with so much of the approbation of men as the making known the truth of God unto men sincerely and uprightly will help us to 3. But if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost Paraphrase 3. Which we have done so plainly that if the Gospel of Christ preached by us be yet obscure it is so only among obdurate obstinate unbelievers v. 4. see c. 2. 15. 4. In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them Paraphrase 4. Such as have their eyes so blinded by Satan or their own worldly advantages that the Gospel of Christ most powerfully and plainly revealed by him and shining forth in our preaching since his departure from the earth and this most certainly the revelation of the immutable will of God whom Christ represents to us not as an ordinary picture doth the body but as a reall substantial image of him is not permitted to have any impression or influence on their hearts they will not see be it never so illustriously visible 5. For we preach not our selves but Christ Jesus the Lord and our selves your servants for Jesus sake Paraphrase 5. Certainly nothing but this can obstruct mens minds against the Gospel as it is delivered by us being preach'd so as not to designe any thing of honour to our selves but only unto Christ and for our selves only to offer men our service to doe them all the humblest offices of Christian charity imaginable 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the note a face of Jesus Christ Paraphrase 6. For it is not any worldly consideration that hath put us upon this imployment but that God that by his word created the light when there was nothing but darknesse in the world hath in a like wonderfull manner impaâted this light to us in sending down his own Son to shine in our hearts to reveal his will unto us and this on purpose that we might reveal it to others instruct them in the knowledge of those glorious mysteries see note on 2 Pet. 1. c. so illustrious in themselves and advantageous to us which God hath revealed to us by Christ 7. But we have this treasure in note b earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us Paraphrase 7. But we that are intrusted with this great treasure of the Gospel are not so fine and pretious our selves we carry bodies about us subject to all manner of opposition and pressures and afflictions and this on purpose designed by God also that all the good successe we have in our Apostleship may be imputed to Christ and not to us as it would be if we came with any secular power or grandeur to plant the Gospel 8. We are note c troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair 9. Persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed Paraphrase 8 9. The way which God rather saw fit to chuse was to permit us to wrestle with all difficulties and then to sustain us by his own invisible assistance not by any secular humane means and carry us through all and give good successe to our preaching by these very means 10. Alwaies bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body Paraphrase 10. Carrying about us the crosse and sufferings of Christ daily suffering after him that so the saving effects of his resurrection in turning men from their evil waies converting Infidels by our preaching might through our suffering in this imployment be more conspicuous 11. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh Paraphrase 11. For we Apostles that are looked on by some with envy are continually ready to be put to death for the Gospel that the vital power of Christ in raising up sinners to a new life may through the dangers by us undergone in preaching the Gospel be shewed forth among our auditors that receive the faith from us 12. So then death worketh in us but life in you Paraphrase 12. And so truly we are not any extraordinary gainers by our employment as to the eye of the world the death of Christ v. 10. is wrought perfected in us we fill up his sufferings Col. 1. 24. by suffering after him but the resurrection and vitall efficacy of Christ v. 10 and 11. is shewed forth and as it were perfected in you by our preaching and begetting faith and confirming it in you by our afflictions and by the example of our constancy and of Gods deliverance afforded us ch 12. 9. 13. We having the same spirit of faith according as it is written I believed and therefore have I spoken we also believe and therefore speak Paraphrase 13. And having the same spirit of faith which is spoken of in that writing of Davids Psal 116. 10. where he saith I believed and therefore I spake I was sore afflicted c. we doe accordingly by afflictions and patience and constancy-therein confesse God and expresse our faith in him 14. Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus and shall present us with you Paraphrase 14. Believing stedfastly that he that raised Christ out of the lowest condition even from death it self will make our afflictions a means of raising us and presenting us glorious in his sight together with you if you doe so too 15. For all things are for your sakes that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God Paraphrase 15. For 't is for your good that we preach and suffer all this that your faith may be more confirmed and that so the mercy of God extending to more persons may by their blessing God for it abound and tend more to the glory of God ch 1. 11. 16. For which cause we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day Paraphrase 16. Whereupon it is that we doe not give over upon these discouragements but are by these outward pressures more incited inwardly and animated to the performance of our duties 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall note d weight of glory Paraphrase 17. For our transitory light suffering is so accepted by God that it is also sure to be rewarded by him with a most exceeding eternal weighty crown of blisse or glory 18. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which
of you which eateth with me shall betray me Paraphrase 18. One that eateth in the same messe with me v. 20. 19. But they began to be sorrowfull and to say unto him one by one Is it I and another said Is it I 20. And he answered and said unto them It is one of the twelve that dippeth with me in the dish Paraphrase 20. even he according to Psal 41. 12. that eateth in the same messe with me 21. The son of man indeed goeth as it is written of him but woe to that man by whom the son of man is betrayed Good were it for that man if he had never been born Paraphrase 21. I am to goe out of this world to be put to death according to prophecies God hath determined that I should come and like the good shepherd incurre any hazard lay downe my life for the sheep and foreseeing the malice of the Jewes and their bloody designes and the falsenesse of Judas c. hath determin'd to permit me to be slain by them and accordingly hath foretold it by the prophets that I should be led as a sheep to the slaughter c. But that will contribute little to his advantage that is the actor in it It is a most unhappy thing to have any hand in putting the Messias or any other person to death though their dying may be determined by God to most glorious ends which the wicked actor or contriver knowes nothing of nor at all designes but directly the contrary And therefore any such is a most wretched creature 22. And as they did eat Jesus took bread and blessed and brake it and gave to them and said Take eat This is my body 23. And he took the cup and when he had given thanks he gave it to them and they all drank of it Paraphrase 22 23. And at the conclusion of that supper Lu. 22. 20. 1 Cor. 11. 25. Jesus instituted the Eucharist 24. And he said unto them This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many Paraphrase 24. In which a covenant of infinite mercy is sealed with mankind to assure unto them pardon of sinne Mat. 26. 28. upon their repentance and new life 25 Verily I say unto you I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine untill that day that I drink it new in the kingdome of God Paraphrase 25. that this is the last Passover I shall keep with you the next feast I shall keep with you will be in heaven see note on Mat. 26. 29. f. 26. And when they had sung an hymne they went out into the mount of Olives Paraphrase 26. See note on Mat. 26. g. 27. And Jesus said unto them All ye shall be offended because of me this night for it is written I will smite the shepheard and the sheep shall be scattered Paraphrase 27. discouraged and fall of from me by reason of that which you shall see befall me this night For as this is the time wherein that prophecy of smiting the shepheard the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts Zach. 13. 7. is to be fulfilled so shall that other part of that prophecy be fulfilled that the sheep my followers shall be much dismayed and dispersed by the fright of it 28. But after that I am risen I will goe before you into Galilee Paraphrase 28. But I shall not long continue under the power of death I shall soon rise again and when I doe so I will appeare to you in Judaea first Joh. 20. 19. and afterward Joh. 21. 1. I will goe into Galilee and thither you may resort to me and I will give confirmations of your faith Joh. 20. 20. and settle the whole businesse of the Church v. 21. c. before I ascend to heaven 29. But Peter said unto him Although all should be offended yet will not I. Paraphrase 29. But Peter being of a warmer spirit and greater confidence and assurance of his owne steadinesse then the rest 30. And Jesus saith unto him Verily I say unto thee that this day even in this night before the cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice Paraphrase 30. this night which is the first part of the Jewish day before the second cock-crowing see note on c. 13. 35. c. 31. But he spake the more vehemently If I should die with thee I will not deny thee in any wise Likewise also said they all Paraphrase 31. the more Christ forewarned him of his fall the more confidently he affirmed the contrary That though adhering to thee should certainly cost me my life yet would I not to save that life doe any thing contrary to the owning and acknowledging thee that thou art my Lord and I a disciple that retain or belong to thee 32. And they came unto a place which was named Gethsemane And he said to his disciples Sit ye here while I shall pray Paraphrase 32. while I goe a little way off and pray 33. And he taketh with him Peter and James and John and began to be fore amazed and to be very heavy 34. And saith unto them my soul is exceeding sorrowfull unto death tarry ye here and watch 35. And he went forward a little and fell on the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour might passe from him Paraphrase 35. the portion of affliction now present upon him and approaching 36. And he said Abba Father all things are possible to thee take away this cup from me neverthelesse not that I will but what thou wilt Paraphrase 36. not what seemeth most desirable to my flesh but to thy divine will and wisdome 37. And he cometh and findeth them sleeping and saith unto Peter Simon sleepest thou Couldst thou not watch one houre Paraphrase 37. Thou that didst even now expresse so much kindnesse and constancy to me v. 31. art thou so unable to do so much lesse In this state of agony which I expressed to you that I was in v. 34. couldest thou be so little concerned as to fall asleep when I stayed so little while from you 38. Watch ye and pray lest ye enter into temptation The spirit truly is ready but the flesh is weak Paraphrase 38. Believe it as confident and secure and unconcerned as you are the danger now approaching me is so neer to you also and the temptation from thence to deny and forswear me so great that it were fitter for you to be watchfull and importunate with God in prayer that you be not overcome by temptation see Mat. 26. 41 39. And again he went away and prayed and said the same words 40. And when he returned he found them asleep again for their eyes were heavy neither wist they what to answer him Paraphrase 40. See Mat. 26. 44. 41. And he cometh the third time and saith unto them Sleep on now and take your rest note d it is enough the houre is come behold the son of man is betrayed into
me alone But although ye forsake me my Father will not he will continue close to me and acknowledge me even in death it self yea and raise me up from death 33. These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace In the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world Paraphrase 33 This I have foretold you that you may depend on me for all kind of prosperity and by consideration of my conquest over all that is formidable in the world take courage and hold out against all the terrors and threats of the world and the sufferings in it Annotations on Chap. XVI V. 7. Comforter What is meant by the word Paraclete here attributed to the Holy Ghost hath been mention'd Note on c. 14. 16. and will more fully be discernible by this place For of the Paraclete taken in the notion of an advocate or actor this is the office to convince the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or accuser or as it is Tit. 1. 9. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to justifie the cause against all gain sayers to convince them or to convince others that they have complain'd or acted unjustly So that all that here follows must in any reason so be interpreted as shall agree with the customes of pleading causes among the Jewes Now there were 3 sorts of causes or actions among the Jewes 1. publick judgments ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is concerning criminall matters and those consisted in the condemnation and punishing of offenders against God false prophets c. 2 dly in the defending of the just or upright against all oppression or invasion or false testimony and that is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã concerning justice or equity or righteousnesse ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the 3 d in pleading against any for trespasse against his neighbour as in robbery c. and urging the law of Retaliation to suffer as he hath done and this is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã concerning judgment In every one of these was the Holy Ghost at his coming to be the advocate for Christ against the world who had rejected and crucified him One action he should put in against the world of the first kind ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã concerning that question whether Christ were guilty of being a false prophet or they of not believing a true prophet the Messias of the world and should demonstrate or prove them guilty of a great crime viz. of not believing the Messias and that should be managed thus There are rules set down Deut. 18. 22. to discern and distinguish a false prophet from a true and particularly to discern the Christ or Messias v. 18. viz. if undertaking to be the Messias and to prove that by foretelling things which were not in the power of the devil to work or to foretell all the things which he foretold came to passe Now one of the things foretold by Christ was that the Spirit or Paraclete should come Which being fulfilled by his coming and his coming from God and not from the devil but destructive to his kingdome this would be a convincing argument that he was a true prophet and so the Messias which he affirmed himself to be and so that they were guilty of a great sinne in not believing on him of a greater in crucifying him and therefore that they ought to expect that punishment of excision Deut. 18. 19. which after within a while did accordingly befall that nation A second action which the Holy Ghost did put in for Christ against the world was to vindicate his innocence though he had suffered among them as a malefactor and his way of managing that was by giving them assurance and convincing them that he which was thus condemned and crucified by them was by God taken up into heaven as a clear testimony of his innocence to partake of his own glory there The third action was that of judgment or of punishing injurious persons by way of Retaliation against Satan the cause and author of the death of Christ who put it into Judas's heart and the chief Priests and Pharisees the former to deliver up the latter to put him to death And by the coming of the Holy Ghost and preaching of the word thorough the world and so the spreading of Christianity among the Gentiles which was an effect of this coming and office of the Holy Ghost this work of Retaliation was wrought most discernibly on Satan or the Prince of this world he put Christ to death and he himself is slain as it were his kingdome destroyed his idols Oracles abominable sins whereby he reigned every where among the Gentiles in the heathen world were remarkeably destroyed by this coming of the Holy Ghost and so the world and the Prince thereof judged sentenced and condemned judicio talionis to suffer from Christ as he had dealt with him and that was the convincing the world ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã concerning judgment This seems to be the meaning of this very difficult place to the understanding of which I acknowledge to have received light from the learned Hugo Grotius in his Annotations on the Gospels and from Val. Schindler in his Pentaglott in the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã p. 1521. C. V. 23. In that day ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã In that day here may possibly be mistaken by assigning too restrained a sense to it For if it be applied to that part only of the precedent verse But I will see you again which notes the space immediately following his Resurrection see c. 14. 19. and antecedent to his Ascension it will not then be proper to affirm of that space that they should ask him nothing for it is evident that at that time of seeing him they asked him many things see Act. 1. 6. But as this Resurrection of Christ was attended with his Ascension to heaven and sending the Paraclete so it is most exactly true which here follows In that day ye shall ask me nothing that is shall have no need of asking more questions The Paraclete shall teach you all things That this is the meaning of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here which is rendred asking and not that other notion of asking for praying in the following words may appear first by v. 19. where they being dubious and uncertain what he meant by yet a little while and ye shall not see me c. it is said Jesus knew that they would ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ask him that is ask him the meaning of that speech and to that he here referres in the same word In that day when that course shall be taken for the instructing you so perfectly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ye shall ask me nothing 2dly By the changing of the word in the other part of this verse where it is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã whatsoever ye shall ask or begge of the
in the Canon and onely question its being written by S. Peter cannot well be allowed to doubt of or if S. Jude say true then S. Peter was the Author of it For there are not greater and surer evidences of any Epistles being written by the acknowledged Author of it then are these forenamed the title of Simon Peter the addition of an Apostle of Jesus Christ the mention of a former Epistle the having been with Christ on mount Tabor the being called an Apostle of Christ by S. Jude all which in all copies stand unmoved to secure the authority of this Epistle and to convince us of the Author of it As for the argument taken from the time of S. Peter's death before the destruction of Jerusalem c. it is void of all force For to grant all the former parts of it that S. Peter died under Nero that that was before the destruction of Jerusalem that all Christians expected that destruction before the end of the world First it doth not follow that if this Epistle were written by Symeon it shall therefore fall to be after the destruction of Jerusalem for James the first Bishop was put to death and so Symeon succeeded in that See 8 years before the destruction of Jerusalem and 5 years before the death of S. Peter Secondly it is not true which is suggested in the argument and on which one thing all the validitie of it depends that this Epistle was written after the destruction of Jerusalem And for the onely proof of that taken from hence that the Author of this Epistle arms his readers with patience in expectation of the last day that is as farre from truth also there being no word in this Epistle to that matter One passage there is which referres to the end of the world chap. 3. ver 7. but not as approaching or conceived by any to approach But the other passages of the coming of the day of the Lord as a thief and the like belong all to that judgment on the Jewes expressed in like phrases by Christ Mat. 24. and by the Apostles in their Epistles and not to the day of universal doom or destruction of the whole world see chap. 3. Note d. Having thus answered the pretensions against the Author of this Epistle it remains that we inquire of the time of writing it which by c. 1. 14. may justly be concluded to have been a little before his death and that in the time of his last danger before his Martyrdome from the evident approach whereof or revelation concerning it he affirms himself to know that the time of his putting off this his tabernacle that is his death ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is very suddainly to come very near at hand That Peter and Paul from several parts of their travails came to Rome about the twelfth of Nero to defend and comfort and confirm the Church that was persecuted there hath been reasonably concluded by Chronologers And in this year Anno Chr. 67. about the beginning of October they are both thought to be cast into prison and soon after put to death And then this is the most probable time for the writing this Epistle which being so near the warre on which followed the destruction of the Jewes it is evident what occasioned the writing of this Epistle and S. Jude's which being on the same subject must be dated about the same time viz. the confirming the persecuted afflicted Christians in their expectation of that deliverance which they should now shortly meet with by the destruction of their persecuters The certainty of which he declares as also the reasons of its being thus long delayed and the undiscerniblenesse when it comes fortifying them also against the infusions of the Gnosticks who took advantage of the continuing of their persecutions so long and much solicited and assalted the constancy of the afflicted Christians of whom he therefore warns them and that by foretelling that they should be soon destroyed also and all that were corrupted by them CHAP. I. 1. SImon Peter a servant and an Apostle of Jesus Christ to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousnesse of God and our Savour Jesus Christ Paraphrase 1. Simon by Christ whose disciple I was surnamed Peter and by him after with others sent by commission to preach the Gospel to all the Jews wherever they are dispersed see 1 Pet. 1. 1. which have received the faith of Christ and in that respect are as valuable in Gods sight as we the Apostles of Christ that faith I say whose object is the righteousnesse of Christ our God and Saviour either as that signifies his way of justifying men now under the Gospel see note on Rom. 1. b. or as it may note his fidelity and justice in performing what he hath promised us in the Gospel 2. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord Paraphrase 2. I salute you and wish you all that felicity which I promise my self you will enjoy by the receiving of the faith and by your experience and evidence of God's goodnesse and faithfulnesse to you in Jesus Christ 3. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godlinesse through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and note a vertue Paraphrase 3. According as he of his goodnesse and by exercise of his controlling omnipotent power hath afforded us all things that pertain to felicity hereafter or to piety here by means of our faith and profession or acknowledgment of Christ who hath revealed himself unto us and called us into his school by most convincing arguments of his authority and mission from heaven first by that glorious act of the holy Ghost's descending upon him and the angel saying from God This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased For that that is the meaning of the word Glory see note on Mat. 3. k. Rom. 9. c. secondly by his miracles which he did among men here and by his Apostles ever since 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the note b corruption that is in the world through lust Paraphrase 4. By which two as evidences and engagements of the truth of them huge promises have been made over to us of a most glorious and valuable nature on purpose to allure and attract you to all divine purity by receiving the faith of Christ and forsaking that abominable course of unnatural lusts and other like sins which through the sect of the Gnosticks is now become so common and ordinary among the professors of Christianity see note on c. 2. a. 5. And besides this giving all diligence add to your faith vertue and to vertue note c knowledge Paraphrase 5. In respect of whom it iâ necessary that you be very
the law of commandements Ephes 2. 15. though ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the law of a fleshly commandement Heb. 7. 16. belong to another matter speaking of Melchisedek and Christ typified by him and denotes a law making provision for the mortality of Preists appointing them in succession that Codex or body of Commandements under Moses before Christ's reformation So Phil. 3. 6 9. Heb. 7. 19. And because this Law of Moses was written and set down in the Scripture of the old Testament and so oppos'd in that respect to the law of Nature in the hearts of the Gentiles and all men call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the unwritten law therefore as the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or law is used so in the same notions the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã writing is used also Sometimes in the first notion of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for the law or religion of the Jewes So Rom. 2. 27. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã thee that hast literally observ'd the law of Moses and art circumcis'd and v. 29. with a little change ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the circumcision in the spirit not in the letter or writing i. e. the Spiritual circumcision purity of the heart and not that outward commanded by Moses's Law So Rom. 7. 6. we serve in the newnesse of the spirit i. e. according to this new reformed law which looks most to inward purity and not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the oldnesse of the letter or writing which required external circumcision c. So 2 Cor. 3. 6. God hath fitted and prepared us to be ministers of the new Testament ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not of the writing but of the spirit i. e. not of the Law as it signifies the external body of the Mosaical constitutions unreformed but of the Spiritual or Evangelical law the law of faith or the law as Christ hath reformed it or the Covenant of mercy and pardon of sin under the Gospel For as it follows ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that law as it is in Moses unreform'd by Christ brings death but no life Condemnation but no Justification or pardon unto the world But the Spirit i. e. this new reformed law ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã gives life enables to gain life to come to Justification or salvation And so again v. 7. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the ministration of death in the writing i. e. in the Mosaical or written law as it stands there unreform'd by Christ and opposite to the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã v. 8. the administration of the Spirit i. e. this new reformed Evangelical law which either first because it comes neerer to the soul and requires purity there whereas the Mosaical law deals most in external purifications or 2 ly because the Holy Ghost came down first on Christ then on the Disciples to confirm this new Evangelical course under Christ in opposition to the former under Moses or 3 ly because in this Evangelical administration there is Grace given to enable us to perform what is now required and that Grace is a gift of God's Spirit for one or all these reasons I say it is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Spirit Thus much in this place of the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã law and by occasion of that of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã letter and spirit which may help to the understanding of many places and will not need to be repeated again when we come to them Ib. To fulfill The Greek word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is answerable to the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifies not only ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to perform but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to perfect to fill up as well as to fulfil and so is rendred sometimes by one sometimes by t'other And the Greek it self is so used in like manner when it referres to a Word or a Prophecie then it is to perform to fulfil 2 Chron. 36. 22. 1 Mac. 2. 55. In other cases it is to fill up to compleat to perfect Ecclus 33. 16. and 39. 12. 2. Chron. 24. 10. and Mat. 23. 32. This the ancient Greek Fathers expresse by the similitude of a Vessel that had some water in it before but now is filled up to the brim and again of a Picture that is first drawn rudely the limbs only and lineaments with a cole or pen but when the Painter comes to draw it to the life to adde the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã then it is said to be fill'd up This may farther appear by what Christ here adds Except your righteousnesse i. e. Christian actions and performances exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees i. e. go higher then that strictest sect of the Jewes and the Doctors among them thought themselves obliged to or taught others that they were obliged they shall not enter into the kingdome of God passe for Christians here or prove Saints hereafter This same truth is at large exemplified in the remainder of this chapter by induction of several particulars of the Law first barely set down by Christ and then with Christs improvement added to them in this form of speech But I say unto you Thus when Rom. 8. 3. it is said that God condemn'd sin in the flesh i. e. shew'd a great example of his wrath against sin by what Christ suffer'd on the Crosse for our sins the reason of Gods doing so is rendred v. 4. that the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ordinance of the Law circumcision c ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã might be perfectly perform'd in us i. e. in a higher degree then by the Jewes it was thought to oblige And that it is the general interpretation of the antient Church-writers especially the Greeks down to S. Augustine may appear by these few of a multitude of testimonies Irenaeus l. 4. c. 27. Dominus naturalia legis non dissolvit sed extendit sed implevit Again sed plenitudinem extensionem Again superextendi decreta augeri subjectionem And again speaking of Christ adimplentis extendentis dilatantis which are all the sense of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here So S. Basil on Psal 15. calls Christ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã See the Author of the Constitutions l. 6. c. 23. So in Chrysostome Tom. 3. p. 93. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And that Christ's giving of Lawes was ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and that Christ did not here recite all the Commandements of the Decalogue because he meant not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã So that it was then ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã So Theophylact that Christ came not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã When Christ was come our contentions became easier wherefore we had also greater tasks as having greater assistance afforded us And ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã having a Law more sublime then the old Law viz. the Law of Christ And
made known to them and this I conceive to be the reason of his then prohibiting them to tell that he was the Messias because having been thus long rejected by the Rulers c. and the Prophecies of his dying containing a prediction that they should still reject and at length put him to death it was in all respects most fit that the most convincing evidences of his being the Messias of which the Apostles had store particularly and above others Peter and James and John had that of the voice from heaven at the Transfiguration and would in all reason adde them to evidence that truth and not content themselves with the bare affirmations that he was so should be reserved and not yet publish'd till after his death and resurrection that so his rising from the dead being added to his former miracles and to his infinite meeknesse and charity demonstrated by his death might be able to convince the most pertinacious obdurate heart which certainly would not now having so oft resisted the like be perswaded by his miracles or preaching much lesse by the testimony of his own Disciples but might afterwards possibly be wrought upon as indeed some of them were A great multitude of the Priests Acts 6. 7. by the evidence of his Resurrection and they that were not are left utterly unexcusable And thus in the Parable Luke 19. The King takes possession of his kingdome that is Christ goes to heaven before he proceeds to execution against his enemies that would not have him reign over them v. 15. 27. According to this it is that at the Transfiguration c. 17. when those three Apostles had received that clear testimony by a voice from heaven This is my beloved son c. he commands them to tell it no man not absolutely but with this particular restraint which implies the cause of it till the son of man be risen from the dead telling them withall as here that it was prophecied of him that he must suffer c. so Mar. 9. 12. In which passage the three Disciples being taken up alone into the mount with him and commanded to tell it no mean the phrase No man will most probably be interpreted in the greatest latitude no not to the rest of the Disciples and the reason of that strict prohibition will be this that the designed use of this Vision being the working of faith in the obdurate and the season of making that use of it being not yet come till after the Resurrection it was useless to be revealed to the whole number of the twelve who beleived already and so needed it not for themselves and were not to be permitted to preach it to others if they had known it Ib. Shew thy self to the Priest The Leper continued without the camp or city On the day of his cleansing he was led to the outside of the camp and in the latter ages to the gate of Jerusalem and the Priest went out to meet him and performing some rites for him afterwards received him into the city or camp and by degrees into the Sanctuary This was the form or manner of shewing himself to the Priest who as the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã among the Aegyptians was exercised in all kind of knowledge particularly in that of being able to judge of diseases in the body and this shewing was necessary to every one that had been leprous though never so perfectly cured Levitic 4. 2. and therefore Christ in obedience to the Law here requires it of him Ib. For a testimony The phrase ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for a testimony to them may possibly connect with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Jesus saith in the beginning of the verse and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he saith unto him Mar. 1. 44. not with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Moses commanded next before it Or which is more probable it may stand alone by it self after all and that not only the comma after ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but also the sense makes probable viz. that this whole action of Christ in curing the Leper and sending him to the priest c. was for a testimony unto them that is to the multitudes there v. 1. and supposed Mar. 1. 39. though not express'd that he was the son of God For the Jewes themselves confesse that Leprosie is the finger of God a disease peculiarly of his sending and removing and that 't is not lawful for the Physician or any but the Priest by God appointed and directed in his course so much as to attempt the cure of it Thus saith R. Menachem in Lev. 13. And therefore in the answer to John Baptists question whether Christ were the Messias or no one part of it is that the lepers are cleansed that being as peculiar an act of Gods as that the dead are raised in the following words Mat. 11. 5. So 2 Kings 5. 7. the King of Israel being sent to by the King of Syria to recover Naaman of his Leprosie He rent his clothes and said Am I a God to kill and make alive that this man sends to me to recover one of his leprosie But if the Comma after ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã be conceived not to belong to that place either in Matthew or Mark then no question it must referre to Moses's order to the Leper of shewing himself to the priest and offering a gift for that was by the Law designed as a clear ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or testimony that the cure of Leprosie was a peculiar work of Gods 'T is true indeed there is another sense of which the words are thought capable that his shewing himself to the Priest and being by him examined and pronounced cleane might be a sufficient testimony to the man that the cure was perfectly wrought and no imposture in it or again a testimony to the Preist either of Christs being the Messias who had wrought that cure or of his not opposing the Law by sending his patient to submit to those Ordinances which the Law in that case provided But the former interpretation seems rather to be the importance of the place because of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Plural the multitude to whom the testimony was design'd and not in the Singular to him either the Priest or Leper And for the last that of the Priest it seems also to be resisted by the former part of the verse where the command to tell no man will not be obeyed if he so tell the Priest that it be by him taken notice of that the cure was wrought by Christ which it must be if it were a testimony to him and the rest and would probably have brought that danger that Christ seem'd willing to avoid See Note b. V. 6. Tormented ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã doth not alwayes signifie torment or sharp pain for here the Palsie is not such but any great disaffection or disease of body or commonly any punishment As v. 29. and so c. 18. 34. ãâã
way of eminence somewhat above other men and yet live in so mean a humane condition on the other side and have call'd my self by no other name among you pretended to no other title but that of the son of man Who am I taken to be In the other Gospels of Mark 8. 27. and Lu. 9. 18. 't is only thus Who do men say or who say the people that I am V. 17. Flesh and blood The phrase ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã flesh and blood is an Hebrew phrase ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifying no more then a meer man here upon the earth one that hath ascended no higher then the common state of men Thus 't is ordinary in the Jewish Writers Take one example for all in Gemara Babyl ad Cod. Berachoth where a parable of a rich man the first draught as it were and monogramme of that which is enlarged and fill'd up with lively colours by our Saviour Lu. 16. 19. is call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a parable of a King of flesh and blood that is of a humane mortal King here on earth Thus 1 Cor. 15. 50. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdome of God that is these corruptible gross earthy bodies of ours till they be refined So Eph. 6. 12. our wrestling is not against flesh and blood that is against ordinary humane enemies but as it follows against the most powerfull enemies c. and so here when Christ tells Peter that that confession of his That Christ is the Son of God was not founded on any humane testimony nor on the votes and wishes of men which were not much likely to be gratified by this doctrine but on that stronger of God himself And so when S. Paul mentions his call to Apostleship immediately from heaven Act. 13. 2. he adds Gal. 1. 16. that he applied not himself to flesh and blood that is to any men to receive mission or commission of Apostleship from them V. 18. Rock The name of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifying a stone here such an one as for the firmnesse and validity is fit to bear the greater stresse and weight in the building is applicable to the person of S. Peter in respect of the Church He was the Apostle of the circumcision as Christ himself was He was already a very considerable Disciple joyn'd ordinarily with Jamâs and John in the participation of some favours which others enjoyed not though in Christs favour John enjoy'd the first place Joh. 13. 25. be twice made confession with greatest boldnesse of Christs being the Messias and son of God Joh. 6. 19. and here And after the Resurrection of Christ he had among the twelve the honour of his first appearing 1 Cor. 15. 5. and proportionably was first of all to preach and make known to the Jewes but so as not to exclude the Heathens the truth of that which he here profess'd viz. that Jesus is the Christ In this respect it is here told him that he should be a stone by way of excellence for amongst the Hebrewes all the Levites were in a common notion of this phrase call'd stones of the Temple such as next the corner-stone may also be called the first stone in building the Church of Christ which when 't was once built should never be destroyed again and that he should have a power of governing signified by the keyes v. 19. yet so as that other Disciples are to be look'd on as foundation-stones also Ephes 2. 20. Revel 21. 14. see note on c. 10. b. as they are called after the erecting of it columnes and pillars Gal. 2. 9. that is principall supporters of the Church built and principall ingredients in the building and so also endowed with the power of governing of binding and loosing c. 18. 18. remitting and retaining Joh. 20. 23. all one directly with that which is here bestowed on him So that the application of this whole speech to S. Peters person doth not either immediately import or by necessary or probable consequence inferre any Oecumenicall pastorall power in him much lesse in any other person by claime of succession from him over other Apostles and their plantations that is the Universall Church of Christ but only a reverence due to him who was so excellent and principall an instrument in the first erecting of the Church and in proportion also to his Successors in each Church by him planted as far as they should walk in his steps And for any other priviledges of particular See or Bishop upon claim of succession from him they cannot appear to belong to any one or more above all others by the force of this Text. Ib. Hell Hades here according to the notion of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for the state of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã before mention'd note on c. 11. i. signifies death or grave or destruction and by consequence Satan also who hath the power of these Then for gates they may signifie first power force strength which consists in armes or weapons which were usually kept over the Gates of the cities Secondly counsell contrivance stratagems policy because they were wont to sit in counsell in the Gates Thirdly wordly authority borrowed by Satan from his instruments the heathen powers of the world because judgment was wont to be exercised in the Gates and so these three ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Macarius his style being put together will conclude that 't is not all the power and strength wisedome and policy authority and Empire in the world no not death or grave which are proverbially irresistible Cant. 8. 6. nor Satan himself that shall be able to destroy this fabrick now to be erected by Christ and his Apostles in the hearts of men though that glorious Temple of Jerusalem erected by Gods own appointment shall be destroyed Now that all this shall not prevaile against the Church may be understood either as the Church signifies particular persons beleivers true faithfull Christians of which the Church consists or as it signifies the whole congregation and society of men As the Church signifies the persons so the phrase imports that though Christians shall die yet Death shall have no dominion over them Christ shall break open those barres and rescue them by his resurrection from the power of the grave As it referres to the Church in complexo that is to the whole congregation of Christian professors so it signifies a promise of Christ that it shall never be destroyed so as to perish totally irrecoverably but whatsoever change it undergoes in the world it shall again lift up the head and have as it were its resurrection which promise is perform'd if as it decaies or perishes in one branch or part it receive and flourish in another V. 19. Keys of the kingdome What is here meant by the keyes is best discernible by Isai 22. where God foretells Eliakim v. 20. the son of Helkiah that he will call him and cloath him
