neuer seeketh it This his mercie is verified in all Churches and vnto vs VVhich must be an occasion to enlarge and stirre vp our hearts to blesse the name of Christ for this vnspeakable mercie in vouchsafing vs fauor when we neuer sought it but refused it Quest. How doth Christ knocke Answ. The words going before wherto these haue reference giue light vnto this Question Before Christ had threatned this Church euen to spew her out of his mouth for her luke-warmenesse and after hee counsels her to buy of him gold and other remedies Now vpon this greeuous threatnings the Church might despaire of his mercie But Christ to comfort her tels her here that these reproofes and rebukes were but knocking 's at the dores of their hearts to make them open For then Christ knocketh at the hearts of any people when he vouchsafed them means to see their sinnes and threatens them for the same and withall giues them coun wherby they may escape the fearefull punishments thereby deserued Here then note the state of any people that haue the ministrie of the Gospell vouchsafed vnto them they haue Christ among them standing at the dore of their harts and knocking to come in by exhortations admonitions threatnings and by promises which is a great and endlesse mercie First seeing wee haue Christ knocking at our dores there ought not to bee in vs such dulnesse and deadnesse of heart in hearing him knocke If a man of any account come and knocke at the dore of our house oh what a stirre will we make to let him in quickely VVhat a shame then is it that we should be dead-harted when Christ Iesus the King of Heauen knockes at the dore of our hearts Secondly this must admonish vs with all speed to turne vnto God by true repentance for wee knowe not how long hee will continue knocking and if wee doe not heare and turne before he withdraw himselfe from vs wee perish eternally For if we refuse when he knocketh at the dore of our harts he will refuse when we knocke at the dore of his mercie Prou. 1. 25.26 Mat. 25.11.12 Note further this knocking is not ordinarie but it is ioyned with crying For he saith If he heare my voice so that hee both knocks cries It is then the knocking of one that would enter we therfore ought answerably with serious regard to receiue the threatnings of the law and the promises of grace and so bee as earnest in receiuing and embracing him as hee is in knocking to come into vs. The second token of Christs loue is a gracious promise of fellowship with them in these words If any man heare my voice and open the dore I will come in vnto him and will suppe with him and hee with mee These wordes haue beene much abused and therefore I will stand to set downe the true vse and meaning of the same Marke the forme of speech is such as giues vnto a mans will soule an action in his conuersion whereby hee comes to Christ and receiues Christ. This may seeme strange but it is for iust cause vsed by the holy Ghost for in the conuersion of a sinner there be three workers the holy Ghost the word and mans will The holy Ghost is the principall Agent inlightning the minde with true knowledge softning the heart and changing the will from euill to good The worde is the instrument of the holy Ghost for now he worketh not by reuelation or speciall instinct but ordinarily in and by the word when a man is reading hearing or meditating either publickely or priuately for the word preached is the power of God to mans saluation from faith to faith Thirdly mans will though by nature it be euill and dead vnto grace yet being renewed by the holy Ghost in the first act of conuersion moueth and striueth to bee turned It is not like a peece of waxe onely passiue which without any action receiueth impression But as fire so soone as it fire doth borne and so soone as it burneth it is fire so the will though by nature it mooue not yet being renewed by grace it mooueth and so some as it mooueth it is renewed And hereupon it is that the holy Ghost ascribeth action vnto a sinner that is to bee conuerted which argueth not that by themselues men can haue a will to bee conuerted but that being renewed they may will their conuersion And for this cause is the Gospell preached in these tearmes Repent and beleeue not to shew that man by nature can repent or beleue but that God in mans conuersion doth giue him grace to will and desire the same Hence then it followes thar this text hath been diuers waies abused First by the Papists who hence would gather Free will of conuersion in a sinner by nature True it is a man hath free will in his conuersion yet not by nature but by grace neither can any more be gathered hence for here it is onely said If any man heare and open when I knocke Nay hence wee may rather gather that a man by nature cannot heare nor open because the counsell is giuen to such as are poore and blinde and naked by nature Secondly they also abuse this text that hereby would prooue a flexible free will by grace to be in man which is this Sundry men thinke that after the fall of Adam all being wrapt vp in sinne God gaue a generall grace whereby any man might will and receiue that which is good and this grace though it dispose the will in some part to that which is good yet it takes not the corruption away but that remaines still whereupon if hee will he may receiue Christ by that general grace or if hee will not hee may refuse Christ by his naturall corruption which yet remaineth in him It is saide this may bee gathered from this text But the truth is here is no foundation for flexible free-will all that can here be gathered is that man hath free-will in his conuersion yet not by a generall but by Gods speciall grace Nay Christs ministry serue◠for this end that those which before could not turne of themselues might by grace be conuerted This flexible grace is against Gods word Christ sayth Euery one that hath heard and hath learned of the Father commeth vnto me He saith not may come if hee will but peremptorily commeth For mans will cannot dispose and ouer 〈◊〉 the worke of God but the worke 〈◊〉 God ouer-rules the will of man though man be vnwilling yet when God calleth effectually hee cannot but come For the creature cannot reiect or resist the will and calling of his creator If any man open vnto me I will come c. The proper intent of Christ in this conditional promise is to prouoke them that be dull and heauy to listen diligently to Christ words and to receiue the doctrine of saluation from him gladly In the example of this Church we are taught our dutie Seeing
her proceedeth to describe her doctrine And first hee sheweth the end and scope thereof namely to seduce and to deceiue Wherein he giueth vs a further note of a false Prophet or Prophetesse to wit to teach such doctrine as drawes men to sinne against the first or second Table True doctrine is according vnto godlinesse and leadeth men thereto but the end of false doctrine is impietie against God and man as was shewed by the doctrine of Balaam vers 14. and such was the doctrine of this woman Sundry students now adayes are maruellously affected with the sermons commentaries and postils of monks and friers These they prefer before the writings of other godly and sound Diuines which is a lamentable case for they are in their kind Iezabels the scope of their doctrine is to draw men to errours and transgressions against the law of God yea to bring men from heauen to hell And therefore this exceeding approbation of them is no small offence being in truth the right way to bring in againe errors Atheisme and Poperie For turne a Papist from a morall point wherein he often erreth and his doctrine and sermons are nothing but false and erronious and therefore as Christ would haue this Church to hate the doctrine of this woman because it did deceiue so must wee labour to grow in dislike with the commentaries and postils of monks and friers which tend to that end Secondly Christ setteth forth the end of her doctrine by two arguments First by the persons deceiued his seruants secondly by the meanes whereby they are deceiued to wit by causing them to commit fornication and to eat meaâ—es sacrificed vnto Idols Touching the persons Whereas shee deceiued not all men but the seruants of God for here is a plaine distinction of men this encreaseth her fault because they belonged vnto God But here two questions may bee mooued First why some men are the seruants of God and some are not Secondly whether the seruants of God may bee seduced by false teachers To the first some answere that God would haue all men 〈◊〉 bee his seruants and for his part doth all things needfull vnto all men to make them his seruants redeeming them and giuing them sufficient grace hereunto yet some are not his seruants because they themselues will not but wilfully reiect his grace that is offered vnto them But this doctrine is against common reason and doth much derogate from the glorie of God for hereby they make euery man an emperour and God an vnderling subiect vnto man they make Gods good pleasure to depend vpon mans pleasure and the accepting of his grace to depend vpon mans will But God is the first cause of all things his will ouerruleth mans will and therefore it is absurd to say some men are not Gods seruants because they themselues will not The true cause hereof is Gods good pleasure electing some and they alone become his seruants because hee hath chosen them But God did neuer chuse all men first to grace then to glorie and therfore as Luke saith so many as were ordained to euerlasting life beleeued So wee may say so many as are elected of God to grace and saluation they become his seruants The second question Whether may Gods seruants be seduced by false Prophets Answ. There bee two sorts of seruants of God seruants in appearance and seruants in truth Seruants in appearance are such as outwardly onely embrace the word and receiue the seales of Gods couenant and the greatest part of particular churches are such seruants Now these may fall away and that wholly and hence it commeth that whole particular churches may fall away as did the church of Galatia and many other and these are called seruants because we must in charitie iudge that all which make professioÌ„ of true religion in Gods church are the seruants of God But the true seruants of God though they may be seduced in part and for a time yet they can neither wholly nor finally fall away for the promise of Christ is to the contrarie Thou 〈◊〉 Peter and vpon this rocke that is the faith which thou professest will I build my temple and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against 〈◊〉 Which last word preuaile insinuateth that the diuell shall shew great malice and strength to vanquish their faith but yet shal neuer wholly ouercome it And Matth. 6.13 we are taught to pray Lâ—ad vs 〈◊〉 into temptation To be lead into temptation is wholly to be ouercome in temptation which being a lawfull petition must needs haue Godâ— promise to graunt the same belonging vnto it And therefore though Saâ—han may assay to ouercome the child of God yet he shall neuer get finall victory ouer him for true faith purifieth the heart and cannot stand with a purpose to continue in any one sinne these two banish each other sinne brings the child of God vpon his knees but true faith doth raise him vp againe II. point The means wherby she sought to seduce theÌ„ was by drawing them to commit fornication and to eate things sacrificed to Idols Whereby it is plaine shee was a fauourer of the sect of the Nicolaitans whereof entreatie was made in the foureteenth verse And thus much for the reproofe of the Church Verse 21. And I gaue her space to repent of her fornication and shee repented not Here Christ reprooueth this woman for her obstinacie and hardnesse of heart whereby shee went on in sinne without repentance By space to repent wee are to vnderstand libertie to liue for though by her sinnes she deserued present death temporall and eternall yet God of his mercy gaue her libertie to liue that shee might repent In her example we are taught what to iudge of that space of time which God giueth vs to liue in this world namely thâ—â— it is a time of repentance for before a man be borne and after this life can none repent but the time wee now liue or haue liued or shall liue is the only time allotted for repentance This point ought seriously to bee considered of all estates for it doth plainely rebuke the shamefull practise of many at this day who lead not their life as a time of repentance but spend it wholly in another course some in following their vaine pleasures as carding dicing c. some in heaping vp riches seeking nothing but temporall profites others in good fellowship as they call it that is in companie keeping in eating and drinking God in iustice might haue cut off these men so soone as they were borne and yet in mercie hee giues them time to repent to some twentie to others thirtie fortie or fiftie yeares but they abuse this mercie of God and in steed of repenting imploy themselues in such workes as are contrarie thereunto Their case is most fearefull they treasure vp to themselues wrath against the day of wrath declaration of the iust iudgement of God like vnto a man that euery
