whom the Epistle is directed The Angel of the Church we are to consider 1. What is meant by this Angel 2. Who in particular this Angel was 3. Whether under that Name he understand some one particular Person onely or whether there were any more included under that name 4. Why he is represented under the name and notion of an Angel To the Angel of the Church of Ephesus Then out of the next part of the Text The Person from whom the Epistle is sent we are to consider out of the first part of his description Holding the seven Starrs in his right hand what or who are meant by these seven Starrs whether it may not be literally understood of that famous Constellation clearly visible in our Horizon in dorso Tauri called by Astronomers the Pleyades by our vulgar people in plain English the seven starrs Or if not them then who or what else is meant by them And thirdly Why represented under the similitude of the seven Starrs And next What is meant by his holding of them in his right hand Then out of the next part of his Description as he is represented Walking between the seven golden Candlesticks we are to enquire VVhat these golden Candlesticks are who they are that are represented by them and why And lastly what is meant by his walking in the midst of them not sitting nor standing but walking Non in angulo sed in medio in the midst of them Out of the third part The speciall notice that he takes of their works We are to consider what works he means and how and why he is so exact in observing them and taking notice of them All these things clearly offer themselves to our consideration and enquiry And if I should methodically and exactly treat of them all I might well continue my Discourse as large as Paul did his Sermon which he Preach't to this very Church Acts 20. till Starr-light and till we should have occasion to make use of these Candlesticks here before us to finish it But I am commanded brevity and I will observe it as well as I can in so copious a subject as this is in which Crede mihi labor est non levis esse brevis But I have heard of foure sorts of Preachers The Quoter the Noter the Taunter and the Flaunter Amongst all these upon this account I shall fall in with the second sort I shall neither Taunt nor Flaunt nor fill the Margin with Quotations but onely note as it were with an asterisme and point with the singer at those things which are most remarkable tanquam Canis ad Nilum hint and away And first of the Person unto whom this Epistle is directed here represented to us under the Name and Notion of an Angel To the Angel of the Church of Ephesus First VVhat was this Angel Pererius tells and generally the current of Interpreters that by the Angel here is meant the Bishop of the Church of Ephesus Per Angelum hunc non alium intelligimus quam Episcopum Ecclesiae Ephesinae By the Angel here we understand none other but the Bishop of Ephesus And reason it self suggests it for it is clear by that which we Reade Acts 20. and in the Epistle written by Saint Paul to Timothy That there were many Pastors and Teachers in that Metropoliticall Church yet our Lord writing unto the Church doth not direct his Epistle indifferently to them all but to one more eminent then all the rest one that was Superintendent over all the rest whom here he stiles The Angel of that Church though there were many Pastors and Teachers in that great and populous City yet they are not all indifferently styled Angels although they might all in a way of resemblance be styled Angels yet not all nor any of the rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angel But to this Person he writes as to one more eminent then all the rest to one that had power authority and jurisdiction over the rest whom here he styleth by an Emphasis and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an excellency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angel To the Angel of the Church of Ephesus Note It appears then there were distinctions and different Orders and Degrees among the Clergy from the beginning even under the Gospel In our Saviours time there was first himself the Prince of the Order then the Apostles then the Evangelists then the seventy Disciples all Ministers of the Gospel But can you imagine that all these were of equall Dignity in the Church In Titus 1.5 Saint Paul authorizes Titus to Ordain Elders in every Church That the Elders were Teaching Elders it appears by their Ordination But can any man imagine that these Elders Ordeined by Titus and Titus Ordaining and Saint Paul authorizing Titus to Ordain them were all of an equall authority in the Church Ejusdem Ordinis ejusdem Dignitatis ejusdem Potestatis Reason it self speaks the contrary In Heaven above there is an Hierarchy we Reade of Angels and arch-Arch-Angels c. And why should it seem so strange that there is such an one here below and that we should heare of Bishops and arch-Arch-Bishops c. If it be usefull in the Church Triumphant surely in the Church Militant much more So it was here in this Church of Ephesus there were many Pastors many Priests or Ministers belonging to it and Ministring in it yet among all the rest one more eminent then the rest of greater Dignity Power and Authority then the rest here styled The Angel of the Church To the Angel òf the Church of Ephesus The second Quaery is Who in particular this Angel was then Bishop in that See And 't is generally noted to be Timothy Sure we are that Timothy was Bishop there and that much about this time We have Scripture for that in the Close of the second Epistle to Timothy where Paul Dates and Directs his Epistle thus The second Epistle to Timothy Ordained the first Bishop of the Church of the Ephesians Written from Rome when Paul was brought bèfore Nero the second time After whom Saint John himself that writ this Epistle Succeeded him in the same See where he lived many years and at last ended his dayes a very old Man and dyed in Peace in his Bed and so did none of the Apostles but he all the rest being Crowned with Martyrdome For the latter of these we have the History of the Church But for the former we have the Canonicall Scripture it self to confirm it So that you cannot cast Bishops out of the Church Root and Branch as the cry goes among some of you except you will burn your Bibles 3. But why doth he write in the singular number To the Angel of the Church as to one VVere there no more concerned in it Surely yes all the Clergy at the least so Rupertus Dum ad Angelum scribit ad totum Clerum scribit VVhen he writes to the Angel or Bishop of the Church he Writes to
