vnto vs. Iudge not thy brother Vse 1 this were to incroach vpon that right of Chirst for which he died rose and reuiued Here is the vniuersality of the Church Vse 2 it comprehends all beleeuers liuing dead and also the vnity for these all liuing and dead are seruants to one Lord Iesus Christ Here is a threefold comfort Vse 3 1 Of assurance of remission of sinnes and of eternall life for though hee died yet hee rose againe and reuiued which hee could not haue done if he had not fully satisfied for all our sinnes Also he is able to saue them to the vttermost Heb. 7.25 which come to God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them 2 Of supply of all necessary grace and good things He is our Lord and will maintaine his seruants The Lord is my shepheard I shall not want saith Dauid Psal 23.1 3 Of encouragement against all opposites we haue many enemies but our Master is stronger then all Hee cannot forsake vs now hee liues who loued vs so that for our sakes he died Will he suffer that to perish through any tentation which he purchased at such a price By no meanes Ionas makes great account of a gourd which he laboured not for and we neglect not a beast which hath cost vs money much more will our Lord care for vs for whom hee hath suffered so much and whom hee hath redeemed not with corruptible things as gold and siluer but by his owne blood If Christ died for all then were all dead and hee died for all Vse 4 that they which liue should not henceforth liue vnto themselues 2 Cor. 5.14.15 but vnto him which died for them and rose againe Let vs therefore sanctifie our bodies and soules to his seruice who hath redeemed both our soules and bodies Ye are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.20 1 Cor. 7.23 therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods Ye are bought with a price be not the seruants of men much lesse the seruants of sinne or of Satan Obey Christ whatsoeuer it cost thee If thou walkest and continuest in drunkennesse vncleannesse or any sinne not repenting thou art more guilty then the very Diuell for he died not for the Diuell nor euer offered him grace and the Diuell neuer denyed the Lord that bought him 2 Pet. 2.2 which is affirmed of euery vnrepentant sinner in the time of the Gospell Consider wicked wretch that thy soule which thou castest away through thy abhominable life was purchased with no meaner price then the blood of the Sonne of God and therefore thou shalt haue the sorer damnation if thou repentest not VERSE 10. But why doest thou iudge thy brother or why doest thou set at nought thy brother we shall all stand before the iudgement seat of Christ HEre is a new Argument from the last Iudgement In which we haue the Admonition repeated which we had in the third verse and the Reason it selfe The Repetition is with aduantage hauing two things which we had not in the third verse The first a Reproofe The second a Reason The Reproofe is in the manner of deliuering it by a chiding Apostrophe in an Interrogation But why doest thou iudge thy brother or why c. which is a sharpe manner of reproouing pointing out particulars and speaking as it were face to face Why doest thou The Reason is from the condition of both they are brethren not by blood nor by nation but by faith and profession not by naturall generation but by supernaturall regeneration for for the most part they were Iewes and Gentiles that so dissented From the Repetition we may obserue Obs 1 that it is a generall corruption of our natures and hardly to be remoued to censure and to contemne one another If wee haue a little more knowledge then other men wee are ready to despise them and if we haue a conceit of our owne hatching wee censure euery man that doth not approoue it and daunce in our ring From the Obiurgation Obser 2 note that it is no small fault to censure our brethren because Paul chides so angerly them which are faulty From the Reason obserue that we are to be charitable Obser 3 and studious of vnity because we are brethren It is of very ill report for brethren to quarrell about trifles it was Abrahams reason to Lot for peace Gen. 13.8 Art thou strong despise not him that is weake for though he be weake yet he is thy brother Art thou weake iudge not him that is strong for hee is strong and also thy brother We would be loath that other men should iudge or despise vs let not vs doe so to others The new Argument to enforce this Admonition is taken as I said from the consideration of the iudgement day thus They which shal stand before the iudgement seat of Christ to be iudged themselues ought not to iudge others But all both strong and weake must stand before Christ to be iudged themselues Therefore c. Some