and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be judged and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets and to the saints and them that fear thy name small and great and shouldest destroy them which note h destroy the earth Paraphrase 18. Now is fulfilled that prophecie of Psal 2. The Jewish nation have behaved themselves most stubbornly against Christ and cruelly against Christians and thy judgments are come upon them and though the avenging of the blood of the Martyr-Christians hath a while been deferred till these other sufferings under Barchochebah were added to them ch 6. 11 yet now the time is fully come for all the vengeance to be powred out the Jewes and Gnosticks to be destroyed and all the orthodox pure constant Christians to have daies of tranquillity and peaceable profession of the Gospel and liberty of assemblies 19. And the Temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament and there were lightnings and voices and thundrings and an earthquake and great hail Paraphrase 19. And this as an effect of God's covenant of mercy made with believers and which will never fail to be performed to all Christians that will in time of distresses and persecutions wait and depend constantly and that fall not off by any temptations from him And there were lightnings and voices and thunders and great hail which words in all probability belong to the next vision and chapter and so are connected by Andreas Caesarcensis and his exscriber Arethas and by them is noted that there is a farther vision behind and that consisting of thundrings and lightnings and earthquakes that is menaces of judgments from heaven against those that had their hearts hardned and stubborn against Christ of which the hail was an embleme c. 8. 7. And who these were that were now next to come on the scene will follow in the next Chapter Annotations on Chap. XI V. 1. Altar The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth in some places signifie the Altar of incense see c. 6. e. In other places there is no question but it signifies the Altar of burnt-offering but that again sometimes not strictly the Altar but the court where the altar is placed So ch 14. 18. 16. 7. it cannot be rendred Altar because there is mention of one going forth and another speaking out of it it must therefore signifie the court or place of sacrificing wherein the Altar is so faith the Glossary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrarium altarium and in Philoxenus Sacrarium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in that sense faith Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that is out of the Altar that is the Church c. And agreeably in this place by that which follows and those that worship in it which belongs not to the Temple before but is immediately annex'd to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it cannot reasonably denote the Altar but the place wherein men were which worshipped and that here most probably is not the Sanctuary where the Altar of incense was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inward court of the Temple opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 outer court that of the Gentiles here that where the Congregation or people worshipped See Note on Mat. 23. i. V. 3. Two witnesses Who the two Witnesses are is the main difficulty of this chapter And the matter here spoken of yielding some directions to pitch on the time of which this Vision treats as 1. the farther judgments falling on Jerusalem after the destruction by Titus and 2 dly those after the rebuilding the city and planting it with Gentiles as well as Jewes ver 1 2. which must needs belong to the time of Adrian it may be reasonable to forsake all other conjectures and pitch upon that which the learned Hugo Grotius hath resolved on of making the two Churches which were at this time at Jerusalem one of the Jewish the other of Gentile Christians the two Witnesses here spoken of or more distinctly I conceive the two Bishops of and together with them those two Congregations That there were two such plantations in the same city in many places before the Jewes and Gentiles grew into one appears by divers evidences In Antioch as one Church was planted and governed by Peter the Apostle of the Circumcision so another by Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles and that is express'd in the Epistle of the Councill of Jerusalem by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brethren that is the Church at Antioch those or that of the Gentiles and in the one Euodius succeeded Bishop in the other Ignatius So in Ephesus and Asia John was founder of the Churches of the Jewes and Paul of the Gentiles and while John continued over the former Timothy was by Paul made Bishop at Ephesus over the latter So at Rome Peter was bishop of the Jewish congregation and Clemens his Deacon Paul of the Gentile part and Linus his Deacon after them Clemens succeeds in one chair and Linus in the other and after him Cletus or Anacletus and after him both joyned together under Clemens And thus it is to be supposed at Jerusalem especially after the destruction by Titus when there were many Gentiles there which may occasion the multitude of Bishops that Eusebius observes to have been there in few years till they joyned both under Marcus a Gentile Bishop in Adrian's time see ver 15. And this was in some degree necessary not onely because there was some distance kept betwixt the Jewish and Gentile Christians which at Rom Paul endeavoured to make up Rom. 14. c. but in respect of the several languages which they were of necessity to use in their assemblies and farther in respect of the several customes for a good while continued among them Now that all that is said of these two Witnesses doth perfectly agree to these two Bishops and their congregations of Christians will appear in the Paraphrase and to that belong directly the descriptions here bestowed on them One like Moses over the Jewes labouring to bring all that people out of their AEgyptian blindnesse and bondage to sin their unchristian impenitence and the other like Elias preaching down idolatry bringing the Heathens to Christianity And then to these are fitly adjoyned in the chorus as it were the 24 Elders ver 16. that is the Bishops of all Judaea that belonged to the Bishops of Jerusalem as lesser cities to a Metropolis ch 4. 4. and had their part in the benefit of this destruction that fell on Barchochebah and the seditious Jewes V. 7. Make warre against them That Barchochebah raised a sedition against the Romans is known in story and that he call'd himself by that name as son of a starre but was after more truly call'd the son of a lie that is of an idol
given them the grace to doe so 19. Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as farre as Phoenice and Cyprus and Antioch preaching the word unto none but unto the Jewes only Paraphrase 19. Then the disciples that were driven from Jerusalem ch 8. 1. went about publishing the Gospel see note on ch 8. b. to the Jewes but to none else 20. And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene which when they were come to Antioch spake unto the Grecians preaching the Lord Jesus Paraphrase 20. And some of these disciples were men that had been born in Cyprus and Cyrene and they when they came to Antioch preached the faith of Christ to those Jewes which spake and used the Greek language and Bibles 21. And the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord. Paraphrase 21. And God prospered their preaching of Christ and brought in many converts to them daily 22. Then tidings of these things came unto the eares of the Church which was at Jerusalem and they sent forth Barnabas that he should goe as farre as Antioch Paraphrase 22. And the Apostles that remained at Jerusalem hearing of it sent Barnabas to confirm them from city to city as farre as Antioch 23. Who when he came and had seen the grace of God was glad and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. Paraphrase 23. Who coming and seeing with what good successe the Gospel had been preached among them see note on Heb. 13. d. and Act. 18. e. was glad and advised them cordially and stedfastly to hold fast to Christ 24. For he was a good man and full of the holy Ghost and of faith and much people was added unto the Lord. Paraphrase 24. For Barnabas was a very pious person a believer that had many excellent gifts and graces and by his means also the Gospel was received by very many 25. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus for to seek Saul 26. And when he had found him he brought him unto Antioch And it came to passe that a whole year they assembled themselves with the Church and taught much people and the disciples were note a called Christians first in Antioch Paraphrase 26. Paul and Barnabas for the space of a year resorted to the place of publick assemblies and instructed and confirmed all that came And the disciples or those that received the faith of Christ being formerly called Nazarites or Galilaeans in stead of those names were styled Christians and that first in Antioch of any place 27. And in these daies came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch Paraphrase 27. And some of the chief men possibly bishops of Judaea that had also the gift of prophesie came by appointment of the Church of Jerusalem to Antioch 21. And there stood up one of them named Agabus and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth thoroughout all the world which came to passe in the daies of Claudius Caesar Paraphrase 28. And one of them named Agabus by revelation from the Spirit of God foretold that there should shortly be a great famine over all Judaea see note on Mat. 24. e. and Luk. 2. a. which accordingly came to passe in the reigne of the Emperour Claudius see 1 Cor. 16. 1. 29. Then the disciples every man according to his ability determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea Paraphrase 29. And all the Christians in all places according to their abilities resolved to send relief to the Christians in Judaea in this time of dearth and among them Helen Queen of the Adiabeni saith Eusebius l. 2. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bought a great deal of corn out of Aegypt and sent it to be distributed to them that were in want see Jos Ant. l. 20. c. 2. 30. Which also they did and sent it to note b the Elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul Paraphrase 30. And this liberality from other parts of the Church was by Paul and Barnabas brought and put into the hands of the Bishops of Judaea Annotations on Chap. XI V. 26. Called Christians The use of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Active for to be called in a passive sense is to be seen Rom. 7. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she shall be called an adulteresse So in Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they also are called wandring starres but that in an eminent manner as may be discerned by that acception of it in Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Astronomy was much cried up was in great reputation among the Pharisees So here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be famously known under that name of Christians V. 30. The Elders The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders is here first met with in the Christian Church and therefore will deserve to be explained And first it will not be amisse to see the use of it among the Greeks and Hebrewes Among the Greeks it is the saying of a learned Grammarian Dionysius Halicarnasseus l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The ancients used the word Elders both for Rulers and old men and accordingly it is now in use among all nations Italians French Spaniards English to call their Rulers Seniors Maiors Aldermen c. which are literally the rendring of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Among the Hebrews the same is acknowledged that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 old men which with them that want degrees of comparison is all one with Elders and generally rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denoteth dignity and Praefecture in the Old Testament So the steward of Abrahams house Eliezer who was placed over all his servants and goods Gen. 24. 2. is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Elder of his house and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruler of all he had not so as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rendred his Elder servant but with a comma that servant which was Elder of his house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Targum of Jerusalem ruler administrator steward and so he is called Gen. 15. 2. So the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Elders of Pharaohs house and of all Aegypt Gen. 50. 7. are the Praefects and administrators of the Kings house and of all Aegypt So the Elders of the Moabites Num. 22. 7. are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Princes of Moab v. 8. So when all Dominion was founded in the privileges that belonged to the first-born Gen. 4. 7. and therefore is Reuben as first-born Gen. 49. 3. called the excellency of principality and the excellency of power that is the excellent Principality or Supreme power the Magistrate so called Rom. 13. 1. the Princes of the families or kindreds are called indifferently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patriarchs and Elders Such
were the Elders of Israel Exod. 3. 16 18. and 4. 29. the heads or rulers of the families or kindreds ch 6. 14. Rulers of the Congregation ch 16. 22. who are again called the Elders of Israel ch 17. 5 6. and 18. 12. and Elders of the Tribes Deut. 31. 28. And when Moses appointed Judges for lighter causes Exod. 18. 22. who should have power over thousands and hundreds and fifties and tens that is first over so many families after over greater or lesser cities for so the thousand signifies a city Judg. 6. 15. Mic. 5. 2. and the Ruler thereof is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 2. 6. these were by them called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers and Judges and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers of the synagogues and the like And thereupon in the Theodosian Codex where the second law de Judaeis uses the word Presbyteros Elders another Law hath Synagogarum patres fathers or Rulers of the Consistories And so when the seventy Elders were taken in to assist Moses Num. 11. 16. to whom the Great Sanhedrim at Jerusalem succeeded it is evident that these were so called because they were Princes or Praefects or Rulers of the people before they were thus chosen by Moses Gather unto me saith God seventy men of the Elders of Israel whom thou knowest to be the Elders of the people and officers over them and bring them to the tabernacle of the Congregation that they may stand there with thee And so the word Elder was not a denotation of one of the Sanhedrim any otherwise then as some of those that were in the Sanhedrim had formerly been Elders or Rulers of the people and accordingly of three sorts of men of which the Sanhedrim consisted but one is called Elders the other Scribes and chief Priests see Mat. 16. 20. and Note on Mar. 5. c. By all which it appears how fitly this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders being made use of by the Apostles and writers of the New Testament is affix'd to the Governours of the Christian Church the severall Bishops of severall cities answerable to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers of thousands or Patriarchs which being first used among the Jewes are in the Christian Church the ordinary title of Bishops And although this title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders have been also extended to a second order in the Church and is now onely in use for them under the name of Presbyters yet in the Scripture-times it belonged principally if not alone to Bishops there being no evidence that any of that second order were then instituted though soon after before the writing of Ignatius Epistles there were such instituted in all Churches Of those first Apostolicall times the testimony of Clemens Romanus in Epist 1. ad Cor. is observable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ was sent from God and the Apostles from Christ and they went out preaching the Gospel And then They therefore preaching through Regions and Cities Constituted or Ordained their first-fruits first-converts into Bishops and Deacons of those that should afterward believe Where it appears that when the Gospel was first preached by the Apostles and but few converted they ordained in every City and Region no more but a Bishop and one or more Deacons to attend him there being at the present so small store out of which to take more and so small need of ordaining more that this Bishop is constituted more for the sake of those which should after believe then of those which did already Agreeable is that of Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he fetch'd out of the profoundest or antientest histories l. 3. c. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. At the beginning of the Apostles preaching when there was none fit or worthy to be Bishop the place remained void without any but where need required and there were those that were fit for it Bishops were constituted but while there was no multitude of Christians there were found none among them to be constituted Presbyters in our modern use of that word and they contented themselves with a Bishop alone in every place But without a Deacon 't was impossible for a Bishop to be and therefore the Apostle took care that the Bishop should have his Deacons to minister to him And accordingly when S. Paul gives directions to Bishop Timothy for the ordaining of Officers in the Church he names Bishops and Deacons but no second order between them 1 Tim. 3. 2 8. and so to Titus Tit. 1. 7. c. 2. 1. see Note on Phil. 1. c. And so in the Church of Jerusalem it is clear by story that James the brother of the Lord being soon after Christs Ascension constituted their Bishop see Note on Gal. 2. d. the Deacons are the first that are added to him Act. 6. and no mention as yet of any middle order From whence it will be sufficiently cleared who are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders here viz. the Bishops of the severall cities or of the brethren that dwelt in Judaea v. 29. to whom this almes was designed for the famine being in all Judaea and not onely at Jerusalem and there being brethren that is Christians in habiting through severall parts of Judaea there can be no reason to imagin that Jerusalem only should have the benefit of this collection or consequently that the Elders to whom it was delivered should belong only to that city And thus it is known in the Primitive Church that almes and collections called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether in the same Church brought by the communicants in the offertory or by officers sent from one Church to another were solemnly intrusted to the Bishop as the steward of the house of God as the oblations were brought to the high Priest under the Law and the liberality of the faithfull to the Apostles feet Act. 4. 34. So in the 41th Canon Apostolical it is appointed Praecipimus ut in potestate sua Episcopus Ecclesiae res habeat Si enim animae hominum pretiosae illi sunt concreditae multò magìs oportet cum curam pecuniarum gerere ita ut potestate ejus indigentibus omnia dispensentur per Presbyteros Diaconos We command that the Bishop shall have the goods of the Church in his own power For if the soules of men so much more pretious are entrusted to him he ought much more to have the care of the monies so as by his power all be dispensed to them that want by the Presbyters and Deacons And so saith Justin Martyr of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 President or Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is the Guardian of all that are in want From this explication of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here must be taken the notion of it Act. 15. 2. where the Elders at Jerusalem with the Apostles are not the Elders
they were brought low with a famine so that they should feed on one anothers bodies c. And so saith Lactantius it fell out soon after their death Vespasian extinguished the name and nation of the Jewes c. The second thing which is known in story and usefull to be here premised is the rise and growth of the Haeresie of the Gnosticks the followers of Simon Magus which in a short time while the Apostles lived and preached over-ran all their plantations and in a greater or lesse degree infested all the Churches of those times and by the two baits which they used liberty of all abominable lusts and promises of immunity from persecutions attracted many unto them and wheresoever they came began with opposing the Apostles and Governors of the Churches And accordingly these Epistles being adapted to the present urgencies and wants of those Churches it cannot be strange that there should be frequent admonitions intermix'd in all of them to abstain most diligently and flie from these And from the several parts of that character which belonged to these Haereticks many passages of some difficulty will be explained also Beside these many other particular matters there were either wherein the Apostles were themselves concerned to vindicate their authority or practices or which had been proposed by the Churches to obtain satisfaction in them which occasioned several discourses on those subjects as will be discernible also when the particulars are surveyed And then though by Analogie and parity of reason these may be extended very profitably to the general behoof and advantages of other Churches of God and particular Christians of all ages yet for the right understanding of the literal and primarie sense of them it will be most necessary to observe these or the like particular occasions of them and accordingly to accommodate the interpetations And this was all which I though necessary to praemise in general by way of entrance on the Epistles of the Apostles Of this Epistle of S. Paul to the Romans these few things will be fit to be praemised First What is the reason of the place which it hath in the Canon before all the rest of his Epistles And this well be defined 1. Negatively then Positively 1. Negatively that it is not to be taken from the order of time wherein it was written for most of the other Epistles are antiently affirmed and by some characters doe seem to have been written before it And although the defining the time and the place of writing them be but conjectural and fallible no way deducible from Scripture story there being so great a part of Paul's time whereof the book of the Acts which ends at his first being at Rome saith nothing yet because as Eusebius saith the story of those years after the Acts is not written by any and consequently whatever different account be pitched on that will be meerly conjectural also I shall therefore by keeping in this matter of time and place to the ordinary road rather choose to adventure erring thus in matters of no greater importance then to attempt any new way which will be equally if not more uncertain Thus then it is commonly acknowledged that the first to the Thessalonians was written at his first being at Corinth An. Chr. 50. The second to the Thessalonians probably while he staid there the next year after The first to the Corinthians in the third year of his being at Ephesus An. Chr. 54. wherein accordingly he mentions his designe to tarry at Ephesus till Pentecost ch 16. 8. The first to Timothy from Macedonia in the same year That to Titus from Greece An. Chr. 55. The second to the Corinthians from Philippi assoon as he had received newes by Titus what successe his first Epistle had found among them which appears by 2 Cor. 2. 12. and by the fresh mention of his danger at Ephesus c. 1. 8. to be soon after the first And perhaps about the same time the Epistle to the Galatians also After which coming again to Corinth he wrote this to the Romans a little before the Emperour Claudius's death which is placed by Chronologers in the 55. yeare of Christ That he wrote it at this time may appear by his own words c. 15. 19 23 25. For there v. 19. he saith he had preached the Gospel through Greece round about to Illyricum agreeable to what we find Act. 20. 3. where after his departure from Ephesus c. he came and stai'd three months in Greece meaning thereby the region from Achaia to Illyricum and v. 23. that he had no more to doe in those parts but was at the present at the writing hereof v. 25. a going to Syria and Jerusalem to carry the almes to the Christians there This journey we find him ready to undertake Act. 20. 3. though because of the Jewes laying wait for him not onely to kill him but to seise upon the money which he carried with him he diverted through Macedonia By which it is manifest that this was the point of time wherein this Epistle was written after his coming to Illyricum and before his going up to Jerusalem with the Collection and so about the death of Claudius and after the writing those other Epistles The reason then of this praecedence is to be taken positively from the dignity of the city to which the Epistle was addressed viz. Rome the Imperial seat which as afterward it gave praecedence to the Bishop of that city and seat of majesty before all other cities though earlier planted with the Faith so in the forming of the Canon of Scripture it brought the praecedence to this Epistle before those which were more antiently written Secondly That this Epistle was written to the Romans before this Apostles having been among them This appears very probable from several passages in the first chapter v. 10 11 13. but especially v. 15. So as much as in me is I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are in Rome also joyning them with the Greeks and Barbarians to whom he was a debter v. 14. that is had not yet paid that charity of preaching the Gospel to them If this be rightly concluded it will then follow that a Church being before this time planted there and that in an eminent manner so as to be taken notice of in all the Provinces c. 1. 8. some other Apostle and particularly S. Peter must before this time be supposed to have preached there by force of that known affirmation of the antients that the Church of Rome was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 founded and edified by those two Apostles Peter and Paul So saith Irenaeus of the Apostles indefinitely and Epiphanius of these two by name And so Gaius in Euseb l. 2. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of their monuments calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the trophees of them which built that Church and so Dionysius Bishop of Corinth in the same place of Eusebius affirms the Churches both
