sowre dow that diffuseth it self to the whole lump of bread with which 't is mix'd as their disposition doth to all their sect 7. And they reasoned among themselves saying It is because we have taken no bread Paraphrase 7. And they understood not his meaning but from the mention of leaven grosly conceited that the occasion of his speech was because they had forgotten to bring bread along with them 8. Which when Jesus perceived he said unto them O ye of little faith why reason ye among your selves because ye have brought no bread Paraphrase 8. What a piece of infidelity is this thus to apply my speech to the want of bread 9. Doe ye not yet understand neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets ye took up Paraphrase 9. Will you never lay to heart or consider Have you so soon forgot how easily I am able to releive your want of bread Ye have had two competent evidences of this very lately afforded you five thousand men fed with five loaves and yet twelve baskets of fragments to spare after they were satisfied 10. Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand and 〈◊〉 many note b baskets ye took up Paraphrase 10. And so four thousand fed with seven loaves and seven baskets of fragments remaining 11. How is it that you doe not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees Paraphrase 11. How then could ye be guilty of so grosse an infidelity as to think me still unable to provide necessaries for my self and you and consequently to speak of bread when I bid you 12. Then understood they how that he bad them not beware of the leave◠of bread but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees Paraphrase 12. Then they understood their mistake how that he had not spoken of bread or leaven literally but that he foretold them what kind of people all the Pharisees and Sadducees were and all that were leavened or taught or received infusions from them viz. that all the whole tribe of them were a sort of hypocrites Luke 12. 1. who pretended much piety and love of the truth and so enquired after signes from heaven v. 1. but were indeed most perversly and maliciously bent against Christ and his doctrine and would prove the most virulent persecutors both of him and them c. 10. 17. 13. When Jesus came into the coasts of note c Cesarea Philippi he asked his disciples saying Whom do men say that I note d the son of man am Paraphrase 13. And being on his way Mar. 8. 27. to Cesarea Philippi he asked his Disciples What opinion have the multitude Lu. 9. 18. of me doe they take me for an ordinary man or a Prophet or what else 14. And they said Some say that thou art John the Baptist some Elias and others Jeremias or one of the prophets Paraphrase 14. Some old Prophet of the old Testament either risen from the dead as 't is clear they expected Elias should come again or else that the soul of one of them was by way of transmigration which the Pharisees had borrowed from the Pythagoreans come into his body See note on Joh. 9. a. 15. He saith unto them But whom say ye that I am 16. And Simon Peter answered and said Thou art the Christ the son of the living God Paraphrase 16. To this question Simon Peter particularly rendred an answer Thou art the Messias even the 17. And Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jonah for note e flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my father which is in heaven Paraphrase 17. This faith of thine is not built upon humane testimony but upon the miracles and doctrines which thou hast heard and seen which are the testimonies of God himself whereby he hath testified of me to thee and such as thou art Mat. 11. 25. See note on c. 15. d. 18. And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this note f rock I will build my church and the gates of note g hell shall not prevail against it Paraphrase 18. And seeing thou hast so freely confest me before men I will also confesse thee Thou art c. that is The name by which thou art stiled and known by me is that which signifies a stone or rock and such shalt thou be in the building of the Church which accordingly shall be so built on thee founded in thee that the power of death or the grave shall not get victory over it the Christian Church now to be planted shall never be destroyed 19. And I will give unto thee the note h keyes of the kingdome of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Paraphrase 19. And I will give thee as afterwards to all the twelve c. 18. 18. and more distinctly Joh. 20. 23. the keyes of the gate of this court or kingdome the Church of which every one of you is to be the steward as the keyes of the court were given to Eliakim Isa 22. 22. in token of his being steward of the house to admit and exclude whom he pleased that is both power and ensigne of power Apoc. 3. 7. to exercise censures and by them to exclude men in case of their impenitence either by laying some restraints on them in the Church or to turn them out of the gates of this city and upon repentance to receive them into the Church again And what you doe here as you ought to doe shall be valid in heaven 20. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ 21. From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples how that he must goe unto Hierusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day Paraphrase 20 21. The disciples knowing that he was the Messias and having told him so v. 16. he commands that this be not publickly disclosed till after his resurrection at which time in his wisdome he thought it most seasonable telling them that it was necessary that Christ should be put to death by the instance of the Jewish Sanhedrim See note on chap. 8. b. 22. Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying note i Be it farre from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee Paraphrase 22. God forbid or avert this from thee or as the Syriack reads be propitious to thy self Lord. 23. But he turned and said to Peter Get thee behind me note k Satan thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men Paraphrase 23. a snare or stumbling block moving me to that which were a sin if I should yeild to it
thus it is with God he is very unwilling that any the meanest person upon earth should be lost that might with any care or methods of ours be recovered to piety 15. Moreover If thy brother shall trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee â—hou hast gained thy brother Paraphrase 15. To this purpose these directions I shall now give which I require to be used in the Church for ever If any fellow Christian of thine doe thee any injury and by so doing offend against God thy charity to him as it must be sure to put off all thoughts of revenge against him to forgive him freely v. 22. so will it oblige thee to use all prudent methods to reduce him to a sense and reformation of his fault and by the same reason this is to be extended to all other wilfull crimes of which thou seest him guilty those being as fit to exercise this part of thy charity towards his soul as any injury done to thee immediately and let this be the method first go and admonish him of it privately so that it have nothing of shame or reproach joyned with it and if he mend upon such admonition there 's an end thou hast reason to rejoyce as at the finding the stray sheep that thou hast been so happy an instrument of his repentance 16. But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established Paraphrase 16. But if this first method of thy charity succeed not another essay must be made take with thee one or two other men either that the crime which thou layest to his charge be so confirm'd to him by sufficient testimony Joh. 8. 17. that he be no longer able to deny it as that which cannot be contradicted or denyed is said to be established Heb. 6. 16. or that the authority of these added to that of thy private admonition may be of more force with him induce him to condemn himself at least be more likely to doe so be more weighty in the presence of two or three 17. And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a Publican Paraphrase 17. But if he be still refractary either through non-conviction of the fact or non-contrition for it if this second admonition work not on him then make it a matter of publick cognizance tell it to the rulers of the assemblies saith S. Chrysostome see Power of Keys c. 2. § 12. or tell it in the presence of all the people that before them the Governour may rebuke him as Timothy is appointed to doe 1 Tim. 5. 20. But if this last method succeed not neither if he be still refractary thou art then to look on him as a desperate deplored sinner see Power of Keys c. 2. § 9. fit for the censures of the Church to overtake him 18. Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Paraphrase 18. Which ye therefore to whom now I speak the designed rulers of the Church and your successors the Bishops are in this case to proceed to to use the Keys given to you as Stewards of the house c. 16. 19. for the ejecting of such And I assure you whomsoever see note on c. 11. k. ye shall thus cast out of the Church on earth shall without repentance and submission to your censures and reformation upon them and sincere desire to reconcile and approve themselves to you be by me excluded from steaven These censures of yours inflicted by this commission from me shall be back'd by me And so whomsoever ye shall upon sincere repentance receive into the peace of the Church again he shall by me be pardoned also 19. Again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing note b that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my father which is in heaven Paraphrase 19. As for the second of the three admonitions spoken of v. 16. see note on c. 7. b. this I assure you that as the assize of three men among the Jews had some power so shall any two or three Christians joyning in such a reprehension be considerable in this matter having the priviledge of Gods presence as in their prayers thus united so in their united admonitions to give them authority assistance and blessing 20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Paraphrase 20. For where two or three are met or assembled for this piece of discipline as for any holy action besides there am I present with them in a special manner and will not suffer the actions which thus they undertake by my appointment to be set at nought by any 21. Then came Peter to him and said Lord how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven times Paraphrase 21. When Christ had gone thus farre by way of returne from the last to the second and before he proceeded from that to the first Peter interposed this question the answer to whcih comes home to the first of the three also Sir seeing I am bound to forbear my brother or fellow Christian that injureth me and not to act any revenge upon him as we were taught by thee Mat. 5. 39. and seeing now upon admonishing him that hath injured me in case he repent either on the first or second or third admonition I am to proceed no farther against him but forgive him and rejoyce that I have done so much good upon him v. 15. yet because he that hath thus trespassed and repented once may possibly trespasse again and repent again see Luke 17. 3 4. I desire to be taught by thee how oft I am to do this to forgive him that though he repent of his injury aske forgivenesse and promise to doe so no more see v. 26. 29. yet oft times relapses again How oft must I be thus indulgent to him and forgive him upon his request must I doe it often or seven times 22. Jesus saith unto him I say not unto thee untill seven times but untill seventy times seven Paraphrase 22. This rule is to hold eternally not only for a great but an unlimited number of trespasses supposing that the trespasser repent and promise amendment for the future Lu. 17. 4. ootherwise thou art not so bound to passe by his trespasse but that thou maist by the means prescribed v. 15. c. endeavour his reformation for in that case that is the greatest charity he is capable of 23. Therefore is the kingdome of heaven like unto a certain King which would take account of his note c servants Paraphrase 23. To
his before v. 20. but now by this sending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apostles for ever after sent as Commissioners to supply his place to performe those offices over the world to plant a Church which he being now about to return to his father could not corporally do and so to succeed him in his office and they again to send or constitute others in the like manner see Note on Lu. 6. d. V. 22. Receive ye the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receive the holy Ghost signifies here not the actual giving of the holy Ghost for that came not on them till Act. 2. and they are appointed to stay at Jerusalem Lu. 24. 49. till they were endued with power from above which therefore now before his Ascension they had not received and when the Spirit came it would lead them into all truth and as yet it appears by their question Act. 1. 6. that they were not thus led into all truth but only the confirming to them his former promise and by the ceremony of breathing on them to expresse the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eternall breath and Spirit of God sealing it as it were solemnly unto them and preparing and fitting them for the receiving of it So saith Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words receive the holy Ghost signifie be ye ready to receive him And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He breathed on them not now distributing the perfect gift of the holy Ghost for that was to be done at Pentecost but fitting them for the receiving of it For though in the next words whose signes c. the power of the Keys or stewardship in the Church were actually instated on them yet was not this to be exercised by them till the holy Ghost came down upon them as Ephes 4. 8. It is first he gave gifts unto men at the descent of the Spirit and then gave some Apostles c. v. 11. This interpretation of this place will direct to the full importance of those words Lu. 4. 49. I send the promise of my father upon you so as to render them directly parallel to this The promise of the Father was the holy Ghost Joh. 15. 26. and the I send upon you all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receive him And then the power from on high in the end of the verse clearly signifies that visible mission of the holy Ghost And all this most aptly delivered for the proof of the words here immediately precedent As my father sent me so send I you intimating that as at his mission from his father to his office he was anointed or consecrated with or by the holy Ghost Act. 10. 38. by descent of the holy Ghost on him at his Baptisme Lu. 3. 23. so the Apostles at their mission or entrance on their power should be consecrated also V. 23. Whosoever sins ye remit That the power of binding and loosing in Saint Matthew first promised c. 16. then farther described for the manner of it c. 18. the power of the Keyes of admitting and excluding out of the Church and so the power of Excommunication put into the hands of the Apostles first and from them communicated to the succeeding Governours of the Church is it which is here given by Christ may appear by the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remit and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 retain which are perfectly all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loosing and binding in S. Matthew If there be any difference it is only this that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to bind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to keep bound as well as to bind in which respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here more proper in this place then the other because the order is here inverted and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 retaining put after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remitting and so the word which signifies to keep bound is more critically adapted to this place then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bind would have 〈◊〉 and yet when binding is mentioned first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the other places is as exact as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This slight difference being granted the words are otherwise to all uses perfectly Synonymous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remit and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loose especially as applyed to sin both signifie forgiving of it the first referring to sin in the notion of a debt or thraldome to both which it is applied in the New Testament to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debts Mat. 6. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 captivity Lu. 4. 18. the second to sin in the notion of a band so Gen. 4. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my sin is greater then can be forgiven So Exod. 32. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O that thou wouldest forgive them that sin And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 42. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he forgave them their sin by Job that is by his mediation where the Hebrew read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God accepted the person of Job So also for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by the Septuagint rendred by both of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 33. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 10. 8. 11. 6. and so Act. 2. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being holden is set opposite to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loosing and so must signifie being kept bound and so almost in all other places it signifies to hold fast or take hold of and is sometimes joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as holding fast is preparative to binding Mat. 14. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laying hold on him bound him and Rev. 20. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he held fast and bound So in S. Basil speaking of the freedome of Christians in their bands he saith they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bound but not capable of binding And accordingly it is affirmed by Theophylact on Mat. 13. that Christs promise of the power of binding and loosing was fulfilled in these words Whose sins you do remit they are remitted c. And therefore whatsoever is brought by some to avoid the force of those places in S. Matthew and to cast off the censures of the Church by affirming that to bind there is to declare forbidden and to loose to declare lawfull being utterly unappliable to this place where it is not whatsoever as there which is more lyable to that misinterpretation but whose sinns c. which is no way capable of it for it cannot be imagined that Christ should mean whose sinnes ye shall declare lawfull or unlawfull by this one method of searching the meaning of these two words in this place is proved utterly uneffectuall Of this see more at large in the Tract of the
with the robe of Shebna which was over the houshold v. 15. and strengthen him with his girdle and commit his government into his hand and lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulder and he shall open and none shall shut and shut and none shall open By which is noted the bestowing on him the power of administring and ruling the whole family or house of the King so as to entertain and admit into it and in like manner to exclude out of it whom he would And accordingly this being by Christ accommodated to the Church notes the power of Governing in it This primarily and independently belongs to Christ the holy and true which hath the key of David Apoc. 3. 7. where a difference must be observed betwixt the Key of David and the Keyes of the house of David Keyes are an ensigne of power but that power is not all of one kind it is greater or lesse principal and independent or inferior and derivative and the several Keyes are emblemes of these severals David we know was a King and independent from any on earth and consequently the Key of David notes an independent supreme power and that applied to the Church belongs onely to Christ in that prophetick expression Apoc. 3. 7. But the Keyes of the house of David notes an inferior power that of a steward in Davids familie which being perfectly subordinate to him hath yet the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the administration of the affaires of his familie intrusted to him Now Christ is the Original and prime fountain of all power over the whole Church that spiritual kingdom of David as to whom was given by the Father all power in heaven and earth particularly that of loosing or remitting sin on earth Mat. 9. 6. And this is by Christ here communicated to his Apostles and their Successors the Bishops in the Church as so many several Stewards Hence is that of S. Chrysoft 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 3. That the Bishops are those faithfull servants in the parable whom the Lord sets over his houshold that is literally Stewards And so this agrees perfectly with the promise of Christ c. 19. of the Apostles sitting on twelve thrones where the power of judging and governing in the Church set answerable to that of the Phylarchae or chief of the tribes which was among the Jewes next unto the Regall is directly that of the oeconomus or ruler of the Kings houshold which is here as in Isaiah noted by the keyes And this power being here promised by Christ to be conferr'd on Peter a single person so that whatever he bound or loosed was bound and loosed by Christs affirmation is by force of the words c. 18. 18. before the keyes were given whatsoever ye shall bind and ye shall loose and by the form of conferring it actually Joh. 20. 23. he breathed on them and saith unto them Receive the holy Ghost whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted c. actually and equally instated on every of the Apostles and accordingly the fiery tongues descended and sat upon every one of them And so when Cephas in respect of this authority is styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stone on which as on a foundation-stone built on Christ the head of the corner this holy city that comes down from heaven the new Jerusalem the Church of Christ is built 't is also apparent that all and every the Apostles have the same title bestow'd upon them Revel 21. 14. where the wall of the city hath twelve foundations and upon them twelve names of the twelve Apostles of which every one in respect of this power and dignity in the Church is particularly compared to a pretious stone v. 18. And when the wall of that city the Church exactly meted is found to be 144 cubits that is twelve times twelve 't is cleer that an equall portion or province is assigned to each of them To which purpose is that of Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it were said to Peter alone I will give unto thee the keyes yet they were given to all the Apostles And Cyprian Ep. 27. Dominus noster Episcopi honorem Ecclesiae suae rationem disponens in Evangelio loquitur dicit Petro Ego tibi dico quia tu es Petrus tibi dabo claves quae ligaveris c Inde per temporum successionum vices Episcoporum ordinatio Ecclesiae ratio decurrit ut Ecclesia super Episcopos constituatur omnis actus Ecclesiae per eosdem gubernetur Our Lord Christ providing for the honour of the Bishop and the disposition of his Church speaks in the Gospel and saith to Peter I say unto thee that thou art Peter and I will give thee the keyes and what thou shalt bind c. From thence by vicissitudes of times and successions the ordination of Bishops and the disposition of the Church doth flow so that the Church is built on Bishops and every act of the Church is govern'd by them And before him Irenaeus l. 5. c. 20. the Apostles delivered the Churches to the Bishops And many the like testimonies So Tertullian de Praescr c. 32. Sicut Smyrnaeorum Ecclesia Polycarpum à Johanne collocatum refert utique caeterae exhibent quos ab Apostolis in Episcopatū constitutos Apostolici seminis traduces habent As the Church of Smyrna had Polycarp placed Bishop there by John so the other Churches are able to shew those whom they have constituted Bishops by the Apostles the children as it were of the Apostles who are propagated by them So S. Athanasius of the office of Bishop that it is one of the things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Christ hath formed by the Apostles in his Ep. to Dracontius And S. Basil the Great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Episcopacy is the Apostolicall precedence or authority over others And S. Ambrose Claves regni coelorum in Beato Petro cuncti suscepimus sacerdotes All Bishops that is the notation of Sacerdotes there such as he then was received in S. Peter the keyes of the kingdome of heaven de dign sacerd c. 6. And Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that according or answerably to Peter are vouchsafed the honour or grace of Episcopacy have power to bind and loose And generally all the ancient Writers to this purpose even S. Jerome himself in Psal 45. Quia Apostoli à mundo recesserunt habes pro illis Episcopos filios because the Apostles have departed from the world ye have their sons the Bishops instead of them V. 22. Be it far This form of speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is borrowed from the Hebrewes who use it to expresse the Latine absit that is amoliri malum aliquod to signifie our desire that such a thing may not come to passe So in the Hierusalem-Targum on Gen. 49. 22. Parce tibi Josephe ut nè conjicias oculos that is God forbid thou shouldest cast thine eyes and on Num.
