bee called to the state of gâ—ace This he doth not for as wee see this booke is giuen not to all but to his seruants and that which is said of this booke is true of the whole Scripture The Lord shewed his word sayth Dauid not to all the world but to Iacob that is his people with whome hee made a couenant Psal. 147.19 20. The fourth Argument whereby this Reuelation is described is the matter thereof viz. Things which must shortly bee done that is things to come Whereby in generall we may obserue a difference of this booke from the rest of holy Scripture which treats of things present or past this being a prophecie of things to come The matter of this booke is described by two Arguments first by the necessitie of these things to come They must be done secondly by the circumstance of time when shortly or quickly For the necessitie of these things they be such as must needs be done So speaketh the holy Ghost elsewhere of sundry things to come of offences It must needs be that offences should come Mat. 18.7 Of heresies There must bee heresies in the Church 1. Cor. 11.19 And of afflictions Through manifold afflictions we must enter into the kingdome of heauen Act. 14.22 And They that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecutions 2. Timoâ—h 3.12 From whence I gather That things which come to passe concerning Gods church and the enemies thereof doe come to passe necessarily This doctrine must be well obserued for though it be the truth of God yet the reason of man will not agree vnto it for some will say If all things come to passe necessarily then in their actions and proceedings men haue no free will for necessitie and libertie of will cannot stand together Answ. They may indeed constraint and mans free will cannot stand together but mans will and vnchangeable necessitie may well accord As I shew thus In God there is most absolute freedome of will yet he doth many things of necessitie as he willeth that which is good necessarily for he cannot possibly will that which is euill and yet he willeth the same most freely So Christ died necessarily he could not but die if we consider the counsell of God and yet he died most freely For he laid downe his life of himselfe and no man tooke it from him Iohn 10.18 It will be said againe if things come to passe by necessitie then it is in vaine to vse any meanes for the effecting of them for Gods will must be done do we what we will Answ. This is mans corrupt reason these men must consider that as God hath appointed what things must come to passe so he hath appointed the meanes how they shall bee effected and seeing the Lord hath appointed as well the meanes as the end wee should by this necessitie rather be induced to vse the meanes than any way moued to neglect the same To make this more plaine wee must know there is a double necessitie one is absolute another in part I call that absolute necessitie which cannot be otherwise possibly as that God liueth and cannot die is omnipotent infinite c. Necessitie in part is when any thing done is necessarie onely because it depends on necessarie causes as fire to burne is necessarie in regard of that order which God hath set in nature by creation yet this necessitie is not absolute for fire would not burne if God should please to change that order set in nature as he did when the three children were cast into the hot fierie ouen Dan. 3.27 Now whereas wee say Things to come must necessarily be done it must bee vnderstood of necessitie in part and not of absolute for in themselues they be changeable and contingent and necessarie only in regard of Gods decree appointing them which is vnchangeable in regard whereof all things to come bee necessarie And yet we may not thinke that the vnchangeablenesse of Gods decree doth take away freedome from mans will it onely inclines the same to one part so disposeth that man should freely will that to bee which God eternally hath decreed The second thing whereby the matter of this booke is set out vnto vs is the circumstance of time when these things must be done Shortly must be well obserued and howsoeuer some things foretold were not to be done till many hundred yeares after which space of time might seeme verie long yet in two respects it is but short First in regard of God to whom a thousand yeares are but as one day 2. Pet. 3.8 Secondly in regard of men to whome a hundred or two hundred yeres seeme but a short time when once they bee expired though before they seemed long This circumstance of time is set down for two causes First to terrifie all carnal and carelesse men for this booke foretelleth iudgements plagues and destructions for the enimies of Gods church which mâ—st shortly come vppon them which is a thing worthy our carefull consideration in this secure age of the world wherein men blesse themselues in their sinnes without fear of Gods iudgements and say they shall haue peace though they walke after the stubbornenesse of their owne hearts putting farre from them the euill day saying spare thy selfe this shall not come vnto thee But shall the lyon rore and the beasts not tremble Yet the Lord threateneth his iudgements but men will not repent Well let vs consider this whether we be young or old high or low that Gods iudgements are shortly to come and let this bee a motiue to raise vs out of the sleepe of sinne and of securitie That which Peter said of false teachers is also true of all impenitent sinners vnlesse they preuent the same by speedie and unfained repentance Their iudgement long agoe is not farre off and their damnation sleepeth not 2. Pet. 2.3 Secondly this circumstance of time serueth greatly to comfort the seruants of Christ and to furnish them with all patience and long suffering vnder any aduersitie or distresse that may befall them in bodie or mind or both Indeed many are brought to impatience and distrust by afflictions and crosses But the child of God in such a case must call to mind what the holy ghost hath here set down concerning the prophecies of this booke which foretell deliuerance for Gods Church and for euerie member thereof namely That they must shortly be brought to passe yet a very little while and hee that commeth for their deliuerance will come and will not tarrie Hebr. 10. vers 37. Thus much for the matter of this reuelation now followe the instruments whereby the Lord doth conuay the same vnto his Church which is the first argument whereby it is described in these wordes Which hee sent and shewed by his Angell vnto his seruant Iohn Where two points must be obserued first the action of Christ which is the ground of their imploiment secondly the persons imploied therein as his instruments For the
Now that wee may so carry our selues as enemies wee must do these three things First haue care to keepe guard and defend our selues as kings against all our enemies sin Sathan our own flesh and the enticements of the world As kingâ— protect their kingdoms so must we labour to keepe our souls and bodies and euery facultie and part of them our wils affections thoughts and inclinations from the power of sinne Hee which is borne of God keepeth himselfe as with watch and ward that the euill one that iâ— Sathan touch him not by the assaults of sinne 1. Iohn 5.18 Secondly wee must make warre continually against Sathan sinne our owne flesh against all our spirituall enemies and all the enticements of the world we must make no truce with theÌ„ because they will neuer be reconciled to vs so long as wee haue interest vnto the kingdome of heauen and if we yeeld to them wee loose our kingly dignitie and become their vassales and bondslaues Thirdly wee must labour to kill and destroy these our enemies as much as possibly we can by that power we haue from Christ our head and like valiant kings seek to haue the bloud of these enemies and from day to day striue to vanquish Sathan his power might to ouercome the world and to weaken our owne corruption Instruct. II. If in this life we be kings then must wee become lords ouer our selues and keepe in subiection vnto God our wils and affections and the secret thoughts and inclinations of our soules We must not looke for rule ouer earthly kingdomes but herein stands our kingdom in this world That wee can subdue our corrupt affections and keep our bodies and soules in obedience vnto God If a man were prince ouer the whole earth and yet could not rule himselfe he were but a poore prince nay he were no prince indeed But though a man haue not so much as a foot of ground in this world and yet can rule and master himselfe his thoughts and affections this man is a valiant prince and one whom Christ hath consecrate to be king in heauen Instruct. III. Seeing we be kings wee must doe the duty of Iudges for to him that is a king belongeth soueraine iudgment In the day of iudgement the saints shall iudge the world and Angels also but wee must bee Iudges in this world And yet here we can neither iudge men nor Angels but wee must bee our owne Iudges Wherefore as Iudges summon arrâ—igne condemne c. so must wee examine our selues call our selues to account and as guiltie persons accuse and condemne our selues for our sinnes acknowledging we be worthy to be cast into eternall damnation with the diuel and his angels And withall plead for pardon and approch to the throne of grace forgiuenesse in Christ and in this wee shew our selues vpright spirituall iudges and by this meanes wee shall bee frâ—e from the iudgement to come Instruct. IIII. If wee bee kings by Christ we must carry our selues as kings couragiously and constantly in the afflictions and miseries which we shall suffer for Christs sake For herein among the rest stands the royaltie of a king that he beares with valour and courage all the troubles which befall him Hence it is that Saint Paule exhorts vs to reioyce in afflictions because wee are partakers of Christs sufferings 1. Pet. 4.13 and so are made conformable vnto him that was consecrate the prince of our saluation through afflictions Heb. 2.10 Instruct. V. Seeing wee bee spirituall kings wee must aboue all things labour and seeke to haue our part in the kingdome of Christ and in his righteousnes A Christian must not haue his heart glued and fast tied vnto the things of this world it is against his calling but hee must so vse this world as though he vsed it not If a king should lay downe his crowne and go and become a shepheard or of some manuall trade all men would maruell at it So it fareth with them that professe themselues to be Christians and yet bend their wits and endeuors wholly for these worldly things they doe as it were cast aside their kingly crowne and abase themselues to slauish bondage But we must euer after haue our hearts fixed in heauen striuing to come to our inheritance there Instruct. VI. Seeing all the true members of Christ be kings and princes this should be an inducement to al backward persons to loue and embrace true religion In these carelesse dayes Religion is counted precisenesse and the profession thereof made a matter of reproch But this ought not to bee so seeing that by it wee come to haue right and interest vnto the kingdome of heauen and to bee lords of all creatures And why should we not esteeme the gospell preached as a most precious iewell seeing that wee which are vassales of Sathan and firebrands of hell as all men are by nature become thereby the members of Christ yea kings and princes to God Yea verely the consideration of this should make the ministers of the Gospell to ioy in their callings and to take all paines to preach the word â— seeing by it men become of vassals of Sathan the true members of Christ and heires of the kingdome of heauen In this world it is counted great honour to consecrate and establish one in an earthly kingdome What a blessed and honourable thing then is this to consecrate spirituall kings for the kingdome of heauen And this is done when by the word preached men are conuerted and brought to vnfained repentance for their sinnes to true faith in Christ Iesus Thus much for the duties Now follow the consolations to euery true beleeuer onely It is an heauie crosse which breeds much anguish to the soule to bee in pouertie and contempt among men yet herein may the child of God stay his heart and lessen his griefe by considering that euen in this state of miserie he is a king vnto God though hee seeme base to the world yet it appeareth not what he shall bee for hee is heire to the kingdome of heauen If a man bee in sicknesse he must consider it is but Gods messenger to call him out of this world to the full possession of the ioyes of his kingdome If he be in trouble of mind hauing his owne conscience tormented fearefully by Sathan with his sinnes yet he must not despaire the Lord will giue him an happie issue he must remember he is a king and therefore shall one day haue full conquest ouer sinne Sathan and his own corruption yea ouer all his enemies whatsoeuer If he be in the heat of persecution turmoiled and tossed from post to pillar which flesh and bloud cannot brooke yet then hee must consider his holy calling to bee a spirituall king whose propertie it is in the most violent afflictions euen vnto death it selfe as Paule sayth to be more than conquerour Roman 8.37 Lastly in the very pang of death when nature must needs
