perfect restitution of the Church shall not bee before that time This Text hath much prevailed with many of the Ancient and moderne Divines to draw them to the use of much peradventure overmuch clemency toward Hereticks Where there is a seeming repugnancy in the Texts there it is fit the plaine precepts should guide our practice rather than darke and obscure parables The meaning of our Saviour is not to forbid the use either of the spirituall or civill sword These tares in the Parable are expounded to be the children of the wicked that is of that wicked one the Devill Why therefore should it be so expounded as to favour Heretickes rather than Hypocrites The intention of the Parable doubtlesse is to shew that there is no expectation of universall purity in the Church of God during this life this is the intention and farther than so it is not doctrinall it is evident that hee who forbad to pluck up the tares did not forbid to hinder the sowing of them He that sowes the good seed is Christ our Saviour the field is the world the good seed are the sons of the kingdom the tares are the sons of that evill one the enemy which soweth them is the devill the reapers are the Angells the harvest is the end of the world Ver. 31. By these parables Christ encourageth his Disciples lest they being offended with the small and base beginning of the Gospell should give back therefore the Kingdom is compared to a graine of mustard seed and leaven Vers. 32. Which indeed is the least of all seeds One of the least or least of all those which after grew so big Lodge The Greek word signifies properly to dwell in a Tabernacle Beza translates it make their nests the vulgar dwell Ver. 33. This Parable is the same in effect with the former A woman He instanceth in her because it is their way and nature to do it the word of God rooted in the heart seasons the whole man Chrysostome saith the meaning is that the Apostles should bring many nations to the Christian faith as leaven is wont to turne a great deale of meale into its own nature Leaven though small doth so spread its force that a great heap of meale is leavened therewith Vers. 34. He used not these continuall Parables so much for instruction sake as to make the hearers attentive and more apt for another time Vers. 38. The field is the world Christ meant not the wide world but by an usuall trope the Church scattered throughout the world as John 3.16 1 John 2.2 Else there had been no place for the servants wonder that the world should be full of wicked persons ver 27. Vers. 43. Then The adverbe of time then is very forcible for it containeth a secret opposition to the present state and of the last day in hope whereof Christ comforteth all his faithfull ones Calvin Vers. 44. The scope of that Parable is this If one should come into any of our fields and by searching find a gold mine he would not make it known to any but cover it close and go his way and sell all that he had to buy the field that thereby he might enrich himself even so having found this that the Gospell revealeth the way to life everlasting though we must not conceale the same from others yet we must be like this man herein that we could be content to part with all that we have that so we might make the Gospell ours All that he hath Parts with the inward love and outward practice of sin Christ crucified must be our treasure there are five things intimated in the Parable 1. We must find this treasure so much is implyed in the word hidden for we cannot have a thing that is hid before we find it Mat. 11.25 2. We must highly prize and value it so here and Paul Phil. 3.8 3. Obtaine and get it so here and Mat. 6.20 4. Assure it to our selves 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. 5. Vse it as a treasure have our conversation in heaven for there Christ our treasure is and where our treasure is there will our hearts be Vers. 46. And bought it Ob. Esay 55.1 Ans. Heavenly life is the free gift of God yet we are said to buy the same when we do willingly bridle the desires of the flesh that we be not thereby hindered from obtaining the same Phil. 3.8 By that a man hath is meant sin and by selling it the renouncing and disclaming of sin The sinner must sell all that he hath not his Goods Lands Children for these be none of his own God hath lent him these to use our sins are our own and nothing else He that will have part in Christ must part with his sins make a through sale forsake them all and for ever Vers. 51. All the Parables were expounded privately to the Disciples but now after that the Lord had so lovingly instructed them he also admonisheth them that they should not be wise for themselves only but impart unto others that which was committed to them therefore he saith that Teachers are like to housholders which are not only carefull to provide for themselves but lay up also for the nourishment of others Vers. 52. Every Scribe This name though given to some who besides the ordinary function wrote something 1 Chron. 