quaketh for feare the word of God came into his mind and made his conscience accuse him and his knees smote together for feare So then by this we see how Christ killeth the wicked by reuealing their sinnes shewing the wrath and anger of God against sinne and sinners which repent not and the curse of the law and also by sharpning the sting of conscience to wound them and strike them at the heart and so they by this haue the first wound of eternall death Though the Lord may in mercie recouer them of this wound yet of themselues they be in the estate of death and vnlesse they repent they are in the first step to eternall death For those horrors and feares which come into a mans heart in regard of Gods wrath and iudgements seuered from grace are no grace but the first wound to eternall death vnlesse the Lord giue grace Seeing Christ carieth the two edged sword of the Spirit in his mouth whereby he woundeth his enemies with a deadly wound at the heart then when we see any which cometh to heare the word and after rebelleth stormeth and rageth against the same being wounded in conscience therewith we must not be displeased with it but pitie his case seeing he is wounded at the heart with a deadly wound and he in this case is in the first steppe to eternall death vnlesse the Lord recouer him of this wound In those Churches and places where the word hath bene long preached and the people remaine in blindnesse and ignorance and vnreformed we must in these take pitie on them seeing this is a heauie iudgement of God on them for these are wounded with a deadly wound by the sword of the spirit because the word hath bene long and often preached to them without profit and the word it neuer returneth emptie but either saueth or destroyeth woundeth or healeth them So that though men may liue ciuilly before men making a faire shew yet if they be vnreformed and liue in ignorance these are but dead men in the sight of God the word hath giuen them the first deadly wound therefore we must pitie their estate If we come into the field see an hundred men lye wounded and gushing out bloud some in the head some in the sides and some in the feet we cannot but be exceedingly moued so in the church of God many are vnreformed in obedience and repentance and though we cannot see their bloudie wounds with bodily eyes yet we may see them lye wallowing in the bloud of ignorance and securitie of impenitencie and wickednesse therefore we must pitie their estate for they be dead men indeed seeing they be not reuiued by the word in reformation of life and obedience for the word either quickeneth or killeth Seeing the word without grace killeth we must not content our selues with it but seeke to feele the worke of the Spirit peace of conscience and reformation of life by the word Let vs then by a liuely faith labour to apply Christ by the word to lay hold on him and his righteousnesse so that we can say we liue not but Christ in vs. But this word hath another action in the elect children of God which though it be manifold yet all tend to further and procure their saluation The first work of it in these is to wound deepely and to kill the corruptioâ— of mans nature in his heart with a deadly wound that it neuer recouer againe Yet though it wound a man it killeth not the person as in the wicked but onely the corruption of his heart and quickeneth the person to Christ killeth him in regard of rebellion and vnbeleefe We are sacrifices to be offered to God therefore we must be killed not in our bodies and soules but in our corruptions affections and rebellions That we may be killed the two edged sword of the Spirit is required which giueth our corruption the deadly wound and cutteth vp the root Since the second action after our conuersion change is this the word of God must cut and pare the remnants of our corruption by lessening and weakening of it daily Ioh. 15. As the husbandman cutteth loppeth and pareth off all branches that beare no fruite so the word of God cutteth and pareth away the remnants of corruptions in our hearts that so our hearts may bring foorth more fruite Thirdly the word of God serueth to keepe his people and children in awe and subiection and therefore Christ holdeth the scepter of the word in his mouth that though the wicked will not be kept in awe yet his elect may tremble and feare at the lifting vp of the same Amongst men if many be fighting let the Magistrate but hold vp the sword of Iustice euery man yeeldeth and putteth his sword into his sheath and shall not we much more cease from sinne and feare when Christ the King of heauen and earth holdeth out the scepter of his word And if any refuse to be subiect and to obey the Magistrate he is counted a rebell if men refuse to obey the scepter of Christ shall they not be so accounted So then by these actions we see the power of the word it killeth corruptions in our hearts pareth it and the remnants of it and it keepeth men in awe and subiection Yet it differeth in the wicked and in the godly in the wicked it maketh them feare and woundeth them to death destroying both soule and bodie in the godly it woundeth them indeed not in their persons but in the corruptions of their hearts It maketh vs fit to encounter with the diuell and to vanquish him in all his temptations if it be vsed with knowledge Seeing the word of God serueth to kill our corruptions we when we heare the word must receiue and beleeue the same not onely when it is deliuered in generall but applyed in particular though it touch vs and wound our hearts we must suffer it and reioyce in it for that is the first steppe to health to haue our corruptions ripped vp and touched When the sword of the spirit entreth to our hearts it will ransacke euery nooke and secret corner then we must reioyce in this blessing of God suffer it gladly seeing it is the onely meanes to come to life If one be sicke of a Fistula he will suffer the Chirurgeon to rippe and launce him to search euery part of the wound and shall not we suffer the Phisition of the word to display to lay open to ransacke and search the corruption of our hearts seeing that is the onely way to recouer health For we cannot liue to God till we die to our selues and to our sinnes we cannot pâ—ssibly die to our sinnes till our corruptions be destroyed and all our sinnes killed and wounded to death In his mouth Other Kings carie their scepter in their hands but he in his mouth to shew that no doctrine must be receiued of vs vnlesse it proceed from his mouth for he receiued his
seeke to get one foot out of the graue of sinne and securitie And he had Here S. Iohn describeth him by his parts and the properties of euery part In his right hand seuen starres that is seuen Angels seuen Ministers of the seuen churches of Asia The Ministers are compared to starres first because as starres send out light to men on earth so the Ministers ought to giue light to men euen spirituall light by doctrine taught by them and by conuersatiō of life among them Secondly they be compared to stars because as the stars haue their continuall abode in heauen neuer descend downe so the Ministers of the word especially should haue their conuersation in heauen It is the dutie of all but more specially of the Ministers in regard of their callings first by seeking their owne saluation secondly by seeking the saluation of others by which two they must haue their conuersation in heauē though they haue their bodies in earth thirdly because they shall be honoured of God in heauen as the starres for Dan. 12. they which do their dutie they shall shine like starres in the firmament They be in Christs right hand that is all regiment and gouernement in matters of the Church belongs to Christ he alone hath the whole disposition and ordering of the ministery seeing he alone is head of the Church and the Ministers they be in his right hand he rules and raignes in his church he careth for it and looketh to it Seeing these starres be in Christs right hand this shewes that the choosing furnishing of the ministers of the word belongs to Christ Eph. 4. he giueth them their gifts and places then we ought in this last age to pray the Lord to send out laborers into his haruest that so his children might be gathered and an end made of these miserable dayes He holds these seuen starres in his right hand Whereby we see he giueth them defence and protection so long as they be faithful in their callings He carieth them in his right hand though they haue sundry discouragements yet seeing Christ he ordereth their ministery and disposeth of it if they be faithfull nothing should hinder their course nothing should cut them off from their duty neither the want of obediēce in them to whom they preach and labour not seeing that fruit they should nor the iniuries of the enemies of their profession nor any thing else Seeing they be in his right hand this sheweth the excellency of this calling of the ministery Idle men esteeme it most base accept of it as of a meane calling and so discourage many but in the sight of God it is an high and holy calling he carieth them in his right hand defends them and protects them Now what greater glory can there be then that they should be so honored to be borne and caried in the right hand of the King of heauen and earth though wicked men dishonour them esteeme so basely of thē This should stir those who haue good gifts to get this high and holy calling thus to be honoured of Christ. They must be vnblameable for seeing Christ carieth them in his right hand he will hold nothing but that which is holy and pure as he is but if it be defiled sinfull and wicked he will take it out of his right hand put it vnder his brazen foote and grind it to peeces and the more he had honoured them the more will he dishonour them By the same reason the hearers are bound to profit else they must drinke of the same cup for if the ministers be punished for not preaching then they for not hearing And out of his mouth c. In these words he describes him by the two last parts of his body his mouth and his face And in his mouth was a two edged sword c. By this two edged sword is meant the doctrine of the law and the Gospel vttered and propounded by the Prophets and Apostles and this two edged sword is described Heb. 4. 12. It is mightie in operation c. The doctrine of the law and the Gospell is compared to a two edged sword because as a sword with a double edge enters not onely into the flesh but to the bones yea euen to the marrow so the word preached it enters into the heart deepely to the diuiding of the spirits yea it enters to the very bottome of the heart it searcheth euery nooke and corner which is most secret The word hath a double operation one in the wicked another in the godly In the wicked this sharpe two edged sword of the word it wounds them at the heart with a deadly wound and so by the same wound brings them to eternall death Esa. 11. 4. He shall with his breath that is the sword of his word slay the wicked This is that sword that hath and will kill Antichrist Ob. But how cometh it that the word of God should wound or kill any how should it slay a wicked and vnrepentant sinner Answ. We must know there be three degrees of spirituall death The first is the separation of bodie and soule when the bodie is laid in the graue the soule conueyed to the place of torments The second is when a sinner in this life by the word is wounded and smitten and so receiueth in his heart a deadly wound The third degree is at the end of this life at the last iudgement whē soule and bodie shall go into hell fire for euen a sinner receiueth his deadly wound in this life which is the first steppe to hell and eternall death in the life to come In the inflicting and giuing of this wound there be three actions of Christ required which he worketh in the hearts of the wicked by the doctrine of the law and the Gospell The first is to reueale to them their sinnes all their pride rebellion hypocrisie the damnable corruptions of their hearts and all their sinnes against the first and second Table 1. Cor. 14. 24. 25. If in the Church all prophecie there come in one which beleeueth not he is rebuked of all because they iudge him an hypocrite and so the secrets and corruptions of his heart are laid open and discouered by the word preached The second action of Christ is this he after reuealeth to them the wrath and curse of God against sinne his indignation against the breakers of the law and for this cause the law is called the killing law because it sheweth iudgement without mercie for the transgressions of the law Thirdly Christ by the word preached sharpeneth the sting of conscience maketh it awake and terrifieth a man when he heareth or remembreth the word and the curse denounced against sinners So Felix when Paul preached to him of iustice and temperancie he fainted and trembled the word was a two edged sword of the spirit to wound his conscience with terrour and feare So Dan. 5. Beltashar seeing but an hand writing he
here he commands her to embrace the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Hence we see Christ would haue this Church to embrace the doctrine taught by his Apostles to maintaine that and not to regard any other but though an Angell from heauen did preach any other doctrine he should be accursed Galat 1. By this we may iudge of the maine religions which be in the world namely of the Turkes Iewes and Papists The Papists magnifie their religion standing on vnwritten traditions but they cannot proue they be Apostolical ergo we must not regard them no nor doctrines which men say they haue by reuelation for we must onely regard Apostolicall doctrine As for the Turkes religion it was not the Apostles preaching but crept in six hundred yeares after them And for the Iewes all their religiō is against the Gospel Then good men in diuers countries shold not be of diuers religions but they should embrace the doctrine taught by the Prophets and Apostles of Christ neither should men because of dissent in religion be of no religion for Christ inioynes this Church to maintaine the doctrine of the Apostles though many discented from it Hold fast to the end Here not how long not one or two dayes but to the end and we must looke to this seeing Christ so straightly commands it because this is the foundation and mark of true religion and the readie way to saue mens soules to be constant to the end and for this 2. Tim. 2. Paul bids him teach that he learned that others might instruct them which follow and so conuey it from age to age and for this the Church is called the ground and pillar of truth And so the Lord Eph. 4. giueth the Church Pastors first such as by their teaching maintaine puritie in maners and teachers which maintaine it in doctrine Then this is the Churches dutie to continue puritie of religion to the end of the world If the marke be set wrong in the hauen it is enough to cast away all the ships so if the puritie of doctrine be corrupt which is the direction of our soules to heauen then we shall make shipwracke of our soules in hell Then the Ministers must not onely teach truly but labour to beate downe false doctrine which poisons the doctrine of the Gospell And because men labour not to maintaine the puritie of religion and true doctrine the Lord 2. Thess. 2. giueth them vp to beleeue lies and fantasies of men To him which ouercometh c. In these words is the last part to wit the conclusion of the Epistle containing two parts first a promise secondly a commaundement In the promise note two things first the parties to whom secondly the benefits promised The partie to whom to him which ouercometh whom here Christ describes to be he which keepes his workes by his practise of obedience He which keepes or obserues This is the forme of obedience namely the obseruing of the works of Christ which is not a keeping of them according to the rigour of the law but a constant purpose and indeuour to keepe them for the children of God haue this priuiledge that their will and indeuour is accepted of God for the deed in Christ Iesus There are many which haue litle knowledge these must not be cast downe but if they haue a desire and indeuour to liue according to the will of Christ making conscience of sinne their obedience is true obedience and acceptable to Christ. My workes Here is the matter of obedience namely Christs works that is such workes as Christ hath ordained in his word by his spirit and is the author of in his members Christ cals these workes his workes therefore we must not thinke or speake or do our words or workes but onely Christs workes commanded and ordained in his word and caused in vs by his spirit which we do when we conforme our works and wils to his word and will We see no worke is acceptable to God which is not ordered by Christs word though we think highly of it Esay 6. he reproueth them for teaching the feare of God by mens cōmandemēt This condemnes the Turkes Papists and Iewes religion which are not workes of Christ but of sinfull men standing in praying to Saints fasting vowing Masses c. My workes Not one or two workes but all my workes the creature must obey Christ not in some but absolutely in all things he will not pattstakes but wil haue all or none Dauid Psal. 119. conformed himselfe to the whole law So Hezekiah he turned to all the law of Moses Vnto the end Here we see Christ will haue our obedience to be constant c. we must not iudge of obedience by one or two actions but by the course of a mans life if his life hath bene good with conscience of sinne then his obedience is good For say a man by reason of sicknesse rage and raue at his death yet if he haue liued well and made conscience of sinne we must not iudge of him by that fit Now the benefits promised are two first power to rule secondly the morning starre I will giue him power which I haue receiued of my father These words must be referred to the words not following but before For the better vnderstanding of them two questions are necessary first what is the power of the Mediator secondly how farre he conueyeth power to his seruants For the first the power of Christ as he is Mediator is great and described by three arguments first to rule ouer nations here is the largenesse of it for Christ hath power ouer all men all countries and kingdomes in the whole world are in his hand Secondly it is soueraigne and absolute ruling and ouerruling all creatures ouerruled of none This soueraigntie stands in two things first that he giueth lawes that binde the conscience so that if men keepe them not he hath power to condemne them nay he ruleth mens wils and affections he can make them obey him in spite of their hearts Seconly in that he hath this power of himself and from himself Reu. 3. he hath the keyes of heauen and hel Psal. 2. he can breake them in peeces as a potters vessell Thirdly he receiues it from his father as he is God he is equall to his father yet as he is Mediator he receiueth it from him thus is his power generall soueraigne and absolute To come to the second question How farre this power is ours and imparted to vs. Answ. The generall soueraigne power of Christ is not giuen to vs or to any creature but to him who is God and man it is incommunicable to any creature and proper to the person of Christ. Then Christ speaketh these words not to shew that his absolute soueraigne power is giuen to vs but because his creatures haue the benefit of it the full comfort and saluation of the elect cometh from it they haue fruite of it in that they partake
