grievous The Holy Ghost setteth down 2. notes whereby we may know that we love God 1. That we keepe his Commandements Exod. 20.6 John 14.15 2. That his Commandements are not grievous for nihil difficile amanti nothing is difficult to him that loveth Gen. 29.20 a miosis That is pleasing delightsome The Rhemists quarrell with this Translation they translate it And his Commandements are not heavy Our English word grievous commeth of the Latine word grave which is not only weighty but also troublesome it better answers the Greeke and Latine than the word heavy which is properly that which is of great weight Vers. 4. And this is the victory that overcommeth the world even our faith Faith overcommeth the world two waies 1. It discerneth a vacuity and emptinesse in all terrene objects 2. Because it uniteth to Christ making the subject in which it is a member of him and so a conquerour with him John 16. ult 1. The world frowning with the troubles feares and dangers of it he that beleeves is above the worlds frowning 2. Fawning faith overcomes the world that it shall do us no hurt that way Heb. 11.26 Vers. 6. This is he that came by water and bloud The Apostle alludes to the ancient Jewish rites wherein there was a purification by water which was to take away the filth of sin and an expiation by bloud which was to take away the guilt Christ came not only to justifie but to sanctifie See Calvin Vers. 7. For there are three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost Three 1. In the true and reall distinction of their Persons 2. In their inward proprieties as to beget to be begotten and to proceed 3. In their severall Offices one to another as to send and to be sent In heaven That is è Coelo from heaven say some as God the Father and the Holy Ghost by cloven tongues and Christ is the faithfull and true witnesse rather because their testimony is to witnesse the things done in heaven there is the work of God upon us as Election 2. A work of God in us as Conversion Sanctification 1 Phil. 6. The Father witnesseth by the Spirit Matth. 16.17 compared with Rom. 8.17 1 Cor. 12.3 The Son by bloud Justification the doctrine of free grace in the Gospell 1 Thes. 15. The Holy Ghost by water sanctification Hee that doth righteousnesse is righteous hence we know that we are translated from death to life and these three are one In nature and essence one in power and will and one in the act of producing all such actions as without themselves any of them is said to performe Vers. 8. And there are three that beare witnesse in earth the spirit and the water and the bloud Baptisme the Lords Supper and the Ministrie The Spirit is mentioned in both the end of a witnesse is to decide a controversie vers 10. The spirit is said to be a witnesse in heaven and earth in regard of the things that are witnessed that our names are written in heaven and that grace is wrought in our hearts The Lord alludes to the manner of purging sin under the Law by bloud and water their sacrifices and washings must bee bloud for satisfaction as well as water for sanctification There was a double use of bloud under the law for effusion and aspersion it assures our interest in Christs bloud Vers. 10. Hee that beleeveth not God hath made him a lier Not by transmutation of God he esteemes his word and promises as false Vers. 11. And this is the record Or testimony and this life is in his Son there is a life of righteousnesse holinesse and comfort laid up in Christ. Vers. 12. And he that hath the Son hath life Of justification of Sanctification of glory Vers. 13. That ye may know that yee have eternall life If a man could not know both that he were in the state of grace and that he should be maintained and kept in that estate for ever he could not know that he had eternall life Therefore a multitude of markes signes or discoveries of a beleevers Spirituall estate are plainely laid downe in this Epistle more than in any other so short a piece of Scripture in the whole Bible Vers. 14. If we aske any thing according to his will he heareth us God heareth an enemy but to heare with favour is here meant and so wee ordinarily say of a Favourite that he hath the Kings eare and if a man be obstinate to a mans counsell wee say hee would not heare though he gave the hearing Vers. 15. And if we know that he heare us whatsoever we aske we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him That is if we can perceive and discerne that God listeneth to our prayers hereby wee may assure our selves that hee grants our requests Vers. 16. If any man see his brother sinne a sinne which is not unto death hee shall aske That is which undoubtedly bringeth death the sinne against the Holy Ghost for every other sinne we may pray for forgivenesse of it to others There is a sinne unto death By which he meaneth not that there is a sinne that deserveth death for so every sin doth but a sin which whosoever falleth into and committeth he must needes dye and perish everlastingly Vers. 18. We know that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not That is he sins not unto death v. 16. And that wicked one toucheth him not That is tactu qualitativo Cajetan So as to leave an