Lectures Upon Revelation 1-3, Chapter 2 (3 of 4)

Lectures Upon Revelation 1-3 · Chapter 2 (3 of 4)

p. 186The diuell cunningly and pollitickly chooseth Pergamus not a base towne or village, but a huge citie, whence many kings proceeded, where there was a famous and great king, and where was much people. So he chose Babylon a citie of confusion and abhomination. So he hath chosen Rome which is become of a famous Church, the throne of Satan. So Ierusalem the citie of God, the temple of God, first began to be a denne of theeues, and then the citie fell to wickednesse: so the diuell getteth Gods temple, and the holy citie to be his throne. And in our time he getteth the great cities, & shire townes for his throne: for in thē is greater ignorance, and the Gospell more contemned, then in small villages, in which after litle preaching it is willingly embraced. Now the cause of this is, because the diuell laboureth especially to hauehave his throne where he may do the most harme, and conuey his doctrine to moe places, and liue without controlment.

If this or any other shire towne,Vse. or any great citie liue in sin, in ignorance, and contemne the Gospell, take heed: for they shall become in time a denne of theeues, and a synagogue of Satan, he will hauehave his throne there. Now then it is our dutie to labor against him, to hauehave his throne plucked downe, to hauehave him defaced and cast out, hauehave our bodies and soules subiect to Christ, renounce our selues, relye wholly on Christ, forsake our owne waies, neuer lend our eares to Satan, let him hauehave no footing in vsus, neuer suffer him to come to hauehave his throne begunne, but still labour to hauehave it razed and turned vpside downe: and withall suffer Christ to rule, suffer him alone to possesse our hearts, that so the kingdome of Satan being ouerthrowne, the kingdome of Iesus Christ may be increased daily in vsus. Wheras the Church of God is gathered out of that place, where the diuell hath his kingdome erected, we note, that the Church of p. 187God is a companie of men deriued and taken out of the Synagogue of Satan, the kingdome of the diuell, though it be a chosen people, yet it is picked out of the kingdome of the diuell, where he ruleth: Col. 1. 12. 13. for all men are by nature the vassals of Satan, and subiects in his kingdome.

Then no man must stand of his gentilitie,Vse 1. and of his nobility and bloud: but all our true ioy must be in this, that we are the members of the true Church of God: for what will it auaile a man to hauehave a golden chaine on his necke, and hauehave his will and affections vnderunder the slauerie of the diuell: or to be the sonne of a Prince, and yet to be out of the true Church, and to be in the companie of the wicked, a slaue and vassall of the diuell? But our ioy must be in this, that we are members of the Church of God, and hauehave right to the kingdome of heauen.

Sundrie men thinke,Vse 2. a man may be saued by any religion, and most of the common people thinke, that good meaning will saue them: but a man may professe any religion, and hauehave good meaning, and yet not know one step to the kingdome of heauen, but remaine the vassall and slaue of Satan. For a man may hauehave outward ciuill iustice, and ciuill pollicie, and meane well, yet be the seruant of the diuell.

We see the children of God gaine a priuiledge aboue all other:Vse 3. for in affliction and persecution, though they be cast into dangers, yet they may assure themselues, seeing they be members of Gods church, they be freed from the kingdome of the diuell, and so from that place of darknesse.

Seeing the preaching of the word gained a Church in the middle of the kingdome of the diuell,Vse 4. we see the word hath a diuine power: for there is no creature which hath greater power in earth then the diuell, (except good Angels) yet the preaching of the word draweth one out of the kingdom of the diuel, and gathereth a Church in the midst of his kingdome.

Seeing in Pergamus,Vse 5. where the throne of the diuell was, Gods children were, we see that God will hauehave his seruants to dwell in the middle of the wicked, and mingled with the vassals of the diuell: yet so, as he doth this for good causes: first, that their faith, obedience, and repentance, might be exercised: secondly, p. 188that so they might be kept frō many grieuous sins, into which else they would fall. So when the Lord brought the Israelites into the land of Canaan, he would not cast all their enemies out at once; but they must be mingled, and dwell with the Canaanites: for if they should destroy them at once, the wild beasts might hauehave destroyed the land: so the Church must be mingled with euill men, that the godly may be exercised, and that they might be kept from more grieuous sinnes. Secondly, he will hauehave his children to dwell with wicked & vngodly men, that their godly life might shine as lights among them. Philip. 2. 17. and so to winne them to the Gospell: for a godly life is most effectuall to win men to Christ. Thirdly, that the Lord might shew speciall tokens of his louelove and fauour to them, that when he bringeth his iudgements on the wicked, yet he defendeth them. Ezech. 9. 4. He marked them which mourned, that they might escape the iudgement which was brought on Ierusalem. Then if any man dwell among such as contemne and hate religion, and the doctrine of the Gospell, let them be cō tented, seeing it is Gods will they should dwell with the wicked, and the Lord will hauehave his Church on earth proued and exercised by them.

We see it is lawfull for men to dwell with and by such wicked men:Vse 6. but they must not communicate with them in their sinnes, but abstaine from their wickednesse: as Lot in Sodome, and Noah dwelt with the wicked men of the old world: and the church of Pergamus in the place where the diuels kingdom was erected For (1. Cor. 7.) there is a question, whether a seruant hauing a maister which is an infidell, may forsake him or not: the answer is made: he must dwell with him; but so, that therby he deny not the principall grounds of religion, but keepe a good conscience towards God in all things.

And hence we may see how to answer that old obiection of the Papists: Where was our Church fourscore yeares agone, before Luther preached, when the doctrine of Antichrist was in all Europe? By the like I aske: Where was the Church of Pergamus, when the kingdome of the diuell was there? The holy Ghost telleth vsus, that in the same time when the diuell had erected p. 189his throne mightily in that place, yet there was the church of God. So when the man of sinne had spread his doctrine of wickednesse in all Europe, yet there was a Church amongst vsus, in this and other lands: as appeares, in that euer there was some, which both openly and priuately oppugned his doctrine, by word and writing in all ages: which shews, that though sin ruled in this church many hundred yeares, yet the Lord had professors though not so visible as now it is, when men may professe openly in eueryevery place without feare.

And kept my name. Though thou dwellest in a place where the diuel hath erected his throne, yet thou maintainest my name, and holdest it fast, so that neither fraud nor force of enemies can take it from thee.

My name: that is, my doctrine of the Gospell. Rom. 9. Thou doest constantly hold and maintaine it, and my religion: thou beleeuest the doctrine of saluation which my seruants hauehave deliuered to thee. So that in these words Christ commends the church of Pergamus for constancie in maintaining the doctrine of saluation.

We see it is not enough for vsus,Vse. to hold, beleeue, and maintaine religion, but we must do it constantly, (so the word signifi…s) we must hold the same fast against all aduersaries, not easily turned with any blast of mens doctrine, but so to hold religion, that no enemy by force or fraud draw it from vsus. When (Math. 13.) the man found the pearle, he sold all to buy the field. And if a man amongst vsus should find in our field, by his cunning and skil, a golden mine, he would not tel it to any, but go and sel all he had, & buy the groūd, that so he might inrich himself. So we, if we know the doctrine of saluation, we must labor to make it ours, to hauehave it made sure to vsus, to sell all we hauehave, to loose life it selfe rather then to forgo that precious pearle. 1. Tim. 3. 9. Faith is compared to a precious iewell, which must be laid vp in the treasury of a good conscience, which cannot be broken into, but must be strong: in which store-house and treasury we must hauehave true religion and faith locked, that nothing get it from vsus, but loose all we hauehave, euen our life before we part with it: for if that be sure, all is well; but if faith and religion be lost, all is gone; saluation is p. 190lost, thy soule is perished.

