himselfe hauing his beginning from none which was before all time which is to come to iudge the world some of the essence of the Trinity euery Person being by this periphrasis vnderstood expoundeth them of God the Father though common to euery hypostasis as a periphrasis of his eternity which is now was before all worlds and shall be for euer and euer for so which is to come is to be expounded which shall be without any mutation or shadow of change and hee obserueth the same description of the Sonne vers 8. Touching the seuen spirits hee sheweth that some haue taken so great offence at this that they haue reiected this booke for setting forth seuen spirits when the Spirit of God is but one Some againe by the seuen spirits vnderstand the seuen Angels that minister before the throne of God as Lyra Andreas Ribera c. for there are seuen principall Angels to whom the care of mankinde is committed of whom it is spoken Tob. 12.15 I am the Angel Raphael one of the seuen which are before the Lord and Clem. Alex. saith Lib. 6. Strom. There are seuen Angels who haue the greatest power by whom God prouideth for all men But this cannot stand because he prayeth for grace from the seuen spirits to giue which is a propriety of the godhead onely and therfore the seuen spirits are ioyned vniuocally with God the Father and the Son as being together with them the efficient cause of grace By the seuen spirits therefore in this place is to be vnderstood the holy Ghost according to the most common exposition both of ancient and moderne Diuines it is called seuen spirits either for the multiplicity of graces or reference being had to the seuen Churches for which it is as sufficient as if there were seuen spirits Touching Iesus Christ put in the last place it is to bee vnderstood that a precise order is not obserued in other places in speaking of the Trinity for 2 Cor. 13.13 Iesus Christ is first named and then God the Father All other expositors speak almost to the same effect so that what hath already beene said may fully suffice for the resoluing of all these doubts without adding more Whereas there is a little difference in expounding that periphrasis of God which is which was and which is to come vnderstand both his eternity and his immutable constancy and it will easily be reconciled and so it will be no small comfort vnto vs to consider that God will be the same gracious God vnto his Church that euer he hath beene and is so farre from delaying as that he is euen now vpon the point of comming to accomplish what he hath promised Quest Why is Christ called a faithfull witnesse and the first-borne from the dead When as it is to him that all others giue witnesse and hee is not the first that arose from the dead for Elisha raised one and Lazarus was raised vp before and many dead bodies of the Saints arose at the time of his passion Answ The threefold office of Christ by the consent of all is here set forth the faithfull witnesse his Propheticall the first-borne from the dead his Priestly Prince of the kings of the earth his Kingly office and he is called the faithfull witnesse as the head and chiefe of all that with their bloud haue sealed the truth the same is said of him also Ioh. 3.11 chap. 5.31 32. chap. 18.37 1 Tim. 6.13 1 Ioh. 5.7 He is said to be the first-born from the dead because the chiefe and the Lord of all who arose from the dead by his owne vertue and shall raise vp all at the last day And of these offices the first thus set forth serueth to shew the vndoubted certainty of these things and the other may comfort vs in respect of our resurrection whereof his rising againe is a certaine argument when wee shall bee borne againe to immortality as we were first borne to corruption Quest How are wee made Kings and Priests vnto God Vers 6. and wherefore are these things commemdrated Answ Wee are made Kings Rom. 8.16 because assumed to bee coheires with him of the kingdome of heauen Rom. 12 1. and Priests because wee offer our selues vp as a liuing sacrifice vnto God when we mortifie our sinnes Now this together with his loue towards vs and his washing away of our sinnes are reckoned vp as three effects of his threefold office giuing vs perpetuall occasion of ascribing all glory and praise vnto him Quest Why is mention made of his comming with the clouds when they that pierced him shall see him Vers 7. Answ For the comfort of the godly and for the terror of the wicked for though he may seeme for euer to be absent in the midst of so many miseries endured by his Church yet hee shall come againe to iudge and reward euery man according to his workes at what time the cause of the Church shall bee vindicated and his bloudy and cruell enemies which haue pierced him shall weepe and waile and seeke in vaine to hide themselues from his angry and terrible presence And it is to be noted that he saith He shall come with the clouds not in the clouds to intimate his diuine maiesty this being a part of Gods glory in his going forth Psal 97.2 Clouds and darknesse are round about him Quest Why is it againe repeated which is which was Vers 8. and which is to come Alpha and Omega Answ Ribera expoundeth this of the Trinity as if these words were the beginning of the vision but by the consent of all others it is spoken of Christ to put it out of doubt if any should question his comming to put his enemies to confusion for there is no doubt to be made hereof because he is the Lord Almighty thus he was at the first and thus he will bee at the last That it is spoken of Christ appeareth also vers 11. and 17. and so it is applied by Nazianzen Orat. 35. Ambros lib. 2. cap. 3. de fide and Athanasius in Matth. 