impression of his owne devilish Spirit as the needle is touched by the Loadstone Vers. 21. Little children keepe your selves from idols He biddeth them take heed not onely of Idolatrie as from the service but of Idoles themselves that is the very images or shewes of them For it is unworthy that the image of the living God should bee made the image of an idoll and that being dead At that time in which St. Iohn wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signified an image generally therefore it may be translated an image generally and seeing he speaketh of the unlawfull use of images it may also bee translated an idoll as the word is now taken to signifie ANNOTATIONS Upon the second Epistle generall of JOHN CHAP. I. Verse 10. IF there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine viz. Of Christ bring By an ordinary hebraisme opposeth it Qui hanc Christi doctrinam aversatur impugnat Estius Receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed viz. After admonition and good meanes used for his reclaiming Titus 3.10 It is to be understood of giving an outward approbation to false teachers of speciall familiarity Vers. 21. No lie That is no doctrinall lie either about matters to be beleeved or to be done either concerning the misteries of faith or the rules of a holy
12.35 Christ is a help against darknesse of sin ignorance misery death Gods wrath He alludes here saith Grotius to Esay 9.2 Vers. 6. A man Mans Ministry Sent Must have a calling from God Rom. 10.15 John Iehochanan Preacher of the grace of God Luk. 1.13 This shews that Christ is author of the light in man Vers. 8. He was not that light Ob. Iohn 5.35 Ans. It speaks not of the same light Iohn Baptist was not the Sun of righteousnesse the Messias the light that brings light into the world but he was a light and gave a notable testimony to the light See Grotius Was sent Is not in the originall Mat. 5.15 Iohn 5.35 Vers. 9. True Truly heavenly See Iohn 6.32 and 15.1 Lighteth Luce rationis the soule of a man is called a Candle in Proverbs See Cameron Every man Jew and Gentile without respect of persons all that are enlightned cannot say they have light from any other commeth Viz. borne Mark 16.15 Mat. 20.19 The world was ignorant before his Incarnation Luk. 1.79 world is taken First for things created Secondly Per synecdochen integri for men in the world both are here meant Some understand this of the light of grace but it will be more universally and necessarily true of the light of Reason which is in Infants radically though not actually Vers. 11. His own Some say all men are here meant because he made all the Jews were his people in a speciall manner Psal. 85.1 Received him not Beleeved not Calvin That is they obeyed not his word they would not be taught and directed by him Iohn 3.32 Ver. 12. As many Either Jews or Gentiles Calvin Bond or free Chrysostome Power Therefore the Papists say power is in man See ver 13. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never signifies possibility but as in other places it is translated power or authority so here as also 1 Cor. 8.9 and 9.12 right or privilege or as Iansen Concord Evang. c. 1. interpreteth authoritatem dignitatem jus To become Viz. made Mat. 5.45 Sons Gal. 4.5 Ephes. 1.5 Rom. 8.17 His name Gospell preached Acts 4.12 Vers. 13. VVhich were borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Faith comes not by naturall generation Bloud Enallage numeri genitale semen The flesh Gal. 5. opposite to the Spirit Man The same with flesh Calvin Some by flesh would have the woman to be meant Augustine Not of the will of man Not by any naturall power vertue or strength which is naturally inherent in them But of God That is of the Spirit of God Vers. 14. The word was made flesh Viz. incarnate man by Synechdoche Heb 2.16 Flesh signifies contemptuous man And dwelt among us As in a tabernacle or tent that is for a short time The Evangelist in that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 probably alludes to the feast of tabernacles in or near the time of which celebrated by consent of many Authors of best note he was conversant with us Zach. 2.10 Heavens are his home here was his pilgrimage Beheld his glory Saw it in his doctrine miracles life passions which agreed only to the only begotten Full Acts 6.8 All things in the Law were fulfilled in him Grace favour Ephes. 1.6 Truth All Christs were true and not fallacious true knowledge Col. 2.3 See Piscat Vers. 15. And cried Alia clara voce Esay 58. For he was before me So we read it but in Greek it is He was my first preferred before me for he was my first Vers. 16. Of his fulnesse The greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes taken for abundance Psal. 24.1 there is not only plenitudo abundantiae but plenitudo redundantiae an overflowing of fulnesse in Jesus Christ. Secondly for fulfilling and perfecting of a thing So love is said to be the fulfilling of the Law Properly it is given to vessells that are brim full of liquor and metaphorically here applyed unto Christ. Grace for grace Interpreters all agree in this that the scope of the words is to set out the abundance of grace we have from Christ a kind