Churches for the pure word of God Now come to the words The Reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue vnto him c. These three first Chapters consist of two parts A Preface and a Vision The Preface is an entrance to the Vision contained in the beginning of the first Chapter from the first verse to the ninth The Vision it selfe is set downe in the rest of these three Chapters The Preface hath two parts First the title of the booke Secondly the inscription thereof The title in the three first verses The inscription from the fourth to the ninth verse The title in these words The Reuelation of Iesus Christ c. A Reuelation is nothing else but a manifestation or discouerie of things secret in respect of men for the common good of the Church and so this word is taken in this place Reuelations from God in Scripture were shewed three wayes First by dreames Secondly by vision Thirdly by created voyce of God face to face as we may see Num. 12.6 8. Now this was not by dreame nor by vision or voice alone but it is a mixt Reuelation receiued partly by vision and partly by voyce vttered in the vision from the Lord. In the three first verses this Reuelation is described by seuen arguments First by the author Secondly the end Thirdly the persons to whom it was directed Fourthly the matter Fiftly the instruments Sixtly the maner of deliuering it Seuenthly the fruit of the Reuelation First the Author is Iesus Christ It comes from him and it is called his Reuelation in these respects First not to exclude the father and the holy Ghost but to shew the speciall office of Christ the second person in Trinitie which is to reueale to publish and to manifest the will of God the father to his Church and for this cause he is called the Angell of the Couenant the doctor of the Churh the wisedom of the father the word of God Secondly it is called the Reuelation of Iesus Christ to teach vs to put difference betweene this and all Satanicall Reuelations for as God hath his true Reuelations so Sathan who herein may be called Gods ape hath his counterfeit visions and deliuers them in shew like to gods but they differ much First the Diuels Reuelations be for the most part ambiguous doubtfull and vncertaine in speech and phrase so as a man cannot tell which way to take them But the Reuelations which come from Christ the author of truth who knoweth all things and the reasons of them are certaine and in plaine termes deliuered Secondly the Diuell sheweth his visions to none but to the wicked and bad men that be his instruments But the Lord chuseth the godly which feare his name and to them he reuealeth his secrets as to Iohn in this place Thirdly the Diuels Reuelations euermore tend to set vp and vphold heresie wickednesse Apostacie and idolatrie Deut. 13.1 2. but these that come from God serue to erect and maintaine truth according to godlinesse euen pure Apostolicall doctrin and the sincere worship of God Thirdly it is called the Reuelation of Christ to shew vnto vs his speciall kingly office in heauen for being ascended and exalted to the throne of Maiestie he sitteth at the right hand of his father far aboue all principalitie and power might and domination and there doth direct rule and gouerne his Church vpon earth according to the good pleasure of his will for all these visions serue to direct his Church in their obedience to his command Whereas Christ Iesus is author of this Reuelation and after his ascention and exaltation giues the same vnto his Church We may obserue his constant care ouer his Church in this last age of the world Before his Incarnation euen from the beginning he gaue vnto his people such doctrine of faith and manners as was needfull for their saluation and still som time to time reuealed such prophesies of things to come as were meete for them to know And now behold the continuance or rather the increase of this his care in the new Testament for beside the perfection of the former prophesies and the full manifestation of his blessed will by his Euangelists and Apostles for all things needful to be beleeued and done vnto eternall life Loe here is added the Reuelation of this worthie Prophesie concerning things to come for the great good and comfort of his children to the end of the world Which God gaue vnto him These words be added to shew how this became the Reuelation of Christ namely by the gift of God that is of God the father the first person in Trinitie for this is a rule to be obserued That where the title God in any sentence of Scripture is opposed to Christ there it importeth the first person the father though this bee also true That sundry times in Scripture the father alone is tearmed God without any addition of the other persons because he is the first in regard of order and the fountaine of the deitie for the sonne receiueth the Godhead by communication from the father and the holy ghost receiueth it from them both but the father hath his godhead of himselfe and receiueth it not by communication from any other Here some will say this seemes strange that any thing should be giuen to Christ seeing he is God and hath all things of himselfe Answ. We must conceiue of Christ two wayes first as God secondly as Mediator and head of the Church As Christ is God the father giueth him nothing for so he is of himselfe the same with the father and hath all things belonging vnto him that the father hath excepting personall properties and is no way inferior to the father neither receiueth any thing from him but giueth all things as well as the father doth But yet as Christ is Mediator hee is not God simply but God incarnate or God made man and so is said to receiue of his father in respect of his manhood as himselfe confesseth All power is giuen to me Matth. 