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…

Now followeth the means of his confirmation in these words, Then he laid his right hand upon me, saying, fear not, I am the first and the last: and I am alive, but I was dead: and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen: and I have the keys of hell and death. Here note two things, first, the time when Christ used these means for Johns confirmation: secondly, the means themselves. The time is noted in this word, then, that is, after his presence had stricken a fear in my heart, which made me as dead; then the Lord used means to comfort me. The means of comfort and confirmation are then used when the party is humbled. And thus the Lord dealeth with all his servants in the matter of their salvation: First, he bruiseth their stony hearts, and woundeth their sinful souls, before he poureth in the oil of grace. First, a man must be a lost sheep, and then Christ findeth him and layeth him on his shoulders and bringeth him home. And indeed they that would feel sound comfort by Christ, must first be humbled in themselves. And the reason why men reap so little comfort either by the word or sacraments, is the want of true humiliation before they come, whereby the soul is fitted for grace and consolation.

Now followeth the meanes of his confirmation in these words, Then he layd his right hand vpon me, saying, feare not, I am the first and the last: and I am aliue, but I was dead: and behold I am aliue for euermore, Amen: and I haue the keyes of hell and death. Here note two things, first, the time when Christ vsed these meanes for Iohns confirmation: secondly, the means themselues. The time is noted in this word, then, that is, after his presence had stroken a feare in my heart, which made me as dead; then the Lord vsed meanes to comfort me. The meanes of comfort and confirmation are then vsed when the party is humbled. And thus the Lord dealeth with all his seruants in the matter of their saluation: First, he bruiseth their stonie hearts, and woundeth their sinfull soules, before hee powreth in the oyle of grace. First, a man must bee a lost sheepe, and then Christ findeth him and layeth him on his shoulders and bringeth him home. And indeed they that would feele sound comfort by Christ, must first be humbled in themselues. And the reason why men reape so little comfort either by the word or sacraments, is the want of true humiliation before they come, whereby the soule is fitted for grace and consolation.