sederall sign with God and Man like Christ's own Sacraments at least in a great part and then to make the these Test and Condition of Christian Communion ejecting and silencing all Christ's Ministers and cutting off all Christians from Church-Communion who dare not use them lest thereby they break the Law of God The Second General Epistle of PETER the Apostle CHAP. I. 1. SImon Peter a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ 2. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 1 2. Simon Peter c. to all Christians who have obtained the same precious Faith with us which is founded in the precious price of our Redemption and advanceth us to the dignity of being Sons of God through the Righteousness of God which is manifested in his way of justifying us by the Merits of Christ's perfect Righteousness Grace and Peace which are the greatest Blessings that Man is capable of on Earth be multiplied to you which must be only through the Knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue 3. As his Divine Power hath in and by Christ provided and given us all things necessary to Life present and everlasting and to Godliness which is the right use of this Life and the way to a better and this through the Knowledge of Christ who hath called us to future Glory and present Vertue Note some read it by Glory and Vertue and expound it by the Voice from Heaven that called Christ the Beloved Son and the vertue or power of signal Miracles 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust 4. By which Calling are given to us exceeding great and precious Promises even God's Covenâ—nt of Grace sure and sâ—aled that by these as his Deed of Gift or Instrument conveying to us our Right to Christ and Grace and Glory we may be made partakers of the Divine Nature not only relatively as it is in Christ but also inherently as it is the Renovation of our own Souls to a holy Inclination Godward by the Spirit of Adoption like the love and likeness of a Child to the Father being advanced hereby above the sensual corrupt Nature and escaping the pollutions of fleshly Lusts which the World is defiled with and would defile us by Note Though a Nature strictly signifie some essential part or inseparable Inclination it here signifieth a holy Inclining Habit called A Nature by resemblance it being not the effect of a meer Art or Opinion but a fixed Complacency Love and Bent of the Soul towards God and Holiness and Heaven 5. And besides this giving all diligence add to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge 6. And to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness 7. And to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity 5 6 7. And having the Divine Nature let diligent Exercise reduce it to particular holy Habits As you are Believers let your Faith shew it self in holy Strength and Fortitude in all that is your duty and to that add a daily increase of Knowledge in the things of God and to that add a careful mortifying all fleshly Lusts and abstaining from all forbidden Sensuality and to that add Patience of Mind under all Wrongs Crosses and Afflictions and to that add a zealous holy heavenly Observance of all the duties of the first Table or of Religion publick and private and to that add a special Love to all Christian Brethren and Friends And let all grow up to that highest Love to God and to all men as he is interessed in them with an Addictedness to do them all the good you can which is the top of all our Graces 8. For if these things be in you and abound they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 8. If you have these blessed Graces of Sanctification you will be clearly differenced from formal Hypocrites whose Faith and Religion is but a barren unfruitful Speculation an Art and not the Divine Nature 9. But he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see far oft and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins 9. But he that bâ—asteth of his saith without these vertues is like a pur-blind man that can see nothing but what is just near to him Could they with a lively faith foresee the things to come it would waken their sluggish Souls to all this And could they rightly look back to their Baptism they would remember that they there vertually vowed all this and were sacramentally washed from their old sins 10. Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall 10. Therefore see that ye use your utmost diligence in the things aforesaid that your Calling and Election may thereby be made firm stablished and sure For if you do these things you shall not miscarry nor come short of Salvation Note It is a frivolous Contention that is raised about this Text some disputing that it is only meant of sure Notification to our Consciences and some that it is to make us meet Objects of God's Decretive Election and to make an uneffectual Calling turn to a more effectual By Election is oft meant God's actual taking us out of the World into the Church and is the same with Calling The Greek here signifieth to make firm and not only to make known God's Promise is our Title to Salvation This Promise maketh Faith the Condition of our first Right but the Fruits of Faith the Condition of our continued and final Right to Salvation Therefore as there is somewhat on our part necessary to our first Justification besides God's part so is there something more on our part necessary to our Right to Salvation if we survive our Initiation which Christ describeth Mat. 25. And the doing of this making us capable Receivers of God's free Gift may as properly be said to make it sure as our Faith to justifie us that is It maketh up our Title to Life which else would be defective and so maketh our Calling and actual Election to be confirmed and sufficient on their part and not frustrate as to their end And then being made firm and valid in it self it follows that our Title may the easier be known to us 11. For so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 11. And your Baptismal Faith and Covenant proving not ineffectual
