which gives place for repentance and remission upon sincerity of new life and is to be supposed and implied whensoeveer it is not mention'd The promises of mercy and pardon in the Gospel though general being yet conditional no ground allow'd for any to hope for his part of it but upon performance of that condition which again must not be consined to any one notiion of any one Christian virtue Faith or the like but to sincere obedience to the whole Law of Christ and that comprehends all the particulars required by him in the retail or as it is in the gross set down by the most comprehensive words either of Repentance or Conversion without which we shall all likewise perish and we shall in no wise enter into the kingdome of God or of Holinesse without which no man shall see God The not observing of which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the procreative mistake of the many great and dangerous errors in this matter The third thing is that the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness signifies two things either a lower or a more eminent degree of righteousness these two differing one from the other as Justice and Charity appear to differ one superadded to and superstructed on the other and as it is the part of a Judge to consider these severally and as well to reward the higher degree of the one as to acquit the innocence and reward the lower degree of the other so there is a double notion of justifying in Scripture the one for acquitting and pardoning accepting and rewarding in a lower degree which upon repentance and forsaking of sinne and converting sincerely to God is afforded every one through the satisfaction and blood-shedding of Christ under the Gospel another for an higher degree of approving and commending and adjudging to reward and that proportion'd to some eminent act of faith or obedience in case of extraordinary triall such was Abraham's believing in hope and above hope and his obedience to the highest commands leaving his countrey and sacrificing his only son and such were the severall acts of faith mention'd Heb. 11. and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 works Jam. 2. And thus there seems to be a difference betwixt God's imputing no sin and his imputing to righteousnesse the latter being his adjudging to a high reward the former only the forgiving iniquity and accepting in a lower degree the one upon some eminent act of faith or obedience the other upon undertaking new life answerable to these two sorts of Justification And accordingly c. 4. that which is express'd ver 4. by it was accounted for righteousnesse is v. 5. the reward was reckoned noting an eminent reward of some eminent act to be comprehended in that phrase And so sometimes it is in the word Justified and when it is so to be interpreted the Context will generally determine V. 7. Ly As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truth signifies also fidelity or faithfulnesse so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the contrary signifying a lie imports also infidelity or unfaithfulnesse and is here set to signifie that sinne of not making good use of the oracles of God intrusted to the Jewes called their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unbelief v. 3. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unrighteousnesse v. 5. So v. 4. Let God be true and every man a liar that is the unfaithfulnesse of men in neglecting to doe their part doth no way prejudice but rather commend the fidelity of God in allowing them those mercies which they make so ill use of V. 8. And not rather The placing of the words in this verse hath some harshness and consequent obscurity in it The learned Hugo Grotius is inclinable to believe a transposition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cur why thus And why not the rest being read in a parenthesis or why should we not doe evil that good may come But I suppose the more obvious and simple way ought here to be preferr'd and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why from the former verse to be repeated or else the sense so to hang as that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why there shall have an influence here upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not and be thus rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and why not as we are calumniated c. or And why should we not say as we are calumniated and as some say that we say If this latter be it then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say is to be understood from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 following But if the former then the whole oration placed ordinarily in a parenthesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we are calumniated and as some say that we say is as it were the Verb to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why not thus And why should not we say what Paul is affirmed to say but that is calumny saith Paul and in either way the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that follows will be taken in the sense that hath been noted of it Mat. 7. d. for scilicet or videlicet to wit only as a form to introduce the speech following thus Why should we not say as we are calumniated to say to wit Let us doe evil that good may come And so this will be a perspicuous rendring of the verse V. 13. Their throat is an open These three verses that here follow are evidently taken out of several places of the Psalms and other Scriptures and by the Apostle accommodated to his present purpose And by occasion of their being annexed to three verses taken out of the 14th Psalme it hath come to passe that some ancient Latine copies of that Psalme have taken them in from hence added them to that Psalme and accordingly the translation which is used in the Liturgie hath three verses more to that Psalms then the translation in our Bibles doth acknowledge V. 14. Bitternesse The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying deceits was by the Septuagint mistaken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bitterness and continued here from thence in this citation As indeed in most citations of Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles who generally used the Septuagint and of Luke also his companion see Act. 8. Note e. the Hebrew text is not made use of but the Greek translation retained even when it differs from the original Hebrew V. The glory of God The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory or praise being here joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God signifies not that glory which accrues to God the glorifying or praising of his name but that which accrues to man from God and that may be either in this world or in the next the approbation and acceptance of any work here or the reward of it hereafter God's acceptance or approbation here is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the praise or glory
be just in the sight of God or any meritorious act that was thus rewarded in him see note on c. 3. b. For if it were then would it not be said that God did account or reckon his faith unto him for righteousnesse that is freely out of meer mercy justifie him as v. 3. it was and v. 5. is again said these two phrases it was reputed to him for righteousnesse there and were it is reputed to him according to grace or favour being directly of the same importance but that upon his perfect innocence and blamelesnesse God was bound by lawes of strict justice to reward and crown his innocence and his virtues as paying him that which he ought him a due debt and not freely giving it him by way of favour and grace as is implied in accounting or imputing to him for righteousnesse 5. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Paraphrase 5. But his way of justification was by believing pardon for sinners upon reformation and thereupon reforming and giving himself up to doe whatsoever God now would have him doe and so 't was not any originall innocence of his which might challenge the reward as due but onely God's acceptation of his faith which was an act of God's meer mercy and that may be vouchsafed to Idolatrous Gentiles upon their repentance as well as to him and their receiving of the faith and leaving their former courses of sinne on Christs command as he did in his countrey upon God's be accepted to the justification 6. Even as David also describeth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works Paraphrase 6. Agreeable to which is that description of blessednesse in David Psal 32. that he is blessed whom the Lord out of his free grace and pardon of sinne accepteth and accounteth as righteous and not on any merit of their own performances that is that blessednesse consists in having this Evangelical way of justifying sinners or those who have been sinners and now repent and return vouchsafed to any man not that of never having lived in sinne for want of which the Jewes will not admit the Gentiles to any hope of justification but the other I say of mercy and forgivenesse upon reformation and forsaking their former evil waies as appears by the words of the Psalme 7. Saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sinnes are covered Paraphrase 7. Blessed are they not who never sinn'd at all that were never in a wicked or wrong course as of the Gentiles it is acknowledged that they were but who having been ill have reformed and found place of repentance and of mercy upon reformation meerly by the forgivenesse and pardon of God 8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sinne Paraphrase 8. Blessed is the man whose sinne though he have been guilty as 't is acknowledg'd the Gentiles have is not charged on him by God but freely pardoned and forgiven unto him upon his reformation 9. Cometh this blessednesse then upon the circumcision onely or upon the uncircumcision also for we say that faith was reckoned unto Abraham for righteousnesse Paraphrase 9. This then being the nature of the Evangelical course of God's gracious way of dealing with sinners giving them place for repentance and upon the sincerity of that justifying and accepting them whatsoever their former sinnes have been we may now farther consider whether this course may not be taken with uncircumcised Gentiles as well as with the Jewes and that will best be done by considering how God dealt with Abraham and what condition Abraham was in when God thus reckoned his faith to him for righteousnesse or justified and approved of him and rewarded him so richly for believing 10. How was it then reckoned when he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision not in circumcision but in uncircumcision Paraphrase 10. And of this the account is easie if we but observe the time when Abraham's justification is spoken of viz. when those words were said of him Abraham believed and it was counted to him for righteousnesse For we find that was Gen. 15. 6. before he was circumcised ch 17. 24. and therefore it could not be a privilege annext to circumcision but is a grace and favour of God whereof the uncircumcised Gentiles are no lesse capable then the Jewes who are within the covenant of circumcision which is an evidence that receiving of Christ now and believing and obeying of him as then Abraham obeyed will be accepted by God without circumcision 11. And he received the signe of circumcision a seal of the righteousnesse of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised that he might be the father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised that righteousnesse might be imputed unto them also Paraphrase 11. And being justified after this Evangelical manner upon his faith without and before circumcision he received the sacrament of circumcision for a seal on his part of his performing those commands of God given to him his walking before him sincerely Gen. 17. 1. upon which the covenant is made to him and thus sealed v. 2 4 10. and on God's part for a testification of that faith of his and obsignation of that precedent justification and so by consequence he is the father in a spirituall sense that is an exemplar or copy which they that transcribe are called his sonnes of every uncircumcised believer who therefore succeeds him as a son to a father in that privilege of being justified before God 12. And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision onely but also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham which he had being yet uncircumcised Paraphrase 12. And in like manner a spirituall father conveying down mercies and the inheritance to the Jewes that were circumcised and do now convert to Christ and so besides circumcision which they drew from him do also transcribe his diviner Copy follow his example of faith and obedience which were remarkable in him before he was circumcised leave their sinnes as he did his countrey and believe all Gods promises and adhere to him against all temptations to the contrary 13. For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the Law but through the righteousness of faith Paraphrase 13. For the great promise made to Abraham and his posterity that they should possesse so great a part of the world Idumaea and a great deal more beside Canaan under which also heaven was typically promised and comprehended Heb. 11. 14 16. was not made by the Mosaicall Law or consequently upon condition of performing and observing of that see note on Mat. 5. g. but by this other Evangelicall way of new obedience without having observed the Law of Moses without being circumcised 14. For if they which are of the Law
his body what is he the better for your words 17. Even so faith if it hath not works is dead being alone Paraphrase 17. So if faith be by it self without actions consequent and agreeable to it 't is as fruitlesse and livelesse as those words were 18. Yea a man may say Thou hast faith and I have works shew me thy faith without thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works Paraphrase 18. And any man that looks on this uncharitable believer will be able to reprove him thus Talke as much of thy faith as thou wilt no man will believe thee thy works must be superadded to the confession of thy faith to approve the sincerity of it 19. Thou believest that there is one God thou dost well the devils also believe and tremble Paraphrase 19. One act of thy faith is the believing one true God and this is most absolutely necessary to thee But if thy life be not answerable to this part of thy faith and that evidenced by piety and charity thou art then to remember that the believing there is one God is such a good quality as is common to thee and the devils also and if it have no more joined to it will bestead thee no more then them 20. But wilt thou know O vain man that faith without works is dead Paraphrase 20. 'T is a meer vanity to conceive that faith without Christian obedience can be effectual to justification and you may discern it by this 21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered his son Isaac upon the altar Paraphrase 21. Abraham was the father of the faithfull the great example of faith and justification but 't was not upon his bare believing God's promise that he was justified but upon that high act of obedience to God in being ready to offer up his only son in whom the promises were made to him 22. Seest thou how faith wrought with his works and by works was faith made perfect Paraphrase 22. And so you see his obedience to God's commands as well as belief of his promises concurred to the rendring him capable of the continuance of God's favour and approbation And through the performance of that ready obedience it was that his faith came to attain the end designed it 23. And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse and he was called the friend of God Paraphrase 23. And by this triall of his obedience it was that Abraham was most eminently said to be approved by God 1 Mac. 2. 52. and look'd on as a friend by him Gen. 22. 15. and in which that place of Scripture before delivered Gen. 15. 6. concerning God's imputing his faith for righteousnesse was most eminently completed 24. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith onely Paraphrase 24. And so this is one great testimony that to a mans approbation with God obedience is required and not faith deemed sufficient that hath not that joyned with it 25. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works when she had received the messengers and had sent them out another way Paraphrase 25. Another evidence of this truth is to be fetch'd from that we read of God's approving and rewarding of Rahab a proselyte and stranger no native Jew whose faith is set forth Heb. 11. 30. and she in a special manner rewarded by God Jos 6. 25. and what was it that was thus rewarded in her why her care and charity to those that were sent to view the land Jos 2. 4. 