in good workes The foundation of God indeed remaineth sure but our faith wil be but little sure if we be not carefull to leade a life worthy the faith and profession whereunto we are called And therefore they are deceiued that say so they haue true faith they care not in what a small measure they haue it and how little it be for to get as strong a faith as may be will be little enough seeing as hath beene shewed in the former Epistle euen the faithfull shall scarcely be saued But it is further demanded here Quest 2 Doe good workes then make vs sure that we are in the number of them that shall be saued and are we not then iustified hereby as well as by faith and is not euerlasting life a reward giuen for them Indeed the Papists teach so Lorinus and therefore they reade this place thus Giue all diligence to make your calling and election sure by your good workes And Lorinus findeth great fault with Caietan and Gagneus and others of that side that they follow rather this reading with vs wherein the mention of good workes is left out as it is also in the Greeke But hee needed not to haue beene so hot for though these words were in as Robertus Stephanus alleageth three Greeke Copies wherein they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. yet it maketh nothing for the proofe of our iustification in part by workes but onely declareth that a man cannot haue a firme and sure faith without good workes the want of them causing a want of solid argument to assure that we doe truly and rightly beleeue And thus onely and none otherwise doe our good works make sure our calling and election when we carefully attend vnto them Touching the question of iustification by workes and of the merit of workes I haue spoken already vpon Rom. 3.28 and Iam. 2. For that point of the necessity of good works vnto saluatioÌ„ which Lorinus inferreth here there is no man that I know that will contend with him about it For we hold teach that good workes are necessary for euery one that would be saued and that he hath but a vaine faith that is void of good workes yet they are not necessary as the meritorious cause of our saluation but as the next words vers 11. doe declare Vers 11. as the way and a plaine and wide open way to heauen for so he saith Thus a way shall be abundantly ministred vnto you to enter Ephes 2.10 c. See also Ephes 2.10 But yet a third question remaineth Quest 3 and that is whether a man can make his election sure so as that hee may certainly be assured of his owne saluation Lorinus gathereth from hence Loâ—â—nâ—â— that a man cannot be certaine because such as are called and elected are bidden to make their election sure which they should not be if by faith which is wrought in a mans calling he were sure already But this is a meere cauill of a man wilfully blindfolding his eyes against the light It is true indeed that a man is not sure so soone as he is effectually called to beleeue for there is a weaker faith and a stronger faith faith in the very first beginning giueth some assurance but this assurance is confirmed more in time by goods workes Though he which is conuerted at the first doth beleeue yet being so newly come out of a sinfull estate he cannot but be full of doubtings and feares through which his beleefe may yet be called vnbeleefe as he that came to Christ for his childe spake of himselfe Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe And in this case it is that Peter biddeth to vse all diligence to make our calling and election sure Or rather because he that seemeth to be called and elected may haply be outwardly called only he willeth vs to approue our calling by a vertuous and holy life that so we may be sure whereas otherwise we should be deceiued The true collection to be made from hence is that a man may be sure and certaine of his saluation and that he ought not to rest till he hath attained vnto it by applying himselfe with all his power to liue so as becommeth his Christian and holy calling For otherwise it were a vaine precept to endeuour to become sure if this were not to be attained vnto I grant that the law indeed requireth that which man cannot attaine to touching doing and yet not in vaine because hereby wee are continually remembred what man was by creation and now finding it to be otherwise with him hereby occasion is giuen the same charge still lying vpon him to seeke out to another that is Christ in and through whom hee may attaine to the perfect fulfilling of the Law But the precept of the Gospell which is to beleeue and to be strengthened in the faith through godly liuing so that we may become sure of our saluation is not such a thing but that it may be fulfilled being the last refuge left for man fallen now to recouer life againe or else it were a vaine charge euen as a man that is no way able to pay his debts if hee be bidden to build a Church or to deliuer vp such an house and ground to his Creditor which he hath not and so he shal be exempt from going to prison should be but vainly conditioned withall but being bidden to goe of his errand an hundred miles he bearing his charges by the way also and so all shall be forgiuen him as there is no reasonable man that hath a minde to forgiue his debtor vpon some condition but will set such a condition as he can performe he can performe what is inioyned him But of this point of a certaine assurance of saluation to be attained by faith I haue written already at large vpon Romans 8.38 Note Note that a wicked man loseth all the benefit of his baptisme and Christian profession he hath indeed beene once washed from his sinnes by baptisme but all that benefit is now as a thing quite gone and forgotten and he hath lost his way to heauen Note againe that faith whereby we are iustified and saued Note is more certaine or vncertaine as our care to leade a godly life is more or lesse Only the godly Christian that from his heart-root desireth and laboureth to liue in the feare of God and to be alwaies doing of good can be sure that he is elected All others may iustly feare a reprobation The consideration of this election breedeth much anxiety in many who are much troubled about it in searching whether they be elected or no. But they begin at the wrong end if any man would be sure in this regard let him goe to worke as S. Peter here teacheth liue godlily and holily for otherwise to search about it is but to enter in a Labyrinth or Maze without euer finding an end CHAP. 1. VERS 19. And we haue a more
the imputed righteousnesse of Christ Iesus but Workes make a mans Faith euident and conspicuous to the world it being hereby proued that a man is a true beleeuer and so accepted for iust and righteous before God Ob. Hypocrites haue good workes and therefore it seemeth Obiect that good workes are no certaine euidence of Faith and consequently on one iustified Sol. Their workes are not truly good Sol. for such are the proper effects of Faith but because they are the same which the faithfull doe and it is hidden from man oftentimes who is an Hypocrite if wee shall iudge one to be faithfull because hee doth good workes we may bee deceiued Yet good workes doe manifest the truly faithfull because such a one is not without good workes though hee that hath good workes in our thinking is not alwaies faithfull but God seeth accuratly of what sort euery mans worke is He that desireth to reade more about iustification by Faith and Workes may haue recourse to Rom. 3.28 Touching the particular passages here verse 18. Vers 18. But some man may say thou hast faith and I haue workes shew we thy faith by thy workes c. Here such as trust to bare Faith are confuted by the bringing in of two speaking together the one seeming to himselfe to be faithfull the other manifested to bee such by his workes But that is but I will oppose thee by this prosopopeia Admit that a man truly faithfull challengeth thee thus Thou saist that thou hast Faith but how dost thou proue it hauing no works I can proue my Faith by my workes here the conscience of him that wanteth workes must needs bee conuinced Thou beleeuest that there is one God Vers 19. thou doest well the Deuils beleeue also and tremble To beleeue this though it be an Article of our Faith and likewise to beleeue and hold aright the other Articles doth not make one a true beleeuer though to beleeue this be to doe well because here is not all required to a sauing Faith Faith what which is to beleeue to the hauing of the affection moued to all due obedience vnto him in whom it is beleeued for loue as Oecumenius hath partly touched already and as Augustine sometime speaketh Faith with charity is a Christian faith August Fides cum charitate est fides Christiana fides sine charitate est fides daemonis Faith without charity is a faith of Deuills that is Faith inclining the heart to obey the Law of God the substance whereof standeth in loue Pareus and others of our Writers generally teach that a sauing Faith is to beleeue with application to a mans owne soule in particular This I confesse is true if we speake of that Faith which is growne to more perfection Iob 19.25 such as was in Iob saying I know that my Redeemer liueth Gal. 2.20 c. and in Paul saying I liue by the Faith of the Son of God who hath died for me But the Faith necessary to saluation commended vnto vs in the holy Scriptures is a beleeuing with loue and affection ioyned hereunto Such was the Faith of the Samaritans said to be Ioh. 4.42 Such a Faith Philip told the Eunuch if he had he might be baptized Act. 8.37 and such was Abrahams Faith Rom. 4.21 And this is such a Faith as none but the Elect can haue the Deuill cannot haue it for he beleeueth with an auersation the wicked cannot haue it for there is the like auersenesse in them also or at the least a deadnesse of affection for their Faith worketh not by loue of which they are void Here is also a certainty without wandring or doubring which is set forth as a property of true Faith for it is without all doubting assented to Iam. 1.5 that Iesus is the Sauiour of the world and that whosoeuer rightly beleeueth on him shall haue euerlasting life But as for certainty of a mans owne particular estate in grace I suppose that is not so of the Esse of Faith as the hee should bee said to haue no Faith who is not able for the present to apply Gods promises without doubting vnto himselfe for then wofull were the case of many true Christians who in time of temptation finde many feares and perplexities in