of the church For the time is at hand Here is a reason of the former benediction for seeing the time of the accomplishing of this prophecie is at hand must shortly be fulfilled therefore those be blessed which reade and keepe the same in memorie And it is an answere to a secret obiection for they might haue said we need not to reade or remember this prophecie seeing it shall not be fulfilled in our dayes but he addeth The time is at hand wherein they must be fulfilled and therefore it must bee marked These wordes for substance were in the first verse where it is said The Reuelation was of things that must shortly be done And here they be repeated againe Whereby hee would teach vs That these prophecies containe weightie matter to be deepely considered and earnestly thought on And S. Iohn repeates the same for two causes first to awake the members of the church out of the sleepe of security and make them stand vpon their watch continually for though they cannot fall into the dead sleepe of sinne yet the slumber of securitie may ouertake theÌ„ the wise virgines slumber as well as the foolish Matth. 25.5 And the spouse of Christ the true Church confesseth That shee sleepeth though her heart waketh Cant. 5.2 Secondly to confirme and hearten the church and all true members of Christ against the afflictions to come for herein is the common saying true He that is forewarned is fore-armed Now in these words The time is at hand Christ would teach vs to obserue That whatsoeuer thing may befall the members of Christ in this life whether afflictions temptations death or the last iudgement it selfe all will come shortly This consideration ought to take place in our hearts being of great vse in our liues as to stay vs from many sinnes so to mooue vs to doe all things with good conscience And the want hereof is the cause of much euill The bad seruant beates his fellowes because hee thinkes his maister doth deferre his comming Matth. 24.48.49 The old world went on in sinne neuer regarding Noahs prophecie and so knew nothing till the flood came and swept them all away Matth. 24.39 We should lay these to our harts and alwayes thinke with Paule the Lord is at â—and The rather because wee haue had the Gospell and peace with all temporall blessings these eight and thirtie yeares now the state of the church is interchangeable one while peace and then trouble so as it is like this peaceable state will not long continue but we must bee tried And the time of ouâ— triall is at hand for whatsoeuer must befall the Church will come shortly We must therefore prepare for trouble and so wee shall finde it the lesse greeuous Vers. 4. Iohn to the seuen Churches which are in Asia Grace be with you and Peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seuen spirits which are before his throne Here beginneth the second part of the Preface to wit the inscription of this vision and it hath two branches First a dedication in these words Iohn to the seueÌ„ Churches which are in Asia Secondly a salutation in the next words Grace be with you and peace c. to the ninth verse In the dedication obserue first the penman that dedicates this booke secondly the parties to whom it is sent For the first the penman is Iohn who here againe repeats his name to shew and certifie euery reader of this booke that he was without al doubt the true penman of the holy ghost in writing this Reuelation But though he repeat his name yet he doth not adde any titles of honour or commendation as hee did in the first verse Wherein he giues vs a true patterne of modestie and humilitie which is neuer to speake in our owne cause to our owne praise but onely in cases of necessitie when Gods glory may bee aduaunced and the credit of our particular callings maintained This Paule practised who often humbles himselfe and cals himself the least of all the Apostles yea the chiefe of all sinners yet when the credit of his Apostleship came into question then he sets out himselfe shewing he was a true Apostle one of the chiefe and aboue those which did falsely call themselues so as wee may find in both of his Epistles to the Corinthians Secondly the persons to whom hee wrote were the seuen Churches in Asia concerning them note two things first hee writes to churches secondly to the churches in Asia For the first why writes he to the churches rather thaÌ„ to the church seeing there is but one only Catholicke church Ans. The church may be considered diuers waies first as it is the whole companie of the elect so it is but one secondly as the same is parted into seuerall branches and companies one part being in one countrey and another part in some other Wherein also euery seuerall congregation professing the gospell is a particular Church And so there may bee many Churches all of them beeing members of one Catholicke Church As the sea is onely one yet it consisteth of many parts which taking their names of the countreyes whereto they adioyne are called so many particular Seas as the English Sea the Spanish sea French Italian Scottish Seas c. And of particular Churches must Iohn bee vnderstood in this place Now Iohn chuseth rather to write to Churches than to particular men First because the matter of this booke concerneth the Church being a Propheticall hystorie touching the state of the Church to the end Secondly because particular Churches which bee true members of the Catholicke Church are the pillars and ground of truth 1. Timoth 3.15 And the Church is so called not that her authority is aboue the word but first because it is the treasure house wherein the Scriptures are preserued from age to age against the rage of Gods enemies Secondly because the Church giues testimonie to the truth of Gods word And thirdly because it publisheth the truth of God word by vertue of that ordinary ministery which God hath ordained therein Secondly in the dedication of this booke among all particular Churches God directs him to make choise of those seuen in Asia no doubt for speciall cause First because they were then most famous Churches as the chapters following and the histories of the Church doe plainely shew Secondly that the calling of the Gentiles to the light of the Gospell which long before had beene foretold might bee more euident for here the Iewes are passed by and the Gentiles sent vnto Lastly we may here obserue That S. Iohn knew no prerogatiue of the church of Rome aboue other churches for if it were the mother church whereon alâ— other churches should depend as the Papists would haue it I would know of them why Iohn passed by it in the dedication of this booke which containeth matter needfull for al churches to know Grace be with
vnto a field wherein are good corne and tares and like vnto a barne floore wherein is wheat and chaffe mingled together and yet all are reputed beleeuers because they professe the Gospell outwardly Now by reason of this mixture it may come to passe that a particular visible Church may fall away and become no Church either when the godly are taken away and hypocrites and dissemblers made manifest or els when true beleeuers waxing few are not able to maintaine the publicke profession of the truth against the might and multitude of the enemies which may dayly encrease But the case is not so with a particular member of Christ he cannot finally fall away as hath beene shewed at large vers 4. And thus much for the second part of this reason The third part of this reason is the condition of both the former threatenings in these words Except thâ—â— amend that is I will come in iudgement vnto thee and take my gospell from thee vnlesse thou preuent my comming by true repentance Here note that all the threatenings of the old and new Testament are conditionall 〈◊〉 commeth to Niniue and crieth yet fortie dayes and Niniue shall bee destroyed He sayd no more but yet that threatening must bee vnderstood with this exception vnlesse they repent Why wil some say are the threatenings in Gods word propounded conditionally Answ. Gods whole will and pleasure is one alone in itselfe and yet it may bee thus distinguished to bee partly secret and partly reuealed Gods secret will is touching those things which hee hath not made manifest vnto men His reuealed will is touching those things which are manifested in Scripture or doe fall out euery day Now Gods secret will is without condition for as euery thing commeth to passe so God willed it when good things come to passe them he willeth simply when euill things fall out them he permitteth to be done And to make Gods secret will conditionall is to bring Gods will vnder the power of man and to subiect the Creator vnto the creature But Gods reuealed will is conditionall because it containeth the matter of mans saluation and this manner of propounding it is a most effectuall way to bring the same to passe for it keepeth men more in awfull obedience than if it were absolute In this condition note this thing that Christ repeateth it twice both in the beginning of this reason If not and in the end Except thou amend Hereby hee would giue vs to vnderstand That when men commit sinne and lye therein or when they decay in any grace then haue they most necessarie cause to repent if they would escape Gods fearefull iudgements And seeing our estate is like to the state of this Church or els worser by much for wee lye in sinne and thereby cause God to come to vs in iudgement as we tender our owne good both in this life and after death let vs turne from our sinnes and repent euery man apart euery familie apart and the whole church publickely for repentance is most needfull els would not the Lord haue doubled this condition Verse 6. But this thou haâ—â— that thou 〈◊〉 the workes of the Nicolaitans which I also hate These words are a second reason to prooue that which was set downe in the second verse namely That this Church could not abide them that were euill In the second verse this was made manifest by their discouery of the false Apostles and here he prooueth it by their affection of hatred towards the workes of the Nicolaitans These Nicolaitans were certaine heretickes in the primitiue Church that held these two opinions First that adulterie and fornication were no sins Secondly that men might communicate with the sacrifices of idolaters in their Idoll temples and according to their opinions were their practises These heretickes as it is thought came of one Nicholas one of the seuen deacons mentioned Acts 6. who though for a while hee did faithfully discharge his dutie outwardly yet after fell away and became the head of this hereticall sect But this thou hast This Particle But hath reference to the former verse As if hee should say Though this be thy fault that thou failest in thy first loue yet for this I commend thee that thou hatest the workes of the Nicolaitans This practise of Christ discouereth the common sinne of this age which is to set out in their colours mens faults and infirmities to their greatest disgrace and yet by silence and obliuion to burie all their vertues which are prayse worthie This ought not to bee so wee must follow Christs example who with iust reproofe adioyneth due deserued praise If our friend or our foe haue a fault when we are called thereunto wee may speake of it and wee must reprooue them but yet withall we must commend the good things that be in them Secondly Christ here teacheth vs That it is not sufficient to anymans good estate before God that hee haue good things in him for that a man may haue and yet bee in danger to bee cut off from Christ. Saule had good things in him at the first entrance into his kingdome but what was hee afterward Iohn was verie zealous for Gods glorie in killing all the idolatrous priests but he would not depart from the sinnes of Ieroboam And Iudas no doubt had many good gifts while he was with Christ but his end was most fearefull And this church had many good things in her yet iâ— she in danger of being cut off from Christ And so many among vs haue excellâ—â—t gifts some for knowledge some for 〈◊〉 and conceiuing of prayer yet for all these they may be cut off from Christ. Therefore wee must not content our selues with these but labour for the principall which is true hearty and vnfained repentance which wee must dayly renew for our continuall fals And this will keepe vs in Gods fauour and from his iudgements More particularly Christ here commendeth this Church for hating the errours of the Nicolaitans Whereby hee would teach vs our dutie if wee bee Christians namely to take knowledge of the sinnes and errours of our times and to hate the same vnfainedly Yet note he commendeth them for hating their workes not their persons giuing vs direction how to temper our hatred in the world We must set it against the sinne not against the person of any man Some will say the Prophets prayed against the persons of the wicked And Dauid professed hatred of the men Psalm 139.21 Doe not I hate them that hate thee Answ. Dauid was an extraordinarie Prophet and no doubt had this reuealed vnto him that those his enemies were obstinate and would not repent Againe imprecations of the prophets in Scripture must bee vnderstood as prophecies of Gods iudgement to come vpon those against whome they prayed But wee which want that extraordinarie spirit must keepe our selues to our ordinarie rule Hate the sinnes and loue the persons Further obserue the workes here
He must begin to repent when he is receiued to mercie he must renew that repentance for his daily offences If God therefore haue giuen â—s grace to repent we must not content our selues with that good beginning but adde more repentance daily vnto it For no man liueth that hath receiued grace to repent but hee seeth in himselfe continuall cause of renewing the same by reason of his daily sâ—ilâ— and wants for euery sinne decayeth grace which must be repaired by a new practise of repentance This dutie must needs be practised It is the most dangerous case that can bee for any man to lie in sinne for sinne makes a man liable to all Gods iudgements And it is not so much the act of sinne as the lying in sinne that bringeth damnation For this cause Paule 2. Corin. 5.20 speaking to those that were reconciled to God doth still most â—arnestly beseech them to be reconciled vnto him saying We beseech you in Christs steed as though God did beseech you through vs that ye be reconciled to God Intending thereby to prouoke them to the daily renewing of their repentance that thereby they might get a more full assurance of their reconciliation V. point For what must they repent namely for the decay of their loue not for the want thereof but for that they suffered it to waxe lesser both towards God and his word and towards their brethren The same thing is spoken to vs dayly in the ministerie of the word that whereas our first loue is gone many hauing fallen from it and moe hauing none at all wee would vnfainedly repent of this our decay and want that if wee haue had loue and now waxe cold wee may renew it and if we neuer had it we may labour for it that so we may be answerable to his blessed desire And here obserue that Christ enioyneth vs a strait repentance It is not ynough for men to repent them of grosse sinnes as whoredome theft drunkennesse and such like but they must repent them of their wantâ— of grace as of the knowledge and feare and loue of God and of brotherly loue and of decay in any grace bee it neuer so little Wee haue many iusticiaries in conceit that bee Pharisaically minded thinking too well of themselues that they need no repentance because they liue ciuilely and are not tainted with grosse sinnes But these consider little what God doth here require euen repentance for our secret wants and decayes And great reason it should bee so for els to what end should we examine our selues of our secret wants vnlesse wee should repent vs of them hauing found them in vs Againe if this church must repent for her wants then what great cause haue we to repent in this last age of Atheisme a grosse and common sinne of outward pride in apparrell a sinne flat against Gods word and for contempt of the gospell a sinne that enlargeth it selfe more and more among vs. And for crueltie and want of mercy and compassion all which are rife in our church and may more easily remooue the candlesticke from vs then want of loue could remooue the candlesticke from this church And thus much for the second part of this remedie The third part of this remedie is to do their first workes that is shewe the like zeale and feruencie of loue to God to his word and to their brethren that they did at the first time of their conuersion This duty Christ addeth to the former because true repentance neuer perisheth in the heart but alwaies breaketh out into action in the life Here then is an excellent lesson for vs to learne and put in practise wee must search our own harts and see what good things haue bene in vs what good motions and desires or good affections We must also call to mind our former wayes and see what good things wee haue done and if in heart or life we find decay we must recouer our losse and seeke to do our first workes and striue to continue so doing to our liues end that so wee may escape this heauie charge of decay in grace Thus much of the parts of this remedie If not I will come against thee shortly and remooue thy candlesticke out of his place except thou amend In these words Christ layes downe a reason to persuade the church of Ephesus to the practise of the former remedy especially for repentance This reason containeth three parts I. A generall commination in these words If not I wil come against thee shortly II. A particular threatning of a particular iudgement And remoue thy candlesticke out of his place III. The condition of them both except thou amend I. point If not I will come against thee shortly that is if thou do not practise this remedie and the duties therein prescribed especially the dutie of repentance then will I come against thee shortly The words may as well bee read thus If not then will I come to thee shortly For so they are in the originall and doe containe in them sufficient and profitable instruction God is said to come to any people two wayes in mercie and in iudgement In mercie when he testifieth his presence by workes of mercie As when Christ in spirit went vnto the old world and preached vnto them in the person of Noe an hundred and twentie yeares before the floud 1. Pet. 3.19 20. Secondly God commeth in iudgement when hee testifieth his presence by iudgements In the second commandement God saith He wil visite the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children that is he will make inquirie among the children for the fathers sinnes and if hee find them to liue in the same sinnes that their fathers did then will hee punish them this is properly to visit So in this place If thou repent not I will come vnto thee and testifie my presence not in mercie but in iudgement In this generall threatening we may obserue that when a church or people decay in loue to God to his word or to their brethren or els lye in any sinne then God prepareth himselfe to come vnto them in iudgement Amoâ— 4.12 Because I will doe thus and thus vnto thee for thy sinnes therefore prepare to meete thy God Oh Israell meaning that because they lay still in their sinnes therefore he would make knowne his presence by more fearefull iudgements This doctrine according to Christs direction is to bee applied to vs and to our church for the sinnes that were in the church of Ephesus are the sinnes of our church and people They decayed in loue to God to his word and to the brethren so doe we Nay generally there is no loue at all in vs as hath been shewed and besides these wants there be many other grosse sinnes wherein our church and people doe lye as in Atheisme both in iudgement and practise in contempt and neglect of Gods worship and true religion in crueltie oppression and want of mercie and that which is
countrey to countrey In most schooles of learning for many hundred yeares the diuell had his thrones For therein was nothing taught but errors heresies and most abhominable idolatries In these our dayes the diuell hath his thrones among vs where any wizard dwelleth or cuÌ„ning person as they are called for thither whole countries do flocke for helpe and for counsell and so yeeld homage to Sathan All dicing all brothel houses wherein abhominable wickednesse is freely committed are Sathans thrones Yea all those families are the diuels thrones where men liue without loue or practise of religion in blindnesse and ignorance in blasphemie drunkennesse whoredome iniustice or any such impieties And in reason it must needs bee thus for the diuell being a prince of this world will haue his throne in some parts thereof Hereby we see it is most needfull in euerie Christian kingdom there should be thrones of iustice in ciuill courts for the maintenance of equity the reward of vertue and for the repressing of iniustice and iniquitie And also thrones of Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction for the reprehending and punishing of all those sinnes which the ciuill court reacheth not vnto And it is necessarie that in these thrones iustice should bee administred without partialitie that Gods throne may bee erected which is opposit to the throne of Sathan Againe the diuels cunning appeares notably in the choise of the place where he setteth vp his throne it was no petty towne or village but a chiefe and famous citie which had beene the seate of many kings This hath bene his practise in all ages to chuse the chiefest places for the seat of his throne Great Babylon in Scripture is called A citie of iniquitie that is a throne of the diuell And Rome that was once a famous church is now and hath beene long that spirituall Babylon the throne of the diuell Yea in Ierusalem the city of the great king had the diuell got vp his throne when Christ called the temple a den of theeues And in our dayes the people of great towns and cities are generally more backward in embracing the gospell than in little villages The cause hereof is the malice of the diuell who will haue his throne in chiefest places for the greater hinderance of religion there he much preuaileth by choaking the word with pride profit and pleasures causing them to content themselues with a forme of godlinesse when as they want the power thereof And thus he dealeth in greater townes that thence impietie may be deriued to the countrie round about as tradesmen do their wares from place to place And therefore the people of great townes especially must labour not onely to know the gospell but to beleeue and obey the same Euery man must reforme himselfe and euerie familie themselues that Gods throne may be established the diuels throne battered down among them Secondly whereas this church dwelleth where the diuels throne is wee may obserue whence the church of God is gathered namely out of Sathans kingdome Gods church is a company of men ordained to saluation taken from vnder the power of the diuell though after their calling they be Gods peculiar flocke yet they are by nature the children of wrath Thus Paul speaketh of all the Gentiles Act. 26.18 And particularly of the church of Colossa Colos. 1.13 that God deliuered them from the power of darknesse and translated them into the kingdome of his deare sonne Hence we learn I. That no man is to stand vpon his his gentilitie or glory in his parentage for nobilitie and great bloud but onely reioyce in this that hee is drawne out of the kingdome of darknesse and from vnder the power of Sathan and placed by Christ Iesus in the kingdom of grace For what will it profit a man to weare about his necke a chaine of gold if so be his heart will affections bee chained to the diuels seruice and what auaileth it princes to sit vpon their stately thrones if they themselues be in subiection vnto Sathan and do homage vnto his throne yea what will all the treasures honors and pleasures of the world auaile to him that is debarred from the riches of Gods loue in Christ and destitute of the treasures of his grace and so led captiue by Sathan at his will and pleasure Secondly some do thinke that a man may be saued by any religion the Iew by his religion the Turke by his and the Papist by his c. Yea it is the common receiued opinion of our ignorant people that euerie one shall bee saued by his good meaning But all these are meere dotages of mens braine for a man may hold his good meaning and yet serue the diuell at his throne It is not sufficient to hold this or that religion or to practise ciuill vertues as iustice temperance c. vnlesse a man be one of Gods church seuered froÌ„ the company of theÌ„ that serue Sathan Thirdly here all Gods seruants haue a notable meanes of stay and comfort in afflictions If they be persecuted and cast into most darke dungâ—ons for the name of Christ they must call to mind that they are taken out of the diuels prison in the kingdome of darknes and placed in the glorious kingdome of Iesus Christ and made members of his church and shall be inheritors of his glory Fourthly hence wee learne that the preaching of the gospell hath in it a diuine power no creatures except the good Angels haue power comparable to the diuels and yet the preaching of the gospell is stronger than al the power of Sathan for it gathereth a church where the diuell hath his throne it deliuers men from vnder the power of Sathan and placeth them in the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God although therefore it be preached by sinfull man yet it must be reuerenced as the power of God and his owne arme to saue his elect Fiftly hence wee gather that God will haue his people to dwell with wicked and vngodly men for the church of Pergamus dwelleth where Sathans throne is This hee doth with wicked and vngodly men for good causes I. That their faith obedience and repentance might be exercised and they preserued from many sins which otherwayes they should fall into Moses telleth the Israelits that the Cananits must not be all cast out at their first entrance but dwell among them lest wild beasts did grow vp which would deuour them so the wicked must dwell among the godly to exercise Gods graces in them lest they fall into sinne and securitie II. That they might shine foorth as lights vnto the wicked by their godly conuersation Phil. 2.15 That ye may be blamelesâ—e and pure the sonnes of God without rebuke in the middes of a naughtie and crooked nation and among whom ye shine as lights in the world holding foorth word of life And thus the godly must do that by their vnblameable life others might bee wonne to the faith for godly example is a
