faithfull person liueth not as the naturall man doth though he cannot but through humane frailty sinne yet his heart is against all sinne and his life is such a continuall practice of repentance and the Spirit of Christ doth so sway and carry him as that he falleth not so often as the naturall man doth and he doth daily wash and cleanse himselfe from sinne by the teares of true repentance and that when there is no worldly shame or losse to moue him hereunto Neither can I see but that the regenerate must needs be of such an holy life as not at any time to fall into any great sinne as of adultery murther theft drunkennesse or the like although vnder the Law most holy men haue fallen for the Spirit is now giuen in a greater measure than it was in those daies and the force of corruption is more abated as is cleare from sundry passages of holy Scripture Whereas vers 8. it is said Vers 8. that the Deuill sinneth from the beginning and the Sonne of God appeared that he might dissolue the workes of the deuill the meaning is that he was euer the Author of sinne by his temptations so preuailing amongst men as that the world hath hitherto beene full of sinne but now the Sonne of God comming hath giuen a contrary Spirit into the hearts of his people whereby they are sanctified to leade an holy and new life The Deuill had them before as it were in the chaines of sinne fast bound for stirring to forsake those superstitious and riotous courses but now these bands are loosed and they are set at liberty to walke in the waies of Gods Commandements because free will which was lost in Adam is restored in the regenerate by Christ that we may now striue against and resist euill temptations Note that the most certaine marke of a childe of God Note is to leade an holy life and truly to endeuour to refraine from all sinne out of an inward affectation of holinesse and the dislike and hatred of euery sinne be it neuer so pleasing or profitable to the outward man and not in any by-respect and being ouertaken with sinne by infirmity to be humbled therefore and to beg for mercy and pardon and that toties quoties The comfort of those that doe thus is that they are not now accounted sinners but are iustified here-from Luke 13. as it is said of the poore Publican that hauing knocked vpon his breast and humbled himselfe he went away iustified The penitent person sinneth not because he doth daily that which is righteous in calling himselfe to account for his sinnes and iudging himselfe therefore as Beda saith Beda in Luc. 10. Seruos nos inutiles fatcamur vt in sortem vtilium veniamus Hieron Vnica iustitia nostra est iniustitiam fateri In confessing our selues to bee vnprofitable seruants we come to be profitable and Ierome Our only righteousnesse is to confesse our vnrighteousnesse For whoso doth thus and bewaileth it daily in secret cannot but haue his heart set against sinne and so sinneth not in will and desire CHAP. 3. VER 21. If our heart condemne vs not wee haue boldnesse towards God and receiue what wee aske of him because we keepe his Commandements c. In commending brotherly loue Mayer Vers 14. which he had often done before he saith Hereby wee know that wee are translated from death to life if we loue the brethren vers 14. By the loue of brethren all vnderstand here the loue of one another which is vsually expressed by the word neighbours in the old Testament but by the word brethren in the new Brotherly loue is a signe of true grace which is the beginning of the spirituall life that is eternall it is not the cause of life as euen the Iesuit condescendeth orinus Hereby a man may know that hee is raised from the death of sinne to the life that is by grace if he hath true loue in him because all that are partakers of this life haue this loue in them and consequently a man may know that euerlasting life is his and not only haue a probable coniecture hereof as popish writers teach For to put it out of doubt that we may know certainly he saith vers 24. We know that he abideth in vs by the Spirit that he hath giuen vs Verse 19 20 21. and in vers 19 20 21. he argueth from the heart and conscience of euery man which vpon this ground of actuall loue comming to be quiet and free from any accusation argueth most certainly that wee are in his fauour He that loueth to the exercising of charitable actions keepeth Gods Commandements which stand but in two things the loue of God and the loue of our neighbour God is said to be greater than our conscience that is more able to iudge and condemne because all things are most euident vnto him so that if our conscience condemneth vs hee will condemne vs much more And this is his commandement Vers 23. Oecumen that we beleeue in the Name of his Sonne Iesus Christ To beleeue in the name of Christ here saith Oecumenius is to giue credit to his will for by his Name is set forth sometime his glory and sometime his will Now his will whereunto he would haue vs giue credit is that we should loue one another But this exposition is forced for hauing spoken of loue hitherto and how necessary it is because God hath commanded it hee now goeth somewhat higher and sheweth that in commanding vs to beleeue in the Name of his Sonne hee commandeth loue also seeing that loue is inseparable from a liuely faith Therefore hee addeth This is his command that we beleeue and loue one another as if he should haue said For so much as I haue spoken of the Commandements of God affirming that he which loueth keepeth thē hereby it plainly appeareth to be so because that in commanding to beleeue in Christ he inioyneth vs both to beleeue and to loue loue being vnto faith as the soule is to the body which is but a dead carkasse if it be away And so hee commeth aptly to mention the Spirit giuen vnto vs in the next verse whereby we know that we are in God that is The. Aquin. Gorran Beza this grace of the Spirit loue And hereunto doe others consent Note here Note because he maketh the keeping of Gods Commandements the ground of our confidence to God-ward so as that we may pray with certaine expectation to be heard that none but such as are of a godly life charitable to the poore can haue any assurance of Gods fauour All wicked men and hard-hearted cannot but haue an accusing conscience if it bee not cauterized and therefore their hope to God-ward is vaine though they call and cry to him for mercy they shall not preuaile Iam. 5.16 Mat. 7.22 CHAP. IIII. HAuing spoken in the last verse of the former Chapter of knowing
