day for some certaine time carrieth a faggot for his own burning in the end Secondly from this end of life all that haue not repented must learne not to deferre their repentance but now begin while it is called to day and in the exercise thereof spend the whole time of their life The end of all our endeauours while wee liue should be this to get a roome in the kingdome of God which wee can neuer haue without repentance Next consider who it is that giues this time of repentance neither man nor Angell hath this time in his hands but the power of appointing it belongs vnto Christ alone Hereby then all persons whatsoeuer are to bee admonished without delay to repent The young man will take his pleasure in his youth and repent when he is old but hereby he robbeth Christ of his honour who onely hath power to point out the time of repentance Vse therefore the time present while thou hast it and deferre not repentance for how knowest thou that thou shalt liue to bee old And though thou doest yet how canst thou tell whether God will giue thee repentance considering thou diddest refuse while he called for it Men thinke that if they die quietly and peaceably all is well they goe to heauen straight but herewith many are deceiued for vnlesse they haue truely repented they goe straight to the deuill let their manner of dying be what it will A quiet death is a comfortable thing but no sure signe of grace because it may come by reason of some easie lingering sickenesse Considering therefore wee haue no title vnto this grace of repentance to clayme it at our pleasure it being the rare gift of God nor any leaâ—â— of our life but bee meere tenants at will let vs seeke to turne to God with full purpose of heart while 〈◊〉 is called to day and if we haue begun let vs dayly renew this grace to the end of our life Thirdly consider to whome God giues space of repentance namely to a wicked woman as wicked as Iezabell Wherein behold the endlesse mercie of God that vnto such a wicked person who blasphemed God in fathering her sinnes vpon the spirit of grace and dishonoured God by seducing his seruants doth yet vouchsafe a time of repentance This hath beene and is the dealing of God with most grieuous sinners Manasses was one that sold himselfe to worke wickednesse giuing himselfe to sorcerie and idolatrie and yet vpon his heartie repentance God receiued him to mercie And Salomon fell most fearefully but yet before his death wee may persuade our selues hee repented and was receiued to mercie for hee was a penman of Scripture all which were holy men of God as Peter sayth 2. Pet. 1.20 The Israelites were a people of Sodome and of Gomorrha as bad as those who are condemned in hell and yet mercie is offered vnto them vpon their true repentance and conuersion Hereby no man must take occasion to liue in his sinnes but those that feele themselues laden with the huge burden of their transgressions haue here a comfort to keepe them from despaire for if they can humble themselues and turne vnto Christ and pray for the pardon of their sinnes there is yet with the Lord mercie in store that they may bee saued Lastly Christ saith He gaue her space to repent of her fornication No doubt she had many other sinnes whereof shee was to repent for no sinne goeth alone but euery capitall sinne draweth many with it Christ his meaning therefore is not that she should let passe other sins without repentance but he nameth this one sin of fornication because it was a principall sinne in her for she both practised it in her owne bodie and so made her selfe the stable of the diuell who should haue bene the temple of Gods holy spirit and also maintained this sinne and so drew others thereto Now speciall and principall repentance must be of principall sinnes Here then is a patterne for all sinners how to practise repentance They must beginne with their capitall sinnes which burden their conscience and whereto they are most addicted and repent of them For the man that truly repenteth of one sinne repenteth of all for true repentance maketh the heart alike affected to all sinnes And that heart which is brought to hate his speciall sinnes will neuer approue of pettie sinnes This lesson ought carefully to be learned put in practise For the repentance of most men is onely in generall to say wee are all sinners Lord haue mercie vpon me or God forgiue me But this confused repentance is not good it stands with a purpose to sinne againe In particular therefore we must search our consciences and see wherein we haue most dishonored God and what sinne hath neerest plunged our soules to the pit of hell and with that we must beginne to bring our soules to heauen by repenting truly for the same and turning from it with all our hearts Hence the Papists gather that man hath free will to doe that which is truly good before God as namely to repent for say they God gaue Iesabell space of time to repent and therefore shee had power to repent or else the giuing of that time vnto her had bene in vaine Answ. Their reason is nought it followeth not because God gaue her time to repent therefore she had power of her selfe to repent as will easily appeare if wee consider the ends for which God giues men space time of repentance and commandement so to do The ends are two I. That in that time of repentance which hee allotteth to men hee may giue his children grace whereby they may be enabled to obey his commandement and to repent for the Lord vseth the commandements and threatnings of the law and the promises of the gospell as outward meanes of giuing grace vnto men by the worke of his spirit II. He giueth commaundement and time to repent that men may see what they should doe not what they can doe and that the wicked may bee without excuse at the day of iudgement and be ashamed of their slauerie bondage vnto sinne in this life And shee repented not Here the sinne of Iezabell is expressed namely her impenitencie and hardnesse of heart Whereby without remorse shee liued in her fornication and idolatrie For the vnderstanding of this her sinne two points are to bee considered I. Where this sinne of impenitencie is forbidden in Gods word II. What is the greatnesse of this sinne for the first there bee two parts of Gods word the Law and the Gospell which must not be confounded but distinguished or else wee shall ouerturne manie points of Christian religion The law giues commandements touching things that were by nature in Adam before his fall forbidding those things which are contrarie to those vertues which were in his perfect nature But the gospell commands forbids things that are aboue nature and in that part of Gods word is this
bee an inducement vnto all those that are indued with gifts fit for this calling to affect the same Lastly euery minister of the gospell must hereby learne to bee faithfull in his calling and holy in his conversation for by vertue of his calling hee is placed in Christs right hand Now shall we thinke that Christ wil long bear in his right haÌ„d any that are vnfaithfull or prophane Nay he will take them out of his right hand and put them vnder his feete of brasse and there grind them to powder For as they are honoured aboue others by their place so shall their confusion be the greater vnlesse they be faithfull This wee may see in Nadab and Abihu Leuit. 10.1 and Hophâ—â—â— and Phineas 1. Sam. 3.13 And in the same respect ought all the people of God to be carefull to their wayes for by their calling of christianitie they be members of Christ. Now if they be not faithfull and answerable to their profession hee will surely deale with them as with vnfaithfull ministers put them vnder his feet of brasse confound them for euer They must therefore make conscience of all sin and become not hearers onely but doers of his will so shall Christ protect them in this life and saue them eternally And out of his mouth went a sharpe two edged sword This sword that came out of his mouth is nothing else but the doctrine of the Law and the Gospell vttered and propounded in the writings and ministerie of the Prophets and Apostles Heb. 4.12 The word of God is liuely mightie in operation and sharper than any two edged sword And it is thereto compared because as a sword with a double edge entreth sharply into the flesh and pierceth deeply into the bones euen to the very marrow So the doctrine of the Law and the Gospell entreth sharply and pierceth deepely into the very marrow of the heart of euery man to the diuiding of the thought and the spirit This two edged sword the word of God hath a twofold operation One vpon the wicked Another in the elect It woundeth the wicked at the very heart with a deadly wound and thereby brings them to eternall death Isay. 11.4 Christ shall slay the wicked with the breath of his lippes that is with his word which is this two edged sword Herewith shall he consume Antichrist 2. Thes. 2.8 visit Leuiathan and slay the dragon that is the greatest enemies of his church Isay. 27. vers 1. Here consider how the word of God should kill an impenitent sinner There be three degrees of spirituall death First in this life where an impenitent sinner receiueth his deadly wound The second at the end of this life when the bodie is laid in the graue but the soule goeth to the torments of the damned The third at the end of the world when bodie and soule together go to hell eternally Now a sinner receiueth in this life his deadly wound after this manner Christ in the giuing thereof hath a threefold worke in his heart by the ministerie of his word which is this two edged sword First hereby he reuealeth vnto him his sinnes as hypocrisie pride and rebellion of heart with all other his horrible and damnable transgressions against the first and second table 1. Cor. 14.24.25 When all Prophesie and there commeth in one vnlearned he is reproued of all the Prophets by the word iudge him and thereby lay open vnto him the secret sinnes of his heart with the sinnes of his life Secondly Christ hereby reueâ—leth vnto him his indignation and wrath which is the curse of the law due vnto him In which regard the law is called a killing letter shewing no mercy but onely thundreth out the fierce wrath of God vpon transgressors Thirdly hereby Christ awaketh his guiltie conscience sharpneth the sting thereof and terrifieth him at the hearing of his word Thus wicked Felix trembled when hee heard Paul preach of temperance righteousnesse and the â—udgement to come So when king Belshazzer saw the palme of the hand writing things against him vpon the â—all his countenance was changed his thoughts troubled him his ioynts were loosed and his knees stood one against another And al these are wrought in the wicked without apprehension of mercy or reformation of life It may please God to recouer one that â—s 〈◊〉 wounded but while he is 〈◊〉 this estate hee hath receiued a deadly wound and without vnfamed repentance is alreadie in thâ— first step towardâ— eternal death for these horrorâ— oâ— conscience seuered from the apprehension of Gods mercie in Christ are no grace but the flashes of hell fire and the beginning of eternall woe And thus we see how Christ by this sword woundeth his enemies Hence we are to learne sundry duties First how to earne our selues towards them that after they haue heard the word preached vnto them will rage and storme against it and the preachers therof because it touched them We must not despise or maligne them but rather be mooued with compassion towards them For this their behauiour is a token they are wounded with the sword of Christ at the verie heart and these their ragings are nothing but struglings before death eternall vnlesse the Lord in mercy recouer them of this deadly wound II. Hereby wee are let to see and know the lamentable state of the greatest number in those congregations where the word hath long bene preached for we shall find by lamentable experience that in those placeâ— few come to true knowledge repentance and obedience but most remaine ignorant and impenitent now this their condition is most fearefull A terrible iudgement of God is vpon them for when men haue long heard Gods word and are not thereby bettered for knowledge in mind and obedience of life they are thereby wounded vnto death This two edged sword hath alwayes his worke it either cureth vnto life by working repentance and other graces of saluation or woundeth vnto death them that receiue it not We must therefore lament the case of such persons as remainâ— ignorant and impenitent vnder the ministerie of the word for they are as yet dead men for ought wee know how soeuer they may make a faire shew by their â—â—ill honestie If any man should come into a field and there behold many thousands slaughtered and 〈◊〉 ouâ— bloâ—d some in the â—ead some in the side c. this sight would make his heart to bleed Wel this 〈…〉 God 's church though it be not seene with bodily eyes the most men are wounded with this sword of Gods word and lye 〈◊〉 wallowing in the bloâ—d of their soules 〈◊〉 they continue in ignorance in seâ—uritie and want of repentaâ—ce III. This mâ—st admonish vs all to labour earnestly to haue further things wrought in vs than a knowledge of our sinnes an apprehension of wrath oâ— horrour of conscience namely 〈◊〉 faith and repentance and sound reformation of life for without this wee haue nothing in vs
For the first I know thy workes many doe expound this of workes of mercie and liberalitie but that wil not so well stand for he saith to euerie church I know thy workes and yet some of them are blamed for want of these good workes By works then is meant the wayes that is the practises and dealings of the whole church as well of ministers as people in all their affaires Also by knowledge here we must vnderstand a knowledge that goeth with application as may appeare by comparing this with the fourth verse whither it hath relation for thus they must go I know thy workes and approue of them and yet I haue somthing against thee So that his meaning is I know thy workes that is all thy wayes and dealings in thy life and conuersation are manifest vnto me and I do generally approue of them Here first in this testimonie of his knowledge Christ ministreth a remedie against secret sinnes and offences The theefe the murtherer and adulterer wait for the night wherein to attempt their shamefull practises The tradesman in secret falsifyeth his weights and mingleth his wares among most men fraud oppression and iniustice do abound and all because they thinke that if men see not all is well as Dauid saith the wicked man saith God shall not see he will not regard But if men could thinke and bee persuaded of this that Christ seeth and knoweth all their wayes it would cause them to make conscience not onely of grosse sinnes but euen of their hidden and secret offences Secondly whereas this knowledge is ioyned with approbation it may be demanded how this can stand with the iustice of God to approue of that which is not answerable to the tenour of his law as the best workes of the most righteous man are not beeing stained with some corruption Isay. 64 6. Answ. The Gospell which is another part of Gods wil reuealeth more vnto vs than euer the law could do namely that if a man bee in Christ to him there is no condemnation and that God will accept his true desire and endeuour to please him for the deed it selfe 2. Cor. 8.12 And thus according to the tenour of the Gospell Christ approueth of their workes in this place though they were not able to abide the â—igor of his law But a Papist will here reason thus If a righteous mans workes bee approued of God then they are no sinnes for God will not approue of any thing that is sinfull and if his workes be no sinnes then he may