forced to quit our Lives that we may secure our Religion and our Consciences Blessed be God we can enjoy these here and carry them with us into another World afterwards But if ever the Divine Providence shall call us to lay down our Lives and spend our Bloud in the service of our Lord and Saviour let us not count our Lives dear unto us so that we may finish our course with joy and testifie the Gospel of the grace of God as our Apostle speaketh Let us like the Primitive Saints rejoyce that we are counted worthy to suffer shame and even Death for the Name of Christ. Let us chearfully sacrifice our Lives for the sake of him who Died for us let us drown our Affections to the world in our own Bloud thereby propagating our Holy Religion and therein following the Pattern of the Blessed Apostles and Primitive Saints who manfully and undauntedly died for the faith on whose account and by virtue of whose Example it was that Thousands of Converted persons flock'd to the Waters of Baptism and were ambitious to Assert that Cause for which they saw those Excellent Christians lay down their Lives The Death of an Eminent Saint made a great number of Disciples in those days the Bloud of a Holy Martyr baptized whole Cities This I conceive was to be baptized for the dead This I offer as the most Plain and Easie the most Natural and Genuine Meaning of the Text. The fourth TEXT Enquired into viz. 1 S t Peter III. 19 20. By which also he went and preached unto the Spirits in prison which sometime were disobedient c. THIS is another Difficult Text of Scripture and in order to the Clearing of it I will give you a brief account of the Chapter It begins with the Peculiar and Proper Duties of Man and Wife which take up the first 7 verses but the rest of the Chapter treats of the Common Vertues and Graces which are required in all Christians as Meekness Patience Mercifulness and all the obliging and indearing offices of Love The Apostle chiefly exhorts to Patience that is to suffer with submission and chearfulness what ever should be inflicted on them And here he shews particularly how they ought to behave themselves towards their Persecutors They must not be Revengeful and render evil for evil v. 9. and he subjoins the Reasons of it in the following verses Again They must not be afraid neither be troubled v. 14. They must take courage maugre all their distresses and strive to banish all Fear and Cowardice all Disorder and Perplexity of mind Moreover they are obliged to sanctifie the Lord God in their hearts and to be ready to give an answer to every one that asketh them a reason of the hope which is in them and that with meekness and fear v. 15. The meaning is that they were not to disguise their perswasion but to make open profession of their Religion even before their Persecutors Further the Apostle tells them that they must not only profess Christianity but lead Holy Lives that thereby they may shame their Adversaries who falsly accuse them as evil doers v. 16. Lastly therefore he bids them be sure that they look to their Lives and Conversations that they suffer for well-doing not for evil-doing v. 17. And that they may not be unwilling to suffer thus here is set before them the Example of Christ who suffered for them For Christ also hath once suffer'd for sins the just for the unjust v. 18. This highly commends the Sufferings of the Blessed Iesus that he was himself an Innocent person and that he suffer'd for those that were Guilty whereas no Christians that suffer can altogether plead Innocency they all in some measure deserve what they suffer And now the Apostle takes occasion to expatiate on Christs suffering and the Happy effects of it to the end of this Chapter and in part of the next He shews the Design of our Saviours Passion viz. that he might bring us to God v. 18. that he might make us Holy and Righteous and indue us with the Divine and Godlike nature and that he might at last lead us to Heaven and Eternal Glory And this He was effectually enabled to do because though he suffer'd death yet he soon rose from the dead as you read in that 18. v. Being put to death in the flesh but quickned by the Spirit To pass by the Notion of those men who think they find some ground here for their Aethereal or Spiritual Vehicles understanding the words thus Put to death in his Terrestrial body but quickned or enliven'd with a Spiritual one for Christs soul and the souls of all the Saints after death say they are clothed with Subtile and Aetherial bodies To let this pass the Plain Meaning of the place is this and it is confirmed by several of the Fathers that this Iesus though he suffer'd and was put to death for us in the flesh as a Man as he had a Humane Body yet he was quickned by the Spirit that is he rose from the dead by the vertue and power of the Holy Spirit who was ever with him Or thus he was put to death in the flesh i. e. crucified in his Humane Nature but he was quickned in the spirit i. e. he was raised from the Dead by his Divine Nature A Parallel place is that in 2 Cor. 13. 4. Though he was crucified through weakness his body being but Weak and Frail and subject to death as all Humane bodies are yet he liveth by the power of God he reassumed his soul and lived again and still liveth by vertue of his Divine Power He died as Man but restored himself to life as he was God It was by Christs Divine Spirit that his separated soul and body were reunited which you find thus asserted by S t Paul Rom. ◠4. He was declared to be the son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead The humane spirit of Christ was joyned again to his body by his Eternal Spirit By Christs Divinity his Humanity was raised up and restored And now our Apostle inlarges here further upon this Quickning Power of Christs Spirit or Divinity in these words By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison which sometime were disobedient c. The Greek which is here translated By which is rendred by others wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ideò saith Oecumenius and so t is thought that these words bring in the Reason of what was said before But there are few that follow this Interpretation Our own Translation is more Plain and more Probable for those that are acquainted with the stile of the New Testament know that By is the frequent signification of the Praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is most obvious and rational to refer the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the word
the dead three times which shews he means it in the true proper sense For it were tolerable to put the Plural for the Singular once but to â—epeat it is unusual much more to speak after the same manner a third time is not to be allowed Where you meet with the Change of Numbers in Scripture it is by the by and not frequent but this Reiterating of it is no where to be found which is an Argument that the dead here is no such kind of speech but that it is a way of speaking after the ordinary rate and consequently that one Number is not put for another 2. All along in this Chapter Christ is spoken of and represented as Risen how comes it to pass that the Character is here altered and that now by the Dead thrice named we must understand Christ 3. When we can satisfie ourselves very well with the Propriety of speech we have no reason to fancy Improprieties and then to flie to that meaning which is contain'd in them This is our present case the Apostle here speaks in the Plural and we can very well understand him Why must we imagine that he intends the Singular when he expresses himself Plurally Why must we make him speak Improperly when we can apprehend him as well nay better in his Proper way of speaking Thus we have no good ground to think that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is another Interpretation yet remaining even of those who take Baptizing here in the Sacramental sense But That being the Interpretation which I shall fix upon as the most Probable and Accountable I will therefore reserve it for the Close of all Thus far we have examined those Expositions of the Text which make it to be understood of Sacramental Washing signally stiled Baptism II. There are a Second sort of Expositors who will have the words meant of the Washing of the dead bodies in order to Burial and of this opinion Beza is the chief Patron in his Annotations on the place and he is followed by Paraeus It was indeed an ordinary practice to wash the corps before their Interment and what S t Luke tells us of Tabitha in Acts 9. 37. is a Confirmation of it 'T is likely say these Authors that this was done in belief and expectation of the Rising again of those bodies and therefore it is probable the Apostle argues from the received rite and custom of Washing the bodies of the dead before they layd them in the grave for this Cleansing and Anointing too for that also was usual was a visible profession of the belief of a future Resurrection What shall they do that make use of this Sepulcral Washing to what purpose do they observe this rite if the flesh be never to rise again T 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what doth this action of theirs signifie to what end is it why are all nations sollicitous about the liveless carcass to what tends all this care of theirs if the body shall not experience the happiness of a Restauration The Reply to this is casie 1. The notion of baptizing according to this interpretation is forced and distorted for though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may and doth signifie Washing in the more General sense and is applied to Common Washings in Mark 7. 4. Heb. 9. 10. yet there is no reason to relinquish the more Noted Acception of it in the stile of the New Testament and here to restrain it to the custom of Funeral Washing is very odd and unaccountable 2. Though the Christians used this sort of Sepulcral Washing yet how doth it appear that This was a Proof of the Resurrection of the dead Durandus in his Rationale tells you that the Christians washed the dead to shew that their Souls were cleansed from sin by Confession and Pennance 3. This Funeral Washing was in use among the Iews as well as those that professed Christianity Now 't is known that the Sadducets acknowledged no such thing as a Resurrection and therefore their Washing the dead could have no respect to the Rising again of the dead Again 4 lyâ— the Ablutio 〈◊〉 as Plautus calls it was used by the Pagans as well as Christians and it is not to be thought that These did it with regard to the Resurrection You may learn why they washed the dead bodies from Servius viz. that if the vital spirits in those that seem'd to be dead were only benum'd they might be revived and rouzed by the warm water and rubbing it on the body But it is more probable in my opinion that they Washed the dead bodies in order to Anointing them for the Romans and Grecians and other Nations used both these and one made way for the other for they first clear'd the Skin of its pollution and then made use of their Perfumed Ointments Virgil giving account of Misenus's Funeral Obsequies takes notice of this practice Post calidos latices ahena undantia flammis Expediunt corpusque lavant frigentis ungunt And Ennius doth the like speaking of deceased Tarquin Tarquinii corpus bona faemina lavit unxit And Homer describes Patroclus's funerals after the same manner And by the by I might insert that it is probable they Washed our Saviours body seeing we read that Mary Magdalen and other women Anointed it after his death as did also Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus S t Chrysostom is Positive that Christs body was Washed after he was taken down from the Cross. Thus Iews as well as Other people used this Funeral Ceremony of Washing the dead body it being in order to Anointing for it was proper first to wash off the filth of the body before they laid on their sweet Ointments Or what think you of another Reason of the Custom which I have framed to my self from what I meet with in the Pagan Antiquities There I find that Washing the Infants that were newly born was a constant practice not only Plautus but several Others take notice of it and the very Sacred Records expressly mention it Ezek. 16. 4. and thereby confirm the Antiquity of this custom Perhaps therefore Washing after death was an imitation of the Washing at the birth Their Entring into the world and their Leaving it had the like Names and they would have them resemble one another in the like Actions It is probable they agreed upon it to End as they Began at Coming into and Going out of the world to use the same Custom But if This Conjecture be not admitted then we must have recourse to the former Accounts given of This Usage or we may yet further add that the generality of the people who used the Lustral Washing did it either out of some Superstitious humour or barely to comply with Custom Take it in any of these Aspects it doth not look like an Argument that the Apostle would make use of for the proof of the Resurrection 5. To