Elders of the people unto the palace of the high priest who was called Caiphas Paraphrase 3. the whole Sanhedrim 4. And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty and kill him Paraphrase 4. apprehend Jesus secretly without any great noyse Lu. 22. 6. and cause him to be sentenced and put to death by the Romans 5. But they said Not on the feast day lest there be an uproare among the people Paraphrase 5. And although it were customary to put malefactors to death at solemne times Acts 12. 4. that their punishment might be more exemplary yet they had an exception to that because of the great opinion the people had of him which might cause a sedition among them if 't were done at any such time of resort and therefore they deliberated and had some thoughts of putting it off till after the feast But it seems this counsel was laid aside upon Judas's proffer v. 15. only a fit season was sought by Judas v. 16. perhaps only that of apprehending him in the night 6. Now when Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper Paraphrase 6. One Simon known and distinguish'd from others by this that he had once had a leprosie and 't is probable had been cured of it by Christ and so was a disciple of his a Christian 7. There came unto him a woman having an note b alabaster box of very precious ointment and poured it on his head as he sat note c at meat 8. But when his disciples saw it they had indignation saying To what purpose is this wast Paraphrase 8. one of them by name Judas Iscariot see c. 27. Note h. and c. 21. 2. murmured that so much ointment should be cast away upon Christ 9. For this ointment might have been sold for much and given to the poor Paraphrase 9. when it might have been sold at a good rate and that have relieved many poor people 10. When Jesus understood it he said unto them Why trouble ye the woman for she hath wrought a good work upon me Paraphrase 10. Why doe you murmure or complain of this womans action seeing that which she hath now done is an act of charity or piety very seasonable at this time 11. For ye have the poor alwayes with you but me ye have not alwayes Paraphrase 11. For you are sure to have continuall opportunities of giving almes to the poor but ye are not likely to have so towards me 12. For in that she hath powred this ointment on my body she did it for my buriall Paraphrase 12. And indeed this very act which she now hath done is more then an act of charity 't is a presage very significant that I shall dye and be buried very shortly for which this ointment is proper by way of embalming 13. Verily I say unto you wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a memorial of her Paraphrase 13. the story of Christs death and burial 14. Then one of the twelve called Judas Iscariot went unto the chiefe priests Paraphrase 14. Then Judas he that had made that mutiny and consequently that had had this answer given him in foul displeasure upon this occasion and knowing that they of the Sanhedrin were desirous to apprehend him privately 15. And said unto them What will ye give me and I will deliver him unto you and they covenanted with him for thirty note d pieces of silver Paraphrase 15. Shekels 16. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him Paraphrase 16. such an opportunity as they meant v. 4. that is an opportunity of taking him when the people should not be aware to deliver him up unto them 17. Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus saying where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover Paraphrase 17. Now on the thursday evening wherein the thirteenth day of the moneth Nisan was concluded see Note on Mar. 14. c. and the fourteenth day began the day of preparation to the feast of unleavened bread whereon they put all leaven out of their houses that is on the evening which began the Paschal day 18. And he said Goe into the city to such a man and say unto him The master saith My time is at hand I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples Paraphrase 18. The season of my death is so neer at hand being likely to befall me before this Paschal day at even werein they were wont to eat the lambe that I cannot solemnly observe the paschal sacrifice I will therefore eat the unleavened bread and bitter hearbs the memorial of the afflictions and deliverance in Egypt at thy house this night See Note on Mar. 14. c. 19. And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them and made ready the Passover 20. Now when the even was come he sate down with the twelve Paraphrase 20. after sun-set some time see Mar. 14. c. 21. And as they did eat he said Verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray me 22. And they were exceeding sorrowful and began every one of them to say unto him Lord is it I 23. And he answered and said He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish the same shall betray me Paraphrase 23. It is one of the twelve see Mar. 14. 18 20. one of those very persons that lye at meat and eat in the same messe with me Lu. 22. 21. according to that prophecy Psal 41. 9. nay he gave John a particular token Joh. 13. 26. to signifie that 't was Judas 24. The sonne of man goeth as it is written of him but woe unto that man by whom the sonne of man is betrayed It had been good for that man if he had not been born Paraphrase 24. It is prophecied of the Messias that he shall be put to death and accordingly it shall be but woe be unto that man that shall be the instrument of it It were more for the advantage of that man never to have been then by this sin to incurre that woe 25. Then Judas answered and said Master Is it I He said unto him Thou hast said Paraphrase 25. It is as thou hast said 26. And as they were eating Jesus took bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to the disciples and said Take eat note e this is my body Paraphrase 26. And whilst Judas was there before any of them were risen from the table Jesus in imitation of the Jewes custome after supper of distributing bread and wine about the table as an argument of charity and a meanes of preserving brotherly love among them instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist as a contesseration of charity among all Christians and to that end taking bread and giving thankes he brake and gave it to the disciples to take and eat telling them that this taking and eating was
in a new tomb which he had provided for himself hewn out of a rock and rolled a great stone to the place of entrance into the 61. And there was Mary Magdalen and the other Mary sitting over against the sepulchre 62. Now the next day that followed the day of the preparation the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate Paraphrase 62. after the day was ended whereon he was crucified probably on Friday evening 63. Saying Sir we remember that that deceiver said while he was yet alive After three days I will rise again 64. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day lest his disciples come by night and steal him away and say unto the people He is risen from the dead so the last errour shall be worse then the first Paraphrase 64 And therefore to prevent any more seduction of the people in this matter be pleased to appoint a guard to attend the sepulchre until that third day be past lest his disciples that cannot but remember his words do accordingly come and take away his body out of the grave in the night time and then perswade the people that he is risen from the dead which if it should happen the peoples belief that he is risen from the dead would prove a more dangerous seduction than any they have yet faln into 65. Pilate said unto them Ye have a watch go your way and make it as sure as you can Paraphrase 65. guard of Roman souldiers at your service see note on Lu. 22. 1. Go and use any means that you know or are wont to use to secure the grave 66. So they went and made the sepulchre sure sealing the stone and setting a watch Paraphrase 66. by two means 1. by fastning a seal upon the stone that they might discern if it were opened and 2. making use of a guard of souldiers to watch and keep it Annotation on Chap. XXVII V. 5. Hanged himself What is here meant by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or how 't is reconcileable with what is related of Judas Act. 1. 18. hath been a matter of some doubt and difficulty That he hanged himself is affirmed by many of the Ancients Origen and S. Chrysostome and his followers and Juvencus and Leo but especially by the Epistle that bears the name of Ignatius to the Philippians but sure was not written by him And some reverence is due to these authorities Otherwise that which the words most easily and promptly bear and which they might possibly mean by those words which we interpret to hanging is this that he fell into a violent suffocating fit of sadness or melancholy and grieved so excessively as to wish himself dead and then suddenly fell flat upon his face for so Hesychius renders ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã only falling on the face not down any steep place and then burst Act. 1. 18. And Phavorinus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it signifies falling forward on the mouth on the face and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã He is said to lye ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã who lyeth upon the face and opposite thereto is lying on the back This seems to be Theophylact's understanding of it who speaking of the excessive sorrow that the incestuous Corinthian if not timely absolved might probably fall into expresseth it by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã coming to a suffocation as Judas did And this seems to have caused Oecumenius on the Acts having resolved that he died not by hanging to fly to some fables of Papias of his being so swoln that he could not pass by a chariot in the way c. In which fable I suppose there might probably be so much truth that by this fit of extreme melancholy he was so swoln that as the Text saith he burst asunder and his bowels gushed out So in Aelian where 't is said of Poliager ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being reproach'd he was suffecated that is to be interpreted by the words immediately precedent ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã scoffs have not onely grieved men often but also killed them with grief Thus in Chrysostome ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is to be suffocated through grief strangled as it were or miserably affected with conscience And though it signifie not in this sense to die yet it doth note a violent disease stifling and suffocating for want of vent and affecting the patient so as to produce that death which Judas soon came to after this falling upon his face and then as upon a violent stopping all natural passages which the violence of despair had wrought in him bursting asunder his guts breaking out at his navel Act. 1. 18. That exceeding horrour and grief being the only thing here mention'd as that which immediately followed and came in naturally at that point of the story the death it self following it is not certain how long after and so particularly mention'd by S. Luke in the Acts on the occasion of the election of a Successor into his place Thus the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is rendred in the old Testament by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies to be choaked or suffocated not only with an halter but with an excessive grief or trouble on the soul and in the Arabick among the Physicians it signifies an angina and the suffocating of the mother in Avicen so also ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is that suffocation of the body in time of sleep which they call incubus or the night-mare And for the use of it in the Bible 't will be observable how 't is used Tobit 3. 11. where the woman that had been so reproached for killing her seven husbands hearing it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã grieved extreamly so as not to hang her self sure for the story shews shedâd not so but so as to fall into a deep melancholy a spice of this disease of suffocation a consequent of which was her wishing her self dead as she expresses it v. 13. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I desired that thou wouldst take me away from the earth and why should I live any longer v. 15. and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã If thou do not think good to kill me c. And though one passage v. 10. seem to incline the other way as when upon consideration of the reproach and sadness that would come upon her father she represseth her design If I shall do this it shall be a reproach c. yet this is not of much validity because this consideration might be made use of to dispel her melancholy that grew so violently upon her and to divert her to a more profitable course commending of her state to God in prayer as she did v. 11. and this as fitly and as properly as from the intention of hanging her self Adde to this that she that was so pious a person and prayes so heartily v. 11 12. and in that prayer confesses no such guilt but only I have desired thee to release me from the earth and in
pleased So when of Noah 't is said that he found grace in the eyes of the Lord Gen. 6. 8. Accordingly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã are such as these whose uprightnesse of heart and sincerity though mix'd with much frailty and some sin for which there is no way of pardon but in Christ hath approved them to God and to these and none but these this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã peace on earth belongs And so this reconciliation of God to all penitent sinners all sincere faithful new creatures those whom God sees and ownes as such as it is the full importance of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã peace upon earth toward men of his good-liking so is it next the glory of God mention'd in the former words the principal design of Christs coming into the world V. 35. A sword shall pierce That Mary the mother of Christ was put to death is the affirmation of Epiphanius l. 3. haer 78. contra Dicomarianitas and this place of Scripture said to be fulfilled by it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã she was put to death according as it is written asword shall passe through thy soul also and so he goes on ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã her glory is among the martyrs If she were not actually put to death some great sensitive affliction the sharpness of which is here compared to a sword and said to pass through her ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã her animal or sensitive soul is here certainly meant by it V. 37. Served God with fastings Of this Hanna 't is the testimony of Cyril of Jerusalem Cat. 10. that she was ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The first title referres to her continence and widow-chastity for so many years having lived with an husband but seven years after marriage he in all probability dying at that time The 2d. to her devotion and strict observance of piety The 3d. not to a solitarie monial life as the Latine interpreter there falsly renders it but to such a strict observance of all that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or austerity in fasting so often every week and attending of publick and private prayers so often every day and all this for the whole space of her ensuing life as was antiently observable among the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or devout persons Thus did she take her self up from the cares and affaires of the world that she might have the full vacancy for the service of God and dayly frequented the Temple at the houres of prayer not that she did neither eat nor sleep or that in any respect she could be said to dwell there alwayes but that serving God there at all the set times of prayer and to prayer adding the weekly observances of fasting also she returned from those performances to her own house and there properly inhabited and this is enough to own that expression here that she departed not from the Temple i. e. forsook it not kept close to it at the set times though she was at her own house also at other times as the Apostles ch 24 53. are said to have been ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã continually in the Temple and Act. 1. 13. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã continuing there which yet doth not note that they were never out of it but as it follows ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they continued unanimously constant in prayer and supplication not again that they did never intermit praying but that they were constant in the frequent dayly performances of that duty at the houres appointed for it V. 49. My Fathers businesse ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã seems to referre to the place where they found him i. e. in the Temple and so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Neuter his own Jo. 19. 27. signifies his own house as Ester 5. 10. and 6. 12. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã house is rendred ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã his own Thus the Syriack reads it and thus Theophylact ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in his temple So Chrysostom Hom. 52. in Gen. speaking of Abimelech driving Isaac out of his countrey askes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã whither drivest thou the righteous man ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã do'st thou not know that whithersoever he shall happen to depart 't is necessary he should be in his Fathers house i. e. within his providence And Dionysius Alexandr ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã They found me in my house saith he by the prophet but in the Gospel I must be in those of my father i. e. in his house likewise So Titus Bostrensis ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Being in the Temple of God he said knew ye not that I must be in my fathers house See the learned Fullers Miscell p. 585. CHAP. III. 1. NOw in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar Pontius Pilate being note a Governour of Judaea and Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee and his brother Philip Tetrarch of note b Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis and Lysanias the Tetrarch of Abilene Paraphrase 1. Procurator of Judaea and Herod Governour of that fourth division of the kingdom called Galilee 2. Annas and Caiaphas being the note c High priest the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wildernesse Paraphrase 2. Annas a chief priest being a man of principal authority among the Jews and Caiaphas placed by the Procurator in the Pontificate 3. And he came into all the countrey about Jordan preaching the baptisme of repentance for the remission of sins Paraphrase 3. to several parts of the coasts that were nigh Jordan Bethabara Ioh. 1. 28. Aenon Ioh. 3. 23. and by that means all the region about Iordan came to hear him and he warned all the people to repent and be baptized of him to come in as proselytes of his that so their sins might be forgiven which would otherwise bring certain destruction on them 4. As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet saying The voice of one crying in the wildernesse Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths streight 5. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be brought low and the crooked shall be made streight and the rough wayes shall be made smooth Paraphrase 4 5. There shall come a cryer or herauld or harbinger of the Messias in the wildernesse to fit men by repentance for the receiving of Christ and part of his proclamation shall be in these words Every valley c. which may figuratively import the peculiar quality of the Gospel of Christ which was to work upon the poor in spirit and exalt them to a participation of the greatest priviledges which none of the higher loftier spirits were capable of till they were humbled and brought down from their heights but literally they may seem to foretel the terrible destruction which should shortly come upon this people for their impenitence the plaining of the land for the coming of the Roman army see note on Mat. 3. c. and
they said We have no more then five loaves and two fishes except we should go and buy meat for all this people Paraphrase 13. and cannot give them entertainment unless we should go and buy and that must be a large proportion to feed all this people 14. For they were about five thousand men And he said to his disciples Make them sit down by fifties in a company Paraphrase 14. See note on Mar. 6. e. and Mat. 8. g. 15. And they did so and made them all sit down 16. Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes and looking up to heaven he blessed them and brake and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude Paraphrase 16. that they might distribute to the multitude a portion for every one Mat. 14. 20. 17. And they did eat and were all filled and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets 18. And it came to passe as he was alone praying his disciples were with him and he asked them saying Whom say the people that I am 19. They answering said John the Baptist but some say Elias and others say that one of the old Prophets is risen again 20. He said unto them But whom say ye that I am Peter answering said The Christ of God Paraphrase 20. The Messias 21. But he straightly charged them and commanded them to tell no man that thing Paraphrase 21. See note on Mat. 8. b. 22. Saying The Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected of the Elders and chief Priests and Scribes and be slain and be raised the third day Paraphrase 22. The prophecies must be fulfilled which affirm that the Messias shall suffer many things and be rejected by the great Sanhedrim 23. And he said unto them all If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his crosse daily and follow me Paraphrase 23. Mat. 10. 38. 24. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it but whosoever will lose his life for my sake the same shall save it Paraphrase 24. Mat. 10. 39. Mar. 8. 35. 25. For what is a man advantaged if he gain the whole world and lose himself or be cast away Paraphrase 25. gain all the wealth of the world and lose his soul or life See Mat. 16. m. 26. For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words of him shall the son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his own glory and in his Fathers and of the holy Angels Paraphrase 26. when he comes so illustriously to punish his crucifiers or at last judg the world See note on Mat. 16. o. 27. But I tell you of a truth There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the kingdom of God Paraphrase 27. Which is not now so farre off but that some here present shall live to see it 28. And it came to passe about an eight dayes after these sayings he took Peter and John and James and went up into a mountain to pray Paraphrase 28. Six compleat dayes but eight reckoning the first and last Mat. 12. m. 29. And as he prayed the fashion of his countenance was altered and his raiment was âwhite and glistering Paraphrase 29. Like the whitenesse of a flash of lightning 30. And behold there talked with him two men which were Moses and Elias 31. Who appeared in glory and spake of his note c decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem Paraphrase 31. Which appearing as Angels are wont in a glorious condition spake of his going out of this world see note on Joh. 13. a. and 2 Pet. 1. f. as of Moses out of Egypt to a Canaan by this means delivering his faithful people but withal destroying them that believed not Jude 5. Of all which and the several branches and consequents of it Jerusalem was shortly to be the scene and first of his crucifixion there 32. But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep and when they were awake they saw his glory and the two men which stood with him 33. And it came to passe as they departed from him Peter said unto Jesus Master it is good for us to be here and let us make three Tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias not knowing what he said Paraphrase 33. And as Moses and Elias were parting from Christ Mat. 17. 4. 34. While he thus spake there came a cloud and overshadowed them and they feared as they entred into the cloud Paraphrase 34. and they were amazed with fear as the cloud came so near to them 35. And there came a voyce out of the cloud saying This is my beloved Son hear him 36. And when the voice was past Jesus was found alone and they kept it close and told no man in those dayes any of those things which they had seen Paraphrase 36. Moses and Elias were departed from Jesus And Christ commanded them to tell no man what they saw till after his rising from the dead Mat. 17. 9. and they obeyed his command and did accordingly 37. And it came to passe that on the next day when they were come down from the hill much people met him Paraphrase 37. Mat. 17. 15. 38. And behold a man of the company cryed out saying Master I beseech thee look upon my Son for he is my onely child 39. And lo a spirit taketh him and he suddenly cryeth out and it teareth him that he foameth again and bruising him hardly departeth from him Paraphrase 39. a sore affection seiseth upon him at certain times of the moon and makes him cry out and it causeth such a boyling and agitation within see note on Mar. 9. c. that he foames at mouth and it never departeth from him without great pain and agony this coming to himself again though when it first takes him it makes him senselesse Mar. 9. 25. able neither to speak nor hear is joyned with an horrible torment and many grievous bruises remain afterward See note on Mar. 17. c. 40. And I besought thy disciples to cast him out and they could not Paraphrase 40. And I earnestly intreated thy disciples that went about doing miracles v. 6. to cure him of this Epilepsy and they were not able 41. And Jesus answering said O faithlesse and perverse generation how long shall I be with you and suffer you Bring thy son hither Paraphrase 41. And Jesus said to his disciples What an act of perverse infidelity not of weaknesse is this in you will my presence so long and the power given you by me v. 1. work no better effects upon you you will make your selves unworthy of such favours by your not making use of them see Mat. 17. 21. and Mar. 9. 28. Having thus reprehended his disciples he said to the man 42. And as he was yet a coming the devil threw him down and tare him and Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and
diligence and if thou art not thus ready to set out with me if thou either pretendest or really hast such kindnesse to thy former course and what thou hast left at home as to take thee off one day from my service thou art not worthy of the dignity and advantages of a Christian life art no competent judge of them nor consequently fit for a disciple of mine Annotations on Chap. IX V. 8. Appeared The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã appeared seems here to be taken for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã was come So 't is evidently in 2 Mac. 7. 22. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I know not how ye came into my wombe So the Scholiast of Theocritus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã appearing signifies coming So Plato in the beginning of his Protagoras ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is whence comest thou Socrates So Chrysostome ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã thou canst not come to the city which is above V. 12. Lodge ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã properly signifies among Mariners ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to come back and retire from the sea to the haven and from thence 't is applied to travailers that betake themselves to their inne which is therefore called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã because the man and the beast there layed down his lading and so 't is generally to refresh ones self ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã saith Phavorinus out of Hesychius V. 31. Decease That Christs ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here signifies his death and going out of this world will be acknowledged 1. by the use of a parallel phrase to this sense Joh. 13. 1. where his death is call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a passing out of this world typified there by the Pasch in the beginning of the verse and that we know was instituted as a commemoration of the Exodus or going out of Aegypt 2ly by S. Peters using it of himself 2 Pet. 1. 15. to signifie his departure before express'd by the laying down his tabernacle v. 13. But that it is here also in a more solemn sense of somewhat a greater latitude may appear by this that the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of Christ is here said to be the subject of the discourse betwixt Elias and Moses and Christ upon mount Tabor And what the matter of that discourse was hath been set down at large from sufficient evidences Note on Mat. 17. a. viz. the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord Malac. 4. 5. before which Elias was first to come Which being there sufficiently manifest and explained to denote the approaching destruction of the obstinate unbelieving Jews may farther be cleared by another place wherein 't is mention'd what the subject of this discourse was that of S. Peter that was present at this vision 2 Pet. 1. 16. where he affirmes that at his being on the mount Tabor with Christ he had a revelation concerning that which was the matter of that whole Epistle of his the power and coming of Jesus Christ which what it signifies in divers places of the New Testament viz. a middle second coming of Christ upon the Jews hath been shewn at large Note on Mat. 24. b. And so again 1 Pet. 5. 1. when he saith he was a witness of Christs sufferings and a partaker of the glory which should be revealed that latter seems to referre to his presence at the transfiguration where this glory that was to follow Christs sufferings was represented to him and two other disciples To which purpose 't is also observable in what sense we find the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã used Heb. 11. 22. and in the title of the second book of Moses to denote the departure of the Israelites out of Aegypt to Canaan And accordingly in S. Judes Epistle which is but the Epitome of and parallel to that 2d of S. Peter where S. Peter saith 2 Pet. 1. 15 16. I will endeavour to put you in mind of these things that is of this power and coming of our Lord which he had made known to them he hath these words v. 5. I would put you in mind that the Lord having delivered the people of Israel out of the land of Aegypt destroyed those that did not believe Which referring to that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Moses's bringing the Israelites out of Aegypt supposes that to be an image or resemblance of that coming of Christ that is of what Christ should now do within a while viz. that being gone out of the world and by that means of his death having brought his people out of their captivity he should not onely overwhelm his enemies the Jews like Pharaoh and the Aegyptians but withal destroy the wicked impure Gnostick Christians like the disobedient Israelites in the wildernesse And that this as it may properly be contain'd under the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã so was the thing that Saint Luke meant here by it may probably appear 1. by the agreeablenesse of it and by the Evangelists referring it it came to passe saith he after these words about 8 dayes that Jesus took Peter and John c. v. 28. to the discourse immediately precedent for the expressing of which as by an Embleme the transfiguration seems to have been designed which is all to that purpose of preserving the believers that take up Christs crosse and destroying all such who as the Gnosticks afterward and those that were corrupted by them should be most careful to preserve their lives 2ly by the mention of Jerusalem where all this was to be fulfill'd first Christ to die there then all these glorious works of God to be shewn upon that people in destroying the unbelievers and the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the disobedient provokers Heb. 3. 12 16 18. among them and preserving the sincere pure persevering faithful Christians in the midst of that destruction These arguments do not pretend to demonstrate but have been added ex abundanti to that one ground laid Mat. 17. Note a. onely as probabilities concurring with that which is there evidenced To this may be added an observation of S. Chrysostomes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Our Lord Jesus Christ calls his coming in the fleshby this title of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or going out citing Mat. 13. 3. of the Sower going out and Iohn 16. 28. of his having come out from the father and the same again o ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Christ fitly calls his coming ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Which observation if it have any force in it then may this other middle coming of Christ to the destruction of the Jews so often styled ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the coming of the Lord and of Christ be as fitly here express'd by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not the going away or departure from this earth but his coming in power and vengeance from heaven a consequent of his Ascension thither On this place of S. Chrysostome the learned Andrew Downes observes that the Hebrews expresse ãâã ãâã ãâã
peremptory for the putting him to death 22. And he said unto them the third time Why what evill hath he done I have found no cause of death in him I will therefore chastise him and let him goe 23. And they were instant with loud voices requiring that he might be crucified and the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed Paraphrase 23. carryed it see Mat. 27. d. wrought upon him to doe contrary to his owne judgement and inclination 24. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required Paraphrase 24. and so he passed sentence of death upon him 25. And he released unto them him that for sedition and murther was cast into prison whom they had desired but he delivered Jesus to their will 26. And as they led him away they laid hold upon one Simon a Cyrenian coming out of the countrey and on him they laid the crosse that he might bear it after Jesus Paraphrase 26. And having put on him a Scarlet robe a crown of thornes a reed like a Scepter in his hand and so made him a mock-king of the Jewes and then taken all from him again and used him contumeliously Mat. 27. 29. c. they led him out to crucifie him and as they went they press'd one Simon to carry his crosse on which he should be crucified after him See Mat. 27. note e. 27. And there followed him a great company of people and of women which also bewailed and lamented him 28. But Jesus turning unto them said Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your children Paraphrase 28. the calamities which are ready to befall this whole nation for this sinne of rejecting and crucifying me are likely to be farre greater and more worthy of your tears then what now befalls me 29. For behold the days are coming in the which they shall say note c Blessed are the barren and the wombes that never bare and the paps which never gave suck 30. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains fall on us and to the hills cover us 31. For if they doe these things in a green tree what shall be done in a dry Paraphrase 29 30 31. For heavy days are shortly to come upon this people miserable streights and distresses first and then even utter destruction express'd as 't is here Jo. 2. 19. Hos 10. 8. Apoc. 6. 16 by calling the mountains to cover them and by that other proverbiall phrase of cutting off the green tree with the dry Ezech. 20. 47. the righteous and the wicked together Ezech. 21. 2 3. or the rich and the poore together that is making an utter desolation v. 4. see 1 Pet. 4. 18. And if my portion who am the son of God and innocent be in your opinion so sad and lamentable under this Roman judge and souldiers what will become of the profest enemies of God who as a dry trunk of a tree are as it were fitted and markt out for the fire and shall fall into the hands of whole armies of the Romans Or if in the distress that shall come upon you the rich and the noble shall be put to such streights then what will the condition of the meaner sort be 32. And there were also two other note d malefactors led with him to be put to death 33. And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary there they crucified him and the malefactors one on the right hand and the other on the left Paraphrase 33. Golgotha but in Greek Cranion that is a skull 34. Then said Jesus Father forgive them for they know not what they doe And they parted his rayment and cast lots Paraphrase 34. made a division of his upper garments into four parts and tooke each of them a part but his inner garment see note on Mat. 5. r. having no seam in it they cast lots for that who should have it entire Joh. 19. 24. 35. And the people stood beholding and the rulers also with them derided him saying He saved others let him save himself if he be the Christ the chosen of God Paraphrase 35. undertooke to be the Messias And surely if he were the Messias to deliver the nation he would first deliver himself 36. And the souldiers also mocked him coming to him and offering him vinegar Paraphrase 36. used him contumeliously 37. And saying If thou be the King of the Jews save thy selfe 38. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek and Latine and Hebrew THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWES Paraphrase 38. And there was put up over his head a title containing the cause of this condemnation see note on Mar. 15. b. which was written in Greek and Latine and Hebrew the three most ordinary languages one or other of which there were very few but understood thus Jesus the Nazarene the King of the Jewes 39. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him saying If thou be Christ save thy self and us 40. But the other answering rebuked him saying Doest thou not fear God seeing thou art in the same condemnation Paraphrase 40. Though these other impious persons use him thus yet we that are thus punished with him ought if he were guilty to have compassion for him and not reproach him 41. And we indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds but this man hath done nothing amisse Paraphrase 41. And besides this we are indeed guilty but he a most innocent person which came to doe good to this people and is used thus ill by them 42. And he said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome 43. And Jesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee To day shalt thou be with me in paradise Paraphrase 43. Immediately after thy death ãâã shalt goe to a place of blisse and there abide with me a member of that my kingdome which thou askest for 44. And it was about the sixth houre and there was a darknesse over all the earth untill the ninth houre Paraphrase 44. And it was nigh twelve of clock see Mar. 15. 25. and there was an eclipse of the sun and a palpable darknesse on all the land of Judea untill three afternoon 45. And the Sun was darkned and the note e veile of the Temple was rent in the midst Paraphrase 45. Mat. 27. 51. 46. And when Jesus had cryed with a loud voyce he said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and having said thus he gave up the ghost 47. Now when the Centurion saw what was done he glorified God saying Certainly this was a righteous man Paraphrase 47. confessed it an evidence of Gods interposing his power and thence concluded that he was an innocent person 48. And all the people that came together to that sight beholding the things which were done smote their breasts and returned Paraphrase 48. And all the multitudes there present had remorse at
there being one peculiar nation the Iews which were more fully then all the world besides instructed in this truth he at last came to this people was pleased to be born and live and do miracles among them and these that were his own people did not entertain him as sent from God but rejected and put him to death 12. But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name Paraphrase 12. But all that received that is believed on him were by him advanced to be the adopted sons of God 13. Which were note b born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Paraphrase 13. To wit those which live according to the will of God and neither the naturall nor carnall nor bare morall principle 14. And the word was made flesh and note c dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory note d as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Paraphrase 14. And this eternal word was born in humane flesh assumed our nature and in that flesh of ours as in a tabernacle appeared among us most gloriously in such a manner as was not competible to any but the one true eternal son of God And whereas the former tabernacle wherein God was pleased to dwell had in it the law that ministration onely of death 2 Cor. 3. 7. precepts of exact obedience he now in the tabernacle of his flesh by his incarnation and passion c. is all full of grace that is exceeding mercy and whereas the whole business of that tabernacle was nothing but shadows he hath brought the substance and truth with him which was meant by all those shadows the inward purity shadowed by the legal precepts of circumcision c. and spiritual and eternal promises in stead of those carnal or temporal see v. 17. 15. John bare witnesse of him and cried saying This is he of whom I spake He that cometh after me is preferred before me for he note e was before me Paraphrase 15. Iohn the Baptist testified and proclaimed concerning him saying He that followes me whose forerunner I am hath been and must alwaies be preferred infinitely before me For although he appeares after me among you in respect of his birth and entring on his office yet he had a being long before me And this was most truely said of the Baptist For he was before the creation of the world v. 2 3. Col. 1. 17. 16. And of his fulnesse have we all received and grace for grace Paraphrase 16. And being full of all graces excellencies perfections he hath communicated them to us in that degree as is necessary for us and in proportion to his abundant charity and goodnesse toward us we Christians which are his body or fellow-members of his humane nature receive grace and mercy flowing from him to us see ver 14. and note on 1 Pet. 3. e. and Act. 2. f. 17. For the law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ Paraphrase 17. For though the law were given by Moses from God long ago yet the Gospel called Grace v. 14. see note on Heb. 13. d. as it is opposed to the severity and rigour of the law and truth as opposite to the shadowes and ceremonies of the law was to be brought in by Iesus Christ 18. No man hath seen God at any time The onely begotten son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Paraphrase 18. God is invisible and not approachable by us and so his will and the knowledge of his attributes cannot be conveighed to us but by some intercessor and of this sort none can be comparable to Christ Jesus who is next unto the Father and most dearly beloved by him and knows most of his mind see note on Mat. 8. g. and his end of coming into the world was to declare this unto us 19. And this is the record of John when the Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him Who art thou 20. And he confessed and denied not but confessed I am not the Christ Paraphrase 19 20. Now when the Jews sent messengers to John Baptist as he was preaching and baptizing to know who he was this was constantly his answer that he was not the Messias prophecied of and so long expected by them 21. And they asked him What then Art thou Elias And he saith I am not Art thou that prophet And he answered No. Paraphrase 21. No nor Elias no nor the prophet some special prophet perhaps Jeremy which had been among them the return of whom the Jews expected before Elias as him before the Messias 22. Then said they unto him What art thou that we may give an answer to them that sent us What sayest thou of thy self 23. He said I am the voice of one crying in the wildernesse Make streight the way of the Lord as said the prophet Esaias Paraphrase 23. he that was prophecied of by Esaias in those words Isa 40. 3. see Mat. 3. 3. The voice of one c. 24. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees 25. And they asked him and said unto him Why baptizest thou then if thou be not that Christ nor Elias neither that prophet Paraphrase 25. Why then dost thou receive disciples and proselytes or followers and that after the solemn manner of receiving proselytes by way of baptisme or washing 26. John answered them saying I baptize you with water but there standeth one among you whom ye know not Paraphrase 26. was not long since among you one of whom you took no notice that is Christ see note d. 27. He it is who coming after me is preferred before me whose shooes latchet I am not worthy to unloose Paraphrase 27. whose disciple I am not worthy to be see Mat. 3. g. 28. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan where John was baptizing 29. note f The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him and saith Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world Paraphrase 29. The day after the return of the Pharisees Iohn seeing Jesus coming to him said Behold the person sent from God as a lamb prepared for the slaughter in whom are summ'd up and completed all the typicall Mosaicall prescriptions of lambs to be sacrificed either in their daily sacrifices or at the passover who shall thereby obtain pardon from God for that sin that all the world is engaged in on condition they now reform at his coming 30. This is he of whom I said After me cometh a man which is preferred before me for he was before me Paraphrase 30. See v. 15. note c. 31. And I knew him not but that he should be made manifest to Israel therefore am I come baptizing with water Paraphrase 31. And though I was not able to discriminate him
