you Vers. 10. And if Christ bee in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is Life because of righteousness Reas. 3. Seeing that Christ is in you though your bodie indeed in respect to the remnants of sin not to bee abolished but by death is destined to death and shall certainly dye Yet the Spirit of Regeneration which is given to you is eternal life it self in you or begun in your souls because of the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto you Therefore there is no condemnation unto you Vers. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Reas. 4. The Spirit of Christ dwelling in you will never forsake his habitation but will render you to himself a glorious and immortal receptacle To which end God will no less certainly and powerfully raise even your mortal bodies to life immortal as hee hath raised the body of Christ from the dead Therefore to you there is no condemnation Vers. 12. Therefore Brethren wee are debtors not to the flâ—sh to live after the flesh The Consolation which hee had applied to the Romans from their immunity from condemnation bee draws into use exhorting them to the study of holiness by which they should strengthen their consolation The Arguments of his exhortation are six The first Argument Wee are bound by all means to obey the Holy Ghost continually minding us of our duty both inwardly and by the Word But wee â—re no debtors to the flesh or to serve the lusts of our nature because wee are nothing indebted to that besides hatred and all means of mortification Therefore ought wee to follow after holiness Vers. 13. For if yee live after the flesh yee shall dye but if you through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body yee shall live Argum. 2. If you set up the lusts of the flesh and corrupt Nature for a Rule that you may order your lives according to that yee shall eternally dye Therefore as you would not perish follow after holiness Argum. 3. If you obey the Holy Ghost using onely those means prescribed by it and make use of that power communicated by the Spirit to you that beleeve in Christ for the mortifying the corrupt affections and deeds of your bodies without doubt you shall obtain Eternal Life through the grace of God Therefore ought you to follow after holiness Vers. 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Argum. 4. Confirming the former All that follow the command and guidance of the Holy Spirit testifie themselves to bee the Children of God by virtue of the regenerating Spirit Therefore that you may prove your selves the Sons of God obeying the Spirit of God follow after holiness Vers. 15. For yee have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but yee have received the spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father Argum. 5. Further confirming that they are the Sons of God Because after they fled to Christ and embraced the Covenant of Grace being set free by Faith from the servile fear of condemnation which the Spirit strikes all those with who seek Life from the Covenant of Works and are indued with the Spirit of Adoption from hence the Argument After yee have imbraced the Covenant of Grace by Faith in Christ a servile fear of Condemnation according to the tenor of the Gospel is no more given unto you but the Spirit of Adoption that you may most familiarly call upon God the Father with the people of God every one in his own tongue Therefore you are both the Sons of God and also it becomes you to behave your selves as the Sons of God in following after holiness Vers. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that wee are the Children of God Argum. 6. The Spirit of God seals up in our hearts and witnesses together with our spirits or consciences that wee are the Children of God Wee are therefore bound as it becomes the Sons of God to follow after holiness The second Part. Vers. 17. And if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and Joynt-heirs with Christ if so bee that wee suffer with him that wee may bee also glorified together The second part of the Chapter comprehends the consolations of justified persons by Faith against the sharpness of afflictions in this life Hee premises a Conclusion drawn from what was said before wherein hee proves that they who are justified by Faith are not onely Heirs of God and have right to all his good things but also co-heirs with Christ and brought by Adoption into communion with the onely begotten Son and into the inheritance with him being the Sons of God This is the right of those that are justified to the inheritance which inheritance that they might bee brought into the possession of hee subjoyns the condition of suffering with Christ. And this affords thirteen Arguments of consolation The first Argument of Comfort Communion with Christ in the Kingdome of Heaven and the possession of the glorious inheritance will follow our communion with him in his sufferings Therefore let us comfort our selves in our afflictions Vers. 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to bee compared with the glory which shall bee revealed in us Argum. 2. This is no hard condition because casting up the account I finde that whatever wee suffer in this life for righteousness sake is unworthy to bee compared with the glory that shall hereafter bee revealed and at length bee bestowed upon us whether wee respect the quality of the things or the duration of time Therefore let us comfort our selves in our tribulations Vers. 19. For the earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God Argum. 3. Figurately propounded the whole frame of the world in its kind suffering together with us sustains it self in the hope of the glory of God to bee revealed in the day of judgement and very earnestly as it were with the head stretched out expects that wished-for time Therefore wee also with this hope ought to support our selves Vers. 20. For the Creature was made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope Hee explicates this Argument shewing first that created things are subject to vanity i. e. a corruptible condition and to the abuse of the vainest men who abuse the Creature to all manner of sin and prostitute it to their service to the fulfilling of their vainest lusts Secondly That the Creature is not subject to this vanity willingly or of its natural propensity or its natural use to which it was created of God but for the will and pleasure or the judgement of God which hath subjected the Creature to this curse with sinful man for whose sake the
of the Doctrine of Christ wherein with a stedfast purpose of mind yee now stand but also yee ought to endeavour after further progress and growth in grace holiness and in the knowledge or Faith of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory Hee shuts up the Epistle with a famous doxology wherein hee acknowledges Christ to be the true God For glory is onely due to God Also hee propounds Christ who is to be glorified both now whilst wee are in the warfare of the world and also in the world to come which hee calls the day of eternity because that whole eternity is one day Glory bee unto him Amen The first Epistle of IOHN Analytically expounded The Contents THere are three Epistles of John the Apostle who writ both the Gospel and the Revelation exâ—ant The scope of this which is the first is to teach by what means wee may have communion with God and how wee may be certain of that communion to a full consolation both in life and death To which end hee propounds the summe of the Doctrine of the Gospel Chap. 1. Hee shews the use of this Doctrine in divers Exhortations to follow after Holiness to love the Brethren to hate the world and constancy in the Faith Chap. 2. Hee prosecutes the Exhortation to the following after Righteousness and brotherly love Chap. 3. In like manner after the Exhortation to beware of seducers hee goes on in an Exhortation to the loving of the Brethren Chap. 4. Lastly That they which beleeve may know themselves to have life and knowing it they may more and more beleeve in Iesus Christ hee gathers together many Notes of Beleevers and Arguments to beleeve Chap. 5. The Method of this Epistle is very artificial for the Christian mysteries and rules of Faith are lincked together as with a chain For alwaies from the end of the preceding Doctrine there ariseth a following Discourse CHAP. I. In this Chapter hee propounds the summe of the Doctrine of the Gospel preached by himself and the rest of the Apostles There are two parts of the Chapter In the first hee confirms the excellency of his preaching and shews the object of Saving Faith to vers 6. In the other hee laies down the notes of a true Beleever to whom the Grace of the Gospel preached truly belongs to the end Vers. 1. That which was from the beginning which wee have heard which wee have seen with our eies which wee have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life Hee confirms the excellency of the Gospel which hee preached by eight reasons Of the word Reas. 1. Is contained in the last words of this verse viz. That his Gospel treats of the most excellent object viz. the word of life i. e. of Jesus Christ the Son of God who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word that wee may conceive the distinction of the person of the Son from the Father and the order of their working seeing that it is the Word of some one viz. the word of the Father And that hee may teach the spiritual and immanent manner of the Sons Generation and that his subsistence is inseparable from the Father and that wee may behold especially his office which is to manifest God and the counsel of God concerning our salvation Furthermore hee is called the word of Life 1. Because hee hath life in himself and hee himself is life 2. Because hee hath purchased life for us and hath shewed it to us and Lastly Because hee applies that to us and brings it about that wee may live an eternal life That which was Reas. 2. Of the excellency of his preaching that it is the ancient Truth preached viz. that which was from the beginning partly inasmuch as there was never any other ground of salvation besides this in Christ alone who is the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world partly because Christ preached by the Apostle did subsist as to his Divinity before his incarnation from the beginning of the world the same SON of GOD and MEDIATOUR of our salvation and was in the beginning of the world when created things did not as yet subsist but began to be or who is the same from eternity to eternity Therefore the subject of our Gospel is most excellent Which wee have seen Reas. 3. Because the Truth preached is certain and experienced by the Apostles because they by the infallible testimony of their senses being eye and ear-witnesses had observed that Christ himself in his own time was manifested in the flesh or incarnate Partly by hearing with their ears day by day the Doctrine of Christ which was published by an holy and audible voice partly by seeing with their eyes both the ordinary and miraculous works his sufferings in the flesh and glorification in his transfiguration and his Resurrection from the dead and by most clearly perceiving them after a most deep inquisition into the truth of the thing Lastly partly by feeling with their hands or handling his flesh or his assumed humane nature From whence the certainty of their testimony concerning Christ offered is so manifest that it cannot be doubtful Therefore most excellent is the truth that is preached by us Vers. 2. For the life was manifested and wee have seen it and bear witness and shew unto you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us Reas. 4. By a Parenthesis confirming the former wee have known concerning Christ 1. That hee is life it self the true Jehovah who is essentially life in himself and causally in respect of us For hee is the Author of our life not onely natural but also spiritual and eternal the Author of light and illumination the Author of grace and every pious or commendable motion 2. That he is by divine inspiration manifested to be such and revealed to us and by that revelation seen and acknowledged by us to be that life 3. Whom wee have seen and acknowledge to be the life revealed him wee testifie to be life and preach him to you viz. to be both God eternal and the Procuror Giver and Preserver of eternal life to be communicated unto us 4. Wee have known the Son of God the second distinct person of the Trinity which was from eternity with the Father and from the making of the world did plead our cause with the Father and is now revealed unto us after his incarnation by divine Revelation Therefore this our preaching of Truth and Life is both most excellent and most certain Vers. 3. That which wee have seen and heard declare wee unto you that yee also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ. Reas. 5. Through the Truth preached by us Apostles eye and ear-witnesses beleevers are made partakers with us of the same felicity and the same good things Therefore the Truth preached by us is most excellent And our fellowship Reas.
endeavour after holiness Vers. 6. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might bee destroyed that henceforth wee should not serve sin Argum. 6. From that judicial union which wee have with Christ crucified The force of which Argument that it may bee seen four things are to bee maintained 1. That Christ hanging upon the Cross as our Surety sustained our persons before Gods Tribunal 2. That hee under-went the punishment due to our corrupt nature or the old man so called because the evil of nature in those that are regenerated waxeth old and hastens to destruction 3. That hee took upon him to slay the old man in us 4. In that hee took upon him to represent our persons wee are thereby obliged to labour after mortification of sin by his Spirit that after Justification wee should no longer serve sin From hence the Argument wee know or believe that our old man is crucified judicially with Christ to this end that in us who are justified by Faith might bee weakned the body of death so that filthiness of habitual corruption compacted as it were into one monstrous body prepared with all its members to actual sinning that wee should no more after wee are justified serve sin Therefore wee ought to endeavour the mortification of sin unless wee will cast away the Faith of our judicial union with Christ hanging upon the Cross. Vers. 7. For hee that is dead is freed from sin Argum. 7. From the fruit of this union with Christ dying on the Cross whosoever is dead to his old Lord sin is justified and freed from the yoke and dominion of sin that hee might not serve it any longer nor obey the commands of it You may assume But wee are justified by Faith in Christ dying for sin upon the Cross wee are dead to â—our old Master Sin therefore wee are justified and freed from the yoke and dominion of sin that wee should not any longer obey its commands for what service can sin further exact from us whom Christ in his death upon the Cross hath slain as it were Vers. 8. Now if wee bee dead with Christ wee believe that wee shall also live with him Argum. 8. If wee die with Christ i. e. are united to him dying in his power endeavouring to mortifie sin wee need not doubt but wee shall live a spiritual new and heavenly life with him therefore it behoves us to endeavour the mortifying of sin Vers. 9. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him Argum. 9. Confirming the former Wee believe that Christ rose to an immortal life neither is hee for ever hereafter lyable unto death but alwayes living hee both will and is able to perpetuate in us a new life that death may no more have dominion over us Therefore as wee do not believe in vain that by his power wee shall live a new and eternal life so ought wee to labour that the new life to which wee have risen with Christ may bee continued not to suffer sin should any more prevail or have dominion over us Vers. 10. For in that hee died hee died unto sin once but in that hee liveth hee liveth unto God 11. Likewise reckon yee also your selves to bee dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Argum. 10. As Christ died but once to wash away and abolish sin and rising from the dead hee lives for ever to the glory of God so you that are justified by arguments of Faith gather and reckon your selves in the death of Christ to bee once dead nor to bee obliged to dye for sin any more that yee were once dead by the dethroneing of sin neither are yee bound to serve sin any longer that yee were once dead to the destroying of sin nor can yee bee destitute of the strength of Christ to mortifie sin but in his resurrection yee are bound to live unto God or the glory of God and that yee might so live yee have strength and help enough by Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore the Doctrine of free Justification by Faith is so far from opening a door of liberty to sin that on the contrary nothing is more effectual and conducible to the promoting of Sanctity and Holiness Second Part. Vers. 12. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies that you should obey it in the lusts thereof The second part of the Chapter follows wherein the Apostle infers out of what went before an exhortation to all that are justified by Faith that they follow after Holiness The Proposition to bee proved is the same with the former viz. They that are justified ought not to continue in sin but labour after Holiness Hee produceth thirteen Arguments whereof the three former are included in the following Exhortation The branches of this Exhortation are three and the Arguments as many couched in the Exhortation to the confirming of the Proposition The first branch of the Exhortation is that they would not obey sin by indulging the sinful lusts of the body Argum. 1. The first Argument is this To obey the sinful lusts of the body is to suffer in your mortal body the reign of sin or of the Devil from whence yee are freed which they that are justified should tremble at Therefore being now justified you ought not to follow after sin but holiness Vers. 13. Neither yeeld you your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but yeeld your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God The second branch of the Exhortation is that they would not fight for this Tyrant viz. sin making use of the faculties of their souls or bodies as servants to contend for it wherein is the second Argument To serve sin is to yeeld the faculties of the Soul and members of the body as weapons of iniquity to fight for sin and the Devil against God and our own Salvation which all that are justified ought to abhor Therefore they that are justified ought not to serve sin Yeeld The third member of the Exhortation that they would yeeld themselves Souldiers and Servants unto God who hath freed them from death wherein is the third Argument God hath called you back from death in sin and Eternal Perdition unto Life that you might bee Servants unto righteousness and might contend for God against his enemies therefore ought you to labour after Holiness Vers. 14. For sin shall not have dominion over you for yee arae not under the Law but under Grace Argum. 4. If you contend and fight against sin the Tyrant shall not recover his dominion over you which hee hath lost neither shall sin reign over you but you shall become Conquerours through Christ therefore ought you to labour after Holiness For you are not Argum. 5. Confirming the former you are not under the Law under the Covenant of works wherein
hee could not any where rest also that great hope of promoting the Gospel being offered as in Troas until hee had known of Titus whom hee had sent to Corinth concerning their affairs for the cause of meeting him hee went into Macedonia that by him hee might bee made more certain concerning the affairs of the Corinthians and that hee might learn whether as yet it was a convenient time to come to the Corinthianâ— All which signs of his ready mind towards the Corinthians being considered the Apostle perswadeth himself that the suspicion that his mind was alienated from them was removed The second Part. Vers. 14. Now thanks bee unto God which alwaies causeth us to triumph in Christ and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place The second part of the Chapter follows in which hee defendeth his Ministery and proveth it to bee commendable by five Arguments intimating by the way that hee whilst hee was absent from them was not idle but was busied in the work of the Lord with success Argum. 1. Because Christ in his Ministery and hee himself in Christ did triumph concerning his enemies by snatching many out of the power of Satan and by bringing them to the Faith of the Gospel The savour Argum. 2. Because by his Ministery whatsoever the success were the sweetness of the Gospel and its efficacy was manifested in every place whilst the knowledge of Christ did breathe a quickening life by which sinners are quickened and converted unto God Vers. 15. For wee are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish 16. To the one wee are the savour of death unto death and to the other a savour of life unto life and who is sufficient for these things By preventing an Objection that the Apostles and their preaching would give an ill savour to many Hee answereth and adds Argum. 3. That notwithstanding the Apostles themselves with their Ministery were acceptable unto God and through Christ brought an acceptable savour to God no less in the conviction and perdition of the Reprobates to which the Gospel by accident was a savour of death than in the faith and salvation of those that beleeve and are saved to whom the Gospel both in its own nature and proper effect was a quickening savour to life and salvation Who is sufficient Argum. 4. Because seeing that few were fit and sufficient Ministers as the interrogation shews whose Ministery God might prosper and accept that hee was in the number of those that are made fit for these things which are spoken of secretly checking the false Apostles which were not fit Ministers for the conversion of sinners although they did prefer themselves before the Apostles Vers. 17. For wee are not as many which corrupt the Word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speak wee in Christ. Hee confirms the next Argument more openly noting his enemies and those that envy him and also adds Argum. 5. From the unlikeness betwixt himself and many Preachers if they did not mix false doctrine yet they did mingle their own passions with true Doctrine serving their ambition and covetousness and bending the Doctrine to the favour of men But the Apostle 1 In Sincerity i. e. neither mixing false doctrine nor corrupt affections 2 Of God i. e. with confidence and authority knowing from whence it came 3 In the sight of God i. e. calling God to witness and looking at his glory 4 In Christ i. e. hee did speak in the virtue of Christ and acknowledgement of his strength From which it follows that his Ministery was commendable and not to bee contemned in any wise CHAP. III. HEE proceeds to defend his Ministery against slanderers There are two parts of this Chapter In the first hee proveth his Ministery to bee commendable by five Arguments to vers 6. In the second hee illustrateth and confirmeth the last Argument by comparing the Legal Ministery or the Covenant of Works with the Gospel or the Covenant of Grace Vers. 1. Do wee begin again to commend our selves or need wee as some others Epistles of commendation to you or Letters of commendation from you Argum. 1. Of the commendation of his Ministery containing also his clearing himself from the desire of vain-glory The efficacy of my Ministery is so apparent to all the Churches that I need not any commendatory Letters from any particular person or from you or from others neither do I say these things because I care for vain-glory but that I may defend my Ministery against my enemies for your good Therefore my Ministery is commendable Vers. 2. Yee are our Epistle written in our hearts known and read of all men Argum. 2. Because your conversion O Corinthians to the profession of the Faith by my Ministery sufficeth in my conscience and yours for a commendatory Epistle which is understood and acknowledged amongst all Vers. 3. Forasmuch as yee are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the Living God not in Tables of stone but in fleshy Tables of the heart Argum. 3. by confirmation of the former Because my Ministery was effectual not onely in bringing you to the profession of the Faith but also to your saving regeneration by the speciall operation of Christs Spirit this is that which hee saith that they were the Epistle which Christ himself by his Ministery hath written by writing his will in their hearts by the Holy Ghost after a more excellent manner than any thing was wont to bee writ with Ink upon Paper or Tables of Stone Vers. 4. And such trust have wee through Christ to God-ward 5. Not that wee are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God Argum. 4. Because hee himself as it becomes a faithful servant doth not ascribe the whole confidence of glorying to himself but to his Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God Which Argument hee illustrates partly by confessing his natural impotency to think that which is good or to the least beginnings of a good work much less to the converting the Corinthians partly by acknowledging the Grace of God as the fountain of his sufficiency in that hee is fitted to communicate so much Grace to others Vers. 6. Who also hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth lâ—fe Argum. 5. Because his Ministery is the Ministery of the New Covenant not of the Law and Covenant of Works Hee confirms this Argument with a seven-fold Comparison of the Ministery of both Covenants The second Part. Not of the Letter Compar 1. The Ministery of the Law or the Covenant of Works is onely the Letter written or spoken without efficacy without all spiritual virtue to perform that which it commands But the Ministery of
led to salvation conceive the same of other means which are not from our selves but the Holy Ghost or God the sole Author who alone without us instituted the layer of Baptism for a Sacrament and the grace signified by Baptism viz. the washing of us from the filth of our sins and the renewing of the Image of God in righteousness and holiness hee alone works in us Vers. 6. Which hee shed on us abundantly through Iesus Christ our Saviour Reas. 8. From the meritorious cause of the graces of the Spirit plentifully shed upon us which is Jesus Christ our Saviour both the fountain from whom and the chanel through whom the grace of God is conveighed to us Vers. 7. That being justified by his grace wee should bee made heirs according to the hope of eternal life Reas. 9. From the nature of free Justification seeing wee are justified not by works but by the grace of Christ. Reas. 10. From the manner of entring upon life eternal to the possession whereof wee are admitted not as buyers or Merchants but as heirs appointed Reas. 11. From the instrumental cause hope or faith which relye upon the free promises of God not any of our merits and altogether exclude our works so that wee are made heirs of life according to the hope which the promises of God have given to us Vers. 8. This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly That they which have beleeved in God might bee careful to maintain good works these things are good and profitable unto men 9. But avoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentious and strivings about the Law for they are unprofitable and vain The third Precept is this That hee conjoyn with the Doctrine of faith the Doctrine of good works proceeding from faith and urge it with Authority and see that the faithful maintain or bee Patrons of good works seeing life is freely bestowed upon them Hee gives two Reasons of the Precept Reas. 1. Because this saying concerning this Precept is a faithfull saying or worthy to bee beleeved and most necessary and true which cannot frustrate or deceive those that obey it Good Reas. 2. Because this kinde of Doctrine is good and profitable unto men because it tends to the glory of God the confirmation of our selves touching the certainty of salvation and to the edification of others in the faith and the conversion of Infidels Foolish Precept 4. That hee restrain foolish questions wherewith men use to intangle themselves and to hinder themselves from holding any thing firmly in the known truth Such are Genealogical questions or Chronological and contentious disputations and strivings about Law-ceremonies or the like For they are Hee adds the Reason Because though those questions make a shew of wisdome yet they are foolish and vain and unprofitable nothing tending to edification in faith and holiness of life Vers. 10. A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject Precept 5. Wherein the Apostle enjoyns Titus to reject by Excommunication the man that is an Heretick or that holds contrary to sound Doctrine and makes a division or sect in the Church or breaks the unity of the Church by any errour of his when hee is openly convicted before the Presbytery and admonished the first and second time and neither trouble himself and the Church more than needs with the disputations of such kinde of men or spend that time which is appointed for instructing of the Chuch in vain disputations with these perverse men Vers. 11. Knowing that hee that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself Hee subjoyns a Reason because it is in vain to dispute against one convinced of obstinacy already for hee hath fallen from the truth and is so overthrown that hee will not indure to bee edified any longer and rejecting the light offered in the admonishing of him hee makes it plainly appear that hee doth violence to his own conscience Vers. 12. When I shall send Artemas unto thee or Tychicus bee diligent to come unto mee to Nicopolis for I have determined there to Winter Precept 6. Concerning private affairs whereby hee recalls Titus from Crete and wills him to come to Nicopolis where the Apostle seems not to have been when hee wrote these things as the addition of some unskilful Scribe hath set it down in the end of the Epistle but there hee intended to Winter Vers. 13. Bring Zenas the Lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently that nothing bee wanting unto them Precept 7. Concerning private matters also That hee would assist Zenas and Apollos in their journey men very well skilled in the Scripture but no wise wealthy Vers. 14. And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses that they bee not unfruitful Precept 8. That hee instruct not onely the faithful amongst the people but also the Preachers of the Gospel or those that are of the Pastoral order that they go before others in the communication of their goods and distributing according to necessity The reason whereof is given lest whilst they exhort others to good works they themselves should bee without fruit Vers. 15. All that are with mee salute thee Greet them that love us in the faith Grace bee with you all Amen Hee concludes the Epistle 1 With commendations sent to Titus from the Brethren 2 With salutations sent from himself to the faithful in Crete 3 With an Apostolical benediction where hee comprehends not Titus onely but the Churches also to whose use this Epistle was written sealing up his wish and the truth of the whole Doctrine with his AMEN The Epistle of Paul to PHILEMON Analytically expounded The Contents PHilemon one of the Colossian Pastors had a servant called Onesimus who being guilty of theft came to Rome and by the special providence of God upon his hearing of Paul who preached the Gospel at Rome in bonds hee is converted to the Faith This Onesimus the Apostle sends back to his Master Philemon and earnestly with many Arguments pleads his pardon that hee might bee received into favour And because the Holy Ghost in the business of Onesimus would set forth an instance both of his divine love and of our duty towards penitent sinners though of the meanest rank amongst men therefore for the universal and perpetual edification of the Church God would admit this among the other Canonical Epistles THe parts of the Epistle are three The first is a Preface accommodated to the purpose in hand to vers 8. The second contains the Arguments of his request that Onesimus might be restored to vers 21. The third is the Epilogue or Conclusion Vers. 1. Paul a prisoner of Iesus Christ and Timothy our brother unto Philemon our dearly beloved and fellow-labourer The direction of this Epistle hath the same persons sending their salutations as the Epistle to the Colossians hath which together with this seemes to bee written and sent by Tychicus and this Onesimus
