sonne of God which is the friend of friends who shall giue them not onely life and motion but eternall life with his owne maiestie This was Iobs comfort that though he died yet he beleeued he should see his redeemer with his eyes And this should be our comfort against the feare of death and last iudgement Secondly this is a terror to the wicked and to all impenitent sinners that they shall will they nill they be brought to the barre of Christs iudgement seate there looke on him who is their iudge whom they have in their life contemned and despised And this consideration may serue to moue them to repentance which haue noâ— begunne to repent and to labour to become the members of Christ aâ— also to increase and further repentance in them who haue by Gods grace begun the same It may be some do thinke when they die all is done and there is no further account to follow but though we lie rotten in our graues a thousand or two thousand yeares yet we shall rise and looke vpon our iudge with our owne eyes And if we haue not in our life time repented we shall heare him with our owne eares giuing the dreadfull sentence against vs Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire And therefore it is best for vs in this day of grace to preuent this danger and now repent and beleeue in Christ that then we may rise with ioy and stand with holâ—nesse before Christ Iesus No doubt if we were persuaded that we should thus appeare it would moue vs to repent Thirdly Euerie eye shall see him that is all men with their owne eyes shall looke on him Hence it may bee gathered that those who wanted their fight in this life shall haue it then restored It is granted of all Diuines that the elect shall haue all their senses and other defects restored wherein they were wanting in this life And it may also bee added that the wicked shall then haue some of their senses restored if they wanted the same in this life as hearing and seeing at the least for the deafe shall heare the blind shall see this Iudge And this can be no glorie to them seeing it is to increase their miserie for the more senses they haue the more punishment they shall feele because by sense we apprehend miserie Euen thâ—se which peirced him Here is added a further euidence of Christs manifestation of his comming and that for three causes First to shewe that no power or wisedome in the world can free any one from his appearance For if any could escape in all likelihod it would be those Iewes and Gentiles who preuailed most against Christ and put him to death But none of those can escape his iudgement for euen they which peirced him they shall see this Iudge and bee summoned before his maiestie For though they had power to kill him yet none of them shall haue power to absent themselues from before his bar of iudgement at the last day Secondly to shew the case of all wicked men namely that such woe and miserie shall befall them as they neuer once thought of The Iewes and Gentiles which crucified Christ neuer dreamed of this that he whom they then put to a temporall death should one day be their Iudge and condemne them to eternall death vnlesse they had repented Thirdly to shew the rufull and wofull estate of all impenitent sinners they shall rise to iudgement and haue the greatest enemie their Iudge who will shew rigor vpon them and iustice without all mercie for this peircing of Christ is meant not onely of the Iew which put him to death but of all vngodly personâ— because all such do by their sinnes as with swords and speares wound him at the heart as the souldiers did Impenitent sinners be as the Iewes which crucified Christ as Iudas which betrayed him and as the soldiers which goarâ—â— his side and vnlesse they now repent they shall one day be iudged as his enemies Euen they which peirced him Out of these words some gather that the body of Christ hath still the wounds and scarres which were giuen him at his death the print of the nailes in his hands and his feete and that these shall be seene in him at the last day adding withall that it is no blemish to Christ to haue these but rather an increase of his glorie But this cannot be gathered hence for though it be sayd They shall see him whom they peirced yet it followeth not that they shall see him as he was peirced what though they see the person whom they wounded shal they therefore see his wounds Manie shall see kings and queenes whom they crowned in this world but it followeth not that therefore they shall weare their crownes So we shall see our fathers and mothers but not as fathers and mothers IV. point The fruite and effect of his comming especially in the wicked in these words And all tribes of the earth shall waile before him Where S. Iohn speakes of the whole world according to the condition of the land of Canaan for only that part of the world was diuided into tribes As in like case our Sauiour Christ setteth out the iudgement of the whole world according to the state and manner of iudging the visible Church Math. 25. So that his meaning is that they which repented not of what nation soeuer of what state or condition soeuer they haue bene shall wayle and mourne at that day And hee addes a reason of this their mourning in these words for him before him or ouer him That is they shall wayle and lament with exceeding lamentation because they beleeued not his word but contemned him and his doctrine and therefore now they want all help to free them from the punishmeÌ„t of their vnbeleefe and contempt of the gospell for this life is the only time of grace and mercie afterward there is no worke nor inuention that can alter mans estate Hence then we are admonished first that in this world we labour aboue all things to be reconciled to God in Christ to get our sinnes pardoned to beleeue and imbrace his holy word and vnlesse we attaine hereunto in this life we shall wayle eternallie for when the last day is coâ—e there is no hope of help no way to escape no time of grace to repeâ—â— Remember the foolish virgins that sought for oyle when it was too late and knocked when the doores were shut Math. 25. But if by Gods mercie we can in this life get his loue and fauour in Christ then shall we enioy the same eternally yea at this dreadfull day to all the wicked we shall lift vp our heads and our harts when wee shall see Christ comming to our full redemption all teares shall bee wiped from our eyes when the wicked shall crie and houle woe and alas for euermore The diuell knowing the worth of this admonition will labour by all meanes to keepe it from our hearts
of the Preface of this booke containing the title and inscription thereof Now from this ninth verse to the end of the third chapter is contained one of those seuen visions which were shewed vnto Iohn and are set downe in this booke In this first vision two things are to bee noted first the circumstances secondly the parts thereof The circumstances in the ninth and tenth verses the parts from thence to the end of the third chapter The circumstances of this vision are foure first the person to whom this vision was shewed namely Iohn The second the place where at Paâ—mos The third the manner how it is propounded It was deliuered to him being 〈…〉 the spirit The fourth the time when on the Lords day For the first Iohn is the person to whom this vision befell who doth therfore name himselfe to shew that it was giuen him of the Lord for as the Lord hath his visions and reâ—elations as hath beene sayd so the diuell hath his but they may bee distinguished by the persons to whom they be giuen God giueth his visions not to all men but vnto those which are most â—it for them such as bee most holy men for life endued with exceeding gifts of God aâ—knowledge wisdome constancie zeale pietie and religion So in the old testament hee deliuered not them to all 〈…〉 his seruants the Prophets men of singular gifts and graces and of exceeding holinesse pietie Indeed the Lord reuealed some particular things by wicked men as by Balaam and Cayphaâ— but they neuer knew what those things meant which were shewed vnto them It is a propertie belonging to the seruants of God to receiue a vision and to know the same to their comfort And for both these was Iohn throughly qualified he was a man of exceeding holinesse of life for Christ loued him and of singular and rare gifts full of zeale loue and pietie and also had the knowledge of this vision made knowne vnto him But the diuel maketh no such choise his visions befall men which are Heretickes wicked notorious sinners who haue no such rare and speciall gifts as the other haue so that wee must esteeme of this as a singular gift of God to his owne Apostle S. Iohn Now Iohn hauing named himselfe to bee the receiuer of this vision for the greater credit hereof he describes himselfe by two modest tearmes First A brother secondly A companion First hee cals himselfe their brother that is of them who by faith were all members of the mysticall bodie of Christ. For the Church of God is a familie whereof God the father is head and house-holder Iesus Christ is the â—lder brother and all beleeuers are fellow brethren in and by Christ being by faith the adopted sonnes of God members of that familie and brethren 〈◊〉 to other By this title your brother first hee setteth out his humility and great modesty For hee was a man at that time aboue all men which liueâ— in regâ—rd of his gifts and holinesse of life hee was the last Apostle and had Apostolicall authoritie bâ—ing a most zeâ—lous and constant professour yet hee calleth himselfe a brother to 〈…〉 himselfe but equall with them though they were farre inferior to him And so should we esteeme better of our brethren than of our selues and make our selues inferiour to them Secondly by this title we see he had his heart full of brotherly loue to all the members of the church of Christ he loued them as brethren So we are bound to loue all men euen our enemies as they be of the same flesh with vs but those that bee of the same faith and religion with vs to these especially should wee shew our loue and affection So Paule sayth to the christian Romans He affectioned to loue one another with brotherly loue Rom. 12.10 And great reason for beleeuers are linked each to other with the neerest bond they haue the same father which is God the same redeemer the same faith hope baptisme and the same benefit by Iesus Christ his death and obedience But this dutie is not practised there be that call themselues brethren who as Isay saith hate them that tremble at the word and mocke them euen for the profession of the same religion whereby they thinke to be saued If any seeme to make more conscience of their wayes than others they are reuiled and hated for the name of Christ which ought not to bee for among all true Christians should bee brotherly loue The second title Companion or copartner in three things in tribulations in the kingdome and in the patience of Christ. He cals himselfe Copartner with 〈◊〉 in tribulations for two causus First because at that time when hee wrote this vision the whole church was in persecution and tribulation vnder that cruell tyrant Domâ—â—ian about fourescore or an hundred years after Christâ— who banished him into 〈◊〉 where he was not vnmindful of the afflictions of the church whereof he was a member and therefore cals himselfe a partner with them in affliction By which he shews what is that state of Gods church in this world namely to be vnder the crosse and the members thereof must not bee companions of peace and ease but copartners in affliction and tribulation And therefore Christ teacheth those which will bee his Disciples these lessons First to deny themselues to take vp his crosse daily and to follow him And because of this estate the church in this world is called The Militant Church being in continuall fight against the diuell and his instruments The consideration whereof is of speciall vse For we in this land haue had peace and quietnes for many yeares without persecution which wee must acknowledge for a speciall blessing vouchsafed to vs for this end that now in the time of peace wee might prepare our selues against the day of triall For seeing the estate of the church is to bee vnder afflictions wee are all in duty bound to waite continually when God will call vs out to suffer for his sake No man can define the time or the manner of our triall but yet that it will come we must resolue because of the vsuall estate of the church God hath for a long time sent foorth labourers into his haruest whereby no doubt many sheaues are gathered into the Lords barne Now after this long gathering there will come a day of â—â—â—â—ing The Lord will take into his hand the 〈◊〉 of affliction and put it into his corne and thereby try the chaffe from the wheat It stands vs therfore in hand to prepare our selues in this time of peacâ— that wee may bee found good corne in the Lords sieue and not chaffe which must be cast into vnquenchable fire Secondly he cals himselfe their copartner in afflictions because his pitifull heart was moued with the bowels of compassion towards all his fellow members when he remembred their persecution and affliction vnder the cruell tyrant Domitian And the same affection should