they might have the Credit of giving us the Apostle's true meaning that by any means they might attaiâ— to this Resurrection and 〈◊〉 of the dead in this Chapter Give me leave to present you with a Brief Account of their Several Indeavours and Different Deciâ—ions in the case with a free and Impartial Animadversion on them and then to take the boldness to offer my Own thoughts in the Controversie which I purpose to do as I ought with a strict Veneration of Antiquity and the Primitive Writers of the Church with a faithful regard to the Masters of Grammer and Criticism with a due respect to the Whole Context and to the Analogy of Christian faith I think it will not be amiss in the first place to rank the Expositors on This place after This Method They understand it of Baptism either Properly or Improperly taken 1. Properly for a Real and Outward Washing with water 2. Improperly or Metaphorically for the Baptism of Afflction and Suffering as sometimes the word is understood But the Proper Baptizing or Washing will ingage me most of all in This Discourse and That is threefold 1. Sacramental which is no other then that Holy Ordinance of Christs institution whereby children or those of riper years are admitted into the Christian Church by the action of outward Washing or Sprinkling with water 2. Funeral Washing which was practised in order to the burying of the dead bodies 3. Legal or Ceremonial washing used by the Iews as often as they were defiled by touching the dead and this was done either in their own persons or by another for them in case they died before they were Cleansed I. Begin we with the Various Interpretations of Those on the place who understand it of Sacramental Baptizing And first there are some who interpret it of Those who at their Baptism profess themselves dead to sin and to the world and by this Baptismal act they are reputed to be thus Spiritually dead A second Opinion is of those who imagine the words spoken of Baptism as it representeth the Bodily Death Others understand it of Baptism as it was accompanied with the confession of the Article of the Resurrection of the dead A fourth sort say it is spoken of the Clinicks those who lay on their sick beds and receive the Sacrament of Baptism Fifthly others understand it of Baptizing over the dead over the Tombs of the Deceased Martyrs Sixthly there are some who think it is meant of Baptizing in the place and stead of the dead Seventhly there is a Learned man who thinks it is spoken of an Annual Baptizing for the benefit of the dead Eightly Another conceveth in refers to Baptizing with the imposition of the names of the dead Lastly there is a Learned Critick who dissents from all the forenamed Opinions and is perswaded that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put here for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Plural for the Singular but how he applies it you shall hear afterwards 1. I begin with the First the Opinion of those who imagine These words are spoken of Baptized Christians who by this very Sacrament professed to the world that they were Spiritually dead So that to be baptized for the dead is as much as to be reputed as dead persons when they were baptized or at their baptism to be like dead men viz. Dead in respect of Sin and any Love to it At that Solemn Initiating themselves into the Church they openly renounced their former sins they publickly disowned their past vices they became Mortified persons and betook themselves to a Severe and Strict course of life thus Mystically and Spiritually speaking they were Dead So the words are interpreted by some Antient Fathers with whom agree a few of the Moderns amongst whom a Late Writer expresses his sense thus Baptized for the dead are they who when they are baptized declare that they are ready to Die to the world to be in it as Dead men and to live a new life and if occasion be to submit to the Cross and Die for their Religion This they do that they may have a blessed Resurrection But This Interpretation will be far from gaining our consent if we consider besides what I shall add under the next Opinion but these two things First there is no reason to interpret these baptized for the dead of those that are spiritually dead because it is generally advised by all Sober Interpreters of Scrâ—pture that we should not flie to an Improper and Metaphorical sense when the Literal and Proper one will serve our turn But I shall afterwards prove that a Plain and Literal meaning of these words is most probable and reasonable Secondly the Context it self will conâ—ute this interpretation for if the Spiritual Death be here meanâ— i. e. the being buried with Christ in baptism and being dead to sin and the world then who will think there is any Consequence in the Apostles Reasoning whil'st he argueth from a Spirituall and Mystical Death and Resurrection of which Baptism is a Sign unto that which is Bodily and External which is the subject he here treats of through out the whole Chapter The Inference is so Foreign that I cannot see how it will ever be admitted 2. Others are of the opinion that These words are spoken of Baptism as it represents the Bodily Death And some of the Fathers who were Patâ—ons of the First Interpretation were pleased also to â—spouse this Second for they thought fit to joyn both these together viz. the Spiritual and the Bodily Death asserting that the Representation or Resemblance of both was intended here by the Apostâ—e Now let us see how they apply these words to the Death of the Body They hold that the Apostle's Argument in the Text is of this sort If there shall be no rising of the dead hereafter why is Baptism so significant a Symbol of our Dying and Rising again and also of the Death and Resurrection of Christ For those that were Proselytes to the Christian Religion were interpreted to make an open profession of These in their being plunged into the Baptismal water and in being there Overwhelmed and buried as it were in the Consecrated Element The Immersion into the water was thought to signifie the Death of Christ and their Coming out denoted his Rising again and did no less represent their Own future Resurrection On which account the Minister's putting in of the Christian Converts into the Sacred waters and his taking them out thence are stiled by S t Chrysostom the Sign and Pledge of descending into the state of the dead and of a return from thence And thus because the Washing and Plunging of the newly admitted Christians was a Visible Proof and Emblem first of Christ's and then of Their Resurrection from the grave the forementioned Fathers have been induced to believe that This passage of our Apostle which I am speaking of hath a particular respect to That and is to be Interpreted
by it Nay this seems to agree exactly with the language and tenour of our Apostle himself who may be thought to be the Best Interpreter of his own words Know ye not saith he that so many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was 〈◊〉 up from the dead even so we also should walk in newness of life Rom. 6. 3 4 It is no matter of admiration to me that some have thought and confidently asserted that the Apostle's manner of speech here is the same with that in the Text which is before us and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be explained and commented upon by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by that other expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They may seem indeed at first to be near a kin to one another and to bear upon them the very same Stamp and Form of speech But I conceive it was only some little Resemblance of the Phrase and Stile or Mode of speech not the same Significancy and Real Matter couched in both these places which wrouâ—ht any to This Opinion But without any more dispute I would admit of the Interpretation before mentioned as most Natural and Genuine upon condition that any one can make it good out of but One Gâ—eek Author much more from the Use and Idiom of the Tongue that to be baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the dead signifies to be baptized as dead or after the manner and similitude of those that are dead for Those of the former Opinion and of This that is those that interpret the words of a Representation of the Spiritual or Bodily Death acknowledge for the dead is as much as like the dead or in resemblance of the dead or after the manner of the dead These must be proved to be Synonymous before that First or this Second Exposition of the words can look for our Assent and Suffrage Let it be proved that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. that it is a word of Similitude and signifies the same with sicut tanquam quasi in the Latin or the same with the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is used in Comparing and Likening one thing with another Till then it cannot be credited that for the dead signifies a Resemblance or Likeness to those that are dead I grant that Pro in Latin is sometimes as much as quasi perinde instar as when we read in Tully pro nihilo putare vel ducere to esteem as nothing and to come nearer to the present matter when the same Author saith pro occiso relictus est he was left as dead So pro mortuis may be applied in a sentence to signifie as much as tanquam mortui And it is true that in our Own Vulgar way of speaking for dead denotes as much as dead or as dead thus we say such a one lay for dead or was taken up for dead But I never heard that it was thus in the Greek Tongue and therefore I am very â—oth to charge our Apostle here as Erasmus and Calvin do in other places with false Greek I grant that the Actions in Baptism especially as it was administred of old were Representative of the Death and Resurrection both of Christ and Believers but that S t Pauls words here have reference to any such thing the Propriety of Phrase as you have heard will not permit us to believe Besides you may observe