and bring them to amendment Now for the vse of these words Christ sets downe his ordinarie dealing with his seruants which is by reproofe and chastisement and diuers visitations for this very end that he might conuince them and correct them Euery member of Christ must come vnder his rod therefore looke for it yea marke further Christ layeth vpon all his seruants afflictions in diuers sorts according to the diuers dispositions of mens natures such as will hardly be broken of their faults he laieth vpon them more sharp punishments where men are easier to be amended there he vseth milder correction The vse of this is two-fold Prouerb 3. 12. the first is despise not the Lords chastisemēt for it is a token of his loue whēsoeuer he reprooueth or afflicteth thee by visitations and crosses make not light account but make profit of it The second is faint not arme thy self with patiēce because it is the Lords maner to chastise those that he loueth and so many chastisements so many pledges and pawnes of his loue towards his seruants By this Christ is an example to all parents and gouernours they must giue tokens of loue in necessarie corrections that their children and seruants may be brought from their misdemeanure for this end chastisement should be vsed It were to be wished that all parents and maisters did vse to giue correction thus but our case is lamentable in this respect Men thinke it enough to prouide foode and raiment for their houshold all their care is for the bodie only and they neuer seeke to reforme their misdemeanours in life This negligence brings many sinnes with it and pulleth many iudgements vpon vs. So much for the second point Amend Againe marke the order of the words Rebuke and chasten Here we haue a necessary instruction seeing Christ first propounds a direct end of his chastisement that is their amendment which that he may the better effect first he conuinceth them secondly he reprehendeth and thirdly chasteneth them and all these tend to our amendment A worthie and excellent order and to be followed of all gouernors they must propound a good end of all chastisements first the good of the partie chastised then they must vse this order first a conuiction of the conscience by the word of God secondly reprehension thirdly correction if the two former wil not serue Which being so you see how they ouershoote themselues that make correction serue for nothing but a meanes of reuenge an action of choller and rage without any purpose to better the partie Whereas this order vsed would reforme the person and stop many vices and nip them euen in the head to some it is as good as meate and drinke to be fighting and brawling Be zealous Here is a remedie for luke-warmnesse In the eight verse they had a remedie for pride now he maketh a plaister for luke-warmnesse Here first marke how these words depend on the former Christ had said Whom I loue I vse to chastise according as their faults be greater or lesser therefore seeing I haue corrected thee repent Where we are taught the vse of all reproofes admonitions and visitations the speciall end of them is to driue vs to amend As oft as the Lord doth either by word reproue or by deed correct vs it is to shew that we must repent and amend therefore whensoeuer you are visited say the Lord summons you to repent take an occasion by the visitation of further reformation yea know it that so many afflictions are so many sermons of Repentance to make you grow and increase in faith repentance and obedience Now that we may the better vnderstand what this commandement Be zealous meaneth diuers points are to be handled first what zeale is Zeale is an affection that is compounded of two affections loue and indignation or sorow therefore first we must loue Christ aboue all things if we will be zealous secondly we must be grieued and angred when Christ is dishonoured Loue of religion and griefe for the want of good successe therof will make men zealous We haue an example in Christ Ioh. 2. 17. where thus much is signified that his loue to his father was so great that the heate of his indignation had almost consumed him he preferred the accomplishment of his Fathers will before all In the second place note the diuerse kinds of zeale good that is true or bad that is counterfeit To a good zeale there is required first true faith secondly repentance thirdly knowledge As for faith it is the very root of good zeale for as Paule saith Loue is from faith vnfained 1. Tim. 1. 5. Now zeale is an affection compounded of loue and faith And as for repentance we see that zeale and it are conioyned in this place Iehu indeed was zealous but because he repented not but liued in the sins of his predecessors it was no good zeale And for the last we must know that zeale without knowledge is but rashnesse And thus you see how to distinguish true zeale from counterfeit euen by the companions of it Now further by the fruites it may be discerned First it compelleth a man to please God in all things it will enforce one ouer-rule and maister him 2. Cor. 5. 13. Whether we be out of our wit we are in it vnto God c. The very loue of Christ and his Gospell inforced him that he could not but preach So wheresoeuer this true zeale is in any measure it will make a man that he cannot but do his dutie It will burst foorth and find an issue like a flame as Elihu said he could not containe his belly would burst Secondly It will make a man indeuor to obey God with all his heart strength power Example Good king Iosia turned with all his heart Dauid prayed with grones vnspeakable according to the multitude of thy mercies c. and so goeth on maruellous earnestly and feruently he prayed not slackly and coldly but with all his force and power from the heart for pardon and reconciliation And so when he gaue thankes he saith My soule praise the Lord and all that is within me c. Psal. 103. 