holy Ghost but by Christ it is manifest that none can haue fellowship with the Father but by Christ. And here the same is verified touching fellowship with the holy ghost especially for the obtaining of those graces that concerne eternall life This serueth for our speciall instruction for among the Papists there are many that haue worthy and excellent gifts of God as knowledge memorie c. And yet in them be wanting the special giftes of the spirit as faith which iustifieth regeneration for touching assurance of these in themselues they professe themselues to be ignorant And whence coÌ„meth this but onely from their want of Christ for the Christ of the Papists as they teach him is an idoll Christ and therefore wee are not to maruell though wee see the most learned among them to scoffe and mock at our doctrin of assurance of Faith certainty of electioÌ„ Secondly we haue many among vs that will say they looke to be saued by Christ to haue their sins pardoned by him and yet you shall perceiue in them no grace of knowledge or conscience of true obedience But these things caÌ„not stand together to wit loosnes of life and forgiuenes of sins therfore these men deceiue themselues for if they had Christ they should haue his spirit and the graces thereof purging their hearts for Christ and his spirit are neuer seuered he that hath the spirit of Christ working in him faith good conscience hath an infallible token that Iesus Christ is his This must admonish vs to labour for 〈◊〉 vnion with Christ Iesus our head to become flesh of his flesh bone of his bone that in him we may haue fellowship with the father and with the holy Ghost for till we be vnited vnto Christ we shall neuer haue the graces of saluation wrought effectually in our hearts The second royaltie of Christ is that he hath the seuen starres that is the seuen Pastors of the seuen Churches of Asia they are called starres because in their ministerie they inlighten men in the way that leadeth vnto life And Christ is said to haue them because hee is a soueraigne Lord ouer them they bee his seruants For he â—ppointeth that person that shall be his minister among men hee giueth him gifts meet for his calling he prescribeth also vnto him his office and duties But the Pastors of Churches will some say are made by the Church Answ. The right of ordaining Pastors belongs to Christ as his royaltie the office of the Church is to testifie ratifie according to the word of God to approoue of them whom Christ maketh and indueth with gifts and for that cause is the Church said to call and ordaine Ministers The end why Christ is said to haue soveraigntie ouer the Ministers is to strike the heart of the minister of this Church of Sardis with conscience of his former negligence to stir him vp to diligence and carefulnes in his place And indeede the consideration of Christs soueraigntie ouer them is an excellent motiue to stir vp all Ministers to bee diligent in their place and so likewise all Christians For considering that they are Christs and the gifts they haue come from him this must mooue them to make conscience of all good duties for being Christs they must giue themselues wholy to do the will of Christ whose they are If he would haue vs liue we must be thankefull because he is Lord of life if our death will glorifie him we must be content because wee are his Thus much of the Preface The matter of this Epistle containeth two parts A reproofe of a vice with the remedie thereof Vers. 1.2.3 And a praise or commendation vers 4. The reproofe in these words I know thy works that is I know all thy workes they are all manifest vnto me and I mislike of them So must these wordes be vnderstood in this place as may appeare by the reason of this reproofe in the wordes following Thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art dead Wherein is set downe the fault of this Church namely Hypocrisie for that they pretended christian religion in outward profession but yet wanted the life of christianitie the power of godlines for the meaning of the reason is this Thou hast a name that thou liuest that is Churches round about thee iudge and speak of thee as of a church that is borne anew in Christ and is guided by his spirit for by life we must vnderstand spirituall life not corporall but yet for all this thou art dead that is thou wantest true spirituall life by regeneration and art indeed dead in thy sinnes this is a great and a sharpe reproofe That which is here said of this Church of Sardis may be truly verified of diuers churches in this age As first of the great church of Rome who are guided by the Pope as by their head That church hath a name to be aliue in their owne pretence it is the only true church of God in the world but in truth and before God it is dead Some say it is as a body full of diseases and whose throat is cut but yet the heart panteth life remaineth therin But we may say it hath no manner of spirituall life but lyeth starke dead as a carkasse in the graue The reasons that some alledge for it are of small moment first they say it hath the SacrameÌ„t of baptisme which is a note of a true Church and therefore it hath some life Ans. First Baptisme is not alwayes a note of a true church for circumcision in whose stead commeth baptisme was a sacrament vsed of the Samaritans when they were no people of God and so no church of God Againe Baptisme without the true preaching of the Gospel is no infallible signe of a church it is but a seale pulled from the writing or set to a bare paper to no vse and further outward Baptisme without inward Baptisme is no note of a church but such is baptisme in the church of Rome it hath not inward baptisme ioyned vnto it neither the true preaching of the word for the doctrine which they teach is a quite ouerturning of Christ and his Gospel and therefore outward baptisme may bee where there is no church Secondly I answer that baptisme in the church of Rome is a Sacrament not to their synagogue but to the hiddeÌ„ church of God among them For God had his Church among them euen in the midst of Poperie There were alwayes some among them that renounced their religion whom God called home vnto himself by the meanes which were among them as the vse of this Sacrament the Apostles Creed and of other books of holy Scripture For as God said to Elias in Ahabs time I haue reserued seuen thousand that neuer bowed the knee to Baal So may it bee sayd of many among the Papists God hath there his secret Church who neuer yeelded to the Popes gouernment
