Lectures Upon Revelation 1-3, Chapter 1 (3 of 3)

Lectures Upon Revelation 1-3 · Chapter 1 (3 of 3)

p. 81Saying, I am Alpha and Omega. Vers. 11.Before he described the voice which he heard, as a meanes of this preparation, by the place. Secondly, the qualitie, A great voice like the sound of a trumpet. In these words he proceedeth further to describe this voice in this eleuenth verse, & setteth downe the substance and matter of this voice which he heard: which standeth in two p. 82things. The first, a testimonie, in these words: I am Alpha and Omega, &c. The second, a commandement, to write all these words, &c.

1 The testimonie in substance is in the eighth verse before. In which words of Christ, is, as before, a comparison: namely, as Alpha and Omega are the first and the last letters in the Greeke Alphabet: so I, Christ the Sonne of God, am the first and last of all things; because before me there was nothing, neither after me shall there be any thing in being and subsisting.

These words proue the Godhead and eternitie of Christ the second person. The end why Christ alleadgeth them, is, to certifie him, that these things he was about to shew him came from God, and therefore he bringeth his owne testimonie: namely, I which speake vntounto thee am God, therefore the things I deliuer vntounto thee are from God, euen from Iesus Christ the second person in the Trinitie,Vse. 1. which am God equall to my Father.

In this testimonie of Christ, note a singular care of God in respect of his Church: he is carefull not onelyonly to reueale his will to his Church, but withal to certifie his Church of the truth of the same. As here he telleth Iohn, that they come from God, to certifie his soule and conscience in the truth of the same: so he reuealeth not onelyonly his will, but withall assureth men of the truth thereof. Act. 10. Peter hath a vision, and withall the Lord assureth him of the truth of that visiō. And when Christ preached his Fathers will, he wrought many miracles, which were as s…ales to confirme the same,Vse. 2. that it came from God.

Seeing the Lord he doth not only declare his will, but withall assureth men of the certainetie and truth of his will: this first confuteth the Papists, who teach, that the word of God is certaine in it selfe: but to vsus it is not certaine till we heare the testimonie of the Church, which maketh the Scripture which is vncertaine to vsus, though certaine in it selfe, to be certaine to vsus. But we must here know and learne, that the Lord doth not onelyonly reueale his will to his children, but withall vseth meanes to certifie mens hearts of the truth thereof, and so the word of God is most sure not only in it self, but euen to men, though the testimonie of the Church shold neuer speake word of the same.

p. 83…. This confutes all carnall men. There be many which will be of no Religion, because there is (as they thinke) no certaintie in Religion: seeing mens opinions in matters of Religion be so diuers, that one cannot tell who speakes the truth. Indeed we differ in many points of religion; and so many men, so many diuers opinions: yet the true members of Christ they differ not in the fundamentall points of Religion. And though all the world should differ in opinion, yet it followes not there should be no Religion: but the doctrine taught by the Prophets and Apostles should stand sure, and be the true Religion of God for euer: and the Lord can make men out of it to learne his will, and assure them of the certainty of Religion.

Now followeth the commaundement: That which thou seest, write in a book, &c. This hath two parts: first, S. Iohn must write the things he receiueth: secondly, he must send them to the seuen famous Churches of Asia. Now the Lord commaunds Iohn to write these things in a booke, and he must set downe that which he receiued of God, to send it to the seuen Churches of Asia: because he being now in banishment, and could not come to them and be present with them to instruct them, therfore he must write these in a booke, that so they might be holpen by them. Secondly, he must not only write them in a booke, but send them to these seuen Churches: first, that they might be confirmed and strengthened in the matters of faith, now in the cruell time of their persecution: secondly, that they might keepe these books for the Church of God which is the pillar & ground of truth: first, because it publisheth the word: secondly, because she keepeth the same from time to time, and also giues testimony of the truth of the same. So then, that these Churches might keepe, publish, and giuegive testimony of these things, he must send them written to them.

Hence we learne,Vse. that the word of God written, is an excellent help for the church of God, to edifie the same: else he would neuer hauehave commaunded Iohn to send this booke to the seuen Churches in Asia.

This confutes first the Papists, who hold that the writtē word is but a dead & inky letter, a nose of waxe to be turned any way▪ p. 84secondly, the Anabaptists who looke for reuelations, contemne the written word: but seeing the Lord bids him send it to the seuen Churches in Asia, he sheweth it is an excellent meanes to edifie the Church.

We may learne,Vse. 2. that the reading of this booke, as of other Scripture, is Gods ordinance, whether it be publike or priuate, and that they must be so vsed as Gods ordinance with reuerence and good conscience. Indeed the word preached is the ordinary meanes to begin faith, and to worke repentance: but the reading of them publikely and priuatly, hath his proper vse to confirme our faith, yea to increase knowledge, faith and repentance in vsus.

3Write, and send it to the seuen Churches, &c. Here is the third point, namely, that a man in the crosse and persecution may be the deare child of God. S. Iohn a famous Apostle and deare seruant of God, yet he is in banishment, and continues a long time from all company of men; yet God reuealeth his wil to him, and maketh him the pen-man of this book, which he giueth to none but them which be his seruants. Then a man may be and continue in banishment, yet be the deare seruant of God. We reason, if a man be in the crosse and persecution, and continue in the same, he is surely out of Gods fauour, but we see the contrary in Iohn.

In the end of the verse he setteth downe the names of these seuen Churches in particular; and these seuen places were seuen most famous cities in Asia, in which were planted seuen most excellent Churches of all those parts of the world, and for that cause here are named one by one.

Then I turned backe. Verse 12.Here is his preparation or entrance into the vision. When I heard a voice behind me being loud and great, I turned to see him which deliuered it to me. In the preparation we must consider, first the meanes to moue Iohn to attention, namely a voice: secondly the end, to make him attentiue, and to inioyne him his dutie, namely, to write, and to send it to the Churches.

Now followeth the second part of his preparation, which is, that he turned backe when he heard this loud and great voice, p. 85to see who it was which gaue the voice.

By this practise of S. Iohn, we may learne our duty: for as he dealeth with the man which giues the voice, so must we deale with God. S. Iohn heareth a voice, and then he turnes backe to see who it is: so must we do with the Lord; we are all by nature ready to turne from God, and runne from him as fast as we can by our sinnes. Now when the Lord speaketh to vsus by the preaching of the word, when we are running on in another way. we must turne to him, turne our hearts to his wayes, confesse our sinnes to him, that so turning to him we may hauehave fellowship with God. For vnlesse S. Iohn had turned to see the vision and him which spake, he had not seene it: so vnlesse we turne to God speaking in the ministery of his word, and that in time whilst he speaketh to vsus, we can hauehave no fellowship with him, though we heare the word neuer so much.

Now followeth the second part of the vision, which is the representation of Christ his maiesty and magnificence, as he is a Prophet, King and Priest of his Church, and it is set out by a large description of Christ from this twelfth verse to the end of the third chapter: In which description S. Iohn sheweth what he receiued touching Christ, partly by hearing, partly by seeing. And herein he describeth Christ, first by his place, In the midst of the seuen candlestickes: secondly, by his forme and figure, Like to the sonne of man.

First, he describeth Christ by the place, I saw seuen golden candlestickes, and in the middest one like, &c. These seuen candlesticks here seene of Iohn in a vision, are the seuen Churches in Asia. Now as the Church of God is compared to a candlesticke, as Christ expoundeth it in the twentith verse: so the particular Churches are here called candlestickes, for their resemblance which they hauehave with candlestickes: for as their property is to beare and hold forth the candle and lamp: euen so the Churches of God beare vp and hold forth, and publish the light of the Gospell to the whole world, partly by preaching and maintaining it, partly by professing the faith.

… Seeing eueryevery Church is a candlesticke (and not a candle) to beare vp and hold forth the lamp and light of the word,Vse, because p. 86they hauehave no light of themselues, but onelyonly can beare vp and hold foorth the light, and are but the instruments of the light, the true light being Christ himselfe; then they cannot giuegive light to mens consciences and hearts, but all that they can do, is to beare the candle, and hold out the light, by instructing and preaching the word, and by their profession of religion.

In that they are compared to candlestickes,Vse. 2. we learne that all the true members of Christ are candles, burning and shining lights, placed in the shafts of this candlesticke. For though the Ministers must especially be blazing lampes to the people, as Iohn Baptist was, Ioh. 5. 35. yet also are all true members of Christ these blazing candles to hold foorth this light, and shew foorth the doctrine of light to the world. Phil. 2. 15. 16. EueryEvery man in his calling must be a shining candle, and a burning lamp. Now that he may be such a one, he must first hauehave knowledge of the will and word of God himselfe, then as a blazing candle, send foorth the same to others, by teaching and instructing, by godly life and conuersation. We all professe we be members of Christ, and members of the true Church, then we must carie and hold foorth these burning lights, hauing light in our selues to send it out to others, by teaching them in our calling, and liuing godly, and giuing good example, and so shine to the world.