death that is the Devil Argum. 10. Christ out of his love to the Elect the Children of God would partake of the same humane Nature with them that hee might by his death satisfie for them and so abolish the power of the Devil which hee as an exeâ—utioner hath by the Law against all sinners Therefore the reputation of Christ is not to bee diminished because of his sufferings in the flesh Vers. 15. And deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Argum. 11. Amongst the fruits and ends of Christs death this is one that hee might deliver his from the fear of death both temporal and eternal under which fear all sinners are held all their life long till they see themselves freed from sin and death upon the merit of Christ dying for them Therefore c. Vers. 16. For verily hee took not on him the nature of Angels but hee took on him the seed of Abraham Argum. 12. Christ by assuming the seed of Abraham or humane nature into the unity of his person wherein from eternity hee subsisted heâ— advanced the humane nature in respect to priviledges dignity and honour above the Nature of Angels which hee took not Therefore the reputation of Christ is noâ— to bee lessened because of his sufferings in the flesh Vers. 17. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to bee made like unto his Brethren that hee might bee a merciful High Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people Argum. 13. Christ ought to bee made like his Brethren the Elect in Nature Properties Affections and all infirmities except sin that his Brethren might bee the more certain and assured of his faithfulness and mercy in the exercise of his Priestly Office and perpetual intercession with God for them Therefore the excellency of Christ ought not to bee diminished because of his sufferings in the flesh Vers. 18. For in that hee himself hath suffered being tempted hee is able to succour them that are tempted Argum. 14. Confirming the former Christ by his suffering afflictions and temptations in the humane Nature was fitted by his experience of sufferings in whom wee may trust to bee able and willing to succour us under the like trials Therefore his reputation is not to bee diminished because of his sufferings in the flesh And thus as in the former Chapter it was demonstrated that Christ is the true Son of God so in this Chapter hee hath demonstrated him to bee the son of man The one true God-man and hath removed the scandal of infirmities and sufferings of Christ in the flesh which all the beleeving Hebrews did dash against CHAP. III. THe excellency of the Prophetical Office and person of Christ being vindicated in the fore-going discourse even under all his sufferings in the flesh Hee exhorts them now to a consideration of this excellency that they may hold fast the profession of the Christian Faith and not apostatize from it to this end producing fifteen Arguments Vers. 1. Wherefore holy Brethren partakers of the heavenly calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession Christ Iesus The Proposition concerning the holding fast their Profession of the Faith is contained in an Exhortation to a serious consideration of Christ the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession Argum. 1. Yee are sanctified and by Faith made partakers of an effectual calling to heavenly things Therefore you ought to hold fast the Profession of this Faith Apostle Argum. 2. Yee have Jesus Christ the Son of God the Apostle or Teacher of your Faith sent from God and our High Priest who hath expiated our sins by his blood You have him I say the Author of this Profession Therefore it is to bee held fast Vers. 2. Who was faithful to him that appointed him as also Moses was faithful in all his house Argum. 3. Christ in the administration of his Apostleship and Priesthood committed to him is not less faithful than Moses who obtained testimony from God that hee was faithful in all his house Therefore ought yee to hold fast your Christian Profession Because the Hebrews ascribed too much to Moses and could hardly bee drawn away from Mosaical Ceremonies that they might bee brought to Christ Therefore here on set purpose hee compares Christ with Moses Vers. 3. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses inasmuch as hee who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house Argum. 4. Christ is so much more excellent than Moses and the whole Church also by how much the builder of the house is more excellent than the house it self or any part of it Moses also is but a member of that Church and a part onely of that house Therefore the Profession of your Faith is to bee held fast Vers. 4. For every house is builded by some man but hee that built all things is God Argum. 5. Confirming the former under the same comparison As no house not part of an house is built by it self but by another man so neither the Church nor Moses who is a member of the Church is built by himself but owes his building to some higher Architect But Christ who is proved God is the builder of the Church and of every member of it and also of all things Therefore hee is more excellent than Moses and the Faith and Profession of his Doctrine is to bee held fast Vers. 5. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which were to bee spoken after 6. But Christ as a Son over his own house whose house are wee if wee hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end Argum. 6. Moses was faithful as a servant in anothers family to testifie and that indeed darkly which afterwards more fully and openly was to bee spoken of Christ and his dominion But Christ is faithful as Son and Heir who is over his house and speaks from his own authority Therefore Christ is more excellent than Moses and the Profession of his Doctrine is to bee held fast Whose house Argum. 7. If wee firmly hold fast the confidence and hope of eternal life procured for us by Christ and to bee communicated in which hope wee now make our boast wee shall declare our selves to bee his house or his true Church in which the Lord will dwell Therefore the Profession of our Faith is to bee held fast Vers. 7. Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith Today if yee will hear his voice 8. Harden not your hearts as in the provocation in the day of temptation in the wilderness 9. When your Fathers tempted mee proved mee and saw my works forty years Argum. 8. From Psal. 95.8 9 c. unless you hold fast the Faith of Christ you will disobey the Holy Ghost who in the Scripture forbids you to harden your hearts when you hear the Word of God
Grace of God into prophane licentiousness which is the same with the Apostles conclusion inferred vers 25. See that yee refuse not him that is Christ that speaketh c. The force of the Argument is this If now seeing that not fear but love not Justice but Grace not the Law but Gospel offers it self to bee your leader in your way to Heaven ye shall fail of Grace or abuse it to prophaneness it shall come to pass that yee will be found to refuse and reject Christ speaking from Heaven and most gently inviting you to the communion with himself and his Saints which yee ought to have a care of As for the Covenants of works or the Law hee sets down the terrible manner wherein the Law was delivered of which description there are eight Branches 1 In the Covenant of works or Legal Covenant there was a Mountain that might bee touched or earthly whereto Heaven is opposed or the heavenly Mount Zion the Throne of Grace as if hee had said After yee beleeved in Christ yee came not unto the Mount that might not be touched and that which is earthly the very sight whereof did affright thereby the throne of Justice was represented wherein God sitteth when hee deals with the unregnerate man that putteth confidence in his own strength shining in the merit of his own works 2 In making that Covenant the Mount burned with fire whereby the anger of the Judge armed and ready to consume sinners trusting in their merits or works or dealing with him from the Covenant of works 3 In making that Covenant there was a whirlewind darkness and a tempest whereby was represented the perplexed condition amazement and horrour of the mind whereby the soul of the sinner is repressed when the Judge shews to him out of the Law or Covenant of works his justice and anger according to the condition of the violated Covenant 4 In giving the Law there was the sound of a Trumpet whereby was signified that all who are guilty of violating the Covenant of works shall be cited and of necessity appear before the Tribunal of God the supream Judge and none escape 5 In making that Covenant there was a voice of words by which was represented the Letter of the Law reciting the duties wee were bound to but not at all conferring strength for the performing of the things commanded 6 In making that Covenant they who had heard the voice of words intreated that the word should not bee spoken to them any more whereby was signified the intolerable weight of multiplied guilt contracted by the violation of the Law as also despair touching the future performance of the Law incumbent upon the conscience when God deals with the sinner out of the Covenant of works That which the Apostle here intimates when hee saies For they could not endure that which was commanded 7 In making that Covenant if so much as a beast had touched the Mountain it was to bee stoned or thrust through with a dart whereby was signified First That the sinner is excluded from all access to God neither is it lawful that any sinner should approach to him from the condition of this Covenant Secondly That both the sinner and all things that belong unto him his Oxen and Cattel are an abomination unto God Thirdly That the sinner is to perish miserably by this Covenant i. e. with contempt and ignominy as with stones and darts shot at his cursed and abominable head 8 In making that Covenant so terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake and confessed his horrour whereby was also signified that the most holy or just men could not bee able to stand before God if they should be dealt with according to the Covenant of works as Psal. 143. v. 2. It is said In thy sight shall no flesh living bee justified This is the former part of the Argument the summe whereof is this God hath delivered you from the Covenant of works and the terrours thereof Vers. 22. But yee are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the Living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels 23. To the general assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect 24. And to Iesus the Mediatour of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel Now follows the second part of the Argument touching the Covenant of Grace which God hath made with all the faithful beleeving in Christ but the condition and happiness of man beleeving in Christ and under the Covenant of Grace is described as it were by its own parts 1 After that yee beleeved in Christ being set at liberty from Mount Sinai and from the Throne of Justice yee came to Mount Sion whereby was represented the Throne of Grace wherein God shews himself propitious to all that come unto Christ. 2 After that yee beleeved in Christ being recalled again from exilement and errours in the desert of this world yee are gathered again to your Head Christ and to the City of refuge to the possession of a quiet condition in Christ yee being freed from anger and death and reconciled to God are made free of the City of the Living God being delivered from the terrors of a just Judge yee are admitted into Ierusalem i. e. the Church of God wherein yee see the visions of peace being delivered from Hell yee are also delivered from Levitical Ceremonies which the inferiour and terrestrial Ierusalem now together with its children observes and are admitted to the priviledges of the heavenly Ierusalem the Church of the faithful and to the Kingdome of Heaven 3 After that yee beleeved in Christ being delivered from the society of Devils obnoxious to sin and torments yee are admitted into the society of an innumerable company of blessed Angels 4 After that yee beleeved in Christ being called and separated from the society of Reprobates wicked and banished men or men secluded from the inheritance of eternal life yee are come and are admitted into the society of the Catholick Church to the general Assembly and Church of the Elect who are restored to the right and priviledges of the first-born that yee may bee Priests to God and the portion of God select from amongst men 5 Yee that in times past did live amongst worldly men whose portion is in this life and whose names are written in the earth now yee are found to be of the number of the Elect and of those that were in times past written in Heaven in the book of life amongst the Elect and those that are predestinated to the obtaining of glory and grace 6 Yee that were without God in the world enemies to him and in times past hee was your angry Judge now being reconciled to him hee is your merciful Judge who absolves you and powerfully destroies your
Vers. 14. wee learn That Christs Genealogy was well known in the Apostles times and no controversie about it And it sufficeth us that wee know this by the Apostles Testimony albeit wee could not lineally deduce the same 3. Observe how hee reasoneth That none of the Tribe of Juda attended the Altar because Moses spake nothing of that Tribe concerning the Priesthood Then Negative Conclusions in Matters of Faith and duties follow well from the Scriptures silence It is not warranted from Scripture therefore I am not bound to beleeve it The Scripture doth not require any such thing of mee therefore God accounteth it not service to Him to do it is good reasoning 4. From Vers. 15. The Apostle comparing the Proofs of his Argument calleth this last in plain tearms Far more evident Then Of Reasons drawn from Scripture by Consequence some will be less evident some more evident and yet all be good Reasons and prove the purpose strongly Vers. 16. Who is made not after the Law of a carnal Commandement but after the power of an endless life Hee entreth into a more particular comparison of the Levitical Priesthood and Christs to shew the weakness of the one in comparison of the other The Levitical Priests in their Consecration got a commandment for the exercise of bodily and carnal Rites some few years of their mortal life without power to convey the Grace signified by those bodily Rites But Christ in his Consecration is endued with power to confer grace and life eternal from Generation to Generation to all that seek the Benefit of his Priesthood Then wee may be assured of Christs power to make the means which hee useth for our salvation effectual as wee may be assured of his endless life Vers. 17. For Hee testifieth Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec He proveth this by Scripture because God calleth him a Priest for ever Therefore Hee hath power for ever as living for ever to make his own Priesthood effectual So The eternity of Christs Priesthood proveth it to be forcible to give eternal life For if it did not endure in his person it could not give eternal life and peoples hearts would not rest upon it with any ground And so it behoved to be renounced and another Priesthood sought But seeing it is not to be changed but shall endure Then of necessity it hath the thing to give us which wee are seeking that is eternal life Then As long as Christ endureth we want not a Priest to hear confession of sin to give absolution to bless us give us eternal life Vers. 18. For there is verily a disannulling of the Commandement going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof 1. By the same words of establishing Christs Priesthood Psal. 110. hee proveth that the Levitical Law was to be abolished when Christ came Because the establishing of Christs Priesthood and bringing it to light is the disanulling of the Levitical Then There needeth no more to declare That the Levitical Priesthood and Law is abolished and wee freed from the Ceremonies thereof but the coming of Christ and His entring to his Office of Priesthood 2. Hee giveth a reason of the abolishing of this Priesthood Because it was weak and unprofitable Quest. How can that be seeing it was ordained to strengthen the Beleevers then and was profitable for that end I answer It is called weak and unprofitable in regard of any power to make satisfaction to Gods justice for our sins or to purchase any salvation unto us For other waies as a mean to lead men for that time unto the Messias who should satisfie for us it was not weak nor unprofitable But to pacifie God and purchase salvation as the misbeleeving Iews did use it it was weak and unprofitable altogether Again being considered as a mean to prefigure Christ it was profitable still till Christ came namely for that end and use But when He is come no end nor use more for it but that it should be abolished having served the turn whereunto it was ordained Then 1. Levitical Ceremonies whatsoever use they might have had before Christ are weak and unprofitable after His comming 2. It is evil reasoning to say such Rites and Ceremonies were used before Christ came therefore they may be used now also Vers. 19. For the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did by the which we draw nigh unto God He proveth That those Rites were weak Because the Law whether Moral or Ceremonial could not perfect any thing that is justifie sanctifie and save any man 1. They served as a Pedagogue to lead a man to Christ for expiation of sin and purchase of salvation but could not effectuate this by themselves And this maketh good the Answer to the Question in the former Ver. Then To seek to bee perfected justified and saved by works is to seek that by the Law which could never bee brought to pass by it 2. What then doth perfect all Hee answereth The bringing in of a better Hope perfecteth all That is Christ then hoped for and looked unto who is that Better Thing even the End and the Signification of those Legal Ordinances being brought in unto Beleevers Hee doth perfect all Then 1. What the Beleevers could not get under the Law by their outward service they got it by Christ hoped for and beleeved into 2. The Beleevers of old rested not on the shadows but had the Eye of their Hope on Christ. 3. Hee commendeth this Better Hope that is Christs Priesthood hoped for under the Law Because by it wee draw nigh unto God Now Drawing nigh importeth a distance before drawing nigh and again Drawing nigh was the Priests prerogative under the Law Then By Nature and without Christ wee are Aliens from God and far away from Him But by Christ wee get Liberty to come nigh not onely as Gods people but as Priests through Christ to offer our Spiritual Oblations The Priests Priviledge of old is common to beleevers now Ver. 20. And inasmuch as not without an Oath He was made Priest 21. For those Priests were made without an Oath but This with an Oath by Him that said unto Him The Lord sware and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec 22. By so much was Iesus made a Surety of a better Testament 1. Hee goeth on to compare the Levitical Priesthood with Christs· Two Comparisons are here conjoyned First Levitical Priests were made without an Oath only by way of simple Ordinance and Direction God leaving room to himself how long hee pleased to hold on the Direction and when hee pleased to change it But Christ was made Priest with an Oath that hee should never be changed Then 1. When God gave forth the Ceremonial Law hee reserved room to himself to change it yea gave evidence that hee was to change it for hee obliged the people during his will but not himself
not work the love of God without love of the Brethren Therefore c. For hee Hee confirms this Argument by this Reason Because wee are more moved to love by sight than by hearing hee that loveth not his Brother whom hee hath seen and the Image of God in him hee cannot love God whom hee hath not seen Therefore the boasting of love towards God is vain where love of the Brethren is wanting Vers. 21. And this commandement have wee from him that hee who loveth God loveth his brother also Argum. 20. The same authority of God hath conjoyned the command of both requiring of all that love God that they love their Brethren also Therefore yee ought to love the Brethren CHAP. V. THe principal scope of the whole Epistle and especially of this Chapter is propounded vers 13. viz. that those who beleeve in Christ may know that they have eternal life and that knowing they have life they may more and more believe in Christ. Of the Chapter there bee two parts In the first hee describes the marks of those that are true beleevers or born again who have right to eternal life with an inchoate possession thereof to vers 6. In the second hee propounds the Arguments to move us to beleeve in Christ. Vers. 1. Whosoever beleeveth that Iesus is the Christ is born of God and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him The marks of those that are true beleevers or born again and live sincerely are six Note 1. Hee that is truly faithful or begotten of God beleeves seriously that Jesus is the promised Christ viz. the Redeemer of the world for whosoever solidly receives this truth and applies it to himself acknowledges it in his heart as the Scripture requires is born of God And every one Note 2. Hee so loves God that hee loves the Brethren or those that are begotten of him Vers. 2. By this wee know that wee love the children of God when wee love God and keep his commandements Note 3. Those that are truly faithful do so love the Brethren that they also love God and out of love to God they endeavour to keep his commandements Vers. 3. For this is the love of God that wee keep his Commandements and his Commandements are not grievous Note 4. Explicating the former They that are truly faithful demonstrate the sincerity of their love in endeavouring to observe Gods Commandements out of love to him so that his commandements how much soever they bee hard and unpleasant to the flesh yet they are not grievous but such as they desire most willingly to perform Vers. 4. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our Faith Note 5. Giving the reason of the former They that are truly faithful or born again do overcome the world that is they overcome whatsoever opposes it self to the Spirit of God viz. deceits inticements and the terrours of the world and all hinderances which may draw them from obedience to Gods commandements so that their conflicts bee daily yet they do not yeeld but are sure to triumph as conquerors as often as their enemies oppose them And this Note 6. Explicating the former They that are truly faithful do not lean to their own strength in warring against the world but on Christ by Faith who hath overcome the world in their behalf and doth administer strength to them for the overcoming the world which is the most certain excellent and compleat way to conquer Vers. 5. Who is hee that overcometh the world but hee that beleeveth that Iesus is the Son of God The reason of the victory got over the world by Faith is because it is impossible that any one should overcome the world unless it bee hee that despairing of himself by Faith leans on the sole truth and strength of Jesus Christ as of the omnipotent Son of God who hath not onely overcome the world for his but doth also make all his conquerors The Second Part. Vers. 6. This is â—ee that came by water and blood even Iesus Christ not by water onely but by water and blood and it is the Spirit that beareth witness because the spirit is truth The other part of the Chapter follows wherein hee proves that wee ought to beleeve in Christ as in the Son of God The Arguments are fourteen Argum. 1. Because Jesus Christ is hee who when hee came brought with him the solid substance of Legal Ceremonies as to that which chiefly belongs to the abolishing of sin For hee came with water or with that holiness in himself and virtue for the sanctifying his which was signified by water and washings in the old Law to be in the Messias that was to come when he came And hee came with blood or with a full expiation of their sins by the propitiatory Sacrifice of his blood offered on the Cross for the taking away of the sins of his people Not by water Hee confirms that because Christ came not with one propriety of a Mediatour which is the Sanctity of his Person and virtue of sanctifying his signified by water or legal washings but hee comes also with another propriety which is expiation and full reconciliation signified by the sprinkling of blood or by the slaying of beasts The admirable symbole of which conjunction was the flowing of water and blood out of his side on the cross as our Apostle hath diligently observed in his Gospel Chap. 19.34 That wee may all know that whom Christ justifies hee also sanctifies and on the contrary those whom hee sanctifies the same hee also justifies Therefore yee ought to beleeve in Christ. The Spirit Argum. 2. The spirit witnesseth the same i. e. the manifestation of the spirit in divers gifts poured forth upon Christs Disciples witnesseth that Christ is the Son of God and by its dictate makes this firm in the hearts of those that are faithful Therefore yee ought to beleeve in Christ. Truth Hee confirms this Argument that the Spirit in these operations is true and far from all deceit because it commends nothing to us besides the Word of God or Truth it self Vers. 7. For there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Arg. 3. Because as the three persons of the God-head the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost are one in essence so they also consent together in witnessing to confirm this one thing That Jesus Christ is the Son of God For the Father witnesseth of him 1 Pronouncing with an audible voice both in Christs Baptism and Transfiguration that he was his beloved Son in whom hee was well pleased 2 In the works which hee gave to Christ to finish Iob 5.16.36 Furthermore the word bears record of Christ that is Christ wherein hee is God bears record of himself being incarnate that hee is the Son of God partly affirming that very
often with a lively voice partly making it manifest in his whole doctrine that hee is the same which came out of his Fathers bosome and laid open his counsel touching mans salvation Hee that cometh from above hee that cometh from Heaven is above all Ioh. 4.31 3 The Holy Ghost bears record that Jesus Christ is the Son of God partly by his descending upon him in his Baptism partly by his descending upon his Apostles and Disciples in the day of Pentecost partly by inspiring the doctrine of Christ into the Pen-men of the Scripture and by commending it to the world that it might teach men and perswade and confirm them touching that truth as truly divine By which hee may gather a Church and lead it into all truth to eternal life These three are said to bear record in Heaven 1 Because they immediately bear witness from Heaven as from their Throne 2 Because the Majesty of these witnesses chiefly shines in Heaven 3 Because this testimony is not heard observed acknowledged unless by souls lifted up to Heaven Lastly Because this testimony for the most part is perfected in Heaven although it should never bee received on earth Therefore yee ought to beleeve in Christ for his testimonies sake Vers. 8. And there are three that bear witness in earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one Argum. 4. Because three witnesses in earth consent together to prove that Christ is the Son of God viz. the Spirit and the Water and the Blood which are called witnesses in earth 1 Because this testimony is mediate and is produced out of the works which are to bee seen in the earth 2 Because uttering of this testimony is written in men that are in the earth and is acknowledged by the Visible Church Lastly Because this testimony doth not onely sound in the Church but also utters its voice amongst the men of the world and is heard of them to their conviction For 1 The Spirit or manifestation of the Spirit partly in miraculous gifts which are shed abroad in the Church even to the amazement of the world for many years after Christs ascention Partly in ordinary gifts which as yet flourish in the Church and suffice both to testifie that Christ who is preached amongst us is God and to draw an acknowledgement from them who are without the Church that God is in us who beleeve in Christ 1 Cor. 14. Furthermore the operation of the Spirit in the hearts of the faithful doth so quicken the words of Christ and by them doth so instruct comfort and confirm the elect that it leaves no doubt as touching the Divinity of Christ. As for Water which is the virtue of Christ sanctifiing his it so expresly speaks of Christ that those also who are without the Church seeing the light of good works in Christians are forced to glorifie our Father and the Father of Christ who is in Heaven so that also being even perceived in women it brought their unbeleeving husbands to God who at the first did not acknowledge the Word of God 1 Pet. 3.1 Lastly As for Blood which is the price of redemption and the virtue of Christ expiating sins and reconciling men to God that blood speaks better things than the blood of Abel so that it makes the consciences of the faithful quiet and peaceable and opens a way to the Throne of God and so confirms their hearts against the world and all things which are evil in it that they may bee bold and able to resound even with their own blood this testimony to those enemies that hear them in the midst of torments with joy Rev. 12.11 Therefore wee ought to beleeve in Christ as the Son of God Vers. 9. If wee receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater For this is the witness of God which hee hath testified of his Son Argum. 5. For the sake of the testimonies of faithful and true men wee beleeve their assertions Therefore for the sake of the testimony of God which is greater testifying of his Son we ought to beleeve in Christ as the Son of God Vers. 10. Hee that beleeveth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself hee that beleeveth not God hath made him a lyer because hee beleeveth not the record that God gave of his Son Argum. 6 Hee that beleeves in Christ as the Son of God is so much rectified that hee rests in the witness of the Spirit inâ—ardly confirming this truth of the Divine Word Therefore c. Hee that beleeveth not Argum. 7. Hee that doth not beleeve in â—hrist as the Son of God doth really accuse God of a lye because hee rejects the testimony concerning his Son as if it were false Therefore wee must beleeve in Christ as the Son of God Vers. 11. And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son Argum. 8. Those that beleeve in the Son have right to eternal life which is in the Son as in the Fountain Procurer Giver and Conserver given to them by grace and confirmed by the constancy of Gods testimony Therefore c. Vers. 12. Hee that hath the Son hath life and hee that hath not the Son hath not life Argum. 9. Hee that truly embraces the Son by Faith hath also eternal life not onely as to the right of it but also to 〈◊〉 inchoate possession and hee that hath not the Son by Faith or seeks life in another rather than in him is destitute and shut out from all spiritual life Therefore c. Vers. 13. These things have I written unto you that beleeve on the Name of the Son of God that yee may know that yee have eternal life and that yee may beleeve on the Name of the Son of God Argum. 10. For this end all these things are written to the faithful from the Holy Ghost by the Apostle the Pen-man that they might bee certain that they have eternal life already and might more and more beleeve in the name of the Son of God Therefore yee must beleeve in Christ. Vers. 14. And this is the confidence that wee have in him that if wee ask any thing according to his will hee heareth us Argum. 11. Hee that beleeveth in Christ hath confidence in his approaches to God in prayer and that hee shall have Gods favourable ear in every petition which is put up according to the will of God Therefore c. Vers. 15. And if wee know that hee heareth us whatsoever wee ask wee know that wee have the pâ—titions that wee desired of him Argum. 12. Explicating and unfolding the former Hee that beleeves in Christ by knowing that God will bee propitious to him in his lawful or well-ordered petitions hee may also bee certain that the petitions which hee hath offered according to the Promises of God are already granted by him before they bee finished and so hee may bee assured of the success