also of all the Province that are absent before he can be ordained lawfully and when he is so elected then he may be ordained by two So when Synesius Ep. 67. saith of Siderius Bishop of Palebisca that he was ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 irregularly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he was not constituted at Alexandria or not by three Bishops there meaning the whole affaire as it was made up of Election and Ordination too to the former of which the presence of three Bishops was necessary though not to the latter And so Theodoret again l. 5. c. 9. affirming from the Nicene Canon that the custome was for the Bishops in every Province and the neighbouring Bishops if they pleased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make the ordinations to the best advantage must be thus understood not that all should joyne in the Ordination or imposition of hands but all of the whole Province either personally or by their letters joyning in the election two or three should impose hands on him But this ex abundanti more than was necessary for the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when 't was used of the Apostles Now for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is best rendred Church by Church that is in every Church one Elder or Bishop and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ordaine Elders in every Church is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to constitute Elders in every city Tit. 1. 5. every city having a Bishop in it and so called a Church to which the believers in all the parts about it belonged and that Bishop having power to make as many inferiour officers in that Church as he thought good Of the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Note on ch 11. b. CHAP. XV. 1. AND certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren and said Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved Paraphrase 1. And some converted or Christian Jewes which though they believed in Christ yet thought themselves still bound to the observation of the whole Mosaicall Law told those of the Gentile Proselytes v. 19. that were converted to the faith of Christ also of whom some that is the Proselytes of the gates were not wont to be circumcised but only subscribed to the seven precepts of the sons of Noah that they must be complete Proselytes of the Jewes submit to their whole Law and so be circumcised c. or else they could not be saved 2. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should goe up to Jerusalem unto the Apostles and Elders about this question Paraphrase 2. And Paul and Barnabas opposed these and the matter being turned into a question that undecidable among themselves neither yielding to the other it was necessary to appeal to Jerusalem under which as the prime Metropolis the Jewes of all Syria and so Antioch were and accordingly the Church-Governours of Antioch determined to send up Paul and Barnabas and some others with them to the Bishop of Jerusalem and the Apostles that were there and the other Bishops of Judaea see note on ch 11. b. belonging to that Metropolis to advise whether the Gentiles that received the faith and lived among the Jewish believers should be bound to be circumcised or no. 3. And being brought on their way by the Church they passed through Phoenice and Samaria declaring the conversion of the Gentiles and they caused great joy unto all the brethren Paraphrase 3. And the Church bore the charges of their journey see note on 1 Cor. 16. a. and as they went through Phoenice and Samaria they told them the great newes that occasioned this their journey the coming in of the Gentiles to the Faith and all the Christians were very much joyed at it 4. And when they were come to Jerusalem they were received of the Church and of the Apostles and Elders and they declared all things that God had done with them 5. But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed saying that it was needfull to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses Paraphrase 4 5. And when they came to Jerusalem they were kindly received by the Christians there and particularly by James the brother of the Lord then Bishop of Jerusalem and thence called an Apostle see note on the title of the Epistle of James b. and note on 1 Cor. 15. a. by Peter v. 7. and by John Gal. 2. 9. remaining there at that time and by all the Bishops of Judaea see ch 11. note b. and began their message by telling them also what successe God had given to their preaching among the Gentiles and how that when the Gentiles Proselytes or others uncircumcised came in to the Faith some Judaizing Christians of the sect of the Pharisees said that such of the Gentiles as came in to the faith of Christ were to be obliged to receive circumcision and to observe not only the seven precepts of the sons of Noah but also all the ceremonies of the whole Judaical Law 6. And the Apostles and Elders came together for to consider of this matter Paraphrase 6. Hereupon James the Bishop of Jerusalem and Peter and John the Apostles see note on 1 Cor. 15. a. Rev. 4. g. Gal. 2. e. and the Bishops of Judaea met in councel to deliberate and debate about this difficulty 7. And when there had been much disputing Peter rose up and said unto them Men and brethren ye know how that a good while agoe God made choise among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the Gospel and believe Paraphrase 7. some uncircumcised Proselytes Cornelius and his family Act. 10. should have the Gospel preached to them and accordingly had and received the faith and never were circumcised 8. And God which knoweth the hearts bare them witnesse giving them the holy Ghost even as he did unto us Paraphrase 8. And God that knew the sincerity of their hearts testified that they were believers such as were acceptable to him though they were not circumcised and fit to be baptized giving them that great witnesse from heaven sending down the holy Ghost upon them in like manner as he was before sent down upon the Apostles Act. 10. 44. 9. And put no difference between us and them purifying their hearts by faith Paraphrase 9. And dealt with them just as with us making no difference between us and them but by the Christian doctrine by them received and entertained did the same thing on them farre more effectually for which all the Jewish rites particularly circumcision were first ordained that is took them off from all their heathen sinnes 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the Disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear Paraphrase 10. This
Prisoner should have a chain on his right hand and the other end of it on the souldiers left hand so that they might conveniently go together the chain being of some length Of this many examples he there gives out of authors One especially from Athenaeus of Quintus Oppius for which Aldus's Edition hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corruptly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prisoner delivered to custody and of Bastarnes whom Manlius Aquilius one that had been Consul and came now in triumph from Sicilie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aldus reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having him bound to him in a long chain went himself a-foot with his prisoner on horse-back Thus here ver 20. S. Paul mentions his chain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am bound with this chain And accordingly Peter being between two souldiers ch 12. 6. is said to be bound with two chains with one of them made fast to one souldier by the other to the other So Paul is bound with two chains that is thus guarded with two souldiers ch 21. 33. THE note a EPISTLE OF PAVL THE APOSTLE TO note b THE ROMANS OF the Epistles of S. Paul and other the Apostles it is first sufficiently known that being written to whole Churches or single persons of Christians they doe presuppose the Christian faith planted among those to whom they write and were not designed to plant it any where and consequently that it is not to be expected of them that they should set down all the necessary doctrines or the foundations of Christianity any otherwise then by way of intimation sometimes as appeared necessary for the confuting some false doctrines which Haereticks had superinduced and scattered in the Churches Secondly then the true reason of the writing all ' the Epistles to the several Churches and of those to single persons to Timothy and Titus they were the same also being to confirm the Churches to fence them against the invasions of Haereticks to reprove the false doctrines or vicious practises that were crept in and to supply all their wants it is consequently to be resolved that the best way to interpret the difficult parts of all these Epistles is to learn and consider by the stories of those times what was the state of those Churches what the opppositions which they then met with what the dangers that were most cautiously to be prevented And of these sorts two eminent parts of story are most known and most usefull to be taken notice of in order to this end First The great scandal taken against