the whole body of the Clergy of that Church Lyra goes further In Angelo Ecclesiae totam affatur Ecclesiam In the Angel of the Church he speaks to the whole Church however most especially to the Pastors and Ministers of it But why in the singular number as to one but because he was their Chief he was their Governour he had the oversight of all the rest he had the Charge of them as they had of the Flock of Christ and of the Congregations under him he was to give them their Charge to set them upon their Duty and to see that they did discharge it accordingly and therefore as if they were all involved in him and included in him whatsoever is found good in them is imputed unto him and he is commended for it whatsoever is found reproveable in them is charged upon him all along throughout the whole Epistle and he is blamed for it Judge you then if he and all his Successors in the like Charge have not reason to look into the Carriage and Behaviour of those which are so immediately under their Government and under their Charge if they have not reason as their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Oversee them to Visit them to take an Account of them how they carry in their Places and discharge their Duties in their severall Charges Surely it is but reasonable and necessary that he should take an Account of others which is to give an Account for others unto God and such is the Case in the Text To the Angel of the Church is the Epistle directed of him is the Account required for all that are under his Charge and Government especially his Clergy To the Angel of the Church of Ephesus Write But the main thing offered out of this superscription of the Epistle to be inquired into is this Why it is Directed to the Bishop or who ever else are included in it under the Name and Notion of an Angel To the Angel of the Church And Saint Augustine gives the Reason in a word Propter similitudinem for the likenesse that is between them and for the many properties wherein all Bishops Pastors and Ministers of the Church should resemble the Angels and the resemblances between them for which they are called by that Name are principally these five 1. Propter Dignitatem For the Honour and Dignity that God hath put upon them God hath Clothed them with Honour and Dignity above their Brethren and hath Anointed them with the Oyle of Grace and gladnesse above their fellows Hath Dignified them with the highest Titles that Men can be capable of Spirituall Fathers Pastors Rulers Embassadors Starrs Angels that they may be Honourable in the Eyes of the People it is much for his own Honour that it should be so it is for the Honour of his Service that it should be so it is much for the advantage of their Ministery that it should be so it is for the Honour of the People that it should be so and therefore hath he Commanded that we should account them worthy of double Honour if not for their own sake yet for their works sake and for their Masters sake we should not think much to Honour them whom God doth Honour And let them whom God hath thus Honoured take heed they doe not dishonour him nor themselves Remember the Item given to Elyes Sonns in this very case Those which Honour me I will Honour but those that despise me shall be despised 1 Sam. 2.30 made good Malach. 2.9 2. Propter Ministrationem Pastors and Ministers of the Church are called Angels for the likenesse of their Ministration with that of the Angels Angels are Ministring Spirits sent out for the good of those that shall be the Heires of salvation Heb. 1.14 Pastors and Ministers are such for all the world called commissionated and sent out for the good of those that shall be the Heires of Salvation to Preach unto them the Gospel of Grace To Publish and Declare unto them the Mistery of Godlinesse To Proclaime the glad tydings of Salvation To Instruct them in the way of Life To Comfort to Confirme them to strengthen them and every way to Build them up upon their most holy Faith and so to fit and prepare them for the Glory that is intended them their very Name imports their Duty Angels Messengers from God to Man And the Message that they bring is good 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good newes tydings of Peace and of good things How beautifull therefore ought their very Feet to be upon the Mountains which are shod with the preparation of such Gospel 3. Angels Propter Scientiam Sapientiam for their wisedom and knowledge Angels are wise and knowing Spirits As an Angel of God so is my Lord the King to discern good and evill sayes the widdow of Tekoah to David 2. Sam. 14.17 And verse the 20. My Lord the King is Wise as an Angel of God to know all things Angels are wise and knowing Spirits such ought Pastors and Ministers of Churches to be Wise and Knowing The Priests Lips must preserve Knowledge and the people shall seek the Law at his Mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts Malac. 2.7 The Roman Orator was wont to say of the Lawyers House that it was Oraculum Civitatis the Oracle of the City I am sure it ought to be so of the Divines The Divines Residentiary House ought to be Oraculum Civitatis from whence any of the People ought to fetch Instruction Direction Resolution Satisfaction in all their Doubts and Difficulties Tanquam ab Oraculo as from an Oracle and this requires much knowledge wisedome and prudence He must not be a Novice saith Saint Paul 1 Tim. 3.6 He must be as a Steward saith our Saviour plentifully furnished that may bring out of his Treasury things New and Old God will not send a Message by the Leggs of the Lame nor make Blind men Seers nor Dumbe men his Orators Vbi desinit Philosophus ibi incipit Mediâ—us It was wont to be said Where the Philosopher ends there the Physitian begins I am sure it ought to be so with the Divines Arts and Sciences Knowledge in the Learned Languages Histories and all other kinds of Humane Learning were wont to be accounted the Stayres into the Pulpit the Handmaids to Divinity But how ordinary hath it been in these latter and looser Times for young Neophytes to skip over all these at one jumpe into the Pulpit and there with great Confidence and Impudence the onely Armour of Ignorance to vent their own raw Fancies or such things which they have taken up upon Trust from such Authors as they have light upon or what they have taken from the Mouth of their admired Teachers by Brachygraphie and so Communicate them unto the people apt to take any new Impressions and fill them with varietie of Fancies and Innovations The fourth property wherein the Bishops Pastors and Ministers of Churches doe
resemble the Angels and for which they are so called is Propter Celeritatem for their readinesse chearfulnesse and swiftnesse in Executing the Commands of Almighty God Angels are represented to us Winged and those Wings not let down and clapt to their sides but raised up expansit and stretched out to shew their readinesse to execute the will of the Heavenly Father they stand in his presence their Eye is upon him they doe but watch for the word of Command and presently they are upon the Wing They doe not goe but runne not runne but fly such should be our readinesse in doing the will of our God we must not runne before we be sent but being sent we must not linger delay nor make excuses we must not Drive heavily in his Service the wheeles of our obedience must be oyled with Chearfulnesse and Alacrity that we may move swiftly in all our Duties and Performances as we dayly Pray so we must dayly Practise That his will may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven and we see how the Angels doe his will with winged Chearfulnesse and Swiftnesse Goe thou and doe likewise The fifth resemblance for which Bishops Pastors and Ministers of the Church are styled Angels is Propter Puritatem for their Holinesse and Purity Angels are pure Creatures so had they need be that stand in the presence of the holy God and are admitted so neer unto him in this respect we must be as the Angels and that upon the same account Moses tells Korah Numb 16.9 That the Lord had taken him neer unto him to doe the service of the Tabernacle Even so we that are the Lords Priests set a part to doe the service of the Tabernacle and to Minister before him in holy things are taken neer unto the Lord And he hath said He will be sanctified in them that come neer him Levit. 