24.6 yet was given not from writing but because they were skilfull in the word written See Mat. 23.34 New and old Are new and old meates Piscator Grotius New and old fruits Drusius Although some would have the Old and new Testament to be understood that is the Law and Gospell Calvin interprets it of their divers and manifold waies of dispensing heavenly mysteries which they do apply to every mans capacity Vers. 55. Is not this the Carpenters son Christ himselfe Mark 6.3 is called the Carpenter and Justin Martyr saith that he made plows and yokes before he exercised the function of the ministery Hereupon Julian the Apostata scoffed at Christ our Saviour saying at his going against the Persians to the Christians what doth the Carpenters Son now And threatning that after his returne he should not be able to save them from his fury whereto a godly man answered by the spirit of Prophecy He whom Julian calleth the Carpenters Son is making a woodden Coffin for him against his death and a little after in that battell he dyed miserably Vers. 57. A Prophet is not without honour save in his own Country It may be this was a generall Proverbe that they which are eminent in gifts are no where less esteemed than in their own Countrey but Calvin and Chrysostome think the Jews were especially reproved by this saying Christ was never less esteemed any where than in Galilee CHAP. XIIII Verse 2. THis is John the Baptist His conscience troubled him for killing so holy and innocent a man Vers. 6. When Herods birth day was kept After the manner
it lasted but a while it wanted moisture that is sufficient moisture Vers. 6. They withered away Fell away not all at once but by little and little as a leafe loseth his greenesse and flourish and withers by degrees The causes 1. Inward 1. Positive hardnesse it fell among stones 2. Privative want of Moystnesse Earth 4 5. v. Rootes 6. v. 2. Outward Persecution 21. v. Temptation Luke 8.13 Moistnesse humor 1. Vnctionis a sound supply of saving graces which continually feedeth and cherisheth the roote 2. Compunctionis sound sorrow for sinne and the sound exercise of mortification Vers. 7. This ground goes as farre as the former in hearing Luke 8.14 in receiving Matth. 13.20 and Mark 4.14 and in growing as Luke it springs beyond the other the other grows but this sprang up not only to a blade but to an eare though not a ripe one These third hearers are doers sufferers in the winter time the thorns will cherish the seed but when it should bring forth the earth the thornes grow up and choake it Bring forth no fruite That is not to perfection bring not fruit to the end as the Greeke is or maturity The causes of this failing are set downe 1. In generall to be thornes viz. inward lusts carnall affections and corrupt desires 2. In speciall of three sorts 1. Cares of the world to distinguish them from the cares of heaven Luke 8.14 and 22.2.2 Riches Luke 8.14 called deceitfulnesse of riches verse 22.3 Voluptuous living Luke 8.14 called lusts of other things by another Evangelist these enter and choake the word Mark 4.19 Vers. 8. The ground is called good not à priori because the word finds it so but à posteriori it is made so by the word The heart is called good in two respects 1. as emptied of bad qualities being contrary to the bad disposition of the three former kinds of ground 2. as well qualified by grace so it is called an honest heart a generall word and put for the approved disposition of the soule containing both civill and religious honesty The first received not the seede this receives and retaines it the second choakes the seed this cherisheth it in a good heart the third came up faire but withered this continues fruitfull Our Saviour speaketh not by an hyperbole or an excessive speech but according to the manner of the best ground in Canaan which brought an hundred fold increase Austin and Jerome say our Saviour mentions three degrees of fruitfull ground to note a difference betwixt Virgins Widdowes and Married persons Theophylact applies it to Anchorites Monkes and Laickes Christ mentioneth three degrees of fruitfull hearers 1 to note the free disposition of Gods grace who distributes to every one according to his good pleasure 2. to comfort and encourage his Ministers who though they lose much labour in the three bad grounds yet the good ground makes amends in which none are fruitlesse 3. to comfort and strengthen such as have not nor can attaine this hundred fold though their endeavours be true and earnest Christ honours them with the name of good ground Matth. 25.23 Vers. 12. See Luke 19.26 That is that useth well what he hath received Drusius in his proverbs expounds it thus He that hath the gift of faith to him other things also shall be given Vers. 13. Hee here plainely declares why he used a parabolicall kind of teaching because they seeing with their bodily eyes the Miracles of Christ and hearing with their corporall eares his Sermons they did not see nor heare with the eyes and eares of their heart Vers. 19. And understandeth it not Spiritually Then cometh the wicked one That is the Devill this phrase notes a speciall wickednesse God is called by the Prophets in the old Testament the Holy one because he is infinitely and altogether Holy so the Devill because hee hath the most wicked nature is called the wicked one 1. the Devils fell of themselves and made themselves wicked 2. they persist in their wickednesse 1 Iohn 3.8 3. they labour to make others wicked like themselves they are wicked subjectivè and effectivè And catcheth away that which was sown in his heart Catch in our language imports a kind of violence but the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more full fetcheth it away by violence as the Harpie her meate the ravenous creature the Harpie hath her name from this word Christ useth the word Matth. 