of peace have they not known 18. There is no fear of God before their eyes 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. David truly describeth the state of Corrupted Nature and of all Men till Grace restrain or change them in Psal 14. and 53 c. that There is not one of them that are Righteous Men They understand not practically the matters of True Wisdom and chief concerns but are a blind and sottish Generation and therefore they seek not seriously to know God or to please him and enjoy his love They are turned from the way of truth and obedience and happiness They are all but hurtful or unprofitable in the World and none of them that set themselves to a Life that may do good to themselves or others or to please God They are so like Satan who seeketh whom he may devour that their Throat is like an open Sepulchre greedily gaping to devour the Just and Godly their Tongues serve the Father of lies in slandering Gods Truth and Servants and their Words are like Adders Poyson that tends to do mischief and destroy the good and innocent Cursing and false deceitful words are the fruit of their Lips They are ready to shed the Blood of the Godly and Innocent The way of their Life is Destruction and Misery to the Faithful and to the Societies where they live and finally to themselves Nature and Custom may teach them to talk for Peace and Unity and Love But they do not and will not know the true Nature of them or the way by which they must be attained For they are not governed by the Law and Fear of God but by their Carnal deceived Wit and Worldly Interest which God condemneth 19. Now we know that what things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God 19. All this is written in the Jews Law and therefore is spoken to and of the Jews as well as others for the Law speaketh to none but those that are Subjects and obliged by it So that neither Jew nor Gentile can be justified as innocent but all such self-justifiers will be confuted and all the World proved guilty of Sin and Punishment before God when he shall judge them 20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the law is the knowledge of sin 20. By all this therefore it is clear that seeing all that are under Moses's Law are Sinners against the Law and none are innocent no Flesh shall be justified in Gods sight by that Law For as they are Sinners so it is the Law which notifieth their Sin and condemneth them for it 21. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested being witnessed by the law and the prophets 22. Even the righteousness of God which is by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference 21. But there is another way of Righteousness ordained of God for our Justification and the Glory of his Grace and Justice without the keeping of Moses's Law or being justified by it 22. Even the Righteousness prescribed by God and given by his Grace which is by the way of Faith in Christ even our believing trust in him and adhering to him and this is prescribed and given to and found in all true Believers without difference 23. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God 24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ 23 24. For all Men are Sinners and therefore have come short of obtaining the Glory which God had appointed to the Innocent that never brake his Law and cannot be saved or justified by the Law which they have broken but must be justified by his free Grace forgiving their sin and giving and accepting their sincere Faith and Repentance through the Redemption of lost Sinners which Jesus Christ hath wrought for them and in them 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God 26. To declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus 25 26. Whom God hath by his unsearchable Counsel Decree and Ordination set forth to be the great Reconciler and Propitiation by the way and means of Faith in his blood as a Propitiatory Sacrifice and the Seal of his Truth and Love and this was as well as by justifying the Innocent to demonstrate that he is a Holy Just and Merciful God and no friend to sin but a loâ—er of Holiness and Truth in Pardoning to such Believers all their past Sins to which his forbearance and reprieve was a preparation I say to declare that he is as merciful so Just while he will have so precious a Sacrifice for Sin and by Pardon and Grace doth make and judge the Faithful Righteous which is it which is now fully declared by our preaching the Gospel 27. Where is boasting then It is excluded By what law of works Nay but by the law of faith 27. Grace therefore must have the Glory of our Justification For who can boast that he hath it by Innocency because he deserved not death by Sin No this is utterly shut out By what Law Is it by the Law of Moses or any Law which justifieth Men because they sinned not against it nor deserved death No but by another Law even the Law of Faith which Grace hath brought us under which pardoneth and saveth true Penitent Believers 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law 28. Therefore against the Jews and all self justiciaries we conclude that the Law of Moses much less the first Law of pure Innocency is so far from being necessary to the Gentiles for Justification and Salvation that no Man Jew or Gentile is otherwise justified by God but by his free Grace given through Jesus Christ to all true Believers who accept it as a free gift 29. Is he the God of the Jews only Is he not also of the Gentiles Yes of the Gentiles also 29. And how absurd is it to think that God is a God that is a merciful Governour to no more in the World than that little sorry People of the Jews Doth not his actual Mercies and his Government obliging all the World to the use of some means for Recovery Pardon and Salvation confute this and shew that he is the God and Merciful Governour also of the Gentiles 30. Seeing it is one God which shall justifie the circumcision by faith and uncircumcision through faith 30. It is the same God who will justifie Circumcised Believers and uncircumcised Believers by one and the same way Even by the way of Grace and
