shew mercie exercise iudgement keepe courts assises begin end and continue warre according to his commaundements And so in euery thing the direction of Christ should be their guide as it was to Dauid Thy lawes O Lord haue beene my counsellours Psal. 119.24 Fourthly if Christ bee soueraigne king then all earthly princes are bound to plant and establish in their kingdomes the religion of Christ else how can they shew themselues his loyall subiects Many imagine That earthly princes may admit vnto their subiects any religion for the peace of the ciuile state but this is against the equitie of Gods word in this place for wherein can earthly princes doe homage vnto Christ if they maintaine not his religion And their dutie in this behalfe is signified plainely in the parable of the mariage For when they that were bidden did not come the king sent forth his seruants which may be vnderstood of Christian magistrats to compell men to come to the mariage for that is the magistrates dutie in respect of the outward profession of true religion Fiftly seeing Christ alone is prince of the kings of the earth hence we learne that kings on earth in their dominions are soueraigne gouernours ouer all persons and in all causes next vnder Christ he is king of kings absolutely and they are vnder him alone and haue no other head but him Whereby wee see the presumption and arrogancie of the Pope and Sea of Rome in claiming supremacie aboue all kings and princes in the whole church vpoÌ„ earth This is a deuice of the diuell and high treason against Christ for hereby hee is robbed of this royall prerogatiue to be the only prince of the kings of the earth Lastly seeing Christ is king of all kings we must not be discouraged when we be called to suffer any affliction for his truth let the tyrants of the earth rage and bend their force to hurt vs yet wee haue a king aboue them al for whom we suffer he is their king hee can stay and bridle them and if hee please confound and bruise them in peeces They cannot do any thing but that which he permits for hee rules in the middest of all his enemies Psal. 110.2 he can breake them in pieces like a potters vessell Thus much of the offices of Christ. The second part of Christs description is by the execution of his offices which consists in foure works The first contained in these words Vnto him which loued vs the second in these Which washed vs in his bloud the other two in the two verses which follow viz. 6 and 7. For the first which loued vs that is Iohn and the churches of Asia by proportion all other churches being parts of the true church The loue of Christ hath three degrees the first is a generall loue wherby he loues all his creatures approuing the same to be good as they be his by creation The second is the loue of mankind in that he was content to become a redeemer for mankind after their fall and not â—or any other creature no not for the Angels which fell as well as man who therefore remaine without all hope of saluation The third and principall is that wherby he loues his elect and chosen children which is that speciall sauour whereby he accepts of them to life euerlasting This third degree hath two parts First it is taken for his purpose to loue as when he saith I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau Rom. 9.13 Secondly for the act of louing which is the declaration of his purpose by spirituall benefits 1. Iohn 3.1 Behold what singular loue God hath shewed vnto vs that wee should be called the sonnes of God noting the declaration of his loue in the gift of adoption So in this verse by the loue of Christ vnto his church is meant the actuall declaration of his speciall fauour in accepting them for his children and bestowing many singular blessings vpon them Whereas S. Iohn placeth this in the first place of all the benefites of Christ That he loued vs hee would teach vs That this speciall loue is the very ground of mans redemption which excludeth all foreseene faith and workes from being motiues of mans election in Gods eternall councell and so proportionally all foreseene sinnes from being motiues in God of mans reprobation It may be obiected The loue of God as also of man respects a thing as it is good First the thing must be good and then it is loued and so in mans redemption God first foresees their goodnesse and therefore chuseth them Ans. There is great difference betweene the loue of the creature and of the creator The loue of the creature followes the goodnesse of a thing because he seeth it is good therefore he loues it But God the creator first loues the creature before it bee good and hence it comes that it is good because he loues it Secondly whereas Saint Iohn and all the churches of Asia as other true churches do beleeue and are assured that Christ loues them for that Saint Iohn taketh for granted this should moue all men to haue this care to labour aboue all things to be rooted and grounded in the loue of God seeing hee placeth that in the first place This is the principall thing wherein the Apostle would haue the Ephesians rooted and grounded and therefore prayeth That with all Saints they may be able to comprehend what is the breadth and length deapth and height thâ—â—of Ephes. 