the number of ten words so loth are heretikes to have their Asses ears seen they divide this last which yet Paul here cals the Commandment and sure he knew better then they the Analysis of the law Verse 9. For I was alive As being without sense of sin and conscience of duty Sin revived sc In sense and appearance And I died sc In pride and self justice Verse 10. Ordained to life By life and death understand peace and perturbation Verse 11. Deceived me Irritated my corrupt nature and made me sin the more per accidens as Pharaoh was the worse for a message of dismission Verse 12. The Commandement Vis legis in mandando praecipiendo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word properly signifieth an affirmative precept Verse 13. Exceeding sinsull Sin is so evil that it cannot have a worse Epithite given it Paul can call it no worse then by it's own name sinfull sin Verse 14. Sold under sin But yet ill-apaid of my slavery and lusting after liberty Verse 15. I allow not Gr. I know not as being preoccupated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 6.1 wherried and whirled away by sin before I am aware or have time to consider Verse 16. I consent unto the law I vote with it and for it as the rule of right I wish also well to the observance of it as David did Psal 119 4.5 Verse 17. It is no more I Mr Bradford Martyr in a certain Letter thus comforteth his friend At this present my dear heart in the Lord you are in a blessed estate Act. and Mon. fol. 1497. although it seem otherwise to you or rather to your old Adam the which I dare now be bold to discern from you because you would have it not only discerned but also utterly destroyed M. Harris Sam. Fun. God saith another reverend man puts a difference between us and sin in us as betwixt poison and the box that holds it Sin that dwelleth in me An ill inmate that will not out till the house falleth on the head of it As the fretting leprosie in the walls of an house would not out till the house it self were demolished Sin as Hagar will dwell with grace as Sarah till death beat it out of doors Verse 18. Dwelleth no good thing Horreo quicquid de meo est ut sim meus saith Bernard It was no ill wish of him that desired God to free him from an ill man himself For Domine libera me à malo bomine meipse though engraffed into Christ yet we carry about us a relish of the old stock still Corruption is though dejected from it's regency yet not ejected from it's inherency It intermingleth with our best workes How to perform Gr. To do it thorowly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though I am doing at it as I can Verse 19. For the good c. Nature like Eve and Jobs wife is alwaies drawing us from God As the ferry-man plies the oar and eyes the shore homeward where he would be yet there comes a gust of winde that carries him back again so it is with a Christian Corruption edg'd with a temptation gets as it were the hill and the winde and upon such advantages too oft prevaileth Verse 20. It is no more I Every new man is two men See the Note above on Vers 17. Verse 21. Tota vita bani Christiani sanctum desidertiâ— est Aug. When I would doe good Something lay at the fountain head as it were and stopt him when he would do his duty But God valueth a man by his desires Evil is present We can stay no more from sinning then the heart can from panting and the pulse from beating Our lives are fuller of sins then the firmament of starres or the furnace of sparks Erasmus was utterly out that said with Origen Paulum hoc sermone balbutire quum ipse potiùs ineptiat saith learned Beza So Joannes Sylvius Aegranus a learned but a prophane person reprehended Paul for want of learning and said Quòd usus sit declamatorijs verbis non congrâ—â—ntibus ad remâ— c. Joh. Manl. loc com 165 486. Nominabat sophisma quod diceremus homines non posse implere legem c. Verse 22. I delight Germanicus reigned in the Romans hearts Tiberius but in the Provinces So here Verse 23. A law in my members Called the deeds of the body Rom. 8.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plaâ—o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellat Phoedro because corruption acteth and uttereth it self by the mâ—mbers of the body The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vox Empedoclea is within but easily and often budgeth and breaketh out Warring against the law The regenerate part Plato in Cratylo pulchre ait Vt mentem appellamus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita legem dicimus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alioqui mens hominum vagatur And bringing me into captivity The sins of the Saints those of daily incursion are either of precipitancy D. Preston as Gal. 6.1 or of infirmity when a man wrestles and hath some time to fight it out but for want of breath and strength fals and is in some captivity to the law of sin This is the worse Verse 24. O wretched man We must discontentedly be contented to be exercised with sin while we are here It is so bred in the bone that till our bones as Josephs be carried out of the Egypt of this world it will not out The Romans so conquered Chosroes the Persian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he made a law that never any King of Persia should move warre against the Romans But let us do what we can to subdue sin it will be a Jebuâ—te a false borderer yea a rank traitour rebelling against the Spirit Only this we may take for a comfortable sign of future victory when we are discontent with our present ill estate Grace will get the upper hand as nature doth when the humours are disturbed and after many fits And as till then there is no rest to the body so neither is there to the soul Who shall deliver me Nothing cleaves more pertinaciously or is more inexpugnable then a strong lust From this body of death Or this dead body by an Hâ—braisme this carcase of sin to which I am tied and lungold as noiâ—ome every whit to my soul as a dead body to my senses and as burdensome as a withered arm or mortified lim which hangs on a man as a lump of lead Verse 25. I think God c. The Grecians being delivered but from bodily servitude by Flaminias the Roman â—enerall called him their Saviour and so rang out Saviour Saviour Plutarch that the Fowls in the aâ—r fell down dead with the cry How much greater cause have we to magnifie the grace of Christ c. So then with the minde c. The stars by their proper motion are carried from the West to the East And yet by
for Oxen He doth doubtlesse Jon. 4.11 he preserveth man and beast He heareth the young ravens that cry to him only by implication Doth he not then much more take care for men for Ministers Verse 10. Should plow in hope Of Maintaining his life by his labour which is therefore called she life of our hands because it is upheld by the labour of our hands Ludit qui sterili semina mandat humo Propert. Verse 11. Is it a great thing c. Do not we give you gold for brasse Cast we not pearls before you Alexander the great gave Aristotle for his book de Natura Animaliâ—m 800. talents which is 800000 Crowns at least Theodorus Gaza translated that book into Latine and dedicated it to Pope Sixtus The Pope asked him Interrogavit asinus paâ—a quanti ornatus constaret c Joh. Manâ— loc com 572. how much the rich outside of the book stood him in Gaza answered fourty crowns Those fourty crowns he commanded to be repaid him and so sent him away without any reward for so precious a piece of work How well might the poor old Grecian sit and sing Heu malè nunc artes miseras haec saecula tractant Spes nulla ulterior c. Juven Satyr 7. Verse 12. If others be partakers If your ordinary Pastours c. For the false Apostles preached gratis as some gather out of 2 Cor. 11.12 partly to draw more Disciples and partly to bring an odium upon the Apostle if he should not doe the like Verse 13. Live of the things of c. Yea they lived plentifully and richly as appears by the liberall gift of those Levites for Passeover-offerings 2 Chron. 35.9 Verse 14. Even so hath the Lord Note that so saith one that is As they of old lived at the Altar by tithes so Ministers now How else will men satisfie their consciences in the particular quantity they must bestow upon the Ministers The Scripture speaks only of the tenth part Verse 15. Better for me to die To be hunger-starved then to do any thing to the prejudice of the Gospel Affliction is to be chosen rather then sin Job 36.21 Quas non oportet mortes praeeligere Epist 3. saith Zuinglius What death should not a man chuse nay what hell rather then to sin against his conscience Daniel those rather to be cast into the Lions den then to bear about that lion in his own bosome The Primitive Christians thought it farre better to be thrown to lions without then to be left to lusts within Ad leonem mâ—â—â—â—â—uam lenoneÌ„ 1 citul Potiùs in ardentem rogum insiluero quam ullum peccatum in Deum commisero said a good man once I will rather leap into a bonefire then wilfully commit any wickednesse The Mouse of Armenia will rather die then be defiled with any filth Pintus in Dan. â— If her hole be besmeared with dirt she will rather choose to perish with hunger then be polluted Such was Paul here and such we ought all to be Verse 16. I have nothing to glory of My glorying is that I preach it gratis and thereby stop an open mouth a Cor. 12.16 17 18. give them the lie that falsly accuse me that I make a prize of you Yea woe is unto me It was death for the high-Priest to enter the Tabernacle without his bels Preach man preach thou wilt be damned else said one to his friend Be instant or stand over the work in season out of season See Jacobs diligence gen 31.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Pauls Act. 20.20 Verse 17. I have a reward Yet not earned but of free grace God crowning his own works in us He was a proud Papist that said Coelum gratis non accipiam Vâ—ga I will not have heaven for nought And he another that said Opera bona mâ—râ—atura regni coelest is Good works are the price of heaven Bellarm. God will cast all such merit-merchants out of his Temple But if against my will Virtus nolentium nulla est God will strain upon no man All his servants are a free people Psal 110.3 All his souldiers voluntiers They flee to their colours as the Doves to their windows Isa 60.8 Verse 18. What is my reward then My merces mundi all that I have here That I abuse not i. e. Mâ—lch Adam pag. 359. That I make no indiscreet use of it Non opes non gloriam non voluptates quaesivi said holy Melancthon Hanc conscientiam aufero quocunque discedo I never sought wealth honour nor pleasure This my conscience tels me whatever becomes of me Verse 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That I may gain the more The Greek word for gain signifieth withall the joy and delight of the heart in gaining It signifies also craft or guile such as is that of the fox which when he is very hungry after prey and can finde none he lieth down and feigneth himself to be a dead carcasse and so the fowls fall upon him and then he catcheth them So must a Minister deny himself to gain his hearers Verse 20. And unto the Jews c. Not in conforming to their impieties but 1. In the use of things indifferent 2. In mercifull compassion toward them To them that are under the law Though not Jews borne yet proselytes as the Ethiopian Eunuch Cornelius c. Verse 21. Naz. That I might gain them A metaphor from merchants Qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who are never weary of taking money St Paul harps much upon this string out of a strong desire of winning soules to God Ministers must turn themselves into all shapes and fashions both of spirit and speech to gain souls to God Verse 22. To the weak Not pressing upon them the austerities of religion but condescending and complying with them as far as I could with a good conscience That I might save some This is the highest honour in the world to have any hand in the saving of souls Let all of any ability put forth themselves hereunto and if they have not fine manchet yet give the poor people barly bread Act. and Mon 1453. or whatsoever else the Lord hath committed unto them as Bucer bad Bradford Verse 23. That I might be partaker i. e. That I might be saved together with you For the bell may call men to the Church though it self never enter The field may be well sowed with a dirty hand the Well yeeld excellent water though it have much mud Noah's builders were drowned and the sign that telleth the passenger there is wholsome diet or warm lodging within may it self remain in the storms without See 1 Tim. 4.16 Nihil turpius est Peripatetico claudo Verse 24. Know ye not The Apostle argueth from their profane sports yet approveth them not As neither doth the Lord patronize Uâ—ury Mat. 25 27. Injustice Luk 16.1 Theft 1 Thess 5.2 Dancing Mat. 11.17
or halter up button up their mouths as we say See the Note on Mat. 22.34 Verse 16 As free See the Note on Gal. 5.13 Verse 17. Honour all men As made in the image of God as capable of heaven and as having some speciall talent to trade with Honour the King i.e. The Roman Emperour who disclaimed the name of a King to avoid the hatred of the people and yet sought the full right of Kings and so to destroy the liberty of the people But Kings that will be honoured must be just Ruling in the fear of God 2 Sam â—3 3. Tortuosis curvis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 18. To the froward Crosse crooked frample foolish The Greek word comes of an Hebrew word that signifies a fool Verse 19. This is thank-worthy God accounts himself hereby gratified as it were and even beholding to such sufferers this being the lowest subjection and the highest honour men can yeeld unto their maker Verse 20. For What glory is it In peace-offerings there might be oil mixt not so in sin-offerings In our sufferings for Christ there is joy not so when we suffer for our faults Verse 21. Leaving us an example Gr. A copy or patern 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christs actions were either morall or mediatory In both we must imitate him In the former by doing as he did In the later by similitude translating that to our spirituall life which he did as Mediatour as to die to sin to rise to righteousnesse c. and this not only by example as Petrus Abesardus held of old and the Socinians at this day but by vertue of Christs death and resurrection working effectually in all his people Anton. Tract 17 cap 1 paragr 5. not as an exemplary cause only or as a moral cause by way of meditation but as having force obtained by it and issuing out of it even the Spirit that kils sin and quickens the soul to all holy practice In vita ejus aâ—uâ— Suâ—â—um There is a story of an Earl called Eleazar a passionate Prince that was cured of that disordered affection by studying of Christ and his patience Crux pendentis cathedra docentis Christ upon the crosse is a Doctour in his Chair where he reads unto us all a lecture of patience The Eunuch Act 8.32 was converted by this praise in Christ It is said of Hierome that having read the godly life and Christian death of Hilarion he folded up the book and said Well Hilarion shall be the Champion whom I will follow Should we not much more say so of Christ Verse 22. Who did no sinne S. Paul saith He knew no sinne 2 Cor. 5.21 to wit with a practicall knowledge we know no more then we practise with an intellectuall he did for else he could not have reproved it Neither was guile found in his mouth Which imports that they sought it The wicked seek occasion against that godly Verse 23. But committed himself Or The Whole matter We also shall do our selves no disservice by making God our Chancellour when no law else will relieve us And indeed the lesse a man strives for himself the more is God his Champion He that said I seek not mine own glory adds but there is one that seeketh it and judgeth God takes his part ever that fights not for himself Verse 24. Who his own self Without any to help or uphold him Isa 63.5 he had not so much as the benefit of the Sun-light when in that three hours darknesse he was set upon by all the powers of darknesse Bar our sins Gr. Bare them aloft viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When he climbed up his Crosse and nailed them thereunto Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows Isa 53 4 He taketh away the sins of the world Joh. 1.29 That We being dead to sinne Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Separated from sinne or unmade to it cut off from it the old frame being utterly dissolved By Whose stripes Or Wales This he mentioneth to comfort poor servants whipt and abused by their froward Masters Sanguis medici fà ctus est medicina phrenctici The Physicians bloud became the sick mans salve We can hardly believe the power of sword salve But here is a mystery that only Christian religion can assure us of that the wounding of one should be the cure of another Verse 25. As sheep Then the which no creature is more apt to stray lesse apt and able to return The Oxe knoweth his owner c. CHAP. III. Verse 1. Be in subjection to your husbands YEt with a limitation Subject the wife must be to her husbands lawfull commands and restraints It is too much that Plutarch laies as a law of wedlock on the wife to acknowledge and worship the same gods and none else but those whom her husband doth Be Wonne by the conversation i. e. Be prepared for conversion as Austins father and himself were by the piety of his mother Monica Verse 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whiles they behold Curiously pry into Carnall men watch the carriages of professours and spend many thoughts about them Your chaste conversation When Livia the Empresse was asked how she had got such a power over her husband that she could doe any thing with him She answered Multâ modestiâ by my much modesty A prudent wife commands her husband by obeying Dâ—o in August Verse 3. Whose adorning Mundus muliebris See Isa 3.18 where the Prophet as punctually inveighs against this noble vanity as if he had viewed the Ladies wardrobes in Jerusalem Let it not be that outward Vestium curiositas deformitatis mentium morum indicium est saith Bernard Excessive neatnesse is a sign of inward nastinesse It was a true saying of wise Cato Cultus magna cura magna est virtutis incuria They are never good that strive to be so over-fine Superfluous apparel saith Cyprian is worse then whoredome Verse 4. But let it be the hidden Vestite vos serico pietatis byssino sanctitatis purpur â pudicitia Talitèr pigmentata Deum habebitis amatorem It is Tertullians counsel to young women Lib. de cult soeâ—â— Cloth your selves saith he with the silk of piety with the sattin of sanctity with the purple of modesty So shall you have God himself to be your sutor In that Which is not corruptible Or In the incoruption of a meek a quiet spirit c. a garment that will never be the worse for wearing but the better Of great price God makes great reckoning of a quiet minde because it is like himself He promiseth earth to the meek and heaven to the incorrupt or sincere and pure in heart Verse 5. Who trusted in God And therefore would not by unlawfull means seek to get or keep their husbands love and favour but trusted God for that So Hezekiah trusted in God and pulled down the brazen serpent 2 King 18.4 5. opposing his presence to all peril Verse 6.
