back oft on what they were before calling that they may thankfully cry out with Iphiâ—rates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from what misery to what dignity are we advanced Fulfilling the desires Gr. The wiles of the flesh Now therefore we must as diligently fulfill not the will but the wils of God as David did Act. 13.22 The children of wrath Deires Gregory the great said of the English boyes that were presented to him Angli quasi Angeli And demanding further what Province they were of in this Island it was returned that they were called Deires which caused him again to repeat the word Abbots Geog. pag. 119. and to say that it were great pity but that by being taught the Gospel they should be saved de ira Dei from the wrath of God Verse 4. But God who is rich in mercy Such a mercy as rejoyceth against judgement as a man against his adversary which he hath subdued Jam. 2.13 Verse 5. Hath quickned c. The very first stirrings in the womb of grace are precious to God he blesseth our very buds Isa 44.3 according to the Geneva translation Verse 6. And made us sit together We have taken up our rooms afore-hand in heaven whereunto we have just right upon earth by vertue of the union the ground of communion 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the son hath life he hath possession of it as by turf and twig Verse 7. In his kindenesse toward us We come not to the knowledge of God but by his works And even his way of knowing him we naturally abuse to idolatry Verse 8. For by grace ye are saved So ver 5. and every where almost S. Paul is a most constant preacher of the grace of God as Chrysostome stileth him Sub laudibus naturae latent inimici gratiae saith Augustine The patrons of mans free-will are enemies to Gods free-grace Verse 9. Least any man should boast As that fool did that said Vega. Coelum gratis non accipiam I will not have heaven but at a rate Non sic Does coluimus aut sic vivimus ut ille nos vinceret said the Emperour Antonius Philosophus Valcat Gallic in Avid Cassio We have not so lived and deserved of God that they enemy should vanquish us Verse 10. For we are his workmanship His artificiall facture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or creature that wherein he hath shewed singular skill by erecting the glorious fabrike of the new man Created to good works In the year 1559. there was published a paradox that good works are pernicious to salvation of mens souls David George the broacher of this heresie was digg'd up and burnt at Basile God hath before ordained i. e. By his eternall decree Oar Vivification then is not a work of yesterday but such as God hath with singular complacency contemplated from all eternity rejoycing in that habitable part of his earth Prov. 8.31 Verse 11. Who are called uncircumcision In great scorn and reproach as 1 Sam. 17.26 Howbeit unregenerate Israel was to God as Ethiopia Amos 9.7 And Iether by nature an Ismaelite 1 Chron. 7.17 was for his faith and religion called an Israelite 2 Sam. 17.25 Verse 12. Strangers from the Covenant The Saints only are heirs to the promises but the devil sweeps all the wicked as being out of the Covenant They stuff themselves with promises till they have made them a pillow for sin Deut. 29.19 Sed praesumendo sperant sperando pereunt Having no hope But such as will one day hop headlesse such as will serve them as Absoloms mule served her Master when she left him hanging by the head betwixt heaven and earth as rejected of both Without God in the world Because without a teaching Priest and without law 2 Chron. 15.3 As it is said of the poor Brasileans at this day that they are sine fide sine rege sine lege This was the case of our Pagan Predecessours Verse 13. Are made nigh by the bloud Christ hath paved us a new and living way to the throne of Gods grace by his own most precious bloud O happy lapidi-pavium Joh. 19 13-17 O Golgotha become our Gabbatha Verse 14. For he is our peace That is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our peace-maker and peace-matter When he was born there was among all Nations a generall aut pax aut pactio as Florus observeth When he took his name he would not have it either entirely Hebrew as Jesus or entirely Greek as Christ but both Jesus and Christ to shew saith one that he is our peace that hath reconciled two into one c. Verse 15. Having abolished in his flesh That is by his death in the flesh Colos 1.22 At which time the veil rent and the Ceremonies died only they were to be honourably buried For to make in himself Gr. To create sc by regeneration Gal. 6.15 So by conjoyning he new created them and by new creating he conjoyned them Verse 16. In one body Vbi igitur separatistae saith one Having slain the enmity Not the Ceremonies only as ver 15. but sin that great make-bate that sets God at odds with his own creature Verse 17. To them that were nigh That is The children of Israel a people â—ear unto him Psal 148.14 Verse 18. We both have an accesse With good assurance of successe The Persian Kings held it a piece of their silly glory to hold off their best friends who might not come near them but upon speciall licence Esth 1. Not so our King Oh come for the Master calleth thee Verse 19. Fellow citizens with the Saints Paul as a Citizen of Rome Act. 22. escaped whipping we as Citizens with the Saints escape hell tortures and torments Verse 20. Vpon the foundation Foundation is taken either for Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 Mat. 16.16 or the doctrine of the Scriptures which teach salvation only by Jesus Christ as here and Rev. 21.14 Verse 21. Fitly framed together Or perfectly joyned together by the ciment of the holy Spirit working in the Saints faith in Christ and love one toward another which the Apostle calleth the bond of perfection Verse 22. For an habitation of God c. The Father makes choice of this house the Son purchaseth it the holy Ghost taketh possession of it This happinesse he best understandeth that most feeleth The Cock on the dunghill knows it not CHAP. III. Verse 1. For this cause TO wit That you may be an habitation of God through the Spirit I Paul the prisoner I hold not S. Paul so happy for his rapture into Paradise saith Chrysostome upon this Text as for his imprisonment for Christ Verse 2. Of the dispensation Gr. Oeconomy The Church is Gods house 1 Tim. 3.15 Paul was faithfull therein as a steward Mat. 24.45 Verse 3. As I wrote afore in few Sc. Chap 1.9 2.13 c. Fulnesse of matter in fewnesse of words This is the Scriptures pre-cellency above all humane writings Verse 4. My knowledge in the
his state and hath none to attend him all the while Solomons mother set the crown upon his head so doth the Church upon Christs head in the day of his espousals Cant. 3.11 Verse 11. Thou art worthy If we would have our souls set as a pearl in that faiâ— ring of heavenly courtiers that compasse the lambs throne let us praise God as they do For thou hast created Our service must not be rash but reasonable Rom. 12.1 such as whereof we can render a reason Joh. 4. God hates a blinde sacrifice a Samaritan service when men worship they know not what nor why And were created Gods power put forth in the creation and administration of the world is twice here mentioned as that which can never be sufficiently admired and adored See my Notes on Genesis 1. CHAP. V. Verse 1. In the right hand GR. On or At the right hand There it lay ready but none could make ought of it till the Lamb took it not only at but out of the Fathers right hand and opened it ver 7. A book written This book of the Revelation which till the Son of man had received of his heavenly Father to shew unto his servants neither they nor he as Sonne of man knew so much at least of that day and hour of his second coming And on the back-side As wanting room within Verse 2. And I saw a strong Angel Angels are very desirous to know the mystery of Christ 1 Pet. 1.11 and to profit daily in that knowledge Ephes 3.10 Verse 3. Nor under the earth That is In the sea as Exodus 20.4 Neither to look thereon Or therein because sealed up Verse 4. And I wept Out of a deep desire of knowing the Contents of this book And as our Saviour going toward his crosse turned again to the weeping women and comforted them so he soon satisfied the desire of this his dejected Disciple Tears are effectuall Oratours Luther got much of his it â—sight inâ— to Gods matters by this means So did Melancthon when he wept out those words Quos fugiamus habemus Pontificios quos sequamur non intelligimus It is said of Sir Philip Sidney that when he met with any thing that he well understood not he would break out into tears faciles motus mens generosa capit The Spouse Cant 7.4 seeking him whom her soul loved had eyes like the pools of Heshbon glazed with tears And Daniel had greatest revelations after three weeks of heavines Chap. 10.2 Verse 5. And one of the Elders A common Christian points the Divine to the Arch-prophet whom for present he thought not on Act. 8 26. Râ—m 1.12 An eloquent Apollos may be better informed by a Tent-maker and a great Apostle be comforted by an ordinary Roman Behold the lion of the Tribe of Judah So Moses sets forth our Saviour The root of David So the Prophets They have Moses and the Prophets saith Abraham To the Law and to the Testimony Gen 49.9 Isa 11.1 Luk. 16.29 Isa 8.20 If any speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them nor to be gotten for them Hath prevailed Gr. Hath overcome or surpassed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sc all creatures in worth to do this great work Verse 6. In the midst of the Throne As a fit Mediatour betwixt God and men even the man Christ Jesus who gave a ransome 1 Tim. 2.5 8. c. A Lamb as it had been slain This form of speech is put saith an Interpreter to shew the continuall recent vertue of Christs death eternally effectuall before God as whereby once for all he hath purchased eternall redemption Some think that he still retains in heaven the prints and scars of those wounds that he received on earth in his hands feet and side His glorified body saith one is that golden censer which through the wounds that are in it as thorow chinks or holes fumeth forth alwaies a pleasant and sweet savour in the nostrils of his Father Having seven horâ—s Plenty of power Antichrist hath but two horns Chap. 13.11 And seven eyes No want of wisdome no need of a visible head to the Church or any other Vicar generall to Christ then the holy Ghost called here The seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth Verse 7. And he came and took As Mediatour he took it as God he gave it All things are delivered unto him of the Father and no man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son revealeth him Mat. 11.27 See the Note there Verse 8. Fell down before the Lamb As they had done before the throne Chap 4. See Joh. 5.23 Divine adoration is an honour due to the manhood of Christ also as it is taken into union with the God-head Full of odours Therefore sweet to God because Christ pours unto them of his odours Rev. 8.3 Which are the praiers of Saints That is their own praiers and praises recorded vers 9. And this is added as an Exposition to let us know what is meant by odours See the like Joh. 2.21 and 7.39 Rev. 1.20 Verse 9. And they sung A generall joy in heaven and earth Surely 2 Cor 4. â— it is a pleasant thing to see the light how much more to see the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ What a deal of triumph and exultation is here all the Church over upon the opening of this book upon the receit of this Revelation Should not this excite and kindle in our hearts a more earnest desire of understanding these mysteries Oh I could finde in my heart to fall afresh upon the study of the Revelation had I strength to do it said my Reverend old Master unto me a little afore his death Mr John Ballam I mean Minister of the Word for many years at Evesham where I heard him in my childehood preaching many a sweet Sermon upon the second and third Chapters of this Book A new song For the new work of redemption besides that old song Chap. 4. for that of creation Out of every kindred Let this be noted against the doctrine of universall Redemption that 's now again so violently cried up amongst us Verse 10. And we shall raign on the earth Raign over our lusts raign with and in Christ over all our enemies by a spirituall not secular scepter and at last judge the world 1 Cor. 6.2 Verse 11. Round about the throne and the beasts That is round about the beasts and the Elders Angels encamp about the Saints as ministring spirits and are glad of the office that there God manifested in the flesh may be seen of them and the multivarious wisdome of God in mans redemption be displaied unto them 1 Tim. 2.16 Ephes 3. Verse 12. With a loud voice Betokening their earnest affection which also is here notably expressed by the many particulars they ascribe to Christ as if they could never give
shall be the finest prey the greatest sinners the sorest sufferers CHAP. XX. Verse 1. And I saw an Angel COnstantine the great the Churches male-childe Chap. 12. Having the key Not that key Chap. 9.1 but another A great chain The succession of Christian Emperours Verse 2. And he laid hold on the Dragon Chap. 12.7 9. He took him in a field-fight and since then till now we have heard little of him more then that he substituted the Beast Chap. 13. whose destruction being declared the prophecy returns to shew the judgment of the Dragon And bound him From the open slaughtering of the Saints as he had done by the Heathen Emperours for from molesting and mischieving of Gods people other wise he is not bound one hour Job 1. 1 Pet. 5.8 And how his vicegerent the Beast hath bestirred him during the thousand years who knows not A thousand years Hos explicare fatâ—or trepidè mâ— aggredi saith Pareus He begins the thousand at the destructiâ—n of the Temple anno 73. and so it ends in Pope Hildebrand who stept into that chair of pestilence anno 1073. Others begin it at the birth of Christ and end in Silvester 2. Others at Christs passion and end in Benedict 9. But they do best in my opinion that begin at Constantine and end in Boniface the 8. who is of his own said to have entered like a fox raigned as a Lion and died as a dog He excommunicated the French King and published this decree That the Bishop of Rome ought to be judged of none although he should carry innumerable souls with him to hell Verse 3. And cast him into the bottomlesse pit That is into the earth Chap. 12.9 12. Chap. 13.11 the earth is the bottomlesse pit out of which the Beast was raised by the Dragon Deceive the Nations The Gentiles by defending Gentilisme and hindering the course of the Gospel amongst them And after that the must be losed He must because God hath so decreed it for the glory of his own name in the defence of his people but destruction of his enemies As also that the devil may shew his malice which God can restrain at his pleasure Roger Holland Martyr said to Bonner This I dare be bold in God to speak which by his Spirit I am moved to say that God will shorten your hand of cruelty that for a time you shall not molest his Church And after this day in this place shall there not any be by him put to the fire and faggot Aâ—â— and Monâ—â— 852. And it proved so for none after the suffered in Smithfield for the testimony of the Gospel Verse 4. And they sat upon them Resting from former pâ—rsecutions and raigning in righteousnesse even here upon earth And judgement was given unto them That is say some the spirit or discerning between Christianity and Antichristianisme Or the clearing of the innocency and doing them right say others Or they had their chairs seats and consistories wherein they did both preach the Word and execute the Churches censure as some sense it And I saw the souls This makes against the Millenaries Souls raign not but in heaven there are the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12. Cotton his pouring out of the 7. vioâ—s p. 26. True it is as Mr Cotton well observeth that there are many devises in the mindes of some to think that Jesus Christ shall come from heaven again and raign here with his Saints upon earth a thousand years But they are saith he but the mistakes of some high expressions in Scripture which describe the judgments poured out upon Gods enemies in making way to the Jews conversion by the patern of the last judgment Thus he The souls here mentioned are the same I conceive that were seen under the Altar Revel 6.9 and doe cry How long Lord These are not capable of a bodily resurrection nor of an earthly raigne And they lived and raigned with Christ They that is those that sat on the thrones not they that were beheaded Lived and raigned as spirituall Kings after the same manner as they are Priests vers 6. for else there should be more Kings then Subjects With Christ It is not said with Christ upon earth this is an addition to the text or if the words did import a raigning upon earth yet this would not inferre an earthly raign for a thousand years in great worldly delights begetting many children eating and drinking and enjoying all lawfull pleasures as some dream now a-daies The conceit I confesse is as ancient as Cerinthâ—â— the heretike and Pâ—pias scholar to S. John a man much reverenced for opinion of his holinesse but yet homo ingenij pertenuiâ— saith Eusebius not oppressed with wit Hierom and Augustine explode it as a Jewish fable and declare it to be agreat errour if not an heresie so do all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at this day The Patrons of Christs personall raign upon earth Moses's choice p. 487. are Mr Archer and Mr Burroughes who tels us That if the opinion of some concerning Christs coming to raign here in the world before the day of judgement be not a truth he cannot make any thing of many places of Scripture as this place for one But if he cannot yet others can See an Answer to his and M. Archers chief Arguments in M. Baylâ— his disswasive from the errours of the times Chap. 21. p. 238. Verse 5. But the rest of the dead Dead in Baal-worship as Ephraim Hos 13.1 dead in sins as Sardis Rev. 3.1 Lived not again By repentance from dead works or they recovered not the life and immortality that is brought to light by the Gospel Vntill the thousand years Untill being taught better by Gods faithfull witnesses they abjured Popery This is the first resurrection From Romish superstitions M. Fox tels us Act. and Mon. fol 767. that by the reading of Chaucers books some were brought to the knowledge of the truth Verse 6. Blessed and happy is he The holy only have part in this resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and are therefore happy or out of harms-way as the word signifies The second death hath no power For they are brought from the jaws of death to the joyes of eternall life where is mirth without mourning riches without rust c. But they shall be Priests See the Note on Chap. 1.6 They shall raign The righteous are Kings Mat. 13.17 compared with Luk. 10.24 Many righteous is the same with Many Kings See the Note on ver 4. A thousand years These thousand years begin saith Master Brightman where the former ended that is in the year 1300. whereby continuance thereof is promised for a thousand years forward among some of the Gentiles and how long it shall raign afterwards among the Jews he onely knows that knows all Verse 7. Satan shall be loosed i. e. Suffered to rise up in open rage against the open professours of the truth and to make havock
Greek imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrais ut Exod. 8.14 Cartwright Whereupon an Expositour noteth Ordinatim res in Ecclesia faciendae Order must be observed in the Church CHAP. XV. Verse 1. And wherein ye stand A Military term as Martyr noteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satan overthroweth the faith of some 2 Tim. 2.18 and by this very engine wherewith he assaulted these Corinthians ib. So that the Apostle was fain to make Apology v. 19. to make a barricado Verse 2. By which also ye are saved Eternall life is potentially in the word as the harvest is potentially in the seed or as the tree is in the kernell or sience Jam. 1.21 If ye keep in memory Helimiteth the promise of salvation to the condition of keeping in memory what they had heard Tantum didicimus quantum meminimus said Socrates Many have memories like nets that let go the fair water retain the filth only or like sives that keep the chaff let go the corn If God come to search them with a candle what shall he finde but old songs old wrongs c. not a promise or any sword of God hid there for things of that nature they are like Sabinus in Seneca that never in all his life could remember those three names of Homer Vlisses and Achilles But the soul should be as an holy Arke the memory like the pot of Mannah preserving holy truths Verse 3. First of all Christ is to be preached with the first as being the prora puppis of mans happinesse Joh. 16.14 It is the office of the holy Ghost to take of Christs excellencies and hold them out to the world What then should Ministers the mouth of the holy Ghost do rather Verse 4. According to the Scriptures Which both fore-shewed and fore-shadowed it in Adams waking Isaac's reviving as it were from the dead Josephs abasement and advancement Samsons breaking the bars and bearing away the gates of Gaza Davids being drawn out of the deep Daniels out of the den Ieremies out of the dungeon Ionas out of the belly of hell Mat. 12.39 c. Verse 5. Seen of Cephas Adam died and we hear no more of him But Christ shew'd himself after death in six severall apparitions for our confirmation Verse 6. Above five hundred The number of beleevers then were greater then some would gather out of Act. 1.15 Those 120 may seem to have been Chieftains such as that any one of them might have been thought meet to succeed Iudas in his Apostleship Verse 7. Seen of Iames This is not mentioned in the Gospel as neither that of Peter v. 5 Verse 8. One born out of due time Quasi malo astro abortus adversante natura coactus One that deserved to be rejected as that forlorn Infant Ezek. 16.4 5. Verse 9. I am the least of the Apostles Not come to my just bignesse as one born out of due time and not without violence Not meet to be called True humility as true balm ever sinkes to the bottom of the water when pride like oil ever swims on the top Verse 10. I laboured more abundantly See 2 Cor. 12.23 Rom. 15.19 George Eagles Martyr in Q. Maries daies for his great pains in travelling from place to place to confirm the brethren was sirnamed Act. and Mon. fol. 1823. Trudge over the world Might not St Paul have been fitly so sirnamed Not I but the grace of God So those good servants Luke 19.16 Not we but thy talents have gained other five and other two c. Let God have the entire praise of all our good Verse 11. So we preach and so ye beleeved A happy compliance when the hearers affections and endeavours doe answer the affections and endeavours of the preacher as here and at Ephesus Act. 20 31-37 When people deliver themselves up to the forme of doctrine Rom. 6.17 and are cast into the mould of the Word Verse 12. No resurrection More then that of regeneration Math. 19.28 that estate of the Gospel called a new heaven and a new earth 2 Pet. 3.13 the world to come Heb. 2.5 that resurrection already past ◠Tim. 2.18 that first resurrection Revel 20.5 Verse 13. Then is not Christ risen But of Christs resurrection there were many both living and dead Witnesses as the earth-quake empty grave stone rolled away cloathes wrapt up c. Verse 14. Then is our preaching vain Never was there any such imposture put upon the world as Christianity if Christ be yet in the grave Verse 15. False witnesses of God For they might safely say with Ieremy Lord if we be deceived thou hast deceived us Verse 16. Then is not Christ raised And so Gods decree is cassated Act. 13.33 with Psal 2.7 Verse 17. Ye are yet in your sins Rom. 4.25 If he had not been let out of prison our debt had remained upon us But God sent his Angel to roul away the stone as the Judge sends an officer to fetch one out of prison and to release him And this is the strength of our Saviours reason Ioh. 16.10 The Spirit shall convince the world of righteousnesse that I am Jehovah their righteousnesse because I go to the Father which I could not have done unlesse you were acquitted of all your sins Verse 18. A sleep in Christ The Germanes call the Church-yard Godsaker because the bodies are sowed therein to be raised again The Greeks call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sleeping-houses The Hebrews call the grave Bothchaijm the house of the living Iob cals it the Congregation-house of all living Job 30.23 As the Apostle cals heaven the Congregation-house of the first-born Heb. 12.23 Verse 19. Most miserable Because none out of hell ever suffered more then the Saints have done Verse 20. The first fruits c. As in the first-fruits offered to God the Jews were assured of Gods blessing on the whole harvest so by the resurrection of Christ our resurrection is ensured Verse 21. By man came also c. Gods justice would be satisfied in the same nature that had sinned Verse 22. Shall all be made alive The Saints shall be raised by vertue of the union with Christ to glory the wicked shall be dragged to his tribunall by his Almighty power as a Judge to be tumbled thence into hell-torment Verse 13. At his coming As in the mean time their very dust is precious the dead bodies consumed are not so destroied but that there is a substance preserved by a secret influence proceeding from Christ as a head Hence they are said to be dead in Christ who by rotting refineth them Verse 24. Delivered up the Kingdome Not his essentiall kingdome as God but his oeconomicall as Mediatour Verse 25. Till he hath put And after too but 1. Without adversaries 2. Without any outward means and ordinances Verse 26. That shall be destroied It is already to the Saints swallowed up in victory so that they may say to it as Jacob did to Esau Surely
I have seen thy face as the face of God This Esau death meets a member of Christ with kisses instead of frowns and guards him home as he did Jacob to his fathers house Verse 27. All things under his feet This Psal 8 7 8. spoken of man in generall is properly applied to the man Christ Jesus in whom also it extendeth to the Saints who are therefore more glorious then heaven earth or any creature and shall have power over all Rev. 2.26 Verse 28. That God may be all in all Till sin and death be abolished we have no accesse to God but by Christ But after that all enemies be trod under foot then shall we have an immediate union with God yet so as that this shall be the proper and everlasting praise of Christ that he is the procurer of that union Cameron de Eccles Verse 29. Which are baptized c. The severall senses that are set upon this Text. See in Beza Piscator but especially our new Annotations upon the Bible Verse 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athenae In jeopardy every hour Carrying our lives in our hands as both the Hebrews and Greeks phrase it Verse 31. By our rejoycing i. e. By our infirmities afflictions wherein he so much glorieth 2 Cor. 11. and 12. as an old souldier doth of his scars As if the Apostle should say I appeal to all those miseries that I have suffered amongst you for a testimony Verse 32. If after the manner c. Paul sought with beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men that is say some the men of Ephesus fought with him after the manner of beasts Others more probably understand it literally If after the manner of men Beza Sclatter that is as men use to do to shew their valour he meaneth those Bâ—stiaâ—ij among the Romans I have been cast to the beasts Chrisostom Ambros and have either overcome them as Lysimachus did the lion or have been spared by them as corpora sanctorum Martyrum tangere multoties refugiebant bestiae saith the Historian what advantageth it me c. And this later sense is a stronger argument of the resurrection Let us eat and drink An ill inference of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth Chrysostome saith There were a sort of such in his time as said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anâ—â—â—â—on Give me to day and take thou tomorrow And have not we those that say Let us be merry while we may we shall never be younger Ede bibe lude post mortem nulla vâ—luptas It was wisely done of the Romans to banish Alaecus and Philiscus a couple of swinish Epicures lest they should by their evil communication and conversation corrupt others Aelian l. 9. Verse 33. Evil communication Evil words are not winde as most imagine but the devils drivell that leaves a foul stain upon the speaker and oft sets the like upon the hearer Shun obscene borborology saith one and unsavoury speeches thou losest so much of thine honesty and piety as thou admittest evil into thy tongue Verse 34. Awake to righteousnesse Go forth and shake your selves as Samson did out of that dead lethargy whereinto sin hath cast you your enemies are upon you and you fast asleep the while I speak this to your shame Ignorance is a blushfull sin Are ye also ignorant said Christ to his Apostles q. d. that 's an arrant shame indeed The Scripture sets such below the Oxe and the Asse Verse 35. But some man will say Some Epicure will object and say How can these things be A privatione ad habitum non datur regressus See the Note on Act. 17.18 Verse 36. Thou fool A hard knot must have a hard wedge a dead heart a rousing reproof He confutes Atheists from the course of nature which they ascribe so much unto Verse 37. And that which thou sowest This is an answer to the Epicures second demand vers 35. with what body do they come with a dead diseased rotten body c No no saith the Apostle Sin only is rotted with it's concomitancies infirmities but the rotting of the body is but as the rotting of corn under the clod that it may arise incorruptible Or as the melting of an old piece of plate in the fire to bring it out of a better fashion Verse 38. But God giveth it a body Deus naturae vires vices ita moderatur c. saith one God so orders all that nothing is done without him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same Hebrew word that signifieth an ear of corn doth also signifie a word because every field of corn is a book of Gods praise every land a leaf every leaf a verse every ear a word every corn of wheat a letter to expresse the power and goodnes of God Verse 39. All flesh is not the same This is another answer to the Epicure who might haply reply and say If mans flesh when rotted shall revive why not likewise the flesh of other creatures The Apostle answereth All flesh is not the same c. Mans flesh only is informed by a reasonable and immortall soul not so the flesh of other creatures And hence the difference Verse 40. There are also coelestiall Stars and spirits the inhabitants of that other heaven I finde saith a Divine like one another Meteors and fowls in as many varieties as there are severall creatures Why Is it because man for whose sake they were made delights in variety God in constancy Or is it because that in these God may shew his own skill and their imperfection The glory of the terrestriall The glory of our terrestriall bodies shall at the resurrection be celestiall they shall be more like spirits then bodies so clear and transparent saith Aquinas that all the veins humours nerves and bowels shall be seen as in a glasse they shall be conformed to the glorified body of Christ as to the standard Verse 41. One star differeth c. The morning-star is said to cast a shadow with it's shine Canst thou binde the sweet influences of the seven starres Job 38.31 Whose work is to bring the Spring and which like seven sisters or lovers as the word signifies are joyned together in one fair constellation Or lose the bands of Orion The star that brings winter and bindes the earth with frost and cold Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth the Southern constellations Or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sonnes that is the Northern stars those store-houses of Gods good treasure which he openeth to our profit Deut. 28.12 Verse 42. So also is the resurrection Whether there are degrees of glory as it seems probable so we shall certainly know when we come to heaven Three glimpses of the bodies glory were seen in Moses his face in Christs transfiguration and in Stephens countenance Verse 43. It is raised in power The resurrection will cure all infirmities At Stratford-bow were burned in Queen
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
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
Deuteronomy Matth. 4. See the Notes there Verse 18. Praying alwaies Praier is not only a part of the armour but enables to use all the rest It is not only a charm for that crooked serpent Leviathan Isa 26.16 to inchant him Flagellum Diaboli but a whip to torment him and put him into another hell saith Chrysostome It â—etcheth Christ into the battle and so is sure of victory It obtaineth fresh supplies of the Spirit Phil. 1.19 and so maketh us more then conquerours even triumphers It driveth the devil out of the field and maketh him flie from us Tanquà m si leones ignem expuentes essemus saith Chrysostome Especially if we go not to the battle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with our break fast as Nestor in Homer but fasting and praying For some kinde of devils are not cast cut but by fasting and praier And watching thereunto That we be not surprized at unawares The bird Onocratalâ—â— is so well practisâ—d to expect the Hawk to grapple with her that even when she shutteth her eyes she sleepeth with her beak exalted as if she would contend with her adversary Let us like wise stand continually upon our guard The devil watcheth and waâ—keth the round 1 Pet. 5.8 Watch therefore Verse 19 And for me Ministers must be especially pray'd for that they may have a door not only of utterance but of entrance to mens hearts and so be able to save themselves and those that hear them In praying for suâ—h we pray for ouâ— selves Verse 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am an Embassadour Venerable for mine age and authority as the word signifieth The ancient and the honourable are usually imploied as Embassadours Cognata sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 old age and honour are akin in the Greek tongue In bonds Gr. In a chain instead of a chain of gold worne commonly by Embassadours and far more glorious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I bear about my bonds saith Ignatius in his Epistle like wise to the Ephesians as so many spirituall Jewels or Ensigns of honour Oh said Alice Driver here is a goodly neckerchief blessed be God for it when the chain was put about her neck That therein I may speak boldly He saith not That I may be freed from my chain but that I may do my office well in my chain Let God serve himself upon us and then no matter what becomes of us Martinus decumbens Domine dixiâ— si adhuc populo tuo firm necessarius nonrecuso Lâ—borem Sever. epist 3. Verse 21. But that ye may know It is of good use to the Church to know the lives and affairs of men eminent in goodnesse and of exemplary holinesse that others may expresse them as Polycarp did Iohn the Evangelist as Irenaeus did Polycarp as Cyprian did Tertullian Paraeus did Vrsin c. Verse 22. Comfort your hearts It is God that comforts by the creatures as by conduit-pipes The air yeelds light as an instrument the water may heat but not of it self When a potion is given in beer the beer of it self doth not work but the potion by the beer So in this ease Verse 23. Peace be to the brethren These only be the children of peace Luk. 10.10 The wicked are like the troubled sea Isa 57.20 which may seem sometimes still but is never so no more are they The peace of prosperity they may have but not of tranquillity Sinceritas serenitatis mater Hence it followeth Verse 24. In sincerity Or Immortality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposite to that Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16.23 A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the Epistle of S. Paul to the PHILIPPIANS CHAP. I. Verse 1. With the Bishops and Deacons THe word Priest is never used at all for a Minister of the Gospel by the Apostles no nor by the most ancient Fathers De 〈…〉 as Bellarmine himself confesseth And yet how â—ager were our late factours for Rome to have priested us all but that God better provided for us Verse 2. Grace be to you See the Note on 1 Cor. 1.2 and on Ephâ—s 1.2 Verse 3. Vpon every remâ—mbrance And no wonder for there wâ—â—e those famous Mâ—cedonians that first gave themselves to the Lord and then to their faithfull Ministers by the will of God 2 Cor. 8.5 See the Note there and compare Isa 50.10 Verse 4. Making request with joy Those that grieve their faithfull Ministers and quench the spirit in them do it to their own singular disadvantage Verse 5. For your fellowship A good man cannot tell how to go to heaven alone No sooner had the Philippians received the Gospel but they were in fellowship to a day The communion of Saints was with them a point of practice as well as an article of belief The apostles Creed was anciently briefer then now The mention of the Fathers being maker of heaven and earth The Sons death and descending into hell and the communion of Saints being wholly omitted haply as implied sufficiently in other Articles But surely if the Creed were called Symbalum as a sign or badge to difference Christians from Infidels and wicked people there was little reason to leave out the Communion of Saints this being a main distinctive character there being no such fellowship as among the Saints Cant. 6.9 Verse 6. Will perform it Or perfect it God doth-not use to doe his work by the halves but goes thorow-stitch with it 1 Thes 5.24 Psal 138.8 Only we must pray as Luther was wont to do Confirm O Lord in us what thou hast wrought and perfect the work that thou hast begun in us to thy glory So be it And as Queen Elizabeth praid Look upon the wounds of thy hands and despise not the work of thy hands Thou hast written me down in thy book of preservation with thine own hand ô read thine own hand-writing and save me c. Act. and Mon. fol 777. Verse 7. Partakers of my grace That is ye communicate with me in my sufferings which he here calleth his grace and tels them vers 29. To you it is given as an honourary to suffer for Christs sake Crudâ—litas vestra gloria nostra Tertull. said those Primitive Martyrs I had rather be a Martyr then a Monarch said Ignatius It is to my losse if you bate me any thing in my sufferings said Gordius to his tormentours Gaudebat Crispin cum tenâ—hatur cum audiebatur cum damnabatur cum ducebatur In Psal 157. saith Angustine Crispina Rejoyced when she was apprehended convented condemned executed Verse 8. I long after you all Here the Apostle practised his own precept of fatherly affection Rom. 12.10 Pray for me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. and Mon. fol 1482. mine own heart-root in the Lord Quem in intimis visceribus habeo ad convivendum commoriendum said Bradford in a letter to his fellow Martyr Laurence Saunders Verse 9. And in all judgement Or Sense The soul also