11.27 Whereas he addeth saith the Lord this is done after the manner of a Prophet And hitherto of the proeme or entrance of this booke now followeth the body of it which Pareus diuideth into seuen visions the first whereof is from vers 9. of this Chapter to the end of the third containing nothing propheticall but altogether doctrinall and historicall The other six visions are altogether propheticall of things to come but onely in three places where the argument of the vision requireth a repetition of some things past as Chap. 12. where is a repetition of the first beginning of the Gospel and Chap. 17. where mention is made of fiue kings which had beene before and Chap. 20. the beginning of the binding vp of Satan for a thousand yeeres being begun fiue and twenty yeeres before at the destruction of Ierusalem when the Iewes had no further power
hidden as to mention that to set forth hereby the excellency of this worke of conuersion Note Note that a man in errour or in sinne is out of the way of life and in the way of death yea he that is deceiued onely with errour in fundamentals is in a damnable estate though his life be otherwise vnblamable and full of good workes Let the seduced Papist then consider this and tremble to goe on in his errours Note againe Note that although there be sinne euen in those that are conuerted yet no sinne appeareth all is couered and cast behinde Gods backe he looketh now only vpon the studie care which they haue to doe his will this comming betweene his sight and their old sinnes whereas the impenitent and vnconuerted is full of sinne blemishing and deforming him in the sight of God so that he is all vgly and vile in his eyes as any lothsome leaper is in ours which should make a wicked man out of loue with himselfe and to turne from this estate seeing howsoeuer he thinketh that he hath but such or such a sin to answer for the truth is that he hath a multitude of sins Faber pelagus peccatorum yea a sea of sinnes as one speaketh Note lastly Note because Prou. 10.12 from whence this is taken it is said Loue couereth a multitude of sinnes that in loue we ought to endeuour all that possibly we can one to conuert another from sinne The excellency of the worke here mentioned should pricke vs forward to this most Christian dutie and the loue of our brother should constraine vs vnto it 1 Cor. 13. seeing if we be without loue we are without all substance THE FIRST CATHOLIKE EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLE PETER THis Epistle is held by some to haue beene written before that of Iames as by Pareus Baron Annal. tom 1. and Baronius saith that it was written at Rome An. Dom. 45. when Marke was there with him whose salutations he sendeth And his second Epistle an 68. when Peter was now neere vnto his end as is intimated 2 Pet. 1.14 If this were written so soone it was before all the Epistles of Paul the first written of which was the first to the Thessalonians which came forth an 52. Others thinke that these Epistles were put out according to their order as Lyra Iames writing first Lyra. and then Peter Augustine speaketh of all these smaller Epistles as written after Pauls Epistles wherein Faith iustifying without Workes had beene so much set forth vpon which some gathered that good workes were not necessary to saluation August tem 4. de fid opere c. 14. and therefore both Iames Peter Iohn and Iude doe mightily vrge Workes affirming Faith without Workes to be vnprofitable Thus I haue related what I finde touching the time of this Epistle and the rest but as I said before vpon that of Iames. This dispute is not much materiall but either because Iames his Epistle was first written or because to the Iewes who were Gods first people it is placed first And this of Peter after because to such as being Gentiles became first Iewes and then were conuerted to the faith of Christ Hugo Card. as Hugo Cardinalis coniectureth and after Peters the Epistles of Iohn because they were written to the Gentiles conuerted to Christianity Touching this it was neuer doubted of to be Canonicall yea it hath beene alwaies accounted a most excellent Epistle and worthy to be written in letters of gold for Boniface the Bishop of Rome Baron â—om 9. annal that was a Martyr as Baronius faith