1. Thus you see what be the fruites of zeale and what it is to be zealous In a word then it is this to haue our hearts enflamed with a loue of Christ and his word aboue all things and to be exceeding angrie when it is disobeyed enforcing vs to do our dutie with all the strength we haue Now to end this point we heard before that lukewarmenesse in religion is our sinne generally throughout the land our zeale is cold and our profession but formall How shall we reforme this Become zealous beare a feruent loue to religion loue Christ aboue all and be grieued when you see him dishonored or his word disobeyed and false worship established Away with this slacknesse in religion otherwise it had bene better you had bene of no religion then to be neither
Manna haue power ouer nations be clothed in white made pillars in Gods temple and sit with Christ Iesus in the throne of his Father And though the sonne of Ishai cannot make vs Captains of thousands yet that Sonne of Dauid will make vs the sonnes of God That we may do so we must beleeue the Gospell put on Christ Iesus and be renewed by repentance The first is necessarie the second comely the third profitable To come to the first it is necessarie we should beleeue for he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie he is condemned in the counsell of God in the ministerie of the word and in his owne conscience and he shall be condemned in the day of iudgement for the wrath of God abideth vpon him The more I consider the fruites of faith the more I see the necessitie of faith Through it we are saued by it we are iustified in it we liue We are saued from Satan iustified before God and liue in the Church In the Church nay by it we liue in heauen for he that beleeueth in the Sonne of God hath euerlasting life Faith is that which purifieth the heart maketh the whole man to runne the wayes of Gods commandements giueth entrance to grace accesse to God in prayer made the Elders well reported of and each Christian to stand to the profession of Christ. It is that hand by which we must apprehend Christ that shield by which we resist all the fierie darts of the diuell and that meanes by which we do good to others By faith we receiue the spirit are members of Christ we are risen with him he dwelleth in our hearts we feed on him continually resist Satan are the children of God and the word which we heare becometh profitable And what shall I say faith is of such a qualitie that it vniteth vs to Christ maketh vs certaine of our saluation bold in our profession ministreth true ioy giueth temporall blessings sanctifieth our gifts and maketh vs refuse the pleasures of this present world In a word no sinne can condemne him who hath this true faith and no vertue can saue him who wanteth it To come to the second which is Christ the obiect of faith The most comely garment that euer we can weare it is to be couered with the robes of Christs righteousnesse Iacob was blessed by Esaus garments we are blessed by Christs garments What we see through a greene glasse seemeth all to be greene and what God seeth thorough Christ it is al amiable We must put on this aparel not as the Church in the Canticles I haue put off my clothes how shall I put them on againe or as a gowne that we cast off when we come to our home but we must so put him on that we neuer put him off againe We must put him on by imputation imitation infusion and profession by imputation of his righteousnesse imitation of his vertues infusion of his Spirit and profession of his name Thus we must labour to get Christ for what though a man could commaund the earth with Alexander the sea with Moses the fire with Eliah and the Sunne with Iosuah What though he were as rich as Salomon as wise as Achitophel as strong as Sampson as swift as Ahimaaz as beautifull as Absolon as fortunate as Metellus descended as Paul was of the bloud royal of Princes yet hauing not Christ he hath nothing Yea say a man had the abstinence of Aristydes the innocencie of Phocion the holinesse of Socrates the almes deedes of Cimon the moderation of Camillus the honestie iustice and faithfulnesse of both Catoes all these out of Christ were but splendida peccata and to be esteemed as dung in regard of Christ. For haue him and haue all things want him and want all things he is in at and after death aduantage I come to the last it is profitable to repent for if we turne to the Lord he will turne to vs and that we may turne consider his mercies in forgiuing his benefites in giuing his patience in forbearing and his iudgments in punishing The word preached sinnes committed and that few shall be saued the shortnesse of life the vncertaintie of life and the certaintie of death the ioyes of heauen the torments of hell the comfort of the elect and that else we can haue no comfort in death pray we cannot vnlesse we repent and perish we shall vnlesse we repent but blessed shall we be if we do repent But manum de tabula Magister adest this discourse following will teach vs these things and it am I bold to present to your Worships Iohn sent his Reuelation to many Churches and I present his Epistles to many worthie personages and to whom may I better present them thē to you Iohn was a disciple full of loue and you are breethrē full of loue The Preacher of these Lectures was well knowne to many but to none better then to many of you especially to those who were in my time worthie members