Gods iudgements is to haue true and vnfained loue in vs towards one another For feare commeth out of the conscience of sin from which we shall be free if we haue such loue in vs wee shall not sinne against the degree the life the chastity the goods or the good name of our brother which kinde of sins are vsually the originall of inward trouble and feare in the minde CHAP. V. IN this Chapter the Apostle treateth of faith prouing that the faithfull loue the children of God because they loue God and that they loue God because they keepe his commandements vrging to beleeue in Christ because of the testimony which God the Father hath giuen vnto him The coherence of it with the former is this Hauing proued that he which loueth God must needs loue his brother he proceedeth to confirme it further from the consideration of the nature of faith Hereby we are begotten of God and therefore we cannot but loue others that are begotten of him also and the ground of this is our louing of God the Father both of vs and them for he that loueth a man loueth his children also for his sake Vers 1 2. So that this is indeed a new argument we cannot loue God but we must loue our brethren also because they are the begotten of God this being the state of euery faithfull person And hauing reasoned so much about the loue of God he sheweth in the next place what this loue is viz. to keepe his commandements Vers 2 3. and that it may not be thought hereupon that no man then can loue God he sheweth that the faithfull haue the Spirit whereby they are so inflamed with the loue of God as that this is their continuall study and care by the assistance of the same Spirit they ouercome the world the chiefe enemy hindring them from keeping these Commandements v. 4 5. Then because the obiect of faith is Christ Iesus hee sheweth by what certaine testimony he came that wee might vndoubtedly beleeue pressing the same vers 6 7 8 9 10. and then what benefit doth redound to the beleeuer euen eternall life vers 11 12. for which cause he saith that he wrote vnto them resuming againe the argument touching boldnesse before vsed chap. 4 17. For if Christ and by him life be ours wee cannot but with confidence aske any thing at his hands vers 14 15. wherefore he exhorteth to pray for them that sin so that their sinning be not vnto death vers 16. yeelding a reason of praying for such vers 17. and then affirming againe the immunity of Gods children from sinne and shewing how all the world is vnder sinne but the faithfull in grace through the knowledge of God and of Iesus Christ he concludeth with a dehortation from idolatry vers 19 20 21. 1 IOHN Chapter 5. Verse 2. Hereby we know that we loue the children of God when wee loue God and keepe his Commandements IT is a maruell Mayer that the Apostle hauing reasoned before from our louing of one another to the louing of God doth now reason from our louing of God to our louing of one another But certainly there may be areciprocall argument drawne both waies wee cannot haue true loue towards one another but in the loue of God and obedience to his Commandements as Piscator noteth Piscator for there may bee a wicked loue and delight in one another this appeareth to be no true loue because we haue no loue of God in louing thus seeing his Commandements are transgressed It was necessary therefore hauing spoken so much of mutuall loue to insert this here lest that should be taken for true loue laudable before God which is wicked and damnable In the first verse he speaketh in the singular number Hee that loueth him that begetteth Vers 1. loueth him that is begotten of him But here in the plurall whereupon many haue gathered that by him which is begotten Christ Iesus the onely begotten Sonne of God is meant touching the loue of whom he speaketh because many that outwardly embraced the Faith of Christ Hilar 6. c Trin. August lib de fide â—2 Beda did not in heart loue him but were enemies vnto him But many againe on the other side expound it of the regenerate as Dydimus Oecumenius Glossa ordmaria c. But I assent rather to this latter because of the sudden change of the number and an assumption as it were made out of the former verse and because euery one that beleeueth is said to be begotten of God the same word being vsed that is to expresse him which is begotten Vers 3. In that his Commancements are said not to bee grieuous it may seeme that they are possible to be kept in euery thing a speech agreeable to this is that of our Sauiour Christ My yoke is easie Mat. 11 28. and my burthen light But the next words scrue to explaine these Vers 4. Because euery one that is borne of God ouercommeth the world The true faithfull person delighteth in Gods Commandements Rom 7. though by reason of the flesh that hee carrieth still about with him he cannot perfectly fulfill them They are not grieuous because they doe not with-hold vs from any thing profitable or truly pleasant vnto vs. August de natura grâ—t c 43. Quoâ— odo est graue cum dilectionis est mandatum Aut enâ—m quisqua non diligit graue est aut diligit graue esse non 〈◊〉 est dug de nat perfect inssitae Saint Augustine speaketh excellently in shewing that they are not grieuous How should that be grieuous which is the Commandement of loue for either a man doth not loue and so it is grieuous or else he loueth and so it cannot be grieuous Popish writers doe hereupon insult ouer vs teaching that no man can perfectly keepe Gods Commandements for if it be impossible say they for the regenerate to keepe them without sinning how are they said not to bee grieuous Saint Augustine shall answer for vs it is the loue and delight that we take in them that maketh them not grieuous seeing hereby we are not pressed as with a burthen but cleuated as with wings as the same Father also speaketh For though we cannot doe the thing that we delight in so exactly yet it is not grieuous vnto vs. As Gregory speaketh Greg. lib. 5. in 1 Reg 12. Quid graue non leuiter â—ollâ—rat qui amat quicquid enim diligitur cum magna deuotione por latur what grieuous thing doth not hee lightly beare that loueth For whatsoeuer is beloued is borne with great deuotion Indeed if for our imperfections and failings in keeping Gods Commandements we should be iudged it must needs be grieuous but seeing by Faith we are stated in him that hath done all things perfectly and God doth not behold vs any more in our selues but in Christ whose perfect righteousnesse is ours we become secure in respect
riches and therefore the poore here is one poore and brought lowe in the world This would be noted Note that we may not be carried on according to the manner of the world to be ouerwhelmed with sorrow in time of aduersity and neuer to be so merry as when worldly wealth floweth in as though happinesse consisted in these things For this is a meere delusion The onely true and solid ioy is in the future exaltation in heauen the way vnto which is by poeurty and crosses in this world and in an humble minde here in the middest of worldly wealth CHAP. I. VERS 13.14 Let no man being tempted say I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted of euill he tempteth no man 14 But euery one is tempted being drawne away by his owne concupiscence and inticed 15. Then lust hauing conceiued bringeth forth sinne but sinne perfected breedeth death Tho. Aqui. in Iacob Gorran Hauing spoken hitherto of externall temptations now hee speaketh of internall that is euill cogitations suggested to the minde whereby a man is enticed and drawne to euill these come not from God but from our spirituall enemies God indeed is said to tempt Abraham Genes 22. Deut. 12. and likewise to tempt the people of Israel but it is to be vnderstood that there is a twofold temptation the one of triall the other of deceit by the first God tempteth that men may be more purified as the gold being tried in the fire but not by the other The Deuill tempteth thus that he may deceiue vs the flesh that it may allure vs and the world that it may draw vs away Concupiscence within a man as originall tinder Rom. 7. Gal. 5. otherwise called the law of the members and the flesh lusting against the spirit that tempteth by drawing away from good