To induce vsus to this, to carie our selues as burning lampes: first, it is the commandement of God, Phil. 2. 15. EueryEvery man in his calling must be a blazing light in the middle of a peruerse nation: we must carie our selues free from all sinne, send out our light to all men. For a second reason, marke the fruite and the effect which followeth this carying of our selues as shining lights. When a man is indued with knowledge of Gods will and word, and sends out this light by instructing others, and in a godly example, he winneth many men to the kingdome of heauen. A man if he hauehave one to hold him out a candle in winter, that he may see his way to go whither he would, he taketh this as a great benefit: how much more is this, to light the way to a blind man euen to the kingdome of heauen? But on the cō trarie, when men be dimme and darke candles, and liue not in the Church as blazing lights, but in sinne, ignorance, and loosenesse p. 87of life, hence great hurt and daunger cometh to men with whom they liue. For when a man knoweth the will of God, and yet liueth in sin, he giueth a false direction, and so many follow him euen to the pit of hell: and by his bad example, he draweth men as much as in him lyeth,A Similie. to eternall destruction. In hauen townes, if a man remoue the night marke, and the candle set to direct the ships, he doth as much as in him lyeth to sinke all the ships: for they hauing wrong direction, runne on rockes and sands, because they go to the light which is not in the right place, and so they misse the channell, and light on rockes and perish. So men in this world, they saile as on the sea, to heauen: now if we by our wicked life remoue the marke and giuegive wrong direction, they must needes misse the right way, and so come to a false hauen, not heauen but hell. And so then, seeing either by our godly life we draw men to heauen, or by our bad life we carie them to hell, it is our dutie to labour by life and doctrine to giuegive good direction.

The third reason to moue vsus to be burning lights, is the iudgement of God: for he which liueth in the Church, and yet shineth not in teaching others by his good example, he incurreth the iudgement of God. In the temple the lights and candles belonged to the Priest who dressed and trimmed them, & for that purpose he had snuffers and such instruments: now in the Church eueryevery man is a candle, standing in the church as in a sticke: Christ Iesus he is the trimmer and dresser of them, he standeth in the midst of them, he hath his snuffers in his hands, he trimmeth them and dresseth these candles. Now if after three or foure times dressing and snuffing of this candle, still it burneth dim and will not shine out, he will either remoue it out of the sticke, or else he will take and tread it vnderunder his feet. So those which in the Church do not send out a shining light, the Lord he dresseth and snuffeth them, but if they still burne dimmely, cast not a cleare light in instructing others, and leauing good example, the Lord will cast them out of their places, put them vnderunder his foot, and cleane extinguish them. In regard of this daunger, eueryevery man in his shaft and place, the Minister in his, the vnlettered man in his, must teach others, giuegive good example, p. 88else the issue will be this, the Lord will come in iudgement and stampe it out, and extinguish that light. Nay, very reason requireth this at our hands, seeing we be all lights of this candlesticke of the Church, that we should send out light. In winter time we hang out lights, that by them men might be directed to helpe them in their iourney: and shall we be so carefull to helpe men in temporall light, and not much more carefull to helpe them in light toward the kingdome of God? Let then all ignorant and loose liuers, as there be many among vsus, let them now begin to shine: for they stand in the place of good lights, they be in the candlesticke: they must cease from ignorance and loosenesse of life, and beginne to burne and cast light as good candles, both by doctrine and good example.

If a man should bring a candle in a sticke to vsus, and we shold go about to light it twice or thrice, and it would not take light, we would in anger cast it downe: so Christ if he vse meanes to light these ignorant and loose-liuing persons many times, if they refuse to be lighted, he in his displeasure will cast them downe out of the candlesticke, and not suffer them to take the place of a good candle, but rather tread and stampe them vnderunder foote.

In the Church of God there be many ignorant persons, many which continue in their ignorance & rebellion, and so continue in sin: but a small number of good blazing lamps. Many hold the place of good lights, but are darke, dimme, and giuegive no light, let these feare Gods iudgements. Would any be true candles, burning and blazing lights? let them first get knowledge in the word and will of God, furnish and replenish their hearts with knowledge, and after practise the same faithfully in obedience, in leading a godly life, shining to other in holy example, exhorting and instructing them, that so shining foorth clearely and chearefully, Christ standing in the middest of the lights, may like and allow of them. For vnlesse we shine thus in this candlesticke, to wit, the Church of God, where we hauehave our places, we shall neuer hauehave light, nor ioy in the kingdome of heauen: but if we do, we shall then shine as the Sunne, cleare and faire for euermore.

p. 89Golden candlestickes. That is, made of gold: so called for two causes. The Church of God is compared to a candlesticke of gold: first, because as gold is most excellent of all mettals: so the Church of God is the most excellent of all societies and companies of men. All companies and societies of men, in the familie, towne, citie, kingdome, commonweales, they be all the ordinance of God, and excellent in their kinds: but the Church of God is aboue all these, it is most excellent, no societie cometh neare it: first, because in the Church there is saluation to be had and obtained, but in none of these societies of men it is to be had, as they be societies of men, but as they be Churches, or true members of the Church.

2 It is a most excellent societie, because this is the end of all other societies, they be all ordained to maintaine this, as the chiefe, and this euen the Church of God, is the end of them all.

3 The Church it beautifieth and adorneth all other societies, because herein is their honour and preferment, in that they be either Churches, or members of the true Church.

Seeing the Church is the chiefe and most excellent societie in this world,Vse. 1. we must aboue all things hauehave speciall care to become members of this societie. Men hauehave care and labour to become members of those townes which be in corporations, and hauehave freedomes aboue other: then much more should we labour to be members of that societie which is most excellent, to be true members of the Church of God.

Seeing this is the chiefe societie,Vse 2. and all referred to maintaine the Church of God, it must be our speciall care to maintaine that Church, eueryevery man in his calling, as the King, Prince, and Magistrates, the Ministers in their callings, yea eueryevery man in his particular calling must seeke to preserue this societie.

Seeing this societie adorneth the other,Vse. 3. & giueth them their beautie, we should labour to bring all societies to this. Men in families must seeke to make their familie a Church, or a member of the true Church: they which rule a towne, to make it a true member of the Church, and to make it an ecclesiasticall societie: so Kings to make their kingdome a Church, & member p. 90ber of the Catholike Church, because al other societies without the Church, are but as places without light, and without the candlesticke to hold vp: and without this light, they be in darknesse and the shadow of death. It is compared to a golden stick, because it is most precious to God, none so deare, none so neare to God, as this societie of the Church. Christ therfore to expresse how deare it is, saith it is a seale to his hand, and a signe on his right arme. Can. 8. 6. Zachary cals the Church the apple of Gods eye, shewing it is most deare in Gods sight, as precious as the apple of the eye, which is most tender to vsus. Psal. 45. it is compared to the Queene in a vesture of gold: nay, no societie is so precious and deare to Christ as this, seeing he hath shed his owne heart blood, euen the blood of God, to redeeme his Church.

In the middest of the seuen golden candlestickes. Christ is in the midst of them, that is, he is present with his Church continually in all times: he hath continuall care of it, to gather his Church, and being gathered, to preserue it and defend it from all her enemies.

Seeing Christ is in the midst of his Church present to gather and defend it:Vse. 1. then the supremacy of the Church of Rome, whereby they will hauehave one head of all the Churches on earth, is needlesse: for Christ is present, gathering and defending his Church at all times: then there needeth no generall Vicar. In the presence of a king, they of a commission cease, though they were assigned before: and if any should be so impudent as to take on him the office of a king in his presence, all men would condemne him: so though Christ had giuen this office to the Pope, yet seeing he is present at all times in his Church, to gather and defend it, the generall gouernement of the Pope is needlesse, and it is extreame arrogancy to take on him the office of Christ in his presence.

Seeing Christ is in the middest of his Church,Vse. 2. we must do as Enoch, Gen. 5. 22. walke with or before Christ: when we take any thing in hand, do any thing in word or deed, we must do all in Christs presence. We must do all we do, that we may hauehave approbation of Christ, for he is in the midst of his Church, to looke to it, to defend it, he seeth what we do; therefore do all that he p. 91may like of it, and approue it. That we may do so, we must hauehave direction for that we do out of his word: and if we be able to walke before Christ, we shall be able to do many duties to him, and be vnblameable in this wicked world.

The second argument whereby Christ is described, is his forme and shape Like the son of man. Hence some gather, that it is not Christ, but some Angell which is described; but they are deceiued, for he is called foreign and foreign, the first and the last, and he that was first dead then aliue, which belongs to Christ alone. Like the sonne of man, but more significant it is in the originall, Like a sonne of man: if it be translated, The sonne of man, then Christ must be vnderstood: but in the originall it is, A sonne of man, according to the phrase of the old Testament, where when they would signifie one that was a man, they called him, A sonne of man, that is, man like a man in forme and shape.

Christ is said to be like a sonne of man, not that he appeared to Iohn in his manhood, for that was in heauen, but in a likenesse, appearance and resemblance of his manhood: and as he doth not appeare here, so in no place after his ascension he appeareth in his true manhood. Stephen saw the sonne of man stand at the right hand of God, Act. 7. but that was in heauen: and Paul heard him speake, Act. 9. and being rauished, 1. Cor. 13. but then also he was in heauen.

And this Christ doth to a speciall end, to shew that whereas men much regard and esteeme his bodily presence, as his Apostles and friends did, who had too great a desire of it, we must not seeke to hauehave earthly familiaritie with him, but we must lift vp our hearts by faith, and so hauehave spirituall familiaritie and acquaintance with him.Iohn 20.John 20 And so he biddeth Mary, touch me not, being not yet glorified, to checke her too much desire of his bodily presence: but he would hauehave her and vsus to lift vp our hearts by faith, and hauehave spirituall familiaritie and acquaintance with him in heauen.

Then hence, the defence of consubstantiation and reall presence of the body of Chirst is in the sacrament, is but needlesse, seeing it is sufficient Christ is present in spirit, not bodily any more, but we must lift vp our harts to heauen, and there for euer p. 92liue and rest in him.