fulfill the law and so bee iustified by his workes Answ. That which Christ approueth simply hath no sinne in it but here he onely approueth of their workes in part namely so farre foorth as they came from the work of his spirit in them but as they proceed from the will of the worker which is in part corrupt they are not free from the staine of sinne and so he approueth them not Againe workes of grace are approued of Christ with the pardon of sinne for accepting of the person he remitteth the faults that be in his good workes and so onely approueth his own worke in him And so here we must conceiue of his approbation of their workes to wit as proceeding from his spirit and hauing the faults thereof remitted in his owne merit The speciall commendation of this church is for particular actions The first whereof is diligent labour which is an excellent worke especally in a minister of Gods word to be painefull in his particular calling for the faithfull instruction and godly regiment of his particular charge Hence Paule saith 1. Tim. 5.17 He that laboureth in the word and doctrine is principally worthy double honor And herein Paul matcheth yea preferreth himselfe before other Apostles That hee laboured more abundantly in the ministery of the Gospell than they all 1. Cor. 15.10 Hence we learne that the worke of the ministerie if it be done as it ought is a worke full of great paines and labour contrary to the common opinion of men who thinke that the life of the minister is full of ease and his calling a matter of nothing such as may be done with the turning of the hand but here the iudgement of Christ is other wayes who vseth not thus to approue a light or idle worke Secondly this commendation of diligence in the minister must admonish all christians that desire to be approoued of Christ to giue all diligence to learne and know the will of God that they may do the same And here a common fault is to be reproued many will heare but where is their labour to grow in knowledge in grace that is wanting which iâ— the cause of such fruitlesse hearing as is common in the world For earthly things men refuse no paines but Gods heauenly knowledge and graces are not regarded What a shame is this that men should bestow their strength and wit about base and transitorie things and yet neglect the main good which concernes their soules for euer Thirdly the ministers diligence in teaching must prouoke conscience of obedience in the hearers that is the end of his worke without this hee spends his strength in vaine and therefore with the Apostle they must indeuour in all things to keepe a good conscience before God and all men Act. 24.16 The second thing which Christ here commends is patienâ—e in bearing the crosse which doth vsually accompanie the Gospell of Christ. And this indeed is praise worthy in the angel of this church for herin he goeth before sundry worthy prophets Ieremie was maruellous impatient for the mockings of the people And though Ionas had beene schooled in the whales belly yet when all things went not according to his mind in the destruction of Niniuie he became exceeding discontent Herein must all the ministers of the Gospell become followers of the Angell of this church While they labour in the Gospell of God they must possesse their soules with patience and make knowne to all men their meeke and mild spirit Yea euerie christian in the profession of religion must learne to practise this duty Luk. 8.16 The good ground receiueth the seed and bringeth forth fruit but how with patience Neither can wee possibly attaine to eternall life vnlesse we arme our selues with patience to beare the crosse for whosoeuer will liue godly must suffer affliction 2. Tim. 3.12 Through many tribulations we must enter into heauen Act. 14.22 II. Againe here obserue how Christ ioyneth labour and patience together this he doth for two causes First to let vs see the fruit of sinne which God hath set on the labour of man Before the fall the labour of mans calling was practised without all trouble or paines but since mans fall the best callings haue their crosses and vexations which are the punishments of mans transgression Socondly to shew vs the malice of Sathan against the good progresse of the Gospell Paul saith to the Thessalonians
hated namely Idolatrie and Adulterie which are ioyned together in these Nicolaitans Adulterie is the punishment of Idolatrie and Idolatrie the punishment of Adulterie Spirituall Adulterie is punished with bodily adulterie This was verified in the old Iewes when they fell a whoring after strange gods God gaue them vp to vncleane lust And it is palpable in the Church of Rome they being fallen to idolatrie doe abound in all vncleanenesse for they tollerate stewes for fornication and adulterie and Sodomic are common among them Againe sundry men may here be well admonished who will bee of no Religion because there are many sects and schismes among the professours thereof These men should consider That in the best Churches planted by the Apostles there were sects and heresies euen in the Apostles times as here in Ephesus And therefore no maruell if there bee sects and schismes among vs at this day This offence should not mooue any to dislike the gospell but rather cause them more firmely to cleaue vnto the truth Which I also doe hate This Christ addeth to encourage them to goe forward in the vertue for which hee commended them in hating euill workes for what could more prouoke them to zeale and constancie therein than to know they did that which Christ himselfe did And here wee see that Christ would haue euery member of his Church to be like minded and like affected vnto him as he was man Wee must loue those things which Christ loueth and hate those things which Christ hateth reioyce wherein Christ reioyceth and mourne for those things for which Christ mourned And great reason it should be so for wee professe our selues to be members of Christ bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh for out of his bloud sprung the Church and there must bee consent and conformitie betweene the head and the members Quest. If Christ hated these wicked men why did hee suffer them to liue and not cut them off from troubling his Church Answ. Because hereby hee would manifest his loue to his Church and his iustice vpon the wicked for hee can bring light out of darkenesse and good not onely out of good but out of euill Verse 7. Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit sayth vnto the Churches To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eat of the tree of life which is in the middest of the paradise of God These words containe the conclusion of this Epistle the scope whereof is to excite this Church to the more carefull performance of the duties before prescribed This conclusion hath two parts a commaundement and a promise The commaundement in the beginning of the verse Let him that hath aâ—â—are he arâ— what the spirit sayth vnto the Churches In this commaundement note three points I. who are commaunded These which haue eares II. The dutie commaunded They must heare III. What they must heare namely What the spirit sayth vnto the Churches I. point The parties commanded are thus set forth He which hath an eare who these bee Christ doth more fully expound Matth. 13.9 when hee saith Let him that hath an eare to heare heare Where he maketh this distinction of hearers that some are deafe hearers some hearing hearers The deafe hearers are those that bring with them to the ministerie of the word their outward eares only but their hearts are not affected with it neither do they care to learne to beleeue or obey that which is taught them The hearing hearers are all such as beside their bodily eares haue eares piâ—â—ced in their hearts by the spirit of grace whereby they doe not onely heare the word outwardly but their hearts are also affected with it and made pliable vnto it so as they beleeue it and bring forth obedience vnto it This hearing eare is set foorth by Dauid when he saith Sacrifice and burnt offeringâ— thou wouldest not haue but mine â—ares hast thou opened and preparâ—d and then I sayd Loâ— I come Hereof Isay saith Thou openedst mine eares and I was noâ— rebellious And this hearing eare 〈…〉 giuen her when God opened her heart whereby she became attentiue to the word of God preached by Paule By this distinction of hearers which Christ maketh we may learne that Gods grace vnto saluation is not vniuersal that is God giueth not vnto al men such measure of grace whereby if they will themselues they may beleeue repent and be saued For in Christs time and euer since there haue bene in the church these two kind of hearers whereof the deafe hearer doth not receiue nor beleeue the gospell vnto saluation Neither is it true that God giueth grace sufficient vnto all whereby they might be saued if they by their malice and sinne did not abolish the same For though he admit all sorts into his church yet not all but some onely haue eares pierced by the spirit of grace that they can heare And therefore when the Disciples asked Christ Why hee spake in parables he answered thus To you it is giuen to know the will of God and the secrets of his kingdom but to others it is not giuen Shewing plainly that the gift of hearing to saluation is not giuen to all and in some made void by their own wilfulnesse but to some it is giuen and they haue hearing eares and to some it is not giuen and their eares are deafe Secondly seeing this commaundement is directed to the hearing hearers we must hereby be admonished to vse all good meanes to become good hearers of Gods word bringing with vs not onely the bodily eares which we haue by creation but the spirituall eares of the heart which we haue by regeneration For it is not sufficient to our saluation to receiue the word into the outward bodily eares vnlesse the inward eares of the heart bee opened that our soule may bee affected with the word and fitted to receiue to beleeue and obey the same Thus did good king Iâ—sias heare the law read the text saith His heart 〈◊〉 within him And thus did Dauid heare when the Lord sayd to the church Seeke â—ee my face his heart answered I seeke thy face O Lord. And as we must bee carefull to get spirituall eares so wee must take heede of deafe eares Which is when a man commeth heareth the word of God but yet hath no care in his heart to learne beleeue or obey the same This deafe eare is a fearefull iudgement of God whereof we may read Isay. 6.9 where the Prophet is sent To make their eares heauie and their harts fat that they might not beare nor beleeue lest they should turne and be saued And this the rather we must looke vnto because it is a iudgement of God vpon many among vs at this day The greatest part of hearers are deafe hearers which appeareth by this that after long teaching they neitheir increase in knowledge nor in faith nor in obedience but remaine the same for blindnesse of mind hardnesse
euery mans conscience will mooue vnto him namely How may I scape the second death that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Answ. Thou must in this life truely turne vnto God from all thine euill wayes renounce thy selfe and put all thine affiance in Christ his death and passion and euermore labour to keepe true religion faith and good conscience vnto death in all estates This doe and though thou tast of the first yet the second death shall neuer touch thee Thirdly hereby Christ giueth vs to vnderstand that of the two deaths the second is the worser The bodily death is terrible vnto Nature but the second is the proper death indeed the destruction of the creature in soule and bodie eternally And yet behold the madnesse of man who feareth greatly the first death and regardeth nothing the burning lake like vnto little children that feare their owne shaddowes and yet are not afraid of fire and water that will burne and drowne theÌ„ This is mans miserable estate through the blindnesse of his mind the hardnesse of his heart Verse 12. And to the Angell of the Church which is at Pergamus write This sayth hee that hath that sharpe sword with two edges Here is the third particular commaundement which Christ gaue to Iohn whereof wee haue spoken before in the first verse shewing there what is meant by Angell and why this particular commaundement was giuen vnto Iohn This third Epistle of Christ as the former hath three parts a Preface in this verse The Proposition of the Epistle verse 13 and so forward vnto the 17 And the Conclusion in the 17 verse I. part The Preface sheweth in whose name this Epistle is written namely in Christs name The causes whereof we haue shewed before in the first verse Christ is here set foorth by an action of his kingly office borrowed from the former Chapter verse 16. These things sayth hee that hath that sharpe two edged sword that is He who is not onely Priest and Prophet of his church but the king thereof to guide and gouerne the same The sword which hee hath in his hand or in his mouth as Isay sayth is that two edged sword yea that sharpe two-edged sword thereby is signified the whole word of God the Law and Gospell which is so called by reason of the operation thereof as it is Hebr. the 4.12 Christ is thus described to comfort this Church of Pergamus For hereby three things are signified First his wonderfull power in slaying originall sinne and corruption by his word in all them that beleeue in him so as there is no hope of recouerie for sinne after it is once wounded Secondly that hee will strengthen and preserue his Church and all the true members thereof by the same word against all their enemies This it doth after this manner The whole word of God both law and gospell must both bee knowne and beleeued then whensoeuer any temptation commeth faith maketh the same word powerfull in vs to repell the temptation and to strengthen vs in affliction for it is that sword of the spirit whereby wee wound all our enemies But if it bee not beleeued it is but as a sword in a sheath and will nothing helpe vs. Thirdly hereby he signifieth that hee destroyeth all their enemies this is the chiefe end why hee so describeth himselfe in this place How Christ woundeth his enemies herewith wee haue shewed in the former Chapter and the sixteenth verse with the vses thereof Verse 13. I know thy workes and where thou dwellest euen where Sathans throne is and thou keepest my name and hast not denied my faith euen in thâ—se dayes when Antipas my faithfull Martyr was slaine among you where Sathan dwelleth Here beginneth the second part of this Epistle to wit the Proposition which containeth two parts A commendation of this Church in this verse and a Reproofe vers 14 15. The commendation is twofold First generall in these words I know thy workes then speciall in the words following I know where thou dwellest c. Of the generall commendation wee haue spoken in the former Epistles verse 2. and 9. This yet must be obserued that Christ herewith beginneth the matter of all his Epistles intending no doubt hereby to settle the persuasion of his presence deepely in euery one of our hearts for it is indeed the ground of the holy feare of God which is the beginning of all true religion and godlinesse And here Christ giueth a president for his ministers namely that the first thing they must teach their people is to be persuaded of this presence of Christ wheresoeuer they are Christ is with them and whatsoeuer they do he seeth them This will cause them make conscience of all their waies and it is impossible that any should euer haue sound knowledge or good conscience till he be persuaded hereof Abraham knew well that in Abimelekes court they would make no conscience of murther because they wanted this feare of God to feare God and keepe his commaundements is the whole man and therefore wee should giue all diligence hereunto It is indeed a hard lesson for vs to learne and of our selues wee cannot learne it but if we vse the meanes Gods blessing will be vpon our endeuour and then shall wee haue knowledge vpon knowledge and grace vpon grace with the comfort of a good conscience The particular commendation of this church is for her constancie in maintaining the doctrine of the gospell in these words I know where thou dwellest euen in a place where Sathans throne is and yet for all that thou keepest my name that is thou holdest still my true religion and doctrine The throne of Sathan is any place where superstition idolatry or profanenesse is maintained without controlement and from whence wickednesse is conueyed to other places For the diuell is the God of the world and he hath his thrones among men Pergamus was a great citie of the gentiles which maintained idolatry and persecuted the gospell from whence also iniquitie was deriued to other townes and places therefore it is called the diuels throne Herein we may obserue sundrie points of great importance First the exceeding pollicie of Sathan he hath his kingdome in this world and for the establishing thereof he must haue his thrones where wickednesse and idolatrie is maintained without controlement and whence sin is deriued to other places In all ages it hath bene thus and will continue so to the end In the old world hee had his thrones among Cains posteritie in the church of the Iewes euen in the daies of the kings of Israell the high places and groues where the people sacrificed to their idols were the diuels thrones the oracles of the gentiles where the diuels gaue answere vnto men were his cheefe thrones in the dayes of poperie euerie church and chappell were thrones of Sathan wherein were erected images holy roods for the worship of saints whither the people came to worship from
