Lectures Upon Revelation 1-3, Chapter 2 (4 of 4)
His eyes were like a flame of fire. We must not take these words literally, but as in the former Chapter: for Christ is set out as he appeared in vision to Iohn. By his fierie eye is meant, first, that in him is infinite wisedome, he seeth all things, he knoweth by his fierie and piercing eye, all things, present, past, and to come. Secondly, it signifieth his vigilancie and watchfulnesse ouer his Church, and eueryevery particular member of the same, for these two ends: first, to preserue and protect his own children, secondly to take reuenge and punishment on his enemies. Thirdly, by his fierie eye, is signified his anger against sinnes and sinners. Christ is said to hauehave fierie eyes, to teach vsus, that he can discerne secret and hidden sinnes: for in this Chapter we find, that certaine men in this Church were giuen to fornication and idolatrie, close and hidden sinnes. Now here he is said to hauehave fierie eyes, to shew them, he seeth these secret sinnes; he knoweth their hearts, much more their sinfull workes, and will punish them.
Then by this we hauehave a good remedie against all secret sins.Vse. The nature of man is, for shame, and feare of punishment, to abstaine from outward crimes: but being out of the companie of men, he will breake the commandement of the first and second Table, without any care or conscience; and this eueryevery mans conscience can best testifie: that though he can abstaine from outward sinnes for shame and punishment, yet he will cō mit secret sinnes. But these men should remember, that though they be out of the presence of men, yet they stand in the presence of Christ, he seeth them, his fierie eye pierceth to their inward thoughts and affections: and though they may bleare the eyes of men, yet they cannot bleare this fierie eye of Christ. If eueryevery man would remember this, the fornicator, blasphemer, or any sinner, it would be a good meanes to bridle and stay thē from committing sinnes, both open and hidden.
And his feet like fine brasse. He is said to hauehave brazen feet, to shew his strength and power, by which he ouercame and bruised the head of the serpent on the crosse, and fully vanquished hell, death and sinne by his death, and also doth subdue sinne and Satan, and put them vnderunder not onelyonly his brazen foot, but vnderunder the feet of his seruants and members.
The end why he is said to hauehave feet of brasse here in this Epistle, is to terrifie certaine wicked persons in this Church, as fornicators, and idolaters, nay the whole Church of Thyatira, which by these wicked men, were in daunger to be drawne that way.
This then may be a remedie for all loose liuers:Vse 1. namely, to consider of Christs brazen feet, to thinke that Christ our Sauiour is in the midst of the Church, walketh there, and that he hath a foote of brasse to trample and tread all his enemies to powder, and to destroy them. The want of this, is the cause why men lie in sinne, and heape sinne vponupon sinne without care, or conscience, or any feare.
The second part of the Epistle is the Proposition, wherein is propounded the substance and matter of the Epistle. It hath two parts: first, a praise: secondly, a dispraise or rebuke. The commendation, in the 19. verse: the dispraise, in the 20. verse. First, she is commended generally, I know thy workes: secondly, particularly, for many duties and vertues.
I know thy workes: that is, I see and allow thy workes and wayes. The end why he alleadgeth and repeateth these words, is to stirre vp the hearts of his seruants, to consider of his presence For Christ before hath fierie eyes, and here he saith, I know thy workes, to make this consideration, to sinke more deepely, and imprint it more throughly.
In the second part he commendeth her for many duties and vertues: first, louelove: secondly, seruice: thirdly, patience: fourthly, faith and increase of godlinesse. First, she is commended for louelove: that is, louelove to man, not to God, for, for that she is cōmended after in the duties to God. But by louelove and seruice is meant duties to man, performed by man to man. To know this louelove better, note three points: first, what it is: secondly, the property of true louelove to man: thirdly, how it must be practised toward men. LoueLove to man is a gift of Gods spirit, whereby a man is well affected to his neighbour for Gods sake. First, louelove is the gift of the Spirit, Gal. 5. 25. Secondly, it is a gift whereby a man is well affected to his neighbour, that is, to reioyce at his good, to defend, to seeke and wish his good; yea, to be grieued with his hurt and miserie, and withall to hauehave bowels of compassion to helpe him in his hurt and miserie. Thirdly, it must be to our neighbour, not by dwelling or habitation, but to them which be our brethren in nature, hauehave the same flesh with vsus, & beare the same image of God. Then all men, as they be men, are our neighbours, though they dwell at the worlds end, whether beleeuer or infidell, friend or foe, to these we must be wel affected. Fourthly, it must be for Gods sake: for God must first absolutely and principally be loued, and man for him: so that our louelove to man is a fruit of our louelove to God, springing and descending from it. As for the propertie of our louelove to man, it must be feruent, and that in two things: first, if need require, eueryevery man is bound in the compasse of his calling, to lay downe his life for his brother, and for his neighbour, 1. Ioh. 3. 16. Secondly, it must be feruent towards our enemies: in the world there is much hatred, malice and iniuries. Now we must louelove those persons from whō these come, and louelove must be feruent, that these like water do not quench it. And for the practise of our louelove to man, the rule is, that we louelove him as our selues: as we louelove and wish well to our selues heartily, so must we louelove and wish well to him. This is the law of nature, to do to another as we would hauehave him to do to vsus: yea this is the law of God; do to all men as you would hauehave them do to you. Is a man to sell? the diuell offereth him gaine, if he wil lie. Now consider by thine owne law, wouldest thou hauehave another to deceiue thee by lying? no surely: then deceiue not thy neighor by false weights, wares, or otherwise. By these three things we see for what this Church was commended. This louelove were to be wished in vsus, but alas it waxeth cold, eueryevery man is a louer of himselfe, seeketh his owne good, no man his brothers: eueryevery man spends his labor, wit, and his calling to help himself, no man to do good to others, to help the common good, or the good of the Church, but to the hurt or hindering of others: for men think they may make the best of their owne, sell as deare as they can: but we should employ all our callings, if we had true louelove, not onelyonly to our owne good, but the good of others, euen the common good of the towne, country, or church. When men come to the Church, to heare the word, to pray, to receiue the sacrament, then they seeme to shew great louelove of God, but look into their callings, there is no louelove of their brethren: which sheweth they hauehave no true but an outward louelove of God, seeing they louelove not their neighbour, liue by iniustice, seeking to fley him, and draw out his very bloud by cruell dealing, by griping, pilling, and polling: now there cannot be true louelove of God, where this louelove of our neighbour is wanting. 1. Iohn 3. 21.
The second vertue for which this church is cōmended, is seruice. In this place it is a vertue and work of louelove, whereby a Christian man becomes a seruant to eueryevery man for his good. This is commended and described, Heb. 6. 10. Paul Gal. 6. commaunds vsus to do seruice one to another by louelove. 1. Cor. 13. louelove seekes not her owne, but the good of others. So Christ (Iohn 13.) commaunds his to be seruants one to another, in those good things which God giueth vsus. As we must do them good in all we can, so one speciall dutie here mentioned, is to be ready to releeue (according our abilitie) the want of the Church, for we must hauehave first louelove and charitie, then seruice as a braunch springing from louelove. Heb. 6. 10. which is when we are ready to bestow our goods or gifts, which God giueth vsus, to the good of the Church, especially the godly in the Church. This were to be wished in England, but it is not, seeing the richest sort bestow their goods in hawks, hounds, beares, buls, dogs, and other their pleasure and pastime: but when any comes to be bestowed on the poore, then they be strait handed, all comes as hardly frō thē as a rib out of their side. We see men can be content yearely to bestow much money in playes, pastimes, and other delights, and that with zeale and earnestnes: but come to the poore, our owne flesh, to our brother, who beares the same image of God as we do, here we sticke, and from winter to winter suffer them to starue for want of that which our dogs hauehave. To moue men to help the poore: first see how men in the old testament were charged with offerings, first fruites, sacrifices, and many other ceremonies: now these be ended; but instead of that altar, the poore they be the altar, whereon we must offer our burnt offerings & our sacrifices. Secondly, Esay 58. 10. he which imparts his heart to the poore, that is, seeing him in want, hath his heart touched with the bowels of compassion, and testifies his louelove in releeuing his want: this man hath a happie promise, his name shall not be put out, but shine for euer: and this is true religion, to visit the fatherlesse and widow, to comfort and releeue them, Iam. 1. Prou. 25. He which giueth to the poore, lendeth to the Lord. Now the Lord he comes in his person to borow, he makes the pore his stewards to gather it in: wilt thou say him nay, to lend him of his owne? thou wilt not. Wouldest thou hauehave him stay, or send his steward away emptie. Again, Christ comes in their person, he askes an almes, he saith in their person, I am hungry, naked, fatherles and motherles, and in them he stands crauing at our doores. Now if we would escape that horrible sentence of condemnation, Away from me, &c. let vsus not say him nay, or deny him. But if we wil be liberall in any thing, and bestow largely on any thing, bestow it on the poore, our owne flesh, and so we lend to God who is the best paymaster, and we giuegive to Christ, who will not let it be vnrewarded.