of mankind neither is there any other meanes appointed hereunto in the word of God This sheweth that their opinion is false who teach that God calleth all â—he world effectually vnto saluation for how can thâ—y bee called that neuer heard of the 〈◊〉 of God but all in all ages neuer 〈◊〉 of the word of God Albeit 〈◊〉 the comming of Christ their sound hath gone foorth into all nations Secondly this sheweth the fondnesse of their opinion who defend the Doctrine of vniuersall grace that God should giue grace pertaining to saluation vnto euerie man in the world so as he may be saued if he will for the meanes to receiue grace is the hearing of the word which all men in all ages neuer had vouchsafed vnto them The second dutie prescribed is the holding fast of this doctrine To hold fast here signifieth two things first to maintaine the doctrine of the Gospell receiued and taught by the Apostles Secondly to put the same in practise in a godly life of these wee haue spoken before cap. 2.25 The third dutie is to repent where by repentance is not meant the beginning of repentance but the renewing and restoring of the same for their hardnesse and deadnesse of heart whereby they did slackly and coldly practise the good duties which they did professe Hereby we are taught not to content our selues with the begining of repentance but we must renue the same continually that not for grosse sins only but euen for the wants that bee in vs as for our dulnesse and deadnesse of heart and for our hypocrisie and decay in Gods graces And because this Church was verie dead and dull of heart therefore Christ addeth a reason to mooue them to the practise of this dutie which is a most terrible threatning in these words If thou wilt not watch I will come on thee 〈◊〉 a theefe and thou shalt not know what houre I will come vpon thee Here marke Christs order and dealing hauing prescribed a remedie for their fault hee giueth them a direction to practise the same and after addeth a most terrible threatning to driue them therevnto as if he should say if thou wilt not watch against sinne and against death and for that end remember my word hold fast the same and repent then look as a theefe comes vpon a man on a suddaine and spoyles his goods and cuts the throate of his children so will I come on thee on a suddaine and power vpon thee my wrath whereby I will 〈◊〉 cut the throat of thy soule and thou shalt haue no means to escape my punishment Here Christ threatneth suddaine and speedie destruction but yet with condition and limitation of repentance Now because we be like this Church as hath been shewed by reason of the long peace which we inioy we may also vse the same reason and threatning at this day to stirre vp our dead harts We must watch against all sinne and against death and for this end must haue in memorie the word of God and hold fast the faith vnto the end and repent continually of all wants but if we doe not this then are the vengeances and eternall punishments of God to be powred vpon vs without measure and that sodenly when wee cannot preuent them If a man haue but a sparke of grace the consideration hereof will mooue him to repentance and to watchfulnes but if this will not awake a man out of his sinnes then nothing remaineth but a fearfull expectation of the wrath of God which shall be vnauoidable and endure for euer Indeed if a man had some thousand yeares allotted for the punishment of his sins there were some cause why hee might continue in them but seeing this punishment is eternall and when many thousand yeares are expired they are as farre from the end of their woe as euer they were therefore it must stirre vp all dead and drowzie harts vnto repentance and cause them to shake off securitie ignorance and coldnesse in Religion and to breake off the course of euerie sinne Vers. 4. Notwithstanding thou hast a few names yet in Sardie which haue not defiled their garments and thâ—y shall walke with me in white for they are worthy Heere beginneth the second part of the matter of this Epistle namely the praise and commendation of some part of this Church The words doe thus depend vppon those which went before wheras Christ had sayd that this Church was dead in sinne and had onely a name to liue some man might aâ—ke how it could bee a true Church To this Christ answereth in the beginning of this verse that though the greatest part in this Church were dead in their sinnes yet some few there were among them that were aliue in Christ and did testifie the the same by true and sincere obedience In this coherence we may obserue two instructions I. that a particular congregation on earth is made a Church of God and so called in regard of Gods elect therein who doe truely belieue For the priuiledges of a Church belong vnto particular congregations onely by reason of the faith of the elect among them The Catholick church is the whole Company of the elect truly beleuing in Christ particular congregations are members of it so farre forth as they doe truely beleeue the rest that doe not truely belieue are not members of the Church before God but 〈◊〉 in the iudgement of men like vnto superfluous humors which are in the bodie but no parts thereof This confuteth the Doctrine of the Church of Rome who teach that wicked men that are reiected in Gods decree may yet bee true members of the Church of God Secondly in this coherence Christ intimateth vnto vs a distinction betweene man and man in this Church for all that were in this Church were men called professing Christ and his Gospell and yet of them some were dead in their sinnes and others were aliue in Christ. Touching this distinction of men wee must search the cause thereof It must not be ascribed to any power or will in man but to the good pleasure of God as the scripture teacheth for when the bodie of the Israelites had giuen themselues to Idolatrie there were yet seuen thousand that neuer bowed the knee to Baall what was the cause why they did not liue like to the other Israelites Surely nothing in the will of man though the Idolatrie of the other was to bee ascribed to themselues but the text is cleare it was the good pleasure of God who had preserued and kept them By this wee see how erronious and false the Diuinitie of some Protestants is which ascribe the cause of this distinction betweene man and man to the libertie of mans will being renewed by grace saying That GOD giues to euerye man sauing grace by vertue whereof hee maye repent and beleeue if hee will but yet because the will of man doth still remaine sinfull hence it commeth that hee hath libertie to obey
of God for he will trie vs woonderfull it is to see how common the reproch of presizenesse is and if it were not well knowne that the world is full of Athiests that might discourage many a Christian. But the remembrance of this triall wherein hypocrisie will vanish as the stubble before the fire must mooue vs to labour for sinceritie When we haue done our best wee shall bee farre short of that wee ought to bee And therefore through the reproach of the world let vs hold on our good endeauour and labour to haue the maine graces of true faith and a good conscience with a resolute purpose not to sinne that so we may stand in the day of tryall But if wee want these and liue loosely wee shall be found like the foolish Virgins that haue onely the blasing lampes of an outward Profession and want the sauing oyle of grace which may make vs acceptable vnto God at his appearing Wee haue beene trayned vp in the Schoole of Christ what a shame will it be if when Christ comes to prooue vs we be then found barren and voide of sound grace Dauid bethinking himself of this trial of the Lord doth conforme himselfe vnto the will of God and therefore offereth himselfe vnto his tryall saying Lord prooue mee meaning in regard of the truth and synceritie of a good conscience not of the perfectnesse of his owne wayes And hereunto must wee endeauour not suffering any sinne to raigne in vs. Qu. But how was this promise verified touching their deliuerance from persecution seeing no Church was free from it For euen the Churches of Asia whereof this in Philadelphia was a principall one were persecuted by Traianus Answ. This and such like promises of deliuerance to Gods children from tryals and afflictions must bee vnderstood not simply but with condition to wit so farre foorth as they may bee hurtfull vnto them and in the least measure hinder their saluation and indeed they are promises of deliuerance from the euill of temptation and persecution not from persecution and temptation it selfe Psal. 91.10 The Lord promiseth to him that trusteth in God The plague shall not come neere his dwelling and yet by experience wee know that Gods children in generall plagues are taken away as well as others and therefore that promise must bee vnderstood of deliuerance not from the plague it selfe but from the hurt therof so as it shall not hinder the good or saluation of any in the godly mans house We pray Lead vs not into temptation which wee must not vnderstand of freedome from all temptation for it is the will of God we should be tryed but therein wee are taught to pray that God would not forsake vs in our temptations or giue vs vp wholly to the power of the deuill but that it may tend to our profit and not to our hurt as well in respect of grace as of saluation And so farre foorth was this promise accomplished to this Church The due consideration whereof is most comfortable to Gods church and people teaching thē not to feare the crosse in any temptation God will haue his church tryed but the faithfull therein need not to be dismayed for God by his promise hath taken away the euill and poyson of all tryals and temptations to them that haue care to keepe faith and a good conscience though they suffer a thousand crosses in this world neuer so long yea though they die vnder the crosse which may put comfort into the heart of any distressed soule whatsoeuer reuiue those that are oppressed with temptations Againe in that this promise is not made simply and absolutely but with restraint hereby we are taught that the petitions of those persons