A GODLY AND LEARned Exposition or Commentarie vpon the three first Chapters of the Reuelation PREACHED IN CAMBRIDGE BY that reuerend and judicious Diuine maister WILLIAM PERKINS Ann. Dom. 1595. First published for the benefit of Gods Church by ROBERT HILL Bachelor of Diuinitie The second Edition reuised and enlarged after a more perfect copie at the request of M. PERKINS executors by THOMAS PIERSON Preacher of Gods word Hereunto is prefixed an Analysis of the Vision in these three Chapters And a twofold Table added one of places of Scripture the other of speciall points to bee obserued PROV 13.9 and PROV 4.18 The light of the righteous reioyceth by encrease shining more and more vnto the perfect day But the candle of the wicked shall be put out LONDON Printed by Adam Jslip for Cuthbert Burbie and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Swan 1606. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL AND VERTVOVS Ladie the Ladie ELIZABETH MONTAGV of Hemington in Northamptonshire Grace and Peace IVST cause there was Right worshipfull as well in respect of the reuerend Author whose rest is now in glory as also of the godly Reader whose good herein claimes speciall stroke that some refining hand should recommend vnto the Church of God a more perfect coppie of this godly Exposition than the first edition hereof did affoord and yet no cause I find why your worthie children who no doubt for the Authors sake did more gratefully accept the former dedication should by me be depriued of their right Nay rather as they in heart I am persuaded did highly honour the Author for his double labor in Christs vineyard so do I reioyce this recompence is returned for their loue That with this worke their memorie with posteritie shall long endure And sith my paines herein yeelds me this right to make choyce of some to whom I also may commend the patronage hereof I presume to present the same vnto your Ladiship If this bee any kindnesse on my behalfe I confesse it is farre short of your desert and of my desire some others I know may challenge me herein as vnmindfull of their loue yet because God may offer me opportunitie hereafter to giue them good content this way I will intreat their patience for this time that I may ioyne the mother with the children in this worke of loue to affoord tuition to these godly labours of the dead It fits you best good Madam in many respects for neither will your children complaine of your admission into the society of their right nor you esteeme the lesser hereof because of their claime hereto by former possession They are your owne and you theirs this comes vnto you all as vnto one accounting your vnited loue for greater safetie and looke what grace it finds by your protection like grace it yeelds by many a good instruction Salomon saith Good vnderstanding maketh acceptable meaning to such as feare God for fooles hate knowledge how welcome then will this be vnto you who haue sayd vnto Wisedom thou art my sister and do esteeme the words of her mouth The ioy and reioycing of your heart sith herein you shall find on euery leafe some pleasant fruit of the tree of life a tast whereof I will here set before you that you may iudge the better of the store When the Disciples harts were full of greefe for Christs departure then at hand Philip sayd vnto him in the name of all Shew vs the father and it sufficeth Loe here behold and you shall see not the father alone but with the father the spirit of grace and with them both the Son of God so liuely described to your view that you may truly say of this knowledge God sanctifying the same vnto your soule It is eternall life When Christ would harten his Disciples for the great worke of their ministerie hee doth it by the promise of his presence saying Be hold I am with you alway The euidence and fruit whereof you shall hereby so well perceiue that hereupon I trust both you and many moe will learne to say with Dauid in temptation I haue set the Lord before me alway for he is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide And with Ieremie in affliction The Lord is with me like a mightie Gyant therefore my persecutors shall be ouerthrowne and shall not preuaile What shall I say more It would be too long to speake of the dignitie of Christs Church and ministerie here handled at large and to instance in particulars through the seuen Epistles to these seuen Churches of Asia onely this in the Preface of each Epistle learne what Christ is in himselfe and to his Church In the Matter behold the state of euery Church and see what Christ approueth and what his soule detesteth In the Conclusion see his bountie towards his children and the dutie of all to him againe The handling of these things will much delight your Christian heart for beside the Plaine euidence of the spirit in opening the text which is best pleasing vnto God and most profitable to his Church wherein this godly Author had a speciall grace the application is so fit and pertinent to our times that I had welnigh sayd He did foresee what we now behold and hath foretold what we for our lukewarmenesse and decay in loue may iustly feare Consider what I say and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things Hold fast that which you haue bee faithfull vnto death and the Lord will giue you the crowne of life For God is not vnrighteous that he should forget your workes and labor of loue which you haue shewed towards his name in that you haue ministred vnto the saints and yet do minister Now the God of hope fill you with all ioy and peace in beleeuing and increase your ioy by the constant walking of your children in the truth Yea the same Lord make all grace so to abound towards you all that alwayes hauing all sufficiencie in all things you may abound in euery good worke which is by Iesus Christ vnto the praise and glorie of God vnto whose gracious protection both now and euer I humbly commend your Ladiship with your godly familie London December 10. 1606. Your Ladiships to commaund Thomas Pierson TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPfull Sir Edward Montagu Sir Walter Montagu Sir Henry Montagu and Sir Charles Montagu Knights M. Iames Montagu Doctor of Diuinitie Deane of his Maiesties Chappell and M. Sidney Montagu Esquire the Ladie Susan Sandys and the Ladie Theodosia Capel children of that right worthie and religious Sir Edward Montagu of Bowghton in the Countie of North-hampton Knight and of the Ladie Elizabeth his worthie wife sister to the right Honourable Sir Iohn Harington Baron of Exton and father to the vertuous Ladie the Countesse of Bedford Grace and Peace RIght Worshipfull as the Patriarch Iacob had twelue
Gospell when he preacheth Gods word is in the roome of Christ and speaketh that vnto the church which Christ wold speake That they may be faithfull witnesses sundry things are required at their hands First they must deliuer the testimonie of Christ aboue all other things and before all testimonies of man in the office of their ministerie This was meat and drinke to Christ to teach his fathers will Eleazar Abrahams eldest seruant shewed his fidelitie in that he would not eate or drinke till hee had done his masters message Gen. 24.33 Much more ought the ministers of Christ haue speciall care of that weightie message committed vnto them Secondly they must testifie all the will of God concerning matters of salvation as faith obedience and a godly life among men wee count him a faithfull witnesse which testifies all the truth and no more but the truth so shold it be with all ministers that be Gods witnesses to his church Herein Paule cleared himselfe That he was free from al mens bloud seeing he deliuered the whole will of God in matters necessarie for saluation and kept nothing backe Thirdly he must neither add vnto or take away much lesse in any case depraue the word of God And this is the true marke of a faithfull witnesse For false prophets teach some truth but withall they adde something of their owne or detract from Gods truth something that they ought not In the church of Rome a man may hear things concerning morall vertues handled soundly but come to Iustification and thereto they adde the merit of mens works so they deale with Faith and Repentance matters of saluation they take away one part and adde another to the scriptures they hold the Creed in word yet in deed they denie the same as by their doctrine may appeare so shew themselues false witnesses Fourthly a faithfull witnesse must deliuer the testimonie of Christ in that spirituall manner which best beseemeth the maiestie of God and which he best approoueth that is in a plaine easie and familiar kind of speech that the conscience of the sinner may be touched the vnderstanding of the simple may be edified When the word is otherwise deliuered as in the entising words of mans wisdom or for ostētation of wit or much reading though nothing be said but the truth yet he that so dispenseth it is an vnfaithfull witnesse because he corrupteth the word by his vaine deliuerie And this is the sinne of this age in many ministers who teach the truth indeed but yet in such sort as it may appeare they seeke thēselues and not Gods glory respecting little the edification of the simple so themselues may bee famous for wit eloquence and learning But these men make marchandise of the word like to huxters that by starching blowing and spicing set a glosse vpon their ware to make it seeme that which it is not which is a greeuous sinne and such as will banish the Gospell out of our land vnlesse it be reformed Secondly this title of Christ That faithfull witnesse doth discouer vnto vs the damnable practise of men in the sinne of vnbeleefe for Christ this faithfull witnesse hath giuen testimonie to his word which is preached that the same is true And therefore they that beleeue it not doe make Christ a false witnesse and a lyar than which what can be more horrible yet this is the common sinne of this age For when the law is applied who is afraid and when the gospell is preached yet who beleeueth our report Gods ministers may say with the little children Wee haue piped vnto you but you haue not daunced we haue mourned vnto you but you haue not wept This deadnesse of heart whereby men are not mooued with the word preached vnto them is an euident argument of this fearfull vnbeleefe whereby they make Christ a false witnesse This therefore should moue vs to consider in our selues the heinousnesse of this sinne that so we may striue against it and labour to giue free passage to the word into our hearts trembling at the law and reioycing in the Gospell that so each part thereof may haue his perfect worke in vs for which end also wee may consider That amongst those which shall haue their portion in the burning lake vnbeleeuers are set in the first ranke Reuel 21. vers 8. Thirdly seeing Christ Iesus is that faithfull witnesse which giueth testimonie to mens consciences in particular of their saluation we learne That euery one which professeth himselfe to repent is bound in conscience to beleeue that the promises of the Gospell and the benefits thereof as Election Redemption Iustification Sanctification and Saluation belong to him particularly And though this be against all humane sence and reason yet seeing we haue a faithfull witnesse auouching the same wee must submit our selues vnto his testimonie for by vnbeleefe we greatly dishonour our witnesse bearer by denying truth vnto his record Here then wee see it it no presumption as the Papists say to beleeue our election and saluation in particular nay it is an horrible sinne in euery one that repenteth not to beleeue it seeing Christ a most faithfull witnesse testifies the same to our consciences by his holy spirit Hereto also serue the sacraments instituted by God to seale vp vnto euery worthy receiuer Christ and all his benefits The ministers giuing of the bread and wine to them that truly repent is as much as if Christ should say Beleeue thou and life eternall belongs to thee And the first begotten of the dead In these words is contained the second office of Christ namely his Priesthood the principall actions whereof stand in dying in rising againe from the dead and making intercession for vs. And here S. Iohn alludeth to the estate of the families amōg the Iewes comparing Christ to the first borne for as among them hee which was first borne and eldest of the familie had many priuiledges and preheminences aboue his brethren as Lordship right of the Priesthood and double portion c. so Christ he hath his priuiledges yea euen Christ crucified hee hath his prerogatiues among the dead aboue all that are dead So Paule expounding this title calleth him The first borne and beginning of the dead that hee might in all things haue the preheminence Coloss. 1. vers 18. The priuiledges of Christ dead and buried among all the dead are two first That he was the first that euer rose from death to life and so to glorie Some indeed haue risen before Christ from naturall death to naturall life as Lazarus but it was to die againe And Moyses and Elias assumed their bodies in the Mount with Christ in his transfiguration but yet they laid them downe againe to the former miserie of corruption for a time But Christ Iesus ros◠from death to life eternall neuer to die againe And his resurrection was the first steppe into his glorie Secondly that by his owne power he raised vp