apply this Argument onely against the weake Chrysost Musculas but in as much as S. Paul spake to both in the admonition therefore I think it concernes both but principally the weake In this Reason are two things The thing it selfe spoken of standing before the iudgement seat and the Amplification Standing before the iudgement seat put for being iudged by a figure the signe put for the thing signified a tribunall or iudgement seat being attributed to Christ by a similitude of the sitting of earthly Iudges The throne is for the King the chaire for the Doctor the tribunall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Iudge which vsually is a seat erected on high whither the Iudge ascendeth both for the more reuerence of his person and also that hee may the better beholde the malefactours the witnesses c. The Amplification is from the persons iudging to bee iudged The person iudging is Christ which is the name of our Mediator God and man Christ is our iudge and hee shall execute this iudgement in his humane nature He hath appointed a day in which he will iudge the world by that Man whom he hath ordained Acts 17.31 The authority to iudge which is in Christ as hee is God by nature is in Christ as he is man by grace But yet he shal not iudge as a Delegate but as the Principall from whom there is no appeale And though the pronouncing of sentence shall be by his humane nature yet the validity and force of it is from the Diuine The persons to be iudged are set downe two waies by their generality all and by their manner of appearing shall stand before All Angels and men good and bad strong and weake great and small Shall stand The Iudge sitteth the malefactors to be arraigned must stand The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and might bee rendered shall be presented though we be vnwilling and hang backe or
would hide our selues yet sistemur we shall be set or presented before the Iudge The consideration of the last iudgement Doctr. should perswade vs to our duties and to refraine from that which is euill Act. 17.30.31 God commandeth all men euery where to repent because hee hath appointed a day wherein he will iudge the world c. 2 Cor. 5.10.11 We must all appear before the iudgement seat of Christ that euery one may receiue c. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we perswade men Iudge not thy brother Vse 1 for thou thy selfe shalt bee iudged Shall the prisoner that stands at the barre for his life leap vp into the seate of the Iudge Anselmus Qui iudicat fratrem tantum crimen elationis in currit vt Christi tribunal fibi videatur assumere eius iudicium praeuenire Hee which iudgeth his brother shewes so great pride as if hee should aduance into Christs tribunall and preuent his iudgement Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come saith Paul elsewhere 1 Cor. 4.5 Let vs not meddle with iudging wee shall haue iudging enough at that day let vs rather be carefull that wee may stand with boldnesse and confidence before the Iudge Saint Paul giueth vs here to vnderstand that one of the bils of enditement that shall be put in against vs and to bee enquired of is for Iudging our Brethren for which he cueth the Romanes to answer it before the great Iudge at that day There shall be a day of generall Iudgement Vse 2 though many scoffers beleeue it not of whom Saint Peter speaketh 2. Pet. 3.3 4. and though thousands wish it might neuer be Oh how much would the Drunkard and other abominable sinners giue to buy off that day But we must all stand before the Iudgement seate of Christ It is most true that euery particular mans soule in death vndergoeth a particular iudgement and in the same moment is eleuated intellectually to heare the Sentence of the Iudge by an illumination or locution intellectuall and so knoweth it selfe to be saued or damned by the authority of Christ by the law appointed by God and accordingly at that instant goeth vnto or is in ioy or torment But this is but Particular and there must bee a Generall Iudgement as the Scripture signifieth which may also appeare by reason 1 Many iust persons are here afflicted and wicked prospered there shall be therefore a time wherein exact Iustice shall be manifested 2 Many wicked men are punished here and many are not there must be therefore a time of generall iudgement or else there may seeme to be some inequalitie 3 Many iust persons are condemned here to death as if they were wicked and many wicked dye with an opinion left of their sanctine 4 Also in the particular iudgement onely the soule is iudged but the body must also therefore there must in iustice be a generall Iudgement 5 Some affirme Bellarm. in Explicatione Symb-Apostol art 