themselues in so much that they are ready to say with Dauid they are cast out of Gods presence though afterward they see their weaknesse and recouer their hold againe Besides this particular assurance is a thing that is to increase daily as men grow vp in Christ and therefore no maruell if in those that are yet children in the Faith it be not so strong as it should be Certainly true loue is an inseparable companion and fruit of a true Faith and then who can deny it to be a liuely Faith wherwith true loue concurreth though such assurance touching a mans owne particular estate be not yet atrained vnto Thou seest that Faith wrought together with his workes Vers 22. c. that is for so much as I haue spoken of his iustification by his worke I would not haue it vnderstood but with reference to his Faith whereby he brought forth this worke so that Faith as the cause and worke as the effect did perfectly iustifie him so that his worke was in no part cause of his iustification as though his iustice stood herein but hereby his Faith was perfected because without it his Faith could not haue beene a perfect and liuing Faith as it is not in any other man Euen as he that from his heart without any dissimulation assenteth to any thing that is iust and equall is in that instant honest and iust but this assent of his is perfected by his act when he doth accordingly And the Scripture was fulfilled saying Vers 23. that Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse that is by this fact he shewed that he beleeued and in his beleeuing whereby he did it stood his iustice and not in the doing of this thing nothing can be plainer for iustification by Faith and to declare that what is attributed to worke in Abraham is meant of a working Faith as hath beene touched already Touching the conclusion Vers 24. v. 24. it must not be vnderstood but according to the Premises that when a man bringeth forth the fruit of Faith he is iustified and not when he doth barely beleeue not being able to shew his Faith by any such fruits Vers 26. And to this also do the last words v. 26. agree as the body without a spirit is dead so is Faith without workes Faith only iustifieth not because being alone without Workes it is dead and vnprofitable as a Carkasse without a soule Note Note that to beleeue only in Christ doth not auaile vnto saluation but when with the apprehension of the loue of God toward a man in Christ which is the greatest loue that euer was doth concurre the loue
Gods iudgements is to haue true and vnfained loue in vs towards one another For feare commeth out of the conscience of sin from which we shall be free if we haue such loue in vs wee shall not sinne against the degree the life the chastity the goods or the good name of our brother which kinde of sins are vsually the originall of inward trouble and feare in the minde CHAP. V. IN this Chapter the Apostle treateth of faith prouing that the faithfull loue the children of God because they loue God and that they loue God because they keepe his commandements vrging to beleeue in Christ because of the testimony which God the Father hath giuen vnto him The coherence of it with the former is this Hauing proued that he which loueth God must needs loue his brother he proceedeth to confirme it further from the consideration of the nature of faith Hereby we are begotten of God and therefore we cannot but loue others that are begotten of him also and the ground of this is our louing of God the Father both of vs and them for he that loueth a man loueth his children also for his sake Vers 1 2. So that this is indeed a new argument we cannot loue God but we must loue our brethren also because they are the begotten of God this being the state of euery faithfull person And hauing reasoned so much about the loue of God he sheweth in the next place what this loue is viz. to keepe his commandements Vers 2 3. and that it may not be thought hereupon that no man then can loue God he sheweth that the faithfull haue the Spirit whereby they are so inflamed with the loue of God as that this is their continuall study and care by the assistance of the same Spirit they ouercome the world the chiefe enemy hindring them from keeping these Commandements v. 4 5. Then because the obiect of faith is Christ Iesus hee sheweth by what certaine testimony he came that wee might vndoubtedly beleeue pressing the same vers 6 7 8 9 10. and then what benefit doth redound to the beleeuer euen eternall life vers 11 12. for which cause he saith that he wrote vnto them resuming againe the argument touching boldnesse before vsed chap. 4 17. For if Christ and by him life be ours wee cannot but with confidence aske any thing at his hands vers 14 15. wherefore he exhorteth to pray for them that sin so that their sinning be not vnto death vers 16. yeelding a reason of praying for such vers 17. and then affirming againe the immunity of Gods children from sinne and shewing how all the world is vnder sinne but the faithfull in grace through the knowledge of God and of Iesus Christ he concludeth with a dehortation from idolatry vers 19 20 21. 1 IOHN Chapter 5. Verse 2. Hereby we know that we loue the children of God when wee loue God and keepe his Commandements IT is a maruell Mayer that the Apostle hauing reasoned before from our louing of one another to the louing of God doth now reason from our louing of God to our louing of one another But certainly there may be areciprocall argument drawne both waies wee cannot haue true loue towards one another but in the loue of God and obedience to his Commandements as Piscator noteth Piscator for there may bee a wicked loue and delight in one another this appeareth to be no true loue because we haue no loue of God in louing thus seeing his Commandements are transgressed It was necessary therefore hauing spoken so much of mutuall loue to insert this here lest that should be taken for true loue laudable before God which is wicked and damnable In the first verse he speaketh in the singular number Hee that loueth him that begetteth Vers 1. loueth him that is begotten of him But here in the plurall whereupon many haue gathered that by him which is begotten Christ Iesus the onely begotten Sonne of God is meant touching the loue of whom he speaketh because many that outwardly embraced the Faith of Christ Hilar 6. c Trin. August lib de fide â—2 Beda did not in heart loue him but were enemies vnto him But many againe on the other side expound it of the regenerate as Dydimus Oecumenius Glossa ordmaria c. But I assent rather to this latter because of the sudden change of the number and an assumption as it were made out of the former verse and because euery one that beleeueth is said to be begotten of God the same word being vsed that is to expresse him which is begotten Vers 3. In that his Commancements are said not to bee grieuous it may seeme that they are possible to be kept in euery thing a speech agreeable to this is that of our Sauiour Christ My yoke is easie Mat. 11 28. and my burthen light But the next words scrue to explaine these Vers 4. Because euery one that is borne of God ouercommeth the world The true faithfull person delighteth in Gods Commandements Rom 7. though by reason of the flesh that hee carrieth still about with him he cannot perfectly fulfill them They are not grieuous because they doe not with-hold vs from any thing profitable or truly pleasant vnto vs. August de natura grâ—t c 43. Quoâ— odo est graue cum dilectionis est mandatum Aut enâ—m quisqua non diligit graue est aut diligit graue esse non 〈◊〉 est dug de nat perfect inssitae Saint Augustine speaketh excellently in shewing that they are not grieuous How should that be grieuous which is the Commandement of loue for either a man doth not loue and so it is grieuous or else he loueth and so it cannot be grieuous Popish writers doe hereupon insult ouer vs teaching that no man can perfectly keepe Gods Commandements for if it be impossible say they for the regenerate to keepe them without sinning how are they said not to bee grieuous Saint Augustine shall answer for vs it is the loue and delight that we take in them that maketh them not grieuous seeing hereby we are not pressed as with a burthen but cleuated as with wings as the same Father also speaketh For though we cannot doe the thing that we delight in so exactly yet it is not grieuous vnto vs. As Gregory speaketh Greg. lib. 5. in 1 Reg 12. Quid graue non leuiter â—ollâ—rat qui amat quicquid enim diligitur cum magna deuotione por latur what grieuous thing doth not hee lightly beare that loueth For whatsoeuer is beloued is borne with great deuotion Indeed if for our imperfections and failings in keeping Gods Commandements we should be iudged it must needs be grieuous but seeing by Faith we are stated in him that hath done all things perfectly and God doth not behold vs any more in our selues but in Christ whose perfect righteousnesse is ours we become secure in respect
