A09443:375
A godly and learned exposition or commentary upon the three first chapters of the…A godly and learned exposition or commentarie vpon the three first chapters of the…
A godly and learned exposition or commentary upon the three first chapters of the Revelation. Preached in Cambridge by that reverend and judicious divine, master William Perkins, Ann. Dom. 1595. First published for the benefit of Gods Church, by Robert Hill, Bachelor of DivinityA godly and learned exposition or commentarie vpon the three first chapters of the Reuelation. Preached in Cambridge by that reuerend and judicious diuine, maister William Perkins, Ann. Dom. 1595. First published for the benefit of Gods Church, by Robert Hill, Bachelor of Diuinitie
London: printed by Adam Islip for Cuthbert Burbie, 1606
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, the Sun serveth most excellently to comfort and revive cold and dead starved bodies; as experience in the spring time teacheth: So Christ Jesus by the work of his spirit conveyeth spiritual life and heat •nto the dead and frozen heart of man: he is of power to comfort them that mourn, to give life to the broken hearted▪ and to revive the spirit of the humble, Isay. 57.15. and for this most excellent work may well be called the Sun of Righteousness. In regard whereof we must labour above all things to be partakers of this life and joy which cometh from Christ. In Winter time men use to stand in the sun to comfort and warm themselves with the heat thereof. Behold Christ Jesus is the sun of righteousness to his church, which giveth heat and life to all the true members thereof. We therefore must seek above all things to have his blessed beams of grace to shine upon our cold and frozen hearts, that by his spiritual heat we may be revived unto everlasting life. In this world nothing is so much regarded, as riches, honours, and pleasures: Who will show us any good, is the worldlings song. But with godly David we must say, Psal. 4.4. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us, quicken thou us with thy spiritual life▪ and comfort us with the beams of mercy. Quest. How may I get the gracious beams of grace and life, to come from this Sun of righteousness into my heart? Answ. Before a man can live by Christ, he must be killed in himself. Men do not kill those whom they would restore to temporal life, but the Lord taketh that course. Thou therefore must suffer his two edged sword to enter into thee, yea to be thrust up to the hilts into thy heart, that so thy vile sins and corruptions may be ripped up, and the wrath of God deserved thereby made known unto thee, that in thy self thou mayest be out of hope: and then and not before art thou fit to receive comfort and life by Christ; as a man that is cold in body is most fit to receive heat by clothes and other means of warmness. Now being thus humbled in thy self, thou must use the means which God hath ordained, to wit, the hearing, reading, and meditating in his word, with earnest prayer for grace and mercy: and th•• shalt thou perceive the joyful beams of life shining into thy soul.