undertaking this new course and forsaking the former nor to think there is nothing in it because 't is not visible to your eyes Many things have great force in them whose beginnings are not visible to the eye or at all known by men 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth So is every one that is born of the Spirit Paraphrase 8. As for example the wind which though no body knows from what part precisely it comes what beginning it hath and how produced and when it riseth or what becomes of it when it ceaseth yet hath most discernible effects comes with a great force and noise which is evidence enough that there is such a thing is heard by all men And so is it in this matter He that is born anew that undertakes to be a proselyte of Christ he by the Spirit of God and those influences that are conveyed to him from Christ is able to doe wonderfull things is discernibly another kind of man then he was before and so his new birth is and must be seen by the fruits and growth c. discernible to himself and others though the beginnings or sourse or means of conveighing this unto him be undiscernible See Mar. 4. 26. 9. Nicodemus answered and said unto him How can these things be Paraphrase 9. Nicodemus still continued ignorant of the meaning and possibility of the truth of what Christ said and therefore still question'd how this could be 10. Jesus answered and said unto him Art thou a master of Israel and knowest not these things Paraphrase 10. To which Iesus answered This that I say of new birth in baptisme being not only agreeable to but perfectly a piece of your doctrine about proselytes t is strange that thou being a learned Iew a Pharisee and Master in Israel shouldst not understand it see Mat. 3. a. and Ioh. 13. b. 11. Verily verily I say unto thee We speak that we doe know and testifie that we have seen and ye receive not our testimony Paraphrase 11. The things that thou so wondrest at and wilt not believe I have perfect knowledge of and assure you of the truth of them but the Iewes will not believe me 12. If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not how shall you believe if I tell you of heavenly things Paraphrase 12. Your not believing or understanding v. 9. those things that are ordinary in the Jewish law see v. 31. is an argument that things of an higher nature will not be received by you 13. And no man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven even the son of man which is in heaven Paraphrase 13. As if I shall tell you that I am to ascend up to heaven and from thence demonstrate to you that I came down from heaven and am the very Messias the eternall son of God that am nâw a man 14. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the son of man be lifted up 15. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Paraphrase 14 15. And again that I am to be lifted up on the Crosse and thereby to fulfill what was typified by Moses's lifting up the brazen serpent and that this is the way by which I mean to bring all that believe in me to everlasting life as all that looked on the brazen serpent were cured of whatsoever diseases 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life Paraphrase 16. For herein hath God's unspeakable love been exprest to all mankind that he hath sent his eternall son to assume our nature and to teach and give examples of holy life and at last to die for them and rise again and ascend to heaven all on this one designe that every person in the world that shall receive and obey him shall be rescued from eternall death and then made partaker of eternall life 17. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved Paraphrase 17. For this my mission from God my Father was designed all in mercy and charity not to punish or condemn any man but on purpose that all men might be rescued from punishment 18. He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemn'd already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God Paraphrase 18. He that receiveth and obeyeth me is by me secured that he shall escape all punishment only he that rejecteth me is certainly condemned by the purport of that very covenant of which mercy to believers is the principall part all others being absolutely excluded for that great sinne of refusing of Christ now sent to him as having not embraced that only remedy the only son of God now offered to him 19. And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darknesse rather then light because their deeds were evil Paraphrase 19. And this is it that will aggravate your sinne and punishment that when God made such provision for you when Christ came to enlighten and take men off from all their former evil courses they were so besotted to their own sinfull waies that they chose rather to continue in them then to be reformed and purified by Christ or but so much as to be taught their duty by him 20. For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved Paraphrase 20. But as he that fears coming into the light 't is certain he hath somewhat to conceal and that he hath not a mind to part with it So the refusing to come and be instructed in the knowledge of his duty by me is an evidence that that man is a wicked man and means to continue so who cannot venture his actions in the light for fear they be found faulty and he engaged to reform them 21. But he that doth the truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Paraphrase 21. Whereas he that lives a justifyable life or resolves to amend what is amisse a sincere upright person will be glad of a director will come cheerfully to be put in the way of strictest duty and venture to have his actions judg'd of whether they be right or no which is an argument that what he doth he doth in the fear of God and with a good conscience 22. After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea and there he tarried with them and baptized Paraphrase 22. and receiving those that believed on him baptized them 23. And John also was baptizing in Aenon neer to Salem because there was much water there and they came
priviledges here eternall life of body and soul hereafter 40. And this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Paraphrase 40. That being also another part of his commission to me that whosoever believeth in his son should not perish but whatever by so doing befall him here inherit everlasting life in that other world 41. The Jewes then murmured at him because he said I am the bread which came from heaven 42. And they said Is nor this Jesus the son of Joseph whose father and mother we know How is it then that he saith I came down from heaven Paraphrase 41 42. by what he said of himself he pretended to come rom heaven whereas they knew his birth here on earth and his parentage which they conceived to be contrary to his coming down from heaven 43. Jesus therefore answered and said unto them Murmure not among your selves Paraphrase 43. To this muttering of theirs Jesus replied I have said nothing which 't is reasonable for you to murmure at 44. No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day Paraphrase 44. T is true there is some pretence for these vulgar prejudices against me which would make it impossible for those that look no farther to become my followers and therefore this makes it so unfit and unsafe for you to fix your eyes so wholly on this And it is an effect of my Fathers preventing grace to fit mens hearts to be ready and willing to come to me see note d. and without this work first wrought and that probity and humility which qualifies men to receive my doctrine I doe not expect that any man should believe on me and therefore I attribute it to that see v. 65. when any one doth as on the other side to your obduâate hearts that you doe not come unto me And for every one that doth thus come and therein obey my call and follow the duct of my Father on him most certainly will I bestow everlasting life 45. It is written in the prophets And they shall be all taught of God Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me Paraphrase 45. The summe of what I thus say hath been obscurely delivered to you by the prophets of old For they for example âsaiâh c. 54. 13. speaking of these times have foretold that God will dispose and prepare the hearts of many men to be fit or ready to receive Christ see note o. to embrace the Messias And therefore it was that I said that every humble honest heart every disciple of my Father that hath not resisted that guidance and attraction of my Father doth certainly come to me and believe on me 46. Not that any man hath seen the Father save he which is of God he hath seen the Father Paraphrase 46. Where yet that of learning or being taught of God doth not imply his seeing or talking with my Father and being so taught by him For this is proper and peculiar to me who am therefore qualified to reveal his will to all that come unto me 47. Verily verily I say unto you He that believeth in me hath everlasting life 48. I am that bread of life Paraphrase 47 48. He that embraceth my doctrine and is sincerely my disciple to believe and practise what I command him shall undoubtedly live for ever as having fed on that enlivening bread v. 33 receiving me his spirituall food by his faith into his soul 49. Your fathers did eate Mânna in the wildernesse and are dead 50 This is the bread which came down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not dye 51. I am the living bread which cometh down from heaven if any man eate of this bread he shall âive for ever and the bread that I shall give him is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world Paraphrase 49 50 51. The Manna given in the desert did not make them immortall which did eat of it But the bread which is now sent you down from heaven will give immortality to them that feed on it that is to all that truely believe in Christ that receive his doctrine and digest it into the food and nourishment of their souls And this is offered and prepared for every man not only for you Jewes Manna was bread indeed but first dead not living Secondly it came not down from heaven properly so called v. 32. and Thirdly they which did eat of it afterwards dyed Fourthly their Manna was contradistinct from their quailes that bread from that flesh Fifthly That was given for the preserving the life only of one nation But contrariwise by these so many ways of excellency above that Manna I am first living bread Secondly I came down from heaven properly so called the highest heaven Thirdly whosoever feedeth that is believeth on me embraceth my doctrine and practiseth accordingly shall not dye the soul whose food I am shall become immortall in blisse Fourthly this bread which I speak of is very flesh even my flesh which I will give to be crucified for the life of the world by that death of mine purchasing grace and pardon for sin which are the foundation of immortality Fifthly this world is the whole world all mankind not onely that one nation of the Jewes which received benefit by that 52. The Jewes therefore strove among themselves saying How can this man give us his flesh to eat Paraphrase 52. Hereupon the Jewes disputed about this saying of his how 't is possible that men should feed on his flesh 53. Then Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Except ye note e eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you Paraphrase 53. you thus feed on this celestiall food that is be sincere disciples of the crucified Saviour that comes not to be a glorious King but to dye for the sins of the world you have no part in this true that is immortall life 54. Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day 55. For my flesh is meat note f indeed and my blood is drink indeed Paraphrase 55. For I that am thus sent in the flesh to dye for the world am such food as will feed you to everlasting life and so am eminently that which food is said to be yea in a much higher degree Food doth not first give but only continues and preserves life but my flesh shall give life to the world 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him Paraphrase 56. He that thus feedeth or believeth on me that resignes himself up to be ruled by me in the same manner as he abides in
and till that time be past and so that providence withdrawn I shall be safe As long as I am about my business on which I was sent I shall fear nothing no not though I go to Judea where I have by frequent experience found that they seek to kill me 11. These things said he and after that he saith unto them Our friend Lazarus sleepeth but I go that I may awake him out of sleep Paraphrase 11. I will go 12. Then said his disciples Lord if he sleep he shall do well Paraphrase 12. his sleeping is a very good and known signe that he will recover 13. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death but they thought that he had spoken of taking rest in sleep Paraphrase 13. sleeping in the ordinary acception of the word 14. Then said Jesus unto them plainly Lazarus is dead Paraphrase 14. in words without all obscurity Note on chap. 7. a. 15. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there to the intent ye may believe nevertheless let us go to him Paraphrase 15. that you may have the benefit of the miracle to confirm your faith 16. Then said Thomas which is called Didymus unto his fellow disciples Let us also go that we may die with him Paraphrase 16. Either Let us go along with our Master and run any hazard that he runneth Or if we go we may very probably be stoned and die as well as Lazarus referring to the danger mentioned by them v. 8. the latter is the more probable interpretation 17. Then when Jesus came he found that he had lien in the grave four days already 18. Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem about fifteen furlongs off 19. And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother Paraphrase 19. And Martha and Mary being in great sadness and so keeping themselves up in a close retirement many of the Jews came to the house to those that were neer them to get access to bewail the loss and to rescue them from this great sadness 20. Then Martha assoon as she heard that Jesus was coming went and met him but Mary sat still in the house 21. Then said Martha unto Jesus Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not died 22. But I know that even now whatsoever thou wilt ask of God God will give it thee Paraphrase 22. enable thee to do it 23. Jesus saith unto her Thy brother shall rise again Paraphrase 23. I will raise thy brother again to life see ver 40. 24. Martha said unto him I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection of the last day 25. Jesus said unto her I am the resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live Paraphrase 25. I am able to raise the dead to life again whensoever I please whether now or hereafter One that is a believer and faithful disciple of mine such as thy brother Lazarus was I can though he be dead and buried raise him presently to life again 26. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die Believest thou this Paraphrase 26. And he that is now alive and so not capable of such a present miracle shall if he receiveth and obeyeth my doctrine though he dies after the manner of other men rise again unto life immortal The latter of these thou sayest thou believest v. 24. But dost thou believe the former also 27. She saith unto him Yea Lord I believe that thou art the Christ the son of God which should come into the world Paraphrase 27. Messias known by the title of He that cometh see Matt. 11. a. the son of God who consequently hast power of life and death and so canst raise him how and when thou pleasest 28. And when she had so said she went her way and called Mary her sister secretly saying The Master is come and calleth for thee 29. Assoon as she heard that she arose quickly and came unto him 30. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town but was in that place where Martha met him Paraphrase 30. continued 31. The Jews then which were with her in the house and comforted her when they saw Mary that she rose up hastily and went out followed her saying she goeth unto the grave to weep there 32. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was and saw him she fell down at his feet saying unto him Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not died 33. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping and the Jews also which came with her he groaned in the spirit and note a was troubled Paraphrase 33. was very passionately affected with it and appeared to be in a great perturbation of minde which soon broke out into tears ver 35. 34. And said Where have ye laid him They say unto him Lord come and see 35. Jesus wept Paraphrase 35. And although he had resolved to raise him from the dead v. 23. and though at other times when he meant to do so he had suppressed the mourners tears Luke 8. 52. and Luke 7. 13. yet now he indulgeth so much to the justice of their sorrow as himself to weep with them 36. Then said the Jews Behold how he loved him 37. And some of them said Could not this man which opened the eyes of the blind have caused that even this man should not have died 38. Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave It was a cave and a stone lay upon it 39. Jesus said Take away the stone Martha the sister of him that was dead saith unto him Lord by this time he stinketh for he hath been dead four days Paraphrase 39. this is the fourth day since his death and so according to experience of dead bodies which after a revolution of the humors which is completed in seventy two hours tend naturally to putrefaction he must needs be putrefied and so stink before this time 40. Jesus saith unto her Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldest believe thou shouldst see the glory of God Paraphrase 40. a glorious miracle wrought on him by raising him to life again v. 23 and 25. 41. Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid And Jesus lift up his eyes and said Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me Paraphrase 41. fastned his eyes on heaven 42. And I knew that thou hearest me always but because of the people which stand by I said it that they may believe that thou hast sent me Paraphrase 42. they hearing me acknowledge it to be done by thy power in answer to my prayers may by that be convinced that I came by commission from thee 43. And when he thus had spoken he cried with a loud voice Lazarus come forth 44. And he that was dead came forth bound hand and foot with grave-clothes and his face was bound about with a napkin
Jesus saith unto them Loose him and let him go Paraphrase 44. See Note on ch 19. g. 45. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary and had seen the things which Jesus did believed on him 46. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees and told them what things Jesus had done 47. Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a councel saying What do we for this man doth many miracles Paraphrase 47. It is not a season for us to sit still and do nothing to permit this person to go on without interruption 48. If we let him thus alone all men will believe on him and note b the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation Paraphrase 48. destroy both our Temple and Nation our religion and government and wholly enslave us 49. And one of them named Caiaphas being the high priest that same year said unto them Ye know nothing at all 50. Nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people and that the whole nation perish not Paraphrase 49 50. And Caiaphas put into the high priests office by the Procurator see Luke 3. b. made a speech of which this was the summe This is no time of consulting or considering at large what is just to do in what way of justice to proceed with this man We are to consider what is our interest and 't is a Politick maxime that we may do any thing be it otherwise never so unlawful to keep the publick from destruction 51. And this spake he not of himself but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation Paraphrase 51. This he spake in words that were a direct prophecie of what God had now designed should come to pass not that he meant it in that sense or thought at all of prophesying but being in place of authority among the Jews at that time he was a fit person for God to make use of as his minister to foretell the purpose of God that Christ should die for the Jews 52. And not for that nation only but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad Paraphrase 52. And not for the Jews only but that he might call all the Gentiles into the same fold the same Church all the servants of God all that would receive the faith all the world over 53. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death Paraphrase 52. From that time they entred into a consultation which they gave not over till they had contrived it to have him put to death 54. Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews but went thence into a countrey neer to the wilderness into a city called Ephraim and there continued with his disciples Paraphrase 54. Hereupon Jesus did not publickly see Note on ch 7. a. do any thing among the people of Judea 55. And the Jews Passeover was nigh at hand and many went out of the countrey up to Jerusalem before the Passeover to purifie themselves Paraphrase 55. That they might be cleansed from legal impurity from which till they were cleansed they could not celebrate the Passeover and that all that were under any vow of Nazaritisme might timely perform it see Note on Act. 21. 23. 56. Then sought they for Jesus and spake among themselves as they stood in the Temple What think ye that he will not come to the feast Paraphrase 56. This being that feast unto which every one was to come to Jerusalem and no excuse being sufficient for not coming but that of invincible necessity what can be conceived the reason why he cometh not up 57. Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandement that if any man knew where he were he should shew it that they might take him Annotations on Chap. XI V. 33. Was troubled ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is to be troubled with any passion but in this Gospel peculiarly with grief So ch 12. 27. Now is my soul troubled ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in respect of death approaching so ch 13. 21. Jesus having said this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã was troubled in spirit to think of his being delivered up by Judas So in his exhortation to the disciples when he tels them of his death ch 14. 1. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. Let not your heart be troubled and ver 27. 't is set distinct from fear the other passion Let not your heart be troubled nor cowardly so here 't is joyned with groaning in spirit as expressions of inward grief as the tears that follow v. 35. are outward evidences of it As for the form of speech in the Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he troubled himself that is but an idiome of the Hebrews who oft use the reciprocal voice Hithpael for a Passive V. 48. The Romans shall come The Jews in Councel seeing the miracles which Jesus did this especially of raising Lazarus did much fear that professing himself to be the Messias he would soon attempt to make himself King and by the admiration which he had gotten among the people be quickly assisted to it if he were not timely hindred If this were done the consequent seemed visible to them that the Romans to whom they were subject must look upon this as a Rebellion and be by that temptation provoked to come with an army and destroy them utterly That this was their fear is evident by their many groundless objections made afterwards against him that he forbad to give tribute to Cesar that he made himself a King and so opposed himself against Cesar not that they desired the continuance of Cesars power over them but that their fear of a yet farther conquest from the Romans made them unwilling to provoke them And this the rather because of a tradition among them that a little before the end of the world there should come one to destroy them called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is by an easie change Romulus This seems to be but the depravation of some prophecie from God which foretold the coming of the Romans in the last days meaning the days of Messias to destroy them and demonstrates their expecting and believing that the Romans were the people from whence the change of their religion and over-running their nation should come And therefore when they see the doctrine of Christ thrive so well gather so many Proselytes and that the miracles which he did were so great as might well set him up for a King or Messias which they through their unbelief would not acknowledge him to be truly it follows that they presently apprehend the Romans coming in the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã now mentioned to destroy their religion signified by the word place and carry them out of their countrey that is destroy their nation or else wholly to change their laws rule them as conquer'd people But
rejected by the Jews suffer rise and ascend to heaven and then upon the Jews obstinate holding out the Gospel should be preached to the Greeks and all the rest of the heathen world 24. Verily verily I say unto you Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit Paraphrase 24. Assuredly my death saith he is a means of bringing more unto the falth then my life would be as it fares with corn put into the earth which by that means dies but arises with abundance of encrease 25. He that loveth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal Paraphrase 25. And so in proportion it shall be with you the venturing of your lives and sticking fast to me is the thrivingst surest way of preserving your selves 26. If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be if any man serve me him will my Father honor Paraphrase 26. If any man will be my disciple see Luke 8. a. he must provide to suffer as I shall And if he thus keep close to me he shall fare as well as I do whatsoever he suffer here be rewarded by my Father abundantly see Note on 1 Tim. 5. d. 27. Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I to this hour Paraphrase 27. I am not impassible or subject to no affection such as desire of life c. but in all these just as you are The apprehension of that which is now approaching is a great perturbation to me Which way shall I turn me shall I pray to my Father to deliver me from the danger to rescue me from dying But this was it for which I came into the world that I might suffer And therefore I shall not absolutely pray against that 28. Father glorifie thy name Then came there note b a voice from heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorifie it again Paraphrase 28. No this shall be my prayer that my Father will so dispose of me that I may do whatsoever it is that may most tend to the glorifying of his name in me Upon his saying those words there came a clap of thunder and with it a voice from heaven audible in these words I have c. 29. The people therefore that stood by and heard it said that it thundred Others said An Angel spake to him Paraphrase 29. And of the multitude there present some took notice of the thunder with which that voice came others of the voice it self 30. Jesus answered and said This voice came not because of me but for your sakes 31. Now is the judgement of this world now shall the prince of this world be cast out Paraphrase 30 31. Upon this Jesus said to them This voice from heaven came not to answer or satisfie me but to convince you and bring you to the faith or assure you that my death shall tend to the glory of God and bringing down of sin and Satan ch 16. 11. 32. And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me Paraphrase 32. And I being crucified see Note on Mat. 1. h. will by that means bring a great part of the whole world to believe on me Gentiles as well as Jews 33. This he said signifying what death he should die Paraphrase 33. This speech Christ meant as an intimation not only that he should be put to death but also what kinde of death this should be viz. crucifixion which is an elevation or ãâã to the cross and an holding out the hands as if it were to invite all to him promising an hospitable reception See ãâã 34. The people answered him We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever and how sayest thou The son of man must be lift up Who is this son of man Paraphrase 34. To this discourse about his death the people made an objection that their Doctors had taught them out of scripture Psal 110. so the word Law signifies ch 10. 34. see Note a. and perhaps Isai 40. 8. that the Messias shall endure for ever and never die and therefore if it were true what he said that the son of man must be put to death they could not guess what he meant by the son of man sure not the Messias 35. Then Jesus said unto them Yet a little while is the light with you walk while ye have the light lest darkness come upon you for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth Paraphrase 35. To this he answered I am not likely to stay long amongst you here on earth make use of me the light of the world while I am with you or else you are likely to be left in the dark in a blinde unhappy condition for ever and do not upon your traditions perswade your selves that I shall alway continue among you here because I am the Messias 36. While ye have the light believe in the light that ye may be the children of light These things spake Jesus and departed and did hide himself from them Paraphrase 36. I shall continue with you but a while and therefore be sure ye make haste to learn sufficient for your whole lives to come to get your directions complete that you may live like Christians When Jesus had said this he went away and concealed himself from them at Bethany probably for a while 37. But though he had done so many miracles before them yet they believed not on him Paraphrase 37. All this did not effectually work on them but though he had done all these miracles in their sight yet they did not believe on him 38. That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled which he spake Lord who hath believed our report and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed Paraphrase 38. And thereby the prophecy of Esaias ch 53. 1. was fulfilled which was to this purpose How few are there that have been by all Christ's miracles convinced that he is the Messias 39. Therefore they note c could not believe because that Esaias said again 40. He hath blinded their eyes and hardned their heart that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and be converted that I should heal them Paraphrase 39 40. That other prophecie also had not been fulfilled had they not thus disbelieved him wherein the just judgement of God forsaking and bringing the punishment of blindness upon them was pronounced by that prophet against the stubborn obdurate Jews who by this means are likely never to be converted or pardoned 41. These things said Esaias when he saw his glory and spake of him Paraphrase 41. These things were spoken by that prophet in setting down a vision of his when Christ's being on the earth was revealed to
he shall hear that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come Paraphrase 13. But when the Holy Ghost comes whose title it is to be the Spirit of truth he shall instruct you what is to be done teach you the full of my Fathers will for the laying aside of the ceremoniall externall law of the Jewes freeing all Christians from that yoke c. For it shall be no private doctrine of his own which he shall reveal to you but either that which I have already taught but you have either not observed or forgotten or that which you are not yet but afterwards to doe how you are to behave your selves in the businesse of the Jewes and Gentiles when the Jewes finally reject the Gospel c. and which I have not yet revealed to you as being not yet seasonable 14. He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you Paraphrase 14. What he doth shall tend to the illustrating of me For he being sent from my Father by me shall in all things accord with me and thereby appear to have his message from me and to declare nothing to you but what he hath from me 15. All things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you Paraphrase 15. And when I say this I mean not so to appropriate to my self as to exclude my Father but because all things are common to me and my Father and because all my will depends on the Father and because 't is my work wholly to attend the will of my Father therefore whatsoever of this nature he shall reveal to you I call that mine and the revealing of this his taking of mine and declaring to you 16. A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me because I goe to the Father Paraphrase 16. Within a while I shall for a time be taken from you then again within a little while after that I shall be with you again before my ascension for it is not possible for me to be held by death I must arise and goe to my Father 17. Then said some of his disciples among themselves What is this that he saith unto us A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me and Because I goe to my Father 18. They said therefore What is it that he saith A little while we cannot tell what he saith 19. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him and said unto them Doe ye enquire among your selves of that I said A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me 20. Verily verily I say unto you that ye shall weep and lament but the world shall rejoyce and ye shall be sorrowfull but your sorrow shall be turned into joy Paraphrase 20. You shall have a time of mourning and the world of joy but your sadnesse shall be soon turned to rejoycing and theirs ere long into heavinesse 21. A woman when she is in travaile hath sorrow because her hour is come but as soon as she is delivered of her child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world 22. And ye now therefore have sorrow but I will see you again and your hearts shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you Paraphrase 21 22. Your sorrow at my death shall be like the womans pangs of travaile but when it shall appear to you that my death doth but usher in my resurrection and ascension as the pangs of travaile doe the birth of a manchild then your sorrow shall vanish in the presence of this joy which shall be a durable joy 23. And note b in that day ye shall ask me nothing Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you 24. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full Paraphrase 23 24. When that Spirit is come he shall have taught you all things satisfied all your doubts and ignorances that you shall not need ask me any more questions After my departing you shall use a new form in your prayers to God which as yet you have not used make your requests to him in my name upon that score of your being my disciples and my giving you this authority and whatever tends to the fulfilling of your joy to your reall good shall be granted to you 25. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs but I shall shew you plainly of the Father Paraphrase 25. My discourse to you hitherto may have had some darknesses in it which I design'd on purpose but the Holy Ghost shall set all before you plainly see note on c. 7. a. according as 't is my Fathers pleasure to have things ordered in the Church see v. 13. 26. In that day ye shall ask in my name and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you 27. For the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God Paraphrase 26 27. And one benefit that by my ascension and the descent of the Spirit shall come to you is that you shall not need my offering up your prayers for you but you may in my name offer them up to God your selves and God out of his love and respect to those that believe on me and receive me as the son of God sent from heaven to declare his will to you shall grant all that you shall ask 28. I came forth from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and goe to the Father 29. His disciples said unto him Lo now speakest thou plainly and speakest no proverb 30. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things and needest not that any man should ask thee by this we believe that thou camest forth from God Paraphrase 30. Now we discern that as thou knowest all things so thou art pleased to reveale all saving truth evidently to us of thine own accord This convinces us that God sent thee and that thou camest to reveale his will 31. Jesus answered them Doe ye now believe Paraphrase 31. You speak a little confidently of your belief now at a distance from danger 32. Behold the hour cometh yea is now come that ye shall be scattered every man to his own and shall leave me alone and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me Paraphrase 32. But the time is now at hand that ye shall flie from me to your homes every one of you and so though ye believe on me ye will not yet confesse me but forsake me and as much as in you is leave
most glorious ends to the good of the world determined to deliver me up into thy power to suffer death under thee And this is a great aggravation of the sinne of Judas and the Jewish Sanhedrim he to deliver me up to them they to make thee their instrument to serve their malice in crucifying me not only an innocent person but even the son of God himself This they have had means to know better then thou and therefore though thy sinne be great yet theirs being against more light is much more criminous and shall accordingly be more severely punished 12. And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him but the Jewes cried out saying If thou let this man goe thou art not Caesars friend Whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar Paraphrase 12. This speech of Christs was so resented by Pilate that from that time he was very solicitous to have him set at liberty But the Jewes clamours and threats overaw'd him telling him that this Jesus was a stirrer of sedition and disturber of the government and if he did not put him to death he should not perform the part of a Procurator of the Roman Empire 13. When Pilate therefore heard that saying he brought Jesus forth and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the pavement but note a in the Heârew Gabbatha Paraphrase 13. Syriack 14. And it was the preparation of the Passeover and note b about the sixt hour And he saith unto the Jewes Behold your King Paraphrase 14. And it was the Paschal day of preparation to the feast of unleavened bread and 't was toward noon or midday 15. But they cried out Away with him away with him crucifie him Pilate saith unto them Shall I crucifie your King The chief priests answered We have no King but Caesar 16. Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified and they took Jesus and led him away Paraphrase 16. Thereupon he passed sentence against him according to the votes of the Jewes that he should be crucified and the souldiers v. 23. led him away to execution 17. And he note c bearing his crosse went forth into a place called The place of a scull called in the Hebrew Golgotha Paraphrase 17. And a crosse being laid on his shoulder he was led toward a place called in Syriack Golgotha that is the place of a scull but by the way they met Simon of Cyrene and made him carry the crosse part of the way 18. Where they crucified him and two other with him on either side one and Jesus in the midst 19. And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the crosse and the writing was Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jewes Paraphrase 19. the cause of his death his accusation see note on Mar. 15. b. 20. This title then read many of the Jewes for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city and it was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latine Paraphrase 20. Syriack words but Hebrew letters and in Greek and Latine words 21. Then said the chief priests of the Jewes to Pilate Write not The King of the Jewes but that he said I am King of the Jewes Paraphrase 21. Then they of the Jewish Sanhedrim said 22. Pilate answered What I have written I have written Paraphrase 22. The inscription shall not be altered 23. Then the souldiers when they had crucified Jesus took his garments and made four parts to every souldier a part and also his coat now the coat was without seam woven from the top throughout Paraphrase 23. under-garment see Lu. 23. 34. which was woven all of one piece 24. They said therefore among themselves Let us not rent it but cast lots for it whose it shall be that the scripture might be fulfilled which saith They parted my rayment among them and upon my vesture they did cast lots These things therefore the souldiers did Paraphrase 24. This therefore was exactly according to that prediction done by the souldiers 25. Now there stood by the crosse of Jesus his mother and his mothers sister Mary the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene 26. When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple standing by whom he loved he saith unto his mother Woman behold thy son Paraphrase 26. John he said unto his mother John shall supply the place of a son to thee to sustain thee see note on 1 Tim. 5. b. 27. Then saith he to the disciple Behold thy mother And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home Paraphrase 27. And to John Deale thou with her as with thine own mother whereupon John took her home to his own house with him 28. After this Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished that the scripture might be fulfilled saith I thirst 29. Now there was set a vessel full of vineger and they filled a spunge with vineger and put it upon hyssope and put it to his mouth Paraphrase 28 29. After this Jesus considering that all this while or thus farre all the prophecies concerning him had punctually been fulfilled to give farther occasion to the fulfilling that of Psal 69. 22. he saith I thirst Or seeing that now all was completed save only that one particular prediction he calls for somewhat to drink knowing that according to that of the Psalmist they would give him vineger And accordingly so they did 30. When Jesus therefore had received the vineger he said It is finished and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost Paraphrase 30. And assoon as he had drunk of that he said aloud All prophecies are now fulfilled as farre as belongs to my life and bowing his head as in a gesture of adoration and prayer he said Father into thine hands I commend my spirit and so expired 31. The Jews therefore because it was the preparation that the bodies should not remain upon the crosse on the sabbath day for that sabbath day was note d an high day besought Pilate that their leggs might be broken and they taken away Paraphrase 31. Then the Jews that the bodies of the dead might be quickly taken from the crosse and not hang there on the day following which was the first day of unleavened bread to which this day of the Pasch was the eve or preparation and also Saturday and so a feast and a sabbath together 32. Then came the souldiers and brake the leggs of the first and of the other which was crucified with him Paraphrase 32. The souldiers therefore according to appointment went to take them down and lest there should be any life in them and so being taken down they should run away and escape they brake the leggs of the two thieves 33. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already they brake not his leggs 34. But one of the souldiers with a spear pierced his side and forthwith came there out blood and water 35.
