beat downe the pride of this Church for when God doth praise them for their obedience their hearts might haue beene puffâ—d vp with pride But to preuent this euill in this Church whom he now praised hee calleth it his patience that they might not thinke this good thing was of themselues And the same consideration must checke the proude thoughts that rise in our hearts namely to remember that no good thing wee haue is our owne but Christs What hast thou which thou hast not receiued Why then shouldest thou boast 1. Corinth 4.7 II. point The thing promised is preseruation and deliuerance in the bloodie persecution vnder Traianuâ— in which for the space of fourteene yeares innumerable Christians were put to death I will deliuer thee from the houre of temptation Here first obserue that God hath appointed certaine set houres and times for the triall of his Church as well for the giftâ— of his grace as of their wickednesse and hypocrisie Thus he led the Israelites fortie yeares in the wildernesse to see whether they would obey him and hee sent false Prophets amonge them to trie whether they would turne from the true God or no. And as God thus dealeth with his Church so hee bath appointed particular times and houres wherein hee will trie particular persons God bid Abraham kill his Sonne and that was his tryall And Hezekias was left vnto himselfe That the Lord might see all that was in his heart And so for euerie Christian God hath a set time of triall wherin he will either make manifest his grace or disclose their hypocrisie This point ought to bee well weighed for herein the Lord dealeth like the worthie founders of great Schooles who haue appointed certaine set times of posing for the tryall of their Schollers to see what euerie ones proceeding is that they may be accordingly rewarded And as it is a shame for one to haue been long in a good Schoole and to haue made no proceedings in learning so it is for any one that hath liued long in the Schoole of Christ and hath not profited in grace This therefore must teach vs these duties First to try our selus and that staightly concerning our progresse in knowledge faith repentance and obedience for God himselfe will trie vs whose eyes wee can neuer blinde though wee may deceiue men He will lay open our hearts and make knowne what is in vs whether it bee true grace or false hypocrisie Let vs not couer our selues with figge leaues for God will strip vs naked but rather let vs search our selus touching our sins and Gods graces and neuer rest contented till wee haue found in our soules the good gifts of grace which will abide his tryall Secondly hereby we are admonished as neere as we can to conforme our harts and liues vnto the word and wil