in the singular number that holds out to the end The most are of them that draw back to perdition and not of them that believe to the saving of the soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2 12. Confitetur se esse Apostatam sed beatum sanctum qui fidem diabelo datam non servavit Melch Ad. in vit Luth p. 145. Sleidan Comment Heb. 1.39 The opposition there imports that incredulity is the root of apostasie that I mean whereby a man departs from the living God It was laid to Luthers charge that he was an apostate He confesseth that he was an apostate but a blessed and holy one such as had not kept promise with the devil but fallen off from him and his Church malignant The like imputation the Papists laid upon those famous Italian converts Zanchius Peter Martyr Paulus Vergerius the Popes Nuncio who began to write a book Adversus Apostatas Germaniae that was the title against the Lutheran apostates but by searching into their tenets with purpose to confute them was converted by them and leaving his Bishoprick and that whole Synagogue of Satan lived and died a painfull and powerfull Preacher of Gods truth in Germany Galeacius Caracciolus also an Italian Marquesse and nephew to Pope Paul the fifth hearing Peter Martyr reade upon the 1 epist. to the Corinths was converted by him and leaving all went to Geneva Where when he was afterwards tempted by a Jesuite to revolt for money he cried out His life translated by Crosh Let their money perish with them who esteem all the gold in the world worth one daies society with Jesus Christ and his holy Spirit And cursed be that Religion for ever that seeks by mony to corrupt mens mindes from the simplicity of Christ. The Papists do at this day propose rewards to such as shall relinquish the Protestant religion and turn to theirs as in Ausborough where they say there is a known price for it of ten florens a year in France Relation of West Religion sect 16. where the Clergy have made contributions for the maintenance of runagate Ministers such as were Bolsecus whom the Papists afterwards hired to write Calvins life where so many lines Religionâ—m ephemeram babâ—re exissimabatur Bâ—z Melch Adam do vit exler Theolog P â—â— Ibid. p â—9 Redijt Steiserus ad Pontificiot mise è periisse duâ—â—ur Scultet Annal. 118. so many lies Baldwin that notable turn-coat that changed his religion three or four times at least for advantage and died at last of envy that another was preferred before him as Chaplain to Henry the third of France when he went to take possession of the Kingdome of Polonia Petrus Carolus that odious apostate and troubler of the true Church Staphylus Speiserus Brissonettus and others long agone As of late Bertius Tilenus Spalatensis and many other renegadoes re-entred by the unclean spirit who made their last state worse then the first as the Jaylour laies load of iron on him that had escaped Luk. 11.26 These as they sin not common sins so for most part as it is said of Korah and his company they die not common deaths they seldome escape the visible vengeance of God whom they have forsaken witnesse Arrius Julian Valerian Spira Spalatensis Judge Hales Guarlacus Bomelius Latomus Lovaniensis who to his end had nothing else in his mouth but that he was damned and rejected of God Act and Monâ— fol. 1999. and that there was no hope of salvation for him because that wittingly against his conscience he withstood the manifest truth of his Word Yea those that never went so farre as to persecute the truth but denied or dissembled it only have fearfully perished In the story of Philbert Hamlin Martyr a certain Priest his host whom he had instructed in the truth revolted To whom he prophecied That neverthelesse he should die before him He had no sooner spoke the word but the Priest going out of the prison from Hamlin was slain by two Gentlemen who had a quarrell to him Where of when Hamlin heard he affirmed He knew of no such thing but only spake as God guided his tongue Ibid. 834. Likewise we reade of William Wolsey Martyr that when he went to execution he left six shillings eight pence to be delivered to one Richard Denton a Smith dwelling at Welle in Cambridgeshire with this commendation That he marvelled that he tarried so long behinde him seeing he was the man that first delivered him the book of the Scripture into his hand and told him that is was the truth desiring him to make haste after as fast as he could Denton at the receipt of it answered I confesse it is true but alas I cannot burn But he that could not burn in the cause of Christ was after wards burned against his will Ibid. 1558. when Christ had given peace to his Church For anno 1564. on Tuesday April 14. his house was set on fire And whilest he went in to save his goods he lost his life with two other in the same house Among the Angrognians and their neighbours in France it is certainly known that those that yeelded to the adversaries were more cruelly handled then the others that continued constant to the death Ibid. 873. See how God hateth apostates When Caracciolus Marquesse of Vicum resolved to leave all and go to Geneva The life of Gâ—eatias Caracciolus p. 21. he opened his minde to some of his most familiar friends and wrought upon them so farre as they promised and vowed to accompany him c. But divers of them who for a time seemed to beled with a most earnest zeal of Gods glory in this action when they came to the borders of Italy and considered what they forsook first began to look back afterwards went back again indeed Where purposing to serve God in their pleasures and in the midst of Popery they were after taken by the Spanish Inquisition Latimer â—orm 7. Before King Edward c. Others have fallen under a worse torment the terrour of their own consciences whâ—ch they were not able to stand before As I might instance not only in Bilney who after he had borne his fagot was so terrified that his friends were afraid to let him be alone If they brought him comfortable places of Scripture it was as though a man should run him thorow the heart with a sword as Latimer testifieth In Bainham who could not rest till he had publikely recanted his recantation praying every body rather to die then to doe as he had done for he would not feel such a hell again as he did feel for all the worlds good In James Abbes Act. and mon. fol. 328. who having yeelded to the Biâ—hop of Norwich his perswasions and received a piece of money from him was pitiously vexed till he went again to the Bishop and there threw him his money Ibid. 1528. and said Is repented him that
Greek imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrais ut Exod. 8.14 Cartwright Whereupon an Expositour noteth Ordinatim res in Ecclesia faciendae Order must be observed in the Church CHAP. XV. Verse 1. And wherein ye stand A Military term as Martyr noteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satan overthroweth the faith of some 2 Tim. 2.18 and by this very engine wherewith he assaulted these Corinthians ib. So that the Apostle was fain to make Apology v. 19. to make a barricado Verse 2. By which also ye are saved Eternall life is potentially in the word as the harvest is potentially in the seed or as the tree is in the kernell or sience Jam. 1.21 If ye keep in memory Helimiteth the promise of salvation to the condition of keeping in memory what they had heard Tantum didicimus quantum meminimus said Socrates Many have memories like nets that let go the fair water retain the filth only or like sives that keep the chaff let go the corn If God come to search them with a candle what shall he finde but old songs old wrongs c. not a promise or any sword of God hid there for things of that nature they are like Sabinus in Seneca that never in all his life could remember those three names of Homer Vlisses and Achilles But the soul should be as an holy Arke the memory like the pot of Mannah preserving holy truths Verse 3. First of all Christ is to be preached with the first as being the prora puppis of mans happinesse Joh. 16.14 It is the office of the holy Ghost to take of Christs excellencies and hold them out to the world What then should Ministers the mouth of the holy Ghost do rather Verse 4. According to the Scriptures Which both fore-shewed and fore-shadowed it in Adams waking Isaac's reviving as it were from the dead Josephs abasement and advancement Samsons breaking the bars and bearing away the gates of Gaza Davids being drawn out of the deep Daniels out of the den Ieremies out of the dungeon Ionas out of the belly of hell Mat. 12.39 c. Verse 5. Seen of Cephas Adam died and we hear no more of him But Christ shew'd himself after death in six severall apparitions for our confirmation Verse 6. Above five hundred The number of beleevers then were greater then some would gather out of Act. 1.15 Those 120 may seem to have been Chieftains such as that any one of them might have been thought meet to succeed Iudas in his Apostleship Verse 7. Seen of Iames This is not mentioned in the Gospel as neither that of Peter v. 5 Verse 8. One born out of due time Quasi malo astro abortus adversante natura coactus One that deserved to be rejected as that forlorn Infant Ezek. 16.4 5. Verse 9. I am the least of the Apostles Not come to my just bignesse as one born out of due time and not without violence Not meet to be called True humility as true balm ever sinkes to the bottom of the water when pride like oil ever swims on the top Verse 10. I laboured more abundantly See 2 Cor. 12.23 Rom. 15.19 George Eagles Martyr in Q. Maries daies for his great pains in travelling from place to place to confirm the brethren was sirnamed Act. and Mon. fol. 1823. Trudge over the world Might not St Paul have been fitly so sirnamed Not I but the grace of God So those good servants Luke 19.16 Not we but thy talents have gained other five and other two c. Let God have the entire praise of all our good Verse 11. So we preach and so ye beleeved A happy compliance when the hearers affections and endeavours doe answer the affections and endeavours of the preacher as here and at Ephesus Act. 20 31-37 When people deliver themselves up to the forme of doctrine Rom. 6.17 and are cast into the mould of the Word Verse 12. No resurrection More then that of regeneration Math. 19.28 that estate of the Gospel called a new heaven and a new earth 2 Pet. 3.13 the world to come Heb. 2.5 that resurrection already past ◠Tim. 2.18 that first resurrection Revel 20.5 Verse 13. Then is not Christ risen But of Christs resurrection there were many both living and dead Witnesses as the earth-quake empty grave stone rolled away cloathes wrapt up c. Verse 14. Then is our preaching vain Never was there any such imposture put upon the world as Christianity if Christ be yet in the grave Verse 15. False witnesses of God For they might safely say with Ieremy Lord if we be deceived thou hast deceived us Verse 16. Then is not Christ raised And so Gods decree is cassated Act. 13.33 with Psal 2.7 Verse 17. Ye are yet in your sins Rom. 4.25 If he had not been let out of prison our debt had remained upon us But God sent his Angel to roul away the stone as the Judge sends an officer to fetch one out of prison and to release him And this is the strength of our Saviours reason Ioh. 16.10 The Spirit shall convince the world of righteousnesse that I am Jehovah their righteousnesse because I go to the Father which I could not have done unlesse you were acquitted of all your sins Verse 18. A sleep in Christ The Germanes call the Church-yard Godsaker because the bodies are sowed therein to be raised again The Greeks call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sleeping-houses The Hebrews call the grave Bothchaijm the house of the living Iob cals it the Congregation-house of all living Job 30.23 As the Apostle cals heaven the Congregation-house of the first-born Heb. 12.23 Verse 19. Most miserable Because none out of hell ever suffered more then the Saints have done Verse 20. The first fruits c. As in the first-fruits offered to God the Jews were assured of Gods blessing on the whole harvest so by the resurrection of Christ our resurrection is ensured Verse 21. By man came also c. Gods justice would be satisfied in the same nature that had sinned Verse 22. Shall all be made alive The Saints shall be raised by vertue of the union with Christ to glory the wicked shall be dragged to his tribunall by his Almighty power as a Judge to be tumbled thence into hell-torment Verse 13. At his coming As in the mean time their very dust is precious the dead bodies consumed are not so destroied but that there is a substance preserved by a secret influence proceeding from Christ as a head Hence they are said to be dead in Christ who by rotting refineth them Verse 24. Delivered up the Kingdome Not his essentiall kingdome as God but his oeconomicall as Mediatour Verse 25. Till he hath put And after too but 1. Without adversaries 2. Without any outward means and ordinances Verse 26. That shall be destroied It is already to the Saints swallowed up in victory so that they may say to it as Jacob did to Esau Surely
Maries daies at one stake a lame man and a blinde man The lame man after he was chained casting away his crutch bad the blinde man be of good comfort for death would heal them both Act. and Mon. fol. 1733. And so they patiently suffered Verse 44. A spirituall body Luther saith the body shall move up and down like a thought Augustin saith they shall move to any place they will assoon as they will As birds saith Zanchius being hatched do flie lightly up into the skies De operib Dei which being eggs were a heavy and slimy matter So man being hatched by the resurrection is made pure and nimble and able to mount up into the heavens Verse 45. A quickning spirit Christ is called a spirit from his Deity as Heb. 9.14 and a quickning spirit because he is the principle of life to all believers Verse 46. And afterward that is spirituall Nature Art Grace proceed from lesse perfect to more perfect Let us advance forward and ripen apace that we may be accounted worthy to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead Luk. 20.35 Verse 47. Of the earth earthy Gr. Dusty slimy ex terra friabili Let this pull down proud flesh The Lord from heaven Not for the matter of his body for he was made of a woman but for the originall and dignity of his person whereof see a lively and lofty description Heb. 1.2 3. Verse 48. They that are earthy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulgus fictilis Man is but an earthen pot Isa 64.8 Verse 49. The image of the heavenly See Phil. 3.21 Our bodies shall be fashioned like to Christs glorious body in beauty brightnesse incorruption immortality grace favour agility strength and other unspeakable qualities and excellencies Whether they shall have that power as to tosse the greatest mountains like a ball yea to shake the whole earth at theâ—r pleasure as Anselme and Luther thinke I have not to say Verse 50. Flesh and bloud The body as it is corruptible cannot enter heaven but must be changed we shall appear with him in glory The vile body of Moses that was hid in the valley of Moab was brought forth glorious in the hill of Tabor Math. 17. Verse 51. I shew you a mystery Not known till now to any man living 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This likely was one of those wordlesse words that Paul heard in his rapture 2 Cor. 12.4 Verse 52. The trumpet shall sound As at the giving of the law it did Exod 19 16. If the law were thus given saith a Divine how shall it be required If such were the proclamation of Gods statutes what shall the sessions be I see and tremble at the resemblance The trumpet of the Angel called to the one the trumpet of the Arch-angel shall summon us to the other In the one the Mount only was on a flame all the world shall be so in the other To the one Moses saies God came with ten thousands of his Saints In the other thousand thousands shall minister to him and ten thousand thousands shall stand before him Verse 53. For this corruptible Pointing to his body he that speaketh as Psal 34 6. This poor man cried the Lord heard him So the old believers when they rehearsed the Creed and came to that Article I believe the Resurrection of the flesh they were wont to adde Etiam huâ—â—s carnts even of this self-same flesh So Job 19.27 Verse 55. Death is swallowed up As the fuell is swallowed up by the fire as the Sorcerers serpents were swallowed up by Moses his serpent Verse 56. Death where 's thy sting This is the sharpest and the shrillest note the boldest and the bravest challenge that ever man rang in the ears of death Sarcasmo constat hostili derisione quâ mors ridenda propinatur saith one Death is here out-braved called craven to his face and bidden Do his worst So Simeon sings out his soul Tollitur mors non ne sit sed ne obsit Aug. Hilarion chides it out Ambrose is bold to say I am neither ashamed to live nor afraid to die Anne Askew the Martyr Act. and Mon. fol. 1131. thus subscribeth her own confession Written by me Anne Askew that neither wisheth for death nor feareth his might and as merry as one that is bound towards heaven Ibid. Mr Bradford being told he should be burned the next day put off his cap and lifting up his eyes praised God for it Verse 56. The sting of death is sinne Christ having unstinged death and as it were disarmed it we may safely now put it into our bosoms as we may a snake whose sting is pull'd out If it shoot forth now a sting at us it is but an enchanted sting as was that of the Sorcerers serpents Buzze it may about our ears as a drone Bee but sting us it cannot Christ as he hath taken away not sinne it self but the guilt of sinne so not death it self but the sting of death Verse 57. But thanks be to God c. Here S. Paul Christs chief Herauld proclaims his victory with a world of solemnity and triumph Verse 58. Alwaies abounding c. This will strengthen faith as the oft knocking upon a stake fastens it When faith bears fruit upward it will take root downward CHAP. XVI Verse 1. Collection for the Saints THe poor believers at Jerusalem Rom. 15.26 who had suffered hard things of their own Countrey-men 1 Thess 2.14 and taken joyfully the spoiling of their goods Heb. 10.34 Gal. 2.10 Non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and were therefore relieved by the Churches of the Gentiles at Pauls motion The word here used for Saints signifieth such as are taken off from the earth The Saints though their commoration be upon earth their conversation's in heaven Verse 2. Vpon the first day The Christian Sabbath the Lords-day as the Greek Scholiast well renders it which to sanctifie was in the Primitive times a badge of Christianity When the question was propounded Servasti dominicum Hast thou kept the Lords-day The answer was returned Christianus sum intermittere non possum I am a Christian I can do no lesse then keep the Lords-day D King on Jonas Lect. 7. But the world is now grown perfectly profane saith one and can play on the Lords-day without book The Sabbath of the Lord the sanctified day of his rest is shamelesly troubled and disquieted Lay by him in store Gr. As a treasure 1 Tim. 6.18 Manus pauperum gazophylacium Christi The poor mans box is Christs treasury As God hath prospered him Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Given him a good arrivall at the end of his voiage and enabled him for we may not stretch beyond the staple and so spoil all Verse 3. Your liberality Gr. Your grace That which having received of Gods free grace you do as freely part with to his poor
