3. Or Peter himself But no doctrinal controversie dependeth on it For all three are certain truths 1. No doubt but primarily Christ is the Rock on which the Church is built 2. And no doubt but Faith and Confession being the condition of our part in Christ the Church is so far built thereon 3. And no doubt but the Apostles are called Foundation stones on which the Church is built and therefore Peter whose name importeth it and was a chief speaker among them as the foreman of a Jury 2. Though the Powers of Hell may seem to prevail as they did over Christ while he was on the Cross they are then next an overthrow themselves 19. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven 19. And hereafter I will make thee a ruling Steward over my Church as it is Gods Kingdom on earth preparatory to the Heavenly Kingdom of Glory and the due administration of thy office by these Keys of Power shall be the ordinary way to Heaven and a forerunner of the finall Justification of the Faithful and of the final condemnation of the Impenitent and ungodly whom by my doctrine and the due application of it thou bindest over to my judgment Note As Peter was the foreman or speaker in their common confession so by Peter the promise is made to them all And to them all Christ after gave this power But he never made Peter governour of the rest of the Apostles Much less the Pope 20. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ 20. N. Because this honour was reserved chiefly 1. To the time of the accomplishment of all the evidences by his Resurrection and Ascension and giving of the Holy Ghost 2. And to the work of the Spirit then on the Apostles by which they were suddenly advanced to a fitness for this work above what they attained by Christs personal teaching them on earth 21. From that time forth began Jesus to shew to his disciples how that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day 21. Note 1. This Christ did 1. To make them know that he knew things to come 2. And to make them know that it was not to reign as an earthly King that he was sent 3. And to prepare them to bear his sufferings and not to expect fleshly prosperity by him 2. It was the Poor that followed Christ and the Rulers and Teachers that crucified him 22. Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee 22. Peter contradicted him saying God forbid Lord favour thy self and expose not thy self to this Note 1. The flesh is ready to suggest fleshly counsel and to oppose all that tends to suffering 2. We have need to be fortified against temptations of loving friends as well as enemies 23. But he turned and said to Peter Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence to me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men 23. He lookt at him with displeasure and said to Peter I say to thee as I did to the Devil when he tempted me Get thee behind me for thou doest the work of Satan the adversary in tempting me for self-preservation to violate my Fathers command and my undertaking and to forsake the work of mans Redemption and Salvation As thy counsel savoureth not the things that be of God his will work and Glory but the things that be of men the love of the body and this present life so it signifieth what is in thy heart take heed lest this carnality prevail Note 1. All things must displease us that displease God and are against his interest and the good of man 2. Even the best men and nearest friends may by temptation and errour be made Satans instruments to do his work in some particulars of great moment 3. Good men do the Devils work oft times when they know it not but verily think it is all for Christ 4. No love or respect to mens nearness or goodness must draw us to flatter them in sin or to speak lightly of it we must not mince it or extennate it because good men commit it we must lay it home on them that would by justifying it make it pass for duty Lest the name of Good men should serve Satan more effectually than men of known wickedness can do 5. It is no railing on just occasions to tell tempting friends and godly men or Ministers that they are doing the Devils woâ—k and are instead of Devils to the tempted To hinder us in Gods work and mens Salvation is to be Satans to us O how many Satans then are called Reverend Fathers who silence and persecute men for Gods work as the whole course of the Papal Discipline and worship manifesâ—â—th 7. It is carnal savouring worldly and fleshly interest too much and the things of God the Soul and Heaven to little which is the common cause of the sinful counsels and course even of Sacred men 24. Then said Jesus to his disciples If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me 25. For whoever will save his life shall lose it and whoever will lose his liâ—e for my sake shall find it 24. Christ took this occasion to preach self-denial to his Disciples saying Let him that will be my Disciple and follow me and expect Salvation by me resolve to deny his carnal self and self-interest and resign himself to me as being not his own but mine Not making the cross but patiently taking and bearing it when it is laid upon him and follow me by sufferings unto glory For this is the method determined by God that whoever resolveth to save his life and not be undone in the world to avoid sin this man shall finally lose his life and life eternal And whoever will lose his life rather than by sin to forsake me and his duty shall find that life with felicity in heaven which he lost on earth N. Christs peremptory terms of Salvation are to prefer it and him before our lives 26. For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul 26. Will it not be an ill bargain to gain all the world for a short time to the flesh and lose ones own Soul and its happiness for ever And what will compensate the loss of the Soul For what price would you sell its happiness N. 1. Men hath a Soul that liveth when he leaveth this world 2. It were a mad bargain to sell a mans Soul for all that this world
way to death and misery 2. Converting the erroneous sinner is the way to save him 3. One man may be said to save another much more a man himself by converting him without derogating from Christs Salvation but in subordination to it 4. Therefore all Christians but specially Ministers should be diligent and skilful to convert erroneous sinners and the erroneous patient and thankful for their help Note If it be the Gnosticks as Dr. H. saith that James here and Paul in his Epistles so greatly warn the Christians against alas too great a part of the Church Governours Bishops and their Clergys abroad on Earth seem turned very like these by him described Gnosticks 1. In being for Worldly interest Wealth and Pleasure 2. In being for Ceremonies 3. In joining with the Vngodly Enemies of Piety 4. In being Latitudinarians or Licentious against strictness and tenderness of Conscience and Adiaphorists in things not Adiaphorous 5. In being Persecutors And if base underling Gnosticks or Nicolaitans could so trouble the Churches then what a case must those Countrys be in where they are got into the Episcopal Chair and claim the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to execute their Pride and Lusts over Princes and People of all sorts sure Borborites or Gnosticks are not the less such nor the less dangerous for being called Bishops and having Power Wealth and Interest The First Epistle General of the Apostle PETER CHAP. I. 1. PEter an apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia 2. Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ grace unto you and peace be multiplied 1. Peter an Apostle not called the Universal Bishop or Head or Governour of the Church to the dispersed Jews through Pontus c. chosen by grace out of that unbelieving forlorn Nation according to Gods fore-knowledge and unsearchable Counsel to Sanctification by the Holy Ghost and to Obedience and to a State of Reconciliation and Justification by the Merit of the Blood of Christ applied Grace and Peace multiplied to you is my Prayer and Benediction 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 3. Bâ—essed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who out of his abundant mercy for the manifestation and Glory of it hath regenerated us to a living hope even a hope of Glorious Life procured notified and secured to us by the Resurrection of Christ from the dead 4. To an inheritance inccorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time 4 5. Not to such a corruptible defiled fading Inheritance as Earth is to its lovers but to an Inheritance incorruptible undefiled and holy never fading reserved by the Divine Love and Decree and by the Possession Intercession and Promise of Christ for you who are true Believers and are kept by the power oâ— God through that Faith which he hath given you and you keep and exercise to Salvation which ere long will be gloriously revealed to your sight and possession the last time being not far off Note It is revealed already in the Gospel and wil be fully revealed to separated Souls But the full glorious revelation is when the whole Church is consummated 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations 6. In the belief and hope of this glorious Inheritance you now live in great joy though for a little time when God seeth it needful for your good he let out upon you those trying sufferings which are heavy and grievous to the flesh 7. That the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ 7. For as your Faith is a preciouser thing than gold and refined gold is the most precious gold so tryed Faith is the most precious Faith and the tryal of it a greater work than the trying and refining of gold by fire that so it may be found at the coming of Christ a qualification meet for your own praise honour and glory and in you also unto Christ's 8. Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 8. Whom though you never saw in the flesh as we did that followed him yet you truly love and honour And though now you see him not in his glory nor his coming yet your effectual Faith doth so far serve instead of seeing him that you rejoyce by it with unspeakable triumphant joy in hope of that which you shall see 9. Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls 9. And shall shortly receive that great Salvation for which you have believed 10. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you 11. Searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before-hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow 10 11. Of this great Salvation and Kingdom of Christ Incarnate which is dated from his Resurrection and perfected at his next coming many Prophets foretold in their manner and degree and they enquired and diligently searched more explicitely to have known it and the time when it should be when the Spirit in them foretold that the Messiah must suffer and in general that glorious things should follow 12. Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the holy Ghost sent down from heaven which things the angels desire to look into 12. And it was revealed to them that it was not to come to pass in their days and that it was not they but we that should see the Messiah and his special Kingdom and the things which since his Resurrection are now preached to you by us his Ministers with the Seal of the Holy Spirit sent down in a special abundance from Heaven to be the Witness of Christ and the Sanctifier of Souls a mystery so great and of so excellent importance that the Angels think it worthy their search 13. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ 13. Wherefore as runners gird their cloaths to them that they trouble them not do you fortifie your minds
as one having authority and not as the Scribes 28 29. The hearers admired his Doctrine for he spake not as the Scribes and ordinary Teachers but as by Prophetick authority and the Majestick power of the Spirit CHAP. VIII 1. WHen he was come down from the mountain great multitudes followed him 2. And behold there came a Leper and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean 1 2. N. 1. A Leprosie is so long and so visible a disease as that there could be no fraud in the cure 2. The belief of Christs power shewed that he believed him to be sent of God and therefore was an acceptable faith tho he doubted of Christs will 3. And Jesus put forth his hand and touched him saying I will be thou clean And immediately his leprosie was cleansed 3. Note Christ shewed both Power and Will to cure him miraculously that believed his power 4. And Jesus saith to him See thou tell no man but go thy way shew thy self to the Priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded for a testimony to them 4. Do not thy self divulge this cure but go shew the Priest that thou art cleansed and let him enquire if he will how it was done perform thou thy Offering according to the Law and let it stand as a testimony of me whether they will use it or not N. 1. Christ would have his miracles divulged but by degrees and so himself made known not all at first but in due season when it would do more good than hurt not to encourage men against him before the time but when his greatest works all done might set together make a compleat evidence 2. Tho the high Priest was no due successor of Aarons line but yearly brought in by Heathen powers to him that purchased the place and the office much corrupted yet Christ bids the Leper do his duty according to the Law to such as had possession 5. And when Jesus was entred into Capernaum there came a Centurion beseeching him 6. And saying Lord my servant lyeth at home sick of the Passie grievously tormented 7. And Jesus saith to him I will come and heal him 5 6 7. N. This Captain of an hundred Soldiers shewed his Faith by asking and Christ presently promiseth a cure 8. The Centurion answered and said Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof but speak the word only and my servant shall be healed 9. For I am a man under authority having soldiers under me and I say to this man Go and he goeth and to another Come and he cometh and to my servant Do this and he doth it 8 9. The Captain said c. And if my Soldiers and Servants obey my words its easie with thee to command deliverance 10. When Jesus heard it he marvelled and said to them that followed Verily I say to you I have not found so great faith no not in Israel 10. At this Christ expressed admiration by way of praise saying I have not found so great faith in any Israelites that waited for the Messiah as in this Roman Captain 11. And I say to you that many shall come from the east and west and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven 12. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 11. I tell you that many of the Gentiles shall be converted and from East and West shall be gathered into the Church and into the Heavenly Kindom to Abraham Isaac and Jacob whose faithful though not natural children they are reputed when the Jews that are the natural seed and thought that the promise had been only theirs shall be cast out from Heavenly felicity into outer darkness and utmost misery where shall be crying and weeping and gnashing of teeth as men do with cold or with rage 13. And Jesus said to the Centurion Go thy way and as thou hast believed so be it done to thee and his servant was healed the very same hour 13. And Jesus gave him presently the reward of his faith promising and performing the cure of his servant 14. And when Jesus came into Peters house he saw his wives mother laid and sick of a fever 15. And he touched her hand and the fever left her and she rose and ministred to them 14. Note the speed of the cure she presently went about her business and served them 16. When the even was come they brought to him many that were possessed with devils and he cast out the spirits with his word and healed all that were sick 16. Note 1. The Scripture doth not separate Diseases and Devils so much as they that think there is no Devil in a disease that hath natural causes For Devils are often Gods executioners even when there are natural causes of the disease and do add many extraordinary symptomes by their own operation 2. Christ healed Bodies to win Souls by such gifts as all are capable of valuing and to shew his mercy to Body and Soul 17. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet saying Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses 17. And as in Isa 53. he is said to take our Infirmities by suffering for our sins the words may also be verified in another sense even of his compassion and his cure of mens diseases 18. Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him he gave commandment to depart unto the other side 19. and a certain Scribe came and said to him Master I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest 20. And Jesus saith to him the foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head 18 19 20. N. That when Christ saw a man desirous to follow him either for worldly ends and with a mind not loosed from worldly interest he trieth him and turneth him off by undeceiving him 21. And another of his disciples faith to him Lord suffer me first to go and bury my father 22. But Jesus said to him Follow me and let the dead bury their dead 21 22. Another whom Christ saw better resolved and qualified he would not permit so much as to go home to bury his Father but using a proverbial speech saith Let the dead bury their dead that is If thou be devoted to me follow me and my service for this is now thy greatest business to which burying thy Father must not be preferred Others that are not engaged as thou art may bury thy Father If they would not it were better he were unburied than thou should desert or neglect me and my service 23 24. And when he was entred into a ship his disciples followed him And behold there arose a great tempest in the sea insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves but he was asleep 25. And his disciples came unto him and awoke him saying Lord save
But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Note 1. Peter had a priority though no Government over the rest 2. Lebbeus is Judas that wrote the Epistle extant 3. Simon is not called a Canaanite as to Nation but his name signifieth the Zealot Luk. 6.15 Act. 1 13. 4. Christ chose twelve in respect to the twelve Tribes of Israel to whose service they were first confined But when the Jews rejected him and the Gentiles were to be called he added Paul to shew that he confined not the Gospel to the Jews but the Church now must be Catholick 5. By the Samaritans is meant those that were not of Abrahams Seed but were sent thither at the translation in King Hosea's time And by the Israelites is meant all Abraham's seed that were chiefly in Judea but scattered also where the twelve Tribes had lived 7. And as ye go preach saying The Kingdom of heaven is at hand 7. As ye go Proclaim to them that the Kingdom of the Messiah whom God promised to send from Heaven is now at hand You may see the Christ so long expected 8. Heal the sick cleanse the lepers raise the dead cast out devils freely ye have received freely give 8. I give you power to heal c. Doing good is your work Do it freely as freely I give it you 9. Provide neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses 10. nor scrip for your journey nor two coats neither shoes nor yet staves for the workman is worthy of his meat 9. You go not on your own work but mine Provide neither Money nor victuals for your Journey nor cloathing as for long time to come nor a defensive weapon or staff But look for your maintenance for your work 11. And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter enquire who in it is worthy and there abide till ye go thence 12. And when ye come into any house salute it 13. And if the house be worthy let your peace come upon it But if it be not worthy let your peace return to you 11 c. Enquire who is a godly person willingest to entertain the Gospel And when you come to any house say Peace be to this house that is Gods blessing be here And if the persons be godly and truly qualified for his blessing it shall come upon them else not but you shall be clear Note 1. There is a worthiness consistent with free grace 2. And a worthiness before their receiving of the Gospel This had two degrees 1. The highest degree was true saith and godliness suited to that knowledge that the faithfull had before Christs incarnation who were in a state of Salvation but yet had not the knowledge of the Gospel fully so called and that Jesus was the Christ Such was Zachary and Elizabeth and Nathanael and the Centurion Act. 10 c. 2. And those that had but preparatory grace or a teachable tractable willing disposition were more worthy or less unworthy than the refractory 2. Ministers being not heart-searchers must pronounce Gods blessing on men on uncertainties and meer probability of the event 3. This benediction hath ever a condition implyed if the person be worthy or capable of it 4. If that person be unworthy and unblest the Minister is blameless if he went according to probable profession The fault was his own 5. No Ministerial blessing Baptizing the Lords Supper Absolution c. will save an unworthy person that is one not qualified for Salvation according to Gods promise 14. And whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words when ye depart out of that house or city shake off the dust of your feet 14. And seeing you come not for any gain of your own but to bring them the joyfull tidings of Salvation so heinous is the sin of unthankful churlish refusal that you shall shake off the dust of your feet as signifying the labour you used in vain for their Salvation as a witness against them in time to come 15. Verily I say to you that it shall be more tollerable for the land of Sodom and of Gomorrha in the day of judgment than for that city 15. Note 1. There are different degrees of punishment hereafter some are more tollerable than others 2. Sodomes punishment shall be less than the refusers of the Gospel because they sinned against less means light and mercies False Christians then will have a heavy doom 16. Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves Be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves 16. It is not a life or ease and worldly preferment or man-pleasing that I send you on but as sheep in the midst of many Wolves such enmity against the Gospel and godliness is in the corrupt nature and interest of man and specially of the obdurate that instead of thankful entertaining you and your message they will tear and devour you if God do not restrain them Therefore be wise to carry your selves inoffensively and cautelously preserving your selves by lawful means but be ye harmless and innocent that they may have no just accusation against you and use no unlawfull means Sheep and Doves are no good fighters against Wolves and Hawks 17. But beware of men for they will deliver you up to the councils and they will scourge you in their Synagogues 18. And ye shall be brought before governours and kings for my sake for a testimony against them and the Gentiles 17 18. But keep out of their hands as I do by just means For the Jews will deliver you up to their Councils of Priest and Elders and they will scourge you as malefactors in their Synagogues and if they can make your crimes seem capital they will deliver you up to the Roman power that both Jews and Gentiles while you are accused may hear from you what the Gospelis and be unexcutable in their sin 19. But when they deliver you up take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak 20. For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you 19 20. And let not your own slowness of Speech put you on anxiety as it did Moses and Isaiah For Gods Spirit in you will help you and teach you what and how to speak in season 21. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death and the father the child and the children shall rise up against the parents and cause them to be put to death 22. And ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake 21 22. So great is the enmity of the Flesh against the Spirit and against Faith and Holiness that it will overcome even natural affection of brethren and parents and children so that they shall bring their nearest relations to Martyrdom and other sufferings And the world will hate you for my sake But he that endureth to the end shall be saved 22.
