the people of Israel that God would perpetuate to them the mercy promised to David that of giving one of his seed to sit on his throne which had been for some time interrupted but should now be perpetuated to them upon their obedience but here accommodated to Christ that though he were crucified yet he should rise again and after that never dye any more that is that Christ under the title of the son of David should be given to the Jews not onely in a mortall condition as David was but in a firme immutable state which could not be true of him if he had not been raised from the dead and assumed to heaven never to dye any more 35. Wherefore he saith also in another Psalme Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy one to see corruption Paraphrase 35. And to that most clearly belongs that other place Psal 16. 11. 36. For David after he had served his own generation by the will of God fell on sleep and was laid unto his fathers and saw corruption Paraphrase 36. For if those words should be applyed to David personally they could have no truth in them for he having lived his term or space of naturall life and therein ruled the people over whom God was pleased to set him dyed a naturall death and never rose again but his body was putrified in the earth 37. But he whom God raised again saw no corruption Paraphrase 37. But he in whom that prophecy is completely fulfilled that is Christ being sent by God into the world and crucified and by the power of God raised from the dead the third day before the time came wherein bodies naturally putrifie viz. 72. houres after death wherein the revolution of humors is accomplished never came to dye again or putrifie at all 38. Be it known unto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you forgivenesse of sins Paraphrase 38. This therefore is the message we bring the Gospell we preach unto you that this Christ is the Messias who by his death hath reconciled God to all penitent believers and by his life and doctrine taught us a way wherein we may obtain pardon of sin such an one as was not to be found in the Mosaicall Law 39. And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses Paraphrase 39. And whosoever receives and obeyes him shall certainly be freed and purged from the wrath of God and the punishments attending sin in another world from which the Law of Moses could not by all its ceremonies washings and sacrifices purge or cleanse any 40. Beware therefore lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the Prophets 41. note k Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish for I work a work in your days a work which ye shall in no wise believe though a man declare it unto you Paraphrase 40 41. You are therefore neerly concerned to take heed and beware that by your obstinate resisting and rejecting this way of salvation now preached and confirmed from heaven by Gods raising Jesus from the dead when ye had opposed and crucified him you do not bring a remarkable astonishing destruction upon your selves in the same manner and a heavier degree as it fell upon the Jewes from the Chaldaeans Hab. 1. 5. as a just punishment of their despising the rich mercies of God afforded them and going on impenitently in their sins against all the messages sent them by the Prophets and by so doing cause the Gospel to be removed to the Gentiles v. 46. A thing which will come to pass suddenly in both parts the Gospels being taken from you and preached to the Gentiles and the Romans coming in and destroying you though â—o incredible to you that you will not believe it when the newes of it shall come unto you by them that see it done see note on Mat. 28. b. 42. And when the Jewes were gone out of the Synagogue the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath Paraphrase 42. And as they departed from the Jews the Proselytes or pious persons of heathen birth desired to hear more of this subject the next Sabbath 43. Now when the congregation was broken up many of the Jews and religious Proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas who speaking to them perswaded them to continue in the grace of God Paraphrase 43. who preached to them and by way of exhortation confirmed them in the doctrine of the Gospel see note on Heb. 13. b. 44. And the note l next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God Paraphrase 44. the Gospel preached by them 45. But when the Jews saw the multitudes they were filled with envy and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul contradicting and blaspheming Paraphrase 45. And the chief men of the Jews seeing how the multitude thronged to hear it were horribly enraged and contradicted Paul and that with contumelies and reproches cast on him 46. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said It was necessary that the word of God should first have been preached to you but seeing ye put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life lo we turn to the Gentiles Paraphrase 46. But this no way discouraged Paul and Barnabas but they put off all fear and said courageously see note on Joh. 7. a. that now they had performed their charge from Christ of preaching the Gospel first to the Jews before they applyed themselves to the Gentile world But seeing ye Jews said they behave your selves so obstinately and perversely that you become utterly unworthy and uncapable of receiving benefit by the Gospel we are now by appointment to leave you and preach to the Gentiles and so we will 47. For so hath the Lord commanded us saying I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles that thou shouldst be for salvation unto the ends of the earth Paraphrase 47. For this was the direction of God that Christ being first preached to the Jews and being rejected by them should be preached to all other people of the world and this is the summe of that old Prophecy Isa 49. 6. 48. And when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were note m ordained to eternall life believed Paraphrase 48. And when the Gentiles heard this good newes that this pardon of sinnes and salvation by Christ was allowed them they rejoyced and blessed the name of God for this glorious mercy of his revealed in the Gospell and all they of the Gentiles that had any care or pursuit of the life to come the Gentile Proselytes or that were fitly disposed and qualified for the Gospel to take root in received the doctrine of Christ thus preached to them 49. And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the
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
Peter and the rest of the Apostles that were present beseeching their directions what to doe in this case 38. Then Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and ye shall receive the note d gift of the holy Ghost Paraphrase 38. And Peter answered them that there was now but one possible way left and that was with true contrition and acknowledgement of their sinne to hasten out of this infidelity and with a sincere and thorough change to come as proselytes to Christ and enter upon Christian profession with a vow of never falling off from it and so to receive baptisme from the Apostles that sacrament wherein Christ enabled them to bestow or convey from him remission of sinnes to all true penitents farther promising them that they should be made partakers of the holy Ghost also and of those gifts which by the descent of the Spirit were powr'd out on the Church and some among them of those miraculous powers which they now saw and admired in the Apostles see c. 4. 31. and note on c. 6. c. 39. For the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are afarre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Paraphrase 39. For to you saith he the benefit of that promise appertains if you will lay hold on it and indeed primarily to you Jewes this promise of the holy Ghost was made on purpose for this that by our preaching to you ye might be converted and convinced of the vilenesse of what you have done and upon repentance be received into mercy and receive absolution from us as the deputies and proxies of Christ which is gone And as the advantage hereof belongs primarily to you to whom our first addresse was to be made so in the next place upon your rejecting it it must be extended to the rest of the world to all the Gentiles which shall obey and come in to Christ at his call or upon our preaching to them 40. And with many other words did he testifie and exhort saying Save your selves from this untoward generation Paraphrase 40. And many other discourses he made to them all to this effect conjuring and hastening them with all speed to get as the Angel did Lot out of Sodome Gen. 19. 17. out of this state of high provoking infidelity wherein the multitude of Jewes were engaged 41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand soules Paraphrase 41. And all that were really affected by what he said came and renounced their former courses and approved the sincerity of their change and received baptisme and that day about 3000 men were converted to Christianity 42. And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and note e fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers Paraphrase 42. And all that were so continued assiduous in hearing the Apostles teach and in bringing their goods liberally for the use of them that wanted v. 45. and in eating the Lords Supper and praying together 43. And fear came upon every soul and many wonders and signes were done by the Apostles Paraphrase 43. And a generall astonishment surprized men to see first those strange operations of the holy Ghost v. 4. a consequent of which was this wonderfull accession of converts v. 41. And withall the Apostles did many miracles of very different sorts some of cures and some of exemplary severities and thereby came to have a very great authority among all that heard it ch 5. 5. 44. And all that believed were together and had all things common 45. And sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as every man had need Paraphrase 44 45. And all that received the faith assembled together for the service of God observed constant times of publick prayers and receiving the sacrament of the Lords supper see note on ch 1. e. the richer communicated their goods to the poorer as freely as if they had been theirs 46. And they continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladnesse and †singlenesse of heart Paraphrase 46. And they daily assembled in the Temple and received the Lords supper in some of those upper rooms see note on ch 1. d. and eat together in a most pious charitable manner with great cheerfulnesse and cordiall sincere bounty and liberality 47. Praising God and note f having * favour with all the people And the Lord added to the Church daily †such as should be saved Paraphrase 47. Blessing the name of God and exercising works of mercy to all that wanted and God daily moved the hearts of some or other to come in to this number gave the Apostles a fruitfull harvest every day brought them in some that obeyed the exhortation given them ver 40. repented and got out of the actions and wicked lives of that crooked generation and betook themselves to the obedience of Christ see note on Lu. 13. 23. b. Annotations on Chap. II. V. 1. Fully come The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is all one with the simple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in other places And that is taken in a peculiar notion when 't is applied to times signifying that such a time is come So Gen. 25. 24. when her daies to be delivered were fulfilled that is when her time of child-birth was come For which the Evangelist reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The time of her bringing forth was filled Lu. 1. 57. So Gen. 29. 21. My daies are fulfilled that is the time agreed upon for my taking her to marriage is now come So Mar. 11. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the time is fulfilled that is now is that due season come the criticall point wherein if they repent not they shall perish So Lu. 21. 24. Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles untill the times of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be fulfilled that is till the peculiar season concerning the Gentiles see the place doe come And this very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so used Lu. 9. 51. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the daies were fulfilled that is were come of his being taken up Accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is no more then when the day of Pentecost was come or upon that day V. 17. Last daies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last daies doe in that place of Joel literally signifie the last daies of the Jewes immediately preceding their destruction called there the great and teâ—â—ible day of the Lord And accordingly the last daies have among the Jews proverbially signified the daies of the Messias which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last daies and both these notions are very reconcilable For as the coming of the Messias signifies beside the coming of him in the
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
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
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
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
so long promised them by God as Ruth 3. 1. seeking her rest is getting her a quiet prosperous condition and belongs there to getting her an husband which was childlesse that it may be well with thee as there it followeth and it is more fully explained v. 10 11. When ye go over Iordan and dwell in the land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about so that you dwell in safety Then there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall chuse to cause his name to dwell there thither shall ye bring your burnt offerings c. Where 1. the reason is manifest why it is called Gods rest here because God giveth it them it is an eminent act of his power and mercy that they ever come to it 2 ly it is clear that the rest consists in the expulsion of their enemies their quiet and safety an immediate consequent of which is their peaceable publick assembling to the service of God at Ierusalem Now as 't is the judgment of the learned Iews David Kimchi c. that the state under the Messias is fore-typified by that rest of Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the age to come which shall be all Sabbath saith Solomon Iarchi on Ps 92. so here it appears by this authors application of it And accordingly we may discern what is the meaning of Gods rest which c. 4. 1. is said to be promised the Christians even that which is most literally express'd by that description of that rest in Deuteronomy viz. a quiet and safety from the persecutors prosperous peaceable daies for the publick worship and service of God which should now shortly befall the Christians by the destruction of their persecutors the unbelieving Jewes who as the Canaanites when they had fill'd up the measure of their iniquities should shortly be rooted out The only thing farther to be observed and wherein the parallel was to hold most remarkably and which is the special thing that is pressed in this place is the fate of the disobedient murmuring Israelites which were so impatient of the hardships that befell them in their passage toward this rest that they frequently and fouly fell off from God and returned to the sins and idolatries and villanies of heathen AEgypt from whence they were rescued by God all these were excluded from this rest of Gods giving their carcasses fell in the wildernesse and of that whole generation only Caleb and Ioshua which were not of the number of these provokers attained to that rest were allowed entrance into Canaan And just so the Gnostick Christians those that in time of persecution forsook Christ and returned to the heathenish horrid villanies from which Christianity was designed to rescue them were never to enter into this rest of Gods were certainly to be destroyed with the Jewes with whom they struck in and complied and desiring to save their lives should lose them using their own wayes to attain their rest or quiet should miscarry and never have part in Gods rest whereas all that have believed c. 4. 3. that is that have or shall adhere and cleave fast to Christ in the present persecutions andnever murmure nor provoke do certainly enter into this rest as many as survive these persecutions happy Halcyonian daies of a peaceable prosperous profession of Christianity were very shortly to attend them And this is a sufficient means of explaining and understanding that whole 4 th Chapter of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Rest and the Sabbatisme as that is distinctly severed from the seventh daies Sabbath ver 4. which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remaineth and is now shortly to be had to the people of God the faithfull sincere constant Christians the true Israelites v. 9. and so v. 10 11. where also the parallel is observed betwixt this rest of Gods giving and that Sabbatick rest which God is said to have rested on the seventh day For as that was a cessation from all the works of the six daies creation v. 10. so is this rest that is now to befall the Christians a remarkable discernible cessation from all the toyles and labours that their persecutions under the Jewish unbelievers had brought upon them and is accordingly styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rest or release to the persecuted 2 Thess 1. 7. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daies of refreshment or breathing from these toyles See Act. 3. Note a. According as it fell out in Vespasian's time immediately after the destruction of the Jewes See Note on Rev. 1. d. And thus when death is mention'd as the release of the Confessors from their sufferings Rev. 14. 13. it is express'd by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their resting from their toyles or labours See Rev. 14. c. And it is father observable to this purpose that the institution of the Sabbath among the Jews though it be in Exodus 20. transcribed as a copie of Gods seventh daies rest yet Deut. 5. where that commandment is again repeated 't is set parallel to and commemorative of the deliverance out of Aegypt Remember thou wast a servant in the land of Aegypt and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence with a mighty hand and stretched-out arm therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day v. 15. By which it appears how fitly and with what analogie to Scripture-style this deliverance from persecutions and daies of peaceable serving of God are here styled a rest that had long been promised and now approached the Christians For as the Jewish Sabbath in some things resembled the rest after the Creation in being a cessation from works of weight and difficulty with which formerly the person was exercised and so also in respect of the time of observing it the seventh day but in other things is the represencation and commemoration of the deliverance out of Aegypt in respect of the tasks and stripes from which they were freed and of the plentifull condition to which they were brought so may the word rest prophesied of by the Psalmist both as it iconcerned the Jewes in Davids time as still future both after the Creation and after the entring into Canaan so many years and as it yet farther respected the times of Christ be fitly interpreted rest from persecutions and have one eminent completion in this the Christians peaceable enjoying of Christian assemblies which was now through the conduct of God approaching them CHAP. IV. 1. LET us therefore fear lest a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it Paraphrase 1. Upon those words of God c. 3. 15. an ominous admonition if it be not heeded we have great reason to fear lest that promise of coming to Gods rest as for those others to Canaan being made to us a promise of deliverance from our persecutors and peaceable daies of professing
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
capable of being heightned and changed to the better by Christs reformation it was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faultless v. 7. and therefore when God designs to reform it he doth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 8. complaining of the defects of it and incompetency toward the end And then this New Covenant which was to be introduced in stead of it is set off and illustrated by the opposition to it But this is the Covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those daies or in the latter daies that is at the coming of the Messias saith the Lord c. which as it is evidently a notation of the Second Covenant betwixt God and the whole Christian Church and so sufficiently removed from this of New Light so can it not be applied to any peculiar gift of Prophecy of Preaching c. appropriated to some men but must have such a notation as will be common to the whole house of Israel in the Antitype that is to all Christian professors not only the Saints of God for with all such is the Covenant made in this gracious manner though many of them doe not perform their parts the condition of it for otherwise they could not be said to count the blood of it an unholy thing Heb. 10. 29. The plain meaning of the words is that it is a most gracious Covenant that God now meant to make with Christians and the graciousness of it was to consist not only in the abundant mercy and pardon for sin which there would be afforded v. 12. above what the Mosaical purgations and other observances could pretend to but especially in the agreeableness of the precepts to the mind of man to the humane rational soul there should be no need of taking such pains as among the Jews was taken to instruct men in the multitude of observances required of them which yet under Moses was absolutely necessary because the things commanded were such as unless they had been known to be commanded by a Divine Law-giver and to that end frequently inculcated to that people no man would have discerned himself obliged to perform but the duties now required by God of inward purity not of external circumcision and purifications were of their own nature able to approve themselves to a rational creature as most excellent and most eligible written as it were in every mans own heart if he would be patient to consult them there And then as this can no way be applied to New Light save as that signifies the light which Christ brought with him when he came into the world to inlighten every man viz. the constant establish'd duties of Christian life universally revealed by Christ's preaching and promulgating this Second Covenant so it belongs not to any extraordinary way of revealing or expounding this Covenant or any part or branch thereof there being no need of that after Christ had so plainly revealed it and commanded his Apostles to preach it over the world but onely to the agreeableness to the humane soul of that which was already revealed the matter of this Covenant The same also is the importance of the former words v. 10. I will give my laws into their minds and I will write them on their hearts that is The Laws which shall now be given the Christian Church as God's Covenant with them shall be laws of spiritual internal obedience for the regulating and subduing and mortifying of their affections impressed and inscribed on their hearts which must now be kept pure as the fountain from which all actions spring whereas the former Mosaical ordinances reached onely to the flesh or outward members and by that means did not conduce much either to inward or outward purity of the heart or actions § 9. Another sort of places there are which more immediately belong to the second branch of the pretension and that which is more frequently pressed the privilege that the Saints have by being such of understanding much more of the Will of God then any other can pretend to doe And a first ground is that of Joh. 7. 17. If any man will doe his that is God's will he shall know c. How little this place doth favour the pretenders of New light will presently appear 1. By considering what it is that here it is said that the pious man or the doer of his Fathers will shall know viz. whether the doctrine which Christ preacheth be of God or no. This was not matter of new Revelation but the doctrine which Christ had already revealed and published to the world and so could want no New light to make it known nay for the passing judgment of that doctrine thus revealed by Christ whether it were agreeable to the Will and sent by the appointment of the Father he had given them sufficient means to proceed and conclude regularly there was no need of any extraordinary discerning Spirit the Miracles which he did in the presence of all and the Voice from heaven at his Baptisme gave full authority to all that he said were matter of abundant conviction to all pious men that it was the good pleasure of God which he now taught and there was nothing more wanting to beget belief but hearts duly qualified with piety and humility which was necessary to render them a subactum sâ—lum a soil in which good seed being skilfully sown might take root and bring forth plentifully And that is the importance of the former part of the verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if any man will or take pleasure see Mat. 27. Note g. to doe his will the character of the pious man of that preparation of the heart which was required of fit men to a chearful entertainment of Christ's doctrine when it was already convincingly revealed to them Which indeed is but proportionable to what Hierocles and the Philosophers were wont to say of the necessitie of curing and purging the Eye before it would be able to behold a bright or illustrious object meaning the depositing of prejudices and prepossessions and passions and prides but especially of all habits of sin which while they are upon the soul are the blinding of it permit not practical truths especially those of an higher fourm such as those of Christ's requiring the purity of the Eye and Heart to have any admission with them according to that of Aristotle that as those which are of raw and unruly affections when they are taught Moral precepts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say them by road but believe not a word of them so the habit and custome of any vice is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corruptive of principles makes men begin to question or not to understand those practical dictates which humane nature and common notions had furnished them with This advantage indeed very considerable toward the understanding of truths already revealed Humility and Piety hath above Pride and Impiety but as those that take themselves to be the onely
he shall chuse that is direct and assist them in doing that which shall be acceptable in his sight not make known his laws of life by way of Revelation to them for they were certainly made known to them already and so here 't is supposed for otherwise how can they be said to keep them v. 10 and then shew them his covenant and communicate his secret to them that is afford them in the practice of peity and vertue those tasts of the sweetness of it beyond all other courses that they shall by experience find how excellent and for it self abstracted from the eternal reward how desirable a thing it is to follow Gods waies and not our own corrupt appetites This must needs be the meaning of shewing them his covenant that covenant whereby he promiseth all good things to them upon their obedience which Covenant was already made known to them and could no otherwise now be shewed them but by their discerning the graciousness of it And for the secret of the Lord that is this sweetness which results from the obeying his precepts like that of Manna from heaven called hidden Manna agreeable to every man's tast favourie to every rational soul That this is the full meaning of it appears by v. 10. where all the paths of the Lord those wherein he is said to guide and teach the meek v. 9. are said to be mercy and truth that is made up of goodness in the highest degree so saith Kimchi of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the abundance or excellence of goodness and of agreeableness to the understanding or upper Soul of a man to the common impressions that are in him to such as keep his Covenant and his testimonies that is observe and practise them and thereby have that excellencie experimented to them which wicked men which never come to practise and trie what it is to doe as God directs never apprehend to be in it To this purpose there are infinite testimonies in this book of the Psalms Psal 19. 9 10. The judgments of the Lord are more to be desired then Gold yea then much fine Gold sweeter also then honey and the honey-comb moreover by them is thy servant taught and in keeping of them there is great reward Where 't is manifest what the judgments are the commands and rules of life such as are to be kept or obseerved and all benefits and pleasures and advantages present and future are the constant result and reward of that observance So again v. 7. The law of the Lord is perfect hath all kind of goodness in it so the Hebrew signifies and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 converting or restoring the soul bringing the man to himself again from that degenerous condition of the sinner so unworthy of the rational creature that it renders him a very fool and unreasonable to that honourable state of piety and vertue and so making wise the simple changing the Sinner-fool into the Scripture-wise that is pious vertuous man To which purpose see the 13. part of Psal 119. And to the confirming this interpretation of this and the like places I shall use one argument taken ab absurdo from the absurdity which would follow from making them instrumental to the Enthusiasts claims For it is well known that God revealed his Will in those daies by Prophets particularly called and designed and commissionated to that purpose and if any thing was to be done which had not been sufficiently declared by the standing known Laws or when those had been remarkably despised and neglected a man of God was chosen and sent from heaven with such new Revelations Which was no way agreeable to or reconcilable with this other method of God's revealing all his secrets to every pious obedient servant of his for then there would have been no need of any other § 18. Of the same nature with these are those others that are produced out of the Psalmist Psal 111. 10. A good understanding have all they that doe his commandements where yet our margent reads farre otherwise and so as takes away all appearance of force from it Good success have they c. Psal 119. 18. Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law and so Prov. 2. 7. God layeth up sound wisdome for the righteous and ch 3. 32. Gods secret is with the righteous all perfectly agreeable to the former Texts and vindicated from the Enthusiasts misprisions by the interpretations that have been affixed to them As for that of Prov. 28. 5. They that seek the Lord understand all things it must be explain'd by the Context not to belong to all things indefinitely but as hath been said and as it is ordinary in the Scripture-style see 1 Cor. 13. 7 to all the things that are there spoken of that is the judgments of God in the former part of the verse his wise and just proceedings against the wicked and his rewarding of piety so that no man shall have any reason to call the proud happy to praise the wicked v. 4. And so the plain meaning of the place is that whatever the Atheistical sinner thinks of God's neglecting the government of the world from whence he takes courage and confidence to sin yet the truly pious man is able to contend with v. 4. and confute him he finds experimentally the reward of the righteous and knows that which the Atheist will not acknowledge that there is a God that judgeth the earth and so that is nothing to the purpose to which it is produced by the Pretenders § 19. And as little that of the Prophet Isa 35. 8. of the high way the way of holiness and the wayfaring men though folls shall not erre therein For besides that that Prophecie might have a completion in Israel and must not needs be extended any farther then to what it primarily belonged this meaning of it as figuratively it is applicable to the Christian Church is most obvious that the duties by God required of us are so plain and evident that he that sets himself to the practice of them be he of never so slow an understanding cannot chuse but know them Or else that the condition of the Covenant now required of us under Christ is not such as that any man through weakness or ignorance or involuntary error should ever miscarry or lose his part of the promise of that Covenant onely deliberate sins against Grace and against Knowledge are imputed to any man to his ruine § 20. So for the promise of putting a new Spirit in them Ezech. 11. 19. that is interpreted evidently by the latter end of the verse I will give them an heart of flesh that is give them that measure of my grace which shall work a reformation in them that they walk in my statutes and keep my ordinances as it follows v. 20. § 21. Lastly for that of Hag. 2. 5. My Spirit remaineth with you
them to impose these heavier tasks on all men How unreasonable this was is easily discern'd but however by this means it came to passe that a great contention did in the infancy of the Church arise betwixt the Judaizing zelots and the Orthodox meek disciples of Christ The former were for the observation and continuance of every ceremony of the Judaical law obliging all the very Gentiles as many as accepted of the faith of Christ to undertake the observance of it to be Circumcis'd c. The latter asserted the liberty of the Gentiles who were never under that Jewish yoke and for the Jewish converts insisted on Christs reformation and consequently the abolition and non-obligation of those shadowes which he had changed for that which was so much more excellent Rom. 7. 4. The Judaizers yet farther press'd the great prerogative that the Jewes had beyond all others in having that Law of Moses meaning by it that exact form as it was given by him and as that was oppos'd to Christ's reformation or the same now review'd and reform'd by Christ Nay because the promises made to Abraham were by them suppos'd to belong to all the Jewes which stuck close to that old Mosaical form and to none else and to help them to justification to the favour of God and pardon of sins Mat. 3. 8 9. though they liv'd in many sins unreform'd and those such as were of farre greater moment Mat. 23. 23. than the omitting the ceremonies of the Law could ever be deemed which they so vehemently stood for therefore they more and more enhaunsed and press'd the necessity of retaining every pin in the Temple every ceremony of the Mosaical law as it was before Christs reformation And with them the Gnosticks soon complyed and generally inflam'd the unbeleiving Jews against all the Orthodox Christians that did not And against these Hereticks and those boasters of this Law as a prerogative beyond all others these assertors of Moses's old form against Christ's review and reformation the Apostles wrote the greatest part of most of their Epistles And so in them though the word be very oft used in the former notion for the Jewish religion not as 't is opposed to but as 't is perfected by the Gospel and that so often that 't were redious to name them yet doth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the works of the law many times signifie that which I now set down for the second notion of the word this old form of the Jewish religion as it was before it was reformed by Christ in those particulars formentioned and that in opposition to the new form as it now stands reform'd and heightned altered and improv'd by Christ Thus Rom. 2. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking to and of the growing sect of the Gnosticks or Judaizers He rests in depends on and boasts of the law discriminates himself from all others not only Gentiles but Christians which Judaize not and though he commit grosse sins against the very law v. 21 22. yet he thinks to be justified by being a punctual assertor of the external observances of the Law against all things else even against Gods own reformations So Rom. 3. 20. By the works of the law no flâ—sh shall be justified before him i. e. by observation of the form prescribed by Moses as it differs from Christs reformation or by bare observing the outward ceremonial without the inward substantial part of it the circumcision without the purity Rom. 2. 28 29. For as it follows by that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the discerning or acknowledging of sin the law of Circumcision shews a man his o he commits farre from justifying him in the commission of it So again v. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as v. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the law or without the works of the law i. e. without that punctual observation of the Mosaical form the righteousnesse of God or God's way of justifying men is manifested Where 't is observable that this way of justifying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the law taken in this second sense is said to be testifyed by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the law and the prophets in the first sense It being often intimated by them that not the outward ceremony but inward purity was that which is acceptable to God So again v. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the law of works opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the law of faith the outward to the inward law where yet v. 31. having oppos'd them in that second notion he makes them friends again in the first notion of the Law In which saith he Christ did not abolish but only perfect and so establish the Law heighten the former duties and require more elevated performance of them then was before beleived to be under precept and for the Ceremonial change them from the external to the internal performance of them and so likewise for the Judicial requiring the equity of them i. e. that which among us is proportionable to that which appeared to be Gods will among them as farre as the variation of circumstances makes prudent or reasonable for us So again Rom. 4. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the promise to Abraham was not by the law The law there signifies the command of Circumcision Gen. 17. 10. which being after the giving the promises to him Gen. 12. 2 7 and 13. 14. and 15. 1 4 6. and 17. 2. it could not be said that that was the foundation of the promises made to Abraham so Gal. 3. 17 18 21. and so Rom. 4. 14 15 16. So again Rom. 6. 14 15. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under the law under the Mosaical yoak of legal performances such as Christ reform'd and alter'd is oppos'd to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under grace that state under Christs reformation So Rom. 7. 4. you are dead to the law or the Law to you you are no more bound to it and v. 6. we are freed from the law i. e. from those parts of it wherein Christs reformation hath made a change So Rom. 8. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the unability and weaknesse of the law points to that second notion of the Law before 't was perfected by Christ So Gal. 2. 16. three times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the works of the law in the same sense as was explain'd Rom. 3. 20. So again c. 3. 2 5 10 11 12. and in many more places in that chapter only with this light change The Law without the mercy or pardon of sin brought in by the Gospel The Law taken alone as Exclusive of the other For by that Cursed is every one that continues not in all c. And in this sense is v. 13. the curse of the law that punishment that the Law brings on every sinner and none but the Gospel frees us from So c. 4. 21. and c. 5. 4 18. So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
