a Tent-maker elegantly compares mans body to a Tent. Plato also in his dialogue of death calleth the body a Tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have a buiding of God The Ark transportative till then was setled in Solomons temple So shall the soul be in heaven As when one skin fals off another comes on so when our earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved or taken down we shall have a heavenly house The soul wears the body as a garment which when it is worn out we shall be clothed with a better snit we shall change our rags for robes c. Itaque non plangimus sed plandimus quando vitam claudimus quia dies iste non tâ—m fatalis quam natalis est Verse 2. For in this That is in this tabernacle of the body We groan earnestly As that Avis Paradisi Macrob l. 1. c. 11. which being once caught and enraged never leaves sighing they say till set at liberty The Greeks call the body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the souls bond and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the souls sepulchre To be clothed upon By a sudden change and not to die at all as 1 Thess 4.17 1 Cor. 15.51 52. Quis enim vult mori prorsus nemo Death when it comes will have a bout with the best as it had with Hezekiah David Jonas others For nature abhors it and every new man is two men But when a Christian considers that non nisi per angusta ad augusta perveniatur that there 's no passing into Paradise but under the flaming sword of this Angel death that standeth at the Porch that there 's no coming to the City of God but thorow this straight and heavy lane no wiping all tears from his eyes but with his winding sheet he yeelds and is not only content but full glad of his departure As in the mean while he accepts of life rather then affects it he endures it rather then desires Phil. 1.23 Verse 3. If so be that c. q. d. Howbeit I know not whether we shall be so cloathed upon that is whether we that are now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be sound alive at Christs coming to judgement whether we shall then be found clothed with our bodies or naked that is stript of our bodies Verse 4. Do groan being burdened viz. With sin and misery whereof we have here our back-burdens M Bradford Act. and Mon. fol. 1492. And surely great shame it were as that Martyr said that all the whole creatures of God should desire yea groan in their kinde for our liberty and we our selves to loath it as doubtlesse we do if for the crosse yea for death it self we with joy swallow not up all sorrow that might let us from following the Lords call and obeying the Lords providence c. Might be swâ—llowed up of life Not as a gulf or fire swallows up that is cast into it but as perfection swallows up imperfection As the perfecting of a picture swallows up the rude draught as perfect skill swallows up bungling or manhood childehood not extinguishing D. Preston but drowning it that it is not seen Verse 5. He that hath wrought us Curiously wrought us in the lowermost parts of the earth that is in the womb as curious workmen perfect their choice pieces in private and then set them forth to publike view Psal 139.15 with Eph. â—19 Others expound it by Rom 9.23 The earnest of the spirit He saith not the Pawn but the earnest A pawn is to be returned again but an earnest is part of the whole bargain Verse 6. Therefore we are confident Not haesitant or halting as Hadrian the Emperour was and as he that cried out on his death-bed Anxius vixi dubius morior nescio quò vado I have lived carefully Plato I die doubtfully I go I know not whither Socrates also that wisest of Philosophers could not with all his skill resolve his friends whether it were better for a man to die or to live longer Cicero comforting himself as well as he could by the help of philosophy against the fear of death cries out and complains at length Nescio quomo do imbeâ—â—â—ior est med cina qudm morbus that the medicine was too weak for the disease It is the true Christian only that can be confident that his end shall be happy though his beginning and middle haply may be troublesome Psal 37.37 Whilest we are at home Or stay for a night as in an Inne A man that comes into an Inne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he can get a better room he will if not he can be content with it for saith he it is but for a night So it should be with us Verse 7. For we walk by faith Which puts our heads into heaven sets us on the top of Pisgah with Moses and therehence descries and describes unto us the promised Land gives us to set one foot afore-hand in the porch of Paradise to see as Stephen did Christ holding out a Crown with this inscription Vincenti dabo Not by sight Sense corrects imagination reason sense but faith corrects both thrusting Hagar out of doors when haughty and haunty grown Verse 8. And willing rather Death is not to be desired as a punishment of sin but as a period of sin not as a postern gate to let out our temporall but as a street door to let in eternall life To be present with the Lord This Bernard calleth Repatriasse Plotinus the Philosopher could say when he died Bern de morte That which is divine in me I carry back 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synes ep 139. to the Originall divine that is to God But whether this man beleeved himself or not I greatly doubt Verse 9. Wherefore we labour Our hope of heaven maketh us active and abundant in Gods service The doctrine of assurance is not a doctrine of liberty but the contrary 1 Joh. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We make it our ambition faith the Apostle here to get acceptance in heaven waiting till our father shall call us home and passing the time of our sojourning here in fear 1 Pet. 1.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Saints have their commotation upon earth their conversation in heaven Verse 10. For we must all c. This great assize will not be such an Assembly as that of Ahashuerosh of his Nobles Princes and Captains only nor such as the biddings of rich men to their feasts of their rich neighbours only Luk. 14.12 but like the invitation of that housholder that sent his servants to compell all to come in On that day Adam shall see all his nephews together Appear before c. Beâ—aid open and have all ript up Our sins that are now written as it were with the juice of lemmons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall then by the fire of the last day be made legible And as
lachrymis chartas illevit saith Lorinus In Act. 22.19 S. Pauls epistles were written rather with tears then with ink Verse 5. Have caused grief Wicked livers are Hazaels to the godly and draw many sighes and tears from them Lots righteous soul was set upon the rack by the filthy Sodomites Ieremy weeps in secret for Iudah's sins Paul cannot speak of those belly-gods with dry eyes Phil. 3.18 Verse 16. Sufficient to such a man The Novatians therefore were out that refused to receive in those that repented of their former faults and follies The Papists burnt some that recanted at the stake saying that they would send them out of the world while they were in a good minde Act. and Mon. fol. 1392. Verse 7. Should be swallowed up It was a saying of Mr Philpot Martyr Satan goes about to mix the detestable darnell of desperation with the godly sorrow of a pure penitent heart Ibid. 1665. With overmuch grief Some holy men as Mr Leaver have desired to see their sin in the most ugly colours and God hath heard them D. Sibbs on Ps 42.5 But yet his hand was so heavy upon them therein that they went alwaies mourning to their graves and thought it fitter to leave it to Gods wisdome to mingle the potion of sorrow then to be their own choosers It is a saying of Austin Let a man grieve for his sin and then joy for his grief Sorrow for sin if it so far exceed as that thereby we are disabled for the discharge of our duties it is a sinfull sorrow yea though it be for sinne Verse 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Confirm your love c. Gr. Ratifie it and declare it authentike as it were in open court and by publike sentence as Gal. 3.15 and that at mine instance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as an advocate Verse 9. Whether ye be obedient First to the Lord and then to us by the will of God 2 Cor. 8.5 Confer Heb. 13.17 Isa 50.10 Verse 10. To whom ye forgive Or Gratifie Mercy is that we must mutually lend and borrow one of another Let the rigid read Gal 6.1 See the Note there Verse 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lest Satan That wily merchant that greedy bloud-sucker that devoureth not widdows houses but most mens souls See ver 7. For we are not ignorant He is but a titular Christian that hath not personall experience of Satans stratagems his set and composed machinations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his artificially-moulded methods his plots darts depths whereby he outwitted our first parents and fits us a peny-worth still as he sees reason Verse 12. A door was opened An opportunity offered Where the Master sets up a light there is some work to be done where he sends forth his labourers there is some harvest to be gotten in Verse 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I had no rest c. Gr. No relaxation viz. from my former cares and anxieties about you because he was not yet returned to tell me how it was with you 2 Cor. 7.6 Gods comforts are either rationall fetcht from grounds which faith ministreth or reall from the presence of comfortable persons or things Verse 14. Now thanks be to God Deo gratias was ever in Pauls mouth ever in Austins And a thankfull man is ever ready with his present as Joseph's brethren were Genesis 43.26 Causeth us to triumph Maketh us more then conquerours even triumphers whiles he rides upon us as upon his white horses all the world over Conquering and to conquer Rev. 6.2 Verse 15. A sweet savour The Church is the morter preaching the pestell the promises are the sweet spices which being beaten Bis on 1 Pet. 2. yeeld an heavenly and supernaturall smell in the souls of the godly hearers Verse 16. The savour of death Aristotle writeth De mirabil ausâ—ultat that vultures are killed with oil of roses Swine saith Pliny cannot live in some parts of Arabia by reason of the sweet sent of aromaticall trees there growing in every wood Tigers are enraged with perfumes Vipera interficitur palmis saith Paâ—sanias Moses killed the Aegyptian saved the Israelite Obed-Edom was blessed for the Ark the Philistims were cursed The Sun of the Gospel shining upon one that is ordained to eternall life reviveth and quickneth him but lighting upon a childe of death it causeth him to stink more abominably And who is sufficient And yet now who is it almost that thinks not himself sufficient for that sacred and tremend function of the Ministery Who am I saith Moses Who am I not saith our upstart Bradford was hardly perswaded to become a Preacher Act. and Mon. fol. 1578. Latimer leapt when he laid down his Bishoprick being discharged as he said of such an heavy burthen Luther was wont to say That if he were again to chuse his calling he would dig or do any thing rather then take upon him the office of a Minister So said reverend Mr Whately of Banbury once in my hearing Verse 17. Which corrupt the word Gr. Which huckster it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by handling it craftily and covetously not serving the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies as those Popish trencher-flies and our Court parasites In the sight of God It is impossible to speak as in Gods presence and not sincerely CHAP. III. Verse 1. Doe we begin again c. AS we had done before cap. 1.12 Plin. l. 1. epist 8 To commend our selves Quod magnificum referente alio fuisset ipso qui gesserat recensente vanescit Let another man praise thee and not thine own mouth Prov. 27.2 Laus proprio sordescit in ore But the Apostle was necessitated to it As some others letters of commendation As the false Apostles who carried it by testimonials in giving whereof many good people are much too blame Beauty needs no letters of commendation saith Aristotle much lesse doth vertue where it is known If morall vertue could be seen with mortall eyes saith Plato it would soon draw all hearts to it self Verse 2. You are our Epistle The fruitfulnesse of the people is the Preachers testimoniall as the profiting of the schollar is the teachers commendation Written in our hearts Or rather in your hearts as tables the Spirit writing thereon by his Ministers as pens that form of doctrine Rom. 6.17 that law of their mindes Rom. 7.23 Heb. 8.10 to be known and read of all men Verse 3. Ministred by us Who are devoted to the service of your faith and are the Lord Christs Sectaries But in fleshly tables In the softened heart God writes his law puts an inward aptnesse answering the Law of God without as lead answers the mould as tally answers tally as indenture answers indenture Verse 4 Such trust have we i. e. Such boldnesse of holy boasting If Tully could say Two things I have to bear me bold upon Cic. ep sam â— 7. the knowledge of good arts and the