popular error being imbibed and improved as farre as it would fairly yield must needs be the defaming of his medicaments and the blasting of his whole profession as one great imposture so after the pains and travail that this work hath cost from the time of the first thought and Designation of it at the beginning of my entrance on the study of Divinity to this present day of the Nativity of it I cannot look on it without some apprehension that it may run the same hazard which we read of the child in the Revelation c. 12. to be devoured as soon as born if one false pretension which hath of late been somewhat prosperous in this Nation and is utterly unreconcilable with the designed benefit of this or any the like work be not timely discovered and removed § 2. And the Pretension is this That the understanding or interpreting the Word of God or the knowing of his Will is not imputable to the use of ordinary means such are the assistance of God's Spirit joyned with the use of learning study meditation rational inference collation of places consulting of the Original languages and ancient Copies and Expositions of the Fathers of the Church analogy of received doctrine together with unbiass'd affections and sincere desire of finding out the truth and constant prayer for God's special blessing on and cooperation with these and the like means but either to the extraordinary gift of the Spirit in Prophesying Preaching and Expounding or to Illumination not Prophetical or simply Extraordinary but such as is thought to be promised to a new life the work of the Spirit of God in the heart of every Saint of his which consequently supersedes the use of all external Ordinances to such even of the written Word of God it self contained in the Canon of the Scripture § 3. Had this Pretension truth in it I must confess my self who doe not pretend to any such extraordinary gift or inspiration obliged to acknowledge the great impertinency of all this insuing work the perfect vanity of the whole design and every part of it and therefore am concerned as far as the hazard of having laboured in vain to examine the grounds and manifest the falseness of this pretension and that in this method and by these degrees § 4. First by surveying the Scripture-grounds or proofs which are producible in favour of it Secondly by setting down the form of sound doctrine in this matter Thirdly by shewing the great necessity of opposing this and adhering to the true doctrine And these are likely to enlarge this Postscript beyond the bounds that would regularly belong to it but will carry their Apology along with them § 5. The first ground or proof is fetch'd by the Pretenders from Joel 2. 28. cited and applied by S. Peter Act. 2. to the times of the Gospel It shall come to pass afterward or in the last daies saith God that I will pour out my Spirit or of my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see visions And also upon the servants and upon the hand-maids in those daies will I pour out my Spirit or of my Spirit and they shall prophesy Whatsoever can be collected from this place to the benefit of the Pretenders will receive a short and clear answer by considering the time to which this prediction and the completion of it belonged and that is expressly the last daies in the notion wherein the Writers of the New Testament constantly use that phrase not for these daies of ours so far advanced toward the end of the world which yet no man knows how far distant it still is but for the time immediately preceding the destruction of the Jewish polity their City and Temple That this is it appears not onely by the mention of Sion and the destruction approaching it in the beginning of that Chapter in Joel which signifies it to belong to Jerusalem that then was but also by two farther undeceivable evidences 1. By the mention of the wonders immediately subjoyned in the heavens and the earth c. as forerunners of the great and terrible day of the Lord the same that had been before described in Joel v. 2. c. and applyed by Christ in the very words to this destruction of Jerusalem Mat. 24. 29 30. 2 dly By the occasion for which S. Peter produceth it Act. 2. 14. the effusion of the holy Ghost upon the Apostles v. 2 4. which saith he was no effect of drunkenness in them but the very thing which was foretold by that place of Joel before that great and notable day of the Lord that was to fall upon that people to an utter destruction This being a prediction of what should come before the destruction of Jerusalem and the completion whereof was so visible and remarkable in that age to which by the Prophet it was assigned and this as a peculiar character of those times wherein the Gospel was to be first propagated by this means to which it had a propriety as a last act of God's miraculous and gracious oeconomy for the full conviction of this peoples sin before they were destroyed it must needs be impertinently and fâ—llaciously applied to any men or women old or young of this age so distant from that to which it belonged and so well provided for by the ordinary means the setled office of Ministery in Christ's Church as to have no such need of extraordinary § 6. A second proof is taken from 1 Cor. 12. 7. To every man is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the benefit and profit of the Church But this is soon cleared by the Context which begins to treat v. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of or concerning those that have the Spirit so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spiritual clearly signâ—fies c. 14. 37. being joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prophet and so it is express'd to signify here v 3. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking in or by the Spirit is set as an instance of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spiritual and 't is but a mistake to render it spiritual things the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 belonging as directly to persons as things being of the Masculine as well as of the Neuter gender Now for these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritual men or those that have the spirit 't is well known that they were those which for the first planting of the Gospel were by the descent of the Spirit indow'd with extraordinary gifts of miracles of healing of prophesying of speaking with strange tongues which they had never learn'd all which and more are here mentioned v. 8 9 10. and when these are exercised or made use of by any this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifestation of the Spirit the Spirit of God manifesting it self hereby to
by those Magi in the field to differ from the ordinary stars of heaven some way interpreted to them to be the Index or finger to point out this miraculous Birth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to light him into the world Concerning this it is observable which we find in Chalcidius in his Comment upon Plato's Timaeus who relating some portentous significancies of starres adds Est quoque alia venerabilior sanctior historia quae perhibet ortu stellae cujusdam insolitae non morbos moresque praenunciatos sed descensum Dei venerabilis ad humanae servationis rerúmque mortalium gratiam quam à Chaldaeis observatam fuisse testantur qui Deum nuper natum muneribus venerati sunt There is also a more venerable and sacred history the Gospel no doubt which mentions the rising of one extraordinary star by which was foretold not the diseases and tempers or manners of men but the descent of a venerable God or of a God who is to be revernced in favour to the preservation of men or salvation as it seems he collected out of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in S. Luke 2. 7. and the benefit of mortals here below which starre they testifie the Gospel again to have been observed by the Chaldeans the Magi v. 1. who came to this God which was newly born and worshipped and presented him Ib. In the East These observers learned in Astronomy curious in their daily beholding the rising and setting of the stars saw at this time a Star rise which they never had seen before and were amazed at it as at a new prodigious sight which did certainly presage something of great consideration This rising of the star may possibly be signified by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be rendred not in the East either here or v. 9. but at the rising of it or when it arose and that it should be so rendred may be guessed by the ortu stellae c. in Chalcidius out of the sanctior historia i. e. out of this Gospel and t is observable to this purpose that among the Greek Astronomers the rising of stars is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rising of the sun Apoc. 7. 2. and the setting of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the East is commonly express'd in the plural number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as t is here distinctly v. 1. and the West 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so they are used Mat. 8. 11. they shall come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so Lu 13. 29. and Mat. 24. 27. All this put together would make that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the rising of the starre both here and v. 9. a probable rendring but because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular doth once signifie the East Rev. 21. 13. and because the 9 th verse seems to set down the several places of the Starres appearance now just vertical to the house where Christ was as before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which seems to denote the place where they first saw it and whence they came v. 1. It may therefore be rendred in the East in both places V. 6. In the Land The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the nominative case and here signifies that portion i. e. a part of it which belonged to the Regal tribe as c 4. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the portion of Zabulon and Nephthalim and though it were a town or city yet it is capable enough of that appellation as the city of the Sodomites and of those of Gomorrha is called by the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. c. 10. 15. and is vulgarly rendred the land clearly the city of Sodome Ib. Not the least Some doubt hath been of the agreement of this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art by no means the least with the Hebrew Mich. v. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Septuagint render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Vulgar Parvulus es thou art little But M. Edward Pocock a great Master of the Oriental languages hath evidenced out of many learned Grammarians that this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little signifies also the quite contrary and is used for Primaria Judex Princeps Magistratus all great ones So Jer. 48. 4. Rabbi Tanchum renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Princes and Governours And so the Chaldee Paraphrast there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Sultans or Rulers So Ebn Jannahium a learned Grammarian affirms of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it is one of the words that signifie contraries and cites Zach. 13. 7. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he signifies Nobles and Princes And so the Author of the Hebrew-Arabick Glossary sets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sultan Ruler or Prince for one of the significations of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so in that place of Zachary the Septuagint render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pastors and the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Superiors and the Arabick Pastors or Rulers Many words of that sort which have such contrary significations Mr. P. hath collected to confirm this interpretation Ib. Princes In stead of the Hebr. word in Mi. 5. 2. rendred the thousands the Evangelist hath here set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers The meaning of it will not be discerned but by remembring a custome of the Jews among whom the people was distributed by chiliads or thousands so many in a town or city not that that number was so to continue and not to exceed but as we see in our hundreds or wapentakes which as by the original of the view of Frank-pledge appears was first an Hundred families precisely but since hath much varyed onely in relation to the first distribution Hence it is that such a division or town or city is in the old Testament phrase called a chiliad or thousand as in Micha it is and Jud. 6. 15. where the ordinary translation reads My family is poor in Manasseh but the Hebrew rendred in the margine is My thousand is the meanest c. Of every such Division there was some Lord or Cheif under whom the whole multitude were as under a Patriarch or head of a family and such was Gedeon Jud. 6. 15. when he saith My thousand and as it is ordinary for a King of any nation in Authors to signifie not onely the person of the King but the whole people under him also so here the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers in the Evangelist are the very same with the thousands in the Prophet and each of them signifie the towns or cities of Iudah such as Bethleem was which is here spoken of as the place where the Messias was to be born according to that in Micha aforesaid Unto which also agrees that known Oracle that ex Judaea profecti rerum potirentur Rulers should come out of Judea which is
punishment or destruction that will light upon that city shall be such that the destruction of Sodome shall appear to have been more tolerable then that See note on c. 3. c. 16. Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves note f be ye therefore wise as serpents note g and harmlesse as doves Paraphrase 16. And therefore though ye may be allowed to be as prudent and wary as may be to preserve your selves because they among whom you goe are ravenous as wolves yet ye must most strictly preserve your mildnesse and meeknesse 17. But beware of men for they will deliver you up to the councels and they will scourge you in their synagogues Paraphrase 17. Your greatest danger will be from the Men as they are called 1 Pet. 2. 4. those you wott of of the Jewish Sanhedrin and Consistories for you shall be accused and brought before them who if your offences be not conceived capitall shall scourge you according to Deut. 25. 2. in their assemblies 18. And ye shall be brought before governours and kings for my sake for a testimony against them and the Gentiles Paraphrase 18. But if they desire to have you punisht capitally they will remove you from thence to the Roman governours requiring you to be put to death as 't was with Christ Joh. 18. 30. And this carrying you from the Jewish to the Heathen from one Tribunal to another will be a means to proclaim and testifie the Gospel to Gentiles as well as Jewes 19. But when they deliver you up take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak 20. For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you Paraphrase 19 20. Make no provision beforehand what answers ye shall give ye shall at the time be directed what answers to make And how suspicious soever ye may be of your own abilities yet this need not trouble you for God will enable you to speak that which is most sit and proper to be spoken by you and sure they that have God to enable and direct them need not fear they shall want answers 21. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death and the father the child and the children shall rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death Paraphrase 21. And one Christian at least such as pretend to be so shall accuse and deliver up another to the persecutors and forgetting all natural affection the nearest kindred shall mischief one another and cause them to be put to death See c. 24. 9 10. 2 Tim. 3. 3 4. 22. And ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake but he that note h endureth to the end shall be saved Paraphrase 22. And the Jews wheresoever you come shall persecute you for preaching of Christ but there is a fatall day approaching for these Jewes and they that in despight of all these persecutions v. 18 19 20 21 22. shall stick fast to their Christian profession they shall beside their crown in another world have a remarkable deliverance here out of that destruction which universally lighteth upon all others 23 But when they persecute you in this city flee ye into another For verily I say unto you You shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the son of man be come Paraphrase 23. When they thus persecute you in one city you may flee to another and be assured from me that by that time you have gone through all the cities of the Jewes v. 6. this fatal day shall come upon your persecutors see note on h. 24. The disciple is note i not above his master nor the servant above his Lord. Paraphrase 24. How reasonable it is for you to expect this ill usage among men ye may judge by what ye see already and shall more largely hereafter discern to befall me The disciple cannot in reason expect to be better used then his master nor the servant then-his Lord. 25. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master and the servant as his Lord If they have called the master of the house Belzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold Paraphrase 25. The most that a disciple or servant can aspire to is to come to his masters perfection Lu. 6. 40. And if they have called me Belzebub how much reason have you to expect that they shall deal with you as with the wicked'st Apostates in the world revile you proportionably in your places and orders 26. Fear them not therefore for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and hidden that shall not be known Paraphrase 26. Be ye therefore courageous not terrified by any thing that can befall you this fear or foresight of the danger must not make you conceal any thing that I have taught you See Mar. 4. 22. 27. What I tell you in darknesse that speak ye in light and what ye hear in the note k eare that preach ye upon the house tops Paraphrase 27. And therefore what I say now in parables to you doe ye courageously publish to all and what I more privately impart to you as my disciples and not to the multitudes c. 5. 1. doe you stand on the top of the houses and proclaim from the battlements to the people in the streets as publickly as ye can 28. And fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell Paraphrase 28. And never be afraid of any man armed with the most power or malice for the utmost he can doe is to kill your bodies but your souls he cannot touch And what an improvidence would it be in you if to escape those terrors ye should neglect your duty and so incurre that farre greater danger from God who hath imployed you whose punishments are farre more terrible casting unprofitable servants bodies and souls into eternal misery and torment 29. Are not two sparrows sold for a note l farthing and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your father Paraphrase 29. Besides consider that all the power of men whom ye can fear is restrained and bounded by God on whose messages you goe if he see it most for his glory and your good to permit them to kill you what reason can you have to be afraid of death and if he see it not fit thus to permit be confident they shall never be able to touch you 'T is not all the malice of men that can extend farther then Gods providence sees fit to permit and order even in the least matters 30. But the very hairs of your head are all numbred Paraphrase 30. God hath the knowledge and care and over-ruling of all the least things that belong to you or shall befall you 31.
shall arise see note d. assuming to be sent by God to deliver you and false prophets there shall be to perswade you to betake your selves to these false Christs and these betwixt them shall pretend working of miracles and giving you signes to draw you after them and coming in a nick of time so advantageous for that turn when your danger appears to you so great and formidable and so promise of deliverance so welcome they will be likely to draw many after them even the most sincere persevering Christians if it were possible for any deceit to work upon them 25. Behold I have told you before Paraphrase 25. Therefore let this premonition of mine forearme and secure you against this danger 26. Wherefore if they shall say unto you Behold he is in the desert goe not forth Behold he is in the note l secret chambers beleive it not Paraphrase 26. When therefore the news shall come that there is in the wildernesse an eminent person which will fight your battels deliver you from the Roman yoak such was Simon who had gathered an army of fourty thousand and was in the desart country of Judaea be sure you goe not forth after him give no eaâ— to such rumours Or if they shall tell you that there is in such a frontier town or place of defence or in such a strong hold within the city of Jerusalem for there John with his Zelots fortified himself this deliverer or Messias or leader for you depend not on any such reliefe nor forslow your flight v. 17. upon confidence that he shall doe any thing for you 27. For as the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west so shall also the coming of the son of man be Paraphrase 27. All such deceits may prove ruinous to you for this judgment and vengeance upon the Jews shall come so as that it cannot be avoided but it shall at the same time fall upon several parts of the land or in a moment like lightning fly from one corner to another this day a great slaughter of Jews in this place to morrow in another a great way off 28. For wheresoever the carcasse is there will the note m eagles be gathered together Paraphrase 28. And there is no preventing of it by getting into any place of appearing safety for wheresoever the Jews are there will the Roman armies whose ensign is the eagle and who will have a sagacity to finde out Jews as the eagle Job 39. 30. hath to smell out carcasses finde them out and slaughter them 29. Immediately after the tribulation of those dayes the Sun shall be darkned and the Moon shall not give her light and the Stars shall fall from heaven and note n the powers of heaven shall be shaken Paraphrase 29. This distresse shall make short work with this nation For immediately upon this which I have now foretold you the Temple the city of Jerusalem and the rest of the cities of Iudea and that whole people shall be shrewdly shaken all the whole government Civil and Ecclesiastical shall be destroyed 30. And then shall appear the note o sign of the son of man in heaven and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory Paraphrase 30. And this shall appear to be a signall punishment upon the Jews and they shall with sorrow though too late take notice of it as a notable act of revenge of the crucified Christ upon those that were thus guilty of his death see Praemon to the Revelation 31. And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other Paraphrase 31. And he shall as with an herald and a loud sounding trumpet gather together all the persevering beleivers that remnant whom he purposed to preserve from this destruction wheresoever they are in any part of Judea see Rev. 7. 12. and rescue them from this common calamity see v. 40 41. and Rev. â— 3 4 c. 32. Now learn a parable of the fig-tree when her branch is yet tender and putteth forth leaves ye know that summer is nigh Paraphrase 32. Now as by the sight of a figtree the softnesse of the branch and budding out of leaves ye know and discern that the winter is now past and the summer is nigh approaching 33. So likewise ye when ye see all these things know that it is neer even at the doors Paraphrase 33. So in like manner resolve ye that these are most certain and infallible signes by which when you see them you may conclude that this coming of the son of man for the destruction of the Jews and your rescue and deliverance is neer at hand 34. Verily I say unto you This generation shall not passe till all these things be fulfilled Paraphrase 34. Of both which I now assure you that in the age of some that are now alive shall all that hath been said in this chapter be certainly fulfilled see Note on c. 23. 1. and Luke 18. 7. c. 35. Heaven and earth shall passe away but my words shall not passe away Paraphrase 35. What I say is immutably firm and sure the whole world shall be destroyed sooner then one word that I have now delivered shall prove otherwise 36. But of that day and hour knoweth no man no not the angels of heaven but my father only Paraphrase 36. But of the point of time when this judgment shall come see Note on Heb. 10. a. and 2 Pet. 3. 10. none but God the father knows that see Note on Mar. 13. b. and that must oblige you to vigilancy and may sustain you in your tryals when you begin to faint by reason of persecutions from the Jews v. 12. which this is to set a period to by remembring that how farre off soever your deliverance seems to be it may and will come in a moment unexpectedly 37. But as the dayes of Noe were so shall also the coming of the son of man be Paraphrase 37. But this judgment on the Jews shall be like that on the old world in respect of the unexpectednesse of it See Lu. 17. 20. 38. For as in the dayes that were before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage untill the day that Noe entred into the arke 39. And knew not untill the flood came and took them all away so shall also the coming of the son of man be Paraphrase 38 39. For as in the age before the deluge the judgement had been preached sixscore yeares together and at last Noah by building of an arke did visibly forewarn them of the flood approaching yet the people went on secure and unmoved in their course knew not so much as of his imbarking till the very minute that the flood surprized them and destroyed
took off the robe of state and put his own cloaths on him again by this ceremony signifying the dethroning him from his pretended kingdom and then carried him to the place of crucifixion 32. And as they came out they found a man of Cyrene Simon by name him they compelled to note e bear his cross Paraphrase 32. they lighted on Simon of Cyrene whether as a favourer of Christ or as one which casually past by at that time see Mar. 15. 21. and him either without consideration who it was or else particularly as a favourer of Christ and so by the Jews instigation they prest as usually they did men to bear burthens see note on c. 5. s forcing him to carry the Cross after him Lu. 23 26. to the place of crucifying 33. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha that is to say A place of a scull 34. They gave him vineger to drink mingled with note f gall and when he had tasted thereof he would not drink Paraphrase 34. bitter poysonous ingredients to hasten death 35. And they crucified him and parted his garments casting lots that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet They parted my garments among them and upon my vesture did they cast lots Paraphrase 35. And they that fastned him to the Cross the Executioners stripped him and then divided his garments all but the inner garment into four parts and took every man one but the inner having no scam in it they rent not asunder but cast lots for it 36. And sitting down they watched him there 37. And set up over his head his accusation written This is Jesus the King of the Jews Paraphrase 37. Indictment or crime pretended for which he was crucified see note on Mar. 15. b. 38. Then were there two thieves crucified with him one on the right hand and another on the left 39. And they that passed by reviled him wagging their heads Paraphrase 39. in words and gestures expressed scorn and detestation against him 40. And saying Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days save thy self if thou be the son of God come down from the cross Paraphrase 40. You that said you could destroy the Temple of Jerusalem which he did not but spake of the death of his body which he said he would raise up again in three days 41. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him with the Scribes and Elders said Paraphrase 41. those of the Sanhedrim that were there derided him and said 42. He saved others himself he cannot save If he be the king of Israel let him now come down from the cross and we will believe him Paraphrase 42 He pretended to do miracles in curing of the blind c. why can he not now deliver himself If he be the Messias prophecied of among the Jews let him now free himself from death and then we shall have some inducement to believe him 43. He trusted in God Let him deliver him now if he note g will have him for he said I am the son of God Paraphrase 43. if he have any special favour unto him and will own him as he pretended to be his son 44. The note h thieves also which were crucified with him cast the same in his teeth Paraphrase 44. And one of the thieves that was crucified with him spake to the same purpose Lu. 23. 39. but the other found fault with him for it 45. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour Paraphrase 45. Now from twelve of the clock till three there was an eclipse or obscuration of the sun and consequently darkness over all Palaestine and far beyond over other parts 46. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying Eli Eli lama sabacthani that is to say My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Paraphrase 46. reciting in Syriack the 22 Psalm or some part of it by that testifying that he was the Messias for whom that Psalm was indited and in whom 't was all fulfilled and he began at the beginning of the Psalm those words which being translated signifie 47. Some of them that stood there when they heard that said This man calleth for Elias Paraphrase 47. And some that heard the word Eli but little else conceived ridiculously that he had mentioned Elias's name and called him to come unto him and rescue him and this was generally whispered and talkt about among them 48. And straightway one of them ran and took a spunge and filled it with vineger and put it on a reed and gave him to drink 49. The rest said Let be let us see whether Elias will come to save him 50. Jesus when he had cried again with a loud voice yeelded up the ghost Paraphrase 50. Again Jesus said aloud Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Lu. 23. 46. and with those words he gave up the ghost 51. And behold the vaile of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom and the note i earth did quake and the rocks rent Paraphrase 51. And behold the wall or partition made of stone which covered or vâ—iled the sanctuary from the court where the people assembled or else that covered the Holy of holyes from the Sanctuary See note on Lu. 23. d. 52. And the graves were opened and may bodies of Saints which slept arose 53. And came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared unto many Paraphrase 52 53. many bodies of pious men which had been dead arose out of their graves and after his resurrection they also went into the city of Jerusalem and were there seen and known by many 54. Now when the Centurion and they that were with him watching Jesus saw the earthquake and those things which were done they feared greatly saying Truly this was the son of God Paraphrase 54. Captain of the Roman guards and the souldiers 55. And many women were there beholding a far off which followed Jesus from Galilee ministring unto him Paraphrase 55. had followed and gone along in Jesus's company ever since he came out of Galilee to provide diet and necessaries for him 56. Among which was Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of James and Joses and the mother of Zebedee's children Paraphrase 56. Salome Mar. 15. 40. the mother of James and John his disciples 57. When the even was come there came a rich man of note k Arimathea named Joseph who also himself was Jesus disciple Paraphrase 57. had embraced the faith of Christ 58. He went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered 59. And when Joseph had taken the body he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth 60. And laid it in his own new Tomb which he had hewn out of the rock and he rolled a great stone to the dore of the sepulchre and departed Paraphrase 60.