the Apostles especially S. Paul by the Jewes which also diffused it self to the Christians that were of that nation and continued zealous for the Law of Moses viz. the Apostles conversing with and preaching to the Gentiles and either by their practise or their doctrine asserting the abolition of Circumcision and other parts of the Mosaical Law this brought upon the Christians very heavy persecutions in every place where the faith was received And as it was necessary for the Apostles to defend and vindicate their practice herein and to answer all the objections that were brought against any part of it so it was very seasonable to fortifie the poor persecuted Christians in their constancy and to encourage them to the bearing of persecutions and that not only by proposal of that eternal reward in another world and of the advantages that were reaped in this exercise of their Christian virtues of both which none that were Christians could be ignorant but as an antidote to the present pungency of their distresses by remembring or advertizing them particularly of the promise of Christ to own and protect and secure those who should cleave fast to him and to that end to come in an eminent and notable manner and that speedily to the destruction of the obdurate Jewes and at the same time and by that means to the deliverance of all his faithfull servants the persecuted Christians From hence is it that there is so often mention under divers phrase of the approach of this coming as that which would support their patience and help them cheerfully to persevere as expecting an issue ere long out of all their troubles And although the future eternal reward in the Resurrection were an excellent motive to this end yet that being supposed and presumed to be believed and acknowledged by all Christians as it was not necessary that this foundation should again be laid so it was not unseasonable to superadde to this and so often to inculcate that other consideration of temporall destruction upon these persecuters and deliverance to the faithfull even in this life the contrary to which being more probable to the eye of the world and more believed by carnal Gospellers was then the great engine used to shake the Christians constancy And upon this observation are founded many interpretations of several passages as in the processe will appear And this was a theme fit to be insisted on and inculcated to the Christians not onely in Judaea but in all other parts where the Faith was planted in Asia and at Rome it self because of the dispersion of the Jewes in all those parts and so of the persecutions caused by them on the Christians To which it was consequent in the divine justice and by the rules of sympathie which are ordinarily discernible in the suffering of members of the same body that not onely in Judaea and Palaestine but in all other parts in Syria and Asia c. these destructions should follow them And so it fell out according to Christs words that whereever the carcasse was thither the Eagles should be gathered together whereever the Jewes were the Roman armies or interdicts found them out and destroyed them And consequently as this destruction of the Jewes was among other ends of just vengeance designed also to rescue and free the Christians in all parts from their pressures so it was reasonable for the Apostles in their Epistles to them in all parts wheresoever the Gospel was received to comfort them with this assurance that it should shortly come to passe To this purpose as we now discern in their writings so Lactantius testifies of their preaching l. 4. c. 21. Petrus Paulus Romae praedicaverunt ea praedicatio in memoriam scripta remansit In qua cùm multa alia mira tum etiam hoc futurum esse dixerunt ut post breve tempus immitteret Deus Regem qui expugnaret Judaeos civitates eorum solo adaequaret ipsos autem fame sitÃque confectos obsideret tum fore ut corporibus suorum vescerentur c. Peter and Paul preached at Rome and that which they preached remained written for a memorial In which as they foretold many wonderful things so this among others that after a short time God would send a King who should destroy the Jewes and make their cities level with the ground besieging them straightly when
Christian faith by my coming and telling you what I have been able to doe and consequently that I shall bring as much blessednesse to you and be cause of as much Christian joy as is possible 30. Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake and for the love of the Spirit that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me Paraphrase 30. And now I beseech you for our Lord Christ Jesus sake and upon that obligation of Christian love which he requires and his Spirit works in your hearts that you will with great earnestnesse and intention joyn your prayers with mine to beseech God 32. That I may be delivered from them that doe not believe in Judaea and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints Paraphrase 31. That I may be deliver'd from that danger which I foresee in Judaea from some refractary men that though they have received the faith are violently bent against me as an opposer of the Mosaical Law and that the relief which I bring to the poor Christians at Hierusalem and Judaea may be taken by them in good part though it come from those Gentile provinces 32. That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God and may with you be refreshed Paraphrase 32. This would be a means to make me come cheerfully to you if it please God to grant it to our prayers and to have a cheerfull being with you 33. Now the God of peace be with you all Amen Paraphrase 33. And the God of all unity and concord blesse you and preserve unity among you all Amen Annotations on Chap. XV. V. 12. Reigne over the Gentiles That which is out of the Hebrew rightly rendred for an ensigne is by the Greek translators rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bear rule or dominion because it being the office of the King to defend and by armes to protect the people and the power of warre being as the power of the sword a branch of imperial authority and that no way competible to any but either to the supreme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ch 13. 1 2. power or prince or to him that is sent by him that is hath commission from him this being for an ensigne is all one in effect with ruling and one is but a phrase to expresse the other and the Apostle according to his manner maketh use of the Greek translation not of the Original CHAP. XVI 1. I Commend unto you Phoebe our sister which is a note a servant of the Church which is at Cenchrea Paraphrase 1. I pray take speciall notice of the bearer hereof Phoebe a pious person who relieveth those Christians which be in want at Cenchrea 2. That ye receive her in the Lord as becometh saints and that ye assist her in whatsoever businesse she hath need of you for she hath been a succourer of many and of my self also Paraphrase 2. And entertain her Christianly as she is wont to doe others and give her your best assistance in the dispatching the businesse which she hath at Rome for she hath been very liberal to divers Christians and particularly hath assisted me in an eminent manner 3. Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus Paraphrase 3. Mention my love to Priscilla who though a woman hath joyned with Aquila a man to promote the Gospel of Christ and done their best to bring many to the faith 4. Who have for my life laid down their own necks unto whom not onely I give thanks but also all the Churches of the Gentiles Paraphrase 4. And have ventured their lives to save mine for which cause I am not onely bound to thank them but all the Churches of the Gentiles who were obliged by them 5. Likewise greet the Church which is in their house Salute my well beloved Epaenetus who is the first fruits of Achaia unto Christ Paraphrase 5. And all the Christians that belong to their family see note on 1 Cor. 16. c. My love to Epoenetus the first convert I had in all Achaia 6. Greet Mary who bestowed much labour on us Paraphrase 6. See note a. 7. Salute Andronicus and Junia my kinsmen and my fellow-prisoners who are of note among the note b Apostles who also were in Christ before me Paraphrase 7. who are either known men of great estimation with other Apostles as well as me or else themselves Apostolical men 8. Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord. 9. Salute Urban our helper in Christ and Stachys my beloved 10. Salute Apelles approved in Christ Salute them which are of Aristobulus houshold Paraphrase 10. who hath shew'd himself a faithfull sincere Christian 11. Salute Herodion my kinsman Greet them that be of the houshold of Narcissus that are in the Lord. Paraphrase 11. that have received the faith 12. Salute Tryphaena and Tryphosa who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis which laboured much in the Lord. Paraphrase 12. doe good offices in the Church see note a. 13. Salute Rusus chosen in the Lord and his mother and mine Paraphrase 13. a choice person a sincure Christian and his mother which is to me as a mother also 14. Salute Asyncritus Phlegon Hermas Patrobas Hermes and the brethren which are with them Paraphrase 14. Christians 15. Salute Philologus and Julia Nereus and his sister Olympias and all the saints which are with them Paraphrase 15. Christians 16. Salute one another with an note c holy kisse The Churches of Christ salute you Paraphrase 16. with that Apostolical form of benediction 2 Thess 3. 