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
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
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
sonnes so Christ the Messiah had twelue disciples but as Ioseph was beloued aboue all those sonnes so Iohn was beloued aboue all the disciples Ioseph was apparrelled better than the rest and Iohn was inspired farre better than the rest Had it not been for Ioseph Egypt had wanted her food temporall and had it not been for Iohn the Church had wanted her food eternall The future state of Egypt was reuealed to Ioseph and the future state of the Church was reuealed to Iohn The one was exiled because his father loued him and the other exiled because his maister loued him The place of his exile was into the Island of Pathmos being before by Traian put into a vessell of scalding oyle But that God who shewed his visions to Abraham in the mount to Iacob in the field to Ioseph in the stockes to Moses in Midian to Ieremie in the prison to Daniel in Babylon and to the Apostle Peter in the house of a Tanner euen he sheweth his visions to Iohn in his exile He is not bound to persons he can aduance whome he list he is not bounden to place he can reueale where hee list For persons hee can preferre Abel before Cain Iacob before Esau Dauid before Eliab Matthias before Iudas He can make Moses a Courtier Iob a Potentate Samuel a Iudge Dauid a King Salomon a Soueraigne Elysha a plowman Amos a Neat heard Ieremie a Priest Daniel a Prince Isaiah of the bloud Royall Matthew a Publicane Peter a Fisher and Paule a Tent-maker to be penners and preachers of the word of God For place as no time can prescribe against the King of a nation so no place can prescribe against this King of all nations The wind bloweth where it listeth and the Spirit worketh where it listeth It pleased Christ who is called in this Reuelation that faithfull witnesse that first begotten of the dead that Prince of the kings of the earth Alpha and Omega the first and last he that hath the keyes of hell and of death which hath that sharpe sword his eyes like fire his feet like brasse the seuen Spirits of God the seuen Starres in his hand the key of Dauid who is called here Amen the beginning of the creatures of God and in Daniel hee that reuealeth secrets it pleased this Christ to reueale secrets to Iohn Not by dreame as to Iacob or apparition as to Moses or by voice as to Adam but partly by vision and partly by voice as he did when he turned Saule into Paule This Iohn was Legatus à Latere that embassadour who leaned on his Lords breast He writeth Christs historie there he sheweth his loue to Christ hee writeth the Churches historie there Christ sheweth his loue to him especially in this that he will doe nothing which he doth not reueale to his seruant this Prophet For the Church in his time wee may see how it stood in the three first Chapters and what condition it should haue for the time to come it is plainely set downe in the rest of this booke If we respect the generall estate of the Church after Iohn had described the authors of this Reuelation which are God the Father chap. 4. and Christ his Sonne chap. 5. hee commeth to the workes of God which are predictions chap. 6. obsignations chap. 7. indignations chap. 8 9. Predictions of things to come obsignations of such as must be saued and indignation on things to be destroyed And for the more particular estate of the Church hauing chap. 10. shewed his warrant to write he commeth to her actions first in her Prophets secondly in her bodie In her Prophets their fighting falling rising chap. 11. In her bodie comparing her to a woman clothed with the Sunne chap. 12. and describing her by her combats conquests triumphs her combats defensiue chap. 13. and offensiue in Christ by words chap. 14. threatnings chap. 15. and iudgements chap. 16. her victories gotten against that whore chap. 17. and 18. the Beast chap. 19. and the Dragon chap. 20. And all that glorie which shee shall haue in the kingdome of God is vnder the type of Ierusalem most comfortably set downe chap. 21.22 The things in this booke were I grant very darke to them that liued in the dayes of Iohn as the Prophecie of Daniel was to them who liued in the time of Daniel But as that Prophecie being fulfilled wee can now tell what was foretold in it so many things being fulfilled which were foretold in this booke we may easily see what is meant by it and the posteritie to come shall better vnderstand this booke than wee doe because it may bee all things are not yet fulfilled Neither is this booke like the cities of the Anakims or the tree of knowledge which may not be reached to for blessed is hee that readeth the words of this booke But to come to these three Chapters written by Iohn surnamed the Diuine and expounded by one a most worthie Diuine The first Chapter is a Proeme or Preface to the booke the two latter are Epistles dedicating this booke The dedication is made to seuen seuerall Churches and by name to the Ministers which are called Angels In the word of God Ministers haue many excellent titles giuen them though now they are scarcely graced with titles they are called Prophets Seers Remembrancers Trumpets Watchmen Husbandmen Stewards Maydens Fishers Leaders Elders Salt Starres Angels and Shepheards Prophets to teach Seers to foretell Remembrancers to put in mind Trumpets to sound Watchmen to admonish Husbandmen to plow vp Stewards to distribute Maidens to keepe pure the doctrine of truth Fishers to catch men Leaders to goe before Elders to gouerne Salt to season Starres to giue light Angels to declare and Shepheards to feed to feed I say soundly by doctrine liberally by charitie and religiously by life By doctrine for Sacerdos sine doctrina est nauis sine velis a Priest without knowledge is a ship without sailes By liberalitie for Nihil habet homo adeò diuinum quà m benefacere Man is in nothing more like God than in doing good By life for cuius vita despicitur eius oratio contemnitur his words are not esteemed whose life is not approoued And that it may be said of them as it was of Origen Quale habuit verbum talem habuit vitam as his words were so were his workes They must not be barren like mount Gilboah but weaned as Samuel was before they be offered vnto the Lord They must be pure water if they will cleanse others and more than whetstones if they will sharpen others They must bee in
written which word imports that by diligent obseruation wee should lay them vp in our hearts This is a weightie dutie and seriously commended vnto vs of God Bind vp the testimonie seale vp the law among my disciples Isay. 8.16 And Marie is therefore commended because she kept in her heart the words of Iesus Luke 2.19 â—1 It was Dauids practise I haue â—id thy saying in my heart Psal. 119. â—â— And hereto â—endeth Christs encouragement pronouncing them rather blessed which heare the word and keepe it than those which bare Christ and gaue him sucke Luk. 1â— 27.28 And Iames calleth it the ingraffed word Iames 1.21 because it should abide in our hearts like a syence in a stock and neuer be remooued but there grow and fructifie vnto life eternall Now because this is a point of great difficultie and the want hereof the cause of so little profiting after much hearing and reading I will therefore shew how by Gods grace in hearing and reading the word of God a man may keepe the same in memorie First a man must learne the grounds or elements of religion commonly called the Catechisme for they are the fouÌ„dation of all knowledge without which a man shall neuer vnderstand the Scripture to his comfort nor keepe the same in memorie The Apostle sayth the Hebrewes were dull of hearing the deepe things of God in Christ because they had not well learned the first principles of the word Hebr. 5.11.12 This all ignorant persons should well obserue specially the aged that they may find in themselues the cause of their ignorance and dulnesse euen want of knowledge in the Catechisme They thinke it a disgrace to bee brought vnto it now they are old but if they would not be euer learning and neuer come to the knowledge of the truth they must lay in themselues this good beginning and learne the principles of religion Secondly wee must not rush vpon Gods holy ordinance but before we either come to heare or reade with reuerence prepare our selues thereto Most men at this day vse to prepare theÌ„selues before they come to the Lords table and so they ought to doe before they come to heare the word for God ordained both for this end to bee meanes to bring men to true happinesse they differ onely in this that the Sacraments are the visible and the Scriptures the audible word of God At the giuing of the law The people that must â—eare it were sanctified three dayes before Exod. 19. And when they did offer sacrifice or eat the Passeouer both priests and people must bee sanctified and the same thing for substance must we perform before we come to heare the word of God This preparation stands in two thingâ— First wee must put out of our hearts al by thoghts all delights and cares of wordly affairs and set our hearts as Ezra did to seeke the law of the Lord Ezra 7.10 Secondly we must make our earnest prayers to God that he would open our eyes that wee may see his will soften our hearts and make our eares attentiue as Lâ—diaes were and also giue vs grace to embrace his word and keepe it for Christ is the onely doctor of the heart by his spirit without whose inward teaching wee can neuer learne vnto saluation Thirdly when we are about the holy exercise of Gods word the frame of our heart should be thus disposed I. It must bee an humble heart for the Lord resists the proud and giues grace to the humble Iam. 4.6 Them that be meeke will he guide in iudgement and teach the humble his way Psal. 25.9 A proud heart is so stuffed with selfe loue that there is no room for the word of God to lodge in But the heart that is lowly in it selfe through the conscience of sinne that is the heart in which the Lord by his graces will take vp his abode Isay 57.15 II. It must be an honest heart such as hath no manner of purpose to liue in any one sinne whatsoeuer but though it feele corruption in it selfe is resolued to please God in all the wayes of his commandements and that continually such an heart haue the good hearers resembled by the good ground Luke 8.15 As on the contrarie that is a wicked heart which resolueth to cherish though it be but any one sinne whatsoeuer III. It must bee a beleeuing heart The old Iewes heard the word but it profited them not because they mingled it not with faith 〈◊〉 their hearts Hebrew 4.2 where he compares the heart to a vessell in which there must bee both the word and faith these two must be mingled together and then it will be a word of power of life and saluation Therefore when we heare the threatenings of the law or the promises of the Gospell we must labour to resolue our hearts of the truth thereof But incredulitie wherby men except against the word as not pertaining vnto them is the mother of forgeâ—fulnesse The old world knew nothing of the flood because they did not beleeue Matth. 24.39 IV. It must bee an hearing heart such as is pliable to the word Sacrifice and burnt offerings sayth Dauid thou wouldest not but mine eares hast thou prepared Psal. 40.6 As if hee should say beside those bodily cares which thou hast giuen me by creation thou hast bored new cares in my heart so as I can by thy grace attend and listen to thy word And when God saith Seeke ye my face this hearing heart will answere I seeke thy face O Lord Psal. 27. vers 8.9 Fourthly after we haue heard or read the word we must become doers of the same euen in the duties of our vocation We see euery man more skilfull in the works of his owne trade by reason of his dayly exercise therein euen so the constant practise of Gods word will make vs expert in it and cause vs to keepe it in perfect memorie And these are the right meanes to become good hearers and readers of the word of God Thirdly this benediction pronouÌ„ced vpon them that heare read keepe the prophecies of this booke serues to induce euery child of God as much as in him lieth to keep in memory the whole word of God but specially these prophecies of things to come that concerne the state of the Church for therefore did God reueale them that they might bee remembred When the Angell had told Daniel the state of the church from his time to the comming of Christ hee bids him Shut vp the wordes and seale the booke till the end of the time Dan. 12.4 meaning that he for his own comfort should hide them in his heart And Christ sayth to his disciples When ye see the abhomination of desolation spoken of by Daniell the Prophet let him that readeth consider it Matth. 24.15 Behold I haue told you before meaning things to come verse 25. shewing That hee would haue his children to marke and remember those weightie things that are foretold concerning the state
