of Scripture this verse saith he had been easie had not Commentatours made it knotty the like saith another of a Christians condition it is gracious happy clear sure sweet did not erroneous judgements vex and unsettle them Verse 16. Let not then your good That is Your Christian liberty purchased by Christ Be evil spoken of Gr. Be blasphemed Contumely cast upon the people of God is blasphemy in the second Table God for the honour that he beareth to his people counts and calls it so Verse 17. For the kingdome of God c. That was a swinish saying of Epicurus That eternall life should be nothing else but a continuall eating of the fat and drinking of the sweet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even unto an uncessant surfetting and drunkennesse The Turks at this day promise Paradise to such as die in warre for the Mahometan faith Blouâ—ts voiage p 37 â— where they shall have delicious fare pleasant gardens all sensuall delights eternally to be enjoyed not withstanding any former sins Fit lettice for such lips Verse 18. Is acceptable to God And he is an happy man that can be acquitted by himself in private in publike by others in both by God Verse 19. Wherewith one may edifie another Discords among good people do edificare in gehennam as Tertullian phraseth it build backwards One of the main scandals the Jews take from Protestants is their dissention Verse 20. The work of God That work of faith 1 Thess 1.3 wrought by the mighty power of God Ephes 1.19 who puts not forth great power but for great purposes Verse 21. It is good neither to eat c. It will be no grief of heart as she once told David in another case to have forborn in case of scandall A great grief it would be if by some rash word we should betray a brother or smite out the eie of our dearest childe 1 Sam. 25. Should we then destroy the life of grace in another by our unadvised walking Verse 22. Hast thou faith Posse nolle nobile est Forbear for fear of effence unlesse it be in point of necessary duty For then we may not doe evil that good may come Rom. 3 8. Verse 23. Is damned Both of his doubting conscience which soundeth heavily as a shauâ—m and of God who is greater then his conscience CHAP. XV. Verse 1. Ought to bear AS Porters do their burdens as pillars do the poise of the house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rather as parents bear their babes in their arms And not to please our selves Bis desipit qui sibi sapit Prov. 3.7 Verse 2. Please his neighbour Though he crosse himself this is true Christian love and driven almost out of the world by sinfull self-love which can eth men to dislike those things in others that they slatter in themselves Verse 3. For even Christ And we should expresse him to the world preach abroad his vertues by our practice 1 Pet. 2.9 Our lives should be as so many Sermons upon the life of Christ This is walk in Christ Col. 2 6. as Christ 1 Joh. 3.6 Verse 4. For whatsoever things c. Here the Apostle meets with an Objection For some man might say that that saying of the Psalme pertains to David how therefore is it applied to Christ He answers Whatsoever things c. q. d. We must learn to see Christ in David David in the history Christ in the mystery David as the type Christ the truth That we through patience Hence the Scriptures are called Râ—vel 2. The word of Christs patience because they patient the heart under Gods holy hand and are better called Physick for the soul then ever was the library of Alexandria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And comfort of the Scriptures As the bloud and spirits are conveied by the veins and arteries so is the Spirit by the promises helping the soul to lay it self upon Christ by faith which is a grace of union and so of establishment Verse 5. Now the God of patience The soul is then only in good plight when the heaven answers the earth Hos 2.21 When. Christ the Sun of righteousnes shines into it Verse 6. With one minde and one mouth It is recorded to the high commendation of the Church of Scotland that for this 90 years and upwards they have kept unity with purity without schisme much lesse heresie Syntag. Confession praesat Verse 7. To the glory of God That is Of heaven the joyes whereof it is as impossible to comprehend as it is to compasse the heaven with a span or contain the Ocean in a nut-shell Such comfort there is in the presence of Christ though but in the womb as it made John to spring What then shall it be in heaven Verse 8. Now I say that Jesus Paul proveth particularly in this and the following verses that Christ hath taken both Jews and Gentiles to his glory Verse 9. And that the Gentiles Though they had no such promises might glorifie Gods free grace in the day of their visitation Verse 10. Rejoyce That your names also are written in heaven and that ye are enrolled in the records of the new Jerusalem Verse 11. All ye Gentiles As being received into the glory of God vers 7. Verse 12. In him shall the Gentiles trust I saith hath it To him shall the Gentiles seek To seek to God then argues trust in God He that hopes not praies not or but faintly Verse 13. Fill you with all joy c. Note here that joy and peace are the means whereby faith worketh hope Verse 14. Full of goodnesse The excellency of a godly man is to follow God fully as Caleb Numb 14.24 to have a heart full of goodnesse as these Romans a life full of good works as Tabitha Act. 9.36 These shall receive a full reward 2 Joh. 8. Verse 15. Chrysostome truly saith of St Paul that he was insatiabilis Dei cultor one that thought he could never do God or his Church service enough Verse 16. Ministring the Gospel Serving about holy things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or doing sacred offices as the Priests under the Law to whom the Apostle all along this verse alludes in an elegant allegory the Ministery is a divine and heavenly function All other callings are for the world and draw to the world but this both in the preparation and execution draweth to God keepeth us with God and to be ever mindefull of the things of God Verse 17. I have therefore c. So have all Gods faithfull Ministers at this day against the contempts and contumelies cast upon them by the mad world ever besides it self in point of salvation There is a pamphlet lately published that sticks not to make that sacred and tremend function of the Ministery to be as meer an imposture as very a mystery of iniquity The Compass Samaritâ—n as arrant a juggle as the Paâ—acy it self Verse 18. To make the Gentiles c.
Christ you have all for in him is all fulnes both repletive and diffusive both of abundance and of redundance too both of plenty and of bounty Is made unto us wisdome This notes out Christs Propheticall office Righteousnesse and sanctification By his Priestly office Redemption By his Kâ—â—gly office having fully delivered his from sin death and hell all which is not fully done till after death And that 's the reason why Redemption is here set last See Rom. 8.23 Luk. 21.28 Verse 31. Glory in the Lord Acquiesce and exult in him which is the end why God hath done all this for us in Christ CHAP. II. Verse 1. Not with excellency SAint Pauls speech was neque lictâ— neque negl cta neither curious nor carelesse Politian could say that it is an ornament to an Epistle to be without ornaments And yet he had so little grace as to prefer Pindars Odes before Davids Psalms Hosius also the Câ—dinal thought Davids Psalms unlearned applying that Scribrmus indoctâ— doctique pocmâ—ta passim Os durum The holy Scriptures have a grave eloquence but want those pompous and painted words that carnall rhetoricians hunt after Verse 2. To know any thing To professe or teach any other skill All the wisdom of a man is in this one thing saith Lactartius Vt Christum cognoscat colat That he know and worship Christ Hoc nostrum dogma haec sententia est c. Lactan. liâ— 3. cap. 30. Verse 3. In weaknesse In misery and in a mean condition labouring with his hands c. Act. 18.3 And in fear Of adversaries or through care of discharging my duty amongst you Verse 4. With entising words Religion is not a matter of parts words or wit The devil cares not for the sons of Sceva's adjurations Abanah and Pharphar may scour but Jordâ—n only can cure Gods holy things must be handled Sanctè magis quam scitè with fear and reverence rather then with wit and dalliance In demonstration of the spirit With demonstrations fetcht out of the very marrow of the Scriptures It must be an elaborate speech that shall work upon the conscience Verse 5. That your faith c. A humane testimony can breed but a humane faith Aarons bels were of pure gold our whole preaching must be Scripture-proof or it will burn and none be the better for it In the power of God In the Gospel that lodgeth a certainty in the soul Verse 6. Wisdome among the perfect Or those that are grown to maturity Some think the Apostle borroweth this tearm from the Pagans superstition who admitted none to their most secret Ceremonies but only persons well prepared and purified for many years Yet not the wisdome c. Which is like the labour of Moles that dig dexterously under ground but are blinde above ground That come to nought That are tumbled into hell with all their learning which doth but light them into utter darknesse Nos cum doctrinis nostris c. Aug. Verse 7. Wisdome of God in a mystery Whiles God did not divide himself into a mercifull Father and a just Judge as Valerius speaketh of Zaleucus but declared himself to be both a perfectly mercifull Father and withall a perfectly just Judge which was such an act of wisdom as the world never heard of This is that great mystery of godlines 1 Tim. 3.16 Verse 8. Which none of the Princes He calleth the Pharisees and Philosophers Princes for their learning as being himself a scholar Only he might well have said of them as Tuliy of others in another case Mihi quidem nulli satis eruditi videntur quibus nostra sunt ignota I cannot take them for scholars Cic de Poetâ— Latinu that partake not of our learning None of the Princes of this world knew Because their learning hung in their light So it fared with Vspian the chief Lawyer Galen the chief Physitian Porphyry the chiefest Aristotelian and Plotinus the chief Plaionist who were profest enemies to Christ and his truth So was Libanius and Lucian the chief scholars of their time None miscarry oftner then men of greatest parts None are so deep in hell as those that are most knowing They see no more into the mystery of Christ then illiterate men do into the profound points of Astronomy As a man may look on a trade and never see the mystery of it or he may look on the letter and never understand the sense so here Verse 9. Eye hath not seen c. It is reported of one Adrianus that seeing the Martyrs suffer such grievous things he asked the cause one of them answered Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him The naming of which Text so wrought upon him that afterward he became a Martyr The things which God hath prepared As he prepared Paradise for Adam so heaven for all his Yet he reserves not all for the life to come but gives a few grapes of Canaan in this wildernesse Verse 10. But God hath revealed The Chineses use to say of themselves Dâ—scrip of the world Chap. of China and Cathaia That all other Nations of the world see but with one eye they only with two This is most true of the naturall man compared to the spirituall Verse 11. Save the Spirit c. Man knows his inward thoughts purposes and desires but the frame and disposition of his own heart he knows not Jer. 17.9 Knoweth no man How can he that cannot tell the form and quintessence that cannot enter into the depth of the flowers or the grasse he treads on have the wit to enter into the deep things of God hid from Angels till the discovery and since that they are students in it But the Spirit of God With this heifer of his therefore we must plow if we will ever understand his riddles Verse 12. Not the spirit of the world The world lieth down in that unclean one and is under the power and vassallage of that spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience as a Smith in his forge 1 Joh. 5.19 Ephes 2.2 It is wholly set upon wickednesse as Aaron saith of the people Exod. 32.22 That we might know A sweet mercy The Cormorants of the world will not let their heirs know what they will do for them till they die But God assures his of heaven afore-hand Thus we have not received the spirit of this world we cannot shift and plot as they can but we have received a better thing and have no reason to repine Verse 13. But which the holy Ghost teacheth So that not the matter only but words also of holy Scripture are dictated by the Spirit and are therefore to be had in higher estimation 2 Pet. 1.21 Comparing Or coapting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitting spirituall words to spirituall matters that all may savour of the Spirit Verse 14. But the naturall man The meer Animal
only the great and not greatest high Priest Heb. 4.14 Pope Hildebrand especially whom when no man would advance to Peters chair he gat up himself Heidsoll Quis enim melius de me judicare potest quam ego said he Who can better judge of me then my self But he that said unto him He glorified him or made him high Priest To day have I begotten then Adde the words following Ask of me a. and the sense is full For to ask of God those things that pertain to the peoples safety and salvation is the proper office of an high-Priest Christ as he expiated his peoples sins by his own blond so he made intercession for them 1. A little afore his attachment Job 17.1 2. c. 2. In the very time when the sacrifice was hanged up Luk 23.34.3 In the heavenly Sanctuary Heb. 9 24. Verse 6. Thou art a Priest c. The former proof was not so evident bus this puts the matter out of all question A Minister should use sound speech that cannot be contradicted that he that is of the contrary part may be a shamed having nothing reasonably to oppose Tit. 2.8 The Jew would object That Christ was not of the Tribe of Levi therefore no Priest the apostle answers Yes a Priest but after another order and proves it This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 collaâ— is testimonâ— is demonstrare as Paul did Act 9 22. to confirm and assert Verse 7. Praiers and supplications Gr. Deprecations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and most ardent requests uttered With deep sighes hands lifted up and manifold moans Vnto him that Was able to save him c. Neither let any here object That many Marty is suffered with lesse ado may with great joy and triumph For 1. What were all their sufferings to his 2. He therefore suffered the worst that they might the better suffer 3. They were lifted up with the sense of Gods love which he for present fest not 4. Their bodily pains were miraculously mitigated as Rose Allen being asked by a friend how she could abide the pain full burning of her hand held over a candle Act. And Men. fol. 1821. so long till the very sinews crackt asunder She said at the first it was some grief to her but afterward the longer me burned the lesse the felt or well near none at all Sabina a Roman Martyr crying out in her travell and being asked by her keeper how she would endure the fire next day On well enough said she for now I suffer in childe-birth for my sins Genesis 3. but then Christ shall suffer in me and support me And was heard in that he seared Or He was heard that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Delivered from his sear I or no sooner had he praied but he met his cnemics in the face and asked them Whom seek ye I am he Verse 8. Yet learned be obedience He came to know by experience what a hard matter it was thus to obey God Schola crucis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nâ—ument documeâ—a schola luâ—â— Gideon by threshing the men of Succoth taught them Judg. 8 7-16 Gods chastisements are our advertisements See my Treatise on Rev. 3.19 p. 145 Verse 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And being made perfect Or Being offered up in sacrifice or being complcated by this experimentall knowledge of passive obedience also The anthour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And finisher too cap. 12.2 Gr The cause viz. by his merit and essicacy Verse 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Called Gr. Spoken unto called by name or entituled an high-Priest c. therefore he is truly so For persons and things are as God calleth them Verse 11. Of Whom We have c. The digression here begun holds on to the end of the next Chapter Hard to be uttered Gr. Hard to be expounded But dissiculty doth not dishearten but rather what on heroick spirits to a more serious search it doth not weaken but waken their earnestnesse not amate but animate them Seeing Me are dull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mako Gr. Slow paced and heavy banded Our mindes me like narrow mouthed vessels Our Saviour therefore spake as the people could bear like as Iacob drave as the little ones could go Verse 12. Ye have need that one But people plead their rotten chaâ—ters of age and marriage against Catechisme Verse 13. In the Word of righteousnesse That is in the more solid doctrine of the Gospel concerning Christ who is our righteousnesse Verse 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To them that are of full age Or that are perfect comparatively perfect not only past the spoon but full grown Who by reason of use Gr. By reason of habit got by continuall custome and long practice as in an expert Artist Have their senses exercised Their inward senses for the foul also hat her senses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the body hath Instead of seeing faith of hearing obedience of smelling hope of tasting charity of touching humility To discern good and evil Doth not the ear try words and the mouth taste his meat Iob 12.11 Eye bath not seen c. 1 Cor. 2.9 Where the carcase is the Eagles Will be Saints have a spirituall sagacity and they lay hold on eternall life CHAP. VI. Verse 1. Let us go on unto perfection GR. Let us be carried on as with a force Act. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 breaking thorow all impediments aiming at the highest pitch and eying the best paterns It is a low and unworthy strain in some to labour after no more grace then will keep life and soul together that is hell and soul a sounder Repentance from dead Works these are the six Principles of Christian religion that must be laid as a foundation Verse 2. Doctrine of baptismes Inward and out Ward Falminis sluminis of water and of the spirit that washing of regeneration and renuing of the holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 And of laying on of bands hereby is meant the whole Ministery and order of Church government Wilsons theol Ruaes as prescribed by the Word The Scripture is to be taken in the largest sense if nothing hinder neither matter phrase nor scope Verse 3 If God permit If God give me life and ability 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈…〉 of lâ—â—â—ming and you capacity and stability for many fall away whose damnation sleepeth not Verse 4. Who were once enlightned Knowing persons and those they call the Wits of the World are in greatest dingâ—r of the unpardonable sin which begins in apostacy holds on in persecution ends in blasphemy And have tâ—astâ—â— As Cooks do their sauces with the tip of their finger only or as the Israclites casted 〈…〉 of the land and yet perished in the wildernesse Partakers of the holy Ghost Of his common and inferiour gifâ—s and operations These a man may lose and have his dâ—ops◠〈◊〉 to sinne seven times more enlâ—mâ—ed then before Mat. 12.41
strange strife still not of earchly but of spirituall powers about the possession of mans heart If Satan can get that he is safe And so Satans Vicar It was a watch-word in Gregory the 13. time in Q. Elizabeths daies My son give me thy heart Be in heart a Papist and go where you will do what you will Verse 10. Of those things which they So doe the Papists in railing against imputed righteousnesse assurance of salvation the testimony of Gods Spirit witnessing with our spirits c. In those things they corrupt themselves As in eating drinking carnall copulation In Râ—ais c. holding neither mean nor measure as he in Aristophanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who was good for nothing else but to epicurize Verse 11. In the Way of Cain The devils Patriarch the first Apostate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this was fulfilled literally in Alphonsus Diazius who slew his brother John because he was a Protestant and mystically in all that are guilty of spirituall parricide Andran greedily Gr. Were poured out as water out of a bottle they ran headlong after the wages of wickednesse not caring which way they came by it so they had it Verse 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are spots Or Rocks or muddy-holes that harpy-like not only devour but defile all that they touch In your feasts of charity See these described by Tertullian â— adversâ— gentes cap. 39. When they feast with you Thrusting themselves into your company whether invited or not sin having oaded an impudency in their faces Feeding themselves As fatted cattle fitted for the slaughter Without fear Of being ensnared by the creatures Pro. 23.2 Clouds they are Light and constant only in their inconstanâ—y Twice dead Killed with death Revel 2.23 Such as for whom hell gapeth Verse 13. Wandering starres That were never better then Meteors Sr Francis Drake in his travels reporteth That in a certain Island to the southward of Celebes among the trees night by night did shew themselves an infinite swarm of 〈◊〉 seeming worms flying in the air whose bodies no bigger then an ordinary slie did make a shew and give such light as if every twig on every tree had been a lighted candle or as if that place had been the the starry sphere Loe such were these impostours Verse 14. And Enoch also Enoch fore-told the day of Judgment before Noah the deluge That day is longer before it comes but shall be more terrible when it is come The Lord cometh Syr. Maranatha Hence the Jews say that the great excommunication Muranatha was instituted by Enoch Verse 15. Toconvince all To set them down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to leave them excuselesse speechlesse self-condemned Of all their hard speeches Their rude crude crooked crosse speeches uttered with perverse lip 1 so Solomon cals them Pro. 4.24 as if the upper lip stood where the nether lip should Verse 16. These are mumurers Vt porci saginati saith Aretius as boars in a frank Complainers Invalidum omne natur â querulum saith Seneca Weak ones are never without their ailments After their own lusts So many lusts so many Lords Great swelling words Bubbles of words See the Note on 2 Pet. 2.18 The Syriack renders it stupendious stuff Having mens persons Licking up their spettle as it were and loading the Mouse with the Elephants praises Verse 17. Of the Apostles Paul and Peter from whom Saint Jude borroweth much of this his Epistle See my Preface to Gods love-tokâ—ns Verse 18 Mockers Who fleer when they should fear See the Note on 2 Pet. 3.3 Verse 19. Wâ—oseparate From Church-assemblies upon pretence of nâ—wer lights greater holinesse The Arabick renders it Intermitters sc of Church-worships Ser suall Gr. Animal such as have no more then a reasonable foul and are yet in their pure naturals 1 Cor. 2.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Having not the spirit Unlesse it be the spirit of delusion as Muncer the Anabaptist had who wrote a book against Luther Scultet Annal. 138. dedicated it To the most illustrious Prince Christ as his words are upbraideth Luther with want of the Spirit and calleth him a carnal man a silly soul c. Verse 20 Building up By holy conference a singular help a most needfull but too much neglected duty Praying in the holy Ghost Whose creature fervent praier is Verse 21 Keep your selves Remit nothing of your former fervour Verse 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haec est sancta violentia optabilis rapina Huron Suâ—ton And of some Or according to other copies Resell their false reasonings and dispute them out of their errours Verse 23. Out of the fire viz. of hell as the Angel pulled Lot out of Sodome as ye would save a drowning man though ye pulled off some of his hair to save him Even the garment spotted As Nero's was when he rode in the same horse-litter with his own mother Verse 24. That is able q. d. I can only counsel you its God must keep you Verse 25. See the Note on 1 Tim. 1.17 A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION UPON THE REVELATION of S. John the Divine CHAP. I. Verse 1. The Revelation OR manifestation of many divine mysteries by the Mediatour who came out of his Fathers bosome to John who had the minde of Christ and that purposely for the behoof and benefit of the Family of faith who are all of his Cabinet-councel Joh. 1. 1 Cor. 2.16 Gal. 6.10 Psal 25.14 Things which must shortly That is sooner or later in their proper season Gods time seems long because we are short Nullum tempus occurrit regi saith the Lawyer The Ancient of daies is not to be limited Verse 2. Who barc record of the Word This John the Divine then was John the Evangelist what ever Dennis of Alexandria dispute to the contrary Verse 3. Blessed is be that readeth sc With attention affection application and practice Hierâ—eâ—ist ad Pâ—ulm Aegid Abbas Norimberg As knowing that this book hath Tot sacramenta quot verba so many words so many mysteries and that these words are Vivenda non legenda not more to be read then to be lived as one said once of the hundred and nineteenth Psalm Verse 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From him which is An august description of the Father by a manifest allusion to Exod 3.14 Some Critick reading the words as they lie in the Originall would be apt to complain of an incongruity Non dâ—heâ—t verba 〈…〉 â—ra uliâ—sâ—bessâ— regulis Donatâ— Greg. and to say Novè duritèr dictum But God methinks should have leave given him by these Logodaedali to pronounce his own name undeclined and by an out rule who himself is undeclined and comes not under any rule And from the seven spirits So the holy Ghost is here called for his manifold gifts and operations in the hearts of those seven and all other Churches In like sort he is called The