have a disciplinary knowledge of Christ that is by hear-say as a blinde man hath of colours not an intuitive i.e. per speciem propriam c. Verse 11. I might attain to the resurrection That is by a metonymy of the subject for the adjunct that perfection of holinesse that accompanieth the estate of the resurrection True grace never aims at a pitch but aspireth to perfection It is a low and unworthy strain in some to labour after no more grace then will keep life and soul together that is soul and hell asunder as one speaketh But that man for heaven and heaven for him that â—ets up for his mark the resurrection of the dead Verse 12. But I follow after Gr. I persecute I follow hot-foot with utmost eagernesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By this then he signifieth how greedily and uncessantly he pursued after the perfect knowledge of Christ having it as it were in chase D. Airy and resolved not to rest till he had attained unto it Well might Chrysostome call S. Paul an insatiable greedy devouring worshipper of God Verse 13. I count not my self Si dixisti satiâ— est periisti Satiety is a dangerous disease and the next step to a declension The Eagles embleme is sublimiùs the Suns celeriùs Psal 19.3 the wheats perfectiùs Mar 4.28 Ezekiels profundiùs Chap 47. 4. Christs superiùs Luk. 14 10. and Pauls ulteriùs Reaching forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proâ—o quasi praeâ—iâ—â—ti corpore â—erri ad scopum Bâ—zâ— Straining and stretching out head and hands and whole body to lay hold on the mark or price proposed A manifest metaphor from runners in a race Verse 14. I presse toward c. The Ark of the Covenant was but a cubit and a half high â—â— so were likewise the wheels of the caldron Now we know that a cubit and a half is but an unperfect measure which shews saith one that no man in this life is perfectly perfect Lee us strive to perfection as Paul did and then Columel Summum culmen affectantes satis honesti vel in secundo fastigio conspiciemur Verse 15. As many as be perfect Comparatively or conceitedly so God shall reveal Severall measures of knowledge and holinesse are given to the Saints at severall times We are narrow-mouthed vessels and cannot receive all at once Whether I go thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt follow me afterwards Joh. 13.36 See the Notes there Verse 16. Let us walk by the same rule To wit of the Word and then you may say Lord if I be deceived thou hast deceived me Verse 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be followers together of me Longum iter per pracepta brevius per exempla Every thing in a Minister should be exemplary We must propound to our selves the highest pitch and the best paterns of perfection Verse 18. Lorâ—â— in Act 22.19 And now tell you weeping Non tam atramento quà m lachrymis chartas inficiâ—bat Paulus Paul was a man of many tears Verse 19. Whose God is their belly A scavenger whose living is to empty is to be preferred befor him that liveth but to fill privies as they do that make their gut their God that dung-hill Deity Such an one was that Pamphagus Nabal Dives and others that digested in hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vt mâ—nâ—cipes 〈…〉 Siâ— reddâ—t Piscator what they are on earth Verse 20. For our conversation Our civil conversation or Our Burgesseship whiles we live by heavens laws and go about our earthly businâ—sses with heavenly mindes This a carnall man cannot skill of A Fly cannot make that of a flower that a Bee can do There is a generation whose names are written in the earth these make earth their throne heaven their footâ—â—ool Jer. 17.13 and are loth to die because they have treasurâ—s in the field Jer. 41.8 But the Saints though their commoration be on earth yet their conversation is in heaven as the pearl grows in the sea but shines as the sky Verse 21. Like unto his glorious body Which is the Standard See the Notes on 1 Cor. 15. CHAP. IV. Verse 1. Dearly Beloved and longed for VVHat heart-melting language is here Ministers must wone had for Christ and speak fair if they will speak to purpose Though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoyn thee yet for loves sake I rather beseech thee Philem 8.9 How oft are men fain to sue for that which is their own and how heart-glad if by fair entreaties they can gather up their debts Verse 2. I beseech Euodias A couple of disagreeing sisters whom the Apostle seeketh to reconcâ—le and it was a wonder if they could resist his rhetorike Hei mihi quivâ—s alâ—cubi reâ—â—rirc non posâ—â—â— c. O that I could but once finde you together once said Austin of the differences between Hiâ—rome and Ruffinus I would fall down at your feet with much love and many tears I would beseech you for your selves and one another and for weak Christians sake who are offended thereat you would not suffer these dissensions to spread c. Verse 3. And I intreat thee also All men should contribute their help to the composing of differences and bring their buckets as it were to quench this unnaturall fire when once kindled Verse 4. Rejoyce in the Lord That is the true and only joy said Mr Philpoâ— the Martyr Act. and Mon. fol 1â— 6â— which is conceived not of the creature but of the Creatour to this all other joyes being compared are but mournings all delights sorrows all beauty filth c. Other joy besides this may wet the mouth but not warm the heart smooth the brow but not fill the brest And again I say rejoyce No duty almost more pressed in both Testaments then this of rejoycing in the Lord. It is no lesse a sinne not to rejoyce then not to repent Verse 5. Let your moderation Or equality such as was that of David Psal 26.12 The scales of his minde hung equall giving him liberty in all occurrences to enjoy himself All immoderations are enemies to heâ—â—th Hippocrates so they are also to the quietnesse of the minde Against these as against poisons there be two kindes of antidotes praier and patience the one hot the other cold the one quenching the other quickning The word here used by the Apostle properly signifieth moderation in law-businesses or in laying claim to a mans own right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 c. lib. 5 cap. 10. Summâ—◠〈◊〉 summa iâ—â—uria the preferring of equity before extremity as holding utmost right to be utmost wrong Austin tels us That is was grown to a Proverb among his Countrey-men Vt habeas quietum tempus perde aliquid For a quiet life part with some part of thy right as Abraham did Gen. 13.9 The Lord is at hand To right you and recompense you to pay you for all your pains and patience Iudex
in Daniel chap. 4.19 Noah took things fore-told him by God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the right handle as the word properly signifieth By the which he condemned the world Of deep and desperate security that dead lethargy where into sin and Satan had cast them And became heir Heir apparant he was hereby evidently declared to be such Verse 8. When he was called A man may follow God dryâ—â—od thorow the red sea He is to be obeyed without sciscitation with a blinde obedience Abraham winked as it were and put his hand into Gods to be led whithersoever he pleased Magnus est animus Seneca qui se Deo tradidiâ— pusiâ—â—us degener qus obluctatur That 's a brave man indeed that can wholly resign up himself to God Quò â—atâ— trahunt retrahuntque sequamur Verse 9. Virgil. He sojourned in the land There he had his commoration but in heaven his conversation content to dwell in tents till he should fix his station above With Isaac and Iacob Perhaps together as near neighbours When Abraham parted with Lot he would part with him no further then the right hand is from the leâ—t Gen 13.9 There is singular comfort in the society of Saints Verse 10. Which hath foundations Heaven hath a foundation earth hath none but is hanged upon nothing as Iob speaketh Hence things are said to be on earth but in heaven Whose builder and maker Gr. Whos 's cunning artificer and publike workman God hath bestowed a great deal of skill and workmanship upon the third heaven Verse 11. Because she judged him c. At first she laughed through unbelief at the unlikelihood but afterward she bethought her self and believed This later is recorded the former pardoned So Gen. 18.12 Sarah laughed within her self saying After I have waxen old shall I have pleasure my Lord being old also Here was never a good word but one viz. that she called her husband Lord and this is recorded to her eternall commendation 2 Pet. 3.6 Verse 12. As the starres c. The seed of Abraham saith one are of two sorts Some are visible members of a Church yet have earthly hearts dry and barren as the sand Others as the starres of heaven of spirituall hearts minding things above Verse 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab a sâ—nul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—abo And embraced them Gr. Saluted them kissing Christ in the promises and interchangeably kissed of him Cant. 1.1 being drawn together as the word signifies by mutuall dear affection Verse 14. Plotin ap Aug. decivâ— Dei That they seek a Countrey Fugiendum est ad clarissimam patriam ibi pater ibi omnia A way home to our Countrey saith one there 's our father there 's our All saith one To die is in Bernards language no more then repatriasse to go home again Verse 15. If they had been mindâ—full But to that they had no minde at all because their idolatry too much prevailed Ioshua 24.2 Gen. 31.19 yet not so much as among the Canaanites Deut. 12.31 Verse 16. God is not ashaâ—â—ed But honoureth them as his confederates because for his cause they â—enounted the world No man ever did or suffered any thing for God that complained of a hard bargain Verse 17. Abraham when he was tried Often trials which Abraham passed this last was the forest No son of Abraham can look to escape temptations when he seeth that bosome in which he desireth to rest so assaulted with difficulties Offered up his son Isaac Ready he was so to have done and therefore it is reputed and reckoned as done indeed 2 Cor. 8.12 See the Note there Verse 18. Of whom it was said This was one of those many promises that Abraham might think were all lost in the losse of his Isaac Never was gold tried in so hot a fire Verse 19. That God was able He founded his faith upon Gods fidelity and omnipotency These are the Iachin and the Boaz the two main pillars whereupon faith resteth Verse 20. By faith Isaac blessed Patriarchall benedictions were propheticall the blessing of godly parents is still very available for the good of their children and justifying faith is not beneath miraculous in the sphere of its own activity and where it hath warrant of Gods Word Verse 21. When he was a dying The spirits motions are then many times quickest when naturall motions are slowest most sensible when one body begins to be senslessâ— most lively when the Saints â—â—e a dying The Sun shines most amiably toward the descent The rivers the nearer they run to the sea the sooner they are met by the tide So here Verse 22. Gave commandment concerning He died upon the promise and held possession by his bones to testifie his firm hold of heaven Verse 23. Hid three moneths of his Parents That they hid him no longer argued weaknesse of their faith which yet is both commended and rewarded He was a proper childe Fair to God Act. 7.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having a divine beauty and comelinesse Speciall endowments are a fore-token of speciall emploiment The very Heathen in chusing their Kings had a speciall eye to bodily beauty See 1 Sam. 10.23 and 16.19 17.42 Not afraid of the Kings commandment Because unjust and impious See the Note on Act. 4.19 Verse 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When he was come to yeares Gr. Grown a great one and so knew what he did understood himself sufficiently Refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs And so to succeed in the kingdome for we read not of any son that Pharaoh had yea in the kingdome of Ethiopia too for being sent on his foster-fathers quarrell against the King of Ethiopia Histories tell us that he afterward married that Kings daughter for the which he was checked of his brother and sister Verse 25. Chusing rather to suffer The happiest choice that ever the good man made It was a heavy charge that Elihu laid upon Iob that he had chosen iniquity rather then affliction Iob 36.21 The Church is said to come from the wildernesse of troubles and miseries leaning on her beloved Cant. 8.5 The good soul will not break the hedge of any Commandment to avoid any piece of foul way Quas non oportet mortes praeaâ—ligere saith Zuinglius Zuing epist 3. What deaths had we not better chuse what punishment undergoe yea what hell not suffer rather then goe against our consciences rightly informed by the good Word of God The pleasures of sin for a season Iob fitly calleth sparks the sons of fire being ingendred by it upon fuell as pleasures are by our lusts upon the object But they are not long-lived they are but as sparks they die as soon as begotten they perish with the use Col. 2.22 Good God said Lysimachus for how short pleasure how great a Kingdome have I lost May not the voluptuous Epicure say so much better Verse 26. Esteeming the reproach c. Reproach is
mouth breathing out his holy desires in the behalf of the afflicted Churches with whose sufferings he was more affected B 22 in vita then with any thing that befell himself That dwell on the earth In opposition to the inhabitants of heaven As names written in heaven stand opposed to those that are written in the earth Luk 10.20 Jer. 17.13 Verse 11. And whiterobes Their innocency was cleared and their persecutours convinced God would speak for them in the hearts of their greatest enemies Vntill their fellow-servants also We doubt not saith a learned Interpreter here but that the crowned Saints do in generall know the afflicted condition of the Church militant and do wish them deliverance M â—â— bâ—â— but our speciall necessities and occurrences of particular persons they cannot know Brother Bradford said Bishop Ridley Act and Mon. fol 1566. a little afore he was offered up so long as I shall understand thou art in thy journey by Gods grace I shall call upon our heavenly Father to set thee safely home and then good brother speak you for the remnant that are to suffer for Christs sake according to that thou then shalt know more clearly But this is to be taken with a grain of salt That should be killed Under Liciuius Julian the apostate and the Arrian Emperours Verse 12. There was a great earthquake Understand hereby those horrible commotions and confusions that fell out in the Roman Empire upon those ten bloudy persecutions and the earnest supplications of the Saints which can work wonders in heaven and earth Socrâ—t l 1. c. 15 The death and destruction of the persecutours was as it was said of the death of Arrius Precationis opus non morbi the effect of faithfull praiers calling for full and finall vengeance The Sun became black It is ordinary in Scripture to set forth horrible commotions of Common-wealths by such figurative expressions as these Jer. 4.23 c. Joel 2.10 c. Isa 13.10 Verse 13. And the stars Romes dunghill Deities together with their Chemarims or Chimney-chaplains the Priests Confer Isa 34.4 Dan. 8.10 Exod. 12.12 Numb 33.4 Verse 14. And every mountain See the Note on Verse 12. Cinis quidam noxius è Visuvio emissus Romam venit inquit Dâ—o ita ut incolae puture caeperunt omnia sursùm deorsum ferri solemque in terram cadere ac terram in coelum conscendere I my self saw saith Bellarmine a huge hill removed by an earthquake and brought down to a Town which was wholly covered by it and as it were buried under it Perhaps he meant Pleurs in Rhâ—tia which was overcover'd suddenly with a mountain so that 1500 persons were buried there alive Verse 15. And the Kings of the earth Who came in to help their gods against the Mighty against Constantine Theodosius c. that threw out their Priests and pulled down their Temples These Kings and Grandees were Maximianus Maximinus Maxentius Galerius Licinius Julianus c. and their complices who were routed ruined and driven into holes and corners by the Christian Emperours and afterwards so pursued by divine Justice that they came to shamefull ends Dioclesian poisoned himself Maximian hanged himself Maximinus likewise and Maxentius became their own deaths-men Galerius died of a loathsome disease Julian had his deaths wound from heaven Euseb â—ist l. 9. 〈◊〉 8. 10. lib. 8. c. 27. Iâ—eâ— devita Const l. 1 cap. 51 52. and died â—aving and blaspheming Verse 16. And said to the mountains Which yet was but a poor shelter for mountains melt and rocks rent at his presence Verse 17. Who shall be able to stand They could not stand before their own mis-giving hearts and soul-condemning consciences how much lesse before God that was greater then their hearts God sent his hornet which drove out these Canaanites Exod. 23.28 Facti sunt à corde suo fugitivi as Tertullian hath it CHAP. VII Verse 1. And after these things THis whole Chapter is purposely interlaced between the opening of the sixth and seventh seal for the support of the poor suffering Saints that they sinke not under their many pressures Four Angels Ministers of indignation whether good or evil angels the Doctours are divided Holding the four windes Those bâ—somes of the air Mundi 〈◊〉 Rupert as Rupertus cals them and Scripture-emblems of spirituall influence Joh. 3.8 Cant. 4. ult Ezek. 37. 9. Nor on any tree The Philosopher compares men the Scripture good men oft to trees which y benigne windes are filled with fruits Verse 2. Another Angel Whether Christ or Constantine acted by Christ it much matters not Having the seal Whereof Christ is the great Lord-keeper With a loud voice Out of his great care of his elect As Croesus his dumb sonne burst out into loud speech to save his father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod To the four Angels Who are at Christs beck and check Verse 3. Hurt not Reprobates oft fare the better for those few righteous that are amongst them they are therefore singularly foolish for seeking to rid them and root them out as the Heathen Emperours did In their fore-heads Not in their hands only as the vassals of Antichrist chap. 13.16 who have free liberty to dissemble deny their religion do any thing so the Catholike cause be thereby advanced My sonne give me thy heart said Gregory the thirteenth to our English Papists let who will have thy tongue and outward man Verse 4. An hundred fourty and four thousand A competent company Not so many as the locusts chap. 13. and yet more then most thought they had been Verse 5. Twelve thousand Out of each Tribe so many God enclines towards all the elect with an equall good-will neither shall any one complain justly that others have been more regarded then he as one well observeth here Verse 6. Of the tribe of Nepthali Who is first reckoned among those by Rachels-side because at Capernaum in this Tribe Christ inhabited Any relation to him ennobleth Bethlehem though it be the least is yet not the least among the Princes of Judah for that out of her came the Governour of Israel Mat. 2.6 with Mic. 3.6 Verse 7. Of the tribe of Levi Levi is taken in Dan cut out of the roll for his shamefull recidivation and revolt from the true religion Judg. 18. This Jacob fore-saw and bewailed in that holy ejaculation on his death-bed Gen. 49.18 There is no reckoning made or account given of this Tribe as there is of the rest 1 Chron. 7. The fable of Antichrist to come of Dan is so thin a devise Lib 3. de Pont. Ro. cap. 12. that Bellarmine could not but see thorow it and disclaim it Verse 8. Of Joseph That is of Ephraim who though Iosephs younger son yet had the first-birth-right Verse 9. A great multitude All the faithfull from the Apostles to the end of the world In all ages there were some that sought righteousnesse Neither was it ever so
Were burnt up Were tainted with errours and heresies whereof this age was so fertile and full that as Hierom speaketh it was a witty thing to be a right believer Verse 8. A great mountain Some notable haeresiarch possibly Pelagius a Monk of Bangor Morgan by name that is in the Welsh tongue a sea-man This Morgan travelling beyond sea to spread his heresie called himself Pelagius by a Greek word of the same signification because it sounded better in the ears of forraign Nations Lib 1. de grat Christ advers Pelag. Hence Augustine Quid eo pelago saith he vult mergi Pelagius unde per petram liberatus est Petrus Verse 9. And the third part Heresie as a gangrene spreads and kils as the leprosie in the head it renders a man utterly unclean Levit. 13.44 So cunning are some seducers and so close in the conveyance of their collusion that if possible the very elect may be deceived Verse 10. There fell a great starre Falling stars were never but meteors That grand apostate of Rome may well be meant by this blazing burning comet He was in falling by degrees from the time of Constantine till Phocas who set him upon the chair of pestilence The third part of the rivers i. e. Corrupted true doctrine and perverted the Scriptures with his false glossâ—s Verse 11. Was called wormwood Because himself was in the gall of bitternes and did imbitter others See Jer. 23.15 and Deu. 29 18. with Junius his Note there Verse 12. And the third part of the Sun The Prelates and Patriarchs And the third part of the Moon The inferiour Church-Officers And the third part of the starres The community of Christians All began to be over-spread with grosse ignorance not only of heavenly truths but of humane sciences which are here called the night in comparison of Gospel-light Gregory the great thought to be that Angel mentioned in the next verse though better then any that succeeded him in the Popedome calling himself the servant of Gods servants and carrying himself modestly in the daies of Mauricius the Emperour yet when Mauricius was slain by the traitour Phocas how basely did he claw the traitour and collogue with him commending to his care the Church of Rome and often minding him of Peters primacy and of that speech of our Saviour Thou art Peter c. for no other end but that he might enlarge his jurisdiction over all Churches by the favour of that parricide Verse 13. And I beheld and heard an Angel Or an Eagle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some copies reade it See the Note on Verse 12. Gregory the great seems to be pointed at who is said to be the worst of all the Popes that went before him and the best of those that came after him Hence he is here brought in flying betwixt heaven and earth And that he cried with a loud voice pointing at and painting out that to be Antichrist that should challenge to himself the title of Vniversall Bishop and had an host of Priests ready to follow him Hic propè est in foribus said he and he said right for his immediate successour Boniface the third fulfilled the same that he had fore-told CHAP. IX Verse 1. A star fall from heaven GR. That had fallen from heaven viz. when the third Angel sounded Chap. 8.10 Then the Bishop of Rome began to fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but here in Boniface the third and his successours He is fallen he is fallen from his primitive integrity into the deepest gulf of impiety The Jesuites to blinde the matter tell us that by this starre is meant Luther whom Satan sent out to disturbe the Church and God sent them to withstand him Bugenhagius also a Dutch-Divine when he first read Luthers book of the Babylonish Captivity rashly pronounced him the most pestilent heretike that ever the Church was pesterd with But a few daies after having thorowly read and weighed the contents of that book he recanted and affirmed that all the world was deceived Scultet Annal. and Luther only was in the right And so not only himself became a Lutheran Mâ—t. Parâ—s an 1072. but many others also perswaded by him The key of the bottomlesse pit Whereinto he lets souls innumerable so that in the daies of Hildebrand letters were set forth as sent from hell wherein the devil and his Angels give the Popish Clergy many thanks for sending them in so many souls as they never had in any age before Verse 2. And there arose a smoke Of hereticall opinions and flagitious practices All the old heretikes fled and hid themselves in the Popish Clergy Those dark corners also of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty Act. and Mon. fol 1117. Take heed said the Lord Audely Chancellour of England how you deal with Popish Priests for you may believe me some of them be knaves all Petrus de Aliacâ— long since wrote De reâ—orm eccl Ad hunc statum venit Romana Ecclesia ut non esset digna regi nisi per reprobos The Church of Rome hath for a long season been ruled by a rabble of reprobates Verse 3. Locusts upon the earth So the Monks Friers Jesuites c. Igna. Conclave are fitly called for their numerosity and voracity The Jesuites have sometimes maintained 200000 schollars The Duke of Bavaria's house is so pestered with them saith one that notwithstanding his great revenues he is very poor as spending all his estate upon those Popish flesh-flies Thinke the same of other Princes and places where they are received As the scorpious of the earth They are the sorest soul-stingers saith an Interpreter that ever the world had Pliny testifieth of the Scorpion that there is not one minute wherein it doth not put forth a most venemous sting to do mischief It creeps on crookedly and so it strikes the more at unawares It s sting is not much felt at first but soon proves uncurable Verse 4. And it was commanded As David charged his Captains to handle the young man Absolom gently so and much more sollicitous is the Lord of his servants safety The grasse of the earth nor any green thing I say that under the Papacy was true Christianity saith Luther yea the very keâ—nell of Christianity Luâ—h contra Anabapt Verse 5. And to them is was given This is oft repeated in this book to shew that though Antichrist and his actuaries bandy and bend all their forces to destroy souls yet they are bounded by God and can do no more then is given them from above Five moneths Locusts use to live no longer See Pliny l. 11. cap. 29. There are that interpret these five moneths of those 500. De pap Rom 1. 3. c. â—2 years wherein the Pope stood in his full pride and power For ab eo tempore quo per vâ—s Papa Antichristus esse coepit saith Bellarmine non modò non crevit ejus imperium
God Spâ—c Europ In hoc eorum omnis flamma est in hoc uruntur inâ—â—ndio Hence they burn up Bibles tanquam doctrinam peregrinam as strange doctrine Enâ—bir loc com cap. Eâ—â—les Hence they censure S. Paul as savouring of heresie and could finde in their hearts to purge his Epistles Eckius is not afraid to say That Christ did never command his Disciples to write but to preach only Bellarmine saith the Bible is no more then commonitorium a kinde of store-house for advice Hosius saith Ipsissimum Dei 〈◊〉 That the Popes interpretation though it seem never so repugnant to the Scripture is neverthelesse the very Word of God The Councel of Basil answered the Hussites requiring Scripture-proofs for such doctrines as were thrust upon them that the Scriptures were not of the being of the Church but of the well-being only that traditions were the touchstone of doctrine and foundation of faith And blasphemed the name of God The truth of God contained in the Scriptures What a devil made thee to meddle with the Scripture Act. and Mon. said Stephen Gardiner to Marbeck They tell us of divers that have been possest by that means and assure us that â—uâ— condemnation is so expresly set down in our own Bibles and is so clear to all the world that nothing more needs hereto then that we know to read and to have our eyes in our heads Alex. Cook at the opening thereof Verse 10. Vpon the scat of the Beast This City of Rome which was never yet besieged since it became the seat of Antichrist but it was taken and shall be again shortly to purpose And his kingdome was full of darknesse It appeared to be so as motes appear in the Sun-shine by the clear light of truth shining upon it A Scotish mist is here already fallen upon a piece of his Kingdome and what further service God hath for their and our armies to do against the Pope in Ireland or elswhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we expect and pray God grant us good agreement among our selves and then much may be done abroad And they gnawed their tongues Being as mad with malice as Boniface the 8. was of discontent who being suddenly taken prisoner at his fathers house by Sarah Columnus his mortall enemy Turk hist 126. and brought to Rome laid up in the Castle of S. Angelo within 35. daies after most miserably died in his madnes renting himself with his teeth and devouring his own fingers Verse 11. And blasphemed the God of heaven As they did in 88 when the Spaniards gave out That Christ was turned Lutheran And as Faux the Gunpouder-traitour did when he told those that took him that not God but the devil had brought to light and to naught that desperate design Lonicer theatr histor Thus they set their mouths against heaven and their tongue walketh thorow the earth as if Augustus Caesar were dealing with some god Neptune or the three sons trying their archery at their fathers heart to see who can shoot nighest What an execrable blasphemy is that of John Hunt a Roman Catholike in his humble appeal to King James in the sixth Chapter of that Pamphlet See D Sheld mark of theâ— Beast The God of the Protestants is the most uncivil and evil-mannered God of all those who have born the names of gods upon the earth yea worse then Pan god of the clowns which can endure no ceremonies nor good manners at all And repented not This leopard Chap. 13.2 can never change his spots because they are not in the skin but in the flesh and bones in the sinews and most inward parts Tigers rage and tear themselves at the sound of a drum and at the smell of sweet spices so doe these savage Papists when called to repent Verse 12. Vpon the great river Euphrates i. e. Upon whatsoever yet hindereth the destruction of spirituall Babylon and the comming in of the Jews as the Turkish Empire c. That the way of the Kings Christians say some who are Kings in righteousnesse and come from the East or from Christ That day-spring from on high Luk. 1.78 Others understand this Text of the Jews who are most of them in the East dispersed thorow Turkie Tartary the ten Tribes especially and China Junius saith Tartars of Tothar a remnant or residue That which is called the land of Sinim Isa 49.12 may probably be meant of China which if it be the meaning there may be many of the Jews whose conversion we daily expect and pray for See Isa 11.15 16. Zach. 10.10 11. Verse 13. Three unclean spirits Spirituall fathers as the Papists call their Jesuites who seek to subject all to the Pope and the Pope to themselves being ultimus diaboli crepitus as one speaketh Arist denat animalium the last attempt of a daring devil These are the Popes Janizaries bloud-hounds vultures whose nest as Aristotle saith cannot be found Aristoph yet they will leave all games to follow an Army because they delight to feed on carrion Like frogs For their filthinesse impudency loquacity with their continuall brekâ—kâ—kex coax coax Come out of the mouth That is By the counsell and command by vertue of that vow of Mission whereby the Jesuites are bound to the Pope to go whither he shall send them about whatsoever attempt he shall enjoyn them Yea if their Governours command them a voyage to China or Peru without dispute or delay they presently set forward Hence haply they are called spirits Verse 14. The spirits of devils Or breathing devils Working miracles Lying wonders 2 Thess 2.9 Vnto the Kings of the earth The Popes Nuncio's Legats a latere and other emissaries stir up the spirits of Princes to embroil the world with wars for the upholding of his tottering greatnesse but all in vain The greatest impostors have ever been the greatest Courtiers The Arrians in their age and of them the Jesuites learned it And of the whole world Papists shall call in the help of forraign Princes out of Asia Africa America to suppresse the heretikes as they call them But with evil successe for they shall associate themselves only to be broken in pieces Isa 89. Exorientur sed exurentur Rev. 9 18. The mountain of the Lord shall be lifted up above all mountains These auxiliaries shall speed no better then those subsidiary Syrians 2 Sam. 10.18 19. Verse 15. I come as a thief Who gives no warning See the Note on Mat. 2.44 Blessed is be that watcheth The prophecy is here interrupted as Gen. 4.18 to fore-waâ—n and fore-arm the Saints Luke 12.37 8 43. they are three times said to be blessed that watch Verse 16. And he gathered God hath an over-ruling hand in that which the frogs of Rome do at the Courts of Kings and ordereth the disorders of the world to his own glory Called in the Hebrew Armageddon That is They shall receive a famous foil such as Sisera