waile Fiftly the conclusion of this narration with two notes of asseueration Euen so Amen to confirme the second comming of Christ vnto all people I. point Behold First Saint Iohn beginneth this narration with a note of attention The spirit of God is accustomed when any thing is of special weight and worth our carefull marking to prefixe before it this note of attention Behold or such like Hence then wee are taught this speciall dutie namely often and euery day earnestly and seriously to bethinke our selues of the second comming of Christ to iudgement This consideration is a matter of great vse for it is a notable meanes to begin and continue the conuersion of a sinner vnto God When the Scribes and Pharises obstinat enemies came to the baptisme of S. Iohn hee vsed this as a meanes to make them to turne and beleeue in Christ saying Ob generation of vipers who hath forewarned you that you should flie from the vengeance to come Matth. 3.7 So Peter vseth this same Argument to bring the Iewes to repentance exhorting them to turne that their sinnes might be put away when the day of refreshing that is the day of iudgement should come Acts 3.19 Paule persuades the Athenians to repentance Because there is a day appointed in which the Lord will iudge the world by Iesus Christ Act. 17.30 31. Secondly this note of attention serues to strike our hearts with a feare and reuerence of Christ Iesus for it giues vs warning that hee shall come to bee our Iudge We are touched with awe and reuerence toward earthly magistrats when we consider that they haue authority to attach apprehend to bring vs to their courts and assizes How much more should this worke in vs a reuerend awe towards Christ when wee consider That one day wee must all bee brought before his Tribunall seat and there bee iudged of him II. point The comming of Christ himselfe Hee comes that is Christ locally descendeth from the highest heauen in his manhood to that part of the world where the clouds be there to giue iudgement vpon all mankind quick and dead Here marke in what manner Iohn propounds his comming hee sayth nor he shall come but in the present time hee commeth Whereby hee would teach vs First that this second comming of Christ is as certaine as if it were now present Secondly that it is not long to or far off but will be quickly Thirdly that our dutie is to consider of the comming of Christ as of a thing present This Saint Iohn learned and so should wee by his example for it is a matter of great vse For hence weâ— are taught to desire and doe that euery day which we would desire and doe in the day of iudgement and blessed is hee that attaineth hereunto Now that we may come to the practise of this dutie wee must dayly consider of the comming of Christ not as a thing to be delayed or farre off but as a thing present Wee must euery day call our selues to a reckoning and account and persuade our selues this may be the last day and so shall we carry our selues euery day as wee would in the last day Now we would wish at the day of iudgment that wee did repent and beleeue in Christ and therefore euery day of our life before the last iudgement come we ought to repent and beleeue in Christ. If this dutie were practised we should find lesse corruption and more grace in our hearts and lesse sinne â—â—d more obedience in our liues euery day than other but grace is wanting and sinne abounds because this meditation takes no place in our hearts Againe in that hee sayth Hee commeth meaning in respect of his manhood hence wee gather hee is absent from vs in regard of bodily presence and the heauens must containe him vntill the day of iudgement But if Christ were alwayes bodily present in the Sacrament hee could not bee said to come but onely to manifest himselfe being before present And therefore the opinion of those which hold the body of Christ to be really the bread to bee in or about the bread of the Sacrament is most false and friuolous flat against that article of our Faith whereby wee hold That he comes from heauen onely at the last day in regard of his manhood III. point The manner of Christs Christs comming in two things First that he comes with clouds Secondly that his comming is open and visible to euerie eye First with clouds here S. Iohn speaketh after the manner of the prophets who to set out God in his maiestie and glory say he comes with clouds rides on the wings of the wind as though he had sayd he comes in exceeding maiestie and glorie These words are added to make a distinction betweene the first and second comming of Christ. His first comming was in humilitie borne of a poore virgin entertained in a stable of an Inne but his second comming is with glorie maiestie and dominion in the clouds And the reason is because he came first to be a redeemer and a sauiour by his suffering and therefore came in the state of a seruant But his second comming is to bee a Iudge of all men yea of his enemies and therfore he commeth with all might maiestie and glory to shew himselfe king and lord of all The vses of this his second comming are set downe in the 97 Psalme to make the verie mountaines to tremble to confound the wicked and vngodly and to comfort the godly in that day Secondly for his open appearance Euerie eye shall see him he shall come in maiestie and glorie not secretly but in visible shew to all the world All men shall see him with their owne eyes All I say which were since the world began to his comming In these words hee toucheth three points First he taketh it here for granted that euerie man shall rise from death to life though their death were neuer so strange or neuer so long before Secondly that all men being raised againe shall haue life and motion and their senses restored to them as before they died Thirdly that all men none excepted shall come and stand before the tribunall seate of Christ and there bee iudged of him in the clouds The consideration whereof is First an exceeding comfort to Gods children in that they being dead and rotten in their graues shall rise and receiue their life and motion and see Christ their sauiour and iudge of all men If a man when hee layeth him downe to sleepe should bee told that when hee rose hee should see his dead father and mother or his dearest friends whom he saw not of long before this would bee a notable comfort to him that now he should inioy them againe 〈◊〉 how farre greater comfort shall this yeeld to all the godly who haue beene dead and rotten in the graue That they shall be raised vp and not onely to meete with godly friends but enioy Christ Iesus the
sonne of God which is the friend of friends who shall giue them not onely life and motion but eternall life with his owne maiestie This was Iobs comfort that though he died yet he beleeued he should see his redeemer with his eyes And this should be our comfort against the feare of death and last iudgement Secondly this is a terror to the wicked and to all impenitent sinners that they shall will they nill they be brought to the barre of Christs iudgement seate there looke on him who is their iudge whom they have in their life contemned and despised And this consideration may serue to moue them to repentance which haue noâ— begunne to repent and to labour to become the members of Christ aâ— also to increase and further repentance in them who haue by Gods grace begun the same It may be some do thinke when they die all is done and there is no further account to follow but though we lie rotten in our graues a thousand or two thousand yeares yet we shall rise and looke vpon our iudge with our owne eyes And if we haue not in our life time repented we shall heare him with our owne eares giuing the dreadfull sentence against vs Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire And therefore it is best for vs in this day of grace to preuent this danger and now repent and beleeue in Christ that then we may rise with ioy and stand with holâ—nesse before Christ Iesus No doubt if we were persuaded that we should thus appeare it would moue vs to repent Thirdly Euerie eye shall see him that is all men with their owne eyes shall looke on him Hence it may bee gathered that those who wanted their fight in this life shall haue it then restored It is granted of all Diuines that the elect shall haue all their senses and other defects restored wherein they were wanting in this life And it may also bee added that the wicked shall then haue some of their senses restored if they wanted the same in this life as hearing and seeing at the least for the deafe shall heare the blind shall see this Iudge And this can be no glorie to them seeing it is to increase their miserie for the more senses they haue the more punishment they shall feele because by sense we apprehend miserie Euen thâ—se which peirced him Here is added a further euidence of Christs manifestation of his comming and that for three causes First to shewe that no power or wisedome in the world can free any one from his appearance For if any could escape in all likelihod it would be those Iewes and Gentiles who preuailed most against Christ and put him to death But none of those can escape his iudgement for euen they which peirced him they shall see this Iudge and bee summoned before his maiestie For though they had power to kill him yet none of them shall haue power to absent themselues from before his bar of iudgement at the last day Secondly to shew the case of all wicked men namely that such woe and miserie shall befall them as they neuer once thought of The Iewes and Gentiles which crucified Christ neuer dreamed of this that he whom they then put to a temporall death should one day be their Iudge and condemne them to eternall death vnlesse they had repented Thirdly to shew the rufull and wofull estate of all impenitent sinners they shall rise to iudgement and haue the greatest enemie their Iudge who will shew rigor vpon them and iustice without all mercie for this peircing of Christ is meant not onely of the Iew which put him to death but of all vngodly personâ— because all such do by their sinnes as with swords and speares wound him at the heart as the souldiers did Impenitent sinners be as the Iewes which crucified Christ as Iudas which betrayed him and as the soldiers which goarâ—â— his side and vnlesse they now repent they shall one day be iudged as his enemies Euen they which peirced him Out of these words some gather that the body of Christ hath still the wounds and scarres which were giuen him at his death the print of the nailes in his hands and his feete and that these shall be seene in him at the last day adding withall that it is no blemish to Christ to haue these but rather an increase of his glorie But this cannot be gathered hence for though it be sayd They shall see him whom they peirced yet it followeth not that they shall see him as he was peirced what though they see the person whom they wounded shal they therefore see his wounds Manie shall see kings and queenes whom they crowned in this world but it followeth not that therefore they shall weare their crownes So we shall see our fathers and mothers but not as fathers and mothers IV. point The fruite and effect of his comming especially in the wicked in these words And all tribes of the earth shall waile before him Where S. Iohn speakes of the whole world according to the condition of the land of Canaan for only that part of the world was diuided into tribes As in like case our Sauiour Christ setteth out the iudgement of the whole world according to the state and manner of iudging the visible Church Math. 25. So that his meaning is that they which repented not of what nation soeuer of what state or condition soeuer they haue bene shall wayle and mourne at that day And hee addes a reason of this their mourning in these words for him before him or ouer him That is they shall wayle and lament with exceeding lamentation because they beleeued not his word but contemned him and his doctrine and therefore now they want all help to free them from the punishmeÌ„t of their vnbeleefe and contempt of the gospell for this life is the only time of grace and mercie afterward there is no worke nor inuention that can alter mans estate Hence then we are admonished first that in this world we labour aboue all things to be reconciled to God in Christ to get our sinnes pardoned to beleeue and imbrace his holy word and vnlesse we attaine hereunto in this life we shall wayle eternallie for when the last day is coâ—e there is no hope of help no way to escape no time of grace to repeâ—â— Remember the foolish virgins that sought for oyle when it was too late and knocked when the doores were shut Math. 25. But if by Gods mercie we can in this life get his loue and fauour in Christ then shall we enioy the same eternally yea at this dreadfull day to all the wicked we shall lift vp our heads and our harts when wee shall see Christ comming to our full redemption all teares shall bee wiped from our eyes when the wicked shall crie and houle woe and alas for euermore The diuell knowing the worth of this admonition will labour by all meanes to keepe it from our hearts
then surely he will either cast them out of the Temple or else tread them vnder his feete Wee graunt this libertie to euery gouernour when hee hath light vp candles for his familie if any of them will not burne clearely he may snuffe it if that will not serue hee may cast it into the fire and set another in it place And shall wee denie to Christ Iesus the like authoritie in his Church which is his house ouer men and women who ought to shine as lights God forbid The Minister therefore in his place and euery other Christian in the compasse of his calling must labour to bee a shining candle both for knowledge and godly life before all the world that so hee may escape Gods fearfull iudgements In common reason we ought to carry our selues as shining lights before otheâ—s It is an vsuall thing in the Winter time to hang forth lights for the guiding of mens bodies safe from place to place Now if we haue such care ouer their bodies wee ought to haue much more ouer body and soule both that by the light of grace in vs sinners and wicked men may bee guided in the darke and dangerous way of this world to the kingdome of heauen Here then all ignoranâ— persons and loose luâ—ers who abound in euery place must be admonished to reforme themselues and labouâ— to become lights in Gods church They stand as candles but they are extinct â—nd giue no light to others Ignorant persons therefore must cast off their ignorance and labour for knowledge and wicked liuers must reforme their loosenesse of life and become obedient to the wordâ— truth that so they may shine vnto others If a man haue a candle set vp in his familie and shall assay to light it and snuffe it once or twice and cannot get it burne then in displeasure he will trample it vnder his feete or cast it into the fire Euen so Christ Iesus seeking to enlighten the minds of these ignorant persons and to reforme the liues of these loose liuers by the ministery of the word when he shall perceiue that they refuse the light and will not bee reformed vndoubtedly in furie of his wrath hee will at length plucke them from their places and stampe them to powder and cast them to hell Many be ignorant in euery place and moe be prophane and small is the number of good shining lights but wee must remember our duty and walke worthie our calling If we hold foorth the light of knowledge and obedience we shall shine as the firmament in the world to come Dan. 12.3 Golden candlestickes The churches of God are not base candlestickes but candlestickes made of gold There bee two causes of this resemblance First because gold is the most excellent of all mettals so Gods churches here on earth are the most excellent of all societies The companies and societies of men in families townes and kingdomes and in other common affaires of this life be the ordinance of God and good in their kind but yet the societie of saints in the church of God doth farre surmount them all and that in these respects First because in Gods church saluation may be obtained but in other societies as they are societies though sundry benefits arise from them yet saluation is not to bee had in them vnlesse they bee either particular churches as members thereof Secondly the church of God is the end of all other societies and they are all ordained to preserue and cherish the church which is the societie of the saints Thirdly the church beautifieth all other societies the principall praise and dignitie of any towne houshold or kingdome is this that they are either churches of God or true members thereof From this preheminence of the church we are taught aboue al things to labor to become true meÌ„bers of this society Men haue great care to become meÌ„bers of incorporations towns of greatest priuiledges but few there be that seek for the priuiledges of Gods church And commonly those that seeke most for priuiledges in chiefe townes haue the least care to become the true members of Gods church which is a wretched practise and ought not to be among vs seeing the church hath priuiledges farre aboue all other societies Secondly hence we are taught aboue all things to haue care to preserue the societie of the church of God True it is the minister and magistrat must haue cheefe care thereof and yet euery man in his place must doe his best indeuour hereunto because it is the most principall societie Thirdly in that Gods church is the most excellent societie giuing honor to all others we are taught within the compasse of our callings as much as we can to bring all other societies vnto this Those that are members of a familie must labour to bring euerie one in their familie to bee good members of the church And so in ciuill societies men of gouernement must labour that the members of the ciuill body become also members of Christs bodie Thus gouernors of kingdomes should labour that the parts of their dominions may be particular churches of God And there is good reason of this dutie because all other societies without this are companions of men in the darke sitting in the shadow of death being spiritually blind and without all sound comfort in their soules Secondly the church is compared to a candlesticke of gold because of all societies among men it is most precious deere vnto God and therfore it is resembled to a seale on Christs heart and a signit on his arme yea it is a deare vnto him as the apple of his eye Zachar. 2.8 The Church is the Queene that stands on Christs right hand in a vesture of gold Psa. 4.5.9 Yea that which surpasseth all Christ redeemed the Church vnto himselfâ— by his owne bloud Oh then how deere and pretious is she in his sight And hereby also wee are taught the same instructions that did arise from the former preheminence namely to haue special care of Gods church to preserue the same and to labour to become our selues and to bring others to be members thereof And thus much of the title of the church Now it is added that Christ the Messias is in the middest of the seuen golden candlestickes whereby is signified First that Christ is present with his church at all times And secondly that being present he hath care to gather his church and being gathered to preserue the same against the gates of hell and all other enemies From hence we learne sundry things First that the supremacie of the church of Rome wherein one is made head of all the militant church is needlesse For Christ is present alwaies with his church hauing speciall care to gather guide and preserue the same and hee needeth no vickar generall to supplie his roome for in the presence of the prince all commissions of vicegerencie doe cease though Christ had granted this supremacie to any
He would haue come to them but Sathan did binder him He seeketh the trouble and sorrow of the minister not onely by stirring vp persecution but by keepinh his people from profiting by his ministerie and therefore euerie minister had need to take paines with patience in his calling And as Christ ioyneth together labour and patience in the worke of the ministerie so should euery christian after this direction ioyne patience with his paines in the duties of his particular calling whether it be in church common-wealth or familie For looke what is the estate of the minister in his place such shall be the estate of euerie child of God in his This therefore they must doe first seeke to know the duties of their particular calling and therein labour and take paines with all good conscience Then considering the crosse doth accompany godly diligence they must labour to ioyne patience with their diligence for their continuance in weldoing euen vnder the crosse And for attaining of this patience they must set before them the promises of Gods blessing and protection while they so continue not suffering themselues to be dismayed by any affliction And if we shal thus walke in the duties of our particular places painefully and with patience wee shall haue our commendation of Christ Iesus and his blessed reward which farre surpasseth the praise of men and their rewards But on contrarie if we walke in our callings negligently or else forsake them because of afflictions or be impatient in our labour we shall loose our reward and vndergo the rebuke of Christ which is worse than all outward euils that can befall vs. The third speciall worke for which Christ commendeth this church is seueritie shewed against wicked men in these words And how thou canst not beare them which are euill By euill men Hee