26. For as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also Paraphrase 26. And so the conclusion is clear and infallible that as the body of man without the soul inlivening it exercises no actions of life so doth not faith profit to our justification without works of obedience to the commands of Christ Justice and charity c. v. 1 8 14. Annotations on Chap. II. V. 1. Faith of our Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the glory of Christ we have explained often to belong to the Shechinah that again to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or appearance in the flesh his Incarnation and all that was consequent to that This being here improved with the addition of the words Lord Jesus Christ doth more set out the necessity of obeying and observing all those things which this Lord and Saviour the Messias of the world hath commended to his Disciples that is to all Christians believers faithful persons of which nature especially is charity in the following verses and impartial strict justice supposed and conteined in that in thâ— present verse Then for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the faith of the glory for so the Syriaâ—k construes the words it signifies this Christian faith this faith or profession ofâ— or believing this Incarnation Resurrection of Christâ— and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have this faith in or with respect of persons is to look on those that professe this faith not as they are Christians but as they are rich or poor preferring partially one before the other accordingly as he comes into your courts in greater spendour And so the meaning of the whole verse is that they that are professors of Christianity and are here supposed to â—e so and are put in mind of it by the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my brethren ought not to have any such unchristian temper in them as in their Judicatures for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies an assemblie for Judicature and that for Ecclesiastical as well as Civil affairs and so it seems to signifie here ver 2. to prefer or favour one Christian before another onely in respect of his wealth or fine cloathes when Christ hath equally received them both or if any hath preferr'd the poor v. 5. V. 2. Assembly That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies all kind of assemblies meetings in the market-place Mac. 6. 2. Consistories for Judicaeture Mat. 10. 17. and 23. 34. and not onely places for the publick service of God hath been formerly said Note on Mat. 6. d. That it may doe so also among Christians and that it doth so here appears first by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acceptation of persons partiality ver 1. which especially respects Judicatures secondly by the fooâ—stool v. 3. which was proper to great persons Princes on their Throne or Judges on their Tribunal thirdly by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye become Judges v. 4. they were Judges it seems fourthly by the mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judicatures ver 6. which clearly signifie such Consistories 1 Cor. 6. 4. and lastly by v. 9. where their partiality particularly that of preferring the rich to a better place then the poor is said to be a breach of the Law For so by a Canon of the Jewes it is provided that when a
from that fountain and if this doctrine be true then what are ye the better for all these sufferings Nay 't were well if this were all that you should onely lose the benefits of your sufferings 't is to be feared this change will bring worse effects on you the losse of that Evangelicall spirit if you mend not 5. He therefore that ministreth to you the Spirit and worketh miracles among you doeth he it by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith Paraphrase 5. God therefore that hath furnish'd your Church with so many extraordinary gifts of the Spirit and wrought so many miracles among you did he any such thing under the Mosaical Law is there any thing in that fit to draw you back to it again from the profession of the Gospel v. 2. Is not faith it that all the great privileges and advantages have still belonged to 6. Even as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse Paraphrase 6. As 't was believing upon which Abraham was justified 7. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham Paraphrase 7. From whence it follows that those which are justified as Abraham was are not the Mâ—â—saical observers but believers onely those that receive and obey that doctrine which is taught and required by Christ the Gentiles as well as Jewes 8. And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the heathen through faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying note c In thee shall all nations be blessed Paraphrase 8. And the words of the promise made to Abraham which was an Evangelical not legal promise did in effect contain this in them that all nations of the world and not onely the Jewes should be justified by faith and so the Gentiles now and that without legal Mosaical performances for thus the words of the promise ran In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed All the nations and so the heathens and not onely the Jewes who lived according to the Law shall be blessed in thee that is the form of benediction used among the Gentiles and not onely the Jewes shall be with mention of Abraham's name viz. that God will blesse them as he blessed Abraham justifie them as he did him make the whole Gentile world partakers of that promise made personally to Abraham on condition they believe and obey as he did All looking on Abrahams obedience and justification as the example of all Christians that all that believe and obey as he did shall be blest as he was 9. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham Paraphrase 9. From all which 't is clear that believers or Christian livers without Mosaical performances have their part of that blessing that was promised to Abraham and those that sprang from him from his faith as well as from his loynes are blest on the same terms as he was 10. For as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to doe them Paraphrase 10. For all that expect to be justified by the Law without the faith of Christ which if it be acknowledg'd takes away the wall of partition betwixt Jew and Gentile and consequently the Law which in the external part of it establish'd that partition and non-communion between them or without accepting those reformations and changes of shadow for substance brought in by Christ doe set up Moses not onely absolutely but comparatively and exclusively to Christ and they that do thus are still involved under the curse for every sin they are ever guilty of and consequently being guilty of some breach or other can never have any thing but curse by this means and so are farre from being justified 11. But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident for The just shall live by faith Paraphrase 11. And the same is proved by that known testimony Hab. 2. 4. see Rom. 1. 17. Heb. 10. 38. They to whom life is promised are the believers or they that are justified after the Evangelical manner 12. And the Law is not of faith but the man that doth them shall live in them Paraphrase 12. Whereas the Law makes no account of faith allows no justification but on condition of legal obedience performance of all that requires 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Paraphrase 13. In which case there being no means in the Law to justifie any but rather to bring curses on all because all have sinned v. 10. Christ hath been seasonably pleased to interpose to make satisfaction for sin to bear that curse which belonged to us and that he did by being crucified which being a Roman punishment was yet near kin to that of hanging on a tree that is a gibbet of wood Deut. 19. 23. which is said there to be an accursed death 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith Paraphrase 14. That the favour bestowed on Abraham of being justified by faith and not by ceremonial observances may be communicated to the Gentiles who beleive in God as Abraham and all those pretious consequents thereof the gifts of the Spirit usefull to the building up of a Church v. 5. as well as that single promise of justification 15. Brethren I speak after the manner of men Though it be but a man's covenant yet if it be confirmed no man difannulleth or addeth thereto Paraphrase 15. Brethren 't is ordinarily acknowledged among men that a covenant though it be but of a man being once firmly made cannot be voided 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made he saith not And to seeds as of many but as of one And to thy seed which is note d Christ Paraphrase 16. And much lesse can the promises of God miscarry which were made to Abraham and to his seed not to seeds in the plural which might make a difference betwixt Jewes and Gentiles but in the singular To thy seed viz. as to Isaac who was therein a type of Christ so distinctly to Christ as he is the head of a family a spiritual father of children all believers coming from him as a spiritual progeny and consequently to all Christians without discrimination Jews or Gentiles circumcised or uncircumcised 17. And this I say that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law which was four hundred and thirty years after cannot disannull that it should make the promise of none effect Paraphrase 17. To the same purpose again it is observable that the Law that was delivered by Moses above four hundred and thirty
the wildernesse and nothing to gird it to him but as Elias again a pâ—ice of leather made of some beasts skin and he eat nothing but either a larger sort of grashoppers called locusts Rev. 11. 22. or else as some think green herbs and field-honey i. e. neither bread nor wine Mat. 11. 18. Luke 7. 33. but only such as the wildernesse or as the wood brought forth 5. Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Jordan 6. And were baptized of him in Jordan confessing their sins Paraphrase 5 6. And upon this fearful denouncing of his against the Jews a great multitude of Jews of all parts went out to him and confessed their sins which might justly bring down these judgements on them each acknowledging his own particular guilts and promising reformation And he received them by baptisme or immersion in the water of Jordan promising them pardon upon the sincerity of their conversion and amendment or reformation of their lives 7. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadduces come to his baptisme he said unto them O generation of vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come Paraphrase 7. O ye that are more like to broods of venemous creatures than the progeny of Abraham who hath admonished you to make use of this means to escape this destruction approaching 8. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance Paraphrase 8. See that your reformation be sincere producing fruits worthy of the stock from which you glory to spring i. e. of Abraham v. 9. who is your father indeed but from whom you are so farre degenerated that you are become broods of vipers v. 7. or absolutely as Acts 26. 20. meet fit seasonable fruits such as may avert or prevent those judgements 9. And note f think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our father for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham Paraphrase 9. And say not or doe not please and satisfieâ— your selves in saying or thinking that you have the privilege of being children of Abraham which will be able to secure you For God hath not such need of children of Abraham that he may not destroy them he can without breach of promise to him destroy them all and then out of the obdurate Gentile world or if he please out of the stones in the streets produce and raise up a people to himself followers of the faith of Abraham and so as pretious to God and to whom the promises made to Abraham as truly belong as to the proudest Jew among you 10. And now also the axe is laid to the root of the trees therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire Paraphrase 10. But now are Gods judgments come home to this people and ready to seize upon the whole nation and shall actually fall upon every unreformed sinner among you See note on Acts 15. c. In this how every sort of people are concerned see Luke 3. 10. c. 11. I indeed note g baptize you with water unto repentance but he that cometh after me is mightier then I whose shoos I am not worthy to note h bear he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire Paraphrase 11. But this is not all I have to say to you Beside this warning you to repent I am also sent to tell you that the Messias is now at hand ready to enter on his office And indeed all that I doe is to preach repentance and to receive proselyte after the Jewish manner with water the only ceremony that I use but Christ who though he comes after me is much superior to me and whose disciple or servant I am not worthy to be he being that great prophet foretold by Moses that all must hear under pain of utter excision and accordingly reforming and hightning Moses's law which I have not meddled with save to call you to repent of the breach of it he shall come in greater pomp shall first send the holy Ghost to come down visibly on some of you his chosen disciples who shall beleeve in him and to whom he shall entrust all power in his Church after him thereby not only to assure them of the truth of his doctrine but also to consecrate them to his service see note on Acts 1. a. to preach his doctrine to the whole world but first to all the cities of Jury And this shall be another manner of initiating of disciples mine with water but his with fire which will purge those things which water will not and this fire perhaps an embleme of something else For immediately after that by that time they have preached thorough all the cities of Jury he shall also come down with fire or flaming judgments on the obdurate unbeleevers v. 12. see Acts 2. 17 19. c. and at the end of the world reward every man according to his works 12. Whos 's note i fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly purge his floor and gather the wheat into his garner but will burn up the chaffe with unquenchable fire Paraphrase 12. He comes like an husbandman to thresh and winnow with such instruments in his hands which will sever the wheat from the chaffe the good from the bad The good he will preserve but the refuse he will deliver up to the wind and fire to be utterly destroyed 13. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him Paraphrase 13. While John was thus a preaching and baptizing and had gathered good store of disciples Jesus cometh 14. But John forbad him saying I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me Paraphrase 14. And John besought him it might be otherwise 15. And Jesus answering said unto him Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousnesse Then he suffered him Paraphrase 15. To doe all those things which are by God required of all under this state of Johns ministery see note on Rom. 1. b and by so doing i. e. by my receiving baptisme from thee God hath determin'd to inaugurate me to my office of preaching the Gospel by sending down his Spirit upon me at that time and giving me testimony from heaven upon this John permitted him and baptized him and accordingly it came to passe 16. And Jesus when he was baptized went up straightway out of the water and loe the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending note k like a dove and lighting upon him Paraphrase 16. For Jesus as soon as he was baptized went out of the water before John and assoon as ever he came out of the water he fell down on his knees in prayer to his father Luke 3. 21. and whilst he was praying behold the heavens see Acts 7. 56. either really or