and enticing to euill for by these two words are set forth the two termes the terme from which and the terme vnto which the right way from which and the wrong way vnto which Aug. Peccatum est spreto incommutabili bono commutabili bono adhaerere or the immutable good from which and the mutable good vnto which Ob. The deuill tempteth sometimes and therefore not concupiscence onely Sol. Although the deuill tempteth yet he can doe nothing if concupiscence were not euen as wood is not kindled by blowing vnlesse there be fire Concupiscence when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sinne c. The degrees of temptation are here noted out first there is delight alluring secondly consent conceiuing thirdly worke performing fourthly custome perfecting Lust conceiueth by the deuill who is as it were the father and lust the mother this conception is by the consent of the will or by delight Bringeth forth sinne that is into act Psal 7. It is perfected by custome and then death commeth that is it becommeth guilty of eternall damnation Rom. 6. for the wages of sin is death But why is death assigned only to custome doth not sinne delighted in or consented vnto and acted bring forth death also Answ Yes doubtlesse but it is most properly said thus of custome in sin because in such there appeare no signes of life there is little hope of his returne but in such as sometime fall into sin there are signes of life though more in the consenter vers 17. fewer in the acter of sinne Euery best guift and euery perfect guift This is added further to proue that no euill temptation is from God because good onely commeth from him which hee sheweth first from the copiousnesse of his guifts secondly from his immutable goodnesse thirdly from his liberality towards vs in begetting vs fourthly from their own iudgement Touching the degrees here set forth the good are temporall guifts the better naturall the best gracious The best guift of grace and the perfect guift of glory The first is called a thing giuen because it is in the way the other a guift without end in our Countrey The father of lights that is the author of all graces which are the lights of the soules Occum in Iac. By temptation here vnderstand that which ariseth from a mans owne sinnes and intemperance whereby trouble is brought vpon him and fluctuation of the minde now when trouble is brought thus vpon a man it is not a temptation from God but from his owne concupiscence Mayer August de verbis Domini Est temptatio inducens peccatum qua Deus nominem tentat est tentatio probans fidem qua tentare Deus hominem dignatur Pareus Faber Piscator Gagneus and all others that I haue seene follow Tho. Aquinas vnderstanding here that inward temptation that is to euill of which it seemed good to the Apostle to speake because he had commended temptations before For of outward temptations of trouble comming vpon a man by his own default it cannot be meant as Oecum would haue it because it is temptation to euill of which it is spoken here as is expressed when it is added God is not tempted of euill and the sequell of this temptation is plainly said to be sin not outward trouble in the world If it be demanded in what sense God is said to be vntemptible of euill Pareus the Latins reade it intentator malorum Pareus some others take it both actiuely and passiuely but because the actiue immediatly followeth He tempteth no man I thinke that it is to be vnderstood passiuely only The meaning is that our malice caÌ„not stir vp euil in him neither doth he tempt any man to euill as Occum hath noted was the saying of an Heathen Numen Deâ—s neque ipsâ— molestias habet neque alijs exhibel 2 Sam. 24. God the diuine Maiesty neither is himselfe troubled nor bringeth troubles vpon others Ob. He hardened Pharaohs heart whoÌ„ he will hee hardeneth and hee moued Dauid to number the people Sol. With Pareus I say that God doth not by tempting make any man euill but vpon such as are already euill he sendeth the iudgement of being hardened to the doing of more euill that hee may in the end receiue the greater damnation Reade more touching this point vpon Rom. 9. and August de bone perseuerantiae Epist 146. ad Consentium 2 If it be demanded what concupiscence is and whether it be not a sinne because hee seemeth here to make it but the cause of sinne and how temptation is ascribed onely to concupiscence when as the deuill also tempteth and so doth the world too I answer to the first that concupiscence is generally agreed vpon to be that originall inclination vnto euill which we draw from the loines of our first Parents To the second that S. Paul himselfe being the teacher it is sinne Rom. 7. and such a sinne as is condemned in the tenth Commandement though Popish Writers mince it and say that it is not truely and properly sinne but the cause of sinne and by the Apostle Paul
called sinne therefore figuratiuely and improperly But I haue spoken of this before in the proper place To the third Aquinas hath answered well already wherein it is generally consented that lust is the next and immediate cause of sinne alwaies other tempters worke but by our lust The deuill could not haue preuailed against Eue had she not been drawn by her owne desire and stirred vp when she looked vpon the forbidden fruit Faber addeth Faber that the Apostle speaketh of men void of all grace and liuing onely by sense like the brute beast whom to carry away to sinne lust alone is sufficient for so much as the soule lieth dead as it were in such and so they are carried any whither by sense euen as a dead Marriner in a ship tossed by the waues of the Sea 3 If it be demanded in what manner lust worketh vnto sin and whether death be not due till sinne is perfected by custome because hee saith sinne being perfected bringeth forth death I answer that it worketh by a false perswasion and delight as the fish is drawne by the bait and therefore the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken from a bait is vsed he is drawne away from good by thinking it not good and hauing in him a kinde of auersnesse there-from and allured to euill through the sweet and good apprehended to be therein Touching death Tho. Aquin. the issue of sinne being perfected Tho. Aquinas hath answered it well already that sinne perfected is said to bring forth death because there is not that likelihood of being conuerted and turned from sinne in such as are growne to a custome of sinning as in these that haue sometime sinned onely Ier. 13.23 yea the Prophet speaketh of it as impossible Can a Blackmore put away his blacknesse or a Leopard his spots so they that haue accustomed to doe euill cannot learne to doe well Pareus Pareus saith that it is said so because that euen in the iudgement of men sinne comming into act deserueth death Faber Faber because it is not deadly if in the conception it be disliked and withstood Popish Writers gather from hence that lust is no sinne and that the first motions vnto sinne are not sinne and that motions vnto sinne with some consent are not mortall sinnes that is worthy of death but veniall But that lust is sinne is plaine first because the Law saith Thou shalt not lust secondly because S. Paul calleth it sinne Rom. 7.12 thirdly because it is the cause of sinne and by the Law of God not onely sinne but the cause and the degrees of it are