the law of commandements Ephes 2. 15. though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the law of a fleshly commandement Heb. 7. 16. belong to another matter speaking of Melchisedek and Christ typified by him and denotes a law making provision for the mortality of Preists appointing them in succession that Codex or body of Commandements under Moses before Christ's reformation So Phil. 3. 6 9. Heb. 7. 19. And because this Law of Moses was written and set down in the Scripture of the old Testament and so oppos'd in that respect to the law of Nature in the hearts of the Gentiles and all men call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the unwritten law therefore as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or law is used so in the same notions the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 writing is used also Sometimes in the first notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the law or religion of the Jewes So Rom. 2. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thee that hast literally observ'd the law of Moses and art circumcis'd and v. 29. with a little change 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the circumcision in the spirit not in the letter or writing i. e. the Spiritual circumcision purity of the heart and not that outward commanded by Moses's Law So Rom. 7. 6. we serve in the newnesse of the spirit i. e. according to this new reformed law which looks most to inward purity and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the oldnesse of the letter or writing which required external circumcision c. So 2 Cor. 3. 6. God hath fitted and prepared us to be ministers of the new Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of the writing but of the spirit i. e. not of the Law as it signifies the external body of the Mosaical constitutions unreformed but of the Spiritual or Evangelical law the law of faith or the law as Christ hath reformed it or the Covenant of mercy and pardon of sin under the Gospel For as it follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that law as it is in Moses unreform'd by Christ brings death but no life Condemnation but no Justification or pardon unto the world But the Spirit i. e. this new reformed law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gives life enables to gain life to come to Justification or salvation And so again v. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ministration of death in the writing i. e. in the Mosaical or written law as it stands there unreform'd by Christ and opposite to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 8. the administration of the Spirit i. e. this new reformed Evangelical law which either first because it comes neerer to the soul and requires purity there whereas the Mosaical law deals most in external purifications or 2 ly because the Holy Ghost came down first on Christ then on the Disciples to confirm this new Evangelical course under Christ in opposition to the former under Moses or 3 ly because in this Evangelical administration there is Grace given to enable us to perform what is now required and that Grace is a gift of God's Spirit for one or all these reasons I say it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit Thus much in this place of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 law and by occasion of that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 letter and spirit which may help to the understanding of many places and will not need to be repeated again when we come to them Ib. To fulfill The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is answerable to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to perform but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to perfect to fill up as well as to fulfil and so is rendred sometimes by one sometimes by t'other And the Greek it self is so used in like manner when it referres to a Word or a Prophecie then it is to perform to fulfil 2 Chron. 36. 22. 1 Mac. 2. 55. In other cases it is to fill up to compleat to perfect Ecclus 33. 16. and 39. 12. 2. Chron. 24. 10. and Mat. 23. 32. This the ancient Greek Fathers expresse by the similitude of a Vessel that had some water in it before but now is filled up to the brim and again of a Picture that is first drawn rudely the limbs only and lineaments with a cole or pen but when the Painter comes to draw it to the life to adde the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then it is said to be fill'd up This may farther appear by what Christ here adds Except your righteousnesse i. e. Christian actions and performances exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees i. e. go higher then that strictest sect of the Jewes and the Doctors among them thought themselves obliged to or taught others that they were obliged they shall not enter into the kingdome of God passe for Christians here or prove Saints hereafter This same truth is at large exemplified in the remainder of this chapter by induction of several particulars of the Law first barely set down by Christ and then with Christs improvement added to them in this form of speech But I say unto you Thus when Rom. 8. 3. it is said that God condemn'd sin in the flesh i. e. shew'd a great example of his wrath against sin by what Christ suffer'd on the Crosse for our sins the reason of Gods doing so is rendred v. 4. that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordinance of the Law circumcision c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might be perfectly perform'd in us i. e. in a higher degree then by the Jewes it was thought to oblige And that it is the general interpretation of the antient Church-writers especially the Greeks down to S. Augustine may appear by these few of a multitude of testimonies Irenaeus l. 4. c. 27. Dominus naturalia legis non dissolvit sed extendit sed implevit Again sed plenitudinem extensionem Again superextendi decreta augeri subjectionem And again speaking of Christ adimplentis extendentis dilatantis which are all the sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here So S. Basil on Psal 15. calls Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See the Author of the Constitutions l. 6. c. 23. So in Chrysostome Tom. 3. p. 93. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that Christ's giving of Lawes was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that Christ did not here recite all the Commandements of the Decalogue because he meant not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that it was then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Theophylact that Christ came not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When Christ was come our contentions became easier wherefore we had also greater tasks as having greater assistance afforded us And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having a Law more sublime then the old Law viz. the Law of Christ And
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
thus 't was sure the power of the true God and not any virtue in the words that did it This Christ uses as an argument ad homines that they who themselves profess'd to cast out Devils by the God of Abraham had no reason to say Christ did it by the Prince of Devils V. 32. Speaketh a word It is ordinary in the Hebrew dialect for speaking to signifie doing and word to signifie thing and so here to blaspheme or to speak a word against the son of man and again against the Holy Ghost is to oppose and resist them Now the phrase Son of man here belongs unto Christ as he appear'd in the weaknesse of humane state the son of Mary considered without any such light shining in him to convince all men that he was the Messias viz. Christ abstracted from the great power of his doctrine and miracles which when they did appeare convinced the Auditors to an acknowledgment that never man spake as he spake and the beholders here v. 23. and elsewhere that sure he was the Messias This power of his doctrine and here particularly of his miracles is in the parallel place Luc. 11. 20. called the finger of God which what it signifies is cleare by Exod. 8. 19. when that is said to be truly the finger of God that is a work of Gods own power which the Magicians by their sorcery were not able to doe and here v. 28. the spirit of God which two phrases finger of God and spirit of God appeare by these two parallel places compared to be all one and consequently To oppose or to speak against the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy spirit or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirit of God is in this place to oppose the power and convincing light of these miracles of his which manifested him to act by the power of God so were the Testimonies of God himself that Christ was what he affirm'd himself to be the Messias promised And that shews the ground of difference betwixt these two sinnes speaking against the Son of man and speaking against the Holy Ghost the first was the not beleiving him to be the Messias when though he affirmed himself to be so yet there was not that convincing light and manifestation of his being so but the second was resisting this light thus brightly shining in him acknowledging the miracles which he did Joh. 11. 48. but rather then they would acknowledge them to be done by God because if they did that they must receive him as the Messias which they would not doe because he was not such an one as they had fancyed and desired he should be a temporall deliverer affirming them to be done by the Devill v. 24. which being their onely possible evasion and that here confuted by Christ by three arguments the first v. 26. the second v. 27 28. and the third v. 29 and 30. he now tells them that this if they continue in it must needs bee a wilfull blindnesse and so not capable of that excuse of ignorance or blinde zeale of which the former sinne was capable Ib. It shall be forgiven him The difference of these two sinnes being set downe note h. it followes now that the former of these was a sinne for which under the Law of the Jewes there was place for sacrifice and and so for forgivenesse upon a generall confession of all unknowne sins and asking pardon for them of God It did not incurre that sanction of Death or Excision from the people and proportionably in the Christistian anagogy it was in the number or of the nature of those sins by which the sinner if before living spiritually doth not ipso facto become spiritually dead nor incurre present obligation to death eternall but by Christs sacrifice is preserved from it and if before he were spiritually dead yet is not this such as is to him imputed so as to fill up the measure of his iniquities and bring utter desertion upon him but as a sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or unaffected ignorance Num. 15. 28. is accordingly pardonable by a generall repentance such was that of Nathaniel Joh. 1. 4. 5. Can any good come out of Nazareth which was speaking a word against the son of man and yet easily pardonable Ib. It shall not be forgiven As that former kind of sin was capable of mercy so this second was of a farre higher nature none of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignorances for which only sacrifices were appointed under the law Heb. 9. 7. Num 15. 18. but parallel to those for which there was no Sacrifice accepted see Heb. 10. but just vengeance and punishment under the Law to which death without mercy was to be expected on the impenitent opposers the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adversaries and despisers Heb. 10. 27 28. Those that sin thus are the soul that doth ought presumptuously or with a high hand Num. 15. 30. a hand lifted up saith the Hebrew a hand against Gods finger Lu. 11. 20. or against the holy Spirit here and so that reproaches the Lord there as the spirit Heb. 10. 27. which is just the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or blaspheming the spirit here and so the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reproach there is rendred blasphemy by the Greek 2 Kin. 19. 22. and so must be cut off from the people And proportionably now under the Gospel such a sin as this shall not be forgiven the offender thereby if he were before spiritually living certainly dyes spiritually and so is cut off from Gods true Israel and by the Apostles and the Churches discipline is to be cut off from the congregation by censures the sacrifice of Christs death typifyed by the legall sacrifices doth not obtain that such sinners should not fall into present spirituall death and present obligation to eternall death nor doth the spirit of meeknesse but the rod of Excommunication belong to such Or if the offender were not before spiritually living this addes unto his dead works and so brings on him a new obligation to eternall death Though the sacrifice of Christs death if they repent of such sin particularly and actually God giving them space of life to do so may and certainly doth raise them up from this spiritual death and obligation to eternall by Justification But without such particular speciall repentance from their sin particularly retracted they shall continue in death spirituall here till they fall into eternall hereafter which is now by Christ most clearly revealed against all wilfull sin centinued in impenitently though it were not before so clearly revealed under the Law The issue of this whole matter as farre as concern'd the Pharisees there was this that unlesse their sinne were particularly retracted by repentance and Christ received and acknowledged upon these miracles of his or afterwards by the conviction which the Holy Ghost should work upon the crucifiers they can never have pardon or
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 asked him saying Why then say the Scribes that note a Elias must first come Paraphrase 10. And upon the contemplation of what here they had seen and heard these three disciples asked him saying If this be true that was said by Moses and Elias in the mount concerning the approach of the great and dreadfull day for the destroying of Gods enemies and rescuing his faithfull servants Then what is the meaning of that which the Doctors generally teach that Elias must come before that great and dreadfull day of the Lord and the rising of the sun of righteousnesse with healing in his wings to them that fear Gods name Mal. 4. 2 5. 11. And Jesus answered and said unto them Elias truly shall first come and note b restore all things Paraphrase 11. 'T is truly observed by them from Malachi that Elias is first to come and to do his office of restoring and returning the Jewes to repentance see Mar. 9. 12. to preach repentance and so prepare for this famous coming 12. But I say unto you that Elias is come already and they knew him not but have done unto him whatsoever they listed likewise also shall the son of man suffer of them Paraphrase 12. But I say unto you that it is another person that is prophecyed of under the name of Elias which cometh and that person is come and gone already but not acknowledged by the principall men of the Jews but despised by them and put to death by Herod and so Christ himselfe shall also be before this great day that now ye heare of 13. Then the Disciples understood that he spake to them of John the Baptist 14. And when they were come to the multitudes there came unto him a certain man kneeling down to him and saying 15. Lord have mercy on my son for he is note c lunatick and sore vexed for oft-times he falleth into the fire and oft into the water Paraphrase 15. the changes of the moon have such a power on him that at such times the divell v. 18. or water whichsoever is next 16. And I brought him to thy disciples and they could not cure him Paraphrase 16. those disciples of thine that stayed beneath when thou wert retired 17. Then Jesus answered and said O faithlesse and perverse generation how long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you bring him hither to me Paraphrase 17. Upon this Jesus rebuked those disciples accused them of infidelity and perversnesse that when he had been with them so long given them power to heale diseases and cast out devills and in some cases prescribed prayer and fasting v. 21. as the means of doing it they now neglected that means and so were not able to cast out this devill this impotency of theirs therefore was very culpable and so here charged upon them by Christ and having done he calls for the lunatick to be brought to him 18. And Jesus rebuked the devill and he departed out of him and the childe was cured from that very hour Paraphrase 18. And when he came Jesus commanded and child that evill spirit that brought that disease upon him and the devill and the disease departed from him together 19. Then came the Disciples to Jesus apart and said Why could not we cast him out 20. And Jesus said unto them because of your unbeleife for verily I say unto you If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed ye shall say unto this mountain Remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove and nothing shall be unpossible to you Paraphrase 20. I have given you the power of doing all miracles and directed you to the means which ye are to use in the doing them and if you did sincerely beleive though in never so weak a degree the things that I have said to you and obeyed and practised accordingly ye should by me be enabled to doe any thing that is most impossible among men as even to remove a mountain out of the place by speaking to it which is literally affirmed to have been done by the gift of miracles or any thing else as strange and as difficult as that 21. Howbeit this kinde goeth not out but by prayer and fasting Paraphrase 21. Now that which ye fail'd in was this that ye used not fasting and prayer to this purpose for that is the method that must be used to the ejecting of this sort of diseases and of devils viz. great intention of devotion joyned with faith and if that be not used it will not goe out and your not using that means was a want of faith in you v. 20. 22. And while they abode in Galilee Jesus said unto them the son of man shall be note d betrayed into the hands of men 23. And they shall kill him and the third day he shall be raised again And they were exceeding sorry Paraphrase 22 23. Jesus kept himself as private as he could Mar. 9. 30. telling his disciples the reason of his doing so because having done so many miracles among them and wrought so little effect upon them as that he foresaw he should soon be put to death by them he thought it not yet seasonable to doe any more till by the addition of his resurrection from death he should be more likely to be received and beleived on by them See note on c. 8. b. 24. And when they were come to Capernaum they that received note e tribute money came to Peter and said Doth not your master pay tribute Paraphrase 24. The tribute that every Jew yeerly paid to the Temple to the value of fifteen pence 25. He saith Yes And when they were come into the house Jesus prevented him saying What thinkest thou Simon of whom doe the Kings of the earth take custome or tribute of their note f own children or of strangers Paraphrase 25. And when they were retired into the house and Peter was a musing within himself about this businesse of paying or not paying the tribute-money and was about to ask Jesus concerning it Jesus prevented and asked his opinion From whom saith he doe all kind of Kings exact tribute or head-money so the Syriack renders it from those of their own family their own children c. or from other folkes only 26. Peter saith unto him Of strangers Jesus saith unto him Then are the children free Paraphrase 26. Never of those of their own houshold Jesus replyed Then this tribute which is paid to God for his Temple belongs not to me who am his Son nor to you who are now domesticks of his 27. Notwithstanding lest we should offend them Goe thou to the sea and cast an hook and take the fish that first comes up and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt find a piece of money take that and give unto them for me and thee Paraphrase 27. make them beleive and say that I contemn the temple or despise the authority that requires it
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
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
there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. Paraphrase 45. Thy beliefe v. 38 of that message which the Angel delivered unto thee from God v. 28. and 36. shall never be repented of by thee for it shall certainly be performed in every particular exactly 46. And Mary said My soul doth magnifie the Lord 47. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my â—aviour Paraphrase 46 47. Upon this Mary also brake out into a divine hymne of thanksgiving to God saying All the faculties of my soule my affections and my rationall faculty have all reason to blesse and praise the name of God 48. For he hath regarded the low estate of his hand-maiden for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed Paraphrase 48. For he hath done an honour the greatest that was ever done to any to me the unworthiest of all his servants In which respect all posterities shall look upon me as the happiest person the most highly dignified by God of any 49. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things and holy is his name Paraphrase 49. For the omnipotent God of heaven hath honoured me above imagination his name be blessed for it 50. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation Paraphrase 50. And his mercy and gracious acceptance and abundant kindnesse is to those that serve and obey him humbly from time to time to all eternity 51. He hath shewed strength with his arm he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts Paraphrase 51. Whereas the proud and great designers of the world are so farre from being favoured that they are opposed and confounded by him 52. He hath put down the mighty from their seates and exalted them of low degree Paraphrase 52. Nothing is more ordinary with him then to debase the lofty Atheist and to advance the humble person though of never so low degree 53. He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away Paraphrase 53. The poor that calls to him is replenisht by him and the rich man that trusts in his wealth is often brought to beggery 54. He hath holpen his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy 55. As he spake to our fathers to Abraham and to his seed for ever Paraphrase 54 55. He hath now perform'd his promise to Abraham and to his seed hath exhibited to them the Jewes and all the believing world that great promised mercy and so made a provision for them which shall never fail sent the Messias the Saviour of the world so long expected a mercy that shall never be taken away from us 56. And Mary abode with her about three moneths and returned to her own house 57. Now Elizabeths full time came that she should be delivered and she brought forth a son 58. And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewn great mercy upon her and they rejoiced with her Paraphrase 58. God had shewn a miracle of mercy to her in giving her a child thus in her old age and when she had been barren so long 59. And it came to passe that on the eight day they came to circumcise the child and they called him Zacharias after the name of his father Paraphrase 59. on the eighth day whereon it was the custome to circumcise children and to give them names the kindred and neighbours met to that purpose and they intended to call him by his fathers name Zachary 60. And his mother answered and said Not so but he shall be called John Paraphrase 60. and Elizabeth being also inspired by God v. 41. and having by that means received knowledge of the name appointed by God and not from her husband who was now dumb and so had been ever since the Angel spake to him v. 22. see Titus Bâ—strensis p. 771. B. 61. And they said unto her There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name 62. And they made signes to his father how he would have him called 63. And he asked for a writing table and wrote saying His name is John and they marvailed all 64. And his mouth was opened immediatly and his tongue loosed and he spake and praised God Paraphrase 64. and his tongue restored to him as before 65. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill-countrey of Judaea Paraphrase 65. And great astonishment and reverence 66. And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts saying What manner of child shall this be and the hand of the Lord was with him Paraphrase 66. Certainly this child will prove some notable person And God in a speciall manner was present to him to assist and prosper him 67. And his father Zacharias was filled with the holy Ghost and note n prophecyed saying Paraphrase 67. And Zachary by especiall motion of the Spirit of God coming on him sung this hymne 68. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people Paraphrase 68. hath performed his promise often mentioned see Gen. 21. 1. and 50. 24. Exod. 3. 16. and 4. 31. of visiting and bringing Israel out of Aegypt in this spirituall as formerly he did by way of temporall deliverance and by the Christ the Messias now to be born hath 69. And hath raised up an note o horne of salvation for us in the house of his servant David Paraphrase 69. a King a Ruler and eminent deliverer for his people and although the kingdome be not a secular one yet is he to be borne of Davids family 70. As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since note p the world began 71. That we should be saved from our enemies and from the hands of all that hate us 72. To performe the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant Paraphrase 72. the promises made to our fathers wherein not only they but especially their seed was concerned Gen. 22. 16. 73. The oath which he sware to our father Abraham 74. That he would note q grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him note r without fear 75. In holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the days of our life Paraphrase 74 75. give us power ability grace that we being secured and rescued from danger of enemies might obey and attend him in a sincere performance of all duties toward God and man and cheerfully and constantly persevere therein 76. And thou child shalt be called the Prophet of the highest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his wayes Paraphrase 76. And this John shall be a prophet of God foretelling judgments on the nations if they repent not speedily or rather of an higher ranke pointing out Christ see Mat. 11. note d. and as his forerunner by the preaching of
woman hath anointed my feet with ointment Paraphrase 46. See note on Mat. 26. c. 47. Wherefore I say unto thee Her sinnes which are many are forgiven note d for she loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little Paraphrase 47. The greatnesse of the mercy shewn to her hath proportionably a farre greater expression of gratitude from her 48. And he said unto her Thy sinnes are forgiven 49. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves Who is this that forgiveth sinnes also 50. And he said to the woman Thy faith hath saved thee goe in peace Paraphrase 50. This great expression and these affectionate extraordinary acts of thy faith are rewarded with a free pardon of all thy sinnes past Goe and live as thou oughtest to doe for the rest of thy life and Gods favour and all happinesse goe along with thee Annotations on Chap. VII V. 3. Sent unto him A seeming difference there is in the setting down this relation of the Centurion here from what we find Mat. 8. 5. There the Centurion is said to come unto him beseeching him and saying v. 6. and answering v. 8. Here he sent unto him the Elders of the Jewes and they besought him and when Jesus was not far from-his house v. 6. he sent friends to him saying and part of his speech is unreconcileable with his having come unto him himself wherefore neither thought I my self worthy to come unto thee v. 7. rendring a reason why he had not come in person to him This seeming difficulty may be answered by proportion with that known saying of Aristotle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those things that are possible by our friends are possible to us which supposes that those things which we do by others we are our selves thought to doe and so what the Centurion did and spake here by the Elders of the Jewes sent on purpose by him v. 3. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his friends sent again by him v. 6. he may be truly said by Saint Matthew to have done and spoken himself Especially when the matter of the story being directly all one in both relations the Jewes have a saying that removes all difficulty Apostolus cujusque est ut quisque every mans proxy or solemn messenger is as himself in which notion Christ spake when he said He that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me Mat. 10. 40. and consequently what is done by a proxy is done by himselfe Thus is Christ said to have preach'd peace to the Ephesians Eph. 2. 17. which personally he did not but by the Apostles and repentance to the old world 1. Pet. 3. 19. which he did by Noah so James and John are said to come unto Christ and petition him Mar. 10. 35. which Mat. 20. 20. their Mother is said to do for them Which notwithstanding Saint Luke willing to adde one evidence more of the Centurions humility from the reason of his not going personally to Christ chooses rather to set it down exactly as it was in each circumstance then onely in brief yet without all diminution of the matter as Saint Matthew had done V. 37. A sinner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was a sinner here applyed to the woman may be taken in the notion wherein we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 2. 15. sinners of the Gentiles and to signify no more then a Gentile woman Thus the word seemed to signify c. 6. 32. and 34. where it is said that sinners love those that love them that is aliens from the law of God or Christ Amicos diligere omnium est saith Tertullian 't is common to all men to love friends for which S. Matthew sets Publicans c. 5. 46 who we know are oft joyned with sinners and for their conversation with the Heathen from the necessity of their office are look'd upon as a kind of Heathens whether they were such or no and were most of them Gentiles as 't is probable their office being an employment under the Romans to bring in taxes to them But 't is also true that Publicans and harlots are put together Mat. 21. 31. and that seems to refer to the baseness and unworthiness of those two infamous callings and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinner as it is of affinity of signification with these may perhaps signify one that had been a whore and that is very reconcileable with the former conjecture that vice or trade of prostitute whores being among the Gentiles so ordinary And so this woman if she were a whore was either a Gentile also or because guilty of that gentile sin called by this common name of Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sinner That this woman whosoever she was was not Mary Magdalen is probable first by the no-argument on that side but only the mention of the name of Mary in S. John c. 12. 3. which presently shall appear to be Marthas and Lazarus's Sister and that another story Secondly by the words in the chapter here following c. 8. 2. where when it is said that Mary Magdalen was with Christ she is described by another character taken from that remarkable mercy wrought on her by Christ that she had seven devils cast out of her the very mark which is again given her Mar. 16. 9. when 't is said that Christ first appeared to her and no other mention is made of her in any of the Gospels but only of her watching where Christ was laid after his crucifixion and her going to the Sepulcher c Christs first appearing to her and her witnessing his resurrection Besides Mary Magdalen 't is evident there was another Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus Joh. 12. and she brought a pound of spikenard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair as is evident by comparing that passage Joh. 12. 3. with Joh. 11. 2. where 't is set down of her punctually by way of anticipation It was Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair whose brother Lazarus was sick And this Mary was not she in this chapter of S. Luke neither For that sister of Lazarus so beloved of Christ will be much injured in her story if she be made an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether a whore or Gentile The story of Mary in S. John is indeed all one with that in Mat. 26. 6. and Mar. 14. 3. in the house of Simon the leper As appears 1. By the mention of Bethany where it was in all three Gospels and that the town of that Mary and Lazarus who are therefore both of them said to be at the feast Mary as a wayter Lazarus lying at meat with them Joh. 12. 2. And so 2 ly By the mention of those two speeches of Christ on that occasion first that what was done by her was for his embalming and 2 ly that whereever the Gospel was preached this fact of that woman
should be preached also the former mentioned in all three and so likewise Judas's murmuring the latter in two of the Gospels But none of all these circumstances belong here to this story in S. Luke But on the contrary it was in one of the Pharisees houses not in Simon the lepers nor at all that we have any reason to guess in Bethany And the Pharisee objected against Christ for this not Judas or one of the Disciples and the objection was not at the unnecessary expense as there but that Christ would let a sinner be so kind to him if he knew it or if he did not that he was no Prophet And then the discourse between Christ and Simon occasioned by this fact of the sinner woman in Luke about the creditor and his debtors and the application of it to the excesse of this womans love above his caused by the mercy of having many sinnes forgiven which she had received is far distant from that in the other Gospels of anointing him for his burial by way of embalming as it were which also contains another circumstance in it that that of Maries was immediately before his death Judas going out immediately upon it to betray him Mar. 14. 10. Mat. 16. 14. and so likewise in S. John his death followes soon after but this passage in S. Luke hath nothing to do with his death and is set down on another occasion here by S. Luke whensoever it was acted as Luke indeed observes not the order of story in all his relations viz. to shew that which Christ was upon in the former passage that those which had not lived the best lives formerly were more ready to receive the mercies offered by Christ then the Pharisees c. that had a better opinion of themselves All the affinity between these stories is that of the Alabaster or cruise of oyntment powred upon him but when that is known to be the ordinary name of a vessell that was used to that purpose see Note on Mat. 26. b. and that it was very ordinary at Feasts to use oyntment to powre on them and perfume them see Note on Mat. 26. c this will be but a poor evidence to prove these stories to be all one because many severall feasts there might be and were and this civility used in all or many of these And although in one particular wherein the Story in John differs from the same in Matthew and Mark this in Luke agrees with that in John which may perswade some that 't is the same story at least which Luke and John set down as that John mentions not the powring out the oyntment on the head as Matthew and Mark do but only on the feet which they do not in both which Luke agrees with him yet will not this be of any force against the former arguments especially when 't is remembred what is peculiarly observed of S. Johns Gospel written after and as a supplement of the others that John finding the mention of the anointing Christs head by Mary in the two Gospels did not need mention it again but thought it necessary to adde all the rest which they had not mentioned of anointing his feet and wiping them with the haires of her head which as it is certain that it was done by Mary because S. John affirms it so might it also at another time be done by another woman and no wonder at all be in it nor matter of objection against what we have said of these being diverse stories Nay one observable difference there is in this very thing wherein these two Evangelists thus seem to agree For S. John saith cleerly that Mary anointed his feet with the spikenard Joh. 12. 3. mentioning no teares nor any thing but the ointment the odour of which so filled the house but this sinner woman in Luke though she brought into the house with her her vessell of oyntment yet in another kind of addresse and that which more became her that remembred her former heathen or sinfull course she first stood by his feet behind him weeping and began to bedew his feet with tears then wiped off the tears with the haires of her head and yet farther kissed his feet all which we find not in S. John and then anointed his feet with the oyntment which is the only circumstance wherein they agree and so it cannot be thought argumentative against so much to the contrary And if it be farther granted that this Pharisees name was Simon also but yet was another person from Simon the leper as 't is sure enough Simon was a very ordinary name at that time I cannot foresee any the least probability against the truth of what hath been here observed V. 44. Water for my feet That it was the fashion of those countries in their entertainments to wash their guests feet before meals is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament And the same was of Custome also among the Grecians in their more splendid extraordinary feasts as we find in Athenaeus l. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. when they come together to dinner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they bring out to the guests baths for their feet of wine and spices V. 47. For That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies therefore and not for in this place is apparent not only by the clear importance of the Parable precedent where he that had the greater debt forgiven is supposed to have greater love and kindness to the Creditour and not therefore forgiven because he had that love and kindness but also by the signification of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is promiscuously taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for or therefore and so by an observation before mentioned Note on Mar. 14. f according to the practise of these writers one of these Greek words may be taken for the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for used when the sense bears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore And so Mar. 9. 28. the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clearly signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for what cause or why Interrogatively And so I conceive on the other side Ro. 5. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is set when the sense carries it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not therefore but for that verse being the proof of the former not proved by it and so Heb. 11. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore is used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for or because Moses was hidden by his Parents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he was a comely child so Jam. 4. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because ye aske amiss so the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also signifies both quia and ideo and Ecclus. 31. 15. is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherefore when it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for and 1 Pet. 1. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherefore is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for But as a more direct