true belief and trust in my Power and Will for the working of any such miracle as I commission you to work if it were as hard as the removing of a mountain it should not be too hard for you Note It is not faith but presumption which hath no promise of success if they or any are confident of working any miracle which Christ never commissioned or called them to work or Promised his blessing to 21. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by fasting and prayer 21. But by faith I mean not confident presumption that God will do it in your own way But for such as this God will be sought by Fasting and fervent Prayer in which way you may expect success if the person also be capable that seeketh help 22. And while they abode in Galilee Jesus said to them The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men 23. And they shall kill him and the third day he shall be raised again And they were exceeding sorry 22 23. Again Christ foretells them of his death and resurrection to instruct and prepare them for it which they were grieved at 24. And when they were come to Capernaum they that received tribute money came to Peter and said Doth not your Master pay tribute He saith yes And when he was come into the house Jesus prevented him saying What thinkest thou Simon of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute of their own children or of strangers 26 Peter saith to him Of strangers Jesus saith to him Then are the children free 24 25. N. They had two sorts of Tribute but that here meant its likest was Pole-money imposed by Augustus first And by children is not meant free Subjects for such did pay but their own families And then its hard to know what Christs answer meant unless it were as many say Then this Tribute belongs of right to the house of David and I being of it am free Or else If Kings own Families be not taxed I that am the Son of the universal King from whom is all power and whose Subjects they are am rightfully freer than their Children This seemeth to me to be the sâ—nce But he questioneth not but Tribute is due to Kings and other Powers 27. Notwithstanding lest we should offend them Go thou to the sea and cast a hook and take the fish that first cometh up and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt find a piece of money take that and give to them for me and thee 27. But we must deny our own right to avoid offence Go therefore and cast a hook and I will bring a fish to thy hand with half a Crown a Stater in his mouth which is the Poll-money for tâ—o persons Pay them that for thee and me Note 1. This shewed the great power of Christ 2 But why did he pay for Peter and not the rest Ans Peter had a house in Capernaum where they were and was there to pay his Poll-money Matth. 5.8 14. If it be as others think the Tax to the Sanctuary that is here meant it will make no doctrinal alteration The sense then will be A Tax due to God is rather due to me than from me that am the Son of God CHAP. XVIII 1. AT the same time came the disciples to Jesus saying Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven 1. Ambition stirred in them to debate who should be greatest in Christs Church or Kingdom next himsâ—lf 2 3. And Jesus called a little child unto him and set him in the midst of them and said Verily I say to you Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven 2 3. Christ set a child before them as a visible answer and said Except true conversion give you a new and humble mind and take you off from ambitious overvaluing earthly pomp and power that as teachable and obedient Disciples to the you may be drawn to set more by heavenly things you cannot be capable of entring into the heavenly Kingdom much less of being greatest there nor are you fit for a place in the Church on earth much less of power without covenanting this 4. Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven 4. Tho worldly men will think otherwise I tell you that the humblest Christian is the best and the best is indeed the greatest as being dearest unto God and he is fittest also for Church power 5. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me 5. And he that receiveth or sheweth kindness to any such humble Godly Christian I will take and reward it as done to me N. How do the Papal Clergy read this that hate revile silence and ruine or burn such But they cheat their Souls by saying that such are but Hereticks and Schismaticks and deny them to be Christ's and then they think they are disobliged and may use them as they first judge and call them 6. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea 6. But whoever he be that shall gall discourage or by threatning derision or persecution seek to drive the least from faith and holy living it were less hurt to that man how big soever he now look and talk that he were drowned in the Sea with a milstone about his neck for God will take vengeance on him 7. Wo to the world because of offences for it must needs be that offences come but wo to that man by whom the offence cometh 7. Wo to the world by reason of the Scandals oppositions and impediments to faith holiness and salvation which men will lay before each other some by errour some by crimes and some by persecution such scandals and hinderances and temptations there will be God will permit them for trial and men will commit them But the sin is great and it will be wo to the guilty especially the malignant persecutors and seducers 8. Wherefore if thy hand or foot offend thee cut them off and cast them from thee It is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into fire everlasting 9. And if thy eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee It is better for thee to enter into life with one eye rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire 8 9. Let nothing seem too dear to thee to secure thy salvation against such scandals and hinderances and temptations If it be friend or interest as dear to thee as thy hand or foot or eye it is a smaller loss to cast it away here and be saved hereafter than to keep it here and be damned hereafter to endless misery If thou hadst no other
father and thy mother and Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self 18 19. Note Christ knew the Order of the commandments but named the Fifth and the Tenth by themselves as being of special note the Fifth for Government it self and the Ninth the summary of the Second Table For Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self If is that which is meant by Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours c. that is not by self-love want love to him and draw from him to thy self or oppose his good 20. The young man saith All these have I kept from my youth up what lack I yet 20. Note No doubt but he had broken these commands especially the last but he judged by his freedom from the gross acts of sin 21. Jesus said to him If thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come and follow me 21. Jesus said the state of Christianity or Qualification for Salvation is this Resolvedly and Practically to prefer Heaven before all the Prosperity of this World so as to part with All for Heaven when thou art Called to it Therefore I will now try thee whether thou canst do this Go sell all and give to the poor and follow me and take the hopes of a Treasure in Heaven instead of all 22. But when the young man heard that saying he went away sorrowful for he had great Possessions 22. But this seemed so hard a Motion to him that he would not consent but went away sorrowful for he was very rich 23. Then said Jesus to his Disciples Verily I say to you That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven 24 And again I â—ay to you It is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God 23.24 The difficulty of a Rich Man's being a sound Christian and Saved is great that I may express it by the common Proverb of a Camels going through a Needles Eye 25. When his Disciples heard it they were exceedingly amazed saying Who then can be saved 26. But Jesus beheld them and said to them With men this is impossible but with God all things are possible 25.26 This amazing the Disciples he said So naturally and strongly do men love this World and its Prosperity and so hardly do they believe and love the unseen Heavenly Felicity that it is impossible for meer fleshly Man to make so great a change upon the heart But the Grace of Almighty God can and will do it 27. Then answered Peter and said to him Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee What shall we have therefore 27. Peter said We have consented to thy termes and forsaken All and followed thee What shall be our reward 28. And Jesus said to them Verily I say to you that ye which have followed me in the Regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the Throne of his glory ye also shall sit on twelve thrones judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel 28. Fear not being loosers by forsaking all You that have sincerely forsaken All for me shall in my Kingdom and future State have ruling Power Dignity and Honour Note It is doubted by Expositors Whether this speak onely of their chief Power on Earth in the Catholick Church and answerable Glory in Heaven Or of any peculiar reign over the Tribes of Israel in Heaven or on Earth after the resurrection The General sence is sure tho what more there is be doubtful 29. And every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my name-sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life 29. And it is not you onely but all others that lose and forsake any thing here for my Name-sake in the hope of the Kingdom of Heaven shall be so great gainers by it that they shall have in this Life a hundred-fold better in value than they lost and in the World to come Everlasting Life The worse condition of the Faithful is an hundred times better than others 30. But many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first 30. But as to the degree of Glory I must tell you it will not be given according to priority of Age or Conversion but according to the preparations of Grace And many that are now called and have less Holiness will have less Glory than many that will be more Eminent Saints many Ages hence CHAP. XX. 1. FOR the Kingdom of heaven is like to a man that is an housholder which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his Vineyard 2. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day he sent them into his vineyard 1.2 Note The Parable is to shew That God will not give men more Glory than others because they were the first Christians but because his Grace hath made them the best tho in time after others 3. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market-place 4. And said unto them Go ye also into the vineyard and what ever is right I will give you And they went their way 5. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour and did likewise 6. And about the Eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle and saith to them Why stand ye here all the day idle 7. They say to him Because no man hath hired us He saith to them Go ye also into the Vineyard and what ever is right that shall ye receive 3. c. The hours were about Nine a Clock and at Twelve and at Three and at Five God is not for idleness but hath work for all times and Ages 8. So when even was come the lord of the vineyard saith to his Steward Call the labourers and give them their hire beginning from the last unto the first 8. Note Gods Reward is in the evening of our days and the evening of the World when Work is done 9. And when they came that were hired at the Eleventh hour they received every man a penny 10. And when the first came they supposed that they should have received more and they likewise received every man a penny 11. And when they had received it they murmured against the good man of the house 12. Saying These last have wrought but one hour and thou hast made them equal with us who have born the burder and heat of the day 9.10.11.12 He made no difference in their Wages for the Time of their Work But he will make difference for the Work it self They that are called near the end of the World shall have as much as those that heard Christ Preach And those that are Converted in their Age if they be more Holy than those that began in Youth will be more Happy 2. This Parable meaneth not that
Note 1. Whence the Ancient Doctors gathered that Christ hath a two old Knowledge Will and Operation One Humane and Imperfect the other Divine and Perfect 2. Angels may increase in knowledge 37. But as the days of Noe were so shall also the coming of the Son of man be 38. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noe entred into the ark 39. And knew not until the flood came and took them all away so shall also the coming of the Son of man be 37.38.39 As in the days of Noe they would not believe their danger till it surprized them but liv'd presumptuously in their fleshly pleasure and worldly business so will it be with Sinners at my Coming Both at the destruction of Jerusalem and at the day of Judgment 40. Then shall two be in the field the one shall be taken and the other left 41. Two women shall be grinding at the mill the one shall be taken and the other left 40.41 Then I will manifest my distinguishing Providence One that is a Believer shall be taken to me and be Saved and the other left to their delusion and destruction in unbelief Note The difficulty of most of these foregoing Texts forbids me to be peremptory in determining whether they spake onely of the destruction of Jerusalem as in Mark the Question seemeth to intimate Or also of the End of the World as some words in the Answer seem to intimate And I incline to think that as the Types and Prophecies of the Old Testament spake proximately of the things and persons Typifying but remotely and chiefly thereby of Christ and the things Typifyed so these Texts speak first of the destruction of Jerusalem and next of the Calling of the Gentiles and Catholick Church but thereby finally and chiefly of the End of the World As if Christ said As it will be here now so it will be then parabolically 42. Watch therefore for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come This therefore is the necessary wisdome of all to be as men on their watch never a sleep or mindless but always ready as expecting the Coming of your Lord And then though you understand not all Circumstances before hand you shall be safe 43. But know this that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief would come he would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up 44. Therefore be ye also ready for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man cometh 43.44 Seeing men will watch against a Thief if they knew when he would come watch you for the preventing of surprize because you know not but it may presently be the time and it must be a continual readiness that must be your safety not onely as to the destruction of Jerusalem but as to every mans particular Judgment For Christ spake for the use of us all to the end and not onely for the few Jews that heard him 45. Who then is a faithful and wise servant whom his lord hath made ruler over his houshold to give them meat in due season 46. Blessed is that servant whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing 45.46 And those that are faithful and wise Teachers and rulers of his Church to give them meet and seasonable instruction as food for their Souls shall be found at their Lords coming Blessed Persons and shall be aboundantly gainers by their labours and their Sufferings 47. Verily I say unto you that he shall make him ruler over all his goods 47. I tell you such Ministers how poor or despised soever now by the world shall be advanced to a far greater dignity than their present Pastoral Office even to a participation under Christ of the Universal Government 48. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart My Lord delayeth his coming 49. And shall begin to smite his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunken 48.49 But if any Assume the Sacred Ministry and shall say in his heart It is long since Christ promised to come and now his coming is either uncertain or will not be in hasle and thereupon shall indulge â—his fleshly Lusts and shall turn a malignant abuser of his fellow Servants and Persecute Silence and Oppress them and give himself up to the pleasure of his Appetite in Feasting and Drunkenness 50. The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not ware of 51. And shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites there shall be â—eeping and gnashing of teeth 50. The Lord of that Servant will surprise him in his Sin and Security when he least suspecteth it and will execute that Vengeance on him which is due to such as aggravate their wickedness by Hypocrisie and make him feel that as it is odious so it is dreadful to prophane Holy things and to fight against holiness in the Name of Christ and at once to be a Minister a Worldling a Sensualist and a Persecutor Annotation It is of great moment for the understanding of this Chapter and much of Christs Gospel to know the true meaning of Christs Kingdom and his Coming Tho oft he spake directly of his last coming to Judgment yet ordinarily this seemeth his meaning His Kingdom is that Reign in Heaven on Earth at once which he was to exercise as the Messiah or God Incarnate having Redeemed lost Man The little poor Nation of Israelites were his peculiar People before Upon his Ascension the Gentile World was to be Called and a Catholick Church gathered over the Earth in a more excellent covenant of peculiarity and this Catholick Church is the Kingdom of the Messiah His coming is not his sending his Enemies to destroy Jerusalem nor yet his Visible Appearance in Person till Judgment but his setting up this his Kingdom his coming to Reign that is to Erect this Catholick Church This is plainly expounded in Luke 17.20 21 23. The Pharisees demanded when the Kingdom of God should come He told them The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation or outward shew by personal visible Appearance of the King in Pomp and Splendor with a Court as Monarchs rule nor shall they say Lo here or Lo there No Head King or Court shall be Visible for behold the Kingdom of God is in you or among you It is a Spiritual Reign in Souls and in the Church of which you have already some beginnings 24. For as the Lightning that Lightneth out of one part under the Heaven shineth to the other part under Heaven So shall also the Son of man be in his Day but first he must suffer and be rejected of this Generation c. that is when he hath Suffered and been Rejected he will Rise Ascend and from Heaven send his Spirit and Word to
hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ 3. Thanks and Praise be given to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings in Celestials or Heavenly things which tend to Glory which Christ doth purchase promise prepare and possess for us 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love 4. As he chose us as Members of Christ whom he chose to be our Head before the World was made that we should be holy and blameless both which summarily consist in holy Love 5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved 5 6. Having predestinated us to become his adopted Children to him in and by Jesus Christ of his own free and good Will that so his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in his beloved Son might have the Praise and Glory Note 1. That the Election is from before the Foundation of the World 2. That it is one Decree or Election of God by which he chuseth Christ to be our Head and us to be his Members 3. It is one and the same Election by which God hath chosen us to the praise and glory of his Grace to be saved and to be holy and blameless in Love On Gods part it is by one Act and on our part it is to one state of Blessedness as Generation maketh one Man though as objectively that one have many Parts it may accordingly be named Many and distinguished And the Essentials are given at once though the Integrals and Augmentation be after given by degrees 4. That Love is the sum of that Holiness and Blamelesness to which we are predestinated 5. That we are not onely Predestinated to Life on condition of Holiness but are Predestinated to Holiness it self and consequently to Faith and Repentance and not onely on condition that we believe and repent And so Election is of Individual Persons to Faith Holiness and Salvation and not onely of Believers to Salvation or of Persons to be saved if they believe A Conditional puts nothing into being or act Were the Scripture dark in the Point of Gods free Electing of some to Faith and Repentance more than others of equal Guilt and Pravity Experience might fully satisfie us of it 7 8. In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence 7 8. In whom we have deliverance by Redemption through the Sacrifice of his Blood for our Sins even the forgiveness of all our Sin which manifesteth the Riches of his Grace and Bounty from which this Gift proceedeth in which he abounded toward us in the exercise of that wonderful Divine Wisdom and Prudence in the way of our Salvation by Christ which to search and know is the greatest Wisdom and Prudence of Man 9. Having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself 9. Having now opened to us the Mystery of his own Will and good Pleasure which he purposed in himself but was little known by Jews or Gentiles 10. That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him 10. That when he saw the fit time fully come he might gather into one Universal Church united to Christ the Head as his Kingdom and Body both Jews and Gentiles yea Angels and Men the departed Souls and those on Earth to be One I say in him their Head and King Note Those that confine this to Jews and Gentiles yea and those that exclude Angels force the Text without proof For though Angels sinned not Christ may gather us into one Heavenly Society with them and make us like them himself being the Head 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will 11. In whom also we have our Lot of Inheritance being thereto predestinated by God who calleth whom he pleaseth and worketh all things according to his own Counsel Wisdom and Will 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ 12. That we who were first called and made Believers in Christ might be the First-fruits of his Church and bring him much Praise and Glory by our Service 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise 13. In whom you trusted when you had heard the true Gospel of your Salvation and in and by Christ after you believed you received the great Gift of the promised Spirit which is Gods Seal upon you and the Seal of the Truth of his Promise to you 14. Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory 14. Which Spirit is given us by God as the ascertaining Earnest of our Inheritance to fit us for and assure us of our attaining the Possession of that which Christ hath purchased for those whom he had redeemed to be his peculiar People 15. Wherefore I also after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the saints 16. Cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers 15 16. Hearing of the continuance and increase of your Faith and your Love to all the Saints and not onely to those that conform to your Minds in small or indifferent things do constantly give thanks to God for your Stability and daily pray for you 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him 17. That he that is the God of our Lord Jesus as Man who sent him and raised him from the dead and glorified him would give you yet more of the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation that you may know yet more of the Mystery of his Love in our Redemption by Christ 18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints 18. That your Minds being yet more illuminated you may fullier and clearlier know to what glorioâ—s Hopes he hath called us and what Treasures of Glory he hath promised to his Saints in whom he will be glorified for ever 19. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who
Woman in Heaven is meant the Pope and Church of Rome in its Power and by the Sun is meant their spiritual Power as Key-bearers of Heaven and by the Moon is meant all Princes Secular Power as under the feet of the Papal Church at least in order to the ends of the spiritual Power by which he may if they deserve it excommunicate and depose them By others is understood the Christian Church now raised to Honour and flourishing in Grace and Wisdom and having worldly Prosperity as a lower part of her Blessing or say others trampling on Wealth and worldly things with a holy Contempt And known by this Ensign of Honour that the twelve Apostles were its Founders under Christ and that still they hold fast the Apostolical Doctrine and depart not from it by humane deprivations or by heretical Seduction and Corruption This is a Crown of Glory to the pure Church being not yet seduced from Christian Apostolick Simplicity 2. And she being with child cried travailing in birth and pained to be delivered 2. She laboured with earnest desire to propagate Christianity through the World Some refer this to the Jewish Church desiring Christ's Nativity but most to the labour of Ministers to spread the Gospel and some specially to the Conversion of the Roman Empire 3. And there appeared another wonder in heaven and behold a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns upon his heads 3. The Devil appeared in the shape of a great red Dragon specially Mars whom the Heathen Romans took for their special God His seven Heads and Crowns signifie his great Power especially at Rome the City that had seven Hills and ruled in the Earth and the ten Horns are the Kingdoms or Provinces of the Roman Empire 4. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and did cast them to the earth and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered for to devour her child as soon as it was born 4. By his Tail say many is meant his Subtilty by Hereticks he corrupted a third part of Christians which saith Dr. H. was by Simon Magus and the Gnosticks Say others by all the Swarm of Heresies Lira saith All this is spoken of the War of Cosroe King of Persia against the Christians Most Protestants say it is meant of the Roman persecuting Emperors Successes acted by Satan who sought to extirpate Christianity 5. And she brought forth a man-child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron and her child was caught up unto God and to his throne 5. This Child say some was Christ others say Constantine most say the Church as prosperous which in Constantine's time was to be advanced to Power and prevail against Heathenism both by the Word and by the Sword Or that Christ by the Church was thus to rule Or as others the Martyrs taken up to God triumphed by suffering and furthered the Glory of the Church Others think it meaneth that in the days of the honest Heathen Emperors Alexander Severus Philip Arabs Constantius Chlorus c. the Church travailed as in the pains of Child-birth but was to suffer with patience as in the Wilderness till Decius Dioclesian Max. Hercul Maxentius and Licinius had done persecuting and then it was delivered by Constantine to an advanced free Church-state 6. And the woman fled into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days 6. Say some the Church throughout the Empire persecuted by Nero for three Years and a half was put to worship God in Obscurity and as in Flight But Nero's Persecution was before John wrote this if under Domitian Others more probably refer it to the later Roman Persecutions under which God kept his Church till its Deliverance And some understand it of Antichrist's driving the pure Church as into a Wilderness 7. And there was war in heaven Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and the dragon fought and his angels 8. And prevailed not neither was their place found any more in heaven 7 8. Some expound this of the Conflict at Rome between Simon Magus and Simon Peter long before John wrote this if the story be true Others more probably say it represents the Churches Persecution by the Heathen Emperors especially Dioclesian Maxentius Licinius c. and their final Overthrow by Constantine by a War in Heaven of which this was the Effect By Michael some mean Christ Others rather that Arch-angel mentioned Dan. 10. who was Guardian Prince over Israel and is now such to the Church And whether such have real War in the Air with Devils is doubtful But the casting out Devil-worship in the Empire is here meant as the Effect 9. And the great dragon was cast out that old serpent called the devil and Satan which deceiveth the whole world he was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him 9. By the Similitude of casting down from Heaven to Earth is signified that Satan and Idolaters were cast out of Power and Honour in the World as Earth is opposed to the Church and Empire 10. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before our God day and night 10. The Church Triumphant and Militant glorifies God for this wonderful Change which shewed his strength for the setting up his Kingdom and the Exercise of Christ's Power and the Salvation of Men by conquering the Devil and the Heathens Note 1. If Christian Kingdoms be so honourable and called the Kingdoms of God and the Power of Christ and the Fall of Devils let them better consider it that cry them down under the name of National Churches and would have Churches to be only some gathered out of the multitude 2. Quest Why doth Satan accuse Saints day and night to God who never receiveth his false Accusations Ans 1. He hath too many true Accusations against them 2. He sheweth his Malice though without Success 3. He accuseth them by Slanderers and false Witnesses to the Rulers of the World and to the People to keep them in hatred of Faith and Godliness 11. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death 11. Not only Christ but the Faithful under him conquer Satan and Heathens and all the Churches Enemies 1. By the Blood of Christ whose Sufferings trusted to are the Merit of their Successes 2. By the Word of God preached pleaded and witnessed by them 3. By their Sufferings and Martyrdoms 12. Therefore rejoyce ye heavens and ye that dwell in them wo to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea for the devil is come down unto you having great
wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time 12. Lira thought that this was Cosrot King of Persia who being conquered by Heraclius gave the Church great cause of Joy but wofully oppressed his own Subjects though being old he had not long to do it Dr. H. saith It was the Churches ioy the Devils rage for the Overthrow of Simon Magus and that now he fore-saw the Fall of his Kingdom he set on foot Nero's Persecution Others That the Empire turning Christians the Devil raged by Julian Valens and such others for a little while both against Laity and Clergy Some think that it is properly those in Heaven that rejoyce Others that it is the Church on Earth Others that it is both And some say It is upon the Approach of the Millenium after the Fall of Antichrist Note 1. To be delivered from Satan and see his Kingdom fall is matter of great joy 2. If Satan rage because he knoweth that his time is short how much should we be quickened to Diligence and Hope when we all know that our time on Earth is short 13. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-child 13. Saith Lira when Cosroe saw that he was conquered by Heraclius he persecuted the Christians in his own Dominions whom Heraclius relieved by two Armies Saith Dr. H. When Satan saw that he was conquered in Simon Magus he stirred up Rome against the Christians Say others more probably when Satan saw that vigilant Pastors had defeated his Religious Frauds by Hereticks he turned to the way of Violence by Persecutors first Heathens then Arrians Some say This containeth all the time from Anno 310. to 606. And others That it is his Rage against the Reformation since c. 14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness into her place where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the face of the serpent 14. Christians driven from Rome by Heathenish Persecution say some or after by Papal say others fled up and down into Villages and remote Countries called a Wilderness where God provided for them till that Storm was past As the Waldenses and such others 15. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood 15. The Flood saith Lira was by Cosroe saith Dr. H. by Nero and after by Domitian and others say others it was by all the Heathen Persecutions say others by the Goths and the invading Barbarians say others by Heresies and say others by Popery 16. And the earth helped the woman and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth 16. Say some The Persecution was diverted from the Christians by the Insurrections of the Infidel Jews and their Suppression Say others The Roman wicked Emperors were diverted by the Goths from mischief Say others The Arrian Goths were conquered even by bad Emperors Say others the Prevalency of Truth made even carnal Bishops in Councils help the Church Say others The visible Church consisteth of many bad worldly Men who for conjunct-Interest help the Faithful 17. And the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ 17. Some say this is Domitian and Trajan's Persecution Others that it was the Arrians when Satan saw he was dispossest of Heathen Rome Others that it is his setting up the Papacy as it persecuted particular Christians for not corrupting Religion Note There is no hope of a desirable Peace with Satan or Diabolists while such through Christians must study as much as in them lieth to live peaceably with all Men and specially study Love and Peace among themselves The Devil will not lay down his War against Christ till he be cast down and bound but the Members of Christ's Body should not war against each other The poor Albigensâ—s c. were first by Dioclesian driven into a barren mountainous Country and after murdered by Popes and Papists CHAP. XIII 1. ANd I stood upon the sand of the sea and saw a beast rise up out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns and upon his horns ten crowns and upon his heads the name of blasphemy 1. Most of the olâ— Fathers expounded this of an Antichrist that should come toward the end of the World Some Papists take it to be the second Cosroe that succeeded his Father in Persia Others take the Beast to be the state of the Heathen Religion at Rome the seven Heads signifying either seven Emperors or the seven Hills and the ten Horns and the Crowns the Consederate Kingdoms and the name of Blasphemy the Titles of Rome called A Goddess and the eternal City with its Idolatrous Profession Others take the two Beasts here to be but one under two Relations that is the Pope or Papacy Or say some the Roman Kingdom under the Pope and the Papacy it self as Ecclesiastick Some take the Devil to be this Beast some the Turkish Empire some the Greek Empire and some take this first Beast to be the Roman Empire as Christian The hardest part of the Controversie is between them that say It is Heathen Rome and those that say It is Papal Rome And the Reasons which they give against each other seem stronger than the assertive Reasons of either side of which many Volumes are written Some say that the seven Heads are seven Kings which went immediately before Antichrist and that the name of Blasphemy is say some the Titles given the Pope as God and Vniversal Head or Bishop and Christ's Vniversaâ— Vicar that can forgive sin and bring Souls from Purgatory c. Or as others his Idolatry 2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard and his feet were as the feet of a bear and his mouth as the mouth of a lion and the dragon gave him his power and his seat and great Authority 2. The Leopard was the Type of the Greeks the Bear of the Persians and the Lyon of the Babylonians And all are set together to signifie the Cruelty of the first Beast and variety of its Exercise This was the Heathen Idolatry as exercised by Domitian c. say some to which Satan made the Imperial Power to contribute its utmost help Or as others it was the Papal Idolatry and Cruelty which Satan now propagated by Christian names and pretences as before he had promoted the like in the name of Heathens Gods 3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed and all the world wondred after the beast 3. To pass by those that expound this of the Son of Cosroe King of Persia some take it for the burning
I fear perplexing the Readers and must not be so large I mention what I have done to tell you why I understand not the Revelations and cannot help it that I am no wiser than excellent Calvin nor than aâ— the Ancient Fathers though I disown their conceit of a future Antichrist at the end of the World I doubt not but many in blind zeal will call this my confessed Ignorance a warping towards Popery though I have long in my Writings against Popery confest the very same This I must bear from them that bear more from themselves and from whom the Church beareth more It 's a small thing for one man to be censured by those persons that censure hardlier almost all the Church of Christ on Earth But when I try whether they know any more than I I find little more than a believing that to be the sense of the Revelation which those good men say it is whom they most value Some will desire yet to know more of my own Opinion And I will freely tell it them I. I am much perswaded by impartial consideration of the Text that the Roman Imperial Power as the upholder of Heathen Worship of Devils Idols and themselves and a Captivaters of the Church of Jews and Gentiles was the first Beast and that Rome in that respect was Babylon and the Whore that made all Nations drunk with her pompous Idolatry And the whole current of the Book seemeth plainly to drive at this But many of the subordinate particulars I understand not II. Whether the Papacy be another Beast or Whore there meant and the Text mean two first Beastâ— and two Whores or the similitude notwithstanding so many dissâ—militudes and six hundred or seven hundred or a thousand years interruption make these two one or whether it be Antichrist that is the Beast I will neither affirm nor deny but see no evidence to prove the Affirmative III. What my Judgment is of Popery the Reader may fully see 1. In one Sheet enumerating its Errours 2. In a Book called The Safe Religion 3 In another called A Key for Catholicks 4. In two of the true Catholick Church against Johnson altas Terrel 5. In one called The Christian Religion certain without Popery 6. In one called Full and easie Satisfaction whiâ—h is the True Religion 7. One called Naked Popery Iâ— these satisfie not the Censurers Zeal him that is ignorant be ignorant and he that is wrathful be so still IV. I do judge of Popery by the knowledge of its particular Errours and Sins and not by the Revelations or any thing which I understand not If the Pope be the great Antichrist which I neither deny nor affirm because I know not as I have long ago confessed I think that it is formally as he is by claim the Vice-Christ Vicarius Christi and claimeth an Universal Soveraignty Ecclesiastical over the whole Church on Earth and not over a Nation only and that he began with that claim to which his many corruptions are joyned to make up a body of iniquity Were there no more to be said against that Church than 1. This claim of Universal Government 2. And the cherishing of Ignorance by forbidding the reading of the Scripture in a known Tongue without Licence and Latine Prayers and Service and an Ignorant Clergy 3. And the Inhumane Doctrine of Transubstantiation 4. And the vile corruptions of much of God's Worship 5. And their horrid Blood-guiltiness by which they do uphold their Kingdom called a Church I take those Popes and Papists who own all this to be liable before God to greater punishment than the Beast and false Prophet mentioned in the Revelations it being far worse to sin thus under the name of Christians and Christ's Vicar and holy Bishops than as Infidels and Heathens to whom as to Sodom it shall be easier in the day of Judgment than for these V. Therefore I judge that a Confederacy or Coalition with the Church of Rome in any of these sins or in the very form of a Church headed by a pretended Universal Head or Soveraign is to be abhorred by all sound Christians And I am glad that this Kingdom is sworn against all Foreign Jurisdiction Civil or Ecclesiastical though Union and Concord with all Foreign Churches must be as far kept as we are able not partaking of their sins But I have long agâ— in my Key for Catholicks proposed the desirable terms not for a Coalition but for neighbourly Peace that we may live in love and quietness and not as those that still take themselves bound to destroy each other VI. On these grounds I judge of Persons according to their Personal Guilt and not by the general name of Papists I abhor those that are wicked and that own the foresaid wickedness but not all that are called Roman Catholicks that live in the fear of God and in Charity I will try uncertainties by certainties and not deny Fundamentals in opposition to mens By-Opinions I am certain that I must love a Christian as such and that as much as in me lieth I must live peaceably with all men and avoid all unnecessary Division Wrath and Hatred and I am sure that Blessed are the Peace-makers for whatever Errour calleth them they shall be called the Children of God I am sure that I must unnecessarily speak evil of no man and that slandering and false-accusing are diabolical works and that â—he Wisdom is from beneath which causeth Envy and Strife and in a word that LOVE is Christ's Work and Character and Hatred the Devils But I am not sure that the Church of Rome hath these 1000 or 1300 years been the Whore and Babylon meant in these Texts nor that yet all Papists shall be tormented as worshiping the Beast or his Image c. I am sure that the Visible Church will have scandals and ambitious men and yet that its deliverance in Constantine's time and the following Ages was a wondrous mercy which Heaven and Earth did rejoyce in and praise God â—or And it was a great part of Christ's coming to Reign by Christian Princes and that the Kingdoms of the World were made the Kingdoms of Christ Therefore I dread the denying Christ these Kingdoms and reproaching even the best Ages of his Church on Earth as Antichristian lest I deny him to have any Church Visible at all or tempt men to Infidelity by saying that Christ is so little a King and came to so little a work in the World as to have no Church save the persecuted part till An. 300 and the Reformers since 1560 save a few latent persons Men will judge of the Workman by his work and of Physicians by their Cures And though it be honourable to save one Soul they will tempt men to dishonour Christ that call almost all his Church Antichristian I would not slander one man but should I mistake and slander millions for thirteen hundred years together how great were my guilt VII I dread the turning
A PARAPHRASE ON THE New Testament With NOTES DOCTRINAL and PRACTICAL By PLAINNESS and BREVITY fitted to the Use of Religious FAMILIES in their daily Reading of the Scriptures and of the younger and poorer sort of Scholars and Ministers who want fuller helps With an Advertisement of Difficulties in the REVELATIONS By RICHARD BAXTER 1. Tim. 3.16 Great is the mystery of Godliness God was manifested in the flesh Justified in the Spirit Seen of Angels Preached to the Gentiles Believed on in the World Recieved up into Glory 1. Joh. 4.16 God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God And God in him Joh. 1.4 In him was Life and the Life was the Light of Men. Joh. 20.17 Go to my Brethren and say to them I ascend unto my Father and your Father and unto my God and your God 2. Pet. 3.11 Seeing that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God 13. We according to his promise look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness Luk. 23.43 To day shall thou be with me in Paradise Josh 24.15 Choose you this day whom you will serve But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. LONDON Printed for B. Simmons at the Three Cocks and Tho. Simmons at the Princes Arms in Ludgate-street M DC LXXXV An Account of the Reason and Use of this Paraphrase READER THis Paraphrase written for my own use being published for yours in order to that end I owe you this account of it A Friend long urging me to write a Paraphrase on the Epistle to the Romans as being hard to 〈◊〉 understood when I had done that I found so much profit by that Attempt that it drew me to go on till I had finished what I offer you It was like almost all my other publick works done by the unexpected conduct of Gods urgent Providence not only without but contrary to my former purposes God hath blest his Church with many Mens excellent Commentaries on the Scriptures and I never thought my self fit to do it better than they have done But that is best for some persons and uses which is not best to others I long wish'd that some abler Man would furnish vulgar Families with such a brief exposition as might be fitted to the use of their daily course in reading the Scriptures and instructing their Housholds I found that many who have done it better than I can do are too large and costly for this use some like Deâ—date very sound are unsatisfactorily brief some have parcelled their Annotations into so numerous shreds that Readers specially in a Family course will not stay to search and set them together to make up the sense I like Dr. Hammends order best but 1. I differ from him in so much of the matter 2. and took his stile to be too lax 3. and his Criticisms not useful to the vulgar 4. and his Volumn too big and costly And therefore I chose more plainly and yet more briefly and practically by the way of Paraphrase to suit it to my intended end But I must give the Readers notice 1. That where I seem but in few words to vary from the Text those words answer the large Criticisms of divers expositors as the Learned may find by searching them and the Greek-Text though I must not stay to give the reason of them as I go on 2. That tho I have studied plainness yet brevity is unavoidably obscure to unexercised persons who as Learners cannot understand things without many words 3. That where the Evangelists oft repeat the same things to avoid tediousness I repeat not the whole Exposition and yet thought not meet wholly to pass it by 4. That where the Text is plain of it self instead of an Exposition I fill up the space by Doctrinal or Practical Observations seeing Practice is the end of all and to Learners this part is of great necessity 5. That where great Doctrinal Controversies depend on the Exposition of any Text I have handled those more largely than the rest and I hope with Pacificatory and Satisfactory Evidence â—y great desire and care is that â— may hereby pâ—omote Christian Piety in Families To which special end I also wrote my Poor Mans Family-book and The Catechizing of Housholders And had I not done it in many Books so oft already I should here set my self with greatest Earnestness to urge and intreat all Christian Parents to the more faithful Practice of Family Religion especially in the wise and diligent Instruction and Education of their Children Sure no good Christians should come behind the Jews who had far less light and help that we have who yet are twice Commanded by God Deut. 6. and 11. Hear O Israel the Lord God is one Lord. Thou shall Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart And thou shalt teach them diligently to thy Children and shall talk of them when thou fittest in thy House and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest down and when thou risest up And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy Hand and they shall be as Frontlets between thine Eyes And thou shalt write them on the Posts of thy House and on thy Gates Yet now many thousand Families called Christians account this much Puritanism and needless preciseness as if the Scripture even the Gospel of Salvation were only for the use of Priests yea some that disown the Papists restraint of the Laity-unlicensed from reading it translated in a known Tongue do worse than Popishly refrain themselves And those that in Baptism vowed to bring up their Children as Christians in the knowledge of the Gospel of Christ persidiously break that solemn vow as they Hypocritically made it and by ungodly negligence betray to Satan the Souls of their Children and themselves which they devoted to God Reader I beg of you as from Christ for his sake for your Souls sake for your Childrens sake for the sake of Church and Kingdom that you will conscionably and seriously set up Family-Religion calling upon God Singing his Praises and instructing your Children and Servants in the Scripture and Catechism and in a wise and diligent Education of Youth Hear me as if I beg'd it of you with tears on my knees Alas what doth the World suffer by the neglect of this It is out of ungodly Families that the World hath ungodly Rulers ungodly Ministers and a swarm of Serpentine Enemies of Holiness and Peace and their own Salvation What Country groaneth not under the Confusions Miseries and horrid Wickedness which are all the Fruits of Family neglects and the careless and ill Education of Youth It is a work of great skill and constant care to instruct and
he was afterward an hungred Note 1. In this Moses was a type of Christ 2. Fastâ—â—g and tryal by temptation were great preparatives to Christs exercise of his prophetick office And his Ministers should not be strangers to it The sensual are never true to Christ To serve the flesh by the Ministry by seeking preferment honour and fleshly ease and fulness more than mens Salvation is to serve the Devil as conquered by his temptations 3. Hunger and bodily suffering give Satan advantage for many temptations tho not so dangerously as prosperity and fleshly pleasures do 3. And when the Tempter came to him he said if thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread 3. The Son of God can do what he will feed thy self now by miracle Note 1. Whether the Devil thought by this to tempt him to doubt whether he were the son of God or only as supposing it to draw him to sin by obeying him is uncertain 2. Satan cannot tempt us when he will but when God permitteth him 3. His design was to obscure Christs God-head and glory 4. But he answered and said it is written Man shall not live by bread alone but by ever word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God 4. Note 1. Christ himself was not above making use of Gods written word 2. It is by this word that the tempter must be confuted and overcome 3. It is by Gods will that our food doth nourish us and his will and Love is more necessary to us than our food 5. Then the Devil taketh him up into the holy City and setteth him on a Pinnacle of the Temple 6. And saith to him if thou be the Son of God cast they self down for it is written he shall give his Angels charge concerning thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou dash they foot against a stone 5.6 Then the Devil permitted by God carryed the body of Christ through the air and set him on the battlements or some high place on the Temple and said cast they self down c. Note 1. God may give Satan power even to carry our bodies about and yet not overcome our Souls 2. The Devil would tempt us to think that we may do any thing that hath no danger to us tho it be out of the way of our Obedience 3. He that will have Gods protection must keep in the way of his duty to God and not presume that God shall save him out of his way in our own 7. Jesus saith to him it is writtâ—n again Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God 7. Note 1. Tho the Devil use Scripture for temptation this is no dishonour to Scripture but we must confute misapplication of Scripture by Scripture rightly expounded and applyed Papists and all hereticks and the Devil himself may use Scripture and therfore all must not be believed that use it But that is an honour to it signifying that it is Gods word or else it would not serve the Hypocrites turn As all contenders pretend to Reason and yet Reason must decide their controversies 2. Tempting God is distrusting his ordinary care and providence and prescribing to him our own waies 8. Again the Devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain and sheweth him all the Kingdoms of the world and the glory of them 9. And saith to him All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me 8 9. Note 1. Satan took advantage of Christ's voluntary poverty and fasting to tempt his flesh to the desire of earthly prosperity and dominion 2. By all Kingdoms is meant many that were within prospect 3. How far God hath given the power of Earthly Kingdoms and glory to the Devil is not fully certain But we see he hath given him power to tempt men by them and its like much to dispose of them as far as those temptations prevail That he useth almost all the Empires of the world against Christ and holiness by Malignity and worldy interests to keep up ignorance and ungodliness is notorious by sad experience 4. The Devil thinketh not Kingdoms and Glory too great a price to win and undo Souls 5. Christ himself was tempted to the most odious sin even to worship the Devil Therefore mere Temptation even to Blasphemy should not discourage melancholy persons who hate and resist it 10. Then Jesus saith to him Get thee hence Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve 10.1 Note When it cometh to Blasphemous and Atheistical temptations Satan should be driven away and no longer disputed with and endured 2. Yet even then Scripture must be given for confuting his Blasphemies 3. Whether Satan do all this in pride as desiring to be worshiped or in hatred to God and Souls is doubtful but its like to be from all these 4. Only excludeth other Gods and all Competitors and Opposites but not Parents Masters Princes as subordinate to God 11. Then the Devil leaveth him And behold Angels came and ministred to him 11. Note 1. Satan can stay no longer than God will 2. Angels are Gods servants for Christ and for his Church 3. As Christ had the Ministry of Angels we need it much more 12. Now when Jesus heard that John was cast into Prison he departed into Galilee 12. Note Christ avoided Persecution till his hour was come And so may we 13 14 15 16. An leaving Nazareth he came and dwelt in Capernaum which is upon the Sea coast in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim That it might be fulfilled which was spoken of Isaias the Prophet saying The Land of Zibulon and the land of Nephthalim by the way of the Sea beyond Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles The people which sat in darkness saw great light and to them which sate in the region and shadow of death Light is sprung up 13 c. Of which I may use the words of Isa 9. tho then spoken to another purpose as now fulfilled Literally as they seem to sound and as perhaps the Holy Ghost might farther mean them c. 17. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand 17. From that time Jesus exercised his Prophetick Office Preaching to them 1. That the time of the Kingdom of the Messiah was now at hand and 2. therefore that they should repent that they might be fit Subjects for his Kingdom and might believe and receive remission of sins 18. And Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee saw two brethren Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother casting a net into the Sea for they were fishers 19. And he said to them follow me and I will make you fishers of men 20. And they straitway left their nets and followed him 18 19 20. It being part of Christs Office to appoinâ— Teachers under him as he walked by the Lake of Genesareth he
World and the Flesh will strive hard against both But Grace will conquer and make all a delight 3. Fewer turned Christians then than did after Christs ascension But if most on earth perish how little is the earth to the vast and glorious regions of the blessed 15. Beware of false Prophets who come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening wolves 16. Ye shall know them by their fruits Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles 15 16. And you must expect the temptation of Teachers falsly pretending Divine inspiration and authority they will come to you with enticing pretences as speaking for God for truth for godliness for your salvation for order peace c. but mischief and hurtfulness is in their heart and design And if you think their pretences too hard for you to confute look to the tendency and effects Thorns and thistles prick and hurt and Grapes and Figs are sweet and nourishing If their Counsel and their practice be hurtfull and destroying they are Wolves and not of God Their bloudy jaws and teeth will bewray them tho in sheeps cloathing If they would draw you to wickedness or turn you from a sober just and holy life or if instead of Love and Peace and doing good they are for hatred contention cruelty oppression unjust silencing excommunicating and persecuting by these fruits you may know them N. Tho every cruel wicked man is not a false teacher nor every man is to believed in all his Doctrines who is loving and godly Yet 1. that doctrine that tendeth to do more hurt than good is naught 2. And usually God teacheth the meek and loving and holy persons all necessary truth and forsaketh most the understanding of the wicked proud and worldly And tho not meer ornamental accomplishments yet the saving gifts of the Spirit go together that is Illumination and holy love and obedience and peace And who can be confident that Gods Spirit teacheth those men the truth above others whom he never taught the knows necessary duties of love peace justice holiness and temperance When their lives tell us that they serve the Devil its hard to believe that they are inspired of God as extraordinary men tho they may preach the truth for reputation and advantage 1. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit 18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit 19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire 20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them 17 18 19 20. As the man is so will he do Therefore by the badness of their fruit you may know that they speak not from the Spirit of God Note That Christ giveth us not this Rule to know ordinary Priests and Preachers Doctrine by For when Rulers and Countreys own sound Doctrine wicâ—ed worldly men will own it for preferment and worldly ends But it is to trie Prophets by who pretend to the Spirits inspiration He that is not ruled by the Spirit is not like to be inspired by the Spirit 2. And tho this hold true as to all wickedness yet the fruit that Christ specially meaneth is hurtfulness As the names of Wolves Thorns and Thistles shew 3. If a good man speak or do ill it is because he is not perfectly good but partly bad For instance The Papal Church pretendeth to the infallible guidance of the Spirit when Pope and Councils agree which is To Prophetical Inspiration beyond the meer improvement of theiâ— own knowledge How shall we know whether their pretence be true 1. We find that they cherish ignorance by forbidding the reading of the Scripture in a known Tongue without a License and praying in a Tongue not understood 2. We find that they divide the Christian world by laying its Unity and Peace on impossible terms even a multitude of their own Canons 3. We find they are adversaries to Catholick love by damning all the Christian world save their own Sect and keeping up their Church and Religion by bloudy Doctrines Inquisitions and Massacres 4. And that it is a worldly interest that is thus managed These being all Wolâ—ish Thorny hurtful fruits disprove their pretence to the Spirits infallibility But it being their interest to be for the Deity Christianity and Immortality of Souls in that they may own the truth And if the Reformed Churches have had some errours it is because they are but of imperfect knowledge and reformation 21. Not every one that saith to me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven 21. It is not verbal professions and pretending to the Spirit or to be Orthodox or to be better than others nor is it formal worshipping God as the Hypocrites do nor honouring me with the lips and knee alone that will save any one but it is only the holy obedient beliver that shall be saved 22. Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderful works 23. And then I will profess to them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity 22 23. Many will then plead not only that they were Bishops or Preachers in the Church but even that they Prophesied and wrought miracles in my name to whom I will say Depart from me all you that lived wickedly whatever you said or did in my name I never owned you nor will I save you 24. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him to a wise man who built his house upon a rock 25. And the rain descended and and the flouds came and the winds blew and beat on that house and it self not for it was founded on a rock 24 25. He that heareth believeth and obeyeth that which I have now taught you is like a wise man c. Note The obedient believer is the only wise man that buildeth the hopes of his salvation on a sure foundation 26. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not shall be like â—ed to a foolish man who built his house on the sand 27. And the rain descended and the flouds came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it 26 27. Note 1. Ungodly men that hear Christs Gospel and obey it not are fools and build their hopes of Salvation as on the sands 2. All mens Religion and hopes shall be tried as a house by Storms whether it be well founded and built or not 3. Grievous will be the overthrow of the religious hopes of all hypocrites and ungodly livers 28 29. And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings the people were astonished at his doctrine For he taught them
But he that overcometh all these trials and holds out in faith and patience to the end shall be saved 23. But when they persecute you in this city flee ye into another For verily I say to you you shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of man be come 23. But it is your duty so far to preserve your selves for further service as to flee from Persecutors to go Preach elsewhere so it be not when you have any greater obligation to the contrary than your lives be worth And I tell you you shall not have gone over all the Cities of Israel in the performance of this work that I lay upon you till they shall see the Messiah in his own person openly owning his Office and preaching to them as such himself N. This hard Text is variously expounded 1. Some say that the Romans destruction of Jerusalem is Christ's coming here meant 2. Others say that it is his coming by Constantines Conversion to set up Christianity in power and honour and that the meaning is that the Cities of Judea shall not be all converted till then 3. Others say it is Christ's coming to Judgment or say others to call the Jews at his personal Reign till when they will not be generally converted 4. It seems to me more probable that it is own open declaring himself to be the Christ and that his Kingdom is come For 1. he yet preached but much like John that the Kingdom of God the Messiah is at hand 2. And he did not yet bring his own Disciples to confess it it being after extorted from Peter Mat. 16. and he highly praised for confessing him 3. And he forbad Peter and those he healed and the very Devils to confess him 4. So that properly his Kingdom began at his Exaltation even his Resurrection Ascensior and sending down the Spirit 5. There is another Exposition of some that think he meant Tho I send you from me now let not my absence discourage you I will be with you again before you have gone over all the Cities As if he spake of their return to him at their next meeting 24 25. The disciple is not above his Master nor the servant above his Lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his Master and the servant as his Lord if they have called the Master of the house Belzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold 24 25. You are not greater or better than I It 's enough if you be used but as I am If they say that I work by Belzebub what words or false accusations be so bad which you may not expect that are my followers 26. Fear them not therefore for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and hid that shall not be known 26. Therefore fear not their false accusations or their threats For there is nothing now covered with false pretences reasonings or slanders which shall not be uncovered and truly opened and not any thing hidden by fraud or force which shall not be made known 27. What I tell you in darkness that speak ye in light and what ye hear in the ear that preach ye upon the house tops 27. What I speak to you alone or in Parables that publish fearlesly to all the world 28. And fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell 28. Your bodies are mortal and must die and God may suffer men to kill them But fear not men that can do no more nor can kill or undo the soul that is immortal But fear God and offend not him who can destroy both body and soul in hell 29. Are not two Sparrows sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall to the ground 30. But the very hairs of your head are all numbred 29 30. If Gods providence dispose of the least motions and events of the least of his Creatures such as a poor Sparrow is will he not take care of you that are his Children Yea he regardeth every hair of your heads how much more your lives and souls 31. Fear ye not therefore ye are of more value than many Sparrows 31. Trust God and fear not men For he that made you better than Sparrows will regard you accordingly 32 33. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven But whosoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven 32 33. Note 1. By confessing Christ is meant open owning him as our Lord and Saviour what ever we suffer by it 2. To be owned by God through Christ our advocate is the great interest that we should first secure 34. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth I came not to send peace but a sword 35. For I am come to set a man at variance against his Father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter in law against her mother in law 36. And a mans foes shall be they of his own houshold 34 35 36. Think not that the coming of the Messiah is to settle Israel in power and bring all Nations to subjection or peaceable confederacy with them and to set my disciples in a state of prosperity you must expect the contrary that by owning me and my doctrine your very friends and kindred will turn your enemies Parents and Children will hate and persecute you and out of your own houses will arise your most dangerous enemies 37. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me 37. And let not this turn you off For if you love Father or Mother Son or Daughter more than me and would forsake me rather than be forsaken or persecuted by them you are not capable of being my true Disciples such as I will save 38. And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me 38. And he that if he be put to it will not follow me under the cross and suffer a shameful Death rather than deny me or forsake faith and godliness is not a true Christian nor qualified for salvation nor will I own him in the day of Judgment 39. He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it 39. He that will save his life by denying me or by any sin shall lose it for he shall lose everlasting life and shall die as well as others and perhaps as soon And he that is put to death for faith and righteousness hath not lost his life whenas death is but his passage to life everlasting 40. He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me 40. And seeing you are my