forbidden Secondly that the first motions are sinne is plaine also because they draw a man from good and intice him to euill and so are the materiall and efficient cause of sinne and censured therefore by Saint Paul as sinne Rom. 7.8 17. And therefore thirdly much more motions with some consent are sinne and worthy of death seeing this is the wages of euery sinne yea Rom. 5.13 euen of the mother of sinne Lust before that it breaketh forth into act 4 If it be demanded what is meant by euery good gift and by euery perfect gift It is to bee vnderstood that there are two different words vsed to expresse these gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Latine translation datum donum and for good there it is read euery best gift which also pleaseth Beza best I doe not finde any distinction to be made amongst Expositors betwixt these two but onely in Thomas Aquinas Beza Piscat Tho Aquin. Gorran Faber which hath beene already set downe Most hold that spirituall gifts only are meant here which alone are truly good and perfect and this is most agreeable to the scope of the place which is to teach that no euill is suggested to the minde by God For he that is the Author of all good and grace vnto vs cannot be the Author of euill also Pareus Pareus vnderstandeth all other good things of this life also and so the infinite goodnesse of God is yet more set forth The gifts of grace according to some are said to bee perfect because they tend to the perfecting of the new man but I thinke rather that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turned into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew Gods vnchangeablenesse in his gifts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew that his gifts are altogether good for vs and not euill or hurtfull any way as the gifts of men are The Father of Lights God is said to be Light Faber and so is the Sonne and so is the holy Ghost and according to this we confesse him in the Church to be Light of Light and here the Father of Lights not because hee begetteth these Lights but amongst the Lights he is Father August de speculo and an effect of this light is grace seasoning the hearts of the faithfull He may also be said to be the Father of Lights Deus omnipotens cursus temporis dici nocti que alternatione apud te nequaquam variatur hoc vere est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so per conuers solis reciprocat a tropico in tropicum hoc autem in dâ—o non fit quiaâ— pud cum nulla nox est dies autem perpetua quia lux est ind fiâ—â—eâ—s Aug. l. b. 1. de Ciuit. dei with reference to the Sunne Moone and Starres by the influence whereof the earth is made fruitfull With whom there is no mutation or shadow of change This S. Augustine hath notably expounded saying Almighty God is no whit varied towards thee by the change of the course of the time of the night and of the day There is indeed a shadow of change in the Sunne when it returneth from tropicke to tropicke but it is not so with God who is a neuer-failing light and in whom is no darknesse for in alluding to the Sun mouing between the Tropicks no doubt but the Apostle vseth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this serueth to answer an obiection But God may vary though now all good commeth from him Sol. No there is no variation or shadow of changing in him Augustine elsewhere turneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a moment saying that there is not any change in God not for a moment of time If such places of Scripture be obiected as wherein God is said to repent and not to do what he had threatned It is answered that herein change is attributed vnto him per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in regard of the euent and in threatning and not doing accordingly he changed not because his threatnings are alwaies conditionall If it be said further that he altered the seruice sometime constituted by him in the time of Moses Ans It was constituted but till the comming of the Messiah as is plaine Dan. 9.24 Note that
to yeeres of discretion and then they ought to confesse all their sinnes and especially before the comming to the Eucharist Hitherto popish Writers Ours hold that the name of Elders was giuen to some for their prudence and ability to gouerne for in age there is wisdome and experience that youth wanteth wherefore Gouernours were in the old Testament commonly called by the name of Elders as the 70. Elders that were appointed with Moses to gouerne the people And the same name is continued in the new Testament of such as were set vp to gouerne in Christian Congregations whereof there were diuers in euery Congregation who were ioyned to those that had the dispensation of the Word and Sacraments committed vnto them Caluin 1 Tim. 5.17 Flacius Illir And this they gather from 1 Tim. 5.17 where it is said The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour especially such as labour in the Word and Doctrine Howsoeuer this order of gouerning by other Elders ioyned with Ministers was broken off long agoe through the pride of Priests who desired to haue all Church-gouernment in their hands onely as Caluin saith Ambrose complaineth But the word Presbyteri Elders and Priests are promiscuously vsed amongst the Fathers euery where in their writings so that howsoeuer it was at the first in the daies of the most ancient Fathers that haue written there were no Elders of the Church known but Priests As amongst the Iewes the Gouernours were called Elders so amongst the Romans Senatours had their name à senectute because they were commonly wise and ancient men By Elders here that must be sent for in the time of sicknesse I vnderstand the Ministers of Gods word whereof there were commonly two in a congregation at the least As for the anointing with oyle the ground of this was the Apostles anointing of the sicke and so healing them mentioned Mark. 6.13 neither was this a gift common to all Elders but to some for all had not the gift of healing 1 Cor. 12.30 This anointing held as long as those extraordinary gifts but then it was not vsed any more till that Innocent 1. instituted it anew an 402. as Sigebertus reporteth After that it was againe vsed not only by Priests vnto the sicke but by all other Christians as the words of the same Innocent are It is lawfull Innocent epist 1. ad Decentium cap. 8. not onely for the Priests but for all Christians to anoint with the Chrisme made by the Bishop Alcuinus also teacheth the same de diuin officijs cap. 40. ann 750. And Beda who also thought that it was to be applied to the weake in faith Beda in Luc. 9. as well as to the weake in body If it be demanded then whether we by omitting this Ceremony about the sicke do not transgresse against an Apostolical ordinaÌ„ce or whether the practice of the Church of Rome is not rather herein to be commended I answer that seeing it was to heale the sicke immediatly as other signes and wonders were then done by an extraordinary power of the spirit for the confirmation of the Gospell amongst vnbeleeuers and this vertue ceased long agoe it were but a vaine thing for vs to vse this anointing still being now but a bare Ceremony without operation And for the practice of the Church of Rome at this day their anointing is farre differing from that in the Apostles daies For first common oyle was then