which pray simply and absolutely to be freed from all temptations and aduersities are not according to Gods will and word For euery petition must depend vpon some promise of God but wee haue no absolute promise of freedome from all tryals and temptations but onely so farre foorth as they be euill And therefore in praying against temptations we must qualifie our petitions for temporall deliuerance according to the tenour of the promises of Christ that is so farre forth as may most aduance Gods glorie and best further our saluation Quest. How can this great persecution bee called but an houre of temptation seeing it lasted 14. yeeres Answ. In diuers respects it may bee so called First in regard of God with whom a thousand yeeres are but as one day and therefore 14. yeers with God are but as one houre Secondly in regard of that punishment which euery man by his sinnes deserueth in hell eternally Thirdly in the affection of Gods people which were tryed When Iacob serued Laban seuen yeeres for Rahell his affection made him thinke it was but a short time So when Gods children suffer for the name and Gospel of Christ the consideration thereof will make them thinke long afflictions to bee but short This affection caused Paul to wish to himselfe eternall perdition for the glory of God in the saluation of the Iewes Rom. 9.3 The end of this phrase touching the shortnesse of time was to comfort this and all other Churches in the time of this grieuous persecution for the consideration of the shortnesse of the time is a meanes to ease any affliction and to arme an impatient man with some measure of contentation III. point The prophecie or prediction of this affliction is in these wordes Which will come on all the world to try them that dwell vpon the earth Heere Christ foretelleth a thing which was to come simply by himselfe and from himselfe not by the helpe of any cause or any man or angell And hereby hee prooues himselfe to be true God for it is a propertie and priuiledge of the true God of himselfe and by himselfe to foretell a thing to come before it can bee seene either in it selfe or in the causes thereof no man nor angell can so absolutely foretell that which is to come but in their predictions they first see the things present in their causes vnlesse they bee reuealed vnto them from God But some may here demand whether Christs foreknowledge and prediction were the cause of this grieuous persecution Answ. Not so for things come not to passe because of Gods foreknowledge thereof but because they would come to passe therefore God foreseeth foretelleth them there is a higher cause of all things then prescience and prediction to wit the good will and pleasure and decree of God So Christ is said to be deliuered to bee crucified by the determinate will and counsell of God and from the same eternall counsell did this persecution vnder Traian originally proceed for the first cause of the euent of euery thing is Gods decree either ordaying or disposing the same It will be sayd if this be so then is God the author of sinne Answ. God forbid For the maner of Gods will and decree is
diuers some things hee decreeth to cause and effect of himselfe and by himselfe as all good things some other things God decreeth to be effected by others as sinne And so euill things though they bee not according to his reuealed will yet they come in some sort from his wil decree for if he simply nilled theÌ„ they could neuer be Beside in Gods decree are set down not only the things to be done but also the means and circumstances therof as we may see in this persecutioÌ„ the place and end are plainly noted This we must remember on the contrary take heed of the opinioÌ„ of some Protestants which hold and teach that sundry things come to passe God onely foreseeing them and no way decreeing or willing them as namely sinne But to giue vnto God a bare fore-knowledge without a decree is to put vppon him an idle prouidence which the nature of God will not admit The end why Christ alleadgeth this Prophecie is to expound his former saying For it might bee asked why doth Christ call this persecution the houre of temptation Christ answereth because it wil certainly come to try them that dwel on earth Where we may note what is the propertie of afflictions and persecutions be they publike or priuate Namely they serue to discouer the state of mens hearts either by making manifest their faith repentance and feare of God or by detecting their impacience hypocrisie Verse 11. Behold I come shortly hold that which thou hast that no man take thy crowne Here is Christs commandement to this Church wherein consider first what hee inioyneth them then the reason thereof The thing he enioyneth is this Hold fast that which thou hast that is hold as it were with both hands that little meaof faith and grace which thou hast receiued from me and in no wise part with the same This Commandement hath beene before expounded Chap. 2. vers 25. The reasons to enforce this Commandement are two One going before it in these wordes I come shortly That is either in the generall iudgement or by death vnto thee particularly Before this reason is put a note of attention Beholde to giue vs to vnderstand that the speedy comming of Christ vnto vs either by death in particular or in iudgement generall is a matter of great moment neuer to be forgotten but â—aid vp treasured euen in the bottome of our hearts Herein we must not flatter our selues and say with the bad seruant Mat. 24.48 My master doth foreslowe his comming for that is the cause of so much wickednesse and impenitencie as is in the world But rather with an ancient Father thinke we euer heare the sound of his trumpet This dayly perswasion of the speedy comming of Christ is of notable vse For first it will daunt the most desperate wretch that is and make him to tremble in himselfe and restraine him from many sinnes And if a man belong to God and be yet a loose liuer this perswasion will rowze him out of his sins and make him turne vnto God by vsing the meanes of repentance for who would not seeke to saue his soule if he were perswaded that Christ were now comming to giue him his finall reward Secondly if a man haue grace and haue repented and do beleeue this perswasioÌ„ is a notable means to make him constant in euery good dutie both of pietie to God and of charitie towards his brethren Thirdly this serueth to comfort any person that is in affliction for when hee shall beleeue this which Christ hath said I come shortly he cannot but thinke but his deliuerance is at hand for at his comming hee bringeth perfect redemption to all his Elect. The second reason is set after the commandement that no man take thy crowne that is the crowne of thy glory euen euerlasting life This must not be restrayned to the minister of this Church taking it only for the crown of his ministery though it bee also vnderstood of him but the same must bee referred to the whole Church as if our Sauiour Christ should say If thou holde not fast thy faith and other graces thou wilt loose the crowne of glorie that is ordayned for thee Hence some gather that a man ordained to life may finally perish because another may haue that crowne which was ordained for him But this is a flat abuse of this and such like Texts of scripture for the words are not absolute that a man may loose his crowne but conditionall Hold fast or els thou shalt perish and loose eternall life though it bee ordained for thee Now the vse of such speeches is not to signifie falling from grace but to shew vnto vs our owne weaknes in our selues that we might acknowledge that if wee were left of God wholly to our selues we could not but perish Therefore they serue to stir vp the child of God to humble himselfe in the acknowledgement of his owne weakenesse vnto a carefull vsing of the meanes to come to saluation Like as a father that takes his childe and sets him on a horse guiding the horse with one hand and holding him with the other and then saith vnto the child take heed least thou fall Not meaning thereby that the childe shall fall but intending to make him sit faster to let him know that if he should leaue him he would fal Secondly Christ vseth such speeches that thereby hee may make his Church perseuer in grace vnto the end for all exhortations and threatnings in Gods word are instruments of perseuerance in grace vnto Gods children because as God hath appointed who shall bee saued certainly so hee hath ordayned certaine meanes to bring the same to passe part whereof are exhortations threatnings which doe not import any finall relapse but serue as meanes causes of perseuerance and for this end doth Christ here bid this Church hold fast lest another take her crowne In this threatning wee may note that when God withdrawes his grace from one man or his blessings from any one people for the abuse thereof hee hath others ready to bestow the same vpoÌ„ who will vse the same well when Iudas was cut off from the Apostleship Matthias was chosen in his roome and when the Iewes by infidelitie fell away from God he had the Gentiles in store to ingraffe in their stead for the the arme of God is not shortned When any one people shall abuse his Gospel he can giue it to another that will bring foorth the fruit thereof Mat. 21.43 This must bee thought vpon for by Gods mercy wee are now Gods people and doe inioy his Gospell but wee must not flatter our selues herewith for if wee abuse the same wee must know that hee hath another Nation in store whom wee now contemne whither hee can send his Gospel and cause them to bring forth the plentifull fruits thereof Wee therefore must imbrace and hold fast this blessing of God which now wee inioy and shew
first Christ sent and shewed this reuelation This action of Christ is noted by the holy ghost for two speciall causes first to shew That S. Iohn did not pen and publish this booke rashly but by calling and warrant from God This teacheth vs what must be our behauiour in all our actions whatsoeuer we take in hand we must looke we haue warrant from God for the doing of the same by vertue of our calling and with out this we should not dare to enterprise any thing If this dutie were practised there would be more conscience of the seruice and worship of God and more care of iust dealing with men then there is in the affaires of this life Secondly this action of Christ is noted to get more reuerent acceptance and greater authoritie to this booke for which cause also it was sent by an holy Angell If an earthly prince should write his letter to his subiect and withall send it by one of his guard we doubt the subiect would receiue it most reuerently Behold this booke is the Epistle and letter of Iesus Christ sent by his Angell for the benefit of his Church What reuerence therefore and acceptation ought this to find surely a thousand fold more with euery one then the writing of any earthly prince whatsoeuer The second point to be obserued is the persons whom Christ imployeth about this Reuelation and they be two An holy Angell and Saint Iohn For the first It hath pleased God in all ages to vse the ministerie of Angels as a meanes whereby hee would conuey the knowledge of his will vnto his Church The law in mount Synai was giuen to Moyses by the ministerie of an Angell Act. 7.38 Gal. 3.19 and Daniell receiued the exposition of sundry dreames and visions by an Angell Dan. 8.19 and 9.21 and 10.14 And the seuen visions which conteine the substance of this booke were shewed to Iohn by an holy Angell But here we must take heed that we do not like the papists ground hereupoÌ„ the inuocation of Angels because they be about vs and bring vnto vs particular messages