in two things In due deserued praise commendation in a careful imitatiō of their good vertues godly liues and for this end doth Christ cōmend Antipas vnto this church that they might follow his good conuersation but as for popish honor of inuocation adoration it hath no ground in Gods word Againe in calling him faithfull martyr hee commendeth more the cause of his death than the death to shew that the cause maketh a martyr not the death For an hereticke may be put to death for his damnable opinions Therefore Antipas is a martyr not because he was slain but because he was faithful vnto death for the maintenance of Christs true religion II. point In the end of the verse Christ sheweth who were the authors of Antipas his death namely such among them in whom Sathan ruled for he was slaine sayth Christ among you where Sathan dwelleth Which words hee repenteth to giue vs to vnderstand that all persecutors let them carry what face they will are in truth such in whome the deuill ruleth where he hath his hold and keepes possession Quest. Why did Sathan more dwell there than in other places Answ. Because many in this place were Gentiles who contemned and mocked the gospell and maintained idolatrie wherby they became the holds of Sathan And by proportion we may gather that all contemners of religion and all that walke in their owne wicked wayes are indeed the stables and holds of the deuill though they should bee the temples of the holy ghost And so many families as there are where religion is mocked Gods name blasphemed iniustice and impietie practised so many holds of Sathan there are where the deuill ruleth and such they continue till they reforme themselues of their impieties and embrace the Gospell syncerely And therefore all masters of families especially should loue the Gospell and see that in their families religion be taught embraced and obeyed that so the deuill may haue no hold in their families Que. Whether might not Antipas being Pastour of this Church haue fled for the safetie of his life Answ. There bee two kinds of persecution one that is directly intended against the Pastor principally the other against the whole Church equally In the persecution directed against the Pastor this must bee considered Whether God gaue him oportunitie and libertie to flie or not if God giue him libertie and oportunitie hee may flie and the Church is to assist him and to vse means for his preseruation but if God denie him meanes to escape then he must iudge himselfe to bee called of God to suffer death for his name and so hee may not flie And such was the cause of Antipas in this Church But if the persecution be directed against the whole church equally then the Pastor may not flie but take part in their sufferings that hee may be a meanes to stay and comfort his brethren Verse 14. But I haue a few things against thee because thou hast there them that maintaine the doctrine of Balaam which taught Balac to put a stumbling blocke before the children of Israell that they should eat of things sacrificed vnto Idols and commit fornication Here followeth the reproofe of this Church of Pergamus which is first generally propounded in these words I haue a few things against thee Secondly in particular for want of zeale in suffering among them such as maintained the doctrine of Balam Thirdly hee setteth downe a reason or confirmation thereof in the end of the 14 verse and in the 15. The generall reproofe is the same which was giuen out against the Church of Ephesus vers 4. Whereby hee would teach vs a speciall dutie namely that euery man must seriously consider with himselfe what sinnes hee hath in him which Christ may haue to lay vnto his charge For this very cause doth Christ rehearse it vnto this Church And therefore wee must call our selues to reckoning and examine our selues not by our owne wits but by the rule of Gods word and search out all our thoughts words and actions and see how many things Christ may haue against vs that so making a forehand reckoning and seeking to be cleared by true repentance we may not bee condemned for them at the last day for if we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged This is a necessarie dutie and the practise of it is the ground of all grace and conscionable obedience as on the other side the want hereof is the cause why many that liue in the Church doe perish eternally For a day of accounts will come wherein wee shall neuer escape vnlesse by a forehand reckoning in the practise of true repentance from dead workes and by faith in Christ Iesus wee preuent the same Lamentable and fearefull is the state of all those that neuer call themselues to this account it causeth them to goe on in sinne without remorse Hos 7.2 Hereof Ieremie complained That no man sayd what haue I done And for that cause hee denounceth fearefull iudgements against the people This was the sinne of the old world men knew nothing till the floud came and destroyed them all This securitie bringeth mens soules to hell before they wot where they are And therefore Dauid crieth out Psal. 50. vers 22. Oh consider this meaning the account that God will take with them least God teare them in pieces and there bee none to deliuer them The end of preaching and hearing Gods word is to bring the soule to eternall life and saluation but the want of this account maketh the holy ordinance of God to bee of none effect to many a one For how should men embrace with comfort the word of reconciliation till they feele in themselues their enmitie with God and desert of condemnation II. point Because thou hast them that maintaine the doctrine of Balaam c. Here is the particular reproofe of this Church for want of zeale in that they entertained and suffered hereticall Ministers to liue among them which maintained the doctrine of Balaam This shewed that though they loued the gospell and embraced it yet it was very coldly and without that feruent zeale which they ought to haue shewed against such heretickes Here first Christ teacheth this church to shew forth zeale in excommunicating and casting out such heretickes as by damnable doctrine did trouble them This place is a sufficient ground for the practise of that Ecclesiasticall censure When men hold hereticall opinions the Church after two or three admonitions is to excommunicate them and cast them out So did Paule to Hymaeneus and Alexander 1. Tim. 1.20 Secondly Christ reprouing this Church for entertaining such heretickes and wicked men doth giue vs to vnderstand that euery member of Gods church should haue a great dislike of all persons that hold not the doctrine of Christ in truth but maintaine errours against the tenour of Scripture and the profession of the Church For this cause Paule chargeth Timothie to separat
This dutie especially concernes the preachers of the Gospell they should teach the truth and confute errours and beat downe false doctrines which poyson the truth of God If in the night season a man set vp a false light in the hauen all the ships that are comming to land are in danger of shipwrack So in Gods Church if the bright light of pure religion bee not set vp and aduaunced the soules of men are cast into the gulfe of hell The want of care in performing this dutie is the cause why God sends heresies and Apostacies into his Church Thus came in the Apostacie of Antichrist 2. Thess. 2.10 11 Because men loued not the truth And I no doubt will the Lord deale with vs if we haue not care to maintaine the puritie of Apostolicall doctrine Verse 26. For hee that ouercommeth and keepeth my workes vnto the end to him will I giue power ouer nations 27. And he shall rule them with a rod of yron and as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken 28. Euen as I receiued of my father so will I giue him the morning starre 29. Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit sayth to the Churches Here is the conclusion of this Epistle which containeth two parts First a promise vers 26 27 28. Secondly a commaundement vers 29. In the promise note two things the parties to whom it is made and the benefit promised The parties to whom are euery one that ouercommeth whom Christ describeth by a propertie of syncere obedience To keepe his workes vnto the end Here then we haue a description of true obedience First the forme thereof consisteth in obseruing the workes of Christ which we must not vnderstand of doing them according to the rigor of the law but of a purpose and indeuour to keepe them For this is a priuiledge belonging to all that are in Christ that God accepteth their wils and indeuours of obedience for perfect obedience it selfe This we must know and hold for truth for many haue but little knowledge and thereupon are driuen to despaire yet they must know for their comfort that if they haue care to get more knowledge and make conscience to obey that which they know then they are keepers of the workes of Christ and shall haue the reward promised Secondly obedience is here described by the obiect or matter thereof to wit the workes of Christ that is all such workes as Christ hath ordained in his word and those whereof he is the author by his spirit in his members Hereby we learne first that he that will obey God in Christ Iesus must not thinke his owne thoughts speake his owne words nor do his owne deeds but he must thinke speake do that which Christ would haue him Secondly that no worke is or can bee acceptable to Christ but that which is ordained by him Isay complaineth of them that would teach the feare of God by mens commandements so that there is no true feare of God but that which is taught by Gods commaundements and the like may bee sayd of all other our obedience This rule ouerthroweth all other religions besides the true religion as of the Iewes Turkes and Papists For almost all their workes are of mens inuenting and were neuer ordained by Christ such are most points in poperie as saying of masse going on pilgrimage fastings vowing and praying to saints c. Thirdly whereas he â—aith my workes meaning not one or two but all his workes we learne that true obedience consisteth in doing all the workes of Christ For Christ and the diuel will neuer part stakes God must either haue all our workes or none And therefore Dauid saith I shall not be confounded because I haue respect vnto all thy commandements And good king Iosiaâ— is commâ—nded For that he turned to the Lord according to all the law of Moses This point must be learned of al For many thinke if they doe many good things with Herod all is well and for this cause many a man abhors couetousnesse and pride and yet is a contemner of the Gospell But true obedience must bee in all things Vnto the end Here is the fourth branch of true obedience it is constant That obedience which Christ will reward must not be for a day or a yeare but from time to time through the whole course of our life to the end of our dayes And thus wee must iudge of obedience not by some particular actions but by the whole tenour of a mans life Put case a man hath made conscience of all his wayes through the whole course of his life and yet in sicknesse by reason of the extremitie thereof is distracted and raueth blaspheming God and so dieth What must wee iudge of this man Surely we must not censure him by his behauiour in his sicknesse but consider what hath beene thâ—â—enour of his life if that haue beene vpright then his obedience was good and shall bee rewarded II. Point The benefits promised and they are two The first is power to rule verse 27. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron And as the vessels of a potter shall they bee broken euen as I receiued of my father The second is the morning starre verse 28. where note by the way that these words Euen as I haue receiued of my father are referred amisse in our English translation to the giuing of the morning starre when as they properly belong to the former words in this sence As I haue receiued power ouer nation of my father so will I giue to him that ouercommeth power to rule with the rod of Iron c. Now come to the benefits First here is promised by Christ A power to rule ouer nations Christâ— power as he is mediator is very great and here it is set foorth by three arguments borrowed from the second Psalme verse 8.9 First by the largenesse of it iâ— reacheth not to one countrie alone but to all countries and to all men in all nations Secondly by the Soueraigntie of it Christs power is absolute in ruling and ouerruling And this his Soueraigntie consisteth in two things First in making lawes vnto the consciences of men so as if they be not kept hee may iustly condemne them and in ouerruling the wils of all men conforming them to his will will they nill they which is signified by this He shall rule rule them with a rod of iron Secondly in that hee hath this absolute power in himselfe to saue and to destroy and therefore is sayd to haue The keyes of heauen and hell Which is signified in the next words And as the vessell of a potter shall they be broken Thirdly by the fountaine of it Christ receiueth this power from his father Indeed as Christ is God he is equall with his father and hath this power of himselfe But as he is mediator his power is giuen him of his father Mat. 28.18 For the better
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
is the cheapest and the chiefest marchandize that euer was sett to sale which we may buy without monie and yet it will make vs rich for euer Many labour in tafficke and take great paines and yet often loose thereby but make this bargaine once and then thou shalt neuer loose it nor any thing thereby but continue for euer rich in God Verse 19. As many as I loue I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and amend Because our Sauiour Christ had so sharply rebuked this Church they might thereby take occasion to distrust and despaire of his fauour and mercie heere therefore it pleaseth him to take away all occasion of doubting after this sort If I vse to rebuke chasten all those whom I loue then you are not to despaire of my mercie by reason of my sharpe reproofe whereby I haue threatned to spew you out of my mouth for your sinne of luke-warmnesse But thus I vse to deale with all those whom I loue and therefore in this regard you need not to doubt of my loue and fauour The meaning As many as I loue Christ loues the creatures two wayes as hee is Creator and as he is Redeemer As he is the Creator hee loueth all his creatures with a common generall loue whether they be liuing or dead reasonable or vnreasonable As he is Redeemer he loues his creatures with a speciall and a peculiar loue which is not common to all but proper to that part of man-kinde which is chosen to saluation before the world was And of this peculiar loue hee speaketh here I rebuke The word in the originall which is translated Rebuke is more significant than can fitly bee expressed in any one English worde thus much is meant thereby as if Christ had said First I will conuince them of their sins and after reprooue admonish and check them for the same And chasten This must bee vnderstood of a kinde of correction which a father vseth on his child called nurturing which is correction to breake the childe of his fault and bad manners and to teach him his dutie This then is the meaning All those whom I beare speciall fauour vnto doe I conuince of their particular faults and then checke and reprooue them and nurture them as a father doth his Child to make them leaue their particular vices and to walke in obedieÌ„ce And to assure vs that this is the true meaning read Pro. 3.12 whence the words are taken Heb. 12.5 where they are more fully explained Heere then Christ sets downe his ordinary dealing with them whom he taketh and chooseth to bee his disciples and members namely hee conuinceth them of their faults he reproueth and chasteneth them for this very end to breake them of their sins and to bring them to reformation And this dealing of Christ belongeth to euery seruant and member of Christ without exception yea Christ layeth rebukes and chastisments on all his children that in diuers measure according to the nature of their sinnes and the disposition of the parties Such as are hardly broken of their sins hee layeth on them more heauie iudgementes and chastisments that they may bee brought 〈…〉 humiliation and so 〈◊〉 true 〈◊〉 And therefore euery one that would bee a Disciplâ— and member of Christ must looke to goe vnder his correction and his sharpe and seuere rebuke according as they are in heart disposed vnto sinnes either more or lesse Hee must passe vnder the rodde that would come into the bond of the Couenant Ezech. 20.37 The vse of this doctrine is two-fold set downe Prov. 3.12 The first thus My 〈◊〉 despise noâ— the correction of the Lord for the Lord correcteth whom hee loueth his chastycements are tokens of his loue That is whensoeuer the Lord either in the ministerie of his word reproueth thy sins or by any affliction chasteneth thee despise it not neither set light by it but make good vse thereof vnto thine owne soule The second vse is Faint not when thou art corrected that is let not the greatnesse of it daunt thee but arme thy selfe with patience because he vseth to correct all those whom hee loueth making his chastisments tokens of his loue Secondly Christ heere setteth before all gouernours an example to followe especially to fathers and masters his example is this On euery child that hee loueth hee layeth corrections for this â—nd to breake them of their sinnes 〈◊〉 answerably Gouernours must shew tokens of loue towards those that are vnder them by due reproofe and correction that â—o they may be broken of their misdemeanor and brought vnto obedience to God It were to bee wished that both Parents and Masters would followe Christ in this example and so seeke the reformation of those that are vnder them but more lamentable is the 〈◊〉 Parents and Masters doe thinke it sufficient for them if they prouide for their children and seruanteâ— food and rayment and necessaries for the bodie and so altogether neglect the good of their soules which is the cause of many sinnes and so of many iudgements both which ought to mooue them to put in practise this dutie Thirdly the very order of Christs worde doth minister vnto vs a necessary instruction â—â—â—ching his manner of correcting his seruants For first hee propounds a direct end of all his corrections vpon them to wit their nurturing and reformation then that hee may attaine thereto hee proceedeth thus First hee doth conuince their conscience of their sinnes then by reproofes he rebukes and checks them and lastly correcteth them by laying chastisments on them A most excellent and blessed order in vsing correction for the good of the partie chastised which ought to bee followed of all Gouernours parents and masters especially First they must propound a good end of their correction euen the amendement and saluation of the partie and that they may then proceed 〈◊〉 they must first conuince their conscience of the 〈◊〉 then reprooue checke and admonish them and if that take not place they must proceed vnto meete and conuenient bodily correction all which must bee done not for reuenge but to bring theÌ„ to amendement and to make them obedient to the will of God Whereby wee see how farre many Parents and Gouernours ouer shoote themselues when as they make their corrections matters of reuenge and choller wherein they sâ—eldome intend the reformation of the offender which is a fault flat against the word of God and therefore to be considered of euery good christian Be zealous therefore and repent In the former Verse hee propounded a remedie against their Spirituall pride In 〈◊〉 wordes hee doth directly propound a remedie against their Luke-warmnesse But first obserue the coherence of these words with the former Christ hath said Whom I loue I rebuke and correct according as their fault is therefore sayth hee to this Church because I haue rebuked and corrected thee by seuere threatnings for thy Luke-warmnesse therefore now become zealous and amend