hypoerites punishment must needs be heavy Verse 17. 1 Cor. 3.2 Because thou saiest Sidixisti satis est periisti saith Augustine He that thinks he knows any thing knows nothing yet as he ought to know And knowest not What ever thou deemest and dreamest of thy self as setting up thy counter for a thousand pound and working thy self into the fools paradise of a sublime dotage Verse 18. I counsell thee Having first convinced thee vers 17. who before wert uncounsellable The Gibeonites sent not for Joshua till besieged The Gileadites sought not after Jephthah till distressed nor will men hearken after Christ till driven out of themselves To buy of me Buy the truth and sell it not Make a thorow sale of sin and all with the wise Merchant to purchase Christ the pearl of price for whom S. Paul that great trader both by sea and land 2 Cor. 11.23 25 26 counted all but dung and dogs-meat Phil. 3.7 8. Diogenes taxed the folly of the men of his times may not we the men of ours Quòdres pretiosas minimo emerent venderentque vilissimas plurimo that they undervalued the best things but overvalued the worst Gold tried in the fire Precious faith 1 Pet. 1.7 White raiment The righteousnesses of the Saints that of justification and the other of sanctification Eye-salve That unction 1 Joh. 2.20 Light and sight the saving knowledge of heavenly mysteries Verse 19. As many as I love q.d. Think not that I hate you because I thus chide you He that escapes reprehension may suspect his adoption God had one Son without corruption but none without correction We must look thorow the anger of his correction to the sweetnesse of his loving countenance as by a rain-bow we see the beautifull image of the Suns light in the midst of a dark and waterish cloud See more in my Treatise upon this verse the second Edition And repent So they did in likelihood for Eusebius commends this Church as greatly flourishing in his time Verse 20. Behold I stand Christ stands he doth not sit now whiles a man is standing he is going Christ is but a while with men in the opportunities of grace he will not alwaies wait their leâ—sure The Church sought him when once gone with many a heavy heart Cant. 3. And knock By the hammer of my Word and hand of my Spirit And he with me Christ is no niggardly or beggarly guest His reward is with him he brings better commodities then Abrahams servant did or the Queen of Sheba gold raiment eye-salve c. Verse 21. Even as I also That is Because I also overcame by vertue of my victory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See the like John 17.2 Luke 4.36 It is by Christ that we do over-overcome Rom. 8.37 CHAP. IV. Verse 1. A door was opened in heaven THat is Preparation was made for the manifestation of more heavenly mysteries Was as it were of a trumpet To rouse and raise up his attention For it might fare with him as with a drousie person who though awaked and set to work is ready to sleep at it Compare Zach. 4.1 Come up hither Not by locall motion but by mentall illumination I will shew thee That thou maist shew the Church that they have a most glorious and almighty deliverer Verse 2. I was in the spirit See Chap. 1.10 And behold a throne So Isaiah was prepared for his prophecy by such a sight Chap 6.1 And Ezekiel besides that stupendious vision chap. 1. heard behinde him a voice of great â—â—â—hing saying Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place Chap. 2.12 Sat on the throne As Judge of heaven and earth Gen. 18 25. Verse 3. Like a Jasper and a Sardine God is here resembled saith one by three precious stones holding forth the three persons in Trinity A Jasper having as they say a white circle round about it representing the eternity of the Father A Sardine-stone of a fleshy colour representing Jesus Christ who took our flesh upon him Cottons 7 viall p. 5. out of Brighâ—m An Emrald being of a green colour refreshing the eyes of them that look upon it representing the Spirit who is as the rain-bow a token of fair weather and is a comfortable refresher wheresoever he cometh Verse 4. And round about The Saints are round about God Psal 76.11 a people near unto him Psal 148.14 Four and twenty Elders A full Senate a stately Amphitheatre of the first-born whose names are written in heaven cloathed as Priests crowned as Kings and Conquerours Verse 5. Iob 31.3 Iob 9.4 Lightnings and thunderings Is not destruction to the wicked and a strange punishment to persecutours Who ever hardened himself against Gods Church and prospered Have these workers of inâ—quity no knowledge who â—at up Gods people as they eat bread Psal 144 Surâ—ly if they had but so much wit for themselves as Pilates wife had in a dream they would take heed of having any thing to do with just men If any man will hurt Gods Witnessâ—s fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies Revel 11.5 It was therefore no ill counsel that a Martyr gave his persecutour If thou wilt not spare us yet spare thy self It is a fearfull thing to fall into the punishing hands of the living God The seven spirits See Chap. 1. verse 4. Verse 6. A sâ—n of glasse The Word say some the World others Four beasts Oâ— living wights Not Angels but Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those earthly Angels who are set forth 1. Full of eyes for their perspicacity and vigilancy 2. Furnished with six wings apiece for their pernicity and promptitude to scoure about for the peoples benefit 3. Qualified with all necessary endowments for the discharge of their duties being bold as lions painfull as oxen prudent as men delighted in high flying as Eagles Verse 8. Full of eyes within To look to themselves also as well as to the flock Act. 20.28 lest whiles they preach to others c. 1 Cor. 9.27 They rest not Gr. They have no rest and yet they have no unrest neither the sweet content they take in their continuall emploiment is fitter to be believed then possible to be discoursed Holy holy This they double treble and warble upon In quibusdam exemplaribus nine times over Verse 9. And when those beasts When the Preachers are performing their office as Heralds of Gods praises Verse 10. The four and twenty Elders The people yeeld their assent and say Amen the want whereof S. Paul accounts no small losse 1 Cor. 14.16 And cast their crowns Canutus King of England set his crown upon the crucifix and proclaimed saying Hen. Huntingâ—â— Let all the inhabitants of the world know that there is no mortall man worthy the name of a King but he to whose beck heaven earth and sea by his laws eternall are obedient When the great Turk cometh into his Temple he laies by all
we shall hear from him Verse 31. We should not be judged God should be prevented and the devil put out of office as having nothing to say against us but what we have said before Verse 32. That we should not c. Ferre minora volo ne graviora feram Verse 33. Wherefore my brethren He that reproveth and adviseth not doth as it were snuff the lamp and not pour in oyl CHAP. XII Verse 1. I would not have you ignorant TO wit of the only authour and true end of them Col. 2.18 Lest ye be vainly puffed up by your flâ—shly minde Ignorance breeds pride Rev. 3.17 Verse 2. Even as ye were led It is the misery of a naturall man that hath not his heart stablished with grace to be carried away as he is led to be wherried about with every winde of doctrine to have no mould but what the next seducer casteth him into being blown like a glasse into this or that shape at the pleasure of his breath Verse 3. Calleth Jesus accursed As the wicked Jews do at this day in their daily praiers and abbreviatures And as the Gentiles did of old and these Corinthians among the rest Quorum nihil cogi posse dicun tuâ— qui sunt revera obristiani Plin. epist But now they would rather die then do so as Pliny writes to Trajan the Emperour that he could never force any that were Christians indeed either to invocate the gods or to do sacrifice before the Emperours image or to curse Christ And that no man can say c. That is No man can with the fiduciall assent of his heart acknowledge Christ to be the only Lord whom he is to worship by the lame impulsions by which another curses and blasphemes him but by such peculiar motives as are suggested and revealed unto him by the holy Ghost Verse 4. But the same spirit As the divers smels of flowers come from the same influence and the divers sounds in the organ from the same breath Verse 5. Differences of administrations i. e. Ecclesiasticall functions all of them the dona honoraria of the Lord Christ Ephes 4 8-11 Verse 6. Diversities of operations The holy Ghost may use one of lesse grace to do more good then one of more though he delights to honour those of most sincerity with most successe as 1 Cor. 15.10 Verse 7. To profit withall We are neither born nor born again for our selves If we be not fit to serve the body neither are we fit to be of the body He is not a Saint that seeketh not communion of Saints Paulùm set ulâ—e distat incrtie â—elata virtuâ— Hor. Pudeat illos qui ita in studijs se abdiderunt ut ad vitam communem nullum fructum ferre possint saith Cicero They may well be ashamed that imploy not their talents for a publike good Verse 8. The word of wisdom The tongue of the learned to time a word Isa 50.4 to set it upon it's circumferences Prov. 25.11 to declare unto man his righteousnes when not one of a thousand can do it like him Job 33.23 The word of knowledge This say some is the Doctours office as the former word of wisdome is the Pastours But the essentiall difference betwixt Pastours and Doctours in each Congregation is much denied by many learned and good Divines M. Edwards his Antapolog Verse 9. To another faith The faith of miracles which a man may have and yet miscarry 1 Cor. 13.2 So doth not any one that hath the faith of Gods elect that fails not Luk. 22. Some say the Apostle here meaneth historicall faith And this seems the more probable Rolloc de vocatione because he speaketh of the working of miracles vers 10. Verse 10. Discerning of spirits They discerned not mens hearts of themselves for so God only but by a speciall work of Gods Spirit discovering them to their eyes as Peter discerned Aâ—anias and afterwards Simon Magus whom Philip mistook and baptized Verse 11. One and the self same spirit Who yet is called the seven spirits of God Revel 1.4 for his manifold and sundry operations Verse 12. So also is Christ Mysticall Christ the Church Christ the Saviour of his body Ephes 5.23 accounts not himself compleat without his Church Eph. 1. ult So God is called Iacob Psal 24.6 Verse 13. For by one spirit c. By the testimony of the two Sacraments whereof we all partake the Apostle proveth that we are all but one body and should therefore as Bees bring all our honey to the common hive Are we all baptized The Apostles received all into the Church that believed and were baptized without particular probation for some daies weeks moneths or years and entring into a private solemn Covenant And have been all made to drink Potionati sumus saith Piscator and so prove our selves to be of the corporation and company of believers But what was the meaning of that passage in the old Church-Catechisme There are but two Sacraments only as generally necessary c. Are there any more then two though not absolutely and generally necessary to all men in all times states and conditions whatsoever The Papists themselves say that five of their Sacraments at least are not generally necessary Verse 14. Not one member but many As mans body curiously wrought and as it were by the book Psal 139.16 Had God left out an eye or hand in his common-place-book saith one thou hadst wanted it Verse 15. If the foot should say c. Inferiours must not envy those above them but be content â—â—th it is God that cutteth us out our severall conditions and a Scavenger may honour God in his place as well as a Minister in his Verse 16. If the ear A man had better be blinde lame dumb then deaf because by the ear life enters into the soul Isa 55.3 Verse 17. If the whole body c. It is proper to God to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all-eye Sic spectat universos quafi singulos sie singulos quasi solos Verse 18. God hath set c. And he as only wise doth all in number weight and measure Shall we not rest in what he hath done as best What can the man do that cometh after the King Eccles 2.12 Verse 19. Arist Ethic. Where were the body So the body politike consisteth not of a Physician and a Physician saith Aristotle but of a Physician and an husbandman c. Verse 21. The eye cannot say c. Superiours may not slight their inferiours sith they cannot be without them as one â—â—ne or other they will be forced to acknowledge It was a saying of Generall Vere to the King of Denmark That Kings cared not for souldiers untill such time as their Crowns hung on the one side of their heads Verse 22. Which seem to be c. As the organs of nourishment not so noble but more necessary then those of the senses Verse 23. And those members As the
had sweet meditations of the resurrection of Jesus Christ that night and now he would go into the Pulpit Melâ—b Adam and impart to others the comforts that he felt in his soul Verse 5. As the sufferings of Christ So called either because the Saints suffer for Christ or because they have him suffering with them Act. 9.4 God is more provoked then Nehemiah Nehem. 4.3 5. So our consolation As the lower the ebbe the higher the tide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Ignatius The more pain the more gain It is to my losse if you bate me any thing in my sufferings Verse 6. And whether we be afflicted Let the winde sit in what corner soever it will it blows good to the Saints Cant. â— 16 Though North and South be of contrary qualities yet they make the Churches spices to flow and give forth their sent Verse 7. So shall ye be also c. Our troubles therefore are compared to the throws of a travelling woman that tend to a birth and end in comfort Joh. 16.21 Verse 8. For we would not c. It is of great use to know the sufferings that others have sustained before us The Primitive Christians kept Catalogues of their Martyrs Dr Tailor the Martyr at his death gave his son Thomas a latine book containing the sayings and sufferings of the old Martyrs collected by himself In the English Seminaries beyond seas they have at dinner time their Martyrology read that is the legend of our English Traitours We despaired even of life God is oft better to us then our hopes he reserves usually his holy hand for a dead lift He comes in the nick of time and our extremity is his opportunity See the Note on Luk. 18.8 Verse 9. But we had the sentence Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The answer or denunciation of death Here we must distinguish between answers of triall and direct answers This was of the former sort for Paul died not at that time When Leyden was so long and so strictly besieged by the Duke of Alva that they were forced for their sustenance to search and scrape dung-hils c. and the Duke in the language of blasphemy threatned the defendants with cruell death that very night the windes turned the tide swelled and the waters came in and forced him to raise the siege That we should not trust Hope is never higher-elevated then when our state in all mens eyes is at lowest Verse 10. In whom we trust Experience breeds confidence Thou hast thou shalt is an ordinary medium made use of by the Psalmist Verse 11. You also helping together The best may have benefit by the praiers of the meanest Melancthon was much cheared and confirmed by the praiers of certain women and children whom he found tugging with God in a corner for the setling of the Reformation in Germany Sâ—lneccer paedagog Christian pag. 196. Verse 12. For this is our rejoycing c. He was merry under his load because his heart was upright The sincere will well stand under great pressures because they are sound Whereas if a bone be broke or but the skin rub'd up and raw the lightest load will be grievous And godly sincerity A fine word he here useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is a Metaphor either from the Eagle that trieth her young by holding them forth against the full sight of the Sun Aristot Plin. so should we the motions of our mindes to the Word of God or else from a wise and wary chapman that holds up the cloth he buyes betwixt his eye and the Sun Verse 13. Then what ye read c. Or then what you can both recognize and approve of for you have known me thorow and thorow Verse 14. You have acknowledged in part q. d. You ought to have done it more fully but you have been carried away as ye were led by the false Apostles Verse 15. A second benefit Gr. Grace not converting only but confirming also All is but enough Verse 16. And to passe by you So indefatigable and unsatisfiable was he in doing God service Calvin said Ne decem quidem maria c. That it would not grieve him to sail over ten seas about a uniform draught for religion Verse 17. Did I use lightnesse So the false Apostles suggested against him Ministers must carefully clear themselves of suspitions and aspersions cast upon them either by a verball or reall Apology Verse 18. Our word toward you c. Gods children are all such as will not lie say and unsay blow hot and cold with a blast Isa 63.8 Verse 19. For the Sonne of God What is that to the purpose Thus if the Gospel that Paul preached be not yea and nay then neither are Pauls promises yea and nay This is his intendment else his inference is nothing And by that which follows it reacheth all Christians M. Cotton on the seven viâ—als 25. q. d. Look what a Christian doth promise he is bound by the earnest-peny of Gods Spirit to perform He dares no more alter his words to the discredit of his profession then the Spirit of God can lie Verse 20. In him are yea and amen That is truth and assurance They will eat their way over all alpes of opposition as one speaketh Verse 21. Hath anointed us i. e. Consecrated and qualified us Verse 22. Sealed us As the Merchant sets his seal upon his goods The earnest of the Spirit Whereof God should undergoe the losse if he should not give the inheritance as Chrysostome noteth Verse 23. I call God to record He purgeth himself by oath So those Iosh 22.22 Verse 24. Dominion over your faith As Masters of your consciences such as the Bridge-maker of Rome will needs be Pontisex Romanus CHAP. II. Verse 1. That I would not come again I Lle dolet quoties cogitur esse ferox It goes as much against the heart of a good Minister as against the hair with his people if he say or do any thing to their grief It is no pleasure to him to fling daggers to speak milstones to preach damnation c. But there is a cruell lenity as was that of Eli to his sons and evil men must be sharply rebuked that they may be sound in the faith Tit. 1.13 Verse 2. But the same which is made c. Nothing can cure a faithfull Minister of his cordolium of his hearts grief but his peoples amendment Now we live if ye stand fast in the Lord 1 Thess 3.8 else we are all amort and you kill the very hearts of us Verse 3. Of whom I ought to rejoyce Nothing sticks a man more then the unkindenesse of a friend then expectation of love dashed and disappointed All evils as elements are most troublesome when out of their proper place as impiety in professours injustice in Judges unkindenes or untowardnes in a people toward their Pastour c. Verse 4. With many tears Non tà m atramento quam
lachrymis chartas illevit saith Lorinus In Act. 22.19 S. Pauls epistles were written rather with tears then with ink Verse 5. Have caused grief Wicked livers are Hazaels to the godly and draw many sighes and tears from them Lots righteous soul was set upon the rack by the filthy Sodomites Ieremy weeps in secret for Iudah's sins Paul cannot speak of those belly-gods with dry eyes Phil. 3.18 Verse 16. Sufficient to such a man The Novatians therefore were out that refused to receive in those that repented of their former faults and follies The Papists burnt some that recanted at the stake saying that they would send them out of the world while they were in a good minde Act. and Mon. fol. 1392. Verse 7. Should be swallowed up It was a saying of Mr Philpot Martyr Satan goes about to mix the detestable darnell of desperation with the godly sorrow of a pure penitent heart Ibid. 1665. With overmuch grief Some holy men as Mr Leaver have desired to see their sin in the most ugly colours and God hath heard them D. Sibbs on Ps 42.5 But yet his hand was so heavy upon them therein that they went alwaies mourning to their graves and thought it fitter to leave it to Gods wisdome to mingle the potion of sorrow then to be their own choosers It is a saying of Austin Let a man grieve for his sin and then joy for his grief Sorrow for sin if it so far exceed as that thereby we are disabled for the discharge of our duties it is a sinfull sorrow yea though it be for sinne Verse 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Confirm your love c. Gr. Ratifie it and declare it authentike as it were in open court and by publike sentence as Gal. 3.15 and that at mine instance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as an advocate Verse 9. Whether ye be obedient First to the Lord and then to us by the will of God 2 Cor. 8.5 Confer Heb. 13.17 Isa 50.10 Verse 10. To whom ye forgive Or Gratifie Mercy is that we must mutually lend and borrow one of another Let the rigid read Gal 6.1 See the Note there Verse 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lest Satan That wily merchant that greedy bloud-sucker that devoureth not widdows houses but most mens souls See ver 7. For we are not ignorant He is but a titular Christian that hath not personall experience of Satans stratagems his set and composed machinations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his artificially-moulded methods his plots darts depths whereby he outwitted our first parents and fits us a peny-worth still as he sees reason Verse 12. A door was opened An opportunity offered Where the Master sets up a light there is some work to be done where he sends forth his labourers there is some harvest to be gotten in Verse 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I had no rest c. Gr. No relaxation viz. from my former cares and anxieties about you because he was not yet returned to tell me how it was with you 2 Cor. 7.6 Gods comforts are either rationall fetcht from grounds which faith ministreth or reall from the presence of comfortable persons or things Verse 14. Now thanks be to God Deo gratias was ever in Pauls mouth ever in Austins And a thankfull man is ever ready with his present as Joseph's brethren were Genesis 43.26 Causeth us to triumph Maketh us more then conquerours even triumphers whiles he rides upon us as upon his white horses all the world over Conquering and to conquer Rev. 6.2 Verse 15. A sweet savour The Church is the morter preaching the pestell the promises are the sweet spices which being beaten Bis on 1 Pet. 2. yeeld an heavenly and supernaturall smell in the souls of the godly hearers Verse 16. The savour of death Aristotle writeth De mirabil ausâ—ultat that vultures are killed with oil of roses Swine saith Pliny cannot live in some parts of Arabia by reason of the sweet sent of aromaticall trees there growing in every wood Tigers are enraged with perfumes Vipera interficitur palmis saith Paâ—sanias Moses killed the Aegyptian saved the Israelite Obed-Edom was blessed for the Ark the Philistims were cursed The Sun of the Gospel shining upon one that is ordained to eternall life reviveth and quickneth him but lighting upon a childe of death it causeth him to stink more abominably And who is sufficient And yet now who is it almost that thinks not himself sufficient for that sacred and tremend function of the Ministery Who am I saith Moses Who am I not saith our upstart Bradford was hardly perswaded to become a Preacher Act. and Mon. fol. 1578. Latimer leapt when he laid down his Bishoprick being discharged as he said of such an heavy burthen Luther was wont to say That if he were again to chuse his calling he would dig or do any thing rather then take upon him the office of a Minister So said reverend Mr Whately of Banbury once in my hearing Verse 17. Which corrupt the word Gr. Which huckster it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by handling it craftily and covetously not serving the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies as those Popish trencher-flies and our Court parasites In the sight of God It is impossible to speak as in Gods presence and not sincerely CHAP. III. Verse 1. Doe we begin again c. AS we had done before cap. 1.12 Plin. l. 1. epist 8 To commend our selves Quod magnificum referente alio fuisset ipso qui gesserat recensente vanescit Let another man praise thee and not thine own mouth Prov. 27.2 Laus proprio sordescit in ore But the Apostle was necessitated to it As some others letters of commendation As the false Apostles who carried it by testimonials in giving whereof many good people are much too blame Beauty needs no letters of commendation saith Aristotle much lesse doth vertue where it is known If morall vertue could be seen with mortall eyes saith Plato it would soon draw all hearts to it self Verse 2. You are our Epistle The fruitfulnesse of the people is the Preachers testimoniall as the profiting of the schollar is the teachers commendation Written in our hearts Or rather in your hearts as tables the Spirit writing thereon by his Ministers as pens that form of doctrine Rom. 6.17 that law of their mindes Rom. 7.23 Heb. 8.10 to be known and read of all men Verse 3. Ministred by us Who are devoted to the service of your faith and are the Lord Christs Sectaries But in fleshly tables In the softened heart God writes his law puts an inward aptnesse answering the Law of God without as lead answers the mould as tally answers tally as indenture answers indenture Verse 4 Such trust have we i. e. Such boldnesse of holy boasting If Tully could say Two things I have to bear me bold upon Cic. ep sam â— 7. the knowledge of good arts and the
joy ò my God when shall I be with thee These were the dying words of the last Lord Harrington that was in heaven afore-hand O the joyes the joyes the unspeakable joyes that â— feâ—l in my soul said another that was even entting into heaven and had a foretaste of eternall life Peter in the transfiguration was so transported that he never thought of a tabernacle for himself Mat. 17. he cared not to lie without doors so he might longer enjoy that glimpse of heavens glory Verse 4. How that he was caught up Not locally likely but in spirit as Act 7.56 Ezek. 8.3 Into Paradise heaven whereof that earthly Paradise was but a dark shadow Hierome comforting a young Hermite bad him look up to heaven Et paradisum mente deambulare to take a few turns in Paradise by his meditations assuring him that so long as he had Paradise in his minde and heaven in his thought Tamdiù in eremo non eris He should not be sensible of his solitarinesse Vnspeakable words Wordlesse words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as words are too weak to utter Nec Christies nec Coelum patitur hyperbolen A man cannot hyperbolize in speaking of Christ and heaven but must entreat his hearers as Tully doth his Readers concerning the worth of L. Crassus Vt majus quiddam de ijs quà m quae scripta sunt suspicarentur â— De Oratore that they would conceive much more then he was able to expresse It is as easie to compasse the heaven with a span or contain the sea in a nut-shell as to relate heavens happinesse Verse 5. Yet of my self I will not glory Non nisi coactus ut suprà Paul was a modell of modesty a very crucifix of mortification as one calleth him But in mine infirmities i. e. My troubles so called either because under them we seem infirm and contemptible or else for that afflictions oft shew our infirmities our impatience c. they make us sick of the fret c. Verse 6. Lest any man should think of me Let no man saith Gregery desire to seem more then he is that so he may be more then he seems It pleaseth me not saith Augustine that by many I am thought to be that which I am not For truly they love not me but another for me Si non quod sum sed quod non sum diligunt if they love not that I am but that I am not Verse 7. And lest I should be exalted So lest Ezekiel should be lifted up with his many rare visions he is frequently called Sonne of man to put him in minde of his mortall miserable condition A thorn in the flesh A corruption edg'd with a temptation Satan sent some Dalilah to lull Paul asleep in her lap and binde him with withes of green delights but his watchfull soul displeased deeply with that flesh-pleasing force complained thereof shaked himself and so found ease To buffet me Perhaps in a proper sense Paul might feel the devils fingers Take it metaphorically for temptations and then they are fitly called buffetings because they come so thick upon a mans spirit that he can hardly take breath He dogs good hearts with foulest lusts sometimes as of Atheisme Idolatry blasphemy murther c. In all or any of which if the soul be meerly passive as the word buffeting here implies they are Satans sins and our crosses only Lest I should be exalted If Paul had not been buffetted who knows whether he would have swelled He might have been carried higher in conceit then before he was in his ecstasie Verse 8. I besought the Lord thrice i. e. Frequently and fervently God respecteth not the Arithmetike of our praiers how many they are nor the thetorike of our praiers how neat they are or the Geometry of our praiers how long they are nor the musick of our praiers how melodious they are nor the Logick of our praiers how methodicall they are but the Divinity of our praiers how heart-sprung they are Not gifts but graces prevail in praier Verse 9. My grace is sufficient for thee God sometimes gives pardoning grace where yet he denies prevailing grace He roots not out all our Canaanites at once but leaves some to try and exercise us For my strength is made perfect It is an act of as great power in God to keep our spark of grace alive amidst so many corruptions as to keep a sire alive upon the face of the sea The angels are kept with much lesse care charge and power then we because they have no biasse no weight of sin hung upon them Verse 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore I take pleasure I am well apaid of them I reckon them among Gods love-tokens pledges of his loves and badges of my sonship For I am weak then c. This is a seeming contradiction God said Luther doth most of his works in medijs contrarijs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by contraries He hath a way by himself saith Nazianzen that he may be the more admired Verse 11. For in nothing am I behinde And yet there were a sort of silly souls that thought themselves jolly fellows in the daies of Zuinglius anno 1519. that talked thus at Zurich Quis tandem Paulus nonne homo est Apostolus est sed suburbanus tantùm non ex 12. viris non cum Christo est conversatus articulum fidei non composuit Zuing l. Tom. 1. 1. operum What was Paul but a man an Apostle he was but of an inferiour rank He was not of the twelve he conversed not with Christ he composed not any of the twelve Articles of the Creed We would as soon believe Thomas or Scorus as Paul c. Verse 12. In all patience A grace to be gloried in Job is crowned and chronicled for it Verse 13. Forgive me this wrong A pleasant irony such as whereof this Epistle is full It is said of a wise man Quod objecta probra ut visus nocturnos vanas somniorum imagines digno supplicio puniat festivo scilicet contemptu oblivione vel si tanti est misericordia elevet Joh Wover in Polymath Verse 14. For I seek not yours Not the fleece but the flock He had not those instruments of a foolish shepherd forcipes mulctram the shears and milke-pale c. The whole Senate can witnesse saith Beza that whereas Calvin had a very small stipend yet was he so farre from being discontent therewith that a more ample allowance being freely offered him he obstinately refused it All the goods that he left behinde him when he died his library also being sold very dear came scarce to three hundred French-crowns Melch Adam 359. Non opes non gloriam non voluptates quaesivi said Melancthon I never sought riches pleasures or preferments This conscience I carry with me whethersoever I goe Melch. Adam in vita 187. I doe ingenuously professe saith Mr Rolloc that of all my stipends I