as you shall have farther occasion hereafter to take notice it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a Praepositive Article which utterly spoils that sense which is pretended for the Apostle speaks here Definitively and not at large and the words are rightly rendred for the dead not for dead 3. The next interpretation is that of S s Chrysostom for you must know it is usual with Him to adjoyn one Opinion to another as here he thinks fit to add This which I am now mentioning to those other two which I nam'd before and he is followed by Theophylact and Oâ—cumenius and they by Hemmingius and our Learned Hammond The baptized for the dead say they were those who were baptized uponâ— the Article of the Resurrection of the dead and consequently in hope of that Resurrection So that the Apostle here is thought by them to refer to the Form of Confession of Faith or Reciting the Articles of the Greed in which among other things the person to be baptized openly professed his belief of That Article of the Resurrection of the dead And the Great Canonists Balsamon and Zonaras refer the Apostle's words to This Custom and explain them in These terms What shall they do that are baptized in the hope of the resurrection of the dead Which answers to the exposition of Theophylact What shall they do who are baptized on the Expectation of the deads rising again But 1. though it be universally acknowledged that soon after the Apostle's time a Publick Profession of the Creed was required of those that presented themselves to be Baptized yet it remains to be proved that in the Time wherein our Apostle lived they solemnly Recited a Form of Belief at Baptism and that they had This very Confession of Faith which now goes under the Apostles Names This is Doubtful at least and so we ought not to be Definitive and Peremptory about it and therefore we cannot be sure that the Apostle argues in this place from any such practice as the Rehearsal of the Creed 2 ly Grant that this Form of Confession was used at Baptism by the Catechumeni and that all the Articles of it were openly rehearsed and consequently in the Close that of the Resurrection of the dead yet then it should rather have been said What shall they do that are baptized for those that are Risen from the dead not barely for the dead Nay 3 ly who sees not yet farther a Greater Impropriety and Harshness in the Apostle's way of speaking if to be baptized for the dead must be interpreted thus to be baptized in hope of the resurrection of the dead First the dead is put here for the dead bodies of the deceased for These only can be said to rise at the last day And therefore it is S t Chrysostoms Gloss on the words for the dead that is saith he for the dead bodies Secondly the dead bodies is put for the Resurrection of those dead bodies Nay Thirdly it is put for the Confession or the Article or the Faith or Hope of the resurrection of the dead bodies This is too Concise a way of speaking wherefore I yield to our Judicious Thorndyke who descanting on this passage concludes it cannot be justified by any Example that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S t Chrysost would have it Nay 4 ly if the words were to be taken in his
this custom of deferring Baptism Gregory Nyssen hath a whole Oration against it and Gregory Nazianzen and Chrysostom inveigh against it very zealously So S t Augustin whose parents delay'd his Baptism on purpose because they fear'd the Young mans Relapse into his former vices complains of This Abuse in the Church which prevail'd in his days It seems it was grown into a Custom to omit the receiving of Baptism as long as they were in health and perhaps the Example of Constantine and his son Constantius who did so gave some repute to this evil usage but as soon as they fell sick they bethought themselves of their duty and when they perceived the Malady grew desperate and themselves irrecoverable then they sent presently for the Christian Priests and solemnly gave up their Names to Christ in Holy Baptism as being desirous to carry out of the world with them the Seal of their Eternal Salvation These are call'd by the Council of Laodicea which was under Sylvester 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that were admitted to Baptism when they lay sick for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifieth Baptism as it doth frequently among the Antients This was call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Gregory Nyssen because they desired to be Baptized and to Die at once Of these speak S t Cyprian Eusebius and many Writers of the Primitive Times and the Canons of several Councils Of such as These viz. the Moribundi who lay on their Death-Beds and called for Speedy Baptism some interpret the words of the Text. But that they have but little reason I shall prove from these following Particulars 1. It is not probable that that sort of Clinicks who were newly converted from Paganism is here meant because in those first days Fear and Faint-heartedness did not possess men as they are known to have done afterwards A singular Zeal and Ardency inspired their minds and they were not ashamed to own and publickly maintain the Faith they had espoused yea they gloried in their sufferings for the Cause of Christ and rejoyced in their persecutions for it as the Acts of the Apostles assure us It is not likely therefore that These deferr'd their being baptized on the forenamed account and consequently it is not likely that the Text speaks of these 2. It is not certain that it was the opinion of the Christians in the Apostles days that Sin after Baptism is Irremissible which was another ground of the Custom of deferring Baptism And consequently it is to be said and that with evident Truth that it doth not appear in the least that the foremention'd Custom of the believers requesting baptism in the very close of their lives prevail'd in the times of the Apostles but it seems rather to have crept in after those first Guides of the Church were gone and therefore that Glosse on the words can have but a slender foundation Or 3 ly say that such an Use obtained even in the Apostles days yet will not S t Pauls Argument have any force at all by relating unto That For thus it must proceed What shall the baptized Clinicks do if the dead rise not at all why are they also baptized just at the point of death why have they that Holy Sacrament given to them at the last gasp if there be no Rising again why do they thus It may be answer'd that though there should be no Resurrection of the dead yet it follows not that they were Baptised in vain for that Sacred Office of Baptism was thought in that case and that rightly too chiefly to have respect to what was Past. Though the dead bodies rise not yet that Administration was useful to the Soul and available to the Absolution and Remission of their sins which plainly appears from the Reason of deferring baptism heretofore namely left they should sin and so defile themselves after washing Though the dead should never rise again Christs Ordinance might be conducible to this Present Life whilst by That they were admitted into the Church and had their former sins washed away and their consciences cleansed and also it might be seviceable to the Future Life for the salvation and happines of their Souls though their Bodies were unconcerned But 4 ly to say no more This Interpretation of the words is faulty in the same kind that the two former were that is it is irreconcileable to the Propriety of speech and the Usage of the Tongue in which the Apostle wrote which I cannot but believe till it is proved to me that These two are of the same import viz. to be baptized for the dead and to be baptized when they are dying or at their death which is the thing that the Abettors of this Exposition contend for but it could never yet be made out by any Parallel place of Scripture or the least Testimony of Approved Authors â— 5 Another Acception of the words is countenanced by the Authority of Luther Piscator and the Admirable Vossius in his Thesis concerning the Resurrection They will have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over the dead i. e over the dead corps as they lay in the Coemeteries or Buâ—ying places or over the dead i. e. upon the Tombs and over the Sepulchres of the newly deceased Martyrs which were call'd Memoriae Martyrum and so the words refer to the Custom of baptizing persons over the dead Martyrs graves or tombs Here first I shall grant that according to the Syriack it is rendred super mortuos upon above or over the dead Secondly I grant that the Innocent Commemorations of the Holy Martyrs even at the Time of administring of Baptism were no unusual things of old and have Great Antiquity to Assert them But then This I have to say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not so Easie and Obvious an Acception as That which I have to offer and certainly the Easiest and Plainest is to be deemed the most Natural and Genuine Again though the Praeposition in the Text frequently signifies over or above and that with a Genitive case when it is applied to a place yet it may be question'd whether it hath the same signification when it is joyned with persons as here for though the baptizing be supposed to be over the Graves yet it is properly over those that areâ—areâ—dead who are considered as persons here at least their bodies not the places they were in are spoken of here But I will not insist on this but will rather suppose it to be Good Greek for the sake of the Chief Author of this Opinion the Admirable Vossius who was as Eminent a Grammarian as he was a Divine But further I could object against this Custom as a Superstitious one and therefore not fit to be made an Argument of the Resurrection by S t Paul Again if this Ceremony of administring Baptism over the dead were wholly void of
