shall belong and extend to all both Jewes and Gentiles circumcised or uncircumcised without any discrimination who shall believe there is mercy to be had for all true penitents through Christ and so set themselves to a new life whatsoever their sinnes have formerly been 23. For all have sinned and come short of note g the glory of God Paraphrase 23. For Jewes as well as Gentiles are found also to be sinners and so farre from meriting Gods praise or acceptance and so by any way but by the Gospel there is neither justification nor salvation to be had for them 24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Paraphrase 24. And therefore whensoever they are justified either one o◠other it is freely by his undeserved favour see note b. through that great work which Jesus Christ hath wrought for the redemption of man that is for the obtaining pardon for their past sinnes and working in them reformation for the future see note h. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a note h propitiation through faith in his blood to note i declare his righteousness for the remission of sinnes that are past through the forbearance of God Paraphrase 25. Which Christ the Messias of the world God from the beginning purposed to set forth unto men as the means to exhibit and reveal to us his covenant of mercy on condition of our faith and constant new obedience to him who hath died for us to make expiation for our sinnes and to work reformation in us hereby demonstrating the great mercifulnesse of God now under the Gospel in that he forbears to inflict vengeance on sinners but gives them space to repent and promises them pardon upon repentance 26. To declare I say at this time his righteousnesse that he might be note k just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus Paraphrase 26. To reveal I say and make known unto us at this time this way of justifying sinners in the Gospel by grace or mercy and pardon of sinne whereby God appears to all to be a most gracious and mercifull God and accordingly to accept and reward all those which though they have formerly sinn'd doe yet upon this mercifull promise and tender and call of Christ's give themselves up to be ruled by him to live as he hath commanded in the Gospel 27. Where is boasting then It is excluded By what law of works Nay but by the Law of faith Paraphrase 27. By this means then all proud reflections on our selves are perfectly excluded a thing which the Mosaical Law was made use of to foster in the Jewes they thought themselves thereby discriminated from and dignified above all other men in the world and that by being Abraham's seed and circumcised and such like externall performances they were secured of the favour of God whatsoever they did but by this Evangelical way of Gods dealing in Christ accepting and acquitting all Gentiles as well as Jewes through grace and mercy by which their sinnes are forgiven and they received into Gods favour without any respect of personal privileges of being Abraham's seed or of bare outward performances c. only upon their return and change of life upon performance of new faithfull obedience unto Christ to which they are called and to which they are by him enabled wherein there being so little so nothing imputable unto us all boasting is utterly excluded 28. Therefore we note l conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law Paraphrase 28. The summe or result therefore of this discourse is that by this Evangelical way the favour of God is to be had for those that never had to doe with the Judaical Law see note on Mat. 5. g. circumcision c. see v. 21. and note b. 29. Is he the God of the Jewes onely is he not also of the Gentiles Yes of the Gentiles also Paraphrase 29. For otherwise it would follow that God had care or consideration of no other part of the world but onely of the Jewes which certainly is not true for he is the God of the Gentiles also hath a peculiar care and consideration of them that come not from Abrahams loynes as long as they imitate Abrahams faith or on condition they doe so 30. Seeing it is one God which shall justifie the circumcision by faith and uncircumcision through faith Paraphrase 30. And after the same manner receives all into his favour the believing Jewes and the believing though uncircumcised Gentiles by this one Evangelical way of pardon and free remission of sinne to all that shall perform new obedience and fidelity to Christ see note b. 31. Doe we then make void the Law through faith God forbid yea we establish the Law Paraphrase 31. Which Evangelical way of receiving men into the favour of God is so farre from evacuating the Law or making it uselesse that it is rather a perfecting of it a requiring that purity of the heart which was the inward notation of the legal ordinance of circumcision and so in all other things a bringing in the substance where the Law had only the shadow the sufferings of Christ and his intercession in stead of the sacrifices and propitiatory v. 25. under the Law Annotations on Chap. III. V. Chiefly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here clearly denoteth a form of enumeration answerable to our imprimis and signifies that the Apostle was about to reckon up all the advantages of the Jew in this place and accordingly began with one resolving to have proceeded had not an objection here diverted his purpose for many chapters together not permitting him to return from that digression till c. 9. where again he falls to the same matter and enumerates the remainder of those privileges particularly v. 4. c. The onely privilege which here he begins with is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their being intrusted with the oracles of God What is meant by that phrase 't will not be amiss to explain in both parts of it and first the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oracles Beside the four garments used by the Priest when he officiated there were four more proper to the High priest The first of them was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pectorall because it was fastned about the neck and came down hanging upon the breast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Sol. Jarchi on Exod. 28. 4. it hangs before or neer the heart In the Scripture 't is called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poctoral of judgement because by it the High-priest received the responses of God in all matters of difficulty as when they should make war or peace c. This is called by Josephus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antiq. l. 3. c. 8. the very Hebrew word the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being not pronounced and of it he saith that in the Greek language it signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not rationale I
righteous but sinners to repentance Paraphrase 13. what is the meaning of that speech Hos 6. 6. I preferre acts of mercy and charity especially spirituall belonging to the rescuing and saving of soules before ceremonies even of the worship of God such rituall laws as these of not accompanying with a heathen or unclean person 14. Then came to him the disciples of John saying note d Why doe we and the Pharisees fast oft but thy disciples fast not Paraphrase 14. Our master John observeth strict rules of abstinence and appointeth us to doe what the Pharisees the strictest sect among the Jewes doe viz. to fast twice every week Lu. 18. 12. whereas thou and thy disciples use no such abstinences what is the reason of that 15. And Jesus said unto them Can the note e children of the bride-chamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them but the daies will come when the bridegroome shall be taken from them and then shall they fast Paraphrase 15. Can the speciall guests of a marriage feast fast or retain any thing of sadnesse as long as the marriage solemnities last This duty of fasting will be more seasonable after my death and then shall it be practised by my followers 16. No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment and the rent is made worse Paraphrase 16. diminishes the beauty or handsomnesse of it and there is made by that meanes a worse breach either because the new cloth teareth from the old or because in a pieced garment if the piece doe not look like the cloth the rent is more discernible and the parts more divided and different one from the other then if it had not been peiced at all both these are set down Lu. 5. 36. and this proves well that point in hand both that joy and mourning doe not well together and that young novice disciples that were not yet renewed by the coming of the Spirit upon them and so were not strong enough for such must not presently be overwhelmed with severe precepts such as fasting c. lest they fall off and be discouraged 17. Neither doe men put new wine into old note f bottles else the bottles break and the wine runneth out and the bottles perish but they put new wine into new bottles and both are preserved Paraphrase 17. but strong precepts are adapted to strong disciples and then they doe very well which otherwise being unseasonably enjoyned will be brought into hatred and contempt 18. While he spake these things unto them behold there came a certain note g ruler and worshipped him saying my daughter is even now dead but come and lay thy hand upon her and she shall live Paraphrase 18. One of the consistory of that city that dwelt there Mar. 5. 22. and fell down beseeching him and saying My daughter when I came from my house was at the last gasp Mar. 5. 23. so that I suppose her dead by this time 19. And Jesus arose and followed him and so did his disciples 20. And behold a woman which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve yeares came behind him and touched the hem of his garment Paraphrase 20. And as Jesus was a going to the Rulers house to cure his daughter 21. For she said within her self If I may but touch his garment I shall be whole 22. But Jesus turned him about and when he saw her he said Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole And the woman was made whole from that houre 23. And when Jesus came into the rulers house and saw the note h ministrels and the people making a noyse Paraphrase 23. And found them very busily preparing for the interment of the rulers daughter with Musick and other solemnities for the funerall 24. He said unto them Give place for the mayd is not dead but sleepeth and they laughed him to scorn Paraphrase 24. is not so departed that she shall not return again her death shall not continue above the space of an ordinarily sleep and she shall as from a sleep awake from it 25. But when the people were note i put forth he went in and took her by the hand and the mayd arose Paraphrase 25. He came to her as to one that was asleep and took her by the hand and she awaked or came to life again and rose up 26. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land 27. And when Jesus departed thence two blind men followed him crying and saying Thou son of David have mercy on us Paraphrase 27. Thou which art the Messias which wer't promised to be of Davids seed of whom t is oft prophecyed that he shall open the eyes of the blind Is 42. 7. 29. 18. and 35. 5. 28. And when he was come into the house the blind men came to him And Jesus saith unto them Beleive ye that I am able to do this They said unto him Yea Lord. 29. Then touched he their eyes saying According unto your faith be it unto you 30. And their eyes were opened and Jesus straightly note k charged them saying See that no man know it Paraphrase 30. See note on c. 8. b. 31. But they when they were departed spread abroad his fame in all that country 32. As they went out behold they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil Paraphrase 32. one that by the devils possessing him was fallendumb 33. And when the devil was cast out the dumbe spake and the multitudes marvelled saying It was never so seen in Israel 34. But the Pharisees said He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils Paraphrase 34. See c. 12. 24 note f. 35. And Jesus went about all the cities and villages note l teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdome and healing every sicknesse and every disease among the people Paraphrase 35. expounding the Scriptures in their Synagogues and on that occasion making known to them the doctrine of the Gospel and healing all that were brought to him or came in his way 36. But when he saw the multitudes he was moved with compassion on them because they note m fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd Paraphrase 36. they wanted a guide or director to teach them constantly and so were wearied out with wandering up and down betwixt their false guides Scribes and Pharisees c. 37. Then saith he unto his disciples The harvest truly is plenteous but the labourers are few 38. Pray ye therefore the lord of the harvest that he will send forth labourers into his harvest Paraphrase 37 38. There are great store of those that are willing to receive instruction but few to give it them aright And therefore it is the duty of all Christians that have any care of the soules of their brethren to pray according as the four ember weeks
comparison again very uneven for if as sinne was a meanes to bring condemnation into the world so the same or some other one sinne had been the occasion of bringing mercy in and pardon had been wrought for that one sinne and no more or for those that should for the future perfectly and exactly obey then the comparison had been equall but the sinnes that occasioned the mercy and have their parts in the benefit of this justification are many sinnes and the persons that should receive it not righteous in that degree as Christ was and that makes the comparison uneven 17. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reigne in life by one Jesus Christ Paraphrase 17. For if by Adam's sinne in that one kind death came into the world and through that one mans loynes and by the parity of reason that death was entailed upon all his posterity as being born after his image and guilty of other sinnes though not of that special kind then in like manner or rather indeed much more they that believe on Christ that receive and make use of that most rich grace righteousnesse of Christ that is are holy gracious and righteous too though not in his degree and so are according to his Evangelical way capable of this justification shall by the resurrection of Christ and by his living and interceding forever for them be sure to reigne with him 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the rightousnesse of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life Paraphrase 18. To conclude therefore as by one Adam's offence v. 12 and 16. sentence came on all offenders that is upon all meer sonnes of Adam to condemnation so by the righteousnesse of one God's gift of mercy in Christ v. 17. is come on all men Gentiles as well as Jewes to justification that is to the accepting them as just though they formerly lived in never so sinfull a course if they imitate the righteousnesse of Christ by sincere renovation 19. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Paraphrase 19. For as by Adam's one act of eating the forbidden fruit against which death was threatned all his posterity as such and much more all that sinn'd in any other kind that is all meer mean in the world were subjected to that punishment death which was then pronounced only against the earing of that so by Christ's having performed exact perfect obedience and then suffered death in our stead or to make satisfaction for us all men even the Gentiles themselves that shall come in to Christ and perform sincere faithfull obedience to him shall be justified though they be not perfectly just and accepted by him 20. Moreover the Law entred that the offence might abound but where sinne abounded grace did much more abound Paraphrase 20. As for the Law that was given by Moses that came in by the by as it were to give men the more convincing clear knowledge of duty and sinne and so though it were not designed to that end see Theophylact yet by consequence it became a means to aggravate and enhanse sinne see note on Mat. 1. k. to render it more exceedingly criminous by being against a promulgate Law and that again is a means of making the mercy now in the Gospel to be farre a greater mercy to the Jewes to whom Christ and the Gospel were first sent 21. That as sinne hath reigned unto death even so might grace reigne through righteousnesse unto eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Paraphrase 21. That as we visibly see the great power and authority of sinne over men by the punishment it hath brought on them as is evident by death's seizing upon all so it may be as visible what a royall illustrious power there is in the mercy of Christ over sinne in respect of this new way of justification by Christ even to take away all its condemning and reigning power from it by granting pardon and forgivenesse of and victory over it through Jesus Christ our Lord and all this to Gentiles as well as Jewes Annotations on Chap. V. V. 9. Justified Having formerly given the notion at large of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to justifie Note on c. 3. b. all that is here necessary to be added will be by way of enquiry whether the passive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being justified here be only a Nominal or Real passive that is whether it only note the action as farre as concerns Christ's part in meriting and obtaining Gods pardon and acceptance for us and God the Fathers part in admitting sinners to pardon giving them place of repentance which is no more in effect but the offering pardon and acceptance on the conditions of the Gospel or whether to this action of the Father and Christ it farther superadde the reception thereof in the patient the actual partaking of it For these two somewhat distant notions the word is capable of either 1. that we are as farre as belongs to God's and Christ's part justified the price being pai'd by him and accepted by his Father and that if we be not now actually so 't is through our own default our non-performance of the condition or 2. that we have the benefits of Christs death bestowed and conferred actually on us pardon of sinnes c that is are actually justified That the forther is the meaning of the word here may appear 1. by the generall drift of this chapter which is to set out the love of the Father and of Christ towards us v. 8 c. God commendeth his love towards us c. where therefore the matter is determined to that which Christ doth for us toward our Justification that is to his death the sole meritorious cause of it without looking to that which is extrinsecall to it our performance or non-performance of the condition which is required on our parts to make us capable of the benefit thereof that having been formerly and often mention'd v. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being justified by faith 2 dly by that which is said v. 8. we being yet sinners Christ died for us where 1. his dying for us is all one with our being justified by his death as appears by the circumstances of the Context the 8 9 10. verses compared together and 2. by sinners meaning habituall grosse sinners which is also express'd by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v 6. not weak but sick even to death see 1 Cor. 8. Note b. 't is certain that to them continuing such actual justification belongs not so again v. 10. We when we were enemies were reconciled to God by the death of his son where as death is all one with blood so is reconciled to God
among you if ye give your selves up to any sinne to serve that ye are slaves to sin and must expect the wages of that service eternal death as on the other side if ye deliver your selves up to serve God in obeying his commands ye will be reputed his servants and have the wages that belong thereto eternall life See 2 Tim. 4. note a. 17. But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sinne but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered to you Paraphrase 17. But 't is a great mercy of God to you that having been formerly the servants of sin having lived and gone on so long in the course of sinne ye have now cordially obey'd that summary of Christian doctrine to the beliefe and practice of which ye were delivered up and solemnly consecrated in your baptisme see note on Matt. 9. d. 18. Being then made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousnesse Paraphrase 18. And having received a manumission from that evill master ye have given your selves up to a more ingenuous service obliging your selves to live righteously for ever after 19. I note b speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh for as you have yeelded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity even so now yeeld your members servants to righteousness unto holiness Paraphrase 19. I shall express this by an ordinary resemblance or I will deal with you after the mildest and most easie equitable manner require no more then any man would in reason require because of the weakness of your flesh which I cannot expect should bear too much severity or else too high expressions All that I shall say is that you will but have the same care of sanctity now be but as diligent to obey the precepts of Christ and by that means aspire to sanctification as you were formerly industrious in the serving of your lusts and unlawfull vile affections to act all the villany in the world This in all reason I must require of you and shall require no more though according to strict justice I might require greater care to secure your life and salvation then to ruine and damne your selves ye had express'd 20. For when ye were servants of sin ye were free from righteousness Paraphrase 20. For by way of ordinary distributive justice when ye served sin righteousness or piety ye know had no whit of your service why then should sin now have any of your service when you have delivered up your selves to righteousness or Christian life to be observant followers of that why should ye not now abstein as strictly from all sin as then ye did from all good sure this the rules of justice will oblige you to 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death Paraphrase 21. And this will be much more reasonable if ye consider the nature of your former sins in your own experience of them how little fruit or benefit or satisfaction they brought you at the very time of enjoying them and how nothing but shame at the present remembrance of them and how certain the conclusion is that they will bring death upon you whereas the serving of Christ on the other side will be matter of joy and pleasure at the present matter of comfort and confidence after and will bring salvation at the end 22. But now being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life Paraphrase 22. But now having given over the service of sin vowed your selves never to go on farther in that course and undertaken the service of God bring forth fruit such as by which sanctification may daily encrease in you and as may reap for it's crown eternall life 23. For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Paraphrase 23. For according to the Law and so still to every impenitent the reward or payment of every deliberate sin all that it brings in to him by way of stipend is death but the mercy that is in the Gospell reach'd out to all penitents is eternall life as it is now purchased and contrived by what Christ Jesus our Lord hath done and suffered for us in the Gospell Annotations on Chap. VI. V. 6. The body The phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the body c. hath a peculiar use in S. Paul when it is joyned with a Genitive case following for then it passes into the signification of that which is joyned with it and its self loses its force the body of sin signifying nothing more then sin here and Rom. 7. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the body of this death no more then this death this sad miserable kind of death So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclus. 7. 24 their body signifies them and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ Rom. 7. 4 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me Gal. 6. 17. and Phil. 1. 20. so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 3. 21. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the body of our humiliation and the body of his glory is no more then simply our humiliation and his glory So Col. 2. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh is the putting off the sins of the flesh or carnal sins And perhaps 1 Cor. 9. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I beat or cuffe my self for so the matter of the discourse before concerning the use of Christian liberty doth most encline us to interpret it And all this seems in S. Paul to be an imitation of the Hebrews form of speech among whom the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies a body frequently signifies no more then being or identity so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his body signifies no more then idem ipse the same he So Jos 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your body that is your very selves or as the Targum reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your neerkinsman and Job 2. touch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his body the Targum reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himself the former touches having been on his family and goods c. And that place of Col. 2. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily may seem capable of the same sense that the fulnesse of the Godhead dwells in Christ by identity of his very essence and so directly in the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abolishing the body of sinne it is a phrase to signifie reformation of life Of which sort many other phrases there are in Scripture which signifie the same thing some of them referring to the new life to which the change is made others to the old course that is forsaken
that notion of life that is for repentance and reformation So perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 7. 10. will denote such a repentance or change that proceeds to escaping out of and forsaking the sins of the former life So 2 Pet. 3. 15. where he bids them count that the longanimity of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salvation that is that God's deferring the punishment of the Jews so long after the crucifying of Christ was on purpose that by the preaching of the Apostles over all the cities of Jewry they might yet timely return and repent and believe on him and so escape in that great approaching destruction Yet this still not excluding but including also the reward of our faith the eternall blisse in heaven Of another acception of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Note on c. 13. c. V. 5. Doth these things These things signifie the severall branches of the Judaicall Law which being required by Moses under severe penalties of excision to those that contemned or despised them and all the promises of long life in Canaan depending on the observance of them and the Law affording no place of repentance or pardon for any presumptuous sinne committed against that Law it is from thence consequent that he that lives not in all those commands to doe them could not have life by them even that temporall life or what ever else were typically contained or included in that And accordingly Saint Paul concludes Gal. 3. 10. that there was no life to be had by the Law and indeed nothing but a curse for that it was also written Deut. 27. 26. Cursed is every one that continues not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to doe them and only he that doth them shall live in them v. 12. All this while supposing that no man did all his life thus doe or continue so as not to incurre this curse And herein doth the difference of the Law and the Gospell consist that the Law promises life only upon doing all that was required of them to doe and pronounced a curse to them that did not continue in all he that wilfully offended in one was guilty of all that is was involved as irreversibly under the curse for thaâ— one breach according to that covenant as if he had broken all and repentance or reformation would not relieve him But now under the Gospell the condition was changed first many things were not required at all now which were then enacted under the highest penalty as Circumcision c. onely the inward purity is now called for which had been always typified by that secondly place was allowed for repentance and by the satisfaction of Christ sure mercy and pardon for the sinner whatsoever his sinnes were upon his return to new life and for frailties and weaknesâ—es for which onely there were sacrifices admitted under the Law now there was without those sacrifices free pardon to be had for all those that sincerely obey'd Christ and laid hold on his sacrifice for their expiation And so faith is said to be the condition of our Justification and not the doing these things the law of faith not of workes that by which the Christian must live V. 6. Bring Christ down The two phrases here used of going up to heaven or descending into the deep or abysse are certainly proverbial phrases to signifie the doing or attempting to doe some hard impossible thing and consequently to say in the heart Who shall do this is to be prescribed some hard impossible task that neither by our selves nor by any body else we know how to set about as they that are at their wits end know not which way to turn themselves are wont to cry out or say within themselves Who shall doe it for them These phrases had been of old used by Moses in this sense Deut. 30 12. For this commandment which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it farre off It is not in heaven that thou shouldst say Who shall goe up for us to heaven and bring it unto us that we may see it and doe it Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldst say Who shall goe over the sea for us and bring it unto us c. Which words being used by Moses to expresse the easiness and readiness of the way which the Jewes had to know their duty and to perform it are here by the Apostle accommodated to express the easiness of the Gospel condition above that of the Mosaical Law The righteousness which is of faith saith thus that is this is the style or language of the Evangelical law the law of faith v. 8. Say not in thy heart that is the Christian hath no need to say or think within himself Who shall goe up to heaven that is that he hath any weighty impossible condition required of him This part of the words of Moses the Apostle as in a parenthesis applies to one of the most difficult things on which our salvation depends viz. Christs coming down from heaven to earth This indeed if it were required of us to contribute any thing toward it would be a weighty task for us but when Christ hath himself done it for us without any contribution of ours this is an evidence of the easiness of the Christians task As for the second part of the words in Moses the Apostle reads them with some change not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over the sea as the Septuagint now reads it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who shall goe down into the abysse which variety of readings may possibly be reconciled by the various signification and use of the Hebrew propositions And accordingly that which is here used by S. Paul will be found to agree to the paraphrase which we have in the Jerusalem-Targum in these words Vtinam esset nobis aliquis Propheta Jonae similis qui in profundum maris magni descenderet Would we had some Prophet like Jonas that might descend into the deep of the great sea and bring it up to us And this seems to be the ground of S. Paul's application which here followes that is to bring Christ from the dead that descending of Jonah into the deep being devoured first and then vomited up by the whale on drie land being by Christ himself made the presignification of his death and resurrection And so this again will be the meaning of the second part of the speech one style or language of the Gospel The resurrection of Christ from the dead the great ingredient in our Christian religion and which tends so much to our Justification c. 4. 25. is that to which we contributed nothing our selves but was wrought for us by the power of Christ And as it followes here v. 9. our believing it now it is done and abundantly testified to us is the great fundamental act of faith required of us and that is no very weighty
possible he might but not necessarily to be concluded by that forme of that word because if we still restrain it to these last verses this will have perfect truth in it For when he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye see he must needs refer to that point of time wherein his Epistle should be received and read by the Galatians and then 't is certain that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have written will be as true of the last verses as of the former part of the Epistle And so that difficulty is removed also THE EPISTLE OF PAVL THE APOSTLE TO THE note a EPHESIANS THat Ephesus was the prime Metropolis of the Lydian or Proconsular Asia hath been elsewhere shew'd see Note on Col. 4. a. And therefore this Epistle inscrib'd to the Ephesians must not yet be so confined to them but that it belong also to the other cities of this Province even to all Asia Here S. Paul was and disputed with the Jewes Act. 18. 19. which seems to be about An. Ch. 51. at which time he stayed not so long among them as to convert many but left Aquila and Priscilla there v. 19. And to them Apollos came v. 24. And by these the Christian faith seems to be planted there Act. 18. 25 26. And accordingly at Pauls return thither Act. 19. it is said that he found disciples there v. 2. but those only baptized with the baptisme of John which seems to conclude them to be of Apollos converting who when he first preached knew only the baptisme of John c. 18. 25. Soon after Paul returned thither again according to his promise Act. 19. 1. There he is opposed by the Jewes and by their instigation by the Gentiles also yet continues preaching the Gospel among them neer three years Act. 20. 31. so that all Asia both Jewes and Gentiles had it preach'd to them and that with a mighty successe c. 19. v. 20 and 26. At his departure from thence going to Macedonia Act. 20. 1. he gave Timothy commission to be Bishop there 1 Tim. 1. 3. there being already some hereticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teaching other that is false doctrines infusing the leaven of the Gnosticks among them against whose poyson Timothy was to watch and so also the Elders or Bishops of the other cities in Asia ordained by the Apostle at his planting the Gospel there and all together at a meeting at Miletus are solemnly warned to watch over their flocks and defend them against the grievous wolves and Gnostick hereticks which he foresaw would speedily break in among them And accordingly here in this Epistle as afterwards in Christs Epistle to them Rev. 2. the doctrines but especially the practices of these men are inveighed against which if permitted would soon bring them all back to heathenism again In which respect it is that he labours so magnificently to set out the mercies of God in receiving the Gentiles to the faith and their huge advantages thereby which therefore they are not to betray or lose for all the flattering shewes of either the Jewish ceremonies or the Gentile philosophy of which two the Gnosticks divinity was compounded and their lives filled with all villany This Epistle was written and sent to them from Rome after his carrying thither about the year 58. some six years after his first preaching at Ephesus And it was sent them by Tychicus to which he seems to referre 2 Tim. 4. 12. And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus CHAP. I. 1. PAUL an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God to the saints which are at Ephesus and to the faithfull in Christ Jesus Paraphrase 1. to the society of Christians which are under the chief Metropolis of Asia Ephesus and which doe still adhere faithfull and constant to Christ in despight of all the temptations to the contrary 2. Grace be to you and peace from God our father and from the Lord Jesus Christ 3. Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Paraphrase 3. who hath called us to Christianity and thereby afforded us as many as have received the faith and live in obedience thereto all things in great abundance which may tend to our spiritual and eternal good 4. According as he hath note a chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Paraphrase 4. Agreeably to what before the creation of the world he had determined in his decree of giving of Christ viz. to call men from vicious living to Christianity and sanctity and purity of life such as he will accept of coming from the sincere love of him and of our brethren 5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will Paraphrase 5. Having in his eternal purpose of mercy appointed his Son to be preach'd unto the world and that as many as received his message obeyed his commands should be received by way of adoption into the number of his children and live lives of obedience of holinesse and purity unto him A mercy attended with very rich advantages all which have accrued to us not from any merit or desert of ours being supposed sinners and enemies unto him but only from his free goodnesse toward us which was pleased so to determine it 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved Paraphrase 6. And this tends emnently to the setting forth th◠exceeding lustre of his mercy towards us or of the Gospel revealed to such unworthy wretches see note on Heb. 13. c. whom in Christ the son of his love he hath received graciously as many as perform obedience unto him 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his grace Paraphrase 7. Having by that precious ransome paid for us the blood of that dear Son of his afforded us captives to sin a way of freedome viz. a free pardon for all our past sins upon our present repentance and renovation a work of the abundant favour and bounty of almighty God 8. Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdome and prudence Paraphrase 8. Wherein also his infinitely wise disposal hath eminently appeared in this of all others most probable and powerfull means of bringing home sinners to new life and blisse 9. Having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself 10. That in the dispensation of the fulnesse of times he might note b gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him Paraphrase 9 10. Having now by the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles also manifested to us that
excellency of the possession 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it denotes wealth plenty and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multitude and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abundant and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rich much all in Hesychius The full notion of it must be fetch'd from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies peculium proprium thesaurus facultates res chara that which is a mans own his treasure his estate any thing dear unto him and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is generally rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 19. 5. Deut. 7. 6. and 26. 18. is 14. 2. and 26. 18. rendred by the Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dilectus beloved and so in Exodus also and accordingly here it signifies a beloved pretious excellent people for which Symmachus puts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Mal. 3. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred by us jewels and by Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHAP. III. 1. PUT them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to obey magistrates to be ready to every good work Paraphrase 1. And let it be thy frequent and special care to exhort all Christians under thee to yield all honest obedience to the Kings and Governors under whom they live and to be ready and cheerfull to the practice of all acts of charity 2. To speak evil of no man to be no brawlers but gentle shewing all meeknesse unto all men Paraphrase 2. very mild see note on 2 Cor. 10. a. and patient toward those that oppose them and truth it self 3. For we our selves were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hatefull and hating one another Paraphrase 3. As remembring that we our selves before our conversion to Christ were as opposite to the truth and as perversly so as any can be now supposed to be 4. But after that the kindnesse and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared Paraphrase 4. But when Christ of his great mercy and bounty to mankind was pleased to reveal himself to us 5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Paraphrase 5. Then out of his free underserved mercy toward us not in respect of nor by way of return unto any good action of ours he rescued and delivered us out of our sinfull courses put us into a state of salvation upon our giving our selves up in baptisme his vowed reformed servants sealing unto us the pardon of all our sins and then bestowing his Spirit upon us to bring forth in us all fruits of new life 6. Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour Paraphrase 6. Which Spirit most plentifully descended on us from God the Father Christ Jesus his Son obtaining that mercy from him 7. That being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life Paraphrase 7. That having our lives amended and our sins pardoned by his grace and mercy we should become as children of God his heirs at present in hope of eternal life 8. This is a faithfull saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be carefull to maintain note a good works these things are good and profitable unto men Paraphrase 8. This is an important special Christian doctrine which I would have thee be earnest in telling men and convincing them of the importance of it that all that have professed to be Christians should make it their principal care to see that all that belong to them together with themselves doe not only live in the universal duties of Christians but also particularly follow some honest labour or vocation v. 14. and Ephes 4. 28. for these are the things that are good in themselves and usefull to mankind of good report in the actors and beneficial to the community keep others from being burthened with the slothfull and enable them to be themselves helpfull to others 9. But avoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and strivings about the law for they are unprofitable and vain Paraphrase 9. As for the Gnosticks that employ themselves in compiling a new model of divinity made up of foolish disputes and of heathen notions of poetical genealogies see 1 Tim. 1. 4. and contentions about the observing the Mosaical Law that Christians be circumcised Gal. 6. 12. and by so doing put themselves out of their calling live idly disorderly 2 Thess 3. 6 11. these spend their time upon vanities that neither themselves nor others are the better but the worse for 10. A man that is an note b heretick after the note c first and second admonition reject Paraphrase 10. Whosoever maketh any division in the Church that teacheth any doctrine contrary to that which hath been taught by Christ and the Apostles and that he may get followers separates from the Church from the communion of Christians there it is thy office and duty toward such an one first to admonish him once or twice Mat. 18. 16. and if that will not work upon him or reduce him then to set a mark upon him as on one which is under the censures of the Church and to appoint all men to break off familiar converse with him 11. Knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being note d condemned of himself Paraphrase 11. Knowing that such a man is a perverse wilfull sinner inflicting that punishment on himself which the governors of the Church are wont to doe on malefactors that is cutting himself off from the Church of which he was a member 12. When I shall send Artemas unto thee or Tychicus be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis for I have determined there to winter 13. Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently that nothing be wanting unto them Paraphrase 13. Furnish Apollos and Zenas the lawyer that are coming to me with all things necessary for their journey see note on 1 Cor. 16. a. 14. And let note e ours also learn to maintain good works for note f necessary uses that they be not unfruitfull Paraphrase 14. But let not only the Gnostciks v. 8. be thus admonished and convinced but let all those also that continue with us all the orthodox Christians be taught by you to set up in themselves and families some honest labours among men to supply their wants and provide for themselves necessaries of victuals c. that they live not like drones on others sweat maintained out of the treasure of the Church but earn every one their own livings 2 Thess 3. 12. 15. All that are with me salute thee Greet them that love us in the faith Grace be with you all Amen Paraphrase 15. all our loving fellow-Christians It was written to Titus ordained the first Bishop of the