had sweet meditations of the resurrection of Jesus Christ that night and now he would go into the Pulpit Melâ—b Adam and impart to others the comforts that he felt in his soul Verse 5. As the sufferings of Christ So called either because the Saints suffer for Christ or because they have him suffering with them Act. 9.4 God is more provoked then Nehemiah Nehem. 4.3 5. So our consolation As the lower the ebbe the higher the tide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Ignatius The more pain the more gain It is to my losse if you bate me any thing in my sufferings Verse 6. And whether we be afflicted Let the winde sit in what corner soever it will it blows good to the Saints Cant. â— 16 Though North and South be of contrary qualities yet they make the Churches spices to flow and give forth their sent Verse 7. So shall ye be also c. Our troubles therefore are compared to the throws of a travelling woman that tend to a birth and end in comfort Joh. 16.21 Verse 8. For we would not c. It is of great use to know the sufferings that others have sustained before us The Primitive Christians kept Catalogues of their Martyrs Dr Tailor the Martyr at his death gave his son Thomas a latine book containing the sayings and sufferings of the old Martyrs collected by himself In the English Seminaries beyond seas they have at dinner time their Martyrology read that is the legend of our English Traitours We despaired even of life God is oft better to us then our hopes he reserves usually his holy hand for a dead lift He comes in the nick of time and our extremity is his opportunity See the Note on Luk. 18.8 Verse 9. But we had the sentence Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The answer or denunciation of death Here we must distinguish between answers of triall and direct answers This was of the former sort for Paul died not at that time When Leyden was so long and so strictly besieged by the Duke of Alva that they were forced for their sustenance to search and scrape dung-hils c. and the Duke in the language of blasphemy threatned the defendants with cruell death that very night the windes turned the tide swelled and the waters came in and forced him to raise the siege That we should not trust Hope is never higher-elevated then when our state in all mens eyes is at lowest Verse 10. In whom we trust Experience breeds confidence Thou hast thou shalt is an ordinary medium made use of by the Psalmist Verse 11. You also helping together The best may have benefit by the praiers of the meanest Melancthon was much cheared and confirmed by the praiers of certain women and children whom he found tugging with God in a corner for the setling of the Reformation in Germany Sâ—lneccer paedagog Christian pag. 196. Verse 12. For this is our rejoycing c. He was merry under his load because his heart was upright The sincere will well stand under great pressures because they are sound Whereas if a bone be broke or but the skin rub'd up and raw the lightest load will be grievous And godly sincerity A fine word he here useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is a Metaphor either from the Eagle that trieth her young by holding them forth against the full sight of the Sun Aristot Plin. so should we the motions of our mindes to the Word of God or else from a wise and wary chapman that holds up the cloth he buyes betwixt his eye and the Sun Verse 13. Then what ye read c. Or then what you can both recognize and approve of for you have known me thorow and thorow Verse 14. You have acknowledged in part q. d. You ought to have done it more fully but you have been carried away as ye were led by the false Apostles Verse 15. A second benefit Gr. Grace not converting only but confirming also All is but enough Verse 16. And to passe by you So indefatigable and unsatisfiable was he in doing God service Calvin said Ne decem quidem maria c. That it would not grieve him to sail over ten seas about a uniform draught for religion Verse 17. Did I use lightnesse So the false Apostles suggested against him Ministers must carefully clear themselves of suspitions and aspersions cast upon them either by a verball or reall Apology Verse 18. Our word toward you c. Gods children are all such as will not lie say and unsay blow hot and cold with a blast Isa 63.8 Verse 19. For the Sonne of God What is that to the purpose Thus if the Gospel that Paul preached be not yea and nay then neither are Pauls promises yea and nay This is his intendment else his inference is nothing And by that which follows it reacheth all Christians M. Cotton on the seven viâ—als 25. q. d. Look what a Christian doth promise he is bound by the earnest-peny of Gods Spirit to perform He dares no more alter his words to the discredit of his profession then the Spirit of God can lie Verse 20. In him are yea and amen That is truth and assurance They will eat their way over all alpes of opposition as one speaketh Verse 21. Hath anointed us i. e. Consecrated and qualified us Verse 22. Sealed us As the Merchant sets his seal upon his goods The earnest of the Spirit Whereof God should undergoe the losse if he should not give the inheritance as Chrysostome noteth Verse 23. I call God to record He purgeth himself by oath So those Iosh 22.22 Verse 24. Dominion over your faith As Masters of your consciences such as the Bridge-maker of Rome will needs be Pontisex Romanus CHAP. II. Verse 1. That I would not come again I Lle dolet quoties cogitur esse ferox It goes as much against the heart of a good Minister as against the hair with his people if he say or do any thing to their grief It is no pleasure to him to fling daggers to speak milstones to preach damnation c. But there is a cruell lenity as was that of Eli to his sons and evil men must be sharply rebuked that they may be sound in the faith Tit. 1.13 Verse 2. But the same which is made c. Nothing can cure a faithfull Minister of his cordolium of his hearts grief but his peoples amendment Now we live if ye stand fast in the Lord 1 Thess 3.8 else we are all amort and you kill the very hearts of us Verse 3. Of whom I ought to rejoyce Nothing sticks a man more then the unkindenesse of a friend then expectation of love dashed and disappointed All evils as elements are most troublesome when out of their proper place as impiety in professours injustice in Judges unkindenes or untowardnes in a people toward their Pastour c. Verse 4. With many tears Non tà m atramento quam
not our selves We are Christs paranymphes or spokesmen and must wooe for him Now if we should speak one word for him and two for our selves as all self-seekers do how can we answer it Verse 6. Hath shined The first work of the spirit in mans heart is to beat out new windows there and to let in light Act. 26 18. And then Semper in sole sita est Rhodos qui calorem colorem nobis impertit Aeneas Sylv. Verse 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In earthen vessels Gr. In oyster-shels as the ill-favoured oyster hath In it a bright pearl Vilis saepe cadus nobile nectar habet In a leathern purse may be a precious pearl Verse 8. We are troubled on every side This is the worlds wages to Gods Ministers Veritas odium parit Opposition is Evangely genius said Calvin Truâ—h goes ever with a scratcht face We are perplexed Pray for me I say Pray for me said Latimer Act. and Mon. fol 1565. For I am sometimes so fearfull that I could creep into a Mouse-hole sometimes God doth visit me again with comfort c. Verse 9. Persecuted but not for saken The Church may be shaken Concuti non excuti Duris ut ilex â—onsa bipennibus not shivered persecuted not conquered Roma cladibus animosior said one 'T is more true of the Church She gets by her losses and as the Oak she taketh heart to grace from the maims and wounds given her Niteris incassum Christi submergere navem Tluctuat at nunquam mergitur illaratis As the Pope wrote once to the great Turk Cast down but not destroied Impellere possunt said Luther of his enemies sed totum prosternere non possunt crudeliter me tractare possunt sed non extirpare dentes nudare sed non devorare occidere me possunt sed in totum me perdere non possunt They may thrust me but not throw me shew their teeth but not devout me kill me but not hunt me c. Verse 10. The dying of the Lord A condition obnoxious to daily deaths and dangers Might be made manifest As it was in Paul when being stoned he started up with a sic sic oportet intrare Thus thus must heaven be had and no otherwise Verse 11. For we which live c. Good men only are heirs of the grace of life 1 Pet. 3.7 Others are living ghosts and walking sepulchres of themselves Verse 12. Death worketh in us It hath already ceized upon us but yet we are not killed with death as those were Revel 2. 23. As a godly man said That he did agrotare vitaluèr so the Saints do Mori vitalitèr die to live for ever But life in you q. d. You have the happinesse to be exempted whiles we are tantùm non interempti little lesse then done to death Verse 13. The same spirit That you have and shall be heirs together of heaven with you though here we meet with more miseries I beleeved and therefore c. The Spirit of faith is no indweller where the door of the lips open not in holy confestion and communication Verse 14. Shall present us with you Shall bring us from the jaws of death to the joyes of eternall life Verse 15. That the abundant grace This is one end wherefore God suffers his Ministers to be subject to so many miseries that the people might be put upon praier and praise for their deliverance Verse 16. Yet the inward man Peter Martyr dying said My body is weak my minde is well Well for the present and it will be better hereafter This is the godly mans Motto Verse 17. For our light affliction Here we have an elegant Antithesis and a double hyperbole beyond englishing For affliction here 's glory for light affliction a weight of glory for momeâ—ary affliction eternall glory Which is but for a moment For a short braid only as that Martyr said Mourning lasteth but till morning It is but winking and thou shalt be in heaven presently quoth another Martyr Worketh unto us As a causa sine quâ non as the law worketh wrath Rom. 4.15 Afarre more exceeding An exceeding excessive eternall weight Or a far most excellent eternall weight Nec Christus nec coelum patitur hyperâ—olen saith one Here it is hard to hyperbolize Weight of glory The Apostle aâ—â—â—seth to the Hebrew and Chaldee words which signifie both weight and glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glory is such a weight as if the body were not upheld by the power of God it were impossible it should bear it Joy so great as that we must enter into it it is too big to enter into us Enter into thy Masters joy Mat. 25. Here we finde that when there is great joy the body is not able to bear it our spirits are ready to expire What shall it then be in heaven Verse 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whiles we look not Gr. Whiles we make them not our scope our mark to aim at Heaven we may make our mark our aim though not our highest aim At the things that are seen Whiles we eye things present only it will be with us as with an house without pillars tottering with every blast or as a ship without anchor tossed with every wave But at the things which are not seen Pericula non respicit Martyr coronas respicit Plagas non horret praemium numerat non videt lictores insernè flagellantes sed Angelos supernè acclamantes saith Basil Who also tels us how the Martyrs that were cast out naked in a winters night being to be burned the next day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comforted themselves and one another with these words Sharp is the cold but sweet is Paradise Troublesome is the way but pleasant shall be the end of our journey let us endure cold a little and the Patriarchs bosome shall soon warmus let our foot burn a while that we may dance for ever with Angels Let our hand full into the fire that it may lay hold upon eternall life c. But the things which c. The Latines call prosperous things Res secundas because they are to be had hereafter they are not the first things these are past Rev. 21. CHAP. V. Verse 1. For we know NOt we think or hope only This is the top gallant of faith the triumph of trust this is as Latimer caâ—s it the sweet-meats of the feast of a good conscience There are other dainty dishes in this feast but this is the banquet The cock on the dung-hill knows not the worth of his jewel Our earthly house of this Tabernacle Our clayie cottage Man is but terra friabilis 1 Cor. 15.47 a piece of earth neatly made up The first man is of the earth earthy and his earthly house is ever mouldering over him ready to fall upon his head Hence it is called The life of his hands Isa 47. because hardly held up with the labour of his hands Paul
a Tent-maker elegantly compares mans body to a Tent. Plato also in his dialogue of death calleth the body a Tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have a buiding of God The Ark transportative till then was setled in Solomons temple So shall the soul be in heaven As when one skin fals off another comes on so when our earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved or taken down we shall have a heavenly house The soul wears the body as a garment which when it is worn out we shall be clothed with a better snit we shall change our rags for robes c. Itaque non plangimus sed plandimus quando vitam claudimus quia dies iste non tâ—m fatalis quam natalis est Verse 2. For in this That is in this tabernacle of the body We groan earnestly As that Avis Paradisi Macrob l. 1. c. 11. which being once caught and enraged never leaves sighing they say till set at liberty The Greeks call the body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the souls bond and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the souls sepulchre To be clothed upon By a sudden change and not to die at all as 1 Thess 4.17 1 Cor. 15.51 52. Quis enim vult mori prorsus nemo Death when it comes will have a bout with the best as it had with Hezekiah David Jonas others For nature abhors it and every new man is two men But when a Christian considers that non nisi per angusta ad augusta perveniatur that there 's no passing into Paradise but under the flaming sword of this Angel death that standeth at the Porch that there 's no coming to the City of God but thorow this straight and heavy lane no wiping all tears from his eyes but with his winding sheet he yeelds and is not only content but full glad of his departure As in the mean while he accepts of life rather then affects it he endures it rather then desires Phil. 1.23 Verse 3. If so be that c. q. d. Howbeit I know not whether we shall be so cloathed upon that is whether we that are now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be sound alive at Christs coming to judgement whether we shall then be found clothed with our bodies or naked that is stript of our bodies Verse 4. Do groan being burdened viz. With sin and misery whereof we have here our back-burdens M Bradford Act. and Mon. fol. 1492. And surely great shame it were as that Martyr said that all the whole creatures of God should desire yea groan in their kinde for our liberty and we our selves to loath it as doubtlesse we do if for the crosse yea for death it self we with joy swallow not up all sorrow that might let us from following the Lords call and obeying the Lords providence c. Might be swâ—llowed up of life Not as a gulf or fire swallows up that is cast into it but as perfection swallows up imperfection As the perfecting of a picture swallows up the rude draught as perfect skill swallows up bungling or manhood childehood not extinguishing D. Preston but drowning it that it is not seen Verse 5. He that hath wrought us Curiously wrought us in the lowermost parts of the earth that is in the womb as curious workmen perfect their choice pieces in private and then set them forth to publike view Psal 139.15 with Eph. â—19 Others expound it by Rom 9.23 The earnest of the spirit He saith not the Pawn but the earnest A pawn is to be returned again but an earnest is part of the whole bargain Verse 6. Therefore we are confident Not haesitant or halting as Hadrian the Emperour was and as he that cried out on his death-bed Anxius vixi dubius morior nescio quò vado I have lived carefully Plato I die doubtfully I go I know not whither Socrates also that wisest of Philosophers could not with all his skill resolve his friends whether it were better for a man to die or to live longer Cicero comforting himself as well as he could by the help of philosophy against the fear of death cries out and complains at length Nescio quomo do imbeâ—â—â—ior est med cina qudm morbus that the medicine was too weak for the disease It is the true Christian only that can be confident that his end shall be happy though his beginning and middle haply may be troublesome Psal 37.37 Whilest we are at home Or stay for a night as in an Inne A man that comes into an Inne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he can get a better room he will if not he can be content with it for saith he it is but for a night So it should be with us Verse 7. For we walk by faith Which puts our heads into heaven sets us on the top of Pisgah with Moses and therehence descries and describes unto us the promised Land gives us to set one foot afore-hand in the porch of Paradise to see as Stephen did Christ holding out a Crown with this inscription Vincenti dabo Not by sight Sense corrects imagination reason sense but faith corrects both thrusting Hagar out of doors when haughty and haunty grown Verse 8. And willing rather Death is not to be desired as a punishment of sin but as a period of sin not as a postern gate to let out our temporall but as a street door to let in eternall life To be present with the Lord This Bernard calleth Repatriasse Plotinus the Philosopher could say when he died Bern de morte That which is divine in me I carry back 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synes ep 139. to the Originall divine that is to God But whether this man beleeved himself or not I greatly doubt Verse 9. Wherefore we labour Our hope of heaven maketh us active and abundant in Gods service The doctrine of assurance is not a doctrine of liberty but the contrary 1 Joh. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We make it our ambition faith the Apostle here to get acceptance in heaven waiting till our father shall call us home and passing the time of our sojourning here in fear 1 Pet. 1.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Saints have their commotation upon earth their conversation in heaven Verse 10. For we must all c. This great assize will not be such an Assembly as that of Ahashuerosh of his Nobles Princes and Captains only nor such as the biddings of rich men to their feasts of their rich neighbours only Luk. 14.12 but like the invitation of that housholder that sent his servants to compell all to come in On that day Adam shall see all his nephews together Appear before c. Beâ—aid open and have all ript up Our sins that are now written as it were with the juice of lemmons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall then by the fire of the last day be made legible And as
staies too long He waits to be gracious as being a God of judgement Were we but ripe he is ready and will lift us up in due time Isa 30 18. 1 Pet. 5.6 Verse 7. Your earnest desire Of seeing me or rather of satisfying me Your fervent minde Gr. Your zeal both against the incestuous person and the false Apostles Saint Pauls adversaries Verse 8. Though it were but for a season Gr. For an hour In sin the pleasure passeth the sorrow remaineth but in repentance the sorrow passeth the pleasure abideth for ever God soon poureth the oil of gladnesse into broken hearts Verse 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That ye sorrowed to repentance Gr. To a transmentation to a thorow change both of the minde and manners Optima aptissima poenitentia est nova vita saith Luther Which saying though condemned by Pope Leo 10. is certainly an excellent saying Repentance for sin is nothing worth without repentance from sin If thou repent with a contradiction saith Tertullian God will pardon thee with a contradiction Thou repentest and yet continuest in thy sin God will pardon thee and yet send thee to hell There 's a pardon with a contradiction Sorry after a godly manner Gr. According to God This is a sorrowing for sin as it is Offensivum Dei averfivum à Deo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This both comes from God and drives a man to God as it did the Church in the Canticles and the Prodigall Verse 10. Godly sorrow worketh Sin bred sorrow and sorrow being right destroieth sin as the worm that breeds in the wood eats into it and devours it Chrysost So that of this sorrow according to God we may say as the Romans did of Pompey the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch That it is the fair and happy daughter of an ugly and odious mother Repentance never to be repented of That is saith one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mâ—rbâ—â—y of Repent Never to fall back again for a man in falling back seemeth to repent him of his repentance Others interpret it such a repentance as a man shall never have cause to repent of Job cursed the day of his birth but no man was ever heard to curse the day of his new birth For it is repentance to salvation it hath heaven it is that rain-bow which if God see shining in our hearts he will never drown our souls But the sorrow of the world That which carnall men conceive either for the want or losse of good or for the sense or fear of evil Worketh death As it did in Queen Mary Act. and Mon. fol. 1901. who died as some supposed by her much sighing before her death of thought and sorrow either for the departure of K. Philip or the losse of Callice Duke of the heâ—rt or both There are that interpret death in this place of spirituall death because it is opposed here to life and salvation Verse 11. What carefulnesse Gr. What study 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Veâ—emens ad aliquam rem magna cum volaâ—â—â—e applicatio which saith Tully is an earnest and serious bending and applying of the minde to some thing with a great deal of delight It is rendered here carefulnesse not that of diffidence but that of diligence putting a man upon those wholsome thoughts What have I done What shall I do c. Yea what clearing Gr. Apology or defence M Bradford Sâ—r. of Repent p. 14. The old interpreter renders it satisfaction It may be saith Mr Bradford he meant a new life to make amends thereby to the Congregation offended As the devil is called the Accuser so the Spirit is called The Comforter or pleader for us because as he maketh intercession in our hearts to God so upon true repentance he helpeth us to make apologies for our selves not by denying our sins or defending them but by confessing and disclaiming them as a childe to his father Yea what indignation Or stomach as Ephraim Jer. 31.19 The publican who smote himself upon the brest he would have knockt his corruptions if he could have come at them as those Isa 30.22 that polluted the Idols that they had perfumed and said unto them Get you hence be packing What have I to do any more with Idolds Hos 14.8 Out of doors with this Tamar here 's no room for her So foolish was I and so very a beast saith David Psal 73. How angry and hot was he against himself 2 Sam. 24.10 Yea what fear Of Gods heavy displeasure and of doing any more so the burnt childe dreads the fire He that hath been stung hates a snake Yea what vehement desire As that of Rachel after children as that of David after the water of the well of Bethlehem as that of the hunted Hinde after the water-brooks David panted and fainted after God Psal 119. That Martyr cried out None but Christ none but Christ. Yea what zeal Which is an extreme heat of all the affections for and toward God Davids zeal ate him up Paul was judg'd as mad for Christ as ever he had been against him 2 Cor. 5.13 with Act. 26.11 Yea what revenge Out of deepest self-abhorrency buffeting the flesh and giving it the blew eye as S. Paul that crucifix of mortification once did Thus the women parted with their looking-glasses Exod. 35. Mary Magdalen wiped Christs feet with her hair wherewith she had formerly made nets to catch fools in Cranmer burnt his right hand first wherewith he had subscribed Act. and Mon. fol. 1714. and oftentimes repeated in the flames This unworthy right hand so long as his voice would suffer him The true penitentiary amerceth himself and abridgeth his flesh of some lawfull comforts as having forfeited all These seven signs of godly sorrow are to be seen in the repenting Church Cant. 5. as in a worthy example or emblem I sleep there 's indignation but my heart waketh there 's Apology I arose to open c. there 's study or care and diligence My soul failed there 's her zeal I sought him I called on him there 's her vehement desire The watchmen found me they smote me c. There 's her revenge whiles she shrank not for any danger but followed Christ thorow thick and thin in the night among the watch And all this shews her fear of being again overtaken with drousinesse To be clear in this matter Because they had heartily repented of it Quem poenitet peccasse poenè est innocens Senec. in Agam. Repentance is almost equivalent to innocence Imò plus est propemodùm à vitijs se revocasse quam vitia ipsa nescivisse Amb. in Psal saith Ambrose Verse 12. Not for his cause That is Not so much for his cause That suffered the wrong viz. The father of the incestuous person Compare Gen. 49.4 But that our care for you That the Church might not suffer as allowing such foul facts How the Primitive
