Prelections Upon Revelation, Chapter 3
¶ The thirde Chapter.
Vers. 1.
And write vntounto the aungell of the church of Sardi these things saith he.
THE first epistle is sent to the Angell of the church which was at …ar…y, whereas first it is profitable to note, that although the estate of that church was moste corrupte, shal it wholye almost deserued to be called deade, yet Christ doth adorne it with the name of a Church, flatte againste the frentique errors of certaine men, which now here acknowledg a church to be where their is any thinge, which doth not in all points please them. On the other side the papistes do not require any thing more earnestly, and with greater contention, then that we wold graunt the name of the church to the…e company for certaine hundred yeares, in which the truth was almoste buried. If that for a fewe, which it is certaine were saued, of that huge masse and multitude, we shoulde attribute this name vntounto them, yet neuer the latter we may say with Christ, thou hast a name that thou liuest and yet in very deede thou art dead. For althinges are not by and by righte: where we maye aknowledge a Church to be.
¶ That hath the seuen spirites of god, and the seuen stares I knowe thy workes.
THis preface also euen as the reste, doth very well agree to the matter: which is intreated of in the epistell. For he had to doe with a pastor and Church, which he complaineth to be dead, and life is giuen onelyonly by the spirite of God. They therefore which had almoste quenched the spirite of God as muche as in them laye oughte to hauehave soughte to him, whiche alone doeth geue the same spirite to those that aske of him. For Christ, from his father sendeth the holye ghost vponupon the Church, as he himselfe often witnesseth. Iohn. 14.15.16. chapter. Of the … of the spirites we hauehave spoken before in the … Cha. vsus. 4. That he also holdeth ye seuē starres in his han… he admonish the pastour that he could not hetherto hauehave remayned in any parte of life, but that he should vtterly hauehave died, excepte the Lorde had susteined and kepte him by his vertue and power, from extreme destruction.
Thou hast a name that thou liuest, but thou art dead. &c. Thou art counted among the number of those which liue vntounto God and hauehave renounced the world, when as yet thou liuest to the world and to thy selfe, and art counted as dead before God. For if a widow which liueth in pleasures, be dead euē liuing as Paule saieth, how much more the pastour of the church, (which by preaching of the worde of God, ought after a sort, to breath into others the spirituall life) may be counted as dead, except he renounce the deuill, the fleshe, and all the vaine inticementes of the world, and frame his whole life to the obedience of Christ. And we neuerthelesse in the meane while so long as we hauehave a name yt we liue, do giuegive our selues ouer to pleasures, we liue to the world, we are dead to Christ. For except the Image of God be renued in vsus, in vaine wee boast of the grace of Christ, which is not idle in those, whome it hath truely imbraced. Neither ought we to seuer Christ frō his spirite. The spirite truely can not but worke effectuousely in those, which Christ by the grace of regeneration shall call to newnesse of life. This place doth teach, what great daunger hangeth ouer the Churches, through pastours that are halfe dead, when as the infection proceding out of one, doth spread ouer almost the whole flock.
Vers. 2.
Be awake and strengthen the thinges which remayne that are readie to dye. &c.
THis admonition dothe shewe, that this pastour was not vtterly dead & without all recouery, but oppressed euen as with a deadly slepe, and except he shold spedely be helped, he would straitway, yeld vp the ghost. He coūselleth him therefore that he without delay awake out of this slepely sickenes, & that he be carefull to call backe againe into life those, thinges that were euen then readie to die, as if hee should say, that he was so nygh destructiō, that death hath euē now atached some of his members, and his whole bodie was euen at deathen dore, excepte he spedely shake of this drousines. That he cō maundeth him to awake, he signifieth that nothinge is more vnmete for a pastor of the church, then yt he giuegive him self to slepines, whom it behoueth to watch cōtinually ouer his flocke
¶ For I hauehave not sound thy workes perfect before God. &c.
He which before sayed that he knew his workes, now sheweth of what sort they were, that is, not sound, but imperfect, and which bewrayed his inward hypocrisy. For how beautifull soeuer they apeared in the eyes of men, yet before God they are found vnperfect. But are not the workes of the best and godliest, (so long as they are compassed aboute with the infirmitie of the fleshe) also imperfect? I confesse they be. But here I say, that soundnes is opposed to hypocrisy, and not to perfection, which perfectly fulfilleth the whole law of God.