may obserue that the doctrine of Gods word is an infallible marke whereby to know the true Prophet of God and also to distinguish hâ—m from all false prophets God foretold his people that false Prophets should come among them for their triall Deut. 13. But how shall they discerne them surely by their doctrine for though they shew wonders yet if their doctrine tend to draw men fâ—om the true God to idolatrie they are false prophets and should die When our Sauior Christ was asked By what authoritie hee did those things Luk. 20.2 3. He approoued his authoritie by the testimonie of Iohn who bare witnesse of him Iohn 1.15 and confirmed the calling of Iohn by the truth of his doctrine which themselues being witnesses was from heauen Luke 20. ver 4 5. Hereby then we see the error of the Papists who teach That the onely note of a true Prophet is to confirme his doctrine by a miracle and that hee which cannot doe so is a false Prophet But this note of difference is not true for false Prophets may confirme their lying vanities by signes and wonders as we may see Deut. 13. And so doth Antichrist 2. Thess. 2.9 The sixt argument by which this Reuelation is described is the order and manâ—r of propounding it to the Church and it stands in foure degrees First God the father giueth it to Christ the mediator and head of the Church Secondly Christ giueth it to an Angell Thirdly the Angell conueyes it to Iohn the Apostle Fourthly Iohn diâ—ected and assisted by the holy Ghost deliuereth it to the Churches Now as this particular booke was so no doubt all other holy Scriptures were conueyed to the Church from whence we may obserue First the constant loue of God to his children by this his special care in propounding and deliuering his will and word to his Church Secondly that this booke and so all other parts of holy Scripture are in their kind most perfect and excellent Thirdly that the Church of Rome blasphemeth in calling the written word of God a dead letter and dumbe Iudge matching generall councels with it for authoritie and teaching that the vniuersall consent of the Church is about Scripture fâ—r â—â—terpretation and giues life and sence thereto which otherwise of it selfe were but an inckie letter and dumbe word Verse 3. Blessed are they which reade and they that heare the words of this prophesie and keepe those things which are written therein for the time is at hand Here is the seuenth and last argumeÌ„t whereby this Reuelation is described to wit the fruit effect and the profit which comes of it euen true happrnesse This prophesie concerneth the present and future state of the Church the reading and hearing whereof ioyned with carefull keeping bringeth with it true blessednesse that is fellowship with God and life euerlasting In this argument we may obserue First the end of this booke and so of all other bookes of Scripture viz. â—o bring men to happinesse to fellowship with God and life euerlasting These things were written saith S. Iohn that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ and so beleeuing might haue eternall life Iohn 20.31 Againe hee declared to them the word of Christ that by it they might haue fellowship with God the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ. 1. Iohn 1.3 In which fellowship is true happinesse Christ himselfe sayth Search the Scriptures for in them you thinke to haue eternall life Iohn 5.39 And in this they differ from all other bookes and writings of men for mens writings bee penned either by the light of nature and so be erronious and misse the end of true happinesse or els they be penned by them which haue direction from the word and so all the truth they haue leading to true happinesse is borrowed hence when as the Scriptures of themselues doe directly guide men thither From the consideration of this blessed end of holy Scripture wee may obserue first That the opinion and practise of the church of Rome is damnable who barre the people of God from reading and hearing the Scriptures in their vulgar tongue For in depriuing them of this meanes as much as in them lieth they barre them of their saluation and they doe directly crosse the purpose of S. Iohn who doth therefore pronouÌ„ce him blessed that shall heare and reade this booke with conscience to keep and obey it that he might allure and draw al men to doe it with delight Secondly we are hereby admonished with all care and diligence to reade and meditate in Gods word That place before named is most excellent Search the Scripture Iohn 5.39 Euen as wee would search for gold or some precious thing which we would fain find So the word imports And he addeth the reason For in them you thinke to haue eternall life The same is wisdomes counsell Prou. 2.4 But some will say I cannot reade I was neuer brought vp in learning and therefore I cannot search S. Iohn cuts off his excuse in the next wordes saying Blessed he is also which beares the wordes of this prophecie As if he should say though hee cannot reade yet if hee heare and keepe it he is blessed Here then iâ— the dutie of those which cannot read the Scriptures they must procuâ—e others to reade vnto them and by hearing and keeping they shall be blessed Thirdly by this scope and end of Scriptures wee must learne to carrie in mind this plaine difference between the bookes of God and writings of men Gods word bringeth a man which keepâ— it to happinesse but mans writings of themselues cannot doe so vnlesse they haue light from the word of God If this distinction were imprinted in our harts we should not bee so delighted as many are to heare or speak the words of God mixed with the wordes of sinfull men specially in the publicke ministerie In former times the Lord forbad his owne people to sowe their field with mingled seede 〈◊〉 to make them garments of diuerse things as of linnen and woollen Leuit. 19.19 And no doubt the same God doth mislike that the pure seed of his word should be mingled with the sayings of erroneous and sinfull men when the same is sown vpon the furrowes of mens heaâ—ts Secondly in this seuenth Argument wee may obserue the right manner and way of hearing and reading the Scriptures a point worthie all serious consideration Iâ— stands in two things First we must set downe with ourselues a certaine end why we reade and heare the Scriptures which is that we may attaine to true happinesse standing in fellowship with God and life euerlasting This end must bee the motiue to induce vs to heare and reade the word of God and when this taâ—es place in our hearts it wil be of force to make vs reade and heare with care and conscience which beseemeth Gods word Secondly wee must keepe in mind the things wee reade or heare so fayth the text And keepeth the things which are