2. c. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã especially in their meetings for the commemorating of Christ in the Sacrament as appears in this chapter v. 44 45 47. where saith the Text They had all things common sold their possessions and parted them to all as every man had need c. living all as it were out of one common stock as those that are joynt-sharers and partners in all To which purpose it is observable from Levit. 6. 2. that the common or joynt-interest that Merchants or Tradesmen ofttimes have in Traffick called there by the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the putting to of the hand is by the Septuagint rendred ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã communication or communion or which is used also in this sense of joynt-interest fellowship and in the Chaldee ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a society of hand from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sociavit participem fecit a trading of partners and so in the Syriack also in the same word which they use in the New Testament to render ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and particularly here in this 42. verse And this is thought fit to be recorded by the Apostles among the very few things fit to be preach'd and proclaim'd by those that declared the Gospel to all the world that when the height of the Pythagorean philosophy was to have all things common and Epicurus went yet higher not by bringing all together into some common magazine which said he was an argument of diffidence and so unreconcileable with friendship but by cheerfull communicating to every one that had need out of that which every man hath the Christian religion might appear to have arrived to the highest pitch Every man selling that which he had immoveable that so he might have ready to distribute to any nay that he might not trust himself in the distribution bringing and laying it at the Apostles feet that they might distribute it most impartially and so approving themselves to be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a people of free-will-offerings in the day of Christs power Psal 110. now when he was install'd in his kingdome So in a spirituall sense ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 1 Cor. 1. 9. is the participation of the Son or communication liberality all one with his ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ephes 3. 8. his unsearchable riches as they are powred out on us So Ephes 3. 9. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the communication of the mysterie or that mysterie kept hid so long is now communicated or made known so Phil. 3. 10. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is the communicating his sufferings to us that is our partaking and so suffering with or after him in a spirituall sense dying to sinne as he dyed to the world which is there called being conformed to his death So 1 Corinth 10. 16. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the participating of the body and blood of Christ So ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã communication of the Spirit Phil. 2. 1. that liberall effusion of graces from the Spirit of God And so when in the solemn close of the Epistles ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the communication of the holy Spirit is joyned with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the grace of Christ and love of God 2 Cor. 13. 14. it must signifie proportionably to these many other places the liberall effusion of that holy Spirit and so 1 John 1. 3. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that you may have partnership with us ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and our partnership is indeed with the Father c. the gifts and life that God and Christ hath are communicated to us and ver 6. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã if we say that we are partakers with him of that grace and life c. By this might be explained the use of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the ancient Church but that the words are not found in Scripture and will be mention'd more seasonably on occasion of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 2 Cor. 3. Note a. V. 47. Having favour ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies to use or to exercise as when Christ saith to him that hath shall be given and let us have grace Hebr. 12. 28. And as for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is the very word Charity and is by Cicero so rendred and frequently signifies liberality as in Epicurus's book entitled ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of gifts and charity or liberality mention'd by Sextus Empir l. cont Gramm and so is used 2. Cor. 8. 4. and so Act. 4. 33. where ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is by the Syriack rendred ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is great goodnesse or benignity though Guido Fabritius render it gratia magna following the notion which it seems he had of the Greek without considering the Syriack and so the consequents demonstrate it to signifie and therefore the phrase ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is by the Syriack rendred ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is they gave almes before all the people not as Guido Fabritius again renders the Greek rather then that cùm iniissent gratiam when they got favour for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies dedit gave and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã misericordia gratia eleemosyna ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã bowels of mercy abundant liberality see 2 Cor. 8. 1. and Note on 1 Pet. 3. d. CHAP. III. 1. NOw Peter and John went up together into the Temple at the hour of prayer being the ninth houre Paraphrase 1. At three in the afernoon which was one of the times of day generally set apart for prayer 2. And a certain man lame from his mothers womb was carried whom they laid daily at the gate of the Temple which is called Beautifull to ask almes of them that entred into the Temple Paraphrase 2. And there was an impotent man who was so from his birth who was therefore daily carried by others and laid at the gate of the Temple toward the East in Solomon's porch ver 11. which was called the beautifull gate that there he might beg and receive the almes of those that went up daily to pray there by which means this man was known to all the pious men of the city that used to go that way v. 10. 3. Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the Temple asked an almes 4. And Peter fastning his eyes on him with John said Look on us 5. And he gave heed unto them expecting to receive something of them 6. Then Peter said Silver and Gold have I none but such as I have give I thee In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk Paraphrase 6. I cannot give thee that almes thou lookest for that of money to relieve thy wants but that which will eminently supply all thy wants and make it unnecessary for thee to ask any more I am able and willing to bestow upon thee 7. And he took him by the right hand and lift him up and immediately his feet and ancle-bones received strength
the disciples to be brought before them they examined them on these interrogatories 1. how they came to be able to doe that miracle ch 3. 7. and whose name they called upon that infirm man see ver 10. in the working of the cure see ch 3. 6. and consequently from whom they pretended to have commission to doe what they did thus to preach unto the people 8. Then Peter filled with the holy Ghost said unto them Ye rulers of the people and Elders of Israel Paraphrase 8. Then Peter being by the Spirit of God such as was promised Mat. 10. 19 20. endued with a great extraordinary presentnesse of speech and elocution v. 13. and taking great boldnesse and confidence upon him began thus 9. If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man by what means he is made whole Paraphrase 9. of an action which is so farre from being a crime that 't is an act of speciall mercy 10. Be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom ye crucified whom God hath raised from the dead even by him doth this man stand here before you whole Paraphrase 10. by no other means but by calling upon him the name of Jesus of Nazareth whom ye put to a shamefull death but God most miraculously raised again this miracle on the lame man was wrought 11. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders which is become the head of the corner Paraphrase 11. This is he that was prophesied of under the title of a refuse stone rejected by you the chief men among the Jewes and looked upon with despight and contempt but is now by his resurrection install'd in all power and dignity an effect of which is this miracle wrought in his name and is indeed become the ruler and king of the whole Church the prime foundation stone of the whole fabrick 12. Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Paraphrase 12. And by him and him only by receiving and embracing of his doctrine salvation must now be hoped for by all For there is no other religion in the world whether that which was delivered by Moses or by any other by which salvation can be had for those which doe not now come in to this at the preaching of it 13. Now when they saw the boldnesse of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men they marvailed and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus Paraphrase 13. And when they observed the clocution v. 8. and freenesse of speech with which they taught see note on Joh. 7. a. and withall considering that their education had not thus elevated them above other men being neither skilled in the learning of the Jewes nor as men of place or magistracy among them instructed in their lawes they were amazed at it but withall they either remembred or were told that they were those that had been attending on Jesus in his life time 14. And beholding the man which was healed standing with them they could say nothing against it Paraphrase 14. though they were as malitiously and petulantly affected toward them ver 16. as was possible yet they had nothing to object or except against the whole action either as it respected the man that was cured or the Apostles that wrought it 15. But when they had commanded them to goe aside out of the councell they conferred among themselves 16. Saying What shall we doe to these men for that indeed a notable miracle bath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem and we cannot deny it 17. But that it spread no farther among the people let us straightly threaten them that they speak henceforth to no man in this name Paraphrase 17. And being not able to conceal what was already known they had nothing to doe but to keep others from knowing it and thereupon their decree in councel was to send for them and to forbid them upon severe penalties to preach Christ and his resurrection and Gospel any more 18. And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus Paraphrase 18. talk privately or teach publickly any thing concerning the faith of Christ 19. But Peter and John answered and said unto them Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more then unto God judge ye Paraphrase 19 But Peter and John made light of this interdict or terrors and told them plainly they were commanded by God to preach and that in all reason God must be obeyed before them or the greatest magistrate on earth and that they themselves could not but confesse so much 20. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard Paraphrase 20. choose but testifie of Christ those truths of so high importance made known to us peculiarly to that end that we should proclaim them to others from our certain knowledge being our selves the eye and ear-witnesses of them 21. So when they had farther threatned them they let them goe finding nothing how they might punish them because of the people for all men glorified God for that which was done Paraphrase 21. And so not knowing what else to say to them being not able to deny the force of their argument they added more threatnings if possibly that might terrifie them and so dismiss'd them having nothing to lay to their charge but the curing of the lame man in the name of Jesus and for this all the people looked on them with admiration and counted it an act of Gods immediate infinite mercy for which they that were instruments of it ought to be blessed not punished by them and therefore they durst not punish or censure them for this 22. For the man was about forty years old on whom this miracle of healing was shewed Paraphrase 22. For it was an inveterate lamenesse from his very birth ch 3. 2. and had been now above forty years upon him when this cure was wrought by Peter 23. And being let goe they went to their own company and reported all that the chief priests and Elders had said unto them 24. And when they heard that they lift up their voice to God with one accord and said Lord thou art God which hast made heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is Paraphrase 14. the rest of the Apostles that were then at Jerusalem and the believers that consorted with them v. 23. 25. Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said Why did the heathen rage and the people imagine vain things Paraphrase 25. Who foretold by his prophet David Psal 2. 1. what was now come to passe viz. that the Jewes should oppose Christ and say false things of him
men are coming in which have buried thy dead husband and now they shall doe as much for thee 10. Then fell she down straightway at his feet and yielded up the ghost and the young men came in found her dead and carrying her forth buried her by her husband 11. And great fear came upon all the Church and upon as many as heard these things Paraphrase 11. And all the believers were stricken with a great reverence and so were all others to whom it was related 12. And by the hands of the Apostles were many signes and wonders wrought among the people And they were all with one accord in Solomons porch Paraphrase 12. And they solemnly met together to preach and doe miracles in the entrance to the Temple called Solomon's porch 13. And of the rest durst no man joyne himself to them but the people magnified them Paraphrase 13. And no other of the believers or Christians called the Church v. 11. durst consort with the twelve Apostles through the reverence v. 11. which these late acts had wrought in them but the people that saw and heard what was done magnified them 14. And believers were the more added to the Lord multitudes both of men and women Paraphrase 14. And these miracles that wrought such a reverence in the believers were a means also to work faith in all the common sort of the people 15. Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and couches that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them Paraphrase 15. And the people v. 12. had such confidence in their power of working miraculous cures that they believed that the very shadow of Peter walking by a diseased man would work a cure on him and thereupon they brought forth their sick and impotent friends those that were not able to goe or stand and laid them upon beds c. in the passage that as Peter came by his shadow might come over some of them 16. There came also a multitude out of the cities about unto Jerusalem bringing sick folks and them which were vexed with unclean spirits and they were healed every one Paraphrase 16. And the fame of their miracles spread into the countrey and region and other cities about Jerusalem and from thence they brought 17. Then the high priest rose up and all they that were with him which is the sect of the Sadducees and were filled with indignation Paraphrase 17. And the Sanhedrim most of them being of the sect of the Sadducees set themselves very zealously against them 18. And laid their hands on the Apostles and put them in the common prison Paraphrase 18. And apprehended the Apostles and imprisoned them in the common gaole 19. But the Angel of the Lord by night opened the prison dores and brought them forth and said 20. Goe note d stand and speak in the Temple to the people all the words of this life Paraphrase 20. all the doctrine of Christianity 21. And when they heard that they entred into the Temple early in the morning and taught but the high priest came and they that were with him and called the councell together and all the senate of the children of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought Paraphrase 21. And in obedience to that direction they betook themselves early in the morning to the Temple and there expounded the scripture and taught the doctrine of Christ out of it But they of the Sanhedrim thinking they had still been in hold went into the court and sent serjeants to the prison to have them beought before them 22. But when the officers came and found them not in the prison they returned and told 23. Saying The prison truly found we shut with all safety and the keepers standing without before the dores but when we had opened we found no man within Paraphrase 23. and a guard of souldiers with out watching the dores of the prison but when we entred none of these prisoners were within 24. Now when the high priest and the captain of the Temple and the chief priests heard these things they doubted of them whereunto this would grow Paraphrase 24. And when the Sanhedrim of the Jewes as also the captain of that band of souldiers who had set the guard upon the prison v. 23. see ch 4. 1. and Lu. 22. f. had this word brought to them they were much perplext and wondred how it could come to passe that the prison being shut and the watch at the dores yet none of the prisoners should be within and conceived that this did abode some strange matter 25. Then came one and told them saying Behold the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the Temple and teaching the people Paraphrase 25. are in the Temple instructing all that come thither 26. Then went the captain with the officers and brought them without violence For they feared the people lest they should have been stoned Paraphrase 26. And the captain that guarded the Temple see note on Lu. 22. f. together with his souldiers went to the Temple and apprehended them 27. And when they had brought them they set them before the councell and the high priest asked them Paraphrase 27. brought them before the court and the high priest examined them 28. Saying Did not we straightly command you that you should not teach in this name And behold ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring that mans blood upon us Paraphrase 28. not to publish this doctrine of Christ and ye contrariwise have published it in the Temple to all the city and done your best by laying his blood to our charge to raise up to the people against us as against murtherers 29. Then Peter and the other Apostles answered and said We ought to obey God rather then men Paraphrase 29. And the Apostles answered as before they had done ch 4. 19. We were commanded by God to publish it and then your interdict was not to have any force Though magistrates are to be obeyed in all their lawfull commands and their punishments to be endured without resistance as they were by us v. 18 26. yet when God fetches us out of prison and commands us to goe into the Temple and preach the faith of Christ as he did by his Angel v. 20. we are to render obedience to him and not to your contrary interdicts 30. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree 31. Him hath God exalted with his righ hand to be note e a prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sinnes Paraphrase 30 31. The God of Israel acknowledged by us all hath sent the Messias into the world furnished with his speciall Commission and when ye crucified him as a malefactor raised him from death took him into heaven and instated him in his regall power that
the people of Israel that God would perpetuate to them the mercy promised to David that of giving one of his seed to sit on his throne which had been for some time interrupted but should now be perpetuated to them upon their obedience but here accommodated to Christ that though he were crucified yet he should rise again and after that never dye any more that is that Christ under the title of the son of David should be given to the Jews not onely in a mortall condition as David was but in a firme immutable state which could not be true of him if he had not been raised from the dead and assumed to heaven never to dye any more 35. Wherefore he saith also in another Psalme Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy one to see corruption Paraphrase 35. And to that most clearly belongs that other place Psal 16. 11. 36. For David after he had served his own generation by the will of God fell on sleep and was laid unto his fathers and saw corruption Paraphrase 36. For if those words should be applyed to David personally they could have no truth in them for he having lived his term or space of naturall life and therein ruled the people over whom God was pleased to set him dyed a naturall death and never rose again but his body was putrified in the earth 37. But he whom God raised again saw no corruption Paraphrase 37. But he in whom that prophecy is completely fulfilled that is Christ being sent by God into the world and crucified and by the power of God raised from the dead the third day before the time came wherein bodies naturally putrifie viz. 72. houres after death wherein the revolution of humors is accomplished never came to dye again or putrifie at all 38. Be it known unto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you forgivenesse of sins Paraphrase 38. This therefore is the message we bring the Gospell we preach unto you that this Christ is the Messias who by his death hath reconciled God to all penitent believers and by his life and doctrine taught us a way wherein we may obtain pardon of sin such an one as was not to be found in the Mosaicall Law 39. And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses Paraphrase 39. And whosoever receives and obeyes him shall certainly be freed and purged from the wrath of God and the punishments attending sin in another world from which the Law of Moses could not by all its ceremonies washings and sacrifices purge or cleanse any 40. Beware therefore lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the Prophets 41. note k Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish for I work a work in your days a work which ye shall in no wise believe though a man declare it unto you Paraphrase 40 41. You are therefore neerly concerned to take heed and beware that by your obstinate resisting and rejecting this way of salvation now preached and confirmed from heaven by Gods raising Jesus from the dead when ye had opposed and crucified him you do not bring a remarkable astonishing destruction upon your selves in the same manner and a heavier degree as it fell upon the Jewes from the Chaldaeans Hab. 1. 5. as a just punishment of their despising the rich mercies of God afforded them and going on impenitently in their sins against all the messages sent them by the Prophets and by so doing cause the Gospel to be removed to the Gentiles v. 46. A thing which will come to pass suddenly in both parts the Gospels being taken from you and preached to the Gentiles and the Romans coming in and destroying you though âo incredible to you that you will not believe it when the newes of it shall come unto you by them that see it done see note on Mat. 28. b. 42. And when the Jewes were gone out of the Synagogue the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath Paraphrase 42. And as they departed from the Jews the Proselytes or pious persons of heathen birth desired to hear more of this subject the next Sabbath 43. Now when the congregation was broken up many of the Jews and religious Proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas who speaking to them perswaded them to continue in the grace of God Paraphrase 43. who preached to them and by way of exhortation confirmed them in the doctrine of the Gospel see note on Heb. 13. b. 44. And the note l next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God Paraphrase 44. the Gospel preached by them 45. But when the Jews saw the multitudes they were filled with envy and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul contradicting and blaspheming Paraphrase 45. And the chief men of the Jews seeing how the multitude thronged to hear it were horribly enraged and contradicted Paul and that with contumelies and reproches cast on him 46. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said It was necessary that the word of God should first have been preached to you but seeing ye put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life lo we turn to the Gentiles Paraphrase 46. But this no way discouraged Paul and Barnabas but they put off all fear and said courageously see note on Joh. 7. a. that now they had performed their charge from Christ of preaching the Gospel first to the Jews before they applyed themselves to the Gentile world But seeing ye Jews said they behave your selves so obstinately and perversely that you become utterly unworthy and uncapable of receiving benefit by the Gospel we are now by appointment to leave you and preach to the Gentiles and so we will 47. For so hath the Lord commanded us saying I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles that thou shouldst be for salvation unto the ends of the earth Paraphrase 47. For this was the direction of God that Christ being first preached to the Jews and being rejected by them should be preached to all other people of the world and this is the summe of that old Prophecy Isa 49. 6. 48. And when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were note m ordained to eternall life believed Paraphrase 48. And when the Gentiles heard this good newes that this pardon of sinnes and salvation by Christ was allowed them they rejoyced and blessed the name of God for this glorious mercy of his revealed in the Gospell and all they of the Gentiles that had any care or pursuit of the life to come the Gentile Proselytes or that were fitly disposed and qualified for the Gospel to take root in received the doctrine of Christ thus preached to them 49. And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the
ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifying coram ex opposite and yet used to denote that which is like and answerable Thus 't is certain S. Chrysostome understood the word in this place for so saith he ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The meaning is as God is no partial God but the Father of all so Abraham and again if he were not the father of all that dwell on the earth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã this word should have no place ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but Gods gift would be maimed and in express words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the word signifies in like manner And so Theophylact from him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã before God is instead of like God This observation may possibly be usefull to the finding out the full importance of some other places As when the commandment is given to Abraham of walking before God and being perfect Gen. 17. 1. which in this notion of before will be all one with Be ye perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect V. 20. Staggered ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã saith Phavorinus to doubt demurre dispute and be incredulous So is the word used Mat. 21. 21. Act. 10. 20. and 11. 2 12. Rom. 14. 23. Jam. 1. 6. and 2. 24. Jude 9 and 22. See Paulus Fagius on Pirche Aboth p. 82. CHAP. V. 1. THerefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 1. By this faith therefore it is that as many as sincerely embrace the Gospel are freely pardoned and accepted by God in Christ and being so they are reconciled unto God through our Lord Jesus Christ and though they have formerly been Gentiles need not become Proselytes of the Jewes need not any legal performances of circumcision c. to give them admission to the Church of Christ as the Judaizing Gnosticks contend 2. By whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God Paraphrase 2. Nay by him we have already received by faith only not by virtue of those performances reception and admission to those privileges to this Evangelical estate wherein now we stand and have done for some time and have a confident assurance that God which hath dealt thus graciously with us will if we be not wanting on our part make us hereafter partakers of his glory and this is matter of present rejoicing to us 3. And not onely so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience Paraphrase 3. And we not only rejoice in this hope of future glory but on this score also we are infinitely pleased with our present sufferings see Note on Heb. 3. b. whatsoever befall us now knowing that although our afflictions be in their own nature bitter yet they are occasions to exercise and thereby to work in us the habit of many excellent virtues as first patience and constancy which is required of us and which is most reasonable to be shewed in so precious a cause 4. And patience experience and experience hope Paraphrase 4. And this patience works another fruit for without that we could have no way of exploring or trying our selves touching our sincerity which is only to be judged of by triall and without this triall and approbation of our sincerity we could have no safe ground of hope which is only grounded on God's promises and those made onely to the faithfull sincere constant Christians 5. And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us Paraphrase 5. Which hope being thus grounded will be sure never to fail us 't is impossible we should ever be ashamed or repent of having thus hoped and adhered to Christ An evidence of which we have in God's having so plentifully express'd his love to us in testifying the truth of what we believe by sending his holy Spirit to ãâã âurpose which âures us that we can never miscarry in depending on him for the performance of his promises that being the great fundamental one promised before his death on which all the others depend 6. For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly Paraphrase 6. This appears from the very beginning of Christ â dealing with us for without all respect to any worth in us Christ when we were all in a sick yea a mortal that is sinfull see Theophylact damnable estate see 1 Cor. 8. note b. came then in a most seasonable opportunity to rescue us from that certain damnation which attended us as impious wicked creatures vouchâafed to suffer in our stead himself to die that he might free us from certain eternal death if we would now reform and come in to the obedience of the Gospel 7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die Paraphrase 7. And what a degree of love this was you may judge by this that among men though for a very mercifull person see note on Mat. 20. b. some one man would perhaps venture his life yet for any man else though he were a righteous and just man you shall hardly find any man that will be so liberal or friendly as to part with it 8. But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Paraphrase 8. Whereas God's expression of mercy was infinitely above this proportion of any the most friendly man for he when he had nothing in the object to move him to it when we were so farre from being good or just men from being mercifull or pious in the highest degree that we were prosane customary sinners he then sent his Son Christ to die for us to obtain by the shedding of his own blood pardon of sinnes for us upon our reformation and amendment 9. Much more then being now note a justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him Paraphrase 9. And having thus dyed and done so much for us when we had nothing but our sins to provoke him to or make us capable of any mercy much more now being thus for restored to his favour and by that ransome of his paâ'd for us redeemed out of that certain ruine that attended us we shall if we be not wanting to our selves in performing the condition required on our parts be actually delivered from all effects of his displeasure in another world and for the effecting of this great advantage we receive from him also viz. by his resurrection from death and mission of his spirit which tends more to our actuall justification then his death did see c. 4. 25. 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Paraphrase 10. For if God when
men lived and went on in sinne and hostility against him were pleased to have such favourable thoughts toward them see note on Mat. 5. m. if by the satisfaction wrought for our sins by Christ we were then thus farre restored to his favour that he was pleased to propose unto us free and easie conditions of mercy in the Gospell if he then used us so friendly as not to praeclude the way of salvation but called us to repentance with promise of pardon for all past sinnes upon our coming penitently in unto him much more easie will it be and agreeable to that former essay of his goodness to us now after he hath gone so farre with us to rescue us out of the power and danger of our sins by his rising from the dead c. 4. 25. and sending that Spirit by which he was raised to raise us up to a new life And this also as far as concerns Gods part is wrought for us 11. And not onely so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement Paraphrase 11. And yet this is not all but having received these benefits of reconciliation and promises of future salvation if we be not wanting to our selves we have now ground even of the greatest joy and confidence and dependence on God in all that can befall us in this life see v. 3. through this same Christ Jesus who having made peace between God and us and tendred us such easie conditions of mercy now under the Gospell hath also given us a title to all consequent acts of friendship and kindnesse which can be received from God so that all that now befalls us being for our good is consequently matter of rejoycing to us 12. note b Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sinne and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Paraphrase 12. From all which the conclusion is that as by Adam's disobedience to that Law given to him under the penalty of death that is by eating the forbidden fruit sin came into the world and death or mortality by sinne and being come in seized not onely on Adam to whom 't was particularly and expressely threatned In the day that thou eatest thou shalt die the death but upon all meer men also that were after born because all were sinners that is born after the image and likeness of Adam that was now a sinner and had begotten no childe in his innocence 13. For untill the Law sinne was in the world but sinne is not imputed when there is no Law 14. Neverthelesse death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression who is the figure of him that was to come Paraphrase 13 14. For after Adam's time before Moses or the time of giving the Law men sinned and though it be true that sinne is not charged to punishment but when there is a Law to forbid it expresly under that penalty and therefore it might be thought that sinne without the Law would not bring in death into the world yet by the parity of reason all men being Adam's posterity and begotten after the image or similitude of a sinfull parent v. 12. and God being supposed to rule the world still after the manner that he had first explicitely revealed that death that was once come in did lay hold on all that posterity of Adam from that time till Moses when the Law was given and death again denounced expresly though they sinned not against a Law promulgated under that penalty or in that high presumptuous degree that Adam did In which thing Adam is in the comparison the opposite member to Christ the Messias to come for as death which was the punishment of Adam's sin past on all men begotten after the similitude of sinfull Adam though they committed not that particular sin of eating the apple against which the death was expresly decreed and threatned that is though they sinnd not so presumptuously against a Law promulgated under that penalty so justification and eternal life belongeth not only to those who were as Christ perfectly just who have never lived in sinne but cometh upon all others who having not obeyed after the likenesse of Christ doe yet return unto him by faith and repentance and then for the future obey sincerely though not exactly and so in some manner and degree resemble Christ as children doe parents and as mankind did Adam 15. But not as the offence so also is the free gift for if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many Paraphrase 15. In this place there ought to be in ordinary manner of writing another member of the period answerable to the beginning of it v. 12. the 13th and 14th verses being certainly to be read as in a parenthesis after this manner For as c. So c. But the Apostle having insisted on the first part of the comparison thus farre and finding that the grace in Christ rose much higher then the condemnation in Adam he is fain to forsake that comparison and to rise above a comparison and conclude not with a So but with a Not onely so but much more thus The gift communicated from Christ to believers is farre greater then the punishment communicated from Adam to his posterity as sinners for as they were begotten after the similitude of laps'd Adam and so were all sinners as well as Adam so probably were they as great sinners in other kinds as Adam was in that but these to whom the mercy in Christ belongs are not righteous in such a degree as well as Christ 16. And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences unto justification Paraphrase 16. And as in respect of the likenesse the advantage is on Christ's side of the comparison believers being not so like Christ in degree of holinesse as they were like Adam in degree of ãâã so again for the sinne for which Christ wrought atonement the advantage is great again on Christ's side above Adams ãâã not only as by Adam so by Christ but the benefit farre exceeded the hurt for indeed the charge or enditement see note on ch 3. b. and consequently the sentence that was on occasion of one sinne did naturally and by the same reason belong to the condemnation of all others that were born after his image sinners as well as he but the gift that was brought in by Christ pardon for all new creatures was upon occasion of many sinnes and to the justifying of those that were not righteous as Christ no nor as Adam but had been guilty of more then one even of many sinnes And this makes the
comparison again very uneven for if as sinne was a meanes to bring condemnation into the world so the same or some other one sinne had been the occasion of bringing mercy in and pardon had been wrought for that one sinne and no more or for those that should for the future perfectly and exactly obey then the comparison had been equall but the sinnes that occasioned the mercy and have their parts in the benefit of this justification are many sinnes and the persons that should receive it not righteous in that degree as Christ was and that makes the comparison uneven 17. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reigne in life by one Jesus Christ Paraphrase 17. For if by Adam's sinne in that one kind death came into the world and through that one mans loynes and by the parity of reason that death was entailed upon all his posterity as being born after his image and guilty of other sinnes though not of that special kind then in like manner or rather indeed much more they that believe on Christ that receive and make use of that most rich grace righteousnesse of Christ that is are holy gracious and righteous too though not in his degree and so are according to his Evangelical way capable of this justification shall by the resurrection of Christ and by his living and interceding forever for them be sure to reigne with him 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the rightousnesse of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life Paraphrase 18. To conclude therefore as by one Adam's offence v. 12 and 16. sentence came on all offenders that is upon all meer sonnes of Adam to condemnation so by the righteousnesse of one God's gift of mercy in Christ v. 17. is come on all men Gentiles as well as Jewes to justification that is to the accepting them as just though they formerly lived in never so sinfull a course if they imitate the righteousnesse of Christ by sincere renovation 19. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Paraphrase 19. For as by Adam's one act of eating the forbidden fruit against which death was threatned all his posterity as such and much more all that sinn'd in any other kind that is all meer mean in the world were subjected to that punishment death which was then pronounced only against the earing of that so by Christ's having performed exact perfect obedience and then suffered death in our stead or to make satisfaction for us all men even the Gentiles themselves that shall come in to Christ and perform sincere faithfull obedience to him shall be justified though they be not perfectly just and accepted by him 20. Moreover the Law entred that the offence might abound but where sinne abounded grace did much more abound Paraphrase 20. As for the Law that was given by Moses that came in by the by as it were to give men the more convincing clear knowledge of duty and sinne and so though it were not designed to that end see Theophylact yet by consequence it became a means to aggravate and enhanse sinne see note on Mat. 1. k. to render it more exceedingly criminous by being against a promulgate Law and that again is a means of making the mercy now in the Gospel to be farre a greater mercy to the Jewes to whom Christ and the Gospel were first sent 21. That as sinne hath reigned unto death even so might grace reigne through righteousnesse unto eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Paraphrase 21. That as we visibly see the great power and authority of sinne over men by the punishment it hath brought on them as is evident by death's seizing upon all so it may be as visible what a royall illustrious power there is in the mercy of Christ over sinne in respect of this new way of justification by Christ even to take away all its condemning and reigning power from it by granting pardon and forgivenesse of and victory over it through Jesus Christ our Lord and all this to Gentiles as well as Jewes Annotations on Chap. V. V. 9. Justified Having formerly given the notion at large of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to justifie Note on c. 3. b. all that is here necessary to be added will be by way of enquiry whether the passive ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being justified here be only a Nominal or Real passive that is whether it only note the action as farre as concerns Christ's part in meriting and obtaining Gods pardon and acceptance for us and God the Fathers part in admitting sinners to pardon giving them place of repentance which is no more in effect but the offering pardon and acceptance on the conditions of the Gospel or whether to this action of the Father and Christ it farther superadde the reception thereof in the patient the actual partaking of it For these two somewhat distant notions the word is capable of either 1. that we are as farre as belongs to God's and Christ's part justified the price being pai'd by him and accepted by his Father and that if we be not now actually so 't is through our own default our non-performance of the condition or 2. that we have the benefits of Christs death bestowed and conferred actually on us pardon of sinnes c that is are actually justified That the forther is the meaning of the word here may appear 1. by the generall drift of this chapter which is to set out the love of the Father and of Christ towards us v. 8 c. God commendeth his love towards us c. where therefore the matter is determined to that which Christ doth for us toward our Justification that is to his death the sole meritorious cause of it without looking to that which is extrinsecall to it our performance or non-performance of the condition which is required on our parts to make us capable of the benefit thereof that having been formerly and often mention'd v. 1. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being justified by faith 2 dly by that which is said v. 8. we being yet sinners Christ died for us where 1. his dying for us is all one with our being justified by his death as appears by the circumstances of the Context the 8 9 10. verses compared together and 2. by sinners meaning habituall grosse sinners which is also express'd by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã v 6. not weak but sick even to death see 1 Cor. 8. Note b. 't is certain that to them continuing such actual justification belongs not so again v. 10. We when we were enemies were reconciled to God by the death of his son where as death is all one with blood so is reconciled to God