of the church For the time is at hand Here is a reason of the former benediction for seeing the time of the accomplishing of this prophecie is at hand must shortly be fulfilled therefore those be blessed which reade and keepe the same in memorie And it is an answere to a secret obiection for they might haue said we need not to reade or remember this prophecie seeing it shall not be fulfilled in our dayes but he addeth The time is at hand wherein they must be fulfilled and therefore it must bee marked These wordes for substance were in the first verse where it is said The Reuelation was of things that must shortly be done And here they be repeated againe Whereby hee would teach vs That these prophecies containe weightie matter to be deepely considered and earnestly thought on And S. Iohn repeates the same for two causes first to awake the members of the church out of the sleepe of security and make them stand vpon their watch continually for though they cannot fall into the dead sleepe of sinne yet the slumber of securitie may ouertake theÌ„ the wise virgines slumber as well as the foolish Matth. 25.5 And the spouse of Christ the true Church confesseth That shee sleepeth though her heart waketh Cant. 5.2 Secondly to confirme and hearten the church and all true members of Christ against the afflictions to come for herein is the common saying true He that is forewarned is fore-armed Now in these words The time is at hand Christ would teach vs to obserue That whatsoeuer thing may befall the members of Christ in this life whether afflictions temptations death or the last iudgement it selfe all will come shortly This consideration ought to take place in our hearts being of great vse in our liues as to stay vs from many sinnes so to mooue vs to doe all things with good conscience And the want hereof is the cause of much euill The bad seruant beates his fellowes because hee thinkes his maister doth deferre his comming Matth. 24.48.49 The old world went on in sinne neuer regarding Noahs prophecie and so knew nothing till the flood came and swept them all away Matth. 24.39 We should lay these to our harts and alwayes thinke with Paule the Lord is at â—and The rather because wee haue had the Gospell and peace with all temporall blessings these eight and thirtie yeares now the state of the church is interchangeable one while peace and then trouble so as it is like this peaceable state will not long continue but we must bee tried And the time of ouâ— triall is at hand for whatsoeuer must befall the Church will come shortly We must therefore prepare for trouble and so wee shall finde it the lesse greeuous Vers. 4. Iohn to the seuen Churches which are in Asia Grace be with you and Peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seuen spirits which are before his throne Here beginneth the second part of the Preface to wit the inscription of this vision and it hath two branches First a dedication in these words Iohn to the seueÌ„ Churches which are in Asia Secondly a salutation in the next words Grace be with you and peace c. to the ninth verse In the dedication obserue first the penman that dedicates this booke secondly the parties to whom it is sent For the first the penman is Iohn who here againe repeats his name to shew and certifie euery reader of this booke that he was without al doubt the true penman of the holy ghost in writing this Reuelation But though he repeat his name yet he doth not adde any titles of honour or commendation as hee did in the first verse Wherein he giues vs a true patterne of modestie and humilitie which is neuer to speake in our owne cause to our owne praise but onely in cases of necessitie when Gods glory may bee aduaunced and the credit of our particular callings maintained This Paule practised who often humbles himselfe and cals himself the least of all the Apostles yea the chiefe of all sinners yet when the credit of his Apostleship came into question then he sets out himselfe shewing he was a true Apostle one of the chiefe and aboue those which did falsely call themselues so as wee may find in both of his Epistles to the Corinthians Secondly the persons to whom hee wrote were the seuen Churches in Asia concerning them note two things first hee writes to churches secondly to the churches in Asia For the first why writes he to the churches rather thaÌ„ to the church seeing there is but one only Catholicke church Ans. The church may be considered diuers waies first as it is the whole companie of the elect so it is but one secondly as the same is parted into seuerall branches and companies one part being in one countrey and another part in some other Wherein also euery seuerall congregation professing the gospell is a particular Church And so there may bee many Churches all of them beeing members of one Catholicke Church As the sea is onely one yet it consisteth of many parts which taking their names of the countreyes whereto they adioyne are called so many particular Seas as the English Sea the Spanish sea French Italian Scottish Seas c. And of particular Churches must Iohn bee vnderstood in this place Now Iohn chuseth rather to write to Churches than to particular men First because the matter of this booke concerneth the Church being a Propheticall hystorie touching the state of the Church to the end Secondly because particular Churches which bee true members of the Catholicke Church are the pillars and ground of truth 1. Timoth 3.15 And the Church is so called not that her authority is aboue the word but first because it is the treasure house wherein the Scriptures are preserued from age to age against the rage of Gods enemies Secondly because the Church giues testimonie to the truth of Gods word And thirdly because it publisheth the truth of God word by vertue of that ordinary ministery which God hath ordained therein Secondly in the dedication of this booke among all particular Churches God directs him to make choise of those seuen in Asia no doubt for speciall cause First because they were then most famous Churches as the chapters following and the histories of the Church doe plainely shew Secondly that the calling of the Gentiles to the light of the Gospell which long before had beene foretold might bee more euident for here the Iewes are passed by and the Gentiles sent vnto Lastly we may here obserue That S. Iohn knew no prerogatiue of the church of Rome aboue other churches for if it were the mother church whereon alâ— other churches should depend as the Papists would haue it I would know of them why Iohn passed by it in the dedication of this booke which containeth matter needfull for al churches to know Grace be with
Iewes though their teachers and rulers were both heretickes and hypocrits and yet wee must remember that liuing among them and beholding their wicked conuersation wee must not approoue of their vngodlinesse but bee grieued for the same as righteous Lot was for the abhominations of Sodome 2. Pet. 2.7 Further if it fall out by the negligence of the gouernours that euill men bee admitted to the Sacraments we must not for their companie refuse to communicate for our sauior Christ liuing among the Iews communicated with them in their Sacraments and seruice of the Temple though many of them were notorious both for wicked life and false doctrine The reason is for that another mans euill conscience doth not defile our good conscience but wee may keepe a good conscience in that action wherein the wicked is defiled Now though wee may thus conuerse with euill men yet these two caueats must be obserued I. To haue no priuat companie with knowne and open euill persons This Paule expressely forbiddeth saying I haue written vnto you that you companie not together that is in priuate and familiar manner II. Wee must not shew speciall familiaritâ—â— to euill persons God will not take the wicked by the hand Iob. 8.20 and we should be followers of God Therefore S. Iohn sayth If any man come vnto you and bring not this doâ—trine receiue him not into house neither bid him God speed 2. Iohn 9. Which must bee vnderstood of speciall familiaritie for thereby we doe not onely performe outward dutie to the person but also giue countenance to their sinnes which in any case wee must not doe And thus wee see how to conuerse with euill men Hereby all those are iustly blamed which fit themselues for the humors and dispositions of al companies This ought not to be If any be knowne to be openly wicked either for life or opinions wee must not keepe priuate companie with them or affoord them our speciall familiaritie but by withdrawing our selues from them case vs of such burdens Our Sauiour Christ hauing commended this church for her seueritie against the wicked in that she could not endure them doth prooue the same to bee true by two arguments The first whereof is contained in these words And hast examined them c. to the end of the third verse The second in the sixt verse For the first it is taken from the sharpe and round dealing of this church against euill men and it hath two parts First her discouerie of false Apostles And hast examined them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them liers Secondly her opposing her selfe against them being discouered in the third verse Thou hast suffered and hast patience c. In their discouerie of these false Apostles note two speciall points first that God hath giuen to particular churches the spirit of wisedome that is the spirit of discerning This appeareth by sundry testimonies of Scripture 1. Cor. 2.15 The spirituall man that is bee which is endued with Gods holy spirit discerneth all things And Paule assumeth That the faithfull Corinthians did discerne the Lords bodie that is see and put a great difference betweene the bread and wine in that sacrament and other common bread wine which none that want the spirit of God can doe Againe he biddeth them proue themselues whether they be in the faith or not to giue vs to vnderstand that they had a gift of discerning whereby they did know their owne estate whether they were vnder the curse or vnder grace And S. Iohn biddeth the Church to trie the spirits that is those doctrines which men pretending the gifts of the spirit did teach And in this place this churches discouering of false Apostles declareth plainely that shee hath a gift to discerne who bee sent of God to teach his church and who not And hence the godly learned in the church are sayd to haue their sences exercised to discerne both good and euill Heb. 5.14 And in this regard the churches of God differ from all other companies of men For vnlesse men be of Gods church they want this gift of discerning spirituall things that differ as true Apostles and false good and bad truth and falshood c. Hence we may gather that the church of God hath a gift to discerne which is a true church and which is not for the church can discerne whether a man bee a true Apostle or not and by the same gift it may discerne the state of any particular church Whence also it followeth that wee may easily see