are the sonnes of God by adoption in his sonne so that our right to that kingdome is not by nature but by grace Secondly Christ is an vniuersall king ouer the Angels in heauen the church on earth and all other creatures wheresoeuer his regiment is absolute in the hearts and consciences of men and hee can by his word bind all things but true beleeuers bee not vniuersall kings for they haue no superioritie aboue good Angels and the church Neither are they absolute kings as he is nor of themselues but by Christ Iesus and as they participate with Christ in his kingdome The second part of the dignitie of true beleeuers stands in this That they bee priests consecrate and set apart by Christ to the worship seruice of God here in this life in spirit and truth and in the life to come to serue and praise him eternally Christ hee is a priest so are all his members but yet there is difference First Christ hee is an externall and reall priest of the new Testament which offers vp a true reall and externall prâ—pitiatorie sacrifice to God the father for the sinnes of mankind As for beleeuers they are not reall and externall priests but spirituall offering vp spirituall sacrifice vnto God As when any member of Christ giues an almes hee offers a sacrifice to God not a corporall sacrifice though the thing giuen be a bodily substance but it is euery way spirituall for to offer a reall outward sacrifice in the new Testament is proper to Christ. Againe our Sauiour Christ he is a perfect priest and offers vp a perfect sacrifice but we being imperfect doe offer vp imperfect sacrifices tainted and blemished with sinne yet accepted as perfect for the worthinesse of Christs sacrifice The second point to be considered is the time wheÌ„ beleeuers be made kings and priests namely in this life For as in the entrance into an earthly kingdome there bee degrees first to haue good right and title to it secondly to get possession of it which is more than title only and yet if a mans title be good thogh hee want possession he may be called a king So it is with Gods children they haue the right giuen them of the kingdome of heauen in this life and in that respect are kings Further in the possessing of a kingdome there bee two degrees first the entrance vpon some part secondly the full and perfect enioying of all Now euery true beleeuer begins to enter possession of the kingdom of heauen in this life for it stands 〈◊〉 rigâ—â—eousnesse ioy and peace and they which 〈◊〉 these things in their harts haue the kingdome of God begun in them in this life But the full fruition and perfect possesâ—â—on of this kingdome is reserued to be giuen at the end of this life and at the dâ—y of iudgement And as true beleeuers be kings in this world so likewise bee they priests in offering spirituall sacrifice to God and dedicating and consecrating themselues to his seruice all the dayes of their life The third point is the manner how true beleeuers become kings and priests they are not such by nature neither doth this dignitie come by descent in bloud or birth-right or by any other priuiledge they haue from man but onely from Christ Iesus who by diuine calling makes them spirituall kings and priests like as vnder the law by solemne election and ordination some were made earthly kings and priests Now in this calling of Christ two things concurre First Christ giueth his members right to his owne kingdome and priesthood yet not so that they can execute the regiment sustained by Christ or perform the office of his priesthood but because they haue right in part to these offices and the benefit of them both redoundeth to them wholly And this right they haue is brought to passe in the couenant of the Gospell wherein they are bound to beleeue in God through Christ and God is bound againe to giue vnto them Christ with all his benefites among which these two must be accounted for indeed euery thing which belongs to Christ as he is mediatour is conueyed in some sort to euery true beleeuer Secondly in this diuine calling Christ endues all his members with gifts and graces whereby they are enabled for the duties of spirituall kings and priests vnto God For as Christ is annointed so are all his members So the Psalmist speaking of Christ sayth He is annointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes Psal. 45. vers 7. Therefore his fellowes that is beleeuers are annointed with the same oile though in lesse measure And Saint Iohn sayth Yee haue receiued the annointing 1. Iohn 2.27 yea God himselfe chargeth wicked men not to touch his annointed Psal. 105.15 meaning not onely Patriarkes Kings and Prophets but all true beleeuers who are then annointed when they are endued with the gifts of the same spirit in some measure wherewith Christ in his manhood was filled aboue measure The fourth point To whom hath he made them kings and priests Answ. To God euen the father This is added for speciall cause to preuent that carnall libertie which mans nature might claime from this spirituall royaltie for men might say if all beleeuers be kings then may they liue as they list but these words vnto God do shew that the right of their kingdome with the offices of their priesthood must all bee referred to the honor and prayse of God vnto whom they are made kings and priests Lastly he addeth Euen his father by way of exposition to shew more particularly to which of the persons they are first of all made kings and priests for the title God must not here be taken absolutely for the diuine nature but with restraint to the first person the father vnto whom all true beleeuers are made kings and priests in the first place and from the father to the sonne and from them both to the holy ghost And the first person in Trinitie is here named aboue the rest not as being aboue them in degree or honour for so they bee equall but because he is the first in order and the fountaine of the Godhead which is conueyed from him to the Sonne and from them both to the Holy ghost Thus much for the meaning of the words Now follow sundry vses from the consideration of these two dignities of beleeuers And first their kingly dignitie affoordeth matter both of instruction and consolation Instruct. I. Whereas all true beleeuers are made true kings in this life hereby euery one that professeth Christian religion is taught to carry himselfe as an enemie to all those that are of the kingdome of darkenesse as namely to sinne and Sathan to the flesh and the world euen through the whole course of his life for by calling euery Christian hath title to the kingdome of heauen What affinitie then can wee haue with those that bee both enemies of this kingdome and of Christ himselfe that made vs kings
cause of his banishment to wit for testifying the hystorie and doctrine of the gospell the summe whereof is this That Iesus Christ the sonne of Marie is the sonne of God and redeemer of all that beleeue in him to the iustification of life This testimonie S. Iohn puts downe to giue vs to vnderstand what part of Gods word that is which is most hated of the world and for the preaching whereof Gods ministers are persecuted and banished to wit the gospell of Iesus Christ especially for the law is in part naturall but the gospell is supernaturall and to mans reason absurd for the preaching whereof men in all ages haue been persecuted The reason hereof is this God in the beginning made a couenant with man promising That the seede of the woman should breake the serpents head Now the gospell is that glad tidings wherein is declared that this promised seede is come who hath indeede bruised the head of the serpent Hereupon the diuell maligneth the gospel aboue all parts of Gods word and accordingly hath laboured by al meanes to suppresse the same partly by persecution as hee did in the first three hundred yeares after Christ and partly by bringing into the church damnable heresies which did destroy the gospell by deprauing the natures and offices of Christ when by outward violence he could not preuaile Now seeing the diuell and his instruments doe thus hate the gospell and labour to extinguish it we on the contrarie must labour to know and to beleeue to loue and embrace the gospell that so we may vphold and maintaine the same Vers. 10. And I was rauished in the spirit on the Lords day and heard behind mee a great voyce as it had beene of a Trumpet In this tenth verse are set downe the third and fourth circumstances of this vision The third is the manner of receiuing and giuing this reuelation to Iohn namely in a traunce The fourth is the time when it was giuen on the Lords day Touching the manner it is noted in these words I was in the spirit That is I was by the mightie and extraordinarie worke of the spirit of God cast into a traunce That this 〈◊〉 bee so expounded appeareth by comparing this phrase with the like in the whole prophesie of Ezechiell who vseth to say I was in the spirit when hee expresseth and signifieth that hee was cast into a traunce and therein receiued some vision by the spirit To vnderstand this the better consider two things first what a traunce is secondly the end of it First a traunce is an extraordinarie worke or action of Gods spirit Wee must not thinke that traunces come from the vertue of the starres nor from the constitution of mans bodie or by the strength of imagination as some haue fondly thought but they are wrought by the holy ghost Secondly it is not euery worke of the holy ghost but an extraordinarie worke aboue the order of nature It is also powerfull and mightie wherein the whole man both in bodie and mind is altered which Saint Iohn here expresseth saying I was in the spirit This extraordinarie worke of the spirit consisteth in two actions one vpon the bodie the other vpon the mind First in procuring a traunce the spirit of God casteth the body of man into a dead sleepe whereby all the sences both inward and outward are benummed so Genes 15.12 when God renewed his couenant with Abraham hee casteth him into an heauâ—e sleepe that is into a traunce wherein all his sences were benummed onely his mind was waking The action of the Holy ghost on the mind is to draw it from fellowship with the body and all the sences to haue a neerer fellowship with God that so the spirit of God may enlighten it with diuine light that it may vnderstand the things which are reuealed to it as wee may see in other extasies and traunces of the Prophets and Apostles As in that of Peâ—er when he saw the vision of beasts cleane and vncleane And thus wee see what a Traunce is namely an extraordinarie powerfull workâ— of the spirit vpon the whole man caâ—ting the bodie into a dead sleepe and making the mind fit to receiue the things which are reuealed vnto it of the Lord. II. point The end of traunces God for two causes reuealeth his will in traunces vnto his seruants as to Iohn in this place First that 〈◊〉 might know that the things reuealed were not inuented of themselues but giuen of God Iohn herein had no vse of his bodily sences hee neither heard saw nor felt but they were asleepe And therefore the vision must needs be from God and the glory therof wholly his Secondly and chiefely that the things reuealed might take the deeper impression in the vnderstanding for the mind being freed from fellowship with the body and not hindered by any phantasies of the sences they being all asleepe and quiet doth then most liuely and sensibly apprehend and retaine the impression of things reuealed Here then we see the great care of God that his seruants might throughly vnderstand certainely beleeue and constantly keepe in memorie the things hee deliuered vnto them The like care he shewed in reuealing his will to all his former Prophets he would not haue their minds troubled with the fellowship of the body nor hindered of the sences inward or outward but wholly taken vp for the seruice of his spirit And there is good reason of this for if they must faithfully teach Gods will to others to make them know and vnderstand to beleeue remember the same is it not necessarie that they themselues should throughly vnderstand soundly beleeue and firmely keepe in memorie whatsoeuer God reuealeth This dealing of the Lord for this end with his holy Prophets teacheth vs that the ordinarie ministers of the Gospell at this day ought to imploy themselues with all care and diligence that they may throughly vnderstand the will of God in his word and withall beleeue it soundly and remember it carefully We must not now looke for traunces and visions as they had but we must vse continuall study in the word which is the ordinarie meanes to come vnto this knowledge This dutie concerneth all students in diuinitie and all others which desire a good vnderstanding in the word of God And for their furtherance herein they must haue principall care to search into the text of Scripture throughly thereby shall they best conceiue the proper meaning of the holy ghost and with greater facilitie keepe the same in memorie For one sayth truly That euery good minister should bee a good text man Whereby is descried a common fault of many students who rather imploy themselues in the auncient writings of men than in the word of God nay many spend their best time in the base writings of wicked hereticall monks and friers It cannot be denied but many of the fathers were worthie members of Gods church but if the fountaine be left the
but the deadly wounds of Christs enemies And 〈◊〉 much for the worke of the Word vpon the wicked The second worke of this two edged sword is in Gods elect in them it hath sundry workes all which â—end to their subiection First it woundeth to the quicke the corruption of their nature This is one speciall cause why it is called a two edged sword because it entereth deeply into the heart of Gods children and giueth their corruption such a deadly blow as it shall neuer recouer againe It killeth not the person as it doth in the wicked but quicâ—ening the soule it woundeth his corruption Paule ministred the Gospell that the offering vp of the Gentiles might be acceptable Where reseÌ„bling Gods church to a sacrifice hee giueth vs to vnderstand that euery true Christian must be slaine though not in body and soule yet in regard of sinfull motions corrupt affections and rebellious actions by this two edged sword of the spirit And this is his conuersion whereby the roote of corruption is stocked vp Secondly after conuersion this two edged sword serueth to cut off and pare away the remnants of vnbeleefe doubting impietie anger and other sins that be in the elect Euery branch saith Christ that bringeth forth fruit in mee my father the husbandman gruneth to make it bring foâ—rth more fruit Thirdly it serueth to keepe Gods children in awe and subiection vnto him In this vision Christ standeth in his church holding vp the scepter of his kingdome which hee beareth in his mouth for this end that though his enemies will not bee brought in subiection vnto him yet his owne children might hereby be kept in awe of him He therefore that will not at the lifting vp of this two edged sword tremble and feare before Christ is but a rebellious subiect If there bee brawling in humane societies let the magistrate but shew himselfe with the sword of iustice and straightway euery one is quiet if any resist he is taken for a rebell Now shall this be effected in ciuile policie and not bee true in Christs spirituall gouernment vnlesse therefore wee will shew our selues rebels against Christ let vs cease from sinne and tremble before him seeing hee holdeth out vnto vs the scepter of his word Fourthly this sword serueth notably for our defence and victory in all temptations Ephes 6. â—â— This sword of the â—pirit the word of God is one piece of the complete armour of a Christian. Herewith did Christ vanquish Sathan Matth. 