in tents and tended hâ—ards had Iubal to his brother the father of musick Iabal and Iubal industry and plenty not without sweet content dwell together Verse 15. But I would not have c. Ignorance is the mother of mistake and of caussesse trouble of errour and of terrour as the Roman souldiers were once muâ—n affrighted at the sight of the Moons â—clipse till the Generall had undeceived by a discourse of the naturall cause thereof That ye sorrow not Non est lugendus qui moritur sed desideranaus faith Tertullian Abraham mourned moderately for 〈◊〉 decased wife Gen. 23.2 as is imported by a small caph in the word â—ocothab to weep So did David for the childe born in adultery though for Absolom he exceeded It is one of the dues of the dead to be lamented at their funerals But Christians must know a measure and so water their plants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 as that they drown them not Even as others which have no hope Lugeatur mortuus sed ille quem gehenna suscipit quâ—m Tartarus devorat c. Let that dead man be lamented whom hell harboureth whom the devil dâ—vouâ—â—th c. But let us whose departed â—ouls Angels accompany Christ imbosometh and all the Court of heaven comes forth to welcome account mortality a mercy and be grieved that we are so long detained here from the company of our Christ faith Hierom. Verse 14. Sleep in Iesus Dead in Christ The union then is not dissolved by death But as by sleep the body is refreshed so by death it is refined Let our care be to cleave cloâ—e to Christ in the instant of death so shall he be to us both in life and death advantage Verse 15. By the word of the Lord Or In the word c. in the self-same words that the Lord used to me probably when I was rapt up 2 Cor. 12.2 4. and heard wordlesse words Shall not prevent them They shall rise eâ—e we shall be rapâ— and as they have been before us in death so shall they be in glory Now priority is a priviledge Verse 16. With a shout Ingenti Angelorum jubilo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acclamatione saith Arctius With a huge applause and acclamation of angels such as is that of Mariners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when near the haven Italiam Italiam laeto clamore salutans or that of souldiers when to joyn battle with the enemy And with the trump of God To require the law in manner as it was given Mount Sinai only was then on a slame but now the whole world c. Then God came with ten thousands of his Saints but now thousand thousands shall minister to him and ten thousand thousands shall stand before him Verse 17. Then we which are alive He speaketh thus of himself as alive at Christs coming because we should daily expect it and even hasten to it Shall be caught up together This is that mystery mentioned 1 Cor. 15.51 and not till now made known to the world See the Note there In the clouds As Christ also ascended Acts 1. These be the waggons and charriots that Christ will send for us as Ioseph set his fathers family down to Aegypt And so shall we ever be c. Oâ— blessed hour O thrice happy union Nothing ever came so near it as the meeting of Iacob and Ioseph or of those two cousins Mary and Elizabeth Luk. 1. Verse 18 Wherefore comfort c. Scripture-comforts come home to the heart so do not philosophicall Nescio quomodo saith Cicero 〈◊〉 medicina morbo est imbecillior Mâ—â—ch Adam 〈…〉 And albeit it is mâ—rvellous sweet to meditate as Mr Knox found it on his death-bed so that he would have risen and gone into the pulpit to tell others what be had felt in his soul yet there is a speciall force of strong consolation in Christian communication which the Lord usually waâ—â—reth with the dews of divine blessing CHAP. V. Verse 1. But of the times and the seasons VVHen Christ shall come to judgement this is to be reckoned inter arcana imperij See the Note on Mat. 24 36. The times and the seasons God hath put in his own power Act. 1.7 This is a key that he keepeth under his own girdle Verse 2. The day of the Lord That day by a speciality Luk. 21.34 that great day Revel 6.17 that day of the declaration of Gods just judgement Rom. 2.5 16. that day of Christ 2 Thess 2.2 of God 2 Pet. 3.13 where in he will shew himself to be God of Gods and Lord of Lords As a thief in the night Who giveth no warning Mat. 24.43 See the Note there Verse 3. For when they shall say Security is the certain usher of destruction as in Benhadads army and Pompeys before the Pharsalian field Some of them contended for the Priesthood which was Caesars office others disposed of the Consulships and offices in Rome as if all were already their own Pompey â—â—mself being so wretchedly wreâ—chlesse that he never considered into what place he were best to retire if he lost the day Then shall sudden destruction As Philosophers say that before a snow the weather will be warmish when the winde lies the great rain fals and the air is most quiet when suddenly there will be an earthquake Verse 4. Should overtake you as a thief Though it come upon you as a thief in a time uncertain Free you are from the destruction of that day though not altogether free from the distraction of it till somewhat recollected you remember that now your redemption draweth nigh Hence the Saints love Christs appearing 2 Tim. 4 8. Look for it with stretcht-out necks and long after it Rev. 22.20 Verse 5. We are not of the night c. Qu. Curtius Alexander willed that the Grecians and Barbarians should no longer be distinguished by their garments but by their manners so should the children of light and of darknesse Verse 6. As doe others What wonder that the Grecians live loosly faith Chrysostome but that Christians do so this is worse yea intolerable But let us watch and be sober We must not be like Agrippa's dormouse that would not awake till cast into boiling lead Comment iâ— Diâ—â—cor or Matthiolus his asses fed with hemlock that lie for dead and are half hileded ere they can be arroused But rather we should resemble Aristotle and others who were wont to sleep with brazen balls in their hands which falling on vessels purposely set on their beds sides the noise did disswade immoderate sleep Verse 7. Are drunk in the night But now alas drunkennesse is become a noon-day devil Drunk â—up by M. Harris Once Peters argument saith a reverend Divine was more then probable These men are not drunk for it is but the third hour of the day Now men are grown such husbands as that by that time they will return their stocks and have their brains crowing before day
crown of gold round about it To insinuate thus much saith one that we must be like the Ark of the Covenant being builded and reared up still toward the mark not only when the Lord seedeth us with the sweet Manna of his mercy but also when he afflicteth us with the sharp rod of his correction and alwaies keep the Tables of the Testament which are the Commandments that by saith in Christ who is the propitiation for our sins we may obtain the golden crown of eternall life Verse 5. And over it the Cherubims The Ark covering the Law within it the Mercy-feat upon it and over them two Cherubims covering one another All these set forth Christ covering the curses of the Law in whom is the ground of all mercy which things the Angels desire to pry into as into the patern of Gods unsearchable wisdome and goodnesse Verse 6. Were thus ordained Gr. Prepared sitted finished by the hand of the artificer and therefore called worldly in a good sense ver I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 7. For the errours Cr. The not knowings of the people Those errours that they could not help 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet must else have answered for Ignorat sanè improbus omnis saith Aristotle Ignorance is the source of all sin the very well-spring from which all wickednesse doth wooze and issue What will not an ignorant man doe who knows not but he may doe any thing The dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of emâ—lâ—y Psal 74.12 Christ therefore expiated the ignorances of his people Verse 8. The way into the holiâ—st That is into heaven typified thereby Was not yet made manifest In regard of performance and that evidence of saith and doctrine that is held forth under the Gospel The mystery of Christ was manifested piece meal and parcel-wiâ—e Heb. 11. Verse 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which was a figure Gr. A Parable that is such a from of service as intimated some greater matter then to the sense appeared and called upon the people to look thorow the type to the truth of things thorow the history to the mystery Verse 10 Till the time of reformation Gr. Of direction or correction that is Evangelicall and spirituall worshâ—p that shall take place in the Church till the times of the restitution of all things shall come at the last day Act. 3.21 Verse 11. Of good things to come i.e. Of spirituals that were expected as things to come when Christ came with a Cornu-copia a horn of salvation in his hand The Latines call prosperous things Res sioundâ—s things to come A more perfect tabernacle i. e. His humane nature not made with hands 107 of this building that is not by the power of nature by the ordinary course of generation Verse 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither by the bloud of calves As the Leviticall high Priest did ver 7. Having oâ—tained Gr. Having found See Rom. 4.1 The Latines also use invenire for acquirere to finde for to obtain See also Mat. 16.25 Christ overcame by suffering and by his own bloud purchased his Church as an Acheldama or field of bloud Verse 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—or itâ—lu ciny cat carb nâ—s extiâ—â— perâ—nsti sunt The ashes of an heiser Gr. Ashis and cinders mâ—xt together as a monument of Christs most base and ut most afflâ—ctions and of our justification and sanctification thorow faith in his name Sprinkling the unclean With an hysop-bunch to note That none can have comfort either by the merit or spirit of Christ without true mortification Verse 14. By the eternall spirit That is By his deity called the Spirit of holinesse Rom. 1.4 and the spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 that gave both value and vertue to his death both to satisfie and to sactifie Purge your conscience This is that eternall redemption vers 12. From dead Works The most specious performances of unregeneraoe persons are but dead works because they proceed not from a principle of life and have death for their wages Rom 6. A will written with a dead mans had can hold no law God will be served like himself Verse 15. For the redemption Here he sheweth the reasons why it was needfull that Christ should enter by his own bloud verse 12. scil to expiate our sinnes and to possesse us of heaven Verse 16. For where a testament is See the Note on Chap. 8.6 Here the testatour is Christ heirs the Saints legacies the gifts of the spirit Executour the holy Ghost wintnesses Apostles Martyrs c. Verse 17. Whiles the Testatour liveth For it is in his power to alter it at his pleasure as reason requireth Our Henry the second first crowned and then cast off his eldest son Henry not suffering him to be what himself had made him Verse 18. Was dedicated Or initiated to holy use Levit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 16.15 16. Verse 19. He took the bloud See Exod 24 8. And sprinkled both the book which as it seemeth was laid on the Altar to be sanctified thereby the very book of cod is sprinkled with the bould of Christ that it may be opened and of use to the faithsull Verse 20. Saying This is the bloud c. A tropicall and sacramentall expression whereunto our Saviour seemeth to allude in those words of his This Cup is the new testament in my bloud c. The Sacraments of the old testament had a resemblance unto the New but that was for works of the Law this is for remission of fins Verse 21. He sprinkled with bloud This sprinkling had a fore-shadowing of sprinkling of the bloud of Jesus Christ 1 Peter 1.2 Isaiah 52.15 by his finger that is by his Spirit Luke 11.20 with Matthew 12.28 Verse 22. Purged With bloud Which yet of it self impureth and fouleth Verse 23. But the heavenly things Those spirituall good things set forth by the types of the Law Or the Church under the Gospel called Ierusalem that is above c. Verse 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To appear in the presence As a Lawyer appears for his client opens the case pleads the cause and it is carried Verse 25. Not that he should offer As Popish Masse-mongers will have it Eamus ad communâ—m errorem said Domitius Calderinus to his friends when they perswaded him to goe to Masse Anno Domini 1442. Let us go to the common errour Verse 26. To put away sin To abrogate it Heb. 1.18 to binde it in a bundle seal it up in a bag Dan. 9.24 cast it behinde him as cancelled obligations Mic. 7. blot out the black hand-writing with the red lines of his bloud drawn over it Verse 27. But after this the judgement Every mans deaths-day is his doomsday Many of the Fathers held that mens souls were not judged till the last day Which opinion is as contrary to Purgatory for which Bellarmine alledgeth it as the truth Verse 28. The second time