the word as Chap. 1â— 1 wherewith is measured not the Temple only as there but the City gates and wall as Ezek. 4. Verse 16. And the City lieth foursquare So was Babylon of old as Herodotus describeth it which yet was taken by Cyrus Alexander Herod 〈◊〉 and sundry other enemies Heaven also is taken but by another kinde of violence then by force of arms The solid square whereby it is here set forth commends it to us 1. Heb. 12.28 For stable and unshaken Immota manet as it is said of Venice which yet stands in the sea and hath but one street that is not daily overflowed the Venetian Motto is Nec fluctu nec flatu movetur 2. Turk hist 1153. For such as looketh every way to the four corners of the earth as Constantinople did which is therefore said to be a City fatally founded to command Twelve thousand furlongs About 300. Dutch miles Nine-veh was nothing to this City for bignesse no more is Alcair Scanderoon or Cambalu which yet is said to be 28. miles in circuit being the imperiall seat of the great Cham of Tartary Quinsay in the same Kingdom Ibid. 75. is said to be of all Cities in the world the greatest in circuit a hundred miles about as Paulus Venetus writeth who himself dwelt therein about the year 1260. But our new Jerusalem is far larger 12000 furlongs according to some make 1500 miles and yet he that shall imagine heaven no larger then so shall be more worthy to be blamed then the work-men were that built Westminster hall which King William the second the founder found great fault with for being built too little saying It was fitter for a Chamber Dan Chron. then for a Hall for a King of England and therefore took a plot for one farre more spacious to be added unto it Verse 17. An hundred twenty four Cubits A Cubit is six handfuls That is of the Angel That appeared as a man but bigger and higher then ordinary Now because this holy City is thus measured and that with the measure of a man Some think it to be meant of the Church militant But some other passages in this and the following Chapters cannot be otherwise taken according to the letter then of the state of full perfection They do best in my opinion that take in both Verse 18. Was of Jasper A stone of great worth and glory the beauty whereof saith one it is easier to admire then to declare It hath a variety of sweetnesse in it such as none of the most cunning wits and sharpest eyes are able to distinguish Heaven we are sure is such as eye hath not seen ear hath not heard c. Sermo non valet exprimere experimento opus est Words are to weak to utter its happinesse get to it once Chrysost and you will say so Pure gold A mettall that shineth in the fire wasteth not in the use rusteth not with long lying rotteth not though cast into brine or vinegar as Pliny noteth to shew that this City is incorruptible invincible Like unto clear glasse Glistering gold such as this world affords not Verse 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the foundations The Apostles and their faithfull succâ—ssours who were puriores coelo saith Chrysostome clearer then the sky the very stars of the world and flowers of the Churches as Basil calleth them Verse 20. The fift Sardonyx Search is here made thorow all the bowels of the earth for something of worth to shadow out the Saints happinesse which if it could be fully known as it cannot it would be no strange thing or thank-worthy for the most horrible Belial to become presently the holiest Saint or the worlds greatest minion the most mortified man He that desires to know the nature and vertues of these precious stones may read Epiphanius Philo Francisous Rurus and others Degemmâ—â— Josephus also in the third book of his Jewish Antiquities That was an odd conceit and scarce worth relating held by Anaxagoras Coelum ex lapidibus constare aliquando collapsurum Laâ—rt That heaven was made up of stones and would one day fall upon mens heads That other saying of his is much more memorable when being asked Wherefore he was born He answered Vt coelum contempler that I might busie my thoughts about heaven Verse 21. And the twelve gates i. e. Gate-keepers Preachers of the righteousnes that is by faith Were twelve pearls All which doe receive their lustre and worth from Christ that pearl of price Matth. 13. like as the pearl by beating oft upon the Sun-beams becometh radiant as the Sun Was pure gold Which no dirty dog may ever trample upon Verse 22. No temple No need of externall worships and ordinances for they are all taught of God they see his face and hear his voice Now we see but in part because we prophecy but in part 1 Cor. 13. Verse 23. And the City had no need He saith not there shall be no Sun or Moon but there shall be no such need of them as is now for the Lamb shall outshine them shine they never so gloriously as they shall in that new heaven Isa 30.26 Verse 24. And the Nations See Isa 60 3. and that he speaketh of the life to come See ver 11 18 19.21 Do bring their glory Despise and cast away all for heaven Canutus set his crown upon the crucifix which according to the course of those times was held greatest devotion K Edw. 6. Act. and Monfol 1185. assured the Popish rebels of Devonshire That he would rather lose his Crown then not maintain the Cause of God he had taken in hand to defend Nazianzen rejoyced that he had something of value viz. his Athenian learning to part with for Christ c. Verse 25. For there shall be no night there And so no need to fear a sudden surprize by the enemy watching his opportunity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their day above is a nightlesse day as a Father cals it Verse 26. And they i. e. The Kings as ver 24. Verse 27. And there shall in no wise Though the serpent could wind himself into paradise yet no unclean person can come into this holy City Tertullian called Pompeys theatre which was the greatest ornament of old Rome arcem omnium turpitudinum the stie of all uncleannes Heaven is none such CHAP. XXII Verse 1. A pure river NOt muddy as Nilus but clear as Callirhoâ— The allusion seems to be to that earthly Paradise so well watered Gen. 2. or else to Ezek. 47. This river is Christ Joh. 4.14 and so is that tree of life verse 2. The second Adam is a quickening spirit Verse 2. In the midst of the street of it In medio foro ejus where all may easily come by it not kept with a strong guard as the apples of Alcinous Hesperides c. Twelve manner of fruits Heavens happinesses are so many that they cannot be numbred so
other carnall securities Jer. 22.15 16. Shalt thou raign because thou closest thy self in Cedar saith God to Coniah Did not thy father eat and drinke and doe judgement and then it was well with him He judged the cause of the poor and needy then it was well with him He that gives to the poor lends to the Lord Prov. 19.17 becomes creditour to his Creatour and he will repay it Philem. 18 1â— Christ speaks to such from heaven as once Paul did to Philemon If my poor have received any thing from thee or oweth thee ought I the Lord Christ have written it with mine own hand I will repay it And can we lay up our wealth in a safer hand Can we have a better debter then Christ a better bond then the Bible Reas 5 Fifthly This shall be a good argument and approof unto us that we trust in the living God which is the character of a true Christian and is therefore pinde as a badge upon the sleeve of every godly person that we receive his charge â—y hold on his Covenant believe his promises that we have first given our selves to God with those mercifull Macedonians 2 Cor. 8 5. and then our goods to the Saints that are in the earth those excellent ones in whom was all Davids delight Psal 16 3. Thus Obadiah Thy servant feareth God said he to the Prophet 1 King 18 12 1â— but how shall that appear Obadiah Why when Jâ—zabel persecuted the Lords Prophets I hid them and fed them by fifty in a cave not without the hazard of my head if ever it should have been noticed So Isa 23 18. The City of Tyrus turning to God leaves heaping and hoarding her wealth and findes another manner of imploâ—ment for it viz. to feed and cloath Gods poor people Luk. 18. Act 10.1 2. So Zacheus converted gives half he had to the poor and Cornelius shews his devotion the Corinthians their professed subjection to the Gospel 2 Cor. 9.13 by giving much alms to many people The wisdome from above is full of mercy and good fruits saith S. James And Jam. â— 17 Jam. 1.27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the father is this to visit the fatherlâ—sse and widdows c. to do all offices of mercy to those that are poor and in misery Reas 6 Sixthly We should therefore be rich in good works Basâ—â—â—â— ' Dem est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal 6.10 because God 1. Lives when we are dead to recompense our labour of love in our heirs and executours He gives us life also that whiles we have time we may do good to all to the houshold of faith especially and not defer the doing thereof till we are dead Many miserly muck-worms are like the muck-hill that never does good till carried out like the fat hog that is good for nothing till he comes to the knife like the poor mans box that yeelds no money till broken up like trees that let fâ—ll none of their fruits till violently shaken We are charged to carry lights in our hands funerall beneficence â—arries them behinde our backs so that Luk 12.35 they light them that come after us our selves have little benefit 2. Because God gives us all things richly to enjoy Every word enwraps a reason 1. He gives not paies us as earned or merited Freely we receive freely therefore we must give especially since it is a more blessed thing to give then to receive and besides for this we have received that we may give sith we are not owners of what we have but Almoners Stewards purse-bearers to the King of heaven 2. Hinc divitiae diâ—untur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lu 1â— 1â— alienae tanquaä adnos fâ—lios â—ei bic exularies minus pertinentes Rev. 12.12 Psal 17.14 1 Cor 4.11 Hâ—b 11 37. Diffiâ—iâ—e est ut praesertibus banis quis fruatur futuriâ—â—ut de deliciâ—s ad delicias transeat c. Hieron He giveth us who have little reason to look for it sith we look for heaven and may therefore well live upon reversions This made Abraham content to dwell in tents because he looked for a City Whose maker and founder is God The wicked are called the Inhabitants of the earth and have their portion in this world by their good wils the godly should have nothing And truly if they should here both hunger and thirst and be naked and buffeted and have no certain dwelling but wander about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented their betters have met with as bad measure and were glad of it too because through manifold tribulations they entered into heaven But to step out of one heaven into another to have here all things richly to enjoy and afterwards to enjoy that endlesse joy this is hard and happy Why should such think much to part with a little pelf at Gods appointment 3. He giveth us all things What so great matter is it then that we give him back something especially since we give him but of his own as David gladly acknowledgeth Is it not meet that we should give him one day in seven sith the day is his the night also is his Psal 74.16 as the Psalmist hath it So also here 4. He giveth us all things richly not sparingly pinchingly not for bare necessity only but for delight and satiety neither for competence and convenience only but honest affluence as he did them at Cana in Galilee Prov. 13.25 Psal 23.4 In Agapiâ— nostrit inopes quosque refrigerio juvamus Ediâ—ur quantum esurientes â—upiunt bibitur quantum pudiâ—is est utile c. Tertul. advers gentes c. 39. and the five hundred he fed with a few loaves and fishes so that we eat to the satisfaction of our souls Prov. 13.25 and our cups run over with Davids And why run over but that they may run into other mens emptier vessels that the poor may partake of our redundancies For is it fit that some should be hungry in Gods house and others drunken as once at Corinth And not rather that our abundance should be a supply for others wants that there may be an equality 2 Cor. 8.14 5. He giveth us all things richly and this to enjoy not to hoard much lesse to waste but to blesse God in the abundance of all things and to blesse men with our superfluities at least that their backs bellies bowels which we have refreshed may blesse us that whiles they enjoy our bounty we may enjoy their praiers as Onesiphorus did S. Pauls 2 tim 1.18 and God may have their praises whiles they cry out as S. Paul brings them in 2 Cor. 9.15 Thanks be to God for his unspeakâ—ble gift That like good stomacks we may deal something to the remâ—â—est members that they may the better do their office and that sitting at the upper end of the Table and having cut well to our selves we may set down some to them that sit below
A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION UPON All the EPISTLES AND THE REVELATION of John the Divine Wherein the Text is explained some Controversies are discussed divers Common-places are handled and many remarkable matters hinted that had by former interpreters been pretermitted Besides divers other Texts of Scripture which occasionally occur are fully opened and the whole so intermixed with pertinent Histories as will yeeld both pleasure and profit to the judiciâ—us Reader With a Decad of Common-places upon these ten Heads Abstinence Admonition Alms. Ambition Angels Anger Apostasie Arrogancie Arts. Atheisme By John Trapp M. A. Pastour of Weston upon Avon in Glocestershire Paulum quotiesâ—unque lego non verba audire videar sed Tonitrua Hierom. LONDON Printed by A. M. for John Bellamy at the Signe of the three golden Lions in Cornhill M.DC.XLVII TO THE REVEREND And his much honoured Father Mr JOHN LEY Pastour and Preacher of Gods Word at great Budworth in Cheshire and one of the venerable ASSEMBLY Reverend Sir NOw by a sweet providence is that happinesse put into my hands that I have long wished and waited for viz a fit opportunity of telling the world how highly I honour You and how deeply I stand ingaged unto You. A most able and absolute Divine in another sense then Erasmus tearmed some in his time I ever took You for Abselutae eruditionis pietatis viris Sic scripsit Theologâ—â— Parisiensâ—b Voluit autem alienis ab omni eruditione pietate interprete Melancthone since I first came acquainted with You. And how little mistaken I am therein let Your many elaborate lucubrations say for me those accurate Annotations upon the Pentateuch especially of which precious piece and the thrice-worthy Authour I am eftsoons ready to say Buchol as one did once of Erasmus and his Adagies quis nôsset Erasmum Chilias aeternum si latuisset opus Or as another did of Calvins Institutions Praeter Apostolicas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dugardi mei ingeniosissimum inventum M. Ley was at that time the first President of Sion-Colledge Joseph Scali epist ad Eliam Vinet post Christi tempora chartas Huic peperere libro secula nulla parem Sure I am and not a little sensible that he that here come's after You shall but actum agere he shall but facem Soli Soli inquam in Sion accendere he shall but in nobilissimo theatro seipsum traducere Well he may pick up Praeterita with Drusius or spicilegium post messem with Capellus he shall hardly ever get so near You Val. Max. as the Latine Orator did the Greek Demosthenes Ciceroni praeripuit ne primus esset Orator Cicero Demostheni ne solus Cant. 6.12 But whither or ere I wist hath the just admiration of Your singular worth transported me My design was not to praise You for that were as an Ancient said of Athanasius to praise vertue it self but to professe my deep indebtednesse unto You for Your many fatherly favours and reall courtesies done me since mine adoption Quibus effecisti ut vivereÌ„ morerer ingratus as he said to Augustus Sen. de benef l. 2. c. 12. this being the only wrong that ever You did me that I must live and die unthankfull These brief Notes passeable I say not praisable only for their brevity do humbly beg Your perusall and sitanti sint Your Patronage and surely may they but obtain Your much-desired countenance and comprobation I shall soon say with the Oratour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I fear not any mans censure Whatever else is wanting in them a will I am sure is not wanting of laying forth my small talent to the honour of my Master and the good of my fellow-servants those of mine own particular charge especially to whom most of these things have been delivered and of whom I can truly say as Reverend M. Stock did of his people in Breadstreet London Mr Gatak Abrahams decease That he had rather win one of them then twenty others Now that I may be fit and able to fulfill the Ministery that I have received in the Lord Col. 3.17 â— Tim. 4.16 so as to save my self and them that hear me let Your fatherly benediction and instant intercession to the Father of all the fatherhood in heaven and earth Ephes 3.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Parentela be never wanting to Your most affectionately obsequious son and servant John Trapp Welford this 16. of Nov. 1647. Ad Libellum chartaceum venerando Autori ante manum huic Annotationum parti admotam dono missum Affatio Quae vice Praefationis de Autore Operéque esse possit DOminum Libelle gratulor tibi novum Mihi negatam tu sortem folix habes Viro futurus eximio jugis comes Qui floribus quos fundit seu Britannia Seu Latium seu Palestina simul Graeciâ Te fragrantissimis or nabit instrueâ— Vt olim Acheloi cornu implerunt Najades Qui proprii venustos foetus ingeni Quibus venustiores nullum parturit Magisve densos credet servandos tibi Qui quicquid audit est-divino pectore Linguâ facundâ moribus suavissimis Contrà quà m Sacra jam profitentes plurimi Docere recta callidi non vivere Quà m vellem scitus esse nuno Lìbellulus Forem ut tuae foelicitatis particeps Ejus beandus gestandus manu sinu Tene fidelis quicquid mandârit tibi Furacibus cave sedulus ab unguibus Tibi nè maculas aut foedas labes contrahe Subire vultus ut queas libens meos Abijam Dominum à me saluta milliès THOMAS DUGARD Art Mag. Rector Barfordiae A Table of such Texts of the old Testament as are here occasionally explicated Gen. 5.24 p. 388. Gen. 13.9 p. 330. Gen. 23.2 p. 83. Gen. 25.34 p. 401. Gen. 27.33 p. 401. Gen. 33.9 11. p. 256. Exod. 23.28 p. 517. Exod. 33.2 3. p. 402. Exod. 33.16.17 p. 688. Levit. 2.5 p. 103. Levit. 14.19 p. 459. Levit. 19.16 p. 314. Levit. 19.17 p. 618. Numb 13.16 p. 362. Deut. 27.26 p. 191. 1 Sam. 25.6 p. 653. Job 38.2 p. 671. Psal 7.12 p. 671. Psal 10.3 p. 320. Psal 22.1 p. 356. Psal 26.12 p. 254. Psal 36.10 p. 640. Psal 72.17 p. 581. Psal 39.1 p. 420. Psal 41.1 p. 639. Psal 119.9 p. 329. Psal 139.16 p. 107. Prov. 3.17 p. 635. Prov. 10.2 3. 15.24 p. 635 65. Prov. 20.29 p. 469. Prov. 28.20 p. 161. Eccles 5.6 p. 498. Cant. 1.5 p. 185. Isa 6.1 2 3. p. 433. Isa 14.23 p. 116. Isa 23.18 p. 632. Isa 28 9. p. 64. Isa 45.7 p. 572. Isa 51.18 p. 159. Isa 58.10 p. 636. Lam. 3.36 p. 443. Ezek. 38.3 p. 581. Dan. 4.19 p. 689. Dan 9.21 p. 660. Hos 9.4 p. 103. Zach. 3.9 p. 494. Errata PAg 5 l 25. r. praeripuit p 21 l. 14 r ad p 25 l 12 r langold p. 80. l. 17 r. married couples p 85. l. 10. r. that 's p. 94 l. 5. r bitter p 114 l. 11 r sis
the motion of obedience to the first mover they passe along from the East unto the West The waters by their naturall course follow the center of the earth yet yeelding to the Moon they are subject to her motions So are Saints to Gods holy will though corrupt nature repine and resist CHAP. VIII Verse 1. There is therefore now NOw after such bloudy wounds and gashes chronicled Chap. 7. Though carried captive and sold under sin yet not condemned as might well have been expected This the Apostle doth here worthily admire Verse 2. For the Law of the Spirit That is Christ revived and risen hath justified me See the Note on Chap. 4.25 Verse 3. It was weak through the flesh Which was irritated by the law and took occasion thereby Verse 4. Might be fulfilled In us applicativè in Christ inhaesivè Verse 5. Doe minde the things For want of a better principle The stream riseth not above the spring Verse 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be carnally The quintessence of the fleshes witinesse or rather wickednesse Verse 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because the carnall minde The best of a bad man is not only averse but utterly adverse to all goodnesse Homo est inversus decalogus Job 11.12 an asses soal for rudenes a wilde asses for unrulines Verse 8. Cannot please God Their best works are but dead works saith the Authour to the Hebrews but silken sins saith Augustine Lombard citeth that Father De ver inrocent cap. 56. saying thus Omnis vitae infid lium peccatum est nihil bonum sine summo bono The whole life of unbelievers is sin neither is there any thing good without the chiefest good Ambrose Spiera a Popish Postiller censureth this for a bloudy sentence Crudelis est illa sententia saith he Verse 9. He is none of his As the Merchant sets his seal upon his goods So doth God his Spirit upon all his people Ephes 1.13 Verse 10. The body is dead Death to the Saints is neither totall but of the body only nor perpetuall but for a season only vers 11. Verse 11. Your mortall bodies As he hath already quickned your souls Verse 12. Not to the flesh We owe the flesh nothing but stripes nothing but the blew eye that St Paul gave it It must be mastered and mortified Drive this Hagar out of doors when once it grows haunty Verse 13. If ye live after the flesh We must not think to passe è coeno ad Coelum to dance with the devil all day and sup with Christ at night to fly to heaven with pleasant wings Beetles love dunghils better then ointments and swine love mud better then a garden so do swinish people their lusts better then the lives of their souls Horat ep 2. At Paris ut vivat regnetque beatus Cogi posse negat That carnall Cardinall said That he would not part with his part in Paris for Paradise But if ye mortifie the deeds c. Either a man must kill here or be killed Camdens Elis Aut for aut feri as Q. Elizabeth often sighed and said to her self concerning the Queen of Scots Valentinian the Emperour dying gloried of one victory above the rest and that was his victory over the flesh Inimicorum nequissimum devici carnem meam said he Be alwaies an enemy to the devil In vita Valentin and the world but specially to your own flesh said Rob. Smith Martyr in a letter to his wife Act. and Mon. fol. 1545. Verse 14. For as many as are led As great men suffer their sons to go along with them but set tutours to overlook and order them So dealeth God by his the Spirit leadeth them into all goodnesse righteousnesse and truth Ephes 5.9 and fetcheth them again in their cuâ—straies Verse 15. The spirit of bondage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 2 Tim. 1.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The law will convince the judgement but 't is the Gospel that convinceth the lust and the affection and so sendeth us to treat with God as a Father by fervent praier Verse 16. Beareth witnesse What an honour is this to the Saints that the holy Ghost should bear witnes at the bar of their consciences Verse 17. And if sonnes then heirs All Gods sons are heirs not so the sons of earthly Princes Jehoshaphat gave his younger sons great gifts of silver of gold and of precious things with fenced Cities in Judâ—h but the Kingdom gave he to Jehoram because he was the first-born 2 Chron. 21.3 Gods children are all higher then the Kings of the earth Ps 89 27. Verse 18. Are not worthy to be c. Heaven will pay for all hold out therefore faith and patience When Saul had the Kingdom some despised him but he held his peace though a man afterwards froward enough What is a drop of vinegar put into an ocean of wine What is it for one to have a rainy day who is going to take possession of a kingdom Pericula non respâ—cit Martyr coronas respicit saith Basil A Dutch martyr seeing the flame to come to his beard Ah said he what a small pain is this to be compared to the glory to come Act. and Mon. 813. Verse 19. For the earnest expectation Gr. The intent expectation of the creature expecteth an hebrew pleonasme and withall a metaphor either from birds that thrust a long neck out of a Cage as labouring for liberty or else from those that earnestly look and long for some speciall friends coming as Sisera's mother who looked out at a window and cried thorow the lattesse Why is his charet so long in coming Judg. 5.28 Verse 20. Subject to vanity The creature is defiled by mans sin and must therefore be purged by the fire of the last day as the vessels that held the sin-offering were purged by the fire of the Sanctuary Verse 21. Because the creature it self See Mr Wilcox his Discourse upon these words printed together with his Exposition of the Psalms Proverbs c. in Folio Verse 22. The whole creature groneth Even the very heavens are not without their feeblenesse and the manifest effects of fainting old-age It is observed that since the daies of Ptolomy the Sun runs nearer the earth by 9976. Germane miles and therefore the heavens have not kept their first perfection Verse 23. The first fruits Which the creatures have not and yet they grone how much more we The redemption Our full and finall deliverance Verse 24 For we are saved by hope Hope is the daughter of faith but such as is a staff to her aged mother Verse 25. Then do we with patience Religious men finde it more easie to bear evil then to wait till the promised good be enjoyed Heb. 10 36. The spoiling of their goods required patience but this more then ordinary Verse 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza Pareus Helpeth our infirmities Lifts with us and be fore us in our praiers Or helpeth
little cease to sin as the pulse to beat heart to pant c. Verse 6. Say not in thine heart The law preacheth faith in Christ as well as the Gospel Verse 7. Into the deep Those deeps of the earth Ps 71.20 Verse 8. The word is nigh thee Moses meant it of the law but it more fitly agreeth to the Gospel The Babe of Bethlehem is swathed up in the bands of both Testaments he is authour object matter and mark of both Therefore if we will profit in hearing teaching reading we must have the eye of our mindes turned toward Christ as the faces of the Cherubims were toward the Mercy-seat Verse 9. That if thou shalt confesse That is If thou shalt call upon the name of the Lord as it is expounded v. 13. Verse 10. For with the heart c. Pluturch tels us that of all plants in Aegypt Plut. de â—side Osiride that they call Persica is consecrated to their goddesse Isis and that for this reason because the fruit of it is like an heart the leaf like a tongue Verse 11. Shall not be ashamed Maketh not haste saith the Prophet Shame and confusion follow haste and procipitancy Sed Deo confisi nunquam confusi Verse 12. Is rich unto all c. He cannot therefore be poor that can pray for he shall have out his praier either in money or moneys-worth Verse 13. Shall be saved Though he misse of that particular mercy he asketh he is certainly sealed up to salvation Verse 14. How shall they hear c. The word read is of divine use and efficacy but of preaching we may say as David did of Goliah's sword There 's none to that Verse 15. How beautifull are the jeet How much more their faces Surely I have seen thy face as the face of God said Jacob to Esau Gen. 33.10 that is honourable and comfortable We know how Cornelius received Peter and the Galatians Paul till they were bewitched from him Gal. 4.14 But it must be remembred that we glorifie the Word not the Preacher Act. 13.48 Verse 16. Who hath beleeved our report Gr. Our hearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Passively taken So Caesar and Cicero use auditio for report and rumour Some sit before a preacher as senslesse as the seats they sit on pillars they lean to dead bodies they tread on Others rage Tange montes fumig abunt c. Verse 17. By the word of God That is By the Word of Gods command sending out preachers gifted for the purpose and saying to them Goe preach c. Verse 18. Yes verily their sound c. Sonus tonus David saith only Their line Psal 19.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That accurate and artificiall frame of the heaven preacheth as it were the infinite wisdome and power of the Creatour All Gods works are his Regij professores his Catholike Preachers or reall Postilles as one calleth them of his Divinity The world saith Clem. Alex. is Dei Scriptura Gods great Bible with three great leaves heaven earth and hell Verse 19. Did not Israel know sc That the Gentiles were to be called They were oft told it Verse 20. Is very bold So that for his boldnes he was sawn asunder saith Hierom. Verse 21. Stretched A metaphor from a mother CHAP. XI Verse 1. I say then Hath God c. AS I may seem to have said Chap. 10. Ministers must doe their utmost to prevent mistakes Zuinglius when in his Sermons he had terrified the wicked was wont to shut up with Bone viâ— hoc nihil ad te Thou good man I mean not thee Verse 2. Saith of Elias A man of such transcendent zeal that to heighten the expression thereof some have legended of him that when he drew his mothers brests he was seen to suck in fire Verse 3. And I am left alone To withstand and reform the common corruptions Some have commended it to our consideration that from the first service in the Temple when it was built and the time of Eliah's Reformation was about an hundred years And from the Reformation in K. Edward the sixth's daies untill now is about the same proportion of time Verse 4. The image of Baal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to that Lady as our modern Idolaters also call the virgin Mary whom they despite with seeming honours Salâ—zar Iesuita in Prov. 8.19 Ibid ad ver 23. Ibid. ad ver 29. They would perswade the world that Christ by dying obeyed not his Father only but his mother too that she is the complement of the Trinity that she intreateth not but commandeth her Sonne is the most imperious Mother of our Judge with many like horrid blasphemies which I tremble to relate Verse 5. According to the election of grace St Paul was Constantissimus gratiae praedicator as Austin calleth him a most constant preacher of Gods free grace Verse 6. Then is it no more of works Whatsoever conferrumination of grace and works Papists dream of They think that as he that standeth on two firm branches of a tree is surer then he that standeth upon one only So he that trusteth to Christ and works too is in the safest condition But 1. They are fallen from Christ that trust to works Gal. 5.4 2. He that hath one foot on a firm branch and another on a rotten one stands not so sure as if he stood wholly on that which is sound But let them be Moses's Disciples let us be Christs Set not up a candle to this Sun of righteousnesse mix not thy puddle with his purple bloud thy rags with his raiment thy Pigeons plumes with his Eagles-feathers He can and will save his to the utmost Heb. 7.25 Detest all mock-staies Verse 7. Israel i. e. The carnall Israelite He seeketh for viz. Righteousnes and salvation by works Hardened By a judiciary hardnes Verse 8. The Spirit of slumber So that with those Bears in Pliny they cannot be awakened with the sharpest prickles and with those Asses in Hetruria that feeding upon hen-bane Mathiol in Dioscorid they he for dead and awake not till half-hileded Such a dead Lethargy is now befallen Papists Verse 9. Be made a snare As the bait is to the birds Verse 10. Bow down i. e. Bring them into bondage and misery Compare Lev. 26.13 Verse 11. Have they stumbled He that stumbleth and comes not down gets ground Verse 12. How much more their fulnesse O dieculam illam dexter mihi prae laetitia salit oculus How long Lord holy and true Verse 13. I magnifie mine office I make the utmost of it by gaining souls to Christ Verse 14. And might save some Ministers must turn themselves as it were into all shapes and fashions both of spirit and speech to win people to God Verse 15. Be the reconciling Not as a cause but as an occasion Life from the dead That is Res summè bona saith Phocius a speciall good thing Verse 16. If the first fruit be holy Not with
of Scripture this verse saith he had been easie had not Commentatours made it knotty the like saith another of a Christians condition it is gracious happy clear sure sweet did not erroneous judgements vex and unsettle them Verse 16. Let not then your good That is Your Christian liberty purchased by Christ Be evil spoken of Gr. Be blasphemed Contumely cast upon the people of God is blasphemy in the second Table God for the honour that he beareth to his people counts and calls it so Verse 17. For the kingdome of God c. That was a swinish saying of Epicurus That eternall life should be nothing else but a continuall eating of the fat and drinking of the sweet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even unto an uncessant surfetting and drunkennesse The Turks at this day promise Paradise to such as die in warre for the Mahometan faith Blouâ—ts voiage p 37 â— where they shall have delicious fare pleasant gardens all sensuall delights eternally to be enjoyed not withstanding any former sins Fit lettice for such lips Verse 18. Is acceptable to God And he is an happy man that can be acquitted by himself in private in publike by others in both by God Verse 19. Wherewith one may edifie another Discords among good people do edificare in gehennam as Tertullian phraseth it build backwards One of the main scandals the Jews take from Protestants is their dissention Verse 20. The work of God That work of faith 1 Thess 1.3 wrought by the mighty power of God Ephes 1.19 who puts not forth great power but for great purposes Verse 21. It is good neither to eat c. It will be no grief of heart as she once told David in another case to have forborn in case of scandall A great grief it would be if by some rash word we should betray a brother or smite out the eie of our dearest childe 1 Sam. 25. Should we then destroy the life of grace in another by our unadvised walking Verse 22. Hast thou faith Posse nolle nobile est Forbear for fear of effence unlesse it be in point of necessary duty For then we may not doe evil that good may come Rom. 3 8. Verse 23. Is damned Both of his doubting conscience which soundeth heavily as a shauâ—m and of God who is greater then his conscience CHAP. XV. Verse 1. Ought to bear AS Porters do their burdens as pillars do the poise of the house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rather as parents bear their babes in their arms And not to please our selves Bis desipit qui sibi sapit Prov. 3.7 Verse 2. Please his neighbour Though he crosse himself this is true Christian love and driven almost out of the world by sinfull self-love which can eth men to dislike those things in others that they slatter in themselves Verse 3. For even Christ And we should expresse him to the world preach abroad his vertues by our practice 1 Pet. 2.9 Our lives should be as so many Sermons upon the life of Christ This is walk in Christ Col. 2 6. as Christ 1 Joh. 3.6 Verse 4. For whatsoever things c. Here the Apostle meets with an Objection For some man might say that that saying of the Psalme pertains to David how therefore is it applied to Christ He answers Whatsoever things c. q. d. We must learn to see Christ in David David in the history Christ in the mystery David as the type Christ the truth That we through patience Hence the Scriptures are called Râ—vel 2. The word of Christs patience because they patient the heart under Gods holy hand and are better called Physick for the soul then ever was the library of Alexandria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And comfort of the Scriptures As the bloud and spirits are conveied by the veins and arteries so is the Spirit by the promises helping the soul to lay it self upon Christ by faith which is a grace of union and so of establishment Verse 5. Now the God of patience The soul is then only in good plight when the heaven answers the earth Hos 2.21 When. Christ the Sun of righteousnes shines into it Verse 6. With one minde and one mouth It is recorded to the high commendation of the Church of Scotland that for this 90 years and upwards they have kept unity with purity without schisme much lesse heresie Syntag. Confession praesat Verse 7. To the glory of God That is Of heaven the joyes whereof it is as impossible to comprehend as it is to compasse the heaven with a span or contain the Ocean in a nut-shell Such comfort there is in the presence of Christ though but in the womb as it made John to spring What then shall it be in heaven Verse 8. Now I say that Jesus Paul proveth particularly in this and the following verses that Christ hath taken both Jews and Gentiles to his glory Verse 9. And that the Gentiles Though they had no such promises might glorifie Gods free grace in the day of their visitation Verse 10. Rejoyce That your names also are written in heaven and that ye are enrolled in the records of the new Jerusalem Verse 11. All ye Gentiles As being received into the glory of God vers 7. Verse 12. In him shall the Gentiles trust I saith hath it To him shall the Gentiles seek To seek to God then argues trust in God He that hopes not praies not or but faintly Verse 13. Fill you with all joy c. Note here that joy and peace are the means whereby faith worketh hope Verse 14. Full of goodnesse The excellency of a godly man is to follow God fully as Caleb Numb 14.24 to have a heart full of goodnesse as these Romans a life full of good works as Tabitha Act. 9.36 These shall receive a full reward 2 Joh. 8. Verse 15. Chrysostome truly saith of St Paul that he was insatiabilis Dei cultor one that thought he could never do God or his Church service enough Verse 16. Ministring the Gospel Serving about holy things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or doing sacred offices as the Priests under the Law to whom the Apostle all along this verse alludes in an elegant allegory the Ministery is a divine and heavenly function All other callings are for the world and draw to the world but this both in the preparation and execution draweth to God keepeth us with God and to be ever mindefull of the things of God Verse 17. I have therefore c. So have all Gods faithfull Ministers at this day against the contempts and contumelies cast upon them by the mad world ever besides it self in point of salvation There is a pamphlet lately published that sticks not to make that sacred and tremend function of the Ministery to be as meer an imposture as very a mystery of iniquity The Compass Samaritâ—n as arrant a juggle as the Paâ—acy it self Verse 18. To make the Gentiles c.