4 And thus wee see how the word of God is a two edged sword in regard of the elect Hence we are taught that when wee haue the doctrine of the Law and of the Gospell preached vnto vs we must with all reuerence heare and receiue the same Men will heare it while it is taught generally but if it once touch their particular faults then they cannot brooke it But wee must suffer it to ransacke our hearts and be glad thereof for by this meanes our corruption is wounded and sinne slaine in vs our soules are conuerted vnto God and shall bee saued If any man were diseased with a fistula or any other dangerous sore he would willingly suffer the surgeon to search and pierce into the fame Shall wee doe this for our bodily health and shall wee not suffer the word of God to enter into our hearts to rip vp our sinnes that they being wounded and subdued wee may bee healed and so our soules liue for euer wee cannot liue vnto God till wee die vnto sinne and wee can neuer die vnto sinne till the same bee wounded in vs by this two edged sword Away therefore with all nicenesse in disliking the word when it crosseth our humour and if wee loue eternall life Let vs then embrace it most willingly Saint Iohn sayth fâ—â—ther of this two edged sword that it came out of Christs mouth Other kings carry their swords and scepters in their hands but Christ beareth his in his mouth to teach vs this speciall point That wee must receiue no doctrine from any man which hee hath not receiued from thâ— mouth of Christ. For first God reuealeth his will vnto his son Christ deliuereth it vnto his Prophetâ— and Apostles by the spirit and to his ministers in their writings They therefore must deliuer nothing vnto Gods people but that which they haue from Christ if they deliuer ought els they hold noâ— forth Christs sword neither can it haue that powerfull effect either in the godly or in the wicked And his face 〈…〉 the Sunne shineth iâ— his brightnesse Here is the last braunch of this description of Christ his face is compared to the shining of the Sunne and that in his strength because Christ is vnto his churchâ— as the Sunne is to the world And looke what duties the Sunne performeth vnto the world the same duties Christ performes vnto his church in a more excellent manner as their resemblance will euidently declare First the Sunne in the world dispelleth night and darkenesse and maketh the day by bringing light so Christ the sonne of righteousnesse Malach. 4.2 sendeth downe the bright beames of knowledge and grace into his church wherby blindnesse and ignorance is taken away 2. Corinth 4.6 And hereby euery one of what sort or place soeuer is taught first to labour for knowledge of the will of God A great shame it is for any to bee ignorant herâ—in when the day commeth we set open our windowes to let in the light of the Sunne for our comfort behold Christ Iesus is euer a shining light in his church Why then should wee not open our hearts that the beames of light and knowledge which descend from him may enter into vs and giue vs light Secondly wee must hereby learne in our whole conuersation among men to walke by this light We are here but pilgrims trauelling towards heauen and the way of this miserable word is full of darkenesse yet Christ Iesus is in the middest of his church shining as the Sunne in his strength to giue the light of knowledge whereby wee may see the right way thither Without him there is nothing but darkenesse and wandering his word is the light and himselfe the day starre We therefore must attend vnto him in all our affaires of this life and in the particular duties of our lawfull callings take direction from the light which shineth from his face Secondly the Sunne serueth most excellently to comfort and reuiue cold and dead starued bodies as experience in the spring time teacheth So Christ Iesus by the worke of his spirit conueyeth spirituall life and heat â—nto the dead and frozen heart of man he is of power to comfort them that mourne to giue life to the broken hearted and to reuiue the spirit of the humble Isay. 57.15 and for this most excellent worke may well bee called the Sunne of Righteousnessâ— In regard wherof wee must labour aboue all things to bee partakers of this life and ioy which commeth
First he giueth him the signe of his presence Laying his hand vpon him to assure him of protection froÌ„ al danger of death TheÌ„ he giueth him his wrod bidding him not to feare Hence we may learne that the assurance of Gods presence and protection is a souerigne remedie against all feare when Moses feared the great calling he was sent about to take away that feare the Lord saith I will be with thee Hence Dauid saith He will not feare though he walke through the valley of the shadow of death because God is his stay and comfort Wherefore it concerneth vs to labour to be assured not onely of Gods presence but of his prouidence and speciall protection And so in all dangers both of life and death wee shall haue stay and comfort for our soules The Lord hauing vsed these two meanes to confirme Iohn both a signe his word doth yet further condescend vnto Iohns weaknesse and establisheth his owne word by two reasons The first in these words I am the first and the last Christ is the first Because nothing was or could bee before him The last because nothing is or can bee after him These two titles are giuen vnto Christ to expresse his Godhead and eternitie as before wee haue heard verse 8. Now here they are againe set downe to giue vs to vnderstand that hee hath in his owne power the beginning and end of all things and therefore is able to protect his seruants from all dangers and from death and will make good vnto them all his promises vnto eternall life Verse 18. And Am he that liueth but I was dead and behold I am aliue for euermore Amen And I haue the keyes of hell and of death These words conteine the second reason to confirme Iohn And it may thus be framed by way of a distinction Although I was dead yet I am he that liueth for so the words are and behold I am aliue for euermore Amen Yea I haue power ouer death and hell This distinction containeth three parts First Though I was once dead yet I am he that liueth Secondly Though I was once dead yet I liue for euermore Thirdly Though I was once dead yet I haue the keyes of death and of hell Of these in order I. part And Am he that liueth though I was dead Here life is ascribed to Christ in a speciall manner For Christ liueth in a peculiar sort differeÌ„t froÌ„ the life of other creatures For first hee hath sufficient life in himselfe and from himselfe Secondly he giueth life to others For the first that wee may better conceiue it wee must know that life is twofold vncreated and created Vncreated life is the life of God whereby God liueth This life is eternall and infinit in it selfe from it selfe Now as Christ is God he liueth this vncreated life which is all one with the godhead Againe created is twofold The first is naturall preserued by means of meat and drinke The second is spirituall both begunne and continued by meanes of the immediat operation of Gods spirit whereby wee haue fellowship with God And this spirituall life is more perfect than the naturall Now Christ liueth not the naturall life but as he is God liueth the vncreated life as he is man he liueth the spirituall life his body and soule hauing al their subsisting and sustentation in the second person in Trinitie and therefore he hath in himselfe most absolut and perfect life and so liueth of himselfe Secondly Christ is here said to liue because he giueth life vnto men that two wayes First as he is God and so he giueth life to all good and bad For in him euery thing liueth moueth and hath his beeing Act. 17.28 Secondly as he is mediator God and man and so he giueth spiritual life vnto his church and people Hence he saith to his Disciples Because I liue yee shall liue also Iohn 14.19 For looke as Christ died not for himselfe but for vs that we might not die eternally So hee liueth now in heauen the spirituall life not for himselfe alone but for vs that we might liue that spirituall life in and by him eternally And therefore our life is sayd To be hid with God in Christ. And for this cause in the Sacrament we doe eate the body and drinke the bloud of Christ really by the mouth of faith that wee might know that our life is to be fetched from him For as we receiue grace from his grace so wee receiue life from his life Hereby wee are taught to seeke for this spirituall life at Christ hands that we may say with Paul I liue not now but Christ liâ—eth in me Gal. â— 21 and that Our life 〈◊〉 â—id in Christ as in a head and roote For he liueth in heauen that wee might liue by him our care must not be so much for our temporall life which is but a vapour and like a fleeting shadow as for this spirituall life which is eternall But the practise of this duty is rare to bee found though the omission of it bee a grieuous sinne Mens whole care is for temporall life few thinke on this how to procure to themselues this spirituall life by Christ though he haue said I liue that you may liue in me This appeareth by their common practise They will goe ten twenty yea an hundred miles to prouide means for their bodily preseruation and yet will scarce go one or two miles for the meanes of their saluation for euer The cause thereof is the hardnesse of mens hearts which are not touched for their sinnes nor feele the smart weight thereof This we may see plainly in the woman of Samariah For when Christ sate at the well of Iacob talking with her and telling her that he was the well of life of whose water whosoeuer dranke should neuer thirst She did nothing but cauill with him But when he layd to her heart her principall sinnes then she left off cauelling and in reuerence and some beginning of faith Acknowledged him to be the Messias Euen so let the minister say vnto his people hee can bring them to the water of life they will nothing regard but cauill at the doctrine of the Gospell till their sinnes bee touched and their soules humbled by the sight thereof Wherefore if wee would haue our hearts fit to receiue spirituall life by Christ we must first labor to haue a sense of our sinnes and to feare Gods wrath due vnto vs for the same Hereby we shal be weined from the dangerous loue of earthly things and our soules shall bee rauished with desire of Christ Iesus He is the well of life and if once we could feele a parching heat in our soules by reason of our sinnes then would we thirst neuer be at rest till we had drunke our fill and dined our selues in his sauing merits This naturall life is but vanishing and therefore we must labour for this spirituall
life by Christ which is eternall This will comfort vs in all distresse and take from vs the feare of death of hell and all danger The second part of the distinction Though I was dead yet behold I liue for euermore Amen This part is vttered and propounded by two notes to bee obserued First by a note of certaintie Amen Secondly by a note of attention Behold The note of certaintie Amen serueth to assure vs that this is an infallible truth which Christ affirmeth of himselfe saying I liue for euermore The note of attention which is prefixed Behold serueth to stirre vp Iohns mind and the mind of euery one of vs to a serious consideration of this which Christ saith I liue for euermore And because it pleaseth Christ to propound this point in this manner let vs a little stand thereon and herein consider two points First in respect of what nature Christ is sayd to liue for euer Secondly for what end he liueth for euer For the first No doubt as Christ as the mediator of the church He liueth for euer and therefore this must bee vnderstood of Christ in regard of both his natures godhead and manhood In respect of his godhead he is coeternall with the father and with the holy Ghost liuing of himselfe that vncreated and essentiall life which is all one with the godhead being eternall without beginning or ending Secondly hee liueth for euer as hee is man for after his death hee ascended vp to heauen where in full glorie he inioyeth immediat fellowshippe with the godhead for in him dwelleth the fulnes of the godhead bodily his manhood being wholly and immediatly susteined by his godhead II. Point The end for which Christ liueth for euer is to giue eternall life to his church and to euerie true member thereof So Saint Iohn saith This is the testimonie of God euen the father that hee hath giuen vs life euerlasting and this life is in that his sonne And here Christ must bee considered of vs as the head of his church as the roote and ground of our saluation and the fountaine of all our happinesse For as the roote of a tree liueth not for it selfe but for the body and for all the branches euen so Christ Iesus he hath eternal life in him not for himselfe alone but that he may conuey the same to al his members Yea wee must consider Christ as the common treasurie storehouse of all true felicitie wherein life eternall is laid vp for al the members of his church For which cause hee saith His flesh is meate indeed and whosoeuer eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud shall liue for euer To giue vs to vnderstand that his manhood hath quickning vertue in it Yet not of it selfe or by it self but as it is the māhood of the sonne of God For from the godhead it receiueth this quickning power to giue eternall life vnto the church And here the meanes must be considered by which Christ giueth life vnto his church namely by vertue of that misticall vnion which is betweene him and euery member of his church Which vnion is thus caused God the father giueth Christ vnto his church and to euery one that is to be saued by Christ and that really and truly according to the terror of the couenant in which he hath promised to giue Christ with all his benefits to euery one that beleeueth The manner and order of this gift is this Whole Christ God man is giuen to euery beleeuer euen as he is mediator And yet the godhead of Christ is not giuen with the manhood but only the vertue operation of the godhead in the manhood by which the manhod is made able to merit for the beleeuer But the manhood of Christ is giuen both for substance and in regard of all benefits that are conueyed to man by it as iustification and redemption as truly as lands and goods are giuen of man to man And when God giueth Christ to any he doth withall giue vnto the same partie the spirit of Christ for hee that hath part in Christ hath part in his spirit and this spirit createth in his heart the instrument of faith by which Christ giuen of the father is receiued and apprehended both his body and bloud and the efficacie and the benefites thereof Christ is not receiued in imagination as men receiue things by conceit in the braine but as hee is giuen of the father namely in the word and sacraments really and truly though spiritually And the same spirit that worketh this faith doth knit the beleeuer vnto Christ really though mystically making him one with Christ so as Christ is the head and the beleeuer a member And thus is this mysticall coniunction wrought from whence proceedeth this eternall life The benefites that come from this mysticall coniunction are these I. Hereby a beleeuer begins in this world to liue eternall life for by the worke of his spirit Christ maketh that man that is thus vnited vnto him to begin to die vnto all sinne and to liue vnto him spiritually as himselfe liueth II. Hence commeth the resurrection of the body for this coniunction being once begun remaineth eternall and is neuer wholly broken off no not from the body while it is consumed to dust and ashes Looke as in the Winter season the sap returneth to the root of the tree and then all the branches seeme as they were dead but when Spring time commeth by vertue of the sunne the sap ascendeth and maketh them fresh and greene againe euen so the bodies of Gods children haue their Winter season while they lie dead and rotten but yet by vertue of their vnion and coniunction with Christ at the last day shall life bee conveyed from Christ Iesus vnto them whereby they shall be raised to life III. Hence commeth eternall life to euery beleeuer that is glory and blisse in body and soule in heauen for euer and euer for being once begun as it is in this world it is neuer dissolued And thus we see how Christ conueyeth eternall life vnto his members The words bearing this sence do containe in them the foundation of two maine articles of our beleefe namely the resurrection of the body and life euerlasting for both these are effected to vs by vertue of our vnion with Christ for he liueth for euer to giue life to vs. And this is the ground of all true ioy as wee may see in Iob who in the middest of his miserie stayed himselfe on this That hee knew his Redeemer liued and that hee should rise againe and behold him with those same eyes wherewith he saw other creatures Iob. 19.25 26. 2. Againe if Christ liue in heauen to giue vnto vs eternall life then must wee learne to haue our conuersation in heauen with Christ for where our life is there should our conuersation bee Now that our conuersation may be with him wee must often seriously consider with our selues of this