The Papists gather of this, in that Christ appeared after his ascension in the appearance and forme of a man, that they may make the image of Christ, who being God appeared in the forme of a man. Secondly the Father, who is figured by an old man, Dan. 9. and the holy Ghost in the forme of a Doue, they hold they may picture thē, not in any forme but in that they appeared. Answer. It is not vnlawfull for vsus to hauehave the pictures of the Father, Sonne and holy Ghost as they appeared in forme, as Christ in a man, the Father in an old man, the holy Ghost in a Doue, to illustrate and set out the history: but we deny and hold it vnlawfull to hauehave any of them, or the picture of Christ (if it were to be had) to religious vses, to put vsus in remembrance of Christ, to worship God, in, or at, or by it: for thus to worship God is flat against the second commaundement.

Clothed with a garment downe to the feete. In these words following, is described the garment and attire wherein Christ appeared to Iohn. The first part of his attire, is a long robe or garment down to the feet. He appeared in this kind of garmēt, first to shew he was the high Priest of the new testament after his ascension, to do the the office of the high Priest, because this was one of the garments which the high Priest vsed when he offered sacrifice. So Christ hauing offered himselfe on the crosse, he is still high Priest for vsus, to make intercession for vsus to his father. Secondly, he appeared in this kind of attire, to shew he is the Prince and King of peace, because this long robe and garment is in all nations, where it is vsed, a signe of peace: so Christ hauing this garment, is not a King of war but of peace. Esay. 9. Thirdly, to shew he excelled in wisedome and counsell: for this garment in all nations which vse it, was giuen to them which excell in wisedome and counsell: so Christ here is clothed with this long stole and robe, to shew that he excelleth in the spirit of wisdome and counsell, because the spirit of wisedome is in him without measure. Esay 9. 6. Col. 2.

Hence for the attire of our body,Vse. we learne that it must be sutable and answerable to those good things which be or ought to be in our hearts, as this garment of Christ, to shew he was p. 93high Priest: secondly, that he was King of peace: lastly, that he excelled in wisedome and counsell. So our attire should be such, which may signifie the vertues which be in vsus, as our knowledge, obedience, sobrietie, temperancy, humilitie, and all the good gifts and graces of God: we must not onelyonly shew out the graces of our hearts by word, but euen our attire must set out what they be. And as we must be candles, in teaching and instructing in life and conuersation: so we must shine and shew forth the vertues of our heart by our attire. But alas our practise is contrary, for our apparell is now sutable to all our corruption and vices of our hearts, to set out our pride, to preach to the world our lightnesse and loosenesse of life, the vanity and folly of our heart: so that if a man see one go, though he neuer be acquainted with him, neuer spake to him, yet he may know his fondnesse, folly, loosenesse of life, pride and corruption of his heart by his apparell.

The second part of his attire, is, that he was girded about with a golden girdle about the breasts: which is to shew, that Christ was ready prepared to do all the offices of a Mediator for vsus: for the girding vp of the body, the binding of mens apparell to them, is a signe of diligence and care to do ones dutie; as the not girding of the clothes, but to leaue thē loose, is a signe of negligēce and carelesnesse. Then seeing Christ is girded vp, it sheweth he is ready prepared to do the office of a Mediator to all men: and so Christ whilest he was on the earth he shewed this, he saued all the poore sinners which came to him; and since his resurrection he is not negligent, but ready prepared, girded to do the office of a Mediator to all true penitent sinners.

This must be a singular comfort to all which hauehave any sparke of grace, that Christ he is ready to attend on them, to do the office of a Mediator for them. When we be in affliction & crosse, he is ready prepared at our elbowes to deliuer vsus and comfort vsus: when we be ready to die, he is not farre off, but stands by vsus, ready to cary our soules to heauen; in all things he is ready to all the workes of a Mediator, to helpe vsus in all the workes of our saluation. Christ he is not like Pharaohs Butler, who promised Ioseph to remember him, being promoted to honour out of p. 94prison, but after being exalted in Pharaohs house, forgot him, Gen. 40. But Christ he is still now as readie as euer he was in earth to helpe vsus, and to do all the workes of a Mediator for vsus.

Then we must imitate Christ,Vse. and hauehave our loines girded vp. Luk. 12. we must be prepared and made readie to do all our duties, to call vponupon the name of God, to giuegive him thankes, to renew our faith and repentance daily: yea eueryevery day make our selues readie to die or to liue, and to be alwaies readie to do all the workes concerning our saluation, and at all times to carie our selues so, as we be readie to enter into heauen at any time. But we neuer thinke of this, we are readie to no good thing, we neuer thinke of death till it knocke at the doore. Oh let vsus labor to become good followers of Christ, hauing our loynes girded vp, readie prepared to all good workes.

About the paps: not the belly, but breast. Some thinke (and not vnfitly) to shew, that his thoughts and affections which came from the heart, they be most perfect, ranged in, not subiect to any sinne, but guided by the spirit, which with full measure dwelleth in him bodily.

And his head as white as wooll. Now S. Iohn describeth Christ by the parts of his bodie: first, his head is as white as wooll or snow, which is to shew the eternitie of Christ: for though as he was man he had a beginning; yet as he is God, he is eternall: he is the auncient of dayes, Dan. 9. and when all things began, he was before.

Seeing our Sauiour Christ vseth this hoarinesse and whitenes of the old gray head,Vse to set out his eternitie and euer-being, he would shew the excellencie and honor of aged men, of the old gray headed man, which other younger want: and for this, he compareth the old gray head to almond trees which are alwaies white. Eccles. 12. 5. and Prou. 16. 31. it is compared to a siluer crowne, not made by man, but made and placed by the hand of God on the aged mans head. This excellencie of the hoarie head is in this, that he beareth in his person the image of Gods eternitie, before all younger men: he standeth in the roome of God, to shew Gods eternitie to men: namely, in this old and white head of his.

p. 95Now seeing the aged man hath this excellencie aboue young men, he must be reuerenced: young men must rise to him. Leuit. 19. and we must in their hoarie head learne the image of Gods eternitie. They which be such, which in regard of their age hauehave this excellencie aboue others, they must excell others in knowledge and experience, in wisdome and holinesse, 1. Ioh. 2. 13. I write to you fathers, which know the father which hath bene from the beginning: shewing, he taketh it for granted, that aged men which be fathers, should hauehave knowledge in the will of God. Secondly, they must exceed others in holinesse of life. God is holy, they beare his image, therefore they must (seeing they beare his image aboue others) go before yong men in holinesse. And therefore Salomon, Prou. 16. 31. compareth old age to a siluer crowne ioyned with righteousnesse, which, when they be ioyned together, old age indeed is a glorious ornament. Then men must take heed that old age be no disgrace vntounto them, nor dishonour, but an ornament and commendation. But alas, miserable is our dayes, when young men excell old, in knowledge and wisdome, in godlinesse of life and conuersatiō, and other gifts of the Spirit: but it should not be so, but as the aged must go before them in preferment and excellencie, so they should go before them in wisdome, knowledge, experience and godlinesse. And if in these which weare the siluer crowne on their heads, there be found sinnes abounding, and loosenesse of life, it is much more dishonor in them then the younger, though in neither commendable. And it is not enough for old men to say, their memorie, conceipt and knowledge faile them: for this sheweth they hauehave liued a bad and loose life, and mis-spent their younger age: but they must labour, that with their siluer crowne on their head, they may hauehave a siluer life in heart and hand.

And his eyes were as a flame of fire. S. Iohn goeth on to describe Christ in vision by the parts of his bodie: now in handling these parts, though no man can set downe certainly what the holy Ghost intendeth in eueryevery point, yet we must consider what is most probable in the word of God. And his eyes, &c. He addeth these, to signifie two things: first, to shew that our Mediator is of a most piercing, sharpe, and quicke sight, so that p. 96he beholdeth all things in earth, euen the secrets of our hearts, for he hath fierie and piercing eyes: and as fire entreth and pierceth all mettals, so Christ by his fierie eye pierceth into the substance and secrets of the hearts. Now it is necessarie that the head of the Church should be so sharpe of sight, that he might behold the whole Church, see all the enterprises of the diuell, and the estate of all his children.

Seeing Christ is of so piercing and fierie a sight,Vse. 1. that he seeth the very secrets and thoughts of our hearts, we must hauehave care not onelyonly of our words and actions, but of ordering our thoughts and affections: for Christ pierceth into our hearts and seeth them: therefore we must looke they be in order that he may approue them. It is true, thoughts and inward affections, with men beare no action, because men know not the heart and affections: but it is not so with God, he seeth the least inclination and purpose of our hearts, and he keepeth court of iudgement, not onelyonly for words and actions, but for thoughts and affections. Therefore men must take heed they be well ordered, and so of Christ approued, that for thē they be not condemned.

Christ he seeth our hearts and our very inclinations:Vse. 2. then we must in matters of religion be indeed that we seeme to be: for though we can bleare mens eyes with outward profession, and they can go no further: yet the Lord he hath fierie and piercing eyes, and seeth our hearts, and how we be but hypocrites if we be not indeed that we seeme outwardly to be. Yet men must stay and suspend their rash iudgement, and not for the professing of religion iudge men to be hypocrites: for God alone searcheth their hearts.