of that most worthie Colledge with him And the rather I do it that times to come may reioyce in the Lord that from one honorable root haue issued so many profitable branches to the Church You are sixe brethren as pillars of your house there were three sisters as fruitfull vines of the same one is not but is with the Lord and her I knew a Ladie of admirable vertues the other two are and long may they be so You are all brethren by nature of one venter nation of one countrie grace of one spirit affection of one heart fortune in great fauour and of one hope by your holy behauiour And concerning brotherly loue I need not to write vnto you for you are taught of God to loue one another Your Scilurus at his death need not teach you concord by giuing to each of you a sheafe of arrowes which cannot well be broken whilst they are conioyned for you by your amitie make your selues inuincible If Chilo the Lacedaemonian died for ioy to see one sonne crowned at Olympus and Diagoras Rhodius did the like when his three children got the garland at a wrestling and Iacob so reioyced to heare of his one Ioseph to be aduanced greatly in the kingdome of Egypt how might that happie father of yours reioyce to see at one time one sonne sitting as high Sheriffe of the shire another preaching before the Iudges of Assize and the third pleading as Councellor at the barre and all the rest of great expectation in the kingdome Thus wise sons are a ioy to their parents and all may behold how good and comely a thing it
knowledge wisdome constancie zeale pietie and religion So in the old Testament he deliuered thē to his Prophets not to all but his seruants men of singular gifts and graces and of exceeding holinesse and pietie Indeed the Lord reuealed some particular things to wicked men as to Balaam but they neuer knew them comfortably It is a propertie belonging to the seruants of God to haue a vision reuealed and to know the same Now both these befell S. Iohn he was a man of exceeding holinesse of life for Christ loued him and of singular and rare gifts Now the diuell maketh no such choice but his visions befall men which are heretikes wicked notorious sinners and they haue no rare and speciall gifts as the other so that by this a man may distinguish them by the persons to whom they befall Then we must esteeme of it as a singular gift of God giuen to his owne Apostle S. Iohn After the description of Christ Iohn describes himselfe by many modest tearmes first Your brother that is of them being members all of the mysticall bodie Christ Iesus for the church of God is a familie God the Father is head and housholder Iesus Christ is the elder brother we all are fellow brethren in and by Christ being by him the adopted sonnes of God and brethren to each other By this title first he setteth out his humilitie and great modestie for he was a man at that time aboue all men which liued in regard of his gifts and holinesse of life he was the last Apostle and had apostolicall authoritie being a most true professor yet he calleth himselfe a brother to all true beleeuers maketh himselfe but equall with them though they were farre inferiour to him And so should we esteeme better of all our brethren then of our selues and make our selues inferior to them Secondly by this title we see he had his hart full of brotherly loue to all the members of the church of Christ so we are bound to loue all men as they be of the same flesh with vs but those which be of the same faith religion to these especially should we shew our loue and affection It is good reason that they which haue the same head Christ the same God the same faith hope religion and redemption by Iesus Christ should be so affected to one another and being linked by all these should haue a more neare loue then is between man man But in this world as Esay saith men hate their brethren euen for the profession of the same religion whereby they thinke to be saued If they liue with more conscience then others then they reuile speake ill of and hate them for the name of Christ. The second title Companion or fellow partner compartner in tribulations in the kingdome and in patience He was partner with them in tribulations for two causes first because at that time when he wrote this vision the whole Church was in persecutiō and tribulation vnder that cruell tyrant Domitian about fourescore or an hundred yeares after Christ and so he fled to Pathmos at that time and being mindfull of the afflictions of the Church whereof he was a member he cals himselfe a partner with them in affliction By which he shewes our estate that it is to be vnder the crosse to liue in affliction not to be companions of peace and ease but partakers of affliction and tribulation and therfore those which will be Christs Disciples and follow him they must deny themselues and take vp their crosse dayly and because of this estate the Church in this world is called the militant Church Now seeing the state of the Church is in tribulation we in this land and Church which haue had peace and quietnes so long without persecution we must know that it is giuen vs that now in the time of peace we might prepare our selues against the day of triall and persecution for seeing the estate of the Church is to be vnder affliction and persecution we are bound to looke for it and know that the Lord will come and try his Church for it must increase and grow by triall The Lord hath sent labourers into his haruest a long time which haue gathered much wheate into the Lords barne Now there must come a day when the Lord will take his fan and siue into his hands and will with the fan and siue of persecution