11.12 where it is rendred take by force because of the vehement pursuit of their spirit so this shews the extreme eagernesse of satans spirit Vers. 21. Yet hath he not root in himselfe It must bee a rooting of our owne not in opposition to Christ but any other person and not so much inregard of quantity as truth It must have a rooting 1. In the understanding Eph. 4.14 2. Memory 3. The conscience Rom. 14.15 4. In the will Act. 11.23 5. In the affections Eph. 3.17 6. In faith Col. 2.5 For when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word he is by and by offended Tribulation is taken largely for any kind of affliction here for such a tribulation as hath something of persecution in it for the word tribulation is often immediate from the hand of God persecution is ever from the hand of man Because of the word Received Offended At this persecution it implies such a distast as puts a stop to a man in the way he is in Vers. 22. This ground in the generall nature of it is thorny thornes are lusts that thrive in the soule so called 1. because they are sponte nascentia spring up naturally in the heart as the others doe in ground 2. teare and wound the soule as thornes the flesh 1 Tim. 6.10 3. in the respect of the end thornes are for fire so lusts either for the fire of the Spirit of God or of the wrath of God And the deceitfulnesse of riches Riches are a great portion of the things of this world the Greeke word rendred deceitfulnesse signifies the drawing one out of his way it notes the deceiving which is under the most cunning disguise of that which is good or true the fairest colour to draw us out of the way Riches are not deceitfull actively as the heart of man Ier. 17.5 or as lust 4 Ephes. 22. but objectivè because they are those things about which we are deceived not as they are possessed and used but as they are 1. coveted 2. trusted to 3. ill imployed Vers. 24. The Kingdome of heaven That is the Gospell because it is the meanes of setting it up Vers. 25. His enemie came and sowed tares among the wheat So long as the Church wandreth in this world Hypocrites and wicked men bee mixed with the good and sincere therefore the godly should arme themselves with patience see 47. v. the mixture of good and evill must be patiently borne untill the end of the world because the true and
and of opening and applying the same to those times They were inferiour to the Apostles and by them appointed to govern the Churches which they had planted Evangelists were such ac accompanied the Apostles in their travell and were sent by them upon occasion to the Churches to preach the Gospell but not to be resident in any place for governing of the Churches as were the Prophets Vers. 8 With simplicity that is of meere pitty and compassion and not for any sinister reâ—pect pleasure or praise of men See Ephes. 6.5 Vers. 9. Let love be without dissimulation Greek without hypocrisie See 1 Ioh. 3.18 Abhor as Hell hate with horrour The Greek word is very significant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The simple verb imports extream detestation which is aggravated by the composition Chrys. Cleave to that which is good Hold it as one firmly glued to it for so the word signifies things glued are not easily disjoyned The same word is used of the conjunction between man and wife Matth. 19.5 Eph. 5.21 Vers. 10. Vtuntur hac vâ—ce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristoteles Xenophon Cicero etiam ad Atticum significat vehementem amandi affectum Grotius Vers. 11. Fervent Or zealous in spirit as if no service could be acceptable unto God without fervency of spirit Serving the Lord Some read the words serving the time because there is a great affinity between those two words in the Greek tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord apply your selves to the time not that they should be men-pleasers or time-servers but to apply themselves to the time in the occurrent and occasions thereof But Beza saith this reading cannot be received at all because no such phrase is found in the Scripture to serve the time in any such sense Vers. 13. Given to hospitality The Greek word is well translated for this kinde of phrase notes an eager affection or following of a thing so a common drunkard is said to be given to drink and a covetous man to be given to money The phrase importeth that we should be so hospitable as not to stay till strangers seek to us but prevent them by our invitation Vers. 16. Be not wise in your own conceits The wisdom here inhibited may be understood either in regard of the object that is be not over-curious to pry into secrets unrevealed or in respect of the subject that is be not conceitedly lift up in minde Vers. 17. Provide things honest That is take care beforehand for things that may purchase us credit and make us to be well reputed amongst men Vers 18. Live peaceably with all men with a double limitation 1. If it be possible some are so froward that one cannot live peaceably with them 2 If it be in you or so