and fourth Article of the Epistle is handled concerning the avoiding of going to Law before the judgement seat of Infidels to vers 12 and of shunning Fornication to the end Vers. 1. Dare any of you having a matter against another go to Law before the unjust and not before the Saints By eleven Arguments hee proveth that Christians ought not to contend before Heathen Judges Argum. 1. It is a shameful thing when there are holy Judges to go to Law under Infidel Judges Therefore wee must not contend before Infidel Judges Vers. 2. Do you not know that the Saints shall judge the world and if the world shall bee judged by you are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters Argum. 2. The Saints which shall judge the World are much more worthy of judging matters pertaining to this world Therefore wee must not contend under Infidels Vers. 3. Know yee not that wee shall judge Angels how much more things that pertain to this life Argum. 3. The Saints shall judge Angels viz. Evil Angels in the day of judgement therefore they are much more fit to judge of temporal things Therefore wee must not contend under Heathen Judges The Saints are said to judge Angels and the world Because they being now acquitted in judgement as assessors in judgement with Christ shall consent to the sentence of the Judge against the enemies of God and the Church Vers. 4. If then yee have judgements of things pertaining to this life set them to judge who are least esteemed in the Church Argum. 4. Those that are of least esteem in the Church are rather to bee appointed Judges than that wee should betake ourselves to Infidels Therefore c. Vers. 5. I speak to your shame is it so that there is not a wise man amongst you no not one that shall bee able to judge between his Brethren Hee corrects himself in this Argument by shewing that hee would have appointed Judges not simply those that are least esteemed in the Church but this hee would have done by a comparative concession from what they practised that hee might with shame restrain them Is it so Argum. 5. You have amongst you those that are wise men and yet you betake your selves to prophane judicatories as if there were not wise men amongst you which might decide controversies Therefore it behoves you not thus to behave your selves Vers. 6. But Brother goeth to Law with Brother and that before the unbeleevers Argum. 6. Seeing that you are Brethren yee ought not to contend one with another in going to Law Therefore much less under Heathens Vers. 7. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you because you go to Law one with another why do yo not rather take wrong why do you not rather suffer your selves to bee defrauded Argum. 7. Strivings and contentions discover your weakness infirmities and sin Therefore you must not contend especially before Infidels Wherefore Argum. 8. Iâ— would bee better to suffer injury and wrong than with scandal to contend Therefore wee ought not to contend especialy under Infidels Vers. 8. Nay you do wrong and defraud and that your Brethren Argum. 9. Those that are active in contending amongst you joyn it with injury and defrauding of your Brethren inasmuch as the actors are full of revenge pride and covetousness Therefore your contending is unjust and especially under Infidels Vers. 9. Know yee not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God bee not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind 10. Nor Theeves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God Argum. 10. These unjust contendings as well as other kinds of wickedness and abominable impurity which are here reckoned up keep men out of the Kingdome of Heaven Therefore you ought not to contend c. Vers. 11. And such were some of you but yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are justified in the Name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God Argum. 11. And last Seeing you Corinthians have been defiled with all or most or at least with some of these fore-said vices and now so far as in charity wee may judge of you yee have obtained remission of sins and are sanctified through the Spirit and cloathed with the Righteousness of Christ you ought to beware receiving power from the Grace of Christ leâ—t you fall again into the same filthiness either by stirring up contentions with others or defiling your selves any other way Vers. 12. All things are lawful unto mee but all things are not expedient all things are lawful for mee but I will not bee brought under the power of any The other part of the Chapter containing the fourth Article of the Epistle followes concerning the avoiding simple Fornication as it is called which the Corinthians accounted a thing indifferent as other Gentiles did Hee proceeds to reproof by preventing their Apology which they were ready to make The Corinthians might say All indifferent things are lawful for us but as meat so also Fornication is indifferent Therefore it is lawful for us First Hee answers in general by limiting of the Major viz that all indifferent things are lawful so far as they are convenienâ— and lawful so that wee bee not brought into bondage to our affections by the intemperate use of our liberty for in those and the like cases hee sins in the use of indifferent things Vers. 13. Meats for the belly and the belly for meats but God shall destroy both it and them Now the body is not for fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the body Further hee answers in special to the minor shewing the difference betwixt meats and fornication granting that it is lawful to use any kind of meat because God hath ordained to the good of nature meats for the belly and the belly for meats but yet with a temporary conjunction for as God will destroy meats so hee will destroy the belly as to the use it now hath so that for the sake of the belly wee ought not to endanger our eternal Salvation or the Salvation of others eating with offence As to that which concerns fornication hee denies it lawful upon any necessity as meat is lawful but simply to be a sin and to be avoided and that he proves by six Arguments Argum. 1. Because the body is not made for fornication or ordained to that end as the belly for meats and meats for the belly but that it should bee a member of Christ our Lord who is ordained to bee the head of the man to govern the whole body that it may bee kept holy Therefore Fornication is no way lawful Vers. 14. And God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power Argum. 2. Our bodies shall bee raised glorious in the Resurrection as the Body of Christ was raised Therefore they ought not to bee
Christs comming which will approach before the Antichristian Apostacy from the true Faith of Christ should appear and bee discovered to the world Chap. 2. Lastly Hee exhorts them to Christian duties and namely to Diligence in every ones vocation Chap. 3. CHAP. I. Ver. 1. PAul and Sylvanus and Timotheus unto the Church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Iesus Christ 2. Grace unto you and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Iesus Christ. In the direction of the Epistle the same persons salute the Thessalonians which did in the former Here is nothing said as touching the authority of the Apostle neither in the former Epistle because they were all confirmed sufficiently in this Church concerning Pauls Apostleship onely mentioning their communion with the onely true God and his Son Jesus Christ hee distinguishes this Church both from the assemblies of the Heathens and unbeleeving Jews by wishing them both Grace and Peace hee certifies them of all things which make to eternal salvation and righteousness which are to bee communicated to them from God through Christ. Vers. 3. Wee are bound to thank God alwaies for you Brethren as it is meet because that your Faith groweth exceedingly and the charity of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth In the remaining part of the Chapter by giving God thanks for them hee also confirms their Faith and administers to them comfort against all the rage of persecutors wherewith they were vexed The Arguments of comfort and confirmation of their Faith are eight All which do prove that they ought to bee strengthened in Faith and bee comforted in their persecutions Argum. 1. The condition of your Church if I may judge is most happy in the sight of God wherein all yee none excepted as far as can bee known embrace the Lord Jesus with a sincere Faith and one another with a sincere love and proceed in both virtues daily abounding more and more in both virtues Therefore whatsoever your condition is in the sight of the world yee ought to bee comforted and strengthened in Faith Vers. 4. So that wee our selves glory in you in the Churches of God for your patience and Faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that yee endure Argum. 2. The constancy of your Faith and Patience in the midst of persecutions and afflictions which you suffer is so much that I am compelled to praise you before other Churches and to set you out for an example to others Therefore yee ought to bee comforted and strengthened in Faith Vers. 5. Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God that yee may bee counted worthy of the Kingdome of God for which yee also suffer Argum. 3. Your afflictions which yee suffer by those impious persecutors are a manifest token that there will at length bee a general judgement wherein it shall go ill with the bad and well with the good when you shall be pronounced meet through the divine favour to injoy the Kingdome of God because yee suffer many evils for promoting of it Vers. 6. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you 7. And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall bee revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels 8. In flaming fire taking vengeance of them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ 9. Who shall bee punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Argum. 4. Explaining the former God in his justice will punish in the day of judgement your persecutors and will set you at liberty from all evil Therefore yee ought to bee comforted and strengthened in Faith With us Argum. 5. Yee shall at length obtain together with us and with others the Martyrs of Christ as your fellow-souldiers rest from all evil and misery Therefore yee ought together with us to bee comforted and strengthened in Faith In the Revelation Argum. 6. From those circumstances of the last judgement which makes the revenge terrible that shall bee taken upon them The Lord Jesus 1 shall bee made manifest and visibly come from Heaven a Judge and avenger of injuries 2 The mighty Angels shall accompany him who shall execute the sentence of the Judge vers 7. 3 Hee shall kindle a flaming fire wherein this whole world shall burn 4 Hee shall bee revenged of all those that are found destitute of saving knowledge which is joyned with Faith and Obedience and that have not obeyed the Gospel vers 8. 5 Then the wicked shall bee punished with everlasting destruction 6 This punishment shall bee inflicted by an angry Judge who shall eternally cast them out from his presence From his presence 7 The Lord shall manifest to all how glorious his power is by punishing them mightily Therefore yee ought to bee comforted and confirmed in Faith Vers. 10. When hee shall come to bee glorified in his Saints and to bee admired in all them that beleeve because our testimony among you was beleeved in that day Argum. 7. Of consolation from those circumstances of the last judgement which make the glorious and joyful redemption of the godly For 1 In the same day wherein Christ will destroy his adversaries hee will set at liberty his faithful ones and especially you 2 Hee will communicate his glory to the Saints and will manifest his glory for their glorification 3 His glory shall surpass all our hope and apprehension for Christ shall bee admired in the greatness of his glory communicated 4 Hee will shew his glory in all that beleeve so that there shall bee no beleever wherein Christ shall not bee admired by the way hee gives the reason of this consolation applied to them Because the Thessalonians had beleeved the Testimony of the Apostle preaching the Gospel Therefore hee dare confidently apply the afore-said consolation to them which indeed they shall finde in that day Therefore c. Vers. 11. Wherefore also wee pray alwaies for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of Faith with power Argum. 8. Of comforting and confirming them in Faith Yee have our continual prayers that yeee may happily attain your end Therefore yee ought to bee comforted in your afflictions and strengthened in Faith There are four Articles of his prayer Artic. 1. I pray that God who is ours by a free Covenant would vouchsafe to make you meet for the vocation or glory whereunto you are called This Article ascribes as well the glory unto which wee are called to the grace or favour of God as well as all the preparation which leads us to it And fulfil Artic. 2. I pray that God would fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness according to his free bounty towards you In which Article hee shews that not onely salvation but all means to
Father of Lights To help such as either could not or else would not profit themselves by that which is already granted in his Bounty by some short and plain manner of writing whereby the weaker judgements might be supported and all Excuse taken away from the witty Sluggard and such whose worldly Employments and great Affairs have seemed sufficient Reasons to excuse their negligence and the small and naughty matters of their own Salvation and the Kingdome of Heaven and Evidences thereof in Scripture And to this purpose I have been very instant with the Godly-Learned of mine acquaintance to take this matter in hand and to divide amongst them the hard parts of Scripture at least that this work might be done by the hands of many which could not be done by one I found their approbation of my desire and inclinable willingness to put hand to work also But some of them for the weight of their ordinary Charge some of them for age and infirmity of body some of them for their hands full of the Lords work in another sort could not adveâ—ture to be straightly ingaged in the work Where-through I was forced either to forsake my Desires which daily were kindlâ— within mee more and more or else come forth with something of this kind as might be and seek amongst my Readers some to take this Matter to heart and to do therein as the Lord should enable them by themselves or by others I have made choice of this Epistle which is a piece of hard Meat in the estimation both of the Apostle the Writer thereof Chap. 5 and 6. and of Peter giving his judgement of it 2 Pet. 1.15 16. That if I should attain any part of mine intent in any measure in so hard a place I might encourage others to take in hand a more easie part of Scripture with more hope of success The Summe of each Chapter or the Contents do stand instead of Analysis and in some places of a Paraphrase The Text doth follow Verse by Verse The Exposition of the Verse serveth for grounds of Doctrines which Doctrines following upon the grounds are joyned most part with the Note of Collection THEN Plurality of Doctrines from the ground or from the Text where the consequence is easie to be perceived is distinguished by figures according to their numbers Terms of Art I have eschewed Because I would be plain to all I have spared all enlargement of the Doctrines which I could spare leaving them as grains of Seed to get their growth in thy mind by Meditation which is necessary for such as love to make use of this sort of writing because I would be short The special handling of such Passages as the Apostle citeth out of the Old Testament I have left to their own proper place Quotations for confirmation of my Doctrines drawn from the ground I have spared also Because I judged If the Doctrine was pertinently collected from the ground the Text in hand was sufficient confirmation And if it be not pertinently collected I am content that thou pass by it and take onely what is pertinent A Quotation could prove the Doctrine true but not prove it pertinent and so not serve my purpose Many more and more petinent Consequences the Learned will finde which I have not observed but not for the Learned or such as are able and willing to make use of larger Writings do I intend this present Therefore do not look how much thou doest miss which might have been said but what in the first frame of this mould could be done in such brevity Which mould I trust the Learned shall help if it please the Lord to stir them up to take this matter in hand I have pressed singly to point out Truth without Partiality not wresting the Text to reach a Blow to any man And what thou shalt make of this present Piece I am not careful if I can obtain thereby that more able Men may be set on work to do what I intend but cannot do If the precious Iewel of the Scripture may be more esteemed of and made use of which is more necessary for our Souls than the Sun in the Firmament is for our bodies and the greatest gift next after our Lord Jesus down-sending amongst us that ever the world saw If I may by this piece I say be an Instrument to stir up any to the love of searching the Scriptures I have not lost my pains whatsoever shall become of this Book Whereunto I have solicited for no Patronage under Heaven but thy Christian Good-will to my Aim to have our Lord the more honoured in the sound Knowledge and right use of His Scripture I am confident that thou wilt easily judge with mee That the proud and prophane Despisers of God are worthy to perish amongst his Enemies but consider and judge again If prophane Despisers of holy Scripture who disdain to read or obey what God commandeth therein be not to be ranked in the same Roll. For God draweth so nigh unto us in his Word speaking unto us as a King unto his Subjects or a Master unto his Servants that the obedience or disobedience which wee give to His Speeches resolveth directly and immediately upon God himself For what is it else to hear and beleeve and obey God but to hear and beleeve and obey His speeches And what is it not to take notice of God to despise and disobey God but not to take notice of his Speeches not to read his Writings and not to care for any thing that Hee commandeth promiseth or threatneth Therefore hath the Lord written the great things of his Law unto us even to be a Touch-stone not onely to try all mens Doctrine thereby but also to try all mens disposition towards Himself and how they stand affected to His Honour whether as Foes or as Friends For What readier way is there to get evidence of a man destitute of the Knowledge Faith Love Fear and the rest of the parts of the Image of God than to finde him destitute of the Knowledge and Love of the Scripture What surer sign of a man who for the present is enemy to God and to the enlargement of His Gracious Kingdome than to finde him traducing the perfect Law of the Lord and marring to his power the free course of the Scriptures light which is the Stepter of Christs Kingdome Again What surer sign of a Child of Promise begotten of God than to see him with David Psal. 119. making more of the Scriptures than of a Kingdome and pouring out all his Affections upon it as upon the nearest Mean whereby Gods Spirit may be conveyed into his soul for perfecting of Holiness and the readiest Chariot to carry up his Spirit to dwell in God for perfecting of his happiness Wee shall finde also answerable to Gods purpose of trying men by His Scripture His Wisdome giving a due meeting unto men as they do make use of His Scripture Do they not read it
