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
is sayd not to sinne enough hath beene spoken of this alreadie 1 Ioh. 3.6 7. c. Some thinke that the sinne vnto death before spoken of only is meant Beda Hugâ— Glâ—sserdin from which they are free But according to Oecumenius and others I hold that other sinnes are meant also whereby they sinne not in heart and minde which is set against all sinne He that is borne of God keepeth himselfe In the vulgar Latine it is The generation of God keepeth him which howsoeuer it doth better point at the fountaine of the diuine vertue by which we are preserued yet an alteration in the reading is not to be admitted And being read as in the Greeke nothing is hereby ascribed to the libertie of a mans owne will before grace commeth but onely it is taught that a man regenerated by the Spirit that is in him persisteth in a continuall care of auoyding sinne for in naming him one borne of God hee doth plainly referre vs to his new birth as the originall of this godly care and not to any thing naturally in him which is to be considered against those that from hence maintaine free will The euill one toucheth him not that is the Deuill as the word here vsed is commonly taken He is said not to touch him because though hee may tempt him yet seeking thus to hurt him he profiteth him neither can he tempt him without Gods permission for his good at the last The whole world lieth in euill Vers 19. that is as Oecumenius hath already expounded it the vnregenerate company such as the most are are not onely tempted and at some times preuailed against by Satan but are wholly mancipated vnto wickednesse and to doe his will Vers 20. Christ is sayd to be eternall life that is the Author of eternall life to those that beleeue in his name Babes keepe your selues from Idolt Vers 21. Daâ—â—mas One moueth a question why S. Iohn writing to those that were so well grounded in the truth addeth this admonition and answereth that this was added for their sakes that were not so grounded but were newly turned from Heathen idolatrie lest they should relapse againe and moreouer that false doctrines Beda Hugo because they are fictions are a kinde of Idols and so some others But the most receiued and best interpretation is to vnderstand Idols literally as Oecumenius doth and Lyranus Glossa ordinaria Caietan c. And so this admonition is most aptly added after Christ set forth vers 21. to bee the true God therefore the Christian religion is to be adhered to neither ought wee by any meanes to be drawne backe to idolatrie againe as most opposite vnto it So that considering what hath fallen out amongst Christians since the writing of this Epistle it may iustly be counted a propheticall admonition needfull for these times to take heed of Poperie as being through the grosse idolatrie thereof nothing else but â—enued Gentilisme But they dally with the word and say that it is an Idoll that we are to take heed of not an Image that is a representation of some god that neuer was not of any diuine thing that is But the vulgar Latine reading it simulachrum ouerthroweth this distinction and taketh away the benefit of it Epiphan epist ad Ichan Hierâ—s Episc And so Epiphanius long agoe conceiued For saith he Entring into a Church at Anablatha to pray I found there a cloth hanging vpon the doore painted as it were with the image of Christ or of some Saint which when I had seene in the Church of Christ against the authoritie of the Scriptures I cut it in peeces and aduised the keepers of that place rather to winde vp some dead bodie in it This Epistle was translated by Ierome out of Greeke into Latine shewing what his iudgement also was herein Note here that according to these Ancients the image of Christ set vp in a Church is against the holy Scriptures and not images of heathen gods only Note that Christian loue bindeth vs Note as to pray for the remission of our owne sinnes so for the remission of the sinnes of others also that by infirmitie are at any time ouertaken with sinne And prayers in this kinde made by the faithfull shall be heard that we may be excited the more to desire the prayers of one another and the more ready in loue to put in practice this dutie Note againe Note that some kinde of sinning is most dangerous viz. to sinne wilfully and willingly contemning all admonitions As the case of Saul was wofull when God forbade Samuel to pray for him so is the case of such the benefit of the prayers of the faithfull is hereby taken away Heb. 10.26 If we sinne willingly after that we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne THE SECOND CATHOLIKE Epistle of St. IOHN TOuching the Authour of this Epistle I haue spoken already in my Preface to the first prouing it by manifold testimonies to be the Epistle of Iohn the Apostle and so Canonicall Scripture I haue also there shewed the reason why hee writeth himselfe Elder and not Apostle or Seruant of Iesus Christ as others haue done Oecumenius thinketh Oecumen that