means to avert his judgements from the world and shall accordingly bring all vengeance upon the Jewes on their refusall 17. And the seventy returned again with joy saying Lord even the devils are subject unto us through thy name Paraphrase 17. And when the seventy returned they came to Christ and told him with great joy that although it was not part of their commission v. 9. yet they having used his name as afterward Acts 19. 13. against devils it thrived with them the devils were subject to do what they bid them 18. And he said unto them I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaved Paraphrase 18. And he said to them Wonder not at that for it is determined that within a while the Prince of devils shall be dethroned and fall from his great unlimited power in the world as lightning when it flasheth and vanisheth doth that is come to nothing never recollect again 19. Behold I give unto you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you Paraphrase 19. I bestow upon you a power to cast out devils and to be above any harm that any the most noxious creature which the devill may use as his instrument can do unto you 20. Notwithstanding in this rejoyce not that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in heaven Paraphrase 20. you are children and heirs of God set in that right way in which as many of you as shall continue shall inherit eternall life See note on Phil. 4. a. and Rev. 3. b. 21. In that hour Jesus rejoyced in spirit and said I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Paraphrase 21. this is an act of thine infinite wisdom and mercy and condescension to the weaknesse of men mixt with all justice toward the proud contemners 22. All things are delivered to me of my Father and no man knoweth who the Son is but the Father and who the Father is but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Paraphrase 22. I come not in mine own but my Fathers name all my power is delivered to me by him and so my doctrine also 23. And he turned him unto his disciples and said privately Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see Paraphrase 23. It is an incomparable feâ—â—ty you are now partakers of Mat. 13. 17. 24. For I tell you that many Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things which yee see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them 25. And behold a certain Lawyer stood up and tempted him saying Master what shall I do to inherit eternall life 26. And he said unto him what is written in the Law How readest thou Paraphrase 25 26. a student of the Law came to try what his judgement was about the Law or rule of life and asked him what was necessary to be observed to the attaining that eternall life which Christ promised And he answered him The very same which in the Law of Moses is set down as the main substantiall part of the Law which he therefore bid him recite unto him 27. And he answering said Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy strength and with all thy mind and thy neighbour as thy selfe Paraphrase 27. And he recited out of Deut. 6. 5. the known summary of the Law 28. And he said unto him Thou hast answered well this do and thou shalt live Paraphrase 28. the due performance of this is all that I now require of thee to salvation 29. But he willing to justify himself said unto Jesus And who is my neighbour Paraphrase 29. But he willing to set out his own perfections and being confident of his having performed the first part the duties toward God by the exact observance of the ceremonies of the Law made no question concerning that but for the second the love of the neighbour he proposed that other question Who are contained under that title of neighbour 30. And Jesus answering said A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among theeves which stripped him of his raiment and wounded him and departed leaving him halfe dead Paraphrase 30. This question Jesus thought best to answer by a parable saying 31. And note a by chance there came down a certain Priest that way and when he saw him he passed by on the other side Paraphrase 31. And a certain Priest without any knowledge of what had happened at the same time went that way and saw him and would take no pity on him 32. And likewise a Levite when he was at the place came and looked on him and passed by on the other side Paraphrase 32. coming thither in his passage staid so long as to see what condition he was in and having done left him without any compassion 33. But a certain Samaritane as he journied came where he was and when he saw him he had compassion on him Paraphrase 33. But though the Priest and the Levite which were his countrey-men or fellow-Jewes were not so compassionate yet a Samaritan which was not so being of an Assyrian extraction see Joh. 4. 20. and one whose religion separated him from the Jewes Joh. 4. 9. and Lu. 9. 53. was not so hardhearted but assoon as 34. And went to him and bound up his wounds powring in oyle and wine and set him on his own beast and brought him to an Inne and took care of him Paraphrase 34. washed his wounds applied healing things to them and then bound them up cleanly as surgeons are wont 35. And on the morrow when he departed he took out two pence and gave them to the host and said unto him Take care of him and whatsoever thou spendest more when I come again I will repay thee 36. Which now of these three thinkest thou was neighbour unto him that fell among theeves 37. And he said He that shewed mercy on him Then said Jesus unto him Goe and doe thou likewise Paraphrase 37. Take that for an answer to thy question Who is thy neighbour v. 29. For every person that is in want of thy relief although he be to thee as a Jew to a Samaritan upon terms of absolute separation and hostility toward thee must be looked on by thee as the object of thy compassion and mercy and of any charity of thine of which he is capable Mat. 5. 43 44. 38. Now it came to passe as they went that he entred into a certain village and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house 39. And she had a sister called Mary which also sate at Jesus feet and heard his word
the person injured he may be gone and all that have right to what was his and the like and in that case giving to â—he poor in works of mercy or pity is the only way 〈◊〉 of restitution and the like holds in other sinnes wherein though no other man be wrong'd yet there is pollution contracted and that must be cleansed by some effectuall works of repentance and mercy to the poor is specified as an eminent work of this kind Dan. 4. 27. therefore in all these and the like respects the precept is here given more generally to make use of these works of almes where the case requires as restitution where the case requires that and even then after Zacchaeus's example almes also And so the full of the precept is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give what you have in almes even all that you have where all is ill gotten and the whole lump is by that means unclean or as much as you have taken by rapine and oppression whatever that is with advantage if you have so much If you have not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what you have will by Gods mercy be accepted And so in other sinnes wherein others have not been injured or wherein no restitution is required still a very liberal almes-giving is required not only so much as were every mans duty abstracted from these pollutions thus contracted as almes-giving we know is simply under precept and some degree of it is our righteousnesse in the sacred style we are unjust if we performe it not but in some proportion to a trespasse-offering so much more as a fruit of repentance and a revenge on our selves and an evidence of our true contrition for our sinnes And this in respect of the quotum set down indefinitely not defining the just proportion but leaving that to our choice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what we have or are able to give and not onely some small mite unproportionable as it would perhaps be interpreted if it were here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Gemisthus's notion premised or as that is no more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Tobit out of what thou hast Ib. Cleane The Arabick word for almes Zachat hath a double notion say they either of encreasing or cleansing the first quia erogatio ejus conciliat benedictionem opibus because the giving almes obtaines a blessing on the wealth and so encreaseth it the second quod opes ab inquinamento animum ab avaritiae sordibus purgat because it purgeth the riches from the pollution and filthinesse that adheres to them and the mind from the sullages of covetousnesse according to that of Mat. 6. If the eye be single that is where the virtue of liberality is in the heart the whole body is full of light that is of all Christian virtues contrary to the vices pointed at by the darknesse that followes In reference to this notion of the word in the Syriack and Arabick this seems to be here spoken by our Saviour Give almes which comes from a word that signifies to cleanse and all shall be clean to you your wealth shall be purg'd and blessed and your mind cleansed also V. 47. Build the Sepulchers The meaning of this passage being thus rendred Woe unto you that ye build the sepulchers of the Prophets and your fathers kill'd them will soon appear if it be observed 1. that the woes here so oft denounced in this and other places against the Pharisees were for severall acts of Hypocrisie in them Now Hypocrisie or personation being the outward appearance the disguise or specious attire of an action that is here set down by it self the vice that was disguised and endevoured to be conceal'd under it being not here named but by their present actions persecuting Christ visible and notorious and withall intimated by S. Matthew chap. 23. 32. as if he had said Your building and adorning the sepulchers of the old Prophets which your fathers kill'd is in you a solemn personation or hypocrisie acting the parts of very pious men that bear much reverence to them and such is your speech Mat. 23. 30. that if ye had lived in your fathers dayes ye would not have had any hand in the killing the prophets Secondly by observing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and between the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye bear witnesse and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye have a complacency with the deeds of your fathers for that And conjoines two different things affirm'd of them by our Saviour which are ordinarily confounded First ye bear witnesse to the works of your fathers ye testifie to all men that your fathers kill'd the prophets that were sent to them and Secondly ye like well approve of their deeds not that by their building their tombs they express'd that approbation but that otherwise that was evidently seen and though to disguise this ye adorne their sepulchers yet ye doe really the same things that ye professe to condemn and so are Hypocrites in so doing which is more distinctly set down by Matthew when he adds in a prophetick style 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fill ye up the measure of your fathers noting their fathers sins that they disclaim to be of the same kind but of an inferior degree to those which they are now ready to practise and so to bring upon them those woes that utter excision which had not befall'n their fathers Thirdly by taking in into this period that which both here and in S. Matthew is at the close of it I will send them Prophets and Apostles and some of them they will slay and persecute to evidence them the generation of those Vipers whose practises they profess'd to dislike but doe really imitate which is the thing wherein their Hypocrisie consisted and upon which the judgment of hell came upon them V. 53. Provoke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in ordinary Greek is to recite without book as a scholer doth a lesson 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Suidas and Phavorinus And accordingly the place in Hesychius must be corrected in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But here by an Hebraisme of using the Active voice in the sense of the Hebrew Hiphil it signifies to make recite and belongs to the Master or him that hears the other say his lesson So saith Suidas the word is used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when a master bids a boy say or recite and Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to require one to say by heart as Julius Pollux of the Passive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be asked or required an account of what he hath learnt Agreeably to this did they here aske Christ questions and poze him to hear what he could or would say as an angry schoolmaster that seeks occasion of severity against a scholer Theophylact expounds it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 asking often one question after another ensnaring CHAP. XII 1.
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
undertaking this new course and forsaking the former nor to think there is nothing in it because 't is not visible to your eyes Many things have great force in them whose beginnings are not visible to the eye or at all known by men 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth So is every one that is born of the Spirit Paraphrase 8. As for example the wind which though no body knows from what part precisely it comes what beginning it hath and how produced and when it riseth or what becomes of it when it ceaseth yet hath most discernible effects comes with a great force and noise which is evidence enough that there is such a thing is heard by all men And so is it in this matter He that is born anew that undertakes to be a proselyte of Christ he by the Spirit of God and those influences that are conveyed to him from Christ is able to doe wonderfull things is discernibly another kind of man then he was before and so his new birth is and must be seen by the fruits and growth c. discernible to himself and others though the beginnings or sourse or means of conveighing this unto him be undiscernible See Mar. 4. 26. 9. Nicodemus answered and said unto him How can these things be Paraphrase 9. Nicodemus still continued ignorant of the meaning and possibility of the truth of what Christ said and therefore still question'd how this could be 10. Jesus answered and said unto him Art thou a master of Israel and knowest not these things Paraphrase 10. To which Iesus answered This that I say of new birth in baptisme being not only agreeable to but perfectly a piece of your doctrine about proselytes t is strange that thou being a learned Iew a Pharisee and Master in Israel shouldst not understand it see Mat. 3. a. and Ioh. 13. b. 11. Verily verily I say unto thee We speak that we doe know and testifie that we have seen and ye receive not our testimony Paraphrase 11. The things that thou so wondrest at and wilt not believe I have perfect knowledge of and assure you of the truth of them but the Iewes will not believe me 12. If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not how shall you believe if I tell you of heavenly things Paraphrase 12. Your not believing or understanding v. 9. those things that are ordinary in the Jewish law see v. 31. is an argument that things of an higher nature will not be received by you 13. And no man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven even the son of man which is in heaven Paraphrase 13. As if I shall tell you that I am to ascend up to heaven and from thence demonstrate to you that I came down from heaven and am the very Messias the eternall son of God that am nâ—w a man 14. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the son of man be lifted up 15. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Paraphrase 14 15. And again that I am to be lifted up on the Crosse and thereby to fulfill what was typified by Moses's lifting up the brazen serpent and that this is the way by which I mean to bring all that believe in me to everlasting life as all that looked on the brazen serpent were cured of whatsoever diseases 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life Paraphrase 16. For herein hath God's unspeakable love been exprest to all mankind that he hath sent his eternall son to assume our nature and to teach and give examples of holy life and at last to die for them and rise again and ascend to heaven all on this one designe that every person in the world that shall receive and obey him shall be rescued from eternall death and then made partaker of eternall life 17. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved Paraphrase 17. For this my mission from God my Father was designed all in mercy and charity not to punish or condemn any man but on purpose that all men might be rescued from punishment 18. He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemn'd already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God Paraphrase 18. He that receiveth and obeyeth me is by me secured that he shall escape all punishment only he that rejecteth me is certainly condemned by the purport of that very covenant of which mercy to believers is the principall part all others being absolutely excluded for that great sinne of refusing of Christ now sent to him as having not embraced that only remedy the only son of God now offered to him 19. And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darknesse rather then light because their deeds were evil Paraphrase 19. And this is it that will aggravate your sinne and punishment that when God made such provision for you when Christ came to enlighten and take men off from all their former evil courses they were so besotted to their own sinfull waies that they chose rather to continue in them then to be reformed and purified by Christ or but so much as to be taught their duty by him 20. For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved Paraphrase 20. But as he that fears coming into the light 't is certain he hath somewhat to conceal and that he hath not a mind to part with it So the refusing to come and be instructed in the knowledge of his duty by me is an evidence that that man is a wicked man and means to continue so who cannot venture his actions in the light for fear they be found faulty and he engaged to reform them 21. But he that doth the truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Paraphrase 21. Whereas he that lives a justifyable life or resolves to amend what is amisse a sincere upright person will be glad of a director will come cheerfully to be put in the way of strictest duty and venture to have his actions judg'd of whether they be right or no which is an argument that what he doth he doth in the fear of God and with a good conscience 22. After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea and there he tarried with them and baptized Paraphrase 22. and receiving those that believed on him baptized them 23. And John also was baptizing in Aenon neer to Salem because there was much water there and they came
of Rome and Corinth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have been the plantation of both these the one laying the foundation or first preaching the Faith there the other confirming them v. 11. especially the Gentile part of them Thirdy That S. Peter being the Apostle of the Circumcision or Jewes as S. Paul of the uncircumcision or Gentiles the Church which was now at Rome consisted much of the Jewes that were dispersed from their own countrey and dwelt there but withall of some Gentile-Christians also to whom especially this Epistle is addressed as appears c. 1. 13 14. where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you to whom he writes are joyned with the other heathen nations and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greeks and Barbarians v. 14. Fourthly That the Jewish Christians here as in other places Act. 15. 1. and 21. 20. though they had received the faith of Chris◠were yet very zealous for the upholding the Jewish Law the Mosaical rites and consequently opposed the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles unlesse they first became Proselytes of the Jewish Covenant of Circumcision and so submitted to their whole Law And this they did especially upon two arguments 1. That the Gentiles being Idolaters and so great sinners and by them styled and counted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinners by way of eminence were utterly uncapable of the favour or mercy of God and consequently of the benefits of the Gospel 2dly That Circumcision being the seale of Gods covenant of mercy none were capable of mercy from God that were not circumcised This doctrine of these Jewish converts was directly contrary to that which was every were practised and taught by S. Paul For as he freely preached the Gospel to the Gentiles and in every city where the Jewes resisted forsook them and profess'dly betook himself to the Gentiles Act. 13. 46. so he taught the no-necessity of Circumcision and other Mosaical observances as of an abrogated abolished law see Rom. 7. 1. even to Jew-Christians Act. 21. 21. much more to those that from the Gentiles should convert to Christ whose past sinnes how great soever they were yet if they should now upon the preaching of Christ forsake them and accept the faith and obedience of Christ they should freely be forgiven them whereas on the other side without the receiving the faith the Law of Moses Circumcision and Sacrifices c. would not be able to justifie any whether Jew or Gentile-Proselyte from any wilfull sinnes against that Law This was the summe of S. Paul's doctrine at Antioch Act. 13. 38 39. that through Christ is preach'd unto them remission of sins and by him all that believe are justified from those things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses that is from the guilt and punishment of known deliberate sinnes of the greatest size even Idolatry it self for which the Law afforded no mercy no place of repentance but inflicted present death in case of sincere reformation As when Heb. 9. 15. Christ is said to be mediator of a new Covenant to redoem us by his death from the transgressions that were under the Law that is from those sinnes for which the Law afforded no pardon upon repentance and reformation And the same is the theme and subject of a considerable part of this Epistle And because the objections of the Judaizers both in the grosse and in every branch of them being familiarly known to the writer are not so distinctly and formally set down by him to receive their severall answers but proceeded to covertly and so as might least interrupt the thread of the discourse this is one chief cause of the difficulty of the Epistle which may be lessen'd by this Praemonition Fifthly That before the time of writing this Epistle Simon Magus and the Gnosticks the darnel which in those first times the devil constantly sowed whereever the Christian faith had entred were come as to other places so to Rome also For in Claudius's time it was that a statue was erected at Rome To Simon the Holy God and to that this Apostle referres 2 Thess 2. 4. which Epistle as hath been said was written four years before this From whence as it will be easie to believe that many passages in this Epistle referre to and are purposely opposed against that haeresie of the Gnosticks so when we remember the character of these men that they were great asserters of the Mosaical rites opposed and condemned all that neglected them and yet lived in all the foule villanies of the Gentiles we shall the lesse wonder that a great part of this Epistle being address'd to Christians at Rome is yet set distinctly to reprehend those Gentile practices c. 1 and 2. and to answer the Jewish objections against the Christians there being so many unclean Judaizing Gnosticks which had crept in among the Christians and every where brought disturbances among them that the Apostle that desired to defend the faith and confirm the weak seducible professors of it could doe nothing more worthy of his Apostleship meaning as he saith when he came among them to withstand these opposers of both sorts with all boldnesse c. 1. 16 17 18. and particularly to justifie and vindicate his practice of preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles who neither by their former sinnes nor their want of Circumcision were praejudged or excluded from receiving benefit by it at which the Judaizers were so much offended That this was the occasion of this Epistle and that this was the theme accordingly set upon c. 1. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to the Jew first and also to the Greek and pursued from thence to the conclusion at the end of c. 15. will appear in the explication of it wherein as we shall find much of difficulty in many places as particularly in that of c. 11. the passage which S. Peter seemed to have pointed at 2 Pet. 3. 16. so our having this grand scope of the Apostle in our eye the vindication of this act of Gods providence as in calling the Gentiles so in leaving the obdurate incredulous Jewes will be very usefull to extricate the reader out of those difficulties which the abstrusenesse of the writing and the unobserved concise passing from one Jewish objection to another rather glancing by the way at their known objections then solemnly proposing and answering them have first caused and then some inconvenient praejudices and praepossessions have improved and enhansed and at length made appear so insuperable In order to which it is that I have in this Epistle taken liberty to enlarge the Paraphrase to a great length in many places by inculcating and by way of parenthesis interserting those heads of discourse which I conceive are chiefly referred to and from the observing of which the explication doth principally proceed conceiving this length and circumlocution the shortest way to my designed end the clear
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
as in me is I am ready to preach the Gospell to you that are at Rome also Paraphrase 15. And so 't is not my fault who for my part and as much as my will is concerned in it am most cheerfully ready to take this journey to Rome also to preach the Gospell among you 16. For I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek Paraphrase 16. For I am so far from concealing that I am very forward and earnest to make known the Gospell of Christ whatsoever opposition or persecution or pains it cost me knowing it to be a most effectuall means the onely one now designed by God to bring all men that embrace it to repentance and reformation of life see note on c. 10. a and that which is by God appointed to be made known not onely to the Jewes who had the privilege of having it first revealed to them see Act. 3. 26. but to all others of all the Nations of the world 17. For therein is the note b righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written The just shall live by faith Paraphrase 17. For that oeconomy of Gods that gracious method of accepting and rewarding all those that shall receive the faith and obedience of Christ whether Jewes or Gentiles is in or by the Gospell revealed and promulgated to this end that men should believe on him and obey him sincerely and so be partakers of it and being justified by faith should continue to live by faith that according to that which is said by the Prophet Habakkuk c. 2. 4. The just shall by God's mercy accepting and rewarding his faith his adherence and fidelity to him return from captivity and live happily so now in like manner all that fear God should return from the captivity of sin and continue to live a pure Christian life here according to the rules of the Gospell 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousness of men who note c hold the truth in unrighteousnesse Paraphrase 18. For on the other side the displeasure and vengeance of God is most severely denounced against those that joyn impious and unrighteous lives with the profession of Christianity that obey not the Gospell which they receive c. 2. 8. and such are the Gnostick haereticks among you or that by indulgence in vicious courses obstruct the Gospel suffer it not to have force on themselves or others see c. 2. 24. 19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them Paraphrase 19. It being certain and by their profession acknowledged that God as farre as is necessary is made known among them for indeed God himself hath revealed and made himself known beyond all excuse of ignorance by the various methods that he hath made use of 20. For the invisible things of him note d from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by things that are made even his eternall power and Godhead †so that they are without excuse Paraphrase 20. For those things that are not of themselves visible the infinite power and Divinity of God which from time to time ever since the creation of the world have been in themselves invisible yet being beheld and seen as in reflection by his various dealings in the world are now become visibly discernible so far as to render them which do not discern or which knowing do not serve and worship him as God that is do not live according to the rule of the Gospell utterly uncapable of the excuse of faultlesse ignorance See note on Mat. 1. k. 21. Because that when they note e knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned Paraphrase 21. Because that knowledge which they have and boast of and from thence style themselves Gnosticks the deepest knowing men is not by them made use of to the worshipping or acknowledging of him but they have fallen to the worshipping of Images which are in Hebrew called vanities falâ—ities v. 25 and nothings see note on c. 8. d. and by so doing put out that light which was vouchsafed them by God How this was true of the Gnosticks see note c. and f. 22. Professing themselves to be wise they became fools Paraphrase 22. Assuming the title of Gnosticks of knowing more of being wiser then other men they have proved more sottish then any 23. And changed the note f glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things Paraphrase 23. And in stead of the invisible majesty and glorious appearances of God in bright clouds c. wherein God on Mount Sinai man ifested himself to Moses but was not seen by him they have expressed him and worsâ—â—p'd him in the images of Simon Magus and Helena see note e. and have fallen into all the heathen Idolatry of worshipping of birds and beasts and serpents that is the vilest and meanest things by partaking in their Idol-feasts c. 24. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleannesse through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their own bodies between themselves Paraphrase 24. Upon which provocation of theirs God hath withdrawn his grace from them hath not restrained but left them to themselves to the pursuit of all their filthy desires permitted them to break out into all uncleannesses of the most odious unnaturall kinds one with another to commit all reproachfull and unnaturall villanies 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature note g more then the Creatour who is blessed for ever Amen Paraphrase 25. A just punishment on them that had changed the Gospel into a fable see note f. or the true invisible God into an Idol a falsity an empty vain nothing v. 21. worshipping meer creatures even above and in opposition to the Creator see 2 Thess 2. 4. that one eternall majesty whom all are obliged to worship 26. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections for even their women did change the naturall use into that which is against nature Paraphrase 26. This I say hath provoked God to leave them to their own lusts without restraint to permit them to fall into reproachfull sins and meer violences and contumelies of nature 27. And likewise also the men leaving the naturall use of the woman burned in their lust one towards another men with men working that which is unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompense of their errour which is meet Paraphrase 27. their Idolatry bringing these unnatural lusts upon them the punishment of that former sinne see note on Jude f. 28. And even as they did not
like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a note h reprobate mind to doe those things which were not convenient Paraphrase 28. And this by way of retaliation as they have not thought fit to acknowledge God in their practices but only to boast of their deep knowledge so God hath left them to themselves and given them up to a villanous detestable abominable state of mind to commit unnaturall things such as no body will think tolerably fit or approve of 29. Being filled with all unrighteousnesse fornication wickednesse note i covetousnesse maliciousnesse full of envy murther debate deceit malignity whisperers 30. Backbiters haters of God note k despitefull proud boasters inventors of evil things disobedient to parents Paraphrase 29 30. Whether sins of uncleannesse of all sorts of which they are full or whether malice bloodinesse contention which also these Gnosticks every where profess'd against the Christians falsnesse basenesse of disposition insusing hatred and variance secretly into all detestable abominable people most insolent in their reproaching of others and boasting of themselves inventors of all sorts of strange villanies especially those of uncleannesse contemners of all that are placed over them especially the rulers of the Church the Apostles c. see Jude 8. note d. 31. note l Without understanding note m covenant-breakers without naturall affection implacable unmercifull Paraphrase 31. Caring not how they behave themselves towards other men honestly or no whether they injure others or no unfit for friendships for leagues or bargains who doe not well in consort with others have nothing of trust or kindnesse or constancy in them void of all kindnesse to their nearest friends Luc. 21. 16. unreconcileable to all against whom they have conceived any malice men without all bowels of compassion in persecuting of others 32. Who knowing the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not onely commit the same but have pleasure in them that doe them Paraphrase 32. Who having received the faith of Christ the Christian profession taking upon them to be most skilfull in mysteries to know more then any others of which it is one acknowledged part that of such sinnes as these eternall damnation is the just reward doe yet not onely favour themselves in the commission of them to which they may have some temptations from the flesh but as if their very understandings were debauched and corrupted doe approve and patronise see Theophylact them in others and think the committing such things so farre from crimes in them that they make them parts of their religion special mysteries and depths of their theologie very pious and commendable in any of their followers Annotations on Chap. I. V. 4. Resurrection from the dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the generall word which contains under it the rising again of every dead body and is appliable to every such particular that riseth and so here denotes the Resurrection of Christ being by the Context particularly determined to that as in other places it may denote the Resurrection of any one or more men as the Context shall enforce V. 17. Righteousnesse For the explaining of this verse the first thing to be examined is the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousnesse and with the addition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the righteousnesse of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousnesse signifies not alwaies the virtue of just dealing but sometimes by a Metonymie the matter about which that is conversant the things which by Law are required of any and in performance of which his righteousnesse consequently consists Thus when Mat. 3. 15. Christ saith to John Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousnesse by righteousness are meant all those things that under that more imperfect ministery of John were prescribed men and required of them to doe to their being approved by God Thus those things which are required of Jewes to perform under the Mosaical Law are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the righteousnesse which is in the Law Phil. 3. 6. And there being two sorts of Proselytes of the Jewes one of those which undertook the whole Law of the Jewes were circumcised c. the other of those which onely received the seven precepts of the sons of Adam and Noah the former of these were called indifferently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proselytes of the covenant and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proselytes of righteousnesse Where righteousnesse signifies all those commands and ordinances which in that Mosaical Covenant were required of the Jewes and without submission to which no stranger was permitted to come into their inner court of the Temple and joyne with them in the worship of God To this purpose it is observable what was the prime occasion of this Epistle the great charge which by the Jewes was laid on Paul for preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles and thereby promising them acceptance and mercy from God for all their past sinnes on condition of their embracing the Gospel and living for the future according to that rule without any performance of the ritual Lawes of Moses Circumcision c. This the Jewes violently opposed as that which was an apostatizing from the Law of Moses and the setting up a new righteousnesse a new summary of performances a new Law to the prejudice of the Mosaical What Paul had thus done he here asserts and stands to as that which was now the declared will of God under the Gospel though distant from that which had before been required of Jewes under the Law And as now he sets up the faith of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law of faith the summary of those things which Christ from God requires of all men against the Ordinances of external obedience in the Mosaical Law so he thinks fit to style one the righteousnesse of God as the other was the Jewes righteousnesse and this righteousnesse of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of or by faith that is that which Christ hath now revealed or declared to be our righteousnesse that which is required of us now under the Gospel to our being justified in Gods sight in opposition to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sort of legal performances Circumcision c. by observation of which the Jew and the Judaizer pretended to be acceptable and justified before God and without which they contended that there was no justification to be had and consequently that the uncircumcised Gentiles could not be justified or acceptable in the sight of God the contrary to which is by S. Paul here undertaken to be proved and is after enlarged on c. 3 4. c. Thus much for the occasion of this phrase and the general importance of it to note that way of oeconomy of saving and justifying men under the Gospel As for the more particular nature of this way of Gods dealing in Christ that is also contained in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by faith as faith signifies the embracing and obeying of Christ after a former life of sinne and ignorance such as the heathens had lived in For whatsoever their former lives had been against which the Jewes objected that they were Idolatrous and vile and neither capable of Gods favour nor 〈◊〉 to be convers'd with by any pious person yet Christ that came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance came particularly though not primarily to call and offer place of repentance to them and upon reformation to allow them pardon which though it were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a righteousness by or from works a way of oeconomy whereby onely just or worthy persons are called and received yet it is a righteousness by or from faith whereby through Gods mercy and pardon of sinne in Christ those that come in to him and give up themselves to sincere obedience for the future are accepted and justified by God as Abraham was which is styled Gods justifying the ungodly because those that have been most impious have yet place of repentance given and are accepted by God upon repentance In this sense we shall oft find this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness in the ensuing chapters So c. 9. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gentiles laid hold on righteousnesse that is on this Evangelical way and c. 10. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Jewes not knowing this course of justifying sinners set down in the Gospel sought to establish their own Judaical righteousness and were not subject to Gods righteousness So again v. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same phrase as here in this placing and construction of the words the righteousness from or by faith that is this Evangelical way which is by the faith or the Gospel and is opposed to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the promulgation of the Law which brought nothing but death to every act of wilfull sinne So the Apostles are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 11. 15. ministers of righteousnesse viz. of this way of justifying men in Christ which elsewhere are called ministers of the new covenant noting righteousness in this notion to signifie this New covenant as righteousness and covenant and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were said to be all one or this Evangelical way under it explained v. 24. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our being justified freely by his grace or mercy without any such precedent obedience of ours that may any way challenge it All that remains is to enquire first why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from or by faith should in the construction be joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness then why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to faith should signifie that we may believe For the first it is but an ordinary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both in these and other authors thus to transpose words on the like occasion and that it is so here is evident by the ensuing citation out of the Prophet as it is written which notes these two to be parallel the just by faith shall live and by the like phrase c. 3. 22. c. 10. 6. And for the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we may believe that will be very agreeable also to many other places in this book for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to salvation v. 16. is that they may be saved so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to burning Heb. 6. 8. that it may be burnt and so Wisd 11. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou passest over the faults of men to repentance that is that they may repent and so here c. 6. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to obedience is that ye may obey v. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to iniquity is that 's you may commit all villany as in the conclusion of that verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to purification or sanctification is that ye may live pure and sanctified lives V. 18. Hold The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies two things very distant to retain and hold fast and to obstruct or hinder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Hesychius it signifies to hold fast to hinder to compresse In the notion of hindring 't is taken 2 Thess 2. 6 7. and in the other in divers places By this meanes 't is become uncertain what it should signifie here especially when either way the sense is very commodious for even they that retain the truth in unrighteousness that under the acknowledgment and profession of the truth veile and joyn all manner of impious living doe thereby hinder and obstruct the truth viz. the force of it on themselves and the propagation of it to others by that impious living of theirs But the former is the more likely sense of it and most agreeable to the consequents of their knowing the truth and becoming unexcusable thereby V. 20. From the Creation The phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the invisible things or attributes of God his power and Godhead from the foundation or creation of the world that is ever since the creation so doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the beginning of the creation signifie Mar. 10. 6. and 13. 19. and 2 Pet. 3. 4. so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 13. 35. the things hidden from the foundation of the world and c. 25. 34. Luk. 11. 50. Heb. 4. 3. where it clearly signifies from that is ever since the crreation so c. 9. 26. so Rev. 13. 8. 17. 8. names written and not written in the book of the lamb from that is ever since the foundation of the world By which it appears that there is no necessity of understanding God's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doings or actions here of the works of the creation but of all things that from that time to this inclusively have been done in the world by him and so it will be extended to all the doctrines and miracles and actions of Christ the whole businesse of the Gospel V. 21. Knew God The phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowing God here seems to referre the whole present discourse to the Gnosticks who were so called from their assuming to themselves so much of the knowledge of God and the mysteries of religion And these being a sort of hereticks in that first age under the Apostles who affirmed Simon to be God the Father that appeared in Mount Sinai as also God the Sonne that appeared in the flesh and the holy Ghost who was promised to come were the darnell sown by the envious person wheresoever the Gospel was planted and this as in other places so in Rome where Simon Magus the founder of them contended after this time with S. Peter but before the writing of this in Claudius's daies had a statue erected to him as to the supreme God These Gnosticks pretended to be great zelots for the Law of Moses particularly for Circumcision thereby