may bee illuminated to see and understand things revealed 3. That all men may know they are to be made partakers of salvation onely by the faith of Jesus Christ without Circumcision and the works of the Law 4. That all men may evidently see the excellency of Christ not only as Redeemer but also as the Creator by whom as the Church is redeemed so the world and all things therein are created Therefore c. Vers. 10. To the intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in heavenly places might bee known by the Church the manifold wisdome of God Argum. 10. The use of my Ministry is glorious because by it the manifold wisdome of God in declaring his counsel touching the gathering of a Church out of the circumcised and uncrcumcised is more clearly laid open then ever before even to the holy Angels in heaven much more to men on earth Therefore c. For the Angels know nothing of the mystery of mans salvation but by the revelation of it to the Church Vers. 11. According to the eternal purpose which hee purposed in Christ Iesus our Lord Argum. 11. And all this is not come to pass by chance but according to the eternal purpose of God which as at first hee determined and established in Christ so at length hee hath compleated and perfected it in him Therefore c. Vers. 12. In whom wee have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him Argum. 12. The fruit of this Ministry is glorious because by the preaching of the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles beleeving on Christ there is equally afforded liberty in Christ of going to God in confidence and of freely pleading with him for all our necessities as with a most loving Father Therefore my Ministry ought to bee accepted with you Vers. 13. Wherefore I desire that you faint not at my tribulations for you which is your glory From all these fore-going things as from one antecedent the Apostle infers this consequent conclusion That they should not bee offended in his bonds or captivity that is they should not faint nor become weary or slothfull in the cause of faith for his afflictions but rather constantly persevere and make proficiency therein To which Exhortation hee adjoyns two Reasons 1. Because hee suffered these afflictions for them that is for vouching their priviledges in Christ and for the confirmation of their faith 2. Because his afflictions were a glory to the Ephesians for from hence 〈◊〉 did appear how much God esteemed them in that hee had sent Apostles to them who should not onely teach them the way of salvation but also undergo afflictions for to witness the truth they preached and for the confirmation of their faith The Second Part. Vers. 14. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. The second part of this Chapter contains the Apostles prayer for the Ephesians perseâ—â—rance and progress in the faith of the Gospel Which prayer doth and that not obscurely include an exhortation to perseverance and constancy in faith there being twelve Arguments couched in it tending to that purpose every one whereof proving that they ought stedfastly to continue in the faith For this cause Argum. 1. To this end I pray every day upon my bended knees that yee may continue in the faith without offence Therefore you should cheerfully proceed therein Unto the Father Argum. 2. The God which gives us this grace is propitious and easie to bee intreated hee is the Father of our Lord and the Father of all us that are the servants of Jesus Christ and hee will not refuse to bestow perseverance on us if we pray for it Therefore you should proceed upon the account of this hope Vers. 15. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named Argum. 3. Our God the giver of perseverance is the Master of the houshold of the Catholick Church adopted in Christ who equally favours beleeving Gentiles and Jews and imbraces you his houshold servants who are militant in earth with the same Fatherly affection as hee doth the triumphant in heaven and will have you as well as they named his Sons not being ashamed to receive your weakness and unworthiness into his imbraces Therefore you should couragiously proceed in the faith Vers. 16. That hee would grant you according to the riches of his glory to bee strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man According to the riches Argum. 4. The mercy of God is rich and glorious and rejoyceth to advance its glorious greatness in plentifully bestowing the grace of continuance in faith to those that ask it Therefore you should boldly seek grace and hold on in faith Strengthened Argum. 5. Though you are weak and unable to resist the difficulties in the way yet there is sufficient strength to bee communicated to you from your Father who is most willing of and inclinable to your confirmation wee do not then in vain pray to God for this grace Therefore c. In the inner The Apostle intimates by the wayâ— that there is not so much as in the inner man and inmost faculties of the new-begotten soul any strength of free-will any merit of good work or any efficacy and power which will bee sufficient for our perseverance but that they have need of the Holy Ghost who must give them both to will and to do who must furnish them with strength and power to persevere and of his rich grace passing by their sins must constantly maintain and put forward his own work in them Vers. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that yee being rooted and grounded in love Argum. 6. Though you are weak and the Devil who fights against you bee powerful yet Christ is more powerful dwelling in you by faith fashioning you to his own Image confirming you and ruling you to the obedience of his own will and our desires and prayers to God shall not bee wanting that hee may constantly and more fully dwell in you Therefore Vers. 18. May bee able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height Argum. 7. The love of God towards you is immutable being firmly laid as a living root and sure foundation of the perfecting of your faith whence therefore you may derive both stability to increase being perswaded of this love yee may bee able to persevere most stedfastly in the faith and I will pray that this perswasion may bee given you Therefore press forward The breadth Argum. 8. The grace of God offered in the Gospel to bee comprehended by you in its immense length reaches from eternity to eternity in its breadth it extends it self to all ages and orders of men in its depth it descends to the abyss of sin and misery that it may hale men out And lastly in its height it rayseth it self to the highest happiness in heaven yea this offered grace doth already comprehend you whereof I wish
do The Second Part. Vers. 12. Not as though I had already attaianed either were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Iesus The second part of the Chapter follows wherein the Apostle exhorts them that imitating himself and other faithful Ministers they would make proficiency in holiness to which end hee useth seven Arguments And in this place hee proposeth himself for an example to them by removing an objection Some one might say O blessed Paul who hath renounced all things that hee might know Christ and gain him and who is now made so conformable to Christ that there is nothing wanting to him but the reward of immortality Hee answers that this is not the meaning of his words as if hee should have said I do not speak this as if I had attained the perfection of Holiness or were already perfected but I follow after the prize of perfection Whence Argum. 1. I am not absolute or compleat in happiness but I follow after perfection Therefore yee that are likewise imperfect should do the same thing that I do That I may apprehend Argum. 2. I am apprehended by Christ in effectual vocation to this very end that being converted I may profit in Faith and Holiness until I bee compleated and to this end I follow after this mark that I may apprehend it Therefore you also should do as I do Vers. 13. Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before 14. I press toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus 15. Let us therefore as many as bee perfect bee thus minded and if in any thing yee bee otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you Argum. 3. Out of a sense of my imperfection in holiness I do not regard or call to mind the progress which I have already made but with as much eagerness as I can I run the race which is set before mee that I may at length attain the prize in the end of this life and the reward of life eternal to which God from above hath called mee in Christ All yee therefore even who are full grown and who have hitherto made or think that yee have made the greatest proficiencies whether with others or your selves do yee think and indeavour the same thing that I do that is having forsaken all carnal confidence glorying in Christs Righteousness alone by virtue of him seek after proficiency in holiness that yee may at length come unto the blessed resurrection And if in any Argum. 4. If yee being seduced by false Apostles think otherwise of Christian perfection I hope God who converted you unto the Faith of the Gospel will also reveal this truth unto you and either will cause that yee may bee of my opinion touching the Righteousness of Christ and his virtue for your encrease in Holiness or else will manifest unto you how dangerous and evil it is for you to take up another opinion different from my Doctrine Therefore you c. Vers 16. Nevertheless whereto wee have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let us mind the same thing Hee limits his hope touching the saving revelation of the truth whereupon hee speaks unto those that are desirous of truth and peace inciting them by a special exhortation to constancy and agreement in that truth wherein they did already agree touching grace and salvation by Christ according to the Rule of Scripture not daring to hope well of any but such as followed that Rule as if hee had said Let us who are lovers of Truth and Peace and who embrace the Scripture as the onely rule of saving Truth persevere in that which by Gods goodness wee have attained unto and walking according to this Rule let us bee of the same mind but let us leave the rest to God and his Discipline which is set down in Scripture Vers. 17. Brethren bee yee followers together of mee and mark them which walk so as yee have us for an ensample Argum. 5. Besides mee you have other servants of God which tread the same way that I do in the matter of doctrine and conversation who teach nothing but Faith in Christ and holiness to bee obtained by him Therefore follow yee those examples Vers. 18. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ Argum. 6. There are many Teachers false Apostles and false Brethren who are enemies to the Cross of Christ that is who teach that sins may bee expiated and men saved otherwise than by the Cross of Christ alone and who will not profess the truth of Christ where there is any danger of the Cross or of persecution Therefore do yee the more diligently observe and imitate the manner of my doctrine and life and of other such Pastors like mee Told you often Hee confirms this Argument touching their shunning of Impostors who did draw men from the Righteousness and Holiness which is by the Cross of Christ with seven Reasons Reas. 1. Because this is not the first time But I have often formerly fore-warned you of the comming of these vile fellows Weeping Reas. 2. Because now weeping I advise you to beware of them seriously grieving that such men have crept into the Church and are received by some for true Teachers Enemies Reas. 3. Because they are Christs enemies in this very thing that they are enemies to the virtue of Christs sufferings and who will not bear the Cross of Christ for the defence of the Truth Vers. 19. Whose end is destruction whose God is their belly and whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things Whose end Reas. 4. Because those Impostors shall perish and as many as follow their waies Therefore shun them Belly Reas. 5. Because they are servants and lovers of their own belly that is they care neither for God nor the salvation of men but onely their own gluttony and pleasures Glory Reas. 6. Because that glory which they seek among men by their riches prosperity and carnal prerogatives shall bee their disgrace Earthly things Reas. 7. Because they onely savour earthly things as riches honours friends gluttony pleasures and such like Therefore yee that desire a spiritual and heavenly life must shun them Vers. 20. For our conversation is in Heaven from whence also wee look for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ Argum. 7. Our condition is very heavenly who trusting onely in the grace and virtue of Christ strive for proficiency in holiness Wee are true Inhabitants of Heaven and therein wee are conversant in mind and affection where wee shall sometime bee glorified Therefore follow our example But the happiness of true Beleevers is declared in these four things 1 That wee have right unto the heavenly
shew of good works and they that affect Justification thereby fondly desire to bee justified as it were by works or a shew of good works The third cause because they knew not Christ by reason of his humility and the infirmity of his flesh in whom they should believe that they might bee justified but despised him and to their own destruction set themselves against him stumbling at him as at a stumbling stone Vers. 33. As it is written Behold I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offence and whosoever believeth on him shall not bee ashamed Both parts of this experience hee confirms from the Prophets prediction Isai. 8.14 and 28.16 after this manner Behold I will lay saith God Christ in the Church whose beginning is out of Zion a tryed stone a rock of offence as the incredulous Jews have experienced and whoever believeth in him in the expectation of him that is in his righteousness and life eternal hee shall not bee frustrated as the believing Jews have found by experience And thus the Apostle hath firmly proved that wee are justified by Faith CHAP. X. HEE further prosecutes the argument of the Jewes temporal rejection shewing this to bee the cause in that the Jews foolishly and stubbornly rejected the righteousness of God in Christ. There are two parts of the Chapter In the first hee shews the folly of the Jews to ver 14. In the other their stubbornness to the end of the Chapter Vers. 1. Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might bee saved The Apostle being about to shew the just causes of the Jews rejection hee prefaces as before from his good affection lest any thing should bee thought to bee spoken by him out of hatred Vers. 2. For I hear them Record that they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge Hee shews their preposterous zeal for God to bee the cause of his affection which zeal was worthy of humane commiseration though it was not to bee commended because it did not arise out of knowledge but ignorance therefore it was blind zeal the zeal of fools Vers. 3. For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God Hee proves the folly of the Romans by six Arguments The first Argument Out of ignorance of the righteousness of God imputed to us by Faith in Christ they affected the inherent righteousness of their own works and proudly rejected the righteousness of Christ offered to them Therefore they betrayed their folly Vers. 4. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth The second Argum. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to him that believes i. e. the whole Law is therefore given that men acknowledging their sins manifested by the Law might flee unto Christ and might obtain righteousness by Faith Therefore the Jews did foolishly who making a shew of the Law did not acknowledge Christ which is the end of the Law Vers. 5. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law that the man which doth those things shall live by them Argum. 3. The righteousness of the Law or Works as Moses testifies confers life upon none but those that perform all things that are commanded in the Law which is impossible Therefore the Jews foolishly affected such a kind of righteousness Vers. 6. But the righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ down from above 7. Or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring Christ up again from the dead Argum. 4. The righteousness of Faith as the same Moses witnesseth forbids those that believe in God from being troubled for those things which are so difficult or impossible as to ascend into heaven or to descend into the deep Because seeing Christ hath already overcome those difficulties descending from heaven and rising from the dead to bee any further troubled how to attain righteousness life eternal and freedome from death is no less than to destroy the foundations of the Christian Religion and to enquire how it was possible to descend from heaven or rise again from the dead Therefore the Jews betray their folly who renounce this righteousness of Faith Vers. 8. But what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of Faith which wee preach Argum. 5. The righteousness of Faith as it gives security to those that believe touching the difficulties in the way of salvation so also it holds forth an easie way to righteousness and salvation For the Word of God or the Word of the Gospel the same which the Apostles preached is neer us that receiving it into our hearts wee may acquiesce in it and confess the truth of it with the mouth As if hee should say to us Bee not troubled cast your care upon God and believe him that speaks in the Gospel and shew forth your Faith by your works Therefore the Jews rejecting this easie way of righteousness propounded are very foolish Vers. 9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt bee saved Argum. 6. Opening and confirming the former The sum of the Gospel is propounded under this most sweet condition viz. If thou applyest with sincere affection to thy self the redemption procured by Christ and manifested in his Resurrection by the power of God and studiest to glorifie Christ with a sincere confession without doubt thou shalt obtain salvation Therefore the Jews refusing this condition of Justification and Salvation betray their folly Vers. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation This hee confirms with five reasons The first Reason is From the connection of Faith in the heart and confession in the mouth according to the order appointed by God which is that by Faith from the heart in Christ Jesus wee might obtain righteousness or Justification and that justified by Faith wee might proceed to the possession of Salvation glorifying Christ by confession of the mouth or outward works Therefore they ought to bee joyned Faith in Christ from the heart and confession of Christ in the mouth or inward Faith and outward works ought to bee joyned together Vers. 11. For the Scripture saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not bee ashamed Reason 2. Confirming the connection of true Faith and Salvation from the testimony of Isai. 28.16 which shews that they shall not bee frustrated in their hope or their expected salvation whoever believe in Christ Therefore the connection of Faith and Salvation is firm Vers. 12. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon
manner The first comparison is in the opposite state of a natural and a spiritual body The first Adam was made a living soul not giving life which had a life indeed but supported as other creatures are with meat and drink c. And not such as could continue life to the body without nourishment But Christ the last Adam is made a quickning Spirit who could communicate virtue to those that were his by his Spirit that without nourishments of the body the most blessed union of body and soul may bee preserved Vers. 46. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual but that which is natural and afterward that which is spiritual The second comparison in respect to Order The first Adam had the precedency in the natural state of the body The second Adam was latter in the spiritual state of the body for the imperfect state ought to precede so God is wont to proceed to the highest perfection Hee saith not simply that Adam was before Christ but that the Natural state of the first Adam is first in time in Adam in Christ and in us And our Spiritual state which is from Christ is latter Vers. 47. The first man is of the earth earthy the second man is the Lord from Heaven The third comparison in the order and dignity of the person The first-Man meer man is of the earth earthy whose body rose out of the earth and is resolved again into earth upon the substraction of food whereupon hee could communicate unto us nothing but a terrene life But the second Adam is both man and God from Heaven who although hee hath a body from the earth yet because hee is God from Heaven and therefore is called heavenly as hee could support his body that it should not see corruption though in its own nature terrene and resoluble into dust and as it being raised out of the grave hee could make it every way glorious immortal and heavenly not needing earthly supports So in like manner can hee make our bodies such Vers. 48. As is the earthy such are they that are earthy and as is the heavenly such are they also that are heavenly From these hee proves the future mutation of the qualities of the body from earthly to heavenly from natural to spiritual by four Arguments Argum. 1. Such as was the earthly Adam the head of our stock after the fleshly propagation such it became us to bee born viz. mortal Therefore as the heavenly Adam our head in respect to regeneration and glorification is after his resurrection viz. Spiritual glorious incorruptible immortal such shall wee bee that are born again of him after our resurrection Vers. 49. And as wee have born the image of the earthy wee shall also bear the image of the heavenly Argum. 2. From its future certainty As sure as wee bear the image of the first Adam in the qualities of our substance being made conform to him in soul and body so sure shall wee bear the image of the second Adam in the glorious qualities of our substance Vers. 50. Now this I say Brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God Neither doth corruption inherit incorruption Argum. 3. The promises of glorifying our bodies or of bringing us into the glorious Kingdome of God ought to bee fulfilled But flesh and blood i. e. our bodies as now they are corruptible cannot enter into the Kingdome of God unless they bee fitted for that glorious state Therefore our bodies shall bee made meet by the mutation of their qualities to enter into the Kingdome of Glory Corruption By way of confirmation to this reason hee adds Argum. 4. Corruption cannot inherit incorruption Therefore necessary it is that our bodies bee changed in their qualities from corruptibility to incorruptibility Vers. 51. Behold I shew you a mystery wee shall not all sleep but wee shall all bee changed Objection 3. What shall become of those that are alive at the comming of our Lord How shall they arise which shall not dye but bee found alive by the Judge at his comming Hee answers by opening the mystery viz. that all shall not die nor rise again but they shall bee taken that remain alive at the comming of our Lord and changed into an eternal state of immortality either in glory or torments which change shall bee in stead of death and a resurrection Vers. 52. In a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the last Trumpet for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall bee raised incorruptible and wee shall be changed Hee shews the manner of this change that it shall bee in the twinckling of an eye i. e. in a moment all that are alive and dead shall be summoned by a fearful alarum to the judgement of God Vers. 53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality Hee gives two Reasons of this change First Mortality must bee swallowed up of immortality and this mortal body must put on immortality Therefore they shall bee changed that are found alive at the comming of our Lord. Vers. 54. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall bee brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up of victory 55. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Reason 2. The Prophecie of Hosea ought to bee fulfilled chap. 13. v. 14. who fore-told our full victory over death and the grave Therefore they that are alive shall bee changed at the comming of the Lord which shall bee in stead of death Vers. 56. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law That this victory may appear the greater hee intimates the victory wee shall have over sin and the Law without which the grave cannot prevail any thing over us for unless satisfaction bee given to the Law sin wrath and death remain in full power But after satisfaction is made to the Law for us sin and wrath are taken away wherewith death is armed as with a sting which being disarmed is abolished and triumphed over Vers. 57. But thanks bee to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. Hee shews a twofold use of this victory The first is that thanks may bee given to God who hath given us through Christ victory over death sin and the Law yea verily hee hath imputed the victory of Christ to us and hath made it ours for hee hath died for us and by his resurrection hath obtained for us victory over death that hee might make us conquerours Vers. 58. Therefore my beloved Brethren bee yee stedfast unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Another use of this doctrine is this That under hope of the free gift at the day of resurrection wee would persevere constantly in the Faith of the Gospel
together with Christ by grace yee are saved Argum. 3. In the instant of our Redemption by Christ and Regeneration by the Spirit of Christ wee as dead in sins were quickned together with Christ that is in Christ and by Christ Therefore wee are saved by grace For it is of grace that in the Covenant made between God and the Mediator wee who were dead in sins were given to the Son the appointed Redeemer that by him we might be restored to life It is of grace that in the payment of the agreed-upon price of our Redemption life in Christ who was raised from the dead should be adjudged to bee given to us It is of Grace that in the application of Redemption and in the moment of Regeneration life should bee communicated to us in and from Christ that together with other Saints wee should bee grafted into Christ enjoy the common spiritual life with them and thrive and waxe stronger in him For which reasons our life ever depends on the life of Christ and coupled with it in an indissoluble knot Vers. 6. And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Iesus Argum. 4. God in Christ who was raised up hath raised us up also and in Christ who is placed in the heavens hath placed us together with him Therefore hee hath saved us of his grace For as whatever Christ either did or suffered in our name and place is reckoned ours in Gods account so what ever Christ received in our name and place is reckoned ours also Therefore in the Resurrection of Christ by the Covenant of Redemption the Redeemed did also rise with him judicially or in a judicial way In Christs ascension into heaven the Redeemed judicially ascend with him In Christs sitting or glorious possession of eternal life the Redeemed in a judicial way do sit and are placed with him This right is obtained for beleevers by Christ before faith bee actually given but in conversion this right before obtained by faith by a special act is applied to us that as Christ ascending might say from the Covenant made between God and the Mediator or from the Covenant of Redemption I ascend in the name of the Redeemed for whom I have gotten this right that they may bee reckoned to ascend in mee so those that flye to and beleeve in Christ may say now I have gotten right from the Covenant of salvation made by the Mediator between Christ and the Church that I may reckon the Resurrection of Christ rightfully mine I may reckon the ascension of Christ rightfully mine and so in the rest What abundance of grace is here Vers. 7. That in the ages to come hee might shew the exceeding riches of his Grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Iesus Argum. 5. The end for which wee lost sinners both Jews and Gentiles even after wee have so wickedly led our lives should have salvation bestowed upon us in Christ is that those which shall live in after-ages may see and acknowledge the superabounding grace of God and that by our example they may learn to come unto God who is the fountain of salvation in Christ that they also might in like manner though most unworthy obtain Grace Therefore you are saved onely by Grace Vers. 8. For by Grace are yee saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Hee repeats the proposition to bee proved in the very terms and adds Arg. 6. Yee are saved by faith and therefore by Grace for faith disclaimes our merits and relies only upon the free and gracious promise of God and that God hath appointed faith to bee an instrument of our salvation the nature whereof requires that forsaking our own works and strength our own wisdome and honour wee should go out of our selves and seek salvation in God is also of Grace It is the gift Arg. 7. Neither our salvation nor our faith is from our selves or our own natural strength but like as salvation so is faith the free gift of God Therefore wee are saved by Grace For when the Spirit of God begins to work conversion in us it findes us dead in sins and unless wee are quickned by him wee cannot contribute any thing to our own regeneration or salvation nay wee are not able so much as to act faith on the promises of God unless faith and the act of this faith bee granted us from above Vers. 9. Not of works lest any man should boast Argum. 8. Wee are not saved by works Therefore by Grace for these do mutually take away one another Lest any one Argum. 9. If wee were saved by works and not by meer grace wee might have occasion and cause to boast but this is absurd Therefore c. as in Rom. 3. Vers. 10. For wee are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that wee should walk in them Argum. 10. So far as wee are regenerated so far as indued with spiritual life wee are grafted into Christ wee are the work of God and a new creature being anew created by the power of God alone before wee are able to do any good work Therefore wee are not saved by the merit of works but by meer Grace Created Argum. 11. In Christ wee are created to do good works and by the same grace by which wee are grafted into Christ wee are ordained unto the performance of good works Therefore wee are not saved by any vertue of our good works Hath before ordained Argum. 12. Those works which wee are to do after regeneration are prepared by God that wee should do and perform them to which end our understanding is prepared our will is prepared and formed and power is prepared to bee given us of God who works in us both to will and to do Therefore wee are not saved by works but by Grace alone Should walk Argum. 13. The end of these prepared good works is that being quickned and planted into Christ and new born and justified and having gotten a full right to obtain Righteousness and Salvation in Christ wee should walk in them as in the Royal way and rode to the possession of salvation already bought by Christ and granted to us in Christ Therefore c. Vers. 11. Wherefore remember that yee being in time passed Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision in the flesh made by the hands Argum. 14. Which contains an amplification of Grace towards the Ephesians in respect of their former condition in Gentilisme If you Ephesians bee considered in your special estate as yee were Gentiles your condition will appear so miserable and deplorable that you could not bee otherwise delivered from it than by Grace Therefore the very changing of your condition will evidently shew that your salvation is of Grace Hee sets forth this miserable state in these eight things 1 They were in the flesh living
that hee did in himself cease to bee what hee was but that hee laid aside the manifestation of his Glory and Majesty and so hid it under the form of a servant as if hee had had none or as if hee had so left it off that it could not bee perceived by the world nay nor by his servants that were eye-witnesses unless it were so much of it through the chinks of his Words and Works as was requisite for the dispensation of the Work of Redemption The degrees or parts of this voluntary humiliation or exinanition are five 1. That hee took or assumed the form of a servant or the true humane nature such as is found in the vilest servants or in men of the lowest rank and united the humane nature to himself by a personal union thus hee debased himself from Heaven to Earth 2 That in the humane Nature hee debased himself below the condition of free men to an external condition most reproachful among men which is servile for hee took upon him the form of a servant The likeness Hee shews the truth of his incarnation in that hee was made like to us as one of us in the essential parts of humane nature body and soul like in the natural properties of the humane nature and in all the affections like in the common infirmities which follow man-kind Lastly that hee is like to us in all things sin onely excepted Being found in fashion Hee confirms the truth of his incarnation that hee was found in fashion as a man for all that were conversant with him both good and bad by all waies whereby a man is known to bee a man observed and found that hee was true man and they did certainly know it from the true shape and substance of his humane body from the true actions of humane life and from the true properties of one truly man and from every fashion that any man is found in Hee humbled himself 3 That being now made man though hee was not obliged but by his voluntary Covenant because hee was not meerly man though truly man but God in the flesh whose flesh was the flesh of God and therefore being Lord of the Law hee was not subject to it to stay in the earth or to undergo the yoak of the Law imposed upon those that are meerly men yet hee humbled himself or by his voluntary disposition and order hee made himself in the state of humiliation less than his Father for in respect of the Divine Nature which is the same in both Father and Son hee could not bee less and took upon him the yoak of the Law appointed for meer men and not onely so but hee also absolutely submitted himself to perform all things which the Father should command for the perfecting the redemption of men Became obedient unto 4 That hee did all his life-time patiently bear the yoak hee took upon him fulfilling his Fathers commands in all things even unto death or the laying down his humane life for his sheep according to his Fathers command Of the Cross 5 That hee was obedient to the violent cursed most dishonourable death of the Cross. Vers. 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name 10. That at the name of Iesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth 11. And that every tongue should confess that Iesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father Here in these three verses wee have Christs reward according to his humane Nature for his being humbled for us which is by his exaltation and that for us too Whence wee may gather Argument 8. to this purpose As Christ after hee had humbled himself to reconcile men unto God and to procure the confirmation of peace betwixt the parties was exalted by God and crowned with glory so you may expect exaltation if you humble your selves that yee may maintain the Churches concord Therefore if yee will keep the true way to glory you must imitate Christ and humble your selves for the preservation of unity Wherefore The meaning is this Because Christ of his own accord hath humbled himself for our sakes in our flesh being made obedient even unto death God hath for our sakes and in our flesh also advanced him to the highest honour For having raised Christ from the dead to a glorious and immortal life hee lifted him up to the highest Heaven and placed him at his own right hand in dignity and authority above all creatures hee hath according to his gracious will and the gracious dispensation of the business of our salvation given him a name above every name glorifying him with that glory which hee had from the beginning with the Father to wit by manifesting the glory of the deity which before was obscured and by making known the hypostatical union of the humane Nature commanding and causing that Christ crucified should bee preached rule bee adored bee called upon every where as true God and the onely begotten Son of God At the name The Apostle shews how the efficacy and effect of this exaltation of Christ doth follow viz. That every creature shall at length bee subject unto Christ so that unless it willingly submit it shall at last bee compelled to acknowledge his name or his power authority and dominion which is expressed by a Metonymy of bending the knee As to heavenly things there is no doubt but Angels and the spirits of just men shall bow the knee that is submit to him for spirits properly have no knees As to earthly things all men shall at last if not willingly at least unwillingly and compelled confess Christ crucified to bee the Judge the Lord and the Son of God And lastly for things under the earth by which name are understood the Devils and the spirits of the damned who are in prison All those unclean spirits shall appear before his tribunal whether they will or no and shall yeeld to the sentence of the Judge with acknowledgement of his dominion and Majesty And thus all his enemies whoever they bee that now oppose him shall bow the knee unto him And every tongue Lastly lest all acknowledgement of the name and power of Christ should wholly seem to bee deferred till the last judgement hee shews that it shall come to pass that every tongue or that of every Country and Nation Christ shall receive glory either in the voluntary confession and profession of the converted Gentiles that Christ is the Lord and that to the glory of the Father who will bee honoured in the glorifying of his onely begotten Son or seeing that many shall not bee converted it shall come to pass at last in the judgement of God that the dominion of Christ shall bee clearly and fully manifested when all creatures in Heaven in Earth and Hell shall acknowledge him to bee the Lord. Vers. 12. Wherefore my Beloved as yee have alwayes obeyed not