are members Of the same holy society Shall we not be true one to another Shall we not abhor sleights and slipperines in contracts and Covenants Verse 26. Be angry and sin not The easiest charge under the hardest condition that can be Anger is a tender vertue and must be warily managed He that will be angry and not sin let him be angry at nothing but sin Let not the Sunne go down If ye have overshot in passion let it not rest or roost in you lest it become malice Plut lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch writeth that it was the custome of Pythagoras his scholars however they had been at odds jarring and jangling in their disputations yet before the Sun-set to kisse and shake hands as they departed out of the school How many are there that professing themselves the scholars of Christ do yet neverthelesse not only let the Sun go down but go round his whole course and can finde not time from one end of the year to the other to compose and say aside their discords How should this fire be raked up when the curfew-bell rings Verse 27. Neither give place c. Vindictive spirits let the devil into their hearts and though they defie him and spet at him yet they spet not low enough for he is still at â—nne with them as Mr Bradford speaketh As the Master of the pit oft sets two cocks to fight together to the death of both and then after mutuall conquest suppeth with both their bodies So faith Gregory dealeth the devil with angry and revengefull men Verse 28 Let him labour Working c. This is the best remedy against poverty which oft prompts a man to theft Prov. 30 9. That he may have to give Day-labourers then must do somewhat for the poor Act. and Mon. fol. 765. Ibid 811. And indeed alms should not be given untill it sweat in a mans hand said he in the book of Martyrs Giles of Brussels gave away to the poor whatsoever he had that necessity could spare and only lived by his science which was of a Cutler Verse 29. Let no corrupt communication Gr. Rotten putid speâ—ch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Metaphor from rotten treas or stinking flesh or stinking breath Shunne obscene borborology and filthy speeches Verse 30. And grieve not c. As men in heavinesse cannot dispatch their work as they were wont so neither doth the Spirit If we grieve the holy Ghost how should we expect that he should comfort us It is a foul fault to grieve a father what then the Spirit Verse 31. Let all bitternesse c. If the godly man suddenly fall into bitter words it maketh the holy Ghost stir within him And clamour and evil speaking These are as smoke to the eyes and make the Spirit ready to loath and leave his lodging Be put away from you When any lust ariseth pray it down presently saith one for otherwise we are endangered by yeelding to grieve by grieving to resist by resisting to quench by quenching maliciously to oppose the Spirit Sin hath no bounds but those which the Spirit pats whom therefore we should not grieve Verse 32. And be ye kinde Sweet-natured 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 facile and fair-conditioned as Cranmer whose gentlenesse in pardoning wrongs was such as it grew to a common proverb Act. and Mon. fol. 1699. Do my Lord of Canterbury a displeasure and then you may be sure to have him your friend while he liveth He never raged so far with any of his houshold servants as once to call the meanest of them Varlet or Knave in anger much lesse to reprove a stranger with any reproachfull world c. CHAP. V. Verse 1. Be ye therefore followers IN forgiving one another As dear children God hath but a few such children See the Notes on Mat. 5.45 48. Verse 2. Hath loved us and hath given When Christ wept for Lazarus Loe how he loved him said the Jews Joh. 11.35 36. When he poured forth his soul for a drink-offering for us was not this a surer seal of his endeared love An offering and a sacrifice By this to expiate our sins by that to mediate and make request for us and so to shew himself a perfect high-Priest Verse 3. But fornication and all uncleannesse As standing in full opposition to that sweet smelling savour vers 2. being no better then the corruption of a dead soul the devils excrement Let it not be once named Much lesse acted as in Stage-plaies Ludi praebent semina nequitiae How Alipius was corrupted by them S. Austin tels us How the youth of Athens Ovid. Trist l. 2. Plato complaineth One of our countrey-men professeth in print that he found theaters to be the very hatchers of all wickednesse the brothels of bawdery the black blasphemy of the Gospel the devils chair the plague of piety the canker of the Common-wealth c. He instanceth on his knowledge Citizens wives confessing on their death-beds that they were so impoisoned at Stage-plaies Spec belli sacri that they brought much dishonour to God wrong to their marriage-beds weaknesse to their wretched bodies and woe to their undone souls It was therefore great wisdom in the Lacedemonians to forbid the acting of Comedies or Tragedies in their Common-wealth and that for this reason lest either in jest or earnest any thing should be said or done amongst them contrary to the laws in force among them Plutarch Verse 4. Neither filthinesse Borborology ribaldry the language of hell Some men as ducks have their noses alwaies gozling in the gutter of obscene talk Of Eckius his last book concerning Priests inarriage Melancthon faith Non fâ—it Cygnea cantio sed ultimus crâ—piâ—us Et sicut filis fugiens pedit sic ille morions hunc crepitum cecinit Legilibrum subinde accipiens par tem ad cloacam alioqui non legissâ—m Nor jesting Salt jâ—sts scurrility jocularity dicacity to the just grief or offence of another This consists not with piety and Christian gravity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristotle useth the word here found in a good sense for urbanity facility and faceâ—iousnesse of speech in a harmlesse way But Jason in Pindarus saith that he lived twenty years with his Tutour Chiron and never in all that time heard him speaking or acting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pindar any thing scurrilous or abusive to another On the contrary our Sir Thomas Moorâ— never thought any thing to be well spoken except he had ministred some mock in the communication Eâ—w Halls Châ—onâ—eâ— saith the Chronicler who therefore seemeth to doubt whether to call him a foolish wise man or a wise foolish man Quid nobis cum fabulis cum risu non soliùm profusos sed etiam omnes joeos arbitror declinandos saith Bernard Bern. de ordin vit What have we to doe with tales and jâ—sts Tertullian faith he was Nulli rei natus nisi poenitentiae born for
hearts unto the Lord This is the best tune to any Psalm Spirituall songs they are called both because they are indited by the spirit and because they spiritualize us in the use of them Verse 20. Giving thanks alwaies In our deepest miseries let us sing chearfully as Paul and Silas in the dungeon as Philpot and his fellows in the cole-house as many Martyrs in the â—lames as Luther did in a great conflict with the devil Venite Joh Mâ—â—â— loc com page 43. said he to his company in contemptum diaboli Psalmum de profundis quatuor vocibus cantemus Let us sing the 130. Psalm in despite of the devil Happy was that tongue in the Primitive times that could sound out aliquid Davidicum any thing of Davids doing Verse 21. Submitting your selves This is a generall admonition to all inferiours whose duties are afterwards described Thus in the second Table of the Law the fifth Commandment for order and obedience is fitly premised to the following pâ—â—cepts In the fear of God This frameth the heart to a ready and regular submission Hence that saying of Luther Primo praecepto reliquorum omnium observantia praecipitur The first Commandment includes the other nine Verse 22. Wives submit c. This includes reverence obedience c. God hath scattered the duties of husbands and wives up and down the Scritptures that they may search and by learning to be good husbands and wives they may learn also to be good men and women As unto the Lord Who taketh himself dishonoured by wives disobedience And though husbands may remit the offence done to them yet they cannot remit Gods offence but there must be speciall repentance Verse 23. For the husband is the head And would it not be ill-favour'd to see the shoulders above the head Verse 24. Therefore as the Church Denying her self to please Christ making his will her law In every thing In all her husbands lawfull commands and restraints A wife should have no will of her own but submit to her husbands albeit there are that merrily say that when man lost free-will woman took it up Verse 25. Husbands love your wives He saith not Rule over them in answer to submit vers 22. for this they can readily do without bidding but love your wives and so make their yoke as easie as may be columbae trahunt currum Veneris Verse 26. That he might sanctifie The maids were first purified and perfumed before Ahashnerosh chose one But here it is otherwise Sanctification is a fruit of justification The Lord will not have a sluttish Church and therefore he came not by bloud only but by water also that clean water of his spirit whereby he washeth away the swinish nature of his Saints so that they desire no more to wallow in the mire Verse 27. Concil Arausican secund Oanon 12. That he might present As Isaac did his Rebecca adorned with his jewels See Ezek. 16.14 Tales nos amat Deus quales futuri sumns ipsius dono non quales sumus nostro merito saith an ancient Councel Verse 28. As their own bodies No man may hide himself from his own flesh at large Isa 58.7 that is from his neighbour of the same stock much lesse from a wife which is such another as himself Genesis 2.18 nay his very selfe as here Verse 29. For no man over hated No man but a Monk who whips himself or a mad man Mar. 5.5 who cuts himself It was the saying of the Emperour Aurelius A wife is to be oft admonished sometimes reproved but never beaten and yet of the Russian women it is reported that they love that husband best that beats them most and that they think themselves else not regarded unlesse two or three times a day well-favouredly swadled M. Jun in orat Heyl. Geog. Chrysostom saith It is the greatest reproach in the world for a man to beat his wise But nourisheth and cherisheth it As the hen doth her chickens or as the cock-pigeon doth the eggs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Columbarum masculus ipse ovis incubat Chytrae in Levit. 13. Mâ—lanctton Contrariwise the Pie hunts away his mate about autumn lest he should be forced to keep her all the Winter and so becometh the hieroglyphick of an unkinde husband Even as the Lord the Church Loe this is the patern of all true love whether to our selves or others Verse 30. Of his flesh and of his bones Whilest he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 This union is neither naturall nor corporall nor politicall nor personall but mysticall and spirituall And yet it is no lesse true and reall then that of God the Father and God the Son Joh. 17.21 22. For as the holy Ghost did unite in the Virgins womb the divine and humane natures of Christ and made them one person by reason whereof Christ is of our flesh and of our bones So the Spirit unites that person of Christ his whole person God-man with our persons by reason whereof we are of his flesh and of his bones Verse 31. For this cause c. See the Note on Mat. 19.5 and on Gen. 2.24 Shall be one flesh By vertue of that Covenant of God betwixt married couples Prov. 2.17 for he keepeth the bonds of wedlock Verse 32. This is a great mystery To wit this mysticall marriage with Christ It passeth the capacity of man to understand it in the perfection of it Preachers can make it known but in part and hearers can but in part conceive it Let us therefore wait for perfect understanding of it till all things be perfected in Christ Verse 33. Neverthelessâ— q. d. But that I may return to my former discourse from the which I have somewhat digressed for your satisfaction See that she reverence 1. In heart as Sarah did Abraham and she is crowned and chronicled for it I Pet. 3.6 2. In her speeches both to him and of him as the Spouse in the Canticles 3. In all her gestures and deportments for she may scold with her looks c. Vultu saepè laeditur pietas God hath a barren Womb for mocking Michal CHAP. VI. Verse 1. Children obey your Parents AS Isaac did Abraham in submitting to be sacrificed As Christ became obedient even to the death of the Crosse For this is right Good and acceptable before God and men 1 Tim. 5.4 See the Note on Mat. 15.4 Verse 2. First Commandment with promise To wit with speciall promise of long life See more in the Note on Mat. 15.4 Verse 3. And thou maist live long Good children help to lengthen their parents daies as Joseph did Jacobs God therefore lengthens theâ—s in redhostimentum as it were Or if he take from them this long lease he gives them a free-hold of better value Verse 4. Provoke not c. God forbids bitternesse and austerity in husbands Colos 3.19 Masters Colos 4.1 parents here and Col 3.21 Superiours must so carry themselves as to
and permit only Quiristers to sing lest the musick should be marred But the Apostle biddeth every Saint to sing And Nicephoriâ—s writeth Hist Eccles l. 3. sap 37. that the Christians of his time even as they travelled and journeyed were wont to sing Psalms Tatianus also faith That every age and order among the Christians were Christan Philosophers yea that the very virgins and maids as they sat at their work in wool were wont to speak of Gods Word With grace in your heart This is the best tune to any Psalm Verse 17. Do all in the Name By the warrant of his word and with an aim to his glory Verse 18. Wives submit your selves Inferiours are ordered before superiours to teach them to do duty before they expect it Love descendeth duty ascendeth In the Lord Though the husbands will be crooked so it be not wicked the wives will is not straight in Gods sight if not pliable to his Sed liberum arbitrium pro quo tantopcrè contenditur viri amiserunt uxores arripuerunt faith an Authour Verse 19. Husbands love your wives He faith not Rule ever them Subdue them if they will not submit but love them and so win them to your will make their yoke as easie as may be for they stand on even ground with you as yoke-fellows though they draw on the left side Yet is she thy companion and the Wise of thy covenant Mal. 2.14 He therefore that is free may frame his choice to his minde but he that hath chosen must frame his heart to his choice Vxorem vir amato marito pareat uxor Conjugis illa sui cor caput ille suae And be not bitter against them Nothing akin to Nabal to those Caldeans a bitter and furious Nation or to that star Rev. 8.11 called worm wood that imbittered the third part of the waters The Heathen when they sacrificed at their marriage-feasts Plut. praec cojug used to cast the gall of the beast sacrificed out of doors Verse 20. In all things Vultu saepè laeditur pietas See the Note on Eph. 6.1 Verse 21. Provoke not your children See the Note on Ephes 6.4 Lest they be discouraged Dispirited 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thorow despondency grow desperate in their resolutions Verse 22. Not with eye-service See the Note on Ephes 6.5 6. Fearing God That hath power to cast body and soul to hell Fear him more then you do your masters that have power over the flesh only Verse 23. Do it heartily as to the Lord This is to make a vertue of necessity whiles in serving men we serve the Lord Christ going about our earthly businesses with heavenly mindes with not only an habituall but an actuall intention as much as may be of glorifying God in all Verse 24. Thereward of inheritance And so be made of servants sons whose it is to inherit For ye serve the Lord Christ Whiles godlines runneth thorow your whole lives as the woof doth thorow the web and you seek to approve your selves to Christ in all your actions and emploiments Verse 25. But he that doth Wrong Be it but by not doing right to poor servants which in those daies were bond slâ—ves Note here saith an Interpreter the Apostles candour he was not of the â—umour of Lawyers that seldome speak much but for great men or when they may have great gifts c. CHAP. IV. Verse 1. That which is just and equall SEe they must both to the well chusing and the well using of their servants Ye also have a master Eccl. 5 8. There be higher then they and wherein they deal proudly God is above them Exod. 18.11 Verse 2. Continue in praier Constant and instant in it wait upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lay all aside for it as the word signifieth Act. 6.2 while praier stands still the trade of godlinesse stands still And watch in the same Against dulnesse of spirit drowsinesse of body satanicall suggestions secular distractions c. With thanksgiving Have your thanks ready for you are sure to speed Verse 3. Withall praying also for us See the Note on Eph. 6.19 By the word a door is opened into heaven Verse 4. As I ought to speak As every sound is not musick so neither is every pulpit-discourse a Sermon Verse 5. Walk in wisdom Neither giving offence carelesly nor taking offence causâ—esly Redeeming the time Opportunities are headlong and must be timously laid hold on or all 's lost See the Note on Eph. 5.16 It is said of Hooper the Martyr that he was spare of diet sparer of words and sparest of time Act. and Mon. fol. 1366. Ibid 1â—74 Ibid 1457. Latimeâ— rose usually at two of the clock in a morning to his study Bradford slept not commonly above four hours in the night and in his bed till sleep came his book went not out of his hand He counted that hour not well spent wherein he did not some good either with his pen tongue or study These Worthies well weighed what a modern Writer hath well observed That they that lose time are the greatest losers and wastfullest Prodigals For of all other possessions two may be had together but two moments of time much lesse two opportunities of time cannot be possest together Verse 6. Seasoned with sale Of mortification and discretion even our common communication must be so seasoned as we pouder most those meats that be most apt to putrifie and as upon our uncomely parts we put the more comelinesse Verse 7. All my state shall Tychicus See the Note on Eph. 6.21 Verse 8. And comfort your hearts See the Note on Eph. 6.22 Verse 9. With Onesimus a faith full Once unprofitable but now profitable faithfull and beloved Philosophia non 〈…〉 â—ed abscondâ—t DE Elta jejun cap. 12. Plato went thrice to Sicily to convert Dionysius and lost his labour Polemo of a drunkard by hearing Xenocrates became a Philosopher But Ambrose faith well of him Siresipuit à vino fâ—it semper tamen temulentus sacrilegio If he repented of his drunkennesse yet he continued drunk with superstition Pauls convert proved better a faithfull preacher and a beloved brother Verse 10 Marcus sisters son to Barnabas Hence Barnabas stood so stiff for him against Paul his faithfull fellow traveller Act. 15.37 See the Note there Naturall affection swaies over much with some good men as it did with Eli and perhaps with Samuel 1 Sam. 8.1 3. Verse 11. These only are my fellow-workers S. Paul complains of fickle and false friends that forsook him in his distresse as Demas 2 Tim. 4 16. 2 Tim. 4.0 that like Jobs friends proved miserable comforters and as the brooks of Tema which in a moisture swell in a drought fail Or as the river Novanus in Lombardy that at every Mid-summer Solstice swâ—lleâ—h and runneth over the banks but in mid-winter is clean dry Howbeit Marcus Aristarchus Onesimus Onesiphorus and some few others stuck to him
A great mercy Optimum solatium sodalitium Verse 12. Epaphras who is one of you See Chap. 1.7 and the Note there That ye may stand perfect In his absence especially for then the devil is most busie as he was with the people when Moses was but a while in the Mount Exod. 32. Verse 13. And them that are in Laodicea A Minister must be like the Sun that shineth not only within it's own oâ—b but iâ—lightneth all round about it and within the reach of it Verse 14. And Demas he will needs be one and is but without any title of honour as the rest He began to be suspected and he afterwards proved an utter apostate and as Dorotheus saith an Idol-Priest at Thessalonica Verse 15. Salute the brethren Christianity is no enemy to courtesie It removes not but rectifies it The brethren which are in Laodicea There God had his remnant there Christ was Amen the faithfull and true witnesse and there there were such as by a new creation of God were begotten again even among to carâ—â—ssâ— a multitude Revol 3.14 There remain in Constantinople at this day above 20. Churches of Christians and in Thessalonica above 30. besides very many Churches abroad in the province c. Breerw Enquir Chytrae de statu Ecclesiar The whole countrey of Asia the lesse wherein stood Colosse Laodicea and Hâ—erapolis is now under the power and superstition of the Turk yet no doubt God hath his remnant there Verse 16. Reade the Epistle from Laodicea Other good books then must be read as well as the Scriptures yet not idle pamphlets and love-toies These should be burnt as those curious books were Act. 19. Verse 17. And say to Archippus Archippus was a Pastour of the Laodicean Church So that before S. Johns time in Pathmos they began to cool That thou fulfill it By preaching the Word in season out of season c. and so doing the work of an Evangelist fulfilling his Ministery 2 Tim. 4.2 5. This to do the people were to excite their Pastour yet with all due respect and reverence to his office 1 Tim. 5.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Elder must not be lashed or jerked with the scourge of the tongue as a puny but intreated as a father Verse 18. Remember my bonds To pray for me and minister to me c. This he here inserteth as his last charge that they may the better remember and practise it Something we should leave with those we love that may stick by them and stand them in stead when we are gone or have done with them A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the first Epistle of S. Paul to the THESSALONIANS CHAP. I. Verse 1. Paul and Silvanus OTherwise called Silas Act. 15.40 as Iehoshuah the high-Priest is called Ieshua Ezra 3.2 and 5.2 it is not therefore unlawfull to abbreviate names Unto the Church of the Thessalonians Thessalonica the chief City of Macedonia is now known by the name of Saloniks and is under the Turk For the plantation of a Church here see Act. 17.1 2 3 c. Breer Enquir P 68. together with the Notes there There are 30 Churches of Christians in it at this day and but three of Mahometans Verse 2. We give thanks to God Thus he beginneth most of his Epistles with thanksgiving This being held to be the first that ever he wrote to any of the Churches The beginning of his strength as Reuben Jacobs first-borne and the excellency of dignity Genesis 49.3 Verse 3. Remembring without ceasing A good memory is required to assiduity in praier All the faculties are exercised and the whole man hard wrought Your work of faith We believe not without much conflict When faith goes about to lay hold on Christ the devil raps her on the singers and would beat her oft Hence the believer hath such ado to believe And labour of love Every mans love is as his labour is Heb. 6.10 Therefore also love and labour are of one root in latin because love is diligent and laborious And patience of hope To wait the accomplishment of Gods promises Thus every Christian vertue hath it's proper distinctive character to difference it from that which is counterfeit In the sight of God True grace will stand to Gods triall which false grace cannot abide as Alchy my gold cannot passe the seventh sire nor doth it comfort the heart as true gold doth Verse 4. Knowing brethren beloved of God Knowing it by the judgement of charity not of infallibility He that believeth hath the witnesse in himself 1 Job 5.10 But the white stone the new name and the hid man of the heart are not certainly known to any but to such as have them Howbeit holy men in some degree are known one to another to make the communion of Saints the sweeter Strong confidence one may have of anothers salvation but no certainty either of sense or of science much lesse of faith or immediate revelation Verse 5. For our Gospel came not Hence he collects their election according to Act. 13.48 The Ministery sent to a place is an argument of some elect there A husbandman would not send his servant with his sickle to reap thistles and nettles only As ye know what manner The Church is endued with the spirit of discerning and Ministers should approve themselves spirituall in word and conversation 1 Cor. 2â— 10. Verse 6. Followers of us and of the Lord The Apostles walked in Christ Col. 2.6 as Christ 1 Job 2.6 their lives were a Commentary upon his life 1 Pet. 2.9 Received the word in much affliction Opposition is as Calvin wrote to the French King Evangely genius the black Angel that dogs the Gospel at the heels To preach saith Luther is nothing else but to get the ill will of the world With joy of the boly Ghost Which bore them up above all persecutions as blowne bladders beare a man up aloft all waters Verse 7. So that ye were ensamples Gr. Types moulds paterns of piety to those that were in Christ long before them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A brave commendation and not every mans happinesse Affliction to some is like a growing ague or as a warm rain to garden-herbs that maketh them shoot up sensibly in one night Verse 8. For from you sounded out A vobis dissâ—matus est sermo Remigius commenting upon this place telleth us that the Apostle here speaketh some what improperly by saying Diffamatus for Divulgatus This man knew not belike that S. Paul wrote in Greek and not in Latine So great was the ignorance of that ninth age The Greek word importeth that from the Thessalonians the word of the Lord sounded out as a trumpet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and resounded as an Eccho A vobis ebuccinatus est serâ—â— Domini So Vatablus rendereth it So that we need not to speak A good people may ease their Pastour of a great deal of pains Verse 9. What manner of entring in c.