of things that may most reasonably be deemed to defile any man 19. For out of the heart proceed note e evill thoughts murthers adulteries fornications thefts false-witnesse blasphemies 20. These are the things which defile a man But to eat with unwashed hands defileth not a man Paraphrase 20. but so meerly corporeal and external a thing as omitting to wash before meat cannot be thought to defile any man 21. Then Jesus went thence and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon 22. And behold a note f woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts and cryed unto him saying Have mercy on me O Lord thou son of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devill Paraphrase 22. an heathen woman born in Phenice hearing of his miracles and that he was now come thither came to him on purpose 23. But he answered her not a word And his disciples came and besought him saying note g Send her away for she cryeth after us Paraphrase 23. entreated him see note on Joh. 4. b. saying doe that for her that she desires that she may be quiet 24. But he answered and said I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Paraphrase 24 my mission is purposely to the Jewes to reduce them to repentance and so to shew my miracles among them 25. Then came she and worshiped him saying Lord help me Paraphrase 25. fell down and besought him 26. But he answered and said It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to dogs Paraphrase 26. to work these miracles and cures on an heathen which were destin'd to Gods people the Jewes 27. And she said note h Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbes which fall from their masters table Paraphrase 27. I beseech thee Lord for although it be as thou faist yet 't is ordinary that the dogs lick up the remainders and scatterings of the table and so may the Gentiles be admitted to partake of thy mercies to the Jewes 28. Then Jesus answered and said unto her O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt And her daughter was made whole from that very hour Paraphrase 28. instant point of time 29. And Jesus departed from thence and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee and went up into a mountain and sat down there Paraphrase 29. to the coast by the side of the sea 30. And great multitudes came unto him having with them those that were lame blind dumb maimed and many others and cast them down at Jesus feet and he healed them Paraphrase 30. deaf and by that dumb men that had lost their limbs and many more sick of other diseases 31. Insomuch that the multitude wondred when they saw the dumb to speak the maimed to be whole the lame to walk and the blind to see and they glorified the God of Israel Paraphrase 31. And they all whether Jewes or Gentiles acknowledg'd this to be a wonderfull work of mercy wrought by the God of Israel and such as no other God was able to doe 32. Then Jesus called his disciples unto him and said I have compassion on the multitude because they continue with me now three daies and have nothing to eat and I will not send them away fasting lest they faint by the way 33. And his disciples say unto him Whence should we have so much bread in the wildernesse as to fill so great a multitude 34. And Jesus saith unto them How many loaves have yee And they said seven and a few little fishes 35. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground 36. And he took the seven loaves and the fishes and gave thanks and brake them and gave to his disciples and the disciples to the multitude 37. And they did all eat and were filled and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full 38. And they that did eate were four thousand men besides women children 39. And he sent away the multitudes and took ship and came into the coasts of note i Magdala Annotations on S. MATTHEW Chap. XV. V. 1. Wash not their hands A custome this was taken up among the Jewes and so strictly commanded one another that he that should not observe it was thought guilty of an heavy crime and a capitall So saith Rabbi Aquiba He that takes meat with unwash'd hands is worthy of death and therefore having in prison water given him for his use to wash and to drink having by accident spilt one half of it he wash'd his hands in the remainder thinking it more necessary to doe so then to drink and to die then to violate the traditions of his Ancestors Hence is that of another Jew Rabbi Jose that to eat with unwash'd hands is all one as to lie with a whore V. 4. Curseth c. The words of this second Text being by our Saviour taken out of Exod. 21. 17. and set down punctually out of the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the scope of Christ must have the extent of the signification of the Hebrew radix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore it signifies 1. Positively doing or speaking injuriously to any and 2 ly Privatively lightly regarding in words or deeds and so not maintaining them in their need For as this is the thing to which Christs scope directs the signification of it here so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word used in all the Texts to which this referrs Exod. 21. 17. Levit. 20. 9. Prov. 20. 20. signifies vilependere contemnere parvi facere to slight and contemne and set at nought as in Pihel most usually maledicere So Ezech. 22. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Septuagint where we rightly render it set light by father and mother and although every part of ' this was not so farre meant Exod. 21. 17. as to bring temporall death on all that did thus neglect their Parents yet it is thus fitly extended by Christ in the following words as bringing danger of eternall death on those who though they did not in plain words curse their parents which the Pharisees told them was all that was meant by that text would not yet doe ought for them and so in S. Pauls judgment 1. Tim. 5. 8. were worse then infidels It is here farther observable that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies here indefinitely every man whosever he be not accepting any under what vow soever for so 't is in Lev. 20. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Septuagint every man or what man soever V. 5. Gift A solemn form of Devoting there was among the Jewes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and though very contrary to charity yet frequent among them to bind a man's self by vow or execration that he will in nothing be beneficiall to his neighbour his parent c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Philo he confirms by oath the
disciples apart in the way and said unto them 18. Behold we goe up to Jerusalem and the son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief Priests and to the Scribes and they shall condemn him to death Paraphrase 18. to the Sanhedrim there who though they have not power to put any man to death yet shall passe that sentence against him that he is guilty of death 19. And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucifie him and the third day he shall rise again Paraphrase 19. And shall presse the Roman Judge to put him to death after their manner of punishing the basest malefactors 20. Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons worshipping him and desiring a certain thing of him Paraphrase 20. Upon this mention of his resurrection which they presumed to be the time of his taking all greatnesse upon him the mother of James and John being put upon it by them came with them to Jesus and falling down to him made a petition see Power of Keys c. 5. § 13. to him 21. And he said unto her What wilt thou she saith unto him Grant that these my two sons may sit the one on thy right hand and the other on the left in thy kingdome Paraphrase 21. Of that dignity which thou hast promised thy disciples c. 19. 28. proportionable to that of being heads among the tribes of the Jewes grant that my two sons James and John may have the first places as Joseph and Judah had among them 22. But Jesus answered and said Ye know not what ye ask Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the baptisme that I am baptized with They say unto him we are able Paraphrase 22. Then Jesus told the two disciples they begg'd they knew not what all the dignity saith he that is to be had by being nearer to me then others is that of suffering inwardly and outwardly can you prepare your selves for that 23. And he saith unto them Ye shall drink indeed of my cup and be baptized with the baptisme that I am baptized with But to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my father Paraphrase 23. 'T is true indeed the sufferings that befall me shall befall you also afflictions and persecutions wherein you may rejoyce that you are made partakers with me But for any priviledge of honour or dignity above others they to whom my Father hath designed shall have it and I shall not goe about to change his designation or assign it to any others upon any absolute unconditionate will or favour of mine to gratifie you or satisfie your importunity but dispose of it according to those rules and conditions and qualification which my father hath set down and I from him have revealed to you 24. And when the ten heard it they were moved with indignation against the two brethren 25. But Jesus called them unto him and said Ye know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority upon them Paraphrase 25. those that were displeased with the ambition of the other two and said to them 'T is true that the rulers or kings of the nations are served and benefited by their subjects receive secular advantages by their preminences see note on 1 Pet. 5. a. and the Emperours in like manner are over those Kings 26. But it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great among you let him be your minister Paraphrase 26. But Prelacy and preeminence among you must bring along with it offices of burthen and humility and not be after the manner of Gentile Princes 27. And whosoever will be chief among you let him be your servant Paraphrase 27. must be the servant of all the rest for so the governours of the Church are to be 28. Even as the son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransome for many Paraphrase 28. Even as Christs kingdome here is not administred in that way which might bring in splendour or profit to him but in a way of charity serving relieving providing and dying for his people in stead of requiring such offices from them 29. note d And as they departed from Jericho a great multitude followed him 30. And behold two blind men sitting by the way side when they heard that Jesus passed by cryed out saying Have mercy on us O Lord thou son of David 31. And the multitude rebuked them because they should hold their peace but they cried the more saying Have mercy on us O Lord thou son of David 32. And Jesus stood still and called them and said What will ye that I shall doe unto you 33. They say unto him Lord that our eyes may be opened 34. So Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes and immediately their eyes received sight and they followed him Annotations on S. MATTHEW Chap. XX. V. 12. Wrought The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament when 't is joyned with words that denote time is to be rendred to stay or to spend So Acts 5. 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stay a little while So Acts 15. 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stay time and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some time c. 18. 23. So Acts 18. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stay or spend the feast Acts 20. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stay three months And so here it may possibly note the space of their being and labouring in the Vineyard though it is not improbable that the right reading might be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laboured which is very little distant from it If it be not yet most probably the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be taken in that sence of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as visibly it is Ruth 2. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where hast thou laboured and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where she had laboured and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with whom I laboured where still the Hebrew hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 labouring V. 15. Good The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good hath a peculiar notion in this and some other places and signifies bounty or liberality as when works of Mercy are call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good works Acts 9. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doing good Mat. 12. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good fruits Jam. 3. 17. and ordinarily in the Church-writers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 working good Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to work good Gal. 6. 9. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every good work 2 Cor. 9. 8. appear by the Context to belong to works of mercy Thus Rom. 5. 7. where the good man is so particularly distinguished from the righteous man and Tit. 2. 6. where the elder women are
practise in some external things more then God commands them and impose these upon others as the commands of God when they are only humane ordinances As for the inward purity of heart and actions to which all Gods laws of washings c. all the ceremonial law of legal uncleannesses did referre being but the shadow to pourtray the true substantial purity of the heart and soul the fountain of actions they take no care of them transgresse against this substantial part of religion in the foulest manner and spend all their time in these external superfluities washing of pots c. the ordinances of their Rabbins only 9. And he said unto them Full well ye reject the commandment of God that ye may keep your own tradition Paraphrase 9. And he said unto them Is not this fair worship and serving of God to reject all the prime commands of God the most considerable parts of religion and act directly contrary to them and satisfie and content your selves with some external performances which are not at all commanded by God but only by your selves or your Rabbins 10. For Moses said Honour thy father and thy mother and whoso curseth father or mother let him die the death Paraphrase 10. Exed 20. 12. and Exo. 21. 17. see Note on Mar. 15. b. 11. But ye say If a man shall say to his father or mother It is Corban that is to say a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me he shall be free Paraphrase 11. If when a mans parents want any thing which the son hath and so is bound by nature and the fifth commandment to give it them he can tell them that he hath taken an oath to relieve them he shall be free from the obligation of the fifth commandment See Note on Mat. 15. c. 12. And ye suffer him no more to doe ought for his father or mother 13. Making the word of God of none eâ—â—ect through your tradition which ye have delivered and many such like things doe ye Paraphrase 13. And so by this invention of yours ye free a man from any obligation of honoring or succouring his parents when he hath no minde to it 14. And when he had called all the people unto him he said unto them Hearken unto me every one of you and understand 15. There is nothing from without a man that entring into him can defile him but things which come out of him those are they which defile a man Paraphrase 15. As for your question v. 5. about washing know this that the true and real pollutions which God would have all men to avoid are not those which come from the meats and drinks and such external things but those of wicked thoughts and words and actions those are the great defilements principally aimed at in the legal prohibitions and forbidden by them 16. If any man hath eares to hear let him hear Paraphrase 16. Take notice of what I say though it be contrary to the rules of purity as they are understood and practised by you for this is a Reformation that I am sent to work in your law 17. And when he was entred into the house from the people his disciples asked him concerning the parable 18. And he saith unto them Are ye so without understanding also Doe ye not perceive that whatsoever thing from without entreth into a man it cannot defile him Paraphrase 18. meats drinks c. whatsoever 19. Because it entreth not into his heart but into the belly and goeth out into the draught purging all meats Paraphrase 19. Because his heart or soul being the principal part of him and that which alone is capable of defilement all sin being an act of his will and choise the meats which we take in enter only into the stomach and belly not into the heart and being taken in if there be any polluted part in them that is voided and carried out in the draught and by the purging out those dregs all meats are made clean and nutritive 20. And he said That which cometh out of the man that defileth a man Paraphrase 20. But as in the law of Moses it is observable that the excrements and whatsoever almost comes out of a man polluted all it touched Deut. 23. 13. 21. For from within out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts adulteries fornications murthers 22. Thefts covetousnesse wickednesse deceit lasciviousnesse an evil eye blasphemy pride note d foolishnesse Paraphrase 21 22. So thereby is signified that all defilements of the man are those that come from within him having their beginning from mens wicked will and choice such are evil machinations or conspracies see Note on Mat. 15. e. adulteries fornications homicides thefts inordinate lusts see Note on Rom. 1. h. villanies cheating effeminacy envy and covetousnesse calumniatings haughtinesse or despising of others foolish vain-glorious boasting 23. All these evil things come from within and defile the man Paraphrase 23. These vile things are they that are truly said to come out of the man that is out of his soul betraying themselves by actions and leaving a stain and blemish upon it 24. And from thence he arose and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon and entred into an house and would have no man know it but could not be hid Paraphrase 24. to the utmost parts of Palestine which border upon 25. For a certain woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell at his feet 26. The woman was a Greek a Syrophenician by nation and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter Paraphrase 26. not of the Jewish profession but by religion an heathen born neer the sea shore called Phenicia and Canaan See Note on Mat. 15. 27. But Jesus said unto her Let the children first be filled for it is not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it to the dogs Paraphrase 27. I am first to exercise my office to distribute my miracles of mercy among the Jewes which have alwayes had a neerer relation to God then any other nation and all other nations looked on by them as vile and profane not to be converst with They are first to be taken care for and when they have their fill then the fulnesse of Gods mercy may everflow to the Gentiles 28. And she answered and said unto him Yes Lord yet the dogs under the table eat of the childrens crumbs Paraphrase 28. Though it be so Sir yet that which may be had by another poor creature without prejudice to the Jews is all that I beg of thee and such proportions are allow'd even to dogs when the children have the full meal 29. And he said unto her For this saying goe thy way the devil is gone out of thy daughter Paraphrase 29. And he said The faith exprest by this answer of thine is such Mat. 15. 28. and so much beyond ordinary that it shall not goe
It is easier for a camel to goe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God Paraphrase 25. For such a rich man continuing in that worldly-mindednesse 26. And they were astonished out of measure saying among themselves Who then can be saved Paraphrase 26. See Mat. 19. 25. 27. And Jesus looking upon them saith With men it is impossible but not with God for with God all things are possible Paraphrase 27. See Mat. 19. 26. 28. Then Peter began to say unto him behold we have left all and followed thee 29. And Jesus answered and said Verily I say unto you There is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels Paraphrase 29. See Mat. 19. 29. 30. But he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the world to come eternall life Paraphrase 30. See note on 2 Pet. 3. c. 31. But note d many that are first shall be last and the last first Paraphrase 31. But for you who talk so much of your sufferings know this that of those that come in latest to discipleship or Apostleship as Paul some shall in diligence and bringing in proselytes to Christ 1 Cor. 15. 10. very much outstrip those who came in first that is Peter who here speaks and the other disciples of Christ's first election 32. And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem and Jesus went before them and they were amazed and as they followed they were afraid and he took again the twelve and began to tell them what things should happen unto him Paraphrase 32. And as Christ before and his disciples after him were going up to Jerusalem they began to consider the danger of this voyage the Sanhedrim resolving to kill him Joh. 11. 53. and sending writs to apprehend him v. 57. and they were horribly afraid whereupon he took the twelve into a nearer conference Mat. 20. 7. and began to tell them distinctly what usage he should now meet with at Jerusalem 33. Saying Behold we goe up to Jerusalem and the son of man shall be delivered up to the chief priests and unto the Scribes and they shall condemn him to death and shall deliver him to the Gentiles Paraphrase 33. because they have not themselves in the Sanhedrim power to put anyman to death they shall deliver him up to the Romans to doe it 34. And they shall mock him and shall scourge him and shall spit upon him and shall kill him and the third day he shall rise again Paraphrase 34. he shall be reproachfully dealt with and scourged and spit on and put to death 35. And James and John the sons of Zebedee come unto him saying Master we would that thou shouldest doe for us whatsoever we shall desire Paraphrase 35. And the mother of James and John in behalf of her children came Mat. 20. 20. to him with a petition See note on Lu. 7. a. 36. And he said unto them What would ye that I should doe for you 37. They said unto him Grant unto us that we may sit on thy right hand and the other on thy left hand in thy glory 38. But Jesus said unto them Ye know not what ye ask Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of and be baptized with the baptisme that I am baptized with Paraphrase 38. The preferment which ye ask for is not such as you take it for but only a condition of suffering which perhaps you will not be much in love with or able to support 39. And they said unto him We can And Jesus said unto them Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of and with the baptisme that I am baptized withall shall ye be baptized 40. But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared Paraphrase 40. But to be advanced before all others is a thing of that nature that I shall not dispose of it according to favour partially to gratifie you or satisfie your importunity but according to those rules and conditions and qualifications which my Father hath set down 41. And when the ten heard it they began to be much displeased with James and John 42. But Jesus called them to him and saith unto them Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them and their great ones exercise authority upon them Paraphrase 42. they that among the Gentiles doe exercise rule over them receive advantages from their subjects are served and maintained in all their grandeur and splendor by them See Mat. 20. 25. and 1 Pet. 5. note a. 43. But so shall it not be among you but whosoever will be great among you shall be your minister Paraphrase 43. But in the authority which I shall conferre on you and your successors it shall be quite otherwise ye shall attend and wait upon them whose Rulers you are 44. And whosoever will be the chiefest shall be servant of all Paraphrase 44. And the higher ye are advanced in Ecclesiastick dignity the greater burthen of office and duty shall lye upon you to attend the wants of all your inferiors and to supply them 45. For even the son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransome for many Paraphrase 45. See Mat. 20. 2â— 46. And they came to Jericho and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people blind Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus sat by the highway side begging Paraphrase 46. There were two blind men Mat. 20. 30. of which one was call'd Bartimaeus that is the son of Timaeus which 47. And when he beard that it was Jesus of Nazareth he began to cry out and say Jesus thou son of David have mercy on me Paraphrase 47. And when they were told that it was Jesus that passed by Bartimaeus and the other in like manner Mat. 20. cryed out and said 48. And many charged him that he should hold his peace but he cryed the more a great deal Thou son of David have mercy on me 49. And Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called and they called the blind man saying unto him Be of good comfort rise he calleth thee 50. And he casting away his garment rose and came to Jesus Paraphrase 50. his upper garment See note on Mat. 5. 1. 51. And Jesus answered and said unto him What wilt thou that I should doe unto thee The blind man said unto him Lord that I might receive my sight 52. And Jesus said unto him Go thy way thy faith hath made thee whole and immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus in the way Paraphrase 52. Bartimaeus and the other also
of you which eateth with me shall betray me Paraphrase 18. One that eateth in the same messe with me v. 20. 19. But they began to be sorrowfull and to say unto him one by one Is it I and another said Is it I 20. And he answered and said unto them It is one of the twelve that dippeth with me in the dish Paraphrase 20. even he according to Psal 41. 12. that eateth in the same messe with me 21. The son of man indeed goeth as it is written of him but woe to that man by whom the son of man is betrayed Good were it for that man if he had never been born Paraphrase 21. I am to goe out of this world to be put to death according to prophecies God hath determined that I should come and like the good shepherd incurre any hazard lay downe my life for the sheep and foreseeing the malice of the Jewes and their bloody designes and the falsenesse of Judas c. hath determin'd to permit me to be slain by them and accordingly hath foretold it by the prophets that I should be led as a sheep to the slaughter c. But that will contribute little to his advantage that is the actor in it It is a most unhappy thing to have any hand in putting the Messias or any other person to death though their dying may be determined by God to most glorious ends which the wicked actor or contriver knowes nothing of nor at all designes but directly the contrary And therefore any such is a most wretched creature 22. And as they did eat Jesus took bread and blessed and brake it and gave to them and said Take eat This is my body 23. And he took the cup and when he had given thanks he gave it to them and they all drank of it Paraphrase 22 23. And at the conclusion of that supper Lu. 22. 20. 1 Cor. 11. 25. Jesus instituted the Eucharist 24. And he said unto them This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many Paraphrase 24. In which a covenant of infinite mercy is sealed with mankind to assure unto them pardon of sinne Mat. 26. 28. upon their repentance and new life 25 Verily I say unto you I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine untill that day that I drink it new in the kingdome of God Paraphrase 25. that this is the last Passover I shall keep with you the next feast I shall keep with you will be in heaven see note on Mat. 26. 29. f. 26. And when they had sung an hymne they went out into the mount of Olives Paraphrase 26. See note on Mat. 26. g. 27. And Jesus said unto them All ye shall be offended because of me this night for it is written I will smite the shepheard and the sheep shall be scattered Paraphrase 27. discouraged and fall of from me by reason of that which you shall see befall me this night For as this is the time wherein that prophecy of smiting the shepheard the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts Zach. 13. 7. is to be fulfilled so shall that other part of that prophecy be fulfilled that the sheep my followers shall be much dismayed and dispersed by the fright of it 28. But after that I am risen I will goe before you into Galilee Paraphrase 28. But I shall not long continue under the power of death I shall soon rise again and when I doe so I will appeare to you in Judaea first Joh. 20. 19. and afterward Joh. 21. 1. I will goe into Galilee and thither you may resort to me and I will give confirmations of your faith Joh. 20. 20. and settle the whole businesse of the Church v. 21. c. before I ascend to heaven 29. But Peter said unto him Although all should be offended yet will not I. Paraphrase 29. But Peter being of a warmer spirit and greater confidence and assurance of his owne steadinesse then the rest 30. And Jesus saith unto him Verily I say unto thee that this day even in this night before the cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice Paraphrase 30. this night which is the first part of the Jewish day before the second cock-crowing see note on c. 13. 35. c. 31. But he spake the more vehemently If I should die with thee I will not deny thee in any wise Likewise also said they all Paraphrase 31. the more Christ forewarned him of his fall the more confidently he affirmed the contrary That though adhering to thee should certainly cost me my life yet would I not to save that life doe any thing contrary to the owning and acknowledging thee that thou art my Lord and I a disciple that retain or belong to thee 32. And they came unto a place which was named Gethsemane And he said to his disciples Sit ye here while I shall pray Paraphrase 32. while I goe a little way off and pray 33. And he taketh with him Peter and James and John and began to be fore amazed and to be very heavy 34. And saith unto them my soul is exceeding sorrowfull unto death tarry ye here and watch 35. And he went forward a little and fell on the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour might passe from him Paraphrase 35. the portion of affliction now present upon him and approaching 36. And he said Abba Father all things are possible to thee take away this cup from me neverthelesse not that I will but what thou wilt Paraphrase 36. not what seemeth most desirable to my flesh but to thy divine will and wisdome 37. And he cometh and findeth them sleeping and saith unto Peter Simon sleepest thou Couldst thou not watch one houre Paraphrase 37. Thou that didst even now expresse so much kindnesse and constancy to me v. 31. art thou so unable to do so much lesse In this state of agony which I expressed to you that I was in v. 34. couldest thou be so little concerned as to fall asleep when I stayed so little while from you 38. Watch ye and pray lest ye enter into temptation The spirit truly is ready but the flesh is weak Paraphrase 38. Believe it as confident and secure and unconcerned as you are the danger now approaching me is so neer to you also and the temptation from thence to deny and forswear me so great that it were fitter for you to be watchfull and importunate with God in prayer that you be not overcome by temptation see Mat. 26. 41 39. And again he went away and prayed and said the same words 40. And when he returned he found them asleep again for their eyes were heavy neither wist they what to answer him Paraphrase 40. See Mat. 26. 44. 41. And he cometh the third time and saith unto them Sleep on now and take your rest note d it is enough the houre is come behold the son of man is betrayed into
riches V. 19. A certain rich man That this is not a story but a parable may appear by Gemara Baby ad Cod Berachoth where thus much of it is set down that a King made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great feast and invited all the strangers and there came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one poor man and stood at his gates and said unto them Give me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one bit or portion almost the Latine pars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they considered him not and he said My Lord the King of all the great feast thou hast made is it hard in thine eys to give me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one bit or fragment among them And the title of this passage there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A parable of a King of flesh and blood V. 25. Receivedst thy good things The phrase of receiving thy good things seems to be agreeable to the Hebrew style which useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receiving his world for an uninterrupted course of secular felicity when all things succeed according to a mans will in this world according to an ancient saying of theirs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whosoever shall pass through forty dayes without chastisments hath received his world a full abundant reward for all the good he hath done here CHAP. XVII 1. THEN said he unto his disciples It is impossible but that offences will come but woe unto him through whom they come Paraphrase 1. It is not to be imagined that God should so think fit to interpose his power perpetually as to hinder or not permit false doctrines and schismes and other the like means of hindring or discouraging men in their Christian course to come into the world Mat. 18. 7. to draw men from the Christian doctrine of truth and charity 2. It were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the sea then that he should offend one of these little ones Paraphrase 2. discourage or drive off one Christian to unchristian life 3. Take heed to your selves If thy brother trespasse against thee rebuke him and if he repent forgive him 4. And if he trespasse against thee seven times in a day and seven times in a day turne again to thee saying I repent thou shalt forgive him Paraphrase 3 4. Be ye carefull that ye be not guilty of any degree of this But on the other side after the example of Christ mentioned in this matter Mat. 18. 11 12. doe the utmost in your power to reduce any Christian that offendeth though it be by injuring thee In which case thou art to be so far from being angry with him or designing revenge that thou must beside pardoning him upon his reformation how often so ever he offend thee use all probable means to bring him to repentance 5. And the Apostles said unto the Lord Increase our faith Paraphrase 5. Upon another occasion most probably that Mat. 17. 20. where in the discourse between his disciples and him he taxeth their unbelief he was intreated by some of the disciples who were not able to cast out a devil or cure the young man of the Epilepsy Mat. 17 16. that he would give them more of this gift of miracles that they might be able to doe all to which they were by his designation sent but were not able to doe them for want of some higher degree of this miraculous faith then as yet they had attained to 6. And the Lord said If ye had faith as a grain of mustard-seed ye might say unto this sycamine tree Be thou plucked up by the root and be thou planted in the sea and it should obey you Paraphrase 6. And he said unto them If you had but the least degree of true faith you should by my power be enabled to work any the greatest miracle remove mountains Mat. 17. 20. make trees grow in the sea c. But what I mean by this true faith I will expresse to you by a parable or similitude 7. But which of you having a servant plowing or feeding cattel will say unto him by and by when he is come from the field Goe and sit down to meat 8. And will not rather say unto him Make ready wherewith I may sup and gird thy self and serve me till I have eaten and drunken and afterward thou shalt eat and drink 9. Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him I trow not 10. So likewise ye when ye have done all those things which are commanded you say We are note a unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to doe Paraphrase 7 8 9 10. As it is with an hired servant 't is not sufficient for him to doe that one businesse for which he was hired but other common offices there are which belong indifferently to all servants as waiting at table c. and when he hath done his other works in the field for which he was hired as ploughing c. he must first set cheerfully to the other offices before he think he have done his duty or expect to receive his ordinary food his daily wages so must ye whose task it is to cure diseases cast out devils doe all those things with all fidelity which are means to that end or never think you have performed your duty When confidence of my power and using the mention of my name will not cast out devils then solemn prayer is your duty to be superadded to that and when that and prayer alone will not doe you must adde fasting also Mat. 17. 21. and not think that 't is free for you to doe or not to doe this and that if you doe it 't is eminent virtue in you but you must looke upon it as necessary duty which when you have done you have done no more then was commanded you and was strictly required of you to doe This is the best answer which is likely to be given to your request of having your faith encreased Doe not you neglect the means and you shall be able to doe what miracles you will But as long as you think your partiall obedience will serve the turne and will not take the pains to fast and pray to cast out a devil and the like this is an infidelity in you Mat. 17. 17 20. which will disable you from doing those miracles which otherwise you would easily be able to doe 11. And it came to passe as he went to Jerusalem that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee Paraphrase 11. who being unclean by their leprosie and so to be separated from society durst not come near unto him 12. And as he entred into a certain village there met him ten men that were lepers which stood a farre off 13. And they lifted up their voices and said Jesus Master have mercy on us Paraphrase 13. And being farre from him they cried aloud to him 14. And when he saw