much as lyeth in you that is so far as it will stand with faith and a good conscience whether you translate it have peace keepe peace observe peace love peace exercise peace live peaceably comprehends them all Par. Vers. 20. Therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greeke word is emphaticall and signifies to feed indulgently as Birds their young or as a man his friend carving to him of the best See à Lapidâ— and Par. in loc In so doing thou shalt heape Coales of fire on his head Coales doe either melt or consume The meaning is that this mercy will be like a heap of hot coales either to melt their hearts and to make them our friends or if they persist in their enmity to adde fewell to their torments in Hell Vers. 21. Be not overcome of evill That is sinne be not made to sinne by the sin of another when another man hath done evill against me or any deare to me in word or deed I must not therefore fall into sinne or forsake my duty One is then overcome with evill when his minde is so possest with the thought of the injury that he hath received that his judgement is perverted and his passion disturbed by it and this may be either sodainly and for a fit in anger or habitually in malice It is a metaphore taken from war and combating 1. To prevent an obiection that it is no bâ—senesse but rather a bravery of Spirit not to revenge 2. To shew that we shall be assaulted therefore we had need to arme and strengthen our selves against it fight for it But overcome evill with good Evill That is the injuries done to us in word or deed good That is curteous righteous humble kinde behaviour Overcome Eanestly desire and constantly labour by our humility love kindnesse to make them ashamed of their unkindnesse by our faithfulnesse and care of our duty to make them forbear doing evill CHAPT XIII Vers. 1. LEt every soule That is Every man an Hebrew synecdoche then the Clergy as well as others none are exempted Be subject The Greek word signifies to be subordinate where is insinuated the order of government Chrysostome noteth that he saith not be obedient but be subject which is a generall word comprehending all other duties and services To the higher or supereminent powers When they were at worst He calleth the civill Magistrates powers saith Pareus because they are armed with power against others And he calls them powers rather then Kings Princes saith he that hee may shew that he speakes not so much of the persons as of the order it selfe Vers. 2. Whosoever therefore resisteth The Greek word notes such a resisting as when a man is contrary to the order established 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resisteth the Ordinance of God Here the Greek word translated to resist signifies to stand against a military word Vers. 4. Vpon him that doth evill Any evill civill religious all lawes propounded without limitation must be interpreted in their latitude Vers. 7. Render therefore to all their dues c. Chrysostome observeth well that the Apostle saith render not give nihil eniur gratuitè dat qui hoc fecerit for it is our duty to yeeld obedience in all things to the Magistrate Tribute to whom tribute is due custome to whom custome For the most part these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are confounded and indifferently taken for any kind of tribute or payment made to the Governours Yet to speak distinctly there are two kinds of tribute which is either laid upon the persons called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poll-monie Matth. 17 25. or upon their substance and was due for commodities brought in and this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the etymon of the word sheweth Vers 8. Owe no man any thing but to love one another Love is such a desperate debt as a man can never discharge himselfe of Vers. 9 Thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale c. The Apostle saith Grotius rehearseth the commandements here in that
where they are Paul hath reference to the place Gen. 23.4 See 47. Gen. 9. On the earth Theophylact and Oecumenius following Chrysostome say that not onely Canaan or Palestina is understood but the whole earth Vers. 17. Offered up Isaac Either because he presented him unto God upon the Altar which was an offering of him up or rather because he had fully purposed to have perfected the offering by his sonnes death had not God himselfe interposed from heaven to restraine him Vers. 19. Accounting Or reasoning Ratiocinatus Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est ratione apud se subducta cùm secum perpendisset considerasset ratiocinatus esset suaque ratione conclusisset Estius The argument that prevailed with him was that which followes From whence also he received him in a figure That is say Erasmus and others in the type of the resurrection viz. Of Christ whose humane nature like a Ram was truly slaine and after raised again by the power of the Deity and freed from death as Isaac Pareus interprets it thus non secut atque si Deus eum ex mortuis suscitasset as if God had raised him up from the dead The neerenesse of death wherein Isaac was was a similitude of death Vers. 21. And worshipped leaning upon the top of his staffe Lifting up his body to do reverence unto God thereby testifying his humility faith