to them that are ready to die Where the Hebrew Sichar softned by the Greek into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies saith S. Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that can cause drunkenness So Ps 60. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wine of stupidity is by the Chaldee rendred the wine of malediction such as is given to them that are to be executed of which saith Rubbi Shelomo that it obnubilates the heart and strikes the brain that is disturbs and takes away the senses And accordingly S. Paul useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11. for the spirit of stupidity or slumber having eyes and not seeing c. Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc. 14. 10. is not the wine of Gods wrath but the wine mix'd with all these stupifying spices that is the stupifying and astonishing judgments of God And the same is express'd in the Psalmist Psal 75. 9. by the phrase of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wine pure unmix'd from water or any softening allaying mixture and full of all these poysonous stupifying ingredients and so in like manner by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that place of Rev. 14. 10. the unmix'd wine mix'd which is there the periphrasis of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in S. Marke the wine with myrrh in it This it seems being usefull to open the pores and hasten death Christ refused to take meaning to make good his own words of Ego pono I lay down my life not for his will only but the act also and so though he gave way to naturall things to work yet he reserved all to his own power and so when he had done all that he would he sayeth it is finish'd Joh. 19. 30. and bowed the head and gave up the ghost And this was it that the Centurion considering was amazed at Mar. 15. 39. V. 43. Will The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used by the Greek translators of the Old Testament and writers of the New sometimes in a notion which seldome belongs to it in other authors as when 1 Sam. 18. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the King delighteth or taketh pleasure in thee So 2 Sam. 15. 26. and very frequently in other places upon this ground that the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to will signifies also to delight in and so is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is taken in the same sense as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so 't is here for Psal 22. 8. from whence these words are taken and from the translatours there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 retained for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we ordinarily render it let him deliver him if he delighteth in him In like manner as Tob. 13. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who knowes if he will accept or be pleased with you Thus in a fragment of Perictyone the Pythagorean in Stobeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She shall be kind to her husband Thus Col. 2. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one that delighteth or pleaseth himself in that kind of humility and worship of Angels that acquiesces in it And so 1 Cor. 7. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fignifies that which he hath a mind to V. 44. Theeves That which is here affirm'd of the robbers in the Plurall number seems to be understood in the Singular only of one of them Lu. 23. 39. the other praying unto him and beleiving on him Severall examples of the like formes of speech seem to be in this book ch 26. 8. when his disciples saw it they had indignation whereas only Judas was displeased at it saith S. John c. 12. 4. So c. 21. Loose them the asse and the foâ—â— is Mar. 11. 2. a colt tyed loose him And this by an ordinary figure which the Graecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frequently used in all languages So when Joh. 13. 28. 't is said that none of those that lay at mea with Christ knew to what purpose he spake to Judas What thou dost doe quickly 't is not to be concluded that John who v. 25. asked and was told v. 26. who 't was that should betray him was included in that number of those that knew not So Heb. 11. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were sawn asunder in the Plural which yet is not found to belong to any but to Isaias onely But it is also possible that both these theeves might at first blaspheme and reproach him and afterwards one of them confesse him and pray to him Thus Prosper understands it cont Collat. c. 12. Cùm aliquandiu blasphemasset in Jesum Christum repentè est mutatus c. when for some time he had railed on Jesus he was suddenly changed And so Titus Bostrensis p. 833. B. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At first the two theeves spake as the Jewes did perhaps by that means expecting some helpe from them toward getting their pardon but that expectation being frustrated and hearing him pray for his crucifiers Lu. 23. 34. one was thereby wrought on v. 40. And if so then the words here will refer to the former time and in S. Luke to the latter V. 51. Earth did quake This is conceived by some to be the Earthquake that Macrobius mentions as the greatest saith he which in the memory of mortall man was ever known in the reign of Tiberius Caesar twelve cities of Asia being destroyed by it see Marcil Ficinus de rel p. 78. The same is mention'd by Pliny Nat. Hist l. 2. c. 48. But it doth not by the Text here appear that this earthquake belong'd to any thing but the Temple of Jerusalem the parts of which are mention'd the veile and the ground and the stones of the building and the tombs c. And 't is not improbable that this prodigie was shewed particularly on this place to foretell the destruction of the Temple and service upon their crucifying of Christ So ch 28. 2. where there is mention'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great shaking it is not to be imagined that this was a shaking of the whole earth but at the most of that part where the grave was Nay there being no mention of the earth in that place it is not improbable that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should there signifie that concussion of the aire joyn'd with thunder c. with which Angels are wont to descend when they appear for so it immediately followes there For the Angel of the Lord descended c. V. 57. Arimathe Arimathea is the place where Samuel was born and brought up called by the Hebrewes Ramathaim Sophim in Greek ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHAP. XXVIII 1 IN the note a end of the sabbath as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week came Mary Magdaâ—ene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre
the effect conclude that all that were rightly qualified at that time did at that time receive and believe the Gospel preach'd to them and all that did then truly believe were so qualified the obstinate and contumacious Jews and Proselytes opposing and persecuting it Mean while it must be remembred that these qualifications are not pretended to have been originally from themselves but from the preventing graces of God to which it is to be acknowledged due that they ever are pliable or willing to follow Christ though not to his absolute decree of destining them whatsoever they do unto salvation CHAP. XIV 1. AND it came to passe in Iconium that they went both together into the Synagogue of the Jews and so spake that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed Paraphrase 1. convinced them so powerfully that great store both of the Jews and the Greeks Proselytes of the Jews received the Faith 2. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and made their minds evill affected against the brethren Paraphrase 2. But the refractary Jewes incensed the Gentiles against the Apostles v. 4. and all others which received the faith of Christ from them 3. Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord which gave testimony unto the word of his grace and granted signes and wonders to be done by their hands Paraphrase 3. preaching the Gospel in their publick assemblies see note on Joh. 7. a. and God added his testimony to their preaching see note on Heb. 13. d. by enabling them to work miracles 4. But the multitude of the city was divided and part held with the Jews and part with the Apostles 5. And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles and also of the Jews with the rulers to use them despightfully and to stone them 6. They were ware of it and fled unto Lystra and Derbe cities of Lycaonia and unto the region that lyeth round about 7. And there they preached the Gospel 8. And there sate a certain man at Lystra impotent in his feet being a creeple from his mothers wombe who never had walked 9. The same heard Paul speak who stedfastly beholding him and perceiving that he had faith to be healed Paraphrase 9. and Paul looking earnestly upon him and either by his words or by the discerning spirit which Paul had perceiving that he believed that they were able to heal him 10. Said with a loud voice Stand up right on thy feet And he leaped and walked Paraphrase 10. And by the bare speaking of the word he was made so strong that he leaped and walked 11. And when the people saw what Paul had done they lift up their voices saying in the speech of Lycaonia The Gods are come down to us in the likenesse of men Paraphrase 11. The Gods which all the nations worship have put on the shape of men and come down among us 12. And they called Barnabas Jupiter and Paul Mercurius because he was the chiefe speaker Paraphrase 12. And Barnabas they looked on as Jupiter the supreme God see c. 8. 10. and Paul as Mercury the interpreter of the will of the Gods because Paul did speak more then Barnabas did 13. Then the priest of Jupiter which was before the city brought oxen and garlands unto the gates and would have done sacrifice with the people Paraphrase 13. And the priest of Jupiter whose statue was worshipped before the city as the president of it came presently to the gates of the house where Paul and Barnabas lodged and brought oxen to sacrifice and garlands to put upon their hornes when they were to be killed verily purposing to offer sacrifice to them 14. Which when the Apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of they rent their clothes and ran in among the people crying out Paraphrase 14. they look'd upon it as an abhorred blasphemous thing and rent their garments to expresse their sense and detestation of it 15. And saying Sirs why doe ye these things we also are men of like passions with you and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God which made heaven and earth and the sea and all things that are therein Paraphrase 15. idol-false-gods so vain things signifie Zach. 11. 17. see Act. 8. note d. 16. Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own waies Paraphrase 16. left the Gentiles to their own blind worships 17. Neverthelesse he left not himself without witnesse in that he did good and gave us note a rain from heaven and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with food and gladnesse Paraphrase 17. And yet while he did so left he not off to evidence himself sufficiently to them by that great goodnesse of his in temporall things the rain and the like which are acts of his particular power and bounty by those means inviting and drawing them off from their impieties 18. And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people that they had not done sacrifice unto them Paraphrase 18. All which discourse of Paul and Barnabas could hardly restrain 19. And there came thither certain Jewes from Antioch and Iconium who perswaded the people and having stoned Paul drew him out of the city supposing he had been dead Paraphrase 19. gained by fair words the multitude to be on their side and to joyne with them against the Apostles And so in a furious tumultuary manner they threw stones at Paul and verily believed they had killed him In which posture they took him as a dead man and dragg'd him out of the gates of the city 20. Howbeit as the Disciples stood round about him he rose up and came into the city and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe Paraphrase 20. But as the Christians there came piously and solemnly to interre him Paul being not dead all this while v. 19. made use of that opportunity when there were none but believers present and he rose up and went thence with them into the city and the next day Barnabas and he went together to Derbe 21. And when they had preached the Gospel to that city and had taught many they returned again to Lystra and to Iconium and Antioch Paraphrase 21. And having preached at Derbe and converted many to the faith 22. Confirming the soules of the Disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdome of God Paraphrase 22. And in all those cities gave confirmation to those whom before they had baptized and exhorted them to persevere and hold out against all terrors counting and resolving with themselves that Christianity bringeth many tribulations necessarily along with it 23. And when they had note d ordained them Elders in every Church and had prayed with fasting they commended them to the Lord on whom they believed Paraphrase 23. And having consecrated Bishops for them see note on c. 11. b. one in lieved every city
by fasting and prayer and imposition of hands they then took their leave of them referring them to the good providence of Christ whose faith they had received to defend them and to encrease all good things in them 24. And after they had passed throughout Pisidia they came to Pamphylia 25. And when they had preached the word in Perga they went down into Attalia 26. And thence sailed to Antioch from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled Paraphrase 26. And they came back to Antioch from whence it was that they were sent forth ch 13. 3 on this voyage and that with solemn prayer and fasting for the preaching of the Gospel see v. 3. and note on Heb. 13. d. to these so many cities of which they had now made an end and so returned 27. And when they were come and had gathered the Church together they rehearsed all that God had done with them and how he had opened the dore of faith unto the Gentiles Paraphrase 27. and that it had pleased God that by their preaching to the Jewes in the Gentile cities many of the Gentiles had received Christianity 28. And there they abode long time with the Disciples Annotations on Chap. XIV V. 17. Rain from heaven The reason of S. Pauls naming of rain from heaven as a peculiar testimony of Gods power and goodness seems to be taken from that notion which the Jewes had of it express'd by this ancient saying in Sanhedr and in Chelek Taani c. 8. § 2. in Ein Israel that there be three keyes not given to any Legate or Proxy kept peculiarly in Gods own hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of life of rain of the resurrection of the dead making rain as immediate and incommunicable a gift of God as either giving or restoring of life Hence it is frequently styled by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the power of rain because say they it descends not but by power and 't is one of the things in which the power of God shews its self The difference of it from other the like acts of power they say is this that it belongs to the just and unjust whereas say they the Resurrection belongs to the just onely and so saith our Saviour of it Mat. 5. 45. V. 23. Ordained them Elders The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is not as some think the description or notation of the state of the men before they were ordained or of the qualifications which made them fit to be installed Governours viz. their being such who were counted Elders of the people for wisdome and knowledge of Christianity but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to consecrate or ordain Governours by imposition of hands to make them such that were not so before to invest and endow them with authority in the Church The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 literally signifies to stretch out the hand or hold it up and signified among the antient Greeks choosing or giving of sentence or suffrages which in popular elections or judicatures was done after this manner But this being the original of the word it is as is ordinary with other words somewhat enlarged and changed in the ordinary usage of other writers Jewish and Christian and signifies indifferently Constituting or Ordaining without any intimation of suffrages or plurality of persons or voices by whom this Ordination is made This may best appear by some testimonies of those writers which wrote nearest the times and the style of the New Testament Thus saith Philo Judaeus of Joseph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was not by any votes or suffrages of many but by the act of Pharaoh the King constituted Governour of all Aegypt under the King So of Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was by God certainly without any suffrages of others constituted the Ruler of the Israelites So of Aarons sonnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God without any concurrence or choise of others chose them Priests So Lucian of Alexanders kindness to Hephestion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he made him a God when he was dead which sure was a single act of Alexanders was not done by voices or suffrages And so Maximus Tyrius of Darius's horse which by neighing made his Master King of the Persians saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Persians did not adore or salute Darius till his wanton horse had created him King In all these places the Ordination being an act of some one person Pharaoh God Alexander c. the word is capable of no other notion In like manner when the word is used of the Roman affaires as in Appian and Dio we know it is it must needs be taken in this sense because that ceremony of lifting up or stretching out hands in elections was not in use among them And thus it is used in this place not of any multitude or number of men to whom suffrages might belong but of Paul and Barnabas who did it by joynt consent and there is no other possible way for two to vote any thing As for the suffrages of any others if such could be imagined to have interposed here it would not then be Paul and Barnabas but those others who did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stretch out their hands or give the suffrages And for Paul and Barnabas â—o doe it by the suffrages of others this is farre from the original use of the word from whence it pretends to be concluded for where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the primitive sense is used of choosing by suffrages as in popular elections c. it iâ— certain that their own not others suffrages are meant by it And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by Hesychius rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to constitute as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to elect and so it is here all one directly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ordain Elders as Tit. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to constitute elders And thus the word is clearly used Act. 10. 41. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being spoken of the Apostles being whether fore-ordained or fore-chosen of God to be witnesses of Christs resurrection must needs be without votes or suffrages and accordingly Theophylact on 2 Tim. 1. 6. in stead of S. Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by imposition of my hands hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when I ordained thee Bishop And so S. Chrysostome on those words Act. 6. 6. having pray'd they laid hands on them saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were ordained by prayer for this is ordination making 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stretching out the hands and laying on the hands to be all one And though 2 Cor. 8. 19. it be used of the Churches constituting one to travail with S. Paul yet is this no variation from the present notion of it the word signifying to ordain or elect or constitute indifferently whether it be done by God or one or
one evidence is sufficient to conclude this whole debate For is not the thing already determined by that one act of God's giving the holy Ghost to the Gentiles That sure makes it evident that there is no difference betwixt us Jewes and them Why then doe ye presse that which is so contrary to the will of God why doe ye refuse to believe that which is so testified to be his will and so in effect require more arguments of this as of a matter still uncertain and thereby tempt God see note on Mat. 4. c. and think to impose upon Christians of the nations the performance of the whole Mosaicall Law which belonged not to them and which we Jewes were never able to perform so as to be justified thereby 11. But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they Paraphrase 11. 'T is by the Gospel see ch 11. 23. that we expect justification and salvation through faith and obedience to Christ and not by Mosaical performances and so they if they believe have the same way to salvation as we 12. Then all the multitude kept silence and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them Paraphrase 12. After this the next thing was that Paul and Barnabas declared in like manner what miracles God had enabled them also to doe in the converting of the Gentiles which was another argument and testimony from heaven that no difference was to be put between Jewes and Gentiles 13. And after they had held their peace James answered saying Men and brethren hearken unto me Paraphrase 13. And next after them James the Just the brother of the Lord the then Bishop of Hierusalem began to speak saying 14. Simeon hath declared how God at the first did note a visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name Paraphrase 14. Peter hath sufficiently demonstrated that it was the will of God in that case of Cornelius that the Gentiles should without any scruple have the Gospel preached to them and be baptized and received into the Church 15. And to this agree the words of the Prophet as it is written Paraphrase 15. And this is agreeable to what had been foretold by the old Prophets for so Am. 9. 11. they are the words of God 16. After this I will return and will build up the tabernacle of David which is fallen down and I will build again the ruines thereof and I will set it up 17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called saith the Lord who doth all these things Paraphrase 16 17. In the latter daies the age of the Messias wherein now we are I will rebuild me a Church among the Jewes those few of them who shall believe in Christ see note on Heb. 8. a. who together with the believing Gentiles shall become my people saith the Lord Jehovah whose wonderfull work this is to make the Jewes and Gentiles one people and who doth very well like that Jewes and Gentiles should be thus united though formerly he had made some difference between them 18. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world Paraphrase 18. This though it were not brought to passe actually till these latter daies was yet foreseen and predetermined by God long agoe and accordingly thus foretold through revelation from God by that Prophet 19. Wherefore my sentence is that we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned to God 20. But that we write unto them that they abstain from pollutions of Idols and from fornication and from things strangled and from blood Paraphrase 19 20. Therefore my conclusion and determination is that we should not require or force them to be circumcised who from Gentiles turn Christians but content our selves that they receive the precepts of the sons of Noah only as proselytes of the gates are wont to doe 21. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him being read in the synagogues every sabbath day Paraphrase 21. Nor need we Jews to fear that this will bring a contempt upon Moses or the Law of the Jewes for the contrary appears by the Christian practice even where these proselytes of the Gentiles are there the books of Moses as hath been customary from of old are still continued among them to be read aloud in the synagogue every Saturday to which the Councell of Laodicea did after adde the reading of a Chapter in the New Testament to signifie their respect to the Mosaicall Law and their not offering it contempt among the proselytes though they did not require them to be circumcised 22. Then pleased it the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas namely Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas chief men among the brethren Paraphrase 22. The businesse being thus decided by the acquiescing of all in this sentence of the Bishop of Jerusalem the next thing was that James and Peter and John and the Bishops of Judaea with the generall consent and approbation of the whole Church of Jerusalem see note on c. 6. b. thought fit to choose some Bishops of Judaea that were present at the Councel to go along with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch and the persons pitcht on were Judas and Silas Bishops of severall Churches see note e. 23. And wrote letters by them after this manner The Apostles and Elders and brethren send greeting to the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia Paraphrase 23. And they put their Decree into form of an Epistle in these words The Apostles c. that is The Bishop of Jerusalem and Peter and John the Apostles and the Bishops of Judaea and the whole society of Christians see note on c. 6. b. salute the Church of the Gentiles see note on Rev. 11. 6. which is in Antioch the Metropolis and in Syria and Cilicia which retain immediately to it and ultimately to Jerusalem see ver 2. 24. Forasmuch as we have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words note b subverting your souls saying Ye must be circumcised and keep the Law to whom we gave no such commandement Paraphrase 24. When we receiv'd advertisement that some of the Judaizing Christians which went from hence v. 1. endevoured to subvert you and to carry you away to a groundlesse new doctrine of the necessity of all Christians being circumcised they having no manner of commissions or instructions from us to doe so 25. It seemed good unto us being assembled with one accord to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul Paraphrase 25. We decreed in councel and resolved to send a couple of our own Bishops to accompany those two which
the scandall or detriment of weak Christians who these weak Christians were is set down Rom. 14. 2. the Jewish believers who yet took themselves to be obliged to observe the Mosaical Law and upon that score there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eat herbs abstain from many sorts of meats which others freely used And in meer compliance with these it was that these words of the Canon were inserted This I shall best set down in the words of S. Augustine Si hoc tune Apostoli praeceperunt ut ab animalium sanguine abstinerent Christiani nee praefocatis carnibus vescerentur elegisse mihi videntur pro tempore rem facilem nequaquam observantibus onerosam in qua cum Israelitis etiam Gentes aliquid communiter observarent When the Apostles made the decree that Christians should abstain from the blood of living creatures and not eat flesh that was strangled they chose for the time an easy thing no way burthenous to the observers wherein the Gentiles might observe somewhat common with the Jewes This then being the onely ground of the Decree and observance viz. compliance with and unwillingness to scandalize the Judaizing Christians and except in that one case of scandal all meats being pronounced free and indifferent to all Christians and so both things strangled and blood and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or portions of sacrifices sold in the shambles It followes regularly that as soon as this one reason of the Decree ceased that is as soon as the Jewes and Gentiles were formed into one Communion as soon as the fear of this scandal was removed all force or obligation of this Decree ceased also This is also distinctly S. Augustines sense Transacto illo tempore quo illi duo parietes unus ex circumcisione alter ex praeputio venientes quamvìs in angulari lapide concordarent tamen suis quibusdam proprietatibus distinctiùs eminebant ubi Ecclesia Gentium talis effecta est ut in ca nullus Israelita carnalis appareat quis jam hoc Christianus observat ut turdos vel minutiores aviculas non atting at nisi quarum sanguis effusus est aut leporem non edat si manu à cervice percussus nullo cruento vulnere occisus est But when that time was past wherein the circumcised and uncircumcised were differenced one from the other and when the Church of the Gentiles was so framed that no Israelite according to the flesh appeared in it what Christian doth now observe this not to touch any little bird whose blood hath not been powred out not to eat of a Hare struck on the neck with the hand and so killed without any effusion of blood And this it seems so universally the sense of the Church in that Fathers time that he concludes Et qui fortè pauci adhuc tangere ista formidant à caeteris irridentur Those few which perhaps still make scruple of touching that is eating those are laugh'd at by the rest Adding It a omnium animos in hac re tenuit illa sententia veritatis Non quod intrat in os vestnum c. That sentence of Christs hath possessed all mens mindes in this matter Not that which enters into the mouth that is nulla cibi natura no sort of meat defiles the man is unlawfull under the Gospell Thirdly for this Canon it self at that very time when it was given it cannot fiâ—ly be deemed a Precept there being then no need of such For it must be remembred that they who were concerned in this question and to whom the Decree was sent did already observe these seven precepts of the sonnes of Noah and therefore needed not be commanded by the Councel to observe them This appears in that the Apostle when he preach'd in any city did it as yet in the Synagogues of the Jews whither the Gentiles could not come unlesse they were Proselytes of the gates and so had received these seven precepts see c. 13. 5. 14. 16. 26. 42. 43. and c. 14. 1. And accordingly it is set in the words of the decree v. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from which keeping your selves ye shall do well noting them to keep them in the present tense already as all such Proselytes did Fourthly as there was no need of making any command to them who did it already so the words are not delivered in form of precept but only so as to pronounce them free from any further obligation doing this which you do already ye shall do well that is no more shall be imposed upon you Here I suppose it will be objected that the abstaining from all these here named and so from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things strangled which is one of them is called these necessary things and therefore that these are look'd on as necessary for Gentile Christians To which I answer that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 necessary must here be interpreted by the Context not necessary to all Christians but necessary to all Proselytes of the Jews And this will appear by considering that there were many more things necessary to Christians in the latitude than those which are here named whereas the Text saith that onely these necessary things are by the Apostles and the Synod required which makes it needfull to understand this necessity in reference onely to those Proselytes of the Jewes And then the mention of that will signifie no more but that the observing those seven precepts was necessary to the lowest sort of Jewish Proselytes those of the gates not that it was here required of the Christians being as was said already performed by them and the designe of the Canon being only to pronounce their liberty or that circumcision was not required of them and medling no farther unlesse by way of counsell as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 writing to them v. 20. may import not of command thus farre at the present to comply with the Jewes for unity and amity sake to doe what the lowest sort of their Proselytes did that so they might not abhorre them as profane persons and refuse to live among them For this must be remembred again who they were that were concern'd in this Canon viz. the Gentiles at that time converted to Christ who lived among the Jewish Christians at Jerusalem and the Churches of Judaea and particularly at Antioch and in that whole province of Syria and Cilicia which was immediately under the Metropolis of Antioch but belonged also to Jerusalem to whom this decree was sent v. 23. accordingly having been delivered at Antioch was afterward communicated to the severall Cities or Churches in that province ch 16. 4. Not all the Gentile Christians every where for to the Corinthians he gave very different directions viz. that they might freely eat any kind of meat even the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 portions of the Idol-sacrifices save onely in case of scandal but those particularly about whom the question was asked the
