Hence the master of the sentences deliuereth it that the holy Ghost is loue essentially seeing it is the holy Ghost whereby we abide in God and we are said by loue to abide in him Tho. Aquin. Tho. Aquin. saith that loue is twofold First whereby we loue elicitiuely and formally and this he granteth is a created habit or else effectually and exemplarily and this is the holy Ghost But most consent that God is said to be loue in the abstract as he is said to be goodnesse iustice and wisdome because he is infinitely louing an example whereof is immediatly subioyned and such a fountaine of loue as that they which are in him cannot but loue one another Now God is said to be loue Vers 11. Th. Aquinas Si tantus tantillos iustus iniustos creator creaturas nos qui samus fraâ—res pares natura conformes debemus inâ—â—cem diligere Verse 12. that finding it impossible for vs to loue as we should wee might seeke it of him Secondly how doth it follow from Gods louing of vs that we ought to loue one another This he resolueth afterwards vers 20. because we cannot otherwise shew our loue to God but by louing one another Againe as Thomas Aquinas hath it by his example who is our Father we his children should be drawne to loue If so great an one loued so little ones the Creator the creatures the Iust the vniust we that are brethren and equall and of a like nature ought much more to loue one another The loue of God is said to be perfect in vs as perfection is opposed to fiction it is in vs indeed neither doe wee make shew hereof only And this true loue he calleth the spirit Vers 13. We know that we abide in him by the spirit which he hath giuen vnto vs because it is a principall gift of the spirit Thirdly what meaneth he when he saith As he is so we are in this world therfore we haue boldnesse in the day of iudgement Vers 17. Oecumen To this Oecumenius may answer for all that we are as Christ was in this world when by the mortification of the deeds of the flesh we represent Christ dying for vs and by true brotherly loue we come as neere vnto him as we can for who so doth thus shall appeare at the last day not vnto condemnation but vnto life and saluation Augustine expoundeth it of God Augustine as he is so we are in this world if wee loue our enemies and so doth Beda Beda There needeth no contention whether of these wayes it be expounded but that being vnderstood of Christ is may seeme to be put for was but one saith Catharinus that Christ is still in this world in memory and example being alwaies propounded to the eyes of the faithfull Fourthly how is loue said to be without feare and that loue casteth out feare seeing to feare is elsewhere commended Vers 18. Oecumen To this also Oecumenius answereth that there is a two-fold feare the first initiall when for feare of punishment a man commeth vnto God the second profiting whereby a man out of the perfect loue which he beareth vnto God becommeth sollicitous lest in any thing hee should faile of doing that which ought to be done towards him whom he most dearely loueth Psal 19.10 August Ser. 214 de temp lib 83. quaest q. 36. Tantò minor sit timor quantò patria quò tendimus propior maior enim timor debeâ—esse perigrinantium minor propinquantium â—â—â—â—us perâ—â—â—entium and this loue when a man attaineth to he is without all feare of punishment and so without the trouble that commeth by this feare And of this the Psalmist speaketh affirming it to be pure S. Augustine saith that no man whilest hee liueth can be free from feare because he cannot be free from sinne and so hath not yet perfect charity but this feare is the lesse by how much the Countrey to which we are tending is the neerer for the feare of those that are in their perigrination is the greater the feare of those that draw nigh is the lesser but of those that come thi her none at all Touching the initiall feare before spoken of he granteth it to be necessary to bring vs into a right Christian estate as the bristle maketh way for the Shoo-makers threed a burning hot iron though for the present it maketh the wound paine the greater yet by drying vp the putrified humour it taketh away all paine at the last Tertul. in Scorpiaâ—â— cap. 12. Tertullian saith that the feare which is not in loue is worldly feare whereby a man is not afraid of death for Christ his sake But the feare of death is not here handled but the feare which is in respect of the day of iudgement of which hee spake in the words before going And therefore I subcribe to Augustine and Oecumenius that no seruile feare breeding anxiety and trouble in the minde is in perfect loue so that a man should be in feare of damnation for the more perfection of loue a man attaineth to the more free he is from all such feare being at peace with God This feare is the lesse the more grace a man hath attained vnto but at the day of iudgement when charity shall be perfected there shall be no such feare at all but all confidence and boldnesse to which feare is here opposed Feare of punishment is in the beginning of grace but after some proceedings made herein this worketh no more but the feare of offending God because he is good and gracious so that there is no painfulnesse now any more in respect of the punishments to come but the trouble of the minde that is ariseth out of a sollicitude and carefulnesse about being in Gods fauour and continuing therein in respect of our owne infirmities Fiftly why doth he affirme that he which loueth not his neighbour whom hee seeth cannot loue God Vers 20. whom hee seeth not To this it is commonly answered that things seene and present doe affect vs more than those that are absent and not seene our brother that is like vnto vs continually with vs and subiect to the same affections and necessities if hee be not loued of vs in naturall reason it cannot be that we should loue God whom we see not But yet by faith we may apprehend so of him as to loue him more Note Note how great the excellency of loue is in that God himselfe is said to be loue it is thus spoken of him in respect of any other attribute of righteousnesse or wisedome or power but onely of loue that we might the more prize his endlesse loue towards vs in giuing his onely Sonne to the death for vs and so be the rather drawne to mutuall loue Note againe that the onely way to haue a quiet conscience Note and not to be distracted with the feare and dread of
generally hold Graesi interpres that the commandement of loue is said to be new because of old we being commanded to loue our neighbours as our selues by the new commandement of the Gospell wee are commanded to loue them more than our selues euen to dye for them as Christ loued vs to dye for vs. Rupertus And thus Rupertus expoundeth it also But wee haue seene the true sense already Touching the name command giuen to the word or doctrine of the Gospell it may seeme to confound the Law and the Gospell together but indeed it is not so euery doctrine hath the force of a command but the command of the Law is peremptory doe this or thou shalt dye the command of the Gospell is with faith annexed whereby we may be deliuered Which is true in him and in you the word which Vers 8. here is of the neuter gender and so cannot be referred to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the new Commandement but it is to be vnderstood the new Commandement is about that which is true in him and in you that is in the Lord Christ for his loue was wonderfull towards vs and in the true beleeuer who walketh in all things according to this precept of loue seeing the darknesse of his former corrupt liuing is past and the light of an holy life hath succeeded Note that when wee endeuour to leade an holy life Note if through humane frailty we sinne there is yet a meanes to be iustified and saued from our sinnes if wee flie thereunto that is Christ Iesus by his mediation seeking reconciliation with God but not by any other whatsoeuer for he is our Aduocate and the propitiation for our sinnes let the Papists shew if they can that partly by any other a propitiation is made for vs or that we haue any other Aduocate and we will hearken vnto them If they cannot but onely argue from humane reason let vs still be guided by Gods Word and whilst they without ground here doe that which their blinde reason perswadeth them let them take heed of a dangerous fall in the end For that euen those that are dearest vnto Christ ought not in adoration to be made partners with him appeareth in that the Angels of God forbade it to Daniel and Iohn and Peter to Coruelius Note againe that the wicked man Note who maketh a trade of sinne knoweth none Aduocate to make a propitiation for him with God let him be of what Religion and beleefe he can be His saying that he beleeueth in Christ Iesus will not saue him for only such as liue in obedience to Gods Commandements know the Aduocate and he shall profit such only Note lastly Note that to loue one another hath euer beene Gods command but chiefly it is expected now vnder the Gospell Thus did Christ and thus doe all they that haue passed out of the darknesse of sinne and ignorance into the light of true faith and grace The malicious enuious and churlish man therefore is not in the light of Christ but still in the darknesse and shadow of death CHAP. 2. VER 12. I write vnto you children because your sinnes are forgiuen you through his name Vers 13. I write vnto you fathers because yee haue knowne him that was from the beginning c. Vers 15. Loue not the world nor the things of the world c. Vers 16. All that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life c. The doubts of this place are diuers Mâ—yer First who are the children fathers and young men here spoken of Secondly wherefore is this repetition made but with some variation Thirdly to whether words these 12 13 14. verses haue reference to those that went before or that follow after Fourthly what is the loue of the world and of the things of the world Fiftly what is the lust of the heart the lust of the eyes and the pride of life I spare here to set downe the exposition of any Authors together because no one writer hath resolued all these doubts but some haue spoken vpon some of them and some vpon other some To the first all agree that children fathers and young men are to be vnderstood spiritually in respect of the state of grace Children are such as by water and the Holy Ghost are newly regenerate fathers are such as haue beene conuerted a longer time agoe young men are such as in spirituall strength are like young men in their chiefe strength manfully resisting temptations and not shrinking from the faith in the time of danger To the second I assent to them that say this repetition is made to inculcate it the more that the loue of God might bee the more fixed in their minds Hugo Gagneus Beza Piscator Some vnderstand the first word little children as common to all sorts of Christians and they by fathers young men and children the distinctions of Christians two of which fathers and young men are againe repeated to make way to the following exhortation which chiefly concerneth such seeing little children are not yet come to the louing of the world This exposition is the more probable because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsuall vnto Iohn here as the common appellation of them vnto whom he writeth vers 1 8 28. But for so much as it goeth not here alone but with other compellations I doe rather vnderstand it as spoken to nouices in Religion as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vers 14. For although little children in yeeres are not in any danger by the loue of the world yet little children in this sense are in danger as well as fathers and young men and therefore had need that the charge should be repeated to them also The old Latine translation repeateth not I write vnto you Fathers c. the second time but omitteth it wholly but it is in all ancient Greeke Copies and in Augustines exposition vpon this Epistle August Hicronym and in Ieromes exposition of Origens Prologue vpon the Canticles Touching the diuers reasons alleaged to the diuers ages they are not thus particularly rendred because onely little children in this spirituall sense haue their sinnes forgiuen them and fathers only haue the knowledge of God for the knowledge which is attributed to fathers vers 13. is ascribed to little children also vers 14. But because little children in grace are most weake and apt to fall hee adapteth vnto them this comfort of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes in the name of Christ whereinto they were lately baptized Catharin Gagneus And because knowledge is with the ancient hee mentioneth this vnto fathers and victory to those that be young and strong And in speaking againe of children he applieth to them the knowledge of the father because it is a comfort to little children to know their father to flie to him in all their distresses To the third some hold these