desired by his Letters of Eadburga an Abbesse and kinswoman to the King of Kent to send him the Epistles of Peter written in letters of gold The maine scope of this Epistle is to comfort and to confirme in sufferings for the Gospels sake And therefore after the scattered Christians named to whom he writeth verse 1. hee comforteth them first by setting forth their estate Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God c. vers 2 3 4 5.2 the benefit of afflictions the praise of God and the saluation of their soules vers 6 7 8 9. And confirmeth them touching this saluation to be attained in a Christian profession from the ancient prophesies set forth in the holy Scriptures wherein thus much is declared vers 10 11 12. Making vse of this consolation to stirre vp to holinesse and righteousnesse vers 13 14 15 16 17. Which that it might be the more effectuall there is a commemoration made by what a price wee are redeemed to this excellent estate vers 18 19 20 21 22. And what is the instrument of our being begotten again hereunto viz. the word of God which is not as flesh which fadeth like grasse but endureth for euer vers 23 24 25. And hauing spoken of this being borne againe hee vrgeth them as now borne babes to desire the milke of the Word c. Chap. 2. Wherein as in the rest how things cohere together we shall see when we come to handle them in order CHAP. I. 1 PETER Chapter 1. Verse 1. To the strangers scattered thorow Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia Vers 2 Elect according to the fore knowledge of God the Father in the sanctification of the spirit vnto obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Iesus Christ c. THe Countries here mentioned are all towards the East and are large Luther in 1 Pet. 1. being now vnder the Dominion of the Turke Pontus is a great Countrey neere to the Sea Cappadocia is next vnto it for their borders ioyne together Galatia is seated behinde these Asia and Bythinia before Strangers he calleth the Christians there because although they were Gentiles inhabiting in those parts yet they were strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel by their originall and in this respect are said to be strangers though being conuerted they ioyned with the Iewes that were Christians and became one people According to the fore-knowledge of God the Father This is the cause of our election Gods preordaining of vs and not any free will in vs. In the sanctification of the spirit that is that we might be holy and spirituall which holinesse flowing from election is the onely true holinesse opposed here to the many kinds of externall sanctification which the Iewes had vnto the obedience and sprinkling c. that is then haue we part in this sanctification and are truly Saints when we obey the word of Christ in beleeuing in his name being thus sprinkled with his bloud for this which is here spoken in other words is no more but what S. Paul saith We are saued by faith for this maketh vs obedient and subiect vnto Christ So that to obey the word of God to be subiect to Christ to be sprinkled with his bloud and to beleeue is all one The phrase of sprinkling is borrowed from Psal 51. being an allusion to the sprinkling of the Tabernacle
his Epistle should come to any of their hands Verse 2. he comforteth them in their troubles first by resoluing them what these troubles are viz. the triall of your faith vers 3. Secondly by shewing the effect of this triall patience Thirdly the benefit of this patience perfection when a man being tried is found to haue patience indeed Fourthly how we may be so wise as for the good that is in trouble being considered to vse such constant patience verse 5. Aske wisdome of God Fiftly by shewing what vaine and inconstant things riches are for which there is no cause but to ioy notwithstanding the losse of them vers 10 11. Sixtly by propounding the Crowne of life as the reward of troubles bein-borne patiently vers 12. Touching the first of these temptations are the triall of our Faith whether wee will beleeue in God when hee seemes to neglect vs or to bee against vs. Touching the second and third Verse 3 4. trying of a man worketh patience if he hath faith because then he quietly beareth the Crosse laid vpon him which to doe is Patience and this patient bearing with constancy is the next thing to be lookt vnto which who so doth neuer being weary is a perfect wise man and wanteth not the spirituall wisdome to see into the benefit of temptations Vers 5. And for the fourth the words are plaine and easie there must be no wauering through vnbeliefe in our seeking vnto God but wee must firmely beleeue that God is and that hee can supply all our wants hee that doubteth of this is a wauering minded man who is vnconstant in all his waies and therefore such constant holding on in time of temptation cannot be expected at his hands Touching the fift there is some more difficulty in the words and therefore I will set downe