from the Lord for before we may pray vnto them wee must haue from God a particular commandement so to do and also a promise to be heard in that wee aske or else our prayer is not of faith but the whole Scripture affoords no word of command or promise for any such action and therefore we cannot do it without sinne The second instrument here imployed by Christ is Iohn This Iohn was sonne to Zebedeus and so kinsman vnto Christ a blessed Apostle and Euangelist which penned one of the Gospels and the three Epistles which beare his name This was that Disciple whom Iesus loued And to procure the more credit and reuerence to this booke he describeth himselfe by two arguments First by a propertie calling himselfe Christ his seruant Secondly by an effect or action in bearing record to Gods word vers 2. For the first note that Iohn doth not call himselfe that Disciple whom Iesus loued nor the kinsman of Christ which he might haue done being allied vnto him for Iohns mother was sister to Ioseph Christs supposed father and cosin german to the virgin Mary Iohn had learned of Christ himselfe that the â—earers and doers of the will of his father were esteemed more deere and neere vnto him than any bond of outward allyance could possibly make them Math. 12.50 Luk. 11.28 But he cals himselfe Christs seruant hauing yeelded vp himselfe to do his will for herein stands the dignitie of a Christian to do seruice vnto Christ. The blessed Virgine had neuer found such fauour with God to haue beene Christs mother if she had not withall become Christs seruant She bare him in her heart by faith as well as in her wombe by conception or else she had neuer beene saued by him Hence we learne that outward dignities as bloud royall noble parentage and such like will nothing further a mans saluation he that would bee acceptable vnto Christ must become his seruant by beleeuing his word and doing his will hauing cast off the old man which is corrupt and put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse So Paul saith Circumcision is nothing and vncircumcision is nothing but keeping the commandements of God 1. Cor. 7.19 and henceforth know I no man after the flesh but if any man be in Christ he is a new creature 2. Cor. â— 16 17. Againe consider in what regard Iohn is here called the seruant of Christ not onely for that he beleeued in Christ and obeyed his will as all true christians do but more specially because hee was an Apostle and did seruice vnto Christ in the worke of his ministerie which was his particular calling So Paul writing to the Romans calleth himselfe an appostle seruant of Christ Cap. 1.1 And he rendreth a reason thereof vers 9. Because hee did seruice vnto him in preaching the Gospell Hence we are taught that we must not onely shewe our selues Christs seruants in our generall calling of christianitie but especially in our particular callings and offices after the example of Christs blessed Apostles It is a good thing to professe seruice vnto Christ by hearing his woord receiuing his sacraments and keeping his Saboathes but vnlesse therewithall we shewe the power of godlinesse in our particular callings our outward profession is flat hypocrisie This magistrats ministers husband wife parents children maisters seruants buyer seller and euerie one in his lawfull calling should carefully obserue for vnlesse in the particular duties of their speciall callings as the magistrat in the duties of a magistrat c. they do seruice vnto Christ their publicke seruice in the outward duties of religion shall neuer commend them vnto God be it neuer so glorious Micha 6.6 7 8. Vers. 2. Which bare record of the word of God and of the testimonie of Iesus Christ and of the thâ—ngs that he saw Here is the second argument whereby Iohn describeth himselfe namely by this action or effect in bearing record to the word of God for partly by writing the gospell and partly by preaching hee bare witnesse and testified that the word of God was true And because the word of God hath diuerse parts the Law and the Gospell he shews in the next words that hee meanes especially the Gospell adding and of the testimonie of Iesus Christ that is of those things which Iesus sayd and did And that no man might cal into question the truth of his testimonie hee professeth himselfe to haue bene an eye witnesse of all those things whereof he bare record saying and of all those things which he saw And here he alledgeth his testimonie to the Gospell to proue himselfe a faithfull pen-man of this booke that so it might haue more reuerence for hee which was faithfull in penning the Gospell of Christ the same also is faithfull in penning this Prophesie of the Church In this testimonie we
write that he put into them by the holy ghost The matter and the style and phrase of the Scripture all came from Christ. Nay when any particular man comes to vnderstand the Scriptures this is by the working of Christ he opens his eyes Hee gaue the disciples vnderstanding as they went vnto Emaus to vnderstand the Scriptures The second dutie of Christs propheticall office is to certifie men in conscience of the truth of his fathers will This certificate is two fold generall or particular generall when he certifieth men in conscience That the word written or spoken by man is the word of God neither nature nor learning can doe this but it is proper to Christs propheticall office And for this he sayth to his disciples He will send them the comforter which shall lead them into all truth that is reueale Gods will vnto them and assure their heart that the same is true Vnto this assurance two things are required The outward meanes which is the word it selfe and an inward cause which is the principall to wit the operation of the holy spirit By this doctrine three points are resolued First this demaund of the Papists How a man can come to know that the Scriptures read and taught be the word of God Answ. Wee must here haue recourse to this faithfull witnesse and desire of him his spirit whereby the mind must bee enlightened and made able to discerne the things of God for naturall man can doe it of himselfe Secondly wee must haue Christ his testimonie of Scripture in the Scriptures themselues for in them he setteth downe his testimonie of the Scriptures But some will say if Christs testimonie of scripture bee set downe in the scriptures why doe not alâ— men know this testimonie and receiue it I answere The shining of the sunne before a mans face is not sufficient to cause him to see vnlesse he haue in his eyes the gift and sence of seeing Euen so it is not ynough for a man to haue in Gods word the testimonie of Christ that scripture is scripture but withall hee must haue in himselfe the light of the spirit reuealing that testimonie to his conscience and then in reading or hearing the scripture in marking the manner and style the maiestie and power thereof he shall bee able to see in euery sentence the testimonie of Christ assuring his conscience that the same is vndoubtedly the word of God A second doubt resolued by this doctrine is this How can a man know the true religion seeing the Turke Papist Iew and Protestant haue their seuerall religions and die in them I answere Wee must haue recourse to Christ this faithful witnesse and looke whereto hee giues his testimonie that we must hold for true religion Now the scriptures be as a letter sent from heauen to the Church wherein Christ hath set downe his owne testimonie of the true religion which in triall shall be found to bee the religion of the Protestant and not the religion of Iew Turke or Papist A third doubt to be resolued by this doctrine is How to know the particular truth in matters of religion when as sundry men professing the same religion bee of diuers opinions Answ. Still wee must haue recourse to this faithfull witnesse and Prophet of the Church he is the Iudge of all controuersies in religion and in the scriptures if we marke them we shall see his iudgement Quest. But if there be diuers opinions about scripture it selfe and euery one giue a seuerall sence vnto it who must then be Iudge Answ. In this diuersitie of opinions yea of the scriptures themselues we must still haue recourse to Christ and that in the scriptures alone for though there were a thousand diuerse expositions of one place yet by the scope and circumstances thereof conferring it with other like places of scripture a man shall bee able to find out the true sence for Christ in the scripture expoundeth himselfe The particular certificate of Christ belongeth also to his propheticall office and that is to assure men in their consciences that the promises of the Gospell with all the benefits therein contained as Iustification Sanctification and life eternall which in the word be generally expounded doe belong vnto them particularly as to Peter to Iohn c. And this assurance as the former is principally wrought by the word not barely read but preached for therein by the inward worke of the spirit the generall promises be particularly applied This Paule imports saying Yee haue the spirit of adoption which testifies with our spirit we be the sonnes of God Rom. 8.15 16. Hence we learne that the doctrine of the Church of Rome and of all others which hold That men cannot bee assured of their saluation by faith is wicked and damnable for hereby they cut off a part of Christs propheticall office wherein the dignitie thereof doth consist that is to assure a man particularly of the truth of Gods promises vnto himselfe And in this he differs from all other Prophets and Apostles which bee witnesses for they can witnesse onely outwardly to the eare but he can speake and testifie to the conscience Neither can any of them certifie any man particularly though their ministerie tend to that end Secondly obserue Christ is not only a witnesse but a faithfull witnesse and so he is for these causes First because hee testifies not his owne will but his which sent him namely his fathers Iohn 8.26 Secondly he testifies all his fathers wil neither adding thereto nor detracting from it Iohn 17.4 Thirdly because he teacheth his fathers will sincerely in the same maner which hee receiued it not altering changing or deprauing any part therof As my father taught me so I speake these things Iohn 8.28 Thirdly Christ is called that faithfull witnesse to distinguish him from all other witnesses The Lord hath sundry faithfull witnesses as the Prophets Apostles the Church nay the Sun and Moone Psalm 89.37 but Christ alone is that faithfull witnesse First because his witnesse is authenticall sufficient of it selfe and needs no other confirmation The testimonie of the Apostles and Prophets is not of it selfe authenticall and certaine but as it consents with Christs witnesse and proceedeth from his spirit Secondly hee is that witnesse because hee is the Lord of that house whereto he giues witnesse namely the Church but the Apostles and Prophets are but seruants there Hebr. 5.5 6. Thirdly Christ his witnesse is inward it speakes directly to the conscience and there giues vndoubted assurance but the witnesse of men as of the Prophets and Apostles is outward only it comes to the ears it neuer binds and assures the conscience of it selfe And thus wee see why he is called here that faithfull witnesse First whereas Christ the Doctor and Prophet of the church is called that faithfull witnesse we learne That all ministers of the Gospell ought to be faithfull witnesses for euery minister of the