7. that our good and ill deeds are not finished in death but our sinne or worthinesse encreaseth to the day of Iudgement as any are bettered or corrupted by our example speeches writings c. and therefore because euery one shall receiue according to his workes that there must be a generall Iudgement euen for this It is a great consolation to true Beleeuers Vse 3 that there shall be a day of Iudgement and that Christ shall be their Iudge who dyed for them who yet maketh intercession for them who is their Aduocate their Friend their Brother whose members they are Surely this day will be the happiest day that euer dawned vpon vs It shall neuer repent vs that we haue serued God mortified our corruptions denyed our selues refused the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season that we haue fasted prayed wept for our sinnes endured the Crosse c. for we shall then receiue a thousand fold by the sentence of the Iudge This day is not so comfortable to the good as it will bee terrible euen a day of blacknesse and confusion to the wicked when their greatest Enemy shall sit vpon his greatest Enemies Oh how shall Iudas and Pilate tremble and be confounded at that day Thinke of it thou Drunkard thou blasphemer c. He whom thou hast condemned shall be thy Iudge How darest thou expect pardon and mercy Now indeed is the time of mercy but then only of Iudgement The remembrance of the day of Iudgement should perswade vs to repentance Vse 4 for this end Christ commanded his Apostles especially to testifie this to all men Act. 10.42 that he is ordained Iudge of quicke and dead So Saint Paul vseth this as the last Argument to draw men from their sinnes 2. Cor. 5.11 And truely who can haue any desire or delight in sinne when he shall thinke of that Iudge of that Iudgement of that Sentence of that neuer dying worme of those vnquenchable flames Magna est peccati poena Aug. ser 120. de Temp. metum memoriam futuri perdidisse Iudicij It is a great punishment of sinne to lose the feare and remembrance of the Iudgement to come said Saint Augustine But if thou dost remember it and heare of it and yet not feare it is a signe of the infinite Anger of God vpon thee The found of the last Trumpet was alwayes in the eares of Saint Hierome who wheresoeuer he was thought he heard the voyce of the Arch-angell Arise yee dead and come to Iudgement Act. 24.25 Yea Foelix himselfe trembled to heare Paul preach of the Iudgement to come Alwayes thinke of this day and repell the temptations vnto sinne with the remembrance thereof Consider what it will cost thee Now the Drunkard the vncleane person the proud the couetous c. see not the foulnesse of their faults but then thou shalt see and wonder that thou wert so mad to runne into such danger for such small and idle satisfactions When thou shalt appeare before that Iudge when Satan and thine owne conscience shall accuse thee when thou shalt behold the frowning and irefull countenance of the Iudge and those fires prepared for thee What wilt thou doe whither wilt thou goe nor friends nor riches nor promises nor prayers nor teares can auaile What shall we doe if that day shall finde vs often forewarned but vnprepared How shall wee endure that fire that cannot endure the tooth-ake the stone a fit of an Ague Let vs vse all care while wee liue here so to behaue and discharge our selues that that day may be happy and comfortable vnto vs. Amen VERSE 11. For it is written As I liue saith the Lord euery knee shall bow to me and euery tongue shall confesse to God IN this verse is prooued that wee shall all stand before the Iudgement seat of Christ and in the next verse the end of such appearance there is declared The proofe is by a Testimony In which wee may note the qualitie
the forme of a prohibition where wee haue the thing prohibited and the amplification The thing prohibited is the causing of our good to be euill spoken of Where is the euill action prohibited and the obiect of such action The euill action speaking euill the obiect good Be euill spoken of or blasphemed according to the sound of the Greek word which is now familiar with vs in our tongue Blasphemy is a speech hurting anothers good name The vse of Diuines hath obtained by custome of speaking that it is taken for euill speaking against God or persons and things which are nearly conioyned to God as his Word and his Saints Now blasphemy against God is when it is affirmed that that is in him which is not in him or that not to be in him which is in him And so of his word and ordinances And this is eyther of the minde or of the tongue or of the life for sinne is a kinde of blasphemy because hee that sinneth signifieth thereby that he thinkes not well