10. Oh what a hatefull thing it is to God and Man to see a profane person polluted and besmeared with all manner of impiety impurity and uncleannesse to draw neer to God in holy Services with his polluted Heart polluted Lips polluted Life and polluted Hands to pollute all that he toucheth it is a wonder that in such cases the holy God doth not break out upon them to strike them through with a Thunderbolt or by Fire from Heaven avenge himself upon their presumption as he did upon Nadab and Abihu in the like Case and for the same Sinn Levit. 10. And how hatefull it is to Man we may perceive by that which Ely his Sonns are Charged with in the same Case 1 Sam. 2.17 You make the Lords People to abhorre the Sacrifice of the Lord. Woe be to us if through our profannesse or irreverent handling of holy things we make the Lords People to abhorre the Sacrifice of the Lord take heed we handle holy things in a holy manner that we put off our Shooes when we approach the burning Bush and stand upon holy Ground that we wash our Hands in innocency before we compasse the Altar All the washings and purifyings under the Law did but Typically Teach us how holy we ought to be Our very Garments that we wears reade unto us Lectures of holinesse and purity In the Consecration of Aaron to the Office of the Priesthood among other Religious Ceremonies it was Commanded That the Blood of the Sacrifice should be Sprinkled upon his right Eare and upon the Thumbe of his right Hand and upon the great Toe of his right Foot And what did all this signifie but that the Lords Priests must be Sanctified throughout and from Top to Toe Consecrated as holy unto the Lord. The Motto of the High-Priests Miter was Holinesse to the Lord It should be the Motto of every one of our Hearts our Lips our Lives and all our Service should Proclaime Holinesse to the Lord. We are here styled Angels to shew That we should walk before the Lord even in Angelicall purity and holinesse We should now come to speak of the Person from whom this Epistle is sent But by the way we may not omit the Charge here given to Saint John concerning the things to be signified unto the Church from him and that is To Write them down To the Angel of the Church of Ephesus Write Saint John had been an Authentique Messenger to have delivered Viva voce byword of Mouth a Message from Christ to the Church But Christ doth not think that sufficient but he must Write The Reason was Those things that he there wrote to that Church did concern all other Christian Churches to the worlds end He that hath an Eare must hearken unto them And therefore that they may come to the knowledge of them it was necessary they should be written Secondly Things delivered by word of Mouth and so transmitted from Mouth to Mouth by Tradition are subject to be corrupted misreported to admit of Addition Diminution Alteration there can be no certainty in them but Litera Scripta manet Away then with all your Popish Traditions Anabaptisticall Revelations Fallacious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnwritten Verities as they call them when you speak of the Canon whereby we should be directed in matters of Faith and Manners in order to our Eternall salvation God hath better provided for his Church then so By giving us a more sure Word of the Prophets and Apostles and our Lord himself all in Writing unto which we shall doe well to take heed as to the Lights shining in a dark place to guide our Feet in the wayes of truth life and peace We now come to consider of the Person from whom the Epistle is sent Intererit multum Davusne loquatur berusne It adds much to the luster and authority of that which is written to consider from whom it is written And that is here from this wonderfull Person described in the Text by Holding the seven Starrs in his right hand and walking in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks As the Prophet Isay once askt the question Isay 63.1 Who is this that commeth from Edom with Garments died red from Bozrah So here Who is this wonderfull Person which here we see walking in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks Why It is none other but the Sonne of God the Lord of the Candlesticks and the owner of them the very same which we saw before bolding the seven Starrs in his right hand But hath he no Name Yes But the Spirit thought it more fit to represent him here in a Glorious Vision to set him forth in such a Heavenly Description and Periphrasis as might strike in the Church an awfull reverence of so Divine a Majesty to tremble at his Word and carefully to heed it in the promises the Threatnings the Instructions the Admonitions the Reprehensions and all the severall dispensations of it as the Word of the Mighty God and not of Man the King Chiefe Priest and Prophet of the Church and one that was perpetually in the midst
COncionem banc perlegi cùm nihil in eâ aut Ecclesiae Anglicanae aut bonis moribus contrarium reperiatur Publicâ Luce donandam censui Edm. Diggle S. T. P. Reverendissime in Christo Patri ac Dom ' Dom ' Archiepisc ' Eborac à Sacris Domest Datum Episcopo-Thorpae 16. Calend. Septem 1663. A SERMON AD CLERUM At the Visitation of the DEANE and CHAPTER there holden the 19th day of November Anno Dom. 1662. By the most Reverend Father in God ACCEPTUS By Divine Providence Lord Arch-Bishop of YORK his GRACE Primate of England and Metropolitan Preacht by Thomas Bradley D. D. one of his late Majesties Chaplains and Praebendary of the Church afore-said Canst thou stay the sweet influences of the Pleades or loose the bands of Orion Job 38.31 The Sauffers and the Snuffe-dishes shall be of pure Gold Exod. 25.38 Yorke Printed by Stephen Bulkley and are to be sold by Francis Mawbarne at the Minster-Gates 1663. Cum Privilegio Revel 2.1 And to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus Write These things saith he which holdeth the seven Starrs in his right hand and walketh in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks Ver. 2. I know thy Works c. IN the precedent Chapter we have the Description of a wonderfull Person One like unto the Son of Man walking in the midst of seven Golden Candlesticks clothed with a garment down to the foot and girt about the paps with a Golden Girdle ver 13. His head and his haire as white as wooll or snow and his eyes as a flame of fire ver 14. And his feet as fiue brasse burning in a furnace and his voyce as the sound of many waters ver 15. c. which is none