Now for her further commendation, Christ sets out her constancie by two arguments: first, that she held religion without deniall: secondly, that she held it in the time of bloudy persecution. 1. The Church of Pergamus neuer denied Religion, or reuolted from faith in Christ: she did not as many men, who hold, beleeue and maintaine religion, yet in time of triall they will reuolt. In this we must imitate her, else we know not whether the Lord will giuegive vsus grace to repent: if he should not, we perish. Esaw sold his birth-right for a small thing, a few red pottage; but after he sought it with repentance and teares, & could not get it. We must then hold religion, and not in time of affliction and persecution reuolt and deny it, lest the Lord giuegive vsus no grace to repent, which we know not whether he will or not.

And hast not denied my faith: that is, mine owne doctrine of the Gospell, and true Religion. Religion is called Christs: first, because Christ with the Father and holy Ghost is author of it, all Religion which is good being from aboue: secondly, because he reuealed it from the bosome of his Father: thirdly, because Christ is the matter of al religion; Christ is the whole subiect of religion in the old and new Testament, the end of the law, and the scope of the Gospell.

The second argument, whereby Christ sets out her constancie, is, that she held religion in the time of bloudy persecution: when she was thus persecuted, she was constant. When Antiphas was put to death. Who this Antiphas was, it is not certainly knowne by any history, yet it is thought he was Pastor and Minister of the Church of Pergamus, who opposed himself, and oppugned the doctrine and idolatry of the heathen in that citie. In these words are two points: first, he commends this martyr Antiphas: when he saith, That my seruant, my faithfull seruant Antiphas, he extols him to the Church of Pergamus. By this we see, that it is lawfull to honour and commend Martyrs which dy for Christs cause, and that in two things: first, in giuing them their due deserued honour and commendation, as Christ did to Antiphas: secondly, by careful imitation of their constancie p. 191and vertues, and conuersation of life: for this cause Christ commends this good Martyr, that the people of Pergamus might imitate him in his constancie, not to honour him (as the Papists do) with diuine honour and inuocation. Againe, he saith That my faithfull Martyr, not commending him for his death that he died, but for the cause: for not the death but the cause makes a Martyr, for a man may die for heresie and erronious opinion, and yet he is no Martyr. But Antiphas he was a true Martyr, ergo Christ saith, that my seruant, nay that my faithfull seruant Antiphas.

In the end of this verse, he setteth downe the authors of this death of Antiphas: Some among you: some of Pergamus were the cause of his Martyrdome, they were such in whom the diuell ruled and raigned; and this he repeates, to shew that they which hauehave contemned Christs religion, though they pretend good things, yet they be the slaues of the diuell, he rules and raignes in them, they be his holds and castels.

Obiect. But why did the diuell dwell in the citie of Pergamus, more then in any other? Answ. Because many in this citie were Gentiles, they hated and contēned the Gospel, & so became the holds of the diuel: we must then take heed we neuer contēne the fame. For in a family where they liue in ignorance, in iniustice, fraud and wickednes, there the diuell ruleth, he hath his throne, that is, a stable for him to dwell in. Then masters of families, and parents which gouern families, must see they louelove and embrace religion, and teach it to their family, else their houses be but the stables of Satan, his place to dwell in.

Ob. But whether might not Antiphas being Minister and Pastor of that Church hauehave fled? Answ. Persecution is double, either directed against the person of the Minister principally, or to the whole Church equally: if it be against his person he may flie safely, if he get oportunitie to preserue his life, and hauehave libertie of the Church to flie; but if it respect the whole Church, then vnlesse he hauehave libertie graunted by them, he must stay and take part with them in their persecution. Now of this sort was Antiphas persecution, seeing he was so called of God to suffer.

p. 192But I hauehave a few things against thee. He commended her before, but here he rebukes her; and this reproofe is first generally propounded, then in more particular: in generall he tels them, that they wanted zeale, Thou bearest with them which, &c.

But I hauehave. These words he spake to the church of Ephesus before, and here repeates them againe, teaching the true members of the Church, to enter into their owne hearts, to search what is in them that Christ may hauehave against them, to cal themselues to a strait reckoning, to consider all the things they hauehave done from their beginning to their end, and al their life narrowly to examine themselues, to lay their sinnes before their eyes, without flattering or fauouring themselues, not after their owne mind to iudge of them, but to examine them by the rule of Gods word; and in all their life looke what things there be for which Christ wil come against them. For want of this, many men being in the church perish, neuer consider their former life, how they hauehave liued, and for what sins Christ wil come against them. If we would escape death by Christs heauy and strait sentence, and come to life, we must thus call our selues to a reckoning, and simply lay all our sinnes in word, thought and deed before our eyes, to thinke what we hauehave deserued, and to condemne our selues: then we shall preuent that iudgement of Christ, he shall not need to enter into sentence with vsus, if we hauehave put all our sinnes in a booke and reckoned already for them. The practise of this duty, is the foundation of all religion, and the beginning of all grace in the heart: but the want of this is the ruine of mens soules, and the ready way to destroy them. And if this be wanting, the Minister may speake and preach to little purpose.

Because thou hast borne with them: that is, entertained them which are wicked. Here the fault is in more particular, namely, want of zeale: they suffered men which maintained damnable doctrine, and heretical opinions to be among them, and dwell among them, such as held the doctrine of Balaam: so we see, though they held religion, yet they did it coldly, not shewing their feruent zeale against such as maintained damnable doctrine. By this we see the Church may vse zeale in excommunicating p. 193and cutting off those which maintaine damnable and hereticall doctrine: they may after due admonition excommunicate them, and cut them off as pernitious members. 1. Tim. 2. Alexander and Hymineus were excommunicated: & the church may follow Paules example, to cut off such as hold heresies in the fundamentall points of religion. And seeing Christ was offended for this their forbearing of those wicked men, we see, we must not entertaine such as hold such errors and damnable doctrine: but hauehave indignation against them, hate their opinions, and detest them. The Church must be couragious to defend truth in religion, to stand against wicked heretikes, to excommunicate and thrust them out of the Church, if they remaine obstinate.

Vers. 14. Thou hast. That is, thou entertainest certaine wicked men, and euil persons, which maintaine and teach Balaams doctrine, the doctrine of the false Prophet. And as Christ reproued them here, so he might as well say to vsus in this Church, that he hath something against vsus, for want of zeale and seueritie against sinne and sinners: for though our Church doth not hold and maintaine, but repell the false doctrine of the Church of Rome, of the Anabaptists, and the Familie of louelove: yet Christ may truly say, he hath something against vsus, for want of zeale against sinners and wicked men. For in our Church they abound, there is abundance of Atheists and wicked men in the midst of vsus, which are partakers of the word & Sacraments, & al outward priuiledges of the Church: and these Atheists, though not in word, yet in life, deny God and religion: they know not God, cannot distinguish betweene true religion, and the heresies and damnable doctrine of the Papists: they thinke not reuerently of the word of God, nor of his Ministers and Ambassadours. Amongst vsus there be abundance of Epicures, who giuegive themselues to all licentiousnesse, to eate, drinke, and sport themselues: these louelove not the word, but being vnderunder the law of the land, they will heare sometimes, once a yeare receiue the Sacrament, and this is all. There are also vnmercifull and cruell men, oppressors, men which in their priuate callings vse all iniustice, deceipt, fraud, wrong, oppression, with vsurie, and such horrible p. 194sinnes: these are suffered in the Church, and these be the wise men of the world, we count them as politicke and great men. Now the suffering of these men amongst vsus, sheweth, that in our Church is great want of zeale, feruencie and seueritie, for which Christ will come against vsus, as to the Church of Pergamus.

The reason followeth, and the confirmation of his rebuke, which is to moue the Church of Pergamus, to detest the doctrine of Balaam the false Prophet; and it is taken from the effects of Balaam, that he gaue wicked counsell to Balaak, to cast a blocke in the way of the children of Israel, to make them eate of things offered to idols, and commit fornication. It standeth in a comparison or similitude: As the false Prophet Balaam cast a stumbling blocke before the Israelites, to moue them to eate of things offered to Idols, and commit fornication: so there are some among the Church of Pergamus, which labour to moue men to the same sinnes.