Now followeth the third particular vertue, for which Christ commends the Church of Thyatira, which is faith, that is, fidelitie, whereby we are faithfull to God, in keeping our promise made to him in baptisme: wherein we promise to renounce our selues, to beleeue in God, three persons, one true God, to obey him all our life time: this is commaunded, 1. Tim. 5. 12. Now it would be wished, that our Church might be commended for this fidelitie, but it cannot: for though it be a common thing among vsus to sweare by our faith, yet there is litle faith in our hearts, yea litle care to keepe this fidelitie promised in baptisme: for some of vsus lie in ignorance, neuer knowing what promise we hauehave made to God; and such are many among vsus, young, olde, high, low, rich, & poore. Others they hauehave no care of goodnes, of heauen or heauenly things, but of eating, drinking, sporting, in which they spend their days, neuer thinking of Christ, or of their promise to him. A third sort, are those which we account honest and wise men; but they come short indeed: for these set their hearts on riches and the things of this world, spend their strength and wit in the getting of them, and hauehave their hearts glued to them. They like Molds are euer in the earth. We call them (I say) honest men, but indeed they deny God, forsake their first faith and fidelitie to God in baptisme, and in stead of the true God, erect an idoll, euen their riches: and of these we hauehave great heapes. Then it stands vsus in hand, often to remember our promise in baptisme, to renounce our selues, & the things of this world, to beleeue in Christ, to performe obedience to him in al our life: for if we go on, and stil deny our first faith, nothing belongs to vsus but condemnation.
The fourth vertue, is patience, whereof we hauehave heard in this, and the former chapter. Here marke how patienc is ioyned with louelove to men, faith to God, and seruice to men and God. The reason is, because no good action can be done of any man without patience: louelove and faith without it are nothing: for if a man do his dutie to man, he shall be sure to be hated: now without patience he ceaseth to do his dutie. So if a man beleeue in God, and professe the same, the world contemnes him: now without patience he cānot perseuere constantly. Patience is the effect of faith, Rom. 15. faith brings forth hope: and Mat. 13. the good ground brings forth fruit, but in patience. All that a man doth, if it be done acceptable to God, it must be ioyned with patience. Then we must in all our gifts and graces ioyne patience with our hope, faith, louelove, knowledge, &c. 2. Pet. 1. 6. No grace can shew it selfe without this, a man cannot endure the crosse without it.
And thy workes, Christ before had said the same: here he repeateth it againe, which is not idle: for no word in scripture is idle: but by this Christ shewes his exceeding approbation of the workes of this Church of Thyatira, that they were such as he liked of, not in a meane, but in exceeding great measure: the cause why he liked them so, followeth afterward.
Now seeing Christ repeates these words after foure worthy vertues, he doth it to shew vsus what things are required to a good worke, namely faith, louelove, seruice, patience, and fidelity: for to do a worke to God, we must ioyne these foure vertues: and therfore Christ addeth these words both before and after these vertues. First, faith is required, because in doing any actiō, eueryevery mā must shew his fidelitie to God, which we do, when before we do any worke, we search the word of God, whether it be commanded or forbidden there: for no worke we do can please God, vnlesse we be perswaded out of the word that it is lawfull: nay, being not of faith, it is sin, Rom. 14. Secondly, our works must not proceed from faith alone, but from faith and louelove ioyntly together, for faith worketh by louelove: and though a man do neuer so good things, if not in louelove, it is nothing. 1. Cor. 13. Thirdly, a speciall seruice is required to God and man: for all our workes must be done in seruice to man: for the end of our callings be to do seruice to man, and withal in doing seruice to man, to please and serue God. Paul commaunds seruants to please their masters in the Lord, as seruing him: so of all men it is vnderstood, that they in doing the workes of their calling, must do them in seruice to men, and withall to serue God. Col. 3. 21. This ouerthroweth the Papists fasting, praying, pilgrimage, hard attire, and whipping themselues, to pray to Saints, and offer to them: for these come not from faith and louelove, neither are they done in seruice to men, to do them good in soule or body: for these neither benefit themselues nor other. Last of all, patience is requisite that a man may hauehave constancy and perseuerance, for no man can do a good worke as he ought, but many will mocke and iest at him; he shall hauehave many crosses by wicked men, euen by Gods prouidence: now that he might be constant, patience is necessarie, that so (as the good ground) he may bring foorth fruit, but in patience. To apply this, eueryevery man in doing any thing in his particular calling, must labour to shew these foure vertues: his faith to God, louelove to man, his seruice to God and man, and hauehave patience to vndergo all troubles which come by doing his dutie. For if a man do the worke of his particular calling, be it neuer so base, yet it is as good a worke to God in it kind, as to preach the word, and to giuegive almes.
The fifth vertue is, that her workes were mo at last then at first. The Church of Ephesus was discommended for her decay in louelove: but here Christ commendeth this Church for increase in godlinesse and vertue. It were to be wished, that our Church might be commended for this vertue; but alas it cannot: for the bodie of our people are in number increased, but litle in practise and obedience. Heb. 5. They indeed in regard of the time might be teachers, hauing so long heard the word: but yet they need to be taught euen the principles of religion: for though they heare daily, yet is there no knowledge, no increase of zeale or of repentance, no going on in grace: 2. Tim. 3. they are euer learning, yet neuer come to knowledge. This is a common fault in all estates, men heare much, learne litle, and practise lesse: nay we hauehave a worse fault, for many among vsus hauing heard good things, go backward, loose them, become worse, or else stand at a stay. And this is our shame, that many places which heare the wordlesse, go before vsus in knowledge, faith, obedience and repentance. Then if we would auoide Gods wrath and discommendation, let vsus now increase. It is not enough for old men to say they cannot: though their memorie faile, yet they must labour to hauehave good and zealous affections. Young men must employ their strength, and wit, and memorie in this, to increase in grace, & not to quench any grace, but to stirre thē vp: for to him which hath is giuen, but frō him which hath not is taken away that he had. Then all must labor to go on in grace, that the teacher may hauehave comfort, and the hearers be freed from shame and discommendation.
Notwithstanding I hauehave something against thee. Vers. 20.Here Christ after his high commendation, rebuketh the Church of Thyatira: first, the whole Church: secondly, a certaine woman in the Church. The rebuke concerning the whole Church is in the twentieth verse: in which is first, the reproofe it selfe: secondly, the reason of it.
Neuerthelesse. That is, though I hauehave hitherto commended thee, yet thou hast something which I like not, but greatly dislike. Of this I hauehave spoken before.
Secondly, the reason of the reproofe. Because thou sufferest the woman Iesabell to teach: that is, because they suffered a certain woman, namely Iesabel, in the assemblies to teach and seduce the people.