And apprehended and brought them to the captains of the bands of Roman souldiers see note on Lu. 22. g. telling them that these men being Jewes under which name they contained Christians also not discerning the difference between them and teaching a religion contrary to theirs prohibited by the Roman lawes which permitted the practise of no worship but what was approved by the Senate did much disquiet and disturb the city which was a Roman colony v. 12. and being partaker of the privileges of the city of Rome see note on ch 22. e. was to be governed by the Roman lawes 22. And the multitude rose up together against them and the magistrates note c rent off their clothes and commanded to beat them 23. And when they had laid many stripes upon them they cast them into prison charging the gaoler to keep them safely 24. Who having received such a charge thrust them into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the stocks 25. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God and the prisoners heard them 26. And suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately all the dores were opened and every ones bands were loosed 27. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep and seeing the prison dores open he drew out his sword and would have killed himself supposing that the prisoners had been fled 28. But Paul cried with a loud voice saying Doe thy self no harm for we are all here 29. Then called he for a light and sprang in and came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas 30. And brought them out and said Sirs what must I doe to be saved Paraphrase 30. And brought them out of the inner prison v. 24. and said Sirs I see and acknowledge that the doctrine taught by you is the truth of the eternall omnipotent God thus testified by him by miracles which therefore all are bound to receive that will be saved Tell me I beseech you what I must doe to be capable of that salvation 31. And they said Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thine house Paraphrase 31. And they told him that the receiving and embracing the doctrine of Christ and regulating his life according to it was that which was required of him and his family 32. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord and to all that were in his house Paraphrase 32. And they preached the Gospel to him 33. And he took them the same houre of the night and washed their stripes and was baptized he and all his straightway Paraphrase 33. used the best remedies he could to asswage the pain and heale the wounds and sorenesse that remained from their scourging 34. And when he had brought them into his house he set meat before them and rejoiced believing in God with all his house 35. And when it was day the magistrates sent the serjeants saying Let those men goe 36. And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul The magistrates have sent to let you goe now therefore depart and goe in peace 37. But Paul said they have beaten us openly uncondemned being Romans and have cast us into prison and now doe they thrust us out privily nay verily but let them come themselves and fetch us out 38. And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates and they feared when they heard that they were Romans 39. And they came and besought them and brought them out and desired them to depart out of the city Paraphrase 39. And they came and brought them out of the gaolers house which was now their prison v. 34. and gave them very fair words and attended on them out of the prison 40. And they went out of the prison and entred into the house of Lydia and when they had seen the brethren they comforted them and departed Paraphrase 40. And from the prison they went to the house of Lydia and having spent some time in confirming the Christians see note on Joh. 14. b. they went out of Philippi Annotations on Chap. XVI V. 13. Where prayer was That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a place set apart or accustomed for the service of God there is little question so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 building Oratories in the 3. book of Maccah and so perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Lu. 6. 12. And from the ordinarinesse of that use of the word for praying places it is that Juvenal hath made use of it for a begging place or a corner or porch where beggers meet in qua te quaero proseucha and Cleomedes l. 1. c. 1. speaking of some strange words and forms of speech used by Epicurits saith they are such as are fetch'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fetch'd from the middle of a proseucha from those that use to begge there certain Jewish obsolete words or phrases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much more humble than those that creep on the ground As for that of Oratories which is the Scripture acception of the word we find mention of them in Josephus in his life p. 645. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are all brought into an oratory a great house saith he able to contain a great multitude and so soon after again and again The custome of building such is said to come from the fact of Isaac Gen. 24. 62 63. where 't is said that he went out into the field to a well to pray saith the Chaldee paraphrase and therefore they built these proseuchae in fields for the most part near fountains or rivers or brooks sides which the Idolaters imitated Isa 57. 6. and such perhaps it was where they prayed ch 21. 5. a little way without the city and upon a shore or on mountains as that Lu. 6. which the Idolaters imitated also Now that this here was such an one will appear not onely by that which is here said of Paul that he sate down and spake to the women making it a place not to pray but to preach but also by the expresse words of Epiphanius t. 2. l. 3. c. 80. There were saith he antiently some places of prayer without the city both in Judaea and among the Samaritans and there is a place of prayer in Shechem which is now called Neapolis without the city c. Which is neer this very place which is here spoken of v. 1. Besides the Syriack is distinct and punctuall in rendring it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a house of prayer All the difficulty will be what is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here added The Syriack reads because there seemed to be an house of prayer and so the ancient Greek and Latine MS. reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be interpreted either that there was an oratory there as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and videri are oft but expletives see Note on Mat. 3. e. or else
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Eustathius is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to put in disorder or confusion such as in state of Anarchy and in the same place he interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stirre up by troubling or disturbing Contrary to this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a quiet tranquillity and so is used by the Stoicks and Epicureans for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untroubledness Thus Cicero renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes constantias sometimes sedationes as the contrary perturbationes And then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contrary to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be to disturb disquiet stirre up And so it will most properly be here rendred also in the same sense that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used Jam. 3. 16. for disturbance confusion c. V. 16. Wholly given to idolatrie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a city full of images or idols or altars erected to the Gods and much given to the worship of them That Athens was such appears by Pausanias the number of the Simulacra or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there being more then in all Greece besides so saith Philostratus in Apollonius's travail thither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de vit Apollon l. 4. c. 6. he saw the Athenians were lovers of devotion of sacrificing c. And therefore in his discourse with Timasion he tells him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was the soberest way to speak well of all Gods especially at Athens where there were altars of unknown Gods See Suidas in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So saith Pausanias that they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expresse more piety to the Gods then any and presently adds as an evidence of their piety that they had altars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Bashfulnesse of Fame and of Desire and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they exceed all in their diligence about the Gods So Strabo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their hospitality to strangers extends to the Gods too being very ready to receive in any strange worships So Himerius in his Declamation against Epicurus when saith he I named Athens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I named the greatest summe of piety So Theophylact setting down the full inscription of the Altar v. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supposes them to have received all the strange Gods of the world of Asia Europe Africk and moreover one strange one which they knew not who or whence he was Whereas Dionysius Halic speaking of the Romans saith they did rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were very unkind and unhospitable to strange Gods And Maximus Tyrius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The common people of Athens brought in other new Gods And Josephus 2. cont Appion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All men say that the Athenians are the most pious of all the Graecians and Sophocles Oedip. Col. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This city goes beyond all in worshipping and honouring the Gods This here is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 23. I see you more addicted to the worship of the Gods then others as it farther appears by their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Paul in passage takes notice of v. 23. not their worships or their altars but their Idols that is their Deities themselves for so the word is used Wisd 14. 20. see 2 Thess 2. Note f. among which saith he was an altar to an unknown God V. 18. Babbler The notion of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is clear by the concurrence of the Grammarians in their explication of the Attick word as it is proverbially used among them by the Greek Fathers upon this place both generally agreeing that the word primarily signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sort of bird that was wont to be about the streets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 picking up the seeds So Oecumenius and Phavorinus from whence say they the Attick writers applied the word proverbially to those that doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spend their time in the streets at faires and markets that is very idly and from hence say they it comes to signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mean vile persons that are worth nothing And so Eustathius on Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Suidas also Ib. Jesus and the resurrection That Jesus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the resurrection were by them taken to be both of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 new or strange Gods is not onely affirmed by some of the Fathers but very reasonable to believe when we remember out of Pausanias that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Modesty and Fame and Vehement desire were Gods and had Altars erected to them by these Athenians See Note a. V. 19. Areopagus Their Areopagus was their Senate or standing court of judicature in Athens by whose lawes and orders any new Gods were received among them therefore assoon as they conceived that Paul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a promulger of new strange deities they bring him to the Areopagus to have him examined what Gods they were that he thus preach'd Two judicatures they had in Athens one every year changed made up of five hundred chosen men of whom the Republick consisted the other perpetual which judged of Murthers and the like capital offences and this was in Areopago of which and the customes thereof see Budaeus on the Pandects This Juvenal calls curiam Martis and Pausanias tells us that it was so called because when Mars had killed Neptunes son Alirrothios he was the first that was there judged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But this saith S. Austine Varro would not yeeld to but produces another original of it de obscurarum notitia literarum out of the knowledge of dark learning The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the composition signifies a rock or rise of an hill so saith Suidas it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the judicature is on a pagus and on an ascent or high place and Stephanus Byzantius out of Apollodorus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is an eminent place or hill at Athens and so Isidore Pelus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is an high place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that judicature was on an ascent or upper ground Then for the other part in the composition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it denotes as they both say the sort of the causes which were there judged viz. Murthers c. So Stephanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in it they judged causes of murther because such were done by the sword and Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is so called because it judgeth causes of murther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Mars is used for murthers yet having before said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it administers other affaires of the Commonwealth
it was the fashion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give torches to those that went into Diana's Temple adding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this is a sign set to express that the Moon receives her light from without that is from the Sunne V. 31. Chief of Asia Among the Heathens there were agones games instituted ad placanda bona numina to appease the good deities saith Labeo as sacrifices and victims to appease the bad or angry And therefore in the Anthology the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the four games in Greece Olympian Nemaean Isthmian Pythian are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all four sacred And so in Julian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is mention of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the running of horses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the feasts of the Gods and in the Rescript of Honorius and Theodosius sacra munera sacra festa sacros agones sacred offices sacred feasts and sacred games The Original of them is set down by Dionysius Halicarnasseus as from the Grecians they were imitated by Servius Tullus and put into one body They built Temples saith he by common charge some to Diana of Ephesus some to Apollo and assembling there at set times with their wives and children they imployed themselves both in sacrifices and in merchandice There were publick Agones Race-horses Wrestlers Musicians and rewards were proposed to the Victors and presents were by the cities brought to the Gods And when the Games and Marts and other festival and publick jollities were ended if any city had a quarrel against another the Judges were ready to compose it Then they consulted of common affaires of warre against the barbarians and peace among themselves Thus farre Halicarnasseus At Rome the Pontifices or chief priests were presidents of these And therefore when the Heathen customes had gotten in among the Jewes we find Jason 2 Mac. 4. 7. buying the Pontificate and with it the power of instituting and moderating their games and so in the severall provinces the severall chief Priests who were called by the names of the Provinces which they administre◠so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Governour of Cyprus 2 Mac. 12. 2. so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Cujacius Sacerdotes istius Provinciae qui ludos in honorem Deorum celebrari solitos curarent moderarentur praesiderent The officers of Syria that is the Priests of that province which took care of their games which were customarily celebrated to the honour of their Gods ruled them presided in them So Bithyniarchae the officers of Bithynia Cappadociarchae of Cappadocia and here Asiarchae of Asia that is the officers of those so many Provinces not Kings or Proconsuls or Procurators the rulers and Governours of them but popular officers or ministers to whom the care of those things was intrusted and the office was sacerdotal Whence in the Epistle of the Church of Smyrna concerning S. Polycarp's Martyrdome Philip the Asiarcha who presided there in their spectacula their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are there called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the Fathers Venationes is after styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are by Modestinus recited among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chief priesthoods of those nations And so Phoeniciarchia and Syriarchia among the species of priesthood by Constantine the Great in his Rescript So in the Basilica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the priesthood that is the office of managing their sports or spectacles Beside these which were National Officers to whom belonged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Aristides the common preisthood of Asia the managery of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common games there were others in particular cities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 17. 6. the city magistrates the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all commands or offices of some honour among them as appeared by Jasons purchasing them together with the priesthood but yet subject to the people as being executioners and ministers of their will and not sent them from Rome but chosen by themselves out of the chief men or wealthiest citizens among them To these belonged also the execution of malefactors condemned to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fighting with beasts on the Theatre a customary ceremony or complement of their festivities see Note on 1 Cor. 15. b. and so some of them here being kind to S. Paul warned him not to come our knowing the purpose of the people to have him thus put to death if they could light on him And that appears by the Registers speech ver 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. these men Paul and his company are neither robbers of Churches nor blasphemers of your Goddesse yet you have dealt with them as if they were bringing or dragging them to the Theatre for so 't is said ver 29. that they ran or hurried into the Theatre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carrying or haling along with them thither Gaius and Aristarchus Pauls fellow-travellers and v. 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some of the multitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brought forth Alexander who it seems was a Christian of Ephesus though one that forsook Paul probably upon the danger at this time 1 Tim. 1. 20. and having done so did him much injury 2 Tim. 4. 14. and here was about to excuse himself to the people to escape the hazard approaching and lay all the blame on Paul Of this Alexandar saith Photius Epist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither wanting accusations nor hoping to find any became he alone both tongues and hands in the plurall against his greatest benefactors Where as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being set for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some out of the multitude signifie some of the popular officers serjeants or apparitors so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their bringing him forth is to be understood as an act of their office to bring forth to examination as among the Greek lawyers the serjeants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Gospels are styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that serve men with writs and bring them before their courts And therefore it follows that the Jewes did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 question him that was thus brought forth examined him about S. Paul See Note g. V. 33. Putting him forward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a peculiar notion among the Grammarians proper to forinsecall matters it signifies to examine to question upon interrogatories to call any man into the court to testifie his knowledge concerning any thing in question So saith Phavorinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to question and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to call a man as a witnesse So Domninus cited by Jo. Malela l. 12. speaking of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an officer in the agones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Senate and people called him to testifie what was done in the agones Accordingly must the Glosse of Hesychius be mended not
as the printed copie hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noting this use of the word for interrogating a witnesse calling a man to testifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to appeal to for the truth of what is controverted And so the meaning of this whole passage is that Alexander a Christian of Ephesus but a Jew by birth was in this tumult about S. Paul seised upon by the serjeants and brought forth and the Jewes that were malicious to S. Paul thinking that Alexander might be brought to lay some blame upon him question'd and examined him and then he was presently desirous to have made his Apologie to the people that is to avert the danger from himself by laying it upon others And although by reason of the crie that follows v. 34. he is not permitted to doe it to the people yet by what S. Paul after saith of him it appears that he forsook the Christian profession 1 Tim. 1. 20. and renounced or blasphemed that is forsook Christ and did S. Paul very great injury 2 Tim. 4. 14. V. 35. Town clerk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the name of an office in the sacri agones the Register or Actuary who registred the Victors names in a book or table called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the office where those records were put was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Petrus Faber Agonist l. 3. c. 23 and 27. Of the ordinary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Phavorinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had no authority but onely to write and read what they had written So saith the Scholiast on Thucydides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that used to read to the people the registers of their businesse But in these sacred games where every thing was sacred also the Alytarcha bearing the person of Jupiter the Amphithales of Mercury the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here saith Domninus cited by Johannes Antiochenus was honoured and adored as Apollo wearing a white robe and a crown of pure gold and being saith he chosen by the Senate and people he was the better qualified to doe what is here affirmed of him to appease the people For that this should be applicable to Alexander the Jew ver 33. and that it was he of whom it was here said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he said Ye men of Ephesus c. is a strange oversight of the learned Cardinal Baronius caused by not adverting to the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where it is visibly the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which had appeased the tumult and which said Ye men of Ephesus c. Ib. A worshipper of Diana That the Ephesians when they were besieged by Croesus devoted or consecrated their city to Diana 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trying with a rope the Temple and the wall of the city together is affirmed by Herodotus l. 2. From hence it is that that city had a peculiar relation to Diana ever after But there being other cities that worshipped that Goddesse also this is not alone sufficient to appropriate that title to Ephesus to be her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sacrist That this was the title of a sacred office appears by Plato de Legib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they must constitute priests of both sexes to be in this office of Sacrist to their Gods The word signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Phavorinus he that takes care of the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that adornes it saith Hesychius and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that makes clean saith Suidas from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sweep or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beautifie saith the Scholiast on Aristophanes in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 61. This office at other times belonged to other cities and accordingly in antient Inscriptions we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Nicomedians being the third time in that office and particularly of Diana 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Magnesians having that office in Maximinus's time and this in respect of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Games which in honour of the Gods peculiarly of Diana were in Greece sometimes in one city sometimes in another according to the Gods which were celebrated by them So that now those festivities being celebrated to Diana and this year and at this time kept at Ephesus which is also the reason of the concourse of the people at this time Ephesus had now the honour to take care of Diana's service and so to be her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her Sacrist or aeditua or Church-warden as the Syriack renders the word in this place and that is the meaning of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being at this time this year Diana's Sacrist V. 38. A matter The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word or speech signifies also accusation and is accordingly rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 18. 22. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enditement Exod. 18. 16. and accordingly here the one is taken for the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speech for an accusation Ib. The law is open 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Phavorinus is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a day when a court is kept and so in Suidas and the Glossary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expounded to be the time when men goe to Law and the same is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a time not of vacation or lay-daies but of judicatures term-time as we call it when the Proconsuls who are the judges were present to decide any controversie The word signifies also judicature simply so in Strabo Geog. l. 13. p. 629. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the provinces in which they exercise their judicatures and give every man his right And so in Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perhaps it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distribution of justice and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgment and calling of a court CHAP. XX. 1. AND after the uproar was ceased Paul called unto him the disciples and embraced them and departed for to goe into Macedonia Paraphrase 1. And this commotion being thus composed at Ephesus Paul called all the Christians together and having constituted Timothy Bishop of Ephesus 1 Tim. 1. 3. he took his leave of them and departed from Ephesus and past the direct way from thence by Troas 2 Corinth 2. 12 13. to Macedonia 2. And when he had gone over those parts and had given them much exhortation he came into Greece Paraphrase 2. And there he spent some time instructing and confirming them in the faith and in all Christian practice see note on John 14. b. and after that departing thence he wintred in Epirus Tit. 3. 12. and came into Greece 3. And there abode three moneths and when the Jewes laid wait for him as he was about to saile into Syria he purposed to return into Macedonia Paraphrase 3. And there he staid three moneths And being
putting them in custody kept them and brought them out to execution adding that these are the same in the Camp that the Lictors or Serjeants are in the City From all which it appears to be most fitly rendred a guard to which in the militia the prisoners are committed CHAP. XXIV 1. AND after five daies Ananias the high priest descended with the Elders and with a certain oratour named Tertullus who informed the Governour against Paul Paraphrase 1. Annas the chief of the Jewes see note on Lu. 3. c. with some others of the Sanhedrim and a lawyer or pleader named Tertullus went down all from Jerusalem to Caesarea see note on oh 18. c. to Felix and brought in a bill of information see Theophylact accusation or charge against Paul 2. And when he was called forth Tertullus began to accuse him saying Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietnesse and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence 3. We accept it alwaies and in all places most noble Felix with all thankfulnesse Paraphrase 2 3. And when Tertullus was admitted to speak he began his plea against Paul with a flattering oration to Felix telling him how happy the Jews had alwaies in every of their cities counted themselves under his government and managery of affaires and that they were very thankfull to him for it 4. Notwithstanding that I be not farther tedious unto thee I pray thee that thou wouldst hear us of thy clemency a few words 5. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition among all the Jewes throughout the world and a ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarens Paraphrase 5. This Paul we Jewes know to be a dangerous person and every where where he comes he disquiets the peoples minds and prepares them to commotions and seditions against the present government that of the Romans see v. 18. and ch 25. 8. and he is a great promoter of the religion of those that are ordinarily called Nazarens from Jesus that dwelt in Nazareth that is of Christians 6. Who also hath gone about to profane the Temple whom we took and would have judged according to our law Paraphrase 6. And he hath done such things in the â—emple of the Jewes among us at Jerusalem as are absolutely contrary to the laws of our God see c. 21. 21. and we apprehended him and would have had him punisht so as our law appoints those to be punisht that bring strangers boyond that court of the Temple that was assigned them and separated from the other see Eph. 2. 14. 7. But the chief Captain Lysias came upon us and with great violence took him away out of our hands 8. Commanding his accusers to come unto thee by examining of whom thy self mayst take knowledge of all these things whereof we accuse him Paraphrase 7 8. But as we were proceeding against him Lysias the Captain of the Temple or commander of the guard of souldiers that guards the Temple would not permit us to proceed against him in our Court but carried him away with a guard of souldiers c. 23. 10. and cited some of the Sanhedrim to come hither to thee and accuse him whom therefore thou mayst please to examine and heare what they can say 9. And the Jewes also assented saying That these things were so Paraphrase 9. And the Jewes of the Sanhedrim that came down v. 1. confirmed the truth of all that Tertullus had pleaded 10. Then Paul after that the Governour had beckned unto him to speak answered For as much as I know that thou hast been of many years a Judge unto this nation I doe the more cheerfully answer for my self Paraphrase 10. given him leave permitted him 11. Because that thou mayst understand that there are but yet twelve daies since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship Paraphrase 11. And first thou mayst please to understand that about twelve daies since I came up to Jerusalem to keep the feast of Pentecost a solemn feast of the Jewes there when by law 't is appointed to be kept 12. And they neither found me in the Temple disputing with any man neither raising up the people neither in the synagogues nor in the city 13. Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me Paraphrase 12 13. And there I behaved my self very quietly made no disturbance raised no sedition and they that say I am a seditious person and raise disturbances whereever I come are not able to prove any thing of this nature but onely content themselves with a general charge of sedition 14. But this I confesse unto thee that after the way which they call heresie so worship I the God of my fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets Paraphrase 14. But as for the other part of the accusation ver 5. that I am a great promoter of the sect of the Nazarens I acknowledge this that that way of worshipping the God of Abraham which Christ hath taught and the Christians practise which I suppose they mean by the word Sect or peculiar way of profession or religion see Act. 26. 5. is the way that I doe use and in doing so doe agreeably to all that is written in the Mosaicall Law and the writings of authority among the Jewes by which they think themselves obliged 15. And have hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection from the dead both of the just and unjust Paraphrase 15. And the main part of this is that there shall be a life after this and that all that ever lived here shall then be judged and rewarded whether they be good or evil And this is no more then these men themselves all but the Sadducees professe to believe and depend on 16. And herein doe I exercise my self to have alwaies a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Paraphrase 16. In this religion and practise I am as carefull as I can to live blamelesly and to doe my duty in all things towards God and man 17. Now after many years I came to bring almes to my nation and offerings Paraphrase 17. As for that which they mention of my profaning the Temple thus it was Many years after my conversion to this way that they speak of I was sent by the pious Jewes c. of other parts to Jerusalem and Judaea with their charity and free-will oblations brought in for the service of God c. 11. 30. 18. Whereupon certain Jewes from Asia found me purified in the Temple neither with multitude nor with tumult Paraphrase 18. And whilst I was doing thus some Jewes of Asia saw me in the Temple where I was farre from profaning of it as was suggested ver 6. and ch 21. 23. but was there in such a manner as the Law of the Jewes required of me and they senslesly mistaking affirmed that I carried Trophimus a Gentile of Ephesus into