Remember therefore what thinges thou hast receaued & heard and hold fast therfore and repent &c. He ministreth a fit medecine to the disease. Cōtinuall slepe had brought forgetfulnes. He cōmaūdeth him therefore to call to remēbrance the doctrine which he had receyued and heard, and hold the same and to repent for those things which were committed against it. We are taught here that forgetfulnes of the heauenly doctrine brought forth this death of ye soule, into which he had fallen, so that it is no meruaill, if where it bee altogether silent, (as it is in the papacie) although there all godlines do vtterlye die.
If thou shalt not watch I will come on the as a these and thou shalt not know what houre I will come vpō thee. They that are oppressed with a deepe slepe, are not awaked without great cries and often repeted. Againe therefore he commaundeth him to awake, for if he goe on in geuing him self to slepe, it will come to pas, that the lord wil strike him with sore vengeaunce he not thinking it. And no otherwise then theues are wont to breake vp there houses which are drowned in a dead s…epe and to slea them, suspecting no such matter, and to spoil them being slayn of all there goodes: so Christ threteneth that his comming shalbe vncertaine to him, which except he shall preuent with wailing and repentaunce, his eternal saluation is vtterly lost.
Notwithstanding thou hast a few names in Sardy. &c. By these woordes he sheweth, that this rebuke did not pertayne to all the partes and members of the church, but to the moste parte. For he confesseth that there are a few, whome he also knoweth by name, whiche hauehave kepte them selues cleane and vnspotted from those heynouse vices. Christ doeth not contemne the small number of these, ye he doth more esteme two or three which worship him syncerely, then the infinite multitude of worldlinges, which despise his commaundements. It is better therefore to be one of these few, whose innocencye Christ testifieth that he doth approue and alow, them to be of the huge multitude of those, which delighting them selues in there filthy pleasures, the Lord counteth as deade.
Which hauehave not defiled there garments. &c. The reason of this Metaphor semeth to bee, that those whiche hauehave geuen there names to Christ in baptisme, hauehave put on Christ as a garment, that is, hauehave professed righteousnes, which garment they doe filthely defile, with wicked concupiscences and workes of darkenes as manye, as like the dogge to his vomite, and the sowe to the myre, doe returne to there olde fleshelye conuersation.
And therefore they shall walke with me in white. &c. He promiseth to the godlye, that they shall not want the rewarde of there sounde and vpright liuinge, for as they hauehave not bene partakers with the wicked in there sinnes, so lykewise they shalbe free from there punishmentes.
For they are worthye. Because it is equity and right that they which hauehave lyued godly and vncorruptly, shoulde receiue the reward of righteousnes promised them in Christ. For he doth not here reason concerning ye desertes of workes, which euē the very papistes them selues do not maintaine, that they doe iustifie for there worthinesse, neither concerning the merits of congruite, because all this dignity doeth depend vppon the promises of God, and they are grounded in his free fauoure he beinge pacified in Christ. For good workes are neither ours, for they are the giftes of God, neither perfectly good, in so much as they be ours, theirfore we cannot deserue any thing by them. Moreouer this is a notable conselation to the faithfull, whiche liue in that company where they see the wrath of God by many mēs sinns daily prouoked, that they may be of good cōforte, that God will not punnishe them together withe the wicked, with whome they hauehave not consented in sinne and iniquity.
Vers. 5.
He that ouercommeth shalbe clothed in white araye. &c.
AS well they which shall become conquerers in rising out of the pernicious slepe of security, as they which are neuer ouercome of the same drousye dysease, shall receiue white garments the rewarde of innocēcy and victorye, and the token and badge of true blessednesse.