28.18 And Paule sayth God gaue him a name aboue all names Philip. 2.9 hee receiued of his father the promise of the holy Ghost sayth Peter Act. 2.33 And God made him both Lord and Christ ver 36. and so God gaue him this Reuelation in this place If it be said this makes Christ inferiour to his father for the receiuer is vsually inferiour to the giuer Answer As Christ is God he is equall with the father but as he is Mediatour God incarnate and made man he is inferiour and receiueth of him So much himselfe confesseth My father which gaue them mee is greater than all Iohn 10.29 And in the same respect Paule calleth God the father The head of Christ. 1. Cor. 11.6 And as Christ now sitteth at the right hand of his father being Mediator and ruler of his Church he is inferiour to his father and receiueth his kingdome from his father which he
must giue up at the last day 1. Cor. 15.24 And here we must consider in what manner God giues his Reuelation to his sonne First therefore Christ Iesus as he is Mediator is made Lord of this Reuelation so as hee may say it is his owne right and royaltie being a part of that law whereby his Church is now gouerned whereof he is Lord and King Againe this Reuelation was reuealed vnto Christ as he is man before it was euer knowne to any creature man or Angell by reason of the vnion of his manhood with the godhead In this which hath been said we may obserue that this booke of the Reuelation is Christ his right and belongeth vnto him as his owne royaltie and priviledge For as the lawes in any kingdome belong to the prince thereof and are called his lawes alone and no mans els So this booke being a part of that law whereby Christ gouerneth his Church is his royaltie alone for God gaue it him and he hath by his Angell sent it to his Church And that which is here said of this booke must be vnderstood proportionally of all other books of holy scripture Christ is made Lord of all and they are all of them his royalties and possessions And from hence will follow necessarily First That no man in the world hath authoritie aboue this booke or any other part of Canonicall Scripture indeed Monarchs and princes haue great authoritie and preheminence in their dominions ouer all persons and ouer all causes of men but in the Church they with all others owe homage vnto Christ there hee hath the Canonicall Scriptures to be his laws whereto euery one must subiect himselfe The dispensation of the word and the adminisâ—ration of the Sacraments bee his royall ordinances ouer which none may dare to claime rule or authoritie for so should the Scriptures haue beene giuen vnto them for their prerogatiues as they were to Christ but God gaue them to him alone and hee disposeth thereof as pleaseth him And therefore the Pope in taking vpon him to dispence with the word and to mangle the Sacraments doth herein steppe into the roome of Christ and so declare himselfe to be that man of sinne by seeking to rob him of that princely royaltie which belongs to him alone Secondly that the soueraigne power and authoritie of expounding Scripture belongeth to Christ alone and to none other with him True it is that man hath a ministerie committed vnto him by vertue whereof he may expound Scripture by scripture but men haue no power of themselues to determine of the proper sence of Scripture And therefore the Popish practise in giuing to the Church absolute authoritie to determin of the sence of Scripture of themselues without Scripture is flat robbery against Christ for therein they giue vnto men that soueraigne power which is proper to Christ. Thirdly herein wee obserue the excellencie of this booke and of the whole Scripture of God for all of it is the gift of the father to the sonne and of the son vnto his Church The like cannot bee said of any writings of men whatsoeuer bee they neuer so excellent herein the Scriptures surpasse them all Whereby we are taught to esteeme more reuerently of the Scriptures of God than of all the writings of men in the world Here then behold the sinne of this age which more delighteth to speake and heare the sayings of men in the publicke ministerie than the glorious word of the euerliuing God Whereas the writings of men be full of darkenesse of errour and deceit but the word of God is most