as the Resurrection is can be founded on so Slight and Absurd a bottom S t Paul needed not to have sought for Aides from falshood and Error when the Truth it self is sufficiently Armed and hath Auxiliaries enough of its own to defend its cause I might add also that This Practice supposes a Reiterating of the Sacrament of Baptism which is an Absurd thing unless it be said that those persons were baptized only for Others but then it cannot be denied that at the same time they were really Baptized Themselves This Meaning of the words therefore will but little Credit our Apostle and therefore I have the less Esteem for it And I have none at all for that which follows viz. 7. The Opinion of the Learned Ioseph Scaliger according to whom the baptized for the dead are those who are baptized for the benefit and advantage of the dead It is granted indeed that This might be True according to the Letter or Grammatical part for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes is as much as in utilitatem seu commodum in Good Authors And accordingly it is said often in the New Testament that Christ died 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only in our stead but for us i. e. for our Good and Advantage viz. that he might purchase Salvation and Eternal Happiness for us But the meaning which the aforesaid Author conveys to us by This Construction is intolerably Absurd and Superstitious and it is no other then This that the Apostle here in mentioning the susception of Baptism for the dead points at some Pious Office of Bathing or Baptizing the dead or being Baptized for them in order to the Refreshment of their souls The rise of it he saith was This that the Antients thought the souls of the dead were Imprison'd in the earth till the day of Judgment which he labours to prove out of Tertullian Augustin and Lactantius and from That Error saith this Great man was propagated the doctrine of Christs Descent into Hell Now people were mightily concerned for these Close Prisoners and they were desirous to purchase some Refreshing for the souls of their friends and relations To this purpose they frequently Pray'd and made Oblations for them and they were willing to do Any thing that their departed friends might fare as well as might be till the Last day And on this same ground they used Baptism for the dead and that annually on a certain day viz. the Calends of February as Tertullian saith expressly and even to this day saith Scaliger some of the Ethiopian Church yearly renew their Baptism at the Feast of Epiphany which very thing Vossius also testifies of the Ethiopian Christians And Scaliger explains This Custom yet further out of Lactantius and S t Augustin and rangeth it among the Ineptiae Patrum Ecclesiae Doctorum The Dotages of the Primitive Church Hence saith he is the Apostle's heavy Censure of the Corinthians in the 34 v. of this Chapter some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame From which words this Mighty Critick would prove that the Practice from which the Argument in the Text is drawn was no ways Good and Laudable though the Argument it self which the Apostle useth be solid enough But this is a Mistake for when it is said some have not the knowledge of God it is apparent that it strikes at those who denied or questioned the Resurrection of the dead as you may easily be convinced by perusing what immediately follows in 35 36 v. Some man will say how are the dead raised up and with what body do they come Thou fool that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die and v. 38. God giveth it a body as it pleaseth him From whence it is clear that the fond and foolish reasoning of the Corinthians about the manner of the Resurrection and their shamefull ignorance of the Almighty power of God concerning it are the things which the Apostle there rebukes them for He tells them that some have not the knowledge of God in the same sense that our Saviour reproved the Sadducees saying ye do erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Mat. 22. 29. And as for the use of that Officious Baptizing for the benefit of the dead which Scaliger thinks is intended in this place before it gain our assent 't is to be proved that that fond and Idle Rite had a being in the Apostle's dâ—ys and was well known to the Corinthians which is not yet Proved and so he cannot be thought to have an eye to any such thing Or if we should be so liberal of our Concessions as to grant that such a Custom was on foot when the Apostle writ this Epistle which it is utterly impossible to prove yet have we no reason to think unless we can swallow down the Doctrine of Purgatory and perswade our selves that that Officious Washing was available to cool those Flames unless I say we can digest this we have no reason to believe that the Present Argument is drawn thence But on the contrary it is highly rational to maintain that This passage of S t Paul and That of S t Peter in his 1 Epist. 3 d Chap. and 19 th v. of which we shall next speak with other places of Sacred Writ have been forcibly drawn by perverse men to patronize the Gainfull doctrine of Satisfaction for the rescuing of souls out of the prison of Purgatory Besides I might ask what doth freeing from Purgatory which happens before the Resurrection conduce to the confirming the Resurrection They are they say baptized for the dead to free their freinds from Purgatory but That may be though there be no Resurrection for it is the Soul not the Body that suffers the pains of Purgatory Nay further it doth not appear that even in After-Ages the practice which Scaliger speaks of did prevail viz. that the Living were baptized for the Benefit of the dead For the Annual Baptizing on a certain day which he alledgeth for his purpose argues no such thing It was done only in remembrance and reverence of Christs Baptism which was performed by S t Iohn on the Calends of February according to some or on the Epiphany according to others That day is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Antients either because of Iohn Baptist the Forerunner the True Evangelical Phosphorus or because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that consults the Antients shall find that they generally assert Christ was Born and Baptized on the same day of the year which they think they prove from Luke 3. 23. This day being according to their opinion so signalized by our Saviours Birth and Baptism was reputed a very High day and was in Great Esteem among them in so much it seems that they repeated their Own Baptism on that day And for this reason some of the Abissine Christians whom Scaliger calls the Ethiopian Church
yearly Baptize themselves in Rivers and Lakes on Epiphany day And I could add from a Late Author that the Bishops in Muscovy at this day consecrate the Rivers on the Epiphany every year But what is all this to the purpose Is here any Baptizing for the benefit of the dead No assuredly I am ready to grant also that Baptizing of the dead was used heretofore by some Christians This is as certain as that it was usualâ— to give the Other Sacrament to the dead which both appear to have been Practised from the Sixth Canon of the 3 d Council of Carthage and the 83 of the Council of Trullo in which you find a Prohibition against that administring the Eucharist and Baptism to the bodies of the deceased And the above named Canonists in their Comments on the 18 th Canon of Carthage acquaint us with the Ground of this Baptizing the dead and likewise of the Baptizing the living in the room of the dead namely upon the Misunderstanding these words of the Apostle What shall they do that are baptized for the dead The Iews it seems had the like Superstitious opinion and practice as to Circumcision for Buxtorf acquaints us that the Infant that died before it was eight days old was Circumcised in the Burying-place over the grave And that is yet more Fond which I have read of a people among the Tartars who had so great an opinion of Matrimony that if their sons and daughters died before Age they solemnized a Marriage between the parties after death Such a piece of Folly was the Baptizing of the dead which was practised we grant in some Ages after the Apostles and Those Learned Lawyers think it was sounded on the Text. Yet any Unpâ—ejudiced man may see that there is not the least foundation in the words for such a Practise for it is impossible to make These two one Baptizing the dead or baptizing persons when they are dead and being Baptized for the Benefit of the dead 8. There is another Opinion which may be referred to This First Rank of Interpreters and that is that the Apostle speaks here of the Custom received in the Church of giving Names in Baptism in memory of the dead This saith Hâ—insiâ—s who is the only Expositor that goes this way was in use among the Old Christians and thence the Nominalia were instituted and so lemnly observed by them which were Festival days kept by the Christians yearly in remembrance of the Name given them in Baptism These Nominalia as Tertullian calls them or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Gregory Nazianzen stiles them were first derived from the Iews in Circumcision at which time the Infants had the Names given them of their Parents or Nearâ—st Kindred and Friends deceased which is conâ—â—â—ed in the Evangelical History by that dispute which was about the Nâ—ming of Sâ— Iohn the Baptist And this usage prevailed in the Christian Church afterwards and they were wont to give their Children the Names of their Kindred who had excell'd an vertue for These were thought to inspite them by theâ— Worthy Examples And by this means also the Names of their departed friends were Recorded and their Memories preserved and they seem'd to Survive in those that bore their Names These were said to be Baptized for the dead i. e. saith that Learned Critick in gratiam memoriam mortuorum They might justly be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to raise up the Name of the dead as those were said to do among the Iews who being next of kin married the widow of the deceased The Apostle then is thought by Him to refer to That giving of the Names of the dead to those that were Baptized because That was in Memory and Honour of the expired friends in hope of their Resurrection and in belief of Eternity for though they were Dead yet they really Lived in another world Thus therefore the Argument is supposed to run Why are those Names of departed Parents and Friends given to the Baptized Relations if those persons are not at all in being To what purpose were this if the Deceased utterly perished and after death were never to rise again The Resurrection supposeth the Souls Immortality and so believing This we cannot question the Other The persons wearing the Names of those that are dead do hereby tell the world that they believe their Pious Parents and Friends are still in being and at the last day shall rise again What shall they do how fondly do they act who are thus baptized themselves or baptize others in Memory of the Dead if they believe not the Resurrection else why do they consider the Deceased as yet Living when they give or bear the Names of those persons The Answer to all this in short is 1. If such a custom was in the Apostles times yet it seems to be too Particular and too Mean a one to ground so Great and General a matter on 2. T is not giving or receiving a Name that is here spoken of but Baptizing which is another thing and of more moment And why Baptism should be put here for Imposition of Names in Baptism I see no reason unless it could be proved that an Improper Acception of a word is more agreeable then the Proper and Native one 3. It is not evident that Names were generally and commonly given at Baptism so early If we consult the History even of the Times soon after Christ we shall read of very few which I somewhat wonder at I confess who bore the Names either of the Evangelists or Apostles or other Martyrs 4. To argue from the Imposition of the Names of the dead to their Certain Rising again is no ways firm and solid And therefore it is not probable on These Considerations that This was the sense of the Apostle 9. In the next place I will propound the Opinion of that late Learned Critick Alexander More who in his Notes on some Select places of the New Tostament understands this place of the Sacramental Baptism but by the dead which in the Greek is in the Plural he thinks is denoted a Singular Person and that person is Christ and to be baptized for the dead is to be baptized for Christ the meaning of which you may find in that Author I will only here take notice of the Unreasonableness of his Interpretation so far as he understands Christ by those that are dead It is true I grant that there are several Examples of the change of the Singular number for the Plural in Holy Scripture This Syllepsis or Synechdoche or Enallage numeri call it as you please is frequent in the Sacred Stile and it is most used when some Eminent Person or Thing is meant And I grant that Christ was the most Eminent Person and his Death the most Signal and Remarkable Thing that ever was But I cannot think that the Apostle here expresses the Singular by the Plural because 1. the Apostle here mentions