And I will not put out his name out of the booke of lyfe. &c. That is they shall receiue the crowne of eternall lyfe. But for those, which here do labour to ouerthrow the holy predestination of God, we must vnderstand, that two bookes of lyfe are mencioned in the holy scriptures, the one of election, the other of calling of the former Paule speketh in the 4. chapter to the philippians: the 3 verse. & S. Iohn in this reuelat: chap. 13. verse. 8. & 20. vers. 12. & 22. verse. 27. Of the later, ye psalmist speaketh, when he saieth, let them be blotted out of the booke of life, & let them not be writtē with the iuste. And God saieth to Moises, I will wipe those out of the booke which hauehave sinned against me. Exo. 32. of which this place may not vnfitly be vnderstoode: as if hee shold say, by there wickednes they hauehave deserued, that I should wipe them out of the booke of life, yet if they shall repent, I will not make voide there first calling. For as perteyning to election, we are taughte by infinite testimonies of scripture, that it shall remaine alwayes vnchaungeable. But manye are called and few are chosen.
But I will confesse his name before my father and before his Aungells. If anye man be not ashamed of Christ in earth Christ wil not be ashamed of him in heauen. For he comforteth the faithfull whome the worlde hath alwaies despised, yee he promiseth that hee will acknowledge them for his owne, before the Aungells, so that they kepe the confession of there faith pure and constant euen to the ende.
Verse. 6.
He that hath an eare let him heare what the spirite saith to the Churches. &c.
WHen as this sentence cometh so often, it teacheth that these admonitions whiche the Lorde geueth to the churches, are not carelesly and lightly to be passed ouer.
Verse. 7.
And write vntounto the church which is at philadelphia, these thinges saith he that is holy and true. &c.
IN the sixt epistle the pastour of the church of Philadelphia is praised, and receiueth comfort against the daungers that were at hand, and hanging ouer him. First therfore Christ beginneth his preface with those thinges whiche are most fytte to confime and strenthen this pastour, that he him selfe is holy & true. Holye because that being fully consecrated to God his Father, he doth sanctifie the whole church, which is his body: wherevppon hee is saied to be made to vsus of God, holines, righteousnes, and redemption, (True) not only because that he is most free from all liynge and dissimulation, to which all mankinde is subiecte, wherby also he deserueth to be called the trueth it selfe, but also because he alone hath set forth true doctrine, yt this pastour may acknowledg by whose benefite he hath imbraced true doctrine, and is numbred amonge the sainctes of God, that is by the benefite of Christ, which is holy and true. What cā the Romaine prelates here aunswere, that they chaleng to them selues the office of sanctifiynge, that they boast and bragge that they cannot erre, that the pope doth suffer himself to be called not only holy, but most holye, and holines it selfe? are they not blasphemouse againste Christ which alone is holy and true?
Which hath the key of dauid, which openeth and no man shuteth, shutteth and no man openeth. &c. Which hath full power ouer the house of Dauid, that is his Church, whiche so hath graunted the keies of the kingdome of heauen to his ministers, that yet he kepeth them to him selfe. Which hath so committed the gouernement of his Church to Pastours, that he may not in the meane time abrogate his owne aucthorite. For least that vnderunder the pretēce of the keies, the Prelats shold chaleng aucthoritie and rule ouer the Churche to appoint euerie thing at there own pleasure, he maketh this preface, that he onelyonly hath the keye of Dauid and openeth and shutteth at his owne pleasure, as Lorde and ruler, whome no mortall creature can withstande whether hee open or shutte. For although he promise that he will subscribe and agree in heauen to the sentence giuen by the Pastours, if they shall lose or bynde anye thing in earthe, yet this is so to be vnderstoode, when men bring forth for decree, the Iudgement of God, and not there owne fantasies. As concerninge the Pastour of the Churche of Philadelphia, hee oughte to be admonished euen by this preface onelye, that hee by the aucthoritie of Christ whom nothing can resist either in heauen or earth, is called to that functiō and office in the Church, and by his vertue shalbe helped in discharging his dutie, and shalbe kepte free from violence of all enemies.
Vers. 8.
¶ I know thy woorkes. &c.
CHrist doth acknowledge that the woorkes of this pastour did please him, which mighte be insteede of a spurre, that he might cherefully go forwarde in the course he had once begunne, for what greater rewarde ought wee to wishe? Then that we may do somewhat that is thanckfull and accepted of God.
Beholde I hauehave set before the an open dore. &c. Sainct Paule vsed this Metaphore, when as he wold shew the great hope propounded vntounto him of spreadinge abroade the Gospell in the. 1. Corin. 16. And it doth fitly agree, that Christ doth open vntounto vsus the gate of the heauenlye kingdome, when hee preparethe a waie to faithe, by the Preachinge of the Gospell.