cause of his banishment to wit for testifying the hystorie and doctrine of the gospell the summe whereof is this That Iesus Christ the sonne of Marie is the sonne of God and redeemer of all that beleeue in him to the iustification of life This testimonie S. Iohn puts downe to giue vs to vnderstand what part of Gods word that is which is most hated of the world and for the preaching whereof Gods ministers are persecuted and banished to wit the gospell of Iesus Christ especially for the law is in part naturall but the gospell is supernaturall and to mans reason absurd for the preaching whereof men in all ages haue been persecuted The reason hereof is this God in the beginning made a couenant with man promising That the seede of the woman should breake the serpents head Now the gospell is that glad tidings wherein is declared that this promised seede is come who hath indeede bruised the head of the serpent Hereupon the diuell maligneth the gospel aboue all parts of Gods word and accordingly hath laboured by al meanes to suppresse the same partly by persecution as hee did in the first three hundred yeares after Christ and partly by bringing into the church damnable heresies which did destroy the gospell by deprauing the natures and offices of Christ when by outward violence he could not preuaile Now seeing the diuell and his instruments doe thus hate the gospell and labour to extinguish it we on the contrarie must labour to know and to beleeue to loue and embrace the gospell that so we may vphold and maintaine the same Vers. 10. And I was rauished in the spirit on the Lords day and heard behind mee a great voyce as it had beene of a Trumpet In this tenth verse are set downe the third and fourth circumstances of this vision The third is the manner of receiuing and giuing this reuelation to Iohn namely in a traunce The fourth is the time when it was giuen on the Lords day Touching the manner it is noted in these words I was in the spirit That is I was by the mightie and extraordinarie worke of the spirit of God cast into a traunce That this 〈◊〉 bee so expounded appeareth by comparing this phrase with the like in the whole prophesie of Ezechiell who vseth to say I was in the spirit when hee expresseth and signifieth that hee was cast into a traunce and therein receiued some vision by the spirit To vnderstand this the better consider two things first what a traunce is secondly the end of it First a traunce is an extraordinarie worke or action of Gods spirit Wee must not thinke that traunces come from the vertue of the starres nor from the constitution of mans bodie or by the strength of imagination as some haue fondly thought but they are wrought by the holy ghost Secondly it is not euery worke of the holy ghost but an extraordinarie worke aboue the order of nature It is also powerfull and mightie wherein the whole man both in bodie and mind is altered which Saint Iohn here expresseth saying I was in the spirit This extraordinarie worke of the spirit consisteth in two actions one vpon the bodie the other vpon the mind First in procuring a traunce the spirit of God casteth the body of man into a dead sleepe whereby all the sences both inward and outward are benummed so Genes 15.12 when God renewed his couenant with Abraham hee casteth him into an heauâ—e sleepe that is into a traunce wherein all his sences were benummed onely his mind was waking The action of the Holy ghost on the mind is to draw it from fellowship with the body and all the sences to haue a neerer fellowship with God that so the spirit of God may enlighten it with diuine light that it may vnderstand the things which are reuealed to it as wee may see in other extasies and traunces of the Prophets and Apostles As in that of Peâ—er when he saw the vision of beasts cleane and vncleane And thus wee see what a Traunce is namely an extraordinarie powerfull workâ— of the spirit vpon the whole man caâ—ting the bodie into a dead sleepe and making the mind fit to receiue the things which are reuealed vnto it of the Lord. II. point The end of traunces God for two causes reuealeth his will in traunces vnto his seruants as to Iohn in this place First that 〈◊〉 might know that the things reuealed were not inuented of themselues but giuen of God Iohn herein had no vse of his bodily sences hee neither heard saw nor felt but they were asleepe And therefore the vision must needs be from God and the glory therof wholly his Secondly and chiefely that the things reuealed might take the deeper impression in the vnderstanding for the mind being freed from fellowship with the body and not hindered by any phantasies of the sences they being all asleepe and quiet doth then most liuely and sensibly apprehend and retaine the impression of things reuealed Here then we see the great care of God that his seruants might throughly vnderstand certainely beleeue and constantly keepe in memorie the things hee deliuered vnto them The like care he shewed in reuealing his will to all his former Prophets he would not haue their minds troubled with the fellowship of the body nor hindered of the sences inward or outward but wholly taken vp for the seruice of his spirit And there is good reason of this for if they must faithfully teach Gods will to others to make them know and vnderstand to beleeue remember the same is it not necessarie that they themselues should throughly vnderstand soundly beleeue and firmely keepe in memorie whatsoeuer God reuealeth This dealing of the Lord for this end with his holy Prophets teacheth vs that the ordinarie ministers of the Gospell at this day ought to imploy themselues with all care and diligence that they may throughly vnderstand the will of God in his word and withall beleeue it soundly and remember it carefully We must not now looke for traunces and visions as they had but we must vse continuall study in the word which is the ordinarie meanes to come vnto this knowledge This dutie concerneth all students in diuinitie and all others which desire a good vnderstanding in the word of God And for their furtherance herein they must haue principall care to search into the text of Scripture throughly thereby shall they best conceiue the proper meaning of the holy ghost and with greater facilitie keepe the same in memorie For one sayth truly That euery good minister should bee a good text man Whereby is descried a common fault of many students who rather imploy themselues in the auncient writings of men than in the word of God nay many spend their best time in the base writings of wicked hereticall monks and friers It cannot be denied but many of the fathers were worthie members of Gods church but if the fountaine be left the
euerlasting life which Christ there keepeth in store for vs and for this cause principally doth Christ here say Behold I liue for euer 3. This also must mooue vs to put all our affiance in him and to place all our ioy and reioicing in him Men haue most regard to that part of their bodie by which the whole body and euery member liueth Well wee professe our selues to bee members of Christ and in him is hid our spirituall life wee therefore must set our hearts and affections on him especially The third part of the distinction is this Though I was dead yeâ— I haue the keyes of death and of hell Here we must not imagine that hell is a bodily place kept with locke and key and dores as mens dwelling houses are that cannot bee proued by any place of Gods word Neither yet that the torments thereof are bodily such as bee inflicted in this world but rather they are spirituall being the apprehension and feeling of Gods wrath and vengeance whose iealousie burnes like fire But Christ in this phrase borroweth a comparison from stewards of great houses who at their installing into their stewardships haue the keyes of all things giuen vnto them Which giuing of the keyes is a token of regiment and authoritie bestowed vpon them And the meaning is this That Iesus Christ thogh he once died yet by his death did vanquish hell and death and hath obtained full power dominion ouer them both for euermore Hence arise sundry instructions first that power and authoritie to forgiue sinnes properly belongeth onely vnto Christ. No meere creature hath this power for hee that can forgiue sinnes must bee able to take away the punishments of sinne namely hell and death which none can doe but Christ alone who onely hath the keyes thereof And to say that a man can properly forgiue sinnes is to say that a man hath power in himselfe ouer hell and death And therefore the priesthood of the church of Rome is full of blasphemie who take vpon them properly to pronounce vnto men the pardon of their sinnes of themselues and they deride the custome of reformed churches who from God pronounce the pardon of sinnes vnto them that repent Secondly hereby wee are taught to reuerence Christ and to performe vnto him all due honor and loyall obedience If wee neuer haue done this heretofore wee must now begin and if wee haue done it we must endeuour to do it more For Christ hath the keyes of hell and death hee can open the gates thereof at his pleasure and cast thither whom hee will Many deceiue themselues through their false conceit of Christ they thinke not of him as of a Iudge but as a Sauior onely they make him all of mercie and pitie and thereby they take occasion to goe on in sinne But wee must consider that Christ is likewise a righteous iudge who hath the power of hell and death in his hands and therefore we must not flatter our selues in our euill wayes but striue to please him continually with fear and trembling least by our sinnes we stir vp his wrath against vs and cause him to cast vs into hell whence is no redemption Thirdly this is a matter of great comfort vnto all those in Gods church that in this life vnfainedly cleaue vnto Christ and especially in time of affliction and temptation and at the houre of death for Christ hauing the keyes of hell death is able to keepe them from hell and from the sting of death And this hee will doe because they trust in him for he hath promised it If this were alwayes sounding in our eares it would minister endlesse ioy vnto our soules against the seruile feare of hell and death Vers. 19. Write the things which thou hast seene and the things which are and the things which shall come hereafter Here S. Iohn propoundeth a second action of Christ. For hauing confirmed Iohn against his great feare hee giueth him a commaundement to write the things which he had seene c. This commaundement was giuen to Iohn in the eleuenth verse and is here againe repeated for these causes First that Iohn might see the special care of Christ ouer his church that he still continueth a prouident head thereof for their good estate after his ascention Secondly that Gods church in all ages may vnderstand that it is necessarie men should know the estate of the church to bee subiect vnto troubles that thereby they may better arm themselues against the euils to come Thirdly that Iohn might be fully assured of his calling to write and publish this booke Fourthly that Gods church in all ages might be out of doubt that this booke is no deuice of man but a booke of God and part of holy Scripture reuealed from Christ to Iohn for the good of his church If it be sayd though Christ did faithfully reueale his will yet Iohn might erre in publishing it Answ. As Christ deliuered this to Iohn so hee receiued and published it faithfully without all fault either in matter or manner for we must make a difference betweene the Prophets and Apostles and all other teachers As the Prophets in former times so the Apostles in the New Testament were called immediately by Christ and had such speciall assistance of Gods spirit that they could not erre when they propounded by preaching or writing any doctrine of Christ vnto the church of God this appeareth by the promises of Christ made vnto them Luk. 10.16 He which heareth you heareth me and be which refuseth you refuseth me and â—e which refuseth me refuseth him that sent me Againe Matth. 10.20 It is not you which speake but the spirit of your father speaking in you Ioh. 14.26 hee promiseth to send his spirit to be their comforter which shall teach them all things yea to lead them into all truth Iohn 16 1â— Which promise some apply 〈◊〉 al Gods ministers but if we marke the circumstances therof we shall see that properly it agreeth to the Apostles for though in others the certaintie hereof cannot be affirmed yet in them it may for which cause in the counsell at Ierusalem thus they write vnto the churches It seemed good to the holy ghost and to vs as being assured of the certaine direction of the holy ghost which no ministers euer since could say being subiect to errour both in speaking and writing This distinction must bee held for the certainetie of our faith in the points of Religion and for our assurance of the faithfull penning and publishing of this booke And thus much of the causes of this repetition In the words of this commandement is contained the diuision of this whole booke Write the words which thou hast seene that is set downe what I haue shewed thee in this vision And which are that is all things which I reueale vnto thee touching the present estate of the church And which are to come hereafter that is those things which concerne the