A GODLY AND LEARned Exposition or Commentarie vpon the three first Chapters of the Reuelation PREACHED IN CAMBRIDGE BY that reuerend and judicious Diuine maister WILLIAM PERKINS Ann. Dom. 1595. First published for the benefit of Gods Church by ROBERT HILL Bachelor of Diuinitie The second Edition reuised and enlarged after a more perfect copie at the request of M. PERKINS executors by THOMAS PIERSON Preacher of Gods word Hereunto is prefixed an Analysis of the Vision in these three Chapters And a twofold Table added one of places of Scripture the other of speciall points to bee obserued PROV 13.9 and PROV 4.18 The light of the righteous reioyceth by encrease shining more and more vnto the perfect day But the candle of the wicked shall be put out LONDON Printed by Adam Jslip for Cuthbert Burbie and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Swan 1606. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL AND VERTVOVS Ladie the Ladie ELIZABETH MONTAGV of Hemington in Northamptonshire Grace and Peace IVST cause there was Right worshipfull as well in respect of the reuerend Author whose rest is now in glory as also of the godly Reader whose good herein claimes speciall stroke that some refining hand should recommend vnto the Church of God a more perfect coppie of this godly Exposition than the first edition hereof did affoord and yet no cause I find why your worthie children who no doubt for the Authors sake did more gratefully accept the former dedication should by me be depriued of their right Nay rather as they in heart I am persuaded did highly honour the Author for his double labor in Christs vineyard so do I reioyce this recompence is returned for their loue That with this worke their memorie with posteritie shall long endure And sith my paines herein yeelds me this right to make choyce of some to whom I also may commend the patronage hereof I presume to present the same vnto your Ladiship If this bee any kindnesse on my behalfe I confesse it is farre short of your desert and of my desire some others I know may challenge me herein as vnmindfull of their loue yet because God may offer me opportunitie hereafter to giue them good content this way I will intreat their patience for this time that I may ioyne the mother with the children in this worke of loue to affoord tuition to these godly labours of the dead It fits you best good Madam in many respects for neither will your children complaine of your admission into the society of their right nor you esteeme the lesser hereof because of their claime hereto by former possession They are your owne and you theirs this comes vnto you all as vnto one accounting your vnited loue for greater safetie and looke what grace it finds by your protection like grace it yeelds by many a good instruction Salomon saith Good vnderstanding maketh acceptable meaning to such as feare God for fooles hate knowledge how welcome then will this be vnto you who haue sayd vnto Wisedom thou art my sister and do esteeme the words of her mouth The ioy and reioycing of your heart sith herein you shall find on euery leafe some pleasant fruit of the tree of life a tast whereof I will here set before you that you may iudge the better of the store When the Disciples harts were full of greefe for Christs departure then at hand Philip sayd vnto him in the name of all Shew vs the father and it sufficeth Loe here behold and you shall see not the father alone but with the father the spirit of grace and with them both the Son of God so liuely described to your view that you may truly say of this knowledge God sanctifying the same vnto your soule It is eternall life When Christ would harten his Disciples for the great worke of their ministerie hee doth it by the promise of his presence saying Be hold I am with you alway The euidence and fruit whereof you shall hereby so well perceiue that hereupon I trust both you and many moe will learne to say with Dauid in temptation I haue set the Lord before me alway for he is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide And with Ieremie in affliction The Lord is with me like a mightie Gyant therefore my persecutors shall be ouerthrowne and shall not preuaile What shall I say more It would be too long to speake of the dignitie of Christs Church and ministerie here handled at large and to instance in particulars through the seuen Epistles to these seuen Churches of Asia onely this in the Preface of each Epistle learne what Christ is in himselfe and to his Church In the Matter behold the state of euery Church and see what Christ approueth and what his soule detesteth In the Conclusion see his bountie towards his children and the dutie of all to him againe The handling of these things will much delight your Christian heart for beside the Plaine euidence of the spirit in opening the text which is best pleasing vnto God and most profitable to his Church wherein this godly Author had a speciall grace the application is so fit and pertinent to our times that I had welnigh sayd He did foresee what we now behold and hath foretold what we for our lukewarmenesse and decay in loue may iustly feare Consider what I say and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things Hold fast that which you haue bee faithfull vnto death and the Lord will giue you the crowne of life For God is not vnrighteous that he should forget your workes and labor of loue which you haue shewed towards his name in that you haue ministred vnto the saints and yet do minister Now the God of hope fill you with all ioy and peace in beleeuing and increase your ioy by the constant walking of your children in the truth Yea the same Lord make all grace so to abound towards you all that alwayes hauing all sufficiencie in all things you may abound in euery good worke which is by Iesus Christ vnto the praise and glorie of God vnto whose gracious protection both now and euer I humbly commend your Ladiship with your godly familie London December 10. 1606. Your Ladiships to commaund Thomas Pierson TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPfull Sir Edward Montagu Sir Walter Montagu Sir Henry Montagu and Sir Charles Montagu Knights M. Iames Montagu Doctor of Diuinitie Deane of his Maiesties Chappell and M. Sidney Montagu Esquire the Ladie Susan Sandys and the Ladie Theodosia Capel children of that right worthie and religious Sir Edward Montagu of Bowghton in the Countie of North-hampton Knight and of the Ladie Elizabeth his worthie wife sister to the right Honourable Sir Iohn Harington Baron of Exton and father to the vertuous Ladie the Countesse of Bedford Grace and Peace RIght Worshipfull as the Patriarch Iacob had twelue
must giue up at the last day 1. Cor. 15.24 And here we must consider in what manner God giues his Reuelation to his sonne First therefore Christ Iesus as he is Mediator is made Lord of this Reuelation so as hee may say it is his owne right and royaltie being a part of that law whereby his Church is now gouerned whereof he is Lord and King Againe this Reuelation was reuealed vnto Christ as he is man before it was euer knowne to any creature man or Angell by reason of the vnion of his manhood with the godhead In this which hath been said we may obserue that this booke of the Reuelation is Christ his right and belongeth vnto him as his owne royaltie and priviledge For as the lawes in any kingdome belong to the prince thereof and are called his lawes alone and no mans els So this booke being a part of that law whereby Christ gouerneth his Church is his royaltie alone for God gaue it him and he hath by his Angell sent it to his Church And that which is here said of this booke must be vnderstood proportionally of all other books of holy scripture Christ is made Lord of all and they are all of them his royalties and possessions And from hence will follow necessarily First That no man in the world hath authoritie aboue this booke or any other part of Canonicall Scripture indeed Monarchs and princes haue great authoritie and preheminence in their dominions ouer all persons and ouer all causes of men but in the Church they with all others owe homage vnto Christ there hee hath the Canonicall Scriptures to be his laws whereto euery one must subiect himselfe The dispensation of the word and the adminisâ—ration of the Sacraments bee his royall ordinances ouer which none may dare to claime rule or authoritie for so should the Scriptures haue beene giuen vnto them for their prerogatiues as they were to Christ but God gaue them to him alone and hee disposeth thereof as pleaseth him And therefore the Pope in taking vpon him to dispence with the word and to mangle the Sacraments doth herein steppe into the roome of Christ and so declare himselfe to be that man of sinne by seeking to rob him of that princely royaltie which belongs to him alone Secondly that the soueraigne power and authoritie of expounding Scripture belongeth to Christ alone and to none other with him True it is that man hath a ministerie committed vnto him by vertue whereof he may expound Scripture by scripture but men haue no power of themselues to determine of the proper sence of Scripture And therefore the Popish practise in giuing to the Church absolute authoritie to determin of the sence of Scripture of themselues without Scripture is flat robbery against Christ for therein they giue vnto men that soueraigne power which is proper to Christ. Thirdly herein wee obserue the excellencie of this booke and of the whole Scripture of God for all of it is the gift of the father to the sonne and of the son vnto his Church The like cannot bee said of any writings of men whatsoeuer bee they neuer so excellent herein the Scriptures surpasse them all Whereby we are taught to esteeme more reuerently of the Scriptures of God than of all the writings of men in the world Here then behold the sinne of this age which more delighteth to speake and heare the sayings of men in the publicke ministerie than the glorious word of the euerliuing God Whereas the writings of men be full of darkenesse of errour and deceit but the word of God is most holy and pure and euery way perfect proceeding wholly from the father of lights vnto his beloued sonne who hath faithfully dispersed the same for the good of his Church To shew to his seruants things that must shortly be done These words containe the second third and fourth Arguments whereby this Reuelation is described viz. the end of it the persons to whom it must be shewed and the matter which it containeth Arg. II. The end of this Reuelation is To shew that is to make knowne and manifest things to come for the good of the whole Church Whence we may obserue that the Papists erre exceedingly in debarring lay people as they call them from the reading of the Scripture for the end of this booke is To make manifest to Gods seruants things to come And who are Gods seruants Are the Cleargie onely and not lay people also God forbid the lay man is Christ his seruant as well as one of the Cleargie And therefore it is Gods will that he should learne to know and vnderstand this booke like one of his seruants And here consider that if this booke of Scripture which is hard and difficult must be learned of the lay man then much more must he search into all other bookes of God which bee more plaine and easie as the histories of Gospell Epistles c. Arg. III. The persons to whom it must be shewed viz. The seruants of Christ. This Reuelation was not giuen of God for all men indefinitely but for all his seruants that is such alone as repent of their sinnes and truly beleeue in Christ for the pardon of them and shew forth the same by new obedience So hee teacheth elsewhere The secret of the Lord is with them that feare him and his covenant to giue them vnderstanding Psalm 25.14 The Lord will reueale his secret to his servants the Prophets Amos 3.7 And God will not keepe backe from Abraham the thing hee was to doe vnto Sodome and Gomorrah because hee knew Abraham would doe his will and teach his familie after him Genes 18. vers 17.19 The consideration whereof should admonish vs not to content our selues with the bare hearing of the word and outward participation of the sacraments but to labor principally to become Gods seruants and to shew the same by the practise of that which we heare Hereby shall wee receiue instruction from the Lord and grow in knowledge dayly more and more our vnderstandings shall more easily conceiue the will of God for they that will doe the will of his father shall know his doctrine Iohn 7.17 Here then is the cause why most hearers after long teaching profit little but remaine as blind and ignorant as euer they were euen their owne impietie they liue in their sinnes and labour not to become Gods seruants Secondly in this argument we may obserue that Christ Iesus is true God for here he is made the head of the Church euery true beleeuer is his seruant and he his Lord the angels of the Churches be his angels as after we shall see which prerogatiue none can haue but he that is true and very God Thirdly in this Argument are those confuted which hold that God would haue all to bee saued and cals all men without exception For if hee called all effectually then hee would offer the meanes to all to wit his holy word that so they might
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
was the verie first of all things there was nothing before him he had â— being when all creatures were not then was he the same that he is now and for this saith Saint Iohn Chap. 1. vers 1. In the beginning was the word that is the sonne of God he had his beeing and subsisting when all other creatures wanted it and began to be This proueth the eternitie of Christ because hee had his being before any creature he was a substance and essence begotten of the father before all worlds not created as other creatures are or made of any other Secondly he is called the beginning because he giueth a beginning to al creatures For all things which were created and had a being were created by him and had their being from him So saith the Apostle All things are from him and for him Colos. 1.16 And hence we learne that when we go about any businesse in word or deed we must begin it with inuocation on the name of Christ for Christ he giues the beginning and proceeding to all things And without his helpe we cannot haue in any thing good successe Secondly the same Christ is the end of all things and that for two causes First because he is the last of all things and after him is nothing in subsisting and being for all creatures if they were left to themselues would come to nothing And whereas some creatures be eternall it is not of themselues but by him and from him which is the end But though they all should come to nothing yet Christ would remaine the same he was for euer namely the eternall sonne and word of the father This then should make vs with full purpose of heart to cleaue vnto Christ in all things if wee would enioy eternall happinesse for without him is nothing but changing and vnlesse wee haue our stablenesse from him wee cannot but come to an end Secondly hee is the end because all things in heauen and earth were made to serue him For him were all things created Coloss. 1.16 that is to serue for his glory and prayse The second thing here said of Christ is this Which is was and is to come These words were expounded in the fourth verse where the very same are affirmed of the father The meaning is that Christ is in presence a perfect substance and essence or being subsisting in by and from himselfe and such a substance hee was in time past from all eternitie and such as shall continue in time to come for euermore Hence we learne three things First That the second person in the Trinitie is consubstantiall with the father that is of one and the same substance and nature with him The reason is because there can be but one only substance or essence which hath being in and by it selfe and from it selfe alone neither can we conceiue how there should be two or more but onely one as there cannot bee two eternals or two infinits two omnipotents and absolute lords which haue nothing one of another Now in the fourth verse it is said of the father That he is a substance of himselfe in himselfe and from himselfe alone And here the selfesame thing is said of the second person the sonne And therefore hee is of the very same substance with the father for though they bee distinct persons in the godhead yet they haue but one and the same substance one and the same diuine nature and Godhead Secondly hence we may gather That Christ is God of himselfe because as the â—â—ther is was and shall bee so the sonne iâ— was and shall be and that in the same respects So that as the father is God of himselfe and from none other so the son is God of himselfe and from none other Indeed as he is the sonne the second person so hee is of the father and hath his being from him by eternall generation but as hee is God hee is consubstantiall with the father and coequall with him and hath his essence of and in himselfe alone And the same is to bee affirmed of the holy ghost as he is the third person he proceeds from the father and the son but as hee is God hee is of himselfe and from none other Thirdly hence we learn That Christ is coeternall with the father being euerlasting as the father is and euery way coequall hauing the same attributes of the godhead that the father hath The third point touching Christ is That he is the Almightie There is in God and so in Christ a double power First a Potentiall secondly an Actuall power Potentiall is that whereby hee can doe many things moe than euer hee did or will doe as hee could raise children to Abraham of the stones but he would not hee could haue deliuered Christ from death but hee would not Now Christs omnipotencie is not to be vnderstood of his potentiall power here principally but rather of his actuall power whereby he bringeth to passe without let and impediment whatsoeuer hee decreeth willeth or promiseth From this omnipotencie of Christ ariseth a double comfort to his church First That whatsoeuer hee hath promised in his Gospell is yea and Amen that is shall bee brought to passe effectually without stop and let as assuredly as hee promised it Now Christ hath promised in the Gospell to all penitent sinners remission of sinnes mortification iustification and life euerlasting euery one whereof shall in due time bee done to euery true beleeuer which is a singular comfort to them for all men and Angels cannot giue one of these to any one man but Christ hee is omnipotent and he both can and will effect them all to his elect The second comfort that Christ both can and will giue his church sufficient securitie and protection through all the miseries of this life hee can defend and guard her against all the furie and malice of Sathan and all her enemies hee is aboue them and can bridle their might when and how he pleaseth Hence also that Christ is Almightie we are taught two duties First vnder the crosse and in tribulation to humble our selues vnder his mightie hand for it is he which correcteth vs who is almighty able to do what he list and more than he will resistance or repining will doe vs no good Secondly this should mooue vs to performe heartie obedience vnto Christ in all things both in our generall and particular callings to walke vprightly before him for he is Almightie seeth whether we walke sincerely before him or not if wee doe not hee is able to punish vs. By this Argument God persuadeth Abraham to walke vprightly before him because he is Almightie able to correct and destroy those which refuse to obey him Genes 17.1 Vers. 9. I Iohn euen your brother and compaâ—â—on in tribulation and in the kingdome and patience of Iesus Christ was in the â—sle called 〈◊〉 for the word of God and for the witnessing of Iesus Christ. Hetherto wee haue entreated
the worke of our redemption for he died for oâ—r sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Rom. 4.25 III. point Whether may the church of the New testament chaunge this Saboath day to any other day of the week as to tewsday wednesday c. Ans. The church hath no such power for time is the Lords and the disposing thereof is in his hands Therefore Christ saith to his Disciples It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the father hath kept in his owne hands Act. 1.6 As if hee should say The father hath kept times and seasons in hiâ— owne power and therefore it is not for you to knowe them Now if that were a good reason as no doubt it was then is this also sound and good If God haue the disposing of times in his hands then it belongeth not to the church to dispose of them but God hath the disposing of all times in his hands ergo And it may be otherwise henâ—e gathered thus If that which is lesse belong not to the church then that which is more doth not But the knowledge of time and seasons which God hath in his power belongeth not to the church which is lesse than the disposing of times and seasons And therefore the church hath not power to dispose of them and so by consequent may not alter the Saboath day Obiect In the Old testament the Iewes appointed festiuall dayes as the feast of Dedication which Christ kept holy Ioh. 10.22 instituted by the Machabees in token of thankfulnesse for their deliuerance and for restoring of religion and the temple which Antiochus had pulled downe And also Mordichay instituted the feast Purim which was celebrated of the Iewes afterwards Now if they had power to make holidayes then they might alter the Saboath day and so may the church in the New testament Ans. These feasts of the Iewes were no Saboaths set wholly apart for the solemne worship of God but were onely daies of the solemnitie appointed by the church in token of ioy and thankfulnesse for the repairing of the temple deliuerance of Gods people And were onely celebrated as they serued to put the people in mind of these outward benefits So that whereas some hold that the church hath power to alter the Saboath day or to make two more Saboath dayes in a weeke if it were conuenient it hath no ground in Gods word For that authoritie which doth alter this day must not bee lesse than Apostolicall And thus wee see why this day was called the Lords day Now if the first day of the weeke bee the Lords day set apart for his honor in the memorie of so great redemption then here are three sorts of men reprooued First those that make the Lords day a day of vaine pleasure and delight This is the manner of all sorts of men but especially of the yonger sort and seruants who spend this day in carnall reioycing in riot gaming and wantonnesse neuer thinking of the worship of God which is then to bee performed But these sin greatly against the Lord for hereby they peruert the end of the Lords day It should be kept holy and glorious to the Lord but they turne it to the worship and seruice of the diuell The second sort here reprooued are those which liue more ciuilltie than the former but yet they thinke they may do what they will on the Lords day as to take their iourneys thereon and imploy themselues in their ordinarie affaires perswading themselues they may serue God with as good an heart when they are alone about their busines as they do who go to the church But these men sinne grieuously against the fourth commandement for hereby they make that their owne day which is the Lords A third sort here reprooued though not so bad as the former are those who thinke it needfull to serue God at those ordinarie times of the Saboath which the lawes of the land inioyne vnto men and therefore they will come duly to morning and euening prayer thinking that they are not bound besides to heare the word of God preached and that all the rest of the day they may doe what they will pertaining either to their profit or pleasure Of this sort are our ignorant people and a great number euerie where But they sinne grieuously against God for the Saboath day is called the Lords day because it is wholly consecrated to his worship but they part stakes with the Lord and giue him but a part of his owne day and that the lesser taking the rest vnto themselues which thee mispend vpon their lusts Now as these vices must be abhorred so on the contrarie wee must with all conscience keepe the Lords Saboath holy according to thâ— fourth commandement And therefore we must thereon cease from all workes of sinne and from the workes of our callings and sanctifie this day wholly by applying it all to the honour and worship of God And here we must remember that there is a double sanctification of the Saboath publike and priuate Publicke when men assemble themselues together publickly to heare Gods word for the increase of faith and knowledge and to call on Gods name for further graces as also to giue him thankes for his mercies and to receiue his Sacramens Priuate when men in their priuat places imploy themselues in holy duties of prayer reading and meditation vpon Gods word works whereby God is honoured and their souls edified and both these must bee performed to the Lord euerie Saboath day of euery man For wee may not abridge God of that timâ— wherein glorie should be giuen to his name If the officers should take our seruants in the weeke day from our priuat businesse imploy them in publicke affaires wee would thinke much at it though it were for the common good And shall we not thinke that God will take himselfe dishonored of vs when we shall take either whole or part of his holiday and imploy it in our businesse A maine cause why many profit little by the publicke mininisterie is want of priuat sanctification of this day Therefore we must learne to sanctifie the Saboath of the Lord for else we shal neuer increase in faith knowledge or obedience as wee should for the begetting and increase whereof this day hath beene set apart and sanctified from the beginning Obiect 2. Why did the Lord shew this vision vnto Iohn rather on this day then any other Answ. Though Iohn were absent from the church in regard of bodily presence yet hee was present in spirit withall the faithfull and therefore no doubt on this day hee gaue himselfe to prayer and other duties which he could performe for the glorie of God in that solitarie place Now it is the Lords manner when his seruants are thus humbled then to come and reueale himselfe vnto them in speciall manner So he did vnto Daniel Dan. 9. and to Cornelius Act. 10. and to Peter praying