17 18. of which a kisse was wont to be the ceremony 17. Now I beseech you brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them Paraphrase 17. Now of this I warn you brethren to watch diligently and as out of a watch-tower men are wont to observe the enemy approaching so to observe and take notice of them which teach new doctrines either contrary or different from what we have taught you and so break the peâ—â—e of the Church and discourage or drive away others from the faith from such hereticall teachers ye are to separate that others may not be deceived by taking them for men as orthodox as any See note on 1. Cor. 5. g. 18. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Paraphrase 18. Such are the Gnosticks who in stead of serving of Christ serve their own lusts and interests and by plausible pretences and undertakings corrupt and seduce those who are of a temper ready to follow and obey and so become easie and seducible contrary to wise ver 19. 19. For your obedience is come abroad unto all men I am glad therefore on your behalf but yet I would
to the dispersed of the Jewes And although those to whom the Epistles were directed immediately were the Jewish Christians yet of these there were so many that did stand for the continuance of the Mosaical Law and so were Judaizing Christians and these lived so intermixtly with the unconverted Jewes themselves and so maliciously acted with them to the persecuting of the Orthodox Christians that as some passages of this Epistle seem to belong onely to the Jewes unconverted as the former part of this Chapter till ver 7. so many more pertain to those that went on with them in their sins those that reconciled Christianity and the world and all the most enormous sensual sins c. 4. 4. and particularly the outrageous practices of the Zelots For so it appears by Act. 21. 20. that many myriads of converted or believing Christian Jewes were all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the number of the Zelots that were very vehement persecutors of all that stood not for the Law of Moses To these refers the unruly tongue c. 3. compared to a fire that kindled so much matter made such combustions among them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 setting into a flame the whole wheel or course of affairs v. 5 6. untameable v. 8. full of cursing and bitternesse v. 10 11. and in plain words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bitter zeal v. 14. and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 zeal or envy v. 16. and from thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sedition or tumultuousnesse and every evil deed the very character of the Zelots in Josephus so again c. 4. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wars and quarrels among them ver 1. which as it is observed were first intestine among themselves begun by those of the Zelots and so prepared them to their wretched desolation when the Roman Eagles came and more punctually v. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye kill and envy And to this purpose the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here most properly belongs which though it signifie sighing or groaning or murmuring yet because that is an effect of envy and emulation which sighs at other men's prosperity and because envy proceeds wholly from uncontentednesse as in the story of Cain it appears first his countenance was sad and then he malignes and slayes his brother therefore by a figure it is set to signifie the same thing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 envy and bitter zeal had before so often done V. 12. Condemnation The antient Copies generally and beside those produced by others the forementioned in Magdalene College Library in Oxford read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into hypocrisie The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Septuagint signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 false speaking for the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which vulgarly signifies to be an hypocrite to dissemble signifies also to lye to deceive to deal fraudulently as near in signification as in sound to our Knave as it is now used among us and so one of these is taken for the other the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set to signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 false speaking And then the exhortation of this place will be parallel to that of Philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is best not to swear at all but to take such care of speaking truth with every man that our words may be thought to be oaths And that of the Arabians Let thy speech be I and No that thou mayst be a true speaker among all men and Joseph de Bell. Jud. l. 2. c. 12. of a sort of Jewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All that is said by them is stronger then an oath Swearing is forbidden by them counting it worse then perjury and affirming that that man is already condemned as unsit to be trusted which is not believed without calling God to witnesse V. 14. Elders of the Church What is here meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders of the Church is not easie to be determined If there were at the time of the writing this Epistle beside the several Bishops in each Church a second order of Presbyters under the Bishops and above the Deacons and of them more then one in each Church it would then be most reasonable to interpret this place of those But because there is no evidence whereby these may appear to have been so early brought into the Church see Act. 11. b. and because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Plural doth no way conclude that there were more of these Elders then one in each particular Church any more then that the sick man was bound to call for more then one and because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders of the Church was both in the Scripture-style see Note on Act. 11. b. and in the first writers the title of Bishops and because when there were secondary Presbyters more then one in every city the sick man cannot be thought obliged by this Text to call for the whole college or one sick man for more then one and lastly because the visiting of the sick is antiently mentioned as one branch of the office of Bishops therefore it may very reasonably be resolved that the Bishops of the Church not the Elders of the Jewish Synagogue but the Bishops of the Christian Church Seniores Christianae congregationis as Erasmus paraphraseth it the Elders or Governors of the Christian congregation one in each particular Church but many in the universal Church and so also many in the Church of the dispersion to which this Epistle is addressed are here meant by S. James Thus in Polycarp's Epistle to the Philippians where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders being the highest order mentioned and those to whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judicature belongs may as in Papias and Irenaeus and Clemens Alexandrinus and Tertullian they doe most reasonably be conceived to denote Bishops One part of their office is set down that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that visit all the sick And accordingly so it most probably must in this place Ib. Anointing him with oile That anointing with oile was a ceremony sometimes used by Christ and his Apostles in working their miraculous cures healing diseases and casting out devils appears Mar. 6. 13. where at the Apostles going out it is said that they cast out devils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and anointed many sick persons with oil and cured them Another ceremony there was used to the same purpose imposition of hands Mar. 16. 18. and Act. 9. 17. and 28. 8. And to these prayer was added as the more effectual and substantial performance of which Unction and Imposition of hands were onely the ceremonies and this prayer commenced in the name of Christ or else the name of Christ in prayer called over the sick And by these means together with the sick man's examining and confessing and sincerely forsaking whatsoever sin he stood guilty of either toward God or man it was ordinary