of God and therefore for such cause we call common swearing blaspheming because such a one seemeth to haue a base opinion of God that he dares so to transgresse The blasphemy of the minde is when wee doe conceiue amisse of God according to the former description of blasphemie The blasphemy of the tongue when wee speake in such manner And both these are committed eyther enuntiatiuè Greg. de Valen. tom 3. cō Theol. Disp 1. Q. 13. puncto 1. or optatiuè by the way of simple enunciation or wishing as to say there is no God or to wish there were no God to say God is not iust or to wish that hee were not iust so to say there is no day of iudgement or to wish there were no such day to come so of the Word to affirme there was neuer merry world since there was so much preaching or to wish there were no preaching And that of the tongue may be committed eyther actu signato expresly vttering such things or actu exercito couertly signifying so much as when one speaketh that which is true of God or his word but in a contemning and diriding and scoffing manner Good Translated before Commodity Some say faith Chrysost Ambr. piety and the hope of eternall life Some Doctrina dominica the Lords doctrine Hierome saith our liberty Some the Gospell Oleuian very well obserueth by good to be meant the kingdome of grace as it followeth in the next verse so that I thinke by good here to be meant in generall the Gospell in particular the right of our Christian liberty which is a notable part thereof and which is taught therein This good which he speaks of is set forth by this possessiue your And herein is the other part of the prohibition comprehended which is the amplification from the persons which may be considered to be twofold First Ambr. in locum to whom he giues this prohibition S. Ambrose saith to the weake Blasphematur bonum cum dubitatur de Dei creatura Our good is blasphemed when we doubt of the creature He meanes of meat which was the fault of the weake And surely it is meant to both though principally to the strong yet the weake not to be excluded for they haue no more liberty to obiect the good to blasphemy then the strong And doubtlesse it was euill spoken of as well by the nice curiosity and rash iudgement of the weake as by the despising of the strong And therefore the Commentaries ascribed to Hierom Blasphematur si propter talia contendimus It is blasphemed if we striue about such things applying it to both Secondly the persons who should speake ill of our good Those without saith Chrysostome the weake saith Martyr I thinke it may be meant of both or of any whosoeuer Euery Christian ought to be carefull that he cause not the Gospell of the Kingdome Doctr. and our Christian liberty a part of the same to be euill spoken of 1 Tim. 6.1 Seruants must so behaue themselues that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed Which also is to be vnderstood of all So 1 Pet. 2.12 and 1 Cor. 10.29 Why is my liberty iudged of another mans conscience and verse 30. Why am I euill spoken of for that for which I giue thankes In the generall the Gospell is our good Vse 1 a rich Commodity though many be not sensible of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If it were not our great good the Papists and the rest of the world would not so enuy vs for it as they doe and seeke to get it from vs. To haue a house well built well watered well woodded and in a good aire a great good but what 's all this without the Gospell vnlesse we haue the Heauenly dew the Manna and Quailes to fall euery day about our Tents Liberty also a great good to haue a Patent for trading in woll in wines in spices c. matters of much good and greatly esteemed But who is able to value the good of our Christian liberty euen in this that we may with a free conscience ioyne with the people of God in the word and Sacraments and vse the good creatures of God what benefit to be compared to a quiet conscience They are surely vngratefull to the blood of Christ who in such things lay bands and fetters vpon themselues in which Christ hath purchased them freedome as in apparell diet recreation and such like But chiefely they are herein guilty which place a part of Gods worship in the vsing or abstayning from certaine habits or gestures in the Diuine seruice which is a sinne against the second Commandement and a will worship But doth not the Magistrate and the Church enioyne a certaine habit Obiect and gesture in the administration of Holy things Yes but not as a necessary worship of God Answ but as a comely rite and ceremony to be changed when it seemeth vnto them to be requisite so to doe Here are to bee reproued both the strong and the weake Vse 2 who by their contentions