euery one rising in that stature of body wherein he fell against the Iesuites conceit that all shall be of such a stature as one is ordinarily at his full age The bookes that are opened are according to some the bookes of men consciences according to others the bookes of holy Scripture but according to Augustine both which I thinke to be rightest for euery mans conscience shall then be made manifest whether it be good or euill foule or cleare and according to the bookes of holy Scripture all shall be iudged as they haue receiued and obserued the things therein contained or not The other is according to some Napier Parâ—us the booke of predestination for then it shall be made manifest who were elected and who reprobate according to some Bullinger the booke of faith for he that beleeueth hath life to beleeue is to liue the booke of life then is the booke of faith for he in whomsoeuer a true faith is found shall then liue the rest shall be cast into hell I subscribe to the booke of Predestination for this of faith was spoken of before amongst the bookes and because it is hidden from vs who are written in this Booke God only knoweth that a thing well knowne to vs is further spoken of viz. Workes euery man is iudged according to his workes for good workes alwayes are in such as bee written in this booke It is not said according to their faith because that is more latent and there is more deceit in it neither is it said for their workes but all that were not found written in the booke of life that is that were not elected are cast into the lake of fire but yet iustly for their euill workes deserue it on the contrary side therefore they which are saued are such as be written in the booke of life here is the originall of their saluation God hath elected them and good reason there is in respect of men that they should be saued for their works haue beene good whereas the workes of the reprobate haue beene euill and to good workes God hath promised a reward as he hath threatened iudgement to euill workes yet in respect of God there is no reason of merit in the best works because it is our duty to doe them and being examined by the rule of Gods righteousnesse they are defectiue when wee doe them in the best manner that we can but there is good reason of merit of death in euill workes because vpon paine of death they are forbidden so that he shall be well worthy to die that committeth them euen as a murtherer or robber is worthy to be hanged but on the other side he that doth good workes is not well worthy of euerlasting life though it bee promised that he shall be thus rewarded no more than a dutifull subiect is worthy for that seruice which his Prince commandeth him and promiseth to reward with the marriage of his daughter and making him his sonne can be said to be worthy of it For it was of grace that his Prince made him such a promise to whom he ought that seruice without a reward neither could it bee worthy of so great a reward though greatly deseruing and therefore it came of grace not of his merit But if of merit yet there is a great disproportion betwixt the seruice of any subiect to his Prince and the actions of a Christian towards God for the Prince doth meerely command and furnish his subiect with necessaries to doe that seruice which hee putteth him vpon but it is his owne valour and wisdome whereby he performeth it without any inabling further from his Prince in the very doing for notwithstanding his furnishing of him hee may as well miscarry as effect that which hee goeth about But God inableth his to that which he requireth He worketh the will and the deed of his owne good pleasure Philip. 2.13 Againe the greatest reward of a Prince is but the reward of a man to a man a temporany reward and so happily the benefit that redoundeth to him by that seruice may be equall to the reward but euerlasting life which is the reward of God is farre more excellent than any thing that any man can doe or the benefit hereby redounding vnto God which is none for If thou be righteous thou art righteous for thy selfe Prou. 9.12 if thou bee wicked thou alone shalt suffer The Papists therefore that from hence and from the like places seeke to establish the merit of good workes doe greatly straine and force such places against all sense and reason By death and hell which are said to bee cast into the lake of fire some vnderstand the Deuill August Napier who by his temptations becommeth death and hell to the wicked for that he draweth them on to such a course as tendeth to death and damnation Dent. Bullinger Pareus Some vnderstand all such as to whom death and hell belongeth all the reprobate and wicked and some whatsoeuer is obnoxious and hurtfull so that after this nothing remaineth to hinder the perfect blessâ—dnesse of the new Ierusalem which commeth next to bee spoken of And this seemeth to bee most probable because the Deuils damnation was spoken of before vers 10. and the reprobates damnation vers 15. Here therefore may fitly be brought in the vtter destruction of death and hell in respect of the faithfull so that they should not be in any feare of them any longer for according to this it is promised 1 Cor. 15.16 The last enemy which shall be destroyed is Death Cha. 21.4 Death is said to be no more after this this casting into the lake then is but a periphrases of destructioÌ„ But me thinkes there may be another more agreeing sense yet rendered if by a Metonymy we vnderstand by death and hell such as death and hell were said before to giue vp the wicked which hitherto lay dead and buried the continent being put for the content as wee call the inhabitants of an house the house For if hell should bee meant as the word soundeth then hell should bee said to bee cast into hell which cannot stand if the heires of hell then the same word should be vsed in another sense as it were with the same breath that is not likely but being taken as I haue said it doth well correspond vnto the words before going and the argument of the wickeds destruction which onely is here set forth is fitly prosecuted the comforts of the faithfull being reserued to be spoken of in the next Chapter Touching death and hell which are said to giue vp their dead R bera I hold it not amisse with Ribera to expound it of such as haue died ordinarily or extraordinarily haue beene swallowed vp and gone aliue as it were into the pit St. Augustine will haue it meant of the bodies in the graues and of the soules of the wicked in hell This is a notable place
of our Neighbour for his sake for this is a liuely and working Faith the other Faith onely And therefore this hearty loue vttering it selfe in the acts of mercy is most necessary vnto saluation not because saluation is hereby merited but because the life and soule of a true Faith lieth herein So that they are wonderfully deceiued that thinke to be saued by beleeuing onely hauing their hearts hardened in sinne in the meane season and hauing no regard to doe good workes and we are vniustly taxed by the Papists as crying downe good workes when we teach iustification by a true and liuely Faith and deny it to bee in part by Workes For we presse vnto good workes as much as they but that we doe it vpon a true ground holding that it is no liuely Faith that wanteth Workes they vpon a false holding that Workes together with Faith doe iustifie or that Faith maketh a man iust but Workes more iust that of iustification by Workes in part being a presumptuous inlargement of that which of old was taught touching Abraham who beleeued God and this was counted to him for righteousnesse this being made more iust a wicked inuention of their owne braines without all ground in the holy Scriptures Note againe Note that a man may beleeue the Articles of the Christian Faith and hold much truth in fundamamentall points and yet be in no better estate than the Deuill so that it maketh nothing for the credit of the Iesuites that in many points they hold the truth for so much as their practises are deuillish and damnable and it may be said likewise of the whole rabble of Papals seduced by them CHAP. III. HOwsoeuer there may seeme to bee no coherence betwixt this Chapter and those that went before yet if we looke backe to Chapter 1.19 and Verse 25. it will appeare that it cohereth very well For hauing there fallen vpon an Argument concerning speech and the abuse of the tongue vnto which he ioineth an exhortation to doe the Word and not to heare it onely and specially by emptying out all maliciousnesse and filthinesse and putting on meeknesse and exercising mercy towards the poore and not contempt hee keepeth as we may well obserue within these bounds thorowout the residue of his Epistle First more largely treating vpon that of vsing the poore contemptuously and vpon workes of mercy chap. 2. Secondly in a like large manner returning to speake of the misgouernment of the tongue chap. 3. after which thirdly in the same Chapter he also resumeth his exhortation vnto meeknesse and against maliciousnese vers 13. vnto the end of the Chapter Fourthly he returneth to speake against filthinesse also against which he had giuen a touch chap. 1.21 and this hee doth chap. 4. mixing his reproofe of this together with that other of malice and enuy whence strife ariseth a certaine Argument of pride and therefore hee toucheth vpon that also vers 6. Touching the residue of that Chapter wee shall see more when we come to the handling of it Here then are two points first against the abuse of the tongue seconly against strife and contention arising from the want of meeknesse in the heart which strife doth also vtter it selfe by railing and cursed speaking Touching the first he reproueth it first more obscurely vers 1. then plainly vers 2 c. IAMES Chapter 3. Verse 1. My brothren be not many masters knowing that we shall receiue the greater damnation Vers 2. For in many things we slip or stumble all THere were many Iewes in the daies of the Apostles who went Tho Aquinas Gorrans Glos â—ord before they were well instructed in the doctrine of Faith from Ierusalem to Antioch preaching the necessity of circumcision and other errors Against these hee opposeth this speech Be not many masters that is because the knowledge requifite in a Teacher is but of few bee not yee that are vnlearned and ignorant Masters and Teachers neither by ye many by your diuisions through ignorance into many opinions for it is not a thing reprehensible that there by many Masters which are sufficient and teach all one truth because thus they do altogether performe but the office of one Master Christ as he calleth himselfe Mat. 2â— Such shall receiue the greater damnation because it is a greater sin to set forth false doctrine than for a mans owne particular to hold it though he shall also perish for so doing In many things we offend all that is we that teach the Truth onely haue yet our frailties and sinnes and therefore no need that we should rush further in by vsurping such an high Office vnto which sufficient skill is wanting he speaketh thus of himselfe together with them that he might the more freely reproue them in this fault This speech is directed against rash iudging of the speeches and deeds of othes Pareus Piscator alike vnto which is Luk. 6.37 Now it is an vsuall Catachresis in any Language to call such supercilious persons as will take vpon them to censure and to speake euill of others Masters Be not many that is let there be no such the speech being framed according to the occasion because there were many faulty this way he biddeth Be not many Masters Hee saith We shall receiue the greater damnation for thus iudging others because the euill in our selues is aggrauated hereby before God and as it is iust with him hee will prouide that we shall haue the like measure meeted vnto vs againe and he numbreth himselfe amongst them lest he should seeme guilty of that which he taxeth if he should speake of others only exempting himselfe In many things we offend all that is hereby we should be staied from iudging of others because in iudging we condemne our selues who are many waies offenders also Ioh. 8. Gal. 6.1 Obiect By this reason none can censure the faults of others Obiect Solu It followeth onely Sol. that none can rightly doe thus without a calling wherein he that iudgeth standeth as Gods Deputy to censure for him for thus he iudgeth not but God iudgeth by him Secondly hauing a calling he ought not to be swaied by corrupt affections in censuring others in spleene and hatred orbeing proud ouer poore Malefactors as though there were nothing worthy of censure in himselfe but out of a conscience of his owne guiltinesse before God censure with mercy and clemency Faber Mayer Faber Gagneus Beda Luther August Ne sitis multi magistri i. dissentientes à doctima vnici Magistri Christi Beza Iunius and Gagneus and Saint Augustine also and Beda follow the first exposition and Luther likewise See August prolog in lib. 1. retract Be not many Masters saith he dissenting from the Doctrine of Christ our onelyl Master Beza and Iunius and others follow the newer exposition For my owne part I see no reason to goe from the old receiued interpretation That which Pareus obiecteth against it that thus vnderstood it should