or bear a torch Judg. 7.7 Baldwin the French Lawyer that had religionem ephemeram as Beza saith of him Mâ—â—â—h Aâ—aâ— for every day a new religion being constant to none became Dâ—o hominibusque quos toties sese lerat invisut Hated of God and men whom he had so oft mocked Theodorick an Arrian King did exeâ—edingly affect a câ—rtain Deacon although an Orthodox This Deacon thinking to ingratiate Euseb and get preferment became an Arrian Which when the King understood he changed his love into hatred and caused the head to be struck from him affirming that if he kept not his faith to God what duty could my one expect from him Verse 38. Who draw back unto Apostates have martiall law they run away but into hell mouth A worse condition they cannot lightly chuse unto themselves CHAP. XI Verse 1. Now faith is the substance HAving mentioned the life of faith Chap. 10.38 and the end of faith or the reward of it the salvation of the soul vers 1 Pet. 1.9 39. he now descends to the description of this glorious grace Jam. 2.1 and saith that it is the substance or subsistence or Basis and foundation of things hoped for It is the same that our authour had called confidence chap. 10.35 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polybius speaking of Horatius his keeping the field against the enemies forces saith that the enemies more feared his hypostasis the word here used his confident binding upon the victory then his strength The evidence of things c. The Index 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the clear conviction by disputation or by making syllogismes from the word Indeed it is the word to speak properly that is the convincing evidence of things not seen but because the word prositeth not further then it is mingled with faith in the heart therefore that which is due to the word is here ascribed to faith Verse 2. The Elders obtained c. Gr. Were attested unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and are here eternalized in this notable Chapter This little book of Martyrs as one fitly calleth it Faith honoureth God and gives him a testimoniall Ioh. 3.33 such as is that Deut. 31.4 God therefore honoureth faith according to â— Sam. 2.30 and gives it his testimoniall as here Verse 3. Through faith we understand It is the nature of faith to believe God upon his bare word and that against sense in things invisible and against reason in things incredible Sense corrects imagination reason corrects sense but faith corrects both Aufer argumenta ubi fides quaeritur Verba philosophorum excludit simplex veritas piscatorum saith Ambrose I believe and that 's enough though I cannot prove principles and fundamentals of faith That the worlds were framed Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—â—abrè sacta Were neatly made up By the word of God By that one word of his Fiat let it be so and so By the way take notice that faith here described is taken in a large sense as it hath not the promises only but the whole Word of God for it's object Look how the Israelites with the same eyes and visive faculty wherewith they beheld the sands and mountains did look upon the brazen serpent also but were cured by fastening upon that alone so by the same faith whereby we are justified we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God and believe all other truths revealed and yet faith as it justifieth looks upon Christ alone not knowing any thing here but Christ and him crucified as is well observed by a learned Divine Were not made of things c. Of any praeexistent matter as Plato held See my Notes on Gen. 1.1 Verse 4. A more excellent sacrifice Good actions and good aims make a man good in the sight of God Cain may offer as well as Abel Doeg may set his foot as far within the Sanctuary as David the Pharisee as the Publican but with different successe God testifying of his gifts By fire from heaven or some other visible expression of his gracious acceptation whereby Abels faith was confirmed touching life and salvation in Christ Being dead yet speaketh Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is yet spoken of Being registred for the first Martyr in the Old Testament as Stephen was in the New and as Mr Rogers was here in the Marian persecution Verse 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By faith Enoch was translated Or carried from one place to another He changed his place but not his company for he still walked with God as in earth so in heaven That he should not see death The Arabick version addeth He was translated into paradise where a plentifull amends was made him for that which he wanted of the daies of the years of the lives of his fathers in the daies of their pilgrimage Gen. 47.9 And was not found And yet the Lord killed him not as the Chaldee hath Gen. 5.24 but took him up in a whirlwinde say the Hebrew Doctours as Elias was That he pleased God He walked with God in all well-pleasing being fruitfull in every good work Col. 1.10 Verse 6. But without faith That is without Christ in whom the Father is well-pleased Ioh. 14.6 For he that cometh to God sc Formâ pauperis that cometh a begging to him in the sense of his own utter indigence as Iacobs sons came to Ioseph and as the Aegyptians hard bestead came to him saying We will not hide it from my Lord how that our money is spent c. Gen. 47. Must believe that he is Zaleucus Law-giver of the Locrians speaketh thus in the proem to his Laws Hoc inculcatum sit esse Deos Let this be well setled in mens mindes that there is a Deity and that this Deity will reward the devout But what an odde conceit was that of the Cretians to paint their Iupiter without either eyes or ears And what an uncertainty was she at Medâ—◠〈◊〉 that praid O Deus quisquis es vel in coelo vel in terrâ O God whoever thou art for whether thou art and who thou art I know not Serviâ—â— in Geâ—â— lib. 1. This uncertainty attending Idolatry caused the Heathens to close their petitions with that generall Dijque Deaeque omnes Hear all ye gods and goddesses And those marriners Ion. 1.5 every man to call upon his God and lest they might all mistake the true God they awaken Ionah to call upon his God Christian petitioners must settle this that their God is Optimus Maximus such in himself and such toward them as he stands described in his holy word Verse 7. Moved with fear Opposed to the security of the old world who would know nothing till the very day that the floud came Mat. 24. Noah trembled at Gods judgements whilest they hanged in the threatnings and was no lesse affected then if himself had been endangered See the like in Habakkuk after that he threatned the Chaldeans Chap. 3.16 and
spirit of prophecy neither let there be any to favour his fatherlesse children And why Because that he remembred not to shew mercy Psal 109.12 16. This was fulfilled in Haman and is fulfilled in daily experience Hence riches ill gotten or ill kept shift masters so oft It is not true that is commonly spoken Happy is that son whose father goes to the devil for such goods seldome prosper except it be with some odde one Dan. 4.27 that by repentance breaks off and heals his fathers sin by mercifulnesse to the poor and so makes him friends with those riches of unrighteousnesse So our Saviour cals them either because rich men are for most part unrighteous themselves or the sons of unrighteous persons or else unrighteous that is uncertain vain Luk. 16.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc est incertus vanus sallax 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enim ex idiotis mo hebraico ac cipitur etiam pro vero necesserio sumo c. pator Lexic vain deceitfull such as will give us the slip for so the word may be taken according to the use of the Hebrew and Syriack tongues His riches perish by evil travel saith Solomon and he begetteth a son and there is nothing in his hand Eccl. 5.14 For either he leaves it to a prodigall that rides to hell with golden spurs and forks it abroad as fast as the miser his father raked it together Or if he be never so good an husband yet usually he thrives not but moles as snow before the Sun So that a man had better leave his childe a wallet to beg from door to door then a cursed hoard of goods either gotten by evil arts or spared when they should have been spent upon the poor and needy Thus for the life present Mercifull men lay up in store a good foundation both for themselves and theirs As for the life to come They lay hold hereby upon eternall life which by good works is 1. Assured them here Prov. 14.21 Prov. 11.17 Mat. 5 7. Jam. 2.13.2 Enjoyed of them hereafter 1. At the hour of death for when riches shall fail riches well used shall let us into haven Luk. 16.9 God freely crowning his own grace in us 2. At the day of judgement when there effectuall faith shewn by your works shall be found to praise honour and glory before God Angels and men Christ mentioning and celebrating their good deeds only such as they had forgotten 1 Pet 1 7. or thought he had taken no notice of and shall therefore ask When saw we thee hungry and sed thee naked and clothed thee c. But there is a book of remembrance written be fore him of all the particulars Mal. 3.17 Qui non dedit micav non obtinuit guitam which shall then be produced When mercilesse men shall meet with their own measure as Dives who denied crums and could not therefore obtain a drop of water to cool his tongue they shall in vain tire out the deaf mountains to quash them to pieces or grinde them to pouder but will they nill they must receive judgement without merey because they shewed no mercy Then shall Mercy rejoyce against damnation or glory over it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jâ—un 2.12 as over it's adversary A godly man moved with compassion lifts up his head and overcomes the fear of being condemned in judgement He can tender to God mercy and melting-heartednesse and thereby expect the same from him as David did Psal 86.2 Preserve my soul for I am mercifull Alphousus King of Spain was in great likelihood to have been made King of Romans but lost it to Richard of England For being a great Mathematician saith the Chronicler he was drawing of lines when he should have been drawing his purse Daniel hist of Eng fol. 174. and so fell from his high hopes So doth many a man from his possibilities of heaven by busying himself about many things and not attending the opportunites of love and good works Joseph made a gain of the famine and bought up the land of Aegypt so might we of the poor