about indifferent things cause the whole profession of the Gospell to be euill spoken of The strong because they will yeeld nothing to the weake nor forbeare the vse of their liberty to giue them any satisfaction The weake because they are so ready to censure and speake euill of the strong who do nothing but that which in it selfe is lawfull to bee done and also because in some things they resist authority and gouernment And thus as in Rome in those dayes so in our dayes partly through the indiscretion of the strong and partly through the peeuish obstinacy of the weake there are great contentions whereby the mindes of beleeuers are distracted discipline is dissolued the licentiousnesse of the multitude is confirmed who thinke that the word and Sacraments are not things so sacred and of such reuerence and necessity because such which would bee accounted the top of
Dauid prayeth for forgiuenesse Psal 25.11 hee saith For thy Names sake O Lord pardon mine iniquities desiring that his dealings towards him may bee according to his Name So wee may say to a man Bee answerable to thy Name Thou art called a Saint liue not like a wretch but euen For thy names sake liue holy VERSE 16. Salute one another with an holy kisse PAul concludeth his owne salutations with this precept that they should mutually salute one another adding the signe of true loue and friendship A holy kisse There are vnholy kisses Pro. 7.13 1. Kings 19.18 Hos 13.2 2. Sam. 15.5 The vnchaste kisse of the Harlot the Idolatrous kisse of the Israelites to Baal and the Calues and of the Papists to their Images and Reliques The flattering kisse of Absolon The traiterous kisse of Ioab and of Iudas A holy kisse is when the loue is vnfeyned which is testified thereby As it is the fashion among vs for men meeting with their friends to shake hands so was it among the Iewes as appeares by many places in both Testaments for men to kisse men at meeting and parting 's Now because the Romanes were troubled with dissensions about meates and dayes as wee haue seene Chap. 14. therefore Paul wisheth them that they should salute one another with a holy kisse that is in a true coniunction of mindes and affections forgetting all former offence This Peter calleth Aug. tract 6. super Ioh. the kisse of charitie 1. Pet. 5.14 and Saint Augustine Osculum Columbinum the Doue-like kisse From whence it came to passe in the Primitiue times Clemens Alexan 3. Paedag. Anaxag orat ad Christian that Christians before the receiuing of the Communion kissed each other which fashion for some abuse was prudently laid downe In the stead whereof is the superstitious kissing of the Pax in the Church of Rome Christians ought to loue one another truely without dissimulation of which see Rom. 12. v. 9. Obs VERSE 16. The Churches of Christ salute you 21. Timotheus my worke-fellow and Lucius and Iason and Sosipater my kinsmen salute you 22. I Tertius which wrote this Epistle salute you in Lord. 23. Gaius mine host and of the whole Church saluteth you Erastus the Chamberlaine of the City saluteth you and Quartus a brother IN these verses are set downe the salutations of others to the Romanes and these are either whole Churches v. 16. or particular persons in the rest of the verses These are both to cherish loue betweene the Brethren in all places though farre remote and for the more confirmation and authoritie of this Epistle that it may preuaile the better with the Romanes The first particular is Timotheus whom hee calls Worke-fellow this is hee of whom Act. 16.1.2 to whom Paul wrote two Epistles whom hee commends diuers times to the Churches and whom he ordayned Bishop of Ephesus The next are three described by their names and by their kindred Their Names Lucius of whom Act. 13.1 Iason of whom Act. 17.5 seq Sosipater of whom Act. 20.4 all famous men for godlinesse These were akinne to Paul The fift is Tertius described by his Name and by his effect he wrote this Epistle Tertius so many Romanes were called Some Secundus as one of the Plinies some Quintus as Fabius some Sextus as Roscius Amerinus so in the next verse Quartus a Brother Which wrote this Epistle either from Saint Paules mouth or from his papers It is a great honour any way to further true Religion Obs to write part of the Scripture so to reade it to heare it but most to beleeue the Scriptures and to obey them The sixt is Gaius who is described and commended for his liberality and hospitality both to Paul and also to the whole Church There were diuers of this Name Act. 19.29 Act. 20.4 one of Macedonia another of Derbe another it may bee to who Saint Iohn wrote his third Epistle This Gaius most like to be the Macedonian because of the writing of