have not laid up two pence for I never cared for the things of this world Luther never found himself once tempted to covetousnesse And herein I could wish we were all Lutherans Verse 15. Act. and Mon. fol 789. Spend and be spent If like clouds we doe sweat our selves to death so souls may be brought home to God it is a blessed way of dying The lesse I be loved This is many a good mans grief but his reward is neverthelesse with God The nurse looks not for her wages from the childe but from the parent Verse 16. Being crafty I caught A blessed craft a high point of heavenly wisdome Dan. 12 3. It is written of the fox that when he is very hungry after prey and can finde none he lieth down and faineth himself to be a dead carcase and so the fowls fall upon him and then he catcheth them Saint Paul hungering after the souls-health of his Corinthians denies himself to gain them Verse 17. Whom I sent unto you It is said of the Pope that he can never lack money so long as he can hold a pen in his hand he can command it and have it But Saint Paul could not skill of those arts Verse 18. In the same spirit Who worketh with his own tools only and is ever like himself in all the Saints through whose whole course godlinesse runs as the woof doth thorow the web as the spirit doth thorow the body In the same steps With an upright foot Gal. 2.14 in Christ Col. 2.6 as Christ 1 Joh. 2.6 Verse 19. That we excuse our selves And so yeeld a fault I speak before God The witnesse of mine innocency Job 16 19. Gen. 20.6 For your edifying Whilest ye conceive no ill opinion of us which like muddy water in a vessel might cause the most precious liquour of our doctrine to run over Verse 20. Mimus And that I shall be found Crudelem medicum intemperans aeger facit We delight not to fling daggers at mens faces but if men be not told their owne and that with some sharpnesse they will on in sinne to their utter ruine Sharp waters clear the eye-sight and bitter potions bring on sweet health A weak dose doth but stirre bad humours and anger them not purge them out so it fareth with sinnes Lest there be debates envyings c. K. Edward the fourth the night before his death said to his kinsmen and friends I remember it to my grief that there hath bin discord amongst you a great time not alwaies for great causes but poor mistakings c. Some Daniels hist of Engl 2.0 like Salamanders live alway in the fire like trouts they love to swim against stream like Phocion they think it a goodly thing to dissent from others Verse 21. That have not repented Impenitence maketh sinne mortall saith S. John 1 epist 5.16 or rather immortall as saith S. Paul Rom. 2.5 It is not the falling into the water that drowns but lying in it Gods people may sink once and again to the bottome but the third time they rise and recover by repentance CHAP. XIII Verse 1. Of two or three witnesses SO he calleth his threefold admonition Gods Word neglected will one day be a swift witnesse against the contemners Moses shall accuse men Joh. 5.46 Gods Word lay hold on them Zech. 1.6 and stick in their hearts and flesh as fire thorowout all eternity Ier. 5.14 Verse 2. I told you before Sed surdo fabulam no telling would serve turn Many are so wedded and wedged to their sins that nothing will sunder them but an extraordinary touch from the hand of heaven Verse 3. A proof of Christ speaking in me The Church is Christi docentis auditorium saith Bernard the place wherein he ordinarily teacheth who hath his school on earth though his chair in heaven Sebolam babeâ— in terris cathedram in coelis Aug. Verse 4. Crucified through weaknesse i. e. Ex afflicto ejus statu as Gal. 4.14 as having voluntarily subjected himself to all sorts of sufferings for our sakes Verse 5. Examine your selves The finall triall of our eternall estate doth immediately and solely appertain to the Court of heaven Indeed the disquisitive part belongs to us the decisive to God Prove your own selves Redouble your diligence in this most needfull but much neglected duty of self-examination an errour here is easie and dangerous hence the precept is doubled So Zeph. 2.1 Excutite vos iterumque excutite as Tremellius renders it Verse 6. But I trust that ye shall know Whereas they were ready to retort that they were no reprobates he should well know let him see that himself were not one I trust ye shall know saith he that we are no reprobates counterfeits or unapprovable opposed to approved verse 7. Verse 7. Though we be as reprobates viz. In your esteem The good heart is content to vilifie yea nullifie it self so God may be glorified and his people edified let him be a footstool or what ye will â—pist ad Spalat to help Christ into his throne Prorsus Satan est Lutherus sed Christus vivit regnat Amen saith Luther Let me be called a devil or any thing so Christ may be exalted Verse 8. For we can doe nothing A temporary many so fall away as to persecute the truth that he once professed and the Ministery that he once admired Never fals a Saint so farre in his greatest relapses Lat. Seruâ— afore â— Edward Bishop Latimer tels of one who fell away from the known truth to mocking and scorning it yet was afterwards touched in conscience for it Beware of this sinne saith he for I have known no more then this that repented It is a very dangerous precipice Verse 9. Even your perfection Or Your restauration or joynting again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His meaning is saith Beza That whereas the members of this Church were all as it were dislocated and out of joynt they should now again be joyned together in love and they should endeavour to amend what was amisse amongst them either in faith or manners Verse 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And not to destruction Unlesse by accident or if to the destruction of the flesh it is that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 5.5 See the Note there and on 2 Cor. 10.8 Verse 11. Finally Gr. That which yet remains to say more and then an end Be perfect Or Peece again Be of one minde For matter of opinion Live in peace For matter of affection The God of love The authour and fautour Verse 12. With an holy kisse A custome proper to those times See the Note on Rom. 16.16 and on 1 Cor. 16.20 Verse 13. All the Saints salute you Sanctity is no enemy to curtesie it doth not remove but rectifie it Verse 14. The grace of our Lord A friendly valediction or fatherly benediction A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the Epistle of S.
hath her senses as well as the body And these must be exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5.14 those two learned senses especially as Aristotle calleth them the eye and the ear Iob 34 3. Ier. 2.31 Verse 10. Approve the things Or try the things that differ that ye be not châ—ated and so undone as many a man is by purchasing a counterfeit commodity at an unreasonable rate A Bristow stone looks like a diamond and many things glister besides gold Verse 11. Being filled with the fruits The excellency of a Christian is to follow God fully as Caleb Numb 14.24 To have a heart full of goodnesse as those Rom. 15.14 A life full of good works as Tabitha Act. 9.33 See the Note on Galat. 5.22 Verse 12. Rather unto the furtherance So were Luthers troubles Quò magis illi furunt saith he eò amplius prâ—cedo The more they rage the more the Gospel spreadeth It was a pleasant sight saith one to have beheld Christ and Antichrist striving for masteries For whatsoever the Pope and the Emperour attempted against the Gospel Scultet Annal. Christ turned it all to the furtherance of the Gospel The Popes bull the Emperours thunderbolt amazed not men but animated them to imbrace the truth weakned them not but wakened them rather Verse 13. In all the pallace So in the diet held at Ausborough in Germany anno 1530 Caesar reading the Protestants Confession and sending it abroad to other Christian Princes as desiring their advice about it dispersed and spread it more in all parts then all the Lutheran Preachers could have done For which cause Luther laughs a good at the foolish wisdome of the Papists in a certain Epistle of his to the Electour of Saxony Scalteâ— Annal 274. When Bonner allowed William Hunter Martyr no more then an half-peny a day in prison he confessed that he lacked nothing but had meat and cloathing enough Act. and Mon. fol. 13â—8 yea even out of the Court both money meat cloathes wood and coals and all things necessary What friends Iohn Wicliffe found both in the Court of England and in the Court oâ— Bohemia is famously known And yet the Proverb is Exeat aulà qui velit esse pius Verse 14. Are much more hold This is the fruit of the Saints sufferings Ecclesiatotum mundum sanguine oratione convertit saith Luther As the Lilly is increased by it's own juice that flows from it so is the Church by it's sufferings This caused Iulian to spare some Christians whom he could have wished out of the world I thank our Lord God said B. Ridley in a letter of his to Bradford that since I heard of our dear brother Rogers departing and stout confessing of Christ and his truth even unto death my heart blessed be God rejoyced of it Act. and Mon. fol. 565. neither ever since that time have I felt any lumpish heavinesse as I grant I have felt sometimes before So Bradford in a letter to Cranmer Latimer and Ridley prisoners at Oxford Our dear brother Rogers hath broken the ice valiantly As this day I thinke hearty Hooper â—usty Tailour Ibid. 1. 8â— and sincere Saunders end their course and receive their crown The next am I which hourly look for the Porter to open me the gates after them to enter into the desired rest God forgive me mine unthankfulnesse for this exceeding great mercy c. Verse 15. Some indeed preach Christ Such self-seekers there are now a-daies not a few Two things make a good Christian good actions and good aims Though a good aim doth not make a bad action good as we see in Vzzab yet a bad aim makes a good action bad as in these preachers They preached Christ so did the devil who yet was silenced by Christ Mark 1.24 25. Verse 16. Preach Christ of contention Striving to bear away the bell from me as the better preachers And with such ambitionists the Church of Christ hath ever been pestered This made Luther pray A doctore glorioso à Pastore contentioso liberet Ecclesiam suam Dominus From vain-glorious and contentious preachers The good Lord deliver his Church Supposing to adde affliction to my bonds An immane cruelty such as Iob and David ofâ— complain of Iob 6.14 Psal 69.26 Camdens Eliz. 531. Queen Elizabeth hated no lesse then did Mithridates such as maliciously persecuted vertue forsaken of fortune saith Camden Verse 17. Knowing that I am set Or Laid by the heels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they of love help out at a dead lifâ— and do my office abroad as Marulla a maid of Lemnos seeing her father slain in the gate Turk Hist 418 took up his weapons and not only revenged his death but helped to keep out the Turks who hoped to have surprized the City on the sudden Verse 18. Christ is preached c. Prorsus Satan est Lutherus sed Christus vivit regnat Amen saith Luther in an Epistle of his to Spalatinus Luther is called a devil but be it so â—o long as Christ is magnified I am well apaid All private respects should be drowned in the glory of God But he is a base â—pâ—â—ted man that is totus in se like the snaâ— still within doors and aâ— home Verse 19. This shall turn to my salvation God maketh all to co-operate and turneth all about to the best as the skilfull Apothecary maketh of a poisonfull viper a wholsome trâ—acle See the Note on Rom. 8.28 and on Gen. 50.20 Verse 20. According to my earnest St Paul stood as it were on tip-â—oâ—s to see which wayes he might best glorifie God by life or death Verse 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And to die is gain B. cause death to a good man is the day-break of eternall brightnesse janua vitae porta coeli as Bernard hath it a valley of Achor a door of hope to give entrance into Paradise to bring them malorum omnium ademprionem bonorum omnium adeptionem Verse 22. What I shall chuse I wot not As a loving wife sent for by her husband far from home and yet loth to leave her children is in a muse and doube what to does Su was the Apostle Verse 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For I am in a sâ—raiâ— Plato in the eighth of his laws hath a like speech The communion of the soul with the body is not better then the â—â—â—olution as I would â—â—y if I were to speak in carnest But whether Plato believed himself so saying I have reason to make question wâ—en I consider that his master Socrates when he came to die doubted whether it were better with the dead or with the living as both Plato and Cicero testifie Having a desire to dâ—part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To loose from the shore of life and launch out into the tâ—ain of immortality Or it may be rendered to return home or to change rooms And to be with Christ This was all
reflect upon God who will require and requite Verse 13. Not as the word of men Whom yet he maketh use of to cast down Satans strong-holds as he made use of little David against Goliah and of the frogs and flies against Pharaoh As the word of God With reverence and diligence with all good affection and attention When Samuel knew it was God that called him and not Eli he had no more minde to sleep We are all here present before God saith Cornelius Act. 10.33 And God is in you of a truth saith the Corinthian convert 1 Cor. 4.25 Verse 14. Of your own countrey-men Malice against the truth breaks all bonds of nature or amity Moah was irked because of Israel or vexed at them Numb 22.3 4. though they were allied to Israel who passed by them peaceably and by the slaughter of the Amorites freed them from evil neighbours which had taken away part of their Countrey c. The English Papists in four years sacrificed 800 of their innocent Countreymen in Q. Maâ—â—es daies Verse 15. Who both killed the Lord And are therefore banished out of the world as it were by a common consent of Nations for their unexpiable guilt Even in Jerusalem there be hardly to be found a hundred housholds of them In Cyprus it is present death for any Jew to â—et his foot upon that Island Breâ—â—â—ood Enquâ—â— In Thessalonica and Constantinople there are divers thousands of them but at every Easter they are in danger of death Dio. Cass Biddulph if they but stir out of doors because at that time they crucified our Saviour The Turks themselves so hate the Jews for crucifying Christ that they use to say in detestation of a thing I would I might die a Jew Neither will they permit a Jew to turn Turk unlesse he be first baptized And their own Prophets Whose slaughter though long since done is in recent remembrance with God and is reckoned and registred together with the death of Christ himself And have persecuted us They still curse the Christians in their daily praiers which they close up with a Maledic Domine Nazaraeis Lopez at Tiburn affirmed Camdeâ—s Eliz. That he had loved Q. Elizabeth as he loved Jesus Christ Which from a Jew was heard not without laughter And they please not God Yet they challenged the title of Gods Church as the Papists will needs be the only Catholikes And are contrary to all men Being herein rather Ismaelites then Israelites Gen. 16.12 The Troâ—t delights to swim against stream The herb Alexander will agree with no other herb but it self Such Antipodes are our Jesuites so unsufferably ambitious and impudent that neither then doctrine not their conversation pleaseth those of their own religion Verse 16. To fill up their sin alway Bounds are set to sin by the divine decree Zech. 5.7 Wickednesse is compared to a woman pressed in an Ephah when the measure is full the businesse is finished See the Note on Mat. 23.32 Verse 17. For a short time Or In a short time suddenly See Act. 17 9 10. Being taken away Or separated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as orphans are from their dear parents or parents from their deceased children The separation of friends is so grievous that death it self is stiled no other then a departure Verse 18. But Satan hindred us He still doth his utmost to hinder the communion of Saints and to keep them asunder He knows two are better then one and therefore he stirred up the primitive persecutours to banish the Christians and to confine them to iles and mines Cyprian epist where they could not have accesse one to another Verse 19. For what is our hope c A very lively and lofty expression such as the Apostle ordinarily useth in speaking of heavenly glory Nos Christus nec coelum patitur hyperbolen A man can hardly hyperbolize in speaking of heaven Verse 29. For ye are our glory and joy Let no man therefore envy us these temporary good things a competent maintenance there are better things abide us above CHAP. III. Verse 1. No longer forbear OR 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stand under our burden of vehement desire after you See a like expression Isa 42.14 As a travelling woman bites in her pain as long as she is able and at length cries out aloud so God is patient till he can hold no longer c. We thought it good Publica privatis anteferenda bonis A publike spirit is a precious spirit Verse 2. To establish you Who haply are somewhat unsetled by the troubles that befell me amongst you But as young trees shaken root the better so should you Capite in an epistle to the brethren at Basil writeth thus Pauciores vobiscum perimuntur quod ita Domino visum est ut stabiliantur seu lenibus pluvijs aâ— semâ—ntâ—â— mâ—llioribus plantulae in arbores maximas proditurae Verse 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. That no man should be moved Gr. Flattered as a dog slattereth by moving his tail q.d. The devil by flattering you with promise of more ease by a contrary course will but do as a dirty dog defile you with sawning That we are appointed thereunto Viz. By Gods decree whereunto if damned ghosts must subscribe Rom. 9.19 20. how much more should Gods elect 1 Pet. 1 6 It is but a delicacy to dream of heaven to be had without much hardship Verse 4. We told you before Darts fore-seen are dintlesse premonition is the best premunition Troubles fore-told come never a whit the sooner but far the easier whereas coming unexpected they finde weak mindes secure make them miserable leave them desperate Verse 5. To know your faith That is Your perseverance and encrease in faith That which the devil mainly endeavoureth is to hindâ—r and unsettle our faith as he dealt by Eve and Peter Luk. 22.31 32. to batter this buckler Ephes 6.16 for then he knows he may do what he will with us Omnia perdidit Seneca qui fidem amisit Lestâ—â—y some means the tempter Who feels our pulses and fits his assaults accordingly See the Note on Mat. 4.3 And our labour be in vain So it proves many times by Satans malice Other labourers can finde their work as they left it not so Ministers the devil cometh and marreth all Verse 6. And brought us good tidings Here the devil was disappointed He had been nibling but could not fasten this matter was not malleable God stints him and staves him oft when he would worry his poor lambs turning all to their eternall good Verse 7. We were comforted Nothing so cheareth up the heart of a godly Minister as his peoples tractablenesse If this be wanting his very heart is broke though they be otherwise never so kinde and courteous to him Verse 8. For now we live A joylesse life is a lifelesse life An unsuccessefull Pastour hath little or no joy of his life Thus shall ye say to him that liveth 1 Sam.
