I ,~ l thei. Chap.ojthe'R..evel. ' . \ a;';~ / A ~ort or place focuer; is taught firH , rd i~b.b'ili" \ ·--- 1 for knowledge and the '"'Ill of God. A great defence and viCtoric in all temptations, Eph. 6. 17. Tlu fworJofth< jpirit;thc ••ordof God,isone pcice of the co1nplc:ue armour of a Chrifiian. Herewith did Chrifi vanqui!h Sathan, M tlf·4· • And thus \.\'CC fee how the "''ord of God is a two edged [word, in regard of the clctt. fh amc it JS for any to be ignorant herein:"' IH'Ii the day commeth wee iCt open our \\"induwci to let in the light of the SUnne fOr our cornf(ln : behold CbriH Icfus is cucr atl1iningl ight in h1s Church: V/hy then fhould wee not upen our hcarts,that the beams oflight and knowledge; "\\'hieh dcf(cnd from him,may cnttr into vs, & giuc vs light? Secondly, we mull hereby lean1 in our whole conucrfarion among men , td vvalkc by this light. Wee are here but p"1lgri:ilS trauclling towards hcauc_n:and the '>~\'ay of this mifcrahic world is full of darkncfle: ycr Chrilt Hence we arc taught, that when wee h2ue the do6tnne of the Lawe and of the Gofpd preached vnto vs, wee ~uflwith all rcuercnce heare and rcceiuc the tame. Men vvill hearc it l \o\'hilc it is taught gencrally,but ifit once toneh their parricularf.1ults, then they cannot brook it. But we muH fuffer it to ranfacke our hearts, and bee gi:Jd thereof: for by this meancs our corruption is wounded, and finne Oaindn vs: our foules are conucrtcd vnto God, & fhall be (aued. -If any man were difeafed wirh a Filtula orany other dangerous fore, he would wil– lingly fuffer the furgeon to fearch and peirce into the fame. Shall we doe this for our bodily health,and lhall we not fuff=r the word ofGod to enter i'nto our hearts to rippe vp our finncs, that they beeing wounded and (ubdued, wee may bee hcaled,and fo our fOules liu(l for cuerf we cannot liue vmo god,til we die vmo finne: and we cannot die vmo finnc, till the fame be )'IOunded in vs byrhistwo edged fword. A• way therefore with all niceneffe in difliking the word, when it crolfcth our humour; and if wee louc etcrn:llllifc, let vs then embrace it moltwillingly. Je(us i< in the middelt ofhisChmch, 01inmg B as the Sunnc in his Hrfgth, to gillc the light of knowledg;whercby we may fee the right \\"3)' Saint John faith further of this two edged fword; that it cameourofChrilts mouth. 0· r.hcr kings curie their fwords and fceptcrs In their hands; but Chrilt bearerh his in his mouth, to reach vs this fpcciall point, That we mufi rcceiue no doCtrine from any man;which he harh not rcceiued from rho mouth ofChrilt. Forfirlt,God reuealeth his will vnto his (onne, and,Chri£\ deliuereth it vnto his Prophers 1 and Apo£tles by the fpirit, and to his miniltcrs in theirwritings.They thercfOrcmu{l: dcliuer no• thing vmo Gods people, but that which they haue from Chrifb if they deliuer ought elfe , they hold not forrh.Chrilts [word ; neither can it haue that powerfull etfecl either in the godly or in the wicked~ thither. Without him there is nothing bm darkcnclfe and wandering: his word is the lighr,and hirnfelfe the day Harre. We thcrforc mufl attend vmo him in all our affaircs ofth1s life: 3nd in the particular duties of Olir la"''full callings take direClion from the light which il1incth from his face. Sccondly,the Sunnc fcrueth moll c:kcclicnt– .ly to comfort and rcuiuc cold and dead fiaruc:d bod1cs; as experience in the fpring time tea..: chcth : So Chrilt Iefus by the workc of his fpirit conucieth fpirir.ualllifcand heat into.the dead and fro7.cn heart of man: hcc is ofpov\'– er to comfort th~m t-hAtmourne; togiuelrfe to rhe hrok.!n h~artfd, and to reuiuc rhe !pint of thi ~ C 1 humble, J(ay 57·'5·'and forth is molt .xcellcnt worke may well be called the Sunnc of Righte– oufnejfo. In rcgord whereofwe mult labour a– bout all things to bee partakersofthis hfe atid ioy which commerh from Ch!ilt. In Winrer time men vfc to £land in the funne to corilfort and warme thcmfclues wich the hcate the-reof. Behold Chrilt Je(us is the Sunne ofrighrcouf– ncffe to his Church,which giueth heat and life Andhufaet}hone a;theSunne fhintth in hi< ~rightn<jfo. Here is tile lalt braunch of this de{• D criptioo GfChriH; hC is compared t~ thejbining •f th<Sunne, and that in hit ftrengrh .- be<au(e Chrifi is vntohis church,as the Sunne is to the world. And lookc what duties rhe.Sunneper– formeth vnro the world,rhc fame durieo Chrilt perfortncs YntOhis Church in a more excellent manner, as [heir refcmblance will cuidcntly to all the true members thereof~ We thfrff6're mult fecke abouc all thingsrcfhaue his bleffcd beames of gl'3ce to lhinc vpoh our cold and frozen hearts,that by his fpiriruall heat we may be recciued vpto euerlafiing lifc.In this world nothing is fo much regarded; as riches, ho– nours, and pleafures ; 111ho ff-ill fhewe vs any good, is the worldlings fo'ng. ':'But with godly Dauidwc mult fay, Pfal. 4· 4•. Lordlift tbot<vp the light ofth] collntemmce vpon vs ; quicken thou vs with thy fpiritualllif~, and comfo..r~vs with the bcanies'of merciC. !2!!5ft. How may declare. .. · · Firl\,the Sunnei~ the world difpclkth night and darkenes,a.nd makerh the day by bringing hght ': (o Chnlt the Sunne of righ(eouf.-Jre, Ma!ach.4.>, fcndetl1 downe the bfight'beames of knowledge and gtacc into his· Church whereby blindnelfe and ignoranc~ is taken a~ way,2.Cor.4.6.And hereby cuery one,ofwhat 1 I 1gec gracious ~bmb of_Ma.ce and life, to come from this Sunnc of dgbccoufncfl'e into my heart?· An[w. Before a '!'an can li,ue by Chrilt, he mull be killed m hin\(clfc. Men doe 'not kill thdfe wholl)< they wpuld rd\orc to rcmporalllife,but the Lord taketh thatcourfC. Thou therefore mult (uffer his two edged fword to e,ntcr into thee, yea eo be t,hrufi vp to the hilts into thy heart, that (o ihy •ile finnes and corruptions may bcc1 ripped vp, and the wrath of God deferued thereby made known vnto
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