other but the description of Jesus Christ the Eternall Sonne of God in his glorious capacities of King Priest and Prophet of his Church In these two Chapters the second and the third are contained seven Epistles written from him to the seven famous Churches of Asia To every Epistle there is prefixt a severall Preface and every of those Prefaces taken out of some part of that glorious description As for instance The Preface to this first Epistle is taken out of those parts of this description which are found verses 13. and 16. Verse the 13. I saw one like unto the Sonne of Man in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks And in the 16. ver He had in his right hand seven Starrs thus the Description The Preface to the Epistle thus Thus saith he which holdeth in his right hand the seven Starrs and walketh in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks The Preface of the Epistle to the second Church the Church of Smyrna is taken out of those parts of the Description which are found ver 11. and the 18. ver the 11. thus I am the first and the last And ver the 18. thus I was dead and am alive thus the Description the preface to the Epistle thus Thus saith he which is the first and the last which was dead and is alive and so of the rest The Preface to every one of them is taken out of such part of this glorious Description as represents Christ unto them in such a forme or posture as is most suitable to that Churches State or Condition such as may adde a greater authority to the whole Epistle such as may make the deeper impression into them and procure the greater reverence and obedience to that which is written and contained in them But our businesse is with the Church of Ephesus the most famous of all the rest Famous for this that it was the Metropolis of all the rest Ephesus was the Metropolis of all Asia Famous for the University there it was an University as Atheus was but it seems they studied much the black Art for when by the Preaching of St. Paul among them they were convinced of the vanity of those Studies in testimony of their Repentance They brought their Conjuring Books and burnt them before all men but first they were prized and upon the valuation they came to fifty thousand pieces of silver Acts 19. Famous for the magnificent Temple of Diana in it the statelyest Fabrique in the world two hundred and twenty years in building as some Histories relate Famous for the Preaching of St. Paul there Acts 20. and for that Divine Epistle which he Wrote to that Church inserted in the sacred Canon and one of the largest among them the Epistle to the Ephesians But much more famous for this Epistle written unto them more immediately from our Lord himself whereof our Text is a part Other Churches had the Honour to be written unto by the holy Apostles of our Lord but this more immediately by our Lord himself for he it is which here dictates to his sacred Penman and amanuensis John Vnto the Church of Ephesus Write So then It was St. Johns Charge to write this Epistle It is our Businesse now to Reade it and to consider of the Contents of it For not unto Ephesus alone but unto us doth it belong Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches To us therefore as directly doth it belong as if the Epistle were superscribed To the Angel of the Church of York write These things saith he that holdeth the seven Starrs in his right hand and walketh in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks Novi opera tua I know thy works For the opening of this Letter at the first view it divides it self into these three Parts 1. The Person to whom it is directed here represented to us under the name and Notion of an Angel To the Angel of the Church of Ephesus 2. The description of the Person from whom it is sent as he is here represented to us in two wonderfull postures 1. Holding in his right hand seven Stars 2. Walking in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks These things saith he which c. 3. The speciall notice that he took of their state and condition the carriage and behaviour of that Church in these words Novi opera tua I know thy works And now oh for the Tongue of an Angel to speak of so Angelicall so Heavenly a subject Angels Starrs Golden Candlesticks A Chrysostome here to set them forth in their luster and in their brightnesse would well suite with such a subject but we must doe as we may The Text is of Shew bread all along and that belongs properly to the Priests And in the Tabernacle where the golden Candlestick was set it was commanded That the Table there should be furnished with such Bread and so it is here And that I may break to every one of you a morsell of it and give to each of you his portion in due season Let us take a second view of the Text in the particulars of it branching themselves out of these more generall Parts And here out of the first part The Person to
of them and had a continuall Eye upon them and would take a strict account of them therefore is he set forth not by his Name but by a description In this Description here are two parts we must consider of them both in their Order The former of them represents him to us Holding the seven Starrs in his right hand First then What is meant by these seven Starrs Secondly What is meant by his holding of them in his right hand As to the first It is no injury to truth to understand them in a Literall sence of that famous Constellation in Heaven which in a clear Night is visible in our Horizon in dorso Tauri which our Vulgar People call the seven Starrs Astronomers the Pleyades and by a Synechdoche for the whole number of the Starts in the Firmament all which this wonderfull Person holdeth in his right hand He telleth the number of the Starrs and calleth them all by their Names He Created them at the first He assigned to them their Places in the Firmament their Constellations their Motions their Vertues their Influences which he can cause them to send forth when he pleaseth and when he pleaseth restrain them Canst thou stay the sweet Influences of the Pleyades or binde the Hands of Orion thou cansts not But he that made them and gave them their Influences can Astra regunt Homines sed regit astra Deus The Starrs have a strong Influence upon Men and upon the substellary Bodies but he that made them hath a stronger Influence upon them He holdeth them in his right hand guides them moves them orders them as it pleaseth him and therfore feare not the signes of Heaven Jer. 10.2 but feare the God of Heaven Look not so much at the Starrs as at the Hand and at him that holdeth them in his right hand Thus if we understand these Starrs in a Literall sence the words will beare it well enough the Exposition is true but not so genuine 't is sure enough our Lord did allude unto those Starrs we speak of in this Expression But in the genuine Interpretation of them he leads us another way to a Metaphoricall sence Revel 1. and the last and by these seven Starrs understands the seven Angels of these seven Churches and by those Angels the Bishops and Chiefe Pastors of those Churches and under them all the other Ministers Pastors and