is to bee perfected which is the summe of the Gospel 2 The second Reason The necessities of the Church being in danger by seducers which urged him to write this Epistle These things being premised hee propounds the scope of the Epistle which is that they would by all means indeavour to preserve the Apostolical doctrine to themselves and posterity from the corruption of seducers Sound Doctrine hee calls the Faith viz. to bee beleeved because it contains all things necessary to bee beleeved unto salvation Once delivered to the Saints hee saith Because with one consent all the Apostles fully and perfectly delivered the same Truth according to the Scriptures written before concerning salvation to bee obtained by Faith in Christ that they might have an immutable rule for obtaining eternal life and without addition or diminution to bee observed to the coming of the Lord. For this Faith hee wills them to contend because the Flesh the Devil and the World and the servants of Satan which are in it will never cease to oppose this Truth so that of necessity it lies upon all true Beleevers to maintain an irreconcileable war with these Vers. 4. For there are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness and denying the onely Lord God and our Lord Iesus Christ. The Arguments of his Exhortation are nine whereof most of them are taken from the sins and punishments of seducers Argum. 1. Which proves that the Apostolical Faith is to be diligently preserved from the corruptions of seducers which was once committed to the Church Because the danger was great by reason of seducers who had privily crept in as adversaries to this Doctrine Whom hee so describes that each part of the description might serve to this end For 1 The manner of insinuating their errour to the Brethren was latent and private for before they could bee well observed by indirect waies and means they closely instilled their errours into the minds of some 2 Not without the divine decree were they permitted to follow their own devices for the sifting and winnowing of the Church For in the holy and eternal Counsel of God they were reprobated and destined that through their sins they should come to this condemnation no less câ—rtainly than if their names were written in a book 3 They were ungodly touched with no sense and reverence of the Divine Majesty either to serve him or beleeve in him 4 The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ or the Doctrine of Grace which is set forth in the Gospel to this very end that men denying all ungodliness might live holily they directly perverted to a quite contrary end and turned it into an occasion of all lasciviousness and carnal delights 5 Indeed in their doctrine and deeds they denied our onely Lord and Master and our God Jesus Christ whom hee calls the onely Lord God not excluding the Father and the Holy Ghost but creatures and feigned Deities Therefore against these seducers the purity of the Faith is to bee preserved Vers. 5. I will therefore put you in remembrance though yee once knew this how that the Lord having saved the people out of the Land of Egypt afterward destroyed them that beleeved not Argum. 2. God destroyed the unbeleeving Apostate Israelites in the wilderness after they were brought out of Egypt Therefore warned by their examples yee ought to beware lest seduced yee perish with others Vers. 6. And the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation hee hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day Arg. 3. God hath condemned the Apostate Angels cast out of Heaven to eternal destruction by an irreversible decree Therefore the faithful should beware of Apostasie lest they also perish Vers. 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire Arg. 4. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them after they had given themselves over to fornication and filthy lusts with which these Impostors polluted themselves and for an example to those that should come after cast them into eternal fire You must beware therefore of these Impostors which may draw you into the like sins and punishments Vers. 8. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh despise dominion and speak evil of dignities Arg. 5. Because these Impostors are as vessels fitted to destruction whom God in like manner will destroy the reason whereof hee gives from nine or more sins which reigned in them From which their fruits as so many marks they shewed forth themselves to bee openly known and discerned 1 The first vice of these Libertines was That deluded with dreams they defiled the flesh that is to say they securely gave themselves over to lust and other hainous sins by their diabolical inchantments they were bewitched in their minds and consciences as if they had been taken with a dream 2 The second vice was They were adversaries to Civil Government not enduring any kind of Magistracy or Dominion but heaped up reproaches and evil speakings upon those honourable Ordinances of God even as at this day wee see in the carriage of the fanatick Anabaptists Vers. 9. Yet Michael the Archangel when contending with the Devil hee disputed about the body of Moses duâ—st not bring against him a railing accusation but said The Lord rebuke thee Hee amplifies this vice from Michael the Archangel his disputing with Satan about the body of Moses that his sepulchre might not bee known to the Israelites who would superstitiously have worshiped his reliques being dead whose words they despised while hee was alive Hee durst not or could not by reason of his sanctity cast such reproaches upon Satan as those Hereticks did upon Magistracy It was enough for the Archangel to say The Lord rebuke thee or restrain thy purposes From whence the Apostle fetched this history they vainly inquire who acknowledge the Scriptures to bee of divine inspiration Vers. 10. But these speak evil of those things which they know not but what they know naturally as brute beasts in those things they corrupt themselves 3 The third vice That seeing they were ignorant of divine ordinances Christian duties and of all spiritual things not only void but uncapable yet impudently they dare to belch out their blasphemies against those things 4 The fourth vice they are taxed with is That those things which naturally they know as sensitive animals in them they deport themselves below the very beasts and prompt themselves to all lust and intemperance Vers. 11. We unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the errour of Balaam for reward and perished in the gain saying of Core 5 The fift vice That when the curse of God is
because wee are mutable as also the condition of works by reason of our infirmity is impossible but that which is of Grace that which is by Faith that which is in Christ is necessarily firm because it leans upon the unchangeable good pleasure of God and the Merit of Christ. Vers. 17. As it is written I have made thee a Father of many Nations before him whom hee believed even God who quickeneth the dead and calletâ— those things which bee not as though they were The third Part. The third part of the Chapter follows in which the Faith of Abraham is commended to the use and benefit of all Believers that they may learn by his example to believe more and more Tâ—e grounds upon which the Faith of Abraham is commended are six Reason 1. Because Abraham through his Faith by the special Sentence of God is declared the Father of many Nations and so the Father of us that believe according to the Faith For as Abraham begat Isaac by virtue of the Divine Promise and not by the power of Nature even so by virtue of the Divine Promise promising that hee should bee the Father of many Nations Abraham took all Believers into the number of his Children to bee reckoned amongst his Seed And thus in the virtue of the Promise hee begot or conceived the Faithful as Children of the Promise which hee shews more clearly by calling Abraham the Father of the Faithful not only before God or in the sight of God that is after a spiritual manner and in the account of God but also to the likeness of God by a kind of similitude answering to God whom hee believed for in the Act of Faith Abraham standing in the light of the countenance of God Almighty who spake unto him believed the Promise Those sons which God promised hee looked upon as present by Faith And thus after a sort hee became the Father of them after the similitude of God Quickning Reason 2. Because Abraham by Faith fixed his eyes upon the truth and Omnipotency of God effectually bringing life out of death and a beeing out of nothing and effectually calling things that were not yet as if they were or had a beeing to which Omnipotent Truth when Abraham believed his Faith put on a kind of similitude to the Truth of God Almighty Vers. 18. Who against hope believed in hope that hee might become the Father of many Nations according to that which was spoken So shall thy Seed bee Reason 3. Because Abraham believed in Spiritual hope i. e. hee had in his heart a firm and invincible confidence with a lively and strong hope of the promised issue Against hope viz. of the flesh and natural reason which did object nothing but impossibility and as it were affirmed that they could not bee his Seed as God had spoken Vers. 19. And being not weak in Faith hee considered not his own body now dead when hee was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb Reas. 4. Because hee was not weak in faith hee did not consider or did not stand upon those impediments that lay before his Faith from himself and his wife as now dead in respect to natural generation but rather magnified the power and faithfulness of God which had promised Vers. 20. Hee staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in Faith giving glory to God Reas. 5. Because hee disputed not against the Promise not was stopt by those objections which unbelief suggested but valiantly defended the Promise of God and set himself against temptations ascribing to God the glory of his truth and Omnipotency Vers. 21. And being fully perswaded that what hee had promised hee was also able to perform Reas. 6. Because hee gave to God speaking the glory of his truth out of a most full perswasion of Gods power for the performance of his Promise For the Promise once made there is no doubt to bee made of his will to perform what hee promiseth But the question which remains is touching the Power of him that promiseth Which question being laid aside Abraham rests in the promise of him whom hee knew to bee Almighty Vers. 22. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness Reas. 7. Wherein the Faith of Abraham is commended in that his Faith by this act shewing it self to bee true such a Faith which uniteth humbled and emptied man in the sight of God to God that promiseth was imputed to him for righteousness Because hee imbraced for his righteousness the blessing promised in that Seed which was to come i. e. Christ. Vers. 23. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him 24. But for us also to whom it shall bee imputed if wee believe on him that raised up Iesus our Lord from the dead Now the Apostle shews forth the example of Abrahams Faith fitted to the common use of Believers giving a pledge as it were by this example promising that our Faith in Christ Jesus in like manner should bee imputed unto us for righteousness And that hee might invite us to believe hee first compares the Gospel ministred unto us in the Name of God touching the Death and Resurrection of Christ for us to the promise made unto Abraham And further hee requires of us Faith in God who offers us this grace by the preaching of the Gospel that wee might believe with Abraham And lastly hee affirms our Faith in God who hath willingly satisfied himself in the death of Christ whom hee hath raised also from the dead that hee might impute and apply to us the righteousness obtained by the death of Christ no less certainly to bee imputed unto us for righteousness than it is certain that Abrahams Faith was imputed to him for righteousness and so sure it is that this was not written for his sake alone but for us to whom in like manner this Faith was to bee imputed for righteousness Vers. 25. Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our Iustification Hee layes the foundation of this certainty in a twofold judicial act of God towards Christ. The first act is the delivering up of Christ our Surety to death for our offences The other is the raising of him for our Justification In the first whereof God testifies that the sins of the Redeemed were translated upon Christ by Covenant And in the other that hee is abundantly satisfied for their sins and that the Redeemed in the person of their Surety are justified From whence it follows that to those who are Redeemed seeing they by Faith agree in this Covenant revealed in the Gospel Faith is imputed to righteousness or the Righteousness obtained by Christ is applyed to them that as in the person of their Surety they are justified so also they may bee justified in themselves CHAP. V. THe first Confirmation of this Divine ground of the Iustification of sinners by Faith in Christ you have had
of Christs obedience upon his And it is meer that as one sin of Adam was imputed to his children to condemnation and death so the intire obedience of Christ only should bee imputed to his sons to Justification and the obtaining of Eternal Life Vers. 20. Moreover the Law entred that the offence might abound but where sin abounded grace did much more abound 21. That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Iesus Christ our Lord. Hee illustrates and concludes this whole comparison by shewing the abundance of sin in those that are justified renders the grace of Christ more illustrious and this hee does by answering an objection concerning the end and use of the published Law It may bee questioned if death reigned by the Law of Nature not written before Moses what need was there of any written Law and seeing righteousness comes not by the Law as is said before to what end was the Law Hee answers by shewing a three-fold end of giving the Law First The Law entred that the offence might abound i. e. The Law forbidding sin and enjoyning righteousness in that space of time betwixt Adam and Christ came in that sin which was daily committed and yet because of ignorance not acknowledged might bee known to bee sin and that the natural wickedness of men might appear which occasions that by how much the more the Law requires righteousness by so much the more concupiscence is stirred up agaâ—nst the Law and that by this the sin which lyes hid in men might bee manifested and known to abound But where The second end that from the abundance of sin in those that were to bee justified the exceeding abundant grace of Christ towards those that are justified might appear seeing that where sin abounds in the conviction of men that are to bee justified there the grace of Christ justifying is found to super-abound Even as The third end that the power of sin as a King by the Law might more clearly appear shewing forth its condemning power the power of the righteousness of Christ as a Superiour King held forth in the Gospel might bee more â—minent prevailing not only to the abolishing of the Kingdome of sin but also to the conferring of Eternal Life upon those that are justified Therefore by how much the more the force of sin reigning over men not justified crowding them to the prison of Eternal death might more clearly appear by so much the more the virtue power and excellency of the grace of Christ overcoming and subduing sin leading men powerfully unto Eternal Life might more manifestly bee declared CHAP. VI. THe third proof of the Doctrine of Iustification freely by Faith in Christ in that it conduceth very much to the promoting of Sanctity and Holiness There are two PARTS of the Chapter In the first hee shews that by Faith in Christ or the Doctrine concerning the free ground of Iustification several wayes promotes endeavours after Sanctification to verse 12. In the other part hee exhorts those that are justified to follow after holiness to the end Vers. 1. What shall wee say then Shall wee continue in sin that grace may abound 2. God forbid how shall wee that are dead to sin live any longer therein By answering an objection which seems to arise from this Doctrine hee sets down a confirmation of the Proposition That this Doctrine of Grace or of Free Justification makes for the promoting of holiness Some may say Shall wee persevere in our sins wee that are justified by Faith that the grace of God may appear more abundant as this Doctrine of Free Justification by the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ seems to intimate Hee answers by denying and rejecting Far from us bee such a thought As if hee had said They that are justified by Faith ought not to indulge themselves in any sin but to endeavour after holiness And this Proposition hee confirms by ten Arguments Argum. 1. Wee are dead unto sin in as much as when wee gave up our names unto Christ that wee might bee justified and sanctified by him wee renounced sin that wee might not have any more to do with it than the dead have with the living Therefore wee that are justified ought not any longer to live in sin Vers. 3. Know you not that so many of us as were baptized into Iesus Christ were baptized into his death Argum. 2. Wee as you know which are freely justified by Faith in Christ are also taken into the fellowship of his Death by Baptism by which Sacrament wee have bound our selves to die unto sin and Christ hath bound himself unto us to communicate the power of his Death that wee might die unto sin Therefore wee ought not to undulge our selves in our sins but endeavour after holiness Vers. 4. Therefore wee are buried with him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so wee also should walk in newness of life Argum. 3. Our communion with Christ in his Death is sealed to us in our Baptism for the abolishing of the old Man of Sin i. e. Not only that wee might bee bound to mortifie the old man but also that wee might bee made certain concerning the mortifying and subduing of sin by virtue of Christs Death Therefore wee ought not to indulge our selves in sin but endeavour the mortifying of it Argum. 4. As our communion with Christ in his Death is sealed to us in our Baptism so also in his Resurrection that as Christ was raised from the dead to a blessed and immortal life by the glory of the Father who powerfully raised him so should wee endeavour by Faith applying the virtue of Christ to arise from sin and to walk in newness of life to the glory of the Father powerfully renewing us Therefore ought wee not to continue in sin but follow after holiness Vers. 5. For if wee have been planted together in the likeness of his death wee shall bee also in the likeness of his resurrection Argum. 5. Drawn from our spiritual and neerest union with Christ by Faith which union is the ground of the communication of that virtue which flows from the Death and Resurrection of Christ for by Faith wee are planted into Christ as the Branch into the Vine and this ingrafting brings us into that conformity with the Death and Resurrection of Christ that wee dying unto sin Christ dying and following after newness of life Christ rising again may bee clearly seen in a certain likeness to himself Hence hee confirms his former Argument when wee are planted together with Christ by Faith wee are so neerly united to him that there follows of necessity a conformity with him in his death to the mortification of sin and in his resurrection to newness of life Therefore unless wee will acknowledge no union with him and implanting into him wee must renounce all sin and
fabrick of the world was created whence Argum. 4. The Creatures are subject to vanity and misery not for their own but our fault and they patiently endure it Therefore much more wee who are subject to miseries by our own fault ought patiently to suffer afflictions under the hope of freedome Vers. 21. Because the Creature it self also shall bee delivered from the bondage of corruption unto the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Argum. 5. There is hope of the Creatures that they may bee freed from that servitude into a state proportionable to the future glorious condition of the Sons of God Therefore much more this freedome may bee expected by the Sons of God Vers. 22. For wee know that the whole Creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now Argum. 6. Wee know that the whole frame of the World from the time that sin came into it to this day doth groan together and travail together that being freed from the burden of mans sin it might bring forth into the eternal light of all the Sons of God a perfect birth Therefore unless wee would call this a vain instinct of nature at the time appointed of God a full freedome of the Sons of God is to bee expected Vers. 23. And not onely they but our selves also which have the first fruit of the Spirit even wee our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of the body Argum. 7. Not onely created things but wee our selves who have received peace and joy the first fruits of the Spirit the pledges and beginnings of eternal life do groan expecting a full manifestation of our adoption in the resurrection of our bodies by the power of redemption wrought by Christ to bee freed from all evils Therefore unless wee undervalue the first fruits of the harvest of eternal life and the desires of the Spirit wee ought to take consolation from the certainty of our freedome Vers. 24. For wee are saved by hope but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth hee yet hope for 25. But if wee hope for that wee see not then do wee with patience wait for it Argum. 8. From the nature of hope which is said to save us because it waits for the fulfilling of the promises to salvation Saving Hope is given to us which is a certain and patient expectation not of visible and present things but of good things to come Therefore unless wee renounce saving hope in our afflictions wee shall not want comfort expecting the freedome that is promised from all our troubles Vers. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what wee should pray for as wee ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot bee uttered Argum. 9. Wee are not alone in our afflictions but wee have the assistance of the holy Spirit our Comforter who supports us labouring under infirmities and instructs us how to pray exciting in us groans which cannot bee uttered being as an advocate for us with the Father Therefore ought wee to take comfort in our afflictions Vers. 27. And hee that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because hee maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Argum. 10. With the prevention of an objection Some might say wee do not discern the feeling of those confused and indistinct groanings The answer affords an Argument of Consolation God which searcheth the hearts well knows the meaning of the Spirit stirring up those groanings in us accepts of them as agreeable to his will Because hee stirs up in the Saints desires according to the Will of God and after his own manner intercedes Therefore being certain that our prayers are heard wee ought to take comfort in our afflictions Vers. 28. And wee know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose Argum. 11. As all things so afflictions work together for the good of them that are justified beleevers Therefore they may take comfort in the greatest afflictions Hee describes persons justified or beleevers First That they love God as those who by faith have imbraced the mercy and good will of God in Christ and cannot but love him from their hearts Secondly That they are effectually called being by the Spirit in the Word moved that they should obey the heavenly calling which invites sinners unto Christ. Thirdly That they are called according to his purpose as the Elect of God out of his meer good will before all time without any respect to their merits or worth and upon that ground they are called that they might bee led to eternal life to which they were predestinated Vers. 29. For whom hee did fore-know hee also did predestinate to bee conformed to the Image of his Son that hee might bee the first-born amongst many Brethren Argum. 12. Confirming the former by an indissoluble chain God hath joyned in his decree of Election and predestination a conformity of those that are justified and effectually called to Christ in his likeness every way viz. of his Cross of his holiness and happiness to this very end that the glory of Christ might more appear whilst hee the chieftain as it becomes the first-born is found amongst his Elect Brethren as in an holy and patient enduring of afflictions so in wearing the Crown of Glory after the afflictions are past Therefore they that are justified ought to take comfort in their afflictions while they behold how they make for their own good and the glory of Christ. Vers. 30. Moreover whom hee did predestinate them hee also called and whom hee called them hee also justified and whom hee justified them hee also glorified Argum. 13. Effectual calling and justification which in this life are granted to beleevers the gifts of God as the rings of an indissoluble chain are so firmly joyned with Election and Predestination before all time and with glorification after all time so that hee which is called effectually and justified may bee certain of his Predestination to Eternal Life and certain of his future glorification with God for ever For whom hee hath praedestinated them hee hath called c. Therefore they that are justified have solid consolation though afflicted in this life The third Part. Vers. 31. What shall wee then say to these things if God bee for us who can bee against us The third part of the Chapter containeth a sixfold triumph of those that are justified by Faith in Christ over the enemies of their salvation To this boasting in God hee premiseth an interrogation to shew the undoubted verity of the whole preceding doctrine which no man could justly contradict what shall wee therefore say to these things In answer to this the triumph of all that are justified by Faith in Christ follows amongst which the Apostle reckons himself and in their names as some leader hee
shew of good works and they that affect Justification thereby fondly desire to bee justified as it were by works or a shew of good works The third cause because they knew not Christ by reason of his humility and the infirmity of his flesh in whom they should believe that they might bee justified but despised him and to their own destruction set themselves against him stumbling at him as at a stumbling stone Vers. 33. As it is written Behold I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offence and whosoever believeth on him shall not bee ashamed Both parts of this experience hee confirms from the Prophets prediction Isai. 8.14 and 28.16 after this manner Behold I will lay saith God Christ in the Church whose beginning is out of Zion a tryed stone a rock of offence as the incredulous Jews have experienced and whoever believeth in him in the expectation of him that is in his righteousness and life eternal hee shall not bee frustrated as the believing Jews have found by experience And thus the Apostle hath firmly proved that wee are justified by Faith CHAP. X. HEE further prosecutes the argument of the Jewes temporal rejection shewing this to bee the cause in that the Jews foolishly and stubbornly rejected the righteousness of God in Christ. There are two parts of the Chapter In the first hee shews the folly of the Jews to ver 14. In the other their stubbornness to the end of the Chapter Vers. 1. Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might bee saved The Apostle being about to shew the just causes of the Jews rejection hee prefaces as before from his good affection lest any thing should bee thought to bee spoken by him out of hatred Vers. 2. For I hear them Record that they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge Hee shews their preposterous zeal for God to bee the cause of his affection which zeal was worthy of humane commiseration though it was not to bee commended because it did not arise out of knowledge but ignorance therefore it was blind zeal the zeal of fools Vers. 3. For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God Hee proves the folly of the Romans by six Arguments The first Argument Out of ignorance of the righteousness of God imputed to us by Faith in Christ they affected the inherent righteousness of their own works and proudly rejected the righteousness of Christ offered to them Therefore they betrayed their folly Vers. 4. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth The second Argum. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to him that believes i. e. the whole Law is therefore given that men acknowledging their sins manifested by the Law might flee unto Christ and might obtain righteousness by Faith Therefore the Jews did foolishly who making a shew of the Law did not acknowledge Christ which is the end of the Law Vers. 5. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law that the man which doth those things shall live by them Argum. 3. The righteousness of the Law or Works as Moses testifies confers life upon none but those that perform all things that are commanded in the Law which is impossible Therefore the Jews foolishly affected such a kind of righteousness Vers. 6. But the righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ down from above 7. Or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring Christ up again from the dead Argum. 4. The righteousness of Faith as the same Moses witnesseth forbids those that believe in God from being troubled for those things which are so difficult or impossible as to ascend into heaven or to descend into the deep Because seeing Christ hath already overcome those difficulties descending from heaven and rising from the dead to bee any further troubled how to attain righteousness life eternal and freedome from death is no less than to destroy the foundations of the Christian Religion and to enquire how it was possible to descend from heaven or rise again from the dead Therefore the Jews betray their folly who renounce this righteousness of Faith Vers. 8. But what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of Faith which wee preach Argum. 5. The righteousness of Faith as it gives security to those that believe touching the difficulties in the way of salvation so also it holds forth an easie way to righteousness and salvation For the Word of God or the Word of the Gospel the same which the Apostles preached is neer us that receiving it into our hearts wee may acquiesce in it and confess the truth of it with the mouth As if hee should say to us Bee not troubled cast your care upon God and believe him that speaks in the Gospel and shew forth your Faith by your works Therefore the Jews rejecting this easie way of righteousness propounded are very foolish Vers. 9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt bee saved Argum. 6. Opening and confirming the former The sum of the Gospel is propounded under this most sweet condition viz. If thou applyest with sincere affection to thy self the redemption procured by Christ and manifested in his Resurrection by the power of God and studiest to glorifie Christ with a sincere confession without doubt thou shalt obtain salvation Therefore the Jews refusing this condition of Justification and Salvation betray their folly Vers. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation This hee confirms with five reasons The first Reason is From the connection of Faith in the heart and confession in the mouth according to the order appointed by God which is that by Faith from the heart in Christ Jesus wee might obtain righteousness or Justification and that justified by Faith wee might proceed to the possession of Salvation glorifying Christ by confession of the mouth or outward works Therefore they ought to bee joyned Faith in Christ from the heart and confession of Christ in the mouth or inward Faith and outward works ought to bee joyned together Vers. 11. For the Scripture saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not bee ashamed Reason 2. Confirming the connection of true Faith and Salvation from the testimony of Isai. 28.16 which shews that they shall not bee frustrated in their hope or their expected salvation whoever believe in Christ Therefore the connection of Faith and Salvation is firm Vers. 12. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon
God Another is That wee seek no further than is revealed touching the Counsels of God but even in things revealed wee bee wise to sobriety because the Counsels of God exceed our capacity and are indeed unsearchable glorifying God in all Vers. 34. For who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellour Three Reasons hee adds of both those deductions Reason 1. No creature hath pierced into the mind of God none was ever of his Counsel Therefore the Counsels of God are past finding out wee ought not to search after them but admire and magnifie the riches of his Wisdome Vers. 35. Or who hath first given to him and it shall bee recompenced to him again Reason 2. God is in no mans debt or can bee no man merits at his hand no man can come forth and say that hee hath obliged God by any act of goodness in himself Therefore they cannot boast any of the Elect as if God was bound to them by any Law that hee should appoint them unto life neither can any of the Reprobates complain as though hee paid not what hee ought seeing hee is a debter to no man Vers. 36. For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom bee glory for ever Amen Reason 3. Confirming the former All things are of God as the first Author All things are upheld by him as the Preserver All things tend to him as the ultimate end Therefore when it seems good to him to promote his own glory in the rejection of the Jews or calling of the Gentiles in the Election of some and Reprobation of others all honor and glory ought to bee ascribed unto him by all men for ever Amen CHAP. XII WEE have had the first part of the Epistle of the way to Iustification the latter follows concerning the right ordering the life of those that are justified There are three parts of the Chapter In the first hee exhorts to Sanctity in general to ver 3. In the second hee instructs Ministers of the Church particularly concerning the right use of gifts to ver 9. In the third hee gives common precepts concerning Christian virtues Vers. 1. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service By an allusion made to the typical manner of sacrificing under the Levitical Law hee most friendly exhorts them to shew forth the fruit of free Justification granted to them by Christ. There are three branches of the Exhortation First That wee would present our bodies to God that is offer and consecrate our selves wholly not onely our souls but bodies also to God as a Sacrifice of thankfulness The reasons of the exhortation are five which also contain the properties of this sacrifice The first reason is contained in a vehement entreaty because the mercies of God before rehearsed to wit Election of his Mercy Redemption of his Mercy Calling of his Mercy and Justification of his Grace and Mercy require of you this gratitude and thankfulness Living Reason 2. Because this is a living Sacrifice wherein nothing is to bee slain but sin and you your selves shall live consecrated unto God and shall bee preserved unto eternal life Holy Reason 3. This Sacrifice is truly holy in the daily offering up whereof Holiness it self consists Acceptable Reason 4. Because this Sacrifice will not bee rejected of God as those many legal shadows offered up by hypocrites but accepted of God Reasonable Reason 5. Because the act whereby you offer up this Sacrifice to God is your reasonable or spiritual service pre-figured by that typical worship and so much above that as spiritual things are above carnal and the bodies of Saints to bee preferr'd before the carkasses of brute beasts Vers. 2. And bee not conformed to this world but bee yee transformed by the renewing of your mind that yee may prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect Will of God The second branch of the Exhortation That wee take heed in life and conversation that wee do not make the pleasure and manners of worldly men our Rule to which wee conform our selves This exhortation contains a Reason in it self because men of the world onely savour the honours pleasures and profits of this present world Bee yee transformed The third branch of the Exhortation That wee endeavour the transforming of our carnal mind into that which is spiritual by the daily renewing of our understanding and will Two Reasons hee gives of this Exhortation Discern yee Reason 1. Because the Law of God or his Will revealed in the Word is the Rule to which wee ought to conform 1. Good teaching and leading us to those things which are good and making us good 2. It is acceptable to God who accepts no obedience but what is prescribed in the Word 3. It is perfect comprehending all things which appertain to the worship of God and our salvation Therefore indeavour after renewing your minds Discern yee Reason 2. Because without a renewed mind and spiritual wee cannot discern the proper sense of the divine Will revealed in the Word and knowing it wee cannot approve and approving it wee can have no experimental knowledge how good acceptable to God and perfect it is in it srlf Therefore ought wee to endeavour after renovation of mind The second Part. Vers. 3. For I say through the Grace given unto mee to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than hee ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of Grace The second part of the Chapter follows wherein according to his Apostolical authority which hee calls Grace because granted to him out of ineffable Grace hee charges every one that was among them in any publick office or any excellency of gift that hee would not think of himself above his fellows or above the value of his talent or the measure of his knowledge but that hee would carry himself soberly and moderately in all things towards all The Reasons of this Exhortation are five Reas. 1. God hath distributed to every one not a fulness but a measure of Faith Therefore it is fitting that every one should modestly contain himself within that measure Vers. 4. For as wee have many members in one body and all members have not the same office Reas. 2. As in the natural body divers members are deputed to divers operations So in the Ecclesiastical body of Beleevers or the society of the Officers of the Church divers functions are designed to divers imployments Therefore it is fitting that each contain himself modestly in his office Vers. 5. So wee being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another Reas. 3. Included in the same similitude as in the natural body many members constitute one body so in the Ecclesiastical body all the faithful in particular all Church-Officers
the measure for so also is Charity imperfect but chiefly in respect of the manner of knowing viz. by means which kind of knowledge because it is mediate it is imperfect Vers. 10. But when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall bee done away This manner of knowing viz. mediately shall bee quite abolished when the perfect way of knowledge shall come viz. the immediate But Charity although it bee imperfect as to the measure yet as to the manner of loving it is perfect for it is immediately carried to God and therefore this manner of loving shall never bee abolished but rather encreased Vers. 11. When I was a child I spake as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things Hee shews that the present way of knoâ—ing is to bee abolished by the similitude of the abolishing of childish sports when any comes to bee a man Vers. 12. For now wee see thorough a glass darkly but then face to face now I know in part but then shall I know even as also I am known Hee shews the same by another similitude â—â—â—paring the present manner of knowing to knowledge by a glass darkly which kind of knowledge is mediate but the knowledge to come is immediate whereby any one knoâ—â— intuitively because in the life to come our mind shall immediately bee enlightened by God and wee shall see and know God immediately Vers. 13. And now abideth Faith Hope Charity these three but the greatest of these is Charity Argum. 4. Charity is more excellent than Faith or Hope which are saving Graces and gifts not to bee repented of Therefore the most worthy Because Charity shall never fail but shall also continue in the life to come when Faith and Hope shall cease In the mean time let us remember that Faith in some respects is more excellent than Charity because Faith is the cause of Love Gal. 5.6 Wee are justified by Faith and have peace with God Rom. 5.1 And Christ dwells in our hearts by Faith which works Charity in us Ephes. 3.17 But the Apostle regarding the concord and edification of the Church by right extolls Charity as much as belongs to his purpose hee knew also that no man could endeavour after the increase of Christian Charity but hee must also labour after the increase of Faith which is the cause of Love CHAP. XIV HEE PROCEEDS TO TREAT OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND THEIR RIGHT USE THere are two parts of the Chapter In the first hee prefers the gift of Prophesie before the gift of Tongues to vers 26. In the other hee gives commands concerning that order that was to bee observed in their Assemblies to the end Vers. 1. Follow after Charity and desire spiritual gifts but rather that yee may prophesie Hee proved in the fore-going Chapter that Charity was the most excellent gift In the beginning of this Chapter hee infers an Exhortation by way of conclusion that they would affect it and have all both gifts and spiritual offices in honour but because some were proud of the gift of tongues and most despised Pastoral gifts in comparison of this gift and too much admired the gift of tongues Therefore hee compares these gifts together and proves that the gift of Prophecie or Exhortation is more excellent than the gift of tongues separated from the gift of interpretation Hee gives thirteen Reasons Vers. 2. For hee that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men but unto God for no man understandeth him Howbeit in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries 3. But hee that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort The first Reason Hee that speaks in an unknown tongue although by the gift of the Spirit hee speaks the Mysteries of God yet hee speaks without profit because hee is understood by God alone and not by men But a Prophet or Pastor speaking in a known tongue teaches exhorts comforts his hearers and so speaks profitably Therefore Prophecie is more excellent than the gift of tongues Vers. 4. Hee that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself but hee that prophesieth edifieth the Church Reason 2. Hee that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies none 〈◊〉 himself but a Prophet the whole Church or Assembly Therefore Prophecie is more excellent Vers. 5. I would that yee all spake with tongues but rather that yee prophesied for greater is bee that prophesieth than hee that speaketh with tongues except hee interpret that the Church may receive edifying That hee might rightly bee understood hee shews that hee doth not abolish tongues though hee prefers a Prophet before him that speaks in an unknown tongue Vers. 6. Now brethren if I come unto you speaking with tongues what shall I profit you except I shall speak to you either by revelation or by knowledge or by prophecying or by doctrine Reason 3. From his own example his Apostolical Ministery would not bee profitable to them unless hee should speak to them in a known tongue by extraordinary Prophecie by Revelation or ordinary knowledge either by Prophecying or exhorting as a Pastor or instructing as a Teacher Therefore the gift of tongues is inferiour to the gift of Prophecie Vers. 7. And even things without life giving sound whether pipe or harp except they give a distinction in their sounds how shall it bee known what is piped or harped 8. For if the Trumpet give an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself unto the battel 9. So likewise you except yee utter by the tongue words easie to bee understood how shall it bee known what is spoken for yee shall speak into the ayr Reason 4. As a Trumpet or any other instrument touched or blown sounding confusedly utters an unprofitable and an ungrateful sound so also a tongue not understood gives no other than an uncertain and useless sound But the Prophets in their Prophecying speak in a known tongue Therefore the gift of tongues is inferiour to the gift of Prophecie Vers. 10. There are it may bee so many kinds of voices in the world and none of them are without signification Reason 5. The voices of Brutes are many whereof none is so inarticulate but represents a certain species of the living creature to those that hear It is therefore an unworthy thing so to debase the gift of the Spirit that it should profit no more but should bee less valued than the blearing of a brute beast In Prophecie it is not so Therefore the gift of Tongues is inferiour to that of Prophecie Vers. 11. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice I shall bee unto him that speaketh a Barbarian and hee that speaketh shall bee a Barbarian unto mee Reason 6. Because to speak things not understood makes the Teachers and the Hearers Barbarians each to other Therefore c. Vers. 12. Even so yee for as much as yee are zealous of spiritual gifts seek that yee may excell to the
manner The first comparison is in the opposite state of a natural and a spiritual body The first Adam was made a living soul not giving life which had a life indeed but supported as other creatures are with meat and drink c. And not such as could continue life to the body without nourishment But Christ the last Adam is made a quickning Spirit who could communicate virtue to those that were his by his Spirit that without nourishments of the body the most blessed union of body and soul may bee preserved Vers. 46. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual but that which is natural and afterward that which is spiritual The second comparison in respect to Order The first Adam had the precedency in the natural state of the body The second Adam was latter in the spiritual state of the body for the imperfect state ought to precede so God is wont to proceed to the highest perfection Hee saith not simply that Adam was before Christ but that the Natural state of the first Adam is first in time in Adam in Christ and in us And our Spiritual state which is from Christ is latter Vers. 47. The first man is of the earth earthy the second man is the Lord from Heaven The third comparison in the order and dignity of the person The first-Man meer man is of the earth earthy whose body rose out of the earth and is resolved again into earth upon the substraction of food whereupon hee could communicate unto us nothing but a terrene life But the second Adam is both man and God from Heaven who although hee hath a body from the earth yet because hee is God from Heaven and therefore is called heavenly as hee could support his body that it should not see corruption though in its own nature terrene and resoluble into dust and as it being raised out of the grave hee could make it every way glorious immortal and heavenly not needing earthly supports So in like manner can hee make our bodies such Vers. 48. As is the earthy such are they that are earthy and as is the heavenly such are they also that are heavenly From these hee proves the future mutation of the qualities of the body from earthly to heavenly from natural to spiritual by four Arguments Argum. 1. Such as was the earthly Adam the head of our stock after the fleshly propagation such it became us to bee born viz. mortal Therefore as the heavenly Adam our head in respect to regeneration and glorification is after his resurrection viz. Spiritual glorious incorruptible immortal such shall wee bee that are born again of him after our resurrection Vers. 49. And as wee have born the image of the earthy wee shall also bear the image of the heavenly Argum. 2. From its future certainty As sure as wee bear the image of the first Adam in the qualities of our substance being made conform to him in soul and body so sure shall wee bear the image of the second Adam in the glorious qualities of our substance Vers. 50. Now this I say Brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God Neither doth corruption inherit incorruption Argum. 3. The promises of glorifying our bodies or of bringing us into the glorious Kingdome of God ought to bee fulfilled But flesh and blood i. e. our bodies as now they are corruptible cannot enter into the Kingdome of God unless they bee fitted for that glorious state Therefore our bodies shall bee made meet by the mutation of their qualities to enter into the Kingdome of Glory Corruption By way of confirmation to this reason hee adds Argum. 4. Corruption cannot inherit incorruption Therefore necessary it is that our bodies bee changed in their qualities from corruptibility to incorruptibility Vers. 51. Behold I shew you a mystery wee shall not all sleep but wee shall all bee changed Objection 3. What shall become of those that are alive at the comming of our Lord How shall they arise which shall not dye but bee found alive by the Judge at his comming Hee answers by opening the mystery viz. that all shall not die nor rise again but they shall bee taken that remain alive at the comming of our Lord and changed into an eternal state of immortality either in glory or torments which change shall bee in stead of death and a resurrection Vers. 52. In a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the last Trumpet for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall bee raised incorruptible and wee shall be changed Hee shews the manner of this change that it shall bee in the twinckling of an eye i. e. in a moment all that are alive and dead shall be summoned by a fearful alarum to the judgement of God Vers. 53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality Hee gives two Reasons of this change First Mortality must bee swallowed up of immortality and this mortal body must put on immortality Therefore they shall bee changed that are found alive at the comming of our Lord. Vers. 54. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall bee brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up of victory 55. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Reason 2. The Prophecie of Hosea ought to bee fulfilled chap. 13. v. 14. who fore-told our full victory over death and the grave Therefore they that are alive shall bee changed at the comming of the Lord which shall bee in stead of death Vers. 56. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law That this victory may appear the greater hee intimates the victory wee shall have over sin and the Law without which the grave cannot prevail any thing over us for unless satisfaction bee given to the Law sin wrath and death remain in full power But after satisfaction is made to the Law for us sin and wrath are taken away wherewith death is armed as with a sting which being disarmed is abolished and triumphed over Vers. 57. But thanks bee to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. Hee shews a twofold use of this victory The first is that thanks may bee given to God who hath given us through Christ victory over death sin and the Law yea verily hee hath imputed the victory of Christ to us and hath made it ours for hee hath died for us and by his resurrection hath obtained for us victory over death that hee might make us conquerours Vers. 58. Therefore my beloved Brethren bee yee stedfast unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Another use of this doctrine is this That under hope of the free gift at the day of resurrection wee would persevere constantly in the Faith of the Gospel
is the Spirit because hee quickens those that believe to new obedience and life everlasting and hee delivereth those from sin and misery for when it is said Where the Spirit of Christ the Lord is or where Christ is there is liberty the liberty is to bee understood not from the obedience of the Commandments but from the ceremonial yoke from the bondage of sin and yoke of the Legal Covenant and all evils which do follow from its violation Liberty I say was given to the Faithful by the Spirit of the Gospel at leastwise that which belongeth to them of right although not alwayes according to sense nor ever before the end of life as to a full possession For although the Spirit with a loud voice proclaimeth that there is a gate opened unto us that wee may go out of prison yet wee by reason of the weakness of Faith do go slowly forth And this is the Explication of the first part of the Comparison concerning the Ministery of the Law Vers. 18. But wee all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Here followeth another branch of the Comparison concerning the Ministery of the Gospel in those that believe which is propounded in this sense But wee that by the Ministery of the Gospel believe in Christ the veil of ceremonies and ignorance the veil of infidelity and hardness of heart also being removed are freely admitted to the clear beholding of Christ and the glory of the grace of God shining in the Gospel as in a glass and beholding Christ by Faith wee are sanctified and more and more made happy in conformity with Christ encreased daily by degrees from one measure of glory and sanctity to another and that by the powerful working of the Holy Ghost Sanctification is called glory because Sanctification is the beginning of Glorification for by that the Image of God is repaired in us which is our glory CHAP. IV. HEE goes on to defend his Ministery There are two parts of this Chapter in the first hee proveth his faithfulness or sincerity in the Ministery by seven Arguments to the sixth verse In the second hee confirms the seventh Argument by answering the objections concerning the scandal of the Cross lying upon him to the end Vers. 1. Therefore seâ—ing wee have this Ministery as wee have received mercy wee faint not Argum. 1. The inward testimony of so glorious a Ministery committed unto mee by the mercy of God is effectual to sustain mee lest I bee overcome in the doing of my duty with the hurthen of evils and that by the measure of grace given to mee I go forward valiantly From hence therefore it appeareth that I am sincere and faithful For modesty sake hee joyneth others but hee himself in the conflict was especially aimed at by his Adversaries Vers. 2. But having renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God Argum. 2. I have renounced ambition covetousness and the other shameful lusts which some secretly indulging do cover this their disgrace in corners under other or the like veils and pretences Therefore I am faithful Not with Argum. 3. I have not walked in craftiness deceitfully handling the Word of God or bending and fitting that to the dispositions of men as the false Apostles do Therefore I am faithful By manifestation Argum. 4. I have carried my self so mildly in the cleaâ— preaching of the Word of God that the consciences of all men are compelled to acknowledge my integrity of which thing also I have God to my witness Therefore I am faithful Vers. 3. But if our Gospel bee hid it is hid to them that are lost 4. In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not leâ—t the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them Object But how comes it to pass that thy Doctrine is not understood by so many wise and potent men if it bee so clearly taught Hee answers that the ignorance of the Gospel so plainly unfolded to them was no argument of the obscurity of the Doctrine but of the incredulity of the hearer and his future perdition from the blindness of unbelievers blinded by the Devil whom the world serves For the Devil further blindeth the blind Infidels lest they should see God offering himself in Christ lest they should behold Christ to their Salvation shining in the Gospel who hath brought forth the invisible God as to our view by his Doctrine and Power manifested in the flesh that wee may behold God in Christ the true Image of God the Father Vers. 5. For wee preach not our selves but Christ Iesus the Lord and our selves your servants for Iesus sake Argum. 5. Of the Apostles fidelity I saith hee seek the glory of Christ alone and acknowledge Christ only Lord in the Church Truly I declare my self and other Teachers not only Ministers of Christ but also of his people that Christ alone may bee exalted Therefore I shew my self faithful Vers. 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. Argum. 6. Confirming the former wherein hee compares his Conversion from Pharisaism to the creation of light out of darkness God who by his Omnipotent Word hath produced light out of darkness by no less efficacy hath hee brought mee lost sinner out of the darkness of Pharisaism and sin and hath so powerfully enlarged my heart illuminated by the light of Christ his glorious Son that I cannot but communicate to others this glorious knowledge of the grace of God given to mee manifestly shining in Christ Therefore it behoveth mee to bee faithful Vers. 7. But wee have these treasures in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may bee of God and not of us Argum. 7. God by shewing my infirmity in all exercises and also by maintaining his strength in mee under frequent afflictions and by keeping mee constant hitherto hath rendred my faithfulness commendable with all men Therefore I can affirm my self faithful The Second Part. Hee so handles this argument that in the mean while hee solves two objections that hee might take away the scandal of the Cross. Earthen Object 1. In the mean while thy condition of life is miserable and contemptible as a certain earthen vessel Hee answers four manner of wayes 1. That it is true that hee is an earthen vessel frail and contemptible but not withstanding hee contains the Treasure of Grace and the knowledge of the Gospel May bee of God Furthermore hee answers that that happened by the Wisdome of God lest the glory of the
Conversion and Salvation of so many men should bee ascribed to the virtue of the Apostle that it should bee wholly ascribed unto God for by so much the more the Power of God is conspicuous in great works by how much the weakness of the Instrument more evidently appeareth Vers. 8. Wee are troubled â—n every side yet not distressed wee are perplexed but not in dispair 9. Persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed Hee answers 3. That all his afflictions are moderated and hee himself is upheld by God in all things that hee is not destitute of the help of God doth not sink under his burthen that hee doth not forsake God nor dispair is not forsaken of God not left or lost Therefore it matters nothing how weak he is in himself Wee are afflicted hee saith yet not distressed i. e. on every side wee are troubled with adversity but wee are not brought into such streights as to bee over-whelmed but wee are preserved by the help of God in the midst of afflictions Wee are perplexed but not in despair i. e. wee doubt sometimes what may bee done in the dangers of this life but wee are not so destitute that wee are void of all counsel Wee are persecuted but not forsaken i. e. God permits us to bee vexed and evil intreated by the enemies of the Gospel but hee neither permits us to bee slain before the time by him determined neither doth hee withdraw his consolations from us Wee are cast down but not destroyed that is wee sometimes seem presently ready to perish but God helping us wee are kept from perishing Vers. 10. Alwayes bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life also of Iesus might bee made manifest in our body Hee answers 4. That his afflictions make for the glory of Christ because the Image of Christ suffering and dying may bee seen in them and that the virtue and strength of Christ living may appear in supporting him under so many afflictions Therefore it matters not how weak hee may bee in himself Vers. 11. For wee which live are alway delivered unto death for Iesus sake that the Life also of Iesus might bee manifest in our mortal flesh Hee confirms this from hence that the Apostles who lived in the midst of troubles by the strength of Christs Spirit for the cause of Christ daily undergo danger that the quickning Virtue of Christ may more and more appear in sustaining their fleshly infirmities obnoxious to that miserable condition Vers. 12. So then death worketh in us but life in you Object 2. But not necessarily because thou art the Servant of Christ therefore thou shouldest bee also miserable and contemned For wee Corinthians are Christians and yet wee live more prosperously Hee answers four manner of wayes 1. By granting it to bee so yet by the Wisdome of God it comes to pass that in some stronger Christians as the Apostles the Image of Christ dying might rather appear at least to the world But in others as the weaker Corinthians the efficacy of Christs Life supporting them under extreme afflictions might bee more apparent to the world Vers. 13. Wee having the same spirit of Faith according as it is written I believed and therefore have I spoken wee also believe and therefore speak 14. Knowing that hee which raised up the Lord Iesus shall raise up us also by Iesus and present us with you Hee answers 2. Although the Apostles may bee afflicted more than the Corinthians yet there is the same Spirit of Faith both in them and in the Corinthians by which Faith believing with David Psalm 116. ver 10. The Apostle dare promise to himself together with the Corinthians a glorious Resurrection although now hee is more pressed under the Cross than they Vers. 15. For all things are for your sake that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God Hee answers 3. That hee was afflicted for their consolation and confirmation as also that from his afflictions and deliverances occasion of praying and suffering together with the Apostles might not onely bee given to the Corinthians But also occasion of thanksgiving with them for their eminent deliverances from trouble which God forthwith granted to him with the rest of the Apostles and was about to grant Vers. 16. For which cause wee faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day Hee answers 4. That hee was not tyred nor wearied by his afflictions whereof hee subjoyns three Reasons Reason 1. Because as much as was diminished of those goods that made for the maintaining the State of this present life so much was added to his holiness for the increasing of his spiritual life Vers. 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Reason 2. Because it did procure an unspeakable weight of glory to the promoting of which afflictions help as instruments and means both of mortification and glorification so that no afflictions are to bee accounted of yea truly the lightness of afflictions which is but for a moment clearly vanisheth and becomes as nothing in comparison with future glory Vers. 18. While wee look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Reason 3. Why hee doth not wax faint is Because saith hee by Faith I look at things eternal and invisible by reason of which I despise all temporal and visible i. e. both Riches Honours and Profits c. I do not look at because those are onely durable for a time but I have my mind intent upon those good and eternal things which God hath promised Therefore I do not weigh the loss of temporal things by all which the Apostle confirmeth the Corinthians lest they should bee offended at his afflictions CHAP. V. HEE goes on to shew more fully his faithfulness in the Ministery by mentioning seven impellent causes whereby hee was moved to faithfulness in the discharge of his duty Vers. 1. For wee know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved wee have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens The first impellent cause to faithfulness in the Ministery is his certain confidence of a blessed immortality which after death remains for him and all the rest of the faithful Ministers of Christ of which felicity also the body shall bee partaker in the Resurrection I am perswaded saith hee that after the dissolution of this my frail body I shall continually injoy felicity of soul and the glorious immortality of a raised body why should not I therefore bee faithful so long as I dwell in this mortal body Vers. 2. For in this wee groan earnestly desiring to bee cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven
of the Son of God who loved mee and gave himself for mee Reas. 3. Confirming the former I being justified by Faith am judicially united unto Christ crucified and in him I am judicially bound to dye unto sin to crucifie the old man Therefore I cannot consent to sin from the principles of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith This is the Reason Christ our Surety on the Cross did not onely expiate the sins of the redeemed but also for their sakes hee promised that they should dye to sin and crucifie their corrupt nature Therefore hee which by Faith apprehending his judicial union with Christ crucified it is necessary also that hee acknowledge his obligation to dye to sin or to crucifie his old nature by the virtue of Christ. Nevertheless I live I justified by Faith am a new Creature by the Spirit of Christ living in mee so that I live not as to the old man but Christ dwelling in mee useth this natural life as his Organ and Member and Effects that by Faith in his strength I may lead this life taking care of all my affairs that I may as it were bring the Spirit into obedience unto God and that out of his same love by which hee dyed for mee Therefore I cannot consent to sin from the principles of justifying Faith The force of the Argument in short is this The Spirit quickens us that are justified by the Faith of Christ to live holily Therefore Justification by Faith doth not give liberty to sin Vers. 21. I do not frustrate the Grace of God for if Righteousness come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain The Objection is removed The second Argument for Justification by Faith and not by the Works of the Law followeth If Justification bee by the Works of the Law the Grace of God is in vain and made of none effect for if Justification bee by Works it cannot bee by Grace as Rom. 11.6 But God forbid that I should make the Grace of God of none effect Therefore God forbid that I should determine Justification to bee by Works For if Argum. 3. If Justification bee by the Law Christ is dead in vain because then both otherwise and more easily Justification might bee obtained than by the death of Christ But it is absurd to say that Christ is dead in vain Therefore Justification is not by the Law but by Faith CHAP. III. Vers. 1. O Foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth before whose eyes Iesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you Because hee knew that the minds of the Galatians were prepossessed with a false opinion Therefore lest they should faint upon the following disputation he by a grave objurgation shaketh them out of their drowsiness and pricks their consciences as it were with four stings For first of all hee calls them foolish and unadvised Because they suffer themselves foulely to bee deceived although not out of malice yet by their own imprudence 2 He calls them bewitched i. e. deluded by the delusions of Impostors 3 Hee objects to them their defection from the saving Truth of the Gospel concerning the Grace of Christ. 4 Hee amplifies their crime from this that Christ was so evidently preached amongst them and his sufferings with the causes of them so clearly explained as if the whole matter as in a painted Table had been set before their eyes The Preface being premised hee goes on to confirm that Justification is by Faith and not by the Works of the Law in four and twenty Arguments Vers. 2. This onely would I learn of you Received yee the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith Argum. 1. Yee have not received the Spirit of Regeneration and other graces by which the preaching of the Gospel is sealed amongst you by Works or by Doctrine received from the Covenant of Works but by Faith or by the Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace applied by Faith Therefore yee are not justified by Works but by Faith Vers. 3. Are yee so foolish having begun in the Spirit are yee now made perfect by the flesh Argum. 2. Although some Impostors have perswaded you that the beginning of Justification is by Faith but the accomplishment of it is to be had from Works yet this opinion is to be condemned of folly because it is impossible that the spiritual way of justifying by Faith should consist with that carnal way of justifying by Works much less that it should take its perfection from this Therefore wee are not justified by Works but by Faith Righteousness by Works is called flesh 1 Because although now this kind of Justification is impossible yet it is a common and foolish surmise of corrupt nature that wee are justified by Works and by the pride and vaunting of the flesh this is every where defended 2 Because all the Works of the unregenerate or a man not justified by Faith all his Works by which hee seeks Justification are meer flesh or the effects of corrupt flesh as they come from those that are not justified It is as absurd therefore to say that a man is justified by the continual violation of the Law or can acquire Righteousness by sinning But as touching Works which follow Justification or the remission of sins they cannot bee the cause of a thing already past before they were or could bee except you take Justification for the declaration of Justification amongst men already passed and pronounced by God Vers. 4. Have yee suffered so many things in vain if it bee yet in vain Argum. 3. If in your foolishness you proceed 〈◊〉 seek for Justification by Works or to bee justified partly by Faith partly by Works yee will lose all the fruit of your constancy hitherto and afflictions which yee have through Faith already suffered for the defence of Righteousness by Faith but I hope better things Therefore yee are not justified by Works but by Faith alone Vers. 5. Hee therefore that ministreth to you the Spirit and worketh miracles among you doth hee it by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith Argum. 4. The Ministers by whom God gives his Spirit and works miracles among you are onely they which teach Justification not by Works but onely by Faith in Christ Therefore Justification by Faith alone is approved by God but not that which is feigned to bee by Works Vers. 6. Even as Abraham beleeved God and it was accounted to him for Righteousness Argum. 5. Abraham although hee did very much abound in virtues yet hee was justified by Faith alone for hee beleeved God and it was imputed to him for Righteousness For God hath promised to bless all Nations in his seed i. e. in Christ. Hee hath applied this blessing which containeth in it self Righteousness and life eternal in Christ to himself by beleeving Therefore wee are justified not by Works but by Faith Vers. 7. Know yee therefore that they which are
