to all these acceptions I thinke is the right vnderstanding of the place Touching vers 15. The long suffering of the Lord is called saluation because it is a meanes of saluation when by being yet spared from iudgement the sinnes is moued in this time to repentance and so the more are saued who otherwise if the world had beene sooner destroyed must needs haue perished As our deare brother Paul hath written to you Here are three questions moued First whether Peter doth alleage Paul to confirme his doctrine or wherefore Secondly what Epistle of Paul is meant Thirdly in what part of his Epistle to them Paul speaketh to the same effect with Peter here To the first Occumenius answereth Oecumen that Peter being the chiefe of the Apostles doth alleage Paul here in humility not that he needed the approbation of his consent And indeed both great humility and loue appeareth in this one passage Paul hauing charged Peter so much in some part of his writing with doing amisse and being worthy to be blamed Gal. 2 11. yet Peter not stomaking this giueth him his due that hee was a man of great wisdome And indeed as some rightly note Tho. Aquin. that Peter alleageth Paul to confirme that which he had written because being called extraordinarily there might be some question of his Apostleship and againe the truth being confirmed by more witnesses hath the more force in the hearers Luther Some doubt hath beene made as Luther noteth in regard of this citing of Paul whether this Epistle be Peters or no but as hee well concludeth there is no reason to doubt of it being so long agoe without contradiction receiued into the Canon there being also so good reason of alleaging Paul To the second some hold that no particular Epistle is meant vnto the Iewes Occumen Beda Th. Glos Ordin but his Epistles in generall in any of which what is written of the last Iudgement and the state to come is written to all Christian people But because his other Epistles are spoken of in the next verse it seemeth plaine to me that the Epistle to the Hebrewes in particular is meant for Peter in writing here to all the faithfull includeth also the Hebrewes that beleeued intending their consolation and instruction as being chiefly of his cure for the ministry of the Circumcision was committed to him and therefore he speaketh here vnto them as the chiefe Beza pointing at the Epistle by Paul written to them as Beza hath also noted And so to the third whereas Oecumenius and some others will haue that place Rom. 2.4 meant here I thinke rather with Beza that Heb. 10.24 c. is the place here intended As also in all his Epistles Vers 16. speaking of these things in which things some are hard to be vnderstood c. Here also are diuers questions First of what things Paul speaketh in all his Epistles To this it is easily answered that hee speaketh of the iudgement to come and of Gods long suffering and the vse to be made hereof to be wonne to repentance and a study of holinesse for the places are easie to bee found wherein hee speaketh of all these things Secondly to what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein hath reference whether to the Epistles or to these things Robertus Stephanus saith that there are three copies wherein it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which if it be so the Epistles are plainly meant Beza approueth of this because if the argument in hand be meant Peter hath spoken more mystically hereof then Paul euer did But the copies generally receiued haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore without altering the word I thinke that both Epistles and the contents of them are meant as also Beza first expoundeth it Thirdly wherefore did Paul write in such manner that he is hard to be vnderstood Th. Anglic. and not rather plainly Some thinke that this was done because he would not haue the Heretikes to vnderstand his writings but for such as were rightly affected he sent some Disciple or other to expound all things vnto them as appeareth in some of his Epistles where mention is made of them by whom they were sent Irenaeus li. 3. c. 7. Hieron Epist 50. Nissen Tractat. in 1 Cor. 15. Chrysost Hom. 9. in 1 Cor. Some say that the profundity of the matters by him handled is the cause why they are so hard to be vnderstood and because through celerity of speech he vseth many Hyperbatons Some because hee could not expound in the Greeke tongue which hee did not so well vnderstand such profound matters and therefore he vseth certaine peculiar idotismes and phrases of speech But that one reason yeelded by our Sauiour Christ of his speaking darkly and by Parables seemeth to me to be a reason sufficient of all the obscure passages both in Saint Pauls writings Mat. 13.12 and in the rest of the holy Scriptures viz. that the wicked in hearing might not vnderstand this obscurity being as a spirituall iudgement against them to their damnation as is also intimated in this place and that euen hereby we might be moued to craue the assistance of Gods holy Spirit and the more willingly resigne our selues to be guided thereby in a spirituall and holy life which is the way to vnderstand these mysteries Other reasons may be yeelded but this is the principall and therefore I rest herein Fourthly seeing the Scriptures are hard to be vnderstood is it damnation to mis-vnderstand some hard passages of them