and Rom. 12.2 Bee not conformed to this world Faber Stap. Gagneus Some referre this saying to Exod. 20. I the Lord thy God am a ielous God the Spirit of God that dwelleth in you enuieth that ye should be ioined to any other but vnto himselfe seeing he doth offer more grace than any other vnto vs as it followeth but he giueth more grace c. the world giueth nothing of worth but taketh away but God giueth his holy Spirit and Son vnto vs here Piscator and life euerlasting hereafter Some vnderstanding the Spirit of God that dwelleth in vs also doe yet referre it vnto Numb 11.29 reading it interrogatiuely doth it lust vnto enuy as if he should say it doth not for it did not in Moses when Eldad and Medad prophecied in the Host Pareus for he forbad it vnto Ioshuah or else vnto Exod. 25.8 ch 29.45 Ier. 7.3 I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel rendring the sense thus the spirit that is often said to dwell in vs lusteth against that is hareth and carrieth vs against enuy Of all these expositions it is hard to say which is to be preferred and the place must needs be confessed to bee most intricate But that exposition whereby it is said that the Spirit of God is here meant though it be most commonly imbraced seemeth to me to be most improbable because he that is God who offereth more grace vers 6. is opposed to the spirit here spoken of for an aduersatiue particle but is vsed as if he should haue spoken of two contraries thus is our spirit inclined but God prescribeth otherwise Againe it were a strange speech to say that the spirit lusteth to enuy if the meaning were is iealous as Faber rendreth it seeing enuy is the corruption so much in this Epistle impugned and therefore if he would haue spoken a word which should carry a good sense he would haue chosen some other and not haue vsed this which was neuer yet taken but in an ill sense And to expound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Pareus doth vnto by against is as strange neither doe the next words currantly follow any of both these expositions for so it should rather haue beene therefore or for he giueth more grace I preferre therefore that exposition which interpreteth the spirit that dwelleth in vs of that spirit which all men haue in common the spirit of naturall life for euery man that liueth liueth by a spirit which is the soule for when this departeth out of the body the spirit is said to goe to God that gaue it Eccl. 12. ◠and this is called the spirit of the world and as it is now corrupt since the fall of Adam is opposed to Gods Spirit 1 Cor. 2.12 By the spirit then dwelling in vs I vnderstand our naturall corruption which is vsually set forth by the name of a spirit as for example that corruption whereby we are vnfaithfull and doe not beleeue is called The spirit of bondage Rom. 8.15 That whereby men haue beene carried away to idolatry is called The spirit of whoredome Hos 4.12 That whereby men are blinded to goe on in sinne without looking at the danger is called The spirit of a deepe sleepe Esay 29.10 And this corruption is said to dwell in vs euen when we are regenerate Rom. 7.20 And in regard that it is an infection in the soule and spirit sometime a man infected herewith is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2.14 naturall from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying the soule and because he is carried hereby to carnall things and it vttereth it selfe by the fleshly members of the body sometime he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carnall as 1 Cor. 3.41 And if we vnderstand by the spirit dwelling in vs this corruption we shall easily finde out the Scripture where thus much in effect is set forth though not in the same words viz. Gal. 5.17 for there is shewed how the flesh lusteth against the spirit and vnto what this lusting tendeth when hee enumerateth the particular fruits thereof and amongst the rest enuy and strife And being thus vnderstood all things agree here most notably For it is as if hee should haue said Hereby it appeareth that to bee linked vnto the world by being like affected as the men of the world are is to be shaken off from God as being in enmity with him because the corruption whereby the world is carried as by their spirit here therefore called The spirit dwelling in vs lusteth vnto enuy fighting and striuing to bee most eminent and in highest place but God inclineth the contrary way viz. to humility by promising grace to the humble and threatning the proud that out of their pride breake out into such vnchristian brabbles and stirres This sentence He resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble is taken out of Prouerbs 3.34 where though the words be a little different in the Hebrew yet according to the Septuagints they are the very same here alleaged Resist the Deuill and he will flie from you Verse 7. this resistance is made by Faith 1 Pet. 5.8 and by other parts of the spirituall Armature Ephes 6.12 But it is not to be thought that hee will for euer be gone when he is thus resisted for he will returne againe and make new assaults but hee must alwaies bee thus resisted Vers 8. and so we shall preuaile against him Draw neere to God this is by reformation of our hearts and liues as is immediatly expressed and by lamenting our sinnes past vers 9. Speake not one against another Vers 11. hee that speaketh against a brother and iudgeth him speaketh against the Law c. Hauing exhorted to a course of reconciliation to God he now intreateth of vnity amongst themselues and forbearing one to detract from another or to impeach another wrongfully Hee that doth thus Leu. 19.16 speaketh against the Law because in the Law it is forbidden to goe about as a Tale-bearer against a mans neighbour and in carrying himselfe herein as contemptuous of the Law he taketh vpon him as it were as a Iudge ouer the Law so farre is he from submitting to the obedience thereof whereas indeed there is but one Iudge namely God whose Office whilst he thus vsurpeth hee may iustly feare a future condemnation by him And in this exposition all Interpreters generally doe agree Note Note that to be wedded to our owne wills and waies is to be at enmity with God for so much as our waies and Gods waies are diametrically contrary the one to the other our spirit as the spirit of the world generally doth carrieth vs to enuy and all euill affections but God would faine draw vs to humility Wherefore let vs renounce our owne wills and lusts and hearken to the Lord that we may haue his loue and not continue in enmity with him the heat of whose anger
Whereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath plainly reference to the all things before spoken of vers 3. which are giuen vnto vs both for life and godlinesse for amongst these are set forth the great and precious promises of which we are made partakers when as by these meanes we attaine to faith and so we partake of the diuine nature that is of holinesse and righteousnesse whereby we auoid the corruption of the world by lust as is added to expresse what he meaneth by partaking of the diuine nature For we partake of the corrupt nature of man fallen as long as we follow that euill lust that is in vs but when through the spirit we are so sanctified in beleeuing that we auoid this corruption and liue holily and righteously we partake of the nature of God Eph. 4.24 seeing the old man is now put off and the new man is put on that is Christ Iesus who is also God from whence Ambrose argueth against those that denied Christ to be God Aâ—bros lib. de incaâ—â—at c. 8. for how else could he make vs partakers of the nature of God if he himselfe had it not Seruetus Seruetus gathered from hence that there is a transfusion of the diuine nature into man but erroneously Athan. crat 2. contra Arrian for as Athanasius teacheth we partake of the diuine nature onely by his grace through the spirit without the diuision of the diuine essence but Christ is begotten of the Father and so consubstantiall with him Osiander hath â—rred also as much teaching that wee are iustified by that righteousnesse wherby Christ is essentially righteous not as man but as God But Peter saith not that we are partakers of the diuine nature by the inhabitation of essentiall iustice but by the great and precious promises which when we heare we beleeue and so attaine to the things promised the summe and substance of all which is Christ It may rather be gathered from hence that our iustification is a permanent gift as nature is as Lorinus also granteth according to which the regenerate is called a new creature and therefore continueth to the end Touching the exhortation inferred hereupon Vers 5. vers 5. it tendeth to shew that the faithfull now that they are in the state of grace ought not to be secure as if nothing more were required at their hands but to beleeue but they must vse all diligence and haue a care to shine in all Christian complements of practice for the order of which that of Tho. Aquinas followed also by Burges in his chaine of graces liketh me best After the radicall and mother grace faith named he first commendeth such graces as concerne the doing of good secondly such as concerne euill first of sinne to be auoided secondly of punishment to be borne Onely with Piscator I thinke that godlinesse is to be vnderstood of the exercise of godly duties und withall of a godly minde referring all our grace to Gods glory and brotherly loue of the loue of the faithfull and charity of the loue of all euen enemies and persecutors For whatsoeuer good we doe and whatsoeuer euill we auoid if godlinesse and loue be not adioyned it is nothing worth Without godlinesse it will be vnsanctified 1 Tim. 4. for all things are sanctified by the word and prayer and through the want of respect to Gods glory Matth. 