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lictors gaolers according to that of the old Glossary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only crucio torqueo to torment but coerce◠too agreeable to that of imprisoning V. 10. Faith There are five acceptions of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith in the New Testament First the Faith or beleiving that Christ was able to cure diseases c. So here and c. 9. 22. Acts 14. 9. and under this head the Faith of the Disciples by which they beleived Christ so far as that by his delegated power they were able to doe the like miracles Mat. 17. 20. 21. 22. Mar. 11. 24. 1 Cor. 13. 2. and perhaps c. 12. 9. where faith as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or gift of the Spirit is joyned with the gift of healing Secondly the belief of all that is revealed by God and that is in effect the true religion either before Christs birth and then 't is the faith of God Heb. 11. 3. 30 31. and referred to v. 6. Or after and then 't is the faith of Christ Rev. 14. 12. Or beleif of the truth that is that truth now revealed by Christ 2 Thess 2. 13. and when this is not so complete as it should be for want of light then 't is weak faith or weaknesse in faith Rom. 14. 1. To this many places belong 1 Thess 3. 2 5. 2 Thess 1. 3. Jam. 2. 1. Jude 3. Rom. 1. 5. Acts 6. 7. and 14. 22. So Luke 18. 8. where by reason of the persecution of that faith Christ foretels that there shall be at his coming to act vengeance on his enemies very little Faith upon the earth that is in the land of Judaea and Samaria So Luke 22. 32. And as this Christian faith contains in it doctrines in opposition to the Mosaicall law to 't is used Rom. 3. 27 28. c. 4. 15. As it comprehends Christs precepts so 't is Rom. 16. 16. and as promises so 't is used Gal. 3. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 14. Heb. 11. 1. And this last branch of it comprehendeth Hope also whose object are those Promises and supposes and includes a sincere care of performing the condition now required under the Gospel without which as the promises belong not to any so the Faith is but an imperfect and false Faith which will never avail any Thirdly the dictate of Conscience rightly perswaded or assured of the lawfulnesse of what a man doth and that either to one particular action Rom. 14. 22 23. or universally to the Generall current of the life Heb. 10. 22. Fourthly in a more limited sense 't is a Confidence in prayer that what we ask as we ought to doe we shall receive Jam. 5. 15. and as an associate of that depending on Gods provision for things of this life the want of which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 littlenesse of Faith Matth. 6. 30. this being one promise of the Gospel that they who ask shall receive and that all these things the necessaries of life shall be added to them that first seek the righteousnesse of Gods kingdome or of the Gospel Fiftly Fidelity and that either in God making good his promise to us Rom. 3. 3. 1 Cor. 1. 9. 10. 13. 1 Thess 5. 24. Or in man toward other men Gal. 5. 22. servants toward masters Tit. 2. 10. so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the faithfull steward Matth. 25. 21. Luke 14. 17. 1 Corin. 4. 7. Or of men toward God 2 Tim. 4. 8. where keeping the faith after fighting and finishing the course must needs be constancy and fidelity see Note on Jam. 1. a. from whence the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most commonly draws its signification being frequently taken not for beleiving but faithfull see Heb. 2 17. 3. 2. 1 Tim. 1. 12. Revel 2. 10. and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ordinarily unfaithfull Luke 12. 46. all one with hypocrites Matth. 24. 51. In this acception it is that it notes sincerity of resolution of Christian life which God that sees accepts though for want of occasion or tryall as yet it be not express'd in action and so approved to men So 1 Pet. 1. 7. and Phil. 1. 29. and thus when Abraham's faith was tried first by a hard command of going out of his country then by an incredible promise of a Child from barren old Sarah then again by a hard command of sacrificing his Son these three being but trials of his faith upon which it was approved to be sincere and so he justifi'd 't is now apparent that before these tryals he had faith which then before it was tryed was nothing but this resolution of Obedience c. or a sincere giving himself up to God in praeparatione animi in purpose of mind or resolution and if it had fail'd in any of those tryals would then have lost its acceptance with God but failing not was approved This I conceive is the faith which in S. James must when opportunity serves be shewed or demonstrated by workes James 3. 18. and if in that case it doe not is a dead faith v. 20. but supposing it sincere though yet not tried then it is that which I now speak of and is then opposed to Works not as those note 1. the ceremonies of the Mosaicall Law or 2 ly perfect unsinning obedience but as they signifie actuall performance To this there is a place of a venerable ancient Writer Cyrill of Jerusalem which is very appliable who having said of the Theif on the Crosse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was willing to doe well but death prevented him answers him presently in the person of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The work is not the only thing which I expect or which I so require that nothing else will serve the turn but I have accepted thy faith By which it appeares that Faith in his acception is that faithfull resolution then begun though through want of life no Works followed it Thus when Faith denotes profession of faith or of some duty to be performed by a Christian as 1 Tim. 5. 11. this is either sincere and then accepted as in that Thief and is then opposed to Works only as a lesse to a greater or imperfectius magis perfecto the more imperfect to the more perfect James 2. 22. or unsincere and hypocriticall and is then opposed to Works as falsum vero false to true and so faith and life are ordinarily opposed in the Fathers Besides these five the word is also sometimes used in a looser sense for beleiving the doctrine of God and Christ howsoever acquir'd whether from sensible experience Jam. 2. 19. or from ocular demonstration Joh. 20. 25. or from relation as when 't is said to come by hearing V. 11. Sit down The custome of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accubitus lying along at meat so usual among the Graecians and the Romans though it be not mention'd in the Old Testament but on the other side Tables were in
shall belong and extend to all both Jewes and Gentiles circumcised or uncircumcised without any discrimination who shall believe there is mercy to be had for all true penitents through Christ and so set themselves to a new life whatsoever their sinnes have formerly been 23. For all have sinned and come short of note g the glory of God Paraphrase 23. For Jewes as well as Gentiles are found also to be sinners and so farre from meriting Gods praise or acceptance and so by any way but by the Gospel there is neither justification nor salvation to be had for them 24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Paraphrase 24. And therefore whensoever they are justified either one o◠other it is freely by his undeserved favour see note b. through that great work which Jesus Christ hath wrought for the redemption of man that is for the obtaining pardon for their past sinnes and working in them reformation for the future see note h. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a note h propitiation through faith in his blood to note i declare his righteousness for the remission of sinnes that are past through the forbearance of God Paraphrase 25. Which Christ the Messias of the world God from the beginning purposed to set forth unto men as the means to exhibit and reveal to us his covenant of mercy on condition of our faith and constant new obedience to him who hath died for us to make expiation for our sinnes and to work reformation in us hereby demonstrating the great mercifulnesse of God now under the Gospel in that he forbears to inflict vengeance on sinners but gives them space to repent and promises them pardon upon repentance 26. To declare I say at this time his righteousnesse that he might be note k just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus Paraphrase 26. To reveal I say and make known unto us at this time this way of justifying sinners in the Gospel by grace or mercy and pardon of sinne whereby God appears to all to be a most gracious and mercifull God and accordingly to accept and reward all those which though they have formerly sinn'd doe yet upon this mercifull promise and tender and call of Christ's give themselves up to be ruled by him to live as he hath commanded in the Gospel 27. Where is boasting then It is excluded By what law of works Nay but by the Law of faith Paraphrase 27. By this means then all proud reflections on our selves are perfectly excluded a thing which the Mosaical Law was made use of to foster in the Jewes they thought themselves thereby discriminated from and dignified above all other men in the world and that by being Abraham's seed and circumcised and such like externall performances they were secured of the favour of God whatsoever they did but by this Evangelical way of Gods dealing in Christ accepting and acquitting all Gentiles as well as Jewes through grace and mercy by which their sinnes are forgiven and they received into Gods favour without any respect of personal privileges of being Abraham's seed or of bare outward performances c. only upon their return and change of life upon performance of new faithfull obedience unto Christ to which they are called and to which they are by him enabled wherein there being so little so nothing imputable unto us all boasting is utterly excluded 28. Therefore we note l conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law Paraphrase 28. The summe or result therefore of this discourse is that by this Evangelical way the favour of God is to be had for those that never had to doe with the Judaical Law see note on Mat. 5. g. circumcision c. see v. 21. and note b. 29. Is he the God of the Jewes onely is he not also of the Gentiles Yes of the Gentiles also Paraphrase 29. For otherwise it would follow that God had care or consideration of no other part of the world but onely of the Jewes which certainly is not true for he is the God of the Gentiles also hath a peculiar care and consideration of them that come not from Abrahams loynes as long as they imitate Abrahams faith or on condition they doe so 30. Seeing it is one God which shall justifie the circumcision by faith and uncircumcision through faith Paraphrase 30. And after the same manner receives all into his favour the believing Jewes and the believing though uncircumcised Gentiles by this one Evangelical way of pardon and free remission of sinne to all that shall perform new obedience and fidelity to Christ see note b. 31. Doe we then make void the Law through faith God forbid yea we establish the Law Paraphrase 31. Which Evangelical way of receiving men into the favour of God is so farre from evacuating the Law or making it uselesse that it is rather a perfecting of it a requiring that purity of the heart which was the inward notation of the legal ordinance of circumcision and so in all other things a bringing in the substance where the Law had only the shadow the sufferings of Christ and his intercession in stead of the sacrifices and propitiatory v. 25. under the Law Annotations on Chap. III. V. Chiefly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here clearly denoteth a form of enumeration answerable to our imprimis and signifies that the Apostle was about to reckon up all the advantages of the Jew in this place and accordingly began with one resolving to have proceeded had not an objection here diverted his purpose for many chapters together not permitting him to return from that digression till c. 9. where again he falls to the same matter and enumerates the remainder of those privileges particularly v. 4. c. The onely privilege which here he begins with is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their being intrusted with the oracles of God What is meant by that phrase 't will not be amiss to explain in both parts of it and first the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oracles Beside the four garments used by the Priest when he officiated there were four more proper to the High priest The first of them was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pectorall because it was fastned about the neck and came down hanging upon the breast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Sol. Jarchi on Exod. 28. 4. it hangs before or neer the heart In the Scripture 't is called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poctoral of judgement because by it the High-priest received the responses of God in all matters of difficulty as when they should make war or peace c. This is called by Josephus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antiq. l. 3. c. 8. the very Hebrew word the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being not pronounced and of it he saith that in the Greek language it signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not rationale I
be heires faith is made void and the promise made of none effect Paraphrase 14. For if that inheritance were made over to them upon observation of the Mosaical Law upon the Jewes being circumcised c. then as faith or this Evangelicall way of justifying sinners is vanished on one side and what is said of Abraham's being justified by faith is concluded to be false so the promise it self which was shewed to be the thing by which Abraham was justified and to belong to all Abraham's seed not to the Jewes onely v. 12. is vanished also 15. Because the Law worketh wrath for where no law is there is no transgression 16. Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed not to that onely which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of us all Paraphrase 15 16. This again appears by another argument for it 's evident of the Law of Moses that all which that doth is to bring sinne and punishment into the world as the Law of circumcision given to the Jewes made it a sinne and punishable in a Jew if he were not circumcised on the eighth day but gave him no right of merit no title to heaven or to any other reward in case he did observe that or the like ordinances were circumcised c. for these were before the command of circumcision made over to Abraham and his seed by the promise of God And so for other more substantiall duties the Law by commanding them doth but enhanse the contrary sinne which if it were not for the commandment could not be so high a degree of crime or contempt of known law but doth not give a man right to any reward for observing it From whence it necessarily follows that it that is the promise of reward v. 13. justification c. must have been made in respect to faith or to believers and not founded upon any merit of any legall performances on God's giving on our observing that law of circumcision c. and by that means indeed it becomes an act of promise and that promise meerly of grace not depending on Judaicall performances and so it belongs to all the seed that is to all that do as Abraham did is made good see note on 1 Pet. 2. d. to all sorts 〈◊〉 believers not onely to the Jewes who are spiritually children of Abraham that is believers like him born anew after his example or similitude though not springing from his loyns for in this respect it is that he is said to be the father of us all that is of all the faithfull Gentiles as well as Jewes 17. As it is written I have made thee a father of many nations note b before him whom he believed even God who quickneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as though they were Paraphrase 17. As it is written of him that he should be the father of more nations then one nay as the word many often signifies of all that is of the Gentile believers also in like manner as God in whom he believed is the Father of the Gentiles as well as Jewish believers and accordingly justified Abraham without Mosaicall obedience and so will justifie Gentile Christians begetting them by the Gospell to a new life and then upon this change this reformation though sinners and Gentiles by birth yet accounting them children receiving and embracing them in Christ And there is nothing strange in all this when we remember who it is that hath made this promise even that God who is able to doe all things even to raise the dead to life again and so to quicken the Gentiles that are dead in sinnes as he quickned the womb of Sarah and enabled old Abraham to beget a sonne and give them grace to forsake their former deadness and barrenness and incapacity of gods favour viz. their heathen sinnes and to deal with those despised heathen as he doth with the Jewes themselves that have received most of his favour and pretend a peculiar title to it see Luk. 15. 24. 18. Who against hope believed in hope that he might become the father of many nations according to that which was spoken so shall thy seed be Paraphrase 18. And this is exemplified to us in that which we see befell Abraham who having no naturall grounds of hope either in respect of Sarah or himself did yet upon Gods promise Gen. 15. hope and believe that he should have a Sonne and so be a stock from whence that is literally from his body many nations should spring a most numerous progeny even as many as the stars of heaven for multitude And then why may not the Gentiles upon coming in to the faith of Christ and reforming their Gentile lives be as capable of God's promises made to all true penitents whatsoever impossibility seem to be in it in respect of their former sinnes and desperateness of their condition 19. And being not weak in faith he considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb Paraphrase 19. He we know by a strong faith overcame all the difficulties in nature and considered no objections that might be made against the probableness of God's performing the promise 20. He note c staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God Paraphrase 20. Neither interposed he any question demurre or doubt through any suspicious fearfull passion in himself but without all dispute to the contrary depended fully on God for the performance and how difficult soever yet he lookt upon God in his glorious attributes perfectly able to do whatsoever he promised and most faithfull and sure never to faile in the performance collecting nothing else from the difficulty of the matter but that it was the fitter for an almighty power and a God that cannot lye having promised to magnifie his power in performing it 21. And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform Paraphrase 21. Having for it all this one hold on which he depended most confidently that as God was able so he would certainly make good and perform what he had freely promised to him And then now that the Gospell is by Christ sent to the Gentiles and mercy offered them upon reformation why should the wickedness of their former lives any more then Sarahs barren womb and Abrahams old age keep God from performing his promise to them of accepting and justifying penitent Gentiles whose reformation tends so much to Gods glory though they be not circumcised 22. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness Paraphrase 22. Which stedfast faith of his was a signe of the opinion he had of God's power and fidelity and was most graciously accepted by God and rewarded in him