Verse 8. Be sober Drunkennesse misbeseemeth any man but especially a Saint for it robs him of himself and laies a beast in his room Putting on the brest-plate of faith and love Faith is the fore-part of this brest-plate whereby we imbrace Christ and love the hinder part thereof whereby we imbosome the Saints Verse 9. God hath not appointed us As the hath all drunken beasts 1 Cor. 6.10 Yea all those dry drunkards Isa 28.1 that will not a wake though never so much warned out of the snare of the devil c. 2 Tim. 2.25 Verse 10. Whether we wake or sleep That is live or die our souls cannot miscarry because Christ will have out the full price of his sons death See Rom. 14.8 with the Note there Verse 11. Comfort your selves together This he subjoyns as a singular help to the practise of the former points of duty Socialt charity whets on to love and good works as iron whets iron as one billet kindleth another c. Verse 12. And we beseech you brethren Doe not so exhort and edifie one another as to think that now the publike Ministery is no further usefull or needfull Let your Pastours have all due respect be your gifts never so eminent Verse 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apud Graeâ—os majori in honre habebantur Philosophi quam ortores â—llienim recte viâ— endi c. Lactâ—ntiuâ— Very highly Gr. More then exceedingly Turks and Papists shall else condemn us who honour every hedge-priest of theirs and have them in singular esteem above their merits The Grecians gave great respect to their Philosophers above their Oratours because these taught them how to speak but those how to live well For their works sake Which is high and honourable divine and heavenly a worthy work 1 Tim. 3.1 Such as both in the preparation to it and execution of it draweth them to God keepeth them with God and to be ever mindefull of God and no lesse active for God Ephes 4 12. by gathering together the Saints and building up the body of Christ And be at peace among your selves So shall your Pastour have the better life and follow his work with more content comfort Verse 14. Warn them that are unruly Cry Cave miser stop them in their cursed carier tell them that hell gapes for them and is but a little afore them snatch them out of the fire saving them with fear Iude v. 3. Comfort the fâ—â—ble-minded The dâ—spiriced faint-hearted sick and sinking under the sense of sin and fear of wrath A Christian should have feeding lips and a healing tongue The contrary whereunto is deeply detested Ezek. 34 4. Support the weak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Set to your shoulder and shore them up Deal not as the herd of Deer do with the wounded Deer forsake and push it away from them Verse 15. See that none render Nothing is so naturall to us and Aristotle commends revenge as a piece of manhood when indeed it is doghood rather Excellently Lactantius Non est minus malireferre injuriam quam inferre It is as bad to recompence Wrong as to do wrong See the Notes on Mat. 5.44 Rom. 12.17 But ever follow that which is good Not to doe good is to do evil not to save a man when we can is to destroy him Mar. 3.4 See the Note there Verse 16. Rejoyce evermore A duty much pressed in both testaments but little practised by many of Gods Whinnels who are ever puling and putting singer in the eye through one discontent or another The wicked may not rejoyce Hos 9.1 the Saints must Psal 32.11 and 33.1 and that continually striving to an habituall chearfulnesse which is when faith heals the conscience and grace husheth the affections and composeth all within what should ail such a man not to be perpetually merry Verse 17. Pray without ceasing While praier standeth still the trade of godlinesse standeth still All good comes into the soul by this door all true treasure by this merchants-ship Paul beginneth continueth and concludeth his Epistleâ— with praier Nehemiah sends up ejaculations ever and anon Of Carolus Magnus it was spoken Carolus plus cum Deo quam cum hominibus loquitur that he spake more with God then with men Our hearts should be evermore in a praying temper and our set times of praier should not be neglected though we be not alwaies alike prepared or disposed thereunto Disuse breeds lothnesse to doe it another time Verse 18. In every thing give thanks If God give prosperity praise him and it shall be encreased faith Augustine If adversity praise him and it shall be removed or at least sanctâ—fied Iob blessed God as well for taking as giving Iob 1. He knew that God afflicted him Non ad exitium sed ad exercitium to refine him not to ruine him But this is Christianorum propria virtus saith Hierome a practice proper to Christians to be heartily thankfull for crosses Basil spends all his Sermon upon this Text in this theme Every bird can sing in a Summers-day and it is easie to swim in a warm bath but in deep affliction to cover Gods altar not with our tears as Mal 2.13 but with the calves of out lips Hos 14.2 this none can doe but the truly religious Verse 19. Quench not the spirit In his motions or graces See he Canon for the fire on the altar and observe it Lev. 6.12,13 Confesse here as Hezekiah did 2 Chron. 29.6 7. And take the Apostles counsel 2 Tim. 1.6 Stir up this fire on the hearth of our hearts let the Priests lips blow it up into a flame despise not prophecying c. It may be quenched either by the with-drawing of fuell neglect of ordinances or by casting on water falling into foul courses Verse 20. Despise not i.e. Highly honour and preciously esteem as an honourary given by Christ to his church at his wonderfull derfull ascension Ps 51.17 Eph. 4.8 11. Prophecying That is preaching 1 Cor. 14.3 so called because they took their texts out of some of the Prophets Verse 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epicbarm Prove all things Takâ— nothing that you hear upon trust but bring all to the Test Isa 8.20 To the law i.e. the old Testament and to the testimony i.e. the new which is by S. Iohn often called the Testimony Hold fast that which is good Orthodox currant agreeable to and approvable by the Scriptures especially that which God hath made good and sweet to your own fouls Hold fast that thou hast c. Hast thou found honey eat it Prov. 25.16 Go on to heaven eating of it as Samson did of his honey comb Verse 22. Abstain from all c. Whatsoever is heterodox unsound and unsavoury shun it as you would do a serpent in your way or poison in your meats Theodosius tare the Arrians arguments presented to him in writing because he found them repugnant to the Scriptures And Augustine retracteth even ironies only
five away Isa 35.10 Verse 9. This is a faithfull saying And yet who hath believed our report The promises are good free-hold and yet little looked after Godlines hath but cold entertainment because she lives much upon reversions Verse 10. For therefore Because godlinesse hath so much happinesse laid up in the promises vers 8. and there is so much certainty of the performance of those promises therefore we both do and suffer 1 Cor. 15 58. Finis edulcat mediae Who is the Saviour of all men Not of eternall preservation but of temporall reservation For every man should die the same day he is born the wages of death should be paid him presently but Christ begs wicked mens lives for a season saith one Sin hath hurled confusion over the world brought a vanity on the creature And had not Christ undertaken the shattered condition of the world to uphold it it had fallen about Adams ears saith another Divine Specially of those that believe Who therefore are in a special manner bound to observe and obey him Among the Romans they that were saved were wont to crown him that saved them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Polybâ— 6. and to honour him as a father all their daies We must also set the crown upon Christs head Cant. 3.11 and obey this everlasting father Isa 9 6. Verse 11. These things command and teach Teach the tractable command the obstinate lay Gods charge upon all Verse 12. Let no man despise c. But how should I help it Might he say The Apostle answereth Be thou an example to the beleevers a patern of piety For holinesse hath honour wisdome maketh the face to shine naturall conscience cannot but stoop to the Image of God where ever and in whomsoever it discerneth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat epist ad Magnes saith Ignatius Youth seasoned with the fear of God is not easily despised But be thou an example Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such a thing as maketh the stamp upon the coyn Exemplis sciolâ bacâ—atate magis aedificant ministri quam concionibus Verse 13. Give attendance to reading First to reading and then to exhortation bringing as a good Scribe out of a good treasure new and old Father Latimer notwithstanding both his years and constant pains in preaching was at his book most diligently about two of the clock every morning A rare example Verse 14. Neglect not the gift Gods gifts grone under our disuse or misuse and God hearing gives them the wings of an Engle so that such may say as once Zedekiah did 1 King 22. â—4 When went the Spirit of the Lord from me to thee God dries up the arm and darkens the eye of idle and Idol shepherds Zech. 11.17 With the laying on of the hands A custome that came from the Church of the old Testament Gen. 8.14 Levit. 1.4 and 3.2 is laudably used to this day in the Ordination of Ministers but foolishly and sinfully abused by the upstart-Sectaries Verse 13. Meditate upon these things And so digest them turn them in succum sanguinem Let your heart fry a good matter that your pen may be as the tongue of a ready writer Ps 45.1 and not present crude and rude stuff When it was objected to Demosthenes that he was no sudden speaker but came ever to the Court after premeditation he answered Se si fieri posset dicturum non tantum scripta sed otiam sculpta Give thy self wholly to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. Be thou in them totus in hoc sis It was Mr Perkins his Motto Verbi Minister es hoc age Thou art a Minister of the Word make it thy whole businesse Verse 16. Thou shalt beth save What an high honour is this to faithfull Ministers that they should be stiled Saviours in a sense So Job 33.24 Obad. 21. Jam. 5.21 CHAP. V. Verse 1. Rebuke not an Elder LAsh him not with the scourge of the tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ne plagam in â—ixeris as a puny-boy Jerk him not as the Pope did Henry 4. of France in the person of his Embassadour or as the Bishops and their shavelings did Henry the 2. of England till the bloud followed This is not civill usage for an Elder Verse 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With all purity Not with some only but with as purity for fear of the worst and least any impure motion therewhile creep into the heart unawares Verse 3. Honour widows indead That is such as are widows not by divorce but by the death of their husbands and losse of their children such as was Naomi Honour them that is take them into the Colledge of widows to be maintained at the Churches charge Verse 4. Let them learn first to shew Such any one is in truth as he is at home Ps 101.2 The hypocrites vertues as that of the Sarmatians run all outward Something he seems abroad but follow him home and you shall soon see what he it â— follow stage-plaiers into their thing-house where they disrobe themselves and then it will appear they are vile varlets Like unto this Apostolicall procept was thee of Chilâ— one of the wise men of 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to govern honestly a mans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And to requite their parents See the Note on Matthew 15.4 Verse 5. Trusteth in God Whereas while she had an husband and children she trusted over-much in them The Hemorroisse sought not to our Saviour till all her money was gone Zâ—ph 3.12 They are an afflicted poor people therefore they trust in the name of the Lord. Verse 6. Is dead while she liveth Cùm careat purâ mente cadaver agit Pamphilus in Terence saith the like of a light huswife Sanè hercle homo voluptati obsequens fuit dum vixit Saint Pauls Greek cannot well be rendered but by Terences latine and Terences latine cannot be well put into other Greek Verse 7. And these things give in charge Often inculcate and set on with a great deal of vehemency that religion suffer not Verse 8. But if any provide not That they may have Gaiusses prosperity Mentem sanam in corpore sano Though the Apostles meaning here is chiefly as touching bodily nourishment and outward accommodations Specially for those of his own house Socrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Infidel took care of the welfare of his family and allies as Libanius testifieth Bishop Ridley was very kinde and naturall to his kinsfolk And the Lord Cromwell before the time of his apprehension Act. and Dson fol. 1559. Ibid. 1086. took such order for his servants that many of them especially the younger brethren which had little else to trust unto had honestly lest for them in their friends hands to relieve them whatsoever should befall him Verse 9. The wife of one man As Anna Luke 1.36 Such are held to be more modest to whom the thoughts of death hath been
staid not Whereupon Mâ—lch Adami in vita Calv. pag. 114. Non ausas fuit Calvinus ad Farelli tonitrua plus quam Periclea saith mine authour jugum vocationis quod sibi à Domino imponi videbat detractare Calvin durst not stir after such a charge but staid it out there to his dying day Verse 2. Be instant Gr. Stand over it Stand close to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostome at Antioch having preached many Sermons against swearing was at length asked when he would preach upon another subject He answered When you leave swearing I 'le leave preaching against swearing In season out of season On the Lords-day on the week day Volentibus nolentibus dic importunum Tu vis errare tu vis perire ego nolo saith Augustine Let men know whether they will or no that for lack of preaching they shall not perish The shew-bread stood all the week before the Lord to shew that preaching is not ouâ— of season on any day The Friers of Basil held that it was Lutheranum diebus profanis praedicare Melâ—h Adam Act. and Mon fol. 11 11. Ibid. 86 â—â— Hereticall to preach on working-daies But Anthony Person Martyr told his persecutours That they were bite sheeps and not Bishops for neglecting to preach It being as great a wonder at Rome to hear a Bishop preach as to see an Asse slie said Dr Bassinet Ibid 1559. Ibid. 1380. But Bishop Ridley preached usually every Sabbath-day and holy-day so did B. Iewel Dr Tailor Martyr Mr Bradford even during his imprisonment Preaching reading and praying was all his whole life Ibid. 1457. He did sharply reprove sin pithily improve errours sweetly preach Christ crucified earnestly perswade to a godly life c. With all long-suffering c. Sidecimus quisque si unus persuasus fuerit ad consolationem abundè sufficit saith Chrysostome If you gain but the tithe of your hearers or lesse it is well Verse 3. Sound doctrine Alex Aphrod problem Which as honey Vulnera purgat ulcera mordet purgeth green wounds but causeth pain to exulcerate parts Children though they love and lick in honey yet will not endure to have it come near their lips when they have sore mouths Having itching cars Horat. Which must have clawing preachers such as will never auriculas mordaci raderâ— vâ—ro deal plainly and faithfully with their souls Verse 4. Turn their cars from the truth Aristotle writeth That Vultures are killed with oil of roles De mirahil â—uscult Sweet smels enrage Tigers Swine cannot live in some parts of Arabia saith Pliny by reason of the pleasant sent of aromaticall trees there growing in every wood Verse 5. Endure afflictions do the work Honor ministerij est in onere dignit as in diligentia corona in contemptu Make full proof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or Accomplish thy Ministery So executing every part of it as to make it thy whole busines Verbi minister es hoc age was Mr Perkins his Motto Thou art a Minister look to it Verse 6. Ready to be offered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He speaks of it as done already To be poured out as a drink-offering upon Gods altar Thus the Apostle expresseth himself emphatically pathetically elegantly setting forth by what death he should glorifie God viz. by being beheaded Whether my death be a burnt-offering a drink-offering by fire or sword or a peace-offering that I die in my bed I desire it may be a free-will offering a sweet sacrifice to the Lord. The time of my departure He makes nothing of death It was no more betwixt God and Moses but Go up and die So betwixt Christ and Paul but launch out and land immediately at the fair haven of heaven Verse 7. I have fought a good fight The nearer any thing is to the center the more strongly and swiftly it moveth The wine of the spirit is strongest in the Saints when they are drawing to an end His motions are quickest when naturall motions are slowest most sensible when the body begins to be senslesse most lively when the Saints are a dying Verse 8. There is laid up a crown Beyond a crown the wishes of mortall men extend not Alexander inviting many to supper provided a crown of 180 pound to be given to those that drank most One and fourty killed themselves with drinking to get that crown Shall these do more for a trifle then we will do for heaven A crown of righteousnes So salvation is called not for that it is of right due to us but because it is purchased for us by the righteousnesse of Christ and shall be freely given to those that are justified by faith Verse 9. Doe thy diligence c. We want much of our comfort in the want of a friend Eccles 4.9 Optimum solatium sodalitium How doth David bemoan the lesse of Ionathan How did D. Tailour prize the company of his fellow-prisoner that Angel of God as he called him Iohn Bradford What a mercy did S. Paul count it that sick Epaphroditus recovered Phil. 2.27 Verse 10. Demas hath for saken me Blazing comets as long as they keep aloft shine bright but when they begin to decline from their pitch they fall to the earth Ionathan followed the chase well and with greâ—dy pursuit till he met with the honey so doth many a Demas And is dâ— parted unto Thessalonica Where he became an Idol Priest as saith Dorotheus Verse 11. For he is profitable Once unprofitable Act. 15.38 See the Note there but now profitable Philom 11. Verse 12. Tychicus have I sent For what end see Eph. 6.22 with the Note there Verse 13. The cloak that I left O supâ—llectilem Apostolicam O what a small deal of housholdstuff had this great Apostle Erâ—s in Ioe saith Erasmus â—a cloak to keep off the rain and a few books and writings Tota â—tiâ—â—m supâ—llâ—x mea est char tacea saith he in another place Erâ—s in farrag epistol All my stock is in books And of judicious Calvin it is reported that all the goods that he left behindâ— him his library being sold very dear come scarce to 300 florens that is about go pounds of our money Seekest thou great things for thy self Ier. 45.5 Verse 14. Alexander the copper-smith Who was once Martyrio propinquus saith Calvin near unto Martyrdome in Pauls cause Act. 19.33 A glorious professour may become a furious persecutour Let him that stands take heâ—d lest he fall The Lord reward him This is neither a curse Author quest apud Just Mar. nor a railing speech saith an Ancient but a prediction well beseeming an Apostle that avenged not himself but rather gave place to wrath Rom. 12 19. Verse 15. He hath greatly resisted our words Or our prâ—echings not our persons only This was a foul fault See I Thess 4. 8. Exod. 16.8 Verse 16. No man stood with me So that Paul might have said as Socrates did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