say no more the Criticizing genius of this Modern Expositor fails him here for what Construction can reconcile these two and mâ—ke them the same viz. the washing of the dead i. e. washing persons after they are dead and washing for the dead These are vastly different and it was never heard that there was any Affinity between the one and the other Therefore this Sepulchral Washing ought to be dissallowed here Grammer will not vouch it Which is a sufficient confutation of the Opinion though there were nothing else to say III. A Third sort of Interpreters are as fondly of opinion that the words refer to a Legal and Ceremonious Washing used among the Iews after their touching of a dead body or going into the Sepulchres or standing too near the persons that were breathing their last The Pollution which they contracted by this means was to be purged away by Washing themselves And indeed it happens that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is applied to This sort of Cleansing by the Apochryphal Author in Eccles. 34. 25. Nay S t Mark applies the word in this sense Mark 7. 4. Except they wash or be baptized they eat not And the Arabick Version of the Text seems to favour thiâ— opinion which renders it thus What shall they do that are baptized because of the dead persons viz. whom they have Touched and so Polluted themselves Hottinger therefore understands the Apostle of this Ceremonial Baptism of the Old Testament as he calls it which he saith was instituted to remind the Israelites of the Resurrection of the dead But I do not find that he hath gain'd any considerable Proselytes to his opinion it being so sorrily contrived and having so little reason to rely upon For to be baptized or washed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the dead and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the dead i. e. from the pollution contracted by touching or coming near the dead are vastly different Washing themselves after their being defiled by a dead body what is that to Washing for the dead And as this Mosaick Washing hath no Grammer so neither hath it any Logick to appear in its behalf for it miserably perverts the sense of the words and the Consequence of the Apostle's discourse which I leave you to examine And so doth that Other Opinion of Turrianus the Jesuite who will needs have this baptizing for the dead relate to a Legal Washing or Purifying of the dead bodies It is his fancy that the Apostle argues from the practice of the Iews among whom it was usual that if any man died Legally unclean i. e. before he was purified from his Uncleanness according to the Law Num. 19. some other person was washed and cleansed in his stead for they thought saith he that this Purging profited the dead and by this means the Uncleanness which he died in would not hurt him nay that he should be thereby cleansed and by this Ceremony too they professed their faith of the Immortality of the soul and the Resuâ—rection of the dead against the heresâ—e of the Sadducees But the naming of this Conceit is enough to confute it for first there is no proof that there ever was any such Practice Secondly there is no reason to think that the Apostle by Baptizing means any other then Sacramental Baptism Thirdly any man may guess that the Jesuite chiefly design'd this Exposition for the sake of his so much admired doctrine of Pargatory And for that end have Others of the Church of Rome fastned another but as Improbable a Meaning on the words Which brings me to the Last rank of Interpreters viz. IV. Those that will have the Baptizing in the Text to be understood in a Metaphorical sense It is the dream of Stapleton and Salmeron and some others of that party that because by Baptism or Washing is meant Affliction or Suffering in Mat. 20. 23. therefore the persons who are said to be baptized for the dead are such Kind souls who to do the dead a Courtefie undergo all sorts of Afflictions and Hardships As if S t Paul had said What shall they do who voluntarily suffer so much in This world to help those that are in misery in another What shall they do that baptize themselves as 't were in their Sweat and Tears and bathe themselves in their own Bloud to redeem poor souls from the pains of Purgatory What will become of them that do and suffer any thing for the advantage of the dead if the dead shall not rise Why do they inure themselves to Long Prayers and tedious Fastings Why do they undergo the Baptism of Pennance and Almsdeeds for Bellarmine understands it so and Salmeron upon the place tells us that Alms are a kind of Washing for which he quoteth forsooth Ecclesiasticus 3. 30. Water will quench a flaming fire and Alms maketh an atonement for sins and Luke 11. 4. Give alms and behold all things are Clean unto you Why do so many undertake Long Pilgrimages wear Hair Shirts roll themselves in Snow Scourge and Torture themselves and go through all the hardships of Self-denial if they do not think These things will prove Satisfactions for disobedient souls Why do they relinquish the world and study nothing but Severity and Mortifications and Austere Exercises of their bodies if they could not by These Arts do the Dead some good Why are they thus baptized or afflicted for the dead Certainly this Baptizing will mitigate the flames of Purgatory and inable the distressed Prisoners to get loose the sooner out of that Painfull Durance That which I have to Reply to This is 1. that it is an odd Notion and Way of these men to reckon Repetance and Prayers and Aâ—msdeeds among Afflictions and Sufferings and Punishments This is a doctrine which no Divines but themselves ever taught 2. Let it be remembred that although Penances for the dead were in use among the Pagans yet Gods People were particularly forbid to use any such thing Deut. 14. 1. Ye shall not cut yourselves nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead And shall not Christians think it unlawful as well as Iews 3. Any man may see that This is a plain fetch to establish That Doctrine which hath brought the Church of Rome so much Profit and therefore must be maintain'd right or wrong 4. Whereas they say the end of these Services and Undertakings of the living for the Dead is that the Souls detain'd in Purgatory may be released I reply that this is fondly alleâ—ged because Purgatory is not a Prison for Bodies but for Souls only as they confess Now I never heard of the Resurrection of Souls but of Bodies and of This the Apostle speaks If the dead rise not at all meaning it of the Bodies of the dead So that This Text hath no reference to what they dream of It speaks of another thing unless Soul and Body are the same thing 5. It were enough to say that this Obscure and
Mystiâ—al notion of being Baptized is but seldom used in the Stile of Scripture and then one place of S t Luke excepted it hath an Explanation added after it as Vossiâ—â— hath well observed There can be no reason therefore in This place especially to think that This Allegorical Baptisâ—â— i. e. the Baptism of Suffering is intended I might annex here the Opinion of our Learned Rabbi D r Lightfoot who is the only Protestant of any note except Vostius who interprets this place of the Metaphorical Baptism the Baptism of Suffering What shall they do that are baptized for the dead if the dead c. is as much saith he as if the Apostle had said If the dead rise not again what will become of those that are baptized with a Martyrial Baptism or that do suffer Death for the profession of the Truth And he adds to confirm this Interpretation that the Iewish Baptizings or Dippings in their purifications were a very sharp piece of Religion when in frost and snow and wind and weather they must over head and ears in cold water from which the phrase was used to signifie Death and the Bitterest Sufferings Whence he gathers that Baptism for the dead in this place is suffering of Martyrdom and consequently he makes this to be the sense of the Text What shall they do who have or do undergo Martyrdom what shall become of them if their bodies rise not again Thus he But who sees not that this is a very groundless notion and taken up only from that Iewish way of speaking which he mentions whereas if we consider it well there is no affinity at all between the one and the other Though the Iewish Baptisms might be made use of to express Great Severities yea Death it self yet what is this to being baptized for the dead Baptism may represent Martyrdom but who can reasonably thence infer that the baptized for the dead in this place are those that were Martyred There is not the least Connection between these two It must be said then that this Worthy and Reverend person espoused this notion merely upon the account of that great reverence which he always paid to the Jewish and Rabinical Writings of which most of his Opinions have a tincture There are some Other odd fancies which I have met with on the words as that of Lyranus Lombard and Aquinas who by the dead understand mortal sins called by the Apostle dead works Heb. 9. 1. 6. 14. for the expiation and washing away of which Holy Baptism was ordained But their own Stapleton refutes This saying the Apostle speaks not of Sins but Men not of Works but Persons This and the rest of this sort I pass by as unwilling to entertain you with Trifles Some of the Other Interpretations before mention'd carry with them a greater semblance of Truth or Probability and have some Antiquity and Authority to recommend them But This and some of those lately mentioned are invented on purpose to be assistant to a Bad Cause which they are willing to support by the Multitude of Arguments seeing they are not able to do it by the Goodness and Solidity of them V. I will now at last offer to you the Interpretation which I conceive is most Reasonable and Accountable and which I doubt not will gain your Suffrage and Assent upon a deliberate consideration of it Before I present you with This Exposition I will make way for it by premising These three things 1. That I intend to adhere to the First rank of Expositors who as you may remember understand the words of Baptism Properly so call'd i. e. some kind of Real Washing and particularly of the Sacramental Baptism whereby we are Initiated into the Church of Christ. For why should we without Necessity and Urgent Reason and I can see no such thing here understand the words of a Metaphorical Baptism It is a General Rule delivered by S t Austin that we ought not to interpret those things Allegorically which are spoken Properly and that we must never depart from the Literal and Proper sense of Scripture unless it be manifestly proved that such a sense is not to be followed The Usual and Proper signification is first to be attended to and it is not fit we flie to Borrowed and Figutative senses so long as the Natural and Genuine one will serve our turns This then I assert that the Apostle speaks here of the Usual and Received Baptism of the New Testament But the main thing in the words is the Praeposition Therefore 2 ly I premise this that the Praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here translated for is as much as because of or by reason of or for the sake of and consequently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mortuorum causâ—acirc sen gratiâ because of the dead or for the sake of the dead for 't is well known that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in gratiam alicujus This is the Plain and Ordinary import of That Praeposition and it is Usual and Obvious in Writers of all sorts so that it is a Wonder it hath been overlook'd here Socinâ—s to promote his beloved doctrine maintains that by no means an Impulsive but a Final Cause is denoted in the New Testament always by This Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Grotiâ—â— hath largely shew'd this to be notoriously false and thereby convinced the Learned how faulty the Grammar as well as the Divinity of that Heretick is I doubt not therefore that the Paaeposition signifies here an Impulsive Cause and is taken in the same sense that it is in those places where it is said the Gentiles should glorisie God for his mercy Rom. 15. 