of Hebraisme say some and notes the cumulation of grace grace upon grace grace answerable to the grace in Christ say others or the grace in Christ which we partake of answers the grace in all Moses rites and Ceremonies See 14.17 verses and de Dieu in loc That is as one sweetly expounds it as a child in generation receiveth from his parents member for member or as the paper from the Presse receiveth Letter for Letter the waxe from the Seale print for print or as the glasse from the Image receiveth face for face so doe we from Jesus Christ receive grace for grace that is for every grace that is in Christ there is a grace in us in some measure and proportion answerable and agreeable to the same in him Grace for grace That is whatsoever Grace there is in Christ there is the like stamp upon the heart of every Christian like unto that expression Matth. 5.38 Grace The word Grace is sometimes taken for the love and favour of God Ephes. 2.5 2. For holinesse Col. 3.16 3. For excellency or ability as Ephes. 4.7 In all these respects there is a fulnesse of grace in Christ. Vers. 17. Grace In opposition to the curse of the Morall Law truth in opposition to the figures of the Ceremoniall Law Dr. Reynolds Grace comprehends all the perfections of the will truth all the vertues of the understanding Dr. Preston Vide Fulleri Miscell sac lib. 1. c. 8. de Dieu in loc Vers. 18. Seen Known fully as he is or now shall be revealed by Christ. Exod. 33.20 The bosome of the Father That is the seat of love and secrecy Who is intirely loved with such affection as is due only to her who is to be laid in the bosome Deut. 13.6 Men admit those into their bosomes with whom they impart all their secrets the breast is the place of counsells Calv. That is Christ revealeth the secret and mysterious Counsels and the tender and compassionate affections of the Father unto the world Dr. Reynolds declared exposuit discovered a secret 41. Gen. 25. Matth. 11.27 The originall word signifies to conduct and direct and lead a man as it were by the hand to the finding out of something that was hid before No man by the naturall force of his wit can know God with a saving knowledge necessary to eternall salvation Vers. 20. And he confessed and denyed not See third verse It is familiar with the Hebrews by affirming and denying to expresse the same thing for the greater confirmation Esay 39.4 Ier. 42.4 See 1 Iohn 1.5 Vers. 21. And they asked him What then Art thou Elias And he saith I am not Art thou that Prophet And he answered no. Iohn so denyed that he was Eliah as he denyed he was
sins and that he might give them the more confidence of going out he againe bowed himself Ver. 8. Vers. 10. None but the woman In respect of the accusers the Disciples were yet present and the people which Jesus taught Vers. 11. Neither do I condemn thee He came not then to the judgement of the world but that he might give place to repentance Christ while he was in the forme of a servant neither condemned whoredome nor absolved it civilly Sin no more Willingly deliberately Vers. 12. I am the light of the world The light of the world visible by Creatures of the invisible by grace the light of the world which I have created by my word redeemed by my bloud not of the Jews only but of all men of all times places orders and conditions Esa. 42.6 and 49.6 Luk. 2.32 He that followeth me To follow Christ is to receive his Doctrine to acknowledge him for the true Messiah of the world to worship and invocate him the following of Christ therefore comprehends true faith Charity and obedience as Christ himself explaines it Iohn 12.36 and 46. not only a lively knowledge of the true God and salvation but also as Austen will a continuation of the same even to eternall life The light of life Which may be referred either to Christ who is the light and enlightens every one comming into this world he shall I say possesse this Christ the fountaine of life that is shall be partaker of his benefits and merits or it may be referred to eternall life that last end of our afflictions as if he should say he that obeys me shall have eternall life shall once see that light inaccessible where God himself dwels and enjoyes it Vers. 32. And the truth shall make you free Austen observed here the emphasis of the Greeke word for they are said to be freed by the Latines who are brought out of danger or from a disease but the Greeke word belongs to liberty which is opposed to servitude also he is called a free man amongst the Latines who is out of danger but the Greeke word signifies an ingenuous man and one that is obnoxious to no servitude the stomack of the Jews so declares it We never served any man Vers. 33. We were never in bondage to any man Some of the ancient Fathers judge this speech of the Jewes to be the Character of an arrogant mind and also a manifest lye See Gen. 29.20 39.1 Their Fathers served in Aegypt forty years Gen. 15.13 and Exod. 20.2 They served also the Babylonians and even then the Romans Mr Selden distinguisheth of a twofold servitude one inherent in the person or intrinsecall another extrinsecall consisting in outward services and civill obedience they deny the first only here saith he