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
all Countries who were the first people of God and had the Gospell first preached vnto them whereas the other of the Catholike Epistles are to the Gentiles that beleeued in all parts of the world Wherefore Ierome setteth them in this order also Hieron prolog though the Latines respecting the dignity of Peter placed his Epistles first Pareus Pareus holdeth that they should rather bee put in another order first 1 Peter and then Iames because Peter wrote that Epistle first and then Iames following Peter in the same after both which Paul wrote to the Hebrewes Howsoeuer this matter needeth no great dispute seeing order in the placing of the Bookes of holy Scripture is not so precisely obserued yet in reason seeing Saint Iames his Epistle is nominatim to the twelue Tribes but Saint Peters is not so and his second Epistle is to all Christians if any preference be giuen to an Epistle in the placing thereof in respect of them to whom it is written this of Iames should be first and then those of Peter together it being neuer vsed to separate the Epistles of one and the same Author but to place them together This Epistle is said to be of the Apostle Iames and so it is intituled by Beza both in Greek and Latine Euseb Eccl. â—ist lib. 3. cap. 25. Hieren Epist 41. ad Paulin. Cypr. lib. ad Nouat Aug. Epist 29. and both Eusebius and Ierome doe testifie that this Epistle was counted Apostolicall in their times Cyprian also citeth it as Apostolicall and Augustine and Concilium Mileuitan Can. 7. Pareus also subscribeth to this Yet some thinke it was written by Iames surnamed Iustus or Oblias that is Mute who according to Epiphanius was called the Brother of our Lord because hee was the sonne of Ioseph by a former Wife Epiphan in Haeres Antidicomarianorum and hee was one of the 70. sent forth by our Lord being afterwards constituted Bishop of Ierusalem To this Luther subscribeth Luther and the Lutherans following him who doe not therefore hold it to be canonicall Scripture But for as much as it hath anciently beene receiued as Canonicall and Apostolicall not onely by the forenamed Authors but also by Origen Athanasius Orig. Hom. iâ— Ios Athan. in Synops Epiph. lib. 3. haer 76 Isid Hisp lib. 6. Etymol cap. 1. Niceph. lib. 2. hist cap. 46. Damasc lib. 4. de fide cap. 11. Epiphanius Isidorus Hispalensis Nicephorus and Damascen and the very directing of it to all parts after an Apostolicall manner doth argue it to be written not by a Bishop of any particular place but by an Apostle who was sent vnto all I hold it without doubt to be the Epistle of the Apostle Iames and consequently Canonicall as the Epistles of other Apostles are If it be demanded which Iames wrote it for there were two of that name Iames the sonne of Zebedeus and brother of Iohn and Iames the sonne of Alpheus a Kinsman of our Lord and therefore called his Brother also as Iames Oblias before spoken of was I answer with Pareus and others that the consideration of the time when it was written argueth that the first of these Iames the brother of Iohn cannot be the Author of it but Iames the sonne of Alpheus otherwise called Iames the lesser Act. 12. for the elder Iames was slaine by Herod before the dispersion of the Iewes the second yeere of Claudius Sucton in Claud. cap. 25. who did afterwards cast the Iewes and Christians out of the City and then in the time of their dispersion was this Epistle written vnto them as appeareth by the superscription thereof Enseb lib. 2 c. 22. Hieron in Catal. If it be obiected that Eusebius and Ierome both doe report that it was anciently doubted of whether it be Canonicall or no I answer that they did onely mention such a thing but they did not doubt hereof themselues If it be further obiected that he doth not call himselfe an Apostle but the seruant of Iesus Christ I answer that Paul in some of his Epistles in ituleth himselfe likewise the name of an Apostle being omitted and neither Iohn nor Iude write themselues Apostles but only Peter Lastly if it bee obiected that here is something deliuered contrary to that of Saint Paul touching iustification not by saith onely but by workes and anointing with Oile is mentioned which none of the other Apostles speaketh of I answer that I haue already shewed vpon Rom. 3. that the seeming contrariety betwixt Saint Paul and Saint Iames is nothing they being rightly vnderstood and touching the anointing with Oile it shall be considered in the proper place As for any thing else obiected it is not worth the naming and therefore I come directly to the Epistle it selfe wherein after a salutation he comforteth them as the present occasion of their distressed estate did require and hauing called their troubles herein temptations he taketh occasion to speake also of inward temptations tending vnto euill vers 13. prouing that they come not from God one speciall reason of which is that euery good and perfect gift is from him vers 17. and to proue this hee doth instance in the great gift and grace of our regeneration which is of God by his Word vers 18. and therefore inferreth a readinesse to heare this Word remouing the ill effects that through mens owne corruption follow of hearing wrath and speaking in wrath verse 19. c. and setting downe the right vse and end of hearing verse 22. c. And lastly to driue all men from speaking in wrath he sheweth the vanity of his religion that doth so verse 26. and to perswade to loue and pure affections in hearing the contrary to which he had commanded to lay apart verse 21. he commendeth charity whereby our loue is most declared and of which it is said Giue almes of that yee haue Luk. 11.47 and all things shall be cleane vnto you and purity from the inquinations of the world to which a man is subiect by ouerualuing the things thereof verse 27. How the other Chapters of this Epistle doe cohere each one with the former and in it selfe shall bee shewed as wee come to the expounding of them in order CHAP. I. THe former words of this Chapter haue little difficulty in them and therefore I will runne them ouer briefly Vers 1. Verse 1. The twelue Tribes vnto which hee writeth said to be scattered abroad or in dispersion are the beleeuers of euery Tribe now expelled from Ierusalem by CLAVDIVS CESAR as hath beene already touched But it is to be vnderstood that ten of the twelue Tribes were still in that banishment vnder Salmanasar King of Assyria for wee reade not of the returne of any 2 Kings 17. but of the two Tribes and an halfe in the dayes of Exra and Nehemiah or at any time since and therefore it is likely that the Apostle had respect to that dispersion also if happely
which were most holy and the chiefe part for estimation of the crop this is rendred by other words in 1 Pet. 1.3 He hath begotten vs of his great mercy to a liuely hope and inheritance incorruptible c. v. 9. that which he readeth according to the vulgar Latine but yâ—â— know is not in the Greeke at all but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherefore This Text and the words following to the end of this Chapter are now easie to be vnderstood by the exposition already set downe Touching the cohering of the first words with that which went before here is an instance how the greatest good commeth from God vnto vs for hee of his owne will begat vs againe by the word putting life of grace into vs and not necessarily but of his owne will to extoll his grace the more Touching these words that we might be a certaine first fruits of his creatures the first exposition of Thom. Aquinas applying it to the renouation of the creatures to come may well agree vnto it yet some by the creatures vnderstanding rather Pareus the rest of the Iewes and Gentiles not yet conuerted expound the first fruits of his creatures thus By begetting vs he hath taken vs as his owne peculiar people from amongst others yet left in their vnbeleefe euen as the first fruits were that little quantitie of corne which being taken from out of the whole crop were thenceforth accounted more holy than the rest For so the Greekes expound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faber Some expound it the first fruits of the spirituall creature that is the first to whom the word of God hath come for our regeneration when as a world of people are yet behind and this did serue notably to stirre vp to newnesse of life and this I assent to as most genuine Touching the coherence of the next words Vers 19. Pareus Faber Piscator wherefore let euery man be swift to heare c. it is plaine and therefore agreed vpon by almost all seeing that by the word God doth beget vs let euery man be ready to heare this good word If by the word whereby we are begotten the Sonne of God were meant as Oecumen expoundeth it this inference would not come in so fitly if with Thom. Aquinas you referre these words to the temptations before spoken of the coherence will be further fetcht but yet good but I subscribe to the other rather Touching the words added Slow to speake slow to wrath here is both silence inioyned in hearing the word of God that being sowne in the heart in silence and meeknesse it may take rooting in vs and also refraining from the office of teaching others till that we be throughly taught our selues and are plainly by the Spirit of God stirred vp to this office And because nothing doth make a man so vnfit to speake in Gods cause as anger and the distemper of the minde by heat hee that teacheth must refraine from anger and vse patience for the anger of man doth not worke the righteousnesse of God that is the righteousnesse of this new and spirituall life Faber Thus some And this is in effect the same with that of Thom. Aquinas but more full Oecumen Some expound swiftnesse to heare of hearing to doe Pareus Oecumen but this is brought in afterwards vers 22. And some apply slownesse to speake to speaking of any thing which a man heareth taught before that he doth well vnderstand it for thus he may soone fall into errour and draw in others with him also and slownesse to wrath to a mans being angry with such as doe not in euery point consent with him or being angry at such reprehensions as whereby he is iustly taxed For the anger of man doth not worke the righteousnesse of God that is saith the same Author doth not perswade or moue men so as that thereby they are wonne vnto God or else it is sinne for all vnaduised anger is such And all this indeed is most genuine also Touching the words following vers 21. c. of receiuing the word with meeknesse here is further expressed what was meant by slow to speake when a man in silence and meeknesse of spirit heareth the Word of God and not only taking heed of anger but of all filthinesse also applyeth himselfe vnto the hearing of the Word the like vnto this is 1 Pet. 2.1 2. Touching the last words v. 26 27. Some expound the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a knowledge of the secrets of the Law Oecumen and an exact obseruing thereof Now if any man thinketh himselfe to be such refraineth not his tongue from speaking against his Neighbour his Religion is vaine for the Law not onely tieth the tongue from speaking against a mans Neigbbour but commandeth mercy to be shewed euen to an enemy in his necessity if thine enemies beast be fallen vnder his burthen thou shalt helpe to lift him vp againe Deceiuing his owne heart that is his conscience whilst he thinketh himselfe religious is not But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here vsed commeth indeed from worship and comprehendeth both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pareus as Pareus hath noted and therefore the worship of Angels is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and will-worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2.18 23. But the Latine translation which Th. followeth is religio and the word is vsually in English rendred Religion whereupon the annotation before going is not impertinent Now the vnruly tongue is one principall thing to discouer an heart void of true Religion because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and men are apt to thinke it the lightest offence to lash out with the tongue and therefore the Apostle maketh this in speciall a note of vaine religion hauing all reference to what was said before vers 19. But deceiuing his owne heart that is as Thomas Aquinas hath already taught by thinking that this shall be passed ouer without being counted any such great fault Touching the duty of mercy here opposed vnto the licentiousnesse of the tongue whereunto is ioyned to keepe a mans selfe vnspotted of the world I assent vnto Oecumenius that true Religion is not only not in tongue to be grieuous vnto others but to be helpfull indeed to them in distresse and because when the distressed are commended to our charity in the Word of God they are set forth vnder the name of widowes and fatherlesse these are mentioned here all charity in generall being meant By the world some vnderstand the flesh Faber Stap. Pareus to keepe a mans selfe vnspotted of which is not to bring forth the fruits of the flesh a Catalogue of which fruits is Gal. 5.17 for of those that bring forth such fruits the world doth consist but I rather preferre that of Thomas Aquinas touching the loue of the world wherewith he that is spotted knoweth none other