holy and pure and euery way perfect proceeding wholly from the father of lights vnto his beloued sonne who hath faithfully dispersed the same for the good of his Church To shew to his seruants things that must shortly be done These words containe the second third and fourth Arguments whereby this Reuelation is described viz. the end of it the persons to whom it must be shewed and the matter which it containeth Arg. II. The end of this Reuelation is To shew that is to make knowne and manifest things to come for the good of the whole Church Whence we may obserue that the Papists erre exceedingly in debarring lay people as they call them from the reading of the Scripture for the end of this booke is To make manifest to Gods seruants things to come And who are Gods seruants Are the Cleargie onely and not lay people also God forbid the lay man is Christ his seruant as well as one of the Cleargie And therefore it is Gods will that he should learne to know and vnderstand this booke like one of his seruants And here consider that if this booke of Scripture which is hard and difficult must be learned of the lay man then much more must he search into all other bookes of God which bee more plaine and easie as the histories of Gospell Epistles c. Arg. III. The persons to whom it must be shewed viz. The seruants of Christ. This Reuelation was not giuen of God for all men indefinitely but for all his seruants that is such alone as repent of their sinnes and truly beleeue in Christ for the pardon of them and shew forth the same by new obedience So hee teacheth elsewhere The secret of the Lord is with them that feare him and his covenant to giue them vnderstanding Psalm 25.14 The Lord will reueale his secret to his servants the Prophets Amos 3.7 And God will not keepe backe from Abraham the thing hee was to doe vnto Sodome and Gomorrah because hee knew Abraham would doe his will and teach his familie after him Genes 18. vers 17.19 The consideration whereof should admonish vs not to content our selues with the bare hearing of the word and outward participation of the sacraments but to labor principally to become Gods seruants and to shew the same by the practise of that which we heare Hereby shall wee receiue instruction from the Lord and grow in knowledge dayly more and more our vnderstandings shall more easily conceiue the will of God for they that will doe the will of his father shall know his doctrine Iohn 7.17 Here then is the cause why most hearers after long teaching profit little but remaine as blind and ignorant as euer they were euen their owne impietie they liue in their sinnes and labour not to become Gods seruants Secondly in this argument we may obserue that Christ Iesus is true God for here he is made the head of the Church euery true beleeuer is his seruant and he his Lord the angels of the Churches be his angels as after we shall see which prerogatiue none can haue but he that is true and very God Thirdly in this Argument are those confuted which hold that God would haue all to bee saued and cals all men without exception For if hee called all effectually then hee would offer the meanes to all to wit his holy word that so they might
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
cast off all dulnesse of flesh and spirit and with all might stirre vp our selues to attentiue hearing so shall the word be blessed vnto vs otherwise our hearing shall turne to our deeper condemnation Verse 11. Saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last and that which thou seest write in a booke and send it vnto the seuen Churches which are in Asia vnto Ephesus and vnto Smyrna and vnto Pergamus and vnto Thyatira and vnto Sardai and vnto Philadelphia and vnto Laodicea These words containe the third description of this voice whereby Iohns heart was prepared touching the substance and matter which was vttered which consisteth in two things The first is a testimonie in these words I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last The second a commaundement in the wordes following That which thou seest write and send c. I. Touching the testimonie the substance thereof is set downe in the eight verse where the words were handled and the meaning shewed They do serue directly to proue the Godhead and eternitie of Christ which Christ himselfe doth here auouch to giue vnto Iohn and vnto the Church full assurance that the things now vttered and deliuered were from God for saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last it is as much as if he had said I which speake vnto thee am God and therefore the things I deliuer are from God In this testimonie note Gods speciall care in regard of his truth hee doth not content himselfe with reuealing his will vnto his Church but more specially his care is to certifie the Church of the truth thereof that it is indeed from God This hath beene Gods care from the beginning When Peter receiued a vision from God withall Gods spirit assured him that the things reuealed therein were certen