more though God summon men to repent by his dayly iudgements yet few or none by true humilitie prepare to meete God and to preuent his iudgements Securitie spreads it selfe ouer the whole bodie of our people And this being our case and state it must needes bee that God hath beene long since in comming to vs by his iudgements and a◠this day he is still comming because we still decay in loue and other graces and more and more goe on in sinne So that if we thus continue the truth is hee will come shortly vnto vs and that by most fearefull iudgements For this was written to the church of Ephesus to be a direction not onely vnto them but to all churches to the end of the world that be in the like or worser case What shall wee then doe Our dutie is taught vs in these words If not that is if thou repent not Wee must preuent the Lords comming in iudgement by vnfained repentance euery man and euery familie apart must repent priuately and the whole Church openly and publickely no way else wee haue to stay the Lords comming against vs by his fearefull iudgements The second part of this reason is a more particular threatening than the former And will remooue thy candlesticke out of his place Where hee sheweth with what particular iudgement hee will punish this church namely by remoouing away the candlesticke The meaning whereof may bee gathered out of the former chapter where particular churches were called candlestickes therefore here hee threateneth to remooue his church from the citie of Ephesus to take away the Ministerie of his Gospell and the profession thereof and in his iust iudgement to send among them Ignorance Apostacie and Heresie in steed of the knowledge of his truth This particular iudgement must be referred to the first words If not that is if thou repent not this will I doe I will make thee to be no Church and take my Gospell from thee In this particular threatening three points are to bee obserued one concerning the Minister the second concerning the whole body of the church the third concerning euery priuat man Touching the Minister note this If he shall decay in loue to God to his word or to his brethren or if hee lye in any one sinne knowne to himselfe it is a meanes to depriue him either of his calling or of Gods gifts bestowed on him for this threatening is here directed especially vnto the Angell of this Church of Ephesus When Ieremie had beene wanting in deliuering the Lord◠will vnto the people partly for feare partly through impatience then the Lord becomes a Prophet vnto him saying If thou returne I will bring thee againe and thou shalt stand before me Whereby hee would giue him to vnderstand That if hee returned not he should cease to be a Prophet vnto him The same thing is true of all Gods Ministers if they decay in loue faile in their dutie or lye in any sinne they must speedily renew themselues by repentance or els God will depriue them either of their calling or of the gifts thereof True repentance and the renewing thereof is needfull vnto all Christians but especially to Gods Ministers if they would continue in his fauour and stand before him becomming his mouth vnto the people The second point concerneth the whole bodie of a Church to wit if a Church or people decay in loue to God to religion and to their brethren or doe lye in any common sinne they procure hereby the remoouing of the gospell from them and the abolishing of true religion The Prophet is a 〈◊〉 sayth the Lord and the man of the spirit i◠mad This was a great and fearefull iudgement but mark◠the cause All is 〈◊〉 thine iniquitie that is for the sinne of the whole church doth God send foolish Ministers If this bee so then wee haue iust cause in our Church to feare the remoouing of the gospell from vs for there is a generall decay of loue in many and in the most no loue at all Many scorne and contemn true religion and hate the professours thereof In regard whereof wee may wonder at the great patience of God that yet continueth his gospell among vs For God giueth men vp to strong delusion to beleeue lyes because they loue not his truth Wherefore being in this danger our dutie is to vse all good meanes to preuent this iudgement of God which can no other way bee done than by true and vnfained repentance by the whole Church in generall and by euery man apart and euery familie apart For when God shall speake suddenly against a nation or kingdome to root it vp and to destroy it if that people repent of their wickednesse the Lord will repent of the plague and iudgement which hee thought to bring vpon them Ierem. 18. vers 7 8. The third point concerneth euery priuate man and it is this If any man decay in loue or want loue to God and to his brethren or lye in any sin knowne to himselfe This is a meanes to remooue the candlesticke from him to depriue him of his knowledge and other graces of God The affection of loue in the heart is like the watch of the clocke if the watch stand the wheeles stand as the watch goeth fast or softly so goe the wheeles answerably And so it is in man if his loue to God and to his gospell doe encrease then doth his knowledge and other graces of God encrease in his heart but if his loue decay then other graces decay and if loue be gone then farewell all pietie and true religion If we would know the cause of such palpable ignorance as is in many that haue long heard the gospell preached it is nothing but want of loue Heb. 3.12 13. The Holy ghost sheweth by what degrees men come to fall away from God First sinne deceiues them by drawing them to commit it then their hearts are hardened by custome of sinning Thence followes vnbeleefe in maine points of Religion and so they make Apostacie from God and set themselues against his truth Take heed therefore of lying in any sinne for that is the high way to finall Apostacie rather striue to encrease in loue vnto God and vnto his word and so shall all his good graces encrease in thine heart Out of this particular threatening some gather That a man may bee cut off frō Christ fall away finally from true faith and repentance For say they if a whole Church may bee cut off from Christ and become no Church then may any one member of the Church be cut off and become no member But a whole church may bee cut off as here we see and therefore may any one man Answ. This reason is not good there is great difference betweene the state of a whole Church and of one man that is a true member of Christ. For a particular Church is a mixt companie of true professors and dissemblers like
the doctrine of vniuersall grace affirming that the promises of the gospell for life and saluation belong to all and euerie man whatsoeuer vnlesse hee will reiect them is a deuice of mans braine For life eternall is not promised to euerie man as he is a man comming of Adam but to a man as hee is in Christ by faith and a new creature The promises of the gospell bee vniuersall indeed to all that ouercome but that is a propertie which restraines them wholly to true beleeuers Secondly hereby we are taught so to liue that we may say truly in the testimonie of a good conscience we haue ouercome all our spirituall enemies and do continually stand conquerours ouer them This is a matter of endlesse ioy comfort which will cheere the soule in greatest distresse But to liue and lie in sinne is or will bee a hell to the conscience What auaile the treasures honors of this world to any man while his conscience shall tell him he is a vassall to sinne and sathan for while he continueth in that estate he is out of the fauour of God and hath no part nor portion in the kingdome of heauen Therefore it standeth vs vpon to labour to feele in our harts the certaine euidence of this victorie ouer our spirituall enemies by the sure testimonie of the spirit of grace The second point is the thing promised to wit life euerlasting noted by this gift To eate of the tree of life And it is set out vnto vs by two circumstances First by the cause of it Secondly by the place where it is to bee found The cause is Christ Iesus I will giue to him to eat of the tree of life Where he maketh an opposition betweene himselfe and the first Adam The first Adam sinned and thereby cast himselfe with all his posterity out of the earthly paradise and lost the benefit of the tree of life But Christ the second Adam commeth and suffereth for sinne and thereby openeth the way to a better paradise than the first Adam lost and to all that ouercome he giueth libertie to enter in and to eate of the tree of life The tree of life properly was a tree placed in the middest of the earthy paradise and it was so called first because it was a pledge and sacrament vnto Adam that he should liue for euer if hee continued in obedience to God secondly because it had in it as may be proued vertue and power whereby it would haue preserued him from death and old age for euer if hee had stood in his innocencie This earthly tree of life was a figure and signe of Christ our Sauiour and mediator who liueth an eternall spirituall life not onely as hee is God but as hee is mediator and that not for himself alone but for this end that hâ—e may conuey quickning spirituall life to all that beleeue in him and for this cause hee tearmeth himselfe the tree of life Further he saith He will giue hereof to eate To eate sometime signifieth to beleeue Iohn 6.50 but it cannot heare be so taken For faith endeth with this life and hath no vse afterward Therefore to eate in this place signifieth to haue immediat fellowship with Christ in heauen where Christ shall bee vnto him a tree of life to make him liue for euer In this promise note two points I. In what things eternal life consisteth namely in immediat fellowship and communion with Christ in heauen Secondly that life eternall standeth not in outward meanes as meat drinke clothing physicke recreation sleepe and such like but in an immediat partaking with Christ in all his blessings So that when Christ is all in all vnto vs immediatly then do we eat of the tree of life and therby shall liue eternally II. Circumst The place where eternall life is to be had is in the paradise of God This paradise of God is the third heauen a place wherein the Lord doth manifest himself in his glorious maiesty and which he hath prepared for the glory of all his elect Hereof Christ spake to the theâ—fe on the crosse saying This day thou shalt be with me in paradise Luk. 23.43 and hither was Paule wrapped in vision and saw and heard things that cannot bee vttered and he calleth it the third heauen in respect of the heauens vnder it for the place wherein we breath is the first heauen the starrie firmament is the second heauen and this paradise of God is the third which is therefore called paradise because it is a place of endlesse ioy and pleasure And the adding of the name of God doth not onely put a difference betweene it and Adams earthly paradise but also sheweth it to be a great and most excellent place So Rabel saith I haue wrestled with my sister the wrestlings of God that is strong wrestlings And in the Psalmes the mountaines of God do signifie high and mightie mountaines And that this paradise is such an excellent place appeareth at large Reuel 22. For therein must come none vncleane thing but the Saints and Angels do there enioy the presence of God and behold his glorie so much as the creature is able to comprehend There God communicateth himselfe to all the elect and becommeth all things vnto theâ— immediatly so that this must needs beâ—â— place of all ioy and comfort The consideration whereof must admonish vs to seeke the thingâ— that bee aboue that wee may haue a place in this heauenly paradise For why should we set our heartâ— vpon the vaine glorie of this world which passeth away as a shadow and commeth to nothing and in the end is but labour and sorrow when wee haue all that the world can affoord But the ioyes and glorie of this paradise of God bee endlesse and vnspeakeable Let vs therefore denie our selues depend vpon Christ and in all things keepe faith and a good conscience vnto the end And thus much for the first Epistle Verse 8. And vnto the Angell of the Church of the Smirnians write these things sayth he that is the first and the last which was dead and is aliue In this verse and the rest that follow to the twelfth iâ— layd downe the second letter or Epistle of Christ to another church of Asia called Smyrna Before the Epistle Christ giues a second particular commaundement vnto Iohn touching the writing hereof vnto this church in these words And vnto the Angell of the Church of the Smirnians write Which is prefixed to this Epistle that this church and all other churches of God might bee assured that 〈◊〉 had sufficient warrant and calling for the writing hereof Which thing is necessarie to euerie pen-man of the holie Ghost that the church need not to doubt of the authoritie of Scripture but receiue the same as the pure word of God Hence we may gather that all ordinarie Ministers of the gospell must haue warrant and calling for euery doctrine which they teach in Gods church for the