vsed but now oyle consecrated by the Bishop with breathing vpon it mumbling ouer it and exorcising being saluted nine times with the bending of the knee and with saying thrice Aue sanctum Oleum thrice Aue sanctum Chrisma and thrice Aue sanctum Balsamum 2. Then the parts affected only were anointed the dumbe had oyle put into his mouth the deafe into his eares Gregor Turon Franc. hist lib. 6. cap. 7. c. as Gregor Turonensis reporteth but now the eyes the eares the nostrils the mouth and the hands are anointed c. 3. Then anointing was vsed to cure the bodily disease of which they that were sicke were presently healed but now it is vsed when men are ready to depart out of this life without any such effect 4. If anointing were anciently applied for a spirituall good it was but for a signe onely it being held that all the good came by prayer vnto the sick as Victor a Victor Antioch in Mark 6. Oleum quod in sancta vnctione adhibetur Dei misericordiam mâ—rbi sanationem cordis illuminationem denotat Dici tameÌ„ potest orationem hec omnia efficere oleum autem corum omnium quae siunt externum tantum symbolum esse Antiochenus speaketh The oyle that is vsed setteth forth both the mercy of God the healing of the disease and the illumination of the minde yet it is prayer that doth all these and the anointing is but an outward symbole hereof only But now anointing is vsed for the remission of sinnes and to procure happinesse to him that is ready to depart out of this life yet there is some difference amongst them that hold this Lombard saith that onely veniall sinnes are done away by Extreme Vnction Bellarmine b Bell. li. 1. de extrem vnctione cap. 8. that the remainders euen of mortall sinnes which are vnknowne are hereby remitted Now although the forgiuing of sinnes is here mentioned yet it is not attributed to the anointing but because sinne is the cause of all sufferings sin remaining there is no hope of being healed therefore as our Sauiour Christ when he would comfort the palsie man in respect of the healing of his disease hee biddeth him Be of good comfort thy sins are forgiuen thee so here to shew that they should be healed he saith If he hath committed sin it shall be forgiuen him And this is obtained by hearty and penitent prayer which now wee ought to make our refuge without this vaine Ceremony so long agoe iustly left but resumed againe as superstition began to inuade the Christian world Our onely meanes of helpe now is with the leprous man to pray Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane though in S. Iames his time whilst a miraculous sanation did follow anointing in the name of the Lord it was well appointed to be vsed And if any scruple shall arise as Bellarmine obiecteth then during that time no Christians died of any sicknesse if all were healed that were anointed and this was vsed vnto all according to the direction of this place I answer by the like reason none should haue died all the time that Christ went about doing of miracles and healing euery disease It is therefore to be vnderstood that God by his prouidence disposed it so as that all did not fly to these meanes but such onely as hee had appointed to be healed or such Elders as had the gift of healing went not but onely to them and at such times as by his spirit they were
It deliuereth from death Dan. 13. Susanna prayed and was deliuered 4. It preuenteth temptation Matth. 26. Watch and pray that ye enter not c. 5. It ouercommeth the aduerse powers Exod. 17. Moses lifting vp his hands Israâ—â— preuailed 6. It purifieth the heart August Orationibus mundamur lectionibus instruimur 7. It pacifieth Gods anger Exod. 32. 8. It presenteth our desires 〈◊〉 God Quasi quaedam persona ad Deum intrat August 9. Healeth the sicke Note Note that the time of sicknesse is specially a time of prayer Psal 50.14 thou must pray much and desire the prayers of others for thee All physicke and diet and warmth is nothing without prayer pray therefore continually 1 Thes 5.17 but specially in the time of sicknesse Note againe Note that the Minister is a principall man to be sought to in sicknesse he therefore is with all speed to be sent for and if there be more neere send for two or three that together they may pray for thee Matth. 18. For when two of you shall consent together about any thing vpon earth saith Christ to his Apostles it shall be done in heauen Consider what wonders Elias did by praying and doubt not but that the men of God shall preuaile as well for thee in thine extremity if it may be for Gods glory that thou maist be deliuered otherwise thou must resolue that to be sicke still and to die too if God will haue it so is most for Gods glory as that mans being blinde Iohn 9. and Lazarus his dying Iob. 11. and therefore rest contented Note lastly Note that sinne is the cause of sicknesse and confequently of all sufferings except they be meerely for trialls as Iobs sufferings were Lament 3.27 1 King 8. for when he would shew that healing shall follow vpon faithfull prayer hee doth it with this addition and if he hath committed sinne it shall be forgiuen him and till sinne be done away there is no expectation of being healed Wherefore the chiefe thing to be intended in sicknesse is to be deliuered from sinne which is not but by true repentance to the furthering whereof it auaileth much to confesse to the Physitian of the soule If any be healed of their sicknesse but not of their sinne it is but a repriuing for a time that they may come vnder some greater iudgement according to that Iohn 5.14 Goe thy way sinne no more lest a worse thing befall thee CHAP. 5. VERS 19. If any man hath erred from the truth and one turneth him let him that hath turned him know that he saueth a soule from death c. There is some question about the cohering of these words with the former and some about the sense Mayer Touching the coherence Some say Tho. Aquin. Gorran that hauing before exhorted to pray for others in the time of sicknesse that they may be healed here is intimated a further duty to be done viz. not onely to be sollicitous for a brothers bodily safety but chiefly for the safety of his soule by endeuouring to conuert him Pareus Piscator Some without any coherence speake of it as a proposition of a new duty I subscribe to the coherence there being nothing in this Epistle but deliuered in a method as I haue shewed in my Analysis Touching the sense Pareus The. Aquinas Faber Occumen Some by erring from the truth vnderstand onely erring in matter of doctrine in points concerning the foundation and some both in doctrine and manners neither doe I see any reason why they should be seuered because either way the soule is endangered Any errour in manners that is walking in the way of any sinne in dangereth the soule for the wages of sinne is death and he that faileth in one point Rom. 6.23 Iames 2.10 is guilty of all the law And to erre in matter of doctrine if it be in the foundation is deadly The Galathians erring thus Gal. 1.6 are spoken of as departed to another Gospell when they erred onely in the point of iustification by workes If any man erred in the matter of circumcision vsing it now vnder the Gospell Gal 5.1 2 Thes 2.11 he is pronounced to be such as that Christ shall not profit him And to beleeue lyes is set forth as the way of destruction to which disobedient persons