Secondly, he is thus described, to shew, he is full of anger and iudgement, and readie to take vengeance of his enemies: that is, of them which will not giuegive themselues, and turne to him by repentance, in obeying his will and word. For though Christ be a Redeemer and Sauiour, yet he is also a iudge, & in indignation will execute his iudgement on his enemies, euen vponupon all that refuse to hauehave him to rule ouer them: as he saith, Those mine enemies which would not hauehave me to rule ouer them, Luk 19. 27.Luke 19:27bring them that I may kill them.

p. 97This may serue to awake many drowsie and secure professors: for men now in this barren age liue in sinne and ignorance, neuer thinke of the duties of faith and repentance, take pleasure in sinne; it is meate and drinke to them to liue in securitie: not one of a thousand turneth to God by heartie repentance. Let these know, that though they liue closely in sin, yet Christ beholdeth them, not as a Redeemer, but as a Iudge, with fierie and piercing eyes, readie to execute iudgement on them for their sinnes. They then must consider their owne estate in time, and turne to God, lest that they going on in their sinnes, and snorting in securitie, Christ come vnawares, and cut them off in his anger: for it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of God.

And his feet like to fine brasse. Vers. 15:The word signifieth brasse, which is shining, for substance durable & pure, the very choice and excellentest kind of brasse. This he addeth, to signifie the inuincible power of Christ, that he is able to encounter, nay, hath alreadie encountred with sinne and Satan, wounded them, and bruised their heads to powder: for his feete are strong and durable, he is of power to ouercome his enemies, to tread them vnderfoot, and grind them to powder: and not onelyonly in his owne person, but in his members, he is most powerfull.

Seeing he hath brasen feet,Vse. strong and durable to ouercome his enemies and tread them vnderfoot, this is a singular comfort to the children of God, who if they be exercised with any temptation of Satan, or with any affliction and griefe, they must not be discouraged, but seeke to Christ their head, he will in vsus (as he hath before in his owne person) bruise the serpents head, and breake it to powder. Let vsus then put our cause to Christ, and let him hauehave the whole ordering and dispensation of it: so, if sin and corruption hang on vsus, vexe and oppresse vsus, we must flie to him, make him acquainted with it, seeke helpe from him, and we shall doubtlesse find it weakened and wounded, nay bruised to peeces, by his helpe. If we see the terrors of death, we must not feare too much: for Christ is strong, and able to ouercome death, nay he encountred with sinne and Satan on the crosse, ouercame him there, and went downe with him to his owne denne and cabine, and there vanquished death: so that he hath p. 98subdued and brought him vnderunder foote, and made him his footstoole.

2And as this is a comfort to the godly, so it should be a terror to the wicked, whō without repenting liue in their sinnes: for Christ hath a foote of brasse, he wil bruise them in peeces, make them his foote-stoole, and with his brazen foot grind them to powder. Then they which be as yet enemies to Christ, must turne to him, leaue their old maister Satan, come to him, else he will breake them to nothing, by his strong and brasen foote.

Burning as in a fornace. The feete of God as of men, in the Scriptures often signifie his or their wayes: so here the feet of Christ signifie his wayes or workes. Burning as in a fornace: this sheweth the perfection of Christs wayes, they be vncorrupt: euen as brasse purified in the fire, so be they, most pure, most vnspotted, without all drosse; all his wayes, his counsels and works, either of creation or preseruation, all are without fault. The way of God is vncorrupt, the word of the Lord is tried in the fire: he is a shield to all that trust in him. Psal. 18. 30.

Seeing all his wayes are pure and most holy,Vse. we must speake and thinke of them with reuerence, euen of his secret iudgements whereof we know no cause nor reason; we must reuerence them, and aknowledge that they are pure of themselues. In matters of Religion there is a learned ignorance, whereof this is not the least point, to content our selues with his wayes, and not curiously to search into those things which he hath not reuealed in his word: but though they be against reason to man, acknowledge them as holy & true, with reuerence, for all Christs waies be holy. The blind man cannot iudge of the light, because he seeth it not: no more can blind man (such as all be) iudge of workes hidden with God.

The Lord bids Abimelech giuegive Sarah to Abraham, else he wil punish him and all his:Gen. 20.Gen 20 what reason is this in mans sight? nay it seemeth cruelty, to punish his seruants for him. So Achan he sinned, Ios. 7. and the people are plagued. Dauid sinned, 2. Sam. 12. the child died: and he sinned againe, 2. Sam. 24. the people is plagued. What reason can mā giuegive of these? These seeme al contrary to reason in mans iudgement; but we must reuerence the p. 99counsels of God, as good, pure, and holy, though we see no cause at all of them. The Lord hath determined to saue some, to cast off other some: now this seemeth crueltie to man: nay some hold it an action of crueltie, that the Lord should withhold his mercy from one, and shew it to another. But they sinne, seeing it is the doctrine of Gods word, that he in his good will and pleasure, hath determined to saue some, to reiect other for his owne pleasure: though we see no reason at all of this, we must reuerence it, and hold it the truth of Gods most holy counsell.

And his voice as the sound of many waters. This he addeth for two causes: first, to shew the loudnesse and greatnes of his voice, because this voice of Christ in his word hath gone through the whole world: for the doctrine of Christ hath bene sounded in all parts of the world. Secondly, to shew the power, force and efficacy of this voice in the eares of his creatures. Christ before all things were, but spake the word, and at his word all things were made. Lazarus lay rotting in his graue, yet he heard the voice of Christ, as of a thousand trumpets sounding in his eares, and rose vp: nay the bodies of men being dead sixe thousand yeares, euen those shal heare the voice of Christ, being a loud and great voice, a powerfull and effectnall voice.

Seeing this voice of Christ is so loud and powerfull a voice that the dead are able to heare it:Vse. 1. this shewes the securitie and deadnesse of those men, which though they heare it dayly sounding and crying in their eares, as the noise of many waters, yet they will not, as did the dead bodie of Lazarus, heare and stand vp, and come forth of their graues of sinne, but still snort in securitie and rot in their sinnes. This argueth our great drowsines, that the dead which hauehave layne six thousand yeares, shall at this voice rise and awake, and we hearing it both loud and powerfull, and publike in our eares, will not put vp our head nor our heart, not seeke to get one foot out of the graue of sinne and securitie.

And he had. Vers. 16.Here S. Iohn describeth him by his parts, and the properties of eueryevery part. In his right hand seuen starres: that is, seuen Angels, seuen Ministers of the seuen churches of Asia. The Ministers are compared to starres: first, because as starres send p. 100out light to men on earth; so the Ministers ought to giuegive light to men, euen spirituall light, by doctrine taught by them, and by conuersatiō of life among them. Secondly, they be compared to stars, because as the stars hauehave their continuall abode in heauen, neuer descend downe: so the Ministers of the word especially should hauehave their conuersation in heauen. It is the dutie of all, but more specially of the Ministers, in regard of their callings: first by seeking their owne saluation: secondly, by seeking the saluation of others: by which two they must hauehave their conuersation in heauē, though they hauehave their bodies in earth: thirdly, because they shall be honoured of God in heauen, as the starres: for Dan. 12. they which do their dutie, they shall shine like starres in the firmament.

They be in Christs right hand: that is, all regiment and gouernement in matters of the Church belongs to Christ, he alone hath the whole disposition and ordering of the ministery: seeing he alone is head of the Church, and the Ministers they be in his right hand: he rules and raignes in his church, he careth for it and looketh to it.

Seeing these starres be in Christs right hand: Vse. 1.this shewes that the choosing & furnishing of the ministers of the word, belongs to Christ, Eph. 4. he giueth them their gifts and places: then we ought in this last age to pray the Lord to send out laborers into his haruest, that so his children might be gathered, and an end made of these miserable dayes.

2He holds these seuen starres in his right hand. Whereby we see, he giueth them defence and protection, so long as they be faithful in their callings. He carieth them in his right hand: & though they hauehave sundry discouragements, yet seeing Christ he ordereth their ministery, and disposeth of it, if they be faithfull, nothing should hinder their course, nothing should cut them off from their duty, neither the want of obediēce in them to whom they preach and labour, not seeing that fruit they should; nor the iniuries of the enemies of their profession; nor any thing else.

3Seeing they be in his right hand: this sheweth the excellency of this calling of the ministery. Idle men esteeme it most base, & accept of it as of a meane calling, and so discourage many: but in p. 101the sight of God it is an high and holy calling, he carieth them in his right hand, defends them and protects them. Now what greater glory can there be, then that they should be so honored, to be borne and caried in the right hand of the King of heauen and earth, though wicked men dishonour them, esteeme so basely of thē? This should stir those who hauehave good gifts, to get this high and holy calling, thus to be honoured of Christ.

They must be vnblameable:Vse. 4. for seeing Christ carieth them in his right hand, he will hold nothing but that which is holy and pure, as he is; but if it be defiled, sinfull and wicked, he will take it out of his right hand, put it vnderunder his brazen foote, and grind it to peeces: and the more he had honoured them, the more will he dishonour them. By the same reason, the hearers are bound to profit, else they must drinke of the same cup: for if the ministers be punished for not preaching, then they for not hearing.

And out of his mouth, &c. In these words he describes him by the two last parts of his body, his mouth and his face, And in his mouth was a two edged sword, &c. By this two edged sword, is meant the doctrine of the law and the Gospel, vttered and propounded by the Prophets and Apostles: and this two edged sword is described, Heb. 4. 12. It is mightie in operation, &c.

The doctrine of the law and the Gospell is compared to a two edged sword; because as a sword with a double edge enters not onelyonly into the flesh, but to the bones, yea euen to the marrow: so the word preached it enters into the heart deepely, to the diuiding of the spirits; yea it enters to the very bottome of the heart, it searcheth eueryevery nooke and corner which is most secret.