meaneth such as liued offensiuely and maintained manifest errors and heresies These she could not beare but iudged them as burdens and therefore sought to disburden her selfe of them Hence we may gather that it is a necessary thing for euery church to be purged of euill men The church of God in all ages hath put in practise this worke So soone as Cain had slaine his brother Abel God cast him out from his face as appeareth by his owne complaint to wit from that particular place where Adam and his familie worshipped God When false prophets and Idolaters did arise among the Israelits the Lord commandeth That they should be killed and taken from among them And therefore hee saith to Ieremie If thou turne and repent I wil bring thee againe and if thou take away the pretious from the vile thou shalt be according to my word 1. Cor. 5.4 5 Paul commandeth in the name of Christ that the incestuous maÌ„ be deliuered vnto Sathan the church purged of that old leauen and that wicked man put from among them verse 13. Besides the euidence of these testimonies some reasons may be added to prooue the necessitie of this separation First God will be worshipped in an holy manner and they that worship God must be purged and sanctified but euill men defile Gods worship and therefore they ought to be seuered from the church Secondly lest the whole church be infected with the contagion of their doctrine or the infection of their life for as leauâ—n sowreth the whole lumpe so will euill men defile the whole church Thirdly they are burdens to the church and therefore must be cast out For the church should be eased of euery burden This doctrine is the truth of God ought to be practised of Gods church Whereby we may see a common fault in the most coÌ„gregations among vs wherin all that will are admitted not onely to the hearing of the word but also vnto the Lords table hand ouer head without restraint as though euerie man were a good sound christian Whereas experience sheweth that many be ignorant many contemners of the Gospell many Saboath breakers drunkards and blasphemers all which ought to bee barred from the sacraments and in that respect seuered from the church as burdens Secondly hence we may gather that Christ hath giuen to his church a power iudiciall to suspend euill men from the sacraments and to excommunicate them from the outward fellowship of the church for els he would not haue commended this minister with his church for the execution of this power The reasons alledged to the contrarie are of no force I. Say they the parable Matth. 13.30 alloweth the growing together of tares and wheate till haruest and therefore euill men must bee suffered in the church without seperation Answ. In that parable Christ speaketh not of any particular purging of the church by Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction but of the vniuersall purging of his whole church by his holy Angels in the end of the world for there the field doth not signifie any particular church but the whole world and the seruants are not mâ—n but Angels that must gather together all both good and bad in the end of the world to the last iudgement Againe they alledge Luk 14.23 Compell them in the high wayes to come into the supper Here say they all must bee brought in but none must bee excluded the society of the church Ans. Christ speaketh not of compelling men vnto the sacraments but vnto the ministerie of the word wherto men must be caused to subiect themselues which hindereth nothing why the vngodly should not be debarred from the sacraments which are the seale of Gods mercy in Christ ordained onely for such as repent and beleeue Qu. Seeing this separation must be made how farre forth may wee conuerse with those that are openly euill offensiue either for life or doctrine Ans. Euill men must be considered diuers waies first as they be members of some commonwealth of some citie or incorporation secondly as they are members of some particular church by tolleration In the first regard it is lawfull for vs to conuerse with theÌ„ I. for outward dealings and ciuile affairs as bargaining buying and selling c. II. we may maintaine outward ciuile peace with them So Paule commandeth the Romans to haue peace with al men so much as in them lay that is so far as it would stand with faith good conscience III. In this ciuile conuersing with the wicked we must perform all duties of outward courtesie and loue vnto them so far forth as it doth not dishonor God or hinder the good of the church And therefore Paule commaundeth vs to be soft and courteous shewing all meekenesse vnto all men euen to euill men as the reason following sheweth For wee our selues were in time past vnwise disobedient deceiued c. and then were we euill Secondly consider them as dwellers in the church and members by permission and so we may liue with them in it for we may not make a separation from the church because wicked men are permitted therein Christ liued among the
that thence we may offer vp acceptable sacrifices of praise and thanksgiuing vnto the Lord. Secondly we must stir vp the gifts of grace that are in vs as Paule sayth to Timothie 2. Tim. 1.6 vsing a comparison from the fire which burneth more bright and cleare when it is stirred vp Lastly wee must exercise our selues in the duties of pietie as faith repentance loue and such like so shall they not decay And thus much for the sinne of this church Verse 5. Remember therefore whence thou art fallen and repent and doe thy first workes or els I will come against thee shortly and will remooue thy candlesticke out of his place except thou amend Our Sauiour Christ the faithfull physition of our soules hauing sharpely rebuked this church doth here prescribe vnto them a soueraigne remedie against their sinne of decay in loue FroÌ„ whence we may learne that the law whereby sin is reproued is to be taught but yet with this qualification that withall the doctrine of the Gospell be ioyned thereunto that the sinnes which are ripped vp by the law may be cured by the Gospel This is Christs manner of preaching in this place whose practise is a most worthie platforme for all his ministers for we haue no warrant at this day to preach the law barely which onely maketh the wound without the Gospell which alone sheweth the remedie This remedie here prescribed is of speciall vse and worthie our consideration generally by it we haue direction to answer to two necessarie questions of practise which often fall out in the life of man First a man is effectually called to professe the gospell and yet after his conuersion either through the corruption of his nature or by the temptation of the diuell and the world falleth into sinne againe what must this man do for his recouerie Ans. He must remember whence he is fallen and repent of those his sinnes and do his first workes The second question is this A man that hath all his life long liued in ignorance and sin is now touched in conscience for his loose life how shall this man escape the wrath of God become reconciled vnto him Ans. He must first remember whence hee is fallen by Adams sinne and by his owne transgressions Secondly hee must repent of his sinnes Thirdly endeuor to do the first workes whereto he is bound by the law of creation so shal he escape the wrath of God and be receiued into his loue and fauour In particular this remedie hath three parts The first Remember whence thou art fallen The second And repent The third And do thy first workes The words following Or else I will come against thee c. Are a reason of this remedie to persuade them to do the duties prescribed For the first Remember whence thou art fallen The words beare this sence Examine thy selfe throughly see in thy selfe the decay of thy former loue and then ponder the same in thy heart seriously and throughly Here Christ inioyneth to this church two duties I. Examination whereby shee must descend into her owne heart and search out her owne wants especially the want of her loue to God to his word and to her brethren II. Consideration whereby she must often thinke of these her wants and lay the same to her heart vnfainedly This course which Christ taketh with this church teacheth vs first that it is a dangerous thing for any person in Gods church not to bee acquainted throughly with his owne estate that so hee may search out his owne wants and deeply consider of the same For this very thing Ieremie blamed the people in his time that no man sayd with himselfe what haue I done And Christ layeth this sinne to the charge of the people of the old world that they were ignorant of their estate They knew nothing till the floud came and â—â—oke them all away And this is the common sin of this age no man almost doth examine himselfe consider in his hart his owne estate by reason of his sinnes and wants Nay men are growne to this that they count it a meanes to breed melancholie and therefore do â—lie the practise of this dutie and so nuzzell themselues in their fearefull securitie Secondly here wee learne that it is a speciall dutie for them that liue in Gods church to be throughly acquainted with their owne estate to examine and search out their owne sinnes and often to consider seriously of their particular wants Zephanie preaching the doctrine of repentance vnto the people beginneth thus Search ye search your selues oh nation not worthie to be beloued Where the word translated search signifieth such a search as a man would make for some small thing in a great heape of chaffe This is the Lords counsell Hag. 1.7 Consider your owne wayes in your hearts and it must be our practise if we would be saued This duty is the beginning and ground of true repentance and therefore Christ here giueth it the first place for no man can truly repent before hee bee acquainted with his owne infirmities and with his owne fearefull and damnable estate by reason of his sinnes And therefore Dauid saith I first considered my wayes and then I turned my feete into thy testimonies The cause why so few in the world doe truly repent is want of consideration from whence they are fallen and what bee their sinnes and the dreadful iudgements thereby deserued For till the mind doe truly conceiue her owne miserie the hart can neuer rightly hunger after mercie Sinne must bee our greatest woe before Christ become our chiefest ioy The second part of this remedie is Repentance iâ— selfe for after a man is well acquainted with his wants and hath throughly considered of his owne misery then he commeth to repent In the handling hereof fiue points are to be obserued I. What repentanceis II. How it is to be practised III. Who commandeth it IV. To whom it is commaunded V. For what they must repent For the first Repentance properly is in the mind as the word in this place doth import for it signifieth thus much After some follie or ouerslip to be better aduised Repentance then in the mind is a change from euil to good or a turning from sinne vnto God Act. 26.20 Repent and turne to God Which latter words expound the former plainly shew what repentance is And this change in the mind standeth in this resolution whereby a man by Gods grace purposeth to leaue all his former sinnes and to cleaue vnto God in holy obedience vnto all his commandements And when this resolution is in the mind therwithall followeth a turning of the whole man in will in affections and in all the actions of his life This appeareth by that description of the practise of repentance which Paul reduceth to seuen heads viz. Care clearing of themselues indignation feare great desire zeale and reuenge 2. Cor. 7.11 wherof some are renewed affections