he did with all freedome and opennesse and confidence see note on Joh. 7. a. and no man gave him any disturbance Annotations on Chap. XXVIII V. 1. Melita Two Islands there are of that name Melita The one in the Libyan saith Strabo l. 6. the other in the Adriatick Sea Of the former Ortelius speaks in Thesaur Geograph Melita una ex Pelagiis apud Ptolemaeum Haec insula B. Pauli naufragio celebris est hodie Rhodiensibus militibus habitatur It was by Ptolemie said to be one of the Pelagiae It is famous for Saint Paul's shipwrack and is now inhabited by the Knights of Rhodes And that this was it here spoken of appears by the consequents of this story which brings Paul from Melita to Syracuse and from thence to Rhegium within the straits of the Sicilian or Libyan Sea V. 4. Vengeance That there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or vengeance which will not let murtherers go unpunish'd in this world hath been the observation of all sorts of men In the Gemara tract Sanhedr there is the like story of Simeon sonne of Schutach who found a man-slayer but had no witnesse to testifie it legally and therefore prayed thus He that knoweth the thoughts of men punish thee as a murtherer And presently saith he a Serpent bit him and slew him In like manner as Orestes that had killed his mother dyed with the bite of a viper in a place of Arcadia called Orestion saith Stephanus Byzant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In that place of the Gemara there is also mention of a tradition of Hezechias that after the destruction of the Sanctuary and the Sanhedrim there yet still continued among the Jewes four kindes of Capitall punishment in stead of the four established by the Law of Moses For he that deserved to be stoned either fell from an house or was torn with wild beasts He that deserved to be burnt either fell into the fire or was struck with a Serpent which was therefore called fiery by Moses because they that were bitten with it felt such a flame in their veines They that were to be killed with the sword fell either into the hand of the King or of theeves They that deserved suffocation or hanging either were drowned or dyed of a melancholy or suffocation such as is affirmed of Judas see Note on Mat. 27. a. Two of these are here mentioned by the Barbarians drowning and the bite of the Serpent or viper as a revenge due to a murtherer in their conceit and when they saw he escaped they looked on it as a stupendious thing V. 11. Whose signe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some Image or Picture of some creature in the fore-part of the ship from whence the ship was named So saith Agatharchides when 't is said that a Bull carryed away Europa the meaning is that a ship called the Bull as having that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon it carryed her and so the Eagle that carryed Ganymede was a ship with an Eagle upon it and so called the Eagle saith Epiphanius So Bellerophon's riding on Pegasus was his sailing in a ship that had a flying horse for its signe and name So Virgil Aen. 10. aeratâ Princeps secat aeqùora Tigri Where the signe of the ship being set upon the rostrum of it which was made of brasse was a Tigre and so the ship was called So Diodorus Siculus l. 4. of Phryxus that is said to swim upon a Ramme through the Euxine Sea saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he sailed in a ship which had the picture of a Ramme on the fore-part of it So Palaephatus of Pelops that was said to have winged horses 't was to be understood saith he in the same manner as of Pegasus that he had a ship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there were painted on it winged horses And of Pegasus he had before said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't was the name of a ship as now every ship hath a name So that the mention of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or signe here is also the intimation of the name of the ship Castor and Pollux or Dioscuri V. 15. Appii forum Mention of these two places we have in Cicero ad Atticum l. 2. Epist 10. 13. Ab Appii foro horâ quartâ dederam aliam paulò antè è Tribus Tabernis This Epistle was dated from Appii Forum at four of the clock I had written another a little before from the Three Taverns The latter of which was three and thirty miles from Rome the former fifty one saith Antoninus in his Itinerary Ib. The Three Tavernes Tres Tabernae is a proper name of a Town or City and so not to be rendred with Isidore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Innes and victualing houses as he will also have Appii forum to be a place which had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an image of Appius but as all other proper names is in reason to continue the same without translation or considerable alteration of sound in all languages Thus the example of Areopagus Act. 17. 19. and Appii forum in this very verse demonstrates and so here S. Lukes Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the retaining not translating nor interpreting the Latine And this the rather if we consider what the antient signification of Tabernae was This Scaliger tells us on occasion of those verses of Ausonius Praetereo arentem sitientibus undique terris Damnissum riguásque perenni fonte Tabernas Tabernae saith he was the name of the frontier townes which were built against the inrodes and insolencies of the Barbarians That there were such every where erected by Dioclesian in the borders of the Romanes we are assured by Zosimus Hist l. 2. p. 65. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Romane Empire being on every side of the borders divided and fortified with Cities and Garisons and Castles and all the military forces dwelling there about there was no accesse for the Barbarians And so no doubt it was in these former times And in all reason as this was the notion of the Tabernae Montanae prope Weissenbrugum and Tabernae Rhenenses which Scaliger mentions so also of the Tres Tabernae here which saith he Ausonius himself seems to signifie when he saith that the Sauromatae had their habitations assigned them there agreeable to what we cited out of Zosimus That this place was an Episcopal See and so an eminent city in Constantine's time appears by Optatus l. 1. where amongst the nineteen Bishops delegated by Constantine to decide the Controversie betwixt Donatus and Caecilianus is reckoned Felix à Tribus Tabernis Felix Bishop of that City called Tres Tabernae V. 16. Souldier that kept him The manner of the souldiers guarding the prisoner among the Romans is thus described by Lipsius on Tacitus Ann. l. 3. p. 60. that the
doing according to a proverbial speech of the Jewes Speech is not a foundation but work Pirke Avoth p. 15. and so all other perfections of men must be judged of not by their boasts of themselves but by the reality of their performances 21. What will ye shall I come unto you with note c a rod or in love and in the spirit of meeknesse Paraphrase 21. And now I talk of coming to you I pray consider which will you chuse As you behave your selves so at my coming will I exercise either my power of inflicting punishments or the milder way of kindnesse toward you and therefore according as ye like best so prepare your selves for my coming Annotations on Chap. IV. V. 6. To think What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in this place will best be ghest by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 puft up which followes on purpose to explain it That signifying elation of mind to the despising of others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must in all reason do so also Thus the Scholiast on Thucydides l. 1. saith of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be a degree of pride as the other a great or high degree of it So in S. Chrysostome Tom. 3. p. 177. l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why art thou disturbed and abusest thy â—pinion of thy self thy pride to folly and l. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by elation of mind by pride to become a fool contrary to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naturall folly So Rom. 12. 3. it most literally signifies not to be wise but to opinionate to think great matters of himself So in Demosthenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that thinkes as high of himself as is fit Onely here the notion of the word seems a little to be restrained by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for one in the latter part of the verse and so to denote not so much pride of their own gifts as Rom. 12. as pride and high opinion of their teachers boasting of them to the disparagement of others V. 13. Filth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies those things that are used in the lustrating of a city among the Gentiles Suidas hath described the custome in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the purging and lustrating of a city they cloathed a man in soule and filthy garments say others and put him to death and he was called a lustration or expiation thus saith Eustathius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a lustration for which the vilest persons were wont to be used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sordid refuse people For thus it was when the city was under any plague or other great calamity they chose out one of the nastiest persons in the city and brought him to a certain place with cheese and drie figs and a cake in his hand and then beat him with rods about the secret parts and then burnt him and the rods together in a ditch and cast the ashes into the sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paying a sacrifice to Neptune saith Suidas with these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be thou a lustration for us This person was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by Lycophron and before him by Hipponax 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a medicament and by Philostratus saith Sardus de ritib. l. 3. c. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cure or averter of judgment from the city But this is a mistake in Sardus all that Philostratus saith being onely this that in the Theatre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the statue of the deity that averteth judgment plagues c. was set up By this it appears also what is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the refuse of all in the next words to wit the very same thing in another expression the vilest refuse creature in a city such as used to be the explation in a publick calamity So saith Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I conceive is a corruption from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which differs but little from it and Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I conceive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the two words are of the same signification and denote those that are pai'd for others ransomes or put to death in others stead or else any thing that is most vile trodden under feet by all men Thus Tob. 5. 24. we have this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Let it be despised a refuse in respect of or comparison to my son this heathen custome whence all this comes being in a manner but a transcript of the Azazel among the Jewes the scape-goat that was sent into the wildernesse with all the sinnes of the people upon him which was therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rejectaneus or refuse V. 21. A Rod The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rod here is the power of inflicting punishments in the Apostles of death it self as on Ananias of diseases as on Elymas and so the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stripe Isa 10. 24. and is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scourge Mar. 3. 10. and contrary to this is the spirit of meeknesse that followes here mercifulnesse in not inflicting that sharpnesse on them upon sight of their speedy reformation which by threatning here he desires and hopes to produce before his coming to them personally CHAP. V. 1. IT is reported commonly that there is note a fornication among you and such fornication as is note b not so much as named among the Gentiles that one should have his father's wife Paraphrase 1. It is a great shame and reproach that lyes upon you that sins of unnaturall uncleannesse and marriages within prohibited degrees are so frequently to be found among you and those of such a pitch in one offender as civil nations though not Christian and even the unconverted Corinthians would abhor to be guilty of a sonne to take in marriage or otherwise to live in that sinne with his father's wife 2. And ye are note c puffed up and have not rather mourned that he that hath done this deed may be taken away from among you Paraphrase 2. And this so freely that ye doe not look on it as a crime fit to be censured in him ye are not at all humbled with it nor mourn for it see 2 Cor. 12. 21. either out of an opinion of the person that hath done it who is one of the Doctors of your Church say Chrysostome and Theodoret or out of an opinion infused now by some haereticall teachers into you which your former condition of life makes you apt enough to believe that fornication is an indifferent thing see c. 6. 13. whereas in any reason you ought to have mourned over him as
in the wildernesse and that it did so may appear probable because in that dry wildernesse we hear no more of their wanting water till Cadesh which was some 3 6. years after this when they had taken a contrary way in their journeying by which means as also by God's making this new tryall of them and to that purpose ordering the change of their journey that water might now cease to follow them which before as long as the miraculous flowing lasted might naturally without any new miracle follow them all their voyage This saying of theirs S. Paul makes use of in a mysticall sense making Christ indeed to be the rock in a spirituall sense and that Christ following coming really so long after into the world but even then so long agoe spiritually and in power present among them V. 7. To play That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is to be taken in an unclean sense may appear probable by the use of the word mocking among the Jewes This will be discerned by the Hierusalem Targum on Gen. 21. 9. on that of Ismael's mocking In stead of these words in the Hebrew Sarah saw the sonne of Hagar mocking they read by way of paraphrase Et vidit Sara filium Aegyptiae facientem opera mala quae fieri non oportuit illudentem cultum pâ—regrinum exercentem And Sarah saw the son of the Aegyptian doing evill works which ought not to be done mocking and exercising strange worship Where the opera mala quae fieri non oportuit the evil works that ought not to be done are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2. 7. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 4. 3. that is those unnaturall filthy sins which were so ordinary among the heathens used as part of their Gentile-worship and those it seemes noted by the phrase of illudere or mocking which there and here and in other places according to the civility of the sacred style is made use of rather then others which signifie more grosly those acts of unnaturall filthinesse So Rabbi Solomon mentions an interpretation that Ismael had committed uncleannesse and that that is the meaning of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to mock Gen. 39. 17. And Lyra on that of Gen. 21. saith that the Hebrew word is equivocall and signifies ludentem idololatrantem occidentem coeuntem vel lascivientem mocking committing Idolatry killing commiting uncleannesse and wantonnesse And then there will be little doubt but the words of the same Targum on Exod. 32. 6. the place from which the words in this place are taken surrexerunt sibi ludentes cultu peregrino and they arose mocking themselves after the strange or heathen worship may belong to that also To which purpose 't is farther observable that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may well be resolved Synonymous to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but cannot so well be mistaken for playing as the other may but distinctly signifies illudere to mock is the rendring of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the word in Exodus whence these words are cited Gen. 39. 14 and 17. in that story of Poâ—iphar's wife and Joseph and certainly signifies uncleannesse there Thus Tobit 3. 18. where Anna to shew her self free from all uncleannesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from all sin of or with man v. 17. addes in Saint Jeromes translation nunquam cum ludentibus miscui me I never associated my self with them that mock'd where no doubt Uncleannesses are meant and 't is probable that the Greek which he translates ludentibus was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though our Greek copies wholly leave out that part of the period And if the comparing of the story Act. 7. 41. where 't is said in this matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they rejoyced in the works of their hands be apt to incline to the other interpretation as supposing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to play is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rejoyce and consequently that both denote their dancing before the idol it will be easily answered that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rejoycing there signifies most properly the rejoycing at a feast Lu. 12. 19. and 15. 23 24 29 32. and 16. 19. and so following the offering of sacrifice to their Idols shall note the sacrificall feast and be all one with eating and drinking here but not with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether playing or mocking that attends it and so still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may fitly thus be interpreted especially when in this place it followes immediately after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lusters after evill thingâ— in the notion that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to live ill is used by Phavorinus in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wanton that is for this very sin and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ilnesse Rom. 1. 29. and is attended with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither let us commit fornication c. referring to that other act of the like sin Num. 25. 2 3. and thence I suppose it is that to his exhortation of flying from Idolatry ver 14. he subjoyns v. 15. I speak to wise men judge ye what I say not willing to speak more plainly or to adde more words on that subject see Note on Eph. 5. f. V. 10. Destroyer That which is here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destroyer is in the Hierusalem Targum Exod. 4. 26. called perdens and that there explained by Angelus mortis a messenger of the Lords ver 24. that came to kill him This is otherwhere called the destroying Angel for what is here said they were destroyed by the destroyer is in the story from whence 't is taken Num 14. 37. they died by the plague before the Lord. So the Angels that came to Loâ—'s house are sent to destroy the city Gen. 19. 13. In all which and many more places where plagues are said to be inflicted of God by Angels it doth not appear that the Angels used as instruments of those plagues are the fall'n Angels or devils but those heavenly that wait on God to execute his wrath as well as conveigh mercies Thus God's coming with his Angels is an expression of destructions and yet those are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy myriads Jude 14. or multitudes of heavenly Angels see Note on Jude d. V. 16. Cup of blessing The Jewes used to conclude the feast wherein the Paschal lamb was eaten with a cup of wine This they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cup of praising because they sang an hymne at that time see Mat. 26. 30. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of blessing and from thence the receiving the wine in the Sacrament being by Christ instituted after his paschal supper is here called by that title Of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to blesse see Note on Mat. 14. c. V. 28. The earth is the If these words be to be read in this place the meaning of them
perceived the grace that was given unto me they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship that we should goe unto the heathen and they unto the circumcision Paraphrase 9. These three I say James the Bishop of Jerusalem and Peter and John the son of Zebedee two prime Apostles who were looked on as the pillars of the Church approved and commended all that we did or had done acknowledged us as their companions joyned with us and did by consent make an agreement that they and we should betake our selves severally into what city soever either of us entred we to the Gentiles and they to the Jewes of the city and so constitute severall congregations in each city of Jewes and Gentiles see note on Rev. 11. b. 10. Onely they would that we should remember the poor the same which I also was forward to doe Paraphrase 10. And all that they insisted on to us was that we should take into our care the wants of the poor Christians in Judaea who were sadly spoiled and wasted by their unbelieving countreymen 1 Thess 11. 14. Heb. 10. 34. see Chrysostome and get collections for them among the Gentiles which I was as forward to doe as they to have me 11. But when Peter was come to Antioch I withstood him to the face because he note g was to be blamed Paraphrase 11. But when after this Peter came and preach'd to the Jewes at Antioch I who was there also at the same time preaching to the Gentiles of that city resisted him because they that had taken notice of his former actions and the change that was observable in him did look upon him as a dissembler and lai'd that to his charge not knowing the true ground of what he did 12. For before that certain came from James he did eat with the Gentiles but when they were come he withdrew and separated himself fearing them which were of the circumcision Paraphrase 12. For before the time that some believing Jewes of Jerusalem James's See who were generally zealous for the Mosaical performances Act. 21. 20. came from thence to Antioch in like manner as those Act. 15. 1. he freely conversed with the Gentile Christians and eat with them but while they were present out of fear of displeasing and scandalizing those Jewish Christians and occasioning their falling off or forsaking the faith see Theophylact and Chrysostome interpreting it by a like phrase c. 4. 11. I am afraid of you least I have bestowed on you labour in vain he abstained from using that liberty and did not use any conversation with them for a time 13. And the other Jewes dissembled likewise with him insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation Paraphrase 13. And the whole number of the Jewish converts of Antiochia followed his example and abstained from conversing freely with the Gentiles making as if they were such zealots of the Mosaical law as that they would not use this illegall liberty and this was so universally done by all that Barnabas that came with me began to be wrought on by it and to make scruple to converse familiarly with the Gentiles as if it were not lawfull to doe so 14. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel I said unto Peter before them all If thou being a Jew livest after the manner of the Gentiles and not as doe the Jewes why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as doe the Jewes Paraphrase 14. Whereupon considering the inconvenience that would come on this and that it would be a way to shut out all the Gentiles from the faith if by Peter's fear of scandalizing the Jewes men were brought to believe that the Gentiles might not freely be accompanied with and consequently could not be preached to by us and so that this was not the way which was most conducible to the propagating of Christian religion which was like to consist more of Gentiles then of Jewes I thus spake publickly to Peter Thou hast hitherto lived like and conversed with the Gentile Christians and not observed the Jewish rules why dost thou now by thy practice bring the Gentiles to think it necessary for them to observe the Jewish law 15. We who are Jewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles Paraphrase 15. Certainly that which these men learn and think to be implied by this practice of thine is farre from being true doctrine For we that indeed were before our Christianity Jewes born and so farre more obliged in any reason to observe the Mosaical Law then the idolatrous ignorant heathens whom the Jewes themselves never thought obliged to the Mosaical performances and therefore looked upon them with such contempt as impure and not fit to be conversed with 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the Law for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Paraphrase 16. We I say being taught by Christianity that by the observation of the Law see note on Mat. 5. g. by performance of the Mosaical rites justification is not to be expected but onely by the faith of Jesus Christ without that we I say doe thus our selves receive the Christian religion and ought in any reason to reach it others so as not to depend on the Mosaical performances for justification but on the faith of Christ without them and that upon this grand principle that neither Jew nor Gentile can be justified by legal obedience and therefore must seek to Christ for it who not now requiring of us these outward rites but the inward purity signified by them is consequently to be obeyed in what he requires and the liberty that he also gives to be vindicated by us against all contrary pretenders who indeed will be farre from changing their minds by our yielding to or complying with them 17. But if while we seek to be justified by Christ we our selves also are found note h sinners is therefore Christ the minister of sin God forbid Paraphrase 17. But then it is objected by those that stand so for the Jewish law that if seeking to be justified by faith in Christ we neglect the Mosaical Law and live like Gentiles we make by this or suppose Christ to be an enemy to the Law and a favourer of Gentilisme one that assists that against Judaisme makes provision for it To which we answer that whatsoever be said of his favouring those that doe not bind themselves to the Judaical Law he is yet sure no favourer of Gentilisme or heathen life 18. For if I build again the things which I destroyed I make my self a transgressour Paraphrase 18. But on the other side rather when a man hath renounced justification by the Mosaical Law and depended onely on Christ
worship c. For before his Baptisme it is said of him Act. 8. that he was by all the Samaritans cried up to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as the MSS. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the divine power which is called great that is the Divine Majesty called diversly by several nations but by all acknowledged as the greatest and supreme Deity and after the seigned reception of the Faith and Baptisme he did not lessen but rather increase his pretensions And accordingly saith Irenaeus l. 1. c. 20. Simon Magus intendit contendere adversùs Apostolos uti ipse gloriosus videretur esse A Claudio Caesare statuâ honoratus esse dicitur propter Magiam Hic igitur à multis quasi Deus glorificatus est docuit semetipsum esse qui apud Judaevs quasi Filius adparuerit in Samaria autem quasi Pater descenderit in reliquis Gentibus quasi Spiritus S. adventaverit Esse autem se sublimissimam virtutem hoc est eum qui sit super omnia Pater sustinere vocari se quodeunque eum vocant homines Simon Magus set himself to contend against the Apostles that he also might appear glorious He was for his Magick honoured with a statue by Claudius Caesar He was glorified by many as a God and taught that himself was he that appeared as the Son among the Jewes that in Samaria he descended as the Father and in other nations came at the Holy Ghost That he was the most sublime virtue that is he which was the Father over all and that he was content to be called by the highest titles that any man did call him And so saith Tertull de Anima Simon speaking of Helena his prima ennoia by which he created the Angls and powers which made the world and whom he called also the lost sheep because of her having been in a brothel-house saith that ad hanc descendit Pater summus to her descended the supreme Father calling himself by that title and having carried her back to his palace exinde ad hominum respexit salutem from thenceforth had all care to the salvation of men Again that statue of his was made saith Irenaeus ad siguram Jovis after the figure of Jupiter and Helena's after the figure of Minerva and these saith he were worshipped by men And at last among the doctrines of his followers Saturnilus and Menander he sets down Judaeorum Deum unum ex Angelis esse c. 22. that the God of the Jewes was one of the seven Angels that made the world Ipsum verò Simonem unum Patrem esse qui fecit Angelos Archangelos Virtutes Potestates But that Simon himself was the only Father that made the Angels Archangels Virtues and Powers So clearly making himself superiour to the God of the Jews and indeed creatour of him So saith Justin Martyr Apol. 2. see Note b. on Jude Now for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this mans and these Gnosticks revealing themselves that signifies their putting off that disguise of Christianity under which they vâ—iled themselves a while and setting up he and his followers professedly against Christ and his Apostles For Simon himself that at first he was baptized and made a shew of being a Christian hath appeared Act. 8. but this without any sincerity at that time any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 genuine purpose of change saith Cyril of Jerusalem Cat. 1. After this he went on in his way of deceiving the people by his forceries as appears by his desiring to buy the power of working miracles from the Apostles and being denied that soon after he set up and opposed himself against Christ and accordingly is here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the adversary or he that opposeth himself and by S. John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist which is the same And about the time of erecting the statue to him at Rome being by the preaching of the Gospel driven out of that city it was some space of yeares before he appeared there again in contestation with S. Peter which may passe for his revealing of himself that at the writing of this Epistle was yet future And accordingly Theophylact speaking of the mystery of iniquity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mystery of iniquity was already begun for Simon and Nicolas leaders of heresies did work the works of Antichrist As for the Gnosticks the followers of him and other such leaders thus it was The Jews persecuting the Christians and those persecutions shaking the faith of many and the Gnosticks keeping themselves safe from those persecutions by forswearing of Christ in time of danger from the Jewes as they sacrificed to Idols to secure them from the Gentiles and having other carnal baits all manner of filthinesse to invite carnal and fearfull persons to their party did soon draw all Samaria from Christ and so whereever Christianity was planted in other parts at Rome in Asia c. corrupted the believers every where so that many were polluted or infected by their poison Heb. 12. 15. and at length joinned with the Jewes in the greatest bitterness of persecuting the Orthodox Christians first secretly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as dogs that bite and bark not saith Ignatius and then they were the mystery here but at last openly and avowedly and that is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the revealing this mystery And this avow'd opposing and persecuting the Christians was to be a forerunner of that day of the Lord and till that was come the day was not yet instant though neer at hand V. 4. Worshipped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place being joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called God not to distinguish it from the former but with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to explicate the former or to extend it farther then the former might be thought to extend must signifie not the worship it self but that which is worshipped whatsoever that is The nations and people of the world all of them acknowledged and worshipped somewhat which they called God or Numen but all false and Idol-nothings save only the one Creator of heaven and earth yet on these they bestowed those magnificent titles of God and Great power of God and other the like and to comprehend all those titles by which all those false Gods were known this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worship or deity or by repeating the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that is called worship or deity is here used And so the word is used by the Author of the Book of Wisdome c. 14. 20. and rightly rendred a God So Act. 17. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beholding your worships that is their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their idols so saith Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worships that is Idols and daemons of which their city had and worshipped so many For so v. 16. it is said of him that he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 flesh and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to God to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to men why should not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be judged or condemned which is the thing immediately preparatory to execution be taken here though not often elsewhere for execution or suffering that sentence and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judged to the flesh be all one with dead to the world or flesh that is mortifying all sinfull lusts opposed to living according to God to the spirit an holy and godly life Another notion these words v. 6. may be thought capable of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of penitent sinners involved in a common ruine that though as far as men can see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to men they be judged in the flesh swept away in the calamity in respect of their bodily outward condition yet they are at rest and so in their soul or spirit live with God If suffering in or to the flesh v. 1. did belong to afflictions this then might probably be the meaning of v. 6. But the former being otherwise determined by the Context this latter will best be interpreted by analogy therewith V. 3. Excesse of wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Phavorinus the word signifies a drunkard one impetuously given to wine And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an immoderate desire of wine V. 4. Think it strange 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to wonder as at a new or strange accident So in Polybius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to think strange and doubt as at a paradox all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be surprized with some unexpected event So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Phavorinus and proportionably in the Passive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be stricken on a sudden or amazed so here again v. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he not surprized amazed astonish'd or vehemently affected with wonder at that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is among you Ib. Excesse of riot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Phavorinus where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying confusion is a general word and would not much tend to the illustrating of the other did not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tell us what kind of confusion it was viz. a confusion of sexes in committing those base sins for so saith he of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it notes those filthy abominable pollutions and accordingly Hesychius having rendred it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interprets the latter of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mollities the word so commonly used for effeminacy and particularly for these base sins Another notion of this word there is the primitive I suppose whence this is by Metaphor derived for ponds or cavities which are filled with the sea at the time of flore and will carry boats at such times to the main land and to cities built there So saith Strabo 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Ptolemy calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Humber in England is by him express'd by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all probaâ—ility for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this overflowing of the sea is very fit to expresse this of extravagant enormous lust See Note on Jude b. Agreeable to this is the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here also joined with it and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Pavorinus it notes incontinence and lasciviousnesse or filthinesse which what it signifies in that writer will appear by the account which he gives of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. that principally and properly it signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sin mentioned Rom. 1. 26. from whence saith he there was a city called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where such unnatural villanies were ordinarily committed and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uncleannesse but that especially of the basest and foulest sort as may appear by his rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which it appears that these two words signifying each of them so unsavourly are joined together to denote those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abominable practices of the Gentiles in their idolatries v. 3. V. 12. Fiery triall What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifies will easily be defined from the notion of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies two things to persecute and to set on fire So Psal 10. 2. where the Hebrew is rendred by us the wicked doth persecute the poor the LXXII read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poor is set on fire And so again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to try either as gold is by the fire or as men by afflictions is by the LXXII Psal 17. 3. rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 casting into the fire And accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 regularly will signifie in general any kind of adversity or sharp persecution which as fire blown up into flames to gold or other metals is the means of exploring and purifying them is in like manner here said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 befallen them for their trial Thus Prov. 27. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 casting into the fire is the tryal for silver and gold and Psal 66. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast cast us into the fire as silver is cast into the fire unlesse perhaps that should be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast tried us as silver is tried and so in other places of the Old Testament The word we have again Rev. 18. 9. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we rightly render the smoak of her burning or being set on fire If this be now applied to the Jewes in general at that time it may then be fitly interpreted of the great combustions and seditions caused by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zelots and seditious oft mentioned by Josephus which raised such stirs among them and brought such heavy bloody slaughters upon them before their destruction by the Romanes and not only in but out of Judaea And in opposition to these perhaps it is that they are advised to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zelots of that which is good for so the King's MS. reads in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imitators or followers c. 3. 13. and accordingly now when the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the destruction or fatal excision was but approaching the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is spoken of as already 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 befallen among them and so may fitly be the forerunner of their destruction as Josephus observes it was But if it be more strictly applied to the Christians to whom S. Peter writes it must then signifie the persecutions which from the Jewes and Gnosticks fell on the pure and Orthodox Christians whereever Christianity was planted in the Provinces and was particularly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the exploring and trying them the malice of the persecuters being such