First, obserue in these words, the great power and authority which this Church had giuen her of God: for besides the power of preaching the word, and administration of the Sacraments, she had power to appoint who should preach, who shold not: and further authoritie to restraine wicked men and women by her seuere gouernment. The like power was in the Church of Ephesus; & so of al Churches, in preaching of the word, & administration of the Sacraments, to appoint who shold preach, and who not, and also to restraine wicked men, that they commit not what wickednesse they will in the congregation. And this authoritie hath the Lord giuen to all Churches: nay, without this, no Church can continue or stand. And it is not sufficient to hauehave rule in the congregation, but seuere gouernment, wherby wicked men may be kept in order: and because this Church vsed not this power, therefore she is discommended. Now in eueryevery Church where the word is preached, and Sacraments administred, there they hauehave the same power: yet we see how sin abounds, fornication, adulterie, blasphemie, vsurie, drunkennesse, and all for want of this gouernment, which should represse such sinnes.
This Church sinned, first, in suffering a woman to teach: secondly, to seduce the people of God. This word teach, signifieth to teach publikely in the assemblies. Then they sinned in suffering a woman, Iesabel, to teach publikely in the open assemblies of men. For 1. Tim. 3. 8. I permit not a woman to teach: 1. Cor. 14. 34. they must keepe silence. But it may obiected, first, that Deborah and Huldah were Prophetesses. Ans. They were extraordinarie: and we may not make an ordinarie rule vponupon extraordinarie actions. Secondly, 1. Cor. 11. If a woman pray or prophecie. Ans. First, there were such in the infancie of the Church, and were extraordinarie. Secondly, they did sinne, and as a fault it is rebuked in the fourteenth Chapter, where he commaundeth women to be silent. Thirdly, women are said to pray, because they giuegive assent to the Minister praying, saying Amen, and to prophecie by singing Psalmes, and reading Scripture: for so much the word (Prophecie) signifieth being taken largely. So (1. Chron. 25.) Asaph is said to prophecie, when he sung with instruments of musicke in the congregation.
Seeing Christ rebuketh them for suffering a woman to teach in the congregation:Vse 1. we see it is not warrantable, that she should administer the Sacrament of Baptisme, no not in the time of necessitie: for the word and Sacraments go together. Now Christ will not hauehave a woman to preach the word, therefore not to administer the Sacraments. And though women be forbidden to teach in the congregation, yet they must teach at home. Salomon he learned many lessons of his mother, who taught him at home. Prou. 31. So (2. Tim. 1. 5.) Timothy was taught by his grandmother Lois, and Eunice his mother in the Scriptures. But hence some gather, (without ground) that as a womā may not teach, so not gouern. But this cannot be proued out of the word, and it hath no force. For though a woman may not teach, and stand in Christs stead in the congregation, yet she may gouerne and stand in his stead in the Common wealth, be a Queene, Dutchesse, Countesse, &c. For there is special reason why she may not stand in Christs stead in the Church, seeing men onelyonly so stand in his stead: for Christ tooke on him the person of a man, not of a woman: but that letteth not, but she may stand in his stead in the Commonwealth, if she come to it by succession, seeing it is her patrimonie and inheritance. And we hauehave great cause to blesse almightie God for the gouernment of a woman, more then any which euer yet ruled ouer vsus. But it is said, the man is the womans head, therefore he must beare rule, not she: Ans. He is the head, that is, more excellent, as he is man, but not in regard of any gifts: for a woman may passe a man in grace, and gifts of God, and other respects, and so may hauehave rule ouer the man, though he be more excellent as he is man, she inferiour as she is woman.
The second fault reproued in the Church of Thyatira is, the suffering of a woman to teach and seduce. Then as to suffer a woman to teach openly in the Church is a fault, so to suffer her to seduce is a fault likewise. Seeing Christ reproueth them for suffering her: we see it is not left to mans will to teach and hold what he will, but men must be restrained, that they teach and hold nothing which standeth not with the word of God: they must reproue patrons and defenders of sects, and schismes, and new doctrines: for which, our Church is to be commended, which hath lawes for Papists, Protestants, and Recusants, which is both lawfull and commended by Christ.
To aggrauate these two faults, he describeth her by her properties: first, that she is called Iesabel: that is, one like Iesabel: secondly, by her action, she called her selfe a Prophetesse.
First, the woman Iesabel. But why doth Christ call her so? First, because this woman was like Iesabel, and did in her person reuiue the wicked manners and opinions of Iesabel: for as Iesabel was an idolater, brought in idolatrie, & the worship of Baal among the Israelites: so this woman in the Church of Thyatyra. Secondly, as she was giuen to fornication, so this woman was a maintainer and teacher of the same. Thirdly, as Iesabel was a woman of authoritie, and by her authoritie did countenance and defend her sinnes, false religion and the worship of Baal: so this woman was also of great authoritie, and by the same, taught and maintained her diuellish opinions.
In this reason see the practise of the diuell, who laboureth in ages following, to renew and reuiue the vices and sinnes which were before, & their errors. For as he had Iesabel in Ahabs time, who was a patron of fornication and idolatrie: so in the Apostles time he had this woman, who renewed these opinions, another Iesabel like her. The end is to further his kingdom: for the diuell seeth that these meanes most dishonour God, hurt his kingdome, and most of all build his kingdom: and so he dealeth in al ages, to reuiue the opinions, errors & scismes of old. So they which follow Machiauel, imitate the doings of Achitophel. So the Papists reuiue the errors of the Scribes and Pharises: they which separate themselues frō our Church, the opiniō of the Donatists: the Family of louelove, the error of the Valētinians. The second reason is, because by this name he might draw thē to dislike of her, and not to follow her, but that she might be in as great disgrace as Iesabel was in the old Testament. And this Christ doth to teach vsus in reading the bookes of the old and new Testament, if we reade of any wiked men, that we should dislike their vices and errors, take heed of them and auoid them: nay, if we see them in vsus, we must dislike our selues for them: and contrarily, if we reade of a vetruous man or woman, we must imitate their vertues, like and louelove them, and our selues for them, if we hauehave the same.
The second argument whereby he describes her, is her action, Which calleth her selfe a Prophetesse: that is, she doth chalenge to her selfe to be such a one as taught the word by the instinct and help of Gods spirit, and that all she taught was the word of Gods spirit. She taught fornication was no sinne, and that one might go into the Idoll temple and eate of their offerings, and yet she pretends all to be done and taught by Gods spirit, making him the teacher and author of her errors.
Seeing wicked men and women father their errors on Gods spirit,Vse. we must labour to get the spirit of discerning, to know whether the spirit be of God or not: and we must not be of no religion, because many teach false doctrine, but rather labour to hauehave the spirit of discerning, to try the spirits which we heare. Againe, when we are accused or slandered, we must be content: for we see this woman taught false doctrine, and yet fathered it on Gods spirit, which indeed was not of him but of the diuell, and so made him the author of errors. Now if the Lord be thus dealt withall, made the author of lies by wicked men: shall not we be content, if we be slaundered, who by our sinnes deserued the same? As she chalenged her selfe to be a Prophetesse, so she proued her selfe to be one, namely, by her owne testimony, and her owne word, she said she was one. Here Christ sheweth the note of a false Prophet, namely, a mans owne word and testimony; but a true Prophet hath many tokens and arguments, to proue him to be so. As in the Primitiue Church they spake sundry tongues without study, often wrought miracles, as seales of a true Prophet. Secondly, they held vnitie of doctrine, in integritie of life and conuersation, to confirme their callings. Thirdly, they had excellent gifts giuen them of God, as zeale, courage, and constancy to maintaine their callings, which were extraordinary: but this woman had nothing, but her owne word and bare testimony.
In the second place (the more to disgrace her and the church of Thyatira) her teaching was described by the end, which was to deceiue men. Here is another marke of a false Prophet, to teach to seduce and draw men to some sinne or wickednesse. The end of true teaching is godlynes; but of false, it is to draw men to sinne in life and conuersation.