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
and some reformed actions Hereby appeareth that their description of repentance is not so fit proper which say it standeth in these three contrition faith and new obedience For contrition is not a part of repentance but a cause thereof and so is faith as Christ teacheth in his well-knowne Sermon Repent and beleeue the Gospel where they are plainly distinct And indeed a man must first beleeue in Christ and then followeth repentance and for new obedience it is not a part of repentance but a fruit thereof Others make regeneration and repentance all one but that cannot so well stand for regeneration goeth before and repentance followeth after as a fruit thereof for godly sorrow which is a part of regeneration causeth repentance The minde therefore must first be renewed then it turneth it selfe vnto God and withall turneth the whole man And thus wee see what true repentance is II. Point How must repentance be practised The practise of it standeth in two things in true humiliation and true reformation In humiliation a man humbleth himselfe vnder the hand of God making true confession of al his sinnes from a sorrowfull heart condemning himselfe for the same and earnestly crauing pardon for them at the hands of God in Christ. Reformation is a change of all bad actions into good and if case require a making of satisfaction vnto others for iniuries done vnto them example hereof wee haue in Dauid who hauing committed those two great sinnes of whoredome and murder when he was reproued by Nathan repented confessing his sins and made the one and fiftie Psalme and as it is thought the 32 Psalme therein notably shewing both his humiliation in heart and reformation of life So Manasses when he was conuerted he repented humbling himselfe before God and praying for the pardon of his sinnes God heard him And thus came the prodigall child vnto his father saying Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee I am not worthie to be called thy sonne make me one of thine hired seruants And so in all the Psalmes of repentance wee shall see these duties of humiliation and reformation ioyntlie practised as Psal. 6. and 38. and 77. and 130.143 Here then consider the fearefull practise of the church of Rome in their doctrine of repentance receiued generally for many hundred yeares Repentance with them standeth in three things In contrition in confession of all his sinnes to the Priests and in satisfaction to God by good works But all these things may a wicked man doe For Iudas was greeued for betraying his maister he confessed his sinnes and also gaue againe the money wherwith he was hired A second abuse is that they make contrition a part of the practise of repentance by contrition we must vnderstand remorse of conscience for sinne which is no grace of it selfe though it may bee an occasion thereto in Gods elect A third abuse is that they prescribe a confession of all a mans sinnes vnto men which iâ— a gibbet for any mans conscience wherein they require more than God doth A fourth abuse is that they require satisfaction to Gods iustice by mans good workes whereby they ouerthrow satisfaction by Christ and exact that of men which none is able to performe We therefore must reiect their wicked doctrine brought by the diuell into Gods church and embrace that sauing repentance which standeth in true humiliation and reformation III. point Who is it that commandeth repentance vnto this church namely Iesus Christ. Many not onely Papists but Protestants gather vpon this such like commandements That God giueth to euerie man sufficient grace to repent if he will For else say they hee should but mocke them in bidding them repent considering that without his grace it is as impossible for any man to repent as for a man to rise and walke that is fast bound hand and foote Ans. This collection is vnsound For the manifestation whereof I wil first lay down the grounds of the true answere and then apply the same First this commaundement to Repent is not giuen to euerie man but only to the church of God or to that people which is to be a church and God giueth it to them for this end that hee may gather among them his elect In Gods church there be two sorts of men Elect and Reprobat both which are mingled in this life Now when the commaundement to beleeue and repent is giuen out in Gods church it is directed properly to the elect and to the other whom God hath refused only by consequent because they are mingled with the elect Againe these commandements bee giuen to the elect for two causes I. To teach them not what they are able to doe of themselues but what they ought to doe II. To â—e an outward meanes to bring them to repent and beleeue For with the commandement Christ is present by his spirit to worke in the elect grace to repent and beleeue Phil. 2.12 Worke out your saluation in feare and trembling rendring this reason in the next words For God worketh in you both the wil and the deed In the church there be some reprobates who haue the same commandement giuen vnto them but for other vses as I. to keepe them in outward order II. to teach them their owne impotencie III. and principally that God in his iustice may make them void of all excuse at the last day From hence I answer thus This proposition is not true to wit If God command men to repent then he giueth them grace to repent vnlesse it be thus qualified That God command them to repent for this end that they may practise repentance For God giueth out his commandements for diuerse ends Some that they may be practised others to take from men al excuse in their disobedieÌ„ce Thus he commaunded Pharaoh to let the people go that by his disobedience his heart might be more hardned and God more iustly manifest his glorie in his destruction So hee commaunded Isay to go preach vnto the people not for their conuersion but to blind their eyes and to harden their harts And so he commands the reprobate to repent but neither directly as hee doth his children in whom he intends the practise of repentance but by consequent because they liue among his children nor yet with intent they should obey but rather to harden them and to make them inexcusable because of their sinnes And therefore in them his commandement cannot import anie abilitie to obey IV. point Who bee commanded to repent namely The Church of Ephesus that is the minister with the whole body of the church This may seeme strange that he should command them to repent seeing they had alreadie repented at their conuersion Here therefore wee must learne that there bee two degreeâ— in the practise of repentance First the beginning of repentance Secondly the renewing of the same And in those two consisteth the whole state of a christian mans life
thing for Christs sake Gal. 5.14 The crosse of Christ i◠〈◊〉 whole reioycing And if hee would â—ost of any thing it should bee herein 2. Cor. 1â— 9 10. Thus were Gods seruants affected and therefore they that repent and beleeue need not to feare what flesh can do vnto them The second part of Christs counsell is his prophesie which is a prediction of that particular afflictions which this church of Smirna should suffer and first he prefixeth this note of attention behold then he setteth downe the prophesie it selfe The diuell shall cast some of you into prison Behold hereby he would teach vs an excellent lesson that wee must often consider before â—and of the day of our visitation wherein God will try vâ— lest we perish therin our Sauior Christ comming towards Ierusalem wept ouer it and when he came to it hee foretold the finall destruction of that citie which therefore came vpon them because they considered not the day of their visitation neither the things therein foretold that did concerne their peace And the like destruction wil come vpon vs in this land if we consider not the dayes of our visitation let vs therefore now in the dayes of peace forecast what is to come and prepare our selues against the day of the Lords triall and so shall wee escape the fearefull and finall destruction that shall come vpon the wicked It shall come to passe that the diuell shall cast some of you into prison that ye may bee tried and yee shall haue tribulation ten dayes These words containe Christs prophesie wherin he sheweth himselfe to be true God for as Isay in many places sheweth it is a propertie of God alone to foretell a particular affliction that is contingent But some wil say others can foretel certaine things to come as the Physition the sicke mans death and the Astronomer the time of the eclips how then is this proper to God Answ. The Physition foretelleth the sicke mans death onely by vertue of causes present in which the future death is to him apparant And the Astronomers foretelleth the eclips by the consideration of the naturall and ordinarie course of the heauens in present and by that can come to foretell it in time to come So that simply none can foretell a thing contingent except he see it present in the causes but Christ foretelleth things to come simply of himself though no cause be present as appeareth in this place In this prophesie Christ describeth this affliction by sundry arguments First by the cause thereof which is the diuell Secondly by the parties that were to be afflicted Some of you of the Church of Smyrna Thirdly by the kind of punishment Imprisonment Fourthly by the end thereof their triall And fiftly by the time of it continuance for ten dayes I. Argument The cause of their affliction is the diuell Quest. How can that be for being a spirit he cannot offer violence to mens bodies to cast them into prison Answ. True but he is the God of the world that ruleth in the hearts of the wicked he inclineth their wils to hate Gods children hee stirreth them vp to persecute and maketh them hiâ— instruments to cast Godâ— seruants into prison In this that the diuell causeth the affliction of Gods church we learne sundry points I. What manner of men those be that persecute the church of God namely wicked men such as arâ— inspired by Sathan and wholly guided in mind will and in affection by him this made Paule say He was the head of all sinners because in persecuting the church of God he was guided by the diuell