9. i. e. because of his mercy shew'd unto them and where the Apostle saith I cease not to give thanks for you Eph. 1. 16. i. e. because of you of whom I have heard so great and laudable things this excites me to thank God and where you read of suffering for Christs sake and for the kingdom of God Phil. 1. 29. 2 Thess. 1. 5. But most palpable is That of the Apostle in 2 Cor. 12. 10. where he saith he takes pleasure in his persecutions and distresses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Christs sake as we rightly render it and so the Praeposition ought to be rendred in the Text. I might observe that this Praepositive particle in the Greek answers exactly to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in many places of the Old Testament which signifies for the sake or because of So then This Version of the words is Plain and Easie and hath the Greatest Authority to vouch it What shall they do that are baptized by reason of the dead or for their sakes How This is to be applied I will shew you anon Having thus laid down what I understand by the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which
which immediately preceded it and that is the Spirit nor have we any reason to think that it relates to any thing else By this Spirit Christ did great and wonderful things after he was risen from the dead by this he went and preached But to whom To the spirits in prison and moreover it is added that these spirits were sometimes disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah c. This is differently understood by Expositors for 1. some apply it to those who were Alive before and at the time of the Floud 2. Others understand it of the Souls of the dead And what dead these are you shall hear when I come to inlarge on this head 3. Others apply it to the Preaching of the Gospel in the Apostles times I. It is applied to those who were alive before or at the Floud And here there are These two Opinions first Arias Montanus is singular and by himself who holds that the spirits in prison were those that were shut up and as it were Imprisoned in Noahs Ark. Those eight souls as they are called in the 20 th verse are these Prisoners they were kept by God in the Ark as in Safe Custody But this Notion was started merely because there is mention here of Noahs Ark and the eight souls saved by it This without doubt gave the rise to this wild fancy And besides there are several things which may hinder us from entertaining it for 1. it is said they were sometime disobedient which we cannot apply to any of these eight It is true we read that afterwards C ham proved a Wicked person and was justly Cursed for being so but this hath no reference to what was before 2. The Preaching to the spirits in prison here spoken of was whilst the Ark was preparing but they were not Imprison'd in the Ark till it was made and finished therefore this passage cannot be understood of the persons shut up in the Ark. 3. It appears from the Context that this Preaching of Christ was after his Resurrection and consequently can't be meant of any Preaching to those in the Ark. Secondly Others understand it of those sinners of the Old World who lived all the while the Ark was building which was a hundred and twenty years The long-suffering of God waited thus long on these Antediluvian sinners who are called the world of the ungodly 2 Pet. 2. 5. These are the spirits in prison say the Learned Grotius and D r Hammond And S t Augustin long before had this notion and the Venerable Bede and Aquinas and others borrowed it from him It is true Christ may be said to preach to these by the Spirit that is the Holy Spirit strove with these sinners whilst Noah preached to them This is plainly intimated in Gen. 6. 3. My Spirit shall not allways strive with man The Spirit then did strive with the men of that Age though at last the Allmighty declareth that he will put a period to his Spirits solliciting and striving with them But the forenamed Expositors understand these words not of the Spirit of God but of the spirit of man put into him by God And accordingly they think that this phrase of the spirits in prison alludes to those very words Because S t Peter was about using a Similitude boâ—rowed from Noahs time he makes use saith Grotius of the very words of that History But then you must note that he reads not the words as we do i. e. my Spirit shall not strive with man but according to the Septuagint and Vulgar Latin My Spirit shall not abide or rest with man or those men And because the Hebrew word Iadon comes from another that signifies a Sheath or Scabbard therefore he renders that place thus according to Xantes Pagninus who herein follows R. Kimchi My spirit shall not be detain'd in man as in a Scabbard And then the meaning of the words is that the spirit of soul which I gave and put into man shall not be useless and produce no effect as a Sword in a Scabbard which doth nothing of that it was made for A Scabbard is as it were a Prison to the Sword and the Body is as 't were a Sheath or Prison to the Soul So the Souls of the Antedilâ—vian sinners were immersed in their Bodies Imprisoned and Useless to any good purposes Or thus my Spirit shall not abide as a sword in a sheath it shall no longer be sheathed in man it shall not be Imprisoned and conâ—ined in him i. e. I will destroy him he shall not live any longer for so it follows v. 7 13. This is Grotius's Notion and he is of opinion that the spirits in prison refer to this And among the Fathers S t Ierom favours this Interpretation This Criticism is further confirmed some think by observing that the Chaldee word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a sheath signifies also a body as is evident from Dan. 7. 15. And hence perhaps that Rabinical saying All bodies are Sheaths blessed is that which deserves to be the Sheath of the Law From all these things put together some infer that the Apostle here alludes to this Notion and that the spirits in prison are Souls sheathed shut up imprisoned in their bodies Christ came and preached to these souls viz. the sinners that lived in Noahs days and he preached unto them by the Preaching of Noah But this Interpretation is by no means to be admitted for 1. This quaint notion of the Sheath and the Body is a plain force upon that Text in Gen. 6. 3. which is truly and uncorruptly rendred according to the Hebrew My Spirit shall not strive that is I will no longer concern my self with these men I will give them up to their own lusts and lewd desires my Spirit shall not strive as formerly with them they shall not be convinced by Noahs Preaching nor wrought upon by the foresight of those Judgments which they cannot but see hang over their heads and when I have thus given them up to their own vile imaginations I will cut them off in their sins and bereave them of all hopes of mercy for the future This is the True import of those words and consequently all that the foresaid Criticks suggest is nothing to the Text but is a mere Distorting and Perverting of it 2. Suppose this place of Scripture might be rendred as they have done it yet who sees not that it is far from their purpose What likeness is there between a sheath and a Prison It must be strong fancy that perswades a man to think that the latter is put here for the former and consequently that the words I am now treating of have reference to those in Genesis Or 3 ly suppose it were so yet all we learn from this strange expression is that the sinners before the Floud had souls in their bodies for that is the English it seems of
the spirits in prison it is no more then souls in bodies 4. This phrase might be made use of with more reason to prove the Platonick Praeexistence and the Detrusion of souls into bodies which they so much talk of I wonder the Platonists never took notice of this Text. Their Hypothesis cannot be expressed more fully then t is here If I were one that favour'd the Doctrine of Praeexistence I should prize this place exceedingly there is none like it For the spirits in prison are the souls which are thrust into these Bodies as into Prisons For the Body of man as they are wont to speak is but Eygastulum animâ— the Prison or Dungeon of the Soul here it is inclosed or imprison'd as a Sword in a Sheath And these Spirits which are thus immersed into Humane Bodies were sometime disobedient i. e. they sinn'd in the state of Praeexistence and therefore are sent into these bodies and there Imprisoned Thus this place may be alledg'd in favour of that Hypothesis but any man who duly weighs the scope of the words may see that they intend no such thing as this The Defenders of that opinion might as well make use of that place Psal. 142. 7. Bring my soul out of prison and thence prove that humane souls are thrust into the prisons of these bodies and that These are the spirits in prison meant by our Apostle But 5 ly that which unanswerably consounds This Opinion viz. that the words are to be understood of the Sinners before the Floud and of Christs preaching to them by his Spirit is this that the Text speaks not of something done by Christ before his Resurrection as his Descent into hell when he was dead but it speaks of something which Christ did after his Suffering and Resurrection when he was indued with an extraordinary power therefore it cannot be thus meant This is plain from the Context and the Words themselves and therefore nothing can more powerfully overthrow this Assertion then This doth this ruines that Opinion without remedy Besides it is said here of those spirits that they were sometime disobedient as much as to say they were not so then when Christ preached to them But because this is not a Necessary Consequence I will not urge it for they might be disobedient before and then too as I willingly grant and shall have occasion to say more of it afterwards Therefore Others seeing the Levity of this Opinion though they hold that by the spirits in prison are meant the sinners that lived before the General Deluge in Noahs days yet they understand their being in prison in another sense as thus Christ by his Spirit in Noah who is call'd a Preacher of righteousness did once preach to that generation of men who lived before the Floud whose spirits are now in prison i. e. in Hell for their former disobedience These spirits were imprisoned in Hell at the time when S t Peter wrote this Epistle but they were not in that Prison when Christ preached to them by the Spirit The short is Christ preached to these men in the days of Noah who were in this infernal Prison in the days of the Apostles and have been ever since S t Peter speaks of the spirits now in prison or then in prison when he wrote not of the spirits in prison when Christ preached to them This