themselves fairly before men Onely Sign 2. That they compel the Galatians to admit of Circumcision not out of love but onely lest they should suffer persecution by the Jews for the Doctrine of the Cross or free justification by the death of Christ and not by the works of the Law Vers. 13. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the Law but desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh Sign 3. That although they were circumcised long since yet they little care for the observance of the Law which they required of others But desire Sign 4. That they seek occasion from the circumcision of the Galatians to glory amongst the Jews that they had converted many Proselytes to the Law Vers. 14. But God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto mee and I unto the world In the other part of the comparison the sincerity of the Apostle is shewn in these two things 1. That hee onely glories in his free Redemption by Christ crucified and in his sufferings for the Doctrine 2. That hee doth not affect earthly pomp but contemn the world with all its pomp and glory which persecuted and despised him for the Doctrine of the Cross sake and by the Cross learnt daily more and more to contemn the world Vers. 15. For in Christ Iesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature Hee gives four Reasons of his endeavour which are so many signs of his sincerity Reason 1. I know that in the Kingdome of Christ neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision is respected by God but a new creature i. e. I know that it is necessary when any one is admitted by faith into the Kingdome of Christ and justified that hee should bee more and more renewed and sanctified but other priviledges are of no value without newness of life Therefore I will onely glory in the Cross of Christ. Vers. 16. And as many as walk according to this rule peace bee on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Reas. 2. The rule of my intention is the summe of the whole Canonical Scripture to which as to one onely rule or one onely Canon the Doctrine and life of all is to bee conformable Therefore I will only glory in the Cross of Christ c. Peace Reas. 3. I am perswaded that whosoever shall order their faith and life by this rule they shall also obtain peace i. e. a sense of their reconciliation to God all kinde of blessings or an accumulation of good things and mercy or a remedy for the purging away all evills Therefore I will onely glory in the Cross of Christ. Israel Reas. 4. They are alone the true Israel of God that follow this Rule Therefore all things laid aside I will onely glory in the Cross of Christ by c. Vers. 17. From henceforth let no man trouble mee for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Iesus After the Comparison as a Conquerour hee triumphs over his Emulators forbidding them to make him any further work either by gain-saying his Doctrine or by detracting from his Authority because hee bare the ensign of his Felicity towards Christ viz. the mark of a servant most devoted to Christ i. e. Hee hath all the signes of an Apostle and a faithfull Witness clearly to bee seen in him Vers. 18. Brethren the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ bee with your spirit Amen Hee shuts up the Epistle with his accustomed seal wishing that the Grace of Jesus Christ manifested beleeved and effectual might abide in their mindes hearts and whole life that from thence they may draw consolation both in life and death to which Amen is subjoyned as a testimony of his vote and the faith of an Apostle and for a seal of the truth of the precedent Doctrine The Epistle of Paul to the EPHESIANS Analytically expounded The Contents THe City of the Ephesians was the Metropolis of Lesser Asia in which the Apostle two whole years preached the Gospel Act. 19. And when lastly hee went up to Jerusalem hee fore-told a change of the Church to the Ephesians Act. 20. Against which hee fortifies them by this Epistle when hee was now held captive at Rome and plainly despaired of his return hee endeavoureth diligently to confirm their minds in Faith and Truth There are two principal parts of the Epistle besides the Preface and the Conclusion The first is The Doctrine of Grace for the confirmation of their Faith to Chap. 4. The other is the Doctrine of gratitude and thankfulness tending to holiness of life to the end of the Epistle That which belongeth to the first part First of all hee shews that the whole reason of our salvation is free and solidly founded on Christ in the first Chapter Furthermore hee amplifies this Grace from the former misery of the Ephesians Chap. 2. Thirdly The scandal of the Cross lying upon him being taken away hee exhorts them to constancy and progress in the Faith by the glorious commendation of his Ministery and by manifesting the cause for which hee suffered Chap. 3. In the second part hee gives Precepts of keeping the unity of the Church of holiness of life as well in general as in particular in the shunning of evil and following after virtue by which the life of every one is ordered in a Christian manner Chap. 4. and in the former part of Chap. 5. After these hee descends to houshold duties to which and all other Christian duties that are to bee performed hee arms the faithful in the latter part of Chap. 5. and in the former part of Chap. 6. CHAP. I. THis Chapter besides the Preface contains two parts In the first is a thanksgiving tending to prove that the whole business of salvation both of Iews and Gentiles is meerly of Grace and wholly built on Christ to vers 15. In the other is a commemoration of the Apostles continual thanksgiving and prayer offered to God for the Ephesians tending to the confirmation of Faith the assurance of their salvation and of the perseverance of all truly faithful unto the end The Preface in the two first verses contains a direction of the Epistle and a salutation of the Ephesians which is very short because hee hath not to do here with envious persons or enemies but with conformable and obedient men to whom it would bee sufficient briefly to intimate his divine authority in writing this Epistle and the Apostles good will towards them and opinion of them Vers. 1. Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the Will of God to the Saints which are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Iesus In the direction of the Epistle wee have the description of the Writer from his Name Office and Authority And then of those to whom hee writes from the condition in which they stood towards God and from the place which they did inhabit on the
together with Christ by grace yee are saved Argum. 3. In the instant of our Redemption by Christ and Regeneration by the Spirit of Christ wee as dead in sins were quickned together with Christ that is in Christ and by Christ Therefore wee are saved by grace For it is of grace that in the Covenant made between God and the Mediator wee who were dead in sins were given to the Son the appointed Redeemer that by him we might be restored to life It is of grace that in the payment of the agreed-upon price of our Redemption life in Christ who was raised from the dead should be adjudged to bee given to us It is of Grace that in the application of Redemption and in the moment of Regeneration life should bee communicated to us in and from Christ that together with other Saints wee should bee grafted into Christ enjoy the common spiritual life with them and thrive and waxe stronger in him For which reasons our life ever depends on the life of Christ and coupled with it in an indissoluble knot Vers. 6. And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Iesus Argum. 4. God in Christ who was raised up hath raised us up also and in Christ who is placed in the heavens hath placed us together with him Therefore hee hath saved us of his grace For as whatever Christ either did or suffered in our name and place is reckoned ours in Gods account so what ever Christ received in our name and place is reckoned ours also Therefore in the Resurrection of Christ by the Covenant of Redemption the Redeemed did also rise with him judicially or in a judicial way In Christs ascension into heaven the Redeemed judicially ascend with him In Christs sitting or glorious possession of eternal life the Redeemed in a judicial way do sit and are placed with him This right is obtained for beleevers by Christ before faith bee actually given but in conversion this right before obtained by faith by a special act is applied to us that as Christ ascending might say from the Covenant made between God and the Mediator or from the Covenant of Redemption I ascend in the name of the Redeemed for whom I have gotten this right that they may bee reckoned to ascend in mee so those that flye to and beleeve in Christ may say now I have gotten right from the Covenant of salvation made by the Mediator between Christ and the Church that I may reckon the Resurrection of Christ rightfully mine I may reckon the ascension of Christ rightfully mine and so in the rest What abundance of grace is here Vers. 7. That in the ages to come hee might shew the exceeding riches of his Grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Iesus Argum. 5. The end for which wee lost sinners both Jews and Gentiles even after wee have so wickedly led our lives should have salvation bestowed upon us in Christ is that those which shall live in after-ages may see and acknowledge the superabounding grace of God and that by our example they may learn to come unto God who is the fountain of salvation in Christ that they also might in like manner though most unworthy obtain Grace Therefore you are saved onely by Grace Vers. 8. For by Grace are yee saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Hee repeats the proposition to bee proved in the very terms and adds Arg. 6. Yee are saved by faith and therefore by Grace for faith disclaimes our merits and relies only upon the free and gracious promise of God and that God hath appointed faith to bee an instrument of our salvation the nature whereof requires that forsaking our own works and strength our own wisdome and honour wee should go out of our selves and seek salvation in God is also of Grace It is the gift Arg. 7. Neither our salvation nor our faith is from our selves or our own natural strength but like as salvation so is faith the free gift of God Therefore wee are saved by Grace For when the Spirit of God begins to work conversion in us it findes us dead in sins and unless wee are quickned by him wee cannot contribute any thing to our own regeneration or salvation nay wee are not able so much as to act faith on the promises of God unless faith and the act of this faith bee granted us from above Vers. 9. Not of works lest any man should boast Argum. 8. Wee are not saved by works Therefore by Grace for these do mutually take away one another Lest any one Argum. 9. If wee were saved by works and not by meer grace wee might have occasion and cause to boast but this is absurd Therefore c. as in Rom. 3. Vers. 10. For wee are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that wee should walk in them Argum. 10. So far as wee are regenerated so far as indued with spiritual life wee are grafted into Christ wee are the work of God and a new creature being anew created by the power of God alone before wee are able to do any good work Therefore wee are not saved by the merit of works but by meer Grace Created Argum. 11. In Christ wee are created to do good works and by the same grace by which wee are grafted into Christ wee are ordained unto the performance of good works Therefore wee are not saved by any vertue of our good works Hath before ordained Argum. 12. Those works which wee are to do after regeneration are prepared by God that wee should do and perform them to which end our understanding is prepared our will is prepared and formed and power is prepared to bee given us of God who works in us both to will and to do Therefore wee are not saved by works but by Grace alone Should walk Argum. 13. The end of these prepared good works is that being quickned and planted into Christ and new born and justified and having gotten a full right to obtain Righteousness and Salvation in Christ wee should walk in them as in the Royal way and rode to the possession of salvation already bought by Christ and granted to us in Christ Therefore c. Vers. 11. Wherefore remember that yee being in time passed Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision in the flesh made by the hands Argum. 14. Which contains an amplification of Grace towards the Ephesians in respect of their former condition in Gentilisme If you Ephesians bee considered in your special estate as yee were Gentiles your condition will appear so miserable and deplorable that you could not bee otherwise delivered from it than by Grace Therefore the very changing of your condition will evidently shew that your salvation is of Grace Hee sets forth this miserable state in these eight things 1 They were in the flesh living
and by baptism sealed to you so that there is no need to seek any thing out of Christ that belongs to the full paying the price of Redemption Therefore wee must not depart from him Yee are risen Argum. 7. Yee beleevers by baptism are brought into the communion of Christs Resurrection or his victory that hee gained over death and sin by which yee are not onely risen to newness of life in holiness but also yee shall rise in respect of your bodies to a glorious and immortal life so that nothing as to holiness and eternal life is to bee desired out of Christ Therefore yee must not at all depart from him Through the faith But yet lest too much be attributed to external baptisme from the work as they say done hee requires the faith of God efficaciously working in those that are baptized i. e. That wee beleeve that God who powerfully raised Christ from the dead according to his promises will also effectually raise us according to his promise to all manner of newness of life For by how much the nearer wee imbrace the power of God that raised Christ our head from the dead by so much the more wee shall make progress in newness of life Vers. 13. And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh hath hee quickned together with him having forgiven you all trespasses Argum. 8. God hath made you Colossians in times past dead in sins and lying in the uncircumcision of irregenerate nature partakers of the holy and immortal life of Christ as to right and an inchoate possession all your sins by grace being forgiven therefore as to a plenary remission of sins and to an holy and immortal life nothing is to bee sought out of Christ. This benefit is called a quickning together with Christ although Christ had risen some years before they were converted because in what moment soever any one is by faith united to Christ in the same moment is hee united to him now reigning in heaven yea in his dying burial and rising again after a judicial or forinsical manner so that in all things in which hee hath or doth sustain our person it is no less than if wee had in a Physical manner been present and consented to every act of his in our behalf Vers. 14. Blotting out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nayling it to his Cross. Argum. 9. In which also hee explains how Christ obtained remission of sins for us viz. by taking away the hand-writing in this sense The Covenant of works is an hand-writing established partly in threatnings partly in appointed positive Ceremonials excluding the Gentiles from the Church was against us and contrary to us But Christ hath blotted out this hand-writing taking it out of the way and nailing it to his Cross Therefore you must not look back to the legal Covenant or ceremonial appointments in them to seek for any thing neither must yee depart in the least from the death of Christ by which yee are delivered from that hand-writing Hee compares this Covenant of works with its appurtenances to an hand-writing by which any one bindes himself for the paying of a debt for whosoever are convicted of sin by the light of nature are also by the force of the Covenant of Works obnoxious to wrath and as often as wee are convinced of sin so often also by nature wee confirm the punishment of sin or the condition of the legal Covenant by the judgement of our consciences against our selves as by an hand-writing The conscience of every one performs this much more which hath received the written Law and daily bears the punishment of the Law for the breaking of it But chiefly all justiciaries are compelled to subscribe to this hand-writing who acknowledge no righteousness besides inherent or that which is by works Of which number were those that Judaized and observeers of Ceremonies who adhered to this Covenant seeking Righteousness by works and the appointed Ceremonies For by how much they did indeavour by this means more manifestly to establish their own Righteousness by so much the more openly they did derive the punishment of the Law broken by the force of the Covenant upon themselves For no man enters a Covenant but hee also admits all the conditions of the Covenant The hand-writing is said to bee in Ordinances or rather subscribed to Ordinances so far as they took upon them those commands or Legal Ordinances that they might bee perfected in themselves they did withall oblige themselves to bear the punishment of the breach of those commands Hee calls it the hand-writing against us or contrary to us partly because it separated the Jews from the Gentiles and the Gentiles from the Jews Partly because it was a yoak which neither they nor their Fathers could bear Partly because as often as they did any work of the Law either moral or ceremonial to bee justified thereby so often by the imperfection of their work and the profession of their imperfection in the use of the Levitical Ceremonies they did argue themselves guilty or rather did acknowledge themselves guilty of death As for example when they offered Sacrifices and did repeat them they not onely acknowledged themselves sinners against the Moral Law but did also really confess that their frequent Sacrifices could not purge their consciences from sin and so the hand-writing of the Covenant of works was alwaies contrary to them But Christ hath blotted out this hand-writing and took it out of the way nailing it to his Cross insomuch as hee for the sake of them that were his hath paid for the redeemed the penalty due upon the hand-writing by the death of his Cross and hath compleated and abolished the positive Ordinances concerning those vanishing Ceremonies by the real Sacrifice of his own body once offered Vers. 15. And having spoiled principalities and powers hee made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it Argum. 10. Christ hath brought all the Devils who exercise their power and tyranny upon the Elect overthrown by the price of Redemption paid upon the Cross and gloriously triumpheth over them openly in the sight of God Angels and men whose eyes are open unto their own disgrace and our deliverance Therefore it remains that nothing is to bee sought out of Christ. The Devils are called Principalities and Powers 1 Because in the world they potently exercise authority over all the reprobate children of disobedience and all the unregenerate which do nothing else but execute the will of the Devil 2 Because they are Sergeants executing the judgement of God holding those captive that are not reconciled to God in Christ. 3 Because they fight against Christ the Redeemer neither do they dismiss the redeemed and reconciled from the prison of darkness unless compelled by the stronger power of Christ. They are said to bee spoiled by Christ on the Cross 1 Inasmuch as
the office of an Apostle that I might wholly attend to the preaching of the Gospel separated from the world to this business who is it therefore that dares detract from my authority Vers. 13. Who was before a blasphemer and a persecuter and injurious but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbeleef Reas. 4. Notwithstanding the wickedness and the evil deserts of my former life God is not hindred from taking mee into his service who was in times past an enemy Who therefore will disparage my authority upon the wickedness of my former conversation Ignorantly Hee prevents an Objection Some man might say how could so open an enemy of Christ obtain pardon Hee answers that his sin was out of ignorance and so hee proves that it was not that unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost or a malicious insurrection against Christ which the devilish enemies of the Gospel knowingly practise in opposition to the Kingdome of Christ but sin committed out of ignorance while hee was yet an unbeleever Vers. 14. And the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with Faith and Love which is in Christ Iesus Reas. 5. God hath vouchsafed mee more than an ordinary measure of Faith and Love and hath abundantly shewed forth his Grace in the bestowing of his saving gifts Therefore there is no reason that any one should detract from my Apostolick authority from my former conversation Vers. 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Iesus came into the world to savâ— sinners of whom I am chief Reas. 6. Christ through his eminent mercy towards mee hath effected this that being taught by experience I should bee drawn first as the chief of sinners in my oâ—n opinion to subscribe to that sentence of the Gospel concerning the person of Christ his office comming virtue merit and efficacy to save sinners so that I cannot but declare openly to the whole world the truth and benefit of that sentence for by experience I speak It is a faithful saying c. Therefoee no disparagement ought to bee offered to my authority who not onely beleeve my self what is committed to mee but I also preach what I have experience of Vers. 16. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in mee first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a patern to them that should hereafter beleeve on him to life everlasting Reas. 7. The Lord hath set mee for an example of his long-suffering mercy goodness and admirable grace that sinners to the end of the world who shall hear of my wonderful conversion and the bounty of God towards mee may bee abundantly confirmed in the love of Christ and expect the like goodness towards themselves looking upon mee as a type and exemplar of unspeakable mercy Therefore am I most fit to bee made a Preacher of that grace and far bee it from any one to detract from my authority because of my former conversation while I was an unbeleever Vers. 17. Now unto the King eternal immortal invisible the onely wise God bee honour and glory for ever and ever Amen Thâ— Apostle now affected with the greatness of the benefit not satisfying himself in the amplification of it with a pathetick thanksgiving he concludes his speech with an illustrious celebration of Christ concerning whom hee produces four Epithites which are so agreeable unto Christ that they may also bee ascribed to the Father and to the Holy Ghost 1 God or Christ as God is King of ages i. e. by an Hebraism the eternal King that hee may bee distinguished from mundane and mortal Kings 2 Immortal because God is without all alteration change and corruption and alwayes the same like himself 3 Invisible because hee cannot bee comprehended by the eyes or any senses because their faculties are corporeal and circumscribed with narrow limits 4 Hee is onely wise because hee alone knows all things not by objects nor by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ratiocination but in and by and of himself as one in whom are all things as in their first efficient and their ultimate end Hence the Apostle ascribes honour to God or a testification to his eminency Glory a celebrious fame with praise which is eternally due unto God adding Amen as a seal of his faith and willingness to glorifie God The Third Part of the Chapter Vers. 18. This charge I commit unto thee son Timothy according to the Prophecies which went before on thee that thou by them mightest war a good warfare The third part contains his Exhortation to Timothy that hee would behave himself couragiously in his Ministry viz. That hee would war a good warfare or that hee would prepare himself to fight against all enemies and all impediments and would use all diligence that the Church might receive no detriment by any one According The Arguments of his Exhortation are two Arg. 1. Because certain things are foretold Prophetically of pious men by a kinde of divine instinct which afford great hope of famous actions to bee done by thee as appears out of Act. 16.2 Therefore war a good warfare Vers. 19. Holding fast faith and a good conscience which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwrack Hee explains his Exhortation by shewing the manner of warring to wit that hee would defend faithfully and profess sound Doctrine and by an holy life according to the truth preached by him that hee would maintain the light and peace of a good conscience which would inwardly acquaint him with his duty towards God and men if hee would attend to it and would administer comfort to him if hee suffered for defending the truth Which being put away Arg. 2. Because â—â—less thou behave thy self with a good courage and observest this law of war concerning the joyning of a good conscience with the profession of the faith there is danger upon the loss of a good conscience that thou make shipwrack of sound Doctrine or the profession of the faith as some have done Therefore war a good warfare In the mean time hee casts in no scruple here to Timothy about the uncertainty of perseverance but uses the best and most effectual argument to perswade him to it For it makes nothing in Hypothetical propositions that the parts of it taken by themselves and Categorically may bee false or impossible It is sufficient to the truth of the rule annexed that the connexion of the parts is certain Vers. 20. Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander whom I have delivered unto Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme The Apostle names two Apostates for example Hymeneus and Alexander whom hee had not long before delivered unto Satan i. e. excommunicated For they that are cast out from the face of God shining in the Church fall into the kingdome of Satan as to the condition of the outward man or the enjoyment of Church priviledges The end of this Excommunication hee shews to bee this That being led to repentance they might return
to a right knowledge and profession of the truth For the Apostle doth not declare any thing concerning the total loss of faith in Christ but on the contrary hopes for their repentance and their possible salvation hereafter CHAP II. IN this Chapter hee delivers four Precepts wherein all the faithful are to bee instructed how they ought decently to behave themselves in their publick Assemblies both men and women Vers. 1. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks bee made for all men Precept 1. That prayers in the publick Assembly especially might not bee neglected but that supplications ought to bee made for the turning of evils away and prayers for the obtaining of good things intercessions for other men and thanksgiving for benefits received in publick prayers which the whole Church the Pastor going before ought to conceive and that for all sorts of men bee they of what condition they will Vers. 2. For Kings and for all that are in authority that wee may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty Hee expounds the special Precept and in particular commands them to pray for Kings and all Magistrates in great places who because they sit at the helm of the Commonwealth ought to bee most dear to us and upon that account ought they to bee mentioned by us in the prayers of the Church Peaceable The Reasons of the Precept are nine Reas. 1. From the profitable end because the Magistrates being safe and managing their offices in peace the faithful may lead a quiet and peaceable life In godliness or obedience to the first Table And honesty or obedience to the second Table Therefore must wee pray for them Vers. 3. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour Reas. 2. To pray for Kings and all orders of men is good or acceptable unto God Therefore ought wee to pray for them God is said to bee our Saviour because although Christ is our Saviour by special office yet in the effecting and execution of his office hee doth not actually save us but with the Father and the Holy Spirit Vers. 4. Who will have all men to bee saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth Reas. 3. Confirming the former God will have all sorts of men therefore some amongst Kings and Magistrates and all orders of men to bee saved and come to the Faith of the Gospel Therefore hee wills that wee pray for all sorts or men and by name for Kings and those in authority concerning whom wee are obliged to hope well Vers. 5. For there is one God and one Mediatour between God and men the man Christ Iesus Reas. 4. Although men are distinguished several waies amongst themselves and there are divers orders whereof many are strangers to the Faith and many enemies yet it is enough to engage our prayers for all because God is one under whose power and dominion all are comprehended and that God is the God of the Jews as well as the Gentiles without acception of persons Therefore ought wee to pray for all sorts of men And one Mediatour Reas. 5. What ever distances there are amongst men by which they may bee distinguished from each others it is enough notwithstanding to ingage us to pray for all because to all Nations and all conditions of men there is one Mediatour appointed betwixt God and men by whom an access is open to all that come unto him Therefore ought wee to pray for all The man Reas. 6. Wee have reason to pray for all men inasmuch as that One Mediatour of all men is Man By the incarnation of the Word by the common bond of humane nature hee is united to all mâ—n viz. Jesus Christ who intercedes for all i. e. for his sheep collected out of all sorts of men Therefore wee ought to pray for all Vers. 6. Who gave himself a ransome for all to bee testified in due time Reas. 7. Christ gave himself a full and sufficient price of Redemption for men of all kinds Therefore ought wee to pray for all sorts of men A Testimony Reas. 8. The Gospel or Testimony of Christs redeeming all sorts of men which God had designed in due time to reveal is now made manifest Therefore in making prayers for all men the testimony of this truth is to bee produced in Christian Churches Vers. 7. Whereunto I am ordained a Preacher and an Apostle I speak the truth in Christ and lye noâ— a Teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity Reas. 9. The preaching of this Testimony or Gospel and the Doctrine of the price of Redemption paid for all sorts of men by Christ is in special manner committed unto mee that I might bee also a Teacher of the Gentiles to instruct them in the Faith and all Truth which leads to eternal life seeing therefore I know that many of the Gentiles are to bee saved and now I publickly teach you this prayers ought publickly to bee made in all Christian Churches for all sorts of men In the mean time because hee knew that some amongst the Jews would take ill the mentioning of his Apostleship and his embassage to the Gentiles hee confirms that expression of his being senâ— to the Gentiles with a grave asseveration lest any one should doubt Vers. 8. I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting Those things that follow belong to the circumstances of publick worship Therefore the second Precept follows touching persons fit for conceiving publick prayers in the Church Also concerning the place and dispositions both of the soul and body accommodated to that matter As for the persons Hee commands the men onely not women to speak in the Church and to precede the people in their prayers In every place As to the place hee shews according to that prediction of Christ Ioh. 4. that all difference of places which was in the Old Testament when they were thrice a year to meet at the Temple in Ierusalem and their face was to bee turned to the Sanctuary whether they were near or afar off from the Temple is taken away and that now liberty is granted that Christians in every place may honestly and decently celebrate their Assemblies Lifting up As to the body hee requires that the gesture should bee such as may testifie reverence to the divine Majesty and may enkindle our devotion which kind of gesture is the lifting up of the hands whether they bee spread abroad or closed together Purely As for the whole man and chiefly the soul hee requires first Integrity and innocency of life which hâ—e means by purity of hands 2 That wrath bee laid aside strifes and all evil affections that they all bee of one accord 3 That they make no doubt whether God will hear or grant those things which wee who come to him by Jesus Christ ask of him according to his revealed will Vers. 9. In like