After he describeth her seducing by two arguments: first, the persons, my seruants: secondly, the meanes, to make them commit fornication, and to eate of things offered to idols. For the persons, my seruants: this increaseth her fault, seeing they were excellent mē, the seruants of Christ. Hence arise two questions: first, why some men be rather the seruants of Christ then other some: secondly, whether the seruants of Christ can be seduced. For the first, some say, God would hauehave eueryevery man in the world his seruant, & doth what he can to make them so; he calleth them, redeemeth them, giueth them grace to be his children, reconcileth thē to himself, so that they may if they will be saued: now some will not for all this receiue Gods grace, but contemne his mercy though he call them, redeeme them, and giuegive them grace. But this is against common sense, to make Gods will in subiection & mans will to rule, to disgrace God and set man aloft, to make Gods will to be ordered by mans will. But the reason why some are the seruants of God, not al, is Gods good pleasure in electing some, and reiecting others, for he electeth not all to grace and glory, but some onelyonly, and these be his seruants, by reason of his owne good will and pleasure. Act. 13. 48. As many as were ordained to life, that is, elected and redeemed of Gods free will and pleasure, they beleeued.
The second question is, whether a seruant of God can be seduced? Answ. Seruants be of two sorts: some are only in appearance, some in deed and truth. Those be onelyonly in appearance which receiue the word and outward seales, but not the inward fruite: and these be in our Churches the greatest part: these may fall away finally and wholly, as did the Galathians and many other. But those which be in truth the seruants of Christ, though they may fall in part, yet they cannot fall wholy or finally, Mat. 16. the gates of hel shal striue, & shew their strength against that rocke of faith, but shall not preuaile. So we pray, Leade vsus not into temptation, that is, let vsus neuer be wholly vnderunder the power of Satan. Now what we pray for, that we hauehave a promise in the worde for it: and true faith and a constant purpose to liue in any on sinne cannot stand together; for faith purifieth the heart, and preserueth it in life and death: ergo a true beleeuer cannot fall wholly or finally.
To come to the meanes of discerning them, it is by committing fornicatiō, and eating things offered to idols. She made the seruants of God to sinne by these two sinnes and meanes; which shewes she was a maintainer of the sect of the Nicolaitanes, of whom I spake before.
And I gaue her space to repent. Vers. 21.Christ reproued the Church of Thyatira before for suffering her: here he reproueth her for her obstinacy and hardnes of heart, that she would not repent of her sinnes.
Time to repent: That is, though her sinnes deserued present death, yet God suffered her to liue in the world a space of time, to see if she would repent. Now in her example he teacheth vsus how to vse time whilest we liue in the world, namely, seeing it is giuen vsus of God to repent in, and so to come to saluation, we must vse it so, & repēt while we hauehave time. For that cause he lets some liue twenty or forty yeares: for there is no repentance before we come into this world, or after we go out, therefore while we liue in it we must repent: then we must thinke of it earnestly, that we vse it to repent in, that so we may be reconciled to God receiued to mercy, and hauehave the kingdome of heauen.
Then damnable is the practise of our daies, when men liue in eating, drinking, sporting, carding, & dicing, in spending their strength and wit in getting riches, neuer thinking of the true end why they liue, which is to repent, and come to saluatiō, but spend their time he giues them to repent other wayes. The Lord might cut them off as soone as they be borne, yet he suffereth them to liue to see if they will repent: then if they runne on in sin, they increase their damnation, and do as a man should eueryevery day cary a faggot for ten yeares to one heape, and be burned himselfe with them at the end.
I gaue her: Namely, Christ gaue her time to repent, no creature, no man or Angel can dispose of the time of repentance, but only Christ Iesus, it is in his power alone when one must repent or not.
Then seeing it is not in our power, it is best for vsus to repent without delay, while it is called to day. The yong man takes his swinge, because he is yong, as though he could repēt in old age, or when he list: but he robs Christ of his honor, for he alone can dispose of the time of repentance. Then take the present, who knoweth when the Lord will cut him off, and then his estate is miserable. We thinke a man may repent at the last gaspe: but it is not good for a man to deferre, seeing he may die quietly by reason of the sicknesse, yet may die out of Gods fauour. But to whom gaue Christ this time? To her: that is, Iesabel, a wicked woman. Here we see the endles mercy of God in Christ Iesus, he offereth mercy to Iesabel, a leud wicked fornicator, & idolater, a blasphemous wretch, fathering her sinnes on the spirit of God, yet she hath mercy offered. So the Lord dealeth not in iustice, to cut men off, but giueth grieuous sinners time to repent. So did he to Manaesses, a wisard and idolater, who humbling himselfe was receiued to mercy. Salomon an idolater, yet repenting, was receiued to mercy, for he was a pen-man of the Scripture, ergo an holy man. 2. Pet. 1. 20. Isay 1. The Iewes a sinfull people, as ill as they which were in hel. The Sodomites and Gomorrheans, they had mercy offered if they would repent, and though their sins were as red as crimson, yet God would wash them as white as snow.
We may not hence take occasion to sinne: but they which be grieuous sinners must not despaire, if they can repent they shall hauehave mercy.
Of her fornication. She had sundry sinnes, especially idolatry, which cannot want company, for no sinne goeth alone. Christ calleth her to repent for that one sinne of fornication, because that was the most principall sin, the head sinne of that woman: teaching vsus, that when we repent, we must begin with our greatest sins, which most clog our conscience, and by which we offend most. Againe, he which can repent truly of one great sin, he repents of all: if he hate the greater, he will hate the lesser.
Then we in repentance must begin at the greater sin, and repent in particular for it: for confused repentance is not true; as to say, I am a sinner, &c. but repentance in particular for particular sinnes, beginning at the head sinne which most troubleth vsus, that is true repentance.
Seeing Christ saith, he gaue her time to repent: hence the Papists gather, free will, namely to do good, and to repent, for else this admonition were in vaine. But it followes not, for God gaue her time to repent, and commaundement to repent, for other ends: first, that then he may with the time giuegive grace also to repent, that so she and we may see what we should do, and withall see our owne want, that we are not able to do as we are commaunded, and so to make vsus inexcusable.
And she repented not. Here Iesabels sinne is set downe, namely impenitency, and going on in her sins of fornication and idolatry: concerning which sins, note two things, first, where impenitency is forbidden: secondly, how great a sin it is. First, where it is forbidden. Ans. There are two parts of the word, the law and the Gospell, and these two be seuered and distinct, neither can be mingled one with the other. Now the law cōmands things, which we in that nature of man in which Adam was, could hauehave fulfilled: but the Gospell commaunds things aboue nature. The law cannot command repentance, seeing it reuealeth not repentance:Rom. 2. but the Gospell commaunds it, and so by an Euangelicall commaundement this sin is forbidden. As for the second part, how great this sinne is, know we, that when men liue and go on in their sins, it is a great sin, seeing by it men heape vp sinne and wrath to themselues. Some say it is a sin against the holy Ghost; but it is vntrue: for that is a blasphemy, so is not impenitency: that is in this life, but impenitency properly is at death.
Hence the Papists gather againe, that a man hath free will: seeing he gaue her time to repent, but she would not. Ans. She had free will to sinne, as all men hauehave, and so to be impenitent: but it followes not that she had free wil to do good, & to repent without Gods speciall grace.
That which Christ said of Iesabel, may be said of our Church, and most men among vsus: he giueth vsus long time to repent, ten, twenty, or thirty yeares; not one of a hundred repents, we care not to heare the word, and receiue the sacraments: we will not turne to God truly, but lie in sin, in ignorance, in contempt of the word, in prophanation of the Sabbath, couetousnesse, adultery, idlenesse, drinking, and eating; so that our liues tell plainly, not one of a thousand turnes to God truly.
Now Christ hauing reproued the Church and Iesabel, from the 22. to the 28. verse, he giueth speciall counsell to them both. The end of his counsell is, to direct them how to auoide the iudgement of God, both in this and the life to come. The counsell of Christ hath two parts: the first concerneth the woman Iesabel and her company: the second, the Church of Thyatira.