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for any kinde of exceeding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one exceeds or excels the other and in Isocrates speaking of Monarchies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they comprehend saith he all the advantages that are in war And so in Ecphantes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a King hath a great eminence or excellence over the common nature of men and in Alex. Aphrod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the faculties of the body wherein beasts exceed men and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perhaps it should be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the excellence of the minde of men above beasts And the notion of which now I speak though it differ in the object and matter about which it is conversant is the same in effect with these a desiring and usurping that which is not agreeable to his condition sex nature c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those things that are not meet which Alex. Aphrodis more distinctly expresseth in his Schol. on Arist de An. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wicked man allows himselfe too large a proportion of sweet things or pleasures So Asterius Hom. Cont. Avarit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not used only for the mad love of money and other possessions but in a more general acception to desire to have more of any thing then is due convenient So Hierax in his book of justice of which we have a large fragment in Stobaeus makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all one and then exemplifies it in Milo and Lais and as 't is one branch of it in Milo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to snatch away the estates of those that are weaker then he so 't is another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to force their wives from them And so in Lais as it is one act of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to require and gain immoderately by her lovers so it is another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dissolve the marriages of some women to get away their husbands from them And of this we have a Grammaticall ground in the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies both covetousness and lust and being by the Septuagint often rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 covetousnesse is once rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pollution Ezec. 33. 31. and to that notion of the word the place agrees if we compare it with v. 29. Where the cause of their desolation is the abominations committed by them and those joyned with dâ—filing the neighbours wife v. 26. Thus in an antient Prayer of Ephraim Syrus appointed for confession and the sin chiefely insisted on being that of uncleannesse as appears by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he prayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. have mercy on my sinnes my iniquities my unnaturall lusts adulteries fornications idle and filthy speakings where if we may judge by the attendants the word is used in this sense Thus I conceive Plato used the word de Rep. l. 9. where speaking of sensuall men he compares them to the beasts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full fed and lascivious and farâ—her addes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must refer to the fulnesse of lust and flesh together To these may be added the Glosse of Phavorinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for which he cites the Apostle the hurt of immoderate lusting And so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies this very thing and which he expresseth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voluptuousness he expresseth also by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an excesse which is alwayes very curious busie importunate to fetâ—h in pleasures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being but little different from one another Thus 't is used in the Epistle of Barnabas p. 231 where giving the reason why hares were forbidden under the Law to intimate that we should not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like them he addes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in the fragments of Polycarpus's Epistle speaking of Valens an Elder of Philippi and his having committed somewhat utterly unworthy of that calling by his example he admonisheth others to abstein ab avaritia that sure was in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from inordinate desires sint casti and that they be chaste adding that whosoever did not thus abstein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab idololatria coinquinabitur tanquam inter Gentes judicabitur will be contaminated with Idolatry and judged as among the Gentiles And so there is little reason to doubt but that when Bede on Mat. 5. 32. speaking of Divorce saith non hîc intelligitur tantùm fornicatio in stupro quod in alienis viris aut feminis committitur sed omnis concupiscentia vel avaritia vel idololatria c. 't is not onely adultery that is here understood which is committed on other mens wives but every concupiscence or covetousnesse or Idolatry he meanes by avaritia coveting unnaturall lust having no question translated that note out of some Greek commentator who had used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this sense And so when Holkot out of Papias observes that the Scriptures call by the name of Fornication omnem illicitam corruptionem all unlawfull or interdicted corruption sicut est Idololatria avaritia such are Idolatry and coveting it is evident that corruptio illicita is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abominable villany as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies see Note on c. 8. 1. and idolatry and covetousnesse the unnaturall sinnes used by the heathen worshippers the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Idolatry And so when Theophylact on 1 Cor. 3. 12. in the highest rank of combustible matter that is of sinnes reckons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all reason it is to be understood of unnatural lusts so as to agree with uncleanness and Idolatry Thus in all reason the word is to be taken here where these four 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fornication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 villany 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naughtinesse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inordinate desire are put together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same notion that Gen. 19. 7 and 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are taken that is to signifie the sinne of Sodom there described and in all probability 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same sense also So Col. 3. 5. in relation to the Gnosticks he bids them mortifie fornication uncleannesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as the Syriack render it passivity evil concupiscence and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inordinate desire which is Idolatry So Eph. 5. 3. Let neither fornication nor uncleannesse nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inordinate desire be named among you putting them in the number of the nefanda sinnes not to be named and so v.
themselves the name of Jewes professing to be of that religion great friends to Moses's Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 2. 9. they say that they are Jewes when indeed many of them were not such either by birth or observation of the Judaical customes being not themselves circumcised see Gal. 6. 13. and Note on Rev. 2. e. and those that were living not according but quite contrary to the Mosaical Law V. 18. Approvest That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to prove or trie signifies so to examine and prove as to approve appears by some other places where the word is used So 1 Cor. 11. 28. Let a man prove or examine himself and so let him eat of that c. where 't is certain that if upon examination he find himself unworthy he must not so eat for if he doe he eats damnation to himself v. 29. and therefore it must signifie the approving himself to God and his own conscience So Rom. 14. 22. Happy is he who doth not judge or condemn himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not in what he examines himself but in what upon deliberation he so likes approves as to think fit to act accordingly that is Happy is he that when he is resolved of the matter of the action that it is lawfull doth it with such care that he hurt not others that he hath nothing to blame in himself when he hath done it So Gal. 6. 4. Let every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prove his own work that is so prove examine his own actions as to approve them to himself his own conscience and to God and then he shall have glorying or rejoicing that is he shall be able to comfort himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 toward himself alone that is by looking on himself absolutely and not only in conjunction or comparison with other men which is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not towards another to which belongs the reason rendred in the next verse For every one shall bear his own burthen So Eph. 5. 10. walk as children of light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 examining proving what is acceptable to the Lord but this so that they also approve themselves to study and pursue it or else they doe not walk like children of light like Christians The truth is this is not so familiar a phrase the proving what is acceptable to God as the former is of proving and approving himself or his own works yet because the examining and the approving of Gods will is a direct undertaking and obligation to practise it and because it is a ridiculous things and that which will never stand in any stead to examine what is well pleasing to God and when he hath done so to act or practise the contrary therefore the Apostle that exhorts to this as to a duty which will stand them in some stead and as an evidence of their walking as children of light not as the partial condition or a means to perform God's will but as the knowing God's will in the Scripture when 't is look'd on as a good thing is the practising of it must be supposed to contain in this phrase of proving the approving also and not onely so but also the performing at least in endeavour and study what is acceptable to the Lord and shall to them appear to be so and not onely the examining what is thus acceptable And then one other place Rom. 12. 2. will by the same reason be clearly intelligible also in this sense where they are exhorted by all the exceeding mercies and compassions of God to present themselves to God a living and well-pleasing sacrifice and in stead of conformity with the world to be transfigured that is eminently and visibly changed by or in the renovation of their mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which notes this to be an effect if not the end of this renovation of mind that they may prove what is the will of God the good the acceptable the perfect which is directly the scheme or form of speaking used to the Ephesians onely with the addition of some more words not to alter but enhanse this notion of it so to search into the will of God what is good and acceptable to him in the highest degree as to practise pursue it and approve themselves to God and their own souls to have done so And by this means the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both here and Phil. 1. 10. will be more intelligible also then otherwise if it were not compared with these two last places it would be In that to the Philippians thus I pray that your love may abound c. your great forwardnesse to the advancing and propagating the Gospel v. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as an effect again of their abundance of Christian charity or zeal to the Gospel that you may examine first and then approve or like and then set your selves to the pursuit of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things that excell that are eminently good proportionably to the abounding of their charity going before that is doe as much good as you can possibly or as Theophylact interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things that belong to every man and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profitable those things which are proper and expedient for you to do And then this will without question belong also to the same phrase in this place where of the Gnostick-Judaizers he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou knowest that is pretendest to know above all others and therefore art called Gnostick knowing the will that is the will of God and provest that is examinest with all acutenesse and diligence and having by examination found out what is most excellent most acceptable in the sight of God thou likest choosest approvest it that is pretendest and assumest to thy self to doe so and practifest accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being first for thy foundation instructed in the Law of Moses as all pious men ought to be to lay their foundation there and thus assuming to thy self this high perfection above all others the Orthodox Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. v. 19. thou hast confidence to thy self that thou art a guide to the blind c. that none are so fit to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Note on Jam. 3. a. instructers and to be heeded as you Thus in Ignatius Epistle to the Smyrnaeans speaking of the reverence due to the Bishops judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what he shall upon examination approve of this is also well-pleasing to God V. 20. Forme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Phavorinus out of Hesychius a scheme or image of a whole matter but this saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is feigned or believed or pretended to be so but is not and for this he cites this place of the Apostle and so indeed very pertinently the Gnostick here thinking that he hath
from which so much good or glory to God might come This indeed by some is thought to be an objection of great force against me who am falsely accused to have delivered this very saying in the case of the heathens having the Gospel preached to them viz. that the greatnesse of the heathens sinnes makes Gods mercy appear the more illustriously great in vouchsafing to call them by the preaching of the Gospel and that therefore it is lawfull to live heathenish sinfull lives by that means the more to illustrate and set out Gods mercy to us in pardoning such great sinnes But as I shall speak more to that anon ch 6. 1. so now in a word it is a calumny a consequence by mistakers falsly laid to my charge and all that is needfull to reply to it at this time is to expresse detestation of it and my opinion that 't is a damnable doctrine in any that should teach it and such as will render the destruction of those Jewes most just who thus object In opposition to which I distinctly affirm that no one sinne is to be committed though it be in order to and in contemplation of the greatest good even the illustrating the glory of God 9. What then are we better then they No in no wise for we have before proved both Jewes and Gentiles that they are all under sinne Paraphrase 9. Some farther objection there would be against what we have said if indeed the Jewes were much better by having received the Law lesse sinfull more innocent then the Gentiles For then it might be said that when the Gentiles are taken in who were the greater sinners and the Jewes who were better then they cast off there were some unequall dealing indeed But the truth is we Jewes were not better or more innocent then they but as we have before charged the Jewes as they doe the Gentiles with wilfull damnable sinning so it is most true of them they were in a very foule course of vices when Christ came and long before the farre greatest part of them where the sinfulnesse of the Gentiles being supposed by them to whom he writes and not needing to be proved but only that of the Jewes he insists on the proof of that onely see v. 19. 10. As it is written There is none righteous no not one Paraphrase 10. This may be confirmed by the severall testimonies of Scripture spoken of the Jewes in severall texts of the old Testament all which were too truly appliable to the Jewes at the time of Christ's coming They are universally depraved to all iniquity Psal 14. 1. and 53. 1. 11. There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God Paraphrase 11. They live almost Atheistically Psal 14. 2. 12. They are all gone out of the way they are together become unprofitable there is none that doeth good no not one Paraphrase 12. They are apostatized from all piety so farre from having done God any faithfull service that they doe the quite contrary Psal 14. 3. see note on ch 1. h. and Luk. 17. a. men of putrid noy some conversations and this so generally that there is not any considerable number of pious men discernible among them 13. note e Their throat is an open sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceit the poyson of aspes is under their lips Paraphrase 13. Their talk or discourse of which throat tongue lips are the principal instruments is most murtherous and malicious Psal 5. 9. like the poyson of aspes incurably mortal Psal 140. 4. 14. Whose mouth is full of cursing and note f bitternesse Paraphrase 14. They curse and deceive Psal 10. 7. speak contumeliously and falsly against their brethren 15. Their feet are swift to shed blood Paraphrase 15. They are most bloodily disposed delight and are ready to doe any injury Isa 59. 7. to wrong any innocent person 16. Destruction and misery are in their waies Paraphrase 16. Their actions are very oppressive and grievous to others grinding the face of the poor and afflicting them sadly 17. And the way of peace have they not known Paraphrase 17. But for ought that tends to the good of any to charity or peaceable-mindednesse they know not what belongs to it Isa 59. 8. 18. There is no fear of God before their eyes Paraphrase 18. They have utterly cast off all care or thought of piety Psal 36. 1. 19. Now we know that what things soever the law saith it saith to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Paraphrase 19. Now this we know that what the books of the old Testament the Psalmes and the Prophets thus say they say to and of the Jewes and so by complaining so much of their universal defection and their all manner of wickednesse they conclude them and not only the Gentiles to be obnoxious to God's vengeance and most justly punishable by him without any thing to say for themselves as they are considered barely under the Law having so visibly sinned against that and incurr'd destruction by the rules of it 20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of sinne Paraphrase 20. To conclude then There is no justification see note b. to be had for any Jew that hath been guilty of any sinne by the legal observances by circumcision and the rest of the Mosaical rites without remission of sinnes through the grace of God in the new Covenant Nor indeed can it be imagined that justification and salvation can be hoped from thence from whence comes the acknowledgment of our sinne and guilt and such indeed is the Law and such is circumcision particularly whose nature it is onely to oblige us to purity and to tell us what we should doe and when we offend to give us knowledge and to reproach us of that and to denounce judgment against us and appoint sacrifices which are only the commemorating of our sinnes before God Heb. 10. 3. not the expiating of them but not to help us to justification without the mercies of God in the new Covenant see note on Mat. 5. g. 21. But now the righteousnesse of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets 22. Even the righteousnesse of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference Paraphrase 21 22. Whereas on the other side there is now a sure clear new way to blisse see note on ch 1. b. to wit that which was in the world before and so doth not depend at all upon the Mosaical Law see Mat. 5. p. manifested to men by Christ but mentioned also and obscurely set down in the Old Testament namely that way of justifying men by faith in Christ or by that course which is now prescribed us by Christ which way
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
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
in the purchase of pardon and forgiveness absolutely or for any but those that doe sincerely returne from their wicked lives and embrace the faith and obedience of Christ but to give space and to admonish and call to repentance and use means on God's part effectual if they be not obstinately resisted or contemned by us to bring us to new life And that is the meaning also of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redemption which is in Christ v. 24. his freeing men from that necessity of perishing in their sinnes calling them to Repentance using all probable means to redeem and purifie them from all iniquity which is express'd by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redeeming Tit. 2. 14. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to work redemption Lu. 1. 68. And so sometimes also forgiving signifies as when Christ saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father forgive them Lu. 23. 24. for there he praies not for final or actual present absolute forgiveness to them but for the giving them space to repent and means to convince them of their sin by the coming of the holy Ghost and the Apostles preaching to them the resurrection of Christ from that death which they had inflicted on him And so must we understand the remission of sinnes which in the Creed is proposed to all to believe V. 26. Just That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 just or righteous signifies a mercifull or charitable person hath been shew'd from the Hebrew notation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy Note on Mat. 1. g. And accordingly it may be observed that the word seldome in these books if ever belongs or is applied to the act of vindicative or punitive justice but as there in the case of Joseph who would not offer his wife to legall punishment and therefore is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteous for the abating of the rigour of exact law and bringing in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moderation or equity or mercy in stead of it Accordingly it is here to be resolved that this phrase being used of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God may be righteous must be understood to denote his mercy and goodnesse and clemency in pardoning and forgiving of sinnes that being the thing look'd on in the many foregoing expressions our being justified freely by his grace v. 24. the propitiatory v. 25. Gods means of exhibiting or revealing his covenant of mercy Gods righteousness that is his mercifull dealing with men under this second Covenant v. 25 and 26. and the remission of sinnes and forbearance v. 25. 'T is true indeed that the satisfaction made and the price pai'd for our sinnes by Christ being the meritorious cause of this remission and justification may fitly denominate God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 just in that other respect and it is most certain that God to give a great example to his hatred to sin and his wrath against sinners was pleased to lay on his own son the iniquities of us all rather then let sinne go utterly unpunished But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteous being so commonly taken in that notion of mercifulness and so seldome in this of vindicative justice there is no reason to interpret it thus in this place V. 28. Conclude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies ratio or ratiocinium not onely in the notion of the Logician but also of the Arithmetician not only reason or arguing but also reckoning or counting and so you shall find it ch 9. 28. whose art is called thereupon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 counting or reckoning whence Phavorinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 casting account with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we therefore call counters or those by which we cast account Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to perfect and make up an account and to conclude or summe up and so 't is here used to conclude not in the Logicians but Arithmeticians notion of concluding Of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Note on 1 Cor. 13. f. CHAP. IV. 1. WHat shall we say then that Abraham our father as pertaining to the note a flesh hath found Paraphrase 1. What then doe we say Can it be said or thought that Abraham who is said in Scripture to be righteous or accepted by God as righteous obtained that testimony by the merit of his own innocence or performances This affirmative interrogation is in effect a negation and so the meaning is This cannot with any reason be affirmed by any 2. For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God Paraphrase 2. For if he were so justified by any thing in himself any innocence or performance of his he might then be said to have somewhat to glory of his justification being an effect of his performances and not of the free grace of God see note a ch 3. 27. But sure there is no such matter Or if toward men who had nothing to blame in him he might have any place of boasting yet sure toward God he hath none he cannot be able to say to God by way of boast as of any speciall merit or excellency which alone is matter of boasting that he had done any thing by virtue of which he was justified before God And therefore certainly whatsoever privilege or prerogative was or could be conceived to belong to him or his posterity it was from the free mercy of God a fruit of undeserved promise and that excludes all boasting for what hast thou in this case which thou hast not received and why then boastest thou as if thou hadst not that is as if it were not a meer act of mercy and bounty to thee 3. For what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousnesse Paraphrase 3. And this appears by that way of God's dealing with him which is in the Scripture clearly enough set down and that the very same by which we teach and professe that all men are now dealt with by God that is a way that belongs to the Gentiles though sinners if they will forsake their heathen waies and now receive and obey Christ as well as to the Jewes viz. that Abraham believed God followed his call and believed his promise and thereupon though he had formerly been guilty of many sinnes and though his obedience being due to God's commands could not challenge any such reward from God yet did God freely justifie him that is upon his forsaking his countrey and the idolatries thereof and after upon his depending upon God's promises made to him and so walking cheerfully in his duty towards God pardon his past sinnes receive him into speciall favour strike a covenant of rich mercies with him 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt Paraphrase 4. By this 't is clear that 't was not his innocence or blamelesnesse by which he is said to
be just in the sight of God or any meritorious act that was thus rewarded in him see note on c. 3. b. For if it were then would it not be said that God did account or reckon his faith unto him for righteousnesse that is freely out of meer mercy justifie him as v. 3. it was and v. 5. is again said these two phrases it was reputed to him for righteousnesse there and were it is reputed to him according to grace or favour being directly of the same importance but that upon his perfect innocence and blamelesnesse God was bound by lawes of strict justice to reward and crown his innocence and his virtues as paying him that which he ought him a due debt and not freely giving it him by way of favour and grace as is implied in accounting or imputing to him for righteousnesse 5. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Paraphrase 5. But his way of justification was by believing pardon for sinners upon reformation and thereupon reforming and giving himself up to doe whatsoever God now would have him doe and so 't was not any originall innocence of his which might challenge the reward as due but onely God's acceptation of his faith which was an act of God's meer mercy and that may be vouchsafed to Idolatrous Gentiles upon their repentance as well as to him and their receiving of the faith and leaving their former courses of sinne on Christs command as he did in his countrey upon God's be accepted to the justification 6. Even as David also describeth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works Paraphrase 6. Agreeable to which is that description of blessednesse in David Psal 32. that he is blessed whom the Lord out of his free grace and pardon of sinne accepteth and accounteth as righteous and not on any merit of their own performances that is that blessednesse consists in having this Evangelical way of justifying sinners or those who have been sinners and now repent and return vouchsafed to any man not that of never having lived in sinne for want of which the Jewes will not admit the Gentiles to any hope of justification but the other I say of mercy and forgivenesse upon reformation and forsaking their former evil waies as appears by the words of the Psalme 7. Saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sinnes are covered Paraphrase 7. Blessed are they not who never sinn'd at all that were never in a wicked or wrong course as of the Gentiles it is acknowledged that they were but who having been ill have reformed and found place of repentance and of mercy upon reformation meerly by the forgivenesse and pardon of God 8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sinne Paraphrase 8. Blessed is the man whose sinne though he have been guilty as 't is acknowledg'd the Gentiles have is not charged on him by God but freely pardoned and forgiven unto him upon his reformation 9. Cometh this blessednesse then upon the circumcision onely or upon the uncircumcision also for we say that faith was reckoned unto Abraham for righteousnesse Paraphrase 9. This then being the nature of the Evangelical course of God's gracious way of dealing with sinners giving them place for repentance and upon the sincerity of that justifying and accepting them whatsoever their former sinnes have been we may now farther consider whether this course may not be taken with uncircumcised Gentiles as well as with the Jewes and that will best be done by considering how God dealt with Abraham and what condition Abraham was in when God thus reckoned his faith to him for righteousnesse or justified and approved of him and rewarded him so richly for believing 10. How was it then reckoned when he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision not in circumcision but in uncircumcision Paraphrase 10. And of this the account is easie if we but observe the time when Abraham's justification is spoken of viz. when those words were said of him Abraham believed and it was counted to him for righteousnesse For we find that was Gen. 15. 6. before he was circumcised ch 17. 24. and therefore it could not be a privilege annext to circumcision but is a grace and favour of God whereof the uncircumcised Gentiles are no lesse capable then the Jewes who are within the covenant of circumcision which is an evidence that receiving of Christ now and believing and obeying of him as then Abraham obeyed will be accepted by God without circumcision 11. And he received the signe of circumcision a seal of the righteousnesse of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised that he might be the father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised that righteousnesse might be imputed unto them also Paraphrase 11. And being justified after this Evangelical manner upon his faith without and before circumcision he received the sacrament of circumcision for a seal on his part of his performing those commands of God given to him his walking before him sincerely Gen. 17. 1. upon which the covenant is made to him and thus sealed v. 2 4 10. and on God's part for a testification of that faith of his and obsignation of that precedent justification and so by consequence he is the father in a spirituall sense that is an exemplar or copy which they that transcribe are called his sonnes of every uncircumcised believer who therefore succeeds him as a son to a father in that privilege of being justified before God 12. And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision onely but also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham which he had being yet uncircumcised Paraphrase 12. And in like manner a spirituall father conveying down mercies and the inheritance to the Jewes that were circumcised and do now convert to Christ and so besides circumcision which they drew from him do also transcribe his diviner Copy follow his example of faith and obedience which were remarkable in him before he was circumcised leave their sinnes as he did his countrey and believe all Gods promises and adhere to him against all temptations to the contrary 13. For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the Law but through the righteousness of faith Paraphrase 13. For the great promise made to Abraham and his posterity that they should possesse so great a part of the world Idumaea and a great deal more beside Canaan under which also heaven was typically promised and comprehended Heb. 11. 14 16. was not made by the Mosaicall Law or consequently upon condition of performing and observing of that see note on Mat. 5. g. but by this other Evangelicall way of new obedience without having observed the Law of Moses without being circumcised 14. For if they which are of the Law
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