The first part of the similitude is in the first part of this verse: as Balaam taught false doctrine, and gaue ill counsell to Balaak, &c. In which we must consider three things: first, what his false counsell was, and what an offence is: secondly, the casting of offence before the Israelites: thirdly, the meanes how. An offence properly is any thing, word, or deed, which is cast in a mans way to make him stumble or fall, or go out of his way, as a stone, or peece of wood, or such like thing: this is a scandall or stumbling blocke properly. Here it is taken (by comparison) for any thing which hindereth a man in the way to saluation, which hindereth or stoppeth him, maketh him fall, or go out of the way.

Offence is double, either giuen or taken. Offence giuen, is any word or deed, whereby a man is procured to sinne: offence taken, is when a man taketh occasion to sin, or to be offended by that which is done well of another. So when Christ did well, and preached the true doctrine of saluation, the Pharises were offended at his doctrine: he did well, they tooke occasion to be offended at his well doing. Now one giueth an offence, when he maketh one offended, and causeth him (as much as he can) to sinne. So Peter telleth Christ, that the things he spake of should not come to him: Christ biddeth him, come behind p. 195him Satan: where Peter gaue an offence to Christ, though Christ did not sinne; for Christ tooke not the occasion which Peter yet offered. As for the giuing of offence, it is to cause a man to sin, or fall away from God by any thing. The meanes are things either simply euill, or indifferent. By things in themselues euill, as those which are directly against the word of God. Those things euill in themselues, be either ill perswasions, or ill examples: for by these offences are often giuen: for euill perswasions and examples draw the better sort often to sin, and are very dangerous meanes to make men offend. Againe, offences be giuen by things indifferent, not euill in themselues, but when men vse them vnseasonably and vnfitly, out of time and place, and not before fit persons. So Paul saith, that if to eate should offend, he would neuer eate: 1. Cor. 9. So here Balaam giueth offence, they of Pergamus take it, to commit sinne, and to be stirred vp to fall from God.

The meanes by which Balaam cast these offences before the Israelites: namely, by prouoking them to eate of the meate offered to idols, and commit fornication. Numb. 25. When Balaam had vsed many waies to curse them, and could not preuaile, he vsed new meanes, which was, to send out most wicked and beautifull women, to inuite them to their idole banquets, and to fornication, and they condescended to them.

Hence we gather,Vse 1. this is the peculiar note of a false Prophet, to draw men to offence, to cast stumbling blockes before them in the way to saluation: for Balaam a false Prophet is noted by this: and as Paul saith, godlinesse and true religion is a great mysterie to saluation: so false teaching is a mysterie tending to the destruction of mens soules.

So that by this note, we may iudge of all religions, both of the Iew, and the Turke: but especially of the Papists, which most trouble vsus in this Church: for all religions whose doctrine tendeth to stop or hinder men in the way to saluation, they be the doctrines of diuels. The Papists religion which our ancient folke call the old religion, is a doctrine tending to destroy men, to ouerturne the whole morall law of God, especially to maintaine adulterie and idolatrie. The first commandement is, p. 196thou shalt hauehave the true God onelyonly for thy God. But the Papists make moe then one, they make the creatures Gods, they inuocate Saints, which, what is it, but to make them Gods, to giuegive them his honour, seeing he alone is present eueryevery where, & seeth the hart, and seeing they say they can merit, which none can do formans sin, but onelyonly God, no not Christ himself if he were not God? Nay, they make the wooden crosse (not Christ on the crosse) to be God, in that they call it their hope: and so the virgin Mary, calling her our Ladie, putting hope in her, and saying, she can commaund her Sonne in heauen, in the matter of saluation. The second Commaundement they in practise breake, in making images of God the Father, like an old man, the Sonne as he was on earth, and the holy Ghost in forme of a doue, & with religious worship, adore and worship Saints.

They erre against the third commaundement, teaching that a man may sweare by Saints: and the fourth, in that they make festiual dayes of men and saints to be equal with the Sabbath of the Lord, and take away mens libertie of labouring six dayes, to worship their saints. As for the fift commandement, in this they make subiects free from their lawful loyalty to their lawful Princes. In the sixt, they make and appoint places to which murderers may flie and be safe, and in keeping the word from lay men (as they call them) and so murder their soules. In the seuenth, they maintaine stewes and houses of professed adultery, and hold that the vncle may marry his neece or his great neece. For the eight commandement, they ouerthrow it, in that they make all things saleable, heauen, hell, purgatory and all, which is manifest robbery. They wrong the ninth commaundement, in that they falsly make mens writings the canon of Gods word, nay they maintaine lying, seeing that they hold, a man being asked of a thing he knowes (as when one hath confessed his sinnes another askes him, he may though he know the same, say he knoweth not) that is, they know not them, to tell them to you; but that is a slender excuse. For the tenth commaundement, they make concupiscence and lust to be no sin, and put out that commaundement. So that we see, this whole religion, which is called of old people, the old religon, is cleane new from the true religion, p. 197nay it is a doctrine of diuels, seeing it tends to leade men to destruction, and ouerturning of the whole law of God.

To come to our owne church; true it is, men slaunder our doctrine, saying it is scandalous three wayes: first, that we teach, God creates men to cast the greatest number of them into hel & destroy them. First we answer: we hold, that though the scripture speakes not of any certaine number, yet the elect are said to be a small number. Secondly, the end why God created men, was not to destroy them, but to manifest his own glory in their due, iust, & deserued damnation & destructiō: not that he created men to this end, to cast them to hell. Secondly, they charge the doctrine of our church to be a blasphemous doctrine, seeing we hold that God decreed mans fall, and so do make him the author of sinne. Answ. We say indeed, that God decreed mans fall, & permitted him to sin, yet teach we not, that he is the author of sin: for his wil is double, generall and particular: in his generall wil, he decreed to permit man to sin and fall, yet so, as in respect of God it was good, though in respect of man euill: for as he can draw out of darknesse light, so out of euill he can worke good to himselfe. Secondly, there is his speciall wil, by which he wils and delights onelyonly in that which is good, and by this he hated mans fall. And euen as the Magistrate hates, & would not the death of the malefactor, yet he wils it, in that he executes the same: so the Lord he in his general wil willed the permitting of mans fall, not as it was euil, but as it turned to his glory and honour, and the good of the elect. Lastly, they charge our doctrine to be a doctrine of securitie and carnall carelesnesse, in that we teach, men may be certaine of their saluation, and to perseuere to the end: but seeing we withal teach a man must vse the meanes, daily pray, heare the word, receiue the sacraments, and performe all the duties of faith and religion to the end, we teach no doctrine of carnall securitie, but a doctrine of paine and trouble, which maketh men not carelesse, but careful to come to heare, to be certaine, and to perseuere; therefore they charge vsus wrongfully in all these.

Seeing it is so great a sinne to giuegive offence, we must take especiall heed we giuegive no offence in our life, conuersation, word, or p. 198deed, but so to cary our selues, that we liue vnspottedly: for if we giuegive offence, we are Balaams scholers, and tread in his path. Let vsus then in our callings so cary our selues vprightly, that we giuegive no offence: for wo to them by whom offences come: nay it were better they had a mil-stone tied to them, and they cast into the sea: for that is to plunge our brothers soule, as much as in vsus lieth, to the gulfe of hel. But we must rather labour to help him, to take from him al blocks of offence; which if men would do, then our Church should flourish: but the want of this, makes men bold to sin, and to run on by sinne into hell. And as none must giuegive offence, so we must take heed we take no offence, or be allured to sin by mens wicked either counsel or examples: nay we must cast off all things, which may any way hinder vsus in the way to heauen: if our right eye or hand offend, or any thing which is most deare and neare vsus, we must cut it off: if we do so, then Gods blessing is with vsus. The Israelites in the borders of the Moabites, so long as they serued the Lord, all curses could not hurt them, but turned to their good: but after they tooke offence by the Moabitish women, to be inticed by them, then they came to eat with them at their idol-feasts, and commit fornication; and then the wrath of the Lord was vponupon them. The like may be said of vsus.