25. it may be pharisaicall through vaine glory and if loue be wanting there is but a lampe without oile nothing but a sounding brasse and tinkling cymball 1 Cor. 13. Note Note that the condition of the faithfull is most high and honourable euen a partaking of the diuine nature as Mordecay was made partaker of royall dignity which is when our nature is changed and of corrupt and impure we become holy and righteous for this is Gods nature So that there is nothing in the world so much to be ioyed in or to be aspired so much after as to be holy and nothing so much to be shunned as corruption for if we be of the same nature with God we shall also with him liue and be blessed and happy for euer Note againe Note that heauen and happinesse is not so easily attained vnto as the world thinketh onely by beleeuing but great care and diligence must be vsed that the whole life may be vertuous that knowledge in the mysteries of God may be attained c. Hee must weare not one grace but this whole chaine of graces that would be adorned for God and be receiued into his kingdome for if there be but one euen the last grace of loue wanting all the rest are nothing worth and the soule is but basely set forth yet CHAP. 1. VERS 10. Wherefore Brethren giue rather all diligence to make your election and calling firme for doing these things ye shall neuer fall From the words which I haue already expounded vnto these there is nothing difficult Mayer Vers 9. sauing that vers 9. he saith that such an one is blinde and forgetteth his washing of old from his sinnes Luther But that may be vnderstood thus as Luther hath it he cannot see the way to goe one right step towards the kingdome of heauen doth as if he forgat his baptisme receiued formerly for the remission of his sinnes at what time there was a vow made of new obedieÌ„ce so that if he had a due remeÌ„brance of these things he could not but doe better That sins are washed away in baptisme is plaine because we are inuited vpon this to be baptized Acts 2.38 And S. Paul speaking of those that haue beene washed 1 Cor. 6.11 varieth the phrase and saith Ye haue beene washed August contra epist Pelag. c. 13. Dicimus baptisma dare indulgentiam omnium peccatorum auferre crimina non radere ye haue beene sanctified and iustified And hereunto Augustine agreeth saying In baptisme all our sinnes are pardoned and taken away not pared onely Hereupon the Papists inferre inherent righteousnesse and an vtter abolishing of originall sinne in baptisme but that this is false appeareth plainely from many places Rom. 7.17 Gal. 5.17 Colos 3.5 Wee are washed indeed from the sinne that wee brought into the world with vs so as that it shall not be laid vnto our charge but it remaineth still as a root of euill as long as we liue seeing otherwise all persons regenerate by baptisme should liue without actually offending for so much as there were nothing to tempt to sinne if this lust were quite rooted out and gone Iames 1.13 Touching the present Text. Vers 10. Is not our election and calling sure without our endeuour Quest 1 Is it not firmely appointed by God from the beginning who shall be saued that he biddeth vs make it sure I answer also with Luther Luther that in respect of God it is firme and stable but it is not sure to vs but by endeuouring constantly and continually
one that hath originally erred for such are not lightly brought home by repentance and they are commonly most infest enemies to the truth and therefore as a relapse into a great sicknesse so their case is most dangerous CHAP. III. 2 PETER Chapter 3. Verse 5. They are willingly ignorant of this that the Heauens were of old and the earth set out of the water and by the water by the Word of God Vers 6. Whereby the world that then was being ouerwhelmed with water was destroyed Vers 7. But the heauens and the earth that now are are by the same word treasured vp being kept for the fire to the Day of Iudgement IN the History of the Creation it appeareth Oecumen in 2 Pet. 3. how the Heauens and the Earth were set out of the waters for God commanded that a Firmament should be in the midst of the waters that is a more firme existence of waters and this he called Heauen and when as the earth was ouerwhelmed with waters he likewise commanded the waters to gather together that it might appeare and thus the earth was set out of the waters the materiall cause being hereby designed and by the waters noting out the finall and as the earth came out of the waters at Gods command so likewise the Heauens For both are made out of the waters the aire called Heauen out of their exhalation and the earth out of their concretion The earth therefore is out of the water because made out of it and by the water because hereby as by a kinde of glue is as it were cemented and made to hang together which otherwise would dissolue and vanish into dust and aire And as the Heauens and Earth had their beginning at the first from waters so the force whereby vnder God commanding groweth the concretion of the one and the exhalation of the other is fire Wherefore as from these two all things had their beginning so for sinne they haue beene destroyed by water and shall againe be destroyed by fire as not only Christians teach but also Hyraclitus Ephesius and Empedocles Etneus The Heauens and the Earth c. that is such things as are vsefull for the sustentation of mans life as Corne Grasse Trees and Beasts c. and not the substance of the Heauens and Earth For man hauing grieuously sinned the world is said to haue beene destroyed therefore by water yet it was not consumed so hauing beene replenished againe and both by Law and Gospell men being dealt withall to walke in obedience to God but yet few profiting hereby it is kept to be destroyed by fire yet that as when a man purgeth things in the fire to fine them or buildeth his house anew by vsing still the former materials so when the Lord saith that he will make a new Heauen and a new Earth and that this world shall be burnt vp with fire it is meant only that the vtensils hereof which serue for a corporall life shall be consumed by fire of which there shall be no further vse seeing we shall all then be spirituall and thus a new face of all things shall appeare in which regard it is called a new Heauen and a new Earth because those growing things which would then be superfluous being taken away whatsoeuer auaileth to the adorning and beautifying of this world and is needfull to the incorruptible life to come shall be added That these outward things are corruptible and subiect to destruction appeareth by their daily increasing and dying againe The reason why the world made in an excellent manner at the first hath beene and shall bee againe destroyed is the sinne of man whereby the creatures become subiect vnto vanity Whereby the world that then was being ouerwhelmed with water perished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by which Heauen and Earth for the windowes of Heauen were opened and the fountaines of the deepe were broken vp and so the world was drowned Th. Aquinas in 2 Peter 3. By the Heauens here is to be vnderstood the aire for thus the Fowles are called the Fowles of Heauen they are said to haue beene of old because they were amongst the first of the creatures and in another manner then now that is calme and free from cold winds and tempests and so was the earth more plaine and fertill consisting out of the water that is by being discouered when at the Word of God the waters were gathered together and by the water that is as Beda hath it Beda because by the diuine disposition it is all full of veines of water euen as a mans body is full of bloud otherwise it could not stand but would be reduced into dust according to Philosophy in regard of the great drinesse thereof Or else the earth is said to be out of the waters as the matter thereof and by the waters because without water it could not be fruitfull By which that is in which parts of aire and earth the world that then was perished that is in respect of the inhabitants and the outward forme of the aire which by reason of the waters long occupying the place thereof was made grosser and the earth more muddy and the water thicker by reason of the long commixion of the earth and water together But the heauens and earth that now are that is not differing in substance from that those were before but in quality are reserued that is restored to their proper place and condition for the vse of the creatures And the aire is here still called the Heauens in the plurall number in respect of the diuers Regions and Hemispheres thereof These are to be purged by fire This they are willingly ignorant of that is Luther in 2 Pet. 3. though they cannot but know it yet they wilfully shut their eyes against it for hereby they could not but learne the power of God supporting the world which would otherwise bee ouerwhelmed with waters and the iustice of God against sinne destroying by water plainly intimating another most fearefull destruction to come at the last day seeing it is so plainly threatned as that was The Heauen and Earth that then were stood out of the water and by the water that is the Heauen out of the water because it was made of water and the earth by the water because it standeth in the waters by the Word and command of God or else it could not so doe but haue long agoe beene drowned yet neuerthelesse the world that then was perished Vers 6. and so vpon the sudden all things in Heauen and Earth shall perish by fire all being turned into a fiery flame and burnt to ashes as then all things were changed by the waters The exposition of this place is easie enough in all other things but onely for these words the Heauens were of old Mayer and the Earth set out of the waters and by the waters by the Word of God August de Ciuit Dei l. 20. c. 18.