with the performance of the promise and not onely so but also and over and above it was reputed to him as an eminent piece of virtue And so it will be now in the Gentiles if upon our preaching to them they now believe and repent 21. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him 24. But for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead Paraphrase 23 24. For this is recorded of him for our instruction to teach us how God will reward us if we believe on him without doubt or dispute in other things of the like or greater difficulty such is the raising Christ from the dead which was wrought by God for us and all mankind Gentiles as well as Jewes and our belief of it is now absolutely required of us to fit us to receive and obey him that is thus wonderfully testified to us to be the Messias of the world and that receiving and obeying of him will now be sufficient to the justifying of us without the observations of the Mosaical Law as Abrahams faith was to him before he was circumcised 25. Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification Paraphrase 25. For to this end was both the death and resurrection of Christ designed he died as our surety to obtain us release and pardon to make expiation for our sinnes past to deliver us from the punishments due to sinne 3 and rose again from the dead to open the gates of a cele stial life to us to ensure us of a like glorious resurrection which could never have been had if Christ had not been raised 1 Cor. 15. 16 17 20. And in order to our receiving this joyful benefit of his resurrection other special advantages there are of his rising partly to convince the unbelieving world by that supreme act of power and so to bring them to the faith that before stood out against it partly that he might take us off from the sinnes of our former lives bring us to new life by the example of his rising and by the mission of the Spirit to us whereby he was raised and so to help us to actual justification which is not had by the death of Christ but upon our coming in to the faith and performance of the condition required of us sincere obedience to the commands of Christ So that as the faith of Abraham which was here said to be reputed to him for righteousnesse was the obeying of God in his commands of walking before him c. the believing God's promise and without all dubitancy relying on hâ—s all-sufficient power to doe that most impossible thing in nature and his veracity and fidelity that he would certainly doe it having promised it which contains under it also by analogie a belief of all other his divine attributes and affirmations and promises and a practice agreeable to this belief going on constantly upon those grounds in despight of all resistances and temptations to the contrary so the faith that shall be reputed to our justification is the believing on God in the same latitude that he did walking uprightly before him acknowledging his power his veracity and all other his attributes believing whatsoever he hath affirmed or promised or revealed unto us concerning himself particularly his receiving of the greatest sinners the most Idolatrous heathens upon their receiving the faith of Christ and betaking themselves to a new Christian life and as an Embleme and token and assurance of that that great fundamental work the basis of all Christianity his raising Jesus from the dead whom by that means he hath set forth to us to be our Lord to be obeyed in all his commands delivered to us when he was here on earth the obligingnesse of which is now sealed to us by God in his raising this Lord of ours from the dead and this faith not only in our brains but sunk down into our hearts and bringing forth actions in our lives as it did in Abraham agreeable and proportionable to our faith And as this faith is now required to our justification so will it be accepted by God to the benefit of all the heathen world that shall thus make use of it without the addition of Mosaical observances circumcision c. as in Abraham it was before he was circumcised Annotations on Chap. IV. V. 1. What shall we say then The â—nderstanding of the Apostles discourse in this chapter depends much on a right understanding of this verse which contains the question to which the satisfaction is rendred in the following words And in this verse four things must be observed First that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what say we then is a form of introducing a question and though not here in the ordinary printed copies yet in other places hath a note of interrogation immediately following it as c. 6. 1. and 7. 7. This being supposed the second thing is that the remainder of the verse is the very question thus introduced that Abraham c. that is Doe we say that Abraham found according to the flesh And this interrogation being not here formally answer'd must it self be taken for an answer to it self and as interrogations are the strongest negations so will this and must thus be made up by addition of these or the like words No certainly he did not Then for the third difficulty viz. what is here the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath found that will soon be answered 1. that to find agreeably to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to gain obtain acquire as to find life Mat. 16. 25. 2dly that there must be some Substantive understood somewhat which he may be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have found and that is either indefinitely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which he did find or obtain or else more distinctly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness or justification which had before been named favour approbation with God So we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast found favour Luk. 1. 30. and it seems to be a proverbial form and will then be the same with being justified ver 2. And so the illative particle For concludes Doe we say he hath found or Certainly he hath not found For if he were justified that is if he had thus found which notes finding and being justified to be all one Fourthly then it must be examined what is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the flesh And first it appears to connect with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so it â—â—es 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 found according to the flesh and is not joyned with Abraham our father as in reason it would have been and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interposed if the meaning of it had been our father according to the flesh which being supposed it will likewise follow that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 according to the flesh must signifie the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by works v. 2. in like manner as found and justified import the same And this again is evident by the Lawes of reasoning For this second verse being by the For in the front evidenced to be the proof of what was set down in the first and this proof being in form of an hypothetical syllogisme thus If Abraham were by works justified before God then he hath matter of boasting before God But Abraham hath not any matter of boasting before God Therefore he was not justified by works it must follow necessarily that this conclusion Abraham was not justified by works was the same with that which was set down in other words v. 1. or if not of the same latitude and extent with it was comprehended as a part under it Which it cannot be unlesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the flesh and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by works be either of the same force directly or the latter contained in the former Any greater though never so small difference that should be admitted being of necessity to affix four terms to the Apostles syllogism and so to evacuate all force in his argument From hence it follows that the way of discerning what is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by works will be the most probable means of interpreting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the flesh And this we have from v. 4 5. in these words To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is reckoned for righteousnesse Where it is evident that working is that to which reward is by debt or just wages to be adjudged and that in opposition to Gods reckoning of grace or favour and justifying the ungodly From whence it follows that being justified by works in this place in S. Paul's and not S. James's dialect signifies that innocence of the former life and those eminent performances wrought by a mans self that may challenge from God as due unto them God's acquittance and special reward without any intervening of pardon as to an offender or of grace in giving him any thing that is not perfectly due to him Whereas on the contrary Gods imputing righteousness without works ver 6. is Gods pardoning graciously the sinnes that the man hath been guilty of viz. upon repentance and reformation which he might most justly have punished v. 7 8. and rewarding some mean imperfect act or acts of fidelity or obedience in him which could no way challenge impunity much lesse such a degree of reward did not God out of meer mercy thus improve and enhanse the value of them So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 works are the mans own performances first blamelesse in not sinning and then meritorious as the eminent difficulty of the commands wherein his obedience is tried and exercised is apt to enhanse the value of them and he that were supposed to be justified by them must 1. have lived blamelesly all his former life and then have done eminent rewardable actions also at least the former of these And Abraham having been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sinner v. 5. having lived in Idolatry for some time and all that he did upon which he was justified Gen. 15. 6. being but obeying Gods call Gen. 12. 4. and believing his promises Gen. 15. 5. it is clear he was not nor could be thus justified but only by the way mentioned by the Psalmist Psal 32. by God's forgiving covering not imputing of sinne And so this must be the meaning also of his not finding according to the flesh viz. being not justified by any thing in himself abstracted from the mercy and gracious acceptance of God Thus Rom. 9. 8. the children of the flesh are opposed to the children of the promise and signifie literally Ismael that was begotten by the strength of nature as Isaak was a work of Gods promise and speciall mercy and mystically the Jewes considered with their own performances whereby they expected Justification without any respect to the pardon and mercy of Christ And thus Gal. 4. 29. Ismael is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 born according to the flesh and Isaak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the spirit in the same notion the Spirit and the promise signifying the same thing in that place as appears by v. 28. The words being thus interpreted are a confutation of one part of the objection of the Jewes against the Apostles practice of preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles viz. that taken from the sinnes of the Gentiles which here by the example of Abraham is proved to be of no force against their justification they being as justifiable as Abraham a sinner was by Gods free pardon of sinnes past upon forsaking of them And this is insisted on and proved in the eight first verses In the ninth verse the Apostle proceeds to the confuting the other part of their objection see Note b. on the Title of the Epistle viz. that if the heathens would be capable of any part of the benefit of God's promise they must then be Proselytes of their Mosaical convenant or righteousness be circumcised c. Which again is proved false by the example of Abraham who was justified before he was circumcised and before the giving of the Law by Faith not by Circumcision by Gods pardon and mercy not by any legal performances The only matter of doubt and uncertainty is whether these objections which are thus in the insuing chapter confuted were both proposed in the first verse for if they were then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by works v. 2. will not be of the same latitude with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the flesh but contained under it as a part under the whole or whether the first only were there comprehended and the second severally subjoyned v. 9. The latter of these seems most probable and accordingly the explication of the Chapter hath proceeded though if the former were true it would be of no greater concernment then only this that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the flesh should referre to Circumcision and Mosaical observances as well as to the blamelesse and meritorious performances wrought by a mans own natural strength abstracted from God's pardon and favourable acceptance V. 17. Before him The importance of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not ordinarily observed and must be fetch'd from the use of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew as it is used Gen. 2. 18. where God faith he will make Adam an help we render it meet for him and the vulgar simile ci like or agreeable or answerable to him where the Septuagint have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by him or on the side of him or answerable parallel to him And to this Hebrew the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bears exact proportion the word 〈◊〉
2. k. and Ismael though he were Abraham's child should not inherit nor have any part in it or as Theophylact those shall be the seed of Abraham who are born after the manner of Isaacs birth that is by the word or promise of God 8. That is they which are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed Paraphrase 8. Which signifies that the privilege of adoption belongs not to all Jewes or to men as being born of that stock but being made over by promise it belongs to those to whom the promise was made that is not to those that expect justification by observation of the Mosaical law of circumcision c. or depend upon their absolute election as Abraham's seed and so live negligently and securely but to the faithfull regenerate Christians which are the seed adumbrated in Isaac and called the children of promise here heirs according to promise Gal. 3. 29. the men to whom the promise belongs which was made to the faithfull Abraham and such as he was begotten spiritually after the similitude of his faith though they sprang not from his loyns 9. For this is the word of promise note e At this time will I come and Sarah shall have a son Paraphrase 9. For the birth of Isaac was an act meerly of God's free mercy a work of extraordinary providence for which neither Abraham nor Sarah had any ground to hope but onely that promise made Gen. 17. 21. 18. 10. in these words According to this time that is the time of bearing children after conception I will visit thee and give thee a son by which 't is clear that the birth of Isaac was an effect of God's promise and nothing else and so that they to whom the promise belongs that is not the natural sons of Abraham but the spiritual sons not they that descend from his loynes but they that follow the example of his faith whosoever they be Jewes or Gentiles may upon obedience to the faith and shall be accepted for his children as Abraham was 10. And not only this but when Rebecca also had conceived note f by one even by our father Isaac Paraphrase 10. Another type there was and proof of this in the children of Rebecca twinnes which she conceived by our father Isaac to wit Esau and Jacob. 11. For the children being not yet born nor having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to note g election might stand not of works but of him that calleth Paraphrase 11. For before their birth and when neither had done good or evil which notes the Jewes and Gentiles the one considered without any respect of their legal services the other of their Idolatries that the intention and resolution of God to preferre one before the other might appear to be not on consideration of their nor consequently of the Jewes and Gentiles performances but as an act of his own free disposal in dispensing that greater measure of his favours as seemed best to him for that is meant by calling see note on Mat. 20. c. even to the Gentiles which had done a great deal of ill and not to the Jewes when they rejected Christ even though they performed some external obediences 12. It was said unto her The elder shall serve the younger Paraphrase 12. It was revealed to her by God that the elder of the twins should be inferiour to the younger which signifies by way of accommodation that the Jewes the elder people who had the privilege as it were of primogeniture should forfeit and lose those privileges which the Gentile Christians attained to whom God after begat to himself 13. As it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated Paraphrase 13. According to the prediction of the elder 's serving the younger Mal. 1. 