whether the church of England bee a true church or not It pleaseth some to call it into question as it now standeth and they auouch That it is no church of God that there are no true Ministers no true preaching or right administration of the Sacraments in it and that these things with vs are illusions of Sathan and our church his synagogue But that ours is a true church of God is thus prooued The churches of Germanie Fraunce Scotland and Italie that haue receiued the Gospell are the churches of God and they haue the gift of discerning which is a true church of God and which is not Now they giue the right hands of fellowship vnto vs and reuerence our church as the church of God To whose testimonie we must rather cleaue than to the opinion of a few priuate men and so resolue our selues that wee are the true church of God Secondly hence we may gather that the church of God hath a gift to discerne scripture from that which is no scripture The papists say the church indeed hath this gift but it is by counsell and commission froÌ„ the church of Rome which is a meere forgerie For the church of Ephesus which could discerne of false Apostles could no doubt by the same gift discerne of the bookeâ— of God and that without counsell from the church of Rome for at this time when Iohn writ it was a more famous church than the church of Rome and therefore went not thither for counsell II. point In what things this discerning of false Apostles doth consist it is a iudiciall action of the church consisting in two things here noted First in examination of false doctrine and false teachers secondly in condemnation afterward The examination of them is set downe in these words And hast examined them that say they are Apostles and are not Their condemning or sentence giuing in the words following And hast found them liers For the first examination is a gift of God to his church and was here vsed for the triall of false Apostles Que. How may any church trie a false teacher Answ. This is a point of large discourse but the heads of true examination are these First that church or that man that would rightly examine a false teacher must prepare himselfe thereunto after this manner he must looke that he haue a meeke spirit and an humble heart for God
reuealeth his will not to the proud but to the meeke and lowly and as Isay sayth to them that are of a contrite spirit Isay. 57.15 And in this humbling of himselfe a man must renounce his owne naturall wit and reason and become nothing in himselfe but euen a foole in respect of his owne conceit Also he must vnfainedly pray to God that hee would reueale vnto him his truth Aske sayth Christ and it shall be giuen you euen the holy ghost vnto them that desire of the father And S. Iames sayth If any man lack wisdome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally Secondly after preparation hee must labour to know throughly what the false teachers are and what be theiâ— opinions with the grounds and foundations thereof wherein they agree and wherein they differ from the truth of God maintained by the church for it is a foule ouersight to misconceiue the state of the aduersaries question by propounding it otherwise than they hold as it falleth out with many in the handling of controuersies Thirdly due proofe must bee made whether the aduersaries doctrine bee of men or of God This is Gods commandement 1. Iohn 4.1 Proue the spirits whether they be of God or not And for triall hereof we must haue recourse vnto the word of God it must be Iudge in this cause Isa. 8. vers 20 To the law and to the testimonies if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them yee looke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of mee Who is so fit to iudge in the matters of God as God himselfe and so hee doth in his written word of all doctrine and opinions in religion The Scriptures shew whether the doctrine examined be directly gathered thence and by iust consequent or not Fourthly serious consideration must bee had of the faith and liues of the teachers examined for a false teacher by Gods iust iudgement is vsually a wicked liuer And therefore Christ sayth yee shall know them by their fruits if they bee throughly examined such they will appeare howsoeuer for a time they may bleare the eyes of men as the hystories of the church in many famous heretickes doe plainely declare The second braunch of this discouerie is sentence giuing in these wordes And hast found them liers The church here giueth out a sharpe and seuere sentence against them shee calleth them false Apostles and liers and yet she sinneth not for Christ commendeth her for it Though to raile or taunt cannot beseem any yet magistrats and ministers in their places may giue ouâ— seuere speeches against offendors in token of detestation to their sinnes and not offend Thus Iohn called the Scribes and Pharisees a generation of vipers Matth. 3.7 and our Sauiour Christ called Herod a foxe Luk. 13.32 and Paule called the Galathians fooles Gal. 3.1 And in this place the church calleth these false teachers lyers which is very much for therein shee accuseth them of three things First of teaching that which was false indeed secondly that they know it to be false and so sinned of knowledge Thirdly that they did it of malice with intent to blind the eyes of the Church and to deceiue the people In this discouerie wee may obserue the iust accomplishment of Paules prophecie Acts. 20.29 30. namely that there should rise vp among the Ephesians grieuous wolues and men speaking peruerse things and such were these false Apostles who after examination were found liers Againe seeing in the dayes of this Apostle Iohn men durst presume to claim Apostolicke authoritie and call themselues Apostles when they were not no maruell if the Pope of Rome sixe hundred yeares after did challenge to himselfe to be Peters successour and to haue Apostolicke authoritie and that they dare now auouch some bookes to bee scripture which are not as also bring in their traditions vnwritten verities to bee receiued and obeyed equally with Gods word Verse 3. Thou hast suffered and hast patience and for my names sake hast laboured Here our Sauiour Christ declareth how this Minister and church of Ephesus opposed themselues against false teachers after their discouerie The manner we shall see in handling the points particularly as they lie in order Thou hast suffered or Thou hast borne a burden for the word signifieth to be pressed downe vnder a great burden This burden was the troubles which false Apostles brought vpon them after they were discouered partly by open affliction and persecution partly by the spreading of their hereticall and schismaticall doctrine These false teachers were Ebion Cerinthus Marcion and such like who in the dayes of Iohn troubled this church as hystories do shew Here wee may obserue that it is Gods will that the best churches should be troubled by wicked men and hereticall teachers who both by false doctrine and persecution become grieuous burdens This the Lord permits for weighty causes I. That true beleeuers may bee excited more constantly to embrace the syncere doctrine of the Gospell and therefore Iude most worthily exhorts the Christians in his time to fight for the common faith II. That professors may be tried whether they soundly hold the doctrine of the Gospell or not 1. Cor. 11.19 It is â—ette sayth Paule that there should bee heresies in the Church that they which are sound in the faith and approoued may â—ee knowne III. That God may execute his iudgements vpon wicked men and hypocrites that haue not loued his truth reuealed vnto them 2. Thess. 2.10 11. God gaue them vp to strange illusions to beleeue lies because they haue not loued his truth For many know the word that loue it not This must teach vs to take heed of a common scandale in the world which is to be offended at religion because there be in the church schismes and heresies which come not from the Gospell but from the malice of Sathan who soweth his tares among the Lords wheate Wee must consider that it is the will of God there should be such euils in his church and therefore should labour to bee so farre from offence that hereby wee bee rather prouoked with more cheerefulnesse and courage to loue and embrace religion And hast patience and for my name hast suffered c. Here is set downe the dealing of this church against these false Apostles in all their persecutions But first note the coherence of this vertue with the former Thou hast suffered trouble and hast had patience Quest. How can these stand together It is against mans nature in trouble to be patient for troubles and afflictions make men discontent and to fret against God and man Answ. They stand not by nature but by grace Rom. 5. vers 4. Tribulation bringeth forth patience namely to all those that haue receiued to beleeue in Christ for to them God giueth the spirit of meekenesse in their troubles shedding
by the name of counsell First â—ere note that Christ commendeth this church and giueth her counsell but doth not at all rebuke her for her faults as he did the church of Ephesus Hence the Papists gather that Gods church and so the members thereof may liue without sinne and fulâ—ill the law But they are deceiued Christ therfore abstaineth from reproofe of this church not for that he had not any thing against them but for these two causes especially First because this church of Smyrna did truely repent and beleeue and did not decay in grace as the church of Ephesus did and therefore had the pardon of her sinnes and was in Gods loue and fauour Secondly this church did indeuour to obey Christ and to testifie her faith and loue thereby Now God accepteth the desire and will of obedience in his children as obedience it selfe and therefore did not reproâ—ue them for any fault that was among them Seeing this church being in affliction is so farre forth accepted that Christ reproueth nothing in her wee are taught it is profitable for Gods church and people sometime to bee in affliction for thereby are the gifts and graces of God preserued as Faith and Repentance and many greeuous sinnes preuented which otherwise Gods children might fall into The counsell it selfe containeth three parts A precept A prophesie And a precept againe The first precept is in these words Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer This precept may seeme to be against other places of Scripture as Phil. 2.12 Worke out your saluation in feare and trembling And Rom. 11.20 â—e not high minded but feare Answ. There bee three kinds of feare I. naturall feare II. feare proceeding from grace III. a distrustfull fearefull proceeding from vnbeleefe I. The naturall feare is a declining and eschewing of death and those things that tend thereto this feare is in all men in as much as euerie thing desireth to preserue it selfe this was in Christ who in his agonie feared death as it was a separation of soule and bodie asunder yet this was no sinne in him but onely an infirmitie without sinne The second kind of feare is that which commeth from grace Mal. 1.6 If I be a maister where is mine â—onor If I be a father where is my feare This feare is a reuerent awe towards God in regard of his mercie and iudgements and this is a vertue and no sinne The third is distrustfull feare when men for affliction forsake religion and obedience to God standing more in feare of men than of God and this is that feare which Christ in this place forbiddeth being a sin that draweth men from God vnto perdition In this commaundement Christ doth two things First he giueth them and vs to vnderstand what is the sinne in which euerie man is conceiued and the seed whereof remaineth stil in the children of God namely distrustfull vnbeleefe whereby men feare the authoritie of the creature more than the glorious maiesty of the eternall God which proceedeth from this that men consider not of God as he extendeth his prouidence ouer all things and as he is a mightie iudge taking reuenge vpon all sin and wickednesse Secondly here Christ describeth the meanes wherby Gods people may arme themselues against all perils and troubles whatsoeuer to wit Christian fortitude which is a gift of God proceeding froÌ„ true faith inabling a man to lay aside all feare and with courage to vndergo al dangers whatsoeuer that he may in life and death maintaine faith and a good conscience This vertue God