The word hath a double operation, one in the wicked, another in the godly. In the wicked this sharpe two edged sword of the word, it wounds them at the heart with a deadly wound, and so by the same wound brings them to eternall death. Esa. 11. 4. He shall with his breath, that is the sword of his word, slay the wicked.1. Thess. 2. 8.1 Thess 2:8 This is that sword that hath and will kill Antichrist.

Ob. But how cometh it, that the word of God should wound or kill any? how should it slay a wicked and vnrepentant sinner?

Answ. We must know there be three degrees of spirituall death: p. 102The first is, the separation of bodie and soule, when the bodie is laid in the graue, the soule conueyed to the place of torments. The second is, when a sinner in this life by the word is wounded and smitten, and so receiueth in his heart a deadly wound. The third degree is at the end of this life, at the last iudgement, whē soule and bodie shall go into hell fire: for euen a sinner receiueth his deadly wound in this life, which is the first steppe to hell and eternall death in the life to come.

In the inflicting and giuing of this wound, there be three actions of Christ required, which he worketh in the hearts of the wicked by the doctrine of the law and the Gospell. The first is, to reueale to them their sinnes, all their pride, rebellion, hypocrisie, the damnable corruptions of their hearts, and all their sinnes against the first and second Table. 1. Cor. 14. 24. 25. If in the Church all prophecie, there come in one which beleeueth not, he is rebuked of all, because they iudge him an hypocrite, and so the secrets and corruptions of his heart are laid open and discouered by the word preached. The second action of Christ is this, he after reuealeth to them the wrath and curse of God against sinne, his indignation against the breakers of the law: and for this cause the law is called the killing law, because it sheweth iudgement without merciemercy for the transgressions of the law. Thirdly, Christ by the word preached sharpeneth the sting of conscience, maketh it awake, and terrifieth a man when he heareth or remembreth the word, and the curse denounced against sinners. So Felix when Paul preached to him of iustice and temperancie, he fainted and trembled, the word was a two edged sword of the spirit to wound his conscience with terrour and feare. So Dan. 5. Beltashar seeing but an hand writing, he quaketh for feare, the word of God came into his mind, and made his conscience accuse him, and his knees smote together for feare.

So then by this we see how Christ killeth the wicked, by reuealing their sinnes, shewing the wrath and anger of God against sinne and sinners which repent not, and the curse of the law: and also by sharpning the sting of conscience, to wound them and strike them at the heart; and so they by this hauehave the p. 103first wound of eternall death. Though the Lord may in merciemercy recouer them of this wound, yet of themselues they be in the estate of death; and vnlesse they repent, they are in the first step to eternall death. For those horrors and feares which come into a mans heart in regard of Gods wrath and iudgements, seuered from grace, are no grace, but the first wound to eternall death, vnlesse the Lord giuegive grace.

Seeing Christ carieth the two edged sword of the Spirit in his mouth,Vse. 2. whereby he woundeth his enemies with a deadly wound at the heart: then when we see any which cometh to heare the word, and after rebelleth, stormeth, and rageth against the same, being wounded in conscience therewith, we must not be displeased with it, but pitie his case, seeing he is wounded at the heart with a deadly wound: and he in this case is in the first steppe to eternall death, vnlesse the Lord recouer him of this wound.

In those Churches and places where the word hath bene 2long preached, and the people remaine in blindnesse and ignorance, and vnreformed, we must in these take pitie on them, seeing this is a heauie iudgement of God on them: for these are wounded with a deadly wound by the sword of the spirit, because the word hath bene long and often preached to them without profit: and the word it neuer returneth emptie, but either saueth or destroyeth, woundeth or healeth them. So that though men may liue ciuilly before men, making a faire shew, yet if they be vnreformed and liue in ignorance, these are but dead men in the sight of God: the word hath giuen them the first deadly wound, therefore we must pitie their estate. If we come into the field, see an hundred men lye wounded, and gushing out bloud, some in the head, some in the sides, and some in the feet, we cannot but be exceedingly moued: so in the church of God many are vnreformed in obedience and repentance: and though we cannot see their bloudie wounds with bodily eyes, yet we may see them lye wallowing in the bloud of ignorance and securitie, of impenitencie and wickednesse, therefore we must pitie their estate: for they be dead men indeed, seeing they be not reuiued by the word in reformation of life and obedience: p. 104for the word either quickeneth or killeth.

Seeing the word without grace killeth, we must not content our selues with it, but seeke to feele the worke of the Spirit, peace of conscience, and reformation of life by the word. Let vsus then by a liuely faith labour to apply Christ by the word, to lay hold on him and his righteousnesse, so that we can say, we liue not, but Christ in vsus. But this word hath another action in the elect children of God, which though it be manifold, yet all tend to further and procure their saluation. The first work of it in these, is to wound deepely, and to kill the corruptio… of mans nature in his heart, with a deadly wound, that it neuer recouer againe. Yet though it wound a man, it killeth not the person, as in the wicked, but onelyonly the corruption of his heart, and quickeneth the person to Christ, killeth him in regard of rebellion and vnbeleefe. We are sacrifices to be offered to God, therefore we must be killed, not in our bodies and soules, but in our corruptions, affections and rebellions. That we may be killed, the two edged sword of the Spirit is required, which giueth our corruption the deadly wound, and cutteth vp the root. Since the second action after our conuersion & change is this, the word of God must cut and pare the remnants of our corruption, by lessening and weakening of it daily. Ioh. 15. As the husbandman cutteth, loppeth and pareth off all branches that beare no fruite: so the word of God cutteth and pareth away the remnants of corruptions in our hearts, that so our hearts may bring foorth more fruite. Thirdly, the word of God serueth to keepe his people and children in awe and subiection, and therefore Christ holdeth the scepter of the word in his mouth, that though the wicked will not be kept in awe, yet his elect may tremble and feare at the lifting vp of the same. Amongst men if many be fighting, let the Magistrate but hold vp the sword of Iustice, eueryevery man yeeldeth and putteth his sword into his sheath: and shall not we much more cease from sinne, and feare, when Christ the King of heauen and earth, holdeth out the scepter of his word? And if any refuse to be subiect, and to obey the Magistrate, he is counted a rebell: if men refuse to obey the scepter of Christ, shall they not be so accounted?

p. 105So then by these actions we see the power of the word, it killeth corruptions in our hearts, pareth it and the remnants of it, and it keepeth men in awe and subiection. Yet it differeth in the wicked, and in the godly: in the wicked, it maketh them feare, and woundeth them to death, destroying both soule and bodie: in the godly, it woundeth them indeed, not in their persons, but in the corruptions of their hearts. It maketh vsus fit to encounter with the diuell, and to vanquish him in all his temptations if it be vsed with knowledge.

Seeing the word of God serueth to kill our corruptions,Vse. 1. we when we heare the word, must receiue and beleeue the same, not onelyonly when it is deliuered in generall, but applyed in particular: though it touch vsus and wound our hearts, we must suffer it, and reioyce in it: for that is the first steppe to health, to hauehave our corruptions ripped vp and touched. When the sword of the spirit entreth to our hearts, it will ransacke eueryevery nooke and secret corner: then we must reioyce in this blessing of God, suffer it gladly, seeing it is the onelyonly meanes to come to life. If one be sicke of a Fistula, he will suffer the Chirurgeon to rippe and launce him, to search eueryevery part of the wound: and shall not we suffer the Phisition of the word to display, to lay open, to ransacke and search the corruption of our hearts, seeing that is the onelyonly way to recouer health. For we cannot liue to God till we die to our selues and to our sinnes: we cannot p…ssibly die to our sinnes, till our corruptions be destroyed, and all our sinnes killed and wounded to death.

In his mouth. Other Kings carie their scepter in their hands, but he in his mouth, to shew, that no doctrine must be receiued of vsus, vnlesse it proceed from his mouth: for he receiued his Fathers will, deliuereth it to his Church, to his Prophets, and Apostles, and they to vsus.

And his face shone, &c. For as the Sunne is to the world, so is Christ to his Church. Now as the Sun performeth two duties to men, so doth Christ: the first is, to giuegive light and driue away darkenesse, to take away the night, and bring the day: so Christ he is the Sunne of righteousnesse. Malach. 3. He giueth the light of knowledge to his seruants, he sendeth the light of the p. 106word which can dispel darknes, and enlighten his people in the knowledge of his will and word.

Then are we bound to labour aboue al things for knowledge of his will and word.Vse. 1. First, when the day dawneth, we set open our doores and windowes, to receiue the light and comfort of the same: now Christ is in the midst of his Church, he sendeth light, he shineth clearely, being the Sonne of righteousnes: then we must open the doores of our hearts, and the windows of our soules and consciences, to receiue his light and comfort into vsus.

2Seeing Christ giueth light by his word, we must in all our life be guided and directed by that light. We are pilgrimes, going through a vale of misery and darknes, Christ is the light, he shineth as a blazing torch: we must then do all our duties by direction of this light, we must in all our wayes hauehave our eyes fixed in this word which is the sonne of light and direction.2. Pet. 1. end.2 Pet 1

The action of the Sunne is to warme and comfort dead and cold bodies, and to reuiue them: as we see in the spring time, it reuiues those creatures which before were as dead with cold: so Christ giueth not onelyonly light but life, he giueth spiritual comfort to bodies frozen for cold, he comforts them & reuiues them by his spirituall heate, and for this is called the Sunne of righteousnesse, comforting our cold and frozen hearts in sinne and iniquitie.