them he said unto them Go shew your selves unto the priests And it came to passe that as they went they were cleansed Paraphrase 14. You shall be healed and therefore go and shew your selves to the priest which by the law you are required to do when the cure is wrought that he may pronounce you clean Do you go immediately to the priest and before you come thither you shall be cured And accordingly it fell out as they were on their way they were healed 15. And one of them when he saw that he was healed turned back and with a loud voice glorified God 16. And fell down on his face at his feet giving him thanks And he was a Samaritan Paraphrase 16. now came near unto him being cured of his unclean disease which before made him stand afar off and fell down before him on his face 17. And Jesus answering said Were there not ten cleansed but where are the nine 18. There are not found that returned to give glory to God save this stranger Paraphrase 18. No one hath return'd to acknowledge the mercy save this one who is a Gentile or no Jew for so are the Samaritanâ— accounted by the Jews 19. And he said unto him Arise go thy way thy faith hath made thee whole 20. And when he was demanded of the Pharisees When the kingdom of God should come he answered them and said The kingdom of God cometh not with observation 21. Neither shall they say Lo here or lo there for behold the kingdom of God is within you Paraphrase 20 21. When that kingdom of God which John Baptist and he had preached so often should come he said It comes not in any splendid manner as you expect with a pompous solemn Court along with it for men to gaze and look upon it and say Lo here it comes as it is wont to be with ordinary Courts of kings when they remove For indeed it is already among you the Gospel preacht which is the scepter of this kingdom and all other parts are but attendants of that See Mat. 3. c. 22. And he said unto his disciples The dayes will come when ye shall desire to see one of the dayes of the son of man and ye shall not see it Paraphrase 22. And turning to his disciples he tells them of these Pharisees and other the like contemners of his preaching that they that now despise this scepter of the kingdom receive not the Gospel there shall come out against them that iron rod destruction for this great sinne and then 't will be too late for them to wish for these daies of mercy which now they despise and make no use of 23. And they shall say to you See here or see there go not after them nor follow them Paraphrase 23. Then many shall put you in hopes of a deliverer pretend that there is a Messias in this or that place but do not you follow nor heed any such report nor look for any such deliverer See Mat. 24. 25. 24. For as the lightning that lightneth out of one part under heaven shineth unto the other part under heaven so shall also the son of man be in his day Paraphrase 24. For a destruction shall come like lightning quick and fearful upon the Jews from the Romans in this day of Christ's vengeance upon his enemies See note on Heb. 10. a. 25. But first must he suffer many things and be rejected of this generation Paraphrase 25. But this shall not be till after Christ's being rejected and crucified by the Jews 26. And as it was in the daies of Noe so shall it be also in the daies of the son of man 27. They did eat they drank they maried wives they were given in mariage untill the day that Noe entred into the ark and the flood came and devoured them all Paraphrase 26 27. And as it was in the old world when for the great provocations thereof God was pleased to send the flood upon it without any visible change or omen or presignification of the particular time Mat. 24. 36. onely Noah preaching repentance to them and they not hearkning to him and then his building an ark and going into it with his family no man expecting it the flood came and swept away all but those in the ark so shall it be when Christ comes to work his revenge upon his crucifiers when they expect it not at all as soon as ever a course is taken for preserving the faithfull from the destruction see note on Mat. 24. 9. and Rev. 7. 3. the vengeance shall light upon the rest and destroy all that are left in Ierusalem And that is all the foreknowledge of the time you shall have in answer to your question ver 20. 28. Likewise also as it was in the daies of Lot they did eat they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded 29. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodome it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all 30. Even thus shall it be in the day when the son of man is revealed Paraphrase 28 29 30. And as when the sins of Sodome were filled up and their crie was gone up to heaven and God determined to destroy them The people went on in their ordinary course doing all things according to their wont and then on that very day when Lot went out of Sodome the fire and brimstone fell on that city So as soon as the faithfull penitent Christians depart out of Ierusalem that fatall day shall come upon the rest that day I say wherein Christ shall reveal himself by his judgements on his enemies and crucifiers see note on Heb. 10. a. 31. In that day he that shall be upon the house top and his stuffe in the house let him not come down to take it away and he that is in the field let him likewise not return back Paraphrase 31. When thus you see judgment break out let every man then that is in Iudaea make all possible speed to get out of it as Lot and his family did out of Sodome 32. Remember Lot's wife Paraphrase 32. And the least delay or stop in the course all inclinations of kindnesse to the sins or company of that place may be as fatall to any as 't was to Lot's wife who looking back became a pillar of salt Gen. 19. 26. 33. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it and whosoever shall lose his life shall note b preserve it Paraphrase 33. He that shall take any unchristian course of compliance as the Gnostick Christians did afterwards with the Jews to escape their persecutions he undoubtedly shall perish in it and he that being a disciple of mine shall for the testimony of my truth cheerfully and courageously venture death is the onely person that shall escape this judgement See note on 2 Pet. 1. c. 34. I tell you In that night there shall be two men in one bed the one shall be taken and
and arrogant opinion of himself For c. Mat. 23. 12. 15. And they brought unto him also infants that he would touch them But when the disciples saw it they rebuked them Paraphrase 15. those that brought them Mar. 10. 13. 16. But Jesus called them unto him and said Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of God Paraphrase 16. these are of that temper of humility and meeknesse which is so necessary an ingredient in a Christian Mar. 10. 14. 17. Verily I say unto you Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein Paraphrase 17. There is no admission or reception to Christianity for any but such 18. And a certain ruler asked him saying Good master what shall I do to inherit eternal life Paraphrase 18. Mat. 19. 20. Mar. 10. 17. 19. And Jesus said unto him Why callest thou me good none is good save one that is God Paraphrase 19. Mar. 10. 18. 20. Thou knowest the commandements Do not commit adultery Do not kill Do not steal Do not bear false witnesse Honour thy father and thy mother 21. And he said All these have I kept from my youth up 22. Now when Jesus heard these things he said unto him Yet lackest thou one thing fell all that thou hast and distribute to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come follow me Paraphrase 22. Mar. 10. 21. 23. And when he heard this he was very sorrowfull for he was very rich 24. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowfull he said How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God Paraphrase 24. follow me and become Christians and attain everlasting felicity 25. For it is easier for a camel to go through a needles eye then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God Paraphrase 25. There is nothing of more difficulty imaginable 26. And they that heard it said Who then can be saved Paraphrase 26. Who is able to receive this severe doctrine to be a Christian and attain blisse upon these terms to enter on this strict course to be a subject of Christs who requires such tasks of his disciples 27. And he said The things which are impossible with men are possible with God Paraphrase 27. But he said c. See Mat. 19. 26. 28. Then Peter said Lo we have left all and followed thee 29. And he said unto them There is no man that hath left house or parents or brethren or wife or children for the kingdom of Gods sake Paraphrase 29. Mat. 19. 29. 30. Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time and in the world to come life everlasting Paraphrase 30. a most plentifull return of advantages as rich as any the most fruitfull season produceth in this world abstracted from those which he shall receive hereafter in heaven 31. Then he took unto him the twelve and said unto them Behold we go up to Jerusalem and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the son of man shall be accomplished Paraphrase 31. Mat. 20. 18. 32. For he shall be deliver'd unto the Gentiles and shall be mocked and spightfully intreated and spit on 33. And they shall scourge him and put him to death and the third day he shall rise again 34. And they understood none of these things and this saying was hid from them neither knew they the things which were spoken Paraphrase 34. And they did not in any manner understand what he meant by those words 35. And it came to passe that as he was come nigh unto Jericho a certain blind man sat by the way side begging Paraphrase 35. two blind men Mat. 20. 3. 36. And hearing the multitude passe by he asked what it meant 37. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by 38. And he cried saying Jesus thon son of David have mercy on me Paraphrase 38. O thou omnipotent eternal son of God of whom the Prophets have told us that thou shouldest be born of a Virgin of the off-spring of David I beseech thee to pardon my sins and shew thy divine power in healing me 39. And they which went before rebuked him that he should hold his peace but he cried so much the more Thou son of David have mercy on me Paraphrase 39. And the multitude that went along or attended him chid him and bid him 40. And Jesus stood and commanded him to be brought unto him and when he was come near he asked him 41. Saying What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee And he said Lord that I may receive my sight 42. And Jesus said unto him Receive thy sight thy faith hath saved thee Paraphrase 42. thy believing me to be the Messias express'd by thee v. 38. and v. 41. is rewarded by this cure thy sight shall be restored to thee by this word of mine 43. And immediately he received his sight and followed him glorifying God and all the people when they saw it gave praise unto God Annotations on Chap. XVIII V. 1. Not to faint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is to be explained by Hesychius and Phavorinus who have jointly the one out of the other these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as the printed copies of both authors corruptly read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but as 't is clear it must be mended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which 't is clear that the word signifies negligence or carelessenesse The other rendrings of the word by non defatigari and non deficere seem to be grounded on a conjecture that the reading should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas the Manuscripts agree in this other reading and the importance of the Parable is very well satisfied with it which is to stirre us up to diligence and importunity in prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pray at all times answerable to which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Parable v. 5. that is coming perpetually constantly according to the importance of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see note b. and therefore the Syriack here reads coming at all times that is never to omit the constant frequent set houres of performing this duty So likewise 2 Cor. 4. 1. Having this ministry this office intrusted to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are not slothful or negligent in it So Gal. 6. 9. When we are a doing good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us not be slothful but as men that have a sure reward in their eye c. And in the same matter 2 Thess 3. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be ye not negligent in doing good onely it is to be observed that as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek signifying sometimes an idle sluggish base person and so ignavus a slothful person in Latine is also a fearful pusillanimous cowardly person so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some places being by
long as the Temple stood and the sacrifice continued were oft tempted to doubt which was the truer religion the Christian or that of the Jews So we find S. Paul pressing it Rom. 13. 11. knowing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this great season this famous time foretold of wherein they were to be rescued from their persecutors and so their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same that was mention'd Mat. 10. 22. see note h. nearer then when they first believed or were converted to the faith And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this day was nigh at hand and therefore they should keep close to all Christian practise so Jam. 5. having denounced the woes then near approaching upon the Apostarizing Gnosticks who to preserve their worldly tranquillity complied with the Jews and joyned with them in persecuting the Orthodox Christians v. 1. c. and the cries of the oppressed and persecuted that is of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the elect crying here v. 4. he then comforts the believers v. 7. by this argument v. 8. that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this coming of the Lord the very same that is here v. 8. was now close at hand and that explained by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the judge standing at the dore which shews that he will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in this verse avenge the sufferers the believers speedily The same argument is pressed by S. Peter who as S. James c. 1. 1. wrote to those of the dispersion that is to the converted Jews scattered in other nations upon their being persecuted out of Judaea 1 Pet. 4. 7. The end of all things that is of the Jewish sacrifices and all their legal ceremonies and the Temple and people is at hand though Mat. 24. 6. it was said that it is not yet So 1 Joh. 2. 18. It is the last houre and therefore it follows that as you have heard Mat. 24. 5. that many counterfeit Christs should come before that finall destruction of Jerusalem so saith he 't is now by which we know 't is the last hour So Heb. 10. 25. when men were so scandalized at the prevailing of the unbeleivers and persecuting of the Christian faith that they neglected their assembling together gave off their publick meetings he then rouzeth them to stirre up one another to the carefull performance of that neglected duty by their seeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that this day of vengeance so called Lu. 21. 22. upon that nation and people was now very neer at hand All which if when 't is then said to approach and to be at the doore it belonged to the day of judgment now after so many hundred years not yet come what a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were this what a delaying of his coming and consequently what an objection against the truth of Christian religion As Mahomet having promised after his death he would presently return to life again and having not perform'd his promise in a thousand yeares is by us justly condemned for an Impostor See Mat. 24. 34. CHAP. XIX 1. AND Jesus entred and passed through Jericho 2. And behold there was a man named Zacchaeus which was the chief among the Publicans and he was rich 3. And he sought to see Jesus who he was and could not for the prease because he was little of stature Paraphrase 3. And he was very desirous to see the person of Jesus having no farther designe or thought at the present but that ver 14. 4. And he ran before and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him for he was to passe that way 5. And when Jesus came to the place he looked up and saw him and said unto him Zacchaeus make haste and come down for to day I must abide at thy house Paraphrase 5. I mean to be entertained by thee 6. And he made haste and came down and received him joyfully 7. And when they saw it they all murmured saying That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner Paraphrase 7. entertained in an heathen's or Publican's house 8. And Zacchaeus stood and said unto the Lord Behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him fourfold Paraphrase 8. And whilst Christ was there Zacchaeus made this speech unto him Sir half my wealth I bestow upon the poor and whomsoever I have defrauded see note on c. 3. c. or as a Publican exacted more from them then was due I will according to to the law for theeves make a fourfold restitution 9. And Jesus said unto him This day is salvation come to this house for so much as he also is the son of Abraham Paraphrase 9. And Jesus said unto him This day repentance and so the Gospel and the mercies of the Gospel are come home to Zacchaeus as being a believer and so one though a Publican to whom the promises made to the seed of Abraham doe belong 10. For the son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost Paraphrase 10. His being an heathen or Publican or a sinner in his former life doth not render him uncapable of receiving benefit from me but contrariwise gives him a capacity of it upon his repentance For this was the end of my coming to reduce sinners to repentance and to obtain mercy for such Mat. 18. 12. 11. And as they heard these things he added and spake a parable because he was nigh to Jerusalem and because they thought that the kingdome of God should immediately appear 12. He said therefore A certain noble man went into a farre countrey to receive for himself a kingdome and to return Paraphrase 11 12. And at this time or not long after being now not farre from Jerusalem the chief city of the Jewes and so the palace or royall city and upon occasion of their thinking that he would shortly take upon him a regall authority chap. 17. 20. and that that would be at Jerusalem he spake this parable unto them A certain man born heir to a kingdome took a great journey to take possession of it hereby intimating of himself that he was to suffer and rise and goe to heaven so to be installed in his kingdome and then to return again in an eminent manner to shew himself among his countrey-men where he was born and over whom he was to reign 13. And he called his ten servants and delivered them ten pounds and said unto them Occupy untill I come Paraphrase 13. And having severall servants he gave each of them a stock of mony to traffick with in his absence commanding them to improve it to his best advantage that he might receive the benefit of it when he returned noting that the Apostles were after his departure to preach to the Jewes gain as many of them as they could goe through all their cities before Christ should thus come and shew
among the Jewes which is here accommodated to the receiving of Christian religion entring into his discipleship V. 29. He that hath the bride Among the Jewes in their rites of Espousalls there is frequent mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a place where under a covering it was usuall for the bridegroom to discourse familiarly but privately with his spouse whereby their affections might be more knit one to another in order to marriage which were not supposed to be so till the bridegroom came cheerfully out of that Chuppah To this doth David referre Psal 19. 5. speaking of the Sun which as a bridegroom comes forth rejoicing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Chuppah This custome is now still observed among the Jewes as in Germany 't is affirmed either before the Synanagogue in a square place covered over or where there is no Synagogue they throw a garment over the bridegroom and the bride and that serves the turn See Paulus Fagius Exeg in Gen. 4. Whilst now the bridegroom thus talks with the bride the bridegrooms friends that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or pronubi as in Talmud tit Sanhedrin speaking of friends the example of such there mention'd is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 use to stand at the doore agreeable to which is that of Julius Pollux 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the bridegrooms friends is called the doore-keeper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that stands at the doore c. and hearken whether all doe succeed well or no and when they hear the voice of joy which is an intimation from the bridegroom that all is well which Nonnus calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a familiar language some form of kindnesse or familiarity then they rejoyce and so celebrate this news See Elias Levita in Tishbi in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or pronubi it is farther observable out of the Greek Liturgies in the Euchologie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they are used as Mediatours between the bridegroom and his bride and help to make the league between them and therefore in the office of marriage speaking of one of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he takes the mans ring and gives it to the woman and the womans in like manner to the man and the title that is there bestowed on him is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and otherwhere by a corrupt barbarous word fetch'd from the Latine compar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here the friend of the bridegroom and Mat. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an officer used in those Espousalls and defined by Simeon Thessalonicensis to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the undertaker for chastity and kindnesse betwixt the couple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that instructs them in the marriage-duties of love and concord and is as it were the Susceptor in marriage as the Godfather is in Baptisme and so publickly promises for the bridegroom before the Church CHAP. IV. 1. WHen therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples then John Paraphrase 1. Christ knew that the Pharisees heard of his receiving more proselytes by that ceremony of baptisme or washing 2. Though Jesus himself baptized not but his disciples 3. He left Judea and departed again into Galilee Paraphrase 3. Considering the danger that this might bring upon him from the Sanhedrim of the Jewes it being not yet the fit season for him to leave the world till he had farther disseminated his doctrine he left Judea for a time 4. And he must needs goe through Samaria Paraphrase 4. And Samaria was in his way 5. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar neer to the parcell of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph 6. Now Jacob's well was there Jesus therefore being wearied with his journey sate note a thus on the well and it was about the sixt houre Paraphrase 6. In this place was the well which Iacob once digged on which occasion Iesus being weary of travaile sate down close by it on the ground and it was about twelve of the clock mid-day 7. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water Jesus saith unto her Give me to drink 8. For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat 9. Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him How is it that thou being a Jew askest drink of me which am a woman of Samaria For the Jewes have no dealings with the Samaritanes Paraphrase 9. commerce or communication of familiarity 10. Jesus answered and said unto her If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee Give me to drink thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given thee note b living water Paraphrase 10. what a mercy bounty of God is now designed thee and who it is that made that request to thee on purpose that thou mightst be partaker of a farre greater gift thou wouldst not have startled at this request but have made advantage of it to ask and he would certainly have given thee that fountain-water of a divine special quality which would have yielded thee eternall life 11. The woman saith unto him Sir thou hast nothing to draw with and the well is deep from whence then hast thou that living water 12. Art thou greater then our father Jacob which gave us the well and drank ' thereof himself and his children and his cattel Paraphrase 12. Iacob from whom we Samaritans professe to receive our religion and therefore refuse to goe up to Ierusalem which Moses later then he commanded 13. Jesus answered and said unto her Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again Paraphrase 12. It is the nature of this ordinary water to quench thirst for a small time but then constantly that thirst within a small time returns again and so there is continuall need of supply 14. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life Paraphrase 14. But that which I mean by water and which upon thy bare petition I am ready to give thee v. 10. will so refresh that he shall never thirst again that drinketh of it It shall be within himself a perpetually flowing fountain that of its own accord shall yield him daily refreshment here and never cease till it end in everlasting life and blisse 15. The woman saith unto him Sir give me this water that I thirst not neither come hitherto draw Paraphrase 15. As yet the woman understood not his meaning but applying it grosly to corporall thirst she 16. Jesus saith unto her Goe call thy husband and come hither Paraphrase 16. And therefore to work more sense in her Iesus meaning to give her knowledge in some degree that he was the Messias by discovering some acts
have done in my Fathers name whom I affirm to have sent me through his power and by authority from him have born testimony that I am sent by him and therefore that whatever I affirm of my self is true 26. But ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep as I said unto you 27. My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me Paraphrase 26 27. But all this works no belief in you which is an evidence and demonstration from the effect that you are not those sheep that hear the good shepheards voice v. 3 4. see note on ch 6. d. and are known by him v. 14. see note a. 28. And I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand Paraphrase 28. And I make that provision for them intimated v. 10. and my care over them shall be such that while they keep close to me no devourer shall ever be able to annoy them or pluck them from me 29. My Father who gave them me is greater then all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand Paraphrase 29. Certainly my Father is stronger then any that can oppose himself against them and his speciall work it is that all the true sheep of his fold all truly pious persons should come to me and that infinite power of his is engaged for it that none such shall by any violence be taken from him deprived of that life which here I promise to give them 30. I and my Father are one Paraphrase 30. And seeing my Father and I are one it follows that I shall defend them also and that none shall be able to pluck them out of my hand ver 28. 31. Then the Jewes tooke up stones again to stone him Paraphrase 31. Upon this again the Jewes attempted to stone him 32. Jesus answered them Many good works have I shewed you from my Father for which of those works doe you stone me Paraphrase 32. And Jesus said Many miracles of mercy to you miraculous cures c. have I wrought as testimonies of my mission from my Father and never a destructive one none that you have been the worse for For which of these my saving miracles doe you destroy me 33. The Jewes answered him saying For a good work we stone thee not but for blasphemy and because that thou being a man makest thy self God Paraphrase 33. The Jewes said 'T is not for any of thy miracles which are not denied to be all such and acts of mercy in thee for which we think thee worthy of death but because thou hast spoken blasphemy that is because thou who art but a man makest thy self God by that speech of thine ver 30. see Rom. 16. 25. where though thou calledst God thy Father yet thou affirmedst that he and thou were one 34. Jesus answered them Is it not written in your law I said ye are Gods Paraphrase 34. Jesus answer'd These words in the Psalmist you cannot but remember Psal 82. 6. I have said ye are Gods and that book is canonicall scripture with you 35. If he called them Gods unto note b whom the word of God came and the scripture cannot be broken Paraphrase 35. If therefore they who are there spoken of by God that is rulers or judges ordinarily so called who received their Commission from men not from God immediately only persons to whom the execution of Gods law was entrusted among men be by God himself called Gods and whatsoever is said in the books of Scripture is true 36. Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world Thou blasphemest because I said I am the son of God Paraphrase 36. Is it reasonable for you to affirm of him whom God immediately and in an extraordinary manner hath first consecrated then sent into the world then by the descent of the Spirit and voice from heaven testified his mission to so eminent and with so peculiar an office that of the Messiah of the world that he is guilty of blasphemy for affirming himself to be the son of God 37. If I doe not the works of my Father believe me not Paraphrase 37. If I performed not those works among you which might testifie me to come from God you might with some reason doubt of me 38. But if I doe though ye believe not me believe the works that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him Paraphrase 38. But if I doe then though you believe nothing that I say yet your faith is due to those works of God my Father wrought by me by which 't is evident that the Father acts in me and I in him wholly by his power and so that he and I are one which was the speech you charged as blasphemous in me 39. Therefore they sought again to take him but he escaped out of their hands Paraphrase 39. On this speech again they attempt to lay hands on him not now to stone him presently by the law of Zelots as a blasphemer as v. 31. but to bring him before the Sanhedrim and charge some other crime against him But he went out and escaped their violence at that time also 40. And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized and there he abode 41. And many resorted unto him and said John did no miracle but all things that John spake of this man were true 42. And many believed on him there Paraphrase 42. And in that place being the place where John had baptized and testified of Christ they that had heard John comparing what they remembred from him with what they had by experience seen in Christ by this means were inclined many of them to believe in him Annotations on Chap. X. V. 3. His own sheep What the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheep here signifie in this Parable hath been largely set down Note on c. 6. d. viz. the obedient servants of God considered before and without the revelation of Christ unto them who being so qualified are most ready to embrace the precepts of the Christian perfection when they are offer'd to them These also is Christ ready to receive or any that having been engaged in sin come with penitence and resolution of minde to be such And consequently when these come to Christ they are styled here and looked on by him as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is either peculiar sheep those that by Gods praevenient graces are thus fitted beyond all others to come to Christ or else as the 12th verse imports where the shepherd is set opposite to the hireling whose own the sheep are not his own sheep those to whom Christ hath a peculiar title beyond all others who are therefore said to be given by God to Christ as his possession see Note on ch 6. d. Now of these thus own'd or acknowledg'd by Christ it is here said
the disciples to be brought before them they examined them on these interrogatories 1. how they came to be able to doe that miracle ch 3. 7. and whose name they called upon that infirm man see ver 10. in the working of the cure see ch 3. 6. and consequently from whom they pretended to have commission to doe what they did thus to preach unto the people 8. Then Peter filled with the holy Ghost said unto them Ye rulers of the people and Elders of Israel Paraphrase 8. Then Peter being by the Spirit of God such as was promised Mat. 10. 19 20. endued with a great extraordinary presentnesse of speech and elocution v. 13. and taking great boldnesse and confidence upon him began thus 9. If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man by what means he is made whole Paraphrase 9. of an action which is so farre from being a crime that 't is an act of speciall mercy 10. Be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom ye crucified whom God hath raised from the dead even by him doth this man stand here before you whole Paraphrase 10. by no other means but by calling upon him the name of Jesus of Nazareth whom ye put to a shamefull death but God most miraculously raised again this miracle on the lame man was wrought 11. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders which is become the head of the corner Paraphrase 11. This is he that was prophesied of under the title of a refuse stone rejected by you the chief men among the Jewes and looked upon with despight and contempt but is now by his resurrection install'd in all power and dignity an effect of which is this miracle wrought in his name and is indeed become the ruler and king of the whole Church the prime foundation stone of the whole fabrick 12. Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Paraphrase 12. And by him and him only by receiving and embracing of his doctrine salvation must now be hoped for by all For there is no other religion in the world whether that which was delivered by Moses or by any other by which salvation can be had for those which doe not now come in to this at the preaching of it 13. Now when they saw the boldnesse of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men they marvailed and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus Paraphrase 13. And when they observed the clocution v. 8. and freenesse of speech with which they taught see note on Joh. 7. a. and withall considering that their education had not thus elevated them above other men being neither skilled in the learning of the Jewes nor as men of place or magistracy among them instructed in their lawes they were amazed at it but withall they either remembred or were told that they were those that had been attending on Jesus in his life time 14. And beholding the man which was healed standing with them they could say nothing against it Paraphrase 14. though they were as malitiously and petulantly affected toward them ver 16. as was possible yet they had nothing to object or except against the whole action either as it respected the man that was cured or the Apostles that wrought it 15. But when they had commanded them to goe aside out of the councell they conferred among themselves 16. Saying What shall we doe to these men for that indeed a notable miracle bath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem and we cannot deny it 17. But that it spread no farther among the people let us straightly threaten them that they speak henceforth to no man in this name Paraphrase 17. And being not able to conceal what was already known they had nothing to doe but to keep others from knowing it and thereupon their decree in councel was to send for them and to forbid them upon severe penalties to preach Christ and his resurrection and Gospel any more 18. And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus Paraphrase 18. talk privately or teach publickly any thing concerning the faith of Christ 19. But Peter and John answered and said unto them Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more then unto God judge ye Paraphrase 19 But Peter and John made light of this interdict or terrors and told them plainly they were commanded by God to preach and that in all reason God must be obeyed before them or the greatest magistrate on earth and that they themselves could not but confesse so much 20. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard Paraphrase 20. choose but testifie of Christ those truths of so high importance made known to us peculiarly to that end that we should proclaim them to others from our certain knowledge being our selves the eye and ear-witnesses of them 21. So when they had farther threatned them they let them goe finding nothing how they might punish them because of the people for all men glorified God for that which was done Paraphrase 21. And so not knowing what else to say to them being not able to deny the force of their argument they added more threatnings if possibly that might terrifie them and so dismiss'd them having nothing to lay to their charge but the curing of the lame man in the name of Jesus and for this all the people looked on them with admiration and counted it an act of Gods immediate infinite mercy for which they that were instruments of it ought to be blessed not punished by them and therefore they durst not punish or censure them for this 22. For the man was about forty years old on whom this miracle of healing was shewed Paraphrase 22. For it was an inveterate lamenesse from his very birth ch 3. 2. and had been now above forty years upon him when this cure was wrought by Peter 23. And being let goe they went to their own company and reported all that the chief priests and Elders had said unto them 24. And when they heard that they lift up their voice to God with one accord and said Lord thou art God which hast made heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is Paraphrase 14. the rest of the Apostles that were then at Jerusalem and the believers that consorted with them v. 23. 25. Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said Why did the heathen rage and the people imagine vain things Paraphrase 25. Who foretold by his prophet David Psal 2. 1. what was now come to passe viz. that the Jewes should oppose Christ and say false things of him
for what intent ye have sent for me 30. And Cornelius said Four daies agoe I was fasting untill this hour and at the ninth houre I prayed in my house and behold a man stood before me in bright clothing Paraphrase 30. an Angel appeared to me in the shape of a man in bright shining apparel 31. And said Cornelius thy prayer is heard and thine almes are had in remembrance in the sight of God Paraphrase 31. accepted so farre as to bring down this mercy of God on thee and thine acts of mercy are now likely to be rewarded by God abundantly 32. Send therefore to Joppa and call hither Simon whose surname is Peter he is lodged in the house of one Simon a Tanner by the sea side who when he cometh shall speak unto thee 33. Immediately therefore I sent to thee and thou hast well done that thou art come Now therefore are we all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God Paraphrase 33. I thank thee Phil. 4. 14. for coming And now we all here are ready to receive any message from God and to undertake any course that God by thee shall appoint us 34. Then Peter opened his mouth and said Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons Paraphrase 34. looks not on any one man with favour above others meerly because he is a Jew or for any such personall externall prerogatives abstracted from actions and qualifications 35. But in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him Paraphrase 35. But of what nation soever a man be if he undertake the service of the true God and exercise works of mercy and devotion v. 2. he shall be sure to be accepted by God and rewarded with higher revelations and graces from him 36. The word which God sent unto the children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ he is Lord of all 37. That word I say you know which was published thoroughout all Judaea and began from Galilee after the baptisme which John preached 38. How God note e anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil for God was with him Paraphrase 36 37 38. The doctrine which hath been preach'd thorough all Judaea by Gods appointment to wit that of salvation by Jesus appointed by God to be our king and which was first preached in Galilee presently after John Baptist's preaching and baptizing This doctrine you cannot but have heard of viz. concerning Jesus of Nazareth how by the testimony of the holy Ghost descending on him and by the power of working miracles God authorized him and accordingly he hath executed his office an office of mercy instructing and calling to repentance curing diseases and casting out devils by the power of God which was present with him 39. And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jewes and in Jerusalem whom they slew and hanged on a tree Paraphrase 39. put to death and crucified 40. Him God raised up the third day and shewed him openly Paraphrase 40. manifested him to be conquerour over death 41. Not to all the people but unto witnesses chosen before of God even to us who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead Paraphrase 41. But this manifestation was not immediately made to all the multitude of the Jewes but only to his disciples persons whom God had enclined to leave all and follow Christ and to receive the faith which he preach'd to them and to repose their whole trust in him For being crucified by the Jewes and taken from them and so they left destitute and hopelesse for a while God was pleased to revive him again and as he had chosen them to be witnesses of all that Christ did when he was alive so he chose them to be the witnesses most distinctly of his resurrection giving them the honour to eat and drink with him and to see him eat and drink after he rose from the dead 42. And he commanded us to preach unto the people and testifie that it is he which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead Paraphrase 42. Whom therefore he appointed to preach the Gospel of Christ to the world and to proclaim to all that this crucified Christ is raised to Gods right hand to be judge of all men that shall die before and that shall be found alive at the day of doome 43. To him give all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Paraphrase 43. This is he of whom all the Prophets foretell that in him God would strike a new covenant with mankind of which this is the summe that although men were sinners yet upon receiving of him embracing his doctrine they should by their prayers offered to God in his name obtain pardon and remission 44. While Peter yet spake these words the holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word Paraphrase 44. Whilst Peter was thus speaking the holy Spirit either by some way of visible appearance such as that was on the Apostles Act. 15. 8. or else manifesting himself in them by the effects the same that had attended the visible descent Act. 2. the gift of tongues c. v. 46. came down upon them see v. 47. and c. 11. 15. and gave unto those that heard him power of doing miracles of speaking strange languages v. 46. to some to others other gifts and graces fitting them for severall conditions in the Church see ch 19. 6. 45. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished as many as came with Peter because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the holy Ghost Paraphrase 45. And the Jews which had received the Gospel and came with Peter wondred extremely 46. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnifie God Then answered Peter Paraphrase 46. blesse God for his great mercies to them 47. Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the holy Ghost as well as we Paraphrase 47. Is there any doubt or question to be made of the baptizing of these and receiving them into freedome of the congregation to whom although they be Gentiles God hath himself allowed that which is more then baptisme viz. the descent of the holy Ghost upon them thereby fitting them for offices in his Church in the same manner as by descent of the holy Ghost we received our commission Act. 2. 48. And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days Annotations on Chap. X. V. 2. A devout man What is meant by Proselytes and the two sorts of them hath been set down Note on Mat. 23. d. and the manner of initiating them by washing Note on Mat. 3. a.