but for their advantage for this glory of Christ shall redound unto them therefore it is a added by the Apostle And ye in him CHAP. II. Verse 1. Now we beseech you brethren CHrists spokesmen must be fair spoken so wooing for him that they may win upon mens hearts leading by the hand those that are willing and drawing after a sort those that are lesse willing that they may present them as a chaste virgin to Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 By the coming of our Lord He draweth an argument from the matter under hand wherewith their hearts were now heated afore hand It must be an elaborate speech that shall work up-on the heart And by our gathering together unto him In that last and great day when all the Eagles shall be gathered to that once dead Mat 24.28 Ephes 1.10 but now all-quickning carcase when the sign of the son of man shall be lifted up as an Ensign and all the Saints shall repair to it as the souldiers do to their colours Verse 2. That ye be not soon shaken As sea-men are tossed by a tempest and even brought to their wits ends Psal 107.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a nomine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saâ—um That ye be not shaken out of your wits and put besiâ—e your selves â—o the words may be rendered And indeed errours and heresies sanam tollunt de cardine mentom Or be troubled Or terrified as with a sudden hubbub alarm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tumult Neither by spirit Pretended revelations such as was that whereby the old impostour consened that young Prophet into a lions mouth Nor by Word Traditions unwritten verities c. Nor by letter Counterfeited supposititious spurious such as were those Gospels that went under the names of S. Thomas S. Bartholomew c. Or by wresting and writhing that passage of his former letter 1 Thess 4.17 to another meaning then ever the Apostle intâ—nded it So S. Austin was served Aug lib 1 de Trin c. 3. and the foresaw it I believe saith he that some of my readers will imagine me sensisse quod non sensi â—ut non sensisse quod sensi that I was in many things of another minde then ever I was indeed And it sell out accordingly For as Baronius witnesseth Baron Annal Tom. 6. after S. Austins death there arose up divers Qui ex ejus scriptis malè perceptis complures invexerunt errores who by mistaking of what he had written brought in many pernicious errours and vouched him for their authour As that the day of Christ Peters seoffers asked Where is the promise of his coming As if Christ would never come these were afraid he would come too â—oon and take them with their task undone The devil usually tempteth by extreams as he did our Saviour Mat. 4. and as he did Mr Knox upon his death bed first to despair by setting his sins before him and then to presumption by reminding him of his reformations Verse 3. Except there come a falling Gr. An apostasie viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of people from the truth when the whole world went a wondering and a wandering after the beast Revel 13.3 To the fathers these prophecies of Antichrist were riddles The prophecy is sealed to the end Dan. 12. till unsealed by event Austin saith ingenuously he understood not this text And herein he did better then those other of the Latine Fathers that interpreted it of the falling away of sundry Nations from the Roman Empire And that man of sin That breathing devil so portentously so peeâ—lâ—sly vicious Lips Ant. left Vt ejus nomen non hominis sed vitij esse videatur as Liâ—sius saith of one Tubusus a Roman Praetor that sin it self can hardly be more sinfull The sonne of perdition Destined to destruction even to be cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone Revel 19.20 Onuph in vita Well might Pope Marcellus the second strike his hand upon the table and say Non video quâ—modò qui locum hunc altissimum teâ—ent salvari possunt Corâ—â— a Lapide to Nam 11.14 I see not how any Pope can be saved When I was first in orders said Pope Pius Quintus I had some good hopes of salvation When I was made a Cardinal I doubted but now that I am Pope I do almost despair Verse 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ipho opposith himself Who standeth in full opposition to Christ as a counter-Christ The enemy and adversary is this wicked Haman Esth 7.6 so this man of sinne that Antichrist of Rome When the Pope sets forth any buls commonly he thus concludes Non obstantibus constitutionibus Apostolicis caeterisque contrarys quibuscuque The constitutions and ordinances of the Apostles and all things else to the contrary not withstanding Tamen est ipsis simun Deiâ—ver bam The Popes interpretation of Scripture though it never so much crosse the text yet it is to be esteemed the very Word of God saith Hosius And exalteth himself Perfrica frontem said Calvus to Vatinius digniorem te dic qui Praetor sieres quam Catonem Qâ—inoul 1962 Pope Boniface 3. set a good face upon it and arrogated the title of Universall Bishop The ancient Romans painted pride with three crowns on her head On the first was inâ—eriâ—ed Transcende on the second Non ob dio on the third Perturbo The modern Romans see all this daily â—cted by their Bishop Above all that is called god In the year 1540. Pope Paul the third suffered himself to be thus blasphemously slattered Paulo tertis optimâ— maximo in terris Deo In the year 1610. books were printed at Bononi an â—at Naples with this inscription Paulo V. vice-deo Christianae reipublicae Monarchae invictissmo Ponìificiae omnipotentiae consâ—rvatori acerrimo To Paul the fift vice-god most invincible Monarch of Christendome most stout Defender of the papall omnipotency The Pope can do all that Christ can do and is more then God saith Hostiensis the Canonist and after him Zabarell Of wrong he can make right Cap. 4. of vice vertue of nothing something saith Bellarmine Lib â—â—de Panâ—iâ— Rom. He is listed above the angels so that he can excommunicate them he can dispense against not only the law of nature but against all the Evangelists Prophets and Apostles saith Pope Iohn 23 in extravs one of his parasites clawed him thus Oraclis vocis mundi moderaris habenas Et meritò in terris diceris esse Deus Or that is worshipped Or That is August 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above Princes and potentates He is cried up for Lord of Lords and King of Kings one that hath both the swords throughout the world and anâ—llimited Empire over all reasonable creatures Dulià adorandiu c. How he trod upon the Emperour of Germany and how he lathed Henry 2. of England and Henry 4. of France till the bloud followed is better known then that I need
here to relate Sed exorto Evangelij jubare sagaciores ut spero principes ad nutum Romani Orbily non solvent subligacula saith one Verse 5. Remember ye not Satan usually hides from us that which should help us But as the soul should be as it were an holy Ark so should the memory be as the pot of Manna preserving holy truths for constant use Verse 6. What with holdeth c. viz. The Roman Empire which had its rise raign and ruine whereupon the Popedome was founded and grew to that excessive greatnesse that it laboured with nothing more then with the weightinesse of it lest Verse 7. Doth already work In those ancient Apostates and Antichrists S. â—ohn complaineth of Tertullian condemneth the Bishops sprouting ambition in these words I hear that there is a peremptory edict set forth alate Pontisex scilicet maximus Episcopus Episcoporum dicit This he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thus saith the chief-Priest the Bishop of Bishops c. Odi fastum illius Ecclesiae saith Basil Vehicalis insidentes circumspecte vessiti epulas curantes prosu at c. I hate the pride of that Western Church Ammiaâ—us Marcellinus a Heathen Historian sharply taxeth the roman Bishops of his time for their pride and prodigality How stifly did Gregory the great oppose Iohn of Constantinople for affecting the title of Universall Bishop And yet how basely did the same Gregory collogue with Phocas the Emperour that himself might be so stiled Zonaras This Phocas a wilde drunken bloâ—â—y adulterous tyrant advanced the Bishop of Rome Gregories successour to the primacy and was therefore slaughtered by Heracliut who cut oft his wicked hands and feet and then his genitals by piece-meal Vntill he be taken out of the Way That is The Roman Emperour have removed his seat to Constantinople that Româ— may become the nest of Antichrist In mari bistor Ioannes de Columna writeth That Otho Emperour of Germany thought to have â—uated himself at Rome as former Emperours had done and began to build him there a stately palace But at the earnest importunity of the Romans he gave over that design the like had been attempted 300 years before by Constans nephew to Heraclius Theophanes Zonaras â—iâ—â—enuâ— Genebr Chron. but could never be effected This was by a singular providence of God saith Genebrard a Popish Chronologer that the kingdome of the Church prophecied of by Daniel might have it's seat at Rome If he had said that the kingdom of Antichrist prophecied of by S. Paul and S. Iohn might have it's seat in that City seated upon seven hils he had said the very truth he had hit the nail one the head Verse 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And then shall that wicked Gr. That lawlesse yokelesse masterlesse monster to whom in the Councel of Lateran 1516. one year only before Luther stood up to reform there was granted plenary power over the whole Church which was never setled upon him in any former Councel Pope Nicolas the first said Dist 96. That he was above law because Constantine had stiled the Pope God But the very glosse derides him for this inference With the spirit of his mouth i.e. With the evidence of his word in the mouths of his faithfull Ministers Vide catalogum Testium veritatis Bellarmine confesseth to his great grief Lib 3 de Papa Rom cap. 11. that ever since the Lutherans have declared the Pope to be Antichrist his kingdom hath not only not increased but every day more and more decreased and decaied With the brightnesse of his coming At the last day The holy City shall they tread under foot fourty and two moneths Rev. 11.2 that is as some compute it till the year of grace 1866. But that 's but a conjecture Verse 9. After the working of Satan Who as Gods ape works effectually in his and by his agents upon others By corrupt teachers Satan catcheth men as a cunning fisher by one fish catcheth another that he may feed upon both And lying wonders The devil is ashamed saith the Jesuite Gretser to confirm Luthers doctrine by miracles But he that now requireth miracles to make him to believe is himself a great miracle saith Austin Verse 10. And with all deceivablenesse Popery is nothing else but a great lie a grand imposture a farrago of falsities and heresies It is not without cause that the Centurists say Cent. 10. cap. 11 That all the old heretikes sled and hid themselves in the Popish Clergy Because they received not the love This is the great Gospel-sin punished by God with strong delusions vile affections just damnation Verse 11. Strong delusion Gr. The efficacy of orrour Wolph memâ—lect As in those at Genoa that shew the Asses tail whereupon our Saviour rode for an holy relique and perform divine worship to it And in those that wear out the marble crosses graven in the pavements of their Churches with their often kissing them Spec. Europ The crucifix which is in the city of Burgus the Priests shew to great personages as if it were Christ himself telling them that his hair and nails do grow miraculously which they cut and pare monethly and give to Noble-men and holy reliques The Jesuites confesse that the legend of miracles of their Saints is for most part false but it was made for good intention and herein that it is lawfull and meritorious to lie and write such things Spanish pilgâ— to the end the common people might with greater zeal serve God and his Saints and especially to draw the women to good order being by nature facile and credulous addicted to novelties and miracles Verse 12. That they all might be damned Levit. 13.291 Heresie is the leprosie in the head which is utterly uncurable and destroies the soul See Rev. 19.21 Had pleasure is unrighteousnesse These are delivered up to that dead and dedolent disposition Ephes 4 19. loosing at length all passive power also of awakening cut of the snare of the devil who taketh them alive at his pleasure 2 Timothy 2. ult Verse 13. But we are bound c. Lest they should be discouraged with the former discourse the Apostle tels them that being elect they cannot be finally deceived So the Authour to the Hebrews Chap. 6.9 Zuinglius after that he had terrified the wicked was wont to come in which Bone vir hoc nihil ad te This is nothing to thee thou faithfull Christian We cannot beat the dogs but the children will cry and must therefore be stilled and cheared up And belief of the truth That is of Christ the object in the glasse of the Gospel Verse 14 To the obtaining of the glory This is the end of faith as faith is of effectuall calling Verse 15. Stand fast Though never so many fall from the faith Falling stars were never but Meteors Hold the traditions Hold fast by these that ye may stand the faster Verse
To day if ye Will hear That day of salvation wherein the Lord doth offer us mercy in the Ministery of his Word shewing us our misery and exciting us to use the remedy Verse 8. For if Jesus c. That is Joshuah who had his named changed when he was sent as a spy into Canaan Numb 13.16 from Oshea to Ioshuah from Let God save to God shall save Under the Law which brings us as it were into a briery wildernesse we may desire wish and pray that there were a Saviour but under the Gospel we are sure of salvation Out Jesus is Iehovah our righteousnesse Verse 9 A rest to the people of God Gr. A sabbatisme an eternall rest a Sabbath that hath neither evening Gen. 2.2 nor labour Isa 5â—â—2 Apecal 1. Revel 14.13 But they shall enter into peace rest in their buds be ravisht in spirit receive the full import and purport of the weekly Sabbath rest from travel and trouble 2. Of the seventh year-sabbath for the creature the ground shall rest from it's vanity and slavery Rom 8.20 21.3 Of the seventh-seven-years Sabbath the Iubilean Sabbath for their debts shall be all discharged their morgages released their persons set at liberty from sins and Satans slâ—very Verse 10. From his own Works From the servile work of sin Psal 1.23 These are our own works as a lie is the devils own Ioh. 8.44 When be speakth a lie be speaketh of his own so when we do evil we work de nostro secundum hominem 1 Cor 3.3 It is as impossible for us naturally to do good as for a road to spet cordials Vest 11. Let us labour Here he resumes and re-enforces his former exhortation that his words may be as nails and goaâ—s fastned by the masters of Assemblies Fall after the same example God hangs up some malefactours as it were in gibbers for a warning to others Jethro grew wife by the plagues that befell his neighbour-prince Pharaoh as Rabbi Solomon oblerveth Excuploa Me. rius qui amt ille sapâ—t And Belshazzar is destroied for not profiting by his fathers calamities Dan. 5.22 Then hast not humbled thy heart though thou knewest all this Verse 12. Quick and powerfull Gr. Lively and energeticall sc In hearts that can tremble at Gods judgements as David did Psal 119.120 As for hypocrites the Word Will ransack them and give them a very glimpse of the judgement to come as it did Faelix Herod c. God smiteth the earth with this rod of his mouth Isa 11.4 he dasheth them in the teeth and maketh them spet bloud as it were hewing them by his Prophets and slaying them by the words of his mouth Hos 6.5 Rev. 11.5 Soul and spirit See the Note on 1 Thess 5.23 And is a discerner Gr. A curious Critick judging exactly and telling tales of the hearers disclosing the words that they speak in their very bed-chambers as 2 King 6.12 Verse 13. Neither is there any creature No not the creature of the heart the most secret thoughts and intentions That is not manifest in his sight Or in the sight of it that is of Word preached but every the least fibra the smallest string in the heart that would escape the sight of the most exact Anatomist is hereby cut up See 1 Cor. 14.24 But all things are naked and open Naked for the out-side 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and opened dissected quartered cleft in the back-bone as the word here signifieth for the in side Erasmus rendereth it resupinata making it a metaphor from these that he with their faces up wards that all passengers may see who they are Theodoret readâ—th it Hath the throâ—t cut Vnto the eyes of him Or rather of it of the word where-with We have to do The word like a sacrificing sword slits open and as it were unridgeth the conscience Verse 14. We have a great high-Priest Who by a new and living way will bring us into the rest above mentioned A great high-Priest Christ is because 1. Reall not typicall 2. Eternall and needed not succession as Aaron 3. Entring not into the holy places made with hands but into heaven it self Heb. 9.24 Verse 15. Whick cannot be touched Christ retaineth still compassion though freed from personall passion Manet compassio cuam cum impa Jibilitate And though freed from feeling hath still yet a fellow-feeling Act 95. Mat. 25.35 Trajan the Emperour being blamed by his friends for being too gentle toward all answered that being an Emperour he would now be such toward private men as he once when he was a private man wished that the Emperour should be toward him Christ hath lost nothing of his wonted pity by his exaltation in heaven Tempted Or Pierced thorow Luther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a piercing preacher and met with every mans temptations and being once demanded how he could do to Act. and Mon Mine own manifold temptations said he and experiences are the came thereof for from his tender years he was much beaten and exercised with spirituall conflicts Verse 16. Let us there fore come boldly In the sense of sin to wrap our selves in Christs righteousnesse and so go boldly to the throne of grace this saith a reverend man is an honour to Christ our high-Priest CHAP. V. Verse I. Both gifts Of things without life And sacrifices Of living creatures For sins Christ as God was the Priest Altar to offer up and to sanctifie the sacrifice And as God-man he was the sacrifice for the Church was purchased by the bloud of God Act 20.28 A bloudy Spouse she was unto him as in a sense it may he said Verse 2. Who can have compassion Or Bear anything With reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not be easily angry but shew as much mercy as is meet for his whether they have ignorantly offended or upon deliberation they cannot commit more then he can remit He is compassed With infirmity Christ was compassed With that which we call miserable not that we call sinfull infirmity Verse 3. He ought as for the people A priest is a person by Gods appointment taken from amongst men and for men to offer gifts and sacrifices for sinne in their and his own behalse Verse 4. And no man taketh c. Or if he doc he shall smoke and smart for it as did Nadab and Abibu Vzzah and Vzziah c. In physicis aer non facit seipsum ignem sed fit à superiori as Aquinas noteth upon this text No man might come uncalled to the King of Persia upon pain of death What then shall become of such as come without a call to the King of heaven Christ would not let the devil preach him Mark I. Quia extra vocationem as one well noteth because he had no calling to such an office Verse 5. Glorified not himself As the Pope doth who will needs be stiled Pontifex maximus the greatest high-Priest whereas Christ is called
Christ will come shortly to see what work we make in this kinde As the manner of some is It was then it was afterwards and is still in these siding and separating times The Donatists made an horrible rent for the life of Ceciliaâ— So did divers other for the pride and profanenesse of Paulus Samosatenus But never was there any schisme so causlesse and senslesse as that of our modern Sectaries Verse 26. For if wo sin wilfully Against the grace of the Gospel despising and despiting it as those that fall into the unpardonable sinne Some good souls by mistakes of this text have been much afflicted as Master John Glover Other odious Apostates have utterly despaired Others of the Ancients have unworthily cashiered this Epistle out of the Canon because of this passage There remaineth no more sacrifice For sins against the law though against knowledge there was an atonement Levis 6.1 though it were for perjury abut for this sin against the Gospel that repudiates the remedy there 's no sacrifice abused mercy turns into fury Verse 27. Fearfull looking for Though judgement be not speedily executed yet it is certainly to be expected Winter never rots in the air or dies in the dams-belly as they say Could but men fore-see what an evil and a bitter thing sin is they durst not but be innocent Verse 28. He that despised i. e. He that with a high hand violated it or fell into any capitall crime and it came to light died without mercy As for those hainous offences that not being discovered and sufficiently proved came not under the Judges cognizance the Lord for the easing of mens consciences and for the saving of their lives appointed they yearly feast of expiations Levit. 16.29 Verse 29. Who hath trodden under â—oot Respecting him no more then the vilest and filthiest dirt in the street or the most abject thing in the world as Ambrose expounds it he disdains to receive benefit by Christs propitiatory and expiatory sacrifice he would not if he might he is so satanized The bloud of the Covenant That is The bloud of Christ whereby the Covenant is sealed the Church purchased the attonement procured and heaven opened for our more happy entrance Where with he was sanctified By externall profession and by participation of the Sacraments An unholy thing Gr. A common profane thing as if it were the bloud of a common thief or unhallowed person yea or of a dead dog In the Passeover they sprinkled the door and lintell with bloud but not the threshold to teach them that they must not tread upon the bloud of Jesus as they do in an high degree that sin against the holy Ghost And hath done despite c. Spitting at him their hellish venome persecuting and blaspheming his immediate effect work and office and this out of desperate malice and desire of revenge without any colour of cause or measure of dislike One that had committed this sin wished that his wife and children and all the world might be damned together with him Verse 30. I will recompence And if God will avenge his elect Luk. 18.7 How much more his Son and his Spirit Verse 31. It is a fearfull thing For who knoweth the power of his anger even according to thy fear is thy wrath Psal 90.11 A melancholy man can fancy vast and terrible fears fire sword racks strappadoes scalding lead boiling pitch running bell-mettle and this to all eternity yet all these are nothing to that wrath of God which none can either avoid or abide Verse 32. But call to remembrance q. d. You cannot utterly fall away as those above-mentioned for as much as you have given good proof already of the reality of your graces After ye were illuminated Till they had a sight of heaven they could not suffer but no sooner out of the water of baptisme but they were presently in the fire of persecution Verse 33. Made a gazing stock Gr. Set upon a theater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take it either properly or metaphorically both befell Christians See I Cor 4.9 Ye became companions of them Sympathy hath a strange force as we see in the strings of an instrument â— Sibbâ— which being plaid upon as they say the strings of another instrument are also moved with it After love hath once kindled love then the heart being melted is fit to receive any impression Two spirits warmed with the same heat will easily solder together Verse 34. For ye had compassion Gr. Ye sympathized See the Note on ver 33. And took joyfully The joy of the Lord was their strength as it was theirs Act. 5.41 who took it for a grace to be disgraced for Christ The spoiling of their goods If a Heathen could say when he saw a sudden shipwrack of all his wealth Well fortune I see thou wouldst have me to be a Philosopher should not we when called to quit our moveables say well I see that God would have me to lay up treasure in heaven that is subject neither to vanity nor violence Knowing in your selves Not in others in books c. but in your own experience and apprehension in the workings of your own hearts That ye have in heaven When we lose any thing for God he seals us a bill of exchange of better things of a double return He will recompence our losses as the King of Poland did his noble servant Zelâ—â—slaus having lost his hand in his wars he sent him a golden hand Verse 35. Cast not away your confidence Sith it is your shield and buckler Eph. 6.16 but if battered with temptations beat it out again Demosthenes was branded with the name of 〈◊〉 One that had lost his bucklen Verse 36. For ye have need of patience Whereas they might object But where is this recompence you tell us of Oh saith he You have need of patience to wait Gods time of recompence Good men finde it oft more easie to bear evil then to wait till the promised good be enjoyed The spoiling of their goods required patience but this more then ordinary That after ye have done the will of God viz. By suffering it and long-suffering till he reward it Verse 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For yet a little while Tantissùm tantidùm adhuc puâ—iâ—lum A little little little while Gods help seems long because we are short Now the just shall live by faith In the want of feeling he shall rest upon God in the fail of outward comforts as the believing Jews were to do in the Babylonish captivity Habak 2.4 quoted here by the Apostle though with some variation of words But if any man draw back Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Steal from his colours run from his Captain revolt from Christ turn renegado relinquishing his religion as did Julian Lucian and other odious Apostates My soul shall have no pleasure Christ hath no delight in dastards turn-coats run-awaies He will not employ them so far as to break a pitcher