this Epistle at Corinth Hast thou riches Obs Honour God with them as Gaius relieue the poore maintaine the preaching of the Word and let it not be done niggardly for Gaius maintaines and giues entertainment to the whole Church Riches so expended will bee comfortably accounted for Many haue a heauie reckoning to make who haue bestowed many great summes vpon harlots drunkards and in vanity but nothing or very little vpon pious vses When thou dyest thy goods shall not follow thee but thy workes shall be they good or bad according therefore to thy ability vpon all occasions doe good laying vp a good foundation against the time to come When the rich man increased in wealth Luke 12.16 ad 21. if he had studyed to enlarge his liberality to the poore as he did to enlarge and biggen his barnes hee had not beene so branded with the name of a Foole by our Sauiour Hee cared for himselfe and not for the poore nor for maintayning of Gods worship We are but Stewards of riches which are lent vs that we should haue comfort of them our selues and that wee should bestow them for Gods glory and the good of the Church The seuenth is Erastus of whom Act. 19.21 and 2. Tim. 4.20 described here by his office Chamberlaine of the City of Corinth It is lawfull for godly Christians Obs to beare ciuill offices and it were to bee wished that all offices in Christian Common-wealths and in the Church were bestowed vpon them who were the most prudent and zealous Christians whatsoeuer the Anabaptists say to the contrary Not onely meane persons Obs but great Personages also are by the Gospell conuerted to Christ Wise Ioseph of Arimathea Learned Nicodemus a ruler of the Iewes Noble Theophilus Vertuous Ioanna wife to Chusa Herods Steward Sergius the procorsul Erastus the Chamberlaine the Eunuch of Candace and others Not many such but in the Wisedome of God some Kings some Queenes some Princes Nobles great ones that the Church may haue countenance We are to pray for the conuersion of such and to praise God for them Their example is potent eyther way When the chiefest in a Towne are Religious and sober and enemies to disorder the meaner sort are easily gouerned but where the chiefest are contrary there it is impossible to settle any good order So much hurt as thou hast done by thy example so much heauier shall thy iudgement be if thou hadst done so much good great would haue beene thy comfort in the last day The last is Quartus described by his profession A Brother In all these wee may note the blessing which followes a good life euen in this world Obs euen a sweet remembrance of our Names when we are dead The memory of the Iust is blessed Pro. 10.7 but the name of the wicked shall rot VERSE 17. Now I beseech you Brethren marke them which cause diuisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye haue learned and
of it and the substance The Quality it is a written Testimony Obser taken-out of Esay 45.23 Sinne is to be conuinced Errours reproued and Doctrines proued by the Scriptures Yet of points taught there is difference Some things are Substantiall some things Circumstantial The first must haue plaine proof out of the Scripture for the second it is enough if they agree with the generall Rules of such things deliuered in the Word In matters of substance that which the Scriptures command not Matth. 12.30 they forbid He that is not with Christ here is against him In matters of circumstance and outward order that which the Scripture forbiddeth not Luke 9.50 it permitteth He that is not against Christ here is with him In the substance of the Testimony wee haue the Argument to proue that we must all stand before the Iudgement seate of Christ thus To whom euery knee must bow and whom euery tongue must confesse before his tribunall we must stand But euery knee must bow to Christ and euery tongue confesse him Therefore c. If any shall take exception to the Argument because the prophet Esay speaketh of the vocation of the Gentiles it may be thus answered that the Prophecie containeth more being begunne to be fulfilled in the Gentiles and to bee consummate at the last iudgement when all shall submit and aptly did the Apostle bring such an Allegation speaking of the Gentiles because the Iewes thought not so friendly of them as they ought Herein we haue two things An Affirmation and a Confirmation The Affirmation is that all shall acknowledge Christ for their Iudge and submit vnto him This is set downe in two phrases The first Euery knee shall bow to mee Where are the Action and the Persons The Action shall bow that is shall submit to me shall adore me shall be subiect to my sentence the signe put for the thing signified for by making a legge or kneeling wee acknowledge his Maioritie towards whom wee vse such gesture and therefore among the Aegyptians the Elephant that scarce hath or boweth the knee ioynts is the Hieroglyphick of Regall power The persons are bowing or bowed vnto Bowing noted generally Euery knee that is euery man noted by the Instrument of bowing Iew and Gentile yea euery reasonable creature Angels good and bad and Men Editio Complutii as one Greeke copy hath it Euery knee of things in heauen of things in earth of things vnder the earth which our Beza thinketh to be added out of Philip. 