The counsell concerning her, is in the 22. and 23. verses: the summe of it is to repent: thou Iesabel and thy company and disciples repent of your sins. This is not expressed, but in stead therof is the reason, vers. 22. 23. The reason is this, If thou wilt not repent, I will punish thee with sundry iudgements: but thou wouldst not be punished with sundry iudgements, therefore repent.
Behold I will. This is the reason, in which note two parts: first, a threatning: secondly, an exception, except they repent of their workes.
Before the threatning Christ sets this note of attention. This should teach her & vsus to cōsider seriously of iudgements against sin and sinners in the written word of God. Iosias when the law was read, his heart melted, which was at the threatnings of the law. 2. King. 24. So when Peter preached, the Iewes were pricked in heart, because he told them of the fearefull iudgement due to them for killing the Lord of life. Act. 2. 37. So should we with Iosias be humbled at the serious consideration of Gods threatnings against sin, and be moued to repent. And the cause why sin is so rife, is, because men thinke not earnestly, or else regard not Gods iudgements against sin and sinners.
The threatning hath three parts, according to three estates. The first concerning Iesabel: I will cast her into a bed. We may gather the meaning of these words by those (2. Sam. 13. 5.) of Ionadab to Amnon, Ly down on thy bed, and faine thy self sick. So here I I will cast her into a bed, that is, strike her with some great sicknes: the place, namely the bed, put for the sicknes which is in the man lying on the bed. Iesabel tooke pleasure in the bed by fornication, who abusing the bed, the Lord to punish her in the bed accordingly, gaue her sicknes in the same bed which she abused. Here is Gods dealing with sinners, he punisheth them in those things they hauehave abused. Iesabel abused the bed to fornicatiō; the Lord punished her in the bed, with some great disease and sicknes. Diues abused his tongue and tast in Gods creatures, & he is punished in them. Luke 16. he asked a drop of water to coole his tongue. Gamesters take pleasure in abusing time, and spend it in carding and dicing, their punishment it brings many iudgements on them, they come to ruine and misery. Ahab to get the vineyard, sheds bloud, the Lord sheds his, Iesabels, and his childrens: and they which liue by the bloud of the poore, & draw it out of them, are punished with the like, for bloud will hauehave bloud, and the Lord will punish men in those sins wherein they tooke most pleasure.
Then this should admonish vsus to take heed we abuse no creature of God, for the Lord he will turne the same to our punishment.
I will cast her: That is, strike her with some grieuous sicknes. Here we see the author of sicknes, it is not by chance, but comes from the hand of God: if men could learne this, they would make better vse of sicknesse: if men could say, the Lord hath cast me on my bed, visited my body with sicknes, he hath done it for some of my sins, to humble me, and make me repent; then they would find in their recouery a blessing, and liue a new life. Esay 38. Hezekiah when he lay on his death bed, knew it came from the Lord, & therfore, hearing Esay say he must die, he turned him to the wall and wept, as for other things, so especially for his sins, and craued pardon for them. So Iacob lying on his bed, leaned on his staffe, sate vp and prayed for pardon of his sins, and to testifie his faith and hope to God. So should we in our sicknesse shew our faith and hope, and pray for pardon of sinnes committed against him.
The second part of the threatning, which concernes her disciples and followers, which receiued her doctrine, and committed fornication with her: and their punishment is to be cast into great affliction.
We see it is a great sin to commit fornication, and not a trick or slip of youth, as we call it, seeing Christ assignes a great punishment to it. Againe, we see some causes why townes, cities, and countries be afflicted with much famine, sword and pestilence: namely, because there be fornicators and maintainers of errors and superstition: for God sends these iudgements, as for other sins, so for fornication. Sodom was destroyed for this sin. And euen in our time, we hauehave plagues, famin, sword, many sicknesses, and that for this sin among the rest. 1. Cor. 11. many were dead for this sin, lest they shold come defiled to the Lords table.
Now followes the exception: Except they repent. Here we see, all Gods iudgements and threatnings be with exception in the matter of saluation. And seeing Christ ads this exception, vnlesse they repent: we see men of yeares condemned in the Church, not so much for sin, as liuing in sin without repentance. Indeed the least sin makes a man subiect to condemnation, but lying in sin, that brings actual condemnation & the wrath of God vponupon vsus, so that if man commit sinne and lie in it, he casts his soule away.
To commit sinne, is not that which killeth vsus, but to lye in sinne: for if a man sinne, and after repent, he shall hauehave merciemercy at Gods hands. Secondly, it is propounded in the midst of the threates: for they go before this exception, and come after. Where we see, God mingleth his merciemercy with iudgement, he sheweth not all iudgement, nor all merciemercy, but tempereth them together. Now, in that the Lord will bring iudgement on them vnlesse they repent: we see that repentance preuenteth temporall iudgement. We hauehave had long peace, and hauehave abused it to commit sinne, now we must looke for Gods iudgements: and we see the Spaniard as a weapon of God, now the Lord may iustly bring him on vsus. The best way to preuent this and al Gods iudgements, is, for high and low, and all estates to repent, and so the Lord will turne him away.
Of thy workes: namely, fornication & idolatrie. So we, if we wil repent, we must cease from our particular sins, as the drunkard from his drunkennesse, and to liue soberly, &c. For to say, I am sorie, and in generall to repent, as many men do, is but to make shew of repentance: but men must leaue each sinne, and do the contrarie vertue.
In the three and twentieth verse, is the third part of this threatening, I will kill her child with death: that is, such as be of her familie, and her children in fornication, not them which follow her doctrine, but properly, for they are reproued before. I will kill. It had bene sufficient, to say so: but he addeth, I will kill with death: for the certaintie, largenesse, and fulnesse of it, not sparing them. But the mother sinned, shall the child be punished for her sake? Ans. In temporall and bodily punishments it may be so, not in eternall punishments. Among men, if the father be a traitor, the Son is punished, and beareth the shame: then shall it not be equitie with God to punish the sonne for the fathers sinne in bodily punishment? And though there were no reason to vsus, yet we should thinke it good with God. But there is reason sufficient, why the Lord should destroy cities, and commonwealths, and families, which be linked together by the bond of societie, and be members of the same familie. Now if one member sinne, the other may be punished: as in the bodie, if the stomacke be sicke, the head feeleth it: so when the father sinneth, the sonne may be punished: when the husband, the wife: when the Maister, the seruant: when the subiect, the magistrate: because of the mutuall relation, and nigh bond of societie betweene members of the same familie, citie, or kingdome. Is this so? then parents had need to take heed how they sinne: for they sinning, may bring iudgments and death on their familie or their children. Then are they cruell parents, which liue in sinne, not caring for their children, but by their sinnes bring Gods iudgements on them, and on their families. Let then eueryevery man in the societie where he liueth, be carefull he sinne not: for then he may bring Gods iudgement on the place, especially, if he be a speciall member: as Ahab on himselfe and his children, and Dauid on the whole people. Then all such as will not looke to themselues, but liue in sinne, should be banished out of all societies, vnlesse they will repent and be new men: seeing they do what they can to bring Gods iudgements on that place where they liue.
Vers. 24. That all Churches may know, that I am he, which searcheth the heart and reines.
Christ hauing propounded his threatning, here he goeth about to make it take place in them: in Iesabell and her company, by remouing of two carnall conceipts, whereby they might thinke to illude and auoid Christs threatnings. For first, they might hauehave said, Our practises and sinnes be secret, not knowne to men: therefore though God threaten, we shall escape the iudgements of God: but we are without the reach of them, they cannot take hold of vsus. But Christ in the first words cutteth off this first conception: Thogh you may perswade your selues you shall escape iudgement, seeing your sinnes be secret, yet I search the heart, and I will discouer them to all Churches: they shall know that I search the heart, that is, I see and know the most hidden and secret thoughts and affections of the heart.