try the wheat and winnow the corne from the chaffe that it may appeare who are his true children Then stands it vs in hand to take heed we be found good corne and not chaffe that we may abide the siue that we proue not light corne blowne about with the wind and fit to be cast into the fire to be burnt He cals himselfe their fellow partner in affliction because his pitifull hart was moued with compassion to all his fellow members and partners in affliction when he remembred their persecution and affliction they suffered vnder the cruell tyrant Dominitian Now looke what was in him the same affection should be in vs our hearts should be pitifull full of compassion for the poore afflicted members of Christ seeing they be our fellow members we should haue a fellow feeling with them and shew our compassion in pittying them If the foote be pricked the head stoopes the eye beholds and lookes on it the finger puls it out the hand applies the plaister the other foot is ready to run for help the tongue to aske for counsell and all the members are ready to affoord their mutuall helpe in pittie and fellow feeling so when any members of the Church suffer affliction be pricked with persecution for Christs cause then should we as fellow members of one body be ready to do all the helpe we can to them especially in shewing our fellow-feeling with them In the kingdome of Christ. That is the kingdome of heauen In that he sets first afliction then addes a kingdome he shewes that the afflictions crosse for Christs sake is the ready way to the kingdom of heauen it is the way which is beaten and troden by the Prophets Apostles and the Saints of God as the Apostle saith Through manifold tribulations we must enter into heauen And this momentany affliction causeth to vs an infinite weight of glory not that it deserues or effects it but that it is the path-way to heauen Then we must not thinke it strange when it befalleth vs for it is the meanes to bring wandring sheepe out of the way into the ready and beaten way to heauen nay it is rather to be thought strange when we haue no affliction for then we be gone out of the way seeing the Lord afflicts euery child which is his In patience A vertue whereby we are made able to perseuere in affliction to go on suffering till we come to heauen Afflictions are the beaten way heauen is our ioyfull end patience is the meanes to make vs
stands all true happinesse and ioy eternall Seeing it feared Iohn that he was as dead we see that the feeling of the presence of God of his maiestie and glory it is a singular meanes to humble man to cast him downe and make him know he is nothing in himselfe So soone as Iohn perceiued and saw the presence of Christ he was as dead fell at his feete So Abraham the more he perceiued the glory of God the more he humbled himselfe confessing he was dust and ashes And Peter Luke 5. 8 9 10. seeing but a glimmering of Christs maiestie and might he bids him depart frō him he was a sinner So Esa. 6. 2. the Angels couer thēselues with their wings with three they couered their face and with 3. their feet as fearing and not able to behold his maiesty as cōfessing they be nothing but sin in thēselues We see the great goodnes of God in the ministery of his word for though he might speake to vs by his own self and so that we could not abide to heare his voice but should be as dead men yet he in mercy speaketh to vs by sinfull men like to our selues and familarly then we must know and learne to acknowledge his mercy and be thankfull for it Seeing it astonished S. Iohn we see that euen holy and righteous men cannot abide the presence of Christ his maiestie and glory much lesse can the works of righteous men stand before his iust iudgement or answer to his iustice for the person must be first accepted before the worke can be accepted now if a righteous man cannot abide the presence of Christ no more can his worke Then damnable is the doctrine of the Church of Rome who will haue men to stand at Gods bar and bring their workes as part of their iustification but our workes be but in part holy no more then we be our selues but in part iust Now followeth the effect of this feare in S. Iohns body He fel at his feete as dead It was not a small but a great feare which astonished his senses made him as a dead man Phisitions say that the mind followeth the constitution and temperature of the body but we may here as truly say the body followeth the temperature and constitution of the mind for the mind can worke that on the body which other diseases can worke it can cast men into a swound make the body cold and many other things which diseases work in the body So Ahab being grieued and fearing he could not get Naboths vineyard was sick and almost dead So then affections of loue and feare and hatred c. can change kill the body therfore the body followeth the tēperature and constitution of the mind Againe we see diseases are not alwayes to be cured by art and phisicke but often when phisicke cannot helpe the body is cured by ordering and composing the affections of the heart seeing these can order and dispose the body and change it as their nature is Thē in the next place followeth the kind of feare I fel at his feet as dead c. shewing it was a godly religious reuerence in the heart of Iohn for this kind of prostrating the body is a signe of godly reuerence and religious feare We must learne by this example to cast downe our selues in the presence of Christ as Iohn did and to lie prostrate at his feet Ob. But some may say Christ is not present we cannot now fall at his feet seeing he is in heauen Answ. Though Christ be now in heauen yet he hath his footstoole on earth and his feet may be said to be here on earth For the mercie seate that was a signe of Gods presence though that be taken away God hath yet his footstoole on earth Psal. 99. 