notable meanes to draw men to loue and embrace faith and true religion 1. Pet. 3.1 III. That God may shew on the godly tokens of his speciall loue and fauour which he doth when hee sendeth iudgements vpon the wicked and spareth his children Hence it was that when the Lord would bring a common iudgement vpon the Iewes he causeth those that mourned for their owne sinnes and for the abhominations of the people To bee marked in the forehead that they might bespared So that if any godly person dwell among such as hate religion and bee profane he must content himselfe knowing it is Gods will his church should be vexed and troubled by the societies of the wicked and vngodly Sixtly hence it appeareth that Gods people may lawfully dwell among wicked and vngodly men alwayes remembring that they communicate not with them in their sins and rebellions against God For so Lâ—t dwelt in Sodome and this church of Pergamus where the diuell had his throne 1. Cor. 7.2 This question is answered a maister is a heathen man and his seruant is conuerted to the faith whereupon hee thinketh that he is free from seruing his maister but Paule telleth him he must doe externall seruice still so farre forth as he keepe good conscience and bee not constrained to renounce true religion Lastly hence wee haue direction to aunswere a question much vrged against vs by the Papists to wit Where our church was fourescore yeares ago when Luther first beganne to preach they intend hereby to proue our church to be but of fourscore yeares continuance and so our religion to be new We aunswere by the like Where was the church of Pergamus when the diuels throne was in that citie Surely it was there where the diuell had his throne And so when Antichrist that man of sin had spread poperie ouer all Europe at that verie same time was Gods church in Europe where poperie was professed mingled with the Papists which to bee true appeareth by this that in all ages there haue bene some who openly haue oppugned poperie more or lesse partly by writing and partly by speaking as the records of all ages do testifie make manifest so that though iniquitie had the vpper hand yet our church had his being in the middest of poperie And thou keepest my name That is though thou dwell in a place where the diuell hath his throne yet thou holdest fast my name so as neither force nor fraud of the aduersarie can take my name from thee so much the words import By Christs name we must vnderstand the doctrine of the gospell so Paul is sayd to bee A chosen vessell to carrie Christs name among the Gentiles That is to publish among them the doctrine of the Gospell Here this church of Pergamus is particularly commended for her constancie in holding fast true religion against all aduersary power whatsoeuer Hence wee learne that it is not sufficient to teach or know and beleeue the doctrine of the gospell in time of peace but we must be constant in holding it fast against all gainsayers and not be turned about with euery wind of doctrine but in life and death keepe sure the truth that neither fraud nor forcâ— of any aduersary power draw it from vs or vs from it Mat. 13. The kingdome of heauen 〈◊〉 compared to a treasure hid in the field which when a man sâ—â—deth bee goeth and selleth all hee hath to buy the field The scope of that parâ—ble is this If any man should come into any of our fields by searching find a gold mine he would not make it knowne to any but couer it close and go his way and sell all that he had to buy that field that thereby he might enrich himselfe euen so hauing found this that the gospell reuealeth the way to life euerlasting though we must not conceale the same from others yet we must be like this man herein that we could be content to part with all that we haue that so we might make the gospell ours 1. Tim. 3.9 Deacons must haue this propertie To haue the ministerie of faith in a pure conscience There a good conscience is compared to a sure treasure house which cannot bee robbed by any aduersaries power and faith that is true religion is the treasure that is there safely layd vp such a store-house must wee get for the preseruation of the faith Any thing else we may leese but if we part with true religion saluation is gone and all is lost And therefore in life and death we must keepe fast the faith Further Christ amplifieth the praise of their conscience by two arguments First that they held Christs name without deniall Secondly that they kept the faith in the time of bloudie persecution For the first in these words And hast not denied my faith This is an excellent commendation for many will hold the doctrine of the gospell for a time and yet after deny the same by apostacie but this Church held fast true religion without any reuolt at all Their practise must we follow and so hold fast true religion that therein we neuer make reuolt for if wee shall once deny religion wee know not whether God will giue vs the grace of repentance that wâ—e may professe it againe which if he do not we perish eternally Consider Esauâ— example who sold his birth right for a messe of red broth and after lost the blessing which when he wold haue recouered he was reiected And found no place to repentance though be sought it with teares Therfore to preuent the fearefull danger of not repenting after reuoult we must still hold fast true religion without deniall Here in this place the faith of Christ is all one with Christs name that is with the true doctrine of the gospel And it is called Christs faith first because Christ with the father and the spirit is the author thereof Secondly because Christ reuealeth the same from the bosome of his father for God reuealeth his Gospell vnto men by his sonne Christ Iesus Thirdly because Christ is the substance and matter of the gospell for indeed Christ Iesus is the principal subiect of the whole Bible being the end of the law the substance of the gospell The second argument of their praise for conscience is taken from the circumstance of time they hold fast true religion in the time of bloudy persecution Euen in those dayes saith Christ when Antipas my faithful martyr was slaine among you where Sathan dwelleth Who this Antipas was is not knowne neither certainely recorded in any historie it is thought hee was the minister of this church vnto opposed himselfe against idolatrie and gentilisme in this citie of Pergamus In this argument note two points I. That Christ commends Antipas calling him his faithfull martyr Whereby wee see that in Gods church it is lawfull to honor saints and martyrs For that which Christ doth his church may doe This their honour must stand
is not called the morning star because hee shineth to al the world in al time as the morning star doth but because he shineth vnto men in the last age of the world It is further sayd I will giue him it Where is promised fellowship and participation with Christ aâ— hee is this day-starre And herein are two benefits comprised First perfect illumination wherby ignorance shall be wholly taken away after this life when as men shall know God fully so farre foorth as a creature can know the creator Secondly the light of perfect glory for by fellowship with Christ wee shall bee made to shine as the starres as Daniel speaketh yea wee shall become Saints in light â—s the Apostle sayth Whereas Christ compares himselfe to the morning starre First wee see the grosse errour of many among vs who liue in blindnesse of mind and ignorance walking in their wicked lusts and pleasures without care of keeping faith or good conscience and yet persuade themselues that they haue part in Christ and shall bee partakers of his light and glorie But they are deceiued for all such as liue in blind ignorance and in sinne are meere darkenesse and so can haue no fellowship with Christ who is that bright morning starre for what fellowship can bee betweene light and darkenesse This bright morning starre serueth onely for them that receiue the light thereof and walke by it but those that walke in the darkenes of their sinnes haue no benefit by it Secondly seeing Christ is this morning starre wee must haue care to learne Peters instructionâ— namely Labour that this bright starre may rise and shine in our hearts This wee shall feele when we vse those meanes wherby the beames of this starre may shine vpon vs not onely for the enlightening of our minds but also for the heating and reuiuing of our frozen and dead hearts For as the Sunne in the Spring time quickeneth by it warme beames some things that lye dead all Winter so Christ Iesus this morning starre by the beames of his grace doth enlighten our minds and reuiue our dead and frozen hearts And till such time as wee feele these things wrought in vs we cannot say that this morning starre is risen vnto vs or hath shone into our hearts Thirdly whereas Christ appeareth in the morning when darkenesse is past wee are hereby taught to lead our liues in godlinesse righteousnesse sobrietie and in all manner of vpright and godly conuersation For the night is past and the day is come wherein wee may see to walke vprightly And therefore wee must cast off the vnprofitable workes of darkenesse as the Apostle exhorteth vs Rom. 13.12 And know this That those who in this light doe not walke accordingly but delight in sinnes the workes of darkenesse shall one day haue their fill Hee that loueth the darke for the hiding of his talent must bee cast for his reward into vtter darkenesse Let him that hath an eare to heare heare what the spirit sayth vnto the Churches Here is Christs commaundement the second part of this conclusion But hereof we haue spoken before Motiues to proceed Prou. 15.32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his owne soule Luk. 9.62 No man that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh backe is apt to the kingdome of God Gal. 6.9 Let vs not be wearie of well doing for in due time wee shall reape if wee faint not 1. Cor. 12.31 Desire you the best gifts and I will shew you a more excellent way THE THIRD CHAPTER Verse 1. And write vnto the Angel of the Church that is at Sardis These things saith hee that hath the seuen Spirites of God and the seuen Starres I know thy workes for thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art dead THese words containe the fift particular Commandement of our Sauiour Christ vnto Iohn wherein he is inioyned to write send a speciall Epistle to the Church of God in Sardis of this commandement we haue spoken before The Epistle it self is contained in the sixe first Verses it hath three parts A Preface the matter of the Epistle the ConclusioÌ„ The Preface in these words These things saith he which hath the seuen Spirits of God and the seuen Starres In this Preface first is set downe in whose name this Epistle is written to procure authoritie vnto it it is in Christs name whose soueraigntie is described by two royalties that is by two prerogatiues or priuiledges belonging to him as he is a soveraigne king of his Church the first is The hauing of the seuen spirits of God The second his hauing of the seuen Starres For the first royaltie In the first Chap. vers 4. I shewed that by seuen spirits were meant the holy Ghost from whom proceed all the gifts and graces that any men enioy and therefore whereas Christ is said to haue the seuen spirits of God the meaning is that he hath the holy ghost And this is a royaltie of Christ as he is the King and head of his Church If it be said that other seruants of God as Dauid Peter and Paul had the holy Ghost Answ. It is true but not in the same manner with Christ for he hath the holy Ghost two wayes in regard of his diuine nature of his manhood as Christ is God hee is the beginning of the holy Ghost for the holy Ghost is a person in the Trinitie proceeding from the sonne as well as from the Father in regard of which proceeding Christ is sayd to send the holy Ghost and to doe whatsoeuer hee doth by the holy Ghost as to ouercome death by the eternall spirite and to rise from death to life Secondly as Christ is man he hath the holy Ghost because the holy Ghost powred into him the perfection of all graces and giftes whatsoeuer And for this cause he is said to be anoynted with the oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes and to be inriched with the perfection of all graces and that two wayes both for number and degrees For number with men some haue some graces and some men others but Christ hee hath the graces of all men and all Angels nay moe graces in number then all men and all Angels haue And as they are in number perfect so they are perfect in degree for in measure they exceed the graces of all creatures men or Angels and therefore the Father is said to haue giuen the spirit vnto his son without measure thus much is meant by this first royaltie of Christ. Now the end why Christ is said to haue the holy Ghost is to shewe that hee is a most liuely head of his Church who is filled with plentie of all store of graces whereby he is able to inrich his Church and to reuiue the members thereof who are dead in their sinnes and such indeed was the speciall state of this Church First hence we learne no man can haue true fellowship with the
holy Ghost but by Christ it is manifest that none can haue fellowship with the Father but by Christ. And here the same is verified touching fellowship with the holy ghost especially for the obtaining of those graces that concerne eternall life This serueth for our speciall instruction for among the Papists there are many that haue worthy and excellent gifts of God as knowledge memorie c. And yet in them be wanting the special giftes of the spirit as faith which iustifieth regeneration for touching assurance of these in themselues they professe themselues to be ignorant And whence coÌ„meth this but onely from their want of Christ for the Christ of the Papists as they teach him is an idoll Christ and therefore wee are not to maruell though wee see the most learned among them to scoffe and mock at our doctrin of assurance of Faith certainty of electioÌ„ Secondly we haue many among vs that will say they looke to be saued by Christ to haue their sins pardoned by him and yet you shall perceiue in them no grace of knowledge or conscience of true obedience But these things caÌ„not stand together to wit loosnes of life and forgiuenes of sins therfore these men deceiue themselues for if they had Christ they should haue his spirit and the graces thereof purging their hearts for Christ and his spirit are neuer seuered he that hath the spirit of Christ working in him faith good conscience hath an infallible token that Iesus Christ is his This must admonish vs to labour for 〈◊〉 vnion with Christ Iesus our head to become flesh of his flesh bone of his bone that in him we may haue fellowship with the father and with the holy Ghost for till we be vnited vnto Christ we shall neuer haue the graces of saluation wrought effectually in our hearts The second royaltie of Christ is that he hath the seuen starres that is the seuen Pastors of the seuen Churches of Asia they are called starres because in their ministerie they inlighten men in the way that leadeth vnto life And Christ is said to haue them because hee is a soueraigne Lord ouer them they bee his seruants For he â—ppointeth that person that shall be his minister among men hee giueth him gifts meet for his calling he prescribeth also vnto him his office and duties But the Pastors of Churches will some say are made by the Church Answ. The right of ordaining Pastors belongs to Christ as his royaltie the office of the Church is to testifie ratifie according to the word of God to approoue of them whom Christ maketh and indueth with gifts and for that cause is the Church said to call and ordaine Ministers The end why Christ is said to haue soveraigntie ouer the Ministers is to strike the heart of the minister of this Church of Sardis with conscience of his former negligence to stir him vp to diligence and carefulnes in his place And indeede the consideration of Christs soueraigntie ouer them is an excellent motiue to stir vp all Ministers to bee diligent in their place and so likewise all Christians For considering that they are Christs and the gifts they haue come from him this must mooue them to make conscience of all good duties for being Christs they must giue themselues wholy to do the will of Christ whose they are If he would haue vs liue we must be thankefull because he is Lord of life if our death will glorifie him we must be content because wee are his Thus much of the Preface The matter of this Epistle containeth two parts A reproofe of a vice with the remedie thereof Vers. 1.2.3 And a praise or commendation vers 4. The reproofe in these words I know thy works that is I know all thy workes they are all manifest vnto me and I mislike of them So must these wordes be vnderstood in this place as may appeare by the reason of this reproofe in the wordes following Thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art dead Wherein is set downe the fault of this Church namely Hypocrisie for that they