Or Reject not God speaking or Refuse not to subject your selves to his word Therefore the Profession of the Christian Faith is to bee held fast As in Argum. 9. From Exod. 17. You ought to attend to the evil example of your Fathers who out of unbeleef tempted God in the desert who in their sight had made proof of his power and goodness as his works testified for forty years Therefore you ought to hold fast the Profession of your Faith Vers. 10. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation and said they do alway erre in their hearts and they have not known my waies Argum. 10. From Psal. 95. Except you continue stedfast in the Faith yee will bee Heirs of the wrath of God denounced against an unbeleeving Nation and you will fall under the same condemnation with your Fathers who affected errour in their hearts noâ— would they learn the waies of God Therefore c. Vers. 11. So I sware in my wrath they shall not enter into my rest Argum. 11. Our of the same Psalm unless you continue stedfast in the Faith yee are in danger to bee shut out of the Kingdome of Heaven or from Gods rest by his oath being provoked to anger Therefore c. Vers. 12. Take heed Brethren lest there bee in any of you an evil heart of unbeleef in departing from the Living God Argum. 12. From the application of the fore-mentioned example propounded by way of Exhortation unless every one of you take heed to your selves diligently of that inbred wickedness and incredulity of heart yee will without doubt fall from the Living God Therefore yee ought with all watchfulness to hold fast the Faith Vers. 13. But exhort one another daily while it is called to day leâ—t any of you bee hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Argum. 13. It lyes upon every one of you not onely to take heed to your selves lest yee faint but also by mutual Exhortations while yee have opportunity to do your indeavour that none of you harden his heart by the deceitfulness of sin in any wickedness lest a defection in the business of Religion insue upon a corrupt conversation Therefore yee ought to endeavour that all and every one of you bee stedfast in the Faith Vers. 14. For wee are made partakers of Christ if wee hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end Argum. 14. No man is truly a partaker of Christ for the present who holds not fast to the end that principle by which wee are supported i. e. Faith by which wee subsist in our spiritual life Therefore ought c. Vers. 15. While it is said To day if yee will hear his voice harden not your hearts as in the provocation 16. For some when they had heard did provoke howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses 17. But with whom was hee grieved forty years was it not with them that had sinned whose carkasses fell in the wilderness 18. And to whom sware hee that they should not enter into his rest but to them that beleeved not 19. So wee see that they could not enter in because of unbeleef Argum. 15. Upon consideration of the circumstances of the Text in the fore-cited Psalm to this purpose From the words of the fore-quoted Psalm vers 15. wee may gather that not all but some provoked God for some persevered in the Faith of the Promises vers 16. but they who provoked God were onely those who from their comming out of Egypt continued in their unbeleef to their lives end and they which thus provoked God hee flew them in his wrath in the wilderness vers 17. And being now condemned of unbeleef hee shut them out from his rest with an oath vers 18. Who seeing from the history wee understand they could not enter into his rest because of unbeleef vers 19. It necessarily follows that you as many of you who are exempted from the wrath of God and exclusion from his rest as desire to bee saved with those that beleeve and would not bee driven from Gods rest with unbeleevers that are excluded it behoves you to hold fast the Profession of your Faith CHAP. IV. Vers. 1. LEt us therefore fear lest a Promise being left us of entring into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it Insisting upon the exposition and application of the place cited out of Psal. 95. hee exhorts them to hasten their entrance into the Rest of God by Faith in Christ By the Rest of God hee means that spiritual and heavenly Rest wherein wee cease from sin and enjoy tranquillity of conscience from peace towards God and safely dwell under his shadow the beginning whereof is in this life and the perfection of it in the life to come Wee enter into this rest more and more by faith till at length wee obtain a full refreshment at the coming of our Lord. The Arguments of the Exhortation are Eleven Being left Arg. 1. In the midst of the threatning Psal. 95. vers ult There is a promise left to us beleevers of entring into Gods rest Therefore you ought to make haste that by faith yee may enter into that Rest. Let us fear Arg. 2. Unless you make haste in the race of your faith to enter into the promised rest there is danger lest by your delay you bee shut out or bee found excluded For a sloathful and idle faith is justly suspected Therefore with fear which whets on diligence you ought to hasten that you may enter into Rest. Vers. 2. For unto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them but the word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it Argum. 3. Confirming both the former seeing the same Evangelical promise upon the same condition is preached as well to us as them and the word heard did not profit them who received it not mixed with faith but onely those that imbraced it by faith It will follow that this promise of entring into rest will neither profit us unless by faith imbracing the promises wee endeavour to enter into rest and on the other side it will follow that the promise will advantage us if wee bee careful to enter in by faith Therefore wee must endeavour to enter in Vers. 3. For wee which have beleeved do enter into rest as hee said as I have sworn in my wrath if they shall enter into my rest although the works were finished from the foundation of the world 4. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wife and God did rest the seventh day from all his works 5. And in this place again if they shall enter into my rest Arg. 4. Wee that beleeve in Christ have an entrance into rest opened to us by faith Therefore let us hasten to persevere by faith till wee obtain a full rest I have sworn Arg. 5. Confirming the former The Lord swearing in his wrath that unbeleevers shall
Argum. 4. Faith satisfies it self in the word of Almighty God concerning making the world out of nothing or concerning the Creation of all things which wee see out of no apparent or pre-existent matter Therefore wee must live by Faith and persevere in it although wee see nothing of those things which are promised to us in the word of God seeing God can effect our salvation promised to us out of things which appear not no less by his word than hee could create the world out of nothing Vers. 4. By Faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Kain by which hee obtained witness that hee was righteous God testifying of his gifts and by it hee being dead yet speaketh The properties of Faith follow which are illustrated by the special experience of the Saints which hee disposes into four classes as it were for orders sake The first is of those which lived before the flood to vers 8. The second is of those which lived from the flood till Israel went down into Egypt to vers 23. The third is of those that lived at their comming out of Egypt to vers 32. The fourth is of those that lived after to the end The first in the first rank or classis is Abel who is said by Faith to offer a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain not onely â—hat Faith caused that hee should make choice of the best Sacrifice which by the command of God it was lawful for him to offer but especially because by Faith in the thing signified i. e. the MESSIAH the immaculate Lamb of God promised who was to take away the sins of the world hee fastened his eyes and worshiped God in Spirit whereas Cain stuck in the naked superficial Ceremony onely And so Abel is declared justified by Faith God giving testimony of the excellency of his Sacrifice which hee offered By which Faith although dead yet hee speaks teaching by his example all in the Church to beleeve in Christ and to seal their Faith with the Martyrdome of blood if it be the will of God Hence Argum. 5. The faithful are declared just by Faith their offerings are accepted their worship is approved of God and posterity is edified by the example of Beleevers as is manifest by the example of Abel Therefore ought wee to persevere in the Faith Vers. 5. By Faith Enoch was translated that hee should not see death and was not found because God had translated him for before his translation hee had this testimony that hee pleased God 6. But without Faith it is impossible to please him for hee that cometh to God must believe that hee is and that hee is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Enoch follows in the second place who is said by Faith to bee translated into life immortal death or the separation of his Soul from his body not intervening only a change made from mortal to immortal qualifications He proves that this Translation was a fruit of Faith because Enoch pleased God or was approved before the translation of him and without faith it is impossible to please God the reason whereof is given because no man comes unto God or is admitted into fellowship with him unless hee subscribe to the All-sufficiency and goodness of God by Faith so as to apply that goodness of God to himself which is offered him and come unto God desirous of communion with him for it is Faith alone that divests a man of all his own worth and joyns him to God that is merciful and full of compassion Hence Argum. 6. By Faith wee obtain Eternal Life as God hath testified to us in the translation of Enoch who had hee not been indued with faith had not pleased God nor come unto him nor had been admitted into heaven Therefore ought wee to persevere in the Faith Vers. 7. By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his house by the which hee condemned the world and became Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith Noah is the third who warned of God concerning the coming of a Flood many years after believed and feared and by the Command of God prepared an Ark to the saving of his Family whereby hee convinced the rest of the world then living with himself of unbelief and is declared the Heir of that Righteousness which is by Faith in Christ who was represented by the Ark Hence Argum. 7. By Faith wee are to take heed of the anger of God and diligently use the appointed means to Salvation by which diligence wee convince the world of unbelief and slothfulness and testifie the truth of our Faith whereby wee believe in Christ and obtain the inheritance of Righteousness in him as is manifest in the experience of Noah Therefore wee ought to persevere in the Faith Vers. 8. By Faith Abraham when hee was called to go out into a place which hee should after receive for an inheritance obeyed and hee went out not knowing whither hee went 9. By Faieh hee sojourned in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country dwelling in Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the Heirs with him of the same Promise 10. For hee looked for a City which hath foundations whose Builder and Maker is God The second Rank or Classis of Believers which lived to the time of Israels going down into Egypt whereof the first in order is Abraham who by Faith left his Country and followed God into a strange Land leaning upon the Promise of God for an inheritance to bee given him uncertain in the mean time where hee should sojourn ver 8. By Faith also hee sojourned in the promised Land dwelling in Tabernacles as some Pilgrim and Stranger as Isaac and Iacob his Posterity did to whom the same promise of an Inheritance was made ver 9. For hee did not so much look at that typical Land of Canaan as Heaven represented by that Land of Promise which is like a fenced and strongly founded City whose Builder is God and not man Hence Argum. 8. By Faith wee being called of God leave all earthly things and content with our condition being according to the Will of God whatever it is wee sojourn in this world under hope of a most abiding Inheritance to bee possessed by us in heaven as appears in the example of Abraham Therefore c. Vers. 11. Through Faith also Sarah her self received strength to conceive Seed and was delivered of a Child when shee was past age because shee judged him faithful who had promised 12. Therefore sprang there even of one and him as good as dead so many as the stars of the Sky in multitude and as the Sand which is by the Sea shore innumerable Before hee passes from what hee had to say of Abraham hee mentions the Faith of his Wife Sarah whose Faith concurred with Abrahams to apprehend the promise of the numerous Off-spring which should issue from him
Sarah by Faith leaning upon the truth of the Promise of God that is faithful and Almighty though shee was barren and aged and above the powers of nature shee is made fit to conceive Seed and to bring forth Isaac from Abraham already in respect to children as it were dead and so the Promise of God concerning his innumerable Off-spring took effect Hence Argum. 9. By Faith wee are fitted for the performance of those things which far exceed humane strength and to receive the accomplishment of Promises incredible to carnal reason as is apparent by the experience of Sarah Therefore c. Vers. 13. These all died in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and imbraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth Argum. 10. All these last recited viz. Abraham with Sarah his Wife and Isaac and Iacob persevered in the Faith even till death neither did they enjoy the good things in this life which God promised only by Faith they saw the certainty of the things promised and perswaded of them saluted the good promises afar off and stretching out as it were the Arms of Faith imbraced them thinking it enough that they should enjoy them after this life professing themselves in the mean time while they lived that they were pilgrims and strangers in the earth Therefore ought you to persevere in the Faith and to live by Faith Vers. 14. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a Country 15. And truly if they had been mindful of that Country from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned 16. But now they desire a better Country that is an heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to bee called their God for hee hath prepared for them a City Hee proves that while they lived upon earth they did not obtain the promises by two Reasons Reason 1. Because professing themselves strangers in the earth they plainly shewed that they sought a Country ver 14. but not an earthly country because they had opportunity of returning to it if they had sought it ver 15. Therefore they sought an heavenly Country promised of God Wherefore Reas. 2. God is not ashamed to bee called their God whence hee gives us to understand that hee had a City prepared for them i. e. Heaven and determined to raise them from the dead that both in body and soul they might possess that desired Country for as their God hee had prepared that City for them so hee would bee called by them Their God that all may understand that these Saints were not to bee separated from the society of God which they sought Vers. 17. By Faith Abraham when hee was tried offered up Isaac and hee that â—ad received the Promises offered up his only begotten Son 18. Of whom it was said that in Isaac shall thy seed bee called 19. Accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead from whence also hee received him in a figure The Arguments have been handled which were drawn from the common effect of the Faith of the Patriarchs The Arguments follow which are drawn from the proper effects of the Faith of each of them First hee commends the Faith of Abraham that when God tryed him whether hee would beleeve the Promises and also whether hee would in all things obey hee forthwith offered up Isaac for a burnt-offering though his onely Son although Abraham had immediate promises of multiplying his seed in this very Isaac vers 17. Although it was expresly said to him of this very Son that the blessed seed in whom all Nations were to be blessed should come of him vers 18. For by Faith Abraham reasoned that God who had brought forth Isaac from Parents past children was able to raise him also out of the Ashes And thus hee received Isaac snatched from the jaws of death in a similitude as it were raised from the dead vers 19. Hence Argum. 11. By Faith all impediments are conquered in temptations which may any waies hinder the performance of our obedience unto God and that with most happy success as is manifest by the experience of Abraham Therefore c. Vers. 20. By Faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come 21. By Faith Jacob when hee was a dying blessed both the Sons of Joseph and worshiped leaning upon the top of his staff The example of Iacob follows who when hee was a dying by Faith comforted himself and his Sons concerning the blessings which according to the Promise of God should come upon his Nephews and their posterity and that with so much perswasion that for joy hee worshiped God leaning upon his staffe by reason of the weakness of his body Hence Argum. 13. That by Faith they that are a dying may take comfort and not onely comfort themselves but also others concerning the blessings promised as may be seen in the example of dying Iacob Therefore c. Vers. 22. By Faith Joseph when hee dyed made mention of the departing of the children of Israel and gave commandement concerning his bones Ioseph is named the last of the Patriarchs whom neither his power nor the abundance of good things which hee enjoyed in Egypt could make unmindful or negligent of the Promises of God but being perswaded of the children of Israels going out of Egypt and of the bringing them into the Land promised to the Fathers although many years after hee commanded that his bones should be carried out also in testimony of his preferring the thing signified by the promised Land before all earthly things From whence Argum. 14. Faith overcomes length of time before the accomplishment of the Promise comming between together with the commodities of this life the corruption of death and the grave and looks for a resurrection with the Saints as wee see in the example of Ioseph dying Therefore c. Vers. 23. By Faith Moses when hee was born was hid three months of his Parents because they saw hee was a proper child and they not afraid of the Kings commandement The third rank or classis of examples follows from the times near the children of Israels departing out of Egypt to the times of the Iudges The first Example is of the Parents of Moses who gathering from the beauty of the child Moses that God had designed him for some eminent imployment by Faith hid him three months all that time not fearing the Kings command they preserved him alive whom the King hee being a male-child commanded to be cast into the river Whence Argum. 15. By Faith fear is overcome which Tyrants by their unjust commands bring upon the faithful as is manifest in the example of Moses Parents Therefore c. Vers. 24. By Faith Moses when hee was come to years refused to bee called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter 25. Chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the
another World in effect of that which was of old changing the holding and nature and use of all things to his Subjectâ— For a man ere hee come in to Christ is Gods enemy and to him all things in the World are enemies the Host and Souldiers of his dreadful Judge But after a man is made Christs Subject they turn all to bee his Friends and his Fathers servants working altogether for his good That is another and a new World indeed 2. It is called the World to come because albeit this change began with the work of Grace before Christ came yet it was nothing in comparison of the World iâ— come under the Messias And that which is now under the Gospel is little or nothing in comparison of that glorious change of the nature and use of all things unto Christs Subjects which is to bee revealed at his last coming Then whatsoever thing wee have hitherto found to our good since wee knew Christ it is but little to what shall bee our World is but to come 1 Cor. 15.19 3. The World is put in subjection to Christ that hee may dispose of it at his pleasure Then Christ is twice Soveraign Lord of the World once as Creator again as Mediator in his Manhead to make all the creatures in heaven and earth serve nill they will they to farther the work of full Redemption which hee hath undertaken 4. Hee excludeth the Angels from this honour Then In Christs Kingdom the Angels are in subjection to Christ for the good of his Subjects no less than sheep and oxen as the Psalm saith and not to bee adored with him as Soveraigns over us Vers. 6. But one in a certain place testified saying What is man that thou art mindful of him Or the Son of man that thou visitest him 7. Thou madest him a little lower than the Angels Thou crownedst him with glory and honour and didst set him over the works of thine hands 1. Being to prove by Scripture his purpose hee citeth neither Book nor Chapter but the words which are of the eighth Psalm and fourth Verse Then The Apostle will have the Church so well acquainted with text of Scripture that at the hearing of the words they might know where it is written though neither book nor verse were cited 2. The Prophet looking on man even on Christs manhead wherein hee was humbled hee wondereth to see mans nature so highly dignified above all creatures Then 1. The baseness of mans natural being compared with other more glorious creatures maketh Gods love to us above all other creatures so much the more wonderful 2. Christs Humiliation and Exaltation were both foreseen and revealed by the Prophets Vers. 8. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet For in that hee put all in subjection under him hee left nothing that is not put under him But now wee see not yet all things put under him 1. Hee proveth that Angels are in subjection to Christ because the text of the Psalm saith All is put in subjection and so neither Angels nor other creatures are excepted Then 1. For understanding of the meaning of Scripture it is necessary to consider not only what it saith expresly but also what it saiâ—h by consequence of sound reason 2. And whatsoever is rightly deduced by evidence of sound reason of the words of Scripture is the meaning of the Scripture as if it were spoken expresly 2. Hâ—e saith There is nothing left that is not put under Christ. Then Not good Angels only but all Spirits and all that they can do also are subject to Christ and hee can make them nill they will they contribute to the furtherance of his own purpose for the good of his Subjects and hurt of his foes 3. Because Christs enemies are still troubling his Kingdome hee moveth a doubt saying Wee see not yet all things put under him Then 1. The troubles of Christs subjects hinder the natural mind to perceive the Glory of Christs advancement 2. Carnal reason the Proctor of mis-belief will admit no more of divine truth than it is capable of by sense Vers. 9. But wee see Iesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with Glory and Honour that hee by the Grace of God should taste death for every man 1. Hee answereth the doubt saying Wee see Jesus crowned with glory and honour and so a course taken for putting all that oppose him farther and farther under him Then 1. The subjection of all things to Christs Throne cannot bee seen but in the exaltation of his person 2. When wee see his person exalted to such high dignity in heaven it is easie to see him put all under that riseth up against him 3. That which may bee taken up of Christ partly by his word and doctrine partly by his miraculous works and extraordinary gifts of the Spirit powred out upon the Primitive Church partly by his ordinary and powerful working upon the souls of his own since that time unto this day humbling and comforting changing and reforming mens hearts and lives I say these evidences of his Power do make a spiritual eye in a manner to see Jesus the worker of these works crowned with glory and honour 2. Hee meeteth another doubt arising from the abasement of Christ in his sufferings and death to which hee answereth in the words of the Psalm first that it was fore-told in that same Psalm that hee was to bee made for a little lower than the Angels to wit by suffering of death Then 1. The Cross of Christ is a ready stumbling block for a carnal mind else what needed the removing of the scandal 2. It is true indeed Christ in his humiliation was abased under the Angels and emptied 3. This abasement was but a little and for a short time 4. It was fore-told in the Psalm that speaketh of his Exaltation 5. If wee look to the Scripture fore-telling wee shall not stumble at Christs Humiliation 3. Hee giveth a farther answer by shewing the end of Christs Suffering to bee for our cause in the favour of God to us That hee should by the Grace of God taste Death for every one of us Then 1. Christs suffering was not for his own deserving but for ours and therefore should bee glorious in our eyes 2. Every Believer and Elect Soul hath interest in that death of his and so every man bound to love him and magnifie him for it and to apply the fruit of it to himself 3. This death was but a tasting of death because hee continued but a short time under it for his short suffering was so precious that hee could not bee holden by the Sorrows of Death but Death for a little was sufficient and therefore should diminish no mans estimation of him 4. It was by the Grace of God that his Death for a short should stand for our Eternal and therefore gracious and glorious should these his sufferings bee
follow by consequence that Beleevers do enter in This latter part is not expressed in the Text but left unto us to gather by consequence Whence wee learn 1 That God alloweth us to draw consequences from his Scripture 2 Yea traineth us on by his own example to draw them forth by reason 3 Yea hee will of necessity force us to draw consequences from his words or else not let us understand his meaning by leaving something not expressed to be collected by us Vers. 7 Again hee limiteth a certain daâ— saying in David To day after so long a time as it is said To day if yee will hear his voice harden not your hearts In that he reasoneth from the circumstance of tâ—me when David uttered these words he teacheth us That oftentimes there is matter of great moment imported in the least circumstances of the scripâ—â—res writing and therefore that the circumstances of time place and person who speaketh and to whom and at what time c. should not be passed over in our consideration of a Text but diligently bee marked Vers. 8. For if Iesus had given them rest then would hee not afterwards have spoken of another day 9. There remaineth therefore rest to the people of God 10. For hee that is entred into his Rest hee also hath ceased from his own works as God did from his 1. This reasoning from the time of Davids speaking sheweth How infallibly thâ—â— were led that wrote the Scriptusre that they could not fail in setting down a word nor speak one word that could cross any otheâ— word poken by any other Prophet before or after 2. David taught of the Spiritual Rest in his time and so did Moses Then 1. The old Church was not straightned with earthly promises so but that they had heavenly and spiritual promises given them also as signified by the earthly and typical promises 2. Their types had some star-light of interpretation and they were taught to look through the veil of Ceremonies and Types 3. Hee saith Hee that is entred into his Rest ceaseth from his own works Then 1. Before a man bee reconciled to God by Faith in Christ hee is working his own works doing his own will and not Gods 2. Hee is working without ceasing his own unrest and his own torment which hee procureth by working his own will 3. The man that thinketh hee is entred into Gods Rest must be Gods Workman and no more work what pleaseth himself but what pleaseth God ceasing from sinful works and doing what is lawful and good in way of obedience unto him Vers. 11. Let us labour therefore to enter into that Rest lest any man fall after the same example of unbeleef 1. In the third verse hee said The Beleevers entred into Gods Rest here bee exhorteth the Beleever to labour to enter into it Then 1. The Rest of God is entred into by degrees 2. They who have entred must study to enâ—er yet more going on from Faith to Faith and from obedience to further obedience and from grace to grace till they have gone all the way that leadeth unto glory 2. Hee requireth labour and diligence to enter in Then 1. Gods rest is no rest to the flesh but rest to the soul as Mat. 11.29 Christ promiseth 2. Without care and diligence a man cannot promise to himself to enter in For the way is called Straight which leadeth unto Heaven 3. Hee requireth this diligence lest a man fall as the Israelites did Then as some of the Israelites fell in a temporal mis-beleef and drew on temporal judgements upon themselves as Moses and Aaron so many Professors now also do even Elect. Again as some fell in unbeleef with hardened hearts yea in obstinate misbeleef and perished in their sin so yet amongst Professors some may fall into obstinate mis-beleef and perish except they give diligence to make progress towards their Rest. Vers. 12. For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharpeâ— than any two-edged sword peircing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Ioynts and Marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the Heart 1. Leâ—t any one should shift off this threatning as expired with those to whom it was first spoken or cloak and dissemble their sins and purpose of defection when they should see thâ—ir time hee letteth them know the power of the Word and of God their adversary Then the use extent and nature of Gods Word must bee well studied lest through mistaking or ignorance hereof a man should mis-apply or mis-regard it 2. The first property of the Word it is Quick that is dieth not when those die to whom first it was directed but endureth speaking on with that same authority to all that hear it in all times after Then the Word is not a dead Letter nor expired with former Ages but the same to us that it was before to others fit for operation and working the work for which it is sent for convincing or converting the hearer alway 3. Again It is Powerful That is not fit to work onely but active and operative in effect actually binding the conscience to obedience or judgement make the sinner what opposition hee will Yea it falleth a working on the hearer if hee beleeve it presently to clear his mind rectifie his will and reform his life and to bring about his good and safety If a man beleeve it not it falleth a working also presently to binde him guilty unto judgement and to augment his natural blindness and his hearts hardness and to bring on some degree of the deserved punishment upon himself albeit not of its own nature but by the disposition of the object whereupon it worketh Then 1. The Word wanteth not the own effect whensoever it is preached but alwaies helpeth or hurteth the hearer as hee yeeldeth to it or rejecteth or neglecteth it 2. Wee shall do well to observe what sort of operation it hath upon us seeing it must have some that wee may bee framed to the better by it 4. Another property of the Word It is sharper than any two-edged sword because it peirceth speedily through a brazen Brow and dissembling countenance and a lying mouth and thrusteth it self without suffering resistance into the conscience of the most obstinate with a secret blow and maketh him guilty within his own breast Then 1. Let not Preachers think their labour lâ—st when they have to do with obstinate sinners The stroke is given at the hearing of the Word which will bee found uncured after 2. Neither let dissemblers please themselves with a fair countenance put upon the matter as if the Word did not touch them but rather give glory to God in time when they are pricked at the heart For if they dissemble the wound received of this Sword the wound will prove deadly 5. Peircing even to the dividing asunder of the Soul and the Spirit That is those most secret devices and plots of the