groaning Job 23.2 Invalidum omne naturâ querulum saith Seneca It is a weaknesse to be ever puling See my Love-tokens p. 44 45. Verse 6. For whom the Lord loves Whom he entirely loveth and cockereth above the rest of his children That Son in whom he is well pleased saith Mercer on Prov. 3.12 whom he makes his white boy saith Theophylact here See my Love-tokens pag. 54.55 And scourgeth every Sonne Laies upon them hard and heavy strokes When Ignatius came to the wilde-beasts Now saith he I begin to be a Christian Omnis Christianus crucianâ—u saith Luther And he hath not yet learned his ABC in Christianity saith Bradford that hath not learned the lesson of the crosse When Munster lay sick and his friends asked him how he did and how he felt himself he pâ—inted to his sores and ulcers whereof he was full and said Hae sunt gemmae pretiosa ornamenta Dei c. These are Gods gems and jewels where with he decketh his best friends Joh. Manl. loc com p. 127. and to me they are more precious then all the gold and silver in the world Verse 7. God dealeth with you c. Corrections are pledges of our Adoption and badges of our sonship One Sonne God â—ad without sin but none without sorrow As God corrects none but his own so all that are his shall be sure to have it and they shall take it for a favour too 1 Cor. 11.32 Verse 8. Then are ye bastards Qui excipitur a numero flagellatorum excipitur â numero filiorum saith one He that escapes affliction may well suspect his adoption I have no stronger argument against the Popes Kingdoms saith Luther then this Quòd sine cruce regnat that he raigns without the crosse they have no changes surely they fear not God Verse 9. And we gave them reverence Pater est si pater non esses c. It is my Father c. This cooled the boiling rage of the young man in Terence Nicolas of Jenuile a young French Martyr when he was condemned and set in the cart his father coming with a staffe would have beaten him Act. and Mon. fol. 837. but the officers not suffering it would have struck the old man The son crying to the officers desired them to let his father alone saying he had power over him to do what he would amp c. And live For corrections of instruction and God never chastiseth but withall he teacheth Psal 94.12 are the way of life Prov. 6.23 and 15.31 See my Love-tokens pag. 25 26 27. Verse 10. After their own pleasure To ease their stomacks vent their choller discharge themselves of that displeasure they have and perhaps without cause conceived against us Not so the Lord Fury is not in me saith he Isa 27.4 Though God may do with his own as he pleaseth yet he doth never over-do For it goes as much against the heart with him as against the hair with us It is even a pain to him to be punishing Lam. 3.33 That we might be partakers thus bitter pils bring sweet health and sharp winter kils worms and weeds and mellows the earth for better bearing of fruits and flowers The Lilly is sowed in its own tears and Gods vines bear the better for bleeding The Walnut tree is most fruitfull when most beaten and Camomile the more you tread it the more you spread it Aloes kils worms and stained clothes are whitened by frosting Verse 11. The peaceable fruit of righteousnesse That crown of righteousnesse wrought out unto us by afflictions 2 Cor. 4.17 These are the preludes of our triumph yea a part of our salvation Look therefore thorow the anger of Gods corrections saith one to the sweetnesse of his love therein as by a rain-bow we see the beautifull image of the Suns-light in the midst of a dark and waterish cloud And look upon these afflictions as on so many wayward and touchy guests which while they stay watch every officer but when they depart they pay freely Verse 12. Lift up the hands Pluck up your good hearts and buckle close to your businesse how else will you runne the race that is set before you as vers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I. Gird up the loins of your minds a drooping spirit makes no riddance of the way Set all to rights as the world signifieth Verse 13. Make straight paths Seek not by-waies those high-waies to hell leap not over the hedge of any Commandment so to escape any peece of foul way but as those kine of the Philistims held straight on their way to Bethshemesh 1 Sam. 6.12 though they had calves at home so let us to heaven though we have divers things to divert us Let thine eyes look right on and let thine eye-lids look straight before thee Prov. 4.25 Verse 14. Follow peace Gr. Pursue it though it flee from you Psal 120.7 I am peace saith David but when I speak of it they are for warre And holinesse Or chastity 1 Thess 4.4 such a holinesse as is opposed to fornication and profanenesse v. 16. Without which The Article may be neuter and then the sense is Without which following peace and holinesse or an holy peaceablenesse none shall see God to their comfort Verse 15. Lest any man fail Or Fall short as Chap. 4.1 See the Note there Short shooting loseth many a game he that in a race lieth down ere he come to the goal gets not the garland Peâ—â—everance crowns all our vertues But it s an easie thing to fall a napping with the foolish virgins yea the wise also slumbered which will prove to our cost when God shall send forth summons for sleepers Lest any root of bitternesse Any scandalous sin to the corrupting of others and the corroding of our own conseiences and out of which we recover not without much adoe till we have felt what an evil and a bitter thing â—inne is as David did Psal 51. Verse 16. Fornicatour or profane He instanceth in some roots of bitternesse Esaâ—'s profanenesse appeared in these particulars 1. In that he was no sooner asked for the birth-right but he yeelded 2. That he parted with it for a trifle a little red red as he called it in his haste and hunger 3. That he did this being as he thought at point of death 4. That he weâ—t his way when he had done as if he had done no such thing he shewed no signe of remorse or regret Hence he is four of five severall times branded with This is Edom. Who for one morsell c. Many such Edomites now-adaies that prefer earth before heaven a swine-sty before a sanctuary as the Gadarens their part in Paris before their part in Paradise as that carnall Cardinall Vale lumen amicum said Theotimus Ambros Farewell eyes if I may not drink and do worse ye are no eyes for me He would rather lose his sight then his sin so will many rather part with heaven then with their lusts
No money here bears no mastery Act. and Mon. 〈◊〉 925. Verse 12. Blessed is the man Provided that God teach him as well as chastise him Ps 94.12 instruct him as well as correct him See my Love-tokens par 2. He shall receive the crown A man can be content to have his head broken with a bag of gold so he may have it when it s done Verse 13. I am tempted of God The inclination of mans heart to good is of it self and properly of God as light is of the Sun His inclination to evil is by accident only of God like as darknesse is of the Sun-set by accident being properly not of the Sun but of the earth Verse 14. Drawn away of his lust Satan hath only a perswading â—lâ—â—ght 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not an â—â—fâ—rcing might Our own concupiscence carries the greatest stroke And entised As the silly fish is by the bait covering the hook being first drawn aside into the clear water Verse 15. When lust hath conceived As the plot of all diseases lies in the humours of the body so of all sin in the lâ—st of the soul There is in it a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tacite consent a seed-plot of all sin Empâ—doclis vocabu um apud Aâ—istot The Papists say but falsly that it is the smallest of all sins not deserving any more of Gods wrath then only a want of his beatificall presence and that too without any pain or sorrow of minde from the apprehension of so great a lesse There are also of ours that say That it is not forbidden by the law but sure we are it is cursed and condemned and therefore forbidden by the Law Verse 16. Do not erre Winder not as wandering starres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever Jude 13. by seeking to father your faults upon God as Adam did Gen. 3.12 Verse 17. Every good gift c. An Hexameter verse in the Greek as little intended perhaps by the Apostle as the first line in Tacitus which yet may be scanned a long verse And perfect giving Not temporals only which are good Gifts but spirituals also those perfect givings The greatest excellencies in us do as much depend upon Gâ—â— as the effigies in the glassâ— doth upon the face that causeth it or as the light doth upon the Sunne that father of all the light in the lower world With whom is no variablenesse No Parallax 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as there is with the Sun when he dâ—clines and leaves us darkling This word notes the Suns motion from East to West as the following word 〈◊〉 turning notes his motion every year from North to South that which the Apostle would here assent is that God tempts no man to evil because he is unchangeably good and can be no other Verse 18. Of his own will begat â—e us Gr. Brought he us forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a speciall instance of his free grace and fatherly goodnesse Ephes 1.4 5. Verse 19. Swift to hear Reaching after that word of truth the Gospel ver 18. and drinking it 〈◊〉 as the dry earth doth the dew of heaven Life doth now enter in to the soul at the ear as at first death did Gen. 3. Slow to speak We reade oft He that hath an ear to hear let him hear but never He that hath a tongue to speak let him speak for this we can doe fast enough without bidding Slow to wrath Slow to snuffe at those that reprove you See the Note on Heb. 13.22 Rage not when touched though to the quick Verse 20. Exod. 32. Mark 6. For the wrath of man Unlesse it be as Moses and Christs anger was pure and free from guile and gall prompting us to pity and pray for the party Verse 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All filthinesse Gr. The stinking filth of a pestilent ulcer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinne is the devils vomit the souls excrement the superfluity or garbage of naughtinesse as it is here called by an alâ—usion to the garbage of the sacrifices cast into the brook Kidron that is into the Town-ditch Retentio excrementorum est parens morborum Out with it therefore Receive with meeknes It is ill sowing in a storm so a stormy spirit will not suffer the Word to take place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The engraffed word Engraffed upon the heart as the science upon the stock or sowed in the soul and mingled with faith that it may bring forth fruit to God Verse 22. Isidor l. 11. c. 3. And not hearers only The Panotij in Scythia are said to have such large ears as that therewith they cover their whole bodies Such are our hearers only Deceiving your own souls Either as by false reckoning or false reasoning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 23. His naturall face Gr. The face of his nativity that wherewith he was born into the world Verse 24. Straightway forgetteth Naturalists make mention of a certain creature called Cervarius that though he be feeding never so hard and hungerly if he cast but back his head he forgets immediately the meat he was eating and runs to look after new Verse 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whoso looketh into c. As into a glasse wishtly and intently with the body bowed down Get thee Gods law as a glasse to â—oot in Ser. of repent saith M. Bradford So shalt thou see thy face foul arraied and so shamefully sawcy mangy pocky and scabbed that thou canst not but be sorry at the contemplation thereof It is said of the Basilisk that if he look into a glasse he presently dieth Sin doth Physitians in some kinde of unseemly convulsions wish the patient to view himself in a glasse which will help him to strive the more when he shall see his own deformity So reflect c. Not a forgetfull hearer Some are as hour-glasses no sooner turned up but running out immediately Verse 26. But deceiveth The heart first deceiveth us with colours and when we are once a doating after sin then we jâ—yn and deceive our hearts by fallacious reasonings Verse 27. And widdows A vine whose root is uncovered thrives not a widdow whose covering of eyes is taken away joyes not CHAP. II. Verse 1. The Lord of glory OR Have not the glorious faith of our Lord Jesus Christ c. Faith is a glorious grace indeed With respect of persons i. e. Of their outward quality or conditions as rich poor of this side or that c. Zanchy relates of a certain Frenchman a friend of his and a constant hearer of Calvins at Geneva Zanch Miscel praesat that being sollicited by him to hear Viret an excellent Preacher who preached at the same time that Calvin did he answered If S. Paul himself should preach here at the same hour with Calvin Ego relicto Paulo audâ—râ—m Calvinum I would
desired him to judge bewixt her and her husband The most guilty are commonly most querulous and complaint-full The Judge standeth before the door If the Magistrate be present we may not offend another to defend our selves Ecce judex pro foribus Therefore Hold a blow as wee say Verse 10 For an example of suffering Examples very much affect us as they did many of the Martyrs See the Note on Mat. 5.12 Above majori discit arare minâ—r Verse 11. We count them happy If they suffer as they should doe not else Mithridates shew'd long patience such as it was forced and fained He was in a kinde of fever called Epialis wherein men be cold without but hot as fire within This feaver he quenched with his vitall bloud shed with his own hand Ye have heard of the patience of Job His impatience is not once mentioned against him but he is crowned and chronicled here for his patience God passeth by infirmities where the heart is upright And have seen the end of the Lord That is how well it was with Job at the last Or as others will have it what a sweet end the Lord Christ made whereunto you were some of you eye-witnesses and should be herein his followers Verse 12. But above all things Swear not in jest least ye go to hell in earnest See the Note on Mat. 5.34 35. and on Mat 23.16 18. Verse 13. Is any among you afflicted Any one may for grace is no target against affliction Let him pray Not only because praier is sutable to a sad disposition but because it is the conduit of comfort and hath virtutem pacativam a setling efficacy Is any man merry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. Is he right set Well hung on as we say All true mirth is from the rectitude of the minde from a right fâ—ame of soul that sets and shews it self in a chearfull counteâ—ance Let him sing Psalmes So that in all estates we must be doing somewhat for God T'am Dei meminisse opus est quam respirare Verse 14. Is any man sick Behold he Whom thou lovest is sick said Martha to our Saviour Mat. 11. Si amatur quomodo infirmatur saith Augustine If Christs friend how comes he to be sick Well enough It s no new thing for Christs best beloved to be much afflicted Let him send for the Elders This help God hath previded for such as are by sicknesse disabled to pray for themselves Sick Abimelech was sent to Abraham a Prophet for praiers Anointing him with oyl As an extraordinary sign of an extraordinary cure From mistake of this text the Church in stead of Pastours had Ointers and Painters in times of Popery who did not only ungere but emungere anelâ— men but beguile them of their monies and of their souls Neither want there at this day that hold this anointing the sick as a standing ordinance for Church-members amongst us and they tell of strange cures too effected thereby Verse 15. And the praier of faith The Greek word for praier hath its denomination from well pouring out the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or from well cleaving to God Afflictions saith one cause us to seek out Gods promise the promise to seek faith faith to seek praier and praier to finde God They shall be forgiven him And so he shall be cured on both sides Verse 16. Confesse your faults To any such godly friend as can both keep counsel and give counsel Often times the very opening of mens grievances easeth the very oâ—ening of a vein cools the bloud Howbeit it is neither wisdome nor mercy saith a good Divine to put men upon the rack of confession further then they can have no ease any way else For by this means we â—aise a jealousie in them towards us and oft without cause which weakneth and tainteth that love that should unite hearts in one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The effectuall servent praier Gr. The Working praier that sets the whole man a work to do it as it should be done and so works wonders in heaven and earth being after a sort omnipotent as Luther said Verse 17. Subject to like passions For he fled at the threats of Jezabel Factus seipso imbecillior saith one and he would have died when under the Juniper discontented Verse 18. And the earth brought forth When the roots and fruits seemed all dried up and the Land past recovery But praier never comes to late because God never doth Verse 19. If any do erre from c. Erre about fundamentals fall into deadly heresie Damnable Peter calleth it 2 Epist. 2 1. Verse 20. Shall save a soul A high honour to have any hand in such a work Cover a multitude i.e. He shall be a means that God shall cover them A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the first Epistle generall of S. PETER CHAP. I. Verse 1. To the strangerâ— THat is To the provinciall Jew See the Note on Jam. 1.1 Verse 2. Through sanctification unto obedience To the means as well as to the end 〈◊〉 sanctification as well as to salvation Some there be saith Mr Philpot in an Epistle of his to the Congregation that for an extream refuge in their evil doings run to Gods election saying If I be elected I shall be saved whatever I do Act and Monâ— fol 1663. But such be great tempters of God and abominable blâ—sphemers of his holy election These cast themselves down from the pinatle of the Temple in presumption that God may preserve them by his angels thorow predestination Gods election ought to be with a simple eye considered to make us more warily walk according to his Word and not set cock in the hoop and put all on Gods back to do wickedly at large Thus he Verse 3. Blessed be the God A stately proeme and such as can hardly be matched again unlesse it be that of S. Paul to the Ephesians chap. 1.3 Vnto a lively hope Sure and solid clearing the conscience and cheating the spirit Verse 4. Vndefiled and that fadeth not The two Greek words here used are also Latine Amiantus is a precious stone saith D. Isidor Eâ—ym 1.16 â— 4 Playfire out of Isidore which though it be never so much soiled yet it cannot be blemished And Amarantus is the name of a flower Paedagog l. 1 c 8. which being a long time hung up in the house yet still is fresh and green as Clemens writeth To both these possibly the Apostle might here allude And it is as if he should say the crown that you shall receive shall be studded with the stone Amiantus which cannot be defiled and it is garnished with the flower Amarantus which is fresh and green c. Verse 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who are kept As with a guard or as in a garison that is well fenced with walls and works and so is made impregnable By the power of God Much seen in the Saints perseverance My father is
and there by a further concoction bebecometh white and nourishethe it And as milk from the brests is more effectually taken then when it haâ—h stood a while and the spirits are gone out of it So the word preached rather then read furthereth the souls growth Verse 3. If so be ye have tasted As babes taste the milk they take down Isa 66.11 We are bid to suck and be satisfied with the brests of consolation to presse and oppresse the promises till we have expressed and even wrung the sweetnesse out of them This will make us even sick of love our sleep will be pleasant unto us and our hearts filled with gladnesse The Saints taste how good the Lord is and thence they so long after him Optima demonstratio est a sensibus as he that feels fire hot and that tastes honey sweet can best say it is so Verse 4. As unto a living stone Living and all quickning as Act. 7.38 Lively that is life-giving oracles He that hath the Son hath life 1 Joh. 5.12 Disallowed indeed of men for the Cock on the dung-hill knoweth not the price of this jewel And precious In vita Apol. l 3. c. 14. Alsted Chronel p. â—09 Far beyond that most orient and excellent stone Pantarbe celebrated by Philostratus or that precious adamant of Charls Duke of Burgundy sold for 20000 duckets and set into the Popes triple-crown Verse 5. Ye also as lively stones Gods house is built of growing stones of green timber Cant. 1. To offer up spirituall sacrifices Such as are praiers Psal 141.2 Praises Heb. 13.5 Alms Heb. 13.16 Our selves Rom. 12.1 Our Saviour whom we present as a propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 2.1 laying our hands on his head seeing him bleed to death and consumed in the fire of his Fathers wrath for our sins Verse 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore it is contained The Jews were so well versed in Scripture that in quoting of texts there was need to say no more to them then It is Written It is contained c. they could tell where to turn to the place presently And this was a great furtherance to the conversion of many of them by the preaching of the Apostles Shall not be confounded the Hebrew text hath it Shall not make haste Isa 28.16 Haste makes waste as we say and oft brings confusion Children pull apples afore they are ripe and have worms bred of them Verse 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is precious Gr. He is a price or an honour If you had not found all worth in him you would never have sold all for him Verse 8. And a rock of offence Like that rock Judg. 6.21 out of which comes fire to consume the reprobate Which stumble at the Word An ill sign and yet an ordinary sinne Verse 9. But ye are a chosen generation A pickt people the dearly beloved of Gods soul such as he first chose for his love and then loves for his choice Aroiall Priesthood Or as Moses hath it Exod. 20.6 kingdome of Priests Priests Gods people are in respect of God Kings in respect of men The righteous are Kings Mâ—â—ny righteous men have d fired c. saith Matthew chap. 13.17 Many Kings saith Luke chap 10 24. Indeed they are somewhat obscure Kings here as was Melchisedech in the Land of Canaan but Princes they are in all lands Psal 45.16 and more excellent then their neighbours let them dwell where they will Prov. 12.26 A peculiar people Gr. A people of purchase such as comprehend as it were all Gods gettings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his whole stock that he makes any great reckoning of Shew forth the praises Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preach forth the vertues by our suitable practice the picture of a dear friend should be hung up in a conspicuous place of the house so should Gods holy image and grace in our hearts Verse 10. Which in time past Were not If Plato thought it such a mercy to him that he was a man and not a woman a Grecian and not a Barbarian a scholar to Socrates and not to any other Philosopher what exceeding great cause have we to praise God that we are born Christians not Pagans Protestants not Papists in these blessed daies of Reformation c Verse 11. As pilgrims and strangers Excellently doth Justin Martyr describe the Christians of his time â—pist â—â— Ding they inhabit their own countries saith he but as strangers they partake of all as Citizens and yet suffer all as forraigners every strange land is a Countrey to them and every countrey a strange land And strangers abstain Thoughts of death will be a death to our lusts Lam. 1.9 Her filthinesse is in her skirts and all because she remembreth not her last end As the stroaking of a dead hand on the belly cureth a tympany and as the ashes of a viper applied to the part that is stung draws the venome out of it so the thought of death is a death to sin From fleshly lusts Those parts in our bodies that are the chiefest and nearest both subjects and objects of lust and concupiscence are like unto the dung-gate 1 Chron. 26 16. whereby all the filâ—h was cast out of the Temple God hath placed them in our bodies like snakes creeping out of the bottome of a dung-hill and abased them in our eyes that we might make a base account and estimation of the desires thereof as one well observeth Which warre against the soul Only man is in love with his own bane beasts are not so and sights for those lusts Caâ—ell of temptation that fight against the soul And whereas some might say that other lusts fight against the soul as well as flâ—shly lusts it is answered that other lusts fight against the graces but these more against the peace of the soul Verse 12. Having your conversation honest Leading convincing lives the best arguments against an Atheist adversary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They speak evil of you See the Note on Mat. 5.11 Which they shall behold Whiles they pry and spie into your courses as the Greek word imports to see what evil they can finde out and fasten on In the day of visitation When God shall effectally call and convert them See the Note on Ma 5 16. Verse 13. Full. answ to D Fern. Submit to every ordinance That is Although the Ordinance or Government in the manner of its constitution be from man yet because of the necessity of its institution it is from God submit to it though of man for the Lords sake Verse 14. Or unto Governours In the kingdome of Christ this is wonderfull Miseel â—p ded saith Zanchy that he wils and commands all Princes and Potentates to be subject to his Kingdome and yet he wils and commands likewise that his Kingdome be subject to the Kingdoms of the world Verse 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye may put to silence Gr. Muzzle