he had respect herein to their first receiuing of the Gospell in those parts by the Ministerie of Paul after whom he came to preach vnto them and therefore not being the first there he would not write himselfe Apostle nor Seruant because of the singular loue of the Lord towards him exempting him from the feare of seruitude How these two Epistles being directed to particular persons may beare the name of Catholike I haue also shewed in my Preface to the Epistle of Saint Iames. The argument of this Epistle is an exhortation to loue and an admonition against heretickes To the exhortation hee maketh way by congratulating the faith and obedience of her and of her children vers 1 2.3 4. Then he exhorteth to loue commending the precept hereabout from the antiquitie of it vers 5. and shewing that the true loue of God consisteth in obedience vers 6. Then he inueigheth against deceiuers giuing warning against all familiaritie with them vers 7 c. to the 11. And lastly hee concludeth with the intimation of a purpose to see them shortly and with salutations vers 12 13. 2 IOHN Verse 1. The Elder to the elect Ladie and to her children THere is much difference amongst Expositors about these words Mayer the elect Ladie who should bee meant hereby Clemens Alex. Athanas in Synopsi Th. Aquinas Some will haue Electa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee a proper name or that her name was Electa and being a person of high qualitie she was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ladie as amongst the Turkes he which is next vnto the Emperour is called as by a particular name Despotes or Lord And amongst the French the next to the King
dangerous and the enemies of the truth haue of late yeeres greatly preuailed and still they vnite their forces like Gebal and Ammon and Amaleck and these of Tyre but God who is the patron of the truth hath shewed that he will put an end to these troubles and one day these incendiaries of warres shall haue a battell wherein they shall fight their last euen in Harmageddon Jn the meane season yet were J a Daniel though to speake before so great a King as Nebuchadnezzar or a Ioseph though to speake before a King as renowmed as Pharaoh J would not only present the explication of these darke mysteries but giue counsell also what is to be done by your Royall Maiestie who by the Grace of God are the most potent and chiefe Defender of the truth at this day in Christendome But J am a childe in vnderstanding neither haue J the spirit to be able to giue counsell in State affaires Onely J pray God from whom is the spirit of such deepe vnderstanding to inspire your Maiesties noble Councellors that they may giue the Counsell and your Royall Heart that you may accept of it whether it tendeth to the animaduersion against sinne and all notorious sinfull persons and to the discountenancing of them to the embracing with loue and fauour of the most godly and zealous for the truth or to a more strict proceeding for the disabling if not for the rooting out of those whose cause is common with the enemies that threaten danger and ruine to vs all And touching my present worke my humble suit vnto your Maiesty is that you would accept of it at your vacant times peruse it and suffer it to passe vnder your Royall Patronage though not for his sake that publisheth it being indeed vnworthy of such a fauour yet for the sakes of those Worthies with whom hee comes accompanied euen almost all the most famous Instruments that God hath euer vsed to giue light to these obscurities My desire and first purpose was to haue presented together to your Maiesties view the whole new Testament expounded and handled in this manner in all the passages that most need exposition a Worke of that sort that I know not any yet that hath laboured in it but as I conceiue such as may be of great vse and benefit to all that are studious of the holy Scriptures and herein by the Grace of God J haue proceeded so farre that I want not much to the perfecting thereof But for so much as partly through my bodily infirmities and partly through my many weekly anocaments in my pastorall charge I must be a long time in doing à little in this wherein so many Authors must be perused I haue made bold to come with this Modell that I haue ready till the whole shall be finished which if it may be acceptable shall be altogether then at your Maiesties seruice Jn the meane season crauing pardon for this my presumption I doe out of a true and most affectionate desire commend your Maiestie to the Grace Blessing and Protection of the Highest beseeching him to make you as happy as any of your Progenitors in a truly Religious and fruitfull Queene wise Counsellors learned and holy Ministers loyall and obedient Commons and in victorious proceedings for the defence of the distressed Gospell and after this life ended to which may it long be in the participation of an vncorruptible Crowne of glory Your Maiesties most humbly deuoted John Mayer THE EPISTLE TO the READER