as the words following in Verse 34. shew Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin Vers. 34. Committeth sin That is giveth himselfe unto it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that maketh sin That is that doth it as his work Verily verily He was about to speake of a great matter and that which the Jews would hardly admit of and therefore he seriously confirmes it Is the servant of sin As if he should say You understand my speech of a corporall servitude of which I in no wise speake there is another spirituall servitude far more hurtfull viz. the bondage of sin from whom you and other men are in no wise free Vers. 36. If the Son That is himselfe who was the naturall Son Vers. 43. Why doe ye not understand my speech That is approve and assent to it Because ye cannot hear my word That is understand it ubi audire pro intelligere est Glassius Vers. 44. He was a murderer from the beginning That is the first murderer and the author of murder opposite to God who is the first good and author of all good life to himsefe and in his creature From the beginning Not of the Creation of the world or of time but of man He is a lyar and the father of it So he is of all sinnes but of lies because he brought sin into the world by way of lying at the first Vers. 47. Yee therefore heare them not because ye are not of God That is profitably for they all heard Vers. 49. Jesus answered I have not a Devill When the Jewes objected two crimes against our Saviour Christ one that he was a Samaritane another that he was a Devill he neglected the crime which concerned his person and passed it over as being of the least sort of wrongs and stands upon that other especially which touched his doctrine I have not a Devill Vers. 56. Saw it A farre off Heb. 11.13 How could this be when Christ was borne many hundred years after Answer Not by the eye of sense or reason but faith whereby he saw Christ more lively and more to his joy and consolation so many hundred yeares before he was than many which lived in Christs time and saw him and conversed with him The Fathers say that he saw Christs birth at the vallie of Mamre Gen 18. and his passion in the Mount Moriah Gen. 22. Vers. 57. Thou art not yet fifty yeares old In his prime and flower of age a little past thirty deemed by Jewes a man toward fifty such shewes of over age say some had care and paines to win soules cast upon him But Calvin dislikes this and saith they grant him more age lest they should seeme to deale too exactly and precisely with him as if they should say certainly thou wilt not make thy selfe so old that thou shouldst boast of thy comming to fifty See Maldonate and Grotius CHAP. IX Vers. 1. HE saw a man which was blind from his birth The Syriack hath it blind from his mothers wombe Those that become blinde after they are borne may be cured by naturall meanes but those that are borne blinde can only be helped by God Vers. 2. Who did sin this man or his parents that he was borne blinde Speaking according to the opinion of some Philosophers that was now also received among the Jewes as learned men think viz. that there was a preexistency of the soules before they were united to their bodies Either himselfe or his parents they were perswaded were guilty of some extraordinary sinne or else such a Judgement sure would never have befallen him Mr. Hildersam Vers. 3. Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents An Ellipsis viz. that he should be born blind blindnesse was not inflicted on him for his own or his parents sins These words are not to be taken simply but secundum quid and according to the propounded question of the Apostles viz. that they did not sin in that manner that for any enormous sinne he was borne blind but that the works of God should be made manifest in him The event of the thing confirmed that many works of God were manifested
equivalent to the Hebrew word Chemah which one while signifieth anger another while poyson Vers. 10. The same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God which is powred out without mixture That notes summam poenae severitatem a punishment next to hell there is utter darknesse Philosophers say here non dantur purae tenebrae Vers. 13. Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord Beza renders it who dye for the Lord or for his sake They die in the Lord which either suffer death for Christ or end their life in firme faith in him that suffer Martyrdome or dye any way in the state of grace Ribera a great Jesuite though he confesse that the common current of Expositors runs with the latter sense yet is more earnest for the former that Martyrs be meant specially that In is put for Propter as oft in the old Testament and sometimes in the New he strives the more for that sence because the other puts out Purgatory fire for if all Beleevers dye in Christ and are blessed and that henceforth then none are to be purged Martyres potissimum intelligi concedimus solos verò intelligi negamus saith Gerhard in loc From henceforth That is say some that constantly hold out in these times of persecution presently say others from the very time of their death So Dr Rainolds and Gerhard That they may rest from their labours That is 1. Of a toilesome particular calling Jer. 16.29 2. Under afflictions from God and persecutions from men 3. Under sin their spirituall warfare 4. Under temptation 5. Desertion And their workes do follow them Go with them the words well weighed sound so workes are put metonymically for the wages and reward of their works as 2 Cor. 5.10 That every one may receive the things in his body That is the rewards of those things he hath done agreeably to that which he hath done whether good or evill Their workes here are their eternall rewards and that in foure things 1. In a consummation of grace 2. In a perfect communion with the Lord Christ. 