declared of them And that not only their sin their false doctrine and slie coming in was foretold but their punishment and destruction also by this famous coming of Christ to the destruction of his crucifiers appears 2 Thess 2. 8 c. where S. Paul foretelling it most probably referres to some prediction of Christ to this matter And such is that of Mat. 16. 25. that they that will save their lives shall lose them and only they that hold out and continue constant in their confession of Christ shall escape this ruine Mat. 10. 22. and 24. 13. And so this is the full meaning of this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men whose impostures first and then their vengeance also have been foretold by Christ Unlesse we should farther adde to this that the judgments that formerly fâ—ll on the like wicked men and the denuntiations of those judgments by Enoch c. v. 14. should here be referred to also as emblematical and typical predictions of the punishment that is sure to fall on these men upon that principle of divine judgment that they who are parallel in the sins shall be also in the punishment Ib. Denying the only Lord God The various readings in this place some having but the King's MS. leaving out the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God deserve to be considered If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God be not read then the whole period will belong to Jesus Christ alone without any mention of God the Father and affirm of him that he is our only Master and Lord referring to his great work of our Redemption by which he thus purchased us unto himself to be his peculiar servants so as any other false Gods or Devils so as Simon Magus that now set up against him must never have any part of our honour or worship or obedience from him But if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God be read then it will be doubtfull which of these two senses is to be affixed to it For 1. it may be thus rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our only Master God and Lord Jesus Christ making those three the several attributes of Jesus Christ viz. that he is first our only Master secondly our only God and thirdly our only Lord. And this understood in the Catholick sense of the antient Fathers and Councils is a most divine truth that Christ is our Master by title of Redemption and our only Master not excluding God the Father and God the holy Ghost for as he and his Father are one so he and the holy Ghost are one also but all other pretenders such as Simon that thus assumed to himself to be that truly which Christ said he appeared to be here on earth and so in like manner in the same way of interpretation that Christ is our only God only Lord. And this interpretation proceeds upon that way of punctation which is ordinarily retained in our Copies no comma after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God but all read in one coherent sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our only master God and Lord Jesus Christ A second rendring may also possibly belong to it in case there were or ought to be a comma after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God For then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God being separated from that which follows would denote God the Father and consequently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only master must belong to him which if it doe then it must be affirmed of these Gnostick-hereticks the followers and worshippers of Simon that they did deny God the Father our only master as well as they denied our Lord Jesus Christ And so indeed we read of him that he assumed to be that God who appeared to Moses in mount Sinai and accordingly the statue was erected to him at Rome and that is the meaning of exalting himself above all that is called God 2 Thess 2. 4. and of what Irenaeus saith of him that he affirmed himself to be sublimissimam virtutem hoc est eum qui sit super omnia Pater the sublimest vertue that is him who is the Father above all things and that the Jews God was one of his Angels and a great deal more See 2 Thess 2. Note e. V. 7. Eternal fire The phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all other places Mat. 18. 8. and 24. 41 48. signifying the fire wherein the damned are tormented day and night for ever and ever Rev. 20. 10. it is yet thought probable that in this place being applied to these cities of Sodome c. it should be taken in another notion for an utterly-destroying fire such being the fire and brimstone that fell on those cities But for this there appeareth no necessity but on the other side there is a conjuncture of all circumstances of the Context to perswade the understanding it here of the fire of Hell as in all the other places For first It is evident that Sodome and Gomorrah and the cities about them signifie in this place the inhabitants of those cities for to those only and not to the walls and buildings of the cities belongs the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having given themselves over to fornication And then sure those that suffer the vengeance of eternal hell and therein are set forth for an example what we Christians falling into the like courses are to expect are not the walls but the inhabitants also Now of these it is here affirmed in the Present-tense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that thus formerly sinned are set forth a pattern or an example as men which are punished are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suffering or undergoing at the present when Jude writes it the vengeance of eternal fire Of the unbelieving Israelites he had affirmed v. 5. that God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Aorist destroyed them of the Angels v. 6. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having not kept but forsaken their principality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Preter-tense he hath kept them under darknesse ineverlasting chains unto the judgment of the great day and so of these cities in the Aorist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having given themselves over to fornication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and having gone But now in the latter part of the verse it is only in the Present-tense they are proposed or set forth a pattern or an example 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Present undergoing or suffering the vengeance of eternal fire either not at all referring by those words to their long agoe past destruction by fire and brimstone which was notorious in sacred story and so sufficiently intimated in the very mention precedent of Sodome and Gomorrah or if he did yet withall considering it as a judgment still continued then begun as an essay significative of what followed but still protracted without any release they still suffer or undergoe that vengeance of fire which fire is withall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never likely to have an end And this is the exactest and properest
put to death and so knowes how to have compassion on all faithfull Christians that suffer in like manner Heb. 2. 17. and rose again to life and now lives never to dye again and hath all power over that invisible state and continuance in death and over death it self see note on Mat. 11. 1. being able to fetch any man out of that condition and restore him to life again and so fit to relieve and reward any that suffers though it be death it self for his sake To which purpose saith he for the evidencing the truth of what now I say that is of my faithfull care of all those that continue constant to me whilst I destroy the obdurate 19. Write the things which thou hast seen and the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter Paraphrase 19. Do thou write the visions which thou hast formerly seen a representation both of the things which are now a doing and of others which shall soon follow after them 20. The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand and the seven golden Candlesticks The seven stars are the note h Angels of the seven Churches and the seven Candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven Churches Paraphrase 20. And for that which thou now seest which thou art to write also as I bad thee v. 11. the meaning of it is that it representeth to thee the seven Churches to which thou must communicate these visions in an Epistle and the seven Governours of them The seven starres which were shewed thee in the vision signifie so many Governours of those so many Churches v. 11. and the Candlesticks signifie the Churches themselves Annotations on Chap. I. V. 2. The testimony of Jesus The testimony of Jesus is the Gospel as it was preached and testified by him the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most creditable authentick witnesse ver 5. and accordingly 't is called I 1 Cor. 1. 6. the testimony of Christ and 2 Tim. 1. 8. the testimony of our Lord and the testimony of God 1 Cor. 2. 1. For as there is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 record or testimony that God testâ—fied of his Son Joh. 8. 18. both the voice from heaven and the miracles which he did c. and as the Apostles office and the Baptists Joh. 5. 30. was peculiarly that they should testifie of Jesus Joh. 19. 35. and 21. 24. Act. 1. 22. so it was the great Prophetick office of Christ that he should testifie of the truth declare the will of God and demonstrate by prophecies by miracles by laying down his life and by his Resurrection and descent of the holy Ghost that it was such see Note on ch 3. c. Thus in the ninth verse of this Chapter where John is said to be in the Isle Patmos that is banished for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus the meaning is evident that he was in that exile for having preached that Gospel of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Andreas Caesariensis the word of God is the Gospel which he wrote not that it is certain that he had written it when he was banished into Patmos but because that very Gospel which he wrote upon the entreaty of the Asian Bishops for the confuting of Cerinthus c. was in substance preached before by him throughout all Asia and many converted to the faith by it V. 4. Asia That Asia here signifies not that fourth part in the division of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in another notion of the word known to Geographers the Lydian or Proconsular Asia is largely demonstrated by the most reverend Archhishop of Armagh in his discourse on that subject Thus the word is used Act. 19. 26. where Paul is said to have perswaded much people not only at Ephesus but almost through all Asia where Asia must needs be that Province of which Ephesus was the chief Metropolis and so Act. 20. 18. all the Bishops of Asia are by letters sent to Ephesus summoned to meet Paul at Miletus where as he foretells them v. 29. that soon after his departure cruel ravenous wolves will enter in not spacing the flock and that among themselves will arise false teachers and accordingly Timothy was then left Metropolitan of Ephesus that he might charge such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to disseminate those false doctrines 1 Tim. 1. 3. so it appears it soon fell out for S. Paul tells Timothy 2 Tim. 1. 15. as a thing known by him that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all they that were in Asia rejected him which in all reason is to be understood of the generality of the Bishops near if not under this Metropolitan of whom two are there named by him Phygâ—llus and Hermogenes That it was the heresie of the Gnosticks that thus infested these Churches may appear by the Epistles to Timothy where they are distinctly named by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Science falsly so called 1 Tim. 6. 20. and by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fabulous Poetical Theologie consisting of strange Genealogies imitated from the heathen Poets which the Valentinians had from the Gnosticks and are described at large by Irenaeus in his description of that heresie And accordingly here is Christ's message sent to these Bishops of Asia to reprehend and warn them against this heresie Now in this Asia as there were many cities so there were some metropoles chief or mother cities to each of which the lesser adjacent cities were subordinate Of this sort the first was Ephesus saith Ulpian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inl Observ D. de Off. Procons Such again was Thyatira saith Ptolemie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Geogr. l. 1. c. 2. such Philadelphia in the Council of Constantinople sub Mena 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishop of the Metropolis of Philadelphia of the Province of the Lydians Of the same rank are Laodicea Sardis and Smyrna affirmed to be by Pliny Nat. hist l. 6. c. 29. as cities wherein the Roman Proconsuls residing kept courts for all the adjoyning cities to resort to and the same he affirms of Pergamus c. 30. By which it appears that all the seven cities here named were Metropoles and accordingly under these seven all other Christian Churches of this whole Proconsular Asia were contained of which number as it is reasonable to think that there were more then seven at the time of writing this Epistle Paul having spent two years in preaching the Gospel in Asia all the inhabitants said to have received the faith Act. 19. 10. so it is evident in Ignatius's time which was not long after this that Magnesia and Trallis upon the banks of Maeander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Stephanus Byzantius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being consequently included in this Asia were Episcopal Churches or cities Damas being Bishop of one Polybius of the other and so subordinate to the Metropolitan of Ephesus
age 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he fed and ruled the flock in all godlinesse and was therefore apprehended by the Idolaters the Devils that were worshipp'd among them appearing to them and telling them that they could not dwell there nor receive the sacrifices which were brought them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that they were driven away by Antipas Hereupon he was carried before the Prefect who endeavoured to perswade him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the old religion of the Gentiles was more venerable that Christianity was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 newly sprang received by few and so not so venerable as the Grecian worship To which he opposed the story of Cain and in him the antiquiquity of impiety Which yet sure said he was not fit for godly men to set before them for an example Whereby the Prefect being enraged put him into a brazen bull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein praising the mercy and power of God and giving him thanks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for what he was thought worthy to suffer for him c. he was there scalded to death and to him this inscription is set in a distich 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou art O Antipas set to wrestle with a bull which could scald but was not able to gore thee As for Mr. Brightman's wanton phansie of this name Antipas that it doth denote that the Martyrs of that age to which he refers that part of the Vision should be Antipapae or Antipopes it is too vain to be seriously repeated or considered V. 17. Hidden Manna Manna that bread that came down from heaven among the Israelites was so called from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeparavit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bread ready to eat sent down to them from heaven in the phrase of the Book of Wisdome By this may fitly be denoted all the inward comfort and refreshment and sustenance of souls which God affords Christians in this life the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. and particularly the inward joy that ariseth from the practice of Christian vertues which carry with them a blessednesse in this life especially of confessing and suffering for Christ and that is here said to be bestowed upon the Conquerour that is on him that holds out falls not away to eating of the Idol-feasts which they that did and by that means promised themselves advantage and safety are said by Eusebius speaking of those times to have failed of those very advantages they looked for being put to death by the persecutors under pretence of some other cause as guiltie of homicide c. and so to have perished without all comfort or hope of which the faithfull Confessors were so full A notable testimony we have of this in Eusebius l. 5. c. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. there was a strange disposal of divine providence observable at that time speaking of Polycarp's Martyrdome For they that when they were apprehended denied Christ were yet imprisoned as Christians and there kept as murtherers and abominable persons and so were doubly miserable above others whose afflictions were alleviated saith he by the joy of suffering for Christ by the hope of Gods promises by their love to Christ and the Spirit of the Father which all together make up the Manna here spoken of And this is fitly here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hidden or secret because it is enjoyed in the heart of the Christian only Ib. White stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies properly calculus a stone such as they used in popular Judicatures or Elections the custome being to give their votes in either of these by such stones These were either white or black the white was a token of absolution or approbation the black of condemnation or rejection Agreeably hereunto as there were Judges in the Agones so there were calculi too by which the Victors reward was assigned to him a white stone noting it and the Victors name with the value of the prize written on it That these are here referred to appears by the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him that overcometh will I give noting that reward which the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did adjudge to them whom they approved of viz. to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 approved and conquerours as it is in the Oracle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ will be sure to give them their due rewards and will crown those that are approved Accordingly the Roman Caesars in their games which were in some kind imitations of the Grecians had their tesserae ligneae which they threw among the people with the name of Corn or Plate or Servants or Garments written on them which being caught by any and carried to such an Officer brought him that whatsoever it was which was written on it And so Aristides the Orator saith he received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Aesculapius See Canter Novar Lect. l. 5. c. 21. And this reward is here said to be a new name that is the name of Christ on this white stone noting the reward of perseverance in Christianity to belong to him of whom 't is here said that 't is an honour and dignity that no man can judge the advantages of but he that hath received it as amongst us he that draws in a Lotterie hath in the paper answerable to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here which he draws the name of the prize which belongs to him and that he so draws that no man but himself knows what it is Thus c. 19. 12. speaking of Christ's victory over his enemies by bringing some to Christianity and destroying others it is first said that he hath many crowns upon his head each of those being a testimony of a victory over some kingdom and then to the same purpose it follows he hath a name that no man knows but himself that is such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or white stone or counter on which his name is written by which he is to receive his reward which according to this custome here may be looked on and seen by himself but by no body else without his permission And what that reward was is after set down in that place v. 16. under the title of his name to be King of Kings c. that is for the Princes of the world to be converted to Christianity V. 18. Thyatira That Thyatira is the name of a City then in being really appears from Act. 16. 14. As for Mr. Brightman's fansie that the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a young or new-born daughter and so notes the growing piety of the Church from the year 1300 to 1520 which saith he as a young child grows till it comes to perfection this may go in the number of his profound inventions of which he would perswade the Readers that they are the dictates of the holy Ghost which was
Jerusalem as of the Metropolis of all Judaea sitting in the middle chair or seat or throne that of the greatest dignity which belonged to James and thereupon the determination of the Council was delivered by him Act. 15. 19. V. 4. Round about the throne The meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 round about the throne will probably be discerned by the antient manner of sitting in Council or Consistory among the Jews first and afterward among Christians A representation we have of it Dan. 7. 9. from which place this here seems to be taken as many other things in this out of that prophecie I beheld till the seats or thrones were pitched not thrown down as we read but pitched or set donec throni positi sunt saith the Vulgar and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Seventy and Theodotion and the Chaldee word is the same that is used by the Chaldee Paraphrase Jer. 1. 15. for the setting of thrones where the Hebrew hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall set every one his throne and then it follows and the antient of the daies did sit placing him in the midst of the other thrones as the father or head of the Consistory and the judgment was set v. 10. that is the whole Sanhedrim the rest of the Elders c. seated on those thrones round about or on each side of the head or Prince of the Consistory and the books were opened preparative to the judicature So in like manner in the Christian Church where the Bishop and his Presbyters in any lesser city and the Metropolitane and his bishops in the Metropolis are thus placed the Presbyters or the Bishops sitting at the East end of the Church in the form of a semicircle and the Bishop or Metropolitane in a chair or throne of some eminence in the midst of the Presbyters or Bishops seats with those on each side of him and then the Deacons attending or waiting on them So in Ignatius's Epistle to the Magnesians we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Laurentian copie now rightly reads it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the printed Copies were wont to have it with your most reverend Bishop and the spiritual crown of the Presbyterie noting the Presbyters sitting on each side of the Bishop in the fashion of a crown not of a full circle for a crown was not so antiently but a large semicircle with two ends by which 't was put over and tyed about the head and accordingly the Constellation in heaven so called is not a whole or complete circle And thus in the Apostol Constit l. 2. we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the crown of the Church that is the Bishops and Presbyters in Consistory And indeed this manner of sitting in an half-circle was but the same with their accubitus or lying at meat in an half-round called Sigma from the old fashion of that letter C where the most honourable place was that in the middle as some learned men have collected from 1 Sam. 20. 25. The King sate upon his seat as at other times even upon his seat by the wall where supposing the form of sitting to be semicircular the seat by the wall will be necessarily the middle of the circle And thus in the Apost Constit l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the Bishops seat or throne be placed in the midst and on each side of him let the Presbyâ—erie sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and let the Deacons stand by And so Greg. Nazianzen a Bishop in his dream describes himself sitting in the midst and his Presbyters in chairs on each hand of him And in Theodoret Eccl. Hist l. 5. c. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the middle seat is the Bishops chair and the way propounded to compose the difference between Paulinus and Miletius is to set the Gospel in that middle seat and they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sit on each side And the Author of the Ecclesiastick Hierarchie c. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Bishop is placed in the midst not of the Altar but of that part of the Church which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which what it is will best appear by the Scholiast on Nazianzen's first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie the whle Church but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the nave signifies the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which the divine table of the mysteries or communion-table is placed by which it appears both that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the whole space within the Sept and not only the Altar or Table therein and also that the Bishops being seated in the midst of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the taking his place at the upper end of the Church within the Sept with the Presbyters on each side of him which is also the way of interpreting and understanding all that is said in the ancient Writers and Liturgies of encompassing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of the Bishop and Presbyters sitting in a semicircle at the upper end of the Chancel Which is also the reason why in Ignatius Ep. ad Ephes being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies living obediently to the Bishop and his Consistory in all things and assembling with them in the publick service of God in the Church V. 4. Four and twenty Elders Having seen what was meant by him that sitteth on the highest or middle throne God in the thing signified but the Bishop of Jerusalem in the representation it will presently follow that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders on the thrones round about him are those which sate in Council with this Bishop in the same manner as Act. 15. we find the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders mentioned That those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders signified the Bishops of Judaea not the Presbyters as we now call them of that one city hath been said Note on Act. 11. b. For indeed it no way appears that at that time there were any such Presbyters as soon after and now we have any middle order between the singular Bishop in each Church and the Deacons attending on him And beside it is said of every of these that he had on his head a golden crown parallel to that of Josuah the High-priest Zach. 6. 11. that is a golden mitre such as the High-Priest had under the Law call'd indifferently a crown and a mitre which cannot belong to inferior Presbyters but doth fitly represent the power of rulers that is Bishops in the Church without attributing any thing of regality to them And therefore in all probability they must signifie here the Archbishop of Jerusalem the Metropolis of all Judaea and all the Bishops of that Province sitting in Council with him Otherwise the manner of sitting being the same