and hope Vers. 25. Then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Greek then to have the momentany fruition of sin so Chrysostom Theophylact and Oecumenius read it Honours pleasures delights are called the pleasures of sinne not because they are so in themselves but because they are occasions and instruments of sin and are seldome had or held without some sin or other Vers. 26. For he had respect unto The Greek word signifies to look up in admiration curiously which is translated in Latine suspicere The recompence of the reward That is to the blessing promised to Abraham Vers. 35. Others were tortured 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sympanizatì sunt Their bodies were racked out as a Drum What they suffered hath exercised all our Grammarians Philologers and Antiquaries that have enquired into the racks and tortures of those times we translate it roundly they were tortured Saint Pauls word implies a torture of that kind that their bodies were extended and rack't as upon a Drum and then beaten with staves what the torture intended in that word was we know not The Lxx use this word 1 Sam. 29.13 See my Greeke Gritica Not accepting deliverance From death viz. On persecutors termes and conditions cum nollent recipere conditionem oblatae redemptionis Estius See more there That they might obtaine a better resurrection It is usuall in Scripture sometimes to put a comparative for a positive or superlative that is a good or the best resurrection if we take it comparatively it is meant of a better resurrection then the persecutors offered them they were at their enemies disposall and as dead men but if they would have turned from the faith they should have beene restored to life therefore it is elegantly called a resurrection because they were as dead men being in their power yet they hoped to obtaine a better resurrection viz. From an inflicted death to eternall life Vers. 37. Were tempted Beza saith it is much this should come in after the recitall of most sharp Capitall punishments and which he mentions also after and the Syriack interpreter hath it not Beza therefore would rather have it read were burned But the word tempted may well be retained when they saw they could do no good with violence they made them great promises and tried whether they could prevaile that way as appeares in the Martyrologie Vers. 38. Of whom the world was not worthy They have that excellency as the world is not worthy to enjoy them they are not worthy of their presence that they should so much as live amongst them they are rather fit to be set as Stars in heaven and be before the Lord in his glory Vers. 39. They received not the promises viz. In their reall exhibition Vers. 40. That they without us should not be made perfect Not that they were not taken to heaven but before Christ they had not that perfect State in heaven which now we and they are presently possessed of For they expected in heaven their Redeemer even as soules now expect the resurrection of the body CHAP. XII Vers. 1. WHerefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses The examples of godly men in the Old and New Testament are called a cloud of witnesses by allusion for as the cloud did guide the Israelites through the wildernesse to the Land of Canaan so the faithfull now are to be guided to the heavenly Canaan by the examples of good men Perkins In their life and conversation they witnessed by word and deed to Gods Church 2. In their death many of them witnessed by their bloud 3. Hereafter they shall witnesse for or against us Doctor Taylor Let us lay aside every weight That presseth down that is all earthly affections and what ever may hinder us in our spirituall course See Beza And the sin which doth so easily beset us The similitude saith Deodate seemes to be taken from such long and large garments as were wont to be laid off in races to be so much the freer The Greeke work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is nomen composâ—ium signifying well that is easily besetting And let us run with Patience the race that is set before us This race is the course it selfe wherein we strive by running for in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a strife-race whereby is signified all kind of strife in this manner whether it be by running wrestling hurling or any other way but here he speaks of running To run the race is to strive by running he meanes especially the false of our faith 1 Tim. 6.12 See 2 Tim. 4.7 Vide Grotium Vers. 2. Looking unto Iesus the Author and finisher of our faith Faith here is taken for all grace it is a compleat work at first as Christ is the author of it but he is the finisher also that is upholds and maintaines it Vers. 4. Striving against sinne That is as interpreters of good note observe either against the wickednesse of the enemies of the Gospell which by cruell and bloody courses strive to force men from the faith or against sinne that is against sinners v. 3. Or against sinne in your selves Vers. 5. My sonne despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him The Greeke word translated Despise Imports the littling or thinking of them little doe not little or slight the chastenings of God in thy thoughts nor doe not thinke thy afflictions so great that thou must