Paul as his Brother not onely for profession of Faith but also for the office of preaching the same Gospel Vers. 2. To the Saints and faithful Brethren in Christ which are at Coloss Grace bee unto you and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Iesus Christ Furthermore the persons saluted are described or the Members of the Colossian Church and are called 1 Brethren Because they are begot again by the same Father to the same hope of the inheritance 2 Holy Because they are consecrated to God and sanctified by the Holy Ghost 3 Faithful Because they were ingrafted into Christ by Faith Lastly By an Apostolical blessing Grace and Peace are applied to the Colossians Grace comprehends all the special effects of Gods favour which by way of Sanctification tend to happiness But Peace comprehends all the degrees of happiness even to perfection in Heaven God the Father and Jesus Christ is counted the Author and efficient cause of good things as hee is the Son and Mediatour hee is after the Father in effecting according to order of working Vers. 3. Wee give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ praying alwaies for you Vers. 4. Since wee heard of your Faith in Christ Iesus and of the love which you have to all the Saints The first way of his confirming the Faith of the Colossians is by giving thanks for their sincere conversion Of this kind there are seven Arguments all which do prove that the Colossians ought to bee strengthened in Faith Argum. 1. You gave mee much cause of thanksgiving and prayer to God after I heard of your conversion to the Faith Therefore even upon this account you ought to bee stedfast in the Faith And love Argum. 2. The sincerity of your Faith in Christ appeared openly in your love towards all the Saints the report whereof came to my hearing Therefore it is fit you should bee stablished in the Faith Vers. 5. For the hope which is laid up for you in Heaven whereof yee heard before in the word of the Truth of the Gospel Argum. 3. I know of a truth that the happiness yee hope for is laid up in Heaven for you and as it were conferred upon you I give thanks to God for that favour Therefore c. Yee heard Argum. 4. Confirming the former You have the unquestionable Word of God the Word of Gospel-Truth for the foundation of your Faith and Hope Therefore ought you to bee stedfast in the Faith Vers. 6. Which is come unto you as it is in all the world and bringeth forth fruit as it doth also in you since the day yee heard of it and knew the Grace of God in truth Argum. 5. The Word of the Gospel whereby yee are converted is the same Gospel which was dispersed abroad to the rest of the world and hath the same efficacy to make you fruitful from the day wherein by Faith yee imbraced the Grace of God which hee hath communicated to other Christian-Churches Therefore it is fitting you should bee established in the Faith Vers. 7. As yee also learned of Epaphras our dear Fellow-servant who is for you a faithful Minister of Christ Argum. 6. Your Pastor Epaphras taught you no other things than wee Apostles every where teach who therefore willingly acknowledge Epaphras our fellow-servant and a faithful Minister of Christ Therefore c. Vers. 8. Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit Argum. 7. You have given a special token of your sincere Faith viz. the demonstration of your Christian love towards mee whereof I have the testimony of Epaphras your Minister which as all the former affords mee Arguments of thanksgiving unto God and of the confirmation of your Faith towards God Vers. 9. For this cause wee also since the day wee heard it do not cease to pray for you and to desire that yee might bee filled with the knowledge of his Will in all wisdome and spiritual understanding The second way of confirming the Colossians Faith and of the Apostles love towards them is his earnest and constant prayer for them excited upon the report of their Faith in Christ and love towards the Saints there are six branches of his prayer 1 I pray that yee may obtain a large measure of knowledge of the Divine Will revealed in the Word of the Gospel concerning Christ and his benefits In all Wisdome 2 I pray that this knowledge may abound in you in wisdome and spiritual understanding i. e. in an holy contemplation of the mysteries of Faith and in a prudent application of knowledge received to practice in the exercise of every virtue Vers. 10. That yee might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God I pray 3 That you may walk or lead your lives worthy of the Lord or as it becomes those that are converted in the sight of God that in all things you may please him Every I pray 4 That you may bee fruitful not in one but in all kinds of good works May increase I pray 5 That you may grow up in experience and acknowledgement of the Divine Virtue through obedience of his Will endeavouring more and more to know love and cleave to him more and more Vers. 11. Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness I pray 6 That such a measure of heavenly strength may bee vouchsafed to you out of the rich treasury of his glorious power that you may bee able to endure any burden of afflictions or persecution with a good courage and that so long as it shall seem good to the pleasure of God not onely without disturbance of mind but with the greatest delight and rejoycing Therefore yee ought to bee established in the Faith unless you think the prayers which the Holy Ghost stirs up in my heart for you are in vain Vers. 12. Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light The third way of confirming their Faith is a thankful declaration of the certainty of our Redemption founded in the Grace of God and the excellency of Christs person The reasons of the thanksgiving are five Reas. 1. Because God the Father hath prepared us to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven This benefit is more especially seen in the following Reasons 1 The donor of the benefit is God the Father the Author and first Fountain of all good bearing a Fatherly affection towards us 2 When wee are said to bee made meet c. Our misery is presupposed and that wee are unfit by nature born wretched and polluted by sin and the sons of wrath 3 Although wee were unmeet yet the Grace of God hath made us meet by an efficacious vocation and regeneration of us 4 The felicity whereunto wee are called is an enduring inheritance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is given by
an one Christ is i. e. how excellent hee is in the offices of his Apostleship or of his Prophetical and Priestly office wherein hee humbled himself and suffered Argum. 1. From Psal. 8.5 to this purpose The man Christ is highly accounted of with God and other men are subjected because of him if the Majesty of God and the Magnificence of his works bee compared with the meanness of humane nature or if it bee considered how great God is and how eminent his other works and how mean and low man is Therefore the excellency of Christ as man ought not to bee lessened with us because of the infirmities and sufferings of the humane nature which hee took Vers. 7. Thou madest him a little lower than the Angels thou crownedst him with glory and honour and didst set him ruler over the works of thy hands Argum. 2. From Psal. 8.6 Although Christ in the time of his humiliation was made lower than the Angels in respect to his sufferings in the flesh yet that humiliation was not perpetual but for a short time and onely in part in respect to the humane nature that suffered Because the price of Redemption being paid hee was raised from the dead exalted to the right hand of God and crowned with glory and honour declared Lord and King over all the works of God Therefore wee ought not to detract from him because of his sufferings in the flesh Vers. 8. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet For in that hee put all in subjection under him hee left nothing that is not put under him But now wee see not yet all things put under him 9. But wee see Iesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that hee by the Grace of God should taste death for every man Argum. 3. From Psal. 8.7 Christ is the Lord of Angels even as hee is man For God hath put all the works of his hands without exception in subjection to him and so amongst the rest Angels Therefore c. But now Argum. 4. Propounded by way of Solution to an Objection Although yet wee see not all things subjected unto Christ in respect to his members which are daily opposed by very many enemies Yet wee see not with the eyes of Faith onely but even the light of reason by many tokens and are convinced by the multitude of miracles Christ after his humiliation below the condition of Angels now crowned with glory and honour in his own person in Heaven and sitting at the right hand of his Father till all his enemies bee made his foot-stool and thus wee see the victory of Christ begun Therefore wee must not detract any thing from the excellency of Christ because of his sufferings either in his own person or in his members A little Argum. 5. From the fore-telling of his humiliation Psal. 8.6 From the decree of God and to the fulfilling the Prophecies of Christ it behoved him to bee humbled and suffer death and to this end in a sort to bee made lower than the Angels that hee might suffer death Therefore c. Taste Argum. 6. Not unadvisedly or compelled by necessity did Christ suffer but freely or out of the gracious good will of God towards us hee tasted death for a short time not for himself but for all us his Sons that hee might bring us to salvation as it is expounded in the following verse Therefore his estimation is not to bee lessened because of his sufferings in his assumed flesh Vers. 10. For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many Sons unto Glory to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings Argum. 7. It was agreeable to the Glory of God who is the Author and End of all things seeing that his justice mercy wisdome power and the rest of his Attributes might bee manifested chiefly by the sufferings of Christ that hee might consecrate inaugurate consummate and every waies make him meet to bee Captain of our salvation the more conveniently by afflictions to bring many Sons his Elect to life and glory not by his Doctrine onely nor onely by the example of his life but also by the merit of his death undergone for the redeeming of them Therefore his excellency ought not to bee abated because of his sufferings in the flesh Vers. 11. For both hee that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one For which cause hee is not ashamed to call them Brethren Argum. 8. The Redeemer and the Redeemed Hee that sanctifies and they that are sanctified not onely by the decree of God and the predictions of Scripture but also from Justice it self are of one and the same Nature of the same Natural lump derived from the same Adam For the Justice and Wisdome of God required that in the humane Nature which had sinned sin should bee punished And therefore required that the Redeemer of men should bee truly man Therefore the reputation of Christ the Son of God because of his assuming the infirmities of humane Nature is not to bee diminished For which Argum. 9. Confirming the former The Messias would bee incarnate that wee might bee his Brethren and that hee might shew forth himself a Brother unto us And although hee is the Son of God yet hee is not ashamed to call the Redeemed or Elect his Brethren Therefore the reputation of Christ is not to bee lessened because of his sufferings in humane flesh but rather ought wee to boast in his relation to us and to glorifie him so much the more because of his sufferings for us Verâ— 12. Saying I will declare thy name unto my Brethren in the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee This Argument hee proves by three Testimonies of Scripture The first is taken from Psal. 22.22 wherein Christ undertakes to pay the price of our Redemption and promiseth to preach the Righteousness purchased by his Obedience to his Brethren the Elect or the Church of the faithful in whose Congregations hee is present by his Spirit even after his ascension stirring up joy and thanksgiving in the hearts of the faithful by the preaching of Righteousness Vers. 13. And again I will put my trust in him and again Behold I and the children which God hath given mee The second Testimony is taken from Psal. 18.3 whence Christ is proved to bee man because put in the number of the Covenanters depending upon God by Faith Again Testimony the third From Isa. 8.18 where Christ is brought in by the Prophet associating himself with Children as his Brethren whom God had chosen and given to him to bee redeemed and saved whom hee presents with himself to the Father to bee glorified Vers. 14. Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood hee also himself took part of the same that through death hee might destroy him that had the power of
bee shut out of his rest on the contrary swears that beleevers shall bee admitted into his rest Therefore beleeving Gods Oath let us hasten more and more to enter into his rest The works Hee explains the force of this Argument vers 10. three wayes First by shewing that Gods rest expressed in his Oath Psal. 95.11 is not the rest of the seventh day wherin God rested from the works of Creation because those works being finished from the beginning of the world vers 3. the rest of the seventh day was celebrated as it appears Gen. 2. and so that rest of God is past vers 4. But in Psal. 95.11 David makes mention of another rest Therefore here is not meant that first rest of God celebrated upon the Sabbatism of the seventh day vers 5. Vers. 6. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein and they to whom it was first preached entred not in because of unbeleef Secondly Hee explains the Argument by declaring the consequence which follows from this that unbeleevers are excluded because of unbeleef from entring into rest It remains necessarily to bee gathered saith hee that some i. e. the faithful enter into it For either beleevers or unbeleevers shall enter into the Kingdome of God But unbeleevers shall not enter but are excluded by the Oath of God It remains that some i. e. the faithful enter in Vers. 7. Again hee limiteth a certain day saying in David to day after so long a time as it is said To day if yee will hear his voyce harden not your hearts Thirdly By shewing that the rest of God expressed in his Oath Psal. 95.11 is not that typical rest in the Land of Canaan which hee proves because David Psal. 95.7 8. defines a certain day To day so long a time after the rest of the seventh day and after the peoples entrance into the Land of Canaan viz. the day of Gods patience so long viz. as wee hear the voyce of God so long as wee are admonished not to harden our hearts so long as God offers to men that hear his voice entrance into his rest unless through unbeleef they harden their hearts Therefore by Gods rest the Prophet David doth not understand the typical rest of the Land of Canaan Vers. 8. For if Iesus had given them rest then would hee not afterward have spoken of another day 9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God Whereof hee gives a reason because if Ioshua or typical Jesus had settled the people in Gods rest which David promises then David in no wise would have spoken in the Psalm of another day afterwards but vers 8. hee speaks of it Therefore some rest remains to the people of God promised by David besides that typical rest of the Land of Canaan Vers. 10. For hee that is entred into this rest hee also hath ceased from his own works as God did from his 11. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest lest any man fall after the same example of unbeleef Arg. 6. Gods rest is the ceasing from our labour as God rested from his works or it is a ceasing from sin troubles vexing cares and all our miseries Therefore let us make haste to enter by faith into that rest lest any of us with the rebellious Israelites bee excluded from Gods rest Vers. 12. For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword peircing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Arg. 7. Confirming the former after this manner The word of God which calls us to his rest with threatning of wrath except wee obey hath now no less efficacy to save beleevers and to destroy the unbeleevers than it had long ago let us therefore make haste by faith to enter into that rest lest wee perish as heretofore the unbeleever There are three Epithites of the word 1 It is quick because it doth not lose its efficacy with the Prophets that are mortal who preach it but retains its perpetual force and vertue to all ages Zach. 1.5 6. 2 It is powerful because it is the Power and Arm of God to effect whatever it saith whether for consolation or terror 3 More peircing than any two-edged sword because as a two-edged sword peirceth into the most inward hidden and hardest parts of the body so the word of God by the perfect manifestation of light pierceth into the most intimate secrets of the heart which are meant by the marrow in the bones and into all the most inward faculties of the soul that it may discover the plottings of the sensitive soul and of the intellective what it intends and what it pretends what every one lusts after and by what means it endeavours the attainment of what it intends The word of God I say passes through all the faculties of the humane soul that it may manifest to every one if there bee any hypocrisie or if there bee any root of bitterness or unbeleef lying hid and that it may propose to every one according to the Rule not only what is within in the thought of his heart but also with what intention he thinks and wills so that they who inwardly think of Apostatizing or indulge the seeds of Apostacy within them they cannot avoid the force of the Divine Word or decline its stroak by any Arts oâ— Sophistry Vers. 13. Neither is there any Creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom wee have to do Argum. 8. Confirming the former God with whom wee have to deal when wee have to do with his Word sees all things and what infidelity lurks within us under the vizor of an outward profession because all things even the inward secrets of the heart are naked and open in his sight as when a beast is so divided by the neck and marrow of the back that all its bowels appear Therefore ought wee to endeavour to enteâ— into his rest by sincere Faith noâ— think yee to avoid the power of his threatnings if you do otherwise Vers. 14. Seeing then that wee have a great High Priest that is passed into the Heavens Iesus the Son of God let us hold fast our Profession Argum. 9. Wee have Jesus Christ the Son of God the great High Priest who hath now peirced the Heavens and is entred into his Kingdome that hee may open a passage unto us Therefore holding fast the Profession of our Faith let us endeavour to enter in Vers. 15. For we have not an High Priest which can not be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as wee are yet without sin Argum. 10. By way of prevention of an Objection Although the Majesty of Christ may strike us with amazement that wee unworthy sinners aspire not to that heavenly rest where his
by Abrahams special experience persevering patiently in faith and hope Therefore in the faith of the promise and hope of the blessing in like manner ought ye to persevere patiently That the force of this Argument may appear yee ought to remember that this promise made to Abraham concerning the blessing is to bee understood not of the birth of Isaac onely but of Christ which was to bee born of Isaac and of free righteousness and life eternal to bee bestowed in Christ not onely upon Abraham but also upon him as the father of the faithful and upon all beleevers represented in his person i. e. upon the true heirs of that promised blessing as the Apostle in this place and otherwhere takes it for granted and specially Gal. 3.9 10 13 c. hee expresly teaches Vers. 16. For men verily swear by the greater and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife Argum. 11. Taken from the former For as men swear by the greater and an oath is used for confirmation to end strife amongst them So the promise of Blessedness or Righteousness and Life freely to bee given in Christ confirmed by the oath of the most High God to all the faithful in Abraham ought to bee the end of controversie betwixt God and the faithful lest they stumble in the Faith of the Promise Therefore yee beleeving Hebrews thus confirmed ought boldly to persevere in the Faith Vers. 17. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of Promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath Argum. 12. Although the bare promise of blessedness had been sufficient yet God moreover interposed his oath as a pledge that those of Isaac Children and Heirs of the Promise i. e. that hee might assure all the faithful of the immutability of his counsel and purpose to bless them Therefore yee faithful Hebrews ought the more abundantly to bee confirmed and persevere in the Faith of the Gospel Vers. 18. That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye wee might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Argum. 13. To this purpose God hath sworn to this end that the faithful who endeavour to persevere might fetch consolation strong confidence and solid rejoycing in God from two immutable things against all fear and misery Therefore yee faithful Hebrews being animated with this consolation ought confidently to persevere Hee describes the faithful Heirs of the Promise who endeavour to persevere by their property that under the conscience of sin and deserved anger they flye unto Christ that they may obtain the hope of eternal life which is promised in him By the two immutable things hee means 1 The Promise of God 2 The Oath of God whereby the faithful are ascertained of the third immutable thing i. e. of the purpose and decree of God for their salvation It was impossible Hee gives a Reason of that twofold immutability because it is impossible that God should lye i. e. that hee should not perform what hee hath promised and also sworn Vers. 19. Which hope wee have as an Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the veil Argum. 14. Wee Beleevers have a lively hope as a safe and firm Anchor of the fluctuating soul cast within Heaven which was prefigured by the veil of the Temple Therefore ought yee constantly press towards the Haven of salvation with confidence The Anchor of hope is called sure because it safely preserves all that hope for hope never maketh ashamed It is called stedfast both because it is never altogether dissolved and because it abides firmly fixed and founded upon a Rock leaning upon the omnipotency truth and goodness of God and the merit of Christ. Vers. 20. Whither the fore-runner is for us entred even Iesus made an High Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec Argum. 