pretended christian religion in outward profession but yet wanted the life of christianitie the power of godlines for the meaning of the reason is this Thou hast a name that thou liuest that is Churches round about thee iudge and speak of thee as of a church that is borne anew in Christ and is guided by his spirit for by life we must vnderstand spirituall life not corporall but yet for all this thou art dead that is thou wantest true spirituall life by regeneration and art indeed dead in thy sinnes this is a great and a sharpe reproofe That which is here said of this Church of Sardis may be truly verified of diuers churches in this age As first of the great church of Rome who are guided by the Pope as by their head That church hath a name to be aliue in their owne pretence it is the only true church of God in the world but in truth and before God it is dead Some say it is as a body full of diseases and whose throat is cut but yet the heart panteth life remaineth therin But we may say it hath no manner of spirituall life but lyeth starke dead as a carkasse in the graue The reasons that some alledge for it are of small moment first they say it hath the SacrameÌ„t of baptisme which is a note of a true Church and therefore it hath some life Ans. First Baptisme is not alwayes a note of a true church for circumcision in whose stead commeth baptisme was a sacrament vsed of the Samaritans when they were no people of God and so no church of God Againe Baptisme without the true preaching of the Gospel is no infallible signe of a church it is but a seale pulled from the writing or set to a bare paper to no vse and further outward Baptisme without inward Baptisme is no note of a church but such is baptisme in the church of Rome it hath not inward baptisme ioyned vnto it neither the true preaching of the word for the doctrine which they teach is a quite ouerturning of Christ and his Gospel and therefore outward baptisme may bee where there is no church Secondly I answer that baptisme in the church of Rome is a Sacrament not to their synagogue but to the hiddeÌ„ church of God among them For God had his Church among them euen in the midst of Poperie There were alwayes some among them that renounced their religion whom God called home vnto himself by the meanes which were among them as the vse of this Sacrament the Apostles Creed and of other books of holy Scripture For as God said to Elias in Ahabs time I haue reserued seuen thousand that neuer bowed the knee to Baal So may it bee sayd of many among the Papists God hath there his secret Church who neuer yeelded to the Popes gouernment
of God So that heere these fewe haue a promise to bee freed from all want and to liue with Christ in all glorie ioy and pleasure This benefite hath beene in effect further vrged in the former Chapter heere onely I will note one Doctrine namely That they which liue in the world amonge the wicked and doe not communicate with their sinnes shall not partake with them in their punishments for the bodie of this Church must haue Christ to come amongest them as a Theefe but the godly must walke with Christ in white in glorie Lot was freed from the destruction of the Sodomites because hee partaked not with them in their sinnes and amonge the Israelites Those that mourned for the sinnes of the people are marked in the fore-head that when Iudgements came vppon the wicked they might bee spared This point must bee remembred for by reason of longe peace and prosperitie among vs many sinnes abound as Ignorance Atheisme contempt of Religion and prophaning of the Lordes Sabbath with innumerable sinnes of the second table All which call for Iudgements from heauen and no doubt they will bee punished partly in this life and partly in the life to come vnlesse our people doe repent Those therefore that would not partake of the common Iudgements that are to come must nowe beware that they communicate not with the common sinnes that dâ—e abounde and see that they keepe faith and good conscience hauing their righteous and zealous hearts grieued for the abhominations among which they liue After the promise is adioyned the reason thereof For they are worthy Hence the Church of Roome doth conclude That a man by his workes may merite heauen because they bee worthie of reward A most blasphemous conclusion and a manifest abuse of the word of GOD. Gods children indeede are worthie life euerlasting but not by the merite of their works for then they should bee done according to the rigour of the Lawe but for the worthynesse of their person when as they stand righteous before GOD in Christ for when GOD will saue any man he giues Christ vnto that man truely and really so as hee may saye Christ is mine And with Christ GOD giues his spirite which worketh in his heart true sauing fayth whereby hee doth receiue Christ and so Christ and his righteousnesse belonges vnto that man reallye and by vertue thereof hee is worthie life euerlasting and this is the worthynesse which Christ meaneth in this place and not any worthynesse of their workes so that this doth helpe them nothing at all and yet it is the most probable place of Scripture to prooue and iustifie the Doctrine of mans merits Vers. 5. Hee that ouercommeth shall be cloathed in white array and I will not put out his name out of the Booke of life but I will confesse his name before my Father and before his Angels Vers. 6. Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirite sayth vnto the Churches Heere is the conclusion of this Epistle and it containeth two partes a promise and a commaundement The promise in the fift verse and the commaundement in the sixt In the promise note two thinges first the parties to whome it is made To him that ouercommeth whereof we haue spoken before Secondly the things promised to wit glorie and eternall happinesse which is expressed three wayes First thus hee shall bee cloathed in white array that is hee shall haue euerlasting life and happinesse so much is signified by white â—ayment as wee haue alreadie shewed Hence the Church of Rome conclude that a man may doe good workes respecting a reward Answere In some sort it is true for so it is recorded of Moses Hebr. 11.26 Hee had respect to the recompence of reward But yet the recompence of reward must not bee the principall end of our good works for cheefely wee must thereby intend to testifie our faith and our obedience vnto God and with that wee may haue respect to euerlasting life The second thing promised And I will not put out his name out of the booke of life For the vnderstanding of this two questions must bee scanned First what this booke of life is Secondly whether a man may bee blotted out of this Booke For the first this booke of life is nothing else but Gods predestination or eternall decree of Election whereby he hath chosen some men vnto saluation vpon his good pleasure And this is called a Booke because it is like vnto a Booke For as the Generall in a Campe hath the names of all his souldiours that fight vnder him in a Booke and as the Magistrate of a Towne hath the name of euerie free man and Denison inâ—owled so GOD in the booke of his Election hath the names of all that shal be saued For the second Question A man may bee written in the Booke of life two wayes either truely before God or in the iudgement of men onely Those whose names are truely before GOD written in this booke cannot be blotted out For Gods counsell touching the eternall state of euerie man is vnchangable This the goulden Chayne of Gods decree doth plainely shew For whome hee hath predestinate them he hath called and whome hee called them also hee iustified and whome hee iustified them hee also glorified Others there be that haue their names written in this Booke only in the iudgement of men and thus are all men written in the Booke of life that professe the Gospell of Christ in his Church for so charitie bindes vs to iudge of them And these may haue their names blotted out In this sence doth the Scripture often speake as when the Prophet wisheth That God would blot his enemies out of the Booke of life meaning Iudas principally his meaning is that it might bee made manifest his name was neuer written therein This then is the meaning of this promise that they who doe auoid the occasions of sin and haue care to keepe faith and good conscience vnto the end haue their names written in the booke of life and they shall neuer bee blotted out Hence I gather two things First that the number of the elect in respect of God is certaine for the names of those which are to bee saued bee as it were written in a booke and being once written in they remayne there for euer Some doe teach that all may bee saued if they will but this is a meere fancie of man for what should thâ—â—e need any booke of life if that were so Secondly hence I gather that this number can neither increase nor be diminished let men doe whaâ— they can If they had been of vs they would haue continued with vs. 1. Ioh. 2.19 All that thou hast giuen me haue I kept and none of them is lost Ioh. 17.12 Whereas a man may bee written in the booke of life to wit in the iudgement of men and yet bee blotted out hereby wee are to bee admonished to looke
is plaine in the Minister of this Church and might also bee shewed by manifold examples of such men in all ages but to come to our times In the dayes of Queene Marie when Religion was in banishing this our famous Schoole of the Prophets had many learned men in it yet not one of them stood out for the defence of the Gospell when as a poore secular Priest not three miles off who was far behind them in gifts of learning and knowledg yet hauing the truth reuealed vnto him did stand out for the maintenance of the same euen to the sealing of it with his blood And at this day many men of smaller gifts in the ministrie doe more further the Gospell by the encrease of the knowledge of Christ crucified and true obedience than those that are inriched with far greater gifts of knowledge both in tongues and arts so as though they be many hundred degrees short in regard of schoole-learning yet they go as farre before them in benefiting Gods Church If this be so will some say then it is needlesse for men to bee brought vp so much in the schooles of learning Ans. Not so for as much as may be Gods Ministers ought to haue knowledge of Schoole-learning both in Artes and tongues And yet for all this it oft commeth to passe by Gods prouidence that the greatest Clerks for learning are lesse profitable to the church thaÌ„ men of smaller gifts This God doth to humble the learned that they be not proud in themselues And to magnifie the worke of his spirite in the weaker instruments Further these words must also be vnderstood of the whole Church And then they beare this sence I haue set before thee an open dore That is I haue vouchsafed vnto thee a speciall priuiledge euen libertie to enter into the kingdome of heauen From whence we obserue That libertie to life euerlasting is a speciall priuâ—ledge belonging not to all men but onely to the Church of God and the true members of Christ. This point hath sundrie vses I. to confute this erronious opinion That Christ did effectually redeeme all and euerie man Which is â—â—at against Gods word and this text for those that are effectually redeemed haue libertie to enter into the kingdome of heauen but all men haue not that libertie for then it were no priuiledge of Gods Church alone to haue heauen opened vnto them II. Seeing this is a priuiledge which God vouchsafeth vnto his church to haue heauen gate opened vnto them Hereby we are taught to take the benefite of this libertie while the dore is open and in time to striue to enter therein For as Christ telleth Nathaniell the church of the new Testament shall by faith see heauen open We must not therefore neglect this oportunitie But it is our common shame that wee be slacke in seeking the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof suffering our selues so to bee clogged with heapes of sins and worldly lusts that we can neither walke in that straight way nor enter into that dore that leadeth vnto life for sinne is â—n heauie burden like a great packe that will not suffer a man to enter into so strait a dore We must therefore cast off all sinne that hee may so enter in and walke in the way of life And no man can shut it Here is the continuance of the former benefite against all aduersarie power whatsoeuer And this againe confuteth another opinion of the same kinde with the former to wit That Christ dyed for euerie man but yet some are not saued because they wil not they shut heauen dore against themselus But this opinion cannot stand for none can shut heauen dore against them to whome Christ hath set it open effectually neither sinne Satan nor the world no not man himselfe nor all their power together For herein is the will of man ruled by the will of God and looke whome God will haue to enter into heauen them doth hee encline to will their owne saluation and also make vnwilling euer to shut this dore against themselus For thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word c. That is Thou art indued with some measure of grace as of faith hope and righteousnesse and according to that measure thou hast maintained my word and not denyed my name Hence we learn that a man indued with a small measure of Gods grace may doe workes pleasing vnto God by the same grace come to life â—uerlasting Christ saith to his Disciples If your faith were as much as a grain of mustard seed by it should you bee able to remooue mountaines Now that which is here sayd of the faith of miracles may in like sort be said of all faith and so of iustifying faith if a man haue neuer so small a measure therof yet thereby hee shall doe workes acceptable to God for as Paul teacheth Gods children receiue not the tenths but the first fruits of the spirit that is a small measure of grace in this life which is onely a pledge of that which they shall fully receiue in the world to come for this cause is Rahab commended for her faith although it was but small and weake as wee shall see if wee read the whole Historie Ioshâ— 2 For God accepteth of man according to that hee hath receiued It is not so much the measure of grace that saueth a man as the truth of grace before God This serueth notably for the comfort of those that haue care to keepe faith and good conscience Such are most dismaied by reason of their wants corruptions but they must know that God approoueth of their grace though it bee but small if so be they haue care to increase in grace and doe striue to please God in all things according to the measure of grace receiued II. Hereby euerie one must be encoraged to embrace and obey true Religion Many bee dismayed herein by reason of the great measure of obedience which they thinke God requireth and therefore they leaue of all obedience But this ought not to bee so for God approoueth of a man in Christ according to that grace which hee hath be it more or lesse and not according to that which by the law he ought to haue And yet none of all this must make vs slacke and negligent in vsing those means which God hath vouchsafed vnto vs for the increase of grace that so wee may also increase in true obedience And hast kept my word and hast not denyed my name Here hee setteth downe two workes for the which he commendeth this church First their faithfull keeping of the word of Christ. Secondly the profession of his name in the time of persecutioÌ„ This behauior of this church must be a paterne and a looking glasse for vs to square our conuersation by For these works Thou hast kept my word and hast not denyed my name though the words be few yet they continue much in