excellency but in riches and honours here and therefore behaueth himselfe accordingly shewing all respect to the worldly great ones and neglecting the best Christians who are poore against which something followeth immediatly chap. 2. Now it is said to be vndefiled before God God being here opposed vnto man that is not in the account of man who may be deceiued but of God whom none can deceiue Whereas no mention is made of faith in Iesus Christ it is to be vnderstood that he speaketh according to the necessity of those to whom he wrote who in all likelihood did beare themselues altogether vpon faith not regarding to shew forth the power of Religion in the workes of mercy and holinesse as appeareth also further in the next Chapter which to put vs out of doubt herein is also begun with a mention of the Faith of our Lord Iesus Christ Note Note that the very remembrance of our Christian calling should stirre vs vp mightily vnto holinesse seeing wee are of Gods owne good will graciously made a certaine first fruits vnto God that is consecrated and set apart from others that be not Christians vnto him To pollute our selues now therefore will be taken far more hainously euen as if a common person should haue laid violent hands vpon Gods first fruits or offerings For this was horribly punished euen in the Priests sonnes 1 Sam. 2. Note againe Note that the Doctrines of Christianity together with the grounds whereupon they are soundly founded are not so easily and soone apprehended as that a man may by and by broach vnto others what he heareth or readeth and with eagernesse pursue such new vndigested tenents but great deliberation is herein to be vsed Be swift to heare slow to speake slow to wrath Note againe Note that it is most necessary for a Teacher to be Master of his passions and to vse meeknesse in instructing others as also he is exhorted 2 Tim. 2.24 because the anger of man doth not worke the righteousnesse of God He that is hasty and passionate shall not be able to teach others with profit for they will rather take that which commeth from him as proceeding of spleene and hatred than of loue and so it shall fall to the ground without any good effect of turning them to righteousnesse which God is wont to worke by the due and right teaching of his Word Note also from the Doctrine about the true and vaine Religion Note that how little soeuer men make account of vnaduised speeches in their anger yet they doe indeed ouerturne all their Religion hereby alone if there were nothing else it becommeth vaine and vnprofitable vnto them see Mat. 5.22 c. Note againe that workes of mercy are so necessary Note that without them no man can proue his Religion to be true and good this is the pure Religion before God howsoeuer one void of workes may seeme so before men That onely is a liuely faith that is accompanied with workes Note lastly that the world is a defiling thing Note a man cannot esteeme of and loue the riches and honours thereof but there will bee some aspersion vpon him hereby 1 Ioh. 2.15 The truly pure religious man is he that is mortified to the world Gal. 6.14 and the world vnto him CHAP. II. HAuing Chapter 1. Verse 27. spoken of the offices of loue and kindnesses in visiting the fatherlesse and widowes and of keeping a mans selfe vnspotted of the world which is by an ouer-esteeme of worldly things drawing the heart through couetousnesse after them whereby all such loue and kindnesse is extinct and it commeth to passe that after the manner of the world the rich only in this world are had in honour he now commeth more fully to explaine himselfe what he meant by such as are spotted of the world and to shew some reason of being rather kinde and louing to the poore intermixing some rebukes for being harsh towards them The couetous worldling is spotted of the world who hath the faith of Iesus Christ in respect of persons from which he dehorteth verse 1. and then explaineth what this respect of persons impugned by him is verse 2 3 4. and reasoneth against it vers 5 c. First Reason 1 from the consideration of the excellent condition of the poore verse 5. Secondly Reason 2 from the ill deserts of the rich verse 6 7. Thirdly Reason 3 from the scope and drift of the Law which is transgressed though it be offended but in this particular only verse 8 9. which he proueth verse 10 11. and then concludeth from this argument taken from the Law the iudgement of which cannot be escaped by those that are so void of mercy and are lead only by worldly respects from which yet the mercifull are free verse 12 13. The rest of the Chapter is spent in reprouing and confuting those that beare themselues vpon faith not regarding to doe workes of mercy wherein he doth resume that which hee began this Chapter withall Haue not the faith of our Lord Iesus c. and the last of the first chapter to visit the fatherlesse c. And so here is a new argument to proue that it cannot be pure Religion and acceptable to God that is void of the workes of mercy So that this whole Chapter consisteth of two parts a Dehortation with an explanation and arguments added to moue the more effectually verse 1 c. and a reprehension with arguments to conuince the vanity of that Religion which is barren of charitable deeds verse 14 c. the particular Analysing of which is most easie IAMES Chapter 2. Verse 1 2. Haue not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons Verse 2. For if there come into your Synagogue a man with a gold ring c. Verse 3. And ye haue respect to him that weareth the gay cloathing c. THe maine doubt of this place is Mayer whether it be vnlawfull to haue any respect of persons by giuing more reuerence to one than to another in regard of his wealth or outward dignity because this seemeth to make against all such respect as being partiall and vnreasonable Tho. Aquin. August Greg. Glosordin Thomas Aquinas handleth this question and cleareth it by the ordinary glosse and Austin and Gregory for both they and all sound Expositors speake to the same effect and that is simply to giue outward respect to the richer and to the more noble in this world as God hath differenced them by outward dignity wealth or office which they beare is not a sinne but may and ought to be done for it is commanded Honour father and mother Ephes 6.1 1 Pet. 2.17 Rom. 13. Honour the King and Giue honour to whom honour belongeth and seruants are commanded to reuerence their Masters and the younger to rise vp before the gray-headed A great rich man is in the office of a great Steward wherein he
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
apt to perswade others with good speeches 5 Full of mercy that is not so much in deeds of charity for these are not the subiect of this discourse but towards those that haue erred and are out of the way for the wise pitty them and doe mercifully seeke to bring them to rights againe 6 And of good fruits that is of all sorts both of humanity and loue 7 Without partiality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without sinister iudging of the speeches and deeds of others 8 Without hypocrisie not making a shew of one thing and being another one in speech and another in heart to get applause of the world after the machiauillian policy Vers 18. And to perswade vnto all this he sheweth verse 18. that to be thus peaceable and louing tendeth to euerlasting life which is the fruit of righteousnesse as the corne of the haruest is the fruit that commeth of the Husbandmans industry in tilling and sowing the ground and therefore not the merit of righteousnesse but of Gods blessing as the corne is And this I take it is the true sense of this place and therefore I spare to adde more expositions Th. Aquinas Onely I will shew how Tho. Aquinas applieth these eight to the eight beatitudes Matth. 5. and as being opposed against seuen deadly sinnes First the pure in heart are chaste 2. peaceable 3. the poore are gentle 4. the meeke are easie to be perswaded 5. they that hunger after righteousnesse consent vnto good 6. the mercifull are full of good fruits 7. the mourners iudge not others 8. they that suffer persecution are void of hypocrisie The 7. sinnes are incontinency pride gluttony anger enuie couetousnes and murther Note that there are two sorts of wisedome Note the one earthly sensuall and deuillish the other godly which is from aboue The wisedome of the contentious and wrangler is of the first sort and therefore little cause is there for any man to glory in it But hee that is meeke and quiet spirited and that doth good though hee may be counted simple amongst men is truly wise indeed For the true wisdome standeth in deeds and in power to temper a mans selfe in a Christian manner Note againe Note that as there is no Corne to be had at haruest without sowing so there is no happinesse to be had in Heauen without sowing And as it is not euery seed nor euery kinde of sowing that will bring forth Corne so it is not any sowing but by righteousnesse and that in peace that will fructifie vnto eternall life they that by well-doing seeke immortality are recompenced with euerlasting life Rom. 2.7 8. if they continue patiently so to doe but the contentious and vnrighteous with wrath and indignation CHAP. IIII. HEre Saint Iames according to his manner returneth to speake against filthinesse impugned also chap. 1. vers 21. not giuing ouer yet the pursuit of malice and enuy but taxing them together likewise so arising to pride vers 6. the fountaine of these euill affections annexing exhortations to repentance and humility and vnity meeting with them that for want of consideration beare themselues vpon their owne power to goe and to doe any thing at this time and that and speake accordingly as though they were not vnder God and at his dispose vers 13. Vnder whose hand hee had before exhorted them to submit themselues vers 7. So that as Pareus noteth Pareus here is nothing more done but the argument of the tongue prosecuted from the well-springs of the vnrulinesse and wickednesse whereof malice enuy lust pride and ignorance hee disswadeth by other reasons concluding that being thus informed if hereafter they should not doe better their sinne would proue much greater IAMES Chapter 4. Verse 1 2 3. Whence are warres and fightings amongst you are they not euen hence from your pleasures that warre in your members Vers 2. Ye lust and haue not ye kill c. BY Warres here vnderstand their priuate contentions Pareus in Iac. 4. or their bringing of one another before heathen Iudges touched 1 Cor. 6. but rather the first because they are said to be amongst them By pleasures vnderstand lusts 1 Pet. 2.11 as Peter speaking to the same purpose rendreth it abstaine from fleshly lusts that warre against the soule They are called pleasures because they