prescribed to the Prophets when they were to enter into their calling and our Sauiour Christ to his Apostles and to this church of Smyrna And it were to be wished that all the ministers of the gospell might speake vnto their people as Christ speaketh vnto this church Feare not But the truth is if they deale faithfully they must change their note and say with Ioell Waile and houle ye priests and people lying in sackcloth and ashes because the day of the Lords vengeance is at hand For it is lamentable to see the state of the whole body of our people of whom wee may generally say with the Prophet There is no knowledge of God in the land And where knowledge is there is litle conscience to liue therafter Consider also how the most are carnall minded dead in sin they sauour not thâ— things that pertaine to Gods kingdome but their hearts are wholly possessed with earthly desires delights and spirituall things affect them not Yea in all places wee shall see that as naturall sleepe wrappeth vp the senses of the body so a spiritual slumber benummeth their minds and hearts For though God preach daily vnto vs by his iudgements yet like the old world wee know nothing of the euill day we neuer cal to mind the iudgement to come And if herunto we ioyne the common crying sinnes of this land as swearing cursing oppression Saboath breaking drunkennesse whordome and all vncleannesse yea Atheisme it selfe the ground of all How can we say with Christ Feare not yea rather wee must call men to repentance in sackcloth and ashes For God is iealous of his glorie neither will hee alway be chiding nor winke at our iniquities he hath whet his sword and bent his bow and vnlesse wee repent the day of hauocke will come shortly wherein hee will take vengeance vpon all our iniquities And although this be the common state of our land yet Christ hath his remnant among vs who mourne for the sinnes and abhominations of the times and doe endeuour to keepe faith and a good conscience in all things and to these it may be sayd Feare not but take to your selues christian courage arme your selues therewith lay aside all distrustfull feare and glorifie God in your hearts striue to keepe the faith in a pure conscience vnto the end and so shall Christ appeare to your ioy when the wicked shall be ashamed And to moue Gods children to this christian fortitude First let them consider what a iudgement of God is due vnto them that are distrustfully fearfull when they should suffer any thing for the name of Christ Reuel 21.8 They must haue their reward in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone among the damned Secondly let them obserue the Lords presence and his gracious promise of protection in distresse He will cause his Angels to pitch their tents about them that no perill shall hurt them 2. King 6. When a mightie armie came against Elisha his seruant was fore afraid but marke how he comforteth him Feare not saith he for they that be with vs are more than they that be with them And so it is with Gods children Thirdly let them consider that it is a most honourable estate to suffer any thing for the name of Christ. And therefore the Apostles reioyced exceedingly when they had bene beaten That they were counted worthie to suffer any
in two things In due deserued praise commendation in a careful imitatiō of their good vertues godly liues and for this end doth Christ cōmend Antipas vnto this church that they might follow his good conuersation but as for popish honor of inuocation adoration it hath no ground in Gods word Againe in calling him faithfull martyr hee commendeth more the cause of his death than the death to shew that the cause maketh a martyr not the death For an hereticke may be put to death for his damnable opinions Therefore Antipas is a martyr not because he was slain but because he was faithful vnto death for the maintenance of Christs true religion II. point In the end of the verse Christ sheweth who were the authors of Antipas his death namely such among them in whom Sathan ruled for he was slaine sayth Christ among you where Sathan dwelleth Which words hee repenteth to giue vs to vnderstand that all persecutors let them carry what face they will are in truth such in whome the deuill ruleth where he hath his hold and keepes possession Quest. Why did Sathan more dwell there than in other places Answ. Because many in this place were Gentiles who contemned and mocked the gospell and maintained idolatrie wherby they became the holds of Sathan And by proportion we may gather that all contemners of religion and all that walke in their owne wicked wayes are indeed the stables and holds of the deuill though they should bee the temples of the holy ghost And so many families as there are where religion is mocked Gods name blasphemed iniustice and impietie practised so many holds of Sathan there are where the deuill ruleth and such they continue till they reforme themselues of their impieties and embrace the Gospell syncerely And therefore all masters of families especially should loue the Gospell and see that in their families religion be taught embraced and obeyed that so the deuill may haue no hold in their families Que. Whether might not Antipas being Pastour of this Church haue fled for the safetie of his life Answ. There bee two kinds of persecution one that is directly intended against the Pastor principally the other against the whole Church equally In the persecution directed against the Pastor this must bee considered Whether God gaue him oportunitie and libertie to flie or not if God giue him libertie and oportunitie hee may flie and the Church is to assist him and to vse means for his preseruation but if God denie him meanes to escape then he must iudge himselfe to bee called of God to suffer death for his name and so hee may not flie And such was the cause of Antipas in this Church But if the persecution be directed against the whole church equally then the Pastor may not flie but take part in their sufferings that hee may be a meanes to stay and comfort his brethren Verse 14. But I haue a few things against thee because thou hast there them that maintaine the doctrine of Balaam which taught Balac to put a stumbling blocke before the children of Israell that they should eat of things sacrificed vnto Idols and commit fornication Here followeth the reproofe of this Church of Pergamus which is first generally propounded in these words I haue a few things against thee Secondly in particular for want of zeale in suffering among them such as maintained the doctrine of Balam Thirdly hee setteth downe a reason or confirmation thereof in the end of the 14 verse and in the 15. The generall reproofe is the same which was giuen out against the Church of Ephesus vers 4. Whereby hee would teach vs a speciall dutie namely that euery man must seriously consider with himselfe what sinnes hee hath in him which Christ may haue to lay vnto his charge For this very cause doth Christ rehearse it vnto this Church And therefore wee must call our selues to reckoning and examine our selues not by our owne wits but by the rule of Gods word and search out all our thoughts words and actions and see how many things Christ may haue against vs that so making a forehand reckoning and seeking to be cleared by true repentance we may not bee condemned for them at the last day for if we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged This is a necessarie dutie and the practise of it is the ground of all grace and conscionable obedience as on the other side the want hereof is the cause why many that liue in the Church doe perish eternally For a day of accounts will come wherein wee shall neuer escape vnlesse by a forehand reckoning in the practise of true repentance from dead workes and by faith in Christ Iesus wee preuent the same Lamentable and fearefull is the state of all those that neuer call themselues to this account it causeth them to goe on in sinne without remorse Hos 7.2 Hereof Ieremie complained That no man sayd what haue I done And for that cause hee denounceth fearefull iudgements against the people This was the sinne of the old world men knew nothing till the floud came and destroyed them all This securitie bringeth mens soules to hell before they wot where they are And therefore Dauid crieth out Psal. 50. vers 22. Oh consider this meaning the account that God will take with them least God teare them in pieces and there bee none to deliuer them The end of preaching and hearing Gods word is to bring the soule to eternall life and saluation but the want of this account maketh the holy ordinance of God to bee of none effect to many a one For how should men embrace with comfort the word of reconciliation till they feele in themselues their enmitie with God and desert of condemnation II. point Because thou hast them that maintaine the doctrine of Balaam c. Here is the particular reproofe of this Church for want of zeale in that they entertained and suffered hereticall Ministers to liue among them which maintained the doctrine of Balaam This shewed that though they loued the gospell and embraced it yet it was very coldly and without that feruent zeale which they ought to haue shewed against such heretickes Here first Christ teacheth this church to shew forth zeale in excommunicating and casting out such heretickes as by damnable doctrine did trouble them This place is a sufficient ground for the practise of that Ecclesiasticall censure When men hold hereticall opinions the Church after two or three admonitions is to excommunicate them and cast them out So did Paule to Hymaeneus and Alexander 1. Tim. 1.20 Secondly Christ reprouing this Church for entertaining such heretickes and wicked men doth giue vs to vnderstand that euery member of Gods church should haue a great dislike of all persons that hold not the doctrine of Christ in truth but maintaine errours against the tenour of Scripture and the profession of the Church For this cause Paule chargeth Timothie to separat
people doe not repent the Lord will come vnto them to execute his iudgements vpon them Yea though they haue before repented if for particular sinnes and wants they doe not renew their repentance hee will surely come to punish them This might be proued at large by testimonies of the Prophets Apostles but it is so euident in this text that I omit all further proofe onely I will applie it to this our Church of which this may bee truely sayd Thou doest not repent nor renew thy repentance for thy dayly sinnes For albeit there bee some among vs that by Gods grace repent and set themselues dayly to the exercise thereof yet take the greater part of our congregations and they are so far from renewing their repentance that they doe not repent at all for either they haue no knowledge of Gods will or if they haue knowledge yet they want care and conscience to put the same in practise This being our case and condition what man may not bee a Prophet against our churches and congregations being thus directed by this portion of Scripture to say and that truly That God will come vnto vs in iudgments to plague and punish vs for our sinnes and iniquities Wee may sooth our selues in hope of mercie still but the state of our Church continuing as it is nothing can bee expected but iudgements from the Lord. This then must be a motiue to persuade vs to repent euery person apart and euery family congregation apart we must humble our selues in dust and ashes for our sinnes past entreating the Lord to be reconciled vnto vs and purpose fully in our hearts and striue in our liues to obey God in all his commaundements yea though we can say wee haue repented yet for our dayly wants and sinnes wee must renew our repentance Thus doing we shall stay the Lord when he is comming against vs. But if we goe on in blindnesse ignorance and rebellion following the lusts of our own hearts then nothing but vengeance and iudgements are to bee expected for this conclusion must stand with all churches and people If they repent not God will come in iudgement against them The second threatening or commination is directed vnto the Nicolaitans in these words And will fight against them with the sword of my mouth that is I will bee at emnitie with them and testifie the same by waging battell against those among you that maintaine the lawfulnesse of eating things sacrificed to Idols and of fornication Thus I say will I fight