and buy heaven Not for any worth of the work for alas what proportion No more surely then betwixt a kingdome and a nut-shell But because faithfull is he who hath promised who also will do it not to the half as Herod but to the whole of his kingdome Ambition 1 JOHN 2.16 For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world PLeasure profit preferment called here the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life are the worldlings Trinity to the which he performeth inward and outward worship According to the three things which the woman by false suggestion saw in the tree for meat for the eyes and for prudence And according to our Saviours three-fold temptation Mat. 4. Doct. solinu the last whereof by the vain pomp and glory of the world he could least of all endure and therefore bids the Tempter Avaunt Our Apostle ver 13. of this Chapter tels us That a man may be very mortified even a Father and yet very subject to dote on the world which may be fitly likened to the serpent Seytnle whereof it is reported that when she cannot overtake the flying passengers she doth with her beautifull colours so astonish and amaze them that they have no power to passe away till she have stung them Balaam could not but go after the wages of wickednesse the preferment that was profered him Nay Barue a far better man is seeking great things for himself Hezekiah shewing his treasury Jonas over-tender of his reputation Nicodemus for the same cause coming haltingly to Christ as a night-bird and the Apostles strangely transported with an idle conceit of an earthly Kingdome wherein they dream'd there should be as once in Davids and Solomons daies a distribution of honours and officers Hence so many frivolous and fruitlesse questions and requests as that of the mother of Zebedees children put on by her ambitious sons who were ashamed to make the motion Yea many times most unseasonably and unsavourily when Christ had been fore-warning them of his ignominious death and fore arming them against the scandall of the crosse they fell into those absurd disputes who should be the greatest amongst them and have the highest place of preferment as Mar. 9 31 32 33 34. And whereas our Saviour disswaded them this solly and set a childe in the midst of them to learn them lower thoughts S. John soon sated with such sad discourse interrupts his master and laying hold on something he had said v. 37. tels a story of another businesse v. 38. Yea Nazianz. so sowred were they and swoln with this Pharisaicall haven that they were at it again the third time Luk. 22.24 And that 1. After that our Saviour had fore-told them that his
one tooth and then another unlesse they would bring him in such sums of money as he required Fear to whom c. i. e. Reverentiall observance farre beyond that which Q. Fabius Maximus yeelded to his son when he became Consul Li. Decal 3. lib 4. Verse 8. Owe no man c. The Persians reckoned these two for very great sins 1. To be in debt 2. To tell a lie the later being oft the fruit of the former By the twelve Tables of Rome Xenophon he that owed much and could not pay was to be cut in pieces and every creditour was to have a piece of him according to the debt Gell lib. 12. c. 1. Verse 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Briefly comprehended Capitulated fulfilled saith the Syriack summed up St Bartholomew was quoted by Dionysius to have said of Divinity Et magnam esse minimam that it was large and yet little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as containing much matter in few words Verse 10. The 〈◊〉 of the law The filling up of the law in this that it clotheth the duties of the law with the glory of a due manner and seateth them upon their due subjects with the unwearied labours of a constant well-doing Verse 11. To awake out of sleep Whiles the Crocodile sleepeth with open mouth the Indian rat gets into his stomack and eateth thorow his entrails Whiles Ishhosheth slept upon his bed at noon Baanah and Rechab took a way his head Security ushereth in destruction Goe forth and shake your selves as Sampson did when the Philistims were upon him lest Satan serve you at least for your souls as Captain Drake did the Spaniard at Taurapasa in the West-Indies for his treasure he found him sleeping securely on the shore and by him thirteen bars of silver to the value of 400000 duckets Coâ—â—dens Elisa fol. 422. which he commanded to be carried away not so much as once waking the man Or lest Christ himself deal by us as Epaminondas did by the watchman whom he found asleep He thrust him thorow with his sword and being blamed for so severe a fact he replied Talem eum reliqui qualem inveni I left him as I found him For now is our salvation nearer Stir up your selves therefore and strain toward the mark 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesych Poliux l 3 â— 30 There is a Greek word signifying the end of a race which is derived of a word that signifieth to spur or prick forward Surely as they that run their horses for a wager spur hardest at the races end so sith our salvation is nearer now then ever it was therefore we should run faster now then ever we did Verse 12. The night Here it is taken for all unregeneracy which as the night is full of errour terrour c. Nox pudore vacat This night with the Saints is far spent or already past as Cyprian and Hierom here render it Transivit Praeterijt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 13. Let us walk honestly Handsomely fashionably mannerly with an holy shamefacednes Not in chambering Properly lying a bed or long-lying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 14. But put ye on Augustin confesseth that he was converted by reading and pondering this text And make not provision Make not projects cater not for the flesh CHAP XIV Verse 1. Him that is weak c. THat is not thorowly perswaded of all things pertaining to Christian liberty about things indifferent Receive Assectu charitatis put him into your bosoms Haymo bear with his weaknesses c Bucer rejected none though different in some opinions in whom he found Aliquid Christi any thing of Christ whose weaklings are to be handled with all tendernesse But not to doubtfull Make him not Question-sick 1 Tim. 6.4 Wring not mens consciences you may hap to break the wards if you do Verse 2. Eateth herbs Rather then meats forbidden by the Law The ancient Latines were as well apaid of herbs to eat Dan. 1 11. as if they had had all manner of dainties Holus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Green herbs were both food and physick to them Verse 3. For God hath received him viz. For his houshold servant which David counted a greater dignity then to be King of Israel And Iustinian the Emperour stiled himself Vltimum servorum Dei the meanest of Gods servants Verse 4. Who art thou c. The wisdome from above is without censuring without hypocrisie saith S. Iames Chap. 3.17 Intimating that the greatest censurers are mostly the greatest hypocrites And as any one is more wise he is more sparing of his censures Verse 5. Let every man be fully perswaded It is a safe rule Plin. Epist Quod dubites ne feceris In doubtfull cases be sure to take the suter side Verse 6. For he giveth God thanks A custome used by the very Heathens to their gods Sir Ed Sands Spec. Europae as is to be read in Homer and Virgil but grown clean out of use among the Catholikes in France and Italy But if they that give thanks at meat do eat to God to whom do they eat that give none Verse 7. For none of us liveth to himself S. Paul stood as it were on tiptoes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 1.20 to see which way he might best glorifie God by life or by death Verse 8. We are the Lords Death divides us not from Christ but brings us home to him 2 Cor. 5.6 It is but winking as that Martyr said and thou shalt be in heaven presently Verse 9. That he might be Lord He wonne his crown before he wore it he fought for it and having vanquished all enemies he accomplished and proclaimed the victory in his glorious resurrection triumphed in his wonderfull ascension leading captivity captive c. Eph. 4.7 Verse 10. But why dost thou c. Three things are not subject to our judgement 1. The counsels of God 2. The holy Scriptures 3. The persons of men Be not therefore rash in rejecting or sowr in censuring your fellow-servant but let your moderation herein be known to all men and the rather because the Lord is at hand Phil. 4.5 Verse 11. As I live saith the Lord As true as I live is an oath as appears here and Numb 14 21. with Ps 95.11 Forbear it therefore Verse 12. So then every one c. It was excellent counsell that the Oratour gave his hearers Cic. 4. in Verr. I â—a vivamus ut rationâ—m nobis reddendans arbitremur Let us so live as those that must give an account of all at last Verse 13. A stumbling block or an c. A lighter or greater offence to make him go halting to heaven Verse 14. By the Lord Iesus Who hath pulled down the partition-wall and purchased our Christian liberty Verse 15. But if thy brother be grieved It is his weaknesse to be grieved thereat but gratifie him howsoever What one speaks of a plain place
Christ you have all for in him is all fulnes both repletive and diffusive both of abundance and of redundance too both of plenty and of bounty Is made unto us wisdome This notes out Christs Propheticall office Righteousnesse and sanctification By his Priestly office Redemption By his Kâ—â—gly office having fully delivered his from sin death and hell all which is not fully done till after death And that 's the reason why Redemption is here set last See Rom. 8.23 Luk. 21.28 Verse 31. Glory in the Lord Acquiesce and exult in him which is the end why God hath done all this for us in Christ CHAP. II. Verse 1. Not with excellency SAint Pauls speech was neque lictâ— neque negl cta neither curious nor carelesse Politian could say that it is an ornament to an Epistle to be without ornaments And yet he had so little grace as to prefer Pindars Odes before Davids Psalms Hosius also the Câ—dinal thought Davids Psalms unlearned applying that Scribrmus indoctâ— doctique pocmâ—ta passim Os durum The holy Scriptures have a grave eloquence but want those pompous and painted words that carnall rhetoricians hunt after Verse 2. To know any thing To professe or teach any other skill All the wisdom of a man is in this one thing saith Lactartius Vt Christum cognoscat colat That he know and worship Christ Hoc nostrum dogma haec sententia est c. Lactan. liâ— 3. cap. 30. Verse 3. In weaknesse In misery and in a mean condition labouring with his hands c. Act. 18.3 And in fear Of adversaries or through care of discharging my duty amongst you Verse 4. With entising words Religion is not a matter of parts words or wit The devil cares not for the sons of Sceva's adjurations Abanah and Pharphar may scour but Jordâ—n only can cure Gods holy things must be handled Sanctè magis quam scitè with fear and reverence rather then with wit and dalliance In demonstration of the spirit With demonstrations fetcht out of the very marrow of the Scriptures It must be an elaborate speech that shall work upon the conscience Verse 5. That your faith c. A humane testimony can breed but a humane faith Aarons bels were of pure gold our whole preaching must be Scripture-proof or it will burn and none be the better for it In the power of God In the Gospel that lodgeth a certainty in the soul Verse 6. Wisdome among the perfect Or those that are grown to maturity Some think the Apostle borroweth this tearm from the Pagans superstition who admitted none to their most secret Ceremonies but only persons well prepared and purified for many years Yet not the wisdome c. Which is like the labour of Moles that dig dexterously under ground but are blinde above ground That come to nought That are tumbled into hell with all their learning which doth but light them into utter darknesse Nos cum doctrinis nostris c. Aug. Verse 7. Wisdome of God in a mystery Whiles God did not divide himself into a mercifull Father and a just Judge as Valerius speaketh of Zaleucus but declared himself to be both a perfectly mercifull Father and withall a perfectly just Judge which was such an act of wisdom as the world never heard of This is that great mystery of godlines 1 