it a thing indifferent whether we haue communion with him or no for the bloud of Iesus Christ clenseth such from all sinne And lest when we endeuour to be holy we should depriue our selues of so great a benefit of Christs bloud through conceitednesse by imagining that now we liue not in grosse sinnes as others doe we are altogether free from sinne he preuenteth this by shewing that so we should deceiue our selues c. vers 8 9 10. 1 IOHN Chapter 1. Verse 1. That which was from the beginning which wee haue heard which we haue seene with our eyes which wee haue beheld and which our hands haue handled of the Word of Life c. THe Iewes and Greekes both did tax the Mystery of the Gospell as a nouelty Oecumen in 1 Ioh. 1. and therefore to approue the antiquity thereof he beginneth with these words That which was from the beginning that is either before the Law or before the creation of all things for Heauens and Earth and all were in the beginning the word Christ before the beginning So that the word was doth not set forth a temporary existence but the substance foundation and beginning of all things that haue a being without which nothing can exist as is further declared in the Gospell of Iohn Which wee haue heard that is by the Law and Prophets being spoken of before Which wee haue seene and beheld that is when Christ liued here in the flesh we saw him and in seeing admired him for those admirable things that were in him But hee doth not meane that they saw that which was from the beginning for that is inuisible but his taking flesh Which we haue handled hereby either it is meant that he was so familiarly made knowne vnto them as that hee was made as it were palpable or else he pointeth at that handling of him by Thomas who was bidden to put his hand to his hands and side and feele the print of the nailes and speare and not to be incredulous but beleeuing After these things thus set forth hee maketh a reddition hereof againe vers â— not so plainly as we would doe but more obscurely to make vs the more attentiue lest perceiuing the matter at the first looking into it with ease we should become negligent and diuine Mysteries being made manifest to prophane eares should thus come to be abused as pearles being cast before swine This one Author hath so well expounded all things here Mayer as that I shall not need to adde others there being little difference in any from this Exposition Onely because the sense is imperfect without some supply It is to be vnderstood that the Syriake readeth it thus Syrus interp Lyra. Vatabl. We preach vnto you that which was from the beginning And Lyra and Vatablus vnderstand Wee declare vnto you But this supply commeth in well enough v. 3. after that which we haue seene and heard repeated againe because of the Parenthesis comming betweene That which hee saith was from the beginning is that word of life which he declareth here to be eternall which was is and shall be for to be eternall includeth all times That which wee haue seene heard looked vpon and handled Faber Stapul de hoc auditu hoc visu his oculis hoc tactu his mauibâ—s nequaquaÌ„ haec incolligenda putem sed potius de spiritualibus sic spiritu inâ—â—s qui eum receperunt mentes eleuante ad arcanorum diuinorum auditum contuitum contactum quibus supra omnem sensum agnouerunt quod à principio erat verbum c. Pluris est onus oculatus testis quam auriti decem Lyra. Beda Clem. Alexand. some will not haue by any meanes to be expounded of hearing seeing or handling with the bodily eares eyes and hands but with the spirituall the Spirit of God lifting vp those that heard and saw Christ to the hearing beholding and teaching of diuine secrets so that aboue all sense they knew and acknowledged that the word was from the beginning Of this Exposition also Oecum maketh mention but I preferre the other seeing what is spoken here tendeth not so much to the declaring of what S. Iohn and the rest of the Apostles saw spiritually as corporally for the confirming of others seeing one eye-witnesse is more than ten that goe by heare-say And this being bodily present with Christ is vsed elswhere as an argument to proue that which is taught of him vnto others as Acts 4.20 Iohn 3.11 Iohn 15.27 Acts 1.21 chap. 10.40 2 Pet. 1.16 Luke 1.2 That which he saith he heard and saw with others some referre onely to those things that were done after Christs resurrection as Didymus sheweth but there is no reason of this restraint Besides the hearing of Christ by the Prophets they heard of him also by Iohn the Baptist saith Lyra but chiefly the hearing of himselfe is meant here according to Beda and others The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added vnto this we haue seene signifieth a more intent and diligent looking into a thing to be able to iudge the better of it being duely considered Which we haue handled This with Oecumenius some thinke was done by Thomas onely who before beleeued not his resurrection Ambros lib. 5. in Luc. Hieron epist de error Iohan. Hierosolym Athan. orat contra Arrian Ignat epist 10. Euseb Hist l. 3. c. 36. Theodoret. dial 2 c. Acts 2. But many more hold that all the Disciples did likewise feele him with their hands because they thought him to be a spirit for to manifest that hee was not the Lord called for something to eate which needed not to haue beene done had they beleeued before And this saying will indeed best agree with that handling and feeling of the side hands of Christ being thus vnderstood Of the word of life is no more but as if he had said the word of life as when it is said I will powre out of my Spirit it is but as much as I will powre out my spirit And the life was made manifest Vers 2. c. These words come in by a Parenthesis being added to shew how they came to see and handle the word viz. because lying hid before now hee appeared in the flesh As for the rest of the Chapter it is easie to be vnderstood especially by the helpe of the Analysis before going The eternall life which hee declareth is Christ who must needs therefore be God Vers 3. That ye might haue fellowship with that is ye which haue not seene by knowing and beleeuing these things by our publishing of them might enioy together with vs the benefit hereof that we altogether might enioy God Vers 4. That your ioy may be full Lorinus readeth it that our ioy may be full affirming it to be so in the Greeke Copie but our Greeke Copies haue it that your ioy c. Full ioy is opposed here to the vaine and empty ioyes in wordly
testified from Heauen Mat. 3. saying This is my beloued Sonne but to confesse the Sonne is to confesse the Father also and the way to be accepted for his in the world to come Mat. 10. For hee that confesseth mee saith Christ before men him will I confesse before my Father which is in Heauen From this 23. verse to the end of this Chapter there is nothing difficult more That which they heard from the beginning is that which our Sauiour Christ taught that who so would attaine to life should beleeue in him Ioh. 17.3 and that it is life eternall to know God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ vers 24 25. Now these things he saith that he wrote vnto them because of seducers not that they needed any instruction herein for so much as they had the Spirit of God to teach them Note that such as erre in the doctrine of faith are very Antichrists Note and accordingly to be had in abomination and to be auoided Heresie is in effect to deny God the Sonne and so to deny the Father and to ouerthrow all religion and piety that they which are tainted herewith shall haue no more benefit of the Christian religion than Pagans and Infidels And therefore let vs hate Popery as being most notorious heresie not being deceiued because in word they professe Christ as wee doe Note againe Note that there are some in the Church which are not of the Church and this is manifested by their apostasie and falling from the truth to errour So that if any depart from the reformed Religion to Popery wee ought not to be troubled at it for they were neuer sound at the heart otherwise they could not haue departed Note also Note that the truly faithfull are instructed by the Spirit of God which as a sweet oyntment doth so sweeten their mindes with the truth as that they can neuer be corrupted and come to an ill sauour through errour and wickednesse Sinne they may but be destitute of grace sufficient for their saluation they can neuer be CHAP. III. HAuing made some way in the last verse of the former Chapter as I haue already shewed to returne to the commendation of a righteous and holy course of life he doth more at large prosecure that argument here ioyning vnto it a commendation of brotherly loue Touching righteousnesse and holinesse he stirreth vp vnto it first from the consideration of our estate we are the children of God and yet haue greater hopes and therefore cannot but be pure as he is pure Vers 1 2 3. Secondly from the consideration of that reference which we haue vnto Christ we are in him but he hath no sinne nay his comming into the world was to take away sinne and therefore who so is in him sinneth not Vers 4 5 6. Thirdly from the consideration of the state of wicked and sinfull men they know not Christ they are of the deuill Vers 6 7 8. Fourthly from the consideration of our new birth by the seed of God which being in vs keepeth vs from sinne Vers 9 10. Touching brotherly loue coupling the want of this with a sinfull life he first sheweth Vers 10. Vers 11. Vers 12 13. Vers 14 15. that such as haue no loue are not of God and then setting downe the command which wee haue to loue hee dehorteth from enmity and hatred instancing in Cains hatred against Abel and the worlds hatred and shewing the euent both of loue and of hatred Then hee exhorteth to loue vrging to loue in deed after the example of Christ Vers 16 17 18. condemning other loue which extendeth not to the releeuing of the miserable to be no loue And that this exhortation to loue indeed Vers 19 20 21 22. might take the more effect he sheweth what confidence towards God such a man may haue to obtaine whatsoeuer he desireth as doing his will herein and that which is pleasing vnto him Now that he doth his will and commandement he proueth because his command is that we beleeue in Christ Vers 23. and loue one another which last is a plaine euidence of the first he therefore that beleeueth and loueth keepeth his commandements and so abideth in him and how this may be knowne he immediatly sheweth euen by the Spirit which he hath giuen vs Vers 24. and thus againe he maketh way to speake of diuers spirits in the Chapter following 1 IOHN Chapter 3. Verse 1. For this the world knoweth vs not because it knoweth not him Beloued now we are the sonnes of God but yet it is not made manifest what we shall be c. BEcause we