Note It is the part of Learners to ask their Teachers help to understand that which they understand not 37. He answered and said to them He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man 38. The field is the world the good seed are the children of the kingdom but the tares are the children of the wicked one 39. The enemy that sowed them is the devil the harvest is the end of the world and the reapers are the angels 37 c. It is Christ that soweth the good seed by Preaching the Gospel and planting the Churches by himself and his servants The World is the first object of the Gospel preached and out of which believers are gathered The good seed as sown is the Gospel but as springing up in fruit are the faithful who are properly the members of the Church of Christ The Tares as sown are evil doctrines and temptations but as sprung up in fruit are the Children of the Devil who is the father of wickedness The enemy of God and goodness and man that sowed them by himself and his servants signifieth the Devil the time of harvest is the end of this world even the day of judgment The reapers or executioners are the Angels 40. As therefore the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire so shall it be in the end of this world 41. The Son of man shall send forth his angels and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity 42. And shall cast them into a furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth 40 c. So in the end of this World Christ shall send forth his Angels as his executing Ministers and they shall gather out of the world which he is over and specially out of the visible Church all rebellious unholy wicked scandalous carnal men and shall cast them into hell which is likened to a lake of Fire where they shall in torment and a self-afflicting Conscience 43. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father who hath ears to hear let him hear 43. Then shall the righteous who are now obscured by infirmities and malignant slanders and are oppressed in the world shine forth in glory in the Kingdom of Love even of God as their Father in Christ as the Sun shineth in the heavens in resplendent glory As ever you will use your ears or understandings believe and foresee this glorious blessed day to Believers 44. Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a treasure hid in a field the which when a man hath found he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field 44. The way of Salvation by Christ sheweth men the certain hopes of so inestimable a treasure in the life to come as maketh the saithful choose it for their best and part with all the pleasure profit and honour of the world to obtain it 45. Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant man seeking goodly pearls 46. Who when he had found one of geat price he went and sold all that he had and bought it 45 46. Note He that findeth not by faith enough in the love of God and heavenly glory and in Christ the way thereto to make him consent sincerely and practically to sell or part with all the world rather than lose it is not capable of a just title to it nor shall obtain it 47. Again the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind 48. Which when it was full they drew to the shore and sat down and gathered the good into vessels but cast the bad away 47 48. The Church is gathered as men by casting a net into the Sea gather fishes good and bad And at the day of judgment Christ will take the good to heaven and cast away the bad to hell Note 1. It is not to be wondered at that the visible Church hath good and bad 2. Yet this is not the design of the Gospel which is fitted to make all good but by the intrusion of Hypocrites Nor is it an excuse for the neglect of discipline and the just discrimination of the good and bad 49. So shall it be at the end of the world The angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just 50. And shall cast them into the furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth 49 50. These plain and dreadful words more need belâ—â—f and deep consideration than exposition 51. Jesus saith to them Have ye understood all these things they say to him Yea Lord. 52. Then said he to them Therefore every scribe which is instructed to the Kingdom of heaven is like to a man that is an housholder which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old 51 52. All that are furnished with holy knowledge and are fitted to teach others must have an habitual treasure of it in their minds from whence they may be able to open the truth exhort reprove and confute all the erroneous on all just occasions as a House-keeper is stockt for the provision of his family 53 54. And it came to pass that when Jesus had finished these parables he departed thence And when he was come into his own countrey he taught them in their Synagogue insomuch that they were astonished and said whence hath this man this wisdom and these mighty works 55 56. Is not this the carpenters son is not his mother called Mary and his brethren James and Joses and Simon and Jude and his sisters are they not all with us whence then hath this man all these things And they were offended in him 53 c. Note 1. Familiarity breeds contempt It is no impediment to our faith that we saw not Christs person parentage and education 2. Carnal men are not satisfied by the evidence of Divine attestation unless they can give a reason of it and overcome the difficulty and scandal of objections 3. It is uncertain whether Mary had other Children after Jesus or these were his brethren or only his kindred 57 58. But Jesus said to them A prophet is not without honour save in his own countrey and in his own house And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief 57 58. Unbelief made men uncapable receivers of those miracles which else Christ would have wrought CHAP. XIV 1. AT that time Herod the Tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus 2. And said to his servants This is John the Baptist he is risen from the dead and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him 1 2. Note That Herod did believe the Immortality of the Soul else he could not have believed Johns Resurrection 3 For Herod had laid hold on John and bâ—und him and put him in prison for Herodia's sake his brother Philips wise 4. For John said to him It is not
vulgar whom you villifie I will tell you a Parable c. 32. They say to him The first Jesus saith to them Verily I say to you that the Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you 32. For John came to you in the way of Righteousness and ye believed him not But the Publicans and the Harlots believed him And ye when ye had seen it repented not afterward that ye might believe him 32. These despised Sinners Believed John and repented which you with all your Knowledge did not nor yet do and so are further from the Kingdom of God than they having no obedient religion but Words and Ceremonies 33. Hear another Parable There was a certain housholder who planted a Vineyard and hedged it round about and digged a wine press in it and built a town and let it out to husbandmen and went into a far country 33. Note God did what was necessary to have made the Jews a happy Church as to means prepared By digging a Wine-press is meant hollowing a Trough to bruise the Grapes in and building a Tower is a Lodge or Dwelling for the Workmen 34. And when the time of the fruit drew near he sent his servants to the husbandmen that they might receive the fruits of it 34. God required the Fruit of all his Teachings and Mercies to the Jews 35. And the husbandmen took his servants and beat one and killed another and stoned another 36. And he sent other servants more then the first and they did to them likewise 35.36 They Persecuted and Murdered the Prophets Age after Age and yet seemed to honour Prophets 37. But last of all he sent unto them his Son saying They will reverence my Son 37. N. This doth not mean that God thought so and was Mistaken But speaking after the manner of Men tells them what he might requite in reason of them 38. But when the husbandmen saw the Son they said among themselves This is the Heir Come let us kill him and let us seize on the inheritance 39. And they caught him and cast him out of the Vineyard and slew him 38.39 Note This meaneth not that the Jews reckon him to be the Son of God but might and should have known it 40. When the Lord therefore of the Vineyard cometh what will he do to those husband-men 41. They say to him He will miserably destroy those wicked men and will let out his Vineyard to other Husband-men who shall render him the fruits in their season 40.41 Thus God will destroy the Murderous Jews and call the Gentiles N. Luke reciteth these words as Christs and that the Pharisees said God forbid It 's like they consented to it till they heard it applyed to themselves and then said God forbid 42. Jesus saith to them Did you never read in the Scriptures The stone which the builders rejected the same is become the head of the Corner This is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes 42. Note Tho this was spoken Psal 118. immediately of David it ultimately meant Christ who should be the Foundation and Head of the Church when the Jews had Crucifyed him 43. Therefore I say to you The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof 43. I tell you this doleful Truth you that boasted of your peculiarity and hopes of the Kingdom of the Messiah shall be deprived of it for your Sin and it shall be given to the Gentiles who will better entertain it and obey it and be thankful for it 44. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken But on whosoever it shall fall it shall grind him to powder 44. Bare Unbelief of such as stumble at the Cross or turn away from Christ through offence and Temptation will undoe all that continue in it But those that prove Malignant Enemies and fight against Christ he will be as a Stone too heavy for him that taketh it up to cast away which will fall upon them to their greater Destruction 45.46 And when the chief Priests and Pharisees had heard his Parable they perceived he spake of them But when they sought to lay hands on him they fear'd the multitude because they took him for a prophet 45.46 N. 1. Personal close reproofs and denunciation of Gods Judgments enrageth hardned Sinners 2. The Jews that applauded Christ thought it no Sedition to defend a Prophet against their High Priest and Rulers who for fear of them durst not openly take Christ CHAP. XXII 1. ANd Jesus answered and spake again to them by Parables and said 2. The Kingdom of heaven is like to a certain king who made a marriage for his son 3. And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding and they would not come 1 2 3. The calling of men into the Church is like a Kings inviting Guests to his Sons Marriage feast that would not come 4. Again he sent forth other servants saying Tell them who were bidden Behold I have prepared my dinner my oxen and my fatlings are killed and all things are ready Come unto the marriage 4. Christs Ministers are oft to invite men and importune them to come in and to tell them that Christ and his merits are sufficient for them and all is ready and done on his part preparatory to their belief reception and consent they shall not perish for want of a sufficient Sacrifice 5. But they made light of it and went their way one to his farm and another to his merchandize 6. And the remnant took his servants and intreated them shamefully and slew them 5 6. Note As did the Jews so do many others make light of Christ and all his offers of Grace and Glory and mind more their Farms and Merchandize their worldly interest and prosperity And others more wicked than they do persecute those that would convert and save them O odious unthankfulness thus to requite the greatest offers of Christ and his servants 7. But when the king heard thereof he was wroth and sent forth his armies and destroyed those murtherers and burnt up their city 7. Note So did God send the Romans to destroy the Jews and burn Jerusalem and hath often plagued persecutors and the day of revenge will come 8. Then said he to his servants The wedding is ready but they which were bidden were not worthy 9. Go ye therefore into the high-ways and as many as ye shall find bid to the marriage 8 9. All was ready on Christs part but the Jews unworthily rejected him Go call all the Gentiles that will come 10. So those servants went out into the high-ways and gathered together all as many as they found both bad and good and the wedding was furnished with guests 10. So the Gospel was preached to the Gentiles of all sorts and high and low came in to the Church 11. And when the king came in to see his guests he saw there a
God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living 31 32. That there is a life after this is proved by Gods words I am the God c. That God is their God implyeth that they are his people and therefore live For to be Their God is to be their Ruler and their Benefactor and felicity a relation which the dead are not capable of And it is not said I was their God but I am their God And if Abraham c. be alive so are the souls of other men and as they die not with the body but live with Spirits So they are capable of a Spiritual body which God will give them Note It is well noted by Dr. Hammond that as the Sadducees denied not only the rising of the body but the Immortality of the Soul and all our life after this so it was this future life which they here meant and Christ doth prove out of the books which they received And that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not only the Resurrection of the Body but our living after this life when the body is dead And if the Soul were not Immortal there could be no resurrection of the same man Another Soul would be another man imbodied And God doth not make new Souls to be rewarded or punished for that which they never did 33. And when the multitude heard this they were astonished at his doctrine 34. But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence they were gathered together 35. Then one of them which was a lawyer asked him a question tempting him and saying 36. Master which is the great commandment in the law 33 c. To try whether they could pose him or ensnare him in his answer one ask'd this question 37 38 39. Jesus said to him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind This is the first and great commandment And the second is like to it Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self 37 c. Note 1. Heart Soul and mind seem to mean but wholly with all thy power Tho we may distinguish them as meaning the faculties Vital Sensitive and Intellectual must be devoted to God Or as some say The Will Affections and Understanding 2. Christ tells us of a great difference betwen Gods commands These two are Great above the resâ— 40. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets 40. These two are the very sum and end of all that is said in the Law and by the Prophets Love comprehends all 41. While the Pharisees were gathered together Jesus asked them 42. Saying What think ye of Christ whose son is he They say to him The Son of David 43. He saith to them How then doth David in spirit call him Lord saying 44. The Lord said to my Lord Sit thou on my right hand tâ—ll I make thine enemies thy footstool 45. If David then call him Lord how is he his Son 46. And no man was able to answer him a word neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions 41 c. Note They knew not that Christ must be the Son of God They ceased their tempting questions when they found themselves but silenced CHAP. XXIII 1. THen spake Jesus to the multitude and to his dissciples 2. Saying The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat 3. And therefore whatever they bid you observe that observe and do but do not after their works for they say and do not 1 2 3. The Scribes and Pharisees when they read and expound Moses Law do a work appointed of God therefore though you must beware of the leaven of their corrupt exposition yet hear the Law which they read and do all which they command you out of the Law But imitate not their sinful practice for they live not according to Moses Law which they deliver 4. For they bind heavy burthens and grievous to be born and lay them on mens shoulders but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers 4. It is easie to preach strictly but not to live so They preach the rigour of the Law but keep it not 5. But all their works they do to be seen of men they make broad their Phylacteries and enlarge the borders of their garments 6. And love the uppermost rooms at feasts and the chief seats in the Synagogues 7. And greetings in the markets and to be called of men Rabbi Rabbi 5 6 7. They place their Religion in outward ceremonies and actions of the body which man can see They write out the Law in Rolls and wear them like a chain and make broad the borders of their garments as Numb 15.38 Deut. 22.12 And affect preheminence great names and applause 8. But be not ye called Rabbi for one is your Master even Christ and all ye are brethren 8. Do not you affect these titles of Reverence such as Doctor or any that giveth too much to man 9. And call no man your father upon the earth for one is your Father which is in heaven 9. And call none in excess of Reverence the Father of your Religion for God only is such a Father 10. Neither be ye called Masters for one is your Master even Christ 10. And affect not the title of Masters in Religion for you are all Scholars to our Master Christ 11 12. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant and whoever shall exalt himself shall be abased and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted 11 12. Church greatness and dignity consisteth in being most greatly serviceable But if you affect domination and preferment you shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be accounted the chief by God and used accordingly 13. But wo to you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men for ye neither go in your selves not suffer them that are entring to go in 13. You keep men from believing that they might be saved pretending to be Masters and teachers of the Law you pervert it and harden your selves in unbelief and are against others preaching the Gospel and believing it 14. Wo to you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye devour widows houses and for a pretence make long prayers therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation 14. You are unmerciful covetous and oppressours and think your Long Prayers will salve all with God and men and conscience Qu. Were they extemporary Prayers or long Liturgies and forms Answ If the former the Pharisees had more of the gift of utterance than Christs Disciples then But no doubt but they were long Liturgies or Forms for else they were not suitable to the times or the character of the Pharisees who were Church-rulers and all for tradition and ceremony and outside And yet Christ blameth not the Forms or
enlighten the World from East to West and call a Catholick Church amongst the Gentiles and this is his Kingdom and Reign And this Generation shall not pass till this Catholick Church be thus gathered though not perfected What else can be meant by Christs many Parables that the Kingdom of God is like a grain of Mustard Seed A little Leaven hid in Meal A Field sown that after had Tares A Net cast inro the Sea c. When the Catholick Church was made Christs Kingdom came and when his Kingdom came he came as King to Govern it by his Spirit Word and Ministers Matth 21.43 The Kingdom of God that is the Church State of peculiarity shall be taken from you and given to a Nation the Gentile word bringing forth the Fruit thereof But the Perfection of the Kingdom will be at last And as to the Time of his Appearing for Judgment it must specially be observed that he tells them That it was not known either to Angels or to himself And if Christ knew it not as man how presumptuous are they that foretel it And whereas they say It was but the Day and the Hour and not the Year that he knew not I answer That by Day and Hour is meant in general The Time And if Christ knew it not no wonder if he foretold it not to his Disciples but told them It shall be uncertain to you that you may be always ready Therefore though it be false that Grotius saith That Paul thought that the Coming of Christ would be in his days It is true that Paul knew not but that it might be in his Days They might know indeed that it would not be till certain Signes foretold came to pass but after that they were still to expect it as uncertain CHAP. XXV 1. THen shall the kingdom of heaven be likened to ten virgins which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom 2. And five of them were wise and five were foolish 1. When Christ cometh to Judgment either on the Jews as aforesaid or on any with Death or on all at the last Day the Administration of his Kingly Government towards the Ready and Unready may be illustrated by this similitude of Ten Virgins c. Note The Custome of the Jews was to make very Pompous Feasts at Weddings and many Virgins used to go to the Brides House and thence with hand Lamps to go and attend her to the Wedding 3. They that were foolish took their Lamps and took no oyl with them 4. But the wise took oyl in their vessels with their Lamps 3.4 The Foolish made no preparation but for the present but the Wise provided for the time to come supposing there might be some delay Note The Parable is to stir up all to preparation for Death and Judgment and all the Tryals that are to come and to prove it damning Foolishness after all warnings to delay and be unprepared 5. While the bridegroom tarried they all slumbred and slept 5. Note The Lamp and the Vessel of Oyl signifie Preparation by sudden act and Preparation by a stated habit Wise and Foolish Good and Bad may sleep upon delay and keep not up still the same lively Activity But the Godly have still the holy Nature and Habits 6. And at mid-night there was a cry made Behold the bridgroom cometh Go ye out to meet him 6. And when they are deepest in security or forgetfulness and minding Worldly things they suddenly hear that Christ by Death or Judgment is coming He is just at hand There 's no more delay you must presently come away to Judgment and to be saved if you are his 7. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps 7. When the Midnight cry cometh and there is no longer stay all men good and bad wise and foolish will be awakened to attempt some sudden preparation The worst almost under the sentence of Death will think what now must I do to be Saved self-love and fear will make them cry for Mercy with some kind of Repentance though they be Unconverted 8. And the foolish said to the wise Give us of your oyl for our lamps are out 8. The unprepared unholy Souls when Death and Judgment comes would fain then be found in the State of holy Believers and would die the death of the righteous and wish for their preparations 9. But the wise answered saying Not so lest there be not enough for us and you but go ye rather to them that sell and buy for your selves 9. These wishes then are vain One man cannot be Saved by another mans Righteousness It must be your own or it will not save you Go therefore and make your own preparation 10. And while they went to buy the bride-groom came and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage and the door was shut 10. Death and Judgment will not stay for the unready They that then are found unsanctified onely under fears and wishes to be saved will be shut out when holy prepared Souls are all let in 11. Afterwards came also the other virgins saying Lord Lord open to us 11. Self-love and fear will make the unholy Cry in vain too late for Mercy 12. But he answered and said Verily I say unto you I know you not 12. But he will not own or open to such seekers but reject them N. Not that true Conversion and Holiness is ever too late But those fears and crys for Mercy which in time might have been good preparations for a true Change may be all lost and come short of it at the last extremity 13. Watch therefore for ye know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh 13. God hath purposely concealed the time of Christs Coming from the knowledge of all Men that all might be obliged to be in constant watchful readiness yea it is said That Christ himself knew it not as man They that say The Year may be known though not the Day or Hour distort the Text which meaneth by Day and Hour the Time as if he had said You are not sure save by the Signes forementioned not Fulfilled but it may be the next Day or Hour so that the Apostles themselves were uncertain tho they rebuked them that pretended to know that it was at hand before Jerusalem was Destroyed From their days till now God hath kept the Church uncertain but that it might quickly come So that Grotius is mistaken that thinks Paul believed it would be in his days as if he had by a false Motive drawn men to godliness But Paul knew not how soon it might have come Ignorance of it is needful but Error is hurtful of which before 14. For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far countrey who called his own servants and delivered unto them his goods 15. And unto one he gave five talents to another two and to another one to every man according to his several
need of the physitian but they that are sick I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance 15. c. N. 1. The Hypocrite Pharisees wil be more strict and holy than Christ if separating from others and aggravating other mens Sins and justifying themselves were Holiness 2. I came to be a Saviour to Sinners by calling them to Repentance that they may be Converted and Forgiven If you are no Sinners I am no Saviour for you 18. And the disciples of John and the Pharisees used to fast and they come and say to him Why do the disciples of John and the Pharisees fast but thy disciples fast not 19. And Jesus said to them Can the children of the bride-chamber fast while the bridegroom is with them as long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast 20. But the dayes will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them and then they shall fast in those dayes 18. Why do you think you merit by your fasting which is to be used only in its season You use not to fast but feast at your Marriages my presence is more joyful to them than a Marriaged feast when I am ascended and they are exposed to the scorn and persecution of men they shall fast Humiliation will be more suitable to their outward state tho they inwardly rejoyce 21. No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old and the rent is made worse 22. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles else the new wine doth burst the bottles and the wine is spilled and the bottles will be marred but new wine must be put into new bottles 21.22 They are not yet fit for austerities 23. And it came to pass that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath-day and his disciples began as they went to pluck the ears of corn 24. And the Pharisees said to him Behold why do they on the sabbath-day that which is not lawful 23.24 Ceremonious Hypocrites will be still strickter then Christ in the Ceremonious part while they violate morals 25. And he said to them Have ye never read what David did when he had need and was hungry he and they that were with him 26. How he went into the house of God in the daies of Abiathar the high Priest and eat the shew-bread which is not lawful to eat but for the Priests and gave also to them which were with him 25. c. Do you not know that precepts of rites and ceremonies give place to necessity and precepts of Charity and self preservation And that Davids instance proveth this in the daies of Abiathar a little before he was High Priest even in his father Abimeleohs Priest-hood he and his company did eate the hallowed bread which without necessity had not been lawful 27. And he said to them The sabbath is made for man and not man for the sabbath 28. Therefore the son of man is LORD also of the Sabbath 27.28 The sabbath is appointed to be a meanes of the good of Man and not man a meanes of it And no meanes is to be used against its end but 〈◊〉 it even the good of Man And therefore I 〈…〉 to settle the Laws of grace as conducing to 〈◊〉 recovery and good of man have power of dispensation or alteration of the Sabbath as shall tend to the ends of mans good and Salvation CHAP. III. 1. ANd he entred again into the synagogues and there was a man there which had a withered hand 2. And they watched him whether he would heal him on the sabbath-day that they might accuse him 1.2 N. Malignity is not restrained by Miracles 3. And he saith to the man that had the withered hand Stand forth 4. And he saith to them Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath-day or to do evil to save life or to kill but they held their peace 3.4 Do you ceremonious murderers that lay wait for my life now keep the sabbath and do I break it by saving mens lives 5. And when he had looked round about on them with anger being grieved for the hardness of their hearts he saith to the man Stretch forth thine hand And he stretched it out and his hand was restored whole as the other 5. N. 1. Anger and grief for mens sin were justified by Christs example 2. A hard heart can sin against Miracles and Mercy 6. And the Pharisees went forth and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him how they might destroy him 6. N. Its folly to doubt whether there be Devils while Devils incarnate dwell among us what else but Devils sure could make ceremonious hypocrites consult with Politike Royalists to destroy the Son of God for saving mens health and lives by Miracle Quer. Whether if this withered hand had been their own they would have plotted to kill him that would have cured them by a Miracle as a sabbath Breaker And whether their successours would silence and imprison Godly Ministers if they could cure them of all their sicknesses and help them to preferment and give them money to feed their lusts 7. But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea and a great multitude from Galilee followed him and from Judea 7. N. They that will drive away mercy from them shall be without it and speed as they choose and those that follow after Christ and mercy sincerely shall have their 〈◊〉 8. 〈◊〉 from Jerusalem and from Idumea and from beyond Jordan and they about Tyre and Sidon a great Multitude when they heard what great things he did came unto him 9. And he spake to his disciples that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude lest they should throng him 10. For he had healed many insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him as many as had plagues 9.10 Were men but as regardful of their Souls as of their bodies how universally and joyfully would Christianity and Godliness be received 11. And unclean spirits when they saw him fell down before him and cried saying Thou art the Son of God 12. And he straightly charged them that they should not make him known 11.12 N. He would not have the Devil preach the Gospel lest it should bring it under supicion 13. And he goeth up into a mountain and calleth unto him whom he would and they came unto him 14. And he ordained twelve that they should be with him and that he might send them forth to preach 13.14 N. Apostles were witnesses and preachers but not Lords nor Silencers nor Persecutors 15. And to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out devils 15. N. But not to do mischief and promote the Devils Kingdom by fighting against love and Godliness 16. And Simon he surnamed Peter 17. And James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James and he surnamed them Boanerges which is The sons of