Interpretation is approved of by many but it is very Harsh and much Forced For if you understand the words fairly and without straining them they must necessarily signifie something which Christ did 〈◊〉 to the spirits in prison Now to say they were not in prison when he did it to them in prison is Absurd and Ridiculous at least it is Wresting the words and not taking them in their Genuine sense which they appear to us in And why we should abandon the Genuine and Plain sense for a Forced and â—ar-Fetched one I can see no reason at all therefore this sense must not have our Approbation though it be so generally received II. Others apply it to the Souls of the Dead And here there is a great Difference both among those of the Popish and Protestant perswasion 1. Some will have these spirits in prison to be the Souls of those Deceased sinners who lived before the Floud and perished in it and were sent to Purgatory 2. The Souls of all the Saints and Righteous men who had been from the beginning of the world till Christ are â—eem'd by others to be these spirits in prison and this Prison is 〈…〉 3. Some interpret it of the Damned Souls in Hell Nay 4 ly the spirits in prison are the souls of the Blessed in Heaven saith another First 〈◊〉 and some other Roman Catholicks understand this Text of Purgatory This is the Prison wherein the souls of the Antediluvian sinners were kept for these persons were Unâ—â—lievers and Iâ—penitent all the time before the Floud came but then they believed and repented S t Ierom Austin and Hilary lean this way interpreting the words to This purpose that Christ went to deliver those poor â—ouls who when Noah preached to them and God patiently expected their repentance a hundred years remain'd Incredulous and Disobedient but afterwards when they saw the Floud coming upon them became very Penitent and hated their former evil ways To these Christ being Dead went and preached So then in short the Prison of Purgatory is meant here by the Apostle and Christ went persoâ—â—lly down thither and preached to the people of that place But I answer 1. They must evidently prove that there is such a Place and State as Purgatory otherwise we have no ground to believe that This Text is meant of it For this being but an Obscure place of Scripture as all grant we cannot lay any stress on it And though some of the Fathers seem to understand it of Purgatory yet it is to be remembred that the Mystery of Iniquity began to work long before their time and it is no wonder that This and other Corrupt Opinions crept into the Church and that even some of the most Learned and Pious men were misled by them for they were but Men and so were liable to Mistake and Error 2. The Patrons of this Opinion hold that Christ went personally to Purgatory but no such thing is mention'd here yea another sort of Going is expresly named for it is said by which i. e. by the Spirit he went which seems to exclude a Local and Personal Going 3. How inconsistent is this opinion with their doctrine of Purgatory for they hold that those impure souls are sent to be purged in the other world who had some Punishment yet remaining to undergo and who were not sufficiently Purged in this world But this was not the case of the sinners who perished in the Floud Never was there such a Punishment and Judgment and never shall the like be again And therefore according to the notion of these men those persons were
sufficiently Punished and there was nothing left to undergo And then as to their Moral Purgation if those persons repented at all it is reasonable to think that their Repentance in those unparallell'd circumstances was exceeding Great and that it proved on all accounts Effectual and Complete Those Waters were able to cleanse them sufficiently so that they needed not to be sent to these Purging Flames 4. This is against the received opinion of the Torments of Purgatory for they are said to end in a much shorter time The Offenders of the Old World had lain shut up in this Prison almost three thousand years according to these mens Interpretation of the Text and yet it is the general doctrine of those that assert the Pains of Pâ—rgatory that they are much sooner over and that it was not intended that these Torments should be of very long continuance 5. Why did Christ go and take the Antediluvian Wretches out of the Prison of Purgatory and none else For these are only mention'd here and we read of no others any where else Why did not 〈◊〉 Saviour clear that place and set open the Prison-doors to all and make a General Jail-Delivery Or will these men say that none went to Purgatory but those poor creatures who lived in 〈◊〉 time This they will hardly assert These and several other reasons may induce us to believe that by the spirits in prison are not meant the souls in Purgatory Secondly some imagine that Limbâ—â— Patrum is meant there by S t Peter Christ went to this place say they and fetcheâ— thence all the Souls of the Saints who died before his Coming Some of the Fathers as Athanasius Ambrose Cyrâ—l of Alexandria and others interpret the Apostle's words thus and it is their known Assertion that all the souls of the righteous as soon as they were separated from their bodies were impâ—isoneâ— in some Low Place under ground and there were detain'd till our Saviour came and inlarged them These are the spirits in â—â—ison 〈…〉 these words telling us that the spirits in prison whâ—â— Christ 〈…〉 were Separate Souls sent to that foresaid Apartment and Receptacle And whereas it is said Christ was quickned in the spirit he saith this is meant of Christs Separate Soul this being quickned went strait way to Limbo to visit the separate souls there But 1. Bellarmin talks very wiâ—dly on this point for the Soul being Immortal can't be said to be quickned or made alive and therefore it was unwarily and groundlesly said by him that Christs soul was quickned But 2 ly I answer to what he and others alledg concerning Limbus Patrum that there never was such a place for the separate souls to go to This according to those of the Church of Rome is that place where the souls of the Patriarchs and Faithfull under the Old Testament were lodged But this is a mere Fiction for the spirits of the deceased Saints go presently to Heaven and are not detain'd in any Prison much less so Long a time before they reach that place of Bliss Therefore we ought not to credit the Romanists when they tell us with great confidence that Christ went and preached to Abraham and the rest of the Patriarchs when he left this world and that he acquainted them that the work of Redemption was finished and that he took them up with him to Heaven Let them first prove that there was such a Prison for they confess it is now demolished and hath been ever since Christ and then we shall attend to what they say and not before 3. This Exposition is faulty because it is too Wide for the Text which refers only to those of Noahs days Now supposing Christ preach'd to them in prison how is it gather'd from the Text that Christ went and redeem'd All from that place And on the other side if they assert that Christ redeem'd only those who were before the Floud it would be proper to ask how they came to have this Priviledge above the rest but it will be hard to give a Reason of it So that one way or other it is Improbable Thirdly there are Others who by the Spirits in prison understand the Damned spirits or souls in Hell Here I will not deny that the word Prison hath respect unto the Place of the Damned as I shall shew you afterwards but that Christ went into Hell and Preached there to the inhabitants of that place I am not convinc'd how it can be made good from This Text Though I grant that some of the Antient Fathers make use of this place of Scripture to prove that Christ descended locally and personally into those infernal regions Particularly S t Augustin indeavours to prove it from these very words and concludes at last who but an Infidel will deny that Christ was in Hell As for several Other Writers of the Church they are divided in their Comments on this Text some think it refers to Limbus Patrum others to Purgatory and a third sort conceive it speaks of Hell that place where the souls of the Wicked and Reprobate are tormented This is the Prison the Apostle here means say they But how did Christ preach to the spirits there This Preaching is interpreted after a different manner for some say our Saviour went to Punish and Affright the devils to Triumph over the damned and to shew himself a Conqueror over Satan and all the Infernal Powers But these men grosly abuse S t Peter's words when they expound them thus i. e. when they interpret Christs Preaching to the spirits in prison of his Tâ—iumphing over the damned in hell the word preaching being never in the Sacred Writings understood in such a manner but all that are acquainted with the Holy Stile must needs acknowledge that 't is taken in a far other meaning therefore this must be look'd upon as a downright perverting of the Apostle's words only to serve their own ends Others are not content to say that Christ went to Triumph over the damned but they talk of something Higher viz. the Relieving yea the Delivering of the damned out of hell This say they is the Preaching here spoken of This is a Bold Flight and but few of the Fathers have ventured to soar so High But who would expect any such thing as this from the Learned Author of the Mystery of Godliness Yet there you will find him giving This Interpretation of the words viz. that the spirits in prison i. e. the Disobedient souls in Hell were redeemed by Christs Preaching they were a glorious spoil taken out of the hands of the devil But it doth not follow saith he there is any Redemption out of Hell now much less any Purgatory For there were two Notable Occasions for This such as will never happen again For it respects the souls of them that were suddenly swept away in the Deluge and the Solemnity of our Saviours Crucifixion and Asâ—â—nsion He undermined the Prince of death in