Seeing they vsed these meanes,Vse 4. when they could not preuaile by cursing, to send their fairest women to inuite them to their banquets, to incite them to commit fornication: we see that temptations drawn frō the right hand, from profit and pleasure, are most dangerous, and preuaile most with men, to bring them to sinne and to fall from God. As a man that cannot win a citie by force, yet by gold, by promises of profit or pleasure, getteth the gate open: so when the diuell cannot preuaile with bitter & sharp temptations, then he vseth those of the right hand, and ouerthroweth many. We must then take heed especially of these. For this cause Iob sacrificed daily for his children when they had bene feasting, lest they should then hauehave sinned.

Vers. 15. Euen so thou hast those which maintaine the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes.

In these words is the second part of the comparison, in which p. 199two things: first, what the Nicolaitanes were: secondly, how Christ was affected toward them. First, what they were in the Church of Pergamus, is manifest in these words: Euen so, which is a word of resemblance and relation, that may thus be described. They were a sect of men in the Church of Pergamus, which maintained two damnable opinions according to the doctrine of Balaam: first, that it was lawful to eate meate offered to idols, euen in the idoll temples: secondly, that fornication was no sin, as we hauehave shewed before.

It may seeme strange, that in the dayes of the Apostles, so soone after Christ, there should be any such which held these damnable opinions: yet we see there were such notorious heretickes. Now that we fauour not their opinions, we must know the grounds of their errors. For the first error: that a man might eate meat offered to idols, euen in the very temples of idols, for is, they might vrge Christian libertie thus. Those things which be indifferent may be lawfully vsed: but to eate meate offered to idols, is a thing indifferent, ergo. Ans. If these meats be cōsidered in themselues, they be indifferent, and may lawfully be vsed: nay after they be offered to idols, if they be sold in the market and bought, they may be eaten priuately, so that we wound not any weake Christian. But as they be prepared to be offered to idols, vsed in idol-temples for the honour of them, we may not vse them as prepared for the idol, vsed and offered in the temple, and had in honour of them. Now the Nicolaitans vsed them so, therefore vnlawfully. Secondly, they might and did alleage (being professors of Christ outwardly) other places of scripture, as that Paul saith, An idoll is nothing, ergo it is no sinne to eate that which is offered to them. Ans. An idol is nothing by nature, subsisting or being, nothing which hath any sparke of the Godhead in it, but yet in mans braine it is something, seeing in mens minds and imaginations they repute it as a God. Thirdly, they might alleage Naamans exāple, 2. King. 5. 18. who went into the temple of Rimmon and kneeled downe there. Ans. He kneeled not to the idol but to the King, who was there, & leaned on his hand, so that he bowed downe, not with any diuine worship to the idol, but with ciuil worship to the Kings Maiestie: and Naaman p. 200was in the temple, not to worship the idoll, but to make protestation that he would serue the God of Israel, and for that end caried as much earth as two mules could beare, to offer sacrifice to the Lord. And if the Nicolaitans had bene so in the idol temples, to protest that they would worship the true God, then they had not sinned. So if any come into a place, and be present where Masse is said, with protestation to serue the Lord, he then allowes not of the same, but rather condemnes them for it.

For the second opinion of these Nicolaitanes, that fornication was no sinne, they seemed so to proue it out of Genes. 19. 18. when the men of Sodom came to Lots house, he offereth them his daughters: now he would not hauehave done it (say they) if it had bin a sin. Ans. Lot seemes to be faulty, and not to be excused in that, though he thought to escape the greater sin by the lesser; but we must not do euil that good may come thereof. Againe, they might vrge, that (Hos. 1.) the Lord commanded Hosea to take a wife and children of fornication. Ans. 1. Some say it was onelyonly in vision, not in deed. 2. Some answer, that he did it in speech onelyonly, as he was a Prophet, because he prophesied to the people, that he was as one that had such a wife and children, which both are safe answers, and allowed. Other, more likely, say, it was a thing not in vision and word only, but in deed and truth done. And surely seeing the Prophets name, the womans name, & her fathers name are set downe, it seemeth to be a thing done indeed. Neither doth a thing in speech so much affect the people, as a deed and fact done. And the best and most auncient interpreters, which were nearest the time of Christ, interpret it a thing done indeed. But you may say, this was against good maners, & contrary to Gods law, that the Prophet should take such a wife. Ans. No: seeing God is aboue his law, and can dispense with it: as when he bids Abraham kil his sonne, and he had not sinned if he had slaine him: so here Hosea he did not sinne, hauing a particular and speciall commaundement for the same. Neither did he this to commit fornication, but to make of an harlot an honest woman: and he is bidden to take the children of fornination, not that he should beget any in fornication, but take her children which she had borne in fornication. Againe, Act. 15. p. 201The Apostle speaking of two things indifferent, ioyneth fornication to them. Ans. First, he doth so, because the Gentiles thought that it was no sinne, but indifferent: and they are there conioyned (though fornication be not a thing indifferent) because the Gentiles offended the Iewes by these three ioyntly together.

Now followeth the affection of Christ: which things I also hate: that is, not their persons, but their errors. Which thing I hate. First, he teacheth vsus to auoide and dislike the least honour or approbation which can be giuen to idols: for these Nicolaitanes did not honour idols, or offer to them, but came into their temples, and (inuited by their friends) did eate of the meate offered to them: yet Christ hateth their dealing: shewing, he wold hauehave vsus to do the like. This also condemneth the practise of the Church of Rome, who say, they worship not idols, yet they kneele downe to the images of Christ, and Saints, adore them, light candles and tapers to them, offer to them, hang costly iewels about their neckes, cloth them with costly apparell, and so do indeed farre more then the Nicolaitanes did; therefore hath Christ cause to hate them much more. This also teacheth men which trauell, to take heed that they trauell not without any calling, to see newes, out of the limits of the Church, as to Spaine and Italie: for then they being out of the bounds of the true Church, offer themselues to occasions which may bring them to idolatrie, though they hate images: for being in idolatrous places, they must come into their temples, and do as their maner is, offer to idols, and kneele downe to them: which they cannot without some approbation, whereas they should hate the least approbation or liking of them. Then it is good for men which trauell, to trauell within the Church, and not out, but by some speciall calling and necessitie. Further, by this, Christ would hauehave vsus to hate all familiar societie with idolaters. A man may I graunt liue with Idolaters in a ciuill course of peace: but not to hauehave a speciall kind of familiaritie and amitie with them. Now as Christ hated their idolatry, so did he their fornicatiō, giuing vsus example to hate fornication: first, because our bodies are not our owne: but the bodie of a faithfull man or woman is p. 202the bodie of Christ, he hath bought it, therefore we must consecrate and dedicate them to honour him, not Satan his enemy. Our bodie and soule is the member of Christ, at least by profession: then we must not take the member of Christ, and make it the member of an harlot. Our bodie and soule is the house and temple of the holy Ghost, therefore we must keepe them faire, pure and cleane, fit to entertaine such a guest: but they which pollute themselues with fornication, make them sties and stables for the diuell.