He must begin to repent when he is receiued to mercie he must renew that repentance for his daily offences If God therefore haue giuen â—s grace to repent we must not content our selues with that good beginning but adde more repentance daily vnto it For no man liueth that hath receiued grace to repent but hee seeth in himselfe continuall cause of renewing the same by reason of his daily sâ—ilâ— and wants for euery sinne decayeth grace which must be repaired by a new practise of repentance This dutie must needs be practised It is the most dangerous case that can bee for any man to lie in sinne for sinne makes a man liable to all Gods iudgements And it is not so much the act of sinne as the lying in sinne that bringeth damnation For this cause Paule 2. Corin. 5.20 speaking to those that were reconciled to God doth still most â—arnestly beseech them to be reconciled vnto him saying We beseech you in Christs steed as though God did beseech you through vs that ye be reconciled to God Intending thereby to prouoke them to the daily renewing of their repentance that thereby they might get a more full assurance of their reconciliation V. point For what must they repent namely for the decay of their loue not for the want thereof but for that they suffered it to waxe lesser both towards God and his word and towards their brethren The same thing is spoken to vs dayly in the ministerie of the word that whereas our first loue is gone many hauing fallen from it and moe hauing none at all wee would vnfainedly repent of this our decay and want that if wee haue had loue and now waxe cold wee may renew it and if we neuer had it we may labour for it that so we may be answerable to his blessed desire And here obserue that Christ enioyneth vs a strait repentance It is not ynough for men to repent them of grosse sinnes as whoredome theft drunkennesse and such like but they must repent them of their wantâ— of grace as of the knowledge and feare and loue of God and of brotherly loue and of decay in any grace bee it neuer so little Wee haue many iusticiaries in conceit that bee Pharisaically minded thinking too well of themselues that they need no repentance because they liue ciuilely and are not tainted with grosse sinnes But these consider little what God doth here require euen repentance for our secret wants and decayes And great reason it should bee so for els to what end should we examine our selues of our secret wants vnlesse wee should repent vs of them hauing found them in vs Againe if this church must repent for her wants then what great cause haue we to repent in this last age of Atheisme a grosse and common sinne of outward pride in apparrell a sinne flat against Gods word and for contempt of the gospell a sinne that enlargeth it selfe more and more among vs. And for crueltie and want of mercy and compassion all which are rife in our church and may more easily remooue the candlesticke from vs then want of loue could remooue the candlesticke from this church And thus much for the second part of this remedie The third part of this remedie is to do their first workes that is shewe the like zeale and feruencie of loue to God to his word and to their brethren that they did at the first time of their conuersion This duty Christ addeth to the former because true repentance neuer perisheth in the heart but alwaies breaketh out into action in the life Here then is an excellent lesson for vs to learne and put in practise wee must search our own harts and see what good things haue bene in vs what good motions and desires or good affections We must also call to mind our former wayes and see what good things wee haue done and if in heart or life we find decay we must recouer our losse and seeke to do our first workes and striue to continue so doing to our liues end that so wee may escape this heauie charge of decay in grace Thus much of the parts of this remedie If not I will come against thee shortly and remooue thy candlesticke out of his place except thou amend In these words Christ layes downe a reason to persuade the church of Ephesus to the practise of the former remedy especially for repentance This reason containeth three parts I. A generall commination in these words If not I wil come against thee shortly II. A particular threatning of a particular iudgement And remoue thy candlesticke out of his place III. The condition of them both except thou amend I. point If not I will come against thee shortly that is if thou do not practise this remedie and the duties therein prescribed especially the dutie of repentance then will I come against thee shortly The words may as well bee read thus If not then will I come to thee shortly For so they are in the originall and doe containe in them sufficient and profitable instruction God is said to come to any people two wayes in mercie and in iudgement In mercie when he testifieth his presence by workes of mercie As when Christ in spirit went vnto the old world and preached vnto them in the person of Noe an hundred and twentie yeares before the floud 1. Pet. 3.19 20. Secondly God commeth in iudgement when hee testifieth his presence by iudgements In the second commandement God saith He wil visite the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children that is he will make inquirie among the children for the fathers sinnes and if hee find them to liue in the same sinnes that their fathers did then will hee punish them this is properly to visit So in this place If thou repent not I will come vnto thee and testifie my presence not in mercie but in iudgement In this generall threatening we may obserue that when a church or people decay in loue to God to his word or to their brethren or els lye in any sinne then God prepareth himselfe to come vnto them in iudgement Amoâ— 4.12 Because I will doe thus and thus vnto thee for thy sinnes therefore prepare to meete thy God Oh Israell meaning that because they lay still in their sinnes therefore he would make knowne his presence by more fearefull iudgements This doctrine according to Christs direction is to bee applied to vs and to our church for the sinnes that were in the church of Ephesus are the sinnes of our church and people They decayed in loue to God to his word and to the brethren so doe we Nay generally there is no loue at all in vs as hath been shewed and besides these wants there be many other grosse sinnes wherein our church and people doe lye as in Atheisme both in iudgement and practise in contempt and neglect of Gods worship and true religion in crueltie oppression and want of mercie and that which is
more though God summon men to repent by his dayly iudgements yet few or none by true humilitie prepare to meete God and to preuent his iudgements Securitie spreads it selfe ouer the whole bodie of our people And this being our case and state it must needes bee that God hath beene long since in comming to vs by his iudgements and a◠this day he is still comming because we still decay in loue and other graces and more and more goe on in sinne So that if we thus continue the truth is hee will come shortly vnto vs and that by most fearefull iudgements For this was written to the church of Ephesus to be a direction not onely vnto them but to all churches to the end of the world that be in the like or worser case What shall wee then doe Our dutie is taught vs in these words If not that is if thou repent not Wee must preuent the Lords comming in iudgement by vnfained repentance euery man and euery familie apart must repent priuately and the whole Church openly and publickely no way else wee haue to stay the Lords comming against vs by his fearefull iudgements The second part of this reason is a more particular threatening than the former And will remooue thy candlesticke out of his place Where hee sheweth with what particular iudgement hee will punish this church namely by remoouing away the candlesticke The meaning whereof may bee gathered out of the former chapter where particular churches were called candlestickes therefore here hee threateneth to remooue his church from the citie of Ephesus to take away the Ministerie of his Gospell and the profession thereof and in his iust iudgement to send among them Ignorance Apostacie and Heresie in steed of the knowledge of his truth This particular iudgement must be referred to the first words If not that is if thou repent not this will I doe I will make thee to be no Church and take my Gospell from thee In this particular threatening three points are to bee obserued one concerning the Minister the second concerning the whole body of the church the third concerning euery priuat man Touching the Minister note this If he shall decay in loue to God to his word or to his brethren or if hee lye in any one sinne knowne to himselfe it is a meanes to depriue him either of his calling or of Gods gifts bestowed on him for this threatening is here directed especially vnto the Angell of this Church of Ephesus When Ieremie had beene wanting in deliuering the Lord◠will vnto the people partly for feare partly through impatience then the Lord becomes a Prophet vnto him saying If thou returne I will bring thee againe and thou shalt stand before me Whereby hee would giue him to vnderstand That if hee returned not he should cease to be a Prophet vnto him The same thing is true of all Gods Ministers if they decay in loue faile in their dutie or lye in any sinne they must speedily renew themselues by repentance or els God will depriue them either of their calling or of the gifts thereof True repentance and the renewing thereof is needfull vnto all Christians but especially to Gods Ministers if they would continue in his fauour and stand before him becomming his mouth vnto the people The second point concerneth the whole bodie of a Church to wit if a Church or people decay in loue to God to religion and to their brethren or doe lye in any common sinne they procure hereby the remoouing of the gospell from them and the abolishing of true religion The Prophet is a 〈◊〉 sayth the Lord and the man of the spirit i◠mad This was a great and fearefull iudgement but mark◠the cause All is 〈◊〉 thine iniquitie that is for the sinne of the whole church doth God send foolish Ministers If this bee so then wee haue iust cause in our Church to feare the remoouing of the gospell from vs for there is a generall decay of loue in many and in the most no loue at all Many scorne and contemn true religion and hate the professours thereof In regard whereof wee may wonder at the great patience of God that yet continueth his gospell among vs For God giueth men vp to strong delusion to beleeue lyes because they loue not his truth Wherefore being in this danger our dutie is to vse all good meanes to preuent this iudgement of God which can no other way bee done than by true and vnfained repentance by the whole Church in generall and by euery man apart and euery familie apart For when God shall speake suddenly against a nation or kingdome to root it vp and to destroy it if that people repent of their wickednesse the Lord will repent of the plague and iudgement which hee thought to bring vpon them Ierem. 18. vers 7 8. The third point concerneth euery priuate man and it is this If any man decay in loue or want loue to God and to his brethren or lye in any sin knowne to himselfe This is a meanes to remooue the candlesticke from him to depriue him of his knowledge and other graces of God The affection of loue in the heart is like the watch of the clocke if the watch stand the wheeles stand as the watch goeth fast or softly so goe the wheeles answerably And so it is in man if his loue to God and to his gospell doe encrease then doth his knowledge and other graces of God encrease in his heart but if his loue decay then other graces decay and if loue be gone then farewell all pietie and true religion If we would know the cause of such palpable ignorance as is in many that haue long heard the gospell preached it is nothing but want of loue Heb. 3.12 13. The Holy ghost sheweth by what degrees men come to fall away from God First sinne deceiues them by drawing them to commit it then their hearts are hardened by custome of sinning Thence followes vnbeleefe in maine points of Religion and so they make Apostacie from God and set themselues against his truth Take heed therefore of lying in any sinne for that is the high way to finall Apostacie rather striue to encrease in loue vnto God and vnto his word and so shall all his good graces encrease in thine heart Out of this particular threatening some gather That a man may bee cut off frō Christ fall away finally from true faith and repentance For say they if a whole Church may bee cut off from Christ and become no Church then may any one member of the Church be cut off and become no member But a whole church may bee cut off as here we see and therefore may any one man Answ. This reason is not good there is great difference betweene the state of a whole Church and of one man that is a true member of Christ. For a particular Church is a mixt companie of true professors and dissemblers like