2 3. which though it had been â—rue in their persons Jacob getting away the birthright first then the prime blessing from Esau yet it had not its primary completion in their persons it no way appearing probable that Esau did in his person forsake the true God and fall off to Idols but had its principal and full accomplishment in their posterities of whom Malachi hath delivered it from God long after the death of both their persons that God preferred the Israelites before the Edomites though indeed their progenitors Jacob and Esau were brothers and Esau the elder of them By both which typical stories it is plain that as God binds not himself to observe privileges to give Ismael inheritance with Isaac only because he was born of Abraham as well as he nor to preferre Esau before Jacob and the Edumaeans before the Israelites only because they were of the elder house or line so neither doth he bestow the promises made in Christ either as a prerogative of Isralites or a reward of legal obedience but leaves himself free to receive Gentiles as well as Jewes nay to call Gentiles and reject the Jewes and to accept of the Christian faith in stead of the Mosaical observances the internal sincere Evangelical in stead of the external legal obedience 14. What shall we say then Is there unrighteousnesse with God God forbid Paraphrase 14. But doe we not by saying this make God unjust Is it not injustice in him to accept these to have mercy on believing Gontiles and to cast off Jewes that are Abraham's seed which perform the ordinances of the Law circumcision c. No certainly we charge nothing on God by this that which we say is agreeable to his own words Exod. 33. 19. 15. For he saith unto Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion Paraphrase 15. For there upon Moses's desire to see his glory he tells him his name by which he will be proclaimed I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious c. and so again Exod. 34. 6. that is In shewing mercy I will doe what I think good without giving thee or any man any further account of it then mine own most gracious will and pleasure not that I have not reasons to doe it but that I need not in distributing of mercies which have no foundation in the merits of men render any other reason or motive but mine own will whereby I may doe what I will with mine own And accordingly God cannot now be restrained in reason or justice from shewing mercy to the heathen world so farre as to appoint Christ to be preached to them For what should oblige or lay any necessity on him to damne or reject eternally every one that deserved it From which declaration of God's it follows that therefore God may most justly call and accept and have mercy on Gentiles invite them to Christianity though never so Idolatrous and then save them upon Christian without legal performances 16. So then it is
partaker of the promises to his seed remission of sins and justification see v. 24. 18. Boast not against the branches but if thou boast thou bearest not the root but the root thee Paraphrase 18. Do not thou triumph over them and for those of them that have received the faith but stand zealously for their ceremonies of the Mosaicall Law do not thou despise or reject them for that or if thou be apt to doe so then for thy humiliation remember that Abraham being the root from which the Jews naturally spring and the Gentiles only graffed in you being now but branches at most and not the naturall seed of Abraham must not think higher of your selves then of Abraham and that naturall seed of his all Christian Jews that lineally descend from him and by being believers partake of his faith also as well as of his flesh See c. 14. 1. 19. Thou wilt say then The branches were taken off that I might be graffed in Paraphrase 19. Or if thou that art a Gentile shalt for the magnifying thy self and despising the Jew think fit to pretend that the Jews were rejected on purpose that the Gentiles might be taken in in their stead 20. Well because of unbelief they were broken off and thou standest by faith Be not high-minded but fear Paraphrase 20. The answer to such is ready that if this be true yet there is little matter of security or boasting for them for 't was their pride and contumacy and infidelity that provoked God v. 21. to break them off and 't is thy faith by which thou wert received and still continuest in and if thou become guilty of the same sins thou art to expect the like fate with them and therefore art not to boast of thy condition which is quite contrary to the nature of justification by faith for that is not founded in any merit of thine but only upon the promise of God through Christ to accept thee upon thy repentance and sincere reformation and practice of Christian virtues of which humility and charity are the chief and those most contrary to boasting over and despising of other men but with all humility to work out thine own salvation 21. For if God spared not the naturall branches take heed lest he also spare not thee Paraphrase 21. For if God proceeded with so much severity against his owne people the Jews ye are in reason to expect no lesse severity to you Gentiles if ye do not obey the Gospell and live regularly according to the dictates of Christ 22. Behold therefore the goodnesse and severity of God on them which fell severity but towards thee goodnesse if thou continue in his goodnesse otherwise thou shalt also be cut off Paraphrase 22. Two things then there are in this matter most visisible and remarkable the abundant kindnesse of God and withall his severity severity on the Jews that stand out contumaciously against the faith of Christ but infinite mercy on the Gentiles if they make that use of his mercy afforded them which is fit if having received they obey the Gospell and walk worthy of it for otherwise they must expect severity also 23. And they also if they abide not still in unbelief shall be graffed in for God is able to graffe them in again Paraphrase 23. And so likewise nothing can keep the Jewes in this state of rejection or excision but their wilfull continuing in unbelief which when they break off God can and certainly will receive them in again 24. For if thou wert cut out of the Olive tree which is wild by nature and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good Olive tree how much more shall these which be the naturall branches be graffed into their own Olive tree Paraphrase 24. For if ye Gentiles which were a kinde of wild Olive branch were taken off from the wildness naturall to you and ingraffed into the stock of Abraham received into the Church graffed into the stock of a good Olive tree from which the Jews were cut off which is not only against the custome see note on 1 Cor. 11. f. of the Jews grounded on Lev. 19. 19. who use not to graffe one tree upon another of another kind but more generally against what could be expected in reason and against all laws of graffing for First the good Olive being the fattest of trees admitts no ingraffing graffs will not prosper in any fat tree or stock no Olive graffe prospers unless it be in an hungry stock Secondly no graffe converts into the nature or quality of the stock but still reteines its own and therefore Thirdly men alwaies graff a good fruit into a wild an apple into a crab c. they never graffe a wild fruit into a good one how much more shall the Jews which are branches of this stock and of the same kinde branches of that very tree into which you Gentiles are now ingraffed be now if they shall yet believe graffed in also according to that custome of graffing most ordinary among the Jews to graffe one tree upon another of the same kinde 25. For I would not brethren that ye should be ignorant of this mystery lest ye should be wise in your own conceits that blindnesse in part is hapned to Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in Paraphrase 25. For I shall declare this mystery to you this great secret of God's providence which may keep the Gentiles from being proud v. 18. 20. viz. that a great part of the people of the Jews are now at this present become blinde and that that is made use of by God that by occasion of that the Gospell may by departing a while from them be preached to and received by the generality of the Gentiles and they compacted into Christian Churches and this in very mercy to those Jews that they by seeing the Gentiles believe might at length be provoked to do so too by way of emulation v. 11 and 31. 26. And so all Israel shall be saved as it is written There shall come out of Sion the deliverer and shall note e turn away ungodlinesse from Jacob. Paraphrase 26. And so all the true children of Abraham Jews and heathens both but particularly the remnant of the Jews shall come in and repent and believe in Christ and this agreeably to that prophecy Isa 59. 20. There shall come to Sion a redeemer some powerfull means shall be used to bring the Jews to repentance and reformation of their impieties or a deliverer to them that turn from iniquities in Jacob who shall rescue all the penitent believing Jews from the approaching evills 27. For this is my covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins Paraphrase 27. And so by this means God's covenant shall be made good to them in bringing them to reformation and amendment and then accepting and pardoning as many as shall come in after all this 28. As concerning the Gospell
partes distractum esse to be distracted several waies and when 't is rendred dividi to be divided it is yet oft to be taken in that notion of distraction Hence it is that the Hierusalem Targum Gen. 22. 14. describing Abraham's faith and ready obedience without any doubting or anxiety or distraction what to chuse describeth it thus Tibi perspicuum est nullam fuisse in corde meo divisionem quo tempere jussisti me offerre Isaacum c. Thou seest O Lord that I had no division or distraction in my heart when thou badst me offer Isaac and Gen. 25. 26. speaking of Jacob's not believing the newes of Joseph's being alive in stead of non credidit he believed not the Targum reads divisit cor ejus and he divided his heart The word in all other places in the New Testament signifies simply to be divided into two parts Mat. 12. 25. Lu. 12. 13. 1 Cor. 1. 13. and so doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 4. 12. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lu. 12. 14. And there is no appearance of reason that it should doe otherwise here Now for the vulgar reading of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the front of verse 34. which indeed is very antient among the Latines as appeares by Tertullian's using it De. veland Virgin c. 4. Divisa inquit est mulier virgo quare quoniam innupta i. e. virgo cogitat ea quae sunt Domini that cannot well be imagined in the notion of differing For though the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies with the Rabbines divisio Arithmetica division in numbring and thence differentia and discrimen difference of one from another yet first that importance of the Noun is not observed to belong to the Verb among them and 2dly the Verb in the singular cannot be applied to the two Nounes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the woman and the virgin in conjunction mulier virgo differt would not be true Latine nor would it be better Greek and therefore if that should be the reading the words must be rendred severally the woman is divided that is distracted and likewise the virgin But there would be no great sense in that the Context speaking onely of the distractions of the married whereas in the other reading to which we adhere the whole Context is very current and the meaning perspicuous as we have expressed it But the not understanding of this notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for distraction seems first to have been the occasion of taking away the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in the end of ver 33. was of necessity to be put in the front of v. 34. and from thence all the perplexednesse of the place which is clearly taken away by the other reading V. 35. That you may attend This rendring of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that you may decently wait upon the Lord without distraction is avowed by the Syriack and the figure of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expressing one thing by two words in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will bear it very well CHAP. VIII 1. NOw as touching things offered unto Idols we know that we all have knowledge Knowledge puffeth up but charity edifieth Paraphrase 1. Now for that other part of your letter which enquires of the lawfulnesse of eating things offered to idols on occasion again of the Gnosticks infusions and accordingly speaks of the knowledge that you have from whence the word Gnostick comes see note on c. 1. c. and 2 Pet. 1. b. and Rev. 2. 6. that is knowing men that an Idol is nothing and so that that which hath been offered to Idols may as freely and indifferently be offered to Idols as any thing else I shall now tell you first that we orthodox Christians have knowledge too to wit that knowledge of our Christian liberty and therefore need not be despised by those among you who separate your selves from us in the pride of your hearts calling your selves Gnosticks which supposes all others ignorant but your selves but our care is to joyne charity or the love of God with our knowledge and that will encline us to suffer any thing for Christ's sake and so we shall not need to goe to their idol-feasts to save us from persecution as the Gnosticks doe and a little of this courage and love of Christ is much better tends more to our profit then all that pretended deep knowledge of their liberty which the Gnosticks pretend to and by that chuse to goe to the Idol-feasts rather then confesse and suffer for Christ see note on Rev. 2. b. 2. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know Paraphrase 2. And therefore if any man please himself with an opinion of his knowledge from such subtilities as these and so come to despise other men and not to consider what tends to their good and edification this man let him call himself Gnostick or what he will is farre enough from the true Christian knowledge or from directing his knowledge to the right end for that is charity or the edification of his brethren 3. But if any man love God the same is known of him Paraphrase 3. If any man love God sincerely and so adhere to him in time of danger or temptation he truly knowes God and consequently is known and acknowledged by God 4. As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice to idols we know that note a an idol is nothing in the world and that there is none other God but one Paraphrase 4. Having premised thus much concerning the name and sect of the Gnosticks who are such assertors of their liberty to doe all things and particularly in this matter think they have argued so subtilely for liberty to eat of the idol-feasts to make that an indifferent thing because forsooth an idol is nothing I come now to the thing it self by confessing their objection that an idol indeed according to the notation of the Hebrew word is nothing there being but one God and all the heathen idol-gods being but fictions of theirs so farre from being gods that they are but the works of mens hands 5. For though there be that are called gods whether in heaven or in earth as there be Gods many and Lords many Paraphrase 5. For though there be many called by that title whether the celestiall and supreme deities so esteemed among the heathen or inferiour of a second order called Baalim or Lords agents and mediators between the gods and men or whether the Sunne and Stars of Heaven or men of the Earth deified Theophylact. 6. But to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him Paraphrase 6. Yet we Christians know and are assured that