the diuersity of Expositions herevpon IAMES Chapter I. Verse 9 10. Let the brother of low degree reioyce in his exaltation But the rich in his humiliation because as the flower of the grasse he passeth away Tho. Aquin. in Iac. Gorran HEre is shewed the manner of perfect patience namely when a poore deiected man glorieth not onely inwardly and in himselfe but outwardly in respect of others through the hope that he hath of future exaltation for it is promised that he which humbleth himselfe shall be exalted That which followeth of the rich man glorying in his humiliatiō is expounded by the Glosse as spoken ironically Let him reioyce in his humiliation and fall to come for his pride and loue of worldly riches Or else it may be vnderstood of a voluntary humiliation in doing dutie to the poore through humility Oecum in Iac. The Apostle hauing shewed who is fluctuating like the Sea in his prayers now teacheth how a man may be stable and steddy viz. if being poore that is deiected in a sense of his owne spirituall pouerty he perseuereth in this his humiliation which indeed will produce all good vnto him By the rich hee meaneth the proud and supercilious to whom he ascribeth humility because whilest he exalteth himselfe hee is in a lowe and base estate his meaning is that hee should be confounded herein though hee would not vse the word left hee should seeme too harsh The Apostle doth not here as some thinke enter vpon a new argument touching the rich and the poore but repeateth in other words what he propounded before vers 2. about reioycing in temptations adding some new reasons after that of faithfull prayer brought in as it were by a parenthesis Hee that is vnder temptations is humbled by the Lord and this the Lords humbling of him is ioyned with exaltation in his fauour to be his sonne and an inheritour of his heauenly kingdome which none aduersity can depriue him of Let the poore therefore that is the deiected reioyce in this his spirituall exaltation by adoption and grace as Paul did Rom. 8.35 Pareus in Jac. Let the rich man c. I doe not thinke with some that this is an exhortation of the rich to humility for that is done afterwards Chap. 5. But the rich here is he that is not humbled by reason of his prosperous estate in willing him to reioyce in his humiliation he meaneth that he should prepare himselfe and be ready to suffer for Christ when hee should be called thereunto and herein seeke matter of true ioy that in minde he was humbled to beare Christs crosse and to follow him whensoeuer it should come and in that he had a fellow-feeling of the miseries of others in their sufferings And that they who were for the present in prosperity might be the rather moued to this humiliation he sheweth their fleeting estate and condition euen like the flower of the field The poore here is the poore in spirit whose exaltation is that his is the kingdome of heauen Math. 5. The rich made lowe is he that suffereth the losse of his goods being made herein like vnto Christ who being of heauenly glory became poore and abased himselfe and his followers wee are when wee shew patience in the losse of worldly wealth Vt à terrenis depressio est ad Deum exaltatio ita ad diuitias exaltatio est à Deo depressio Pugnant ex opposito Coelum terra paupertas diuitiae aeterna caduca Deus mundus exaltatio ad mandum exaltatio ad Deum depressio à mundo depressio à Deo reioycing in this conformity vnto him For to be depressed in the world is to be exalted to God-ward and to be exalted in the world is to be depressed to God-ward For these are contraries heauen and earth pouerty and riches eternall and fading God and the world exaltation to God exaltation to the world depression from the world depression from God if thou louest the earth thou losest heauen if riches the pouerty of Christ if fading things eternall if exaltation to the world exaltation to God * Mayer 1 Cor. 4.17 Though the Expositours alleaged differ in words yet the sense rendred by them all is almost one and the same By the poore I vnderstand with Pareus and Piscator a man vnder affliction according to that which was spoken before vers 2. he is bidden to reioyce in his exaltation that is the glory to come for the momentany afflictions of this life doe worke vnto vs a surpassing weight of glory The rich must ioy in his humiliation that is according to Piscator if hee hath an humble minde in the middest of his riches whereby he maketh himselfe equall to the poore For contrary to the manner of the world he ascribeth exaltation to the poore and humiliation to the rich who hath good cause yet to humble himselfe by reason of the vanity of his riches being like vnto the flower of the field That of Oecumen followed by Faber applying it to the poore in spirit doth not agree so well here because poore is opposed to rich which is meant of worldly