resemblance and pourtraiture of his 6. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that note a the body of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin Paraphrase 6. Resolving this with our selves that as this was one end of Christ's suffering for our sins and dying upon the crosse that he might give us example to doe so too see Tit. 2. 14 to crucifie that is forsake our former course of life so our forsaking of sin and conforming our selves to his crucifixion which in baptisme we undertake obliges us to the mortifying of every sin so farre that we no longer yield any obedience to it that is neither willingly indulge to any presumptuous acts nor slavishly lie down in any habit or course of sin 7. For he that is dead is freed from sin Paraphrase 7. For as a man truly dead is freed from the authority of all those that in life-time had power over him so he that is dead to sin in this figurative sense wherein I now speak is freed from the power of sin acting formerly in him and consequently he that hath by being baptized into Christ so farre undertaken to accompany Christ in his death as really to die unto sin must demonstrate himself to be freed from the power of it must not permit it to live in him that is himself to be acted by it or else he doth quite contrary to his undertaking 8. Now if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him Paraphrase 8. And if we sincerely perform our part in this if we imitate Christ in his death that is die to sin forsake and never return to it again then we must also remember that it is another part of our Christian faith and undertaking of our baptisme to imitate Christ in his resurrection to rise to new and holy and godly lives and then we have grounds of believing that we shall together with him or after his example have a joyfull resurrection to eternall life But upon no other terms but these doe we expect or believe any good from Christ 9. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him Paraphrase 9 This being it for which we have a copie in Christ's resurrection also as well as in his death viz. So to rise to new life as never to return to our old sins again as his was a resurrection that instated him on an eternal life never to come under the power of death again 10. For in that he died he died unto sinne once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God 11. Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sinne but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Paraphrase 10 11. For as when he died for our sins he died once never to undergo that death again but when he rose from death he was immediately instated not into one single act of life so only as it might be truly said he was once alive after death but no more but into an immortal endlesse life a life co-immortal with the Father God eternal so must we after that double example of his death and resurrection account our selves obliged by our baptisme which accordingly is not wont to be reiterated so to die to forsake sin as that we need never die any more die one final death never resume our former courses again and on the other side for our new Christian life to take care that that be eternal no more to return to our sins again then we think Christ or God can die again but perservere in all virtuous and Godly living according to the example and precepts of our Lord Jesus Christ who died and aose again on purpose to raise us up to this kind of new life never to die again 12. Let not sinne reigne therefore in your mortal body that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof Paraphrase 12. And so you now see what your Christian duty is whatsoever we are calumniated to affirm that whereas your flesh hath many sinfull desires which if they be obeyed or observed will set up a kingdome or dominion of sin in you make you servants and slaves to sin you are most strictly obliged to take care that sin get not this dominion that you obey it not in yielding to or satisfying the lusts or prohibited desires of your bodies 13. Neither yâ—eld ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but yeeld your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God Paraphrase 13. But in stead of offering up or presenting your members unto sin as instruments or weapons to do what sin would have done ye must consecrate your selves unto God as men that are raised unto new life and therefore are fit to do him service and your bodies as active and military instruments of performing to him all the obedience in the world 14. For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under grace Paraphrase 14. 'T were the vilest thing in the world for sin to have dominion over you who are now no longer under the weak unefficacious paedagogy of the Law which could onely forbid sin and denounce judgement but never yeeld any man that hope of mercy on amendment which is necessary to the working reformation on him or checking any sin that men are tempted to but under a kingdome of grace where there is pardon for sin upon repentance and strength from heaven to repent and so no want of ability or encouragement to amend our lives See note on Mat. 5. g. 15. What then shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under grace God forbid Paraphrase 15. From hence again some carnall men are ready to collect matter of security in sin For say they if now under the Gospell there be pardon allowed for sin and not condemnation as it was under the Law for every wilfull sin we have committed why may we not securely sin This is the unreasonablest conclusion and detorsion of this doctrine very distant from the truth of it which is that this pardon for sin belongeth not to them that securely go on in sin but onely to the penitent and is offered to men that are sinners on purpose that in hope of pardon upon returning they may timely do so and not that they may the longer continue in their course which is the most abhorred use of God's mercy imaginable 16. Know ye not that to whom ye yeeld your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness Paraphrase 16. 'T is a known thing that he that delivers himselfe up to any man as a servant or slave and actually serveth or obeyeth him is to be accounted his servant and to receive wages from him and so it must be
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
sentence of death capital punishment called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 24. 20. judgment of death temporal Otherwhere it as clearly signifies divine and that eternal punishment as Act. 24. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgment to come that is certainly at the end of the world at the day of doom and so Rom. 2. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the judgment of God and so again v. 3. which v. 5. is explained to be wrath or punishment against the day of wrath so Heb. 6. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternal judgment joyned with the resurrection of the dead So Mat. 23. 14. and Mar. 12. 40. Lu. 20. 47. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more abundant judgment which they should receive in another world when this world affords none for their Hypocrisies and Rom. 3. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose judgment or punishment eternal is just and 2 Pet. 2. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose judgment that is destruction temporal here by the hand of God preparatory and prooemial to eternal lingreth not as appears by the next words whose destruction sleepeth not So 1 Tim. 3. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the condemnation of the devil that sentence that befell Lucifer for his pride presently after his creation and so may befall the novice lifted up with pride there And therefore Hesychius from the more general usage renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God's retribution or payment or rendring according to works which is sure his eternal punishment Three places there are which belong certainly to this sense which yet have been question'd by some men and denied to doe so First this in this place They that resist that is by force or violence oppose the supreme power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall receive judgment to themselves That this signifies temporal punishment which the magistrate may inflict and no more they think appears by the following words for rulers are a terror to evil works But if that argument were of force it would conclude also that no more but temporal punishment belonged to any other crime which was punishable by the magistrate for of him it is said that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the minister or officer of God his executioner for wrath that is punishment temporal to him indefinitly that doth evil that is every visible malefactor And so if this would conclude for the resister or rebell it would also be priviledge or protection to all other sins which the magistrate is wont to punish the chief the murtherer c. he that were hanged should not for that be damned whatever his crime were And 2 dly if that resister should escape the hand of justice here by flight c. or if he should prosper in his rebellion so that the magistrate should not be able to punish him or yet farther so as to get into the throne what judgment or punishment is that man likely to receive if the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or judgment here signifie none but the magistrates wrath or punishment 3 dly 'T is here v. 5. concluded from hence Wherefore ye must be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake where wrath signifying temporal punishment v. 4. if that were all that were meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then could it not be true much lesse concluded from hence that men must be subject not onely for wrath Certainly he that resists is not subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and both directly contrary to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being subject v. 3 5. and therefore if we must be subject not onely for wrath as that signifies temporal punishment then he that resists shall receive more then wrath as that signifies temporal punishment viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternal judgment or condemnation which must be the importance of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also for conscience sake viz. that if he doe it not it will be sinne to him wound his conscience and so binde over to that punishment that belongs to an accusing conscience or the breach of that divine law which is the rule of conscience the command of obedience v. 1. to a damning sinne if it be not timely repented of The second place thus doubted of is 1 Cor. 11. 29. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgement to himself That it doth not there signifie damnation is attempted to be proved by 3. arguments 1. by that which followes v. 30. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep which belonging only to temporal punishment is conceived to be the periphrasis of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgment precedent and consequently that that is so also 2 dly Because the Apostle speaks there of any one single act of this sinne which being not an habit or custome the objectors conceive not to be actually damning under the second covenant 3 dly Because v. 32. 't is said When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned c. To the first of these the answer is clear 1. that sicknesse and death though they be temporal punishments are yet divine inflicted by the hand of God not of the magistrate and 't is acknowledged that it doth seldome signifie eternal punishment exclusively to God's temporal punishments but eternal and sometimes temporal too as was said of 2 Pet. 2. 3. or eternal if he repent not and perhaps temporal if he doe or to bring him to repentance 2 dly that these temporal doe not exclude eternal punishments they may be sick and die and be damn'd also or else some being reformed by these temporal chastisements others may be damn'd also that doe not reform and that this is just with God and the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there appears v. 27. which is parallel to v. 29. whosoever shall eat or drink unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord that is shall be thought guilty of the greatest violation of Christ to profane and tread under feet his body and blood To the second it need not here be disputed whether one act of mortal or wilfull sin bring damnation it being as much to the present purpose that customary or frequent sinning doth for whatever mercy may belong to him that commits only one act yet if he that customarily or frequently doth it incurre damnation this will be the Apostles meaning by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there who speaks indefinitely of the sinne as when he saith the drunkard or adulterer shall not inherit the kingdome of God and descends not to that minuter consideration what 't is that contracts the guilt of that sin As for the third objection 't is an evident confirmation of this rendring for if those that were sick c. were chastned of the Lord that they should not be condemned then sure if they had not been so chastned or not reformed by that chastning they
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
consideration is the reason why the young children of Christians are admitted to baptisme before they come to knowledge because by their living in the family with Christian parents these children may be brought up in the faith and kept from heathen pollutions and the Church requiring and receiving promise from the parents doth consequently presume they will and by the same reason it is that the children of the heathen are not so admitted 15. But if the unbelieving depart let him depart A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases but God hath called us to peace Paraphrase 15. But now the thing not stated or medled with by Christ and therefore now promised to be defined by me ver 12. is this that in case the infidel will not live with the believer unlesse she will forsake her religion she is not then so enslaved or subjected so farre that she may doe acts prejudicial to her religion and to the betraying thereof for that end that she may continue with her husband but she remains blamelesse if she remain separate from him upon such his desertion But yet above all things that which is most to be observed is that the believing party doe the utmost that is possible to keep peace and agreement with the other not to fall out at all or if they doe to repaire the breach and be reconciled again nay farther not to marry again as long as there remains any hope of returning or reconciliation 16. For what knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thy husband or how knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy wife Paraphrase 16. For 't is possible that the Christian wife may use some means to work upon the infidel husband or the Christian husband on the wife so as to bring him or her to repentance and the faith of Christ and in intuition and hope of this any difficulties would be undergone but when this possibility ceaseth as in case that the heathen party desert or will not live with the Christian unlesse he or she desert the faith of Christ then 't is evident that this hope ceaseth and in this case the Christian party is free from those observances v. 15. 17. note e But as God hath distributed to every man as the Lord hath called every one so let him walk and so ordain I in all Churches Paraphrase 17. Onely according to the lot that any man hath befaln him if it be with an infidel wife or the like let him be content with it and doe as much good in it as he can and not think himself privileged by his being a Christian to throw it off And this every where is my doctrine and I desire it be universally resolved on in all Christian Churches 18. Is any man called being circumcised let him not note f become uncircumcised is any man called in uncircumcision let him not be circumcised Paraphrase 18. If one which hath been circumcised be converted to Christianity let him contentedly continue in it let him never trouble himself to get off that mark from his flesh as some did as on the other side he that is not circumcised when he is converted need not receive circumcision as some required of them Act. 15. 1. 19. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandements of God Paraphrase 19. For such outward things as these on either part are no part of Christianity but the observation of the precepts of Christ is all in all see Gal. 5. 6. and 6. 15. 20. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called 21. Art thou called being a servant care not for it but if thou mayest be made free use it rather Paraphrase 20 21. In what condition of life soever a man is when he is converted to Christianity let him contentedly continue in it and not think that Christian religion frees a man from any obligation that lay upon him before for that is to make Christian liberty a pretence for covetousnesse or lusts or secular advantages see 1 Tim. 6. 5. if either the being a Christian might manumit a servant or free an husband or wife from former obligations He therefore that being a bond-man is converted to Christianity must not think it any disparagement to his Christianity that he continues a servant still nor be solicitous of changing his condition Yet this is not so to be understood but that if by any fair regular means he can obtain his freedome he may then make use of them and preferre liberty before servitude for so he might have done if he had never been Christian 22. For he that is called in the Lord being a servant is the Lord's freeman likewise also he that is called being free is Christ's servant Paraphrase 22. For he that being in the condition of a servant is converted to Christianity doth by his conversion become a freeman in respect of Christ not that he ceaseth to be a servant to his former master or reaps any secular advantage thereby but his advantages are spiritual to wit that by being a Christian he is now delivered from many servitudes that of sinne c. that lie upon all others and to live in Christ's family as one of his freemen though in respect of the world he continue as a servant and so on the other side he that is a freeman and turns Christian becomes thereby a servant of Christ undertaking obedience to his commands though he lose not his liberty in the world by that means By which 't is clear that Christ meddles not with the secular government of the world nor changes any man 's outward condition by his becoming Christian 23. Ye are note g bought with a price be not ye the servants of men Paraphrase 23. On the other side they that have bought out their liberty and obtained manumission having been formerly servants to heathens let them not sell themselves again or revert voluntarily into that condition of slavery but preferre liberty rather ver 21. 24. Brethren let every man wherein he is called therein abide with God Paraphrase 24. And so still as he was when he was converted so set him still abide let not his being a Christian move him out of his state or make him lesse but rather more contented with it 25. Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord yet I give my judgment as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithfull Paraphrase 25. For your other question concerning virgins marrying at such a time as this or of those that are betrothed whether they should be bound to consummate their marriage or no I must say again that I have no command of Christ to build my answer upon yet I shall again give you my opinion in it as an honest faithfull man with all uprightnesse 26. I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distresse I say that it
that is the plague v. 36. and c. 16. 41. 11. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come Paraphrase 11. All these sinnes and judgements on those Israelites who were vouchsafed such wonderfull mercies by God which were his people under his immediate conduct had so much of his Spirit among them and yet sinn'd so foully and were destroyed so miserably are all emblemes of our estate if we doe not beware of their sins and they are set down in the old Testament as warnings for us Christians 12. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall Paraphrase 12. And therefore let him which is the most spiritual among you that seems to himself to stand the firmest take care that he fall not into these carnal sins which bring such ruine along with them 13. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it Paraphrase 13. And though some motives there are now among you that may tempt you to joyne with the heathen in their idolatries to wit the persecution of the heathens among which you live yet ought not this to work much upon you to drive you out of your religion For first these are but ordinary and to be look'd for see note on Rom. 6. b. and besides God that hath promised not to suffer his servants to be afflicted that is tempted see note on Gal. 4. a. above their strength will be sure to make good his promise and will give you a way of escaping their terrors if you continue faithfull and constant that you shall be able to bear whatsoever befalls you 14. Wherefore my dearly beloved flee from idolatry Paraphrase 14. To conclude therefore let no temptation bring you to yield to these sins that are in their idol-feasts see note on ch 5. 1. nor at all to be brought to sacrifice with them 15. I speak as to wise men judge ye what I say Paraphrase 15. I need not speak more plainly to you what I mean by idolatry you are wise enough to know see note c. 16. The note e cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ Paraphrase 16. The Christian feast of bread and wine in the Lord's supper is the exhibiting to us see note on Mat. 26. 26. the making us partakers of the body and blood of Christ see note on Act. 2. c. and is by us all acknowledged to be so and therefore sure the joyning in an idol-feast is a participating of the idol-God 17. For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers * of that one bread Paraphrase 17. And all we that do partake of that one feast are by that supposed to be one body of the same kind one with another and so in like manner if ye joyn with heathens and partake of their idol-feasts with them ye are to be supposed of the same lump and mould with those heathens 18. Behold Israel after the flesh are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar Paraphrase 18. In the Jewish sacrifices 't is a known thing that not onely they that sacrifice the priests but all they also that eat of any part of the sacrifice the people are said to perform service to God to eat as it were and drink with God at the altar and to partake of all the benefits that come from God upon the sacrificers 19. What say I then that the idol is any thing or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing Paraphrase 19. I need not then affirm that which the objection c. 8. 4. denyed viz. that an idol is any thing or that that which is offered to a false God is in it self at all different from any ordinary meat from the contrary of which the Gnosticks concluded that there is no unlawfulnesse to joyn in eating at an idol-feast 20. But I say the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to devils and not to God and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils Paraphrase 20. No I need not come to examin that nicety 't is sufficient to say in plain words that those sacrifices of the heathens are sacrifices to devils and that whosoever eats of the feasts joyned to those sacrifices doth communicate and joyn and doe service to devils and I would not have Christians guilty of that 21. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils ye cannot be partakers of the Lords table and the table of devils Paraphrase 21. The Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ wherein we communicate with and partake of the benefits of the death of Christ will not well agree with communicating of and joyning with devills see Rev. 13. note a. 22. Doe we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger then he Paraphrase 22. Doe we joyn devils in competition or rivality with God doe we think that we shall dare to give our selves up to all idolatry and heathen sin and yet that God will not punish us when in the second commandement he hath express'd his jealousie against those that take in any other rivall into their worship and threatned to visit and punish for it 23. All things are lawfull for me but all things are not expedient all things are lawfull for me but all things edifie not Paraphrase 23. Many things there are see c. 13. note i. which I might lawfully doe but that they are hurtfull and disadvantageous to others tend not to their edification but to the scandalizing of them either bringing them to or confirming them in some sinne 24. Let no man seek his own but every one anothers wealth Paraphrase 24. And 't is not fit that any should be so intent on what is lawfull for him in respect of himself or what is for his own advantage as to neglect the benefit and advantage and edification of others 25. Whatsoever is sold in the shambles that eat asking no question for conscience sake 26. For the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Paraphrase 25 26. And whereas you object that some portions of the heathen sacrifices are sold in the markets among other meat and that therefore if it be not lawfull to eat what is offered to idols ye must not ear what ye buy in the shambles because that may be such and then this is a great retrenchment of your Christian liberty by which ye may lawfully enjoy any of God's creatures I answer that in that case I may lawfully â—at whatsoever is there sold and not
long haire it is a glory to her for her haire is given her for a covering Paraphrase 15. And women do not but weare it at length and that is decent in them and to what purpose is this but that their haire may be a kind of vaile or covering to them 16. But if any man seem to be contentious we have no such custome neither the Churches of God Paraphrase 16. And if after all this any man will farther contend in this matter all that I shall adde is the constant custome of all the Apostolicall Churches that women in the Churches should constantly be veiled and that may be of sufficient authority with you 17. Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not that you come together not for the better but for the worse Paraphrase 17. Now one thing there is wherein you are much to be blamed that your assemblies are not so Christian as they ought 18. For first of all when ye come together in the Church I heare that there be divisions among you and I partly believe it Paraphrase 18. For first I am told and I have some reason to believe it that there are divisions and factions among you which expresse themselves in your assemblies 19. For there must be also heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you Paraphrase 19. And indeed there is some good use of be made of divisions among Chrâ—stians that so the honest and orthodox may be more taken notice of 20. When ye come together therefore into one place this is not to eat the Lord's supper Paraphrase 20. That which I am to blame in you is that your publick common meetings which should be as at the table of the Lord to eat a Church-meal a common Christian feast are indeed much otherwise none of that communicativenesse and charity among you as is required in such see Note on Act. 1. f. 21. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper and one is hungry and another is drunken Paraphrase 21. For at your feasts of charity accompanying the Lord's supper which were intended for the relief of the poor and wherein all the guests are to be equal no man to take place or eat before another no man to pretend any right to what he brought but every man to contribute to the common table and to eat in common with all others this custome is utterly broken among you he that brings a great deale falls to that as if it were in his own house at his own meal and so feeds to the full whereas another which was not able to bring so much is faine to goe hungry home and so your meetings are more to feed your selves then to practise a piece of Christian charity to which those sacramental assemblies were instituted 22. What have ye not houses to eat and to drink in or despise ye the Church of God and shame them that have not what shall I say to you shall I praise you in this I praise you not Paraphrase 22. This certainly is to doe as you were wont at home and you may as well stay there and doe thus this is quite contrary to the institution of Church-meetings and the not onely sending away hungry but even reproaching and putting to shame those that are in want and are not able to bring any great offering along with them This sure is a great fault among you 23. For I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread 24. And when he had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my body which is broken for you this doe in remembrance of me Paraphrase 23 24. For from Christ it was that I received though I were not present there what I delivered in my preaching among you that Christ when he instituted his last supper took and blessed the bread and then eat it not all himself nor preferred any one before another by a more liberal portion but gave it in an equall distribution to every one at the table and that as an expression and token of his life for all of them without preferring one before another and then appointed all disciples to imitate this action of his to meet and eat as at a common table not one to engresse all or deprive others and so to commemorate the death of Christ and the unconfined mercy of that by this significative typical charity of theirs 25. After the same manner also he took the cup when he had supped saying This cup is the New Testament in my blood this doe ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me Paraphrase 25. And when supper was ended he took also the grace-cup see note on c. 10. e. and delivered it about telling them that this action of his was an emblem of that covenant of grace and bounty which he would sâ—ale in his blood to all without respect of persons and commanding them to imitate and commemorate this impartiall charity of his whensoever they met together at the holy table 26. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye doe shew the Lord's death till he come Paraphrase 26. And doe ye saith he in all your sacred festivals thus shew forth to God and man this gracious act of my bounty in giving my life for my people and continue this ceremony till I come again at the end of the world 27. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Paraphrase 27. So that to offend in this kinde against this institution of this feast by doing contrary to the universal charity designed therein is to sin against the body and blood of Christ to take off from the universality of Christ's goodnesse and mercy in that death of his 28. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. Paraphrase 28. It is therefore fit that every man examine himself throughly whether he be rightly grounded in the faith of Christ of which this Sacrament is an emblem and accordingly when upon examination he hath also approved himself see note on Rom. 2. f. when he is fitly prepared let him come to that table and partake of it in a Christian manner 29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not note g discerning the Lord's body Paraphrase 29. And he that doth come without that preparation and so understands not the truth of Christ's universall mercy in his death signified by this institution of the Lord's supper or consequently receives it not in an holy manner incurres damnation in stead of receiving benefit by such eating and drinking of it 30. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and
naturae that which was but the law of many nations ut qui nascitur sine legitimo matrimonio matrem sequatur which though it held among the Grecians and Romans did not among other nations is called lâ—x Nâ—turae the law of Nature as on the other side Dâ— Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of custome comprehends the law of Nature under that style Fourthly by the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament as Ephes 2. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 children of wrath by nature applied to the national universal custome of idolatry among the Gentiles as appears v. 2. in which you Ephesian Gentiles sometimes walkâ—d and ver 3. among whom we all we Romans from whom he wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometime conversed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the rest also of the heathen world Just as the same Idolaters Wisd 13. 1. are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ain that is idolatrous by that general custome among them To this matter the testimony of Suidas is most clear on the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where having enlarged on the signification of it in Philosophy he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but when the Apostle hath those words which were by nature c. he takes not the word Nature in this notion but for an evil durable disposition or chronical custome So when the Apostle saith of the Gentiles that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beside nature they were graffed into a good olive tree being but a wild olive themselves Rom. 11. 24. he sure means by Nature the custome of the Jewes which by analogie with Levit. 19. 19. was extenâ—ed to a prohibition of graffing one fruit-tree into another kind or else he referres to the constant custome and rules of gardening never to graffe an ill fruit upon a good stock And so sure 't is in this place either the universal custome of all nations or the fashion of the place or of the generality of people for men and women to distinguish their sexes by cutting or not cutting of the haire V. 29. Discerning The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies two things to sanctifie and to discriminate and is accordingly sometimes rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and once by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jos 20. 7. From hence it seems to be that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here being the literal rendring of one notion of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for the other of hallowing or sanctifying the Lord's body that is eating the Lord's supper in a different manner from that of eating our ordinary meale or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our own supper viz. as the institution of Christ to represent his death for the world and the diffusive mercy of that by our Christian liberality and furnishing a common table where the poor aswell as rich may â—east and not the rich eat all to themselves which is the profaning of that feast of the body of Christ CHAP. XII 1. NOW concerning note a spiritual gifts brethren I would not have you ignorant Paraphrase 1. Now to that other part of your letter concerning those that are moved and acted by the Spirit whether good or ill see c. 14. 37. and note on Lu. 9. d. and foretell c. by that means I desire to admonish and direct you brethren and to give you some characters to discriminate one from the other when they come into your assemblies as sometimes some with evil spirits did Fuseb Hist l. 4. 16. and as â—imon the Magician is said to have contended with â— â—eter 2. Ye know that ye were Gentiles carried away unto these dumb idols even as ye were led Paraphrase 2. When ye were heathens ye know the 〈◊〉 pretended to foretell things to come and by your desire to know such things ye were seduced to idols which were so farre from being able to presage that they were not able to speak and the answers that were given you there were neither given you by the idols nor their priests but by the devil in them 3. Wherefore I give you to understand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Paraphrase 3. The way therefore to discriminate them is this that no man who pretends spiritual gifts in the Church who is led or speaks by the Spirit of God will ever speak evil of Jesus and no such man again hath any of those extraordinary powers of miracles c. and doth them in the name of Christ but he is acted by the holy Spirit the doctrine and commands of Christ being so contrary to and destructive of the evil spirits and their designes among men that the devil will never assist men with his power to set up that 4. Now there are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit Paraphrase 4. But of the gifts that come from the Spirit of God there are differences and though all men doe not the same things yet in them all the â—pirit is the same â— and therefore they that have not these extraordinary gifts in so high a degree as others should not be sadned for that as long as they have sufficient to demonstrate that they have the Spirit 5. And there are differences of administrations but the same Lord. Paraphrase 5. And there are diversities of offices and ministeries but all performed to the one true God 6. And there are diversities of operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all Paraphrase 6. And there are diversities of afflations or inspirations but the God that worketh all these in all men is the same 7. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall Paraphrase 7. But the exercise of these spiritual gifts whereby the Spirit manifests it self to be 〈◊〉 any man is designed still for some benefit or advantage of the Church and therefore those powers that tend to no use or advantage in the Church are to be suspected not to come from the Spirit of God 8. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit Paraphrase 8. The gift that one man hath from the Spirit is the special ability of speaking parables and veiling wiâ—e conceptions Another hath the understanding and interpreting the mysteries of Scripture see note on ch 1. c. and note on â— Pet. 1. c. 9. To another faith by the same Spirit to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit Paraphrase 9. Another hath a miraculous faith or by which he works all kinds of miraclâ—â— another hath from the same Spirit a peculiar power of curing diseases without the help of physick 10. To another the working of miracles to another prophecie to another discerning of spirits to another diverse kinds of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues Paraphrase 10. Another
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
midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world Paraphrase 15. That ye may be unreprovable before men and God 16. Holding forth the word of life that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither laboured in vain Paraphrase 16. Persevering in the acknowledgment and practice of the Christian doctrine which will be matter of great comfort to me and rejoicing in the great day of retributions that my Apostleship hath been so successfull among you 17. Yea and if I be note e offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith I joy and rejoice with you all Paraphrase 17. And if as in the Law the wine was poured out on the sacrifice so it fall out that my blood like wine be poured out for the offering you up a sacrifice to God that is in bringing you in to the faith this will be matter of infinite joy unto me 18. For the same cause also doe ye joy and rejoice with me 19. But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state 20. For I have no note f man like minded who will †naturally care for your state Paraphrase 20. For I have no man that I can fully trust to tend your businesse intirely unlesse it be Timothy 21. For all seek their own not the things which are Jesus Christs Paraphrase 21. For divers of those which were assistant to me in preaching the Gospel have left me and betaken themselves to their several affairs see note on 1 Tim. 3. a. 22. But ye known the proof of him that as a son with the father he hath served me in the Gospel Paraphrase 22. But for Timothy you know what experience I have had of him how in the preaching the Gospel he assisted me taking all the pains of a servant and paying me all the obedience and willingnesse and love of a son to a father 23. Him therefore I hope to send presently so soon as I shall see how it will go with me Paraphrase 23. Him therefore I mean to dispatch to you as soon as I discern what is now likely to befall me how I shall presently be disposed of here 24. But I trust in the Lord that I also my self shall come shortly Paraphrase 24. And through God's mercy I verily hope and perswade my self that I shall soon be set at liberty and so come to you personally within a while 25. Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and companion in labour and fellow-souldier but your messenger and he that ministred to my wants Paraphrase 25. In the mean time I thought it necessary to return to you Epaphroditus one that hath been my partner of labor and danger also and is your Bishop set over your Church see note on Rom. 16. b. and he which by you hath been enabled to relieve me in my necessities 26. For he longed after you all and was full of heavinesse because that ye had heard that he had been sick Paraphrase 26. For he had an earnest desire to return to you and was exceedingly disquieted to think what sorrow the report of his sicknesse brought to you 27. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death but God had mercy on him and not on him onely but on me also lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow Paraphrase 27. not permitting me to be overburthened with the addition of one grief unto another his death to my imprisonment 28. I sent him therefore the more carefully that when ye see him again ye may rejoice and that I may be the lesse sorrowfull Paraphrase 28. In which respect I was the more carefull to send him that ye may see how well he is recovered and be cheared up concerning him and that the knowledge of that may remove a sorrow from me who have had an accession to my sorrow from his danger by thinking what sadnesse the newes of it would cost you 29. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladnesse and hold such in reputation 30. Because for the work of Christ he was â—igh unto death note g not regarding his life to supply your lack of service toward me Paraphrase 30. For it was in the cause of Christ in the preaching of the Gospel that he was in danger of death seating no value on his life that he might bring me relief and so doe that which you by reason of your absence and farre distance were not able to doe See note on Mar. 12. b. Annotations on the Epistle to the Philippians Chap. II. V. 6. Forme of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not onely an external and accidental form as Mar. 16. 12. nor at all an image or picture as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems to doe Rom. 2. 20. 2 Tim. 3. 5. and is rendred by Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 note a personation or image but it is taken also in good authors for an internal essential form or being Thus in Aeschylus speaking of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one form that is thing under divers names The words of Phavorinus are most observable for the explication of this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies that which hath a being of it self and needs not the assistance of another to its being and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it properly signifies â—ssence then cites these very words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 known in the essence of God being God and by the raies and beams of his Divinity shining even in his first conception and birth discerned and known to be so This here appears to be the notion of the word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the form of a servant that followes ver 7. for that was not onely an external but also a real form he was really a servant of Gods in his humane nature undertaking an office design'd him by God and most strictly obeying him in all things and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2. 7. he was a little lower or for a little while the time that he spent here on earth lower than the Angels who we know are the servants of God and so the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 8. which frequently signifie likeness and external habit and forms doe here signifie that outward appearance which doth not exclude but include the inward being and reality for it is certain and by all acknowledged that he was really a man not onely in likeness appearance so Thus doth Theophylact interpret it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the forme of God signifies his essence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the form of a servant is the nature of a servant This being thus evident