must haue our eares opened to become listeners and pliable to the word that when the Lord cals vs to do his wil we may answer with Dauid I am ready to do thy will O God Further after we haue read or heard the word we must practise that we heare in performing true repentance and laboring faithfully in our vocation for as we see men of trades become cunning by the continuall practise of their trades so if we practise true obedience in repentance and our vocation we shal be skilfull in the word It followeth Which are written in the booke of this prophesie The child of God must keepe and remember the whole word of God yet it is his speciall duty to keepe these prophesies which are to come So the Angell bids Daniel seale vp the booke of the Prophesie till the time come that is remember and keepe it diligently So Mathew 24. 15. When they shall see the abhomination of desolation speaking of things to come he would haue them to marke and remember what he saith Mat. 24. 25. Behold I haue told you before where he shewes that when any great things are to befall the Church then we must in these be most carefull to remember them For the time is at hand Here is a reason of the former words Blessed is he which readeth c. Seeing the time of the accomplishing of this Prophesie is at hand and must shortly be fulfilled therefore those be blessed which reade and keepe this prophesie and it is an answer to a secret obiection For they might haue said We need not reade this Prophesie seeing it shal not be fulfilled in our dayes but he addeth The time is at hand and so taketh that obiection away Now seeing these words were in the first verse and here repeated againe he would teach vs that they containe some waighty matter for vs to be considered and to be earnestly thought of Now S. Iohn addes these words for two causes first because the Church though it cannot be ouertaken with deadly sleepe yet it may slumber and be cast into some beginnings of sleepe as the fiue wise virgins though they slept not so carelesly as the other yet they all slept not a deadly sleepe but a slumber for in the Church there may be some remnants of security Cant. 5. 2. The Church sleepes but so as she alwayes listens as awaken being in a light slumber Now least the Church should be carelesse sleeping and drowsie the holy Ghost addes these words The time of the last iudgement is at hand Secondly he addes these words to confirme the Church and all the true members of Christ against afflictions seeing by these words he foretels them that they be to last but a short time the time of iudgement is at hand the affliction cannot long endure Then this should comfort those which suffer for Christ his sake In this that Christ foretels the Church that now in the last age the time is at hand we must be assured that whatsoeuer befalleth the mēbers of Christ shal shortly befal them temtations afflictions the crosse and calamity shall presently befall vs the time of iudgement is at hand it will presently befall vs. And if we had this confidence that the last iudgement is at hand it would make vs do all in good conscience stay vs frō many sins and the want of this is the cause of much mischiefe for so the bad seruant thinking his maister would defer his comming he smites and beates his fellow seruants And the old world liued in sinne and would not beleeue the flood should come though they were foretold of it till they were all swept away by water We then should lay this to our harts euer think the Lord is at the doore he is presently to come to iudgement And we ought the rather to thinke of this for we haue had ease peace and the Gospell flourishing this 8 yeares with all temporall blessings Now the state of the Church is now peace and now trouble and persecution Now then seeing these crosses which must fall on the Church they be to be done presently we cannot but looke for affliction and persecution after so long peace and preaching Iohn to the seuen Churches in Asia grace and peace c. In this fourth verse is the second part of this Chapter which is the inscription of this booke wherein is first the party which writes it and dedicates it secondly the parties to whō it is dedicated first the party which dedicates it is Iohn secondly the parties to whom the seuen Churches in Asia In the inscription are two parts first a dedication secondly a salutation contained from the fourth till the ninth verse In the dedication there be first the party which dedicates it secondly the parties to whom it is dedicated The party which dedicates it is Iohn who here againe in this fourth verse repeates his name yet so as he repeates no more but his bare name without any titles of commendation he repeats it againe to shew and certifie euery Reader of this booke that he was without all doubt the true pen-man of the holy Ghost in writing this Reuelation But though he repeate his name yet he doth not adde any titles of honour as he did in the first verse many titles of praise and commendation This he doth to giue vs a true patterne of modesty and humility which is neuer to speake in our own causes to our owne praises but onely in cases of necessity when Gods glory may be aduanced and the credit of our particular callings maintained This Paul practised who often humbles himselfe and cals himselfe the least of all the Apostles yea the chiefe of all sinners yet when the credit of his Apostleship came into question then he sets out himselfe shewing he was a true Apostle and aboue those which did falsly call themselues so 2. Cor. 11. So may we when the glory of God or the credit of our particular callings be in question set out our selues with titles of commendation The persons to whom he wrote were the seuen Churches in Asia concerning them note two things first he cals them Churches secondly in Asia Why writes he to the Churches rather then to the Church seeing there is but one true Church Ans. The Church may be considered first as it is the whole company of the elect and so it is but one secondly as it is parted and diuersly sundred into parts as in one country there is one Church or one part of the Church is in one city or towne another part in some other And there may be many Churches seeing euery congregation professing the Gospell of Christ is a Church being a member of the true Catholicke Church as the sea is but one yet there be many parts of the sea which lying against other countries are called by their names as the English French Spanish Italian sea So the particular Churches in particular countries townes and
should moue vs to embrace it to loue and like it seeing it brings vs such an excellent benefit and not to misname it as we do by reprochfull termes Yea verily the consideration of this should make the Ministers of the word to take all paines to preach the word seeing by it they make men to become of vassalles of Satan the true members of Christ and heires of the kingdome of heauen In this world for a man to consecrate and establish one in a kingdome it is a thing of great honour is it not of greater honour to consecrate one to become king of heauen and earth to be heire of the kingdome of heauen Now that this is done in the ministery of the Gospel when by the word preached we are conuerted made to beleeue in Christ and to repent of our sinnes this I say should stirre and pricke forward the Ministers of the word to labour to win men to Christ and to make them kings and priests to God his father There also is matter of comfort to the godly for seeing they be Kings and Priestes in the kingdome of Christ if a man be in the crosse and affliction which is a great griefe yet let him know to his comfort that though he be so handled it appeareth not what he shal be yet he is a king and that he shall be and is heire to the kingdome of heauen If a man be in sicknesse he must consider it is but Gods messenger to call him out of this world to the possession of a kingdome If a man be in the trouble and vexation of mind and of his owne conscience if he be tormented fearefully with his sins yet he must be content the Lord wil giue him a happy issue he must know he is a king and therefore shall one day haue conquest ouer sin Satan and his owne corruption yea ouer all his enemies whatsoeuer If a man be in the heat of persecution so that he is turmoiled and tossed from post to pillar then flesh and blood cannot brooke it yet he is a king though he in persecution be killed and put to death euen then let him consider he is a most valiant conquerour Rom. 8. 37. In the pang of death when nature must needs be dissolued and soule and body separated then we must remember that we be kings in Christ and so we shall not feare death but know it is but a way and easie passage to the ful possession of our kingdom Thus much in that we are kings In that all the members of Christ be priests not earthly but spiritual and offer to God spirituall sacrifices first we are hence bound by this our calling to teach and instruct one another for the office of the Priest in the old Testament was to instruct the people The Priests lips must keepe knowledge Mal. 2. 7. So must we be teachers of others Col. 3. 18. We all ought to be able to teach the will of God that so the Gospell of Christ may be spread abroad And as this belongs to al men so especially to gouernors they must especially shew themselues priests to their charges Abraham did it Gen. 18. Dauid did it Pro. 4. and Bathshebath did it Prouer. 31. and all must do it that desire an holy generation to succeed after them We teach other things why not Religion 2 Seeing we be priests we must pray for others not onely for our selues but for all men especially the members of Christ The Priest in the old Testament must pray and make request not onely for himselfe alone but for the people also Moses is commended for prayer especially when he prayed for the Israelites and stood before the Lord in the gap Exod. 32. Eliah is called the horseman and chariots of Israel and Hezechiah beseecheth the Lord to be good to his people And so when any man in the word is cōmended for prayer it is for that he prayed for the people So did Dauid in the Psalmes So did Christ make this his speciall duty Iohn 17. We must offer spirituall sacrifice to God that is dedicate our selues our soules and bodies and all that is in vs our wit learning knowledge or any gift of body or mind we must consecrate it to Gods seruice That we may do all this to his glory we must look that all we take in hand be begun in faith do proceed from a good heart and be directed to a good end to Gods glory principally and if we do it in faith and obedience then it will please him We must be ful of blessings we may haue nothing to do with cursed speaking As the Priests in the old Testament their duty was to blesse the people so we must speake nothing but blessed and gracious speeches take heed of all cursed speaking of swearing and forswearing we must be blessed and gracious speakers to all men friend fo or any We must haue God our portion for the Leuites had no portion in the land of Canaan but dwelt in tents and the Lord was their portion So we being Priests to God we must be content with any estate in this world for God is our portion we must not seeke too much to haue any inheritance on earth for Gods fauour in Christ that is our portion and this wil suffice To him be glory In these words is a praising and thanksgiuing to God for the three former benefits of Christ bestowed on the Church In that S. Iohn before he come to the end of his description of Christ should interrtupt himselfe to giue God thankes for his benefits we see that the consideration of Gods benefits bestowed on vs should be a meanes to stirre vs vp to praise the Lord we should be caried away with this affection of thanksgiuing as S. Iohn was And in these words of this holy man we do see what is the true forme of giuing thankes to God namely to giue him and ascribe to him all glory power and absolute dominion for euermore But alas it is too too manifest that mans corrupt nature will not do this but denieth it and taking this from God bestoweth it on creatures yea on our own selues And it is a matter of grace to know this and to confesse that all glory and dominion belongs to God and to giue him his due So Christ he teacheth vs to ascribe all power glory might and dominion to God when we say in the Lords prayer For thine is the kingdome power and glory that is it is due to thee O Lord not to any creature whatsoeuer Amen So be it let it be so that thou mayst haue all glory and dominion he addes this to shew his feruent desire of Gods glorie and therefore he doubles and repeates it for he had said that before but not content with it he sheweth his feruencie and repeates the same againe so should we not freeze or be cold in our desire of Gods
none excepted shall come and stand before the tribunall seate of Christ. This is a comfort to Gods children in that they being dead rotten in their graues shall rise and receiue their life and motiō and see Christ their Sauiour and Iudge of all men If a man should lie downe to sleepe and be told that when he rose he should see his dead father and mother or his dearest friends this would be a notable comfort to him that so he should inioy them againe but this should be a farre greater comfort to vs that we which lie dead and rotten in the graue shall be raised and enioy not our parents and friends but Christ Iesus the sonne of God which is our frind aboue all friends who shall giue vs not onely life and motion but eternall life with his owne maiestie This was Iobs comfort that though he died yet he beleeued he should see his redeemer with his eyes and this should be our comfort against the feare of death and the last iudgement It shall be a terror to the wicked to all impenitent sinners who shall wil they nil they be brought to the barre of Christs iudgement seate and then looke on him who is their Iudge whom they had in their life contemned And this consideration may serue to moue vs to repentance which haue not begun to repent and to labor to becom the members of Christ. We think when we die all is done there is no harme to follow but though we lie rotting in our graues a thousand or two thousand yeares yet we shall rise and if we repented not we shall heare the sentence of condemnation and looke vpon our Iudge with our owne eyes Then it is best for vs now in the time of grace while we liue here to prepare that we need not feare to come to appeare and behold this Iudge No doubt if we were perswaded that we should thus appeare it would moue vs to repent Euery eye shall see him Then here we see that all men with their owne eyes shall looke on him and those who wanted them in this life shall haue them restored It is graunted of all Diuines that the elect haue all their senses and other defects restored and it is to be added that the wicked too they shal haue all their powers senses and faculties of soule and body restored the deafe shall heare the blind shall see this Iudge but this can be no glory to them seeing it is to increase their punishment for the more senses they haue they haue the more punishment because we iudge of things by sense Euen of those which pierced him This is added first to shew that we shal be freed No power or wisedom of any man or monarch can free vs from appearing for if any could escape then the Iewes and Gentiles who preuailed most against Christ in that they put him to death but none of these can escape his iudgement for euen they which pierced him they shall see this Iudge be summoned before his maiestie for though they had power to kill him yet none of them shall haue power to absent themselues from before his barre 2 To shew the case of all wicked men namely that such wo and misery befals them as they neuer dreamed of The Iewes and Gentiles they crucified Christ and put him to a temporall death but they neuer dreamed he should condemne them to eternall death 3 To shew the rufull and wofull estate of all impenitent sinners for these men shall haue their greatest enemy to be their iudge who will shew rigour vpon them and iustice without all mercy and this is meant not only of the Iew which pierced him but of all impenitent sinners because all such do by their sins as swords and speares wound him at the heart as the souldiers did These be as bad as the Iewes which pierced Christ as Iudas which betrayed Christ as the souldiers which goared his sides Out of these words some gather that the body of Christ hath still the wounds and scarres which here he had giuen him the print of the nailes in his hands and in his feete and that these shall be seene in Christ at the last day and say that it is no infirmitie to Christ to haue these but rather an increase of his glory but this cannot be gathered hence for though it be said They shall see him whom they pierced yet not as he was pierced And because they shall see him shall they see his wounds Many shall see Kings and Queenes whom they crowned in this world ergo as Kings and Queenes So we shall see our fathers mothers therefore as fathers and mothers so many shall see Christ therefore as he was wounded and pierced It is no good collection nor opinion And all the tribes of the earth shall waile for him That is before or ouer him Here is the fruit and effect of his comming especially in the wicked All the tribes of the earth S. Iohn he speakes here of the world as it was in the condition and diuision of the land of Canaan for before that time it was not diuided into tribes So Math. 25. setteth out the iudgement of the whole world by the separation of the sheep from the goates noting that they which repented not of what tribe soeuer of what estate or condition shall waile and mourne And he addes a reason of this for him before him or ouer him that is they shal waile and lament with exceeding lamentation because they beleeued not his word but contemned his doctrine and therefore now they want all helpe to free them from the punishment of their vnbeleefe and contempt of the Gospell If they shall mourne because they did not beleeue and receiue the doctrine of Christ and for that haue no way to escape then it is our dutie to labour aboue all things to be reconciled to God in Christ to get our sinnes pardoned to beleeue and embrace the word of God for vnlesse we beleeue and be reconciled when the last day comes there is no hope of helpe no way to escape no time of grace to repent If the doore be once shut we must stand without there is nothing then but horror of conscience for vs it will be a day to vs to make our eyes start out of our heads a day of all woe and misery Then it is great wisdome so to spend the time of grace in this life especially that we may get the pardon of our sins reconciliation with God in Christ to receiue and beleeue his will and word which if we do we shall haue no cause at all to waile and mourne but be glad and reioyce Then we must take heed the Diuell steale not out of our hearts this one lesson which is most necessary which he wil most labour for to do See what an euill conscience is it lieth asleepe here while a man liues it neuer troubleth him but in