5. For wheresoeuer the Church of God is assembled to pray vnto him there is Christ truly present and there is his footstoole and there should we cast downe our selues our soules and bodies to Christ he being there present Now though S. Iohns feare be a godly feare yet it is stained with sin for it is ioyned with immoderate feare of death Then we see that the most holy affections of righteous men they haue their imperfections they be stained with sinne because they be sanctified but in part and in part be corrupt And there is no man which hath true filiall feare but he hath withall a seruile feare of hell and damnation The meanes follow whereby Christ confirmeth Iohn Then he laid his right hand In this note two things first when he vseth this meanes secondly the meanes it selfe The time when Then that is after Christ by his presence had smitten him cast him downe and laid him as dead then he vseth meanes of confirmation and comfort And this is Gods practise first to humble a man and cast him downe breake him and bruise him to powder then he hauing made him plyable and fit to receiue grace after confirmeth and comforteth him in the matter of saluation secondly a man must be wounded then haue oyle powred in and he must be a lost sheepe after Christ will bring him home againe And this is the cause why so few profit by the word preached and by the Sacraments because they be not first humbled and cast downe and made fit to receiue Christ comfortably offering himselfe in the Gospell Now follow the meanes themselues which are two the first a signe Then he laid his right hand c. secondly his word saying Feare not c. There is not one of them vsed a part neither the signe nor the word alone but he vseth both meanes more to confirme and comfort S. Iohn So the Lord dealt with Moses Exod. 3. 12. he first giueth him the word I will be with thee to comfort thee and not onely that but the signe he must offer sacrifice to God as a signe So to Ahaz though a wicked king he giueth him his word to comfort and confirme him and vers 11. he biddeth him aske a signe of him So Christ preached the Gospell there is his word and confirmeth the same by miracles Now he giueth vs promises of eternall life and not onely that but addeth signes and seales to confirme them namely his Sacraments By this we see that Christ hath exceeding care of his children and of his Church Seeing he vseth al meanes to confirme them and to comfort them he giueth them not onely his word which might be sufficient but for our weaknesse he addeth signes to confirme vs condescending thus to our capacitie to take from vs all doubtings and to giue vs assurance euen out of the maner of vsing the meanes as here first he vseth the signe 2. the word then he putteth his hand on Iohn to assure him of his protection and after biddeth him not to feare By this order we see that the very assurance of Gods presence and protection is a present remedie against all feare
dealt with Abraham commanding him to kill his sonne Gen. 22. 2. Chron. 32. 31. he left Hezechiah to trie him And so euery Christian hath his set time when he must be tried that so God may either discouer his hypocrisie or make knowne his faith When one foundeth a schoole he setteth some to see how they profit after seuen yeares or some such space he will looke to trie the scholers that he may see how they go on and without this triall men will not make so good progresse So in Gods schoole the Lord he cometh at his set time to trie what profit men haue made to trie their hearts or true obedience to reward them accordingly If God will thus trie vs then it is best to trie our selues to seeke what is in vs for though thou maist bleare the eyes of the world yet thou canst not deceiue him he will search thee and lay all open to the world If thou be an hypocrite he will detect thee and make thee knowne if not he will make knowne thy grace Then neuer dawbe vp the matter spare not thy selfe but seriously enter into thine owne heart and neuer run with Adam from God for he will pull thee out slippe off thy figge leaues and make thee manifest to all men Now when we haue entred into a narrow search we must in a strait maner seeke to reforme our liues to the rule of Gods word that so the Lord when he cometh to trie vs may approue of vs for it is said He will come the time is set and cannot be changed It is a wonder to see how mens mouths be full of precisenesse so that if men knew not the world to be full of blindnesse it might daunt many Christian hearts But seeing there must be a day of triall of all that is in vs the Lord will not take our hypocrisie but he looketh for sinceritie then we must seeke as much as is possible to conforme our selues to Gods will for when we haue done all we can we come farre short and though men mocke vs yet God will approue vs. Then labour to be pure in all things without hypocrisie not giuen to any one sin but in all things word deed and thought keepe faith and a good conscience be not like to the foolish virgins haue not blazing lampes without oyle If a man come to trie a scholer in a good schoole and after long teaching find him not to haue profited it is a great disgrace thē what disgrace is it for vs if after so long time of grace Christ come to try vs and find no grace in vs no faith repentance nor obedience but hypocrisie and nothing answerable to our profession But we must with Dauid Psal. 26. be so vpright that for sinceritie