Teachers which here he styleth so many Starrs But what is it that the Spirit would say unto the Churches by this Metaphoricall Expression Surely this is that which he would say Obs That all Bishops Pastors and Ministers of the Church should be as Starrs in the severall Churches and Charges wherein they are fixt and that in a six-fold resemblance for which they are there so styled 1. Propter Lucem for the Light that ought to be in them and by which they ought to shine unto others It is the property of the Starrs to shine and to give light to the dark places of the Earth and that in the Night time when there is most need of it Remember we are Starrs and Starrs must shine We are the Light of the World and must not be put under a Bushell but set up on a Candlestick that we may give Light to all that are about us It is a high Testimony that our Saviour gave John the Baptist That he was a shining Light T is said of the Fathers met in the Councell of Nice that they were Totius Orbis Lumina It was said of Saint Basil That he was in his Pulpit as Thunder and in his exemplary Conversation as Lightning We must shine by our Doctrine and shine by our Works and shine by our Exemplary Conversation by all these we must so shine before Men that they may see our good works as well as hear our good words that so they may be moved to glorifie our Father which is in heaven 2. But Light without Heat is but a kind of Ignis fatuus there must be Heate within as well as Light without heate of Love and heate of Zeale John was a shining and a burning Light he shin'd in his Doctrine and exemplary life without and he burn'd within with Love and Zeal Remember we are Sacrificers and those Sacrifices were ever most acceptable which were offered by fire unto the Lord without this holy fire to quicken and to warm us we shall be but cold in our performances perfunctory in our services we shall Drive heavily in the wayes of God and doe the work of the Lord but negligently Zeale is the wings of the soule that lifts it up and carries it on swiftly in holy performances the oyle of the wheeles of out obedience that makes them run chearfully it will put us upon all our Duties with earnestnesse fervency devotion affection and that which we doe for God or to God it will make us to doe it heartily and throughly of all others we had need to be fervent in spirit serving the Lord from whose Zeal all our People are to take Fire 3. Starrs Propter Influentiam Bishops Pastors and Ministers of the Church are called Starrs by reason of the influence that they have upon the people and the Congregations depending upon them Radius est vehiculum lucis caloris influentiae The Starrs and other Luminaries of Heaven doe by the Rayes and Beams which they send forth convey not onely Light and Heate but strong influence also into the inferiour Bodies Canst thou stay the sweet influences of the Pleyades saith Job speaking of those very seven Starrs unto which the Text doth allude Even so the Pastors and Ministers of the Church the Church-Starrs doe convey unto the people under them strong influence good or bad if they be benigne Starrs then the influence Flowing from them is good saving healing comforting reviveing influence But if they be malignant Starrs the influence Flowing from them must needs be like unto themselves blasting and disasterous There are some Astronomers tell us That unto every Creature here below in this inferiour world there is assigned a Starr from whose influence it doth receive Vigor Life and Vegetation Not much unlike the Opinion of the Papists That assigne to every Man borne into the World an Angel to be his Guardian And of the Manichees Which assigne to every soule a good Angel and a bad the one drawing him to that which is good the other to that which is evill I leave them to defend their own Opinions this is sure That from every of us Church-Starrs there Darts out a Beame or a Ray which derives influence from us good or bad to every soule that lives under our aspect if we prove malignant Starrs and that influence from us be Killing and Destructive woe unto us How many soules shall we have to answer for in that case perishing through us Remember we are Starrs see the influence which we send forth to those that depend upon us be good influence 4. Propter
as Signets of his right Hand as pretious Stones in his Signer Illustrious and Glorious Great is the Honour that he is pleased to put upon them even here in the Church How studious ought we to be of his Honour that hath thus honoured us and of our own too that we carry as becomes us in that high Relation Calling Dignity Name and Place that we beare in Gods right Hand that so we way sit on his right Hand hereafter in whose presence is fulnesse of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore 3. The advantage that we have of being abundantly illuminated by the light of his countenance at so neer a distance The neerer the Starrs are to the Fountain of Light the stronger must needs be the irradiation from it and their illumination by it Behold we are neer unto the Lord Starrs in his right Hand how strong then must needs be the irradiation from so Glorious a Presence through the beams of his countenance darting upon us In was said of Moses that when he came out of the Mount his Face did shine that the people could not look upon him for the glory of it Behold we are in the Mount with God we are taken neer unto him the Light in us should be so great our Gifts and Graces so illustrious and resplendent that our people should look upon us with dazled Eyes in admiration of our spirituall excellencies while we behold with open face the Glory of the Lord it should be our care and indeavour and will be our happinesse too to be transformed into the same Image from Glory to Glory and that that God which made the light to shine out of darknesse may shine into our Hearts to give the light of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ 4. By this expression is intimated the continuall Eye that God hath upon us to observe our carriage and our behaviour in our Callings and in our respective Churches and Charges We cannot be in his right Hand but we must be under his right Eye too and that is as a Flame of fire not so much for the anger as for the perspicacity of it Of all sorts of people and Callings amongst men there are none that he doth more strictly observe or take a more exact account of then he doth of us How punctually and particularly doth he Charge the Angels of these seven Churches in the second and third Chapters of this Book This thou bast for which I commend thee And these and these things I have against thee imagine it every one of us as spoken unto our selves A Day will come when he will deale as punctually with us as he doth here with them In the meane time He knows our Works and fees our Wayes and our Walkings his Flaming and Fiery Eye is upon us Oh what manner of Men ought we to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse How circumspectly ought we to walk How exactly to order all our goings and doings that are under the inspection of so perspicatious so severe an Eye 5. By this