are sweet and pleasant to a corrupt minde and a mans owne pleasure is respected herein The members wherein they warre are the faculties of the minde corrupted which bee members of the old man Vers 2. Ye lust and haue not that is though couetous men get riches yet they are rather a curse than a blessing vnto them neither haue they them but for a punishment oft times Yee kill or rather ye enuy for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Beza by the fault of the Scribe Because ye aske not that is ye doe not seeke to obtaine by prayer to God which is the right way to attaine his blessing but by your owne wicked waies of striuing and enuying Vers 3. Vers 3. Ye aske and receiue not this is added because some worldlings doe pray after a sort but their prayers preuaile not because they pray for such things as whereby their fleshly lusts may bee satisfied and not with any regard to bee more inabled to doe good and to glorifie God Mayer Piscator Piscator agreeth almost in all with Pareus shewing that the Syriacke for pleasures readeth lusts Vers 3. Onely he expoundeth these words that ye may spend it vpon your lusts of such lusts that be in adulterers and whores whom he nameth vers 4. and here maketh way vnto it Others reade lusts for pleasures Tho. Aquinas Gâ—rran and whereas he saith ye lust ye kill ye warre vers 2. they expound the first as hauing reference to a mans goods through couetousnesse the second to his person by hatred the third a fruit of the two former That which followeth ye aske to spend it vpon your lusts they expound either of a preposterous loue to worldly things or of an asking of superfluities in other things they differ not Some expound pleasures of dainty meats or costly buildings Oecumâ—n v. 1. c. wherein they tooke pleasure and these words ye kill of killing the soule if it be so read reading it rather ye enuy as Pareus and Piscator doe To come now to the resoluing of the doubts of this place 1 Touching warres and fightings it is cleare as all agree that warres properly are not meant for Christians were not then permitted to haue weapons or armour but priuate wranglings and strifes 2 Touching their pleasures Pareus hath also cleared it sufficiently and the members wherein they fight are the inward faculties of the minde acting the part of contention by the tongue hands feet and the other members of the body 3 Touching the word translated vulgarly ye kill but by some ye
enuy Oecumenius and Gagneus both affirme Gagneus that there are some Greeke Copies wherein it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which if it bee so I could easily assent to the pretended fault of the Scribe otherwise to reade it ye kill may well stand as Thomas Aquinas hath expounded it ye kill by hating 4 Touching this that they are said not to haue when the worst worldlings get riches it is also well resolued already by Pareus 5 Touching asking whereunto he seemeth to counsell them he speaketh not so as intimating that being thus ill disposed they should preuaile if they did aske but to teach the right way of obtaining Gods blessings which they needed viz. if they would seeke them not by euill lusting after them in a worldly manner but by right prayer vnto God 6 Touching the asking and not hauing this is not contradictory to that Mat. 7. Aske and you shall haue Faber in â—ac 4. Spiritus sâ—â—â—â—enus Orat rupâ—d Deum 〈◊〉 â—â—â—es autem carnis malus but rather an exposition thereof if ye aske rightly that is with a spirituall and heauenly minde To which purpose one speaketh notably The Spirit of Faith is a good Oratour before God but the sense of the flesh an ill one He that hath this Spirit is mortified together with Christ and so doth not fight striue enuy but what he needeth he asketh in the Spirit of Faith and receiueth as much as is sufficient for his spirituall life Now the minde that is spirituall doth not aske worldly things for the loue which it hath to abound herein to liue the more deliciously to the pampering of the body but for necessary vses that a man may liue to glorifie God and to doe good herewith They which doe otherwise shall not speed though they aske and beg most importunately To spend vpon their pleasures then is not onely for necessity or that they may haue wherewithall to doe deeds of charity but that they may haue superfluity and so maintaine themselues according to the pompous manner of this world which who so hath being a worldling and without grace rusheth into fleshly pleasures properly so called as the Sodomites whose state is described to be such Ezech. 16.49 as that they had fulnesse of bread And thus I assent vnto Piscator that these kinde of pleasures are principally meant here though I see all others goe another way expounding the words following of adulterers and adulteresses by the spirituall adultery Note that the originall of all troubles and stirres in the world are the worldly and euill affections of men Note which are ingendered through an ouer-great pleasure taken in worldly things that we may not suffer our minds to be taken vp with such delight herein but acknowledging their vanity bee mortified in this regard so shall we be free from the hellish affections of enuy and hatred with which whosoeuer is tainted can haue no comfort to God-ward seeing he is a carnall man and so in the way of perdition Note againe Note what great deceit there is in worldly pleasures though they fawne vpon vs and there appeareth nothing but delight yet they worke our owne members against our soules for hereby they fight against them and therefore let no man that loueth his soule bee bewitched with them or let them haue place in him no more than he will receiue a deadly enemy into his house or bed-chamber Note lastly Note that the onely sure way to obtaine what wee need for this life is to pray for it and that with a sincere heauenly end and not a carnall they that by tugging and striuing by wrangling and coueting seeke it haue it not either being frustrated of their desire by a iust iudgement or being without the vse of it because they are mancipated to the world and so haue no comfort thereof but onely toile care and sorrow according to that saying Inopem me copia fecit CHAP. 4. VER 4. Ye adulterers and adulteresses know yee not that the amity of the world is the enmity of God c. Vers 5. or thinke ye that the Scripture saith in vaine the spirit that dwelleth in vs lusteth vnto enuy c. Mayer All Expositors almost agree in the sense of these words except it be about the place of Scripture alleaged Ye adulterers this they expound by spirituall adultery as I haue already touched though I see no reason but that hee may meane this vice properly according to Piscator because hee speaketh so much of pleasure as well as of bitter enuying and strife for they altogether warre against the soule though I grant indeed that his maine scope here is to impugne a maleuolous and spleenaticke disposition yet there is nothing to hinder but that they which were so sensuall might be libidinous and therefore it was not impertinent but tended to the aggrauating of their sinne 2 Pet. 2.14 the more to call them adulterers and adulteresses as Saint Peter taxeth corrupt professors to haue eyes full of adultery and as we may gather from thence and Saint Iudes Epistle it was an vsuall blemish of such kinde of persons But he proceedeth no further here but onely nameth them by this vice and then goeth forward in his argument against being so worldly minded the amity of the world is the enmity of God Oecumenius yeeldeth a good reason of this Oecumen because that he which is so intent to the world must needs neglect God and godlinesse and to neglect or remisly to carry a mans selfe towards any is to hate him for this is a fruit of hatred Th. Aquinas Pareus so that the loue of the world here is to loue it in excesse or to loue the corruption that beareth sway here which is vnderstood also by the world 1 Ioh. 2.15 for this is an enemy to God and maketh him Gods enemy that is infected with it Touching the place alleaged Verse 5. because there is no such sentence to be found diuers haue coniectured diuersly some that it is alluded to Numb 11.29 where Moses saith to Ioshua Iuninus paral Enuiest thou for my sake some vnto Gen. 6.5 All the imaginations of mans heart are onely euill continually as Pareus reporteth and some that these words are to bee referred to those that went before Th. Aquinas Gorrâ—n the amity of the world is the enmity of God for by the words following he proueth this the spirit that dwelleth in vs lusteth vnto enuy For this is as much in effect as if he had said is an enemy to Gods Spirit for as much as the Spirit of God is against enuying but our owne spirit which is worldly is carryed to enuy And then the Scripture alleaged is brought to this purpose as if he had said Thinke yee that the holy Scripture doth in vaine disswade from the loue of the world for in this kinde it speaketh Deut. 7.3 Thou shalt make no leagues with them
Christ because they suffer not with him Note againe that such as are conformable to Christ by being dead vnto sinne shall haue enemies euen for this Note and shall be railed vpon by those that still remaine in the flesh but such enemies of theirs and railers need none other signe of reprobation as shall appeare when the Day of iudgement commeth Note lastly Note that the onely meanes to escape iudgement at the last day is by the preaching of the Gospell to be brought to that that we are iudged according to the flesh and quickened according to the Spirit that is truly conuerted and brought to liue an holy and righteous life others in whom there is no such effect can looke for nothing but a most terrible sentence to be denounced against them when Christ shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead CHAP. 4. VER 12. My brethren estrange not your selues from the fiery triall which is amongst you to proue you as if some strange thing had happened vnto you The vulgar Latine readeth it Nolite peregrinari in feruore Doe not play the strangers by reason of the feruent heat Our English translation Thinke not strange of the fiery triall in Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is little difficulty in any thing Mayer Vers 7. before wee come at these words vers 7. The end of all is at hand is commonly expounded of the end of this world from whence it is vsuall with the holy Apostles to raise a motiue to watchfulnesse Only Oecumenius expoundeth it of Christ The end of all is come Oecumen that is Christ the end of all the Prophets therefore after his example we ought to aspire after perfection But the first is most genuine Vers 8. Vers 8. Loue couereth a multitude of sinnes this he also expoundeth of the sinnes of him that loueth God being made hereby propitious and mercifull to him so that none of his sinnes are laid to his charge and herein he is followed by Gorran and other popish Writers that would haue loue the cause of our iustification But it is plaine from the place from whence these words are taken that it is meant of his sinnes 〈◊〉 10.12 to whom loue is shewed Hatred stirreth vp strife but loue couereth all sinnes Chrys Hom. 4. All. apâ—st and therefore Chrysostome expoundeth it thus as hatred will finde matter against a man when there is none so loue passeth ouer and winketh at and will not see many faults in whom they are though against our selues and excuseth Hern. Epist 7 â—â—â—emieâ—tiae auâ—â—â— â—a quae non 〈◊〉 sâ—â—â—cantar as much as may be the sinnes of others So also Bernard Loue couereth many sinnes but enmity suspecteth euen those that are not Touching the present vers 12. all Expositors generally agree that the fire here spoken of setteth forth aduersity and trouble in this world which commeth vpon the Christian for his professions sake And the Syriacke Interpreter doth not mention any fire at all but thinke not strange of the tentatiers that are amongst you And it is no new phrase to expresse afflictions by fire Esa 48. Psal 16. Psal 65. 