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hath no more then a reasonalbe soul and naturall abilities Iude 19. Such was that saplesse fellow Psal 14.1 that may have a disciplinary knowledge that is by hear-say as a blinde man hath of colours but not an intuitive per speciem propriam The water riseth no higher then the spring whence it came So naturall men can ascend no higher then nature If the unreasonable creatures could draw a picture of God said Xenophanes they would certainly paint him like themselves Quià scilicet nihil animal animà li superius cogitare potest because they can think of nothing above themselves Neither can he know them They that are blear-eyed and weak-sighted if at any time they set themselves to see better into a thing they see the worse So here Nay more Vives in Aug. de civ Dei l. 22. cap. 6. in our nature there is an antipathy to divine truth We love the law better then the Gospel and any truth better then the law Because they are spiritually Ambrose reads Because he is spiritually judged being delivered up to a reprobate sense But the other reading is beâ—t â— Verse 15. Iudgeth all things By his spirit of discerning 1 Cor. 14. his spirituall senses exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5.14 his undoubted perswasion of that truth he professeth Colos 2.3 and whereof he hath felâ— the sweetnesse Colos 1.9 Is judged of no man Of no naturall man who can judge no more of divine truths then a blinde man can do of colours or a sick man of meats And herein the poorest Idiot saith one being a sound Christian goeth beyond the profoundest Clarks that are not sanctified that he hath his own heart in stead of a Commentary to help to understand even the most needfull points of the Scripture Verse 16. But we have the minde of Christ This is a priviledge confined to the communion of Saints to have communication of Christs secrets to be as it were of his Court and Councel One saith of Dr Sibbs That he was a man spiritually rationall and rationally spirituall one that seemed to see the insides of nature and grace and the world and heaven by those perfect anatomies he had made of them all CHAP. III. Verse 1. Could not speak unto you VNlesse I would beat the air and lose my sweet words q. d. You quarrell me for a shallow triviall teacher when your selves are in fault as not yet capable of more mysterious matter Our Saviour preached not as he could have preached but as the people were able to hear Mark 4.33 So the Authour to the Hebrews chap. 5.11 Some impute their not profiting to the Minister as he in Seneca that having a thorn in his foot complained of the roughnesse of the way as the cause of his limping Or as she in the same Authour that being struck with a sudden blindenes bad open the windows when as it was not want of light but want of sight that troubled her As unto carnall even as unto babes Or At least as unto babes not yet past the spoon and that must have their meat masticated for them by their nurses Verse 2. I have fed you with milk Ministers must condescend to their hearers capacities though they be slighted for so doing as Paul was or jeared as Isaiah chap. 28.9 10. for his line upon line Moses his choice 375. precept upon precept Kau lekau and Zau lezau The sound of the words carries a taunt as scornfull people by the tone of their voice and riming words scorn at such as they despise Verse 3. For ye are yet carnall It is a shame for Christians to be like other men as Sampson was after he had lost his haâ—r Envying and strife c. These overflowings of the gall and spleen came from a fulnes of bad humours And walk as men Christians should be as Saul was higher then the people by head and shoulders Something singular is expected from them Matth. 5.47 they should have their feet where other mens heads are Prov. 15.24 When we do evil we work do nostro secundum hominem we do our kinde as the devil when he speakes lies speakes De suo of his owne Joh. 8.44 Verse 4. For when one saith c. So those that will needs be called Lutherans Jurantque in verba magistri Did not Luther play the man when he and other Dutch Divines advised Philip Lantgrave of Hesse a pious Prince to marry a second wife that is an adultresse whiles his lawfull wife was yet alive Zanch. Miâ—â—â—l Epist deâ—licat And might he not deceive and be deceived in other things as well as in that Are ye not carnall Nay Will not the world thinke ye are mad As the Apostle speaks in a like case 1 Cor. 14.23 Verse 5. But Ministers Not Masters as Magistri nostri Parisienses so the Sorbonists will needs be called Presat in 1 Sentent contrary to Jam. 3.1 Bacon the Carmelite was called Doctor resolutissimus because he would endure no May Bees Verse 6. But God gave the encrease The Harp yeelds no sound till it be touched by the hand of the Musician The heart is never made good till the heavens answer the earth Hos 2.21 till God strike the stroke Holy Melancthon being newly converted thought it impossible for his hearers to withstand the evidence of the Gospel But soon after he complained that old Adam was too hard for young Melancthon Verse 7. So then neither is he c. This made Cyril to conclude his Preface to his Catechisme with Mâ—um est docere vesirum auscultare Dei perficere I may teach and yen hear but God must do the deed when all 's done Else we may preach and pray to the wearing of our tongues to the slumps as Bradford said and to no more purpose then Bede did when he preached to a heap of stones Verse 8. And he that watereth are one Why then are not you at one Should ye not follow your leaders presse their footsteps Shall receive his own reward Those ambitious Doctours that draw disciples after them hunting after popular applause that empty blast of stinking breath shall have that for their reward let them make them merry with it When faithfull Ministers shall shine as stars Dan. 12.3 Verse 9. For we are labourers c. Let Ministers hence learn their 1. Dignity 2. Duty Fructus honos oneris fructus honoris onus Who would not work hard with such sweet company Verse 10. As a wise master-builder Artificers also have their wisdom Arist Ethic. lib. 6. cap. 7. as Aristotle yeeldeth For his God doth instruct him to discretion and doth teach him Isa 28.26 As he did Bezaleel and Aholiah Verse 11. Which is Iesus Christ The Doctrine of his person and offices is the foundation of Christian religion and must therefore be kept pure and entire by all means possible Arrius his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would not be yeelded
he had read some of the Fathers gave over for this reason because scarce any of them did rightly understand the use and efficacy of baptisme Verse 16. The cup of blessing Not the Chalice but the common cup. Diest de ratione studâ— Theol. pag. 116. Colvin chose rather to leave Geneva then to use unleavened bread or water-cakes at the Lords Supper We may not symbolize with Idolaters Is it not the communion Doth it not signifie and set forth yea as an instrument effect and exhibite this communion Verse 17. And one body By the force of faith and love Can. 6.9 My dove is but one the daughters saw her and blessed her No such onenesse entirenesse any where as among the Saints Other societies are but as the clay in the toes of Nebuchadnezzars image they may cleave together but not incorporate one into another Verse 18. Are not they which eat c. See Levit. 7.15 Hence he infers that these Corinthians also eating of the Idols-sacrifices were defiled with idolatry a pari Verse 19. What say I then He prevents a mistake See cha 8.4 Ministers must in their discourses meet with all objections as much as may be Verse 20. They sacrifice to devils A good intention then excuseth not The Gentiles thought they had sacrificed to God So do the Papists who yet worship devils whiles they worship idols of gold and silver and brasse and stone Revel 9.20 The devil is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Synesius an Idol-lover In epist Verse 21. partakers of the Lords table Name and thing The Popish opinion of Masse was that it might not be celebrated but upon an altar or at least upon a superaltare Act. and Mon. fol. 1111. Ibid. 1326. which must have it's prints and carects or else the thing was not thought to be lawfully done Our Communion Table they called an oyster-board And the table of devils Redwald King of East-Saxons had in the same Church one alter for Christian Religion Camden and another for sacrifice to devils Verse 22. Do we provoke the Lord As Caligula that dared his Jove to a duell As the raging Turk at the last assault of Scodra most horribly blaspheming God Tork bist fol. 423. Psal 90.11 But who knoweth the power of his anger It is such as none can avert or avoid avoid or abide Verse 23. Bern. All things are not expedient An liceat an deceat an expediat are three most needfull questions Things lawfull in themselves may be unseemly for our state and calling unbehovefull also to the benefit of others Think unlawfull for thee whatsoever implies either inexpediency or indecency Verse 24. Let no man seek his own Self miscarries us all and makes us eccentrick in our motions nothing more Verse 25. Whatsoever is sold c. A portion of the consecrated flesh was usually sold by 〈◊〉 Prâ—ests who made their markets of it as Augâ—stine upon the Romans testifieth Verse 26. For the earth is the Lords God of his bounty spreads a Table for all Make no scruple therefore eat freely Verse 27. And ye be disposed to go Our Saviour when he saw that Johns austerity was censured took his liberty in the use of creatures and convenient company-keeping Luk. 7.33 34. I do not finde where ever he was bidden to any table and refused Not for the pleasure of the dishes but for the benefit of so winning a conversation Verse 28. The earth is the Lords Therefore in case of scandall abstain Why shouldst thou use this creature as if there were no more but this Suspend thy liberty Hast not thou all the world afore thee Verse 29. Why is my liberty judged As a profane licence We should be shie of the very shâ—ws and shadows of sin Quiequid fuerit malè color atum as Bernard hath it if a thing look but ill favoured abstain from it Verse 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For if I by grace Or By thanksgiving The same Greek word signifies both to teach us that a gratefull man is a gracious man The unthankfull and the evil are set together as the same Luk. 6.33 God is kinde to the unthankfull and to the evil Verse 31. Whether therefore ye eat c. Of a reverend Scotch Divine it is said That He did even eat and drink and sleep eternall life These common actions also are steps in our Christian walking despise them not therefore but refer them to that supreme scope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. Drus Apophil Socrates even in his recreations profited his companions no lesse then if he had been reading Lectures to them Plato and Xenophon thought it fit and profitable that mens speeches at meals should be written Quicquid agas propter Deum agas saith one Propter te Domine propter te said another Verse 32. Give none offence This is another end we should aim at the edification of others Finibus non officys a vitys discernuntur virtutes Augustin Two things make a good Christian good actions and good aims Verse 33. Not seeking mine own profit This saith Chrysostome is the most perfect Canon of Christianity the top-gallant of true religion CHAP. XI Verse 1. Be ye followers of me THis verse properly belongs to the former Chapter The distinguishing of the books of Scripture into Chapters is not very ancient But that of verses was devised and done by Robert Stephens Pio quidem at tumultuario studio as one saith well with a good intent Soultâ—t but with no great skill as appears here and in divers other places The Apostle chap. 10.33 had shewed his own practice here he cals upon them to do accordingly As the Oxe follows the herd Sicut bos armenta sic ego bonos viros c. Cic ad Attic. so will I follow good men Etiamsi ruant saith Cicero although they do amisse This was more then St Paul desires Be ye followers of me saith he but only so far as I am of Christ not an inch further Verse 2. And keep the ordinances Gr. the traditions or doctrines by word of mouth These are 1. Dogmaticall concerning faith and practice 2 Thess 2.15 2. Rituall Selater in loe and these again are 1. Perpetuall as that of the manner of administring the two Sacraments 2. Temporary as that of abstaining from certain meats Act. 15.28 29. And those other pertaining to the observing of externall order and decency in Church-assemblies And of these the Apostle here speaketh Verse 3. The head of the woman is man Were it not an ill sight to see the shoulders above the head the woman usurp authority over the man A prudent wife commands her husband by obeying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1 1â— as did Livia Verse 4. Dishonoureth his head As they accounted it then and there In other places it is otherwise The French preach covered Bâ—unts voiage p. 88. The Turks neither kneel nor uncover the head at publike praiers as holding
organs of excretion and generation Our uncomely parts c. It was at the abomination of Baal-peor or Priapus that his worshippers said Nos pudore pulso stamus sub Jove celeis apertis Isa 3. c. God taught our first parents to make coverings to hide their nakednesse and the contrary is oft threatned as a curse Verse 24. For our comely parts A fair face needs no dresse is it's own testimoniall a bait without an hook said Socrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 25. Should have the same care As if the heel do but ake the whole condoleth and cureth Verse 27. Now ye are c. S. Cyprians sympathy is remarkable Cum singulis pectus meum copulo meroris funeris pondera luctuosa participo Cum plangentibus plango cum deflentibus defleo Hereby he shewed himself a living member Verse 28. Diversities of tongues This comes in last either to bid check to their pride who gloried so much in their many languages or because he meant to say more to it in the words following Verse 29. Are all teachers Yes some would have it so as in Alcibiades his army all were leaders no learners Verse 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ambite Covet earnestly c. This is the best ambition Christians should strive to excell and be the best at what they undertake Melancthon saith that Frederick the Electour of Saxony had cropt off the tops of all vertues A more excellent way What was that Charity to God and men Chap. 13.1 Graces are better then gifts CHAP. XIII Verse 1. Though I speak with the tongues THe Corinthians gloried much in this gift of tongues But this a man may have and yet perish as Mithridates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plut. who is said to have spoken two and twenty languages And Cleopatra was a great linguist she could give answers to Ethiopian Hebrew Arabick Syrian Median and Parthian Embassadours saith Plutarch yea she could turn and tune her tongues as an instrument of many strings to what dialect she pleased And of Angels Not that angels have tongues as neither have they wings though they are said to flie and even unto wearinesse of flight Dan 9 21. A certain Frier undertook to shew to the people a feather of the Angel Gabriels wing and so verified the old proverb A Frier a lier Carltons thank Remem p. 174. But the Apostle here useth an high kinde of expression such as is used Act. 6.15 Psal 78.25 Unlesse perhaps saith Chrysostome here the angels have suo modo sua coâ—oquia The Schoolmen have great disputes about it and tell us that when an angel hath a conceit in his minde of any thing with a desire that another should understand it it is enough it is done immediately But are not these they that intrude into those things that they have not seen Colos 2.18 understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm 1 Tim. 1.7 Like unto these are our new Millenaries that upon a mistake of some high expressions in Scripture which describe the judgements poured out upon Gods enemies in making a way to the Jews conversion by the patern of the last judgement think that Jesus Christ shall come from heaven again and raign here upon earth a thousand years See M. Coâ—tons sixth viol p. 26 Verse 2. And have no charity If I knew and did all for ostentation not for edification As Stephen Gardiner Act. and Mon. fol. 1020. who blew up his gifts to the view of others as Butchers blow up their flesh Verse 4. Though I bestow all my goods Unlesse I draw out my soul as well as my sheaf to the hungry Isa 58.10 Many shrink up charity to an handbreth to giving of alms And though I give my body c. As Servetus the heretike did at Geneva anno 1555. Calv. opusc So Manzius the Anabaptist gave his body to be drowned at Tigure anno 1527. Scultet Annal. Fisher Bishop of Rochester to be beheaded for holding the Popes supremacy Frier Forrest to be hanged Act. and Mon. fol. 1005. for the same cause And how many of our Popish Martyrs malefactours or traitours I should say have worne the Tiburn-tippet as Father Latimer phraseth it And more of them must for they be some of them knaves all as the L. Audley Chancellour of England once said to the 13. Callice prisoners for religion Act. and Mon. fol. 1117. whom he discharged and like bels they will never be well tuned till well hanged Verse 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And is kinde Or is easie to be made use of ready to any good office Charity is no churl Vaunteth not it self With the scorn of others Arrianus saith In Epictet lib. 3. that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that blameth others and is restlesse in himself Such an one was Timon of old and Laurentius Valla alate Is not puffed up Hence charity is pourtraied 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 Verse 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behave it self unseemly Or doth not disgrace any one Is not easily provoked Fals not into any sharp fit as they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15.39 so as that her teeth are set on edge or that she should shew her anger by the trembling of the body Thinketh no evil Is not suspicious or doth not meditate revenge Verse 6. D. Sclatter Rejoyceth with the truth Nulla est igitur inter malos charitas sed conjuratio potiùs saith a grave Expositour It is not charity but conspiracy that is found in wicked men Verse 7. Beareth all things Covereth faults with her large mantle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dissembleth injuries swalloweth down whole many pils that would prove very bitter in the chewing Beleeveth all things Is candid and ingenuous yet not blinde and blockish No man may ravish me out of my wits saith one to conclude as Walter Mapes did of his Church of Rome after he had related the grosse simony of the Pope Sit tamen Domina materque nostra Roma baculus in aqua fractus absit credere quae vidimus If a Papist see one of their Priests kissing a woman he is by their Canon-law bid to believe that the Priest is giving her counsel only Their rule to their novices is Tu Asinus unum estote Endureth all things Love as it is a passion so it is tried rather by passions then actions Verse 8. Prophecies they shall fail The Arch-prophet shall teach us immediately as he had done Moses and Elias who appearing to Christ in the transfiguration knew and could say far more to our Saviour for his comfort and confirmation against the bitternes of his death then ever they could whiles here living upon earth Luk. 9.31 Whether there be knowledge Got by study and communicated to others
have not laid up two pence for I never cared for the things of this world Luther never found himself once tempted to covetousnesse And herein I could wish we were all Lutherans Verse 15. Act. and Mon. fol 789. Spend and be spent If like clouds we doe sweat our selves to death so souls may be brought home to God it is a blessed way of dying The lesse I be loved This is many a good mans grief but his reward is neverthelesse with God The nurse looks not for her wages from the childe but from the parent Verse 16. Being crafty I caught A blessed craft a high point of heavenly wisdome Dan. 12 3. It is written of the fox that when he is very hungry after prey and can finde none he lieth down and faineth himself to be a dead carcase and so the fowls fall upon him and then he catcheth them Saint Paul hungering after the souls-health of his Corinthians denies himself to gain them Verse 17. Whom I sent unto you It is said of the Pope that he can never lack money so long as he can hold a pen in his hand he can command it and have it But Saint Paul could not skill of those arts Verse 18. In the same spirit Who worketh with his own tools only and is ever like himself in all the Saints through whose whole course godlinesse runs as the woof doth thorow the web as the spirit doth thorow the body In the same steps With an upright foot Gal. 2.14 in Christ Col. 2.6 as Christ 1 Joh. 2.6 Verse 19. That we excuse our selves And so yeeld a fault I speak before God The witnesse of mine innocency Job 16 19. Gen. 20.6 For your edifying Whilest ye conceive no ill opinion of us which like muddy water in a vessel might cause the most precious liquour of our doctrine to run over Verse 20. Mimus And that I shall be found Crudelem medicum intemperans aeger facit We delight not to fling daggers at mens faces but if men be not told their owne and that with some sharpnesse they will on in sinne to their utter ruine Sharp waters clear the eye-sight and bitter potions bring on sweet health A weak dose doth but stirre bad humours and anger them not purge them out so it fareth with sinnes Lest there be debates envyings c. K. Edward the fourth the night before his death said to his kinsmen and friends I remember it to my grief that there hath bin discord amongst you a great time not alwaies for great causes but poor mistakings c. Some Daniels hist of Engl 2.0 like Salamanders live alway in the fire like trouts they love to swim against stream like Phocion they think it a goodly thing to dissent from others Verse 21. That have not repented Impenitence maketh sinne mortall saith S. John 1 epist 5.16 or rather immortall as saith S. Paul Rom. 2.5 It is not the falling into the water that drowns but lying in it Gods people may sink once and again to the bottome but the third time they rise and recover by repentance CHAP. XIII Verse 1. Of two or three witnesses SO he calleth his threefold admonition Gods Word neglected will one day be a swift witnesse against the contemners Moses shall accuse men Joh. 5.46 Gods Word lay hold on them Zech. 1.6 and stick in their hearts and flesh as fire thorowout all eternity Ier. 5.14 Verse 2. I told you before Sed surdo fabulam no telling would serve turn Many are so wedded and wedged to their sins that nothing will sunder them but an extraordinary touch from the hand of heaven Verse 3. A proof of Christ speaking in me The Church is Christi docentis auditorium saith Bernard the place wherein he ordinarily teacheth who hath his school on earth though his chair in heaven Sebolam babeâ— in terris cathedram in coelis Aug. Verse 4. Crucified through weaknesse i. e. Ex afflicto ejus statu as Gal. 4.14 as having voluntarily subjected himself to all sorts of sufferings for our sakes Verse 5. Examine your selves The finall triall of our eternall estate doth immediately and solely appertain to the Court of heaven Indeed the disquisitive part belongs to us the decisive to God Prove your own selves Redouble your diligence in this most needfull but much neglected duty of self-examination an errour here is easie and dangerous hence the precept is doubled So Zeph. 2.1 Excutite vos iterumque excutite as Tremellius renders it Verse 6. But I trust that ye shall know Whereas they were ready to retort that they were no reprobates he should well know let him see that himself were not one I trust ye shall know saith he that we are no reprobates counterfeits or unapprovable opposed to approved verse 7. Verse 7. Though we be as reprobates viz. In your esteem The good heart is content to vilifie yea nullifie it self so God may be glorified and his people edified let him be a footstool or what ye will â—pist ad Spalat to help Christ into his throne Prorsus Satan est Lutherus sed Christus vivit regnat Amen saith Luther Let me be called a devil or any thing so Christ may be exalted Verse 8. For we can doe nothing A temporary many so fall away as to persecute the truth that he once professed and the Ministery that he once admired Never fals a Saint so farre in his greatest relapses Lat. Seruâ— afore â— Edward Bishop Latimer tels of one who fell away from the known truth to mocking and scorning it yet was afterwards touched in conscience for it Beware of this sinne saith he for I have known no more then this that repented It is a very dangerous precipice Verse 9. Even your perfection Or Your restauration or joynting again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His meaning is saith Beza That whereas the members of this Church were all as it were dislocated and out of joynt they should now again be joyned together in love and they should endeavour to amend what was amisse amongst them either in faith or manners Verse 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And not to destruction Unlesse by accident or if to the destruction of the flesh it is that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 5.5 See the Note there and on 2 Cor. 10.8 Verse 11. Finally Gr. That which yet remains to say more and then an end Be perfect Or Peece again Be of one minde For matter of opinion Live in peace For matter of affection The God of love The authour and fautour Verse 12. With an holy kisse A custome proper to those times See the Note on Rom. 16.16 and on 1 Cor. 16.20 Verse 13. All the Saints salute you Sanctity is no enemy to curtesie it doth not remove but rectifie it Verse 14. The grace of our Lord A friendly valediction or fatherly benediction A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the Epistle of S.
9. The mystery of his will That is the Gospel a mystery both to men 1 Cor. 2.8 and Angels Ephes 3.10 Verse 10. That in the dispensation God is the best oeconomick his house is exactly ordered for matter of good husbandry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gather together in one Gr. Recapitulate reduce all to a head recollect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Both which are in heaven The crowned Saints and perhaps the glorious Angels who according to some Divines being in themselves changeable creatures and therefore called Shinan that is mutable Psal 68.17 receive confirmation by Christ so that they cannot leave their first station as did the apostate Angels Others think that the Angels stand not by means of Christs mediation but of Gods eternall election and are therefore called the elect Angels Verse 11. We have obtained inheritance Or we are taken into the Church as Magistrates were by lot into their office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On we are made Gods inheritance as Deut. 32.9 It imports our free and unexpected vocation After the counsell of his own will God doth all by counsell and ever hath a reason of his will which though we see not for present we shall at last day Mean-while submit Verse 12. Who first trusted It is a singular honour to be first in so good a matter Hope is here put for faith whereof it is both the daughter and the nurse Verse 13. After that ye beleeved They 1. Heard 2. Beleeved 3. Were sealed i. e. full assured Assurance is Gods seal faith is our seal God honours our sealing to his truth by his sealing by his spirit We yeeld first the consent and assent of faith and then God puts his seal to the contract There must be the bargain before the earnest Verse 14. Which is the earnest Not the pawn but the earnest Quia pignus redditur arrha retinetur saith Hierome A pawn is to be returned again but an earnest is part of the whole sum and assures it We here have eternall life 1. In praetio 2. In promisso 3. In primitijs Verse 15. Your faith in the Lord Jesus Love is the fruit of faith therefore the Apostles pray for increase of faith that they might be able seven times a day to forgive an offending brother Luk. 17.5 See the Note there Verse 16. Making mention of you Whether a Minister shall do more good to others by his praiers or preaching I will not determine saith a grave Divine but he shall certainly by his praiers reap more comfort to himself Verse 17. Saints progr by D. Tailour The Spirit of wisdome and revelation So called because he revealeth unto us Gods depths and reads us his riddles 1 Cor. 2. He illightens both the organ and object he anoints the eyes with eye-salve and gives both sight and light Verse 18. The glory of his inheritance The glory of heaven is unconceivable Revel 21. search is made thorow all the bowels of the earth for something to shadow it by No naturall knowledge can be had of the third heaven nor any help by humane arts as Aristotle acknowledgeth The glory thereof is fitter to be believed then possible to be discoursed Verse 19. De â—ulo text 99 And what is the exceeding Here is a most emphaticall heap of most divine and significant words to expresse that which can never sufficiently be conceived or uttered A six fold gradation the Apostle useth to shew what a power God puts forth in working the grace of faith Indeed this power is secret and like that of the heavens upon our bodies which saith one is as strong as that of physick c. Yet so sweet and so secretly insinuating it self with the principles of nature that as for the conveyance of it it is insensible and hardly differenced from that of the principles of nature in us Therefore the Apostle praieth for these Ephesians here that their eyes may be enlightned to see the power that wrought in them c. Verse 20. Which he wrought in Christ God puts forth the same almighty power in quickning the heart by faith that he did in raising up his Son Christ from the dead It must needs then be more then a morall swasion that he useth Christ wrought the Centurions faith as God he wondered at it as man God wrought and man marvelled he did both to teach us where to bestow our wonder Verse 21. Far above all principality Quantum inter stellas luna minores Oh doe but think with thy self saith one though it far passe the reach of any mortall thought what an infinite inexplicable happinesse it will be to look for ever upon the glorious body of Jesus Christ shining with incomprehensible beauty and to consider that even every vein of that blessed body bled to bring thee to heaven and that it being with such excesse of glory hypostatically united to the second person in Trinity hath honoured and advanced thy nature above the brightest Cherub Verse 22. To be the head over all things That is All persons all the elect as Gal. 3.22 Christ is head over Angels too but in another sense then over the Church viz. 1. As God he giveth them whatsoever they are or have 2. As Mediatour also he maketh use of their service for the safety and salvation of the Church They holy Angels are great friends to the Church but not members of it For Christ took not on him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham Heb. 2.16 Besides he sanctified his Church and washed it with his bloud Ephes 5.26 But this he did not for the Angels c. See the Note on vers 10. Verse 23. The fulnesse of him That is of Christ who having voluntarily subjected himself to be our head accounts not himself compleat without his members In which respect we have the honour of making Christ perfect as the members doe the body CHAP. II. Verse 1. Who were dead NAturall men are living carcases walking sepulchres of themselves In most families it is as once it was in Aegypt Exod. 12.30 No house wherein there is not one nay many dead corpses Verse 2. Wherein ye walked Hence Act 14.16 Sinne is called a way but it leads to the chambers of death According to the course of this world The mundaneity or worldlinesse of the world as the Syriack rendreth it which is wholly set upon wickednesse as Aaron saith of his worldings Exod. 32.22 and takes no care for the world to come According to the Prince c. The devil by whom wicked men are acted and agitated Gratian was out in saying That Satan is called Prince of the world as a King of Onesse or as the Cardinall of Ravenna only by derision Evil men set him up for their Soveraign and are wholly at his beck and obedience The spirit that now worketh As a Smith worketh in his forge an Artificer in his shop Verse 3. Among whom also we all c. Let the best look
mystery The highest point of heavenly learning and hereby he proveth his calling to the Ministery Verse 5. Was not made known sc So clearly and particularly Peter himself could hardly be perswaded to it Act. 10.14 34 35. Verse 6. Gentiles should be fellow-heirs Co-heirs concorporate and consorts three sweet societies the former founded upon the two latter Verse 7. By the effectuall working c. Enabling me to accept and improve that gift of Gods grace whereunto I should otherwise turn not the palme but the back-side of the hand Verse 8. Lesse then the least Great Paul is least of Saints Oâ—ulentissima me aâ—la quâ—rum in â— to latent â—eâ—ae Sen. ep â—3 last of Apostles greatest of sinners The best bâ—lsomes sinke to the bottome the goodliest buildings have lowest foundations the heaviest ears of corn hang downward so do the â—â—ughes or trees that are best laden The unsearchable richeâ— Gr. Not to be traced out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Should not Ministers be made welcome that come to men on such golden messages Verse 9. And to make all men see Gr. To illighten them far more then the preaching of the Prophets could 2 Pet. 1.19 To us now is a great light sprung up Mat. 4 10. The fellowship Or as some copies have it the dispensation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who created all things i. e. Restored repaired hence Gospel-daies are called the world to come Heb. 2.5 Verse 10. Might be known by the Church As by a glasse or theatre The manifold wisdome c. Gr. That hath abundance of â—â—rious variety in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as is seen in the best pictures or textures This the very Angels look intently into as the Cherubims in the Tabernacle did into the Mercy-seat and are much amused and amazed thereat They see that mans salvation by Christ is a plot of Gods own devising Verse 11. According to the eternall purpose Of calling and saving the Gentiles by Christ a secret that the Angels themselves could not understand till the time fore-appointed came Verse 12. Boldnesse and accesse True peace draws men to God false drives them from God Uprightnesse hath boldnes serenity hath security Verse 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore I desire Or I beg of God as one would doe an alms Menaico Act. 3.2 humbly heartily And here the Apostle returns to his former discourse after a long digression ver 2. to ver 13. At my tribulations for you For for your sakes am I maliced and molested by the Jews by whose means also I am now a prisoner Verse 14 For this cause sc That ye faint not but gather strength I bow my knees A most seemly and sutable gesture usuall among all Nations but Turks who kneel not nor uncover the head at praier as holding those postures unamâ—ly Verse 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Parenâ—eâ—a Of whom the whole family Or Paternity God is the only Father to speak properly Mat. 23 9. The Father of all the father-hood in heaven and earth Verse 16. According to the riches of his glory That is of his grace so 2 Cor 3.18 See the Note there Verse 17. That Christ may dwell As the Sun dwels in the house by his beams Faith fetcheth Christ into the heart as into his habitation And if he dwell there he is bound to all reparations Verse 18. The breadth and length c. Gods mercy hath all the dimensions Psal 36 5. Thy mercy ô God reacheth to the heavens There is the height of it Great is thy mercy toward me and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell There is the depth of his mercy The earth is full of thy goodnesse There is the breadth of it All the ends of the earth have seen thy salvation There is the length of it Psâ—l 86.13 Verse 19. With all the fulnesse of God That is of Christs diffusive fulnesse in whom the Godhead dwelt bodily and in whom we are complete Col. 2.9 10. Verse 20. Exceeding abundantly Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 More then exceedingly or excessively God hath not only a fulnesse of abundance but of redundancy of plenty but of bounty He is oft better to us then our praiers According to the power The Apostle begins his praier with mention of Gods fatherly mercy he shuts it up with a description of his power These two Gods might and Gods mercy are the Jachin and Boaz the two main pillars of a Christians faith whereon it rests in praier Verse 21. Glory in the Church by Christ Who is the refulgency of his Fathers glory Heb. 1.3 CHAP. IV. Verse 1. Worthy of the vocation THere is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seemlinesse appertaining to each calling so here We must walk nobly and comfortably as becometh the heirs of God an co-heirs of Christ Scipio when a harlot was offered him answered Vellem si non essem Imperator I would if I were not Generall of the Army Antigonus being invited to a place where a notable harlot was to be present asked counsell of Menedemus what he should do He bad him only remember that he was a Kings sonne So let men remember their high and heavenly calling and do nothing unworthy of it Luth. in Gen. Luther counsels men to answer all temptations of Satan with this only Christianus sum I am a Christian Verse 2. With all lowlinesse and meeknesse These are virtutes collactaneae as Bernard calleth them a pair of twin-sisters never asunder Verse 3. The unity of the spirit That is Unanimity this keeps all together which else will shatter and fall asunder The daughter of dissension is dissolution saith Nazianzen Verse 4. In one hope of your calling That is unto one inheritance which we all hope for Fall not out therefore by the way as Ioseph charged his brethren Verse 5. One baptisme The Authour to the Hebrews speaketh of Baptismes Chap. 6.2 But either he puts the plurall for the singular or else he meaneth it of the outward and inward washing which the Schools call baptismum stuminis flaminis See the Note on Mat. 3.11 Verse 6. Mal. â— 10. One God and Father of all Have we not all one Father saith Malachy Why then dissent and jar we How is it that these many ones here instanced unite us not My dove mine undefiled is but one Cant 6 9. Verse 7. According to the measure And may not Christ do with his own as he listeth Those of greater gifts are put upon hotter service 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 8. He led captivity captive c. As in the Roman triumphs the Victor ascended up to the Capitoll in a Chariot of state the prisoners following on foot with their hands bound behinde and they threw certain pieces of coyn abroad to be pickt up by the common people So Christ in they day of his solemn inauguration into his heavenly Kingdom triumphed over sin death and hell Col. 2.15