against theÌ„ with the sword of my mouth that is with the preaching of my word the law and the gospell In this commination Christ alludeth still to the storie of Balaam for when hee was sent for by Balac to curse the people of God the Lord stood against him in the way with a naked sword to keepe him from going and when his eyes were opened that hee saw the Angell of the Lord withstand him in that sort hee fell downe and adored the Angell for it was the Lord yet because he ceased not from his wicked couetousnesse but gaue bad counsell against the Israelites when he could not curse them to cause them to sinne therefore hee was slaine with the edge of the sword among the Midianites by the children of Israel Num. 31.8 Euen so Christ dealeth with the Nicolaitans because they goe on in their bad counsel persuading the lawfulnesse of eating things sacrificed to Idols also of fornication therfore first he will fight against them with the sword of his mouth the ministery of his word therby to reclaime them from their wicked wayes if it bee possible but if that will not serue hee will still fight against them and with the same sword destroy them for euer First here marke Christ sayth not I will kill them but fight against them for hee intended not at the first to destroy these Nicolaitans but his purpose was to withdraw them from their wicked wayes yet so as afterward if they would not be reclaimed by his word he would therewith destroy them Wherein wee may behold the exceeding patience of Christ Iesus towards leaud and grieuous sinnerâ— that maintained the lawfulnesse of idolatrie and fornication and gaue themselues thereunto So the Lord in spirit stroâ—e with the old world and spared them 120 yeares to withdraw them from their wickednesse by the preaching of Noe. So likewise hee spared the Ammonites till their sinnes were come to the full and the Egyptians also for many hundred yeares though they were most cruell persecutors of his owne people And though the Iews most maliciously crucified the Lord of life yet he spared them fiftie yeares before hee cut them off from being a people Yea dayly experience teacheth vs this his long suffering we may heare most bloudie and bitter oathes from blasphemers whereby they dayly crucifie Christ with their tongues The like may be said of the adulterers and all cruell persons and yet he forbeares the same yea in our owne selues we dayly tast of this his patience for so soone as we were borne we deserued to be cast into hell and yet in mercie he vouchsafeth vnto vs to some twentie to some thirty and to some moe years for a time of repentance when as euery day hee might in iustice condemne vs. This therefore must admonish vs in the feare of God not to abuse this his long suffering any longer but now while the day of mercie lasteth to humble our selues and turne vnto him by true repentance These are the dayes of grace but how long they will last God onely knoweth For when death once commeth he sheweth no more mercie The old world because they abused the long suffering of God were destroyed and are now in hell in prison for it as Peter teacheth And vndoubtedly the same prison will be our portion if wee take the same course that they did Secondly in this threatening we may obserue that all irrepentant sinners haue God for their enemie to fight against them with a drawn sword For this cause sinne in Scripture is called rebellion and euery sinner is a rebell against God A fearefull thing it is to haue God for an enemie and yet this is the condition not onely of such as did neuer repent but of all those that hold the name of Christ in profession and yet continue in any one sinne without renewing their repeÌ„tance This also must serue to induce euery man that hath not repented now to begin and if they haue begun to repent more dayly renewing the same for their daily slips and so shal they be the friends of Christ as Abraham was and aâ— his disciples were Ioâ— 15.15 Thirdly in these two threateningâ— Christ sheweth himselfe to bee the true Doctor of his Church for he will fight against these Nicolaitans when as hee will onely come vnto his Church Where wee see hee deuideth his word aright wherein consisteth the principall wisedome of a true
and doctrine Second reason Antichrist say they sitteth in the Temple of God Now the Temple of God is Gods Church therfore the church of Rome is Gods church Answ. He sitteth there not as a member thereof but as an vsurper and deceiuer For in the Church of Poperie is the hidden church of God they are therein mingled as a little wheat with much chaffe and as little gold with much drosse So that though the church of God be where Antichrist sitteth yet the Church whereof hee is head is no church of God for whether we regard their doctrin or worship of God there is no meanes to beget or preserue spirituall life in their Church Further this which Christ sayth of Sardis may be sayd not onely of the Papists but of the churches of the Protestants as of this our Church of ENGLAND of the most congregations in the great townes thereof though not for doctrine yet in regard of mens conuersationsâ— for the body of our people seeme to be aliue by their outward profession but indeed they are dead in respect of the power of godlinesse for by occasion of outward peace these sins abound fulnes of bread pride both inward in heart outward in attyre also cruelty couetousnes carnal security like as it was in Noahs time Now where these sins raigne there the power of godlines is wanting men content theÌ„selues with an outward profession but the spiritual life of grace is not to be seen And yet this doth not preiudice the state of our church to nullifie it from being the church of God for God hath his chosen among vs in all places who liue indeed a spirituall life thogh the body of our people be dead in 〈◊〉 so will continue while peace abideth the threatnings of the ministers wil not awake meÌ„ out of the sleepe of sin it must be the rod of correctioÌ„ that must put into them the power of religion Men are like to little children who besides admonition must feele the smart of the rod to bring them to their dutie Further in this Church of Sardis whom Christ calleth dead though they had a name to liue Note the state of the Church of GOD for this was a true Church of God who among the rest was washed in the blood of Christ. Chap. 1. vers 5. And yet Christ saith it is dead in sinne that is in part not wholly And therfore a Church that is in a very corrupt state both in regard of outward conuersation and of sundry erronious opinions may yet remaine the true Church of Christ if so be they erre not in the foundation Which serueth for answere to them that thinke our Church to bee no Church because it maintaineth not that out-ward order which they thinke should be in it And therefore though wee must preferre Church before Church yet we must not condemne a Church to bee no Church for some corruptions that bee therein A true body may haue some blemish and a true Church some wants Againe the Churches of God say this is a Church yet Christ saith they are dead How can these two stand Answ. The Churches about Sardis iudged this to be aliue according to the rule of charitie because of their outward profession of true Religion for as Infants are not indeede all holy as experience sheweth yet till wee see the same made manifest wee are in charitie to iudge them to bee holy that are borne of fâ—ithfull parents euen so ought the Minister and euery one in GODS Church to thinke the best of euery one in Gods Church till God make manifest what hee is Paul following this rule calleth whole Churches elect But thou art dead Here are two iudgements one of neighbour Churches the other of Christ and Christs iudgement is preferred Wee must therefore regard specially the iudgement of Christ and labor to approue our selues our conuersations vnto Christ rather then to men for let men say what they will of vs it is Christ that must saue and condemne this made Paul to say I passe little to bee iudged of you or of mans iudgement why so for hee that iudgeth mee is the Lord. And indeed without Christs commendation the iudgement of men is nothing for Christ may condemne vs when men thinke well and speake well of vs and therefore hee saith Woe bee vnto you when all men speake well of you Luke 6.26 Verse 2. Be watchfull and strengthen the things that remaine that are readie to die for I haue not found thy works perfect before God There be two degrees of hypocrisie first when men professe that which is not in their heart at all The second when men make profession of more then is in their heart This second kind of hypocrisie oft befalleth the children of God and it is that which Christ reprooueth in this Church of Sardis in the former vers After which reproofe here he propoundeth a remedie to their vice and a reason to mooue them to vse the same The remedie is in the beginning of the verse where are two duties prescribed To bee watchfull and to strengthen or confirme the decayed graces of God in them For the first Be watchfull to bee watchfull here is a most worthy and excellent dutie it is not bodily but spirituall and it is practised when any man hath a circumspect care and diligent heed in respect of the saluation of his soule This dutie of watchfulnesse concerneth two things sinne and death Watchfulnes against sinne stands in two duties First a man must daily and continually bethinke himselfe before hand of all sinnes and vices into which he may happily fall for the doing of this he must consider in himselfe two â—hings his Nature and his Calling Touching his Nature he must consider that in him remaines the seed and roote of all sin and therefore that hee may fall into any sinne whatsoeuer Againe a man considering his nature shall finde himselfe more inclined to some sinnes then to others and those hee must especially marke and obserue Secondly for his Calling a man must marke the sinnes thereof for since the fall of man euery calling hath his especiall sins wherto men that walke therein are more incident The Magistrate hath his sins the Minister his the Lawyer his the Physition his and the Trades-man his And touching these a man must consider vnto what vices and abuses men are most subiect that walke in that calling wherein he liueth and so shal he haue a foresight of the sinnes that he may fall into Secondly after this foresight of sin he must watch his heart with all diligence that though it bee tempted and assaulted yet it bee not tainted with any one sin as the wise man counselleth Keepe thy heart with all diligence that so the fountaine of al thy actions may be kept holy and pure The second part of this watchfulnesse respecteth death or the second comming of Christ. In this two things must bee practised