understanding of this Epistle and that which hath superseded the necessity of multiplying the Annotations on all the dark passages which would much more have lengthned the work and have been lesse intelligible by the vulgar reader The prime things that must here be care of are first that the occasions of the severall parts of the Apostles discourse be adverted to viz. some objections of the Judaizers against his doctrine and practice which are secretly insinuated and require great and diligent care to discern them And then secondly that the rationall importance of every part of this Epistle the relation it hath to the conclusion which it is designed to inferre and the connexion of one part with another be weighed and permitted to have its due influence on the interpretation and then the bare sound of some few incidentall passages will not be of force to misguide any The Epistle of PAUL the Apostle to the ROMANS CHAP. I. 1. PAul a servant of Jesus Christ called to be an Apostle separated unto the Gospell of God 2. Which he had promised afore by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures Paraphrase 1 2. one that hath received this speciall singular mercy from him to be an Apostle authorized and set apart Act. 13. 2. to that office of preaching the Gospell which God had promised by the Prophets that it should now be revealed to the Gentiles as well as Jewes to all the world by the ministery of the Apostles 3. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh 4. And declared to be the Sonne of God with power according to the spirit of holinesse by the note a resurrection from the dead Paraphrase 3 4. Concerning the Messias the Son of God by him sent into the world who according to the flesh was born a Jew of the stock of David but according to the spirit of holinesse or in respect of that other nature in him called his eternal spirit Heb. 9. 14. far above all that is flesh and blood that I say which shone in him most perfectly after and through and by his resurrection from the dead 2 Cor. 13. 4 was set at God's right hand the Sonne of God in power to whom accordingly as to a Sonne all power was given by the Father even Jesus Christ our Lord. 5. By whom we have received grace and Apostleship for obedience to the faith among all Nations for his name Paraphrase 5. Who hath afforded me the favour or honour to be sent as Apostle of the Gentiles to all the Nations of the world to reveal to them and work in them obedience to the doctrine of the Gospell called the faith Act. 6. 7. in his name and to his glory 6. Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ Paraphrase 6. In which number ye also are as many as have received the faith of Jesus Christ see note on Mat. 20. c. 7. 7. To all that be in Rome beloved of God called to be Saints Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 7. To all the Christians that are in Rome Jewes and Gentiles both beloved of God and which have received that speciall mercy from him to be from a state of all unworthinesse brought in and received by him to be Christians and Saints I send greeting and thereby my heariest wishes and prayers that all the divine mercies and goodnesse and all manner of prosperity from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be multiplyed upon you 8. First I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world Paraphrase 8. And the beginning of my greeting to you must be my acknowledgement of the great goodnesse of God unto you all which is an infinite mercy also to me who do exceedingly desire the advancement of the Gospell amongst you that the report of your submission to the Gospell of Christ is spread far and neer over all the world 9. For God is my witnesse whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospell of his Sonne that without ceasing I make mention of you alwayes in my prayers 10. Making request if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you Paraphrase 9 10. For God knowes and will bear me witnesse whom I inwardly and sincerely serve in the preaching of the Gospell of Christ how daily constant I am in mentioning all your wants to God and whensoever I pray making this one solemne request that what I have so long designed and desired may happily if it seem good in Gods eyes be accomplished at last viz. that I may come personally unto you 11. For I long to see you that I may impart unto you some spirituall gifts to the end you may be established Paraphrase 11. For I earnestly and passionately desire to see you that what ever part of my Apostolical office or of the gifts which God hath endued me with may contribute any thing toward the confirming of you in the faith who are Christians already may be by me freely communicated unto you 12. That is that I may be comforted together with you by the mutuall faith both of you and me Paraphrase 12. That by my affording you some spirituall aide you may receive comfort and advantage and I also by your being thus confirmed by my means and so we may be mutuall comforts to one another by the communicating of my knowledge and the encrease of yours 13. Now I would not have you ignorant brethren that oft times I purposed to come unto you but was let hitherto that I might have some fruit among you also even as among other Gentiles Paraphrase 13. And truly brethren I desire you should know that it hath been no fault or omission of mine that I have not come all this while many resolutions I have had but from time to time some obstacle hath interposed that I might have the comfort of seeing you and imparting somewhat to you which may tend to your advantage and proficiency as I have in the rest of the Nations that have been either converted by me or whom I have since visited and confirmed as I desire to do you at this time v. 10. 14. I am a debter both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians both to the wise and to the unwise Paraphrase 14. I count my self obliged to do whatsoever I can either in the preaching of the Gospell or confirming them which have received it to all sorts of men in the world both those of the Churches in Asia Ephesus c. which are in Greece and others which are most distant from them and by the Greeks called Barbarians and so I count my selfe to owe to you Romans the taking a journey to you at this time from which I have hitherto been hindred v. 13. 15. So as much
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying coram ex opposite and yet used to denote that which is like and answerable Thus 't is certain S. Chrysostome understood the word in this place for so saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning is as God is no partial God but the Father of all so Abraham and again if he were not the father of all that dwell on the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word should have no place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Gods gift would be maimed and in express words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies in like manner And so Theophylact from him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before God is instead of like God This observation may possibly be usefull to the finding out the full importance of some other places As when the commandment is given to Abraham of walking before God and being perfect Gen. 17. 1. which in this notion of before will be all one with Be ye perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect V. 20. Staggered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Phavorinus to doubt demurre dispute and be incredulous So is the word used Mat. 21. 21. Act. 10. 20. and 11. 2 12. Rom. 14. 23. Jam. 1. 6. and 2. 24. Jude 9 and 22. See Paulus Fagius on Pirche Aboth p. 82. CHAP. V. 1. THerefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 1. By this faith therefore it is that as many as sincerely embrace the Gospel are freely pardoned and accepted by God in Christ and being so they are reconciled unto God through our Lord Jesus Christ and though they have formerly been Gentiles need not become Proselytes of the Jewes need not any legal performances of circumcision c. to give them admission to the Church of Christ as the Judaizing Gnosticks contend 2. By whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God Paraphrase 2. Nay by him we have already received by faith only not by virtue of those performances reception and admission to those privileges to this Evangelical estate wherein now we stand and have done for some time and have a confident assurance that God which hath dealt thus graciously with us will if we be not wanting on our part make us hereafter partakers of his glory and this is matter of present rejoicing to us 3. And not onely so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience Paraphrase 3. And we not only rejoice in this hope of future glory but on this score also we are infinitely pleased with our present sufferings see Note on Heb. 3. b. whatsoever befall us now knowing that although our afflictions be in their own nature bitter yet they are occasions to exercise and thereby to work in us the habit of many excellent virtues as first patience and constancy which is required of us and which is most reasonable to be shewed in so precious a cause 4. And patience experience and experience hope Paraphrase 4. And this patience works another fruit for without that we could have no way of exploring or trying our selves touching our sincerity which is only to be judged of by triall and without this triall and approbation of our sincerity we could have no safe ground of hope which is only grounded on God's promises and those made onely to the faithfull sincere constant Christians 5. And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us Paraphrase 5. Which hope being thus grounded will be sure never to fail us 't is impossible we should ever be ashamed or repent of having thus hoped and adhered to Christ An evidence of which we have in God's having so plentifully express'd his love to us in testifying the truth of what we believe by sending his holy Spirit to 〈◊〉 â—urpose which â—ures us that we can never miscarry in depending on him for the performance of his promises that being the great fundamental one promised before his death on which all the others depend 6. For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly Paraphrase 6. This appears from the very beginning of Christ â— dealing with us for without all respect to any worth in us Christ when we were all in a sick yea a mortal that is sinfull see Theophylact damnable estate see 1 Cor. 8. note b. came then in a most seasonable opportunity to rescue us from that certain damnation which attended us as impious wicked creatures vouchâ—afed to suffer in our stead himself to die that he might free us from certain eternal death if we would now reform and come in to the obedience of the Gospel 7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die Paraphrase 7. And what a degree of love this was you may judge by this that among men though for a very mercifull person see note on Mat. 20. b. some one man would perhaps venture his life yet for any man else though he were a righteous and just man you shall hardly find any man that will be so liberal or friendly as to part with it 8. But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Paraphrase 8. Whereas God's expression of mercy was infinitely above this proportion of any the most friendly man for he when he had nothing in the object to move him to it when we were so farre from being good or just men from being mercifull or pious in the highest degree that we were prosane customary sinners he then sent his Son Christ to die for us to obtain by the shedding of his own blood pardon of sinnes for us upon our reformation and amendment 9. Much more then being now note a justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him Paraphrase 9. And having thus dyed and done so much for us when we had nothing but our sins to provoke him to or make us capable of any mercy much more now being thus for restored to his favour and by that ransome of his paâ—'d for us redeemed out of that certain ruine that attended us we shall if we be not wanting to our selves in performing the condition required on our parts be actually delivered from all effects of his displeasure in another world and for the effecting of this great advantage we receive from him also viz. by his resurrection from death and mission of his spirit which tends more to our actuall justification then his death did see c. 4. 25. 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Paraphrase 10. For if God when
men lived and went on in sinne and hostility against him were pleased to have such favourable thoughts toward them see note on Mat. 5. m. if by the satisfaction wrought for our sins by Christ we were then thus farre restored to his favour that he was pleased to propose unto us free and easie conditions of mercy in the Gospell if he then used us so friendly as not to praeclude the way of salvation but called us to repentance with promise of pardon for all past sinnes upon our coming penitently in unto him much more easie will it be and agreeable to that former essay of his goodness to us now after he hath gone so farre with us to rescue us out of the power and danger of our sins by his rising from the dead c. 4. 25. and sending that Spirit by which he was raised to raise us up to a new life And this also as far as concerns Gods part is wrought for us 11. And not onely so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement Paraphrase 11. And yet this is not all but having received these benefits of reconciliation and promises of future salvation if we be not wanting to our selves we have now ground even of the greatest joy and confidence and dependence on God in all that can befall us in this life see v. 3. through this same Christ Jesus who having made peace between God and us and tendred us such easie conditions of mercy now under the Gospell hath also given us a title to all consequent acts of friendship and kindnesse which can be received from God so that all that now befalls us being for our good is consequently matter of rejoycing to us 12. note b Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sinne and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Paraphrase 12. From all which the conclusion is that as by Adam's disobedience to that Law given to him under the penalty of death that is by eating the forbidden fruit sin came into the world and death or mortality by sinne and being come in seized not onely on Adam to whom 't was particularly and expressely threatned In the day that thou eatest thou shalt die the death but upon all meer men also that were after born because all were sinners that is born after the image and likeness of Adam that was now a sinner and had begotten no childe in his innocence 13. For untill the Law sinne was in the world but sinne is not imputed when there is no Law 14. Neverthelesse death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression who is the figure of him that was to come Paraphrase 13 14. For after Adam's time before Moses or the time of giving the Law men sinned and though it be true that sinne is not charged to punishment but when there is a Law to forbid it expresly under that penalty and therefore it might be thought that sinne without the Law would not bring in death into the world yet by the parity of reason all men being Adam's posterity and begotten after the image or similitude of a sinfull parent v. 12. and God being supposed to rule the world still after the manner that he had first explicitely revealed that death that was once come in did lay hold on all that posterity of Adam from that time till Moses when the Law was given and death again denounced expresly though they sinned not against a Law promulgated under that penalty or in that high presumptuous degree that Adam did In which thing Adam is in the comparison the opposite member to Christ the Messias to come for as death which was the punishment of Adam's sin past on all men begotten after the similitude of sinfull Adam though they committed not that particular sin of eating the apple against which the death was expresly decreed and threatned that is though they sinnd not so presumptuously against a Law promulgated under that penalty so justification and eternal life belongeth not only to those who were as Christ perfectly just who have never lived in sinne but cometh upon all others who having not obeyed after the likenesse of Christ doe yet return unto him by faith and repentance and then for the future obey sincerely though not exactly and so in some manner and degree resemble Christ as children doe parents and as mankind did Adam 15. But not as the offence so also is the free gift for if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many Paraphrase 15. In this place there ought to be in ordinary manner of writing another member of the period answerable to the beginning of it v. 12. the 13th and 14th verses being certainly to be read as in a parenthesis after this manner For as c. So c. But the Apostle having insisted on the first part of the comparison thus farre and finding that the grace in Christ rose much higher then the condemnation in Adam he is fain to forsake that comparison and to rise above a comparison and conclude not with a So but with a Not onely so but much more thus The gift communicated from Christ to believers is farre greater then the punishment communicated from Adam to his posterity as sinners for as they were begotten after the similitude of laps'd Adam and so were all sinners as well as Adam so probably were they as great sinners in other kinds as Adam was in that but these to whom the mercy in Christ belongs are not righteous in such a degree as well as Christ 16. And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences unto justification Paraphrase 16. And as in respect of the likenesse the advantage is on Christ's side of the comparison believers being not so like Christ in degree of holinesse as they were like Adam in degree of 〈◊〉 so again for the sinne for which Christ wrought atonement the advantage is great again on Christ's side above Adams 〈◊〉 not only as by Adam so by Christ but the benefit farre exceeded the hurt for indeed the charge or enditement see note on ch 3. b. and consequently the sentence that was on occasion of one sinne did naturally and by the same reason belong to the condemnation of all others that were born after his image sinners as well as he but the gift that was brought in by Christ pardon for all new creatures was upon occasion of many sinnes and to the justifying of those that were not righteous as Christ no nor as Adam but had been guilty of more then one even of many sinnes And this makes the
with justified and that belongeth to enemies while they are such to whom yet we know by many other places that actual pardon and so actual justification or reconciliation belongs not 3 dly by comparing of this justification by Christ with the condemnation by Adam v. 16. where Adams condemnation belonging to all the justification spoken of must be that also which belongs to all and so not the actual pardon which doth not belong to all or to any but those who perform the condition All which being supposed 't is from other places manifest that some condition there is required of us to make us capable of this benefit of the death of Christ the non-performance of which is that which restrains and limits the number of men actually justified to a farre narrower compasse then that which is here spoken of and this condition being to be performed by us by the means of the resurrection and grace of Christ 't is therefore said c. 4. 25. that he rose again for our justification that is to make us capable of those fruits and benefits of Christs death as well as died for our sinnes See Note on c. 3. h. V. 12. Wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here being an illative form and most fitly rendred Wherefore makes it here necessary to enquire how that which followes is inferr'd from what went before and the satisfying that enquiry will prepare for a right understanding of the remainder of this chapter The former chapters had maintained the right of the Apostles preaching to the Gentiles by shewing that God was an impartial Judge both to punish impenitent foul sins and to reward penitence and good living without any partiality whether in Jew or Gentile c. 1. and 2 but most discernibly c. 2. 6. to the end Then in the third chapter follow objections against this and answers to them and on occasion of one of them taken from the sinfulness of the Gentiles is inserted a discourse of Justification under the Gospel shewing how that is no way prejudiced by past sinnes if they be sincerely forsaken nor hindred by want of Circumcision and Mosaical observances And this is insisted on and exemplified in both parts by the story of Abraham chapter 4. and then brought home to all believers in the former part of this chapter From all which as so many premisses or mediums of probation the conclusion is here inferr'd but withall by comparing the Justification by Christ with the Condemnation by Adam farther confirm'd and illustrated in the remainder of this chapter viz that the mercy of God under the Gospel belongs unlimitedly or indefinitely to all sorts of men the Gentiles as well as Jews For the discerning of which it will be needfull that through the remainder of the chapter an Emphasis be laid on the universal forms of speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all men v. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the world v. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the many and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 toward the many v. 15. and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 toward all men twic◠v. 18. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the many twice v. 19. By all and each of which are meant in the widest latitude without exclusion of any all mankind to whom Jewes and Gentiles the mercy and life introduced by Christ belongeth only on condition of new life required of them as the condemnation or death in Adam did to all his posterity The other difficulties in the chapter caused by essipses v. 15 16 18. by a parenthesis of two verses 13 14. by a comparison divided one part from the other by that parenthesis and the second part of it rising higher then the former and so necessarily changed from the form of a comparison or equality to that of an argument à minori ad majus from the lesse to the greater are explicated in the Paraphraste and need not here farther be insisted on CHAP. VI. 1. WHat shall we say then shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound 2. God forbid How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein Paraphrase 1 2. Now therefore for that objection against our doctrine of the Gentiles being taken in by God intimated ch 3. 8. Doe we affirm indeed what we are accused to affirm that men may live and continue and go on in sin that by that means the mercy of God which we acknowledge is illustrated by his looking graciously on the Gentile sinners may be in like manner the more set out by pardoning the greater sinners continued and gone on in by us Christians God forbid we should make any such conclusion or make any such use of the doctrine of God's mercy to sinners which we know was designed only to call and draw the Gentiles out of their sinfull courses to sincere reformation upon this promise of pardon for what is past Act. 17. 30. on condition of future amendment and not to encourage them to continue or go on one minute longer in that course or to flatter them with hope of impunity if they did Certainly our doctrine is of a farre distant making from this and our profession of Christianity most strictly obliges us to the contrary for our baptism is a vowed death to sin and therefore we that are baptized must not in any reason return to or live any longer in it our being baptized Christians obligeth us not to return to this mire again after we are thus washed 3. Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death 4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newnesse of life Paraphrase 3 4. 'T is a thing that every Christian knows that the immersion in baptisme referres to the death of Christ the putting the person baptized into the water denotes and proclaims the death and buriall of Christ and signifies our undertaking in baptisme that we will give over all the sins of our former lives which is our being buried together with Christ or baptized to his death that so we may live that regenerate new life answerable to Christ's resurrection which consists in a course of all sanctity a constant Christian walk all our daies 5. For if we have been planted together in the likenesse of his death we shall be also in the likenesse of his resurrection Paraphrase 5. For if wee have in baptisme undertaken to forsake sin and to be dead to the motions of it and so to imitate Christ's death and thereby have been so graffed into Christ that we are become the same tree with him partaking of the same juice with that root we are then under the very same obligation to imitate and transcribe his resurrection by our new regenerate lives which are our first resurrection and the lively
not of him that willeth or of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Paraphrase 16. From which testimony it is plain that this mercy is not the merit or due peculiarly of them that most violently pretend to have it so and strive most for it that is of the Jewes as is implied v. 31. though they strive not as they ought to doe and again that 't is not any thing of merit in the Gentile for which God calls him to Christianity now the Jew hath rejected it as 't was not all that Isaac could doe by willing to bestow the blessing on Esau nor that Esau could doe by running to obtain it when he came running and crying Hast thou but one blessing c. see Chrysost t. 5. p. 775. but only the free mercy of God to undeserving Gentiles when the Jewes have first had and contemned this mercy 17. For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh Even for this same purpose have I note h raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth Paraphrase 17. And for the other part of the doctrine against which injustice was objected viz. that of the rejecting of the Jewes and not justifying them upon observation of Mosaical external performances without inward purity preach'd by Christ there is as plain a testimony again of God's concerning his dealing in the like case viz. shewing exemplary punishments on impenitent sinners and such were the Jewes that would not believe on Christ but depended on the prerogative of their birth and legal performances And this is in the case of Pharoah Exod. 9. 10. when after the sixth judgment Pharaoh having hardned his own heart so long and over and above frustrated Moses's special last warning Exod. 8. 29. and hardned his heart that time also v. 32. answerable to which was the Jewes resisting of Christ also after all the rest of the Prophets stoning the son after the servants in the parable and moreover resisting of the Apostles preaching through all their cities after Christ's resurrection upon which God gave them up to obduration and the Apostles departed to the Gentiles God takes Pharaoh in hand and saith he will harden his heart v. 12. this time though not before v. 14. and adds that he had or would have cut him off with the pestilence see note i. and utterly destroyed him from the earth see v. 15. in the praeter not future tense but that he preserved him alive beyond his time raised him out of that great danger or pestilential disease that had been upon the land for no other end but to make the divine power more illustriously visible in him and make all the earth hear of the exemplary punishments of God in this life upon one that had thus often hardned his heart against God 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he wil he note i hardneth Paraphrase 18. From which speech of God's to Pharaoh 't is evident that as God in shewing mercy is not bound to render any reason of it beyond his own will v. 15. so when he delivers up an obdurate sinner to the obduration of his heart this he may justly doe if he please especially when all that is done in this is not by infusing any quality into him but by leaving him now to himself who had so often held out against God and by inflicting that judgment on him on earth which had otherwise been at this time his portion in hell and this for ends formerly mentioned v. 17. Whereas to many others not so farre advanced in obduration he continueth his admonitions chastisements and by that means brings them to reformation And as this was most visibly true on one side in Pharaoh and on many other men on the other side to whom God shewes himself thus mercifull infinitely beyond their merit of which no account can be given by us but only God's free mercy so in the case in hand of the Jewes and Gentiles 't is most observable God's free undeserved grace is his only motive to shew mercy to the Gentiles to call them to the Gospel and his free pleasure to deal thus with the incredulous obdurate Jewes to leave them at last to themselves upon their hardning themselves so oft despising the prophets crucifying the Son of God and at last rejecting the Apostles and in them the holy Ghost coming to them fortified with that great testimony as of Jonas out of the whales belly which converted sinfull Ninive the resurrection of Christ from the dead and so by hiding from their eyes the things that belong to their peace by withdrawing the Gospel from them to harden their hearts Mat. 13. 14. Mar. 4. 12. Luk. 8. 10. Joh. 21. 40. Act. 28. 26. Rom. 11. 8. 19. Thou wilt say then unto me Why doth he yet find fault for who hath resisted his will Paraphrase 19. But upon this passage of Pharaoh 't is or may be objected If God after the sixth judgement hardned Pharaoh's heart why doth he then expostulate or childe with him after that as 't is clear he doth Exod. 9. 17. As yet exaltest thou thy self for then God might be said to will his obduration which he had inflicted on him as a punishment and then what possibility was there for him to resist his will that God should still find fault Parallel to this it may perhaps be objected in respect of the Jewes who after God's delivering up the Jewes to that obduration foretold Mat. 13. 14. and intimated though not yet at the speaking of those words come to passe Luk. 19. 42. that after the Apostles departing from them and preaching to the Gentiles Act. 13. 46. he yet by himself and his Apostles reproves and chides them when now the prediction of their subversion and total destruction is irreversibly gone out against them Luk. 23. 44. To this objection most clearly and punctually proposed as it concerns Pharaoh at that time of his life when God said As yet exaltest thou thy self and by intimation and analogie as it concerns the Jews his parallel and indeed to the whole matter before set down the Apostle answers 1. by way of indignation against the objecter to repell the force of his argument thus 20. Nay but O man who art thou that repliest against God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou made me thus Paraphrase 20. In matters that thus belong to the wisdome of God and his dispensations what man shall dare object any thing against his proceedings shall the creature dispute with the Creator or question him to what end he hath thus and thus dealt with him Is there any reason to find fault with God or so much as to make any reply to him for asking that question of Pharaoh after that time or doing any thing proportionable to that to the Jewes after judgement was gone out against them In matters of
would be worse with him then before and yet v. 32. as soon as the judgment was removed Pharaoh hardned his heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this turn this time also Upon this God sends the sixth plague that of Murrein upon all the cattel of Aegypt c. 9. 6. and the heart of Pharaoh was hardned v. 7. and so still all this while for these six judgments together though Pharaoh were obdurate yet this was not God's hardning his heart but Pharaoh hardens his own heart and will not let Israel goe as the Lord commanded Upon this God sends another judgment that of Boyles and Blaines v. 10. and then 't is said in a new style The Lord hardned Pharaohs heart v. 12. which as it was the very time at first referred to by the prediction of God to Moses c. 4. 21. so was it the judgment implicitly threatned in that speciall warning c. 8. 29. and this God never did till then and therefore as after that warning 't was said that Pharaoh hardned his heart this time also so 't is here said v. 14. that this time this turn now though not before God would pour out all his plagues upon his heart viz. this obduration or the effects of it Upon which followes that passage wherein our common translation hath so much mistaken c. 9. 14 15. not as we read For now I will stretch out my hand that I may smite thee and thy people with the pestilence for the event proves there was no such matter Pharaoh was not smitten with the pestilence nor cut off by that means but drowned in the red sea some time after but thus And or For now I had sent or stretch'd out my hand and I had smitten thee and thy people with the pestilence and thou hadst been cut off from the earth It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the praeter tense sent or had sent as M r Aynsworth confesses and the learned Paulus Fagius out of the Chaldee Paraphrase Nunc prope erat coram me ut misissem plagam percussissem te deletus esses I was neer stretching out my hand to have sent the plague and have struck thee and thou hadst been blotted out referring probably to the plague of the Murrein at the beginning of the chapter called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both here and v. 3. and that falling on the cattel might have fallen on him and the people also or else to the Boyles ver 12. which might be plague-swellings and so proper enough to have cut him off But not And in very deed for this cause I have made thee stand kept thee alive to shew or make to be seen so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 literally signifies my power in thee as when saith Chrysostome a man condemned to death is cut up and anatomized alive that others may be instructed and benefited by that dissection By this then 't is visible what was the point of time wherein 't is truly said of God that he hardned Pharaeohs heart then when 't is said he kept him alive that is after the sixth judgment and a speciall warning before that both contemned by Pharaoh when he had filled up the measure of his obduration and in ordinary course was to be cut off by death and so 't is here added in reference to this example of Pharaoh v. 22. God willing to shew his wrath and make his power to be known to other men that might see or hear of this endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction which notes that he was by himself fitted to destruction when God thus reprieved him at which time also 't is said that he that is God hardned his heart By this observation of the time when God hardned Pharaoh not till after his hardning his own heart six times against Gods signes and judgments will appear what this hardning signifies the total withdrawing of Gods grace of repentance from him in the same manner as when one is cast into hell which Pharaoh at that time had been had it not been more for God's glory to continue him alive a while in that desperate irreversible condition which sure was no whit worse to him but somewhat better and more desirable then to have been adjudged to those flames all that time To this may be added what the Greek Fathers observe that God's giving his respite removing his punishments was all that God positively did toward the hardning of him as saith Theophylact when a Master forbears to punish a wicked servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he makes him much more wicked as on the other side the great mercy of reforming sinners lives is most effectually wrought by chastisements See Origen Philocal c. 26. This was a notable and withall as farre as we find in Scripture a singular example of God's dealing with an impenitent that had filled up his measure keeping him alive but without all grace and consequent possibility of amending And by this example appears how justly God might now doe the like to the Jewes of that age if so he pleased those who contrary to all his mercies and long suffering continued obstinate resisted all Gods methods by Prophets by Christ himself by the Apostles testifying the Resurrection and giving them a special warning what would befall them if they now continued obstinate Act. 28. 28. and now are justly left to themselves the Gospel taken from them and preach'd to the Gentiles and this upon ends of infinite wisdome first in mercy to them above the proportion of that to Pharaoh that the Gentiles coming in might stirre them up to emulation and so if 't were possible work upon them and 2 ly that if this also prevailed not God might be glorified in their destruction that as Pharaoh by pursuing the Israelites after this came to that most remarkable illustrious destruction in the Red sea so these hardned Jewes persecuting the orthodox Christians and all the false impious professors joyning with them herein might be involved in one common destruction viz. that by Titus and the Roman Eagles the most eminent and notable that ever was in the world V. 28. For he will finish This verse is cited out of Isaiah c. 10. 22. where the Greek reads it just as 't is in the ordinary copies here only leaving out the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for and in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the land 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the whole world As for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here it cannot well accord with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 following unlesse the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be taken in another sense for an Expletive or scilicet not a Causal But the truth is the ordinary reading here beginning with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems to be the true one so farre but in the processe of it to have some words put in out of the Septuagint viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For without those the King's MS. reads
Ephesus which we find in many copies of the subscription of the Epistle we have reason to believe that his remove was not so suddain but that this Epistle was written first and sent from thence And accordingly we may interpret his words ch 16. 8. which contain a second circumstance that he will tarry at Ephesus till Pentecost that is till the time of his going up to Jerusalem which he had determined to doe that year at Pentecost For that after this he should come again to Ephesus or to any other part of Asia and write from thence as by the salutations of the Asiaticks 't is apparent he did ch 16. 18. before his going to Jerusalem is not reconcileable with the passages in the Acts set down ch 20. where in his journey from Ephesus v. 1. we find him at Easter at Philippi and after that at Troas and though he passe through Asia yet his hast was so great to reach Jerusalem before Pentecost that he could not put in at Ephesus v. 16. but was fain to transact that businesse at Miletus that would have call'd him to Ephesus ver 17. If this be thus rightly concluded for the place of writing this Epistle then the time will be concluded also at the end of his three years stay in Asia Act. 20. 31. that is An. Chr. 54. Before which time through the Gnosticks and Judaizers great schismes and divisions had broken out at Corinth and in other cities of that Province and many other soul corruptions had crept in by false heretical teachers and even the denying of the resurrection by some of the Christians there which caused the writing of this Epistle And upon the same occasions and subjects was Clement's Epistle some years after written unto them which as it uses all arguments to reproach the unreasonableness of their schisme and commotion against their present Governours so it insists at large on the proving the Resurrection CHAP. I. 1. PAul called to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God and Softhenes our brother Paraphrase 1. See Rom. 1. 1. and note on Mat. 20. c. 2. Unto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be saints with all that in every place note a call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours Paraphrase 2. To the Church of God at Corinth to those that through the faith of Christ have been sanctified to the speciall saints Rom. 1. 7. that are in that city together with all other Christians in every place within the regions of Achaia both Jewes and Gentiles 3. Grace be to you and peace from God our father and from the Lord Jesus Christ 4. I thank my God alwaies on your behalf for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ Paraphrase 4. for the great mercy afforded you in the preaching the Gospel to you and all the graces so visible among you consequent to that 5. That in every thing ye are inriched by him in all note b utterance and in all note c knowledge 6. Even as the testimony of Christ was note d confirmed in you 7. So that ye come behind in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 5 6 7. For in all things belonging to Christ ye have been very plentifully furnish'd either in all ability of instructing others and in understanding of mysteries or else in having the Gospel first preached and then farther explained to you the one at the first planting of the faith among you by me the other by the watering of Apollos so that now there is no need of any addition to be made but onely that you persevere in what you have expecting this coming of Christ to the deliverance of the faithfull and remarkable destruction of all other his enemies and crucifiers 8. Who shall also confirm you unto the end that ye may be blamelesse in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 8. Which Christ will I doubt not give you grace to hold out till this time comes and to be found sincere Christians at that time when all others shall be destroyed 9. God is faithfull by whom we were called unto the fellowship of his son Jesus Christ our Lord. Paraphrase 9. For of this be confident that God will make good his promise and having called you to the knowledge of the Gospel and participation of the graces reach'd out to you therein will never faile you in any thing else that is needfull for you if you doe not faile your selves 10. Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no division among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment Paraphrase 10. That therefore which I first exhort you to and that with all earnestnesse possible as the prime addition to those gifts and graces that are among you is this that ye all teach the same doctrine and nourish charity and unity that there be no divisions in your Churches but that ye be compacted and united as members of the same body in the same belief and affections 11. For it hath been declared unto me of you my brethren by them which are of the house of Chloe that there are contentions among you Paraphrase 11. This exhortation I suppose ye have need of having had information by those of Chloe's family see ch 16. 17. that there are schismes among you 12. Now this I say that every one of you saith I am of Paul and I of Apollos and I of Cephas and I of Christ Paraphrase 12. My meaning is that some pretend their doctrine was taught them peculiarly by Paul and differs from what others teach others that they have theirs from Apollos or from Peter or from Christ himself 13. Is Christ divided was Paul crucified for you or were ye baptized in the name of Paul Paraphrase 13. Now ye must know that the doctrine of Christ must not differ from it self and therefore if Paul preach any thing contrary to what Christ taught Paul must not be heeded in comparison with Christ the foundation of your faith being not Paul but Christ 14. I thank God that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius 15. Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name 16. And I baptized also the houshold of Stephanas besides I know not whether I baptized any other Paraphrase 14 15 16. For my part I am so farre from pretending any such matter from having baptized you into the faith of Paul that I never did baptize above two of you Crispus and Gaius and the houshold of Stephanas as I remember 17. For Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospel not with wisdome of words lest the crosse of Christ should be