1. What is meant by our suffering in the flesh Verse 1. whereupon followeth a cessation from sinne I answer with Oecumenius that the suffering of death in the body cannot bee meant though he who is set for example suffered death when he suffered in the flesh for vers 2. hee speaketh of the residue of his time in the flesh being spent according to the will of God Wherefore to suffer in the flesh here is to be mortified to sinne Luther in 1 Pet. 4. which to follow it is a life vnto vs naturally For as Luther saith there were two ends of CHRIST his suffering as he was man which is meant by his suffering in the flesh first to satisfie for our sinnes secondly to giue vs example both of suffering persecution and of suffering by being mortified vnto sinne as vnto lust or hatred and enuy for if these inordinacies be subdued in vs then we cease from seeking how to satisfie our carnall lusts and from attempting reuenge in word or deed It is true we are iustified by Faith when we first beleeue and then the Spirit of Sanctification entreth into vs but we must be more holy and righteous daily as he that had his wounds bound vp by the Samaritan was staied from bleeding and being indangered any further thereby but yet they were not altogether healed till after some time Rom. 6.6 7. Saint Paul hath a place to the same effect with this Our old man is crucified together with him that the body of sinne may be destroyed that we may not serue sinne any longer To meditate vpon Christs Passion is a most effectuall meanes to make vs to be thus mortified to sinne and willingly to beare our aduersities Some vnderstand these words Ieron contr Jouin August de fide opâ—reâ—â— 10. c. 1 Cor. 5 2â—â— He which hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin either of Christ or of the Christian he hath ceased from sinne both because he neuer did any and as he is said to haue beene made sinne that is a sacrifice for sinne for he is now no sacrifice any more but all preferre the other as it is indeed the most genuine the mortified Christian ceaseth from sinne so that it doth no more rule and reigne in him What are the seuerall vices here mentioned Lasciuiousnesse Vers â— Lusts excesse of Wine Reuellings Banquetings c. wherein hee saith they liued before Lyra Lyranus by Lasciuiousnesse vnderstandeth all externall acts in the matter of venery and by Lusts the internall desires of a lustfull minde and indeed by Lasciuiousnesse is meant not onely adultery but that wantonnesse which is ingesture and apparell and words The lusts here spoken of are defined by the Pontificians to be onely lust with consent denying lust simply to be sinne but of this enough before Rom. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expounded the excesse of Wine signifieth properly those boilings vp which breake into pustules and red tumours The next word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eatings after the meale ended Some say it is so called because of the dead sleepe following after called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some because of the pipe which is commonly present at such feastings Some from streets and rowes of houses together which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where they inuite one another The next word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drinkings because as Lyra noteth there bee other waies and meanes to drunkennesse besides by Wine Who are meant by the dead to whom it is said For this cause it was preached to the dead Vers 6. that they might be iudged according to men in the flesh and liue according to God in the Spirit That of Thomas Aquinas and Occumenius which is followed also by Luther that by the dead are meant the dead in sinne cannot stand because the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were then redundant it being hereby intimated that the Gospell was preached to others besides the now liuing and by the quicke and the dead vers 5. are no such dead meant according to which it is fit that this should be expounded Beza Beza therefore holdeth it most easie to giue the sense of these words that as the Gospell was preached to the liuing so it had beene preached to them that died long agoe and so is no new doctrine The spirits of the dead cannot be meant because of the distinction following according to man and according to God that is the naturall and the spirituall man And to this doe I subscribe and so of the words following this is the meaning As now they to whom the Gospell is preached are required to die vnto sin and to liue vnto righteousnesse so were they like wise required then to be iudged according to man that is to be mortified as they were naturall men for hee that is iudged or condemned is iudged to die and to liue according to God that is Piscator to be renued vnto holinesse Piscator expoundeth it of those in Noahs time before spoken of Chap. 3. of whom hee saith some when they saw the iudgement of God comming vpon them repented and were saued and so they were iudged according to man that is perished in their corporall