I answer to mis-interpret any hard passage so as to make it a ground of such errors as ouerthrow the Christian Faith in any part is damnable but not simply to mis-vnderstand any hard place whatsoeuer As for example when Saint Paeul teacheth iustification by Faith without the workes of the Law to vnderstand this as if no regard were to bee had vnto good workes when he teacheth election to be of Gods meere grace and mercy to vnderstand it so as to cast away all care of being such as may haue the comfort of election and when Christ affirmeth vnto Peter Vpon this rocke will I build my Church c. to vnderstand it as a ground of the Popes infallibity of iudgements so as that whether he be good or bad learned or vnlearned his dictates shall be accounted as God Oracles these I say and the like mis-vnderstandings for their dangerous consequences are wrestings of the Scriptures vnto damnation in stead of milke sucked bloud being thus pressed herefrom which nourisheth not but destroyeth the soule Whether were it not better to debarre the ignorant multitude from reading of the Scriptures seeing there is such danger in the mis-vnderstanding of many passages therein So indeed hath the Church of Rome thought but because in other places all are inuited to reade and to meditate euen in the darkest places of the Scriptures Keuel 1.3 no such inferēce ought to be made but
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
persons not walking by charity sinneth against this Law and in a point of charity to sinne against the Law is to be a transgressour of the Law because all the Lawstandeth in this one thing viz. loue and so he is iudged as doing nothing according to the Law that wanteth loue thus also Beda and Augustine Touching the royall Law here spoken of Beda August it is clearely the Decalogue giuen Exod. 20. thus abbreuiated Deut. 6.5 for proceeding to speake further hereof he instanceth the command against murther and adultery it is royall because from the King of Kings Touching the coherence that of Pareus is not amisse that hee doth meet with them in a confidence which they might haply haue yet that notwithstanding their respecting of persons they kept the Law For this is against the Law of loue Leu. 19.15 if a man loueth his neighbour as himselfe he putteth not any such difference but in his inward esteeme euery one is vnto him as himselfe in whom there is no difference And as for the aggrauating of this sinne as a transgression of the whole Law I assent vnto Austin and Beda As they which shall bee iudged by the Law of liberty Vers 12. Some vnderstand the same Law of the Decalogue holding that it is called a Law of liberty Pareu Faber because it hath liberty ouer all to condemne them but this is forced Most therefore vnderstand better the Law of faith because when we come to beleeue we are set free from the censure of the Law Ioh. 8.32 Rom. 8.1 and so the meaning is say and doe so in your carriage towards other as they that when the time of iudgement commeth shall be dealt withall in loue and mercy going therefore according to the rule of mercy in your dealing with the poore Christian not despising him but rather comforting and releeuing him which indeed is the chiefe thing aimed at in all this Discourse that about preferring rich men being brought in but by the way doe aggrauate the sinne of neglecting the poore the more Here followeth the reason of all Verse 13. There shall be iudgement without mercy to him that sheweth not mercy and mercy reioyceth against iudgement The first part of the sentence is plaine touching the second Mercy reioyceth against iudgement that is the mercifull man shall securely and with ioy appeare before the Lord at the Day of Iudgement for so much as when the vnmercifull shall be adiudged to hell fire he shall be receiued into the Kingdome of Heauen Mat. 25. Note that Faith only and not outward things Note maketh men excellent and therefore the poorest man that hath grace is more to be esteemed than the greatest being void of grace because the poore man thus qualified not the other is the heire of the Kingdome of Heauen Note againe that to liue in any one sinne Note doth frustrate all that is done well for he that faileth in one point is guilty of transgressing the Law Note thirdly that loue is so necessary Note as that nothing done without it is acceptable and therefore those sinnes which are contrary to the loue of our neighbour are chiefly to bee auoided Lastly note Note in what a secure and comfortable estate the faithfull mercifull man is he shall bee without terrour when the most terrible time of the last iudgement commeth neither can any thinke of that time but with horrour and feare except he be mercifull to the poore and needy CHAP. 2. VERS 14. What profiteth is my brethren if one saith that he hath faith but hath not workes can that faith saue him c. From hence to the end of the Chapter Mayer there is onely one point handled against those that bearing themselues vpon their faith neglected the workes of mercy to perswade vnto which Saint Iames hath here vndertaken The maine question here is what he meaneth when he denyeth that a man is iustified by faith only and affirmeth iustification by workes Because Saint Paul speaking of iustification saith That it is by faith without the works of the Law Rom. 3.28 Oecumenius considering these propositions