his song ever since he had been in the third heaven So Mr Bolton lying on his death-bed said I am by the wonderfull mercies of God as full of comfort as my heart can hold and feel nothing in my soul but Christ with whom I heartily disire to be In his life by M. Bagshâ—â—â— Which is farre better Farte farre the better 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A transcendent expression such as is that 2 Cor. 4.17 See the Note there Verse 24. Is more needfull for you Mr Bolton dying and desiring to be dissolved being told that it was indeed better for him to be with Christ but the Church of God could not misse him not the benefit of his Ministery he thus replied with David 2 Sam. 15.25 26. If I shall finde favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation But if otherwise loe here I am let him doe what seemeth good in his eyes Verse 25. And joy of faith That is for your full assurance which is that highest degree or faith whereby a believer having gotten victory over his doubtings triumpheth with a large measure of joy Verse 26. That your rejoycing Gr. Your glorying or exulting in this that God hath given â—e in as an answer to your praiers It is surely a sweet thing to hear from heaven David often boasts of it Ps 6. 66. Verse 27. Only let your conversation q. d. If you would that God should hear you and deliver me be ready prepared for the receipt of such a mercy The fountain of divine grace will not be laden at with foul hands Ps 66.17 The lepers lips should be covered according to the law Let your conversation Your civil conversation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your common commerce and interdealings with men also Hippocrates took an oath of his followers to keep their profession unstained and their lives unblameable Striving together for the faith As the Barons of Polonia professed to do by their starting up at the reading of the Gospel Anno 965. and drawing out their swords half way in testimony that they would stick and stand to the defence of that truth to the very death Io. Funccius Help the truth in necessity strive with it and for it Verse 28. And in nothing terrified A Metaphor from horses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they tremble and are sore afrighted he that feareth God need fear none else Psal 3. But with the horse in Iob Job 39.22 he mocketh at fear and is not afrighted neither turneth he back from the sword Verse 29 For unto you it is given As an high honour not only to believe though that 's a great matter For he that believeth hath set to his seal that God is true hath given God a testimoniall such as is that Deut. 32.4 but also as a further favour to suffer for his sake This is the lowest subjection that can be to God but the highest honour both to him and us This made Latimer after the sentence pronounced on him Act. and Mon. cry out I thank God most heartily of this honour Saunders said I am the unmeetest man for this high office that ever was appointed to is Such an honour it is said Carelesse Martyr as the greatest Angel in heaven is not permitted to have God forgive me mine unthankefulnesse c. Ibiâ— â—3 61. Ibid 1744. Verse 30. Which ye saw in me Act. 16.19 23 24 c. See the Notes there CHAP. II. Verse 1. If there be therefore A Most passionate obtestation importing his most vehement desire of their good agreement whereunto he conjures them as it were by all the bonds of love betwixt him and them Matters of importance must be pressed with utmost vehemence Colos 3.14 Love is charged upon us above all those excellent things there reckoned up If any comfort of love As there is very much making the Saints to enjoy one anothers society with spirituall delight Psal 16.3 and to communicate with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart Act. 2 46 The Lord doth usually and graciously water the holy fellowship of his people with the dews of many sweet and glorious refreshings so that they have a very heaven upon earth for kinde the same with that above and differing onely in degrees Verse 2. Being of one accord of one minde Hereunto those many ones should move us mentioned by our Apostle Ephes 4.4 5. See the Notes there Verse 3. Let nothing be done through strife These are those hell-hags that set the Church on fire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If these could be cast out of mens hearts Isid Pelusl 4. 〈◊〉 55. great hopes there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Isidore hath it that all men would soon consent in one and the same truth and be at peace among themselves Verse 4. Look not every man c. Self is a great stickler but must be excluded where love shall be maintained He that is wholly shut up within himself is an odious person and the place he lives in longs for a vomit to spue him out Verse 5. Let this minde be in you We should strive to expresse Christ to the world not as a picture doth a man in outward lineaments only but as a childe doth his father in affections and actions Our lives should be as so many Sermons upon Christs liâ—s 1 Pet. 2.9 Verse 6. To be equall with God Gr. Equals that is every way â—quall not a secondary inferiour God as the Arrians would have him See the Notes on Job 1.1 2 3 4. Verse 7. But made himself c. Gr. Emptied himself suspended and laid aside his glory and majesty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and became a sinner both by imputation for God made the iniquity of us all to meet upon him Isa 53.6 and by reputation for he was reckoned not only among men but among malefactours verse 9. hence he is said to be sent in the likenesse of sinnefull flesh Rom. 8 3. Verse 8. He humbled himself This Sun of righteousnesse went ten degrees back in the diall of his Father that he might come to us with health in his wings that is in his beams Became obedient unto death That is to his dying day saith Beza He went thorow many a little death all his life long and at length underwent that cursed and painfull death of the Crosse his soul also being heavy to the death Mat. 26. Verse 9. Wherefore God also c. Wherefore denoteth not the cause but the order of Christs exaltation as a consequent of his sufferings as some conceive Verse 10. That at the name Gr. In the name The Papists stifly defend the ceremony of bowing at the name of Jesus Sir Edwin Sands in Spec. Eurâ—p to countenance the adoration of their deified Images altars and their host teaching in their Pulpits That Christ himself on the Crosse bowed his head on the right
and raiment are types of thy perishing also faith a Divine Verse 23. And neglecting of the body Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not sparing of it as the old and new Baalites Those Flagellantes And those also amongst us good otherwise that pinch their bodies too much with penury or excessive fasting are blame-worthy The body is the souls servant and that it may be Par negotio neither supra not infranegorium it must have due honour and nourishment CHAP. III. Verse 1. If ye then be risen with Christ ASyeprefe le to be Chip 2.12 Seâ—â— those things c. As Christ risen spake and did only the things pâ—â—aining to the Kingdom of God Act. 1.3 and waited alway for his exaltation into heaven There should be continuall ascensions in our hearts Tremâ—l the Church is compared to pillars of smoke Elationibus sumi Cant. 3.6 as having her affections thoughts desires upward heavenward Verse 2. Set your affection on things Things above out-last the daies of heaven and run parallel with the life of God and line of eternity Things on earth are mutable and momentary subject to vanity and violence when we grasp them most greedily we embrace nothing but smoke which wrings tears from our eyes and vanishâ—th into nothing And not on things on earth Set not thine heart upon the asses said Samuel to Saul â—ith the desire of all Israel is thee So set not your affections on out ward things â—ith better things abide you It is not for you to be fishing for gudgeons but for towns forts and castles said Clâ—â—paâ—ra to M. Antony So neither is it for such as hope for heaven to be taken up about trifles as Domitian spent his time in catching shes and Artaxerxes in making hafts for knives There is a generation of Torrigenâ— fratres whose names are written in the â—arth Ier. 17 13. called the inhabitants of the earth Revâ—l 12.12 in opposition to the Saints and heirs of heavâ—n These may with the Athâ—ians give for their badge the Grashopper which is bred liveth and dieth in the same ground and though the hath wings yet slieth not sometimes she hoppeth upwards a little but salleth to the ground again So here Verse 3. For ye are dâ—ad Crucified to the world as Paul Gal. 6.14 weaned as a childe from the breâ—â—s or rather botches of the world as David Pt. 131.1 Dead also in regard of dady miseries Isa 26.19 1 Cor. 15.31 And your list is hid As the pearl is hid till the shell be broken Verse 4. Then shall we appear What then do we loading our selves with thick clay or moiling our selves here as much worms Verse 5. Mortifie therefore Sin hath a strong heart and will not be done to death but with much ado Peccata sapè raduntur sed non eradicantur Something is done about sins little against them as artificiall juglers seem to wound themselves but do not or as plaiers seem to thrust themselves thorow their bodies but the sword passeth only thorow their clothes Covetousnesse Which is idolatry For it robs God of his slower his trust and draws a man away from all the Commandments Ps 119.36 See the Note on Eph. 5 5. Verse 6. On the children of disobedience Unperswadable uncounsellable persons that regard not good courses or discourses Verse 7. When ye lived in them Mans life is a walk and each action a step either to heaven or hell Verse 8. Filthy communication The devils drivell See the Note on Eph. 5.4 Verse 9. Lie not one to another No not in jest lest ye go to hell in earnest See the Note on Eph. 4.25 Verse 10. After the image If morall vertue could be beheld with mortall eyes faith the Philosopher it would stir up wonderfull loves of it self How much more would the image of God in the hearts of his people See the Note on Eph 4.24 Verse 11. Christ is all and in all Not only in the hearts of men but in all things else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the neuter gender This second Adam hath filled all things again neither is there any thing else required to justification and salvation Verse 12. As the elect of God holy and beloved Therefore holy because elect and therefore beloved because holy as Gods name is holy and therefore reverend Ps 111.9 God chose his for his love and now loves them for his choice Bowels of mercies Draw out thy soul as well as thy sheaf to the hungry Isa 58.10 Steep thy thoughts in the mercies of God saith one and they will die thine as the die-fat doth the cloth Verse 13. If a man have a quarrell Occasions will be given Prov. 19.11 and offences will fall out Now it is the glory of a man to passe over a transgression See 1 Sam. 10.27 And to forgive where there is just cause of complaint If no quarrell no quarrell no thank Verse 14. The bond of perfectnesse Or the couple the juncture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tie as the curtains of the Tabernacle were joyned by loops so are all true Christians by love Verse 15. And let the peace of God rule Sit certaminis Moderator let it rule after the manner of a Moderatour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or an umpire Let it over-see and over-rule in all your personall discords Or as others sense it let it carry away the prize or distribute the garlands And be ye thankefull Arhor â—onoreiur cujvs nos umbra ruetur sc To those that are courteous and beneficiall to you Ingratum dixeris omnia dixeris Lycurgus would make no law against unthankfulnesse because he could not think there could be any such evil committed If there be any sin in the world against the holy Ghost said Queen Elizabeth in a letter to Henry 4 of France Camderâ— it is ingratitude This saith one is a monster in nature a solecisme in good manners a paradox in divinity Ventus uâ—â—rs exiâ—ans a parching winde to damme up the fountain of divine and humane favours Verse 16. Dwell in you richly Indwell in you as an ingraffed word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incorporated into your souls so concocted and digested by you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that you turn it in succum sanguinem into a part of your selves This is your riches and thus David reckons of his wealth Ps 119.31 Teaching and admonishing one another It is rightly observed by a late reverend Writer D. Sibbs on Cant. 5. That although we know that which we ask of others as well as they do yet good speeches will draw us to know it better by giving occasion to speak more of it wherewith the Spirit works more effectually and imprints it deeper so that it shall be a more rooted knowledge then before For that doth good that is graciously known and that is graciously known that the Spirit seals upon our fouls In Psalms and hymns Dinnius Papists forbid people to sing Psalms
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which is convenient Or That which is thy duty Ossicium autem est jus actionis ad quemcunque statum pertinens saith Jul. Scaliger Verse 9. Yot for loves sake c. Here 's brave oratory such as might well mollisie the hardest heart Petendo movet movindo petis Paul the aged And therefore venerable Coguata sum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Old age and honour are in the Greek tongue very near akin It is a crown saith Solomon and that of glory when found in the way of righteousnesse Prov. 16.31 These bear a resemblance of the Ancient of dates Dan. 7. Verse 10. My sonne Onesimus Ignatius in his Epistle to the Ephesians maketh mention of Onesimus as Pastour of Ephesus next after Timothy The Roman Martyrologue saith that he was stoned to death at Rome under Trajan the Emperour Verse 11. But now profitable So is every true convert there is little cause that men should boast they are no changelings sith whosoever is in Christ is a new creature St Anthony Kingston came to Mr Hooper the Martyr a little before his death and said I thank God that ever I knew you for God did appoint you to call me being a lost childe Act. and Mon. fol. 1368. For by your good instructions whereas I was before both an adulterer and fornicatour God hath brought me to forsake and detest the same c. Savoy for the strait passages infested with thieves was one called Malvoy or ill-way till a worthy adventurer cleared the coasts and then it was called Savoy or Salvoy the safe-way Such a change there is in every good soul Verse 12. That is mine own bowels Pray for me mine own heart root in the Lord said Mr Bradford in a letter to Mr Saunders Quem in intimis visceribus habeo ad convivendom commoriendum Verse 13. In the bonds of the Gospel Which is bound after a sort when the preachers thereof are imprisoned Verse 14. Would I do nothing Posse nolle nobile est He that goes to the utmost of his chain may possibly break a linke Concedamus de jure ut careamus lite August Part with somewhat for peace-sake Verse 15. For perhaps be therefore God hath a hand in ordering our disorders to his own glory and cur good He teacheth us by our temptations This made Mr Fox say That his graces did him most hurt and his sins most good He departed for a season Here the Apostle makes the best of an ill matter Converts are to be gently handled and their former evil practices not to be aggravated Verse 16. Both in the flesh Perhaps Onesimus was Philemons kinsman And in the Lord Sanctior est copula cordis quam corporis He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 Verse 17. A partner One in commons with thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amicorum omnia communia Receive him Take him to thee put him in thy bosome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make much of him How effectually doth this great Apostle plead the cause of this poor fugitive now happily brought home to Christ He deals as one that had himself received mercy 1 Cor. 7.25 Steep thy thoughts saith one in the mercies of God and they will die thine as the die fat doth the cloth Col 3.12 Verse 18. If he hath wronged thee His shamefull escape the Apostle sweetly mitigateth by the name of wrong his theft of debt See ver 15. and compare herewith Gen. 45.5 Put that on mine account To the like effect speaks the Lord Christ on our behalf to his heavenly father in his daily intercession Verse 19. Thou owest unto me c. If Cleanthes gave himself to his Master Socrates If Alexander could say that he owed more to Aristotle that taught him then to Philip that begat him If another could say that he could never discharge his debt to God to his parents and to his schoolmaster how deeply then do men stand obliged to their spirituall fathers and teachers in Christ Verse 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea brother let me have joy Or benefit by thee An elegant allusion it is in the originall to the name of Onesimus and it is as if the Apostle imbracing Philâ—mon and hanging about his neck should say I prethee now let me be so farre beholden to thee c. Verse 21. Knowing that thou Wilt c. Who could ever have the heart to resist such rhetorike Suade medulla Is not here the very marrow of most powerfull perswasion a golden sloud of eloquence as Tully saith of Aristotles Politiques Verse 22. But withall prepare c. Thus he dispatcheth his own private busines in one word as it were his main care was that Owsimus might do well a fait mirrour for Ministers Verse 23. Epaphras my fellow-prisoner Clapt up belike for visiting and countenancing S. Paul to whom he was sent by the Colossions with relief whiles he was prisoner at Rome The ecclesiasticall history telleth us of one Philcas a Martyr who going to execution seemed as one deaf at the perswasions and blinde at the tears of his friends Quo no iò potest terrenu lachrymia slecti cupas oculi coelessem gloriam contu eâ—tur ' moving him to spare himself And when one Phil ramus defending him said How can he be moved with earthly tears who hath his eyes full fed with heavenly glory He also was taken in and both presently beheaded Verse 24. Marcus Arist rchus Demas Here Demas was in good credit with the Apostle but soon after fell away like as glasse and some baser metals shine brightest in the fire when nearest of all to melting or as the candle giveth a great blaze when going out with a stench Hypocrites have their non-ultra when the godly mans Motto is as was Charls the fifths Vlterius Further yet on on Verse 25. The grace of our Lord Say the world what it will a grain of grace is worth a world of wealth the blessings that come out of Sion are better then any that come out of heaven and earth Psal 134 3. For they our-last the daies of heaven and run parallel with the life of God and line of eternity Pray for them therefore in the behalf of our selves and others as Paul constantly doth for grace not with gracelesse Nero but with the Lord Jesus Christ one good cast of whose pleased countenance was better to David then his crown scepter Psal 4 7 8. A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the Epistle of S. Paul to the HEBREWS CHAP. I. Verse 1. God who at sundry times c. SEe my True Treasure Page 1 2 3. Verse 2. Heir of all things Be married to this heir and have all Vbitu Caius ego Caia may the Shulamite say to her husband as the Roman Ladies said to theirs Verse 3. Vpholding all things Both in respect of being excellencies and operations Seneca rendering the reason why Jupiter was by the Ancient Romans
without sinne Imputed to him as Isa 53.6 2 Cor. 5.21 See the Note there CHAP. X. Verse 1. A shadow of good things c. THat is of Christ saith one When the Sun is behinde the shadow is before when the Sun is before the shadow is behinde So was it in Christ to them of old This Sun was behinde and therefore the Law or shadow was before To us under grace the Sun is before and so now the Ceremonies of the Law these shadows are behinde yea vanished away Verse 2. No more conscience of sin Christ though he took not away death yet he did the sting of death so though he took not away sin yet he did the guilt of sin Verse 3. Made of Anâ— every year A solemn confession of them and what great need they had of a Saviour to expiate them laying their hands on the head of the sacrifice in token that they had in like sort deserved to be destroied Verse 4. Should take away sinnes And so pacifiâ— conscience For sinne is to the conscience as a more to the eye as a dagger to the heart 2 Sam. 24.10 as an adders sting to the flesh Prov. 23.32 Verse 5. But a body hast thou prepared A Metaphor from Mechanicks who do artificially fit one part of their work to another and so finish the whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God fitted his Sonnes body to be joyne with the Deity and to be an expiatory sacrifice for sin Verse 6. Thou hast had no pleasure viz. As in the principall service and satisfaction for sin Verse 7. Loe I come As an obedient servant bored thorow the ear Exod. 21. with Psal 40.6 7. Wise and willing to be obsequious Servus â—st nomen officij A servant is the masters instrument and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle wholly at his beck and obedience It is written of me Christ is authour object matter and mark of old and new Testament Therefore if we will profit thereby we must have the eyes of our mindes turned toward Christ as the faces of the Cherubims were toward the Mercy-seat Verse 8. Which are offered by the law To the great cost and charge of the offerers This we are freed from and are required no more then to cover Gods altar with the calves of our lips Verse 9. Loe I come True obedience is prompt and present ready and speedy without shucking and hucking without delaies and consults Ps 119.60 He taketh away the first Clear consequences drawne from Scripture aâ—e sound doctrine Matth. 22.32 See the Note there Verse 10. By the which will That is By the execution of which will by the obedience of Christ to his heavenly Father Verse 11. Take away sin Seperando auâ—erre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vndique tollere sunder it from the soul strike a parting blow betwixt them Verse 12. But this man Opposed to the plurality of Leviticall Priests One sacrifice and once for ever not many and often as they And he sate down when as they stood daily offering often times Note the Antithesis and Christs precellency On the right hand of God Which he could not have done if he had not expiated our sins Ioh. 16.10 Of righteousnesse because I go to my Father He could not have gone to his Father if he had not first fulfilled all â—ighteousnesse and fully acquitted us of all our iniquities Verse 13. Rom. 16. â—0 Expecting till his enemies Admire and imitate his patience The God of peace shall tread Satan and the rest under our feet shortly Verse 14. He hath perfected He would not off the crosse till all was finished Verse 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy Ghost also witnesseth viz. By inspiring the Pen-men 2 Tim. 3.16 acting and carrying them into all truth 2 Timothy 1.21 as it were by an holy violence Verse 16. I will put my lawes See the Note on Heb 8.10 Verse 17. Will I remember no more Therefore there needs not any repetition of a sacrifice for sinne in the New Testament Verse 18. When remission of sinne is viz. An Impletory remission as now in the new Testament not a promissory as under the old Verse 19. To enter into the holiest viz. By our praiers which pierce heaven and prevail with God Verse 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Recens â—â—â—ctaâ—us By a new Fresh and as effectuall at all times as if Christ were but newly sacrified for us Through the veyl that is his flesh Whereby we come to God dwelling bodily therein Like as where I see the body of a man there I know his soul is also because they are not severed so is it here Verse 21. Over the house of God As Jehojadab was over the temple presided and commanded there 2 King 11.5 All power is given to Christ both in heaven and earth for our behoof and benefit Verse 22. Let us draw near Come for the Master calleth Mark 10.49 With a true heart That is With a heart truly and entirely given up to God uprightly propounding Gods service in praier and that out of a filiall affection delighting to do his will and therefore well content to wait or if God see good to want what it wisheth desirous rather that Gods will be done then our own and that he may be glorified though we be not glorified acknowledging the Kingdome power and glory to be his alone This is a true heart In full assurance of faith Not with a quarter or half-winde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but with full assurance such a gale of faith as fils the sails of the soul and makes it set up its top-gallant as it were Having our hearts sprinkled c. Faith ever purgeth upon sin and worketh repentance fâ—oâ— dead works Verse 23. Without wavering Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Without tilting or tossing to one side or other This amounts to more then that conjecturall confidence of the Popish dubiâ—â—nâ—â— and that common faith that holds men in suspence and hangs between heaven and earth as a Meteor Verse 24. And let us consider Christians must study one anothers cases the causes and cure of their spirituall distempers sollicitous of their welfare To provoke unto love To whet on as Deut. 6.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sharpen and extiâ—ulate as Prov. 27.17 to rouse and raise up their dull spirits as 2 Pet. 2.13 to set an edge on one another as Bores whet their tusks one against another saith Nazianzen Verse 25. Not for saking Schisme is the very cutting asunder of the veins and arteries of the mysticall body of Christ We may not separate but in case of intollerable persecution heresie idolatry and Antichristianisme The assembling of our selves together In Church-assemblies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Christian meetings as ever we look for comfort at the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together the same word as here unto him 2 Thess 2.1 the day whereof approacheth as in this text
O what mad men are these that bereave themselves of a room in that City of pearl for a few carnall pleasures amp c. Pope Sixtus the fifth sold his soul to the devil to enjoy the Popedome for seven years Verse 17. He was rejected Or Repulsed For Isaac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he saw that he had done unwilling justice in blessing Jacob he durst not reverse the blessing for he feared an exceeding great fear Gen. 27.33 Neither naturall affection nor Esau's importunity could make him repent and repeal what he had done Though he sought is carefully with tears Tears they were of discontent for he cries and at same time threatens his brother Jacob. Some weep for sin some for misery some for joy some for compassion some for revenge and in hypocrisie as Esau here who rued his deed but repented not his sin Vetse 18. For ye are not come c. q. d. You are not under the law but under grace beware therefore of prophanenesse and licentiousnesse For think you that God hath hired you to be wicked Are you delivered to do all these abominations Jer. 7.10 Ought you not to walk Gospel-high Phil. 1.27 Will not the Angel Christ that goeth along with you destroy you after that he hath done you good if ye turn not and repent according to the rules of his Law the Gospel Exodus 33.2 3 4 c. Verse 19. And the sound of a trumpet Shewing the nature of Gods Law to manifest Gods will mens sins and to warn them of the wrath deserved likewise to summon them to appear before the Judge The voice of Words That is The delivery of the Decalogue called the words of the Covenant Exodus 33.28 the ten words Verse 20. For they could not endure This shews the nature and use of the Law contrary to that of the Gospel It is a killing letter written in bloud holding forth justice only and no mercy Verse 21. Moses said I exceedingly This Paul might have by tradition or rather by revelation unlesse he gathered it from Exod. 19.19 compared with Dan. 108 16 17 19. Verse 22. But ye are come to Mount And the blessings that come out of Sion Grace and peace that come by Jesus Christ are better then all other the blessings of heaven and earth Psal 134.3 The heavenly Jerusalem As Jerusalem was distinguished into two Cities the superiour and the inferiour so is the Church into triumphant and militant yet both make up but one City of the living God To an innumerable company Gr. To Myriads or many ten thousands of Angels Some have said that they are 99. to one in comparison of the Saints grounding their conceit upon the Parable of the lost sheep Luk. 15. Verse 23. To the generall Assembly Or publike meeting of a whole Countrey as at a great Assize or some solemn celebrity The Roman Emperours raised up ample Amphitheatres in a circular form that the people sitting round about might have a commodious sight of such pleasant spectacles as were set before them That which Pompey erected was of such extent that it was able to receive 40000 men as Pliny witnesseth But O what a glorious Amphitheatre is that of heaven What a stately Congregation-house O praeclarum diem cum ad illud animorum concilium caetumque proficiscar cum ex hac turba colluvione discedam Cic desenectâ—te Surely if Cicero or some other Heathen could say so how much more may we exult and say O that dear day when we shall go out of this wretched world and wicked company to that generall Assembly of holy and happy souls And how should we in the mean while turn every solemnity into a school of Divinity as when Fulgentius saw the Nobility of Rome sit mounted in their bravery it mounted his meditation to the heavenly Jerusalem And another when he sat and heard a sweet consort of musick M. Esâ—y Art of Meditat. by D. Hall seemed upon this occasion carried up for the time before-hand to the place of his rest saying very passionately What musick may we think there is in heaven Which are written in heaven In Jerusalem records were kept of the names of all the Citizens Psal 48.3 so in heaven And as the Citizens of Rome might not accept of freedom in any other City so neither should we seek things on earth as those whose names are written in the earth Ier. 17. Verse 24. That speaketh better things Every drop whereof had a tongue to cry for vengeance whence it is called blouds in the plurall Gen. 4.10 Verse 25. See that ye refuse not c. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That ye shift him not off by frivolous pretences and excuses as those Recusant guests did Mat. 22. It is as much as your souls are worth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Look to it therefore That speaketh from heaven By his bloud Word Sacraments motions of his Spirit mercies c. If we turn our backs upon such bleeding embracements and so kick against his naked bowels what will become of us And mark that he speaketh of himself as one Verse 26. Whose voice then shook c. viz. When he gave the Law What shall he do when he comes to judgement Not the earth only c. Not men only but angels who stand amazed at the mystery of Christ As for men they will never truly desire Christ till they are shaken Hag. 2.7 Gods shaking ends in settling it is not to ruine but to refine us Verse 27. And this word Yet once more The Apostle commenteth upon the Prophet whom he citeth and from that word of his Yet once concludeth the dissolution of the present frame of the world by the last fire and the establishing of that new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3.12 13. The force of Scripture-words is then well to be weighed by those that will draw there-hence right consequences And they have done singular good service to God and his Church that they have emploied their time and their talents for the finding out the sense of the Text by fishing out the full import and signification of the Originall words In which kinde learned Mr Leigh by his Critica Sacra upon both testaments hath merited much commendation Verse 28. A kingdome which cannot be moved As the mighty Monarchies of the world could for those had their times and their turns their ruine as well as their rise so that now they live but by fame only Not so the Kingdome of heaven You may write upon it the Venetian Motto Nec fluctu nec flatu movetur Neither windes nor waves can stir it With reverence Gr. With bashfulnesse as in Gods holy presence See Deut. 23.13 Verse 29. A consuming fire viz. To profligate professours ungirt Christians Isa 33.14 CHAP. XIII Verse 1. Let brotherly love continue IT shall continue in heaven pity therefore but it should on earth No such heaven upon earth next unto communion
shrike horribly Act. 16.29 Mar. 6.49 Their hearts ake and quake within them and shall any man mock at Gods menaces Verse 20. But wilt thou know Interrogatio docturientis saith Piscator A question made by one that is desirous to teach Verse 21. Justified by works sc Declarativè in foro humano but not before God Rom. 3.2 It is saith that justifieth the man but they are works that justifie faith to be right and reall saving and justifying Verse 22 Wrought with his works Or Was a help to his works and was her own midwife to bring them forth of her self into the open light Heb. 11.17 Was faith made perfect That is Declared to be operative and effectuall Verse 23. And it was imputed See the Note on Gen. 15.6 on Rom. 4.3 and on Gal 3.6 The friend of God A very high stile If Eusebius held it such an honour to be the friend of Pamphilus and Sir Fulk Greevill Lord Brook to be friend to Sr Philip Sidney causing it to be so engraven upon his tomb What is it to be the friend of God And yet such honour have all the Saints Verse 24. By works a man is justified Declaratively as by faith apprehensively by God effectively Verse 25. The Messengers Gr. The Angels so Luk. 7.24 Act. 12.15 See the Notes there Verse 26. As the body c. Yet is not charity the soul of faith but the vitall spirit only CHAP. III. Verse 1. Be not many masters MAster 's of opinions that boldly obtrude upon others their own placits and will not have them disputed or debated Praesat inâ—â— Sent. Est ipsissimum Dei verbum Hosius Such are the Sorbonists who rejoyce to be called Magistri notri Parisienses our Masters of Paris Bacon the Carmelite was called Doctor resolutissimus because he would endure no guessing or may be 's The Popes parasites perswade the people that what interpretation soever he gives of Scripture be it right or wrong it is without further triall to be received as the very word of God Verse 2. For in many things c. This is Euphormio Triste mortulitatis privilegium the sad priviledge of man-kinde as one phraseth it to have leave to offend sometimes Every Pomgranate hath at least one rotten grain within it said Crates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it is the honour of God alone to be perfect saith Plato Hierom pronounceth a curse upon him that shall say that the fulfilling of the whole law is impossible to any But Patres legendi eum venia Hierome was out in this and too blame A perfect man That is A prudent man Ps 37.30 31. Verse 3. That they may obey us Horses assâ—s camels elephants God in great wisdome for the use of man hath made without galls that they might with the more ease be made tame and serviceable Verse 4. Whither soever the governour Johnston de Nat. constant Peterent coelum navibus Belgae si navibus petiposset saith one Verse 5. Boasteth great things Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It doth magnifically lift upit self as an untamed horse doth his head It exalts it self and exults of great things It walketh thorow the earth and faceth the very heavens Psal 73.9 It can run all the world over and bite at every body being as a sharp rasour that doth deceit that instead of shaving the hair cutteth the throat Psalms 52.2 Verse 6. A world of iniquity A new found world Not a city or a countrey only but a world of iniquity a sink a sea of sin wherein there is not only that Leviathan but creeping things innumerable The course of nature Gr. Psâ—l 104.46 The wheel of our nativity Their breath as fire devoureth Isa 33.10 And it is set on fire of hell That is of the devil called elswhere the gates of hell as the holy Ghost on the other side set on sire the Apostles tongues with zeal that flame of God Cant 86. Act. 2.3 Evil speech is the devils drivell a slanderer carries the devils pack Verse 7. For every kinde of beasts c. See the Note on Heb. 2.7 Verse 8. But the tongue c. Where then are our Justiciaries with their pretended perfection Davids heart deceived him Psal 39.1 I said I will look to my waies I will bridle my tongue But presently after he shews how soon he brake his word My heart was hot c. and I spake with my tongue Pambus in the ecclesiasticall history could never take out that one lesson read him out of Psal 39.1 An unruly evil There be but five vertues of the tongue reckoned by Philosophers But there are 24. severall sinnes of the tongue as Peraldus recounteth them The Arabians have a proverb Cave ne feriat lingua tua collum tuum Take heed thy tongue cut not thy throat An open mouth is oft a purgatory to the master Verse 9. Therewith blesse we God And so make our tongues our glory Therewith curse we men Yea the best of men as Coâ—e and his complices fear not to object to Moses the meek with one breath pride ambition and usurpation of authority Verse 10. Out of the same mouth As it did once out of the mouth of Pope Julius the second who in the battle of Ravenna on Easter-day between him and the French as he sate by the fire reading of his praiers Annal Gallic and having news of the defeat he slung away his book saying Sit ergo gallus in nomine diabolorum The devil take the French Is not this that mouth that speaketh great things and blasphemies Rev. 13.5 Verse 11. Doth a fâ—untain send forth The fountain or rather the botch of sensuall and sinfull pleasure doth Sin is a bitter-sweet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poison of aspes which first tickleth and then killeth All creature comforts are dulcis acerbitas saith one Tertull. Amarissima voluptas saith another Principium dulce est at finis amor is amarus Leata venire Venus tristis abire solet Verse 12. Both yeeld salt water and fresh That is strange that is reported of the rivers of Peru that after they have run into the main sea yea some write 20 or 30 miles Abbots his Geog. they keep themselves unmixt with the salt water so that a very great way within the sea men may take up as fresh water as if they were near the land But that is as sure as strange that an eye witnesse reporteth of the Danuby and Sava two great rivers in Hungary that their waters meeting mingle no more then water and oyl Blunts voâ—age p. 10. so that near the middle of the river I have gone in a boat saith mine authour and tasted of the Danuby as clear and pure as a well then putting my hand not an inch further I have taken of the Sava as troubled is a street-channel tasting the gravel in my teeth Thus they run 60 miles together c. Verse 13. Who is a