life but were receiued to euerlasting life Augâ—â—pist 99. Augustine vnderstandeth by the dead the dead in sinne and infidelity as Thomas Aquinas doth saying that vpon their conuersion they are iudged according to men in the flesh because they are persecuted and spoken against but they are euen hereby furthered in their spirituall life and this is followed without much difference by Beda Vatablus Arias Montanus and Huge Bellarmine Valentia and Suarez hold that by the dead are meant the spirits in prison before spoken of as Oecumenius doth and Lorinus saith that it is a most plaine place to confirme Christs locall descent into hell but I cannot see how it may bee thus taken vnlesse it be yeelded that they in hell were conuerted and saued by his preaching there because he saith that they might be iudged according to men in the flesh but liue according to God in the Spirit which cannot be expounded of any thing else but of the conuersion of a sinner But that any are conuerted and saued out of Hell abhorreth from all sound Diuinitie Note Note that there is a conformity betwixt Christians and their patterne Vers 1. Christ as he suffered in the flesh so ceasing to be any more in this world after the manner of men so true Christians suffer by mortification vnto sinne which springeth from the flesh but that being once mortified there is in them a cessation from all their former wickednesse Howsoeuer they may still fall out of infirmity yet the course of their life is not intemperate and riotous as it was before they trade not in sinne They therefore that liue a wicked life still though they are called Christians yet they haue no communion with
some one of these and these Epistles were therefore thus directed that wee might learne by their example for which cause it is so oft repeated Hee that hath an eare to heare let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches The first Epistle Chap. 2. ver 1. THese two Chapters containe seuen Epistles whereof foure are in the second three in the third The first Epistle to Ephesus is set forth in seuen verses the reason why Ephesus is first is according to most because it was the chiefe being the Metropolis of those parts Quest Why is choice made of these two circumstances of holding the seuen starres in his right hand and walking in the midst of the seuen golden Candlesticks for the periphrasis of the Lord Iesus to this Church and of some other particulars to other Churches for there is difference in his title in euery Epistle Answ Many Expositors are silent about this question only obseruing that euery title is as much as if he should haue said Thus saith the Lord according to the ancient manner of the Prophets to procure the more reuerence to that which is written as comming from authority But doubtlesse something else is here intimated or else he would not in euery Epistle so purposely haue varied Gorran Brightman Some therefore say that in euery one something is chosen out of the former descriptions which doth most fitly agree to the argument of the Epistle Wherefore to the Church of Ephesus hee setteth himselfe so forth as that they might bee comforted in his protection in their sufferings for his sake and not for any feare shrinke from their first loue And how graciously they haue beene protected in Ephesus appeareth in the History of the Church Act. 19. Paul and Gaius and Aristarchus neuer suffered any violence there that we reade of though it were attempted and Iohn returned thither after his banishment and died in peace If therefore we bee at any time discouraged through persecution for the Gospels sake let vs haue recourse to this Epistle The Lord is euer in the midst of his golden Candlestickes and holdeth the starres in his right hand Of the other particulars we shall see in their proper place Quest But who is the Angell of this Church was there but one Minister or more that it is spoken in the singular number to the Angell Timothie is mentioned to be the first Bishop of Ephesus is it to be thought that this blame could bee laid vpon him Answ All agree that it is not meant of any one but of the whole body of the ministery there for that there were many appeareth Alcasar Act. 20.17 Some hold that Timothy was then the chiefe but most that Timothy was martyred before that time neither is it expressed in history who was his successour And he is not here named because the Lord had not so much respect to any one but to the whole body of the ministery Quest Who were they that said they were Apostles Vers 2. but being tried were found to be otherwise Answ They were the heretickes of those times that vnder this glorious title of the Apostles of Christ sought to draw men to their damnable heresies as Ebion Cerinthus c. For that such were busie in the Church of Ephesus may bee gathered from that which Saint Paul wrote to Timothie 1 Tim. 1.3 Quest How is it said Thou hast lost thy first loue Vers 4. when as he is commended vers 3. to haue