of these two Apostles seeming to bee so contrary Oecumen in Iac. 2. and yet that Abraham is brought for example by them both saith the word Faith is taken two wayes first for a simple consent vnto the thing preached that it is true Secondly for a consent ioyned with the assecution thereof out of an affection and with obedience of the first of these Iames affirmeth that a man is not iustified hereby But Paul speaking of the other ascribeth iustification vnto it The word Workes is also to be vnderstood two waies for there are works before Baptisme and workes after he that dieth immediatly after Baptisme dieth iustified by his Faith without workes because he had no time to doe any but he that liueth and hath time to doe is not iustified without good workes which is to be vnderstood not as though good workes had a part in the act of our iustification but because they cannot but necessarily follow as fruits and effects in whomsoeuer there is a sauing and iustifying Faith Touching Abraham whom Paul saith was iustified by Faith but Iames by workes both are truly said of him and doe indeed agree in one He beleeued that he should be the Father of many Nations hee beleeued Gods promise touching his seed and this was counted vnto him for righteousnesse and when he came to the worke here spoken of viz. the offering of his sonne hee did not fall from this Faith for he beleeued that God was able to raise him from the dead againe All the Ancients generally as Oecumenius intimateth speake to the same effect about iustification by Faith without workes viz. when there is no time after a mans conuersion to the Faith to doe workes he being preuented by death as I haue also partly shewed in speaking vpon Rom. 3.28 How Popish Writers vnderstand it I haue also there declared In short therefore to resolue this place Oecumenius hath rightly shewed that one Faith is spoken of here and another there and that indeed the worke of Abraham in offering his sonne wherein it is instanced here is the same with his Faith spoken of there his worke is his working Faith or Faith made euident by his worke by a Synecdoche or a Metonymy of the effect as Pareus resolueth it Pareus in Iac. That by worke a working Faith is vnderstood is plaine from the words following Vers 21. Thou seest that faith wrought together c. Vers 22. The Scripture saith That Abraham beleeued God this beleeuing being attributed to his worke of offering vp his sonne v. 24. after Abrahams beleeuing mentioned before he concludeth ye see then that a man is iustified by Workes making Faith and Worke all one And this is in a manner all one with the common solution Faith without Workes truly iustifieth before God that is maketh a sinner iust by
of our Neighbour for his sake for this is a liuely and working Faith the other Faith onely And therefore this hearty loue vttering it selfe in the acts of mercy is most necessary vnto saluation not because saluation is hereby merited but because the life and soule of a true Faith lieth herein So that they are wonderfully deceiued that thinke to be saued by beleeuing onely hauing their hearts hardened in sinne in the meane season and hauing no regard to doe good workes and we are vniustly taxed by the Papists as crying downe good workes when we teach iustification by a true and liuely Faith and deny it to bee in part by Workes For we presse vnto good workes as much as they but that we doe it vpon a true ground holding that it is no liuely Faith that wanteth Workes they vpon a false holding that Workes together with Faith doe iustifie or that Faith maketh a man iust but Workes more iust that of iustification by Workes in part being a presumptuous inlargement of that which of old was taught touching Abraham who beleeued God and this was counted to him for righteousnesse this being made more iust a wicked inuention of their owne braines without all ground in the holy Scriptures Note againe Note that a man may beleeue the Articles of the Christian Faith and hold much truth in fundamamentall points and yet be in no better estate than the Deuill so that it maketh nothing for the credit of the Iesuites that in many points they hold the truth for so much as their practises are deuillish and damnable and it may be said likewise of the whole rabble of Papals seduced by them CHAP. III. HOwsoeuer there may seeme to bee no coherence betwixt this Chapter and those that went before yet if we looke backe to Chapter 1.19 and Verse 25. it will appeare that it cohereth very well For hauing there fallen vpon an Argument concerning speech and the abuse of the tongue vnto which he ioineth an exhortation to doe the Word and not to heare it onely and specially by emptying out all maliciousnesse and filthinesse and putting on meeknesse and exercising mercy towards the poore and not contempt hee keepeth as we may well obserue within these bounds thorowout the residue of his Epistle First more largely treating vpon that of vsing the poore contemptuously and vpon workes of mercy chap. 2. Secondly in a like large manner returning to speake of the misgouernment of the tongue chap. 3. after which thirdly in the same Chapter he also resumeth his exhortation vnto meeknesse and against maliciousnese vers 13. vnto the end of the Chapter Fourthly he returneth to speake against filthinesse also against which he had giuen a touch chap. 