the pain makes the Martyr Together with the Lord Cromwell was beheaded in Henry the eighths time Speeds Chron the Lord Hungerford neither so Christianly suffering nor so quietly dying for his offence committed against nature What a sad thing was that related by Eusebius that the cruell persecution under Diocletian was occasioned chiefly by the petulancy pride and contentions of the Pastours and Bishops which gave occasion to the tyrant to think that Christian religion was no better then a wretched devise of wicked men Verse 18. That he might bring us To reconcile and bring men again to God was the main end of Christs coming and suffering This is the wonderment of Angels torment of devils c. Verse 19. He went and preached Righteousnesse i. e. Repentance 2 Pet. 2.5 and the faith of the Gospel 1 Pet. 4.6 whereby some of those many that perished in the waters arrived at heaven Nunquam serò si seriò Christ went to them as an Embassadour sent by his Father and spake to their hearts Verse 20. Which sometimes were disobedient Gr. Vnperswadable uncounsellable They jeared where they should have feared and thought Noah no wiser then the Prior of St Bartholomews in London Holinshead who upon a vain prediction of an idle Astrologer went and built him an house at Harrow on the hill to secure himself from a supposed floud fore-told by that Astrologer Verse 21. Baptisme doth also now save It is of permanent use and effectuall to seal up salvation whensoever a man believes and repents Hence we are once baptized for all See Ephes 5.26 Tit. 3.5 The Popes decrees say That Confirmation is of more value then Baptisme and gives the holy Ghost more plentifully and effectually Not the putting away That none bear himself bold upon his Christendome Unregenerate Israel is to God as Ethiopia Amos 9.7 A man may goe to hell with baptismall water on his face But the answer The Stipulation or confident interrogation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as is that of the Apostle Rom. 8.33 34 35. and of Jeremy pleading with God Chap. 12.1 and reasoning the cause with him David from his circumcision promised himself victory over that uncircumcised Philistim so may we from our baptisme against all spirituall wickednesses Verse 22. Angels and authorities Psal 68.17 The word rendered Angels signifieth Seconds as being second to Christ or next to him See Dan. 10.13 CHAP. IV. Verse 1. Christ hath suffered AS Chap. 3.18 In the flesh In humane nature so must we suffer in sinfull nature subduing it to God and ceasing from sin nailing it and nailing it to the crosse of Christ Verse 2. That he no longer c. To spend the span of this transitory life after the waies of ones own heart is to perish for ever Verse 3. In lasciviousnesse lusts c. The true picture of a Pagan conversation which yet is too too common among those that call themselves Christians The world is now grown perfectly profane and can play on the Lords-day without book making it as Bacchus Orgies rather then Gods holy day with piping dancing drinking drabbing c. We may say as once Alsted of his Germans that if the Sabbath-day should be named according to their observing of it Demoniacus potiùs quam I ominious diceretur Aâ—sted Encyl it should be called not Gods-day but the devils Excesse of Wine Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Red and rich faces as they call them Revellings Stinkes saith the Syriack Drunkards are stinkards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Banquettings Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Compotations or good-fellow-meetings some render it bibbings sippings tiplings sitting long at it though not to an alienation of the minde Verse 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They think it strange Gr. That they think it a new world marvelling what is come to you alate It is I said the harlot Arego nonsuâ—â— but it is not I said the convert Into the same excesse Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bubbling or boiling as the raging sea soaming out its own filth Verse 5. Who shall give account Of their ungodly deeds and hard speeches Jude 15. Angels did their first execution in the world upon luxurious Sodomites they will be very active doubtlesse against such at the last day See 2 Pet. 2.10 and mark that word Chiefly Verse 6. For for this cause See the Note on 1 Pet 3.19 That they might be judged Either by God chastising them 1 Cor. 11.32 or by themselves vers 31. The Gospel melts the hearts of Gods elect with voluntary grief for sin it makes them condemn themselves in the flesh But live according to God The Father of spirits with whom the spirits of just men departed are made perfect Heb. 12.23 Eusebius and Austin make mention of certain Arabians who said that the soul dies with the body and revives not again till the resurrection of the body Euseb l. 2. c. 20. Angtoâ— 6 de haeres This old heresie is now among many others digg'd out of the grave and held by certain Sectaries amongst us Verse 7. Be ye therefore sober c. To be sober in praier saith one is to pray with due respect to Gods Majesty without trifling or vain babbling To let our words be few Eccles 5.3 Also it is to keep Gods counsell not to be proud or boast of successe or speak of the secret sweetnesse of Gods love without calling It is to conceal the familiarity of God in secret And watch unto praier Against dulnesse of body drousinesse of spirit satanicall suggestions distractive motions which else will muster and swarm in the heart like the Flies of Aegypt Verse 8. Charity shall cover This is meant of mutuall love whereby we forgive offences one to another and not that which should justifie us before God in a Popish sense as appears by the precedent words and by Prov. 10.12 Verse 9. Without grudgings Without shucking and hucking See 2 Cor. 8 12. with the Note there Verse 10. Even so minister Clouds when full pour down and the spouts run and the eaves shed and the presses overflow and the Aromaticall trees sweat out their precious and soveraign oils and every learned Scribe brings out his rich treasure c. Verse 11. If any man speak i. e. Preach Every sound is not musick so neither is every Pulpit-discourse preaching At the Oracles of God Those lively and life-giving oracles Act 7.38 the holy Scriptures These he must expound with all gravity and sincerity not seeking himself nor setting forth his own wit and eloquence so putting the sword of the spirit into a velvet scabber'd that it cannot prick and pierce the heart Which God giveth Liberally and magnifically 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 12. Think it not strange Ne tanquam hospites percellumini Stand not wondering and as if struck into a maze Fain would this flesh make strange of that which the Spirit doth embrace saith Mr Saunders Martyr in
calleth humility the root mother nurse foundation and band of all vertues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil the store-house treasury of all good God resisteth See the Note on Jam. 4.6 And giveth grace i.e. Honour and respect as appears by the opposition and by Pro. 3.34 35. Verse 6. Vnder the mighty hand of God If God can blow us to destruction Job 4.9 nod us to destruction Psal 80.16 what is the weight of that mighty hand of his that spans the heavens and holds the earth in the hollow of them That he may exalt you The lower the ebbe the higher is the tide A deluge of sorrows may assault us but they shall exalt us And the lower the foundation of vertue is laid the higher shall the roof of glory be over laid In due time In the opportunity of time in a fit season The very Turks though remorslesse to those that bear up yet receive humiliation with much sweetnes Verse 7. Casting all your care Your carking care Act. and Mon. fol. 1743. your care of diffidence I will now with you sing away care said John Carelesse Martyr in a letter to Mr. Philpot for now my soul is turned to her old rest again and hath taken a sweet nap in Christs lap I have cast my care upon the Lord which careth for me and will be Carelesse according to my name Verse 8. Your adversary the devil Satan envies our condition that we should enjoy that Paradise that he left the comforts he once had Hence he disturbs us and is restlesse out of his infinite hatred of God and goodnesse as the Scorpion still puâ—s forth his sting and as the Leopard beareth such a naturall hatred against men that if he see but a mans picture he slies upon it and tares it Annibal whether he conquered or was conquered never rested Satan is over-overcome and yet he walks up and down seeking to devour he commits the sin against the holy Ghost every day and shall lie lowest in hell every soul that he drew thither by his temptation shall lie upon him and presse him down as a milstone under the unsupportable wrath of God The word here rendered an adversary properly signifies an adversary at law Against whom we have an Advocate Jesus Christ the just one 1 Ioh. 2.2 who appears for us Heb. 9.24 to non-suit all accusations and to plead our cause Whom he may devour Gr. Whom he may drink up at one draught Verse 9. Stedfast in the faith Gr. Stiff solid settled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch That the same afflictions Art not thou glad to fare as Phocion said he to one that was to die with him Ignatius going to suffer triumphed in this that his bloud should be found among the mighty Worthies and that when the Lord maketh inquisition for bloud he will recount from the bloud of righteous Abelâ— not only to the bloud of Zacharias son of Barachias but also to the bloud of mean Ignatius Verse 10 But the God of all grace Thus the Apostle divides his time betwixt preaching and praier according to his own advice Act. 6.4 and the practice of those ancient Ministers Deut. 33.10 Verse 11. To him be glory c. Non loquendum de Deo sine lumine said the Heathen we may not mention God but with praise to his name say we Verse 12. I have written briefly Gr. In few The holy Scripture hath fulnesse of matter in fewnesse of words the whole counsel of God shut up in a narrow compasse The Lord knows that much reading is a wearinesse of the flesh Eccles 12.12 and hath therefore provided for our infirmity Verse 13. The Church that is at Babylon At Rome say the Papists that they may prove Peter to have been Bishop of Rome But though this be far set yet here they grant us that Rome is that mysticall Babylon mentioned in the Revelation It is probable that S. Peter meant no other Babylon then the Metropolis of Chaldaea where he being the Apostle of the circumcision preached to those dispersed Jews and other Gentiles that he had converted Verse 14. With a kisse of charity So called because their love to one another was by this symbol or ceremony both evidenced and encreased A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the second Epistle generall of S. PETER CHAP. I. Verse 1. A servant THe Pope who will needs stile himself A servant of servants is herein the successour not of Peter but of cursed Cham. He stamps in his coyn That Nation and countrey that will not serve thee shall be rooted out and so bewraies his putid hypocrisie Like precious faith Precious as gold tried in the fire that maketh rich Revel 3.18 And like precious though of different degrees In regard of 1. The Authour God 2. The object Christ 3. The means of working it the Spirit and Word 4. The end of it salvation 5. The essentiall property of it of handfasting us to Christ A childe may hold a ring in his hand as well though not as fast as a man Verse 2. Through the knowledge There is not a new notion or a further enlargement of saving knowledge but it brings some grace and peace with it All the grace that a man hath it passeth thorow the understanding and the difference of stature in Christianity grows from different degrees of knowledge Grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Joh. 1.17 Verse 3. To glory and vertue To glory as the end to vertue as the means The very Heathens made their passage to the temple of honour thorow the temple of vertue Do worthily and be famous Ruth 4.11 Verse 4. Exceeding great and precious Every precious stone hath an egregious vertue in it Cardan Subti l 7. so hath every promise The promises saith one are a precious book every leaf drops mirthe and mercy The weak Christian cannot open read apply it Christ can and will for him That by these ye might be partakers As the Sunne when it applies it's beams to a fitly disposed matter and staies upon it begins to beget life and motion and makes a living creature so do the promises applied to the heart make a new creature See a Cor. 3 6. Of the divine nature That is of those divine qualities called elsewhere The image of God The life of God c. whereby we resemble God not only as a picture doth a man in outward lineaments but as the childe doth his father in countenance and conditions It was no absurd speech of him that said That the high parts that are seen in heroicall persons do plainly shew that there is a God Neither can I here but insert the saying of another Well may grace be called the divine nature for as God brings light out of darknesse comfort out of sorrow riches out of poverty and glory out of shame so doth grace turn the dirt of disgrace into gold c. As Moses his hand it turns a serpent into a rod. Verse 5. And besides this
another as Aquila and Priscilla did for Paul Rom. 16.4 Verse 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Worlds good Gr. Livelyhood Which is all that the world looks after And shutteth up his bowels c. Not drawing out unto him both his sheaf and his soul Isa 58.9 Verse 18. Let us not love in Word Words are light-cheap and there is a great deal of mouth-mercy abroad Julian the apostate is not presently a friend to Basil though the write unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio. thou art my friend and beloved brother The Roman legions loved Otho the Emperour saith the Historian and gave him all respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not from the teeth out ward but from the heart-root See the Notes on Jam. 2.14 15 16. Verse 19. And shall assure our hearts This saith father Latimer is the sweet-meats of the feast of a good conscience There are other dainty dishes in this feast but this is the banquet Verse 20. Conscia â—ens ui cuiâ— sua est ita concipâ—â—â—â—trapectera pro facto spemque metumqueâ—uo Oâ—â—d If our heart condemn us Conscience is Gods spie and mans over-seer Domesticus index judex carnifex Gods deputy-Judge holding court in the whole soul bearing witnesse of all a mans doing and desires and accordingly excusing or accusing absolving or condeming comforting or tormenting Verse 21. Then have we confidence Sincerity is the mother of serenity Since qua tranquillitas emnis tempestas est saith Isidore Uprightnesse hath boldnesse It is not a peace but a truce that the wicked have such a storm will befall them as shall never be blown over Israel is the heir of peace Galatians 6.16 Isa 32.17 Verse 22. And what soever we ask sc According to his will Fiat voluntas mea quia tua said Luther I can have what I will of God said one for my will shall be concentrike with his will Because we keep The obedience of faith emboldens us yet may no may say as the prodigall Give me the porâ—ion that belongeth to me It was a proud speech of that Emperour that said Antonin Philos Non sic Deos coluimus an t sic vivimus ut ille not vinceret We have not so served God that the enemy should overcome us Verse 23. And this is his commandment This is the sum and substance of the Gospel that we believe and love and the more we believe Gods love to us the more love shall we bear one to another for our love is but a reflex of his Verse 24. By the Spirit Christ hat satisfied the wrath of the Father and now the Father and Christ both as reconciled send the Spirit as the fruit of both their loves to inhabit our hearts And truly next unto the love of Christ in dwelling in our nature we may well wonder at the love of the holy Ghost that will dwell in our defiled souls CHAP. IIII. Verse 1. But try the spirits AS Lapidaries do their stones as goldsmiths do the â—etals A Bristow stone may look as well as an Indian diamond and many things glister besides gold Try therefore before you trust that which is doctrinally delivered unto you being neither over-credulous the fool believeth every thing nor rashly censorious as those were that said of our Saviour This man blasphemeth See the Note on 1 Thess 5.21 Because many false Prophets Both the old Church Deut. 13.1 and the new Act. 20.30 were ever pestered with them Verse 2. Herby know ye the spirit Bring it to this test Gold may be rub'd or melted it remains orient so doth truth Whereas errour as glasse bright but brittle cannot endure the hammer of fire That confesseth That preacheth Christ crucified Verse 3. Is not of God And yet he is not called an Atheist or an Antitheist but Antichrist that is an opposite to Christ as if his opposing should not be so much to Christs nature or person as to his unction and function Verse 4. And have overcome viz. In your head Christ and by the help of his holy spirit your sweet inhabitant whereby ye are more then conquerours because sure to overcome and triumph Verse 5. They are of the World i. e. The seducers fit lettice for such lips Dignum patellâ operculum Vosinfernates estis Ye are from beneath I am from above saith Christ Job 8.23 There fore speak they of the World The water riseth not unlesse forced above the fountain Out of the ware-house the shop is furnished Carnall teachers gratifie their hearers with pleasing positions the Papists in their petition to King James for a toleration plead this as an argument That their religion is agreeable to mens nature and indeed it is an alluring tempting bewitching religion giving way to all licentiousnesse and lasciviousnesse So Mahomet in his Aâ—choran tels his followers concerning venery That God did not give men such appetites to have them frustrate but enjoyed as made for the gust of man not for his torment and a great deal more of such paltry stuff Verse 6. Heareth us Christs sheep are rationall they can discern his voice from that of a stranger and will hear it not with that gristle only that grows upon their heads but with the car of their soul which trieth doctrines as the mouth doth meat Job 3. and knoweth the spirit of truth and the spirit of errour Verse 7. Beloved let us love one another This beloved Disciple breaths nothing but love as if he had been born with love in his mouth as they say Verse 8. Knoweth not God If morall vertue could be seen with mortall eyes saith Plato it would draw all hearts unto it If God were well known he could not but be best beloved and all that are his for his sake Verse 9. In this Was manifested The very naked bowels of his tenderest compassions are herein laid open unto us as in an anatomie God so loved his son that he gave him the world for his possâ—ssion Ps 2.7 but he so loved the world that he gave Son and all for its redemption Verse 10. Not that we loved c. Deus prior nos amavit tantus tantùm gratis tantillos tales God though so great Bern. loved us first and freely though such and so worthlesse He loved us because be loved us saith Moses Deut. 7.7 8. the ground of his love being wholly in himself He works for his own names sake Ezek. 20.8 14 44 22. four severall times not withstanding his word and oath 13 15 23. Verse 11. If god so loved us His one example easily answereth all our objections taketh off all our excuses As that our brother is our inferiour our adversary of whom we have better deserved c. Verse 12. No man hath seen God If we reade that any hath seen him we must understand it that indeed they did see Rab. Maim more Nevochimd 3.07 Mercavah velo harocheb the charriot in which God rode but not the rider in it as that Rabbi speaketh Verse
shall be the finest prey the greatest sinners the sorest sufferers CHAP. XX. Verse 1. And I saw an Angel COnstantine the great the Churches male-childe Chap. 12. Having the key Not that key Chap. 9.1 but another A great chain The succession of Christian Emperours Verse 2. And he laid hold on the Dragon Chap. 12.7 9. He took him in a field-fight and since then till now we have heard little of him more then that he substituted the Beast Chap. 13. whose destruction being declared the prophecy returns to shew the judgment of the Dragon And bound him From the open slaughtering of the Saints as he had done by the Heathen Emperours for from molesting and mischieving of Gods people other wise he is not bound one hour Job 1. 1 Pet. 5.8 And how his vicegerent the Beast hath bestirred him during the thousand years who knows not A thousand years Hos explicare fatâ—or trepidè mâ— aggredi saith Pareus He begins the thousand at the destructiâ—n of the Temple anno 73. and so it ends in Pope Hildebrand who stept into that chair of pestilence anno 1073. Others begin it at the birth of Christ and end in Silvester 2. Others at Christs passion and end in Benedict 9. But they do best in my opinion that begin at Constantine and end in Boniface the 8. who is of his own said to have entered like a fox raigned as a Lion and died as a dog He excommunicated the French King and published this decree That the Bishop of Rome ought to be judged of none although he should carry innumerable souls with him to hell Verse 3. And cast him into the bottomlesse pit That is into the earth Chap. 12.9 12. Chap. 13.11 the earth is the bottomlesse pit out of which the Beast was raised by the Dragon Deceive the Nations The Gentiles by defending Gentilisme and hindering the course of the Gospel amongst them And after that the must be losed He must because God hath so decreed it for the glory of his own name in the defence of his people but destruction of his enemies As also that the devil may shew his malice which God can restrain at his pleasure Roger Holland Martyr said to Bonner This I dare be bold in God to speak which by his Spirit I am moved to say that God will shorten your hand of cruelty that for a time you shall not molest his Church And after this day in this place shall there not any be by him put to the fire and faggot Aâ—â— and Monâ—â— 852. And it proved so for none after the suffered in Smithfield for the testimony of the Gospel Verse 4. And they sat upon them Resting from former pâ—rsecutions and raigning in righteousnesse even here upon earth And judgement was given unto them That is say some the spirit or discerning between Christianity and Antichristianisme Or the clearing of the innocency and doing them right say others Or they had their chairs seats and consistories wherein they did both preach the Word and execute the Churches censure as some sense it And I saw the souls This makes against the Millenaries Souls raign not but in heaven there are the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12. Cotton his pouring out of the 7. vioâ—s p. 26. True it is as Mr Cotton well observeth that there are many devises in the mindes of some to think that Jesus Christ shall come from heaven again and raign here with his Saints upon earth a thousand years But they are saith he but the mistakes of some high expressions in Scripture which describe the judgments poured out upon Gods enemies in making way to the Jews conversion by the patern of the last judgment Thus he The souls here mentioned are the same I conceive that were seen under the Altar Revel 6.9 and doe cry How long Lord These are not capable of a bodily resurrection nor of an earthly raigne And they lived and raigned with Christ They that is those that sat on the thrones not they that were beheaded Lived and raigned as spirituall Kings after the same manner as they are Priests vers 6. for else there should be more Kings then Subjects With Christ It is not said with Christ upon earth this is an addition to the text or if the words did import a raigning upon earth yet this would not inferre an earthly raign for a thousand years in great worldly delights begetting many children eating and drinking and enjoying all lawfull pleasures as some dream now a-daies The conceit I confesse is as ancient as Cerinthâ—â— the heretike and Pâ—pias scholar to S. John a man much reverenced for opinion of his holinesse but yet homo ingenij pertenuiâ— saith Eusebius not oppressed with wit Hierom and Augustine explode it as a Jewish fable and declare it to be agreat errour if not an heresie so do all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at this day The Patrons of Christs personall raign upon earth Moses's choice p. 487. are Mr Archer and Mr Burroughes who tels us That if the opinion of some concerning Christs coming to raign here in the world before the day of judgement be not a truth he cannot make any thing of many places of Scripture as this place for one But if he cannot yet others can See an Answer to his and M. Archers chief Arguments in M. Baylâ— his disswasive from the errours of the times Chap. 21. p. 238. Verse 5. But the rest of the dead Dead in Baal-worship as Ephraim Hos 13.1 dead in sins as Sardis Rev. 3.1 Lived not again By repentance from dead works or they recovered not the life and immortality that is brought to light by the Gospel Vntill the thousand years Untill being taught better by Gods faithfull witnesses they abjured Popery This is the first resurrection From Romish superstitions M. Fox tels us Act. and Mon. fol 767. that by the reading of Chaucers books some were brought to the knowledge of the truth Verse 6. Blessed and happy is he The holy only have part in this resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and are therefore happy or out of harms-way as the word signifies The second death hath no power For they are brought from the jaws of death to the joyes of eternall life where is mirth without mourning riches without rust c. But they shall be Priests See the Note on Chap. 1.6 They shall raign The righteous are Kings Mat. 13.17 compared with Luk. 10.24 Many righteous is the same with Many Kings See the Note on ver 4. A thousand years These thousand years begin saith Master Brightman where the former ended that is in the year 1300. whereby continuance thereof is promised for a thousand years forward among some of the Gentiles and how long it shall raign afterwards among the Jews he onely knows that knows all Verse 7. Satan shall be loosed i. e. Suffered to rise up in open rage against the open professours of the truth and to make havock