upon them with his feet and not dote upon them with his heart 2. That by them as by a step or stirrop he may raise his heart to things above A sanctified fancy can make every creature a ladder to heaven He left nothing No not Angels Not yet all things put under him Rebellis fact a est quia hoâ—o numini â—â—eatura bomini Aug. The creature rebelleth against man because he rebelleth against God If the Master be let upon the servants will draw and fight for him Verse 9. But we see Jesus The Saints hold all in capite tenure in Christ Now in him all things are already subjected unto us and made serviceable to our salvation For the suffering of death Or that he might be in a condition to suffer death this Sun of righteousnesse went ten degrees backward not only below his Father Job 14.28 but below the Angels for man as man is inferiour to the Angels Verse 10. For it became him That is God whose perfect wisdome justice c. shineth most clearly in that great work of our redemption then the which God could not have done any thing more beseeming himself what ever the worlds wizards conceit to the contrary 1 Cor. 1.23 For Whom are all things See the Note on Rom. 11.36 To make the captain c. He that is Captain of the Lords hoasts Josh 5.14 is also Captain of our salvation This is comfort To make perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or Consecrate The Priests were first consecrated with oil then with bloud so was Christ first by the Spirit and then by his own bloud Verse 11. Are all of one viz. of Adam Only with this difference that we are of Adam and by Adam but Christ was of Adam not by Adam for he was not begotten but made and so originall sin was a voided He is not ashamed Christ was not ashamed of us when we had never a rag to our backs Should we be ashamed of him and his service Verse 12. I Will declare c Psal 22.22 A Psalm of Christs sufferings entituled upon Ajaleth Shachar that is The morning-stagge such an one as the huntsman singleth out to hunt for that day Christ thus hunted and praying for deliverance promiseth to praise Gods name amidst his brethren that is his faithfull servants Verse 13. I Will put my trust in him Which he needed not had he not been a man subject to misery And the children c. Christ is the everlasting Father Isa 9.6 and the Saints are the travel of his soul that prolong his days upon earth Isa 53.10.11 Filiabitur nomine ejus Psal 72.17 There shall be a succession of Christs name till he present all his to his heavenly Father at last day with Behold I and the children whom thou hast given me Verse 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children are partakers Little children Christ also became a little childe the babe of Bethlehem Isa 9 6. catch him up as old Simeon did Kisse him lest he be angry Psal 2. Stumble not at his weaknest bat gather assurance of his love and grow up unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4.13 Him that had the power of death As the hang man hath the power of the gallows to kill men with death Rev. 2.23 Verse 15 And deliver them So that to those that are in Christ death is but the day-break of eternall brightnesse Not the punishment of sin but the period of sin It is but a sturdy Porter opening the door of eternity a rougher passage to eternall pleasure What need they fear to passe the waters of Jâ—rdan to take possession of the land that have the Ark of Gods Covenant in their eye Tollitur mors non ne sit sed ne obsit As Christ took away not sin but the guilt of it so neither death but the sting of iâ— Who through fear of death That King of terrours as Job calleth death that terrible of ad terribles as Aristotle Nature will have a bout with the best when they come to die But I wonder saith a grave Divine how the souls of wicked men go not out of their bodies as the devils did out of the daemoniacks rending raging tearing soming I wonder how any can die in their wits that die not in the saith of Jesus Christ Appius Clâ—ndius loyed not the Greek Zeta because when it is pronounced it representeth the gnashing teeth of a dying man Sigismund the Emperour being ready to die commanded his servants not to name death in his hearing c. Verse 16. For verily be took not Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For no where took he q. d. We sinde not any where either in the Scriptures or in any Church record But he took He assumed apprehended caught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laid hold on as the Angeâ— did on Lot Gen. 1.16 as Christ did on Peter Mat. 14.31 as men use to do upon a thing they are glad they have got and are loth to let go again It is a main pillar of our comfort that Christ took our flesh for if he took not our flesh we are not saved by him Verse 17. In all things Except in sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the brazen serpent was like the fiery serpent but had no sting To make reconciliation To expiate our sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to appease Gods wrath Verse 18. He is able to succour And no lesse apt then able as he that hath been poor or troubled with tooth-ach will pity those that are so CHAP. III. Verse 1. Holy brethren HOly because partakers of a calling that is heavenly 1. Ratione fontis Phil. 314 15.2 Ratione finis to the fruition of heavenly priviledges in Christ Verse 2. As also Moses was faithfull And yet how unworthily handled by the authour of the Marrow of Modern Divinity that slie Antinomian in divers passages of his book as might easily be instanced Verse 3. Worthy of more glory then Moses In whom these Hebrews trusted Spec. Europ Job 5.45 And the Jews at this day hold That the law of nature shall bring to heaven those that observe it but the Hebrews unto whom the law of Moses was peculiarly given by keeping it shall have a prerogative of glory Poor seduced souls Verse 4. He that built all things Moses and all Is God That is Christ whom he had proved to be God by many arguments Chap. 1. Messias therefore is to be preferred before Moses Verse 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As a servant Famulus ingenuus a servant of the better fort a man of worship as the word seemeth to import though it be honour enough to be Christs servant of the meanest in his family Verse 6. If we hold fast See here a just description of the invisible Church of Christ Verse 7. Wherefore as the holy Ghost It is well observed by Calvin Hier. Epist
crown of gold round about it To insinuate thus much saith one that we must be like the Ark of the Covenant being builded and reared up still toward the mark not only when the Lord seedeth us with the sweet Manna of his mercy but also when he afflicteth us with the sharp rod of his correction and alwaies keep the Tables of the Testament which are the Commandments that by saith in Christ who is the propitiation for our sins we may obtain the golden crown of eternall life Verse 5. And over it the Cherubims The Ark covering the Law within it the Mercy-feat upon it and over them two Cherubims covering one another All these set forth Christ covering the curses of the Law in whom is the ground of all mercy which things the Angels desire to pry into as into the patern of Gods unsearchable wisdome and goodnesse Verse 6. Were thus ordained Gr. Prepared sitted finished by the hand of the artificer and therefore called worldly in a good sense ver I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 7. For the errours Cr. The not knowings of the people Those errours that they could not help 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet must else have answered for Ignorat sanè improbus omnis saith Aristotle Ignorance is the source of all sin the very well-spring from which all wickednesse doth wooze and issue What will not an ignorant man doe who knows not but he may doe any thing The dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of emâ—lâ—y Psal 74.12 Christ therefore expiated the ignorances of his people Verse 8. The way into the holiâ—st That is into heaven typified thereby Was not yet made manifest In regard of performance and that evidence of saith and doctrine that is held forth under the Gospel The mystery of Christ was manifested piece meal and parcel-wiâ—e Heb. 11. Verse 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which was a figure Gr. A Parable that is such a from of service as intimated some greater matter then to the sense appeared and called upon the people to look thorow the type to the truth of things thorow the history to the mystery Verse 10 Till the time of reformation Gr. Of direction or correction that is Evangelicall and spirituall worshâ—p that shall take place in the Church till the times of the restitution of all things shall come at the last day Act. 3.21 Verse 11. Of good things to come i.e. Of spirituals that were expected as things to come when Christ came with a Cornu-copia a horn of salvation in his hand The Latines call prosperous things Res sioundâ—s things to come A more perfect tabernacle i. e. His humane nature not made with hands 107 of this building that is not by the power of nature by the ordinary course of generation Verse 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither by the bloud of calves As the Leviticall high Priest did ver 7. Having oâ—tained Gr. Having found See Rom. 4.1 The Latines also use invenire for acquirere to finde for to obtain See also Mat. 16.25 Christ overcame by suffering and by his own bloud purchased his Church as an Acheldama or field of bloud Verse 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—or itâ—lu ciny cat carb nâ—s extiâ—â— perâ—nsti sunt The ashes of an heiser Gr. Ashis and cinders mâ—xt together as a monument of Christs most base and ut most afflâ—ctions and of our justification and sanctification thorow faith in his name Sprinkling the unclean With an hysop-bunch to note That none can have comfort either by the merit or spirit of Christ without true mortification Verse 14. By the eternall spirit That is By his deity called the Spirit of holinesse Rom. 1.4 and the spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 that gave both value and vertue to his death both to satisfie and to sactifie Purge your conscience This is that eternall redemption vers 12. From dead Works The most specious performances of unregeneraoe persons are but dead works because they proceed not from a principle of life and have death for their wages Rom 6. A will written with a dead mans had can hold no law God will be served like himself Verse 15. For the redemption Here he sheweth the reasons why it was needfull that Christ should enter by his own bloud verse 12. scil to expiate our sinnes and to possesse us of heaven Verse 16. For where a testament is See the Note on Chap. 8.6 Here the testatour is Christ heirs the Saints legacies the gifts of the spirit Executour the holy Ghost wintnesses Apostles Martyrs c. Verse 17. Whiles the Testatour liveth For it is in his power to alter it at his pleasure as reason requireth Our Henry the second first crowned and then cast off his eldest son Henry not suffering him to be what himself had made him Verse 18. Was dedicated Or initiated to holy use Levit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 16.15 16. Verse 19. He took the bloud See Exod 24 8. And sprinkled both the book which as it seemeth was laid on the Altar to be sanctified thereby the very book of cod is sprinkled with the bould of Christ that it may be opened and of use to the faithsull Verse 20. Saying This is the bloud c. A tropicall and sacramentall expression whereunto our Saviour seemeth to allude in those words of his This Cup is the new testament in my bloud c. The Sacraments of the old testament had a resemblance unto the New but that was for works of the Law this is for remission of fins Verse 21. He sprinkled with bloud This sprinkling had a fore-shadowing of sprinkling of the bloud of Jesus Christ 1 Peter 1.2 Isaiah 52.15 by his finger that is by his Spirit Luke 11.20 with Matthew 12.28 Verse 22. Purged With bloud Which yet of it self impureth and fouleth Verse 23. But the heavenly things Those spirituall good things set forth by the types of the Law Or the Church under the Gospel called Ierusalem that is above c. Verse 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To appear in the presence As a Lawyer appears for his client opens the case pleads the cause and it is carried Verse 25. Not that he should offer As Popish Masse-mongers will have it Eamus ad communâ—m errorem said Domitius Calderinus to his friends when they perswaded him to goe to Masse Anno Domini 1442. Let us go to the common errour Verse 26. To put away sin To abrogate it Heb. 1.18 to binde it in a bundle seal it up in a bag Dan. 9.24 cast it behinde him as cancelled obligations Mic. 7. blot out the black hand-writing with the red lines of his bloud drawn over it Verse 27. But after this the judgement Every mans deaths-day is his doomsday Many of the Fathers held that mens souls were not judged till the last day Which opinion is as contrary to Purgatory for which Bellarmine alledgeth it as the truth Verse 28. The second time
restored Prayer raigns over all impediments See this excellently let forth by M. Harris in his Peters enlargement Verse 20. Now the God of peace He that would reap praiers must sow them What could the Hebrews do lesse then pray for him that praid so heartily for them Our Lord Jesus Here 's his kingly office God hath made him both Lord and Christ Act. 2.36 That great shepherd That feedeth his people daily and daintily with divine doctrine Here 's his Propheticall office Through the bloud Here 's his Priestly office And here we must begin if we will reckon them right Verse 21. In every good work c. Works materially good may never prove so formally and eventually As when they are but externall partiall coactive inconstant c. Verse 22. Suffer the Word Sharp though it be and to the flesh tiresome yet suffer it Better it is that the Vine should bleed then die But many are like the nettle touch it never so gently it will sting you Tange montes fumigabunt Offer to wake men out of their sleep and they will brawl in that case with their best friends yea though it be with them here as once it was with those that had the sweating sicknesse If they slept they died Verse 23. Know ye that our brother Good news should be spred abroad and are a fit matter for Christian Epistles as one well observeth from these words Verse 24. Salute all them This Epistle then was first read to the people who are required to deliver the Apostles commends to their Ministers The Papists debarre the people not of the Scriptures only but of all books of the Reformed Religion And for a terrour not to retain such books prohibited I have seen saith Sir Edwin Sands in their printed instructions for confession Spec. â—uropâ— the hearing or reading of books forbidden set in rank amongst the sins against the first Commandment They of Italy salute you Few Saints there now The Italians hold integrity for little better than sillinesse they blaspheme oftener then swear S. Edw. Sands they murther more then revile or slander And yet even in Italy there are full four thousand professed Protestants But their paucity and obscurity saith mine Authour shall enclose them in a Cipher Verse 25. Grace be with you See the Note on Philem. verse 25. A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the Epistle generall of Saint JAMES CHAP. I. Verse 1. To the twelve Tribes ONce very devout Act. 26.7 still the most nimble and Mercuriall wits in the world but light acriall and fâ—â—aticall apt to work themselves into the fools Paradise of a sublime dotage Which are scattered abroad Banished from Rome by the Emperour Claudius Sueton. cap. 25. Act. 18.1 and called by S. Peter Strangers of the dispersion 1 Pet. 1.1 The Jews at this day are a disjected and despised people according to Deut. 28.64 having neither countrey nor resting-place even in Jerusalem there be not to be found at this day an hundred housholds of them Breen v. Enqui Verse 2. Count it all joy The world wondreth saith Master Phiâ—pot the Martyr how we can be so merry in such extream misery But our God is omnipotent who turneth misery into felicity Believe me there is no such joy in the world as the people of Christ have under the crosse Act. and Mon. fol. 1668. I speak it by experience c. Into divers temptations Crosses seldome come single Catenata piorum crux as neither do mercies Aliâ—â— ex aliâ— mâ—lum Terent. but trooping and treading one upon the heels of another After rain cometh clouds Eccl. 12.2 As in April no sooner is one shore unburdened but another is brewed Verse 3. The triall of your faith Yea such a well knit patience as maketh a man suffer after he hath suffered as David did from Shimei but first from Absolom Tile-stones till baked are not usefull but well burnt and hardened they stand out all storms and ill weather See my Love-tokens p. 170. Verse 4. Let patience have her perfect work Patience must not be an inch shorter then the affliction If the Bridge reach but half way over the Brook we shall have but ill-favoured passage It is the devils desire to set us on a hurry he knows his temptations will then work best Verse 5. If any of you lack wisdome That is Qui placidè sortem ferre scit ille sapit Patience to bear afflictions as he ought chearfully thankfully fruitfully so as to be able to say Well for the present and it will be better hereafter which is the patient mans Motto Let him ask it of God It hath been questioned by some Aquin. 