desired him to judge bewixt her and her husband The most guilty are commonly most querulous and complaint-full The Judge standeth before the door If the Magistrate be present we may not offend another to defend our selves Ecce judex pro foribus Therefore Hold a blow as wee say Verse 10 For an example of suffering Examples very much affect us as they did many of the Martyrs See the Note on Mat. 5.12 Above majori discit arare minâ—r Verse 11. We count them happy If they suffer as they should doe not else Mithridates shew'd long patience such as it was forced and fained He was in a kinde of fever called Epialis wherein men be cold without but hot as fire within This feaver he quenched with his vitall bloud shed with his own hand Ye have heard of the patience of Job His impatience is not once mentioned against him but he is crowned and chronicled here for his patience God passeth by infirmities where the heart is upright And have seen the end of the Lord That is how well it was with Job at the last Or as others will have it what a sweet end the Lord Christ made whereunto you were some of you eye-witnesses and should be herein his followers Verse 12. But above all things Swear not in jest least ye go to hell in earnest See the Note on Mat. 5.34 35. and on Mat 23.16 18. Verse 13. Is any among you afflicted Any one may for grace is no target against affliction Let him pray Not only because praier is sutable to a sad disposition but because it is the conduit of comfort and hath virtutem pacativam a setling efficacy Is any man merry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. Is he right set Well hung on as we say All true mirth is from the rectitude of the minde from a right fâ—ame of soul that sets and shews it self in a chearfull counteâ—ance Let him sing Psalmes So that in all estates we must be doing somewhat for God T'am Dei meminisse opus est quam respirare Verse 14. Is any man sick Behold he Whom thou lovest is sick said Martha to our Saviour Mat. 11. Si amatur quomodo infirmatur saith Augustine If Christs friend how comes he to be sick Well enough It s no new thing for Christs best beloved to be much afflicted Let him send for the Elders This help God hath previded for such as are by sicknesse disabled to pray for themselves Sick Abimelech was sent to Abraham a Prophet for praiers Anointing him with oyl As an extraordinary sign of an extraordinary cure From mistake of this text the Church in stead of Pastours had Ointers and Painters in times of Popery who did not only ungere but emungere anelâ— men but beguile them of their monies and of their souls Neither want there at this day that hold this anointing the sick as a standing ordinance for Church-members amongst us and they tell of strange cures too effected thereby Verse 15. And the praier of faith The Greek word for praier hath its denomination from well pouring out the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or from well cleaving to God Afflictions saith one cause us to seek out Gods promise the promise to seek faith faith to seek praier and praier to finde God They shall be forgiven him And so he shall be cured on both sides Verse 16. Confesse your faults To any such godly friend as can both keep counsel and give counsel Often times the very opening of mens grievances easeth the very oâ—ening of a vein cools the bloud Howbeit it is neither wisdome nor mercy saith a good Divine to put men upon the rack of confession further then they can have no ease any way else For by this means we â—aise a jealousie in them towards us and oft without cause which weakneth and tainteth that love that should unite hearts in one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The effectuall servent praier Gr. The Working praier that sets the whole man a work to do it as it should be done and so works wonders in heaven and earth being after a sort omnipotent as Luther said Verse 17. Subject to like passions For he fled at the threats of Jezabel Factus seipso imbecillior saith one and he would have died when under the Juniper discontented Verse 18. And the earth brought forth When the roots and fruits seemed all dried up and the Land past recovery But praier never comes to late because God never doth Verse 19. If any do erre from c. Erre about fundamentals fall into deadly heresie Damnable Peter calleth it 2 Epist. 2 1. Verse 20. Shall save a soul A high honour to have any hand in such a work Cover a multitude i.e. He shall be a means that God shall cover them A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the first Epistle generall of S. PETER CHAP. I. Verse 1. To the strangerâ— THat is To the provinciall Jew See the Note on Jam. 1.1 Verse 2. Through sanctification unto obedience To the means as well as to the end 〈◊〉 sanctification as well as to salvation Some there be saith Mr Philpot in an Epistle of his to the Congregation that for an extream refuge in their evil doings run to Gods election saying If I be elected I shall be saved whatever I do Act and Monâ— fol 1663. But such be great tempters of God and abominable blâ—sphemers of his holy election These cast themselves down from the pinatle of the Temple in presumption that God may preserve them by his angels thorow predestination Gods election ought to be with a simple eye considered to make us more warily walk according to his Word and not set cock in the hoop and put all on Gods back to do wickedly at large Thus he Verse 3. Blessed be the God A stately proeme and such as can hardly be matched again unlesse it be that of S. Paul to the Ephesians chap. 1.3 Vnto a lively hope Sure and solid clearing the conscience and cheating the spirit Verse 4. Vndefiled and that fadeth not The two Greek words here used are also Latine Amiantus is a precious stone saith D. Isidor Eâ—ym 1.16 â— 4 Playfire out of Isidore which though it be never so much soiled yet it cannot be blemished And Amarantus is the name of a flower Paedagog l. 1 c 8. which being a long time hung up in the house yet still is fresh and green as Clemens writeth To both these possibly the Apostle might here allude And it is as if he should say the crown that you shall receive shall be studded with the stone Amiantus which cannot be defiled and it is garnished with the flower Amarantus which is fresh and green c. Verse 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who are kept As with a guard or as in a garison that is well fenced with walls and works and so is made impregnable By the power of God Much seen in the Saints perseverance My father is
calleth humility the root mother nurse foundation and band of all vertues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil the store-house treasury of all good God resisteth See the Note on Jam. 4.6 And giveth grace i.e. Honour and respect as appears by the opposition and by Pro. 3.34 35. Verse 6. Vnder the mighty hand of God If God can blow us to destruction Job 4.9 nod us to destruction Psal 80.16 what is the weight of that mighty hand of his that spans the heavens and holds the earth in the hollow of them That he may exalt you The lower the ebbe the higher is the tide A deluge of sorrows may assault us but they shall exalt us And the lower the foundation of vertue is laid the higher shall the roof of glory be over laid In due time In the opportunity of time in a fit season The very Turks though remorslesse to those that bear up yet receive humiliation with much sweetnes Verse 7. Casting all your care Your carking care Act. and Mon. fol. 1743. your care of diffidence I will now with you sing away care said John Carelesse Martyr in a letter to Mr. Philpot for now my soul is turned to her old rest again and hath taken a sweet nap in Christs lap I have cast my care upon the Lord which careth for me and will be Carelesse according to my name Verse 8. Your adversary the devil Satan envies our condition that we should enjoy that Paradise that he left the comforts he once had Hence he disturbs us and is restlesse out of his infinite hatred of God and goodnesse as the Scorpion still puâ—s forth his sting and as the Leopard beareth such a naturall hatred against men that if he see but a mans picture he slies upon it and tares it Annibal whether he conquered or was conquered never rested Satan is over-overcome and yet he walks up and down seeking to devour he commits the sin against the holy Ghost every day and shall lie lowest in hell every soul that he drew thither by his temptation shall lie upon him and presse him down as a milstone under the unsupportable wrath of God The word here rendered an adversary properly signifies an adversary at law Against whom we have an Advocate Jesus Christ the just one 1 Ioh. 2.2 who appears for us Heb. 9.24 to non-suit all accusations and to plead our cause Whom he may devour Gr. Whom he may drink up at one draught Verse 9. Stedfast in the faith Gr. Stiff solid settled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch That the same afflictions Art not thou glad to fare as Phocion said he to one that was to die with him Ignatius going to suffer triumphed in this that his bloud should be found among the mighty Worthies and that when the Lord maketh inquisition for bloud he will recount from the bloud of righteous Abelâ— not only to the bloud of Zacharias son of Barachias but also to the bloud of mean Ignatius Verse 10 But the God of all grace Thus the Apostle divides his time betwixt preaching and praier according to his own advice Act. 6.4 and the practice of those ancient Ministers Deut. 33.10 Verse 11. To him be glory c. Non loquendum de Deo sine lumine said the Heathen we may not mention God but with praise to his name say we Verse 12. I have written briefly Gr. In few The holy Scripture hath fulnesse of matter in fewnesse of words the whole counsel of God shut up in a narrow compasse The Lord knows that much reading is a wearinesse of the flesh Eccles 12.12 and hath therefore provided for our infirmity Verse 13. The Church that is at Babylon At Rome say the Papists that they may prove Peter to have been Bishop of Rome But though this be far set yet here they grant us that Rome is that mysticall Babylon mentioned in the Revelation It is probable that S. Peter meant no other Babylon then the Metropolis of Chaldaea where he being the Apostle of the circumcision preached to those dispersed Jews and other Gentiles that he had converted Verse 14. With a kisse of charity So called because their love to one another was by this symbol or ceremony both evidenced and encreased A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the second Epistle generall of S. PETER CHAP. I. Verse 1. A servant THe Pope who will needs stile himself A servant of servants is herein the successour not of Peter but of cursed Cham. He stamps in his coyn That Nation and countrey that will not serve thee shall be rooted out and so bewraies his putid hypocrisie Like precious faith Precious as gold tried in the fire that maketh rich Revel 3.18 And like precious though of different degrees In regard of 1. The Authour God 2. The object Christ 3. The means of working it the Spirit and Word 4. The end of it salvation 5. The essentiall property of it of handfasting us to Christ A childe may hold a ring in his hand as well though not as fast as a man Verse 2. Through the knowledge There is not a new notion or a further enlargement of saving knowledge but it brings some grace and peace with it All the grace that a man hath it passeth thorow the understanding and the difference of stature in Christianity grows from different degrees of knowledge Grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Joh. 1.17 Verse 3. To glory and vertue To glory as the end to vertue as the means The very Heathens made their passage to the temple of honour thorow the temple of vertue Do worthily and be famous Ruth 4.11 Verse 4. Exceeding great and precious Every precious stone hath an egregious vertue in it Cardan Subti l 7. so hath every promise The promises saith one are a precious book every leaf drops mirthe and mercy The weak Christian cannot open read apply it Christ can and will for him That by these ye might be partakers As the Sunne when it applies it's beams to a fitly disposed matter and staies upon it begins to beget life and motion and makes a living creature so do the promises applied to the heart make a new creature See a Cor. 3 6. Of the divine nature That is of those divine qualities called elsewhere The image of God The life of God c. whereby we resemble God not only as a picture doth a man in outward lineaments but as the childe doth his father in countenance and conditions It was no absurd speech of him that said That the high parts that are seen in heroicall persons do plainly shew that there is a God Neither can I here but insert the saying of another Well may grace be called the divine nature for as God brings light out of darknesse comfort out of sorrow riches out of poverty and glory out of shame so doth grace turn the dirt of disgrace into gold c. As Moses his hand it turns a serpent into a rod. Verse 5. And besides this
hypoerites punishment must needs be heavy Verse 17. 1 Cor. 3.2 Because thou saiest Sidixisti satis est periisti saith Augustine He that thinks he knows any thing knows nothing yet as he ought to know And knowest not What ever thou deemest and dreamest of thy self as setting up thy counter for a thousand pound and working thy self into the fools paradise of a sublime dotage Verse 18. I counsell thee Having first convinced thee vers 17. who before wert uncounsellable The Gibeonites sent not for Joshua till besieged The Gileadites sought not after Jephthah till distressed nor will men hearken after Christ till driven out of themselves To buy of me Buy the truth and sell it not Make a thorow sale of sin and all with the wise Merchant to purchase Christ the pearl of price for whom S. Paul that great trader both by sea and land 2 Cor. 11.23 25 26 counted all but dung and dogs-meat Phil. 3.7 8. Diogenes taxed the folly of the men of his times may not we the men of ours Quòdres pretiosas minimo emerent venderentque vilissimas plurimo that they undervalued the best things but overvalued the worst Gold tried in the fire Precious faith 1 Pet. 1.7 White raiment The righteousnesses of the Saints that of justification and the other of sanctification Eye-salve That unction 1 Joh. 2.20 Light and sight the saving knowledge of heavenly mysteries Verse 19. As many as I love q.d. Think not that I hate you because I thus chide you He that escapes reprehension may suspect his adoption God had one Son without corruption but none without correction We must look thorow the anger of his correction to the sweetnesse of his loving countenance as by a rain-bow we see the beautifull image of the Suns light in the midst of a dark and waterish cloud See more in my Treatise upon this verse the second Edition And repent So they did in likelihood for Eusebius commends this Church as greatly flourishing in his time Verse 20. Behold I stand Christ stands he doth not sit now whiles a man is standing he is going Christ is but a while with men in the opportunities of grace he will not alwaies wait their leâ—sure The Church sought him when once gone with many a heavy heart Cant. 3. And knock By the hammer of my Word and hand of my Spirit And he with me Christ is no niggardly or beggarly guest His reward is with him he brings better commodities then Abrahams servant did or the Queen of Sheba gold raiment eye-salve c. Verse 21. Even as I also That is Because I also overcame by vertue of my victory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See the like John 17.2 Luke 4.36 It is by Christ that we do over-overcome Rom. 8.37 CHAP. IV. Verse 1. A door was opened in heaven THat is Preparation was made for the manifestation of more heavenly mysteries Was as it were of a trumpet To rouse and raise up his attention For it might fare with him as with a drousie person who though awaked and set to work is ready to sleep at it Compare Zach. 4.1 Come up hither Not by locall motion but by mentall illumination I will shew thee That thou maist shew the Church that they have a most glorious and almighty deliverer Verse 2. I was in the spirit See Chap. 1.10 And behold a throne So Isaiah was prepared for his prophecy by such a sight Chap 6.1 And Ezekiel besides that stupendious vision chap. 1. heard behinde him a voice of great â—â—â—hing saying Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place Chap. 2.12 Sat on the throne As Judge of heaven and earth Gen. 18 25. Verse 3. Like a Jasper and a Sardine God is here resembled saith one by three precious stones holding forth the three persons in Trinity A Jasper having as they say a white circle round about it representing the eternity of the Father A Sardine-stone of a fleshy colour representing Jesus Christ who took our flesh upon him Cottons 7 viall p. 5. out of Brighâ—m An Emrald being of a green colour refreshing the eyes of them that look upon it representing the Spirit who is as the rain-bow a token of fair weather and is a comfortable refresher wheresoever he cometh Verse 4. And round about The Saints are round about God Psal 76.11 a people near unto him Psal 148.14 Four and twenty Elders A full Senate a stately Amphitheatre of the first-born whose names are written in heaven cloathed as Priests crowned as Kings and Conquerours Verse 5. Iob 31.3 Iob 9.4 Lightnings and thunderings Is not destruction to the wicked and a strange punishment to persecutours Who ever hardened himself against Gods Church and prospered Have these workers of inâ—quity no knowledge who â—at up Gods people as they eat bread Psal 144 Surâ—ly if they had but so much wit for themselves as Pilates wife had in a dream they would take heed of having any thing to do with just men If any man will hurt Gods Witnessâ—s fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies Revel 11.5 It was therefore no ill counsel that a Martyr gave his persecutour If thou wilt not spare us yet spare thy self It is a fearfull thing to fall into the punishing hands of the living God The seven spirits See Chap. 1. verse 4. Verse 6. A sâ—n of glasse The Word say some the World others Four beasts Oâ— living wights Not Angels but Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those earthly Angels who are set forth 1. Full of eyes for their perspicacity and vigilancy 2. Furnished with six wings apiece for their pernicity and promptitude to scoure about for the peoples benefit 3. Qualified with all necessary endowments for the discharge of their duties being bold as lions painfull as oxen prudent as men delighted in high flying as Eagles Verse 8. Full of eyes within To look to themselves also as well as to the flock Act. 20.28 lest whiles they preach to others c. 1 Cor. 9.27 They rest not Gr. They have no rest and yet they have no unrest neither the sweet content they take in their continuall emploiment is fitter to be believed then possible to be discoursed Holy holy This they double treble and warble upon In quibusdam exemplaribus nine times over Verse 9. And when those beasts When the Preachers are performing their office as Heralds of Gods praises Verse 10. The four and twenty Elders The people yeeld their assent and say Amen the want whereof S. Paul accounts no small losse 1 Cor. 14.16 And cast their crowns Canutus King of England set his crown upon the crucifix and proclaimed saying Hen. Huntingâ—â— Let all the inhabitants of the world know that there is no mortall man worthy the name of a King but he to whose beck heaven earth and sea by his laws eternall are obedient When the great Turk cometh into his Temple he laies by all
hard with the Church as the Host at Nola in the story made it who when â—e was commanded by the Roman Censor to go and call the good men of the City to appear before him went to the Church-yards and there called at the graves of the dead O ye good men of Nola come away for the Roman Censor cals for your appearance Anton di Guevara for he knew not where to call for a good man alive In the very midst of Popery there were many faithfull Witnesses and more of such as like those two hundred that went out of Ierusalem after Absolom went on in the simplicity of their hearts and knew not any thing 2 Sam. 15.11 Verse 10. Salvation to our God Not to this or that Popish Saint or Mediatour of all whom these triumphers might say as that Heathen once Contemno minutos istos Deos modò Iovem Iesum propitium haâ—eam I care not for all those small-gods so I may have Jesus on my side Verse 11. And all the Angels See the Note on Chap. 5. verse 11. Verse 12. Amen Blessing and glory c. The Angels assent to what the Saints had said and adde much more according to their greater measure of knowledge and love to God Write we after this fairer copy Verse 13. And one of the Elders See the Note on Chap. 5. verse 5. Verse 14 Which came out of great tribulation It is but a delicacy that men dream of to divide Christ and his crosse The Bishop of London when he had degraded Richard Bayfeild Martyr kneeling upon the highest step of the Altar he smote him so hard on the brest with his Crosier-stâ—ff that he threw him down backward and brake his head so that he swounded Act. and Mon. And when he came to himself again he thanked God that he was delivered from the malignant Church of Antichrist and that he was come into the true Church of Christ militant and I hope shall be anon with him in the Church triumphant c. And made them white Other bloud stains what is washed in it this bloud of the spotlesse Lamb whitens and putifies Verse 15. Therefore are they Not for the whitenesse of their robes but because they are washed in the meritoricus bloud of the Lamb. Before the throâ—â— of God A good man is like a good Angel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwaies standing before the face of God Shall dwell among them Gr. Shall pitch his tent or shall keep the feast of Tabernâ—cles amongst them or shall hover and cover over them as the cloud did over Israel in the wildernesse so that under his shadow they shall safely and sweetly repose themselves Verse 16. They shall hunger â—o more They shall be as it were in heaven afore-hard having Malorum ademptionem bonorum adeptionem freedome from evil and fruition of good here in part hereafter in all fulnessâ— Verse 17. Shall â—eed them and lead them An allusion to Psal 23.2 where David seems to resemble powerfull and flourishing doctrine to green pastures and the secret and sweet comforts of the Sacraments to the 〈◊〉 waters And Gâ—d shall Wipe away A metaphor from a nurse which not only suckleth her dear childe crying for hunger but also wipes off the tears CHAP. VIII Verse 1. The seventh seal THe businesse or parts whereof are the seven Trumpets that sound a dreadfull alarm against the Roman Empire ready now to be 〈◊〉 for the innocent bloud and upon the instant sait of the Martyrs Chap 6.10 There was silence in heaven That is in the Church on earth often called The kingdome of heaven This half-hours silence was either for horrour and admiration or for attent expectation or as some will have it for religious awe and devotion Christ the high-Priest being now about to offer incense those praiers of the Martyrs Chap. 6.10 there was in the Church as used to be in the Temple at such times Luk. 1.10 a deep silence So among the Romans the people in time of worship were enjoyned favere linguis to spare their tongues And in the Greek Church one stood up and cried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peace people leave off your discourses Verse 2. Which stood before God In a waiting posture ready prâ—st to do his pleasure Seven trumpets To be sounded at seven severall times to shew that God suffereth not his whole wrath to arise at once against his creatures but piece-meal and by degrees proving if peradventure they will repent and recover out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will Verse 3. And another Angel An Angel after another manner not by nature but by office Christ the Angel of the Covenant For I cannot be of his minde M Brightâ—â— who makes this Angel to be Constantine the odours given him to be the power of calling the Councel the golden Altar Christ in the midst of this holy Assembly the thick cloud of odours the whole matter brought most happily to effect which yet is a pious interpretation Much incense The merit of his own precious passion Heb. 9.24 13.5 Vpon the golden Altar viz. Himself as Chap. 6.9 Verse 4. The smoke of the incense The Saints praiers perfumed with Christs odours ascended that is were highly accepted in heaven Act. 10.4 Exod. 3.9 as well appeared by the answer they had here in the next verse The Church is said To ascend out of the wildernesse of this world with pillars of smoke Cant. 3.6 Elationibus fumi with raised affections and with strong supplications wherein how many sweet spices are burned together by the fire of faith as humility love c. All which would stinke worse in Gods nostrils then the onions and garlick of Egypt did not Christ perfume and present them Verse 5. And filled it with fire of the Altar Fire in token of fierce indignation and from the Altar for Christ came to send fire on the earth Luk. 12.49 Fire and sword Mat. 10.34 through mens singular corruption and obstinacy in not stooping to the scepter of this Kingdome Hence fire and brim-stone storme and tempest A fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries Heb. 10.27 From the same Altar Christ praiers go up vengeance comes down Verse 6. Prepared themselves Having got sign as it were by that which Christ did in the former verse they set too in order to sound their trumpets Verse 7. Hail and fire mingled with bloud In stead of the fire of love saith one mixed with the sweet rain of healthsome doctrine and spirit of Christian lenity the fire of contention M Forbes and frosty hail-stones of destruction ruled all Yea so far herein were the Bishops carried one against another as it is monstrous what malice falshood and cruelty they practised especially in the times of Constanâ— Constantius and Valens the Arrian Emperours And the third part of trees Men of maâ—k And all green grasse Meaner men
Polium is a preservative against serpents And they loved not their lives When one said to a certain Martyr Act. and Mon. Take heed t is an hard matter to burn Indeed said he it is for him that hath his soul linked to his body as a thiefs foot is in a pair of fetters In the daies of that bloudy persecutour Diocletian Certatim gloriosa in certamina â—uebatur saith Sulpitius multoque avidiùs tum martyria gloriosis mortibus quarebantur quà m nunc Episcopatus pravis ambitionibus appetuntur c. Those ancient Christians shewed as glorious power in the faith of Martyrdome Non majori unquam triumpho viâ—imus quam 〈◊〉 decem annorum stragibus vinci non pot◠〈◊〉 Sulpit. as in the faith of miracles the valour of the patients and the savagenes of the persecutours striving together till both exceeding nature and belief bred wonder and astonishment in beholders and readers Verse 12. Rejoyce ye heavens Ye that have your conversation in heaven and shall shortly remove your tents thither Woe to the inhabiters of the earth Earth-worms that load themselves with thick clay and strive with the toads who shall die with most earth in their mouths And of the sea Seamen are for most part very profane and godlesse See Jude 13. Isa 57.20 Mr Brightman by these inhabitants of the sea understandeth the Clergy-men as they call them who set abroach grosse troubled brackisâ— and sowrish doctrine which doth rather bring barrennes of godlines to their hearers and doth gnaw their entrals then quench their thirst or yeeld any other good fruit For the devil is come down Indeed he was cast down but that the devil dissembles and makes as if he came for his pleasure sake and so makes the best of an ill matter Having great wrath Indignation commotion of minde perturbation of spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inflammation or heaving of the bloud by apprehension of an injury Satans malevolence was a motive to his diligence Naturall motion is more swift and violent toward the end of it Because he knoweth By the signs of the last judgement which cannot be far off and by conjectures wherein he hath a singular sagacity That he hath but a short time He therefore makes all haste he can to out-work the children of light in a quick dispatch of deeds of darknes Verse 13. He persecuted the woman As the matter of his calamity The devil infinitely hates Christ and sins that sin against the holy Ghost every moment His instruments also carried with hellish malice cease not to maligne and molest the Church to their own utter ruine for Christ must raign when all 's done Verse 14. Two wings of a great Eagle That is sufficient means of safety and protection from petill Exod. 19.4 By this great Eagle some mighty personage seems to be designed Ezek. 17.3 7. And this may very well be Constantine whose peculiar sirname was Great but yet so saith an Interpreter as that the great honour and riches wherewith as with wings M Forbes he upon good intention endowed the Church is an occasion to make her flee to the wildernes all true and sincere Religion by degrees decaying in the visible Church Verse 15. Cast out of his mouth water Those barbarous Nations Goths Hunnes Vandals Lombards others stirred up by the devil to over-run the Empire and afflict the Church Or else it may mean those pestilent and poisonfull heresies Arrianisme and the rest wherewith the Church was infested according to that of Solomon The mouth of the wicked belcheth out evil things Prov. 14.28 Verse 16. And the earth helped the woman That is the multitude of Christians meeting in the generall Councels those four first especially held at Nice against Arrius at Constantinople against Macedonius and Eunomius at Ephesus against Nestorius and at Chalcedon against Eutychus These helped the Church exceedingly against inundations of heresies and were therefore by Gregory the great received and embraced as the four Gospels And the earth opened her mouth An allusion to Num. 16.22 Look how the earth swallowed up those malecontents so did God root out pernicious heresies with their authours and abettours by the power of the Scripture and the zeal of the orthodox Doctours so that they suddenly vanished out of sight after a marvellous manner Verse 17. Was wroth with the woman Who yet had done him no wrong but he and his are mad with malice when their designs miscarry especially and are ready to sue the Church as he in Tully did another Oral pro C. Râ—b Posâ—h Quod totum telum corpore non recepisset because he had not taken into his body the whole dagger wherewith he had stabbed him To make war That war which is mentioned Chap. 13.7 Which keep the Commandments A just deseription of a godly Christian Aug. Boni catholici sunt qui fidem integram sequuntur bonos more 's To be sound in faith and holy in life this is the kernel of Christianity CHAP. XIII Verse 1. And I stood VVHere I might best see the beast that came out of the sea I saw a beast The Church flying into the wildernes from the Dragon fals upon this Beast which is nothing better then the Dragon under a better shape Sic alind ex alio malum This beast is that Antichrist of Rome Rise up Not all at once but by degrees Out of the sea Out of the bottomlesse pit Chap. 11.7 2 Thess 2.9 Having seven heads To plot And ten horns To push Craft and cruelty go alwaies together in the Churches enemies The Asp never wanders alone and those birds of prey go â—ot without their mates Isa 34.16 And upon his horns The Kings that are the popes vassals See Rev. 17.11 These are the props of his power The name of blasphemy This is his true name his pretensed name is mystery Verse 2. Like unto a leopard Which is the female among the panthers the property wherof is as Pliny telleth us with her sweet smell to allure the beasts unto her hiding her terrible head till she hath them within her reach and then teareth them in pieces Just so dealeth Rome with her unhappy proselytes The Papacy is an alluring tempting bewitching Religion No sin past but the Pope can pardon it none to come but he can dispense with it Etiamsi per impossibile matrem Dei quis vitiasset said Tecelius As the feet of a Bear Which stands firm on her hinder feet and fights with her fore-feet so doth the Papacy with its Canons Decrees traditions c. As the mouth of a lion Wide ravenous roaring and â—â—satiable And the Dragon gave him his power This bargain was offered to Christ Mat. 4. but he would none of it The bramble in Jothams parable thought it a goodly thing to raign So did not the vine and fig-tree Verse 3. One of his heads as it were wounded Either by the invasion of the Gothes or by that fatall schisme
did at the waters of Megidde Judge 5.19 Verse 17. Saying It is done What is done The mystery of iniquity is abolished and the mystery of God is fulfilled So Cicero when he had slain those of Catilines conspiracy he came to the people and said vixerunt they were alive but now the world is well rid of them Verse 18. And there were voices A description of the last judgement when heaven and earth shall conspire together for the punishment of the wicked See Mat. 24.2 Pet. 3. and 2 Thess 1.8 Verse 19. and the great City The whole Antichristian State Divided into three parts By the earth quake disjected and dissipated And the cities of the Nations That came to aid Antichrist And great Babylon Augustine and other Ancients do call Rome the Western Babylon and do so compare them as that Abraham was born in the flourish of the first Babylon Christ of the second The cup of the wine That wherein God delights as a man would do to drink a cup of generous wine Verse 20. Fled away Either swallowed up by the water or consumed by the fire Verse 21. A great hail Bigger then that which brained the Kings of Canaâ—n Josh 10. perhaps this shall be fulfilled according to the letter Howsoever the elements shall melt like scalding lead upon Antichristians and other Atheists and they shall answer for all with flames about their ears CHAP. XVII Verse 1. And there came THis and the following Chapters are set for explanation of the dark and difficult passages in the former in the three last vials especially One of the seven Probably the seventh And talked with me Familiarly as the Samaritesse with her countrey-men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 4 42. or as the Master with his schollar I will shew unto thee Thou shalt not only be an ear but an eye-witnes Segniùs irritant animum demissa per aures Quà m que sunt oculis commissa fidelibus Horat. The judgement The damnation of her the destruction is reserved to the next Chapter Of the great whore The whore of Babylon more infamous and notorious Salust then any Thais Lais Phryne Messalina Orestilla cujus praeter formam nihil unquam bonus laudavit or Pope Joane Func com in Chronol of whom Funccius the Chronologer speaketh thus Ego Funccius non dubito quin divinitùs ita sit permissum ut foemina fiâ—ret Pontifex eadem meretrix c. I doubt not but that God therefore permitted a notorious harlot to be advanced to the Popedome and this about the very time when the Popes were most busie in subjecting the Kings of the earth and making them their vasâ—als that he might point out to men this whore here mentioned with whom the Kings of the earth committed fornication Verse 2. With whom the Kings As submitting their scepters to his keys and becoming his feudataries And the inhabiters of the earth So that she is not a noble whore only but a common strumpet prostituting her self to the meanest for their money as in the pardon office Have been made drunk Hence it is so difficult to convert Idolaters ther 's no dealing with a man that is drunk Whoredome and wine take away the heart Hoâ— 4. Of her fornication Both spirituall and corporall Sixtus Quintus lupanar utriusque Venerâ—s Romae condidit saith Agrippa decessit tubidus voluptate Verse 3. Into the wildernesse Whether the true Church fled Chap. 12. of which they must be saith one that can learn to know the Romish Church to be a Whore condemned of God I saw a woman See the Note on Verse 1. Sit upon Not going a-foot as Christ and the Apostles did but magnificently mounted as the Pope is ever either upon a stately palfrey Emperours holding his stirrop or upon mens shoulders England was once called the Popes asse for bearing his intolerable exactions Vpon a scarlet coloured beast The proper colour of the Court of Rome and it well serves to set forth their pomp and their hypocrisie Innocent the fourth gave a red hat to his Cardinals to shew them as he said that they should be ready to shed their bloud for the truth But that Painter was nearer the point who being blamed by a Cardinal for colouring the visages of Peter and Paul too red tartly replied that he painted them so as blushing at the statelinesse and sinfulnesse of his successours Full of names of blasphemy His head only before was busked with the blasphemy Chap. 13.1 now his whole body Thus evil men and seducers grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim. 3.13 Verse 4. In purple and scarlâ—â— Clothing for Kings and Nobles over whom this whore domineers much more then the concubines did over the Kings of Persia And decked with gold Gr. Guilded with-gold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to note her hypocrisie and outsidenesse gold without copper within The Pope stiles himself the set vant of Gods servants but yet stamps in his coin That Nation and Countrey that will not serve thee shall be rooted out At the absolution of King John of England Daniels hist 8000 marks oâ— silver were presently delivered to Pandolâ—us the Popes Legate who trampled it under his feet as contemning that base matter but yet received it and sent away to Rome And precious stones and pearls Besides the rich stones that are in the Popes tripple crown of inestimable price and value he carries in his pantosse which he holds out to be kissed the picture of the crosse Heidâ—â—ld set in pearls and precious stones Vt plenis fancibus crucâ—m Christi dâ—rideat saith one Pope Sixtus quintus was wont to give to Tiresia his harlot pantosses covered with peatle Iâ—â— Re◠〈◊〉 He spent two hundred and threescore thousand crowns upon a Conduiâ— which he built for his pleasure and yet he brought in fifty hundred thousand crowns into the new treasury built by himself in the Castle of S. Angâ—â—â— At the coronation of Pope Leo X Vno eâ— lâ—e 1000000 aâ—â—orum 〈…〉 â—61 Ibid. a thousand thousand crowns are said to have been spent in one day Pope Paul the second was wont to sleep all day and spend whole nights in weighing monies and beholding jewels and precious pictures A golden cup full of abominations Gold if it be right they say discovers and expels poison Put poison into a cup of gold and it will hisse and send up certain circles like rain bows Hereby is signified saith an authour that God threatneth judgement and 〈◊〉 to those that pour poison into divine doctrine as the Pope doâ—h with his mad mixtures Verse 5. D. Iames of the coâ—r of Script Prelace Mystery This word Mystery is in the Popes mitre saith Brocard the Venetian and many more who have been at Rome and professe to have seen it The whole Antichristian state is a Mystery of iniquity 2 Thess 2.7 and is much conversant about mysteries Sacraments Ceremonies pompous rites c.