this last day when he shall see his Iudge with his eyes then it wil stirre it wil torment him it will attach accuse and condemne him it will lay to his charge his sinnes his contempt of Christ and his word his vnbeleefe in the time of grace it will be as a thousand witnesses to condemne him This should cause all men to labour to get a good conscience washed and purged in the blood of Christ which will not lay to our charge any one sinne but assure vs we be in the fauour of God which wil not make vs feare but looke vp to our redeemer and to reioyce in him We must take heed when our conscience lieth asleepe and accuseth not no not at death for it will then deceiue vs but search and examine our hearts and consciences and seeke to haue them washed and bathed in the blood of Christ. Lastly he confirmeth this doctrine of the second comming of Christ by a double note of asseueratiō Euē so Amen One of these is taken frō the Ebrewes Amen the second from the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euen as we auouch a thing first by a simple and bare affirmation or negation secondly by an earnest asseueration thirdly by an oath Now in that S. Iohn vseth these two kinds of assuring in this weightie matter of Christs second coming we see our dutie we must not vse the like at any time or thing but onely in matters of weight and moment so S. Iohn here he shall come and that certainly vndoubtedly it shal be so Then the practise of thē is wicked which vse these words in matters of no weight at euery word and much more which bind euery word with an oath which is far more Yea though our Sauior oftē vseth these words of asseueration yet onely in matters of weight and moment and when the hearers were to be certified of the truth of a thing which was of importance 2 He would by this shew that the coming of Christ is certaine and most vndoubted and to make vs out of all doubt he addeth these two words of asseueratiō Euē so Amē most certainly it will come then we should often thinke of this matter for in our nature there is a corruption which perswadeth vs that the coming of Christ is not yet that we shall not be summoned either by generall or particular iudgement therefore as the wicked seruant we deferre the comming of Christ. To take away this corruption he saith he cometh yea certainely vndoubtedly he cometh and that out of hand Thirdly to shew a speciall note and marke of Gods child for he doth not onely asseuere but withall desireth and longeth for the coming of Christ Lord let it be so Amen let it euen be so They long for and desire Christ his coming to iudgment but the wicked could wish with all their hearts that it might neuer be The godly they know that when Christ shall come then they shall haue that crowne of immortalitie and glorie which he hath prepared for all which desire his coming But the wicked and they which are not reconciled to God in Christ nor assured of their owne saluation they cannot for their life once wish and desire the coming of Christ. So that by this one note we may iudge of our owne estates whether we belong to Christ or not for if we desire and long for his second comming to iudgement if we wish he would come quickly then it is a certain token and signe we be reconciled to God in Christ that we belong to him But if as yet we feele not this longing and hungring desire in vs then we must suspect our selues and labour to feele it euery day for it is the desire of the Saints and of all the true children of God After that S. Iohn had described Christ at large here in this eighth verse he bringeth him in speaking of himselfe by a figure I am Alpha and Omega saith the Lord. The end and scope of this eighth verse is to confirme the former description of Christ. The reason is thus framed He which is the beginning and the end of all he is sufficient to be a King Priest and Prophet and is both able and willing to bestow all blessings on his Church This first part of the argument is omitted the second part is contained in this eighth verse But I am the beginning and the end c. I am sufficient c. In this eighth verse are three points concerning Christ first he is the beginning and the end I am alpha and omega secondly he is was and is to come thirdly he is almightie omnipotent 1 The first point is that Christ is the beginning and the end which he expresseth by a comparison taken from the Greeke alphabet or the A. B. C. of the Grecians for as in their Greeke alphabet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the first letter and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last so I saith Christ am the beginning of all things and the end of all as those letters in the Greeke alphabet so am I in all things the first and last Out of this that Christ borroweth this comparison from the Greeke alphabet the Papists gather that the word may be read and deliuered to the people in an vnknowne toung because Christ here vseth an vnknowne toung to those whom he gaue this vision But though the vnlearned and vnlettered English man knoweth not what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is yet the Church to whō this booke was written being the Grecians knew what they meant generally Againe though the spirit of God vseth a strange word in one place we may not follow that in the whole word of God in the whole seruice and worship of God as the Papists do Christ is said to be the beginning and the end first because he is the very first of all things there was nothing before he was he had a being when all other creatures were not but begunne to be then was he the same that he is now he had his being and subsisting before all creatures and for this saith S. Iohn chap. 1. verse 1. In the beginning was the word that is the Son of God he had his being and subsisting when all other creatures wanted it and began to be This proueth the eternitie of Christ because he had his being before any creature was created he was a substance and essence begotten of the Father before all worlds not created as other creatures are or made of any other Secondly he is called the beginning because he giueth a beginning to all creatures for all things which were created were created by him and had their being from him So that he is the true beginning of all things Coloss. 1. 16. All things are from him he is the beginning of all and all are for him he is the end of all Seeing Christ giues a being to all things then we when
and perswade our selues that Christ is present in the midst of his Church and withall guideth blesseth and protecteth the same we cannot but be moued to walke as Enoch and Abraham did with God euen as in his presence In this second verse is the second part of the Epistle which is the proposition which containeth the very matter and substance of the Epistle This proposition hath two parts first a commendation of this Church especially of the Ministers in the second and third verses secondly a rebuke or reprehension in the fourth verse First the commendation is in generall I know thy workes Secondly in particular for particular duties in the words following I know thy workes Some expound it of workes of mercie and liberalitie but that cannot stand But when he saith I know thy workes that is the dealings and practises of the people and Ministers in their callings and affaires I know them they are open and not hid from me and not onely know them but with approbation allow them as in cōparing this with the fourth verse where there is an opposition Though I know thy workes that is allow them yet I find fault in some things with thee Whereas Christ he knoweth that is approueth their works wayes dealing conuersation and liuing this may be a remedie against all secret and hidden sinnes The adulterer theefe and murtherer wait for the night when they thinke none see them then they may as they thinke practise any sinne so the tradesman he thinking no man seeth him changeth and counterfeiteth his wares and blearing mans eye thinketh all is well And the cause why there is such fraud deceipt guile and iniustice among men is because men thinke they can do it so as none shall see them they say God regardeth and seeth not our dealing Psal. 94. 7. But if men would consider that though they can bleare the eye of man yet they cannot hide it from God seeing they be alwaies in his sight this would make men make conscience of many secret corruptions and sins in their hearts Whereas this knowledge is ioyned with approbation and so Christ approueth of their workes some may aske How can God approue of that which doth not satisfie his law as the best workes of the most holy men of God being stained with sin do not Answ. The Gospell reuealeth to vs more then the lawe being the second part of the word Now the Gospell telleth vs that if a man will and vnfainedly do his indeuour to please God to obey his will if a man do this in truth the Lord accepteth the will for the deed So Christ here he approueth of their workes proceeding from a pure will and earnest indeuour as perfect taking the will for the deed But seeing Christ approueth their workes the Papists may argue hence thus If God approue thus of men then they haue no sinne if they haue none then a man may fulfill the law in this life and so be iustified by works Ans. Christ approueth not their or our workes simply but in part as they be his workes proceeding from his spirit in our hearts but as they proceed from our corrupt will and be fruites of our flesh he doth not Againe Christ approues them with pardon as they be pardoned and if they were not so approued he could not approue them at all Christ sayth I know your workes that is as proceeding from my spirit and as pardoned hauing the guilt taken from them Now I come to her commendation particularly which is especially of the Angel or minister in whom the first thing commended is this namely labour which is an excellent vertue especially in the Ministers painfulnesse diligence and labour in guiding and gouerning the church ouer which they are set and this vertue is worthy of commendation as 1. Tim. 5. 17. he which ruleth well is worthy of double honour And Paul matched and preferred himselfe before all other Apostles in this that he laboured more then they all Seeing our Sauiour Christ commends this labour of the ministery we see it is a worke of paines and diligence if it be well done and not of ease and idlenesse as men commonly esteeme of it else Christ would neuer commend it aboue all other works in the ministery Seeing Christ commends the Ministers in being painful and diligent in teaching and gouerning the people must be diligent in learning and obeying them But men thinke all is wel if they come and heare the word though they take no paines to know and vnderstand it they will not take paines to increase in the knowledge of Religion And the want of this paines and diligence in the people is the cause why the word is heard without profit Men bestow all paines care and diligence in worldly things and yet take no paines in the principall namely that which belongs to their soules health but if they would be commended of Christ then they must vse diligence take paines in hearing learning and obeying the word of God The Minister must labour to teach and to gouerne the people ergo they must labor to obey and keepe a good conscience and to practise religion And as Paul laboured to keepe a good conscience so must all men learne to know and vnderstand the word and then to obey and practise the same Secondly Christ he commends their patience in bearing the crosse which vsually followes the Gospell and this is worthy commendation seeing it is more then many of the Prophets performed Ierem. 20. was exceeding impatient Ionah being schooled in the whales belly yet after that all things falling not out to his mind he was most impatient But this Angel laboured and withall ioyed in the crosse and persecution As he did so must Ministers labour to publish the Gospell and because the crosse accompanies the Gospell they must be armed against persecution with patience they must endure all crosses as Luke 8. 15. the good ground brings forth frutie with patience The practise of Religion and patience must go together Now Christ ioyneth these two labouring in his calling and patience together seuereth them not first because before the fal man could do all his dutie without trouble with ease and ioy but since the fall we being corrupted can do nothing but it is a trouble to vs and God set this marke on our sinnes that all our duties should be troublesome and our callings should haue crosses and calamities ioyned with them Secondly because as the Ministers labor to increase in the people knowledge and to do their duties so the diuell labours to hinder them and to stay them therefore they must not onely labour but be diligent to striue with patiēce So Paul 1. Thess. 2. he wold haue come to thē but Satan hindred him Now as Christ ioyneth these two in the ministery so in all callings these must go together both in particular callings of the church and of the common wealth First we
are As we see water which is once hot if it be cooled it will be more cold and freeze harder then that which was â—euer warme so he which hath bin indued and inflamed with the loue of God and his neighbor and after waxeth cold he wil be worse then he which neuer had that heate The Hawke while she is fit to catch the prey and liuely to flie well she is set on the hand of the King and Nobleman but if she be old or dead then she is cast off or to the dung-hill so when we loue God and our neighbour with alacritie and chearefulnesse then we are on Gods right hand in his fauour and loue but if we die and decay in loue then we are in the ready way to be cast off and cast away Our loue to God is like a litle fire or flame then we must not quench it and cast water on it for that puts it out so our sinnes they be as water nay euery sin we commit it as a dish of water cast on the litle fire of our loue and by it we do what we caÌ„ to put out the fire of Gods grace but we must do as the Priests did who kept the fire on the altar neuer let it out but fed it continually so we must cherish and preserue this fire and carie wood to this fire dayly secondly we must stirre vp the grace of God dayly in vs as we would lift vp fire and blow it Thirdly that it may increase we must exercise the workes of faith loue obedience repentane and godlinesse For without these our loue to God and man will soone decay and waxe cold 2 Remember therefore whence thou art fallen In these words Christ as a faithfull Pastor of our soules prescribeth a most soueraigne remedie against the former vice namely decay in loue Now out of this that Christ rebuketh not the Church of Ephesus but withall giueth a soueraigne salue for that sore we learne that the doctrine of the law whereby sinne is reproued is to be taught but withall the Gospell must be preached seeing in it alone the remedie is to be had Then must we imitate Christ that is preach the law in precepts and threatnings and then the Gospell seeing the law sheweth only the wound the Gospell the remedie The general vse of this remedie standeth in answering to two questions the first question is A man is called effectually to beleeue and to professe the Gospell but after his conuersion by the diuell the world or his owne corruption he sinneth and woundeth his conscience how shall he recouer his owne estate Ans. He must remember from whence he is fallen and do his first works The second question is A man hath liued in ignorance after his owne lust neuer called effectually but now he is touched in conscience for his wicked life how shall such an one be reconciled to God and escape his iudgements Ans. He must saith Christ remember from whence he is fallen by his first father Adam and by his owne sinnes secondly he must repent of his sinnes past and lastly he must do his first workes to which he was bound by the law of nature and by the morall law of God Now in particular of the remedie It containeth three parts the first Remember whence thou art fallen the second And repent and do thy first workes and in the end is a reason to moue them to do these duties or else I will remoue thy candlesticke The first part remember that is remember examine thy selfe thorowly that thou maist see thy decay in thy loue and after that thinke on it often and ponder it in thy heart So that these words inioyne them two duties the first to examine themselues the second to consider of their estate 1 Examine that is enter into a diligent search of thine owne heart search thine owne particular wants especially this one want thy decay in loue Secondly she must after examination often thinke of her owne wants and often lay them to her owne heart Hence we see it is a dangerous thing for any Christian not to know his estate not to be acquainted with his owne wants Ier. 8. he blameth the people for this sinne none among them said so much as What haue I done none examined or considered his owne estate and wants In the dayes of Noah they knew nothing till the floud came on them they neuer looked to their owne estate or regarded and considered Gods iudgements or their owne sinnes and wants And in our time this sinne is too common not one of a thousand examineth his life considereth his owne wants and sinnes nay now if a man turne his eye to see his owne sinnes why then this is a meanes to worke melancholy in a man and so most men flie this which is so necessarie a discipline We see it is a speciall dutie of them which liue in the church to be acquainted with their owne estate to know and often consider their owne wants and sinnes Zach. 2. When he beginneth to preach repentance he biddeth them search themselues or fanne and winnow themselues as a man would search for a litle thing in an heape of chaffe Then we must search our selues diligently and narrowly yea the least thing in vs as Zacharie biddeth his auditors And after that we find wants in our hearts we must consider of them seriously for no man can repent truly till he know his owne estate throughly then we must often consider it and be well acquainted with it Psalm 119. vers 59. I considered my waies that is I entred into my selfe and finding mine owne wants then I turned me to thee And here we see the very cause why so few repent truly because they remember not whence they be fallen and know not their owne estate The second part is Repent first when thou art well acquainted with thine owne estate knowest thy wants and sinnes then in the second place repent In handling of this dutie note fiue points the first what repentance is the second how it must be practised the third who commaundeth it the fourth who must practise it the fifth for what end Repentance is first properly for the place of it in the mind of man for it is after some folly ouerslip or error to be better aduised which is proper to the mind and therfore repentance is properly of the mind Againe it is a change in the mind as of an euill mind to become good a turning from sinne to grace from all sinne to God Act. 26. 20. Now this turning from sinne to God standeth in a purpose and resolution whereby a man by Gods grace purposeth to turne from all sinne to serue the Lord and cleaue to him in obeying his commaundements First then there must be a purpose in the mind from which proceedeth a turning of the whole man in will affections and action which is the principall thing in repentance namely the turning of the whole