Repent quickely. Vers. 16.Hauing laid downe the fault of the Church of Pergamus, and the errors of the Nicolaitanes, here he sheweth the remedie to escape, and after the remedie, addeth two reasons to moue thē to practise the remedie: the first, cōcerning the whole Church of Pergamus: the second, the Nicolaitans. In the remedie: note, first what repentance is: secondly, why it is so often prescribed by Christ to his Church: thirdly, to whom. To repent properly is to change the mind from euill to good, from sinne to God, thus, when by Gods grace a man hath this purpose in his heart, not to sin as before, but in all things wholly to do the will of God for euer. But here repentance (as commonly in the Scripture) is taken more largely, for all the duties which go with, or are in repentance: as first, humiliation, confession of our sinnes, condemning our selues for them: secondly, inuocation for pardon of them: thirdly, reformation of life, when a man purposeth and indeuoreth in his life to do the will of God. But why doth Christ so often repeate and prescribe repentance to his Church? Ans. Not because it is a meanes to procure or demerit saluation and reconciliation with God: for onelyonly the death and passion of Christ and his merits alone can do that: but he calleth them often to this dutie, because it is the most excellent fruite of faith. Repentance of it selfe procureth not Gods fauour, but it is a token of Gods fauour procured in Christ. Secondly, because it is a path way wherein all men must walke, which must hauehave pardon of their sinnes and life euerlasting. But to whom doth Christ prescribe repentance? Ans. First, to the whole church of Pergamus: secondly, to the Nicolaitanes. As for the Church of Pergamus, the Ministers and people thereof, p. 203Christ before had commended them for worthie graces, & they had repentance before; yet Christ bids them repent still. Now in that he prescribeth repentance still to a repentant people, it sheweth vsus, that the whole life of a Christian, is a continuall practise of repentance, a daily and perpetuall repentance. When one hath begunne and repented once, that is not enough; but as eueryevery day addeth to our age, so eueryevery day, for our new sinnes, we must hauehave new repentance. 1. Cor. 5. Paule desired them to labour to be reconciled to God. Now (1. Cor. 6.) they were reconciled alreadie, and had true repentance: noting that they must labour to hauehave their reconciliation more increased, in regard of the certaintie of it, and their daily offences and sinnes. Now we must thinke, that what Christ spake to the Church of Pergamus, is spoken to vsus; and if we be in the like sin, we must learne to performe the same dutie, which they are commanded here. Christ moreouer prescribeth this not onelyonly to the Church of Pergamus, but to the Nicolaitanes, which held two damnable errors; and as they held them, no doubt they liued accordingly, yet Christ biddeth them repent. Then great and grieuous sinners are not barred from Gods merciemercy if they will repent. Excellent is that of Esay: Our God is much, exceeding much in merciemercy. Psalm. 130. God is much in merciemercy, plenteous in redemption, no man which is a grieuous sinner, but God offereth him merciemercy, if he will repent and lay hold on it. Among vsus in this Church are many ignorant and euill people: yet if these will repent, the Lord offereth his merciemercy; though they be as wicked as the Nicolaitanes, as Iudas, or Herode were, yet Christ offereth his merciemercy and merite, if they will lay hold on it. Then let all such wicked men breake off their sins by repentance, of their idolatrie, blasphemie, fornication, and humble themselues with Iob in dust and ashes, and they shall find merciemercy. But we must not abuse Gods merciemercy to presumption, but be sure, that though thy sinnes be as scarlet or crimson, or as scarlet which can take no other colour, yet there is merciemercy in store to helpe thee, if thou repent. This doctrine may be taught to malefactors, not to imbolden them in sinne, but to assure them, that if they repent at any time, the Lord will heare them: yea though p. 204a man fall often into the same sinne (which is dangerous) yet if he hauehave grace to repent, Gods fountaine of merciemercy is not drawne dry, but still he hath in store; onelyonly they must repent: for if they looke to hauehave the merit of Christ, Christ looketh to hauehave their repentance.

Else I will come against thee shortly. Verse 16.After the remedy followes a two-fold reason, to inforce and set an edge on the former doctrine: first, concerning the Church of Pergamus: secondly, concerning the Nicolaitanes, holding and practising of these two sinnes.

The first cause and reason, If not, I will come, &c. that is, if thou do not repent for these sinnes, want of zeale, and other thy particular sinnes, I will come to thee shortly, to punish and plague thee; for the Lord (as I hauehave said) he cometh either in mercy, or in iudgement. Now if they repent not, Christ saith he will come to them, not to help them, but to execute iudgement on them, to punish them. So Esay. 30. 27.

Christ saith not, I will, but I come to thee: expressing the time to come, by the time present: to certifie them, that if they repent not, he will most surely come, as certainly as if he did now come to them.

In this threatning we see a generall rule to be learned of all, that if any Church or people will not repent, then the Lord will come to them in iudgement to punish them, as by sundry examples we may see the Lord hath done. In our Church and people, though some do repent, yet for the common body of the people they do not, but they liue in sinne and ignorance, hauing no care to know Gods will; and if they know it, yet no care to obey the same, but they for the most part continue in their sinnes. Seeing their case is such, who could not out of Gods word, in good conscience foretell and prophesie (by this generall rule) that God will come against them shortly, to take vengeance on them, and to plague them? Though we may flatter our selues, and think all is well, yet we must assure our selues he cannot but come, vnlesse we repent. This should then moue vsus all to repent, to humble our selues, condemne our selues for our sins, craue pardon, purpose newnesse of life, desire the Lord that he would in Christ be p. 205reconciled to each of vsus, and promise and performe euer after new obedience. If we doe repent daily for new and particular sinnes, then we shall stay the Lord, preuent his coming to punish vsus: but if we go on in sinne, assure our selues the Lord is true of his promise, he will come in iudgement against vsus.

The second reason is directed to the Nicolaitans, With whom he wil fight, that is, be at enmitie with them, and declare the same in waging battell with them, seeing they hold these two grosse and damnable …inions.

With the sword of my mouth. That is, the preaching and publilishing of the word, the ministery and dispensation of the law and the Gospell among men. In which words he still alludeth to the doing of Balaam; as in the doctrine, so in the end and scope: for when Balaam cursed the children of Israel, the Angell stood against him, to stay and hinder him that he should not go: he seeing the Angel, fel downe and worshipped the Angel, that is, the son of God Christ Iesus: but after, seeing he would not be restrained, but went to curse the people, he perished by the sword. Numb. 31. Euen so Christ dealeth with the Nicolaitanes, as he did with Balaam: seeing they went on still in wickednes, he fighteth with them to reclaime them from their wicked wayes, he withstands them with the sword of his mouth, but if they will needs go on, then he fights, not to reclaime them, but to slay them, as he did Balaam.

But I will fight against thee, not kill thee, for Christ he intended not at the first to slay them, but to withstand them, and if it might be to reclaime them: but after, if they would not be hindered and stayed, to destroy them, as he did Balaam.

Seeing Christ comes against the wicked and impenitent,Vse 1. not to kill them, but to withstand and hinder them at the first: we see his wonderfull patience toward sinners and wicked men. So Gen. 6. the Lord striued and wrestled with the old world one hundred and twentie yeares, that they might repent, by the preaching of Noah: and Genes. 16. he bare with the Amorites, till their sinnes were come to the full: and he bare with the Aegyptians many hundred yeares: nay the Iewes after they had killed Christ, were not straight way consumed, but the Lord: p. 206suffered them fiftie yeares. So the Lord suffereth sinners, the blasphemer, adulterer, and cruell man to liue, cometh often to them by his word, not to kill them at first, but to winne and reclaime them. And so eueryevery one of vsus feeleth his merciemercy, in that he might destroy and cast vsus into hell, so soone as we be borne: yet he suffereth vsus to liue, some twentie, thirtie, or fortie yeares, that we might hauehave a time and space to repent, and turne to Christ. Then it is our dutie to take this occasion, to take this time of Gods patience, not to let it slip, but haste to re…ntance ere the time of patience be ended. The old world had one hundred and twentie yeares of patience, but neglecting it they perished, the time of merciemercy being ended. Seeing they wold not heare Noah, therefore they be now in prison,1. Pet. 3. 20.1 Pet 3:20 that is, in hell. Againe, in that Christ saith, he will come thus against the Nicolaitanes, we see, that they which repent not, hauehave God for their enemie to fight against them, (and for this cause, sinne is called rebellion against God.) Now this is a most fearefull thing, to hauehave God mans enemie: let vsus then repent, that we may hauehave God a friend to vsus, as he was to Abraham, and as Christ was to his disciples.