2.2 q. 136. Whether a man can have patience sine auxilio gratiae without the help of Gods grace But Christians know they cannot It is not patience but pertinacy in godlesse men And upbraideth not Neither with present failings nor former infirmities Qui exprobrat reposcit So doth not God Tacit. unlesse in case of unthankfulnesse For then he will take his own and be gone Hos 2.8 9. Verse 6. But let him ask in faith See the Note on Heb. 11.6 Nothing wavering We are too ready in temptation to doubt yea to hold it a duty to doubt This saith one is to light a candle before the devil as we use to speak Verse 7. That he shall receive Unlesse he strive against his doubting and wade out of it as the Moon doth out of a cloud Qui timidè rogat negare docet He that praieth doubtingly shuts heaven gates against his own praiers Verse 8. Vnstable in all his waies As he is that stands on one leg or as a 〈◊〉 on a smooth table Contrariwise a believer is as a squâ—re-stone set into the building 1 Peter 2.7 Shaken he may be but he is rooted as a tree wagge he may up and down as a ship at anchour but yet he removes not Verse 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rejoyce in that be is exalted Gr. In his sublimity in that higâ— honour of his John 1.12 This should make him hold up his head but not too high be chearfull but not withall scornfull Laetisimus sed non sâ—â—â—ri gandentes in Domino sed caventes a recidivo Bâ—rn Verse 10. In that he is made low Drawn from that high esteem of outward excellencies He is now made a greater man because be seems too bigge for them Or low that is lowly Verse 11. Shall the rich man fade Perish eternally if he trust in uncertain riches and not in the living God See Jam. 5.1 Thus that saplesse fellow Nabal faded when his heart died within him not could his riches any more relieve him then they did that rich and wretched Cardinall Henry Beanford Chancellour of England in the raign of Henry the sixt who murmured at death that his riches could not reprieve him till a further time Fire quâ—th he will not death be hired Will money do nothing
cowardly passion and die rather then deny the truth Put on that resolution Necesse esse ut eam non ut vivam Duty must be done though I die for it Behold the devil viz. By his imps and instruments whom he acts and agitates Ephes 2.2 But he and his are over-ruled and limitted for he shall cast some of you not all of you into prison not into hell that ye may be tried noâ— destroied and this for ten daiesonly not for any long continnance A crown of life A crown without eares corrivals envy end Verse 11. Shall not be hurt of the second death Shall not be killed with death Bern as ver 23. Death shall not be to him as it is to the wicked a trap door to hell but janua vitae porta coeli an in let into life eternall Verse 12. And to the Angel See the Note on Verse 1. and on Chap. 1.16 Verse 13. Even where Satans seat is There was the Court of King Attalus discedat ab aulâ qui velit esse pius Flee thee away O thou seer for this is the Kings Court Amos 7.13 and there was after wards the seat of the Roman persecuting Proconsuls Qui ab ascensâ—re suo Satana perurgebantur as Bernard hath it Such a seat of Satan is both old and new Rome At Constantinople which was called new Rome Arrius that arch-heretike Sedens in latrina effudit intestina voided his entrails at the stool and left Mahometisme there behinde him as his excrement Yet as at Pergamus also God had a Church so hath he still even at Constantinople the Patriarch whereof Cyril hath lately set forth a Confession of the faith of those Eastern Churches agreeable in all points almost to the Protestant religion but diametrally opposite to Popery Thou holdest fast As with tooth and nail 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by main strength Who was slain An honour not granted to the Angels of heaven as Latimer was wont to say Verse 14. I have a few things More he might have had but the Lord is not extream to mark what is amisse in his weak 2 Chron. 15.17 but willing people The high places were not removed neverthelesse though that was his fault the heart of Asa was perfect all his daies And to commit fornication Nothing hath so enriched hell saith one as fair faces These were those Balaams-blocks that Israel so stumbled at Verse 15. The doctrine of the Nicolaitans See the Note on Verse 6. In the year 1067. The Popish Synod of Mâ—llain make laws against simony and the heresie of the Nicolaitans by which later they meant Priests-marriage Brutum fulmen novum crimen Verse 16. Or else I will come unto thee He was in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks before But when he comes to correct he comes out of his place Isa 26.21 and it is a motion that he hath no such minde to Lam 3.33 it is to do his work his strange work Isa 28.21 With the sword of my mouth With fearfull threatnings terrible executions Having vengeance in readinesse for the disobedient 1 Cor. 10.6 Elisha had his sword as well as Iâ—hu and Hazael theirs 1 King 19.17 See Hosea 6.5 Ieremy 1.10 Isa 11.4 Verse 17. Of the hidden Manna That is of Christ whom none of the Princes of this world knew but God hath revealed him to his hidden ones by the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.8 10. with Ps 83.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 and given them to taste of that heavenly gift A white stone In token of absolution With this white stone may the Saints comfort themselves against all the black coals wherewith the world seeks to besmear them If Libanius could say Let Basil praise me and I shall sing away all care who reproacheth me May not we much more say so of Christ It is be that justifieth us who shall condemn us Rom 8.34 A new name Better then that of sonnes and daughters Isa 56.5 The assurance whereof is saith Father Latimer the sweet meats of the feast of a good conscience which is unconceivable and full of glory Verse 18. Who hath his eyes c. See the Note on Chap. 1.14 15. Verse 19. The last to be more This is not every mans happinesse See the Note on verse 4. It is a disputable question saith one whether any Christian except he die soon after his conversion doe go on from strength to strength without some sensible decay of the inward power of that grace wherewith he is indued Verse 20. Thou sufferest that woman Iezabel It is a fault then not only to be active in evil but to be passive of evil Non faciendo malus sed patiendo fuit said the Poet concerning the Emperour Claudius The Kings of the earth are taxed Revel 18. for not rooting out the Romish religion and setting up the truth Verse 21. And I gave her space to repent In space comes grace proves not alwaies a true Proverb They that defer the work and say that men may repent hereafter say truly but not 〈◊〉 The branch that bears not timely fruit is cut off Ioh. 15.2 The ground that yeelds not a seasonable and sutable return is nigh unto cursing Heb. 68. The chick that comes not at the clucking of the hen becomes a prey to the kite c. Verse 22. Behold I will cast her into a bed A bed of affliction for that bed of security upon which she had stretcht her self Amos 64. God hath his season his harvest for judgement Mat. 1.30 Men may expect a time of healing and curing when they shall finde nothing else but a time of trouble Ier. 14.19 One may defer a sore till it be incurable See Ezek. 24.13 Verse 23. And I will kill her children with death All men die saith a Divine descanting upon this text but all are not killed with death As a godly man said that he did agrotare vitalitèr so godly men doe mori vitalitèr He that can so die is fit to die and the contrary O it is a wofull thing to be killed with death Verse 24. But unto you I say Here Christ comes with his fan shedding and shoaling out his own from others that they might not be disheartned when worse men were menaced The depths of Satan That science falsly so called 1 Tim. 6.20 Those profound points which the Impostours professed and pretended to as the Gnosticks who would needs be held the only knowing men the Illuminates and other seducers Verse 25. Hold fast Hold by strong hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tugg for it with those that would take it from you Verse 26. And keepeth my works In opposition to Iezabels works q. d. that keepeth himself unspotted of the world that foul lusk that lieth in that wicked one 1 Joh 5.19 Verse 27. And he shall rule them q.d. I will communicate my self wholly to him See Ps 139.6 7 8 9 Mat. 19.28.1 Cor. 6.2 3. Verse 28. I will give him the morning starre
enough to him Now if Angels who have nothing so much benefit by him doe thus magnifie him how much more should we Our hearts should be enlarged our mouths opened and we not a little veâ—â—d at our own vile dulnesse in being no more affected with these indeleble ravishments Verse 13. And every creature The whole creation groaneth under vanity and rejoyceth as it were in the fore thought of that liberty of the sons of God at the last day whereof it shall partake Rom. 8.21 See the Note there Verse 14. And the four beasts The Saints were the Precoutâ—urs in this blessed Quire and now they are the Succentors also They began the Song and so conclude it as having far greater benefit by Christ then all other creatures and God expects a proportion that our returns be some what answerable to our receits CHAP. VI. Verse 1. One of the seals THat is The first of the seals as Gen. 1.4 Mar. 16.2 M Cotton Under these seven seals fals Rome pagan saith an Interpreter as under the seven trumpets Rome Christian under the seven vials Rome Antichristian So all the judgements in the Revelation are still upon Rome Hence Mr Dent cals his Exposition upon the Revelation The ruine of Rome The noise of thunder This first beast was like a Lion Chap 47. whose roaring is as thunder Verse 2. And behold a white horse The Apostles and Apostolike Preachers of the primitive times white for their purity of doctrine discipline and conversation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 l. 2. â—â—p 3. Horses for their nâ—â—ble and swift spreading the Gospel which ran thorow the world like a Sun-beam as Eusebius hath it and was carried abroad as on Eagles or as on Angels wings A horse hath his name in Hebrew from devouting the ground by his swiftnesse and was therefore by the Heathens dedicated to the Sun whose going forth is from the end of the heaven and his circuit unto the ends of it Psal 19.6 Cranz in Sax. Cranzius tels us that the Saxon Princes before they became Christians gave a black horse for their arms but being onâ—â— baptized a white horse with reference haply to this text He that sat on him Christ Chap. 19.11 Psal 45.5 Had a bow The doctrine of the Gospel whereby the people fall under him Psal 45.4 Adve â— Iâ—d c. 7 Conquering and to conquer Britâ—nnorum inaccessa Romanis loâ—â— Christo â—â—men patuerunt saith Tertullian Christ camâ— and conquered this kingdome which the Romans with all their power could not do A Christo vinci summa victoria est vinciri summa libertas saith another There is no such conquest as to be conquered by Christ no such liberty as to be hound by him Verse 3. Come and see Johns better attention is called for How dull and drousie are the best in perceiving and receiving heavenly mysteries A sea-coal fire if not stirred up will die of it self so will our spark and spunk of light Christ cals upon those that had come far to hear him saying Let him that hath an ear hear Mat. 13. See Zach. 4 1. Verse 4. That was red Portending troubles and tragedies bloudy wars and terrible persecutions Those ten first were so cruell that S. Hierom writes in one of his Epistles that for every day in the year were murdered 5000 except the first day of January To him that sat thereon Christ Mat. 10.34 Zach. 1.8 He stands over his Church as the Agonothetes So he did at S. Stephens martyrdom Act. 7. he moderates and over-rules the enemies cruelty And that they should kill one another viz. The persecutours should rise up and destroy one another as the Romans did the Jews Tacit. and the Jews the Romans in divers provinces And as the Emperours who got nothing most of them by their adoption or designation to the Empire Nisi ut citius interficerentur but to be cut off the sooner All or most of the persecuting Caesars died unnaturall deaths A great sword That of the Gospel Ephes 6.17 which takes away peace by accident Mat. 24.6 Christ threatneth the contempt of the Gospel with wars and rumours of wars Our late Edgehill-battle was fought in the vale of Red-horse as if God had meant to say I have now sent you the red horse to avenge the quarrel of the white Verse 5. A black horse Famine discolours and denigrates Lam. 4.7 8. Turk Hist fol. 426. It accompanies war for most part and in sieges is very extreme as at Samaria where an asses head was worth four pounds at Rome where this proclamation was made in the market Pone pretium humanae carni At Scodra where horses were dainty meat yea they were glad to eat dogs cats rats c. At Antioch in Syria Ibid 18. where many Christians in the holy war as they called it were glad to eat the dead bodies of their late slain enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Had a pair of balances Gr. The beam of scales To shew that bread should be delivered out by measure as is threatned Ezekiel 4.6 Deut. 26. and men should be stinted and pittanced Verse 6. In the midst The voice of the Lamb Chap. 5.6 Who appoints and orders all he cuts us out our severall conditions cautioning for the wine and oil when other food faâ—leth A measure of wheat A quart say some a pottle others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an allowance for a day Among the Greeks saith Suidas Chaenix dictim dabatur And that the Israelites in the wildernesse according to Rabanus had each of them three Chaenices of Manna by the day that was to be ascribed to the divine bounty as Junius noteth Verse 7. See the Note on Verse 3. Verse 8. A pale horse Fit for pestilence and pale death to ride on And hell followed sc To them that were killed with death Revel 2.23 See the Note there that died in their sins which is far worse then to die in a ditch Over the fourth part of the earth That is of the Roman Empire This fell out in the daies of Decius Orosius bearing witnesse that the pestilence which then raged did extend no further Quam ad profligandas ecclesias edicta Dâ—â—ij cucurrerunt that is then the proclamations of Decius came for the overthrow of the Churches Verse 9. Vnder the altar i. e. Under Christ Heb. 13.10 under his custody and safe-gard Or Vnder the altar that is lying at the bottom of the altar as beasts newly slain for sacrifice See Phil. 2.17 2 Tim. 4.6 Which they had Gr. Which they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and would not be drawn by any terrours or tortures to part with They may take away my life said one but not my faith my head but not my crown Verse 10. And they cried When God intends deliverance to his people he poureth out upon them the spirit of grace and supplication Zach. 12.9 10. How long O Lord Calvin had this speech alwaies in his