c. The common people be of the Pharisies and Iusticiaries mind that they need no repentance seeing they liue ciuilly not tainted with horrible and grosse sins but we must repent for other sins as want of knowledge loue obedience c otherwise we cannot truly repent Now if we must repent of al sins much more of notorious sins as of Atheisme which now abounds and spreads abroade of pride in apparell contempt of the Gospell which increaseth in all places for want of mercie for crueltie and for those sinnes which can sooner remoue the candlesticke from vs. Now the remedie is to do their first workes to returne to their first loue to God his word and to man This is in the last place seeing this repentance neuer perisheth or decayeth but must be euer renewed So then he would haue vs also to remember what good thoughts affections actions we haue had to get them againe and neuer loose them after We must remember to do our first workes which the Lord graunted to vs at our first calling them we must labour to do againe Or else I will come against thee shortly Whenas our Sauiour Christ had rebuked the church of Ephesus for decay in loue and set downe the remedy first to remember whence she was fallen secondly to repent thirdly to do her first works in these words he layeth downe a reason to moue her to vse the remedie especially to repent if she will not then he will come against her shortly This containeth three parts first a generall threatning or cōminatiō or els I wil come to thee secondly a particular threatning and will remoue thy candlesticke thirdly a condition of the two threatnings except you repent Because he speaketh to all Churches this shewes our dutie in reading or hearing the word that we apply all that is spoken of one man or to one Church to our selues when we see any vertues commended we must imitate them or vices discommended we must search our selues whether we be cleane of them The promise To him which ouercommeth c. hath two parts first to whom it is made namely to him which ouercommeth secondly what is promised I will giue him of the tree of life namely eternall happinesse The partie to whom is he which preuaileth against all his spirituall enemies the diuell the world hell death and his owne flesh That we may ouercome these three things are necessary first a man must be borne anew become a new creature in Christ. 1. Iohn 5. for when a man is borne anew he is free from sinne and ouercommeth all his enemies Secondly he must haue true faith by vertue whereof he must deny himselfe and wholy rely on Christ 1. Iohn 5. We ouercome the world by our faith for he which truly beleeueth in Christ he is partaker of Christ of his victory ouer death hell sinne and the diuell and hath his naturall corruption abolished and weakned Thirdly that we stand against all our enemies with faith and good conscience to the end And he which hath these three he is able to resist al these his enemies To them which ouercome Ergo it is false that the promise of the Gospell belongs to all men without exception that God offereth life and saluation to all vnlesse they will reiect it for saluation is promised onely vnto them which are borne anew which haue faith in Christ denying themselues and they which stand out against all their enemies by faith and good conscience to the end of their dayes Is this so is the promise made onely to conquerers we must then labour to be conquerers to ouercome all our spirituall enemies but to liue in sinne to be the seruants of Satan that is slauerie and hell it selfe and for a man to say in truth of heart that he hath ouercome all these his enemies this is freedome and happinesse And though a man be neuer so great among men yet if he be the vassal of sinne an Satan he is out of the fauour of God and most miserable Secondly the thing promised is life eternall which is set out by two circumstances first by the cause of it I will giue secondly what to eate of the tree of life In which words is an opposition betweene Adam and Christ for Adam by his sinne depriued himselfe of the tree of life but Christ hath set open the tree of life that we may haue free accesse to it Adam he lost an earthly paradise Christ hath prepared an heauenly paradise The tree of life stood in the midst of the garden whereof Adam did eate It was called the tree of life first because it was a sacrament that is a signe and pledge to him of eternall life if he had continued in his estate Secondly because this tree had a vertue in it from God to preserue Adam for euer from death and old age and to make him continually to liue if he stood This tree of life was a true figure of Christ the Redeemer and Sauiour for as that tree had vertue in it from God to preserue Adams life so that he should haue liued for euer and be kept from old age so Christ Iesus the Mediator and Redeemer he liueth not onely as he is God but as he is man and not for himselfe alone but to conuey quickening vertue to all which beleeue in him and are partakers of his merits by a true faith To eate of the tree To eate signifieth sometime to beleeue as Ioh. 6. 50. but it cannot be so here seeing we cannot in heauen beleeue in Christ but to eate of that tree is to haue immediate fellowship and communion in heauen with Christ for euer For Christ shall be to vs a tree of eternall life for euer yea all in all to euery one of vs. In this first point of the promise note two things the first wherein consisteth eternall life namely in immediat fellowship cōmunion with Christ in heauen for euer and this is our true felicitie to eate of the tree of life to partake with Christ in heauen who shall be to his all in all that is all happinesse that heart can wish Therefore it standeth not in outward meanes as meate drinke apparell sleepe respiration recreation c. but in the eating of the tree of life that is in the immediate fellowship with Christ Iesus for euer Secondly the place of this tree is the midst of paradise where Christ putteth a difference between the tree of life in the earthly paradise and this in the heauenly paradise He saith in paradise that is in the third or highest heauē a place of ioy and pleasure where the Lord especially sheweth his glorie and where he prouideth happinesse for his children There are indeed three heauens one where we liue and breath and where the clouds be the second where the starres be the third is the place where the Lord sheweth his presence and where he will haue his children be Of this Paul speaketh when he was rapt
vp to the third heauen 2. Cor. 12. It is called Paradise because it is a place of pleasure for so the word signifieth Of God that is most excellent and most infinite For so Gen. 30. 8. Rahell wrestled with Leah with wrestlings of God that is excellent or great wrestlings So in the Psalmes to shew how huge and high the hilles were Dauid calleth them the hilles of God the mountaines of God that is excellent or huge mountaines So here he calleth it the paradise of God to shew it is a place most excellent full of pleasure and ioy This place is set out at large Reu. 22. Then seeing this is so excellent a place we should labour aboue all things to come thither to weane our minds from earthly paradise which is but a prison and lift our heads vp to heauen set our hearts and minds on things aboue Phil. 3. Vers. 8. And to the Angell of the Church of Smyrna write From this eighth verse to the twelfth is the second Epistle or letter to another Church of Asia namely to the Church of Smyrna And before this second Epistle is a second particular commandement to Iohn for the writing of it in these words And to the Angell of the Church of Smyrna write which particular commaundement is prefixed before the Epistle to assure them and euery Church that S. Iohn had sufficient calling to write the same and that he did it not of himselfe And so should all they which come to speake or write the word of God haue a sufficient calling that so the Church may receiue their doctrine and without doubt beleeue the same as the true word of God So the Ministers of the Gospell must haue their calling for if the Apostles of Christ which were of more excellent gifts had it then such which be but ordinarie men This commandement and the meaning of it is in the first verse of this Chapter After the particular commandement is the Epistle it selfe standing of three parts first a Preface secondly a Proposition thirdly a Conclusion The preface or entrance is in the eighth verse and containeth a preparation to the matter of the Epistle to be deliuered In the preface he sheweth in whose name it is to be deliuered namely in Christs He which is and was which is the first and last This he doth for two causes first to stirre the Church of Smyrna to a religious care and receiuing of the same as the pure word of God secondly because no commaundement concerning religion and Gods seruice is to be propounded in the name of any creature but onely in the name of God and Christ. Now this Epistle being concerning religion and Gods worship he propoundeth it in Christ his name alone And Christ in this preface is described by two notable arguments first that he is first and last secondly that he was dead but is aliue but these words are expounded in the first Chapter where he saith he is first and last that is he is euerlasting God which hath neither beginning nor end afore all creatures after all He was dead but now liueth that is being God tooke vpon him our nature became subiect to death and rose to giue euerlasting life to vs. In which words note two points of doctrine first that Christ is a person consisting of two natures namely his Godhead and manhood for as he is said to be first and last he must be God and as he was dead but now is aliue he is man and as the bodie and soule make one man so the Godhead and manhood of Christ concurre to make one Christ. The second point of doctrine is a comfort or the foundation of all ioy and comfort to the Church of God first that he is God ergo he is able secondly he is man ergo he is willing to helpe to deliuer his Church from all miseries or else ease them for he is first and last ergo true God ergo able to helpe Secondly he was dead but liueth therefore willing seeing he came to take our nature vpon him to be subiect to death and to rise againe to giue to vs eternall life So then this is the scope and end of these words to comfort the Church in miserie and hence is the very fountaine of all comfort in this life If the Lord lay any crosse on thee as persecution tribulation miserie or calamitie then consider these two things Christ is God able to helpe he is man willing to deliuer thee And this may be a proppe to stay and hold vs vp that we sinke not in persecutions or crosses I know thy works After the Preface followeth the Epistle it selfe containing the matter and contents to be deliuered to the Church of Smyrna in the ninth and tenth verses The Epistle hath two parts first a commendation of the Church secondly counsell for her concerning time to come The commendation is in the ninth verse I know thy workes In these words as there is a commendation of her there is also a comfort for he doth not onely commend her but comfort her being in miserie I know thy workes We heard these words before expounded I know that is I see thy workes wayes dealing the course and tenour of thy life I know and approue of the same it liketh and pleaseth me well In that Christ saith he knoweth her workes here is a notable propertie of Christ that he seeth all Churches he beholdeth all mens actions he seeth their words workes affections and actions As he spake to the Church of Ephesus before so now to the Church of Smyrna to shew them that he is alwaies present in the midst of the Church he seeth and beholdeth all her dealings And this consideration is most necessarie and the ground of all grace and religion when a man is perswaded that Christ seeth his heart heareth euery word beholdeth all his actions and marketh all his words Dauid 139. Psalme The Lord beholdeth all my secrets there is not a word in my toung but he knoweth it So should we perswade our selues and this would make vs make conscience of all our words our thoughts our actions of all we do or say nay where this is wanting there is no true grace no faith no conscience for if a man were perswaded that Christ seeth his workes beholds and markes them he durst not for his life sinne as he doth And thy tribulation Here he ioynes workes and tribulation together where we may gather that tribulation must needs go with workes and with the grace of God where grace is there must be tribulations where God giueth grace he addeth tribulation first to humble them secondly to trie them thirdly to preuent other sinnes which they should else commit I know thy tribulation This then is added to comfort the Church as if he should say It is true thou art in tribulation but it comes not by chance but from God my father I know it I see and behold it and haue care of
when a man keepeth this promise made in baptisme and performeth this condition to God and stipulation then he is faithfull to God when he breaketh it then he is vnfaithfull 1. Pet. 3. 21. Secondly the Lord he giueth his seruants many graces as faith hope loue repentance c. these he committeth to man to see how he will vse or abuse them 1. Tim. 6. 20. we must labour to keepe them to vse them well and this if we do to Gods glorie and to our owne good then we be faithfull to God else not as if a man commit a thing to be kept by another if he loose it or keepe it not well he is not faithfull to him Be faithfull As if he had said Thou hast made a promise in baptisme to keepe faith and a good conscience and thou hast had many graces promising to vse them well to keepe them in life and death be faithfull in persecutions afflictions keepe faith and a good conscience and then thou artfaithfull Against this dutie three sorts of men offend first they which though they haue made a couenant in baptisme to serue the Lord to keep faith and a good conscience yet liue in ignorance and securitie neuer seeking to know the Lord to vnderstand his will or to obey him yet these will brag of their good meanings though they haue no care at all to please God no care to keepe their couenant made with God and their stipulation in baptisme to him Secondly they which for a good while haue had faith and a good conscience and haue come to serue the Lord yet after long time fall away being entangled with the world with the profits and sinnes thereof and so leaue all and come to breake faith and a good conscience both these are vnfaithfull seruants and their reward if the Lord dealt in iustice with them is destruction and yet all men in a maner be of these two sorts they either liue in ignorance or fall away after a long time The third sort are they which professe a long time liue in faith and good conscience and be earnest professors yet in time of triall and persecution they will leaue all profession of religion to saue themselues Then seeing all these offend we must labour to know God to obey him to keepe his graces bestowed on vs to the end to liue and die in his seruice and to lose our life rather then any one grace which God bestoweth vpon vs. And I wil giue thee the crown of life Here is a reasoÌ„ to moue theÌ„ to go on in persecutioÌ„ to be faithful to the end HeÌ„ce the Papists gather that a man may merit heauen seeing there is promised a crowne of life Ans. It is called a crowne of life by resemblance for as men in a race first run and after they obtaine the crowne at the end of their race so men must first in this world liue godly run and finish their course after that they haue their crowne in heauen I answer againe this reward is not of the worke but the promise is made to the workers not to the martyredome but to the martyr which hath by suffering death shewed his faith in Christ it is not made to the passion or suffering but to the person suffering not for his suffering but to him as he is in Christ declared to be so by his suffering death So then that promise is not made to the work but to the worker and not for his work but for the worthinesse of Christ in whom he is a true member of the Church The vse then is that if we keepe this promise in Baptisme made before God his Angels and the Church we shall haue the reward of all which is the crowne of life in the kingdome of heauen promised to such as be faithfull to the end Let him which hath an eare heare In these words are the coÌ„clusion or last part of the Epistle Now in these three verses for the most part is a rehearsall of those things which Christ deliuered before in this and in the former Chapter Now seeing Christ the head and Doctor of his Church is most perfect in his doctrines both for matter and maner of deliuering the same seeing he repeateth againe and againe the same things and seeing Peter put them often in mind of their common saluation hence we note that Ministers may often repeate the same doctrine not onely the same matter but in the same maner and words So did Christ the head Doctor of the Church so may we or any preacher preach the same sermon againe in maner and matter not for to ease our selues but for the good and benefite of the Church as Christ seuen times repeateth the same doctrine to the good of the Church and common benefite of all The hearers then if they find the Preacher shall deliuer the same doctrine againe or often they must not find fault for then they might as well find fault with Christ himselfe who not once or twise but often repeated the same words In this eleuenth verse is a conclusion of the Epâ—stle to the Church of Smyrna and it hath two parts first a commaundement secondly a promise In the commandement first what is coÌ„manded secondly to whoÌ„ The duty commanded is to heare There are two kinds of hearing good and bad Here he requireth good hearing with faith and obedience not naked and bare outward hearing Then we see the true knowledge of the Gospell standeth in hearing with faith and obedience for we know no more then we beleeue and obey if we beleeue and obey nothing we heare and know nothing with sound hearing to saluation The second thing is to whom the commaundement is giuen to them which haue eares to heare for some are deafe some be liuely and hearing hearers They are deafe which heare onely with outward and bodily eares not affected in hart nor chaunged in life by the word they are good hearing hearers which are touched and affected by the word changed and renued in life by the same hauing not onely outward eares of the head but inward bored by Gods spirit in the heart Hence we learne two things first that election is not generall and vniuersall of euery particular man for there is was and shall be euer some deafe hearers Secondly we learne our duty that we must not onely heare the word and lend our outward eares but withall ioyne faith obedience and conuersion in life so heare that we be changed in life and turned to God else our hearing is fruitlesse nay to damnation The third thing is what they must heare What the Spirit saith namely that which is before in the former words deliuered by Christ. The principall things be these first that the Lord seeth and regardeth the tribulations and afflictions of his Church secondly that Gods Church and people being to suffer the crosse and afflictions must forethinke of it and consider of it before