Iewes though their teachers and rulers were both heretickes and hypocrits and yet wee must remember that liuing among them and beholding their wicked conuersation wee must not approoue of their vngodlinesse but bee grieued for the same as righteous Lot was for the abhominations of Sodome 2. Pet. 2.7 Further if it fall out by the negligence of the gouernours that euill men bee admitted to the Sacraments we must not for their companie refuse to communicate for our sauior Christ liuing among the Iews communicated with them in their Sacraments and seruice of the Temple though many of them were notorious both for wicked life and false doctrine The reason is for that another mans euill conscience doth not defile our good conscience but wee may keepe a good conscience in that action wherein the wicked is defiled Now though wee may thus conuerse with euill men yet these two caueats must be obserued I. To haue no priuat companie with knowne and open euill persons This Paule expressely forbiddeth saying I haue written vnto you that you companie not together that is in priuate and familiar manner II. Wee must not shew speciall familiaritâ—â— to euill persons God will not take the wicked by the hand Iob. 8.20 and we should be followers of God Therefore S. Iohn sayth If any man come vnto you and bring not this doâ—trine receiue him not into house neither bid him God speed 2. Iohn 9. Which must bee vnderstood of speciall familiaritie for thereby we doe not onely performe outward dutie to the person but also giue countenance to their sinnes which in any case wee must not doe And thus wee see how to conuerse with euill men Hereby all those are iustly blamed which fit themselues for the humors and dispositions of al companies This ought not to be If any be knowne to be openly wicked either for life or opinions wee must not keepe priuate companie with them or affoord them our speciall familiaritie but by withdrawing our selues from them case vs of such burdens Our Sauiour Christ hauing commended this church for her seueritie against the wicked in that she could not endure them doth prooue the same to bee true by two arguments The first whereof is contained in these words And hast examined them c. to the end of the third verse The second in the sixt verse For the first it is taken from the sharpe and round dealing of this church against euill men and it hath two parts First her discouerie of false Apostles And hast examined them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them liers Secondly her opposing her selfe against them being discouered in the third verse Thou hast suffered and hast patience c. In their discouerie of these false Apostles note two speciall points first that God hath giuen to particular churches the spirit of wisedome that is the spirit of discerning This appeareth by sundry testimonies of Scripture 1. Cor. 2.15 The spirituall man that is bee which is endued with Gods holy spirit discerneth all things And Paule assumeth That the faithfull Corinthians did discerne the Lords bodie that is see and put a great difference betweene the bread and wine in that sacrament and other common bread wine which none that want the spirit of God can doe Againe he biddeth them proue themselues whether they be in the faith or not to giue vs to vnderstand that they had a gift of discerning whereby they did know their owne estate whether they were vnder the curse or vnder grace And S. Iohn biddeth the Church to trie the spirits that is those doctrines which men pretending the gifts of the spirit did teach And in this place this churches discouering of false Apostles declareth plainely that shee hath a gift to discerne who bee sent of God to teach his church and who not And hence the godly learned in the church are sayd to haue their sences exercised to discerne both good and euill Heb. 5.14 And in this regard the churches of God differ from all other companies of men For vnlesse men be of Gods church they want this gift of discerning spirituall things that differ as true Apostles and false good and bad truth and falshood c. Hence we may gather that the church of God hath a gift to discerne which is a true church and which is not for the church can discerne whether a man bee a true Apostle or not and by the same gift it may discerne the state of any particular church Whence also it followeth that wee may easily see whether the church of England bee a true church or not It pleaseth some to call it into question as it now standeth and they auouch That it is no church of God that there are no true Ministers no true preaching or right administration of the Sacraments in it and that these things with vs are illusions of Sathan and our church his synagogue But that ours is a true church of God is thus prooued The churches of Germanie Fraunce Scotland and Italie that haue receiued the Gospell are the churches of God and they haue the gift of discerning which is a true church of God and which is not Now they giue the right hands of fellowship vnto vs and reuerence our church as the church of God To whose testimonie we must rather cleaue than to the opinion of a few priuate men and so resolue our selues that wee are the true church of God Secondly hence we may gather that the church of God hath a gift to discerne scripture from that which is no scripture The papists say the church indeed hath this gift but it is by counsell and commission froÌ„ the church of Rome which is a meere forgerie For the church of Ephesus which could discerne of false Apostles could no doubt by the same gift discerne of the bookeâ— of God and that without counsell from the church of Rome for at this time when Iohn writ it was a more famous church than the church of Rome and therefore went not thither for counsell II. point In what things this discerning of false Apostles doth consist it is a iudiciall action of the church consisting in two things here noted First in examination of false doctrine and false teachers secondly in condemnation afterward The examination of them is set downe in these words And hast examined them that say they are Apostles and are not Their condemning or sentence giuing in the words following And hast found them liers For the first examination is a gift of God to his church and was here vsed for the triall of false Apostles Que. How may any church trie a false teacher Answ. This is a point of large discourse but the heads of true examination are these First that church or that man that would rightly examine a false teacher must prepare himselfe thereunto after this manner he must looke that he haue a meeke spirit and an humble heart for God