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
because Christ on whom I have depended I am sure will never fail me and in his hands I can with all cheerfulnesse repose my life as knowing his able and willing to preserve it to me till he please to call for me out of this world 13. Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus Paraphrase 13. When thou were with me I gave thee a short summary of the chief things that were to be believed by all in opposition to all growing heresies and do thou take care not to depart from it in any part of it but keep constant to it in the coufession and constant adherence to Christ and in preaching and teaching others 14. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us Paraphrase 14. Hold thee constantly to the doctrine of the Gospel or summary of it agreed on by the Apostles to be taught in all Churches and whenever thou art tempted to the contrary remember that this stands by the direction of the Spirit of God that abides among us and make use of that Spirit to confirm thy self in it 15. This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes Paraphrase 15. Thou hearest I presume that all the Asian Christians that were at Rome save only Onesiphorus v. 16. fell off from me in time of my distresse 16. The Lord give mercy unto note a the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain 17. But when he was in Rome he sought me out very diligently and found me Paraphrase 16 17. I pray God reward the family of Onesiphorus which is at Ephesus with thee for the great kindnesse I received from him who lately came to me at Rome and as oft before at Ephesus v. 18. so now hath he in especial manner sought and found me out and relieved me and owned me without fear or shame in this time of my imprisonment 18. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day and in how many things he ministred um me at Ephesus thou knowest very well Paraphrase 18. I pray God this mercy of his to me may be repai'd him when it will most stand him in stead for besides what he hath now done thou knowest also better then I can tell thee how many liberalities he hath shewed at Ephesus to those that have stood in need of him and in how many things he relived me when I was at Ephesus and thou with me Annotations on Chap. I. V. 16. The house of One siphorus What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the house of One siphorus here signifies is thought fit to be examined by some in order to the doctrine of praying for the dead For because the prayer is here for the houshold and not for the master of it Onesiphorus himself it is by some presently concluded that One siphorus was dead at that time And then that being supposed it appears v. 18. that S. Paul prayes for him that he may find mercy in that day How farre it may be fit to pray for them that are departed this life needs not to be disputed here 'T is certain that some measure of blisse which shall at the day of judgment be vouchsased the Saints when their bodies and souls shall be reunited is not till then enjoyed by them and therefore may safely and fitly be prayed for them in the same manner as Christ prayes to his Father to glorifie him with that glory which he had before the world was And this is a very distant thing from that prayer which is now used in the Romish Church for deliverance from temporal pains founded in their doctrine of Purgatory which would no way be conclusible from hence though Onesiphorus for whom S. Paul here prayes for mercy had been now dead Nay 't is evident that the mercy for which they which are conceived to be in Purgatory might be the better must be bestowed and consequently prayed for to befall them before the day of doom at which time all that are there are supposed by them to be releaâ—ed But neither is there any evidence of Onâ—siphorus being then dead nor probability of it here For of this Onesiphorus these two things may be observed from hence first That his family was now at Ephesus and accordingly he salutes it there c. 4. 19. and consequently that there was his ordinary place of abode and agreeably it is here said of him that he had relieved Paul when he was at Ephesus v. 18. and that is the reason why in an Epistle to Timothy residing in that city this mentionis made of his family secondly That he was at this time when Paul wrote this absent from his home in all probability at Rome for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be rendred being not when he was at least but lately departed and so still on his way from Rome where Paul was a prisoner and where Onesiphorus had sought and found him out v. 17. and without fear visited and relieved him And this is a fair account why Paul writing to Timothy where his family was mentioned them with so mâ—ch kindnesse but joines not him in that remembrance because he was at Rome from whence and not at Ephesus to which he wrote And so all the force of that argument is vanished CHAP. II. 1. THou therefore my son be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus Paraphrase 1. Doe thou therefore my beloved son take all care to strengthen thy self in the Gospel see note on Heb. 13. a. 2. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithfull men who shall be able to teach others also Paraphrase 2. And the articles of faith and good life which I have taught thee from Christ agreed on and consented in by the testimony of all the other Apostles do thou communicate to others whose ability and fidelity is known to thee and appoinâ—them as Bishops of the several Churches under thee to teach others also 3. Thou therefore endure hardnesse as a good souldier of Jesus Christ Paraphrase 3. And arm thy self against all difficulties as one that hast undertaken Christ's colours to serve under him 4. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affaires of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier Paraphrase 4. And therefore as the souldiers according to the Roman rules of their militia are forbidden to meddle with the emploiments of Tutors or Guardians of men's persons or estates or proctors of their causes to undertake husbandry or merchandice c because every of these is so distant from that 't is incompetible with the waiting on their colours so whatsoever emploiments of the world are not competible with the discharge of thy office
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
Testament save only in Saint John's writings who is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is more reasonable here to take it for the word of God that is that which had been delivered by Christ and particularly that severe sanction and denunciation of judgment against all that hold not fast to him in time of temptation those that openly or clancularly deny him by their words or actions For it must be observed that this Epistle being accommodated to the present condition of the Christians in Judaea who were now daily sollicited by the Gnosticks and drawn off from their constancy and purity doth labour by all arguments to fortifie them And in this Chapter doth it by two arguments one depending on the other First from the advantages which they shall reap by a constant adhering to Christ not only eternal rest in heaven an ample reward for all their persecutions whatever they are but even in this life more peaceable dayes of professing and worshipping Christ when the unbelieving Jewes the persecutors should be destroyed and that time was now at hand c. 10. 37. And this hath formerly been explained to be meant by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rest that is here spoken of a rest from the labours that is wearysome persecutions and pressures that lay upon them This he resembles to the Israelites Canaan as in the refreshment that it yielded the people of God after a sad travaile in the wildernesse so in the propriety that the faithfull servants of God had in it none but they admitted to it when they that had been brought out of Aegypt and received the Law from God's mouth at Sinai and so were highly favoured and dignified by him yet upon their murmuring and falling back toward Aegypt in their hearts through impatience of hardships and the like herein directly parallel to the Gnosticks and those that were seduced by them who either secretly or openly forsook Christ in time of persecutions were cut off and destroyed in the wildernesse and not a man of them entred into Canaan And accordingly the second argument is here taken from the severity of Christ's denunciations against these every where in the Gospel which shall thus fall off from him the seed on the stony ground and they that are scandalized in him and they that seek to save their lives c. which denunciation saith the author here shall like a divine vengeance sharper saith Theophylact then warre or sword was to the rebellious Israelites certainly find out every one that is obnoxious to it how secretly soever he have contrived it This is here rhetorically and figuratively express'd by the resemblance of a priests knife cutting up the sacrifice proceeding and entring into the least and the most secret parts of it the nerves the least and the marrow the inmost parts And all this meant but to assure them that they which thus fall off shall never be concealed This vengeance foretold will find them out if they be not carefull to make good their constancy and so to be of the number of those to whom the rest is promised which is the meaning of that exhortation ver 11. which this is set to back as the reason of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the word of God is living c. Upon which it followes ver 14. that we should therefore hold fast our profession or a vowed confession and acknowledgment of Christ considering what he hath suffered before us by which we may be sure that he will assist and relieve us if we stick fast to him V. 13. Opened The notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here hath been much doubted of I conceive it is most clearly that which Phavorinus thus expresses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies to cut in two to divide down the Spina dors◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spondyls of the back-bones and so it belongs clearly to the custome of the Priests in examining the sacrifices whether they were intire and without blemish or no. This is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to try and search the sacrifices as in Lucian c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The priests put a crown on the beast's head and having first searched it a great while if it be perfect they bring it to the altar and among the Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to look as a Momus or Censor and consider whether there were in the sacrifice any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or blemish whether all were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immaculate and unhurt They that did this were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who to that end used to flay the body first and then cut it down the neck or back-bone called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and being so cut to lay it upon the Altar that the Priest might search and look into the inwards and as Philo saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever is hid in the belly c. To which refers that of Solomon Prov. 20. 27. The spirit of the man is the candle of the Lord searching the hidden parts of the belly As therefore the entrails of the sacrifice and the most secret parts are conspicuous to the Priest by the help of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by cutting the sacrifice thus down the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neck or back-bone so are all before the word of God the most secret things discerned and seen into that is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naked in reference to flaying taking off the skin with which the flesh was clothed and covered and cut down the back also Thus saith Isidore Pelusiote Ep. l. 1. 94. that the phrase here used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a metaphor of consecrated beasts brought to sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For as they being flay'd are made naked and devested of all the visible covering and shew the placing of those things which were hid within and are cut down the back-bone to the end that he may search and look into every bone and part that all may be cleansed or found to be pure before they are sacrificed so c. Hence is that of Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Phavorinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies discovered and made manifest V. 16. Throne of grace The Jewes mention a double throne of Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the throne of pity or mercy and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the throne of judgment and they adde that when sitting in the throne of judgment he sees the multitude too great of those that deserve punishment he then removes to the throne of mercy or pity that is of pardon CHAP. V. 1. FOR every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sinnes Paraphrase 1. To this purpose of Christ's being our high
impossible for those who were once inlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost 5. And have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come 6. If they shall note a fall away to note b renew them again unto repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame Paraphrase 4 5 6. For as for those that have been received into the Church by Baptisme and so by oath obliged themselves to continue in the true faith and Christian practice to their lives end and having done so have for some time enjoyed the privileges of Christians pardon of sin and peace of conscience a consequent of the mercy sealed in Baptisme and yet farther have had some of those extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost poured out upon â—hem see Note on Acts 6. c. and by their continuance in the Church for some space have had experience of the promises of Christ and the wonderful works of mercy wrought for us by him under the Gospel Eph. 1. 19. if those I say shall through the Gnostick infusions apostatize from the faith after all these engagements to continue in it they must never be received to the peace of the Church again and those consequent advantages and privileges from which they are fallen being guilty of the same sin that the Jewes were in denying and crusifying of Christ and making an Impostor of him for thus did all they that fell off to the Gnostick heresie in which Judaism and denying of Christ was a special ingredient 7. For the earth which drinketh in the rain which cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth note c blessing from God 8. But that which beareth thorns briars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burnt Paraphrase 7 8. For as the ground that being sowed and watered from heaven fructifies proportionably for the benefit and advantage of them to whom it is designed to be useful is commended by God as good ground on which the rain from heaven is bestowed to some purpose and as far as it is capable rewarded by him with more rain more fructifying showers and beams that it may bring forth more fruit like the good tree and the good servant in the parable but contrariwise that ground or field which after the like sowing and irrigation brings forth only thorns instead of fruit is given over rejected by God and man and may justly expect to be cursed as the fruitless Fig-tree and is finally fit for nothing but to be burnt and destroyed like that of Sodome never to bear fruit again So he that hath been baptized and made partaker of the holy Ghost and hath extraordinary gifts of the Spirit bestowed upon him on purpose for the benefit of others if he renounce and apostatize from Christ he is never to be restored to his dignity again but is to be look'd on as one that in stead of edifying hath endevoured and done his worst to ruine the Church and so is to be cast out of it irreversibly the curse of a fruitlesse Tree or Field to fall upon him And so generally the Gnostick Apostatizers especially those that from any extraordinary gifts have fall'n into this foul noisome hereie are to look for an heavy curse for fierce judgments approaching them and in the conclusion for utter destruction 9. But beloved we are perswaded better things of you and things that note d accompany salvation though we thus speak Paraphrase 9. But after all this thus said to you by way of caution I have more comfortable hopes of you and perswade my self that you will have your parts in the great signal deliverance see Note on ch 2. b. that now the faithful are to look for preparatory to their eternal blisse and not the destruction that attends others 10. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which ye have shewed toward his name in that ye have ministred to the Saints and do minister Paraphrase 10. And the ground of my hope is because you have been formerlyso couragious in professing of Christ and so charitable to poor Christians and are so still which works of yours God is according to his promise of mercy in the Gospel bound to reward with giving more grace and not to forsake and leave such without all grace as those which for their obstinacy in sin are accursed by him v. 8. 11. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end Paraphrase 11. All the design of my present admonition and digression is to stir up every one of you to the continuance of this diligence to the end that you may persevere in the performing that condition upon which all the promises are proposed and your hopes grounded see Note on Luk. I. a. 12. That ye be not slothful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises Paraphrase 12. That you doe not now like faint-hearted persons give over your course but imitate and follow their pattern who by faith continuing and enduring through all afflictions did at last enjoy their part in the promises made unto them 13. For when God made promise to Abraham because he could swear by no greater he sware by himself 14. Saying Surely blessing I will blesse thee and multiplying I will multiply thee Paraphrase 13 14. Such were those promises which were made by God to Abraham under oath under the style of blessing and multiplying him by which was meant Gods bringing his seed into Canaan and all faithful Christians to the rest mentioned c. 3. Note c. 15. And so after he had patiently endured he obtained the promise Paraphrase 15. And these promises being made under oath were in themselves most sure and being faithfully relyed on and believed by Abraham were though not presently yet in time performed to him that is to his seed the Jews 16. For men verily swear by the greater and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife Paraphrase 16. For as a man when he would swear alwaies swears by the greatest person he knows and an oath being taken by one of the contesting persons one saying one thing the other the contrary sets an end to that affirming and denying and confirms the judge to the believing of one party against the other see Note on 1 Tim. 5. e. 17. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath Paraphrase 17. So God was pleased to swear by himself having no greater to swear by v. 13 and by that means to ascertain those to whom his promises belong that is all constant Christians of the performance of his promise concerning believers the
by the Jewes among whom these Hebrew Christians lived as will appear in the story Act. 11. 19. 1 Thess 2. 14. the approach of whose destruction must consequently be matter of comfort to them that had suffered long and so of keeping them from falling away see Note on Rom. 13. c. And secondly 't will appear by the plain words that follow to this very purpose to sustain their patience v. 37. Yet a little while and he that cometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Christ which hath promised to come to their punishment and your relief will come and that notes this particular the destruction of the Jewes which is called his coming Mat. 24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he will not tarry that notes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the approach of that day And to this purpose to confirm men in patient expectation of this without all disheartning by the delay follow all those examples of Faith c. 11. in which it appears that many depended by faith on performances of promises to their posterity which were never performed to themselves personally and so might very well fortifie the Hebrewes for an expectation of a farre shorter time it being now very near at hand The same is expressed when it draws nigher at hand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 2. 18. the last hour V. 26. For if we sin wilfully What is meant by this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinning wilfully after receiving the acknowledgment of the truth must be collected by a brief survey of every part of the phrase First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sin as it signifies in general any kind or sort of sin not only deliberate but of ignorance or passion or surprise and again not only an act but habâ—t or course of sin and is to be determined to either by the Context in any place so in many places it appears to signifie the great sin of Apostasie so c. 3. 17. and is applied to the Apostate Angels 2 Pet. 2. 4. And so here sure it must signifie the sin here spoken of ver 23 and 25. being the not retaining that is forsaking the profession of their hope that is the Christian profession and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forsaking the assemblies of publick worship c. which though done upon the motive of fear to avoid persecution yet was an Apostatizing from the Christian course and that no suddain passionate but weighed deliberate act and course and is therefore defined ver 38. to be an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a drawing back to perdition an Apostasie from the Christian profession a preferring the advantages of the world the preserving their own present safety before the service and worship of God and privileges belonging to it and accordingly this sin of these forsakers is elsewhere ordinarily express'd by loving the world and the things of the world in opposition to and exclusion of the love of the Father loving of pleasures more then of God serving of the belly c. and 't is known of these Gnosticks that as they renounced the Christian profession so they joyned with the enemies called here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adversaries v. 27. against the Christians and to save themselves calumniated and persecuted others Now this sin thus considered is here farther express'd to be so by the mention of their former acknowledgment of the truth and by their continuing in this course 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wilfully after the acknowledgment of the truth That may be taken in a double notion First to signifie the commission of this sin after the acknowledgment of Christianity in general after having received the faith and obeyed it which must necessarily deprive them of all excuse of Ignorance or Involuntarinesse as 2 Pet. 2. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having acknowledged the way of righteousnesse and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to turn clearly signifies And this 't is certain is contained here for they that thus forsook the assemblies and drew back were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the just v. 38. But I suppose there is yet a farther notion of it which must be added to this the doing this contemptuously against the Apostles doctrine and admonition concerning the infusions of the Gnostick-hereticks and consequently a casting off the authority of the Apostles and Governours of the Church who acted in power of the Holy Ghost and they that thus disobeyed were look'd on and dealt with as heathens and Publicans desperate and incorrigible Mat. 18. 17. Thus saith Photius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is great difference between sins committed out of ignorance and wicked practices committed in knowledge and with contempt Epist p. 386. And that this was it appears not only by the exhortations and admonitions of the Apostle through this whole Epistle Take heed brethren that there be not in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing or Apostatizing from the living God ch 3. 12. and by his laying before them the examples of the murmuring and provoking Apostatizing Israelites which lost their Canaan and by foretelling the like vengeance that would suddainly fall on them if they did thus depart but also by one end or consequent of their forsaking their Church-meetings contemning and rejecting the exhortations and admonitions of their Governours for which among other things these meetings were ordained And this seems to be here noted by mention of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but exhorting which was especially the Governours office and which they that forsook the assemblies did forsake also and did not submit themselves to it And then they that thus sinn'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wilfully after the having received this acknowledgment of the truth were they that did contemptuously forsake and cast off the Christian yoke which they had once submitted to and that is the character of Apostates Adde to thâ—◠〈◊〉 consideration of v. 28. where parallel to the â—ate of the person here is set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Any one that despiseth or setteth at nought Moses Law the man that will doe presumptuously and will not hearken to the Priest or to the Judge Deut. 17. 12. such an one as when his fact is competently proved against him he must die without mercy And that is also the meaning of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there remains no longer any sacrifice for sin It is such a sin for which the High-priest among the Jewes was not allowed to offer sacrifice for expiation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Josephus l. 2. cont Apion there was no deprecating no possibility of averting the punishment of death which belonged to such Accordingly we see the practice in Maimonides in the title of dressing oblations cap. 3. num 3 5. that no sacrifice should be made for Apostates though for Ethnicks there might So again appears v. 29. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
are here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boastings and they that take pleasure in such language in assuming thus to themselves speaking thus magnificently of their own purposes are here said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rejoice or glory in such boasting and though all sort of rejoicing be not yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all such kind of rejoicing is evil v. 16. and that in an high degree CHAP. V. 1. GO to now ye rich men weep and howle for your miseries that shall come upon you Paraphrase 1. There will now shortly come such daies that all the rich among you or that place any part of their interest on this world are likely to have a very mournfull time of it in respect of their great disappointments and the sad destructions and calamities that are about to fall on the Jewes 2. Your riches are corrupted and your garments moth-eaten Paraphrase 2. You have not employed your wealth like faithfull stewards as God hath appointed you to the relief of them that want but let them not in your hands for want of use your food like Manna is putrified by being kept Exod. 16. 20. and so the garments which would have covered the needy being laid up in your wardrobes are devoured by moths 3. Your gold and silver is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you and shall eat your flesh note a as it were fire ye have heaped treasure together for the last daies Paraphrase 3. And that rust which is wont to breed in iron by lying unused breeds in your coin your gold silver which are not ordinarily capable of rust and this covetous withholding more then is meet will not onely tend to your want but is moreover a foul and crying sinne that shall rise in judgment against you and shall gnaw on and devour your flesh your treasuring up wealth is as the treasuring up fire which shall onely help to bring more miseries upon you and so more fearfully to consume you when the destruction of the Jews now approaching comes and falls most sharply upon the wealthiest men as icon after it fell our 4. Behold the hire of the labourers which have reaped down your fields which is of you kept back by fraud crieth and the cries of them which have reaped are entred into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth Paraphrase 4. These riches of yours have not kept you from being unjust but rather tempted you to oppression of the poor labourer And this griping and cruelty of yours is a crying sin and will bring down severe vengeance upon you from the Lord of hosts 5. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth and been wanton ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter Paraphrase 5. You have set your hearts upon the pitifull poor delights and joyes of this earth lived delicately and luxuriously as Dives And what hath all this been but the pampering your selves as it were for the shambles 6. Ye have condemned and killed the just and he doth not resist you Paraphrase 6. Your nation hath condemned Christ to death and crucified him he making no resistence and now ye Gnostick Judaizers have dealt in like manner with the pure orthodox Christians 7. Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman waiteth for the pretious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it untill he receive the early and latter rain Paraphrase 7. As for you that are Christians indeed and are now persecuted by them ye may be confident that Christ will shortly come and avenge his and your cause upon them see ver 8. and therefore ye may well wait patiently so short a space till that time come and then you shall be rescued from the present distresses see Note on Mat. 24. b. For thus doth the husbandman give you an example of patience waiting for the fruit of the earth and in order to that for the showers that come in the seed-time to sit the ground and before harvest or reaping to plump the corn and accordingly he defers to do one or other to sow or reap with patience and attendance to the other duties of his calling till those seasons come 8. Be ye also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Paraphrase 8. And their example ye may very fitly transcribe at this time and thereby confirm and encourage your selves in your adherence to Christ whatever your sufferings are as being assured that coming of Christ described Mat. 24. in vengeance on his enemies is now very near approaching see Mat. 24. b. and Heb. 10. 37. 9. note c Grudge not one against another brethren lest ye be condemned behold the Judge standeth before the door Paraphrase 9. Envy not one another break not out into those acts of zeal or emulation◠or murmuring against one another lest you bring that vengeance upon you for behold the coming of Christ to the destruction of the Jewes and malicious persecuting Gnosticks is now very nigh at hand see Mat. 24. b. 10. Take my brethren the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of patience Paraphrase 10. And whatsoever the temptations or persecutions are which might tempt you to comply and joyn with the persecuters consider what ye read and know of the prophets of God in the old Testament who when they came to proclaim God's judgments against the sinful Jewes were generally very contumeliously used by them but yet never sainted or were discouraged thereby and such examples will fortifie you against the like temptations that they may not have any impression on you to weary you out of your constancy and bring you to join with the Judaizers 11. Behold we count them happy which endure Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord that the Lord is pitifull and of tender mercy Paraphrase 11. There is nothing that according to the principles of Christianity is more honourable and blisseful then suffering patiently and constantly You remember what sufferings Job met with and upon his patient bearing of them what in the end the Lord gave him double to all that he had lost Job 42. 10. By which it appears how far God is from despising us in our afflictions or leaving us in the hands of the persecuters how much he loves and how careful he is of you 12. But above all things my brethren swear not neither by heaven nor by the earth nor by any other oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest you fall into note d condemnation Paraphrase 12. One special caveat I shall farther give you that ye permit not your selves that custome of swearing by heaven or earth or any other form of oath In stead of such unnecessary customes it will be much more for your turn that
ye take care that your performances be agreeable to your words see note on 2 Cor. 1. b. that you fall not into lying or false speaking 13. Is any among you afflicted let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalmes Paraphrase 13. Again let your care be that whenever any affliction befalls you your praying to God be the constant effect of it as on the other side singing thanksgivings of your prosperity 14. Is any sick among you let him call for the note e elders of the Church and let them pray over him note f anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord Paraphrase 14. When any man falls into any disease he is to look on it as that which comes from God for some special end of his very ordinarily for some sin of ours committed either against God or man not yet repented of as it ought and because the man so visited may not be so well able to judge of himself but that he may stand in need of spiritual directions and counsel to discern his own guilts and because whatsoever his condition be he may receive much benefit thereby let him call to his assistance some spiritual person the Bishop in every city see note on Act. 11. b. or whosoever is by or under him ordained for such offices and when he hath afforded the sick man his best directions and assistance let him also pray to God with and for him that God will pardon his sins asswage his pains remove the disease and restore him to his former health withall using that ceremony of unction so ordinarily used by Christ in curing diseases and doing it in the name of Christ 15. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sins note g they shall be forgiven him Paraphrase 15. And the prayer of the Bishop c. and of the sick if it come from faith in Christ in the one praying to God in Christ for his recovery and in the sick person from a true Christain penitent heart shall be of force save where God is pleased otherwise to dispose of it for the good of the patient and his own glory to heal and recover the sick see note on Mat. 10. g. and Luc. 13. b. and God shall restore him to his former health To which purpose also it is useful that if upon examination he be found to have committed any wasting sin or sins which probably have brought this disease on him the sick person first fit himself for and then receive absolution from the Bishop 16. note h Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Paraphrase 16. Upon these considerations therefore it will be very proper for all that are in this estate to make acknowledgment of their sins to such as are thus called to visit them and that besides other respects in order to their cure from such diseases as are then upon them by virtue of their intercession to God for those who shall thus approve to them the sincerity of their repentance see Gen. 20. 7. For this is certainly known that the prayer of a man of God to which he is incited by the Spirit as the prophets were when they prayed and as they were under the Gospel who had the gift of miracles see note on Gal. 5. b. will be very effectual even work miraculous cures 17. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six moneths Paraphrase 17. Elias was a prophet and a righteous man but a man for all that and subject to the same afflictions and frailties that we are and yet by earnest prayer he brought drought and famine upon the land for the punishment of the sins of the people that ran idolatrously after Baal and so upon the land of the ten tribes it rained not for three years and an half Luk. 4. 25. and Rev. 11. 6. 18. And he prayed again and the heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit Paraphrase 18. And upon some reformation he again prayed 1 Kin. 18. 45. and he was heard in abundance of rain and fruits 19. Brethren If any of you doe erre from the truth and one convert him Paraphrase 19. To conclude this discourse begun v. 14. let this be remembred and considered by all If any Christian transgresse the Evangelical rule of life fall into sin and any man take him off from that vicious course 20. Let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall note i hide a multitude of sins Paraphrase 20. It is a most excellent glorious work of mercy which he hath wrought the effect of which is that God will free him on whom this change is wrought from death eternal and perhaps from temporal present death through sicknesse fallen on him for that sin ver 15. and besides he will accept and reward that charity of him that hath wrought that good work on him with the free discharge of whatsoever sins he hath formerly been guilty but hath now repented of Annotations on Chap. V. V. 3. As it were fire That the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as fire are to be joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye have treasured up and not with the former the sense doth much inforce and the antient manner of writing without points doth well permit and it hath a special significancy in this place agreeable to the times wherein this Epistle was written For the last dayes being the time of the Jewes destruction see Note on Act. 2. b. and to treasure up wealth as fire being no more then to lay up their wealth so as it should mischief and devour and consume in stead of advantaging them this is here most truly said of the uncharitable and unchristian Judaizers at that time in respect of the destruction of that people approaching where the rich misers were the most miserably harrass'd of any See Note on Rev. 9. c. V. 7. Coming of the Lord The coming of the Lord is here expresly defined by Oecumenius to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the expedition of the Romanes to which he there applies the words of Christ concerning John If I will that he tarry till I come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the time of this life was to him extended untill the taking of Jerusalem and a little beyond it V. 9. Grudge not The practices of the Zelots among the Jewes a little before the great miserable destruction of that people are often mentioned in Josephus and referred to in this Epistle especially and in those of S. Peter written about the same time and to the same persons that this of S. James was viz.