are in iudgement giuen ouer Iohn 17.17 It is the truth that sanctifieth and saueth and therefore errout must needs corrupt and destroy But euery errour doth not bring a man into this danger for hee that holdeth the foundation shall be saued though he buildeth hay or stubble 1 Cor. 3.12 And to erre in a point fundamentall destroyeth not where there is a minde willing to learne the truth but yet for want of meanes or time the perfect knowledge hereof is not attained vnto as was the case of the Apostles Acts 1.6 who thought till the resurrection of Christ that by the exercising of outward regall power hee would saue his people and confound his enemies Touching the words following Hee saueth a soule from death Parens and hideth a multitude of sinnes Some apply both these to the person conuerted the first in respect of God hee saueth him from death to which God would haue adiudged him for euer if he had continued still in his sinne and the second in respect of men who now that he is turned absolue him from all his sinnes and make account of him as if he had not erred at all And all this he doth that conuerteth another not by the merit of any thing that he can doe but because vnder God he is an instrument of bringing him into the right way which is the way to escape death Faber Stapul and the danger of sinne Some apply the first of these to him that erred and the other to him by whose meanes he is conuerted or both alike vnto him that is conuerted or that conuerteth for God doth so accept of this so excellent a worke as that hee will therefore saue him that conuerteth also Beda And therefore some reade it animam suam his owne soule I subscribe vnto the first that by the soule saued is to be vnderstood the soule of him that erred onely for this is most agreeable to the speech the subiect whereof as being before in the way of death is the sinner whom one conuerteth not the conuerter who is commonly supposed to bee in the state of saluation before And hee hideth his sinnes according to the phrase borrowed Prou. 10.12 because when a man is conuerted all his former sinnes are hidden vnder the couert of his new life The. Aquinas he is now before God as if hee had no sinne Psal 32.1 And to this also Pareus assenteth that the conuert hath no sinne imputed vnto him now that by his conuersion hee is in Christ Before men I cannot see how it should so much auaile to haue ones sinnes
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
Christ because they suffer not with him Note againe that such as are conformable to Christ by being dead vnto sinne shall haue enemies euen for this Note and shall be railed vpon by those that still remaine in the flesh but such enemies of theirs and railers need none other signe of reprobation as shall appeare when the Day of iudgement commeth Note lastly Note that the onely meanes to escape iudgement at the last day is by the preaching of the Gospell to be brought to that that we are iudged according to the flesh and quickened according to the Spirit that is truly conuerted and brought to liue an holy and righteous life others in whom there is no such effect can looke for nothing but a most terrible sentence to be denounced against them when Christ shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead CHAP. 4. VER 12. My brethren estrange not your selues from the fiery triall which is amongst you to proue you as if some strange thing had happened vnto you The vulgar Latine readeth it Nolite peregrinari in feruore Doe not play the strangers by reason of the feruent heat Our English translation Thinke not strange of the fiery triall in Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is little difficulty in any thing Mayer Vers 7. before wee come at these words vers 7. The end of all is at hand is commonly expounded of the end of this world from whence it is vsuall with the holy Apostles to raise a motiue to watchfulnesse Only Oecumenius expoundeth it of Christ The end of all is come Oecumen that is Christ the end of all the Prophets therefore after his example we ought to aspire after perfection But the first is most genuine Vers 8. Vers 8. Loue couereth a multitude of sinnes this he also expoundeth of the sinnes of him that loueth God being made hereby propitious and mercifull to him so that none of his sinnes are laid to his charge and herein he is followed by Gorran and other popish Writers that would haue loue the cause of our iustification But it is plaine from the place from whence these words are taken that it is meant of his sinnes 〈◊〉 10.12 to whom loue is shewed Hatred stirreth vp strife but loue couereth all sinnes Chrys Hom. 4. All. apâ—st and therefore Chrysostome expoundeth it thus as hatred will finde matter against a man when there is none so loue passeth ouer and winketh at and will not see many faults in whom they are though against our selues and excuseth Hern. Epist 7 â—â—â—emieâ—tiae auâ—â—â— â—a quae non 〈◊〉 sâ—â—â—cantar as much as may be the sinnes of others So also Bernard Loue couereth many sinnes but enmity suspecteth euen those that are not Touching the present vers 12. all Expositors generally agree that the fire here spoken of setteth forth aduersity and trouble in this world which commeth vpon the Christian for his professions sake And the Syriacke Interpreter doth not mention any fire at all but thinke not strange of the tentatiers that are amongst you And it is no new phrase to expresse afflictions by fire Esa 48. Psal 16. Psal 65. 1 Pet. 1. Esay speaketh of the furnace of pouerty Dauid saith That the Lord tried him with fire and we haue passed thorow fire and water and Peter speaketh to the same effect before that your faith might be found more precious than gold which is tried in the fire But for the reading of the words there is some difference Tertulan Scorp c. 12. No expaueseata vsitonem Fulg. ad Frasim c. 30. Cypri Epist 56. whereof somewhat hath beene said already Tertullian readeth it Be not afraid of the burning And Fulgentius not much differing Nolite expauescere in feruorem Cyprian readeth it Do not wonder at the burning which happeneth vnto you and Ierom not much differing Wonder not in the burning Hieren in cap. 4. Amos And as there be diuersities of readings so there is in rendring the sense But the most generally receiued is Wonder not or thinke not strange of the fire of tribulation as though it were a thing not compatible with the state of a Christian for it is rather a strange thing that a Christian should be without tribulation argueth a bastard Lyto Hugo Heb. 12.9 Some expound it of estranging themselues from the faith and loue of Christ for the fire of tribulation Turrian One expoundeth it of the fire of lust wherewith if a Christian be burned he ought not to thinke strange of it It seemeth to me that estranging of a mans selfe from persecution for the Christian profession is meant being taken with so much feare thereof as that he will rather forsake Christ than endure it And aptly fire is named because so many of Gods seruants haue beene committed to the fire and burnt for Religion Touching the residue of the Chapter there is some difficulty in vers 14. Verse 14. Because the Spirit of glory and of God resteth vpon you word for word as Beza readeth it That of glory and that Spirit of God resteth vpon you Quod sâ—â—â—norit gloria virtutis Der