by the name of counsell First â—ere note that Christ commendeth this church and giueth her counsell but doth not at all rebuke her for her faults as he did the church of Ephesus Hence the Papists gather that Gods church and so the members thereof may liue without sinne and fulâ—ill the law But they are deceiued Christ therfore abstaineth from reproofe of this church not for that he had not any thing against them but for these two causes especially First because this church of Smyrna did truely repent and beleeue and did not decay in grace as the church of Ephesus did and therefore had the pardon of her sinnes and was in Gods loue and fauour Secondly this church did indeuour to obey Christ and to testifie her faith and loue thereby Now God accepteth the desire and will of obedience in his children as obedience it selfe and therefore did not reproâ—ue them for any fault that was among them Seeing this church being in affliction is so farre forth accepted that Christ reproueth nothing in her wee are taught it is profitable for Gods church and people sometime to bee in affliction for thereby are the gifts and graces of God preserued as Faith and Repentance and many greeuous sinnes preuented which otherwise Gods children might fall into The counsell it selfe containeth three parts A precept A prophesie And a precept againe The first precept is in these words Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer This precept may seeme to be against other places of Scripture as Phil. 2.12 Worke out your saluation in feare and trembling And Rom. 11.20 â—e not high minded but feare Answ. There bee three kinds of feare I. naturall feare II. feare proceeding from grace III. a distrustfull fearefull proceeding from vnbeleefe I. The naturall feare is a declining and eschewing of death and those things that tend thereto this feare is in all men in as much as euerie thing desireth to preserue it selfe this was in Christ who in his agonie feared death as it was a separation of soule and bodie asunder yet this was no sinne in him but onely an infirmitie without sinne The second kind of feare is that which commeth from grace Mal. 1.6 If I be a maister where is mine â—onor If I be a father where is my feare This feare is a reuerent awe towards God in regard of his mercie and iudgements and this is a vertue and no sinne The third is distrustfull feare when men for affliction forsake religion and obedience to God standing more in feare of men than of God and this is that feare which Christ in this place forbiddeth being a sin that draweth men from God vnto perdition In this commaundement Christ doth two things First he giueth them and vs to vnderstand what is the sinne in which euerie man is conceiued and the seed whereof remaineth stil in the children of God namely distrustfull vnbeleefe whereby men feare the authoritie of the creature more than the glorious maiesty of the eternall God which proceedeth from this that men consider not of God as he extendeth his prouidence ouer all things and as he is a mightie iudge taking reuenge vpon all sin and wickednesse Secondly here Christ describeth the meanes wherby Gods people may arme themselues against all perils and troubles whatsoeuer to wit Christian fortitude which is a gift of God proceeding froÌ„ true faith inabling a man to lay aside all feare and with courage to vndergo al dangers whatsoeuer that he may in life and death maintaine faith and a good conscience This vertue God prescribed to the Prophets when they were to enter into their calling and our Sauiour Christ to his Apostles and to this church of Smyrna And it were to be wished that all the ministers of the gospell might speake vnto their people as Christ speaketh vnto this church Feare not But the truth is if they deale faithfully they must change their note and say with Ioell Waile and houle ye priests and people lying in sackcloth and ashes because the day of the Lords vengeance is at hand For it is lamentable to see the state of the whole body of our people of whom wee may generally say with the Prophet There is no knowledge of God in the land And where knowledge is there is litle conscience to liue therafter Consider also how the most are carnall minded dead in sin they sauour not thâ— things that pertaine to Gods kingdome but their hearts are wholly possessed with earthly desires delights and spirituall things affect them not Yea in all places wee shall see that as naturall sleepe wrappeth vp the senses of the body so a spiritual slumber benummeth their minds and hearts For though God preach daily vnto vs by his iudgements yet like the old world wee know nothing of the euill day we neuer cal to mind the iudgement to come And if herunto we ioyne the common crying sinnes of this land as swearing cursing oppression Saboath breaking drunkennesse whordome and all vncleannesse yea Atheisme it selfe the ground of all How can we say with Christ Feare not yea rather wee must call men to repentance in sackcloth and ashes For God is iealous of his glorie neither will hee alway be chiding nor winke at our iniquities he hath whet his sword and bent his bow and vnlesse wee repent the day of hauocke will come shortly wherein hee will take vengeance vpon all our iniquities And although this be the common state of our land yet Christ hath his remnant among vs who mourne for the sinnes and abhominations of the times and doe endeuour to keepe faith and a good conscience in all things and to these it may be sayd Feare not but take to your selues christian courage arme your selues therewith lay aside all distrustfull feare and glorifie God in your hearts striue to keepe the faith in a pure conscience vnto the end and so shall Christ appeare to your ioy when the wicked shall be ashamed And to moue Gods children to this christian fortitude First let them consider what a iudgement of God is due vnto them that are distrustfully fearfull when they should suffer any thing for the name of Christ Reuel 21.8 They must haue their reward in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone among the damned Secondly let them obserue the Lords presence and his gracious promise of protection in distresse He will cause his Angels to pitch their tents about them that no perill shall hurt them 2. King 6. When a mightie armie came against Elisha his seruant was fore afraid but marke how he comforteth him Feare not saith he for they that be with vs are more than they that be with them And so it is with Gods children Thirdly let them consider that it is a most honourable estate to suffer any thing for the name of Christ. And therefore the Apostles reioyced exceedingly when they had bene beaten That they were counted worthie to suffer any
seekes anothers good Goe through townes markets and fayres and rare it is to find a man that in his affaires seeketh the common good as well as his owne For this is the common rule May I not make of mine owne what I will But he that hath the grace of loue Seeketh not his owne onely but the good of others also 1. Corinth 13.5 Here then wee must learne to practise this vertue that wee may haue Christs commendations with this church Euery man in the generall calling of a christian will make great shew of loue as when he comes to the Lords table in praier But in their particular affaires few shew forth true loue nay many by lying oppression crueltie Flea the skinne from the flesh and the flesh from the bone of the poore and breake the bones within the flesh and chop them as for the pot as the Prophet speaketh These little consider this rule or that account which the Lord will take of them who hath sworne neuer to forget these works Amos. 8.7 Learne therefore in thy particular calling to shew forth loue and imploy thy commodities not for thy selfe alone but for the good of those with whom thou liuest herein is loue and hereby shalt thou be known to be the seruant of Christ Iohn 13.35 and the child of God Translated from death to life 1. Iohn 3. vers 14. The secoÌ„d thing for which this church is coÌ„mended is seruice To omit the diuers significations of the word here it betokeneth a worke of loue whereby a man within the compasse of his calling becomes a seruant vnto euerie man for that mans good Read Heb. 6.10 where this is both commended and described Gal. 5.13 Do seruice one to another in loue 1. Cor. 13.5 Loue seeketh not her owne but maketh her selfe seruant to all to do them good And Christs commaundement is Let him that would be chiefe among you bee as the seruant Luke 22.26 Now the principall part of this seruice is when a man is readie with hâ—s goods according to his abilitie to helpe the poore especially those that be godly This is a fruit of loue and therefore it is here set after it as also in the places before named Hebr. 6. vers 10. Gal. 5.13 It were to be wished that our church and people might haue the like praise for this vertue But the richer sort spend their substance and wealth vpon haukes and hounds buls and beares vpon costly attire and banqueting so as when the poore that are in need come for releefe they haue nothing to spare and if any thing bee giuen it is drawne as hardly from them as a ribbe out of their side Men wil giue frankly to delight themselues with playes and pastimes and such like vanities but the poore that be their owne flesh may die in the streetes for want of that which men giue to their dogges But if we respect the commendation of Christ Iesus let vs abandon these vanities which hinder vs in the practise of this vertue of seruice for the good of our brethren And to induce all men hereto let them consider I. how the church of the Old testament was charged with giuing the first fruites of their wine corne and oyle and likewise with many sacrifices and ceremonies which belonged to the temple these things indeed be ceased and yet wee may not mispend these good which hereby are spared for in the New testament the poore are in steed of the altar and they must haue that which the altar had among the Iewes Againe Isay. 58.18 He that powreth foorth his soule to the hungrie that is he that seeing the poore in miserie hath the bowels of