15. Jesus Christ is entred into Heaven for us Beleevers which was prefigured by the High Priests entring within the veil into the Holy of Holies the fore-runner to prepare a place for us and to intercede for us that wee faint not in our race being appointed by his Father a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec Therefore yee faithful Hebrews ought boldly to persevere in the Faith of the Gospel CHAP. VII IN this Chapter hee prosecutes his intended speech concerning Melchisedec and also the Doctrine of the Excellency of Christ. There are two parts of the Chapter In the first hee proves the Excellency of Christ above the Levitical Priests in respect to his person to vers 11. In the second the Excellency of Christ above them in respect of his Priestly office to the end The dignity of Christs person is propounded partly in the typical description of Melchisedec partly in Arguments drawn from thence And all the parts of the description concerning Melchisedec are taken typically but concerning Christ truly and properly meant as it appears in the end of vers 3. The Marks of the Excellency of the Person of Christ typically propounded are thirteen Vers. 1. For this Melchisedec King of Salem Priest of the most High God who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings and blessed him Mark 1. As Melchisedec was a King in the type so is Christ a King properly A Priest Mark 2. As Meschisedec was typically Priest of the most High God so Christ is Priest of the most High God properly and hee himself is the most High God Met Mark 3. As Melchisedec met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings and blessed him as a type of Christ so Christ is hee who onely can effectually bless those that beleeve in him Vers. 2. To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all first being by interpretation King of Righteousness and after that also King of Salem which is King of Peace Mark 4. As Abraham acknowledged Melchisedec by his offering of tithes which are properly due to God to bee a Priest and the type of Christ that was to come So also therein hee acknowledged Christ the Priest of God and God represented in the type First Mark 5. As Melchisedec in the type so Christ in truth is first King of Righteousness bestowing Righteousness for that Melchisedec the King signifies then King of Salem i. e. peace or bestowing peace which follows Righteousness imputed by Faith Vers. 3. Without Father without Mother without descent having neither beginning of daies nor end of life but made like unto the Son of God abideth a Priest continually Mark 6. As Melchisedec in his typical state or in his historical being is without Father So Christ as man born of the Virgin is truely without Father Mother Mark 7. As Melchisedec in the type so Christ in the truth of the thing is without Mother Descent Mark 8. As Melchisedec in his historical and typical being So Christ as God in the truth of
qualities of his person and a more excellent condition than any of the Levitical Priests Therefore his Priesthood is more excellent than theirs As for the qualities of his person 1 Hee is holy both in his nature and in his desire wholly devoted to the glory of God the Father 2 Hee is harmless who doth injury to no man nor creature 3 Hee is undefiled first hee is free from the pollution or blot of all sin both of his own and others 4 Hee is separated from sinners i. e. No waies obnoxious to sin or so far from sin that hee cannot bee a sinner As to the state or condition of his person his is higher than the Heavens and all creatures therein for hee is raised above the Visible Heavens in his body exalted to a fellowship with the Father in his Throne Vers. 27. Who needeth not daily as those high Priests to offer up sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the peoples for this he did once when he offered up himself Argum. 15. Following upon the former Christ is not necessitated to offer Sacrifice for his own sins who had none or to offer Sacrifice often for the sins of the people it was sufficient to offer himself once But it was necessary for the Levitical Priests daily to offer both for their own and the peoples sins Therefore his priesthood is more excellent than the Levitical Offered up himself Argum. 16. The Sacrifice of Christ was not of any cattel or brute beasts but hee offered up himself and to the offering of this Sacrifice there could not bee any fitting and worthy Priest besides himself hee alone offered up himself but the Levitical Priests offered cartel which men could perform Therefore Christs Priesthood is more excellent than the Levitical Vers. 28. For the Law maketh men High-Priests which have infirmity but the word of the oath which was since the Law maketh the Son who is consecrated for evermore Argum. 16. Is taken from a six-fold difference betwixâ— the Levitical or Legal Priesthood and the Evangelical Priesthood of Christ. 1 The constitution of the Levitical Priesthood proceeds from the Law which may bee changed but the constitution of the Evangelical Priesthood or of Christ flows from the word of the Oath which cannot bee changed because the Oath of God is unchangeable 2 The Levitical Law admitteth many to the Priesthood the Gospel only one that is Christ. 3 The Law admitteth one man to succeed another the Gospel admitteth one only without a Successor viz. Christ the Son of God 4 The Levitical Law admits men to bee Priests that labour with infirmities i. e. obnoxious to sin who cannot make their Sacrifice effectual to appease God or the blessing which they pronounce they cannot really confer upon those whom they bless but the Evangelical Word hath ordained Christ the Omnipotent Son of God who is able in all things to make his Priesthood effectual 5 The Law appoints temporary Priests who are consecrated only for the short time of their life but the Gospel hath the only Son who is consecrated for ever 6 The Levitical Law went before nor was the Law Gods ultimate determination touching Priests but the Gospel or the word of the Oath succeeded after the Law as Gods ultimate determination Therefore the Priesthood of Christ is more excellent than the Levitical All tends to this that the believing Hebrews seeing the weakness and abolition of the Levitical Priesthood and the excellency of Christs might renounce their Legal Rites and more firmly cleave unto Christ. CHAP. VIII HEE prosecutes the same Argument There are two parts of the Chapter In the first he proves the excellency of Christs Priesthood above the Levitical in four Arguments to vers 7. In the second hee proves the New Covenant to excel the Old Concerning the whole Chapter he prefaceth that in it is contained the summe of the whole comparison betwixt the Priesthood of Christ and the Levitical Vers. 1. Now of the things which wee have spoken this is the summe wee have such an High-priest who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the heavens Arg. 1. Christ our High-priest is such and of so great dignity that hee sits King at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty of God the Father in the heavens equal to the Father in power and glory Hee leaves us the other part of the Comparison as sufficiently clear concerning the Levitical Priest that hee is not such an one Therefore the Priest-hood of Christ is more excellent than the Levitical Vers. 2. A Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man Arg. 2. Christ is the Minister of that Sanctuary in the heavens where hee sits King in his Throne and all holy things which appertain to the worship of God and the salvation of man not faintly but effectually acting the part of a Priest in Heaven although hee is a Royal Priest as to the dignity of his Person and the manner of his Administration yet as a Minister as pertaining to his Mediatory Office Such are not the Levitical Priests on earth but onely Ministers Therefore the Priest-hood of Christ is more excellent than the Levitical Of the true Tabernacle Arg. 3. Christ is in heaven the Minister of that true Tabernacle which the Lord hath pitched and not man viz. of his body which Christ himself compared to a Tabernacle and is figured by the typical Tabernacle which true Tabernacle of his body the Holy Ghost miraculously formed and prepared for him in the womb of the Virgin And Christ now ministring in Heaven represents that body to the Father and his Humanity wherein hee suffered and offers to him continually interceding for us in the same body But the Levitical Priests are onely Ministers of the typical Tabernacle which man hath built Therefore c. Vers. 3. For every High-priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer Hee proves that Christ doth constantly offer up the true Tabernacle of his body to God the Father by three Reasons Reas. 1. Because seeing that every Priest is ordained to offer up gifts and sacrifices it is necessary that Christ have somewhat to offer But besides his intercession and the presenting of his sacrificed body to the Father Christ hath nothing in Heaven which may reconcile God Therefore the true Tabernacle of his body is that onely which Christ offers to God in the Celestial Sanctuary Vers. 4. For if hee were on earth hee should not bee a Priest seeing that there are Priests that offer gifts according to the Law Reas. 2. Because if hee was on earth hee could not bee a Priest by the Law to offer to wit those things which the Law prescribes to the Priests viz. Gifts and typical Sacrifices Therefore that true Tabernacle of his body onely remains which Christ offers in his heavenly Sanctuary Vers. 5.
Argum. 4. Faith satisfies it self in the word of Almighty God concerning making the world out of nothing or concerning the Creation of all things which wee see out of no apparent or pre-existent matter Therefore wee must live by Faith and persevere in it although wee see nothing of those things which are promised to us in the word of God seeing God can effect our salvation promised to us out of things which appear not no less by his word than hee could create the world out of nothing Vers. 4. By Faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Kain by which hee obtained witness that hee was righteous God testifying of his gifts and by it hee being dead yet speaketh The properties of Faith follow which are illustrated by the special experience of the Saints which hee disposes into four classes as it were for orders sake The first is of those which lived before the flood to vers 8. The second is of those which lived from the flood till Israel went down into Egypt to vers 23. The third is of those that lived at their comming out of Egypt to vers 32. The fourth is of those that lived after to the end The first in the first rank or classis is Abel who is said by Faith to offer a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain not onely â—hat Faith caused that hee should make choice of the best Sacrifice which by the command of God it was lawful for him to offer but especially because by Faith in the thing signified i. e. the MESSIAH the immaculate Lamb of God promised who was to take away the sins of the world hee fastened his eyes and worshiped God in Spirit whereas Cain stuck in the naked superficial Ceremony onely And so Abel is declared justified by Faith God giving testimony of the excellency of his Sacrifice which hee offered By which Faith although dead yet hee speaks teaching by his example all in the Church to beleeve in Christ and to seal their Faith with the Martyrdome of blood if it be the will of God Hence Argum. 5. The faithful are declared just by Faith their offerings are accepted their worship is approved of God and posterity is edified by the example of Beleevers as is manifest by the example of Abel Therefore ought wee to persevere in the Faith Vers. 5. By Faith Enoch was translated that hee should not see death and was not found because God had translated him for before his translation hee had this testimony that hee pleased God 6. But without Faith it is impossible to please him for hee that cometh to God must believe that hee is and that hee is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Enoch follows in the second place who is said by Faith to bee translated into life immortal death or the separation of his Soul from his body not intervening only a change made from mortal to immortal qualifications He proves that this Translation was a fruit of Faith because Enoch pleased God or was approved before the translation of him and without faith it is impossible to please God the reason whereof is given because no man comes unto God or is admitted into fellowship with him unless hee subscribe to the All-sufficiency and goodness of God by Faith so as to apply that goodness of God to himself which is offered him and come unto God desirous of communion with him for it is Faith alone that divests a man of all his own worth and joyns him to God that is merciful and full of compassion Hence Argum. 6. By Faith wee obtain Eternal Life as God hath testified to us in the translation of Enoch who had hee not been indued with faith had not pleased God nor come unto him nor had been admitted into heaven Therefore ought wee to persevere in the Faith Vers. 7. By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his house by the which hee condemned the world and became Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith Noah is the third who warned of God concerning the coming of a Flood many years after believed and feared and by the Command of God prepared an Ark to the saving of his Family whereby hee convinced the rest of the world then living with himself of unbelief and is declared the Heir of that Righteousness which is by Faith in Christ who was represented by the Ark Hence Argum. 7. By Faith wee are to take heed of the anger of God and diligently use the appointed means to Salvation by which diligence wee convince the world of unbelief and slothfulness and testifie the truth of our Faith whereby wee believe in Christ and obtain the inheritance of Righteousness in him as is manifest in the experience of Noah Therefore wee ought to persevere in the Faith Vers. 8. By Faith Abraham when hee was called to go out into a place which hee should after receive for an inheritance obeyed and hee went out not knowing whither hee went 9. By Faieh hee sojourned in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country dwelling in Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the Heirs with him of the same Promise 10. For hee looked for a City which hath foundations whose Builder and Maker is God The second Rank or Classis of Believers which lived to the time of Israels going down into Egypt whereof the first in order is Abraham who by Faith left his Country and followed God into a strange Land leaning upon the Promise of God for an inheritance to bee given him uncertain in the mean time where hee should sojourn ver 8. By Faith also hee sojourned in the promised Land dwelling in Tabernacles as some Pilgrim and Stranger as Isaac and Iacob his Posterity did to whom the same promise of an Inheritance was made ver 9. For hee did not so much look at that typical Land of Canaan as Heaven represented by that Land of Promise which is like a fenced and strongly founded City whose Builder is God and not man Hence Argum. 8. By Faith wee being called of God leave all earthly things and content with our condition being according to the Will of God whatever it is wee sojourn in this world under hope of a most abiding Inheritance to bee possessed by us in heaven as appears in the example of Abraham Therefore c. Vers. 11. Through Faith also Sarah her self received strength to conceive Seed and was delivered of a Child when shee was past age because shee judged him faithful who had promised 12. Therefore sprang there even of one and him as good as dead so many as the stars of the Sky in multitude and as the Sand which is by the Sea shore innumerable Before hee passes from what hee had to say of Abraham hee mentions the Faith of his Wife Sarah whose Faith concurred with Abrahams to apprehend the promise of the numerous Off-spring which should issue from him
another World in effect of that which was of old changing the holding and nature and use of all things to his Subjectâ— For a man ere hee come in to Christ is Gods enemy and to him all things in the World are enemies the Host and Souldiers of his dreadful Judge But after a man is made Christs Subject they turn all to bee his Friends and his Fathers servants working altogether for his good That is another and a new World indeed 2. It is called the World to come because albeit this change began with the work of Grace before Christ came yet it was nothing in comparison of the World iâ— come under the Messias And that which is now under the Gospel is little or nothing in comparison of that glorious change of the nature and use of all things unto Christs Subjects which is to bee revealed at his last coming Then whatsoever thing wee have hitherto found to our good since wee knew Christ it is but little to what shall bee our World is but to come 1 Cor. 15.19 3. The World is put in subjection to Christ that hee may dispose of it at his pleasure Then Christ is twice Soveraign Lord of the World once as Creator again as Mediator in his Manhead to make all the creatures in heaven and earth serve nill they will they to farther the work of full Redemption which hee hath undertaken 4. Hee excludeth the Angels from this honour Then In Christs Kingdom the Angels are in subjection to Christ for the good of his Subjects no less than sheep and oxen as the Psalm saith and not to bee adored with him as Soveraigns over us Vers. 6. But one in a certain place testified saying What is man that thou art mindful of him Or the Son of man that thou visitest him 7. Thou madest him a little lower than the Angels Thou crownedst him with glory and honour and didst set him over the works of thine hands 1. Being to prove by Scripture his purpose hee citeth neither Book nor Chapter but the words which are of the eighth Psalm and fourth Verse Then The Apostle will have the Church so well acquainted with text of Scripture that at the hearing of the words they might know where it is written though neither book nor verse were cited 2. The Prophet looking on man even on Christs manhead wherein hee was humbled hee wondereth to see mans nature so highly dignified above all creatures Then 1. The baseness of mans natural being compared with other more glorious creatures maketh Gods love to us above all other creatures so much the more wonderful 2. Christs Humiliation and Exaltation were both foreseen and revealed by the Prophets Vers. 8. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet For in that hee put all in subjection under him hee left nothing that is not put under him But now wee see not yet all things put under him 1. Hee proveth that Angels are in subjection to Christ because the text of the Psalm saith All is put in subjection and so neither Angels nor other creatures are excepted Then 1. For understanding of the meaning of Scripture it is necessary to consider not only what it saith expresly but also what it saiâ—h by consequence of sound reason 2. And whatsoever is rightly deduced by evidence of sound reason of the words of Scripture is the meaning of the Scripture as if it were spoken expresly 2. Hâ—e saith There is nothing left that is not put under Christ. Then Not good Angels only but all Spirits and all that they can do also are subject to Christ and hee can make them nill they will they contribute to the furtherance of his own purpose for the good of his Subjects and hurt of his foes 3. Because Christs enemies are still troubling his Kingdome hee moveth a doubt saying Wee see not yet all things put under him Then 1. The troubles of Christs subjects hinder the natural mind to perceive the Glory of Christs advancement 2. Carnal reason the Proctor of mis-belief will admit no more of divine truth than it is capable of by sense Vers. 9. But wee see Iesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with Glory and Honour that hee by the Grace of God should taste death for every man 1. Hee answereth the doubt saying Wee see Jesus crowned with glory and honour and so a course taken for putting all that oppose him farther and farther under him Then 1. The subjection of all things to Christs Throne cannot bee seen but in the exaltation of his person 2. When wee see his person exalted to such high dignity in heaven it is easie to see him put all under that riseth up against him 3. That which may bee taken up of Christ partly by his word and doctrine partly by his miraculous works and extraordinary gifts of the Spirit powred out upon the Primitive Church partly by his ordinary and powerful working upon the souls of his own since that time unto this day humbling and comforting changing and reforming mens hearts and lives I say these evidences of his Power do make a spiritual eye in a manner to see Jesus the worker of these works crowned with glory and honour 2. Hee meeteth another doubt arising from the abasement of Christ in his sufferings and death to which hee answereth in the words of the Psalm first that it was fore-told in that same Psalm that hee was to bee made for a little lower than the Angels to wit by suffering of death Then 1. The Cross of Christ is a ready stumbling block for a carnal mind else what needed the removing of the scandal 2. It is true indeed Christ in his humiliation was abased under the Angels and emptied 3. This abasement was but a little and for a short time 4. It was fore-told in the Psalm that speaketh of his Exaltation 5. If wee look to the Scripture fore-telling wee shall not stumble at Christs Humiliation 3. Hee giveth a farther answer by shewing the end of Christs Suffering to bee for our cause in the favour of God to us That hee should by the Grace of God taste Death for every one of us Then 1. Christs suffering was not for his own deserving but for ours and therefore should bee glorious in our eyes 2. Every Believer and Elect Soul hath interest in that death of his and so every man bound to love him and magnifie him for it and to apply the fruit of it to himself 3. This death was but a tasting of death because hee continued but a short time under it for his short suffering was so precious that hee could not bee holden by the Sorrows of Death but Death for a little was sufficient and therefore should diminish no mans estimation of him 4. It was by the Grace of God that his Death for a short should stand for our Eternal and therefore gracious and glorious should these his sufferings bee