qui est câ—us 〈◊〉 super 〈◊〉 reâ—â—â—â—scit Cyprian Epist 5â— The Latine translation hath it That which is of glory and honour and vertue of God and which is his Spirit resteth vpon you Some againe reade it The glory and Spirit of God Cyprian hath another reading The name of the Maiesty and vertue of the Lord resteth vpon you The Syriacke The glorious Spirit of God resteth vpon you Of all these that doubtlesse is to bee preferred which is first as being most agreeable to the Greeke The meaning is that if any man suffereth for Christ not being terrified or shrinking through feare it is by Gods Spirit in him that he is made thus couragious and confident which is the Spirit of glory so called in respect of the glory that is in thus suffering as it is a base and ignoble thing to be timorous and daunted at sufferings for the Lord and the end shall be glory in Heauen to those that suffer againe it is called the Spirit of God that is of the loue of God there being no such great loue to be shewed vnto the Lord as by suffering for him There be not two spirits then here spoken of but one and the same diuersly called to set forth the excellency thereof the more In setting downe in what case there is no comfort in suffering he nameth Vers 1â— as a busie body in other mens matters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ouerseer of other mens matters so as to be ready rigidly to censure and reproue them hauing no calling so to doe for hereby ofttimes convention ariseth and he that is thus ouer-busie and medling smarteth for his labour Because the time is that iudgement should begin at Gods house Vers 1â— Here may seeme to be some difficulty what is meant
is absolutely called Monsieur to others of his kinred is prefixed their Christian name Beza as Charles Monsieur c. Others will not by any meanes haue Electa taken for a proper name but that shee to whom Saint Iohn wrote was both a Ladie of great worth and of great zeale to the truth in so much as that shee distributed much to poore Christians and was euerie way of rare pietie which did argue the true grace of God in her for which cause he stileth her an elect Ladie If Electa had beene her proper name Oecumen it should haue been placed before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not after Some againe expound it either way Lastly some thinke that not any particular woman is here meant but the Church in Babylon the praise whereof was the greater Clemens Alex. Hugo Tho. Anglicus that being in so wicked a place it cleaued so constantly to the truth But because there is no need to flie to any such mystical sense there is no reason the third Epistle being written to a particular man to interpret this otherwise than written to a particular woman and lastly because the children of her sister are mentioned vers 13. I thinke with Beza that this allegoricall Exposition is not to be receiued but that which expoundeth it of a particular woman neither can there be any certainty whether her name be here set downe or no but I doe rather incline to thinke that one or both these words be her proper name both because it is not vsed any where in writing to a particular person to omit his name and if the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be commonly vnderstood I cannot see how any mortall man could giue any such title to any seeing to know who are Elect is peculiar to God onely and lastly because most of the ancient Greeke Expositors take it for a proper name In the residue of this Epistle if there bee any difficulty Vers 7. as vers 7. where he is said to be the Antichrist that denied Christ to be come in the flesh it hath beene already handled 1 Ioh. 2.22 and Ch. 4.1 Besides this there is but one doubt more touching these words Vers 10. If any man commeth vnto you and bringeth not this Doctrine receiue him not to house neither bid him God speed Vers 11. Vers 11. For he that biddeth him God speed doth partake of his euill workes By one that bringeth not this Doctrine it is commonly agreed that an impugner of the truth is meant liuing yet in the Christian Congregation and pretending to be a Christian not a Iew or Gentile that was neuer conuerted but hath euer beene an open enemy to Christianity for with such Saint Paul doth allow feasting together 1 Cor. 10.27 and when he forbiddeth companying with wicked persons 1 Cor. 5.11 he explaineth himselfe to meane not any indifferently but brethren that were such Otherwise all meanes of their conuersion should be taken away He is one that hath imbraced the truth but now is depraued with heresie against communion with whom the Apostle giueth warning here Beda Gloss Ordin Thus it is applied by Beda and the ordinary glosse alleaging also Iohns owne example to illustrate what he hath here taught Properemus hinc ne corruat domus in qua inimicus veritatis est Polycarpe Euseb Hist l. 4. c. 13. He comming into a Bath where Cerinthus the Heretike was hastened out againe saying Properemus hinc c. Let vs make haste hence lest the house fall vpon vs where the enemy of the truth is And Polycarpe the Disciple of Iohn when Martian the Heretike came to salute him called him the first-borne of the Deuill We must also estrange our selues from obstinate Heretikes when there is no further hope of their conuersion those vsuall passages that are betwixt neighbour and neighbour of entertainment and of salutation must not be betwixt vs and Heretikes as we would not bee counted companions with them in their wickednesse Cypri l. 1. Epist 3. Tam longe ab jis nos sinus separati quam illi sunt ab Ecclesia profugi and smart accordingly Cyprian is so strict in amplifying this point as that hee would not haue any Commerce Feastings or Colloquies betwixt Heretikes and true Christians but that we should separate our selues as farre from them as they are fled from the Church The word translated God speed is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which it is alluded to the saying of the Prophet Esay Esa 57.21 There is no peace vnto the wicked in the Septuagint it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Ireneus Iren. lib. 1. c. 13. Therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should not be said vnto them As enemies and rebells to our King are by all good subiects auoided so Heretikes that are enemies to our supreme King and Lord. Note Note that it is not a thing indifferent but dangerous to the soule to haue communion and to be in good termes with obstinate Heretikes and therefore all are to be admonished to shake off this communion For hereby loe what apparant hurt hath ensued to very many in this Kingdome to be reduced backe againe to Babel out of which they had escaped besides the insensible hurt that is to thousands by their too much familiarity with Papists THE THIRD EPISTLE of the Apostle IOHN IN this Epistle there is nothing difficult sauing that a question may be who this Gaius was in the vulgar Latine called Gaius We reade of three of this name 1. Act. 19.29 where one Gaius a Macedonian and Pauls companion in his iourney is mentioned 2. Act. 20 4. Gaius a Derbean is said to accompany Paul to Asia amongst others 3. Rom. 16.23 Gaius is said to be Pauls Oast who as all hold it most probable was a Corinthian and the very same Gaius whom Paul baptized 1 Cor. 1.14 and therefore Beza gathereth that Paul was at Corinth when he wrote to the Romans And to this Gaius it is thought that Iohn wrote this Epistle Beda Lyran. Glâ—ss Oâ—din and his hospitality here commended maketh it the more probable for in some Copies both Greeke and Latine where Paul calleth him his Oast it is added and of the whole Church Many hold him to haue been a Bishop Dorâ—theus in Synoâ—s Petrus de natal l. 6. c. 100. Sedulan Rom. some of Ephesus next to Timothy and some the first of the Thessalonians But Ignatius saith that Onesimus was the next to Timothy Epist ad Eph. But I cannot see any probability that he was a Bishop seeing nothing peculiar to this office is here written as doubtlesse there would haue beene if he had beene a Bishop especially there being so iust occasion in speaking against Diotrephes I hold therefore with Beda that hee was not one sufficient to preach the Gospell but that with his goods he supported those that did preach it Touching Diotrephes Vers 9. against whom he