are the Sonnes of God the world knoweth vs not Th. Aquinas in 1 Iohn 3. that is by the knowledge of approbation or as the Glosse hath it they know not our dignity to loue and respect vs but doe esteeme basely of vs and afflict vs Because it knoweth not him that is beleeueth not in him It doth not appeare c. that is the great glory wherewith we shall be glorified appeareth not it is as a light hidden in a Pitcher till it be broken or as a light within a mans hands appearing onely through his fingers We know that when he shall appeare that is by the certainty of faith for faith doth assure vs of things inuisible now we know our selues to be Gods children by the vertues and miracles which by his spirit we are inabled to doe When he shall appeare that is at the day of iudgement Wee shall be like vnto him that is in the conformity of nature of grace and of glory We shall see him as he is that is in the very substance of his Deity which is not granted to any man liuing here The doubts of this place are first Mayer what is meant by the worlds not knowing of vs and to what these words For this haue reference I answer that the world of wicked men and vnbeleeuers are said not to know vs that are accepted to be the children of God because they doe not see into the excellency of this estate to prize and to esteeme of it And for this they know vs not because they know not Christ it was hidden from them of what excellency hee was which was the cause that they vsed him as base and contemptible For had they knowne him they could not but haue knowne his so much resembling him as they that haue knowne the father if his sonne commeth in presence which is very like him they know him to be his sonne and as he that hath well knowne a man if hee seeth his picture he knoweth whose picture it is And this is spoken to make vs vndismaid at the contempt and ignominy that shall be offered to vs in the world as a Prince laugheth at the railings and ill vsage of him by his owne seruants whilst they know him not Chrys Hom. 78. in Iohan. They know not saith Chrysostome what
faithfull person liueth not as the naturall man doth though he cannot but through humane frailty sinne yet his heart is against all sinne and his life is such a continuall practice of repentance and the Spirit of Christ doth so sway and carry him as that he falleth not so often as the naturall man doth and he doth daily wash and cleanse himselfe from sinne by the teares of true repentance and that when there is no worldly shame or losse to moue him hereunto Neither can I see but that the regenerate must needs be of such an holy life as not at any time to fall into any great sinne as of adultery murther theft drunkennesse or the like although vnder the Law most holy men haue fallen for the Spirit is now giuen in a greater measure than it was in those daies and the force of corruption is more abated as is cleare from sundry passages of holy Scripture Whereas vers 8. it is said Vers 8. that the Deuill sinneth from the beginning and the Sonne of God appeared that he might dissolue the workes of the deuill the meaning is that he was euer the Author of sinne by his temptations so preuailing amongst men as that the world hath hitherto beene full of sinne but now the Sonne of God comming hath giuen a contrary Spirit into the hearts of his people whereby they are sanctified to leade an holy and new life The Deuill had them before as it were in the chaines of sinne fast bound for stirring to forsake those superstitious and riotous courses but now these bands are loosed and they are set at liberty to walke in the waies of Gods Commandements because free will which was lost in Adam is restored in the regenerate by Christ that we may now striue against and resist euill temptations Note that the most certaine marke of a childe of God Note is to leade an holy life and truly to endeuour to refraine from all sinne out of an inward affectation of holinesse and the dislike and hatred of euery sinne be it neuer so pleasing or profitable to the outward man and not in any by-respect and being ouertaken with sinne by infirmity to be humbled therefore and to beg for mercy and pardon and that toties quoties The comfort of those that doe thus is that they are not now accounted sinners but are iustified here-from Luke 13. as it is said of the poore Publican that hauing knocked vpon his breast and humbled himselfe he went away iustified The penitent person sinneth not because he doth daily that which is righteous in calling himselfe to account for his sinnes and iudging himselfe therefore as Beda saith Beda in Luc. 10. Seruos nos inutiles fatcamur vt in sortem vtilium veniamus Hieron Vnica iustitia nostra est iniustitiam fateri In confessing our selues to bee vnprofitable seruants we come to be profitable and Ierome Our only righteousnesse is to confesse our vnrighteousnesse For whoso doth thus and bewaileth it daily in secret cannot but haue his heart set against sinne and so sinneth not in will and desire CHAP. 3. VER 21. If our heart condemne vs not wee haue boldnesse towards God and receiue what wee aske of him because we keepe his Commandements c. In commending brotherly loue Mayer Vers 14. which he had often done before he saith Hereby wee know that wee are translated from death to life if we loue the brethren vers 14. By the loue of brethren all vnderstand here the loue of one another which is vsually expressed by the word neighbours in the old Testament but by the word brethren in the new Brotherly loue is a signe of true grace which is the beginning of the spirituall life that is eternall it is not the cause of life as euen the Iesuit condescendeth orinus Hereby a man may know that hee is raised from the death of sinne to the life that is by grace if he hath true loue in him because all that are partakers of this life haue this loue in them and consequently a man may know that euerlasting life is his and not only haue a probable coniecture hereof as popish writers teach For to put it out of doubt that we may know certainly he saith vers 24. We know that he abideth in vs by the Spirit that he hath giuen vs Verse 19 20 21. and in vers 19 20 21. he argueth from the heart and conscience of euery man which vpon this ground of actuall loue comming to be quiet and free from any accusation argueth most certainly that wee are in his fauour He that loueth to the exercising of charitable actions keepeth Gods Commandements which stand but in two things the loue of God and the loue of our neighbour God is said to be greater than our conscience that is more able to iudge and condemne because all things are most euident vnto him so that if our conscience condemneth vs hee will condemne vs much more And this is his commandement Vers 23. Oecumen that we beleeue in the Name of his Sonne Iesus Christ To beleeue in the name of Christ here saith Oecumenius is to giue credit to his will for by his Name is set forth sometime his glory and sometime his will Now his will whereunto he would haue vs giue credit is that we should loue one another But this exposition is forced for hauing spoken of loue hitherto and how necessary it is because God hath commanded it hee now goeth somewhat higher and sheweth that in commanding vs to beleeue in the Name of his Sonne hee commandeth loue also seeing that loue is inseparable from a liuely faith Therefore hee addeth This is his command that we beleeue and loue one another as if he should haue said For so much as I haue spoken of the Commandements of God affirming that he which loueth keepeth thē hereby it plainly appeareth to be so because that in commanding to beleeue in Christ he inioyneth vs both to beleeue and to loue loue being vnto faith as the soule is to the body which is but a dead carkasse if it be away And so hee commeth aptly to mention the Spirit giuen vnto vs in the next verse whereby we know that we are in God that is The. Aquin. Gorran Beza this grace of the Spirit loue And hereunto doe others consent Note here Note because he maketh the keeping of Gods Commandements the ground of our confidence to God-ward so as that we may pray with certaine expectation to be heard that none but such as are of a godly life charitable to the poore can haue any assurance of Gods fauour All wicked men and hard-hearted cannot but haue an accusing conscience if it bee not cauterized and therefore their hope to God-ward is vaine though they call and cry to him for mercy they shall not preuaile Iam. 5.16 Mat. 7.22 CHAP. IIII. HAuing spoken in the last verse of the former Chapter of knowing
of iudgement and our delight standeth firme in Gods Commandements To the naturall man the Law is an heauy burthen but to the spirituall such as all the faithfull are it being spirituall is a delight through the Spirit that is in them Note Note that the loue of God is not but in him that keepeth his Commandements the wicked man that tradeth daily in sinne whatsoeuer he boasteth of his louing of God yet he hath not one dramme of true loue in him Note againe Note that there is not that vnpleasant life which the world imagineth to the godly that make conscience of keeping Gods Lawes not daring to aberre here-from in any thing for Gods Commandements are not grieuous vnto them as all Iaacobs paines were not vnto him for the loue which he bare to Rachel as the Brides putting on of all her ornaments though it be some trouble yet it is not painfull but delightfull and so for any man to lay off his old vndecent clothes and to put on a faire new suit of apparell CHAP. 5. VER 6. This is he that came by water and bloud euen Iesus Christ c. and the Spirit witnesseth that the Spirit is the truth Vers 7. For there are three that beare witnesse in Heauen the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one Vers 8. And there are three that beare witnesse in earth the Spirit the Water and the Bloud and these three agree in one Hauing spoken of our regeneration and adoption to be the Oecumen in 1 Ioh. sonnes of God here he proceedeth to 5. set forth the Author of it Christ Iesus and by what meanes it is effected namely by water and bloud and therefore to shew this he declareth by what meanes he as he was man came to be adopted through whom we partake of the same dignity namely by water and bloud And indeed there was a threefold testimony Matth. 