That all Churches. Christ will discouer their sins, not to all the world, but to all Churches: and this he speaketh, to the end to terrifie Iesabel and her companie. For as it is a great honour to be approued and esteemed of all Churches, so it is a great disgrace and dishonor to be euill thought of by the Churches of God. Mat. 18. That which is bound in earth by the church of God, is bound in heauen by God himselfe: so by proportion those which be euill thought of in Gods church, and in disgrace of it, they be in disgrace with God in heauen.
Seeing Christ speaketh this to terrifie Iesabel and her companie,Vse. 1. we must labour in all things to be approued and esteemed of the Church: though we must approue our selues, as much as we can, to all, yet especially to the Church of God, and auoide all things which may bring any disgrace or dishonour to the Church: for as it is a great honor to be well esteemed of the Church, so it is a great dishonor to be il esteemed. Ro. 16. 1. Cor. 1. the last verse, Paule saith: All the Churches salute you:, not that all Churches send commendations by word of mouth: but, to confirme and comfort them, he saith, all true Churches planted by him, did approue of them: Act. 16. Paul approued of Timothy, and receiued him to him, because he was commended and had the approbation of the Churches and brethren at Lyconium and Lystra.. So must we hauehave the approbation of Gods Church, which is the approbation of God himselfe. But what would Christ hauehave all Churches to know? namely, that I search the heart, &c. In which words, by heart and reines, is meant the same thing: namely, by reines, is meant the thoughts and affections of men, and by heart is meant so much, as it is plaine in the old & new Testament. But how can these signifie thoughts and affections, seeing thoughts be in the braine, affections in the heart, neither of them in the reines? Ans. By resemblance: for as the reines be in the most secret and inward parts of the bodie: so thoughts be in the most hidden part of man; namely, his soule. So thoughts are said to be in the heart, because they hauehave operation in the heart, though they be placed in the brain. Search: that is, with such circumspection and diligence, as bringeth the finding out of that we seek. By this is signified, that Christ seeth not onelyonly the outward actions, but the inward affections and motions, nothing, the most secret, is hidden from him.
We see by this,Vse. Christ is not onelyonly man, but very God: for he which hath the true propertie of God is very God; Christ hath, ergo. He which is God alone, can search the heart, the thoughts,Ier. 7. 10. 11. motions, and inclinations of the heart: but Christ can, therefore he is true God, one person, consisting of two natures, the Godhead and manhood. Againe, seeing Christ discerneth the heart, we must in all things take heed of hypocrisie, especially in matters of religion, when we seeme to be that outwardly, which indeed we are not inwardly: but we must looke that we be that in truth, and in heart, which we would seeme to the world: to be & draw nigh to God with our souls, as we do with our bodies, lips, words, and actions. For Christ is very God, seeth and searcheth our hearts, thoughts and affections: he looketh not so much to the outward, as the inward seruing of him; we must worship him in spirit, seeing he is a Spirit. Besides, we must suspect our selues for vnknowne sins: for such is the depth of our corruption, that we cannot sound the bottome of it, neither can we thorougly see the pronenesse of our nature to sinne and corruption. Therefore we must suspect our selues, euen of all sinnes which we know not, and not excuse any sinnes. So did Dauid (Psalm. 19.) after earnest search; as though he had said: Lord, I hauehave searched my heart, but I cannot sufficiently know mine owne corruptions, therefore, O Lord, forgiue me all mine vnknowne sinnes. And if we could thus suspect our selues, we would better practise repentance, and liue with greater care; but ignorant persons, not able to search their corrupt hearts, they blesse themselues, and excuse themselues, nay, say they can keepe the whole law. Now Christ hauing cut off the first corrupt cōceipt, preuenteth the second, wherby they might hinder and auoid his iudgement: for they might say, though the Lord send iudgments, yet we shall be safe, they shall not come nigh vsus. Thus they, and eueryevery sinfull man doth say. Esa. 28. They in common iudgement, make a league with hell, saying Gods iudgements shall not come nigh them. This is a naturall corruption of our hearts, that in common iudgement we shall escape: and eueryevery man liketh this.
Now Christ to cut off this corrupt conceipt, saith: And will giuegive: as if he had said: you may flatter your selues, thinke when I send iudgement you shall escape: but I will giuegive to eueryevery one (none excepted) according to his workes: therefore flatter your selues no more.
I will giuegive. That is, I will reward, partly in this life, and partly at the day of iudgement: for it is meant especially of the last iudgement. Rom. 2. Reu. 20. Hence the Papists gather, that men must be saued, not onelyonly by faith, but workes, seeing God will reward good workes. Ans. 1. Their reason standeth thus: by that we are iudged, by the very same thing we are saued: but we are iudged by workes, therfore saued by works. The flat maior is false: for we must distinguish betweene iudgement and iustification. To iudge, is to declare one iust by his signes, as his workes: to iustifie, is to make a man iust: in which we consider nothing but Christ, and our faith applying him to vsus. So then we are iudged by workes, but not iustified neither saued by workes. Answ. 2. Christ saith not, I will giuegive for their workes: but I will giuegive them according to their works, as their workes be, not for them; where he maketh workes an outward signe and rule, according to which he wil frame his iudgement, to declare men iust.
Seeing eueryevery man must be iudged,Vse. that is, saued or condemned by his workes, then good workes are necessarie to saluation: for we must be iudged by our workes, and saued according to our workes, therefore they be necessarie: not as causes either efficient or helping any waies, but as fruites, effects, and signes of our faith, and markes in the way to heauen, which must direct vsus to eternall life.
Seeing we shall be iudged in this life, but especially in the last day, by our workes, we must labour to abound in good workes; not to winne heauen by them, but to assure our selues we belong to Christ, and shall be truly vnited to him. Now all good works, are either the works or duties of the morall law of God, or else they be those workes of our calling, both generall as we be Christians, or particular in that calling God placeth vsus, done in faith and louelove, to Gods glorie, the good of others, and in obedience to God. These be good works to God, though the calling be neuer so base: for which we shall be rewarded, and according to which we shall be iudged and saued. Now contrarily, euil works they be euident signes of condēnation: & look how many euil works we do, they be so many brands and markes of our soules, to shew we be the children of Satan.
Here we see there are degrees of glorie in heauen, and of punishment in hell: for he will reward eueryevery one according to his works. Then they which hauehave abounded in good workes, they shall hauehave greater measure of glorie: the fewer works, the lesser glorie: so they which hauehave committed greatest sinnes, they shall hauehave greatest measure of punishment; they which lesse, lesse punishment in hell fire.
And vntounto you I say. Vers. 24.In this foure and twentieth verse, he cometh to the second part of his counsell to the Church and Angell of Thyatira: that is, the better sort of the Church.