alone on the house toppe Act. 10.11 And so doubtlesse finding Iohn thus imployed this Lords day he reuealed his will vnto him touching the state of the church to the end of the world Hence we learne sundry instructions First whereas Iohn being in a sollitarie Island kept the Saboath wee may obserue that all persons who are seuered from the assemblies of the church as the prisoners and those which are sicke of a dead paluesie or other great diseases As mariners though they bee in the middest of the sea should keepe holie the Lords Saboath by performing such duties as God requireth as prayer confession of sins and thanksgiuing whereby God may be glorified though they cannot come to the publicke ministerie of the word Secondly in that Iohn receiued his vision on the Lords day when hee gaue himselfe to prayer and holie duties Hence ariseth a consolation to Gods church that God draweth neere vnto them that draw neere to him as Iames 4.8 And so let vs humble our selues and draw neere to the Lord by prayer and thanksgiuing and the Lord in mercie will shew himselfe sundry wayes and draw neere vnto vs. The cause why men haue so little tast of Gods mercie and loue towards them is because they do not draw neere vnto him by doing those duties which he requireth at their hands For when men draw backe from God is it not good reason hee should draw backe from them This therfore must stirre vp our harts and moue vs to come often to God by prayer and thanksgiuing for by vse in these duties shall wee get acquaintance with the Lord. Thus much of the circumstances of this vision And I heard behind me a great voyce as it had bene a trumpet First here followeth the parts of this vision which are two The beginning or entrance into it in this verse and part of the twelft Secondly the matter and substance thereof from the twelft verse to the end of the third chapter The entrance into the vision is a preparation whereby the Lord maketh Iohn more fit to apprehend and receiue the things reuealed In which preparation we must obserue first the meanes secondly the parts thereof The meanes whereby God prepareth him is a voyce And I heard a voyce The like manner of preparation hath God vsed in former times when hee intended to make with Adam the couenant of reconciliation in the seed of the woman First he prepared him by a voyce speaking vnto him before he appeared and by this voyce caused him to slie for feare Then hauing rebuked him for his sinnes he made with him this couenant of grace Genes 3. And in mount Synai before the Lord gaue the law hee first came downe in thundering and lightning and with the sound of a trumpet to terrifie the people and then hee vttered his law to Moyses and to his people So when the Lord would instruct Samuel touching the house of Elie he awoke him by a voyce again and againe and then spake plainely vnto him And in all visions vsually and generally the Lord vseth to prepare his seruants by voyces by signes and words that they might bee more fit to receiue such things as hee reuealed This dealing of God with Iohn in preparing him to the worthy receiuing of this vision teacheth vs that wee much more should bee prepared to heare and receiue the will of God for wee come farre short of those excellent gifts of God which were in Iohn who yet must be prepared Our comming to heare Gods word is to learne the same for the increase of knowledge faith and obedience Now the word of God is hard and we dull to learne wee must therefore by all good meanes prepare our selues that our minds and harts may be fit to receiue the same with profit The cause of so little profit after long hearing is want of preparation but hereof we haue entreated alreadie vpon the third verse This voyce is here set out vnto vs three wayes First by the place whence it came Secondly by the qualitie of it Thirdly by the matter and substance which it contained For the place it was vttered from behind him which the Lord obserued to stirre vp â—â—re attention in Iohn for vsually men doe more carefully marke those things which come on a sudden behind them than those which are spoken or done directly before their face Secondly for the qualitie of it this voyce was great as is expressed further by a similitude Like the sound of a trumpet that is full of power and maiestie Which also God added vnto it to further attention in Iohn For if it had beene an ordinarie voyce or small hee would not so much haue regarded it but being so sudden so great and full of maiestie it could not but make him verie attentiue Now seeing Christ is so carefull to prepare Iohns mind with attention and diligence to receiue the things which should bee told him This teacheth vs that when we come to heare Gods word we must vse all meanes of attention for if it were needfull to Iohn then is it farre more necessarie for vs who are farre inferiour to him in all gifts of vnderstanding and memorie And here also is another cause of small profit and little liking of Gods word namely want of attention in the heart Wee must therefore like godly Lydia Act. 16. stirre vp our dull and heauie spirits and with all diligence marke the things wee heare And here we must take heed of two enemies to attention the first are by-thoughts as when the body indeed is present but the mind wandereth from the word and is wholly possessed with thoughts of pleasure or other worldly affaires For these bee thornes in the ground of our hearts which choke the good seede of the word Many will complaine they cannot marke and remember that which is taught now the cause is in themselues their wandering thoughts which hinder both vnderstanding and memorie for the mind conceiuing other matters cannot obserue how one point dependeth on another much lesse remember them afterward The second enemie to attention is dulnesse and heauinesse in body soule a common fault in many hearers which sheweth it selfe by drowsinesse and sleepinesse in the time of preaching when they ought to stirre vp their bodies and hearts to all attention If a man should bee dull and heauie when his prince is speaking vnto him of some weightie matter that is for his good it would bee taken for a part of contempt and disloyaltie towards his maiestie What disloyaltie then is this vnto the king of kings that we should bee dull and heauy when himselfe vouchsafeth to speake vnto vs out of his word the mysteries of our saluation And surely among other things this drowsinesse is one cause of small profit by the ministerie of the word And therefore if wee would encrease in knowledge and in the gifts of grace vnto saluation we must prepare our selues before we come and in hearing
First he giueth him the signe of his presence Laying his hand vpon him to assure him of protection froÌ„ al danger of death TheÌ„ he giueth him his wrod bidding him not to feare Hence we may learne that the assurance of Gods presence and protection is a souerigne remedie against all feare when Moses feared the great calling he was sent about to take away that feare the Lord saith I will be with thee Hence Dauid saith He will not feare though he walke through the valley of the shadow of death because God is his stay and comfort Wherefore it concerneth vs to labour to be assured not onely of Gods presence but of his prouidence and speciall protection And so in all dangers both of life and death wee shall haue stay and comfort for our soules The Lord hauing vsed these two meanes to confirme Iohn both a signe his word doth yet further condescend vnto Iohns weaknesse and establisheth his owne word by two reasons The first in these words I am the first and the last Christ is the first Because nothing was or could bee before him The last because nothing is or can bee after him These two titles are giuen vnto Christ to expresse his Godhead and eternitie as before wee haue heard verse 8. Now here they are againe set downe to giue vs to vnderstand that hee hath in his owne power the beginning and end of all things and therefore is able to protect his seruants from all dangers and from death and will make good vnto them all his promises vnto eternall life Verse 18. And Am he that liueth but I was dead and behold I am aliue for euermore Amen And I haue the keyes of hell and of death These words conteine the second reason to confirme Iohn And it may thus be framed by way of a distinction Although I was dead yet I am he that liueth for so the words are and behold I am aliue for euermore Amen Yea I haue power ouer death and hell This distinction containeth three parts First Though I was once dead yet I am he that liueth Secondly Though I was once dead yet I liue for euermore Thirdly Though I was once dead yet I haue the keyes of death and of hell Of these in order I. part And Am he that liueth though I was dead Here life is ascribed to Christ in a speciall manner For Christ liueth in a peculiar sort differeÌ„t froÌ„ the life of other creatures For first hee hath sufficient life in himselfe and from himselfe Secondly he giueth life to others For the first that wee may better conceiue it wee must know that life is twofold vncreated and created Vncreated life is the life of God whereby God liueth This life is eternall and infinit in it selfe from it selfe Now as Christ is God he liueth this vncreated life which is all one with the godhead Againe created is twofold The first is naturall preserued by means of meat and drinke The second is spirituall both begunne and continued by meanes of the immediat operation of Gods spirit whereby wee haue fellowship with God And this spirituall life is more perfect than the naturall Now Christ liueth not the naturall life but as he is God liueth the vncreated life as he is man he liueth the spirituall life his body and soule hauing al their subsisting and sustentation in the second person in Trinitie and therefore he hath in himselfe most absolut and perfect life and so liueth of himselfe Secondly Christ is here said to liue because he giueth life vnto men that two wayes First as he is God and so he giueth life to all good and bad For in him euery thing liueth moueth and hath his beeing Act. 17.28 Secondly as he is mediator God and man and so he giueth spiritual life vnto his church and people Hence he saith to his Disciples Because I liue yee shall liue also Iohn 14.19 For looke as Christ died not for himselfe but for vs that we might not die eternally So hee liueth now in heauen the spirituall life not for himselfe alone but for vs that we might liue that spirituall life in and by him eternally And therefore our life is sayd To be hid with God in Christ. And for this cause in the Sacrament we doe eate the body and drinke the bloud of Christ really by the mouth of faith that wee might know that our life is to be fetched from him For as we receiue grace from his grace so wee receiue life from his life Hereby wee are taught to seeke for this spirituall life at Christ hands that we may say with Paul I liue not now but Christ liâ—eth in me Gal. â— 21 and that Our life 〈◊〉 â—id in Christ as in a head and roote For he liueth in heauen that wee might liue by him our care must not be so much for our temporall life which is but a vapour and like a fleeting shadow as for this spirituall life which is eternall But the practise of this duty is rare to bee found though the omission of it bee a grieuous sinne Mens whole care is for temporall life few thinke on this how to procure to themselues this spirituall life by Christ though he haue said I liue that you may liue in me This appeareth by their common practise They will goe ten twenty yea an hundred miles to prouide means for their bodily preseruation and yet will scarce go one or two miles for the meanes of their saluation for euer The cause thereof is the hardnesse of mens hearts which are not touched for their sinnes nor feele the smart weight thereof This we may see plainly in the woman of Samariah For when Christ sate at the well of Iacob talking with her and telling her that he was the well of life of whose water whosoeuer dranke should neuer thirst She did nothing but cauill with him But when he layd to her heart her principall sinnes then she left off cauelling and in reuerence and some beginning of faith Acknowledged him to be the Messias Euen so let the minister say vnto his people hee can bring them to the water of life they will nothing regard but cauill at the doctrine of the Gospell till their sinnes bee touched and their soules humbled by the sight thereof Wherefore if wee would haue our hearts fit to receiue spirituall life by Christ we must first labor to haue a sense of our sinnes and to feare Gods wrath due vnto vs for the same Hereby we shal be weined from the dangerous loue of earthly things and our soules shall bee rauished with desire of Christ Iesus He is the well of life and if once we could feele a parching heat in our soules by reason of our sinnes then would we thirst neuer be at rest till we had drunke our fill and dined our selues in his sauing merits This naturall life is but vanishing and therefore we must labour for this spirituall
For the first I know thy workes many doe expound this of workes of mercie and liberalitie but that wil not so well stand for he saith to euerie church I know thy workes and yet some of them are blamed for want of these good workes By works then is meant the wayes that is the practises and dealings of the whole church as well of ministers as people in all their affaires Also by knowledge here we must vnderstand a knowledge that goeth with application as may appeare by comparing this with the fourth verse whither it hath relation for thus they must go I know thy workes and approue of them and yet I haue somthing against thee So that his meaning is I know thy workes that is all thy wayes and dealings in thy life and conuersation are manifest vnto me and I do generally approue of them Here first in this testimonie of his knowledge Christ ministreth a remedie against secret sinnes and offences The theefe the murtherer and adulterer wait for the night wherein to attempt their shamefull practises The tradesman in secret falsifyeth his weights and mingleth his wares among most men fraud oppression and iniustice do abound and all because they thinke that if men see not all is well as Dauid saith the wicked man saith God shall not see he will not regard But if men could thinke and bee persuaded of this that Christ seeth and knoweth all their wayes it would cause them to make conscience not onely of grosse sinnes but euen of their hidden and secret offences Secondly whereas this knowledge is ioyned with approbation it may be demanded how this can stand with the iustice of God to approue of that which is not answerable to the tenour of his law as the best workes of the most righteous man are not beeing stained with some corruption Isay. 64 6. Answ. The Gospell which is another part of Gods wil reuealeth more vnto vs than euer the law could do namely that if a man bee in Christ to him there is no condemnation and that God will accept his true desire and endeuour to please him for the deed it selfe 2. Cor. 8.12 And thus according to the tenour of the Gospell Christ approueth of their workes in this place though they were not able to abide the â—igor of his law But a Papist will here reason thus If a righteous mans workes bee approued of God then they are no sinnes for God will not approue of any thing that is sinfull and if his workes be no sinnes then he may fulfill the law and so bee iustified by his workes Answ. That which Christ approueth simply hath no sinne in it but here he onely approueth of their workes in part namely so farre foorth as they came from the work of his spirit in them but as they proceed from the will of the worker which is in part corrupt they are not free from the staine of sinne and so he approueth them not Againe workes of grace are approued of Christ with the pardon of sinne for accepting of the person he remitteth the faults that be in his good workes and so onely approueth his own worke in him And so here we must conceiue of his approbation of their workes to wit as proceeding from his spirit and hauing the faults thereof remitted in his owne merit The speciall commendation of this church is for particular actions The first whereof is diligent labour which is an excellent worke especally in a minister of Gods word to be painefull in his particular calling for the faithfull instruction and godly regiment of his particular charge Hence Paule saith 1. Tim. 5.17 He that laboureth in the word and doctrine is principally worthy double honor And herein Paul matcheth yea preferreth himselfe before other Apostles That hee laboured more abundantly in the ministery of the Gospell than they all 1. Cor. 15.10 Hence we learne that the worke of the ministerie if it be done as it ought is a worke full of great paines and labour contrary to the common opinion of men who thinke that the life of the minister is full of ease and his calling a matter of nothing such as may be done with the turning of the hand but here the iudgement of Christ is other wayes who vseth not thus to approue a light or idle worke Secondly this commendation of diligence in the minister must admonish all christians that desire to be approoued of Christ to giue all diligence to learne and know the will of God that they may do the same And here a common fault is to be reproued many will heare but where is their labour to grow in knowledge in grace that is wanting which iâ— the cause of such fruitlesse hearing as is common in the world For earthly things men refuse no paines but Gods heauenly knowledge and graces are not regarded What a shame is this that men should bestow their strength and wit about base and transitorie things and yet neglect the main good which concernes their soules for euer Thirdly the ministers diligence in teaching must prouoke conscience of obedience in the hearers that is the end of his worke without this hee spends his strength in vaine and therefore with the Apostle they must indeuour in all things to keepe a good conscience before God and all men Act. 24.16 The second thing which Christ here commends is patienâ—e in bearing the crosse which doth vsually accompanie the Gospell of Christ. And this indeed is praise worthy in the angel of this church for herin he goeth before sundry worthy prophets Ieremie was maruellous impatient for the mockings of the people And though Ionas had beene schooled in the whales belly yet when all things went not according to his mind in the destruction of Niniuie he became exceeding discontent Herein must all the ministers of the Gospell become followers of the Angell of this church While they labour in the Gospell of God they must possesse their soules with patience and make knowne to all men their meeke and mild spirit Yea euerie christian in the profession of religion must learne to practise this duty Luk. 8.16 The good ground receiueth the seed and bringeth forth fruit but how with patience Neither can wee possibly attaine to eternall life vnlesse we arme our selues with patience to beare the crosse for whosoeuer will liue godly must suffer affliction 2. Tim. 3.12 Through many tribulations we must enter into heauen Act. 14.22 II. Againe here obserue how Christ ioyneth labour and patience together this he doth for two causes First to let vs see the fruit of sinne which God hath set on the labour of man Before the fall the labour of mans calling was practised without all trouble or paines but since mans fall the best callings haue their crosses and vexations which are the punishments of mans transgression Socondly to shew vs the malice of Sathan against the good progresse of the Gospell Paul saith to the Thessalonians
that thence we may offer vp acceptable sacrifices of praise and thanksgiuing vnto the Lord. Secondly we must stir vp the gifts of grace that are in vs as Paule sayth to Timothie 2. Tim. 1.6 vsing a comparison from the fire which burneth more bright and cleare when it is stirred vp Lastly wee must exercise our selues in the duties of pietie as faith repentance loue and such like so shall they not decay And thus much for the sinne of this church Verse 5. Remember therefore whence thou art fallen and repent and doe thy first workes or els I will come against thee shortly and will remooue thy candlesticke out of his place except thou amend Our Sauiour Christ the faithfull physition of our soules hauing sharpely rebuked this church doth here prescribe vnto them a soueraigne remedie against their sinne of decay in loue FroÌ„ whence we may learne that the law whereby sin is reproued is to be taught but yet with this qualification that withall the doctrine of the Gospell be ioyned thereunto that the sinnes which are ripped vp by the law may be cured by the Gospel This is Christs manner of preaching in this place whose practise is a most worthie platforme for all his ministers for we haue no warrant at this day to preach the law barely which onely maketh the wound without the Gospell which alone sheweth the remedie This remedie here prescribed is of speciall vse and worthie our consideration generally by it we haue direction to answer to two necessarie questions of practise which often fall out in the life of man First a man is effectually called to professe the gospell and yet after his conuersion either through the corruption of his nature or by the temptation of the diuell and the world falleth into sinne againe what must this man do for his recouerie Ans. He must remember whence he is fallen and repent of those his sinnes and do his first workes The second question is this A man that hath all his life long liued in ignorance and sin is now touched in conscience for his loose life how shall this man escape the wrath of God become reconciled vnto him Ans. He must first remember whence hee is fallen by Adams sinne and by his owne transgressions Secondly hee must repent of his sinnes Thirdly endeuor to do the first workes whereto he is bound by the law of creation so shal he escape the wrath of God and be receiued into his loue and fauour In particular this remedie hath three parts The first Remember whence thou art fallen The second And repent The third And do thy first workes The words following Or else I will come against thee c. Are a reason of this remedie to persuade them to do the duties prescribed For the first Remember whence thou art fallen The words beare this sence Examine thy selfe throughly see in thy selfe the decay of thy former loue and then ponder the same in thy heart seriously and throughly Here Christ inioyneth to this church two duties I. Examination whereby shee must descend into her owne heart and search out her owne wants especially the want of her loue to God to his word and to her brethren II. Consideration whereby she must often thinke of these her wants and lay the same to her heart vnfainedly This course which Christ taketh with this church teacheth vs first that it is a dangerous thing for any person in Gods church not to bee acquainted throughly with his owne estate that so hee may search out his owne wants and deeply consider of the same For this very thing Ieremie blamed the people in his time that no man sayd with himselfe what haue I done And Christ layeth this sinne to the charge of the people of the old world that they were ignorant of their estate They knew nothing till the floud came and â—â—oke them all away And this is the common sin of this age no man almost doth examine himselfe consider in his hart his owne estate by reason of his sinnes and wants Nay men are growne to this that they count it a meanes to breed melancholie and therefore do â—lie the practise of this dutie and so nuzzell themselues in their fearefull securitie Secondly here wee learne that it is a speciall dutie for them that liue in Gods church to be throughly acquainted with their owne estate to examine and search out their owne sinnes and often to consider seriously of their particular wants Zephanie preaching the doctrine of repentance vnto the people beginneth thus Search ye search your selues oh nation not worthie to be beloued Where the word translated search signifieth such a search as a man would make for some small thing in a great heape of chaffe This is the Lords counsell Hag. 1.7 Consider your owne wayes in your hearts and it must be our practise if we would be saued This duty is the beginning and ground of true repentance and therefore Christ here giueth it the first place for no man can truly repent before hee bee acquainted with his owne infirmities and with his owne fearefull and damnable estate by reason of his sinnes And therefore Dauid saith I first considered my wayes and then I turned my feete into thy testimonies The cause why so few in the world doe truly repent is want of consideration from whence they are fallen and what bee their sinnes and the dreadful iudgements thereby deserued For till the mind doe truly conceiue her owne miserie the hart can neuer rightly hunger after mercie Sinne must bee our greatest woe before Christ become our chiefest ioy The second part of this remedie is Repentance iâ— selfe for after a man is well acquainted with his wants and hath throughly considered of his owne misery then he commeth to repent In the handling hereof fiue points are to be obserued I. What repentanceis II. How it is to be practised III. Who commandeth it IV. To whom it is commaunded V. For what they must repent For the first Repentance properly is in the mind as the word in this place doth import for it signifieth thus much After some follie or ouerslip to be better aduised Repentance then in the mind is a change from euil to good or a turning from sinne vnto God Act. 26.20 Repent and turne to God Which latter words expound the former plainly shew what repentance is And this change in the mind standeth in this resolution whereby a man by Gods grace purposeth to leaue all his former sinnes and to cleaue vnto God in holy obedience vnto all his commandements And when this resolution is in the mind therwithall followeth a turning of the whole man in will in affections and in all the actions of his life This appeareth by that description of the practise of repentance which Paul reduceth to seuen heads viz. Care clearing of themselues indignation feare great desire zeale and reuenge 2. Cor. 7.11 wherof some are renewed affections