Thirdly men will professe that they are rich in loue both towards God and their neighbours when as they loue the world and the pleasures thereof more than Christ and so haue no true loue of God in their harts Fourthly to make more plain that this spirituall pride raignes in mens harts mark this let any bodily calamity be made knowne to a man that is newly befallen him oh how is hee presently perplexed but let Gods Minister out of his word make knowne vnto him his inward fearfull estate that by reason of sinne hee is in danger of Gods iudgements and a firebrand of Hell hee is not affraide Worldly newes doth affright men much when as the threatnings of the word mooue them nothing What argueth this but that their hearts are fore-stalled with this false conceit I am rich The drunkard in his drunkennesse the filthie person in his vncleannesse and euerie man in his sinne sootheth himselfe with this God is mercifull I am rich and in his fauour hee will not condemne me Well it being thus manifest that spirituall pride is our common sin We must labour to see it in our selues and vse all good meanes that it may be remooued The means follow afterwards And increased with goods or am made rich so the words are these words are added onely for amplification to shew that this church had not any smal portion but an exceeding measure of spirituall pride The doubling of the words sheweth the strength of this conceit What 's the cause that this Church was growne to such an height of pride Answ. It may be it was knowledge wherewith no doubt the Angell of this Church and many therin did abound now the holy Ghost saith That knowledge pusseth vp This is true in all places great knowledg without speciall grace great pride This is the sinne of the Schooles of learning Where knowledge abounds there pride of heart abounds and men are puffed vp according to the measure of their gifts vnlesse by his grace and the sight of their sins God doe humble them And haue need of nothing This is a further signe of their great pride that they thought they needed not the helpe of any thinge or any person beside themselues And all such as thinke they haue no need of the blood of Christ for the washing away of their sinnes doe surfet and abound with this spirituall pride of heart This serues further to conuince our congregations of this damnable spirituall pride If any one be sicke in bodie hee streight sendeth to the Phisitian but not one of a thousand seeketh to the Minister till the pange of death draw neere The soules disease by sin is not felt there is no complaint for want of the blood of Christ. But if wee would be emptied of this pride wee must labour to see that wee stand in neede of Christ and euerie droppe of his blood till such time as wee feele that in vs there is no goodnesse in our hearts VVee are but the proude Laodiceans and our case is wretched and damnable And knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Christ intending to strike this sin of pride to the verie heart doth here set downe the true cause thereof to wit Ignorance as if hee should say Thou knowest not thine owne naturall estate as thou art borne of Adam out of Christ and therefore thou art proude and thy pride maketh thee luke-warme Then he sheweth whereof they were ignorant namely of their naturall estate For the first Christ making Ignorance the cause of their Pride teacheth vs that Pride is not the first sin that euer was in the world as many both Papists and others haue thought True it is Pride is a great and mother sinne and the cause of many fowle iniquities but yet Ignorance is a mother sin wherof Pride springeth The cause why any person swelles with pride in himselfe is Ignorance of his owne naturall estate By this then wee are taught to learne to knowe our owne estate what wee are by nature in our selues without Christ for that is the way to pull downe our hearts For this cause the Prophets of God vsed to call men To a searching of themselues Zeph. 2.1 when they would bring the people to humilitie and grace that men seeing their estate by reason of their sinnes to bee damnable might bee humbled and caused to forsake themselues and come vnto Christ. And surely till such time as men bee humbled for their sinnes they will neuer get sound grace but be as the proud Pharisie hypocrits and dissemblers though they haue much knowledg But when a man hath searched his naturall estate then besides knowledg of himselfe come other most excellent graces as humilitie the feare of God and true obedience with good conscience And therefore first of all let vs labour to be acquainted with our own estate in our selues with our personall sins with Gods iudgmēts due vnto vs for them For this is the ground of true grace The spots and blemishes of our bodies we can soone espy and wipe away and why should wee bee lesse carefull of our soules which be farre better That Christ might fully make knowne vnto them their ignorance of thēselues it pleaseth him to desrcibe to thē their naturall estate so proportionally the naturall condition of all Churches of all people which is the state of mans miserie This he propoundeth two waies first generally in these wordes and knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable then by the parts thereof which be three Pouertie Blindnesse and Nakednesse For the first The word translated Wretched signifieth one subiect to calamities griefes and in a word to all miseries And that we may know who is thus wretched I will enter into a description of mans miserie whereof that we may conceiue aright two things are to bee considered First the roote and fountaine thereof for therein wee shall best see what miserie meaneth This root is originall sinne and it hath two braunches First that particular transgression whereby Adam sinned which was not only the sinne of his person but also of the whole nature of man spreading it self to all his posterity Christ excepted Secondly the defacing of Gods Image and the corrupting of mans heart which by reason of the fall of our first parents hath in it a pronesse vnto all sin both in will affection and in all the faculties of the soule In these two stands originall sin and in them and with them must wee conceiue of mans misery as in the root thereof Secondly we must conceiue of mans misery vnder the forme of punishmēt hauing relation to the first sin of Adam to the corruption of ech mans nature therby receiued The punishent of sin must be considered sundry waies according to the diuers kind of mans being either in this world or after For it is either in this life or at the end of this life or after this life
And so accordingly is misery to be considered Now of the punishments in this life some concerne the whole man some the parts of man some his estate PunishmeÌ„ts concerning the whole man bee of two sorts The first is subiection to the wrath of GOD whereby a man since Adams fall is made the child of wrath a misery of all miseries yet the more greeuous because without some grace a man cannot discern see the same The second is a Bondage vnder the Diuell wherby a man in his mind will affections is subiect euery way to the will of the Diuell which though we cannot describe yet wee may thus conceiue of it The regenerate man saith I sin but I would not sin The naturall man saith I sin and I will sin It is my nature to sin and my delight and this was the state of this Church Punishments concerning the parts of man bee either miseries of his soule or of his body the miseries of his soule be these First in the vnderstanding Ignorance of Gods will And in sundry madnesse and foolishnesse and in all men pain and difficulty both to learn remember whatsoeuer is good which was not in man by creation In the conscience also be accusations secret feares and terrours In the will is rebellion to Gods will In all affections peruersnesse All which are miseries of the soule The body also hath these miseries First it is subiect to all infirmities sicknesses diseases and aches which are so many as all the bookes of Phisitians neither doe nor can record the same Secondly mans body is mortal subiect to teÌ„poral deth which no man can possibly auoid or preuent by all the art and skill in the world Punishments of mans estate concerne either his goods or calling In goods there bee these miseries want of things necessary for by reason of sin it is a punishment in it owne nature a curse and all the hurts that come by the creatures for their enmity towards man towards one another as also their subiection to vanitie all these be miseries and the punishments of mans sinne In mans calling there is miserie for therein man is subiect to trouble to losses and sorow which come as a punishment of mans first sinne And all these be the miseries of man in this life At the end of this life comes bodily death the separation of soule and bodie asunder which in it selfe is a most fearfull curse for so it is the verie gate of Hell But after this life is the accomplishmeÌ„t of all miseries that is eternal destruction and condemnation in hell fire which to be the end of all misery appeares by this because it is a separation of mans person from the societie presence of God and an enduring of Gods wrath in the whole person euen in the place of the Diuell and damned soules that not for a time but for euer and euer eternally And thus we see what punishment is and answerably what misery is wherby we may see what it is to be wretched namely in a word to be subiect to al miseries whether we consider theÌ„ in the râ—ot thereof originall sin or vnder the forme of punishment in this life in the whole person and in soule body seuerally in goods and calling at the end of this life and in the world to come The proper end that moues Christ to say to this Church She knew not that shee was wretched is this to teach this Church and in them vs and all Churches to learne to knowe their owne miseries to feele the same and to be touched in conscience for them We therfore must learne not to â—â—atter our selus with hope of our good state but labor to see our miserie both in sin the punishment thereof And seeing it striue to be touched with it that we may crie with the Iewes What shal we do to be saued for till such time as this in some measure be wrought in vs we shal be but luke-warme professors hauing a shew of godlines but wanting the power thereof The true sight of our miserie is the gift and grace of God but yet we must vse all good means that we may come to see the same to be touched with it that so we may haue hearts hereby fit to receiue the Gospell which containes the remedie of this our miserie And miserable that is worthy to be pitied this is added not to set downe another thing but to expres the greatnes of their misery as if he should say Thy misery is not small but so great and so greeuous as indeed thou art in that regard to be pitied of all men Hence we learne that we must not despise parties miserable by reason of their sins or scorne and contemne them But contrariwise lament pity them When Dauid saw men sin and so pull heapes of miseries vpon them he shed riuers of tears The Lord makes it a good mans property to mourne for the abhominations of the people Ieremie for the sins of the people wished his head were full of water And iust Lot greeued his righteous hart for the abhominations of Sodome It was the fault of the Corinthians which Paul reprooueth that when the incestuous man had sinned that greeuous sinne They were not humbled but puffed with contempt against the partie And it is a fault in sundry men at this daye that they are not humbled in themselues when they see other men sin We must not do so but shew the grace we haue aboue others in being greeued for the miseries which men without grace by their sins pull dayly vpon them Thus much of their miserie in generall The partes of their miserie are three which Christ noteth particularly that if it were possible he might cause this church to lay aside this damnable pride for these in all men are maine miseries The First is pouertie And poore that is properly one that hath not a rag to his back nor bread to his mouth vnlesse hee begge the same of others But here it is taken for one that is spiritually poore which pouerty wee shall better conceiue if we do vnderstand what be true spirituall riches True riches be Gods grace and sauor in Christ as the pardon of sinne and life euerlasting The poore man therefore is hee that wanteth Gods fauour for the remission of his sins and the gift of eternall life hath in him no good thing that is acceptable to God but in regard of his soule is as silly and poore as any beggar in regard of his bodie The end why Christ calleth this church poore is to beat downe the proud conceit of her owne good estate and to cause her to feele her spirituall pouertie and so become poore in spirit And we in them are likewise taught to labour to feele our owne pouertie how by nature there is no goodnesse in vs but wee are vtterly destitute of the grace and