in the city of Corinth and in all other cities and regions through all Achaia 2. Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ 3. Blessed be God even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of mercies and the God of all comforts Paraphrase 3. I have all reason to blesse and magnifie the name of God which purposely sent our Lord Jesus Christ into the world and by that and his many other gracious acts of his particular providence hath shewed himself to be a most mercifull and gracious Father unto us 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God Paraphrase 4. Who in all the preasures that have befallen me hath eminently relieved and succoured me and by those experiences hath enabled me to refresh and cheer up all those that are in any affliction 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ Paraphrase 5. By this one consideration of which I have had so frequent evidences that according to the proportion of our suffering for Christ Christ doth constantly afford us comforts and reliefs the greater our afflictions are the greater also our refreshments from Christ 6. And whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation and salvation which is effectuall in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer or whether we be comforted it is for your consolation and salvation Paraphrase 6. And so what afflictions soever befall us there is no reason you should be startled or discouraged in your Christian course by that means for sure 't is for your advantage that we are so Our afflictions are matter of comfort to you viz. that you can fall under no persecutions your selves but what ye see us endure before you and those meerly for our doing you good preaching the Gospel to you endeavouring to bring you to repentance and to blisse which is not ordinarily to be come to but by suffering after my example And then the refreshments and extraordinary reliefs that Christ afforded me in all my sufferings those sure will be matter of comfort to you also as a pledge of assurance that Christ will afford you the like refreshments here and reward hereafter 7. And our hope of you is stedfast knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings so shall ye be also of the consolation Paraphrase 7. And of this I make no doubt but that as you have your parts in the afflictions so ye shall also of the reliefs and advantages by suffering 8. For we would not brethren have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia that we were pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that we despaired even of life Paraphrase 8. All this I say by way of preface to this advertisement which I desire to give you of the sharp persecutions that I lately met with at Ephesus the chief metropolis of Asia Act. 19. see note on 1 Cor. 15. d. where I had like to have been brought out to the theatre to be devoured by the wild beasts and indeed had no humane means to avert nor consequently to escape it 9. But we had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead Paraphrase 9. And this advantage I had of it that the more I believed I should be put to death the more I might be engaged by my deliverance never to depend on any worldly trust but only on God who can rescue from the greatest extremity even from the grace and death it self 10. Who deliver'd us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us Paraphrase 10. Even that God who hath actually delivered me out of that imminent danger and so still continues to deliver me and I verily believe will yet longer continue preservations to me 11. You also helping together by prayer for us that for the gift bestowed upon us note a by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf Paraphrase 11. To which purpose I suppose 't will much conduce that you will earnestly pray for me for as the prayers of many are an effectual motive to God to doe what they pray for when by that means the favour being granted to many at once those many shall be all engaged to thank God and magnifie his name so the benefit afforded me in favour to many others viz. to the believers who pray for me and may receive profit by my life may by those many be received with thanksgiving to God in my behalf 12. For our rejoicing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-wards Paraphrase 12. For of this I can say with joy and comfort that my conscience gives me a cheerfull testimony in all my actions that I have had no ends or designes of my own but in a pious simplicity and sincerity of heart not as worldly wisdome would direct but according to the Gospel-rules see note on Heb. 13. d. we have behaved our selves toward all men but toward you beyond all others 13. For we write none other things unto you then what you read or acknowledge and I trust you shall acknowledge even to the end Paraphrase 13. For my writings to you are perfectly agreeable to the doctrine preach'd by me and by you received when I was among you what in my Epistles you read you cannot but acknoweldge to be that which ye have been taught and I hope you will never be drawn away from that acknowledgment 14. As also you have acknowledged us in part that we are your rejoicing even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus Paraphrase 14. This I say because though since these divisions came in among you I have been rejected and vilified by some yet some others of you have acknowledged your selves to take joy and comfort in me as I professe to doe in you and am confident I shall doe when Christ comes to reward his faithfull servants 15. And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before that you might have a second benefit Paraphrase 15. And with this affection of kindnesse to you and perswasion of your kindnesse to me I did designe to come to you that thereby you might be confirmed in that faith and grow in that knowledge which was first preach'd to you 16. And to passe by you into Macedonia and to come again out of Macedonia unto you and of you to be brought on my way toward Judea Paraphrase 16. This I first meant to doe in my way to Macedonia
secret will of his of which there can be no cause or motive rendred but his own free mercy and purposed resolution which till now hath been kept as a mystery no man imagining that God ever intended any such thing but which he had long since proposed to himself and referred in his wise dispensation to be performed and delivered out at this season in these last and worst times when the sinnes of men being advanced to such an height it might rather have been expected that God should proceed to execute vengance on them This I say which was the just time that God had resolved on for this purpose to gather together his dispersions as it were and to unite all in Christ to bring into the pale of the Church a whole world of believers the very Gentiles see note on Col. 1. c. all discrimination being removed by Christ through his death and resurrection 11. In whom also we have note c obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will Paraphrase 11. Through the same Christ I say by whom we Jewes have had the will of God revealed to us now above all that we ever had before the Gospel being first preached unto us Act. 3. 26. and those of us which have believed taken possession of as of a patrimony or portion assigned and set apart to God to serve him in holinesse according to the secret counsel of him who had long since decreed and determined this of his own free mercy to us 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ Paraphrase 12. To this end that we that were first converted to Christianity might publish and preach and make known the Gospel to all others and set it out as illustriously as might be 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise Paraphrase 13. By whom also it is that ye Gentiles though after called yet now also having heard and believed the Gospel by which you are escaped out of your idolatrous sinfull course are in like manner secured and marked out by God for good by receiving that Spirit which is promised to believers and which is the mark of all those whom God receives see note on c. 4. 30. k. 14. Which is the note d earnest of our inheritance untill the note e redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory Paraphrase 14. Which is given by God as a pledge or first part of payment of that inheritance which he hath destined to us grace pardon salvation and all the inheritance that God will instate upon his children and this on purpose to purchase to himself a peculiar people living gracious and godly lives which tends so much to the illustrating of his grace and glory 15. Wherefore I also note f after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the saints Paraphrase 15. Considering therefore this mercy of God as to others so particularly to you both knowing my self the good successe of my preaching the faith among you and having received advertisement of your great proficiency in it since the time I was among you and of that insâ—parable effect and branch of it your great charity to all Christians that want your assistance 16. Cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him Paraphrase 16 17. I cannot choose but as I pray for you continually so give thanks for you to God continually also farther beseeching the same God who is known now to us by a more glorious title then that of the God of Abraham even the God of our Lord Jesus Christ whom he hath own'd on earth and now raised and set at his right hand in heaven and who is the author as of raising Christ gloriously from the dead so of all grace and blisse and glory to all that are obedient to the faith that he will bestow on you all things needfull to a Christian Church the gift of understanding the highest natural and spiritual truths the skill of veiling the highest conceptions speaking parables c. and of understanding and interpreting prophecies and discerning Christ and his doctrine in them See note on 1 Cor. 1. c. 18. The eyes of your understanding being inlightened that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints Paraphrase 18. That by this means of illumination ye may be furnish'd to all spiritual uses discerning throughly what is the benefit of his calling us to Christianity and what the glorious blessed condition of those graces of his which are distributed among Christians here as also of those endlesse joyes which are now instated on all penitent obedient faithfull servants of his as an inheritance to the children infinitely above that Canaan that was bestowed on Abraham's posterity 19. And what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power 20. Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places Paraphrase 19 20. And withall the infinitenesse of his power that hath been engaged in this work toward us believers in subduing our enemies sin and death the punishment of sin and raising us sinners first to a new and then to an eternal life which was a work of the same omnipotence with that which he first evidenced in that miraculous raising of Christ from the grave and exalting him to the highest degree of glory next to himself in heaven An embleme and essay of the methods which he hath now used toward us by the preaching of the Gospel to raise us from the grave of sin to a new Christian life and from thence to a glorious eternity 21. Farre above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come Paraphrase 21. Farre infinitely farre above all those rulers and potentates that have but fading power by whom he was here put to death ye above the highest degree of Angelical powers that inhabit heaven to all eternity 22. And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church Paraphrase 22. And by so doing gave him victory and superiority over all his enemies and constituted him the Prince of his Church who should till the day of doom have in his hands the sole disposing of that every one that is placed in any power therein moving regularly
and subordinately to him 23. Which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all Paraphrase 23. The Church I say which is the body of Christ and so is required to make him perfect in this relative perfection as the body is required and necessary to the perfection of the head though absolutely considered he is most exactly perfect of himself see note on Rom. 11. d. Annotations on Chap. I. V. 4 Chosen us in him What is the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chusing in this and all other places will be found set down at large Note on 1 Pet. 2. c. All that must here fitly be enquired is what is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods chusing in Christ And that will best be discerned by comparing it with the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blessing us in Christ ver 3. For that the blessing and the electing belong to the same matter appears by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according as a term of proportion or similitude in the front of this verse which makes the connexion betwixt them thus that God hath blessed us in Christ according as he hath chosen us in Christ that is that his actual present blessing them at that point of time was correspondent to what God had decreed before the foundation of the world Now what the blessing there spoken of is appears in general by the addition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spiritual blessing or blessing in things which belong unto heaven and again by the predestination in order of nature precedent to it which is specified to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to adoption and lastly by what is here added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for us to be or that we should be holy and unblemish'd before him in love all which specifie the matter of the election here spoken of to be the same as of his blessing of us viz. our holy blameless conversation such as becomes sons of God a spiritual Christian obedience in all manner of piety and charity such as Christ came to plant in the world and in which respect he is said to bless us in turning every one from his iniquities Act. 3. 26. and so 't is here distinctly added c. 2. 10. that good works are the things to which God hath before prepared that is elected us that we should walk in them This then being the general matter of the election here spoken of not salvation or bliss in another world but holiness or piety here is yet farther determined or limited by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in him or in Christ specifying Christ to be the means of bringing all particularly the Gentiles to this holy life from all eternity predetermined by God to doe so as in that place of the Acts God sent him thus to bless us And this Christ hath done by revealing Gods Will both in the precepts which contain this holy and blameless life in them and by his promises which so strongly and powerfully invite and oblige and by his terrors or threats which engage us to the performance of his precepts and so again by the miracles c. which signifie him to be sent by God but especially by his death and resurrection the first to testifie the truth of what he preach'd and withall to expiate for our sins and strike and seal in his blood a covenant of mercy with all Gentiles as well as Jewes of pardon of foregoing sins upon condition of reformation and amendment and of giving strength and grace to perform what God now under this Covenant requires of us without which as we should have had no encouragement to amend so we had been utterly unable to have performed that work of reformation and the second to confirm from heaven that he dyed an innocent person in the testimony of that truth thus owned by his father and by enstating him in that power and dominion at Gods right hand to enstate on him also the power of actual giving that grace to Gentiles as well as Jewes which by his death he purchased for all This then is the plain meaning of Gods electing in Christ c. Gods free undeserved mercy in decreeing to bestow Christ upon all as the means of all other most effectual to engage and bring men to holiness and purity of life that is by what Christ hath done and suffered for Gentiles as well as Jewes to call and bring home sinners of all sorts to repentance And this farther appears v. 9 10. where the mystery of his Will according to his own good pleasure which is all one with his election here is specified to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gathering all things that is Jewes and Gentiles together in Christ that is making Christ the means of calling and bringing in the most Idolatrous Gentiles as well as Jewes to receive the faith and obey the commands of God in Christ And this is the subject of a great part see ch 2. of this ensuing Epistle All which as it makes the vocation of the Gentiles as well as Jewes to be the matter wherein Gods election here is terminated and is very farre from denoting any irrespective Decree of bestowing eternal salvation on some few which includes the absolute rejection or dereliction of all others so it no way inferres their faith or repentance to be irresistibly wrought in them by this Decree of election or by the means determined therein but only that God hath in Christ pitch'd on most wise most powerfull most efficacious means of calling and melting even the Gentiles the worst of men which he likewise foresaw would be effectual on many by the power of his grace though many others through their own obstinacy would contemn and not make use of it V. 10. Gather together in one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Arithmetick signifies a summe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the putting many members together into one hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to put many severals together and when 't is used of speech then 't is to speak briefly and summarily Eccles 32. 8. and so saith Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. to contract a long discourse into few words It is used in military affairs for the contracting or putting together scattered souldiers into one troop In Rhetorick it is the repeating and gathering the head of the former discourse or oration In all it is the bringing into one those that were several and so it is here the uniting and joyning together of those that were disparate and served before the same that in the parallel place Col. 1. 20. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 binging all to an agreement or pacification V. 11. Obtained an inheritance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the right reading signifies to be taken as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lot or patrimony in
continued in a damning condition see note on 1 Cor. 11. f. as all other heathens did 4. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us Paraphrase 4. But God who is infinitely mercifull beyond what we can ask or think without any thing in us to invite him to it meerly out of that kindnesse of his which he bare to us as we were in that sad desolate condition of sin and misery 5. Even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with Christ by grace ye are saved Paraphrase 5. Hath by that power by which he raised Christ from the grave raised us out of this heathen state of all kind of impieties a state so farre from meriting any such dealing that it deserved nothing but utter desertion and therefore 't is as wonderfull an act of goodnesse and mercy in God that we are thus rescued and escaped out of that condition by the preaching of the Gospel to us see Heb. 13. c. as it was for Lot when he was by the Angel led out of Sodom and commanded to escape for his life c. 6. And hath railed us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Paraphrase 6. And as he hath quickened us out of this spiritual death so in Christ our head he hath also in assured hope raised us up from the dead and set us with him in heaven For he sitting there which is our head we are at present not unfitly said to sit there also and shall infallibly come thither in due time 7. That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse toward us through Christ Jesus Paraphrase 7. By which means he hath given an eminent testimony to all ages that shall follow this of the Apostles how exceedingly gracious he is to those that live under Christianity which is called The age to come see Mat. 11. note a. by those undeserved mercies shewn unto us by giving us Christ and his Gospel to be revealed to us 8. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Paraphrase 8. For you are delivered out of that heathen state by the meer undeserved mercy of God who might justly have left you in it without ever calling you who had so sinned against nature out of it and the preaching of the Gospel which hath been the means of rescuing you thus is a meer free undeserved gift of God the matter of the Gospel being no way to be known but by divine revelation and God having sent Christ and Christ his Apostles to make that known unto you without which you had never heard as without hearing you could never have believed such supernatural truths see Rom. 10. 17. and note on Heb. 13. c. and all this an act of Gods free will and mercifull pleasure 9. Not of works lest any man should boast Paraphrase 9. Not from any merits of yours to move God to it that so all may be imputed to him nothing at all unto your selves 10. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Paraphrase 10. For we are formed anew by God and as it were out of a state of nothing the heathen idolatry in which we were raised by the preaching of the Gospel to a being and a life and so are as so many new creatures of his creating on purpose that we should bring forth fruit live Christianly and that we might doe so he hath accommodated us with all things which may be any way usefull to that end 11. Wherefore remember that ye being in time passed Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands Paraphrase 11. And this consideration and remembrance may be usefull to you viz. that by birth or natural generation ye were originally Gentiles called the uncircumcised by the Jewes who had that circumcision in their flesh wrought by the hands of men 12. That at that time ye were without Christ being aliens from the common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world Paraphrase 12. That being then without Christ ye lived in a very distant manner from the Israelites both in respect of customes and laws but especially of the worship of God were justly detested and not permitted to live among them and for the promises made to Abraham ye were utterly strangers from them and so in the first respect you had no God nothing but Idols to worship and in the latter no kind of hope of good to entertain your selves with 13. But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometime were afarre off are made nigh by the blood of Christ Paraphrase 13. But now in stead of that great distance formerly kept an affinity and league hath been made between you see Act. 20. 39. Gentiles and Jewes and Christ's blood hath been the solemn rite by which that league after the manner of the Eastern nations which use that ceremony of blood in making leagues hath been struck 14. For he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the note a middle wall of partition between us Paraphrase 14. For â—he is our peace-maker and hath joyned those two distant people into one having as it were broke down or removed that little sept or wall in the Temple that separated the court of the Jewes from that of the Gentiles and so hath laid all common brought them both into his Church to live without any discrimination of ceremonies c. 15. Having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the Law of commandements contained in ordinances for to make in himself of twain one new man so making peace Paraphrase 15. Having by his sufferings brought the Gentiles that believe to that condition that the people of God ought not to look upon them as enemies and persecute them as now the Judaizers do for neglecting the Ceremonies of the Mosaical Law and by the doctrine of the Gospel taken away the obligingnesse of the Mosaical precepts which made the conversing with the Gentiles eating their meats c. unlawfull also that so he might form them both together into one new man making an agreement or peace between them 16. And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the crosse having slain the enmity thereby Paraphrase 16. And having united them one to another might also reconcile them to God having by his sufferings taken away all quarrel or falling out whether betwixt God and them or especially here betwixt Jew and Gentile having died for both indifferently and thereby sealed his covenant of mercies to both 17. And came and preached peace to you which were afarre off and to them that were nigh Paraphrase 17. And
God in Christ hath designed to elevate the Christian and wherein in a manner all Christianity doth consist and to which we are engaged by his love to us V. 21. In the church The variety of reading either with or without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and makes it doubtfull how this verse should be rendred If it be without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then it must first be observed that the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying sometimes in as in a place and so it may possibly be here in the assembly of Christians for ever signifies also through and by and so it may most probably signifie here and be all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Church v. 10. that as there the various wisdome of God was demonstrated by the Church that is by Gods dealing in it so here that various wisdome and mercy of his should be acknowledged with thanksgiving And then though 't is possible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may adhere to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so be rendred the Church in Christ Jesus that is the Christian Church yet because probably if that were it it would be expressed by repeating the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is 1 Cor. 1. 2. therefore it will be more reasonable to render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through Christ as the mediator through whom as we pray Rom. 1. 8. so we give thanks and praise to God also And so the meaning will be All honour and glory be unto God through Jesus Christ by whom these mercies are conveied to us for or by or through the Church that is through those gracious and wise disposals of his that are now wrought by receiving the Gentiles into the Church a thing which is likely to have main influence upon all posterities of the world for ever But if the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be taken in as in that antient MS. it is then as that must necessarily connect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church and Christ whether it be rendred and or even so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot signifie in as in a place because that cannot be applied to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Christ but must necessarily be rendred by or through and the Church and Christ must be the two means though perhaps those two knit into one by rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even whereby this glory is to come in to God and so is ascribed to him thus All glory be to God the Father the wise disposer of all through that which is now done in the Church and or even through what hath been done by Christ in reconciling the Gentiles and bringing them into the same fold with the Jewes making up one Church of both CHAP. IV. 1. I Therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called Paraphrase 1. I therefore the Apostle that am at this time a prisoner for the cause of Christ ch 3. 1. from whence to this place seems to be one long parenthesis see note on Gal. 2. c. doe exhort you to behave your selves like parsons that have been vouchsafed by God that great mercy of revealing Christ to you in your Gentile state 2. With all lowlinesse and meeknesse with long suffering forbearing one another in love Paraphrase 2. And that must be by the exercise of that Christian charity and those many effects of it 1 Cor. 13. 4 5. a lowly opinion of your selves a mild behaviour toward others a patient bearing opposed to revenging of injuries much more of weaknesses and ignorances 3. Endevouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Paraphrase 3. Labouring your utmost to preserve that unity in the Church which is kept in the body by being animated by the same Spirit and by being joyned one member friendly and peaceably to another by sinews c. that is unity of charity as the Spirit and of outward communion as the sinews to knit you all together into a peaceable Church loving and living peaceably one with another 4. There is one body and one spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling Paraphrase 4. That as ye are one society one body of Christians so ye may have one soul as it were one Spirit of love to animate that body according to that one aime in which you all conspire and to the obtaining of which Christianity gives you all the same pretension and hope viz. eternal life 5. One Lord one faith one baptisme Paraphrase 5. And according as ye have but one master whose commands ye are bound to obey one body of Creed to be believed by all and the same form of initiation the same vow of Baptisme appointed to be administred to all 6. One God and father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Paraphrase 6. And as having all of you the same God which created and now owneth you for his children who overseeth all actions pierceth through all secrets powerfully worketh in you by his gifts and graces 7. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Paraphrase 7. But these gifts and capacities and qualifications for the serving of Christ in the Church are not in the same manner and measure given to all but severally and in diverse degrees such as Christ in his several distribution of gifts is pleased to dispense 8. Wherefore he saith When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and note a gave gifts for men Paraphrase 8. According â—o that of the Psalmist Psal 68. 18. that at his ascension he carried Satan sin and death captive and scattered many several gifts and extraordinary graces by sending the holy Ghost upon his Disciples as Elias did upon Elishah at his ascent 9. Now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth Paraphrase 9. And what doth this his ascent to heaven signifie but that he first descended from heaven to these lower parts of the world called the earth or to the Virgins womb to be conceived there in humane flesh which is by the Psalmist also styled being fashioned beneath in the earth Psal 139. 15. see Paulus Fagius on Targum Gen. 37. 36. or else to the grave called The lower parts of the earth Psal 63. 9. 10. He that descended is the same also that ascended up farre above all heavens that he might fill all things Paraphrase 10. And as his descent was on purpose to doe us good to bestow and scatter his graces among us so his ascending again though it were for a time the leaving of us yet it was designed to the sending down the holy Ghost upon the Apostles by that means to supply all our wants to doe what was necessary to be done to
most acceptable to God and so cannot be better compared then to a meat-offering or drink-offering which being offered for our sins unto God and of the former a part burn'd upon the altar and the rest for the use of the Priest Lev. 2. 3. but the latter wholly consumed on the altar is said to be of a sweet savour unto the Lord and Gen. 8. 20. to satisfie for us and work our peace 3. But fornication and all uncleannesse or covetousnesse let it not be once named amongst you as becometh Saints Paraphrase 3. And for the Gnostick noisome foule practices unlawfull unnaturall riotous lusts let them never get the least admission among you but be utterly detested by you according to that obligation that lies on you as Christians in opposition to the heathens 4. Neither filthinesse nor note b foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather note c giving of thanks Paraphrase 4. And so all unclean gestures and obscene talking or unsavory jests to cause laughter which are all unbeseeming a Christian but purity chastness graciousness of language opposite to the filthiness before or else blessing and praising of God a far fitter subject for our rejoycing 5. For this ye know that no whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man who is an idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ of God Paraphrase 5. For by the Christian doctrine ye are assured that he that is guilty of any unlawfull especially unnaturall inordinate lust see Rom. 1. note i. those sins which were used in the mysteries of the heathens is an absolute Gentile person hath no portion in the Church of God under Christ nor inheritance in heaven See note on 1 Cor. 5. 1. 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Paraphrase 6. Let no man flatter you that these are tolerable for a Christian for they are the very sins for which God hath so plagued the heathens as he did Sodome c. 7. Be not ye therefore partakers with them Paraphrase 7. Doe not ye then joyn in their sins that ye may not in their punishments 8. For ye were sometimes darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord walk as children of light Paraphrase 8. For though ye were formerly heathens yet now ye are become Christians and that layes an obligation on you and all such as you to live like Christians 9. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth Paraphrase 9. For that Spirit that God hath sent among us in the preaching of the Gospel being the Spirit of God must bring forth all kindnesse justice fidelity and such like Gal. 5. 22. 10. Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Paraphrase 10. Searching and approving and accordingly practising whatsoever you shall find acceptable to God see note on Rom. 2. f. 11. And have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse but rather reprove them Paraphrase 11. And goe not ye to their heathen mysteries comply not with their close dark abominable practices but oppose and help to bring them to light that they may leave them the secrecy being the onely thing that secures and continues them in them 12. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret Paraphrase 12. For those secret practices are such that they dare not appear in the light and therefore are by the devill who prescribes them as parts of his worship appointed to be used in close recesses which are called their mysteries as the highest but indeed the vilest part of their religion see note on Rev. 17. c. 13. But all things that are approved are made manifest by the light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light Paraphrase 13. But Christianity is a means to discover and display these abominable cheats and villanies as light is the direct means to discover what darknesse hath hid and to make them renounce and forsake it when they see it is seen and abhorred by men 14. Wherefore he saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Paraphrase 14. According to that saying of Isaiah c. 60. 1. Arise be enlightned for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee that is this Christian estate is a lightsome condition and engages every man that expects to have his part in it to get out of all these horrible dark secrecies which are put to shame and discomfited by the light 15. See then note d that ye walk circumspectly not as foole but as wise Paraphrase 15. See therefore and consider how ye may walk most exactly and inoffensively to which end ye will need great circumspection as being placed in the midst of such temptations and dangers by one or other ready to be insnared on every side If your circumpection be not intense enough ye will be insnared as fools in their lusts and complyances which bring such carnal temptations along with them and if ye be over earnest in admonishing them and vehement unseasonably ye will exasperate and incurre the danger Mat. 7. 6. of being rent by the swine 16. note e Redeeming â—he time because the dayes are evill Paraphrase 16. And therefore as you must be sure to preserve the innocence of the dove so ye have need of prudence and warinesse and wisdome of behaviour because the world is at this time full of corruption and of contumacy and persecuting of all good and orthodox Christians 17. Wherefore be ye not unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is Paraphrase 17. And therefore see that ye be not corrupted by their insinuations but let the knowledge of your Christian duty so fortifie you that ye be not befooled or insnared by them 18. And be not drunk with wine wherein is note f excesse but be filled with the Spirit Paraphrase 18. And do not ye like those heathens in their Bacchanals inflame your selves with wine to which all manner of inordinate lust is consequent and then think ye are inspired and able to prophesy by that means but let your hearts be filled with zeal and devotion see note on Luk. 9. c. 19. Speaking to your selves in note g Psalms and Hymnes and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord Paraphrase 19. And let all your mirth and jollity be express'd in the several kindes of hymnes c. that are used among Christians after a pious manner singing and inwardly in your hearts rendering praises to God and not finding out such grosse carnal wayes of expressing your joyes as the heathens use 20. Giving thanks alwayes for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 20. Upon all occasions acknowledging the great and fatherly mercies of God to you through our