Tim. 3.16 Verse 8. Which none of the Princes He calleth the Pharisees and Philosophers Princes for their learning as being himself a scholar Only he might well have said of them as Tuliy of others in another case Mihi quidem nulli satis eruditi videntur quibus nostra sunt ignota I cannot take them for scholars Cic de Poetâ— Latinu that partake not of our learning None of the Princes of this world knew Because their learning hung in their light So it fared with Vspian the chief Lawyer Galen the chief Physitian Porphyry the chiefest Aristotelian and Plotinus the chief Plaionist who were profest enemies to Christ and his truth So was Libanius and Lucian the chief scholars of their time None miscarry oftner then men of greatest parts None are so deep in hell as those that are most knowing They see no more into the mystery of Christ then illiterate men do into the profound points of Astronomy As a man may look on a trade and never see the mystery of it or he may look on the letter and never understand the sense so here Verse 9. Eye hath not seen c. It is reported of one Adrianus that seeing the Martyrs suffer such grievous things he asked the cause one of them answered Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him The naming of which Text so wrought upon him that afterward he became a Martyr The things which God hath prepared As he prepared Paradise for Adam so heaven for all his Yet he reserves not all for the life to come but gives a few grapes of Canaan in this wildernesse Verse 10. But God hath revealed The Chineses use to say of themselves Dâ—scrip of the world Chap. of China and Cathaia That all other Nations of the world see but with one eye they only with two This is most true of the naturall man compared to the spirituall Verse 11. Save the Spirit c. Man knows his inward thoughts purposes and desires but the frame and disposition of his own heart he knows not Jer. 17.9 Knoweth no man How can he that cannot tell the form and quintessence that cannot enter into the depth of the flowers or the grasse he treads on have the wit to enter into the deep things of God hid from Angels till the discovery and since that they are students in it But the Spirit of God With this heifer of his therefore we must plow if we will ever understand his riddles Verse 12. Not the spirit of the world The world lieth down in that unclean one and is under the power and vassallage of that spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience as a Smith in his forge 1 Joh. 5.19 Ephes 2.2 It is wholly set upon wickednesse as Aaron saith of the people Exod. 32.22 That we might know A sweet mercy The Cormorants of the world will not let their heirs know what they will do for them till they die But God assures his of heaven afore-hand Thus we have not received the spirit of this world we cannot shift and plot as they can but we have received a better thing and have no reason to repine Verse 13. But which the holy Ghost teacheth So that not the matter only but words also of holy Scripture are dictated by the Spirit and are therefore to be had in higher estimation 2 Pet. 1.21 Comparing Or coapting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitting spirituall words to spirituall matters that all may savour of the Spirit Verse 14. But the naturall man The meer Animal
in April both wholsome roots and poisonable discover themselves Macar Hom 12. which in the winter were not seen so at the day of judgement good and evil actions The things done in his body That is Bernard the just reward of those things In die judicy plus valebit conscientia pura quam marsupia plena Then shall a good conference be more worth then all the worlds good And this was that that made Paul so sincere a Preacher and so insatiable a server of God as Chrysostome calleth him Whether it be good or bad Wicked men shall give an account 1. Debonis commissis Of goods committed to them 2. De bodis dimissis of good neglected by them 3. De malis commissis of evils committed 4. De malis permissis of evils done by others suffered by them Itaque vivamus saith the Oratour Cic. 4 in Ver. Let us so live as those that must render an account of all Verse 11. Knowing therefore the terrour c. What a terrible time it will be with the wicked who shall in vain tire the deaf mountains with their hideous out-cries to fall upon them c. We perswade men To slee from the wrath to come to repent and be converted that their sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come Act. 3.19 We speak persuasively to this purpose but it is God only that perswades Verse 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which glory in appearance Gr. In the face Hypocrites as they repent in the face Mat. 6.16 so they rejoyce in the face not in the heart Their joy is but skin-deep it is but the hypocrisie of mirth they do not laugh but grin their hearts ake many times when their faces counterfeit a smile Their mirth is frothy and flashy such as smooths the brow but fils not the brest such as wets the mouth but warms not the heart Verse 13. It is to God i. e. When to the world we seem mad of pride and vain-glory yet then we respect only Gods glory It is for your sakes i. e. For your learning that we are more modest and sparing in commending our Apostleship It is a good rule Quicquid agas propter Deum agas Doe all for Gods sake Verse 14. The love of Christ c. As reward hath an attractive and punishment an impulsive so love hath a compulsive faculty This love of Christ had so closed in S. Paul so hemmed him in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and begirt him round that his adversaries reported him a mad man as vers 13. he erred in love toward his sweet Saviour and even exhaled his blessed soul in continuall sallies as it were and expressions of his dear affection to the Lord Jesus Then were all dead All the body suffered in and with Christ the head and so are freed by his death Heb. 2.9 as if themselves in person had died Verse 15. Should not hence forth Servati sumus ut serviamus The redeemed among the Romans were to observe and honour those that ransomed them as parents all their daies Verse 16. No man after the flesh i. e. We esteem no man simply the better or worse for his wealth poverty honour ignominy or any thing outward See jam 1.9 10 11. Thomas Wats Martyr spake thus at his death to his wife and children Wife and my good children I must now depart from you Act. and Mon. fol 1450. therefore henceforth know I you no more but as the Lord hath given you to me so I give you again to him whom I charge you see that ye obey c. Though we have known Christ As possibly Paul might have known Christ in the flesh for Jesus of Nazareth was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people Luk. 24. 19. Austin wished that he might have seen three things Rome flourishing Paul preaching Christ conversing with men upon earth Bede comes after and correcting this last wish faith yea but let me see the King in his beauty Christ in his heavenly kingdome Paul was so spiritualized that he took knowledge of nothing here below he passed thorow the world as a man in a deep muse or that so looks for a lost jewell that he overlooks all besides it Verse 17. Is a new creature Either a new man or no man in Christ All things are become new The substance of the soul is the same the qualities and operations altered In regeneration our natures are translated not destroied no not our constitution and complexion As the melancholy man doth not cease to be so after conversion only the humour is sanctified to a fitnesse for godly sorrow holy meditation c. so of other humours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 18. And all things are of God He is both authour and finisher of our faith the God of all grace the Father of all lights c. And hath given to us the Ministery He hath taken this office from the Angels those first preachers of peace Luk. 2.10 14. The Angel told Cornelius his praiers were heard in heaven but for the doctrine of reconciliation he refers him to Peter Act. 10. Verse 19. That God was in Christ c. As the salt-waters of the sea when they are strained thorow the earth they are sweet in the rivers so saith one the waters of Majesty and Justice in God though terrible yet being strained and derived thorow Christ they are sweet and delightfull Verse 20. Embâ—ssadours for Christ And therefore sacred persons not to be violated on pain of Gods heavy displeasure Do my Prophets no harm As though God did beseech you Gods grace even kneels to us En flexanimam Suadae medullam Who can turn his back upon such blessed and bleeding embracements Verse 21. To be sin for us That is a sin-offering or an exceeding sinner as Exod. 29.14 So Christ was 1. By imputation for our sins were made to meet upon him as that Evangelicall Prophet hath it See Aug. Enchirid c. 41. Isa 53 6. And secondly By reputation for he was reckoned among malefactours ibid. And yet one Augustinus de Roma Archbishop of Nazareth was censured in the Councel of Basil for affirming that Christ was peccatorum maximus the greatest of sinners Christ so loved us saith one that he endured that which he most hated to become sin for us he was made sin passive in himself to satisfie for sin active in us and the want of that which was more worth then a world to him the sense of Gods favour for a time Ama amorem illius c. saith Bernard Who knew no sinne That is With a practicall knowledge with an intellectuall he did else he could not have reproved it We know no more then we practise Christ is said to know no sin because he did none That we might be made c. As Christ became sin not by sin inherent in him but by our sin imputed to him so are we made the
five away Isa 35.10 Verse 9. This is a faithfull saying And yet who hath believed our report The promises are good free-hold and yet little looked after Godlines hath but cold entertainment because she lives much upon reversions Verse 10. For therefore Because godlinesse hath so much happinesse laid up in the promises vers 8. and there is so much certainty of the performance of those promises therefore we both do and suffer 1 Cor. 15 58. Finis edulcat mediae Who is the Saviour of all men Not of eternall preservation but of temporall reservation For every man should die the same day he is born the wages of death should be paid him presently but Christ begs wicked mens lives for a season saith one Sin hath hurled confusion over the world brought a vanity on the creature And had not Christ undertaken the shattered condition of the world to uphold it it had fallen about Adams ears saith another Divine Specially of those that believe Who therefore are in a special manner bound to observe and obey him Among the Romans they that were saved were wont to crown him that saved them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Polybâ— 6. and to honour him as a father all their daies We must also set the crown upon Christs head Cant. 3.11 and obey this everlasting father Isa 9 6. Verse 11. These things command and teach Teach the tractable command the obstinate lay Gods charge upon all Verse 12. Let no man despise c. But how should I help it Might he say The Apostle answereth Be thou an example to the beleevers a patern of piety For holinesse hath honour wisdome maketh the face to shine naturall conscience cannot but stoop to the Image of God where ever and in whomsoever it discerneth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat epist ad Magnes saith Ignatius Youth seasoned with the fear of God is not easily despised But be thou an example Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such a thing as maketh the stamp upon the coyn Exemplis sciolâ bacâ—atate magis aedificant ministri quam concionibus Verse 13. Give attendance to reading First to reading and then to exhortation bringing as a good Scribe out of a good treasure new and old Father Latimer notwithstanding both his years and constant pains in preaching was at his book most diligently about two of the clock every morning A rare example Verse 14. Neglect not the gift Gods gifts grone under our disuse or misuse and God hearing gives them the wings of an Engle so that such may say as once Zedekiah did 1 King 22. â—4 When went the Spirit of the Lord from me to thee God dries up the arm and darkens the eye of idle and Idol shepherds Zech. 11.17 With the laying on of the hands A custome that came from the Church of the old Testament Gen. 8.14 Levit. 