being beleeued it is powerfull no might of man or any Prince is comparable Thirdly Christ destroyeth and killeth all our enemies all the aduersaries of the Church this is the principal end of this sword for Christ speaketh these words to comfort his Church in persecutions and for this he is said to haue a sharpe two edged sword for he killeth and slayeth the enemies of his Church partly in this life but deadly in the life to come In this life the word serueth to conuince them of hypocrisie vnbeleefe heresies superstition for Christ he abolished them with the breath of his mouth that is this sword 2. Thess. 2. Secondly when they be touched by the preaching of this word with desperations for when the law and Gospell is preached to them it wounds them to the heart by reuealing all their cursed dealings their vnbeleefe and hypocrisie and sets the conscience on the racke and stirres it vp which is fit of it selfe to accuse them when it hath reuealed their sinnes then it smites them with feare and horror and makes their conscience more fit to accuse terrifie them and then though they run on in sin yet they haue a deadly wound of desperation and this increaseth in this life and slayeth in the next for it cleane cuts them off when Christ shall say Go yee cursed this smiteth them starke dead casting them into eternall destruction for euer We must labour to haue the word of God worke powerfully in vs. to take place in our hearts by faith not onely to shew our sins Gods wrath against the same but withal to wound them slay and kill them and at the first to wound deadly for onely to haue our sins detected and our consciences terrified this is the way to desperation and the first wound to death but we must go further haue our corrupt hearts ript vp wounded crucified haue them reformed and this is the way to wound our soules and the end why Christ hath the two edged sword The second part is the proposition containing two parts first a commendation secondly a rebuke The commendation in the thirteenth verse I know thy workes In these words he commends this Church first in generall secondly in particular generally in these words I know thy workes that is thy waies and doings thy counsels affaires and withall I approue them as Psal. 1. 6. The Lord knoweth the righteous that is he approues them I know thy works Christ he begins with these words in this and euery of these Epistles to teach vs one especiall thing that the feare of God is the chiefe thing to be learned the beginning of all religion and for this cause he beginneth thus I know thy workes three or foure times I know shewing by this that wheresoeuer we be we are in the presence of Christ he sees all our works he heareth and knoweth all we do we cannot go out of his presence and to settle this deepely in our hearts that he is present alwaies seeing and beholding vs he repeates this seuen times in the beginning of euery Epistle Then this should teach vs both Minister and people to labour to haue this perswasion in our hearts that Christ is present seeth and beholdeth all we do when we take any thing in hand he stands at our elbowes looketh on vs whether we do well or ill then we must labour to haue this perswasion in our hearts that we can say now I do this or that my Sauiour Iesus Christ my Lord and redeemer he beholds me lookes on me seeth all my dealings therefore I will behaue my selfe well And the Preacher may spend himselfe in speaking and to no purpose till God giue grace to teach the people this one point which is the beginning and ground of all religion and feare of God for men may haue knowledge and speake much of the words of religion yet they cannot be true Christians till they haue learned this one point to be so perswaded as they can say in their heart Christ seeth and beholds me and till we can do that we shall make conscience of no sinne 2 The particular first commendation And where thou dwellest though thou dwel in a place where the diuel hath set his throne a place most incommodious and vnfit yet thou obseruest and keepest my name and religion thus he commendeth her for her constancie in religion Throne That is any place where superstition idolatrie and wickednesse is practised without controlment and frō whence wickednesse is conueyed to other places for the diuell is the god of this world 2. Cor. 4. 4. and he hath his kingdome throne and seate placed where he can practise sinne and wickednesse where iniquitie is maintained the Gospell despised and from whence he conueyeth his diuellish wickednesse to other places Such a place was Pergamus a citie wherein sinne did abound without controlment religion despised and from whence wickednesse was conueyed to many other cities townes and places Here we may note the diuels pollicie who hath his kingdome here on earth like to God here he placeth his thrones as a Prince and maketh choice to haue the fittest place where he may rule and raigne and practise wickednesse without controlment frō whence he may conuey it to other places he hath euer had hath now will haue his thrones He had in old time the high places the groues and such places where the people committed idolatrie Among the Gentiles there were Oracles to erect his thrones for in them he gaue answers and so conueyed his wickednesse to many In later dayes he had euery church and chappell his throne when Images Saints Roodes and such like were erected to which all men from all parts of the land came to worship In schooles of learning he had his thrones when nothing was taught but superstition and errors And now in our times he hath his thrones and officers to attend on the same as wisemen and these are a speciall meanes to erect his throne for vnto these come men from farre and neare so that he conueyeth his iniquitie to many seeing many seeke to them and so do him homage So dicing and brothell houses seeing in them iniquitie is practised in them is his throne In families where they liue in ignorance in sinne and wickednesse in blaspheming and drunkennesse or any one sinne there is his throne and so many thrones as families where they liue by any vniust dealing Then it is necessarie seeing the diuell hath his throne the Lord should haue his opposite to this as when men haue thrones of iustice both ciuill and ecclesiasticall ciuill to represse all iniustice and wickednesse to punish vice to reward vertue and ecclesiasticall to punish and reprehend those sinnes which ciuill iustice cannot The diuell cunningly and pollitickly chooseth Pergamus not a base towne or village but a huge citie whence many kings proceeded where there was a famous and great king and where was much people So he
labour to see our hunger and want of Christ for as they which be thus hungrie shall be fed so they which be full shall be sent emptie away Oh they be blessed which hunger after Christ they shall haue the bread of life and drinke of the well of life Ioh. 6. Seeing Christ is the bread of life the true Manna signified by that in the wildernesse we see the madnesse of most men in the world who seeke not for this spirituall Manna of the soule which is farre better then that in the wildernesse but we like the Israelites delight in onions and garlike and the flesh-pots of Egypt And are not we as prophane as they seeing we labor much to get earthly Manna temporall food riches pleasure c. but neuer seek to haue Christ the food of our soules the bread of life Yet these which do so be the wise mē of the world we coūt thē of credit and happiest mē but they be indeed prophane Esawes preferring this temporall food before Christ the food of eternal life We must then labour to detest this abhominable prophanesse seeing it is the very defacing of religion But Christ shall take it in the highest disgrace when he seeth vs preferre bread which perisheth before this precious and eternall food of our soules And here in that Christ meaneth by Manna not corporal food but himselfe his owne body and blood for that corporall foode was but a signe of this we see the signe in the sacrament is put for the thing signified Manna for the body of Christ. Christ addeth the hidden Manna to put a distinction betweene the earthly Manna which the Israelites and all might see feele and eate and Christ who is the hidden Manna and whom euery one cannot see It is called hidden first because no man by nature can haue this foode no naturall man can see will or desire it secondly because God reuealeth not this spirituall food namely Christ effectually to all men Math. 11. 25. The wise and prudent cannot know it it is reuealed onely to Gods children Seeing Christ is the hidden Manna we see the estate of men in the world yea in the Church of God they know not Christ the true bread of life they feele no want of this food because they know it not for a man cannot know truly what food is till he stand in need of it feele the want of it nay not onely the people but Preachers though they know Christ in a mentall knowledge yet they know not him as they should they feele no want of Christ to be their Sauiour to deliuer them from the wrath of God to feed their starued and famished soules and to deliuer them from the gulfe of hell Then we must not content our selues with knowledge swimming in the braine but labour to know our wants to feele our misery to seeke to haue Christ the food of our soules to deliuer vs from the misery and wretched estate we are in by it to labour to get but one drop of bloud to satisfie our hungry and starued soules And as one which is starued with hunger would seeke to haue meate so we must haue experimentall knowledge that we can say in conscience I see and feele how I want Christ to feed my soule Seeing Christ is the hidden Manna God offereth him not to all men in generall for then he should not be hid as he is from many therefore there is no vniuersal election no vniuersal grace offered effectually to all men in particular The second gift is a white stone where Christ borroweth a phrase of speech from the Gentiles to whom he wrote The Gentiles vsed these stones in iudgement for when men were iudged the Iudges gaue them either a white stone which was a token of absolution or a blacke stone which was a signe of condemnation Secondly they vsed these stones to trie whether such a day or such should be luckie as they say or vnluckie for if they tooke a white stone out of their vessel then it was a token of good lucke if a black then of bad Now here it is vsed for the first Christ promiseth a white stone that is pardon and absolution from sinnes and from the punishment of sinne euen eternall damnation To them which ouercome beleeue labour to maintaine and defend faith and a good conscience let these go on to the end for they shall haue this white stone Now then if any would know whether he haue pardon and absolution of his sins here is the note and marke if he beleeue in Christ labour to maintaine faith and a good conscience then he hath this white stone promised him Then we must labour for these that so the other may be sealed to vs. The third gift is A new name written in the same stone This name is to be Gods child so the same Apostle expounds it 1. Iohn 3. Behold what great loue God sheweth vs euen to be called his sonnes this is the name he giueth to them which ouercome to be called his sonnes and heires with Christ. Now seeing God giueth this new name to his children it must not be an idle name but the Lord giueth with it a new conditiō whereby we are made the sonnes and heires of God So when Abram was new named Abraham it was for a speciall purpose for then he began to be the father of the faithfull When Iacob was called Israel it was for a speciall end So we hauing a new name must haue a new condition which is to be called the sonnes and heires of God in Christ. Now this is a most excellent prerogatiue for then we haue Christ our elder brother and our fellow heire God our father the Angels to defend and guide vs all things and meanes of this life to our benefite Gods speciall prouidence to guide vs and being Gods childrē our sins are no sins but a meanes to come to felicitie and our death is no death but a litle doore to passe to life this is the new condition God giueth with our new name Written in the white stone That is in the pledge of absolution for here the white stone and new name go together for looke whom he absolueth he giueth a new name and new condition for he which hath his sinnes pardoned is a new creature a new man the white stone and new name go together and are written in each other Then men must haue them both and not as most do say they hope Christ is their Sauiour he will pardon their sinnes and yet continue in them take occasion by that to sinne for Christ if he giue the white stone that is pardon of sinne he giueth with it a new name and a new condition of life Which no man knoweth Some might obiect Doth he giue men new names why then do we not call them by their names Answ. He saith no man knoweth it but he which hath it that is in that maner and certainty as
sinnes for in this Chapter we find that certaine men in this Church were giuen to fornication and idolatrie close and hidden sinnes Now here he is said to haue fierie eyes to shew them he seeth these secret sinnes he knoweth their hearts much more their sinfull workes and will punish them Then by this we haue a good remedie against all secret sins The nature of man is for shame and feare of punishment to abstaine from outward crimes but being out of the companie of men he will breake the commandement of the first and second Table without any care or conscience and this euery mans conscience can best testifie that though he can abstaine from outward sinnes for shame and punishment yet he will cōmit secret sinnes But these men should remember that though they be out of the presence of men yet they stand in the presence of Christ he seeth them his fierie eye pierceth to their inward thoughts and affections and though they may bleare the eyes of men yet they cannot bleare this fierie eye of Christ. If euery man would remember this the fornicator blasphemer or any sinner it would be a good meanes to bridle and stay thē from committing sinnes both open and hidden And his feet like fine brasse He is said to haue brazen feet to shew his strength and power by which he ouercame and bruised the head of the serpent on the crosse and fully vanquished hell death and sinne by his death and also doth subdue sinne and Satan and put them vnder not onely his brazen foot but vnder the feet of his seruants and members The end why he is said to haue feet of brasse here in this Epistle is to terrifie certaine wicked persons in this Church as fornicators and idolaters nay the whole Church of Thyatira which by these wicked men were in daunger to be drawne that way This then may be a remedie for all loose liuers namely to consider of Christs brazen feet to thinke that Christ our Sauiour is in the midst of the Church walketh there and that he hath a foote of brasse to trample and tread all his enemies to powder and to destroy them The want of this is the cause why men lie in sinne and heape sinne vpon sinne without care or conscience or any feare The second part of the Epistle is the Proposition wherein is propounded the substance and matter of the Epistle It hath two parts first a praise secondly a dispraise or rebuke The commendation in the 19. verse the dispraise in the 20. verse First she is commended generally I know thy workes secondly particularly for many duties and vertues I know thy workes that is I see and allow thy workes and wayes The end why he alleadgeth and repeateth these words is to stirre vp the hearts of his seruants to consider of his presence For Christ before hath fierie eyes and here he saith I know thy workes to make this consideration to sinke more deepely and imprint it more throughly In the second part he commendeth her for many duties and vertues first loue secondly seruice thirdly patience fourthly faith and increase of godlinesse First she is commended for loue that is loue to man not to God for for that she is cōmended after in the duties to God But by loue and seruice is meant duties to man performed by man to man To know this loue better note three points first what it is secondly the property of true loue to man thirdly how it must be practised toward men Loue to man is a gift of Gods spirit whereby a man is well affected to his neighbour for Gods sake First loue is the gift of the Spirit Gal. 5. 25. Secondly it is a gift whereby a man is well affected to his neighbour that is to reioyce at his good to defend to seeke and wish his good yea to be grieued with his hurt and miserie and withall to haue bowels of compassion to helpe him in his hurt and miserie Thirdly it must be to our neighbour not by dwelling or habitation but to them which be our brethren in nature haue the same flesh with vs beare the same image of God Then all men as they be men are our neighbours though they dwell at the worlds end whether beleeuer or infidell friend or foe to these we must be wel affected Fourthly it must be for Gods sake for God must first absolutely and principally be loued and man for him so that our loue to man is a fruit of our loue to God springing and descending from it As for the propertie of our loue to man it must be feruent and that in two things first if need require euery man is bound in the compasse of his calling to lay downe his life for his brother and for his neighbour 1. Ioh. 3. 16. Secondly it must be feruent towards our enemies in the world there is much hatred malice and iniuries Now we must loue those persons from whō these come and loue must be feruent that these like water do not quench it And for the practise of our loue to man the rule is that we loue him as our selues as we loue and wish well to our selues heartily so must we loue and wish well to him This is the law of nature to do to another as we would haue him to do to vs yea this is the law of God do to all men as you would haue them do to you Is a man to sell the diuell offereth him gaine if he wil lie Now consider by thine owne law wouldest thou haue another to deceiue thee by lying no surely then deceiue not thy neighor by false weights wares or otherwise By these three things we see for what this Church was commended This loue were to be wished in vs but alas it waxeth cold euery man is a louer of himselfe seeketh his owne good no man his brothers euery man spends his labor wit and his calling to help himself no man to do good to others to help the common good or the good of the Church but to the hurt or hindering of others for men think they may make the best of their owne sell as deare as they can but we should employ all our callings if we had true loue not onely to our owne good but the good of others euen the common good of the towne country or church When men come to the Church to heare the word to pray to receiue the sacrament then they seeme to shew great loue of God but look into their callings there is no loue of their brethren which sheweth they haue no true but an outward loue of God seeing they loue not their neighbour liue by iniustice seeking to fley him and draw out his very bloud by cruell dealing by griping pilling and polling now there cannot be true loue of God where this loue of our neighbour is wanting 1. Iohn 3. 21. The second vertue for which this church is cōmended is seruice In this place