more but the sin of slaying the Christians and the vengeance that in justice from God and by the promise of Christ was due to it And the whole passage seems to allude to 2 Esdr 4. 35. where the souls of the righteous ask in their chambers saying How long c. and the answer is as here By measure hath he measured the times c. and he doth not stirre them till the said measure be fulfilled and ch 15. 8. Behold the innocent and righteous blood crieth unto me and the souls of the just complain continually and therefore saith the Lord I will surely avenge c. And so here the great persecutions and slaughters of the Christians wrought by the Jewes added to their crucifying of Christ provoked God's vengeance on them which should shortly be poured out in fury they still going on to slay more James the Bishop of Jerusalem known by the name of the Just and others whose slaughters by their own confession brought down that fatal destruction upon them V. 12. Great earthquake Of the great earthquakes in divers places saith S. Luke which were both in Asia and at Rome see Eusebius in Chronico in the time of Nero and Baronius An. Chr. 68. Neronis 12. and so also of the Eclipse of the Sun and of a starre or comet like a sword that stood over the city and continued a year and of a great light that shined about the Altar and the Temple at nine of the night upon the feast of unleavened bread for half an hour together and of Meteors that were seen through all the region and of an apparition in the clouds of chariots and troops of armed men encompassing the city and many the like see Eusebius Eccl. Hist l. 3. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prodigies manifestly fore-signifying the approaching desolation and sermons as it were of God himself which is the meaning of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the signe of the Son of man appearing in heaven Mat. 24. 30. And among these Meteors the falling starres that are here described v. 13. would go for no great rarity But Arethas mentions some of the ancients who interpret this earthquake here tropologically of Vespasian's siege of Jerusalem and so it may well be understood and by analogie all the rest also See Note g. Ib. The Sun became black That the blacknesse of the Sun and bloodiness of the Moon and the falling of stars from heaven upon the ground have a literal interpretation of which they are capable so as to note prodigies in the heavens Eclipses and Meteors c. there is no doubt But yet here they are sure brought to signifie something else For if these words be compared with Mat. 24. 29. to which they are perfectly parallel it will appear that they are not a setting down the prodigies before the siege of Jerusalem but that that being set down v. 15. the darkning of the Sun c. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after that tribulation or pressure All the question is whether these here be only a general representation of slaughters and blood-shedding which because when they are excessive they may cause clouds and meteors in the aire are by some thought to be so express'd ordinarily in the Prophets or whether they may not signifie the falling of these judgements upon the Civil and Ecclesiastical state represented by Sun and Moon and the whole multitude of that people signified by the stars of heaven And the latter of these seems the more probable see Note on Mat. 24. n. for thus in the Prophets of the Old Testament it is ordinary as when we read for the iniquity of the people is the land darkned and the like that is the glory and lustre of it destroyed An eminent example directly parallel to this we have Isa 34. 4. All the host of heaven shall be dissolved and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll and all their host shall fall down as the leaf falleth off from the Vine and the falling figg from the figge-tree and my sword shall be bathed in heaven And all this but a representation of God's judgements upon Idumaea as in the next words it followeth And so the host of heaven Dan. 8. 10. is set to denote the Jewes which being supposed the starres that here fall will be the common people or multitude of that whole Nation all express'd distributively in the words that follow v. 15. the Kings and great ones and the rich and commanders of thousands and the mighty and every servant and freeman see Note on Chap. 8. c. V. 15. The Kings of the earth That this prophecy belongs to the Jewes hath been cleared by other evidences and accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be translated the Kings of the land and signifie in this place those that had or assumed to themselves the greatest authority among them and not in any stricter sense Kings or Heads of the people for that notion is not appliable to any that were at Jerusalem at this point of time to which this Vision refers see Note i. And proportionably must the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great men denote the principal that were then in the city And then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the commanders or officers in their armies the leaders of the several factions as will appear Note i. being elsewhere used for Roman officers of their militia And then the rich men the bond-man and the free-man make up all that were in Jerusalem at this time express'd as 't is the fashion of the Scripture by the several sorts of them Ib. Hid themselves in the dens This hiding themselves in dens or caves is an expression of a great fear and consternation and the thing that was foretold by S. Luke c. 21. 26. Men despairing for fear and for the expectation of the things that were a coming on that people and this there immediately attending the Gentiles treading down of Jerusalem ver 24. This makes it not so fit to apply it to their flying to the mountains which was before the siege or to those fears that were produced by the prodigies the forerunners of the destruction such as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the promiscuous noise or voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us remove thence which was generally thought to signifie the departure of God from the Temple adytis arÃsque relictus for this still was before the destruction but the passage to which this most punctually relates is that in the very time of destroying the city by Titus For when the Temple was burnt and the Priests hanged up and upon an affront offered to Titus refusing to relieve or take quarter from him the souldiers were permitted to plunder and fire all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or seditious go to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Palace where many had laid up their wealth drive out
the Romans thence kill eight thousand of them four thousand Jewes that had gotten thither for shelter plunder the place and the whole lower city and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 retired to the upper city Sion the best fortified place and there planted themselves For the taking of this Titus was fain to use engines of battery and to that end to cast up works And having done so assoon as ever a piece of the wall was beaten down of a sudden a strange fright and consternation took them some crying out that the whole wall on the West was demolished others that the Romans were entred others that they saw them in the Towers and such a change followed in the mindes of all their leaders or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parallel to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kings and mighty men and commanders here that they that were just now in the greatest pride and rage and contempt of their enemies and by the deceits of false prophets suborned by them endeavoured to make all confident that they should have successe now trembled and quaked and sought which way to fly upon which Josephus observes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the power of God upon impious men For saith he the Tyrants of their own accords coming down out of their towers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quitted their garrisons which otherwise no force could have been able to take And a multitude of them endeavouring to get away but being not able to doe so run into caves under ground and into the foulest vaults and so the Romans took the towers and burnt the houses kill'd a multitude in the streets without any the least opposition And so the city was taken this being the last act of that bloody tragedy as here this hiding in the caves appears to be attended immediately with these words for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand answerable to the Romans setting up their ensigns on those towers at this point of time and celebrating their victory with shouts and singing as Josephus saith adding that when Titus came and saw these towers thus madly forsaken by the Jewes he wondred exceedingly and left them standing for a monument of his strange successe when he demolished all other walls of the city After this the Romans making a narrow search in all the noisome vaults and caverns they kill'd whom they found there And John one of the Generals of the seditious being almost famish'd in a vault begg'd quarter and was taken out and kept in prison and so Simon son of Gioras the other of their Generals having gotten into an inner vault after some dayes his victuals failing came out of the vault in his white stole and purple garment and yielded himself to a Roman souldier that was left there And him Titus reserved to be carried in triumph to Rome with him And for the rest of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seditious and robbers so call'd from their short sword that is the remainders of the two factions the Zelots being before murthered by the former of them in the Temple they were appeached by one another and brought out and either kill'd by the Romans or kept to adorn the triumph or sent as slaves into Aegypt or in the several provinces set to fight with wilde beasts on the Theatres So exactly true is it which is here said that as the Kings and great ones so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every servant and every free-man did thus hide themseves in the caves as the final completion of this destruction And if the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the stones of the mountains have any farther peculiarity of signification it may fitly be interpreted of the walls of the Temple where Josephus saith the Priests hid themselves at the time of the fiting of the Temple by the Roman souldiers from whence five days after they came out being forced by hunger and were brought to Titus and put to death To which purpose it is commonly known that as the Temple is called the mountain or hill of the Lord so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stones may fitly signifie walls that are made of stone and so may probably signifie Mat. 27. 51. the walls of the Temple rather then the Tomb-stones And if so then their hiding themselves in the walls of the Temple as Josephus relates will be literally expres'd by this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the stones of the mountains or if not yet prophetically and mystically it may thus be signified as that which follows their crying to the mountains to fall upon them is a prophetical expression to signifie the sadnesse and direfulnesse of their present condition V. 16. Wrath of the Lamb The anger of the Lamb and the great day of his anger here v. 16 and 17. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thine anger ch 11. 18. are set to expresse this vengeance on the Jewes whereof the crucifixion of Christ was so great and particular a provoker Hence is it that in the Gospel 't is called the kingdome of God and the coming of Christ and in Josephus and Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divine visitation Euseb l. 3. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destruction from divine vengeance c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 punishment from God ibid. and all this from S. Luke ch 21. 22. who calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 days of vengeance from God poured out upon them remarkably for what they had done unto Christ And one phrase yet more eminent there is to the same purpose Rev. 16. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the warre of the great day of God that ruleth all that is the bloody destruction which this just judgment of God brought upon them for their crucifying of Christ and persecuting and killing of Christians CHAP. VII 1. AND after these things I saw four Angels standing on the four corners of note a the earth holding the four winds of the earth that the wind should not blow on the earth nor on note b the sea nor on any tree Paraphrase 1. After the general view and description of God's vengeances on the Jews succeed now the particular executions of them and therein the first thing that was represented to me was Christ's peculiar care for the preserving of the true penitent believers of them out of the common destruction who are therefore first to be mark'd as the houses of the Israelites in Aegypt that the plague may passe over them and so secured before the vengeance break out upon them in common This is here thus expres'd in vision I saw saith he four Angels that had power to bring punishments famine c. foretold c. 6. upon Judaea but making stay before they would do it not permitting any of these mischiefs as yet to break out upon them 2. And
as such or else the finding this out will be matter of wisdome a work of sagacity in any and yet possible when the time comes to be observed for the way of numbring here mentioned is that which is of ordinary use among men Annotations on Chap. XIII V. 1. The name of blasphemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 name of blasphemy literally signifies such a title as cannot be assumed or owned without blasphemy Now blasphemy is committed two waies either by speaking contumeliously of the true God or giving divine honour to any else which is also the taking that honour which is due to him alone and bestowing it upon others and so as contrary to his being acknowledged the one God as the using him reproachfully is to his being God And therefore it is that Paul and Barnabas having divine honours attributed to them at Lystra they rent their clothes Act. 14. 14. in the same manner as was usual among them when any man was heard to blaspheme signifying thereby that sacrificing to any creature is direct blasphemy against the Creator Now what this title of blasphemy was which is here referred to is specified by S. Jerome Qu. II. ad Algas Aeterna cùm dicitur quae temporalis â—â—st nomen est blasphemiae The city Rome was called the Eternal city So Ausonius Gallus urbis ab aeternae deductam rege Quirino Annorum seriem Haec eâ—it aeternae series ab origine mundi which to be attributed to any thing which had a beginning and shall certainly have an end is a name of blasphemy So in the same words Prosper Aeterna cùm dicitur quae temporalis est utique nomen est blasphemiae cùm mortales licet reges in ea dic antur Divi eisque suppliâ—es dicunt Numini vestro altaribus vestris perennitati vestrae c. For that which is temporal to be called eternal is the name of blasphemy when their Kings though mortal are called gods and their suppliants addresse to them in this style To your Deity your altars your eternity c. See ch 17. Note a. But beside this and what Athenaeus saies of it l. 1. where he enstyles it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rome the Coelestial or heavenly city it appears by many antient Roman coines set down by Goltzius in Thesauro that Rome was called a Goddesse there being many such inscriptions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rome a Goddesse Accordingly the people of Smyrna built a Temple to it saith Tacitus hist l. 3. and other Provinces used the like flattery erected Temples appointed Priests to the Goddesse Rome and at last Adrian raised a stately Temple and called it Templum Romae Augustorum the Temple of Rome and of the Emperors that is dedicated to them as to gods saith Dio in Adriano And accordingly this idolatry or blasphemy is taxed by Prudentius colitur nam sanguine ipsa More Deae Noménque lociceu numen adorant Rome is worshipp'd by sacrifice after the manner of a Goddesse and they adore the Name of the city as a deity And to this it is agreeable that many other Copies read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 names of blasphemy in the Plural more such blasphemous titles beside that of urbs Aeterna the Eternal city that one of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Goddesse and the erecting Temples to it containing all imaginable blasphemies in it V. 3. One of his heads What is here meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One of the heads will be judged first by the notion of head secondly of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one The head is the uppermost part of a man and so proverbially signifies any thing that is most eminent or conspicuous and so here v. 1. the seven heads are most probably the seven hills on which Rome was built Then for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that for want of degrees of comparison in the Hebrew language is by an Hebraisme oft taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first as Mat. 28. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not one but the first of the week Both these concurre to apply this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Capitol at Rome to which it belongs so properly and characteristically For first the word Capitol cerntainly comes from Caput and head and Livy renders the reason for it that a mans head being found in that place where that was after built Caput Toli the head of Tolus saith Arnobius the Oracle answered Eo loco caput summámque imperii fore that the head and top of the Empire should be there Secondly In this place was the Temple of Jupiter called therefore Jupiter Capitolinus and he being the first or chief of the gods the place where his Temple stood may well be the principal of the heads of this city Now that this head is here said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slaughter'd or smitten to death this clearly belongs to the burning of the Capitol which fell out twice about these times First It was set afire by those that accompanied Sabinus and Domitian thither and who were there besieged by Vitellius's souldiers a little before the death of Vitellius whose successor Vespasian being returned out of Judaea and having committed the warre against the Jewes to his son Titus in the very next year at which time the Temple at Jerusalem was burnt re-built the Capitol most sumptuously and restored Jupiter's Temple in it Which as it was a kind of recovery of Rome from a mortal disease express'd by a coin of Vespasian's inscribed Roma resurges Rome thou shalt rise again so it was looked on as a great expression of the wrath of God against the Jews that at that time not onely their Temple was burnt but that other of Jupiter at Rome permitted to be re-built and at Jerusalem heathen sacrifices offer'd in the Temple of God by the Roman souldiers and all Gods Priests ferch'd out of their caves or hiding-places and killed by Titus's command O this re-edifying the Capitol see Tacitus hist l. 4. And to this the words here would commodiously enough be appliable But besides this there was a second wounding of this first head another burning of the Capitol in Titus's reign which was by lightning and so esteemed to be sent from heaven And this is more proper to this point of time to which this Vision belongs and being done asâ— from heaven might from thence be more fitly objected to Idolatry as a deadly wound to that worship of Jupiter And this was so sumptuously repaired by Domitian whose time is the subject of the Vision in this chapter that Martial makes Jupiter indebted to him for it Pro Capitolinis quid enim tibi solvere templis Quid pro Tarpeiae frondis honoure potest what can Jupiter pay thee for his Temple in the Capitol And on this 't is said that the whole earth wondred after the beast Where by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole earth or land the Roman Territories are most
appliable to Constantine and his sons and the Christian Commanders under him V. 13. Unclean Spirits What is here meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unclean spirits may in part be resolved by Eusebius in the story of Maxentius Eccl. hist l. 9. c. 9. where the first thing that he saith of him is that he relied on Magical arts in this whole matter and thereupon kept himself up close in Rome and would not go out of it So again De vita Constant l. 1. c. 30. At last he fâ—ll to Magick and Sorcery sometimes cut up women great with child sometimes ript up the bowels of tender infants sometimes killed lions all to divine thereby He often used wicked adjurations to raise up Devils saith he by whose help he might avert the violence of the warre from him hoping that they would help him to the victory Now these impure spirits are here said to be three but the Kings MS. wants that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three If we read it without three then it is already explained that he made use of Magick and Augury But if the word three be retained then either may it signifie that he betook himself wholly to these arts the number of three as of seven having oft no other importance in it but to signifie a great deal or else peculiarly these three sorts first Augury or divination by entrails secondly Calling up of devils both particularly mention'd by Eusebius and thirdly the use of the Sibylline Oracles which the Roman Sorcerers and Diviners generally dealt in and Maxentius made use of see Zozimus l. 2. Of these it is farther said that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as frogs referring to those creatures brought forth upon Aegypt by the Magicians at Pharaohs command Exod. 8. 7. Of which as it is known that they are impure creatures breeding and dwelling in the mire and so these impure spirits or arts are fitly compared to them so it is also observable how uselesse and unprofitable they are they croak but do nothing else and so they fitly resemble these Magical arts which made a great noise but never brought him the least advantage but rather hastened his ruine by relying on them Then these frogs are said to come out of the mouth of the Dragon and the beast and the false prophet which again if the word three be not retained will conclude these Magical arts which he made use of to proceed promiscuously from these three but if the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three be retained then it will be proper to confine the responses of the devils when they were raised by him to the first of the three those that came out ofâ— the mouth of the Dragon for that is every where the Devils title in this Book see Note on c. 12. d. and 13. b. and the devils being as was said raised by Maxentius to direct and assist him the first of these frogs is said to have come out of the devils mouth immediately Secondly the art of divining by entrails and to that purpose killing of women and children as well as beasts being directly a piece of Heathenisme confined to their Augurs and Priests the second of these frogs is said to have come out of the mouth of the Beast that is Idol worship so called c. 13. 1. the Priests being the mouth thereof Thirdly the heathen Prophets undertaking to fetch grounds of their predictions most frequently from the Books of the Sibyls such fragments thereof as were remaining among them the third frog is said to come out of the mouth of the false prophet that is of the Colledge of diviners which thus by study in those Oracles undertook to foretell things to come And of all these it is said that they did signes either by foretelling sometimes things that came to pass which gave them authority among men or else by shewing some deceitfull wonders and that they went out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon or to the Kings of the whole world that is to Maxentius the Emperor and his Commanders under him call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kings in the Plural see Note f. and incited them to the war of the great day of God that is to fight with Constantine that instrument of Gods to bring in Christianity into the Empire V. 16. Armageddon What Armageddon which is here said to be an Hebrew word signifies or of what composition it is is a matter of some question The Learned H. Grotius conceives it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mount of meeting to note the place and battel where the armies met viz. on Constantine's side 90000 foot and 8000 horse of Germans Gauls and Britans on Maxentius's side 170000 foot and 18000 horse of Romans Italians c. in Zozimus and that this is here said in reference not to the valley of Megiddo where Josias was slain but to the waters of Megiddo Judg. 5. 9. where the Canaanites were slain by Barac which appears the more probable because the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Greek rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Eusebius Praep. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mount Gerizin But another composition of the word may be yet more probable viz. that of Drusius that it be made up of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the excision or destruction of their Armies as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew or their fortunes all their former good successes as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Chaldee signifies And so the clear meaning of the verse is this that the evil spirits v. 14. the Magicians and Augurs c. gathered them together so 't is said ver 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to them in the Plural neuter belongs the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Singular caused them to fight this great battel with Constantine which was the utter destruction of that great army of the Heathens and so a very heavy judgment or excision the effect of the Vial of the sixth Angel This victory of Constantine over Maxentius was so signal and considerable that as Onufrius tells us Fast l. 2. the Indictions that known way of computing of times among the Romans were taken from thence ab eaque die primam Indictionem inchoari saith Baronius and from that day the first Indiction began ut liberatam à Maxentii tyrannide urbem Ecclesiam indicaret that it might proclaim and commemorate the freeing of the City and Church from Maxentius's tyranny By which it may appear how memorable a passage this was and how fit to be the matter of this Vision See Abr. Bucholcers Chronology Anno Chr. 312. V. 17. It is done It is usual in Prophecies to set down the sad events most covertly Thus Scaliger observes Augures sedentes in templo abstinebant vocibus malè nominatis ideóque Alteram avem potiùs quà m Aversam dicebant The Augurs as sitting
were brought under some yoke which was in the eighteenth year of his Empire See Euseb in Chronic. and then in the same year he and Maximian contrived and decreed the general persecution over the whole Empire which before that time was but in some parts See Euseb l. 8. c. 1. and 9. From these considerations I say it may be collected that this was a time in which the Pagan bordering Princes might be stirred up in compliance with such Emperors to persecute poor Christians within their Territories and yet that persecution last but a very short time partly because the condition of that sort of people is to be restlesse and always attempting somewhat upon their neighbours that did thus awe them being impatient of any yoke and partly because Diocletian resigned the Empire about two years after That we cannot attain unto a full knowledge of the proceedings of that time the reason of Baronius is good because no writer of that time who did set down by way of History the actions of Diocletian is extant the work of Claudius Eusthenius his Secretary who did write the actions of him and his three collegues being perished In this obscurity of the time we can but guesse but this conjecture is probable and suits well with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the short space and all other circumstances of the Context V. 5. Mysterie The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a secrecy It is also an unclean word set by Achilles Tatius to signifie the nakednesse of a woman Among the Gentiles it was used to denote their secretest Idol-worships their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being for the most part very unclean and abominable as in their Eleusinia sacra c. they were generally styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and divided into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their greater lesser mysteries These faith Tertullian the Gnosticks imitated and had in their worships curtains drawn and silence strictly kept to vail and keep secret what they did Hence is it that this word is here thought fit to expresse the Idolatry and heathen-worship of this city which had generally this of uncleannesse joined with it V. 8. d. Which was and is not That Domitian had and exercised all power at Rome in his Father Vespasian's time whilst he was employed abroad in Syria c. appears by Tacitus who saith of him distinctly Domitianum Caesarem consalutatum c. that Domitian was saluted by the name of Caesar Hist l. 3. in fine and nomen sedémque Caesaris Domitianus acceperat Domitian had received the name and throne of Caesar l. 4. in initi◠and by all other writers of those times At the return of Vespasian he was devested of his power and so though he had been Emperor and still continued alive at that point of time to which this part of the Vision refers yet 't is true of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is not by which it may be guest at what time these Visions were written at least to what time this Vision refers viz. to the time of Vespasian after his return out of Syria the war being left unto Titus And this distinctly appears v. 10. by the enumeration of the eight Emperours there of which Claudius being the first Nero second Galba third Otho fourth Vitellius fifth it is there said five are fallen and one is that is is now alive at this point of the Vision viz. Vespasian and Titus the seventh is not yet come and after his short reign then v. 11. follows this successor of his Domitian described as here by the title of he which was and is not and is the eighth for so he was and is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of or from the seven that is the son or off spring of one of them viz. of Vespasian This person being a great persecutor of Christians God's judgments were remarkably to fall upon him which is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he goeth to perdition v. 11. for he was butcher'd by his own servants and Apollonius Tyaneus the great Magician is said to have cryed out at Ephesus many miles off at the minute when he was kill'd Strike the Tyrant strike the Tyrant and to have told them Believe it the Emperour is kill'd this very moment which the Devil it seems whether from this and the like prophecies of God here or by his speedy conveyance of what he saw I cannot affirm by his familiarity with that Magician enabled him thus to declare V. 14. Warre with the Lamb Warring with the Lamb signifies opposing and persecuting Christianity not as if there were set battels between them and Christians but such as are supposeable against those whose principle was to suffer not to resist the persecuting Emperors under whom they were For this is the condition of the Lamb here to endure to be slaughter'd but not to fight again This is here said of these ten Kings confederate with the Romans that they should thus war that is be used as souldiers to execute the Romans bloodinesse upon Christians and this is true of the Goths and others while they were consederate with heathen Rome though soon after they themselves came over to Christianity though most to Arianisme Gothi per legatos supplices poposcerunt ut illis Episccpi à quibus Christiane fidei regulam discerent mitterentur Valens imperator Doctores Ariani dogmatis misit Gothi primae fidei rudimentum quod accepere tenuerunt The Goths desired by their Embassadors that Bishops might be sent them from whom they might learn the Rule of faith Valens the Emperour sent them Arian Doctors The Goths retained those rudiments which they first received Oros l. 7. c. 33. no doubt much forwarded therein by seeing the patience and constancy of Christian Martyrs who have no other way to overcome their enemies and so in that only respect are said to conquer them here that is to bring them to Christianity and subject them to Christ's kingdome For of Alaricus 't is clear that he was then a Christian and sent Embassies to Honorius by Bishops see Sozomen l. 9. c. 8. and that Attalus was baptized by Sigesarius a Gothish Bishop and by that was the dearer to Alaricus and all the Goths c. 9. And that in reverence to S. Peter Alaricus gave mercy to all those that fled to his Temple for Sanctuary and restored all that was taken out of the Church by a Gothish souldier who astonish'd with the richnesse of the sight told Alaricus of it and at the putting all in their places sung an hymne to God Barbarians and Romans together saith Orosius l. 7. c. 20. 39. and so 't is clear of the greatest part of the army of whom faith Orosius Christiani fuere qui parcerent c. they were Christians that spared Christians who were spared Christians for the memory of whom there was any such thing as sparing To the
manifestation of this pertains that passage set down by Hieron Rubeus that Saul an Hebrew or as others affirme a Pagan who had the chief command under Stilico designing to take advantage and set upon the Goths when they were not prepared did it upon Easter-day And Alaricus discerning their approach sent to desire he would deferre the fight till the morrow in respect of the religion of the day promising then to meet him But Saul would not hearken to it but set upon them unarmed and holding up their hands and eyes in prayer to heaven for aid in tam sancti mysterii celebratione in the performance of the duties of the day and so killed many of them till Alaricus after the space of an hour saying that they had now satisfied the religion of the day and exhorting his souldiers to follow him stoutly brake in upon them with a great army and repulsed and put them to flight and if Honorius and Stilico had not come to their relief eo omnino die de Roma tâ—rrarum domina quae victori praemium er at futura actum fuisset Rome had been destroyed upon the Fate of that day V. 16. Make her desolate The Goths and Vandals overrunning Italy and Rome it self Alaricus the Goth and Gensericus the Vandal Kings and divers others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many Kings making insurrections saith Sozomen is famously known in story See Socrat. 1. 7. c. 10. Sozom. 1. 9. c. 6. Of the spoils also that were made by them Historians are plentiful especially Procopius Of Alaricus and his that they left nothing behind them either of private or publick treasure the Commander giving order to his souldiers saith Sozomen l. 6. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to plunder all the wealth of the city and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as near as was possible to spoil every house Of Gensericus that he brought by sea to Carthage a vast deal of gold and silver and that he robb'd the Temple of Jupiter Capiâ—olinus or Olympius So Socrates of Alaricus that they took the city and rifled it and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 burnt many of those admirable spectacles So also that they conquer'd many Provinces of the Romans and possess'd them as their own as Dacia Pannonia Thrace Illyricum France Spain Africk Italy and Dalmatia which is here called the eating of the flesh of the whore As for their burning of the city though that signifie not their burning it all down to the ground but onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many buildings of the city and in Socrates the many admirable spectacles there that is known to be done by Totilas at the first entring the city though Bellisarius was a means that 't was not all burnt down see Procopius Goth. 4. and Sozomen l. 9. c. 6. This being done in the time of Honorius the Emperour and Innocentius Bishop of Rome so in time of Christianity may be thought not to belong to heathen Rome But then 't is observable 1. that by the providence of God not onely Honorius himself was out of the city but that Innocentius after the first taking of it before the second was like Lot out of Sodom â—aith Orosius l. 7. c. 39. removed out of that city to Ravenna where the Emperor was on occasion of an Embassy mention'd by Sozomen l. 9. c. 7. and by Zozimus 2 dly that there were at that time very many professors of Gentilisme there in the Senate not only in the city as may appear by that passage in Sozomen that at the first siege 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gentiles of the Senate or those of the heathen profession there thought it necessary to worship and sacrifice in the Capitol and other heathen Temples which 't is clear were then among them some Thuscian Magi being sent for by Aitalus the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Governour of the city who promised by thunder and lightning to drive away the Barbarians Continuò de repetendis sacris celebrandisque tractatur Presently they entred into consultation about restoring their Gentile sacrifices and offering them Oros l. 7. c. 38. And another passage there is in Sozomen c. 9. that upon the miscarriage of Attalus his losing that dignity of Emperour of which he was so ambitious that he would not be content to be a partner with Honorius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the Gentile Idolaters that were in the city and those of the Arian party were extremely troubled the Gentiles guessing by Attalus's inclination and former course being but now lately become Christian since from being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Governour of Rome he was now joined with Alaricus and christned by a Gothish Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did verily believe that he would profess'dly favour and set up Gentilisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and restore the antient temples and feasts and sacrifices And indeed 't is clear by the passages of the story that though the Heathens in Rome were the men that called Alaricus to their assistance to take the patronage of them yet by God's turning of things it â—el out that they beyond all others found the vengeance of his coming to light heavily upon them Nay 't is Orosius's observation that God permitted Alaricus to enter the city that he might bring contumely and reproach upon the Idolaters or Heathens there and give the triumph and victory to Christian religion over Gentilisme now conquer'd and laid prostrate and that many Gentiles or Pagans astonish'd with what they saw thus brought to passe quite contrary to their expectation turned Christians by this means 1. 7. c. 39 Thirdly it was the common complaint of the Gentiles at that time that the reception of Christianity had provoked the gods to send these vastations upon them the direct contrary of which is at large shewed by Salvian De providentia viz. that the Christians were the only preservers of the world and indeed it is clear by the story that had it not been for them Rome had been quite destroyed for saith Sozomen Alaricus when he took it commanded his souldiers to rifle the city c. but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through reverence to S. Peter he commanded that the Church built about his Tomb which takes up a great circuit and could hold a great multitude should be a sanctuary to all that would make use of it and so faith Orosius Gothi relict â intentione praedandi ad confugia salutis hoc est sanctorum locorum agmina ignara cogentes The Goths gave over their intention of rifling and forced troops of Christians not knowing what they did to save themselves by flying to consecrated places And I sidore adds that of those that were by the souldiers found out of the Churches as many as named the name of Christ or the Christian Saints were constantly spared by the souldiers and that thus many thousands did escape By which means the Christians were generally delivered and saved from the general destruction and also