I shall set down some of them to repent to be converted to be transformed to be washed to purifie hands and heart Jam. 4. 8. himself 1 Joh. 3. 3. to be purified with the laver of regeneration by the word Ephes 5. 26. sprinkled in the heart from an evil ãâã Heb. 10. 22. to be renewed in the mind to put on the new man created according to God Ephes 4. 24. a new creature to be born of the Spirit Joh. 3. 6. to be spiritually-minded in opposition to being born of the flesh and minding fleshly things to be regenerate or to be born again or of water and of the Spirit to be begotten by the word of truth Jam. 1. 18. to be enlightned to revive and be risen with Christ to rise from the dead to be circumcised with the circumcision not made with hands Col. 2. 11. the circumcision of the heart explained by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh that is carnal sins to escape from the wicked generation and simply to escape or to be saved Act. 2. 47. to go out from among them to grow sober 2 Tim. 2. 26. to awake out of sleep Rom. 13. 11. 1 Cor. 15. 34. and in a special Scripture-sense of the phrase to be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5. 20. that is to lay down all that aversation and enmity which they had had formerly to God or by their wicked works Col. 1. 21. had express'd toward him to put off all filthiness Jam. 1. 21. works of darkness Rom. 13. 12. the old man c. Ephes 4. 22 24. and to ãâã Christ Gal. 3. 27. to depart from evil 1 Pet. 3. 11. to deny or renounce ungodlinesse Tit. 2. 12. to draw nigh unto God Jam. 4. 8. to become servants to God Rom. 6. 22. to take Christs yoke upon us Mat. 11. 29. to yield our members weapons of righteousnesse to God Rom. 6. 13. to be freed from the law that is the empire or dominion or command of sin Rom. 8. 2. to suffer in or to the flesh 1 Pet. 4. 1. referring to sins suffering or dying to and so ceasing from sin See Note a. on that place So to be crucified with Christ Gal. 2. 19. to crucifie the old man Rom. 6. 6. the flesh with affections and lusts and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being judged or condemned according to men in or to the flesh 1 Pet. 4. 6. that is judged and executed to carnal fleshly actions so customary among men that they may live according to God in imitation of or compliance with him to the Spirit after a sanctified spirituall manner So the world being crucified to me and I to the world Gal. 6. 14. mortifying by the Spirit the actions of the body Rom. 8. 13. and the members on the earth to be dead to sin Rom. 6. 11. and here being planted together with Christ in the likenesse of his death v. 5. V. 19. Speake after the manner of men ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here is thought to signifie his taking expressions out of common life ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in respect of the weaknesse of their grosse or carnal unstandings his using Allegories and figures and as before he had used proofs from sacred types the death and resurrection of Christ applied to his purpose of mortification and new life so now proceeding to vulgar known similitudes taken from masters and servants as Gal. 3. 15. And thus is may fitly be interpreted But it may otherwise be rendred also that the weakness of their flesh be taken in respect of strength to perform God's will and not to understand Paul's language and consequently the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã be speaking or requiring from them most moderately by way of condescension to their infirmities requiring the least that in any reason could be required of them so as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 1 Cor. 10. 12 signifies that which hath nothing extraordinary in it that which is common among men so S. Chrysostome there ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it signifies little short proportionable to their strength So in Demosthenes contr Midiam ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã an humane and moderate consideration So in Horace lib. 2. humanè commodae signifies parum commoda little profitable And if it be here considered how moderate and equitable a proposal it is which here followes 't will be acknowledged that this of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in this notion may very well be the form to introduce it CHAP. VII 1. KNow ye not brethren for I speak to them that know the Law that the note a law hath power over a man as long as he liveth Paraphrase 1. But to that which is last said ch 6. 23. of eternal life to be had by Christians through the Gospel ye are ready to object Yea but Christians of your institution doe not observe the Law of Moses and so sin contemptuously against God that gave that Law to Moses nay not onely the Gentiles that are converted to Christianity are by you permitted to neglect circumcision c. and not to become Proselytes of justice Act. 15. but which is more unreasonable the converted Jewes are taught by you that they need not observe the Law of Moses see Act. 21. 21. and note b. on the title of this Epistle and then how can the Gospel help them to eternall life that thus offend against the prescript Law of God To this third head of objections the Apostle in the beginning of this chapter gives a perspicuous answer affirming that which was now necessary to be declared though perhaps formerly it had not been affirmed to the Jewes at Rome that they were now no longer obliged to observance of the ceremonies of the Mosaical Law Which being to Paul revealed from heaven Ephes 3. 3. among the many revelations which he had received 2 Cor. 12. 7. he thus declares to them preparing them first by shewing the reasonablenesse of it by the similitude of an husband and a wife My brethren of the stock of Abraham ye cannot but know the quality or nature of those lawes which give one person interest in or power over another for I suppose you instruct ââre by frequent hearing and reading of the books of Moses that any such law stands in force as long as the person that hath that interest liveth 2. For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the Law to her husband so song as he liveth but if the husband be dead she is loosed fom the law of her husband Paraphrase 2. For it is known of any married woman that by the conjugal law she is obliged to cleave to the husband as long as he lives but upon the husband's death the conjugal law which is founded in his life is dead also and so the wife is absolutely free the law of matrimony hath no force upon her see Gal. 5. 4. 3. So then if while her husband liveth she be married to another man she shall
with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and when ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã what I hate in one place is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã what I would not v. 16. and that again ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the evil that I would not v. 19. and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã are directly all one 't is not imaginable how ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã what I hate I do should not be understood ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of doing evil this being no less than a direct contradiction to interpret ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for that is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã do by not do which neither Methodius nor any other mans authority can prevaile with any reasonable man to receive from him This inconvenience when Methodius foresees his onely answer is that he desires them who make this objection to declare what evil it was that the Apostle hated and would not do and yet did whether when he willed to serve God he yet committed Idolatry But sure the whole force of this answer if there be any is founded in interpreting the words to be spoken by S. Paul in his own person and so is perfectly prevented by him that understands the Apostle not of himself but of an unregenerate man From which process of Methodius and what he there addes in that place of the Apostles pronouncing against Idolaters and other such sinners that they cannot inherit the kingdome of heaven the conclusion is regular and unavoidable that if ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã do and work be interpreted of actions or of any more then thoughts unconsented to then the person that is spoken of by S. Paul Rom. 7. is one that shall not inherit the kingdome of God and then sure no regenerate person by Methodius's arguing Which therefore is most constringent and convincing that this chapter speaks of an unregenerate person for that 't is beyond all controversie that he cannot use those words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I do c. of meer ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã thinking or phansying only ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and not of consenting or doing And so in like manner that being carnal and sold under sin which is all one with a servant of sin in other places of the same Apostle it being then so ordinary to sell servants sub hastae under his speare as it were that had taken or conquered them and carried captive by the law in his members that is by his own carnal heart cannot be affirmed of him that lives in and walkes after the spirit To which this farther evidence may also be added from the using the phrase the Law of sin v. 23. the unquestionable importance of which we have from the immediate consequents ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or law of sin is sure the command or empire of sinne to which he that is captivated as the person here spoken of is must be acknowledged to be under the dominion of sin and that certainly is unreconcileable with a regenerate state This is farther express'd v. 24. by the body of death and so beares proportion to what had been said v. 5. when we were in the flesh as that is there opposed to the spirit the mâtions of sin did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death which concludes that condition which is here spoken of to be a damnable condition And it is remarkable that ch 8. 2. the law of the spirit of life which is in Jesus Christ is said to have made the Apostle free from this law of sin death From whence the argument is irrefragable That to which the person Rom. 7. 23. is said to be captivated is the same from which the grace of Christ hath delivered the regenerate justifyed person ch 8. 2. But the grace of Christ doth not free the regenerate man in this life from injections of phansy or thoughts unconsented to for certainly the regenerate man doth not pretend to that measure of grace as shall free him from all such Therefore that of thoughts unconsented to is not it to which the person Rom. 7. 23. is said to be captivated Against the evidence of this I foresee not what can reasonably be suggested CHAP. VIII 1. THere is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Paraphrase 1. There is therefore now no obligation lying on a Christian to observe those ceremonies of Moses's Law circumcision c. ch 7. 4 6. from whence to the end of that chapter the Apostle had made a digression to answer an objection ver 7. nor consequently danger of damnation to him for that neglect supposing that he forsake those carnal sins that the circumcised Jewes yet indulged themselves to and perform that Evangelical obedience in doing what the mind illuminated by Christ directs us to that inward true purity which that circumcision of the flesh was set to signifie that is now required by Christ under the Gospel see note on c. 7. c. 2. For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from note a the law of sin and death Paraphrase 2. For the Gospel which deales not in commanding of carnal outward performances but of spiritual inward purity the substance of those legal shadowes and that which was meant by them and so is proper to quicken us to new life in or through the grace and assistance of Christ who brought this new law into the world hath freed us Christians from the power and captivity of sin c. 7. 23. and so also from death the wages of sin from neither of which was the Law of Moses able to rescue any man 3. For what the Law could not doe for that it was weak through the note b flesh God sending his own Son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh Paraphrase 3. For when through the fleshly desires of men carrying them headlong into all sin in despite of the prohibitions of the Law c. 7. 14. the Law of Moses was by this means weak and unable to reform and amend mens lives then most seasonably God sent his own Son in the likenesse of flesh that is in a mortal body which was like sinfull flesh and differed nothing from it save onely in innocence and that on purpose that he might be a sacrifice for sin and by laying our sins on him shew'd great example of his wrath against all carnal sins by punishing sin in his flesh that so men might be perswaded by love or wrought on by terrors to forsake their sinfull courses 4. That the note c righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but
he shall receive a reward Paraphrase 12 13 14. That which is regularly to be built thereon is constant confession of Christ in despight of afflictions which like gold and silver c. is but refined and purified but not consumed in the fire But for any doctrine of worldly wisdome ver 18. see note a. of prudential compliances with the persecutors Jewes or Gentiles if any such earthy material be brought in in stead of it it shall be brought suddenly to the triall for that judgment of Christ which shall shortly passe upon them for the destroying all corrupt believers on one side and delivering and owning all true believers see Rom. 13. d. and Heb. 10. a. on the other shall deale with them as fire doth with that which is put in it to be tried preserving and refining what is true and good metall and making it more illustrious but burning up all that is combustible burn up and consume all this worldly wisdome and burnish the constancy of others like gold in the fire see Rev. 3. 18. and preserve such whilst all others are involved in their own subtilties v. 19. And so all that adhere sincerely to Christ they shall be sure not to misse their reward preservation here in this world besides that other that expects them eternally 15. If any man's work shall be burnt note a he shall suffer losse but he himself shall be note b saved yet so as by fire Paraphrase 15. But if it prove combustible matter if the doctrine or practice shall upon examination prove false and unchristian and so will not bear that triall such are the Gnosticks doctrines of denying Christ when persecuted it shall then be so farre from helping him to any advantage as the Gnostick complier hopes it will that it shall bring the greatest danger upon him and if upon timely repentance or by his not having actually denied Christ for all his superstructing of some erroneous doctrines he be more mercifully dealt with by Christ and freed from having his portion with unbelievers yet it shall goe hard with him as with one that is involved in a common fire and hardly escapes out of it 16. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you Paraphrase 16. By this that I say you cannot but discern what care you are obliged to take to beware of these false seducing teachers that creep in among you You are a Church of God's plantation built as the Temple among the Jews God's direction given for every part of it ye have had the Spirit of God to teach you all true doctrine and pure practices by your Apostolical plantation and so to dwell and continue among you and oblige you to all purity 17. If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which temple ye are Paraphrase 17. And therefore if any false teacher shall bring in any unclean heretical doctrine into such a Church of God's planting a place of God's residence and so pollute or defile God's dwelling-place as when Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire on God's altar then as they were devoured by fire from heaven so he must expect severe punishment For all ye that are Christians make up this one temple of God's and that being a consecrated society must not be profaned or polluted with such impure doctrines as the Gnosticks every where infuse 18. Let no man deceive himself if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a fool that he may be wise Paraphrase 18. And for that other conceit of theirs by which they get so many proselytes that of the lawfulnesse of denying Christ in time of persecution by which they promise themselves security from all the present evils let no man cheat himself with this perswasion any man that thus thinks to be more provident then other men and by this means to secure himself let him know that this will not thrive with him he will find himself deceived at last see v. 15. and Rev. 3. 18. there is no such prudent way for him to secure himself as to lay aside this worldly wisdome and constantly and cheerfully to adhere to Christ when in the eye of the world it seems most foolish to doe so 19. For the wisdome of this world is foolishnesse with God for it is written He taketh the wise in their own craftinesse Paraphrase 19. For God is wont to take off and preserve the plain simple person that avowedly adheres to him and to outwit the subtile designer and it will soon befall those pretenders according to that of Job 5. 13. they that think to be wiser then other men are by so much verier fools then others and so are discerned to be 20. And again The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vaine Paraphrase 20. And to the same purpose is that of Psal 94. 11. that all the subtile contrivances of crafty worldly-minded men prove vain and improsperous 21. Therefore let no man glory in men for all things are yours Paraphrase 21. Let no man therefore factiously or schismatically divide from the unity of the Church following such or such a master or instructer and so quarelling or contending with others v. 4. For all the gifts that are in the Church were given for your use and whatsoever any man can boast of it is not peculiar to him but belongs as well to every other person in the Church 22. Wherefore Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours Paraphrase 22. He that planted the faith among you and he that baptized you and he that superstructed upon this foundation are all subservient to your uses and not to be masters of your faith much lesse any of them to be set up against the other to make divisions and rents among you and so is likewise all humane wisdome or knowledge of naturall things so is God's mercy to us in keeping us alive securing some of us from the malice of our enemies and delivering up others of us to death for the testimony of Jesus Christ the condition now instantly approaching pressures for the name of Christ or that which is not quite so neer the yet future coming of Christ called the day v. 13. for the destroying of the false and rewarding the constant Christians all these are by God designed in common to you all as instrumental for your good 23. And ye are Christs and Christ is Gods Paraphrase 23. And the conclusion from hence is this that you give not up your faith to any but to Christ that you resolve firmly to obey him and adhere to him uniformly as he resigned himself up to the will of God to doe and to suffer whatsoever he appointed him in the great office of being our mediator and redeemer Annotations on Chap.
thought or spoke of among civill heathens or the unconverted Corinthians at that time that of having the fathers wife This saith Chrysostome was done by a Doctor that is I suppose a Bishop in some Church of Achaia ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã He was saith he not onely vouchsafed the divine mysteries partaker of them but had obtained the dignity of a Doctor And so Theodoret also Ib. Not so much as named among the Gentiles What is here said not to be named among the Gentiles is not so to be understood that no nation ever used it but that civill though not Christian nations have counted it abominable and nefarious no way lawfull or tolerable or that at this time the unconverted Corinthians were not guilty of it Among the ancient Arabians it was used and the custome so described by Al Mostratraf Ebnol Arhir c. that when a woman was left a widow or put away by the husband the eldest sonne should take her by inheritance and cast his garment over her as a signe of it or if he would not then the next heir and so the son they say succeeded to the fathers bed as well as wealth by inheritance This being formerly in use was by the Alcoran forbidden O vos qui creditis non permissum est vobis foeminas haereditatis jure accipere Believers that is they that receive Mahomets law must not take the fathers wives by right of inheritance So Al Sharestanius Turpissimum eorum quae faciebant Arabes tempore ignorantiae erat hoc quòd vir duas sorores duceret patris sui uxorem velut successor assumeret quod qui faceret appellatur Al Daizan quo nomine insectatus est Aus Ebn Haiar quosdam è tribu Banikais quorum tres ex ordine patris sui uxorem duxerant Mos autem erat apud Arabes ut cùm ab uxore morte aut repudio separaretur aliquis filiorum ipsius natu maximus si eâ opus haberet vestem suam ei injiceret quòd si ille opus eâ non haberet duceret ipsam è fratribus aliquis dotis novae interventu The foulest thing that the old Arabs did in time of ignorance was this that a man married two sisters and took his fathers wife as his successor which he that did was called Al Daizan and such there were of the tribe of Banikais who three of them one after another had married the father's wife Now it was a custome among the Arabians that when any man was separated from his wife by death or divorce his eldest son if he wanted her cast his garment upon her that is took her to wife or if he wanted her not one of his brothers married her V. 2. Puffed up and not rather mourned The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here to mourn lament wail referres to the customary solemnity of putting on mourning habits and waâling over them that were to be Excommunicate as over them that were dead ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã saith Origen Cont. Cels l. 3. just as Pythagoras when any forsook his school had a ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or empty hearse carried about and mourned for him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã him that is incurable or not otherwise like to be cured turn out of the Church with grief and mourning saith Clem. Constit 2. And so Origen l. 3. Cont. Cels See Note on Rom. 12. c. And accordingly here followes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã let him be taken from amongst you noting the censure of Excommunication and so 2 Cor. 12. 21. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã where bewailing of impenitent sinners is censuring them And thus the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã seems to signifie being all one with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 2 Cor. 2. 1. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to come with intention to censure and punish the very same as ch 12. 21. before the bewailing them is expressed by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã where God's humbling him towards them is giving him occasion to exercise his censures or Church-discipline on them at his coming among them contrary to the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 1 Cor. 5. 2. as appears by ch 13. 2. when I come again I will not spare and v. 10. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that when I come I may not use severity so 2 Cor. 2. 3. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies to be constrain'd to use severity of censures to which this mourning or sorrow belongs and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã v. 4. to be under those censures and v. 5. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to offend and commit that which S. Paul was constrain'd to punish with the censures of the Church so ch 7. 8. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is if I inflicted the censures of the Church upon you and in the end of the verse I ãâã that that Epistle though written for that season ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã brought the censures of the Church upon you ver 9. and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not that you were put under the censures ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but those censures produced that effectual change in you ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for ye were dealt with according to the discipline ordained by God or Christ in the Church and so in all probability that is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã v. 10. which brings ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a change or newnesse of life as the censures and punishments of the world bring death And so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to be mourned or sorrowed v. 11. that is censured according to Gods appointment V. 3. Judged ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in this place is the pronouncing or giving sentence against the offender so 't is used v. 12. What have I to doe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to judge them inflict censures on them that are without heathens that were not in the Church or Gnosticks that divided from it those he leaves to God's censures and punishments as not belonging to his Apostolical judicature so ver 13. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Doe ye not judge them that are within that is all that live within your Church and yet fall into any such carnal sinnes ye the Governours of each Church of Achaia ought to endeavour to reduce by inflicting the censures of the Church on them and accordingly followes there what here precedes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Remove the wicked person perhaps ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the fornicator or incestuous v. 1. from among you And agreeably so it must be here ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I have judged sentenc'd him that hath thus done this and what the sentence is appears by the 4th and 5th verses the 4th containing the solemnity wherewith it was to be inflicted in the publick assembly of the Church to have power of the keyes exercised on him according to his Apostolical office ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to deliver up such an one to Saetan v. 5. that is to excommunicate him See Note e. V. 5. Deliver such an one unto
to testifie it but some of them are dead 7. After that he was seen of note a James then of all the Apostles Paraphrase 7. Besides all these he was presently after his resurrection seen by James the Bishop of Jerusalem then by all the twelve Apostles Joh. 20. 25. 8. And last of all he was seen of me also as of one note b born out of due time Paraphrase 8. And after his ascension to heaven he spake from thence and exhibited himself to be seen by me who before had not seen him being not a disciple of his then but after his ascension converted by him and received through his special favour into the number of his Apostles though most unworthy of that dignity 9. For I am the least of the Apostles that am not meet to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God Paraphrase 9. For I having first been a great persecutor of Christianity though by Christ I was thus miraculously call'd to be an Apostle of his am not yet worthy to be so esteemed but being by Christ so constituted am yet for that former life of mine inferior to all the rest of the Apostles of Christ who were never thus guilty 10. But by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain but I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me Paraphrase 10. Though being by his special favour so constituted I have since laboured to walk worthy of it and have been more industrious and laborious then all the rest that had been his disciples here yet what I have thus done is not to be imputed to me in any manner but to the grace and goodnesse of God that went along with me and enabled me to doe what I have done 11. Therefore whether it were I or they so we preach and so ye believed Paraphrase 11. Well then whether ye look upon me or upon them to whom he appeared here on earth and so were eye-witnesses of his resurrection I am sure ye can have no grounds from either of doubting of this truth for both they and I preached the same among you and at our preaching you then received and believed it 12. Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead Paraphrase 12. Now upon this foundation thus laid that you can have no reason to doubt it it follows that the dead truly rise and then how comes it to passe that some of your Churchmen that have received the faith by our preaching begin now to deny all resurrection 13. But if there be no resurrection of the dead then is Christ not risen Paraphrase 13. These are presently confuted supposing it granted that Christ is risen from the dead 14. And if Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain and your faith is also vain Paraphrase 14. Which if it be not true then is that false which both we preached and ye believed v. 11. and in all probability whatever else we have built upon it 15. Yea and we are are found false witnesse of God because we testified of God that he raised up Christ whom he raised not up if so be that the dead rise not Paraphrase 15. And ye must suppose of us who taught you Christianity that we taught you a meer forgery for such must the resurrection of Christ be if there be no resurrection from the dead 16. For if the dead rise not then is not Christ raised Paraphrase 16. For thus one may argue backward If there be no possibility for a man by the power of God to be raised from death then is not Christ raised 17. And if Christ be not raised your faith is vain ye are yet in your sins Paraphrase 17. And if so then all that we have preach'd to you particularly remission of sins upon repentance being bottom'd on the resurrection of Christ Act. 5. 31. is to be supposed false also 18. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished Paraphrase 18. And they that have lost their lives for Christ's sake have had nothing to pay them for those losses have perished eternally and so lost very much by their fortitude which must argue madnesse in them if they believed not a resurrection for then they had better have kept the life they had till a natural death had called it from them and must argue a grosse error in those first Christians Stephen and James c. if they believed that which had not truth in it 19. If in this life onely we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable Paraphrase 19. And indeed if Christ were not risen if all our hope in Christ had been rterminated with this life of his on earth or if all the advantages which we reap by Christ are those which we enjoy here who are worse used then any other men persecuted continually for our profession of Christ it would then follow that as once the Apostles deemed themselves upon his death not knowing he was to rise again so we Christians should be the most unhappy persons the most proper objects of compassion that are in the world 20. But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first-fruits of them that slept Paraphrase 20. Which now blessed be God is much otherwise for Christ being risen he by rising himself raiseth all others with him as in the consecrating of the first-fruits the whole harvest is also consecrated and then we that are miserable here shall be rewarded there and so his resurrection is a certain proof that other men shall have a resurrection also which is the summe of the arguing from v. 12. till this place 21. For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead Paraphrase 21. For as one man brought death so another brought resurrection into the world 22. For as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive Paraphrase 22. For as upon Adams sin all that are partakers of his nature are concluded under the sentence of death pronounced against him so all regenerate believers all that are like that belong to Christ v. 23. shall be raised to immortal life 23. But every man in his own order Christ the first-fruits afterward they that are Christ's at his coming Paraphrase 23. But this with some distance of time betwixt Christ the first-fruits some time before the rest then all regenerate Christians at his last coming to judgment 24. Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the kingdome to God even the Father when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power Paraphrase 24. Then I mean when in the conclusion of this world of this spiritual kingdome of Christ in the Church here below he shall deliver up all
his power exercised by himself and his commissioners into the hand of God his Father having first destroyed all earthly dominions pronouncing sentence on the great potentates as well as the meanest men or else having subdued all to his power by converting some and destroying all others 25. For he must reigne 'till he hath put all enemies under his feet Paraphrase 25. For to this purpose was the promise made to Christ Psal 110. that his spiritual kingdome on earth should last so long till God had brought all the world to be subject to him 26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death Paraphrase 26. And of the enemies to be subdued death is the last which therefore must be subdued and so men raised from death 27. For he hath put all things under his feet but when he faith All things are put under him it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him Paraphrase 27. The evidence being clear for all enemies all things no one excepted that God will subdue them all under Christ alwaies supposing that God himself is excepted of whom 't is affirmed that he will put all things under Christ 28. And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be all in all Paraphrase 28. And when all is so subdued to Christ then shall Christ lay down that office which till then he exerciseth and in which he is conspicuous in his Church which till then he is to administer and then shall God the Father Son and holy Ghost fill all the elect with glory and blisse eternally 29. Else what shall they doe which are baptized note c for the dead if the dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for the dead Paraphrase 29. Now for them among you ver 12. which say there is no resurrection of the dead and consequently that the dead shall not be raised at the coming of Christ which was the point in hand v. 23. and from that verse to this all betwixt being to be read as in a parenthesis setting down the state of all things at and after that resurrection I shall onely make this demand Why then have they in their baptisme made profession of their belief of it see v. 14 17. it being certain that the dead or the resurrection of the dead expressed here for brevity under that word the dead is one of the articles and that a prime and special one to the belief of which they were baptized and to which baptisme being the putting in and taking out of the water doth referre as a significant emblem first of Christ's then of our resurrection from the grave And therefore to what end did these men in their baptisme professe their belief of this article if they believe it not To be a baptized Christian and not to believe the resurrection is a strange ridiculous thing an hypocrisie which they will never be able to answer to God or men and that which actually deprives them of all benefits of baptisme and yet such are they if they make doubt of this 30. And why stand we in jeopardy every houre Paraphrase 30. And why should we Christians ever adventure any danger that might possibly bring doath upon us if we were no assured that there were another life wherein all our patience and valour for Christ should be rewarded by hâm v. 18. 31. I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I die daily Paraphrase 31. I far my part protest by that which I take most joy in of any thing in the world my fidelity to Christ that I daily run the hazard of death which sure I should not doe if I had not confidence of another life after this 32. If note d after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus what advantageth it me if the dead rise not Let us eat and drink for to morrow we die Paraphrase 32. Certainly all the hazards which I ran at Ephesus Act. 19. being as to man to the eye of man or as farre as mens purposes could goe set to combate with wild beasts that is sentenced and condemned 2 Cor. 1. 9. to that kind of bloody execution on their threatres though by the providence of God I was delivered can bring me no advantage unlesse there be another life after this And were it so there were some place for that saying of some among you Let us enjoy the good things of this world at present for within a while death comes and there 's an end of all 33. Be not deceived evil communications corrupt note e good manners Paraphrase 33. And 't will concern you that are not yet thus seduced to take heed that such speeches and discourses as these such atheisticall temptations to sensuality upon pretence of the no future state no being after that of this life doe not work upon you The very conversing with such disputers as these may corrupt such easy seducible credulous people as it seems some of you are 34. Awake to righteousnesse and sin not for some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame Paraphrase 34. 'T is all reason and more then time that you should truly see note on Lu. 16. a. or throughly rouze your selves out of that drousie condition of sinne that you have gone on in at least some of you ver 12. that by their behaviour and discourse shew themselves to be meer heathens still Of whom I tell you that it may work shame in you that you have such men among you rather then that you permit your selves to be tempted to imitate them 35. But some man will say How are the dead raised up and with what body doe they come Paraphrase 35. But some object that if men die how can they live again or what kind of body shall they have that which they had being rotten in the grave see note on Act. 15. c. 36. Thou fool that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die Paraphrase 36. But this is a foolish objection for even in corn that is sowed the rotting of the corn is necessary to the enlivening of it or springing of it up again 37. And that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body that shall be but bare grain it may chance of wheat or of some other grain Paraphrase 37. And it is not the custome to sow that very thing which after comes up the blade and eare and corn in it but onely the corn without the rest as the corn of wheat or the like 38. But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him and to every seed his own body Paraphrase 38. And when such a single corn is sown without any ear or chaffe about it God causeth it to come in this or that form a root and blades and
the race others pursue and get up close after him being ready to outstrip or get before him but doe not so and that is the meaning of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not outstrip'd or cast behind the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifying to be out-gone relinqui literally in Horace's notion mihi turpe relinqui est So in Plutarch ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they doe not crown them that are lag or left behind and 1 Cor. 9. all run but one receives the prize So Eustathius on Homer Il. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã He that is overcome we say is left and in Hesychius ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã corruptly for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to be left is to misse the reward and therefore Jam. 1. 4. those that are perfect and consummate crowned or âât to receive the crown are said to be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã left behind in nothing victorious still 'T is true indeed that the vulgar notion of forsaken is applicable to the word among good authors As in Aristotle Rhet. l. 1. c. 10. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã cowards for fear forsake desert those that are in the same danger with them But the contexture and consort of so many other agonistical words and the examples of this use of it joyned thereto do rather incline it to the former Then for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that belongs again to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã wrestling where he that throws the other first is conquerour whereupon Hesychius ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to cast down is to overcome to throw The same is express'd by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã supplanting tripping up the heels whence is that scholion of Theophylact ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã thrown by them that wrestle with us and then the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not destroyed may either signifie literally so not killed that is lying upon the ground but not like carcasses there or else rising up again after the fall and not as the Elephant irrecoverably down All which belongs to the afflictions that befell the Apostles their hardship in these ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and combats of theirs V. 17. Weight of glorie The Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies primarily two things weight and plenty and from thence two things more either glory or riches From hence it comes that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is in the Greek of the Old Testament taken for multitude or greatnesse that is applied to a train or host 1 Kin. 10. 2. and 2 Kin. 6. 14. and 18. 17. and 2 Chron. 9. 1. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a great numerous troop of attendants or army and 1 Mac. 1. 17. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a very great multitude and 3 Mac. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a great magnificent feast Accordingly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here will be riches plenty and abundance of glory the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being the rather here used in opposition to the lightnesse of the afflictions precedent but not to denote the heavinesse but abundance or riches of this as Gen. 13. 2. Abraham is said to be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã heavy that is plentifull in catrell c. the LXXII read ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã rich and so c. 1. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies riches CHAP. V. 1. FOR we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heavens Paraphrase 1. For of this we are confident that if our bodies wherein we dwell as in a moveable tent or tabernacle be destroyed by the present pressures that lie upon us if our dangers should end in death it self this were a matter of no terror to us having so much a better abiding place provided for us by God so much an happier condition then any this world is capable of and out of reach of all sublunary dangers sure to be continued to us for ever 2. For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven Paraphrase 2. For while we are in this inferiour state of bodies we are for ever unsatisfied and impatient desiring to have those spiritual bodies 1 Cor. 15. 44. that purer state of blisse and immortality as an upper garment to adorn and hide the blemishes and imperfections and keep off the cold and pressures that this body of ours is subject to 3. If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked Paraphrase 3. This I say upon supposition that we should never die that we were in the number of those mentioned 1 Cor. 15. 53. and 1 Thess 4. 15. 17. that are found alive at the last trump at the day of doom as some shall certainly be and yet even those very heartily glad to be changed to have these natural bodies spiritualized 4. For we that are in this tabernacle doe groan being burdened not for that we would be unclothed but clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life Paraphrase 4. For while we are in these bodies of clay we are subject to weights and pressures and those give us a great impatience and wearinesse and this hath a very observable meaning in it for 't is certain we doe not desire to put off these bodies to part with them finally how weary soever we are This therefore is the signification of it that there is another sort of bodies and another sort of life infinitely more desirable then these which we now enjoy an eternal immutable life of these our bodies in stead of that mortall subject to afflictions and death it self which we now live and that we are naturally a desiring a panting a groaning after 5. Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit Paraphrase 5. And the same God that hath created and framed us after this manner with bodies subject to such pressures that we perpetually desire to change them for impassible hath by Christ promised us that he will make this provision for us raise us to immortal lives and as a pledge and pawn to assure us that he will perform this promise he hath by the preaching of the Gospel sent to cleanse and purifie us here in some measure which is a kind of spiritualizing of our bodies and a pawn and earnest of our future immortality to which that Spirit shall raise us which raised Christ from the dead 6. Therefore we are alwaies confident knowing that whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. Paraphrase 6. By these considerations therefore being enabled to look cheerfully on death as that which only brings us home to God from which these earthy bodies keep us strangers 7. For we walk by faith