both Compare this place with vers 9 10 c. Of this Chapter to the end First in these verses the 4 5. and 6. hee is speaking of Professors in general conditionally But vers 9 10 c. hee is speaking to the true Beleevers amongst these Hebrews particularly 2. Here in these verses are glorious gifts Illumination and tasting of spiritual things There in those verses is Faith working by love to the glory of Iesus and Weal of his Saints 3. Here are men enrolled amongst Christians so holden and esteemed both of themselves and others There are sensible souls in the feeling of sin and fear of wrath and hope of mercy flying to Iesus as to a Refuge and casting the Anchor of their tossed souls within the veil where Iesus is in Heaven 4. Here men receiving from the holy Ghost good things there men receiving from him beside these good things better things also 5. Here things glorious indeed yet not alwaies accompanying salvation but in some going before saving Grace in others possibly alone without saving Grace But there are saving Graces alwaies joyned with Salvation 6. Here in these verses the Apostle is not confident but such as have received these things here mentioned may fall away except they go forward and study to make progress But there in those verses the Apostle is perswaded that they shall not fall away but be saved and thereupon encourageth them to go forwards From this Comparison it is clear then 1. That there is a possibility of the Apostasie of Professors and titular Saints but not of the Apostasie of renewed souls and true Christians true Saints 2. There is a ground of fear from these words to such as are secure and puffed up with the conceit of their spiritual gifts but not of those who in fear are fled to Christ. 3. That in this place carnal confidence onely is shaken in such who as if they had done well enough study not to make progress But Faith no waies weakened in such who still study to advance and make more and more progress 4. That here fruitless light and fruitless feeling is called in question but not Faith and laborious love bringing out fruits to Christs glory and good of his Saints Again from this comparison it is evident That the holy Ghost is Author both of these common spiritual gifts and of these special saving graces also Of these common gifts hee is Author as dwelling amongst Professors and distributing good things unto all Professors that are in the visible house of his Church But hee is Author of those saving Graces as dwelling in true Professors who are his own house bringing with himself better things than these gifts and salvation also unto them infallibly Thirdly From this Comparison it is clear 1. That there are some Converts external from the world to the Church who yet stick in their naturals and are not in the sense of sin fled unto Christ for refuge nor converted from Nature to saving Grace to whom the Apostle will not deny room in the Church if they will study to make progress And 2. That illumination and tasting of Spiritual things may bee given as well to such who are not renewed in their heart as unto sound Converts For 1. The natural man may be convinced that the Church is a blessed Society and joyn himself unto it 2. Yea change his outward conversation and cast off his pollutions which are in the world through lust and take himself to be ruled outwardly by Christs Discipline and call him LORD LORD 3. And be so blameless before men that hee may look with his Lamp like a wise Virgin waiting for the Wedding and yet be a graceless fool inwardly 4. Yea hee may be illuminated not onely by learning the literal knowledge of the Gospel as men do their Philosophy but also may be illuminated supernaturally with in-sight in many profound things in the Scripture For supernatural gifts may be in a Natural and unrenewed Man so as hee may say to CHRIST I have prophesied in thy Name and yet be unrenewed in Christs estimation 5. Hee may taste of the heavenly Gift partly by historical beleeving the Truth of the Gospel partly by contemplation of the Truth credited Now historical Faith is a taste of that heavenly gift of Iustifying Faith because it is a good degree towards it and contemplation of this Truth bringeth a taste of the thing credited and so of the heavenly Gift revealed in the Gospel For the contemplation of every Truth bringeth with it naturally a delectation such as Philosophers do finde in their studies And the more eminent the Truth be no wonder the delectation be the greater For many heard Christs gracious Sermons and wondered and beleeved his words to be true but Christ did not commit himself unto them for hee knew what was in them 6. Hee may be made partaker of the Holy Ghost and have his share of Church gifts distributed by the Holy Ghost so as hee can from the light which â—he Holy Ghost giveth him answer other mens doubts comfort the feeble minded and edifie others in their Faith by his speeches yea have the gift of expressing his brain-light both in conference to men and in formal prayer to God if hee be a private man onely and if hee be in publick office may have the gift of formal preaching and praying in publick yea in those daies of the Apostle might have had the extraordinary gifts of Tongues Prophesying and Miracles-working Therefore saith Christ Many will say to mee in that day Lord Lord have wee not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils and in thy Name done many wonderful works To whom Christ will answer I never knew you Depart from mee yee that work iniquity Mat. 7.22 23. Now this knowledge convincing light and gifts of utterance c. are from the Holy Ghost or else how could such Apostates as are here described sin against the Holy Ghost 7. Hee may taste of the good Word of God that is finde sweetness in the Doctrine of the Gospel and bee convinced of the Goodness and Mercy of God towards sinners shining therein yea and by beholding the possibility of his own salvation upon this condition If hee will sell all and buy the Pearl hee may taste of Gods Merchandise in the blocking for them beside all the false joyes and delusions which hee may get by presuming of the certainty of his own salvation and yet in the mean time as a fool will not lay down the price will not renounce his earthly and beastly affections will not deny himself and his own corruptions The care of this world and the deceitfulness of Riches choaking the fruits of the Word heard as they who receive the seed amongst thorns Wherefore in time of persecution for the Word hee may by and by be offended and quit the Truth albeit with the stony hearted hearers in time of prosperity hee heard the Word and anon
sinful man might be a Priest But now when the Son of God is the Sacrifice and hath offered up himself already and is gone in into the Sanctuary with his own blood to make intercession there must be no more any sacrificing till hee come out of the Sanctuary again at the day of judgement nor any Priest but hee till hee have ended his intercession For such an High-Priest became us who is holy harmless c. Question But why is it unbeseeming us under the Gospel to have a Priest without these properties I answer The Sacrifice of the New Testament is the unspotted Lamb of God Jesus Christ holy harmless c. Therefore it becommeth us to have such a Priest who is holy harmless and undefiled For it were unseemly that the Priest should be worse than the Sacrifice Next our Priest hath our sins original and actual to remove and Heaven to open unto us And therefore it were unbeseeming that any should be our Priest who hath not his own sins altogether removed nor yet hath gotten entry as yet into Heaven himself 1. In that hee draweth them of necessity to quit all mens Priesthood and betake them unto Christ as Priest onely wee learn That our necessities being well weighed with the insufficiency of any beside Christ to do our turn wee shall be forced to quit all Priests but Christ onely For what Priest can know all our needs all our sins all our thoughts all our desires all our prayers all our purposes and wait on upon our business with God night and day to see that no wrath break out upon us Who can do this but Christ onely What Man What Saint What Angel 2. In that hee reckoneth a number of perfections necessary to be in a Priest in the time of the Gospel all of them in Christ and all such as wee stand in need of wee learn That all the perfections whereof wee have need in a Priest are all in Christ And the perfections which are in Christ we have need of them all and should make use of them all 3. The first property of a Priest under the Gospel is this Hee must be holy that is of his own nature holy in his original holy Then no sinful man can be a sufficient Priest in the New Testament to do for us who wants holiness by Nature 4. The next property Our Priest must be harmless ill-less free from any original guiltiness Then No man come of Adam by natural propagation can be a Priest for us now to satisfie our necessities who have sin original in us 5. The third property Wee have need of a Priest undefiled that is free from actual sin Then No Priest can suffice us who are defiled with actual sin but Christ who never sinned 6. The fourth property A Priest meet for us must be free from the pollution of those amongst whom hee converseth Then Wee who are of polluted lips and lives and dwell among such a people communicating many waies of their guiltiness cannot have sufficient comfort through any Priest who can be infected with sin And hee who is a man of polluted lips is not meet to be a Priest for us The fift property A Priest meet for us behoved to have his residence in Heaven and have commandment over Heaven to open it unto us and give us entry Then None other but Christ could suffice us on whom by nature the doors of Heaven are closed No Priest out of Heaven is meet for us Vers. 27. Who needeth not daily as those High-Priests to offer up Sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the peoples For this hee did once when hee offered up himself 1. The sixt property of a fit Priest for us Hee must have no need to offer Sacrifice for his own sins Then neither Levi nor any sinful man after him can be a Priest ander the New Testament but Christ onely who never sinned and so had never need to offer for himself 2. The seventh property Hee must not have need to offer daily for the peoples sins who must be our Priest For if he should offer the second day then the first daies Sacrifice should be declared unsufficient Or else why offereth hee again after that which is sufficient Then 1. The Priest of the New Testament needeth not to offer oftner than once 2. And if Christs Sacrifice were offered oftner than once or daily hee could not be a fit Priest for us nor offer a perfect Sacrifice for us for the oft offering should declare the former offerings unsufficient and imperfect 3. Hee giveth a reason why Christ needed not to offer up oftner Because hee hath offered up himself once for the sins of the people Then 1. Christ was both the Priest and the Sacrifice in his own offering 2. Christs Sacrifice cannot be offered up by any but himself another than Christs self cannot offer up Christ. 3. Betwixt the comming of Christ and the writing of this Epistle which was sundry years after Christs Ascention the Apostle knew no offering of Christ but that onely once upon the Cross and yet times out of number was the Sacrament of the Lords Supper celebrated before this time 4. In that hee maketh that once offering the reason of his not offering daily it teacheth us That the perfection of that once offered Sacrifice maketh the repetition needless And whosoever maketh it needful that Christ be offered daily maketh both Christ an imperfect Priest and his Sacrifice imperfect also Vers. 28. For the Law maketh men High Priest which have infirmity but the word of the oath which was since the Law maketh the Son who is consecrated for evermore Hee giveth a special reason why it beseemeth not us under the Gospel to have a sinful man for our Priest because this is the very difference betwixt the Law and the Gospel 1. The Law maketh men which have infirmities High Priests But the word of the oath which was since the Law maketh the Son and none but the Son who is consecrated for evermore Then The Scripture knoweth no Priest but the Levitical Priests of Aarons posterity for the time of the Law or else that one Priest which was made by an oath for the time of the Gospel Beside these the Apostle acknowledgeth none nor were there any other in his time in the Church 2. Hee maketh the difference of the Law and the Gospel to stand amongst other things in the difference of Priests so as the Gospel cannot admit such Priests as the Law admitted Then To have Priests now after the similitude of the Priests under the Law were to remove the difference which God hath made betwixt the Law and the Gospel 3. The differences as the Apostle setteth them down here are 1. The course taken about Priests under the Law was alterable they were made without an oath the Law-giver declaring it to be his will to change that course when hee saw it fit But the course taken about the Priests
For 1. As the Symboles of Gods presence was in the typical Tabernacle so the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth bodily in Christ. 2. As the typical Tabernacle had inclosed in it all the holy things the Candlestick Table of Shew-bread Laver Altar c. So hath the humanity of Christ or Christ the Man all holiness and perfection the fulness of all good and all holy things in him Light Food Washing and Reconciliation and all in himself that out of his fulness we may all receive Grace for Grace 3. As the Tabernacle in the outmost Coverings seemed but base yet had better stuff within so our Lord when he dwelt in the Tabernacle of his flesh amongst us was found in form as a man and in the shape of a servant but inwardly was full of Grace and Truth 4. In calling Christs Body The true Tabernacle which God builded and not man he teacheth us To make use of Christ in truth as the Church of old made use of the Tabernacle in the Type that is in him seek God Towards him turn the eye of our soul when we seem to our selves to be far removed to the end of the earth in him offer all our spiritual sacrifices in him seek our Washing our Food our Light our Comfort in him as his Priests make our Abode and daily Dwelling In him let us live and breathe 5. In so calling Christ hee appropriateth the sacrificing of his Body to himself in his own person as the personal and proper act of his Priesthood for the offering of the which Sacrifice once and never after as Heb. 7.27 sheweth he keepeth still the stile of the onely Minister of the true Tabernacle as his own incommunicable Prerogative And therefore whosoever presumeth to offer his Body presumeth also to take his place Vers. 3. For every High-Priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer He proveth That Christ is the Minister of the Tabernacle of his own Body by offering it up because it behoved him seeing he is a Priest to offer up something either the typical Oblations or else his own Body represented by them But the typical Oblations he could not offer according to the Law not being a Levite Therefore he behooved to offer up himself represented by the typical Oblations Then the Apostle acknowledgeth no Priest but either the Levitical Priest or the Priest that offereth up his own Body And whosoever pretendeth to have the Office of a Priest now usurpeth either the office of the Levite or Christs Office Vers. 4. For if he were on earth he should not be a Priest seeing that there are Priests which offer gifts according to the Law 1. He proveth That Christ cannot offer up the typical Oblations because he cannot be a Priest on earth albeit he were on earth because Priesthood on earth is proper to the Levites onely For they are the onely Priests by Law on earth and have prescribed to them by Law what they should offer Quest. You will ask me here Was not Chriest a Priest when he was on earth I answer Yes Quest. How then saith the Apostle here If he were on earth he should not be a Priest I answer Because albeit he began his Priesthood upon earth yet he could not brook his Office of Priesthood upon earth For as the High-Priest who was the Type carried the Sacrifice once a year through the Court and before the Sanctuary killed the sacrifice and then took the blood thereof in unto the Holiest of all and presented himself there before the Lord with the blood to intercede for the people and there remained during the time of Intercession appointed to him So Christ carrying his sacrifice out of the City offered up his Body on the Altar of his Godhead to his Father and by his own blood entred into the heavenly Sanctuary and sate down on the right hand of the Majestie on high and there he liveth for ever to intercede for us having then ended his sacrifice as this Apostle proveth Chap. 7.27 and Chap. 9.25 26. And having no sacrifice now to offer on earth it is with reason that the Apostle saith If he were on earth he should not be a Priest Whence we learn 1. That Christ is not now on the earth not in any place thereof and therefore if any man say to us Lo here he is Lo there he is we must not beleeve him it is a false Christ he sheweth us and not the true as Christ himself forewarneth Mat. 24.23 2. That it is impossible that Christ should now be on the earth for then should he lose his Priesthood which is impossible For if he were on earth he should not be a Priest saith the Apostle here 3. That Christs Priesthood is onely discharged now in heaven seeing he cannot be a Priest on earth 2. His Reason is They are Priests which offer Gifts according to the Law Then Every Priest who brooketh his Priesthood on earth must offer Gifts according to the Law as the Apostle here reasoneth And such Priests as those Christ hath abolished having changed the Priesthood and the Law also Therefore there can be no Priest by Office on earth at all with Gods allowance Vers. 5. Who serve unto the Example and Shadow of Heavenly things as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the Tabernacle For see saith He that thou make all things according to the Pattern shewed unto thee in the Mount He describeth the proper use of the Levitical Priests to serve unto the Example of heavenly Things Then 1. The Incarnation of Christ his Death and the Benefits thereof signified by Levitical Shadows are heavenly things in regard of their heavenly Fruits and Effects and other heavenly respects and are with an heavenly minde to be looked upon 2. The Ceremonies of the Law were not idle Rites but Examples and Figures of Christ and his Graces by the which men were led then as by the hand to Christ who was to come 2. From Exod. 25.40 he proveth they were Shadows of heavenly things because the Pattern in the Mount represented the heavenly things and Moses Tabernacle represented the Pattern in the Mount Therefore it represented heavenly things And unto this Pattern was Moses tyed Then 1. God would not no not in the time of Types suffer any device of man to come in for representing any thing heavenly Much less will he now 2. Those which himself ordaineth he will have observed and none omitted Vers. 6. But now hath Hee obtained a more excellent Ministery by how much also Hee is the Mediatour of a better Covenant which was established upon better Promises 1. The offering of the Typical Oblations hee hath made proper to the Levites Now the offering of the true Sacrifices and service belonging thereunto hee appropriateth to Christ and calleth it A more excellent Ministery Then 1. The offering of the thing signified by the Levitical