And no man can shutte it. &c. Hee meaneth that there wilbe enemies which will labour harde, to hinder and let the course of the Gospell, but they shall trouble them selues in vaine. For in spite of the deuill and his Aungells, a dore is opened which no force of the enemie shalbe able to shut.
For thou hast a litle strength and hast kepte my sayinges and hast not denied my name. &c. An argumente of a syncere affection, that almost aboue his strength which Christ cō fesseth to be but small: he stoode constant and stable in the true and most free confession of the faith. For not alwaies he whō God hath indued with greater giftes and fit to the same, hath the greatest care to set forth the Gospell. For you may see manye which excell in doctrine and knowledge of tongues, and yet be verie colde, and almost dumbe in spreading abroade the Gospell: when as in the meane time, those that are indued but with meane knowledge, doe labour aboundantly in the haruest of the Lorde, whose laboures, as here we maye see, Christ him selfe will vouchsafe to blesse more plentifully. This place doth also beat down yt false Nicodemites, when as it teacheth ye none other can rightely kepe the doctrine of Christ, but those which neuer denie his name.
Vers. 9.
Behold I will make them of the synagog of Sathan to wit them which called them selues Iewes, and are not, but doe lye. Behold I say I will make them that they shall come & worship before thy feete & shall know that I hauehave loued thee.
HE sheweth that the diligent labour and constancie of this Pastour had proceaded so farre, that he should by his study and diligence drawe some euen oute of the Iawes of sathan. For he saieth that euen of the number of those, (which falsely would be named Iewes when as neuertheles they were the synagog of Sathan, because by all meanes they persecuted the Church of God) certayne shold come, which shold humbly desire and craue pardon for ther heynouse offences, & shold confesse & acknowledg earnestly, that he was deare to god whom they vexed hetherto with so great hatred. For in my iudgement, it can hardly be vnderstode of stubberne persons, which are compelled againste there willes to make this confession. For that oughte not to be restrained to few but pertaineth to all the wicked which are the synagog of Sathan, excepte peraduenture he would note those, especially of that whole rout which aboue al others were most troublesome to this pastour whom he saied shoulde at length be driuen to repentaunce, … confession of their sinnes, when it shoulde be to late.
Vers. 10.
Because thou hast kept. &c.
CHrist will not suffer there hope to be in vaine, which shall patiently wait for his aide and succour. For he promiseth deliueraunce to this pastour frō most great daungers, whiche did hang ouer the worlde for sinne: because his faith and constancy were proued by many experiments & sufficiently witnessed to him and to the world.
The wordes of my pacience, therefore I will deliuer thee from the time of temptation which will come vppon all the worlde, to try them that dwell in the earth. As this pastoure suffered not the doctrine of pacience to slyde from him, which Christ requireth of his seruaunts, but held it euen in the most sore temptations, and in very deede expressed it in his acts & doings, so Christ promiseth insteedee of a most ample reward, that he woulde kepe him likewise by his mercy out of muche more bitter calamities which shortly after should light vponupon the whole worlde. He nameth it the hower of temptation, to teach, that the times of afflictions be appointed of God, how longe men shoulde be chasticed, that they shoulde laboure in vaine to deliuer them selues oute of the same, whiche doe not paciently waite, for the ende determined & apointed of god. Moreouer he calleth afflictiōs temptations or triales because they bewray men what they are. For the reprobate fret, and rage, or else despayre & alwayes seeke oute vnlawfull meanes to escape contrarywise the godly do acknowledge the mighty hand of God, to whiche they do patiently submit them selues, or if at the most being ouercome with impaciency of sorowes they desire to escape, by vnhonest meanes, yet they neuer sume or rise vp against God.
Vers. 11.
¶ Beholde I come shortly.
THis is added insteedee of an exceading great consolation, that he mighte not feare that the time of his deliueraunce should long be deferred, and that whatsoeuer battaile remayneth, he might sustayne it with more quiete minde. For it hath great force to perswade vsus to patience, when we knowe that our labour shall shortly come to an ende. Therefore the holye ghost so often in the Scriptures setteth before oure eyes the shortnesse of our battail, that we may contend more strongly, and beare patiently our labour and trauaill.