of heart we would be content to haue the Lord to trie vs being not giuen to any sinne nor tainted with any offence I will saue them But how can this be seeing no Church was free frō this generall persecution of Traian for the Churches of Asia were all persecuted Now this was one of the most famous Churches how then did Christ saue them seeing they were persecuted grieuously and it may be put to death many of them Ans. Promises of deliuerance as this is be not simply made but with condition I will deliuer thee that is saue thee from temptation and persecution so farre as it shall be hurtfull for the saluation of thee Christ promiseth freedome not simply from persecution but from the hurt which might come thereby to thē in respect of Gods grace and their saluation Ps. 91. He which trusteth in the Lord the plague shall not come nigh his dwelling yet we see in common plagues as well the godly as the wicked die yet it is a true promise that the plague shall not come nigh him to hurt him or his to hinder any mans saluation And we pray Lead vs not into temptation not to be free from all tēptations but that we be not wholy left of God vnto the diuel but though we be tempted that he will deliuer vs from the euill of the temptation that it may be for our profit and not our hurt and so Christs promise is good to them God will haue his children tempted yet here is their comfort he will keepe them that they shall not haue any hurt by the temptation to hinder his grace or their saluation Though they be subiect to temptations and suffer a thousand crosses yea die in them yet if they keepe the faith they shall take no hurt but the Lord will turne them to their good so that this may comfort and reuiue any perplexed and oppressed conscience in persecution and temptation Againe seeing this promise is onely conditionall and not simple but as it freeth vs from the hurt of the temptation we see they which pray for freedome from all temptations afflictions and persecutions haue no warrant out of Gods word if they put not in that caueat for euery petition must haue a promise in the word now there is no promise that a man shall be free from all temptations but onely from the hurt of temptations afflictions Then we must when we pray for temporal deliuerances pray onely with condition so farre as they shall not hurt our saluation and hinder Gods grace in vs. From the houre of temptation But how can this also be true that the long and bloudie persecution vnder Traian for fourteene yeares should be called but an houre of temptation Ans. First in regard of God to whom a thousand yeares are but as one day therefore fourteene yeares is but a short time Secondly in regard of eternall punishment in hell which we deserue this time of persecution is but a short time Thirdly in regard of the persecutions of Gods people Iacob serued twice seuen yeares for Leah and they seemed a short time to him by reason of his affection to her so the affections that Gods people haue to the Lord to his word and religion make them thinke many yeares persecution a short time Paule for his affection and loue to Christ thought eternall damnation but a yeare a short time So these in this Church thought this long and bloudy persecution a short time an houre for that loue they had to Christ and his Gospell and the glory of God and for this affection could haue bene content to suffer it longer The end why Christ vseth this phrase is to comfort this and al other Churches in persecutions by the shortnes of their continuance which is but an houre a short time Now though they last twentie yeares yet if we haue any affection to Gods glory and to his religion it will be but an houre a short time This consideration of the shortnes of time might incourage any man and arme him to endure any persecution crosse or affliction Besides this which I haue said note that in these words there is a prediction there is a prediction of a
in Christ to good workes Marke there euery Christian is a workmanship of God To this purpose Esay 53. 10. saith whē Christ shal giue him selfe a free will offering he shall see his seed How Thus All that are borne a new they are the seed of Christ he is the beginning and roote and so much the very scope of this Epistle declareth Now he is such a beginning two waies first as he is the author of regeneration for whosoeuer is borne a new Christ is the cause and author of his conuersion Therefore Esay 9. 6. he is called the father of eternitie because he doth regenerate men to life by his spirit and Esay 8. 18. he saith Loe here I am and the children that thou hast giuen me Secondly as he is the matter thereof Ephes. 5. the Church is flesh and bone of Christ where the Apostle alludeth to the creation of our first parents for Adam was a figure of a man regenerate and as Eue had her beginning from Adams side so the Church and euery Christian haue their being and beginning from Christ from his blood springs the Church of God and all Christians as they are new creatures and regenerate not as they are men and women Now the end why he is so called is to meete with a vice in that and other Churches Men haue more care and desire to seeme to be Christians then to be Christians indeed men set more by a shew then truth shadow then substance Therfore he shewes that their principall care must be to be true Christians indeed not to seeme so only This church was not regenerate in that church and therefore Christ tels them of it that he is the beginning of new creatures And the same is our fault our care is not so much for the power of godlines as for the shew of it therefore I beseech you haue care of this