and made his minister which must teach vs to take heed how we persecute the church of God or any membeâ— thereof either in word or deed for he that doth so is the vassall of Sathan in that action and while he holdeth that course he sheweth himselfe to be no better than one that is wholly guided by the diuell for the diuell is the principal agent in persecutions and wicked men be his instruments II. Hereby wee are taught to take pittie vpon all persecutors be they kings or monarks or whatsoeuer Yea wee must pray for them though they be our enemies because they are possessed and guided by the diuell and in their persecutions do his will and become his seruants and vassals III. Hence wee learne with what weapons we are to defend our selues in time of persecution namely with spirituall weapons of prayers inuocation wherin we must shew our faith in Christ our repentance true obedience for our principall aduersary is a spirit and hereby we shall best defend our selues against him and get the chiefest victorie Eliaâ— for his prayer is called The chariot and horsemen of Israell Nothing doth so much preuaile in troubles and persecutions as prayer froÌ„ a penitent beleeuing heart And if God should send a forrain nation against vs howsoeuer the weapons of the souldier must bee vsed yet our principall weapons must bee prayer and fasting for thereby we shall soonest foyle our principal aduersary Sathan who â—easeth not the speare nor sword and yet will flie before these spirituall weapons II. Argument The parties that must be afflicted were some of the church of Smyrna not all III. Argument The kind of their affliction was imprisonment IV. Argument The end of their affliction was the triall of their faith hope loue and patience with other graces of God and the manifestation of the same first to their owne conscience and then vnto the world In these three arguments note first a speciall point touching Gods prouidence to wit that it is the first cause of all aboue all causes ruling and disposing them all God in gouerning the world by his prouidence vseth instruments of two sorts good or euill The good instruments are good Angels and regenerat men by whome commeth no disorder for God worketh both in them and by them Wicked instruments are the diuell and wicked men and though God vse them well yet from them is much disorder and sinne for he worketh not in them but onely by them permitting their sinnes and disorders that therby he may shew forth his iustice mercie and power which herein doe notably appeare in vsing these instrumeÌ„ts which be euill in themselues that notwithstanding their malice he causeth wonderfull order for first by his prouidence hee restraineth their furie and rage so as they cannot shew it to the full as they desire See this in the diuels persecution against this church he cannot kill the members hereof but onely cast them into prison hee cannot imprison them all but some onely neither can he keepe them in prison alwaies but for a short time Secondly by his prouidence hee turneth all that they doe to the good of the church the diuell afflicteth the church for the destruction and damnation of their soules but God turneth it to their good to make their faith manifest and to preuent many
regard of sexe is inferiour may haue more excellent gifts and so likewise may exercise authoritie and rule and wee find by good experience that the gouernment of a woman is a haâ—pie gouernment no records of time can shew a more happie regiment for blessings temporall and spirituall vnder any man than wee haue long enioyed vnder our noble queene The second fault of this Church is that they suffered a woman to seduce and teach false doctrine and thereby to seduce Gods people That this is a fault Christs reproofe sheweth euidently and therefore I will not stand to prooue it Hence wee may gather that euery man is not to bee left to his owne conscience to teach and hold what doctrine he will but all such men or women as â—each erronious doctrines by the gouernors of the Church are to bee restrained It is a grieuous fault in any Church not to restraine the authours and maintainers of sects and false doctrines and of opinions which stand not with the truth of Gods word and on the contrarie it is a vertue and a good gift in any church when they restraine the authours and fauourers of sects and false doctrine And in this regard our Church is to bee commended and approoued and the commonwealth likewise for making lawes to restraine both Popish recusants and some Protestants who depart from this our Church as being no Church of God but a member of Antichrist and of Babylon Now that Christ might aggrauate these their offences hee doth describe both the woman and her teaching Hee describeth the woman first by her propertie in this name Iâ—zabell that is one like Iezabell secondly by her action Which calleth her selfe a Prophetesse her teaching is described in the end of the verse Touching her propertie Christ calleth her Iezabell for two causes First for that she was like to Iezabell and in her person reuiued the manners and opinions of Iezabell For as Iezabell brought among the Israelites the false worship of the Idoll Baal so this woman laboured to bring into this Church of Thyatira Idolatrie and other sinnes Againe Iezabell was giuen to fornication as the Scripture recordeth of her by the mouth of Iehu 2. Kings 9.22 and so was this woman giuen to fornication Thirdly Iezabell was a woman of authoritie and by her place and dignitie did countenance and maintaine Idolatrie and her wicked sinnes so it is likâ— that this woman was of some place and authoritie and did therâ—by countenance her wicked opinions and damnable sinnes In this reason of her name note first a notable practise of Sathan for the furtherance of his kingdome which is this In succeeding ages hee laboureth to reuiue the erronious opinions and wicked vices of vngodly persons of former times This wee see plaine in this place for long after â—â—zabelâ— death the wife of Ahab a wicked woman â—uen in the Apostles time he raised vp â—nother woman like Iezabell both for wicked life and doctrine And the like practise hee vseth at this day In all such as follow the rules and counsell of Machiauell is reuiued the craft of Achitophell in the Papists are reuiued the opinions and manners of the wicked Scribes and Pharisees in the recusant Protestants is reuiued the sect of the Donatists and the sect called Audiani The familie of Loue reuiues the opinions and manners of the Valentinians and the Montanists and many other damnable errours Now this the deuill doth because hee knowes by experience the great hurt that these opinions and sinnes haue formerly done vnto Gods Church Secondly Christ calleth this woman Iezabell that he may prouoke this church to a greater detestation of her in regard of her damnable wayes and that shee might be in as great disgrace with them as was Iezabell in the old Testament to the people of God that so they might better eschew her wicked seducement And herein we haue a good direction for our profitable reading of the bookes of the old and new Testament namely that when we meet with examples of wicked men and wicked women we must thereby take occasion to be vnlike them And if we find our selues like them any way either in wicked opinion or in practise wee must thereupon grow to a dislike with our selues Againe finding the examples of good men or good women wee must labour to conforme our selues thereto and become like them and in this regard approoue our selues when wee see our selues conformable vnto the godly in any vertue and grace The second argument wherby Christ describeth this woman is her action Shee calleth her selfe a Prophetesse that is shee chalengeth her selfe to bee one that doth teach Gods will by the instinct of his spirit And herein shee became a notable patrone of the damnable sect of the Nicolaitans for she held the lawfulnesse of fornication and of eating things sacrificed to Idols And for the maintenance hereof shee sayth shee is a Prophetesse one that speaketh nothing but as shee is taught by Gods spirit This is the practise of heretickes vnder pretence of the spirit to maintaine their damnable deuices as might easily bee prooued by induction of particular heretickes in former ages First hence then we are taught to labour to haue the spirit of discerning whereby we may trie the spirits whether they be of God or not Many will bee of no religion because there bee so many false teachers and such diuersitie of opinions in religion But herein they bewray their prophanesse they ought the rather to labour for this gift of discerning whereby to know what is from God and what is not Secondly hence wee are taught that when wee are vniustly slaundered disgraced or iniured wee ought not to fret and fume but by patience to content our selues for wee see that wicked men to maintaine their wicked opinions and manners will not sticke to abuse God himselfe and make his blessed spirit the author and patrone of their errours and sinnes Wee by our sinnes deserue disgrace and reproch but the spirit of God hath done nothing amisse And therfore wee must bee patient being in the same condemnation as Luke 23.40 41. and rather reioyce in as much as wee are partakers of the sufferings of the spirit 1. Pet. 4 vers 13. Againe here obserue how shee prooueth her selfe to be a Prophetesse namely by her owne testimonie onely She calleth her selfe so Where we may see the note and marke of a false Prophet to wiâ— their owne bare word and testimonie A true Prophet or Prophetesse hath sundry testimonies besides their owne words to proue the lawfulnesse of their calling as in the primitiue Church they had the gift of speaking diuers languages without studie and of working miracles they had also puritie of doctrine ioyned with integritie of life lastly many excellent gifts of God as zeale courage and constancie to maintaine the same Christ hauing described this woman for her further disgrace as also to aggrauate the fault of this Church in suffering