laboured and not to haue fainted Answ Some vnderstand these things as spoken of diuers times Brightman that there was such patience and paines at the first planting of the Gospell there which continued all the while that Iohn was amongst them but now the Ministers had not such loue to the flocke of Christ with such diligence to feed them which also in part appeareth by history For a young man committed to the care of one by Iohn in his abscence through his remisnesse fell to robbing for which he is by Iohn challenged in an Epistle written to him Euseb lib. 3. cap. 23. Now this man was a Bishop though not there yet of a neere adioyning place which maketh it probable that the like remisnesse was vsed in Ephesus also Ambrose Andreas Pareus Others by loue vnderstand charity in releeuing the poore wherein there was a coldnesse in the Bishop growing couetous so that howsoeuer there were diuers things in him commendable yet he had this blemish dimming all his other vertues But I preferre the former because diligence and care in feeding the flocke of Christ with wholesome doctrine and keeping them from errour is commended to Saint Peter Ioh. 21.16 17. as the greatest loue vnto Christ and therefore to grow negligent herein may well bee taxed as a falling from the first loue If workes of charity should be meant there would haue beene something else in the Epistle to intimate them whereas all make for loue in caring for the flocke For he is bidden doe his first works which what are they but labour and care before mentioned and the threatning to remoue the Candlesticke agreeth most fitly as a punishment in the right kinde to depriue them of light that were growne to make no better vse of it by enlightening with teaching the ignorant Note that what any haue beene God regardeth not if now they bee declined and falne from it Ezech. 18.26 Quest What were the Nicolaitans here mentioned Vers 6. Answ They were a vile sect taking their name from Nicolas one of the seuen Deacons who held a community of women and that to haue to doe with diuers women was no sin as both Ireneus and Theodoret doe deliuer Iren. lib. 1. c. 27. Some haue thought that Nicolas being so holy a man could not bee the Anthour of so foule a crime but when as his iealousie ouer his wife was obiected vnto him because shee was a faire woman he to free himselfe from this suspition brought her forth set her in the midst offering to depart with her to any other man which being done by him onely in way of apology was peruerted and amongst many that opinion of community imbraced who were called vpon this occasion by his name as Clemens Alexandrinus sheweth Clem. Alexan. Strom. lib. 3. But this is to be thought rather his fauourable coniecture touching Nicolas than truth otherwise the Lord would haue spared his name That Nicolas was the Author of this sect teacheth also Eusebius lib. 3. cap. 23. Epiphan Haeres 25. Niceph. lib. 3. cap. 15. Quest What is meant by the tree of life here promised Vers 7. and why doth he vary the promise to him that ouercommeth in euery Epistle and what is it to ouercome Answ He that ouercommeth by the consent of all is hee that in his spirituall fight with the world the flesh and the Deuill is not made to languish or decay in any virtuous course but perseuereth and holdeth
and minaciously than hee hath beene wont to doe Their powers are in their mouthes and in their tailes The Locusts power was in their tailes onely for they spake not against Christianity in generall but were ready though in a corrupt manner to entertaine it but these as professed enemies defie Christianity and make war against it and by cruelty and deceiueablenesse seeke to draw as many to Mahumetisme as they can and thus they destroy both soules and bodies And because they are said to haue lions heads as the Locusts Lions teeth and it is the property of a lion to kill with his taile they kil also with the taile as they did being first called vpon for aid but turning to be destruction to such as called them as the serpent proueth to him that receiueth it Vers 20. The rest neither repented that they should not worship Deuils nor images of gold c. Vers 21. Neither repented they of their murthers c. In these words is set forth the obstinacy of the Papists and it is made yet more euident that the Turkes were sent for a plague of their superstitions and corruptions And the euent answereth the prediction for they are as great worshippers of images as great murtherers fornicators as euer they were Neither can this be applied to any but them seeing they onely of late dayes haue beene notorious for their idolatries and massacres and whoredomes also which haue beene obserued by all the world And whereas Deuils are mentioned the worshipping of whom it seemeth cannot be charged vpon them let their delusions by apparitions and voyces vttered at the Sepulchres of Saints and by images be considered and I doubt not but the indifferent arbiter will acknowledge