Comments and thereby give you a perfect resolution of the Text. First then the Spirits are the same with Souls and Souls are as much as Men or Persons with bodies and souls so in the next verse eight â—souls are said to be saved i. e. eight persons who were in the Ark. This is an usual Synecdoche as Body is put for the whole man often so Soul or Spirit signifies the same Spirit is not always though most commonly applied to the Souls of the Deceased as some would perswade us Living men are call'd Spirits 1 Tim. 4. 1. 1 Iohn 4. 1 3. Seducing spirits are seducers or persons that seduce Or if you will not grant this interpretation in these places yet you must needs grant that persons may be meant by spirits as well as by souls which latter you cannot deny if you consult Rom. 13. 1. and several other places where by soul is meant a person i. e. a man consisting of body and soul or which is the same thing spirit Or if Spirits be meant of the Souls of Dead men properly then also there is reason to apply it here because they are Dead in sin and they are as it were destined to Eternal Death Those who are Spiritually dead are rightly call'd Spirits These spirits i. e. these Men are no other then the Gentile Idolaters say the above named Expositors who lived in the days of Christ and the Apostles And because it is said they were sometime disobedient Episcopius gives this account of it He reckons all the Gentiles from Noahs time as one and the same people which is a thing not unusual with the Holy Writâ—â—s and so when Christ preach'd to the Gentiles of his time and the Apostles times he may be said to preach to the Gentiles of Noahs time who were a part of the whole body of the Gentiles So that if you ask of him How could these people that lived in the Apostles times be said to be disobedient in the days of Noah his answer is that the whole race of wicked men is consfidered here as one Body and consequently what the first and chief of them did those that came after them may be said to have done These wicked Gentiles that lived in the Apostles times are justly said to have been disobedient in the days of Noah because they were a part of the whole and included in the main Body of sinners But I question whether this will be look'd upon by the Inquisitive as a Satisfactory Resolution For my part I cannot prevail with my self to think it such and therefore I shall anon offer another Interpretation Moreover I most add this why may we not understand these words who were sometime disobedient not only of the 〈◊〉 but of the Iews also The Text as I conceive speaks both of the Câ—â—version of Iews and Gentiles the Gospel being preached and Salvation offâ—red to both these I see therefore no reason why the Exposition should be confined to one only viz. to the Pâ—gan Infidels and such as were aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel Christ preached to both Iews and Heathens who were heretofore or sometime disobedient The former of these both under the Old and New Testament are noted to be such they are complain'd of as a 〈◊〉 people That forefathers even of those who we in the Apostles days were disobedient and therefore those may be said to be sometime disobedient because they are included in their forefathers Or rather this may be meant of the 〈◊〉 Lives and Manners of those individual persons who then lived And as the Iews had lived in Superstion and Ignorance and gross Rebellion against God so the Gentiles had been brought up in Idolatry and in most lewd and prophane practises Christ after his Resurrection and Ascension pitied the miserable condition of both these sorts of 〈◊〉 Sinneâ—s They had been disobedient but now Christ by his Apostles whom he sent forth to preach the Gospel effectually reminded them of it of which more 〈…〉 which we have hitherto suggested and which was the first thing to be done is this that these Iewish â—nd Pagan peoplâ— who had heretofore 〈◊〉 so â—â—gnally disobedient are the spirits or persons here spoken of who are also said to be in prison Of the Reasonableness and Consistency of which interpretation I will give you this following account They are called the spirits in prison 1. because they were shut up in Ignorance as in a spiritual Prison They refused the knowledge of God 〈◊〉 wilfully blinded themselves and so became like the Egyptians Prisoners of darkness and lay fetter'd in the bondâ— of nightâ— 2. Because they were not only shut up in the Dark Dungâ—â—n of wilful Ignorance but were as our Church expâ—esseth it tied and bound with the chain of their other grosser sins Whence you read of the cords or chains of sin Prov. 5. 22. In this respect very bad men are said to be in the bond of iniquity and to be 〈…〉 his will 3 ly This expresses the Misery they were in They were spirits in Prison that is unspeakably Distressed and Wretched This you will find to be the Stile of Scripture and accordingly the Psalmist saith The Lord despiseth not his Prisoners i. e. those that are in Distress and Misery Psal. 69. 33. And thus That in Ps. 79. 11. may be understood Let the sighing of the Prisoners come before thee And again he prays Bring my soul out of Prison Ps. 142. 8. Soul is to be taken here for the Person and Prison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the very word used by the Septuagint for Calamity or Misery and so this is the like manner of speech with that in the Text The spirits or souls in prison We pity those poor wretches who are in Durance who can only look through the Grates but are denied the liberty of going abroad to help themselves we reckon their condition very sad and deplorable But it is certain that these poor â—ouls who are imprison'd and Fetter'd by their Sins are in a far worse case because Sin is the greatest Bondage They like Samson grind in the prison-house they are put to excessive Drudgery and Slavery which are so much the Worse because they are not Sensible of it 4. This shews their Inability to relieve themselves They are as it were in some Strâ—ng and Close Prison whence there is no delivery without Gods help and the special assistance of Divine Grace They are shut up in their Dark Cells and know not how to free themselves they are so fast in prison that they cannot get forth 5 ly and lastly As I have before suggested Hell is call'd a Prison in the Stile of Scripture Thus in Mat. 5. 25. to be cast into prison is to be cast into Hell and accordingly the Syriack Version of the word is Sheol which is the word used sometimes for Hell God cast the Angels down to hell saith S' Peter and immediately he adds that
he delivered them into Chains of darkness 2 Pet. 2. 4. and S t Iude v. 6. speaks after the same manner Hell implys Chains and that those who are in that place are Bound in the house of their prison So Satan is said to be bound with a great chain Rev. 20. 1 2. i. e. he was Confined to Hell and afterwards he was loosed out of that Prison v. 7. Now Wicked and Ungodly men are deservedly said to be in This prison even before they are actually cast into it because they are as sure to be there i. e. to be Damned as if they were actually so They are as certainly to be shut up in the Prison of Hell as if they were now in it In this sense Infidels and Unbelievers are said to be condemned already John 3. 18. All wilful sinners are clapt up in the Prison are consign'd as it were to Hell unless they hearken to the Preaching of the Gospel and Repent and be Converted and so escape the damnation of Hell From all these particulars you may be satisfied how Fit an expression this is how Appositely those Vnbelievers and Idolaters to whom the Gospel was preached are stiled spirits in Prison I will yet further observe to you how the Scripture delights in This way of expression As I have shewd you from thence how Sinners are Imprisoned persons so I have This likewise to take notice of from Scripture that the Converting of souls by Christs coming and preaching is expressly set forth to us by Freeing them from prison Which confirms This notion and the Use of this Phrase that â—inners whilst they are in their Unregenerate state whilst they are they are under the power of their sins are in prison for they cannot be taken out thence unless they had been in it To this purpose we may observe the prophet Isaiah's words ch 42. v. 7. where describing the Office of the Messias he makes this the summ of it to bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house And again speaking of the blessed design of the Messias he expresseth it thus ch 49. v. 9. That thou mayest say to the prisoners Go forth And further in ch 61. v. 1. he introduceth the Messias himself declaring with his own mouth that he was sent to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound Which as well as the former passages is meant of the Spiritual Loosing of men from their sins by the saving coming of Christ and preaching of the Gospel as is evident from what our Saviour said when he read these words of Isaiah This day saith he is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears Luke 4. 21. As much as if he had said This is the grand end and purpose of my appearing in the world and of all my undertakings for mankind namely to set them at liberty to save them from their sins This was long since foretold by the prophet Isaiah and now behold it is accomplished in me at this time who speak unto you and preach the Gospel of Salvation I came to seek and save that which was lost I came to bless you in turning you from your iniquities I came to rescue you from the bondage of sin and Satan This is the meaning of opening the prison to them that are bound of saying to the prisoners Go forth of bringing the prisoners out of the prison house We see then that from the stile of this Evangelical Prophet we are directed to a right understanding of S t Peters words we are informed that the spirits in prison are men in their sins Jesus by his Spirit in his Apostles went and preached to these Prisoners he proclaimed Liberty to these poor miserable Captives And these are the dead to whom the Gospel was preached 1 Pet. 4. 6. A place of Scripture which hath mightily puzzled Expositors D r Hammond and others understand by these dead the sinners of the Old World for these were dead say they when Peter wrote this Epistle though they were alive when they were preached to So that place Ruth 1. 8. is interpreted The Lord deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead i. e. my sons and your husbands who are now dead when Naomi spoke this to her daughters in law but were alive when the kindness was shewd to them But I have observ'd before that this is a Strain'd sense and therefore where a more Natural one offers it self we ought to accept of it The most Plain and Proper meaning of the dead here is that they were dead at that very time when the Gospel was preached to them I understand it of Spiritual death which brings Eternal death with it without repentance The widow that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth 1 Tim. 5. 6. It is usual to call Sinners dead men because as the same Apostle saith they are dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2. 1. Yea it were easie to shew that this way of speaking was not unusual with the Gentile Moralists So the dead here to whom the Gospel was preached were such as were Spiritually dead Otherwise you can't make sense of the Reason or End of the Gospels being preached to them viz. that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the spirit Castalio after his modest way in the like cases professes that he knows not what to make of these words Some tell us that they speak of Penitent sinners involved in a Common Ruine that though they were judg'd in the flesh i. e. in respect of their Bodies as far as Men can see yet in their Spirit or Soul they rest and live with God But it cannot be proved that the Apostle here refers to any such Common Calamity and therefore this Exposition is not to be admitted Others alter it a little thus These words say they are added to remove the scandal laid in the way of Religion by Infidels and Pagans who as you read v. 4. thought it strange that the Christians ran not with them to the same excess of riot and spake evil of them on that account They censured defamed and even condemned them because they were not like themselves But though they were condemned as to their flesh their outward man yet their spirits their in ward man obtain'd favour and even eternal life with God But how this is brought in as a Reason as it is here For for this cause c. no man can discover and therefoâ—e we cannot satisfie ourselves with this interpretation of the place Others would understand it thus That they might be judged according to men in the flesh i. e. that those who lived carnally and wickedly might be damned and live according to God in the spirit i. e. that those who lived godlily and righteously might be saved But this is a manifest perverting of the words turning the but into and