1.4 and 3.2 is laudably used to this day in the Ordination of Ministers but foolishly and sinfully abused by the upstart-Sectaries Verse 13. Meditate upon these things And so digest them turn them in succum sanguinem Let your heart fry a good matter that your pen may be as the tongue of a ready writer Ps 45.1 and not present crude and rude stuff When it was objected to Demosthenes that he was no sudden speaker but came ever to the Court after premeditation he answered Se si fieri posset dicturum non tantum scripta sed otiam sculpta Give thy self wholly to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. Be thou in them totus in hoc sis It was Mr Perkins his Motto Verbi Minister es hoc age Thou art a Minister of the Word make it thy whole businesse Verse 16. Thou shalt beth save What an high honour is this to faithfull Ministers that they should be stiled Saviours in a sense So Job 33.24 Obad. 21. Jam. 5.21 CHAP. V. Verse 1. Rebuke not an Elder LAsh him not with the scourge of the tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ne plagam in â—ixeris as a puny-boy Jerk him not as the Pope did Henry 4. of France in the person of his Embassadour or as the Bishops and their shavelings did Henry the 2. of England till the bloud followed This is not civill usage for an Elder Verse 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With all purity Not with some only but with as purity for fear of the worst and least any impure motion therewhile creep into the heart unawares Verse 3. Honour widows indead That is such as are widows not by divorce but by the death of their husbands and losse of their children such as was Naomi Honour them that is take them into the Colledge of widows to be maintained at the Churches charge Verse 4. Let them learn first to shew Such any one is in truth as he is at home Ps 101.2 The hypocrites vertues as that of the Sarmatians run all outward Something he seems abroad but follow him home and you shall soon see what he it â— follow stage-plaiers into their thing-house where they disrobe themselves and then it will appear they are vile varlets Like unto this Apostolicall procept was thee of Chilâ— one of the wise men of 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to govern honestly a mans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And to requite their parents See the Note on Matthew 15.4 Verse 5. Trusteth in God Whereas while she had an husband and children she trusted over-much in them The Hemorroisse sought not to our Saviour till all her money was gone Zâ—ph 3.12 They are an afflicted poor people therefore they trust in the name of the Lord. Verse 6. Is dead while she liveth Cùm careat purâ mente cadaver agit Pamphilus in Terence saith the like of a light huswife Sanè hercle homo voluptati obsequens fuit dum vixit Saint Pauls Greek cannot well be rendered but by Terences latine and Terences latine cannot be well put into other Greek Verse 7. And these things give in charge Often inculcate and set on with a great deal of vehemency that religion suffer not Verse 8. But if any provide not That they may have Gaiusses prosperity Mentem sanam in corpore sano Though the Apostles meaning here is chiefly as touching bodily nourishment and outward accommodations Specially for those of his own house Socrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Infidel took care of the welfare of his family and allies as Libanius testifieth Bishop Ridley was very kinde and naturall to his kinsfolk And the Lord Cromwell before the time of his apprehension Act. and Dson fol. 1559. Ibid. 1086. took such order for his servants that many of them especially the younger brethren which had little else to trust unto had honestly lest for them in their friends hands to relieve them whatsoever should befall him Verse 9. The wife of one man As Anna Luke 1.36 Such are held to be more modest to whom the thoughts of death hath been
staid not Whereupon Mâ—lch Adami in vita Calv. pag. 114. Non ausas fuit Calvinus ad Farelli tonitrua plus quam Periclea saith mine authour jugum vocationis quod sibi à Domino imponi videbat detractare Calvin durst not stir after such a charge but staid it out there to his dying day Verse 2. Be instant Gr. Stand over it Stand close to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostome at Antioch having preached many Sermons against swearing was at length asked when he would preach upon another subject He answered When you leave swearing I 'le leave preaching against swearing In season out of season On the Lords-day on the week day Volentibus nolentibus dic importunum Tu vis errare tu vis perire ego nolo saith Augustine Let men know whether they will or no that for lack of preaching they shall not perish The shew-bread stood all the week before the Lord to shew that preaching is not ouâ— of season on any day The Friers of Basil held that it was Lutheranum diebus profanis praedicare Melâ—h Adam Act. and Mon fol. 11 11. Ibid. 86 â—â— Hereticall to preach on working-daies But Anthony Person Martyr told his persecutours That they were bite sheeps and not Bishops for neglecting to preach It being as great a wonder at Rome to hear a Bishop preach as to see an Asse slie said Dr Bassinet Ibid 1559. Ibid. 1380. But Bishop Ridley preached usually every Sabbath-day and holy-day so did B. Iewel Dr Tailor Martyr Mr Bradford even during his imprisonment Preaching reading and praying was all his whole life Ibid. 1457. He did sharply reprove sin pithily improve errours sweetly preach Christ crucified earnestly perswade to a godly life c. With all long-suffering c. Sidecimus quisque si unus persuasus fuerit ad consolationem abundè sufficit saith Chrysostome If you gain but the tithe of your hearers or lesse it is well Verse 3. Sound doctrine Alex Aphrod problem Which as honey Vulnera purgat ulcera mordet purgeth green wounds but causeth pain to exulcerate parts Children though they love and lick in honey yet will not endure to have it come near their lips when they have sore mouths Having itching cars Horat. Which must have clawing preachers such as will never auriculas mordaci raderâ— vâ—ro deal plainly and faithfully with their souls Verse 4. Turn their cars from the truth Aristotle writeth That Vultures are killed with oil of roles De mirahil â—uscult Sweet smels enrage Tigers Swine cannot live in some parts of Arabia saith Pliny by reason of the pleasant sent of aromaticall trees there growing in every wood Verse 5. Endure afflictions do the work Honor ministerij est in onere dignit as in diligentia corona in contemptu Make full proof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or Accomplish thy Ministery So executing every part of it as to make it thy whole busines Verbi minister es hoc age was Mr Perkins his Motto Thou art a Minister look to it Verse 6. Ready to be offered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He speaks of it as done already To be poured out as a drink-offering upon Gods altar Thus the Apostle expresseth himself emphatically pathetically elegantly setting forth by what death he should glorifie God viz. by being beheaded Whether my death be a burnt-offering a drink-offering by fire or sword or a peace-offering that I die in my bed I desire it may be a free-will offering a sweet sacrifice to the Lord. The time of my departure He makes nothing of death It was no more betwixt God and Moses but Go up and die So betwixt Christ and Paul but launch out and land immediately at the fair haven of heaven Verse 7. I have fought a good fight The nearer any thing is to the center the more strongly and swiftly it moveth The wine of the spirit is strongest in the Saints when they are drawing to an end His motions are quickest when naturall motions are slowest most sensible when the body begins to be senslesse most lively when the Saints are a dying Verse 8. There is laid up a crown Beyond a crown the wishes of mortall men extend not Alexander inviting many to supper provided a crown of 180 pound to be given to those that drank most One and fourty killed themselves with drinking to get that crown Shall these do more for a trifle then we will do for heaven A crown of righteousnes So salvation is called not for that it is of right due to us but because it is purchased for us by the righteousnesse of Christ and shall be freely given to those that are justified by faith Verse 9. Doe thy diligence c. We want much of our comfort in the want of a friend Eccles 4.9 Optimum solatium sodalitium How doth David bemoan the lesse of Ionathan How did D. Tailour prize the company of his fellow-prisoner that Angel of God as he called him Iohn Bradford What a mercy did S. Paul count it that sick Epaphroditus recovered Phil. 2.27 Verse 10. Demas hath for saken me Blazing comets as long as they keep aloft shine bright but when they begin to decline from their pitch they fall to the earth Ionathan followed the chase well and with greâ—dy pursuit till he met with the honey so doth many a Demas And is dâ— parted unto Thessalonica Where he became an Idol Priest as saith Dorotheus Verse 11. For he is profitable Once unprofitable Act. 15.38 See the Note there but now profitable Philom 11. Verse 12. Tychicus have I sent For what end see Eph. 6.22 with the Note there Verse 13. The cloak that I left O supâ—llectilem Apostolicam O what a small deal of housholdstuff had this great Apostle Erâ—s in Ioe saith Erasmus â—a cloak to keep off the rain and a few books and writings Tota â—tiâ—â—m supâ—llâ—x mea est char tacea saith he in another place Erâ—s in farrag epistol All my stock is in books And of judicious Calvin it is reported that all the goods that he left behindâ— him his library being sold very dear come scarce to 300 florens that is about go pounds of our money Seekest thou great things for thy self Ier. 45.5 Verse 14. Alexander the copper-smith Who was once Martyrio propinquus saith Calvin near unto Martyrdome in Pauls cause Act. 19.33 A glorious professour may become a furious persecutour Let him that stands take heâ—d lest he fall The Lord reward him This is neither a curse Author quest apud Just Mar. nor a railing speech saith an Ancient but a prediction well beseeming an Apostle that avenged not himself but rather gave place to wrath Rom. 12 19. Verse 15. He hath greatly resisted our words Or our prâ—echings not our persons only This was a foul fault See I Thess 4. 