I will come to thee, and fight against thee. Here Christ sheweth he is the true Pastor and Doctor of the Church, he can deuide the word aright, giuegive promises to them to whom they belong, and threatnings to whom they belong: for iudgements and promises must not be propounded to all equally, but there must be regard had of time, place, and persons. For iudgements, some be temporall, which must be threatned to the penitent: some eternal, and those to the impenitent. So promises are to be made, not hand ouer head, but with respect, condition, limitation, and restraint. To propound either promises or threatnings otherwise, is not to deuide the word aright.

With the sword of my mouth: that is, the ministerie of the word, not to kill them, but to resist and withstand them which repent not: and this is the chiefe end and scope of the preaching of the word, to winne men from their sinnes and wicked wayes; and if they will not repent, then to drowne them in perdition and to slay them. In this Church of England, and in this congregation, we hauehave had the Gospell this 36 yeares published and preached p. 207to vsus, the Lord hath rebuked vsus for our sinnes, and yet we still abide in them without repentance: the Lord still cometh against vsus with the sword of his mouth, stil checkes vsus for our sinnes, and controlleth the wicked idolater, Atheist, fornicator & cruel man, he stands to fight against such, face to face, stands with his naked sword in the ministery of the word, to reclaime them from their sins: if they wil not, to wound them to the heart, and to kil them. Now we hearing our sins reprooued, we should feare and tremble, fall downe as Balaam did: and seeing the Lord in the word preached, stands with his sword in his hand, ready to slay vsus if we wil not be stayed, we should be afraid. If we heare of an enemy to come against vsus, how will eueryevery one quake for feare: shall we feare the shaking sword of a mortal man, and not the bloudy sword of the euerliuing God? Shall we resist him and go on, though he fight against vsus? Alas it is not wisedome to striue with God, for then he will hacke vsus to peeces: but we must heare him, and submit our selues to his good will & pleasure: and if we wil not, the same sword of God shall be an instrument to pierce our hearts to death. Then when we heare the Minister speaking to vsus, we must know that the Lord speaketh to vsus, fights against our sins, and not contemne him. Againe, we see the word of God is called the sword of Christs mouth, not only because he once deliuered it, but because it dayly proceeds frō him in the preaching of the same by the Ministers.

Then we see this is an excellent thing, that the Ministers of Christ lawfully called, they be that mouth of Christ, from which his sword proceeds. So Paul calleth them the Ambassadours of Christ to deliuer his word. 2. Cor. 5. 19.

Then they which be in the schooles of the Prophets,Vse. and they also which be in the way to the same, must learne to thinke reuerently and highly of it, not contemne it, and thinke it a base calling: for to be a Lawyer or Phisition, hath not this priuiledge, to be called the mouth of Christ, as the Ministers hauehave. Againe, seeing they be the mouth of Christ, Ministers must speake the word of Christ, as they are perswaded in conscience Christ would speake the same if he were present. Euen as Ambassadors, who deliuer their masters will, in that maner and those words p. 208which they thinke he would himselfe: which if we did, then we should not hauehave that humane kind of preaching, partly in Greeke, Latin, & English, mingled with testimonies and sentences of men: for Christ would neuer preach so, neither did his Apostles or Prophets vse it. Furthermore, seeing the Minister lawfully called is the mouth of Christ, we must take heed, that we seeing a mortall man, sinfull like to vsus, deliuer the word, that we contemne it not for his sake, but receiue the word as it is indeed the power of God, though it come from a mortall man. So Paul commends the Thessalonians, who receiued his doctrine as the word of the euer liuing God. Besides, seeing Christ carieth his Scepter in his mouth, not in his hand, we see his kingdom is not of this world; not carnall but spirituall, he gouerneth and ruleth his Church and people by the sword of his mouth, the eternall word of God, published and preached by sinfull man like to vsus.

This sheweth the abuse of that sword, which the Pope, the Vicar of Christ, chalengeth: for he will hauehave both swords, ciuil and Ecclesiasticalls surely he is not the Vicar, and in the roome of Christ, for Christ was content onelyonly with the spirituall sword.

Now followeth the conclusion of the Epistle, containing two parts: the first a commandement, Let him which hath an eare heare: the second, a promise, To him which ouercometh, will I giuegive to eate of the Manna, &c. Of the first I hauehave spoken before. The end and scope of this commaundement, is to stir vp the Church to attention, to marke the things propounded. The first speciall point what is commaunded to be heard, is, the word of God, which must not be heard with a bare and simple hearing, but with knowledge, faith, beleefe, and obedience in practise.

Seeing he commaunds this hearing to all men, we see it is the ordinance of God, all men in the Church should frequent sermons, where this word of God is propounded and taught by plaine and simple men, that they may better learne their dutie. At a good time men wil come to the Church, though they come not halfe a yeare after: but the ordinance of Christ is, that men should daily at all lawfull occasions frequent sermons, and come to the congregation: and if we be his sheepe, we will heare his p. 209voice: Ioh. 10. & desire to heare his word, taught by his mouth. Mat. 16. the word of God is called the key of the kingdome of heauen: now as necessarie it is to hauehave the key to open heauen, as to hauehave his soule brought thither. Paule calleth the doctrine of the Gospell, the word of reconciliation, because the same by Gods grace reconcileth vsus to him, who being his enemies, are made by it to be in his fauour. Then we must come to heare it daily, not at Christmas or such times alone, for this is to magnifie those dayes aboue the Lords day. But men corrupt & froward, say for themselues: Tush, if God, or Christ, or his Apostles wold preach to vsus, we wold come: but when men speake to vsus, being sinfull and like our selues, we will not. Ans. It is the will and ordinance of God, that his word should be published and preached to man, by man like himselfe: for since Adams fall, man could not abide to heare the Maiestie of God: the Israelites seeing but a glimmering of Gods glorie, could not abide it, but said: Speake to vsus by Moses, Exod. 19. And he will hauehave his word preached by sinfull man, to trie mans obedience and humilitie, how he will receiue and obey the word of God deliuered by man. Againe, he doth it, to make louelove betweene man and man, when one man speaketh the word of God to another. Then are they presumptuous persons, who dare oppose themselues against Gods most holy ordinance and will. Againe, others say they hauehave the Bible, containing the Sermons of Christ, the Apostles and Prophets, and who can make better Sermons then they? now seeing they hauehave these at hand, they need not come to the Church. But let these consider, that as it is the ordinance and will of God to hauehave the Bible, so will he hauehave it expounded by man in the Church, that mē might vnderstand it, and so make vse of it in their liues. As for some others, they will not come to the Church, but hauing a iourney, (as they say) they can serue God on their horse backe, or in the way, as well, and with as good a heart as the best in the Church: but let these heare the word of God, by the wisest man, Salomon, Pro. 28. 16. He which turneth his eare from the law: that is, from hearing the word of God, his prayers are abhominable. And if he turne frō God, God will turne from him: and if men be wearie of his p. 210word, God will be wearie of their seruice, of all their prayers, and other seruice where or whatsoeuer. Lastly, many thinke they hauehave knowledge enough, no man can teach them that they know not alreadie. But the preaching of the word serueth not onelyonly to beget knowledge, but to increase the same: and also to beget in man obedience to his knowledge: so that these, though they seeme to be the wisest, are most foolish: no man, no not the greatest learned, but he hath knowledge in part, and it may be increased: and say, he get not more knowledge, yet he may by the word deliuered by a plaine and simple man, be brought to obedience of that he knoweth. Another principall dutie cōmanded in the conclusion, is reading the word, both in publike and priuate, that so we may be prepared to heare and obey the same. So Christ (Luk. 10. 26.) What readest thou? he taketh it for graunted, that the young man could reade the lawe. Esay. 5. 13. for want of Gods word and knowledge, the people of God went into captiuitie. And yet we see among vsus many families which come to church, heare the word, nay, receiue the Sacraments, not knowing the thing assured in them: neither hauing a Bible to reade, nor procuring others if they cannot: yet many hauehave a Bible lying on their cupbord, but vse it not. The tables, cards, and dice, they be well vsed and worne, but the booke of God lyeth couered with dust. Many will hauehave the booke of Satutes, that they may know their dutie, but none careth to hauehave the Statutes of God, to teach them to range their vnbridled affections within the compasse of the same.