years after the time that that promise was made to Abraham Gen. 12. 3. cannot in any reason be thought to disannull or frustrate or invalidate the covenant made by God to Abraham and in him to all believers or Christians his spiritual as well as carnal progeny so as to leave believers now under obligation to observe the Mosaical Law or to propose justification to them upon no other terms but those when in the promise to Abraham so long before it was made over to them upon these other cheaper and better terms of fidelity and sincerity and purity of the heart 18. For if the inheritance be of the Law it is no more of promise but God gave it to Abraham by promise Paraphrase 18. For if the blessing that is promised to Abrahams seed whether carnal or spiritual that is to believing Gentiles as well as circumcised Jewes came by the performance of the Mosaical Law then comes it not by the promise made to Abraham which is directly contrary to the Scripture which affirms it to come as to Abraham so to all others by promise onely 19. Wherefore then serveth the Law it was added because of transgression till the seed should come to whom the promise was made and it was ordained by Angels in the hand of a mediatour Paraphrase 19. You will ask then if the promise made to Abraham be the onely thing by which now and ever since justification hath been to be had to what purpose the Law was given I answer It was given to restrain men from sin and to shew them their guilt and to make them seek out for a remedy which is to be found only in the doctrine of the Gospel and in this respect it was usefull for the while till Christ and his members disciples and believers should come and that the Law might be the more effectual to that end to restrain us from sin it was given in a glorious formidable manner by Angels delivering the ten Commandements in thunder so terribly that the people durst not approach the mountain and therefore was Moses called up to be a Mediatour standing betwixt God and the people to shew them the word of the Lord Deut. 5. 5. and by his hand it was delivered to them 20. Now a mediatour is not a mediatour of one but God is one Paraphrase 20. Here again it may be objected that if in the delivery of the Law Moses were a mediatour he must then needs be so between God and the Israelites and then it must be supposed that as in a covenant so in that giving of the Law there must be a contract between God and the people and then the subject matter of this contract will in all probability be justification upon performance of legal obedience and then God will by pact be obliged to observe this truth still and justifie such and none else 21. Is the Law then against the promises of God God forbid for if there had been a law given which could have given life verily righteousnesse should have been by the Law Paraphrase 21. To this I answer that if this were conclusive it would then make void those promises made to Abraham which must be as carefully preserved as the objecter seems carefull to make good God's pact by the Law And indeed the true way of stating the difficulty must be by preserving both as farre as the matter will bear But there is one thing supposed in this objection which is utterly false and the cause of all the mistake viz. that 't is possible to perform the Law for that must be presupposed before we can talk of justification by that contract betwixt God and man or that the Law furnishes with strength sufficient to doe it If that indeed were true there would be no reason to expect the performance of the promises made to Abraham and consequently of justification but only by the Law but when the Law doth no such matter 't is clear that that cannot be a valid contract but void assoon as made and so that it supersedes not that other of promise to Abraham or that which is now by me insisted on in Christ which is purposely to supply the defects and defailances of the Law 22. But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Paraphrase 22. But 't is clear by Scripture that all men of all nations Jewes and others are guilty of sin Rom. 3. 19. and so uncapable of justification by the Law which requires perfect obedience or else cannot justifie and so still there is no justification to be had upon other terms but those of grace and promise upon condition of performing sincere Evangelical faithfull obedience 23. But before faith came we were kept under the Law shut up unto the faith which should afterward be revealed Paraphrase 23. All that can be said of the Law is that before Christ and the Gospell came we were by God put under that oeconomy kept under and disciplin'd by it as in a state of candidates or expectants untill the time should come for the revelation of the Gospell 24. Wherefore the Law was our school-master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith Paraphrase 24. And so the Law was onely a guardian or institutor of us in time of minority as it were an imperfect rule proportion'd to an imperfect state not to justifie but onely to keep us in order and to leave and deliver us up to the Gospell onely for justification 25. But after that faith is come we are no longer under a school-master Paraphrase 25. Now therefore the Gospell being come the school-master or guardian in minority is quite out-dated 26. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus Paraphrase 26. For all that are true believers are adopted by God and consequently justified without legall observances onely by faith 27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Paraphrase 27. According to that known rule that All of what sort soever that have received the faith and are accordingly baptized into it are made members of Christ 28. There is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus Paraphrase 28. And there is no discrimination from any outward accidents of countrey relation sex but circumcised or uncircumcised ye are all equally accepted in Christ if sincere believers or being members of Christ v. 27. ye are all accepted by God 29. And if ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heires according to the promise Paraphrase 29. And if received and accepted by God as members of Christ then are you that spirituall seed of Abraham to whom the promises of justification made by him doe belong by way of inheritance without any necessity of legall performances or any other suppletory claime or
this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be by observing first what is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the first it referres clearly to the form of benedictions among the Jewes Lev. 9. 23. used solemnly by the priests who did blesse the people in set forms Num. 6. 24. as well as blesse God for them as Gen. 14. 19. Melchisedek blessed Abraham and said Blessed be Abraham of the most high God as well as Blessed be the most high God v. 20. Thus also did parents blesse their children Isaac Jacob Gen. 28. 3. and Jacob his sons Gen. 49. Then for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that will be interpreted by the use of the phrase Gen. 48. 20. where Jacob speaking to and blessing Ephraim and Manasseh saith In thee shall Israel blesse the very same phrase as here saying God make thee as Ephraim and as manasseh By which it may be reasonable to conclude that to blesse others in this form God make you as Ephraim c. to make use of his ensample in blessing any is to blesse them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Ephraim And so proportionably this will be the meaning here of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed They among all the nations or Gentiles and not onely the Jewes that blesse themselves or others shall use this proverbial form of benedictions by mentioning the blessings that God bestowed upon Abraham God make thee as Abraham c. or as the form is set down Gen. 28. 4. God give to thee the blessing of Abraham Thus Rabbi Solomon interprets it on Gen. 12. 3. that men shall say to their children Be thou as Abraham adding that the phrase is used in Scripture alwaies in this sense And so sure it hath been used according to that prediction Ever since this form hath been retained among the Gentile part of the world The God of Abraham c. blesse thee And the full importance of that blessing is that Gods mercy to Abraham his blessing him and his seed in this world with those blessings of prosperity but especially his looking upon him as on a friend upon his faith in Gods promises and obedience to his commands his justifying him by faith without the deeds of the Law is and shall be recited as an example of Gods dealing not onely with the rest of the Jewes but also with the Gentile world and the form of the Gentiles blessing or praying for themselves or of the priests for them shall be this that God will deal with them as he did with Abraham which is here used by the Apostle as a proof that the Gentiles are now to be justified by faith without the Mosaical performances which was the thing to be proved v. 7. Thus was the phrase used in the places of Genesis to which this here referres Gen. 12. 3. where v. 2. these other phrases are used to the same purpose I will make thy name great or illustrious and thou shalt be a blessing that is thy name shall be proverbially used in benedictions So c. 18. 18. so c. 22. 18. the form is a little changed In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed that is I will give thee so numerous and potent and victorious a progeny and make good the promises made to thee so visibly to them also to Isaac and Jacob c. Ecclus 44. 22. justifie them as I have justified thee and that the progeny of Esau as well as Jacob those that shall obey me of the Gentiles as well as Jewes by faith without Judaical observances that all the Gentiles shall take notice of them and when they would blesse themselves or others or pray for Gods acceptation or justification they shall use the mention of thy progeny or posterity that God would deal with them whom they blesse as he dealt with Abraham's seed exceedingly prosper them and multiply them bless and accept and justifie them So Act. 3. 25. where these words are cited again of Gods telling Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed the meaning is clearly this that God hath so blessed Abraham's seed the Jewes in giving Christ to them and to them first or primarily v. 26. that all the families or nations of the earth when they shall blesse themselves as the Greek passive is oft in the sense of the Hebrew Hithpael or when they shall be blessed by their parents or priests or friends this shall be the form God blesse thee as he did the Jewes or Abraham's seed To this matter it may perhaps be farther observable that the phrase It was counted unto him for righteousness so often applied to Abraham Rom. 4. may seem to signifie in this same sense also that his faith and ready obedience in going out of his countrey c. were by God looked on as such heroick acts in one brought up among examples of idolatry and villany that it took off that entaile of curse that lay upon that nation and family and entailed a signal blessing on him and his seed viz. upon that part of it that imitated him Isaac and Jacob and the obedient Jewes though the rebellious were cut off in the wilderness and after by captivities and at last the crucifiers of Christ by the Roman Eagles accordingly as it is said of Phinees upon that heroicall fact of his It was counted to him for righteousnesse among all posterities for evermore that is that act of his zeal to God brought a blessing not onely upon his person but upon his posterity as it is said Num. 25. 12. Behold I give unto him my covenant of peace and he shall have it and his seedafter him the covenant of an everlasting priesthood And why may not in Analogie to this use of the phrase in the Psalmist that of imputing Abraham's faith to him for righteousness be this blessing his seed those of his stock and all others that imitated his obedience for his sake or in the like manner as God had blessed him V. 16. Christ The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signifies Christ considered as head of the Church together with the body annex'd to it that is Christ and all believers or Christians So 1 Cor. 12. 12. As the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ Where answerable to the body with many members in the first part is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ in the second which must therefore signifie the whole society of Christians So 1 Pet. 1. 11. when he speaks of the Spirit of Christ that is of prophecie foretelling the sufferings which should befall Christ and the glories after them it signifies not personally to Christ but in this greater latitude the crucifixion of Christ and the persecuting of Christians and proportionably the resurrection
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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
among you pronounce to you positively that if you depend on circumcision and legal observances for justification Christ will stand you in no stead 3. For I testifie again to every man that is circumcised that he is a debtor to doe the whole Law Paraphrase 3. For by laying upon himself a necessity of circumcision and expecting justification by that he absolutely obliges himself to perfect obedience without which the Law cannot justifie any ch 3. 10. 4. Christ is note a become of no effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law ye are fallen from grace Paraphrase 4. All that run this way of the Judaizers must know that Christ is become uneffectual to them If you expect to be justified by legal performances ye have disclaimed all title to the Gospel See Heb. 13. a. 5. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousnesse by faith Paraphrase 5. For we according to the Gospel and the promise made to Abraham expect to be justified without legal performances only by faith or Evangelical obedience 6. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which note b worketh by love Paraphrase 6. For now under the Gospel 't is not material whether a man be circumcised or no all that is required to our justification is faith not all that is called by that name but such as is made perfect by addition of those duties which we owe to God and our brethren 7. Ye did run well who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth Paraphrase 7. Ye began well in receiving the Gospel as I preach'd it to you who hath caused you not to continue in that course 8. This perswasion cometh not of him that calleth you Paraphrase 8. This new doctrin of the necessity of Judaical observances is not taught you by God or by him whether my self or any others who brought you to the faith 9. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump Paraphrase 9. It comes from a few false teachers among you that have infected you with this sowre false doctrine of Judaizing which will spoil all your Christianity v. 2 4. 10. I have confidence in you through the Lord that you will be none otherwise minded but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment whosoever he be Paraphrase 10. And I hope it will not extend farre for I am confident of you in respect of the faith planted among you that you will not be carried away with these errors but the teachers of this doctrine whosoever they are or of what quality soever shall suffer and be censured for it 11. And I brethren if I yet preach circumcision why doe I yet suffer persecution then is the offence of the crosse ceased Paraphrase 11. Some of your teachers it seems have told you that I am for the urging of circumcision upon Christians and that I have done so in some places But I pray doe you guesse of the truth of this suggestion by the persecutions which I suffer which generally fall upon me among the Jewes for my affirming the Mosaical Law to be abolished and would not fall upon me if I pressed the observation of the Mosaical Law in this particular of so great importance The great exception that the Jewes have against my preaching and other believing me is the abolition of the Mosaical Law and the removing of that one exception would be the appeasing of the wrath of the Jewes who probably would oppose it no longer but this you see is not done for the Jews are still as great opposers of Christianity where it is preached by me and of me for preaching it and of others that so receive it from me as ever they were 12. I would they were even note c cut off which trouble you Paraphrase 12. Thus unreasonable are their pretensions that would seduce you from your constancy and are content to say any thing though never so false and improbable to that purpose all that I have to say of them is I wish they were excommunicated turned out from among you that thus endevour to pervert you 13. For brethren ye have been called unto liberty only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another Paraphrase 13. Christ hath freed you believers from the rigour of the Law that is both from the necessity of Mosaical observances and of perfect exact obedience under the penalty of the curse onely do not you make an uncharitable or a carnal use of this liberty either to conteâ—â—n and scandalize those that dare not use this liberty Rom. 14. 1. or to fall into acts of sin and to think your Christian liberty will excuse you but by charity behave your selves toward all your brethren in this matter of legal ceremonies as may be most for their advantages 14. For all the Law is fulfilled in one word even in this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Paraphrase 14. For this is indeed the summe of that Law which ye pretend so much to vindicate endeavouring the good of all others as much as ye can or as you would your own and not permitting your zeal to set you on designes of malice and defaming of others 15. But if ye bite and devour one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another Paraphrase 15. But if you be so uncharitable as to calumniate and defame one another this will break out in a while as in other places it doth already to open feuds persecuting and mischieving your fellow-Christians 16. This I say Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Paraphrase 16. My advise therefore is that you order your actions according to the Gospel rule and doe not those things which are most acceptable to the senses most agreeable to your carnal or worldly ends 17. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that ye cannot doe the things ye would Paraphrase 17. For this is certain that he that will serve God must doe many things contrary to his sensual or secular ends For there being two desires in you the one proceeding from the carnal the other from the rational spiritual faculty or reason instructed by the Gospel and these being so opposite one to the other that whatsoever one liketh the other disliketh it follows that whatsoever you doe in compliance with the one you doe in opposition to the other and so that you doe not will or chuse with both wills rational and sensual whatsoever you will or chuse but one of these still resisteth the other 18. But if ye be led by the Spirit ye are not under the Law Paraphrase 18. That then which is your duty is to follow the duct of the Spirit and if so if you follow the Gospell rule in despight of all the temptations