Faith 31. Do we then make void the law by saith God forbid Yea we establish the law 31. Can the Jew then say that we dishonour and make void their Law as if God had given it in vain and they had not been bound to keep it Far be this from us yea by the Doctrine of Christianity we set the Law in its proper place as consequent and subordinate to the Promise and Law of Grace that went before it and as preparatory to the fuller edition of the Law of Grace whch cometh after it And so we assign it its due Office and Honour and End that God may have the Glory of making it though the Jews misunderstand it CHAP. IV. 1. WHat shall we say then that Abraham our Father as pertaining to the flesh hath found 1. Let us consider Abraham's case the Father of the Israelites according to the Flesh For sure his Prerogative must be as great as theirs that claim it as his fleshly Seed 2. For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God 2. If Abraham was justified by the merit of his Righteousness as having never deserved death by Sin then he may boast that Life and Impunity was his due on that account though yet even that did not merit by any benefit to God Or but towards God he could have no matter to boast of as his own 3. For what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was counted un-him for righteousness 3. For what account doth the Scripture give us of his Righteousness Abraham believed God viz. That he would perform his free Promise of Grace and Peculiarity made to him and his Seed and all Nations of the Earth in him and it was counted to him for Righteousness And though God made his Promises to him also for his obedience Because he spared not his only Son yet this was not because he never deserved death by any Sin but as it was a work of Faith and so a consequent part of the Righteousness of a Believer accepted though imperfect through the Merits and Righteousness of Christ forgiving his Sin and freely adopting him an Heir of Life 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt 4. Now to him that meriteth by the perfection of his Obedience or that never deserved death by Sin much more to him that benefiteth another by his Work the Reward is not reckoned to be the free gift of a Benefactor but the just giving a Man that which is his deserved due in the first case by governing Justice and in the second by Commutative Justice 5. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness 5. But to him that hath no such meritorious work for the value of which the Reward should be his due but trusteth wholly to his free Grace who first maketh and then judgeth them just that were before ungodly and unjust or who justifieth them that by Sin have deserved death and never merited life by the worth of their good Works his Faith is counted for Righteousness by the Covenant of Grace that is God accepteth it as the qualification or condition which must be found in him without such meritorious Works to make him partaker of that Pardon Adoption and Salvation freely given by Grace upon the consideration of the meritorious Righteousness of Christ Indeed Faith Repentance Prayer Confession Love c. are Acts that may be called Works in another sense But it is Works deserving life for their perfection or not deserving punishment by the Law which are here spoken of 6. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works 7. Saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered 8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sin 6 7 8. So David also describeth the qualification of a Blessed Man which is a man justified Not that he hath no Sin which deserved death but that God doth not impute his Sin to him for his condemnation but forgiveth and covereth it and imputeth Righteousness to him that is judgeth and useth him as one that is not obliged to punishment but hath right to Salvation and this not because his Works deserved not Death but Life but because he forgiveth him and freely saveth him for Righteousness and Intercession of Christ and useth him not as he deserved 9. Cometh this blessedness then on the circumcision only or on the uncircumcision also For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness 9. And are none pardoned and saved but the Circumcised Are not the Uncircumcised pardoned and blessed also If Faith was imputed for Righteousness to Abraham will it not be so to all that have it 10. How was it then reckoned When he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision Not in circumcision but in uncircumcision 10. And the time when this was said of Abraham will clear up all this for it was not after he was Circumcised but before even Uncircumcised as the Gentile Christians be 11. And he received the sign of circumcision a seal of the righteousness 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 righteousness might be imputed to them also 11. And he after received the Sign of Crcumcision not as a Legally justifying Sign but as a Seal of that Righteousness which God before imputed to him as a Believer that so he might be by Promise and Example the Father not only of his Carnal and Circumcised Seed but of all them that believe though out the World that so Righteousness might be imputed to them as Believers as it was to him 12. And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only but also to them that walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham which he had being yet uncircumcised 12. And might be the Father of the Ends and Spiritual benefits of Circumcision conveyed to them who are not of the Circumcision only but also to them that walk in the steps of that Faith of our Father Abraham which he had being yet Uncircumcised as they are 13. For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham and his seed through the Law but through the righteousness of faith 13. For the Promise to Abraham and his Seed That he should be Heir of the World was not made to him by the Law which was long afâ—er nor for the keeping of it but upon his believing Gods merciful Promise and trusting him for which he was accounted and pronounced Righteous 14. For if they which are of the law be heirs faith is made void and the promise made of none effect 14. For if this great Promise of Inheritance was made to Men for keeping Mises's Law as such