half a year before their death were at a point to have utterly rooted the Bishop of Rome out of their realms Spec. Europ and to exhort the Emperour to do the same or else to break off from him The Realm of France was ready upon the Popes refusall to re-blesse K. Henry 4. upon conversion to them to with-draw utterly from the obedience of his Sea and to erect a new Patriarch over all the French Church The then Archbishop of Burges was ready to accept it and but that the Pope in fear thereof did hasten his benediction it had been effected to his utter disgrace and decay And shall eat her flesh Be so bitterly bent against her that they could finde in their hearts to tear her with their teeth See Job 19.22 And burn her with sire For an old bawd It is reported that in Meroe the Priests of Jupiter had so bewitched the people with their superstition that they would sometimes send to the king of Ethiopia for his head which was never denied them Alex ab Aleâ—â—â— andro till it came to King Erganes who upon so insolent a demand slew them all and took away their Priesthood Why is not the same now done to the Bridge-maker of Rome Verse 17. For God hath put As he sent Nebuchadnezzar against Tyre Alexander against Asia and Attilas against Rome who sirnamed himself the Worlds scourge so he will one day send these Kings against Rome It had been burnt when Charles the 5. took it but that the souldiers were kept in by a kinde of violence Gods time was not yet come for that purpose Verse 18. Is that great City Rome that radix omnium malorum This is confessed by Bellarmine Ribera Alcasar and other Jesuites The Rhemists are so straited that they know not which way to turn them or how to deny so clear a truth which yet they are not willing to acknowledge The wit of heretikes will better serve them to devise a thousand shifts to elude the truth then their pride will suffer them once to yeeld and acknowledge it CHAP. XVIII Verse 1. I saw another Angel SOme excellent and worthy man saith Mr Brightman such an one as should come suddenly before he be looked for as those things do that slip down from heaven Having great power Or authority as having in hand a great busines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. the denouncing of Romes utter ruine And the earth was lighted He delivered himself clearly and expresly so as that all men may well understand his meaning Ribera the Jesuite gives this note upon this text that the judgement of Romes desolation shall be not kept secret but made manifest to all men Verse 2. And he cried mightily So to awaken Babylon that slept no lesse securely then that old Babylon whose King Shesack was feasting and carousing in the bowls of the Sanctuary when the City was taken the same night The people also did so little feaâ— it Herodot l. 1. Arist Polit l 13. that it was three daies after the City was taken by Cyrus ere some of them heard what was befallen them Is fallen is fallen Certò citò penitùs Or with a double Fall They have fallen culpably and shall fall penally This was also long fince fore-told by Sibylla in the eighth book of her Oracles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tota eriâ— in cineres quasi nunquam Roma fuisses Rome during the Roman felicity was never taken but by the Gauls but since it became Pontificiall De rem uâ—r fort dial 118. it hath been made a prey to all barbarous Nations and never besieged by any that took it not There yet stands near at hand a second Babylon saith Petrarch citò itidem casura si essetis viri This would soon be down if you would but stand up as men The habitation of devils Which by a sweet providence of God for the good of man-kinde are banished as likewise fierce and wilde beasts are to deserts and dispeopled places See Mat. Mâ—r. 5. 12.43 It is an allusion to Isa 13.20 14.23 Ier. 50.39 yet not so but that by divine permission they haunt and pester the greatest throngs of people yea the holiest assemblies Some take the words in another sense thus It is become an habitation of devils that is of idols and this hath wrought her â—uine In the year 610. Boniface 4. instituted the feast of All-Saints after that he had begg'd of the Emperour the Pantheon of Rome which he consecrated to the honour of All-Saints Alsled Chron. p. 346. and set up the Virgin Mary in the place of Cybele the mother of the gods Verse 3. For all Nations All Roman-Cacolicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The merchants of the earth The Popish Emissaries that huckster the Word and make merchandise of mens souls 2 Pet. 2.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after they have taken them prisoners and made prizes of them 2 Tim. 3.6 Through the abundance of her delicacies Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of her insolencies Proh pudor haec res est toto notissima coelo sang Petrarch two hundred year since speaking of the luxury and insolency of the Court of Rome Verse 4. Another voice This was Christs voice whether mediate or immediate it appears not See Ier. 51.45 My people A people Christ had and still hath where Antichrist most prevaileth There are thought to be no lesse then 20000 Protestants in Civil it self a chief City of Spain S Edw. Sandâ— Even in Italy there are full 4000 professed Protestants but their paucity and obscurity saith mine Authour shall enclose them in a cipher Partakers of hir sins Esto procul Româ qui cupis esse pius Roma vale vidi satis est vidisse c. Adam Damlâ—p Martyr had been a great Papist and chaplain to Fisher Bishop of Rochester after whose death he travelled to Rome Where he thought to have found all godlinesse and sincere religion In the end he found there as he said such blaspheming of God contempt of true religion loosenesse of life and abundance of all abominations that he abhorred any longer there to abide although he was greatly requested by Cardinall Pool there to continue Act. and Mon. fol. â—118 and to reade three lectures a week in his house for the which he offered him great entertainment The like is recorded of Mr Rough Martyr that being before Bonner he affirmed that he had been twice at Rome and there had seen plainly with his eyes Ibid. 1843. that the Pope was the very Antichrist for there he saw him carried on mens shoulders and the false named Sacrament borne before him yet was there more reverence given to him then to that which they counted their God Mr Ascham schoolmaster to Q Elizabeth was wont to thank God that he was but nine daies in Italy M. Fullers Holy statâ—◠〈◊〉 1â—â— wherein he saw in that one City of Venice more liberty to sinne then
as he either carried with him or sent to Rome before him It was truly and trimly said by Pope Innocent 4. Vere enim hortus deliciarum Papis fuit tum Anglia puteus inexhaustus England was then a gallant garden to the Pope and a well-spring of wealth that could not be drawn dry For no man buyeth their merchandize Men shall see further into their fopperies and knaveries then to endure to be any longer gulled and cheated William of Malmsbury began to groan long since under the grievance Romani hodiè saith he auro trutinant justitiam pretio venditant canonum regulam The Romans now-adaies sell justice sacraments masses dispensations benefices all Mantuan comes after and cries out vaenalia nobis Templa sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis thura preces coelum est vaenale Deusque Temples Priests altars rites I tell no tale Crowns sacrifices heaven and God are set to sale The Leaguers here for the liberty of the Kingdome in the daies of King John drove Martin the Popes publican out of the Land Iac. Revius the King also cursed him grievously at parting Lib. 3 de pour Rom c. 〈◊〉 with Diabolus te ad inferos ducat perducat But now much more then ever these merchants want Chapmen as Bellarmine sadly complains Their markets are well fallen their Euphrates much dried up Verse 12. The merchandise of gold All this is taken out of Ezekiel 27. All countreys have catered and purveied for the Pope who hath had it either in money or other commodity but money answered all things Thyne-wood A wilde kinde of Cedar very sweet and sound for it will not easily rot Verse 13. And Cinnamon Galen writes that in his time cinnamon was very rare and hard to be found Lib. 1. Antido â— except in the store-houses of great Princes And Pliny reports That a pound of cinnamon was worth a 1000 denarij that is 150 crowns of our money And chariots Or Sedans as we call them And the souls of men Tecelius the Popes pardon monger perswaded the people in Germany that whosoever would give ten shillings Act. and Mon. fol. 771. should at his pleasure deliver one soul out of the pairs of purgatory and as soon as the money rang in the bason that soul was set at liberty But if it were one jot lesse then ten shillings it would profit them nothing This gainfull gullery Luther cried down with all his might and so maâ—red the Market This gave occasion to that saying of Erasmus whom when the Electour of Saxony asked Why Luther was so generally hated He answered Scultet Annal. dec â— for two faults especially he hath been too-busie with the Popes crown and the Monks paunches Verse 14. And the fruits Those first ripe fruits Mic. 7.1 greedily desired and bought up at any rate by the richer and daintier sort of people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which were dainty and goodly Gr. Fat and fair liking pleasant to the eye as well as to the taste confections suckets sweet-meats second and third services Verse 15. Which were made rich by her By their fat benefices Commendams Spec. Europ golden Prebendaries some one yeelding ten or twenty thousand by the year The Archbishoprick of Toledo is worth an hundred thousand pounds a year which is a greater revenue then some Kings have had What a vast estate had Wolsey gotten Act. and Mon. So that rich and wretched Cardinal Henry Beauford Bishop of Winchester and Chancellour of England in the raign of Henry the sixth who asked Wherefore should I die being so rich c. Verse 16. With gold and precious stones All these avail not in the day of wrath Neither need we envy wicked men their plenty it is their portion all they are like to have The whole Turkish Empire is nothing else saith Luther Nisi panis mica quam dives pater familias projicit canibus a crust cast to the dogs by God the great housholder I have no stronger argument said the same Luther against the Popes kingdom Quam quòd sinc cruce regnat then this that he suffereth nothing Surely there 's the more behinde there will be bitternesse in the end no doubt Verse 17. So great riches is come to nought Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is desolated or become a wildernesse Petrarch writeth that in the treasury of Pope John 22. were found by his heirs two hundred and fifty tuns of gold And of Boniface 8. it is recorded That he was able to shew more money then all the Kings in Christendome And every ship-master i. e. Cardinall Patriarch Archbishop though but titular and imaginary without jurisdiction as are the Patriarchs of Constantinople Antioch Jerusalem and Alexandria which the Pope successively consecrates ever since the holy Land and the Provinces about it were in the hands of Christian Princes anno 1100. so loth is the Pope to lose the remembrance of any superiority or title Spec. Europ that he hath once compassed And all the company The Cardinals and Arch-bishops train and retinue those in office especially What a pompous family kept Wolsey consisting of one Earl nine Barons Rex Platon p. 26 very many Knights and Esquires and others to the number of four hundred And sailers Bishops Abbots Priors c. And as many as trade by sea All the Clergy the Jesuites especially without whose lusty help saith one S. M Brightman Peters fish-boat had stuck in the sand and had rushed against the rocks long since Verse 18. What City is like unto this q. d. Who would ever have thought we should ever have seen this dismall day of Romes destruction It was wont to be said Roma cladibus animosior Rome is unconquerable The Pope wrote once to the Turk that threatned him Niteris incassum Petri submergere navem Fluctuat at nunquam mergitur illa ratis Verse 19. And they cast dust As men willing to be as far under ground as now they were above ground Having lost their livelihood they had little joy of their lives All that had ships in the sea All Church-men i. e. All for the most part some of them have little enough Sanders was starved Stapleton was made professour of a petty University D Featly his Trans explod scarce so good as one of our free-schools On Harding his Holines bestowed a Prebend of Gaunt or to speak more properly a Gaunt Prebend Allin was commonly called the starveling Cardinal c. Verse 21. Thou heaven i. e. The Church on earth And ye holy Apostles c. i. e. Ye Pastours and Teachers who as ye have been most shot at by her so now you are specially called to triumph over her Psal 58.11 Verse 21. And a mighty Angel For further assurance a sign is added and an allusion made to Jer. 51.63 And here it is easie to observe a notable gradation an Angel a strong Angel taketh a stone M. Forbes and a great stone
mortalitatis privilegium est licere aâ—iquando peccare See thou doe it not An elliptick and concise kinde of speech in the Greek betokening haste and displeasure at that was done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Papists will needs despite the Angels with seeming courtesies and respects And whereas the Councel of Laodicea saith It behoveth Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to pray to Angels Cap. 35. Surius and Caranza make the words to be Non oportet Christianos ad angulos congregationes facere and the title they make De ijâ— qui angulos colunt in a clean contrary sense to the Councels intention Verse 11. And I saw heaven opened i. e. He saw things done before his eyes as it were so do not we but are left to conjectures Here is shewed saith one the foil of the Beast bearer up of the whore and no question but now highly chafed with her fall This is the last and noblest act of Christs riding for the Dragon and his Vicars utter destruction Thus he Here is shewed saith another Interpreter in what state the Church shall be in upon the ruine of Rome even as a people standing in arms under their General Christ Jesus for a time till the last battle be fought and the enemies destroied Behold a white horse Christ riding as an Emperour triumphing and as a righteous Judge Psal 9.8 96.10 13. Verse 12. His eyes were as a flame of fire A quick sighted Judge an intelligent warriour Counsell and strength are for the war 2 King 18.20 And on his head were many crowns Let the Tripple-crowned Pope look to himself Christ out-crowns him by farre And he had a name written His holy and reverend name Jehovah Jeâ— â—3 importing his Godhead for he is Jehovah our righteousnesse And as thus No man knows the Son but the Father Mat. 11.26 for as God he is incomprehensible Judg. 13.18 What is his name or what is his sons name if thou canst tell Prov. 30 4. Who shall declare his generation Isa 53.8 Verse 13. Dipt in bloud In the bloud of his enemies as a victour returning from a huge slaughter Caesar is said to have taken prisoner one million of men and to have slain as many Mahomet the first Emperour of the Turks to have been the death of 800000 men Turk â—â—st Scanderbeg to have slain 800 Turks with his own hand But our Conquerour shall out-do all these when he shall tread them in his anger and trample them in his fury and their bloud shall be sprinkled upon his garments and he will stain all his raiment Isa 63.3 The word of God Joh. Idiotismus Ioannis Pareâ— 1.1 5.7 Hereby it appears that this was John the Evangelist that wrote this book Verse 4. And the armies which were in heaven The heavenly-minded Hero's that sight his battles are all in his livery horsed and habited as he in whom they are more then Conquerours because they are sure to conquer before they fight Verse 15. A sharp sword The word Eph. 6.17 the rod wherewith he smiteth the earth Isa 11.4 The breath of his mouth whereby Antichrist shall be over-thrown as by force of arms so also of arguments The Nations The Paganish-Papagans See the book entituled Paganopapismus wherein is proved that Papisme is flat Paganisme and that the Papists do resemble the very Pagans in above sevenscore severaâ—l things And he treadeth the wine-presse At Armageddon Chap. 16.16 Verse 16. And on his thigh Where his sword hangs Psal Non minor est virtus quam querere parta 〈◊〉 45.3 to shew that he will keep what he hath gained Vincere sâ—is Annibal victoriâ utinâ—sâ—is said one Or on his thigh quia filiabitur nomine ejus Psal 72.17 the name of Christ shall endure for ever it shall be begotten as one generation is begotten of another there shall be succession of Christs name He shall see his seed he shall prolong his daies and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands Isa 5.10 Confer Gen. 46.26 Lord of Lords This title the Pope usurps but what said Miconius in a letter to Calvin upon the view of the Churches enemies Gaudeo quod Christus Dominus est alioqui totus desper assem I am glad that Christ is Lord of Lords for else I should have been utterly out of hope Verse 17. Standing in the Sun Where he might best be heard as an Herald And he well types out such as by clear light of truth shall make known the certain destruction of the enemies before the battle he fought Vnto the supper of the great God They that would not come to the supper of the Lamb shall be made a supper to the fowls of heaven Verse 18. That ye may eat He alludes to Ezek. 39 4.17 Gog and Magog were a type of Antichrist Behold I am against thee ô Gog the chief Prince of Meshec and Tubal saith the Lord Ezek. 38.3 where if Gog be the great Turk and Meshec Cappadocia where he first setled himself Why should he be called Prince of Tubal also that is of Spain France and Italy as Hierome and Josephus interpret it neither do Bellarmine and Gretser dissent Is it not to shew that after the fall of Babylon the Antichristians shall call in the Turk and other Pagan Princes to invade and distresse the Church that they may all perish together and feed the fowls with their dead carcasâ—â— Verse 19. And I saw the Beast The Churches enemies are even ambitious of destruction Judgments need not go to finde them out they run to meet their bane Verse 20. And the Beast was taken Taken suddenly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propriè dâ—eâ—tur de ijs quos sugiemes arripimus Bez. or as he was flying and so thinking to escape Dio maketh mention of a notable thief that did much mischief in Italy afterwards the Popes seat in the daies of Severus This Emperour used all the means he could to catch him but could not do it Dio. in Severo Quippe qui visus non videbatur non inveniebatur inventus depreheâ—sus non capiebatur saith the Historian But this subtle Beast meeteth with his match and more for he is caught and cast into the lake c. Christ is a conquerour so soon as ever he comes into the field Vexit vidit vicit When the enemies are tumultuating he comes upon them as out of an Engine and hurls them headlong into hell And with him the false prophet This is the same with the Beast only the Pope is called the Beast in respect of his civil power and the false prophet in respect of his spirituall See the Note on Chap. 13 12. These both were cast alive Death shall not end their misery but they shall suffer most exquisite torments Potentes potenter torquebuntur Verse 21. Slain with the sword Not so deeply damned and yet so slain as to be made a prey to the infernall vultures and then the fattest carcase
crowned the very same day that the year before Daniel he had been banished the Realm No more death For mortality shall be swallowed up of life Neither sorrow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Properly for losse of friends for we shall inseparably and everlastingly enjoy them We shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob have communion with them not only as godly men but as such and such godly men And if with them why not with others whom we have known and loved in the body Nor crying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qualis est in tragaedijs saith Aretius Nor any more pain Or Hard labour for a livelyhood to be gotten with the sweat either of brow or brain For the former things c. The Latins call prosperous things Res secundas because they are to be had hereafter they are not the first things Verse 5. Write for these words are faithfull Though few men will believe them for if they did what would they not doe or sorgo to get heaven Cleombrotus reading Plato's book of the immortality of the soul was so ravished with the conceit thereof that he cast himself headlong into the sea But how many reading this better book of heavens happinesse are no whit wrought upon thereby or in the least measure moved to affect those things above that run parallel with the life of God and line of eternity Verse 6. It is done As the punishment of the wicked Chap. 16.17 See the Note there So the reward of the righteous is performed and accomplished I will give unto him Whereas some good soul might say I would it were once done Have patience saith God I will shortly give unto him that is athirst to drink of that torrent of pleasure that runs at my right hand without any either let or loathing Clitorio quicunque sitim de fonte levarit Vina fugit gaudetque meris abstemius undis Ovid Metamâ— Of the water of life freely But merit-mongers will not have it freely therefore they shall go without it Coelum gratis non accipiam saith Viega Verse 7. He that overcometh Gr. He that is overcoming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or not yeelding though he hath not yet overcome If he but doing at it and do not yeeld up the bucklers Shall inherit all things Tanquam haeres ex asse All Gods servants are sons and every son an heir Verse 8. But the fearfull Cowardly recreants white-livered milk-sops that pull in their horns for every pile of grasse that toucheth them that are afraid of every new step saying as Caesar at Rubicon Yet we may go back that follow Christ afar off as Peter that tremble after him as the people did after Saul 1 Sam. 13 7. and the next news is They were scattered from him vers 11. These lead the ring-dance of this rout of reprobates and are so hated of Christ that he will not imploy them so farre as to break a pitcher or to bear a torch Judg. 7. And unbelieving Therefore fearfull because unbelieving for faith fears no fray-bugs but why do ye fear ye small-faiths saith our Saviour Verse 9. One of the seven Angels The same likely that Chap. 17.1 had shewed him the damnation of the Whore So studious and officious are the Angels to serve the Saints Heb. 1.14 The Bride the lambs wife Vxor fulget radijs mariti saith the Civilian so is it here Verse 10. To a great and high mountain As Moses was carried up into mount Nebo that from thence he might view the promised land He that would contemplate heaven must soar aloft flie an high pitch c. Take a turn with Christ in mount Tabor and be transfigured Verse 11. Having the glory of God Who putteth upon her his own comelines Ezek 16. as Rachel was decked with Isaac's jewels Even like a Jasper And so like God himself who is set out by a Jasper Chap. 4.3 Clear as Crystall There is no such jasper in nature as is thus clear but such an one must here be imagined Nec Christus nec coelum patitur hyperbolen Verse 12. And had a wall Far better then that of Babylon Indeed this celestiall China needs no wall to divide it from the Tartars this is Arabia Foelix the people whereof live in security and fear no enemy And had twelve gates Thebes had an hundred gates and was therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but nothing so well set and so commodious for passengers as this City with twelve gates Twelve Angels As porters to let in not as swordmen to keep out as the Angel that stood Centinel at the porch of Paradise Gen. 3. Verse 13. On the East three gates The Church is collected and heaven filled from all quarters of the earth Hence it is by one compared to the Samaritans Inne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it receiveth and lodgeth all strangers that come In the Synagogue there was not lodging for all the Ammonites and the Moabites were excluded the Congregation of Israel But Christ was born in an Inne to signifie that in his Kingdom all may be entertained He is called the second Adam the Greek letters of which name as Cyprian noteth do severally signifie all the quarters of the earth His garments were divided into four parts because out of what coast or part soever we come saith a Divine Christ hath garments to cloath us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and room to receive us There are that have observed that the name of God in all the chief languages consisteth of four letters as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deâ— Dien Gott c. to intimate that he hath his people in all the four quarters of the earth out of all countries nations and languages Verse 24. And the wall A wall the Church hath about it and a well within it vers 6. A garden enclosed is my sister my spouse a spring shut up a fountain sealed Cant. 4.12 This wall of the Church hath twelve foundations that is Christ the only foundation 1 Cor. 3.11 first laid by the twelve Apostles In whose names also the summe of Christian faith is made up in those twelve Articles of the Creed Discessuri ab invicem Apostoli normam praedication is in commune constituunt saith Cyprian Cyp de symbâ—l Apost l. The Apostles being to be severed into severall Countries to preach the Gospel agreed upon this as the summe and substance of their Sermons It was called Symbolum a sign or badge to distinguish Christians from unbelievers Had twelve foundations Foundation is taken either for Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 Mat. 16.16 or for the doctrine of the Apostles teaching salvation only by Jesus Christ as Ephes 2.20 and here The Papists have lately added twelve new Articles raised out of the Councel of Trent to be believed by as many as shall be saved as above hath been noted Verse 15. Had a golden reed Not those twelve Trent-Articles or any humane invention but
that they may eat and be satisfied and praise the master of the feast And this is the sixt Reason Reas 7 Lastly If rich men look after commodity as who doth not All gape after gain and will do much for it they may be their liberality 1. Lay up in store or lay aside far from thieves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hide out of harms-way hoard and treasure up which rich men love alife to be doing 2. For themselves and they are commonly all for themselves but this also is for the soul the better part of themselves The body is but a rag of themselves and must shortly be tumbled into the dust 3. A good foundation fit to bear up when riches will fail them Heaven only hath a foundation Heb. 11.10 Earth hath none Job 26.7 and things are often said to be in heaven but on earth on the surface only ready to slide off or slip beside 4. And for the time to come This is spoken in opposition likely to that fore-mentioned uncertainty of riches By mercy to the poor Ye shall lay up much goods for many years obtain a long thâ—ninâ— of your tranquillity Dan. 4.17 yea provide for your own well-doing a thousand year hence 5. They shall hereby lay hold on eternall life and is not that worth having Revel 21. O doe not men know what a place heaven is The pavement is of gold the walls of pearl c. I do but disgrace it by seeking to describe it Rich men have a price in their hands wherewith to purchase it had they but hearts to make use of it Neither are the poorest excluded Deâ—sregnum suum fragmento panis vendit quis excusare poterit non emëtem quem tanta vilitas venditionis accusat Chrysol serm 41. disabled Heaven may be had for a cup of cold water if rightly given saith Austin for a morsell of bread saith Chrysologus It is fabled of Midas that whatsoever he touched was turned into gold Sure it is That whatever the hand of charity toucheth though it be but a cup of cold water it turns it not into gold but into heaven where The Almighty shall be thy gold and thou shalt have silver of strength Yea Thou shalt lay up gold as dust and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks Job 22.24 25. Vse 1 For Application How fitly might we here take up the old complaint and say There is no mercy in the land Hos 4.1 Mercifull men are taken away Isa 57.1 The love of many is waxen cold Mat. 24.12 Elias lacketh his hostesse of Sarepta Elisha the Shunamite Paul cannot finde the purpurisse nor Peter the Tanner Job we have not and Obadiah we finde not Captain Cornelius is a black swan and good Onesiphorus not to be heard of Most men have shut up their bowels yea buried them aforehand their hearts are hardened their hands withered Mouth-mercy there is good store as once in S James his daies Goe and be warmed fed cloathed But with what with a fire feast suit of words But a little handfull were more worth then a many of these mouth-fuls Words are good cheap but were their blessing worth a half-peny as the beggar told the Cardinall they would be advised how they parted with it Children though they have their mouths full and hands full yet will rather spoil all then give any away So is it now-adaies The richer they are the harder as Dives whom to upbraid Lazarus was laid in the bosom of Abraham Look how the Meon the fuller she is of light the farther off the Sun she gets And as the Sun moveth slowest when he is highest in the Zodiack so are those slowest to give for most part that are highest in estate And that they may not seem to sin without sense to be mad without reason some sorry shifts they have gotten together whereby to defend themselves from the danger of liberality All or most of which are excellently answered by Solomon Eccles 11.1 to 7. And S. Paul seems purposely to set forth liberality by a word that signifieth simplicity 2 Cor. 8.2 in opposition to that crafty and witty willnesse of theirs 〈…〉 That cloâ—k of covetousnesse 1 Thess 2.5 where with they thinke to cover their basenesse But be not deceived saith S. Paul in a like case God is not mocked sir whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap He that observeth the winde shall not sowe Gal 6.7 Eccleâ— 11.4 Hos 8.7 that is he that standeth to put cases and cast perils shall never shew mercy to the needy But he that soweth the winde of vanity shall reap the whirlwinde of misery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess 2.5 God shall pull off their vizard of covetousnesse and wash off their varnish with rivers of brimstone They commonly passe for good honest men but somewhat of the hardest good husbands near themselves But God cals and counts niggards no better then Atheists Hiâ—â— divitiae bujas nundi dicuntur alienae depositae nimirü al uâ—um pauperum nobis â—â—mmissae Luk. 16.12 Pauperibus non impertire rapina est Qui non cum soâ—est servant occidâ—t Prov. 28.27 because they provide not for a better life but make their gold their God Hypocrites because they make not conscience of obeying every one of Gods charges as well as any one this as well as the rest Thieves for with-holding good from the owners thereof Prov. 3.17 that is from the poor that are interested in their goods and for whom they are entrusted Murtherers lastly for not to doe good is to doe evil not to save is to destroy as our Saviour intimateth Luk. 6 9. This is their sin and for their punishment Men shall curse them in their prosperity and not pitty them in their adversity God shall set est all â—â—arts from them as he did from Haman that mercilesse man who had none to intercede for him in his distresse none to speak a good word for him or to him Himself also will turn the deaf ear to such Prov. 21.13 Let them look for nothing but judgement rigour and hardnes Jam. 2.13 Vse 2 Next Charge we all our severall selves with this most needfull but much neglected duty here charged upon us in the Text where we have something for our Direction and something for our Incitation That which the Apostle here directs us is That 1 For the matter first We do good works 2. For the measure That we be rich in good works 3. For the manner That we be ready to distribute 4. For the continuance That we be yet further Willing to communicate that we wax not weary of well-doing but more perennis aquae as a spring runnes after it hath runne so should we give after we have given and be still doing good to others as we have opportunity and ability First then for the matter of our bounty it must be good that we doe Here 1. It must be well gotten
connexion betwixt them Now the rule is Be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull Numb 14.24 Implevit post me Seldome mercy is as little accepted as seldom praier For which another Evangelist hath Be ye perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect The perfection of a godly man is To follow God fully as Caleb did to have a heart full of goodnesse as those Romans chap. 15.14 and a life full of good works as Tabitha Act. 9 33. To follow on to know the Lord and to doe good to men whiles he hath a day to live In the morning sowe thy seed c. Eccl. 11. Which to do that we fail not faint not look up lastly to the recompence of reward which is large and liberall Such as are thus forward to do good for the matter rich in good works for the measure ready to distribute for the manner and willing to communicate for the constancy of their bounty they shall not lose all saith the Text nay they shall gain a great deal both here and hereafter Prov. 11.25 Meritò manus illa corruptionis expers quae neminem mendicare osarire in miseria jacere perpessa est Banfinius Bed Hist Aug lib 3 cap. 6. Here it shall go well with them they shall lay up a sure foundation for their souls bodies names estates posterity First For their souls The liberall soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered himself His soul shall be like a watered garden c. Isa 58.8 9. a plain and plentifull place Of Stephen King of Hungary and of Oswald sometimes King of England it is storied That their right hands though dead never putrified because much exercised in helping and relieving the necessitous and afflicted Sure it is that the souls of such as do it in manner afore-said decay not die not wither not See pro. 11.17 Luk. 16.11 12 c. Thus for grace and for peace wealth never comforts the heart till it be bestowed till distilled as it were in good works The spirits of wealth comfort the conscience Secondly For their bodies If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry then shall thy health spring forth speedily Isa 58. But say the mercifull man be sick as he may and must God will make his bed in all his sicknes God will stir up feathers under him his soul shall be at ease and his body be sweetly refreshed mercy shall be his cordial his pillow of repose as it was to reverend Mr Whately of Banbury of whom I have spoken elswhere In my Commentary on Mat. 5.7 Thirdly For their names The liberall shall have all love and respect with men all good repute and report both alive and dead And a good name we know is better then ointments Eccles 7.1 riches Prov. 22.1 life it self Whereas the vile shall not be called liberall nor Nabal called Nadib the churl bountifull in Christs kingdom Isa 32.5 Gods people shall not spare to call a spade a spade a niggard a niggard And although he applaud himself at the sight of his abundance not caring though the world hisse and hoot at him yet he shall passe among all for a hog in a trough Populus me sibilat at mihi plaudo ipse domi simulac nummos contempler in area Juven for a boar in a stie and be no otherwise esteemed or accounted then the great Turk of whom it is said That where ever he sets his foot nothing grows after him In a word God will curse him men will curse him and wish to be rid of him the place where he lives longs for a vomit to spue him out as an unprofitable burden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hein such as the very ground groans under Fourthly Isa 3 2 8. For their estates The liberall man deviseth liberall things and by liberall things he shall stand Eleemosyna ars omnium quaestuosissima Chrys Quicquid pauperibus spargimus nobis colligimus D Beddings Manus pauperü gazophylacium Ghrisi i. Psal 112. A man would think he should fall rather by being so bountifull but he takes a right course to thrive for getting is not the way to abundance but giving as we see in the Samaritan The gainfullest art is alms-giving saith Chrysostom Whatsoever we scatter to the poor we gather for our selves saith another Riches laid out this way are laid up Non percunt sed parturiunt saith a third The poor mans hand is Christs treasury Christs bank saith an Ancient By our liberality he accounts himself both gratified and engaged Prov. 19.17 And his bare word is better then any mans bond Heaven and earth must be empty ere he fail to repay God will blesse the mercifull mans stock and store Deut. 15.10 his righteousnesse and his riches together shall endure for ever He that giveth to the poor shall not lack Prov. 28 27. that's a bargain of Gods own making M. John Rogers his Treatise of love A certain poor Minister being asked an alms called to his wife to know what money was in the house And understanding that there was no more then one three-pence only give him that said he for we must sowe or else we shall never reap A certain good Bishop of Millain Malancth apud lo Manl. in loc com p. 360. journeying with his servant was met by poor people that begged somewhat of him He commanded his servant to give them all that little money that he had which was three crowns The servant thinking with himself that it were best keep somewhat for their own use gave only two of the three to the poor reserving the third to bear their own charges at night Soon after certain Nobles meeting the Bishop and knowing him to be a good man and bountifull to the poor commanded two hundred crowns to be delivered to the Bishops servant for his masters use The servant having received the money ran with great joy and told his master Ah said the Bishop what wrong hast thou done both me and thy self Si enim tres dedisses trecentos accepisses Surely if thou hadst given those three crowns as I appointed thee thou hadst received for them three hundred So thou hast lost me a hundred crowns to day God's a liberal paimaster and all his retributions are more then bountifull Lastly For their posterity The righteous is mercifull and lendeth and his seed is blessed Psal 37.26 Jonathan is paid for his kindenesse to David in Mephibosheth Jethro for his love to Moses in the Kenites 1 Sam. 15.6 some hundred of years after he their Ancestour was dead The Aegyptians might not be unkindely dealt withall for their harbouring the Patriarchs though they afflicted their posterity But Moabites and Ammonites were bastardized and excluded the Tabernacle to the tenth generation for a meer omission Deut 23.4 Because they met not Gods Israel with bread and water in the wildernesse Let there be none to extend mercy unto him saith the Psalmist by a