Then we must labour aboue all things,Vse. to be partakers of this spirituall life and comfort, which cometh by the spirituall heate of Christ. As men will in winter go into the Sunne, to feele the heate of the beames: so must we come out of our sinnes, get into the sun-shine of Christ, that his beames may streame vponupon vsus plenteously, to hauehave life conueyed to our benummed and dead consciences. We will seeke to hauehave honour, riches, preferments, and pleasures of this life, but Psa. 44. we should desire the Sunne of righteousnesse to shine on vsus with the beames of mercy, to hauehave him quicken our dead hearts with the heate of his holy spirit.

That we may hauehave this spiritual life, we must die our selues ere we cā liue to the Lord: we must first be killed ere we be made aliue. If we wold liue to God, we must suffer the two edged sword p. 107to pierce to the heart, to cut vp and cut off all our corruptions, to suffer it to enter into vsus, to ransack our rebellious harts, and to be thrust to the hilts, that so it may diuide betweene the spirit & the flesh, pare off al the rottē flesh of corruptiō in vsus: for when we are killed to our selues, & discouraged in regard of our own sins, we are most fit to be made aliue to God. A body which is almost dead for cold, is the most capable of heate: and when we are thus cast downe in regard of our sins, then we must labor to hauehave the comfortable beames of Christ to shine in our hearts, to warme and to quicken vsus, and his fauourable countenance to shine on vsus: which if we hauehave, though we hauehave neither honour, riches nor preferment, yet we hauehave enough: and if we want that heate, all things else are nothing.

The third worke or action of the sun is to discouer all things.Vse. In the night nothing appeareth, all hauehave one forme; but when the Sunne cometh with his light, all things appeare, and a man may in the beames see the very motes: so Christ the chiefe sunne seeth all things, and he will discouer all: nothing so secret which is hid from him, nothing so close which his eye seeth not: he knoweth, and he can and will discouer all mens actions, yea their secret thoughts.

Seeing Christ knoweth all our thoughts,Vse. so as he can make thē manifest and open: note, that though we may liue so as men cannot iudge of our hypocrisie, yet Christ seeth our dealings: & as the sunne is manifest to our eye, so our actions are cleare to his eye. This should make vsus take heed to all our waies and workes, that we do or thinke nothing but as in his presence; for we cannot blind his eyes, but he seeth it euen as clearely as we see the light of the sunne. If men of occupations would consider this, that all their actions are cleare to Christ, they would not commit so much crueltie and iniustice; there would not be so many sins practised of vsus dayly as there are.

And when I saw him, Vers. 17. 18.I fel at his feet as dead. In these seuenteenth & eighteenth verses, Iohn proceeds to describe our sauior Christ as God gaue him a vision, by other arguments, that is, by his actions. The first action is contained in these seuenteenth and 18. verses, which is a confirmation of S. Iohn, being greatly afraid: p. 108and this confirmation is the whole matter and substance of these two verses. In this note two things: first, the occasion: secondly, the meanes. The occasion mouing Christ to confirme S. Iohn, in the second part of the seuenteenth verse: the meanes, in the end of the seuenteenth verse & in the eighteenth. The occasion was an exceeding feare of death, which made Iohn as dead, as appeareth by Christs comforting of him.

In this feare note 3 things▪ first, the cause: secondly, the effect of it: thirdly, the kind of feare. The cause in these words, And when I saw him, &c. which was the appearance of Christ to Iohn in his maiestie and glory, which made Iohn exceedingly feare.

S. Iohn seeing the maiestie and glory of Christ, he is exceedingly afraid and astonished as a dead mā. We all by nature since the fall of Adam are fearefull sinners. Before he fell he walked & talked with God face to face, but after his fall he fled and hid himselfe, he could not brooke his presence, because he had sinned: and since his fall, mans frailtie and weaknes is such, that he cannot abide the presence and maiestie of God: but as Manoah Iudg. 13. 22. seeing an Angell of God, said, We shall surely die, because we hauehave seene God: shewing that the presence of God, of his maiestie, is terrible to sinfull man: euen so it is with all men.

Now seeing we hauehave lost our first estate, we must labor continually to hauehave the image of Satan abolished in vsus, and the image of God daily renewed: we must become new creatures, & seeke aboue all things to hauehave our former fellowship with God which we lost in Adam: for in this fellowship with God stands all true happinesse and ioy eternall.

Seeing it feared Iohn that he was as dead,Vse 1. we see that the feeling of the presence of God, of his maiestie and glory, it is a singular meanes to humble man, to cast him downe, and make him know he is nothing in himselfe. So soone as Iohn perceiued and saw the presence of Christ, he was as dead, & fell at his feete. So Abraham, the more he perceiued the glory of God, the more he humbled himselfe, confessing he was dust and ashes. And Peter Luke 5. 8, 9, 10. seeing but a glimmering of Christs maiestie and might, he bids him depart frō him, he was a sinner. So Esa. 6. 2. the Angels couer thēselues with their wings, with three they couered p. 109their face, and with 3. their feet, as fearing and not able to behold his maiesty, as cōfessing they be nothing but sin in thēselues.

We see the great goodnes of God in the ministery of his word, 2for though he might speake to vsus by his own self, and so that we could not abide to heare his voice, but should be as dead men, yet he in mercy speaketh to vsus by sinfull men like to our selues and familarly: then we must know and learne to acknowledge his mercy, and be thankfull for it.

Seeing it astonished S. Iohn, we see that euen holy and righteous men cannot abide the presence of Christ his maiestie and glory: much lesse can the works of righteous men stand before his iust iudgement, or answer to his iustice: for the person must be first accepted before the worke can be accepted: now if a righteous man cannot abide the presence of Christ, no more can his worke. Then damnable is the doctrine of the Church of Rome, who will hauehave men to stand at Gods bar, and bring their workes as part of their iustification, but our workes be but in part holy▪ no more then we be our selues but in part iust.

Now followeth the effect of this feare in S. Iohns body:2▪ Point. He fel at his feete as dead. It was not a small but a great feare, which astonished his senses, made him as a dead man. Phisitions say, that the mind followeth the constitution and temperature of the body, but we may here as truly say, the body followeth the temperature and constitution of the mind: for the mind can worke that on the body, which other diseases can worke: it can cast men into a swound, make the body cold, and many other things which diseases work in the body. So Ahab being grieued, and fearing he could not get Naboths vineyard, was sick and almost dead. So then affections of louelove, and feare, and hatred, &c. can change & kill the body: therfore the body followeth the tē perature and constitution of the mind. Againe, we see diseases are not alwayes to be cured by art and phisicke: but often when phisicke cannot helpe, the body is cured by ordering and composing the affections of the heart, seeing these can order and dispose the body, and change it as their nature is.

Thē in the next place followeth the kind of feare: I fel at his feet as dead, &c. shewing it was a godly & religious reuerence in the p. 110heart of Iohn: for this kind of prostrating the body, is a signe of godly reuerence and religious feare.

We must learne by this example,Vse. to cast downe our selues in the presence of Christ as Iohn did, and to lie prostrate at his feet. Ob. But some may say: Christ is not present, we cannot now fall at his feet, seeing he is in heauen. Answ. Though Christ be now in heauen, yet he hath his footstoole on earth, and his feet may be said to be here on earth. For the merciemercy seate, that was a signe of Gods presence, though that be taken away, God hath yet his footstoole on earth. Psal. 99. 5. For wheresoeuer the Church of God is assembled to pray vntounto him, there is Christ truly present, and there is his footstoole, and there should we cast downe our selues, our soules and bodies to Christ, he being there present. Now though S. Iohns feare be a godly feare, yet it is stained with sin: for it is ioyned with immoderate feare of death. Then we see, that the most holy affections of righteous men, they hauehave their imperfections, they be stained with sinne, because they be sanctified but in part, and in part be corrupt. And there is no man which hath true filiall feare, but he hath withall a seruile feare of hell and damnation.

The meanes follow whereby Christ confirmeth Iohn. Then he laid his right hand. In this note two things: first, when he vseth this meanes: secondly, the meanes it selfe. The time when, Then, that is, after Christ by his presence had smitten him, cast him downe, and laid him as dead: then he vseth meanes of confirmation and comfort. And this is Gods practise, first, to humble a man and cast him downe, breake him and bruise him to powder: then he hauing made him plyable and fit to receiue grace, after confirmeth and comforteth him in the matter of saluation: secondly, a man must be wounded, then hauehave oyle powred in, and he must be a lost sheepe, after Christ will bring him home againe. And this is the cause why so few profit by the word preached and by the Sacraments, because they be not first humbled and cast downe, and made fit to receiue Christ comfortably offering himselfe in the Gospell. Now follow the meanes themselues, which are two: the first, a signe, Then he laid his right hand, &c. secondly, his word, saying, Feare not, &c.

p. 111There is not one of them vsed a part, neither the signe, nor the word alone: but he vseth both meanes, more to confirme and comfort S. Iohn. So the Lord dealt with Moses. Exod. 3. 12. he first giueth him the word, I will be with thee to comfort thee: and not onelyonly that, but the signe, he must offer sacrifice to God as a signe.Esa. 7. 4.Isa 7:4 So to Ahaz, though a wicked king, he giueth him his word to comfort and confirme him: and vers. 11. he biddeth him aske a signe of him. So Christ preached the Gospell, there is his word, and confirmeth the same by miracles. Now he giueth vsus promises of eternall life; and not onelyonly that, but addeth signes and seales to confirme them: namely, his Sacraments. By this we see that Christ hath exceeding care of his children and of his Church.