2.10 And although the knee be a part of the body yet it is translated to the minde also of whose submission this is a signe Wee must bowe the knees of bodies and soules also to Christ The Person bowed vnto Christ named in the verse before to whom Adoration is due Christ is a name of our Mediator signifying his whole Person and therefore this bowing must be to the Humanity with the Deity to the God-head perse by it selfe to the Manhood in the person of the Sonne of God and for the Godhead It is due to the Person and because the Person cannot bee diuided so neither may the Adoration but as the person is one and the same so must it be worshipped with one and the same Adoration But all doe not bowe vnto him The Iewes doe not Obiect nor the Turkes nor the wicked They doe not but they ought and they shall bowe Answ will they nill they That which the righteous doe now of faith to saluation the wicked shall be compelled to doe against their wills and though not to their saluation yet to the Honour of Christ For at the last iudgement perceiuing his Power Glory and Godhead they shall be compelled to acknowledge him for their Lord and Iudge The second phrase Euery tongue shall confesse to God Here we haue also The Action and the persons The Action confesse What shall they confesse Whatsouer they haue done saith one rather as Philip 2.11 Sarcerius that Iesus Christ is Lord. In the Prophet Esay it is read Euery tongue shall sweare which is all one in sense For in euery oath there is a confession and an acknowledgement of a witnesse a Iudge and a reuenger of falshood and iniustice The Confirmation is from the Oath of God As I liue saith the Lord He sweares by himselfe who hath no greater to sweare by The manner of this swearing is as if God should haue said It shall as surely come to passe as it is sure that I liue and am God Doctr. All men must and shall submit themselues to Christ as to their Iudge Ioh. 5.22 The Father hath committed all iudgement vnto the Sonne Philip 2.9 10 11. Where are the very words of this Text declaring that all shall bowe at the Name of Iesus this name was contemptible among the Iewes but it was declared glorious in all the world by the preaching of the Apostles and shall much more be glorified at the last day All knees haue not yet bowed to Christ Obser 1 but they shall therefore there must needs bee both the resurrection of the dead and a day of Iudgement That which in Esay is attributed to Iehouah Obser 2 is here attributed to Christ therefore Christ is that Iehouah We may here note the originall of that Antient Ceremony of putting off the hat Obser 3 and making a leg at the Name of Iesus in the Congregation in token of reuerence and Adoration not of the bare Name as the Papists doe superstitiously attributing force and vertue to the very letters pronounced written and worn making it a part of Gods worship but vnto the person so named This Ceremony is not onely of antient practice in the Church but hath approbation of as great learned and holy men as any haue written in these daies Master Zanchy saith Zanch. com in Philip. c. 2. v. 10. that it is Consuetudo non improbanda a custome not to be found fault with if it be vsed without superstition For there is no other Name whereby we must be saued and therefore it is worthily exalted aboue euery Name shewing that hee which bore that name being accounted among the Iewes a meere man a Carpenter a sorcerer a wine-bibber is declared to bee the very Sonne of the liuing God by nature Pareus also Pare com in loc Si vt ritus indifferens praestetur externa reuerentia nemo improbat No man doth finde fault with bowing the knee at the Name of Iesus if such reuerence be vsed not as a necessary part of Gods worship but as an indifferent rite and I am sure that it is vsed no otherwaies in the Church of England The end of this Ceremony was threefold 1 For confutation of the Arians being mixt with the Orthodoxall Christians in their assemblies who thereby also were discouered 2 For working attention to the holy Scriptures when they are read for vnlesse they attended they might easily faile in performance of such reuerence and so