1 Pet. 1. Esay speaketh of the furnace of pouerty Dauid saith That the Lord tried him with fire and we haue passed thorow fire and water and Peter speaketh to the same effect before that your faith might be found more precious than gold which is tried in the fire But for the reading of the words there is some difference Tertulan Scorp c. 12. No expaueseata vsitonem Fulg. ad Frasim c. 30. Cypri Epist 56. whereof somewhat hath beene said already Tertullian readeth it Be not afraid of the burning And Fulgentius not much differing Nolite expauescere in feruorem Cyprian readeth it Do not wonder at the burning which happeneth vnto you and Ierom not much differing Wonder not in the burning Hieren in cap. 4. Amos And as there be diuersities of readings so there is in rendring the sense But the most generally receiued is Wonder not or thinke not strange of the fire of tribulation as though it were a thing not compatible with the state of a Christian for it is rather a strange thing that a Christian should be without tribulation argueth a bastard Lyto Hugo Heb. 12.9 Some expound it of estranging themselues from the faith and loue of Christ for the fire of tribulation Turrian One expoundeth it of the fire of lust wherewith if a Christian be burned he ought not to thinke strange of it It seemeth to me that estranging of a mans selfe from persecution for the Christian profession is meant being taken with so much feare thereof as that he will rather forsake Christ than endure it And aptly fire is named because so many of Gods seruants haue beene committed to the fire and burnt for Religion Touching the residue of the Chapter there is some difficulty in vers 14. Verse 14. Because the Spirit of glory and of God resteth vpon you word for word as Beza readeth it That of glory and that Spirit of God resteth vpon you Quod sâ—â—â—norit gloria virtutis Der qui est câ—us 〈◊〉 super 〈◊〉 reâ—â—â—â—scit Cyprian Epist 5â— The Latine translation hath it That which is of glory and honour and vertue of God and which is his Spirit resteth vpon you Some againe reade it The glory and Spirit of God Cyprian hath another reading The name of the Maiesty and vertue of the Lord resteth vpon you The Syriacke The glorious Spirit of God resteth vpon you Of all these that doubtlesse is to bee preferred which is first as being most agreeable to the Greeke The meaning is that if any man suffereth for Christ not being terrified or shrinking through feare it is by Gods Spirit in him that he is made thus couragious and confident which is the Spirit of glory so called in respect of the glory that is in thus suffering as it is a base and ignoble thing to be timorous and daunted at sufferings for the Lord and the end shall be glory in Heauen to those that suffer againe it is called the Spirit of God that is of the loue of God there being no such great loue to be shewed vnto the Lord as by suffering for him There be not two spirits then here spoken of but one and the same diuersly called to set forth the excellency thereof the more In setting downe in what case there is no comfort in suffering he nameth Vers 1â— as a busie body in other mens matters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ouerseer of other mens matters so as to be ready rigidly to censure and reproue them hauing no calling so to doe for hereby ofttimes convention ariseth and he that is thus ouer-busie and medling smarteth for his labour Because the time is that iudgement should begin at Gods house Vers 1â— Here may seeme to be some difficulty what is meant
by Gods house and by the iudgement spoken of and in that it is further added Oecumen Basil mag if the righteous scarely be saued c. But Oecumenius alone may resolue these things for all By Gods house are meant the faithfull who are the familiars as it were of God by iudgement is not to be vnderstood condemnation but an examining and trying by troubles in this world Now it is vsuall amongst men to bee most offended with a mans neerest and dearest friend when he sinneth against him and so God beginneth first to shew his anger against the faithfull during this life which is the season for it as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth In many places it is spoken almost to the same effect as Amos 3.2 Esay 29.1 Ezech. 9.6 Ierem. 25.29 Pro. 11.31 and there be many examples of those that being neere vnto the Lord haue had iudgement vnto the death and that for none of the greatest offences as Vzzah Iosiah the Prophet that came to Ieroboam and the men of Bethshemesh and the subiects of Dauid and some amongst the Corinthians who are said for their disorderly comming to the Communion to haue fallen asleepe 1 Cor. 11. But that they were not destroyed in soule also appeareth because he addeth ye are iudged here that ye may not perish with the world If God be so seuere against his owne offending much more will he be terrible to the wicked his enemies Hieron contr Pelag. Iusius est quis meo quod sloâ— et multis virtutibus vix saluatur in 〈◊〉 quod in quibusdam Dei misericordia indiget saluaretur axtem facile si â—â—hil in se haberet maculae Touching the righteous being scarcely saued Ierome saith well That none is perfectly righteous but the faithfull that are so called are scarcely saued because there be some faults in them still they are said to be righteous because they flourish with many vertues but shall scarcely be saued because in many things they need Gods mercy And Oecumenius saith that the righteous are saued with much difficulty in regard of the violence wherewith the Kingdome of Heauen must be taken and the sufferings to which they are exposed for Religions sake which are sufficient if God did not strengthen them greatly with his grace to beat them from their Christian profession to their euerlasting destruction In a word the meaning is if the most holy and best must passe thorow such sharpe temporall iudgements before that they can be deliuered from eternall destruction the wicked and negligent doubtlesse shall rue it when the great Day of reckoning commeth Note Note that it ought to bee our daily meditation that this world and this life is fraile and transitory that we may intend vertue the more earnestly that will auaile vs when this life shall be ended Note againe Note that we ought to haue a care of preseruing one another from sinne which is by a louing and milde carriage of our selues towards others for thus many offences are preuented in our brethren and so couered and therefore wee must not see all that we see in others but in loue winke at many things so farre forth as not to be prouoked hereby not to forbeare to reproue them for this is alwaies necessary Leu. 19.17 Note moreouer Note that there is a fire thorow which the faithfull must goe but it is in this world by persecution and aduersities not in purgatory which is imagined to be afterwards And seeing the fire of afflictions is no strange matter but ordinary to the godly we ought not to be affected with feare and terrour as at some strange and vnwonted accident but rather with ioy which argueth an excellent Spirit euen that of God to be in vs. Lastly note Note that the punishments which haue beene and are inflicted vpon the faithfull doe certainly argue the generall iudgement and condemnation of the wicked at the last Day for it agreeth not with reason that holy men should be so seuerely dealt withall for sinning once and that in lesser matters and that vngodly prophane wretches who make a trade of sinne should passe on for euer without iudgement There shall be a iudgement therefore doubtlesse when all euill doers shall be paid home to the full for all their wickednesses Neither is it so easie to be saued from condemnation then that all may hope well for euen the best are in much hazzard and doe with great difficulty and striuing obtaine euerlasting life in the end Let all wicked and carelesse persons thinke vpon this and tremble CHAP. V. THe Apostle hauing finished his discourse about afflictions now commeth to exhort both the elders and younger to the most necessary duties of their seuerall conditions The elders he exhorteth to feed Christs Flocke vers 1. the younger to be obedient vnto them vers 5. and all of them to be humble and to flie pride vers 6 c. and then concludeth the Epistle with praising of God and salutations There is nothing in this Chapter almost that requireth exposition but it hath beene already set forth Touching Elders see Text 11. Iam. 5. and whereas Peter calleth himselfe an Elder together with them note that he was not their Prince and Lord ouer them as the Pope of Rome pretending to be his successor taketh vpon him to be and therefore this Bishop anciently was stiled by Ireneus but Presbyter an Elder Touching the lording it ouer Gods heritage vers 3. I haue also declared what kinde of dominion is to be auoided by all Gods people that be in authority Text 106. in Mat. 20. the word translated heritage is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence commeth the word Clergy appropriated by a long custome of speech to ecclesiast call persons only but the Lords Lot all the faithfull are indeed meant hereby amongst whom because Ecclesiasticall persons are the principall this name hath beene chiefly giuen to them and the name of Laity to others for distinctions sake Touching the submitting one to another see chap. 2.13 17. where a like speech is vsed It is meant here by humility and lowlinesse of minde wherein euery one is to be subiect to another by thinking meanly of himselfe as the word humility immediatly following doth declare And the rest of v. 5. and v. 6 7 8 9. is almost the same word for word with Iam. 4.6 7. Only whereas he biddeth the younger to be subiect to the elders Vers 5. vers 5. there is some question whether by the younger inferiour persons are to bee vnderstood or the younger in yeeres Beda Hugo Carthus some seeme to hold that inferiour persons are meant as Beda Hugo Carthusianus and Titlemannuâ— and Caietan plainly affirmeth it Others by younger vnderstand the younger in yeeres as Luther and Beza Luther Beza I preferre the first because the word Elders to which the younger are here opposed setteth forth such as are superiour in order and therefore
things from which he seeketh to draw their mindes that they might partake of the true ioy The same phrase of speech is vsed by Christ vnto his Disciples Iohn 15. Iohn 16. and 17. Vers 5. God is light that is essentially he is a pure act and perfect without any imperfection Vers 6. To walke in darknesse is to abide in ignorance and sinne Vers 7. Wee haue fellowship one with another that is with God the Father and Sonne Faber Caietan Catharin Lyra. Gloss inter â—â—n as it is best expounded by some though others expound one with another of the faithfull with the faithfull for the speech is of communion with God whereupon he concludeth here Vers 9. God is faithfull to forgiue this is thus spoken because God hath appointed vs in acknowledgement of our sinnes to aske forgiuenesse which hee cannot doe being faithfull vnlesse he forgiue them vpon our confession of them as Cyprian well speaketh Cypr. de orat dom Quâ—orare nos pro debitis peccatis monuit paternam misericordiam pro misit veniam secuturam Suarez Tom. 4. in 3. p. disp 11. sect 1. concl 3. he that hath admonished vs to pray for the pardon of our debts of sinne hath withall promised fatherly mercy pardon to follow But there must be adioyned vnto our confession of sin a forsaking of sin also Pro. 28.13 Popish Writers here distinguish betwixt faithfull and iust to forgiue referring the first to mortall sinnes which because he hath promised the penitent to forgiue them hee is said to be faithfull to forgiue them the second to veniall sinnes because hee that is in the state of grace can ex condigno merit forgiuenesse of his veniall sinnes but this is a meere delusion seeing faithfull and iust of promise are all one Vers 10. If we say that we haue no sinne we make him a lyar the reason of this is because he hath affirmed all to be sinners Psal 14. Eccl. 7.20 Rom. 5 c. The Papists are miserably turmoiled here in maintaining the blessed Virgin Mary to be without sinne and other of their Saints but they say that it is to be vnderstood of originall sinne nor of actuall and yet in the Virgin Mary they denie euen originall sinne to haue beene assenting that if any shall say of her that she hath not sinned he maketh God a lyar but if he shall say that she had no sinne he saith truly because she was sanctified in the very conception But for actuall sinnes they teach her to haue been altogether free there-from though not other of their Saints but only from mortall sinnes whereas none are indeed exempted