were excellent mē the seruants of Christ. Hence arise two questions first why some men be rather the seruants of Christ then other some secondly whether the seruants of Christ can be seduced For the first some say God would haue euery man in the world his seruant doth what he can to make them so he calleth them redeemeth them giueth them grace to be his children reconcileth thē to himself so that they may if they will be saued now some will not for all this receiue Gods grace but contemne his mercy though he call them redeeme them and giue them grace But this is against common sense to make Gods will in subiection mans will to rule to disgrace God and set man aloft to make Gods will to be ordered by mans will But the reason why some are the seruants of God not al is Gods good pleasure in electing some and reiecting others for he electeth not all to grace and glory but some onely and these be his seruants by reason of his owne good will and pleasure Act. 13. 48. As many as were ordained to life that is elected and redeemed of Gods free will and pleasure they beleeued The second question is whether a seruant of God can be seduced Answ. Seruants be of two sorts some are only in appearance some in deed and truth Those be onely in appearance which receiue the word and outward seales but not the inward fruite and these be in our Churches the greatest part these may fall away finally and wholly as did the Galathians and many other But those which be in truth the seruants of Christ though they may fall in part yet they cannot fall wholy or finally Mat. 16. the gates of hel shal striue shew their strength against that rocke of faith but shall not preuaile So we pray Leade vs not into temptation that is let vs neuer be wholly vnder the power of Satan Now what we pray for that we haue a promise in the worde for it and true faith and a constant purpose to liue in any on sinne cannot stand together for faith purifieth the heart and preserueth it in life and death ergo a true beleeuer cannot fall wholly or finally To come to the meanes of discerning them it is by committing fornicatiō and eating things offered to idols She made the seruants of God to sinne by these two sinnes and meanes which shewes she was a maintainer of the sect of the Nicolaitanes of whom I spake before And I gaue her space to repent Christ reproued the Church of Thyatira before for suffering her here he reproueth her for her obstinacy and hardnes of heart that she would not repent of her sinnes Time to repent That is though her sinnes deserued present death yet God suffered her to liue in the world a space of time to see if she would repent Now in her example he teacheth vs how to vse time whilest we liue in the world namely seeing it is giuen vs of God to repent in and so to come to saluation we must vse it so repēt while we haue time For that cause he lets some liue twenty or forty yeares for there is no repentance before we come into this world or after we go out therefore while we liue in it we must repent then we must thinke of it earnestly that we vse it to repent in that so we may be reconciled to God receiued to mercy and haue the kingdome of heauen Then damnable is the practise of our daies when men liue in eating drinking sporting carding dicing in spending their strength and wit in getting riches neuer thinking of the true end why they liue which is to repent and come to saluatiō but spend their time he giues them to repent other wayes The Lord might cut them off as soone as they be borne yet he suffereth them to liue to see if they will repent then if they runne on in sin they increase their damnation and do as a man should euery day cary a faggot for ten yeares to one heape and be burned himselfe with them at the end I gaue her Namely Christ gaue her time to repent no creature no man or Angel can dispose of the time of repentance but only Christ Iesus it is in his power alone when one must repent or not Then seeing it is not in our power it is best for vs to repent without delay while it is called to day The yong man takes his swinge because he is yong as though he could repēt in old age or when he list but he robs Christ of his honor for he alone can dispose of the time of repentance Then take the present who knoweth when the Lord will cut him off and then his estate is miserable We thinke a man may repent at the last gaspe but it is not good for a man to deferre seeing he may die quietly by reason of the sicknesse yet may die out of Gods fauour But to whom gaue Christ this time To her that is Iesabel a wicked woman Here we see the endles mercy of God in Christ Iesus he offereth mercy to Iesabel a leud wicked fornicator idolater a blasphemous wretch fathering her sinnes on the spirit of God yet she hath mercy offered So the Lord dealeth not in iustice to cut men off but giueth grieuous sinners time to repent So did he to Manaesses a wisard and idolater who humbling himselfe was receiued to mercy Salomon an idolater yet repenting was receiued to mercy for he was a pen-man of the Scripture ergo an holy man 2. Pet. 1. 20. Isay 1. The Iewes a sinfull people as ill as they which were in hel The Sodomites and Gomorrheans they had mercy offered if they would repent and though their sins were as red as crimson yet God would wash them as white as snow We may not hence take occasion to sinne but they which be grieuous sinners must not despaire if they can repent they shall haue mercy Of her fornication She had sundry sinnes especially idolatry which cannot want company for no sinne goeth alone Christ calleth her to repent for that one sinne of fornication because that was the most principall sin the head sinne of that woman teaching vs that when we repent we must begin with our greatest sins which most clog our conscience and by which we offend most Againe he which can repent truly of one great sin he repents of all if he hate the greater he will hate the lesser Then we in repentance must begin at the greater sin and repent in particular for it for confused repentance is not true as to say I am a sinner c. but repentance in particular for particular sinnes beginning at the head sinne which most troubleth vs that is true repentance Seeing Christ saith he gaue her time to repent hence the Papists gather free will namely to do good and to repent for else this admonition were in vaine But it followes not for God gaue
is generally after he expoundeth this you namely to the rest of the Church of Thyatira to the whole bodie and Angell of that Church except Iesabel and her companie Where note Christ speaking to them distinguisheth betweene persons namely the Church and her Angell and Iesabel and her companie so sutably he giueth his doctrine to them Now he being the Doctor of the Church teacheth his Ministers what to do namely to distinguish betweene man and man doctrine and doctrine not to deliuer euery part of the word to all men but to deuide it aright to giue to euery person that which may be fit for him But how must the word be deliuered to mixt congregations where there be both weake and strong Papists and Protestants despairing and impenitent auditors Ans. We must imitate Christ we must distinguish betweene persons and sutably direct our doctrine to them Impenitent and hard hearted sinners must haue threatnings with exception of the penitent hard hearted must haue no comfort but iudgement with limitation to them which despaire these cōforts with limitation of them which be impenitent Now what is meant by this rest of them Christ sheweth And to as many as receiue not this learning Where he giueth two notes to know these rest by The first they which had not this learning which maintained not the doctrine of Iesabel and her companie The second note they which haue not knowne the deepnesse of Satan as they call it that is which haue not approued liked withstood nor giuen their consent to that depth of Satan that is that doctrine of Iesabel which they call and esteeme to be deepe and profound learning which these though they know it yet do not with knowledge approue it which Iesabel and her companie iudged profound learning beyond the doctrine of the Prophets Apostles Of the first note I haue spoken before In the second note we may marke a wicked practise of Iesabel and her followers they esteemed their owne learning highly profound but the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles that was no such matter an high conceipt of her owne false doctrine but a base opinion of true Apostolicall doctrine and this opinion hath bene in many heretikes So the Iewes hold that God gaue Moses two doctrines the first was the written law which was for the common people the second was a more secret doctrine which Moses had by reuelation and so conueyed it to the Iewes which they kept still in the Cabbala So the Papists thinke the written word but an inkie letter a dead letter or nose of waxe but the common consent in the heart of all Chatholikes that they take to be the true word of God contemning the written word in the Prophets Apostles So the Anabaptists they make the word of God written to be milke for euery nouice but the consent of the heart among themselues that is the strong meate Nay this opinion is in our Church for we preferre the writings of men before the word of God For if a man expound a text by the word gather doctrines according to the lawes of reason this we call simple preaching but if any bring in the authoritie of men as Saint Ambrose Augustine with Latine or Greeke this we take to be a learned kind of preaching which is nothing else but to magnifie the writings of men to thinke highly of them but to disgrace the word of God thinke basely of it Here Christ saith I grant it is a profound learning not of God but of the diuell Where we see Christ alleaging this saying of Iesabel doth it with a disgrace he saith it is deepnesse and profoundnesse but of the diuell yea Christ saith not it is profound indeed but that it is Iesabels speech as they say Hence I gather that Christian men cannot safely play stage playes and Comedies of heathen and prophane men for these be full of prophane and blasphemous oathes and wicked sayings against God and the morall law Now if Christ alleaging but one word of a wicked woman did it not without disgrace of her how can Christian men not onely speake but by iesture act heathen and prophane Comedies As they speake He addeth these words first to shew that the words he alleaged before were not his owne but Iesabels and her scholers Secondly to shew the proud and presumptuous mind of them in that they call their owne hereticall opinions profound learning which is a note of a false teacher to vse swelling words and great bragges to make a faire shew Iude vers 16. 2. Pet. 2. But the doctrine of God is in humilitie both of spirit and maner of teaching The Lord teacheth his will to the contrite and humble man Psalm 25. 14. Now followeth Christs counsell Though I lay no other burden on you yet I will haue you hold that still which I gaue you to the end This distinction cōtaineth two parts Though I lay no other c. in the foure and twentieth verse yet I will c. in the fiue and twentieth verse In the first part Christ saith Though I haue punished Iesabel left her on a bed punished her children and familie yet I will lay no burthen on thee but onely that I reproue thee for the suffering of Iesabel This Christ speaketh to comfort them and all such as giue themselues to maintaine sinceritie of life and of doctrine for these shall be saued from common iudgements and haue the Lords protection in commō afflictions though I punish Iesabel and her company yet when wicked men be punished in common destruction you which study to maintaine sinceritie of doctrine and life shall haue Gods protection in common iudgements Then it stands vs in hand to imitate thē to labor to maintaine sinceritie in doctrine to defend truth in life and conuersation to make conscience of all sin If we labour to obey the Lord in all things to keepe sincere hearts then in common iudgements though Iesabel and her company yea all wicked persons be punished it shall not touch vs we shall find Gods mercie and protection our punishment shall be onely reproofe for some defectiō in vs. But if we maintaine falshood in doctrine liue loosely not making conscience of sin then Gods iudgements shall take hold of vs and afflict vs. But that which you haue alreadie hold fast till I come After the preface followes the summe of the counsell of Christ to the Angell and Church of Thyatira which stands in a distinction though I will lay no burden on thee yet I wil haue you hold fast c. the first part is in the 24. verse the second part in these words as before I said That which you haue receiued That is that which my Apostles and Prophets haue taught you that doctrine of saluation they haue deliuered you hold that fast with both hands till I come to iudgement at the last day Before Christ commended this Church for not approuing the false doctrine of Iesabel but
must heare and then be called In this last age only the word is sent to al natiōs it was not so in former ages Againe false it is that God giueth grace generally to all men so that euery particular man hath grace offered to saluation if he wil receiue it but God gaue not the word to all for all haue not heard therefore they could not haue grace The second dutie is to hold fast this signifieth two things first to maintaine the doctrine taught by the Apostles and receiued of them secondly to practise the same in their life but of these before The third dutie is to repent that is though she repented before yet she must restore and renew her repentancce Hence we learne that we must not only begin but often renew our repentance and not onely for great sins but for litle slips and defects in grace as dulnesse of heart want of zeale coldnes in practise of religion c. Now because this Church was ready to die Christ addeth a reason to put life into her if she haue any grace If thou wilt not I will come on thee as a theefe A most terrible threatning if thou wilt not renew thy repentance restore that grace decayed in thee I will come as a theefe sodainly and with speedy destruction that thou shalt haue no time or way to escape it Note here that this threatning is not absolute but with condition and it is the most terrible commination in the whole word of God where Christ threatneth to powre out his whole wrath on a Church so as they shall haue no time or meanes to escape it Then we hauing the same sin that she had being dead in security by reason of our long prosperity we had need of this admonition to moue vs to watchfulnesse to restore Gods graces decayed in vs yet it seemes we make light account of all these things If a man had any sparke of grace this would stirre him vp but if this most fearefull commination will not moue vs then the end of all must needs follow euen the heauy wrath and iudgement of God must lay hold on vs and cast vs into eternall destruction where is no hope of helpe for then a man might haue some comfort if after a long time she should get out but he must liue there for euer without al end of pain when he hath bin there a thousand yeare his paine is still as great and as much nay no end he can haue Then we must awake from our sins repent for our sins our securitie dulnesse and coldnes in religion stirre vp the graces of God in vs shake off our ignorance and that because against these sins Christ giueth out this most terrible and fearefull commination Vers. 4. Notwithstanding thou hast a few names Before Christ had reproued this church of hypocrisie now he commends her for a few which professe his name among them But Christ had said before that the church was dead how then can this be a true church Ans. Though the body of the Church were dead in sin yet a few some of them were true beleeuers and testified their faith in obedience Out of this coherence we haue two instructions to learne first that a particular church and congregation is called a church in regard of the better sort and part and those which beleeue in Christ and haue the priuiledges also in regard of the better part which beleeue for the Catholicke Church is a number of men on earth beleeuing in Christ. Now the particular church is a member of the Catholicke Church so farre as they beleeue in Christ. Those which beleeue not are no part of the true church but as bad humors in the body are no true parts of the body so these are no true parts of the Church Secondly we see a distinction betweene man and man in this church though all be called yet some called be dead some aliue in Christ and continue so Now the cause of this distinction is not from the will of man but from the good pleasure of God Rom. 11. 4. The whole body of the Israelites fell to idolatry yet the Lord had seuen thousand which bowed not the knee to Baal What is the cause of this not the will of man but I haue reserued seuen thousand which haue not bowed to Baal saith the Lord. So then his will and good pleasure is the cause why some stand and some fall So the cause why some in this church of Sardis liued some were dead is because the Lord in his good pleasure left some to themselues and to othersome he gaue his spirit This as before confutes vniuersall grace which derogates much from the grace of God For this why some stand some fall comes from and higher cause euen from the power and will of God which leaueth some to themselues and inableth some to stand by his spirit Thou hast a few names Here is the commendation of the better part of the church there be yet a few persons knowne to me by their names which haue not defiled their garments Here he alludeth to the ceremoniall law for the Lord in the ceremoniall law made a distinction betweene things cleane and vncleane not in themselues but by his appointment Now among the Iewes if a man with his hand or garment touched a thing vncleane he was defiled which ceremony signified to them that they should abstaine not onely from sin but all appearance of euill in that they might not touch any vncleane thing no not with their garments Then here Christ would shew there were sundry in Sardis which did abstain both from sin and all occasions shews and appearances of sin though the body of the church were dead yet many in Sardis made such conscience of sin that they auoided the very occasions of sinne Hence we see that the seruants of God be few in number the bodie of the church is dead in sin but a few be so far frō sin that they defile not their garments that is auoid all occasions of sin Christ prepareth the kingdome of heauen for a litle flocke Esay saith only the best part of the Iewes must be saued the rest hardened and the way to hell is broade and easie and many runne that way the way to heauen is contrary Mark 7. 7. Then seeing the seruants of God be few we must not follow the multitude but this sin carieth many a man to hell and to sin when men desire to do as the most do to liue as the most liue we must rather follow the litle flocke of Christ and not runne after the multitude A few names That is persons knowne to Christ by their particular names they be called names because Christ writeth their names in a bill Then we see Christ knoweth his seruants particularly by their names Luke 10. he knoweth all our haires much more our names Iohn 10. Christ calleth his sheep by their names This is a speciall comfort for