sure And so when Christ preached the will of his father among men hee did withall worke strange miracles to confirme and seale vp the truth of his doctrine that it was from God This speciall care of God ouer his Church doth first confute the Papists opinion touching Scripture They hold the Scripture to bee certen in it selfe but not vnto men till the Church giue testimonie thereunto But this is false for God euer had this care ouer his Church not onely to reueale his will vnto them but also to vse meanes for the assurance of their consciences that that which was reuealed was his vndoubted and perfect will And therefore the word of God is certen and euer was not onely in it selfe bâ—t to the consciences of beleeuers and that without the testimonie of the church and so should bee through the testimonie of the church should neuer come thereunto Secondly hereby are confuted many carnall men who will be of no religion because say they there is no certainetie in the matters of religion mens opinions therein are so diuers that so many men so many minds almost and no man can tell who speakes the truth Answ. It may be that men in sundry matters hold sundry priuat opinions yet in the church of God all the true members of Christ hold the same opinions touching the foundation of religion But let it bee graunted That all men on earth were of diuers opinions touching matters of religion should religion therefore bee vncertaine God forbid For religion is certaine vnto men by the meanes that God hath appointed to certifie the conscience of the truth thereof and thereby might men come to the truth and certainetiâ— of religion taught by the Prophets and Apostles though all men in the world were of diuers opinions touching the same Thus much of the Testimonie II. point The commaundement giuen to Iohn is in these words That which thou seest write in a booke and send it to the seuen Churches which are in Asia This commaundement hath two parts First To write the things seene in a booke secondly to send the booke to the seuen churches here named And both these must Iohn do being now disabled by his exile to preach these things vnto them personally for these causes First that these churches might be edified in the faith and strengthened in these most grieuous times of persecution Secondly that they might become keepers of this booke for the good of others for the church of God is the pillar of truth not onely for that it publisheth Gods truth but also because it keepeth it and giueth testimonie therunto In this commaundement note sundry things First that the word of God written and penned by the hand of man is a notable helpe to the church of God and a worthy meanes to edifie the same els Christ would neuer haue commaunded Iohn to haue written these visions and sent them to the Churches Which serueth to confute the blind Papists which say the word written is but an inkie letter and a nose of waxe because the sence thereof may be turned euery way as man will This also confuteth the Anabaptists which so much magnifie their Reuelations and make no account of the word written If the Lord had thought it best hee would haue taught these churches by reuelations but they must learne by the word written Secondly that the reading of Gods word either publickly or priuately is an ordinance of God for the Lord commaunding Iohn to write this booke and send it to the churches hereby implieth that they must reade the same as they did other bookes of Scripture The preaching of the word is indeede the most worthy instrument for the founding and confirming of Gods Church whereby ordinarily iustifying faith is wrought in the heart and yet reading must haue his due reuerence as a meanes to confirme and encrease true knowledge faith and repentance where it is begun Thirdly here note that a man may be vnder the crosse and in persecution and yet remaine in the speciall fauor of God for this banishment into such a desart place was vnto Iohn a grieuous crosse and yet the Lord vouchsafed there to reueale himselfe vnto him and to make him the penman of this booke Which honour hee vouchsafeth not to all but to them that are most dear vnto him Which thing each one should carefully obserue for our nature is so corrupt that when wee are vnder the crosse it would persuade vs we are cast out of the loue and fauour of God In the end of the verse the seauen Churches Ephesus Smyrna and the rest are named Which seuen places were seuen famous cities in Asia wherein were planted the most famous churches that were in those parts and for their excellencie are they named And thus much for the meanes of Iohns preparation Now follow the parts thereof which are two first is hearing folded vp with the former meanes And I heard a voyce Second is Turning of himselfe to see the partie that spake vnto him in these words Verse 12. Then I turned backe to see the voice which spake with me and when I was turned I saw seuen