18. my earnest exhortation to you is that you purifie your selves from the sins of all kinds that are now crept in among you particularly from the pollutions of the flesh that your idol-feasts are apt to betray you to and of the spirit as pride faction schisme c. preferring false teachers before us which planted Christ among you practising to the end all manner of piety with all diligence see note on Phil. 2. c. 2. Receive us we have wronged no man we have corrupted no man we have defrauded no man Paraphrase 2. The false teachers that you receive so willingly injure you defile you and either defraud or perhaps seduce you into abominable sins See Ephes 4. 22. and 2 Pet. 1. b. But we have been far from doing any of these and therefore are fitter to be embraced by you c. 6. 14. See Rom. note i. 3. I speak not this to condemne you for I have said before that you are in our hearts to dye and live with you Paraphrase 3. I speak not this to bring any evill report upon you for I love you most passionately as I said before 4. Great is my boldnesse of speech toward you great is my glorying of you I am filled with comfort I am exceeding joyfull in all our tribulation Paraphrase 4. My freedom see note on Jo. 7. a. in mentioning your faults is great indeed but withall I am as free in boasting of your obedience and though I have had much grief and fear v. 5. through the sins that were among you yet the joy which I take in your repentance is extreamly more abundant then the sorrow was 5. For when we were come into Macedonia our flesh had no rest but we were troubled on every side without were fightings within were fears Paraphrase 5. For the truth is all our journey long from Ephesus to Macedonia Act. 20. 1. we had a sad time of it for as we met with many oppositions from others so the many fears we had concerning you were very troublesome to us 6. Neverthelesse God that comforteth those that are cast down comforted us by the coming of Titus Paraphrase 6. But through the mercy of God who relieves those that are in greatest want of relief Titus's coming freed us from all 7. And not by his coming only but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you when he told us your earnest desire your mourning your fervent mind towards me so that I rejoyced the more Paraphrase 7. And it was not the bare presence of Titus that was such solace to me but the news that he brought me and with which he himself was so much comforted to wit the news of your panting after me lamenting most sadly the sins that I had in my former Epistle laid to your charge and your earnestnesse for me against those that traduced me 8. For though I made you sorry with a Letter I doe not repent though I did repent for I perceive that the same Epistle hath made you sorry though it were but note a for a season Paraphrase 8. So that now though those directions of mine in my first Epistle brought the censures of the Church upon some of you for so I find they did though but for a time with place for speedy remission upon reformation I have no reason to be sorry for what I did though the truth is I was a while sorry for it and wish'd I had not been so severe 9. Now I rejoice not that ye were made sorry but that ye sorrowed to repentance for ye were made sorry after a godly manner that ye might receive damage by us in nothing Paraphrase 9. But now that I hear what successe it hath found among you what reformation hath been wrought by it I professe my self to rejoyce not that you had the censures inflicted on you but that those censures produced that effectuall reformation and change for you were dealt with according to the custome of Evangelicall Discipline And so 't is clear enough that you have not been damnified by me in this matter but much advantaged thereby 10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death Paraphrase 10. For that Discipline which Christ hath now ordained in his Church see 1 Cor. 5. note c. is very proper to work such change of mind as shall advance to a constant persevering durable forsaking all known sinnes see note on Rom. 10. a. whereas the punishments which are usuall in the world ordinarily end in the taking away of mens lives or somewhat analogicall to them in a lower degree 11. For behold this self same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulness it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what fear yea what vehement desire yea what zeal yea what revenge in all things you have approved your selves to be clear in this matter Paraphrase 11. And an evidence thereof I have in you whose having the censures of the Church inflicted on some of you hath wrought a vehement care to make all right again a clearing of the guiltlesse a displeasure and disdain against the guilty fear of my displeasure desire to give me satisfaction earnestnesse to reform yea to deny your selves lawfull liberties by way of penance for the former inordinacies And so you have done all that is possible toward the acquitting your selves in this businesse 12. Wherefore though I wrote unto you I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong nor for his cause that had suffered wrong but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you Paraphrase 12. When therefore I wrote so sharply to you the interpretation which you are to make of it is this that it was not out of any disposition of severity against them that had committed those crimes the fornicators and incestuous person 1 Cor. 5. 1. the man that sued his brother c. 6. 1. nor out of any partiality of kindness to them that had been sufferers by those crimes him that was defrauded 1 Cor. 6. 8. or disturbed with law-suits before the heathen judicatures v. 1. but onely to expresse my care of you that by my writing to you in that manner you might discern how diligent I am to doe you any good 13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort yea and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus because his spirit was refreshed by you all Paraphrase 13. And by this means I have received much matter of joy hearing what good effects the censures had wrought upon you and this joy was very much increased to see how Titus was joyed and inwardly inlivened by you 14. For if I have boasted any thing to him of you I am not ashamed but as we spake all things to you in truth even so our
for it if he shall again return to that which he hath renounced and assert justification by that Law affirm that the observance of Mosaical rites is necessary to justification what doth he then but apostatize in some measure depart from his former profession in returning to Judaisme again 19. For I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God Paraphrase 19. We are all taught by the very Old Testament the Law and Prophets that we must seek farther then the Law viz. to Christ and so I have done and learned by the Law it self not to value it too much but to give over hope of justification or life by those legal performances that so I may find it in God through Christ in the New Covenant 20. I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Paraphrase 20. Christ by his death hath abolished the Mosaical Law Ephes 2. 14. that is hath taken away the discrimination betwixt Jew and Gentile brought justification into the world for those that observe not the Mosaical Law and I by being a Christian have been made partaker of this fruit of Christs death and so am also dead to the Law v. 9. and Rom. 7. 4. and now I am no longer the man I was that is a Jew but a Christian and am now bound to no other observations but those which Christ requireth of me to whom I am obliged by all the bands of love and duty having given his own life for me to free me from the Mosaical Law among other things 21. I doe not frustrate the grace of God for if righteousnesse come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain Paraphrase 21. This freedome therefore I make use of and doe not depend on the Law for justification nor think the Mosaical observances still necessary for that were to evacuate the Gospel of Christ see note on Heb. 13. c. for if still the Mosaical performances are necessary and sufficient to our justification then Christ needed not to have died it would be matter of no advantage to us that he thus came into the world and said down his life for us Annotations on Chap. II. V. 1. Fourteen years after What ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here signifies is by learned men made a matter of some question The time to wch S. Paul refers must be that of his going with Barnabas here mentioned from Antioch to Jerusalem on the question here discoursed of about the necessity of the Gentile Christians being circumcised that so first it may connect with the spaces mention'd c. 1. 18 21. so as the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã again seems to import to denote the next time of his going to Jerusalem after that mentioned v. 18. and 2dly so as to denote a time wherein Peter may be supposed still to reside at Jerusalem and wherein Titus may be supposed to be with S. Paul as a neophytus and a companion and so in danger of being pressed to be circumcised not yet employ'd or sent out by him on any service in the Churches Now this is thought so unlikely to be fourteen years after the space last mention'd c. 1. 21. his going to Syria and Cilicia Act. 9. 30. that it hath been thought probable that as in numeral letters it oft happens fourteen should be here set in stead of four For which emendation seeing there appears not any ground in the Antient Manuscripts it will surely be more reason able to observe 1. that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã doth not distinctly signifie after as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. 1. 18. had done but by or about that is neer that space though not precisely fourteen years 2dly that the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Afterward or then referres not to that which was mention'd immediately before his passing through Syria and Cilieia so as to affirm this to have been fourteen years after that no nor to the former Epocha's either his going up to Jerusalem v. 18. or departing into Arabia v. 17. but to that great Epocha so considerable to him the time of his conversion which immediately succeeding the death of S. Steven may reasonably be placed in the first year after Christs assumption An. Ch. 34. From whence to the time of that Councel which is ordinarily placed An. Ch. 47. it was about thirteen or fourteen years And then there will be no more need of an emendation then there is authority for the imagining any V. 2. To them which were of reputation For the notion of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã v. 6. it must be observed that it signifies not the mens own opinion of themselves or their assuming any great authority over others as of Simon Magus it is said Act. 8. 9. that he did ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã say or take upon him that he was some great on t but that they were so in the reputation and esteem of others and that the great opinion that at that time all Christians had of them above the rest of the Apostles was it that moved Paul to go up and address himself particularly to them This is fitly express'd by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as from that Verb the Noun ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã reputation or glory comes those that are in esteem in an eminent manner and more so by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã those that are esteemed to be something that is something above other their ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or fellow-Apostles not seemed so as that is equivocal either to seeming falsely bare seeming or seeming in their own eyes but seeming so in truth and to the generality of the best and wisest Christians In proportion to this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it maketh no matter to me ver 6. is far from any thing of scorne or despising in S. Paul that speaks it it is a solemne forme onely of insisting on his own commission from Christ which could no way be prejudiced by the reall excellency of their persons how great soever they were God who accepts no persons and attends not to personal excellencies may give his Commission to an ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to the meanest and unworthiest as well as to those which are really of the greatest eminence All this passage therefore is rather an expression of great reverence to Peter c. than of scorne Onely for his mission and revelations Paul hath them from Christ not from any man cap. 1. 16. and 2. 6. V. 3. Compelled What ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã was not constrained signifies here is a matter of some difficulty which being explained will make the next verse perspicuous which otherwise seems not intelligible That some pretended Christians looked very jealously on S. Paul as one averse from the Mosaical Law
of Christ and the deliverance of the persecuted Christians by the destruction of their enemies And so here the Context makes it clear that by Christ all Christians are to be understood circumcised or not Jewes or Gentiles so if ver 17. the words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã be to be retained it must be understood of the whole body joyned with the head the Christians or all faithfull people with Abraham the father of all such for to them was that covenant established and those promises made But those words are left out in the Kings MS. and so it seems most probable they should be and then the sense will be clear that the covenant was established by God to Abraham CHAP. IV. 1. NOw I say that the heir as long as he is a child differeth nothing from a servant though he be lord of all 2. But is under tutors and governours untill the time appointed by the father Paraphrase 1 2. Now as it is of heirs to estates among men when though their fathers are dead they are in their minority they are governed by guardians and their estates ordered for receits and expences by stewards till the time come after which either their father in his will or else the laws of the land put them in their own power and free them from guardians though all this while they are owners of their whole estates 3. Even so we when we were children were in bondage under the elements of the world Paraphrase 3. So was it with us children of Abraham and of God we were obliged to observe those first rudiments of the worship of God in the Jewes religion see note on Col. 2. b. with which God would have men brought up and exercised to the more sublime pure way of serving him 4. But when the fulnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law 5. To redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons Paraphrase 4 5. But when that time was come v. 2. wherein God saw it fit to remove the guardian of the heir that is to lay the Mosaical Law aside then God sent his own Son in humane flesh who submitted to and performed the whole Law to redeem us out of that slavery of Mosaical performances and to receive us into participation of the promises made to Abraham that is to justification without those legal observances and he at his parting from the world finally removed all those obligations from the Christians shoulders nailed those ordinances to his crosse abolished them by his death Ephes 2. 14 c. 6. And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba father Paraphrase 6. And that you are sons appears by this that God hath sent his Spirit into your hearts giving you power and authority to call upon God and make your addresses to him not onely as your God but your father the Gospel assuring you that ye are no longer in that servile condition bound to legal obediences but that God will deal with you according to the promises made to Abraham and his seed justifie you upon the Gospel-terms of faith without the deeds of the Law 7. Wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son and if a son then an heir of God through Christ Paraphrase 7. So that you are no longer enslaved to those Mosaical performances but are put into the state of sons and consequently through faith in Christ you are sure of justification according to the promises made to Abraham 8. Howbeit then when ye knew not God ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods Paraphrase 8. In time of your heathenisme before your conversion to Christianity ye served idols and were farre from thinking your selves obliged to the Mosaical Law knowing and consequently heeding nothing of it 9. But now after that ye have known God or rather are known of God how turn ye again to the weak and beggerly elements whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage Paraphrase 9. But now that you have converted to Christ or rather are prevented by God and called to this sonship when you were not a looking after it but lay immersed in idolatry what reason is there or how comes it to passe that now being Christians and so obliged to no part of the Jewish Law whose Proselytes ye are not ye should make another change so extremely to the worse for your selves in falling to the Mosaical performances from which Christian religion hath freed those which were before obliged to them that is the Jewes themselves and which now Christ is come the substance of those shadows have nothing in them for which they should be valued and resolving to be servants still in despight of that liberty of sons that Christ hath given you 10. Ye observe daies and months and times and years Paraphrase 10. Ye observe the Mosaical ceremonies see note on ch 3. a. sabbaths and new moons and solemn feasts and anniversary feasts or those that return every seventh and every fiftieth year sabbaticall years or Jubilees after the same manner that the Jewes before Christ thought themselves obliged to observe them 11. I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain Paraphrase 11. These practices of yours make me fear that the Gospel by me preached will soon be lost among you 12. Brethren I beseech you be as I am for I am as ye are ye have not injured me at all Paraphrase 12. I pray follow my example for I did once place my trust in the Law for justification And I beseech you doe not think that 't is out of any ill affection that I write this I have not been at all provoked by you nor consequently is it imaginable that I should mean you malice or desire to bring on you persecutions to no purpose the avoiding of which is the only bait which the Gnosticks make use of to seduce you 13. Ye know how through note a infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you at the first Paraphrase 13. Nay why should this fear so trouble you now more then formerly it did You know and cannot but remember that when I formerly preached unto you I was persecuted for my doctrine 14. And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not nor rejected but received me as an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus Paraphrase 14. And you then were not at all moved by that discouragement to despise me or my preaching but received me with all the respect and belief and chearfulnesse imaginable 15. Where is then the blessednesse that you spake of for I bear you record that if it had been possible you would have plucked our your own eyes and have given them to me Paraphrase 15. And then how happy did you think your selves that you had such an Apostle What would you not
of the flesh whether lusts of the flesh or fear of persecution for the Gospel to the contrary then you are neither obliged to the Mosaical performances nor to the perfect exact obedience without which the Law allowes no justification 19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery fornication uncleannesse lasciviousnesse Paraphrase 19. Whereas on the other side the actions that the flesh is most apt to betray one to and which you have most need to be admonished of are such as every man knows to be such and which yet your present false-teachers doe industriously infuse into you such are breaking the bands of wedlock nay making marriage absolutely a work of the devil that that perswasion may bring after it all manner of unlawfull lusts see note on 1 Cor. 5. a. which marriage might prevent 20. Idolatry note d witchcraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies Paraphrase 20. The sensual villanies committed in the idol-worships see note on 1 Cor. 5. i. to which the Gnosticks would bring you back and so likewise sorceries and then all the sorts of uncharitablenesse hating or maligning of others c. 21. Envyings murthers drunkennesse revellings and such like of the which I tell you before as I have also told you in time past that they which doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of God Paraphrase 21. And at length envying either the quiet or the innocence of all that will not doe as they doe and so falling into all acts of riotous and bloody malice against them together with drunkennesse and night-revells c. all which are of a most dangerous and desperate nature and will certainly deprive and exclude all that are guilty of them from the kingdome of God 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith Paraphrase 22. On the contrary the duties that the Gospel requires of us are 1. love to our brethren 2. joy in doing them any good see note on Rom. 14. c. 3. study to preserve peace among all men see note on Phil. 4. b. 4. a patient bearing with the provocations and injuries of other men 3 5. a kindnesse in disposition and actions actual performance of all kindnesse to others and 6. fidelity in opposition to betraying others or inconstancy to our course 23. Meeknesse temperance against such there is no Law Paraphrase 23. Meeknesse and quietnesse of spirit in opposition to unquietnesse and sedition and lastly perfect charity either in the single or conjugal state And be you never so strict and Zealous observers of the Law that can never engage any of you to neglect these Christian virtues as many of you that pretend to be all for the Law that maintain the necessity of the Mosaical performances are yet found to doe behaving your selves so carnally in your religion and opposing all other Christians so bitterly v. 19 20 21. as if you 24. And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Paraphrase 24. And however ye may be deceived in thus judging of the Law yet 't is certain that Christianity is directly contrary to all this the true believers or Christians have in their baptismes renounced all the desires of the flesh and accordingly must perform 25. If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit Paraphrase 25. And they that are spiritual as the Gnosticks pretend to be let them behave themselves in all their actions Christianly and spiritually in opposition to all these carnal sins or else know that they have no right to that title 26. Let us not be desirous of vain-glory provoking one another envying one another Paraphrase 26. And not be puffed up with an opinion of themselves and the vanity of appearing to the Jewes to be great zealots and thereupon inciting the Jewes to the persecuting of the orthodox and vehemently maligning of them Annotations on Chap. V. V. 4. Become of no effect ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã saith Phavorinus the word signifies according to the notion of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã whence 't is compounded frustration annullation evacuation abolition and so 't is applied to the Law ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Law is annulled In a sense not farre from thence 't is used Rom. 7. 2. when 't is said that the husband being dead the wife ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is discharged from the law of the husband that is receives no benefit from nor owes any obedience or observance to the matrimonial contract So here ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ye are discharged from Christ as when a servant is from the master or as a wife from the husband discharged from the advantages as well as burthens ye receive no benefit or virtue from Christ or the second Covenant all one with Christ shall profit you nothing ver 2. and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the end of this verse ye have fallen from disclaimed all right or title to the Gospel or second Covenant that of Grace V. 6. Worketh 'T is not amisse in this place to set down the particular notion of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the New Testament And to that purpose the first thing to be observed will be that there is no kind of necessity or reason to render it in an Active sense but rather in a Passive throughout these books So Rom. 7. 5. the motions of sin ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã were wrought or consummate or perfected in our members that is the motions and inclinations were brought to act and habite So 2 Cor. 1. 6. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã salvation which is perfected or consummate by patient enduring So 2 Cor. 4. 12. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. death is wrought in us as it appears by the Context ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã we are delivered to death v. 11. So Ephes 3. 20. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã according to the power which is wrought in or among you parallel to Col. 1. 29. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã according to the force or act or virtue which is wrought in me So 2 Thess 2. 13. of the word of God ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is wrought in you preached unto you and obtained its end or perfection to which it was designed among you believers So 2 Thess 2. 7. the mysterie of iniquity ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is made or wrought or as in the Present tense is in fieri agitur saith Castellio agreeably to that of Hesychius ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is prepared to enter to disclose it self to the world And so here ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã faith perfected by charity so the Syriack reads it and so Tertullian Perficitur per charitatem fides contra Marcion l. 5. directly parallel to that of S. James ch 2. 22. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã faith is made perfect by works as an habite by the effects or fruits To which purpose it is observable that in Clemens Alexandrinus
Baptisme by him delivered to them of which they that were vouchsafed to partake he promised them eternal life here in this world without any danger of death or old age Of this Irenaeus hath spoken at large and Justine Martyr hath given this account of it See 2 Tim. 3. 7 8. CHAP. VI. 1. BRethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are note a spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meeknesse considering thy self lest thou also be tempted Paraphrase 1. When any Christian falls into a fault you that are the governours in the Churches shall doe well not to exercise too great severity on him but either to regaine him by friendly advice or els upon sight of his contrition restore him to the peace of the Church again considering how possible it is that thou also thy self mayst fall into the like sin in time of temptation See Jam. 1. 13. 2. Bear ye one anothers burthens and so fulfill the Law of Christ Paraphrase 2. Ease one another as much as ye can as in a building every stone assists the next helps to bear the weight that lyes upon it and contributes its part to the support of the whole fabrick c. and lay not weight on one another by censuring and aggravating of other men's crimes for so charity requires which is the summe of the Law ch 5. v. 14. 3. For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing he deceiveth himself Paraphrase 3. And because of the assuming haughty Gnosticks among you I shall adde that if any man think highly of himself above other men that man first is nothing his opiniating is an argument of it and besides secondly he brings danger upon his own soul by this errour falls into censuring and contemning of others and into many dangerous sins by that means and so cheats himself and perswades no man else but becomes ridiculous by his vanity 4. But let every man prove his own work and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another Paraphrase 4. But let every man so prove and examine his own actions as to approve them to his own conscience and to God see Rom. 2. note f. and then he shall take comfort in looking on himself absolutely and not only in comparison with others whom he judgeth to be inferiour to him and discerning how he is a better Christian to day then he was yesterday 5. For every man shall bear his own burthen Paraphrase 5. For you shall answer for no man's sins but your own and therefore need not busie your selves about other mens actions but onely your own 6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things Paraphrase 6. He that receiveth the benefit of spiritual instruction from another ought to be very liberal and communicative of all that he hath to that persons wants 7. Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he reap Paraphrase 7. And in this as in all other acts of charity especially of piety toward those that are employed by God let a man resolve that as he deals with God so shall God deal with him as a man's course of life is so shall he speed at God's tribunal 8. For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh also reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting Paraphrase 8. For as he that makes provision and layes out all his care and wealth for the feeding his own carnal desires shall thereby bring losse and ruine to himself so he that liveth according to the Gospel rule of liberality and charity to others ver 6. and laies himself out in works of piety c. shall thereby inherit eternal life 9. And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not Paraphrase 9. And in duties of charity c. which have promises annexed to them let us not be discouraged though we meet not presently with our reward For as if we fall off we shall lose all our reward even for that which we have hitherto laboured so if we hold out constantly we shall be sure to have our reward in that season which God sees fittest for us whether in this life or another 10. As we have therefore opportunity let us doe good unto all men especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith Paraphrase 10. This is sufficient matter of encouragement to us to make use of those abilities that God hath or shall give us and accordingly to expresse our liberality and beneficence to all men but especially to those that are of the family of the Gospel and take pains continually in the work of the Lord in Apostleship c. and whose lot is the Lord who preaching the Gospel are to live by it in all reason see v. 6. 11. You see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand 12. As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh they constrain you to be circumcised only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ Paraphrase 12. They that desire to appear Jewes and comply with them and not to be persecuted by them for the Jewes out of zeal to their law did then persecute the Christians will needs have you circumcised that by that means they seeming earnest for Judaisme not Christianisme may escape persecution from the Jewes see note on Rev. 2. b. 13. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the Law but desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh Paraphrase 13. This 't is clear is the ground of their practice and not any conscientious perswasion of the obligingnesse of the Law for they doe not themselves observe the Law in other things perhaps not in that of circumcision see note on Rev. 2. e. but that they may make a fair shew that way by being able to say that they have made you observe the Judaical law they force you to be circumcised c. 14. But God forbid that I should glory save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world Paraphrase 14. Such complyances and such boastings as these God forbid that I should ever make use of or of any other but only that one matter of true boasting and rejoicing in my sufferings for Christ in my constancy to the Christian religion and discipleship by which the pleasures and honour and riches of the world are become livelesse and untempting to me and I in like manner livelesse mottified to the world and therefore as I profesie not to be wrought on by those motives with which your Judaizing false-teachers are moved so I would not have you cheated by them 15. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing
secret will of his of which there can be no cause or motive rendred but his own free mercy and purposed resolution which till now hath been kept as a mystery no man imagining that God ever intended any such thing but which he had long since proposed to himself and referred in his wise dispensation to be performed and delivered out at this season in these last and worst times when the sinnes of men being advanced to such an height it might rather have been expected that God should proceed to execute vengance on them This I say which was the just time that God had resolved on for this purpose to gather together his dispersions as it were and to unite all in Christ to bring into the pale of the Church a whole world of believers the very Gentiles see note on Col. 1. c. all discrimination being removed by Christ through his death and resurrection 11. In whom also we have note c obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will Paraphrase 11. Through the same Christ I say by whom we Jewes have had the will of God revealed to us now above all that we ever had before the Gospel being first preached unto us Act. 3. 26. and those of us which have believed taken possession of as of a patrimony or portion assigned and set apart to God to serve him in holinesse according to the secret counsel of him who had long since decreed and determined this of his own free mercy to us 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ Paraphrase 12. To this end that we that were first converted to Christianity might publish and preach and make known the Gospel to all others and set it out as illustriously as might be 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise Paraphrase 13. By whom also it is that ye Gentiles though after called yet now also having heard and believed the Gospel by which you are escaped out of your idolatrous sinfull course are in like manner secured and marked out by God for good by receiving that Spirit which is promised to believers and which is the mark of all those whom God receives see note on c. 4. 30. k. 14. Which is the note d earnest of our inheritance untill the note e redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory Paraphrase 14. Which is given by God as a pledge or first part of payment of that inheritance which he hath destined to us grace pardon salvation and all the inheritance that God will instate upon his children and this on purpose to purchase to himself a peculiar people living gracious and godly lives which tends so much to the illustrating of his grace and glory 15. Wherefore I also note f after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the saints Paraphrase 15. Considering therefore this mercy of God as to others so particularly to you both knowing my self the good successe of my preaching the faith among you and having received advertisement of your great proficiency in it since the time I was among you and of that insâparable effect and branch of it your great charity to all Christians that want your assistance 16. Cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him Paraphrase 16 17. I cannot choose but as I pray for you continually so give thanks for you to God continually also farther beseeching the same God who is known now to us by a more glorious title then that of the God of Abraham even the God of our Lord Jesus Christ whom he hath own'd on earth and now raised and set at his right hand in heaven and who is the author as of raising Christ gloriously from the dead so of all grace and blisse and glory to all that are obedient to the faith that he will bestow on you all things needfull to a Christian Church the gift of understanding the highest natural and spiritual truths the skill of veiling the highest conceptions speaking parables c. and of understanding and interpreting prophecies and discerning Christ and his doctrine in them See note on 1 Cor. 1. c. 18. The eyes of your understanding being inlightened that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints Paraphrase 18. That by this means of illumination ye may be furnish'd to all spiritual uses discerning throughly what is the benefit of his calling us to Christianity and what the glorious blessed condition of those graces of his which are distributed among Christians here as also of those endlesse joyes which are now instated on all penitent obedient faithfull servants of his as an inheritance to the children infinitely above that Canaan that was bestowed on Abraham's posterity 19. And what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power 20. Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places Paraphrase 19 20. And withall the infinitenesse of his power that hath been engaged in this work toward us believers in subduing our enemies sin and death the punishment of sin and raising us sinners first to a new and then to an eternal life which was a work of the same omnipotence with that which he first evidenced in that miraculous raising of Christ from the grave and exalting him to the highest degree of glory next to himself in heaven An embleme and essay of the methods which he hath now used toward us by the preaching of the Gospel to raise us from the grave of sin to a new Christian life and from thence to a glorious eternity 21. Farre above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come Paraphrase 21. Farre infinitely farre above all those rulers and potentates that have but fading power by whom he was here put to death ye above the highest degree of Angelical powers that inhabit heaven to all eternity 22. And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church Paraphrase 22. And by so doing gave him victory and superiority over all his enemies and constituted him the Prince of his Church who should till the day of doom have in his hands the sole disposing of that every one that is placed in any power therein moving regularly
ministrations 1 Cor. 12. 5. And these are elsewhere called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ministers of God 1 Thess 3. 2. the title that was then bestowed on Timothy as the fellow-labourer of Paul in the Gospel and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Chryst as of Epaphras 't is said Col. 1. 7. our fellow-servant all one with his fellow-labourer before who is for you a faithfull minister in Christ and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Lord as of Tychicus Ephos 6. 21. our beloved brother and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã faithfull minister in the Lord. In all which places ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã with those adjuncts is applied to those assistants and attendants on the Apostles that were as they pleased employed by them in the Gospel Besides these other places there are wherein 't is applied to the Apostles themselves ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã deacons or ministers simply 1 Cor. 3. 5. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of God 2 Cor. 6. 4. of Christ 2 Cor. 11. 23. Ephes 3. 7. 1 Tim. 4. 6. of the Church Col. 1. 25. of the Gospel ver 23. of the New Testament 2 Cor. 3. 6. And this still in a more general notion as it denotes servants officers of what kind soever V. 7. My grace That the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifies any favour or mercy of God should here peculiarly be used for the sufferings which had befaln S. Paul in the discharge of his office will not appear strange if first it be considered how often this state of suffering is mention'd by Christ and by S. Paul S. Peter and S. James as an eminent mercy of Gods to them who are thus honoured by him accordingly that it is to be look'd on as matter of all joy in their account whensoever it befalls any secondly if it be compared with ver 29. where the Philippians suffering for Christ as eminently as their believing in him is mention'd as that which ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã was granted them by way of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã grace or mercy or special favour of God As for that which is affirmed in both these verses that this Church of Philippi was thus persecuted for Christianity and so participated with him in his bands or sufferings though it be not mention'd in the story of the Acts yet it is in it self easie to be believed and by these testimonies put beyond all question the Jewish unbelievers everywhere stirring up the Roman magistrates to persecute the believers in their Provinces V. 13. Palace ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies in the Latine and so in Greek and same the common hall or court where judgment used to be had the Praetor being a Roman officer in their judicatures ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the place where the people meet saith Phavorinus and so sure it signifies here and S. Paul's being imprisoned and brought before the judges might be a means to make Christianity known to the bench and the whole court Thus one of his Judges had told him that he had perswaded him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a little way to be a Christian which is the thing that here seems to be related to or some other of the same nature V. 18. Pretense The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies not only a pretext or pretense and so is opposed to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a true cause but also an occasion as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he seeks occasions Prov. 18. 1. and so it seems to be taken here and so more fitly to connect with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by all means then it could doe if it were rendred in pretense thus by all means ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã whether by occasion onely that is accidentally and not by a designed causality ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or whether by truth that is by a direct real way of efficiency V. 22. Fruit of my labour ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã seems to be a Latinisme operae pretium and so to signifie accordingly worth my labour worth doing as we say a desirable thing So Theophylact renders it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not fruitless ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã saith he for I bring forth fruit by this means V. 23. To depart Of the many acceptions of the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã none seems more proper to this place then that which is in its self most simple and plain that it signifie to depart this world or retire remove out of this life migrare abire discedere reverti every of which is usually taken for an expression of death and are answerable to the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which the Syriack here makes use of the same which is by the Chaldee used of Moses on Cant. c. 1. when Moses's time came ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to depart or that he should depart out of the world and so 2 Tim. 4. 6. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is ordinarily rendred the time or season of my departure or decease ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Palladius Hist Lausiac p. 506. A to loose from thence or most properly to return alluding to Eccles 12. 7. where the body returnes to the earth as it was to the place from whence originally it came out and so the spirit unto God that gave or first breathed it into the first man And so ordinarily in Christian Authors ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and the like And for the original of this use and acception of the word nothing can be more probable then that it is a phrase of the Mariners who are said ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to loose from the haven when they goe out oram solvere and absolutely solvere to loose and when they do this by way of return homewards then 't is properly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã So Luk. 12. 6. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is coming home returning from the marriage feast So 2 Mac. 8 1. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã retiring disorderly So the method of reducing conclusions to their principles is by Aristotle styled ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã saith Philoponus again ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a returning or running back from the conclusions or effects to their Principles adding that it is a metaphor ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from travailers returning to their homes and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a returne from strangers to ones own home is thus styled V. 25. Having this confidence ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is somewhat an obscure phrase and may best be explicated by two considerations First that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies hoping with some confidence answerable to the Heb. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is ordinarily rendred ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hope but 2 Kin. 18. 20. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã perswasion confidence So v. 6. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hoping confidently this very thing So 2 Cor. 1. that which is express'd by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I hope v. 13. is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in