they should have delivered the worshiper perfectly from sin and having done that the repetition was to no purpose vers 2. But they did not free the worshiper from sin for still after offering hee professed himself guilty for any thing these Sacrifices could do by offering of a new offering vers 3. And no wonder because such Sacrifices were not worthy to expiate sin and so unable to take away sin and so also unable to quiet the conscience Vers. 1. For the Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very Image of the things can never with those Sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the commers thereunto perfect THE Old Covenant is called the Law because it was drawn up in a Legal form upon conditions of obedience to the Law and Grace and Life in Iesus Christ to come were set before them in shadows not in a clear manner as in the Gospel Then 1. In the Old Covenant the Law was expresly urged and Grace in the Messias covered and hid under Veils 2. Christ and his Grace and the good things which come by him were not so hid but they might have been seen albeit but darkly being as by their shadows represented 3. The revealing of Christ and his benefits under the Gospel and under the Law differ as far in measure of light as the shadow of a thing and the lively image thereof drawn with all the lineaments For they saw Christ and Righteousness and Eternal Life through him as those which are in the house see the shadow of a man comming before hee enter within the doors but wee with open face behold in the Gospel as in a Mirrour Christs Glory shining Christ in the preaching of his word crucified before our Eyes as it were and bringing with him life and immortality to light 2. Hee maketh the repeating of the Sacrifices a reason of their inability to perfect the commers thereunto That is perfectly to satisfie for those who came to the Sacrifice and to sanctifie and save them in whose name it was offered Then 1. A Sacrifice that perfectly satisfieth Gods Justice for sin cannot be repeated and a Sacrifice which hath need to be repeated hath not perfectly satisfied Gods Justice for the sinner nor perfected the sinner for whom it is offered by doing all that Justice required to purchase Justification Sanctification and Salvation to him 2. Whosoever will have Christ offered up in a Sacrifice oftner than once whether by himself or by another denieth the perfection of that Sacrifice on the Cross denieth that by that one Sacrifice purchase is made of all that is required to perfect sinners which is fearful blasphemy Vers. 2. For then would they not have ceased to be offered because that the worshipers once purged should have had no more conscience of sin By way of question hee asketh Would not those Sacrifices have ceased to be offered if they could have made the commers thereunto perfect Then The Apostle esteemeth this Reason so clear that any man of sound judgement being asked the question must of necessity grant it For Natures light doth teach thus much That if a Sacrifice do all that is to be done for the sinner it standeth there because there is no more to do If it pay the full price of the sinners expiation at once offering what need can there be to offer it over again And therefore if Christs one Sacrifice once offered perfect the commers thereunto must it not cease to be offered any more by this reasoning of the Apostle For if he have made a perfect purchase of whatsoever is required to perfect us by once offering Wisdome and Justice will not suffer the price of the purchase to be offered again And if hee must be offered again hee hath not perfected the purchase for us by any Offering going before 2. The Apostle his Reason why a Sacrifice which perfecteth the worshiper must cease to be offered is Because that the worshiper once purged should have no more conscience of sins By which hee meaneth not that the purged worshiper may do hereafter what hee listeth and make no conscience to sin nor yet that after hee is purged and falleth into a new sin hee should not take with his guiltiness and repent and run again to the benefit of that Sacrifice But this hee meaneth That the purging of his conscience by virtue of a perfect Sacrifice is such that hee is freed from the just challenge and condemnatory Sentence of the conscience for that sin wherefrom hee is purged Quest. How is it then will you say that many of Gods Children are often times troubled with the guiltiness of their Conscience for those same sins which they have repented and sought pardon for through Christs sacrifice and found remission intimated and peace granted I answer Not for any imperfection of the sacrifice or of their remission but for the weakness of their holding of the ever-flowing Vertue of that once offered sacrifice and the remission granted there-through Then 1. He that is purged by vertue of the sacrifice of Christ hath Gods Warrant to have a quiet and peaceable conscience 2. And if he have a challenge after he is fled to this sacrifice he may by Gods approbation stop the same by opposing the vertue of that perfect sacrifice to the challenge 3. The comers unto the sacrifice to have benefit thereby vers 1. are here called Worshippers vers 2. Then the Lord reckoneth it a part of Divine service and worship done unto him to come and seek the benefit of that sacrifice whereby he is pacified and we ransomed 4. To make the worshipper perfect v. 1. is expounded by purging them delivering them from the conscience of sin v. 2. Then that sacrifice which purgeth the conscience from sin doth also perfect the man Neither needeth he any thing unto salvation which such a sacrifice doth not purchase And such is that once offered sacrifice of Christ. Verse 3. But in those sacrâ—â—â—ces there is a remembrance again made of sins every year He proveth That the Levitical sacrifices took not away the conscience of sin because there was a yearly commemoration made of the same sins not onely of that year but also of former yea beside the commemoration expresly done by the Priest even in these repeated sacrifices saith he there was in effect a real taking up again of those sins for which sacrifice had been offered before because the offering of sacrifice a new did plainly import That by no preceding sacrifice was the ransome of the sinner payed And so in effect the Sacrificers did profess That for any thing which the former sacrifice could merit their sins remained unexpiated Quest. But you will ask Were not Believers under the Law purged from their sins and made clean and white as snow Psal. 51.7 I answer Yes indeed but not by vertue of those Typical sacrifices but by vertue of the sacrifice signified by them to wit the sacrifice
brook with Gods approbation how mean soever it seem before the world 2. When honour and a good conscience cannot be kept together let the honour be quitted and the preferment go 4. When hee was come to years hee did this Then 1. What one hath done in his non-age or ignorance is not reckoned when after riper consideration hee amendeth it 2. The more ripely and advisedly a good work be done it is the more commendable Vers. 25. Chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season The reason of his refusal is the estimation which hee had of the estate of Gods people how afflicted soever above the pleasures of sin Then 1. Hee who chuseth the priviledges and fellowship of Gods people must chuse their affliction also 2. The Riches Honour and Pleasure which a man enjoyeth with the disavowing of true Religion and want of the society of Gods people which hee might have are but the pleasures of sin 3. What pleasure a man can have by sin is but for a season 4. It is better to be afflicted for a season with Gods people than to live with the wicked with pleasure for a season and it is greater misery to be in a sinful state than in an afflicted state Vers. 26. Esteeming the reproach of CHRIST greater Riches than the Treasures of Aegypt For hee had respect unto the Recompence of Reward Hee commendeth the work of Moses his Faith by the motives thereunto whereof the first was The high estimation of the reproach of Christ. Then 1. Moses and GODS People in his time did know CHRIST or else they could not have born his Cross and suffered for him 2. Christianity is as old as true Religion 3. The Cross and Reproach hath attended on true Religion in all Ages 4. What reproach men suffer for true Religion is reckoned to be Christs reproach and not theirs 5. Reproach and Shame is the heaviest part of the Cross for under it is all comprized here 2. The next Motive was His respect unto the Recompence of the Reward which also made him to esteem the Reproach his Riches Then 1. There is a reward for such as suffer reproach for Christ. 2. It is lawful yea needful for men to have respect unto this reward and to draw encouragement from it even for their own strengthening 3. Though the Cross seem terrible yet Faith can peirce through it and behold the reward following it 4. When sufferings for Christ are rightly seen they are the richest and most glorious passage in all our life Vers. 27. By Faith hee forsook Aegypt not feating the wrath of the King for hee endured as seeing him who is invisible Another work of Faith is his leading of the people from their dwelling places in Aegypt to the Wilderness with the hazard of the wrath of Pharaoh if hee should overtake them Then whatever it seem unto us now after it is done it was no small Faith at that time to undertake such a buâ—â—ness to turn his back upon a fertile land and go with such a company without provision to the wilderness 2. His Faith is commended for not fearing the wrath of the King Exod. 2.14 Moses feared the wrath of Pharaoh and fled After that Exod. 10.29 Hee feared not another Pharaoh as terrible as the former Then Where natural courage would succumb Faith will sustain yea and make a man endure as it is spoken in the next words where natural courage having led him on a little would forsake him at length 3. The encouragement unto this work was Hee saw him that is Invisible That is hee apprehended by Faith God more powerful than Pharaoh and more terrible Then 1. Faith openeth the eyes to see God in a spiritual manner who by sense or imagination carnal cannot be conceived 2. The beholding of the invisible God is able to support a mans courage against the terrour of men and all things visible and nothing else can do it Vers. 28. Through Faith hee kept the Passeover and the sprinkling of blood lest hee that destroyed the first-born should touch them Another work of his Faith is His keeping of the Passover That is the Sacrament of the Angels passing over and not destroying the people Then 1. It is usual for Scripture speaking of Sacraments to give the name of the thing signified to the sign because the sign is the memorial of the thing signified Circumcision is called the Covenant Gen. 17.13 because it is the memorial thereof The Paschal Supper for the like cause is here called the Passeover which was the work of the Angel because it was by appointment the memorial of it So the Cup in the Lords Supper is called The New Testament in Christs Blood and the Bread in the same Supper is called The broken Body of Christ because it is the memorial thereof 2. It is the work of Faith to celebrate a Sacrament rightly 3. As Moses celebrated the Passeover in assurance that the destroying Angel should not touch the people of Israel So may every Beleever be certified by using the Sacrament that the grace promised and sealed in the Sacrament shall be bestowed Vers. 29. By Faith they passed thorow the Red Sea as by dry Land which the Aegyptians essaying to do were drowned Hee joyneth the Faith of the true Israelites with the Faith of Moses for whose sakes the rest of the incredulous multitude got the benefit of Delivery also through the Red Sea which was the fruit of the Beleevers Faith Whence wee learn 1. That Faith will finde unexpected deliveries and out-gates where it might seem altogether impossible 2. Yea means of destruction by Faith may be turned into means of preservation 2. The fruit of Faith is evidenced by the drowning of the Aegyptians essaying themselves to follow that way which Faith had opened to Israel Then 1. Presumption in unbeleevers will set them on work to go thorow the same dangers which beleevers pass thorow but without all success For Beleevers shall escape where unbeleevers shall down 2. The benefit of Faith is best seen when the evil of unbeleef is seen Vers. 30. By Faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed about seven daies Hee ascribeth the down-throwing of the walls of Jericho to Faith making the Beleevers onely to compass them seven daies Then 1. What God doth for beleevers is reckoned the work of Faith because Faith setteth God on work so to say and his power imployed by faith worketh the work 2. Faith will throw down strong Holds and overcome seeming impossibilities 3. Faith must use such means as God appointeth albeit they seem but weak 4. It matters not how weak the means be if faith have a promise to prevail thereby 5. The means must be constantly used during the time that God appointeth them to be followed Vers. 31. By Faith the Harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not when she had received the Spies
such works which belong to Gods Service but wee must take heed to the manner of doing of them that they may be done with a ready affection and good wil. 2. Next that they be done in the sense of our own weakness vileness and unworthiness 3. And thirdly that they be done with reverend regard to God in such a godly fear as may make us circumspectly handle and meddle with his Service as the word importeth 4. That this may be the better done let us have grace or hold fast the grip of Grace whereby wee may serve God saith he Then he that would have strength to serve God must study by faith to lay hold on Gods grace in the Gospel and having laid hold thereon to hold it fast for otherwise wee can neither have heart nor hand to serve GOD. But he that is fastned on the grace and good will of God towards him will draw courage and strength from this believed grace to serve God cheerfully and reverently Vers. 29. For our God is a consuming Fire Because the holiest men have need of the Spurs of GODS Terrour to stir up their lazy flesh he closeth with a Watch-word of Moses Deuter. 4.24 terrifying the people from Idolatry or Imagery which he applyeth for making men circumspect in their manner of worship Teaching us thereby 1. That to serve Idols and follow a false Religion and not to serve GOD in reverence and godly fear in the true Religion will be both alike plagued 2. The words do teach us That GODS entring into Covenant and laying down of the feud and enmity against us maketh Him not to lay down his awfull Majesty over us 3. And therefore we must be so confident of His love towards us as wee remember in the mean time that He is a consuming Fire to the ungodly and profane Professours of His Name The Summe of Chap. XIII NOw that you may be fruitfull in the Faith I recommend to you in short Brotherly Love vers 1. Hospitality vers 2. Compassion with sufferers for the Truth vers 3. Chastity vers 4. Contentation Vers. 5 6. Steadfastnesse in the Truth which Gods Messengers have taught you Vers. 7. For change who will Christ in Himself and in his Doctrine changeth not Vers. 8. Beware of the Leven of Iewish Doctrine such as is distinction of Meats and others like Vers. 9. For they who maintain the Leviticall Service cannot be partakers of Christ with us Vers. 10. This was prefigured in the Law vers 11. So was Christs contemptible usage Vers. 12. And wee must follow Him and be contented of reproach for Him Vers. 13. For wee have no place of Rest here but look for it hereafter Vers. 14. Therefore let us follow the Spiritual Signification of those Ceremonies and sacrifice unto Him our Prayers and Praise and good Works Vers. 15.16 Obey your Ecclesiastical Governours in their Office for their Charge is great and you have need not to grieve them Vers. 17. Pray for mee for I shall bee found an honest Man what ever bee mens speeches of mee Vers. 18. But pray you for mee for your own good ver 19. And I pray God to finish His begun work in you graciously ver 20 21. And because I have but touched things briefly in this short Epistle take Exhortation in good season when your Teachers do press such Doctrine upon you more at length vers 22. It may bee that Timothy and I see you shortly Vers. 23. Deliver our Commendations Vers. 24. And Grace bee with you all AMEN vers 25. The Doctrine of Chap. XIII Vers. 1. Let Brotherly love continue FRom this first Precept Learn 1. That the first Fruit of Faith which God requireth is Love and constant love amongst his children 2. That our mutual love must be sincere and kindely as if it were grounded on Bands of Nature Vers. 2. Be not forgetful to entertain Strangers For thereby some have entertained Angels unawares From this Precept Learn 1. That we are ready to forget charity to strangers especially to be hospital unto them 2. That the possibility of finding strangers better men than we take them to be should over-ballance the suspition of their slightness and should set us on to do the duty 3. That if a man intending to do good do more than he intended to do it shall be imputed unto him no less than if he had intended the same Vers. 3. Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and them which suffer adversity as being your selves also in the body From this Learn 1. That it is no new thing for the world to put bonds on them who seek to bring them out of Bondage 2. That Prisoners for Christ are readily forgotten of such as are at freedom 3. Such mens bondage should be esteemed as our own even until God set them free 4. That other distressed people also shall be helped by us if we consider what may befal our selves before we dye Vers. 4. Marriage is honourable in all and the bed undefiled But Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge From this we learn 1. That breakers of Wedlock and unclean persons in a single life are both reserved unto GODS judgement how lightly soever men let them pass 2. That marriage being provided of God for a remedy of incontinency maketh Uncleanness the heavier sin 3. That seeing it is GODS Doctrine to commend Marriage for honourable and hath pronounced it not onely Lawful but commendable in all persons of whatsoever Place or Calling and hath justified it for undefiled to traduce this estate of life as not holy or not beseeming an holy man or an holy calling and to forbid marriage to persons of any calling must be as it is called 1 Tim. 4.1 2. The Doctrine of the Devil Vers. 5. Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have For â—e hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Here we are taught 1. That the enlargement of our desires to have more and more worldly goods whether we be rich or poor is disallowed of GOD. 2. That GOD requireth Contentation with our present estate how mean soever it be and counteth it Covetousness not to be contented 2. To make us contented he giveth us Gods Promise made to Joshua Chap. 1.5 for our provision in necessaries Then 1. The Promises made to Ioshua or any other holy Man in Scripture for Furniture in his Calling may be very well applied unto us for Help and Furniture in our Calling 2. Faith in Gods Promise for our Maintenance must both stay our fear of want in time to come and give us contentment with that which we have for the present 3. A general Promise of Gods being with us and assisting of us is as sufficient for all particulars whereof we stand in need as if they were expressed Vers. 6. So that we may boldly say The Lord is my Helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me By
applying of the Promise made to Joshua he concludeth Warrant to apply Davids gloriation against all perils Psal. 118.6 Then 1. He that can apply one Promise to himself may confidently apply another also 2. The weakest true Believer hath as good ground of confidence in God for every good needful for soul or body as the Lords chief Prophets and as good Warrant to apply the Scriptures to their own use which speak of them 3. He who believeth in God needeth not to fear what flesh can do unto him 4. Faith then doth its part duly when i◠glorieth in the Lord against all opposition Vers. 7. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the Word of God whose Faith follow considering the end of their conversation That they may be stedfast in the Faith he setteth before them the Example of Gods Messengers who had instructed them in the Truth and led a life conformable thereunto Wherein he teacheth us 1. Who is worthy to be a Guide to a People to wit the man who speaketh the Word of God and not his own Dreams believeth the Truth which he teacheth and hath his conversation answerable 2. The best respect that a Preacher can crave or that a People can give to a Preacher either in his life time or after is to remember the Truth of God taught by him and to make use thereof 3. In as far as Preachers have spoken the Word of God and made it the end of their conversation People are commanded here to remember them and imitate their Faith but no further Vers. 8. Iesus Christ the same yesterday and today and for ever This Sentence serveth First To shew the eternity and immurability of Jesus Christ in himself and all his Properties of Truth and Love and Pitty c. Again It serveth for a reason of keeping fast the Doctrine taught from him by our faithful Leaders because JESUS CHRIST will still allow and maintain that Truth once given out by himself and cannot chuse to change his Truth being First and Last like himself And thirdly It serveth to encourage us to be constant in the Faith because JESUS CHRIST is unchangeably the same in love and care towards those who believe in him in all ages for their preservation and deliverance in all cases wherein they can fall for his Truth as he hath given proof in former times towards others Vers. 9. Be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrines For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace not with meats which have not profited them that have been occupied therein That they may be stedfast in the Faith he warneth them to beware that they be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrines Then 1. Doctrine which agreeth 〈◊〉 with the Word of God uncouth and strange Doctrine which the Apostles did not acknowledge and recommend unto us must be rejected 2. There was such uncouth Doctrine beginning to creep into the Church even in the Apostles time 3. Apostolick Doctrine such as they acquainted the Church with must be stedfastly believed and stood unto and not loosly laid hold upon lest we lye open to the wind of false Doctrine 2. He bringeth i◠for example the Doctrine of Distinction of meats wherein the Iewishly affected did place some holiness and help to salvation and yet they who most leaned to the same were least profited thereby Then 1. To place some holiness in Distinction of meats and to count the observation thereof helpful to salvation is an old errour which even in the beginning did trouble the Church 2. Never man got profit by leaning any thing to the observation of Distinction of Meats For under the Law distinction was commanded for the leading of men to some Duties signified thereby but never did God give way that men should esteem of this observation as a thing conferring any whit to the purchase of salvation 3. To keep out this errour of leaning to Ceremonial observations he opposeth the Doctrine of Grace wherewith he will have the heart established and not with meats Then 1. The ground of devising and urging of superstitious ceremonies is the unquietness and unstableness of mens hearts wanting satisfaction in God and his Ordinances and therefore seeking to support themselves by means of their own devising 2. It is the Doctrine of Justification by Grace onely and nothing of our doings which getteth true rest to our hearts and quiet setling to the consciences Vers. 10. We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the Tabernacle Such as pertinaciously did plead for the standing of the Levitical Service and ceremonies thereof he secludeth from the enjoying of Iesus Christ who is our Altar Then such as maintain the Levitical Ceremonies and do urge them on the Christian Church do cut themselves from right to Christ. 1. Because they deny in effect that he is come seeing they will have those Figures to remain which did serve to Prefigure his coming and will have his Church still under Ceremonial Pedagogie as it was under the Law 2. Because they joyn unto Christ their own devices as if either JESUS were not sufficient for salvation or his Ordinances were not sufficient for means to attain thereunto 3. The observation of the Distinction of meats is a point of serving the Tabernacle for so doth the Apostle reckon 4. Such as will eat of JESUS and be partakers of him must beware to serve the Iewish Tabernacle by keeping on foot and continuing the Ceremonies and appurtenances annexed thereunto such Feasts such Iubilies such Altars such Sprinklings and Holy water such Priests and Vestiments c. as Levi had 2. He calleth Christ by the name of the Altar because he is the thing signified by the Altar and by the Sacrifice and by the rest of the Levitical Ceremonies Then 1. Those Ordinances of Levitical Service were Figures of Christ some in one part and some in another and he is the accomplishment of them even the Truth of them All The true Tabernacle the true Priest the true Sacrifice the true Altar c. 2. Christs self is all the Altar that the Christian Church hath Our Altar is he onely and nothing but he The Apostle knoweth no other 3. In that he saith They have no right to eat learn 1. That Jesus is our food who believe in him by whom our souls are kept alive and maintained every day spiritually as the Priests were maintained by the old Altar bodily 2. That before a man attain to eat or draw benefit from Christ he must have a right unto him There is a possession following the right and the right tendeth to the possession 3. He who loveth to have the right must take the course which Christ prescribeth without mixing any thing therewith Vers. 11. For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the Sanctuary by the High Priest for sin are burnt without the Camp He sheweth that
the example of holy women in the Old Testament whose praise is in the Scripture not for the external adorning of the body but for faith in God and subjection paid to their husbands Vers. 6. Even as Sarai obeyed Abraham calling him Lord whose daughters ye are as long as you do well and are not afraid with any amazement Reas. 4. From the example of Sarah who meekly obeyed Abraham and acknowledged him to be her Lord. Whose Reas. 5. Because if they would express the piety and mâ—deâ—ty of Sarah in her manners and would not suffer themselves by any worldly fear to be drawn from the puâ—suâ—e of Piety they should declare themselves to be the daughters of this holy Matron Vers. 7. Likewise ye husbands dwell with them according to knowledge giving honour unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel and as being heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers be not hindred On the other side he commands husbands to dwell with their wives that is that they indulge them courteously and treat them according to knowledge and as it becomes wise men wisely rule their wives Likewise There are four Reasons of the Precept Reas. 1. Because in like manner by the obligation of the Divine Law husbands are bound to perform mutual offices to their wives as wives are to their husbands To the weaker Reas. 2. Because prudence requires that the female sex should be so much the more respected because it is the weaker and otherwise may suspect it self contemned by the man Heirs Reas. 3. Because wives are not onely partakers of the honour and earthly goods which belong to their husbands but are also coheirs of saving grace with their believing husbands Lest Reas. 4. Because otherwise brawlings and strifes would arise whereby publique and private prayers of the husband as well as of the wife might be hindred and disturbed The second part Vers. 8. Finally be ye all of one minde having compassion one of another love as brethren be pittiful be courteous The second part of the Chapter follows wherein he exhorts to the study of holiness although it be joyned with the Cross or to the common duties of holiness and to vertues which belong to men of what condition soever and he reckons six whereof the first is Concord without which the whole life is disquieted with perpetual troubles and brawlings The second is Sympathy which makes us affected as it becomes us both with the troubles and happinesses of our neighbours grieving with those that grieve and rejoycing with those that rejoyce The third is Brotherly love whereby we closely embrace Christians as brethren in the Lord. The fourth is Mercy whereby we succour the poor and strangers or banished men The fifth is Gentleness whereby we yield our selves affable and courteous towards others for the publique good and edification of others Vers. 9. Not rendring evil for evil or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing The sixth is Patience whereby we patiently bear injuries received from others whether by word or deed yea whereby we repay good turns for bad The Arguments of the Exhortation to follow after these vertues especially patience are seventeen All which prove that we must follow after these vertues although we therefore suffer afflictions That ye Argum. 1. Because we are called to this condition by God that by perseverance in well doing and by patient bearing evils we may attain eternal life vouchsafed to us by an hereditary right Therefore we ought to follow after these vertues and especially patience Vers. 10. For he that will love life and see good days let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile 11. Let him eschew evil and do good let him seek peace and ensue it 12. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil Argum. 2. From the testimony of Scripture out of Psal. 34.12 13 14 15 16. verses where the next way to happiness is taught that the children of God follow after good works and abstain from impatience and all kinde of evil deeds and that on this side being compassed about with the hope of Divine blessing and on the other with the fear of Divine wrath they go forward in the courses of holiness Therefore yee ought to endeavour after these virtues and chiefly patience Vers. 13. And who is hee that will harm you if yee bee followers of that which is good Argum. 3. Because this course is best whereby they following after these virtues may bee freed from many inconveniences which the wicked take occasion to bring upon them for hee is like to a Monster that will harm the Innocent and those that follow after goodness Therefore yee ought to endeavour after all these virtues and especially patience Vers. 14. But and if yee suffer for Righteousness sake happy are yee and bee not affraid of their terrour neither be troubled Argum. 4. Because if whilst yee follow after these virtues yee suffer evils for Righteousness sake yet yee remain blessed in Gods account howsoever your condition may seem miserable in this world Therefore yee ought to follow after these virtues Vers. 15. But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and bee ready alwaies to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear Argum. 5. Yee Christians ought not to be deterred from the following after these virtues by the threatnings and the terrour of the wicked nay not so much as be troubled in mind but on the contrary yee ought to sanctifie God in your hearts i. e. so much to value the terrour and the good will of God the commands threatnings promises power help comforts issues and deliverances of God which hee both can and will perform to set at naught and undervalue whatsoever men can do against you Bee ready Argum. 6. It is so far unbecoming you to be deterred from the following after virtue by the fear of men that on the contrary confiding in the goodness and omnipotency of God yee ought to be ready to sanctifie God in open confession of the Christian Faith not being ashamed to produce the word of God as the ground and foundation of your Faith as often as a reason of your Faith is required of you so that the answer which is required may tend to the glory or sanctification of his name Yet hee commands that this confession bee uttered with meekness towards men and fear or reverence towards God lest the Truth of God by any means should be polluted by our passions Vers. 16. Having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of evil doers they may bee ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. Argum. 7. In following after these virtues yee will have a good