Hold that which thou hast, that no man take thy crowne. &c. OnelyOnly (sayeth he) hold the simplicitie of doctrine, & go forwarde in the conuersation of a sound life: do not so behaue thy selfe, that thou which hast hetherto fought manfully in defence of the Gospell, shouldest now at length euen in the last brunt waxe weary, and in being vanquished, shouldest lose the crowne of victorie, which Christ our Captaine would shortly after hauehave set vponupon thy head.
Vers. 12.
Him that ouercommeth will I make a piller in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write vponupon him the name of my God, and the name of the citie of my God, which is the new Ierusalem which cōmeth downe from God out of heauen, and I will write vponupon him my new name. &c.
THey were wont to set vp trophees & pillers with inscriptions vponupon them, for those which had behaued them selues manfully, and became conquerers in battaill againste there enemies, as well to shewe them selues thankefull to them which had susteyned so great labours for the safegard of there country, as also that they might sterre vp others to imitate & folow there vertues. But Christ will make his chāpions pillers, not in the market place, or in the field of Mars, at Rome, but in the holy temple of his God, that is in the Churche tryumphāt, in which they shalbe made partakers of all the good giftes which God shall vouchsafe to bestow vpō his Church. And where as the trophees & monumentes of Princes, either through enuie of there successores, or by madnes of the people are often throwne downe: Christ promiseth that this conquerer shalbe fixed in so sound a foundation in him selfe. which is the verie foundation of the temple, that he can neuer be pulled out or cast downe from thence. Moreouer he doth assigne thre kindes of inscriptions for this piller. The first of the name of god, by which it is declared to be consecrated to God. The second of new Ierusalem which shall descend from heauen, by which he is taught that ye fredome of that heauenly citie perteyneth vntounto him. The thirde inscription is the new name of Christ which is giuen him for his excellent obedience & humilitie euen vntounto death, which is aboue all names, that in the name of Iesus euerie knee should bow of thinges in heauen & thinges in earth, & of thinges vnderunder the earth. By the inscription of this name, Christ will take this pillar into ye partaking of his glory. Whereby we are admonished yt it is Christ alone which may consecrate vsus to God the father, into holy pillers of his temple, that it is Christ alone that may bestow vponupon vsus the citie of the heauenly Ierusalem, and to conclude, that it is Christ alone that may call vsus to the felowship of his heauenly kingdome, we oughte therefore valiantlye to fighte vnderunder him, yt we may attayne so great ornaments of victorye.
Vers. 13.
He that hath an eare let him heare what ye spirite saieth to. &c.
A worthie voice truly which should alwaies sound in oure hartes & eares yt the flattering voices of this world being contēned, we may strongly gird vp our Ioynes to ye battail.
Vers. 14.
And to the Aungell of the Church which is at Laodicia write, these thinges saieth Amen, the faithfull and true witnesse, the beginning of the creatures of God. &c.
THe last epistle is written to the luke warme pastor of the Church of Laodicia, to whom also a fitte & conuenient preface is made, as vntounto all the rest, that is, that these thinges are spoken of him, which is Amen, that is constant, and not a coloured trueth, as S. Paule saith, that all the promises of God in Christ are yea and Amen 2. Cor. 1. which is a faithfull witnesse & true, and therefore can not suffer halting betwene both partes. For as he hath truly and faythfully declared the embassage committed to him of his father, so he requireth also suche ministers as should imploye all there whole strength in this, that the dignite & auctoritie of the Gospell, may be extolled aboue all thinges.
The beginning of the creatures of God. &c. That worde by which all thinges are made, to which all the creatures are bound to yeald there full and perfect obedience, neither ovgh they by any meanes to geue part to the worlde, and parte to thē selues of that obeysaunce which is due vntounto him. For cursed is he yt doth the worke of the Lord negligently, whom we oughte to worship and reuerence, with all oure harte with all our soule, & with all our strength, neither to make any excuse, by which we maye be with drawne by any meanes from his obedience. For he doth renounce the obedience of Christ, that doth not wholly submit him selfe vntounto him, which doth neuer alowe any halting obedience.