counsell vnto his Church The principale counseller is Christ so he saith in the person of Wisedom Pro. 8.14 Counsell is mine And Isay saith To vs a Childe is borne and he shall call his name wonderfull COVNSELLER the mightie God the euerlasting Father the Prince of peace yea he is both King Counseller to his Church This office Christ challengeth to himselfe for these causes first because he aduiseth his Church touching the way whereby they must escape euerlasting death and come to eternall life Secondly because he teacheth them how they may practise euery busines so as it may please God Thirdly because hee teacheth them how they may in grieuous dangers and distresses find a good issue or else bee able with patience to beare them These things he worketh dayly in his Church not by extraordinary means but ordinarily by his word and spirit and therefore may iustly challenge this honour to bee called the Counseller of his Church From this office of Christ wee learne two things First to doe all the honour and reuerence we can vnto his Maiestie for he is our professed Counseller who imployes himselfe for the good of his Church Counsellers of the State and of the Law are highly honoured and respected of all sorts euen for their counsell in worldly matters though often it fayle how much more ought wee to honour Christ our heauenly Counseller whose counsell leadeth vnto glorie and is stable and sure for euer Looke how much his counsell excelleth theirs so much ought he to be honoured aboue them all Secondly in all distresses and grieuous temptations and dangers either of soule or body wee must take counsell and aduise from Christ Iesus for to this end doth hee reueale himselfe to bee a counseller that men in distresse comming to him by his aduise might bee comforted and eased When Moab Ammon and Mount Seir banded themselues against Iuda the people were in great distresse and danger but marke what good king Iehosophat did he betooke himselfe to the Lord his counseller saying Lord we know not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee 2. Chron. 20.12 that is direct thou vs in this danger for of our selues we know not how to escape This pratise ought to bee followed of all men especially in time of any danger such as these dayes are by reason of sinne The counsell of Wizards Sorcerers and Astrologians ought not to bee sought after but by prayer wee ought to humble our selues and call only and continually on this our onely true counseller II. Point The remedie it selfe which hath relation to the former Verse for there hee set downe the Miserie of this Church in three parts which were all great Miseries And heere hee so propoundeth his remedie that it is answerable to their Miserie in the seuerall parts thereof For first heere is gold to make them rich answerable to their pouertie Secondly raiment to hide their nakednesse Thirdly oyntment to take away their blindnesse For the first by gold according to the Analogie of the Scripture we are to vnderstand the graces of Gods spirit as true faith repentance the feare of God loue of God and the true loue of man 1. Pet. 1.7 Faith is compared to gold in the tryall thereof and so may all other gifts of the spirit be hereby vnderstood Secondly by gold wee are to vnderstand Christs merits yea Christ himselfe as the fountaine of all grace This gold is further said to be tryed by the fire that is most pure and precious gold purged from all drosse as fine as can be made by the art of man This is added to expresse the propertie of Gods graces and gifts namely that they are more precious vnto God then gold Yea than gold tryed by the fire as Peter saith By this euery person is taught how to beautifie themselues both in soule body It is the common blind opinion of the world that forraigne attyre and rich Iewels do adorne the body and indeede in some cases the body may bee adorned with pearles and Iewels but the right way to adorne any person indeed is to furnish the soule with these graces of the spirit which vnto God be more precious than fine gold Our bodyes and soules ought to be the dwelling places of the Holy Ghost therefore we must adorne them and make them fit for so worthy a Guest which must be done by the good graces of the spirit and not by strange and forraigne attyre which no good man could euer abide Secondly these graces haue a further effect than to beautifie and that is to make rich Heere then see the common folly yea the spirituall madnesse of men in the world who spend all their time wit and strength to furnish their houses with treasure to enrich their bodies and in the meane time leaue their soules vngarnished What a madnesse is this that men should neglect the true riches and follow after that which is nothing els but counterfeit copper Seeing therefore Gods graces bee the true treasure which fadeth not let vs seeke after them as Wisedome counselleth Pro. 8.10 11 receiue mine instruction and not siluer and knowledge rather than fine gold For wisedome is better then precious stones The second part of this remedie is a white garment that is Christ himselfe and his righteousnesse imputed So Paul saith All that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ There Christ is made a garment whom euery one that beleeueth in him doth put on Againe the fruites of the spirit are a garment therefore we are commanded to put on tender mercie kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse and long suffering Further Christ sheweth the end of this garment namely to couer the nakednesse of our soules lest the filthynesse thereof which we by our sins haue brought vpon vs doe appeare The third part of this remedie is anoynting with eye-salue where by eye-salue wee must vnderstand the spirit of Illumination and knowledge wrought in the mind by the Holy Ghost whereby men know themselues and their estate for as eye-salue sharpens the eyes and cleeres the sight where it was by some occasion dimned so doth Christ by the illumination of the spirit make a man know God in Christ and to discerne betweene good and euill and betweene things temporall and blessings eternall Thus wee haue the meaning of the words whereby wee may see that by all these three wee can vnderstand nothing else but Christ himselfe and his merits Now one and the same thing in Christ is signified by diuers tearmes to shew that there is in Christ the fulnesse of all grace and plentifull redemption yea store of supplyes for all our wants The Laodiceans were poore but Christ was their riches they were naked Christ was their garment and lastly they were blinde but Christ was their eye-salue So that what wants soeuer be in vs there is store of supply thereof in Christ. This must the more diligently be marked
Prophet giuing comforts to whom comfort belongeth and threatning iudgements to whom iudgement is due and making difference of iudgements according to the state of the persons against whome they are threatened For the heauie iudgements of God must not be threatened against all persons but against the impenitent And because there be degrees of iudgements temporall and eternall therefore temporall iudgements must be threatened to those to whom they belong eternall iudgements denounced against those to whom they belong obseruing the circumstances of time place and persons according to Christs example in this place and else where So likewise the benefites of the Gospell are not to bee propounded to euery person hand ouer head without difference but with restraint to some onely as Gods Prophets haue done It is often a great offence in the Church when the benefits of the Gospell are propounded to all and the threatening of the law denounced against all without limitation or restraint The conditions therefore of repentance impenitencie of faith and vnbeleefe and also the degrees of them all must carefully bee obserued in the dispensation of the Law and the Gospell Fourthly the end of Christs fighting must be considered for first hee intends to reclaime them from their euill wayes but if they will not be reclaimed then to cause the same word to be an occasion of their deeper condemnation This must be deepely weighed of vs all who haue had by Gods mercie for many yeares the plentifull preaching of the gospell by which God hath continually rebuked checked the sinnes that bee among vs as ignorance blaspemie and filthinesse crueltie and all iniquities whatsoeuer and the same thing the Lord yet continues to doe vnto vs. Wee therefore must thinke that all this while the Lord is fighting against vs when ignorance is reprooued in the ministerie of the word the ignorant person must thinke the Lord is fighting against him and so all Atheists blasphemers adulterers oppressers and cruell persons when their sinnes are reprooued they must know that the Lord stands face to face against them with the sword of his mouth seeking to reclaime them from these iniquities as hee did to Balaam in his way And when any mans sinnes be thus touched hee must not rebell but humble himselfe as Balaam fell before the Angell considering it is the Lord that wageth battell against him When wee heare that forraine nations shake their swords against vs how are wee mooued both high and low Shall wee feare the sword of mortall man and shall we not tremble when we heare that the sword of the euerliuing God is shaken against vs Those therefore whose hearts are guiltie of any one sinne must humble themselues by true and speedie repentance there is no withstanding of the Lord if his sword doe not cure vs it will cut vs in pieces if his word doe not conuert vs from our sinnes it will bee an occasion to cast our soules deeper into hell Thus he dealt with Balaam when he would not be restrained from giuing bad counsell he was slaine among the Midianites Few thinke on these things from whence commeth such great contempt of Gods ordinance in the ministerie of the word as we see at this day but they must know that either death or life come by the stroke of this sword and therfore they must repent Fiftly note the title giuen to Gods word it is called The sword of Christs mouth not onely because it was once deliuered by himselfe from his own mouth but because it doth dayly proceed from his mouth for the Ministers of the gospell which bee truely called are the very mouth of Christ from which Gods people receiue his word If thou shalt returne sayth the Lord to Ieremie and shalt separate the precious from the vile then shalt thou stand before me and be according to my word 2. Cor. 5.19 Wee are the embassadors of Christ beseeching you in his steed which is an high and wonderfull honour The consideration whereof is a ground of sundry duties First all students that are in the way of preparation to higher callings must hereby learne to conceiue a good opinion of the Ministerie of the gospell and to affect the same aboue other callings For though the blind world count it a base calling yet Christ wee see maketh the minister his owne mouth which honour is not giuen either to the Lawyer or to the Physition Secondly hereby euery Minister of the Gospell is taught to deliuer nothing in his publicke Ministerie but the pure word of God so farre foorth as Christ shall enable him and that also in so pure a manner as in the persuasion of his owne conscience hee thinkes Christ would speake if he were there present like vnto faithfull embassadours who speake onely the will of their lord and prince and in that manner which their lord and prince doth best approoue If this were well weighed wee should not haue such preaching as is commonly vsed consisting of a mixture of testimonies partly diuine and partly humane considering that neither Christ nor his Apostles preached so Thirdly the people also are hence taught their dutie when they heare a sinfull man like vnto themselues speake vnto them in the Ministerie of the word they must not despise Gods ordinance because it is deliuered by man but receiue the same as from the mouth of Christ and as the pure word of God so far forth as it consenteth with holy scripture In this behalfe Paule blessed God for the Thessalonians That they receiued the word from him not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God 1. Thess. 2. vers 13. Sixtly where Christ sayth I will fight against them with the sword of my mouth We may obserue that the kingdom of Christ is spirituall and not of this world for if it were worldly then a ciuile sword wielded by the hand of man should belong vnto him But he hath no such sword he gouernes his church and people by the sword of his mouth his holy word Wherby appeareth that the primacie of the sea of Rome is from hell not from heauen for the Pope sayth he is Christs vicar and yet he will be armed with both swords when as Christ dealeth not with the ciuill sword but onely vseth the sword of his mouth Verse 17. Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirt saith vnto the Churches To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate of the Manna which is hid and will giue him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth sauing he that receiueth it These words are the conclusion of this Epistle which containeth two parts a commaundement and a promise The commaundement in these words Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit saith vnto the Churches The promise in the words following To him that ouercommeth c. The commandement serueth to stir vp Gods church to attention in marking that which