〈◊〉 saith he I am already poured out V. 20. Noman like-minded The notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among Greek authors is clear all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equal to my soul a second self most dear to me such as Patroclus to Achilles in Homer whom saith he I love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equal to my head or life Thus also the Greek interpreters of the Psalmes use it Psal 55. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou my companion my guide and my known friend This therefore in all reason is to be the meaning of it here also not to express what care Timothy had of the Philippians for that is said in the next words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who will sincerely take care of your affaires but how dearely valued he was by Paul so that when he came to them they should think a second Paul was come to them If there were any difficulty in this rendring or place for conjecture a man might guess S. Paul to have written either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first used by this Apostle in this Epistle c. 4. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true yoke-fellow and the latter of the same signification he that drawes in another yoke So I suppose the Gloss in Hesychius must be read not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so in Phavorinus also But there is no reason to doubt the reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor to fly to this or any other uncertain conjecture V. 30. Not regarding The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not ordinarily to be met with unlesse in Hesychius and Phavorinus and other Glossaries which seem not only to have taken it from hence but also to have read the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though the impressions have it otherwise for they place it betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which would not be done according to the order of the letters if it had been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is therefore very probable that the reading here should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Aristophanes is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that casts himself into danger in whiche sense we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Mac. 14. 38. which is the very notion of this word in Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that gives himself up to death for so saith Phavorinus the phrases are usual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I venture or gage my head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I lay any money This in Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be more venturous in fighting than ordinary and in Pliny's Epistles parabola that is periculosa So doth Chrysostome expound this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he gave himself up to suffer whatsoever should be necessary and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contemning death So Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 despising all danger and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he threw himself upon death and at length 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very expressions that are set by the Glossaries to explain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the explaining of this the learned Isaac Casaubon in Epist 438. saith that he found in Puteans copie this reading with this interpretation to it Parabolanus fuit de anima sua in the same manner as in Iustinians Code they that goe to them that are sick of the plague are called parabolani and paraborarii CHAP. III. 1. FInally my brethren rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you to me is not note a grievous but for you it is safe Paraphrase 1. To conclude my brethren I salute you in the Lord somewhat I have to write to you which flowes not from any cowardise in me though I have tasted of the sharpnesse of it but from my great care to preserve you from the greaâ— dangers into which I have fallen my self 2. Beware of dogs beware of evil workers beware of the note b concision Paraphrase 2. There are a sort of men I would have you take especial heed of very malicious persons that bark at and bite every orthodox professor and that live themselves in all villany I mean the heretical Gnosticks v. 18. Others also there are to beware of as with whom the Gnosticks combine viz the Jewish believers which still observe the Mosaicall Law and require all to Judaize and persecute them that do not These take upon them to be the circumcision but are onely the concision those that tear the Church in peeces condemne and separate from their brethren Rom. 14. 3. For we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Paraphrase 3. For sure we are the true children of Abraham and the circumcision indeed who â—ive piously and confesse Christ crucified and depend upon Gods ' mercy only through that promise sealed to us in Christ's blood and so place no confidence in circumcision not any such outward performance 4. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh I more Paraphrase 4. Though if you speak of confidence upon privileges and advantages of a Jew no man hath more reason for it more right unto it than I 5. Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the Law a Pharisee Paraphrase 5. Having been circumcised at eight daies old as the Law prescribes the native Jewes and so no proselyte my parents and antecessors Israelites of an eminent tribe the tribe of Benjamin so dearly beloved by Jacob both my parents of Abraham's not of a proselytes race and in respect of my zeal to the Mosaical law of the strictest sect among the Jewes 6. Concerning zeal persecuting the Church touching righteousness which is in the Law blameless Paraphrase 6. And so zealous for the Law that I persecuted the Christians with great rage and fury as thinking them enemies to the Law and for all legal observances I never neglected any as long as I lived in that course 7. But what things were gain to me those I accounted losse for Christ Paraphrase 7. But whatever advantages I enjoyed as a Jew I may part with well for Christ and if they would keep me in the least manner from embracing theChristian doctrine they would be very far from being advantages to me but losses rather 8. Yea doubtlesse and I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and doe count them but dung that I may win Christ Paraphrase 8. Yea and whatsoever I should place any confidence in I should be a great loser by it in comparison to the huge advantages of being a Christian for which I am content to be stript of
though not degree as Christ now lives being by his resurrection placed next in glory to his father in heaven 2. Set your affection on things above not on things on the earth Paraphrase 2. Let this celestial purity be the copie for you to transcribe and not these terrestrial grosser observances 3. For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Paraphrase 3. For ye by your baptisme have vowed to put off your former life and the life which now remains for you to live is that which Christ lives in heaven a life of purity here and of glory hereafter 4. When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Paraphrase 4. And if you live that first pure Christian life after your divine pattern then this ye may be sure of that when Christ comes to judge the world all that shall be found so like unto him shall by him be received into the glory which he himself enjoyes 5. Mortifie therefore you members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is idolatry Paraphrase 5. This may therefore engage you to subdue and bring down all those vitious affections that are in your members and that savour and desire nothing but earthly things I mean adultery fornication and all sorts of unnatural filthiness such as is so ordinary among idol-worshippers the foulest parts of it admitted into their religions See note on Rom. 1. i. and on 1. Cor. 5. 1. 6. For which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience Paraphrase 6. Those sins which have alwaies brought God's judgments down upon the heathens 7. In the which ye also walked some time when ye lived in them Paraphrase 7. Of which sins ye sormerly were gulty when ye conversed amonge the heathens and followed their idol-worships 8. But now you also put off all these anger wrath malice blasphemy filthy communication out of your mouth Paraphrase 8. But now that you are Christians ye are obliged to put off all not only these forenamed but of the other sort of affections all suddain inflammation of anger all rising of it to any height all continuance of it upon you till it be improved into malice and for the tongue let not that be guilty of any unsavoury unclean or reproachfull discourse 9. Lie not one to another seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds Paraphrase 9. Never suggest or say any false thing to the injury of anothe see note on Act. 5. b. for this is a principal part of that heathen course which ye have renounced 10. And have put on the new man which is renewed note a in knowledge after the image of him that created him Paraphrase 10. Quite contrary to that state of renovation which ye have undertaken and which consists in the practice of all Christian vertues after the image of God who is all truth 11. Where there is neither Greek nor Jew circumcision nor uncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond nor free but Christ is all and in all Paraphrase 11. With whom as there is no partiality or difference put between men but all of all sorts even the worst sorts are accepted by Christ so ought it be with us toward all men of what quality soever we must shew all manner of fidelity without any falsness or injustice ver 9. toward them 12. Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering Paraphrase 12. See therefore that ye practise as becomes those who are prized and valued by God that have the gifts of his Spirit poured out for the converting and sanctifying of you and thereby are obliged to all that is most excellent the highest degrees of Christian kindness and liberality that ye think very meanly of your selves be very mild hard to be provoked with injuries never thinking of revenge 13. Forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you so also doe ye Paraphrase 13. Shewing that readinesse to be reconciled to them that have wronged you that ye have found and which it extremely concerns you to find in Christ toward you 14. And above all these things put on charity which is the note b bond of perfectness Paraphrase 14. And over all put on that excellent Christian grace of charity that love of others founded in Christ's love to you and to all others even his enemies which will keep you united one to another in an indissoluble bond much more perfectly than any other obligation can doe or which is the obligation to all mercifulness whether in giving or forgiving 15. And let the note c peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye are called in one body and be ye thankfull Paraphrase 15. And let Christian peace and union see Phil. 4. note b. be the moderator and guide in all your actions and doe all that may tend to that end it being the prime thing to which your Christianity obliges you and your being fellow-members of Christ with all others To which ye may also take in that obligation of gratitude to God who hath been thus mercifull to you and solemnly expects this return from you to be to others as he hath been to you 16. Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdome teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Paraphrase 16. Let the doctrine of the Gospel continue and abide in you and bring forth abundant fruit in all actions of spiritual wisdome that is piety Of this sort is the advising and admonishing of others in all things wherein ye can be helpfull unto them and such is singing in a pious Christian manner see Ephes 5. c. that is blessing and praising God see Mat. 14. c. heartily and affectionately in all the severall waies usual to that purpose see Ephes 5. 19. 17. And whatsoever ye doe in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him Paraphrase 17. And whatsoever ye doe or speak let it be with acknowledgment of the great mercies of Christ to you that hath enabled you to doe whatever it is and for this mercy reached out in him let God the Father have the honour and thanks 18. Wives submit your selves unto your own husbands as it is fit in the Lord. Paraphrase 18. Let the wives pay fitting subjection to their husbands and count it their Christian duty to doe so 19. Husbands love your wives and be not bitter against them Paraphrase 19. And upon the same account let the husbands be kind to their wives and not provoke them by unkind behaviour 20. Children obey your parents in all things for this is well-pleasing unto the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he that sets himself up above all that is called God But being by the preaching of Peter mentioned by Eusebius St. Ierome and Orosius put to shame and his power extinguish'd there at that time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Eusebius it was some time before he got up again and yet longer before these Gnosticks his followers found it seasonable to break out in profess'd hostility against the Orthodox Christians which is called the Revealing of this man of sin 2 Thess 2. 3. What is said in these Epistles on this subject was fitly designed to confirm the believers in Macedonia that the persecutions which were thus stirred up among them and the baits of carnality and worldly advantages offered them might not delude or gain in upon them CHAP. I. 1. PAUL and Silvanus and Timotheus unto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Grace be unto you and peace from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 1. Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ and those two Silvanus and Timotheus which came along with me as companions and partners of my labours in Macedonia to that Assembly of Christians that reside in and appertain to Thessalonica that Metropolis of Macedonia which by the grace of God and Gospel of Jesus Christ preached by me have been called and converted to the faith we most kindly salute you and wish all divine mercy and prosperity to you 2. We give thanks to God alwaies for you all making mention of you in our prayers 3. Remembring without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our father Paraphrase 3. Blessing God for that obedience which your faith that industry which your love that indurance and constancy which your hope in Christ hath wrought in you such as is required of you and will be acceptable in the sight of God 4. Knowing brethren beloved you election of God Paraphrase 4. Knowing my beloved brethren the speciall favour of God in decreeing to bestow the Gospel on you to reveal Christ to you being Gentiles above that which you had reason to expect or hope 5. For our Gospel came not unto you in word onely but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake Paraphrase 5. In consequence to which it was that I was appointed by God in a vision Act. 16. 9. to come and preach unto you and accordingly I did Act. 17. 1. and that with miracles and extraordinary gifts see note on 1 Cor. 2. a. and matter of abundant conviction as you know how we behaved our selves toward you that we might work and gain you to Christ 6. And ye became followers of us and of the Lord having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost Paraphrase 6. And ye very cheerfully and readily received us being content to suffer as the Apostles and Christ had done before you embracing the Gospel though accompanied with persecution with most Christian joy 7. So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia Paraphrase 7. And this in so eminent a manner that your example had an happy influence raised an emulation in all the Christians of the other cities of Macedonia and also of Greece as Corinth and Athens 8. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not onely in Macedonia and Achaia but also in every place your faith to Godward is spread abroad so that we need not to speak any thing Paraphrase 8. For from the plantation and good success of the Gospel among you it was that many others in those places were inclined to receive the faith and so your conversion being so eminently taken notice of I need say no more in praise or congratulation of it 9. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entring in we had unto you and how ye turned to God from Idols to serve the living and true God Paraphrase 9. Every man's mouth being full of it how readily we were entertained by you and how really and effectually ye converted from heathenisme to Christianity 10. And to wait for his Son from heaven whom he raised from the dead even Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come Paraphrase 10. In full belief in Christ and assurance of hope that Christ that was by God's infinite power raised from the dead will protect and deliver his faithfull servants from that vengeance which will finally and eternally involve all others An essay of which vengeance and deliverance he will ere long shew on the persecutors and the believers which are now persecuted by them CHAP. II. 1. FOR your selves brethren know our entrance in unto you that it was not note a in vain Paraphrase 1. For ye brethren without my affirming it know sufficiently that our coming and preaching was farre from being deceitfull or to any treacherous aime of advantage or gain upon you 2. But even after that we had suffered before and were shamefully intreated as ye know at Philippi we were bold in our God to speak unto you the Gospel of God with much note b contention Paraphrase 2. But having had discouragements sufficient at Philippi most reproachfully handled there we yet took courage to proceed see note on Joh. 7. a and came to your city and preached the Gospel there though we were very much opposed there also 3. For our exhortation was not of note c deceit nor of uncleanness nor in guile Paraphrase 3. For my preaching the Gospel unto you was not to seduce any as the Gnosticks doe their converts nor out of any wily worldly end or designe to raise seditions c. as many of their false Christs had done 4. But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel even so we speak not as pleasing men but God which trieth our hearts Paraphrase 4. But as God was pleased to choose me to be an Apostle to think me meet for so great a trust so have I endevoured to approve my self to God in the discharge of it not mentioning those things to you which you were likely to be most pleased with for I knew that the Gospel which cost me so many persecutions would cost you so too and that requiring all purity it hath nothing in it gratefull to flesh and blood but those which are most likely to approve us all to God which approveth nothing but purity and sincerity 5. For neither at any time note d used we flattering words as ye know nor a note e cloak of covetousness God is witnesse Paraphrase 5. For I believe no man ever accused me of flattering you with pleasing doctrines as the Gnosticks doe or of indulging to you any
you capable of that glorious deliverance which Christ will shortly work for all that adhere to him when the unfaithfull and cowardly are destroyed with the persecutors And indeed this is it for which they persecute you as they have done us that we professe to believe that Christ will shortly exercise this regal power of his for the destroying of his enemies and rescuing the persecuted out of their calamities 6. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you Paraphrase 6. It being most just with God to punish your persecutors to deal with them as they have dealt with you 7. And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be note b revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels Paraphrase 7. And to give you in proportion to your sufferings a participation of ease and joy with the Apostles of Christ at that glorious coming of his to the punishing of his enemies foretold Mat. 24. with those notable messengers and ministers and executioners of his power see note on 2 Pet. 3. d. 8. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 8. In rendring a most severe vengeance to all the obdurate Jewes and wicked carnal heretical Gnostick Christians 9. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Paraphrase 9. Which shall be finally destroyed by the judgment of God at his powerfull appearance in vengeance against his crucifiers 10. When he shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them that believe because our testimony among you was believed in that day Paraphrase 10. At which time also he will shew miraculous acts of mercy to all pious faithfull Christians to deliver them and so consequently you who have received the Gospel preached by us in the day of his vengeance on his enemies see note on Heb. 10. a. 11. Wherefore also we pray alwaies for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the work of faith with power Paraphrase 11. To which purpose we pray for you continually that God will by his grace enable you to walk worthy of that high calling or privilege that of being Christians owned and vindicated by him and powerfully accomplish and complete in you all the good works and fruits of faith and patience which may render you acceptable in his sight 12. That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye in him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 12. That Christ may have the honour of your patience and you be rewarded for it according to the great mercy and goodnesse of God in Christ Jesus Annotations on Chap. I. V. 5. Kingdome of God That the kingdome of God signifies the state of the Gospel or Christian profession appears oft in the Gospels especially in the parables of Christ when the kingdome of God is likened to a net to a pearl c. and to that the addition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for which ye suffer may here seem to incline it but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that goes before is not well appliable to that For that signifying to be vouchsafed or thought worthy to have their parts in it or to have it bestowed upon them it must referre to somewhat yet future which through the mercy of God should be bestowed upon them and then that whatsoever it is being hoped for and depended on by them it may well be said that they suffer for that that is either for the professing that hope of theirs whereby the malice of others is provoked against them or at least in hope or intuition of it Two other notions therefore there are of the kingdome of God first that of reigning with Christ in endlesâ— bliss in another world and secondly the exercise of Christs regal power which was then so oft foretold to be approaching in destroying his enemies and preserving his faithfull subjects according to that double office of a King Rom. 13. of avenging of offenders and rewarding them that doe good Of this see Note on Mat. 3. c. And that this is the notion of it in this place appears very probable by that which follows where it is said that it is just with God to repay tribulation to their persecutors and to the persecuted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 relase refreshment from the persecutions under which they had been This was it that the Apostles had foretold them in their preachings see Note a. on the title of the Epistle to the Romans and the benefits and fruits which they had been promised upon their perseverance in the faith through all their persecutions not excluding their eternal reward but supposing that for the future and in case they did not outlive the present distresses 1 Thes 4. 13. but withall giving them into the bargain this assurance of an eminent deliverance here halcyonian daies of rest to the Church upon the destâ—uction of their persecutors according as it fell out in Vespasians daies after the destruction of the Jewes And this the Apostles professed to expect and so did the Orthodox Christians generally and as S. Stephen was stoned for that expectation Act. 6. 14. so were the Apostles and their followers persecuted also and so it was literally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this avowed expectation of this kingdome thus understood they suffered persecution V. 7. Revealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the revelation of Christ as the coming of Christ is a phrase of a doubtfull signification sometimes signifying the coming to the final doom but sometimes also that coming that was described Mat. 24. and was to be within that generation And so sure it signifies in several places of S. Peter 1 Pet. 1. 7 13. and chap. 4. 13. and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deliverance ready to be revealed in the last time ch 1. 5. the destruction of the Jewes being the time of the deliverance and escaping to the Christians that were persecuted by them see Rom. 13. 11. So again 1 Pet. 5. 1. where S. Peter saying of himself that he was a witness of the sufferings of Christ addeth he was also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partaker of the glory that should be revealed that is present at the transfiguration where by Moses and Elias were represented and declared the glorious consequents of his crucifixion that is the destruction of his crucifiers and deliverance of his faithfull disciples see Note on Mat. 17. a. Luk. 9. b. and 2 Pet. 1. 16. And so here it most probably signifies where the vengeance on the oppressors that is the crucifiers of Christ and persecutors of Christians is described and an appendix of that rest and release to the oppressed which is that
continually did phanfie the Roman Empire to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or that that hindered But that was caused by looking for that as future which was some time past and now out of their minds and by the Apostles not mentioning what it was which omission of his was occasioned by his having told them of it formerly and supposing that they knew it sufficiently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and now ye know c. so that there was no need of repeating it and it seems they had been at his being among them so fully instructed in it that he tels them 1 Thes 5. 1. that he need not write to them of this subject V. 7. Mystery of iniquity It must here be explained 1. what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iniquity and 2. what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mystery and 3. what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acted here signifie For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that may signifie no more then some great enormous sin or conjuncture of sins and so will very fitly be applied to this sect of the Gnosticks who were the vilest sort of people in the world in respect of their abominable Lusts Perjuries joining with Idols c. But the notion which seems to be most proper to this place is somewhat superadded to all this viz. their malicious bitter persecuting of the Orthodox Christians This is the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iniquity Mat. 24. 12. upon the increasing of which many should be offended v. 10. and their love of Christ zeal to Christianity should grow cold And then it will be easie to conjecture what is the mystery of iniquity viz. this villany in both parts of it the vile sins of these men and their bitter hatred to Christians both somewhat disguised and kept secret not profess'd and avowed because it was not yet seasonable but yet acted underhand more warily And that is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agitur for the word is generally used in a Passive sense see Note on Gal. 5. b. and so signifies this which is spoken of to be already acted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath received its beginning saith Theophylact. And so in other the Epistles it is affirmed that there were among them emulaetions contentions strifes seditions confusion and every evil work all this together with the unclean abominable sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 already acted among them but as yet more secretly and closely only waiting their opportunity to break out and shew themselves at a time of the best advantage when that compliance of the Christians with the Jewes the observation of the Mosaical rites one of which was that they that were Jews should not converse with those of another nation Joh. 4. 9. should be laid down removed out of the way the Apostles every where leaving the Jewes and departing to the Gentiles laying down the use of the Mosaical rites and calling their disciples to come out from the Jewes as they doe Act. 19. 9. Heb. 13. 10 13. Gal. 2 and 3 and 4 and 5. V. 8. That wicked That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked here is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the opposer v. 4. there is no question and that this was Simon and his followers hath been shewed Note e. and clearly appears by the character v. 9. that his coming is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the working of Satan in all power and signes and lying wonders that is that they used sorcery and did many strange things such prodigies as the Devil could help him to act by that means and as it follows v. 10. succeeded very prosperously among many hypocritical unsincere carnal Christians who were by their indulgence of lusts and promise of immunity from persecutions and by the strangeness of their forceries Simon undertaking to flie in the aire c. corrupted and seduced by them And this is farther described in the destruction that upon this revelation of themselves should soon involve him and his The relations of which are punctual among the antients Of Simon saith Arnobins adv Gen. l. 2. Viderat currum Simonis Magi quadrigas igneas Petri ore difflatas hominato Christo evanuisse Viderant pondere praecipitatum suo cruribus jacuisse praefractis pòst deinde per latum Brundam cruciatibus pudore defessum ex altissimi culminis se rursum praecipitasse fastigio The chariot and fiery horses of Simon with which this magician undertook to fly in the aire were blown away by Peters mouth vanish'd at the name of Christ and so he fell down and brake his legs and after some time was brought to Brunda and through the torments and the shame became weary of his life and cast himself headlong from the top of an high place and so perish'd Many other testimonies of this are elsewhere mentioned see Note a on 2 Tim. 3. And for the Gnosticks his followers 't is Eusebius's affirmation of them l. 3. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In a moment they were utterly destroyed the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swift destruction foretold 1 Thess 5. 2. And two means are here mentioned by which this should be done first by the breath of Christs mouth secondly by the brightness of his coming the former noting the power of the Gospel in the mouth of the Apostles Peter and Paul who contended with him personally at Rome and brought ruine and shame upon him and the 2 d noting the vengeance that befell the Jewes by the Roman armies at which time the Gnosticks that sided with them were destroyed also see Note on 2 Pet. 2. 9. and Jude a. And this seems to be so called 1 Tim. 6. 14. where he is charged to continue constant to Christ whatever combats he met with ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ which was surely somewhat then approaching that was likely to fall out in Timothy's life time and which as he adds ver 15. God as the blessed and onely potentate expressing his mercy and power together to all that adhere unto him and as King of Kings and Lord of Lords subduing bringing down the stoutest persecutors should shew forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those proper seasons which he had appointed for it CHAP. III. 1. FInally brethren pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as it is with you Paraphrase 1. And as I pray for yourcomfort and constancy ch 2. 17. so it becomes you to be constant in prayer for me and the rest of the Apostles and ministers of the Gospel that our preaching may be successfull and prosperous meeting with no such obstacles as may hinder the progresse of it but may be every where received and obeyed and honoured by the good lives of the believers as it hath among you 2. And that we may be delivered from note a unreasonable and wicked men for all men
and there distinctly specified more than in any other place of the New Testament under the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 6. 20. science falsly so named that is the men that assumed falsly to themselves the name of Gnosticks or knowing men And against some doctrines and practices of theirs he here arms him CHAP. I. 1. PAUL an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ which is our hope Paraphrase 1. I' Paul that Act. 13. 7. was sent out and constitured an Apostle of Jesus Christ according to the designation of him who being God incarnate is both our Saviour and Lord to rescue us from the power of sin and to rule and reign in our hearts even he on whom all our trust and expectation and hope of good is founded and built 2. Unto Timothy my own son in the faith Grace mercy and peace from God our father and Jesus Christ our Lord. Paraphrase 2. To my dearly beloved Timothy whom I first converted and so begat to Christianity I send my heartiest wish of all good from God our carefull and loving father and Christ Jesus to whom he hath committed all power in his Church unto the worlds end 3. As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine Paraphrase 3. This Epistle I now send thee for thy directions in pursuance of that Commission which I gave thee when I constituted and appointed thee to reside as Bishop at Ephesus at the time when I went thence to go to Macedonia Act. 20. 1. that presiding and governing the Church there thou mightest suppresse the seeds of the Gnostick heresie sowed there and keep men within the form of sound doctrine that which in all Churches was delivered by us 4. Neither give heed to fables and endlesse note a genealogies which minister questions rather than edifying which is in faith so doe Paraphrase 4. And warn thy flock not to heed those fabulous pedegrees of the gods which under the name of Aeones the Gnosticks see note on Col. 2. a. talk so much of and so bring in many perplext disputes rather than instruct men in the way of salvation under the Gospel or of Christian doctrine in matters belonging to God 4. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned Paraphrase 5. The substance and perfection or else the designe and aime of Christian duty being charity whose genealogie is this faith unfeigned begets a good conscience that is abstaining from all sin that purity of heart that love of all men 6. From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling Paraphrase 6. Which some aiming not at have gone out of the way to a divinity made up of empty words for so was the Gnosticks see v. 4. 7. Desiring to be teachers of the Law understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm Paraphrase 7. Joyning Judaisme to Christianty undertaking to expound the Law and to find those mysteries in it which are the foundations of their impure doctrines but observe no part of the Law nor at all apply it to the ruling of their lives 8. But we know that the Law is good if a man use it lawfully Paraphrase 8. Which is consequently a grievous abuse of the Law whose whole goodness consists in this that a man order his actions so by it as to abstain from the sins that it forbids and doe the good which it requires 9. Knowing this that the Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawlesse and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for unholy and profane for murtherers of fathers and murtherers of mothers for manslayers Paraphrase 9. It being certain that as good men will perform their duty without any law so the Law of Moses as all other lawes was given to the sons of those excellent Patriarchs because it was foreseen they would not alwaies continue so good and so was on this very designe to keep in order such men as these to restrain such impure Gnosticks as these from the sins they are guilty of and not to stand them in any stead except they live according to it Accordingly you know that Moses's Law is very severe against the rebellious and contumacious against blasphemers and seditious such as Corah Num. 16. 8. called Sinners there and to such are the Gnosticks compared Jude 11. to the impure and such as contemn all that is holy such as Esau to whom the Gnosticks are compared Heb. 12. 16. against parricides and murtherers 10. For whoremongers for them that defile themselves with mankind for men-stealers for lyers for perjured persons and if there be any other thing which is contrary to sound doctrine Paraphrase 10. Against fornicators and those of the foulest sort of those Lev. 18. 22. against those that steal and sell servants Exod. 21. 16. Deut. 24. 7. against false and perjurious persons and generally all those sins and sinners that now the Gospel of Christ makes to be such and these hereticks are noted for 11. According to the note b glorious Gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust Paraphrase 11. According to the Gospel of Christ or of God when he dwelt among us appeared here on the earth for the preaching of which I have been constituted an Apostle 12. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithfull putting me into the ministery Paraphrase 12. And I account it a great mercy of Christ both that he hath given me abilities and that he hath vouchsafed to make use of me for so great a work thinking me a fit person to be so intrusted and setting me apart to doe him service in the Church 13. Who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief Paraphrase 13. Having been so hugely unfit and unworthy of such an honour by my former behaviour whilst I was a Jew blaspheming the name of Christ persecuting the Christians and using them most despitefully Notwithstanding all which God was mercifull to me looked on it but as an act of blind zeal in me and therefore laid it not so to my charge as to deliver me up to my self but recalled me mightily in the midst of my carreer 14. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus Paraphrase 14. Since which time he hath most plentifully poured out on me the gifts of the Holy Ghost and proportionably to them a lively faith toward Jesus Christ and an earnest zeal for his Gospel which hath been wrought in me by his grace 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all note e acceptaion that Christ Jesus came into
acknowledged and that after his coming the Epistles to the Philippians Colossians and Philemon were written as appears by the place Rome from whence they are all dated and the joyning of Timothy's name in the front of them Now of all those Epistles 't is clear that they were written at his first being at Rome and not immediately before his Martyrdome For Philip. 1. 26. 2. 23 24. he expresseth his confidence that he shall be delivered and again come unto them which is not reconcileable with his perswasion of the instant approach of his death at the writing of this and to Philemon v. 22. he sends to make provision for his lodging at Colossae As for the Subscription of the Epistle which referres it to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second time of his coming before Nero that may possibly stand good by this interpretation that he was twice at his first imprisonment brought out to the barre before the Emperor and freed both times that the first being his greatest danger was most memorable to him by all mens forsaking him and the interposing of Gods protection when all other means failed him And this is more likely to be recited by him in an Epistle written soon after it then in one of ten years distance from it However we know that the Subscriptions of the Epistles are not to be found in all the antient Copies What the designe of this Epistle was is manisest to stirre him up to caution diligence and discharge of his office on occasion of the creeping heresie of the Gnosticks c. 2. 17. stolen in among them which had much debauched the Asiaticks c. 1. 15. and made use of Magick to oppose the truth of the Gospel c. 3. 8. CHAP. I. 1. PAUL an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus Paraphrase 1. I Paul who farre from any merit of mine meetly by the good pleasure of God and his undeserved grace have received commission to make known the Gospel or the promise of life which now is made by Christ to all penitent believers 2. To Timothy my dearly beloved son Grace mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Paraphrase 2. Send greeting in the Lord to Timothy by me converted to the faith 3. I thank God whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day Paraphrase 3. In my thanksgivings and prayers to God whom as my progenitors of the tribe of Benjamin did before me so have I obeyed sincerely all my time even when through ignorance I persecuted the Christian faith doing according to the dictate of my conscience or as I was perswaded I ought to doe I mention thee constantly praying and giving thanks to God for thee 4. Greatly desiring to see thee being mindfull of thy tears that I may be filled with joy Paraphrase 4. Desiring earnestly to see thee whom I love so dearly and this passionate desire being inflamed by the remembrance of thy tears at our parting that our meeting again may be as full of joy as our parting was of sorrow 5. When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice and I am perswaded that in thee also Paraphrase 5. Remembring the sincerity of thy obedience to the Gospel of Christ and being confident that as thy mother and grandmother which received the faith before thee continued in it to the end so thou also wilt persevere and never fall off from it 6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stirre up the gift of God which is in thee by putting on of my hands Paraphrase 6. And that it may be so I now write to thee as a monitor or remembrancer that thou consider the honourable calling which was conferred upon thee by my laying hands upon thee and making thee Bishop in which some others joyned with me see note on 1 Tim. 5. f. and the many extraordinary gifts consequent thereto which thou art obliged to stirre up and quicken by the diligent exercise of them and neither by fear nor compliance with any to let them lie by thee unprofitably 7. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind Paraphrase 7. For sure that God that gave us this commission and gifts hath not given thee or me so poor a cowardly spirit as that we should be afraid of the dangers and threats of men against the preaching of the Gospel but couragious hearts to encounter any difficulty a love of God which will actuate this valour and cast out all fear of danger and withall a tranquillity of mind and a full contentednesse in whatsoever state 8. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor of me his prisoner but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God Paraphrase 8. Whatever therefore the danger be of preaching Christ be not discouraged or whatever the example of my sufferings doe thou resolve to doe and suffer the like cheerfully and couragiously and to be a fellow-susferer with the Gospel of Christ to bear whatsoever falls upon that by that strength which God gives thee 9. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began Paraphrase 9. Who hath rescued us out of the evil world and called us to sanctity not because we had deserved that mercy of his but of his own free mercy and goodnesse long agoe designed us in Christ 10. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel Paraphrase 10. And now hath revealed it to us and made us partaâ—ers of it by Christ's coming into the world and preaching the Gospel to us who hath thereby voided the power of death over us and made a clear revelation of that life and immortality which was not before so certainly revealed that if we will obey him we may certainly be made partakers of it 11. Whereunto I am appointed a preacher and an Apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles Paraphrase 11. And for the preaching and teaching of this especially to the Gentiles God hath given me the authority and commission of an Apostle 12. For the which cause I also suffer these things neverthelesse I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day Paraphrase 12. And that viz. my preaching to the Gentiles hath exasperated the Jewes and brought persecutions upon me but I am not discouraged with them see Rom. 5. 5.