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
is this standing at the doore and knocking is it in mans power to open and what is meant by this Supper Answ Christ is said to knocke partly by preaching the Law and threatning Pareus partly by preaching the Gospell and comforting partly by afflictions and partly by inspiring good motions and inlightning the vnderstanding He standeth at the doore to shew his perseuerant going on in thus knocking at the doore of the heart though yet shut against him Touching that saying If any man open this doth not argue a power in man to open if he will for the opening of the heart is ascribed vnto the Lord Act. 16.14 He opened the heart of Lydia and the whole worke and euery part of our conuersion is from the Lord Ezech. 36.26 Ioh. 6.44 2 Cor. 3.5 c. But man is thus spoken vnto Aug. de cor grat c. 3. O homo in praeceptione cognosce quid debes habere in correptione cognosce te tuo vitto non habere in oratione cognosce vnde accipias quod vis habere and Ezech. 18. Turne ye make you a new heart and a new spirit that he might know what he ought to doe hee is reproued for not doing so that hee might know it to bee through his owne default and directed to pray to God that he may be able to doe so that he might know from whence he hath the power to doe so as Augustine hath excellently set it forth Viegas a Iesuite vpon this place acknowledgeth that man hath no power to open-without Gods grace preuenting intimated in that he saith I stand at the doore and knocke by his knocking then we are awakened to open The Lord commeth first with his grace vnto the will inabling it then the will coworking with grace openeth in some in others not who being thus inabled can but will not For this cause he saith If any man will open implying that it is in his power not to open To the same effect Bellarmine lib. 1. de grat lib. arbit cap. 11. and the Councell of Trent Ses 6. Can. 5. cap. 4. But the truth is whosoeuer is excited by Gods knocking doth open vnto him he being made willing by vertue of the same knocke whose will before was dead to euery good motion For in the worke of grace a man is not moued as a blocke or a stone but as a liuing thing that goeth vpon the owne legs so he by his will openeth to the Lord when hee hath once put life into it And this viuifying of the will stirreth it so effectually to open as that it cannot but open seeing as motion alwaies followeth life so opening followeth the life of the free will Doth not a man then open hee is vndoubtedly dead still is hee quickned then hee doth vndoubtedly open So that they seeme plainly to me to speake contradictions that say God by his knocke inclineth the will from whence floweth this act of opening as a proper act of life and yet the will thus inclined may resist against God and keepe the doore shut still which argueth death in the will For no man is so much his owne enemy as not to flie from a deadly danger hauing sense to perceiue it and legs to carry him away and a passage open the instinct of nature conseruatiue of it selfe putteth him on that he cannot but flie in like manner when grace commeth there being life and legs and liberty and sense of the most deadly danger of all the same grace will not suffer but as an instinct preuaile to make a man hasten from this danger in keeping the Lord out and let him in without delay As for this If any man open from a supposition to a simple position the consequence is not good If any man open therefore some will not open when their doores are knockt at it followeth no more than as if a man should come to a prison full of malefactors lying in great misery expecting euery day to be cut off and say I haue obtained liberty for you all to depart if any man will depart it would follow that some would not depart and escape from this misery As for that saying Mat. 23. How oft would I haue gathered you together and ye would not it doth imply no more but that they had meanes to bee gathered together but through their owne corruption they preuailed not amongst them Moreouer by these complaints and instigations to turne the Lord is wont to worke a turning in such as shall bee saued Lastly the Lord promiseth If any man open that hee will come in and sup with him c. This opening is by beleeuing hee commeth in by making him his habitation for the beleeuer is Gods Temple and this is more than if Christ had come in person to our houses according to that of Augustine Aug. ser 144. de Temp. plus est habere Christum in corde quà m in domo quia cor nostrum interius est nobis quà m domus nostra Pareus Bullinger c. It is more to haue Christ in our heart than in our house because our heart is more inward to vs than our house He suppeth with vs when he is delighted with those good things that are wrought in vs for these are meat and drinke vnto him seeing hee taketh pleasure in them as men doe in their meat and drinke and we sup with him by being made partakers of those ioyes and spirituall comforts that are in beleeuing and finally sit downe at his Table in the Kingdome of Heauen Or else by this phrase nothing else is meant but the neare familiarity to which the faithfull are admitted with Christ euen as louing friends that vse to sup one with another And the word Supper is rather vsed than dinner because then is most time commonly for friends to tarry by it and recreate themselues in the society of one another Quest 5. He that ouercommeth Vers 21. I will giue to him to sit with me in my Throne as I haue ouercome c. What is meant by this Throne of Christ and why is this promised to such as ouercome in this Church Answ This Throne as all agree is a participation of Christs kingly glory which they shall haue euen as he is made partaker of this glory with the Father in his humane nature He doth promise it who sometime said that it was not his to giue Mat. 20. for that was spoken in respect of his iustice by which he could not for fauour or affection giue the chiefe places to them but as any were most excellent as I haue vpon that place shewed out of Chrysostome Bullinger One ascribeth that to his humanity this to his diuinity And this is mentioned specially according to his owne example to this luke-warme Church that they might not thinke by their coole going on to come to eternall felicity with Christ for he himselfe attained not vnto it but by labour and striuing with