manner as Philippi did and yet in the Subscription of the Epistle to Titus we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Nicopolis of Macedonia This may serve to give account of the varieties which seem to be among writers about this city And as in Civil so in Ecclesiastical divisions such variety is observable Those cities were chief and Metropoles where the Gospel was first planted and thence communicated to the neighbouring regions And such was Philippi as 't is clear by the story of S. Pauls preaching the Gospel in Macedonia Act. 16. 9 10 c. and 1. Thess 2. 2. first at Philippi then after at Thessalonica In which respect of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 priority of conversion to the Faith and being S. Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first-fruits in that region some privilege belongs to Philippi even before Thessalonica that chief Metropolis of Macedonia viz. that Philippi was the elder sister in the Faith and so in that respect though not in others the prime Metropolis of Macedonia Hence it is that the liberality of the brethren of Macedonia in common 2 Cor. 11. 9. is imputed to the Philippians peculiarly Phil. 4. 16. by which it appears that all the Christians of that region or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Macedonia are contained under that title And so though there be but one Epistle written by S. Paul to these Philippians yet S. Polycarpe mentions Pauls Epistles in the Plural to them by which learned men understand those other inscribed to the Thessalonians that other chiefe city of Macedonia which might therefore belong to Philippi also And to that the severe adjuration of the Apostle 1 Thess 5. 27. seems to belong where he adjures them by the living God that that Epistle be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all the holy brethren indefinitely that is I conceive to all the Christian in each Church of Macedonia And so it is evident that the Epistle inscribed to the Corinthians belonged to all the Churches of Achaia 2 Cor. 1. 1. and so that inscribed to the Colossians was also to be read Col. 4. 6. by the Church of Laodicea the chief Metropolis of Phrygia to which Colosse is adjoyn'd as a secundary Col. 2. 2. By all this appears how in Philippi there may be more Bishops then one indeed as many as were in all Macedonia at least as in the cities under that Metropolis Ib. Bishops What the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes in the Old and New Testament hath been said already Note on Act. 1. b. viz. praefecture or ruling power in the Church But whether this belonged to singular persons one in each city and region adjoyning or to a number of such ruling together as collegues hath been of late controverted by some and this place which mentions in Philippi Bishops in the Plural hath been a principal testimony to conclude that in one Church there were many Bishops This if it were granted and consequently that Bishops here denote no other then those whom we now call Presbyters would be of no force to inferre this conclusion That Churches in the Apostles times were ruled not by single Bishops but many Presbyters because 1. it were possible that the Apostle himself might at this time retain that supreme Episcopal power in own hands and though absent in body yet by letters being present in spirit exercise that power over them Or 2 dly if the Apostle had constituted a Bishop over them yet 't is possible that at the writing this Epistle the Chair might be vacant or that the Bishop might be absent And indeed Epaphroditus who is by Theodoret and others affirmed to be Bishop of Philippi by Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctor which that it is the title of Bishop we have formerly shewed Note on 1 Cor. 12 d. appears c. 4. 18. to have been with Paul at this time when he wrote the Epistle so saith Theophylact that the Clergy are mentioned in this and in no other Epistle because they had sent Epaphroditus with necessaries for the Apostles use and to have carried the Epistle to them which one thing might make it inconvenient to inscribe the Epistle to him And yet in the body of the Epistle c. 4. 3. there is an Apostrophe which in all probability belongs to him under the name of his yoke-fellow that is to look to the relief of the widowes supposing him present at the opening of the letter But there is no need of such answers as these to avoid the force of this argument That which hath been said Note a. will give a clear account of it that Philippi being a Metropolis under which were many other Churches which had each of them a Bishop all those Bishops are here meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Plural as this Epistle was written to all those cities or Churches and not onely to that of Philippi Of this it is clear in Ecclesiastical writings that there was a Bishop constituted by the Apostles For so Tertullian distinctly mentions it for one of those Churches which derived the pedegree of Bishops from the Apostles as founders And Ignatius S. Pauls successor at Antioch in his Epistle to them names Vitalis as their Bishop and the Latine old copie of Polycarps Epistle to them mentions Vitus which is surely the same And though that Epistle mentions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders and Deacons onely yet considering the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set down Note on Act. 11. b. there will be little doubt but that Elders there and Bishops here are all one viz. all the Bishops of the cities under that Metropolis which may well be contained under the title there prefixed to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Church of God adjoyning or belonging to Philippi And indeed as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders is a note of Prefecture and so may fitly belong to the Bishop in each city see Note on Act. 11. b. in all the places of the New Testament so there is little reason to doubt of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bishops The first mention of it is Act. 20. 28. where those that had been called Elders of the Church v. 17. are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops of the flock set over it by the Holy Ghost where if the flâ—ck were the Christians of any one city there might be some pretence that the Elders or Bishops in the Plural might be those which are now called Presbyters But it is apparent that the flock is the Christians of all Asia of which it is said c. 19. 10. that all that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord and almost all Asia were converted saith Demetrius v. 26. which Paul câ—lls the opening of a great doore to him in those parts 1 Cor. 16. 9. And consequently the Elders or Bishops there are the Bishops of all Asia at least those that belonged to Ephesus as
rewards all his faithful servants that doe what they are enabled to doe toward the search and performance of his will And he that doth believe this what should ever tempt him to forsake or disobey him when his sincere faithful performances how dear soever they cost him here are sure to be abundantly rewarded by God and his forsaking and falling off to bring judgments and ruine upon him 7. By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his house by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousnesse which is by faith Paraphrase 7. A like example of faith we have in Noah who believing the threats and heeding the warning of God that foretold the drowning of the world and assuring himself that God would destroy and drown the wicked of that age and preserve him and his family an embleme of the Church of faithful obedient Christians did accordingly so fear the judgment of God denounced against the wicked and believe Gods command of making an Ark for himself and his family that he set presently to making of that Ark by that means to save both himself and his family from the Floud Parallel to which is your belief of Gods threats and commands and making use of that way of securing your selves which Christ hath directed you a careful obedience and close adhering to the commands of Christ in this time of approaching destruction and thus as a Prophet he foretold and brought upon the whole world of sinful men an universal destruction and himself was left the only possessor of the earth had it all for an inheritance to him and his posterity and no question had the happinesse of another world as a reward of his pious fear and faith in God and the actions which he did out of that principle 8. By faith Abraham when he was called to goe out into a place which he should afterward receive for an inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whither he went Paraphrase 8. A like act of faith was Abrahams obedience to Gods command of leaving his Country and going whithersoever God should direct him not knowing whither it was only receiving a promise from God that his posterity should be the possessors of that place whither he was appointed to goe but no way assured that himself should ever be owner of any part of it 9. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange countrey dwelling in Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him of the same promises Paraphrase 9. And accordingly a like act of faith it was in him that though he sojourned in that land which was promised him in the same manner as he should if he and his seed had had nothing to doe with it he and his sons and his sons sons dwelling in it in Tabernacles erected for a transitory passage through it and not in houses as in a place of possession and thus they lived all their lives long till Jacob was removed into AEgypt yet he firmly believed that his seed should possesse that land and was himself very well satisfied without it 10. For he looked for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God Paraphrase 10. Upon this ground of Christian faith that God had for him an abiding firm building which after a pilgrims life expected him in another world see 2 Cor. 5. 1. Heb. 12. 28. and would plentifully reward all his obedience though he had no other reward to receive in this life 11. Through faith also Sarah her self received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a child when she was pastage because she judged him faithful who had promised Paraphrase 11. By the like belief and relying on Gods power and providence against all probabilities to the contrary Sarah being both barren and of an age past child-bearing did not only by her handmaid Hagar but of her own womb and that by Abraham when he was very old also receive strength to conceive and bring forth a son having no ground to believe this or hope it possible but that God had promised it and she was confident he would not break his promise but perform it 12. Therefore sprang there even of one and him as good as dead so many as the stars of the sky in multitude and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable Paraphrase 12. And as the reward of their faith of this they became so fruitful that from one Abraham called by that title of One Mal. 2. 15. and that at a time when he was past power of getting children there yet came a most numerous progeny according to the promise of God made to him and laid held on and depended on by his faith 13. These all died in faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off note c and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth Paraphrase 13. And this his numerous posterity did not till the time of Joshua come to enjoy this promised land of Canaan only as Abraham went on cheerfully as believing that four hundred years after the promises should be performed to his seed so did they comfort themselves with the assurance that their posterity should enjoy them if they did not and meanwhile calling themselves guests and strangers in that promised land Gen. 23. 4. and 47. 9. and not possessors of it which is an inforcement of that constancy which is now called for of Christians in persecution upon strength of that promise of the approaching coming of Christ to rescue them which in case it should not come in their daies yet being so sure to come to their posterity so much sooner then the Canaan came to Abrahams posterity this may be matter of saith and encouragement to Christians as reasonably as the assured expectation of those promises was to Abraham and his posterity 14. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a Country Paraphrase 14. And this language of theirs calling themselves sojourners in Canaan and not possessors of it signifies that they did not think themselves at home but that they were in pursuit of a Country 15. And truly if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned Paraphrase 15. And that not their own Country Chaldaea from whence Abraham first went out upon Gods command for he and his posterity had many seasons to have gone back thither if that had been the Country they look'd after 16. But now they desire a better country that is an heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath provided for them a City Paraphrase 16. But now 't is clear that the Country which they profess'd to expect was that promised to their posterity which being not
come till after this life of theirs was a type of heaven and in having made this provision for them God is most justly said to be the God of Abraham c. for whom he made so rich a preparation destining the land of Canaan and in that a famous City Jerusalem though it was not yet imaginable how it should be built for their posterity and in that mystically foreshewing an eternal City and Kingdome the Canaan and Jerusalem above which they should have which continued constant to Christ and obtained not the promises in this life 17. By faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Isaac and he that had received the promises offered up his only-begotten son Paraphrase 17. Another eminent act of faith it was in Abraham that upon Gods command to sacrifice his only son Isaac he presently and readily obeyed took him and carried him to the Mountain and was ready to have offered him up if God had not stopt him and having entertained and embraced and firmly believed the promises of a numerous seed and people that should spring from him and having no other son but this from whom they should spring nor possibility in nature nor promise above nature that he should have any more children but a plain affirmation that this people which should be counted his seed to whom the promises belonged should come from Isaac he did yet absolutely obey that command of Gods in resolving to kill that son on whom all those promises depended and yet never doubted of the performance of the promises 18. Of whom it was said that in Isaac shall thy seed be called Paraphrase 18. Another eminent act of faith it was in Abraham that upon Gods command to sacrifice his only son Isaac he presently and readily obeyed took him and carried him to the Mountain and was ready to have offered him up if God had not stopt him and having entertained and embraced and firmly believed the promises of a numerous seed and people that should spring from him and having no other son but this from whom they should spring nor possibility in nature nor promise above nature that he should have any more children but a plain affirmation that this people which should be counted his seed to whom the promises belonged should come from Isaac he did yet absolutely obey that command of Gods in resolving to kill that son on whom all those promises depended and yet never doubted of the performance of the promises 19. Accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead from whence also he received him in a figure Paraphrase 19. Resolving with himself that rather then the promise should not be performed which was made to him of a numerous posterity to spring particularly from Isaac God who was able to raise from the dead would so raise Isaac when he should have killed him having withall a kind of pledge to assure him that he would doe that because when he was conceived and born to him it was a kind of coming from the dead viz. from Sarahs womb when she was past age of child-bearing and from himself who in this respect of getting children was mortified and dead also v. 11 12. And this again is an example to encourage and confirm the faith of Christians that in obedience to Christ they continue constant to death it self or the utmost danger of it knowing that God will performe his promises to them yield them the promised deliverance though they cannot imagine the manner how 20. note d By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come Paraphrase 20. An act of faith also it was in Isaac that after that manner that is storied of him he blessed his two sons Jacob and Esau that is prayed for blessings on them nay as a Prophet foretold from God what should befall the posterity of each of them first assuring himself that the promise made to Abraham should be fulfilled in Jacob Gen. 28. 