to heare the word and to receiue the sacraments are good things in their kind but they are not sufficient to saluation except thou become a true member of Christ thou hast no good by them 2 He saith this to meete with another vice that is spiritual pride He shewes that there is no excellencie in outward things all earthly excellēcies are nothing without this wherby a man is a new creature therefore we must not stand vpon our pantofles for our birth or gentry but whosoeuer wil reioyce must reioyce in this that he hath Christ for the author of his regeneration Further this teacheth vs an excellent lesson that Christ loueth and preserueth his church for as it was in the first Adam so it is in the second Adam The woman had not her beginning apart from man but of and from him that he might loue her the better and haue care of her preseruation So this is to teach vs that Christ hath a care of vs and that we must honor him Nay which is more Adam was but the matter onely and not the author of Heuah but Christ is both to the church to shew his loue to be endlesse The root neuer hurts the branches nay it strengtheneth it selfe to defend cherish and maintaine the branches it hath no affection inclination or disposition to hurt but to helpe Thus much of these words to note the bond betweene Christ and his church yea his loue and our dutie Hence I gather that the Papists erre in teaching that a man hath the vse of his owne will in his regeneration and that he can dispose himselfe in his iustification for a creature cannot worke nor help to create himself but euery regenerate person is a creature of God and the conuersion of a sinner is here made the creation of a man the creature in his owne creation is able to do nothing If there were no more such sayings in the Bible this one were sufficient to confute that opinion And thus much of the preface Now the matter of the Epistle or contents and substance Verse 15. I know thy workes c. that thou art neither hote nor hote c. The Proposition hath two parts First a dispraise or reproofe Secondly counsell The dispraise is for two faults the first lukewarmnesse the second pride and vanitie of mind Then first I will make the words plaine secondly declare the vse of them I know that is all thy waies and workes be manifest to me and I vtterly dislike them And to lay open their fault the more he borroweth a comparison from water whereof there be these three sorts hote cold and warme Cold and hote water may be receiued into the stomack with lesse hurt and annoyance but the water that is lukewarme troubleth the stomacke and ceasseth not till it be cast vp againe Now with these three kinds of water he compareth three sorts of men By cold men vnderstand the enemies of religion as Iewes and Gentiles Turkes and Saracens Gadarens and Galileans By hote vnderstand men zealous in religion by lukewarm indifferent So the meaning is thou art neither an open enemy of religion nor yet truly religious or a true friend I would c. Christ here maketh a wish but he doth not simply wish that they were enemies of religion but in respect of their estate he wisheth they were either of those rather then as they were Otherwise this absurditie would follow that Christ should wish them to be of a people no people of God By lukewarmenesse he vnderstandeth a people professing the word of God and yet not greatly regarding and reuerencing it This people is a lukewarme people as if he should say a mixture of both neither hote nor cold wanting the heate of grace and the fire of Gods spirit whereby their hearts should be heated and inflamed Vers. 16. Because thou art neither c. The meaning is this Euen as a man that hath receiued such water will cast it vp and cannot keepe it in so Christ being grieued with their sinnes will cast them off from hauing any fellowship with him and make them to be no Church This is the true and right meaning of the words Now in them these things are contained First Christ setteth downe their fault and aggrauateth it Secondly he compareth three kinds of men together The hote man hath the best place and the cold man the second and the lukewarme man the last and lowest So you see the enemie of religion and of Gods grace is better then he that professeth religion and liueth not thereafter As if he should say the ordinarie Gospeller which contenteth himselfe to heare the word and to receiue the Sacraments is not so good before God as the Turke and Iew. The threatning followeth I will spue them out of my mouth Now hauing found the meaning we must examine our selues whether we may not be charged with the same fault and it will be found that we are guiltie of this and euen plaine Laodiceans Which that you may see I will shew diuerse kinds of such lukewarme Gospellers and Christians 1
The Papist though he seeme to make a great shew of loue to Christ yet he performeth no such thing for he parteth stakes with Christ and maketh himselfe to be his owne sauiour so that howsoeuer he pretend to be a most zealous Catholike yet he hath no true grace 2 The Temporizer he which altereth his religion as times alter And such is the bodie of our people and they are not ashamed to confesse it that they will follow the Prince and change their religiō with the time And this sheweth what men will do if Poperie come againe they may say they are good Christians but they shew themselues plaine Laodiceans 3 All such as follow Nicodemus that is which loue Christ but dare not come to him by day light such as thinke they may heare Masse and yet keepe their conscience to themselues halting betwixt God and Baal 4 Such as are mediators and pacificators and would