more though God summon men to repent by his dayly iudgements yet few or none by true humilitie prepare to meete God and to preuent his iudgements Securitie spreads it selfe ouer the whole bodie of our people And this being our case and state it must needes bee that God hath beene long since in comming to vs by his iudgements and a◠this day he is still comming because we still decay in loue and other graces and more and more goe on in sinne So that if we thus continue the truth is hee will come shortly vnto vs and that by most fearefull iudgements For this was written to the church of Ephesus to be a direction not onely vnto them but to all churches to the end of the world that be in the like or worser case What shall wee then doe Our dutie is taught vs in these words If not that is if thou repent not Wee must preuent the Lords comming in iudgement by vnfained repentance euery man and euery familie apart must repent priuately and the whole Church openly and publickely no way else wee haue to stay the Lords comming against vs by his fearefull iudgements The second part of this reason is a more particular threatening than the former And will remooue thy candlesticke out of his place Where hee sheweth with what particular iudgement hee will punish this church namely by remoouing away the candlesticke The meaning whereof may bee gathered out of the former chapter where particular churches were called candlestickes therefore here hee threateneth to remooue his church from the citie of Ephesus to take away the Ministerie of his Gospell and the profession thereof and in his iust iudgement to send among them Ignorance Apostacie and Heresie in steed of the knowledge of his truth This particular iudgement must be referred to the first words If not that is if thou repent not this will I doe I will make thee to be no Church and take my Gospell from thee In this particular threatening three points are to bee obserued one concerning the Minister the second concerning the whole body of the church the third concerning euery priuat man Touching the Minister note this If he shall decay in loue to God to his word or to his brethren or if hee lye in any one sinne knowne to himselfe it is a meanes to depriue him either of his calling or of Gods gifts bestowed on him for this threatening is here directed especially vnto the Angell of this Church of Ephesus When Ieremie had beene wanting in deliuering the Lord◠will vnto the people partly for feare partly through impatience then the Lord becomes a Prophet vnto him saying If thou returne I will bring thee againe and thou shalt stand before me Whereby hee would giue him to vnderstand That if hee returned not he should cease to be a Prophet vnto him The same thing is true of all Gods Ministers if they decay in loue faile in their dutie or lye in any sinne they must speedily renew themselues by repentance or els God will depriue them either of their calling or of the gifts thereof True repentance and the renewing thereof is needfull vnto all Christians but especially to Gods Ministers if they would continue in his fauour and stand before him becomming his mouth vnto the people The second point concerneth the whole bodie of a Church to wit if a Church or people decay in loue to God to religion and to their brethren or doe lye in any common sinne they procure hereby the remoouing of the gospell from them and the abolishing of true religion The Prophet is a 〈◊〉 sayth the Lord and the man of the spirit i◠mad This was a great and fearefull iudgement but mark◠the cause All is 〈◊〉 thine iniquitie that is for the sinne of the whole church doth God send foolish Ministers If this bee so then wee haue iust cause in our Church to feare the remoouing of the gospell from vs for there is a generall decay of loue in many and in the most no loue at all Many scorne and contemn true religion and hate the professours thereof In regard whereof wee may wonder at the great patience of God that yet continueth his gospell among vs For God giueth men vp to strong delusion to beleeue lyes because they loue not his truth Wherefore being in this danger our dutie is to vse all good meanes to preuent this iudgement of God which can no other way bee done than by true and vnfained repentance by the whole Church in generall and by euery man apart and euery familie apart For when God shall speake suddenly against a nation or kingdome to root it vp and to destroy it if that people repent of their wickednesse the Lord will repent of the plague and iudgement which hee thought to bring vpon them Ierem. 18. vers 7 8. The third point concerneth euery priuate man and it is this If any man decay in loue or want loue to God and to his brethren or lye in any sin knowne to himselfe This is a meanes to remooue the candlesticke from him to depriue him of his knowledge and other graces of God The affection of loue in the heart is like the watch of the clocke if the watch stand the wheeles stand as the watch goeth fast or softly so goe the wheeles answerably And so it is in man if his loue to God and to his gospell doe encrease then doth his knowledge and other graces of God encrease in his heart but if his loue decay then other graces decay and if loue be gone then farewell all pietie and true religion If we would know the cause of such palpable ignorance as is in many that haue long heard the gospell preached it is nothing but want of loue Heb. 3.12 13. The Holy ghost sheweth by what degrees men come to fall away from God First sinne deceiues them by drawing them to commit it then their hearts are hardened by custome of sinning Thence followes vnbeleefe in maine points of Religion and so they make Apostacie from God and set themselues against his truth Take heed therefore of lying in any sinne for that is the high way to finall Apostacie rather striue to encrease in loue vnto God and vnto his word and so shall all his good graces encrease in thine heart Out of this particular threatening some gather That a man may bee cut off frō Christ fall away finally from true faith and repentance For say they if a whole Church may bee cut off from Christ and become no Church then may any one member of the Church be cut off and become no member But a whole church may bee cut off as here we see and therefore may any one man Answ. This reason is not good there is great difference betweene the state of a whole Church and of one man that is a true member of Christ. For a particular Church is a mixt companie of true professors and dissemblers like
Apostles that were extraordinarie men of moâ—e â—xcellent gifts might doe nothing without warrant Of the parts of this commaundement we spake in the first verse of this chapter The Epistle it selfe followeth containing thrâ—e parts a Preface a Proposition and a Conclusion The Preface containeth a preparation to the matter of the Epistle in these words These things sayth â—e that is the first to 〈◊〉 last which was dead and is aliue In this Preface he sheweth in whose name this Epistle was written vnto this Church namely in Christs name which he setteth downe for two causes First to stir vp the people in this church to a religious attention and a reuerent care of receiuing the things therin written as the pure words of Christ Iesus Secondly because no commaundement in the matter of Gods worship and religion is to be receiued from any creature but from Christ alone And therefore this Epistle concerning the true worship and religion of God is propounded in his name alone In this Preface Christ is described by two notable Arguments First To be the first and the last second that he was dead but is aliue The meaning of them both was shewed in the 17 and 18 verses of the former chapter whence they are borrowed By the first Christ would signifie that he is euerliuing God without beginning or ending before all creatures and after them By the second that hee is true man and assumed mans nature to suffer death for our sinnes and rose againe to liue for euer and to giue to man eternall life In this description two points of doctrine are expressed I. That Christ is a person consisting of two natures Godhead and Manhood He is the first and the last and therefore God He was dead and is aliue and therefore is true man If any aske how one person can consist of two natures Answ. As bodie and soule concurre to make one man so the Godhead and Manhood of Christ concurre to make one Christ and therefore are vnited II. Doctr. Here is the foundation of all true comfort vnto Gods Church and people in any miserie or afflictioÌ„ Which standeth in two points first that Christ is able to helpe them in any miserie either by freeing them quite from it or easing them in it seeing hee is God the first and last Secondly that as he is able so he is willing and readie to helpe them for he is man who tooke on him our nature died for vs and rose againe vnto life to giue to vs eternall life This is the very scope and end for which Christ thus describeth himselfe to this church that was in affliction Here then wee haue direction where and whence to seeke for true comfort 〈…〉 tribulation of this life namely wee must haue recourse to Christ and in him â—onsider both his abilitie and his willingnesse to â—ase all 〈◊〉 children in affliction And by these wee must arme our selues against dâ—spairâ— and against immoderate griefâ— and sorrow vnder the crosse Verse 9. I knâ—â— thy workes and â—â—ibulation and 〈◊〉 but thâ—â— ar◠〈◊〉 and I know the blasphemie of them which say they are Iewes 〈…〉 but are the Synagogue of Satan Here beginneth the Proposition of this Epistle containing the matter and substance of the whole Epistlâ— This Proposition hath two parts a commendation of this Church and counsell how to behaue 〈◊〉 selfe in the time to come The commendation is in this ninth verse wherewithall are mingled some comfortâ— vnto this Church being in affliction I knâ—w thy workâ—â— These wordâ— were handled in the former Epistle The meaning breefely is this I know all thy dealings thy waies I know the whole tenor of thy life and I doe withall well like and approoue of them Here Christ setteth downe an excellent propertie touching himselfe namely that he seeth and knoweth all things whatsoeuer nothing is hid from him and that this Church might bee resolued hereof hee repeateth this vnto them I know thy workes Neither is it any vaine repetition being indeed the ground of all true pietie and syncere obedience Wee therefore in a our affaires are here taught to labour to bee fully resolued in our consciences that Christ is with vs and seeth vs and knoweth the whole tenour of our wayes in thoughts words and â—â—eds Dauid had learned this when as he sayd Thou knowest my sitting and my rising thou vnderstandest my thoughts a farre off Thou compassest my paths and my lying downe and art accustomed vnto all my wayes there is not a word in my toung but thou knowest it wholly This persuasion is very necessarie for it will moue a man to make conscience of euery thought word and action and of his whole behauiour but where this persuasion is wanting there is no religion in the heart nor good behauior in the life When this takes place Religion beginneth and encreaseth with it so doth good conscience and true obedience for hee that hath the Lord alwayes before him will not greatly fall Psal. 16.8 And tribulation Marke here how workes that is a godly conuersation and tribulation goe together Hence we learne that God will haue tribulations ioyned with his grace where hee bestowes his graces there also hee layeth tribulation and that for weightie causes as to humble them for their sinnes past to make triall of their faith and other graces and to preuent in them sinnes to come The consideration wherof must mooue all Gods children in this our Church to looke for some tribulation for God hath bestowed among vs plentie of his graces with long peace and many outward blessings and his will is that trouble and affliction should accompanie the same Further Christ saying I know thy tribulations would hereby comfort this Church as if hee should say True it is thou art in great trouble but it commeth not by chaunce but by the speciall prouidence of my father and I do know and regard the same Psal. 113.6 7 The raising vp of the poore and needie is made a fruit of Gods beholding the things that are done vpon the earth This is an excellent comfort for any church or people that be in affliction for when they shall know that beside the hand of God therein Christ Iesus regardeth their sorrowes this must needes arme them with long suffering and ioyfulnesse We in this Church as hath beene shewed may persuade our selues that God will send tribulations among vs now when they come what shall we doe Shall wee sinke vnder them No but wee must now forecast to vse the meanes whereby we may stay our hearts vnder the smart and burden of them that is by setling our hearts in this persuasion that Christ seeth our affliction and withall hath speciall care to comfort or deliuer vs as hee seeth most for his glory and the good of our souleâ— In the next words Christ setteth downe two kinds of tribulations in this church Pouertie and Reproâ—h By Pouertie he meaneth want of temporall things to maintaine this
by the name of counsell First â—ere note that Christ commendeth this church and giueth her counsell but doth not at all rebuke her for her faults as he did the church of Ephesus Hence the Papists gather that Gods church and so the members thereof may liue without sinne and fulâ—ill the law But they are deceiued Christ therfore abstaineth from reproofe of this church not for that he had not any thing against them but for these two causes especially First because this church of Smyrna did truely repent and beleeue and did not decay in grace as the church of Ephesus did and therefore had the pardon of her sinnes and was in Gods loue and fauour Secondly this church did indeuour to obey Christ and to testifie her faith and loue thereby Now God accepteth the desire and will of obedience in his children as obedience it selfe and therefore did not reproâ—ue them for any fault that was among them Seeing this church being in affliction is so farre forth accepted that Christ reproueth nothing in her wee are taught it is profitable for Gods church and people sometime to bee in affliction for thereby are the gifts and graces of God preserued as Faith and Repentance and many greeuous sinnes preuented which otherwise Gods children might fall into The counsell it selfe containeth three parts A precept A prophesie And a precept againe The first precept is in these words Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer This precept may seeme to be against other places of Scripture as Phil. 2.12 Worke out your saluation in feare and trembling And Rom. 11.20 â—e not high minded but feare Answ. There bee three kinds of feare I. naturall feare II. feare proceeding from grace III. a distrustfull fearefull proceeding from vnbeleefe I. The naturall feare is a declining and eschewing of death and those things that tend thereto this feare is in all men in as much as euerie thing desireth to preserue it selfe this was in Christ who in his agonie feared death as it was a separation of soule and bodie asunder yet this was no sinne in him but onely an infirmitie without sinne The second kind of feare is that which commeth from grace Mal. 1.6 If I be a maister where is mine â—onor If I be a father where is my feare This feare is a reuerent awe towards God in regard of his mercie and iudgements and this is a vertue and no sinne The third is distrustfull feare when men for affliction forsake religion and obedience to God standing more in feare of men than of God and this is that feare which Christ in this place forbiddeth being a sin that draweth men from God vnto perdition In this commaundement Christ doth two things First he giueth them and vs to vnderstand what is the sinne in which euerie man is conceiued and the seed whereof remaineth stil in the children of God namely distrustfull vnbeleefe whereby men feare the authoritie of the creature more than the glorious maiesty of the eternall God which proceedeth from this that men consider not of God as he extendeth his prouidence ouer all things and as he is a mightie iudge taking reuenge vpon all sin and wickednesse Secondly here Christ describeth the meanes wherby Gods people may arme themselues against all perils and troubles whatsoeuer to wit Christian fortitude which is a gift of God proceeding froÌ„ true faith inabling a man to lay aside all feare and with courage to vndergo al dangers whatsoeuer that he may in life and death maintaine faith and a good conscience This vertue God prescribed to the Prophets when they were to enter into their calling and our Sauiour Christ to his Apostles and to this church of Smyrna And it were to be wished that all the ministers of the gospell might speake vnto their people as Christ speaketh vnto this church Feare not But the truth is if they deale faithfully they must change their note and say with Ioell Waile and houle ye priests and people lying in sackcloth and ashes because the day of the Lords vengeance is at hand For it is lamentable to see the state of the whole body of our people of whom wee may generally say with the Prophet There is no knowledge of God in the land And where knowledge is there is litle conscience to liue therafter Consider also how the most are carnall minded dead in sin they sauour not thâ— things that pertaine to Gods kingdome but their hearts are wholly possessed with earthly desires delights and spirituall things affect them not Yea in all places wee shall see that as naturall sleepe wrappeth vp the senses of the body so a spiritual slumber benummeth their minds and hearts For though God preach daily vnto vs by his iudgements yet like the old world wee know nothing of the euill day we neuer cal to mind the iudgement to come And if herunto we ioyne the common crying sinnes of this land as swearing cursing oppression Saboath breaking drunkennesse whordome and all vncleannesse yea Atheisme it selfe the ground of all How can we say with Christ Feare not yea rather wee must call men to repentance in sackcloth and ashes For God is iealous of his glorie neither will hee alway be chiding nor winke at our iniquities he hath whet his sword and bent his bow and vnlesse wee repent the day of hauocke will come shortly wherein hee will take vengeance vpon all our iniquities And although this be the common state of our land yet Christ hath his remnant among vs who mourne for the sinnes and abhominations of the times and doe endeuour to keepe faith and a good conscience in all things and to these it may be sayd Feare not but take to your selues christian courage arme your selues therewith lay aside all distrustfull feare and glorifie God in your hearts striue to keepe the faith in a pure conscience vnto the end and so shall Christ appeare to your ioy when the wicked shall be ashamed And to moue Gods children to this christian fortitude First let them consider what a iudgement of God is due vnto them that are distrustfully fearfull when they should suffer any thing for the name of Christ Reuel 21.8 They must haue their reward in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone among the damned Secondly let them obserue the Lords presence and his gracious promise of protection in distresse He will cause his Angels to pitch their tents about them that no perill shall hurt them 2. King 6. When a mightie armie came against Elisha his seruant was fore afraid but marke how he comforteth him Feare not saith he for they that be with vs are more than they that be with them And so it is with Gods children Thirdly let them consider that it is a most honourable estate to suffer any thing for the name of Christ. And therefore the Apostles reioyced exceedingly when they had bene beaten That they were counted worthie to suffer any
III. Those that for a time shew forth many good things as care to get knowledge and to keepe faith and a good conscience but after suffer themselues to be intangled and drawne away with the profites and pleasures of the world or els to bee driuen backe by trials and persecutions And of these three sorts be most men generally whose case is fearefull and dangerous for they shall neuer haue the crowne of life if they continue thus vnfaithfull To induce men to fidelitie Christ addeth a most forcible reason promising thereunto The crowne of eternall life Hence the Papists conclude that Martyrs by suffering martyrdome doe merite the kingdome of heauen because it is called a crowne therefore say they it is a reward Whereto I answere two wayes I. The kingdome of heauen is called a crowne onely in resemblance because as with men after the race is run they receiue the garland euen so after men haue fought the good fight of faith and kept good conscience in this life then in the life to come they receiue the crowne of glorie For the keeping of faith good conscience is not the cause but the antecedent of eternall life Secondly the reward is promised not to the martyrdome but to the martyr and yet not for his sufferings but because hee is a member of Christ and by suffring death hath shewed his faith in Christ for whose merit alone hee is so rewarded And so must this and all other promises of like sort be vnderstood for the Papists do foulely erre when they apply the promises vnto the workes which are made vnto the workers By this promise wee all that haue made our vow to God in baptisme must learne to become faithfull in keeping the same vnto the end It is a shame for a man to be vnfaithfull vnto men much more with God And the more fearefull is this sinne because onely the faithfull shall inherite eternall life Secondly all such as haue made a shew of good things heretofore and now doe suffer the same to decay must call to mind from whence they are fallen and become faithfull keepers of the graces of God holding fast true religion and good conscience and walke constantly in obedience and then shall they haue the crowne of life though not for their deserts but only for the merits of Christ. Verse 11. Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit sayth vnto the Churches he that ouercommeth shall not bee hurt of the second death These words containe the last part of this Epistle namely the Conclusion Wherein obserue generally as also in the two next verses that Christ repeateth the same things which he spake before in this and the former chapters yea in the very same words This must bee considered because it is done by Christ who is the doctor of his church whose example both for matter and manner of teaching must bee our rule and precept The like did the Apostles It grieued not Paule to write the same things Phil. 3.1 And Peter sayth vnto the dispersed Church That he will often put them in mind of the same things before his departing wherein they had knowledge and were established Hereby all the Ministers of the gospell in their Ministerie haue warrant often to teach and repeat the same points of doctrine euen in the same words Yea Gods faithfull Minister may preach the same Sermon oftentimes if hee doe it not for ease to himselfe but for the benefit of the people And therefore if any hearer of Gods word shall at any time marke the Minister to deliuer the same things often he is not curiously to find fault with his Ministerie for by that reason they may find fault with Christ who seuen times repeateth the same things vnto these churches This Conclusion hath two parts a Commaundement and a Promise The words of this commaundement haue beene expounded in the seuenth verse with the doctrines and vses thereof yet here is to bee obserued what the spirit commendeth thus seriously to our hearing The things are three which were handled in the former verses First touching Gods prouidence that hee seeth and regardeth the tribulations of his church The second touching triall that Gods church and people ought before-hand to consider of the day of visitation and thereby arme themselues with courage against all afflictions that they suffer not themselues to bee ouermuch daunted with any feare The third touching faithfulnesse Gods people must consider what promises they haue made to God in baptisme namely to keepe faith true religion and good conscience vnto the end and these they must performe vnto death These things being so carefully commended vnto vs by Christ wee must labour to haue them engrauen in our hearts that we may practise them in our liues And to incite vs hereunto wee must marke the two reasons contained in the words First because the Spirit of Christ speaketh to vs. Secondly because they concerne all Churches though principally they were spoken to the church of Smyrna and therefore none may seeke excuse to exempt himselfe from learning and obeying these things The Promise Hee that ouercommeth shall not be hurt of the second death Of the meanes of ouercomming we haue spoken in the seuenth verse By second death is meant the condemnation of the soule and bodie for euer and euer For there be two kinds of death mentioned in Scripture The first is the separation of bodie and soule asunder at the end of this life The second is when soule and bodie both are sâ—â—ered for euer from Gods comfortable presence Reu. 21.8 This second death is expounded to bee an abode in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone The meaning therefore of the promise is this that they which ouercome thogh they may suffer the first death yet they shall neuer suffer damnation their soule and bodie may be seuered one from the other for a time but neither soule nor bodie shall euer be seuered from God to goe into that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Which is a most gracious and happy promise Here first marke to whome this promise is made namely To them that ouercome Where learne that it is not sufficient for a man to professe and approoue or to teach the doctrine of the gospell but withall he must ioyne a fight against himselfe against sinne the world the deuill and against all the enemies of his saluation and not suffer them to raigne ouer him but so fight as by Gods grace hee may ouercome and then shall the second death neuer hurt him It is nothing to professe if we still liue in sinne and therefore wee must not content our selues with knowledge but labour to feele in our hearts such power of grace as will make vs truly to say we are conquerours ouer our spirituall enemies This is that blessed state of all those vnto whom life euerlasting belongeth who shall neuer taste of the second death Secondly here is answered a great question which