this perswasion v. 15. Then for the phrase ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is in ordinary construction all one which ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I know that I hope or am perswaded or of this I am sure so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is ordinarily used that I hope or am perswaded And this is very agreeable to the matter in hand where to comfort them in their sadnesse for his afflictions he minds them that in order to their good he foresees it very probable that he may be permitted to live and though he knows not by any certain revelation whether he shall or no yet this he knows that he hopes and considering Gods dipensations of providence is verily perswaded which also includes his desire of it CHAP. II. 1. IF there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies 2. Fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind Paraphrase 1 2. I therefore conjure you by all those benefies which are afforded us in Christ by the great joy and pleasure there is in loving one another by that liberal effusion of graces from the Spirit of God see note on Act. 2. d. and by your affection and compassion toward men in calamity and particularly toward me at this time a prisoner for Christ that to all the other matter of rejoicing that I have concerning you you will adde this also and so make my joy complete that you live in unity loving one another mutually having as it were the same soul and so affections and designes all studying and taking care for this same thing 3. Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory but in lowlinesse of mind let each esteem other better then themselves Paraphrase 3. That ye doe nothing out of opposition and contention one against another nothing ambitiously or ostentatiously but on the contrary doe all things with that quietnesse and humblenesse as if ye had every one a better opinion of the others wisdome and piety than his own 4. Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others Paraphrase 4. And to this end let not men look so intently on those gifts and abilities which they discern in themselves but let them withall and much rather consider the gifts and abilities of other men more eminent then they And this will be an expedient toward the performing of that which is required v. 3. 5. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus Paraphrase 5. According to the example of Christ 6. Who being in the note a form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God Paraphrase 6. Who being truly God thought it no incroachment to be in equality with his father 7. But note b made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likenesse of men Paraphrase 7. And yet being thus the eternal word of God he set himself at nought lessened humbled himself from the condition of being Lord of all to that of a subject ordinary man 8. And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the crosse Paraphrase 8. And being by his incarnation thus low in the nature all and the outward deportment and guise of a man he yet humbled himself lower to death even the vilest and most cruel death that in use among the Romans for their slaves crucifixion 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name Paraphrase 9. And for this great act of humility and the divine work of eternal redemption of our soules wrought by him in this state of humiliation God hath advanced his humane nature to the highest degree of glory and made this God-man the supreme prince of his Church given him all power in heaven and earth and to signify that hath appropriated to him the title of Jesus the Saviour by way of excellence that though other men may have been thus styled from other salvations or deliverances for which they have been imployed by God as Joshua long before and after Joshua the Judges were called Saviours for rescuing the people of Israel from dangers and delivering them from enemies yet the eternal salvation Heb. 5. 9. eternal redemption Heb. 9. 12. being wrought only by him the name which signifies this should belong to him and to him onely 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth Paraphrase 10. A title or name which includes in it such a singular dignity above all other titles as concerning mans eternal and not only some temporal deliverance and salvation that it together with the signification of it is worthy of the most eminent and superlative respect the lowyest reverence that can be paid by all rational creatures Angels men and devils Luk. 4. 36. 11. And that every tongue should confesse that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father Paraphrase 11. And his doctrine and faith and soveraignty be received and embraced by all nations of the world to the honour of God the Father who hath thus sent him and thus ordered his humility and exaltation 12. Wherefore my beloved as ye have alwaies obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence work out your own salvation with note c fear and trembling Paraphrase 12. And therefore my dear brethren as ye have hitherto done all that I have commanded you so I still beseech you that now in time of my absence ye will be much more diligent then when I was present with you ye were to perfect the good work which ye have begun viz. a pious Christian course see note on Rom. 10. a. making your performances agreeable to your resolutions and never giving over till ye are landed safe at eternal blisse and to that end using all possible diligence and solicitude and care that ye be not wanting to your selves 13. For it is God which note d worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Paraphrase 13. Upon this very consideration on which some are secure and negligent because both to that good resolution and to every good performance you are enabled by God who doth what he doth of his free undeserved mercy to you by his preventing and assisting grace without any merit of yours to deserve it from him and consequently may justly be expected to withdraw all from them that walk negligently before him 14. Doe all things without murmurings and disputings Paraphrase 14. And let your obedience be cheerfull without any querulousnesse or reluctances without questioning or disputing of commands 15. That ye may be blamelesse and harmlesse the sons of God without rebuke in the
Context seems not to have any particular aspect on the matter but onely to look upon Christ and to set him up as the one universal redeemer and reconciler of all mankind of the Gentiles as well as of the Jewes and to shew what interest the Gentile world hath in his death and resurrection and therefore I preferre the interpretation first given as being directly pertinent to this purpose and agreeable to the consequents And that will more appear if you look on the place forementioned and parallel to this Ephes 1. 10. where this reconciling of all things in heaven and on earth expressed there by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã gathering into one is called v. 9. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the mysterie of his will according to his good pleasure noting it to be some act of free undeserved mercy imputable to nothing but Gods meer grace and such most notoriously was the calling of the Gentile Idolaters and that a mysterie such as no man ever dream'd of or hoped for before and what that mysterie was is in the remainder of that Epistle largely shewn especially c. 2. 14 16 17. and under the name of the mysterie c. 3. 3 5. viz. the bringing in the Gentiles into the Church preaching ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã among the Gentiles c. 3. 8. the unsearchable riches of Christ And thus I conceive the phrase is to be understood Ephes 3. 15. where of Christ 't is said that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the whole family in heaven and on earth is named by or from him that is surely all the world Gentiles as well as Jewes are now vouchsased by him to be called by his name that is to be Christians called and received into his family V. 22. Body of his flesh The body of his flesh signifies no more than his flesh according to the Hebrew notion of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which as it signifies body so it is oft applied to things which have no body and signifies essence or beeing V. 25. Fulfill the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to fulfill his word is a phrase which we meet with 1 Mac. 2. 55. spoken of Joshuah that for fulfilling the word he was made a Judge in Israel where as the word signifies the will and pleasure of God revealed to him so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to fulfill it is to perform it in a very eminent manner But in this place ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being by the Context confined to another notion the preaching or publishing the Gospel of Christ peculiarly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to fulfill the word of God will be to fulfill that preaching that is to proceed as farre in the preaching of it as by all his diligence and care by himself and others he could doe and so belongs to the preaching it to these Colossians to whom being out of his way he yet had sent Epaphras v. 7. Thus we have a like phrase Rom. 15. 19. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to fill up the preaching or Gospel of Christ that is to preach it from city to city from Jerusalem as far as to Illyricum CHAP. II. 1. FOR I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh Paraphrase 1. For I am willing ye should be advertised how earnestly I contend for you in desire to come to visit you and in prayer and zeal and solicitude for you and for those of Laodicea whose conversion wrought by Epaphras who was sent by me I look upon with much comfort though I never saw any of them as not being able to goe to either of those cities either in my first or second passage through Phrygia of which Laodicea is the Metropolis and Colossae another city Act. 16. 6. and 18. 23. 2. That their hearts might be comforted being knit togeather in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mysterie of God and of the Father and of Christ Paraphrase 2. That they may receive the joy and true comfort which the doctrine of Christ truly taught and practised will yield every one that being first united together in the Christian charity they may be filled with all graces in all abundance and come to know the bottome of this great secret or mysterie of God viz. of the Gospel or Christianity that is of the course which hath more obseurely been taken by God the Father under the Old Testament and more clearly now by God in Christ under the New to bring sinners to salvation 3. In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Paraphrase 3. In which course is wrapt up all the depth of divine wisdome imaginable 4. And this I say lest any man should beguile you with enticing words Paraphrase 4. And this care of mine and solicitude for you I mention that it may make you cautious that no cunning impostor seduce you by saying things that look like truth but are not 5. For though I be absent in flesh yet I am with you in the spirit joying and beholding your order and the stedfastnesse of your faith in Christ Paraphrase 5. For though I am not personally present among you yet by the advertisements I received from Epaphras I understand how all things goe with you and so am in heart or spirit present with you as when Elisha's hear is said to have gone with his servant when he knew what he did 2 Kin. 5. 26. and rejoice much to see the regularity of Ecclesiastical affairs among you and your constancy in the truth in despight of all that have tried to lead you out of the way 6. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him Paraphrase 6. And therefore all that I have to adde is onely this that as you have received commands from Christ for the regulating of your lives so ye be carefull to doe accordingly 7. Rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith as ye have been taught abounding therein with thanksgiving Paraphrase 7. As having not only received the saith at first but having been farther instructed and improved in it as when walls are superstructed on a foundation yea and confirmed in it and therefore goe on according to these beginnings and abound in all Christian practices and let that be your way of returning thanks to God for his great mercies of revealing the Gospel to you 8. Beware lest any man note a spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men after the note b rudiments of the world and not after Christ Paraphrase 8. And take care that no body plunder you rob you cheat you of all that you have your principles of Christian knowledge by that vain empty frothy pretended knowledge and wisdome which the Gnosticks talk of 1 Tim. 1. 4. and 6. 20. taken out of
the heathenish Pythagorean Philosophy together with the observances of the Mosaical Law and very distant and contrary to Christian divinity 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead note c bodily Paraphrase 9. For the whole will of God is by Christ really made known to us as his Divinity really dwels in him and therefore there is little need of the additions of the Gnosticks which they borrow out of the heathen and Jewish theologie to supply the defects of the Evangelical doctrine 10. And ye are compleat in him which is the head of all principality and power Paraphrase 10. And by him you have knowledge sufficient to satisfie and complete you without such supplies as these from the doctrines and divinity of the Gnosticks about their AEones see 1 Tim. 1. note d. look'd on by them as divine immortal powers of which whatsoever they are if they be not idol-things be they Angels of a superiour or second degree Christ is the head and they which have Christ need not trouble themselves with these accessions 11. In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ Paraphrase 11. And as you need not take in these fragments of heathen theologie into the Christian so is there as little need of the Judaical observations circumcision c. which are urged by the Gnosticks also Christ having in his Gospel helped you to the true gainfull circumcision not that outward the cutting off the fore-skin with a knife but the inward spiritual the putting off throwing away all those carnal sins which the Gnosticks again doe so abound in and this is the true Christian circumcision 12. Buried with him in baptisme wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead Paraphrase 12. And to all this you are engaged and have undertaken it in your baptisme whereof one part referring to the burial of Christ denotes not only your dying to your sins forsaking the impurities of your heathen lives but also the abrogation of and liberty from the Mosaical performances Ephes 2. 15. and your laying all down in the grave to be buried with Christ never to live or have power in or over you again and another part that of coming out of the water referring to the resurrection of Christ denotes your vow and engagement to rise to all Evangelical performances and to all purity of life by the virtue of your faith in that God whose power and sufficience to make good all his promises to you is demonstrated by his raising up Jesus from the dead 13. And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of the flesh hath he quickend together with him having forgiven you all trespasses Paraphrase 13. And you being heathens and uncircumcised and so without requiring those legal performances of you hath he received into covenant taken you out of your heathen dark dead condition and having pardoned you all your past idolatries and provocations he hath called you into the free estate of the Gospel requiring none of those legal yokes of you which the Judaizing Gnosticks lay upon you 14. Blotting out the note d handwriting of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his crosse Paraphrase 14. Having by that proclamation of pardon to all penitent believers Gentiles as well as Jewes which is a doctrine of Christ's now peculiarly revealted in the Gospel blotted out that bill which the Jewes were bound by having as it were signed it with our own hands against our selves by prosessing to expect justification by the Law a bill indeed contrary to our peace destructive to us and having taken away cancelled it and that as bonds are wont to be cancelled by striking a nail through it viz. nailing it to his crosse that is cancelling it by his death undergoing a vile death for us and obraining pardon of sins for us by that means 15. And having spoiled principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it Paraphrase 15. By which means also of his death he hath devâsted the evil spirits of their power thrown them out of their temples filenced their oracles c. and hath made it publickly discernible to all men carried them as it were in triumph as those that he had taken captive victoriously see Joh. 7. a. brought them from their idolatrous practices to the true Christian religion 16. Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or note e in respect of an holy day or of the new moon or of the sabbath daies 17. Which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ Paraphrase 16 17. Let no man therefore impose on you their doctrines of Mosaical abstinencies c. and condemn or sentence Christians see note i. for eating or drinking things prohibited by the Jewish Law nor observing those things which are set down in their section of feasts or new moons or sabbaths which were all but types of Christianity and therefore now in the presence of Christianity it self are not obligatory 18. Let no man note f beguile you of your reward in a note g voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels note h intruding into those things which he hath not seen vainly puft up by his fleshly mind Paraphrase 18. Let no man please himself and condemn you in point of worshipping Angels as mediators to God as if there were some peââal humility in so doing undertaking to search into those things which he knows nothing of having no other ground for his doctrine but his own carnal phantasie 19. And not holding the head from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God Paraphrase 19. Which they that are guilty of doe disclaim Christ who is indeed the head of his Church the only intercessor to the Father from whose influences as in the natural body the animal spirits are from the head conveyed to all the body by the nerves and thereby all the joynts cemented together for the supplying all the wants of every part so the Church by the unity maintained and continued with Christ the head and by amity liberality and charity of one towards another shall thrive and prosper and increase to that proportion which God requires see note on Ephes 4. e. 20. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though living in the world are ye subject to ordinances Paraphrase 20. If therefore ye have received the Christian faith and as ye ought to doe made that use of the death of Christ as to have forsaken all other doctrines and practices to receive his and so to look upon the rites of the Jewes and the
which though thou art young may fit thee for the discharge of that venerable office 8. For bodily exercise note d profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come Paraphrase 8. For though abstinence from daily meats and wines and from marriage be as an act of self-denial and exercise acceptable to God yet if this be not observed with due limits if meats be abstained from as unlawful and marriage in like manner as abominable and detestable as by the Gnosticks who yet indulged to all villany it was then there is no good but hurt in them Col. 2. 22. And indeed considered at the best Col. 2. 23. the profit of them is but little in comparison to that of piety which is of the greatest value imaginable will help us to all advantages that we can wish If we would have a comfortable life here this is promised to them that seek the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse Mat. 6. 33. and so for many particular Christian duties they have promise of present beatitude and whatsoever in any singular case may seem to be wanting to the felicity and prosperity of the pious man here it is sure to be made up abundantly in another life 9. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation 10. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all men specially of those that believe Paraphrase 9 10. And to this purpose it is to be observed as a most certain and considerable truth that to all truly pious persons there is so great assurance of an eternal reward that this our hope in God is the onely ground of our suffering patienly any thing that falls upon us being confident that this God as he desireth the eternal welfare of all so hath promised to save all that shall believe and obey him and so consequently is the most assured Saviour of them that doe so 11. These things command and teach 12. Let no man despise thy youth but be thou an example of the believers in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity Paraphrase 12. And though thou art a young man in years yet let the gravity of thy life supply the want of the years that are wont to be required of thy office and let thy discourse and all thy demeanour and course of actions be exemplary to all the Christians under thy jurisdiction both in respect of constant love and adherence to God and of profession of the faith and of purity or chastity three main particulars wherein these heretical Gnosticks do endeavour to corrupt others 13. Till I come give attendance to note e reading to exhortation to doctrine Paraphrase 13. Betwixt this and the time of my coming to thee see thou be diligent in performing thy office in the several parts of it expounding the Scriptures confirming believers and admonishing them of any fault or danger and instructing the ignorant or unbelievers 14. Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee by prophecie with the laying on of the hands of the Presb tery Paraphrase 14. Make use of those gifts which in order to thy function were given thee according to the revelation from the Spirit concerning thee ch 1. 18. at thy ordination see note on ch 5. f. when besides me 2 Tim. 1. 6. some others also of the Apostles one or more laid hands on thee see note on Act. 11. b. 15. note f Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all 16. Take heed unto thy self and unto thy doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee Annotations on Chap. IV. V. 2. Conscience seared The meaning of this phrase ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is I conceive not rightly apprehended when it is thought to signifie an insensate conscience as if the resemblance were here to flesh when it is seared or cauâerized Hesychius and Phavorinus have both taken notice of the phrase and rendred it to another sense ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it should be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã saith Hesychius the phrase denotes those that being brought to the test are found faulty have not a good conscience The meaning of this must be collected from the office of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã explorers or examiners or triers by which he explains it and of them saith he ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã One set to examine slaves to find out the truth And when any upon such examination is found faulty he is wont to be branded for a cheat or rascal and that branding or stigmatizing is here the thing referred to and so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã are men of a prostituted branded stigmatized conscience infamous villains And so saith Phavorinus also ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã referring no doubt to this place it signifies having not a sound or whole conscience V. 3. Forbidding to marry Many hereticks there were in the antient Church which prohibited marriage and taught abstinence from meats as necessary having much of their doctrine from the Pychagorean Philosophers Such were the Encratitae Montanists and Marcionites But these came after the Apostles times and are not so probably spoken of here as those which were present then in the Church And such saith Ignatius there wre in the Apostles times Ep. ad Philad and such saith Irenaeus was Saturninus l. 1. c. 22. who with Simon Magus was the father of the Gnosticks Of him Theodoret saith that he was the first that among Christians affirmed marriage to be the work of the Devil and commanded to abstain from the flesh of beasts And indeed that this was generally the doctrine of the Gnosticks appears from Clem. Alex. Strom. l. 3. where speaking of them he saith they doe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Under a precence of continence they committed all villany against the creation and the Creator teaching that men ought not to receive marriage nor get children nor bring into the world such as would be miserable nor furnish death with food or nourishment that is people the world with men whom death will consequently feed on And again ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã There are that affirm and teach for doctrine all marriage to be fornication that is utterly unlawfull and that it is brought in and delivered by the devil p. 446. So Irenaeus l. 1. c. 22. Nubere generare à Satana dicunt esse The Gnosticks affirm marriage and generating to be from the devil So the Author of the Constitutions l. 4. 8 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they contemn marriage and set it at nought ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã teach not to marry at all l. 6. 10. and for meats ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they abominate some kinds of meats l. 6. 8. and c. 26. ãâã ãâã ãâã
acknowledged and that after his coming the Epistles to the Philippians Colossians and Philemon were written as appears by the place Rome from whence they are all dated and the joyning of Timothy's name in the front of them Now of all those Epistles 't is clear that they were written at his first being at Rome and not immediately before his Martyrdome For Philip. 1. 26. 2. 23 24. he expresseth his confidence that he shall be delivered and again come unto them which is not reconcileable with his perswasion of the instant approach of his death at the writing of this and to Philemon v. 22. he sends to make provision for his lodging at Colossae As for the Subscription of the Epistle which referres it to the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the second time of his coming before Nero that may possibly stand good by this interpretation that he was twice at his first imprisonment brought out to the barre before the Emperor and freed both times that the first being his greatest danger was most memorable to him by all mens forsaking him and the interposing of Gods protection when all other means failed him And this is more likely to be recited by him in an Epistle written soon after it then in one of ten years distance from it However we know that the Subscriptions of the Epistles are not to be found in all the antient Copies What the designe of this Epistle was is manisest to stirre him up to caution diligence and discharge of his office on occasion of the creeping heresie of the Gnosticks c. 2. 17. stolen in among them which had much debauched the Asiaticks c. 1. 15. and made use of Magick to oppose the truth of the Gospel c. 3. 8. CHAP. I. 1. PAUL an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus Paraphrase 1. I Paul who farre from any merit of mine meetly by the good pleasure of God and his undeserved grace have received commission to make known the Gospel or the promise of life which now is made by Christ to all penitent believers 2. To Timothy my dearly beloved son Grace mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Paraphrase 2. Send greeting in the Lord to Timothy by me converted to the faith 3. I thank God whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day Paraphrase 3. In my thanksgivings and prayers to God whom as my progenitors of the tribe of Benjamin did before me so have I obeyed sincerely all my time even when through ignorance I persecuted the Christian faith doing according to the dictate of my conscience or as I was perswaded I ought to doe I mention thee constantly praying and giving thanks to God for thee 4. Greatly desiring to see thee being mindfull of thy tears that I may be filled with joy Paraphrase 4. Desiring earnestly to see thee whom I love so dearly and this passionate desire being inflamed by the remembrance of thy tears at our parting that our meeting again may be as full of joy as our parting was of sorrow 5. When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice and I am perswaded that in thee also Paraphrase 5. Remembring the sincerity of thy obedience to the Gospel of Christ and being confident that as thy mother and grandmother which received the faith before thee continued in it to the end so thou also wilt persevere and never fall off from it 6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stirre up the gift of God which is in thee by putting on of my hands Paraphrase 6. And that it may be so I now write to thee as a monitor or remembrancer that thou consider the honourable calling which was conferred upon thee by my laying hands upon thee and making thee Bishop in which some others joyned with me see note on 1 Tim. 5. f. and the many extraordinary gifts consequent thereto which thou art obliged to stirre up and quicken by the diligent exercise of them and neither by fear nor compliance with any to let them lie by thee unprofitably 7. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind Paraphrase 7. For sure that God that gave us this commission and gifts hath not given thee or me so poor a cowardly spirit as that we should be afraid of the dangers and threats of men against the preaching of the Gospel but couragious hearts to encounter any difficulty a love of God which will actuate this valour and cast out all fear of danger and withall a tranquillity of mind and a full contentednesse in whatsoever state 8. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor of me his prisoner but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God Paraphrase 8. Whatever therefore the danger be of preaching Christ be not discouraged or whatever the example of my sufferings doe thou resolve to doe and suffer the like cheerfully and couragiously and to be a fellow-susferer with the Gospel of Christ to bear whatsoever falls upon that by that strength which God gives thee 9. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began Paraphrase 9. Who hath rescued us out of the evil world and called us to sanctity not because we had deserved that mercy of his but of his own free mercy and goodnesse long agoe designed us in Christ 10. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel Paraphrase 10. And now hath revealed it to us and made us partaâers of it by Christ's coming into the world and preaching the Gospel to us who hath thereby voided the power of death over us and made a clear revelation of that life and immortality which was not before so certainly revealed that if we will obey him we may certainly be made partakers of it 11. Whereunto I am appointed a preacher and an Apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles Paraphrase 11. And for the preaching and teaching of this especially to the Gentiles God hath given me the authority and commission of an Apostle 12. For the which cause I also suffer these things neverthelesse I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day Paraphrase 12. And that viz. my preaching to the Gentiles hath exasperated the Jewes and brought persecutions upon me but I am not discouraged with them see Rom. 5. 5.
heresie diffusing it self Peter and Paul Governours of that Church destroyed him setting himself out and being by others esteemed and worsh p'd as a God for when Simon undertook to flie and was carried up in the aire by a chariot of the devils these servants of God falling on their knees cast against him that dart which Christ directs to Mat 18. 19. that weapon of agreement of two in prayer and thereby cast him to the ground So Sulpitius Severus hist l. 2. Saint Augustin Serm. 3. in Natali S. Petri Pauli and Isiodore Pelusiote ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. miserable creature he was thrown down from aloft to a notorious infamous death And that this warning of S. Paul to Timothy belongs to those that then lived and not to some that were to come toward the end of the world these latter dayes of ours may appear ver 5. by the exhortation to him to turn away from such And upon this consideration Theophylact confesseth that by the last times may be meant those immediately following S. Pauls death wherein Timothy should survive CHAP. IV. 1. I Charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom Paraphrase 1. when he appears in his kingdom 2. Preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine Paraphrase 2. urge them presse them call upon them both when they are at leisure to hear thee when thou hast some special opportunity or vacancy to fasten anything upon them and at other times when thou hast not such probable opportunities hoping that at some time or other it will succeed convince the evill doers of their wicked courses reduce by reprehension those that are fallen but not so foully through error c. confirm those that have begun well and let all this be done with lenity and diligent instructing of them 3. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching eares Paraphrase 3. This I prescribe as the method proper for the present condition of those under thee that thou mayst gain as many as is possible as foreseeing that the number of obstinate hereticks will so encrease within a while that there will be little for thee then to doe little hope of working on them when men begin to advance to the higher pitch of heresie and to get patrons for their base lusts and vicious practices betake themselves to false teachers any that will please or gratifie their humor 4. And shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables Paraphrase 4. And refuse and reject all true doctrine and betake themselves to the fabulous divinity of the Gnosticks made up of Gentilisme aud Judaisme an odde mixture of both 5. But watch thou in all things endure afflictions do the work of an Evangelist make full proof of thy ministery Paraphrase 5. But doe thou watch over thy flock with all diligence and warynesse be not diâcouraged with any pressures or dangers hold out in despight of them all doe that which belongs to one that is by the Apostles of Christ intrusted under them with the propagating of the Gospel and maintaining it where it is taught which being a task of some weight and largenesse see thou perform all the parts of it 6. For I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand Paraphrase 6. And this the rather because I have been in great danger brought out to be tryed for my life see title of this Epistle note a. and Phil. 2. note e. and my death hath been very nigh at hand 7. note a I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith Paraphrase 7. Which I can mention cheerfully as having the testimony of my conscience that I have behaved my self faithfully in my combate run all the hazards and past through them and never fallen off from the discharge of my duty according to my Christian profession and office Apostolicall 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but unto all them also that love his appearing Paraphrase 8. For this I doubt not but God will give me my reward when he comes to crown his combatants even that eternall blisse and felicity which as the judge or rewarder in the Olympick games or combates he will certainly adjudge to me as one who have endured much therein And the same will he adjudge to all others who shal have so spent their time and continued in a Christian course as that Christ's coming to reward the faithfull and to destroy all opposers and unfaithfull may be matter of desire and not terror to them who if they live not to enjoy his deliverances here will be abundantly recompensed by death 9. Doe thy diligence to come shortly unto me Paraphrase 9. I desire with all possible speed that thou come hither to me 10. For Demas hath forsaken me having loved this present world and is departed unto Thessalonica Crescens to Galatia Titus unto Dalmatia Paraphrase 10. There being these motives to hasten thee First because Demas that did assist me in preaching the Gospel Philem. 24. and Col. 4. 14. hath now left me betaking himself to his worldly affaires see note on 1 Tim. 3. a. and is gone to Thessalonica whether to his home there or to trade and get wealth in that place As for Crescens though he be gone into Gallia or France saith Epiphanius Haer. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã yet that is not for any such worldly end but to preach the Gospel there and so Titus is gone another way to Dalmatia 11. Onely Luke is with me Take Mark and bring him with thee for he is profitable to me for the ministery Paraphrase 11. By which meanes I am almost alone no body but Luke remaining with me which makes me stand in need of thy help and presence And when thou comest bring Mark Barnabas's kinsman with thee for I have especiall use of him for the preaching of the Gospell 12. And Tychiâus have I sent to Ephesus 13. The note b cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus when thou comest bring with thee and the books but especially the parchments Paraphrase 13. When I came from Troas I left a Parchment-roll with Carpus and some books I pray in thy passage call for them and bring them with thee hither but especially the Parchment-roll 14. Alexander the Coppersmith did me much evill note c the Lord reward him according to his works Paraphrase 14. Alexander mentioned Act. 19. 33. see note e. on that chapter did me a great deale of wrong at my being there He will one day meet with
great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Paraphrase 13. With patience and perseverance in well doing attending God's good time of performing his blessed promise to us on which all our hopes are fastned even that glorious appearance of Jesus Christ our powerfull God and deliverer 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a note e peculiar people zealous of good works Paraphrase 14. Who came into this world in form of flesh and delivered himself up to a shamefull death on purpose that he might ransome us out of the power of Satan from that course of vicious living in which men were before engaged Rom. 8. 20. and cleanse us in an eminent manner to be an holy pious people most diligent to advance to the highest pitch of all vertue 15. These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority Let no man despise thee Paraphrase 15. And those that doe not practise accordingly proceed to the censures of the Church against them And take care thou permit not thy admonitions to be set at nought or despised by any Annotations on Chap. II. V. 2. Agedmen It is not certain here what is meant by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The wordmay denote the antienter sort of men and no more But the Context seems to incline it to Church-officers For this Epistle being written to Titus a Bishop who was to ordain such and that which is here said being the enumerating the qualifications of such it is evident that it referres to some such order unto which upon choice and approbation of their qualifications some were to be received and not others Whereas of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or juniors that is the ordinary Christians assumed to no office the style is altered no more then this that he should admonish them to be sober ver 6. Thus the Commentaries under S. Hieromes name Senes aetate ordine possunt intelligi Those antient men may be here understood that are such both for age and order But what order is here noted is uncertain still The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã may seem to be that which is turned into the Latine Presbyter the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being ordinarily turned into ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã martyr ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ligur ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã celer and the like and so the Commentaries under S. Hieromes name interpret it Ecclesiae Seniores the Elders of the Church But it is much more likely that it is the order of Deacon first because the comparing of the instructions which are here given to Titus for his Province with those to Timothy for his 1 Tim. 3. 1. doth inferre this There the qualifications of a Bishop are first set down that he should be lamelesse the husband of one wife c. and so here chap. 1. 6 7 8 9. almost in the same words Both after the example of Jethro's direction to Moses for the choosing of rulers over the Israelites Exod. 18. 21. And proportionably as after the Bishops the Apostle gives Timothy directions for Deacons the Deacons likewise must be grave c. ver 8. so here the directions are given for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that they be sober grave c. By which it may reasonably be concluded that the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here are the Deacons there And accordingly they that are here called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Feminine but to Timothy ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã women only are generally in the antient Church called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã deaconesses Secondly It is formerly cleared Note on Phil. 1. 2. that at the first in every city the Apostles and Apostolical men instituted none but a Bishop and Deacons and that there never was any Bishop instituted but there were Deacons also to attend upon him To which it is consequent that here being mention of no other style which can belong to Deacons this of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã should denote them As for the title of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã senes antient men it is not improper to signifie these for as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Elders in the Comparative are the Governours of the Church and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the younger the ordinary believers under Government so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is the middle betwixt those the Positive to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and so inferior to them and yet superior to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as the Deacons are under the Bishop but over the brethren or ordinary believers V. 3. In behaviour ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Noun cometh from the Verb ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which we find used chap. 1. 5. and Act. 6. 3. for ordination or consecration of Church-officers according to that which Grammarians have observed ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã perhaps it should be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Suidas noting office or function committed to any And therefore in all reason it must signifie the rank of those who are thus constituted Officers of the Church in the same manner as from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã used for chusing officers of the Church the Ecclesiastical word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the catalogue and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the sacred catalogue doth frequently signifie the list of Ecclesiastical persons This is that which in aftertimes was called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã when ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they in the rule is the style of the Officers of the Church Thus it may first appear by the Context here Saint Paul giving directions to Titus for the ordaining of Bishops chap. 1. 5. passes orderly to the next degree of Church-officers chap. 2. 2. under the name of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and then after those succeeds ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as several sorts of Church-officers under one another Secondly by the qualification which are here set down both for the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in like manner as for the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is saith Theophylact the deaconesses 1 Tim. 3. which sure cannot be applied to them under the notion of aged men or women but onely as such as Titus was to ordain in each city Whereas the younger women are mentioned in another manner thus ver 4 5. the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã must ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã discipline the young women to be sober c. which is again an intimation of a part of the function of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to be as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã among the Athenians of which see Note c. Thirdly by the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã compounded of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is the word peculiar for sacred whether persons or things that is for those which are set apart to the service of God as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã are peculiarly the clergy martyrs see Note on Rev. 3.