Covenant and ceremonial forms of worship are abrogated The Summe of Chap. IX THen That you may see this more clearly let us take view of the typical Ordinances in the Old Covenant and of their accomplishment in Christ under the Old Covenant and typical Tabernacle there were sundry shadows vers 1 2. The Tabernacle divided in two rooms and their furniture within them both vers 3 4 5. In the outer room the Priests resorted daily vers 6. In the inner room onely the High Priest once a year vers 7. The close-keeping of which room signified that the way to Heaven was not to be fully clear during the time of those shadows vers 8. Nothing done then externally could quiet the conscience vers 9. All being but temporary shadows imposed till Christ came to reform all vers 10. But when Christ came hee gave to those shadows accomplishment For hee was Priest of the true Tabernacle of his own Body signified by the typical Tabernacle vers 11. And by his own blood entred into Heaven for our Eternal Redemption vers 12. For if the types procured a Ceremonial cleansing vers 13. How much more shall his blood truly and in effect procure our Justification and Sanctification vers 14. And therefore that Remission of sins and Eternal Life might be given to the faithful both then of old and now hee behoved by his office to make his Testament and die vers 15. For so requireth the nature of a Testament vers 16 17. Wherefore the typical Testament of old also behoved to have a typical death as Levit. 16. maketh plain vers 18 19 20 21. Yea every cleansing of the Types and every Remission behoved to be with blood vers 22. Therefore the things represented by the types behoved to be cleaned by better blood even the blood of the Messias vers 23. For Christ entred not into the typical Sanctuary but into Heaven it self vers 24. And offered not himself often as the imperfect Levitical Sacrifice was offered vers 25. For then should hee have often died But his once offering was sufficient for ever vers 26. And as God appointed men but once to die vers 27. So Christ was but once offered till the time hee come to judgement for the salvation of the faithful vers 28. The Doctrine of Chap. IX Vers. 1. Then verily the first Covenant had also Ordinances of Divine Service and a worldly Sanctuary THe word Ordinances in the original is also Justifications in the plural number so called because they represented our Iustification Whereof wee learn 1. That as other things were typed under the Law so also was our Justification and the manner of obtaining the same shadowed forth 2. That those things which then were called Justifications were so called onely because they were the representations of the way of obtaining Justification for they did not justifie 3. That albeit Justification be onely one yet the types therefore were many no one of them being able to express the truth but in part 2. By calling them Ordinances of Divine Service hee teacheth us That sometime those Ceremonies which are now abolished were during their own time parts of Gods external worship in regard of the Commandement of God injoyning them 3. By calling the Sanctuary Worldly hee teacheth us To think of all the external glory of Levitical Service onely as the earthly representation of heavenly things and under all these earthly shadows to seek in to an heavenly signification Vers. 2. For there was a Tabernacle made the first wherein was the Candlestick and the Table and the Shew-bread which is called the Sanctuary 3. And after the second Veil the Tabernacle which is called the holiest of all 4. Which had the Golden Censer and the Ark of the Covenant overlaid round about with Gold wherein was the Golden Pot that had Manna and Aarons Rod that buded and the Tables of the Covenant 5. And over it the Cherubims of Glory shadowing the Mercy-Seat of which wee cannot now speak particularly 6. Now when these things were thus ordained the Priests went alwaies into the first Tabernacle accomplishing the Service of God 7. But into the second went the High-Priest alone once every year not without blood which hee offered for himself and for the errours of the people Hee setteth before our eyes the pleasant face of Gods outward worship that in the wise appointing of every thing for place for division of rooms for furniture for ornaments for materials for persons for actions for order of doing wee may behold the Glory not onely of the appointer of them but also the glory of the Church and of Heaven and of Christ and of his Saints represented thereby as far above the glory of those outward things as heavenly and spiritual things are above earthly as the particular Exposition of the meaning of the Types in their own proper place will make plain which wee cannot meddle with here seeing the Apostle judgeth it not pertinent Vers. 8. The Holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing Hee expoundeth what the High Priests going through the Veil but once a year did mean saying the Holy Ghost signified something thereby Then 1. The Holy Ghost is the Author of these Ordinances of Levi and of matters appointed about that Old Tabernacle as of the expressions of his own mind to the Church and so hee is very God 2. The Holy Ghost is a distinct person of the God-head exercising the proper actions of a person subsisting by himself directing the Ordinances of the Church teaching the Church and interpreting the meaning of the Types unto the Church 3. The Church under the Law was not altogether ignorant of the spiritual signification of the Levitical Ordinances because the Holy Ghost was then teaching them the meaning 4. Those Rites and Ceremonies were not so dark in themselves as they could not be in any sort understood but were expressions of the mind of God to the Church of that time 2. That which the Holy Ghost did signifie was this That the way unto the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing Then That the holiest of all represented Heaven the Old Church did know 3. Hee saith not that the way to Heaven was closed but not clearly manifested Then They knew the way to Heaven darkly through the Veil of Types 2. They knew there was a time of clearer light comming 4. The time of the endurance of this not clear manifestation of the way to Heaven is set down to be Whilst the first Tabernacle was standing Then the Old Church was taught 1. That the clear light of the way to Heaven was not to be revealed while those shadows and that Tabernacle endured 2. That when the clear manifestation of that way should come by the Messias that Tabernacle was not to stand 3. That when God should cause that
in these words must be this Where remission of sins is already purchased by offering of the true Expiatory Sacrifice as now it is under the New Covenant there no more offering can be for sin any more Then 1. The Apostle acknowledgeth no use for any sacrifice under the New Testament after Christs Ascension else his reason should not hold 2. The sacrifice which is offered to wit the body of JESUS hath already suffered for sin so that now the remission of those that is of sin and iniquity all sorts of the Elects sinnes is obtained thereby already 3. Not onely No Sacrifice is any more to be offered for sin under the New Covenant but also No Offering saith hee bloody or unbloody is to be offered 4. That Church which pretendeth to offer any Offering for sins of quick or dead now under the Gospel professeth That no remission of sin is to be had in such a Church Because where there is remission of sin there is no more offering for sin saith the Apostle expresly Vers. 19. Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Iesus From the by-past Doctrine of Christs Excellency and Riches of Grace which commeth unto us through him hee draweth Exhortations for use-making of this Doctrine in soundness of Faith and the fruits thereof unto the end of the Epistle And first hee exhorteth to seek unto communion with God in Heaven through Christ using the terms of the Ceremonial Law but mixed with words touching the excellency of the thing signified above those Ceremonies to shew the Hebrews that those Ceremonies had nothing in themselves but did serve to represent Christ and his Benefits And so to draw them from those shadows unto the truth of that which once being signified by them is now manifested in Christ. To make the Exhortation to be the better received hee setteth down sundry Priviledges of the Faithful vers 19 20 21. From which hee inferreth his Exhortation vers 22. For the first Priviledge hee saith Wee have liberty to enter into the Holiest That is into Heaven 1. In that hee maketh this Priviledge proper to the Society of Christians himself and others hee teacheth us 1. That so long as men are without Christ they are debarred out of Heaven no Door nor Way open but the flaming sword of Gods justice to keep out every one that shall press to enter before Christ bring them But such as come to Christ by Faith Heaven is opened unto them and the Door cast up for them to enter in who were exiled before 2. Next Hee commendeth this Priviledge by calling the place The Holiest the place where Gods Holiness dwelleth represented by the Sanctuary where nothing can enter but that which is holy Teaching us thereby That the faithful are so washed from their sins through Faith in Christ that God will admit them into the place of his dwelling into his heavenly Sanctuary by Faith now and fruition hereafter 3. Hee commenâ—eth this Priviledge by calling it a Liberty The word properly signifieth Liberty to speak all our mind as hath been marked before Whereby hee teacheth us 1. How wee do enter into the Holiest to wit by prayer sending up our Supplications to Heaven And again 2. That in our prayers to God wee may use freedome of speech telling him all our mind all our griefs all our fears all our desires and even poure out our hearts before him at all times 4. Hee commendeth this Priviledge by the Price of the Purchase thereof even the blood of Iesus Whereby he teacheth us 1. To have this Priviledge in high estimation 2. To make good use of it 3. To be confident of the standing of it and all because it is so dearly bought 5. Lastly Hee commendeth this Priviledge by the Common Right which all Beleevers have unto it the Apostle and these Hebrews as his Brethren and all other of that Society Whereby bee teacheth That albeit there be great difference in the measure of Faith and other Graces betwixt Christians some being stronger some weaker some as Apostles some as these weak Hebrews c. yet all are the children of one Father all are Brethren and all are admitted by prayer to come and enter into Heaven freely to poure out their souls at all times unto God Vers. 20. By a new and living way which hee hath consecrated for us though the Veil that is to say his flesh This is one Priviledge That wee have liberty to enter into Heaven followeth another There is a way made to lead us on thereunto which is Christs flesh compared to the veil of the Sanctuary which hid those things which were within the Sanctuary and yet yeelded an entry through it self unto the Sanctuary So is Christs Flesh the Veil of his God-head which did hide the glory of his Deity from the carnal beholders who stumbled at his baseness and yet opened a door for the spiritual man to look in upon him that was invisible while as hee observed the brightness of the glory of God breaking through the Doctrine and works of the man Christ. 1. Hee maketh the way to be Christs Flesh or Christ as incarnate or Christ considered according to his humanity Because Christs taking on our nature is the onely mean of reconciling us unto God No man ever came to the Father but by him No other Name whereby men are saved but the Name of Jesus Christ. And therefore as in the way a man must enter and hold on still till hee come to the end to the place where hee would be Even so must every man who would be at Heaven begin at Christ and hold on making progress in him still from Faith to Faith from Grace to Grace till hee come to his rest 2. This way of Christs own making hee hath devised it and consecrated it Hee who is the Fathers wisdome hath thought it the best way to bring man to GOD that GOD should become Man that the Word should be made flesh The best way to bring men to Heaven that God should come down to the earth to take on mans nature upon him that hee might make man partaker of the Divine Nature 3. Hee hath consecrated and dedicated his flesh his humane Nature set apart and sanctified himself to this same end that men might make their means with God by him as Man and by the Bands of Nature with him be helped up to the Bands of Grace with GOD by comming to the man Christ might finde God in Christ. 4. Hee calleth it a New Way 1. Because of the clear manifesting of the way to Heaven under the Gospel in comparison of the time of the Law 2. Because a ready plain and safe way without stumbling blocks pits or snares dangers or inconveniences to such as keep themselves therein such as new-made waies use to be 3. Because it waxeth never old is now established and never to be altered or abolished 5. It is a Living Way 1. Because Christ liveth
for ever to help them all to Heaven who seek unto God through him onely 2. Because life is here in Christ as in the fountain that hee may give life to whomsoever hee will that is unto all that come unto him 3. Because it giveth life and refreshment to the weary passenger and quickneth his dead and dumpish heart when hee considereth that his Saviour is a man indeed so earnest to have us saved that hee hath yoaked himself in communion of nature with us thereby to save us It is meat indeed to his soul that the Word is made flesh It is drink indeed to consider that hee hath suffered for our sins As Elias Chariot so is Christs Man-head and sufferings Get up here by Faith in him and thou shalt go up to God This way is that of Eagles wings Lay first hold upon Jesus Christ God manifested in the flesh and hee will mount up with thee and carry thee through the wilderness to Canaan from the natural misery and sins which thou lyest in unto Heaven 6. This Way leadeth through the Veil to teach us That wee comming to Christs Man-head must not subsist there but by this mean seeking to God who dwelleth in him that our Faith and Hope may be in God Wee enter by the Man Christ and do rest on God in Christ on the fulness of the God-head which dwelleth bodily in Christ. This is to distinguish the Natures of Christ and to keep the unity of his Person rightly Vers. 21. And having an High Priest over the House of GOD. For our further satisfaction he giveth us Christ over again to make yet more use of him to direct guide and convoy us in the way to lead us to the Father in Heaven through the Courts of his Dwelling and to bring us in to him and make us welcome there 1. We have Christ for a Priest to us whose lips do always preserve knowledge in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge who will inform our mindes and perswade our hearts to believe and obey who will reconcile by his once offered sacrifice the Believer will intercede for the reconciled to keep him still in grace will bless us with all spiritual blessings will take our prayers thanksgiving and the spiritual sacrifice of all the good works of our hands and wash the pollutions from them will offer them in our name with the incense and perfume of his own merits and lead our selves in where our Lamps shall be furnished and our Table filled till we go into Heaven and there he will welcome us in a Mansion prepared for us 2. He is a High Priest adorned with all Authority and all Perfections having all in substance which the types did signifie who beareth our names yea our selves on the shoulders of his power and in the breast of his hearty love who beareth the iniquity of the holy things and holiness in his forehead for us In whom the Father is well pleased with us and hath made us acceptable as in his well-beloved 3. He is over the House of God He hath authority and power to bring in whom he pleaseth and to give forth of the Treasure as much as he will All the Mansions in his Fathers dwelling Hoâ—se are his and all at his disposing to open so as none shall shut To him belongeth to give forth the sentence of Admission to Heaven and to say Come you blessed of the Father Yea to make this his authority manifest he will come again and take us unto himself that where he is we may be there also 4. We have this High Priest that is he is ours because 1. Taken out from amongst us one of our number albeit not of our conditions of our nature but separate from our sinful manners holy and harmless 2. Because he is for us in things appertaining to God to imploy his means and power for our behoof towards God 3. Because bound in all bands with us of nature of grace and good will of the Fathers gift and appointment and his own Covenant and special Contract with us So that albeit an uncouth man may possible leave a stranger in his journey alone yet Christ cannot chuse to do so to us but for the Bands betwixt him and us he will never leave us nor forsake us Vers. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water From these Priviledges he presseth an exhortation To draw near to God and prescribeth the disposition required of us in our drawing near 1. This exhortation sheweth 1. That true Christians are oftentimes so sensible of their own unworthiness that under that sense they are inclined of themselves to stand afar off and have need of encouragement and invitation to draw near 2. That such as are most sensible of their own unworthiness are most called to come forwards unto GOD for he giveth grace to the humble 2. He layeth down the Priviledges in the former verses and in this draweth on the Exhortation To teach us 1. That such priviledges as are granted unto us in Christ must be received and believed as truth 2. That we must study to make use of our priviledges and challenge them for our own 3. That the weakest of true believers in Christ may thrust in themselves at the doors of grace amongst the holy Apostles For the Apostle putteth the Hebrews with himself in the exhortation for this end 3. For our disposition and sitting to draw near he requireth first That we have a true heart He saith not a sensless heart but a true heart that is such a heart as in the matter of believing mindeth no confidence but in Gods grace through Christ onely And in the matter of Gods service mindeth onely his will in its aim and alloweth onely that which is his will in its câ—nsure Then an honest heart which honestly acknowledgeth its own sins and flyeth to Christs blood for sprinkling whose aim is upright endeavours upright and censure of it self upright allowing in itself nothing but what God alloweth and displeased with that which displeaseth God albeit many ways weak and imperfect yet hath liberty to draw near unto God 4. The next thing he requireth is full assurance of faith That is a settled and full perswasion to be accepted even through Jesus Christ. Then albeit the Lord will not despise the weakest measure of faith and will not quench the smoaking flax yet it pleaseth him better yea it is his commandment that men study unto the full assurance of faith for the more thou restest on Gods Covenant with thee in Jesus Christ the more thou sealest his truth glorifiest him becomest the more like unto faithful Abraham and gettest the deeper rooting in Christ. 5. The third is That the heart be sprinkled from an evil conscience The heart is sprinkled when a sinner sensible of sin maketh hearty application to himself