And to him which ouercommeth. Vers. 17.Here is the second part of the conclusion: namely, the promise, which is the same in substance with those annexed with the two former Epistles. In this promise, note two points: first, to whom it is made: secondly, what is promised. First, the persons to whom promise is made: namely, they which ouercome. To ouercome (as before) is to beleeue, to put all our trust and confidence in Christ alone, and to get victorie against all our spirituall enemies.

That we may ouercome so, we must do two things: first, we must denie our selues, and all that is in vsus, & put our whole confidence in Christ alone: secondly, we must maintaine true religion, p. 211and a good conscience in all things, to our last end: and this is indeed to ouercome all our spirituall enemies.Vse 1. Now seeing God maketh this promise to them which ouercome, we must labour to come to this estate, that so we may be partakers of the promise.

The second point, is the thing promised: He will giuegive him to eate of the hidden Manna, &c. The thing promised is a threefold gift of God: first, to eate of that Manna: secondly, he shall hauehave a white stone: thirdly, a new name written in the same white stone. Which three signifie our election, vocation, iustification, sanctificatiō & glorification; and to be the children of God. To come to the first: to eate of the hidden Manna. Manna signifieth properly that food which God gaue the children of Israell from heauen to feed them in the wildernesse, Psalm. 98. For the excellencie of it, it is called the wheat of heauen, and the foode of strong men, or of Angels: in forme, it was like Coreander seed, white and sweet,Numb. 11. 7.Num 11:7 as Moses saith, by which the Lord fed them in the wildernesse fortie yeares from heauen, to teach them, man liueth not by bread onelyonly, but by the word of God. And this is thought of many to be the same white Manna sold in shops, but I stand not on that, and it is to be doubted. But this Manna signifieth another food, 1. Cor. 10. it is the spirituall foode which our fathers did eate: namely, the food of our souls, that is, Christ the true Manna, and bread of life which came from heauen. Iohn 6. sheweth, that Christ is that food, and spirituall meate of our soules, feeding vsus to eternall life. Ob. But how can Christ the Sonne of God become our meat and food? Ans. By these conclusions: first, Christ is food, not in respect of his doctrine, or his miracles, or in regard of his death, passion or obedience alone, but in regard of himselfe, as he is Christ, God and man. And here he is called the Lord of life, first, in regard of himselfe, then in regard of his benefites. The second conclusion: he is our food not as he lay in the cratch, or as he is now in heauen, but as he died, was buried, rose, & suffered the paines of hell: dead Christ, crucified Christ, he is our food of life; for frō his death cometh our life. The third conclusion; Christ is food, not in regard of his Godhead or Deitie, but in regard of his manhood: I say, of p. 212his manhood, not simply in it selfe, but as it is in the Godhead, subsisting by the Deitie: as he is God and man, so is his bodie and bloud our food: yet Christ is not a bodily and sensible food to be receiued with our hand, mouth, and into our stomacke, but he is a spirituall food, to be receiued onelyonly by the hand of faith into the stomacke of our soules, whereby they be fed to eternall life. And thus we eate him, when we beleeue, and assure our selues, that he was dead, buried, and crucified for vsus in particular.

Seeing Christ crucified is the bread of life,Vse 1. and the spirituall Manna whereon our soules must feed, we must long and hunger after Christ spiritually, as truly and sensibly as we do after meate and drinke. We see when a man is famished, he will eate his owne flesh, teare and pull it off his armes to satisfie hunger. Now shall we thus pull our owne flesh, and shall we not spend all we hauehave, to hauehave this food of our soules? In the hunger of the stomacke be two things: first, there is a paine in the nether part and bottome of the stomacke, and from this there cometh a strong and hungrie appetite, which lasteth till the belly and appetite be filled and satisfied. So we should feele a paine in our hearts, rising from the feare of Gods wrath for our sinnes and offences: and withall we must feele an hungring and longing appetite to hauehave this paine taken away, to hauehave this appetite satisfied, which is onelyonly by that food, of the bodie and bloud of Christ. Secondly, there is besides that paine, an appetite and longing after meate, and an earnest desire to be satisfied: now, as the stomacke longeth after meate, so should the stomacke of our soules (feeling a paine) long, and hauehave an earnest appetite to be filled and satisfied in some sort, neuer quiet till we hauehave got the bodie and bloud of Christ (which is the true food of our soules) to satisfie our hungrie appetite. But our case (for the most part) is miserable, we hauehave a dead flesh growne ouer our hearts, they be not touched with any paine of our wants and miseries. But we must labour to see our hunger and want of Christ: for as they which be thus hungrie shall be fed, so they which be full, shall be sent emptie away. Oh, they be blessed which hunger after Christ, they shall hauehave the bread of life, and p. 213drinke of the well of life. Ioh. 6.

Seeing Christ is the bread of life,Vse 2. the true Manna, signified by that in the wildernesse: we see the madnesse of most men in the world: who seeke not for this spirituall Manna of the soule, which is farre better then that in the wildernesse: but we like the Israelites delight in onions and garlike, and the flesh-pots of Egypt. And are not we as prophane as they, seeing we labor much to get earthly Manna, temporall food, riches, pleasure, &c. but neuer seek to hauehave Christ the food of our soules, the bread of life. Yet these which do so, be the wise mē of the world, we coūt thē of credit, and happiest mē: but they be indeed prophane Esawes, preferring this temporall food before Christ the food of eternal life. We must then labour to detest this abhominable prophanesse, seeing it is the very defacing of religion. But Christ shall take it in the highest disgrace, when he seeth vsus preferre bread which perisheth, before this precious and eternall food of our soules. And here in that Christ meaneth by Manna, not corporal food, but himselfe, his owne body and blood (for that corporall foode was but a signe of this): we see the signe in the sacrament is put for the thing signified, Manna for the body of Christ.

Christ addeth the hidden Manna, to put a distinction betweene the earthly Manna, which the Israelites, and all might see, feele, and eate, and Christ who is the hidden Manna, and whom eueryevery one cannot see. It is called hidden, first because no man by nature can hauehave this foode, no naturall man can see, will, or desire it: secondly, because God reuealeth not this spirituall food, namely Christ, effectually to all men. Math. 11. 25. The wise and prudent cannot know it, it is reuealed onelyonly to Gods children.

Seeing Christ is the hidden Manna,Vse. we see the estate of men in the world, yea in the Church of God, they know not Christ the true bread of life, they feele no want of this food because they know it not: for a man cannot know truly what food is till he stand in need of it, & feele the want of it: nay, not onelyonly the people, but Preachers, though they know Christ in a mentall knowledge, yet they know not him as they should, they feele no want of Christ to be their Sauiour to deliuer them from the p. 214wrath of God, to feed their starued and famished soules, and to deliuer them from the gulfe of hell.

Then we must not content our selues with knowledge swimming in the braine, but labour to know our wants, to feele our misery, to seeke to hauehave Christ the food of our soules, to deliuer vsus from the misery and wretched estate we are in; by it to labour to get but one drop of bloud to satisfie our hungry and starued soules. And as one which is starued with hunger would seeke to hauehave meate, so we must hauehave experimentall knowledge, that we can say in conscience, I see and feele how I want Christ to feed my soule.

Seeing Christ is the hidden Manna, God offereth him not to all men in generall, for then he should not be hid as he is from many, therefore there is no vniuersal election, no vniuersal grace offered effectually to all men in particular.