quantity or of time Psal 8. 5. whence this verse is taken as the comparison is set betwixt Enosch or Ben Adam the lowest man on earth and the heaven and Angels so the words will bear the first sense that man is little lower then the Angels but as those words were a prophecy and the application of them here an enunciation concerning Christ so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is an Adverb of time and signifies a little while V. Destroy That ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies to frustrate evacuate invalidate take away all force or power from any hath been formerly said Rom. 7. Note a. And so it must be taken here ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã will be to evacuate or frustrate the devils design and cancell that deed by which upon sins coming into the world men were bound over to death For by Christ though death temporal be not quite taken away yet it is rob'd of the sting and victory or reigning power over man who by Christ is rescued from death that is from the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or power of it here as of Christ it is said Act. 2. 24. that it was not possible ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for him to be held under death and raised to eternal life and mean while while the body lies in the grave 't is but as in a still quiet sleep a freedome from the pressures of this life and so hath nothing of evil or formidable in it This notion of the phrase doth fitly belong to it here where it is laid as the foundation of comfort to them that dread persecutions because they fear death v. 15. by assuring them that Christ hath taken away the sting of death and that consequently if they that are now under pressures for Christ doe not outlive them or enjoy the promised deliverance here yet death shall be no losse or diminution to them they shall rise to eternal life V. 16. Took not ân him The notion of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is best express'd by Chrysostome in these words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã when mankind fled fled far from him Christ pursued and caught hold of it The word is interpreted by Cicero cont Pison by retinere ad salutem i. e. mann aut laciniâ prehendere ac retinere eum qui se it perditum to hold one back by that means to save him to catch by the hand or garment and hold him that is about to destroy himself And this Christ did by fastning on our nature in his Incarnation wherein the Angels were not concerned for he did not so to them but only to us according to that of the Antients that that which was not assumed was not ransomed by him that the nature of man being only assumed by Christ and not the nature of Angels man only had the benefit of it all his coming and preaching designed to bring sinfull man to repentance but not to recall or recover the laps'd Angels CHAP. III. 1. WHerefore holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling consider the Apostle and high priest of our profession Christ Jesus Paraphrase 1. Upon these grounds may most reasonably exhort you my Christian brethren who are called and admitted to the same common faith disciples of this crucified Saviour to consider and imitate Jesus Christ who was sent with commission by his Father to preach that Gospel to us which we professe and to ratifie it with his own blood the effusion of which denominates him our high priest who sacrificed himself for us 2. Who was faithfull to him that appointed him as also Moses was faithfull in all his house Paraphrase 2. And hath with all fidelity discharged his office to which he was designed by God in every particular in like manner as is affirmed of the fidelity of Moses who governed and administred not any one part but all the house of Israel 3. For this man was counted worthy of more glory then Moses in as much as he who hath note a builded the house hath more honour then the house Paraphrase 3. Nay Christ's condition is much more honourable then that of Moses as farre as that of the master of the family above any the most eminent servant in the house 4. For every house is builded by some man but he that built all things is God Paraphrase 4. For every family or kingdome hath some original or founder but God is the founder of all both of the Church of the Jewes and now of the Christians and such is our Christ of whom now we speak 5. And Moses verily was faithfull in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which were to be after Paraphrase 5. And indeed Moses's fidelity was only as that of a servant or officer in giving or promulgating those commands which God commanded him to promulgate 6. But Christ as a son over his own house whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the note b rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end Paraphrase 6. But Christ was as the eldest son who is the master and ruler of the family and that family of his are we if we continue our Christian profession courageously in despight of all fear see note on John 7. a. and our cheerfulnesse in all that befals us here be founded on our hope of deliverance and relief from Christ on those termes on which he hath promised it 7. Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith To day if ye will hear his voice 8. Harden not your hearts as in the provocation in the day of temptation in the wildernesse Paraphrase 7 8. Which is an obligation to us to adhere to Christ and persevere whatsoever difficulties we meet with and not to apostatize or fall off from him as the Israelites did when the Scripture saith of and to them Psal 95. 8. To day if ye c. that is Take heed that ye bring not destruction on your selves by revolting from and rebelling against God as your forefathers did ten times after their coming from Aegypt Num. 14. 22. 9. When your fathers tempted me proved me and saw my workes forty yeares Paraphrase 9. While they tempted and provoked God and would not believe his power though they had testimonies enough of it by the miracles which they saw done for the space of so many yeares together 10. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation and said They do alway erre in their heart and they have not known my wayes Paraphrase 10. Which was a grieving and wearying of my patience they never doing what they ought to doe but alwayes the contrary to that 11. So I sware in my wrath they shall not enter into note c my rest Paraphrase 11. Upon which my irreversible oath went out against them Num. 14. 23. and 28 29 30. that they should never come into Canaan but leave every one of them but Caleb and Joshua their carcasses in the wildernesse 12. Take heed
blows and again when he saith ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I am grievously pained with those blows it follows presently ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he died v. 31. From this use of the cudgel in this punishment of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it is that Polybius for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sets ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to beaâ with cudgels in respect of this one part of that punishment not but that it had much more in it beside as beside ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã rack and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã cutting off the extreme parts formerly mentioned it seems by the story of the Maccabees ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã frying or broiling By what hath been said it appears that this punishment was first very Painful secondly Contumelious thirdly Capital First very Painful so Aristot Rhetâ 2. c. 5. mentions ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã men that are under that punishment as those that think themselves ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to have suffered all the sad measure imaginable and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã made soullesse and senslesse for what is behind Secondly most Contumelious for so 1. 3. Mac. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that punishment was a most shamefull torment Thirdly Capital bringing death finally though slowly and therefore is named by Aristotle Rhet. 2. 5. among those things which have no ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hope of escaping and he reckons Antiphon the Poet for one c. 6. who ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being thus punished by Dionysius asked one of his companions jestingly who of the spectators should see them to morrowâ so in Maccabees ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. 6. they die with it and so the King of Babylon the third after Nebuchadnezzar as Eusebius cites it out of Polyhistor ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã was so used by his friends and then it presently follows ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and dying c. which is repeated in like manner by Berosus 1. 3. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Fragments set out by Jos Scaliger where yet for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Ensebius we find ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã who faith Scaliger was certainly Belshazzar of whom saith Justin Martyr from Dan. 5. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the beast was put to that death for which we now read in the Greek copie ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he was killed and no more Megasthenes out of Abydenus calls him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and saith he died ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by a violent death and adds no more See Scaliger in those Fragments in the end of the book De emend Temp. p. 4. By all this it appears that this was a punishment used among the Grecians and Babylonians and it seems byâ the Romans too for so in Euseb Eccl. Hist 1. 5. c. 1. we find ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. of the Emperors commanding the Christians to be put to this torment and if they renounced Christianity they were to be loosed V. 37. Were tempted Some Copies read ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã others have ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The truth is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is the ordinary reading seems not to be agreeable after ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they received trial c. and neither the Syriack nor Chrysostome and they that follow him have this word or any thing for it so that it is likely it came out of the margine into the Text and then 't will be doubtfull but not much material which reading is to be preferred V. 40. Made perfect What is the meaning of this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã somewhat better which this Author saith was by God foreseen and reserved for the faithful constant Christians will best be understood by the former verse 39. These all ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being commended or having received testimony or perhaps being martyred by their faith ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã received not the promise Where first it must be observed who ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã all these were most distinctly the Maccabees mentioned immediately before ver 36 37 38. but not so as to exclude or not to comprehend those others which were set down as examples of Faith before them for they also must be contained in the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã all these For the Maccabees next before mentioned these are in the Jewes stories commended for their constancy in adhering to Gods commands or the Jewish lawes in spite of the cruellest persecuters and tormentors and were really martyred or put to death lost their lives ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by their faith or constancy and of these it is said they received not the promise God having foreseen or reserved somewhat better for us that is God having reserved for the Christian Church some performance of promise which he had not afforded those former By this it is already apparent that eternal blisse in another world was not the matter of this promise both because this was not it that they could be evidenced to have miss'd by their being tormented and put to death but that which it was more sure they received because they were so ill used here and secondly because if it were supposed to be true as some vainly conceive that those that died before Christ did not attain their blisse till after Christ's resurrection yet it will be acknowledged by all that they then received it and then it will follow that the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Christians had not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã any advantage of them that lived before in that respect those obtaining the blisse assoon or sooner then they and no torment or temporary pains being supposable for such Martyrs between the day of their sufferings and their attaining to blisse wherein these latter can by any be thought to exceed them It follows then that as the promise which they by suffering received not was some promise of this life so the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the somewhat better was somewhat which the Christians should enjoy in this life In the next place then we may have another way of finding out what this promise was wherein the Christians were to have the advantage of the former by looking on ver 13. where of Abraham Isaac and Jacob it is said in like manner that they died receiving not the promise That promise was clearly the promised land that Canaan the type of the Christians rest or deliverance from their enemies see Note on Heb. 3. c. which they received not in their life time though their posterity afterward did receive it yet some promises there were made unto Abraham and his seed which even they that attain'd the promised land did not receive And what were they Among the promises made to Abraham not personally to him but to his seed this is one Gen. 22. 17. that his seed should possesse the gates of his enemies This it seems was look'd upon by all the Jewes as a special part of the promise to Abraham repeated by all the
the holy Apostles So Titus is by Theodoret styled ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Titus the Apostle of the Cretans And so Epaphroditus Phil. 2. 25. is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã your Apostle for which Theodoret gives the reason because ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he was intrusted with the Episcopal government of them So Clemens Romanus the Bishop of Rome is by Clemens Alexandrinus l. 4. called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Apostle Clemens by S. Hierome in Isa 52. vir Apostolicus an Apostolick person by Ruffinus De Adulterat lib. Orig. penè Apostolus almost an Apostle So Ignatius Bishop of Antioch is by Chrysostome in his encomium of him called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Apostle For the time when this Epistle was written there is no certainty of defining save that as it must be after the Apostles preaching and converting the Jewes in the other regions beside Judaea so it must be before the year 63. for then this James was put to death by Annas the younger the High-priest See Josephus Antiq. l. 20. c. 8. The designe of the Epistle is visible to fortifie the faithful against all temptations wherewith the Gnostick-hereticks could solicit them and to secure their patience and purity and faith and charity and all other Christian practices in them and to foretell them the no stead that their worldly wealth most solicitously preserved will stand them in at the approaching calamity which will involve incredulous Jewes and Gnosticks together cap. 5. 1. hereby comforting the faithful and encouraging them to persevere till this coming of Christ for their rescue from their persecutors v. 8. CHAP. 1. 1. JAMES a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad greeting Paraphrase 1. James the Bishop of Jerusalem employed by God Christ in the service of that Church sends greeting to the Jewish Christians that are dispersed among the nations out of Judaea in divers cities 2. My brethren âount it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations Paraphrase 2. Look upon it as the blessedest condition that can befall you the joyfullest thing imaginable that you meet with afflictions here in your Christian course and those of many sorts and kinds a succession of many of them 3. Knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience Paraphrase 3. And this you will doe if you duly consider the gainfull effects of these afflictions For as by them your faith is tried whether it be sincere or no so that trial exercises and gives you the habit of that excellent Christian vertue of patience and courage and constancy and that being a superiority of mind and a victory over a mans self over his most hurtfull and unruly passions his fears his sorrow his rage his revenge and over all the world besides over injuries rapines contumelies death it self it must needs be a delightfull joyous vertue 4. But let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and intire wanting nothing Paraphrase 4. And then let this patience by consideration of the advantages of our suffering for Christ and pieties sake and by the delightfulnesse of these exercises of it advance to this pitch of rejoicing in tribulations of blessing and glorifying God for them together with constancy and perseverance therein and the more and heavier the afflictions are of rejoicing still the more v. 2. which is the giving patience the full scope improving that vertue to the highest degree of perfection and this will be infinitely for your advantage the greatest riches that ye can be capable of in this world 5. If any of you lack wisdome let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him Paraphrase 5. To this indeed there is not only fortitude required but wisdome and that of the highest nature And if in such times of pressure as these any man want this true heavenly spiritual wisdome this skill of managing himself at this time of securing his interest with Christ rather then with the world of depending on Christs care of him without using other artifices of securing himself of bearing not only patiently but joyfully the utmost evils let his recourse be continually to God whom he need not make scruple or be ashamed to consult upon every occasion for his liberality is not confined like ours nor is he wont to reproach those whom he gives any thing to and he will certainly shew him this truth and furnish him with this strength of enduring cheerfully and give him when time comes the experimental knowledge of what I here say how joyfull a thing it is to be thus exercised and to retain this superiority of mind in all the afflictions that can befall us 6. But let him ask note a in faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed Paraphrase 6. But let him come to God with firm adherence on him a mind resolved whatsoever comes to stick fast to God to use no means of delivering himself but such as are acceptable to him never entertaining any doubt whether Gods waies or his own are to be adhered to for the obtaining of his ends making no question of Gods power or will to answer his requests and therefore praying and depending on him quietly for an issue but of all Whereas the contrary doubting or wavering keeps men in a perpetual tempest and agitation of mind alwaies tossed from one hold one dependence to another see note on 1 Joh. 5. b. 7. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. Paraphrase 7. And besides it is the blasting of our prayers God being not wont to hear them that doe not sincerely and faithfully depend on him 8. A double-minded man is unstable in all his waies Paraphrase 8. A wavering inconstant Christian that together with the faith of Christ applies himself to unlawfull courses for his own safeguard hath the infelicity of never knowing which way to turn himself being alwaies betwixt two and disquieted upon all occasions see Ecclus 2. 13 14 15 16. 9. Let the note b brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted Paraphrase 9. But let the rich man that falls into a low condition through the afflictions to which this world is subject be as well pleased and thank God as heartily for his being reduced to this low estate as a poor man is wont to be when he is preferred and exalted see note on Mat. 9. d. Or thus It is no unhappy state for a man to have lost all to be brought low in the world and so to have nothing left to lose or secure Nay this he may really look on as a dignity or preferment that he hath reason to be very glad of and not to mourn for And so likewise may the rich man look with joy upon the plundrings and violences that befall him because
ye take care that your performances be agreeable to your words see note on 2 Cor. 1. b. that you fall not into lying or false speaking 13. Is any among you afflicted let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalmes Paraphrase 13. Again let your care be that whenever any affliction befalls you your praying to God be the constant effect of it as on the other side singing thanksgivings of your prosperity 14. Is any sick among you let him call for the note e elders of the Church and let them pray over him note f anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord Paraphrase 14. When any man falls into any disease he is to look on it as that which comes from God for some special end of his very ordinarily for some sin of ours committed either against God or man not yet repented of as it ought and because the man so visited may not be so well able to judge of himself but that he may stand in need of spiritual directions and counsel to discern his own guilts and because whatsoever his condition be he may receive much benefit thereby let him call to his assistance some spiritual person the Bishop in every city see note on Act. 11. b. or whosoever is by or under him ordained for such offices and when he hath afforded the sick man his best directions and assistance let him also pray to God with and for him that God will pardon his sins asswage his pains remove the disease and restore him to his former health withall using that ceremony of unction so ordinarily used by Christ in curing diseases and doing it in the name of Christ 15. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sins note g they shall be forgiven him Paraphrase 15. And the prayer of the Bishop c. and of the sick if it come from faith in Christ in the one praying to God in Christ for his recovery and in the sick person from a true Christain penitent heart shall be of force save where God is pleased otherwise to dispose of it for the good of the patient and his own glory to heal and recover the sick see note on Mat. 10. g. and Luc. 13. b. and God shall restore him to his former health To which purpose also it is useful that if upon examination he be found to have committed any wasting sin or sins which probably have brought this disease on him the sick person first fit himself for and then receive absolution from the Bishop 16. note h Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Paraphrase 16. Upon these considerations therefore it will be very proper for all that are in this estate to make acknowledgment of their sins to such as are thus called to visit them and that besides other respects in order to their cure from such diseases as are then upon them by virtue of their intercession to God for those who shall thus approve to them the sincerity of their repentance see Gen. 20. 7. For this is certainly known that the prayer of a man of God to which he is incited by the Spirit as the prophets were when they prayed and as they were under the Gospel who had the gift of miracles see note on Gal. 5. b. will be very effectual even work miraculous cures 17. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six moneths Paraphrase 17. Elias was a prophet and a righteous man but a man for all that and subject to the same afflictions and frailties that we are and yet by earnest prayer he brought drought and famine upon the land for the punishment of the sins of the people that ran idolatrously after Baal and so upon the land of the ten tribes it rained not for three years and an half Luk. 4. 25. and Rev. 11. 6. 18. And he prayed again and the heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit Paraphrase 18. And upon some reformation he again prayed 1 Kin. 18. 45. and he was heard in abundance of rain and fruits 19. Brethren If any of you doe erre from the truth and one convert him Paraphrase 19. To conclude this discourse begun v. 14. let this be remembred and considered by all If any Christian transgresse the Evangelical rule of life fall into sin and any man take him off from that vicious course 20. Let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall note i hide a multitude of sins Paraphrase 20. It is a most excellent glorious work of mercy which he hath wrought the effect of which is that God will free him on whom this change is wrought from death eternal and perhaps from temporal present death through sicknesse fallen on him for that sin ver 15. and besides he will accept and reward that charity of him that hath wrought that good work on him with the free discharge of whatsoever sins he hath formerly been guilty but hath now repented of Annotations on Chap. V. V. 3. As it were fire That the words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as fire are to be joyned with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ye have treasured up and not with the former the sense doth much inforce and the antient manner of writing without points doth well permit and it hath a special significancy in this place agreeable to the times wherein this Epistle was written For the last dayes being the time of the Jewes destruction see Note on Act. 2. b. and to treasure up wealth as fire being no more then to lay up their wealth so as it should mischief and devour and consume in stead of advantaging them this is here most truly said of the uncharitable and unchristian Judaizers at that time in respect of the destruction of that people approaching where the rich misers were the most miserably harrass'd of any See Note on Rev. 9. c. V. 7. Coming of the Lord The coming of the Lord is here expresly defined by Oecumenius to be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the expedition of the Romanes to which he there applies the words of Christ concerning John If I will that he tarry till I come ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã For the time of this life was to him extended untill the taking of Jerusalem and a little beyond it V. 9. Grudge not The practices of the Zelots among the Jewes a little before the great miserable destruction of that people are often mentioned in Josephus and referred to in this Epistle especially and in those of S. Peter written about the same time and to the same persons that this of S. James was viz.
like him in holinesse and like him in blisse and that blisse shall consist in seeing of him as he is a fountain of all that is desirable to our natures 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Paraphrase 3. And whosoever hopes or depends on God for any such future state if he expect to receive it from him according to his manner of promising not absolutely but conditionally or indeed whosoever sets his heart on the vision of God a pure and blissful state not any sensual paradise but a spiritual state of blisse made up of sinlesnesse and purity will in all reason set a purifying here be a practising and aiming after that excellent copie that he may be capable of that perfect purity hereafter 4. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the Law for sin is the transgression of the Law Paraphrase 4. Sin is a contrariety to the Law of God an act of disloyalty to our King and he that deliberately committeth any act of sin doth proportionably commit a rebellon and disloyalty against Christ 5. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin Paraphrase 5. And Christ both by his example being sinlesse never guilty of any act of sin and by all that he hath done and suffered for us hath designed this special end to himself to purifie our lives and cleanse us from all deliberate acts of sin 6. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him Paraphrase 6. He that adhereth fast to him that as a member of his continueth in him falleth not indulgently or deliberately into any act of sin he that doth so disclaims all true knowledge of God is no Gnostick properly called or conversation with him 7. Little children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousnesse is righteous even as he is righteous Paraphrase 7. My young tender Christians let not the Gnosticks seduce you to your ruine he that continues in all righteous actions that actually performs the will of God and not onely in intention of mind and that through his whole course of life and if he fail therein returns again speedily by repentance this person and none but this is the Christian righteous man he and none else is accepted by God as righteous under the Gospel in like manner and proportion as Christ doing righteousnesse is said to be righteous upon that and not any other ground of denomination 8. He that note a committeth sin is of the devil for the devil sinneth from the beginning for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil Paraphrase 8. He that deliberately committeth any act of known sin is in that or so farre an imitator of the devil for at the beginning soon after his creation he acted rebellion against God and hath done so ever since And to take off all men from following of him was the very designe of Christ's coming into the world 9. Whosoever is note b born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he note c cannot sin because he is born of God Paraphrase 9. Whosoever is a true child of God keeps himself strictly from all deliberate sin and the reason is clear because that principle of sonship that from whence he is said to be born anew or of God to wit his sincere resolute conversion to God if that continue to have any energic or life in him is directly contrary to and incompatible with the committing any sin and therefore he cannot thus sin because he is a child of God a regenerate person that is such sinning is unreconcileable with that state 10. In this the children of God are manifested and the children of the devil whosoever doth not righteousness note d is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother Paraphrase 10. This is the character of difference between pious and wicked regenerate and unregenerate men he that lives an impious and uncharitable life is no regenerate child of God's whatsoever he flatter himself of his state 11. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning that we should love one another Paraphrase 11. For this of charity is the grand fundamental doctrine which was so often and so earnestly commanded by Christ when he was here on earth 12. Not as Cain who was of that wicked one and slew his brother And wherefore slew he him because his own works were evil and his brother's righteous Paraphrase 12. And how contrary is this to that emulation and maligning of those that are better then they which was the affection that put Cain on killing his brother and doth the like in the Gnosticks now abroad who hate and persecute all the orthodox Christians to death and can have no other quarrel to them but that their own works are evil and the others good 13. Marvel not my brethren if the world hate you Paraphrase 13. But this you pure Christians have no reason to wonder at if it prove to be your lot 14. We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren he that loveth not his brother abideth in death Paraphrase 14. We know that we are regenerate Christians see note on Luc. 15. c. by our charity to other men which he that hath not is clearly an unregenerate unchristian person 15. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murtherer and ye know that no murtherer hath eternal life abiding in him Paraphrase 15. The hating of others is by interpretation the killing of them because it is so in intention of heart did not some outward restraint curb it and he that is such is acknowledged by all men to be quite contrary to the Evangelical temper the regenerate state from the having spiritual life abiding in him which the Gnosticks that are so malitious doe yet so much talk of 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren Paraphrase 16. Christ's love to us was expressed in this that he was willing to incurre the utmost hazard even to venture his life to reduce us and agreeably Christian charity obligeth us to venture even our lives for other men after the manner and upon so noble a designe as Christ did that is to bring unto the Christian faith as the martyrs did any one or more enemies of Christ and so likewise in other cases proportionable to this 17. But who so hath this worlds good and seeth his brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him Paraphrase 17. But how contrary to this is the practice of the world when rich men that have to spare for others have yet no compassion or charity to them which he that doth how can he be said to
obedience to the commands of the true God so that hereby we have all security that we cannot mistake it being God who cannot lye whom we adhere to and his Son Jesus Christ of whom he hath given his testimony And thus we may confidently resolve that the Christian Religion is the true 21. Little children keep your selves from note d idols Amen Paraphrase 21. Farewell my tender Christians and be sure you keep your selves from offering sacrifices to the false idol Gods which the Gnosticks would doe in case of persecution and from those mixtures of heathenisme and uncleannesses practised in their heathen worships by them and brought in among Christians by that licentious sect and even from images themselves which the Gnosticks who pretended to have forsaken the idolatries of the heathens and so to have become Christians did again fall into worshipping the images and pictures of Simon Magus and Helena and offering sacrifices unto them Amen Annotations on the first Epistle of John Chap. V. V. 6. Came by water and blood What ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he that came by water and blood here signifies will appear by considering the Context and the relation of these to the former words There the belief that Jesus is the Son of God is the means of victory over the temptations of the world the baits then offered by the Gnosticks carnal pleasures on one side and immunitie from persecutions on the other And to that this belief is a very proper instrument For considering wherein Christ's sonship was exercised here on earth his innocence and his sufferings and that if we will behave our selves as sons of God we must imitate him and that our faith in him consists in thus transcribing these his filial qualifications the conclusion hence follows that he that is such a child of God v. 4. that is that believes that Jesus is the Son of God v. 5. doth or will overcome the world This then being the force of the Apostles arguing it must follow that these words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã this is he that came by water and blood must be the description of Christ as that sonship of his is express'd for our imitation in this matter that is as he approv'd his innocence faultlesness to God on one side and his patience and in spight of temptations even of death it self perseverance on the other side And this is here figuratively express'd and the figure fetched from an eminent passage in the story of Christ particularly considered and related by S. John and that with a special weight laid on it both for the truth and the considerablenesse of it viz. the water and blood that at his crucifixion came out of his side at the piercing of it the water being a most proper embleme of his innocence and the blood of his patience and constancy and then the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã his having come by these two is no more then the having had these two emblemes and the things signified by them most eminently observable in the discharge of his office here on earth For we know that being sent or coming are the words that refer to discharge of office Christ is said to be sent by God and which is all one to come and is proverbially styled ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he that cometh and he that cometh into the world that is the great Prophet sent by God for the discharge of this office which as Son of God Mat. 3. 17. he was ordained to and for which he came into the world and which he did with perfect singlenesse and resisting unto blood suffering death in the cause and those two were express'd by that joint embleme at his death the water and blood which John saw flow from him In this matter also it is that the Spirit is also joined as a testifier that is the meaning of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is testifying viz. of the innocence of Christ which being granted the constancy and sufferings were sufficiently known and proved by that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã flowing out of water and blood which was an evidence of the wounding and piercing him to the heart For first the Spirit 's descending on him at his baptism and lighting on him as a dove was one testimonie of his perfect innocence and acceptablenesse in the sight of his Father And secondly by that Spirit 's descent being instated on his Prophetick office he is also furnished with the gift of miracles c. which were sure testimonies that what he preached was Gods message that he was no sinner no seducer no false prophet seeing as the Jews confess'd he did such miracles Thirdly the coming down of that Spirit upon the Apostles and that according to the promise of Christ was a testimonie of the truth of what else he said and by this descent the Spirit became a Paraclete or Advocate of Christ and so testified and convinced the world as of their sin in crucisying him so of his righteousnesse in that after his crucifixion he was raised and taken up to the Father All this being thus said in this verse as it is the proving of what went before by these three witnesses so doth it introduce what follows v. 7 8. which is but the saying the same again and joining a parallel with it for so I suppose the following words are to be understood For there are three that bear witnesse in heaven c. not that that is a reason of what went immediately before for it would be hard to shew how thus the seventh verse could be a reason of v. 6. how the trinity of witnesses in heaven should be a proof that the water and blood and spirit do witnesse v. 6. but that it is a parallel to illustrate it by and might in sense be best express'd thus As there be three that bear witness in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one So also there are three that testifie on the earth the spirit and water and blood and these three though they are not one by any kind of unity of nature as the former three are yet they agree in one that is in one testimony evidently confirming the same thing which they were brought to testifie v. 6. Of such like idioms of speech we have formerly noted many in Note on Mat. 9. d. By this means as this whole place is competently explained and freed from all difficulty so is it vindicated from a first mis-interpretation which some late writers have fastned on it interpreting the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã v. 7. are one by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they agree in one But of this first there can be no evidence nor indeed any reason assigned that the phrase should be so suddainly altered v. 8. if the same thing were meant which was so immediately before v. 7. so differently expressed If ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã are one had signified no more but agree in one testimonie v. 7. is it
confession of Christ nay secondly at this part of the Vision 't is clear that as the constant professors were not all slain but only some of them beheaded and others preserved and so beside the beheaded here are enumerated those that had not worshipp'd the beast nor his image nor received his mark upon their foreheads or hands so the Idolaters Apostates and Gnostick Christians c. had their universal slaughters ch 19. 2 3. 20. 21. and therefore these may well be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the rest of the dead here it being punctually said of them ch 19. 21. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the rest were slain And then that they revived not till the thousand years finished must needs signifie that the Church was now for that space freed from such Heathen persecuters and purified from such a vow'd mixtures of those vile unchristian practices which is but the negative part annex'd to the positive preceding Ib. First resurrection What is meant by the first resurrection here may be discerned by comparing it with the second resurrection in the ordinary notion of it That signifies the resurrection to eternal life Proportionably this must signifie a reviving a restoring to life though not to that eternal Here it is figuratively used to expresse the flourishing condition of the Christian Church for that thousand years wherein the Christian professors in opposition to idolatrous Heathens and Gnostick Christians live safely and happily in the enjoying the assemblies which is saith he as if the primitive Martyrs were fetch'd out of their graves to live again here in tranquillity upon the earth Where only it is to be noted that the resurrection here is of the Church not of the particular persons the beheaded c. thus to be understood that the Church that was persecuted and suppress'd and slain as it were and again corrupted and vitiated in its members now rose from the dead revived again V. 6. The second death This phrase the second death is four times used in this book ch 2. 11. and here ch 20. 6. then v. 14. then c. 21. 8. It seems to be taken from the Jews who use it proverbially for final utter irreversible destruction So in the Jerusalem Targum Deut. 33. 6. Let Reuben live and let him not die the second death by which the wicked die in the world to come Where whatsoever be signified among them by the world to come the age of the Messias in whatsoever Jewish notion of it it seems to denote such a death from which there is no release And according to this notion of it as it reflects fitly on the first death which is a destruction but such as is reparable by a reviving or resurrection but this past hopes and exclusive of that so will all the several places wherein 't is used be clearly interpreted ch 2. 11. he that overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death that is if this Church shall hold out constant it shall not be cut off that is though it shall meet with great persecutions ver 10. and death it self yet that utter excision would no way better be prevented then by this of constancy and perseverance in suffering of all So here speaking of the flourishing condition of the Christian Church reviving after all its persecutions and corruptions to a state of tranquillity and purity On these saith he the second death hath no power that is they have not incurred that utter excision having their part in the first resurrection but they shall be Priests to Christ and God and reign c. that is have a flourishing time of Christian profession for that space of a thousand years So in the 14. ver where death and hades are cast into the lake of fire that is death and the state of mortality utterly destroyed O death I will be thy death it is added this is the second death that is mortality is utterly destroyed there shall now be no more death that life shall be eternal so c. 21. 8. the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone the utter irreversible destruction such as fell in Sodome called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã eternal fire utterly consumptive is called the second death into which they are said to goe that are never to appear in the Church again And though in these different matters some difference there must needs be in the significations yet in all of them the notion of utter destruction final irreparable excision may very properly be retained and applied to each of them V. 7. Thousand years are expired When these thousand years of the peaceable Christian profession should begin and when determine is a thing of some doubt And the cause of the doubt is the several points of time wherein the destruction of Heathenisme in the Roman Empire may be placed For as in every so great a change there are several stages or degrees of motion so was it here Constantine's receiving the faith and concluding of the persecutions and by Decree proclaiming liberty of Christianity may most properly be styled the binding of Satan the dragon that sought to devour the child as soon as it was born and then the beginning of the thousand years will fall about An. Dom. 311. at which time the conversion of heathen Rome to Christianity is set down and celebrated by Prudentius l. 1. cont Symmachum beginning thus Cùm princeps gemini bis victor caede tyranni c. To the smae purpose see Eusebius Eccles Hist l. 19. c. 1. But then after that the Emperors were Christian Heathenisme still continued in Rome and in the Empire in some degree see Note on ch 17. f. till by the coming of the Goths and Vandals and Hunnes under Alaricus Gensericus and Attilas the city and Empire of Rome was all the heathen part of it destroyed and Christianity fully victorious over it And if this be the beginning of the binding of Satan and caststing him into the abysse then the thousand years must have another date about the year of Christ 450. or 455. the city having been taken by Alaricus and the Goths An. Ch. 410. and by Gensericus and the Vandals An. 455. but the warre between Theodosius and Gensericus beginning An. 441. and the great fight between the Romans under the Emperor Marcion and the Hunnes under Attilas in which 162000 were killed being An. Chr. 451. the greatest slaughter that hath ever been read of as it is described by Jornandes a little river being by the blood of the slain raised saith he into a torrent Agreeable to this double beginning may be assigned a double end of these thousand years For if the letting loose of Satan here were at the rising of the Ottoman family and bringing Asia and Greece to Mahomedisme that will be about the year 1310. and so about a thousand years from Constantine's Edict But if it were at the Turks taking of Constantinople mentioned here ver 9. and turning the Temple of Sophia to
ãâã ãâã ãâã * an abortive ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * favour ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â toward me ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * neither hath Christ been raised ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â have hoped ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * seeing ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â shall deliver up ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * and the Father ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â take ãâã or bring to nought ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â is destroyed ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * this is with an exception of him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â But when ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * For Eââ â also ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * doe we ãâã hazards ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â according to man â dispositions * truly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â I tell you it that you may be asham'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * what kind of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â both ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * an animal ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â an animal * For so it hath been written â was * I tell you a secret ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â he shall sound the trumpet ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * hades ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * Comm. in Isââ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * Elench c. 9. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Eusch l. 4. c. 15. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * treasuring up whatsoever ne gains ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â those by letters will I seed for Theophylact c. sever ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from the preceding ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * worthy for ne also to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â I shall have past ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * whither I go ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * securely ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â exhorted ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * lexhore ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â worketh with them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * quieted ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * on Rom. 16. 15. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â the God and Father ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * Because ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â upon us abound ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * wrought by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * you are â we our selves ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * also yet ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â the favour conferr'd on us for the sakes of many may by many be thankfully acknowledged ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * or those things also ye acknowledge for the Syriack leaves out ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â hope that ye will * our ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â Grace ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * again from Macedonia to come to you ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â had this resolution ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or was thus wâlling âoâ the King's MS reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â are in him yea ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * or therfore through him are Amen for the King's MS. reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â to God for his glory ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * into ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â gives ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * But ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â that we exercise dominion ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * have stood ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã l. 12. p. 1173. * this very thing did I write ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â made sorry ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * but in part that I may not lay weight upon him all you â before the many * exhort ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â have I written ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â have forgiven ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * that we be not over-reach'd by Satan ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â But ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * for the Gospel of Christ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â in ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * out ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * the knowledge of him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â among them that are escaped ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * or from death âo death for the King's MS. reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as after ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â deale as bucksters with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * being manifested that ye are ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â confidence ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * fitted us or enabled ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â covenant ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * writing ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â in the writings being ingraven ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * in glory ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â which is done away ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * in glory â administration ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * were â was not so much as glorious ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * by glory ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â in glory ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * put ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â his own ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * so that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â looked not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * or face for the Kings MS. reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * ãâ¦ã p. 1. 2. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * grow not sluggish or cowardly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â shame ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * iâ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â among ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * so that the illumination of the Gosâel of the glory of Christ hath not shin'd to them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â or in vessels of shell * griped â brought to extremities stâaitned but not despairing * pursued but not left behind â that the death is wrought in us but the life in you ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * benefit having aboundeâ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â excéed ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * are not sâornfull ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â most superlative ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * temporary ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * Tom. 6. p. 855. l. 10. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * to put on over it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â we be found clothed not naked ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã