IT may look well presumptuous-like to read, or undertake to open this Book: and indeed there is need of much humility & soberness in going about such a work, and that the Spirit of Jesus Christ, who hath given this Book for a benefit to His Church, help us to a right uptaking of it: Yet, considering that the subject matter of it, is so profitable and comfortable to the Church, to the end of the world: considering also what was Christs end in giving it, as His last Will and Word, to His Church, to wit, to be a Revelation, and thereby to make manifest His mind to them: therefore John is forbidden to seal it, that it might be open for the good of His Church: and considering withall the many motives and encouragements that are given to read and search into it, as ver. 3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this Prophecy: which saying, is also renewed again after the prophetick part is immediatly closed, chap. 22:7, 14 which seem to be notable encouragements, not only to undertake, but also to lay it on as a duty, to read and seek to understand it. We resolve, through Gods grace, to essay it, that it be not altogether useless to the Servants of God to whom it is sent, as ver. 1. It is true, manythings in it are obscure: and it is like, that the full clearing of them is not to be expected, till God in some singular way shall open them up, (neither is that undertaken) Yet, there are, 1. many clear, edifying, and comfortable passages of Gods mind in it: the holy Ghost mixing in those to be fed upon, and to sweeten those passages that are more obscure; and to encourage the Reader to search for the meaning of them. And, 2. though we be not clear to apply such passages to this or that particular time, or party, or person; Yet, seing the scope sets out, in general, the enemity of special enemies of the Church, and it being clear who they are: we think they may be exponed not only according to the Analogy of Faith and sound Doctrine, but according to the scope of the place, though every thing hit not, yet nothing being contrary to it. 3. In those things that are most obscure, there may be sound Doctrines concerning the disposition of enemies, and Gods giving victory over them, & preservation and outgate to His People. And lastly, those things that are most obscure, being particulars, wherein there is no such hazard for us to be ignorant, as in fundamental Truths: and yet being such as God hath allowed folks by wisdom to search out: therefore, here is wisdom, is prefixed to the hardest places in it, as chap. 13 vers. ult. Upon these considerations, we intend (through the Lords help) to hint at some things in the reading of this Book to you, for your upstirring to search further into it. The whole strain and form of it, is by way of an Epistle, Jesus Christ, by John, writing His last Will to His Church.
The Preface is in the words read, to ver. 9. The Body of it, from that to the 6 ver. chap. 22. The Conclusion, is in the end of the 22 chap. where it is closed with the ordinary close of other Epistles. We shall first speak to the Preface, and then to the Body, when we come to it. We need not stand upon the Authority, nor Title of it that holds out the Penman: it being of such a divine stamp and Majesty, doth carry Authority in the bosom of it, that if any Scripture hold forth the Soveraignity, Majesty, Justice, Mercy and Truth of God, to the comfort of His People, and the making the hearts of His Enemies to quake, this Scripture doth it. The Author, that is, the Penman, is John the Divine, as he is holden out in the Title. Whether this Title be authentick or not, it’s not much to be disputed. It is in some Greek Copies, The Revelation of the holy Apostle and Evangelist, John the Divine. And, we think it is clear to be John, the Apostle, honoured here to bear Christs last Message to His Church. He got this name in the primitive times, as being most full of Divine Revelations, & prying into the Mysteries of the Gospel, and particularly of Christs Divinity. And in the Preface there seems to be some things that bear this out, 1. That he is called John, without designing what John, importing that he was the John, that was well known and famous for an infallible and extraordinary measure of the Spirit. 2. He is said to be that John, that was banished into the Isle of Patmos: which, from the ancient famous story, is clear to be John, the Apostle, he being banished thither under the persecution of Domitian the Emperour. 3. It’s further clear, from the 2 ver. in his description, Who bare record of the Word of God, and of the Testimony of Jesus Christ, which relates to his writing of the Gospel, as he stiles himself in the close of it, chap. 21:24. This is that Disciple, which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things, and we know that his Testimony is true. Neither doth it make anything against this, that this Book (being prophetical) doth differ somewhat in stile from his other Writings: for, the stile is not so unlike his: there being many words and phrases in his Gospel, and in several Chapters of this Book so like one another: as, that Christ is called the Word, and the Lamb, in the one and in the other, these phrases being peculiar to Him.
The Preface hath two parts. First, A general Inscription of the Book, ver. 1, 2, 3. Secondly, A particular Inscription and Direction to the seven Churches in Asia, to which the seven Epistles in the second and third Chapters are written, from ver. 4 to ver. 9. And there are several particulars in every one of these. To begin with the Inscription. The Revelation, that is, the making open and unfolding of some things, obscure: & though they be still obscure to us, yet not in themselves, nor to us now, as they were before this. 2. It’s of Jesus Christ: First, Because given out by Jesus Christ, to John, as from the Administrator and great Prophet of His Church: And secondly, Because much of this Revelation concerned the governing of His Church. Thirdly, Which God gave unto him: which denotes the order of the Persons in their subsisting and operations; the Father working from Himself, by the Son, and the way of Christs working as Mediatour, who doth the will of Him that sent Him: for, as God, He understands all things essentially by Himself, but as Mediatour, He hath that given and communicated to Him. Fourthly, The end of this work, is, To shew unto His Servants things which must shortly come to passe, that this Revelation may not be kept up, but made forthcoming to His Servants: by whom is understood not all Creatures, nor all in the visible Church, nor only such special Servants by Office, as John was; but such as were and are His Followers, Subjects, and Believers in Him in the visible Church. Fifthly, The subject of this Revelation, things which must shortly come to passe, not things past, nor so much things present, (though in the second & third Chapter, such things be spoken to) as mainly, things to come. And it’s said, That they must shortly come to passe: because, though the full accomplishment of them was not to be till the end of the world, as will be clear from the Prophecy, and therefore those events cannot be confined within some few years; yet, the beginning of the fulfilling of them was instantly upon the back of this Revelation. Sixthly, He sent and signified it by his Angel, that is, Jesus Christ made use of the ministration of His Angel to signifie this, both to set out His dignity and grandour, and to conciliate the greater credit to it. Seventhly, The person it is revealed to, is, His Servant John; his Servant by special Delegation and Office, in a special Imployment, as a Steward in his House.
Observe the great advantage & benefit, the priviledge & prerogative that Christ’s Servants have beyond all others: Christ writes his Letters to them: there is not a word written to Kings & great men; but it is to shew his Servants things to come to passe: To be his Servants, is to be Gods freemen; and they win fardest bennupon his Secrets & Mysteries, Psal. 25. The Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his Covenant.
Observe Christ’s way of Administration: Though this Revelation be sent to His Servants: yet not immediatly, but first it is given to Christ; and He gives it to his Angel, and the Angel gives it to John, & he brings it out to the Churches. Jesus Christ must have his own place: and the first notice of anything, concerning the good of the Church, comes to Him as Mediatour: and he doth nothing but he first reveals it to his Servants the Prophets, Amos 3. They are his Servants of State to bear his Mind to his People.
Vers. 2. The second thing in the Preface, is, a description of John, who bare record of the Word of God: which may relate to the Gospel of John, which holds out Jesus Christ, who was, and is the substantial Word of God, as he begins his Gospel. 2. And of the Testimony of Jesus Christ: which may look to his Epistles. 3. And of all things that he saw: this looks to the particular Visions God gave him in this Book. John’s baring record, points out his faithfulness according to the Charge and Commission given him: what is given him to deliver, he keeps not up: what he receives in charge, he discharges.
We have the commendation of this Book, ver. 3 to stir up folks to make use of it, because He knew many would scarre at it, and be ready to let it lye beside them as useless and unprofitable: whereas all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable, &c. 2 Tim. 3:16. Therefore this is added, Blessed is he that readeth: that is, this Book is not a thing to be spoken of only, and not to be read and studied: for, the Seals of it are opened: and blessed are they that read it. It’s a happy and a good thing, soberly and humbly to read, and to seek to understand it: and because every one cannot read, he adds, And blessed are they that hear the words of this Prophecy: it may relate not only to private, but to publick reading and hearing of this Book, when it is read and exponed; So that by Christ’s own Ordinance, this Book is to be brought forth to His People: and, because folks are ready to grow vain and secure, and to rest upon reading and hearing, He adds another word, and keep those sayings that are written therein, that is, it’s not the reading, nor the hearing simply, that will bring the blessing: but the observing and making right use of it. Then he adds a reason why he would have it read and heard, and the sayings of it observed and made use of, because the time is at hand, the fulfilling of the things in this Book, is at hand; the time hasteth of calling folks to a reckoning, what use they have made of those sayings: the time of pouring out his wrath on his Enemies, & of being very kind to his Church & People, is at hand.
Observe, It’s a good thing to be studying the Scripture: it’s a mark of the blessed man, Psal. 1. It makes the man of God wise to salvation; and it’s good that those who want the use of reading themselves, make up that want by hearing others: and particularly, it is good to be reading, and hearing this Book read; those that are fitted for reading, let them use it well; and those that have not this benefit, let them take and improve other opportunities that may bring them to the knowledge of Christ’s mind; and the more, that blessedness is given but to six or seven sorts in this Book, and twice or thrice over, to those that study it, Rev. 22:7, 14.
Observe, That it’s not enough to be given to reading and hearing of the Word: neither would folks rest on it: but joyn practise with both, Luk. 11:28. Blessed are they that hear the Word of God, and keep it. It is not the reader, or hearer, but the doer, that is the blessed man. Yea, though ye were able to open and unfold all the Mysteries that are in this Book, if ye be not suitable and conform there to in your practice, ye are but like that man spoken of, Jam. 1:23, 24 who, beholding his natural face in a glasse, goeth his way, and forgotteth what manner of man he was. He that is a hearer, and not a doer, deceives his own soul: als much hearing and reading doth you good, as is improven in practice.
Quest. How is this Book called a Prophecy, seing some things in it concern things present, as in these Epistles, written to the seven Churches in Asia?
Answ. Prophecies are of two sorts. 1. Prophecy, is that whereby things past or present are known by an instinct of the Spirit: So Moses writeth of the Creation of the World, and things that were before his time: So Ahijah knew the wife of Jeroboam: and Elisha discovered the King of Syria his Counsel, and the covetousness of Gehazi: And, in this respect, as well as in reference to things to come, this Book may be called a Prophecy: because those things that are present are revealed by the Spirit. 2. Prophecy, is of things to come: and in this respect, it’s called a Prophecy: because the main drift of this Book of the Revelation, is, to shew things to come, the first three Chapters being introductory to the rest.
Vers. 4. Followeth the second part of the Preface, and it’s the particular Inscription and Direction of this Epistle to the seven Churches in Asia, John to the seven Churches in Asia: and it beginneth as the Epistles ordinarily begin, Grace be unto you, and peace. Where we have, 1. the thing wished, Grace and Peace. 2. The persons to whom, the Seven Churches. 3. The Persons from whom, the Three Persons of the Trinity. 4. And upon the back of this a thanksgiving. John, is the person wishing; that which is wished, is, Grace and Peace, two words, which comprehend all good: Grace, is the fountain of Gods free love; and Peace, the effect of that free love: which being here put together, is love, vented in its precious effects. The Persons from whom, are Three, or, the Three Persons of the Trinity, 1. From the Father, which is, which was, and which is to come, that is, from God the Father, described from His eternal being, without all beginning or ending. And this description of the Father, relates to that of Exod. 3:14. I AM THAT I AM, hath sent me unto you; and it is a name that God often taketh to Himself, The first and the last, the beginning and the ending: and the Title JEHOVAH taketh up these three; JE, the future time; HO, the time present: VAH, the time past. In a word, it’s the paraphrase of the word JEHOVAH: and this title is attributed to the Father, not secluding the Son & Holy Ghost; but the Father being the fountain of the Godhead, when He is joyned with the Son & Spirit, those things that are essential to God, are ordinarily attributed to him. 2. From the Seven Spirits: These are not creatures, or created spirits: for, first, created spirits are not objects of worship, from whom we may wish Grace and Peace. Secondly, neither are created spirits set in betwixt the Father and the Son, as those seven Spirits are here. Thirdly, In the 5 chap. ver. 6 those seven Spirits, are called the Eyes and Horns of the Lamb: Eyes being his Omniscience, whereby He sees every where; and Horns, being His Power, working by His Spirit, and making stubborn souls submit unto Him: and these seven Spirits being his Eyes, which are every where, and his Power or Omnipotency, which here also are invocated, They can be no other but the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is called the Seven Spirits; not only, because it’s frequent in this Book of the Revelation to go on the number of Seven; but also, and mainly, to shew the manifold and various operations of the Spirit, as 1 Cor. 12:4, 6. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; and diversities of operations, but the same God, which worketh all in all. 2. Because it hath relation to the seven Churches He is to write to, their need requiring much: and he being an infinit and powerful Spirit, he was able to let out abundance of grace and all consolation to every one without prejudice to another, as if each of them had the Spirit wholly, Therefore he is so described in this wish. Secondly, these seven Spirits are said to be before the Throne, that is, present with God, yet made use of by God the Father and the Son, working by the Spirit, effectually communicating what may be for the comfort of His People: and in these words, the holy Spirit is holden out in a posture, apt to execute what is needfull. The third Person is in the 5 ver. And from Jesus Christ; Grace and Peace is wished from him; he is set out in his Three Offices of Prophet, Priest, and King. First, In His Prophetical Office, The faithful Witness, because he reveals the Will of God, and that faithfully: therefore, Isa. 55:4. He is given as a Witness, a Leader and Commander to the People. Secondly, In his Priestly Office, The first begotten of the dead: To shew, 1. that he offered up himself to the death. 2. Because he was the first that rose from the dead in his own strength, and made others to rise, and he died not again: for, though Lazarus rose, he died again, and though Enoch and Elias did not die, yet that was by vertue of his Power and Resurrection, as also that any other did arise. Thirdly, In his Kingly Office, The Prince of the Kings of the Earth: which Title sets out Christ, not only to be God, equal with the Father, but as Mediatour, King of his Kirk. He is called, Prince of the Kings of the Earth, not as if Kings, and all great men, or others, were in the same manner subjects to him in the relation that Believers are (in which respect his Kingly Office extendeth no further, nor his Priestly and Prophetical Office) but though so he have not such a near relation to them, nor they to him: Yet he is King over them, to restrain them that they prejudge not his Kirk; and to judge them for any wrongs or prejudice they do to them, and to inflict temporal judgments on them here, and eternal hereafter, when he shall be their Judge, and the Books shall be opened at the great Day. The wish is from the Three Persons: and though the Holy Ghost be here named before the Son, it is not to confound the order that is among the Persons of the Trinity in their subsisting and operations: but for this reason, because John is to insist on Jesus Christ the second Person, he keeps him last in naming, to make the progress in his writing the more clear.
Observe, There are three distinct Persons of the blessed Trinity, the Father, Son, and Spirit, who are the same one God: in the Name of these Three, is Baptism administrated; and from Them, Grace is wished and prayed for, 2 Cor. 13:14. For, 1. That there are Three, who are distinctly mentioned here, cannot be denied; that the first is the Father; and the third, Jesus Christ, really distinct from the Father, is clear: for, the Son, and not the Father, was incarnate: and therefore the like must be said of the seven Spirits, that they set forth the Holy Ghost personally, seing it is He who in the like places useth to be joyned in with the Father and the Son, as 2 Cor. 13:13, 1 Joh. 5:7, 8 and therefore it’s said in the seven Epistles, to be what the Spirit saith. These Seven Spirits therefore, is that one Spirit, and He a person that speaketh to the churches. Secondly, that each of these Three must be God, appears. 1. Because the last two are both joyned as equall with the Father, of whom there can be no question. 2. Because the Son, Jesus Christ, afterward hath the same title attributed to him, which is here given to the Father 3. Because the same one suit, is prayed for from all of them; and, it being, Grace and Peace, which only God can give, suppones divine essential Attributes to be in those from whom they are wished: yea, they are named here, as joynt Senders of this Epistle, and Authorizers of this Word; therefore is it so often afterward said, Let him that hath ears, hear what the Spirit faith: & there can no Authority but What is divine, be sufficient here. Hence also, thus faith the Lord, and thus faith the Holy Ghost, are frequently put for one another: each one therefore of these three must be God. 3. It may appear from this also, that all these three are One God, thus, this Revelation and Salutation cometh from one God, chap. 1 ver. 1 and 22:18, 19 and yet this Revelation and Salutation cometh from the Father, Son, and Spirit: therefore they are that One God. Again, If the Grace and Peace proceed from one Essence, which is common to all, then they are the same God, essentially, though distinct Persons: but Grace and Peace looks to the same Godhead and Essence, though it be wished for from all, for the effect, Grace and Peace, is but one, it doth therefore suppose an unity in the fountain from which it comes, to wit, these three Persons of the glorious Godhead, who are named distinctly, not to shew a different effect, from the Father, which is not from the Son; but to shew the concurrence of these blessed Three in an united way for bringing forth of these: so that what cometh from the Father, cometh also from the Son and Spirit. These essential Attributes, and that most simple and infinit Essence, being common to all the three Persons, it rests therefore that they are three distinct Persons, and yet of the same infinit Godhead. Neither will that which the Socinians and others oppose to this place, have weight. Say they, Christ is spoken of here, as dead; Therefore cannot be God. For, it’s one thing to speak of him who was dead, another to say that it speaks of him as such. He that died was God, but he died not as God: and therefore this can only prove, that Jesus Christ, as to his Person, is man; but by it, we can no more deny him to be the second Person of the Godhead, than afterward when he is called the first and the last, by that, we can deny Him to be man. And that the Son & the Holy Ghost, are equal with the Father, appeareth also in this, that they are both equally with him, the object of divine Worship here, to wit, of Invocation and Prayer, which could not otherwise be.
THere is much spoken of the Glory of God in this Book: and no where is the distinction of the Persons of the glorious Godhead more frequently and clearly set forth. John was more full in this than any who wrote before him: because that in his time Ebion and some others had arisen, who did deny the Godhead of the Son and Holy Ghost; and therefore, with a particular respect to these, he did write the more fully of this, for which he got the stile of Divine singularly, as was marked on the Title. It will not therefore be impertinent now, once for all, to touch that a little further: and although here curiosity would be restrained, full satisfaction in the up-taking of that Mysterie being peculiarly reserved to that time when we shall see him as he is, as our Lord’s word, Joh. 14:20. Then ye shall know that I am in the Father, doth import: & therefore we would not presume to satisfie our selves in the διότι, or particular manner how that is; but humbly be contented to have our Faith solidly grounded in the ὅτι, or being thereof: which may be done by considering these three, to wit, 1. the truth of the thing, 2. the expressions used in holding of it forth, and, 3. the necessity of the believing thereof.
For the first, we say, that as there is but one God essentially, so there are three distinct, co-equal, co-essential and con-substantial Persons of that blessed Godhead, the Father, Son, and Spirit, who yet in a most wonderful, excellent and infinitly perfect (though an inconceivable) manner, have an order of subsisting and working amongst themselves. It was a saying amongst the Ancients, that to speak of God, even that which was truth, was dangerous; (Etiam de Deo dicere verum, est periculosum:) and indeed here it ought to be remembered. Yet may we consider the former general Proposition in these Assertions.
Assert, There is but one God essentially considered; and in this the Scripture is clear, and so in this Book, chap. 1 and last: although there be a plurality of Persons mentioned, yet it is ever God spoken of as One, in the singular number: and, thus he is still opposed as the One living God, to the plurality of Idols. And indeed, there can be no plurality in this: for, if that One God have in him all perfections, there can be no perfection beside him: and so no God beside this One true God. And, if we supposed any perfection to be beside him, then were not he God, because not infinit in perfection: and, if infinit, then that which is infinit, in that respect, cannot be multiplied. There is no question of this, seing the most wise Heathens have been necessitated to acknowledge it.
Assert. Although there be but One God, yet there are three Persons, the Father, Son, and Spirit. There is not one, of these Epistles to the seven Churches, but this may be gathered from it, 1. the Father is the Sender of them all, as from ver. 1 chap. 1 may be gathered. 2. the Son is he who immediatly gives John Commission to write; as the Titles he taketh to himself do clear. 3. the holy Ghost is in the close of all, mentioned as a joynt speaker, Let him hear what the Spirit saith, &c. 2. More particularly, they are distinctly mentioned in the Epistle to Thyatira, chap. 2 ver. 18. These things saith the Son of God; that holds forth the Father and Son: where a son is, there is a father: and God here is personally taken as an other from the Son. And ver. 29 we have the Spirit as distinct from both. 3. they are put together, chap. 3:1. These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God: He, that is, the Son formerly mentioned: God, that is, the Father, distinctly considered as another Person, the seven Spirits, that is, the holy Ghost, in whose name John saluted the Churches formerly, & who is to be heard, as the close of every Epistle sheẅeth. 4. the like is, ver. 12 where the Son speaketh in the first Person, I & Me, The Father is designed by the title GOD; the Spirit again, as distinct from both, ver. 13, 5. The same may be gathered from ver. 14 with 22 where the faithful Witness, God, and the Spirit, are mentioned as three that are distinct. 6. And lastly, chap. 5 we have Them most fully distinguished, First, there is the Father, on the Throne, with the Book in his hand, ver. 1. Secondly, there is the Lamb, the Son: And thirdly, the seven Spirits of God, the holy Ghost, ver. 6 all of them considered as distinct Persons.
Assert. These Three, Father, Son, and Spirit, are really distinct one from another: and so are three Persons. All that is said, doth confirm this also: for, 1. They are really distinct, though nor simply in respect of their essence: yet, as they are personally considered, the Father, is not the Son: and he that sits upon the Throne, is not the Lamb. The Father did not become man, nor the Spirit; but the Son, he died, was buried, &c. which can be said of none, but of a person: and yet cannot be said of either of the other two. The holy Ghost is the Spirit of God, as the Son is the Son of God: and if that suppose a real distinct personality, this must do also: the Son sayes, so doth the holy Ghost or Spirit say to the Churches: the Father is God, the first, and last, the Son hath the same Title, chap. 2:8 even He who was dead, is the first, and the last: the Spirit hath the same authority, and is to be heard, and hath a divine omnipresence to be in all the earth, chap. 5:6 which can be said of none but of him that is God. Now, if the Father be God, and the Son God’, and the Spirit God also: and if there be but one God, and yet these three be really distinct, then they must be distinct Persons in respect of their personal properties, seing they are Persons, and distinct.
Assert. Although they be three distinct Persons, as to their personal properties: yet are they all three One God, essentially considered; and all have the same infinit indivisible Essence, though we cannot conceive how. This follows on the former: for, if there be three Persons, and each of them be God, and yet there be but One God, then each of these Persons must be the same One God, co-equal and co-essential: so the Father is alius, another from the Son, and each of them from other; but he is not aliud, or another thing, but the same. Hence, the Son, is the Son of God, and the Spirit, the Spirit of God: They are upon one throne, chap. 5. They concur by the same Authority and Soveraignity to write: and He that sends this Epistle to the Churches, is but one God, chap. 1:1 who therefore will avenge adding thereto, or diminishing therefrom, chap. 22 yet, that One God, is the same Three Persons, chap. 1. ver. 4.
Asserts. These three blessed Persons, who are One most glorious Being, have yet an unconceivable order in their subsisting and working: which, being to be admired rather than to be searched, we shall but say, 1. They have all the same one Essence and Being, as is said. 2. They all have it eternally, equally and perfectly none is more or lefse God, but each hath all the same Godhead at perfection: & therefore must have it equally and eternally: for, the Godhead is the same, and the Son is the first and the last, as the Father is: and the Father and Son, were never without the Spirit, who is the Spirit of God, and each of them is God. It doth confirm all these, that they have one Throne, Name, and Authority attributed to them. Yet, 3. the Father subsists of himself, and doth beget the Son by an inconceivable and eternal generation: the Son doth not beget, but is begotten, and hath his subsisting, as the second Person, from the Father, so much the titles of Father and Son import here: the Spirit proceeds both from the Father (therefore he is the Spirit of the Father) and from the Son, therefore is he said also to have the seven spirits of God: and the Spirit doth neither beget, nor is begotten: but doth thus, in an inexpressible manner, proceed from them both.
For the second. If any should wrangle for the expressions that are used by Divines in this Mysterie; we confesse that many of the Schoolmen have exceeded, and have taken too much liberty in this wonderful Mysterie; yet, it is the thing that we especially should be established into, and from scripture that is clear, that there is but One God, and yet Three, who being denominated in the concrete, must imply three different real Relations, or Subsistances, or Persons: and this Essence being infinit and communicable, there is no warrant to bound it to the rules and properties of created beings, who are but finit: and in that respect also incommunicable: And we conceive that the names here given (and elswhere in Scripture) will amount clearly to the equivalent of Essence and Persons, which are most obviously made use of in this matter: for, what is that, I am Alpha and Omega, who was, is, and is to come, but that same, Exod. 3. I AM THAT I AM, which denoteth his Being or Essence, as that which is ever a Being: and Idols, being differenced from the true God by this, that they are by Nature no gods, Gal. 4:8 it implies on the contrary, that by Nature he is God, and so God in respect of his Essence: and therefore that God may be essentially considered, and in that respect of his Essence. Again, these expressions, that the one is called the Father, and the other the Son, and yet both One God, do clearly hold forth that there are real relations in that Godhead, subsisting in a distinct manner; and so there must be Persons, as Heb. 1 the Son, is called the expresse Image of the Fathers Person, which plainly sayes, that the Father, considered as distinguished from the Son, is a Person, and subsists; and that the Son, as distinguished from the Father, and as so lively and expresly representing his Person, must be a Person also, having this from the Father; and what is said of the Father and Son, must also be true of the holy Ghost, who is God equal with both, yet different from them both, as they differ from each other, though not in respect of that same in communicable property, yet he who proceedeth, must differ from those from whom he proceeds, as he who is begotten, must differ from him that begat him.
For their operations, we may find here, that in some things they concur joyntly, yet some way differently. Some things again are attributed to one, which cannot be to another, as their personal properties: the Son is begotten, and not the Father or the Spirit: therefore he is allanerly the Son: the Father begets: and the Spirit proceeds. These are called their personal properties, and their works ad intra, or amongst, or in reference to themselves: of this kind is the incarnation of the Son, which can neither be said of the Father, nor of the holy Ghost. Again, in things ad extra, or that relate to the Creatures simply, whether in making, or governing of the World, they joyntly concur: the Father createth all, so doth the Son and holy Ghost: the Son, from the Father, by the holy Ghost: the holy Ghost, from the Father and the Son, as those expressions of God, sending his Son, the Son’s sending the spirit from the Father, &c. do declare, Joh. 14:26 and 16:7, Gal. 4:6.
To the third. This truth concerning the blessed and glorious Trinity, being so often insisted on here, and coming so near to the nature of God himself, it cannot but be exceedingly necessary for Christians to be through in the faith thereof: yet it is questioned of late, whether it be to be accompted a fundamental point of Faith or not? I say, this of late is questioned by Socinus, and the favourers of a boundless untolerable Toleration: for, of old it was most sacredly received as such, amongst the Ancients, as the Creeds that are called Apostolick, Nicene, and that of Athanasius, do manifest: But this Engine the Devil drives, first, to make the most necessary truths indifferent, that then he may the more easily engage opposers to quarrel the very truth of them it self; but we conceive, whatever it was of old before Christ, yet now it is to be looked on, not only as a truth, which is clear from the Word, but also as a fundamental truth: which being shaken, would overturn Christianity, and the way of Salvation that the Lord hath revealed in his Gospel. This is not to be extended to a rigid degree of knowledge in this wonderful Mysterie, but to so much clearness in this truth from the Word, as may be a ground to Faith in the thing it self. And that this is necessary, as a fundamental, we think ariseth clearly from these three grounds. 1. That truth, without which the true God cannot be taken up, believed in, and worshipped, is a fundamental truth: but, this truth of the Trinity of Persons, and Unity of the Godhead, is such, that without it, that God, which is proposed in the Word, and is the only true God, and the object of all Worship, can neither be taken up, believed in, nor worshipped rightly: Ergo, &c. because the true God is One, and yet three Persons: and as such, hath proposed Himself to be known and worshipped. 2. that truth without which the work of Redemption would be overturned, is fundamental; But this is such: for, by taking away the Mysterie of the Trinity, they take away the Godhead and Personality of the Mediatour, and so do enervat his satisfaction. And, as on the former accompt, the true God is otherwise conceived than he is in himself; so, in this respect, the Mediatour is made a quite other thing. And, can anything be fundamental, if this be not? 3. the way that God hath laid down in his Worship, requireth this, seing in Baptism there is particular and expresse mentioning of these three, the Father, Son, and Spirit, as the Superiour, to whom they that are Christian Souldiers, should be listed and inrolled: and so we may accompt of all after-worship: seing God requires us to honour the Son, as we honour the Father, and seing these Three equally witness from Heaven, 1 Joh. 5 the Father, Word, and Spirit: all which three, are One: can their testimony be received as of three, or can they be accompted as One God without this? And yet there can neither be One, in Faith, engaged unto in Baptism, or one, whose testimony we may receive, but he who is God: and can any think but it’s necessary for a Christian, and that, fundamentally, to know to whom they are devoted, whom they are to worship, whose testimony it is that they receive, whose operations they feel, whom they are to make use of, &c. And therefore it’s necessary to know the Trinity of Persons in that One Godhead.
It may be the exercise of some tender soul, that they know not how to apprehend this Object rightly, when they come to worship: and that often they are disquieted, while their minds are unstable: Concerning this, there is need here to distinguish betwixt what may satisfie us as to the Object in it self, and what may be sufficient to us in directing of our Worship to that Object: If we take up God as in himself, here is a depth that cannot be searched out to perfection: He is broader than the Sea, Who can know him? higher than the Heaven, what can we do, Job. 11:8. But yet we have footing in his Word, how to come before this God with fear, reverence, holy admiration, &c. and such affections and qualifications as a true Worshipper that worships in spirit ought to have: and in this, the pure Worshippers, who believe this truth of one infinit God and three. Persons; ought to be taken up, rather that they may be suitable in their worshipping, and have becoming effects on their own hearts, than to be disquieting themselves by poring too curiously on the Object wo shipped except in so far as may serve to transform the heart into a likeness to him. And, it is not aiming to comprehend the mysteriousness and manner of these incomprehensible Mysteries, that doth work this; but the real, through and near impression of the general, which is revealed clearly in his Word. We would therefore commend these three in Worship. 1. That folks would satisfie themselves in the general with the solid faith thereof, without descending to particular conceptions or notions concerning the Persons of the blessed Godhead: this particularness, is often that which both confuses the mind, and disquiets the conscience, and cannot but do so in those who would be at the looking upon God immediately here, without making use of the expressions, Titles, Names, &c. whereby He hath manifested himself to us, and wherein, we conceive, it’s safest to rest, and to bound all our curiositie within those: for, they must be the most solid notions of God, which himself hath taught: thus, Exod. 33 and 34 the Lord did answer Moses his desire of seeing his Glory, by shewing him his goodness in the proclaming of his Attributes to him that are manifested in his Word: thereby teaching men to conceive of God, according as he hath revealed himself in his Word, in the plain and comprehensive Attributes that describe his Nature, wherein Gods goodnesse is sufficiently holden forth to sinners, which ought to be a sufficient manifestation of God to them here, without diving immediatly into his Essence, which could no otherways be manifested to Moses than by that proclamation. 2. We would beware of forming Idea’s, representations, or shapes of that One God and three Persons in the heart, or in the head: these cannot but be derogatorie to him, being a liknesse to him of our own up-setting in our hearts: and cannot but diminish that Authority, which the true God should have in our hearts. We would remember therefore that he is purely Spirituall, whom no eye hath seen, nor can see: and therefore all such imaginations, are to be abandoned and abhorred. 3. We would beware of dividing the Object of Worship, or separating the Three blessed Persons in our worshipping of them, even in our imagination; as if when One is named, we were not praying unto, and worshipping both the other; and as if the Son were an other God than the Father or Spirit, &c. But still this would be remembered, that what ever Person be named, he is God, and that same One God with the other Two: and therefore the object of Worship, is ever the same One God, Father, Son, and Spirit, that are but One God. We Worship the Father, the Son, and the Spirit; but we do not Worship the Father, of the Son, or the Spirit, as if he who is not named, were lesse worshipped than He who is named: and seing the Son and holy Ghost, are the same God with the Father (the former ground being laid) it’s all one thing what ever Person be named, though in Scripture sometimes respect is had to their order of subsisting and operating; and so the Father is only named sometimes to be the ground upon, and by which, we have accesse to God; and so, the Son, only is named.
Now, by what is said, it doth also appear that the holy Ghost may be expresly prayed unto, as the Father, and the Son, although it be not so usuall in Scripture, because of the reasons formerly hinted at: for, this will follow, He that is God, may be invocated, &c. and where petitions do especially respect the increase of Grace, which is the Work of the spirit, we will find Him expresly mentioned with the Father and Son, as here, ver. 4 and 5. Grace be unto you, &c. And, 2 Cor. 13:14. The communion of the holy Ghost, is subjoyned, as a distinct petition, to the Love of the Father, and Grace of the Son; and these first two petitions, being directed to the Father and the Son, this third must be to the holy Ghost in like manner: and therefore to plead against the Godhead of the holy Ghost, upon this ground that he is not expresly prayed unto in Scripture, is both inconsequent, and false, and the Apostl’s taking the holy Ghost to be his witnesse, Rom. 9 cannot be done without invocating of Him: and the generall commands of glorifying God, must infer to much, supposing the Spirit to be God. There is no weight therefore to be laid on that argument.
If it be objected, against the necessity of believing this Doctrine of the Trinity, or, against the sinfulnesse of tolerating what opposeth the same, that the light of nature doth not discover it; and that the Godhead of the holy Ghost hath sometimes not so much as been heard of by Disciples, as in Act. 19. Therefore, &c.
To the first, we answer, that now nature being corrupted, it can be no good rule to try what is truth concerning God by it: it can hardly be denied, if nature be considered as in Adam at the beginning, but to him there was clearness in this mysterie, there being express mention of the blessed Trinity in his creation, as the word, Let Us make man according to Our Image; doth import: which is not for nought mentioned then, more than formerly, especially, considering that excellent knowledge that Adam was furnished with, which was a part of the Image of that One God, who is Father, Son, and Spirit. But, not to insist this, we say, secondly, that if by nature, as it is now corrupted, what is tolerable or intolerable in the matters of Religion were to be tried, then were the whole Doctrine of the Gospel and Redemption through the Mediator, to be accounted no fundamental thing: and consequently, no Error, destroying it, were to be restrained, because nature hath not discovered that. That therefore must be an unsafe rule to walk by. And indeed if a master of a family & father, who yet, as such, is (to say so) a servant of nature, is not by that exempted from the obligation of bringing up his children and servants in the knowledge of God according to the Gospel; but is notwithstanding to exercise his authority in the restraining of every thing contrary thereunto according to his station. Can it be thought, that a Magistrate, who must count for his Authority over a people, as a master must do for his, over a family, is lesse obliged thereunto? For, Christians are to be Christians in their stations, as in their personal carriage; and so to seek the promoving of the Gospel, and the restraining of what may marr it according to their station. Thirdly, we answer, that even this may be drawn from the Morall Law of God: wherein not only the true God is alone to be worshipped, as in the first Command; but also accordingly as he hath prescribed and revealed in His Word, which is the sum of the second Command. Now, this being true, that the Lord hath thus revealed Himself to be worshipped according to the Gospel, it becomes no lesse necessary to Worship God in that manner, than to Worship Him, who is the true God; &c so, if by the first Command, and according to the light of nature, Magistrates should restrain and not suffer, what is inconsistent with the worshipping of the One true and living God, so is he, by the second Command and that same light of nature, obliged to restrain all manner of Doctrine and Worship, that is inconsistent with what he hath revealed, according to the second.
To the last part of the objection, from that instance, Act. 19. We say, first, that suppose there had been great ignorance then of the Godhead of the holy Ghost, while that mysterie of the glorious Trinity was more obscurely revealed; yet, it will not follow, that it is equally excusable and sufferable now, when it is so plainly discovered: yea, can it be said, that they had been excusable, if, after Paul’s teaching of them the true nature of Baptism and of the holy Ghost, they had continued not to believe the same, as they were before he did it; or, that we can be so now, having his lesson to them for our instruction? Yet, secondly, It seemeth, that the Person of the holy Ghost, is not intended there, but the gifts of the Holy Ghost, which often get that name in the New Testament: for, the holy Ghost, which is to be understood in that place, is such as was communicated to believers, and such as these afterward did receive, as from ver. 2 and 6 is clear. Now there is great odds betwixt the necessity of distinctnesse in the knowledge of these gifts, and of the Holy Ghost Himself, who is not, nor cannot be communicated by the laying on of hands, except in respect of His gifts: this place therefore, doth not meet the conclusion formerly laid down, which was in reference to the Faith of the holy Ghost Himself, and not to the knowledge of His gifts.
These generals being granted, there do arise, from this practice of John’s, several questions, concerning the Object of Divine Worship: which, upon this occasion, (it may be) were not unworthy to be more particularly considered, so far as the nature of the place calleth for, and doth become our scope. As first, we see in this Prayer, John doth distinctly name all the three blessed Persons, for their instruction and consolation to whom he sends this message. Secondly, When he names the Son, he doth name Him by such Titles as agree to Him only as Mediator; yea, and in this song, ver. 6 doth respect that, particularly, which is only applicable to Him as Man and as Mediator, to make them welcome it the more heartily, and thereby also the more to commend Him to them, and engage them to Him, by remembring them what He is, and what He hath done, that doth thus salute them. Thirdly, He hath a peculiar thanksgiving unto the Son, considered under such designations, as expresse His wonderful love that appears in His sufferings, which cannot be applyed to the Father or Spirit: which is indeed Divine Worship, being the same which is here given to the Father, and Spirit. All which giveth occasion to enquire in these four. 1. Concerning the Object of Divine Worship, in general. 2. In what respect it is to be given to the Mediator. 3. In what form, Petitions may be directed to Him; or, if in any peculiar form. 4. Why the Mediator Christ, is so much, and so warmly, under these considerations of His incarnation and sufferings, insisted upon in the New Testament: and what may encourage and help in the improving of those grounds. These things being deipths, are rather to be admired and believed, in the general, (so far as we see clear in this precedent) than curiously to be pried into: yet, that they go not altogether without answer, we shall lay down some generals in reference to all these, which will yeeld some practical and comfortable conclusions. To the first, we say,
God is the alone Object of Divine Worship: and there is no Object thereof but God: because there is none who hath these infinit Attributes and Excellencies, which are requisite in the Object of Divine Worship, but God, such as Omnisciencie, Omnipotencie, Infinitness, supream Majesty, Glory, &c. from which (to speak so) results Adorability, an essential Attribute of the Majesty of God, as Immutability and Eternity are; He being adorable, because Infinite, Immense, Omniscient, &c. And therefore it cannot be communicate to any other, more than these incommunicable properties can be; and yet none can be worshipped who is not (so to speak) adorable.
There is but one kind of Divine Worship, to wit, that which is Supream, and becoming this infinite Majesty of God: and, in a word, that which is required in the first Table of the Law, as that which is competent to this glorious excellent God: and this follows on the former: for, if there be but one Object, there can be but one manner of Worship. Therefore, in Scripture, to Worship God, is alway opposed to the worshipping of any other, and to the admitting of any Worship, which is not competent to God, as Revel. 19:9, 10, and 22:9.
Although there be Three Persons of the glorious Godhead, and all are to be worshipped; yet, there are not three Objects of Worship, but one; nor three kinds of Worship: Not three Objects, because these three Persons are the same One infinite God, who is the Object of Worship. For, first, though the three Persons, be really distinct each from other: yet, none of them is really distinct from the essence of the Godhead: Therefore, the Father, is that same Object of Worship with the Son, because that same God. And, secondly, though the Father be infinite, and the Son infinite, &c. yet, there are not two infinitnesses, but the same infinitness and immensness, that which is the Fathers is the Sons also: because these are essential properties, and so common to all the Persons: and therefore, though their personal properties be distinct; yet, their essentiall Attributes being common, they are not distinct Objects, but the same one Object; seing, still, in Worship, respect must be had to their essential Attributes: and so to the Godhead, which is common to All: and therefore consequently to them, as they are one Object, it being the Deity (which is One) that is the formal object of Worship: And, though sometimes these three Persons be named together, as here; yet, that is not to propose them as distinct objects, but to shew, who this one object God is, to wit, the Father, Son & Spirit, three Persons of the same One indivisible Godhead. Hence, the unitie of the Godhead, is inculcated, for this end: The Lord thy God, O Israel, is One Lord.
From which it followeth, 1. that the mind of the worshipper is not to be distracted in seeking to comprehend, or order, in his thoughts, three distinct Persons, as distinct objects of Worship; but, to conceive reverently of one infinite God, who is three Persons. 2. That whatever Person be named, he is not to think that the other is lesse worshipped: but that in one act he Worships that one God, and so the Father, Son and Spirit. 3. That by naming one Person after he hath named an other, (suppose he name the Father at first, and afterward the Son) he doth not vary the Object of Worship, as if he were praying to an other than formerly; but that still it is the same one God. 4. Because our imagination is ready to foster such divided conceptions, we conceive it is safest not to alter the denomination of the Persons in the same Prayer, especially, where it is in the hearing of others, who possibly may have such thoughts, though we have none: and I suppose, this way is most ordinarly taken in Scripture.
For answering to the second, to wit, how the Mediator is the Object of Divine Worship: we shall first distinguish this title Object, then answer. By Divines, there is in this case a threefold Object acknowledged (all agreeing to the Mediator in some respect.) 1. There is Objectum materiale, or, quod, that is, the Object, or person to whom Worship is given. 2. There is Objectum formale, or, quo, that is, the account upon which it is given to that person, or object. 3.
There is Objectum considerationis, that is, the consideration that the worshipper hath of that Object in worshipping of Him; and is as a motive thereto, or is (as the learned Voetius calls it, specificatio Objecti.) the specification of the Object, whereby the heart of the worshipper, by taking up the Object worshipped under such a consideration, is warmed with love and thank fulnesse, and strengthened in his confidence, to Worship that object. Thus, the relations that God took on Him to be the Redeemer of His people from Egypt, and from the land of the North, did give no new Object of Worship; yet, did they give some external denominations, or specifications, of that object God to them: the consideration whereof, in their worshipping, did much qualifie the Object to them, so that with the more thankfulnesse and confidence, they might approach to him: and thus we distinguish between the Object worshipped, and the consideration which may be had of Him in our Worship. And this doth not make Him adorable simply and in Himself, because He was so naturally; but, it is the ground upon which He is accessible to us, who are sinners and enemies: from which, we may lay down a threefold distinction. 1. Betwixt the material and formal object of Worship. 2. Betwixt the Object of the act of Worship, and of our consideration in worshipping. 3. Betwixt that which is the ground of Worship, suppose Prayer, Faith simply considered in it self; and that which is the ground of our accesse considered in our selves, to pray unto, or believe in, that Object.
To answer then the Question, we say, 1. That the Mediator is the Object of Divine Worship, is fixedly to be acknowledged; even the Man Christ, is to be honoured with Divine Worship, prayed unto, &c. as in Scripture is clear. Thus the Mediator is the material Object of Divine Worship, or, the Objectum quod: for, we worship and invocate Him who is the Mediator; and there is no question of this.
Christ, considered as Mediator, and in the vertue of His mediation, is the only ground, upon which we have right to expect to be accepted in any part of our worship; or, to have prayers granted, which, we put up to God under what ever designation or title: for, so He is the Door and the Way, Joh. 10:9 and 14:6 and in this respect though He be not as such, the formal object of Divine Worship; yet, He is the foundation whereupon it is now built; the Way, by which it must be addressed to God: and He is the High Priest, Heb. 7:25. This was typified by the Temple, Ark, and High Priest under the Law: for, sinners have not accesse to God, but by Him; and this strengthens Faith to approach, that God is manifested in our nature, and that so we have; by His suffering, entry through the Vail, to the Throne of Grace, which formerly, without respect to this, was shut.
Our Lord Jesus, who is God, in our worshipping of Him, may be considered as Mediator: and, upon that ground, the heart may be imboldened to approach unto God: because He that is God, is also Man and Mediator. Thus, we praise and pray to Him that died, and considering Him as once dead, in our uptaking of Him, yet so, as it is, because He is God: for, had it been possible that the Mediator could not have been God, there had not been ground for giving of this Worship unto Him; yet, this consideration warms the heart with love to Him, and gives confidence and chearfulnesse in praying to Him, or praising of Him, as in this same place, and afterward, cap. 5 because seing we have a Man to do with, who hath so experimentally felt sinlesse infirmities, of purpose to be the ground of a sympathie with His Members: and seing He hath still humane affections, by having a glorified body still united in one Person with His Divine Nature, which wants not humane feeling, though in an inconceivable manner: and seing also, that that is given in the Word, as an encouragement for us, to step forward, to expect grace and help in the time of need, Heb. 2:18 and 4:15, 16 and that even from Him: there is no question but, by the actual considering of this, a soul may, and ought to strengthen itself in its approaching unto God.
Yet, this Divine Worship is given to Him, as He is God, and because He is God; and so Christ-God is the Objectum formale, or, que of this Divine Worship, because it is the Godhead that is the alone formal Object of Divine Worship, as is said: and Christ only, as God, hath these essential Attributes of Omniscience, Supream Majestie, Adorabilitie, &c. which are requisite for the object of Divine Worship. And therefore in this place, although He be set out in what is peculiar to Him as Mediator: yet, His being reckoned with the other two blessed Persons, doth prove that notwithstanding thereof He is considered in his Person as God. It is then thus, as we say, Christ-God died, yet as Man: so the Man Christ, is worshipped, yet as God: for, though He be one Person, yet the properties of the two Natures are distinct. Hence, as the Fathers did prove Christs Godhead against the Arrians, from this, that He was worshipped with Divine Worship: and account them Idolaters for worshipping Him thus, whom they did not esteem to be God; so do the latter Divines in reference to the Socinians.
Therefore this Worship that is given to Christ, the Mediator, is of the same kind that is given to God, to wit, Supream, Divine Worship: for, there are not two sorts of Divine Worship. And to give the Mediator, who is God, an inferiour kind of Worship, would, 1. wrong Him who is God: for, by taking to Himself that external relation, He hath not diminished His essential Glory and Majesty. 2. It suppones two objects of Worship, and two kinds of Divine Worship: which is false. Therefore Divines have ever censured that assertion in the Remonstrants Confession, anent giving a peculiar and middle-kind of Worship to Christ the Mediator, as of it self unsafe and as making way for the Socinian subterfuge, which is to allow a Worship to the Mediator, as Mediator, inferiour to that which is given to God; and so, that it should not follow from this, that Christ is worshipped. Therefore, He is God equal with the Father. Now, the Scripture giveth Him that same Worship, and not any other, even when it is denied to all creatures; yea, when He is worshipped in the dayes of his flesh. He is considered as the only begotten of the Father, as Lord and Almighty, having all creatures as servants under Him, &c. and yet he is stiled the Son of David, He that was to come, &c. even at that time; to shew, that both considerations have place in worshipping of the same Person, who is God, and also Mediator; and not to bring in a new Worship; for, none can be more glorious, than what is due to God: but to lay a new ground of having accesse to give him the Worship which is due, and by a new relation to give a kindly qualification of the Object, whereby the heart may be provoked lovingly & thankfully to give the same.
When this Worship is given to Him, it is given to the Person who is Mediator, and that in one individual act: for, He, as God, is not worshipped one way; and, as man another way; nor is there a division of His Natures to be conceived; but the Person, who is Man, is worshipped with this Divine Honour in the same act, because He is God: therefore there is no such precision called for in the intent of the Worshipper, as if one Nature of Christs were to be worshipped and not the other: for, it’s the Person, who is worshipped, now consisting of two Natures.
When the Mediator is thus worshipped, there is no distinct Object of Divine Worship worshipped: but as whatever Person be named, it’s the same God; so, however the Mediator be named, or considered, it’s the same Person: for, though the second Person of the Godhead, considered in himself, be not unum, or, the same thing with the Mediator, (sensusci formai, as Divines say) yet is he Unus, the same Person: and the second Person of the Godhead, being Unum, to wit, the same God with the other two glorious Persons essentially considered, although he be not Unus with the Father and Spirit, considered personally: for, the Godhead, essentially taken, is the same thing with the Father, Son and Spirit, as hath been said. Then it will follow, that even when the Mediator is worshipped, there is but still the same one formal Object of Divine Worship, to wit, God; they being still the same essential properties, which alone give ground for a creature to Worship all the Persons of the glorious Trinitie, considered in themselves: or, the Son, considered as Mediator, in the manner expressed. Again it appears thus, the Son who is Mediator, is the same Object of Worship, that the Son the second Person of the Godhead is: for, now he being One Person, cannot be conceived as two distinct Objects of Worship; but the Son, as the second Person of the Godhead, is the same Object of Worship with the Father & Spirit, as hath been said. Therefore the Son, who is Mediator, when worshipped with Divine Honour, is the same formal Object of Divine Worship also. And this also doth confirm, that Divine Worship is given to him as God; for, so only is he the same Object with the Father & Spirit.
When the Son is Worshipped, there is no lesse respect to be had to his Mediation, than when the Father is expressed; so that who ever be named, the Son still, as Mediator, is to be made use of, and that in the same manner: for, as there is but One God, So there is but One Mediator betwixt God and man, 1 Tim. 2:3 without whom there is no access for a sinner to approach unto, or worship acceptably, this One God. Thus, God is the formal Object of Worship; the Mediator, considered as such, is the ground upon, which with confidence we may approach to that God: therefore is he the Way, and Truth and Life: there is no going to God but by him, so that in our Worship, God and the Mediator are not to be separated; yet are they not to be confounded: for, we Worship God, in and by the Mediator: in which respect, the Mediator is called the Door, Altar, Way, &c. because it is by the vertue and efficacy of his Mediation that the sinful distance betwixt God & us is removed, and accesse made for sinners to worship him, as was typified by the Temple, and Tabernacle, in which the Mercy-seat was placed: & in looking to which, the people were to worship God.
From all which, it will follow, in reference to the third. First, that our Prayers may be directed to Jesus the Mediator exprefly, as Act. 7:59. Secondly, That he may be named by Titles, agreeing only to him as Mediator, to wit, Mediator, Jesus, Thou who died, Advocate, &c. because these, being given him, in concreto, design the Person. Thirdly, That the heart may be in the instant stirred & affected with this, that he is Mediator, so as to specifie him, or, to make him the Object of our consideration as such; in that act, as hath been said. Thus a soul may pray to Jesus, who died, who made satisfaction, who interceeds, &c. and, upon that consideration, be affected with love, strengthned in hope & confidence in its Prayer, which yet is put up to him, because he is God. Fourthly, We may ask from him what peculiarly belongs to the Office of Mediation; as, that He may guide His Church, pour out the Spirit, gift Ministers, interceed, &c. because the Person to whom these belong, is God. And that extrinsick relation, or denomination, of being Mediator, doth not marr us to pray to him: as his being God, hinders not but that he still executes that office by performing of such acts: but both give ground, that confidently we may pray to him, for these things: yet, in that, still his Godhead is the formal object of our Prayer, though the things we pray for, belong to his Mediation: for, we could not seek these from him, were he not God, & because he is God & Man, we are imboldened to seek them & to expect them. See Psal. 45:3, 4 &c. for, the matter sought, to wit, riding prosperously, &c. belongeth to his Mediation, as the scope clears; yet, the account upon which, is, that he was God most mighty. For (as they say) it is not Mediatio, but Deietas, that is the ratio formalis of Divine Worship, or, his Mediation, as it includes his Deiety, by the wise Grace of God these two being now inseparably joyned together: for, certainly, Christ the Mediator, was to be made use of with respect to his future satisfaction, before he actually became Man; as it is since to be done, with respect to his incarnation and suffering (for he was Mediator and stood in that relation before he was Man) yet, it cannot be said, that he was then, as such, considered as the formal Object of their Worship (even when they did explicitly consider him with respect to his Mediation) because he did not then actually exist in two Natures: & therefore, behoved to be the formal Object of Worship, in respect of that Nature, which alone did then exist. Fifthly, As any of the Persons may be named in Prayer: so, for strengthening of our Faith, may the Mediator be named and prayed unto under such titles & relations as agree only to him, & not to any other Person: Yet, then we would beware, 1. Of conceiving that we are praying to a different Object, or that the Mediator is lesse glorious, just, holy, &c. unto whom we pray, than when God is expresly named. We would also beware of conceiving that by so doing, Christ is any way more ingaged to, or imployed by, any, than when any other Person of the Godhead is named; or, when other expressions are used, though we our selves may be more strengthened by such considerations. 2.
When there is an alteration of the expression, we would beware of conceiving that we alter the object; but, would mind that it is the continued worshipping of the same Object GOD, however he be designed: or, what ever be the expressions or different helps, which we seek to strengthen our Faith by. 3. We conceive, that in publick, especially, that change should be warily used, lest it breed, or be apt to breed any such thoughts in others, the generality of people, being prone to imagine different objects of Worship in such cases.
From what is said, we conceive, that the different expressions among Divines in this matter, may be easily agreed: for example, some call Him, as Mediator, Objectum materiale; as God, Objectum formale: some say, as Mediator, He is Objectum quod; and, as God, Objectum quo: some say, Persona, seu is, qui est Deus, est invocandus, quia Mediator, sed quia Deus: some again say, Christus qua Mediator, est invocandus, sed quia Deus: for when some say, qua Mediator, He is not the Object of Worship, they understand the formal Object; which is that, that is understood by others, when they say, quia Deus. Again, when others say, qua Mediator, he is to be worshipped, they understand it as he is the Object of consideration: which is expressed by others, when they say, quia Mediator, Christus Deus est invocandus; or, as such, he is Objectum materiale of our Worship.
It may then be asked, what may be thought of such a form of Prayer, O Mediator, or, O Advocate, plead for me, which some may be apt to put up as being comfortable to them? We answer, in these five Assertions.
Assert. 1. It cannot be simply condemned if well understood with these and such like qualifications, that is, 1. If the Mediator prayed unto, or he who is to plead or interceed, be not conceived to be any different Object of Worship, from God, with whom he interceeds; otherwise there is no keeping of the unity of the Object of Divine Worship; much lesse is he to prayed unto as if he were inferiour to God, as easier to be deals with, or, as if He might be spoken unto, when yet we are not praying unto the Father, and worshipping Him in that same act: for, as Christ-God, reconciled us to himself, by his own satisfaction; so, is himself prevailed with, to make the benefits purchased, forth coming to us by the vertue of His own intercession; and the Person is the same, though the consideration of him in these, is diverse. 2. If there be a right up-taking of his intercession, that in the time while he, as God, is prayed unto, Faith be exercised on the vertue of his intercession, for attaining what is prayed for; so, that expression is but made use of for strengthening, of Faith, without any new, or different act of Faith, but such as is used with other expressions. 3. If the Object prayed unto, be distinguished from the sute or matter prayed for: for so, it is as if we prayed unto him that is King of his Church, and hath received the government, to manage the same for his Churches behoof: because, though the thing sought, to wit, Christs intercession, be peculiar to the second Person of the Godhead, and that as Mediator: yet, he from whom it is sought, is God: and so the Object is the same. 4. It must be one in the matter, as if in different expressions by naming the Father, we should pray, O Father, make me partaker of the benefits of Christs intercession: for, if it be thought that that expression cometh more nearly to the improving of Christs intercession, (or, so to say) to the imploying of him, than any other expression doth. Then it is not to be admitted: because it placeth the improving of his intercession, rather in words, than in faith.
Asser. 2. We grant, that sometimes, de facto, it may be used in sincerity, and accepted by God, when there is much confusion in reference to these qualifications in the Person: because it may have what is essential, to wit, an adoring of God, & an exercise of Faith in Christ, under that expression: so that their meaning is, to obtain what they seek from God, through the vertue of Christ intercession, though themselves be unworthy. Thus, no question, many Prayers of the Saints, where Faith hath been in the Mediator, have been accepted, although there hath been much indistinctnesse, as to the Object, in manythings: such were Cornelius his Prayers, Acts 10. And the Apostles, no question, prayed and were accepted; yet, had defect here, Job. 16:22.
Assert. 3. Again, we answer, That such a form is not necessary simply to the use-making of his intercession, either as if that were limited to this expression, or, as if it were a way more proper, compendious, weighty, or acceptable, in the use-making of Christ, than another: even though all these qualifications concur: for, no question, in the Prayers that are registrated in the Scripture, Christs intercession is made use of: yet no such form is recorded therein.
Assert. 4. We say further, that it may be abused, and, we are afraid, often is; and that it hath some aptnesse to foster mistakes concerning the Object of Worship, or our act in it, as, 1. That the Mediator is one Object, and the Father an other, as if we might pray to the Mediator before we pray to God, and not be in that same act worshipping the Father: or, as if the Mediator that interceeds, were an Object different from God, with whom He is to interceed. If it be said, that He is another thing than God. Answ. Formally, considered, (as is said) he is another thing than the second Person of the Godhead: but he is not any other Person, nor any other God: and so not an other object of Worship. 2. It tendeth to propose Christ as more easie to be dealt with than God; and God, (to wit, the Father) as more rigide, and severe than the Mediator, whereas the divine Attributes are the same in both: for, if Christ-God be considered without respect to His own Mediation, there is no accesse to Him more than to the Father: and if respect be had thereto, there is no equal accesse to the Father, there being the same Covenant & Promises. And it is certain, some will think they may pray to Christ, when they dare not pray to the Father. 3. It obscures the way of the use-making of Christs intercession, which is a most sublime thing, and being the same with praying in His Name, and in Faith, must be conceived to be done Spiritually by Faith, whereas thus Christ is represented as a Mediator amongst men; to whom first adresse is made, and then by Him to the Principal Party: and so it constitutes two addresses, which brangles the unity of the object of Worship. 4. It some way lessens the Glory of the Mediator, at least in appearance, as if He, even the Person, were not Supream, but had another to plead with. It is true, it is so, as He is Mediator; but still it would be adverted that He is also God: and so He may, and can confer what his Mediation procures: and expressions in Prayer, would befit that, and would not be as if he were not God as to his Person, since his Incarnation? 5. It seemeth, if not to represent two Objects of Worship, yet two kinds of Worship, to wit, one to the Mediator, or to Christ, as Mediator: and an other as to God: for, who readily will think, that he who is a distinct Party, intreated to plead, is to be equally honoured, and that in the same act with him with whom He pleads, or at least, a twofold manner of the same Worship, viz. one in this manner, and an other, when this form is not used. 6. It is hard thus to conceive rightly or Christs Person: for, when we pray to Him, we must consider Him as God, at least that must be implied: then, He is also to be interceeded with by His own Mediation, as the Father is, which, I suppose, few intend. If they take the Father Personally, and so that Christ is to interceed with the Father as a distinct person, or a distinct Party, and so not with the Son and Spirit also, That will insinuate that the Father is not the same God with the Son, and infer a divided conception of the most simple essence of the Godhead, which is the One object of Worship.
Assert. 5. Therefore, when all is considered, although we will not condemn it simply, yet we think it more fit to abstain from such formal expressions; or, at least, to be sparing therein, especially in publick: because, 1. So it is difficult to preserve that unity in the one object of Worship, which should be; for, it is not easie to redd things in practice, as distinctions may be given in doctrinal debates and conclusions: and should souls hazard on what may confuse themselves. I say, especially in publick, or with others: because, if it be difficult to keep our own imaginations stayed in such expressions, it will be more difficult to red other mens imaginations, considering what ignorance and vanity usually doth accompany many. 2. There is no such form in Scripture, even in the New Testament, when the Mediator is prayed unto: and it is safest we should follow these that have gone before us: He is indeed prayed unto, considered as Mediator, but still so as the thing prayed for, is expected from Himself, as well as to be obtained by Him.
To close then as we began; here sobriety is called for, and curiosity is to be shunned: & in Worship the heart is rather to be occupied with Godly fear, reverence & dread, than the head to be filled with imaginations.
Having these following things fixed in our hearts by Faith (which we conceive more simply necessary to Worship, what ever the expression be,) to wit. 1. An impression of the Holinesse, Justice, Omnisciencie, and Glory of God, &c. and suitable affections with the present work, to wit, such as the worshipping of such a God doth call for. 2. A conviction that we are praying to that one glorious God, what ever our expressions be: that it is He we are worshipping, that it is our design to adore Him, and that it is from Him that we expect what we pray for, what ever the designation in the petition be, and whatsoever Person be named. 3. An impression of our own sinful dis-proportionablenesse to that work, and of the utter incapacity that we stand in of having accesse to God, or any ground of expecting anything from Him, in respect of our selves; if it be not obtained by vertue of Christ Jesus His satisfaction and intercession. 4. An exercising of Faith on Christ the Mediator, for attaining of what is prayed for, from God, by vertue of the Mediation of the Mediator. All which are necessary, and where they are, we conceive, the soul is to silence all other questionings, and to hold here; and when doubtings arise, to put these two queries to a point within it self. 1. To whom art thou praying? Or, was thou praying? or, from whom expects thou what thou was seeking? Was it not to, and from God? And, 2. For whose cause, and by vertue of what, dost thou expect it from God? What gives thee confidence to put that sure to Him? is it not only through the Mediation of Christ Jesus alone? And where these two are fixedly answered by the conscience, when tentation would jumble, because of indistinctnesse in Prayer, there may be quietnesse notwithstanding: because, these two are the essentials of Worship, to wit, First, that God be approached unto and adored. Next, that in and by the Mediator, addresse only be made unto Him, and this may be where there is no such explicite expression of either: for, where God is mentioned, the Mediator is implyed as the ground upon which we approach unto Him: and when the Mediator is expressed, it is understood, that God in and by Him is worshipped; and that no other God but He who is the Father, Son, and Spirit. And if in all these a conscience were posed, that, may be, had no such explicite thoughts (nor is it possible in worshipping actually, to entertain them distinctly) it would answer, that so it intended and meaned, from one question to another, till it result to this, to wit, that he were praying to the one God, through the vertue of the Mediator Christ Jesus, which is the scope. And thus, much anxiety may be prevented.
As to the fourth question formerly mentioned, to wit, what may be the reasons why Christ is so much insisted on in particular, in the Saints approaching to God, so as the heart is especially rejoyced at the mentioning of Him? or, what may help to improve that ground of accesse which we have by Him? Answ. To the first part: It is no marvel that this relation that Christ doth stand in, be much insisted on, in such a case: and, that thereby the heart be warmed, and made to exult.
First, Because, by that consideration, there is some staying of us in approaching to God: for, the Godhead considered in it self, is an infinit, inconceivable thing: and as there is no proportion betwixt Him and us; so not betwixt Him and our capacities of reaching Him so considered, but by this union of the Godhead with our nature in the Person of the Son: so that He who is Man, is also God, Having the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelling in Him bodily, Coloss. 2:9. There is a condescendencie upon the Almighties side, shewing Himself accessible to sinners, and as appointing this (to say so) for a trysting place with them, to wit, that, He is in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, 2 Cor 5:19 whereupon the heart fixeth, there to meet God, and find Him there; and is thereby imboldened & helped to tryst with the great and dreadful God. This was typified by the Lords placing of the Mercy-seat above the Ark, by the giving of His answers from thence, and appointing the people with respect thereto to make their addresses to him: whence we see, looking toward the Temple, Jonah 2:4 to ward the holy Hill, and holy Oracle, &c. frequently mentioned in the Saints straits; which were typical of this true Tabernacle, which God pitched and not man: and also held out there in their fixing in their Worship, where God had by his Ordinance trysted them, though it was but in Type. And, seing they made so much of it, what wonder is it that the Saints, since Christs incarnation and suffering, make so great account of the Substance and Antitype it self?
Secondly, A second reason, is, Because in Christ Jesus the glory and riches of the Grace of God, in the work of Redemption, doth most eminently & palpably appear: which is both sweetest to the Saints, to insist on, & also tendeth to the advancement of the glory of God, dwelling in Him, and so furnishing Him for them. And therefore, these commendations that are given expresly to Christ the Mediator, & whereby Faith is strengthened in Him, do also set forth & commend exceedingly the Majesty of God, and his Grace condescending thus to men: &, in the same act, do serve to strengthen Faith in Him: for, honouring of God, & the Mediator: & also the speaking to the praise of God, and to the commendation of the Mediator, cannot be separated: & what strengthens Faith in the one, doth it also in the other.
Thirdly, A third is, Because there is most sensible footing & (to speak for) gripping to be gotten by looking to the Mediator, and mentioning of Him: for, He being God & also Man, there is more accesse to conceive what the affections & bowels that He as Man hath, & for this end hath taken up to Glory with Him, that sinners thereby might have confidence in approaching to, and by, an experienced high Priest, Heb 2:18 & 4:16 than can be had to consider God abstractly in Himself: of whose divine Attributes, there can be no such apprehension. And this is not to give a new Object of our Faith, as if thereby it were surer, (for nothing can be added to the fulnesse of God) But, is to make that Object (to say so) more discernable, conceivable, suitable and accessible unto us: & to give us a new ground to strengthen our Faith, and a new way of having our necessities made sensible (to say so) to Him, that is, when not only by His Omniscience, He knows them fully, as God, but also being acquainted thereby with the same: In respect of His humane affections, He is, in an inconceivable manner, by sympathie affected therewith: which though it adde not to the hight or degree of his love and pity; yet, doth it bring it to such a channel (to say so) that hearts are more able to conceive thereof, & are more delighted & comforted therein. And therefore it is no marvel, that the same be most frequently mentioned.
Fourthly, He is (as is frequently said) the ground upon which we have accesse: for, sin made a gulfbetwixt God & man; man could not step over the same to God, but God stepped over, & hath come to mans side by being manifested in our nature, in the Person of the Son, that so He might give men accesse again to Him. Hence Christ is, in going to God, the Door, and Way; and, as it were, the bridge by which they passe, & that safely unto their former communion with God: & therefore Christ being God, so that they cannot have Him but they must have God: &, being also the Way, by which accesse is given them to God, it is no marvel that the mentioning of Him be sweet.
Fifthly, The great effects of the love of God have kythed, & have been brought about in the Person of the Son, the Mediator: and, though there be no greater love, as to its extent, degree, or freenesse in the Son, than in the Father and Spirit, (as is said) nor can be, yet, that maketh the Mediator more obviously lovely to the sinner, although indeed, in the same things, the love of the other two Persons doth appear also. And, seing this maketh the object of our love more sensible to us, and helpeth us to understand Gods love the better, which otherwise is inconceivable: therefore, God, by proposing this as the pattern & evidence of his love, and as the Object of ours, doth even allow sinners to feed their love, and strengthen their faith on this Object, and on the immediate and explicite thoughts thereof, which yet is delighting and feeding on the love of God so manifested, which cannot be so well read & understood, as by direct looking upon it, as it is manifested in the Mediator, who, being God, became Man, suffered, died, and is now, though glorified, yet a true Man, touched in a humane manner with our infirmities, as a mother, or friend are touched with the difficulties of a child, or one intirely beloved, though still in a manner becoming his sinlesse, glorified, and most perfect state. This is a main attractive, to make souls look to God by this open Door: and also by expressing this, which is nearest to their own comfort, & conception to expresse their Faith in God, or their love to him.
For encouraging and clearing of us in the improving of these grounds, these things would be remembered.
That our blessed Lord is true Man, having these affections and properties that are natural and not sinful truly, and really: and that therefore, there is a greater nearnesse conceivable in our approaching to him, than to God simply considered in himself.
That, as he is Man, having such properties: so he is affected suitably thereunto, that is, he hath a humane affection to, and sympathie with these he loveth: and hath the experimental remembrance of his by-past sufferings, which also hath its own affecting influence on his soul, for awakening of such pity as is consistent with his inconceivable glorified state.
That he who is Man, and thus affected, is also God; & so by his Omniscience, acquainted with every need & strait of his people: & with every petition of theirs, whereby his former affections are stirred, (to say so) & his sympathie awakened, to make his divine Attributes forth-coming for their good.
It would be considered, that the Scripture allows these considerations of Christ to Believers, for helping them up to communion with him, & so with God in him: & for strengthening them to approach to him with confidence on that ground.
As there is an exercising of Faith in God, & thereby, a keeping of communion with him; so there is a proportionable sympathizing, heart-warming, and bowel-moving affection allowed us, even towards the very Man Christ, as one hath to a dear friend, or most loving husband: that so, in a word, we may love him, who is Man: as he, who is Man, loves us. And, this kind of communion, is peculiar to the Believer, with the second Person of the Godhead, as it is peculiar to the second Person of the Godhead, as Man, by humane affections, to love him: And thus we are not only one Spirit with him as with the other Persons of the Godhead, 1 Cor. 6:17 but we are one body with him: of his flesh, & of his bone, Eph. 5:30 in respect of this union & communion that is betwixt a Believer and the Man Jesus Christ.
Hence 6. As we have most accesse to conceive of Christs love to us, who is Man: so we are in the greater capacity to vent our love on him, & to have our bowels kindled upon the consideration of his being Man, & performing what he did in our nature for us; so the object is most suited, to be beloved by us, in his condescending to be as a Brother to us. And this doth confirm what is said, & is a reason also why Believers vent their love to God by flowing in its expressions directly concerning Christ: Because, he is both the more sensible Object of our Faith, & love: and also because there is more possibility to conceive & mention what he in our nature hath done, than to consider God, and his operations, in himself abstractly.
And insum, having the excellencies of God dwelling in the Man Christ, whose affections they are more able to conceive of, whose sufferings have made his love palpable, in whom God hath condescended to deal with us: and on whom our affections and Faith also may have the more sensible footing by the consideration of his humane affections, there is no wonder that this way of adoring, praising, & loving of God, be so much insisted upon: & yet, even then when the heart is upon this consideration delighting and feeding it self upon the Mediator, still his Godhead is emplyed, and God in him delighted in: without which, all other consolations would be defective. And so it is God, in the Mediator, who is the object of this delight. Now, unto this one God, be praise in the Church, by Jesus Christ, for now and ever.
WE heard of the Persons from whom: follows now these to whom the Epistle is sent, to wit, the seven Churches in Asia; and they are particularly named, ver 11 & are severall times spoken of in the two Chapters following: Therefore, at the entry, we shall speak to a doubt or two concerning this inscription to them.
Quest. 1. Why is this Revelation, in form of an Epistle, sent to particular Churches, rather than to the whole Church? 2. And why is it sent particularly to the seven Churches in Asia? 3. Why are they stiled seven Churches, and not one Church.
To the first of these: Though it be sent to particular Churches; yet, this excludes none from the use of it to the end of the world: for, though many particular Epistles, as the Epistles to the Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, &c. be directed to particular Churches; yet, the benefit of the Word contained in them extendeth to all Believers in all ages, as well as to them to whom they were directed: So, those particular Epistles, directed to the seven Churches in Asia, in the 2 and 3 chapters, are useful and behoveful to all the Churches of Christ in the like cases, as if they had been particularly directed to them: therefore is that Word cast to, in the close of each of those Epistles, Let him that hath an ear, hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches. 2. As to the general subject matter of this Book. It concerns not these particular Churches, more than others, as we told at the entry. For, ver. 1. It is directed to his Servants, to be made use of to the end of the World, and it’s sent to those particular Churches to be transmitted by them to other Churches; and in this sense, the Church is called the pillar and ground of Truth, 1 Tim. 3:15 as holding forth and transmitting the Truth to others.
To the second, Why is it dedicated to the seven Churches in Asia? Answ. 1. Either because these Churches were next to Patmos, where John was now banished: for, those who are skilled in Geography know, that this little Isle lyes off Asia the lesse. Or, 2. Because it’s like John had particular inspection of those Churches in Asia committed to him: which though it be not particularly set down in Scripture; yet, it’s clear from Scripture, that there was a division of inspection among the Apostles, without limiting any of them. Peter was sent to the Circumcision; Paul to the Gentiles; James abode at Jerusalem. And in the Ecclesiastick Story, it’s asserted, that after Paul had planted Ephesus, John stayed there, who lived last of the Apostles: And so these Churches being (as would seem) under his special oversight, while he is absent from them by banishment, he commends this Epistle to them. 3. Jesus Christ sends it to them, partly, because of some special faults that were among them, their need so requiring: and because of some special tryals they were to endure, and the need they had of consolation under these trials: partly, because they were the most famous Churches then: for, Jerusalem was now destroyed, this being written in the days of Domitian the Emperour.
To the third, Why writes he to them as particular Churches, To the seven Churches in Asia, and not to the Church in Asia? Answ. For clearing of this, the scripture speaks of the Church in a threefold sense, 1. As comprehending the whole number of visible Professors, scattered through the world: so the Gospel-Church is spoken of from the dayes of Christ to His coming again, as 1 Cor. 12:28. God hath set some in the Church, first Apostles, secundarily Prophets, &c. where by Church, is not to be understood this or that particular Church, nor the Church in Corinth: for, the Church he is speaking of, is such a Church, as God had set the Apostles in, and all Officers; and that was in no particular Church, but is the universal Church, spoken of in the Verse before made up both of Jews and Gentiles: and so the word is often used elsewhere, as it is said, Paul madeth vock of the Church, and that he persecuted the Church. It was not this or that particular Church, but all that called on the Name of Jesus Christ, to whatsoever particular Church they did belong. So, (1 Cor. 10:32) the Church is contradistinguished from Jews and Gentiles, Give none offence to the Jews, nor Gentiles nor to the Church of God, that is, to the Church visible, professing Faith in Christ. And this Church, Revel. 12 is set out under the similitude of a woman in travel, in readiness to be delivered, and afterward doth flee: which is not this or that particular Church, but the Mother-Church, comprehending the whole visible number of Professors. 2. It is taken, as comprehending a number of Believers, meeting together in one place ordinarily for the Worship of God, the smallest associated part of this body of the universal visible Church, as 1 Cor. 14:34 a company of professing Believers met, or meeting together for Preaching, or Prayer: and in this sense, the Scripture speaks not so often of the Church. 3. It’s taken neither for the whole body of visible Professors, nor yet for such a part of that Body, that is, a company met or meeting together: but, for a number associated and combined under one Government, meeting in their Church-Guides and Officers, though under this combination and Government there be many Congregations and Meetings: and so the Church at Corinth, Ephesus, and Jerusalem, is to be understood: not for the Universal Catholick Church, nor for a particular Congregation; but for a number of particular Congregations under one Government, such as there was in Corinth and Ephesus. And yet, when he directs his Epistle to one Church, as under one Government, particular Congregations are included: as in Jerusalem, there were many Churches and many Watch-men, and they could not meet together in one place, for the exercise of Gods Worship: yet it was not unsuitable to say, the Church at Jerusalem, (as the Church at Glasgow) as under one Government, though it were not suitable to speak of them as of one Congregation met together: for, there were many moe Congregations of people in one of those Towns, as 1 Cor. 14:34 compared with 1 Cor. 1:3 there were Churches under one Church: therefore, it behoved to be a mutual combination, that made up one body. In answer to the Question therefore, While he speaks to them as Churches in Asia, it is because he looks on them as so many distinct incorporations, parts of the whole; or, because their cases & conditions were distinct; & one message could not agree to all, the case of Ephesus, was one; the case of Smyrna, and her, &c. And severall cases and conditions, required severall letters.
But if any say, It is improper to speak of a Church in the New Testament, except of a particular Congregation, because it’s said here to the seven Churches in Asia, and elswhere the Churches in Judea, &c.
We answer: 1. That inference will not hold; but rather the contrary: for here, it’s said, the Church at Ephesus; and in Ephesus were many particular Congregations: therefore, it’s meaned of a Church associated & combined under one Government: neither ever are Churches in one place mentioned, of whatsoever number they be: but as one. 2. Though seven Churches of Asia be spoken of here: yet, Revel. 12 the Church is spoken of, under the similitude of one woman: & these Churches, must be parts of that one: the seed of that woman & children of that mother. See more, chap. 11 at the end.
Observe, That our Lord Jesus Christ taketh notice of the particular estate of his Churches: not only how it goeth with the Church, in general; but how it goeth with this or that particular Church; how it goeth With Edinburgh, Glasgow, &c. which shews a reason why he distinguisheth them in the inscription.
The second part of the inscription, is, a thanksgiving, from the midst of the 5 vers. to the 7 vers. when he hath wished Grace and Peace from Jesus Christ, whom he calls the first begotten from the dead: because by vertue of Him, all do arise; and because he was the first that rose and went to Heaven (for, though Enoch and Elias be personally in Heaven, they tasted not of death: and so cannot be called the first begotten from the dead; others died again, as Lazarus.) And when he hath called Him the Prince of the Kings of the earth, as set down now at his Fathersright hand, as the Fathers Lord-Deputy, to point out His Mediatory and given Kingdom; and His reigning, for the good of the Elect, and to rule others for their sake: though not to subdue & make them willing Subjects; yet, to bruise them with his Mace & Iron-Scepter. When, I say, he is speaking thus of Jesus Christ, his heart beginneth to warm: and he breaketh out in a word of thanksgiving: wherein there is, 1. a description of the Person, to whom the thanksgiving is made. 2. The thanksgiving it self. The description is excellent, and of exceeding great consolation to the Church, as holding out Christs bowels, & the priviledges and benefits that Believers have in and through him. 1. In the Fountain they come from, Him that loved us. What a One is Christ? he is he who loved us: this is the Bosome-grace, from whence all other Graces & Benefits do flow, Prov. 8 everlasting love, and the first and chief stile in all our praise. If Believers would know who Christ is? It’s he who loved us: a most comfortable stile. 2. In the particular benefits that flow from this love, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. Every word hath an emphasis in it: He had not an empty and complementing love: but such a love as moved him to leave the hight of Glory, and come down & take on our nature: and in that nature to die, and shed his blood for us: and by that blood, to wash us from the filthinesse and guilt of sin, in taking away the evil of sin and wrath. And, in that He is said to wash us from sin in His own blood, It suppones, 1. That sin is a filthinesse. 2. That this filthinesse is no: easily washen away. 3. That there is a great efficacie and real vertue in the blood of Christ, to wash the soul and cleanse it from sin, as if it had never sinned; as there is efficacie and vertue in a fountain of water, to wash a filthie thing. And this was typified in those ceremonial and legal washings under the Law. 4. That, that wherewith Christ washeth Believers, is, his own blood: not the blood of Bulls & Goats: but the blood of the first begotten from the dead, the blood of the true and faithful witnesse, the blood of the Prince of the Kings of the earth; yea, the blood of Him which is, which was, & which is to come, the blood of him who was, and is God, Therefore (Act. 20:28) it’s said, Feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. It holds out, not only the efficacie and satisfactorinesse of the blood of Christ; but also the end of His death: that it was not a meer Testimony and Witnesse-bearing, nor only to leave an example to others, (as profane men, derogating from our blessed Lords death, affirm) but, to wash His own from their sins in His blood, to take away the guilt of sin in Justification, & to make the Power of His death come in and slay sin, and to sanctifie, as it is 1 Cor. 6. Such were some of you, but now you are washed, that is, Justified & Sanctified. There is not a Name that Christ hath, but it hath, some priviledge and benefit in it to Believers; it holds out love on His side, and consolation on ours: & every benefit which comes to us, is a Name & Commendation to him, & may be so used by us.
Vers 6. In the description, He sets out how Christ, not only takes away what is ill, from us; but how He abounds in conferring priviledges on us. He not only takes away sin; but, He hath made us Kings & Priests to God His Father: First, Kings, 1. In delivering us from the slavery of sin, that the most part of the world lives in: and in making us masters over sin and sinful lusts, matters over the Devil and the World, and the Flesh in some measure. And this is a Princely thing: so the Church is set out, Rev. 12 as having the Moon, that is to say, the transitorie world under her feet. 2. Kings, in respect of a Spiritual reigning in our spirits with God, by an heavenly conversation: having our conversations in Heaven, Philip. 3:20, Col. 3:1 in an holy and heavenly pride, and in a sort of kingly majesty, disdaining the ups & downs in the world. 3. Kings also, in title and right, being set as Kings on the Throne with Him, to execute the judgement written, Psal. 149:9. This honour have all His Saints, in a spiritual way, and some way to judge the world in their practice: and they shall be Kings in possession, when that, which is here, shall have the full accomplishment: and all the Saints, as so many crowned Kings, shall follow Him in the clouds. Secondly, Priests, to offer their bodies a living Sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, Rom. 12:1 to offer Prayers and Praises, the calves of their lips: and this is no small priviledge, to have accesse to God as Priests. The Jews held these two, as great dignities, the Kingly and Priestly offices; and Believers are called by Christ to both, so that they may come with boldnesse to the Throne of Grace, and enter within the Holiest, through the Vail, by that new and living way, being freed from the spirit of bondage and fear, which in a great part accompanied the Jews ceremonial Worship. 1. How many excellent consolations are here to Believers, and grounds of directions to them? What grounds of consolation comparable to these, to be was hen in that bloud of the Lamb; to be made Kings and Priests to God and Christs Father, that is, to no Idole, but to Him, to whom Christ is a Priest? Here is life and immortality brought to light by the Gospel, priviledges and benefits of an exceeding passing worth and excellency.
Comparing this verse with vers. 1. Here Kings and Priests: and there, his Servants. Observe, That there is no such royalty & dignity in the World, as to be our Lord Jesus his Servant; it is truely to be a King, to reign; and a Priest, to be consecrated to God: It consists not in loosnesse and carnal liberty; but in new obedience: and the more obedient, circumspect & strict in Holinesse, the greater liberty, majesty, & kingly statelinesse. All our Lords Servants are Kings, so great a King is he, and so happy are they.
These Priviledges lay an obligation on Believers, to carry themselves as such. 1. If Christs bloud be given as a fountain to wash at, then make use of it for pardon of sin, Mortification & Sanctification. 2. Let us carry our selves Kingly. It’s a beastly thing to be a servant of sin; but, it’s a Kingly thing and stately, to be minding the Throne, we are called to the faith and hope of: to have our hearts & conversation suitable to that holy and heavenly place; to have royall spirits, disdaining, and trampling on the things of a present world, as unworthy of our hearts & affections.
Comparing this with the former, when he speaks of Christ, his affections warms, and when he speaks of the benefits, which come by Him, it leades him to the love they came from: and by that, again, he is led to praise Him; and he cannot get Jesus Christ set high enough. Observe, Believers hearts should warm, and be often warming themselves with thoughts of Christ, and venting their warmnesse of affection to Him in praise: It’s a sweet thing, when Believers hearts cannot part with Christ; but, when ever He comes in their mind or mouth, still to give Him a word of praise, and come to their purpose again, as John doth here: And it’s often thus with Paul, as 1 Tim. 1:17, Eph. 3:20.
IT’s a concerning message that Christ is now sending to His Church: therefore there is the larger preface to stir them up he writs to, to make that which he sends welcome.
We heard, from the 4 verse, the particular Inscription or direction of this Book, as an Epistle: and when he hath wished grace and peace, and set down the parties from whom the grace and peace is wished, and the Epistle is sent: he turns it over in a thanksgiving to Christ, especially, pitching on Him, as looking to the benefits and priviledges they injoyed through Him: as being, in a speciall way, purchased by Him: and this thanksgiving, or doxologie, is all, that he and all Saints can give Christ, for all that He hath done for them; unto him be glory & dominion. Believers, in looking on Christs purchase, would be more in ascribing glory & dominion to Him; not that they can add any new glory to Him, or enlarge His Dominion; but it is to acknowledge, that to Him belongs glory and dominion, as it’s afterwards, Chap. 5, vers. 12. Worthy is the Lamb that Was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and glory, and blessing. It’s Believers expression, and hearty assent, in approving Gods purpose & project in making him Head over all the Church.
Vers. 7. He seems to come back where he left, when he began his thanksgiving to speak of Jesus Christ under the last title of Prince of the Kings of the earth; and that by way of pre-occupying an objection, which carnall hearts might make: and it is this. Is He Prince of the Kings of the earth, who was put to death, and laid in the Grave? Where is He now, if He be such a Prince? He answereth, Behold, he cometh with clouds: though many profane carnall hearts now do not acknowledge Him; yet, He shall one day be acknowledged He is now out of fight; but it will not be long so: He is making ready for His coming to Judgement, and is coming, Chap. 22:20, Surely I come quickly. This coming, in the present time, implyeth two things. 1. The Seasonablnesse of His coming; He misses no time, He comes quickly, 2. That even the short time He delayes, He is making ready, as it were, for His coming; He is leading Witnesses, and fitting Processes, and discovering the truth and falshood of every thing; and every thing that may further His coming, is going forward; He is not idle in reference to His last coming to Judgement, but is hasting all. Secondly, His coming to judgement, is set out in the majesty and statelinesse of it, under an expression ordinary in the Prophets (as much of this Book is) He cometh with clouds. So Psal. 97:2. Clouds and darknesse are round about him; and Mat. 24:30. He shall come in the cloud; of heaven, with power and great glory. So Psal. 18:10, 11. To set out the statelinesse of the Judge that cometh thus backed with Cœlestiall Majesty. Thirdly, His coming is set out by the palpablenesse and visiblenesse of it, Every eye shall see him: though most part of Atheists think not of his coming now; yet when He shall come, there shall not be a reasonable creature, that ever had life on Earth, whether Believer, or unbeliever, but they shall with their eyes see Him in that day. Fourthly, Among them that shall see Him, these are added, They also who peirced Him: under which is comprehended His greatest Enemies; and it takes in both those, who had their hands hote in his bloud, and killed him bodily; and those who crucified, and do crucifie Him spiritually, as it’s said, Chap. 11:8. He was crucified in spirituall Sodom, they shall all, in that day, be called before His Barr, and be forced to look on Him. A fifth circumstance in His coming, All kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him; in the Originall, all the Tribes of the earth: it is a word borrowed from the Jews their manner of reckoning, who counted their Kingdoms by Tribes. The meaning is, all the Kingdoms of the earth, and those that laugh at Him now, and think little of His coming, when it is spoken of, shall wail because of Him, that is, because of their slighting of Him; and now seeing Him to be their judge, whom they slighted and contemned: and though there be now a kindly mourning, like that in Zach. 12:10. They shall look, upon Him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn; yet, this being to be at the day of judgement, and spoken of the enemies that think nothing of Him now, we take it to be an anxious howling or enemies, when they shall see Christ come in the clouds to the great judgement, and all His Angels and Saints about Him, as Matth. 24:30. Then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourn. Sixthly, There is a sixth circumstance added, even so, Amen: which is Johns setting to his seas, to His coming: and its doubled (as it is ordinary) both in the Greek and Hebrew. He wisheth He may come, and believeth He will come, that it may be as he hath said, even as he closeth his Revelation, Amen, Even so, come Lord Jesus. And so it looketh to His stately way of coming, & the effects it shall have in the world, it being for His Glory, to vindicate himself from the rubs that his profane enemies put upon him in the world, he sayes Amen to that, even so, Amen.
Observe, 1. Our Lord Jesus, that was crucified, and thought little of, shall be as high as ever he was low in the open view of all his enemies. The time is coming (and now is advancing fast forward) when he shall take unto him his Kingdom; and be visibly seen by all the Kingdoms of the earth, to be the judge of quick and dead, the Prince of the Kings of the earth. This is one of the Articles of our Creed; and we would make use of this Scripture, to confirm it: there is a time coming, and it is not far off, when he shall set his Throne in the Clouds, & all eyes shall see him. Think ye this true, that there is a time coming, when we that are here, & all others, shall see Christ in his Humane Nature, & also much of his Godhead as he shall be pleased to let out, and we capable of? Think on it, and let it not go with a word; but consider how ye will meet him & stand before him: and when ye meet with difficulties, or creature-comforts that would turn you aside, remember on this day: & where will they all be, when ye shall be arrested to stand before him, Eccles. 11:9.
Obs. 2. Christs coming to judgement is a special part of his statelinesse, & a main part of the Universalnesse of his Kingly Office as Mediator, when he shall come and sit as Judge, and give sentence on godly & wicked, and send away the one, and welcome the other. This will be one of his stateliest dayes, when he shall vindicate himself from profane men, and bear himself out to his people in his exceeding Glory. Believers, believe there is such a Day; and let it quiet your hearts in the mean time of all these confusions.
Obs. 3. Our Lord Jesus his coming to judgement, will be a doleful coming to the most part of the world: they also who peirced Him, and all kinreds of the earth shall wail because of Him; they shall cry to the hills Fall on us, and to the mountains, cover us; and would be glad to get into the clefts of the rocks, and to the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the Glory of his Majesty, Isa. 2:12. Men would think the greatest hill or mountain a light burden in that Day, to get themselves hid from the peircing view of a slighted and provoked Mediator. Oh, but that will be bitter and sore to bide! Think upon it. There is a time coming, when many of you that hears this same word, if Grace prevent not, shall see and find the truth of it. It’s terrible, but experience will make it true: many of you now skars to hear tell of Christs coming to judgement; but when that day cometh, it shall be bitter in another kind to you, when this bitter yelling no i.e., crying & howling shall be among the carnal world that slighted him, & ye shall find your selves among them, and shall share with them; and every cry and yell about you, shall be a new wound. Therefore humble your selves, and seek for mercy and reconciliation in time: for, either must you get in now, or never.
Obs. 4. A hearty contenting and saying Amen to Christs coming to judgement, to have fore-thoughts of it, and to be longing for it, and wishing that it may come, is a good token of a Believer and friend of Christ, to whom this day will be a comfort. But, if many of us had our own mind, we would never wish to die, not that there should be a day of judgement.
Ver. 8. Christ cometh in Himself to tell what He is, and to confirm what John hath said of Him; I am Alpha and Omega: which are two letters in the Greek Alphabet; Alpha, the first, and Omega, the last: and the meaning is in the nexts words, the beginning and the ending. The beginning, He who gives all things a being and beginning, and have no beginning My self: The ending, He who puts an end to all things; and in whom all things end, and hath no ending my self: for, all things terminate in Him as their end, Rom. 11:36. To Him are all things, which is, which was, and which is to come, the same description which was given to God the Father, vers. 4 setting out the immutability and unchangeablenesse of his being, that he is from Eternity to Eternity the same, and, as we shew, the title JEHOVAH taketh in these three words. Then more plainly, the Almighty: every word here is a proper Attribute of God; he is infinite in power, soveraign in dominion, & not bounded as creatures are; And this is clear to be spoken of Christ, not only from the scope, (John being to set out Christ from whom He had this Revelation) but from the 11 vers. following, where he gives Him the same titles over again; or rather, Christ, speaking of himself, taketh and repeateth the same titles.
Obs. 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ, is God equal with the Father, & holy Ghost: he, who is the first & last, the beginning and the ending, which is, which was, and which is to come, the Almighty, must be God. These titles can agree to no other: there is no created being capable of any of these titles; but he is such. Therefore, &c.
Obs. 2. The statelinesse and majesty of our Lord Jesus Christ: What an excellent and stately Person is he? there is not a property attributed to God, but it is agreeable to Christ. The use of it, is, to bring hearts to high thoughts of Christ: and it is not for nought, but for this end that the Scripture insists so much in giving him such stately stiles, even to wear souls out of their Atheistical thoughts of him, and to prefer and esteem him above all.
Vers. 9. Follows the body of this Book, or Epistle. We will not now enter on a particular division of it. That which is vers. 19 of this same Chapter, shall serve for the time, Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter. The whole may be taken up in these two, 1. John his representing the case of things, as they were for the present, and, as they were to be hereafter.
The first of these, to wit, his representing the case of things as they then were, is, that which is set down in the first three Chapters: wherein is set out the case that the seven Churches of Asia were in; which he discovers to themselves, & to the world: and shews how many soul faults they had under a fair name & profession: and this takes up John’s first vision.
That which is from the 9 vers. to the end of this Chapter, we take up in these three. 1. There is the vision it self, what John saw and what he heard from vers. 10 to vers. 17 mixed throw other. 2. In the 9 and 10 verses, some circumstances are set down concerning John and the manner of his receiving the vision, to make way for the faith of the vision, and the whole story that follows. 3. From the 17 vers. to the end, some circumstances, that make way for John his writing & publishing what he saw and heard, are recorded.
The first circumstance that makes way for the faith of the vision and story, is, the person by whom Christ wrote, 1 John: of whom we have heard before in the entry. And he sets out himself here further, under several expressions or titles. 1. Who also am your brother; a son of the same house, a joynt heir with you in the same Kingdom: a comforting title to them, and a humbling title to him. Those he wrote to, being brethren, he reckons in himself a brother with them: for, the most eminent Believers, John, Paul, Abraham, David, &c. come in to be brethren with the meanest Believers; all being children of one Father, of one House heirs of one Inheritance: and Abraham, his being a brother, and John his being a brother, prejudgeth not the least of them to whom he writeth. And as all have one Father; so all are begotten by the same word, have one Spirit here, and Glory for ever hereafter. 2. The next title he describes himself by, is, companion in tribulation, that is, a fellow sufferer with you, a sharer of the sufferings of Christ as well as you: I, who am a great Apostle am not exempted from sufferings more than ye are, who are in Smyrna, Philadelphia, &c. I have mine own share of the Crosse, as ye have; yea, he takes it to himself as a title of honour, as a great prerogative and dignity, as Paul, Eph. 3:1. I Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, So it is, 1 John, who as I am suffering with you, so I am confined for Preaching to you in Patmos: pointing out this, that as all Believers are brethren: so all have one lot in suffering here away; and none are exempted from the Crosser were it the Disciple whom Jesus loved and leaned on his bosom at the Supper, the night He was betrayed: yet, he must be a companion in tribulation, and come into heaven at the same door with the rest. Folks would not think this strange, that afflictions light on these whom Christ loves best: the servant is not greater than the Lord. It should comfort sufferers, and make them look on it, as their prerogative, to be sufferers for Christ 3. There is a further aggravation, or explication, of the former, and in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ. Lest it should be thought anything derogatory to be a sufferer, he says, he is a companion in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ with them. And these two words, Kingdom and Patience, are put together, not only to shew He is a King and a Priest with other Believers; but to shew this much, that Christs Kingdom, is often more in the exercise of patience than in dominion; and that the Subjects of Christs Kingdom here, are more put to exercise patience than to reign. His meaning is, I am a sharer with you in the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ, that needeth no worldly grandour, but hath need of patience. And it faith, that he counts it his prerogative to be singled out, and put to patient suffering, for giving testimonie to Christ as King of His Church. Afflictions for Christ, and sharing in his Kingdom, may stand well together for the time and in reference to the upshot, if we suffer with him, we shall reign with him.
A second circumstance, which is also a further description of himself, is, from the place and cause. 1. From the place of his suffering, I was in the Isle which is called Patmos. This Patmos, is an Isle in the Ægean-Sea, near the coast of Asia the lesse, not far from the seven Churches in Asia, to whom he writeth: a place which is called barren, by them who write of it: not much inhabited then, nor now, because of the barrennesse of it: therefore it was a greater evidence of the cruelty of Johns persecuters that banished him thither. 2. The cause, is, for the Word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ, that is, for his Preaching the Word of God, and for his owning and maintaining Christs Gospel: for, his bearing testimonie, that Jesus Christ was the King, Priest, and Prophet of his Church, and the eternal substantial Word of the eternal Father; for Christs cause, who is the Word of God; or, for bearing testimony to Him. The way how he came to this Island, is not set down; but Historie tellse (Euseb. lib. 3 cap. 14 ex Irenæo and Clem. Alex.) it was in the fourteenth year of Domitian the Emperour, when he raised the second persecution against the Church of Christ, about the 97 year of our Lord, that he, after he had tortured John, banished him to this Isie: near about the same time of John’s age. This then is the place that John was banished to: and yet, in the same place, he hath sweet fellowship with God: is countenanced of him, and honoured to be the carrier of this Revelation to the Church.
See here how far gracelesse and profane persecuters, (such as this beast Domitian was) may prevail against the servants of Jesus Christ, when he doth banish John to Patmos, beside other horrible persecutions, which he raised against the Church. Christ, by this, would have us know his Kingdom is not of this world.
Solitarinesse for Christ, is not the worst condition. Christ can make up that another way: and if there be a necessity of withdrawing men from their duty, as of Ministers from their publick Ministery, he can make it tend as much to their private benefit, and to the publick good of his Church, is not more: neither doth John lose anything by his banishment & confinement; for, he finds more intimate and sweet communion & fellowship with Christ, and gets more of his mind: nor doth the Church lose anything by it: for, she gets this Revelation of Gods mind. If we believed this, we would never go out of Gods way, to make up his Work: for, if he please to lay us by, he knows how to make up that; both to our selves & Gods people. The Christian Church, is as much beholden to Paul’s imprisonment in Epistles, as to his liberty in Preaching.
Honest suffering for Christ, hath often with it the freshest & clearest manifestations of Christ. Folks that will continue faithful, and bide by their duty through sufferings, they shall not only not be losers, but gainers, 1 Pet. 4:14. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ, happie are ye: for, the Spirit of God, and of Glory resteth upon you. I would have none carnal nor vain in this, but humbly confident and constant, as they would thrive in their Spiritual condition and maintain their peace.
BEfore John come particularly to the Vision he saw, he insisteth in some particular circumstances, that make way to the more full faith and credite of the Vision and Story that followeth: and though they be only circumstances in themselves: yet they are profitable and conducing to the main end he hath before him. We heard of the first and second circumstance how, and where John was, when he got this Vision.
Followeth in the 10 vers. the third and fourth circumstances, that is, the day when he got this Vision, & the frame he was in, I was in the spirit on the Lords day. The words, in the Originall, are, I was in the spirit on that Lords day, pointing out a day singularly, and a day that in a particular and speciall manner is called His Day, beside any other day, that Dominik day, or day which is the Lords.
That we may have accesse to the use, we shall speak a little to these two. 1. What particular day this is, seing there is no mention made what day it is, more than this, that it is called The Lords day. 2. What it is to be in the spirit on this day.
For clearing of the first of these two, ye would consider, that there is but one other phrase in Scripture like this, and it’s spoken of the Lords Supper, 1 Cor. 11. This is not to eat the Lords Supper. They that know the Originall, know also this phrase to be singular, like this of the Lord’s day, ἐν τῇ κυριακῇ ῆμέρα, & 1 Cor. 11:20. κυριακὸν δεῖπνον, which is opposed unto, and contradistinguished from, τὸ ἴδιον δεῖπνον: which was not set apart from other suppers, and common use, as this was: And these two, being by one particular phrase expressed, we must expound the one by the other. Now, the Lords Supper, is called so, for three Reasons; for which also, we conceive this day, to be called the Lords day. 1. The Lords Supper, because of the Lords singular instituting that Bread and Wine for a speciall and religious end, distinguishing, differencing and setting it apart from a common use, to a more speciall use: And so, this day, is called the Lords day: because of the Lords separating and setting apart this day for His speciall Service and Worship; and in that, distinguishing it from other dayes, as He had done that Supper from common suppers, 2. The Lords Supper, for its speciall signification, Jesus Christ and His benefits being especially set out in it, his death & sufferings pointed at, and the benefits we have thereby. So this day, is called, the Lords day, because it’s of speciall signification, pointing out not so much Gods ceasing from the work of Creation, as our Lords ceasing from the work of Redemption: as the Lords Supper is for the remembrance of His death till He come again: so is this day for remembring the work of Redemption, and his Resurrection, till He come again. 3. The Lords Supper: because of its speciall end, to set out the honour of the Mediator, and the Worship, and Ordinances brought in by him under the New Testament; so to distinguish it from the Passeover. So this day, is called the Lords day, for the same reason, to set out the honour of the Mediator, and that it may be enrolled among the Ordinances of the New Testament: therefore, when in the New Testament, ought is called the Lords, it points ordinarily at Christ the Mediator, and at the second Person of the God-head, as 1 Cor. 8:6. One God, distinguished from One Lord. We take it then for granted, that it is called, the Lords day, for these Reasons: because it’s a speciall day, set apart for the Lords use, of speciall signification, and for a speciall end. And Secondly, that it is a speciall day, known to the Church, may appear: for else, John would not have given it such a denomination; and that it points at some thing of Christ, and so is separated from any Jewish day, and common day, It is a day known singularly to relate to Christ. To clear it, consider, it must either be the first day of the Week, or some other: But none other day it is, Ergo, &c. If any other, it can be supposed onely one of these two: either not any particular day of the Week, but any speciall day or time of Christs appearing or manifesting himself; Or else the Jewish Sabbath day. Now, neither of these can be meant by the Lords day. 1. Not the former: for, such a day of Christs speciall appearing not being named here, it would leave the Church in an uncertainty to know what day was meaned: yet is this day mentioned, to point it out from other dayes; that is the scope why it is so designed. Beside, if it were any such day, it would point at no one day; for there are many times of Christs appearing. It’s not so to be understood then, though even so our Lords appearing may agree to the first day of the Week, whereon most frequently He appeared after his Resurrection to his Disciples, as Mat. 28, Joh. 20:26, Acts 1:2. 2. Neither the latter, to wit, the Jewish Sabbath day. 1. Because it’s ever called the Sabbath, and gets the own name that it formerly had: and the giving of it this name, will more obscure then clear the day. 2. Because the Jewish Sabbaths were then annulled, as Colos. 2:16. Let none judge you in meat or drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new Moon, or of the Sabbath dayes: Therefore then can they not be called the Lords day. And Gal. 4:10 they are reproved for observing Dayes, and Months, and Times, and Years, where it is clear, the Jewish new Moons, Sabbaths and Festivities were then, and before that time abolished in so far as peculiar to them, though all distinction of dayes was not taken away, more than all distinctions of the Elements in the Lords Supper from other Meat: because distinction of meat was condemned there also; But this followeth, all Jewish distinction both of meat and dayes was taken away, but what is still assigned by Christ, that continues. 3. The Lords day in the phrase of the New Testament, looks to Christ, as having its name some way from him: which cannot be said of the Jewish Sabbath; But this is called the Lords day, as pointing at an Ordinance of the New Testament, whereas the Jewish Sabbaths had a respect to the Old Testament-Ordinances. 3. It remaineth therefore, it must be the first day of the Week, because no other day can lay claim to it: it is that day, which we call Sunday, or, the Christian Sabbath; & was, in the Primative times, called The Lords day. 1. Because the Reasons why a day is called The Lords day; do agree to it, especially. The jewish Sabbath, was called The Lords day, Exod. 20:8 because on it he ceased from the works of Creation: this day is called The Lords day; because on it He ceased from the work of Redemption, Mat. 16:1, 2, Luk. 24:1, 2, Joh. 20:1. It’s that day, whereon our Lord not only rose; but severall times did meet with His Disciples: and many mark severall priviledges and benefits conferred on this day, as the pouring out of the holy Ghost, Acts 2. And moe reasons might be given, whereby this day is singularly beyond others to be called His. 2. Because this first day of the Week and no other, was set apart for the Lords Worship and Service, as distinguished from other dayes. And Johns end here, is, to six on a particular day, known to them, and so esteemed of among them, as such a day. That it was set apart for the Lord and His Worship, is clear not only from places we nave named, but from Act. 20:7 Upon the first day of the Week, when the Disciples came together, to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight: Which intimates not onely a meeting, but a custom of meeting, and that for Preaching, Prayer, and celebration of the Lords Supper. So 1 Cor. 16:2. Upon the first day of the Week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him; and in the 1 vers. he tells, concerning the Collection of the Saints, he had given the same order to the Churches of Galatia. If it be asked, Why doth Paul point at the first day of the Week, and bids give themselves to Charity that day: here it is, because that day was dedicated to Gods Service and Worship, whereof Charity was a pendicle: And (as we hinted at) this was not peculiar to one Church, as Corinth; but was common to all the Churches. The like order was in all the Churches of Galatia: and it doth not point at Paul’s instituting a day; but at his supposing of it to be instituted; and at his injoyning of a positive dutie of Charity meet for that day. And it’s observable, that though the Saints had meetings on other dayes; yet, is it never said, they did meet the second, third, or fourth dayes, &c. but on the first: which certainly is done, to shew a peculiarnesse in that day, and the meetings on it; yea, few or none deny this denomination to signifie the first day on this account, it being so clear from Antiquity, and no other day being here to compet with it, and that can lay such claim to this denomination, as this day doth; and was by the most Ancient still so named.
For the second thing to be cleared: What it is to be in the spirit on the Lords day? To be in the spirit, is, First; to be Spirituall, to have the habits of Grace, and a new Nature: and thus it taketh-in the ordinary walk of Believers, Gal. 5:16, 25. Secondly, More especially, it is for these who are habitually in the Spirit, to be actually and in a more eminent measure in the Spirit, as Eph. 5:18 to be filled with the spirit, to be in holy rapture and ecstasie, is warranted and allowed to Believers in a more speciall frame, and at more speciall times to be in a spiritualnesse abstracted from carnalnesse, and lawfull things, more than ordinary. Thirdly, It is to be in the Spirit in an extraordinary manner and measure, or to be in an extraordinary rapture, the Spirit revealing something extraordinarily: and this is to be in the Spirit, in a sense different from the former, albeit consisting with them. We cannot seclude any of these, in this place: for John was regenerated, and was habitually Spirituall and Gracious; but we especially include the last two: As if he said, though I was absent from company and Christian fellowship, and had not a Congregation to Preach in on the Lords day; yet I was in the Spirit, exercising the habits of Grace, and I was in an eminent, Spirituall and Holy frame; the Spirit, elevating my spirit: (which is that spoken of Isa. 58:13. If thou call the Sabbath a delight, the Holy f the Lord, &c) and the Lord taketh him in this spirituall frame and strain, and ravisheth him in the Spirit: and from the second step He brings him up to the third, to be in Spirit as an extraordinary Prophet, as we take Peter to have been, Act. 10 when he went up to pray, that is, to the second step; and fell in a Trance, and saw Heaven opened, which is the third. We think the same hath been John’s case here.
The words give occasion to speak of fever all Doctrines, as 1. The good that is to be gotten on the Lords day, when folks are in a spirituall frame. 2. That when folks are separated from the publick Ordinances, they would be making it up in private, by giving themselves to spirituall exercises. 3. And that God not only can, but doth make up the good to be gotten by the publick, by private and secret fellowship with himself, when Believers in Him are banished from, or denuded of the publick Ordinances. But not to insist on these, they give occasion to speak a little of these three things. 1. The institution of the Lords day. 2. The name that the Lords day gets. 3. Of the sanctification of it, or, of a speciall part, where in the sanctification of it consists.
For the First, to wit, for the institution of this Day, severall Arguments are here; or, we may argue severall wayes to prove it. 1. If in the Apostles time this day was set apart for the Lords Worship & Service, and in a speciall manner called His, as being kept to Him on a morall ground, then we have warrand, and it’s our duty to keep it for the same end and use: for, the practice of extraordinary men, grounded on morall & perpetuall Reasons, and that were not peculiar to them as extraordinary, but are common to them & us (as the Grounds and Reasons of the setting apart this day are, it being for the remembrance of his Resurrection, and the bringing in of a new World; and therefore, all did from the beginning, keep that day) are binding to us, as is clear. Bur the first day of the Week, was appointed to be the Lords day, in the Apostles times: & singled out and set apart for his Service and a morall ground, (for, no ground peculiar to them can be given) There fore certainly it must be our dutie to keep it. 2. If the first day of the Week, was singled out from other, dayes, and counted the Lords day, then there behoved to be an institution for it, or a supposed institution, that is, it must be the Lords day, either because He instituted it, when he spoke manythings to His Apostles after His Resurrection, concerning the right ordering of his House and Worship; and by his practice, observed & sanctified it, for his speciall Service; or, because these that were infallibly guided and led by his Spirit, instituted and gave warrand to keep it: for, without an institution and command, it is not to be kept, or named so, more than another day; But this first day, was in practice, singled out beside all other dayes, & is accounted the Lords in a speciall manner, as is said, therefore there must be some institution of it. 3. Comparing this Text with 1 Cor. 11:20. If the first day of the Week be the Lords day, as the Sacrament of the Supper is the Lord Supper, then it must be by His appointment and institution His; But of the phrase in both places is to be understood. Ergo, by comparing these two places, the peculiarnesse of the phrase is such, that (there being no other phrale like them in Scripture), it seemeth the holy Ghost warrands us to gather the reasons of this denomination of the one from the other, though the institution of this day be not so clearly expressed, as the institution of the Lords Supper. For it’s a received Rule for expounding Scripture, to expressed more dark places, by places that are more full and clear: And therefore conclude we, that the Lord’s day is to be called the Lords: because of its institution, though we know not where; because, for the same reason, the Supper is called His, there being no solid ground to conclude upon: And they who give reasons to the contrary, must make it appear, that there are other reasons more pregnant, or else the language of the holy Ghost must have weight with us. 4. This first day is the Lords, as the seventh day is called his, or any other thing in the Old Testment, but that is ever because of his setting apart that day or that thing for His own, from others of that kind, Therefore it must be so here.
There are some exceptions, made by some worthy men, which we shall speak a word to, AS 1. If it be so, it will follow that all dayes are not alike, contrary to Rom. 14:14, Gal. 4:10, Col. 2:16 where the Script use seems to say plainly, that all dayes are alike: Therefore the Lords day cannot be so understood. Answ. This doth indeed directly contradict the letter of the Text: for either this Text pointeth are one day by another, or else it doth nothing, 2. The Apostles scope in the places that seem to be contrary to this, is clear: when he casts the jewish Sabbath and holy dayes, he casts them alike in respect of jewish observation only: of, in so far as they were Jewish and Typical: for, Christ had taken them away in that respect, even as he casteth meats also, yet without prejudice of the Sacraments: and this confirmeth our Argument. For if jewish Dayes and Sabbths, were taken away fourtie years and more, as is clear by Paul, before John wrote this Revelation, in as far as they were Jewish, and yet John speaks of a Lords day, as differenced from other dayes, it sayes it continued when they were abolished. There is a great odds betwixt laying aside of jewish dayes, and the Lords day: and when John speaks of the Lords day, he speaks of it in the singular number, in opposition to those many dayes, the jews had, under the ceremonial Law. And even that learned Doctor granteth this place to speak of the first day, and the Churches practice to meet on it also, and in several respects, to be priviledged beyond other dayes.
A second exception is, If this day be so counted of, it will bring in the sanctifying of it, in as eminent a measure, as the jews Sabbath was. And, is not that to judaize? Answ. Distinguish betwixt things Ceremoniall or Typicall, and things Morall and Perpetuall: We bring back nothing that was Ceremoniall and Typicall, as their Sabbaths of Weeks, Sacrifices, and many other things were; but for Morall duties, they become us as well as the Jews, and bind Christians to the end of the World. And this brings not back Iudaisme, neither leads us to Sacrifices, and the like, which pointed at Christ to come; but contrarily, this day and the duties of it, hold out Christ already come: which destroyeth all these Ceremonies and Sacrifices, and declareth them to be gone.
A third exception, It cannot be compared with the Lords Supper: for, 1. The Lords Supper, is clearly instituted; but this is not clear in the institution thereof. 2. The Lords Supper, is a Sacrament; this is not: and dayes may be changed, as Sacraments cannot. Answ. 1. To the last part: It is a bagging of the Question: if it be the Lords day, set apart for his Service, all the world cannot change it, except He, who can change Sacraments also. 2. To the first part: That the institution of this day is not so clear, as the institution of the Supper. Answ. We do not paralel them in respect of clearnesse of institution; but, in respect of the ground, or reason why they get this name: which suppones an institution. It the Sacrament of the Supper, be called the Lords Supper, because instituted by Him, for a speciall use; so must the Lords day get this name on this reason; or, some better or clearer reason from Scripture must be given.
For the second, Seing it gets this name to be called the Lords day: It may be questioned here concerning our manner of speaking of dayes, calling the Lords day Sunday, the next day after it Monday, &c. which hath the first rise from Superstition, if not from Idolatry: some of them being attributed to Planets, as Sunday and Monday; some of them to Idols, as Thursday, &c. But to speak to the thing it self, look to the Primitive times, we will find Sunday called the Lords day; and the dayes of the Week by the first, second, third, &c. But the names of dayes, being like the names of places and moneths, folks must speak of them, as they are in use, and Scripture warrands us so to do, Acts 17:22. Paul is said to stand in the midst of Mars hill. Acts 28:11 speaketh of a Ship, whose signe was Castor and Pollux. So, March, January, July and August, are from the Idols Mars and Janus; or, derived from men that appropriate more than ordinary to themselves. And though it was ordinary to Christians, in the primitive times, to call this day the Lords day among themselves; yet, when they had dealing with the Jew, they called it the Sabbath: and when they hid dealing with the heathen, they called it the Sunday. And so, though it be best to speak of days as Scripture nameth them; yet, it is agreeable with Scripture, to design or denominate them, as they are in use among a people, especially where no superstitious use is in naming of them.
For the third, The Sanctification of this day. It is pointed out in John his saying he was in the Spirit on the Lords day: to point out this, that this day requireth a special Sanctification and setting apart to Worship God. And there are four steps of it mentioned in the Scripture. The 1 is negative abstinence, not only from sin, but from our civil and ordinary affairs, which are lawful on other dayes, but not on this day, Isa. 58:13. The 2 is positive: in devoting it to God, and spending the whole day in duties of Worship, in reading, hearing, praying, singing, breaking of bread, of celebrating the Communion, Acts 20:7. And that, not only in private duties; but in publick: and in private, when the publick is interrupted, except in cafes of necessity. 3. It should be spent in the duties of charity. though the sanctification of this day cannot consist with working; yet, it may stand well with giving of almes, and seeing to the necessities of others, 1 Cor. 16:1, 2. A fourth step, is, in the Text: to have a holy and sanctified frame, a divine stamp, a heavenly conversation, more than ordinarly taken up with God and Christ, and the things of another Life that day. This is the main thing wherein the Sabbath is to be Sanctified, and wherein it represents heaven, to be abstracted from the world, and to be living above in our Spirits, eminently ravished in Spirit, as abstracted from things, we are to be taken up with on other days. The frame of a Sabbath, should be a kind of ravishment, where in not only we are not taken up with working our ordinary callings, but we do go about Prayer and other Spiritual duties in a more heavenly way, than on other dayes, and that with a difference in our frame, being more elevated and Spiritual, we should be other men, in more divine contemplation. This is the main thing called for in sanctifying the Sabbath: and therefore, Heb. 4 heaven is set out by the Sabbath: where in there ought not only to be a ceasing from our own works; but an entering into our rest, Heb. 4:10 as it is (Isa. 58:13) a delighting in God, calling the Sabbath our delight, the holy of the Lord and honourable, the heart being taken up with it.
Remember from all that hath been said, this day is the Lords day: and it faith that folks should spend it, not as they like; but for Him, and about the duties of His service. It is not the sanctifying of the Sabbath to spend an hour or two in publick, and the rest of it in our own discourses, pleasing and delightsome to our selves. All dayes are Gods; but He hath given you fix, and reserved the seventh to himself. Ye should be with him in the spirit on the Lords day: which is the main use of all that hath been said.
JOHN hath in the verses before, and in the beginning of this, put by the particular circumstances relating to this vision: we shall say no more of them. We come to the vision it self, in the rest of the chapter, with some circumstances, making way to John’s writing of what he saw.
We comprehend, under the vision, not only what is objected to the eye, or what John saw, but all that he fees or hears, whereby some new thing is represented to John, or that which he had heard or seen before, is again more clearly revealed, and made known to him, as it used to be in the extraordinary Prophets, having Gods mind, several wayes, manifelted to them.
This part of the vision hath three steps, First, What John heard, from the midst of vers. 10 to vers. 12. Secondly, What he did, ver. 12. And, thirdly, Followeth that which he saw, to vers. 17 the rest of the chapter from vers. 17 hath some following effects and circumstances, to clear the vision, and John’s writing of it.
That which John heard, is three wayes described. 1. In the nature of the voice, which he heard. 2. From the place where, or the manner or Way how he heard it; the voice spake behind him. 3. The particulars after that was spoken. First, the nature of the voice which he heard, is set out with two words. 1. It’s called a great voice. 2. It was a voice as of a trumpet, or, like a trumpet.
A great voice, that is, a mighty sound, a voice that made a great noise, as afterwards, vers. 15. His voice was as the found of many waters, like the tumbling down of a great river over a high fall or precipice.
It was a voice as of a trumpet, that is, l. Not a confused or inarticulate found, but a stately voice, having a kind of majesty with it. 2. Like a trumpet, giving a certain and distinct found. And, 3. Like a trumpet, to stir up John to attention, to give him an alarm, to set him on his watch and guard to observe what he saw and heard. And it imports the se four things, which might be so many grounds of Doctrine. 1. The majesty of the Person, who was speaking to John, that John may come, to take him up; it is to shew that if was no common Person, but our Lord Jesus Christ, that is stately in his coming: & this is the first thing that folks should have, when they come to hear the Word, they should be affected with the majesty of him who speaketh and consider it’s his voice, who shakes the heaven and the earth, that makes the hindes to calve, &c. Psal. 29:2. It is to point out to John the great distance between him and the Person that speaketh to him, and so to humble him, and to affect him with a humbling and kindly sense of his own infirmity. And these two go together, to wit, an impression of the statelinesse and majesty of God, who speaks; and an humble sense of infirmity in the creature. See it in Abraham, Gen. 18:17. Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes, and vers. 25. Shall not the judge of all the earth do right? And they are also joyned, Eccles. 5:1, 2. Keep thy foot when thou goest into the house of God: God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: let thy words be few. 3. It is to put John to an holy attention to hear, and to be watchful in hearing, what He was to say to him; the trumpet soundeth that he may be the better taken heed to when He speaks. And this is also a good property of hearers, when, as it is Acts 10:33. We can say with Cornelius, We are all here present before God, to hear whatsoever things are commanded thee of God; to be in a humble, watchful posture having the heart laid open to whatsoever God will say; hanging on Him, as the phrase is, Luke 19:48. 4. The found of the trumpet, is not only to waken to attention; but to put to action: it gives, not only a distinct found for direction; but it puts to doing: to point at the nature of our Lords voice, and how it ought to be heard. It’s not enough to hear, but there would be a suitablenesse to the voice heard, according as the trumpet founds distinctly. Folks would hear suitably, and welcome what is said, and conform their practice thereto; taking with convictions, challenges, directions to duties, promises, &c. as the Word giveth them. Therefore the Preaching of the Word, is compared to the founding of a trumpet, Isa 58. Lift up thy voice like a trumpet, that is, powerfully and distinctly: and, as it suppons some thing on the Ministers side, that he would have his voice trumpet like; so it suppons some thing the side of the hearers, that they would conform their practice suitably to it, as Souldiers prepare themselves at the found of a trumpet, 1 Corinth. 14:8.
The second circumstance, is the place where, or the manner how, he heard the voice; it spoke behind him, it came not as before John; but as it were unawares surprising him behind him. 1. The more to affect John with the found, and to make him inquire in it: for, the more surprising a thing be, it affects the more, and wakens up the more desire to enquire in it. 2. That our Lord may even try John how he will carry himself in following the enquiry of the voice: and so to put John to pains to find it out. Therefore, Isa. 30:21 it is said, Thou shall hear a voice behind thee: partly, to signifie that our backs are on God, when he speaks, we are running away from him: partly, to stirus up to turn our face about, as it were, and to enquire after what is spoken
Vers. 11. The third thing, is, the matter spoken; & it contains two things. 1. A description of the Speaker, his Title and Name, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the list, the last two words, are an exposition of the former two. 2. The Commistion John gets, and the direction given him. 1. Generally, to write what he saw. And 2. More particularly, to send it to the seven Churches. For this Title, we spoke of it before, vers. 8.
It is our Lord, asserting his own Godhead, as being the first, the beginning of all the Creation of God actively, being of himself God essentiall, &c giving a beginning and being to all things that exist, Joh. 1:3. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made; and the last end of all things: not only everlasting himself, without end; but to whole Honour are all thing that have a beginning. He is the ultimate end, they are all for Him.
Quest. Why is this Title so often repeated?
Answ. Besides this generall, that it is to hold out Christs Godhead: therefore, this and other such like Titles, are so often give a him in this Book: which is of excellent use and benefit, to have this born in upon the hearts, and minds of sinners. It is repeated here: 1. That John might know from whom he had this Commission; even from Him, who had power to give him a Commission both to speak and to write; The first and the last: a thing that concerns Ministers to know when they come out to Preach the Word, whose Commission they have, that they take not this honour to themselves, nor from men, except in the ordinary way appointed by Him: for except they have Christs Warrand mans, will not Commissionate them to go to Churches and Preach at their own hand. 2. It is also for the Peoples cause, to learn them to take the Word off John’s hand. It is not John’s. word, that cometh to then; but the Word of Alpha and Omega, the first, & the last: And it were good for us so to speak; & good for you so to hear the Word. That same Jesus Christ, that gave John and the Apostles warrand to Preach and Write, it’s that same Jesus Christ that sendeth out Pastors and Teachers to Preach: it’s He that gives gifts to men for edifying the body, Eph. 4:12. His Warrand to both, is one: and His Authority, Commissionating both, is one, & both are gifts for the Churches good.
The second thing in this verse, is, the Commission John gets. 1. In generall, to write what he saw. 2. More particularly, to send it to the seven Churches.
Write what thou seest: that is, not this Vision only, which thou hast seen; but all the Words and Circumstances which thou haft seen, or shall see and hear: And so it’s his first warrand to write this Revelation, and send it to the Churches: it points at the Authority, on which the written Word is founded, it depends not on men, but on Jesus Christ that gives warrand to write; & we should look on the Bible, & every Chapter thereof as by Christs direction written to us.
The matter he should write is restricted, Write, not every thing that pleaseth thee, but what thou seest: to point out the guiding and inspiration of the Spirit in these holy Men, who were Pen-men of the Scripture; they spake and wrote, as they were inspired and guided by the holy Ghost.
It shews, that there is need, and it is requisite, that men have a particular Commission to carry the Word to People: not only a Commission, in generall, to write, or, to carry the Gospel; but for every particular message. Not that men should be anxious, or perplexed, about their Warrand, or Commission, in an extraordinary way; but to weigh well the Time, Place, Persons, and such Circumstances as may clear their Commission in an ordinary way, there being some things to be written & sent to one Church by Christs Warrant, which are not so to another; every Church hath their particular Message & Commission renewed.
We shewed before, why these Churches were called seven, and not the Church in Asia, Vers. 4 and say no more of it now. These Churches, are particularly named. We shall nor stand on a Geographicall description of the Places. Ephesus, is spoken of at large, Act. 19:20. This Church and Smyrna, were in that part of Asia the lesse, called Jovia; Pergamos; in that part, called Ætolia, Thyatira, Sard is, and Philadelphia, in Lydia; and Laodicea, in that part, called Caira, or, Caria: which not being profitable to you to insist upon, we shall take some generall considerations from the words and so proceed.
And, 1, It would be considered why these Churches, are designed from the name of the Cities wherein they were. We rather speak a word to this: because we find Churches in the New Testament, named by Towns. It’s true, the Churches in Galatia, are also named; but most frequently they are named by Cities, as the Church at Jerusalem, the Church at Rome, the Church at Corinth, &c. And Titus is to ordain Elders in every City, by Pauls appointment: which was for the City; and it’s like also, for the edification of these about, God making the Gospel spread from Cities to Countries about, as it is said, the Word spread from Ephesus to all Asia, though there were other Churches beside these, that were within the walls of these Towns. The reasons of this, we conceive to be, 1. Because the Cities, or Towns, were most famous for their populousnesse; and were well furnished with Officers: and there was most occasion of getting a Harvest of Souls in them, by spreading the Net of the Gospel among them, in respect of which accidentall and politick considerations, which belong not to the essence of a Church, some Cities being more famous and able to keep the word of truth, and make it furth-coming to other Churches, It is not un-agreeable to Scripture, to have particular respect to Cities, and Churches in them, as they may further the work of the Gospel, 2. Because in these great Cities, and Place of concourse, the Ministers & Officers of the church, who served in the work of the Lord, and went round in a circuit in the Churches about, had their most ordinary residence, as it would seem; and that their fixed, collegiat meetings & combinations were there. 1. Because we find no particular. Congregations mentioned, but only the Church at such a Town written unto, though there was many particular Congregations about; & these Cities kept not the Word within themselves, 2. Where they are mentioned, as the Church at Jerusalem: it taketh in not only these within the walls, but all the Churches in Juden: so Corinth, takes in Cenchrea, &c.
Consider those Churches as once given to Idolatry: Ephesus, was famous, or rather, infamous for that, Acts 19 yet now Christ esteems them all Churches, bestows an Epistle upon them, holding out, 1. His love. 2. The power of His Grace and Gospel. 3. The soveraignity & freenesse of His Grace, breaking in on the kingdom of sin & Satan amongst them, and that Christ can winn in Churches to Himself, out of the most profane heathennish & Idolatrous cities & people.
Consider, These cities are respected by Christ: & it’s not because they are cities: but because they are Churches: that which makes them to be preferred before others, is the Churches in them: And this is it that maketh places carry respect with Jesus Christ, more than all the glancing victories & glory of the world;
Consider them, as they are some of them more, some of them lesse, yet, none of them, are called lesse or more Churches. Ephesus, where were many thousands, is but a Church, as Smyrna, & other lesser towns are the reason is, the Scripture goes not upon multitude, & external considerations of that kind; but upon the unitie that is among Ministers, & Officers, which is not astricted to one particular Congregation: and where it is, it makes an union among many, as amongst few; & amongst few, as amongst many.
Consider, That the number of these Churches is according to the places where they were fixed, and where the members did inhabit: which shews, that Parcenial marches by bounds or towns inconvenient lying, is not unsuitable: but consonant to Scripture: wherefore the Church of Ephesus, or, of any certain place, includeth all the Professors living there, they are accounted of that Church and no other, as providence hath put them together: and the Churches are divided as they live sundry. No indweller of Ephesus, is accounted of the Church of Smyrna, or contrarily; order in this, being well confident with the Gospel: and as we will not find mention made in Scripture of two Churches, in one place, what ever the number be, (save when they are after sub divided, as 1 Cor. 14.) So we will not find any saint spoken of, as belonging to any Congregation, but as they dwell: and the Church at such a place, and Saints of such a place, are still taken to be of a like extent.
Consider Some of them were more corrupt, others of them were more pure; yet, he writes an Epistle to them all: some hath a name that they are living, when they are dead; some are fallen from their first love; some have in them those that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans; some are luke-warm, &c. Yer, they are all of them owned as Churches, and written to, 1. Because our Lord looks on them, as having that which made them to have the essence of Visible Churches; and in so far, He gives them the name, though many defects were in them: and therefore intitles them so. He stands not to give Laodicea the title of a Church to Him, which many, it may be, would scarcely count worthy the name of Christians. 2. Because our Lords way, is not at first to give up with Churches, and Persons; who are joyned to him in Church-relations; but to presse upon them to be forth coming to their obligations: he sayes nor, ye are no Churches, but reckons them Churches: and on that ground, founds his promises, threatnings and directions; & gives them reproofs for what is wrong, und His advice to amend the same: an excellent way of dealing, to have Churches answerable to their obligation, and not to cast them off. Rejection is the last thing used, when neither threatnings, promises, reproofs, nor directions have place to do them good. And we may say it on the bye, it is Christs prerogative to remove Candle sticks, and dissolve ties between Him and Churches.
Consider, these Churches as they are now, comparing them with what they were once: Golden-Candlesticks; now dens for Mahomet: the God heat of Christ once written of to them: now trampled on. Which shews, 1. How doleful a thing it is to despise warnings. 2. To what a hight Churches defection may come to: when there is not a healing in time: when falling from the first love is not taken heed to, it may come to make a Church no Church. These Churches were once as glorious as ever Glasgow was, and more, Paul writing to sundry of them, and here John to them all; yet, for contempt of the Gospel, God break the staves of beauty and bands, and they are no Churches to Him. Tremble to think upon it.
Consider, that John now in prison writes: the Church is obliged to Johns imprisonment. We now have moe writings by the Apostles Epistles from their prisons, than we have from their liberty, God making this good use of mans malice.
He repeats his commission, not only in generall, but to every Church, as their peculiar message was, that he might bear out his commission in his dealing with them; and that they might know the warrand they had to hear him. Neither Ministers ought to speak, or people to hear, except they be warranded: there is an unwarrantablenesse in hearing, as there is in speaking, Prov. 19:27. And people would make conscience in hearing, that it be not done indifferently; and there would not be indifferent accesse for all to Preach, nor for hearing, but as the Lord warrands.
THe second circumstance, or step, of the first part of the Vision, is whit John did, ver. 12 or his carriage when he heard the voice, spoken of before, vers. 10. I turned to see the voice that spake: a voice is not properly the object of sight, but it’s two wayes to be understood. 1. Either John turned him, that is, gave pains more clearly to perceive and understand that which was spoken: for seeing, in Scripture, is often so taken, for a more clear up-taking and understanding of a thing; and so the meaning is, John having heard the voice behind him, he lends to his ear to take it up better. Or, 2. It may look to John’s desire, to see him that spoke: and so he turned, not to see the voice; but the speaker: and on the back of this, the heavenly Vision is represented to him. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks. Follows what John saw upon his turning about; he gets this Vision Folks that go about the use of the means seriously, minding edification, they readily profit.
Let us speak to that which properly is the Vision. It holds out, or, there are holden forth in it, three things, 1. The Church, is holden out under the similitude of a Candlestick; or, the seven Churches of Asia, under the similitude of seven golden Candlesticks: so they are expounded, vers. 20. 2. The Ministers of the Churches, are holden out under the similitude of seven Stars, vers. 16. So are they expounded in the 20 vers. also. We shall forbear any further exposition, or speaking of them, till we come to that place. The main thing in the Vision, is, Our Lord Jesus, represented these wayes. First, in His Offices, Secondly, in his excellent qualifications for his discharging these Offices. Thirdly, in his care of His Churches, and actuall executing of His Offices, and exercising of his qualifications for the good of his Churches and Ministers: He is among the one, walking; and holding the other in His hand; and hath a sword, going out of his mouth, for the good of both.
Quest. 1. Whether is it Christ that appears and speaks here, or not? The reason of the doubt, is from Vers. 1. Where it is said, Jesus Christ sent and signified these things by his angel.
Answ: It is he that appears and speaks here to John, who gave him the Commission to write: and certainly, it was no Angel that gave John Commission to write and send it to the seven Churches; but it is Jesus Christ, who intitles himself before, to be the first and the last: no Angel can give Commission, nor dare take upon him these titles and stiles, but Jesus Christ only. 2. It’s clear also to be Christ, from the parts of the description, and from the particular charge that Christ is holden out to have, to wit, in having a care of the Churches in holding the Stars in his hand, and sending a sword out of his mouth. Who can do those things but Christ? 3. From the seven Epistles, which begin with some part of this description, as belonging to Him: He is still stiled by some part of it, Chap. 2 and 3.
Quest. 2. Whether doth Jesus Christ appear here really in his Man head? or, Is it only a representation of Him in a Vision, for signifying and holding forth the excellent properties and qualifications that are in Him, as sometime God appeared of old to weak man condescending to his capacity for his comfort, as Dan. 7:9 and sometime Christ, as Dan. 10:5 to which this Vision seemeth to relate?
Answ. We take it not for any reall apparition of Christ in his Humanity, or as He was Man, conceived in and born of the Virgin Mary, crucified, dead and baried, and in that nature risen again and ascended; but we take it only to be a representation, or vision of the glorious properties and qualifications, and stately Majesty of the Son of God, who was, and is, and is to come, the first, and the last: who as He is God, so also was and is Man; but doth not now appear in his Humane nature, but as God. Reason, 1. Because in substance it is the same Vision that we find, Dan. 7:9 and 10:5 where God, and Christ, as God, are holden out under the same expressions: and if these expressions cannot be applyed in these places to signifie the parts of a Humane body (which God hath not, for He is a Spirit) there can be no reason why the same expressions here, should be applied to the parts of a body; 2. It’s clear also, if we look to the end, which Jesus Christ hath before him in this representation. He being to direct seven Epistles to the seven Churches in. Asia, he sets out himself by some excellent properties, to ground the faith of his People, and move them to reverence, receive, & give obedience to what he writs unto them. 3 Look through all this Vision, it cannot be applyed literally; the seven Churches, cannot be seven Candlesticks; the seven Ministers, cannot be seven Stars, &c. but it’s to evidence the excellent qualifications that are in Christ, under these representations: and therefore what some would draw from this, or other representations of this kind, concerning Christs Body on earth, or the ubiquatie of his Humanitie, or bodily presence with his Churches, or, for protracting of his Body (as Winckelmannus and other Lutherans alledged) hath no ground from this place; but rather the just contrary: if Christ appeared after his Ascension, no other wayes than he did before His Incarnation, he would take away all carnall thoughts of his bodily presence on earth. 4. It’s said, One like unto the Son of Man: and this holds out, he was not indeed Man in this Vision: but appeared to John, as he did to Daniel; some way representing himself so. But, 5. The application and exposition of many of these expressions, Chap. 2 and 3 holding forth his eyes, to signifie his Omniscience and the like, will shew the absurdity of this. But come to the three parts of the description, more particularly: wherein, as we said, 1. We have his Offices and Authority. 2. His qualifications for executing these Offices. 3. His care of his Churches, and his actuall executing of his Offices, &. exercising of his qualifications for the good of them, and his Ministers.
First, his Offices and Authority are represented; his Kingly and Princely Offices, under his Garments; his Propheticall Office, by the Sword that proceedeth out of his mouth.
Long garments, were especially used by two forts or Persons, Kings and Priests. Exod 28:29. Aaron, the high Priest, and his Sons, have holy Garments appointed them; and the high Priest was to have a long Robe curiously sewed and embroidered: so also, long Garments, were for a signe of Authority and reverence; and Christ casts that up to the Scribes and Pharisees, Mat. 23:5, Mark. 12:38. And Christ was clothed with a purple Robe; which was a speciall Robe, designing great men from others, though they did it in derision to Him.
He is girt about the paps with a golden girdle. A girdle hath two uses, 1. It was used for neating the long Robe; for binding it up, that it might not be cumbersome to men in their imployment, Luk. 17:8. Gird thy self and serve me. 2. A golden girdle signifieth Authority and Eminence; so the girdles of Kings signified, Isa. 22:21 when Eliakim is constituted a Ruler, it is said, I will cloath him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle: and what is meant by that, is expounded in the following words, I will commit the Government into his hand, and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah, and I will lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulder: he shall open and none shall shut, &c. This girdle of Christ’s, is spoken of, Isa. 11:5. Righteousnesse shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulnesse the girdle of his reins.
The expression holdeth out these three things, which we conceive to be understood by it. 1. The Authority & warantablenesse of our Lord Jesus Christ His Kingly and Princely Office, as that which followeth, doth of His, Prophetical Office: hereby letting us know, that our Lord Jesus His being in heaven and in glory, hath not made Him lay by His Offices, or the executing of them; bat He remains King and Priest for ever, Psalm. 110 even in heaven He bears his Offices to his Churches. 2. That our Lord Jesus Christ, not only bears these Offices; but, in an excellent and glorious manner: there is no such King, no such Priest, no such Prophet as He: so that whatsoever belongs to any of His Offices, or any part of any of them, He would have His people looking to Him as eminent therein: He is a King ruling in Righteousnesse, stately in Majesty and dominion; a Priest, that continueth for ever, and hath an unchangeable Priesthood; and, is able to save all them, to the uttermost, that come unto God by Him seing He lives for ever to make intercession for them: and, such an high Priest becomes us, who is holy, and harmlesse, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher then the heavens, Heb.
7:24, 25, 26. He is a Prophet, such as hath no equal: none teacheth like Him. Therefore it becometh us not only, not to have low thoughts of Christ, as bearing those Offices; but to think of Him as being eminent and glorious in them, and all that concerns them. 3. It holds out, that our Lord Jesus his statelinesse and glory, doth not marr, nor hinder Him in the application of His Offices, and executing them for the good of His Church: but, for as stately as He is, for Authority, having on His long robe, and being girded with a golden girdle; yet, His garment is so truced and girded, as He is sitted for His imployment, and to make use of His Offices, for the benefit of souls (See John 13 v 12) as ever he did when He was on earth. Christs greatness and glory, is so far from unfitting Him for the discharge of His Offices, that He hath robes compared, and himself so sitted, as he may handsomly go about the discharge of them, being still girded, though the girdle be of gold.
The second part of the description, vers. 14 is His qualifications for His Offices, set out under the particular parts of a body, First, His head and His hair were like wool: this would not agree to Christs Manhead in all appearance, He not having come to that age, at which men use to become white-haired. It is an application of, or an allusion to that of Dan. 7:9 if not taken out of it, And the reason of the allusion, is, to set out, 1. The Eternitie of Christs Godhead: that though He was, and is Man; yet, before the world was, he was, and is the Eternal God, without beginning, that whitenesse of the hair, being spoken of God, to set out His Eternity: He is not from yesterday, as poor creatures are; but from everlasting, though His eternity maketh no change nor alteration on Him, as age doth on men. 2. It sets out our Lord Jesus His wisdom and experience, and the reverence that is due to Him: He is set out as one having gray hairs, being eminently endued with wisdom and experience, as old men use to be in comparison of others, and as these of younger years usually are not. Therefore, Dan. 7:9. He is called, the ancient of dayes, which expounds his appearing with white hairs, Isa. 11:2. The Spirit of the Lord rests upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord.
The second part of this qualification, is, in His eyes: His eyes were as a flame of fire. He is also thus set forth, Dan. 10:6. These eyes, pointout the omniscience of Christ, who, as God, fees every thing: and they are said to be as a flame of fire, partly, because of their peircing nature: that as all things are naked before Him and bare; so he fees throughly, in through and out through them all. All things are lying open, &, as it were, imbowelled before his eyes, Heb. 4. And, partly, because of the dreadfulnesse, & terribienesse that will arise from His omniscience to the wicked of the world: His, and his Churches enemies, nothing will be more terrible to them, nor a glance of Christs eye, whereby he can destroy worlds of them, as when he looked down on Sodom and Gomorrah, fire and brimston followed his eye, & destroyed them.
The third part of his description, is vers. 15. His feet like unto fine brasse: this is excellent brasse, glittering brasse, nearest unto gold, as being some way mixed with it: and these feet of brasse, point out not only his power, but especially his wayes, counsels, and dispensations toward his people in ordering of his Churches, Gods paths and wayes being the manner of his guiding of the world, So Christs feet do signifie his Stepping up and down in his Church, ordering all things well, wifely, and holily to his glorious ends: and consequently, his dispensations, where by he makes his presence manifest among his people. 2. These feet, are said to be like unto fine brasse, as if they burned in a furnace: to pointout 1. That all his dispensations are pure and perfect. 2. Excellent and firm, solide and durable: there is no prevailing by the gates of hell against them. They are pure, spotlesse and clean: no iniquity is in them, Deut. 32:4. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for, all his wayes are judgement: a God of Truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he. We think this to be the meaning here: his wayes in his Church, his stepping up and down in it, are pure and spotlesse, firm and solid: all on-lookers cannot mark a spot in them; they cannot be mended, or battered, nor hindered, he so sickerly sets them down. It serves to hold forth the statelinesse of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to bring our hearts to a holy awe and reverence of him, O, that folks knew what he were, they would walk in more awe and reverence, before and with him, who is such a stately Person! Love, reverence, and admire Jesus: there him no such stately and lovely Person in the world; submit to him, he will do no wrong. Contend not with him: for, on he will go, so sickerly sets he down his steps, like pillars of brasse. The reasons of these expositions, will appear more, in the Inscriptions of the Epistles, chap. 2 and 3.
I Told you, that this Vision doth not represent the Body of our Lord Jesus, or his humane nature; but it is to point out his divine qualifications, wherewith he was furnished as God-Man in one Person, for the good of his Church. And these things spoken of, as parts of a body, bear out some resemblance and analogie of these qualifications, that are in him, far beyond anything that can be conceived.
The fourth property or qualification, is, his voice: which is said to be as the found of many waters. It was said in the 10 vers. to be a great voïce, like a trumpet; here it is said to be like the sound of many waters, both high and great, heard afar off, and very terrible and dreadfull. By his voice, in Scripture is understood mainly two things: both which may well relate to this resemblance. 1. His effectuall willing and commanding of things to be, as it’s said, He spoke and it was done, he commanded and it stood fast, (Gen. 1.) Let there be light, and it was light: for, Christ as God, hath not a voice properly; but the voice, being that by which a man signifies his command and will, and being here attributed to Christ as God, it is to point out his effectual willing, and bringing that forth which he would have done: and so points at the effectualnesse of Christs government. There is nothing called for by him, but it cometh to passes nothing commanded, but is done, and that with a word. 2. It’s taken for the manifestation of Gods terriblenesse and majesty, Psal. 18:13. The Lord also thundred in the heavens, and the highest gave his voice; hailstones and coals of fire. In which sense, it is applied to the thunder: because, by it he manifests his power, and shews himself terrible. Hence there is so much spoken of his voice, Psal. 29:3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. The voice of the Lord, &c. To shew not only the powerful effects of the voice of God in the thunder, and the way it produceth its effects; but the terriblenesse and majesty of God who hath such a voice, that, as it is Hag. 2:6. Can shake heaven and earth: which is to point out his dreadfulnesse and terriblenesse, against the enemies of his Church. If he speaks the word, they evanish: one word of this King will make the stoutest Tyrants to quake, as is clear from Scripture, and the storie of former times.
A fifth qualification, is, vers. 16. He had in his right hand seven stars. The seven Stars are expounded in the last verse, to be the Ministers of the Churches. And the reasons of it we forbear, till we come to that: only here, our Lord Jesus is said to have a right hand, that is, power, and skill, and activity in exercising his power: for, the right hand, is the strongest hand, and that by which men skilfully, & dexterously go about the bringing to passe of that which they would beat: He hath not power and fury, but power & skill; and with power and skill He manages all His matters. Believers have not a handlesse Mediator, (to speak so) He hath hands, as well as feet But more of this in the third thing, contained in this description.
Sixthly, He is described further, Out of his mouth went a two edged sword: whereby is meaned the word of God, especially the Gospel: His voice, spoken of before, is more generall, relating to His universall power and soveraignty over all the World; This relates more particularly, to the written and Preached Word, called The word of the Spirit, Which is the word of God, Eph. 6 and sharper then a two edged sword dividing betwixt the joynts and the morrow, the soul and the spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the bears, Heb. 4. The Word is compared to a sword and a two, edged sword, for these reasons. 1. Because of the power of it: it hath a discerning, peircing, penetrating power with it, to come in our hearts: and to discover the thoughts and intents of the heart, when Christ blesseth it, and maketeh it strik at the roots of corruption, it will humble the proudest heart, and quicken the deadest spirit, and pierce through the Soul and Conscience of the most obdured person, as Acts 2. Peters Preaching did prick his hearers. This is the saving and proper effect of the Word, when it Anatomizes folks, and layeth open their thoughts, their security, pride, formality, &c. and strikes at the root of the body of death, to kill it, and be its death. 2. Because of the effect it hath among carnall hearers and hypocrites; in which respect, we think it is especially looked on here, as afterwards in the Epistle to Pergamos, Chap. 2 vers. 12, 16. I will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. This sword, when rightly handled, proves a torture to the wicked men in the world, when it discovers their rottennesse: so it’s said of the two faithfull Witnesses, Revel. 11:10 that they tormented them that dwelt on the earth; the Word of God was so sharp in their mouths, that it did hew (Hos. 6:5) their minds and consciences, and galled them at the heart; so (Act. 7) it is said, Stephens hearers were cut in their heart, and gnashed upon him with their teeth; they could not abide the plainnesse and evidence of the Word, accompanied with power. 3. Because it hath a further cutting vertue to wicked men, when it proves through Gods Justice, plagaing to their hearts and minds, and hath an instrumentall efficacy for their slaying, when God draws out the sentence, and gives the word an edge, and makes it cut, and in His Justice, to promove their destruction, Isa. 11:4. With the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked, 1 Kings 19:17. Him that escapeth the sword of Jehu, shall Elisha slay: and Hos. 6:5. I hewed them by my Prophets, and stew them by the words of my mouth, through Gods pronouncing of sharp threatnings, and their corruption abusing the threatnings, it becomes their death. 1. This sword, is said to proceed out of his mouth: to point out wherefrom the force, efficacy, and power of the Word cometh, when it pierceth: It’s not the Word, as it is written, or spoken by mens mouth: but as it proceedeth out of Christs mouth, which makes it profitable or convincing: and it is this which makes sinners guilt so great, and tormenteth hypocrites when He addeth weight with it, to thwart their corruption, and they repine against it.
The last qualification, is, His countenance was as the Sunshineth in his strength; whereby is meaned the love that He sheweth to His People, and the Glory and Majesty that is in Himself, Psal. 4:6 Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us, that is, the manifestation of thy love. And Psal. 80, the causing of His face to shine, is severall times spoken of. And this favour and stately Majesty in Christ, is compared to the Sun shining: nor as in the morning, nor at even, nor under a cloud; but in his strength. 1. Because of the glorious majesty that is in it, as Chap. 5:15 of the Song, His countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars: there is an excellency and beauty in it that dazels and obscures all the excellency and beauty of the World, even as the light of the Sun obscures the Stars. 2. Because of the light somnesse of it: for, Christ is to Believers, as the Sun is to the World, Joh. 1:9. He is that true light, that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world. Light, both for direction and consolation: and that is a third reason of the similitude. His countenance is as the Sun shining in his strength, for the refreshingnesse of it. Psal. 4:6, 7. His countenance maketh the heart more glad than corn, and wine, and worldly comforts whatsoever: 4. His countenance is so compared, from the effectual influence it hath on Believers growth: even as the Sun hath influence on the growing of cornes, grasse, trees, herbs, and all things in the inferiour world: so Christs countenance hath influence on Believers growth in all things; Therefore, Mal. 4:2. It’s said, The Sun of righteousnesse shall arise with healing under His wings to such as fear His Name, and they shall go forth and grow up as calves in the stall. His presence and favour, hath a reall and effectual influence on all that are united to Him, as the sun in his strength, hath on herbs and plants. We point but at these things, which are infinite in themselves. O that necessitie of union with Christ! O the excellencie of that condition of being near to Him! He is our light: there is no living without Him: and how lightsom is it, to walk with Him, and to dwell in Him?
The third thing in the description, is, Christs actuall exercising of His Offices and qualifications for the good of His Churches and Ministers (which are the objects about which His care is especially exercised) holden out in these two. 1. He walks among the golden Candlesticks. And 2. He keeps the Stars in His right hand, this his Work and great imployment, as vers. 13, 16 and chap. 2 vers. 1.
The other word, his holding the Stars in His right hand, holds out his care of his Ministers: the meaning is, that as he walks in the midst of the Churches, and takes special care of them; so he takes a special care of the Ministers of these seven Churches, and so of the Ministers of all the Churches. And under this is holden out, 1. The difficulty of the Ministers station: they are not able to stand their alone, except they be upholden by Christ: partly, because of the malice and opposition of men, and Devils that by wicked men seek to ruine and overturn the Church and work of God in their hands; the venting of their malice begins at them: and partly because of the greatnesse of the burden and charge, that lies on them: and partly also from their own infirmities, &c. 2. It points out the Lords special care of them, according to their station, strait, and charge: as their charge is great, and their difficulties great and many; so he exercises his power for their direction, defence and protection: he hath care of all the world; but more especially of his Churches: but for his Churches sake, he hath, most of all, a special care of his Ministers, who are called the Messengers of the Churches and the Glory of Christ, 1 Cor. 8 they being the men that he makes use of for the handling of his Sword, and subduing of souls to him. They often meet with little estimation from men and walk among many snares and dangers: therefore he holds out his care, and the application of his power, especially, to incourage and strengthen them to duty in the midst of these snares and difficulties. 3. By his holding them in his right hand, he points at that dependency that Ministers ought to have on Jesus Christ: they should go about their duty, as in his hand; lippening to his strength and power, rather than to ought in themselves, for the performing of the task commited to them.
This is for special consolation in evil times, that Christ hath such a care of his Ministers and Churches: let the Devil pluck again and again to have a Ministery down, somtimes by force, somtimes by slight, it will not be, they are stars, and in Christs hand: sooner will Stars be plucked from heaven, than they from him.
Christs care of his Church, kyths in caring for his Ministers: The right care of the one, is carried along with the right care of the other: and it’s not aright care of Churches, where there is not a respect to Ministers: Christ-knoweth the good and the ill of the one, stands and falls with the good and ill of the other: there is such a connexion between them, and such a sibnesse, they are so interested the one in the other, that according as the one is, so is the other: ordinarly, if the Minister be carnal and secure; so is the flock: and if the Minister be in a lively temper; there will also be some life among the flock. And if we speak in reference to those who have enmity at the Church, hatred against the Church is vented, & begineth at hatred against the Ministerie. It’s impossible to be careful of Christs Church & despise & hate his Ministers, or overturn a Ministerie.
It shews, that there is a respect due to them that Christ puts in this place; and where Christ hath put respect, it becometh us to put respect also: there should be a sympathie with them, and a reverencing of them, if it were for no more but for this cause, that he keeps them in his right hand: respect to him, should make respect to them: It’s a strange Religion, to professe respect to Churches and Saints, and show so little to Ministers: Christ did never so.
YE have heard of this Vision, which John saw: the Lord beginneth with it at the entry of this task of writing this Book of the Revelation, to imprint on him a stamp and impression of his own excellencie, as a preparation and fitting or him for the Work; even as he began with Isaiah, chap. 6 and with Ezekiel. chap. 1. Bearing our, by these Visions, a representation of his Glory & Majesty, thereby to fit & qualifie them for their duty: for, they are fittest to bear Gods message, & to describe Him to others, that are thus prepared, & qualified, & have some reverence & awe of God imprinted on their own hearts.
From the 17 vers. and forward to the end, we have some consequents, that followed this Vision, or, some circumstances for the edification of the Church, for clearing of the Vision before mentioned, and for making way for John’s writing of what he saw. And they are four in number. 1. The effect, which the Vision had on John, in the beginning of vers. 17 for as stately and lovingly as Jesus Christ represented him self, he could not bear it; but faints when he sees Him, and he falls at His feet as dead. 2. A consolation proposed by our Lord to John, which hath severall steps, in the latter part of vers. 17 and 18 wherein as John kythed weaknesse, so Christ kythed much love, tendernesse, and skilfulnesse in applying an effectuall remedy, for curing the distemper John was into. 3. A repetition of John’s Commission & Warrand to write, vers. 19. And 4. An explication of that part of the Vision, concerning the meaning of the seven-golden Candlesticks, and the Stars, vers. 20.
And when I saw him, I fell down at his feet as dead, This is the first consequent or effect of the Vision. I fell down as dead: that is, I was benummed (as it were) and dammished with the sight of the excellent Majesty and Glory that I saw in him, and I was put out of capacity to act the acts of body or mind, as if I had been dead; I could no more exercise, or act the acts of a living man, than a dead man can, as Daniel, Chap. 10:8, 9. And it hath been often seen in the best of Gods Children, when more than ordinary representations of God have been let forth, they have become as dead men, unfit for action. And it proceeds from two grounds. 1. From the exceeding great distance that is betwixt the infinite Majesty of God, and finite creatures: the brightnesse of the Glory, Excellency, and Majesty of God the Creator, burdeneth & overburdeneth the weaknesse and infirmity, of the best of creatures: for, if the eyes of creatures be that weak, that they cannot look on the Son, what wonder that flesh and bloud is not able to look on the Sun of Righteousnesse. This new wine, is too strong for our old bottles. 2. From the fear of a begun quarrell, and grounds of a continued quarrell then apprehended, making not only a disproportion, through infirmity, betwixt the Majesty of God and the creature, which is so many wayes defective to comprehend him; but also making a disconformity through sin, and so a fear to appear before him: which makes the creature fear undoing, as in Isa. 6. Wo is me, I am undone: for I am a man of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the Lord of hosts,: For, though before the Fall, when God and Adam were friends, he could have endured God to speak to him; yet, after the Fall, the appearance of God is terrible unto Him: when he hears His voice, he is afraid, and runs & hides himself. And there is something of this fear, that sticketh to the best; a fear that riseth from the sight of sin, which nearnesse to God doth discover. And it’s like that some thing of both these grounds were in John, as may be gathered from our Lords application of the remedy, and the grounds where upon he goes in comforting him, He layeth his hand on him, and strengthens him, and faith, fear not, &c. whereby it seemeth. 1. John conceived, from a distemper of mind, Christ would reckon with him, and with Peter, Luk. 5:8 fears (as a sinfull and profain person in his own account), his being so near such a Glorious and Holy Majesty. And 2. This distemper of mind kyths, & hath influence on his body, and maketh him fall down at his feet; not out of reverence, to worship Him: but being overswayed with the excessivenesse of fear, that mastered and overcame him, he cannot stand up, but falleth down as dead.
This sets out to us the great disproportion, that is betwixt creatures and the Majesty of God: the beloved Disciple John, cannot stand before Him when he kyths; but falleth down as dead. Isa. 40:15, 17 & 41:11, 12, 24. All Nations are as nothing before Him, or as the dust in the ballance; a little nearnesse to God, should leave a stamp of humility, and an impression of the Majesty and excellency of God upon us. This is one of the fountain Graces, humility, and a holy awe of the Majesty of God: and this is the way to come to it, to get a right sight of that excellent Majesty that is in Him. 2. Reverence and admire Gods wise and well ordered governing of this World, especially these things that concern his Church and People. Wonder that God hath carved out such a way in the works of Creation and Providence, and in the dispensation of the Gospel, & mysteries of Salvation suitable to our weaknesse: and so as there may be communion kept with Him, Job. 26:9. It is made one of the stately steps of his power, that He holdeth back the face of his throne, & spreadeth his cloud upon it: He draweth the vail of the firmament before his Throne, to keep his Glory from breaking forth, and eating up men: And in the dispensation of the Gospel, he hath chosen the Ministery of weak men, to reveal his mind by them to us: and speaketh not immediately himself; because we could not endure it: if ye heard him once speak, as he did on mount Sinai, ye would say as Israel did, Let not God speak to us lest we die. And this way of revealing himself, should be so far from making us cast at it, that it should make us wonder at his condescendency in hedging up of himself (as it were) for our good. 3. It lets us see how much we are in His reverence, that deals so tenderly with us, when a little glimpse of His Glory, a looking of his eye, a drawing by of the vail, would kill us, and make us as if we had never been. 4. It sheweth us also, that humility and reverence even in the best of Gods People, is often ready to degenerate into servile fear and discouragement. The worshipping of Jesus Christ in humble reverence, was a duty called for from John; yet this distemper of excessive fear was not called for: such is our weaknesse, and the slipperinesse of our walking that hardly can we keep the right path, but deviat to one side or other: our faith is ready to degenerate into presumption; and our humility to fainting and despondency of spirit; and our fear, to discouragement, hearlesnesse, and distrust; our corruption is ready to abase anything: for though there be no excesse in these graces; yet there may be in us excesse in the exercise thereof by reason the corruption which is in us.
The 2. thing, is Christs tender care of John under this fit: Where he falls at his feet as dead, He comforts him: and this is set down in three steps. 1. He laid his right hand upon him, as a sign of his kindlinesse, for his encouragement. 2. Giveth him a generall word of exhortation, for his comfort, fear not. 3. He giveth him three generall grounds why he should not fear, to support his faith. Observe, ingenerall, Our Lord Jesus His exceeding tendernesse of folks, especially in their fits of fainting and discouragement, which ariseth through their mistaking, or wrong uptaking of Him. First, It points at the exceeding tendernesse and effectualnesse of His care, that on the back of this fit, layeth on His hand and faith fear not; that taketh him at this nick of his distemper, and raiseth him. Secondly, what is the great ground of consolation that is proposed, it is a holding forth of himself, I am the first and the last. And it lets us see when folks feares at Christ, and discourages and faints through their mistaking of Him, there is no such way of curing that distemper and mistake, as by a right uptaking of Him. The Note hath these two branches. 1. That the great ground of our mistaking of Christ, is our ignorance of Him, in his Offices and worth. 2. That the right curing of that mistake, is the right knowledge and uptaking of him. 3. It sayes this, it when souls are fainted and discouraged, Christ is both the Cure and the Curer: He most lay on His hand, & speak the word He is the Cure that is applyed, & the Physician that applyeth it: He toucheth, & speaketh, and the Cure followeth. This also sheweth. 1. That there are some kind of bodily exercises, that arise from a distemper of the mind, that so faints and weakeneth the body, that none can cure but Christ: and this of discouragement and fainting, is one. 2. It sheweth to Believers their necessity of having the word out of Christs mouth for their encouragement, erre they can shake off discouragement: He hath gotten the tongue of the Learned, to speak a word in season to the weary soul: if he were more waited on in Ordinances; and if the word were taken as from his mouth, we should come better speed than we do, and profit more by the Ordinances. 3. More particularly, his right hand is His Power: and his laying it on John, is not any personall touch: but an inward strengthening and up-stirring, as Daniel, Dan. 10:10. Behold, an hand touched me which set me upon my knees, that is, some power for my strengthening and comfortable up-stirring. And Psal. 138:3. David faith, In the day when I cryed, thou answeredst me: and strengthnelst me with strength in my said, which is the communicating of in ward strength, to keep him unsinking under the sad condition he was in 1. It points out what our need is: our weaknesse and discouragement is often such, that we have need not only of comfort, but of strength. 2. It points at Christs way of dealing with souls, that will sometimes strengthen, ere He comfort; first lay on His hand, and then let the word of comfort, fear not, come behind; He seeth this meet, and it’s a main evidence of Christs tendernesse, faithfulnesse and wisdom, that takes this way with his People.
The second step of Christs care, is, his saying, fear not: a word that is often used and repeated in the Prophets, especially, Isa. 41, 43, 44 and 56 Chapters. Obs. 1. There is an excessive fear that God alloweth not in his People: every thing that passeth for fear and humility, should not be admitted. Christ faith to John, fear not: which hath three marks from his experience. 1. It’s a degenerating fear that breeds mistakes of Christ, and scares them at Him; that weakens and faints them in their fellowship with Him. Christ alloweth not John’s fear to the marring of that. 2. It maketh folks uncapable of hearing or receiving a message form Christ: so that when he speaketh, they are benummed, senseless and dead, having ears, but hear not: and it locketh them so up, that no word taketh hold of them. Christ alloweth not this in John. 3. It disables, obstructs and marreth in the discharge of that duty that Christ calls to. When John is called to write the Vision, he falleth as dead: therefore, Christ faith, fear not; but rise up and write: thou art called to reverence and fear me; but to such a fear as may stand well with thy duty, and further thee, and doth not hinder thee in it. And we would learn not to fear, in so far as it works any of these effects. Obs. 2. When fear exceeds, degenerates; and growth excessive in these three spoken of, our Lord alloweth it no more than He doth proud security: only Jesus Christ, is much more tender of souls under the one, nor he is under the other; yet, let us not please our selves in these excessive fits, as if we were in no hazard. Obs. 3. It faith that folks would be tender in dealing with souls under such distempers, knowing there is a great difference betwixt these, who are under carnall presumption, and others, under fainting.
The third step of Christs care, is, in giving John grounds of consolation to warrand his faith; and they are three. The first, is from his own God-head, I am the first and the last: I am God that speaks to thee; I was before the world, and will continue when the world shall be ended, the eternall God, a singular property of God, and a demonstration of Christs God-head: therefore would he say, thou needest not fear, John: I am not an enemy, nor a stranger, or terrible spirit; but God; and that may sustain one in friendship with God: & it is also a proof, that the Vision before, was a Vision of Christ, as God.
The third ground, is, And I have the keyes of hell and death: to point out his absolute soveraignity, as Mediator in the state of Humiliation, and Exaltation: therefore fear not, John: for I have the keys of hell, & ordereth even what concerns them. The Keys, are the sign of Government, Isa. 22:21. It’s spoken of Eliakim, a type of Christ, I will Commit the Government into his hand: and then followes, the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder. The meaning is, I have absolute soveraignity and dominion over heaven and hell; I deliver and carry to heaven whom I please, none go there, but those whom I take in: and hell prevaileth not, at its own will; but is under my dominion: for, I have supreme power over hell and death: Not that Christs dominion is limited to these, but, because hell and death are the two things that Believers most fear. He tells that they need not fear them: for they are both his Vassals; the devil bears not the keys; but he bears them himself. These are the grounds or consolation, that are given to John: and they are strengthening grounds of faith and salvation to all Believers.
Observe, 1. Our Lord Jesus, is God; the first and the last: He that was born of the Virgin Marie: and so a true Man, is God; he that was crucified, dead and buried, is God. This is one of the Articles of our Faith: and this place of Scripture, is to be looked on, as a proof of it, against all the most cavilling enemies of our Lords Deitie: He that died, was, and is, the first and the last; and the incommunicable Attributes of the Godhead agree to Him.
From the second ground, I am living and was dead, Observe 1. that this Eternall Son of God became Man, else he could not have died; he that was God, was also true Man: and this is another ground of our Faith, or, a confirmation of an Article of it. 2. That Jesus Christ, in his Manhead, satisfied Justice: for, he was dead, he laid down his life, and that willingly: No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down, and take it up again. 3 That Jesus Christ is God and Man, having two distinct Natures in one Person; for, in the one Nature, he is living; and in the other Nature, he that was living became dead; yet it’s but one Person, that was both living and dead: some things (as is ordinary) are attributed to the Person, that agree but to one of the Natures, as (Acts 20:28) God is said to have purchased his Church with his own Blood: not that the Godhead could suffer, but he that was God, suffered: to of the Man Christ, it may be said, that he is Omnipotent, yet not as man, but the Person that was, and is Man, is Omnipotent: so the Person that is God, died, though not as God, but in respect of his humane nature, and as he was Man. These phrases form Christ own mouth, do both clear and confirm our Faith.
And behold I am alive for evermore. Then 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who died once, stall die no more. 2. He who died out of love to his people, is risen and exalted to heavenly glory and dignity, and bears the Office of Mediate, for the consolation of his people for evermore 3. His exaltation maketh him no lesse mindfull, nor lesse affectionate, & tender of Believers in him: for, John might have thought, that now there was a distance and drinesse come in between Christ and him, especially considered as God; but He tells John, he liveth for his comfort and that he may expect, this he who gave life to all, and laid down his life for him, and other Believers, would be tender of him and of his life.
Which letteth us see, 1. That the price of Believers Redemption, is paid. 2. That it is paid by a Brother, that had a humane nature; and was like us in all things except sin. 3. That Christ, who is God, is also Man; and that, to put us in a capacity of living 4. See here Christs Resurrection & victory over death, so that the bargain is compleated & finished: and consequently, that Believers shall rite and live for ever through Him, Every word here, is bigg with consolation to us, if we know, how to suck as it.
THe Lord is now comforting John, 1. From his Natures, or, Person. 2. From his dying and victoric over death. 3. From his office, which, as Mediator, he executes; instanced especially over hell and death, for these reasons, 1. Because hell and death, were the last enemies Christ had to subdue, as if He said, I have gotten power over the greatest enemies; and consequently, I have power over the left: and so it points at the greatnesse and universality of his power, as Mediator, he being made head over all things to the Church, and having all things put under him, both which are in heaven, and which are in earth, and which are under the earth, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow. 2. For the comfort of his people. Particularly for the comfort of John, because now, John was affrighted with the Majesty of God and the challenges of his own sinfulnesse, and was overcharged with fear; therefore Christ saith to him, fear not hell nor death, John for I have the keyes of both, and can dispose so of them, as they shall not hurt thee; so guarding him and his people against fears and down-casting, which may flow from the apprehension of hell and death, which are the main things that the wakened person, cast down at Christs feet, doth fear.
The second general, is this, That it is no great hazard for a discouraged soul to be laid at Christs feet: it’s a good pasture, when a soul cannot bear the weight of a difficultie, to throw it self down before him, Christ is tender to these, and though souls sin in giving way to excessive fear, through the apprehension of wrath and guilt; yet our Lord deals gently with them; when the reed is bruised, He will not break it; when the flax is but smoaking, he will not quench it; when the ewes are with young, he softly drives them, and carries the lambs in his become, and suits his tendernesse in refrence to them, Isa. 40:11. If any be in such a condition, it were good to believe this: Christs tendernesse in such a case when the soul is laid low, is abundantly clear in this one instance.
Thirdly, More particularly. Observe, 1. That Believers may have apprehensions and fears of hell and death, or, the fears of hell and death may sease and be excessive in them: therefore Christ guards against it, which otherwise were not needfull.
Obs. 2. Much of this fear proceedeth from the ignorance of Christs Natures, Person, and Offices, or, from the ignorance of Him in the administration of these his Offices, Therefore when he comes to comfort John, he holds out his Offices, and lets him know that life and death are at his disposing. There is some secret mistake of Christ, and some strange mould of Christ in the mind, where excessive fear prevaileth: therefore it is often said, fear not, it is I, be not afraid: and through the following Epistles to the Churches, He ever telleth what he is, with some property.
Obs. 3. That our Lord Jesus Christ, hath the absolute guiding and administration of what concerns his People; yea, hath their greatest enemies at his command; he lets into hell and death, and keeps out whom he pleaseth, he gives orders in all.
Obs. 4. That there is no greater consolation to Gods People in time of their fears of hell and death, than to know that our Lord Jesus hath the keys of both, and all in both, that devils will not winn out of the pit, till he open the door nor lengthen their chain one link, but as he lets it out, Rev. 20:4, 14.
Vers. 19. Followeth the third thing, and it is some circumstances, that make way for Johns writting what he saw, or, our Lords repeating and inlarging of Johns Commission. This Commission is so often repeated, to tell, 1. How punctuall He would have John in keeping himself by his Commission, neither altering not diminishing it, nor doing anything lesse or more, but what he had Commission for. 2. To shew on what ground this word depends, and the Authority of it: it’s not to be accounted authentick, because John wrote it simply, or because the Church accounts it so, but because John at Christs command wrote it: Christ will have the Warrand and Authority of His Word discernable, and out of question, especially what is contained in this Revelation: We will not find the Warrand of any so often repeated, as the Warrand to write this 4. It may be for this reason, Johns former fainting and fagging might have made him forget his errand: therefore, He will repeat it to him: to tell that discouraging and fainting must not marr folk in their duty; but they would alwayes labour so to compose their spirits, as the duty they are called to may not be neglected: and though they may be surprized with fear and fainting: yet, they would up, and fall to work again. We may consider the reasons of this repetition more fully afterward.
That which He commands Him to write, doth more accurately and distinctly divide this Book, nor he did formerly, vers 11. So that these words, are the compendious division of the Book and Prophecy that followeth. And we take it to be a division of it, in three sorts of things. 1. The things which thou hast seen. 2. The things which are. 3. The things which shall be hereafter; or otherwise, the first branch comprehendeth the second also: and so it’s divided in two.
The things which thou hast seen, that is, the things that in thy time have happened, or fallen forth since the Gospel began, the History of the Gospel in its rise and victories to this time: And we expone it thus and do not refer it only to the particular Vision spoken of before, for two reasons, 1. Because, These things which thou hast seen, hold forth the subject matter of the Book, as well as the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter. And the things which thou hast seen are distinguished from the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter: they must therefore be of one sort. And so, the things which thou hast seen, relate to the time part; the things which are, to the time present, as the things which shall be hereafter to the time to come. 2. Because, comparing these words with vers. 11 we will find a clear difference: for in vers. 11 it’s said in the singular number, What thou seest, write in a Book, and send it to the seven Churches: which looketh to the particular Vision, spoken of there, or to the following Visions; looking on the Revelation, as one Vision with so many parts; but here, it is written, the things, in the plurall; and which thou hast seen, in the preterite time, that is, write the things which are past; to distinguish them from things present and to come: and so we expound these things, of the things past, from the rise of the Gospel to this time, according to the scope of this Prophecy.
The things which are, that is, the present est it of the Churches, in the two following Chapters: which holds forth the state of these Churches, as they were for the time.
The things which shall be hereafter, or, which must be hereafter, point at the Story and State of the Church from Johns time to the second coming of Christ: for, from the rise and beginning of the Church here, it ends not, till it bring the Church Militant to Glory, and put the wicked in the bottomless pit, Chap. 20 and 22. I mark it, because it serves to be a key to the rest of the Story. And this division; sheweth, 1. That we are not to seek in this Book of the Revelation, things that were before Christs time, as some needlesly draw it to the four Monarchies. 2. That the things contained in this Book, relate not to a generation or two only; but to things falling out in the Church to the end of the world: for, though some little things before Christs time, be hinted at in this Book; yet they are not brought in, as principall Prophecies, but as usefull, to expound these principall Prophecies, as when Rome is spoken of (Chap. 17.) & its by past Governments under the name of Babylon, it is brought in, to clear what is meaned by the whore which John saw.
Again, Two things further, are observable here, 1. Our Lord Jesus his care and respect to His Church that will acquaint her with things past, present, and to come, for their comfort & edification, so well would He have them provided with lessons, and guarded against all times, and what ever difficulties may come. 2. Being now to enter to the story, which He is to write, he divides it ere he begin, both to make way for clearnesse in the thing, & for distinctnesse in the uptaking of it; to make it the more intelligible to them to whom he writeth, and to all that should read it; He drawe that all up to three heads. And there is a profitable use to be made of this for men, in speaking and writing, to be methodicall and orderly: our Lords way of writing, is no friend to confusion, nor enemie to order, if so be, order be made subservient to edification, and not to curiositie; such is Christs order here; and to that scope doth that recapitulation serve, Heb 6:1 and 8:1. And so are the writings of Paul often, most exact in this.
Vers. 20. This verse containeth an explication of the mystery, spoken of before in the Vision, which John saw: at least of so much of it, as is usefull and needfull to be known: as usually He leaveth alwayes somewhat at the back of the Vision, to be a key to open the rest; So this serveth to open somewhat that is past: something that is spoken in the seven Epistles to the Angels, and several times hereafter. There is something to be supplied here, while He saith, The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest, that is, I will shew thee, or, I will tell thee the mystery of the seven Stars, &c. as He saith, Revel. 17. I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, that is, I will let thee know what it meaneth; Jesus Christ being the best Interpreter of His own mind, condescendeth to open up so much of the mystery as was usefull and needfull. 1. He expoundeth the Stars: and then, 2. the Candlesticks.
The second part is expounded, the seven Candlesticks, are the seven Churches, as before he expouned the seven Stars to be the Angels of the seven Churches. The Churches are called Candlesticks, for these Reasons. 1. Because the Candlestick is that which properly the light is set into: and it’s fitted for receiving of light, though it have none of its own; so the visible Church, is that wherein Christ Jesus sets his lights, 1 Cor. 12:28. God hath set some in the Church, first Apostles, secondly Prophets, &c. The Church is, as it were, the Candlestick to the Candle, the proper seat of the Apostles, Prophets and Ministers after them. 2. Though the Candlestick gives no light; yet it makes the light set one it to be the more usefull to others, as Mat. 5:14. Ye are the light of the world: a city set on a hill cannot be hid: neither do men light a candle to put it under a bushell, but on a Candlestick, that it may give light to all that are in the house: So Ministers are set in the Church; and their setting in the Church, is the way whereby God preserves light, ordinarily, and makes it shine. And so, the excellent comely; order of the visible Church, kyths in this, that it is like a City set on a hill. And hence the Church is called the pillar and ground of the truth, 1 Tim. 3:15. The light of the Truth being set in the Church, as on a pillar to make it kyth the more, and be seen the further, that others may fall in love with it. And laying both these together, the Ministers being Light, and the Churches Candlesticks, it holdeth out a near and sib relation betwixt Ministers and People, as if the People were dark without Ministers; and the Ministers would not shine far, nor be usefull, if they had not Churches to bear them up. We ought not to strain this similitude too far, as if Churches might be Churches without Ministers, much lesse before Ministers be set in them, as a Candlestick still is a Candlestick, without a light, but certainly very dark. That is not the scope; but it is to shew that in Constitute Churches, what is Christs esteem, both of Ministers and People, and what is the mutuall relation that stands betwixt them, each to other. We know that the Church organized, is but one body, whereof the Pastors are a principall part; and that these derogate not to the other relations betwixt Ministers and People, as to be Fathers to them: to beget them to nourish them, as a Nurse doth in giving suck; to be Mothers, travelling in birth with them: in which respect, particuliar Churches, and Christians have their being from Ministers, as such instruments who hath begotten them by the immortall seed of the Word.
Quest. How can these Churches be called gold seing many of them are of so little worth, that they could scarce abide the tryall, as Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, &c. and Laodicea is so corrupt that she hath no commendation at all?
Answ. Our Lord Jesus designes the Visible Church, or Churches, not according to the plurality; but according to the better part: and when there is any gold, He counts by it: even as one may call an heap, a heap of corn, though the greatest part be chaffe, 3. There is something essentiall to the Church as Visible; which makes them get this denomination: for, the Visible Church hath a comparative excellency beyond others that are without; and Jesus Christ looking not to what they were, but to the nature of a Visible Church, he calls them golden Candlesticks, even as he calls the Ministers Stars, though there were some among them of little worth, as that Angel of Laodicea: because by vertue of their Office they were so: So the Churches written to, by the Apostles, are called Saints, and Holy, in so far, as by vertue of their profession and Church-state-relation that they stood in to God, they were so. 3. He designes them so by vertue of their obligation, to let them see what they should be, and were obliged to be. This is a main reason why the Church of the Jews, is called a Holy People: not for any great holinesse that often was amongst them all; but because they were separated from other People, to be a peculiar People to him: in which respect, the children of Believers, are called holy, 1 Cor. 7 which is not to be understood of any personall holinesse; but of a holinesse in respect of a federall or Covenant relation: in which respect, they are separated from the rest of the world, who have not an externall right to such Church-priviledges. Thus, both stock and branches are holy, and no otherwise, Rom. 11.
Which lets us see, 1. What respect Jesus Christ hath to His Churches and Ministers. 2. That the Scriptures way of expounding it self, is to expound one place by another: one verse or phrase, darkly set down in one place, by another, more full and clear in another place. 3. Particularly, how to expound the word are, or is, the seven Stars: are, that is, they signifie and represent: a word often used, Gen. 41:26.The seven good kine, are seven years, &c. So the Lamb, is the Passeover, and Mat. 26:26. Take eat, this is my body, this cup is my bloud, &c. which expressions hold out no Transubstantiation, or transmutation, or turning of one substance in to another, more than what is said here imports that the Ministers were transubstantiated in Stars, or the Churches in Candlesticks, or contrarily: But it is a mysterious, and Sacramentall way of speaking, to set forth the thing signified, or represented, by giving the name thereof to the signe, which represents it. And this is in many places to be adverted unto.
THis command of writing, was particularly set down, vers. 11. Here again, it’s renewed, and afterward; Chap. 2 and Chap. 3 is seven times repeated, with respect to every Church he writes unto: which certainly is to shew, of what concernment clearnesse of a Call is, and that both in generall, and particular; and is done amongst other reasons for this end, to clear John in his Call, and to warrand the People in their receiving of his Message. From which we may gather this, that a Minister that taketh on him to edifie a Church in the name of the Lord, had need to be clear of his Call thereunto from the Lord: it’s not the generall that we now insist on, to wit, that there is such a peculiar Calling, or, that none but the Lord can authorize for it; but it’s especially concerning that clearnesse which every Minister ought to have in his Call, that with holy boldnesse he may go about the work, having peace in himself (what ever he may meet with in it) as one who hath not run, whereas the Lord did not send him, Jer. 23:21. That this is exceedingly requisite to a Minister, we suppose will be out of question to all who know that Ministers are but Ambassadors; & so for them to want clearnesse of the Lords Call, is to be uncertain whether they have a Commission or not: & therefore they who look not to it, can neither have that confidence of the Lords owning them, or accepting of them in their duty, except there be some satisfaction herein, to wit, that the Lord hath sent them, or doth send them. It will be a puffing question to many one day, Man, who made thee a Minister? Who gave thee Commission to treat for Christ? And although others may have peace in the use-making of such a mans Ministery; yet himself can have none, he being ever lyable to this question, Friend, how enter edst thou hither? & how obtained thou this honour? Doubtlesse from the defect of this tryal, it is, in part that many thrust themselves into the work at first, whose after-carriage & way proves them never to have been sent: which they durst not have done, had they, walked by this rule of waiting for a Commission thereto. And on the other hand, some really called to the Ministery, are yet kept in a kind of bondage, both as to their duty & their peace: because it’s not clear to them that it is so; for, although the being of a Minister & his Calling, simply depends not on his clearnesse of his Call: as the being of a Believer doth not necessarily infer that he must know himself to be a Believer; yet, no question, as a Believers particular comfort depend on the clearnesse of his interest, for which cause he should study it; so a Ministers confidence and quietness in his particular Ministry, doth much depend on this, that he be clear in his Call to be a Minister; for which cause, they who look there-away, or are entred there in, would humbly enquire for nothing more than this, that they be clear that they have Christs Commission for their engaging. And although it be impossible to be particular, or fully satisfying in this, so as to meet with all the difficulties that may occurr; but Christian prudence and tendernesse will still find matter of exercise in the deciding thereof; yet, having this occasion here, (which is also frequent in this Book) we may, once for all, say a word in the generall to what may give a Minister clearnesse in his Calling: which we may take up in a fivefold consideration. 1. Of a Ministers Call to that work, in generall. 2. To a particular People. 3. In carrying a particular Message to that People. 4. What is required of him as to writing for the benefit of the Church. 5. And what respect People ought to have to Gods calling of a man, in their hearing and reading.
For the first, we say, 1. That Ministers would soberly endeavour satisfaction at their entry, if they be called to that work or not; and begin with that: This is certain, that it’s not indifferent, whether men betake them to this calling or an other: for God hath not indifferently dispensed his talents: nor hath he left men to that liberty, to choose as they will; but willeth them to continue and abide in that calling where to they are called: and not which they have chosen themselves: yea, that a man have some knowledge or affection to that work of the Ministery, will not prove him to be called, allthough all that is externally needfull for his promoving therein did concurr; for that will not prove a call to an other Charge or Trust; and so not to this: and no question, it being a desirable thing in it self to be a Messenger for Jesus Christ to his Church, many may desire the office of a Bishop, and be approven of God in their look there-away; and yet indeed never be called of God actually to it, as experience may confirm.
Secondly, When we speak of a Call in any of the former respects, it’s not to be understood, that men now are to look for an immediate and extraordinary Call, as John and the Apostles had, That were as unwarrantable as to look for an extraordinary measure of gifts, such as they were furnished with, and that in an immediate way; but it is that as extraordinary Officers had extraordinary and immediate evidences of their Call (for so it required) so Ministers and ordinary Office-bearers, that are called in a mediate way, would seek for such evidences, as mediately may satisfie them: for the mediate calling of the Church, according to Christs Ordinance, is Christs call, as that more immediate was: and therefore, Act. 20:28 and elsewhere, these Elders and Pastors of Ephesus (who yet, no question, had but such a Call as these that were chosen by the People, and ordained by the Presbytery, Act. 14:23 and 1 Tim 4:14) are said to be set over the Flock by, the holy Ghost: and so pastors and Teachers, who are to be continued in the Church by a mediate way of mans transmitting it to others, as Pauls word is, 2 Tim. 2:2 are yet accounted a gift of Christs to his Church, as the Offices of Apostles, Evangelists, &c. are, Ephes. 4:11.
Thirdly, In this enquiry, the great stresse would not be laid on a mans own inclination, or a supposed impulse, which yet may be but the inclination. That being found to flow from, or to go along with rationall grounds, may have its own weight; but otherwise, not: for we see often men more affectionately inclining to what they should not, than to what they should. Hence many run who are not sent: whose inclinations certainly lead them to it: and others again, that are most convincingly called, have yet difficulty to go over their inclinations, as doth appear in Moses, Jeremiah and Jonah, at least in his Call to Niniveh. And our hearts being deceitfull, and we ready to account the motions of our own spirits to be better than they are, there is need, whether in the generall, or in the particular call, to be wary here.
More particularly, we conceive, that both in generall, & with relation to a particular place for the clearing of a Ministers Call, respect is to be had to these four: which may be satisfying as to his peace, when they concurr.
A mans Gift, is the great differencing Character of a Call, though it be not of it self, constitutive of a Call, that is, that one be in some measure διδάκτικος, or, apt to teach: this being infallibly true, that whom the Lord designes for any imployment in His House, if it were but to make Curtains, Sockets, &c. to the Ark, He will some way fit, & make them sutable to it: & this is as the Seal whereby He evinceth in the hearts of Hearers, that he who treats, is his authorized Ambassador.
To clear a man to exercise his Gift: it must not only be a Gift, but found & declared to be so, by these to whom the try all of Gifts is committed by Jesus Christ: for, it’s not the having a Gift, that maketh a Call; yea; nor that which maketh it a publick Gift, or to be acknowledged as such: but it’s the orderly Authoritative mission, that followeth upon that Gift: in which respect, the exercise of the Gift, and the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery, are put together, 1 Tim. 4:14 even though it seemeth that he had knowledge and Gifts before. If it were not thus, what a confusion would there be in the Church of Christ, more than in any Commonwealth? Where it’s not Gifts that constitutes a Magistrate, or an Officer: but the orderly calling of a person thereunto by such as have Authority: which ought also singularly to be observed here. And the Lord hath appointed this, not only for the publick order of his house, which is exceedingly prised by Him; but also for the particular clearing of the person that is to be designed. Thus, I conceive, a person that is at some doubt about his Gift, and possibly thinking it fit to edifie; yet, upon supposition that it be found otherwise by these to whom the Spirits, or Gifts, ought to be subjected, he may have peace in abstaining, what ever his own thoughts be: because the Lord hath not made these his rule. Hence also, on the other hand, some who may esteem their Gift unfit for edifying of the Church; yet if it be found otherwise by these whose place leads them to decide, and whose conscience will make them tender in it, they ought, and may with peace yeeld: whereas, if there were no Authoritative trial, what a torture would it be to some to have the weight wholly lying on themselves, and what a door would be open to the most self-confident persons on the other hand? Yea, were it not thus, there would be no need of the trial of Gifts, enjoyned, 1 Cor. 14:29, 31 which being in extraordinary gifted Prophets it’s much more to be respected in ordinary Ministers: neither were there use for so many precepts to try, and so many characters how to discern them that are fitted for, or called to the Ministery; whereof, to be apt to teach, is a main one, if there were not Weight to be laid on the probation, and determination of a Presbyterie, who are to count to God for their decision in such a case, and are not left to indifferencie or arbitrarinesse therein.
For a mans peace, beside the former two, singlenesse in himself is necessary, without which, both the former two will not sustain him against a challenge: except there be a testimonie here, that conscience to duty, and obedience to Gods Call made him yeeld to it; that Gods glory, and promoving of the Work of the edifying of Christs Body, was his end; and that his taking up of Christs mind, to be calling him to follow this Call, was his motive that made him betake himself to this Calling and not to another, and that upon deliberation and search made, to discern the mind of God. Where these three concarr, to wit, a Gift, and that orderly approven, with the hearts yeelding to the Call, upon that account, to do Christ service in that, more than in an other station, because it apprehends him to call to that imployment and not to another, we conceive there is good ground of peace, so as there cannot be a torturing challenge upon this occasion: for, although men intrusted to try, are not infallible in discerning of Gifts; yet, when use is made of this way, as Christs Ordinance, for attaining satisfaction in this matter of a Call, it’s not like that his Ordinance will be a snare to any: and if triers of Gifts should mistake; yet may it be expected, that either the Lord will discover it timously some other way to the person concerned, or graciously some other way pity him, who did yeeld only out of respect to his Call as it was suppposed by him. And who knoweth also, but Gifts may follow by Gods blessing upon Labours, when He so clears a Call, if the Question only be there? As one may have peace in a Magistracie, when singly it’s imbraced out of the conscience of Gods Call, although it may be they who had hand in his election did unfitly make chose of such a person. And though this singlenesse be not simply necessary to the being of a Call; (for, there may be a Call without it, as in Judas) yet, it’s simply necessary for the mans peace that accepts it.
We take in here the considerations of Gods providence, and the concurrence of his dispensations: which, though they will not determine a Call simply, nor make a thing lawfull to one, which is not in it self lawfull; yet, in positive duties, they may do much to cast the ballance in swaying a man to one Calling beyond another; as suppose one hath means and wayes in providence provided for his education, which others have not; or, he hath been led to study, Conscience puts at him to take some calling, and it may be, pointeth at this, at lest so far as to make proof of it: all doors for other Callings are that upon him, so that he must betake himself to this, or languish in doing of nothing: sometimes others may be made use of to put at him, and the mind is kept in disquiet while he essayeth any other thing: reason here sheweth, such & such like things concurring, may have so much weight as to encourage one to rollow this motion, and may confirm him When this goeth along with the former three, or hath them following upon it.
If there were more particular enquiry called for concerning that impulse of the Spirit, which may be in one, in reference to the Ministery, how to discern it? and what weight to lay on it? We confesse that it is hard to decide therein: the operations of the Lords Spirit being mysteries, and often seeming unreasonable to men; as also the deceits of our own hearts are deep, and not easily reached: Yet, for helping in this, we may say, That it’s not unusuall to the Lord, to pouse one by His Spirit, when He mindeth to have him to the Ministery; and thereby to stir the heart of one, more than another, and more to this Calling than another, though in all, or at all times, not in the same measure. This in experience hath been found, and God hath afterward sealed it to have been of him: and by this, many have been brought to the Ministery, who have been profitable in it; who had not this been, would never have thought on it, or have been perswaded thereto by others. And seing the Calling of the Ministery is in an especial and peculiar way from God, and eminently His choice herein doth appear, it s not inconsistent with His soveraignty and interest therein, that he use this mean or way of an inward impulse. And although what is expresly spoken of this in Scripture be for the most part in reference to extraordinary Officers, and that in an extraordinary manner; yet by proportion may an ordinary impulse be gathered from that as concurring in the sending of ordinary Officers, as there is, an ordinary motion of the Spirit acknowledged in other lawful duties. Yet, 1. Advert, that this impulse of the Spirit, is not in all alike or equally discernable. The Lord sometimes will thrust one forth by a more inward impulse; and will draw others by more external means: Hence it will be found, that if the thing be of God, where the way is most improbable, and there be fewest encouragements and least outward drawing, there the inward thrust is the more strong: because by it the Lord doth supplie the want of that weight, which these outward helps might have on Him.
And again, where outward things do more convincingly concur, as that a man is purposely, as it were, educated in reference to that end, provided for, and encouraged by others in the undertaking thereof, &c. In these, although the end may be single, yet often is the inward impulse lesse discernable: because the Lord hath provided other means to draw them forth, which do supply that: neither is he to be astricted to one way of proceeding in this. 2. Advert, that this impulse may be, when yet it is not discerned, either because it is not taken heed unto; or, because the inclination may be prejudged, and the person not discern the language thereof. Or, because the Lord may make it ascend by the steps and degrees, as it were, at first withdrawing the mind only from some design that it was set upon; and it may not be positively at first known what he aimeth at: And, Secondly, He may incline the heart to, and bring it in love with reading, and studying, and other means which afterward he may make use of in reference to this end; and yet possibly hide from the person that which he aimeth at by this. Thirdly, He may make a stir inwardly in the heart, making it some way disquiet in every other thing, and restlesse in what soever it turneth it self to, as not being its proper work; that thereby He may constrain it to look some otherwhere. Fourthly, When this is done, He may make the person content to essay the trial of his Gift, if so be by that he may attain quietnesse, and yet still the person be but trying what the language of that impulse may mean, and not be distinctly clear of the result. And, the Lord doth wisely follow this order, partly, to draw on the person by steps, who might otherwise be scared, if all were presented to him together; and partly, that in due order he might effectuate his point, and train up the instrument to a fitnesse for the work he is to call him to, whereas, if he had perswasion of Gods calling of him to the Ministry at first, before any acquired fitnesse for the same, he might be in hazard to slight the means, and precipitate in the thing; which the Lord alloweth not: partly also he doth it, to keep such independence on Him for through-bearing in every step, one after another; so that although at first, one be not clear that God calleth him to the Ministery it self, yet if he be so, far clear, as that he calls him to forbear such an other Calling, to follow such a Study, to essay trials, &c. he ought to yeeld to that, waiting for what God may further reveal to him. Therefore, 3. Advert, that difference ought to be made between an impulse to the study of Divinity, and an impulse to the Ministery: one may really be stirred to the first, and ought to account it so, and so far to yeeld, without disputing what may follow; as we may see in many, who in the study of Divinity, and in trials have given good proof of Gods approving them in going that length, and yet he hath thought meet by death, or other wayes to prevent their being entered actually to the Ministery; which declareth that they were never called thereunto: is therefore; by any impulse, one cannot warrantably conclude that he is certainly to live so long; so can he not certainly gather, that he is called to be actually a Minister, which supposeth the former: and therefore certainty in this, is not to be at first enquired for, or expected; but so much is to be rested in, as may give the conscience quietnesse in the present step, supposing that death should prevent an other: this being the Lords way, that, the further one follow His Call, it will be clearer unto him: like one that ascendeth by degrees, he is still in capacity to behold the further. Yet, 4. Advert, that every impulse, which maybe to the Calling of the Ministery, is not to be accounted an impulse of the Spirit of God: or, as his moving either to the studying of Divinity, or the following of the Ministery; as we may see in the multitude of false Prophets of old, and in the experience of later times, wherein many have, and do run, whom the Lord never sent. And considering the nature of our spirits, and the way that the devil may have in the seducing of some, and jumbling of others: this needeth not to be thought strange. The great difficulty then will be, how to discern the voice of the Spirit of God in this particular, from the voice of our own spirits, or of the devil, in this respect, transforming himself into an Angel of light, and sometimes even driving honest hearts to the attempting of this as a good thing, who yet may not be called thereunto of God indeed.
To help then in the trial of this, Consider, 1. That that which is an impulse of the Lords Spirit, doth more compose and sanctifie the whole frame of the inward man, it being that same Spirit, which is the Spirit of Grace and supplication: therefore the more sensibly he pouse, the more sensibly are these effects; & the more composed and sanctified a heart be, the more clear and distinct will that impulse of the Spirit be: because then the heart is more impartial to discern the same. And although this impulse of the Spirit be but a common work, which may be in a hypocrite, and so alway hath not this sanctifying efficacie without; yet, we conceive where one, out of conscience, reflecteth on it, to try whither it be of God or not, there can be no conclusion drawn from it to quiet the conscience in the acknowledgment thereof, except it be found to be like. His Spirit in the effects of it.
That this impulse of the Spirit, is not backed with the assistance of our spirits; but some way it constraineth them to yeeld to it, even contrary to their own inclination, So that it moveth and carrieth a man over the thoughts of gain, reproach, credit or losse, over his inability and unfitnesse; which are never more discovered than when this impulse is strongest and most distinict, as we may see in the examples of Moses, Jeremiah, &c. whereas motions from our own spirits, do often lessen the difficulties, and hide the unfitnesse and inability that is within us, and readily ground themselves upon some supposed ability or probability, more than there is apparent reason for.
That God; Spirit moveth by spirituall motives like himself, as the promoving of Gods glory, the edification of His people, the preventing of a challenge, by giving obedience to Him, and such like: whereas other motions have ends and motives like themselves, as in the false prophets and others teachers in the New Testament may be seen; who fed not the flock, but themselves, and served not the Lord Christ, but their own bellies, and sought their own credit, ease, &c. yea, even Judas, though extraodinarily moved by the Spirit; yet it’s like that was not the motive which prevailed with him to yeeld; but some carnal motive, whether gain, credit or such like, as is held forth in the Gospel.
That the motion of the Lords Spirit, is, in its nature, kindly; and in its way, regular, according to the rule of the Spirit in the Word, that is, it doth not drive the heart violently as the Devils injections do, nor doth it precipitat in the following and persuing of what it moveth to; but, as having the command of the heart, he moveth natively, without making the spirit confused, and he presseth the prosecuting of what he moveth unto, orderly, it being the same Spirit that hath laid down a rule to walk by in the Word, and now stirs within the heart: and therefore, the inward impulse, cannot but be answerable to the outward rule. Hence also the spirits motion, is submissive to the way of trial appointed in the Word, and is not absolute or peremptory: whereas motions from our selves, or from the devil, are head-strong, and irregular, aiming at the end of thing, without respect to the way prescribed for attaining it. or, at least, do not so heartily approve of the one as of the other, especially if it be thwarted in its design by them.
That this motion of the Spirit putteth to the use of all means that lead to the end, as well as to the end itself, that is, reading, studying, praying, or what may fit one for that end: for, the Spirit never divideth the end and the means: and Pauls word to Timothie, subjoyning that precept, give thy self to reading, to that other of his fulfilling his Ministrie, doth confirm this: whereas, when these are divided, there can be no claim made to a motion of the Spirit of God.
Consider; that the impulse of the Spirit, is a fitting, gifting impulse, and carrying along with it a capacity in some measure for, and a suitablensse to, the thing that it calls to. Hence, in the Scripture, the Call of the Spirit, and the Gifs of the Spirit go together. And this last, is given as the evidence of the first, and in this respect, although there may be an impulse to the study of Divinity without the Call of the Spirit unto the Ministrie; yet can that never be counted an impulse of the Spirit actually to enter the Ministerie, where this gifting of the Spiritis not; for, it can never be instanced in all the Word of God, that His Spirit sent any, but his Call was sealed by his Gifting of them. And so, in effect, the trying of this impulse, so as one may have satisfaction theirein, will for the most part resolve in the trial of those two formerly mentioned, to wit, the fitnesse of ones Gift to teach. Secondly, The singlenesse and sincerity of the motive whereby one is swayed to follow the impulse: for, although the Spirit may move; yet if it be some carnal ground that perswadeth the person to yeeld to that which the Spirit moveth unto, it can be no ground of peace. These two then are at least, as to a mans peace, the sine quibus non, in the trial of this impulse: so that without them, he cannot conclude himself to be called actually to enter the Ministrie, or have peace in the undertaking the of.
To speak a Word then to what weight is to be laid on this impulse: Concerning it, we say. 1. That if all things beside concur to the fitting and qualifying of a Minister, this is not simply to be accounted a fine quo non in ones undertaking: Because, 1. There may be some impulse, though we discern it not. 2. Because there are more clear grounds to gather Gods mind from, as the effects of the Spirit fitting one with Gifts for the change, and other grounds laid down, whereupon weight may more safely be laid, than upon any inward apprehending, or not apprehending of the Spirits mortion, which is never given to us in anything, as the alone rule of obedience: and we must suppose the motion of the Spirit to be where these Gifts are, feeing as the impulse hath alway the Gifts with it, so we may gather the impulse from the Gifts.