baskets of fraqments took ye up and they said Seven 21. And he said to them How is it that ye do not understand 18. N. It is a great sin to have a power of understanding and considering and not to use it 2. And a great sin quickly to forget Miracles or marvellous providences and to fall into new distrustful reasonings in our next wants 22. And he cometh to Bethsaida and they bring a blind man unto him and besought him to touch him 23. And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town and when he had spit on his eyes and put his hands upon him he asked him if he saw ought 24. And he looked up and said I see men as trees walking 24. c. I discern not Men from Trees by their shape but suppose them men because they walk 25. After that he put his hands again on his eyes and made him look up and he was restored and saw every man clearly 26. And he sent him away to his house saying Neither go into the town nor tell it to any man in the town 25 26. To avoid ostentation and envy 27. And Jesus went out and his disciples into the towns of Cesarea Philippi and by the way he asked his disciples saying to them Whom do men say that I am 27. Not but that he knew but his question was to occasion their confession 28. And they answered John the Baptist but some say Elias and others One of the Prophets 29. And he said to them But whom say ye that I am and Peter answered and saith to him Thou art the Christ 30. And he charged them that they should tell no man of him 29. Men were to discern who he was by his works and he would not have it commonly proclaimed till his Resurection and Spirit had compleated those works and evidences by which it was to be proved 31. And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected of the elders and of the chief priests and scribes and be killed and after three days rise again 32. And he spake that saying openly and Peter took him and began to rebuke him 33. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples he rebuked Peter saying Get thee behind me Satan for thou savourest not the things that be of God but the things that be of men N. 1. Christ made them know that he designed not a Worldly Kingdom when he tells them of his deâ—tâ— and resurrection 2. Peter in his fleshly wisdom thought Christ was not so wise as he No wonder if Novices now think themselves wiser than their wisest teachers and specially if such are censured as imprudent for not avoiding suffering 3. Even a Peter by such carnal wisdom may so far serve Satan as to deserve so sharp a rebuke as to be called a Satan 4. Savouring the things of men and flesh more than of God is the great sin that we are all in danger of and deserveth sharp rebuke 34. And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also he said to them Whosoever will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me 35. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospels the same shall save it 34. This case of Peter occasioned Christ to call off all his Disciples from worldly expectations and to tell them what they must trust to and that they are no Disciples for him if they cannot trust him with their lives and if they believe not that they shall gain more by him than their lives are worth N. To deny a mans self is to forsake his life rather than forsake Christ As to deny Christ was to forsake him to save life or any thing else He that will save his life by denying Christ shall lose it and his salvation And he that denieth his life for Christ and the hope of Salvation shall save it for ever 36. For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul 37. Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul 36. How poor a price is all the profit and pleasure of this life to hire a man by sin to lose his salvation or what can make up that mans loss N. And will pride revenge gluttony drunkenness or fornication then make him a saver that loseth his soul by them or will preferment Lordship and pomp and power recompence him 38. Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father and the holy angels 38. If men be so far ashamed of a crucified a scorned a persecuted Christ as to deny him to escape shame or suffering a glorified Christ in Judgment before Angels and Men will disown them and say I know you not It is not a Popedom or a Cardinalship nor a Lordship that nominal Christians are ashamed of but it is poor persecuted Christianity CHAP. IX 1. ANd he said Verily I say to you there be some of them that stand here who shall not taste of death till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power 1. Till they see a glimpse of that glorious or powerful appearance of the King of the Church in which he shall come at the last 2. And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves and he was transfigured before them 3. And his raiment became shining exceeding white as snow so as no fuller on earth can white them 4. And there appeared to them Elias with Moses and they were talking with Jesus 5. And Peter answered and said to Jesus Master it is good for us to be here let us make three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias 6. For he wist not what to say for they were sore afraid 2. This was the performance of the fore-going Promise See on Matt. 17. Note For Glorified Saints from Heaven to wait on Christ in his own splendor was a glympse resembling his Last Coming 2. If the sight of Christ Moses and Elias in glorious Splendor made the Three Apostles through the strangeness of it sore afraid no wonder if even the thought of what we shall see after Death possess us with dread though it be our hope and joy 7. And there was a cloud that overshaddowed them and a voice came out of the cloud saying This is my beloved Son hear him 7. Hear and obey him as the chief Messenger of my will of whom I give you this Testimony from Heaven 8. And suddenly when they had looked round about they saw no man any more save Jesus onely with themselves 9. And as they came down
their Souls 26. For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his own glory and in his Fathers and of the holy angels 26. They that to save their estates or lives are ashamed now to own me and the Gospel I will reject them as ashamed to own them or such as they in the day of Glory and their Extremity in Judgment 27. But I tell you of a truth There be some standing here which shall not tast of death till they see the Kingdom of God 27. Note All the three Evangelists prefixing this immediately before the History of Christ's Transfiguration do plainly tell us that it was that glimpse of his Glory which he meant 28. And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings he took Peter and John and James and went up into a mountain to pray 28. Matth. 17.1 Saith after six days not reckoning the two parts of the foregoing and the last day 29. And as he prayed the fashion of his countenance was altered and his raiment was white and glittering 30. And behold there talked with him two men which were Moses and Elias 31. Who appeared in glory and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem 32. But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep and when they were awake they saw his glory and the two men that stood with him 33. And it came to pass as they departed from him Peter said unto Jesus Master it is good for us to be here and let us make three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias not knowing what he said 34. While he thus spake there came a cloud and overshadowed them and they feared as they entred into the cloud 35. And there came a voice out of the cloud saying This is my beloved Son hear him 29 30 31 32 33 34 35. See on Matth. 17. I have largely opened all this in my Book called My Dying Thoughts Note If this glimpse of Glory was so sweet why do we fear to pass hence into the blessed Vision and Fruition 36. And when the voice was past Jesus was found alone and they kept it close and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen 36. For Christ so commanded 37. And it came to pass that on the next day when they were come down from the hill much people met him 38. And behold a man of the company cried out saying Master I beseech thee look upon my son for he is mine only child 39. And lo a spirit taketh him and he suddenly crieth out and it teareth him that he foameth again and bruising him hardly departeth from him 40. And I besought thy disciples to cast him out and they could not 41. And Jesus answering said O faithless and perverse generation how long shall I be with you and suffer you Bring thy son hither 42. And as he was yet a coming the devil threw him down and tare him and Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the child and delivered him again to his father 37 38 39 40 41 42. See on Matth. 17.15 16. Since I have my self known one yet living that had an old and violent Epilepsy once twice or thrice a day perfectly cured near thirty years ago and so continueth after other great means used merely by fasting and earnest prayer suddenly in the midst of prayer the second day I do the easilier believe that the Devil and â—atural Disease of which he is the Executioner may consist together 43. And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God but while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did he said unto his disciples 44. Let these sayings sink down into your ears for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men 43 44. Let not my Glory and Power put you into vain expectations of earthly Dominion Observe and forget not that I tell you again and again that I must suffer and rise again 45. But they understood not this saying and it was hid from them that they perceived it not and they feared to ask him of that saying 45. Note Even the Apostles understood not that Christ must be crucified and rise again though he oft told it them and charged them that it might sink down into their Ears Therefore the belief of it was not then necessary to Salvation as it is now 46. Then there arose a reasoning among them which of them should be greatest 46. Note Alas that Pride and Ambition should begin so near to Christ and foretel the Calamity of the Church 47. And Jesus perceiving the thought of their heart took a child and set him by him 48. And said unto them Whosoever shall receive this child in my Name receiveth me whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me for he that is least among you all the same shall be great 47 48. Humility must be your greatness 49. And John answered and said Master we saw one casting out devils in thy Name and we forbade him because he followeth not with us 50. And Jesus said unto him Forbid him not for he that is not against us is for us 49 50. See on Matth. 12.30 51. And it came to pass when the time was come that he should be received up he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem 51. The time of his approaching Crucifixion and his Ascension to Heaven 52. And sent messengers before his face and they went and entred into a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him 53. And they did not receive him because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem 52 53. Note For the Jews and the Samaritans disowned each other upon their Controversies about Worship 54. And when his disciples James and John saw this they said Lord wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them even as Elias did 55. But he turned and rebuked them and said Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of 56. For the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them And they went to another village 54 55 56. That which you take for the Spirit of Elias and Zeal for me against sin is a selfish uncharitable revengeful Spirit and not that which I will give you which is a Spirit of Love and Gentleness You know not your own hearts but take that for good in you which is evil and you know not me as you should do I come to save and not to destroy men This is the third sin against Charity recorded of John who was after the great Preacher of Love 57. And it came to pass that as they went in the way a certain man said unto him Lord I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest 58. And Jesus said unto him Foxes have holes and the birds of the
go unto him at midnight and say unto him Friend lend me three loaves 6. For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me I have nothing to set before him 7. And he from within shall answer and say Trouble me not the door is now shut and my children are with me in bed I cannot rise and give thee 8. I say unto you though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth 5 6 7 8. Though God be not as Man that giveth the importunate to be eased of them yet importunity also prevaileth with him as it fits the Receiver for his Gifts 9. And I say unto you Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you 10. For every one that that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened 9 10. He that will spare for no labour and take no denial shall have no denial finally He that easily giveth over his suit and will not be at pains and patience forfeiteth mercy by contempt 11. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father will he give him a stone or if he ask a fish will he for a fish givâ— him a serpent 12. Or if he shall ask an egg will he offer him a scorpion 13. If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit unto them that ask him 11 12 13. Note God's Goodness is a great ground of hope that he will grant our prayers that is as far as he hath promised 1. Grace and Glory certainly to all penitent Believers 2. And the things of this life on these three conditions 1. If they are such as are fit for the person 2. And he be sit for them 3. And it be fit to subserve God's higher ends his Glory and the publick good and do not cross them So much of his Spirit as is necessary to Salvation he will give to all true Believers And the additional degrees and gifts he giveth on the terms aforesaid 14. And he was casting out a devil and it was dumb And it came to pass when the devil was gone out the dumb spake and the people wondred 15. But some of them said He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils 14 15. See Matth. 12. They were so convinced of the fact of his Miracles that they had no plea for their unbelief left them but to say he did them by Conjuration which is the blaspheming of the Holy Ghost 16. And others tempting him sought of him a sign from heaven 17. But he knowing their thoughts said unto them Every kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation and a house divided against a house falleth 18. If Satan also be divided against himself how shall his kingdom stand because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub 19. And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils by whom do your sons cast them out therefore shall they be your judges 16 17 18 19. Note When Satan laboureth to divide the Church of Christ it is that he may destroy it And should we do worse against Christ's Kingdom than Satan will do by his own 20. But if I with the finger of God cast out devils no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you 20. It is the approving work of God to set up his Kingdon against the Devils 21. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace his goods are in peace 22. But when a stronger then he shall come upon him and overcome him he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted and divideth his spoils 21 22. If I did not conquer Satan I could not cast him out of his possession of Bodies and Souls 23. He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth 23. See Matth. 12.30 24. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh thorow dry places seeking rest and finding none he saith I will return unto my house whence I came out 25. And when he cometh he findeth it swept and garnished 26. Then goeth he and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked then himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first 24 25 26. But let him that is delivered from Satans possession of Body or Soul take heed that he return not For when Satan is cast out he tryeth by his Temptations to get Possession of some others And when he hath asâ—â—â—â—ed many and is resisted and frustrate by the grace of God he resolveth again to try his assaults on him that was delivered And finding him careless unwatchful and ready to receive his Temptations he suggesteth worse things to him than those that he had renounced and bringeth in on fair pretences sevenfold worse vices than he had before And the end of that man is worse than was his first captivity to Satan Note It is some kind of rest to Devils to deceive and destroy Souls As it is to a malicious man to do mischief by revenge Devils are not yet at their most easeless state See Mat. 12.43 27. And it came to pass as he spake these things a certain woman of the company lift up her voice and said unto him Blessed is the womb that bare thee and the paps which thou hast sucked 28. But he said Yea rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it 27 28. Note Carnal persons most regard carnal Relations 2. Christ accounts them that hear and keep God's Word as more amiable and blessed than it would be to have been his own Mother And we must judge as he doth Though when God maketh the provision for our Families out duty we must obey him as his Stewards in our distributions yet Grace is more amiable than natural Relations 29. And when the people were gathered thick together he began to say This is an evil generation they seek a sign and there shall no sign be given it but the sign of Jonas the Prophet 30. For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites so shall also the Son of man be to this generation 29 30. As Jonas after three days abode in the Sea was sent to preach so after my three days in the grave I will rise and call the World to Repentance by mine Apostles and my Spirit and save them as Nineve was saved 31. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and behold a greater than Solomon is here 31. It shall appear that the Jews are worse than her and deserve destruction for being so
only way that will self-love and reason should soon resolve us what to do and what to trust to 2. The way to be resolved on is that which will help us when all others fail 5. So he called every one of his lords debtors unto him and said unto the first How much owest thou unto my lord 6. And he said An hundred measures of oyl And he said unto him Take thy bill and sit down quickly and write fifty 7. Then said he to another And how much owest thou And he said An hundred measures of wheat And he said to him Take thy bill and write fourscore 5 6 7. Note They were ready for their commodity to joyn in the fraud 8. And the lord commended the unjust steward because he had done wisely for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light 8. Note His Lord that hated his falshood yet commended his wit 2. O that we had as much wit and care and diligence for our Souls everlasting welfare as false worldly men have for this vain World 9. And I say unto you Make to your selves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations 9. It is counsel of great importance to you so to use your time and estates which worldly men abuse to sin that when you must shortly and certainly die and leave all your wealth behind you ye may be received into the everlasting heavenly Mansions Note 1. The wealth that by the wicked is abused to damnation may by Believers be used to salvation 2. All this World will fail and forsake us 3. It is not those that we do good to but yet it is God for the good we do them that will receive us into Heaven 4. This is a Testimony of the Soul's Immortality and of the Life to come When we leave this World we are received into everlasting habitations 10. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much 10. God will much judge men according to their use of the little things of this World and will judge them meet for the great things of Glory that have used these well But he will judge them unmeet for heavenly felicity that could not use well the small things of this transitory life 11. If therefore ye have not been faithfull in the unrighteous mammon who will commit to your trust the true riches 11. Do you think God will judge you meet for Heaven that were false in your use of earthly things 12. And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another mans who shall give you that which is your own 12. And if ye have proved false and untrusty in your Stewardship and use of God's entrusted Mercies in this life of Tryal where you had no assurance to stay an hour do you think God will place such as Proprietors in the Everlasting Kingdom 13. No servant can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and mammon 13. A divided heart between God and the World is false to God and to it self Ye cannot be true Christians and worldlings too 14. And the Pharisees also who were covetous heard all these things and they derided him 14. Note The love of Riches rises up against holy and mortifying Doctrine with hatred and scorn 15. And he said unto them Ye are they which justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God 15. You applaud one another and keep up a worldly Reputation but God seeth all the evil of your hearts and he abhorreth the covetous whom you bless and all proud and prosperous worldlings when they are highest in mens esteem 16. The law and the prophets were until John since that time the kingdom of God is preached and every man presseth into it 16 Till John's days the Law and the Prophets that darkly foretold the Kingdom of God as afar off were the chief Teachers of the Church but since John's preaching that this Kingdom is at hand multitudes gladly receive that Tydings and croud or press into it with earnestness 17. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass than one tittle of the law to fail 17. The Law is God's true Word and shall never prove false The natural-moral part shall continue the Ceremonious part the Types and Prophecies pass not away unfulfilled They all pointed unto Christ who fulfilleth them though he abrogate them 18. Whosoever putteth away his wife and marrieth another committeth adultery and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery 18. See Matth. 5 32. 19. There was a certain rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linnen and fared sumptuously every day 19. Note This is the description of a Sensualist that liveth after the flesh to be clothed in Purple and Silk â—nd to have every day a costly Table of delightful meat â—nd drink Sensual flesh-pleasing is the common damnâ—ng sin and Riches are the fuel of fleshly desires 20. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate full of sores 21. And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich mans table moreover the dogs came and licked his sores 20 21. Note 1. It is like he had some relief there else he would not have layn there 2. The worst men are not usually most afflicted in this life 3. Rich fleshly men make too great a difference between themselves and the Poor and think their superfluities and sumptuous delicious fare must be preferred before the necessities of their poor Brethren 4. Dogs help him whom the rich Sensualist would not help in any competent degree 22. And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abrahams bosom the rich man also died and was buried 22. Note Though this be a Parable Christ would not by it insinuate false Doctrine Therefore it sheweth that the Soul doth not die with the Body but goeth to Joy or Misery Abraham is there alive and Lazarus in his bosom before the final Resurrection 2. Death quickly levelleth Rich and Poor the voluptuous and the afflicted 3. Angels that guard the Just in life refuse not at death to serve their Souls as their Convoy unto Happiness 4. To be buried in a Grave and rot to dust is the best that the pampered flesh of the wicked can expect 23. And in hell he lift up his eyes being in torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom 23. Note 1. Such notice as Spirits have is called seeing 2. The Souls of the wicked pass to Hell torments 3. Joyful felicity is called Abraham's bosom to a Jew Some think
Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot being of the number of the twelve 4. And he went his way and communed with the chief priests and captains how he might betray him unto them 3 4. Note There is more of Satan in sin than sinners think He hath access as a Tempter to the Imagination and when his Temptation prevaileth he gets greater possession of the heart 5. And they were glad and covenanted to give him money 5. Note 1. Wicked purposes or desires use to meet with encouragement from wicked men 2. It is a heinous crime when men dare covenant to sin for gain 6. And he promised and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude 6. To avoid tumult 7. Then came the day of unleavened bread when the passeover must be killed 8. And he sent Peter and John saying Go and prepare us the passeover that we may eat 9. And they said unto him Where wilt thou that we prepare 10. And he said unto them Behold when ye are entred into the city there shall a man meet you bearing a pitcher of water follow him into the house where he entreth in 11. And ye shall say unto the good man of the house The master saith unto thee Where is the guest-chamber where I shall eat the passeover with my disciples 12. And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished there make ready 13. And they went and found as he had said unto them and they made ready the passeover 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. Note 1. Christ knew what would befal them out of sight 2. Being made under the Law he would keep even that part that typified himself 14. And when the hour was come he sat down and the twelve apostles with him 15. And he said unto them With desire I have desired to eat this passeover with you before I suffer 14. Note Christ earnestly desired the fulfilling of his undertaken work and holy Communion with his Servants 16. For I say unto you I will not any more eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God 17. And he took the cup and gave thanks and said Take this and divide it among your selves 18. For I say unto you I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God shall come 16 17 18. Till we meet in Heaven or till I celebrate that Sacrament which is the Christian Passover with you in the holy Assemblies where I will be spiritually present Qu. How comes the Cup twice mentioned Ans The first was part of the Passover But Beza noteth that the 18th and 19th verses are not in the Syrian Translation which is most ancient And in his very old Greek Copy now at Cambridge This do in remembrance of me is left out of the 19th verse and he conjectures some verses are transposed 19. And he took bread and gave thanks and brake it and gave unto them saying This is my body which is given for you this do in remembrance of me 20. Likewise also the cup after supper saying This cup is the new testament in my blood which is shed for you 19 20. See Matth. 26. Note Seeing the Evangelists use not all the very same words it seems not of absolute necessity to use just the same still Yet all the substance must be retained and it 's safest repeating all set together which they recite and as Paul most fully reciteth them 21. But behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table 22. And truly the Son of man goeth as it was determined but wo unto that man by whom he is betrayed 23. And they began to enquire among themselves which of them it was that should do this thing 21 22 23. Note How hard was Judas's heart that took not this warning 24. And there was also a strife among them which of them should be accounted the greatest 24. Note This strife was before Matth. 20. But Luke keepeth not to the order of time 25. And he said unto them The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors 26. But ye shall not be so but he that is greatest among you let him be as the younger and he that is chief as he that doth serve 25 26. I am not for parity among all my Disciples You know I have chosen you only to be Apostles But though you be over the Churches you must not be Rulers of one another And that sort of Preeminence which you have must not be like that of the Princes of the World who Rule by the Sword or outward Force and in worldly Pomp or State constraining Subjects to flatter them with high Titles but it must be grounded in an excellency of Grace and Gifts Love Meekness Humility being the most useful and devoted to the good of all as Ruling only the voluntary and therefore by the clearest Reason and greatest Love and most exemplary profitable Lives Strive and spare not for this Preeminence and Disparity 27. For whether is greater he that sitteth at meat or he that serveth Is not he that sitteth at meat but I am among you as he that serveth 27. Would you rule as greater than I what hath my Government of you been but to do you good by Doctrine Love and good Example without force 28. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations 29. And I appoint unto you a kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me 28. As a reward for your faithful sticking to me in all my Tryals and Sufferings I appoint c. Note This Promise is three ways expounded 1. The aspiring Clergy say it is I make you Apostles the Chief Rulers of my Church though in persecuting tâ—â—es and yâ—ur Successors shall be Patriarchs Metropolitans Arch-Bishops c. and over top Emperours and Kings 2. Others say that this lower World is but a shadow of the upper and that the Office of Angels and the Titles in Daniel of Mâ—â—â—â— your Prince and so of other Angels sheweth thiâ—â—eâ—e be Kingdoms in the Spiritual World above us answerable to all the Kingdoms on Earth and incomparably more and that therefore Christ saith In my Father's house are many Mansions And that there the twelve Apostles have their Kingdoms at least over the twelve Tribâ—â— as being equal with the Angels 3. But most think that it is only an expression of the eminent Glory of the Apostles after the Resurrection I see not but part of all three Expositions may be included that is you shall be Chief in my Church on Earth and equal with Angels after Death but specially after the Day of Judgment 30. That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel 30. That ye may be feasted by me in Heaven with spiritual everlasting Joys and may be Superiors to the glorified Israelites and in the mean time on