mouth breathing out his holy desires in the behalf of the afflicted Churches with whose sufferings he was more affected B 22 in vita then with any thing that befell himself That dwell on the earth In opposition to the inhabitants of heaven As names written in heaven stand opposed to those that are written in the earth Luk 10.20 Jer. 17.13 Verse 11. And whiterobes Their innocency was cleared and their persecutours convinced God would speak for them in the hearts of their greatest enemies Vntill their fellow-servants also We doubt not saith a learned Interpreter here but that the crowned Saints do in generall know the afflicted condition of the Church militant and do wish them deliverance M â—â— bâ—â— but our speciall necessities and occurrences of particular persons they cannot know Brother Bradford said Bishop Ridley Act and Mon. fol 1566. a little afore he was offered up so long as I shall understand thou art in thy journey by Gods grace I shall call upon our heavenly Father to set thee safely home and then good brother speak you for the remnant that are to suffer for Christs sake according to that thou then shalt know more clearly But this is to be taken with a grain of salt That should be killed Under Liciuius Julian the apostate and the Arrian Emperours Verse 12. There was a great earthquake Understand hereby those horrible commotions and confusions that fell out in the Roman Empire upon those ten bloudy persecutions and the earnest supplications of the Saints which can work wonders in heaven and earth Socrâ—t l 1. c. 15 The death and destruction of the persecutours was as it was said of the death of Arrius Precationis opus non morbi the effect of faithfull praiers calling for full and finall vengeance The Sun became black It is ordinary in Scripture to set forth horrible commotions of Common-wealths by such figurative expressions as these Jer. 4.23 c. Joel 2.10 c. Isa 13.10 Verse 13. And the stars Romes dunghill Deities together with their Chemarims or Chimney-chaplains the Priests Confer Isa 34.4 Dan. 8.10 Exod. 12.12 Numb 33.4 Verse 14. And every mountain See the Note on Verse 12. Cinis quidam noxius è Visuvio emissus Romam venit inquit Dâ—o ita ut incolae puture caeperunt omnia sursùm deorsum ferri solemque in terram cadere ac terram in coelum conscendere I my self saw saith Bellarmine a huge hill removed by an earthquake and brought down to a Town which was wholly covered by it and as it were buried under it Perhaps he meant Pleurs in Rhâ—tia which was overcover'd suddenly with a mountain so that 1500 persons were buried there alive Verse 15. And the Kings of the earth Who came in to help their gods against the Mighty against Constantine Theodosius c. that threw out their Priests and pulled down their Temples These Kings and Grandees were Maximianus Maximinus Maxentius Galerius Licinius Julianus c. and their complices who were routed ruined and driven into holes and corners by the Christian Emperours and afterwards so pursued by divine Justice that they came to shamefull ends Dioclesian poisoned himself Maximian hanged himself Maximinus likewise and Maxentius became their own deaths-men Galerius died of a loathsome disease Julian had his deaths wound from heaven Euseb â—ist l. 9. 〈◊〉 8. 10. lib. 8. c. 27. Iâ—eâ— devita Const l. 1 cap. 51 52. and died â—aving and blaspheming Verse 16. And said to the mountains Which yet was but a poor shelter for mountains melt and rocks rent at his presence Verse 17. Who shall be able to stand They could not stand before their own mis-giving hearts and soul-condemning consciences how much lesse before God that was greater then their hearts God sent his hornet which drove out these Canaanites Exod. 23.28 Facti sunt à corde suo fugitivi as Tertullian hath it CHAP. VII Verse 1. And after these things THis whole Chapter is purposely interlaced between the opening of the sixth and seventh seal for the support of the poor suffering Saints that they sinke not under their many pressures Four Angels Ministers of indignation whether good or evil angels the Doctours are divided Holding the four windes Those bâ—somes of the air Mundi 〈◊〉 Rupert as Rupertus cals them and Scripture-emblems of spirituall influence Joh. 3.8 Cant. 4. ult Ezek. 37. 9. Nor on any tree The Philosopher compares men the Scripture good men oft to trees which y benigne windes are filled with fruits Verse 2. Another Angel Whether Christ or Constantine acted by Christ it much matters not Having the seal Whereof Christ is the great Lord-keeper With a loud voice Out of his great care of his elect As Croesus his dumb sonne burst out into loud speech to save his father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod To the four Angels Who are at Christs beck and check Verse 3. Hurt not Reprobates oft fare the better for those few righteous that are amongst them they are therefore singularly foolish for seeking to rid them and root them out as the Heathen Emperours did In their fore-heads Not in their hands only as the vassals of Antichrist chap. 13.16 who have free liberty to dissemble deny their religion do any thing so the Catholike cause be thereby advanced My sonne give me thy heart said Gregory the thirteenth to our English Papists let who will have thy tongue and outward man Verse 4. An hundred fourty and four thousand A competent company Not so many as the locusts chap. 13. and yet more then most thought they had been Verse 5. Twelve thousand Out of each Tribe so many God enclines towards all the elect with an equall good-will neither shall any one complain justly that others have been more regarded then he as one well observeth here Verse 6. Of the tribe of Nepthali Who is first reckoned among those by Rachels-side because at Capernaum in this Tribe Christ inhabited Any relation to him ennobleth Bethlehem though it be the least is yet not the least among the Princes of Judah for that out of her came the Governour of Israel Mat. 2.6 with Mic. 3.6 Verse 7. Of the tribe of Levi Levi is taken in Dan cut out of the roll for his shamefull recidivation and revolt from the true religion Judg. 18. This Jacob fore-saw and bewailed in that holy ejaculation on his death-bed Gen. 49.18 There is no reckoning made or account given of this Tribe as there is of the rest 1 Chron. 7. The fable of Antichrist to come of Dan is so thin a devise Lib 3. de Pont. Ro. cap. 12. that Bellarmine could not but see thorow it and disclaim it Verse 8. Of Joseph That is of Ephraim who though Iosephs younger son yet had the first-birth-right Verse 9. A great multitude All the faithfull from the Apostles to the end of the world In all ages there were some that sought righteousnesse Neither was it ever so
in the Church of Rome anno 1378. when there sat three Popes at once Lib 3 de Papa Rom. cap. 11. for fourty years together or by the falling away of Protestants from the Popedome from the daies of Wicliffe John Husse the Waldenses Luther to this present Bellarmine bewails the businesse that ever since we began to count and call the Pope Antichrist his kingdome hath greatly decreased And Cotton the Jesuite confesses that the authority of the Pope is incomparably lesse then it was and that now the Christian Church is but a diminitive And his deadly wound was healed By that false Prophet ver 11. that is by the Sorbonists Jesuites Trent-fathers and other Popish Chyrurgeons The Jesuites give out That the devil sent out Luther and God raised up them to resist him but great is the truth and will prevail when all falshood shall fall to the ground It is but a palliate cure we here reade of And all the world sc Of Roman-Catholikes Wondered Or had wondered till the beast was wounded Verse 4. And they worshipped Admiration bred adoration Idolatrous Papists are worshippers of the devil whom though in word they defie yet in deed they deifie Who is like unto the beast Papa potest omnia quâ— Christus potest saith Hostiensis The Pope can do whatsoever Christ can doe yea and more too it should seem by these wise wonderers Cap. quarto for who is like unto the beast say they Papa est plus quam Deus saith Francis Zabarell The Pope is more then a God De Pap. Rom. lib. 4. And why for of wrong he can make right of vice vertue of nothing something saith Bellarmine Mosconius cannot be content to derive Papa from Papae the Interjection of admiring De mojestat militant eccles l. 1 c. 1. because he is stupor mundi the worlds wonderment that ye may know him to be the beast here mentioned but he must stile him King of Kings and Lord of Lords having ruledome over all rationall creatures Duliâ ador andus c. Verse 5. And there was given unto him As once was to Antiochus that little Antichrist Dan. 7.25 What cracks the Pope makes of his illimited power and prerogatives who knows not What blasphemies he belcheth out of the fable of Christ of eating his pork Al despito di Dio in despite of God of suffering himsels to be stiled the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world as Pope Martin the fourth did of drinking an health to the devil as another of them did who hath not heard Baronius at the year 964 reckoning up certain of the Popes calleth them monsters an abomination of desolation in Gods Temple c. Cardinall Benno saith of Pope Hildebrand That he was a blasphemer a murderer a whoremaster a necromancer an heretike and all that 's nought The Church of Rome saith another of their own Writers hath deserved now for a long time no better of God then to be ruled by reprobates Marcellius the second Pope of Rome Jac. Revius p 175. said That he could not see how any Pope could be saved Fourty and two moneths Here Mr Brightman calculates and pitches the ruine of Antichrist upon the year 1686. or thereabouts Verse 6. In blasphemy against God As when Pope Leo the first and after him Nicolas the third affirmed that Peter their predecessour was taken into fellowship with the blessed Trinity as one with them See vers 5. And his tabernacle Christs humanity Joh. 1.14 and 2.19 this he blasphemeth by transubstantiating a crust into Christ Or the Church of Christ which he counteth and calleth the Synagogue of Satan And them that dwelt in heaven The glorified Saints whom either he despiteth with obtruded honours such as they acknowledge not or else barks and rails at uncessantly as Arch-devils detestable heretikes common pests c. as Luther Melancthon Calvin Vbicunque inve nitur nomen Calvini delea tur Ind. expuâ— whose very name he hath commanded to be razed out of all books wheresoever any man meets with it Verse 7. To make warre with the Saints As he did with the Albigenses publishing his Croysades against them as if they had been Saracens and destroying ten hundred thousand of them in France only if Perionius may be believed Not to speak of the many thousands since slain in battle by the Popes Champions in Germany France Ireland and now also in England besides those many more that have died for Religion by the bloudy inquisition by the hands of the hang man 3600 in the Low-countreys by the command of the Duke of Alva 800 here in Qu. Maries daies c. The Beast hath even made himself drunk with the bloud of the Saints And to overcome them So it seemed but so it was not See Revel 12.11 The Saints never more prevail and triumph then when it seems otherwise Of them the enemies may say as the Persians did once of the Athenians at the field of Marathon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stoâ—aeus We fell them yet they fall not thrust them through They feel no mischief but are well enough Over all kindreds and tongues Here the holy Ghost points to the Popish Catholicisme The Jesuites will still needly have the Roman Church to be the Catholike Church though so many kindreds tongues and Nations have utterly disclaimed it Herein they are like that mad fellow Thrasilaus in Horace who laid claim to all the ships that came into the harbour at Athens though he had no right to the least boat there Verse 8. Whose names are not written He then that lives and dies a Papist cannot be saved Slain from the foundation sc 1 In Gods purpose 2. In his promise 3. In the faith of his people 4. In the sacrifices 5. In the Martyrs the first that ever died died for Religion Verse 9. If any man have an ear q. d. Let all that have souls to save beware of this beast for is it nothing to loose an immortall soul To purchase an ever-living death Purus putus Papista non potest servari Confer Revel 19.21 It s confessed of all that a learned English apostate Papist cannot be saved Verse 10. He that leadeth into captivity q. d. Be of good chear Antichrist shall one day meet with his match drink as he brewed be paid in his own coin filled with his own waies have bloud again to drink for he is worthy See Isa 33.1 and 2 Thess 1.6 Here is the patience q. d Here is matter for the triall exercise and encrease of the Saints graces Hard weather tries what health The walnut tree is most fruitfull when most beaten Or here is support for the Saints and that which may well make them to hold out faith and patience Verse 11. And I beheld another beast Another in shape but the same in substance with the former For here Christ appears not as an Emperour but as an Impostour That these two are both one see Rev.
cared for was to know Jesus Christ and him crucified Phil. 3.10 To know him I say not notionally only and out of the book for so every Catechisme teacheth him but experimentally to know the power of his death and the vertue of his resurrection to have a Bible stampt in his head and the counterpane of the Covenant graven in his heart This this is the only learning without the which all other learning doth but light men into utter darknesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suidus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suidus Nihil exc plebat de guo non profâ—â—ebatur Acad. quest 1.6 Cic. 3 de orat Of Monius a certain Poet it is recorded that he was for learning every way so absolute and accomplished that he gave place to no man then alive Eratosthenes was sir-named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he could dispute excellently in any art whatsoever Democritus was skilfull in all sciences saith Suidas there was nothing wherein he could not publikely professe saith Cicero Hippias Eleus was wont to boast That there was nothing in any art which he knew not of whether liberall or illiberall for with his own hands he made the ring he wore upon his finger the coat upon his back the shoes upon his feet c. as Tully tels us Aristotle was a magazine of learning and is therefore as afore-said over-admired by Averroes and was abundantly rewarded by Alexander the Great who gave him for his book Denatura animalium Hou malè nune artes miseras baecsaecu a tractant Juven Ludit qui sterile semina punit bumo Prop l. 2. Job Mans log com p. 572. Asino quidam narravit sabulaÌ„ at ille movebat aures eight hundred talents Gaza who translated that work of Aristotle into latine and dedicated it to Pope Sixtus met not with so good a match For when he had brought and presented the book very richly bound up in velvet and bossed with gold the Pope that Asse asked him what the out-side stood him in Gaza made answer fourty crowns The Pope allowed him so much money and so dismissed that learned man without any further rewards who deserved a great honourary for so profitable a piece of work But to return to his Authour Aristotle whom all worthily extoll for his learning not fo for his honesty In the Town of Siuckard in Germany a certain Doctour of divinity preached That the Church might be ruled and taught concerning God Ibid. 478. and the things of God out of Aristotles Philosophy his Ethicks especially though the Bible were loft out of the world Aristor Eibic 1.7 cap. 3. 4 Ramus in theo Praesat Whereas he himself confesseth the disability of morall knowledge to rectifie the intemperance of nature and made it good in his practice for he used a common strumpet to satisfie his lust He was also accused at Athens and banished into Chalâ—â— because he had evil opinions of the Deity say divers Authours As for his Divinity which he cals his Metaphysicks whereof he writes 14 books It is saith Ramus the most foolish and impious piece of sophistry that ever was written Tully was a great schollar no doubt and he knew it Two things saith he Optimaram artium scientiam maximarun rerun gloriam Lib â— op familiar Quòd Pompcio confisus ejusque partes secutus fucrim Ioh Manl loc com 481 496 Ciceronis linguaÌ„ omnes sere mirantur pectus noÌ„ ita l 3. c 4 coâ—f Nescio qnamono imbâ—â—â—ll or est medicina quam morbus Nullus mibi per otium dies exit partens noctium studijs vendico non vaco somne sed suâ—â—umbe c. Sen epâ—st Epist 15. Delectabatur exoletis idque Neronom sacere docuer at etsi anted 〈◊〉 fuit morun severi â—ate ut ab eo â—eteret ue so oscularetur nevè una seeum caenandi causa discumberet Dio. in Nero. I have to glory in my knowledge of good arts and my waging of great acts the first whereof shall never be taken from me while alive the second no not when I am dead There was one that wrote an Apology for Tully saith Melancthon and commended him for a holy man and a good Christian because he saith somewhere Râ—prehende peceam men c. I condemn mine own errours for that I trusted to Pompey and took his part And Lotamus Lovanionsis writes That there was no other faith found in Abrabam then what was found in Cicero Whereas Abraham saw my day saith Christ and rejoyced he walked with God and was upright Not so Cicero His tongue we all admire saith Augustine not so his practice And how little his learning could dot for him for lack of faith when he came to die that speech of his sufficiently witnesseth I know not how but so it is the medicine is weaker then the disease It is nothing but true faith that can fortifie the heart against the fear of death Seneca and such like have set forth what a mercy mortality is what a happinesse that we can lose our lives when we last how contented a man should be with life how couragious in death c. A great Philosopher he was and a close student as himself testifieth A mighty man he was surely saith Lipsins and a mighty spirit works in them that reade him But yet by your leave he that shall read Dio Cassius his testimony of him will scarce take him for an honest man He salutes his friend Lucilius thus Si Philosopharis beneè est ego quidem Philosophor But his practice was most unphilosophicall He enveighed against Court-parasites yet was ever himself at Court he detested flatterers when none flattered more then he He taught chastity but was too in ward with Agrippina the mother of Nero and taught him by his practice that abhorred trade of unnaturall filthinesse He reproved rich men but gat a vast estate and condemned luxury when himself had five hundred stools of Cedar with feet of ivory and every thing else answerable Thus Abanah and Pharphar may serve to scour and rinse but Jordan only can cure the leper Learning and Philosophy may barb and curb corruption but it is the Scripture only that giveth more grace as St James hath it Iam 9.6 and doth a perfect cure upon the conscience And that is only too when it is seconded and set on by the spirit who moves upon the face of these waters stirs them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.13 Heb 4.2 Tu benè cavisti ne te ulla occidere possit Litero nam nota est 〈◊〉 nullo â—ibi S Tho Moore quis nesset Erasmun Culls as aelernum si latuisset opus Minoris arbitror Hieronymo suos const it esse libres conduos quam nobis restitutes Erasm Annol in Ro. 1. Plus sanctimotie conipici in ipso libello quaÌ„ in libelli authere Iob. a Woovers in Polymatbia D. Pridea lect Nihil unquam eum ignorasse Neand. Chron. p 91. Ita in