1.21 and this hee doth chap. 4. mixing his reproofe of this together with that other of malice and enuy whence strife ariseth a certaine Argument of pride and therefore hee toucheth vpon that also vers 6. Touching the residue of that Chapter wee shall see more when we come to the handling of it Here then are two points first against the abuse of the tongue seconly against strife and contention arising from the want of meeknesse in the heart which strife doth also vtter it selfe by railing and cursed speaking Touching the first he reproueth it first more obscurely vers 1. then plainly vers 2 c. IAMES Chapter 3. Verse 1. My brothren be not many masters knowing that we shall receiue the greater damnation Vers 2. For in many things we slip or stumble all THere were many Iewes in the daies of the Apostles who went Tho Aquinas Gorrans Glos â—ord before they were well instructed in the doctrine of Faith from Ierusalem to Antioch preaching the necessity of circumcision and other errors Against these hee opposeth this speech Be not many masters that is because the knowledge requifite in a Teacher is but of few bee not yee that are vnlearned and ignorant Masters and Teachers neither by ye many by your diuisions through ignorance into many opinions for it is not a thing reprehensible that there by many Masters which are sufficient and teach all one truth because thus they do altogether performe but the office of one Master Christ as he calleth himselfe Mat. 2â— Such shall receiue the greater damnation because it is a greater sin to set forth false doctrine than for a mans owne particular to hold it though he shall also perish for so doing In many things we offend all that is we that teach the Truth onely haue yet our frailties and sinnes and therefore no need that we should rush further in by vsurping such an high Office vnto which sufficient skill is wanting he speaketh thus of himselfe together with them that he might the more freely reproue them in this fault This speech is directed against rash iudging of the speeches and deeds of othes Pareus Piscator alike vnto which is Luk. 6.37 Now it is an vsuall Catachresis in any Language to call such supercilious persons as will take vpon them to censure and to speake euill of others Masters Be not many that is let there be no such the speech being framed according to the occasion because there were many faulty this way he biddeth Be not many Masters Hee saith We shall receiue the greater damnation for thus iudging others because the euill in our selues is aggrauated hereby before God and as it is iust with him hee will prouide that we shall haue the like measure meeted vnto vs againe and he numbreth himselfe amongst them lest he should seeme guilty of that which he taxeth if he should speake of others only exempting himselfe In many things we offend all that is hereby we should be staied from iudging of others because in iudging we condemne our selues who are many waies offenders also Ioh. 8. Gal. 6.1 Obiect By this reason none can censure the faults of others Obiect Solu It followeth onely Sol. that none can rightly doe thus without a calling wherein he that iudgeth standeth as Gods Deputy to censure for him for thus he iudgeth not but God iudgeth by him Secondly hauing a calling he ought not to be swaied by corrupt affections in censuring others in spleene and hatred orbeing proud ouer poore Malefactors as though there were nothing worthy of censure in himselfe but out of a conscience of his owne guiltinesse before God censure with mercy and clemency Faber Mayer Faber Gagneus Beda Luther August Ne sitis multi magistri i. dissentientes à doctima vnici Magistri Christi Beza Iunius and Gagneus and Saint Augustine also and Beda follow the first exposition and Luther likewise See August prolog in lib. 1. retract Be not many Masters saith he dissenting from the Doctrine of Christ our onelyl Master Beza and Iunius and others follow the newer exposition For my owne part I see no reason to goe from the old receiued interpretation That which Pareus obiecteth against it that thus vnderstood it should
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
Iesus Christ that is because his Resurrection is our iustification who by rising againe destroyed death and went vp into Heauen that we might haue a place there Here growth a great question whether Baptisme which is outward hath any effect to the sauing of the soule or whether all the vertue lieth not in Faith and internall grace sanctifying the soule and conscience But Christ hath cut off all this question by saying He that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued thus ioyning them together so that it is vnlawfull for any to seuer them Baptisme is then perfect and salutiferous when the conscience is baptized there being an inward working of the Spirit to the purifying of the heart by Faith as water is outwardly vsed How is Baptisme an antitype of the Arke and how is it said to haue saued those eight persons by the water Thomas Aquinas hath already set downe fiue things wherein the Arke doth serue fitly to set forth Baptisme August lib. de vnitate Eccl. s cap. 5. Gagneus Augustine hath an Allegory in the pitching within and without holding that this setteth forth charity Gagneus saith that as the waters lifted vp the Arke and so they within were saued in like manner Baptisme lifting