or not to obey And therefore the cause why some men lye dead in sinne is because they set their will to refuse the grace of GOD and the cause why some men liue in Christ is because they incline their will to embrace the grace of GOD. But this Doctrine doth greatly diminish the grace of GOD in that it maketh the acceptance thereof to lye and depend on the pleasure and will of man when as the power of almightie GOD ioyned with his will is the true cause thereof leauing some to themselues who doe fall and enabling others to stand by his grace Nowe followe the wordes of this commendation Notwithstanding thou hast a fewe names yet in Sardie that is There bee yet in this Church a fewe persons knowne to mee by their names for by Names wee must vnderstand persons named which haue not defiled their garments Heere to omit many expositions is an allusion to the Ceremoniall law wherein GOD set downe a distinction betweene thinges cleane and vncleane not in themselues but by his appointment and among the Iewes if any man had but touched an vncleane thinge with his hand or with his garment thereby hee was defiled and his garment defiled legally and so he or his garment were reputed vncleane wherevpon they had a speciall care not to touch the thinges that were defiled no not with their garments Now this signified another thing vnto them namely That they ought to abstaine not onely from the outward sinnes of the morall Lawe but euen from all occasions intentions shewes and appearances of euill And in this place this is meant hereby that some in this Church of Sardie had so farre made conscience of sinne that they would not meddle with the verie occasions and appearances of euill Hereby wee see that the seruants of GOD are but fewe in number for the bodie of this people were deâ—d in sinne and a fewe onely in this great place liued in Christ so Christ sayth to his Disciples The flocke to whome the father will giue the Kingdome of Heauen is but a little flocke The Prophet Isay is sent To harden the hearts of the bodie of the people for thâ—ir iniquities and the tenth part onely must bee saued and in the Gospell it is sayd The way to hell is broad and many there be that walke therein but the waye to heauen is straight and fewe there bee that enter into it Hereby then wee are taught not to follow the example of the multitude but of the fewer and better sort It is a foule sinne that keeps many from religion and brings them to destruction when they will liue after the manner of the world and as their Forefathers haue done This is a false rule and a dangerous course Thou hast a few names That is persons whose names I know haue recorded They are called names bicause Christ obserues and knowes them by their names Where note that those that are the true seruants of God are particularly knowne vnto Christ The haires of your head are numbred sayth Christ to his Disciples much more were their names knowne Againe hee biddeth them reioyce that their names were written in heauen And Christ the good Sheepheard knowes his sheepe and cals them by their names Ioh. 10.3 This is a matter of endlesse comfort vnto the people of GOD for what can cause a man more to reioyce than to knowe that his name particularly is knowne to the King of Kings and that accordingly he hath speciall regard vnto him when the Lord would comfort Moses and put courage into him in doing the duties of his calling hee telleth him That hee was knowne vnto him by name Yea this is the foundation of mans saluation The Lord knoweth who are his Which haue not defiled their garments Heere they are commended for vprightnesse and sinceritie of life and conuersation in that they kept themselues from the verie shewes and appearance of euill when as thâ— rest of this Church was dead in sinne In their example Christ prescribeth vnto vs a patterne of true pietie howe wee ought to carry our selues in the Church of GOD on earth wee must not content our selues with a bare profession of Religion and keepe our selues from grosse sinnes only but abstain from the verie shewes of euill Yea more particularly here are three things taught vs touching sinne First that wee ought to make conscience of euerie sinne in our owne person Secondly that wee ought to keepe our selues from the conâ—agion of sinne in others either by giuing consent vnto them or furthering allowing them any way therein Thirdly that wee ought to abstaine from the verie occasions and shewes and appearances of sinnes so Paul teacheth vs to abstaine from all appearance of euill Ephes. 5.3 Hee will not haue sundrie sinnes as fornication vncleanesse c. so much as once named thereby to giue the least approbation vnto them We must therefore looke on this example lay it to our hearts and conforme our liues vnto it so shall wee bee good seruants of GOD and haue the same commendation with these few for true Religion stands not in knowledge but in obedience and this is true obedience to make conscience of euerie sinne in our owne persons to take heed of the infection of sinne in others and to abstayne from the appearance of euill A happie Church should we haue if these thinges were practised but this is the shame and reproach of our profession that wee haue no care of true obedience in our selues and others whereby we should glorifie God and grace our holy Religion The church of Rome hence gather that a man after baptisme may liue without mortall sinne For these few persons in this Church in their baptisme put on Christ and after kept themselues from all occasions of sinnes so as they had not committed any mortall sinne But their collection is vnsound for first though they had to this time abstained from all mortall sinne yet how can they prooue that they sinned not afterward Secondly they are sayd not to haue defiled their garments not for that they had not committed any sinne but because they endeauoured to keepe themselues from the appearance of all sinne and so must the obedience which is ascribed to Gods children in scripture be vnderstood namely of their sincere purpose and endeauor to obey so among vs those that haue a setled purpose resolution to make conscience of euerie sin and in all things to doe the will of God they are reputed for keepers of the law For GOD in his children accepts the will for the deed And they shall walke with mee in white After the commendation of these fewe Christ addeth a promise of liuing with him in glorie For so white garments haue alwayes beene vsed to signifie ioy happinesse life and glorie Ecclesiast 9.8 At all times let thy garments bee white that is take the delight and pleasure in vsing the creatures
bee called to the state of gâ—ace This he doth not for as wee see this booke is giuen not to all but to his seruants and that which is said of this booke is true of the whole Scripture The Lord shewed his word sayth Dauid not to all the world but to Iacob that is his people with whome hee made a couenant Psal. 147.19 20. The fourth Argument whereby this Reuelation is described is the matter thereof viz. Things which must shortly bee done that is things to come Whereby in generall we may obserue a difference of this booke from the rest of holy Scripture which treats of things present or past this being a prophecie of things to come The matter of this booke is described by two Arguments first by the necessitie of these things to come They must be done secondly by the circumstance of time when shortly or quickly For the necessitie of these things they be such as must needs be done So speaketh the holy Ghost elsewhere of sundry things to come of offences It must needs be that offences should come Mat. 18.7 Of heresies There must bee heresies in the Church 1. Cor. 11.19 And of afflictions Through manifold afflictions we must enter into the kingdome of heauen Act. 14.22 And They that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecutions 2. Timoâ—h 3.12 From whence I gather That things which come to passe concerning Gods church and the enemies thereof doe come to passe necessarily This doctrine must be well obserued for though it be the truth of God yet the reason of man will not agree vnto it for some will say If all things come to passe necessarily then in their actions and proceedings men haue no free will for necessitie and libertie of will cannot stand together Answ. They may indeed constraint and mans free will cannot stand together but mans will and vnchangeable necessitie may well accord As I shew thus In God there is most absolute freedome of will yet he doth many things of necessitie as he willeth that which is good necessarily for he cannot possibly will that which is euill and yet he willeth the same most freely So Christ died necessarily he could not but die if we consider the counsell of God and yet he died most freely For he laid downe his life of himselfe and no man tooke it from him Iohn 10.18 It will be said againe if things come to passe by necessitie then it is in vaine to vse any meanes for the effecting of them for Gods will must be done do we what we will Answ. This is mans corrupt reason these men must consider that as God hath appointed what things must come to passe so he hath appointed the meanes how they shall bee effected and seeing the Lord hath appointed as well the meanes as the end wee should by this necessitie rather be induced to vse the meanes than any way moued to neglect the same To make this more plaine wee must know there is a double necessitie one is absolute another in part I call that absolute necessitie which cannot be otherwise possibly as that God liueth and cannot die is omnipotent infinite c. Necessitie in part is when any thing done is necessarie onely because it depends on necessarie causes as fire to burne is necessarie in regard of that order which God hath set in nature by creation yet this necessitie is not absolute for fire would not burne if God should please to change that order set in nature as he did when the three children were cast into the hot fierie ouen Dan. 3.27 Now whereas wee say Things to come must necessarily be done it must bee vnderstood of necessitie in part and not of absolute for in themselues they be changeable and contingent and necessarie only in regard of Gods decree appointing them which is vnchangeable in regard whereof all things to come bee necessarie And yet we may not thinke that the vnchangeablenesse of Gods decree doth take away freedome from mans will it onely inclines the same to one part so disposeth that man should freely will that to bee which God eternally hath decreed The second thing whereby the matter of this booke is set out vnto vs is the circumstance of time when these things must be done Shortly must be well obserued and howsoeuer some things foretold were not to be done till many hundred yeares after which space of time might seeme verie long yet in two respects it is but short First in regard of God to whom a thousand yeares are but as one day 2. Pet. 3.8 Secondly in regard of men to whome a hundred or two hundred yeres seeme but a short time when once they bee expired though before they seemed long This circumstance of time is set down for two causes First to terrifie all carnal and carelesse men for this booke foretelleth iudgements plagues and destructions for the enimies of Gods church which mâ—st shortly come vppon them which is a thing worthy our carefull consideration in this secure age of the world wherein men blesse themselues in their sinnes without fear of Gods iudgements and say they shall haue peace though they walke after the stubbornenesse of their owne hearts putting farre from them the euill day saying spare thy selfe this shall not come vnto thee But shall the lyon rore and the beasts not tremble Yet the Lord threateneth his iudgements but men will not repent Well let vs consider this whether we be young or old high or low that Gods iudgements are shortly to come and let this bee a motiue to raise vs out of the sleepe of sinne and of securitie That which Peter said of false teachers is also true of all impenitent sinners vnlesse they preuent the same by speedie and unfained repentance Their iudgement long agoe is not farre off and their damnation sleepeth not 2. Pet. 2.3 Secondly this circumstance of time serueth greatly to comfort the seruants of Christ and to furnish them with all patience and long suffering vnder any aduersitie or distresse that may befall them in bodie or mind or both Indeed many are brought to impatience and distrust by afflictions and crosses But the child of God in such a case must call to mind what the holy ghost hath here set down concerning the prophecies of this booke which foretell deliuerance for Gods Church and for euerie member thereof namely That they must shortly be brought to passe yet a very little while and hee that commeth for their deliuerance will come and will not tarrie Hebr. 10. vers 37. Thus much for the matter of this reuelation now followe the instruments whereby the Lord doth conuay the same vnto his Church which is the first argument whereby it is described in these wordes Which hee sent and shewed by his Angell vnto his seruant Iohn Where two points must be obserued first the action of Christ which is the ground of their imploiment secondly the persons imploied therein as his instruments For the