The second gift is, a white stone: where Christ borroweth a phrase of speech from the Gentiles, to whom he wrote. The Gentiles vsed these stones in iudgement; for when men were iudged, the Iudges gaue them either a white stone, which was a token of absolution, or a blacke stone, which was a signe of condemnation. Secondly, they vsed these stones, to trie whether such a day or such should be luckie (as they say) or vnluckie: for if they tooke a white stone out of their vessel, then it was a token of good lucke; if a black, then of bad. Now here it is vsed for the first.

Christ promiseth a white stone,Vse. that is, pardon and absolution from sinnes, and from the punishment of sinne, euen eternall damnation. To them which ouercome, beleeue, labour to maintaine and defend faith and a good conscience, let these go on to the end, for they shall hauehave this white stone. Now then, if any would know whether he hauehave pardon and absolution of his sins, here is the note and marke; if he beleeue in Christ, labour to maintaine faith and a good conscience, then he hath this white stone promised him. Then we must labour for these, that so the other may be sealed to vsus.

The third gift is, A new name written in the same stone. This name is to be Gods child: so the same Apostle expounds it, 1. p. 215Iohn 3. Behold what great louelove God sheweth vsus, euen to be called his sonnes: this is the name he giueth to them which ouercome, to be called his sonnes, and heires with Christ.

Now seeing God giueth this new name to his children, it must not be an idle name: but the Lord giueth with it a new conditiō, whereby we are made the sonnes and heires of God. So when Abram was new named Abraham, it was for a speciall purpose; for then he began to be the father of the faithfull. When Iacob was called Israel, it was for a speciall end. So we hauing a new name, must hauehave a new condition, which is, to be called the sonnes and heires of God in Christ. Now this is a most excellent prerogatiue, for then we hauehave Christ our elder brother, and our fellow heire, God our father, the Angels to defend and guide vsus, all things and meanes of this life to our benefite, Gods speciall prouidence to guide vsus, and being Gods childrē, our sins are no sins, but a meanes to come to felicitie: and our death is no death, but a litle doore to passe to life: this is the new condition God giueth with our new name.

Written in the white stone: That is, in the pledge of absolution; for here the white stone and new name go together: for looke whom he absolueth, he giueth a new name and new condition: for he which hath his sinnes pardoned, is a new creature, a new man: the white stone and new name go together, and are written in each other. Then men must hauehave them both, and not as most do, say they hope Christ is their Sauiour, he will pardon their sinnes, and yet continue in them, & take occasion by that to sinne: for Christ if he giuegive the white stone, that is, pardon of sinne, he giueth with it a new name, and a new condition of life.

Which no man knoweth. Some might obiect: Doth he giuegive men new names, why then do we not call them by their names? Answ. He saith, no man knoweth it but he which hath it, that is in that maner and certainty as he which receiues it, for no man can know or discerne it: then men must not thinke strange though be be not called by this new name. The world knoweth vsus not. 1. Iohn. 3. 1.

Now in that he which hath this new name,Vse. knowes it, and p. 216seeth that he is the child of God, and fellow-heire with Christ, that he is called, iustified, sanctified, and that none knowes it but he which hath receiued it. This cōfutes the Papists, who say, they know it, but not certainly, but in hope, and by coniecture and probabilitie. But we see he knowes it certainly, infallibly, without doubt, for he knowes it better then any other: other men know it by coniecture, but he knoweth it certainly.

No man knowes this new name so certainly & infallibly, and frō within, as he which receiues the same, for no man can determine of the faith, adoption or calling of any, but himself: for that is proper to God to search the heart. This must stay our censure and iudgement, to iudge men to be hypocrites, to condemne either the better or bad sort of men, for we know not a mans heart, his faith is but knowne to God and himselfe.

Obiect. How farre may we iudge of anothers state of saluation? Answ. We iudge of another mans estate, either certainly or not: certainly, as when one iudgeth, and sets downe certainly and resolutely, that such men are elected to saluation without all doubt: but this is proper to God, no man can know the spirit of man but God and the man himself, and so farre as it pleaseth him to reueale the same to some of his children; as to Dauid he reuealed the damnation and reiection of some, for which cause he prayeth for their destruction. Now besides this, there is the iudgement of charitie, when we iudge of another as charitie moueth vsus: now charitie maketh a man iudge the best. This charitie hath two parts, first it is not to despaire: secondly it is to iudge of a mans saluation vndoubtedly, to be perswaded of it certainly. We must not despaire, though we see men liue in sin. And we must iudge certainly of mens saluation, and without doubt that they be called effectually, in that they testifie their faith, by their obedience, not that we can set down certainly, but we must in charitie iudge so of them. And this is charitie in the highest degree, when we iudge that such a one is the child of God by the fruites of his faith.

Here again they of the Church of Rome are deceiued, making the Church to hauehave this note and property to be visible, but not visibilitie: but election, adoption, and faith are the principall p. 209markes of the Church. Now these cannot be seene, onelyonly the fruites of them may.

And to the Angell. Here beginneth the fourth particular Epistle. The end & scope of these words, is to certifie the church of Thyatyra, that Iohn had a speciall commandement and calling from God, first, to write this Epistle: secondly, to certifie all Churches to the end of the world, that he had a commandement and calling from God to write, not onelyonly this Epistle, but this whole booke: and for that cause this is seuen times repeated, To the Angell, &c.

The Epistle beginneth here: These things write, &c. and continueth almost to the end of this Chapter: in it note three parts: first, a Preface: secondly, a Proposition: thirdly, a Conclusion. The preface or entrance in the eighteenth verse, all which were in the former Chapter: verses 5. 14. 15. These things saith. In the preface: note first, in whose name it is written: namely in the name of Christ. The cause why his name is in the Preface, is set downe before. Christ is described by three arguments: first, he is the Son of God: secondly, his eyes are like a flame of fire: thirdly, his feet like fine brasse. Christ is here said to be the Son of God. In the former Chapter he was called the sonne of man: here the Sonne of God. By God, he meaneth not the Godhead as it is absolutely or common to all the three persons: but by it is meant the Father, who when he is conferred with any person in the Trinitie, is called God, not that he is more God, then the Sonne and holy Ghost; or that they be not equall, but for order, in that he is the first person, & frō him the Godhead is cō municated to the Sonne and holy Ghost. How Christ is called the Sonne of God, we may know by these two rules: first, Christ is the Sonne of the Father, not in respect of his Godhead, or as he is God, but in respect of his person: and in respect of his person he is begotten of the Father before all worlds. For the Godhead of Christ the Sonne, is not begotten, or begetteth not, nor proceedeth, but he hath one and the same Godhead with the Father: therefore it no more begetteth, or is begotten, or proceeding then his. The second rule, Christ is the Sonne of the Father, not by creation, as the Angels and Adam, nor by grace p. 218as true beleeuers in Christ; but by nature, in that he is begotten of the substance of the Father before all worlds. Because the Father cōmunicated to him from himself, his whole Godhead and nature: and by this communication of the Godhead to his Son wholly, he is said to beget the Sonne, and he is said to be begotten of the Father. The end why Christ is called the Sonne of God, is, namely, to stirre vp in this Church of Thyatira, care and diligence, reuerence and attention in marking and obeying the things of this Epistle, seeing that he which teacheth them is the Sonne of God: teaching vsus in their example, when we heare the word read or preached, we must hauehave attention, diligent care and feare, seeing it is the Sonne of God which speaketh to vsus. When Pilate was condemning Christ, and heard he was the Sonne of God, he was affraid. Shall an heathen man which knew not God, feare to heare of Christ the Son of God: and shall not we tremble to heare him speake to vsus himselfe? At the voice of Christ the mountaines melted, and the rockes claue asunder, and shall not our stonie and rockie hearts tremble to heare him speake to vsus out of his word?