this church of Thyatira whose workes are better at the last than at the first A fearfull case it is to be ignorant of Gods will and a great iudgement of God to decay in loue and other graces and therefore that wee may preuent Gods iudgements wee must haue care to get knowledge and to increase therein and with knowledge to ioyne obedience in all good duties to God and man Some plead for themselues by reason of age want of memorie and capacity but these must learne to shew foorth better affections and more sincere obedience The yonger sort also must imploy their wit and strength to get knowledge and with knowledge ioyne obedience that they may increase in grace as they grow in dayes Yea euery one that hath any good beginning must indeuour to make it more For to him that hath shall more giuen and he shal haue abundance but from him that hideth his gift or abuseth the same shall bee taken away that which he seemeth to haue Luk. 8.18 Vers. 20. Notwithstanding I haue a few things against thee that thou sufferest that woman Iesabell which calleth her selfe a prophetesse to teach deceiue my seruants to make them to commit fornication and to eat meat sacrificed to idols Here is Christs reproofe of this church of Thyatira and it is twofold First of the whole church in this 20. verse Secondly of a woman in that church vers 21. In the reproofe of the whole church note two things The reproofe it selfe And the reason thereof The reproofe it selfe is contained in these words Notwithstanding I haue something against thee That is though I haue praised thee for manie worthie works yet there be some things which I do not approue This reproofe hath bin handled in the former Epistles The reason of the reproofe followeth in these words That thou sufferest the woman Iesabell who calleth her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and seduce my seruants This reason of her reproofe containeth sundry points worthie our consideration I. From the phrase and forme of the words wee may consider the large power that God gaue to his church which was besides the power to preach the word administer the Sacraments a further power to appoint who should preach among them who should not preach and also a power to represse euill men and euill women so to keepe them in order The like power was giuen to the church of Ephesus as we haue seene in the Epistle to that church they had power to discerne false Prophets Apostles and to restraine the same The like power did God giue to all churches as we shall see if wee read the histories of the church and great cause there is hereof For without this authoritie no church could long stand be a church II. Here note that it is not sufficient for a church to haue the preaching of the word but it must haue seueritie and sharpe gouernement whereby wicked people may be restrained This church is therefore discommended for that shee vsed not that seuere authoritie which God had giuen her in suppressing of sin And in our congregations the like fault is to be found where much preaching is yet sinne abounds as adultery blasphemie vsurie and cruelty and the cause is for that this seuere execution of gouernment in restraining sinnes is not so straitly put in practise as it ought to be Againe in this reason of his reprofe Christ doth charge theÌ„ with two faults First for suffering a woman to teach Secondly for suffering a woman to seduce his people For the first the word translated teach is in the New testament commonly put for publicke teaching in the ministerie Their fault then was this that they suffered a woman to teach openly and it is against the word of God 1. Tim. 2.12 I permit not a woman to teach And 1. Cor. 14.34 35 Women ought to keepe silence in the congregation and be subiect to their husbands and learne of them at home Obiect But Deborah was a Prophetesse Iud. 4.4 And Hulda prophesied 2. Kin. 22.4 For Iosiah sent to her for counsell 2. Chro. 34. And therefore women may prophesie An. These womeÌ„ had extraordinary gifts calling therefore vpon their exaÌ„ple we may not make an ordinary rule II. Ob. But it may seeme Paul alloweth it when he saith A woman praying or prophecying vncouered dishonoreth her head 1. Co. 11.5 Answ. Hereto some do answer thus that in the infancie of the church some women were extraordinarily indued with that gift and did indeed prophesie Others iudge it to haue bene a fault in that church and therfore say in the 14. cha the Apostle reproueth it commaunding women to keepe silence in the churches Thirdly a woman may be sayd to pray when she giueth her assent to the prayer of the minister by saying Amen and she may be sayd to prophesie when she Singeth Psalmes or readeth the Scripture For so the word is vsed in Scripture 1. Chron. 25.1 Asaph and his company prophesied with harpes and vials That is as it is translated they sung prophesies and playd thereunto vpon their instruments From the rebuke of Christ against this church we gather that it is not warrantable by Gods word for a woman to administer the Sacrament of baptisme For baptisme is a seale of the couenant in the publicke ministerie and so a part thereof and must goe with the preaching of the word and may not bee administred by women who are not allowed to preach no not in time and case of necessitie when men are wanting And although they may not teach publickly yet they may teach at home and in the absence of their husband it is her duty to teach her children Prouerb 31 Lemuel that is Salomon is taught many worthie things of his mother And Timothie was broght vp of a child in the scriptures by his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice 2. Tim. 1.5 Hence some would gather that as a woman may not teach publickely so she may not publickely gouerne in the commonwealth But this consequence is not good for publicke teaching is flatly forbidden to a woman so is not publicke ciuile regiment There is speciall reason why shee may not publickely teach for it is the will of God that as Christ was a man so they that stand in his roome and stead in the publicke ministerie should also be men But the regiment of a kingdome is a ciuile thing and so may lawfully bee administred by a woman when shee commeth vnto it by lawfull succession to her father whose whole patrimonie in the want of sonnes she may rightly enioy Obiect But the woman must bâ—e in subiection vnto the man 1. Cor. 14. â—4 Answ. So shee may and yet haue soueraignetie in the kingdome Obiect But the man is the head of the woman 1. Cor. 11.3 Answ. That is the man in that he iâ— a man is a person more excellent than the woman as she is a woman Yet the person that in