on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devil and Satan and bound him a thousand years Paraphrase 2. And he apprehended the Devil that is set down under the title of Satan and the Dragon in former visions c. 12. 9. and bound him for the space of a thousand years noting the tranquillity and freedome from persecutions that should be allowed the Church of Christ from the time of Constantines coming to the Empire 3. And cast him into the bottomlesse pit and shut him up and set a seal upon him that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand yeares should be fulfilled and after that he must be loosed a little season Paraphrase 3. And he secured him there by all ways of security binding locking sealing him up that he might not deceive and corrupt the world to idolatry as till then he had done but permit the Christian profession to flourish till these thousand years were at end and after that he should get loose again for some time and make some havock in the Christian world 4. And I saw thrones and they sat upon them and judgment was given unto them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and for the word of God and which had not worshipped the beast neither his image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands and they note a lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years Paraphrase 4. And I saw chairs and some sitting upon them that is Christian assemblies and judicatures and such a general profession of Christianity in opposition to the idolatries of the heathens those in the Capitol at Rome and the like unto them in other places of the Roman Empire see note on c. 13. b. as if all that had died for Christ and held out constantly against all the heathen persecutions had now been admitted to live and reign with Christ that is to live quiet flourishing Christian lives here for that space of a thousand years v. 5. 5. But note b the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished This is the note c first resurrection Paraphrase 5. As for the old Idolaters or Gnosticks there was nothing like them now to be seen not should be till the end of this space of a thousand years This is it that is proverbially described by the first resurrection that is a flourishing condition of the Church under the Messias 6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such note d the second death hath no power but they shall be Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years Paraphrase 6. And blessed and holy that is safe separate from all danger are all they that are really in the number of those that partake effectually of these benefits who as they are rescued from those destructions which the Roman tyranny threatned them with which is the interpretation of the second death so they shall now have the blessing of free undisturbed assemblies for all this space see c. 1. note d. 7. And when the note e thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his prison Paraphrase 7. But after this space the sins of Christians provoking God to it this restraint being taken off from Satan he shall fall a disturbing the Christian profession again This fell out about a thousand years after the date of Constantines Edict for the liberty of the Christian profession at which time the Mahomedan religion was brought into Greece a special part of the Roman Empire 8. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth note f Gog and Magog to gather them together to battel the number of whom is as the sand of the sea Paraphrase 8. And then shall he set about the seducing of men in all quarters to the Mahomedan or other false religions particularly God and Magog the inhabitants of those Countries where the Mahomedan religion began to flourish to engage them in vast numbers in a war to invade and waste the Christian Church in Greece c. 9. And they went upon the breadth of the earth and compassed the camp of the Saints about and the beloved city and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them Paraphrase 9. And accordingly methought they did they went in great numbers and besieged and took Constantinople that city so precious in God's eyes for the continuance of the pure Christian profession in it and known among the Grecians by the name of new Sion and in the chief Church there called the Church of Sophia they set up the worship of Mahomet just two hundred years ago And those that did so are in their posterity to be destroyed and though it be not yet done 't is to be expected in God's good time when Christians that are thus punished for their sins shall reform and amend their lives 10. And the Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever Paraphrase 10. And the devil methought that wrought in them that stirred them up was remanded and returned again into his prison and this Empire of his was again destroyed as the idol-worship of the heathens and the Magicians Sorcerers Augurs and heathen Priests before had been 11. And I saw a great white throne and him that sate on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them Paraphrase 11. And after this in another part of this vision I saw methought a throne set up in great splendor and glory and Christ in Majesty sitting thereon very terrible and a new condition of all things in the world was now to be expected And so that which was the design of all these visions sent in an Epistle to the seven Churches to teach them constancy in pressures is still here clearly made good that though Christianity be persecuted and for the sins of the vicious professors thereof permitted oft to be brought very low yet God will send relief to them that are faithful rescue the constant walker and destroy the destroyer and finally cast out Satan out of his possessions and then as here come to judge the world in that last eternal doom 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works Paraphrase 12. And all that ever died were called out of their graves before him as for the judging every one the rolls or records of all their actions were produced withall another book brought forth called the book of Life see note on Rev. 3. b. wherein every
ones name is entred that ever undertook Gods service and blotted out again if they were fallen off from him and according to their works so were their names continued in that book of life if they continued faithful unto death but not otherwise 13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their works Paraphrase 13. And all that were buried in the sea that is perished by water and all that were dead and laid in graves and all that any other way were dead came out of their graves their bodies were re-united to their souls and every one was judged according to his works 14. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death Paraphrase 14. And then death it self was destroyed eternally an everlasting being now succeeding in the place of this frail mortal one And this is it that is proverbially called the second death wherein this whole world hath its period and consummation 15. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire Paraphrase 15. And whosoever had not his name found written and continued in not blotted out of the book of life v. 12. whosoever died not constant in the faith he was cast out into eternal fire Annotations on Chap. XX. V. 4. Lived and reigned with Christ The meaning of the thousand years living and reigning with Christ of those that were beheaded c. may perhaps be sufficiently cleared and understood by observing these three things First that here is no mention of any new reign of Christ on earth but only of them that were beheaded and of them which had not worship'd c. living and reigning with Christ The doctrine of the Millenaries supposes the former that Christ must come down on earth and have a new kingdome here in this world But this those mens living and reigning with Christ doth not suppose but rather the contrary that the kingdome of Christ here spoken of is that which he had before and which is every where called his kingdome and that now only those that had been killed and banish'd out of it before were admitted into a participation of that kingdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Christ Now what this living and reigning of the beheaded c. then beginning was may appear by considering what is meant first by the beheaded and others here named then secondly by their living and reigning The beheaded are they that resisted unto blood in their combats against the Heathen idolatry and practices the constant servants of Christ that persevered so till death and that in opposition to the beast and his image to that which was practised in Rome to Jupiter Capitolinus and the transcripts of it in other places see Note on c. 13. g. and r. and so all those phrases conclude the subject of the proposition to be the pure constant persevering Christians One thing only is to be observed of these that by them are not signified the same particular persons or individual members of the Church that had formerly been slain any more then the same individual persons of the rest of the dead v. 5. that is of the Apostatizing unchristian livers can be thought to have lived again after the end of the thousand years when they are said to be revived and so Satan to be let loose a little while but rather on the one side as on the other a succession of such as they were the Church of Christ being to be considered as a transient body such as a river c. which alwaies runs in a succession of parts one following the other in a perpetual motion and mutation In which respect I suppose it is said of the Church that the gates of hades shall never prevail against it that is that it shall never be destroyed which of any particular persons or the Church of all the Christians of any one age cannot so fitly be affirmed but only of the Church in the perpetual succession of Christians And then for these mens living and reigning first it must be observed that 't is not here said that they revived or were raised as the Millenaries pretensions suppose but only that they lived and reigned which two being opposite to dying and being subject to others will denote a peaceable prosperous flourishing estate of the Orthodox professors in stead of their former sad and persecuted condition For that is the meaning of living as may appear by the title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living given to Christ ch 1. 