Seeing he vseth al meanes to confirme them and to comfort them he giueth them not onelyonly his word, which might be sufficient,Vse. 1. but for our weaknesse he addeth signes to confirme vsus, condescending thus to our capacitie, to take from vsus all doubtings, and to giuegive vsus assurance, euen out of the maner of vsing the meanes: as here first he vseth the signe: 2. the word: then he putteth his hand on Iohn to assure him of his protection, and after biddeth him not to feare. By this order we see, that the very assurance of Gods presence and protection, is a present remedie against all feare of death and desperation. If a man be assured of Gods presence, aide, and helpe, he needeth not to feare. So Moses being affraid to go before the people, the Lord to cō fort him (Exod. 3.) telleth him he will be with him: and Dauid considering God protected him, saith: Psalm. 23. He would not feare though he were in the shadow of death. Then it is our dutie to labour to hauehave the assurance of Gods protection and assistance, which will stay vsus against all immoderate feare of death.

Now after this he addeth reasons to confirme his owne words to Iohn, when his word might hauehave serued alone. The first reason is in the end of the 17. verse: I am the first and the last. He is the first, because nothing was or can be before him; and the last, because nothing is or can be after Christ. And he addeth these two phrases, to shew his Godhead and eternitie, and that Christ alone hath in his hands the beginning and end p. 112of all things: all things hauehave their beginnings of him, he of nothing: but he giueth the beginning to all things, and he alone putteth the end to all things. Now seeing he hath power to giuegive beginning and end, therefore he can preserue his seruants from death, he can keepe them from condemnation. And he hauing power to begin and end all things, can giuegive and begin his promises, can end and accomplish the same at his pleasure.

And am aliue (or he that liueth) but was dead. Vers. 18.In these words is the second reason, which Christ alleageth, to proue his former words, and to make Iohn not to feare death too much. The reason consisteth in a distinction, thus: Although I was dead yet now I am he which liueth, I hauehave power of death, of hell, &c. This distinction hath three parts: first, though I was dead, yet now I liue: secondly, I liue for euer: thirdly, I hauehave power of death, and the keyes of hell, &c.

And I am he which liueth. Here life is ascribed to Christ in a speciall maner: that is, he liueth not as all other creatures liue, but in a more peculiar maner of liuing. Christ vseth this phrase I am he that liueth: first, to shew he hath life in himselfe: secondly, that he giueth life to others.

First, he hath sufficient life in, of, and from himselfe: which appeareth thus: life is two-fold, vncreated or created: vncreated, as the life of God which is infinite, eternall, in and of it selfe sufficient. Now Christ as he is God he liueth by this vncreated life, which is all one with his Godhead. Secondly, there is a created life, which is twofold: first, naturall preserued by meate and drinke: secondly, spirituall, which is by immediate fellowship with God, when we liue by the immediate operation of Gods spirit, not by meat and drinke. And Christ he liueth this spirituall life, so that he liueth, first, by an vncreated life as he is God: secondly, he liueth a spirituall life, his bodie and soule being sustained in the second person of the Trinitie: therefore he hath in himselfe most absolute and perfect life. And he giueth life to others two wayes: first, as he is God, and so he giueth life to all men good and bad: he is the author life in all things which liue.Act. 17.Acts 17 In him we liue, moue, and hauehave our being: he giueth life and he preserueth the same. Secondly, he giueth spirituall life to his p. 113Church and children as he is redeemer of mankind: he liueth that we might liue by him. Ioh. 14. 19. and as he died not for himselfe alone, so he liueth not for himselfe alone, but for vsus, that we by him might hauehave spirituall life: as appeareth Colos. 3. Our life is hid with God in Christ. And for this cause, thogh Christ be in heauen, yet we eate his bodie and drinke his bloud really in a spirituall maner, and they be the spirituall nourishment of our soules. We liue by the spirituall life of Christ; and that for these two causes: first, because he hath sufficient life in himselfe: and secondly, because he giueth life to others: therefore he saith, I am he which liueth.

Seeing Christ giueth this spirituall life,Vse. we must seeke it at him, and labour that we may say, that we liue not, but Christ in vsus, and that our life is hid in Christ: for Christ he liueth spiritually, that he might bring spirituall life to vsus: then we must labour to hauehave this. We can be content to seeke farre and neare, to take exceeding paines to get gaine, to maintaine this our momentanie & earthly life, which is but as grasse, yea as a fleeting shadow, and as a span: and shall we not be much more carefull to get spirituall life which lasteth for euer? But the practise of men is cleane contrarie, not one of a thousand laboureth for spirituall life, but all are bewitched with the ouer greedie desire of things of this life, &c. The reason of this is, because mens hearts are not touched with the burthen of sinne, and the curse of God on vsus for sinne, and therefore it is, that no man seeketh to be deliuered from sinne, to hauehave this spirituall life with Christ our head. This we may see in that woman Iohn 4. Christ telleth her, he is the bread of life; she beginneth to cauill with him, but when he toucheth her speciall sinne, then she hearkeneth to him: so if the Ministers tel the people of matters of saluation, vnlesse they first cast them downe, & make them see their sins, they will but quarrell and cauill at it and the doctrine of the Gospell. Christ is the water, nay the well of life: now we must be thirstie and parched with thirst, and then we will seeke for water: and we must not onelyonly lightly tast, but seeke to be dipped and diued in this fountaine, to hauehave our soules sowsed and soaked in this water: and if we could know that Christ liued in p. 114vsus and we in him by spirituall life, it would be a present remedy against all persecutions.

And behold I liue for euer, Vers. 18.Amen. Here followeth the second part of the distinction: namely, Though I was dead, yet now I liue for euer: which second part of the distinction is propounded with two notes: the first of certaintie, Amen, to assure vsus that that which Christ auoucheth before of himselfe, is vnfalliblie true: the second note is of attention, Behold. This serueth to stir vp attention in Iohn (and in vsus) to a serious and due consideration of that part of the distinction, I liue for euer: therfore Christ saith, Behold.

Behold I liue. Here note two things: first, in regard of what nature Christ liueth for euer: 2. to what end. He liueth for euer as he is the Mediator of the church: ergo, in regard of both natures, as he is God & man. In regard of his Godhead he liueth for euer by the vncreated or essentiall life of God, which is all one with his Godhead, which is for euer, of it selfe, not by any other. Secondly, he liueth for euer in respect of his manhood, for after he ascended into heauen, there he liueth in glorie with the Father and holy Ghost: because in the manhood of Christ dwelleth the power of the Godhead bodily, Colos. 2. The second thing is, why he liueth for euer: namely, that he might giuegive eternall life to his Church, and all his true members. God giueth vsus eternall life by his Sonne, 1. Ioh. 5. 11. and this is the ground of all ioy: this, that Christ liueth to giuegive vsus eternall life, is the foundation of the Church, and the ground of our happinesse. We must then consider of Christ as a roote: he liueth not for himselfe, (as a roote doth not liue for it selfe) but to giuegive life to all the branches and true members of the Church. And we must consider of the manhood of Christ, as a common treasurie or storehouse of eternall happinesse: therefore Iohn 6. Christ saith: My flesh is meat indeed, and he which eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud shall liue for euer: shewing, that his flesh and manhood hath power to giuegive life and quicken his true members: yet not as considered in it selfe, but as the same is ioyned with the Godhead, and is the manhood of God, and the flesh of God: for it hath all this power from God,

p. 115The meanes whereby he giueth eternall life, is, the mysticall coniunction betweene him & his members. First, God the father giueth Christ to the Church and eueryevery true member of the same, as he hath promised to giuegive him. Now he giueth him as he is Mediator of the Church, euen whole Christ, yet the Godhead of Christ is not giuen of the Father, but onelyonly by the operation thereof in the manhood, whereby the manhood is made able to satisfie Gods iustice: but the manhood of Christ that, is really giuen, his very substance, his flesh and bloud is really giuen to eueryevery beleeuer, and the benefits of the manhood also are truly giuen vsus, as righteousnesse and life eternall, as really as lands or goods are giuen to men. Now to whom Christ is giuen, with him God giueth the Spirit of Christ: for Christ and his Spirit come together: and this Spirit createth in the heart of a man the instrument of faith, by which Christ giuen of God is receiued of vsus: and we by faith apprehend his bodie and bloud, and the merits thereof. And we receiue not Christ in imagination, or in our braine, but euen as God the Father giueth him, in the word and Sacraments really and truly.

And as the spirit of Christ createth in vsus faith, so it knitteth vsus also to Christ our head really, though mystically: now from this mysticall coniunction betweene Christ the head and vsus the members, proceedeth eternall life, thus. First, he which is ioyned and knit to Christ in this life, and receiueth him, he beginneth by this coniunction to liue an eternall life, in dying to all his sins, and to liue to God, to liue as Christ liueth, a spirituall life. And this I may call the first benefit of our spiritual vnion with Christ. Secondly, man thus vnited shall rise to glorie in his bodie. And so the second fruite of this mysticall coniunction with Christ, is the resurrection of the bodie: for this coniunction with Christ after it is begunne, it is perpetuall, it is neuer broken: so that though a man lie in his graue many thousand yeares, yet he is thē vnited to Christ, is in the graue a mēber of Christ, & by vertue of this mysticall vnion he shall be raised at the last day. As we see the sappe of trees in winter time is in the roote, and the branches seeme to die: but in the spring, when the heate of the Sunne cometh, then it creepeth out into the branches, and p. 116they bud and bring foorth fruite: so man hath his winter time in the graue, but in the last day because he is ioyned to Christ the roote, he shall hauehave his Sommer, and be raised by the power of this mysticall vnion. Thirdly, man so vnited shall liue euer: therefore the third benefite is eternall life and happinesse. By this mysticall vnion we shall hauehave eternall felicitie and euerlasting life in heauen, there we must possesse it, but it cometh from this mysticall vnion with Christ our head. In this life it is begun, and is neuer broken, in regard of the roote and ground therof, but lasteth for euer, and by it Christ conueyeth eternall life to vsus.