with them some Gentiles saith S. Augustine De civ Dei l. 11. c. 1. which fled with the Christians to the monuments of the Martyrs and the Basilicae of the Apostles and so were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or escapers here too as before among the Jewes at the destruction of Jerusalem And as he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. this was the cause that Rome was not quite destroyed those that were saved there in that Sanctuary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he being many who afterward rebuilt the city c. 9. And Sozomen c. 10. hath a famous story to this purpose of a young souldier that having taken a very handsome Christian woman and being by her constancy kept from defiling her carryed her to the Basiliâ—a that so she might be safe from all others and kept pure for her own husband And S. Jerome on the other side tells of some Christians which thinking by dissembling or concealing their religion to save themselves were miserably used but at last being discerned to be Christians were released and carryed safe to the Basilica See Jerom. Ep. 16. ad Princip Ep. 8. in the former mentioning this of Marcella and Principia in the latter of Proba Juliana and Demetrias But then fourthly which is most to be considered even the sins of Rome Christian at this time were so great as most justly to bring these judgments upon them those Gentile sins of all manner of unnatural villany being most frequent among them which were with as much reason now to expect the fury of God's wrath to be poured out on such vile impure Christians as before we found the judgments that fell on the impenitent Jewes to have lighted on the Gnostick Christians of that people and that age To this purpose 1. 't is Sozomens's affirmation that 't was then the judgment of prudent men that this that befel Rome was from the wrath of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a punishment of what they had done upon themselves and strangers through sloth and incontinence which sure refers to the sins of Sodome pride of the flesh pampering and idleness and the effects of that all unnatural lusts both on themselves and strangers as the Sodomites on the Angels that came among them and therefore Orosius said of Innocentius that he was rescued as Lot out of Sodome though the Translator there make it to be but injustice and oppression of the poor mistaking them for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strangers there 2 dly 'T is the joint affirmation of Socrates and Sozomen that a Monk of Italy coming in hast to Rome to intercede and perswade Alaricus to spare the city he answered him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he did not voluntarily set upon this enterprise just as Titus prosess'd of Jerusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that some body continually importuned and enforced him commanding him that he should destroy Rome which at last he did These are the words in Sozomen and in Socrates to the same sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I go not a voluntier about this businesse but some body is very troublesome to me tormenting me and saying Go and destroy the city of Rome which as it is the clearing of those words here v. 17. God put into their hearts c. so it signifies the great sins of this place which thus brought God's judgments upon them 3 dly 'T is the plain acknowledgement of Salvian every where throughout his books De Providentia that the impieties of Christians were so great and particularly those abominable commissions and customary practices of all unnatural uncleannesses which have been constantly the destroying not only of the Canaanites c. but of the Jewes and the Christians that it was God's will they should thus be punished by the Barbarians who though they were very weak and slothful not sit for war at all in comparison of the Romans yet were saith he more chast and pure then they and so were appointed by God to be scourges of them See l. 7. And again that the Barbarians being Christians though Arians were much more tolerable then these which though not all Arians were many very abominable livers V. 17. God shall put in their hearts The strangenesse of this iudgment on that city and the immediate hand of God in it will appear beside what hath been said of some body molesting and forcing Alaricus to it Note i. by these three things 1. By the suddennesse of the taking of it so suddenly that when word was brought to Honorius to Ravenna that Rome was destroyed he thought they had meant a cock called by that name Roma as Prosper hath it in Chronice and this is referred to in the Vision c. 18. 10. For in one day thy judgment cometh and v. 19. for in one houre she is become desolate 2 dly That they made such speed in rifling it that when one would think three years had been little enough to obey Alaricus's command in searching out and taking away all the treasure of the city all Historians agree that they were but three days about it onely Marcellinus saith that the sixth day after Alaricus entred he went out again 3 dly That Alaricus having thus taken and rifled and possess'd the city should neither stay in it and keep it nor go on with his army against the Emperour but absolutely retire so soon after so strange a successe as if God that had sent him on this message or service on purpose and never suffered him to be quiet till he had done it as soon as the work was done for which he sent him had immediately recalled him and not permitted him to goe one step farther and so only used him as a means to deliver up the city to the Christians the Idolaters being generally destroyed out of it by this means and the Christians as generally preserved CHAP. XVIII 1. AND after these things I saw another Angel come down from heaven having great power and the earth was lightned with his glory Paraphrase 1. And another representation I received of the desolation that was to befall heathen Rome by Alaricus c. and of the consequents of it For methought I saw a mighty Angel come down from heaven in a most glorious manner or with power to disabuse the world and shew them what they saw not before viz. how false it was that was said of that city that it was eternal 2. And he cryed mightily with a strong voice saying note a Babylon the great is faln is faln and is become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hatefull bird Paraphrase 2. And he cryed aloud that all might hear saying That great heathen city so like Babylon of old for greatnesse populousnesse heathenisme luxury oppressing the people of God is now destroyed faln from that eternity it dream'd of and is now overrun with Barbarians so scorned before and hated by
tenebricosus hic est Media magnus hic est Graecia cadens iste est Idumaea i. Romanum imperium Illud est imperium quartum quod cadere debet neque resurget in secula seculorum And so again on Levit. 26. 44. after Babel Media Greece they name again regnum Idumaeae meaning no doubt the Roman Empire thereby adding in diâ—bus Gog which that it belongs to the Romans that destroyed Jerusalem and say they should after be destroyed by the Messias see that Paraphrase on Numb 11. 26. in these words In fine extremo dierum God Magog exercitus eorum Hierâ—solymam ascendent manibus Regis Messiae illi cadent They shall be destroyed by the hands of Messiah the King So in the Sibylline Oracles where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beliar or Belial is set to denote the Romanes as appears by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beliar shall come from the Augusti or Romane Emperors at length coming to the great destruction threatned by God under the expression of fire this is to fall upon Beliar peculiarly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The flaming power of God shall burn Beliar and all the proud men that trust in him And of the Jews 't is clear that there hath been a tradition among them that in the last days there should come a great enemy which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Armilus which in Hebrew is Romulus lightly changed by the transposition but of one letter see Note on Joh. 11. b. and that he should be destroyed by the Messias which may well be as all the rest but the mistakings of this prophecy here delivered and from hand to hand conveyed among the Jews to their posterity who looking on the Romans as their destroyers thence perswaded themselves that their Messias whom they still expect should destroy them V. 8. She shall be utterly burnt The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is ordinarily rendred shall be utterly burnt may seem to have some difficulty in it and be objected against our interpretation of this Vision because it is known that the desolation and firing by Alaricus Gensericus and Totilas was not an utter desolation or firing of the whole city but of a part thereof And to this the answer is insufficient that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is conflagrare to be set on light fire and doth not necessarily import that fires consuming of all that might be consumed because other expressions here follow in this matter which cannot be so answered as v. 21. where the stone like a mill-stone is cast into the sea which seems to signifie a total destruction and it is added Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no longer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so again ver 22 23. The voice of harpers c. and the sound of a mill-stone shall be found no more in thee and the light of a candle shall shine no more in thee c. To all which the answer must be by observing that all these three expressions are phrases taken out of the prophesies of the Old Testament and are in all reason to signifie here as there they shall appear to have signified that is onely as prophetical schemes of expressing a subduing or victory and no more Thus the burning here is an allusion to Dan. 7. 11. his body destroyed and given to the burning flame which yet signified no more then the translating of the Monarchy from the Seleucida to the Romans and proportionably here the subduing this heathen city to the faith of Christ which was the effect of this blow that befell Rome So the throwing the great stone into the sea v. 21. alludes to Jer. 51. 63. Thou shall cast a stone into the midst of Euphrates and say Thus shall Babylon fall and shall not rise c. And yet Babylon long continued a great city though the dominion of it was translated from the Chaldaeans to the Medes And for the voice of the harpers c. v. 23. it alludes to Jer. 25. 10. I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladnesse the voice of the Bridegroom and the voice of the Bride the sound of the mill-stones and the light of candle And yet Judaea of which that is spoken still had people inhabiting it And so these expressions thus interpreted as in the Paraphrase they have been are perfectly agreeable to the sense which must needs belong to them in these other places where they are used by the Prophets Meanwhile how great the destruction was that now befell that city may competently appear by one testimony of Palladius that lived at that time Lausiac Hist c. 118. in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A certain barbarian tempest which the Prophets of old had foretold seized on Rome and left not so much as the brazen statues in the streets but plundering all with a barbarous madness delivered it up to destruction so that Rome which had flourished a thousand and two hundred years according to the Sibylls word became a desolation V. 13. Slaves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith Julius Pollux signifies when it is taken simply by it self without any additament those that are not bond-slaves but free-men which sell or hire themselves for money 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And this because free-men have power over their own bodies whereas slaves have nothing but souls As for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 souls of men the phrase is taken out of Ezechiel c. 17. 13. who speaking of Tyre a city of Merchants saith that they traffick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super anima hominis for the soul of man which S. Hierome renders mancipia slaves and so the latter Greeks call slaves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little souls and so Gen. 12. 5. the souls which they had gotten in Haran may be their bond-servants because as was said slaves have souls though nothing else in their own power V. 23. Thy Merchants Who are thy Merchants here may be thought uncertain because the word thy either may refer to forain nations who trade with thee or else may be thy traders or traffickers the chapmen in Rome In this latter sense some learned men have chosen to take it that the Roman luxury was so great that tradesmen that dealt in selling of commodities lived there like Princes But if we compare this place with what is said of Tyrus Ezech. 27. the former will appear to be the sense of it for there v. 12. Tarshish was thy Merchant and v. 13. Javan c. were thy Merchants and so the meaning is clearly this that the Merchants of other nations that traffick'd with Rome had such vent for their commodities there at any rate that they grew very rich by it CHAP. XIX 1. AND after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven saying Allelujah
of it and changing the name from Byzantium by Constantine Of this see Aeneas Sylvius Europ c. 3. and 7. and Ep. 131 155 162. who by what he saith of it out of antient writers viz. that when it was in its flourishing condition they that saw it look'd upon it ut deorum potiùs in terris habitaculum quà m Imperatorum as an habitation of the gods on earth rather then of the Emperors affords us one farther reason why it is here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beloved city and so also in respect of the antient learning preserved there which made all men prize it as its being an eminent Christian city gives it the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the camp of Saints CHAP. XXI 1. AND I saw a note a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea Paraphrase 1. And for a clearer representation of the flourishing estate of the Christian Church for a thousand years c. 20. to which was annex'd as in a parenthesis in a few verses the rise and successe and destruction of Mahomedisme at the end of the third verse and from v. 7. to v. 11. and to that again the day of the last doom from v. 11. to the end of the chapter there was father represented to me a most eminent illustrious change a kind of new world all the idolatry c. that was before being done away 2. And I John saw the holy city note b new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband Paraphrase 2. And I saw visibly methought another Jerusalem coming down to be here upon the earth set out in a very beautifull glorious manner such as brides appear in see c. 19. 17. that is the Christian Church in as much solemnity of serving and worshipping God as in the Jewish Temple at Jerusalem had been and that was upon Constantine's receiving the faith and setting out his edict for Christian religion see c. 20. 4. 3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying note c Behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God Paraphrase 3. And I heard an acclamation out of heaven given to this appearance signifying it to be the Christian Church now solemnly espoused to Christ which he will consequently protect and defend see Ezech. 37. 27. as long as they faithfully adhere to him 4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away Paraphrase 4. And all persecutions and pressures and putting to death and banishing and punishing for religion which was before so ordinary and all inconvenience or incommodation by being Christians were done away 5. And he that sate upon the throne said Behold I make all things new And he said unto me Write for these words are true and faithful Paraphrase 5. And God owned this great change all become new as the return from captivity is called a new things Isa 43. 19. as an act of his special providence and bid me take notice of it as a thing of prime eminent importance and concernment and as a decree of his that it should certainly come to passe 6. And he said unto me It is done I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end I will give unto him that is a thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely Paraphrase 6. And he farther said unto me Here is an end of the former state of Idol-worship persecution c. see c. 16 17. or This I have done by my eternal power and now every one that will shall have a free exercise of Christianity without any thing done by him to purchase or contribute toward it without any thing of inconvenience suffered by it 7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my son Paraphrase 7. He that continueth constant unto the Christian rule shall have all felicity in this world in doing so shall not now pay so dear for it as before they were wont in times of the prevailing of idolatry and live in the Church my family as the Son with the Father in all freedome and safety 8. But the note d fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Paraphrase 8. But for the false apostatizing cowardly Gnosticks notable for so many ill qualities abominable villanies of lust bloodinesse persecuting of the Orthodox pure Christians adultery sorcety idol-worship deep dissimulation and lying and falsifying yea perjuries and all such as they were they shall utterly be turned out of the Church see note on c. 20. d. not to appear any more among the Christians 9. And there came unto me one of the seven Angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues and talked with me saying Come hither I will shew thee the bride the Lambs wife Paraphrase 9. And one of the seven angels that had the seven vials of the last plagues c. 17. 1. that is the executioners of judgment on Gentile Rome came to me and said Come and I will shew thee that Christian Church which be those former destructions wrought upon heathen Rome is come out of the persecutions into a flourishing condition 10. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain and shewed me that great note e city the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God Paraphrase 10. And methought I was carried unto the top of a great mountain and there was shewed this Christian Church called a city upon an hill Mat. 5. 14. mentioned before under the title of the new as here of the holy Jerusalem holy in respect of order and discipline for holinesse of living and that glorious beautiful flourishing state bestowed on it by God v. 1. 11. Having the glory of God and her light was like unto a stone most precious even like a jasper-stone clear as Crystal Paraphrase 11. Having God's presence most particularly and remarkably with it v. 3. note e. see note on Jo. 1. c. and all the beauty and lustre and bright shining of Christian doctrine consequent thereunto 12. And had a wall great and high and had twelve gates and at the gates twelve Angels and twelve names written thereon which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel Paraphrase 12. Having a great high wall noting the faith of Christ or doctrine of the Gospel by which it is encompass'd and all enemies hereticks c. excluded and twelve
shewing mercy to our brethren a state of flourishing piety magnifying blessing praising God and of charity and mercy to all men which is the summe of this ensuing Vision and as that there so here the conclusion of all V. 3. Behold the Tabernacle of God The meaning of this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold the tabernacle of God with men will easily appear by remembring the affinity of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tabernacle and the Schechinah appearance or presence of God called here ver 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory and oft elsewhere God is wont to be said in Scripture to be present where his Angels appear accordingly the Pictures of the Cherubims in the Tabernacle and after in the Temple were notes of his peculiar presence there And so both the Jewish Temple and Christian Church having the promise of God's peculiar presence is fitly styled his Tabernacle here and ch 13. 6. and elsewhere his house both in the same sense a tabernacle being but a moveable house And then behold the tabernacle of God with men is no more but an interpretation of that which was represented in this Vision viz. that hereby was noted the Church of Christ whose title is Emmanuel God with us or God with men God incarnate and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold is a determination of it to what went immediatly before thus The bride adorned for the husband is the Christian Church see ver 9. And then the promise that follows he will dwell with them c. is his marrying and endowing and living and dwelling with this spouse that is continuing his favour and love and protection to the Church as long as that continues faithful to him performs the duties of a wife obedience and fidelity to the husband And then consequent to that mercy and protection is the cessation of persecutions that follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he shall wipe every tear from their eyes c. remove all cause of sorrow from the Christians V. 8. Fearfull The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cowardly here which are set in the front of all these sins denote the renouncers of Christ in time of persecution set opposite to persevering Christians v. 7. and here clearly signifie the Gnosticks or such as they were whose position it was that 't was an indifferent and so a lawful thing to forswear Christ in time of persecution and to sacrifice to Idols here also noted by idolatry They are farther express'd by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unfaithful that fall off from Christ and more especially by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 detested and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fornicators and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorcerers c. see Note on ch 2. b. ch 9. c. 1 Joh. 4. a. So Tertullian interprets it in Scorp contra Gnost c. 12. Inter reprobos imò ante omnes timidis inquit particula in stagno ignis Ap. 21. among the reprobates yea before all them the cowardly have their portion in the lake of fire V. 10. City That the City is the Church is most evident in this Vision being before called the holy City the new Jerusalem ver 2. Now the wall is that which encompasseth the city keeps all out which are not thought fit to be admitted and guards and secures the city And to this the Christian doctrine is perfectly answerable none are to be admitted or continued there which doe not acknowledge that and so this likewise defends and fortifies the Church from the invasion of Hereticks And he that teacheth any other doctrine let him be Anathema As for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 greatnesse and highness of this wall that signifies the excellence and even divinity of this doctrine admirable precepts divine and heavenly promises And as this is a defensative to the city so the foundations thereof are the several preachings of the Apostles in all their travails which being the same in all places this one wall is said to have twelve foundations ver 14. and on them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb to signifie those doctrines that are not thus founded on their preaching either by word of mouth or by writing deduced from them not to be fit for reception in the Church V. 17. Measure of a man That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the measure of a man referres here to the stature of a man appears most probable by the addition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of an Angel For as here the person seen in the Vision was an Angel ver 9. so Ezech. 40. 3. where there is mention of this measuring reed it was shewed him by a man whose appearance was like the appearance of brasse that is a man in a glorious appearance such as Angels used to appear in And then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or measure must referre not to the cubit immediately precedent but to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or reed ver 15. noting that reed by which he had measured the city to be about six foot long and so the measure or stature of a man or Angel in humane shape as now he appeared unto him That the reed or pole was of this size that is six foot long may be concluded from Ezech. 40. 5. There as here was a man with a measuring reed ver 3. and that reed was six cubits long but that cubit not as 't is ordinarily counted a foot and a half but as it is taken by the measure of that bone which gives the denomination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cubit is the distance from the elbow to the wrist as Aristotle and the Anatomists determine which is in well-proportion'd bodies the sixth part of a man's stature And that this was the acceptation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as among the Grecians so among the Hebrews appears by the account of Josephus De bell Jud. l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where having made the wall to contain 90. turrets each of them 20. cubits long and the space betwixt each to be 200. cubits which must conclude the circuit of the wall to be 19800 cubits he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole compasse of the city was thirty three furlongs which concludes the allotment of 600. cubits to every furlong and that we know among the Greeks contained 600. foot So that the cubit is no more then a foot or the sixth part of a man's stature So when Solinus saith of the walls of Babylon quorum altitudo ducentos pedes detinet that they were two hundred foot high and so Pliny Orosius saith they were fifty cubits broad altitudine quater tantâ four times as high that is two hundred cubits and so saith Herodotus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the height was two hundred cubits That all this measuring of the city is mystically to be understood and not literally there is no doubt but what the mysterie
used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 easily without trouble or labour And then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyned with it will agree with it very well for that signifies jactati tost and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Physicians are the tossings of the sick and tumblings on their beds But our ordinary reading is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies loosed one from another dissolved not keeping together in companies so saith Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it should sure be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in each place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turn'd out of the way gone astray which is the thing here proper to sheep wanting a shepherd and is the notation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dispersion or disbanding Act. 5. 36. 'T is true the word doth sometimes note a dissolution of spirits whether through fasting or going too much a fainting as when 't is joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12. 3. and Gal. 6. 9. 2 Sam. 17. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The people is hungry and weary or faint and thirsty in the wildernesse And so it may signifie c. 15. 32. I will not send them away fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest they faint by the way But the similitude of the sheep without a shepherd inclines to the former notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dissolved straying one from another if that be the right reading of it CHAP. X. 1. AND when he had called unto him his twelve disciples he gave them power against unclean spirits to cast them out note a and to heal all manner of sicknesse and all manner of disease Paraphrase 1. And selecting twelve of his followers who should continually be with him and whom he might send out on any message of preaching c. Mar. 3. 15. and who should after his death undertake the whole work of preaching c. he now ordains them to that office and to that end 2. Now the names of the twelve Apostles are these the first Simon who is called note b Peter and Andrew his brother James the son of Zebedee and John his brother Paraphrase 2. The name of the first was formerly Simon or Simeon which signifies heark'ning or obedient a name aptly noting his readinesse to follow Christ and become his disciple but by Christ he is now called Cephas see Jo. 1. 43. in Syriack which signifies a stone such as might be fit in a building to be superstructed upon Christ the corner-stone and that in the Greek is Petros in English turn'd into the appellative Peter and with him Andrew his brother and James and John two sons of Zebedee after called Boanerges 3. Philip and Bartholomew Thomas and Matthew the publican James the son of Alphaeus and Lebbaeus surnamed Thaddaeus Paraphrase 3. Thomas Didymus and Matthew or Levi who had been a publican James the son of Alphaeus and Lebboeus or Judas the brother of James Luke 6. 16. who also was surnamed Thaddaeus 4. Simon the note c Canaanite and Judas note d Iscariot who also betrayed him 5. These twelve Jesus sent forth and commanded them saying Goe not into the way of the Gentiles and into any city of the Samaritanes enter ye not 6. But goe rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Paraphrase 5 6. These twelve Jesus furnish'd then with a commission which they should use at present as on occasion he should send them out to any city and after his death by going and preaching the Gospel over all the cities of Judaea against which time he now gave them command saying when you goe about that work Preach the Gospel first to the Jewes strictly taken the cities of the seed of Abraham through all Judaea and till you have first preached through all their region see Act. 13. 46. goe not to any of the cities that border upon Galilee nor to Samaria nor to any other city from them See note on c. 4. c. 7. And as ye goe preach saying The kingdome of heaven is at hand Paraphrase 7. A remarkable visitation from heaven approacheth as of notable punishments upon the unreformed so of deliverance and protection to the penitent among you that shall timely receive the Faith of Christ 8. Heal the sick cleanse the lepers raise the dead cast out devils freely ye have received freely give Paraphrase 8. And wherever ye come make use of the power which I now give you with the same franknesse and liberality that is used toward you work all manner of healing merciful miracles wheresoever ye come to all that beg them from you 9. Provide neither gold nor silver nor brasse in your note e purses Paraphrase 9. Make no provision of money much or little 10. Nor scrip for your journey nor two coats neither shooes nor yet staves for the workman is worthy of his meat Paraphrase 10. Nor of victuals nor cloaths to carry with you nor of any thing for your defence by the way For taking so much pains for the benefit of others ye may very reasonably expect to be entertained for all necessaries by them who profit by you 11. And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter enquire who in it is worthy and there abide till ye go thence Paraphrase 11. Whensoever therefore you come into a town or village inquire what pious person there is dwelling there and there fasten your station and eat and drink what they set before you Lu. 10. 7. and goe not from that house to any other while you stay in the town 12. And when ye come into an house salute it Paraphrase 12. Say Peace that is all kind of prosperity be to this house 13. And if the house be worthy let your peace come upon it but if it be not worthy let your peace return to you Paraphrase 13. And if those of the house be qualified to receive it your blessing shall rest upon it but if not your blessing shall return upon you and they shall receive no advantage but the contrary by your coming among them on a design of so much charity 14. And whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words when ye depart out of that house or city shake off the dust of your feet Paraphrase 14. Depart from them and use that expression of shaking off the dust from your feet as a testimony to them that in their rejecting or not receiving of you they have rejected the only remaining means of their salvation and as a testimony against them that will one day be brought to give in a sad evidence the dust shaken off from your feet as it signifies that you have been there and thus been fain to depart from them will fall very heavy upon them 15. Verily I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodome and Gomorrha in the day of judgment then for that city Paraphrase 15 I assure you the