4 5. and so that what he had done though through error mistaking Jacob for Esau would yet certainly be performed to him by God Gen. 27. 33 37. And for Esau he foretold also of his posterity that at length they should be freed from their subjection to the Jewes v. 39. which was a kind of blessing of him also although it were not performed to him personally but to his posterity many years after And the like faith will it be now in the Christians that shall assure themselves that God will now blesse and preserve the faithful constant believers give them deliverances from their pressures although they be not yet present but future 21. By faith Jacob when he was a dying blessed both the sons of Joseph and worshipped leaning upon the note e top of his staffe Paraphrase 21. Thus Jacob a little before his death rose and set himself up upon his bed and leaning upon his staffe which was an embleme of faith depending and relying firmly upon Gods promise he prayed and worshipped God and blessed prophetically Manasseh and Ephraim foretold how God should deal with them and the tribes that sprang from them after his and their death 22. By faith Joseph when he died made mention of the departing of the children of Israel and gave commandment concerning his bones Paraphrase 22. By the same faith and assurance that God would make good this promise of giving Canaan to Abraham's feed though 't were not yet given Joseph before his death a little mentioned the Israelites going out of AEgypt and commanded that when they went his bones should be carried with them which argued his assurance without all doubt that they should possesse that promised land and be delivered out of the AEgyptian thraldome that they were for some years to lye under 23. By faith Moses when he was born was hid three moneths of his parents because they saw he was a proper child and they were not afraid of the Kings commandment Paraphrase 23. Another act of faith it was in Moses's parents to break through all fear to hide the child and endevour to save him in spight of the King 's bloudy law having been assured from God that there should be born from among them one that should deliver them out of AEgypt and judging by somewhat extraordinary in Moses's look that he was that person thus promised them And a like act of faith it will now be thus confidently to believe this promised deliverance and to act accordingly 24. By faith Moses when he was come to years refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter Paraphrase 24. An act of faith it was in Moses that when he came to age he would not accept the honour of being adopted by Pharaoh's daughter 25. Chusing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Paraphrase 25. Chusing rather to endure any affliction that should fall on the Israelites then to enjoy all
miraculously onely by the strength of his having promised it And some of them Daniel by name contained under the word prophets ver 32. obtained that miracle of mercy and deliverance from God that the Lions when he was thrown into their den did him no hurt 34. Quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weaknesse were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the armies of the aliens Paraphrase 34. Others were so favoured by God that the fire did them no hurt when they that is the three children were cast into it others escaped present danger of being killed by the sword as David from Saul Eliah and Michaiah from Ahab the Jews in Hester from Haman others were recovered from desperate discases as Job and Hezekiah others became wonderfully courageous in fighting as Jonathan c. and routed the armies of the Heathen Canaanites c. very often 35. Women received their dead raised to life again and others were note h tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection Paraphrase 35. Some women as the widow of Sarepâ—a 1 Kin. 17. 21. and the Shunamitish woman 2 Kin. 4. had their children restored from death to life upon their entertaining the prophets of God cherishing and relieving Gods servants Elias and Elisha Others when rack'd and tormented for the acknowledgement of the truth had no desire to be spared but refused to be delivered when they might meerly by the strength of faith believing a resurrection to life eternal after death and looked upon that as much more desirable then a present remission of torments Thus the mother and seven children 2 Mac. 6. 19 30. and ch 7. 9. 36. And others had trials of cruel mockings and scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment Paraphrase 36. Others as Michaiah and Jeremiah and the Maccabees had patience tried by whipping very reproachfull and painfull others by shackles and imprisonment and so Joseph in aegypt and others 37. They were stoned they were sawn asunder note i were tempted were slain with the sword they wandred about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented Paraphrase 37. Some were stened as Zacharias others sawn asunder as Isaiah by Manasses say the Jews others burnt alive or broiled or run through with hot irons as the Maccabees others very many kill'd by the sword others the prophets that preached the coming of Christ meanly assayed in skins as Ezechiel John Baptist c. being very poor in great dangers and meeting with very ill usage 38. Of whom the world was not worthy they wandred in deserts and in mountains and in dennes and caves of the earth Paraphrase 38. Used thus as men that were too good to live in this wicked world and accordingly others of them lived recluse and retired from the world in deserts and hills and caves of the earth 39. And these all having obtained a good report through faith received not the promise Paraphrase 39. And all these valiant champions and servants of God last mentioned v. 36 c. and before v. 8 13. being much commended for their faith did not in their time receive the promises made to Abraham had no deliverance in this life from their persecutors 40. God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Paraphrase 40. God having determined this as the time most congruous in his wisdome to give the utmost completion to all those prophecies and promises to send the Messias into the world and as a consequent of his resurrection from the dead to grant us those privileges and advantages that the fathers had not enjoyed a rest after long persecutions a victory over all opposers of Christ's Church that so what was promised to Abraham's seed Gen. 22. 17. that they should possesse the gates of their enemies being but imperfectly fulfill'd to the fathers might have the utmost completion in the victory and flourishing of the Christian faith over all the enemies thereof Annotations on Chap. XI V. 1. Substance The use of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both here and in the other places of the New Testament will appear by observing the Greek rendring of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from it The word signifies to hope and in Piel to expect with some confidence and so to stay and wait for any thing generally rendred by the Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he expected Gen. 8. 10 and 12. but sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ansi sunt Ezech. 13. 6. they took confidence Now this word Mic. 5. 7. is by the Greek translators rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall hope in the sons of men is by the Targum rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall expect we render it wait for them The sense beareth depending on them for aid and so subsisting in them and that is the literal notation of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus likewise the Noun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hope Lam. 3. 18. expectation waiting is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 39. 8. and so in the books of Esdras 2 Esdr 8. They who have not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hope or confidence of good works that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Plutarch that great treasure of confidence that ariseth from well doing Agreeable to this notion of the word is the acception of it in every place of the New Testament save onely that Heb. 1. 3. where speaking of Christ he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the character of his subsistence Thus 2 Cor. 9. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we be not put to shame in this confidence of boasting that is in having had that confidence of their liberality and readinesse as to boast of them in that behalf For to that belongs that great shame in case his confidence should miscarry as that hope which is rightly grounded upon firm promises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not put to shame saith the Apostle Rom. 5. 5. and to the same purpose c. 9. 33. To the same sense is that in the same words c. 11. 17. which is explain'd after by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any have confidence I also have confidence according to that mention'd from the Targum Ezech 13. where the Hebrew answerable to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred daring and so Polybius seems to have used the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for courage and valour or good assurance So oft in Diodorus Siculus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dream raised him to this confidence giving him a vision of great advancement and glory and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he incited them to keep the constancy or courage of Philomelus So in Josephus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their immutable courage or constancy Thus Cicero defineth Faith Fides est dictorum conventorúmque constantia
Prophets Luk. 1. 70. that they should be saved from their enemies and from the hands of all that hate them v. 71. and this distinctly there mentioned by Zachary as a special part of the Covenant and oath made to Abraham ver 72 73. that he would grant them that being delivered without fear from the hands of their enemies they might serve God in holinesse c. ver 74 75. And this was it which being not fully attained by Abraham's posterity in Canaan was still by them expected to be perform'd by the Messias and was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the somewhat better that was reserved for these times of the Messiah For of the rest of the faithful named after Abraham Isaac and Jacob even those that were possessors of Canaan who did subdue enemies by their faith ver 32 33. and so are said to have obtain'd promises there yet this was not for a continuance such as might be called the possessing the gates of their enemies and deliverance from the hands of all that hated them but as by the consequents especially by the story of the Maccabees 't is manifest this Church or nation of the Jewes fell under heavy persecutions and oppressions and was wasted and brought low by these means and at last was delivered up to be finally destroyed by their enemies their City their Temple and their whole service and way of worship Whereas the Christian faith and profession and Church was to endure and hold out and both flourish the more for persecutions and finally get victory over all and never be destroyed by the enemies thereof which was the meaning of Christ's prediction that the gates of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the power of destroyers should not prevail against it which being all one in effect with the promise to Abraham that his seed spiritual seed the Christian Church should possesse the gates of their enemies for to possesse the gates of their enemies is directly equivalent with the gates of their enemies not prevailing against them it follows most properly here that they without us should not be perfected that is that they should not have the promise to Abraham made good to them in the utmost extent but that they were to want the highest part of the completion of the literal sense of that promise till it were accomplish'd in the Christian Church which should in this have the preeminence a very considerable advantage above the Jewes that however it were persecuted it should never be destroyed And this notion and interpretation of this place as it agrees very well with the purport of the whole Epistle designed on purpose to fortifie the Christian Hebrews against the dread of persecutions upon this one ground because Christ was able and willing to deliver them c. 4. 15. yea and would now speedily come unto their rescue c. 10. 37. and though some resisted to blood died in the cause yet a signal deliverance they should speedily have by the destruction of their enemies the Jewes in fine the Christian Church should not fail but flourish the more for persecutions so it seems to be taken notice of by Procopius on Isaiah p. 683. who interprets the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the pious Jewes that expected the coming of Christ and again p. 701. when he speaks of Christ's coming he saith of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which God gave believers those promises which they hoped for so long As for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be perfected that signifies to receive a reward or crown to have the full of their hope or expectation bestowed upon them and accordingly Christ is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the perfecter of their faith c. 12. 3. in giving them the full completion of the promises the object of their saith which was not done to the Jewes before Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without us but had the full completion in the Christian Church According to which it is said of these promises that the Fathers of old saw them and saluted them afarre off as those that salute their friends at a distance being not able to come near them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but received them not ver 13. that felicity being reserved peculiar to the Christian Church which was now to enter on these promises CHAP. XII 1. WHerefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us note a lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us Paraphrase 1. Wherefore we having such a multitude of examples of saith and constancy in the antients which may serve as so many encouragements and obligations to hearten and incite us to our course let us lay aside all worldly love and fear that may hinder and encumber us in our way and how fair pretences soever we may have to forsake Christ yet let us not fall off from our constancy but proceed cheerfully and persevere in our Christian race whatsoever difficulties or afflictions we meet with as they that hope not for any reward till they come to the end of their course and there prove conquerors over all opposition 2. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God Paraphrase 2. And for our encouragement let us look on our Saviour Jesus Christ who in himself hath given an example of the enduring of the highest afflictions and will be sure to crown all those that follow after him hath led us as a captain in this march of faith having in his eye that reward of his sufferings a numerous seed Isa 53. a Church of pious livers and an exaltation expected from God for himself Phil. 2. 9. and in intuition of these going before us courageously through all assaults and being now in the possession of all power in heaven hath undertaken to reward whatsoever we doe or suffer for him 3. For consider him that indured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be note b wearied and note c faint in your minds Paraphrase 3. For consider his patience and perseverance how heavie pressures he suffored from his enemies and by considering of him you will be ingaged to persevere also never to leave the field or turn cowards 4. Ye have not yet note d resisted unto bloud striving against sin Paraphrase 4. What ye have yet suffered in the combating with sin is but a kind of light skirmishing you may well resolve to prepare your selves for yet sharper assaults You have been exhorted and warned by Solomon in the person of wisdome speaking to her sons Prov. 3. 11. neither to kick against Gods punishments without making that use of them for which they are sent as