But before the counsell, he setteth a preface: in which preface, note first, who speaketh: secondly, to whom: For the first, who speaketh: namely, I. Where Christ as doctor of the church challengeth to himselfe all supremacie, and sufficient authoritie ouer the Church: for all his Ministers come in his name, not in their owne: The Lord saith, or Christ saith. But Christ, he comes in his owne name: I say. Noting, he is the head Doctor and teacher of the Church, the fountaine and head of all doctrine deliuered to it. This Christ saith, to smite a reuerence in their harts, seeing this counsell is not deliuered to them by any man or Angell, but by Christ himselfe, who deliuered it to Iohn. For the second: to whom he giueth counsell: namely, you: that is, generally: after he expoundeth this you, namely, to the rest of the Church of Thyatira, to the whole bodie and Angell of that Church, except Iesabel and her companie. Where note, Christ speaking to them, distinguisheth betweene persons, namely, the Church and her Angell, and Iesabel and her companie: so sutably he giueth his doctrine to them. Now he being the Doctor of the Church, teacheth his Ministers what to do: namely, to distinguish betweene man and man, doctrine and doctrine: not to deliuer eueryevery part of the word to all men, but to deuide it aright, to giuegive to eueryevery person, that which may be fit for him. But how must the word be deliuered to mixt congregations, where there be both weake and strong, Papists and Protestants, despairing and impenitent auditors? Ans. We must imitate Christ, we must distinguish betweene persons, and sutably direct our doctrine to them. Impenitent and hard hearted sinners must hauehave threatnings, with exception of the penitent: hard hearted must hauehave no comfort but iudgement, with limitation to them which despaire, these cōforts with limitation of them which be impenitent. Now what is meant by this, rest of them, Christ sheweth: And to as many as receiue not this learning. Where he giueth two notes to know these rest by. The first, they which had not this learning, which maintained not the doctrine of Iesabel and her companie. The second note: they which hauehave not knowne the deepnesse of Satan (as they call it:) that is, which hauehave not approued, liked, withstood, nor giuen their consent to that depth of Satan: that is, that doctrine of Iesabel, which they call and esteeme to be deepe and profound learning: which these (though they know it) yet do not with knowledge approue it, which Iesabel and her companie iudged profound learning, beyond the doctrine of the Prophets & Apostles. Of the first note I hauehave spoken before. In the second note, we may marke a wicked practise of Iesabel and her followers: they esteemed their owne learning highly profound, but the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles, that was no such matter: an high conceipt of her owne false doctrine, but a base opinion of true Apostolicall doctrine: and this opinion hath bene in many heretikes. So the Iewes hold, that God gaue Moses two doctrines: the first, was the written law, which was for the common people: the second was a more secret doctrine, which Moses had by reuelation, and so conueyed it to the Iewes, which they kept still in the Cabbala. So the Papists thinke, the written word, but an inkie letter, a dead letter, or nose of waxe: but the common consent in the heart of all Chatholikes, that they take to be the true word of God, contemning the written word in the Prophets & Apostles. So the Anabaptists, they make the word of God written, to be milke for eueryevery nouice, but the consent of the heart among themselues, that is the strong meate. Nay, this opinion is in our Church: for we preferre the writings of men before the word of God. For if a man expound a text by the word, gather doctrines according to the lawes of reason, this we call simple preaching: but if any bring in the authoritie of men, as Saint Ambrose, Augustine, with Latine or Greeke, this we take to be a learned kind of preaching, which is nothing else, but to magnifie the writings of men, to thinke highly of them, but to disgrace the word of God, thinke basely of it. Here Christ saith, I grant it is a profound learning, not of God, but of the diuell. Where we see, Christ alleaging this saying of Iesabel, doth it with a disgrace: he saith, it is deepnesse and profoundnesse, but of the diuell: yea Christ saith not, it is profound indeed; but that it is Iesabels speech, as they say. Hence I gather, that Christian men cannot safely play stage playes, and Comedies of heathen and prophane men, for these be full of prophane and blasphemous oathes, and wicked sayings, against God and the morall law. Now if Christ alleaging but one word of a wicked woman, did it not without disgrace of her: how can Christian men not onelyonly speake, but by iesture act, heathen and prophane Comedies?
As they speake. He addeth these words: first, to shew, that the words he alleaged before, were not his owne, but Iesabels and her scholers. Secondly, to shew the proud and presumptuous mind of them, in that they call their owne hereticall opinions, profound learning: which is a note of a false teacher, to vse swelling words, and great bragges: to make a faire shew. Iude vers. 16. 2. Pet. 2. But the doctrine of God is in humilitie both of spirit, and maner of teaching. The Lord teacheth his will to the contrite and humble man. Psalm. 25. 14.
Now followeth Christs counsell: Though I lay no other burden on you, yet I will hauehave you hold that still which I gaue you, to the end. This distinction cōtaineth two parts; Though I lay no other, &c. in the foure and twentieth verse: yet I will, &c. in the fiue and twentieth verse. In the first part, Christ saith, Though I hauehave punished Iesabel, left her on a bed; punished her children and familie; yet I will lay no burthen on thee, but onelyonly that I reproue thee for the suffering of Iesabel.
This Christ speaketh to comfort them, and all such as giuegive themselues to maintaine sinceritie of life and of doctrine, for these shall be saued from common iudgements, and hauehave the Lords protection in commō afflictions: though I punish Iesabel and her company, yet when wicked men be punished in common destruction, you which study to maintaine sinceritie of doctrine and life, shall hauehave Gods protection in common iudgements.
Then it stands vsus in hand to imitate thē,Vse. 1. to labor to maintaine sinceritie in doctrine, to defend truth in life and conuersation, to make conscience of all sin. If we labour to obey the Lord in all things, to keepe sincere hearts, then in common iudgements though Iesabel and her company, yea all wicked persons be punished, it shall not touch vsus, we shall find Gods merciemercy and protection, our punishment shall be onelyonly reproofe for some defectiō in vsus. But if we maintaine falshood in doctrine, liue loosely, not making conscience of sin, then Gods iudgements shall take hold of vsus, and afflict vsus.
But that which you hauehave alreadie, Verse. 25.hold fast till I come. After the preface followes the summe of the counsell of Christ to the Angell and Church of Thyatira, which stands in a distinction, though I will lay no burden on thee, yet I wil hauehave you hold fast, &c. the first part is in the 24. verse, the second part in these words, as before I said.
That which you hauehave receiued. That is, that which my Apostles and Prophets hauehave taught you, that doctrine of saluation they hauehave deliuered you, hold that fast with both hands, till I come to iudgement at the last day. Before Christ commended this Church for not approuing the false doctrine of Iesabel, but here he commands her to embrace the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles.
Hence we see, Christ would hauehave this Church to embrace the doctrine taught by his Apostles, to maintaine that, and not to regard any other, but though an Angell from heauen did preach any other doctrine, he should be accursed. Galat. 1.
By this we may iudge of the maine religions which be in the world,Vse. namely, of the Turkes, Iewes, and Papists. The Papists magnifie their religion standing on vnwritten traditions, but they cannot proue they be Apostolical, ergo we must not regard them: no, nor doctrines which men say they hauehave by reuelation, for we must onelyonly regard Apostolicall doctrine. As for the Turkes religion, it was not the Apostles preaching, but crept in six hundred yeares after them. And for the Iewes, all their religiō is against the Gospel. Then good men in diuers countries shold not be of diuers religions, but they should embrace the doctrine taught by the Prophets and Apostles of Christ: neither should men because of dissent in religion, be of no religion: for Christ inioynes this Church to maintaine the doctrine of the Apostles, though many discented from it.
Hold fast to the end. Here not how long, not one or two dayes, but to the end, and we must looke to this, seeing Christ so straightly commands it, because this is the foundation and mark of true religion, and the readie way to saue mens soules, to be constant to the end: and for this (2. Tim. 2.) Paul bids him teach that he learned, that others might instruct them which follow, and so conuey it from age to age: and for this the Church is called the ground and pillar of truth. And so the Lord (Eph. 4.) giueth the Church Pastors: first, such as by their teaching maintaine puritie in maners, and teachers which maintaine it in doctrine. Then this is the Churches dutie, to continue puritie of religion to the end of the world. If the marke be set wrong in the hauen, it is enough to cast away all the ships: so if the puritie of doctrine be corrupt, which is the direction of our soules to heauen, then we shall make shipwracke of our soules in hell. Then the Ministers must not onelyonly teach truly, but labour to beate downe false doctrine which poisons the doctrine of the Gospell. And because men labour not to maintaine the puritie of religion and true doctrine, the Lord (2. Thess. 2.) giueth them vp to beleeue lies and fantasies of men.
To him which ouercometh, &c. In these words is the last part, to wit, the conclusion of the Epistle containing two parts: first, a promise: secondly, a commaundement. In the promise, note two things: first the parties to whom: secondly, the benefits promised. The partie to whom, to him which ouercometh: whom here Christ describes to be, he which keepes his workes, by his practise of obedience.
He which keepes or obserues. This is the forme of obedience, namely the obseruing of the works of Christ, which is not a keeping of them according to the rigour of the law, but a constant purpose and indeuour to keepe them: for the children of God hauehave this priuiledge, that their will and indeuour is accepted of God for the deed in Christ Iesus. There are many which hauehave litle knowledge, these must not be cast downe, but if they hauehave a desire and indeuour to liue according to the will of Christ, making conscience of sinne, their obedience is true obedience, and acceptable to Christ.