vs vp from the earth to Heauen in an heauenly conuersation saueth vs and as the Arke though it were tossed with tempests yet could not be drowned so the Church is saued through many afflictions neither can it bee ouerthrowne He that will may gather other notes of similitude also out of Pererius and Pagnan in Isagoge ad Scripturas Perer. lib. 10. in Gen. disp 11. Touching the sauing of those eight by the water it is meant of their corporall deliuerance for it is a question whether all their soules were saued or no it seemeth Chams was not By the water is expounded by some from the water by others in the water as per is vsually taken as a Ship is said to be safe going in the water and this I take to be the best Of the Angels powers and vertues subiected vnto Christ Vers 22. enough hath beene spoken already vpon Ephes 1.21 Note Note that he which suffereth vniustly doth not finally suffer for Christ suffering thus suffered in respect of the outward man his enemies could not touch his spirituall estate but that herein he liued still and was the more highly exalted and so shall we his members be Note againe Note that Baptisme which is outward is not like the Arke to saue all that come vnto it but euery one that is of discretion must haue an inward worke wrought in him that from a good and sanctified heart he may aske mercy of God through Iesus Christ who is risen againe and ascended into Heauen there presenting the prayers of such before his Father Therefore he that beleeueth not Mark 16.16 1 Ioh. 3.3 Vers 9. saith Christ shall bee damned though he be baptized and he that hath this hope purgeth himselfe and he that is borne of God sinneth not CHAP. IIII. THE Apostle hauing in the former Chapter propounded Christs example proceedeth here to presse it vnto them that as he suffered in the flesh so they being his members should approue themselues to suffer in the flesh by the mortifying of their corruptions and as hee was quickned in the Spirit leading a new spirituall life vers 1 2. First prosecuting that of suffering by the consideration of what they had formerly beene and what some still were for which they should giue account vers 3 4 5. and how the dead of whom hee spake before were not saued but by being iudged in the flesh vers 6. Secondly hee that setteth forth that which might moue them to a new life the end of all is at hand vers 7. and wherein it consisteth viz. in being wise and sober and praying and louing and hospitable c. from vers 7. to vers 12. where he returneth to speake of suffering againe being properly vnderstood by being persecuted and railed vpon as Christ was touching which first hee comforteth them with the glory and ioy after this to come vers 13 14. Secondly he giueth a caueat against doing ill whereby a man commeth to suffer vers 15. Thirdly whereas they might be troubled in thinking that the estate of the wicked was better for so much as they were not so subiect to sufferings he sheweth that the time of the Christians suffering was now but theirs should be hereafter when it would bee much more terrible vers 17 18. Lastly that they might bee without all trouble of minde about their sufferings he directeth them to God to whom they ought wholly to commit themselues in suffering as to a faithfull Creator vers 19. 1 PETER Chapter 4. Verse 1 2 3 c. Christ therefore hauing suffered in the flesh for vs put vpon you the same minde also for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sinne c. FRom Christs suffering death as hee was man Oecumen in 1 Pet. 4. and led a naturall life here hee argueth that we ought to suffer that death which is vnto sinne for him that we might liue vnto righteousnesse and if we be dead vnto sinne or to the world there will be in vs a cessation from sinne 2 Tim. 2. To suffer in the flesh therefore is to be dead vnto sinne as Saint Paul elsewhere expresseth it to bee dead with Christ Some of the ancient Fathers haue expounded this of the Gospell preached to the dead of the dead vnto sinne Vers 6. holding that men are said to bee dead two waies first in sinne secondly vnto sinne and to the world by being made conformable to Christ in his death and these last by receiuing the Gospell are stirred vp to condemne themselues for their former carnall liuing which they doe when they leade a new life To suffer for Christ here Tho. Aquin. Gorran Isidor is either to subdue carnall concupiscence by taming the flesh or else by exposing the body to martyrdome for righteousnesse It is according to Isidor to suffer in the whole man as Christ suffered in the whole man both exteriour and interiour the inner is the soule wherein we suffer by contrition the outward is the body wherein we suffer by macerating it and by suffering both these waies wee cease from all sinnes both carnall and spirituall For this cause it was preached to the dead Verse 6. that is either yee ought not for this cause to regard the blasphemies of the wicked or else for the auoiding of the danger of the Day of Iudgement it was preached to such as are spiritually dead that iudging themselues for such things as they haue carnally done they might escape Gods iudgement and liue as 1 Cor. 11.31 To take the six former verses of this Chapter together Mayer wherein an exhortation is set forth from Christs death considered as I haue shewed in the Analysis Here are three doubts