8. Exod. 16.8 Verse 16. No man stood with me So that Paul might have said as Socrates did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My friends I have never a friend And as Plato A friend is a very mutable creature Verse 17. The Lord stood God is never so sweet and so seasonable to his Saints as in the day of their deepest distresse He loves to help those that are forsaken of their hopes The preaching might be fully known Or Soundly proved to be a divine ordinance by my constancy and contempt of death Out of the mouth of the lion Nero who first orientem fidem Romae cruentavit as Tertullian speaketh put Christians to death and made a bloudy decree That whosoever confessed himself a Christian should Dedicator dam nationiâ— chri li. anorum Teit. without any more ado be put to death as a convicted enemy of mankinde Tertullian calleth him The Dedicatour of the condemnation of Christians Verse 18. And the Lord shall deliver Experience breeds confidence Vnto his heavenly kingdom So David argues from temporals to eternals Psal 23.5 6. Verse 19. Salute Prisca c. See the Note on Rom. 16.3 Verse 20. At Miletum sick See the Note on Phil. 2.27 Verse 21. Do thy diligence c. The Apostle quickneth Timothy as Tully did his friend Quamobrem si me amas c. si dormis expergiscere si stas ingredere si ingrederis curre si curris advola Credibile non est quantum ego in amore fide tua ponam Make all possible haste hither for I rely much upon thy love and loialty Verse 22. Grace be with you Gods blessing be with you alwaies Amen Act. and Mon. 1365. Laur. Saunders Even now to ward the offering of a burnt sacrifice c. said that Martyr in a letter to certain friends A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the Epistle of S. Paul to TITUS CHAP. I. Verse 1. The faith of Gods elect NOt the election of Gods faithfull ones as the Arminians make it And the acknowledging of the truth It is usuall with S Paul in the beginning of his Epistles to utter much in few and to set down the summe of the whole Gospel as here he doth Justification Sanctification and the hope of salvation and all by the acknowledging of the truth Verse 2. God that cannot lie The word of promise bindes God therefore it seems saith one that it is stronger then God for he can assoon deny himself as his promise Verse 3. Manifested his word As when he laid plainly He that believeth is the Son hath eternall life Verse 4. Common saith Common to the communion of Saints vers 1. and to them proper and peculiar for all men have not faith 2 Thess 3.2 Verse 5. Set in order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coâ—sicias Gr. Set straight or make up the things that I left unfinished Verse 6. The husband of one wise Here the Apostle canonizeth saith an Interpreter Stultâ—t the marriage of Minâ—sters Verse 7. A Bishop must be blamelâ—sse As was Moses Samuel Paul Bradford Bucer c. who led convincing lives so that their foes could not many thing stain them nor their friends sufficiently commend them Not soon angry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bilâ—osus bellicosus testy and techy easily blown up inâ—o â—age that will not be laid down without revenge Verse 8. Temperate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No slave to his fleshly appetite but one that can master himâ—elf and give laws to his lusts See my Common place of Abstinence Verse 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holding fast c. As with tooth end nail against those gain-saiers that would snatch it from us Verse 10. For there are many unruly Lawlesse yokelesse masterlesse men untractable untameable that refuse to be reformed hate to be healed God will hamper these Belialists 2 Sam. 23.6 Verse 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whose mouths must be stopped Gr. Muzzled as bandogs are Câ—c de divinat Laâ—rliâ—â— Fides puniâ—a Virgil. Cres semper mendax â—ala bellua bellâ—o deseâ— Camdeâ—s Eliz. fol â—04 Creâ—izâ—c â—â—â— Cretâ—â—â—â—hâ—â—â—de Frâ—en A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Casaub Frogs they â—â—y will leave croaking if but a light be hanged over the lake wherein they are Let but the truth come clearly in place and heretikes will be soon filâ—nced But if they will not another course must be taken with them Verse 12. Even a Prophet of thâ—ir own Epimenides the Poet who by his countrey-men the Cretians was counted a Prophet and had divine honours done to him after his death The Cretians are alwaies liers So were the Carthaginians Tyrijque bilingues The French had so often deceived the English that such as they mean to deceive they call by a common by-word Ias Aâ—â—lâ—â— The English The Cretians were loud liars even to a Proverb Of Delon Homer saith That he had an art in lying But Euâ—aemâ—a Joannes that Cretian Dae noniâ—ck wins the whetâ—onâ— one from all his countrey-men whiles he blusheth not to tell the world in print that these are the doctrines and practices of the Protestants to worship no God to frame our religion to the times to pretend the publike cause to our private lusts to break our words as we see good for our purpose to cover deadly hatred under fair flatteries to confirm tyranny by shedding the bloud of innocents c. Verse 13 Rebuke them sharply Gr. Precisely rigidly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— uttingly severely and to the quick A Metaphor from Chyrurgeons who must not be melch-hearted faith Celsus but pare away the dead flâ—sh Ne pars sincera trabatur Howbeit Chirurges misericordes esse non opartes that is a good rule given by a godly Divine that although there must be some warmth in a reproof yet it must not be scalding hot M Wbatcy in his Atchetyp Words of reviling and disgrace they scald as it were But words that tend to stir up the conscience to a duâ— consideration of the errour or evil reproved they be duly warm and tend to make the physick work more kindely Evangelizatum non maledictum missus es said Oâ—col â—mpadius to Farellus laudo zelum modò non dâ—sideretur mausuâ—tudo Vinuâ— oleum in tempore suo insund â—dum Evangelistam non tyrannicum leg sâ—atorem praestes Thou art sent to preach not to rail Thy zeal â— commend so it be mingled with meâ—knesse Wine must be poured into mens wounds one while Oecolamp epad Gul. Faâ—d and oil another Thou must shew thy self a peaceable preacher not a tyrannicall Law-giver c. Verse 14. Not giving heed to Jenish fables Wherewith their Talmud is full farâ—â— which whiles they hug over-hard as Cleopatra did the â—â—â—â—es that sucked her bloud they perish Verse 15. Vnto the pure all things c. This Piscator holds a sufficient warrant for us to use Ne forâ—â— and other Heathen-expressions like as the Apostles used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Piseâ—t in Mareâ—a 14 3. Pas praesat ad Lexic abused by the
with God said one concerning Luther See the Note on Joh. 15.16 Verse 16. Act. and Mon. sol 46. A sinne which is not unto death when John Frith and Andrew Hewet were at the stake Dr Cook openly admonished all the people that they should in no wise pray for them no more then they would do for a dog At which words Frith smiling desired the Lord to forgive him There is a sinne unto death That unpardonable sin of doing despite to the Spirit of grace Rockwood a chief persectour at Callice in the daies of Henry the 8. to his last breath staring and raging cried the was utterly damned And being willed to ask God mercy Ibid. 1119. he braied and cried our All too late for I have sought maliciously the deaths of a number of the honestest men in the town whom I knew to be so All too late therefore All too late Verse 17. There is a sin not unto death All fins and blasphemies shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost c. See the Note on Mat. 12.31 32. Verse 18. Sinneth nor sc That sin to death v. 16. not other sins as other men do See the Note on Chap. 3.9 And that wicked one toncheth him not viz. Tactu qualitativo as Cajetan expoundeth it with a deadly touch he thrusts not in his sting so far as to infuse the venome of that sin that is properly his sin Joh. 8.44 and with which he toucheth their spirits that become the serpents feed Verse 19. Lieth in Wickednesse As a lubber in a lake as a carcase in its slime In fermento tota jacet uxor saith he in Plautus This people is wholly set upon Wickednesse said Aaron Exod. 32.22 is under the power and vassallage of the devil Nil mundum in mundo Verse 20. And we know This he brings in here for a corollary and conclusion of all Verse 21. Keep your selves from idols Negatively at least as those 7000 in Israel that had not bowed their knees to Baal if not positively by open declaration of your utter dislike as did Daniel and his associates A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the second Epistle of S. IOHN CHAP. I. Verse 1. The Elder to the elect Lady SAlmeron the Jesuite saith but very absurdly that Seneca's letters to S. Paul and S. Pauls to Seneca as they are called are for matter not much unlike this of S. John to the elect Lady and to Gaius and that of S. Paul to Philemon Judicium sit penes lectorem Me thinks they are no more like then harp and harrow Verse 3. For the truths sake This is the love that will hold again and is a sure signe of love unfained when it is thus well founded Sinisterity is opposite to sincerity Some love the Saints as Isaac loved Esau for the venison that he brought him c. Verse 3. Grace be with you c. This blessing belongs not only to the Lady and her children but to all that rightly reade and hear the words of this Epistle Revel 1.3 Verse 4. I rejoyced greatly This cheared up his good old heart more then any outward respects or courtesies whatsoever See 1 Thess 3.8 Walking in the truth Not taking a step or two not breaking or leaping over the hedge to avoid a piece of foul way but persisting in a Christian course c. not starting aside to the right hand or the left Verse 5. That we love c. God laies no other commands upon us then what we may perform by love that lightneth and sweetneth all His subjects and souldiers are all voluntiers Psal 110.3 Verse 6. As ye have heard He studiously declines the suspition of novelty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See the Note on 1 John 2.7 Verse 7. For many deceivers Gr. Cheaters cozeners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as can cog a die to deceive the unskilfull Ephes 4 14. cast a mist to delude even the quick-sighted Verse 8. That we lose not c. The godly when they fall into foul courses or grow remisse and leave their first love may lose what they have wrought 1. in respect of the praise of men 2. In respect of their own former feelings of Gods favour 3. In respect of the fulnesse of their reward in heaven The Nazarite that broke his vow was to begin all anew Numb 6. Verse 9. Hath not God And so consequently hath nothing Aug. Bern. Habec omnia qui habet habentem omni â— He hath all that hath the Haver of all But sine Deo omnis copiaest egestas Plenty without God becomes penury The wicked for want of God in the fulnesse of his sufficiency is in straits Iob 20.22 as he that hath God for his portion in the fulnesse of his straits is in a sufficiency Verse 10. And bring not this doctrine If he hold not the foundation but be found heterodox and hereticall Receive him not c. Illam domum in qua fuerit inventus hareticus diruendâ—m decernimus Down with that house that harbours an heretike said the Councel of Tholouse in their Constitution against the Albigenses whom they mistook for heretikes Neither bid him God speed Shew not love where you ow nothing but hatred I hate every false way saith David And I shall look upon Auxentius as upon a devil so long as he is an Arrian said Hilarius Verse 11. Is partaker of his evil 1. By his sinfull silence and dissimulation 2. Next by confirming the sinner in his evil way 3. Lastly by offence given to others Verse 12. That our joy may be full See saith one an Apostle furthered and quickned by the graces of a woman When such Grandees in grace have benefit by communion of Saints how much more they whose measures are lesse Verse 13. The children of thine elect Who probably sojourned with S. Iohn for education-sake The Lady might say to the Apostle as he in Virgil did to Aeneas sub te toler are magistrâ— Militiam tua cernere facta Assuescant primis te mirentur ab annis A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the third Epistle of S. IOHN Verse I. Vnto the well-beloved Gaius ARich Corinthian rich in this world and rich in good works A rare bird at Corinth especially Rom 16.23 1 Cor. 1.14 where Saint Paul found them the richer the harder and farre behinde the poor Macedonians in works of charity Verse 2. That thou maist prosper Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That thou maist make a good voiage of it and come-safe and sound to thy journeys end Even as thy soul prospereth By the blessing of him that dwelt in the bush Deut. 31.16 Now the soul prospereth when it hath close communion with God and enjoyes the light of his loving countenance preferring his favour before the worlds warm Sunne Verse 3. Testified of the truth This was their ingenuity thus at least to requite their Host by giving testimony of his liberality Verse 4. I have no greater joy