was imprisoned 25 Then there arose a question between some of Johns disciples and the Jews about purifying 25. N. What the dispute was is uncertain 26. And they came unto John and said to him Rabbi he that was with thee beyond Jordan to whom thou barest Witness Beheld the same baptizeth and all Men come unto him 26. On this occasion they told John how the People flockt to the Baptism of Christ 27 John answered and said A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven 28 Ye your selves bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ but that I am sent before him 27. This doth but confirm what I said of him His Power is from Heaven I pretend to none such as his 29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom but the friend of the bridegroom which standeth and heareth him rejoyceth greatly because of the bridegrooms voice this my joy therefore is fulfilled 29. It is he that is the King and Saviour of the Church I am but his Friend that rejoyce in his Kingdom and Success 30 He must increase but I must decrease 30. His Kingdom and Glory must increase to perfection but my preparatory Ministry will soon end 31 He that cometh from above is above all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth he that cometh from heaven is above all 21. He came from Heaven and therefore is above us all We that are but Men inhabitants of Earth though so far as God inspires us we speak his word yet being of earthly mold speak and do like our selves in a human earthly manner But he that cometh from Heaven doth excel us all 32 And what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth and no man receiveth his testimony 33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his Seal that God is true 32. Wee tell you what God teacheth us in our several measures but he telleth you that which he hath seen and heard in Heaven And yet the most reject his Testimony but they that truly receive it by Faith do in believing him believe God himself that cannot lie 34. For he vvhom God hath sent speaketh the vvords of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him 34. He that is thus sâ—nt from Heaven by God speaketh Gods own Words fully and infallibly as fully known to him and is not like us and other Prophets that have but our limited measures of the spirits for some particular revelation and use 35. The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand 35. The Love of the Father to the Son is transcendent and he hath delivered lapsed Man and all this World into his hand or power as Redeemer Lord and Administrator of all 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the vvrath of God abideth on him 36. He that believeth Christ to be the Son of God and Saviour of the World and with Trust giveth up himself to be taught ruled and saved by him hath a right to everlasting Life by the Covenant of Grace and the beginning of it by the Holy Ghost in him and shall shortly have the full possession But he that by Unbelief rejecteth Christ and his offered Grace shall not see this blessed Life but the wrath of God for his unpardoned Sin and aggravated Guilt abideth on him CHAP. IV. VVHen therefore the Lord knovv hovv the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more Disciples than John 2. Though Jesus himself baptized not but his Disciples 3. He left Judea and departed again into Galilee 1. They knowing that which he knew would exasperate them to avoid Persecution he removed to Galilee till his time came 4. And he must needs go through Samaria 5. Then cometh he to a City of Samaria which is called Sychar neer to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his Son Joseph 6. Now Jacobs well was there Jesus therefore being wearied with his Journey sat thus on the Well and it was about the sixth hour 4 5.6 N. Christ travelled all on foot and had a Body wearied with Travel the sixth hour was noon 7. There cometh a Woman of Samaria to draw Water Jesus saith unto her give me to drink 8. For his Disciples were gone away unto the City to buy meat 9. Then saith the Woman of Samaria unto him how is it that thou beinq a Jew askest drink of me vvhich am a Woman of Samaria For the Jevvs have no dealings vvith the Samaritans 7 c. N. Christ was not so much for separation as the other Jewâ— 10. Jesus ansvvered and said unto her if thou knevvest the gift of God and vvho it is that saith to thee give me to drink thou vvouldest have asked of him and he vvould have given thee living Water 10. N. It was usual to call a running spring living water Christ meant more but she understood him not 11. The Woman saith unto him Sir thou hast nothing to dravv vvith and the Well is deep From vvhence then hast thou that living Water 12. Art thou greater than our Father Jacob vvho gave us the Well and drank thereof himself and his Children and his Cattle 11. N. They made their Honour of Jacob the pretence for not going to Jerusalem he being before Solomon's Temple 13. Jesus ansvvered and said unto her vvhosoever drinketh of this Water shall thirst again 14. But vvhosoever drinketh of the Water that I shall give him shall never thirst But the Water that I shall give him shall be in him a vvell of Water springing up into everlasting life 13. That which I call water is the Spirit of Grace which will give men everlasting satisfaction and joy and leave them no fleshly or unsatisfyed desires 15. The Woman saith unto him Sir give me this Water that I thirst not neither come hither to dravv 15. The ignorant mistaking Gods Grace to be what it is not may ask it so for carnal ends 16. Jesus saith unto her go call thy Husband and come hither 17. The Woman ansvvered and said I have no Husband Jesus said unto her Thou hast vvell said I have no Husband 18. For thou hast had five Husbands and he vvhom thou novv hast is not thy Husband In that saidst thou truly 16. It was not delusoâ—y Equivocation that Christ calls well saying but meant only that Truth not commonly known it 's like 19. The Woman saith unto him Sir I perceive that thou art a Prophet 20. Our Fathers vvorshipped in this Mountain and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place vvhere Men ought to vvorship 19 20. I perceive by thy knowing secrets that thou art a Prophet tell me then whether you Jews or we that follow our eldest Fathers be in the right about the Place of Worship N. This is the use of ignorant carnal people to start some Controversie about Circumstantials or Ceremonies
had not come with sufficient evidence it had not been their sin not to believe me to be the Christ But now their unbelief and Persecution hath no pretence 23. He that hateth me hateth my Father also 23. The hatred that is against me is consequently against God my Father it being his Word Works and Witness which they reject 24. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did they had not had sin but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father 24. They had not been bound to believe me to be the Christ if I had not shewed Gods Attestation such works as no man else can do or if any one had done the like Note Yet it is a false inference of the Infidels that therefore none are bound to take him for the Christ where he never came and did such works For History may as infallibly transmit the notice of his Works as Sight and Hearing could receive them 25. But this cometh to pass that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their Law They hated me without a cause 25. But the Word written in Psal 3.19 which in a large sense is part of their Law is thus fulfilled 26. But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth which procedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me 26. But when the Holy Ghost my Advocate and your Comforter is sent down upon you whom after my Resurrection I will send to you for his Eminent signal Gifts from the Father even that Holy Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall be my great Prevailing Witness both to you and by you to the World and shall cause belief 27. And ye also shall bear witness because ye have been with me from the beginning 27. And you on whom this Spirit shall come down shall by his operation be made my effectual Witnesses of what I have said and done and suffered because you have been with me as Eye and Ear Witnesses from the beginning of my publick Ministration CHAP. XVI THese things have I spoken unto you that ye should not be offended 2. They shall put you out of the Synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service 1 2. I foretell you what you must expect that when it cometh you may not be scandalized and turned back They shall cast you out by Excommunication of their Sacred and Civil Assemblys as a reproach yea they that kill you shall do it as an acceptable offering or service to God Note How little do the Religious pretenses of Persecutors deserve regard 3. And these things wilâ— they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me 3. Did they know the Father and me they would do otherwise wilful Ignorance is the cause 4. But these things have I told you that when the time shall come ye may remember that I told you of them And these things I said not unto you at the beginning because I was with you 4. Remember I foretold you all this which I said not from the beginning because I was with you to incourage you and your time of trial was not come and at first you could not so well bear it 5. But now I go my way to him that sent me and none of you asketh me whither goest thou 6. But because I have said these things unto you sorrow hath filled your heart 5 6. But now I am going to him that sent me and though it be on your business and for your interest you ask me not whither and for what I go But sorrow oppresseth you to hear of my departure 7. Nevertheless I tell you the truth It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you 7. Believe it my departure is for your benefit For the Holy Ghost whom I will then send will be better to you than my bodily presence on Earth 8. And when he is come he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment 9. Of sin because they believe not on me 10. Of righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more 11. Of judgement because the prince of this world is judged 8 9 10 11. And it will be his work effectually to plead my cause And first to convince the World of their sin in accusing rejecting and murdering me in whom they should have believed which he will do by his Gifts Miracles and inward Operations And Secondly to convince them of the Truth and Righteousness of my Person and Doctrine and my Right to be the Head of the Church and the Righteousness of my Government of it Because I go into Heaven to take fuller Possession of my Plenipotency and Administration and by my Spirit in you and on the Hearers shall more effectually convince Men and gather my Church than I did while I was with you And Thirdly He shall convince them that God hath Exalted me to the Power of Conquering Satan and his Kingdom and punishing Rebellious Adversaries when they shall see that by my Spirit the Kingdom of Satan falleth and the Powers that served him are partly Converted and partly confounded and destroyed 12. I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now 12. I have many things more to make known to you which you are not yet prepared to receive 13. Howbeit when he the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speake of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speake and he will shew you things to come 13. But when the Holy Spirit of Truth is come upon you he will make you capable and will guide you into all Truth which you must Preach and Record for the Propagating and ordering my Church Preaching to the Gentiles laying by the Mosaick Law c. For he shall speak but that which is of God and things to come and which you are not yet fit to receive 14. He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you 14. It is this Extraordinary gift of the Holy Ghost which shall be my great convincing Witness in the World that shall prove me to be the Saviour For it is from me that he is sent and my Word that he shall Teach you whether it be Remembring or Expounding what I have already spoken or Teaching you more by Inspiration What he saith and doth in and by you my chosen Apostles that I do by him and you 15. All things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you 15. I say he shall take of mine For the wisdom Grace and Gifts that come from the Father come from me that which
that it was neither Peter nor Paul Circumstances have perswaded me that Christianity came first into England by Christian Soldiers that were in the Roman Army such as built the Church called St. Martins near Canturbury which Beda mentioneth And it is more probable that such as Cornelius being Converted in Judea and having their dependance on Rome and business there were like to be the first introducers of of Christianity there As such were in Helvetia 16. And vvhen vve came to Rome the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a souldier that kept him 16. One Soldier was his Guard 17. And it came to pass that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jevvs togeâ—her And vvhen they vvere come together he said unto them Men and brethren though I have committed nothing against the people or customs of our fathers yet vvas I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans 18. Who vvhen they had examined me vvould have let me go because there was no cause of death In me 19. But vvhen the Jevvs spake against it I was constrained to appeal unto Cesat not that I have ought to accuse my nation of 17. Note Though Paul Preached against the Gentiles subjection to Moses Law yet to the Jews he only spake against the imposing it as necessary on others and against its justifying Power without Christ 19. I appealed in my own necessary Defence and not as an Accuser of the Jews 20. For this cause therefore have I called for you to see you and to speak vvith you because that for the hope of Israel I am bound vvith this chain 20. It is for Preaching that Messiah who hath long been expected and prayed for as the Hope of Israel that I am come hither a Prisoner in this Chain 21. And they said unto him We neither received letters out of Judea concerning thee neither any of the brethren that came shevved or spake any harm of thee 22. But vve desire to hear of thee vvhat thou thinkest for as concerning this sect vve knovv that every vvhere it is spoken against 21. We have had no Accusation of thee but that we may be able to judge of thee we would hear thee our selves what it is that thou holdest and teachest For Christians are every where spoken aganist as an evil Sect. Note He that would know how far to regard common fame against any man or party must know what sort of people they be that report it whether Men of truth sobriety and conscience or debaucht ungodly malignant sâ—oundrils And by what motives they are set on work whether by Gods word and will or by Carnal interests and flattery of Great and ungodly Worldlings or enmity to Holy Doctrine and Practice And what Eviedence they give to prove their Accusations 23. And vvhen they had appointed him a day there came many to him into his lodging to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God perswading them concerning Jesus both out of the law of Moses and out of the prophets from morning till evening 23. He proved to them out of the Law and Prophets that Christ was the Messiah whose Kingdom is spiritual and is now begun as foretold upon his Resurrection and Ascension and gathering an Universal Church by the Miracles Gifts and Grace of the Holy Ghost 24. And some believed the things vvhich vvere spoken and some believed not 25. And vvhen they agreed not among themselves they departed after that Paul had spoken one word Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers 26. Saying Go unto this people and say Hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and not perceive 27. For the heart of this people is vvaxed gross and their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes have they closed lest they should see vvith their eyes and hear with their ears and understand vvith their heart and should be converted and I should heal them 26. You verifie the words of the Prophets being like your fore fathers of whom Isaiah saith that though they have their Natural faculties of seeing hearing and understanding yet they have willfully so indisposed and corrupted them that as to the knowledge and obedience of God they are as if they had neither Eyes Ears or Understanding from whence it is that my resisted and rejected Grace doth not Convert and heal them 28. Be it knovvn therefore unto you that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles and that they vvill hear it 28. Be it known to you that the Christ whom you reject shall be Preached to the Gentiles and they will believe in him and receive him for their Saviour And Christ will set up among them the Catholick Church and Kingdom of God which you reject and shall therefore be none of yours that boasted in your expectations of it 29. And vvhen he had said these vvords the Jevvs departed and had great reasonings among themselves 29. Note But so many of them believed both at Rome Jerusalem and many Countrys as were a considerable part of the Christian Church at that time And within four hundred years Christianity was the professed National Religion in Judea 30. And Paul dvvelt tvvo vvhole years in his own hired house and received all that came in unto him 31. Preaching the kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence no man forbidding him 30. And Paul was so free a Prisoner that he was allowed to live in his own hired house and there for two years received all how many soever great or small who came to him Preaching even in Imperious Rome the Kingdom of God as Ruling Souls to Salvation by the Redeemer Teaching all the Doctrines and Practices of Christianity the History of Christ his Person Office Acts Grace and Glory and this with all boldness and freedom NO MAN FORBIDDING HIM silencing him or condemning them for Conventicles or any way hindring him even in Proud Powerful Heathen Rome When the Religious Jewish Priests and Rulers hunted Christs Ministers as Blood-hounds forbidding them to Preach to the Gentiles that they might be saved and so wrath is come upon them to the uttermost as it will in due time on all that imitate them Note 1. What Paul Preached not vain jangling or envious railing but the Kingdom of God and the things concerning Jesus Christ and Salvation 2. Where In Rome and in his own hired house 3. To whom To all that come to him 4. How long Two years at that time 5. How with all confidence openness and boldness 6. How tolerated No man Emperour or Senate or inferior Officer Soldiers or Magistrates Priests or People hindering or forbidding him in the Capital Heathen City of the World which yet was devoted to Idolatry and capvated the Church of God both Jews and Gentiles But had Paul Preached immorality Rebellion
yet speaking and keeping the necessary truth or essentials of our Religion in Love and Concord in this Faith and Love may in all things grow up to greater measures by degrees even into a fuller Communion with Christ our Head and likeness to him 16. From whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love 16. From whom the whole Church receiveth both that vital Influence and that Conduct and Government to its own intensive and extensive increase in Love which is its spiritual Life which the natural Body doth from the Head and Heart by communication of vital and animal Spirits and Heat And this Life and Increase is received and communicated to each part from Christ by that coagmentation and due connexion of all the Members of the Church together while each keepeth his place and performeth his own Office by the exercise of Faith and Love effectually for the good of all Even as the Body is kept in Life and Health while every inferiour Part and Joynt is receptive and active according to its proper Place and Office Note There is no Text which is so plausibly wrested to maintain Popery that is One Universal Humane Government of the whole Church on Earth Monarchical or Aristocratical by Pope Council or combined Metropolitans as one Soveraignty as this It seeming to forestalled Men to speak of the Church as compacted in one Universal Policy so governed And it is a Text which must be greatly studied against Dividers and yet vindicated from Roman Perverters I. Doubtless the Text speaketh strongly for Universal Concord and not onely for an uniting of Members in several Congregations which shall each be Independent which would be but like so many Limbs cut off from the Body but for an uniting of Congregations yea of all through the World in one compacted Body And therefore all Christians must abhor Dissection and Separation or Schism II. Yet it is evident that Paul speaketh of no one Head but Christ and of no sort of Universal Soveraign on Earth as under him And indeed it is an Office that Humane Nature here is not capable of either in Monarchy or Aristocracy It 's impossible for any Church-Soveraign-Power save Divine or Angelical at least to rule the Church by Legislation Judgment and Execution all over the Earth much of it being out of our reach as the Moon is And the Church is under contrary enemy militant Civil Governours which maketh it the more impossible And the onely Pretenders have been the great Dividers and Destroyers What then is here meant and to be done for Unity Not to feign impossible Terms such as are An Vniversal Soveraignty and Multitudes of Hamane Doubtful Vnnecessary Canons which are the most effectual causes of Discord But 1. to take up with Christs own prescribed terms of Union here laid down v. 3 4 5. If Christ have not made the Laws of Church Union he is not the maker of the Church for Unity is essential to it as to a House or Body 2. To be one in Love and to repress all Tyranny that would destroy Love and Peace 3. As in the several Assemblies they must exercise the same Faith and Hope and love and worship the same God and Saviour by the same Spirit so that these Churches must live in love to each other and avoid all Discord And if any breach be made between them in Faith or Love they must use all reasonable means to heal it which is by Writing or Messengers giving to each other an account of their Faith and Practice and when need is consulting in Synods of one or of divers Nations Not that such Synods are Governours of many Churches by a Major Vote or by Metropolitan Power save as they may exercise the Magistrates Power of the Sword by his Commission which were such fit can be given only in his own Dominions out of which Synods and Metropolitans can have no Political Governing Power But the Major Vote must be regarded for Concord which is the use of Synods yet so that it prevail not against Divine Authority and Law nor against Reason or the Churches good And therefore 1. Synods are but for Counsel and Agreement 2. And General Councils impossible and neeedless it being impossible and needless that all the World have notice of the Cases of every particular Church much less that they meet for the redress 3. And when Corruption and Tyranny as under the Arrians and Papists have got the Major Vote the minor are not bound to agree with them but to dissent As the Earth is Gods Kingdom and all Kings are his Officers in their several Kingdoms but neither any one Man or many Conjunct in one Aristocracie or Council are One Soveraign Governing Power over all the Earth but only should by Consultations seek to keep the Common Love and Peace even so all Churches and Christians on Earth are Christs Kingdom or Church Universal and all True Pastors are his Officers in their several Churches but neither one Man or many Conjunct as one Political Person or Aristocracie are one Summa Potestas over all Christians on Earth but those that are within the reach and notice of each other should when it 's needful by Synods and Consultations keep up Unity of Faith and Love and all needful Concord Had not Princes been made too capable of abuse they would not take well the Doctrine of a late Learned and Triumphant Writer who tells us that tho de facto Princes do not yet they ought to unite their Power in one Council which should be the brightest Governour of them all And so 1. all Kings must be Subjects 2. Aristocracy must rule Monarchy 3. How shall all Kings from the Antipodes or over all the Earth meet 4. Who shall call them 5. Where must they meet 6. Shall they trust their Crowns to Deligate Subjects 7. What if the most be Heathens and Mahometans and most Christians Hereticks in each others account 8. If he condescend to limit this Soveraign Diet who shall limit it and how And then the Universal Soveraign is still wanting They that dare plead for no more than Vniversal Communion should have understood that Communion as such belongs but to a Community and a meer Community is no Body Politick or Governed Society but a Confederacie of Equals as to Rule With respect to God only the World is one Governed Kingdom and with respect to Christ the Church in one Ruled Body Politick But neither of them is One as united in any Vicarious Soveraign but in their several Provinces must keep Communion in Faith Love and Peace 17. This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind 17. Therefore I charge you as from Christ that you that are Christians live not
supream onely God both in the Temple at Jerusalem and throughout all the now-Christian Eastern Empire and a great part further of the World and under the Title of God's greatest Prophet will put down God's own Institutions and Laws and Gospel and set up his own in the stead 6. What it is that stops him is a thing known to you all even the Imperial Power which as it falls he will rise For as he is to make his false Religion by a composition of Arianism Judaism and his own Inventions so the swarm of Heresies now among us Nicolaitans Ebionites Cerinthians Gnosticks c. are secretly a Mystereous Iniquity preparing for him Onely that Empire that now letteth must give place to him by diminution at his first rising and by its total-overthrow in the East at his full possession And so he shall in his time become the open Seducer and Captivater of the Church and World and must stay till Christ diminish and consume Mahometanism by his Word preached and utterly destroy it with the Glory of his more full appearance before the end 9. Even that Mâ—homets Kingdom whose coming is by Satanical Murdering Wars and deceitful pretences of Heavenly Signs and Revelations and with the unrighteous deceit of pretended opposition to Idolatry and to Christians as if they worship two or three Gods and their Laws were not so good as his And those Superficial Hypocrite-Christians that had but the Name and Form and not the hearty belief love and obedience to the Truth shall turn Mahometans and be damned II. The commonest Protestant Paraphrase is thus V. 3. Christs coming shall not be till there be a general Apostacie of the whole visible Church say some or of most or much of it say others unto Idolatrous Worship and subjection to the Papacy and that Man of sin the Pope be revealed the Active and Passive Son of Perdition the Abaddon the Head of this Apostacie given up to all sin himself and to promote it 4. Who claimeth Christs Prerogative under the name of his Universal Vicar and overthrows his Officers and Laws and sets up his own against them and overtoppeth and subjecteth all Princes and Magistrates and this in the Church of God say most or in that Idolatrous Church of his own falsely called The Church of God say others as if he were there chief Lord himself and arrogating names of Blasphemy I told you formerly of all this And now you know what hindereth his speedy arising Even the Empire as such say some including both the Pagan and Christian Or as others the Empire as Pagan only 6. For the beginnings of Antichristianity are secretly and mysteriously already working which will bring him forth in time even the Pride and Ambition of Ministers seeking Superiority and the Peoples excess of Factious Respects to some above others and falling into Sects and Heresies in following them Only the Empire that now hindreth must first be taken out of the way 8. And then shall the Pope that Man of Wickedness arise say some or be openly discovered to be Antichrist say others Whom the Lord shall consume by the Power of his Word preached by the two Witnesses and then destroy by pouring out the Vials of his Wrath upon him at his later coming to restore his Church 9. Even that Pope with his Roman Church of Papists whose coming to the Papacy is after that way of working by force and cheats and feigned Miracles which Satan teacheth and giveth them to seduce the Christian World 10. And with all the deceiving Arts of falshood by which unrighteousness is upheld and promoted to delude those that shall perish for ever Because they received not sound Doctrine when it was delivered nor held the Christian Faith in Love and in its Power but in Custom Hypocrisie and Form that it might sanctifie and save them Therefore God justly gave them up by desertions to Deceivers and Delusions to believe a lie 12. That all these Papists might be damned who believed not the Truth that is contrary to Popery but had pleasure in its unrighteous Principles and Practices and in that sensual life which is contrary to the Christianity which they profess III. The third considerable Opinion runs thus in the Paraphrase Exposition 1. Pauls words have relation both to Daniels words of Antiochus say most but of the Roman Power rather say Calvin and Brightman who largely proveth it 2. It is so far from being true that the Christians rejoiced in Christs sending the Romans to destroy Jerusalem that they greatly lamented it The Cities name was precious to them the first Christians being all Jews and the Gentiles receiving the Gospel from Jerusalem Christ wept over them when he Prophesied their ruine Paul's lamentation was great for them The ruine was dreadful 1110000 killed and 700000 carried Captive And the Apostles were all Jews and there was a common expectation among the Jews of the Messiah's glorious Kingdom at Jerusalem and they called it The Holy City and Land 3. The Abomination of desolation is by Christ himself compared to that spoken of by Daniel the Prophet which was the destroying the Holy Place and Worship and setting up Idolatry in its stead And the Authors themselves of the second Exposition as against the Pope Expound the Desolating Abomination in Matth. 24. to be the Roman Heathen Army coming to lay waste the Holy City and Temple For that Abomination of Desolation was to go before the flight of Men from Jerusalem or to concur And this Text v. 3. c. seemeth plainly to follow Christ and speak of the same that he speaketh of 4. Vespasian and his Son Titus by his Command were the Men that destroyed the Holy City Temple and Nation and the Idolatrous Heathens and their Worship there took present possession and so set up the Desolation and Abomination And his younger Son Domitian destroyed the Christians and Proclaimed himself to be God and to be worshipped with Altars and Sacrifices as God 5. This Vespatian took on him to work Miracles healing a Blind Man and many others So that some foolish Jews called him the Messiah And he and his Son Titus by their flattery and fair lives got great esteem as excellent Men And their Learned Orators c. promoted the honour of Idolatry by theirs 6. This way of Self-deifying and promoting Idolatry and Captivating the Jews and all Christians went on though not equally through all the Emperours almost till Constantine 7. The attempt of Caius Caligula told the Christians what further to expect when he Commanded Petronius to set up his Image in the Temple to be worshipped as Jupiter Nero's Cruelty prognosticated much 8. But Vespasian and Titus were stopt from the Desolation first attempted by the Life of Claudius Galba Otho Vitellius till he was made Emperour himself 9. And Christ consumed their Idolatry by his Gospel and destroyed it by Constantine These things premised their Paraphrase is v. 3. The day of the Lord will not
angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward 2. For if the Law which God delivered to Moses by the ministry of the voice and appearance of Angels was yet firm and sure and every sin against it and threatned by it was punished 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him 4. God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders and with divers miracles and gifts of the holy Ghost according to his own will 3 4. Much less shall we escape if we neglect this far greater Salvation and more excellent manifestation of the Will of God even that Gospel which Christ first preacht himself and those that heard him confirmed by their testimony and preaching God also confirming to us their testimony from Heaven by many such signs and wonderful works and with many sorts of miracles or acts of Power and distributions of the Holy Ghost to others when they believed as were a certain proof of God's attestation and the approbation of his own Will Note That here we have the true evidence of the truth of the Gospel on which Believers may build their faith 5. For unto angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come whereof we speak 5. God hath not made Angels the Soveraigns of the World to come and put the Kingdom of Glory so under them that all must be their Subjects 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 thy hands 8. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet 6 7 8. But the Psalm is ultimately to be understood of Christ and his Church which saith What is man c. Though Christ was a while on Earth in a state of Humiliation below Angels us to the Flesh yet it was in order to the Glory and victorious Power of his Kingdom 8. For in that he put all in subjection under him he left nothing that is not put under him But now we see not yet all things put under him 8. By this it is sure that all things are to be subdued to Christ though yet we see it not done 9. But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man 9. But we see that Jesus who was made lower than Angels for and in his state of Humiliation and Crucifixion is already ascended up into Heaven where he is crowned with Glory And as his death was suffered in the common nature of Man and the sins of all men had a causal hand in it and it was by God's Grace the purchasing Cause of the conditional Covenant of Grace and of all the good that men receive so he dyed to bring Man to Glory with himself And therefore that Text may well be understood of the advancement of Man both in Christ and his Church that shall be advanced by him 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 10. For it seemed meet to the God of Wisdom for whom and by whom all things are to make Christ the Captain of their Salvation a perfect performer of his Saving-Office and to obtain his own Glory in heavenly Perfection by the way of suffering and to bring all God's adopted Sons to Glory by the Merit of it and by following him in the same suffering way 11. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren 12. Saying I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee 13. And again I will put my trust in him and again Behold I and the children which God hath given me 11 12 13. And that it is in and by Christ that Humane Nature is advanced as the Psal 8. saith is proved by the Union that is between Christ and us He that sanctifieth us and we that are sanctified are of the same Humane Nature and are as one Body And therefore as we must suffer with him we shall reign with him Therefore in the Texts that under other typical persons speak of Christ he calls us his Brethren and Children given him to whose trust we are committed 14 15. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil And deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage 14 15. And that he might bring us to Glory with him as we have flesh and blood he would first be so far made one with us as to take also flesh and blood that he might be capable of suffering and dying for us and so by undergoing death which we by sin had brought our selves under and by rising from the Dead he might conquer Satan and Death and destroy his Kingdom and Power of Death which he had obtained by conquering Man by his Temptations and by God's letting him be the Executioner where he had been the conquering Tempter and so that Christ might deliver the Faithful by his Conquest of Satan and Death from continuance under Death and from the danger of Hell and from the slavish fear of both Death temporal and everlasting who else by their guilt and liableness to both these must be all their life time in bondage both by their danger and their fears 16. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham 16. For it is not Angels that he took hold of or whose Natures he assumed and came to save but he took on him the Nature of Man the Seed of Abraham to save Man 17. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people 17. So that he must be in all things like Man whom he would save that he might be fit for his undertaken Office to be an High Priest for us to Godward and to be merciful and faithful therein to make Reconciliation for our sins 18. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted 18. For he himself having been tempted and tryed by Sufferings and having overcome them all he is now