of an harlot Fiftly their bodies are temples and dwelling places not for earthly Princes but for the holy Ghost and therefore must be furnished with Gods graces and adorned with chastitie other gifts of Gods spirit that they may be fit mantion places for so worthie a guest But by fornication they are made the sâ—ies stables of the prince of darknesse Verse 16. Repent thy selfe or else I come vnto thee shortly and will fight against thee with the sword of my mouth Christ hauing layd downe the sinnes of this church and the errors of the Nicholaitans doth here propound vnto this church First a remedie for her recouerie Secondly a reason to inforce the practise of the remedie The remedie is in these words Repent thy selfe In it consider these points First what it is to repent Secondly why Christ so often vrgeth thereunto Thirdly to whome Christ prescribeth this remedie Of the first we haue spoken in the first verse of this chapter Briefly therefore Repentance is a change of the mind from euill to good and a turning from sinne vnto God Here repentance must bee taken more largely for all the duties that accompany repentance in the practise therof as I. Humiliation of a man by confessing of his sins vnto God and condemning of himselfe for the sinne II. Prayer wherby a man doth earnestly intreat the Lord for the pardon of the same sins III. Reformation wherby a man in hart proposeth and in life indeuoureth to leaue all his former sinnes and for euer after to do all things in obedience vnto God vnto all these doth the holy Ghost exhort them in this place II. Point Why doth Christ so often prescribe this duty of repentance and so much vrge it An. Not for that it is a cause or a meritorious means to procure remission of sins life euerlasting as the Papists do falsly and damnably teach for that nothing can do but the obedience passion of Christ but first because it is a token of Gods fauor procured a most excellent fruit of faith such as maketh a man cease to do euill and moueth him to do good Secondly because it is a way wherin meÌ„ must walke vnto the end that wold haue remissioÌ„ of sins life eternal III. point To whom is this remedie prescribed Answ. First to the church of Pergamus and then to the Nicholaitans in that church though they were most wicked men Touching the church of Pergamus they were before commended for most worthie graces for they had repentance and yet note Christ sayth still vnto them Repent thy selfe Herein teaching vs a most worthie lesson which euery one ought to learne and practise namely that the life of a Christian is a continuall practise of repentance When a man hath once repented that is not sufficient but euery new day must haue a new repentance for his dayly slips Wee are Gods embassadours sayth Paule for Christ beseeching you in Christs steed that you would be reconciled vnto God Now they were reconciled to God before for they are called the Temple of the liuing God His meaning therefore is That they should striue more and more after reconciliation with God both in regard of their further assurance and also for their particular sinnes wherein they dayly offended Euery Christian must dayly wresâ—â—e with his owne corruptions which hee feeleth in himselfe that the longer hee liueth the more hee may grow in dislike with himselfe And in this distast of himselfe hee must dayly proceed that hee may euery day more and more grow vp in Christ. And least any should thinke that this was spoken to this church alone and not to vs consider that wee are in the same case with them their sinnes are our sins as we haue prooued We want zeale and seueritie against sinne and sinners Now being in the same fault with them wee must therefore practise the same remedy and renew our repentance though wee haue repented heretofore Secondly he prescribes this dutie to the Nicolaitans that held two damnable errours and no doubt liued accordingly in those sinnes and yet Christ barres them not from his kingdome but bids them repent Where note that great and grieuous sinners are not barred froÌ„ Gods mercie if they will repent Excellent is that saying of Isay God iâ— much in sparing and that of Dauid also With God is plentifull redemption This point is seriously to bee considered for wee haue in our congregations many that are well spoken of in the world and yet for knowledge of God and practise of life are flat Atheists We haue also among vs epicures blasphemers murtherers and fornicators with these Nicolaitans Now to all these and such like this doctrine appertaines not to embolden them in sinne but to assure them there is mercy in store for them with God if they will truly repent They must not turne the grace of God â—o wantonnesse and make his mercie a bolster to their iniquitie for this is despising of Gods bountie whereby they helpe vp vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath but if with Iob they humble themselues in dust and ashes and crie to heauen for mercie from a broken heart that carrieth a resolute purpose to leaue all sinne then though their sinnes were neuer so many they shall all be drowned in the bottomelesse sea of Gods mercie though they were as crimson and scarlet which will take no other dye yet in Christs bloud they shall be made as white as wooll snow yea though they haue fallen often into the same sinnes which is most fearefull and dangerous yet vpon this vnfained repentance they shall bee restored to mercie for the fountaine thereof cannot be dried vp but see they doe repent for whosoeuer looketh for Christs merits must know that hee looketh for true repentance Thus much for the remedie II. point The reason wherby Christ would set an edge vpon the former remedie containeth a twofold threatening or commination the first against the whole Church in these words If not I come vnto thee shortly The second against the Nicolaitans in these words And will fight against them with the sword of my mouth For the first If not I will come vnto thee shortly these words were expounded in the fift verse The meaning is this If thou repent not I will come vnto thee testifie my presence by taking punishment vpon thee for thy want of zeale and of seueritie against sinne and sinners To this effect the Prophet Isay sayth Chap. 30.27 The name of the Lord shall come from farre to take punishment vpon the Assyrians In this threatening the phrase is to be noted Christ sayth If not I come vnto thee expressing a thing to come by a word of the time present To giue them to vnderstand that his comming vnto them by iudgements was as certaine as if it were present vnlesse they did repent Where this generall rule is to be obserued of all namely that when a Church or
people doe not repent the Lord will come vnto them to execute his iudgements vpon them Yea though they haue before repented if for particular sinnes and wants they doe not renew their repentance hee will surely come to punish them This might be proued at large by testimonies of the Prophets Apostles but it is so euident in this text that I omit all further proofe onely I will applie it to this our Church of which this may bee truely sayd Thou doest not repent nor renew thy repentance for thy dayly sinnes For albeit there bee some among vs that by Gods grace repent and set themselues dayly to the exercise thereof yet take the greater part of our congregations and they are so far from renewing their repentance that they doe not repent at all for either they haue no knowledge of Gods will or if they haue knowledge yet they want care and conscience to put the same in practise This being our case and condition what man may not bee a Prophet against our churches and congregations being thus directed by this portion of Scripture to say and that truly That God will come vnto vs in iudgments to plague and punish vs for our sinnes and iniquities Wee may sooth our selues in hope of mercie still but the state of our Church continuing as it is nothing can bee expected but iudgements from the Lord. This then must be a motiue to persuade vs to repent euery person apart and euery family congregation apart we must humble our selues in dust and ashes for our sinnes past entreating the Lord to be reconciled vnto vs and purpose fully in our hearts and striue in our liues to obey God in all his commaundements yea though we can say wee haue repented yet for our dayly wants and sinnes wee must renew our repentance Thus doing we shall stay the Lord when he is comming against vs. But if we goe on in blindnesse ignorance and rebellion following the lusts of our own hearts then nothing but vengeance and iudgements are to bee expected for this conclusion must stand with all churches and people If they repent not God will come in iudgement against them The second threatening or commination is directed vnto the Nicolaitans in these words And will fight against them with the sword of my mouth that is I will bee at emnitie with them and testifie the same by waging battell against those among you that maintaine the lawfulnesse of eating things sacrificed to Idols and of fornication Thus I say will I fight against theÌ„ with the sword of my mouth that is with the preaching of my word the law and the gospell In this commination Christ alludeth still to the storie of Balaam for when hee was sent for by Balac to curse the people of God the Lord stood against him in the way with a naked sword to keepe him from going and when his eyes were opened that hee saw the Angell of the Lord withstand him in that sort hee fell downe and adored the Angell for it was the Lord yet because he ceased not from his wicked couetousnesse but gaue bad counsell against the Israelites when he could not curse them to cause them to sinne therefore hee was slaine with the edge of the sword among the Midianites by the children of Israel Num. 31.8 Euen so Christ dealeth with the Nicolaitans because they goe on in their bad counsel persuading the lawfulnesse of eating things sacrificed to Idols also of fornication therfore first he will fight against them with the sword of his mouth the ministery of his word therby to reclaime them from their wicked wayes if it bee possible but if that will not serue hee will still fight against them and with the same sword destroy them for euer First here marke Christ sayth not I will kill them but fight against them for hee intended not at the first to destroy these Nicolaitans but his purpose was to withdraw them from their wicked wayes yet so as afterward if they would not be reclaimed by his word he would therewith destroy them Wherein wee may behold the exceeding patience of Christ Iesus towards leaud and grieuous sinnerâ— that maintained the lawfulnesse of idolatrie and fornication and gaue themselues thereunto So the Lord in spirit stroâ—e with the old world and spared them 120 yeares to withdraw them from their wickednesse by the preaching of Noe. So likewise hee spared the Ammonites till their sinnes were come to the full and the Egyptians also for many hundred yeares though they were most cruell persecutors of his owne people And though the Iews most maliciously crucified the Lord of life yet he spared them fiftie yeares before hee cut them off from being a people Yea dayly experience teacheth vs this his long suffering we may heare most bloudie and bitter oathes from blasphemers whereby they dayly crucifie Christ with their tongues The like may be said of the adulterers and all cruell persons and yet he forbeares the same yea in our owne selues we dayly tast of this his patience for so soone as we were borne we deserued to be cast into hell and yet in mercie he vouchsafeth vnto vs to some twentie to some thirty and to some moe years for a time of repentance when as euery day hee might in iustice condemne vs. This therefore must admonish vs in the feare of God not to abuse this his long suffering any longer but now while the day of mercie lasteth to humble our selues and turne vnto him by true repentance These are the dayes of grace but how long they will last God onely knoweth For when death once commeth he sheweth no more mercie The old world because they abused the long suffering of God were destroyed and are now in hell in prison for it as Peter teacheth And vndoubtedly the same prison will be our portion if wee take the same course that they did Secondly in this threatening we may obserue that all irrepentant sinners haue God for their enemie to fight against them with a drawn sword For this cause sinne in Scripture is called rebellion and euery sinner is a rebell against God A fearefull thing it is to haue God for an enemie and yet this is the condition not onely of such as did neuer repent but of all those that hold the name of Christ in profession and yet continue in any one sinne without renewing their repeÌ„tance This also must serue to induce euery man that hath not repented now to begin and if they haue begun to repent more dayly renewing the same for their daily slips and so shal they be the friends of Christ as Abraham was and aâ— his disciples were Ioâ— 15.15 Thirdly in these two threateningâ— Christ sheweth himselfe to bee the true Doctor of his Church for he will fight against these Nicolaitans when as hee will onely come vnto his Church Where wee see hee deuideth his word aright wherein consisteth the principall wisedome of a true
as he appeared to Iohn in vision We haue shewed before what is signified by these fierie eyes namely Christs infinite wisedome in himselfe and vigilant zeale ouer his church The end wherefore hee so describeth himselfe to this church is to giue them to vnderstand that hee can see and discerne their very secret sinnes for sundry among them were giuen to priuate offences as to fornication and idolatrie as we shall see afterward Here then wee haue an excellent remedie against secret sinnes shame and feare of punishment will restraine some men from open sinnes but yet the same men when they are in secret doe without fear commit priuie sinnes against the first and second table But these men must remember that being withdrawne from the presence of men they are yet in the presence of Christ for hee hath fierie eyes wherewith he seeth their most secret sinnes which they hide from the world For though we may make faire weather with men yet wee can neuer bleare the eyes of Christ. If fornicators wantons vsurers and blasphemers would remember this by Gods grace it would bee a notable meanes at least to restraine them from their secret sinnes if not to mooue them vnto the practise of true repentance Thirdly Christ is sayd to haue feete like fine brasse Whereby is signified as hath beene shewed his infinit power and strength whereby he doth subdue sinne Sathan and al his enemies first vnto himselfe and then vnto his members And Christ is thus described vnto this church to terrifie certaine wicked men among them that gaue themselues to fornication idolatrie and other sinnes as also to affright this whole church who by their wicked companie were almost drawne away to the same sinnes Here wee haue a notable remedie against loosenesse of life namely to consider that Christ whom we call our Sauiour walketh continually in his church with feet of brasse to tread Sathan and all his enemies vnder his feet and such are all that will not submit themselues to the regiment of his word Luk. 19.27 If the blasphemer could consider this it would stop his mouth and when the adulterer the theefe or any sinner goeth about his wicked deuices this by Gods grace would be a notable means to make him breake off his wicked purpose When Benhadad heard that the king of Israel would come against him in battell He sent his men with ropes about their necks to craue peace and in them humbled himselfe Shall men be thus afraid at the furie of man and shall not wee tremble and feare at the fury of Christ who hath these feet of brasse to trample in pieces all his enemies The want of this consideration is one maine cause why sinne doth abound Verse 19. I know thy workes and thy loue and seruice and faith and thy patience and thy deeds which are moe at the last than at the first Here begins the second part of this Epistle to wit the Proposition which containeth the substance matter thereof and it hath two parts a commendation of this church and a rebuke thereof The commendation in the 19 verse the rebuke or dispraise in the 20 verse and those that follow almost to the end of the chapter The commendation is twofold generall in these words I know thy workes This hath beene handled before vers 2. The particular commendation standeth in fiue notable workes to wit Loue Seruice Faith Patience and Encrease in godlinesse For the first by Loue wee must vnderstand Loue to men for afterward they are coÌ„mended for duties to God in faith and patience but loue and seruice are duties of man to man Touching Loue note three points What this loue is What is the propertie of this loue and how it is to be practised First Loue to man is a gift of the spirit of God whereby a man is well affected to his neighbour for Gods sake That loue is a gift of the Spirit is plaine Galat. 5. verse 22. where it is reckoned among the gifts of the spirit Next I adde That hereby a man is well affected to his neighbour To bee well affected to another is to reioyce at his good and to desire and seeke the same and withall to bee grieued at his miserie and to â—eare the bowels of compassion towards him being readie to releeue and helpe him to our vttermost By Neighbour wee must not vnderstand only those that are neere vnto vs in habitation but euen all those that are of the same nature with vs euen any of mankind Hee is thy neighbour that is a man as thou art and so bearing the image of God as thou doest bee hee friend or foe neere or stranger vnto thee and to him must thou be well affected Lastly I say For Gods sake for God is first and principally to bee loued for himselfe and man in God and for God because hee is the creature of God and beareth his image The loue we beare to man is a fruit of our loue vnto God for this commaundement wee haue of him That he that loueth God should loue his brother also 1. Iohn 4.21 II. point The propertie of this loue is To be feruent and that for two causes First if need require euery man is bound within his calling to testifie his loue by giuing his life for his neighbour though he be our enemie or a stranger which wee shall neuer doe vnlesse our loue be feruent Secondly there is much ingratitude hatred emulation and many iniuries in the world Now the persons from whom these come must be loued the vnworthinesse of the partie must not quench our loue but it must burne when the waters of mens iniuries and malice would quench the same III. point The practise of our loue must be squared by this rule The loue of our selues as wee wish our owne good heartely so we must wish our neighbours good This is the law of Nature To doe as a man would be done vnto And it is the law of God Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Example A man of some trade is to make a bargaine and if hee will lye or vse false weights and measures he may aduantage himselfe This the deuill and his owne corruption will suggest vnto him while hee is about the bargaine he therefore must call to mind this rule of loue and examine his owne heart whether hee would haue another man to deceiue him by lying by false weights c. The same thing must men doe when they are tempted to oppression or crueltie let them thinke whether they would haue others to wrong or oppresse them and so shew forth loue by this rule doing as they would bee done vnto It were to bee wished that our Church might haue the deserued prayse of this vertue of loue But Christ foretold of these our dayes That loue should waxe cold Matth. 24.12 And that men should be louers of themselues And so it is for euery man now is for himselfe no man
this church of Thyatira whose workes are better at the last than at the first A fearfull case it is to be ignorant of Gods will and a great iudgement of God to decay in loue and other graces and therefore that wee may preuent Gods iudgements wee must haue care to get knowledge and to increase therein and with knowledge to ioyne obedience in all good duties to God and man Some plead for themselues by reason of age want of memorie and capacity but these must learne to shew foorth better affections and more sincere obedience The yonger sort also must imploy their wit and strength to get knowledge and with knowledge ioyne obedience that they may increase in grace as they grow in dayes Yea euery one that hath any good beginning must indeuour to make it more For to him that hath shall more giuen and he shal haue abundance but from him that hideth his gift or abuseth the same shall bee taken away that which he seemeth to haue Luk. 8.18 Vers. 20. Notwithstanding I haue a few things against thee that thou sufferest that woman Iesabell which calleth her selfe a prophetesse to teach deceiue my seruants to make them to commit fornication and to eat meat sacrificed to idols Here is Christs reproofe of this church of Thyatira and it is twofold First of the whole church in this 20. verse Secondly of a woman in that church vers 21. In the reproofe of the whole church note two things The reproofe it selfe And the reason thereof The reproofe it selfe is contained in these words Notwithstanding I haue something against thee That is though I haue praised thee for manie worthie works yet there be some things which I do not approue This reproofe hath bin handled in the former Epistles The reason of the reproofe followeth in these words That thou sufferest the woman Iesabell who calleth her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and seduce my seruants This reason of her reproofe containeth sundry points worthie our consideration I. From the phrase and forme of the words wee may consider the large power that God gaue to his church which was besides the power to preach the word administer the Sacraments a further power to appoint who should preach among them who should not preach and also a power to represse euill men and euill women so to keepe them in order The like power was giuen to the church of Ephesus as we haue seene in the Epistle to that church they had power to discerne false Prophets Apostles and to restraine the same The like power did God giue to all churches as we shall see if wee read the histories of the church and great cause there is hereof For without this authoritie no church could long stand be a church II. Here note that it is not sufficient for a church to haue the preaching of the word but it must haue seueritie and sharpe gouernement whereby wicked people may be restrained This church is therefore discommended for that shee vsed not that seuere authoritie which God had giuen her in suppressing of sin And in our congregations the like fault is to be found where much preaching is yet sinne abounds as adultery blasphemie vsurie and cruelty and the cause is for that this seuere execution of gouernment in restraining sinnes is not so straitly put in practise as it ought to be Againe in this reason of his reprofe Christ doth charge theÌ„ with two faults First for suffering a woman to teach Secondly for suffering a woman to seduce his people For the first the word translated teach is in the New testament commonly put for publicke teaching in the ministerie Their fault then was this that they suffered a woman to teach openly and it is against the word of God 1. Tim. 2.12 I permit not a woman to teach And 1. Cor. 14.34 35 Women ought to keepe silence in the congregation and be subiect to their husbands and learne of them at home Obiect But Deborah was a Prophetesse Iud. 4.4 And Hulda prophesied 2. Kin. 22.4 For Iosiah sent to her for counsell 2. Chro. 34. And therefore women may prophesie An. These womeÌ„ had extraordinary gifts calling therefore vpon their exaÌ„ple we may not make an ordinary rule II. Ob. But it may seeme Paul alloweth it when he saith A woman praying or prophecying vncouered dishonoreth her head 1. Co. 11.5 Answ. Hereto some do answer thus that in the infancie of the church some women were extraordinarily indued with that gift and did indeed prophesie Others iudge it to haue bene a fault in that church and therfore say in the 14. cha the Apostle reproueth it commaunding women to keepe silence in the churches Thirdly a woman may be sayd to pray when she giueth her assent to the prayer of the minister by saying Amen and she may be sayd to prophesie when she Singeth Psalmes or readeth the Scripture For so the word is vsed in Scripture 1. Chron. 25.1 Asaph and his company prophesied with harpes and vials That is as it is translated they sung prophesies and playd thereunto vpon their instruments From the rebuke of Christ against this church we gather that it is not warrantable by Gods word for a woman to administer the Sacrament of baptisme For baptisme is a seale of the couenant in the publicke ministerie and so a part thereof and must goe with the preaching of the word and may not bee administred by women who are not allowed to preach no not in time and case of necessitie when men are wanting And although they may not teach publickly yet they may teach at home and in the absence of their husband it is her duty to teach her children Prouerb 31 Lemuel that is Salomon is taught many worthie things of his mother And Timothie was broght vp of a child in the scriptures by his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice 2. Tim. 1.5 Hence some would gather that as a woman may not teach publickely so she may not publickely gouerne in the commonwealth But this consequence is not good for publicke teaching is flatly forbidden to a woman so is not publicke ciuile regiment There is speciall reason why shee may not publickely teach for it is the will of God that as Christ was a man so they that stand in his roome and stead in the publicke ministerie should also be men But the regiment of a kingdome is a ciuile thing and so may lawfully bee administred by a woman when shee commeth vnto it by lawfull succession to her father whose whole patrimonie in the want of sonnes she may rightly enioy Obiect But the woman must bâ—e in subiection vnto the man 1. Cor. 14. â—4 Answ. So shee may and yet haue soueraignetie in the kingdome Obiect But the man is the head of the woman 1. Cor. 11.3 Answ. That is the man in that he iâ— a man is a person more excellent than the woman as she is a woman Yet the person that in