Raynolds is nominated to a small Vicarage under value D. Featley his Transubit exploded p 9. On Harding his Holinesse bestow'd a Prebend of Gaunt or to speak more properly a Gaunt Prebend Roffensis had a Cardinals hat sent him but his head was cut off before it came Allin had a Cardinals hat but with so thin lining means to support his state that he was commonly called The starveling Cardinall When he createth Cardinals his words are Estote francs nostri principes nostri Be ye brethren to us and Princes of the world And indeed some of them have Princes revenues as the Cardinall of Toledo Ments Collen c. and Princes spirits as Cardinall Columnus Act. and Mon. fol. 500. who when the Pope threatned to take away his Cardinals hat He presently replied That then he would put on an helmet to pull him out of his throne Erasmus writes that he knew some who when they were like to die would give great sums of mony for a Cardinals hat that they might be so stiled upon their tombs and monuments O vigilantem Consulem qui toto Consulatus sui tempore somnum oculis non videl l Psal 84 2 Cor 5.9 1 Thess 4.11 Funccius ante suppticium sertur hoc distechon pronunciasse Disce meo exemplo mandato munere sungl Et suge ctu peslem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Melch Adam in vita Herod l. 2. K Knute the Dane caused the false Edrics head to be set upon the high est part of the tower of London therein performing his promise to a traitour of advancing him above any lord of the land Daniels hist p. 19. Ier 22. Sic Senecio apud Senecam Suasor l. 1. and so ambitious were the Romans of the Consulship that when Maximus died in the last day of his office Caninius petitioned Caesar for that part of the day that remained whence that so memorated jest of Tully O vigilant Consull who never saw sleep all the time of his office Pitty it were but that these men should have had what they so greatly desired so dearly purchased They have their reward saith our Saviour of such A poor reward a little breath of popular applause such as is not able to blow one cold blast upon ungodly great ones then when they shall be hurried from their stately Palaces and hurled into the burning lake there to cry Nos insensati We fools should have been as ambitious of heavens honours with Moses Heb 11. of getting an office in Gods house with David of keeping a good conscience with Paul of being quiet and medling with our businesse as he wils his Thessalonians This if joannes Funccius the Chronologer and Justus Jonas the Lawyer two learned Dutch-men had done they had never died as they did by the hands of the hang-man But this is often seen to be the end of the ambitious as of Absolom Haman Pharaoh Ophra Jer. 44.30 whom Herodotus calleth Apryes and telleth us that he usually boasted that he cared not for any either God or man that should seek to take away his Kingdome But at length he was taken in battle by Amasis one of his own officers and strangled by the Aeyptians his own people Hamio was hanged at Carthage for his ambition Roger Mortimer here at Tiburn in Edward the seconds time and a hundred more whom I might easily mention What got most of the Caesars by their over-hasty preferment Nisi ut citiùs interficerentur a one saith but to be slain the sooner Casar Borgia Duke of Valence emulating Julius Caesar used this saying of his Aut Caesar aut nullus Not long after he was slain in the Kingdome of Navarre Jehoahaz sonne of josiah Ieremy seems to call him Shallum though younger then his brother Iehoiakim ambitioufly steps into the throne after his fathers death And before he was well warm in it he had great thoughts and would not take it as his father did He would build a stately Palace much enlarge himself M. Rob Harris his Abuers Punerall 2 King 23.34 and as it seemeth by one affix in the Text Jer. 22.24 saith a learned Divine he would take in a piece of Gods house too But within a while after he was carried captive to Aegypt for his a ambition and died there ingloriously So did Alexander the great in the midst of his victories He required of the Jews that their dates should be taken from his raign and all the Priests sons born that year should be called Alexanders Into Grecia he sent to be holden a god by them Apelles pictured him with a thunderbolt Plin l. 6 c. 16. Lysippus with this posie Jupiter asserui terram mihi tu assere coelum O Jupiter take thou heaven for the earth I challenge to my self With which pictures Alexander was so delighted that he proelaimed none should take his picture but Lysippus and Apelles As for Calisthenes the Philosopher that disswaded him from these vanities he was carried about in a cage in a most approbrious manner That made him to be cut off quickly and his family to be rooted out as the Angel fore-telleth Dan. 11.4 And as he might have been fore-warned by the example of Ahashuerosh that is Xerxes the son of a former Darius not the same that he over-threw who though he were the King of 127 Provinces Esth 1.2 yet was ready to fight for more He had newly subdued Aegypt and soon after was addressing himself for the conquest of Greece But failed of his designe and was glad to escape for his life in a small boat being shortly after slain in his palace by Artabanus one of his own officers Then he Vt cui modò ad vict oriam terra defuerit deesset ad sepulturam Velleius de Pompeio Nudus pascit aves c. Claud. Danchift f. 50. that could not hope ever to see all the land that he possessed and yet could not be quiet whilst he heard of more was forced to take up with his length in a place of buriall Great Pompey had not so much and William the Conquerours corps lay unburied three daies his interment being hindered by one that claimed the ground to be his O therefore that our aspiring Ambitionists would but measure themselves by their own moddle Application take the length of their own bodies as he did once in the dust where he lay last consider what poor things they are as they proceed from the slime of their parents How helplesse in their birth how uncertain of their life how little a thing will cloath them and feed them how little a thing will make an end of them A little viper a little spider a little needle at their hearts will kill them then a little sheet will wind them a little grave hold them a little worme eat out their hearts And should such think great things of themselves Gens haec quanquam bonoiem noselant honerani tamen supra modum affectant Garald Cambrens
were not therefore created as some have affirmed many ages before his visible world for then there had been a beginning before that In the beginning Gen. 1.1 Besides Haec fuit the◠logorum Graecorum sententia in qua ex tatinis erat non nemo Ibid. 187. if the Angels be messengers and ministring spirits what use was there of them before there were some to whom they might be sent and for whom they should minister But say they If Angels were not created til the world was why doth not Moses mention their creation Some answer thus lest if mention should have been made of Angels in the beginning God might have been thought to have used their help in the Creation Others say Lest the Jews Col. 2 18. so addicted to Idolatry should as some did fall into the sin of Angel-worship Chrysostomes reason is not to be rejected Hom. 2. in Gen. That Moses his purpose was only to set forth a description of the sensible and visible works of God applying himself to the rudenesse of that people and therefore omitting the doctrine of heavenly spirits as farre above their understanding and lesse belonging to them or us For if the Theology for Angels were written we should need another Bible the creation and government of Angels containing as great variety of matter as doth the religion of mankinde Howbeit it is probable they were created the first day Gen. 2.1 with Orthodoxi quidam patres senserunt Angelos creatos esse primo die quod iü dixerat Deus Fiat Lux. i. e. naturae lucide Bucholc and in the highest heavens as Christs soul was created with and in his body in the Virgins womb the self-same moment and are therefore called Angels of heaven Besides those morning stars and sons of God are said to sing and shout when God laid and fastned the foundation of the earth Job 38.4.6 7. Morning-stars they were all then and Angels of light sons also of God as made in his image and resembling him as his children both in their substance which is incorporeall and in their excellent properties which are life and immortality blessednes and glory But now How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer son of the morning The devil and his Angels kept not their first estate Isa 14.12 The ground of their sin was amor sui luordinatus whence discontent rebellion apostasie Yates his Madel p. 176 177. but left their own habitation Jude ◠For their sin some say it was pride in affecting Divinity Some say it was envy stirred by the decree of exalting mans nature above Angles in and by Christ Some say a transgression of some commandments in particular not exprest as Adams was Whether in Paradise or heaven there are that dispute I have nothing to say neither yet for the time when they fell some think it was the second day because it is not added That God saw what he had done that day to be good Sure it is That his Angels he charged with folly Iob 4.18 Neither were they as the Spaniards say of the Portugals Pocos y locos few and foolish for there was a Legion of them in one man Hey Geog p. 63 Mat 8. which is six hundred at the least There are that understand of them those ninety and nine sheep in the Parable to that one of lost mankinde The Schoolmen would gather out of 2 Kin. 6.16 that as many Angels fell as stood but the Scripture defineth nothing of that It is probable that one fell first and the rest followed after which are therefore called his Angels Job 8 44. evil Angels such as the Saints shall judge 1 Cor. 6.3 Reprobate apostate Angels in opposition to those holy and elect Mat. 25.31 1 Tim. 5.21 who stand and continue holy not by means of Christs mediation but Gods eternall election and his preventing them with actuall grace which made them effect and execute at the first what ever thing it was wherewith it pleased God to prove their obedience Christ I know well is called the Head of Angels but this is in another manner of sense then he is head of the Church which is united and subjected unto him in a more near and communicative way as his members without the which he holds not himself compleat Ephes 1.22 23. Head of Angels Christ is first as God for the giveth them all they have both essence and continuance 2. As Mediatour he useth their service for the guarding and guilding of his Church and chosen Not that Christ needs their assistance as Princes need the counsell and aid of their subjects whom therefore they associate The holy Angels receive more from Christ then they perform or bring to him But he maketh use of their service 1. To seal up his love unto us by imploying such noble creatures about us 2. To make and maintain love between us and Angels till we come to walk arm in arm with Angels For I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by Allusively to the walks and galleries about the Temple Mat. 18.10 saith Christ to Jehoshuah the high-Priest that is among the Angels who are elswhere said to stand alway looking on the face of God to receive commandments for the accomplishment of all designes for our good And this they do willingly speedily constantly zealously reverently with an awfull respect to the divine majesty Isa 6.2 before whom they cover both their feet as conscious of a comparative imperfection and their faces with their wings as a man claps his hands on his eyes at some extraordinary resplendent brightnesse suddenly shining upon him As with two of their wings they flie With wearines of flight yea weary themselves as it were with eager flight to do us any good office Dan. 9.21 as Gabriel did to the Prophet Daniel with the message of the Messiah Theodoret elegantly sets forth their emploiment about God and his people in two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 They sing praise to God Iob. 38.7 Isa 6 3. Heb. 1.6 Angelos Proeulas Academicus Plutarchus esse putant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jerentes ad bondnes baminum vota al Deos. Psal 91. Mat. 4◠whom they perfectly know and love and therefore perfectly adore and honour 2. I hey minister whole myriads of them both to him and us Dan. 7.10 and do his will for our good Psal 103.20 rejoycing more in their names of office then of honour of emploiment then preferment to be called Angels that is messengers then Principalities Thrones Dominations Ephes 1.20 Accounting it better prodesse quà m praeesse to do good then to be great to dispense Gods benefits to the Saints then to enjoy them themselves Hence they are with and about the Saints as their companions guides protectours monitours and rulers of their actions As they rejoyce at their conversion because the room of the apostate Angels whereby their society was much maimed is
withered because not well rooted The good ground is noted to bring forth fruit with patience or tarriance for the fit season Leap-Christians are not much to be liked that all on the sudden of notorious profane become extremely precise and scrupulous Violent motions are not permanent Aguish fits breed slushings blazing comets soonest fall hasty curs bite least heady horses quickly tire Hot at hand seldome holds out That trumpets sound in the mount was louder and louder the winde whereto true grace is compared Joh. 3. riseth higher and higher The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Not like Joshuah's 〈◊〉 â—t stood still or Heaekiahs Sun that went backward but Davids Sun that rejoyceth as a Giant to run his race and turneth not again till he hath finished it The Galatians did run well but were interrupted The Ephesians lest their first love The Philippians decaid in their good will to S. Paul though afterwards their care of him flourished again Phil. 4.10 The Corinthians mingled themselves again with fornicatours after they had been washed from their filthinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 5. ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rursus commisceri post ablutionem Significat non â—amscortationibus so polluere quam pollutiâ— conversari familiariùs Par. in loc Act. and Mon. fol. 1680. Col. 2.6 Mr Bartlet Green Martyr was converted by Peter Martyrs Lectures in Oxford Afterwards being sent to the Innes of Court through the continuall accompanying of such worldly young Gentlemen he became by little and little a compartner of their fond follies and youthfull vanities as well in his apparrel as also in banqueting and other superfluous excesses which he afterwards being again called by Gods mercifull correction did sore lament and bewail and being founded on a rock as he had at first received Christ Jesus the Lord so he walked in him and suffered for him Thirdly Before you begin sit down and cast what it will cost to build the tower of godlines consider what necessity there is to encounter and conquer so many corruptions crosses and incombrances in the way to heaven Put your selves oft to those questions of abnegation and say Can I deny my self in my worldly wisdome naturall wit carnall friends old companions pleasures profits preferments ease excellency of learning in mine estate liberty life and all Can I take up my crosse and follow Christ thorow thick and thin thorow fire and water Act. and Mon. fol. 1430. Ibid. 1438. thorow good report and evil report resolving with William Flower Martyr That the heavens shall as soon fall as I will for sake my profession or budge in the least degree And can I say as that other Martyr John Ardely did to Bonner If every hair of my head were a man I would suffer death in the opinion and faith that I am now in Many will professe to doe much for Christ but nothing it is that they will suffer for him they come forth as those souldiers with lights and torches to seek him yea with bils and staves as if they would fight for him But when he saith Pelago se non ita commissuruâ— esset quin quaÌ„do liberet pedeÌ„ referre posset In the Palatinate scarce one in twenty stood out but fell to Popery as fast as leaves fall in Autumn as to them Here I am Take up my crosse and follow me they stumble at the crosse and fall backwards The King of Navarre told Beza He would launch no further into the sea then he might be sure to return safe to the haven Though he shewed some countenance to religion yet he would be sure to save himself Again Many in their low estate could pray professe reade c. who in prosperity resemble the Moon which never suffers eclipse but at her full and that by earths interposition Ionathan followed the chase and Samson his parents till they met with honey A dog follows his master till he comes by carrion So many a Demas Judas Diotrephes follows Christ close till taken off by the world the love whereof eats out the heart of grace as adventitious heat consumes the naturall as Pharaohs lean kine devoured the fatter T it 2 12. Deny therefore all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts thou that desirest to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Fourthly Standest thou by faith And wouldest thou stand Rom. 11.10 Be not high-minded but fear Pride goes before a fall as it did in the apostate Angels in that Man of sinne and in those Illuminati Relat. of West Relig. a pestilent sect in Arragon who affecting in themselves and their followers a certain angelicall purity fell suddenly to the very counterpoint of justifying bestiality Apostasie takes root most an end in spirituall pride which like a drone in the hive or moth in fine cloth is a great waster All graces tend to humbling and humility is conservatrix virtutum saith Bernard that which keeps all the graces together It is also both a grace and a vessell to receive more grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Innâ—datam ha bete For God gives grace to the humble Be ye therefore cloathed with humility saith Saint Peter 1 Pet. 5.5 The word there used comes of a primitive that signifies a Knot because humility ties the knot of the chain of graces that none of them be lost as pearls or beads are easily lost where the bracelet is broken Gods gifts in a proud heart which makes men secure uncharitable idle sigh under our abuse and God hearing them groan gives them the wings of an eagle Fifthly Propound to your selves the best paterns and the highest pitch of perfection not resting in any measure of grace acquired so as to say as those in Zachary Blessed be God for I am rich but advance forward toward the high price as Paul did Phil. 3. And Nil actum credens dum quid superesset agendum as Caesar who thought there was nothing yet done till all was done Beginnings are not sought for of Christians saith S. Hierome but ends of things And it is a rule in the civil Law Nothing seems to be done if there yet remain ought to be done For that which is but almost done is not done at all saith Basil And not to goe forward is to goe backward saith Bernard It had been good for Iudas never to have been an Apostle and for Iulian never to have been a Christian because to begin well and not to hold on Gen. 37.3 is but to clime up higher that he may fall the farther Let our ladder therefore reach to heaven as Jacobs did let our garments reach down to our feet as Iosephs did let us offer a whole burnt-offering with the very tail also Exod. 29.22 Let the fire from heaven never go out upon the hearth of our hearts as that fire of the Sanctuary Levit. 6 12. Let us not look
to Canterbury to visit the sepulchre of his own Martyr Dan hist fol. 99 10â— he went three miles on his bare feet which with hard stones were forced to yeeld bloudy tokens of his devotion on the way And which was most shamefull of all though he protested to the very last That he neither commanded nor willed nor by any sleight sought the death of Becket yet by the Legat he was compelled to undergo the discipline of rods upon his bare flesh and to receive of every Priest there present and there were not a few three or four lashes upon the bare one of the Embassadours saying the while Domine noli minari Sir you may spare your threats Revius de vitis Pontif. Rom p 140. Gabriel Powell of the unlawfulnesse of Toleration p 92. for we fear them not as being of such a Court as is wont to bear rule over Kings and Emperours In like sort the Pope within the memory of many yet alive lashed Henry the fourth of France in the person of his Embassadour at Rome after the singing of every verse of Miserere the 51. Psalme untill the whole Psalm was sung out Clemens the fifth would not absolve the Venetians of their Excommunication till Francis Dandalus their Embassadour had lain Revius p. 198. like a dog at his feet under his table with a chain of iron about his neck Neither would Pope Martin the fourth absolve the Sicilians till they came prostrated themselves before him with these words of the Letany Ibid. 187. O lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Grant us thy peace The Pope answereth My peace I give you my peace I leave unto you Prodigious blasphemy Sed exorto Evangelij jubare sagaciores ut spero principes ad nutum vestri Orbilij non solvent subligacula saith a reverend Divine of our Church They tell us D. Pri leaux contra Eudaem Ioh. p. 75. That not their Popes only but their whole Clergy is a state so distinct and absolute as not any way subject to the temporall Magistrate though their crimes be never so many or monstrous These be the Locusts that have no King Prov. 30.27 they will have none but that Angel of the bottomlesse pit Abaddon the Pope Revel 9.11 Pareus in Apoc 13.3 In concillo Lateranenâ—i ultimo 15â—6 uno anno antequam Lutherus eâ—ersit plenaria potestas in totam Ecclesiam Papae concessa est que in nullo priùs concilio fuit confirmata Par hist eccles p. â—81 who stiles himself A servant of servants yet stamps on his coyn That Nation and countrey that will not serve thee shall be rooted out The Lateran Councel blasphemously ascribed that to the Pope All power is given to thee both in heaven and in earth thou art all and over all And now was the Pope in the heighth of his pride and ruff of his jollity when suddenly the same or the next year after God who resisteth the proud raised up Luther to cut his comb and to call him Antichrist Ever since which there hath been a sensible decay of the Papacy thorowout the Christian world as Bellarmine with grief acknowledgeth Ab eo tempore quo per vos Papa Antichristus esse coepit non modo non crevit ejus imperium sed magis ac magis decrevit l. 3. de Papa cap 21. â— Thess â— Iac. R. v p â—9 It was but time God should take him down that exalted himself not only above Angels whom saith John the 23. in extravag he hath power to excommunicate but also above all that is called God Our Lord God the Pope saith one of his Parasites Tu meritò in terris diceris esse Deus saith another Nicolas the first said That he was not to be called to an account by any one because Constantine had called the Pope by the name of God For the which grosse fiction the very Glosse there derideth him And who can hold laughing at that ridiculous glosse of a Popish Postiller upon that text Exod. 30.31 Where because it is said of the holy oil Vpon mans flesh it shall not be poured Risum teneatis amici Horat. Thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sonnes c. therehence He infers in an hyperbolicall sense That Priests are Angels not having humane flesh It is not for nothing I trow that they send for the most part all their Clergy immediately to heaven without let Rom. 2.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Câ—teroâ— homines pro insantibus â—aâ—ebat Bâ—â—on Anna â—oâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oppellare 〈◊〉 tus eâ—b Epist 10. ep 1. Whereas all the temporalty except Martyrs must passe by purgatory These they look aloof on as the proud Pharisee did on the Publican as Caiaphas did on the Councel Ye know nothing at all saith he Joh. 11.49 Ye are all but babies to me c. or as those Bragadochio's in Isaiah looked on their betters with Stand by thy self for I am holier then thou Odi fastum illius ecclesiae I hate the pride of that Church of Rome saith Basil that Western brow as he was wont to call it and whereof he maketh great complain to his friend Evagrius The other four Patriaches and with them the whole Eastern Church separated themselves from the Bishop of Rome for his intolerable insolency and at their parting used these or the like words D. Field of the Church Gerson Carleton c. Thy haughtinesse we know thy covetousnesse we cannot satisfie thy encroaching we can no longer abide live to thy self c. This proud Bishop had stretcht himself beyond his line prized himself above the market set up his counter for a thousand pound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat Aemulum seu vicarium Christiâ— Significat etiam Christo contrarium Iac. Revius de vitis â—â—ntif p 186. affecting not a primacy only as successour to Peter but a supremacy as Vicar to Christ indeed an Antichrist or counter-Christ pretending to be in stead of Christ but fighting against Christ denying and opposing him in all his offices Pope Leo the first blasphemously boasted and Nicolas the third feared not to affirm the same That Peter was taken into fellowship with the blessed Trinity therefore Peters successour must be Vniversall Bishop This the Patriarch of Constantinople stomacked and could as little bear a superiour as the Pope an equall And therefore the former strives to bring all the East under him the later East and West too His claw-back Canonists tell him and he believes it that he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords that he hath the power of both swords thorowout the whole world and rule over all reasonable creatures that he can doe whatsoever Christ can doe c. Now Moscon de majest militant Eccles l. â— c. 1. Hostiens cap. 4. Fran. Zabar as every little winde raiseth a bubble so doth the Pope value himself so much the more as he sees himself higher in the
rate of others opinions Philip the Fair King of France dealt plainly with him which few others durst doe Anno 1294. For when Pope Boniface wrote thus to him in an imperious manner We would have thee to know that thou art subject to us in temporals and spirituals c. He stoutly denied it beginning his letter with Sciat tua maxima Fatuitas Be it known to your Foolishnesse in stead of Holinesse and appealed to the See Apostolike then as he said vacant and to the future Councel Volumus te scire c. Alsted Chronolog p. 355. Self-love makes men unreasonable and teacheth them to turn the glasse to see themselves bigger others lesser then they are I am and there is none besides me saith Niniveh I will ascend into heaven and set my nest above the stars saith Babylon Zeph. 2.15 Isa 14 13. My roof receives me not 't is air I tread At every step I feel my advanced head Knock out a star in heaven saith Sejanus Attilas King of Hunnes arrogantly vaunted Neand. Chronic. That the stars fell before him the earth trembled at his presence c. Who hath not heard of the swelling titles of the great Cham of the great Turk of divers Roman Emperours Eutrop. alij As Diocletian who first commanded divine honours to be done unto him and held forth his feet to be kissed Caligula who by certain Engines thundered and lightned as another Jupiter Dio in vita casting up stones for thunder-bolts and repeating that hemistich in Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commodus would needs have the twelve moneths of the year called or counted by his twelve names or titles Amazonius Invictus Faelix Pius c. Idem in vita Commodi And the time of his raign to be held the golden age Roderic Santij hist Hispan p 4. â— 5. and so stiled in all dates and writings And Alphonso the Wise the fool rather King of Spain blasphemously said That if he had been of the councel at the Creation he could have made and ordered some thing better then they were I will ascend above the heighth of the clouds and will be like the most high saith the King of Babel Isa 14.14 It may seem strange that such proud thoughts should enter into any mans heart But by nature thre's never a better of us As in water face answers to face so doth the heart of a man to a man The naturall heart is nothing else but a lump of proud flesh That old leven of corruption hath soured and swelled the whole lump 1 Cor. 5.7 The Greek word for pride signifies swelth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For pride is like a great swelling in the body which unfits it for any good service and is apt to putrifie break and run with loathsome and foul matter So doth pride disable the soul from doing duty and at last breaks into odious words and deeds abominable to God and men Now if this be not thy case blesse God for his restraining and sanctifying spirit lift up many an humble joyfull and thankfull heart to him who made thee to differ Greevinchovius Sesostriâ— in terris à se devictis columnis inscripsit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod l 2.1 Tim 3. Sed velut immâ—mor qua via inde exciderit illuâ— postea redire non potuit Say not as that arrogant Arminian did in answer to the Apostles question Who made thee to differ Ego meipsum discerno I my self have made the difference Or as that proud heretike said to God Non habeo Domine quodignoscas I have done nothing wherefore to crave pardon If we had no more sins to answer for then this one of pride we could not escape the damnation of hell St Paul adviseth young Students in Divinity not to be high-minded lest they fall into the condemnation of the devil It was pride that turned him out of heaven Pride saith Hugo was born in heaven but forgetting by what way she fell thence she could never finde her way thither again Only ever since it looks and aims at the highest The first man would know as God the Babel-builders would dwell as God And as our first parents in the beginning did learn that proud lesson of the devil M. Perkins Ye shall be as gods so we being in their loins when they sinned saith a reverend Divine and descending from them by ordinary generation do together with our nature receive that corruption from them whereby we think thus proudly of our selves that we farre excell others and are as little gods on earth in respect of others Mans heart is a palace of satanicall pride Sic Sesostris Aegypâ—â— Rex tempore Samsonis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deus cognominatus Pharâ—â—â—â—urruâ— regum cervicibus egit L. Paul Aemyllus statuae aureae Persei Delphis dedicatae suam iâ—pâ—â—i curavit inquiens Victoribus victos loco decedere par esse Plut. in Aemylio Cusses dicter of ages It is like unto that table of Adonibezek at which he sate in a chair of State and made others even Kings to eat meat like dogs under his feet with their thumbs cut off Loe such an one is every man by nature He lifteth up himself saying I am the man and treadeth his brother under foot as no body to him The Emperour Commodus would needs be stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Surpasser as if there were None such The Emperour Adrian oppressed some and slew others that excelled in any art or faculty that he might be held the only skilfull Aristotle is said to have burnt and abolished the books of many ancient Philosophers whom he excerped that he might be the more admired The worlds eternity and some other paradoxes he taught as rather affecting singularity saith one then for any soundnesse of the matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in s puâ—chrum est digitâ— monstrari dicier hic est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenophon In hunc ita quidam luâ—iâ— nunc postquam maneâ— defunctuâ— Valla petivit Non audet Pluto verba latina loqui Iupiter hunc coeli dignatus honore fuisset Censorem linguae sed tiâ—et ipse suae â—rithem Joh. Manl. loâ— com p. 480. or strength of argument Such an itch there is in mans corrupt nature after the applause and admiration of others This is that Demosthenes was a sweet hearing Themistocles listened to nothing so willingly as to his own commendation If others will not commend a man he 'll commend himself Hoc ego primus vidi saith Zabarell I was the first that found out this truth Patres sic judicant ego vero sic saith another Singularitan This is the Fathers opinion of this point but I am of another judgement Laurentius Valla contemned and carped at Tully Aristotle Virgil and most of the best Authours except Quintilian only And whereas he had found out some things in Logick more then the masters of those times he said openly
Emperour much bewailed the matter at the Councel of Constance That neither he nor any of his great Courtiers and Councellours were able to answer a forraign Embassadour in the Latine tongue He began therefore to learn though it were late first And when some of his Nobles that had no learning and therefore hated it Anâ— Dom 1437. Bucholc Chron took it in great disdain and dudgin that he preferred before them some that were of mean degree meerly for their learning he answered That be had good reason to honour schollars above all as those that were singularly graced and gifted by God Knights and Lords said he I can make in a day as many as I list but schollars God only can make from whom comes every good gift and perfect giving which in the originall Greek is an Hexameter verse Iam. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet 2.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that of S. Peter is an Iambick Et poeticum quid spirat The sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire c. Atheisme PSAL. 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart There is no God THe fool hath said it and surely none but a fool would say it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One in whom common reason is faded and dried up as the sap is in a leaf in Autumn so the word signifies The Philosopher goes further Avicenna and saith He that denieth the one God and his providence in all things is not only void of reason but of sense And yet th s witlesse saplesse selflesse creature this wide asse-colt is every mothers childe of us by nature witnesse S. Paul Rom. 3. where going about to prove all naturall men to be sinners he fetcheth proof out of this Psalm and the tenth Psal 19.41 where the same thing is avowed It is I confesse an inviolable principle and indelebly stampt upon mans nature That there is a God The barbarous people of Brasil that are said to be Sine Fide sine Rege sine Lege that have neither Religion Rule nor Raiment Plin. l. 2. Nat. hist yet they have some knowledge of God some spice of religion such as it is Rather then want a god they worship the very devil not inwardly only for so the most among us do being acted and agitated by the devil who is therefore called the god of this World by whom he is as readily obeved as God was in the Creation Ephes 2.3 when he said Let there be light c but alto with an â—â—â—ward worship The devil himself though he be no Atheist nor can be for he feels the wrath of God and so believes and trembles yet he doth all he can to make men Atheists because when there is no fear of God before their eyes they will sinne all manner of sins the devil would have them sinne Psal 14.1 2 3. And Rom. 3.18 After a bedrole of sundry other sins this is subjoyned as the root of all the rest There is no fear of God before their eyes That is they are flat Atheists if not in opinion yet in practice Atheists in opinion are 1. Such as conclude there is no God 2. De dijs utrum sins non aâ—sim affirmare dâ—â—it â—â—Protagoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such as suspect as much Of the former fort was Pharaoh who knew no other God but himself and therefore asked Who is the Lord He should rather have asked Who is Pharaoh a miserable mortall creature a worme and no man a mixture and compound of dirt and sin Cods attributes shew both what he is and who he is To the Question of Moses What be is God gave a short answer I am To the second by Pharaoh Who be is he made a large reply till Pharaoh was forced to answer him The Lord is righteous Eliphaz alto accuseth Job that he should say How doth God know Can be judge through the thick cloud Darkclouds are a covering to him that he seeth not and he walketh in the circuit of heaven Job 2.13 14. As if he had had nothing to do or took no care at least of his earthly kingdome And doth not Job himself when once wet to the skin with the tempest of Gods wrath soaking into his soul seem to say so much Job 37.23 24. Diâ—â—arthus Protagoras de Deo a sit nâ—â—â—e madoò ser â—â—eat ossa inquirendum non 〈◊〉 tant Cic. But God steps forth as it were from behinde the hangings over-hearing and controuling him out of the whirlwinde Chap 38.2 Who is this saith he that talks thus How now peace and be still Histories tell us of some profest Atheists that utterly denied a Deity and that either out of sensuality as Epicurus and Lucretius or out of stomack as Diagoras who having written a book of verses and made it ready to be set forth was by stealth deprived of it And when he had called him that had stolen it before the Senate of Athens he sware that he did it not and so was quit and after wards set out the book in his own name Which when Diagoras saw and that he was not presently strucken with a thunderbolt he became an Atheist So did Porphyry and Lucian who were Christians at first but receiving injury by the Church the one by words the other by blows in spite became Atheists Porphyry wrote against the Bible and sought to disprove it So did Galen the great Physician He jears at Moses for saying That God made all things of nothing Egregiè dicis Domine Moses sed quomodo probas is said to have been the speech of Aristotle when he read Genesis For ex nibilo nibil fit saith Philosophy And Plato never cals God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Creatour but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he had made the world of a praeexisting matter coaeternall with God himself But what saith the Apostle Credo non probo Thorow faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the bare word of God Heb. 11.3 And by the same mighty word are upheld Heb. 1.3 which else would soon shatter and fall asunder but that he hoops them as it were and holds them together This the Athenians knew not as S. Paul boldly tels them Act. 17.23 24. Whom there fire ye ignorantly worship him declare I unto you God that made the world and all things therein seeing that be is Lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not in temples made with bands thus saith the Lord the heaven is my throne and the earth is my foot 2lool Where is the house that ye build unto me Isa 66.1 The Turks build their Moschâ—es or Churches without any rooâ— because they hold even as we doe Turk hist 342. That God is incomprehensible a circle whose center is every where whole circumference is no where as Empedocles described him Aristotle would confine him to heaven as if his presence and providence extended not to things
done on the earth Lucian also that Atherst tels us of certain crannies and chinks in heaven thorow the which Iupiter at some set times looks down upon men And if then they be praying they may be heard otherwise not Christ an nominat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With the same impudency also doth he deride all other his Heathenish gods and yet with the same blasphemous mouth railâ—th upon Christ as a crucified Cosener I abhor to relate it and upon Christians as mad men because so for ward to suffer Martyrdome Thus he lates about him on every side and makes that good of himself that some have affirmed of Constantinus Copronymus That he was neither Jew Pagan nor Christian Sed coliuvies quaedam impictatis but an arrant Atheist So before him are said to have been Theodore of Cyrene Evemerus Hippo Nicanor In protrepâ—ico Sacton uâ—refert cum auâ—â—tum sic comminaâ—tem â—ovi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—iad 3. and others mentioned by Clemens Alexandrinus Such an one was that monster Caligula that braved his god Iupiter and threatned him And yet not withstanding at every clap of thunder or slash of lightning he ran under his bed or fought somewhere to hide himself as frighted worme wriggles into his hole Mentiuntur qui dicunt senon sentire esse Deum saith Seneca They lie that say they think there is no God for though they say so to thee by day yet they doubt thereof within themselves by night Then fear comes upon them and trembling which maketh all their bones to shake as it did his Job 4 14. And as it is reported of Tullius Hostilius the third King of Romans that turned the peoples mindes to the study of warlike discipline Plutarcht despising Numa his predecessours sacrifices and saying that religion did but effeminate mens mindes and make them unfit for noble imploiments Neverthelesse Lactantius witnesseth that this King fained to himself and worshipped two new Gods Pavorem Pallorem Fear and Palenesse Gods that he carried about with him in his own bosome Lactantius and could not shake off For as any man is more desperately wicked and irreligious so he is more vexed with the terrours of his own conscience which is gods spie and mans overseer and stings him Rom 2.15 betwixt whiles with unquestionable conviction and horrour It was an Atheisticall speech of Statius the Poet. Primus in or be Deos secit Timor Statius That Fear first made gods in the world and that all opinion of a Deity was frivolous devised by wise men to keep the people in awe and order For if these were no other argument to prove that there is a God these very fears and terrours of conscience stricken into mens minds after sinne were sufficient For these must needs come from a Judge that detesteth dishonesty and exerciseth judgement upon the soul Richard the third of England felt this Trussels contin of â—aniels hist of England fol. 349. Somnum nostâ—rmi horrores pleruâ—â— interru◠〈◊〉 â—ursus a â—â—ibiti syâ—phoniaci conciliabant Thuan l 57. And so did Charls the ninth of France The former after the murder of his two innocent Nephews had fearfull dreams Insomuch that he did often leap out of his bed in the dark and catching his sword which alway naked stuck by his side he would go distractedly about the chamber every where seeking to find out the cause of his own occasioned disquiet The later after the bloudy massacre of Paris could seldome take any sound sleep being as terrible to himslef as he formerly had been to others and could never endure to be awakened out of sleep without musick or some like diversion Now could these men possibly either conclude or suspect there was no God Some I confesse there are that lay violent hands upon all the principles in their heads and doe what they can to tear them our that they may sinne the more freely They are loth to confesse a God for fear to stand in awe of him and yet will they nill they the fear of the least things maketh them to confesse him Nay Isa 7.2 2 Chron 33.1 because they fear not him that made all things therefore they stand in awe of all things as Ahaz that trembled as a shaken leaf and his grandson Manassch that hid his head among the thorns Tanta adâ—ò cum res trepidae reverentia divsim Nasâ—itur â—â— Silius 1.7 and from thence was pulled and bound with setters He that had faced the heavens and neither feared God nor cared for man is now at his wits ends for the fear of his heart Wherewith he did fear and for the fight of his eyes which he did see Deut. 28.67 What would such Atheists then do did they but see hell Bellarmine is of opinion that one glimpse of hell were enough to make a man not only turn Christian and sober but Anchorite and Monk to live after the strictest rule that may be And yet he tels us of a certain Advocate of the Court of Rome that being at point of death Bellar. de arteâ—s moriendi 1.2 cap 10. Eâ—oenim propero ad inferet neâ— est at aliquid pro me agas stirred up by the standers by to repents and call upon God with a constant countenance and without signe of sear he turn'd his speech to God and said Lord I have a desire to speak unto thee not for my self but for my wife and children For I am bastening to bell neither is there any thing that thou shouldst doe for me And this be spake saith Bellarmine who was there present and heard it as if he had spoke of a journey to some village or town and was no more affrighted Surely had this man had a right apprehension of hell-torments endlesse easelesse remedilesse such as he should never be able to abide or avoid he could not have made so light account of them But a discourse of hell is but as painted fire which burns not or as the painting of the toad which men can look on and handle without affrightment Jac. Rev hist Pontifâ—â—om 199. Of Pope Clement the fifth it is reported That when a Nephew of his whom he had loved sensually and sinfully died he sent his Chaplain to a Necromancer to learn how it fared with him in the other world The Conjurer shewed him to the Chaplain lying in a fiery bed in hell which when it was told the Pope he never joyed more after it but within a short while died also But to most men it may be justly said Gredo quae ese infer is dicuntur faâ—sa esse existimas Heu vivunt bemines tanquans mors nussa sequatur Aut veluit insernus sabula vana soret as Cato id once to Caesar I beleeve that thou thinkest all that is said of bell to be false and fabulous Men live alas as if they should ne'r die Or as if hell were a meer foppery And this is