days 30. How came the People to go about Jericho seven days and the Walls to fall but because they believed and trusted the Promises of Almighty God 31. By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not when she had received the spies with peace 31. How came Rahab who was formerly a Heathen Harlot and then kept an Inn or House of Entertainment to scape when Jericho was destroyed but because she believed that the God of Israel was the true God and would deliver them that trust him 32. And what shall I more say for the time will fail me to tell of Gideon and of Barak and of Sampson and of Jephtha of David also and Samuel and of the prophets 33. Who through faith subdued Kingdoms wrought righteousness obtained promises stopped the mouths of lions 32 33. By believing and trusting God for unseen future things some conquered the Nations of their Enemies as Joshua the Judges David c. the truly faithful lived righteously in a sinful World obtained what God had conditionally promised and promises of yet further mercies for their fidelity as Abraham Phineas c. and God stopped the mouths of Lions to deliver them as he did by Daniel 34. Quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weakness were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the armies of the aliens 35. Women received their dead raised to life again and others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection 34 35. God made the fire harmless to them as Dan. 3. Divers scaped the Sword of bloody Persecutors as David c. recovered from Sickness as Job Hezâ—kiah c. fought valiantly trusting on God for Victory and so overcame Had their Dead raised as 1 King 17.21 2 King 4. Others endured Torment and would not sin to be delivered believing and hoping for Resurrection to a better Life as 2 Maccab. 19.30 and 7.9 36. And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment 37. They were stoned they were sawn asuder were tempted were slain with the sword they wandred about in sheep skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented 36 37 And by believing the promised unseen Reward others endured the Tryal of cruel Mockings and scornful Reproach and to be whipt as Rogues and bound and laid in Gaols as Malefactors some were stoned some sawn asunder others tryed by hot Irons and other fiery torments some slain with the Sword others like contemned Vagabonds wandred in base Cloathing of Sheep-skins and Goat-skins destitute of outward things afflâ—cted and tormented 38. Of whom the world was not worthy they wandred in deserts and in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth 38. All these were accounted and used as bad men unworthy to live as others peaceably in the World But were they such indeed No but such of whom the World was not worthy And many of them retired from the Converse of the World into Dens Caves and Mountains Note Oh the difference between God's Judgment of a Saint and Man's The World is not worthy of those scorned persecuted Saints whom their Persecutors call Rogues unworthy to live They are not worthy of their Company Example Counsel or other benefits For they know not what a Saint is nor the worth of a Saint nor how to use him yea they hate him and drive such away as they do the Offers of Christ and Grace 39. And these all having obtained a good report through faith received not the promise 40. God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect 39 40. And all these true Believers were justified by God's own Testimony left on Record to their praise But still it was things unseen and future which they believed and for which they suffered all this Martyrdom and pain And though God gave them their Reward in Heaven they lived not to see the Incarnate Saviour and the Kingdom of the Messiah the Catholick Church advanced by the pourings out of the Spirit of Christ which were the promised Blessings which God had told them he would give in the fulness of time For God had provided these greater Blessings of the Kingdom of Christ in its more perfect state and the fulness of that Spirit for this Age of the World in which we live and would not let them in those former Ages before our time partake of this more perfect Church-state Even as we now believe Christ's Glorious Coming and wait and suffer Persecution of Hope and yet must not live on Earth to see it as the last Age will do but must dye first and be raised to enjoy that sight CHAP. XII 1. WHerefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us 1. Seeing then we that are now called out to Tryal have before us the Instances of all the Faithful that have been before us who have conquered all the impediments of their Salvation by the effectual Beleif of God's Promise of unseen things let us quit our selves like men and as Runners in a Race let us be so far from turning to the World as to cast off all worldly Incumbrances which would hinder us and to avoid all sin in which without great care we shall be entangled and let us run with patience and perseverance the Race in which by God and our Covenant we are engaged for it is for our Salvation 2. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God 2. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the Author and Leader of our Christian Faith and Course and the Perfecter of it who hath by his Doctrine and Example proposed it to us in that perfect form which he will own and crown who himself was moved by the future proposed Joy which was to be the Reward of all his Mediatorial Works for which he endured the pains of his Cross and Sufferings and despised the Shame and Reproach that attended it in comparison of the desired End which he hath now attained and is set down in Triumph and Glory next the Throne of God 3. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds 3. If you will well study Christ and consider how and why he endured such Opposition and Contradiction of wicked men who by sin falsly accused him of sin it will greatly strengthen you against weary Tiredness or fainting Cowardize 4. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin 4. It is but little which you have yet been put to If you will be crowned you must be prepared
chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him 5. Consider how God himself confuteth your over-valuing rich men and vilifying the poor Is it not mostly of the poor that your Churches consist Is it not them that God hath chosen poor in the World but rich in Faith to be here made Heirs and hereafter Possessors of that Kingdom of Glory which he hath promised to them that truly love him 6 7. But ye have despised the poor Do not rich men oppress you and draw you before the judgment seats Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called 6 7. Yet you despise the poor whom God himself chuseth and honoureth And doth not your own experience and suffering condemn you Who is it but rich men that oppress you by tyranny and draw you like Malefactors before their Courts of Judicature Do they not blaspheme the name of Christ and reproach your Religion 8. If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self ye do well 8 I persuade you not to hate men for their riches but not to think that these allow you so partial a differencing If you obey God's great Command as the Scripture teacheth you to love all sorts of your neighbours as your selves according to the various degrees of their truest amiableness be they rich or poor you then do well 9. But if ye have respect to persons ye commit sin and are convinced of the law as transgressors 9. But if you thus inordinately respect men differently for their wealth not only the Gospel of Love but the Law of Moses convinceth you as sinners Exod. 23.3 Lev. 30.15 Deut. 1.16 17. 10. For whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all 11. For he that said Do not commit adultery said also Do not kill Now if thou commit no adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressor of the law 10 11. And that Law condemneth all that continue not in all things therein written to do them and we are bound by God's Law inforce to universal Obedience If you keep all other Commands and presumptuously break one you are contemners of the Law and so interpretatively break all 12. So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty 12. And though you are delivered from Moses's Law and the Covenant of Works remember that Christ is your King and Law-giver and you are not lawless therefore so speak and so do as they that are under his Law of Liberty and Grace and shall be judged by it by Justification or Condemnation 13. For he shall have judgment without mercy that hath shewed no mercy and mercy rejoyceth against judgment 13. For though this be a Law of Mercy it will condemn the unmerciful without mercy It hath its conditions of life or death though none but what consist with Grace But the merciful shall find mercy at Judgment And God's mercy in Christ as the cause and their mercy to men for his sake as the condition will prevail against condemning Judgment 14. What doth it profit my brethren though a man say he hath faith and have not works can faith save him 14. Is not a meer wordy Profession an unprofitable thing to your selves as well as to others Will professing Christianity and saying you believe profit you to Salvation if you obey not Christ and live not according to the Gospel 15 16. If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food And one of you say unto them Depart in peace be you warmed and filled notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body what doth it profit 15 16. Will good words cloath the naked or feed the hungry Is it not like a mocking of them 17. Even so faith if it hath not works is dead being alone 17. Even so your notional knowledge and belief and the bare professiâ—n of Faith if it produce not the fruits of Obedience Love and Mercy is but an uneffectual dead thing in it self shewing a dead Soul and is dead as to your Justification and Salvation 18. Yea a man may say Thou hast faith and I have works shew me thy faith without thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works 18. Any one may say to this man if thy Religion be sound it will have life and power and be known by its fruits Canst thou shew and justifie thy Religion or Belief without any good works or fruits as I can do mine by them 19. Thou believest that there is one God thou doest well the devils also believe and tremble 19. It is part of thy Religion to believe that there is One God This is well done it is a most fundamental Truth but it saveth not the Devils that believe it and tremble 20. But wilt thou know O vain man that faith without works is dead 21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar 20 21. But art not thou a vain man that knowest not that Faith is but a dead Opinion uneffectual to justifie and save if it be uneffectual to Works Dost thou not discern how plainly the Scripture confuteth thee Was it not Doing in Faith or a Faith that caused working Obedience by which Abraham was justified who was the Father of the Faithful when he offered his Son Isaac and God said Gen. 22.16 Because thou hast done this thing and hast not withheld thy Son thy only Son in blessing I will bless thee c. 22. Seest thou how faith wrought with his works and by works was faith made perfect 22. You may see that his Faith made him obey God's Command and the obedient working of it did constitute it a sound effectual Faith without which it could not justifie him 23. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God 23. And this is the true sense of the Scripture which saith Abraham believed c. that is he so far believed and trusted God as to offer up his Son and this trust working by such Obedience or this practical effectual trust was so accepted by God that though he was not perfect without sin God accounted him a righteous man that was meet for the free Salvation of his Grace and to be called The Friend of God 24. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only 24. You see then that by such necessary doing God's will which is the product of an effectual Faith and sheweth it to be lively and sincere and not a dead Opinion a man is accounted just by God accordâ—ng to the Covenant of Grace through Christ and not only by bare believing or not by believing only without
them which stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed 7 8. To you who believe as he is esteemed precious so will he be in the riches of his grace to you But to them that obey not the Gospel but are unbelieving rejecters of him he whom the builders the Jewish Rulers did refuse is made the foundation of the Church and they shall feel his Kingly Power He is that Stone on which they stumble and fall and that Rock on which the Adversaries dash themselves in pieces even they that unbelievingly reject and quarrel against the Gospel and disobey it To which destruction not to their sin the righteous God appointed them 9. But ye are a chosen generation a royal priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light 9. But as the Israelites were by their proper Covenant of peculiarity separated to God from the rest of the World and called a chosen Generation a royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar People especially as typifying the Christian Church so are you more eminently a chosen Seed of Christ by his Spirit a dignified Kingdom of Priests who are all designed to reign with Christ and all may have access to God a Nation or sort of men sanctified by dedication to God though all the World be his you are his peculiarly and have the Covenant and Priviledges of Peculiarity having greater mercies than the rest of the World that as Priests you may stand daily before God and celebrate his praises who hath called you out of the darkness of ignorance and unbelief and wickedness into that marvellous Light by which you know him the Father of Lights 10. Which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy 10. Who were under the Roman Captivity and scattered over the Earth and alienated from God by unbelief but now are made Christ's Free-men and Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and have obtained that mercy which unbelievers do reject 11. Dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul 11. But you are yet Strangers and Sojourners in the Countreys where you are scattered and indeed on Earth therefore I earnestly beseech you to abstain from that fleshly pleasure and life which are usually the fruit of wealth and prosperity in the World and are warring Enemies against the holy Inclinations Motions and Works of the Holy Spirit 12. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil-doers they may by your good works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation 12. And let your conversation among the Heathens be so just and decent and exemplary that they that now speak against you as if you were a sort of bad deluded contemptible men through prejudice and malicious same may by your excelling all others in good works rejoyce and give glory to God when he shall visit you with deliverance from your oppressors and shall exalt you 13. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supream 14. Or unto governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers and for the praise of them that do well 13 14. Be subject to every Civil Humane Ruler tho Heathen whether it be to Caesar as supream or those subordinate Rulers who are sent by him for that which is truly the Office of Magistrates to which God impowereth them which is to be punishers of evil doers and praisers or encouragers of them that do well 15. For so is the will of God that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men 15. Your peace and safety is not to be look't for by resisting and conquering the Powers that are over you but by due subjection and patience while you obey God to silence those ignorant foolish men who falsly reproach you as a turbulent and unruly sort of People for differing from them in Religion and obeying God before men 16. As free and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness but as the servants of God 16. You are indeed Christ's Free-men delivered from true servitude to Sin and Satan but you are God's Servants and must obey him in using your Christian Liberty to his glory in your appointed way of duty and not as a covering for any evil 17. Honour all men Love the brotherhood Fear God Honour the King 17. In short Give all men their due respect Love all Christians especially Christian Societies or Churches with a special love Fear God above all with reverent obedience and under him give that eminent honour to Kings and Rulers which is their due 18. Servants be subject to your masters with all fear not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward 18. Christian Servants must be subject to their Masters whether Christian or Heathen with due respect and reverence even to those that are froward and wrathful and abuse them and not only to the good and gentle Note That this binds not free Servants to continue with such Masters when they may have better but only Slaves that may not change and also voluntary Servants till their time of Service be at an end 19. For this is thank-worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure grief suffering wrongfully 20. For what glory is it if when ye be buffetted for your faults ye shall take it patiently but if when you do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God 19. For this God accepteth as a rewardable act of Obedience when in conscience of God's commanding patience you indure wrongful suffering 20. Can you think it a rewardable thing as of any special worth to take it patiently when you are beaten for your faults c. Note What then shall we think of those Servants even the religious sort that can neither bear stroaks nor words when they deserve them but will repine and swell with passion if they be but reproved for their faults yea for their sins against God and will not humbly confess them 21. For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps 21. For your very Calling of Christianity bindeth you to this obedient Patience in imitation of Christ who in his suffering for us became our Example whom we must follow 22. Who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth 23. Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously 22 23. Who never did ill in word or deed and yet being scorned and reviled he returned not to them the like nor gave them one ill word for another nor
which the superior World hath no real similitude but by fiction 6. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal and in the midst of the throne and round about the throne were four beasts full of eyes before and behind 6. Note Before the Tabernacle and the Temple there was a great broad Vessel of Water called a Sea for the Priests to wash in Exod. 20.18 1 Kings 7.23 signifying the Purity required in the Worshippers of God being as Crystal tells us that no spots or Hypocrisie is unseen to God Though some make this to signifie the multitude of Worshippers The four Beasts some say resemble the four Staâ—dards and Camps of Israel in the Wilderness or as others the four Evangelists But it is like to mean the Executioners by Providence and Miracles of Christ's Will and Power full of Eyes as knowing all the Affairs of the Sons of Men about which they are employed called Living creatures for their executive power 7. And the first beast was like a lion and the second beast like a calf and the third beast had a face as a man and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle 7. Note As these four agree with the Apparition in Ezekiel 1.10 in the main notwithstanding some small difference so it is observable which D. Hammond noteth from Aben Ezra that these were the Escutcheons on the four Ensigns or Standards of the Camp of Israel a Lion for the Camp of Judah a Man for the Camp of Reuben an Oxe for the Camp of Ephraim and an Eagle for the Camp of Dan And an Oxe and Calf are oft used for the same And these four are noted to be the chief in their several kinds the Lion among wild Beasts the Oxe among the tame and serviceable a Man among all Animals and an Eagle among Birds To conjecture what God would signifie by them to Israel must needs be uncertain I know nothing liker than an intimation of Duty and Prophecy that Israel should be victorious over their Enemies and valiant as a Lion wise and in Dominion as Man and should have a fertile and plenteous Land signified by the Oxe and be Seraphick and Divine in the holy Worship of God signified by the Eagle that mounteth Heaven-ward in her strength And it 's like such blessings are hereby signified to be conferred on the Church some fix the signification on Angels some on Ministers And less probable are their 's that think Peteâ— John Paul and Barnabas are meant or they that apply it to the four Evangelists or four Patriarchs 8. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him and they were full of eyes within and they rest not day and night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come 8. Note The Beasts resembling the Standard-bearer in the Camp are likest to signifie both the Angels in Heaven who glorifie God's Attributes and serve him in the performance of his Promises to the Church and also the Apostles and Prophets and Evangelists and Pastors who do their part herein on Earth See Isa 6.2 of their wings 2. Holy holy holy may relate to the Trinity but certainly signifieth that the Holiness of God is that for which he is loved and praised by Angels and Saints His Holiness is his Perfection and Transcendency above all creatures being the end of all to whom they are to be devoted and consequently his perfect contrariety to all evil 3. The celebrating of the Praises of the most Holy God is the uncessant work of heavenly Spirits and most of the work of Ministers and Church-Assemblies on Earth 9. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne who liveth for ever and ever 10. The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne and worship him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their crowns before the throne saying 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created 9 10 11. Note With the chief Angels concur all the heavenly Hâ—st in magnifying the Holy Eternal God as shining forth in the glory of all his works by him and for him by his efficient Will and for his complacential Will fulfilled they being all created preserved and ordered And this heavenly work is to be imitated by the Churches on Earth whose Pastors leading the People must concur in the Praises of the most Holy Everliving God And those Churches that are dry and scant in these Praises of God how well soever the Word be there preached are defective and unlike their Pattern These passages are best expounded in the three first Petitions of the Lord's Prayer Let thy Name be hallowed Thy Kingdom come and Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven Neither Heaven nor Earth must be left out in the Exposition CHAP. V. 1. ANd I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside sealed with seven seals 1. I saw a Roll called a Book in his hand who sate on the Throne written on both sides but the Roll was sealed up with seven Seals Note The Roll contained God's Decrees as they were to be fulfilled according to this Prophecy And it 's like they were seven Rolls together making one Book 2. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof 2. Note Every Angel or Man is not worthy or meet to be the Expositor and Messenger of God's Mysteries to Man 3. And no man in heaven nor in earth neither under the earth was able to open the book neither to look thereon 3. It was a work and trust too high for any meer creature in all the World None of them was worthy 4. And I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book neither to look thereon 4. I lamented that the creatures should be found so unworthy and God's Mysteries be kept unknown 5. And one of the elders saith unto me Weep not behold the lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof 5. One of the Elders that were at the Throne comforted me and told me that Christ who is called the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and the Son of David and Root of Jesse was found worthy by the Dignity of his Person and his Merits by Man's Redemption to open to the Church all the Mysteries of God which it was meet for Man to know and to loose the Seals 6. And I beheld and lo in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts and in the midst of the elders stood a Lamb as it had been slain having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven
For in one hour so great riches is come to nought 14 15 16 17. Rome's Pride and Sensuality found all the Countries money for all sorts of commodities whose Market ceaseth by her destruction 17. And every ship master and all the company in ships and sailers and as many as trade by sea stood afar off 18. And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning saying What city is like unto this great city 19. And they cast dust on their heads and cried weeping and wailing saying Alas alas that great city wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness for in one hour is she desolate 17 18 19. The Fall of the Pagan Power and Religion being the Political Life of the City is thus represented in Vision to John under the shew of the burning of the City-buildings as our Eyes saw London burning three days 1666. Septemb. 2 3 and 4th Or say others The Fall of Rome Papal was thus represented But others say that Rome Papal shall be thus really burnt and destroyed 20. Rejoice over her thou heaven and ye holy apostles and prophets for God hath avenged you on her 20. It was this same Roman Idolatrous Power which murdered the Holy Apostles and many Prophets that are now in Heaven And they shall rejoice in the vindictive justice of God And so shall the Church on earth Not as it is revenge on private enemies but as it is Gods publick deliverance of his Church and vindication of his truth and Cause and Glory 21. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great milstone and cast it into the sea saying Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all 21. The Pagan Empire was never again restored for Julian did but begin to attempt it and was kill'd before he could so much as lay any foundations for it Yea Rome was never more the seat of the Empire much less of the Pagan Empire For Constantine did but as it were take up his quarters there for a short time and remove the seat to Constantinople And his Successours in the West had but the lesser part of the Empire and were sometimes at Rome and somtime at Millan and sometimes at Ravenna and after in France and Germany 22. And the voice of harpers and musicians and of pipers and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee and no craftsman of whatsoever craft he be shall be found any more in thee and the sound of a milstone shall be heard no more at all in thee 23. And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee for thy merchants were the great men of the earth for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived 22 23. Thus as by the Emblem of a City totally ruined and deserted was the Fall of Pagan Rome represented to John And that you may know that it was not the burning and desertion of the material buildings that is meant he now tells you that by the merchants he meant the Nations that consented to and upheld her Idolatry and power 24. And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all that were slain upon the earth 24. God dealt thus severely with her because she had not only been the murderer of Apostles Prophets and the primitive Christians at Rome and abroad in all her Dominions in upholding her Idols but as Jerusalem had by imitating former persecutors justified them and so suffereth for all The considering of Dan. 7.11 Jer. 51.63 25.10 Ezek. 17.13 Ezek. 27.12 13. Will help to expound all this Others say It is Papal Rome and how the blood of Apostles and Prophets was found in her they tell us from Matth. 23.35 And how the blood of Saints will be found in her is easily proved CHAP. XIX 1. ANd after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven saying Halleluiah salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God 1. The Saints in Heaven and the Christians on earth gave Praise to God and glorified him for this great work 2. For true and righteous are his judgments for he hath judged the great whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand 3. And again they said Allelujah and her smoke rose up for ever and ever 2 3. They glorified God for holy and amiable justiceâ— and destroying the Mother of Idolatry and nest of Luxury and cruelty God will have great Glory by destroying the persecutors and wicked and in delivering his Saints and in the Freedom of the Gospel 4. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne saying Amen Allelujah 4. And the consenting Praises of the Church especially of Christian Jews was represented to me under the ost-mentioned similitude of the Temple-Worship where the Twelve Tribes were doubly represented by twelve Oxen and twelve Lions and four Cherubims were about the Mercy-Seat Jews and Gentile Christians praise God for the Fall of Babylon 5. And a voice came out of the throne saying Praise our God all ye his servants and ye that fear him both small and great 5. And God himself and his Ministers called to all his Church to joyn in these his Praises 6. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many waters and as the voice of mighty thunderings saying Allelujah for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth 7. Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her self ready 8. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linnen clean and white for the fine linnen is the righteousness of Saints 6 7 8. And the raising of the Catholick Church in numbers and extent and power to the visible Glory of Christ was represented to me by the Voice as of a great multitude c. saying Praise the Lord for his Kingdom is coming in Power and his Church shall be promoted by the Rulers of the Earth and the Kingdoms of the World shall be visibly the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ And Christ and his Church will appear to the World in Honour and Joy as Marriages use to be celebrated And the Catholick Church shall be clothed with the notes of Honour and Purity or Righteousness or shall publickly worship him in his instituted Ordinances 9. And he saith unto me Write Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage-supper of the Lamb And he saith unto me These are the true sayings of God 9. Happy are they that shall see the fall of Babylon and the Deliverance and Advancement of the Christian Church and shall