2. vers 17 18 19. This we doe when we are assured in heart and conscience by the working of Gods spirit that he loues vs in Christ. So that he which denies vnto vs the assurance of Gods loue in Christ takes away the very ground of our saluation Now that we may haue this assurance of Gods loue wee must in all good duties to God and man draw neere to God with our hearts keeping a good conscience in all things and then will God draw neere to vs. If any man loue me saith Christ he will keepe my word and then my father will loue him and we will come in vnto him and dwell with him Iohn 14.23 meaning by the holy ghost which shall shed this loue into our hearts Rom. 5. vers 5. causing vs to increase in the feeling thereof as wee grow in faith and obedience towards him And hath washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud Here is the second benefit and action of Christ to his church Where first of all the very phrase hath washed vs doth import that the sinnes of men are as filthie spots in their soules and that himselfe and this church of God were touched with a serious consideration of their vilenesse by reason of their sinnes for washing presupposeth former filthinesse and pollution Thus did Dauid most sensibly feele his owne filthinesse and see his miserable estate when he desired the Lord to wash him throughly confessing thereby that his soule and body were so foulely stained and
are the sonnes of God by adoption in his sonne so that our right to that kingdome is not by nature but by grace Secondly Christ is an vniuersall king ouer the Angels in heauen the church on earth and all other creatures wheresoeuer his regiment is absolute in the hearts and consciences of men and hee can by his word bind all things but true beleeuers bee not vniuersall kings for they haue no superioritie aboue good Angels and the church Neither are they absolute kings as he is nor of themselues but by Christ Iesus and as they participate with Christ in his kingdome The second part of the dignitie of true beleeuers stands in this That they bee priests consecrate and set apart by Christ to the worship seruice of God here in this life in spirit and truth and in the life to come to serue and praise him eternally Christ hee is a priest so are all his members but yet there is difference First Christ hee is an externall and reall priest of the new Testament which offers vp a true reall and externall prâ—pitiatorie sacrifice to God the father for the sinnes of mankind As for beleeuers they are not reall and externall priests but spirituall offering vp spirituall sacrifice vnto God As when any member of Christ giues an almes hee offers a sacrifice to God not a corporall sacrifice though the thing giuen be a bodily substance but it is euery way spirituall for to offer a reall outward sacrifice in the new Testament is proper to Christ. Againe our Sauiour Christ he is a perfect priest and offers vp a perfect sacrifice but we being imperfect doe offer vp imperfect sacrifices tainted and blemished with sinne yet accepted as perfect for the worthinesse of Christs sacrifice The second point to be considered is the time wheÌ„ beleeuers be made kings and priests namely in this life For as in the entrance into an earthly kingdome there bee degrees first to haue good right and title to it secondly to get possession of it which is more than title only and yet if a mans title be good thogh hee want possession he may be called a king So it is with Gods children they haue the right giuen them of the kingdome of heauen in this life and in that respect are kings Further in the possessing of a kingdome there bee two degrees first the entrance vpon some part secondly the full and perfect enioying of all Now euery true beleeuer begins to enter possession of the kingdom of heauen in this life for it stands 〈◊〉 rigâ—â—eousnesse ioy and peace and they which 〈◊〉 these things in their harts haue the kingdome of God begun in them in this life But the full fruition and perfect possesâ—â—on of this kingdome is reserued to be giuen at the end of this life and at the dâ—y of iudgement And as true beleeuers be kings in this world so likewise bee they priests in offering spirituall sacrifice to God and dedicating and consecrating themselues to his seruice all the dayes of their life The third point is the manner how true beleeuers become kings and priests they are not such by nature neither doth this dignitie come by descent in bloud or birth-right or by any other priuiledge they haue from man but onely from Christ Iesus who by diuine calling makes them spirituall kings and priests like as vnder the law by solemne election and ordination some were made earthly kings and priests Now in this calling of Christ two things concurre First Christ giueth his members right to his owne kingdome and priesthood yet not so that they can execute the regiment sustained by