course 2. Christ must be looked upon by him who would be helped in his Race the Eye of the Soul being drawn off of every thing which might divert the Man or discourage him such as are the multitude of Backsliders the multitude of Mockers the multitude of by-ways and runners therein the multitude of fears from our own unworthiness and sinfulness and temptations on all sides and our mindes fixed on Christ with loving and longing looks which may draw life and strength from him 3. We must look on him as JESUS the Deliverer from sins and giver of Salvation even him who saveth his people from their sins 4. We must look upon him as the author and finisher of our faith that is as our God who hath begun his good work in us and will also perfect it Who hath given us grace to believe and will surely continue this grace with us even to the end lest the fears of our Faith failing make us to faint 5. We must look upon him as our pattern and example who having run the race before us hath set forth himself for our imitation that in him we might finde all whereof we stand in need 2. How Iesus ran this race he sheweth for our example 1. He had Joy set before him which he was to receive by our Salvation wrought So have we joy set before us also 2. For the hope of that joy he ran with courage So must we 3. He ran with the Cross upon his back all the way being a man acquainted with sorrows So must we resolve also 4. In his griefs and sorrows shame set upon him from the world and poured out contempt upon him So must we resolve to finde it 5. For the hope of the joy he endured patiently and went on under the Cross and wearied not So must we 6. Albeit shame was the sharpest of his griefs from the world yet he regarded it not but despised all despising and shamed shame as unworthy to be taken notice of in comparison of his Design So must we 7. He overcame all at length So shall we through him also 8. He hath gotten the Joy and the Glory for which he ran So shall we with him If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him 9. He is set down on the Right Hand of the throne of God that is is joyned with the Father in the Glorious Government of Heaven and Earth and all things therein for the good of all his followers So that we need to fear nothing in our way seeing he hath the Government of all Vers. 3. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest you be wearied and faint in your mindes He pointeth forth a special part of his suffering namely The contradiction of sinners willing them to ponder this well for their uphold Then 1. Nothing more forcible to discourage a persecuted Christian than Contradiction A man will suffer much if he know it be for truth but if the truth for which he suffereth be called in question and Scribes and Pharisees and chief Church-men shall contradict him and brangle his Faith in the Truth it is more painful than a Rack-stock unto him 2. The consideration of our Lord Jesus his being exercised this way is a special mean to guard us in such a Temptation 3. If we be not armed against contradiction by certain knowledge of the Truth and Faith in Jesus we cannot hold out but upon force weary under the Cross and be lost or dissolved like water and fall by as the word importeth Vers. 4. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin These Hebrews were somewhat dashed and discouraged by the persecution which they had already born and were like to faint Therefore he setteth them on to prepare for suffering to the blood that every suffering lesse than that might be the more tolerable in their eyes 1. He maketh their Party Sin Then 1. Christians must remember in their troubles that they are tryed whether they will choose to sin or to suffer 2. When they disobey their persecutors they must not be interpreted to be strivers against them so much as against sin 3. With what colour or pretence soever sin be urged upon Christians they must not yield but resist in a Christian manner and fight Christianly against that sin whereunto they are tempted The more stedfastly they resist they must prepare themselves for the more suffering and resolve at length to lay down their blood in suffering No yielding to sin must be while life is in us 2. He maketh the greater sufferings which remain a reason to make them bear the present the better Then 1. Suffering in a mans person is the highest degree of suffering 2. Resolution for the worst that can come maketh lesser troubles more comportable 3. Except a man prepare himself for the worst that can be done unto him by man for the Truth he will faint in lesser sufferings Vers. 5. And ye have forgotten the Exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him From the General Doctrine of bearing afflictions Pro. 3.11 12. He stirreth them up to Christian patience in persecution and every other trouble Then Persecution for Righteousness cometh in the account of Chastisement and is appointed amongst other ends to amend our faults 1. He maketh these Hebrews the party to whom the Proverbs were directed and God the speaker thereof Then 1. Whosoever be the Pen-men of the Scripture it is God who speaketh in it 2. The Scriptures do direct their speech to every Age and Church and Person no less than to those who lived in the Church of old when it was first written 2. He chargeth them for their forgetting of such a kindly speech as is the stiling of the afflicted by the names of Sons Then 1. The special point of faith which the Lord will have fostered under the Cross is the faith of our Adoption that we never mistake our Fathers affection nor our gracious estate by calling for any hard dealing wherewith possibly we may be exercised 2. He will have us assured of our Adoption by Gods manner of speaking unto us as a Father to his Children 3. He sheweth us that the not remembring of the Word of God speaking unto us according to our estate is the cause of fainting and of mistaking 3. The Exhortation dischargeth despising of the Rod and fainting under the Rod. Then 1. These are the two evils which we are inclined unto either to harden our selves against corrections and count light of them or else to be discouraged and cast down by them Both of which we must eschew 2. Though the Lord both strike and rebuke for sin yet esteemeth he us to be Sons not the less Vers. 6. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth He giveth a reason to confirm the afflicted
written a Letter unto you in few words Last of all he exhorteth them to take in good part the word of Exhortation from their ordinary Teachers who behoved to dilate and urge and inculcate these things even at length unto them The reason whereof he giveth Because he had written this letter but in few words unto them and might not insist in those points at large as they had need of but behoved to leave this unto their Teachers Then 1. There is need of Preachers by the word of Exhortation to dilate and inculcate that which the Scripture hath in short 2. It is very irksome for men to have their sluggishness stirred up by Exhortation and the same things inculcated again and again But their own profit should make them to suffer it patiently 3. The writing of Scripture prejudgeth not the use of Preaching but 〈◊〉 keep their own room the Scripture serving for a 〈◊〉 laying down of the Grounds to be taught and Exhortation serving to dilate and urge the truth delivered in 〈◊〉 as their case requireth Vers. 23. Know ye that our Brother Timothy is set 〈◊〉 at liberty with whom if he come shortly I will see you From this learn first That the delivery of one Timothy out of the hands of his persecutors should be a matter of comfort and joy unto as many Churches as do hear of it Secondly Good news should be spread abroad and are a fit matter for Christian Epistles Vers. 24. Salute all them that have the rule over you and all the Saints They of Italy salute you From this learn First That as it is the mutual 〈◊〉 of Christians to send forth commendations one to another So is it a Christian duty to carry them not unbeseeming even an Apostle 2. His directing of the people for to carry his commendations to their Rulers maketh it evident that the Apostle ordained this Epistle to be first read unto the People And so was far from their mindes who will not suffer the Scripture to come in the peoples hands Vers. 25. Grace be with you all Amen This closing of the Epistle usuall to the Apostle Teacheth 1. That Grace is the common good of the Church whereunto every Saint hath interest 2. That Grace is all that can be desired For if the Fountain of Gods grace or favour run towards a man what can the man stand in need of which the over-running stream of Gods good will shall not carry â—nto him The Postscript Written to the Hebrews from Italy by Timothy SOme inconsiderate hand hath put to this Postscript appearingly For this Epistle was ordained by the Apostle to carry the news of Timothies Liberation and a promise of his coming unto them afterwards possibly as the 23 Verse of this Chapter sheweth and not to be carried by Timothy And again The Apostle was bound by this Letter to come with Timothy if he had been to come shortly after the writing of this Epistle And thirdly Timothy was not yet come to that place where the Apostle Paul was when this Epistle was directed for then had he been certain of Timothies purpose and behoved if not to go with Timothy yet to have written the reason of so sudden a change of his purpose and written promise or else to have deleted the promise of his coming out of the Epistle by writing it over again or some way else Whence we collect That Postscripts are not a part of the Text nor of the Apostles own writing neither ought they to have such authority or credit as the Text hath which always agreeth with it self as proceeding from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit To whom with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ our Lord be Glory for ever Amen The Epistle of IAMES Analytically expounded The Contents IAmes an Apostle sirnamed Alphaeus from his office of Apostleship did gravely admonish the faithful Hebrews touching divers Christian duties whereby hee foresaw that the Christian Faith would bee adorned and their salvation promoted chiefly for this end propounding wisely those virtues which they seemed to have need of and sharply reproving those vices which they were more prone to or of which they were guilty Every Chapter hath its number of admonitions as is more especially shewn in their explications All which admonitions although they are written for the use of the Catholick Church yet it appears the Apostle would have them read especially by all the dispersed Israelites and those that were converted to the Faith and that were not of which design there are three Characters 1. The general inscription of the Epistle to all the twelve Tribes 2. The common and civil form of saluting 3. The manner of teaching which for the most part is fitted for the shaking off the stupidity of their consciences and stirring up their repentance if perchance any one that erred might bee recalled into the way by this Doctrine which thing is not obscurely signified to be intended by the Apostle in the last verse of the last Chapter CHAP. I. AFter the inscription of the Epistle vers 1. In this Chapter there are three common places or admonitions The first Admonition is touching the right â—earing afflictions or outward temptations to vers 13. The second touching the right judgement of inward temptations to vers 21. The third touching the solid exercise of Religion to the end Vers. 1. James a servant of God and of the Lord Iesus Christ to the twelve Tribes which are scattered abroad greeting The Writer is described in the inscription of the Epistle Iames a servant of God and of the Lord Iesus Christ viz. in the office of Apostleship whereby hee might with authority teach all the Tribes of Israel and admonish them concerning their duties hee calls himself the servant of God to shew that hee serves God the Father by serving his Son Jesus Christ and writes these things by the special authority of God and Christ. Those to whom the Epistle is written are Israelites especially beleevers cast out of the holy land and dispersed through the Regions But as to the hope of Heaven represented by the holy Land gathered to Jesus our Saviour Hee seriously commands and as it is allowed to Christians bids them to rejoyce or greets them with a borrowed form of salutation from the common use of the Heathens but turned into a Christian sense Vers. 2. My Brethren count it all joy when yee fall into divers temptations Admon 1. That they take not ill or impatiently outward afflictions and persecutions for the Gospel but correct this carnal judgement touching those external exercises whereby God tryed or proved their Faith and Sincerity For this end the Proposition is stated contrary to the judgement of the flesh viz. It is to bee accounted matter of all joy or the chiefest joy when yee fall by the providence of God into divers persecutions or afflictions whereby yee may be proved whether yee will even in adversity stick close to God Hee confirms this Thesis with
store reserved unto fire against the day of judgement and perdition of ungodly men Argum. 4. The Heavens which now are and the Earth which now is are by the same word and his efficacious will reserved unto the fire of the last judgement when the wicked and especially the scoffers at the coming of Christ shall be condemned and perish Vers. 8. But Beloved be not ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day Hee takes away an Objection The wicked might say why doth hee defer his coming The answer is threefold First Although the Lord seems to defer his coming yet his deferring ought not to be an offence to any because this delay ought not to be estimated by our sense but out of Gods eternity to whom that space of time which seems to us to be very long is but as one day and with whom one day and a thousand years do not differ as to the proportion of measure Vers. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance Answ. 2. This delaying doth not proceed from slackness as some Judge but from the patience of God towards us to wit the Elect whereas many as yet are not converted and whereof God will have none perish but all in his time to come to repentance which cannot be unless the coming of Christ should be deferred to a season For if God should anticipate the time of judgement decreed by himself some of them which hee hath chosen to salvation from eternity should perish Vers. 10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in the which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up Answ. 3. And Argum. 5. Reproving scoffers from the manner of Christs coming which is described in three things 1. It shall be unawares to men as thieves use to come at such a time when they know they are least expected 2. It shall be with the greatest change of the whole universe 3. With the disanulling of all things wherein the Atheists sought their felicity in the world for the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works therein shall be burnt up so that all ought to be sollicitous in preparing themselves rather than to enquire curiously about the manner or time of his coming or to complain of his slackness The Second Part. Vers. 11. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought yee to be in all holy conversation and godliness The second part of the Chapter follows wherein hee draws this Doctrine into use by an Exhortation to follow after godliness and to perseverance in it The Arguments of the Exhortation are eight Argum. 1. By requiring a testimony from their consciences All these visible works especially which are in the earth are to be dissolved Therefore wee ought to follow after holiness Vers. 12. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherein the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat Argum. 2. Because so it becomes you who expect with hope and hasten with desire to meet the Lord at his coming i. e. it behoves you hoping for the coming of Christ to labour patiently in your vocation and to endeavour after holiness Wherein Argum. 3. Because the coming of the Lord to judgement will be so terrible that the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat Vers. 13. Nevertheless wee according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 14. Wherefore Beloved seeing that yee look for such things be diligent that yee may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless Argum. 4. Because according to the promises of God Isa 65.17 and 66.22 wee expect new Heavens and a new Earth wherein the just alone shall dwell Therefore wee ought to endeavour after holiness and righteousness who have this hope Hee calls both the Heavens and the Earth the habitation of the just because the world shall be the Possession Palace and Kingdome of the Elect who shall accompany Christ wheresoever hee shall go Be diligent Hee adds Argum. 5. With a repetition of his Exhortation to holiness Being diligent that being without spot and blameless yee may be found of Christ in peace i. e. being reconciled to God and be accounted the friends of Christ by him when hee shall come to judgement Vers. 15. And account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation even as our beloved Brother Paul also according to the wisdome given unto him hath written unto you Argum. 6. With preventing an Objection yee ought to be so far from being overcome with weariness because Christ seems to defer his coming that on the contrary yee ought to account it a sign of salvation given to all of you that this is not delay but rather the forbearance of the Lord and slowness to wrath Even as Argum. 7. Paul in his Epistle written to you Hebrews according to the abundant measure of wisdome given to him diligently exhorts you to follow after holiness and patience under the hope of Christs coming as in many places so especially in the end of Chap. 10.36 verse Therefore ought yee to follow after holiness and patience Vers. 16 As also in all his Epistles speaking in them of these things in which are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction Hee takes occasion from the mention hee made of the Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews of commending the rest of Pauls Epistles for Canonical and to take away the offence upon the difficulty of some places in his Epistles from this that neither the sayings of Paul nor any other Scriptures are wrested unless by those that are unlearned and unstable or perverse men and that to the destruction of them that pervert them Vers. 17. Yee therefore Beloved seeing yee know these things before beware lest yee also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness 18. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ to him be glory both now and for ever Amen Argum. 8. Propounded by way of Exhortation to shake off the idleness of the flesh Being fore-admonished concerning the errours of false Teachers by which they seduce their Disciples from the way of Truth and Holiness yee ought so much the more not onely to beware lest yee fall from your own stedfastness i. e. from the Faith and Obedience