of Blasphemy 4. He is adored 5. He only healeth the wounded head 6. He is contemporary with the ten Kings with crowned horns 7. He is contemporary with Babylon which is Papal Rome 8. All the Texts agree to Papal Rome 9. He is Antichrist who is to sit in the Temple of God 10. That which hindred was to be removed before his Revelation which was the Empire as Pagan II. And they say it cannot be the Pagan Empire 1. Because that was risen long before 2. Because it was not that Power which was the sixth head but the seventh and eight and ascended out of the bottomless pit with whom the ten Kings were to receive Kingdoms 3. Because the Pagan Empire was not contemporary with Babylon 4. This Beast was to continue 1260 years whereas the Pagan Empire continued but 360. 5. It had not the ten crowned horns 6. The Roman Pagan Empire was lawfully obeyed being of God but so is not the Beast 7. The things said Chap. 19. agree not with it And here the sixth doubt is coincident what is the Whore For if it be only Papal Rome then say they the Pope is the Beast And this they prove 1. Because it is a mystery which Heathen Idolatry was not 2. Antichrist sits in the Temple of God 3. Because it is that Rome that must be for ever desolate and a place for Devils and Serpents c. 4. The fall of Babylon was to be after the faithful were come out of it 5. Pagan Rome sold not Souls nor made the Nations drunk with the Cup of her Fornication 6. She was not married to Christ and therefore could be no adultress 7. She had no false Prophet as here described to seduce and work Miracles but did all by force c. II. But because it is an advantage to the Reader to know the Judgment of men in the Connexion of the parts and Mr. Brightman seemeth to have done his Work with as Pious a Zeal and as great Learning and deep study as any man I shall sum up his opinion about this matter Having on Daniel strongly proved after Calvin that the passages commonly expounded of Antiochus are mistaken he saith that it is the Romans Power that they mean who were above all called Gods that is all Princes and that the Abomination not making but made Desolate was the utterly casting out the old Jewish Temple-Worship which was good till abrogate and Abominable afterward That this was done by the destruction of the Temple but perfected in Julians time by Gods overthrowing it when he attempted to re-edifie it And on Rev. 13. And forward he saith 1. That Antichrist the Pope is both the first and second Beast and Latinos his name c. 2. That the first 1000 years began with Constantine who was the Man-child and bound the Dragon 3. The binding him is that he shall no more set up Heathenism 4. But Antichrist began at the same time and reigned alâ— the while that the Dragon was bound even from Constantine And the Church was in the Wildernesâ— 5. The first Resurrection began 1300 when Marsil Patavinus Wickliff and others began Reformation But I am perswaded that those after called Albigenses and before Bagandoe were before Constantine Reynerius confesseth that they called themselves Apostolicks and said they were from Silvesters that is Constantines time Why then is Wickliff who hath many errors set above them 6. The rest of the Dead in Popery rose not by Reformation 7. The second death is Hell fire 8. A second 1000 years of Church Reformation and Prosperity began then at 1300 when the Dragon was let loose Antichrist began at his binding and the happy 1000 years Reformation at his loosing 9. His loosing set up the Turk Gog and Magog Scythians to a War against the Saints 10. The Camp of the Saints was Europe 11. The Holy City was the Converted Jews and the place of the War in Judea where the Turks shall wonderfully be utterly destroyed by Michael the Angel of the Jews 12. The Beast that deceived the Turk is the Turk himself 13. The Beast and false Prophet in Hell with him is Antichrist who falls a little before him 14. The Judgment and second Resurrection Chap. 20.11 are the full restoring of the Jews 15. The Dead small and great judged are the Jews that till now rejected Christ 16. The Sea and Earth giving up their Dead are all Countrys sending home the Jews converted 17. Death and Hell cast into the Lake are Turks and Papist that shall detain the Jews no longer 18. The Thrones and Reign of those dead is the destruction of their Enemies on Earth 19. Only elect Jews shall be in that Church 20. What the first Heaven and Earth is that shall be done away he doth not know but thinks it is the old Jewish way of Worship which shall cease as their conversion 21. No more Sea is no more false Doctrine 22. No more Death is no more sharp punishment and that the sting of death shall be taken out 23. And the new Glorious Jerusalem described in the 21. and 22. Chapters in this City or Church of the Converted Jews at Jerusalem the rest being restored with them Why I incline to Learned Mr. Calverts opnion that the conversion of the Jews is long ago past the obstinate Jews being mostly destroyed by Titus and Adrian and the Christian Jews being very numerous quickly and all that stayed in Judea as much made the Kingdom of Christ by Profession in the days of Cyril Juvenal and after when their Country was replenished with Bishops Churches and Monasteries and many abroad since then Converted as Lira Tremellius and others were as other Christian Kingdoms were where some still are Infidels I have shewed on Rom. 11. But the most wonderful part of the expected Miracle is that all these Thousands if not Millions of Jews that live scattered through the World and now are the most vile and Barbarous ignorant and worldly Persons living among Turks and Papists where they hear not the Gospel should all without Preaching or Teaching be not only Converted at once but made such Wise and excellent Christians as are fitter to constitute a Glorious Church than we that have bin taught so long If God have promised that not only a Nation but a New Jerusalem should be thus born or come down from Heaven in a day it must be believed But doubtless it will be a Miracle incomparably excelling all that Christ and his Apostles did yea Millions of Miracles at once And therefore we may expect such proof as faith needeth in so strange a case And as God is no respecter of Persons so the Jews never proved since Abrahams days under the Law under Judges or Kings or since so wise or excellent a People as may prognosticate such Advancement And God useth to work by means Christ and his Apostles converted none without the Word And Paul saith how shall they believe on him of whom they have not
deceive Christ that he shall not know his Flock it men miscall them To own Christ and the Gospel and to murder Thousands or Millions in his Name as if he took it for acceptable Service is incomparably a more aggravated crime than the most bloody Pagan Persecution was Obj. These were Hereticks and deserved death Ans 1. And were they worse than Heathen Idolaters and Infidels and must three or four parts of the World be put to death Obj. But they were Baptized and so are Revolters Ans 1. And do they revolt to worse than Paganism 2. Is Infant Baptism of so dismal consequence as that the Papâ—sts may murther all that revolt from it Is not this the way to make Antipâ—â—o baptists or Antibaptists and keep Men from Christianity But oportet Mendacem esse Memorem Why then do your Historians charge them to have been against Infant-Baptism Did you murder none till they were Baptized 2. But what was their Heresie how can we know better than by your bloody Laws against them The General Council 4. at the Latâ—rane under Innoc. 3. â—â—â—s us it was denying Transubstantiation and disobeying the Pope And all Temporal Lords are to swear to extermâ—â—atâ— all such and all others that they wâ—ll call Hereticks on pain of Excommunication deposition and damnation So that all that renounced not their senses were Hereticks and all such to be destroyed or exterminated and Subjects â—bsâ—lved from their Allâ—gâ—â—nce to Temporal Lords 〈◊〉 will not execute it and many other grievous penalties are adâ—â—â— And seeing General Councils are the Rules of the Religion of the through Papist be not â—â—nvâ—y with them that call both your Pope and Council and Church Antichristian who thus exceeded Dioclesian and Max. Herculius in their work Obj. But how then can you hold that the whole Visible Church was never the Seat or Society of Antichrist in any one age Ans Very well Christ was Christ the head of his Church as visible and invisible in every age 1. Three or four parts of the Christian World were then and are now from under the Pope this very bloody Council saith c. 4. That the Greeks rejected the Roman Pope and so far abhorred the Latines that if Latine Priests did but celebrate at their Altars their Greeks judged them defiled and would not use them again till they had washed them yea they rebaptized those whom the Latine Priests baptized And they once a year Excommunicated the Popes long and they owned not Transubstantiation And they with the Abassines Armenians and all such others were three or four times more than the Papists 2. And who may not easily know that a Pope and such a Council called General are not the Western Visible Church real or representative It s not unlike that forty to one might be against them King John's Embassador was one of the consenters who then was in contest against Stephen Langton Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and to conquer his own Lords and Kingdom gave his Kingdom to the Pope and took it as from him And if such a King had the choice of Bishops they would no more represent the Church there than he and his Court represented the Kingdom when he gave it away and fought against it and those Bishops that the Pope chose did as little represent it being more the Messengers of his will than of the Churches And how few Bishops were in such Councils besides those that the Pope made or consented to When he and the Emperours Henry's were in War the Emperors Bishops condemned the Popes and the Popes Bishops condemned the Emperors and these Servants of two Men in power were not the representers of the Church The multitude of lower quiet Bishops Pastors and People were the Visible Chuâ—ch more than England was a Visible Kingdom distinct from King John's Court for the Pope was but an Usurping head which that King then was not Obj. Then you make two Visible Churches in Europe Ans Yes Christ had one diffused over the World and the Pope made another by Usurpation and Rebellion which was Regnum in Regno as any Rebel might do that could get strength to set up a party in power to call him King in some part of a Kingdom Such an Antichristianity as this I make no doubt but the Papacy did become guilty of and none that owneth it as such and receiveth their mark can be Innocent but are condemned by plainer Evidence than dark Prophecies but I will not therefore say the same of all from An. 304. Or any other that lived before this contracted guilt though too many at Rome and other Countreys prepared the way nor yet of all called Papists who own not the crimes and Characters of such men and much less of all the Visible Church in any one age And least of all of all the Visible Church since 3â—4 or thereabouts The World hath already seen a great deal of publick Sin and Misery in and by the Empires of Pâ—gans Mohâ—metans and Christians conquering and being conquered turning and overturning Thousands and hundred Thousands murdered c. more than I can find mentioned in Daniel or the Revelations In this Judgement I am in Pain and Languishing waiting for my Change and Hope of a World where all is expounded and all Wickedness Malignity and Divisions shut out and Holiness Love and Concord perfected and all perfectly pleased in pleasing God And as I can easily bear the reproach of those that accuse me foâ— no better understanding the Revelations and of all that accuse me of being either too little against Popery and Antichrist or too much being shortly to be above the ignorant obloquy of all extreams so Readers I earnestly advise you that you never take Faction for Religion nor lying or betraying truth for its defence Let them prove that Popes have not been Antichrists that can It 's none of my work But if you are never so sure that it is he indeed pull him not down by calling Truth Duty or things lawful Antichristian nor by telling men that all Protestants are Idolaters or Antichristian if they forsake not the Communion of all our Parochial Protestant Churches and of all other Reformed Churches that are as bad as they that the Papists may re-enter into them as deserted Garrisons and find no resistance Nor by telling the World that all our Laws against Popish Recusancy do punish them for not doing an unlawful thing which all Protestants should refuse as well as they This is no likelier a way to pull down Antichrist than Racking and Tearing the Reformed Churches by unlawful Snares and silencing the Faithfulest Ministers of Christ But above all begin not the Papal Antichristianity with the beginning of the Christians deliverance by Constantine nor too soon nor feign it to be Universal Read such Books as Jewel Rivet Blondel Pet. Moulin Dalleus c. If you are Schollars which prove the Novelty of Popery and the confident offer of the present Bishop of Lincoln Dr. Barlow no stranger to Antiquity or Books that he will recant and turn to them Let them prove by any full and concluding reason that any Christian Church in the World acknowledged or the Church of Rome her self assumed and publickly pleaded for such a Papal Supremacy as now they pretend to for 1000 years after our Blessed Saviour and for my own part I will confess and retract my error Let them prove by any such concluding reason that any Church in the World Eastern or Western Greek or Latine did acknowledge what now the Pope and his party so earnestly and vainly contend for the Popes Infallibility and his Supremacy over all general Councils for 1500 years after our Blessed Saviour and for my part I will retract what I have here affirmed and be what I hope I never shall be their Proselyte London 1684. Nov. 12. Natali Authoris Aetat Suae 70. RICHARD BAXTER FINIS 〈…〉
the Church He that is not against it is someway for it as Souldiers say of Countreymen that are not against them But as to their own Salvation He that is not for Christ above all the World is against him and no sincere Christian As Captains say of their listed Soldiers Fight or be Cashiered 41. For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name because ye belong to Christ verily I say unto you he shall not lose his reward 41. He that doth the least good to a Christian from a true Love to Christ would do more were it in his Power And he that doth good but from common Principles though he be not Saved shall have some Reward and shall be no loser but a gainer by all the good that he doth 42. And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me it is better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into the sea 42 N. O then what will become of Tempters Persecutors and malignant Enemies By offending is meant hindring from Faith and a holy Life And by better is meant Its a smaller hurt 43. And if thy hand offend thee cut it ofâ— it is better for thee to enter into life maimed then having two hands to go into hell into the fire that never shall be quenched 44. Where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched 45. And if thy foot offend thee cut it off it is better for thee to enter halt into life then having two feet to be cast into hell into the fire that never shall be quenched 46. Where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched 47. And if thine eye offend thee pluck it out it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire 48. Where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched 43. c. So great is the difference between the wellfare of this Flesh and the Life to come that you cannot get Heaven and escape Hell fire at too dear a rate If a Hand or Foot or Eye were so strong a hindrance as that you had no other way to avoid Sin and Hell it is a far less evil to lose such a Member than to lie in Hell N. The meaning is not that any man is in such a Case that he hath no better way to avoid sin and Hell But if he had no better he should choose this Nor doth it mean that maimed Persons are maimed in Heaven but if it were so it were a less evil 49. For every one shall be salted with fire and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt 50. Salt is good but if the salt hath lost its saltness wherewith will ye season it Have salt in your selves and have peace one with another 49. And be sure that the fire of Affliction shall be as Salt to you all that now are thinking of Pre-eminence and those of you that are sound it shall make fitter to be pure Sacrifices to God 50. And you that are Preachers and Professors of Christianity being thus salted your selves must be the salt of the Earth to season others by holy Doctrine and Practice But if you should lose sound Doctrine and Christianity what then shall season you Keep up sound Truth that seasoneth though it cause some smart in your selves and instead of seeking Superiority live in peace and gentle Meekness with one another CHAP. X. 1. AND he arose from thence and cometh into the coasts of Judea by the farther side of Jordan and the people resort to him again and as he was wont he taught them again 2. And the Pharisees came to him and asked him Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife tempting him 3. And he answered and said unto them What did Moses command you 4. And they said Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement and to put her away 1. N. These Hypocrites seemed by putting cases of Conscience to be afraid of Sinning 5. And Jesus answered and said unto them For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept 6. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female 7. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife 8. And they twain shall be onâ—â—lesh so then they are no more twain but one flesh 9. What therefore God hath joyned together let no man put asunder 5. This Law was good in it self because it was fitted to your condition But it was the badness and hardness of your Hearts that made such a Tolleration needful to you to keep you from worse so it was not a full approbation of the thing For the perfect Law of Innocency so united Man and Wife that no man should Separate them for his own pleasure without Gods licence 10. And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter 11. And he saith unto them Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another committeth adultery against her 12. And if a woman shall put away her husband and be marryed to another she committeth adultery 10. c. N. Though Mark mention not the exception of the case of Adultery mentioned by other Evangelists it is implyed 2. Quest Doth Adultery dissolve Marriage Ans It giveth cause of a dissolution by divorce or desertion But in some cases it is Lawful for the injured Person to forgive the wrong and continue in the relation without being Marryed over again 3. Quest May the Woman put away her Husband for Adultery Answ They that deny it because onely the Man hath Governing Power say nothing For the man doth it not as a Governour but as an injured Contractor seeketh it as Justice from the Magistrate or righteth himself if permitted by the Magistrate or if unjustly forbidden And the Woman may be an injured Contractor as well as the Man and may seek to the Magistrate for a Divorce and in some cases if denyed by the Magistrate may right her self by Desertion But whether that Desertion shall be called A putting away is but a controversie about the Name and not the Thing In what cases it is Lawful to Marry again is a different Controversie 13. And they brought young children to him that he should touch them and his disciples rebuked those that brought them 14. But when Jesus saw it he was much displeased and said to them Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of God 13 14. N. Tho they brought them not to be baptized Christian Baptism being not fully instituted till after Christs Resurrection yet they are offered to Christ for his acceptance and benediction 2. He gave them such acceptance and blessing and declared them to be such as the Kingdom or Church of God consisteth of He could not mean only of adult persons that are
like these Infants in the Kingdom of God else he might have taken up a Lamb or a Dove and blessed them and said of such harmless creatures is the Kingdom of God But he must mean of them and such as them or of such both in age and also in humble teachable receptivity is the kingdom of God else it would be no reason to bless them Which can be nothing lower than acceptance as Visible-Infant-Church-Members 2. He that in all ages from the beginning took Infants to be Infant-Members of his Church and came not to destroy but to enlarge mercies to the faithful and their seed and saith They are holy and was much displeased with his erroneous Apostles for forbidding them to be brought for his benediction sure will not be well pleased with those that now forbid them to be dedicated in the Baptismal Covenant to him But yet if any man will say I deny not the interest of the Infants of the Faithful in the Church and Covenant but only think that Baptism was appointed only for the solemn reception of the adult and so will be Baptized at age after or without Infant Baptism merely to satisfie Conscience and then live in Love and Peace with those of another mind I should gladly live in Love and Peace with such 15. Verily I say to you Whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child he shall not enter therein 16. And he took them up in his arms put his hands upon them and blessed them N. 1. These words plainly intimate that he received them as capable of the Kingdom of God that is the Church on Earth and in Heaven Christ doth not thus bless unbelievers and their seed but those that 1 Cor. 7.14 are called Holy 17. And when he was gone forth into the way there came one running and kneeled to him and asked him Good master what shall I do that I may inherit everlasting life 17. N. It hence appeareth that the Jews except the Sadducees then believed an everlasting life 2. And that we should do whatever God would have us do to attain it 18. And Jesus said to him Why callest thou me good there is none good but one that is God 18. Good indeed in the prime sence is a high title none being more proper to God himself and none perfectly and primarily and essentially good but God It s a greater matter to be good than thou deemest 19. Thou knowest the commandments Do not commit adultery Do not kill Do not steal Do not bear false witness Defraud not Honour thy father and mother 19. N. Defraud not is the sence of the Tenth Commandment that is Love thy Neighbour as thy self so as not to desire from him any thing to his hurt Qu. Why doth Christ mention none of the Commandments of the first Table Answ The man is supposed to confess God and consequently his duty to him and to mean in his question What good works must I do towards others Qu. 2. Why doth not Christ recite the Commandments in their true order Answ When the matter alone is intended the order is not necessary 2. The Evangelists recite not all Christs words in the same order that he spake them as is evident in the difference of their recitals These very words are otherwise recited by Matth. 19.18 19. Thou shalt do no Murther is first and Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self is last and instead of Defraud not 20. And he answered and said to him Master all these have I observed from my youth 20. N. He meant that he had not directly in the outward act broken any of these not knowing how far the Law reacheth 21. Then Jesus beholding him loved him and said to him One thing thou lackest go thy way sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come take up the cross and follow me 21. Jesus beheld him with kindness approving in him what was good and said So far thou hast done well But there is more than this necessary to obtain everlasting life even to prefer it before all the wealth and pleasure of this world and life it self and to trie thee herein Go and sell all and give to the poor and take heaven for thy treasure instead of all and follow me in self-denial unto suffering N. Not that all are bound to sell all but all are bound so to prefer heaven as will make them forsake all that stands against it 22. And he was sad at that saying and went away grieved for he had great possessions 22. Carnal men may be sorry that they cannot bring down God to their terms Good and bad would be as well as they can both here and hereafter But when they see they cannot have both Earth and Heaven the Faithful chuse heaven tho sensible of earthly sufferings and the worldly chuse the world and most to keep off sorrow and despair do force on themselves a hope that they shall have both and that God will save them on their own terms 23. And Jesus looked about and saith to his disciples How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God 23. How hard is it to perswade rich men to love heaven better than earth and to yield to the conditions of salvation 24. And the disciples were astonished at his words but Jesus answered again and saith to them Children how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God 25. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God 24. So bad is the heart of man that it is exceeding hard to have riches and not to place mens trust in them and such as do so cannot be true Christians and be saved N. To trust in riches is to take them for our best and to take and expect more comfort from them than from Christ and Heaven 26. And they were astonished out of measure saying among themselves Who then can be saved 27. And Jesus looking upon them saith With men it is impossible but not with God for with God all things are possible 27. N. Sure the inordinate desire to be rich must needs signifie unbelief Can men seek that which they believe maketh their salvation almost impossible The same I say of murmuring poverty 28. Then Peter began to say to him Behold we have left all and followed thee 29. And Jesus answered and said Verily I say to you There is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels 30. But he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time houses and brethren and Sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the world to come eternal life 31. But many that are first shall be last and the last first 29. c. N.
have their place and part in that publick Reign of Christ by his Christian Magistrates and Pastors and in the publick praises of the flourishing Christ much more they that shall see his Reign in the Kingdom of Glory 10. And I fell at his feet to worship him and he said unto me See thou do it not I am thy fellow-servant and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus worship God for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy 10. I thought that I owed so great honour to such a Messenger of so glad Tydings that I fell at his feet to worship him not with Divine Worship as God but as his Angel but he forbad it me and bid me worship God only and not Angels by such prostration For though we we may by prostration do worship to a Prince or Parent yet to do it to Angels that are invisible will be too like the Heathen sort of Worship and encourage those that offer Angels unwarrantable Worship I am a Servant of Christ and a fellow-servant to thee and thy Brethren the Prophets and your Office of publishing the Gospel and mine in this Prophecy are much like The Spirit of Prophecy by which you are Christ's Messengers and Witnesses is that Testimony of Jesus which you and I as fellow-servants are in our several capacities employed 11. And I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse he that sat upon him was called faithful and true and in righteousness he doth judge and make war 11. Having spoken in general of the Fall of Babylon he now sheweth how Christ in its over throw will do execution on those his Enemies till he have rooted the out and how the Beast will struggle before he be quite destroyed and that not in Rome only 12. His eyes were as a flame of fire and on his head were many crowns and he had a name written that no man knew but he himself 13. And he was clothed with a vesture dipt in blood and his Name is called The word of God 12 13. His flaming Eyes signifie his Glory and Omniscience and his many Crowns the many Kingdomâ— which he shall subdue and reign over What his unknown Name is we must not enquire His bloody Vesture signifieth his Victory over his Enemies purchased with his Churches deliverance by his own blood And his known Name is The Word of God 14. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses clothed in fine linnen white and clean 14. And the Executioners of his justice on Babylon c. were represented to me by an Army of heavenly ones following him on white Horses and clothed in white c. 15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he shall smite the natitions and he shall rule them with a rod of iron and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of almighty God 15. The word of his mouth is as a sharp Sword to overcome the Heathen World and all his Enemies by converting his chosen and denouncing his Judgments on the uncurable which he will execute and that presently by the Sword of his Warriors by whom he will crush the Rebels and on them he will execute God's Vindictive Justice 16. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS 16. For besides the Word of God he hath another name on his thigh where the Sword is worn King of Kings c. For he will reign and all Kings and Lords are under him and he will subdue his Foes 17. And I saw an angel standing in the sun and he cryed with a loud voice saying to all the fowls that flie in the midst of heaven Come and gather your selves together unto the supper of the great God 18. That ye may eat the flesh of Kings and the flesh of captains and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of them that sit on them and the flesh of all men both free and bond both small and great 17 18. It cannot be expected that the whole Idolatrous Empire of Babylon be destroyed without War And he will conquer that is King of Kings and Lord of Lords And Commanders and Souldiers shall be a prey to the Fowls which was fulfilled on Maxentius Liâ—inius c. Others say this is destruction of the Popish Kings And others that it signifieth not their death but the Fall of Popery 19. And I saw the beast and the Kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse and against his army 20. And the beâ—st was taken and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him with which he deceived them that had receiveâ— the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone 19 20. The Pagan emperours were conquered with them the Literate Seduâ—â—rs Senators Orators Poets Philosophers Augurs Aruspices Priests who by such Poetical Fable is as Ovid's Metamorphesis and by feigned Predictions Oracles and such pretended Miracles as Eunapius boasteth of by many of their Philosophers but especially by the power of their abused Learning called by Paul the Wisdom of the World which is foolishness with God and Science falsely so called who deceived the Princes and People into a high Opinion of their Idols and a contempt oâ— Christianity as foolishness The Imperial Power and the Learned Seducers were rooted out and as Sodom cast into utter destruction and judged to damnation Others say that the Beast here is the Pope and the false Prophet with him is himself also he being the Beast as Civil Ruler and the Prophet as Ecclesiastical But the Text plainly maketh them two Others say it is the Pope and his Clergy Jesuits Fryars c. 21. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse which sword proceeded out of his mouth and all the fowls were filled with their flesh 21. The memory of their conquered Emperours and Philosophers Senators Poets c. is continued in History as Pilate's in the Creed to their perpetual shame and so they are said to be cast alive into the Lake But the multitudes of Souldiers and People that fought for them were slain and cast into Oblivion or some converted by the Word and some confounded Or as others the Papists are some converted and others for obstinacy condemned CHAP. XX. 1. ANd I saw an Angel come down from heaven having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand 2. And he laid hold on the dragon that old serpent which is the devil Satan and bound him a thousand years 3. And cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal upon him that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years should be fulfilled and after that he must be loosed