Gospell when he preacheth Gods word is in the roome of Christ and speaketh that vnto the church which Christ wold speake That they may be faithfull witnesses sundry things are required at their hands First they must deliuer the testimonie of Christ aboue all other things and before all testimonies of man in the office of their ministerie This was meat and drinke to Christ to teach his fathers will Eleazar Abrahams eldest seruant shewed his fidelitie in that he would not eate or drinke till hee had done his masters message Gen. 24.33 Much more ought the ministers of Christ haue speciall care of that weightie message committed vnto them Secondly they must testifie all the will of God concerning matters of salvation as faith obedience and a godly life among men wee count him a faithfull witnesse which testifies all the truth and no more but the truth so shold it be with all ministers that be Gods witnesses to his church Herein Paule cleared himselfe That he was free from al mens bloud seeing he deliuered the whole will of God in matters necessarie for saluation and kept nothing backe Thirdly he must neither add vnto or take away much lesse in any case depraue the word of God And this is the true marke of a faithfull witnesse For false prophets teach some truth but withall they adde something of their owne or detract from Gods truth something that they ought not In the church of Rome a man may hear things concerning morall vertues handled soundly but come to Iustification and thereto they adde the merit of mens works so they deale with Faith and Repentance matters of saluation they take away one part and adde another to the scriptures they hold the Creed in word yet in deed they denie the same as by their doctrine may appeare so shew themselues false witnesses Fourthly a faithfull witnesse must deliuer the testimonie of Christ in that spirituall manner which best beseemeth the maiestie of God and which he best approoueth that is in a plaine easie and familiar kind of speech that the conscience of the sinner may be touched the vnderstanding of the simple may be edified When the word is otherwise deliuered as in the entising words of mans wisdom or for ostētation of wit or much reading though nothing be said but the truth yet he that so dispenseth it is an vnfaithfull witnesse because he corrupteth the word by his vaine deliuerie And this is the sinne of this age in many ministers who teach the truth indeed but yet in such sort as it may appeare they seeke thēselues and not Gods glory respecting little the edification of the simple so themselues may bee famous for wit eloquence and learning But these men make marchandise of the word like to huxters that by starching blowing and spicing set a glosse vpon their ware to make it seeme that which it is not which is a greeuous sinne and such as will banish the Gospell out of our land vnlesse it be reformed Secondly this title of Christ That faithfull witnesse doth discouer vnto vs the damnable practise of men in the sinne of vnbeleefe for Christ this faithfull witnesse hath giuen testimonie to his word which is preached that the same is true And therefore they that beleeue it not doe make Christ a false witnesse and a lyar than which what can be more horrible yet this is the common sinne of this age For when the law is applied who is afraid and when the gospell is preached yet who beleeueth our report Gods ministers may say with the little children Wee haue piped vnto you but you haue not daunced we haue mourned vnto you but you haue not wept This deadnesse of heart whereby men are not mooued with the word preached vnto them is an euident argument of this fearfull vnbeleefe whereby they make Christ a false witnesse This therefore should moue vs to consider in our selues the heinousnesse of this sinne that so we may striue against it and labour to giue free passage to the word into our hearts trembling at the law and reioycing in the Gospell that so each part thereof may haue his perfect worke in vs for which end also wee may consider That amongst those which shall haue their portion in the burning lake vnbeleeuers are set in the first ranke Reuel 21. vers 8. Thirdly seeing Christ Iesus is that faithfull witnesse which giueth testimonie to mens consciences in particular of their saluation we learne That euery one which professeth himselfe to repent is bound in conscience to beleeue that the promises of the Gospell and the benefits thereof as Election Redemption Iustification Sanctification and Saluation belong to him particularly And though this be against all humane sence and reason yet seeing we haue a faithfull witnesse auouching the same wee must submit our selues vnto his testimonie for by vnbeleefe we greatly dishonour our witnesse bearer by denying truth vnto his record Here then wee see it it no presumption as the Papists say to beleeue our election and saluation in particular nay it is an horrible sinne in euery one that repenteth not to beleeue it seeing Christ a most faithfull witnesse testifies the same to our consciences by his holy spirit Hereto also serue the sacraments instituted by God to seale vp vnto euery worthy receiuer Christ and all his benefits The ministers giuing of the bread and wine to them that truly repent is as much as if Christ should say Beleeue thou and life eternall belongs to thee And the first begotten of the dead In these words is contained the second office of Christ namely his Priesthood the principall actions whereof stand in dying in rising againe from the dead and making intercession for vs. And here S. Iohn alludeth to the estate of the families amōg the Iewes comparing Christ to the first borne for as among them hee which was first borne and eldest of the familie had many priuiledges and preheminences aboue his brethren as Lordship right of the Priesthood and double portion c. so Christ he hath his priuiledges yea euen Christ crucified hee hath his prerogatiues among the dead aboue all that are dead So Paule expounding this title calleth him The first borne and beginning of the dead that hee might in all things haue the preheminence Coloss. 1. vers 18. The priuiledges of Christ dead and buried among all the dead are two first That he was the first that euer rose from death to life and so to glorie Some indeed haue risen before Christ from naturall death to naturall life as Lazarus but it was to die againe And Moyses and Elias assumed their bodies in the Mount with Christ in his transfiguration but yet they laid them downe againe to the former miserie of corruption for a time But Christ Iesus ros◠from death to life eternall neuer to die againe And his resurrection was the first steppe into his glorie Secondly that by his owne power he raised vp