6. They who are united in the Faith of the Truth preached by us shall also be united with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ by virtue of the Holy Ghost Therefore c. Vers. 4. And these things write wee unto you that your joy may be full Reas. 7. The summe of our preaching which is written to you hath this end that yee being made certain of your election and glorification may have a true and spiritual joy and that your joy may remain and be perfected Therefore it is deservedly to be accounted the most excellent Vers. 5. This then is the message which wee have heard of him and declare unto you that God is light and in him is no darkness at all Reas. 8. The summe of our preaching is that God is light or a most present and perfect remedy against the evils of ignorance errours falshood vices and miseries which are in us and that God in himself is most free from these evils so that it is impossible for those that come unto him to be deceived not to be illuminated and directed not to be delivered from sins and misery and not to obtain eternal life Therefore it is necessary that my preaching and the rest of the Apostles should be excellent Vers. 6. If wee say that wee have fellowship with him and walk in darkness wee lye and do not the Truth The other part of the Chapter follows wherein hee propounds partly negatively and partly affirmatively the notes or signs of him that is a true Beleever who shall be partaker of the good things promised in the Gospel And the Notes are five Note 1. Is negatively propounded with his confirmation Hee that is a true beleever doth not walk in darkness is not given ever to sin leading his life according to the lusts of the flesh Because if any one profess himself to have communion with God who is light and holiness and in 〈◊〉 mean time walketh in the darkness of his sins hee is an hypocrite and a lyar seeing that hee doth not that which is right but that which hee professes with his mouth hee denies in his works Vers. 7. But if wee walk in the light as hee is in the light wee have fellowship one with another and the blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Note 2. Is propounded affirmatively Hee that walks in the light or hee that follows after holiness that hee may be conformable to God who is light and perfect holiness hee is a true beleever having communion truly with God and the Saints to whom the fruit also of Christs death to the remission of sins doth wholly belong Vers. 8. If wee say that wee have no sin wee deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Note 3. Is negative Hee that is a true Beleever is not so just in his own eies that hee denies that hee cannot sin either in word or deed or that hee hath not sinned after Justification or that hee as if hee could not want the daily intercession of Christ and the daily applying of his merit for the delivering of his conscience from new guilt is not touched with the sense of sin so that hee must forthwith flye unto Christ as his Redeemer For whosoever either in word or deed doth really so deny that hee hath sin in him for the present deceives himself and is an hypocrite in whom there is no sincerity Vers. 9. If we confess our sins hee is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Note 4. Hee that is a true Beleever is so affected with the sense of his sins that hee acknowledgeth them before God and doth confess from his soul that hee deserves eternal death and that his guilt can no otherwise be expiated but by the merit of the blood of the Son of God and that hee cannot be sanctified but by the divine virtue of the Spirit of Christ or be free from the pollution of sin Faithful The Apostle promiseth to him that doth so confess his sins that upon the faithfulness and righteousness of God hee shall be absolved and purged from the guilt of sin or sanctified from the stain of it For God is faithful who hath promised these things and God is just who hath taken satisfaction from Christ the Surety hee doth not exact the debt from him for whom Christ hath satisfied but on the other side hee bestowes all the good things upon him that beleeves which Christ hath purchased for his salvation Vers. 10. If wee say that wee have not sinned wee make him a lyar and his word is not in us Note 5. Is negative Hee that is a true Beleever doth neither deny nor extenuate his sins past as if either with that Pharisee hee had performed all the commands of God from his youth or as if there was no original sin or as if it was not at all worthy of death Neither is hee impenitent as if the sins which hee had committed were light and venial which need not the expiation of the blood of Christ or as if there were not so much corruption in his nature but that by his free will hee might confide in his own strength to dispose himself for grace and merit it or at leastwise bee able to obtain it For hee that either so or by any other means directly or indirectly denies that hee hath not sinned and consequently denies that hee is not nor hath not been so guilty of death that hee needed such an expiation as the death of the Son of God is hee is a blasphemer against God accusing him of a lye who hath in his word condemned all as sinners and guilty of death and hath affirmed that there is no remission of sins but by the blood of his Son neither is the Word of God received by Faith at any time in his heart i. e. neither hath hee beleeved the Doctrine of the Law not yet of the Gospel CHAP. II. THe rest of the whole Epistle enforceth the use of the former Doctrine to which end five Exhortations are propounded The first to vers 9. The second to vers 15. The third to vers 18. The fourth to vers 29. The fifth to verse the last Vers. 1. My little Children these things write I unto you that yee sin not And if any man sin wee have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous The first Exhortation is to the following after holiness that they sin not The Reasons of the Exhortation besides a friendly compellation are eleven Reas. 1. Because this is the end and use of the Doctrine of the Gospel and the Apostles writing These things write I unto you that yee sin not saith hee Therefore follow yee holiness And if Reas. 2. If yee follow after holiness the sins which perhaps yee shall fall into shall bee taken away through the intercession of Christ Jesus our Advocate and Lord Therefore endeavour after holiness When hee names one
Advocate hee excludes all others for otherwise Christ was not simply our Advocate but one of our Advocates The Righteous Reas. 3. Confirming the former Christ our Advocate is righteous i. e. not onely meet to intercede for sinners by reason of the Righteousness of his person but also righteous in his office who requires nothing of the Father in our behalf but what is justly due to him interceding for us from the covenant and merit of his death Also hee is Righteous that hee might cover us with his imputed Righteousness And lastly hee is righteous who upon the Covenant of Redemption promotes us in the following after Righteousness and raises us up again when wee fall and at length perfectly makes us righteous or holy Therefore beleevers ought both to endeavour after holiness and if at any time they fall into sin to hope for the virtue of Christs intercession Vers. 2. And hee is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but also for the sins of the whole world Reas. 4. Confirming the second reason The death and expiatory Sacrifice of Christ was offered not onely for us viz. elected out of the Jews and converted to the Faith of Christ but also for the sins of all the elect or redeemed in the world Therefore yee ought to beware of the evil of sin which cannot bee expiated unless by the death of Christ but if yee sin yee may confidently expect the virtue both of the rich expiation and intercession of Christ. Vers. 3. And hereby wee know that wee know him if wee keep his commandements Reas. 5. By endeavouring sincerely to keep the commandements of God as by a sure sign yee may know the truth of your Faith or that yee truly beleeve in God and love him sincerely Therefore follow yee after holiness or sin not Vers. 4. Hee that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyer and the truth is not in him Reas. 6. Hee that professes that hee knows God i. e. that hee beleeves in him and loves him and doth not follow after holiness for according to the stile of the Gospel to endeavour sincerely after holiness is to keep the commandements is an hypocrite in whom there is no sincerity or truth of Faith Therefore endeavour after holiness Vers. 5. But who so keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected hereby know wee that wee are in him Reas. 7. Hee that endeavours after holiness proves the sincerity of his love towards God which love is perfected or manifested to bee sincere from an endeavour of keeping the word of God and obeying it Therefore yee ought to endeavour after holiness Hereby Reas. 8. Hee that endeavours after holiness or not to sin or to keep the word of God hath an evidence of his communion with God and knows that hee dwells in Christ by Faith Therefore c. Vers. 6. Hee that saith hee abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as hee walked Reas. 9. Confirming the former whosoever professes that hee hath communion with Christ ought to endeavour after holiness or to imitate Christ in his life and conversation Therefore yee ought to endeavour after holiness Vers. 7. Brethren I write no new commandement unto you but an old commandement which yee had from the beginning the old commandement is the word which yee have heard from the beginning Reas. 10. I require no new duty from you when I urge you to follow after holiness or the observance of Gods commandements but I repeat an old commandement which yee have not onely heard from the beginning from Christ and his Ministers but yee have had it also commended to you out of the Law and Prophets Therefore endeavour after holiness Vers. 8. Again a new Commandement I write unto you which thing is true in him and in you because the darkness is past and the true light now shineth Reas. 11. This Commandement is not old in the oldness of the letter as in times past it was so long as you lived irregenerate under the Covenant of works when the Law did command and conferred no strength to perform but it is now in the newness of Spirit To the performing whereof Christ will administer new grace to you Therefore yee ought to follow after holiness Which What the New Covenant is hee expounds in the next words affirming that the command is new both in respect of Christ who quickens the Commandement and in respect of themselves who were now by regeneration made new Creatures i. e. to whom grace was administred and was furthermore to bee administred to obedience Because the darkness The reason is given to this sense Because yee are not under the Law but under Grace yee are not in a state of irregeneration but are renewed For the darkness of the Legal Covenant and the state of irregeneration are passed away and now Christ who brings life and grace with him and is the true light is risen as the Sun of Righteousness upon you that beleeve and hath both communicated the light and also the heat of life to you Therefore the commandement is new to you that yee ought to bee encouraged to follow after holiness with more alacrity Vers. 9. Hee that saith hee is in the light and hateth his Brother is in darkness even until now The second Exhortation drawing the former to the love of the Brethren The Arguments of the Exhortation are ten besides those two which are next recited and may also bee referred hither Argum. 1. Whosoever professeth himself to bee in the light or regenerate and hateth his Brother hee lies yet unregenerated in the darkness of ignorance and sin Therefore yee ought to endeavour after brotherly love Vers. 10. Hee that loveth his Brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him Argum. 2. He that loves his Brother remains in the light and perseveres in the way of truth in part possessing the lot and condition of the Saints Therefore yee ought to follow after c. And none occasion of stumbling Argum. 3. Hee that loveth his Brother doth neither stumble himself in the way of holiness alwaies seeing whither hee goes viz. to God by Faith in the way of obedience nor is hee an occasion of stumbling to others whereby they may either be drawn into sin or hardened in it Therefore yee ought to endeavour after brotherly love Vers. 11. But hee that hateth his Brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither hee goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes Argum. 4. Hee that hateth his Brother hee wholly lyes and perseveres in sin and swarving from the right way which leads to salvation hee is carried to a precepice not knowing whither hee goes because his mind is darkened with sin Therefore yee must follow after brotherly love Vers. 12. I write unto you little children because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake Argum. 5. O faithful
Part. Vers. 11. For this is the message which yee heard from the beginning that wee should love one another From hence hee proceeds to the other Exhortation viz. the love of Brethren The Arguments of the Exhortation are fifteen Argum. 1. The Precept concerning the love of the Brethren is given to you by Christ from the beginning of your calling Therefore love your brethren Vers. 12. Not as Cain who was of that wicked one and slew his Brother and wherefore slew hee him Because his own works were evil and his Brothers righteous Argum. 2. The faithful ought to bee unlike to Cain the Son of the Devil and murtherer of his Brother Therefore c. Wherefore Argum. 3. Confirming and illustrating the former those that do not love their brethren but hate them shall bee found to hate the Grace of God in them and in this to bee like Cain who out of envy persecuted with hatred the Image of God in his Brother Therefore yee ought to endeavour after brotherly love Vers. 13. Marvail not my Brethren if the world hate you Argum. 4. By preventing and retorting an Objection That charity amongst Brethren ought by no means to wax cold because they see themselves hated by the world but on the contrary they ought so much the more vehemently to love one another Therefore c. Vers. 14. Wee know that wee have passed from death unto life because wee love the Brethren Hee that loveth not his Brother abideth in death Argum. 5. Wâ—e are more assured by our love of the Brethren or the love of the Image of God in them as by a certain sign that wee our selves are regenerated and translated from death to life Hee that doth not Argum. 6. Hee that loveth not his Brother remaineth unregenerate in the state of sin and death Therefore that yee may prove your selves regenerate love your Brethren Vers. 15. Whosoever hateth his Brother is a Murtherer and yee know that no Murtherer hath eternal life abiding in him Argum. 7. Confirming the former Hee that doth not love his Brother hates him and therefore hee is a murtherer and consequently hee hath neither the beginnings of eternal life in himself neither right to eternal life but remains obnoxious to eternal death Therefore yee ought to love the Brethren unless yee will bee accounted such Vers. 16. Hereby perceive wee the love of God because hee laid down his life for us and wee ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren Argum. 8. Christ exceedingly loved us when hee laid down his own life for us Therefore wee imitating his example ought to love one another Wee Argum. 9. Wee owe this gratitude to Christ who hath laid down his life for us and our Brethren that wee bee ready to pour out our lives for the good of the Church or our Brethren Therefore so much the rather ought wee sincerely to affect them and perform the inferiour duties of love towards them Vers. 17. But whose hath this worlds good and seeth his Brother hath need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him Argum. 10. Confirming the former They who do not so love their brethren as to communicate of their substance to those that want being moved to it out of bowels of mercy are Hypocrites and far from that love which is ready to lay down its life for the brethren Vers. 18. My little children Let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth Hence is inferred the Exhortation it self that they testifie their mutual love in deed and in truth and not in words and in tongue onely Vers. 19. And hereby wee know that wee are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him Argum. 11. By love of the brethren as by the fruit of sincere Faith wee know that wee are sincere or truly faithful and born of God Therefore wee ought to love the brethren Before him Argum. 12. By love wee shall confirm our confidence with God and shall from this effect of Faith help conscience in the conflict of Faith to the giving of us a testimony of our absolution and justification by Faith Therefore c. Vers. 20. For if our heart condemn us God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things 21. Beloved if our heart condemn us not then have wee confidence towards God Hee confirms this Argument by comparing of a watchful and an evil conscience in this verse in the effects of condemnation with a good conscience in the following verse in the effect of absolution as when an evil conscience condemneth him that is altogether void of brotherly love the sentence of condemnation is ratified by God the supream and omniscient Judge until they flye unto Christ so on the other side when a good conscience which howsoever it accuse us of imperfection doth not condemn us as if wee were altogether destitute of this fruit of persevering in brotherly love wee retain a confidence of going to God as our Father in Christ Therefore by following after brotherly love wee shall assure our hearts before him as it is vers 19. Vers. 22. And whatsoever wee ask wee receive of him because wee keep his commandements and do those things that are pleasing in his sight Argum. 13. Conscience of brotherly love gives confidence of obtaining those good things which wee ask of God according to his will because wee can reason from our endeavour of keeping and doing Gods Commandements which are pleasing to him that wee are of the number of those that are true beleevers who through Faith in Christ are in favour with God and whose prayers God doth not reject as hee doth the prayers of Hypocrites and wicked men Therefore yee ought to follow after brotherly love Vers. 23. And this is his Commandement that wee should beleeve on the name of his Son Iesus Christ and love one another as hee gave us commandement Argum. 14. Confirming the former and answering an objection Lest any man should abuse the things spoken before to defend the merits of works or justification by works The Commandement concerning brotherly love is consequently included in the precept of saving Faith which is to bee placed upon Christ. For when God commands Faith in Christ which works by love he also commands that wee should love one another Therefore if any man have respect to the Precept concerning Faith in the Son of God it is necessary also that hee have respect to the command touching mutual love and that hee obey it Therefore yee ought to follow after brotherly love Vers. 24. And hee that keepeth his Commandements dwelleth in him and bee in him and hereby wee know that hee abideth in us by the spirit which hee hath given us Argum. 15. In whom there is an indeavour to obey the commands of God and namely the precept touching Faith in Christ which worketh efficaciously by brotherly love hee hath communion with God and knows that hee hath
his sufferings might obtain eternal life Therefore wee ought to love his adopted Sons or our Brethren Vers. 10. Herein is love not that wee loved God but that hee loved us and sent his Son to bee the propitiation for our sins 11. Beloved if God so loved us wee ought also to love one another Argum. 6. Confirming and illustrating the former God hath freely loved us unworthy and undeserving and also enemies who have not onely not merited his love but have no not first desired it but God hath first loved us and that most exceedingly by sending his Son who offered up himself a sacrifice for the expiating of our sins and for the obtaining all the gifts which are necessary for the preparing of us to the possession of eternal life From whence it follows that wee ought to exercise brotherly love one towards another Vers. 11. Vers. 12. No man hath seen God at any time if wee love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us Argum. 7. Although God is invisible who could never with corporeal senses bee seen of any in his essence yet if wee love one another wee have communion with him and hee dwells in us Therefore wee ought to follow after love Perfected Argum. 8. From our love of Brethren our love is perfected towards God or demonstrated to bee sincere such God accepts and approves Therefore c. Vers. 13. Hereby know wee that wee dwell in him and hee in us because hee hath given us of his Spirit Argum. 9. Wee have not onely communion with God but wee are also brought to a certain knowledge and perswasion as touching our communion with God and mutual inhabitation from this that God hath given his Spirit or the spirit of love to us from which spirit hee himself cannot bee separated Therefore c. Vers. 14. And wee have seen and do testifie that the Father sent the Son to bee the Saviour of the world Argum. 10. From the experience of the Apostles to this sense Although no man hath seen God at any time yet wee Apostles have seen the effect of the greatest love in him viz. that the Father hath sent his Son to bee the Saviour of the world or all his elect children dispersed throughout the whole world neither can wee conceal from men so much good but out of the love which is in us towards the elect Brethren wee testifie boldly concerning that love of God towards men Therefore all the faithful ought to do the same every one according to his measure Vers. 15. Whosoever shall confess that Iesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and hee in God Argum. 11. Inferred from the former and confirming it because not onely the Apostles but also whoever hee bee who out of love to God and the Brethren shall confess both in word and deed the excellency and virtue of Jesus Christ the Son of God as wee do hee hath communion with God as well as wee Therefore yee ought to follow after brotherly love Vers. 16 And wee have known and beleeved the love that God hath to us God is love and hee that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him Argum. 12. Also from the experience of the Apostles to this sense We Apostles being perswaded by experience and faith as touching Gods love to us are constrained both to bear him witness that hee is love it self both in himself and towards others and to love him and his children Therefore all the faithful who beleeve and have experienced the same ought to do likewise God is love Argum. 13. Seeing that God is love it self whosoever constantly abides in the Faith of divine love towards him and in the endeavour both of exercising love towards God and the Brethren hath constant communion with God and God with him Therefore that this communion may remain firm yee ought to follow after brotherly love Veâ—s 17. Herein is our love made perfect that wee may have boldness in the day of judgement because as hee is so are wee in this world Argum. 14. Both that love of God towards us which is to bee beleeved and that love of God which is to bee exercised towards God and the Brethren is known to bee perfect and sincere and is urged to bee fulfilled by us for this end that wee may stand without fear before God in the day of judgement and as now thinking of that day wee may have boldness as if wee were now standing at Gods tribunal Therefore wee ought to follow aftâ—r brotherly love As hee Argum. 15. Giving a reason of the former from the love of God found in us wee firmly gather that wee in this life are beloved of God and are made conformable to God in this world who is love And therefore wee may bee perswaded as by a certain sign that wee are of the number of those to whom there is no condemnation in the life to come Therefore yee ought to follow after brotherly love Vers. 18. There is no fear in love but perfect love caâ—â—eth out fear because fear hath torment hee that feareth is not made perfect in love Argum. 16. Confirming the former The love of God apprehended by faith and kindling love in us towards God and the Brethren doth so confirm us in a sure belief touching our salvation that wee do not fear wrath and judgement and by how much the perswasion of Gods love towards us doth the more ardently excite in us the endeavour of loving God and our neighbour so much the more strongly the fear of condemnation is cast out at leastwise that which is joyned with torment Feareth Argum. 17. As a conclusion deducted from the former Argument whosoever is tormented with the fear of condemnation is not strongly enough confirmed in the belief of Gods love and the exercise of love towards God and the brethren but wanâ—â— further enâ—rease and exhortations that hee may proceed in love to a fuller certainty Therefore all that perceive in themselves this imperfection ought to endeavour after the love of the Brethren from â—he perswasion of Gods love towards them Vers. 19. Wee love him because hee first loved us Argum. 18. The love whereby wee love God is not the cause of the love whereby God loves us but an after effect Therefore let us endeavour from the perswasion of Gods love towards us more and more to love God and by how much the more vehemently wee endeavour to love God in himself and offering himself in his children to bee loved by us wee shall bee so much the more confirmed of his love towards us Therefore yee ought to follow after love Vers. 20. If any man say I love God and â—â—teth his Brother hee is a lyer For hee that loveth not his Brother whom hee hath seen how can hee love God whom hee hath not seen Argum. 19. The boasting of love towards God is vain where there is not love to the Brethren because Gods grace doth
of his prayers Therefore for this cause yee ought to beleeve in Christ. Vers. 16. If any man see his Brother sin a sin which is not unto death hee shall ask and hee shall give him life for them that sin not unto death There is a siâ— unto death I do not say that hee shall pray for it Argum. 13. Hee that beleeves in Christ not onely praying for himself but also out of love for his sinning brethren shall bee heard to whom through the merit of sin declining to destruction and perdition God will if hee bee but asked by a faithful man restore him to life Therefore c. Not unto death Hee excepts in case of the sin of the Holy Ghost When a Professor of the Faith or a Brother as to the external communion of the Church falls into open Apostacy from the Faith of Christ and maintains cruel haâ—red against the Gospel and those that are faithful against the light of conscience illuminated once by the Holy Ghost hee commands not to pray for him that commits this sin when it may bee discerned It is called a sin unto death because eternal death follows that sin and hee that falls into it remains in it without repentance until hee is thrust down into Hell Vers. 17. All unrighteousness is sin and there is a sin not unto death Hee explains what hee had said that although all transgression of the Law is sin wherefore it deserves the wages of death yet death follows not all sin because all kind of sin is remitted except this sin which is called blasphemy against the Holy Ghost which was never remitted to any nor never shall Vers. 18. Wee know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but hee that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not Argum. 14. Hee that is regenerate or truly beleeves in the Son of God is kept that hee sin not this sin yea nor doth hee lye alwaies intangled in any sin but by the grace of God and virtue of Gods seed remaining in him keepeth himself lest the Devil touch him to death with his sin Therefore yee must beleeve in Christ. Vers. 19. And wee know that wee are of God and the whole world lyeth in wickedness Hee applies this Argument by way of assumption from the proposition to their comfort and the comfort of the faithful to which hee writes and confirms it by five Reasons viz. that the faithful whereunto hee writes are kept together with himsâ—lf and shall be preserved in Faith and Obedience of the Gospel Wee know Reas. 1. Wee are certainly perswaded of our regeneration Therefore wee are perswaded that wee shall not sin that unpardonable sin neither shall bee in bondage to it but shall bee freed from the Devil fully through Christ. The World Reas. 2. Those that are of the world are onely in the power of that malicious Devil that hee may throw them headlong out of one wickedness into another Therefore wee who are translated out of the world into the Kingdome of God are not in the power of that malicious one but shall bee preserved as the free-men of God Vers. 20. And wee know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that wee may know him that is true and wee are in him that is true even in his Son Iesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life Reas. 3. Wee are certain of the coming of Christ our Redeemer into the world who hath enlightened our minds with his grace and hath given us true Faith in God Therefore wee shall not sin unto death but shall bee preserved And wee Reas. 4. Wee have communion with God and Christ wherein wee are and dwell by Faith Therefore wee shall bee untouched by that sin This is Reas. 5. Christ is the very true God and Life eternal who in himself is Life and the fountain of life to be communicated to the faithful and also the Procurer Giver and Preserver of it Therefore wee are certainly perswaded of our perseverance and eternal salvation Vers. 21. Little children keep your selves from Idols Amen For the conclusion of the Epistle hee proposes a short admonition that they have a care and keep themselves from Idols in the plural number and that from all sorts of Idols which after any manner might thrust themselves into the place of truth or of the true God to draw them from beleeving of the true Doctrine or from the true worship or obedience of God under any pretence whatsoever and that so much the more because these Idols may bee obtruded upon the faithful by the Devil and his Ministers and by all possible cunning Therefore hee the more diligently commands them to watch and to keep themselves from them lest they should bee in any wise polluted by them but by name that they beware of Images wherein Antichrist will glory and by these deceive the world The second Epistle of IOHN Analytically expounded The Contents AS Luke writ the Book of the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles to a certain noble Theophilus for the use of all the faithful So John wrote this familiar Epistle to one Noble and Holy Matrone and her children not onely that hee might appropriate the Doctrine which hee had commended in his former Epistle to the universal Church of the faithful to this private family but also that hee might teach the Pastors how they ought to teach publickly and from house to house from the Apostles example Act. 20 20. The parts of the Epistle are three the Preface containing the direction of the Epistle and Salutation to vers 4. An Exhortation to perseverance in the obedience of the Gospel or a constant exercise of Faith working by love to vers 12. The third is the conclusion Vers. 1. THe Elder unto the Elect Lady and her Children whom I love in the Truth and not I onely but also all they that have known the Truth The direction of the Epistle shews who to whom and with what minde hee wrote this Epistle The writer is Iohn the Apostle who makes no doubt of his authority in this family content with the title of the ordinary and common ministery hee calls himself an Elder by which name hee being now very antient hee also notes his age to the end that his admonition who could not live long by reason of his age might bee the more deeply fixed in them The person whereunto it is chiefly writ is the Elect Lady To signifie civil and due honour hee calls her Lady acknowledging her more happy spiritual condition in the Lord. Hee calls her Elect because in that this Matron had from the sincerity of her Faith declared her self to bee elect a farre more excellent commendation than that shee was accounted a Lady in a civil condition by men Her children are adjoyned because they were partakers with their Mother of the Grace of God in the knowledge of Christ. As for the mind of the