that these things come from Deuils who are worshipped vpon an imagination that they are the Saints Againe an idoll is nothing saith the Apostle but what is sacrificed to idols is to Deuils Wherefore let not vs that haue repented and so are spared from the Turkes inuasion make a relapse againe but praise God for this mercy and pity their obstinacy and blindnesse which know not the time of their visitation CHAP. X. ANd I saw another strong Angell comming down from heauen compassed with a cloud Vers 1. and a rainbow vpon his head c. Who is this Angell What little booke open is it that he holdeth in his hand Why doth he stand so strangely one foot vpon the sea and another vpon the land What meaneth his loud cry and the seuen thunders vttering their voices thereupon which must not be written And why doth hee sweare so seriously that time shall be no more but during the sounding of the seuenth Angell And what is meant in that Iohn is bidden to eat that little booke c. for all these things doe so hang together that they must needs be expounded together Answ It is to be vnderstood that all these things come vnder the fixt trumpet and therefore are to bee referred to the same times though perhaps beginning somewhat after the iudgements before declared Hitherto hath beene nothing but matter of terrour by fierce enemies in infinite multitudes destroying a world of people for idolatry murthers fornications c. Now because the Lord had some people in these most corrupt times which read and cleaued vnto the Scriptures and impugned hereby those grosse corruptions though with danger of their liues and prospered in respect of their cause in so doing it seemed good vnto the Spirit of God by some figure to shew this also and the figure is an open booke in the hand of a strong Angell eaten vp by Iohn which was sweet in his mouth but bitter in his belly And againe in the next Chapter a reed giuen vnto him to measure the temple the outward Court being left vnmeasured as being trampled vâ—der foot by the Gentiles two and forty moneths in all which time the two witnesses of God prophesie in sackecloth c. Câ—yâ—raeâ—s Bullingâ—r Aretâ—â—s Augâ—st c. Brâ—ghtman Forâ—s c. This being thus generally premised I come now to the particular Quaeres This strong Angell by the consent of most Expositors is the Lord Iesus who hath a rainebow about his head to shew the security brought vnto men by him is cloathed with a cloud that is the nature of man his face shineth as the Sunne because he is the light of the world his feet like pillars of fire to shew that his ministers propagating the Gospell kindle a fire of feruent loue where they come one foot being set vpon the earth and the other vpon the sea set forth his dominion ouer sea and land Lyâ—a Lyra vnderstandeth the Emperor Iustinus and his Nephew Iustinianus about the yeere 518. who held a little booke open when he wrote his Epistles against the Arrians in fauour of the Orthodox Lastly some vnderstand an Angell properly either Gabriel or some other perhaps the same that was before so desirous to haue the booke opened Chap. 5. but all the seales now being opened and men not being moued to repentance it is precisely noted in the Chapter before going he commeth againe roaring as a Lion so loud as that thunders Eccho-like are heard Arethas Andreas Abbas Ioach. Fox and protesteth that time shall be no more c. that men might hereby at the least be awakened made to repent And vnto this doe I subscribe because I see no necessity of vnderstanding Christ by an Angell here but rather as the word soundeth for it is expressed in none other termes but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another Angell that is another such as the Angels blowing the trumpets When Christ is set forth by this name it is alwayes with some addition as the Angell of the Couenant c. Moreouer what need was there that Christ should now leaue his royall throne in heauen to come downe to the earth when hee had many ministers fit for this seruice and indeed this cannot well be applied vnto Christ seeing it is expresly said Act. 3. The heauens must containe him till the time of restoring all things Whereas the apparatus of a cloud rainebow c. may seeme not to agree to an Angell indeed let it bee considered that the Angels in heauen doe partake with Christ in his glory as the Saints doe and then it will not seeme absurd that an Angell should bee set forth thus descending all making for the honour of God and of Christ to whom they are ministers being glad with so great glory The little booke opened Pareus some will haue to be the same which before was said to be sealed Some the holy Scriptures the opening and right vnderstanding whereof Aretius after that they had beene long kept shut in the time of Popery is here figured out And this seemeth to mee to agree best for the other booke must needs be very great out of which so many horses issued and other things appeared this of the Scriptures