Expression is intimated to us The Power that Almighty God hath in his Hand and the liberty that he reserveth unto himself to dispose of these Starre as he pleaseth to hold forth this Hand with the Starrs in it to what part of the world he pleaseth and there to continue it as long as he pleaseth and when he pleaseth to turn his Hand another way even which may he pleaseth with the Starrs in it to give light to them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death and to leave the other from whom he took it in the darkness in which at the first he found them Beloved these Starrs doe not shine to any place of the world of the Church by chance No not in particular Churches there is a Providence in the disposing of them In the 16th of the Acts we have a clear evidence of it there were three bright Starrs faine would they have shined in Asia but they received a prohibition from the holy Ghost The holy Ghost forbad them ver 6. Then they assayed to shine into Bithynia but the spirit suffered them not ver 7. The Ruler and Disposer of the Starrs had otherwise determined that they should goe to Macedonia and shine there and there did this Hand hold them forth for a season ver 12. The Starrs must shine where he will have them and as long as he will have them and no longer These seven Churches of Asia are an evidence of this truth at this day Over them did Christ hold forth this Hand with the Starrs in it at this time and a long while after untill he was weary of holding it forth and by reason of their barrennesse and unthankfulnesse their irreligion and Apostasie they gave him just Cause to Complain That all the day long he had stretched out his Arme to an unthankfull and a gain-saying people and then to what purpose should he hold it forth there any longer In his wisedom and justice he turned his Hand from them and held it forth more Westward to the Westerne Churches And since that more Northward to these Parts of the world the Inhabitants of the Island the Inheritance of Japhet amongst whom we are And now by the blessing of God we have enjoy'd the Light under them many years But take heed least for the same sinns for which God turn'd his Hand from Shem to Japhet he again remove his Hand from Japhet to Cham and when he doth so least as upon that remove he left Shem in darknesse so upon this turne he also leave us in that darknesse wherein he found us Beloved there is an Ancient Prophesie Gen. 9.27 God shall perswade Japhet and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem and Canaan shall be his servant What is meant by Shem there but the Church which was first Planted in those Easterne Parts which were the Habitation of Shem. What is meant by Japhet's dwelling in his Tents but his succeeding of Shem in the Priviledges of the Church by translating the Gospel out of these Easterne Parts of the world into these more Westerly and Northerly Quarters of the world which were the Lot of Japhets Inheritance and in which his Posterity seated themselves and amongst whom we are descended from him by Gomer By vertue of this Promise are we this Day the Church and dwell in the Tents of Shem. But what doe we think of Canaan all this while All this while he hath been a servant But is there not a time when he shall shake off the Yoke of servitude shall all those Parts of America be for ever forgotten shall Light never appear in them Me thinks I see the Day-spring from on high begin to visit them Me thinks I see the Beames of the Morning Sunne begin to breake out upon them in the promulgation of the Gospel in Virginia one of the outward skirts of that mighty Continent And I
am confident it will as the Sunne shine forth more and more unto the perfect Day I doe not doubt but God hath a great people among them to be gathered and that there will be a glorious Church amongst them before the Consummation of the world But take heed least as I intimated before as God turning his Hand from Shem to Japhet left Shem in darknesse under which to this Day he lyes So when God shall turne his Hand with the Starrs in it from Japhet to Cham or Canaan he leave us also in the Darkenesse wherein at the first he found us and their Sunne-rising be our Sunne-setting our Barrennesse Unfruitfulnesse Aposteâ—â— falling from our first Love our Schismes and Divisions our Hypocrisie Formality generall irreligiousnesse and profanenesse seem to portend and bespeak no lesse presages of it we have sure our Golden Candlesticks lately tottering and sore shaken the Famous Lights in them put out others burning in them blue and dimly all manner of Heresies that ever the Church hath been pestered withall Revived Countenanced Encouraged the Seamelesse Coate of Christ Torne and Rent into an hundred pieces by Sects Schismes and Divisions Factions and Fractions The Discipline of the Church layd by the holy Worship despised and trampled under foor the Sacraments throwne out all Ordinances but Preaching and Extemporary Praying cryed downe the lowest of the people made Priests and the Priests made the lowest of the people the Churches turn'd into Stables and Stables into Churches And how much did all this come short of the Abomination of desolation standing in the holy place How neer did all this come to the execution of the judgement threatned against Ephesus in this Chapter Of removing the Candlesticks out of their places Well blessed be God they are not yet removed they yet stand in their places the Lights shining and burning in them the right Hand of the Almighty is yet stretch't forth over us with the Starrs shining in it Let us be admonished by all these threatning punishments to walk in the light of them better then ever we have done while we have it amongst us as Children of the Light to walk up to the Light to rejoyce in it to be thankfull for it and to bring forth the fruit of it this is the best way to keep it and to continue it among us And thus you heare what it is which the Spirit saith unto the Churches in this Metaphoricall Expression Of holding the Starrs in his right Hand It followeth now That we consider of the next Part of the Description Of this Wonderfull Person Christ the Sonne of God as he is here represented Walking in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks Not to trouble you with the speculations of Expositors upon this sacred and misterious number of seven so often mentioned in this Mysticall Book in all the Visions which Saint John saw Seven Spirits seven Angels seven Starrs seven Candlesticks seven Seales seven Trumpets seven Heads seven Hills seven Vialls seven Plagues all by sevens a sacred and misterious Number and many are the Mysteries which some perspicatious witts have told us of conteyned in that Number But to passe by that Two things we have here to enquire into 1. What is meant by these Candlesticks 2. What by his Walking in the midst of them And for the first our Lord himself hath Interpreted it unto our Hands what is meant by them In the last verse of the Precedent Chapter The seven Golden Candlesticks are the seven Churches meaning of Asia Where take up this Observation by the way That notwithstanding there were