vs to know that our names particularly are knowne to Christ and be written in his bil which is the King of heauen and earth The Lord to comfort Moses in trouble vsed this that he knoweth him by his name and so should it be to vs that our names are knowne to Christ and he will accordingly help vs. 2. Timoth. 2. there it is made the foundation of saluation that the Lord knoweth who be his Which haue not defiled These were commended for sinceritie and vprightnesse of life and conuersation though the rest of the church were dead yet these were aliue and kept themselues from all appearance of sin Now Christ commending them he leaueth in them a patterne of sinceritie for vs to follow to be as a looking glasse to see how we should professe religion We must not onely know and speake of the Gospell but we must liue accordingly we must keep our garments frō pollutiō liue without al occasion of sin and that we may liue sincerely we must first abstaine frō al sin in our own persons take heed we practise no sin Secondly we must take heed of contagion of sin not partake in other mens sins by cōsent or winking at them or giuing counsel to sin Thirdly we must abstaine from all occasions of sinne from all appearance of euill we must not once name sin nor giue the least approbation thereof Let not fornication be named among you Eph. 5. Then we must behold this patterne labor to be like them that Christ may commend vs as he did them and this we must do by liuing well for religion stands not in knowledge but in practise and by doing these three that is abstaining from the practise of all sinne from the contagion of sin and from all prouocation to sin we shall imitate them and become a most excellent people and a worthy church of Christ. Out of this place the Papists gather that a man after baptisme may liue without al mortall sins for these few hauing put on Christ liued free from all sinne nay from all appearance of sin But first though they liued so till this time yet how proue they they liued so after secondly they be said to keepe their garments vndefiled not because they sinned not at all but because they liued and endeuored in constant purpose not to sinne but in all things to please God and so the Lord accepts their will and constant endeuour for the deed and they be righteous before God and no sinners but keepers of the law And these shall walke with me in white Here after the commendation is a promise to walk that is liue in white that is in ioy and happinesse Eccles. 9. 8. Let thy garments be white that is reioyce and take thy lawfull pleasure in the things of this life The church before was threatned to haue Christ as iudge and to destroy them but these few they shall not taste of his wrath but be with Christ for euer in glory and happinesse By which we see that men which communicate not with the sins of townes countries or nations shall not partake in iudgement with them Lot liued in Sodom yet his righteous soule was not partaker of their sins neither was it of their punishment Gen. 19. Ezech. 6. 9. they which mourned for the sins of the people were marked and in the destruction not touched By reason of our long peace sins abound so that there is plentie of sin of contempt of the word of religion c. These sins call for iudgment and wil haue iudgement now if we would escape this iudgement we must take heed we communicate not with these sins and then we shall escape though we liue in Sodome After the promise followeth a reason of the same For they be worthy Hence the Papists gather that a man by his workes may merit heauē because here they be worthy of reward be worthy to walke with Christ in glory But I answer all true seruants of God be worthy of life euerlasting because God the father giueth Christ to euery true beleeuer so that euery beleeuer may truly say Christ is mine and withall he giueth the spirit of Christ which stirreth vp in the heart true iustifying faith which layeth hold on Christ applieth him and all his righteousnesse Now Christ being giuen to vs by God and receiued of vs by faith is wholly ours and his righteousnesse is made ours by imputation so that Christ with all his benefits is truly ours and when one stands thus iustified in Christ and clothed with his righteousnesse he is said to be worthy of saluation not for any thing of his owne but for Christs righteousnesse for there is a double righteousnesse one of the person as when Christs righteousnesse is imputed to vs another of the work as when a work is done answerable to the rigour of the law and then it is meritorious Now Christ speaketh here of the worthinesse of the person not of the worke of the person standing righteous in Christs righteousnesse Verse 5. To him which ouercometh Here is the conclusion in it note two parts first a promise secondly a commaundement of these before To him which ouercometh that is which getteth victory ouer all his spirituall enemies which we do by holding faith and a good conscience in all things to the end and this is first the partie to whom Seeing that the promises are euer made to him which ouercometh we must labour to haue that estate in conscience truly to say we haue laboured in all things to keepe faith and a good conscience and to thinke it a miserable estate to be ouercome of any enemy be it sin the diuell the world or our flesh I come to the thing promised which is threefold in words but one in substance namely glory happines and life euerlasting First He shall be clothed in white aray that is with eternall glory happines and life Out of this the Papists gather that a man may do a good work in respect of reward It is true indeed one may do so as Moses had respect to the recompence of reward Hebr. 11. 26. yet that must not be the principall end but faith to edifie the church and other men thē we may do it to receiue eternal life as a reward And will not cut his name out of the booke of life Here two questiōs must be assoiled 1. What is the book of life 2. Whether one can be blotted out of it for thou hast the booke of life in Gods predestination or his decree in election by which he hath ordained some men to life in his good pleasure this decree of God is called in a resemblance the booke of life For as a General in the field hath his book wherein he writes al his souldiers names and a Magistrate keepes a record writing in it all the citizens of that citie so God hath his decree wherein he writes the names of all those whom he will saue in his
secret counsell The second question is Whether one can be put out of this booke Ans. A man is written in this booke two wayes first in the iudgement of God truly secondly in the iudgement of men Now if a man be truly written in the counsell of God then he cannot be put out but if he be onely in the iudgement of men he may be blotted out For the first they cannot because Gods counsell is vnchangeable and Rom. 8. whom he predestinates he calleth iustifieth and sanctifieth This golden chaine cannot be broken but whom he predestinateth he glorifieth ergo they cannot fall finally As for the other being onely in the iudgement of men as all be liuing in the church professing Christ these may be put out Psal. 69. Let them be blotted out of the booke of life he prayeth that they might be manifested that they were neuer indeed in the booke of life Hence first we see the number of the elect is certaine for their names are in Gods bill they cannot be put out but remaine for euer This then is no vniuersall election for what neede God a bill or booke to write in some if all were elected Seeing some men being in this booke onely in the iudgement of men may be blotted out and manifested to men to be but hypocrites then we must take heed of all sin and make conscience of euery sinne for so often as we sin we reach vp a pen to heauen to crosse our names to blot them out as much as in vs lieth Let vs then looke to haue our consciences assured that we be in that booke which we may if we find our consciences free from all sin and from all appearance of sin But some godlesse person will hence gather I will liue as I list for if I be in the booke of life I shall be saued if not damned liue how I can But these deceiue themselues for if their names be in it they cannot liue in sin but in faith and obedience in newnesse of life and repentance for he which is predestinated is iustified and must liue in repentance and faith and as surely as he shall be saued he shall liue in faith and repentance 3. I will confesse him in the kingdom of heauen That is at the last day I wil take him for mine he which thus ouercometh and liueth in faith a good conscience I wil confesse him to belong to me to be my mēber I wil separate him from al the world and take him to my selfe and pronounce to him the sentence of absolution Come thou blessed of my Father Math. 25. The end why Christ propounds this third blessing is to moue euery person in the church of Sardis to confesse Christ in this world for he reasons thus If thou shalt confesse me before men I wil confesse thee before my Father if not I will deny thee euen before my Father And so to vs if we will haue Christ confesse vs before God we must confesse him before men and let no creature make vs deny him but stand out against all his enemies euen against the gates of hel and the diuel which is indeed a hard matter for flesh blood yet Christ perswades vs to do it to take paines to professe him before all men for he will confesse vs before God If a King should come in company and choose out one and come to salute him familiarly call him by his name and take him by the hand that would be a great credit but what a happinesse is it to haue Christ Iesus King of all kings to come and call vs by our names take vs by the hands confesse vs to be his friends and pronounce the sentence of absolution before God his Angels the diuel and all men euen our enemies Vers. 7. And write vnto the Church of Philadelpha Here beginneth the sixth particular Epistle reaching to the fourteenth verse And as before euery particular Epistle was set downe a particular commandement to write so here Christ giueth Iohn a particular commandement to write the end of which commādement is to warrant Iohns calling as before often I haue shewed The Epistle hath three parts first the Preface secondly the matter thirdly the conclusion The Preface is in the seuenth verse and it sheweth in whose name this Epistle was written to wit in the name of Christ. And as in other Epistles Christ was described to get credit to the Epistle so is he here by two properties first of holinesse secondly of truth besides he is desscribed by his kingly office which hath the keyes of Dauid The 1 propertie of Christ is he is holy But how can Christ be holy seeing he cometh of Adam as he is man To this many answer that Christ tooke his substance indeed from Adam yet so sanctified as that it is free from all sinne This though it be true yet is not sufficient for as we take from Adam the corruption of nature so we haue from him the guilt of sin Now though sanctification taketh away corruption of nature yet it taketh not away the guilt of sinne Then the true answer is this All which come of Adam by naturall generation and that commaundement which God gaue in the creation Increase and multiply they take from Adam both corruption of nature aud guilt of sin for both be equally conueyed to vs from Adam But God to preuent this ordained that Christ should be borne not by naturall generation but by a miraculous conception and so though he take of man mans nature yet he taketh not mans sinne which he should as well haue had if he had come by ordinarie and naturall generation Now in that it is said Christ is holy note that he is so first in regard of himselfe secondly of vs his church In regard of himselfe first as he is God his Godhead is holy nay his diuine nature is holinesse it selfe there is no difference betweene Christ as he is God and his holinesse Secondly in regard of his humane nature it was not onely free from all sin but filled with all holinesse aboue all men and Angels he had the holy Ghost without measure Thirdly in his actions he was holy as in his actuall obedience and fulfilling the law Secondly Christ is holy in regard of his Church euen of vs his members because he is the author of all holinesse in vs we haue all our holinesse from him nay he is the very roote of holinesse not as the Father or the holy Ghost but in a more speciall maner because from Christ as the roote springeth holinesse in all his members And as from Adam being the root in whom all mankind stood was conueyed sin and corruption to all which came of him so from Christ being the roote is conueyed holinesse to all his members in him he is our sanctification because we fetch our righteousnesse from him as a branch doth sappe from the root for the humane nature of Christ is the very
root from whence is conueyed to vs all righteousnesse Seeing Christ is holy both in himselfe and in vs yea the root of all holinesse we must note this maine principle of all true religion which is to be set and ingraffed into Christ as a branch into a tree and being once in him to become new creatures to labour to feele the power of Christ killing in vs the old man our naturall corruptions and also renewing in vs the new man and the image of God in righteousnesse and true holinesse to feele the power and vertue of Christ as sensibly in vs as we feele the corruption of nature and shew this vertue we receiue of Christ euen as a branch sheweth the sappe it receiueth from the roote by the leaues and fruite 2 Seeing Christ was thus holy he propoundeth to vs a patterne to follow teaching vs to be holy as he was holy to make conscience of al sinne to be conformable to him to marke what he did and to imitate it 1. Ioh. 3. 4. We must purge our selues of sinne and be pure as he is pure for he which is not holy as he is holy shall haue no benefit or fellowship by his death and passion Thirdly we see that title giuen to the Bishop of Rome is blasphemous to call him Holinesse as it is common in all their speeches to him Now he in that taketh to him the title of Christ which is a part of Christs honour communicable to none else nay he taketh more on him then Christ here doth for Christ is called but holy he is called holinesse it selfe The second title of Christ is truth Christ is called true in three respects first because without errour and ignorance he knoweth al things as they be in themselues so do not creatures but by vertue from him Secondly because what he willeth and decreeth he willeth and decreeth seriously without fraud deceipt or any contradiction as appeareth in the whole Scripture wherein is nothing contrarie to it selfe but all without chaunge and alteration Thirdly because he maketh good all his promises in his word he accomplisheth and performeth them all he is the performance of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea and Amen Seeing Christ is true nay truth it self we see a difference betweene Christ and all false spirits for they be spirits of errors the diuell is a lyer from the beginning he is the father of lyes nay his nature is to lie he can do nothing else but Christ is true nay truth it selfe euery way true in his knowledge in his will and in his promises he is true Seeing Christ is absolutely true we must beleeue in him and beleeue his promises in his word without doubting for seeing Christ is true nay truth it selfe what need we call his promises into question And this shold be the very prop of our faith that he which promiseth is true therfore wil perform his promise So in persecutiō in trouble and affliction trust in Christ he hath promised to helpe he will not faile because he is most true of his promise Seeing he is so true he propoundeth himselfe to be followed of vs. Christ he knoweth things truly he willeth and decreeth things seriously so should we promise and performe and make good our lawfull promises Psal. 55. The Lord hateth the deceiptfull person Reu. 20. without that is in hell be all deceiptfull and lying persons Psal. 15. It is a note of a member of the Church and of Christ to be true and faithfull and to speake truth from his heart for the diuell is the author of lies 3 Christ is described by his kingly office which hath the keyes of Dauid First let vs see what is meant by the key of Dauid Esay 22. 22. speaking of Eliakim saith I will put the key of Dauid vpon his shoulder for Ezra had bene Hezechiahs Steward an ancient steward in many kingdomes but in his dayes he began to be negligent in his dutie therfore he decreed to cast him out and to place Eliakim in his stead 2. King 18. 18. and therefore saith he will put the key of Dauid that is the gouernement of the kingdome of Iudah on his shoulder for by Dauids house is meant the kingdome of Dauid and the giuing of the key is the placing and inuesting him into his office and giuing him the authoritie of the kingdome of Dauid Christ here hath the key of Dauid great and large authoritie of the Churches as a chiefe Gouernor in a kingdome It will be said Dauids key was temporall Christs kingdome spirituall Ans. First Christ had Dauids key properly for when Christ was borne the scepter was departed from Iudah to the Romaine Emperour so that Christ then was the next to it and had true right to the crowne and kingdome Luk. 3. And Christ challenging his right saith Mat. 17. 26. That the Kings sonnes be free and therefore he need not to pay tribute 2 Christ had Dauids key typically and figuratiuely for Dauids tēporall kingdome was a figure of Christs spirituall kingdome so Dauid was a figure and type of Christ therefore he is often called Christ and Ezec. 3. Christ is called Dauid Now he is said to haue Dauids kingdome and not Neroes or any other because their kingdomes were kingdomes of darknesse and miserie and cursed kingdomes but Dauids kingdome was a kingdome of light a blessed kingdome hauing those men which were acceptable to God and therefore was a type of the kingdome of Christ. Then where Christ is said to haue Dauids key it is not so to be vnderstood that he had the same with Dauid but that which is signified by Dauids key Christ Mat. 2. is called a Nazarite not that he vsed their rites and customes for he dranke wine they did not but because he was that signified by a Nazarite namely by Sampson Iud. 13. For as he slue more by his death then by his life so Christ he saued more by death then by his life yet Christ was a Nazarite that is seuered from all sin and pollution And so Christ had Dauids key that is the spirituall key signified by his temporall key which key signifieth authoritie power and gouernment of the church of God Which openeth and none shutteth In these words Christ hath relation to an house where when one openeth the doore he openeth the house and so Christ he openeth and he shutteth which sheweth his absolute and soueraigne authoritie he hath the key of Dauid and he hath it absolutely no creature is aboue him but he can shut or open at his pleasure Now this key is the power of Christ. In his hand which is a supreme soueraignetie ouer the church by which he can saue or destroy Now this soueraigne power of Christ hath three parts first to prescribe secondly to iudge thirdly to saue and destory First to prescribe he hath an absolute power without constraint of any creature to commaund what he will haue done or not so he