while those extraordinary gifts remained in the Church for diseases to be cured and health restored to the sick without the use of any other means of physick c. where as the prayer of faith or calling the name of Christ over the sick was the means of curing the disease v. 15. and so Act. 3. 16. Christ's name hath made this man strong and the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundnesse so the ceremony whether of Oil or Imposition of hands was indifferently either used or not used by them In the Gospels many such cures are wrought without either and so in the Acts by taking by the hand by embracing c. 3. 7. c. 20. 10. and by his bare word ch 9. 34. and so again ver 40. and c. 14. 10. and c. 16. 18. and 19. 12. From whence it appears First to what end this Unction was used precisely to that of miraculous healing or recovering the sick to health and that not through any efficacy or virtue in the oil but directly the contrary as touching the eyes laying on the hands and saying the word were used none of which have any natural force in them nor were used on other designe then to demonstrate the miraculousnesse of the work which was wrought without any contribution of means Secondly that this usage as a bare ceremony was not instituted by Christ or any way commanded to be continued by the Apostles or their successors in the Church even while the gifts of healing did continue among them but was by the Apostles themselves very frequently omitted in their working of cures Thirdly for that use of unction or enoiling as a viand to those that depart out of the world there being nothing said of it here but on the contrary the whole use of it in order to the recovering of the sick there is no colour of ground for asserting it nor obligation to the use of it to be met with in the New Testament and therefore allowing it to be a bare ceremony or a signe of our spiritual cure it is strange how it should come to be esteemed a Sacrament and that distinguished from Absolution on the sick bed and as such be deemed necessary to all that depart out of this world and used to them only when it is thought certain that they will dy and all this meerly on the authority of this one place where it is designed on purpose to the recovering of the sick person Fourthly that even in order to the recovering of the sick it is not now a ceremony of any propriety or fitnesse for use the gift of miraculous healing being not now pretended to in the Church and therefore this ceremony which was then sometimes attendant on that gift and was adjoined to the exercise of it on purpose to shew that it was clearly a gift operating without natural means to which end the unefficaciousnesse of unction was very proper must long since cease to have any propriety Mean while the other parts of S. James's direction here to the sick are very worthy observing in order to our present practice that they should call for the Elders of the Church that those Elders should pray over or for them and that in the name of our Lord Jesus that if the sick have upon examination been found guilty of any sinne or sinnes which may probably have brought that admonition from heaven that sicknesse upon him he confess them to God and if they be trespasses against a brother confesse them to the injured person and desire his reconciliation also and in either case approve the sincerity of his resolution contrition and change of mind to the Elder or spiritual person who may be deemed in many respects more likely to passe a right judgment on it then he can on himself and by his office is rendred most fit to be thus intrusted and employed and then lastly that upon a due performance of all this and upon a due preparation of the patient and expression of his sincere desire of it the Absolution of the Church should be afforded him And as this may be a very proper method to be used for the obtaining the peace of God and of real comfort to the true penitent soul so may it now by the blessing of God in case the disease was sent for such correction be a most probable means together with the skilful directions and applications of the Physician and a patient submission to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to recover the diseased and to qualifie him to receive benefit by the Physician and to partake of the promise here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord shall raise him up when he in wisdome and mercy shall see that fittest for him and the like may be said of all other afflictions For as certainly as God hath the disposing of the world every particular disease that befalls any is sent by him and from him comes with some commission whether to remove out of this world or to exercise patience or to mortifie sin or to call to reformation and if the latter be it as I think I may truly say most commonly it is and it is most safe to suspect and examine alwaies whether it be not so then nothing can more contribute to the remove of this evil then to take away the cause of it and to perform that work for which it was sent according to what we find in the cures wrought by Christ that the forgiving of the patient's sinnes Son thy sinnes are forgiven thee is the ordinary preface to his recovery And so Ecclus 2. 11. before God's releasing or delivering in time of tribulation there is first his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remitting of sins as 2 Mac. 3. when Heliodorus had been scourged for his sacrilegious enterprize and the high priest offered sacrifice for his recovery v. 32. the Priest is said to have made an atonement and God thereupon to have granted him life v. 33. And so in Hezekiah's sicknesse when the Prophet is sent unto him this is the method of his recovery And accordingly the son of Syrach counsels Ecclus 38. 9. My son in thy sicknesse be not negligent but pray unto the Lord and he will make thee whole Leave off from sin and order thy hands aright and cleanse thy heart from all wickednesse Give a sweet savour and a memorial of fine flower and make a fat offering as one that is to dy Then give place to the Physician for the Lord hath created him There is a time when in their hands there is good successe And why may not this be that time which I now mention The errors of the Romish practice in this point are very sufficiently provided against by our Bishops in the dayes of Henry the Eighth in their book set out by the King and intituled A necessary Doctrine and Erudition for any Christian man upon the head of Extreme Unction It is agreeably the grave and sober conclusion of
friendly living with them for thus in that place of the Proverbs the opposition inforceth Hatred stirreth up strifes but love covereth all sins where hatred being opposed to love or charity covering all sins must also be opposite to stirring up strife and so must be the composing of our minds breeding kindnesse and charity to others which is done by seeing as few faults in them as may be And thus the saying of Pythagoras who is thought to have had some knowledge of the Scriptures of the Old Testament seems to be interpretable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A garment hides the ill proportions of the body but good will or charity hides sin But it will be very unreasonable to affix this sense to this place which speaks of him that converts another from the evil of his wayes and so shall save that other's soul from death but cannot fitly be said in the future to breed in himself charity to that other or to look upon his sins with favour and indulgence It must therefore first be remembred what hath oft elsewhere been noted that the writers of the New Testament do make use of phrases or places in the Old in other senses then what in the fountain belonged to them not by way of testimony but by way of accommodation affixing to the words some sense which they will fitly bear though not that which had originally belonged to them And then secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hide sin is a known phrase for pardoning or forgiving of sins So Psal 32. 1. Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose sins are thus covered and so it may most reasonably signifie here And then the only question will be whose sins they are which he that converts another to righteousness shall cover his own or that other man's That they are not his own is thought reasonable because then a man shall be said or his charity shall be said to cover that is to forgive his sins which is the work of God only But that objection is of no force or if it were of any it would equally hold against a man's covering another's sins for neither he nor his charity can forgive another's sins in propriety of speaking And therefore there being a necessity to acknowledge some figure in the expression it will be as easie by that figure to interpret it of a man 's own sins That as in Daniel c. 12. 3. They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever and ever and as Dan. 4. 27. Nebuchadnezzar is exhorted to break off his iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor and as they that had fallen under the Censures of the Church by sin were in the antient Church according to the Apostolick rules to fit themselves for Absolution not only by repenting and reforming their sins but by addition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 works of charity and mercy so this great charity of converting any from the errour of his way which is a means of saving the soul of the converted alive should be very acceptable in the sight of God and being added to his sincere repentance for his sins how many soever he hath committed should be effectual to the obtaining his pardon through the mercies of Christ under the Gospel And as this sense seems most agreeable to this place where there is a double encouragement offered to excite that charity first the intuition of the advantage to the receiver saving his soul alive which includes and cannot well be improved with the addition of covering or forgiving his sins and secondly of the advantage that devolves to himself so it will be found perfectly concordant with the doctrines and interpretations of the antient Church and no way unreconcileable with the merits and satisfaction of Christ by which only it is that God becomes propitious to our best performances or the doctrine of Justification by faith which doth not exclude but suppose the rewarding of our charity If this be the meaning of this place there will then be little reason to doubt but it is the importance also of the same words 1 Pet. 4. 8. for charity shall cover a multitude of sins which are used as an argument to the believing Jews to impresse on them the practice of Christian charity then at that time of the approach of God's judgments on the obstinate persecuting Jews and Gnosticks whose impurities and hating and pursuing of the Orthodox Christians were sure to bring vengeance suddenly upon them and sobriety and vigilance in prayer and fervent charity were the likeliest means to avert it from any the latter of which saith the Apostle hath that force in it as to propitiate God to those that have been formerly guilty of many sins supposing now they have repented and forsaken them THE note a FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER THE time of writing this first Epistle of S. Peter is ordinarily affirmed to be the 44 th year of Christ at which time he is supposed to have planted a Church at Rome and from thence to have wrote this Epistle to the Jewish Christians which either before their Christianity dwelt out of their own country see Act. 2. 10. or because they were Christians were driven out of it Act. 11. 19. That it was written from Rome seems evident by the salutation in the close ch 5. 13. where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-chosen questionlesse signifies their fellow-Church of Jewish Christians and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Babylon denotes Rome see Note on Revel 18. a. That S. Peter and other the Apostles were persecuted by Herod Agrippa appears Acts 12. 1. and accordingly the Apostles going out of Judaea is placed by Baronius in An. Chr. 43. that is in the second of Claudius's Empire That Peter came to Rome in that second of Claudius is affirmed by Eusebius in Chronico and in like manner by S. Hierome De script Eccles Secundo Claudii anno Simon Petrus Romam pergit In the second year of Claudius Simon Peter goes to Rome and so saith Orosius l. 7. c. 6. that at the beginning of Claudius Peter came to Rome and converted many there to the faith of Christ according to that of Epiphanius that the Church of Rome was founded by Peter and Paul And so saith Gaius and Dionysius Bishop of Corinth the former calling the monuments of those two Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the trophees of those that built that Church and the latter calling that Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the plantation made by Peter and Paul All which as they are evidences of Peters having been at Rome so is that the prime thing doubted of by those later writers which question this date of this Epistle Agreeably hereunto the principal design of this Epistle is to comfort and confirm those Jewish converts who were thereupon driven from their homes Acts 8. and from Judaea and Samaria where at first they were scattered v.
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
visitation and the coming of desolation or destruction are all one So to visit signifies to punish to avenge very frequently in the Prophets Shall I not visit for this shall I not be avenged c. and I will visit their offences with a rod. And so the Bishops title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Visiter may fitly be given him in respect of the rod or censures the Ecclesiastical punishments intrusted to him which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for destruction of the flesh and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for excision This then being premised the only difficulty will be what day of vengeance this was that here is meant And the Context seems sufficient to answer that For having admonished the Christian â—â—wes to behave themselves honestly among the Gentiles that they may not speak against them as evil doers and presently specifying wherein this honest conversation consisted in submitting to and obeying their heathen Governours ver 13. this evidently referres to the frequent seditions that were stirred up among the Jewes against the Roman yoke which made them look'd on by their Procurators and the Emperors as unquiet turbulent people and brought the Roman armies and destructions upon them And so against this it is that he warns the Jewes Christians that they meddle not with them that are given to changes joyn not with the seditious and that upon this motive that by so doing by being found quiet obedient subjects when this vengeance comes upon the seditious the heathens may observe the difference betwixt believing and unbelieving Jewes the first very good the second very ill subjects and so have a good opinion of that religion that hath wrought so much good upon them and perhaps be attracted to Christianity when they come to destroy the Jewes And thus indeed it happened that presently after Titus's destroying of the Jewes the Christians had favour from the Emperors liberty for their assemblies halcyonian daies bestowed on them The Syriack here read in the day of temptation that is of affliction coming on the Nation the falling of which upon the obdurate unbelieving Jewes and the escaping of the Christians as most remarkably they did by Gallus's raising the siege and the Christians going out and flying to Pella could not but be taken notice of by the heathens and so be means of their acknowledging of God's good providence and mercy toward the Christians and glorifying God for this work of his And so this is the full importance of this place V. 24. Bare our sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to carry up to bear to an higher place and because the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or altar was such it therefore signifies to offer up a victime there Heb. 7. 27. Jam. 2. 21. but here being joyned not as there with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrifices but with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our sins and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to or upon the crosse which was an high place also and therefore his crucifixion is expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being lifted up or exalted it must therefore here signifie to bear or carry up our sins thither which is a phrase for suffering the punishments of sin making expiation for them as Num. 14. 33. where the Hebrew read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they shall bear or carry your fornications the Chaldee render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suscipient and they shall undergoe that is literally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the most learned P. Fagius renders luent poenas peccatorum vestrorum they shall bear the punishments of your sins Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 5. 10. to bear the judgment is to be punished for sin and Ezek. 18. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father that is be punished for it CHAP. III. 1. Likewise ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands that if any obey not the word they also without the word may be wone by the conversation of the wives Paraphrase 1. And as there is one obedience and subjection due from subjects and servants to their Kings and Masters c. 2. 13 18. so there is another due from wives to their husbands which ought to be with so winning an humility and kindnesse that the husbands that are not converted to Christianity by the Gospel preached to them may by the enamouring behaviour of their wives which they are taught by Christianity be without any more preaching wrought on and converted to the faith 2. While they behold your chast conversation coupled with fear Paraphrase 2. When they observe your modesty and chastity joined also with all due respect and reverence to your husbands v. 5 6. or Beholding that modesty in you which the fear of God Christian religion doth infuse into you 3. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel Paraphrase 3. And for your attire that which is likely to become you best is not that external bravery of jewels and gay clothes 4. But let it be the note a hidden man of the heart in that which is note b not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price Paraphrase 4. But the inward secret invisible beauty of the heart made up of incorruptible materials meeknesse c. whereas all those external are fading and corruptible or consisting in the truth and sincerity and constancy of the meek and quiet spirit meek in a lowly opinion of your selves and quiet in a contented enjoying of what God sends without disquieting or disturbing the peace of the family as in greater societies emulation ambition covetousnesse are the disturbing and shaking of whole Kingdoms and this as it is the greatest ornament in the eyes of men so is it most highly valued and rewarded in the sight of God 5. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves being in subjection to their own husbands Paraphrase 5. For after this manner of external simplicity of attire and inward meeknesse the Saintly women of antient times that were taken notice of for their piety did beautifie and set out themselves viz. living in obedience to their husbands 6. Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord whose daughters ye are as long as ye do well and are not afraid with any amazement Paraphrase 6. Thus did Sarah live in obedience to her husband calling him by a title of honour not equality to whom you shall be like as children to a mother if you discharge a good conscience in all the duties of life and be not by any fear to which your sex is subject driven out of your duty 7. Likewise ye husbands dwell with them note c according to knowledge giving note d honour unto the wife as to the weaker vessel and as being heirs together of the note e grace of life that
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
careful and diligent that constancy courage perseverance see note a. be superstructed on your profession of the Christian faith that knowledge of mysteries be joyned to that courage and that it supplant it not 6. And to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse Paraphrase 6. That strict continence be one thing that accompanies that knowledge then to that continence in avoiding the pollutions of the flesh to which the Gnosticks would seduce you under pretence of mysterious knowledge and a chearful patience or resolution of bearing whatsoever may fall on you from the enemies of your profession whether Jews or false heretical Christians to that patience piety and frequenting of the publick service of God not giving over the assembly as some of the Hebrews did Heb. 10. 15. to avoid persecution 7. And to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse charity Paraphrase 7. Then to your piety kindnesse to all your fellow Christians contrary to the fiery contentions and factions among them caused by the Gnosticks and to that kindnesse to your fellow-Christian perfect charity to all men even your enemies and persecuters 8. For if these things be in you and abound they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 8. For the practice of these vertues especially if they be in you in any eminent degree will render you good and faithful servants of Christ and such as becomes your Christian profession 9. But he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see far off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins Paraphrase 9. And he that falls back into any of those sins contrary to those vertues is like a purblind man that cannot see things that are at a distance from him thinks through this fault in his eyes or forgetfulnesse in his understanding that Christianity may give him liberty and licence as the Gnosticks say it doth whereas it was not long ago that Christianity call'd him out of these pollutions and wrought this purification upon him which is directly contrary thereunto 10. Wherefore the rather brethren giveâ— diligence to make your note d calling and election sure for if ye doe these things ye shall never fall Paraphrase 10. This brethren must oblige and engage you to all care and diligence to make God's mercies in calling you to be Christians and designing you deliverances effectual to you This must be done by your vigilancy over your selves that you relapse not into those former sins from which you came out at your conversion to Christ which if you do you shall never miscarry or forfeit that great benefit of being Christians and of being that remnant that should now be delivered when the rest of the Jews that believe not shall be destroyed 11. For so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Paraphrase 11. For by this means you shall be capable of being the men of which the kingdome of Christ shall be made up that kingdome which begins in the vengeance executed on the unbelieving impenitent Jews and in delivering the believers and shall last most gloriously for ever in subduing of enemies and delivering of disciples 12. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you alwaies in remembrance of these things though ye know them and be established in the present truth Paraphrase 12. The vastnesse of your concernments herein makes me thus solicitous to inculcate these things unto you not that I think you ignorant in this point of doctrine concerning the method that shall be used by Christ in erecting his kingdome here on earth viz. by coming in vengeance on the obdurate and delivering the constant persevering Christians for I am sure you have been taught it over and over again and sufficiently instructed and satisfied in the truth of it 13. Yea I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance Paraphrase 13. But I think it not amisse as long as I live in this world or in this flesh to be your remembrancer and refresh these notions stir up that knowledge which is already in you 14. Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me Paraphrase 14. Knowing that the time of my dissolution now suddenly approacheth according as Christ when he foretold of some that should survive this coming of his to the destruction of the Jews which now I speak of gave an intimation to me that I should not Job 21. 18 22. and positively affirmed that I should be crucified as ere long I expect to be 15. Moreover I will endevour that you may be able after my decease to have these things alwaies in remembrance Paraphrase 15. And therefore I being to dy before this comes to passe but many of you likely to live to see it it is my duty and purpose by this Epistle to fix it in you that when I am dead and gone you may remember this certain truth of Christ's kingdome and coming to destroy the Jewish unbelievers and crucifiers and to preserve and rescue the believers among them see c. 2. 9. 16. For we have not followed cunningly-devised fables when we made known unto you the power and note e coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eye-witnesses of his majesty Paraphrase 16. For they are not phansies or deceivable arguments upon which we have grounded this doctrine concerning Christ's coming in power to the destruction of his enemies and rescuing of believers but the very things which we saw adumbrated and heard discoursed on by Moses and Elias see note on Mat. 17. a. and Luc. 9. 31. note c when I and James and John were with Christ on Mount Tabor and saw the Majesty that was instated on him at his transfiguration Mat. 17. 17. For he note f received from God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Paraphrase 17. For at the time of his receiving that Majesty from the Father by way of vision foretelling what should soon be instated on him there was a voice which came out of that shining cloud Mat. 17. 5. and with it these words Thou art my beloved Son c. which signified God's design of instating the kingdome on him 18. And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount Paraphrase 18. And I also with James and John heard this voice which came out of the cloud Mat. 17. 5. being then with him on that mount where he was transfigured and which by the evident presence of God by his Angels there became an holy place see note on the Title of this Epistle 19.