Vers. 15.16.
I know thy woorkes that thou art nether colde nor hotte I would thou werest cold or hotte. Therefore because thou art betwene both▪ neither cold nor hotte it will come to pas that I shall spew the out of my mouth. &c.
WE ought to be as S. Paule saith feruent in spirite, that is, bent with all feruentnes of minde, to set forth the glory of Christ. The lukewarmnes therefore of this pastour and his Church is worthely reprehēded, that nether they burned with yt zeale, that they ought, to hauehave defended ye glorie of god, neither were they altogether cold in mayntayning the same. But Christ pronounceth that he doth hate this lukewarmnes, so that his stomake can not beare meate that hath so euill Iuice and nurishment in it, but that he would vomit it vp. For that they flattered them selues as though they should bee notable Christians, if they were not professed enemies of his name, but shold professe and acknowledge his doctrine so farre peraduenture as shoulde bee for there profite and commoditie: Christ sheweth that this is but in vaine, because, excepte they woulde wholly frame thē selues to ye obedience of his worde, they should not remayne as his members in his body whiche is the Church, but should be cast out with his very great lothing & detestation. In that he wisheth they were either hot or cold, he meaneth not that they do any waies please him which are cold, but that he is so farre from alowing the lukewarme, that hee had rather they were colde, that is his professed enemies. For they do more hurt to the ouerthrowing of the faith of the simple which craftely thrust in them selues vnderunder some colour and shew of religion, then they which with open blasphemies teare the name of the Christ, of whome euerie one can easely beware. It is merueill but Christ here by the spirite of prophecye, hathe expressed the state and condition of oure Churches vnderunder the figure of the byshop of Laodicia, and nothing is more to be feared, then yt we shall perceyue at length to our great hurt, that these terrible threteninges do also belong to vsus. The like metaphor Iosua and Helias vsed, when they forbade the people to halt on both partes, and commanded them either to folow God onelyonly, or Baale onelyonly.
Vers. 17.
For thou sayest I am rich and increased with goodes & hauehave neede of nothing and knowest not how thou are wretched and miserable, and pore and blinde and naked. &c.
ALL burning zeale was not onelyonly quenched in him, which is euill, but moreouer he was infected with a foule hypocrisye, which is much worse. And it almost alwaies cōmeth to pas, that they which are scarcely any thing at all hotte in promoting the worship of god, and the confession of faith, yet neuerthelesse, do boast them selues to bee verie great prelates of the trueth, and most sharpe defendores of the saith. As this pastour boasteth him selfe to be rich, and not contented with this, he… braggethe that his riches are increased into a great heape, so that he wanted nothing, but had the abūdaunce of all thinges, euen to satietie: when as by the iudgement of Christ he was the most miserable & most poore, yea beggerly, blinde, and naked. We see howe that Christ spoilethe them of all there goodes, which arrogantly chalenge to them selues riches, and the abundance of all thinges.
Vers. 18.
I councell the to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou maist be made riche. &c.
NOwe least the state and condition of this pastour should seme altogether desperate and vncurable, her exhortethe him to repentaunce, & first of all to the acknowledging of this his pouertie, that he might find true riches in Christ, who confesseth him that he buy gold of him tried in ye fire, that is, most precious gould, which is, that he should seeke the flowing abundance of all good thinges at his handes, whiche selleth it freely without taking any money, but yet to those, to whom nothinge is more precious and deare then ye grace of Christ. For he that will bye that field in which the treasure lieth hid, and that pearle which of all others is moste precious, must not cheapen lyke the hucksters, but sell all that he hath yt he may enioy so great treasures, that is to esteme as nothinge all other thinges, so that be may possesse the riches of the grace of Christ.
And white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, and that thy fylthy nakednes do not appeare. &c. For he was naked so that his filthynes was open and manifest to God & his Aungells, vntill he put vppon him the righteousnes and innocency of Christ, wherby his filthynes being couered, he may approch into the presence of God decently araied.