3. In a perfect fruition of God 4. In the glorious imployment that the soule shall have in heaven CHAP. XV. IN this and the next Chapter is prophesied and declared the last ruine of the enemies of the Church this Chapter is the preparation to it and the next the execution of it Vers. 2. And I saw as it were a Sea of glasse mingled with fire Some say this is a lively embleme of this world whose glory is but glasse bright yet brittle and it is mingled with fire which signifieth the consumption of the world which as glasse is melted with fire 2 Pet. 3.12 Rather saith Brightman Gospell-ordinances and the fire signifieth contention Luke 22.45 Having the harpes of God That is divine most excellent and sweet after the manner of the Hebrewes who say all those things are of God which are chiefe and most excellent in their kind as Gen. 23.6 Psal. 36.7 Or because God sendeth the joy of his Spirit into their hearts wherewith they may be able to give God his due praises for this his notable kindnesse and goodnesse unto them Vers. 3. And they sing the song of Moses the Servant of God and the song of the Lambe saying Great and marvellous are thy workes c. Which expressions are taken out of Exod. 15. and Psal. 111.2 3. 7. verses Vers. 6. Clothed in pure and white linnen and having their breasts girded with golden girdles The Angels are described to be cloathed with pure and white linnen and to have their breasts girded with golden girdles that is all of them were cloathed with the righteousnesse of Christ which is pure linnen both justifying and sanctifying them the one imputed the other inherent and all of them were sincere professors of the truth of Christ their breasts girded with the golden girdles of truth CHAP. XVI Vers. 1. ANd I heard a great voyce out of the temple Great That is vehement terrible such a one as he heard ch 1. v. 10. 6.1 11.12 Without doubt of the Lambe or of God sitting in the throne as the chiefe disposer of these punishments Pareus There is a two fold voice mentioned in this booke 1. From the throne ch 19. v. 5. that is from God immediately 2. From the Temple as here that is obtained by the prayers of the Saints Go your wayes and poure out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth The vials are vessels of large content but of narrow mouths they poure out slowly but drench deeply and distill effectually the wrath of God they are vessels of full and just measure as all these judgments are dispensed in weight and measure Of the wrath of God That argueth that upon what subject soever these vials fell the wrath of God fell together with them upon the same therefore that is a dangerous interpretation v. 8. to expound the Sun to be the Scriptures Vpon the earth That is the common sort of Catholiques Vers. 2. Them which worshipped his image They which worshipped the Image of the Beast are such as are devoted to the Canons of Popish Churches and receive them as articles of their faith these are all afflicted with a noysome and grievous sore by the powring out of this first viall For those who did powre it out were such as did convince them of the damnable estate of a Catholicke this was the common practice of the Martyrs of Jesus Christ in Q. M. Edw. the sixths and H. the eights time who discovered unto them that all their Religion was but the worship of God after the devices of men even will-worship such as they were led unto by the man of sinne upon this discovery there fell a noysome and grievous sore upon their Catholicke Priests it is an allusion to Exod. 9.11 Vers. 3. And the second Angell poured out his viall upon the sea and it became as the blood of a dead man and every living soule died in the sea This verse describes the powring out of the viall of the second Angell He poures it on the sea and it became as the bloud of a dead man The allusion is to a like plague upon Egypt Exod 7.20.21 The Sea of the Antichristian world is here meant a distinct world from that heavenly State wherin other reformed Churches stand The confluence of all their ordinances as they doe administer the worship of God The Sea is become blood That is this Religion of theirs is convinced and discovered to be such as holds forth a dead Christ and dead ordinances to any spirituall life And every thing living in that Sea dyed that is every soul that had no other life but what was bred and fed in that Religon had no other Christian life but what he sucked and derived from that Religion they all perished everlastingly The Angell who powred out this viall