1. driven farther off at length by the malice and persecutions of the obdurate Jews to Phoenice and Cyprus and Antioch Act. 11. 19. and here to Pontus Galatia and Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia Which persecutions for the name and profession of Christ he makes matter of the greatest joy to them c. 1. 6. and so again c. 4. 13. mixing withall many precepts agreeable to their present condition especially that of abstaining from carnal lusts c. 2. 1. and discharging the offices that belonged to them in their several relations of subjects c. 2. 13. of wives c. 3. 1. of husbands v. 7. of Bishops in the Church c. 5. 1. CHAP. I. 1. PETER an Apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia Paraphrase 1. Simon an Apostle of Jesus Christ and by him surnamed Peter to the Jews that have receiv'd the faith of Christ and are dispersed and so journ in Pontus c. called the Asian dispersion see note on Joh. 7. d. 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and note a sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ Grace unto you and peace be multiplied Paraphrase 2. Who according to the good pleasure and purpose and decree of God to rescue a remnant of the Jewes out of the common deluge of sin and destruction are by the word preached and miracles wrought by the Apostles the means used by the holy Ghost to convert men to Christianity brought to this blessed state to obey Christ and to be in covenant with him who signed it with the effusion of his blood and thereby enabled and obliged us to perform the condition of it I salute you all in the Lord and wish you all increase of all Evangelical blessings and of all prosperity 3. Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead Paraphrase 3. Blessed be the name of that eternal God the God and Father of Jesus Christ who is our Lord who out of his infinite mercy to frail sinful mortal men hath by raising Christ from the dead and setting him at his right hand and by the blessed consequents of that given us grounds and matter of hope and cheerfull assurance 4. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you Paraphrase 4. That he will raise us also from our state of sin and mortality to an eternal pure estate designed to you believers as to his sons begun here and to be compleated to you in heaven now reserved for you and when it is bestowed sure to remain to you to all eternity 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time Paraphrase 5. Who in the mean time are and shall be preserved from present dangers by the power of Christ which he hath promised to shew forth in defending of believers that we may be partakers of that famous deliverance so oft spoken of in the Gospel see note on Mat. 10. h. 24. g. Luk. 13. b. Rom. 13. c. 2 Thess 1. b. which is now within few years ready to appear v. 7. 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice though now for a season if need be ye are in heavinesse through manifold temptations Paraphrase 6. And this is fit matter of rejoicing to you in the midst of your present afflictions or though for the present ye are permitted by his divine wisdome to be exercised and saddened with variety of afflictions 7. That the triall of your faith being much more precious then of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ Paraphrase 7. That the trial of your faith by sufferings being a thing that tenâ—s much more to your advantage then the trial of gold doth to the advantage of gold because gold is apt to be worn out and perish see v. 18. even after it is tried in the fire and found to be good whereas your faith approving it self to God shall â—â—t perish and so hath the advantage may prove successful to the obtaining for you approbation and honour and glory at the final day oâ—â—oom and the like here at this other day of Christ's coming to destroy your persecuters and to give you an honourable â—â—cerniâ—â—e deliverance ver 5. see ver 13. and ch 4. 13. and note on 2 Thess 1. b. 8. Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now you see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory Paraphrase 8. Whom though you do not know by face you yet love on whom though you see him not you yet believe and so doing rejoice with that joy that cannot be expressed by you nor valued sufficiently by others 9. Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls Paraphrase 9. And shall suddenly receive the crown and reward of your faith an eminent deliverance here when they that have fallen off shall perish by that means by which they meant to preserve themselves and eternal salvation hereafter 10. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you Paraphrase 10. Of which deliverance see note on Rom. 13. c. many of the antient prophets that prophesied of the remnant of the Jews that should be saved or escape out of the common infidelity that is embrace the Gospel covertly foretold in those prophecies which belonged first to the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon and from Antiochus which were types of what is now approaching 11. Searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow Paraphrase 11. Not knowing perfectly to what point of time it was or what age it should be of which their prophecies were ultimately to be understood concerning the sufferings and afflictions which should befalâ—â—â—â—st and the Church or the body of Christ that is Christians and after them the resurrection both of him and them and the visible deliverances out of them and destructions on their enemies see Dan. 9. 22 c. 12. Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the holy Ghost sent down from heaven which things the Angels desire to look into Paraphrase 12. Which prophets received revelations also that the things which they spake of were to be eminently fulfilled not in their own but after-times even the times of the Gospel called by them
the later times and that they were things of so strange and weâ—ghty an importance that the Angels were desirous to find them out but could not 13. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ Paraphrase 13. Wherefore as servantâ— waiting for your Lord continuâ— vigâ—lant and hopâ—â—â—tedfastly and perseveringly without any doubting or anxiety for the deliverance and mercy which is or shall be wrought for you by this coming of Christ in so discernible a manner see note on 2 Thess 1. b. 14. As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance Paraphrase 14. As new reformed persons not â—elapsing into the sins of your former unregenerate life 15. But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation Paraphrase 15. But after the example of the divine purity of God who hath thus favoured you as to acknowledge you his children do you live like such 16. Because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy Paraphrase 16. According to Levit. 11. 44. 19. 2. which requires all those who are called by the name of God that receive or hope for mercies from him to imitate his holinesse to live pure and pious lives 17. And if ye call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work passe the time of your sojourning here in fear Paraphrase 17. And if you professe to be the children of that father that is of God who is not partial to Jews above Gentiles but judgeth both according to their actions you will be concerned to walk reverendly strictly and watchfully see Phil. 2. c. all your time and being strangers among other nations v. 1. to behave your selves like strangers see c. 2. 11. 18. For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers Paraphrase 18. Considering that Christ by his death hath taken away the legal rites of meer external obedience which wanted that inward purity which Christ came to teach us wherein the Sages of the Jews placed all their religion and that therefore the falling back to that is the forfeiting a greater privilege then a redemption out of the power of temporal enemies such as is wont to be purchased with gold 19. But with the pretious blood of Christ as a lamb without blemish without spot Paraphrase 19. The blood of Christ the Paschal and consequently immaculate Lamb see note on Act. 7. c. being much more pretious then any coin or mony and the deliverance more valuable then that from the destroyer there Exod. 12. 13. 20. Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you Paraphrase 20. In order to whom was the disposition and oeconomie of all the former times as visibly as if God had set Christ and what he hath done and suffered always before his eyes as an idea or image according to which he formed all things from the beginning of the world and agreeably he hath now at last sent him into the world on purpose for our sakes 21. Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God Paraphrase 21. Who by believing on him are farre from departing from the God of Israel but do indeed the more firmly believe and depend on him as that omnipotent God who hath raised Christ from the dead 22. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently Paraphrase 22. Having therefore by yielding obedience to the Gospel preached to you brought your minds without all mixture of hypocrisie to the sincerity and purity of Christian charity be careful that ye continually persevere in the exercise and practice of that vertue one toward another 23. Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever Paraphrase 23. Considering that ye are regenerate to a new life not by any humane mortal but supernaturall immortall means even by the word of Christ who liveth for ever and whose will is now immutably revealed in the Gospel and consequently must be answered with the constancy and perseverance of your obedience 24. For all flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man as the flower of grasse the grasse withereth and the flower thereof falleth away Paraphrase 24. For whereas all humane things perish and fade away see Jam. 1. 10. and come suddenly to nothing from the greatest beauty and glory and accordingly the Jewish carnal external ordinances are now abrogated 25. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you Paraphrase 25. The word of God now revealed to us by Christ shall never be abrogated but continue and last for ever and this is that Gospel which hath been preached to and received by you from which therefore you must not fall off to Judaism again whatever your temptations or allurements are from the Jews or Gnosticks Annotations on Chap. I. V. 2. Sprinkling of the blood What is meant here by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ will be discernible by observing that it is in the same case and so in conjunction with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obedience preceding By this it appears that it must be taken in a Passive sense so as they are susceptible of it who are here said to obey that is so as the believers here through the sanctification of the Spirit shall be sprinkled with that blood The only question is what notion of our being sprinkled with Christ's blood is here referred to For more possible notions there are of which the matter is capable The principal that in reference to the practice Exod. 24. 8. where the people are sprinkled with blood by way of obsignation of the Covenant between God and them for upon reading of the Covenant in the audience of the people and upon their professing All that the Lord hath said we will do and be obedient v. 7. it follows v. 8. Moses took the blood and sprinkled it upon the people and said Behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words Were it not for that last clause concerning all these words it might still be uncertain what part of the Covenant it was whether only that on God's or that also on the peoples part which was thus signed and consequently signified by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sprinkling of blood but
c. and chap. 40. 17. it is rendred bountifulnesse Thus in Aristotle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is defined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rhet. l. 2. c. 7. when any man relieves him that wants not that he himself may gain any thing by it but only that the other may Where the Anonymous Scholiast expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace that is gift and so Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So in Callimachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I wish you may suffer no ill for this mercy to me but that you may be rewarded for your Charity where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is clearly interpreted by almes or mercy So 2 Cor. 8. 1 4. 'tis clearly used for a gift or liberal beneficence to the poor Thus in this Epistle c. 4. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifold grace of God is God's liberality of divers kinds particularly the wealth that he hath given to men as to stewards to distribute to them that stand in need of it and at the beginning of the verse it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every man as he hath received wealth or any other such gift of God So the grace of God so often mentioned is the mercy and gift of God as in the Benedictions The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God's love and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communication after it So Joh. 1. 16 we have received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace mercy liberal effusion of goodnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of and in proportion to his great goodnesse and mercy and abundant charity to us mentioned before v. 14. and after v. 17 where the grace of Christ is set opposite to the strictnesse of the Law which hath nothing of mercy in it Agreeable to this notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it signifies an act of this mercy in God that is a gift is the use of it in this place where the husbands are commanded todistribute to their wives all things that they stand in need of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as copartners of the gift of life that is the wife and the husband are joined together in receiving from God that largesse of his whether it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that signifies life it self as we know it was in the Creation God equally distributed this gift of life to them or as it notes the comforts and necessaries of life the wife as well as the husband hath right of inheritance from God to all the good things of this life as having equally dominion given to them both over the fish and fowle and beasts and hearbs and trees Gen. 1. 28. all which are given them for meat v. 29. V. 19. Spirits in prison For the explicating of this very obscure place the best rise will be that which S. Hierome on Isaiah hath suggested to us by looking on the words of God to Noah concerning the sins of the old world and his judgments designed against them Gen. 6. 3. where considering Noah as a prophet and preacher of repentance to the old world it will not be strange if the expression be prophetical and figurative The Hebrew hath it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the ordinary English render My spirit shall not alwaies strive with man the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Spirit shall not abide in these men perhaps reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lodge or abide The English render the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it came from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disceptavit judicio contendit to contend or goe to law but the word comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a sheath 1 Chron. 21. 27. and is used for a body Dan. 7. 15. my spirit in the midst of my body as being the sheath or receptacle of the soul and so the writers of the Talmud ordinarily use it and Tertullian De resurrect Caro vagina afflatûs Dei Flesh is the sheath of the breath of God no doubt referring to this place and accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is literally to be rendred shall not abide as a sword c. in a sheath For the removing all improbablenesse of thus reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pernoctabit and taking it in the notion of abiding or continuing in flesh and not of striving as the Interlinear and our English render it and as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed would require to be rendred I shall onely adde two things first That the antient Interpreters with one accord agree in the sense of abiding or inhabiting The Chaldee read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This evil generation shall not alwaies remain before me the Syriack and Arabick My spirit shall not dwell in man for ever the LXXII as we said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not abide and so the Latine non permanebit shall not abide This is a strong argument that they who when they meet with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uniformly render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. by words of judging yet rendring this in so distant a manner did not read that word or in that sense but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as all Copies have it in a notion of abiding or being in another And although the Scripture of the Old Testament give us no farther insight into this word then that once we finde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a sheath of a sword once for a body of a men yet by these so distant notions of it we have reason to suppose that there was some original comprehensive notion of it belonging to more or else it could not have been applied in the Chronicles and in Daniel to these two so distant particulars A sheath and a body differ much the one from the other yet agree in this that as one is the repository or abiding-place of the sword into which it is put so the other is of the soul and from this agreement no doubt it is that they are expressed by the same word And then it would be very strange if that word thus common to them should not natively signifie that wherein they thus agree viz. abiding or being put in or kept in or confined to such a place or some such thing 'T is evident that many Hebrew words are of a farre greater latitude of signification and comprehensivenesse then we can by the use of them in the Bible which is but a volume of a narrow compasse discerne or conjecture as appears especially by the use of them in Arabick books which language is certainly but a dialect derived from the Hebrew And therefore it is not unreasonable on the grounds premised and those more then obscure indications in the Bible which we have of it that this should be the native meaning of the Verb though in other places of the Bible we doe not exactly
the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind Paraphrase 2 Take care of your several Churches and govern them not as secular rulers by force but as pastors doe their sheep by calling and going before them Psal 80. 1. that so they may follow of their own accord nor out of consideration of the gain which may be made by receiving the contributions of the Church put into your hands as secular rulers again make gain of their government but so ruling them that they may obey your doctrine and example chearfully 3. Neither note a as being lords over God's note b heritage but being ensamples to the flock Paraphrase 3. Not making those advantages of them that are under you which the Procurators or secular governours doe of their Provinces but contenting your selves with the portion belonging to you and walking Christianly and exemplarily before them 4. And when the chief shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away Paraphrase 4. And when Christ which is your ruler and governour as you are rulers of other men shall come to judgment you shall assuredly receive from him a crown which is not made of such fading materials as those in the Olympick games but one that fadeth not a crown of glory see note on 1 Cor. 9. 25. a reward of your good that is eminently good work or office 1 Tim. 3. 1. See note a. 5. Likewise ye younger submit your selves unto the elder yea all of you be subject one to another and be note c clothed with humility for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Paraphrase 5. And in like manner all inferiours must live obediently under their Bishops and so must all of you be subject to those that are set over you see note on Jam. 5. h. putting on humility as your badge Or and so must all of you put on humility as your badge For God saith Solomon setteth himself against the haughty and disobedient but is very favourable to the meek and obedient 6. Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time Paraphrase 6. Submit your selves therefore in all obedience to all those that are placed over you by God that he may in that great season of retributions both here in the time of visitation see note on c. 2. 9. and hereafter in the day of doom exalt and reward your humility 7. Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you Paraphrase 7. And whatsoever difficulties ye have to wrestle with be not anxiously solicitous about them but referre all to God's guidance either to avert or enable you to support for he hath a particular care of you and will not let any thing befall you which is not really best for you 8. Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour Paraphrase 8. Observe carefully all the rules of sobriety and vigilance or diligence for the devil that upon all occasions indicteth and accuseth you before God is alwayes watching advantages to get you into his power and reach and useth all means to that end as a Lion doth roaring to fright and amaze and so catch his prey 9. Whom resist stedfast in the faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world Paraphrase 9. Whose temptations can bring you no hurt but by your yielding to them and therefore it concerns you to resist him with all constancy and fidelity making use of the shield of faith Ephes 6. 26. to repell all his assaults that being the tryed instrument of overcoming the devil as well as the world 1 Joh. 5. 4. and for your encouragement to constancy you cannot but know that you are not the only sufferers in the world but that the Christians at Rome v. 13. and in other places suffer in the very same manner that you doe 10. But the God of all grace who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after that ye have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you Paraphrase 10. But the same God of all mercy and consolation who by revealing Christianity to you hath advanced you to a capacity and if you be not wanting to your selves to the possession of his eternal glory through the sufferings of Christ by his special providence restore you to a peaceable quiet condition of serving him after there your dispersions are over see note on 2 Cor. 13. c. and by that means confirm you to hold out to the end 11. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen Paraphrase 11. And his holy name be for ever blessed and magnified by us all Amen 12. By Silvanus a faithful brother unto you as I suppose I have written briefly exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand Paraphrase 12. I have written this short Epistle to you by Silvanus I take it a worthy and faithful person perswading you thus to persevere and assuring you that this which I now preach to you is that faith which was at first received and believed by you wherein ye have continued so long 13 The Church that is at Babylon note d elected together with you saluteth you and so doth Marcus my son Paraphrase 13. The Church which is at Babylon that is Rome parallel to Babylon in many things which is your partner in the faith saluteth you and Marcus one of my first converts or children in the faith 14. Greet ye one another with a kisse of charity Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus Amen Paraphrase 14. Let that kisse the token of charity be from me begun to you all see Rom. 16. c. I salute and wish all prosperity to all the Christians among you So be it Annotations on Chap. V. V. 3. As being lords 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Phavorinus to have and exercise dominion What this is wil appear by that place of the Gospel Mat. 20. 25. where 't is explained by the practice of the heathen rulers Kings or Emperors over them who doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both to the same sense act as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lords masters of their people and that not only by dominion over their persons but over their estates too so far as to maintain all their state out of the peoples purses by way of tribute and taxes This is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there ver 28. to be served or benefited by their subjects the same that Xenophon means by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praef. to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being profited by them and Callicratides the Pythagorean in his book of the felicity of families intimates the same by
not thus provoke should thus enter was perfectly acceptable to God agreeable to his will and wisdome And so when the iniquity of the people is grown to such a pitch that God decrees their excision and the same may be said of any particular man that hath so fil'd up his measure though Noah Daniel and Job should intercede they shall not prevail for them Secondly when that which is prayed for is not foreseen by God to be inconvenient or hurtful for him that prayeth for it for if it be in that case God's denying to grant the prayer is a greater mercy then the granting of it He were au enemy if he would thus hear us to our ruine Evertêre urbes tot as optantibus ipsis Dii faciles The heathens could charge it on their Gods as too great a facileness to destroy whole cities by this means of granting men their wishes Thirdly when although that which is prayed for be good for the petitioners yet somewhat else is better and really more desireable to them And then thus to deny what is asked and thus to exceed their asking what is that but the divinest and most advantagious way of granting it And in that case God that knows what we really most want what is most truly agreeable to our desires being able to chuse for us better then we for our selves when he grants not our prayers in the kind yet he grants them by way not only of equivalence but of running over denies us what we demand and gives us what is more for our advantage denies us what is good but grants us that which is much better for us Thus when Christ pray'd for the departure of that cup his prayer was not heard but in stead of it the angels sent to strengthen him and enable him to drink it up as that which was more for his the world's advantage And thus when S. Paul prayed thrice that the thorn in the flesh should depart from him that prayer was not granted but in stead of it that grace given which was sufficient to enable him to support that affliction and that was better to him then the other for God's strength was perficted and magnified in him through that weaknesse or affliction viz. by his Christian bearing of it The second thing that which respects the disposition or qualifications of the petitioner may be reduced to these three branches First that he be such as to whom God's promises do belong such an one as performs his part of the Covenant of mercy the pious Christian liver he that is a worshipper of God and doth his will For otherwise God which is a hearer of prayers indefinitely is not the hearer of his we know that God heareth not sinners If they incline to iniquity in their heart the Lord will not hear them when they make their long prayers the Lord will hide his face their hands are full of bloud they must wash and make them clean before they have any title to God's hearing or answering their prayers Secondly that in that particular for which he prays he apply himself onely to God and such means as he knows to be acceptable to him This is it which is called in S. James asking in faith c. 1. b. and is opposed to wavering that is doubting and demurring whether God's ways or his own are to be adhered to for the obtaining his end and to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 double-minded man ver 8. who sending one mind one will unto God in prayer hath another for the most ungodly instruments makes a secret addresse unto them which renders him there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unsetled and various one while in the ways of God and another while of the Devil and Let not such an one think saith the Apostle that he shall receive any thing of the Lord v. 7. Thirdly that his asking be joined with importunity for to that qualification of our praiers the promise is expressly made in the Parable of the widow and the unjust judge and in the joining together of asking seeking knocking to which the having finding opening unto are promised by Christ by this importunity meaning a continuance and perseverance in our praiers for that which we want and when at the first asking the mercy is not conferr'd repeating and re-inforcing the request waiting upon the Lord which hideth his face and never giving over the importunity until the request be graciously answered by God All these being thus set down are the several ingredients to make up the intire qualification signified hereby praying according to God's will and to them that are thus qualified in each branch this confidence here belongs that whatsoever they shall thus ask God will hear them By which it appears in what sense it may be deemed to be required of the petitioner to believe that his petition shall be granted viz. onely according to the importance of these words thus explicated It being certain that no man is bound to believe that which is not true or to believe that absolutely which depends upon so many conditions upon performing of which as he lawfully may nay as a duty of faith to God's promises is obliged and must believe that what he thus prays shall be granted so if he perform them not he is not obliged to believe that his prayers shall be granted him and if through a great measure of humility and undervaluing his own performances he chance to erre and think himself unqualified when he is not unqualified and consequently want this confidence toward God that he will hear his prayers when he hath if he knew it due grounds for that confidence it is not to be imagined that the want of that confidence or the excess of that humility which is so acceptable in the sight of God should render him or his prayers unacceptable and ineffectual to him And accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him ask in faith in S. James chap. 1. 6. must no otherwise be interpreted V. 16. Sin unto death What is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sin unto death may I suppose be best learned from what we read in the Law of him that sins contemptuously to whom death without mercy was prescribed This was described Heb. 10. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that set at nought Moses's Law died without mercy upon a sufficient proof of it And so he that is guilty of that and proportionably to him he that useth the Son of God now under the Gospel after that manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 treading or trampling upon the Son of God v. 29. setting his commands and terrors at nought as there he is thought worthy of sorer punishment so here his sin may fitly be said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto death What this contempt is may appear by the second Council of Nice which expounds the sin unto death by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to continue unreformed and incorrigible after all the
such is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Elder here Nay secondly the persecutions which were at this time against the Church and wherein S. John was peculiarly involved might make it prudent thus to conceal his name and disguise it under this title Or thirdly whatsoever was the reason of wholly omitting his name or title in the first Epistle may here be of force for his omitting it thus farre here And this will be a ground of answer to the second reason also For though those Churches whither these Epistles were sent knew from whom they came and accordingly never denied them reception yet having not so publick a character upon them as others had and being not own'd by the Author in the title as all S. Paul's unlesse that to the Hebrews were this might well be the cause that they had not so universal a reception at first which notwithstanding it yet appears that soon after it was received into the Canon and this inscription prefix'd to it by the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second Catholick Epistle of John the Apostle As for the third reason that of this Author 's being opposed by Diotrephes which is thought to be a proof that he was not an Apostle this is of no validity because the hereticks of those times the Gnosticks are known to have opposed and rejected the Apostles themselves So of Alexander S. Paul saith he hath greatly withstood our words 2 Tim. 4. 15. So of the Gnosticks we read Jude 11. that they were guilty of the gainsaying of Coreh and that we know consisted in their opposing Moses and Aaron and so in the parallel must denote the opposing the Apostles or Governours of the Church sent immediately by Christ and that that is the meaning of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking evil of glories Jude 8. and 2 Pet. 2. 10. as of Alexanders blaspheming 1 Tim. 1. 20. see Note on Jude d. To the same purpose also it is that S. Paul having spoken of the Gnosticks 1 Cor. 8. through the whole chapter proceeds immediately c. 9. to the vindicating his Apostleship and the privileges thereof and so Gal. 1. and speaking to Titus of these deceivers he calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1. 10. refractory disobedient Of these 't is Ignatius's affirmation that they took upon them to know more then their Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any know more then the Bishop he is corrupted Ep. ad Polycarp And not onely so but of Marcus's followers a progenie of these Gnosticks Irenaeus plainly affirms l. 1. c. 9. and from him Epiphanius l. 1. haer 14. and 34. that they were so arrogant that they contemned the Apostles themselves and l. 3. c. 2. dicentes se non solum Presbyteris sed etiam Apostolis existentes sapientiores saying they were wiser not only then the Presbyters or Bishops but even then the Apostles themselves which takes away all force from this argument And then nothing hinders but that the Inscription of this Epistle may be true and John the Apostle be determined to be the Author of it And that will be more probable if we observe how agreeable the matter of this is to the former Epistle fortifying them in the truth v. 4. in the practice of charity v. 5. and warning them of the Gnostick decervers or Antichrists v. 7. How these Epistles should be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may perhaps be question'd being not as that of S. James and S. Peter appeared to be addressed to the Jewes of the dispersion universally or indefinitely but one of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordinarily rendred To the elect Lady and the other to Gaius a particular person But to this it may be said First that it is not certain that these are two particular persons to whom these Epistles belong see Note a. on this Epist Secondly that to whomsoever they were first address'd they were yet designed to be transcribed by them and sent to others also and that is the meaning of Catholick the same that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. that these Epistles were designed to go from one Church unto another and were not confined unto any see Note b. on the title of S. James But then thirdly another notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catholick there may possibly be to signifie the universal reception of these Epistles in the Church At the first beside those Epistles which carry S. Paul's name in the front of them there were but few that had an universal reception onely the first of Peter and the first of John the rest were not so universally received into the Canon of Scripture Hereupon those two so received might at the first be called Catholick and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Canonical also in opposition to those others which were not so Catholickly or universally entertained And then when upon farther evidence made to the Church these others were without contradiction received also this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might in like manner by the Church be added to their Inscriptions to signifie that now they were universally received also that is accepted into the Canon S. JOHN II. 1. THE Elder unto the note a elect Ladie and her children whom I love in the truth and not onely I but also all they that have known the truth Paraphrase 1. John the Apostle and governour of the whole Church of Asia to the Church unnamed and to all the Christians therein whom I value and love in Christ and not I onely but all other true Christians 2. For the truth's sake which dwelleth in us and shall be with us for ever Paraphrase 2. Because of the Christian profession the same in you that remaineth in us and shall doe so I pray and hope for ever 3. Grace be with you mercy and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Father in truth and love Paraphrase 3. I send you greeting and wish you all gifts and mercy and prosperity from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ and particularly that you may in despight of all sollicitations of hereticks and schismaticks continue constant in the acknowledgment of the truth of the Gospel and in the exercise of all works of charity to one another 4. I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in the truth as we have received a commandment from the Father Paraphrase 4. Some of the Christians which belong to thee I lately met with where I was and discerned them to stand constant in the truth of the Christian doctrine agreeably to that commandment given to us by God the Father This is my beloved son hear him Mat. 17. 5. when Peter and James and I were in the mount with him and this constancy of theirs was the more considerable because of the great store of false doctrine that is now every where abroad in the Church and this was matter of special joy to me See note
railing accusation but said The Lord rebuke thee Paraphrase 9. Whereas the chief of the good Angels in a controversie with the prince of Devils or evil angels about the Temple of the Jewes which God commanded to be reedified Zach. 3. 1. did not think fit to give him any reproachfull words but only said to him The Lord rebuke thee c. v. 2. 10. But these speak evil of those things which they know not but what they know naturally as brute beasts in those things they corrupt themselves Paraphrase 10. But these Gnosticks that pretend to know all things upon this conceit speak contumeliously of those things which are out of their reach above their knowledge but in things which nature it self even in irrational creatures and so in them teaches them to be unlawfull they against light of nature wilfully ingulf and immerse themselves in those things 11. Woe unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after note f the error of Balaam for reward and perished in the gainsaying of Core Paraphrase 11. Woe to them For three things they are notable for first Hatred malice and persecuting of their fellow-Christians whereupon S. John in all his Epistles inculcates charity even proceeding to murther it self as Cain did to his brother secondly the great villanie that Balaam to get a reward insnared the Israelites in see Rev. 2. 14. and thirdly the contempt and rebellion against superiours such as was in Core against Moses and Aaron see note c. and this will suddainly bring certain ruine upon them as it did on those other 12. These are spots in your feasts of charity when they feast with you feeding themselves without fear clouds they are without water carried about of winds note g trees whose fruit withereth without fruit twice dead plucked up by the roots Paraphrase 12. These are unfit to be admitted as blemished sacrifices were unlawfull to be offered to your festival Christian meetings adjoined to the Sacrament see note on 1 Cor. 5. g. and coming thither they feed there luxuriously Men that make a shew like clouds in the air as if they had much water in them for the making men grow and bear fruit in godlinesse but indeed are empty and have nothing in them and consequently are carried about from one vanity to another as clouds that are easily driven by the wind Trees they are such as in the Autumne defaced and deprived of their very leaves as for fruit they are not of the kind that beareth that for in stead of Christian fruits of purity c. these Gnosticks bring forth all kind of impurities and so after their Christianity falling back into these villanies they are twice dead in sin once before then again after their conversion see 2 Pet. 2. 22. and so fit for nothing but eradication which shall certainly befall them together with the Jewes with whom they complie and join against the Christians 13. Raging waves of the sea foaming out their own shame wandring stars to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever Paraphrase 13. Unsetled fierce tumultuous people troubling all the world and like the sea in another respect foaming out those obscenities that they ought to be ashamed of taking upon them to be teachers but are uncertain wandring teachers departing from the true faith delivered to them And to such starres as these eternal darknesse is reserved their just reward and punishment 14. And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord note h cometh with ten thousand of his Saints Paraphrase 14. To these men belongs that prophecie of Enoch against wicked men those of the old world whose excision he foretold pronouncing fearfull destruction against them from heaven by the ministery of his holy Angels those infinite multitudes and hosts of them which attend and execute the judgments of God 15. To execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Paraphrase 15. Utterly to destroy all such impious men for all their abominable practices and all their proud contumelious language which the enemies of God and men have spoken against Christ and his Apostles and all his faithfull members that for their constancy to the faith are hated and reproached and persecuted by them 16. These are murmurers complainers walking after their own lusts and their mouth speaketh note i great swelling words having mens persons in admiration because of advantage Paraphrase 16. These are proud presumptuous persons that refuse to be governed alwaies unsatisfied and querulous at their present condition following their own lusts without any restraint of laws even of nature it self talk great high things of their Simon and Helena as superiour to the makers of the world crying up some mens persons as deep perfect knowing men to the despising of all others and all this to get gain by it to avoid persecutions from the Jews 17. But beloved remember ye the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 17. For the fortifying you against these seducers do you remember what was foretold by Christ Mat. 24. 10 11 12. and from him oft repeated by the Apostles particularly S. Peter 2 Pet. 3. 3. 18. How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time who should walk after their own ungodly lusts Paraphrase 18. That before the coming of that fatal vengeance on the Jewes there should be an eminent defection among Christians that should fall off to the hating and reproaching all orthodox constant professors see note on 2 Pet. 3. a. and give themselves up to all impious living 19. These be they who separate themselves note k sensual having not the Spirit Paraphrase 19. These despise scorn and separate from all others as being much more perfect then others calling themselves the spiritual and all others meer animal men that have nothing of the Spirit in them whereas indeed they themselves are the animal men and have nothing of the Spirit to which they so pretend far from any thing of true Christianity or spirituality and so their sensual actions convince 20. But ye beloved building up your selves on your most holy faith note l praying in the holy Ghost Paraphrase 20. But you my brethren persevering and growing in saith according to that doctrine of truth and purity delivered to you v. 3. and keeping to the publick assemblie where the holy Spirit useth to assist and where he that hath the gift of prayer performs that duty see Ephes 6. 18. and joining with him constantly 21. Keep your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life Paraphrase 21. Continue in your zeal and constancy toward God and in your hope and dependence on him for mercy to