My workes. Here is the matter of obedience, namely Christs works: that is, such workes as Christ hath ordained in his word by his spirit, and is the author of in his members.
Christ cals these workes his workes, Vse. 1.therefore we must not thinke or speake, or do our words or workes, but onelyonly Christs workes, commanded and ordained in his word, and caused in vsus by his spirit: which we do when we conforme our works and wils, to his word and will.
We see no worke is acceptable to God,Vse. 2. which is not ordered by Christs word, though we think highly of it. Esay. 6. he reproueth them for teaching the feare of God by mens cōmandemēt. This condemnes the Turkes, Papists, and Iewes religion, which are not workes of Christ but of sinfull men, standing in praying to Saints, fasting, vowing, Masses, &c.
My workes: Not one or two workes, but all my workes: the creature must obey Christ, not in some, but absolutely in all things▪ he will not pattstakes, but wil hauehave all or none. Dauid (Psal. 119.) conformed himselfe to the whole law. So Hezekiah he turned to all the law of Moses.
VntoUnto the end. Vse.Here we see, Christ will hauehave our obedience to be constant, &c. we must not iudge of obedience by one or two actions, but by the course of a mans life: if his life hath bene good, with conscience of sinne, then his obedience is good. For say a man by reason of sicknesse, rage and raue at his death, yet if he hauehave liued well, and made conscience of sinne, we must not iudge of him by that fit. Now the benefits promised are two: first, power to rule: secondly, the morning starre. I will giuegive him power which I hauehave receiued of my father. These words must be referred to the words, not following but before. For the better vnderstanding of them, two questions are necessary: first, what is the power of the Mediator: secondly, how farre he conueyeth power to his seruants. For the first, the power of Christ as he is Mediator is great, and described by three arguments: first, to rule ouer nations: here is the largenesse of it, for Christ hath power ouer all men, all countries and kingdomes in the whole world are in his hand. Secondly, it is soueraigne and absolute, ruling and ouerruling all creatures, ouerruled of none. This soueraigntie stands in two things, first, that he giueth lawes that binde the conscience, so that if men keepe them not, he hath power to condemne them: nay he ruleth mens wils and affections, he can make them obey him in spite of their hearts. Seconly, in that he hath this power of himself and from himself. Reu. 3. he hath the keyes of heauen and hel. Psal. 2. he can breake them in peeces as a potters vessell. Thirdly, he receiues it from his father, as he is God he is equall to his father, yet as he is Mediator, he receiueth it from him: thus is his power generall, soueraigne, and absolute. To come to the second question. How farre this power is ours, and imparted to vsus. Answ. The generall soueraigne power of Christ is not giuen to vsus, or to any creature, but to him who is God and man; it is incommunicable to any creature, and proper to the person of Christ.
Then Christ speaketh these words, not to shew that his absolute & soueraigne power is giuen to vsus: but because his creatures hauehave the benefit of it, the full comfort and saluation of the elect cometh from it, they hauehave fruite of it, in that they partake with him in his glory in heauen. Ephes. 2. 7. 2. Cor. 6. the Saints shall iudge the world, that is, shall be witnesses and approuers of Christs sentence, not that they shall hauehave power to giuegive iudgement, but they shall be caught vp first, and he giuing sentence, they sitting by him shall approue it. Secondly he giueth vsus this power, because he by this inables his in their owne person to ouercome sin, the world, and their owne corruption.
By this we see our dignitie, eueryevery seruant of God hath power ouer nations, ouer the world, to rule and breake them in peeces, to iudge and condemne them.Vse. Is this our priuiledge? then we had need to take heed of all sinne, for we cannot condemne other men of sin, and be guiltie of sin our selues. For it is a great disgrace for a Iudge to condemne a malefactor of murther or theft, and be guiltie himselfe. So Christ, if we be full of sinne, and make no cōscience of it, he wil neuer let vsus sit to iudge the world with himselfe. Then seeing we are Kings, Iudges, and hauehave such priuiledges, we must looke to our selues. Againe, this is our comfort in persecution, if thou be the child of God, thou art a King, a Iudge, though thou be now poore, abused and persecuted, yet the time cometh when thou shalt iudge and condemne thy persecutors, and be auenged of them.
And rule the nations, as a shepheard ruleth his sheepe: that is, to gouerne and feed them, Iohn 21. Feed my lambes, that is, feed and rule. Hence the Papists gather, Peter was the generall Bishop to guide and feed Christs sheepe, that is the world: but then eueryevery Christian should be a Pope, for eueryevery one hath power to rule the nations ouer the whole world: but none will say, eueryevery one should hauehave so large authoritie: then it is not meant of supremacie. Further, from this place the Papists gather, that Saints be patrons of countries and kingdomes: secondly, that we may pray to Saints in heauen, for (say they) they hauehave rule of nations, ergo they know them and what they do. But they abuse the text, for it is not said, any Christian shall rule ouer one nation, but ouer all indefinitely: neither do they rule as Christ, but as hauing benefit of his power. Again, both their collectiōs are bad, for by nations, here is not meant any country or kingdome, but the wicked onelyonly, they hauehave rule ouer, not all nations simply, but wicked men and vnbeleeuers.
And I will giuegive him the morning starre. Vers. 28.Here is the second benefit promised by Christ to him which ouercometh, namely the morning starre, with all the benefits which come thereby. The morning starre is that starre which riseth before the Sunne some time of the yeare, and by heathen men is called Venus, which in deed is Christ himselfe. Reu. 22. 16. Now Christ is called a star, first because he illuminates mens wils and vnderstandings in things belonging to saluation: secondly, to shew that the prophesie of Balaam (Num. 24.) is now in the new Testament fulfilled; for now Christ hath by his Apostles reuealed himselfe plentifully to all nations. Againe, he is called the morning starre, for speciall resemblance: for that starre riseth not at midnight, or in the beginning of the night, but in the morning, in the beginning of the day, and then shineth brighter then all the rest. So Christ the true morning starre, came not in the beginning of the world, or in the middest of it, but in the latter age, he came in the new testament, and fulnesse of time, and now he reuealeth his will more fully then euer in the old testament. 2. Pet. 1. 9. Christ then is called this morning starre, for in the old testament they had darknesse and candle light, but now Christ shineth out brightly.
I will giuegive him. Here is a promise of two benefits, first perfect illumination and lightning, whereby all ignorance shall be dispelled after this life, and men shall then so farre know God as mans nature can comprehend. The second benefit is the light of glory, not onelyonly of knowledge but perfect glory, for by fellowship of this glory of Christ, we shal be made like Saints and Angels, shining starres in the kingdome of heauen.
Seeing Christ is a starre,Vse. 1. we see how they be deceiued which liue in sin and ignorance, without good conscience, in pleasure and securitie, and yet they thinke they belong to Christ, they hauehave the true light: but such as liue in blindnesse, neuer seeking to know Gods will & obey him, these are in darknesse, hauehave no light in Christ: for what fellowship is there betwixt light and darknesse?
We must follow Peters rule,Vse. 2. first labour to hauehave this starre to shine in our hearts, which is, when we vse meanes to hauehave the beames of this Sun to shine on vsus, to get knowledge in the mystery of our saluation by Christ, to hauehave this Sun of righteousnes to lighten our minds, and withall to warme and refresh our dead soules, as the sun in the spring reuiues all things which seemed dead. We must set open the doores of our hearts, and entertaine this comfortable light.
Seeing Christ is the morning starre, not that shines in the night, but in the morning, in the day time, we must labor to leade our liues in godlinesse and sobrietie, as children of the light. Rom. 13. 12. and if we will not walk in this light, it shall be taken from vsus, and we shall be cast into eternall darknesse.
Let him which hath an eare. Here is the second part of the conclusion: but of this often before.