many Corruptions in them in Doctrine in Worship in Discipline in Government in matters both of Faith and Manners yet our Saviour still vouchsafeth them the Name of Churches The seven Candlesticks are the seven Churches Ephesus is fallen from her first love ver 4. Smyrna had Hipocrites among them Which said they were Jews and were not ver 9. Pergamos had in her those that held the Doctrine of Balaam and the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans which God bated ver 14.15 Thyatyra suffered that Woman Jezabel which called her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and to seduce men to commit Fornication and to Eate of things sacrificed unto Idolls ver 20. Sardis had a Name that she lived but was dead Chap. 3.1 Philadelphia was the purest of all the rest yet she is Charged with her defect too she had but a little strength ver 8. Laodicea was neither cold nor hot but lukewarme she had a high and Pharisaicall Conceipt of her self that she was Rich and Wanted nothing where our Saviour tells her She was Poor and Miserable and Blinde and Naked and yet notwithstanding all this a Church still notwithstanding all these Defects Corruptions Blemishes in all the rest yet all this did not un-Church them all Churches still The seven Candlesticks are the seven Churches and the seven Churches the seven Candlesticks nay Golden Candlesticks still for all this It was not a little Drosse amongst them not a little Dust nor Rust adhering to them that made them cease to be Candlesticks yea Golden Candlesticks still for all this The seven Golden Candlesticks are the seven Churches Surely Christ the Lord of the Churches is more Charitable more Indulgent to us in this point then we are one to another We have a Generation among us I pray God they be not such a Generation as Solomon speaks of Prov. 30.12 A Generation that it pure in their own Eyes yet are not cleansed from their iniquity I hope the best But such a Generation we have amongst us which out of a high Conceit of their own transcendent purity think themselves too good to joyne with others others too bad to be admitted with them into Church-fellowship Where they see any Defects Errors Miscarriages though they be but personall not Congregationall and such as we doe no way allow of but reprove cry out against lament and bewaile where we cannot help it yet these men take such offence at them that they with-draw themselves separate from our Congregations un-church us revile reproach rayle upon us as Synagogues of Satan Lymbes of Anti-Christ and cast a greater reproach upon us then the Papist themselves But my beloved Brethren From what spirit comes this from that spirit and wisedom which is from above which is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated c. Or from a spirit of pride singularity disdain vain glory and hypocrisie surely these things proceed not from that spirit which descended in the likenesse of a Dove in all meeknesse and gentlenesse but rather that of Boanerges the Sonnes of Thunder which called for Lightning and Fire to destroy and to avenge But if the same minde were in you which was in Christ Jesus in this Text you would be more Charitable He owns the Churches yet for Candlestickes Nay for all the Rust and Dust and Drosse which they were Corrupted withall for Golden Candlestickes The seven
Golden Candlestickes are the seven Churches Quest But we have-not yet Examined Why the Churches are set forth unto us under the Name and Notion of Candlestickes Sol. It is certain that in this simile the spirit of God doth allude to that famous Candlesticke which was set up in the Tabernacle of which we Reade Exod. 25.31 From it then we must fetch light to understand what is meant by comparing the Churches to it And herein the Apprehensions of Expositors have been very luxurious in taking hold of variety of particulars from whence to rayse severall Observations not impertinent but especially from these three things First From the Matter and the Mettle whereof they are made Secondly From the Forme of them Thirdly From the Use of them Frist From the Matter and the Mettall of them thus When Christ resembles the Churches by Golden Candlestickes his meaning is That they are Per sanctitatem pura per dona gratias spiritu◠sancti pretiosa per sinceritatem solida per bona opera splendentia per morum gravitatem ponderosa per persecutionem probata per obedientiam facilè ductilia per praedicationem verbi sonora By their holinesse they are pure by their Gifts and Graces they are pretious by their sincerity they are solid by their wisedom and gravity they are weighty by the fire of temptation and persecution they are tryed by the Preaching of the word they ring and give a sound by their charity and obedience they are easily drawne forth as Gold out of the Lumpe into Leafe Gold All this From the Matter of them and the Mettle whereof they are made Secondly From the Forme of them It is observed that they are erected they look upward toward Heaven such Candlesticks should the Churches be Erecta per rerum divinarum contemplationem Erecta per spem fidem in Christo ad dextram Dei in coelo sedent Erecta ad lucem celestem recipiendam Erecta ad lucem illam aliis prebendam circumquaque communicandam They must be Candlesticks erected and tending upward by their Contemplation of Divine things and setting their Hearts and Minds on the things that are above erected by Faith and Hope in Christ sitting at the right Hand of the Father erected to receive the Heavenly Light from the Father of Lights and erected that it being set up on high in them might the better and the farther be Communicated to others this from the Forme of the Candlestickes Thirdly From the Use of them and that was touch't in the last to hold forth the Light Men doe not light a Candle to put it under a Bushell but to set up in a Candlesticke that it may give Light to all that are in the House Such a Candlesticke is the Church to hold forth the Light of Truth to all her Children called therefore The Pillar of Truth Timothy 3.15 because as the Pillar holds forth the Kings Proclamation fixt upon it that all that are Concerned in it may take notice of it and he that runneth may Reade it So should the Church hold forth the Truth that it may be visible and audible to all her Children and Members as the Pillar doth the Proclamation the Candlesticke the Light What use is there of the Candlesticke if there be no Candle set up in it Or what use of the Candle except it be lighted that it may burne and shine And that it may doe so there are two things necessary First That it should be fed with a continuall supply of Oyle or other moysture to nourish it and to keep it burning and good reason that they which like Candles consume themselves to give light to others should from others receive that Oyle and nourishment which may keep them burning Secondly 'T is necessary sometimes that they should be Topt or Snufft We Reade Exodus 25.38 that in the Tabernacle where the Golden Candlesticke was there were also Snuffers and Snuffe-dishes What the use of those Snuffers was we all know and what that use of them teacheth and