reuealeth his will not to the proud but to the meeke and lowly and as Isay sayth to them that are of a contrite spirit Isay. 57.15 And in this humbling of himselfe a man must renounce his owne naturall wit and reason and become nothing in himselfe but euen a foole in respect of his owne conceit Also he must vnfainedly pray to God that hee would reueale vnto him his truth Aske sayth Christ and it shall be giuen you euen the holy ghost vnto them that desire of the father And S. Iames sayth If any man lack wisdome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally Secondly after preparation hee must labour to know throughly what the false teachers are and what be theiâ— opinions with the grounds and foundations thereof wherein they agree and wherein they differ from the truth of God maintained by the church for it is a foule ouersight to misconceiue the state of the aduersaries question by propounding it otherwise than they hold as it falleth out with many in the handling of controuersies Thirdly due proofe must bee made whether the aduersaries doctrine bee of men or of God This is Gods commandement 1. Iohn 4.1 Proue the spirits whether they be of God or not And for triall hereof we must haue recourse vnto the word of God it must be Iudge in this cause Isa. 8. vers 20 To the law and to the testimonies if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them yee looke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of mee Who is so fit to iudge in the matters of God as God himselfe and so hee doth in his written word of all doctrine and opinions in religion The Scriptures shew whether the doctrine examined be directly gathered thence and by iust consequent or not Fourthly serious consideration must bee had of the faith and liues of the teachers examined for a false teacher by Gods iust iudgement is vsually a wicked liuer And therefore Christ sayth yee shall know them by their fruits if they bee throughly examined such they will appeare howsoeuer for a time they may bleare the eyes of men as the hystories of the church in many famous heretickes doe plainely declare The second braunch of this discouerie is sentence giuing in these wordes And hast found them liers The church here giueth out a sharpe and seuere sentence against them shee calleth them false Apostles and liers and yet she sinneth not for Christ commendeth her for it Though to raile or taunt cannot beseem any yet magistrats and ministers in their places may giue ouâ— seuere speeches against offendors in token of detestation to their sinnes and not offend Thus Iohn called the Scribes and Pharisees a generation of vipers Matth. 3.7 and our Sauiour Christ called Herod a foxe Luk. 13.32 and Paule called the Galathians fooles Gal. 3.1 And in this place the church calleth these false teachers lyers which is very much for therein shee accuseth them of three things First of teaching that which was false indeed secondly that they know it to be false and so sinned of knowledge Thirdly that they did it of malice with intent to blind the eyes of the Church and to deceiue the people In this discouerie wee may obserue the iust accomplishment of Paules prophecie Acts. 20.29 30. namely that there should rise vp among the Ephesians grieuous wolues and men speaking peruerse things and such were these false Apostles who after examination were found liers Againe seeing in the dayes of this Apostle Iohn men durst presume to claim Apostolicke authoritie and call themselues Apostles when they were not no maruell if the Pope of Rome sixe hundred yeares after did challenge to himselfe to be Peters successour and to haue Apostolicke authoritie and that they dare now auouch some bookes to bee scripture which are not as also bring in their traditions vnwritten verities to bee receiued and obeyed equally with Gods word Verse 3. Thou hast suffered and hast patience and for my names sake hast laboured Here our Sauiour Christ declareth how this Minister and church of Ephesus opposed themselues against false teachers after their discouerie The manner we shall see in handling the points particularly as they lie in order Thou hast suffered or Thou hast borne a burden for the word signifieth to be pressed downe vnder a great burden This burden was the troubles which false Apostles brought vpon them after they were discouered partly by open affliction and persecution partly by the spreading of their hereticall and schismaticall doctrine These false teachers were Ebion Cerinthus Marcion and such like who in the dayes of Iohn troubled this church as hystories do shew Here wee may obserue that it is Gods will that the best churches should be troubled by wicked men and hereticall teachers who both by false doctrine and persecution become grieuous burdens This the Lord permits for weighty causes I. That true beleeuers may bee excited more constantly to embrace the syncere doctrine of the Gospell and therefore Iude most worthily exhorts the Christians in his time to fight for the common faith II. That professors may be tried whether they soundly hold the doctrine of the Gospell or not 1. Cor. 11.19 It is â—ette sayth Paule that there should bee heresies in the Church that they which are sound in the faith and approoued may â—ee knowne III. That God may execute his iudgements vpon wicked men and hypocrites that haue not loued his truth reuealed vnto them 2. Thess. 2.10 11. God gaue them vp to strange illusions to beleeue lies because they haue not loued his truth For many know the word that loue it not This must teach vs to take heed of a common scandale in the world which is to be offended at religion because there be in the church schismes and heresies which come not from the Gospell but from the malice of Sathan who soweth his tares among the Lords wheate Wee must consider that it is the will of God there should be such euils in his church and therefore should labour to bee so farre from offence that hereby wee bee rather prouoked with more cheerefulnesse and courage to loue and embrace religion And hast patience and for my name hast suffered c. Here is set downe the dealing of this church against these false Apostles in all their persecutions But first note the coherence of this vertue with the former Thou hast suffered trouble and hast had patience Quest. How can these stand together It is against mans nature in trouble to be patient for troubles and afflictions make men discontent and to fret against God and man Answ. They stand not by nature but by grace Rom. 5. vers 4. Tribulation bringeth forth patience namely to all those that haue receiued to beleeue in Christ for to them God giueth the spirit of meekenesse in their troubles shedding