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
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
sinne of impenitencie forbidden for the law condemnes no more than it reuealeth but it neuer reuealed repentance and therefore it doth not forbid or condemne the want thereof Secondly for the greatnesse of this sinne it may appeare because hereby men heape sin vpon sinne and Wrath vnto themselues against the day of wrath Some to aggrauate the grieuousnesse of this sinne say that impenitencie is the sinne against the holy ghost and that opinion is antient but yet false and erronious for the sinne against the holy ghost is a blasphemie Mat. 12.31 but this is not a blasphemy Again the sinne against the holy ghost is in this life but finall impenitencie is neuer before the end of this life Hence also the Papistes gather free will to good by nature shee did not repent therefore she had freewill power to repent if she would Ans. This reason is not good thus much may hence be gathered that she had freewil not to repent and to sinne for euery man sinneth freely but yet it followeth not that they haue the same power to cease from sinne or to repent without Gods special grace without which no man can will or doe that which is truly good before God Againe the same sinne which is reproued in this wicked woman may bee layd to the charge of the greatest number in our churches and congregations God hath giuen vnto men a long time of repentance to some ten to some twenty yeares but they repent not as their liues do plainly testifie for some liue in irreligion and prophanenesse some in Saboath breaking some in fornication and adulterie some in idlenesse some in couetousnesse and extortion giuing themselues wholly and spending all their time in seeking the things of this life neuer regarding with reuerence thâ— things of God Verse 22. Behold I will cast her into a bed and them that commit fornication with her into great affliction except they repent them of their works Christ hauing reprooued this church and this woman for their seuerall faults doth here giue speciall counsell and direction vnto them both whereby they may auoid escape the grieuous iudgements due vnto them for their sinnes both in this life and in the life to come This counsell of Christ hath two parts First to Iesabell and her company vers 22.23 The second to the church of Thyatira verse 24 25. The summe of Christs counsell to Iesabell is to repent which is not expressed but insteed thereof the reason to moue her to repentance is propounded And it may be framed thus If thou repent not I will punâ—sh thee with sundry iudgements But thou wouldest not be so punished and therefore repent This reason hath two parts A threatning and an exception thereof The threatning in these words I will cast her into a bed and them that commit fornication with her into great affliction And before this threatning Christ prefixeth a word of attention Behold whereby hee would teach them and vs that wee ought seriously to consider of the threatnings that are propounded in Gods word against sinne and sinners When Iosias heard the booke of the law read hiâ— heart melted which it could neuer haue done vnlesse it had first trembled at the iudgements therein denounced And the pricking that was wrought in the hearts of the Iewes by Peters first Sermon was nothing else but a compunction wrought in them vpon consideration of the iudgements and condemnation due vnto them for crucifying the Lord of life The cause why sinne is so rise in euery estate and condition of men at this day is for that men set light by the threatnings of Gods word If men would tremble when they heare of Gods iudgements it would make them crie out Men and brethren what shall we doâ— but because God is mercifull therefore men feare him not Isay. 57.11 This threatning hath three seuerall parts according to the three seueral sorts of persons whom it concerneth The I. is against Iesabell her selfe who was the chiefe of them all in these words I will cast her into a bed The meaning whereof may bee gathered out of the like words of Ionaâ—â—â— to Ammon bidding him lye downe on his bed and make himselfe sicke So that Christs meaning is that he wil strike her with some grieuous sicknes the place of the sick person being put for the sicknesse it selfe As if hee should say Iesabell takes her pleasure in fornication and thereto abuseth the bed I will therfore send on her some great sicknesse which shall cast her into her bed Here note Gods dealing with sinners In those thingâ— which they abuse for the furtherance of their sinnes will the Lord plague and punish them Iâ—sabell abused her bed with fornication thither shee must bee cast with sicknesse Diueâ— in his life time abused his tongue and tast by gluttonie and therefore 〈…〉 now in in hell therein most of all plagâ—d and tormented at hiâ— crying 〈◊〉 drop of water to coole his tongue doth import gamesters take their pleasure in â—â—â—ding and dicing which many times God turneth to their wo for therby they are vsually brought to extreame want and miserie Ahab shed Naboths bloud to get his vineyard and for that sinne must his bloud the bloud of Iezabell and his children he shed And now in these dayes the couetous for their gaine doe suckâ— the bloud of the poore but that bloud will haue bloud from them againe The Lord will spoyle the soule of him that spoyleâ— the poore Prou. 22 2â— This must make vs to beware how we abuse any creature of God to serue vs for any sinne for the Lord will cause that to bee a meanes of woe and punishment vnto vs which we misuse vnto our lusts Againe note here who is the author of grieuous sicknesses namely Christ himselfe For he saith I will cast her into a bed Sicknesses come not by chaunce or fortune but from the hand of God This wee must learne to beleeue and it will cause vs to make better vse of sicknesses than vsually we do If men did beleeue this it would make the hardest heart to repent in time of sicknesse for this they would say Hath God cast me downe with sicknesse no doubt it is to humble me for some of my sinnes to make me know them to leaue them and to turne vnto him This vse the seruants of God haue made hereof when the Prophet came to Hezâ—â—ias and told him hee should die he turned his face to the wall and wept as for other things so for his sinnes especially And Iaacob being to die leaâ—ed on his â—â—affe and by faith worshippeâ— towards the beds head lifting vp his body to do reuerence vnto God thereby testifying his humilitie faith and hope And the like ought we to do which if wee could wee should find our sicknesse would become a blessing vnto vs. The second part of Christs threatning is the punishment of her followers which
receiued her doctrine committed fornication with her They must bee cast into great affliction First this must teach all persons that it is a diuellâ—sh speech to thinke and say that fornication iâ— but a tricke and shippe of 〈◊〉 for great affliction is the punishment of this sinne which notably argueth the haynousnesse thereof Secondly hence we may gather some of the causes why townes and kingdomes are afflicted with grieuous wars famine and pestilence among the rest these are two fornication â—nd embracing of errours and superstition Sodome for fornication and other 〈◊〉 was burnt with fire brimstone from heauen The Israelits for this sin suffered most grieuous afflictionâ— And among the Corinthians for comming to the Lords table in this sin among others many were sicke many 〈◊〉 and many sleâ—â— And this land of ours hath bene afflicted with famine and pestilence as for other sinnes so for fornication which in time of peace is multiplied and so will continue till it draw vpon vs bloudshed also and great afflictions For that which is sayd of the followers of Iesabel must be verified of all that liue in the like sinnes The second part of the reason is the exception of these communications except they repent them of their workes Where we may see First that all the threatnings of Gods iudgements and of eternall destruction must bee vnderstood with the exception of repentance Whence also this followeth that men of yeares liuing in the church are not so much condemned for other particular sins as for liuing in their sins without repent â—ee euery sin makes a man subiect to damnation but it is this impenitencie that brings vpon theÌ„ actuall daÌ„nation Want of repentance for sin is more dangerous than the sin it selfe the consideration whereof must teach vs not to lie in sinne though wee haue committed it but turne to God by speedie repentance for it is the continuance in sinne without repentance that casteth the soule to hell When thou shalt turne from thy sinne by true repentance thou art free from the threatning and the curse of sinne For they admitting the exception of true repentance 〈◊〉 18.8 Further obserue how this exception of repentance is placed betweene two threatnings of iudgements which sheweth how God mingleth his iudgements with mercie hee sheweth not wholly either iustice or mercie but tempereth them together in all the workes that concerne mans saluation Thirdly here note that repentance preuents not onely eternall damnation but also temporall iudgements as grieuous sicknesses and other plagues and afflictions This point may haue speciall vse among vs Wee haue by Gods mercie enioyed his gospell with long peace but for our abuse thereof we may iustly feare it shall be taken from vs and if we would escape that iudgement wee must repent both high and low Of their workâ—s That is of their idolatrie and fornication where hee sheweth of what things true repentance must be namely of bad workes in particular whereto men giue themselues euerie man that would truly repent must consider of his particular faults The drunkerd in particular of his drunkennesse and the couetous man of his couetousnesse and insteed of iniuries and hard dealing shew mercy vnto the poore The common repentance of the world that is done in generall is nothing but a visard of repentance and yet it is all that is vsed of the greatest part of our people for they will come to heare the word and to receiue the Sacraments and in generall confesse themselues to bee sinners and then they thinke they haue done enough But true repentance is of particular sinnes As Dauid Psalm 51. cried out of bloud guiltinesse Vers. 23. And I will kill her children with death and all the Churches shall know that I am â—ee which searcheth the reines and hearts and I will giue vnto euerie one of you according to his workes Here is the third part of Christs threatning against Iesabels children by children wee are to vnderstand properly those which are borne of her and were of her husband and not her followers for they were threatned with grieuous afflictions in the former verse It had bene sufficient to haue sayd I will 〈◊〉 her children But to note the certainty and greeuousnesse of this punishment he saith I will kill them with death Quest. How can this stand with the iustice of God to punish the offences of the parents in the person of the children Ans. God deareth so for temporall punishments not for eternall And though we could not perceiue the iustice of God in so doing yet wee must reuerence the â—ame blaming our owne ignorance Albeit euen in reason wee may conceiue of the equitie of this course for societies as church common-wealth and families are Gods ordinance and the parties in them must bee considered as members of those societies for God conceiueth of them when hee afflicteth the punishment deserued by one vpon another as of the Prince vpon the people of the parents vpon their children This hee may iustly do by reason of that neere bond which is betweene the members of the same societie like as in the naturall bodie when the stomacke is distempered the head aketh and when the head is wounded the stomacke is sicke and the bodie may bee smitten for the errours of the tongue Thus when Dauid sinned the child died and when hee numbred the Israelites the people were plagued And thus is the child stained in bloud for the fathers treason against earthly Princes and so God punished this woman in her children that shee might knowe the greatnesse of her sinnes hee smote her children with death Hence parents are taught to make conscience of euerie sinne For thereby they may bring iudgements vpon their children and familie euen to death Now what bloudie hearted parents are those that will make no conscience of doing that whereby they bring vengeance vppon their owne children And by the same reason must euery man that liues in any societie be admonished to take heed of sinne because thereby a man especially if hee bee a principall member of a societie may bring destruction vpon many As Dauid did by numbring the people And Achan by his couetous stealth Iosua 7 And Ahab vpon his posteritie So that impenitent persons which will not be reformed but go on in sinne ought to bee banished both from church and commonwealth as hurtfull members yea enemies to all good societies That these threatnings might take place in the hearts of Iesabell and her followers Christ remooueth two carnall conceits whereby they might thinke to delude or escape these iudgements threatned The first is this Iesabell and her company might thinke that their practises were secret not knowne to the world and therefore they were not in danger of Gods iudgements This is a wicked imagination that comes into the mind of all sinners but this Christ cuts off saying And all the Churches shall know that I am hee which search the reines and the
signe or rule whereto hee will conforme and square the last iudgement Secondly whereas euery man must bee iudged that is saued or condemned according to his workes hence wee may gather that good workes are necessarie to saluation yet not as causes thereof either efficient or helping any way but onely as a way or meanes to come vnto saluation For faith is necessarie and good workes are the tokens and fruits of faith and so are necessarie Thirdly here we must bee admonished to bee carefull to abound in good workes not to win heauen by them but to get assurance of saluation in our selues And these good workes are the doing of the duties of pietie vnto God and of charitie vnto our brethren euen the duties of the Morall law or more plainely the doing of the generall duties of a Christian and the particular duties of a mans calling for if these bee done in obedience to God and to his glory proceeding from faith and loue vnto our brethren though the calling bee neuer so base they are good workes And on the contrarie this must admonish vs to make conscience of euery euill way for sinnes be the markes of condemnation and so many wicked workes as we commit so many markes and brands doe wee set vpon our selues of our iust and deserued condemnation vnlesse wee repent Lastly hence wee may gather that there bee degrees of ioy in heauen and of torments in hell For iudgements and rewards goe according to mens workes And therefore they that testifie their faith by great and many good workes shall haue great reward they that testifie their faith by lesser and fewer workes shall haue lesser reward and so for sinnes the more heynous they bee the deeper condemnation they doe procure Vers. 24. And to you I say the rest of them of Thyatira as many as haue not this learning neither haue knowne the deepenesse of Sathan as they speake I will put vpon you none other burden 25. But that which you haue already hold fast till I come Here Christ commeth to a second part of his counsell which concernes the Angell and the better part of this Church of Thyatira and first hee beginneth with the Preface of this counsell wherein wee may obserue two points First who speaketh Secondly to whom hee speaketh For the first hee that speaketh is Christ. I say hereby Christ challengeth vnto himselfe the absolute and all sufficient authoritie of the supreme Doctor of his Church in that hee speaketh in his owne name Whereby hee putteth a plaine difference betweene himselfe and all other his Ministers either Prophets Apostles or ordinarie teachers for they must not propound any thing vnto Gods people in their owne names but in the name of Christ. But Christ teacheth in his owne name being the fountaine of all diuine knowledge and vnderstanding that iâ— reuealed in the word of God And thus Christ himselfe speaketh in his owne name to strike the hearts of the Angell of this Church and the better part thereof with reuerence and to mooue them to receiue and obey the counsell following considering it comes immediately from Christ the Doctor of the Church II. point The parties to whom he speaketh To you that is the Angell and the better part of this Church for so Christ expounds it in the words following though first hee say in generall To you that is The rest of them of Thyatira When as Christ will behaue himselfe as the doctor and chiefe Angell of this Church note that he maketh a distinction of the persons in the Church and also deuideth his counsell giuing one doctrine and one iudgement to one part and a diuers doctrine and iudgement to another This giueth vs good direction for sundry actions for some may aske how must doctrine bee deliuered in a mixt congregation where some are Papists some Protestants some are hardened others despaire Answ. The persons must bee distinguished after the example of Christ and sutable doctrines deuided for them that euery one may haue his due Impenitent sinners must be terrified and threatenings deliuered against them with exception of them that repent Comforts must be propounded and applied to them that despaire with restraint from all impenitent persons that goe on in sinne If any demaund more particularly who these bee whom Christ calleth The rest of them of Thyatyra Christ answeres directly as the words import to as many as haue not this learning neither haue knowne the deepenesse of Sathan Where Christ giueth two notes whereby to discerne who bee the rest of them of Thyatira The first is the not receiuing or maintaining of the false doctrine of Iezabell whereof entreatie hath beene formerly made The second note is ignorance in the deepenesse of Sathan neither haue knowne the deepenesse of Sathan that is neither haue acknowledged nor approoued the doctrine of Iezabell which is the deepe and profound learning as themselues doe iudge In this obserue a most wicked practise of Iezabell and her followers they esteemed highly of their owne opinions calling them profound and deepe learning but for the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles in the Old and New Testaments in it there was no such matter This in all ages hath beene the practise of wicked persons highly to esteeme their owne conceits and basely to neglect the word of God The teachers of the Iewes doe hold to this day That the Lord gaue to Moses a most plain and easie law which he deliuered to his people but the most secret and profound doctrine was vnwritten shewed to Moses by reuelation and by him deliuered to the Priests and Leuites which they keepe still in their Cabbala And of the like iudgement touching Scripture are the Popish Churches The Word written is but an inkie word a dead letter or a nose of waxe but the most perfect Scripture is vnwritten which is the consent of faith and of doctrine in the hearts of all Catholickes And by such great tearmes the Anabaptists Libertines and Arrians maintaine their doctrine and abuse Scripture calling the written Word milke for euery nouice but the consent of heart among themselues with reuelations that is the strong meates Yea this opinion hath crept in among vs in part men thinke basely of Scripture and preferre other mens writings before it For let a man preach plainely the bare word of God and deliuer doctrines and exhortations out of the same this is but plaine preaching But let another come and vtter his mind partly in Latine and partly in Greeke and other languages alleadging withall the testimonies of Fathers Counsels and other Writers that is the learned preaching And thus doe most men abase Scripture and exalt the writings of men aboue it But seeing this is the practise of Iezabell and wicked men let vs on the contrary learne to reuerence the written word and giue place thereto aboue all the testimonies and sayings of men whatsoeuer The deepenesse of Sathan As if he should say They count it deepe learning but
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
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