another and yet beseecheth them to increase therein Phil. 3.13.4 in Pauls person we haue a worthie president which we must follow if wee thinke to come whither he is gone before though hee had gone farre in the loue of God yet he laboured to perfection and therefore considered not that which was past as resting in it but rather how farre hee was too short that so he might vse meanes to increase in loue and in all other good graces till hee come to perfection A christian mans life is a way that leadeth to heauen wherein we once setting foot must â—uer go forward and not stand still or turne backe lest we neuer come there The state of a christian is like vnto a child which still groweth till it come to a perfect strength and so must euerie child of God labour to grow in the graces of God till they bee perfect men in Christ For if they stand still Christ hath something against them The Rhemists in their annotations abuse this place to proue that a man may quite fall away from grace Therefore to cleare this text and to confirme our hearts in the truth of Gods word thiâ— question must be scanned Whether a man may quite fall away from grace Answ. Grace in Scripture is taken two wayes First for that fauour of God whereby hee accepteth of some for his children in Christ. This is the first grace and the fountaine of all other and taking grace in this sense I say that the signes of grace and the sense thereof in the heart may be lost But the fâ—â—our of God it selfe cannot bee lost of them that truly beleeue When an earthly father is displeased with his child for some notorious crime hee will turne the signes of his fauour into signes of displeasure and shew the same partly by words and partly by stripes and yet he still continueth his father and holdeth him for his sonne without any purpose to disinherit him Euen so God dealeth with his children for their sins and corruptions he will turne away his louing countenance from them and change the signes of his fauour into anger and displeasure when as yet the good purpose of their adoption is not altered but remaineth firme for euer and God is still their father though an angrie father through the prouocation of their sinnes Secondly grace in Scripture is taken for the gifts of grace which are bestowed on them that beleeue in Christ. These gifts of grace be of two sorts some more principall of absolute necessitie vnto saluation without which none can bee saued as faith and also hope and loue which proceed from faith There be others also lesse principall which be very profitable and requisit yet not absolutly needfull vnto saluation As the feeling of Gods fauor alacritie in prayer sense of ioy and comfort in the holy Ghost These lesse principal graces may quite be lost The principall graces also may be decayed lessened and couered in regard of operation euen in Gods children but quite extinguished they cannot be for God vpholdeth them by perseuerance where faith hope loue are once truly wrought by Gods spirit they are neuer wholly or finally taken away but onely in part and in sense and feeling for a time This answer is agreeable to this text for the church of Ephesus is here blamed not for quite loosing her loueâ— but because she had left her first loue suffering it to decay and waxelesse than it was at their first conuersion And because this doctrine is oppugned earnestly not onely by the church of Rome but also by some churches and schooles of the Protestants I will first shew the truth hereof out of Gods word and then scan the cheefe reasons that are brought against it That grace cannot bee wholly and finally lost these reasons proue I. Matth. 16.18 The promise is made to Peter and in him to all the faithfull That vpon that faith which he professed Christ would build his temple and the gates of hell should not preuaile against it Which last words must be marked for they intimate that the diuell with his adherents would shew much force and violence against the faith of the elect but yet they should neuer get the victory or ouercome it wholly II. Matth. 24.24 Christ foretelling that false Prophets should come sayth They should seduce if it were possible the very elect Where he taketh this for graunted that the elect albeit they may bee assaulted greeuously yet they can neuer be wholly or finally drawne away from their faith III. Iohn 10.27 28 My sheepe heare my voyce sayth Christ and I know them and they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish To this they answer It is true they shall neuer perish so long as they remaine the sheepe of Christ. But that cauill is cut off in the next wordes Neither shall any plucke them out of my hands my father which gaue them me is greater than all and none is able to plucke them out of my fathers hands And therefore neither the deuill nor the world nor the flesh can by any temptation draw the sheep of Christ from their faith and make them to be no sheepe IV. Reason Iohn 3.36 Hee that beleeueth in Christ hath eternall life They say hee hath it in hope and no otherwise I answere if they haue it in hope they shall neuer perish