COurteous Reader it is about foure yeeres since I promised as my first worke done in this kinde should be accepted to put out something of like nature vpon other mysticall and darke places of the holy Scriptures Now I cannot but acknowledge my selfe herein a debter vnto thee for thy good acceptation both of that and of some other Bookes of mine also and therefore as my weaknesse would giue me leaue and the manifold distractions of sicknesses remouings worldly incombrances and ministeriall Offices lying vpon me permit I haue prepared another part of the intended Treasury which thou here seest Not as haply is expected vpon the Epistles of Saint Paul which are next in order but vpon the seuen smaller and more neglected Epistles and the Reuelation For I obserued that faith without relying vpon workes for iustification is not so needfull to bee pressed now adaies which is a chiefe thing insisted vpon in the Epistles of Saint Paul but true loue and works flowing here-from together with an holy and vnblamable life to stirre vp vnto which if we speake of the first the Epistles of Saint Iohn are excellent of the second the Epistle of Saint Iames and if of the third those of Saint Peter Againe there are few that haue written vpon these Epistles in comparison of the other and therefore for a supply of this defect I thought it would be more acceptable seeing I cannot doe all together to doe some thing first hereupon Lastly because of all the Bookes of Scripture the Reuelation is least vnderstood and therefore is least read and meditated vpon and yet most necessary comforts in these tumultuous times are to bee fetchted here-from as singularly pointing at them and a finall deliuerance of the Church of God from all her troubles my speciall aime in anticipating the proper time of it hath beene that thou mayest not be longer left without the knowledge of this common place of comfort but be stayed and stablished in an assured expectation of a ioyfull and blessed end through the certaine and speedy downfall of the Romish Antichrist and the vniuersall preuailing of the truth that then shall be and the great triumphs that shall be made amongst the faithfull in all places therefore In this Worke I haue not persisted barely to explicate the difficulties of the Texts vndertaken laying onely together what I finde in my Authors and briefly concluding vpon my Exposition imbraced But in the seuen Catholike Epistles which are handled according to the method of my former worke I haue supplyed which was there wanting First a Preface to each Epistle Secondly an Analysis of each Chapter Thirdly choice Latine sentences opposed in the margine Fourthly a confutation of those Expositions which I follow not Fiftly a paraphrasticall Exposition of the verses comming betweene Text and Text wherein there is some but lesse obscurity Sixtly some short Annotations at the end of euery Text. Touching the Reuelation because after the three former Chapters it is all most obscure Hicronim Epist ad Paulim for according to Ierome Quot verba sunt tot sunt mysteria there are as many mysteries as words I haue therefore altered my order before vsed handling it thorowout by Questions as Augustine sometime did many parts of the Scriptures Augustine And because if I should here haue brought in my Authors speaking the worke would haue growne too great the mysteries to bee expounded being so many and the Expositors so many I haue spared 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
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
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
by the Spirit because there is great deceit in spirits hee exhorteth here not to beleeue euery spirit but to try them whether they be of God or no shewing the meanes of triall v. 1 2 3. And that it might appeare that he had no suspition of their being deceiued hee affirmeth them to be of God and that he with the rest of the Apostles were of God whereby hee proueth againe that the false Antichristian teachers who heard them not were not led by the good Spirit of God but by an ill spirit of error vers 4 5 6. And considering that both they that heard and they that taught them were of God he exhorteth them to mutuall loue as they must needs doe that are all of God seeing God is loue vers 7 8. which is proued both from a singular act of his loue and the time when hee loued vs vers 9 10. And hereupon he exhorteth againe to loue arguing from our loue our being in God though we haue not seene him vers 12 13. And then he reflecteth againe vpon that which he spake of before touching the triall of spirits by this hee that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God This he saith that they the Apostles were eye-witnesses of and that they which beleeue it remaine in God vers 14 15. whom againe he affirmeth to be loue and so sheweth what confidence a man may haue and how voâ—d of feare hee may bee that hath loue vers 16 17 18. And lastly for a proofe of our loue of God he saith that this appeareth by the loue of our neighbour whom hauing seene if we loue him not we cannot loue God whom we haue not seene vers 20 21. 