Lectures upon the three first chapters of the RevelationLectures vpon the three first chapters of the Reuelation

Now to procure credit and more reverence to his revelation, he describeth himself by two arguments. First, calling himself his servant John. Secondly, by an effect, Which bare record, &c. First he calls him self the servant of Christ, not the Disciple of Christ, not Christ his cousin or kinsman, which he might have done, but he calls himself the servant of Christ. For he had learned that which Christ speaks Mat. 12. 50. He which doth the will of my Father, he is my mother, sister and brother: not he which is kinsman or cousin, but in this, to do his fathers will, stands the note of his kinsman. And in this, to be the servant of Christ, stands the dignity of a Christian. Had not the blessed Virgin Christs mother been a servant of Christ, she had never bin saved by Christ. Then by this we see, it is nothing to help a man to salvation to be borne of great kindred, to come of Princes & noble blood, but to be the servants of Christ, to do the will of Christ, this is to be allied and cousin to Christ. And if we will be the servants of Christ, we must become new creatures, we must leave off our old service, and as S. Paul saith, he knew not Christ in the flesh, but served him in the spirit. And we must not content our selves to be his servants in the general calling of a Christian, but in our particular callings. For S. John was his servant not ⟨p. 13⟩only in believing in him, and obeying him generally; but in believing and obeying him in the particular calling of an Apostle. So Paul, ¹he was the servant of Christ, not only generally, but in the special calling of the Gospel, in preaching the same. This example of his and the Apostles must be our direction, we must not content our selves with the general calling of Christians, but serve Christ in our particular callings. It is not enough to profess Christ in public assemblies, to hear the word, receive the Sacraments, but in our particular callings we must serve him at home: as the magistrate, not only in his general calling of Christianity, but in his particular calling, as he is a magistrate: the Minister as he is a Minister: the master of a family as he is a master: and so all men in their particular callings must obey Christ.

Now to procure credit and more reuerence to his reuelatiō, he describeth himselfe by two arguments. First, calling himselfe his seruant Iohn. Secondly, by an effect, Which bare record, &c. First he cals him selfe the seruant of Christ, not the Disciple of Christ, not Christ his cosin or kinsman, which he might haue done, but he cals himself the seruant of Christ. For he had learned that which Christ speaks