compassion mooued towards them and from his pitifull hart releeueth their wants according to his abilitie his light shall neuer bee put out but shall spring out of the darknesse and his darknesse shall bee as the noone day This is pure religion and vndefiled before God to visit the fatherlesse and the widdow in their aduersitie Remember this He that hath mercie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord Prou. 19.17 So that when the poore come for releefe God commeth to borrow of vs some of that which he hath giuen vs. The poore are the Lords collectors now when the Lord would borrow of vs shall we make deniall send him emptie away Thirdly consider that Christ himself comes in the persoÌ„ of the poore that is hungrie sicke naked or in any want and therefore if wee would escape the fearefull sentence of condemnation at the last day Away from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire for I was an hungred and ye gaue me no meate c. then we must haue regard vnto the poore and shew our bountie in their releefe who are our owne flesh so shall wee make God our debtor and bee commended with this church by Christ himselfe in this world and at the day of iudgement heare that blessed voyce of his approbation Come ye blessed Math. 25.34 The third vertue for which this church is commended is their faith By faith here we are to vnderstand Fidelitie which is a vertue whereby a man is faithfull to God in keeping that vow and promise which hee made to him in his baptisme which was to renounce and denie himselfe and wholly to giue vp himselfe to acknowledge one God in three persons and accordingly to beleeue in to worship and obey the same God all his life long In this sence is faith taken of Paule when he sayth That younger widdowes haue damnation because they haue forsaken their first faith And in the former Epistles of Christ vnto these churches where hee commaunds them to be faithfull It were to bee wished that our churches and congregations might in like manner be commended for their fidelitie to God but that cannot truly be done of vs generally It is a common thing for men to sweare by their faith but it is a rare thing to find a man to keepe his faith as will appeare by this short suruey of our people For first the greatest part in all places are ignorant of God of his word and of their vow to him in baptisme and also voide of care to attaine hereto Now all these are vnfaithfull vnto God Others though they haue knowledge yet they haue no loue nor care of good things which concerne the kingdome of heauen but all their delight is in eating drinking gaming and in pastimes and pleasures Herein they spend their time and strength and these also haue denied their first faith their case is dangerous for as yet their belly and their pleasure is their god and their end will be damnation A third sort are termed the wise men of the world but if we regard their fidelitie to God there is nothing in them they are worldly persons and earthly minded such as spend both wit and strength to get wealth like vnto the mole who is alwayes in the earth These also
receiued her doctrine committed fornication with her They must bee cast into great affliction First this must teach all persons that it is a diuellâ—sh speech to thinke and say that fornication iâ— but a tricke and shippe of 〈◊〉 for great affliction is the punishment of this sinne which notably argueth the haynousnesse thereof Secondly hence we may gather some of the causes why townes and kingdomes are afflicted with grieuous wars famine and pestilence among the rest these are two fornication â—nd embracing of errours and superstition Sodome for fornication and other 〈◊〉 was burnt with fire brimstone from heauen The Israelits for this sin suffered most grieuous afflictionâ— And among the Corinthians for comming to the Lords table in this sin among others many were sicke many 〈◊〉 and many sleâ—â— And this land of ours hath bene afflicted with famine and pestilence as for other sinnes so for fornication which in time of peace is multiplied and so will continue till it draw vpon vs bloudshed also and great afflictions For that which is sayd of the followers of Iesabel must be verified of all that liue in the like sinnes The second part of the reason is the exception of these communications except they repent them of their workes Where we may see First that all the threatnings of Gods iudgements and of eternall destruction must bee vnderstood with the exception of repentance Whence also this followeth that men of yeares liuing in the church are not so much condemned for other particular sins as for liuing in their sins without repent â—ee euery sin makes a man subiect to damnation but it is this impenitencie that brings vpon theÌ„ actuall daÌ„nation Want of repentance for sin is more dangerous than the sin it selfe the consideration whereof must teach vs not to lie in sinne though wee haue committed it but turne to God by speedie repentance for it is the continuance in sinne without repentance that casteth the soule to hell When thou shalt turne from thy sinne by true repentance thou art free from the threatning and the curse of sinne For they admitting the exception of true repentance 〈◊〉 18.8 Further obserue how this exception of repentance is placed betweene two threatnings of iudgements which sheweth how God mingleth his iudgements with mercie hee sheweth not wholly either iustice or mercie but tempereth them together in all the workes that concerne mans saluation Thirdly here note that repentance preuents not onely eternall damnation but also temporall iudgements as grieuous sicknesses and other plagues and afflictions This point may haue speciall vse among vs Wee haue by Gods mercie enioyed his gospell with long peace but for our abuse thereof we may iustly feare it shall be taken from vs and if we would escape that iudgement wee must repent both high and low Of their workâ—s That is of their idolatrie and fornication where hee sheweth of what things true repentance must be namely of bad workes in particular whereto men giue themselues euerie man that would truly repent must consider of his particular faults The drunkerd in particular of his drunkennesse and the couetous man of his couetousnesse and insteed of iniuries and hard dealing shew mercy vnto the poore The common repentance of the world that is done in generall is nothing but a visard of repentance and yet it is all that is vsed of the greatest part of our people for they will come to heare the word and to receiue the Sacraments and in generall confesse themselues to bee sinners and then they thinke they haue done enough But true repentance is of particular sinnes As Dauid Psalm 51. cried out of bloud guiltinesse Vers. 23. And I will kill her children with death and all the Churches shall know that I am â—ee which searcheth the reines and hearts and I will giue vnto euerie one of you according to his workes Here is the third part of Christs threatning against Iesabels children by children wee are to vnderstand properly those which are borne of her and were of her husband and not her followers for they were threatned with grieuous afflictions in the former verse It had bene sufficient to haue sayd I will 〈◊〉 her children But to note the certainty and greeuousnesse of this punishment he saith I will kill them with death Quest. How can this stand with the iustice of God to punish the offences of the parents in the person of the children Ans. God deareth so for temporall punishments not for eternall And though we could not perceiue the iustice of God in so doing yet wee must reuerence the â—ame blaming our owne ignorance Albeit euen in reason wee may conceiue of the equitie of this course for societies as church common-wealth and families are Gods ordinance and the parties in them must bee considered as members of those societies for God conceiueth of them when hee afflicteth the punishment deserued by one vpon another as of the Prince vpon the people of the parents vpon their children This hee may iustly do by reason of that neere bond which is betweene the members of the same societie like as in the naturall bodie when the stomacke is distempered the head aketh and when the head is wounded the stomacke is sicke and the bodie may bee smitten for the errours of the tongue Thus when Dauid sinned the child died and when hee numbred the Israelites the people were plagued And thus is the child stained in bloud for the fathers treason against earthly Princes and so God punished this woman in her children that shee might knowe the greatnesse of her sinnes hee smote her children with death Hence parents are taught to make conscience of euerie sinne For thereby they may bring iudgements vpon their children and familie euen to death Now what bloudie hearted parents are those that will make no conscience of doing that whereby they bring vengeance vppon their owne children And by the same reason must euery man that liues in any societie be admonished to take heed of sinne because thereby a man especially if hee bee a principall member of a societie may bring destruction vpon many As Dauid did by numbring the people And Achan by his couetous stealth Iosua 7 And Ahab vpon his posteritie So that impenitent persons which will not be reformed but go on in sinne ought to bee banished both from church and commonwealth as hurtfull members yea enemies to all good societies That these threatnings might take place in the hearts of Iesabell and her followers Christ remooueth two carnall conceits whereby they might thinke to delude or escape these iudgements threatned The first is this Iesabell and her company might thinke that their practises were secret not knowne to the world and therefore they were not in danger of Gods iudgements This is a wicked imagination that comes into the mind of all sinners but this Christ cuts off saying And all the Churches shall know that I am hee which search the reines and the