from sinne but Christ onely no not from such sinnes as need clensing by the bloud of Christ which I am sure are mortall Moreouer the places alleaged speake of actuall sinnes which men doe from which it is said that there is not one free Eccl. 7.20 And his Word is not in vs. Glos interlin Lyra. Some by Word here vnderstand Christ but it is plainly meant of that word wherein all are affirmed to be sinners they are cleane gone from this that say they haue no sinne they haue it not in any part remaining in them for their saluation for denying it to be true in one thing they cannot hold it to be true in any thing being tainted with heresie in one article of faith they hold none at all as others teach I would that the Papists who say thus also Clemens Didymus Caietan would consider how by their owne confession they are fallen from all true faith euen by this one tenent that a man can perfectly keepe the law of God without sinning in any thing Note Note that the Gospell of Christ is no vncertaine but a most certaine thing because it is testified by faithfull witnesses who were present to behold Christ liuing here and risen and ascending vp into heauen and doing such great miracles and therefore let vs without wauering or doubting beleeue it being fully resolued of the truth hereof Note againe Note that the true beleeuer desireth to bring others into the society of the same faith and is not content to beleeue alone Note also Note the benefit of the society and communion with the faithfull is most excellent extending euen to God the Father and the Sonne to the partaking of that vnspeakable ioy which is in God in comparison of which all worldly ioyes are vaine neither hath a man any true ioy by hauing them Note lastly Note that to be holy and yet in humility to acknowledge our sins is the onely sure way to haue communion with God the vnholy or proud that stand vpon their owne righteousnesse are vtterly excluded here from CHAP. II. HAuing in the first Chapter brought all men to an acknowledgement that they are sinners lest that hereupon men should grow to desperate sinning saying we will therefore sinne and then confesse our sinnes and so we shall be forgiuen by way of preuention hee beginneth this Chapter thus These things I write vnto you that you sinne not And yet because this command is so hard that none can keepe it that we might not be vtterly discouraged when we endeuour what possibly we can to fly from sinne hee addeth If any man sinneth we haue an Aduocate c. in whom if we beleeue we haue remission of all our sinnes Now lest we should againe take heart to sinne if no more belongeth to it but to beleeue in this our Aduocate Iesus Christ for the expiation of our sinnes hee declareth what it is truly to beseeue in or to know Christ Vers 3 4. viz. to this our knowledge to ioyne obedience to his commandements In the next place that this argueth one who knoweth Christ hee proueth because to keepe his commandements is to loue him as we must needs doe that know what he hath suffered and done for vs neither can wee haue this loue of the Lord vnlesse wee know him for ignoti nulla cupido we haue no loue to that which wee know not Vers 5.6 And then from the louing of the Lord he inferreth our louing of one another wherein wee cannot but be drawne to follow him if we loue him who hath in loue to vs all suffered so much Vers 6. inforcing it with a command which is ancient Vers 7. and which hath more lately beene renued by the comming on of the light of the Gospell because there is a necessity of louing one another in all that walk in this light they are not in the light but in darknesse that hate one another Vers 8 9 10 11. And hauing thus endeuoured to commend the loue of Christ and of one another vnto them he seeketh in the next place to fence theÌ„ against that loue which would be dangerous vnto them viz. the loue of the world and the loue of heresie Touching the first he prepareth vnto it by nominating all ages young men fathers and children intimating
that this charge concerned all sorts and adaptating something particularly to each of them whereby they might be fenced against the loue of the world and doubling his compellation vnto them to inforce it the more Vers 12.13 14. And then hee doth expresly dehort from this loue Vers 15 16 17. Touching the second Vâ— 18. he informeth them of the danger of the times in respect of the many Antichrists referring them to that which they themselues knew that he is a lyer Antichrist that denieth the Sonne because he also denieth the Father Vers 18 19 20 21 22 23. Then hee exhorteth to perseuerance in the true ancient doctrine Vers 24 25 26. and hauing shewed his confidence hereabout he exhorteth to the same againe Vers 27 28. and from the consideration of the Lords righteousnesse he maketh way to returne againe to the pressing of a righteous and holy life vpon them and the flying of sinne because this argueth one borne of God Vers 29. 1 IOHN Chapter 2. Verse 2. He is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for our sinnes only but for the whole world Vers 7. I write no new commandement but an olde commandement vnto you Vers 8. Againe I write a new commandement which is true in you and in him that the darknesse is past c. CHrist is said to be our Aduocate Occumen in 1 Joh. 2. that is one that exhorteth and moueth the Father to forgiue vs our sinnes not that he hath not power to forgiue for he professeth elsewhere that hee had power to forgiue sinnes saying That ye may know that the sonne of man hath power to forgiue sinnes he said to the sicke of the palsie c. But as he is man he is said to make intercession to the Father for according to this he saith that the sonne can doe nothing of himselfe For the whole world this is spoken to shew that not onely the Iewes but the Gentiles that beleeue also attaine remission of their sinnes by Christ or that not onely the present age but the age to come beleeuing hath reconciliation with God the Father Hereby we know that we know him Vers 3. c. that is that wee are ioyned to him and haue society with him as was spoken Chap. 1. And his loue is perfect in vs that is whereby hee is ioyned vnto vs we being by a godly life ioyned vnto him he is ioyned vnto vs also Touching the command of loue Vers 7. which he calleth an olde and not a new commandement the question may be how it may be said to be an old commandement to all that Iohn wrote vnto seeing hee wrote both to Iewes and Gentiles To the Iewes indeed it was of old commanded that they should loue one another but the Gentiles which liued not vnder the law seeme not to haue had this command anciently It is to be answered that the law was written in mans heart from the beginning and though after the fall he was greatly corrupted yet remained it written there still euen in those that liued not vnder the written Law whence it was Rom. 2.15 that their conscience did either accuse or excuse them In that hauing denied it to be a new commandement hee yet by and by saith that it is a new commandement Vers 8. vers 8. that is in respect of the loue of our enemies to loue our neighbour indeed was commanded of old but that we should loue our enemies no precept was euer giuen before And therefore when as there haue beene some that haue loued their friends so dearely that they would die for them as heathen Histories doe declare yet there hath not any euer been found that loued his enemies that they make mention of As Oecumenius Mayer Th. Aquinas Gâ—rran so all other Expositours vnderstand Christ his being a propitiatory sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole word but that they adde also another way whereby hee is said to be so viz. in respect of the sufficiency of his merit but I thinke that the former exposition is more genuine and so the words of Christ himselfe may be a comment vpon these Iohn 17.20 I pray not for these onely but for all that shall beleeue in my name Touching the word propitiation Exod. 25.17 Theodoret. Tho. Aquinas it is taken from the propitiatory appointed to be made from whence the Lord did answer them graciously that sought vnto him according to the signification of the word and so Christ is a propitiation by being a propitiatory sacrifice for vs in whom the Lord is gracious vnto vs. Touching our assurance that wee know him Vers 3. Faber Stap. I hold with Faber that to know him here is by faith to rely vpon him as our Aduocate for in whom soeuer this faith is there is obedience to his commandements a true faith neuer goeth alone but hath perfect charity adioyned vnto it whereby wee fulfill the law Th. Aquinas for all the commandements are vnited in this one thing charity and therefore speaking vers 3. of keeping the commandements he changeth the word vers 5. and saith If any man keepe his word so that all the commandements are but one word charity Touching the old commandement Vers 7. which was from the beginning most consent with Oecum that the commaÌ„d of loue is called old because it was ingraffed in the nature of man from the beginning the law anciently giuen by Moses commandeth loue yet there is another exposition mentioned by some from the beginning Tho. Aquin. Glos ord Loâ—nâ—s Beza that is from the beginning of the Gospell or euer since I began to preach vnto you for it is well knowne that Iohn did alwaies inculcate the doctrine of loue But certainly the first is the truest exposition otherwise the new commandement which hee speaketh of vers 8. must be of some later time and to haue affirmed the doctrine of loue to haue bin of old from the beginning in that sense would not haue beene so to the purpose to meet with them that obiected nouelty to the doctrine of the Gospell which is his drift in saying Dydimus Carthus Vers 8. that it was old euen from the beginning Whereas he by and by againe vers 8. affirmeth it to be a new commandement hee calleth it so because it was vnder the Gospell renued being before through pharisaicall corruptions almost blotted out for they taught men to loue their friends but to hate their enemies but now we are plainly taught to loue our enemies Tho. Aquin. and herein most Expositours agree Tho. Aquinas maketh this reason but one of fiue why it is called new 1. because it renueth vs spiritually 2. because it is a new law giuen by a new King 3. because it bringeth to a new heauen c. for his 4. is coincident with this of louing our enemies Here is no weight of reason in any of these but in this onely The Greeke Interpreters
words to bee a laying of a ground of the loue spoken of before as if he should haue said Beza Piscator Oecumen I know that ye will not all receiue this doctrine alike and therefore I addresse my selfe to speake vnto you seuerally as ye are little children or fathers or young men and so the benefits spoken of are vnderstood as promises to Christians of each condition But others expound them as an introduction to the exhortation following vers 15. as if he had said Tho. Aquin. Gorran I haue hitherto admonished you to loue one another now let me giue you warning of the impediments that will hinder you from this loue viz. the loue of the world yee little children ought not to doe it because it becommeth children to obey their Parents now our heauenly Father forbiddeth this who hath forgiuen you your sinnes and therefore great reason is there that ye should refraine from that which cannot stand with the loue of him who hath shewed so great loue vnto you Again ye fathers ought not to loue the world because ye haue knowne him that was from the beginning whom the world hateth ye know him by Faith being ioyned vnto him so that ye cannot loue the world which is against him Lastly yee young men ought not to loue the world because yee haue ouercome that euill one that is the Deuill who is the God of this world whereas it is the part of one vnder his dominion to loue the world not of one that hath ouercome him for so hee should againe be ouercome by him And to this exposition doe I subscribe because these words are plainly rather an exordium to some thing afterwards to be deliuered than a conclusion of that which was before deliuered To the fourth to loue the world as all agree is to loue it as it is opposite vnto God for God himselfe is otherwise said to loue the world Ioh. 3.16 Oecumen Th. Aquinas 2 Cor. 4.4 to loue the world therefore is to loue and