Admonition Alms. Ambition Angels Anger Apostacy Arrogancy Arts. Atheisme By John Trapp M. A. Pastour and Preacher of Gods Word at Weston upon Avon in Glocester-shire Isâ—â— ad Ni. ocâ—â—m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed by A. M. for John Bellamy at the Signe of the three golden Lions in Cornhill M.DC.XLVII The Authour to the Reader WHen I first sent up some other of my Notes to the Presse I had no intent at all to publish for present this imperfect piece But being since admonished by a Reverend Divine who had the perusall of those unpolished papers of mine that I had here and there referred thee Reader for further satisfaction to my Common-places not yet extant and therefore by him and others encouraged to send them abroad for an Essay as they were I have done so as thou seest And shall either go on or give over here as I finde my service accepted of the Saints Mean-while might I but obtain St Pauls request of thee Rom. 15.31 even for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the Spirit to strive together with me in thy praiers to God for me that I may be delivered from irrational and irreligious men Rom. 15.29 30 31 32 33. and that I may come unto thy heart with joy by the will of God and in the fulnesse of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ O how happy should I hold my self therein and how readily should I repay thee thy praiers in the ensuing words and say Now the God of peace be with thy spirit Amen To the learned and reverend Authour OF Decads ten you premise made And here the Tithe alone is paid To pay the Tithe commend I doe i th Laity but not in You. Where are the Nine What doth this mean A promise fat a paiment lean I erre i th Tithe the Nine I see Nine Muses a full Century The paiment thus is very right Though not in number yet in weight Yet I beseech you adde the rest Of that that 's choice the most is best THO. DUGARD Art Mag. Cantab. THE MARROW OF Many good Authours Extracted and distilled into a Decad of divine Discourses Abstinence PROV 23.1 2 3. When thou sittest to eat with a Ruler consider diligently what is before thee And put a knife to thy throat if thou be a man given to appetite Be not desirous of his dainties for they are deceitfull meat KIng Solomon having shewed in the last verse of the former Chapter that diligence sets a man in the presence of Kings 1 King 11.18 as it had done Jeroboam in his presence because he found him dexterous and diligent handy and meet for the work â— he here directs such when so prefer'd how to behave themselves if set at table especially 1. vers 1. To consider where to feed vers 1. for a man is forced many times amidst the variety of meats wherewith great mens tables usually sweat to eat doubtfully as one speaketh not well knowing what piece to pitch upon what dish to deal withall 2. To put a knife to their throat vers 2. or in their throat as Aben-Ezra tenders it rather then offend by inordinate appetite Vers 3. This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal 5 23. from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. If yet they finde themselves over-desirous of those daintiâ—s to bridle themselves in by main force to lord it over their lusts not coveting the cates of a king but being content with gruell rather as Daniel and his three fellows for the keeping of a good conscience Doct. The often inculcating the duty imports 1. A necessity and that it must be done or we are undone 2. Difficulty by reason of our strong inclination to intemperance against which therefore keep we a strong guard curbing and controuling the concupiscible faculty about alimentary objects restraining excesse both in meats which is Abstinence strictly taken and in drinks which properly is Sobriety whereof hereafter in its place Abstinence orders a man in the use of meats that it be neither unseasonable for the time nor unreasonable for the measure 1. As touching the time It is a fault not to observe due hours of eating Eccle. 10.16 17. to fare deliciously every day Luk. 16.19 Mat. 24. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eating in the present tense continuall eating as bâ—ute beasts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à privativa par tioula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To riot in the day time 2 Pet. 2.13 To feast when God cals to fasting Isa 22.12 13. which is therefore called a day of restraint Joel 2.15 because we should then restrain our selves from all meat if possible for a season that nature may be chastised yet not disabled for duty Or at least from bread of desires as Daniel that man of desires Dan. 9.23 He ate no pleasant bread neither came slesh nor wine in his mouth c. for three whole weeks together because it went ill with the poor people of God Mr Rogers Martyr Dâ—n 10.2 3. Act. and Mon. Ibid. 1155 Fulvius Argentarius ex authoritate senatâ—â— in careerem deductus quòd tempore belli funesti ipse soâ—â—â— Letari visâ—â— est Plin l. â—c 7 Act. and Mun. fol. 15â—4 in a hard time made a motion to forbear one mâ—al a day Mr Wiseheart a Scotch-Martyr forbare one meal in three one day in four for the most part except something to comfort nature God threatneth those that do not abstain in an evil time Amos 6.4 7. And the Romans punished it in one that feasted and looked out at a window with a garland on his head in the second Punick war 2. For the measure 1. We may not neglect the body defraud our Genius macerate and unspirit our selves overmuch as those Col. 2.23 as Timothy living among the luxurious Ephesians 1 Tim. 5.23 And as Nicolas Shetterdens wife the Martyr whom he chides in a letter to her for her excessive fasting though of a pious intention The mercifull man doth good to his own soul but he that is cruel troubleth his own fâ—esh Prov. 11.17 This later clause Rabbi Levi expoundeth and Mercer is of the same minde to be meant of those that place the chief service of God in afflicting and pining their bodies Merc in loc whereas bodily exercise profiteth little 2. We may not pamper the body cater for the flesh preserve it we must make provision for it we may not Debters we are Rom. 13. 〈◊〉 to see to it not to live to it Rom. 8.12 We may not live to eat but eat to live lesse we must eat then nature desires and yet so much as refresheth nature and makes us fit for the service of God and man Take heed to your selves saith our Saviour to his Disciples And who would have thought that they who ordinarily fed upon barly-bread and once had no better a Sundaies-dinner then a few ears of corn rub'd betwixt their hands should need any such
by his children at their feast It emasculates the spirit as we see in Solomon whose luxury drew out his spirits and dissolved him It indisposeth men to those exercises that are to be performed by the minde which is now taken up with the thought of what shall we eat what shall we drink c A full belly neither studies well nor praies well They serve not the Lord Jesus Christ that serve their own bellies Rom. 16.10 How can they when their kitchin is their shrine their Cook their Priest their Table their Altar and their belly their god Phil. 3 c. Admonition 1 THES 5.14 Warne them that are unruly Doct. 1 THere are a sort of unruly ones in the visible Church disordered and dissolute exorbitant and enormous livers such as transgresse the tradition saith the Apostle of them 2 Thess 3.6 that is Ephes 5.15 Obey not the form of doctrine delivered unto them Rom. 6.17 Walk not by rule but at all adventures Levit. 26.23 Contra gnomonem canonem decalogi lawlesse yokelesse masterles monsters sonnes of Belial goats wilde asse-colts untamed heifers horses mules Psal 32.9 Quibus vita est incomposita pessimè morata Calvin they run away with the bit between their teeth break Christs bonds as Samson did the green withes shake Christs yoke from their shoulders as the Unicorn Job 39.10 send messages after him as they in the Gospel We will not have this man to rule over us we will not live by his laws Of these S. Peter 2 ep 2. and S. Jude v. 8.9 Reas 1 God permits such 1. For the glory of his patience and justice towards them of his mercy to wards his own who will see and say Who made us to differ Lord how is it that thou showest thy felf to us and not to the world Joh. 14.22 2. For the triall exercise correction of his Saints 3. For a mutrall scourge to themselves as the East by the Turks the West by the Pope for their Apostacy c. Reas 2 The devil effects it That great and first Hetercâ—lite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that kept not his station but brake the ranks and is become a master of misrule amongst the men of this world whom he acts and agitates Ephes 2 2. carries them along as possest persons through fire and water thick and thin hath them at his beck and check called therefore Children of disobedience sons of Belial taken alive and carried about by him at his pleasure as Bajazet was in an iron â—age 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 26 Reas 3 Men are therefore obstinate in evil saith the Prophet Because 1. Their neck is an iron sinew 2. Their brow is brasse Isa 48.4 This double distemper lies upon every carnall person 1. Naturall crossenesse to the law of God Rom. 8.7 Homo est inversus decalogus 2. Habituall hardnesse contracted by long trading in sin Doing wickedly with both hands earnestly Mic. 7.3 setting their sinne upon the cliffe of the rock Ezek. 24.7 adding to their sinews of iron brâ—ws of brasse to naturall impotence impudence in evil Jer. 3.3 an uncouncellable wilfulnesse in wickednesse Vse 1 Woe to those unruly rebels God hath a rod of iron for them Psal 2. that those that will not bend may break those that will not be Christs subjects may be his footstool t is sure he 'll have the better of them If they walk contrary to him he will be as crosse to them Levit. 26.23 If they be froward he will be as froward as they for the hearts of them Psal 18.26 They shall have their wils but then he will have his Ezek. 24.13 In running from God and the obedience of his Word they doe but run to meet their own bane as the Philistims did at Mizpeh 1 Sam. 7. Aut poenitendum aut perâ—undum Aut faciendum aut patiendum Men must either repent or perish doe Gods law or suffer it The law was added because of transgression and is given not for the righteous but for the lawlesse and disobedient 1 Tim. 1.9 to hamper those unruly beasts and to tame them with those four teeâ—h it hath 1. Irritation Rom. 7.7 2. Induration Isa 6.10 3. Obligation Gen. 4.7 4. Execration Gal. 3.10 And whereas these mens hope of help is From the Gospel which is Quasi post naufragium tabula as a plank after shipwreck that will not relieve them neither For as against such there is no law saith the Apostle of the fruits of the spirit so for such there is no Gospel say I of the wilfully wicked Vse 2 Be wise now therefore be instructed Gal. 5.23 Psal 2.10 Tremble and sin not Psal 4.4 Send a lamb to the ruler of the earth as an homage-peny Isa 16.1 bring presents to Fear or to him that ought to be feared Psal 76.11 Receive the Word with all readinesse Act. 7.11 Give your selves first to God and then to us by the will of God as those Macedonians 2 Cor. 8.5 Gen. 2â— 3 Obey from the heart the form of doctrine whereunto ye have been delivered as those Romans Chap 6.17 Captivate your reason as Paul did Gal. 1.16 dispute not but dispatch Gods commands as Abraham did Get an open â—ar a teachable spirit so that a little childe may lead you Isa 11.6 A heavy ear is a singular judgement Isa 6.10 a dull heart the devils work 2 Cor. 4.4 See that ye adde not rebellion to sinne Job 34.37 lest ye adde wrath to wrath Rom. 2.5 And here 1. For time past look on all the writs of ex cution and say as 1 Cor. 10.11 These are as so many types 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moulds monitours summoners reall Sermons to us 2. For present look up and see as David did the punishing Angel as it were with a drawn sword And though thou maist shuffle awhile from side to side as the Asse did yet think not long to escape 3. For future think seriously of that dreadfull doomsday that shall burn as an oven And Knowing the terrour of the Lord Act. 24.16 perswade others perswade your selves especially to walk by rule and keep a clear conscience that most precious jewel that ever the heart of man was acquainted with Warn the unruly Doct. 2 Unruly persons must be admonished rebuked advertised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bonâ— mentem indite Daven in Col. 3.16 Amissâ— mentem veponite Beza ad mentem restituite restored to their right mindes again as the word here used importeth For sin maketh men sots Hos 4.11 mad-men Eccles 7.25 quite besides themselves as the Prodigall Luk. 15.17 Ye which are spirituall restore them therefore Gal. 6.1 rouse them 2 Pet. 1 13. raise them out of the pit you must his asse much more his soul Exod. 23.5 yea pull them out of the fire as S. Jude hath it making a difference out of deep compassion Or as Lorinus reads and renders that text Arguite disputatos by strength of argument convince them
work on both sides But such shall have thanks one day Ob. I shall lose my labour Sol. Venture that thou hast lost many a worse See Iob 6.25 1 Kin. 5.11 Ob. I shall lose my friend Sol. It may be not But say thou shouldest thou shalt finde a better thing See Mar. 10.29.30 He that receives a courtesie we say sels his liberty But so did not our Saviour at Marthaâ—s at Simons house the leper nor must we but trust God with all A man had better offend all the world then his own conscience Fourthly How must we admonish First Zealously so as the reproof may enter the counsell be considered of Prov. 17.10 There is a curse to those that do this work of the Lord negligently Ier. 48.10 as Eli did in dealing with his lewd sons and Pope Paul the 5. who being advertised of the deterstable villanies of his son Farnesius thought it sufficient to say Haec vâ—tia me non commonstratore didicit Heyl. Geog. p. 222. Acerbissimo sarcasmo eos perâ—â—stringit Gal. 5.1 He never learned these vices of his father How did S. Paul sharp up the sorcerer Act. 13.10 And our Saviour shake up his drousie disciples Mar. 14.41 though heavy-hearted From henceforth sleep and take your rest it is sufficient Three words he useth to upbraid them their sleeping the third time q. d. Sleep now if you can the hour is come the souldiers are at hand c. Next mildly and in the spirit of meeknesse Some warmth must be in a reproof but it must not be scalding not as by words of reproach reviling threatning Monendo quam minando Elisha did more with a kisse then his man with a staff No oratory is so powerfull as that of mildnes Ought ye not to walk in the fear of the Lord because of the reproach of the Heathen said Nehemiah Who could resist such a sweet and soveraign reprehension Lastly Learn when to admonish Not when men are in their drink 1 Sam. 25.36 or in heat of passion Pro. 18.19 Good Physicians evacuate not the body in extremity of heat and cold Mariners hoise not sail in every winde Opportunities must be watched Samuel reproves not Israel till sure of their King Consider wisely whether it may better be done presently and in hot bloud or more conveniently and profitably at another time Ecel 3.7 Pro. 29.11 Almes 1 TIM 6.17 18 19. Charge those that be rich in this world that they be not high-minded neither trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us all things richly to enjoy That they do good that they be rich in good works reaâ—y to distribute willing to communicate Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternall life COntented godlinesse is great gain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is our Apostles proposition in opposition to those men of corrupt mindes that even in those purer times doubted not to defend That gain was godlinesse vers 5 6. But the love of money is the root of all evil And they that will be rich that are resolved to rake together rem rem quocunque modo rem These fall unavoidably into temptation and a snare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—a demergunt bomines ut in aquâ—e summitate rursus non ebulliant Woâ—erig yea if they stop not the sooner step not back the faster into many foolish and noisome lusts which desperately drown men in perdition and destruction vers 9 10. This to prevent the Apostle tasketh Timothy 1. For himself to lay hold on eternall life as fast as others do on this worlds goods to follow after godlinesse as greedily as they after gain 2. For others after a short digression he chargeth him to charge the rich in this world so to handle their thorns that they prick not their fingers pierce not their souls gore not their consciences either by pride that hate of heaven and gate to hell or by carnall confidence as if they were simply the safer or better for their abundance But contrariwise 1 For God to trust in him for that he both lives and gives us all things c. 2. For men to exercise bounty toward them Whereof we have here 1. A just description by the matter measure manner constant continuance ver 18. 2. A powerfull incitation to the practice of it drawn ab utili which every man hearkneth after ver 19. Charge them that are rich that they be rich in good works Doct. As God hath enlarged any man in his outward estate he must be answerably enlarged in works of mercy For that of this kinde of good works the Apostle is here to be understood it well appears by the context The Scripture ranks all sorts into 1. Rich. 2. Poor 3. Men of a mean or middle condition such as Agur wished for Prov. 30.8 Poor men are such as cannot comfortably subsist without relief The middle-man is he that gets and eats his gettings and eatings are even at weeks end The rich man is he that hath any thing over that size of satisfying nature that hath any over-plus any thing to lay up Now the rule here is Every man according to his ability must relieve his poor brother as they did Act. 11.29 Yea though we may not stretch beyond the staple and so break all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mar. 12.44 for a poor mans livelyhood is his life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 que ad imum usque cos exinamerat yet in some extraordinary necessity and exigency the poor widdow must part with her little All the Sareptan be no niggard of her oil though it be in the bottome the deep poverty of the Macedonians must abound unto the riches of their liberality who to their power and beyond it too were willing thereto 2 Cor. 8.2 3. The day-labourer must give somewhat out of his gets the servant out of his wages Ephes 4.28 The Ruler must not exact his right Nehem. 5.10 nor the landed man spare to sell that be hath to give alms thereof Luk. 12.33 as Barnabas and others did Act. 4.37 and was therefore called A sonne of consolation because he thereby comforted Gods poor afflicted Holy Bradford in a hard time Act. and Mon. Ibid. thought not much to sell his chains rings and jewels for relief of others Rogers our Protomartyr in Queen Maries daies made a motion to forbear one meal a day Hic apud Buchanan Sophocardius dicitur Mr George Wiseheart a Scotch Martyr forbare one meal in three one day in four for the most part except something to comfort nature He lay hard upon a pouffe of straw with course new canvasse sheets which whenever he changed Act. and Mon. fol. 1155. he gave away Giles of Brussels Martyr gave to the poor all that he had that necessity could spare and only lived by his science which was of a Cutler Some he refreshed with his meat some with
connexion betwixt them Now the rule is Be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull Numb 14.24 Implevit post me Seldome mercy is as little accepted as seldom praier For which another Evangelist hath Be ye perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect The perfection of a godly man is To follow God fully as Caleb did to have a heart full of goodnesse as those Romans chap. 15.14 and a life full of good works as Tabitha Act. 9 33. To follow on to know the Lord and to doe good to men whiles he hath a day to live In the morning sowe thy seed c. Eccl. 11. Which to do that we fail not faint not look up lastly to the recompence of reward which is large and liberall Such as are thus forward to do good for the matter rich in good works for the measure ready to distribute for the manner and willing to communicate for the constancy of their bounty they shall not lose all saith the Text nay they shall gain a great deal both here and hereafter Prov. 11.25 Meritò manus illa corruptionis expers quae neminem mendicare osarire in miseria jacere perpessa est Banfinius Bed Hist Aug lib 3 cap. 6. Here it shall go well with them they shall lay up a sure foundation for their souls bodies names estates posterity First For their souls The liberall soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered himself His soul shall be like a watered garden c. Isa 58.8 9. a plain and plentifull place Of Stephen King of Hungary and of Oswald sometimes King of England it is storied That their right hands though dead never putrified because much exercised in helping and relieving the necessitous and afflicted Sure it is that the souls of such as do it in manner afore-said decay not die not wither not See pro. 11.17 Luk. 16.11 12 c. Thus for grace and for peace wealth never comforts the heart till it be bestowed till distilled as it were in good works The spirits of wealth comfort the conscience Secondly For their bodies If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry then shall thy health spring forth speedily Isa 58. But say the mercifull man be sick as he may and must God will make his bed in all his sicknes God will stir up feathers under him his soul shall be at ease and his body be sweetly refreshed mercy shall be his cordial his pillow of repose as it was to reverend Mr Whately of Banbury of whom I have spoken elswhere In my Commentary on Mat. 5.7 Thirdly For their names The liberall shall have all love and respect with men all good repute and report both alive and dead And a good name we know is better then ointments Eccles 7.1 riches Prov. 22.1 life it self Whereas the vile shall not be called liberall nor Nabal called Nadib the churl bountifull in Christs kingdom Isa 32.5 Gods people shall not spare to call a spade a spade a niggard a niggard And although he applaud himself at the sight of his abundance not caring though the world hisse and hoot at him yet he shall passe among all for a hog in a trough Populus me sibilat at mihi plaudo ipse domi simulac nummos contempler in area Juven for a boar in a stie and be no otherwise esteemed or accounted then the great Turk of whom it is said That where ever he sets his foot nothing grows after him In a word God will curse him men will curse him and wish to be rid of him the place where he lives longs for a vomit to spue him out as an unprofitable burden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hein such as the very ground groans under Fourthly Isa 3 2 8. For their estates The liberall man deviseth liberall things and by liberall things he shall stand Eleemosyna ars omnium quaestuosissima Chrys Quicquid pauperibus spargimus nobis colligimus D Beddings Manus pauperü gazophylacium Ghrisi i. Psal 112. A man would think he should fall rather by being so bountifull but he takes a right course to thrive for getting is not the way to abundance but giving as we see in the Samaritan The gainfullest art is alms-giving saith Chrysostom Whatsoever we scatter to the poor we gather for our selves saith another Riches laid out this way are laid up Non percunt sed parturiunt saith a third The poor mans hand is Christs treasury Christs bank saith an Ancient By our liberality he accounts himself both gratified and engaged Prov. 19.17 And his bare word is better then any mans bond Heaven and earth must be empty ere he fail to repay God will blesse the mercifull mans stock and store Deut. 15.10 his righteousnesse and his riches together shall endure for ever He that giveth to the poor shall not lack Prov. 28 27. that's a bargain of Gods own making M. John Rogers his Treatise of love A certain poor Minister being asked an alms called to his wife to know what money was in the house And understanding that there was no more then one three-pence only give him that said he for we must sowe or else we shall never reap A certain good Bishop of Millain Malancth apud lo Manl. in loc com p. 360. journeying with his servant was met by poor people that begged somewhat of him He commanded his servant to give them all that little money that he had which was three crowns The servant thinking with himself that it were best keep somewhat for their own use gave only two of the three to the poor reserving the third to bear their own charges at night Soon after certain Nobles meeting the Bishop and knowing him to be a good man and bountifull to the poor commanded two hundred crowns to be delivered to the Bishops servant for his masters use The servant having received the money ran with great joy and told his master Ah said the Bishop what wrong hast thou done both me and thy self Si enim tres dedisses trecentos accepisses Surely if thou hadst given those three crowns as I appointed thee thou hadst received for them three hundred So thou hast lost me a hundred crowns to day God's a liberal paimaster and all his retributions are more then bountifull Lastly For their posterity The righteous is mercifull and lendeth and his seed is blessed Psal 37.26 Jonathan is paid for his kindenesse to David in Mephibosheth Jethro for his love to Moses in the Kenites 1 Sam. 15.6 some hundred of years after he their Ancestour was dead The Aegyptians might not be unkindely dealt withall for their harbouring the Patriarchs though they afflicted their posterity But Moabites and Ammonites were bastardized and excluded the Tabernacle to the tenth generation for a meer omission Deut 23.4 Because they met not Gods Israel with bread and water in the wildernesse Let there be none to extend mercy unto him saith the Psalmist by a