thing to come namely an houre of temptation Here Christ foretelleth a thing not present but to come though not known to the Church and that without the helpe of any creature man or Angel which prophecying of this persecution vnder Traian sheweth that he is true God for it is a propertie and priuiledge of God simply of by and from himselfe without helpe of any creature foreseeing of things in their courses to foretell a thing to come Men cannot foretell any thing vnlesse it be present in the causes not simply Then here we must know the cause why this persecution came to them rather then peace and why Christ foretold it rather than peace The cause why Christ saith this houre of temptation shall come is not any foreknowledge of Christ or because he foretelleth it for things come to passe not because God foretelleth and knoweth them but because they be to come to passe therefore he foreseeth them and foreknoweth them The cause then why things come to passe is the will good pleasure decree of God Act. 2. 23. Christ was put to death by the eternall counsell and decree of God so it was Gods will and pleasure not his foreknowledge or foreseeing that this persecution came on this church and the decree of God in the effecting of all things is the highest cause by which all things come to passe and that giueth being to al other causes Obiect Then God is the author of sin Answ. As Gods will and decree in the effecting of things is in the highest place so must we distinguish of the things he willeth for he willeth some things which he effecteth himselfe as all good things some things he willeth and yet doth not effect them but onely permits them to be done by other as sin and euill things which though they come not from his will yet they be according to his will not against his will for his will disposeth of sin and euill things and in all things good or euill his will disposeth and setteth downe the causes and circumstances of place time maner how the end c. Then their opinion is false which hold that certaine things as sin come to passe God onely foreseeing them not decreeing them to come to passe or permitting them Now to giue God a bare foreseeing without decreeing is to rob him of his Godhead and to take from him his prouidence by which he disposeth of all things seeing euery thing which is done cometh to passe by his will and decree he either decreeing and effecting it as all good things or permitting it as euill things The end why Christ alleageth this prophecie is to expound the former words namely why he called the time of persecution a temptation because it should certainly come to trie the whole earth Where we may note the propertie of any affliction persecution or crosse namely to trie a man to discrie what is in his heart whether there be grace and feare of God or hypocrisie And for this end is the crosse sent to men to make knowne either their faith or hypocrisie And there is nothing better to trie the heart of man then temptation and afflictiō and then though thy heart was full of presumption before thou maist know what is in thee and iudge of thy selfe Verse 11. Behold I come shortly Here is Christs commaundement in it note first the occasion it selfe secondly the reason to inforce it The commaundement Hold fast namely with both hands as for life and death If thou haue receiued a litle measure of grace rather part with any thing then with it keepe it and preserue it till death but of this before The reasons to inforce this commaundement are two one before the other after The first Behold I come shortly I wil come to thee shortly either by generall iudgement or else by particular iudgement by death Now before it Christ puts a word of attentiō to shew that this cōmandement is not to be lightly passed ouer of vs but to be earnestly and often remembred Now seeing Christ teacheth vs that he will come shortly to vs in iudgement general or particular we must beleeue him and often haue it in memory that Christ is not far off but wil come to vs shortly to shew our estate either in heauen or hell Then we must beleeue it haue it written in our hearts and in our memories and not flatter our selues we must not say that Christ will deferre his coming he teacheth vs that he is at the doore he cometh shortly either by generall iudgement of all men or particular iudgement to vs. Then happy were we if we could as that auncient father did thinke we heare his trumpet sound continually in our cares and thinke in our hearts and remember this that Christ wil not be long but will come very shortly And indeed the cause why men liue in sin neuer call themselues to an account is because men beleeue not and haue not learned this lesson that Christ wil thus come shortly If mē were thus perswaded in hart Christ will come to me shortly to iudge me giue me my reward in heauen or hell surely if they belonged to God it would make them turne to him from their sinnes and breake off their wicked life nay though a man were most desperate yet this wold make him tremble to thinke how Christ will come shortly to iudge him yea it wold make mē if they had any spark of grace to labor to get faith and a good conscience Seeing thē Christ is to come to iudge them shortly who would not repent who would not leaue his sins and turne to Christ vnlesse he will cast his soule away Then this is our duty to labour to get faith and a good conscience to iudge our selues that we may preuent Christs iudgement Againe this very consideration will make a man constant in all Christian duties and lastly it wil comfort such as be in affliction for they may be sure their affliction shall not last alway for Christ will come to iudgement shortly and he will free them from all their crosses and he will ere it be long giue them deliuerance Now followeth the reason after the commaundement That no man take thy crowne from thee that is the crowne of glorie word to vse his Sacraments reuerently else he will take them from vs put off our crowne and make vs a barbarous and brutish people giuen to all idolatrie O then let vs hold these fast with both hands let all go honour riches preferment pleasures and our owne life ere we loose our glorious crowne of the Gospell of Christ for if we wil not hold it fast he will giue it to a nation which though now we cōtemne yet they shall scorn hisse at vs. And now that we heare of warres and inuasions let these put vs in mind of greater iudgement and assure vs that if we make not more accompt of the word and Sacraments and not only professe
The Papist though he seeme to make a great shew of loue to Christ yet he performeth no such thing for he parteth stakes with Christ and maketh himselfe to be his owne sauiour so that howsoeuer he pretend to be a most zealous Catholike yet he hath no true grace 2 The Temporizer he which altereth his religion as times alter And such is the bodie of our people and they are not ashamed to confesse it that they will follow the Prince and change their religiō with the time And this sheweth what men will do if Poperie come againe they may say they are good Christians but they shew themselues plaine Laodiceans 3 All such as follow Nicodemus that is which loue Christ but dare not come to him by day light such as thinke they may heare Masse and yet keepe their conscience to themselues halting betwixt God and Baal 4 Such as are mediators and pacificators and would make an vnion betweene vs and the Papists being perswaded that our religion and the Papists are all one in effect for the matter and substance of it and that all the difference is only in circumstance so they write and defend their opinion but let them pretend what they will zeale of Gods glorie or whatsoeuer be it neuer so much they are but Laodiceans A fift fort there is and who are they Luk. 16. Such as serue God and Mammon And where are they nay where are they not Lamentable is out time wherein men will needes be professors and yet how is all their time spent vpon care for this world The greatest part of their life and time is bestowed on that there is all their ioy care desire labour and studie let them say what they will so long as their care and studie is spent vpon Mammon they are very Laodiceans And such are the most part of our hearers they draw neare God with their lippes but their hearts are vpon their goods the whole heart is set vpon the world and the whole time of their liues is spent in this Who they are your owne consciences will tell you they are indeed Christians professors but lukewarme and worse then Christs enemies 6 They that heare the word and like it but in their liues giue themselues to sinnes blasphemie drunkennesse fornication oppression vsurie some to this vice some to that And euen in this very ranck I place those which professe religion but yet delight in the fond and irreligious fashions of the world vsing the new strange and monstrous fashions of apparell they spend so much time vpon their bodies that the soule goeth naked The world aboundeth with such now yong and old It is strange to see how absurd men are beyond all common reason in apparelling themselues so fondly whereas their garments shold put them in mind of their owne shame and nakednesse be no cause of glorying in them And the modest garments should shew the vertues of the mind now what do they else but shew the vanities and vices of our minds Now shall we excuse our selues though we be none of these not intangled with the sinnes of the world No we cannot We shall find wants of the feare of God of hatred of sinne of the reuerend regard and estimation of the Gospel which we ought to haue so as no man can say he is free from this nay euery man euen he that hath best grace shall feele in himselfe want of care and loue to God and his word Therefore we must with Iob lay our hands vpon our mouthes and say we are vile Well this being so now consider the iudgement threatened lay it before your eyes marke the end and recompence Christ will spue such out of his mouth that is cast them from God from Christ and his Church This threatning pertaineth to this age and therefore we must tremble and be ashamed and repent of this sinne left ere long we be spued out of his mouth Thus much of the examination of this sinne Now of the amendement of it Where note first the fault secondly the greatnesse of it thirdly the punishment that is a separation from the Church Now I will proceed further to shew that euen among vs as well as in other places this sinne is to be found that euery one may be the better acquainted with his owne state And this appeareth by diuerse signes First by common neglect of the duties of Religion which is manifested diuerse waies first though we come often and greedily to the Church yet very few profit in knowledge and fewer in amendement of life and many that profit in knowledge something do thriue in obedience litle or nothing at all How true this is I appeale to euery mans conscience This is an euident argument of great negligence in all sorts Take the bodies of our congregations they be as ignorant as any I know there be some which profit both in knowledge and practise but I speake of the greatest part Experience in diuerse occasions maketh this manifest The second token of this negligence is that few spend any time in reading of the word to search the Scriptures try whether it be as they are taught or not nay few will be at the cost to buy a Bible or if they haue one they will not take the paines to reade in it or to keep a constant course in reading of it daily A third signe is the prophanation of the Sabbath though many come to Church at the time appointed for publike worship and seruice yet there is no priuate sanctification of it at home but when the congregation is dissolued men betake themselues to their owne affaires profits delights and pleasures No such persons can possibly haue any great measure of knowledge or obedience and grace because they do not keepe times for this purpose By these signes it is plaine and euident yea palpable that there is great negligence in the duties of Religion Now where there is such negligence though coldnesse be wanting yet there is no heate and we are but lukewarme Gospellers Another sign of lukewarmnesse is this our religion stands on generals and reacheth not to our particular callings In the church we are good Christians but when we come home to the particular duties of our priuate callings where is religion then where is the practise of that we heare There is no conscience made of lying deceiuing oppressing no care of that good dealing which ought to be in men Al our religion is in the church and none at home Whereas if religion were in the hart it would shew some fruit in our liues as fire and heate cannot be hidden Although I doubt not but there be some of whom these sins take no hold yet there be many which professe that they be neither hot nor cold but in a meane between both and yet they will be partakers of the word and sacraments and when they see any haue care to obey they haue presently the name of
of their pride that it was not small but great therefore the word is doubled to shew the strength of their conceipt and the greatnesse of their pride Now what is the cause why they were not onely puft vp but giuen to such an high degree of pride Answ. Knowledge was the cause for no doubt but the Angell of that Church had great knowledge and was a learned man and the people were well instructed Now knowledge puffeth vp it maketh mens hearts to swell with pride therfore it is true that where much knowledge is there is much pride if men want the grace of humiliation and griefe for sinne And haue need of nothing Here is a further marke and token of their pride when a man thinkes thus that he needs no help for his saluation if he stands in no need of Christs blood for the saluation of his soule this is a notable signe of abundant pride in the heart This serueth further to conuince our congregration of this pride for if we be neuer so litle sicke straight we seeke to the Phisitians but though our soules be neuer so sicke none seeke to the Ministers sicknesses we feele but not sins therefore the Phisitian is in request but the Minister is not thought of till the pangs of death be felt This shewes that we abound in spirituall pride therfore marke this you must labour to feele what need you haue of Christ for til you do so there is no grace in the heart If you would haue grace learne this that you want the bloud of Christ and till you feele this neuer thinke your case good but wretched and damnable It is a daungerous case for a man to say he wanteth nothing And knowest not Here he setteth downe the cause of their pride that is ignorance as if he should say Thou knowest not thine owne naturall estate as thou wert borne of Adam thy state out of Christ. Thus we see that ignorance is the cause of pride and pride of lukewarmenesse By this he sheweth what they are ignorant of Hence it may be gathered that pride was not the first sinne nor the roote of all other sinnes as the Papists and some other thinke Indeed it is a great sinne and a mother sinne yet it hath a more inward cause that is ignorance Whereof euen of a mans owne estate before God so much Christ here signifieth The cause why any thinke wel of themselues and swell in pride is the ignorance of their owne estate and because they are ignorant of that therefore they are puft vp with pride By this we must all be admonished to haue care to learne to know our owne estate in which we are by nature without Christ. Euery person that will come to saluation must be throughly acquainted with his owne estate and know his owne sinnes and the curse due to them and therefore it is that the Prophets so often call vpon the people to search and fanne themselues that they might be acquainted with their owne estate Till you know this you shall be but proud peacocks neuer haue grace although you haue otherwise very great gifts of knowledge and grace to conceiue a prayer be able to teach yet you shall neuer haue any grace to turne and repent truly till the ignorance of your state be remoued and then cometh grace true obedience and humiliation and other graces needfull for Gods seruice therefore labour for it If there be any blemish in your face you will see it O then labour to see the spots of your soules Now in that Christ doth thus strike at the roote of their pride and bewray their ignorance he sheweth the state of euery man by nature so that here cometh to be handled the naturall estate and miserie of man The miserie of this Church is propounded two waies first generally secondly particularly Generally in two words wretched and miserable Wretched that is one subiect to misery griefe and calamities so much is signified by the first word That we may know what this miserie is I will enter into a description of mans wretchednesse Where two things must be considered first the roote and fountaine of it namely originall sinne which hath two branches first that very particular offence and trespasse whereby Adam sinned which is not onely the sinne of his person but of mans nature and of euery one that cometh of Adam Christ excepted Secondly from that sinne as a part of it and yet withall as a punishment of it followeth the corruption of mans heart and defacing of Gods image whereby the heart hath got a pronenesse and disposition or inclination to all sinne In these two stand mans miserie for from these do spring al our miseries both in and after this life So much for the first part what mans miserie is Againe we must conceiue it vnder the forme of a punishment All miserie of what kind soeuer is a punishment laid vpon man for that first sinne Now the punishment of sinne must be considered diuerse waies according to the diuerse times of mans being either in this world or departed hence All punishment is either in this life or in the end of it or after and so is miserie in this life in the end of it or after it Againe some miseries concerne the whole man and they are two principally First a subiection to Gods wrath whereby a man is in daunger thereof euery day made a child of wrath This is a miserie of all miseries and so much the more grieuous as a man cannot without some grace see it Secondly bondage to the diuell the Scripture speaketh of it oftentimes You may conceiue it thus The man regenerate saith I sin but I would not sinne the naturall man saith I sinne and I will sinne it is my nature to sinne and my pleasure and in sinne will I liue And these are the two miseries concerning the whole man Now there be miseries which concerne not the whole man but the bodie or soule goods or calling in this life Miseries concerning the soule are these First in the mind and vnderstanding there is blindnesse and ignorance of Gods will Secondly in diuerse persons madnesse and foolishnesse All these are miseries curses and punishments inflicted on mans soule for sin And further that nothing can be learned without paines and difficultie Further in the mind there is a conscience and there is accusation secret feares and terrors and so many accusations so many miseries In the will there is rebellion and in the affections peruersenesse which is not onely a sinne but a plague and punishment And as the soule so the bodie is subiect to his miseries to many paines aches and diseases Yea the diseases of mans bodie are so many that all Physicke bookes cannot record them Besides diseases there is mortalitie that is a subiection to death so as all the art and skill in the world cannot preuent it In our goods the want of necessaries is a miserie and by