by louing to be ioyned vnto the wicked who are in diuers places said to be the world and so the Deuill is called The God of this world To loue the things of the world is to loue riches and honours and pleasures vnto superfluity not for necessity for the things of this world may be beloued and sought after so farre forth as they are necessary for vs but to be ouermuch affected vnto these things this is sinne To the fift Augustine Tho. Aquin. those things that are said to be in the world are such as the world of wicked men are affected withall The lust of the flesh this is the desire of any thing that is delightfull to the taste or the touch and to the outward man as eating and drinking excessiuely and whoring and playing inordinately And though the heart lusteth after these things yet it is ascribed to the flesh because it is acted hereby The lust of the eyes that is the desire of such things as are goodly to the eye as of gold and siluer garments and faire buildings The pride of life in Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the oftentation or iactation or boasting proudly of any worldly thing being puffed vp and made vaine-glorious hereby to be through pride so set vpon estimation in the world as that a man will rather die than be any way disgraced He that loueth the world thus the loue of the Father is said not to be in him and here a reason of it is rendered because this lust is of the world not of the father that is of Gods enemy opposite so that he which is led hereby cannot loue God Aug. Tract 9. in Iohan. Saint Augustine readeth these words thus If any man loueth the world the Spirit of the Father is not in him but none else reade it so He also illustrateth this place by the example of our first Parents so likewise Beda and Prosper Beda Prosper who saith That the lust of the flesh in them was to taste of the forbidden fruit the lust of the eyes to haue their eyes opened for hereby the Serpent tempted them and the pride of life to be like vnto God Beda also sheweth these three to haue beene vsed for the tempting of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 4. The three things here taxed are Pleasure Profit and the rising of pride in the heart the first tempting the voluptuous the second the couetous the third the ambitious as such as desire to be magnified Note Note that there is great reason indeed why the loue of God should be deare vnto vs neither should we bee carried by any thing in this world against this loue for this were wonderfull ingratitude seeing his benefits bestowed vpon vs are so great the forgiuenesse of our sinnes the knowledge of hidden mysteries and spiritual strength to ouercome our most deadly enemy that worketh and preuaileth by the world to reduce vs into his bondage againe Let the voluptuous therefore the couetous and ambitious consider of what base minds they are to be allured by such vanities wherein there is no true or enduring comfort to be found thus to lose comfort which would haue beene for euer vnto them in God CHAP. 2. VER 18. Little children it is the last houre and as ye haue heard that Antichrist commeth there are now also many Antichrists Vers 19. They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. The Apostle hauing admonished against the loue of the world Th. Aquinas now giueth warning against heresies lest we should be seduced hereby and that by a fourefold reason First because it is heresie contrary to Christ making them Antichrists that hold it and hereby he sheweth that it is the last houre that is the sixt age or a time like to that of the Antichrist for the greatnesse of the persecution or in respect of euery particular mans life Secondly because Heretikes are separate from the Church They went out from vs to Iudaisme or Paganisme because they were not of vs by election or predestination they were amongst vs by the partaking of the same Sacraments but not by the communion of loue That they might be made manifest that is that by their going out they might be discouered to be false brethren and we might be no longer deceiued by them Thirdly because they had an anointing whereby they knew all things that is the holy Ghost whereby they knew the malice and wickednesse of these Antichrists and so were armed to withstand them and he calleth it an anointing from the holy one that is from Christ from whom as an head all knowledge and grace is deriued to vs his members Ioh. 1.14 Fourthly because the doctrine of Heretikes is a lying doctrine and the most hainous lying of all because it is to the denying of Christ Now the Iewes properly denied Iesus to be the Christ but
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
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
out vnto the end Gorran One noteth many acceptions of this word the tree of life Sometime the holy Scripture is called the tree of life as Prou. 3. sometime patience Prou. 11. sometime deuout preaching Prou. 15. sometime Christ himselfe and sometime the chiefe felicity which is meant here and it is said to be in the Paradise of God because in a place of delights not as the world counts delights but according to God And to the same effect almost speake others the thing promised here is Christ with that eternall happinesse which he bringeth with him to all true beleeuers that hold out vnto the end The promise is the same with that He that endureth to the end shall be saued Matth. 24.13 2 Tim. 4.7 Ioh. 6.54 and henceforth remaineth the crowne of righteousnesse which the righteous God will bestow c. It is alluded vnto the tree of life in Paradise because as that would haue conferred immortality vpon Adam if he had eaten of it so he that eateth of Christ by faith shall liue for euermore and this is the true meaning of that Touching the variation of the title of this reward promised in euery Epistle One saith Gorran that there are seuen vices against which we are to make spirituall warre and to such as ouercome euery of these the blessednesse to come is propounded in a seuerall title sutable The first vice is gluttony and drunkenesse the victory ouer which is first propunded because it is in vaine to striue against any other sinne vnlesse this be subdued which was shewed in the combate of our Sauiour Christ his first temptation was in this kinde To the victory here to eat of the tree of life is promised which Adam could not because he was this way vicious this is to bee refreshed spiritually here and hereafter The second vice is feare of worldly miseries to him that ouercommeth this not being driuen from the faith hereby it is promised that he shall not be hurt of the second death The third is the loue of pleasure to him that ouercommeth this the hidden Manna is promised diuine consolation The fourth is enuy against which is opposed the ruling ouer nations The fift is lechery against which white garments are opposed The sixt is pride against which is opposed I will make him a pillar in the house of God which is most comely The seuenth is idlenesse against which is opposed I will giue him to sit in my Throne Brightman Others either obserue nothing vpon this variety or else apply all to the seuerall conditions of the Church in seuerall ages and so say that as Adam in Paradise was the first man so in speaking of the first Church it is alluded to him But me thinkes that the eternall reward of their constancy should not be so variously propounded for nothing and touching the Churches in seuerall ages although there be some likelihood in the first being so applied yet in the rest it faileth Wherefore I hold that the obseruation of the seuerall vices against which we haue to fight is not impertinent here although haply in the number and particularizing of them there may bee ouermuch curiosity But certainly eternall happinesse doth counteruaile all the pleasure and profit of sinne and whatsoeuer detriment or danger may accrue through piety shall fully be made amends for thereby and it doth not a little helpe to vnderstand this to propound it diuers wayes If then we be tempted any way let vs resist considering that thus we shall prouide for our owne welfare for euer euen in those things wherein wee are moued by temptation THe second Epistle is to the Church of Smyrna in foure verses The second Epistle Vers 8. viz. 8 9 10 11. wherein nothing is taxed Quest Who was the Angell in this Church that it hath so rare commendations Answ The most probable opinion is that Policarp the disciple of Saint Iohn was chiefe minister here Iren. lib. 3. cap. 3. For both Ireneus and Eusebius agree that hee was by the Apostles constituted Bishop in Smyrna whereas all of them but Iohn were dead before Domitians time And all things in the Epistle agree to him a most holy man there being nothing reproued in him and the exhortation to constancy intimating his persecution to come for he was most cruelly martyred vnder Antoninus Verus and the mentioning of the Iewes for by their instigation hee was murthered Onely it may bee doubted for so much as betwixt Domitians foureteene yeeres when this was reuealed and Antoninus Verus were threescore seuen yeres But this is againe resolued by the consideration of Policarps confession of himselfe that hee had serued Christ fourescore and six yeeres as Eusebius sheweth This Smyrna is put second because next to Ephesus Quest 2. Why is the Lord here intitled The first and the last which was dead but is aliue Answ It is spoken for the comfort of him that was in danger of death for the Gospell Gorran according to the argument of this Epistle for if life for euer followed Christs death what need any member of Christ to feare death Brightman Or else because in this Epistle he is said to be rich yet affliction and pouerty is mentioned vnderstand by this title Christs maiesty by which hee is first and his humiliation whereby he was last wherein this Angel is comforted against the base esteeme of the world I know thy pouerty but thou art rich Quest 3. Who were they that called themselues Iewes Vers 9. and what was their blasphemy Answ Some thinke that such are meant Glossa ord as made a profession of Christ and yet were enemies than which there could be no enemies more grieuous But others more rightly Pareus Brightman that they were Iewes indeed glorying in that name as the onely people of God who stood so earnestly for the old ceremonies and legall seruice that they hated most deadly all Christians for we reade in the Acts of the Apostles of their fury and seeking to stirre vp the people in all places against the Christians and in particular against Policarp as hath beene already touched Their blasphemies were all the most opprobrious names that they could deuise against Christians they called Christ a cousener Impostorem suspensum necromantum Cruciarios asinarios sarmentarios semassios Apol. cap. vlt. a crucified man and a Negromancer and Christians cruciaries asinaries Sarmentaries and Semassies as Tertullian sheweth Quest What is meant by the affliction which it is said they shall haue for ten dayes Answ About this number of dayes there is great difference amongst Expositors Vers 10. Most hold that some short time is hereby meant Bullinger Chitreus Franc. Lamb. Pareus but a certaine number of dayes put for an vncertaine * Beda Haimo Gorran Ribera Rupertus Some say that the number of ten is a number of perfection containing in it all other numbers and therefore setteth forth a