To shut up this part of the discourse, we conceive, that it were use full to the Church, and conducing exceedingly for the clearing of Entrants to the Ministery; that there were some choice and way of try all, both of such as might be presently sound sit to enter the Ministery and also of others that might be advised to study in reference thereunto: and that it might not be left unto men themselves alone, whether they will offer themselves to try all in reference to that Charge or not. For so, many may, and no question do, smother good Gifts which might be usefull, thereby prejudging the Church thereof, who by this grave convincing, and (ere it fail) Autnoritative way, might be brought forth, and would more easily be made to yeeld thereunto, when the burthen thereof were not wholly left on themselves; whereas now, partly, from shame and modesty, partly, from custome, and under valuing of the Ministery, none ordinarily who otherwise have a temporall being, or any place, do betake themselves to this Calling: and it’s hard to say that either none such are gifted for it, or that such Gifts should be lost. And by this, on the other side, we suppose, that many who do now design themselves to the Ministery, (because none but such as take that way are called thereto) would be ashamed to thrust forth themselves; and so the Church might have accesse a great deal better to the providing of her self with able and qualified Ministers; where as now she is, almost, confined in her choice to a number that give themselves, or at most, are designed by their Parents, or possibly constrained by necessity to follow such a study. It’s true, this way the Lord may provide his House, and may so engage those whom he minds to make use of; yet certainly, it looks not so like, in an ordinary way, for attaining of edification as the other: and considering that the Church as such, is one body, and so ought to make use of every member, and any member, as may most conduce for the good of the whole body. There is no question, but the Church might call a member, upon supposit on of his qualifications, to tryall, and (being sound conform, to what was supposed) might appoint him to the Ministery: and that member ought to yeeld to both, from that duty that lyeth on every member in refrence to the whole body, which is, to be preferred to any particular member’s interest: and this without respect to mens outward condition or place; providing their being imployed in this stations, may se more usefull to the Church, and the edification of Christ Body, than their being imployed in no Calling at all, or in any other Calling. This being also to be granted, that some men may be so usefull in, and fit for publick civill Callings, as that thereby the Church may be benefited so far, that it will not be meet in every case, and in every person, to use this power; yet such extraordinary cases being laid aside, no doubt ordinarily it were usefull: And feeing all Incorporations and Commonwealths have this liberty to call, and imploy their members, without respect to their own inclinations, so as it may be most be hovefull for the good of the Body; this which nature teacheth, and experience hath confirmed in them, cannot be denied to the Church; which is a Body, and hath its own policy given to it by Jesus Christ for the bulding up of it self. This way is also agreeable to Scripture: and to the practice of the Primitive times: none can say that the Church did not choose her Elders and Deacons, and other officers out of all her members indifferently, as she thought fit, Acts 6 seven men fitly qualified are to be looked out amongst all the People; so in Pauls practice through the Acts: and in his directions to Timothy, and Titus: such only are not to be chosen, who offer them elves to it: but indifferently, such as may be best qualified, are to be enquired for, and when found, whatever they be, to be called and ordained to the Ministery. By all which, it appears like the Apostolick way to enquire for men that may be found qualified for the Ministery: and also, that shuning, or repining to enter the Ministery any person found qualified for it, and thus called to it, hath never been supposed as allowable by the Apostles; but it was looked upon as a duty, for those that were so called, to obey, as it was the duty of others to enquire for such. To this also, may that exhortation of Peter relate, 1 Epist. 5. Chap, and 2 verse. Feed the flock of God which is amongst you, taking the oversight thereof not by constraint, but willingly, &c. whereby it would seem, that he is pressing obedience from those that were called, that willingly they should undertake the oversight of Gods flock. Which words, if well considered, would pinch exceedingly a tender Conscience of any man, if a Call were thus pressed upon him. And indeed, if it were at mens option arbitrarily to refuse such a Call, the directions that are given to the People and Ministers for searching out, calling and ordaining such, were to no purpose; for thus they might all be frustrated. We do not say this to prejudge the laudable way of training up Students in reference to this end, it seemeth that even amongst the Jews, these who were to teach the People, were numerous, and as it were in Colledges, trained up with the Prophets, & these who were able to teach them. The Apostles also were not defective in training of young men in reference to this, which shews the laudablenesse of that way. And although the main part thereof be not to be placed in Scholastick debates; yet is training necessary, which in the meanest Calling is found usefull: and therefore, not justly to be denied here. We would only say, 1. That they would be some choise made in the designing of Youths for that Study: so that in an orderly way, some might be so trained, and not have liberty otherwayes to withdraw; and others timeously advised to look to some other imployment. 2. We would not have Elections bounded and limited to that number, so as either any whosoever thus trained up, might certainly be supposed as capable of being Ministers, or as if no Congregation or Presoytery might fix their eye upon, or give a Call unto any other. This way of calling was long continued in the Primitive Church, as we may see in the example of Ambrose, who being a Senator and President (although not yet Baptized) he verthelesse, because of his known ability, piety, and prudence, was unexpectedly, and unanimously called to be Bishop of Millan: and notwithstanding of his great oppositenesse thereto, was at length so pressed as he was made to yeeld: and after proved a notable instrument in the Church of Christ. And it’s remarked, that the good Emperour Valentinian, did exceedingly rejoyce, when he heard it, blessing God that had led him to choose one to take care of bodies, who was accounted fit to take care of souls. Theoderet. Hist. lib. 4. cap. 6. The like is recorded by Euagrius. Hist. lib 4. cap 6. Of one Euphraimius, who, while he Was Governour of the East, was chosen to be Bishop of Antioch, which the Author calleth sedes Apostolica. This is also the established Doctrine of our Church in the first Book of Discipline, in that head that concerneth Prophesying and interpreting Scripture, whereof these are the words, Moreover men in whom is supposed to be any Gift, which might edifie the Church, if they were imployed, must be charged by the Ministers and Elders to joyn themselves with the Session and company of interpreters, to the end that the Kirk may judge whither they be able to serve to Gods glory and the profit of the Kirk, in the vocation of Minuters or not. And, if any be found disobedient, and not willing to communicate the Gifts and special graces of God with their brethren, after sufficient admonition, Discipline must proceed against them, provided that the civil Magistrate concur with the judgement and election of the kirk: for no man may be permitted, as best pleaseth him, to live within the kirk of God; but every man must beconstrained by fraternal admonition, and correction, to bestow his labours, when of the Kirk be is required, to the edification of others. Which if it were zealously followed, might by Gods blessing prove both profitable, and honourable to the Church.
To say something to the second head proposed, to wit, of a mans clearnesse to the Ministerie of a particular Congregation, we suppose that this also is necessary for his peace, seing there is no reason that men ought arbitrarly to walk herein, but accordingly as they are called of God to one place and not to another: therefore we see that in John’s commission; the general is not only expressed; but particularly, he is instructedin reference to such and such particular Churches: and according to this, we see in the History of Acts that some were ordered to Preach in one place, and some in another; and Acts 13. Paul and Silas in their leaving Antioch, and going to the Gentiles, were not only called by word, but conformed and authorized by the laying on of hands, and we doubt not but this general also will be granted. For helping to clearnesse therein, the former general rules, are also to be applied with special respect to the particular case, As, 1. It is to be tried, if the Gift be not only suitable to edification in general, but to the edification of that people in particular: so that if when their case, dispositions, qualifications, &c and his gifts, disposition, & other fitnesse, both in reference to his publick Ministrie in Doctrine and Discipline, as also to his induments in reference to his private conversation (yea, their very corruptions and infirmities being compared together) If, I say, such a man may, in well grounded reason, be looked upon as qualified for the edifying of such a people: In this comparison also, respect would be had even to the more publick stare of the Church: so as a mans fitnesse would not only be tried with respect to the Congregation it self: but with respect to other things. 2. This fitnesse would be found and determined to be so, by these whose place it is to try Gifts, even in this respect. 3. The trysting of providences is to be observed: as, the rise of the Call, if it proceed from no natural or carnal end? if no other door be opened elswhere to him who is called, he may the more warrantably step in there, if no probable settling of that Congregation appear otherwise than by him, so as his refusing might occasion a detriment to that place? If things look so as he have an esteem without prejudice in the hearts of that people; so as he may probably expect to be looked on as a Minister, & to have the Word without prejudice received from him in that place? also if without carnall respects his heart be made to incline that way, or if unexpectedly & over many difficulties the people have pitched on him & adhered to him? These, and such like, may have their own weight, so as to help to gather this conclusion, That probably such a mans Ministrie may be useful and profitable in such a place: Neither is the advice of sober and unbyassed men, Ministers and others, to be neglected; seing often they may see more in a mans particulat case, nor he can discern himself: and that is oft found to be a mean made use of by God, for manifesting of his minde in such cases. Again, if there be any competition of places, so as one be sought by moe Congregations at once, the case is here somewhat different, supposing the man to be equally fitted for several places; otherwise, greater suitablenesse to the one, nor to the other, where it is palpable, doth cast the ballance. In deciding what to choose in this competition, there is much need of singlenesse and deniednesse to all outward and carnal things, both in him that is sought, and in them who seek, and in all others interessed; this being a great ill to suffer carnalnesse and contentions to steal in, even in persuit for a good Minister. Neither is there great weight to be laid upon prioritie or posterioritie in the applications that are made, the matter it self and causes which may be given for the last and for the first, can only satisfie the conscience as to the great scope of the Ministrie, to wit, the edification of the Church: seing a man is obliged to look to edification in his Ministrie, and so to settle, where probably that may be best attained, and not as an occasion may be, first, or last moved to him: and it were good that both he who is called, and they who call, would submit all interests, and be regulated by this. We conceive also, that the decision of this, doth not mainly or principally lye upon the person himself: for, as he is not simply to judge, whether his Gifts be meet for the Ministrie in general, or, for the edification of such a people in particular: so neither comparatively is he to decide, whether it be more conducing for edification, that he imbrace one Call rather than another; but this is to be done rather by these, whose place leads them indifferently to look to the general good of the Church. This then is the great rule to decide by, whether his Ministrie, considered complexly in all circumstances, may most conduce to the edification of Christs body by the accepting of this or that charge, when all things are singly and impartially weighted and compared together? so as in the result, it may, upon good grounds, be made to appear, that the one will prove a greater furtherance to the perfecting of the faints, and inlargement of Christs Kingdom than the other: as if his Ministrie in one place, may be profitable to moe souls than in another: and that not only with a respect to the particular Congregation; but as it may have influence to the preventing or suppresing of some general evils, or the promoving of some general good in moe Congregations beside: If his Ministrie may probably have more acceptance and fruit in one place, than in an other; if by some present circumstance, the planting of one place be more needful, and the delay thereof be more dangerous than in another, which seemeth more difficult than the place in competition there with; if the man find, after some trial, his liberty greater, his bowels more stirrid, and his mouth more opened as the Apostle speaks, 2 Cor. 6 in reference to one more than another if the harmonious judgement of single and uninteressed faithful men prefer the one, as more edifying, to the other; and many such like, whereby Christian prudence, after the inquiring of the Lords mind, may find the general end of edification to sway more on the one side than on the other, accordingly conscience is to determine that to be Gods Call, and the person is to yeeld: for, although in every case these could not sway a man warrantably and simply in respect of his Call; yet where the competition is in a case, that is almost equal on both sides, they may have place to cast the ballance.
For the third, That when a man is cleared in reference to a particular Charge, there doth remain yet a necessity of clearing him in reference to a particular message to that Charge: for, as the condition of every Congregation, is not a like; so is not one way to be followed with all. Hence we see that John hath a particular, and several message in reference to these seven Churches, though all agree in the one general scope, to wit; their edification. This is not to awaken at every time an anxious dispute, what matter to preach; But, 1. To, consider what particular faults have need to be reproved; what Truths have need especially to be cleared, what duties are especially to be pressed, as being most slighted amongst them; what shares they are most in hazard of and need most to be warned against, and so accordingly to insist: for, though all duties be good, and all sins be to be eschewed; yet do we see in the Word, that sometimes, and in some places, some are more insisted on than others, upon the former grounds. 2. The necessary Truths of the Gospel, as they tend to instruct, convince, convert, comfort, &c. which are the great task of a Minister, are necessary to all people; yet in the pressing of instruction and conviction, more than consolation; or, again, consolation and healing applications, more than sharper threatnings and reproofs, That is to be regulated according to the temper and case of the people, as also the manner of proposing and following of them, according as may among such prove most edifying, as the Lord, in these seven Epistles, doth more sharply or more mildly deal with them to whom he writes. But because there may be occasion to touch this on the 10. Chapter, and here we have already exceeded our bounds, we shall say no more of it, but shall say somewhat particularly to writing, and the peoples use-making thereof.
IN reference to this, we say, 1. That men may by writing, communicate what light God gives them, for the good of the Church. It’s true, the Gospel was at first spread and planted by Preaching, that is more properly the mean of conversion. It’s true also that all the Apostles Preached, but all did not write: yet we will, find, that the Apostles made great use of writing, for the informing, reproving, strengthening, and every way edifying of Churches and Persons brought to the faith; for, they wrote these Epistles, not only as Scripture, for the Church in general, but also for the edifying of such persons, in particular, and for clearing of such and such particular Doubts, or Truths, which the state of such times, or churches did most call for. There is reason also for this, if we consider, 1. The relation that is amongst all the members of the Catholick Church, whereby all are tied, to be edifying one to another, &c. 2. The end wherefore God hath given men Gifts, which is to profit with ill: and yet, 3. That a man cannot by word make his Gift forth-coming in the extent that he is obliged; there is therefore a necessity of using writing for that end, it being a singular gift of God for promoving edification. It’s upon this ground, as we said, that many Epistles are writen, to be usefull, where the Writers could not be, and when they were to be gone. It’s upon this ground also, we conceive, that many Psalms, and Songs (as that of Hezekiahs, Isa. 38) are committed to writing by the Authors: that by it their Case or Gift might be made usefull to others, for their instruction, as the Titles of sundry Psalms bear.
This way, for many Ages, hath been blessed, for the good of the Church of Christ, who have reason to blessed God, that put it in the hearts of many Ancients and others, thus to be profitable in the Church. And it may be, some able men have been but too sparing to make their talent forth-coming that way to others. And as we may conclude, that Ministers may Preach the Gospel who are called, because the Apostles did it, even though Ministers are not gifted with infallibility of Preaching, as they were, because that was for edifying the Body; so may we conclude, that men called to it, may write for the edification of the Church, although they be not gifted with infallibility in their writing.
Reason 1. A Call is necessary for every things; and men in lawfull duties are to walk by it: otherwise, all lawfull duties would lye upon all men as their calling, or be at their pleasure: which stands not with Gods putting; the task, every of particulars, into mens hands.
To write of the holy things of God, is to take on us, to tell what God thinks, and what is His will, Which is a most concerning think, especially to do is solemnly in writ; left it prove, at least, a taking of Gods Name in vain; when without a Call we do it.
This may clear it, that neither publick Preaching, nor private education by word, can be discharged rightly, but when men Walk according to Gods call in these, which is also necessiry in writing.
There is no promise to be guided in it, or of success to it, without some clearness of a Call to it; and so it cannot be comfortably undertaken nor prosecuted.
All the Saints had their call to write, who took that way: hence some Apostles have writen, others not; some Saints have recorded their case, others not. The reason of this difference is, because some were called to write, and others otherwise imployed; else we must say, they failed who wrote not. Neither will it simply warrand one, that he writes truth: there was doubtless truth in the Preaching of the sons of Thunder, and also of the Son of consolation; yet God thought it not good to call them all to write. And experience hath often made this truth out, that many have taken on them to write, whose writings have been exceeding hurtfull to the Church; so that had all men walked by a Call in writing, there had been fewer errours, at least they had not come unto such an height: and the Church would have been free of many subtile Disputations, that have more prejudged than advanced Godlinesse in it. As therefore some may fail in not writing, when they are called to it, so others may in going about it, whiles they are not called to it.
If we might enquire in the generall (for particulars cannot be pitched on) what may evidence a Call to write? We shall shew, 1. What is not needfull. 2. What will not satisfie and be sufficient. And 3. What is needfull and may be satisfying.
An extraordinary Call by revelation, or immediate impulse of the Spirit, such as John and the Apostles had, is not needfull: It might make a Writer as well as a Preacher to be suspected, if they should pretend to any such Call.
We think not an authoritative million in the person who is writer, simply needfull: One may be fitted to edifie by writing, whose Gifts lead not to edifie by Preaching: yet ought not the Church to be frustrate of the benefit or his Gift.
We think not a pressing inclination simply necessary; seing often, inclination the varts with duty; and mens modesty, lazinesse or other respects, may much divert the inclination, as in Moses, Jeremiah and others, when called to Gods Work.
We think it not necessary, that there be any singular or extraordinary measure of Gifts beyond others: Some may be called to, write by particular providences, when others of more understanding may be spared; even as some may be called to Preach, & others of more learning and ability, are passed by
On the contrary, It will not be sufficient to evidence a Call to write. 1. To have an inclination. 2. To have Gifts: Or, 3. To be found in truth: Nor, 4. To have a good meaning and end, These will not serve in other duties; and to neither in this, without respect had to the particulars after mentioned.
That a man therefore may have peace, as to his undertaking, we conceive there is a concurrance of several things needful, to be observed: As, 1. There is a necessity of a single end, to wit, Gods glory, others edification; and in part may come in, his own exoneration, as to such a duty. It’s not self-seeking, nor getting of a name, nor strengthening such a particular party or opinion, that will give one peace in this matter. 2. It is necessary, not only that the thing be truth: but that it be edifying, profitable, and pertinent, at such a time: Gods call to anything, doth ever time it, and tryst it well, as most subservient to the scope of edification. Hence, that which is Error, or impertinent, can never plead a call in writing, more than in preaching; yea, we conceive, the writing of many light, frothie subjects, or of speculative janglings, and contentions about words, is exceedingly contrary to edification, which ought to be the end and also the rule of our practice in writing. 3. Besides these, there are circumstances in the concurrence of providences trysting together, in reference to the person writing, to the subject writen of, the time wherein and occasion whereupon, and such like: which being observed, may contribute to give some light in the thing. As, 1. If the person be called publickly to edifie the Church; if he be of that weight, as his testimonie may prove profitable in the Church, for the strengthening and Confirming of others, or the like considerations; though no new thing be brought forth by him: which ground, as a moral reason, Luke gives to Theophilus: of his writing the Gospel, Luke 1:1.
Considerations may be drawn from the subject. As, 1. If it be a necessary point, that is controverted. 2. If the Scripture opened be dark, and obscure; and possibly not many satisfyingly writing of it. 3. If the way of handling it, be such; as gives any new advantage to truth; or, to the opening of that Scripture, (though it be not so accurate every way) that is, if the manner be more plain, or more short, or more full; or, touching at some things, others have passed, or clearing what they have mistaken, or confirming, what they asserted only, or such like cases where in they may Contribute, and be useful; for the understanding of what is already written; or occasion others, to form and mould their invention, and what God hath given them, for better advantage to others; seing some hath the faculty of inventing, others of improving, what is invented: thus both are made use of, for one end, when they are brought forth together; even as in building some are useful for plotting, or contriving, some for digging stones, some for hewing, others for laying by square and line; yet must be furnished by the former: So is it also in an edifying way of writing, every one have not all; yet should none refuse to contribute their part.
The time would be considered, if such a truth be presently controverted, or such a subject necessary to be spoken unto now; if such a persons interposing may be useful, if such a duty be neglected, or if such a Scripture be not made use of, and the like. These may have their weight to put folks to it, even though they should say little more than what is said by others: because then all are called, to put to their hand to help; that is the time of it. And there is this advantage, that when many do write, it serveth not only to confirm and strengthen what another hath said, but it occasions some to read that subject, that readily would never have read it, had not such a man written thereon, seing another book of that subject might possibly never have come to their hands: and with all, this is advantageous when moe are engaged in the same subject. This consideration is alleged by Bellar prœfœ in Tom prim out of Augustine, as a reason to put men to write, who were not of the most excellent parts; that it was edifying, and better than nothing; yea, that it was beseeming at such a time, to see many armed in the Camp of Christ, against His adversaries, although all be not leaders and captains.
Occasion also may be, from Gods putting one to have thoughts of such a subject when others are otherwise taken up, some not having accesse to be edifying otherwise; as when occasion of study is given, and the thing by publick delivery, or secret communication is known to others, and called for by them to be made publick: or that they would set themselves to it, God giving occasion of health, quietness, mens, &c. for it: the thing getting approbation from such as are single, & intelligent, judging such a thing useful: in this the spirits of Gods servants would be subject to others. Such considerations are frequently mentioned by worthy men, in their prefaces to their Books. And it’s observed in Vita Pellicani, as swaying him to publish his writings, though not accounted (by himself at least) to be of accurate learning, that, mediocriter and sunpliciter scripta, mediocriter doctis placitura videns, & quod illorum major fit copia, quam, eximie doctorum gratificari petentibus voluit. For, as the most learned Preachings, do not alway edifie most: so neither is it in writing; and though (as a learned man observeth in a preface) that which is accurate, edifieth most intensively, and best explaineth the thing; yet often, what is more popular, edifieth most extensively, and proveth profitable to many moe who are but of ordinary reach.
IN the last place, it is also clear, that people are not indifferently and without warrand to read or hear, except they know that they be warranted therein: for, this command of writing, is not only inserted, for the confirming of John in his Call to write, but also tendeth to warrand these who are writen unto, confidently to receive & make use of what is written. And it follows upon the former: for, if a Call be necessary, to speak or write in the Name of the Lord, then ought also people some way to be clear, that in their reading and hearing they may be walking according to Gods rule and call to them in reading what He calleth them to read, seing men cannot be supposed to be left to arbitrarinesse therein. Hence it is, that where the Lord disowneth the commissionating of such to teach, and accounts them guilty for running whom he hath not sent, & that either by writ or word, as may appear, by Jer. 23 and 29 vers. 24. &c. So also doth he reprove the people that do countenance such in their hearing or reading, whileas their Call is not evidenced to be of Him. Hence so frequently, both in the Old and New Testament, are we commanded not to countenance such, but to beware of them; and that must reach the reading of their writing as well as conversing with their persons, the one being dangerous, as the other is: for, one of these two must necessarily follow, supposing them not to be called of God thereto.
Either they are ensnared by such and such errours, as others take on them to vent; & they are brought to give heed to lies in stead of truth: and so though reading and hearing be good in it self; yet that wise advice of Solomon, Prov. 19:27 doth here take place, Cease, my son, to hear instruction, that causeth to erre from the words of knowledge. This effect is frequent, the Lord thereby in his secret Justice punishing the lightnesse and curiosity of presumptuous persons, that dare hazard upon any snare. Hence it is that so often that lightnesse and indifferency in the practice of reading and hearing such as are not called, hath with it an itching after some new Doctrine, and secret discontent with sound Doctrine, which putteth them to this, to heap up teachers to themselves, which is said, 2 Tim. 4:1, 2, 3. 1. to shew the difference that is betwixt Teachers sent of God, and such as People choose to make so to themselves, without his warrand. And, 2. It sheweth what or dinarily doth accompany that itching practice, vers. 4. They turn away their ears from truth, and are turned to fables: for, as it is ordinarily a lusting to vent some strange Doctrine, which doth make men write or Preach without Gods Call thereunto; so it is an itching after some such thing, or at least a loathing of found simplicity, that makes people thus bestow their time in the reading or hearing of such. And if no such thing be at first sensible; yet doth such persons tempt the Lord to give them up unto it.
Or if this follow not, we are sure that it shall no way prove usefull unto the followers thereof, as that word (Jer. 23:33) is, I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all. And seing edification is Gods gift, can it be expected but in His way? or can that be accounted His way, which He hath not warranted? At best, it putteth, 1. The person in the hazard of a snare, which hath taken many off their feet, which sometime seemed to be strong: and can they pray unto the Lord that they may not be led into temptation, when they do cast themselves into the snare? 2. It carries offence along with it, in reference to the party who runs unsent, it proves a strengthening and confirming of him, and so a partaking of his sin: in reference to others, it either strengthens them, by that example, to cast themselves in that snare which possibly may be their ruine; or it grieves them and makes them sad who are tender of such things; or, gives occasion to make all difference of that kind to be thought light of. All which should be eschewed: at least it doth this, it diverts men from that which might be more profitable, and to which they might expect a blessing which they have not a promise of, nor can expect in this.
And seing reading is a special mean of edification, if well imployed, and a great step to destruction when otherwayes, as experience doth prove, people who are commanded to watch, and to choose that which is most excellent, cannot be lest in an indifferencie in this; yea, the spending of our time rightly being the improving of a special talent, which, in reading manythings, may be exceedingly mispent, if not hurtfully abused: Christian wisdome therefore is mainly called-for in this, that a right choice may be made. Especially, considering, that it’s but little time that many can spend in reading; therefore by a wrong choice they incapacitate themselves from reading that which may be more profitable for their case and station. And also, seing every one hath not that ability to discern poison from good food, there must be therefore a necessitie that people regulate their Christian libertie in this rightly, lest it become loosnesse, and turn to be a snare. Also, though some, whom God hath furnished with Gifts, and by their place and station calleth them to convince gainsayers, may, and are called to acquaint themselves with writings of all kind; yet ought not all to take that liberty to themselves, more than they durst hazard publickly to debate with adversaries of any kind; seing the strength and weight of their errors are stuffed into their writings, and we are no lesse unable to encounter there writ than their word.
In matter of hearing, it is not so hard to discern who are to be accounted to speak without Gods commission; because ordinarily, such have either no warrantable Call at all, (no not in the outward form; and so cannot be accounted but to run unsent) or, by palpable defection from the truth, and commission given them in that Call, they have forfeited their commission, and so no more are to be accounted ambassadours to Christ, or watchmen of his flock, than a watchman of the city, is to be accounted an observer thereof, when he hath publickly made defection to the enemie, and taken on with him. For we are here to rest in the externall Call, and not to dispute that which is inward: because it passerh our reach; and Christ hath furnished His House with external Ordinances, for the warranding of His peoples peace in reference to these things: there is therefore great difference to be placed here between one that is called, and one whom we think not worthy to be called: it’s the first that warrands hearing, where of we may afterward have some-occasion to speak.
It is more difficult to give directions in reference to reading: yet, seing that now God hath furnished His people with many useful books, that in experience have been found to be such, we may for the help of the weaker propose these general directions. 1. That they would spend their time in the reading of such books, as judicious tender Christians have sound good of before, or shall recommend to them: such as (so to say) have been tried and tasted, and therefore may be, as good food in which there is no hazard, medled with. And there is no difficultie here: for, such and such books are commonly esteemed such, and it is easie to attain to the knowledge of them. 2. Some respect may be had to the Author so far as may help to a decision in this, whether such and such a book may be made use of, if it be known to be his? that is by other writings, preaching, or otherwayes he be known to be sound and serious, such a book, may with the more confidence be hazarded upon: It is for this that frequently the names of Authors are inserted in their writings, as is done by John frequently in this Book. For, though no mans name ought to bear such sway with any, as to make them digest anything without trial, because it cometh from him; yet it may give to one, freedom to make use of the writings of such, rather than of another, of whom there is no such ground of confidence. 3. Where Books and Authors are noted by the judicious and Godly to be dangerous and unprofitable, and in experience have been sound to have been so to others, distance would be kept with such; lest we find the proof thereof by our own experience, which we would not learn from others. 4. Where Books and Authors are both unknown, we conceive that it’s more safe for private persons for a time to abstain the reading of them, untill it be found what they are by some others who may more judiciously discern the fame, and in the mean time to spend that time in the reading of such as unquestionably are profitable: because by this we lose no time, and this may be done in faith, knowing that we are not hazarding our selves upon a tentation, which by reading the other, that is unknown to us, cannot be. And seing men usually take this way in making choice of Physicians for the body, who are in experience found by others to be skilfull and usefull, rather than to hazard on any who are yet unknown and have given no such proof; wisdom would say, that no Jesse should be required in the making use of Physicians or remedies that tend to our spirituall edification, it being no lesse concernment than the other. And if these things were observed in writing, reading, and hearing respectively (as they may be applied in cases) the Church of Christ might be preserved from many Errors and offences, which by this liberty is occasioned; and many persons saved from much hurtfull, and unprofitable labour, both in writing and reading.