is ordinarily thought sufficient to have the testimony of two or three creditable men and then sure Gods testimony from heaven is much more worthy of belief And this testimony now produced for the truth of cur belief in Christ is evidently the testimony of God 10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witnesse in himself he that believeth not God hath made him a lyar because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son Paraphrase 10. He therefore that thus believeth in Christ and in despight of the Gnosticks A postasie acknowledgeth the Son of God to have come truly in the flesh hath no reason to fear having Gods testimony to secure him And he that after all this when God hath so testified in plain words This is my beloved Son c. doth still refuse to believe it he makes God a lyar in not believing his testimony of Christ 11. And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son Paraphrase 11. And the sum of this testimony of Gods concerning Christ is that the way that Christ hath put us in is the true way to eternal blisse and that this is to be had by following the example and precepts of Christ whom therefore in that voice from heaven he commanded all men to hear 12. He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life Paraphrase 12. He that doth so that thus insists on Christ's doctrine and pattern set before him is as sure of attaining this blisse as if he were already possess'd of it and he that doth not hath nothing to doe with it 13. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God Paraphrase 13. This I have said to all you that are true believers to give you assurance that salvation and all that on Gods part belongs to it is made over to you in Christ that you may be incouraged to continue in the faith and wholly depend on Christ for all that belongs to you with all the confidence imaginable and so never fall off in time of worldly pressures 14. And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we note b aske any thing according to his will he heareth us Paraphrase 14. And of this confidence this is one speciall branch that we come boldly and freely see Joh. 7. a. to make our request to him depending on that promise which God in Christ hath made to us viz. that he will hear all the faithfull requests of his servants but that promise with these limitations first that what they aske be according to Gods will not only not abhorrent from it but truly agreeable to it and secondly according to his wisdome that which at that time to that person he judgeth fit to be granted him and neither contrary to any thing he hath decreed or such that by any accident God sees either hurtfull or not usefull or lesse profitable to him thirdly that he aske in faith resolved to stick fast to God whatsoever comes to use no means of obtaining his desires but such as are perfectly acceptable to him see Jam. 1. 6. 15. And if we know that he hears us whatsoever we aske we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him Paraphrase 15. And if this of Gods hearing our prayers be universally true of all whatsoever that are thus qualified then in proportion it must be true of every particular petition which we have or shall aske of him 't is certain that he heareth and granteth it instantly and will actually in his time and in that manner and way that he sees best for us though not instantly of in the kind which we aske most infallibly bestow it on us 16. If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall aske and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death There is a note c sin unto death I do not say that he shall pray for it Paraphrase 16. One instance of this I shall mention to you If any man see his fellow-Christian fall into any deliberate sin yet so as not to refuse admonition or contemne advice to reform that is if he that thus sins do not remain incorâ—igible under the censures of the Church then in that case it is the duty of the Church and of each particular Christian to pray to God for him that he will pardon his sin and raise him speedily by his grace to that state from whence he is fallen and for any such essence not obstinately continued in God will thus hear the prayers of the Church for him But this not so that God will upon any intercession pardon him before his returning and repenting but that the Church may admit such an one to repentance and upon his approving his sincerity of repentance receive him by imposition of hands and blessing and absolution But in case he goe on contumaciously and incorrigibly there is then no mercy under the Gospel for such nor promise that the prayers of the Church shall be available for such 17. All unrighteousnesse is sin and there is a sin not unto death Paraphrase 17. 'T is true indeed all deliberate sin is such as is not reconcileable with the fear and love of God and consequently mortiferous without repentance yet some difference there may be in this and some that have sinned may not yet be so contumacious so desperately incorrigible as others and of those I now speak 18. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not Paraphrase 18. As for these deliberate sinnes which are not look'd on as sins unto death mortiferous in so high a degree we know that a pious person see note on c. 3. d. will not be guilty of any of them he useth all care and diligence to keep himself pure that the devil or tempter get no hold on him 19. And we know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickednesse Paraphrase 19. And we know that we Christians have by our profession undertaken pure and pious lives are elevated to God whereas the wicked riotous mulitude of Gnosticks c. are setupon nothing else but villany Exod. 32. 22. 20. And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the true God and eternal life Paraphrase 20. But against the doctrines and infusions of these we are armed sufficiently by Christ who we are sure is come in the flesh and came on purpose to instruct us in the knowledge and
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
at their hour of death men are said to be written or blotted out See Luk. 10. 20. and Note on Phil. 4. a. V. 14. True witnesse The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a witness is in this book and since in the ordinary use of the Church set to signifie one that for the testifying the truth of God laies down his life And he that doth thus as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faithful to God who hath employed him so is he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true in the sense that on the Gospels we have oft given of that word one that deserves to be believed and both these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faithful and true are the just rendring of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here express'd by Amen a word which comes from the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in Hiphil signifies credidit believing but in the Noun fidus fidelis verus and fide dignus faithful or worthy of belief This title then of Amen or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faithful and true witness is here bestowed on Christ who to testifie the message or doctrine which he brought to come from heaven laid down his life And therefore the Church-writers which have sorted the Martyrs of the Church into several ranks or forms and given them distinct titles accordingly to Stephen that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first martyr of the Church to the rest of the Apostles Bishops and Ecclesiastical persons that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacred martyrs to the great or noble men that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noble martyrs to the virgins and women that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fair martyrs to the common people of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy martyrs have reserved unto Christ the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great witnesse or Martyr V. 15. Neither cold nor hot All that is here said of this Church of Laodicea seemeth very intelligible by applying to them that one part of the doctrine of the Gnosticks that seems to have gotten in among them though not those other carnal villanies viz. that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an indifferent thing perfectly lawfull to renounce Christ in time of persecution This is clearly the lukewarmnesse here which is a middle indifferent temper between being Christians and no Christians and in stead of that God commends to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 refined gold fetch'd out of the fire that is directly the crown of Martyrdome contrary to that mixture and allay of drosle that is now in them and the white or shining garments the ensigne and character of the Martyrs every where in this book And for their saying that they are rich c. and not knowing that they are wretched c. this is again the mark of those Gnosticks which had such great ungrounded opinions of their own perfections A physical discourse on this place may be seen in Valesius Sac. phil c. 90. CHAP. IV. 1. AFter this note a I looked and behold a dore was opened in heaven and the first voice which I heard was as it were a trumpet talking with me which said Come up hither and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter Paraphrase 1. In this chapter being the beginning of another vision is first represented the calling and admission of John into heaven by way of vision as we read of S. Paul that he was snatched into the third heaven 2 Cor. 12. 2. to receive revelations of some things which should shortly come to passe and the manner of calling him was by a shril voice imitating the sound of a trumpet by which assemblies are wont to be called but that it was articulate 2. And immediately I was in the spirit and behold a throne was set in heaven and note b one sat on the throne Paraphrase 2. And accordingly saith he I was in an extasie or vision presently transported thither and there was represented to me a throne erected for judicature and God the Father sitting on it see Ezech. 1. 26. like the Bishop of Jerusalem in council 3. And he that sat was to look upon like a Jasper and a Sardine stone and there was a rainbow round about the throne in sight like unto an Emerald Paraphrase 3. And he sate as in majesty and the appearance of him or the colours wherein he was represented to me were like the colour of a Jasper and Sardine stone the former having its name in the Hebrew Exod. 28. 19. from the firmnesse and hardnesse of it as being unmalleable thereby to signifie God's omnipotence the second Exod. 28. 17. from the rednesse or fierinesse of it to signifie him terrible in his judgments as a flaming fire Heb. 12. 29. But withall there was a rainbow round about the throne which was Gen. 8. 13. a token of God's covenant with man and is used Ezech. 1. to describe a glorious appearance of God the appearance of the likenesse of the glory of the Lord v. 28. and so again here ch 10. 1. and the colour of it was like an Emerald that is of a most pleasant greennesse fitly signifying the Evangelical covenant of mercy mixing in all God's judgments most mercifull preservations to the faithfull in the midst of his punishing the obdurate ch 7. 2 c. 4. And note c round about the throne were four and twenty seats and upon the seats I saw note d four and twenty Elders sitting clothed in white raiment and they had on their heads crowns of gold Paraphrase 4. And on each side of this throne were other chairs four and twenty in number as of so many Bishops sitting with the Bishop of Jerusalem in the Council and accordingly arraied in white garments and mitres on their heads 5. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne which are the note e seven spirits of God Paraphrase 5. And as the Law was by God once delivered in a terrible manner by the ministerie of Angels so it now seemed to be produced as terribly to threaten and give in evidence against sinners And seven Angels like seven deacons in the Church stood waiting on this judicature see note on ch 1. c. 6. And before the throne there was a sea of glasse like unto Crystal and note f in the midst of the throne and round about the throne were note g four beasts full of eyes before and behind Paraphrase 6. And before this tribunal of God's were brought all the people of the Jewes expressed by a sea or multitude of waters waters signifying people in this prophecie c. 17. 15. and all their thoughts and actions laid visible and discernible before this Judge their own consciences as a crystal glasse reflecting and acknowledging the accusations that are brought against them And at every corner of this judgment-seat were the four
all plagues as often as they will Paraphrase 6. And secondly having that power of prayer as to shut up heaven that it should not rain for the same space that Elias did that is three years and an half v. 3. see Jam. 5. 17. and two passages more referring to Moses as first the power to turn the water into blood through all Aegypt and secondly to bring plagues upon them noting by both these that they were a kind of Moses and Elias designed by God one to bring the Jews to obedience as Moses the other to destroy Idolatry as Elias the first the work of the Bishop of the Jewish congregations the second of the Bishop of the Gentiles 7. And when they shall have finished their testimony the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomelesse pit shall note c make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them Paraphrase 7. And when they have spent a good time in discharging their office thus in endeavouring to reduce both Jews and Gentiles and bring them into the Church an eminent instrument of the devils Barchochebah in Adrian's time will gather a multitude of unbelieving Jews unto him and as a wild beast ravine and devour kill and plunder all that will not joyn with him against the Romans and so as histories affirm of him handle the Christians cruelly and hostilely because they would not doe so and unlesse they would deny Christ 8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the streets of the great City which spiritually is called Sodome and Aegypt where also our Lord was crucified Paraphrase 8. And upon this pretence kill them and cast out their carcasses in the streets without burial and this still in Jerusalem that no Prophet might be slain any where else which cannot better be compared then to Sodom for abominable sins of the Gnosticks to Aegypt see note c. on ch 14. for oppressing God's people that is the Christians nor express'd by any character then that which brought all their punishments upon them their crucifying of Christ and dealing in like manner with Christians 9. And they of the people and kindred and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves Paraphrase 9. And thus shall it be the Christians shall be thus slain and cast out into the streets without any compassion or reverence either from the Jews or heathens inhabiting at Jerusalem see note on ch 10. c. as long as that seditious company prevail there 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry and shall send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth Paraphrase 10. And this should be matter of rejoycing and congratulating to the Jews one with another as upon the destruction of their greatest enemies as Elias was counted an enemy to Ahab whom he would have reformed 11. And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them which saw them Paraphrase 11. But after some time their cause should come to be heard before God their injuries to be avenged the Christians of these congregations should begin to flourish again as in a kind of resurrection from the dead by the power and mercy of God and all that saw this and the manner of doing it Christians rescued by the Idolatrous heathen Romans could not but acknowledge it a great work of Gods and worship God for it 12. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them Come up hither And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld them Paraphrase 12. And they were taken up as it were to heaven out of this bloody seditious broil that lay so heavy upon them that is restored to a great and notable tranquillity to Halcyonian days of peace and Christian profession 13. And the same hour was there a great earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand and note d the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven Paraphrase 13. And as they were thus rescued and relieved so the other inhabitants of that place that joyned in that sedition or complyed with them against the Christians v. 10. were destroyed by the Romans a great part of that new city and the inhabitants thereof and upon this the rest turned Christians seeing the prophecies of the two witnesses fulfilled upon those that would not believe or obey them 14. The note e second woe is past and behold the third woe cometh quickly Paraphrase 14. And so this calamity lighting on the Jewes in Adrian's time was in a manner as bloody as that other under Titus and though it came some time after the former yet was not long deferred That under Titus was the 2 d woe described from c. 9. 12 15. to the end of chap. 10. and this under Adrian the 3d set down from the beginning of this chapter and caused by the sedition of Barchochebah v. 7. 15. And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying note f The kingdomes of this world are become the kingdomes of our Lord and his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Paraphrase 15. And this summarily repeated by the sounding of the seventh Angel who was to conclude this whole tragedie For as he sounded thunders were immediately heard that is pouring in of the Roman armies upon them mention'd v. 13. and an immense multitude of Jewes almost six hundred thousand of them slain faith Dio others affirm as many more from the beginning of this warre And as this was done on the seditious Jewes so by this means the Christians especially of the Gentiles came to flourish there more then ever and that whole city became in a manner Gentile-Christian Marcus a Gentile being the one Bishop under which both Jew and Gentile-Christians were united and thus the Church of Jerusalem entred upon her flourishing condition and the faith of Christ got the upper hand so as it never should be destroyed utterly again 16. And the four and twenty Elders which sat before God on their seats fell upon their faces and worshipped God Paraphrase 16. And the four and twenty Bishops of Judaea ch 4. 2. acknowledged this a great mercy of God which tended wonderfully to the prosperity of the whole Church of Judaea under them 17. Saying We give thee thanks O Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned Paraphrase 17. Saying Blessed be God for this infinite mercy of his wherein he hath magnified his fidelity to the Christians and used the Gentile-Romans as his instruments to set up his Christian Church in Judaea 18. And the note g nations were angry
spake 425. 1. Spirit speaketh expressely 817. 1. a Spirit or an Angel 425. 2. Spirit of slumber 139. 1. Spirit of meeknesse 612. 1. Spirit and power 515. 1. Spirits in prison 799. 1. seven Spirits 866. 1. 884. 1. Spiritual 222. 1. 513. 1. 551. 1. 612. 1. 853. 2. Spiritual Sodome 856. Spoil 654. 1. Spoiles 742. 1. Spots in your feasts 524. 1. Sprinkling of the 790. 1. Staffe 55. 1. top of his Staffe 758. 2. Staggered 460. 2. pray Standing 34. 2. his Starre 10. 2. a Starre fall 900. 1. morning-Starre 879. 1. Starre of Remphan 356. 2. Starres 869. 2. 898. 2. Stature 38. 1. unjust Steward 244. 1. Stiff-necked 357. 2. where is thy Sting 565. 2. white Stone 876. 2. one Stone upon another 119. 1. such should be Stoned 296. 1. Storme of winds 149. 2. Straightway 206. 1. think it Strange 803. 1. Strange land 354. 1. Strangers 138. 2. 619. 2. Strangled 398. 1. 399. 2. Street 947. 2. corners of the Streets 34. 2. Stretched forth his hand 383. 1. Strife 784. 2. Strikers 806. 1. examine with Stripes 263. 2. Strong holds 587. 1. Stronger meat 736. 2. made Subject 478. 1. bring into Subjection 540. 2. Subverting 397. 1. Substance 757. 1. Succourer of many 218. 1. 508. 1. Suffered in the flesh 803. 1. Sunne 909. 1. 898. 2. Sunne became black 892. 1. Sunne moon and starres 898. 2. let not the Sunne goe down 625. 2. Superfluity of naughtinesse 525. 2. Superscription 107. 1. Superscription of his accusation 181. 1. Superstitious 406. 1. Supper being ended 309. 2. Lords Supper 132. 2. his own Supper 132. 2. Supplications 689. 1. I Suppose 329. 2. 532. 2. make Sure 811. 2. Sure mercies 389. 1. Swear by the Temple 112. 2. Sweat like drops of bloud 260. 2. great Swelling words 853. 1. Swine 46. 2. Sword 19. 1. a Sword shall pierce 196. 1. Synagogue 34. 2. ruler of the Synagogue 151. 2. 388. 1. put out of the Synagogue 298. 1. Synagogue of Satan 875. 1. T. Tabernacle of Moloch 356. 2. Tabernacle of witnesse 357. 1. Table 103. 1. his Taile 910. 1. in their Tailes 902. 2. Take to thee 7. 1. Take that is thine 210. 2. made to be Taken 815. 1. Tamed 780. 1. will not Tarry 752. 1. Tast not 656. 1. Taught of God 286. 2. 670. 2. 832. 2. Taxed 195. 1. Teach 551. 2. Teach in Synagogues 50. 2. Teachers 551. 1. Tear 162. 1. Tell no man 42. 1. Temperance 427. 2. Temperate 539. 1. Tempest 815. 2. captains of the Temple 260. 2. gold of the Temple 112. 2. veil of the Temple 264. 2. swear by the Temple 112. 2. defile the Temple of God 518. 1. sitteth in the Temple of God 682. 1. Temple of the Tabernacle 921. 1. lead into Temptation 35. 2. Tempt the Lord 21. 1. Tempted 668. 1. 729. 1. 758. 2. 759. 2. that ye may be Tempted 875. 2. Tenth of the spoiles 742. 2. Terrifying by letters 586. 2. Testament 1. 2. Testified 409. 1. Testimony of Jesus 865. 1. for a Testimony 44. 1. Tetrarch 198. 1. giving of Thanks 628. 1. 689. 2. at thy giving of Thanks 559. 1. That it might 8. 1. That seeing 149. 1. into the Theatre 564. 2. a Theefe in the night 808. 820. 2. Theeves 104. 1. 139. 1. Thence 432. 1. Theophilus 187. 1. Therefore 214. 2. 291. 2. Theudas 121. 1. 348. 2. 828. 1. They shall call 8. 2. They may receive 244. 2. Think 17. 1. 520. 1. 555. 2. Third time 592. 1. Third part of the sea 898. 2. Third part of the sunne 897. 2. This 348. 1. Thongs 422. 1. a Thorne in the flesh 591. 2. Thought 179. 2. Thoughts 449. 1. 478. 1. evil Thoughts 80. 1. ten Thousand of his Saints 85. 2. 555. 2. 852. 2. a Thousand years 940. 1. hundred fourty four Thousand 895. 1. Three days and Three nights 71. 1. Three Taverns 435. 2. Threescore and fifteen 455. 1. took him by the Throat 93. 2. Throne 924. 2. Throne of God and of the Lamb 947. 1. Throne of grace 734. 2. Throne of Satan 876. 1. Thrones 650. 1. Thunders 364. 1. 904. 1. Thunders and voices 307. 1. Thus 278. 1. Thyatira 877. 1. the rest in Thyatira 869. 2. Time no longer 904. 1. Time of figges 167. 1. Time of incense 187. 1. in his Time 682. 1. at this Time 485. 1. Times of the Gentiles 256. 1. Times and seasons 672. 1. 820. 2. Timotheus 367. 1. 685. 1. 705. 1. Tinkling 554. 1. one Tittle 29. 1. Titus 715. 1. Together 334. 1. out of the Tombes 46. 2. speak with Tongues 553. 1. diversities of Tongues 552. 2. Took not on him 729. 2. Torment 151. 1. 523. 2. Tormented 900. 1. grievously Tormented 44. 2. Tormentors 93. 2. 151. 1. Tortured 758. 2. Touch not 655. 2. Town-clerk 414. 2. Toile 38. 2. Trample 40. 1. Trampled on the Sonne of God 753. 1. 841. 1. Trance 367. 2. 495. 1. Transferred in a figure 470. 1. Transgressor 602. 2. Trees 894. 2. cast a Trench 253. 1. Tribute to Caesar 168. 1. Tribute-money 89. 1. Troubled 304. 1. 680. 1. Troubled on every side 576. 1. True 288. 2. 881. 2. Truth 81. 2. 449. 1. 555. 2. Truth which is after godlinesse 695. 2. pillar and ground of Truth 694. 1. doe not the Truth 823. 2. sound a Trumpet 34. 1. seven Trumpets 897. 1. Turn away ungodlinesse 495. 2. V. Vain 665. 1. Vain conversation 68. 2. run in Vain 600. 1. Vanity 478. 2. 853. 2. Variablenesse 773. 2. Vaunteth not 554. 2. Veil of the Temple 264. 2. Vengeance 435. 1. Vessel 104. 1. chosen Vessel 793. 2. his Vessel 669. 1. Vials 888. 2. in Victory 565. 1. 68. 2. fruit of the Vine 133. 2. suffer Violence 61. 2. Viper 435. 2. generation of Vipers 832. 2. Virtue 810. 2. Visible and invisible 651. 1. Vision 188. 1. 425. 1. Vision by night 425. 1. Visit the Gentiles 397. 1. Visit the fatherlesse 774. 2. day of Visitation 795. 1. Unawares brought in 600. 1. Unbelievers 124. 1. Unbelieving 874. 1. as Uncertainly 540. 1. Unchangeable 743. 2. become Uncircumcised 533. 2. Unclean 532. 2. Uncleannesse 625. 2. 666. 1. Unction 368. 2. Unction from the holy one 130. 2. keep Under 540. 2. Under the altar 891. 2. Under her feet 909. 2. Understand 704. 1. 629. 2. Understand not 850. 2. let him that hath Understanding 916. 2. without Understanding 446. 2. hard to be Understood 820. 1. Unequally yoked 580. 2. Ungodly 849. 2. Unjust steward 243. 1. Unknown God 407. 2. Unlearned 558. 2. Unleavened bread 177. 2. Unprofitable servant 68. 2. 247. 1. Unprofitable works 68. 2. Unquenchable fire 18. 1. Unreasonable 684. 1. Unrighteous Mammon 113. 2. 244. 1. Unrighteousnesse 245. 1. 446. 1. Unruly 673. 2. 842. 1. Unseemly 555. 1. Unspotted from the world 774. 2. Unstable 820. 1. 840. 1. Unthankfull 189. 1. Unwise 629. 2. Voice 307. 1. 364. 1. heard his Voice 832. 2. know my Voice 287. 1. Voices 307. 1. Voices and thundrings
submit themselves to it and be glad to be members of the Church and doe their best to support it and endow it with the riches of this world 25. And the gates of it shall not be shut not be shut at all by day for there shall be no night there Paraphrase 25. And there shall be a most ready hospitable reception at all times for all that will come in to the faith by amendment of life 26. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it Paraphrase 26. And the Gentiles of other parts that are not subject to the Roman Empire shall come in to the Church and contribute their best to the flourishing of it by endowing of the Church which is ordinarily meant by honour see Col. 2. note i. 27. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination and maketh a lie but they which are written in the Lambs book of life Paraphrase 27. And this shall generally be done by all that have any resolution of living purely and godly and only they shall be kept out which are immers'd in all filthiness and abominable unnatural vicious practices and in all kind of unjust dealings for such cannot by the laws of baptisme be received and such will not desire to undergoe Christ's discipline Annotations on Chap. XXI V. 1. New heaven and new earth That heaven and earth signifie no more then the world hath been shewed in Note on 2 Pet. 3. b. and consequently a new heaven and a new earth in stead of the old which is put away must signifie no more than a new world And this in the prophetick style is most proper to denote a flourishing state and condition of the Church as there in S. Peter the new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse is a pure Christian Church planted by Christ in stead of the old Judaical mode but this here with some difference noting the flourishing condition of it in opposition to the former persecutions it was under the change consisting in that And this from Isai 65. 17. where creating new heavens and new earth is sending the Jewes a joyfull deliverance and that a very permanent one ch 66. 22. To which is appliable that of the Jewes who say that whensoever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the new song is mention'd 't is meant of the future age that of the Messias so R. Solomon on Psal 96. 1. and R. Gaon renders the reason because there shall be a new heaven and a new earth V. 2. New Jerusalem The true meaning of the new Jerusalem mention'd here ver 2. and again with the addition of holy and the glory of God upon it ver 11. will be a key to the interpreting this chapter That it signifies not the state of glorified Saints in heaven appears by its descending from heaven in both places and that according to the use of that phrase ch 10. 1. 18. 1. as an expression of some eminent benefit and blessing in the Church and so it must needs be here on earth and being here set down with the glory of God upon it it will signifie the pure Christian Church joyning Christian practice with the profession thereof and that in a flourishing condition express'd by the new heaven and new earth see Note a. In this sense we have the supernal Jerusalem Gal. 4. 26. the new Jerusalem Rev. 3. 12. where to the constant professor is promised that God will write upon him the name of God and the name of the city of God the new Jerusalem which there signifies the pure Catholick Christian Church To which purpose it is observable that Eusebius in the setting forth the flourishing of the Christian Church in Constantine's time particularly the building of a magnificent Temple to Christ at the place of his sepulture in Jerusalem saith of it that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I should think it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the new Jerusalem concerning which the holy Scriptures prophesying by divine Spirit doe sing many things l. 3. De vit Const c. 32. Where there is little doubt but this book and place of this prophetick Revelation is referred to by him wherein this new Jerusalem is so magnificently set out And though his application of it to the building of that Temple at Jerusalem both there and before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be somewhat too much restrain'd yet the time of Constantine is perfectly agreeable to the notion which we have given of it and the flourishing condition of Christianity not only at Jerusalem of which the building that Temple was an instance but over the whole habitable world the full importance of it is not any way excluded by this stricter accommodation of his but is rather evidenced by these passages to have been the interpretation affix'd to this prophecie in those times wherein he wrote The only difficulty remaining will be whether this Vision being here placed after that other of chap. 20. concerning the thousand years and the Turks invasions of the Church it be here set to signifie any new change after that founded in the destruction of the Mahometans ch 20. 9 10. or whether it may not more probable be a repetition of the same thing more largely which is there set down ch 20. 4 6. And this latter may safely be pitch'd upon notwithstanding the placing of it after For that which hath been observed of Joseph concerning the King's dreams Gen. 41. 32. that the two dreams being to one purpose v. 25. 't was doubled to shew 't was established by God so it hath been ordinary with the Prophets in the Old Testament and oft exemplified here that two Visions should belong to the same matter And this here very pertinent to the one designe of all these Visions to fortifie the seven Churches of Asia by foretelling largely the flourishing condition to which God should at last advance the Christian Church which being but briefly pointed at in the former chapter and that with a mixture of the contrary and only the space of it for the thousand years particularly and punctually insisted on 't was here fit to be more largely and rhetorically set down being a thing of so great importance That this is the meaning of the new Jerusalem may further appear by an eminent monument in the prophecie of old Tobit before his death ch 14. 6 7. where the third great period prophesied of by him is express'd by the building up Jerusalem gloriously of the former see Note on Mat. 24. c. and the Praemon the beginning of which is the conversion of the Gentile world and their burying their idols ver 6. which was the summe of these former Visions ch 18. and then follows all nations praising the Lord all people confessing God and the Lord 's exalting his people and all those that love the Lord our God in truth and justice shall rejoice
shewing mercy to our brethren a state of flourishing piety magnifying blessing praising God and of charity and mercy to all men which is the summe of this ensuing Vision and as that there so here the conclusion of all V. 3. Behold the Tabernacle of God The meaning of this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold the tabernacle of God with men will easily appear by remembring the affinity of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tabernacle and the Schechinah appearance or presence of God called here ver 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory and oft elsewhere God is wont to be said in Scripture to be present where his Angels appear accordingly the Pictures of the Cherubims in the Tabernacle and after in the Temple were notes of his peculiar presence there And so both the Jewish Temple and Christian Church having the promise of God's peculiar presence is fitly styled his Tabernacle here and ch 13. 6. and elsewhere his house both in the same sense a tabernacle being but a moveable house And then behold the tabernacle of God with men is no more but an interpretation of that which was represented in this Vision viz. that hereby was noted the Church of Christ whose title is Emmanuel God with us or God with men God incarnate and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold is a determination of it to what went immediatly before thus The bride adorned for the husband is the Christian Church see ver 9. And then the promise that follows he will dwell with them c. is his marrying and endowing and living and dwelling with this spouse that is continuing his favour and love and protection to the Church as long as that continues faithful to him performs the duties of a wife obedience and fidelity to the husband And then consequent to that mercy and protection is the cessation of persecutions that follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he shall wipe every tear from their eyes c. remove all cause of sorrow from the Christians V. 8. Fearfull The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cowardly here which are set in the front of all these sins denote the renouncers of Christ in time of persecution set opposite to persevering Christians v. 7. and here clearly signifie the Gnosticks or such as they were whose position it was that 't was an indifferent and so a lawful thing to forswear Christ in time of persecution and to sacrifice to Idols here also noted by idolatry They are farther express'd by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unfaithful that fall off from Christ and more especially by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 detested and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fornicators and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorcerers c. see Note on ch 2. b. ch 9. c. 1 Joh. 4. a. So Tertullian interprets it in Scorp contra Gnost c. 12. Inter reprobos imò ante omnes timidis inquit particula in stagno ignis Ap. 21. among the reprobates yea before all them the cowardly have their portion in the lake of fire V. 10. City That the City is the Church is most evident in this Vision being before called the holy City the new Jerusalem ver 2. Now the wall is that which encompasseth the city keeps all out which are not thought fit to be admitted and guards and secures the city And to this the Christian doctrine is perfectly answerable none are to be admitted or continued there which doe not acknowledge that and so this likewise defends and fortifies the Church from the invasion of Hereticks And he that teacheth any other doctrine let him be Anathema As for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 greatnesse and highness of this wall that signifies the excellence and even divinity of this doctrine admirable precepts divine and heavenly promises And as this is a defensative to the city so the foundations thereof are the several preachings of the Apostles in all their travails which being the same in all places this one wall is said to have twelve foundations ver 14. and on them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb to signifie those doctrines that are not thus founded on their preaching either by word of mouth or by writing deduced from them not to be fit for reception in the Church V. 17. Measure of a man That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the measure of a man referres here to the stature of a man appears most probable by the addition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of an Angel For as here the person seen in the Vision was an Angel ver 9. so Ezech. 40. 3. where there is mention of this measuring reed it was shewed him by a man whose appearance was like the appearance of brasse that is a man in a glorious appearance such as Angels used to appear in And then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or measure must referre not to the cubit immediately precedent but to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or reed ver 15. noting that reed by which he had measured the city to be about six foot long and so the measure or stature of a man or Angel in humane shape as now he appeared unto him That the reed or pole was of this size that is six foot long may be concluded from Ezech. 40. 5. There as here was a man with a measuring reed ver 3. and that reed was six cubits long but that cubit not as 't is ordinarily counted a foot and a half but as it is taken by the measure of that bone which gives the denomination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cubit is the distance from the elbow to the wrist as Aristotle and the Anatomists determine which is in well-proportion'd bodies the sixth part of a man's stature And that this was the acceptation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as among the Grecians so among the Hebrews appears by the account of Josephus De bell Jud. l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where having made the wall to contain 90. turrets each of them 20. cubits long and the space betwixt each to be 200. cubits which must conclude the circuit of the wall to be 19800 cubits he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole compasse of the city was thirty three furlongs which concludes the allotment of 600. cubits to every furlong and that we know among the Greeks contained 600. foot So that the cubit is no more then a foot or the sixth part of a man's stature So when Solinus saith of the walls of Babylon quorum altitudo ducentos pedes detinet that they were two hundred foot high and so Pliny Orosius saith they were fifty cubits broad altitudine quater tantâ four times as high that is two hundred cubits and so saith Herodotus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the height was two hundred cubits That all this measuring of the city is mystically to be understood and not literally there is no doubt but what the mysterie