stone changeth the colour with the Heauens being cleare skie coloured when they are cleare and gloomy when they are ouerspread with Clouds so the Apostles were changed in name at the command of the Lord of Heauen and exercised diuers vertues as the Heauens were cleare or cloudy by the tranquilitie or persecution of the Church sometime charity sometime patience and constancy The Amethist is of a Violet colour Pareus not much vnlike the Hyacinth it hath the name from the vertue for it keepeth a man sober being laid vnto the Nauell as Aristotle writeth by drawing away the vapours of the Wine and so is deriued from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Viegas Napier and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be drunken Some adde that it is most easie to be ingrauen so the Apostles to beare the prints of violences offered vnto them for the Gospels sake Some apply all these stones to such as by the twelue Apostles were brought into this building as being men of greatest eminency of all sorts that as precious stones beautified the foundation One from the Indies brought in the faithfull who are alwaies greene as the Iasper and neuer withering in their faith Another the heauenly minded like the Saphires A third the zealous professors of Aegypt like the fiery Chalcedony A fourth the sincere Christians of Scythia like the greene Smaragd A fifth a meeke and chaste people from Arabia like the Sardonix A sixth such as are soft hearted like the Sardius A seuenth the wise and constant like the Chrysolite An eighth the Peace-makers like to the Berill A ninth patient men and restrainers of their affections like to the Topaz A tenth such as glory in the golden treasure of Heauen like to the Chrysoprasus A leuenth such as being most rich in grace ouercame all temptations A twelfth the temperate and the sober like to the Amethist Some in a different streine from all others applying these to the Doctors of the Church which shall be here after the conuersion of the Iewes thinke that the mystery of these pretious stones lyeth partly in the place where they grow Brightman Forbs consenteth in the generall but not in the particuars and partly in their excellency according to their order The six first grow Eastward shewing that men of greatest note shall be stirred vp in these parts to set forth the Gospell the other six grow partly East and partly South in India and Ethiopia none of them in these Westerne or Northerne parts to shew that from these places where yet there is most barbarisme the greatest light shall arise And as the Iasper is the most diuine for it is vsed to set forth God for the innumerable varieties therein so some man neare vnto God like Moses is hereby represented who shall beginne and bee the first amongst the twelue in conuerting the people vnto God and as the foure last haue each of them some golden appearance so they which shall be stirred vp last of the twelue to ioyne in this seruice shall be durable and delightfull as gold such a kinde of glorious ministery neuer failing for many generations and the people neuer growing weary or being mutable in their loue and affection to their ministery But these are things rather to be wished than hoped for or taught seeing towards the end the world shall rather wax worse and worse Exod. 39.10 There is a description not much vnlike vnto this which is made of Aarons brest-plate wherein foure rowes of pretious stones were set three stones in a row in all twelue vnto which I thinke it is alluded here most of these being the same with them though both in the order and in some of them here be a variation Those stones did serue to represent the twelue Tribes these the twelue Apostles the twelue Tribes being the foundation of the old Church vnder the Law because it sprang from them the twelue Apostles of the Church vnder the Gospell which sprang as it were from them seeing by their ministery people were begotten vnto Christ In those I doubt not but the properties of the Patriarches were aimed at they being fit to set them forth and so in these the properties of the Apostles if we could conceiue how to apply them particularly but herein I haue already deliuered what I conceiue to be the most probable coniecture These stones are all full of admirable vertue so were the Apostles of grace these all are of an admirable beauty and lustre so are the Apostles in Heauen of admirable glory That which followeth serueth yet further to set forth the glory of this Church The twelue gates were twelue pearles Vers 21.22 there was no Temple for the Lord God and the Lambe are the Temple of it that is such seruice as was wont to be done in the Temple at Ierusalem by celebrating Gods praises and offering vnto him is performed here without a Temple for there needeth no medium to come vnto God for spirituall blessings to them that stand continually in Gods presence neither is there need of any medium of the Sun and Moone for light and externall comfort to them to whom God is all in all And in all this Iohn speaketh much after the manner of the old Prophet who saith touching the stones of the Churches foundation Behold Esa 54.11 12. I will lay thy foundations with Saphires and I will make thy windowes of Agates and thy gates of Carbancles and all thy borders of pleasant stones And touching the light The Sunne shall be no more thy light by day Esa 60.19 neither shall the Moone giue light vnto thee but the Lord shall be vnto thee an euerlasting light and thy God thy glory Obiect Which speeches because they are vsed of the Church vnder the new Testament euen while shee is in this world it is obiected that this here cannot bee meant of any other estate but the most excellent estate of the Church which shall be after the conuersion of the Iewes Answ But I answer that although it cannot bee denied but the graces of the Euangelicall Church are here pointed at when they should not need the meanes of types and figures as vnder the Law to enlighten them which is meant by the Sunne and Moone yet this is not all which the Prophesie setteth forth but the full accomplishment of these things is in the life to come which must needs be yeelded also to be implyed when it is said that there should be no more sorrow a thing not to be expected in this world and that the Lord should be her euerlasting light which cannot properly be applyed but to that estate which is euerlasting And the Nations of them that are saued doe walke in the light of it Vers 24. and the Kings of the earth doe bring their glory and honour vnto it Bullinger Tho. Aquin. Some vnderstand this light of the Lord and the Lambe who were said before to be the light of this
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
all the world is not able to beare Note againe Note that there is no pacification to bee had with God without reformation from our euill waies We must draw neare vnto him that he may draw neere vnto vs as the Prodigall did Luk. 15. For God is euery where saith Augustine and therefore we draw neere vnto him not by places August Deus vbique est cui non locis sed moribus apprâ—pinquamus but by manners We must bee humble and weepe and lament for our sinnes whereas we haue before laughed and been merry in committing them Note againe that to be conuerted to the Lord Note is to resist the Deuill with whom a man is as long as he remaineth in his sinnes neither is he such a formidable enemy that wee should feare for his great power to encounter with him for being resisted he flieth away Note lastly Note that how poore and contemptible soeuer any Neighbour is yet we are to feare to speake against him and to vilifie and disgrace him because this is to vsurpe not ouer a poore man and one neglected by vs but ouer the Law as if we were Gods that God the great Iudge of all will neuer endure seeing the Law commeth from him and hee will bee reuenged vpon all contempt offered against his owne Law Touching that which followeth in this Chapter vers 13 Vers 13. Th. Aquma it agreeth well to the matter in hand which is against the eager seeking after worldly things with enuying and much strife For if the shortnesse and vncertainty of this life were considered it would coole our heat this way seeing it is most vaine to trouble our selues so much about that which we cannot not tell whether wee shall enioy a day longer or no. And therefore this rebuke is fitly added here that they did behaue themselues so as if they had the power of their owne liues the frailty of this life being notably set forth and now that they know to doe well Gregor Vbi maius est donum sâ—ientiae ibi transgressor maiori subiacet â—uqâ—e if they doe it not he saith it is sinne that is the greater sinne and more damnable according to Gregory who saith Where greater knowledge is giuen there the offender is subiect to a greater punishment because knowledge is by him contemned Luk. 12. Ioh. 15.22 CHAP. V. HAuing spoken against wrangling and quarrelling about worldly things in the former Chapter perswading to humility and to mortification to the world considering how that we are in Gods hand from day to day being of a most fraile and vncertaine life Here by a new argument taken from the dangers hanging ouer their heads he terrifieth the rich worldlings that by any oppression and wronging of the poore seeke to inrich themselues regarding nothing but like sensuall belly-gods to liue in pleasure and to pamper their bodies vnto vers 7. where he exhorteth the poore to patience whatsoeuer they suffer in this world by the hands of oppressors vnto vers 1â— where because men in misery are wont to fall a cursing and swearing he giueth a caueat against this shewing the right way of comfort vers 13. viz. to flie to prayer and confession of our sinnes to such as be of great power in the Court of Heauen vnto vers 17. and to proue that there are such he instanceth in the example of Elias and so concludeth with this notice giuing them that if any were a meanes of the conuersion of another that was our of the way he should be reputed the sauiour of his soule vers 20. that the Presbyters might the more earnestly pray for sinfull men in the time of their misery that they may be conuerted and forgiuen when they should craue their helpe herein as before hee directed vers 14. All things here are easie to be vnderstood but only vers 9. where he biddeth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grudge not in our translation Ne ingemiscatis in the vulgar Latine that is sigh not being streightened by these oppressions the meaning is Th. Aquinas doe not murmure as they that thinke themselues vniustly dealt withall neuer looking at the iust Iudge who will soone rectifie all wrongs done for the Iudge is at hand Pareus But some apply it rather to such as doe wrong and so cause sighings but the first is more kindly and agreeth better with the persons here comforted who are the oppressed by manifold iniuries IAMES Chapter 5. Verse 14. Is any man sicke amongst you let him send for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him anointing him with oile in the Name of the Lord c. VNto other afflictions by oppressions and persecutions Mayer here is adioyned something concerning afflictions by some great and grieuous sicknesse for it is nto to be vnderstood that vpon euery affliction by sicknesse this course should be taken The doubts occurring here are First who be the Elders of the Church here mentioned Secondly whether it be still necessary to anoint the sicke with oile Thirdly what confession of sinnes is required and to whom it ought to be made Touching the first Quest 1 Tho. Aquinas Presbyters saith Tho. Aquin. and Gorran and other Papals are such as haue power to minister a Sacrament as being in holy orders and amongst them the grauest and holiest and therefore they are set forth by a name signifying Elders for such as are young and not so learned and sufficient are not to be sent to lest the cause being opened vnto them the Patient receiue some hurtfull counsell For the worthinesse of the person say they auaileth much to make this Sacrament of anointing the more effectuall seeing it is administred with Prayer and so the more worthy hee is that prayeth of the more force shall his Prayers be to doe the sicke Patient good Touching the second Quest 2 they teach likewise that Extreme Vnction is a Sacrament necessary to bee applied vnto the sicke euen to this day and therefore they haue their Oile consecrated by the Bishop and herewith they anoint the Organs of the fiue senses Per istam sanctis vnctionem pijssimam suam miscricordiam indulgeat tibi Deus quicquid peccati per visum auditum c. Quest 3. vsing these words By this most holy anointing and by his most godly mercy God forgiue thee whatsoeuer offence thou hast committed by seeing hearing smelling touching or tasting Then they anoint the reines as the seat of lust and the feet as hauing a progressiue force And being thus vsed they hold it effectuall to deliuer the soule from sinne and the body from sicknesse Touching the third they likewise teach that it is necessary to saluation for a man to confesse his sinnes to the Priest that at his hands he may receiue absolution and it was decreed in the Lateran Councell Concil Lateran caâ— an 1321. that this should bee done once euery yeere by all that haue attained