yet he is seuen that is manifold in regard of gifts and operations which proceed from him Secondly saint Iohn here speaketh of the Father Sonne and Holy ghost as hee saw them in vision for here he setteth downe one vision which he saw now he beheld the holy ghost in forme of seuen lights in a vision Reuel 4.5 Which are before his throne This he speaks by comparison takeÌ„ from earthly kings which sitting in their thrones doe there shew their glorie and maiestie So S. Iohn saw in vision God the father sitting in his throne and Christ at his right hand and before the throne the holy ghost Which manner of appearance proueth not that the holy ghost is inferiour to the father and to the sonne but hereby is expressed the office of the holy ghost which iâ— to be sent from the father and from the sonne to the church to enlighten the members thereof This theÌ„ is the meaning of the words And from the seuen spirits which are before his throne that is Grace and Peace bee with you from the Holy ghost the spirit of the father and of the sonne who from them both is sent vnto the Church to enlighten to sanctifie and to gouern the members thereof First hence we learne that the holy ghost is God for looke from whome commeth grace and peace that same is very God but here grace peace proceed from the holy ghost and therefore he is very God Secondly wee learne that wee may and ought to direct our prayers to the holy ghost for by whome grace and peace is giuen to him we may direct our prayers but grace and peace are giuen by the holy ghost therefore wee may pray to him for them This is the rather to be obserued because there bee some which doubt whether wee may pray to the holy ghost bâ—t they may as well doubt whether he be God They say we haue no example hereof in scripture Ans. It is not true for in this benediction Iohn prayeth to the holy ghost saying Grace be wiâ—h you and Peace from God the father c. For in substance it is as much â—s if he had said thus Thy grace and peace O father and thy grace and peace O holy ghost and thine O sonne be with thy Church Thirdly in this description of the holy ghost by standing before the throne of the father we may obserue That the holy ghost is a person subsisting and not a qualitie Some hereticks that acknowledged the godhead of the father denied the godhead of the sonne and of the holy ghost and concerning the holy ghost haue held That he is nothing but the vertue and qualitie of the father But this is most false for aâ— the father is a substance fitting vpon the throne so here we see the holy ghost is a substance standing before the throne Fourthly here we learne that the holy ghost is a distinct person from the father and from the sonne for hee sitteth not in the throne as doth the father nor sitteth at the fathers right hand as doth the sonne but standeth before the throne apart from them both Verse 5. And from Iesus Christ which is a faithfull witnesse and first begotten of the dead and Lord ouer the kings of the earth vnto him that loued vs and washed vs from our sonnes in his owne bloud That is grace and peace from Iesus Christ. Where Christ Iesus is ioyned with the father and the holy ghost in bestowing grace and peace on his Church Here some may aske Why is Christ the second person of the Trinitie placed after the holy ghost the third personâ— Answer For 〈◊〉 causes First in regard of his office for Christ is to be considered two wayes first as he is the sonne of the father secondly as he is the mediator of the Church As he is the sonne of the father he is the second person in Trinitie and so before the holy ghost in order But as he is mediatour so he is after the holy ghost Isay 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is vpon me he hath sent me to preach Where Christ confesseth himselfe to be senâ— by the holy ghost as he is mediatour and in that respect he is set after him Secondly hee is placed after the holy ghost for the fitter progresse of the hystorie for the manner of them which pen the scriptures is to set them in the last place of whoÌ„ they mean to speak most as Matth. 1. the Euangelist setting downe the genealogie of Christ from Abraham thogh among them all was none so excellent as Christ yet placeth him the last because he intended to goe on with the hystorie of his life and death So Iohn placeth Christ the last because hee purposed to make a large description of the person and office of Christ which hee could not so fitly haue brought in if he had placed him before the holy ghost From this fift verse till the ninth hee describes Christ at large First by his offices secondly by the execution therof His offices are three First his propheticall office in these words which is that faithfull witnesse Secondly his priestly office The first begotten of the dead Thirdly his kingly office And that prince of the kings of the earth The execution of all his offices is particularly set downe in the words following To him that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes and so forth to the ninth verse Touching his offices In his Propheticall office wee may note three things First he is a witnesse Secondly A faithfull witnesse Thirdly that faithfull witnesse First he is a witnesse Isay. 55.4 I gaue him to be a witnesse to the nations By his witnesse â—earing is signified two duties of his Propheticall office First to reueale the will of his father to his Church secondly to certifie the Church of the certaintie of the same in these two stand his whole office propheticall For the first to reueale his fathers will to the Church immediately is his office as he is a Prophet for none hath seen God but he which came from the bosome of the father and he hath declared him Iohn 1.18 Now Christ declares the father by making knowne his will and that he hath done not onely in his owne person while he liued on earth but from the beginning by all the Prophets and so will do to the end by all true preachers for in the Church the father doth all things by the sonne When the Lord rained fire on Sodome Gen. 19.24 there Iehouah the father rained downe by Iehouah the sonne So when the couenant was made to our first parents it was made in Christ the promised seed It was renued to Noah Abraham and the patriarkes from the father by the sonne for that Iehouah which appeared to Moses in the bush Exod. 3. is by S. Paule called Christ. 1. Cor. 10. The Prophets and the Apostles wrote as they were inspired by Christ they were but his instruments to speake and