that we give Rules of direction for alms-deeds for as God hates bribery for a burnt-offering Isa 61.8 so robbery for a work of mercy Mat 6.1 whereas our Saviour saith Take heed that you doe not you ALMES before men the Syriack Translatour renders it Take heed that you do not your justice or righteousnesse before men to teach that aâ—mes should be of things well gotten and to this purpose the Jews called their Almesbox Godwins Heb. anâ—â—q Kupha sheltsedacbah the chest of justice And they expound that saying of Solomon Prov. 10.2 Treasures of wickednesse prosit nothing but righteousnesse dâ—livereth from death Righteouâ—nesse Mercer in loc that is Almes say they And thereunto they accommodate and connect the next verse also The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish no though he should give all his goods to the poor but he casteth away the substance of the wicked wherewith he thinks to make amends for his oppressions and to set off by his good deeds for his bad Selymus the great Turk could see this by the dim light of corrupt nature For when he was upon his death-bed moved by Pyrrhus that great Bashaw to bestow that abundance of wealth that he had wrongfully taken from the Persian Merchants Turk bâ—st 567. upon some notable Hospitall for relief of the poor he commanded it rather to be restored to the right owners which was forth with done accordingly He would not offer ex rapina holocaustum as too many doe amongst us to the shame of Christianity When Henry the third King of England had sent a load of freeze to the Frier-minors to cloath them Daniels hist of Engl fol. 168. they returned the same with this message That he ought not to give almes of that he had rent from the poor neither would they accept of that abominable gift How much lesse then will the righteous God 2. To the making of alms a good work it must be right both quoad fontem and quoad finâ—m too The rise and principle of our liberality the fountain whence it flows must be 1. Faith in God that he doth both accept our persons as Abel and will receive an offering at our hands as Davids Psal 41.1 without this faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 2. Love to our brethren Bowels of mercy yerning over the needy considering the poor weakling whose health is spent and wealth wasted and deeply commiserating him This is to love mercy Micah 6 8 1 Joh. 3.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to draw out thy soul to the hungry Isa 58.10 thy soul and not thy sheaf only thy bowels and not only thy bread Bowels have no singular number in the Hebrew and Greek tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est charâ—tas actuosum vivum aliq◠〈◊〉 it aque ignea pâ—ngitur c. Hier. Wolf in Tâ—lâ—anâ— â—ab philosâ—ph Mâ—â— 18.2 1 Cor. 13.5 2 Cor. 9.7 Mat. 6.7 Psal 11â— 5 to teach us that we must be much in works of mercy and do them all out of deep and dear pitty and sympathy They that have pourâ—raied charity have drawn her out as a naked childe with a merry countenance covered in a cloud with a bloudy heart in the right hand giving honey to a Bee without wings Charity is figured a childe because the charitable ought to be humble and courteous as a childe Charity is pictured naked for that she seeketh not her own Charity looketh merrily God loveth a chearfull giver Charity is covered with a cloud Almes must be given privately Charity holdeth a bloudy heart in the right-hand A good man is mercifull and lendeth he first pittieth and then relieveth Charity offereth honey to a Bee without wings that is helpeth such as would but cannot help themselves This is charity without the which though a man should give all his goods to the poor yea and his body to be burned he were nothing All were to no purpose or profit at all We see then the rise of our good works The end followeth and that must be chiefly the glory of God in our own and other mens comfort and salvation Our labour of love in ministring to the Saints must be shewed toward his name Heb. 6.10 that is for his sake and service Yea whatever we do in word or deed and he that sheweth mercy must both bleed inwardly speak comfortably and act charitably we must doe it in the name that is to the glory of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the father that he holds us worthy to do him any such service Col. 3.17 Indignicertè sumus qui stipem pauperi c. saith a learned Divine Cartw. Hist Christ Unworthy we are doubtlesse of such an honour as to relieve hungry thirsty naked Christ in his poor members The Macedonians counted and called it a favour that they might have their hand in so good a work 2 Cor. 8.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And David thanks God that of his own he will take an offering 1 Chron. 29.9 Far be it from us to sound a trumpet and seek our selves as the Pharisees who as they were hypocrites that is stage-plaiers as the word properly signifieth so they did all theatrically histrionically 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 6.1 hypocritically to be seen of men This was the Butt they shot at and they had it As Stage-plaiers have some small piece of money given them by the spectatours so these had the air of applause They have their reward saith our Saviour Mercedem suam non Dei saith Hierom their reward not Gods Egregiam vero laudem c. let them make them merry with it it s all they are like to have Fruit that grows by the high-way-side seldome resteth till it be ripe The cackling hen loseth her egg so doth the vain-glorious giver his reward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore let him that giveth doe it with simplicity with ingenuity Rom. 12.8 not with a squint-respect to his own commendation Let him account it enough that he hath God the witnesse of his heart who will not forget his labour of love but make ample and honourable mention thereof in that stately Amphitheatre in that great Panegyris at the last day Heb 12 13. When the Judge shall set them on his right hand which is a place both of dignity and safety and say unto them Come ye blessed Mat. 25.34 35. c. For I was hungred and ye gave me meat c. Secret thine alms therefore Why should the left-hand know what the right hand doth Steal we benefits upon out poor brethren as Joseph did the money into the sacks A treasure hid is safest from theeves Thy father that seeth in secret shall reward thee openly It is reported of the Jews that about their Alms-box they wrote this abbreviature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Baxters Agift in secret pacifieth wrath Prov. 21. 14.
that 2 Atheisme in practice so rife in all places for of such dust-heaps that confesse god with their lips but deny him in their lives ye may finde in every corner All places is full of them and so is hell too 1. some think basely of God as if he were altogether such an one as themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act 13. because he keeps silence and bears with their evil manners Psal 50.21 Averroes the Philosopher hence draws an argument against Gods presence and providence here on earth thinks he meddleth with nothing below the Moon because of his slownesse to anger 2. There are again that grant a God but made all of mercy and thereupon lay the reins in the neck to doe wickedly with both hands earnestly as presuming of an easie and speedy pardon Nahum tels us Nahum 1.2 10 That God is jealous and the Lord revengeth the Lord revengeth and is furious c. And that such as these are but as stubble laid but in the Sun a drying that it may barn the better and like grapes let to hang in the sun-shine till they be ripe for the wine-presse of Gods wrath Rev. 1.16 3. Iudas in betraying Christ waâ—â— occasion of his death as man in despâ—iring he 〈◊〉 what in him lay to take away 〈◊〉 life as God D. Stlbs. Eccles 10.12 Serviut to ceant jumenta toquentur Others look upon God as a just Judge and sharp revenger of sinne and disobedience and hereupon could wish for their own case that there were no God This is Deicidium God-slaughter The good soul wisheth with David Vivat Deus let God live and blessed be the God of my salvation But the wicked is a hater of God Rom. 1 30. and to a murtherer of him according to that 1 Job 3.15 He that hateth any is a murtherer This is a high and hatefull degree of Atheisme If a man curse the King in his heart and wish him out of the world the sinne is so hainous that the souls of heaven shall disclose it How horrible then is this same sin against the King of Kings and Lord of Lords 4. Some again have bald conceits of God as if he were an old man sitting in heaven with a crown on his head a scepter in his hand and had the parts and proportions of a man as the Papists picture him God made man after his image and men to requite him will needs make God after their image cast him anew in their base mould and make an idoll of him In they year of Christ 403 this foolish and atheisticall question An Deus corporeus sit Func in Com. Chron. Quia nibil ani mal anima'i superius câ—gitare potest Whether the divine essence be a true body having hands feet c. as men have stirred up great strife among the Monks of Aegypt For the ruder and more ignorant sort of them held that it was so Xenophanes was wont to say That if beasts were able to paint they would pourtray God like to themselves because they could not naturally conceive any â—urther So do these naturall bruit beasts as Peter calleth them made to be taken and destroied speak and think evil of God whom they know not and so utterly perish in their own destruction a Pet. 2 12. 5. Other practicall Atheists there are not a few that deny not God indeed but dethrone him which is as bad whiles they are lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God make their belly their God their gold their god yea the god of this world their god coming to them especially with offers of honours and promotions Ierem. Dike Mal. 3.8 All this will I give thee In too many families saith one Venus hath her altars in the chambers and Bacchus his sacrifices in the butteries which two having made their divident and shared their devotoes alas what a poor third will be left for God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dij stercorarij 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. â—upâ—ter stercorariâ— Rom. 12.1 Thus he Will a man rob his God The blinde Heathens would not deal so ill by their dung-hill Deities Yet ye have robbed me saith the Lord of hosts Not in tithes and offerings only but in offering up your selves your souls and bodies to be a holy lively and acceptable sacrifice unto me yea in loving the Lord your God with all your soul minde and might and your neighbour as your selves which is better then all burnt sacrifices as that Scribe understandingly answered Not but that there may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and â—â—e sacrificing Sodomites as Isa 1.10 Archatheists arrant hypocrites that bring thousands or rams and rivers of oil that offer largely and would give any good for a dispensation even the sons of their body for the sins of their souls Mic. 6.6 71 But they doe worse then lose their labour they commit sinne For Prov 21.27 The sacrisice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord how much more when he bringeth it with an evil heart saith Solomon as thinking to cozen God with a carcase as Prometheus would have done his Jupiter with an outside a forme of godlinesse a shadow of religion Surely God may say to these Atheists as once Isaac did to his father Behold the fire and the wood but where is the lamb Or as Jacob did to his sons that brought him Josephs bloudy coat Luth in decal Here 's the coat but where 's the childe Cainisâ—aa suat saith Luther offerentes non personam sed opus personae These are of Cains kindred that offer to God the work done but themselves they doe not offer they draw night to God with their liâ—s but their hearts are farre from him God also will be as farre from them when they have most need of him as he was from Saul 1 Sam. 28 15. that hypocriticall Atheist God hath for saken me saith he and the Phllistims are upon me so sicknesse death hell is upon me and God hath forsaken me neither is it my Lord Lord that can bring him back to my help and deliverance The Swan in the law was white in feathers yet reputed unclean and unmeet for sacrifice because the skinne under them was black Wash therefore your hands ye sinners but withall cleanse your hearts ye double-minded Jam. 4 8. God is not mocked Gal. 6. not an hypocricicall service accepted dissembled sanctity is double iniquity To end this Discourse and so this first Decad David gives us these sure signs of an Atheist Psal 14. Mâ—rks of an A â—â—ist First A disordered life No sooner doth the fool conceit there is no God but presently follows Corrupt are they and doe abominable vers 1. Yea they prevaricate till they stinke again v. 3 as the old world did that was grown sofoul that God was fain to waâ—h it with a floud All sinne is both 1. from Atheisme for did men believe a God that saw all and would punish all