18. in opposition to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I was dead his illustrious in stead of his despised condition and so of reigning as of being Kings see Note on c. 1. d. and of being Kings and reigning upon the earth c. 5. 10. And all this together will be one way of evidencing the truth of this interpretation Secondly the meaning of the phrase will appear by comparing it with that other phrase by which the same thing is express'd v. 1 2 3. binding of Satan and casting him into the abysse shutting and sealing him up that he should deceive the nations no more that is clearly the restraining of Satan's malice and shortning of his power in persecuting and corrupting the Christian Church by consent with which their living and reigning must needs signifie their persevering and enjoying quiet Thirdly by their having and sitting on thrones and judgments being given unto them which literally signifies the quiet possession of judicatures and censures in the Church that discipline by which purity is preserved and which is never enjoyed quietly in the Church but by the countenance and favour of Princes which therefore is to be resolved the meaning of their reigning as most remarkably they began to doe in Constantine's time see c. 19. 8. who set up Ecclesiastical judicatures in his Empire as it is of their sitting on thrones whereas the letting Satan loose is the casting off these cords from them And this is the clear meaning of the first resurrection see Note c. As for the space of a thousand years see Note e. V. 5. The rest of the dead It follows here that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rest of the dead revived not till the thousand years were done Who the rest of the dead are is manifest not all beside the Martyrs as the Millenaries pretend but all but those formerly named v. 4. that is all that worshipp'd the beast or his image or received his mark in their foreheads or hands that is all the Idolaters and Apostates and remainders of Gnostick Christians and all that complied with either which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rest of the dead most fitly For first it hath been manifest ch 19. 18 21. that there were others slain beside those that were beheaded for the constancy of their
is will not be obvious to determine This may perhaps be it that the considering or pondering that is measuring of the Church the duration the extent the flourishing of it here described as also of the walls thereof the Christian saith is the work delight desire of Angels one of the number of those things which the Angels desire to look into 1 Pet. 1. 12. Eph. 3. 10 18 19. CHAP. XXII 1. AND he shewed me note a a pure river of water of life clear as crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Paraphrase 1. And in the same vision I farther saw by the Angels shewing me or pointing to it a font or baptistery to which they that were admitted were bound to undertake all purity of living and the power of admitting to that was intrusted to the Governours of the Church by Christ communicated to them 2. In the midst of the note b street of it and note c on either side the river was there the tree of life which bare twelve manner of fruits and yielded her fruit every month and note d the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations Paraphrase 2. And I saw also a place for Christian assemblies and betwixt that and the font was the tree of life planted noting these two to be great obligations and advancers of piety in mens hearts such as should bring forth all manner of fruits of holinesse at all seasons And the visible outward profession and form of piety in the Church perhaps discipline and government and ceremonies instituted in it were to be of great use as to attract others and bring them into the Church so to keep men in a good healthy state of soul or reduce and restore them that are fallen from it 3. And there note e shall be no more curse but the throne of God and of the Lam b shall be in it and his servants shall serve him Paraphrase 3. And for notorious sinners such to whom the censures of the Church belong they shall not be permitted to continue in it for the Christian judicatures shall never cease or be turned out of it for the space of the thousand years as many other governments have failed and all Christians will submit to it 4. And they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads Paraphrase 4. And such as doe so shall have the favour of God and shall be accounted true Christian servants of his 5. And there shall be no night there and they need no candle neither light of the sun for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall reign for ever and ever Paraphrase 5. And in this Church of Christ there shall be no more sadnesse or darknesse no want of refreshment of comfort God shall be all in all unto them and they shall never fail to enjoy this felicity of cheerfull Christian living this freedome of serving God c. express'd by being Kings see note on ch 1. d. and by reigning with Christ ch 20. 4. 6. And he said unto me These sayings are faithfull and true And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his Angel to shew unto his servants the things that must shortly be done Paraphrase 6. And the Angel then began to conclude and fold up his discourse to me and to summe up what I had seen in this vision telling me That all this as strange and glorious as it was should certainly come to passe and that God which inspired and gave commissions to all the prophets had now sent an Angel to make this revelation by way of vision of those things that were speedily to commence and one after another to come to passe 7. Behold I come quickly Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecie of this book Paraphrase 7. And this consideration of the speediness of the completion of these prophecies that of the prosperity of the Church under the Christian Emperors and Kings within 250 years but of those that concerned the destruction of the Jews and Gnosticks the present enemies and persecutors of Christians every where call'd the coming of Christ see note on Mat. 24. b. now immediately approaching is of so important consideration to every one who now lives in the Christian Church that as 't is the only way to felicity for a man to guide his actions by the contents of this prophecy so 't will go very ill with him that doth not 8. And I John saw these things and heard them And when I had heard and seen I fell down to worship before the feet of the Angel which shewed me these things Paraphrase 8. And I that write all this book of visions by way of Epistle to the seven Churches of Asia am that very person that saw and heard all that is here set down And when I did see them and hear them I was so transported with the joyfulnesse of the matter of them that I did in expression of a true sense of that benefit perform a most humble obeisance to him that had been the messenger to conveigh it to me see ch 19. 10. 9. Then saith he unto me See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow-servant and of thy brethren the prophets and of them which keep the sayings of this book Worship God Paraphrase 9. But he would not permit me saying I am but a fellow-servant of thine and but equal to the other prophets which are thy brethren thou thy self being such an one by being an Apostle see ch 19. 10. and they that live Christianly and persevere in the faith of Christ against all temptations according to the designe of this book are absolutely such as I am the servants of God also Let God have the thanks and praise of all that shall be done and of all that is now revealed to thee 10. And he saith unto me Seal not the sayings of the prophecies of this book for the time is at hand Paraphrase 10. And then methought Christ himself said thus unto me Seal not shut not up this prophecie as sealing is opposed to leaving open and legible Isa 29. 11. Lay it not up as a thing that only future ages are concern'd in For the time of the completion of a great part of it is so immediately at hand that 't is fit the prophecie should be open for all to see and to observe the completions of it 11. He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still Paraphrase 11. And now the had and good shall come to receive their sentence there remain not now any more seasons of working changes on any but he that is now an impenitent persecutor of Christianity an impenitent carnal Gnostick is like suddenly to be taken and dealt with accordingly and on the other side he that hath