For hope maketh not ashamed V. Reason Rom. 8.30 Whom hee predestinat them also he called and whom hee called them also be iustified and whom hee iustified them also be glorified Those which are elected called and iustified by faith must needs be glorified and therefore cannot fall away finally for such shall neuer be glorified And in the end of the chapter vers 38. hee addeth That neither death nor life Angels principalities nor powers nor any thing els can separate vs viz. the faithfull from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. But if the faithfull might fall away finally then they might be seuered from the loue of God VI. Reason Rom. 11.29 The gifts of Gods calling that is the peculiar gifts that pertaine to saluation are without repentance They say it is true God indeed neuer repenteth him of his gifts but yet a man may perish and fall away because he may refuse and reiect Gods grace giuen vnto him This answere is friuolous maintaining this absurditie that the powerfull will of God should be broght vnder the silly will of the creature if man could repell Gods grace giuen vnto him then should mans will take place and Gods will bee made frustrate and void VII Reason 1. Iohn 3.9 Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not because his seede remaineth in him neither can bee sinne because he is borne of God How is that true for chap. 1.10 Hee that sayth he hath not sinned maketh God a lyar and his word is not in him Answ. The place must bee vnderstood thus He that is borne
of hart and profanenesse of life that they were at their first hearing of the word these must know that Gods iudgement is on them and if they would bee saued they must labour to come out of this estate endeuour so to heare with their hearts that they may be turned vnto God both in mind heart and life II. point The dutie commaunded namely to heare Hearing in Scripture is not onely to listen with the bodily eare but to be atteÌ„tiue to that which is taught and with attention to bring faith conuersion and obedience euery way Eph. 4.21 22 the hearing of Christ is notably described It is not so much to conceiue the doctrine of Christ in our mindâ— and to be able to vtter it as to die vnto sinne and to the lusts of the flesh and to ris◠〈◊〉 newâ—â—sse of life And indeed a man doth heare and learne no more of Gods word than hee doth beleeue and practise From whence we are again to be admonished that we so heare with attention that by hearing we suffer our selues to be changed and that with our change we ioyne â—are to beleeue and conscience to obey This iâ— that sauing hearing which bringeth eternall life all other hearing doth increase our sinnes to our further condemnation Whereby also appeareth the fearefull state of many who lend onely the outward bodily eare to hâ—â—re the word but then hearts bee not mooued nor their liues changed thereby III. point What is to be heard namely That which the spirit saith â—nto 〈◊〉 Churches Which words must bee referred to that which went beâ—ore not to that which followeth for thiâ— commaundement belongs to the matter of the Epistle which went before The promise following rather concerne the persons themselues than the matter The things then that are to bee heard are these Christ his sharpe reproofe for sin his threatnings of punishment a remedie prescribed motiues to practise the same especially repentance for of all these Christ spake before From this that Christ bids them heare these things which coÌ„cerned their estate in sinnes amendment by repentance we learne two things First that it is a most necessarie thing for euerie church of God and euerie member thereof to know and consider their own wants and sinnes and also the iudgements of God that hang ouer them for the same Secondly that after any man or any church hath considered of theri sinnes and of Gods iudgements it is a most necessary thing to turne vnto God by true repentance if they haue not repented and if they haue repented to renew the same daily do it more that so Gods iudgements both priuat and common may be auoided We therefore must hereby be moued to search into our own wayes to find out our owne sinnes and to consider of Gods iudgements thereby deserued that by true repentance wee may turne vnto God and so escape his fearefull iudgementâ— Further these words What the spirit saith vnto the Churches containe 〈◊〉 reasons to moue euerie man to heare I. Because they are spoken 〈◊〉 the spirit that is the holy ghost II because they 〈◊〉 spoken to one man oâ— one church alone but to all churcheâ— For the firstâ— It may 〈◊〉 demanded seeinâ— Christ spâ—ke thâ—se wordâ— How 〈…〉 be sayd that the spirit speaketh theâ— Ans. Both may stand first because all the outward 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 person in 〈◊〉 are common to the 〈…〉 to â—each the church is an outward action of Christ and therefore it agreeth to the father and to the holy ghost As when the father created thingâ— in the beginning the sonne also created and