make an vnion betweene vs and the Papists being perswaded that our religion and the Papists are all one in effect for the matter and substance of it and that all the difference is only in circumstance so they write and defend their opinion but let them pretend what they will zeale of Gods glorie or whatsoeuer be it neuer so much they are but Laodiceans A fift fort there is and who are they Luk. 16. Such as serue God and Mammon And where are they nay where are they not Lamentable is out time wherein men will needes be professors and yet how is all their time spent vpon care for this world The greatest part of their life and time is bestowed on that there is all their ioy care desire labour and studie let them say what they will so long as their care and studie is spent vpon Mammon they are very Laodiceans And such are the most part of our hearers they draw neare God with their lippes but their hearts are vpon their goods the whole heart is set vpon the world and the whole time of their liues is spent in this Who they are your owne consciences will tell you they are indeed Christians professors but lukewarme and worse then Christs enemies 6 They that heare the word and like it but in their liues giue themselues to sinnes blasphemie drunkennesse fornication oppression vsurie some to this vice some to that And euen in this very ranck I place those which professe religion but yet delight in the fond and irreligious fashions of the world vsing the new strange and monstrous fashions of apparell they spend so much time vpon their bodies that the soule goeth naked The world aboundeth with such now yong and old It is strange to see how absurd men are beyond all common reason in apparelling themselues so fondly whereas their garments shold put them in mind of their owne shame and nakednesse be no cause of glorying in them And the modest garments should shew the vertues of the mind now what do they else but shew the vanities and vices of our minds Now shall we excuse our selues though we be none of these not intangled with the sinnes of the world No we cannot We shall find wants of the feare of God of hatred of sinne of the reuerend regard and estimation of the Gospel which we ought to haue so as no man can say he is free from this nay euery man euen he that hath best grace shall feele in himselfe want of care and loue to God and his word Therefore we must with Iob lay our hands vpon our mouthes and say we are vile Well this being so now consider the iudgement threatened lay it before your eyes marke the end and recompence Christ will spue such out of his mouth that is cast them from God from Christ and his Church This threatning pertaineth to this age and therefore we must tremble and be ashamed and repent of this sinne left ere long we be spued out of his mouth Thus much of the examination of this sinne Now of the amendement of it Where note first the fault secondly the greatnesse of it thirdly the punishment that is a separation from the Church Now I will proceed further to shew that euen among vs as well as in other places this sinne is to be found that euery one may be the better acquainted with his owne state And this appeareth by diuerse signes First by common neglect of the duties of Religion which is manifested diuerse waies first though we come often and greedily to the Church yet very few profit in knowledge and fewer in amendement of life and many that profit in knowledge something do thriue in obedience litle or nothing at all How true this is I appeale to euery mans conscience This is an euident argument of great negligence in all sorts Take the bodies of our congregations they be as ignorant as any I know there be some which profit both in knowledge and practise but I speake of the greatest part Experience in diuerse occasions maketh this manifest The second token of this negligence is that few spend any time in reading of the word to search the Scriptures try whether it be as they are taught or not nay few will be at the cost to buy a Bible or if they haue one they will not take the paines to reade in it or to keep a constant course in reading of it daily A third signe is the prophanation of the Sabbath though many come to Church at the time appointed for publike worship and seruice yet there is no priuate sanctification of it at home but when the congregation is dissolued men betake themselues to their owne affaires profits delights and pleasures No such persons can possibly haue any great measure of knowledge or obedience and grace because they do not keepe times for this purpose By these signes it is plaine and euident yea palpable that there is great negligence in the duties of Religion Now where there is such negligence though coldnesse be wanting yet there is no heate and we are but lukewarme Gospellers Another sign of lukewarmnesse is this our religion stands on generals and reacheth not to our particular callings In the church we are good Christians but when we come home to the particular duties of our priuate callings where is religion then where is the practise of that we heare There is no conscience made of lying deceiuing oppressing no care of that good dealing which ought to be in men Al our religion is in the church and none at home Whereas if religion were in the hart it would shew some fruit in our liues as fire and heate cannot be hidden Although I doubt not but there be some of whom these sins take no hold yet there be many which professe that they be neither hot nor cold but in a meane between both and yet they will be partakers of the word and sacraments and when they see any haue care to obey they haue presently the name of