1 IOHN Chapter 4. Verse 2. Euery Spirit that confesseth Iesus Christ to haue come in the flesh is of God Vers 3. Euery spirit that confesseth not c. this is the spirit of Antichrist which ye haue heard that it commeth and it is euen now in the world BY the Spirit here the Doctrine is commonly vnderstood Mayer to confesse that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is to teach rightly both his humane and diuine nature Beza according to Beza his humane because he came in the flesh and his diuine because he came implieth one from whom he came that is the Father with whom he was from the beginning Oecumenius and Th. Aquinas expound confessing here not only in word but in deed and in life wherein this is confessed when a man is mortified vnto sinne but Beza more rightly vnderstandeth it more restrainedly of Doctrine only Euery one in this spirituall office of teaching that is sound in the doctrine touching Christ Iesus is of God The spirit here is he that pretendeth the spirit Piscator according to Piscator and to confesse that Iesus is come in the flesh is to teach truly touching the diuinity and humanity and touching the end of Christs comming into the world to deliuer vs from our sinnes as the very name Iesus doth imply so that in these few words is comprehended the whole Doctrine of the Gospell The obseruation of Thomas Aquinas is witty Tho. Aquinas to confesse hath in it a word con signifying together whereby is implied that it must be both in word and deed that Christ must be acknowledged but there may as well be vse of this conioining word to set forth the tongue and the heart agreeing in one He that confesseth not the vulgar Latine hath it he that solueth Iesus but all confesse that in the Greeke it is as wee reade it This cannot be referred to the denying of Christ in deeds for so euen the best doe sometimes because their life is not alwaies in all things so squared according to rule but to deny Christ in Doctrine is the thing meant here Now hee is not said to deny Christ thus only that flatly denieth Iesus the Sonne of Mary to be the Sonne of God and the Sauiour of the world but he which denieth the truth and teacheth falsly in any Article of faith according to Saint Augustine Aug. ser 31. de verb. Apostoli Ea tenus omnis haereticus Christum in carne venisse negat quantum libet fateri videatur quatenus aliquid sentit quod repugnans Chrisio esse conuincitur Simon Magus Menander Ebion Cerinthus Epiphan Haeres 30. Iren. lib. 1. c. 26. For euery Heretike saith he denieth Christ to haue come in the flesh though in word he confesseth it when he holdeth any thing that is proued repugnant vnto Christ And so this passage was very pertinent to those times wherein there were some that taught most wickedly concerning Christ As Simon Magus Menander his Scholler who taught himselfe to be God that to the old world he appeared by the name of the Father to the Iewes by the name of the Sonne and to the Gentiles of the holy Ghost Ebion who taught that Christ was begotten by the coniunction of Ioseph and Mary And Cerinthus who taught likewise that Christ came of Ioseph and Mary but he was at the first but Iesus and by the comming downe of the holy Ghost in his baptisme he became Christ also for he held God the holy Ghost to be Christ Now hee saith that the spirit whereby they were led was the spirit of Antichrist which should come and then was come that is in his forerunners who were led by the same spirit of error and did so neerely resemble him as I haue already shewed 1 Ioh. 2.18 Note Note that the Pope of Rome is not hereby freed from being the Antichrist because he doth not flatly deny Christ for no man in Saint Iohns time against whom he writeth did so but onely they taught erroniously touching Christ and hereupon he concludeth against them that Antichrist was then come For as much then as the Pope teacheth things contrary to Christ he doth in effect deny Iesus Christ to be come in the flesh and so is Antichrist For he denieth him to be an all-sufficient Sauiour whilst he teacheth satisfaction by acts of penance and the merit of workes and to haue had a true humane body because he teacheth such a body as is in a thousand places at once CHAP. 4. VERS 8. He that loueth not knoweth not God for God is loue Vers 16. He that abideth in loue abideth in God and God in him for God is loue c. From these words to the end of the Chapter the Apostle treateth onely of one thing Mayer viz. loue and therefore taking all together for one Text the first doubt occurring is how God is said to be loue August Quaestiune de Trinit Saint Augustine saith because power is properly attributed to the Father wisdome to the Sonne and loue to the holy Ghost therefore as the Father is said to be the Almighty the Sonne is called the wisdome of the Father and the holy Ghost loue P. Lombard 1 dist 32.