In these words, Behold, I liue for euer, Amen, is the ground of two maine articles of our beleefe: namely, of the rising of the bodie: and of life euerlasting: for Christ he liueth for euer, to giuegive life to vsus for euer; and this is the ground of our ioy: as to Iob, I know my Redeemer liueth, &c. Now doth Christ liue to giuegive vsus life in heauen?Iob 19.Job 19 then we must hauehave our conuersation in heauen, for where Christ is there should be our conuersation, because he is the foundation and ground of eternall life to vsus. Now that our conuersation may be in heauen, we must often and seriously consider of this eternall life purchased to vsus by Christ: and for this cause he saith, Behold I liue: and withall as we must consider of it, we must hauehave our affections set on him, our ioy, reioycing and affiance; because Christ liueth that he might keep eternall life for vsus. We vse to hauehave most care to preserue that part wherein life is preserued: so seeing Christ is the foundation of our life, and the author of it, we should hauehave most care of him.

Now followeth the third part of the distinction, though I was dead, yet I hauehave the keyes of hell and death. In these words we must not imagine hell to be a bodily place, kept with locke and key as our houses be. Nay, it cannot be proued out of the Scriptures that it is a bodily place, or the punishment of hell in regard of our soule and conscience is bodily, seeing it is the sense & feeling of Gods wrath and vengeance in bodie and soule, therfore it is rather spirituall. But Christ here borroweth a comparison from earthly stewards, who when they hauehave any thing committed to them, and hauehave the keyes put into their hands, this p. 117sheweth they hauehave power and authority of al. So Christ hath the keyes of hell and death, that is, power ouer hell and death, and dominion of them both. As if he had said, Though I once was dead in the graue, yet now I hauehave power and dominion ouer hell and death, and hauehave vanquished them both.

Seeing Christ alone hath power ouer hell and death,Vse. 1. no creature else properly hath authoritie to forgiue sinne, but onelyonly Christ; for he which can forgiue sinne, must hauehave power ouer hell and death: but he can take away death the punishment of sin, and hell the reward of it: ergo he alone can forgiue sin. Then we see the Priesthood of the church of Rome is full of blasphemie, who hold, that man called thereunto, can properly forgiue sinne; not only pronounce sinne to be forgiuen, as the reformed churches hold, and which they denie, but properly to forgiue sinne.

Seeing Christ hath power ouer hell and death, we must reuerence 2him, do him all honour and obedience we can: if we hauehave not done this already, yet now to begin; if we hauehave, then to do it more. Seeing he hath the key of death, he can shut & open, saue and destroy. But if we dishonour and disobey him, then he will not shut but open the doore to death and hell to plague vsus. We thinke all is well, Christ he is a Sauiour, and all shall be well; he is mercifull, and so make him our packehorse of our sinnes: but we must know, he is not onelyonly a Sauiour but a Iudge, he can destroy and saue, open and shut, he hath the key of heauen and hel, and of death.

This is a comfort to the godly, which cleaue to Christ, that 3he can keep them frō hell & death, so as they cannot hurt them: and this consideration might comfort vsus in time of persecution, in the time of sicknesse or any calamitie.

Write these things. In these words he describeth Christ by a second action: for after he had comforted S. Iohn, now he giueth him a commandement, which commandement was giuen in the eleuenth verse before, and here repeated to Iohn againe. First, because Christ intended by this to shew Iohn his especiall care of his Church, that he is now still a prouident and carefull head of his Church, and therefore sayth not once, Write these things, p. 118but the second time, that the Church of God might vnderstand in al ages to come, that it is necessary mē should know the estate of the Church: for else he would not hauehave repeated it againe, if it had not bene very necessary. It is necessary for men to know, that the estate of the church is to be in troubles, that they might the better prepare thēselues to beare thē. Thirdly, he doth it, that S. Iohn might be more assured certainly of his calling to write and pen this booke. Fourthly, that the Church in all ages might be fully assured & without doubt, that this booke is a booke of God, and part of holy Scripture, not inuented by man, but reuealed by God to Iohn, for the good of the Church.

Obiect. But though Christ reuealed his wil aright, Iohn might mistake it, and erre in penning. Answ. S. Iohn penned this booke both for matter and maner, as Christ gaue it to him: for this we must know, that there is a difference betweene Apostles and Prophets in the old and new Testament, and Ministers of the Gospell; for they were called immediatly by God and Christ, and had speciall assistance of the spirit of God: which appeareth by those promises they hauehave made to thē by God: as Christ saith, He which receiueth you, receiueth me, &c. Luke 10. 16. And, It is not you which speake, but the spirit of my Father, therfore feare not. And Iohn 14. The holy Ghost shall leade you into all truth: which though some apply it to all Ministers, yet if we mark the place, it can agree to none but the Apostles. And they meeting at Ierusalem, concluded as it seemed good to the holy Ghost & to them: so that we see they could not erre, though they were but men. But it is not so with the Ministers of the word, they may and do erre often. Now S. Iohn being a faithfull Apostle, he receiued this of Christ without errour, and so penned it.

In this commaundement of Christ is a plaine diuision of this whole booke, Write the things thou hast seene: that is, this vision I hauehave offered to thee, & the things thou sawest. In the secōd place he sets downe the present estate of the church. Thirdly the things to come, that is, the future estate of the church to the end of the world. So that this booke containeth two things in it, first, the estate of the church in time present, secondly, in time to come to the end of the world: the words of Christ make this diuision plainly.

p. 119If it be lawfull to vse diuisions,Vse. then it is lawfull to set downe rules for direction of diuiding aright: but the first is lawfull, ergo the second. Therefore the art of reasoning and diuiding, as also Rhetoricke is not vnlawfull, as some would hauehave it.

The mystery of the seuen starres. Here is the third action of Christ, which is the interpretation of the vision which he had shewed to Iohn, and he onelyonly interprets the principall parts of it. Now Christ expounds this visiō to Iohn, namely, because he was to shew himselfe to be an holy man of God, namely a Prophet. Now the principall thing in a Prophet, is to be able to expound visions, either his owne or any others, as we see in Daniel. Now that he might shew himselfe to be an absolute Prophet, in this booke Christ doth not onelyonly shew him the vision, but the intertation of it: he expounds it, that Iohn might be incouraged in penning and receiuing the things in this booke.

Now Christ expounds not the whole vision, but the two principall parts: what is meant by the seuen starres and seuen candlestickes: namely, by the seuen starres seuen Angels of the seuen churches▪ by the candlestickes, we shewed before.

In this verse note why Christ expounds the two principall parts, & leaues the rest vnexpounded. The reason is, first because Christ hath giuen his church power to expound visions and scripture. Now if he had expounded eueryevery part and circumstance, then there had bene no matter left to the church to exercise her power. Secondly, to stir vp to diligence & study of the scripture, both Ministers & all mēbers of the church: for if all were plaine, then men wold be idle, neuer take paines to interpret the word: therefore Christ expounds the chiefe, and leaues the circumstances and appurtenances for the church to interpret. Thirdly, that men might dayly grow in knowledge of the Scripture: for if all were knowne at first, they would not study to increase in knowledge: fourthly, to stir vp inuocatiō for grace, to vnderstand Scripture. Now these Ministers are called Angels, which be the Pastors and Ministers of the church. Mat. 11. 10. Iohn Baptist is called Christs Angel, or messenger, or Ambassadour. By this we hauehave direction to expound another place of Scripture, where it is said, Women must be couered because of the Angels: that is, because p. 120of the Ministers: for the couering of the head in the church of Corinth was a signe of subiection and inferioritie, contrary to our vse. Now, the women when they come into the congregation before the Ministers, they must be couered, to shew their subiection and submission to the Gospell and doctrine deliuered to them.

Seeing Ministers be called Angels,Vse. that is, messengers and Ambassadors, they must behaue themselues as Ambassadors, they must hauehave speciall care, first of the matter of the ambassage, secondly of the maner, that they deliuer nothing but their Lords mind, and in that very maner he would if he were present: and if they deliuer any thing els, or in any other maner, they shalbe suspected of vnfaithfulnes. Now if Christ were on earth, wold he deliuer his word partly in English, partly in Latin, or vse the authoritie of the fathers, & Philosophy, or of Poets? And surely though mē cal this the learned way of preaching, yet it is not that Christ commaunded. Nay if this were admitted, it would bring in Barbarisme, and expell the Gospell out of this land, and bring in that misery which was among the Schoole-men, when all things were brought to needlesse disputations.

The third thing is the phrase Christ vseth, The seuen starres are the seuen Angels, &c. Not that they signifie the seuen Angels, or the candlestickes signifie the seuen Churches, but are so. Hence we see, that the exposition in the sacrament, This is my body and blood, is warranted, and not to be vnderstood literally, as the Papists hold. For as it is absurd to hold, that these were seuen Angels indeed, because they are called so; so to hold the bread is really transformed indeed into Christs body: but being a signe (as it is common in Scripture) is put for the thing signified, this bread is, that is, represents my body, &c.