Dauid himselfe a type of Christ as it is most excellently dysciphered in the Prophets Ier. 23.5.6 Hosea 3.5 where Christ is plainly called Dauid by the name of him that was his type signe figure Quest. Why were not as well the Kingdomes of Nebuchadnezzar and Pharaoh types of Christs kingdome as Dauids Answ. Because Dauids kingdome was a kingdom of light and pietie but theirs were kingdomes of sinne and iniquitie And he is said to haue the key of Dauids kingdom because his kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof was figured by the pietie in Dauids kingdome And this kinde of speaking is iustifiable by Gods word So Mat. 2.23 Christ is called a Nazarite which place hath relation to that which is said properly of Sāpson who was a most excellent figure of Christ and did most notably represent him in his death wherein hee killed more than in his life Now Christ is called an Nazarite not because he obserued their rites and orders for that he did not he dranke wine so did not the Nazarites but because he was the truth and substance of that order for in him was fully accomplished that holinesse which was figured by that order for he was perfectly seuered from all sinne and pollution And so here he is said to haue the key of Dauid because hee had the soueraigntie which was figured by Dauids Kingdome Which shutteth and no man openeth and openeth and no man shutteth Here Christs kingdome is compared to a house which can bee opened and shut by none but Christ whereby is signified that none hath power aboue Christ in his Kingdome and that his power therein is soueraigne and absolute So that hereby is meant that Christ Iesus sitting in heauen hath soueraigne power and authoritie ouer the whole Church of God to gouerne the same That we may the better vnderstand this soueraigne power of Christ we must know it hath three parts I. To prescribe II. To iudge III. To saue or destroy In Prescribing Christ hath absolute power and that in sundry things as first in prescribing doctrines of Faith and Religion vnto his Church to bee beleeued and obeyed and that on paine of damnation This power he puts in execution when in the bookes of the old and new Testament hee prescribeth the doctrine of the Law the Gospel to be obeyed and beleeued And none but he can make an Article of Faith or a law to binde the conscience and therefore Paul saith Whosoeuer shal teach any other Doctrine then that which ye haue receiued of vs let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 Secondly for regiment he hath absolute power to prescribe how he will haue his Church gouerned and by whom and therefore Moses when he was to make the Tabernacle did all things according to the patterne that the Lord gaue vnto him So Dauid gaue to Salomon patternes of all things that were in him by the spirit touching the building of the house of God 1. Chron. 28.12 Thirdly hee hath absolute power to appoint the time of keeping his Sabbath for as the ordaining of a Sabbath belongs to Christ so doeth the changing thereof hee that prescribeth worship must prescribe the ordinary set time thereunto which is to continue to the end And therfore it is but an opinion of men to hold that the church may make two or moe Sabbath dayes in a week if they wil. Fourthly In prescribing the Sacramēts and therefore Paul saith What I haue receiued of the Lord that deliuer I vnto you speaking of the Lords Supper For hee that giues grace must also appoint the signes and seales of grace The second part of Christs soueraigne power is power of Iudgement which is a soueraigne power to determine on his owne wil without the consent of others or submission to men or Angels And in determining Christ hath two priuiledges First to expound scripture the absolute power of expounding the Law belongeth to the Law-giuer and his exposition is Authenticall Secondly to determine of all Questions and Controuersies in Scripture And therefore it is a wicked opinion of the church of Rome which hold that the principall Iudge of interpreting Scripture and decyding controuersies is the Church The third part of Christs soueraigne power is to saue and destroy This is expressed in these words Hee openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth and for this cause he is sayd to haue the keyes of hell and of death Whereby is signified first that hee hath power to forgiue sins for that hee procureth at his Fathers hands Secondly that hee hath power to condemne for when men beleeue not his word hee hath power to hold them in their sins for which he can cast them into hell The ground of this three-fold power of Christ i◠this because hee is soueraigne Lorde ouer his Church and the members thereof The Church of Rome saith that this key of Dauid hath more in it then soueraigntie ouer his church to wit a power to make and depose Kings that bee in his Church This they teach that they might proue the Pope to haue title in ordayning and deposing of kings by vertue of the keyes But they erre grosly for though Christ as he is Mediatour bee aboue all kings yet in that regard hee neither maketh nor deposeth any kings and therefore he saith plainly My kingdō is not of this world This caused him to refuse to take vpon him the office of an earthly Iudge or prince to deuide an inheritance betweene two brethren Hence it was that he refused to giue sentence of the adulterous woman And yet as Christ is God hee maketh or deposeth earthly kings so the wise mail speaketh of him in the person of wisdō by me kings raign For the further cleering of this we must handle another point which is deriued hence concerning the power of the keyes which is a power whereby the power of the keyes of Dauid is put in execution This power of the Keyes is mentioned Mat. 16.19 when Christ saith vnto Peter I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen This power of the keyes is a ministery granted to Gods church to open and shut the kingdome of heauen First I call it a Ministerie that is a seruice because whatsoeuer the church doth in Christs name is nothing but the duetie of seruantes vnto their Lord from whence it is that the most worthy members and officers that euer were in the Church as the Prophets and Apostles were but the Ministers of Christ. That this is a seruice I shew more plainely thus When Adam fell in his sinne all mankinde fell with him and thereby were all barred from the kingdome of heauen Now since that fall Christ became man and in his manhood satisfied the iustice of God for mans sinnes And this
horrible abuses of this power which ought to bee knowen and considered being a sufficient warrant vnto vs that the Church of Rome is no true church of God for though the Pope cary in his armes the keys yet they are not the keyes of heauen but of hell For he hath made moe places of rest and woe than euer God did as Limbus pâ—tâ—uÌ„ and Purgatorie therefore must needs make moe doores thither and so moe locks keies By this doctrine touching the keyes of Dauid giuen to Christ and the power of the keyes in the church deriued thence we may learne sundry things First that Christ who hath the keyes of Dauid to open and shut doth not open to all but to some onely The reason hereof is this Adam beeing created in integritie was in the fauour of God but by his sinne he lost the fauour of God so barred himselfe both out of the earthly and heauenly paradise and all his posteritie by the same sin and by their owne actuall sins are likewise debarred for sinne is a partition wall betweene vs and God and a cloud between our praiers and God himselfe as Ieremie speaketh so that sinne is the cause of this exclusion and so many sins as a man committeth so many bolts and barres hee maketh to exclude himselfe from the kingdome of heauen The consideration whereof should moue euery one to take a narrow view of his miserable state in himself through AdaÌ„ for by originall sin wherin we were born and by our actual transgressions wherin we liue we barre our selfe from the kingdome of heauen It is lamentable to see how the whole world lyeth in sinne and how the deuill bewitcheth men to conceale or diminish their sins making great sins small and little sinnes none at all when as the least sinne which they commit without repentance is sufficient to barre them for euer out of the kingdome of Heauen Againe seeing euery sinne doth barre vs out of Heauen this must be a motiue to induce euery one of vs to repent of all our sinnes to bewayle the same to pray earnestly for the pardon of them in the death of Christ and continually to labor to turne vnto God from all sinne because if wee liue but in one sinne it will bee a mightie barâ—e sufficient to exclude vs the Kingdome of heauen eternally Thirdly seeing Christ keepâ— the keyes of heauen heereby wee are taught to come vnto Christ to seek by him to enter into the kingdom of heaueÌ„ For Christ by his death hath opened heauen as hee sayd vnto Nathaniell and Philip Verily verily I say vnto you hereafter shall yee see heauen open meaning by the ministrie of the Gospell and seeing it is open we must striue to enter into it as the men in Iohn Baptists time did Mat. 11.12 This we do by endeuoring to become good members of Gods church on earth for that is the dore and suburbs of the Kingdome of heauen which euerie one must enter into that would come to heauen it selfe euen as a man that would goe into a house must needs come to the dore Now in the Church there is the true dore which is Christ himselfe and the key thereof which is his word and the ministerie of the word which doth locke and vnlocke the same Quest. What shall we doe to become true members of the Church Ans. We must doe two things First humble our selues for all our sinnes praying vnto GOD for the pardon of them and beleeuing the same through Christ. Secondly endeauor and purpose by Gods grace euerie day to leaue the same sinnes This doing wee are at the dore of heauen and if wee would haue our soules enter into heauen when wee die this wee must doe while we liue But if we enter not into the dore of grace by the key of knowledge in the ministerie of the word while we liue wee shall neuer come to the gate of glorie after death Vers. 8. I know thy workes behold I haue set before thee an open dore and no man can shut it for thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word and hast not denyed my name In this verse and so forward to the twelft is contayned the matter of this Epistle which may bee reduced to three â—eads a Praise a Promise and a Commaundement The Praise in this eight verse The Promise in the 9. and 10. The Commaundement in the 11. For the first the Praise of this Church is first summarily propounded I know thy works which hath beene expounded and the end thereof with the vses in the former Epistles Then hee addeth the reason of his coÌ„mendation wherin are two things to bee obserued I the signe of Christs approbation in these words I haue set before thee an open dore II. their conuersation or the workes which Christ approoued In the words following Thou hast a litle streÌ„gth and hast kept my word hast not denied my name Both these may be vndetstood either of the Angell and Minister of this Church or of the whole Church also I take it to bee meant of both Being spoken of the Minister of this Church the words beare this sence Behold I haue set before thee an open dore c. That is behold and consider I haue vouchsafed vnto thee oportunitie and libertie to preach the Gospell and thereby to conuert men vnto me So much S. Paul meaneth by the dore of vtterance 1. Cor. 16.9 For thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word and hast not denyed my name That is though thou be indued but with a small measure of gifts pertaining to thy calling yet thou hast maintayned my Gospell and hast not denyed my name These words being thus expounded doe affoord vs these instructions First from the signe of his approbation wee learne that it is a great priuiledge for any Minister to haue libertie to preach the Gospell and thereby to conuert men vnto Christ so much the word of attention behold importeth which may also further appeare by this that the most famous and worthy Prophets of God were not alwayes vouchsafed this fauour as Isay and Ezekiell who were sent sometime to harden thy people And Christ himselfe complaineth of the want of this priuiledg saying I haue spent my streÌ„gth in vaine and in regard of this priuiledge the Ministers of the Gospell are called Sauiors And by reason of this libertie they haue title to the promise of shining as starres in glorie Dan 12.3 This therefore is an vnspeakable mercie and so ought to bee esteemed and all Ministers that haue the same vouchsafed vnto them ought highly to magnifie the name of God for it and to value it more worth than all earthly blessings whatsoeuer Secondly from the workes which Christ approoued in the Angell of this Church we may obserue that Ministers indued with small measure of gifts may bee able to doe great seruice vnto God in his Church This thing
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
Thirdly men will professe that they are rich in loue both towards God and their neighbours when as they loue the world and the pleasures thereof more than Christ and so haue no true loue of God in their harts Fourthly to make more plain that this spirituall pride raignes in mens harts mark this let any bodily calamity be made knowne to a man that is newly befallen him oh how is hee presently perplexed but let Gods Minister out of his word make knowne vnto him his inward fearfull estate that by reason of sinne hee is in danger of Gods iudgements and a firebrand of Hell hee is not affraide Worldly newes doth affright men much when as the threatnings of the word mooue them nothing What argueth this but that their hearts are fore-stalled with this false conceit I am rich The drunkard in his drunkennesse the filthie person in his vncleannesse and euerie man in his sinne sootheth himselfe with this God is mercifull I am rich and in his fauour hee will not condemne me Well it being thus manifest that spirituall pride is our common sin We must labour to see it in our selues and vse all good meanes that it may be remooued The means follow afterwards And increased with goods or am made rich so the words are these words are added onely for amplification to shew that this church had not any smal portion but an exceeding measure of spirituall pride The doubling of the words sheweth the strength of this conceit What 's the cause that this Church was growne to such an height of pride Answ. It may be it was knowledge wherewith no doubt the Angell of this Church and many therin did abound now the holy Ghost saith That knowledge pusseth vp This is true in all places great knowledg without speciall grace great pride This is the sinne of the Schooles of learning Where knowledge abounds there pride of heart abounds and men are puffed vp according to the measure of their gifts vnlesse by his grace and the sight of their sins God doe humble them And haue need of nothing This is a further signe of their great pride that they thought they needed not the helpe of any thinge or any person beside themselues And all such as thinke they haue no need of the blood of Christ for the washing away of their sinnes doe surfet and abound with this spirituall pride of heart This serues further to conuince our congregations of this damnable spirituall pride If any one be sicke in bodie hee streight sendeth to the Phisitian but not one of a thousand seeketh to the Minister till the pange of death draw neere The soules disease by sin is not felt there is no complaint for want of the blood of Christ. But if wee would be emptied of this pride wee must labour to see that wee stand in neede of Christ and euerie droppe of his blood till such time as wee feele that in vs there is no goodnesse in our hearts VVee are but the proude Laodiceans and our case is wretched and damnable And knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Christ intending to strike this sin of pride to the verie heart doth here set downe the true cause thereof to wit Ignorance as if hee should say Thou knowest not thine owne naturall estate as thou art borne of Adam out of Christ and therefore thou art proude and thy pride maketh thee luke-warme Then he sheweth whereof they were ignorant namely of their naturall estate For the first Christ making Ignorance the cause of their Pride teacheth vs that Pride is not the first sin that euer was in the world as many both Papists and others haue thought True it is Pride is a great and mother sinne and the cause of many fowle iniquities but yet Ignorance is a mother sin wherof Pride springeth The cause why any person swelles with pride in himselfe is Ignorance of his owne naturall estate By this then wee are taught to learne to knowe our owne estate what wee are by nature in our selues without Christ for that is the way to pull downe our hearts For this cause the Prophets of God vsed to call men To a searching of themselues Zeph. 2.1 when they would bring the people to humilitie and grace that men seeing their estate by reason of their sinnes to bee damnable might bee humbled and caused to forsake themselues and come vnto Christ. And surely till such time as men bee humbled for their sinnes they will neuer get sound grace but be as the proud Pharisie hypocrits and dissemblers though they haue much knowledg But when a man hath searched his naturall estate then besides knowledg of himselfe come other most excellent graces as humilitie the feare of God and true obedience with good conscience And therefore first of all let vs labour to be acquainted with our own estate in our selues with our personall sins with Gods iudgmēts due vnto vs for them For this is the ground of true grace The spots and blemishes of our bodies we can soone espy and wipe away and why should wee bee lesse carefull of our soules which be farre better That Christ might fully make knowne vnto them their ignorance of thēselues it pleaseth him to desrcibe to thē their naturall estate so proportionally the naturall condition of all Churches of all people which is the state of mans miserie This he propoundeth two waies first generally in these wordes and knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable then by the parts thereof which be three Pouertie Blindnesse and Nakednesse For the first The word translated Wretched signifieth one subiect to calamities griefes and in a word to all miseries And that we may know who is thus wretched I will enter into a description of mans miserie whereof that we may conceiue aright two things are to bee considered First the roote and fountaine thereof for therein wee shall best see what miserie meaneth This root is originall sinne and it hath two braunches First that particular transgression whereby Adam sinned which was not only the sinne of his person but also of the whole nature of man spreading it self to all his posterity Christ excepted Secondly the defacing of Gods Image and the corrupting of mans heart which by reason of the fall of our first parents hath in it a pronesse vnto all sin both in will affection and in all the faculties of the soule In these two stands originall sin and in them and with them must wee conceiue of mans misery as in the root thereof Secondly we must conceiue of mans misery vnder the forme of punishmēt hauing relation to the first sin of Adam to the corruption of ech mans nature therby receiued The punishent of sin must be considered sundry waies according to the diuers kind of mans being either in this world or after For it is either in this life or at the end of this life or after this life
enemies to the word 40.2 b. Nakednesse two-fold 206.2 m. Names of Gods childreÌ„ known to Christ. 172.1 m. Châ—ists new Name 195.1 m. who haue it 197.1 m. Nazaâ—it Why iâ— Christ so called 178.1 m. Necessitie two fold absolute and in in part 5.2 m. The new name giuen by Christ. 131.1 b. Niâ—holaiâ—anes their sect 93.2 b. 120 2. b. and opinions ibid. Number of Gods true seruants small 171.2 c. O Obedience to Christ absolute 21.2 c. and 22.1 Renewed obedience needfull 90.1 c. True obedience described in foure things 152.1 c. 153.1 Offence what it is the kindes of it c. 117.1 m. To cast offences before men a propertie of false teachers 117 2. m. To beware of giuing offences 119.1 c and of taking them beeing giuen ibid 2. m. Old sinners dutie 86.2 c. How to open the doore of our hearts to Christ. 216.2 c. 217.1 Opâ—nions diueâ—sitie of opinionâ— iâ— Religion ought not to make men negligent 48.1 b. Ouercome spirituall enemies how 97.1 m. each one should indeuour thereto ibid. â— b. Many excellent Motiues 194.1 b. P Paâ—adise of God descâ—ibed 98.1 m. our dutie in respect of it 98 2. b. Patienâ—e the Christian mans a 〈◊〉 our 40.1 b. 78.2 c. Needfull to Ministers 73.2 m. c. To each Christian 73.1 m. Grounds of Patience Gods speedy deliâ—erance 6.2 b. Gods decree for the end of theÌ„ 107.2 b Patience needfull in euery good work 136.1 c. Gods patience towards greeuous sinners 124.2 c. 143.1 b. In waiting for their conuersioÌ„ 214.2 c Peoples dutie against Heretikes 79 2. c Peace Christian peace in 6. branches 13.2 b. Persecutors of Gods Church inspired guided by Sathan 105.2 c. 114.2 c. PerseueraÌ„ce in grace excellent 30.2 m. Pilgrimage vaine 39.1 m. Pâ—llars The vse of erecting pillars and Christâ— allusion thereto 194.1.2 To pittie the afflicted 37. â— c. Place no difference thereof in the new Testament in respect of holines 39 â— b Poore men should seeke for spirituall riches 101.1 m. who are poore spiritually 205.2 m. 206.1 b. Pouertie may accompanie true pietie 100.2 b. Popish writers too much affected 4â— 2 b. they be Iezabels 141.1 b. Popeâ— Supremacie in the Church confuted 5281. b. 155.1 b. Title of Holinesse blasphemous 176.2 c. Popish Church no Church 102.2 c. and 103.1 m. popish schooles satans thrones 111.2 m Poperie ouerthrowes Christs kingdome and lawes 117.2 c. 118. Preparation of our selues for the Lord needfull 54.1 b Prayer to Angels vnlawfull 7.1 m. Power from Christ giuen them that ouercome 154.1 m. Priests Beleuers be Priests and how 25.2 b. 26.1 b. Their dutie in respect thereof 18.2 b. Christs presence should be engrauen in our heartes 72.1 b. vse of ibid. m. 105.1 111.1 b. Gods prescience is not the cause of things 191.2 m. Pâ—â—ate persons how they must conuey their knowledge to others 80 1. m. Promises of deliuerance are rather from the hurt of affliction than from â—ffliction it selfe 190 2. c. Prophet Marke of a true Prophet .8.1 c. and of a faâ—se 140.1 m. Proâ—eâ—ion in common iudgements to them that maintaine puritie in life and doctrine 151.1 c. Pride was not the first sinne 203.2 m. Pride spirituall common 202.2 m. Prouidence Gods prouidence the first cause of all 106.1 c. The power therof seen in the instruments which he â—seth ibid. 2. Punishâ—ents proportionable vnto sin euen in the things men abuse 145 1. m. and for measure 148.2 m. PunishmeÌ„ts of sin set out â—04 1 c 2. Puâ—itie of religion ought constantly to be maintained 152.2 c. R Ragâ—ng persons against the word are to be pitied 59.1 c. Reading the word Gods ordinance 481 2. m. It s inioyned both publikely priuatly Direction in reading the word for application 140.1 m. Regeneration and remission of sinnes go togither 131.1 c. RegeneratioÌ„ fouÌ„ded on Christ. 198.2 c Religion of the three great religions Iewes Turkes aâ—d Papists 152.1 b. How to know the true religioÌ„ 18.1 m. Onely in true religion may a man bee saued 112.2 m. Not to forsake it for contentions 78.2 b. 94.1 c. Defence of our religioÌ„ 118 2. c 119 1 Remedie in Relaps 86.2 c. Remembrance of Gods word an excellent thing 169.1 c. How to remember Gods word reade or heard 10.1 b 169.2 m. Repetitâ—on of the same doctrine lawfull 109.1 b. Repentance handled in 5. things 87.2 m. 88.89 Repentance described 122.2 m. Why so often vrged ibid c. It must be renewed dayly 122.1 b. 170 1. m. The practise of it 143.1 c. 146.1 c It must not be deferred 141.2 b. It preuents temporall punishments 1â—6 1 c. It must bee for want of good duties 213.2 b. Reproches follow pietie 101.2 m. From whom they come ibid. c. Not to be maruailed at 132.1 m. The spirit of God is reproched 140.2 b Resurrection grounded on Christ. 67.1 m. Reuelation described 2.1 b. How many wayes shewed from God ibid. in How diuine and diabolicall Reuelations differ ib. 2. b. 36.2 b. Reuerence all true reuerence proceeds from Gods fauour 188.2 b. Reuerent behauiour in holy assemblies 63.2 m. Rewards of God 108.2 b. Riches spirituall stand in twâ— things 101.1 b 205.2 m. how to become rich in God 208.1 c. Righteousnesse distinguished 84.1 m. Rome not the motheâ— Church 12.2 â— It is dead 164.2 c. S Saboth day the Lords day 42.2 c. and 43.1 why so called ib. whether it may be changed 44.1 m. Sabboth-breakers reprooued 14.2 m. and 45.1 Men debarred from publike assemblies should keep the saboth 45.2 m Sacraments not to bee administred to all 74.2 c. Saints may be honored how 114.2 m. Saints iâ— heaâ—en No patrones ouer kingdomes 155.1 m. Nor to bee â—â—aved vnto ibid. Sanctification in part in this life 63.2 c Sathans policie for his kingdome in reâ—iuing ancient vices and Heresies 139.2 c. Scripture Christs royaltie 3.2 m. Excellency of scripture 4.1 m. 8.2 m End of all Scripture 8.2 c. How to know the Scriptures to be the word of God 17.2 c. God certifies it 47.2 c. Search by Christ in the church 168.1 c Securitie two-fold 85.2 c Securitie carnall abounds 57.1 c. Separation from the Church vnlawfull 75.2 b. Seruants of Christ honoured highly 4.2 m. 7.2 b. 154.2 b. How men become his seruants 141.1 c We must do seruice each to other and how 135.1 m. Motiues to it ibid. Sicknes comes froÌ„ Gods hand 145.2 b. Siâ—nes are filthy spottes 23.2 m they make vs flie Gods presence 62.2 b Our behauior in respect of theÌ„ 17â— 1 c Remedies and helpes against sin 62.1 b 72.2 m. 1â—3 1 c. 169.2 m. Motiues to auoyd sinne 154.2 m. and 182.2 c. 214.1 c. 55.2 b. Grieuous sinners not debarred from heauen if they repent 122.1 c. 143. 1. b. 106.2 b. Slumber spirituall common 104.2 m. Sound grace should each one labour for 106.2 c. How to speake in our owne behalfe 12.1 m. Spirit promised to the Apostles peculiarly 69.1