the rest of this Chapter it hath no great difficulty in it if by the innumerable multitude in white robes and palmes in their hands wee vnderstand the Saints already glorified who though compared with the rest of the world they be but a little flocke yet simply considered they are a great multitude they haue palmes in their hands in token of victory And whereas in speaking of the wicked Chap. 6 hee concludeth with their misery in respect of the wrath of the Lambe here answerably it is concluded with the felicity of the godly washed in the bloud of the Lambe and euerlastingly comforted by him the phrases of leading forth to waters and wiping away all teares being adaptated to set forth the same CHAP. VIII THE whole compasse of time from the beginning of the Gospell to the last end of the world hauing beene set forth with the most remarkable accidents in one kinde of vision Chap. 6 7. here followeth another vpon the opening of the seuenth seale which yet remained in this eighth and the ninth tenth and eleuenth Chapters Wherein after preparation to attention and a preludium of Gods gracious acceptance of the prayers of the Saints and of his terriblenesse to the wicked seuen Angels sound their trumpets to call on the hosts of Gods iudgements to waste both land and sea to infect their waters whereof they dranke and the aire wherein they breathed his hosts of hurtfull beasts comming out of the bottomlesse pit and of men brought from afarre vpon horses for their destruction the last of the seuen summoning all to iudgement and making the very dead to come forth for then the trumpet shall blow 1 Cor. 15. and the dead shall rise In the particular opening of the seuerall passages there is very great difficulty Quest 1. And when he had opened the seuenth seale Vers 1. there was silence in heauen as it were halfe an houre What is meant by this silence Answ Some that will haue these visions to set forth things done successiuely Brightman assigne the opening of this seale to Constantines time when the Church had peace and quietnesse for a short time being broken off againe by the Arrians Some referre it to the time after Antichrists destruction when they say the Church shall bee quiet fiue and forty dayes before the dry of iudgement Rupertus Beda Anfelm Richard de Sancto Victore Pannonius c. grounding vpon that of Daniel 12.11 where 1290. dayes hauing beene spoken of for the censing of the daily sacrifice hee is pronounced blessed that attaineth to 1335. Some referre it to the time of Iulians persecution which was not by fire and sword but by other subtill meanes Blas Viegas nameth thiâ— exposition yet they were debarred from all publike seruice of God and so there was silence in the Church but it was a very short time he reignâ—ng but two yeeres Others vnderstand this silence of attention Bullinger Pareus Forbs Viegas Fâ—x c. or a kinde of stupour making all silent for a time at the appearing of the seuen Angels with their trumpets the iudgements to come when they should blow being so great and strange as that the beholders were in some sort a stonied hereby and interrupted in their heauenly harmony as it is wont to be with vs when any strange thing happeneth and as it was with Iobs friends comming to visit him they sate downe in silence by him seuen dayes Lastly one addeth further Fox that the generall peace when Christ is borne is hereby signified To this of admiration and attention do I subscribe but I doe not thinke any other signification to bee in this silence The peace of the Chureh cannot be hereby meant for a time because the future troubles are not of the Church but of the wicked as is plainly expressed vnder the fift trumpet the Locusts hurt onely such as had not the marke of God in their forehead much lesse can it bee vnderstood of the quiet after Antichrist destroyed for then the day of iudgement should immediatly haue succeeded as it doth not but six trumpets first As for Iulians time it were too great a leape to come to that at the first of this vision all the time preceding being omitted Augustine Primasius Marlorat and whereas some expound it of the rest to come that being euerlasting it cannot be so taken Note that the iudgements against wicked persecutors of the Church and people of God are so stupendious that the very Saints and Angels in heauen stand amazed at them being but in figures represented vnto them Quest 2. And I saw the seuen Angels which stand before God Vers 2. Who are these Angels Answ There may seeme to be such an analogy betwixt this and that Chap. 1.4 Seuen spirits before the throne that these Angels and those spirits may seeme to be all one and that in the apocryphall book of Tobit soundeth likewise Tobit 12.15 I am Raphael one of the seuen Angels which present the prayers of the Saints c. But as I shewed there those seuen spirits are not Angels but them anifold gifts of the spirit and here by the seuen Angels wee are not to vnderstand such a number onely standing before God for thousand thousands stand before him and minister vnto him but seuen of them appointed now to this ministery and therefore they haue trumpets giuen vnto them It is contrary to plaine Scripture and derogatory from the Lord Iesus to hold that there are some Angels which haue an office as it were to receiue and present our prayers before God for Christ onely is our intercessour in heauen if the Angels and Saints doe any thing for vs it is out of their generall loue and affection to the Church a solliciting of the Lord for the good of vs all in common that aduersaries may be confounded the Gospell may enioy a free passage and the chosen of God may be gathered together till their number be made vp Quest 3. And another Angell came and stood by the Altar Vers 3. hauing a golden censer c. What Angell is this who is said so particularly to offer odours with the prayers of the Saints and what is meant by the thunders lightnings and voices following vpon his casting of fire vpon the earth from off the same Altar Answ Most Expositours agree that Christ is figured out by this Angell for he is called the Angell of the Testament Malac. 3. neither can it agree to any Angell as an high Priest thus alone to goe to the Altar and offer there for all the Saints the Altar some will haue also to be Christ as Bullinger and Pareus and Forbs Bullingers Pareus Forbs Beda Primasius Haimo some the Church of God well called an Altar because a spirituall sacrifice is herein daily offered to God as Beda Primasius Haimo c. The golden Censer some will haue to bee his humane nature wherein he offereth as both the same