the holy ghost created them So herâ— when the sonne â—eacheth the father teacheth and the holy ghost teacheth For as the three persons are one in nature so must they be ioyned in all outward actions Secondly Christ saith the spirit speaketh because he now sitting at the right hand of the father doth not teach his church in bodily presence but hy his spirit which after his ascention hee sent to be their comforter and instructor Here then obserue that the holy ghost speaketh to the church in Scripture The church of Rome appoints a Iudge to speake vnto men in al matters of controuersie which is the church because say they A iudge must speake and Christ is absent from his church and the word is a dumbe letter and cannot speake Therefore the church must needes bee iudge But they erre grosly The church cannot be iudge It is but Christs minister to put in execution that which hee commandeth Christ therefore must bee iudge vnto his church by Scripture which is not a dumbe iudge for therein his spirit speaketh plainely and sufficiently for the resoluing of any point in controuersie that is needfull in Gods church The second reason to attention is because these things are spoken to all Churches Where we see that things spoken to one church agree to all From whence we must learne this speciall dutie in reading and hearing Gods holy word namely to read and heare with applicacation We must not rest in a flourishing knowledge of the storie but apply euery precept and example vnto our selues If it be an example of vertue wee must apply it to our selues for imitation if it be an example of vice we must apply it to our selues to moue vs to eschew and auoid the like For God would haue all to learne that which hee speaketh vnto one And thus much of the commandement To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the middest of the paradise of God These words containe the second part of this conclusion to wit a most excellent promise wherein consider two points First to whom it is made Secondly what is promised For the first The promise is made to him that ouercommeth That is to him that in fighting preuaileth against all the spirituall enemies of his saluation sinne sathan hell and condemnation There bee three things requisit to make a man able to ouercome these enemies First he must be borne anew in Christ of water and of the spirit 1. Ioh. 5.4 He that is borne of God ouercommeth the world so by regeneratioÌ„ he is freed from the bondage of hell death sinne and Sathan Secondly hee must haue true faith by vertue whereof hee must denie and renounce himselfe and bee whatsoeuer he is in the death passion obedieÌ„ce of Christ. Therfore S. Iohn saith in the same place This is the â—ictorie which ouercommeth the world euen your faith For when a man is in Christ by faith hee is made partaker of Christ his victorie vpon the crosse and by it receiueth power to subdue his owne corruptions the world and the diuell Thirdly hee that would ouercome must keepe faith that is true religion and a good conscience standing out in life and death against all aduersarie power whatsoeuer In this that life euerlasting is promised to them that ouercome First we obserue that
signe or rule whereto hee will conforme and square the last iudgement Secondly whereas euery man must bee iudged that is saued or condemned according to his workes hence wee may gather that good workes are necessarie to saluation yet not as causes thereof either efficient or helping any way but onely as a way or meanes to come vnto saluation For faith is necessarie and good workes are the tokens and fruits of faith and so are necessarie Thirdly here we must bee admonished to bee carefull to abound in good workes not to win heauen by them but to get assurance of saluation in our selues And these good workes are the doing of the duties of pietie vnto God and of charitie vnto our brethren euen the duties of the Morall law or more plainely the doing of the generall duties of a Christian and the particular duties of a mans calling for if these bee done in obedience to God and to his glory proceeding from faith and loue vnto our brethren though the calling bee neuer so base they are good workes And on the contrarie this must admonish vs to make conscience of euery euill way for sinnes be the markes of condemnation and so many wicked workes as we commit so many markes and brands doe wee set vpon our selues of our iust and deserued condemnation vnlesse wee repent Lastly hence wee may gather that there bee degrees of ioy in heauen and of torments in hell For iudgements and rewards goe according to mens workes And therefore they that testifie their faith by great and many good workes shall haue great reward they that testifie their faith by lesser and fewer workes shall haue lesser reward and so for sinnes the more heynous they bee the deeper condemnation they doe procure Vers. 24. And to you I say the rest of them of Thyatira as many as haue not this learning neither haue knowne the deepenesse of Sathan