write that he put into them by the holy ghost The matter and the style and phrase of the Scripture all came from Christ. Nay when any particular man comes to vnderstand the Scriptures this is by the working of Christ he opens his eyes Hee gaue the disciples vnderstanding as they went vnto Emaus to vnderstand the Scriptures The second dutie of Christs propheticall office is to certifie men in conscience of the truth of his fathers will This certificate is two fold generall or particular generall when he certifieth men in conscience That the word written or spoken by man is the word of God neither nature nor learning can doe this but it is proper to Christs propheticall office And for this he sayth to his disciples He will send them the comforter which shall lead them into all truth that is reueale Gods will vnto them and assure their heart that the same is true Vnto this assurance two things are required The outward meanes which is the word it selfe and an inward cause which is the principall to wit the operation of the holy spirit By this doctrine three points are resolued First this demaund of the Papists How a man can come to know that the Scriptures read and taught be the word of God Answ. Wee must here haue recourse to this faithfull witnesse and desire of him his spirit whereby the mind must bee enlightened and made able to discerne the things of God for naturall man can doe it of himselfe Secondly wee must haue Christ his testimonie of Scripture in the Scriptures themselues for in them he setteth downe his testimonie of the Scriptures But some will say if Christs testimonie of scripture bee set downe in the scriptures why doe not alâ— men know this testimonie and receiue it I answere The shining of the sunne before a mans face is not sufficient to cause him to see vnlesse he haue in his eyes the gift and sence of seeing Euen so it is not ynough for a man to haue in Gods word the testimonie of Christ that scripture is scripture but withall hee must haue in himselfe the light of the spirit reuealing that testimonie to his conscience and then in reading or hearing the scripture in marking the manner and style the maiestie and power thereof he shall bee able to see in euery sentence the testimonie of Christ assuring his conscience that the same is vndoubtedly the word of God A second doubt resolued by this doctrine is this How can a man know the true religion seeing the Turke Papist Iew and Protestant haue their seuerall religions and die in them I answere Wee must haue recourse to Christ this faithful witnesse and looke whereto hee giues his testimonie that we must hold for true religion Now the scriptures be as a letter sent from heauen to the Church wherein Christ hath set downe his owne testimonie of the true religion which in triall shall be found to bee the religion of the Protestant and not the religion of Iew Turke or Papist A third doubt to be resolued by this doctrine is How to know the particular truth in matters of religion when as sundry men professing the same religion bee of diuers opinions Answ. Still wee must haue recourse to this faithfull witnesse and Prophet of the Church he is the Iudge of all controuersies in religion and in the scriptures if we marke them we shall see his iudgement Quest. But if there be diuers opinions about scripture it selfe and euery one giue a seuerall sence vnto it who must then be Iudge Answ. In this diuersitie of opinions yea of the scriptures themselues we must still haue recourse to Christ and that in the scriptures alone for though there were a thousand diuerse expositions of one place yet by the scope and circumstances thereof conferring it with other like places of scripture a man shall bee able to find out the true sence for Christ in the scripture expoundeth himselfe The particular certificate of Christ belongeth also to his propheticall office and that is to assure men in their consciences that the promises of the Gospell with all the benefits therein contained as Iustification Sanctification and life eternall which in the word be generally expounded doe belong vnto them particularly as to Peter to Iohn c. And this assurance as the former is principally wrought by the word not barely read but preached for therein by the inward worke of the spirit the generall promises be particularly applied This Paule imports saying Yee haue the spirit of adoption which testifies with our spirit we be the sonnes of God Rom. 8.15 16. Hence we learne that the doctrine of the Church of Rome and of all others which hold That men cannot bee assured of their saluation by faith is wicked and damnable for hereby they cut off a part of Christs propheticall office wherein the dignitie thereof doth consist that is to assure a man particularly of the truth of Gods promises vnto himselfe And in this he differs from all other Prophets and Apostles which bee witnesses for they can witnesse onely outwardly to the eare but he can speake and testifie to the conscience Neither can any of them certifie any man particularly though their ministerie tend to that end Secondly obserue Christ is not only a witnesse but a faithfull witnesse and so he is for these causes First because hee testifies not his owne will but his which sent him namely his fathers Iohn 8.26 Secondly he testifies all his fathers wil neither adding thereto nor detracting from it Iohn 17.4 Thirdly because he teacheth his fathers will sincerely in the same maner which hee receiued it not altering changing or deprauing any part therof As my father taught me so I speake these things Iohn 8.28 Thirdly Christ is called that faithfull witnesse to distinguish him from all other witnesses The Lord hath sundry faithfull witnesses as the Prophets Apostles the Church nay the Sun and Moone Psalm 89.37 but Christ alone is that faithfull witnesse First because his witnesse is authenticall sufficient of it selfe and needs no other confirmation The testimonie of the Apostles and Prophets is not of it selfe authenticall and certaine but as it consents with Christs witnesse and proceedeth from his spirit Secondly hee is that witnesse because hee is the Lord of that house whereto he giues witnesse namely the Church but the Apostles and Prophets are but seruants there Hebr. 5.5 6. Thirdly Christ his witnesse is inward it speakes directly to the conscience and there giues vndoubted assurance but the witnesse of men as of the Prophets and Apostles is outward only it comes to the ears it neuer binds and assures the conscience of it selfe And thus wee see why he is called here that faithfull witnesse First whereas Christ the Doctor and Prophet of the church is called that faithfull witnesse we learne That all ministers of the Gospell ought to be faithfull witnesses for euery minister of the