first a man must euery day bethinke him selfe of his ende and of the comming of Christ either in generall to all the world or particularly vnto him by death and in this consideration he must esteem and iudge of euery day as of the day of his death or the day of iudgement Secondly he must prepare himselfe against death against the day of iudgement euery day euē this present day as though hee should now die or meete Christ in iudgement and the next day do the like and so goe on continually to the day of his death And for our furtherance in this Christian watch we must be mindefull of temperance and sobrietie that we keepe mediocritie in the vse of the creatures of God and of the things of this life For when men plunge themselus either in the cares of this world or in earthly delights they quite forget both sinne and death and the day of Iudgement and thus wee see what Christ meaneth by watchfulnesse As Christ prescribeth this dutie vnto this Church so are we in the name of Christ to bee enioyned the same Christian watchfulnesse both against sinne and death and the day of Iudgement And to mooue vs hereto consider these reasons First wee are watchfull for the preseruation of the things of this life as if a towne be in danger of sacking or burning there is watch and ward kept continually and if a mans house bee in danger of robbing hee will sit vp night and day to saue his goods yea euery man is verie painfull and watchfull to heape vp to himselfe the things of this world Now what a shame is it that men should bee watchfull for temporall things and yet haue no care of their soule that must liue for euer Againe want of watchfulnesse is the forerunner of death and eternall destruction I. Thess. 5. vers 3. When men say peace and safetie then shall come vpon them sudden destruction When the rich man had enlarged his barnes vpon the encrease of his substance he promised to himselfe case and securitie saying Soule soule take thy rest c. but it was sayd vnto him Oh foole this night shal thy soule be taken from thee And the old world knew nothing till the flood came and destroyed them all Now if the want of watchfulnesse bee the forerunner of destruction how great a cause haue wee to watch The second dutie inioyned is to confirme the graces of God decaied in them Strengthen the thinges which remaine that are readie to die as if hee should say sundry be the graces which I haue bestowed on you but many are lost and gone and those which remain are about to perish vnlesse you confirme them therefore see nowe that you strengthen and repaire the same In this dutie Christ teacheth this church and vs an excellent lesson that whosoeuer hath receiued any gift of God must haue care to preserue it and to make the same gift strong in him by continuall increase If a man haue receiued knowledge faith and repentance or any other gift of grace he must not suffer the same to lye dead in him but stirre vp increase and confirme it dayly that hee may bee a perfect man in Christ. For the gifts which men haue are not their owne but Gods also who looketh to receiue his owne with aduantage And therefore men like good Stewards must so vse the gifts receiued that they may returne them to God with increase Thus Paul perswadeth Timothy stirre vp the gift of God that is in thee for else the receiuer is an vnfaithfull seruant and so shall be rewarded And for the better perfourmance of this dutie we must often read the word of God and meditate therein we must heare it often preached and with due reuerence and preparation receiue the sacrament And pray continually striuing earnestly against the corruptions that bee in vs and dayly stirring vp our heart to all good duties Thus did Dauid checke the corruption and deadnesse of his heart Why art thou so cast downe oh my soule and also stirre vp the same vnto all good duties saying I haue applyed my heart to fulfill thy statutes alway euen to the end Ps. 119.112 Hereby are reprooued the common sort of professors hearers of the word who stand at a stay and goe not forward in grace This is a great fault for as we haue receiued grace so we ought to stirre vp the same that we may confirme and increase it dayly Further Christ addeth Which are about to die where he answereth to a question that is mooued by sundry at this day namely whether graces that concerne saluation may be vtterly lost or not Christ answeareth by a distinction that some graces that pertaine to saluation may be lost quite and others may be decayed so as they are about to die For the graces of God that pertaine to saluation be of two sorts some be absolutely necessarie so as without them a man of yeares cannot be saued and such are faith and regeneration Others bee lesse necessary which sometime goe with faith but not alwaies such are A plentifull feeling of the fauour of God ioy in the holy Ghost and boldnesse in prayer these may be lost wholy for a time in the seruants of God Yea faith and regeneration themselues may decay greeuously and be readie to di◠as this text saith Secondly consider fayth and regeneration in themselus and they may be wholly lost for nothing in it selfe is vnchangeable but God The state of the elect Angels by nature is changeable for they stand by the power of God Thirdly these graces may perish and decay finally vnlesse thy bee confirmed Question Why then doe not the elect finally fall away after their calling Ans. Their standing cometh not from the constancie of grace or faith but from the promise of God made vnto them to their faith so Christ saith to Peter Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke that is vpon thy faith which thou hast professed will I build my temple and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it that is though they may assault it and greeuously weaken it yet they shall neuer bee able finally to ouercome it Seing sundry graces of God may be lost and the most necessary graces greatly decay yea of themselues quite die wee that haue receiued from God any grace either of faith or repentance are hereby taught not to bee presumptuous or ouer confident in our selus but with feare and trembling worke out our saluation Phillip 2.13 The reason to enforce the former remedie is this For I haue not found thy workes perfect before God and therefore watch and confirme the decayed graces of God that be in thee In this reason Christ giueth thē vs to vnderstand that he maketh a search in his church of al the works that men doe in the same that he may accordingly reward them for not finding doth presuppose a search And so the
yet they will not take paines to reade the same at least in such a constant course as they ought to doe Thirdly the Lords Sabbath is broken for though most men at set times will come into the congregation yet there is not that priuate sanctifying of the Sabbath after the congregations are dissolued which Gods word requireth but men betake themselues to their own affaires and to outward delights to omit those that haue no care at all of sanctifying the Sabbath in any sort Now these persons must needs want both knowledge obedience and all sound grace that will not set apart some time wherein they should employ themselues in Gods word and by these signes it is euident that there is a greeuous disease of negligence in the duties of Religion that infects our congregations Now where this negligence is though coldnesse be not there cannot be zeale and so luke-warmnesse must needs abound II. Signe of luke-warmenesse The Religion of most men is this In the generall calling of a Christian they shew Religion but in the affaires of their particular callings where is religion In the Church they are good Christians but in practise of the duties of their particular callings who sheweth his religion for when as men should practise their callings according to Gods word and true godlynesse they follow the desires of their owne hearts Little conscience is made of lying and oppression that loue and plaine dealing which ought to be between man and man is wanting which prooueth them plainely to bee luke-warme Gospellers III. Signe There bee many that professe themselues to bee luke-warme neither hot nor cold For though all generally come to the hearing of the word and the receiuing of the sacraments yet many when they see some make conscience to become answerable in some measure to the word which they heare and the Sacraments which they receiue doe take vp in their mouthes this slaunder of precizenesse against them mocking them for doing that which in the word sacraments theÌ„selus profes shuld be don These men will not be enemies to the Religion of Christ and they professe themselues not to bee zealous by reproaching zeale in others Therefore they doe more than these Laodiceans did euen professe themselues to bee luke-warme For hee that reproacheth another for zeale in Religion brandeth himselfe with this sinne of Luke-warmenesse And who knowes not how many of this â—ort are euerie where I dare with good conscience say our congregations generally consist of such Now marke what followeth hereupon First that our common professors of religion are in worser case than heathen men Iewes and Turkes that knowe not Christ. This Christ teacheth in preferring cold persons before the luke-warm as if hee should say I had rather thou werest a Pagan than a Professor without zeale And Saint Peter to this purpose speaking of such saith It had beene better they had neuer knowne the way of truth than after they haue known it not to obey the commaundements of God So that vnlesse there be further matter in vs than knowledge and bare profession our case is worse than the case of Iewes and Turkes Religion knowne will not make thee better than them but it is zeale and obedience that must preferre thee before them Secondly from the consideration of our estate I gather that wee are in danger to be spewed out of the mouth of Christ as luke-warme water out of the stomacke This is the punishment heere threatned which was written for our instruction that we might know where luke-warmenesse takes place there this punishment will follow Wee may flatter our selues as the men in the old world did thinke all is well neuer regarding till the iudgement come but the truth is that in regard of this sinne we are in danger to bee cut off from the Church and from true societie with Christ God can doe this sundrie wayes either by bereauing vs of his Gospell and making vs as the heathen or by sending the enemie among vs to destroy and root vs out of this land and euen in our neighbor-countreys and townes hee sets spectacles before vs that by them wee may see how hee can spew vs ouâ— cut vs off from being a people And thus much of the first fault namely luke-warmenesse Vers. 17. For thou sayst I am rich and made rich and haue need of nothing and knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable and poore blinde and naked Here is the second sin of this Church namely spirituall pride The wordes depend vpon the former as a reason thereof before he charged theÌ„ with deadnes in religion and here he painteth out the cause thereof namely spirituall pride of hart As if hee should say thou thinkest thus within thy selfe I am rich for it is the manner of the scripture to expresse the thoughts of men by their speeches because the thoughts of men are as euident to Christ as any mans speeches can bee to another In that Christ doth expresse mens secret thoughts and propound the same in this Booke wee may hence gather that it is a part of Canonicall scripture for it is a priuiledge of the scriptures to set down the thoughts of Countreys of Churches of particular men euen as they coÌ„ceiue them This can no man doe in any booke of his owne deuising And hence wee may gather an argumeÌ„t against Athiests That scriptures are the word of God because they reueale mens secret thoughts Nowe followeth the thought it selfe of the Angell and people of this Church I am rich that is I haue many excellent gifts and graces of Gods spirite by this effect he expresseth their spirituall pride in ouerweening their estate before God This is a common sinne in the world and euer hath been Christ sayd He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance by righteous meaning such as think themselues righteous And the proud Pharisie in his prayer which hee conceiued in his heart thought himselfe farre better than the poore Publican or other men And Paul bringeth in the Corinthians thinking proudly of themselues saying We are full and made rich c. This sinne takes place in the Papists at this day who perswade themselus that they can satisfie Gods iustice by temporall works and fulfill the law of God and merite for themselues and for others To come to our selues this same proud thought hath place among vs. First wee think we are rich in regard of knowledg both yong and old scorne to be catechized because they would not seeme to be ignorant some sticke not to professe this pride by bragging thus that they know as much for substance as any man can teach them when as indeed they know nothing but that wich nature wil teach a man Secondly men plead that they haue a most firme saith so as they neuer doubted of Gods mercie which is nothing but the presumption of a proude heart for true faith is troubled with doubting