supplied by the elect so when they are converted they bear them in their arms as the servants of the house delight to do their young master and are at all times at their right hands to set forth their dexterity and readinesse to help them in holy duties especially Angelu maxime in pulico cetu circumsistuntur pis bleò Tabernacuti cu'za Cherubinu lotus soris reserta Satan stood at Iehoshuah's right hand as he was sacrificing to resist him Zech. 3.2 So did Gabriel at Zacharies right-hand as he was offering incense to enform and comfort him Luk. 1.11 This they do still though invisibly and infensibly that God might draw up our hearts heaven ward and teach us to have our conversation above though our commoration be here beneath Devils are not so ready to tempt and devour us as the Angels are to help and deliver us as evil angels suggest temptations so do good Angels holy motions And as our good endeavours are oft hindered by Satan so are our evil by the Angels else were not our protection equall to our danger and we could neither stand nor rife The devil moved Balaam to go God bad him go if he thought good Eccl. 11. â—le as Solomon bids the young man Follow the waies of his own heart a good Angel resifts him and speaks in the mouth of his asse to convince him B. Hall contemplat If an heavenly spirit saith one stand in the way of a sorcerers sins how much more ready are all those spirituall powers to stop the miscarriage of Gods dearest children How oft had we fallen yet more had not these guardians upheld us whether by removing occasions or casting in good instincts Michael opposed Satan about the body of Moses so doe the Angels still about the bodies and souls of the Saints while they are alive As when they are dead they presently convey their soules into Abrahams bosome thorow the devils territories and in despite of him for he is the Prince of the air And for their bodies they shall gather them together at the last day from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven Mark 13.27 Quest. But how shall they know the righteous from the wicked Answ Very easily For 1. They have ministred unto them and been conversant about them And if a servant know his masters corn from another mans Mali in area nobiscum esse possunt in borreo non possunt Aug. and the tares from the wheat why should not the Angels as easily know the Lords crop 2. The elect are marked from the rest Ezek 9. and shall soon be discerned if by nothing else yet by the lightsomenesse of their looks and lifting up of their heads for their redemption draws nigh Whereas the wicked shall look gastly and rufully the devil claiming his own and these mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming upon them Luk. 21.16 Then shall they be everlastingly shamed Dan. 12.2 and sentenced Iude 14. Mat. 13. Mat. 25.41 Neither helps it that they are a multitude for Christ comes with thousands of his Angels to doe execution to bundle up the tares and cast them into the fornace Now if Ezekiel Daniel Iohn c. men that had good causes and consciences did so tremble before one Angel coming with good tidings in a lesser manifestation of Christs glory what then shall these do when Christ cometh to judgement and when he visiteth what will they answer c. Iob 31. Anger EPHES. 4.26 Be ye angry and sin not let not the Sun go down upon your wrath c. COncessit quod naturae est negavit quod culpae saith Ambrose upon these words M. Gataker and after him Cassiodore It is not evil saith one to marry but good to be wary So neither is it a sin to be angry but hard not to sinne when we are angry Anger is a tender vertue and such as by reason of our unskilfulnesse may be easily corrupted and made dangerous Mat. 16.23 Mark 3.5 He that in his anger would not sinne must not be angry at any thing but sinne Our Saviour was angry with Peter and angry with the Pharisees for the hardnesse of their hearts Moses was even blown up with holy anger at the people for the golden Calf and Gods blessing on every good heart that in such a case hath a stomack for God Meeknesse surely here would be no better then mopishnesse and not so good as madnesse Psal 139. Doe not I hate them that hate thee I hate them with a perfect hatred saith David I count them mine enemies This is the anger of zeal found in Phineas Elias Elisha our Saviour and should have been found in Adam toward his wife in Eli toward his sons Iohn 2.17 Gen. 13.7 Radicem bonam finem bonuÌ„ in Lot toward his servants c. It must have a good rise and a good-end saith Bucer else it becomes a mortall not a veniall sin as the Papists fonely conclude from Mat. 5.22 Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause c. There is a just cause then of anger sinne as an offence to God here Nebuchadnezzar was out Dan. 3.19 And there must be a just measure observed Mark 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat eam tia offensum ut evrum etiam miseâ—cretur c. Ira smor brevis est Horat Lib 2. de fide ortho lexa c 10. that our anger for sin render us not unfit either to pity the sinner as our Saviour in his anger did the obstinate Pharisees or to pray for him as Moses for those idolaters he was so enraged at Exod. 32.31 32. Anger that is not thus bounded is but a momentary madnes saith the Heathen it restreth in the bosome of fools saith Solomon whether it be Bilis iracundia aut infensio for into those three degrees Damascene distinguisheth it Aâ—ger Wrath and Hatred The one saith he hath beginning and motion but presently ceaseth the other taketh deep hold in the memory the third desisteth not without revenge Clichtoveus compareth the first to fire in stubble the second to fire in iron the third to fire that is hid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and never bewraieth it felf but with the ruine of the matter wherein it hath caught Some are sharp some are bitter a third kinde are implacable saith Aristotle The first are the best that as children are soon angry Melch. Adam in vit and as soon pleased again Be ye children in malice 1 Cor. 14.20 Vrsinus was of somewhat a hasty nature So also was Calvin Vt fit in ejusmodi ingeniis saith he that writes their lives For as any man is more industrious and ingenious so he teacheth more teachily and painfully Yet had they so learned to moderate their anger as not to utter a word in their passion Bezae collegae saepè dicebant eunt fine
Nullam esse logicam praeter Laurentinam That his was the only Logick Yea he doubted not to affirm That he found some flaws in the fundamentall points of our faith It will easily be judged that this man wanted neighbours And so before him did those proud boasters Palaemon who gave out Sueton. That learning was born with him and would die with him Epicurus who would needs seem first to have found out the truth whereas in many points he was more blinde then a beetle Aratus and Eudoxus the Astrologers Aug de clâ— Dei l. 16. who boast that they had descried and described the whole number of the stars Archimedes the Mathematician who bragged that he could number the sand in all the world habitable and inhabitable and that if he had but a place to stand in off the earth he could remove the whole body of the earth Parei hist eccles pag. 344. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Richardus de Sancto Victore a Monke of Paris prefer'd himself for skill in divinity above the Prophets and Apostles This he had learned of his lord Lucifer who teacheth his schollars that which they call depths in divinity indeed depths of Satan whereof to be ignorant is no small commendation Revel 2.24 The Gnosticks great students in these depths of the devil counted and called themselves The only knowing men The Manichâ—â—s besotted with an opinion of themselves derived their name of Manna because they held That whatsover they tanght was to be received as food from heaven Novatus called himself Moses and a brother that he had Aaron Montanus said he was the Comforter and his Pepuza and Tymium two pelting Parishes in Phrygia he called Jerusalem Euseb l. 5 â— 17. At si ex Salvatore esset Ortundas Bez. as if they had been the only Churches in the world Elymas the sorcerer had called himself Bariesus as if he had been near of kin to Christ Act. 13.6 And John O-Neal Camd. Eliz. father to the Earl of Tyrone inscribed himself in all places I great John O-Neal Cousin to Christ friend to the Queen of England and foe to all the world But though we had known Christ after the flesh saith Paul yet hence forth know we him no more 2 Cor. 5.16 Coloss 4. Yea though we had touched him in bloud and been flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone yet without faith all that were nothing It was an honour to Mark that he was Barnabas his sisters son But it is a blemish to Christs brethren that neither did they believe in him Joh. 5.40 Joh. 7.5 Indeed how could they when they sought their own praise only according to that How can ye believe in me when ye receive honour one of another Go up say they to him into Judea that thy disciples also may see thy works that thou doest For there is no man c. Joh. 7 3 4. Thus they insulted over him or sought at least to get credit by him But he would not gratifie them so far For he might well have said to them 1 Sam. 17. â—8 as once Eliab did ill to his brother David I know your pride and the naughtinesse of your hearts but it shall not be so As for the best of his kindred He preferred Peter that lively spark and James and John those sons of thunder before his own brother James and before Judas Simon and others of them that were his near kinsmen For who is my mother and who are my brethren c Surely Mark 3.33 he that doth the will of God he is my brother and sister and mother Christ cals his Church his sister his spouse Cant. 5.2 The nearest affinity is Spouse and the nearest consanguinity Sister And no lesse good tearms he gives her also after her fall when once truly humbled he cass her his Love his Dove his undefiled one Chap 5.9 For to him will I speak with speciall intimations of my love even to him that is poor in spirit and contrite in heart and trembleth at my word Isa 66.2 Though the Lord be high yet he respecteth the lowly but the proud he knoweth afar off their breath is offensive to his sharp sent Aug de temp Humilâ—a de preximo respâ—cit ut attollati superba de lâ—rge cognoscit ut deprimat Ibid. Humilis est janua Christus Dominâ—â—â— Qui intrat per hanc januam humiliet se oportet ut sano capite intrare contiâ—gat Aug in Iohan. they may not come near him Whereupon excellently St Austin Videtâ— magnum miraculum saith he See here a great wonder God is on high thou liftest up thy self and he fleeth from thee thou humblest thy self and he descendeth to thee Low things he looks close upon that he may exalt them proud things he knows afar off that he may depresse them The proud Pharisee pressed as near God as he could the poor Publican not daring to do so stood aloof off Yet was God far from the Pharisee near to the Publican Hugo de Sancto Victore brings in God and the devil thus debating it Jussit Dominus funiculos afferri in partitionem c. God commanded the lines to be brought and division to be made The fat and sweet of the earth he found in the low valleys these he bade be set on the one side The deserts and dry places he found upon steep rocks and high mountains larger in compasse lesse in worth These he made be set on the other side and calling for the devil bad him take his choice The devil who looks aloft and cares not for low things chose the later and brag'd he had got the better But what said God Thou art beneath and therefore lookest only after high things I am above and see from thence the sweetnes of low things The violet is the lowest but sweetest of flowers so is humility of graces A broken heart that lies low and hears all that God saith Oh it is a sacrifice that God is much delighted in For it sends for God as Joab did for David to take the glory of all its atchievements It cries out Act. 3.12 16. Non nobis Domine And Not we but his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong c. why look ye so earnestly upon us It casteth down its crown at Christs feet as the 24 Elders Revel 4. and sets the crown on Christs head as Bathsheba did upon Solomons Cant. 2. arrogance on the other side seeks serves and sets up it self only shuts out God and is therefore worthily abhorred by him It is in the power of my hand to doe you hurt saith proud Laban Gen. 31.20 Ioh. 19.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Artianus Herod 12. Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee and power to loose thee said Pilate Cyrus caused this to be graven upon his sepulchre I could doe all things not considering that it was God that held his right hand
qui campanulam indicem libramenâ—a omnia in Carolls annulo digiti collocarit Sphinx p. 90. Isa 50.4 his Ged doth instruct him to discretion saith the Prophet of the very plow-man and this also that is his skill in matters of husbandry cometh forth from the Lord of hosts which is Wonderfull in counsel and excellent in working He it was that filled Bezaleel and Aholiab with the spirit of wisdome for the work of the Tabernacle and that gave to the prophet Isaiah the tongue of the learned that he should know how to time a word to him that is weary he wakeneth morning by morning he wakeneth my ear to hear as the learned who are ever listning after more even to the last breath As it is reported of David Chytraeus a Dutch Divine that when he lay upon his death-bed and heard some that sate by him disputing with a low voice lest they should disturb him he lifted up his head as well as he could and desired them to speak out Tucundiorem sibl decessum fore si maribuadis etiam aliquid Aidicisset Mesch Adam in vita Epist 1.9 for he should die the more chearfully if he died learning somewhat Labentèr omnibus omnes opes concesserim ut mihi liceat vi nulla interpellante isto modo in literis vivere saith Tully I would give all the good in the world that I might but sit quietly at my study and not be called off by any other businesse Quidam equis bi avibus nonnulli ser is defectantur egoverò inde usque a pueritta 〈◊〉 â—upiditate arsi pist ad 〈◊〉 Some delight in horses some in birds others in beasts saith Julian the Apostate but I from my youth up have ever burned with the love of books A learned and witty man he was but learnd and lend wittily wicked ingeniosè nequam as Caâ—us Curio He persecuted more by perswading then enforcing men to idolatry and prevailed more by enticements then by torments abuâ—ing his eloquence to the dishonour of God that gave it him and fighting against God with his own gifts as David did against Goliah with his own sword or as John against Jehoram with his own men Nâ—zianz orat 1 cont Iulian. He forbad all Christians the use of learned Authors And one of his bosome-birds Porphyry said It was pitty that ever so good a scholar as Paul was cast away upon our religion St Paul was first brought up at the feet of Gamalial a grave Doctour and after that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verburn Platonicum Paulo non ignota ejus scripta Sâ—â—lter Mat. 83.45 at the University of Tarsus That he had read Aratus Menander Epimenides c. is clear by what he cites out of them and Scultetus gathers out of 2 Tim. 1.6 that he was well versed in Plato's writings He was that wise Merchant that besides the pearl of price in comparison of whom be counted all but dung and dogs-meat sought also other goodly pearls which in their proper place have their use and excellency How bravely doth he play the oratour when he listeth as at Athens and before Agrippa in setting forth his sufferings 2 Cor. 11.23 and exhorting to unity Eph. 44. All the rowlings of Demosthenes are dell stuff to his elegancies Domest benis in 〈◊〉 contra Aeschâ—rem santa est elo quentâ—a quanta in anim le bominam inchedipossâ—â— â—â—cero 1 Cor 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat ostentationem borum donoium â—ut supra amos 〈◊〉 Parâ—us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pin. As oft as I hear him Speak saith Hierom me thinks I bear not words but thunder-claps His very enemies could not but acknowledge his worth His letters said they are weighty and powerfull but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible 2 Cor. 10.10 And why contemptible but because he came not with excellency of speech or of wisdome which he could have done better then the best of them but in demonstration of the spirit and of power Humane learning saith one is to be used in ecclesiasticall exercises non ut esculenta fed ut condimenta not as meat but sauce It were a madnesse because lace sets out a garment therefore to make a garment of lace only Sub finem caenae dulcis est placenta St Austin bewailed it as a vanity of his youth That he had framed-his discourses Vt placeret magis quam ut doceret more to please then to profit And when I first began to preach saith S. Chrysostome I was a childe and delighted in rattles in the applause of the people but when I grew a man I began to dispise them A golden-mouth'd Preacher he was according to his name a master of speech as Paul was said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 14.12 an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures as Apollos Act. 1.24 His eloquence whereby he so drew men in to admiration of him that it was grown to a common proverb Satius esse soleÌ„ non lucere quaÌ„ chrisostomum non dorere De 〈◊〉 Graes sub 〈◊〉 De dect Christ cap. 22. To use HeatheÌ„ Authouis for ostentation of to make a ca lt of the treasure gotten out of Aegypt Better the Sun should not shine then that Chrysostome should not teach he is said to have drawn out of Aristophanes his 28 Comedies wch he laid usually under his pillow when he went to sleep This was as Theodoret hath it to gather roses off the thorns sweet honey out of bitter flowers wholsome medicines out of venemous beasts and serpents This was to spoil the Egyptians of the jewels they unjusty deteined from the Church as Austin hath it See we not saith he with what a deal of gold silver costly garments Cyprian that sweet Doctour and blessed Martyr went laden out of Aegypt With what a deal Lactantius Victorinus Optatus Hilarius besides innumerable Greek Fathers And this was first done by that faithfull servant of God Moses of whom it is written That he was learned in all the wisdom of the Aegyptians and so became mighty in word and deed Now the learning of the Aegyptians saith Pererius was fore-told Mathematicks Physicks Ethicks and Divinity a chief part wherof was Hieroglyphicks In all these Moses was thorowly instructed Acts 7 27. Com in Exod. saith Philo and in short space excelled not only all his fellows but his teachers too So did Daniel and his three companions all the wise-men of Babylon whose books they read and whose learning they looked into which had they held it unlawfull they would as little have medled with as with the meats that came from the Kings table Epist 84. 1 Sam. 71.51 saith S. Hierome But this was as he elswhere that it to wring the sword out of Goliahs hand and to out off his head therewith this was to shave the captive womans head and pare her nails and so to take her to wise Deut. 21.12 13 Humanity may
they durst not but be innocent And 2. to atheism The best that can come of sinne is repentance which if men have no minde to they will be willing to turn Atheists and it is the best of their play to wipe out all notions of a Dâ—ity as much as may be for their own quiet left they fall into a hell above-ground and be tormented before their time M. Capell of tempt p 265. Hence flow all exorbitancies in mens lives Hence there is no hoe in sinning For what saith one should or can keep the wit and will of man in when once we conceit D Preston his sensible demonstration of the Deity there is no such thing as God And from the weaknesse of this spring saith another slow all enormities Men say in their hearts It may be there is an almighty God it may be not and thence they will have some care in the duties of religion but a full care they have not whereas if they did believe it fully they would serve him with a full and perfect heart Thus he David walked before God with an upright heart in all things save only in the matter of Vriah In that one particular he despised both god and his Commandment 2 Sam. 12.11 and that out of the venome of originall lust the master-vein wherein is Atheisme Thus in generall Then Secondly for particulars The Atheist is a great oppressour of others II. a very caitiff-Canniball verse 4. H'e cats up Gods people as he eats bread Mica 3.2 3. He tears the very flesh off the poor and sels them that which he he leaves of them for old shoes as the Prophet hath it David in another Psalm compares these Atheisticall men-eaters to a lion couchant and rampant God is not in all his thoughts saith he Psal 1.4 What follows He lieth in wait secretly as a lion he lieth in wait to catch the poor he doth catch the poor when he draweth him into his net that is into his bonds debts morgages c. As the Jews in Nehemiah had done their poor brethren whom therefore he taxeth of Atheisme and irreligion â—ch 5.9 10. Ought ye not to have feared God saith he and not to have dealt thus hardly with your brethren I pray you let us leave off this usury So Job to his friends those uncharitable censurers To him that is in misery pitty should be shewed from his friend but be for saketh the fear of the Almighty Job 6.14 Or as David expresseth in the place above-cited He saith in his heart God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will never see it Psal 10.8 11. Hence it is that he sitteth in the lurking places of the villages in the secret places doth he murther the innocent his eyes are privily set against the poor He not only robs the poor but ravisheth him he not only robs the poor but ravisheth him he not only murders him but eats him up as bread he makes no more conscience to undoe a poor man then to eat a meals meat when he is hungry A poor mans substance is his life The poor widdow cast into the treasury all that she had even all her living saith the text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 12.44 It is in the originall All her life So she with the bloudy issue is said to have spent all her life that is her livelyhood upon Physitians Luk. 8.43 For a poor man in his house is like a snail in his shell crush that and ye kill him which the Atheist cares not to doe as who fears not God and so regards not man Luk 18.2 Thirdly The Atheist cals not upon God saith David there III. As beggars have learned to cant so Atheists to pray either in Church or chamber unlesse it be for fashion sake and that he may not be held a rank Atheist The grosse hypocrite whom I have proved an Atheist may make a goodly praier for matter and set a glosse a grace upon it in the utterance but it is but lip labour and so lost labour the effect of art and parts not of the heart and spirit of grace and supplication Zach 12.10 Some short-winded wishes he may have Ps 4 6. not pour out his soul with groans unutterable Lastly Reproaching religion and casting contempt upon those that professe and practile it is a note David gives of an Atheist IIII. vers 6. You have shamed the counsell of the poor because God is his resuge See it in Ishmael and Michol Tobiah and Sanballet in Herod and Pilate What 's truth saith he to our Saviour Job 1.38 in a scornfull profane manner Herod also having been long desirous to see Christ and hoping to see tome miracle done by him as by some base jugler when he could obtain nothing of him set him at nought and mocked him Luk. 2.11 So did Julian and Lucian the primitive Christians contemptuously calling them Galileans Vlpian deceivers Demetrian and other Heathen Atheists procurers of all publike calamities crying out therefore Christianos ad leones To the lions with these Christians Tertul Apâ—licâ— 40. Tantum maliquia Christians as Pliny said of them No otherwise evil then for that they were Christians So far did ignorance and maâ—â—ce prevail in the world among those I mean that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without God in the world that it was counted a capitall crime to call himself a Christian A sect every where spoke against of old Act. 28.22 and so is still Every fool that saith in his heart there is no God hath out of the same quiver a bolt to shoot at goodnesse Barren Michol hath too many sons Qui scopticè scabiosè de bonis loquuntur as one saith who speak scornfully and scurvily of men much better then themselves reproaching religion for hypocâ—â—sie S. Eâ—â—â— Sands sincerity for singularity strictnesse for sillinesse In Italy saith one and I wish it were not so in England they hold integrity for little better then sillinesse and abjectnesse And it is notoriously known saith another that the most honourable name of Christian D Fulk â—n the Rhem Pâ—st 〈◊〉 Annot in Act. se et 4. Sir Haâ—p Lynl is in Italy and at Rome a name of reproach and usually abused to signifie a Fool or a Dolt They boast themselves rather in the name of Catholike So did the Rogatian and Arrian heretikes before them calling the true Christians Ambrosians Athanasians Homousians c. As these their successours did Wiclevists Waldenses Hussites and now of late Lutherans Zuinglians Calvinists Puritans and what not The Atheists in Nehemiah's time thought to have jeared the good Jews out of their for wardnesse to re-build the City And so did the Papists herein Atheists hope by like arts to have weakned the hands of the renowned Reformers Buâ—bole â—â—pera pâ—st Dratribe adâ— servum arbitâ—â— M Luther Erasmus also that mongrell in religion that was Mente dente potens as one saith of him how bitter is he against Luther in hâ—s Hyperaspistis declaring thereby what spirit he was of And what a dry wipe was that he gave Wolphangus Capito Qualem à se Capito decimum sore sperat He could not deny sarth Mr Calvin but that Capito Was a holy man Calâ— in praesat ad â—saiam and one that took very good pains to purge the Church But whereas he held it as bootlesse a businesse and impossible for Christs Ministers to leek to correct the worlds wickednesse as to make a rive sunne backward under the person of that one man he condemned us all of inconsiderate zeal Howbeit wisdome is justified of her children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudâ—catur vel se â—tentia â—ronâ—nciatur Camerarius Scu'tetus Mat. 11.19 Or as some learned men read that text wisdome 〈◊〉 judged of her children That is Those that pretend to be her children as Erasmus with his fellow-Pharisees did they perversly and preposterously passe sentence upon their Mother whom they ought as dutifull children to hearkem and submit to But many learned men are arrant Atheists as were not only the Sadduces but these Pharisees also that out of the venome of their spirits could not but mock at the precious and heart-piercing Sermons of the Sonne of God Luk. 16.14 Religion was not more with them a matter of forme then of scorn a manifest mark of the worst kinde of wicked Psal 1.1 a right note of a ranke Atheist Isa 21.11 and 22.13 2 Pet. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caspâ—nare sub sanâ—abant FINIS