held out constant for all those terrors and persecutions and deceits of carnal sins is suddenly to receive the fruits and reward of it 12. And behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be Paraphrase 12. And I shall not now make any longer delaies as hitherto hath by some been objected against the fidelity of my promises 2 Pet. 3. 9. but hasten to reward every man according to his works both good and evil 13. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last Paraphrase 13. I am the eternal God that have descended so low to the very death of the crosse and having been my self tempted am sure not to leave you in calamities I am able to perform my promise and shall not by any means be hindred from it 14. Blessed are they that doe his commandements that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city Paraphrase 14. Thrice happy are they that receive the faith of Christ and live according to those rules of piety mentioned ver 2. and live quietly and Christianly in the Church 15. For without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murtherers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie Paraphrase 15. Out of which all profane wicked persons are to be ejected such are the Gnosticks which cannot be better compared then to dogs for biting and tearing the orthodox constant Christians and are over and above sorcerers profess'd and guilty of all filthy pollutions bloodily minded guilty of Idol-worship and hypocritical treacherous persons see ch 21. 8. and so are but false equivocal members of Christ's Church and shall have no part of the benefit of Christians 16. I Jesus have sent mine Angel to testifie these things unto you in the Churches I am the root and the off-spring of David and the bright and morning starre Paraphrase 16. I Jesus have sent unto thee my Angel with all these visions concerning the seven Churches and all other passages concerning the universal Church of God I am he that am known by the Prophets by these several titles The root of Jesse The son of David and therefore can bring down the mightiest Kings as David did The starre that ushers in the day all lightsomeness and chearfulness into the world see ch 2. note o. 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say Come And let him that heareth say Come And let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Paraphrase 17. And the Spirit of God that dwells in the Church of Christ and adorns and sets it out fits it as a bride for Christ and the Church the Bride it self calls to every man to consider his own safety so farre as to make hast to come into the number of these faithfull servants of Christ And let every one that heareth these visions say the same seeing that important advantages of it and dangers of the contrary and whosoever will may have a chearfull admission to it and to that refreshing assistance of grace and pardon of sin that is reach'd out there 18. For I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecie of this book note f If any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are writ en in this book Paraphrase 18. As for all those to whom this prophecie shall come I conjure them all that they change not a tittle of it and withall that they look upon it as the last authoritative prophecie that is likely to come from heaven to be a rule of faith to the Church What is here said is decreed and setled immutable no man shall be able to avert it and whosoever shall go about to infuse any-other expectations into men then what are agreeable to these visions God shall bring on him the judgments that are here denounced against Gods greatest enemies 19. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecie God shall take his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city and from the things which are written in this book Paraphrase 19. And so in like manner whosoever shall derogate any thing from the authority of this prophecie or take out any part of it or occasion men's not receiving the admonition of Christ here contained in every part thereof God shall cast him off throw him out of the Church account him uncapable of all the blessings which are here promised to the faithfull Christians 20. He which testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Jesus Paraphrase 20. Christ that sent these visions affirmeth assuredly that he will speedily set to the execution of what is contained in them see note on Mat. 24. b. and that infallibly And the writer hereof in the name of all faithfull Christians gives his acclamation Be it so Lord Jesus be it so 21. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Paraphrase 21. I am now to conclude this Epistle to the seven Churches in the solemn form of Apostolical salutation The grace mercy and goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Annotations on Chap. XXII V. 1. A pure river The five first verses of this chapter belong to the businesse of the former chapter the description of the Christian Church in its flourishing condition and ought not to have been divided from it And this first verse hath a nearer connexion with that which immediatly preceded There in the beginning of it is mention of entrance into the Church and who they were that should not be admitted to it Now this entrance we know was by Baptisme and that is sure express'd here by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pure river of water of life The place wherein they baptized was first any great pool of water typified Ezech. 47. 5. by waters to swim in where they might go in as Philip with the Eunuch and be put under water from whence it is ordinarily by the antients call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pool In the times here referred to that is under Constantine the Font was in the Court before the Church Fountain-water running always into it This Fountain-water is in the New Testament called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living water and here by analogie water of life but that with the addition of a mystical sense as when Ezech. 47. 9. it is said that every thing that moveth wheresoever the waters come shall live or when Christ speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 water leaping or springing to eternal life because Baptisme as an initiation into the Church is an entrance into a Christian and eternal life And the water in the Baptistery or Font maintained from the spring is called here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 river a word by which any
the iota or title mentioned before c. he shall be least in the kingdome of God that is indeed shall not be admitted at all which by this figure is thus express'd in relation to what went before He shall be the least as he breaks the least without which that would not have been the style in all likelyhood Thus Isai 65. 11. Yee are they that furnish the drink offering to that number Therefore will I number you to the sword c. Thus Mat. 12. 50. upon mention of his mother and brethren seeking him which was literally true of Mary c. Christs reply is in another not a literall sense Whosoever doth the will of my father the same is my brother and sister and mother So 1 Cor. 8. 2. speaking of the knowing of God in the vulgar ordinary sense of knowing he adds v. 3. but if any man love God he is known of God in another notion of knowledge for approbation and in the same kind again Gal. 4. 9. Now after ye have known God or rather are known of God and Rom. 14. 13. Let us no longer judge one another that is censure separate from communion but rather judge this quite in another sense as Judging signifies thinking fit and resolving and Rev. 22. 18 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any man shall adde to these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God shall adde to him the plagues c. and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any man shall take away God shall take away his part out of the book of life Agreeable to these is this phrase here on mention of the dead father preceding Let the dead bury the dead but follow thou me that is not let the dead but let others do that office interre the dead but thou that art a consecrated person must do that to which thou art consecrated which in all probability if it were not a proverbiall speech known among them was yet the imitation of some other proverb as Like to like the living to the living the dead to the dead c. which are not always to be required to the literall sound of the words wherein they are express'd V. 28. Tombs 'T was usuall for the Devils to abide in tombs to confirm in men that vain perswasion of the souls of men after Death being turn'd into Devils see Hieron Magius miscellan l. 4. c. 12. and for divers other ends for which the solitude of such places was advantagious to them none using to come thither but to bury their dead V. 30. Swine That there were Swine among the Gadarens contrary to the Jewish customes will not bee strange when 't is remembred that Gadara is by Josephus numbred among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grecian Cities which Pompey took away from the Jews see Is. Causab ad Baron p. 219. and that the greatest part of the inhabitants were Syrians not Jews by the affirmation of the same Josephus l. 2. de Bello Judai c. 33. See Constant l' Empereur de legibus p. 181. CHAP. IX 1. AND he entred into a ship and passed over and came into his own city Paraphrase 1. Capernaum where he now dwelt v. 7. and Mar. 1. 21 45. and c. 2. 1. and to which he removed from Nazareth Mat. 4. 13. 2. And behold they brought to him a man sick of the palsie lying upon a bed and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsie Son be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee Paraphrase 2. By this extraordinary course of bringing the sick man discerning the great vigor of their faith 3. And behold certain of the Scribes said note a within themselves This man blasphemeth Paraphrase 3. Either in their hearts or in private discourse one with another not heard by him or his disciples 4. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts Paraphrase 4. And Jesus by his divine power as searcher of hearts discerning whither their thoughts or words whispered among themselves and not spoken audibly said unto them Why doe you passe such malicious causelesse censures 5. For whether is easier to say Thy sins be forgiven thee or to say Arise and walk Paraphrase 5. Be cured of thy palsie and walk about 6. But that ye may know that the son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins Then saith he to the sick of the palsie Arise take up thy bed and go unto thy house Paraphrase 6. That Christ in this state of exinanition hath authority to forgive sins here to men that lie under punishment of them and consequently to deliver from their bond those that were deliver'd up to Satan and so tormented by him This power given to Christ on earth in the commission received from his Father v. 8. to be from this time continued on the earth and accordingly committed by Christ at his departure to the Apostles Joh. 20. and in them to their successors that what they forgive on earth should be forgiven in heaven and the bonds loosed 7. And he arose and departed to his house 8. But when the multitudes saw it they marvelled and glorified God which had given such power unto men Paraphrase 8. were amazed to see it and acknowledged it an incomprehensible mercy of God to send a Prophet to them with such a commission power of pardoning sin and that testified by doing an absolute miracle v. 6. 9. And as Jesus passed forth from thence he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the note b receit of custome and he saith unto him Follow me And he arose and followed him Paraphrase 9. a tole-gather or Publican by trade busie about his work and upon Christs first word of command or call he left his trade and attended him as his constant disciple 10. And it came to passe as Jesus sate at meat in the house behold many note c publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his Disciples Paraphrase 10. And this new disciple of his made him a feast Mar. 2. 14. and that a great one Lu. 5. 27. though Matthew being the Writer of this Gospel affirm it not of himself And as Jesus was at that feast in Matthews house many other Publicans such as Matthew had been who were looked upon by the Jewes as the vilest sort of men that no Jew was to eat or drink or converse with familiarly 11. And when the Pharisees saw it they said to his disciples Why eateth your master with publicans and sinners Paraphrase 11. Why doe your master and you Lu. 5. 30. a thing which is so unlawfull ear 12. But when Jesus heard that he said unto them They that be whole need not a Physitian but they that be sick Paraphrase 12. He raised his voice and directed it to the Pharisces that stood thus cavilling by and said 13. But goe ye and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the
sufficiently of converting and reforming the Gentile world it is Christ's appointment to his Apostles that they should disperse themselves unto all Nations and so bring them to the knowledge of his will To this sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words of Athanasius are observable de incarn verbi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law was not for the Jewes onely nor were the Prophets sent for them alone the two things meant by the Oracles here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but this nation was the sacred school of the whole world from whence they were to fetch the knowledge of God and the way of spirituall living Wherein yet there was an eminent difference betwixt this and the Evangelicall oeconomy Under the Law they that would learn God's will must come up to Palaestine to fetch it but under the Gospell the Law of Christ it self goes out and takes the journey to all nations and comes home unto them which is farre the greater advantage and makes them more unexcusable which doe not receive and imbrace it V. 4. Judged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies to have a suit in Law saith Hesychius and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any civill controversie or contention The Hebrew in Psal 51. 4. whence 't is cited hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in judicando te when thou judgest literally but then that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it signifie judicare to judge signifies often litigare to contend also to plead or manage a cause for one against another So Ezech. 50. 4. wilt thou judge them that is wilt thou plead for them so v. 7. and oft in these Epistles 1 Cor. 6. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dares any wage a suit at Law implead another So in Demaratus Arcadicor 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being impleaded of murther he was freed from the accusation where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must signifie not judged or condemned for 't is added he was absolved but accused or impleaded and again it was by his mother that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not by the Judge another evidence that it signifies accused prosecuted not condemned And agreeable to this will be that notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 5. 16. for charging of sin upon us inditement impleading after which followes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or condemnation From this notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to contend in the forinsecal sense for pleading or managing the suit in Law will appear also what is the originall notion of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be justified which is so often used in these Epistles For the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings in the former part of this verse is visibly of the same importance with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou mightest overcome when thou pleadest in the latter and then as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must signifie pleadings so must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good success or victory of the pleader being acquitted by the Judge as in that known place of Solomon Prov. 17. 15. justifying is set opposite to condemning From hence it is justly resolved by Divines that though Rev. 22. 11. and perhaps in some other places of the Greek of the Old Testament as Ecclus. 31. 5. and 18. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposite to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so signifieth to live or do righteously yet there is this other notion which belongs to the word and must constantly be affixed to it in almost all the places of the New Testament For the due understanding of which these three things will be necessary to be remembred First that the word being Juridicall must alwayes when it is used in this sense imply a legall proceeding and therein a Judge a Client and a Law or somewhat proportionable to each of these Thus when a man is said to be justified by the deeds of the Law or by the faith of Christ in the sight of God as the man is the Client supposable to be impleaded by Satan the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or adversary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in judicature and God the Judge and the Law of Moses on one side or the Christian law the law of faith on the other the Rule or Law by which the judgment is made so he that is said to be justified must be supposed to be acquitted by the rules of that law by which he is tried and judged whether it be that given by Moses or this by Christ Thus in that eminent place Act. 13. 38 39. the summary of the whole Gospel and from which the notion of this word in the Epistles may most fitly be taken Be it known unto you that by this person Christ remission of sins is declared or preached unto you and through him every one that believeth is justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from all those things from which you could not be justified in or by the Law of Moses Where as it is evident that the law of Christ allowes pardon and remission for those sinnes for which the Law of Moses allowed no mercy viz. in case of repentance and sincere returning to the obedience of Christ after one or more acts of presumptuous sinnes for which the Law of Moses admitted no sacrifice no expiation but inflicted death without mercy on the offender were he never so penitent Heb. 10. 26 28. and though there were hope of pardon for such in another world yet this was not by the purport of Moses but of Christ's covenant so the Justification which is now declared from Christ and consists in God's pardoning such sinnes acquitting the penitent believer that now comes in to the obedience of Christ whatsoever his past sinnes have been is a judicial act of God's proceeding according to this rule now in force this Law of Christ this Covenant under the Gospel which because it is an act of meer mercy in God through Christ the purchase of which cost Christ his blood but cost us nothing by his stripes we were thus healed and because the condition of new life required of us to make us capable of this remission hath nothing of virtue or merit of natural or moral efficiency in it towards the purchasing remission therefore it is here affirmed that we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. v. 24. justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is by Jesus Christ The second thing to be observed in this matter is that the Gospel or the faith of Christ being now that rule by which God either acquits or condemns justifies or not justifies any whensoever Justification is mentioned it must be understood with this reference to that rule which is sometimes mention'd explicitly as when we read of his justifying him that is of the faith of Jesus ver 26. justifying by faith and through faith v. 30. that is according to that Evangelical rule the Law of faith
which gives place for repentance and remission upon sincerity of new life and is to be supposed and implied whensoeveer it is not mention'd The promises of mercy and pardon in the Gospel though general being yet conditional no ground allow'd for any to hope for his part of it but upon performance of that condition which again must not be consined to any one notiion of any one Christian virtue Faith or the like but to sincere obedience to the whole Law of Christ and that comprehends all the particulars required by him in the retail or as it is in the gross set down by the most comprehensive words either of Repentance or Conversion without which we shall all likewise perish and we shall in no wise enter into the kingdome of God or of Holinesse without which no man shall see God The not observing of which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the procreative mistake of the many great and dangerous errors in this matter The third thing is that the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness signifies two things either a lower or a more eminent degree of righteousness these two differing one from the other as Justice and Charity appear to differ one superadded to and superstructed on the other and as it is the part of a Judge to consider these severally and as well to reward the higher degree of the one as to acquit the innocence and reward the lower degree of the other so there is a double notion of justifying in Scripture the one for acquitting and pardoning accepting and rewarding in a lower degree which upon repentance and forsaking of sinne and converting sincerely to God is afforded every one through the satisfaction and blood-shedding of Christ under the Gospel another for an higher degree of approving and commending and adjudging to reward and that proportion'd to some eminent act of faith or obedience in case of extraordinary triall such was Abraham's believing in hope and above hope and his obedience to the highest commands leaving his countrey and sacrificing his only son and such were the severall acts of faith mention'd Heb. 11. and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 works Jam. 2. And thus there seems to be a difference betwixt God's imputing no sin and his imputing to righteousnesse the latter being his adjudging to a high reward the former only the forgiving iniquity and accepting in a lower degree the one upon some eminent act of faith or obedience the other upon undertaking new life answerable to these two sorts of Justification And accordingly c. 4. that which is express'd ver 4. by it was accounted for righteousnesse is v. 5. the reward was reckoned noting an eminent reward of some eminent act to be comprehended in that phrase And so sometimes it is in the word Justified and when it is so to be interpreted the Context will generally determine V. 7. Ly As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truth signifies also fidelity or faithfulnesse so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the contrary signifying a lie imports also infidelity or unfaithfulnesse and is here set to signifie that sinne of not making good use of the oracles of God intrusted to the Jewes called their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unbelief v. 3. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unrighteousnesse v. 5. So v. 4. Let God be true and every man a liar that is the unfaithfulnesse of men in neglecting to doe their part doth no way prejudice but rather commend the fidelity of God in allowing them those mercies which they make so ill use of V. 8. And not rather The placing of the words in this verse hath some harshness and consequent obscurity in it The learned Hugo Grotius is inclinable to believe a transposition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cur why thus And why not the rest being read in a parenthesis or why should we not doe evil that good may come But I suppose the more obvious and simple way ought here to be preferr'd and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why from the former verse to be repeated or else the sense so to hang as that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why there shall have an influence here upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not and be thus rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and why not as we are calumniated c. or And why should we not say as we are calumniated and as some say that we say If this latter be it then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say is to be understood from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 following But if the former then the whole oration placed ordinarily in a parenthesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we are calumniated and as some say that we say is as it were the Verb to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why not thus And why should not we say what Paul is affirmed to say but that is calumny saith Paul and in either way the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that follows will be taken in the sense that hath been noted of it Mat. 7. d. for scilicet or videlicet to wit only as a form to introduce the speech following thus Why should we not say as we are calumniated to say to wit Let us doe evil that good may come And so this will be a perspicuous rendring of the verse V. 13. Their throat is an open These three verses that here follow are evidently taken out of several places of the Psalms and other Scriptures and by the Apostle accommodated to his present purpose And by occasion of their being annexed to three verses taken out of the 14th Psalme it hath come to passe that some ancient Latine copies of that Psalme have taken them in from hence added them to that Psalme and accordingly the translation which is used in the Liturgie hath three verses more to that Psalms then the translation in our Bibles doth acknowledge V. 14. Bitternesse The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying deceits was by the Septuagint mistaken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bitterness and continued here from thence in this citation As indeed in most citations of Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles who generally used the Septuagint and of Luke also his companion see Act. 8. Note e. the Hebrew text is not made use of but the Greek translation retained even when it differs from the original Hebrew V. The glory of God The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory or praise being here joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God signifies not that glory which accrues to God the glorifying or praising of his name but that which accrues to man from God and that may be either in this world or in the next the approbation and acceptance of any work here or the reward of it hereafter God's acceptance or approbation here is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the praise or glory
Baptisme by him delivered to them of which they that were vouchsafed to partake he promised them eternal life here in this world without any danger of death or old age Of this Irenaeus hath spoken at large and Justine Martyr hath given this account of it See 2 Tim. 3. 7 8. CHAP. VI. 1. BRethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are note a spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meeknesse considering thy self lest thou also be tempted Paraphrase 1. When any Christian falls into a fault you that are the governours in the Churches shall doe well not to exercise too great severity on him but either to regaine him by friendly advice or els upon sight of his contrition restore him to the peace of the Church again considering how possible it is that thou also thy self mayst fall into the like sin in time of temptation See Jam. 1. 13. 2. Bear ye one anothers burthens and so fulfill the Law of Christ Paraphrase 2. Ease one another as much as ye can as in a building every stone assists the next helps to bear the weight that lyes upon it and contributes its part to the support of the whole fabrick c. and lay not weight on one another by censuring and aggravating of other men's crimes for so charity requires which is the summe of the Law ch 5. v. 14. 3. For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing he deceiveth himself Paraphrase 3. And because of the assuming haughty Gnosticks among you I shall adde that if any man think highly of himself above other men that man first is nothing his opiniating is an argument of it and besides secondly he brings danger upon his own soul by this errour falls into censuring and contemning of others and into many dangerous sins by that means and so cheats himself and perswades no man else but becomes ridiculous by his vanity 4. But let every man prove his own work and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another Paraphrase 4. But let every man so prove and examine his own actions as to approve them to his own conscience and to God see Rom. 2. note f. and then he shall take comfort in looking on himself absolutely and not only in comparison with others whom he judgeth to be inferiour to him and discerning how he is a better Christian to day then he was yesterday 5. For every man shall bear his own burthen Paraphrase 5. For you shall answer for no man's sins but your own and therefore need not busie your selves about other mens actions but onely your own 6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things Paraphrase 6. He that receiveth the benefit of spiritual instruction from another ought to be very liberal and communicative of all that he hath to that persons wants 7. Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he reap Paraphrase 7. And in this as in all other acts of charity especially of piety toward those that are employed by God let a man resolve that as he deals with God so shall God deal with him as a man's course of life is so shall he speed at God's tribunal 8. For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh also reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting Paraphrase 8. For as he that makes provision and layes out all his care and wealth for the feeding his own carnal desires shall thereby bring losse and ruine to himself so he that liveth according to the Gospel rule of liberality and charity to others ver 6. and laies himself out in works of piety c. shall thereby inherit eternal life 9. And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not Paraphrase 9. And in duties of charity c. which have promises annexed to them let us not be discouraged though we meet not presently with our reward For as if we fall off we shall lose all our reward even for that which we have hitherto laboured so if we hold out constantly we shall be sure to have our reward in that season which God sees fittest for us whether in this life or another 10. As we have therefore opportunity let us doe good unto all men especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith Paraphrase 10. This is sufficient matter of encouragement to us to make use of those abilities that God hath or shall give us and accordingly to expresse our liberality and beneficence to all men but especially to those that are of the family of the Gospel and take pains continually in the work of the Lord in Apostleship c. and whose lot is the Lord who preaching the Gospel are to live by it in all reason see v. 6. 11. You see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand 12. As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh they constrain you to be circumcised only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ Paraphrase 12. They that desire to appear Jewes and comply with them and not to be persecuted by them for the Jewes out of zeal to their law did then persecute the Christians will needs have you circumcised that by that means they seeming earnest for Judaisme not Christianisme may escape persecution from the Jewes see note on Rev. 2. b. 13. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the Law but desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh Paraphrase 13. This 't is clear is the ground of their practice and not any conscientious perswasion of the obligingnesse of the Law for they doe not themselves observe the Law in other things perhaps not in that of circumcision see note on Rev. 2. e. but that they may make a fair shew that way by being able to say that they have made you observe the Judaical law they force you to be circumcised c. 14. But God forbid that I should glory save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world Paraphrase 14. Such complyances and such boastings as these God forbid that I should ever make use of or of any other but only that one matter of true boasting and rejoicing in my sufferings for Christ in my constancy to the Christian religion and discipleship by which the pleasures and honour and riches of the world are become livelesse and untempting to me and I in like manner livelesse mottified to the world and therefore as I profesie not to be wrought on by those motives with which your Judaizing false-teachers are moved so I would not have you cheated by them 15. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing
nor uncircumcision but a new creature Paraphrase 15. the renewed regenerate heart c. 5. b. 16. And as many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Paraphrase 16. all renewed regenerate persons which whether circumcised or no are equally the people of God and acceptable in his sight 17. From henceforth let no man trouble me for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus Paraphrase 17. For the time to come I should be glad if they that are Christians or would be esteemed so would not cause trouble or vexation to me for I am now otherwise employed then to need that trouble and have greater evidence of my being a servant of Christ then to doubt of the sincerity of the discharge of my office and my acceptance with him howsoever I am looked on by you for I have on me those afflictions which are marks and notes of a servant of Christ and which testifie me to belong to him and that 't is not long before he will seise me as his own peculiar 18. Brethren the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit Amen Unto the Galatians written from Rome Paraphrase 18. the favour and loving kindnesse Annotations on Chap. VI. V. 1. Spiritual What is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spiritual here may appear by what hath been said of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirit Luk. 9. d. which signifies not onely the Spirit of God whereby men are reformed and the deeds of the flesh in the precedent chapter mortified but also the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the powers and gifts which were bestowed on men in the Church in order to Ministerial functions or offices there And that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritual are here thus to be understood in proportion to and by Analogie with these may be guess'd by the severals which here follow first the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirit of meeknesse which these Spiritual men are to use This clearly belongs to the power of the keyes vested in the Governours of the Church and is therefore set opposite to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rod 1 Cor. 4. 21. where as coming with the rod evidently signifies proceeding to discipline to Censures of Excommunication so coming in the Spirit of meeknesse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disciplining in meekness 2 Tim. 2. 24. is admonishing those meekly that have offended and to whom that method of fraternal reprehension is first necessary as perhaps also admitting to repentance and absolution those that have reformed upon the infliction of the Censures And accordingly this Spirit of meeknesse here is this milder part of the Apostolical office which is to precede the more severe and to prevent it if it be possible first Admonitions and Reprehension which if they prevail there is no need of proceeding any farther and secondly an easy admission to penitence in case the Censures have pass'd upon him without proceeding to any higher degree of Censures as in case of obstinacy might be seasonable To this second the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may incline which we render Restore but signifies properly to put in joint any member of a body which is dislocated and so it fitly belongs to the restoring an Excommunicate person to the society and peace of the Church but yet not onely so but signifies also to recover the offender to a sense and reformation be it by admonition reprehension or any such milder means see Note on 2 Cor. 13. c. And the doing of this being proper to the Governours of the Church it follows that these be here meant by the Spiritual V. 11. How large a letter What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Theophylact hath express'd his opinion S. Paul saith he was accused to preach in other places for the observation of the Mosaical Law contrary to what this Epistle contains This forced him to testifie what here he saith under his own hand that he did no where preach for the Law c. 5. 2. and c. 6. 14. And therefore whereas his other Epistles were oft written by an Amanuensis and onely the salutation with his own hand yet here saith he he was forced to write all himself and that as he will conjecture though he was not very well skilled in writing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he And this as he thinks is noted by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by Hesychius rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not how long or how great but of what manner what sort noting the quality rather than quantity And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are letters meaning the letters of the Alphabet and not so properly an Epistle And accordingly saith Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not to denote the length or magnitude but the deformity of the letters or characters in which this Epistle was written S. Paul being necessitated to write it all with his own hand But now granting as we have reason this to be the right notion of the single words yet there is no necessity either this should be thus applyed to the illness of the character or inlarged to the writing the whole Epistle with his own hand that is not so much as intimated in any other place or in any antient record and this one place cannot conclude it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes the sort or kind of the hand indefinitely not defining what it was save onely that it was such as was known to be his For so 2 Thess 3. 17. the writing the salutation some few words in the close with his own hand was saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the token in every Epistle that by which it was known to be his And so if here it be supposed that the whole Epistle were written by an Amanuensis as far as to c. 6. v. 11. and then the pen taken into the Apostles own hand and used by him to the end of the Epistle he may well begin thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you see and know with what kind of letters I have written you know the character that it is my own hand under which it is that I testifie all that is before written in the Epistle particularly that which is in answer to the calumnie against me as if I preached circumcision c. in other places which I have assured you and demonstrated by my persecutions from the Jewes that I do not and to this purpose I here adde again under my own hand a character of your Gnostick seducers v. 12 13. and the profession of my own opinion and practice v. 16 18. and again an evidence of my doctrine and practice from my sufferings v. 17. And thus the whole difficulty is sufficiently explicated without imagining any more Or if the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have written be thought to conclude that he had written that which went before and so the whole Epistle I answer that it is