And anoynct thine eyes with eye salue that thou maiest see &c. VntoUnto all these miseries was added so great blindenes, that wheras he was void of all good thinges, a begger, filthy, and naked, yet he could espie none of all th…se things, but thought him selfe to be in moste blessed estate. For hypocrisy is alwayes blinde, and by the iuste iudgement of God this blindnes is caste before the eyes of hypocrites, that when they thinke they may without daunger mocke both God and men, they deceiue them selues so much, that other whiles they are dead before they feele them selues sicke. And when they walke naked and in the sighte of all men, they thinke thē selues to be gayly clothed. Such mē hauehave neede of this eye salue to anoynt ther eyes wtall, that they may be deliuered out of so great darkenes. This metaphor doth signifye that when wee are lightened with the spirite of Christ, we doe clearely see all thinges, or elles we see no more in those thinges that pertaine to eternall life, then stockes or stones.
Vers. 19.
Those whom I louelove I chastice, be zelous therfore & amend.
THat he maye know that there is mercy in store for him, if with earnest affection of mind he returne to God, he sheweth that this reprehension proceaded of fatherlye louelove and not of spightfull hate. For whome God loueth most, he doth not onlye rebuke them with woordes, but also chastise them with strypes sometimes. For so doth hee brydle our wantonesse, which if it were not refrayned with such brydelles, we would runne hedlong to our owne destruction. Therefore wee are much bound to the merciemercy of God, that he had rather chastice vsus with roddes, then kyll vsus with swoordes, which proceadeth of nothing els, but of his fatherly louelove towarde vsus. But as touching this pastor of Laodicea, hee requireth these two thinges of him, firste that hee repente him of his former sloughtfulnesse and necligens, and secondely that heareafter he be kindled with a greater zeale to set forth ye glory of Christ, and so follow Dauid, whome ye zeale of Gods house had eaten vp altogether, and all other the sainctes of God, which cannot otherwise shew that they louelove God entierly, then if they be wholy set on fire with zeale of aduauncing the glory of his name. For as we herde a litle before he can in no wise abide them that are neither hot nor colde.
Versus. 20.
Behold I stand before the doze and knocke and if any man heare my voice and open the dore. &c.
THe louelove of Christ toward the Church is wonderfull great whiche is so zelus and carefull for there health, whiche burne with no zeale to set forth his glory. The verbe in greke is of the preterperfectēs. Whereby he signifieth yt he hath long agoe looked yt they shold repent from the bottom of their hart, & receiue his grace into there harte. Moreouer this place doth playnly teach vsus, that we cannot rightly receyue Christ, before he first offer him selfe to be receiued of vsus.
I will enter in vntounto him & will suppe with him. &c. The gentlenes & merciemercy of ye Lord is meruelous, which so willingly pardoneth so great iniuries done vntounto him by his seruāt, that forgetting all iniuries he doth of his own accorde offer pardō & in signe of perfect recōciliatione, he will gently come & suppe with him. For men are wont by such tokens to renew friendship yt is broken betwene thē. But those whō Christ voutsalueth to be partakers of his table (as hee voutsalueth all the faithfull) he feedeth there mindes with spirituall daynties, whereby they shalbe nourished vntounto eternall lyfe, namelye with rightuousnes freely giuen, quietnes of consciens, & vnspeakable ioye, where with the godlye are fedde by the holye ghost, whereof also he hath giuen a most excellent pledge, the holy cōmuniō of his bodie and bloud, which when we receyue by faith, we hauehave him euerlastingly dwelling with vsus.
Vers. 21.
To him that shal ouercome I will graunt to sit with me in my throne, euen as I ouercome and sit with my father in his throne. &c.
HE that shall continue faithfull vntounto the end and with feruente zeale shall promote the glorie of Christ, him dothe Christe admitte vntounto the partakinge of his heauenly glorye. And as hee him selfe is sette in the throne of maiestie of his father for a rewarde of his victorie: so will he aduaunce them vntounto the height of his throne, which through fayth shall obtayne victorie against the deuill and the worlde. For by faithe we are made heyres of God and fellow heyres with Christ.
Vers. 22.
He that hath an eare let him heare what the spirite
HE concludeth this first visione with this his vsuall acclamation that this doctrine of the holye ghoste is worthie, which should be imprinted in the mindes of all the seruaunts of Christ, and alwaies be remembred of them, that it may obteyne dewe effecte in vsus through Christ oure Lorde to whom be honour and glorie. &c.