3. that hee is the Sonne of God First in the time of his baptisme by water Secondly a little before his bloudy passion when that voice came again from Heauen like thunder Iohn 13. I haue glorified my name and will glorifie it Thirdly after his death when he arose againe which could not be but by a diuine Spirit in him In that these three the Water the Bloud and the Spirit are said to agree in one the meaning is that they agree in testifying the same thing that Christ is the Sonne of God and that wee by him are made so likewise yet some Fathers thinke that the Father testifying of him in his baptisme is meant by the Spirit Concerning the Bloud and Water Mayer wherein the chiese difficulty of this place lieth I finde no difference almost in others from this of Oecumenius Th. Aquinas Thomas Aquinas vnderstandeth the Water of our Baptisme and the Bloud set forth hereby for the washing away of our sinnes and so doth the Glosse Glos â—rd Beza Beza addeth also the Bloud represented in the Lords Supper But for so much as the Water and Bloud by which Christ came is spoken of I rather assent to Oecumenius But for that which is added It is the Spirit that witnesseth that the Spirit is truth I doe not thinke that the Spirit here setteth forth his resurrection but the Spirit descending at the feast of Pentecost as hee had promised When as the speech may seeme to be strange as we reade it according to the Greeke the vulgar Latine rendreth it The Spirit testifieth that Christ is truth but for so much as here a word is plainly altered that ought not to bee we must rather cleaue to the originall and so the words will carry a good sense if we vnderstand them as Faber doth Faber Stapul because the Spirit is truth these last words seruing to illustrate the former as if he should haue said It is the Spirit that giueth restimony vnto Christ and his testimony ought to bee receiued because the Spirit is truth For that which followeth of the three that beare record in Heauen and the three in earth these things being thus premised it hath no difficulty in it Beza by the Spirit will haue the vinifying vertue of the Spirit vnderstood shewing it selfe in the faithfull who are by Baptisme ingraffed into Christ but I rest vpon that which hath beene already deliuered The Water and Bloud which are said to be vpon earth and the Spirit Aug contr Maxin inum c. 22. Th. Aquinas Gorran Gagneus are expounded by some of the Water and Bloud that flowed out of his side vpon the Crosse and of the water of his teares when he wept ouer Ierusalem and of the bloud which hee sweat in the Garden Bloud came from him at other times also testifying the truth of his humanity as at his circumcision and when hee was scourged Mat. 27. By the Spirit they vnderstand the Spirit that he gaue vp when in his Passion he said Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit And so they make these three the witnesses of his humane nature the preceding three of his diuine which doth not seeme improbable to me but let the Reader consider Touching the words following Vers 9. wherein the diuine testimony from heauen is further vrged comparatiuely by the consent of all Expositors the testimony of men there is the testimony of the Prophets who spake of the Messiah to come if this be receiued then much more the Testimony immediatly from Heauen ought to be receiued it being beleeued that this is the Messiah who hath already come Or it may be an allusion more particularly as some will haue it to that Law of witnesses at the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word shall stand For if humane testimony must be beleeued much more the diuine He that beleeueth Vers 10. Oecumen hath the testimonie in himselfe that is by being made the sonne of God such as hee beleeueth Christ to be for it is by the Spirit of Christ that he beleeueth this Note Note that if vpon testimonie we beleeue things then there is great reason that without all doubting we should beleeue in Christ touching whom there hath beene so ample testimonie the Father from heauen pronouncing him to be his dearely beloued Sonne the Spirit by comming downe and resting vpon him and his owne declaring of himselfe by signes and miracles for hereby it plainely appeareth that he was the Sonne of God Then the water and bloud that flowed from him which could not come from a phantasticall but a true naturall bodie and his giuing vp of the ghost for hereby he is manifested to haue beene man If any be incredulous and doe not beleeue Note it is because they haue no part in Christ for had they interest in him they should then haue him by his spirit dwelling in them and so they could not but turne witnesses of the same themselues The vnbeleeuing and doubtfull herein are guiltie
so stirred others vp to establish a new Empire by appointing seuen Electours to chuse one at euery time of vacancy which yet was but an image in comparison of the old Roman Empire so far did it come short of it in glory and power And he had power to giue life vnto the image of the beast Vers 15. c. that is to this reerected Empire for all the life of it is from the Pope and whatsoeuer it speaketh or decreeth is by his direction And caused that they which would not worship the image of the beast should be killed that is which would not receiue the ordinances and Lawes of this Empire touching the Roman Catholike religion for by embracing that religion the image is worshipped all then that refuse to be Papists they take order to put to death And he caused all Vers 16. both great and small free and bond c. to receiue a marke in their right hand or in their forehead This is added the better to know this beast his marke or character must needs be receiued that is a publike and open profession must be made that a man is a Roman Catholike and beleeueth all their new Articles touching the Supremacy Transubstantiation Purgatory c. for to beleeue in Christ and to hold all Articles of the Apostles Creed and to receiue the word and Sacraments are nothing worth without this Summa angel in titulo confirmat neither is Baptisme of any force without the Character of Chrysme in confirmation giuen by the Bishop Such may neither buy nor sell that is as excommunicate persons others may not haue communion with them for neither Turkes nor Iewes are dealt so hainously withall as poore Protestants no place is allowed vnto them nor any being in the world The marke the name and the number of the beasts name is all one hee that hath the marke hath them all Hitherto out of Bullinger Others not differing much here-from Fox expound the Popes exercising of all the power of the first beast of his cruelty against the faithfull as great as euer that of the heathen Emperours was his miracles in general only of sundry strange miracles related to haue been done for the establishing of Popery his causing men to worship the image of the first beast of his compelling all to the obedience of the Roman Sea otherwise they shall beare none office nor bee suffered to haue communion with men c. as hath beene already said They that by these two beasts vnderstand one Antichrist Pareus Napier which is the succession of Popes in the Sea of Rome expound the power of the first beast exercised by this in the sight of the first of his blaspheming warring against the Saints and reigning ouer euery tribe and nation which the Pope doth by his Legats and subordinate officers and so it is said to be done in the sight of the first beast because his agents doe it at his becke and they doe many great wonders to draw the world to the veneration of the Pope Hee maketh fire to come downe from heauen that is as was before expounded by giuing the holy Ghost and by his excommunications and this kinde of miracle is the rather singled out as answerable to a speech in vse amongst the Iewes euen till this day If any man shall make fire to come downe from heauen and deny the Law of Moses let him be accursed The image to the first beast is the image of Christ the Virgin Mary and the holy Apostles at the Popes command made set vp and adored by earthly people these are enliued by the imposture of Priests and Fryers and made to speake laugh frowne and sweat The marke in Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 setting forth more at large any note or marke Heb. 1. whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the image or resemblance of a thing so Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not any externall visible marke vpon the forehead or right hand indeed but the profession of being a Roman Catholike and a readinesse with all the might to defend that Religion D. Abbot This Character is double as there are two sorts of men of that Religion first of the common people the Chrysme Holy water Agnus Dei Crucifixes c. secondly of the Religious their vow to propagate and maintaine it to the vttermost and therefore by a wonderfull prouidence it is come to passe that such professe an indelible Character to be imprinted vpon them in their ordination Others expound his causing men to worship the image of the first beast Brightman of the Popes seeking honour to himselfe vnder the colour of antiquity his miracles of making fire to come downe from Heauen of the Popes smiting men with his Excommunications as if it were with fire from Heauen Hildebrand a Pope in his Epistle to the Germans said that Henry the fourth being smitten with his Excommunication was blasted with lightning A certaine Bishop reprouing him for his heart-burning against Henry Cent. 11. Auent annal l. 5. perished by lightning and giuing vp the ghost cryed out Oh wretch that I am alas I am carried bound with a fiery chaine to hell c. The Image which he would haue men to make vnto the first beast is the acknowledgement of the same power and authority in him that was in the Bishops of Rome of old before the deadly wound giuen In other things there is no difference Others that expect Antichrist yet to come Bellarmin Viegas Ribera who they thinke shall be but one particular man reckon vp three notes whereby he may be certainly knowne first his reuiuing againe after death as Christ did secondly his causing of fire to come downe from Heauen as Christ sent the holy Ghost in the likenesse of fiery tongues thirdly his giuing life to an image which hee should cause to bee made as Christ gaue life to dead bodies by his diuine power which because they cannot rightly bee applied vnto the Popes of Rome they maintaine that they cannot be Antichrist but some other yet to bee expected But the expositions of ours already set downe make it plaine that these things doe most fitly agree vnto the Popes wherein though there be a little difference yet it is agreed amongst vs all in the maine that the Antichrist of Rome is here painted out in his liuely colours And it is indeed absurd to imagine the fulfilling of these things according to the letter for so Antichristianisme should be no mystery neither should there need such wisdome by the number of his name to finde out Antichrist That the Pope is this Antichrist it is no new coniecture of ours out of malice but a very ancient opinion maintained by sundry learned and godly men in diuers ages of the world that no time since his springing vp might want a testimony hereof Gregory the first called the great