leads to we may imagine sometimes the Candles may burne luxuriously and in that Case 'T is necessary they should be snufft sometimes they may burne but dimly being choakt and darkened with the snuffe it selfe and in that Case 't is fit they should be snufft sometimes there may be a Theefe in the Candle that may waste the Oyle and nourishment of it by conveying it the wrong way and in that Case they may not take it ill if they be snufft The Candlesticks themselves are not so free from Rust and Dust but sometimes they will stand in need of scouring of rubbing and of dressing by Corrections Visitations and wholesome Discipline Nor doe the Lights in them burne so clearly but they had need to be look't too Are we of this society so innocent that we need no inspection or so nocent that we need to feare a Visitation Are we amongst all Societies so absolute so independent that we have no Superintendent or if any who should that be but our Chiefe Priest the Angel of this Church our Diocesan our Metropolitan whose Presbytery we are and to whom we have all Sworne Canonicall Obedience VVho but he our Aaron to fit as a Refiner to purifie the Sonnes of Levy in this Society But we haste to the other Part of the Description of this Wonderfull Person as he is here represented to us Walking in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks And this is the last Part of this his Description And what is meant by this his Walking there Saint Bernard tells us Ambulare in medio Candelabrorum quid est nisi Ecclesiis semper adesse eis delectari eas servare erudire protegeri dirigere juvare eis omnibus modis advigilare To walke in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks what is it but to be ever present with the Churches to delight in them to direct them to protect them to instruct them and by all means to Consult their good they are all Comprehended in these foure His Presence with them His Delight in them His Observation of them And his Care for them First He walks in the midst of them with Delight Of Syon he hath said here will I dwell for I have a delight in her and so he walketh in the midst of them as a Man would doe in his Garden for Pleasure and for Recreation Secondly He walks in the midst of them to Preserve them and Protect them where he is in the midst of them within he is as a VVall of Brasse round about them without too Nay As a Wall of Fire Zachary 2.5 not onely to Defend them within but to Consume and burne up all them without which shall presume to attempt to break in upon them and so he walkes in the midst of them as once he did in the midst of the Fiery Furnace for the preservation of the three Children Daniel 3.23 which he did so powerfully that the fire in it had power to
burne the Bands and Cords with which they were bound but not to touch an Haire of their Heads or a Hemme of their Garments Thirdly He walkes in the midst of them Erudire to Teach and to Instruct them to Awe them to keep them in order For he is the beloved Sonne of the Father in whom he is well pleased whom we must Heare and Obey Matthew 3.17 He the great Prophet of his Church whom we are Commanded to Heare with a severe intimation by his Spirit by his Word and by his Pastors sent out by him doth he teach the Churches to the worlds end And so he walks in the midst of them as a Schoole-Master in the midst of his Schoole and his Disciples or Schollers Fourthly He walkes in the midst of them To Observe them to take notice of their Carriage their Manners their Order and their Behaviour as appeares by the particular Charges which he gives to these severall Churches in this his Visitation in all of them making good what in Generall he tells them before he come to deale particularly with them Novi Opera tua I know thy Works And so he walks in the midst of them as the Master of the Feast in the Gospel walk't in his Dining Roome to take a View of his Guests to see who had and who had not on his Wedding Garment And to this purpose it is observable in what manner of Posture and Gesture he is here seen He is seen Walking Not Sedet Otiosus as Bullinger observes not Stat Negligens he doth not sit as being Idle He stands not still as being negligent but he is seen Walking from end to end forward and backward to and fro that at every turne he might take a View and at every step cast an Eye that nothing done or said amongst them may escape his Cognizance Lastly he is walking in Medio in the midst of the Candlesticks Non in Angulo non in exteriori aliquâ parte Not in a Corner not in some Skirt or Outside of them but In medio Candelabrorum in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks that he might look over them every way and they at an equall distance on all sides might receive from him that Direction Protection Comfort and Encouragement which is their Light and Life The truth is He bought them he layd down a Price for them which was far more pretious then Gold his own Blood he had need see what becomes of them and he is to deliver them up to God the Father he received them by weight and he received them by tale Of those which thou hast given me have I lost none It is his great Care that he may deliver up his full Tale and that he may deliver them up Pure and Bright and Cleare and that he may present them without spot or wrinkle and therefore is it that he hath such a speciall Care of them such a vigilant Eye upon them continually resident among them and walking in the midst of them Oh how happy are the Churches under the inspection of such an Eye under the Care of such a Guardian under the Protection of such a Patron in the Favour of such a Prince the Teaching of such a Prophet the Intercession and Benediction of such a Priest continually present with them President over them and resident among them walking in the midst of them and how holily ought they to carry themselves in such a Presence how circumspectly under the Inspection of so severe an Eye that when he shall come to visit them as here he doth this Church and to take an Account of them they may give up their Account with joy when he shall say unto them as here to Ephesus Novi Opera tua I know thy Works they may be such as they need not be ashamed of such as may stand by us and abide the tryall such as may prayse us in the Gate such as upon the enquiry and examination he may approve of and upon which we may expect the Promise here in this Visitation made Vincentibus To them that over come to Eate of the Fruit of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradice of God to Receive the White Stone and therein the New Name Written which none can Reade but he that receiveth it to be Cloathed with White Rayment washt in the Blood of the Lambe and in it to follow the Lambe whither soever he goeth and to be ever in his Presence in whose Presence is fulnesse of joy and at whose Right Hand there is pleasure for evermore Which the Great God of Heaven and Earth be pleased to admit us unto for his sake which Holdeth the seven Starrs in his Right Hand and Walketh in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks To whom be all Honour and Glory now and for ever Amen FINIS