Christ or perform the office of his priesthood but because they haue right in part to these offices and the benefit of them both redoundeth to them wholly And this right they haue is brought to passe in the couenant of the Gospell wherein they are bound to beleeue in God through Christ and God is bound againe to giue vnto them Christ with all his benefites among which these two must be accounted for indeed euery thing which belongs to Christ as he is mediatour is conueyed in some sort to euery true beleeuer Secondly in this diuine calling Christ endues all his members with gifts and graces whereby they are enabled for the duties of spirituall kings and priests vnto God For as Christ is annointed so are all his members So the Psalmist speaking of Christ sayth He is annointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes Psal. 45. vers 7. Therefore his fellowes that is beleeuers are annointed with the same oile though in lesse measure And Saint Iohn sayth Yee haue receiued the annointing 1. Iohn 2.27 yea God himselfe chargeth wicked men not to touch his annointed Psal. 105.15 meaning not onely Patriarkes Kings and Prophets but all true beleeuers who are then annointed when they are endued with the gifts of the same spirit in some measure wherewith Christ in his manhood was filled aboue measure The fourth point To whom hath he made them kings and priests Answ. To God euen the father This is added for speciall cause to preuent that carnall libertie which mans nature might claime from this spirituall royaltie for men might say if all beleeuers be kings then may they liue as they list but these words vnto God do shew that the right of their kingdome with the offices of their priesthood must all bee referred to the honor and prayse of God vnto whom they are made kings and priests Lastly he addeth Euen his father by way of exposition to shew more particularly to which of the persons they are first of all made kings and priests for the title God must not here be taken absolutely for the diuine nature but with restraint to the first person the father vnto whom all true beleeuers are made kings and priests in the first place and from the father to the sonne and from them both to the holy ghost And the first person in Trinitie is here named aboue the rest not as being aboue them in degree or honour for so they bee equall but because he is the first in order and the fountaine of the Godhead which is conueyed from him to the Sonne and from them both to the Holy ghost Thus much for the meaning of the words Now follow sundry vses from the consideration of these two dignities of beleeuers And first their kingly dignitie affoordeth matter both of instruction and consolation Instruct. I. Whereas all true beleeuers are made true kings in this life hereby euery one that professeth Christian religion is taught to carry himselfe as an enemie to all those that are of the kingdome of darkenesse as namely to sinne and Sathan to the flesh and the world euen through the whole course of his life for by calling euery Christian hath title to the kingdome of heauen What affinitie then can wee haue with those that bee both enemies of this kingdome and of Christ himselfe that made vs kings
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
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
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
counsell vnto his Church The principale counseller is Christ so he saith in the person of Wisedom Pro. 8.14 Counsell is mine And Isay saith To vs a Childe is borne and he shall call his name wonderfull COVNSELLER the mightie God the euerlasting Father the Prince of peace yea he is both King Counseller to his Church This office Christ challengeth to himselfe for these causes first because he aduiseth his Church touching the way whereby they must escape euerlasting death and come to eternall life Secondly because he teacheth them how they may practise euery busines so as it may please God Thirdly because hee teacheth them how they may in grieuous dangers and distresses find a good issue or else bee able with patience to beare them These things he worketh dayly in his Church not by extraordinary means but ordinarily by his word and spirit and therefore may iustly challenge this honour to bee called the Counseller of his Church From this office of Christ wee learne two things First to doe all the honour and reuerence we can vnto his Maiestie for he is our professed Counseller who imployes himselfe for the good of his Church Counsellers of the State and of the Law are highly honoured and respected of all sorts euen for their counsell in worldly matters though often it fayle how much more ought wee to honour Christ our heauenly Counseller whose counsell leadeth vnto glorie and is stable and sure for euer Looke how much his counsell excelleth theirs so much ought he to be honoured aboue them all Secondly in all distresses and grieuous temptations and dangers either of soule or body wee must take counsell and aduise from Christ Iesus for to this end doth hee reueale himselfe to bee a counseller that men in distresse comming to him by his aduise might bee comforted and eased When Moab Ammon and Mount Seir banded themselues against Iuda the people were in great distresse and danger but marke what good king Iehosophat did he betooke himselfe to the Lord his counseller saying Lord we know not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee 2. Chron. 