as they speake I will put vpon you none other burden 25. But that which you haue already hold fast till I come Here Christ commeth to a second part of his counsell which concernes the Angell and the better part of this Church of Thyatira and first hee beginneth with the Preface of this counsell wherein wee may obserue two points First who speaketh Secondly to whom hee speaketh For the first hee that speaketh is Christ. I say hereby Christ challengeth vnto himselfe the absolute and all sufficient authoritie of the supreme Doctor of his Church in that hee speaketh in his owne name Whereby hee putteth a plaine difference betweene himselfe and all other his Ministers either Prophets Apostles or ordinarie teachers for they must not propound any thing vnto Gods people in their owne names but in the name of Christ. But Christ teacheth in his owne name being the fountaine of all diuine knowledge and vnderstanding that iâ— reuealed in the word of God And thus Christ himselfe speaketh in his owne name to strike the hearts of the Angell of this Church and the better part thereof with reuerence and to mooue them to receiue and obey the counsell following considering it comes immediately from Christ the Doctor of the Church II. point The parties to whom he speaketh To you that is the Angell and the better part of this Church for so Christ expounds it in the words following though first hee say in generall To you that is The rest of them of Thyatira When as Christ will behaue himselfe as the doctor and chiefe Angell of this Church note that he maketh a distinction of the persons in the Church and also deuideth his counsell giuing one doctrine and one iudgement to one part and a diuers doctrine and iudgement to another This giueth vs good direction for sundry actions for some may aske how must doctrine bee deliuered in a mixt congregation where some are Papists some Protestants some are hardened others despaire Answ. The persons must bee distinguished after the example of Christ and sutable doctrines deuided for them that euery one may haue his due Impenitent sinners must be terrified and threatenings deliuered against them with exception of them that repent Comforts must be propounded and applied to them that despaire with restraint from all impenitent persons that goe on in sinne If any demaund more particularly who these bee whom Christ calleth The rest of them of Thyatyra Christ answeres directly as the words import to as many as haue not this learning neither haue knowne the deepenesse of Sathan Where Christ giueth two notes whereby to discerne who bee the rest of them of Thyatira The first is the not receiuing or maintaining of the false doctrine of Iezabell whereof entreatie hath beene formerly made The second note is ignorance in the deepenesse of Sathan neither haue knowne the deepenesse of Sathan that is neither haue acknowledged nor approoued the doctrine of Iezabell which is the deepe and profound learning as themselues doe iudge In this obserue a most wicked practise of Iezabell and her followers they esteemed highly of their owne opinions calling them profound and deepe learning but for the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles in the Old and New Testaments in it there was no such matter This in all ages hath beene the practise of wicked persons highly to esteeme their owne conceits and basely to neglect the word of God The teachers of the Iewes doe hold to this day That the Lord gaue to Moses a most plain and easie law which he deliuered to his people but the most secret and profound doctrine was vnwritten shewed to Moses by reuelation and by him deliuered to the Priests and Leuites which they keepe still in their Cabbala And of the like iudgement touching Scripture are the Popish Churches The Word written is but an inkie word a dead letter or a nose of waxe but the most perfect Scripture is vnwritten which is the consent of faith and of doctrine in the hearts of all Catholickes And by such great tearmes the Anabaptists Libertines and Arrians maintaine their doctrine and abuse Scripture calling the written Word milke for euery nouice but the consent of heart among themselues with reuelations that is the strong meates Yea this opinion hath crept in among vs in part men thinke basely of Scripture and preferre other mens writings before it For let a man preach plainely the bare word of God and deliuer doctrines and exhortations out of the same this is but plaine preaching But let another come and vtter his mind partly in Latine and partly in Greeke and other languages alleadging withall the testimonies of Fathers Counsels and other Writers that is the learned preaching And thus doe most men abase Scripture and exalt the writings of men aboue it But seeing this is the practise of Iezabell and wicked men let vs on the contrary learne to reuerence the written word and giue place thereto aboue all the testimonies and sayings of men whatsoeuer The deepenesse of Sathan As if he should say They count it deepe learning but