20.12 that is direct thou vs in this danger for of our selues we know not how to escape This pratise ought to bee followed of all men especially in time of any danger such as these dayes are by reason of sinne The counsell of Wizards Sorcerers and Astrologians ought not to bee sought after but by prayer wee ought to humble our selues and call only and continually on this our onely true counseller II. Point The remedie it selfe which hath relation to the former Verse for there hee set downe the Miserie of this Church in three parts which were all great Miseries And heere hee so propoundeth his remedie that it is answerable to their Miserie in the seuerall parts thereof For first heere is gold to make them rich answerable to their pouertie Secondly raiment to hide their nakednesse Thirdly oyntment to take away their blindnesse For the first by gold according to the Analogie of the Scripture we are to vnderstand the graces of Gods spirit as true faith repentance the feare of God loue of God and the true loue of man 1. Pet. 1.7 Faith is compared to gold in the tryall thereof and so may all other gifts of the spirit be hereby vnderstood Secondly by gold wee are to vnderstand Christs merits yea Christ himselfe as the fountaine of all grace This gold is further said to be tryed by the fire that is most pure and precious gold purged from all drosse as fine as can be made by the art of man This is added to expresse the propertie of Gods graces and gifts namely that they are more precious vnto God then gold Yea than gold tryed by the fire as Peter saith By this euery person is taught how to beautifie themselues both in soule body It is the common blind opinion of the world that forraigne attyre and rich Iewels do adorne the body and indeede in some cases the body may bee adorned with pearles and Iewels but the right way to adorne any person indeed is to furnish the soule with these graces of the spirit which vnto God be more precious than fine gold Our bodyes and soules ought to be the dwelling places of the Holy Ghost therefore we must adorne them and make them fit for so worthy a Guest which must be done by the good graces of the spirit and not by strange and forraigne attyre which no good man could euer abide Secondly these graces haue a further effect than to beautifie and that is to make rich Heere then see the common folly yea the spirituall madnesse of men in the world who spend all their time wit and strength to furnish their houses with treasure to enrich their bodies and in the meane time leaue their soules vngarnished What a madnesse is this that men should neglect the true riches and follow after that which is nothing els but counterfeit copper Seeing therefore Gods graces bee the true treasure which fadeth not let vs seeke after them as Wisedome counselleth Pro. 8.10 11 receiue mine instruction and not siluer and knowledge rather than fine gold For wisedome is better then precious stones The second part of this remedie is a white garment that is Christ himselfe and his righteousnesse imputed So Paul saith All that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ There Christ is made a garment whom euery one that beleeueth in him doth put on Againe the fruites of the spirit are a garment therefore we are commanded to put on tender mercie kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse and long suffering Further Christ sheweth the end of this garment namely to couer the nakednesse of our soules lest the filthynesse thereof which we by our sins haue brought vpon vs doe appeare The third part of this remedie is anoynting with eye-salue where by eye-salue wee must vnderstand the spirit of Illumination and knowledge wrought in the mind by the Holy Ghost whereby men know themselues and their estate for as eye-salue sharpens the eyes and cleeres the sight where it was by some occasion dimned so doth Christ by the illumination of the spirit make a man know God in Christ and to discerne betweene good and euill and betweene things temporall and blessings eternall Thus wee haue the meaning of the words whereby wee may see that by all these three wee can vnderstand nothing else but Christ himselfe and his merits Now one and the same thing in Christ is signified by diuers tearmes to shew that there is in Christ the fulnesse of all grace and plentifull redemption yea store of supplyes for all our wants The Laodiceans were poore but Christ was their riches they were naked Christ was their garment and lastly they were blinde but Christ was their eye-salue So that what wants soeuer be in vs there is store of supply thereof in Christ. This must the more diligently be marked