we could be content to know no more than God doth teach us and to be no wiser than St. Paul was 1. He teacheth us That there are some called according to God's purpose and foreknown by him that is to be such as he will use as is after mentioned He knoweth them to be those whom he purposeth to call and save But Paul was not so presumptuous and profane as to dispute How God foreknoweth them or why he purposeth to call them rather than others 2. And whereas profane Men do foolishly say If God decree and foreknow my Salvation I shall be saved whatever I do and if he do not I shall not St. Paul tells us That those whom God purposeth or decreeth to save he predestinateth to be conformed to the Image of his Son even to the Means as well as to the End So that to say That God doth predestinate Men to Salvation and not to Holiness of Heart and Life is to contradict God's Doctrine of Predestination As God doth decree how long we shall live and withal that we shall live by Meat and Drink so he decreeth that we shall be saved and that by Faith and sincere Obedience And sure they know not what they say who call this Doctrine of Election Licentious Doth it encourage Men to Impenitency or Disobedience to tell them that God doth predestinate Men to repent and obey and be saved Will it tempt Men to live after the Flesh in Worldliness or Sensuality to believe that God hath decreed to make them to live after the Spirit and to mortifie the Deeds of the Flesh and to avoid such Sins 3. And Paul tells us That this Chain of Causes is all decreed of God from the first to the last and therefore that it is God's Purpose which secureth the Event of our Glorification And it 's strange that any should think that God should undertake so great a Work as Mans Redemption and not effectually secure the Success by his own Will and Wisdom but leave all to the lubricous Will of Man 4. But the Apostle tells us of no such Decrees of the Causes of Mens Damnation God causeth and giveth Grace and foreknoweth that which he will give But he doth not cause or give Men Sin nor necessitate any to commit it and therefore decreeth not to cause it nor foreknoweth it as his own Work but as Mans. So that Election and Non-election or Reprobation are not of the same kind degree and order VII The sense of the Terms of the 30 Verse Expositors much differ about but there is no great Doctrinal Controversie depending on it 1. It is doubted whether by Calling here be meant only Effectual Calling and Conversion or only General Calling antecedent to its Efficacy But it 's confessed that both these are asserted in the Scripture 2. It is doubted why Sanctification is omitted or where it is included But it 's agreed that it is one Link of the Chain of the Causes of Salvation 3. And so it 's doubted what the Word Justifie doth mean But the thing is agreed on 4. And the greatest doubt is whether every one of these Causes will infer the rest or only the connexion of all the foregoing will infer that which followeth 1. There is small reason to doubt but that by Calling is meant Effectual Calling Else it would neither prove Predestination nor infer Justification 2. Sanctification is a Word which signifieth many Acts. As it signifieth the Gift of our first Faith and Repentance and our Covenant-devotedness to God in Baptism it is the same with Effectual Vocation Regeneration and Conversion But as it signifieth the after-gift of the In-dwelling Spirit to habituate the Soul with fixed Holiness and Love and the Practice of these it followeth Vocation at least in order of Nature 3 Justification sometime signifieth Making us righteous sometime accounting us righteous sometime by Apology maintaining us to be righteous sometime by Judicial Sentence pronounâ—ing us righteous sometime executively using us as righteous usually many of these together all the rest being implied It is certain that God maketh Men righteous before he account or judge them righteous Now to make a Man righteous and justifiable in Judgment all these concur 1. The Merit of Christ's Righteousness as the deserving Matter and Cause 2. The Act of the New Covenant giving him a part in Christ and with him Pardon of Sin and Right to the Spirit of Grace and unto Glory 3. The Gift of Faith and Repentance that Christ and his further Grace may be ours and for continuance the holy Habits and Acts of Sanctiâ—â—cation And seeing all sound Expositors confess with Beza that at least three Texts by Justification mean or include Sanctification we have reason to judge that part of Sanctification is here included in Vocation and part in Justification and some think the Triumphant part in Glorification And certainly this inferreth no unsound Doctrine 4. Augustine thought that the Links of this are separable unless you include the first as the Qualification of all the rest by way of distinction and that the meaning is That God will call all the Predestinate or Elect and will justifie all the Predestinate that are called and will glorifie all the Justified that are predestinate and called but that there are some justified and sanctified that were not predestinate nor shall be glorified but fall away What the sâ—nse of the Ancient Fathers was about Perseverance Ger. Vossius hath so truly opened in his Theses that I may thither refer the Inquisitive My own sense of it I have opened in my Catholick Theologie and it 's too long a Case to be handled here But I think no confirmed Christian doth totally and finally fall away and that the rest of the Doubt should not be thought enough to break the Love and Peace of Christians VIII As to the Doubt Whether the 38 and 39 Verses speak of God's Love to us or ours to him as they are in themselves inseparable so I think that the Context giveth us Reason to think that it is both even the Bond of mutual Love which is here spoken of All the doubt is Whether it be spoken of every true Christian or only of the Elect and Confirmed of which before CHAP. IX 1. I Say the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience also bearing me witness in the holy Ghost 2. That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart 3. For I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh 1 2 3. I am so far from saying all that I have said in contempt of the Jews or triumph over them in their misery that I protest as a Christian I lie not my Conscience bearing me witness which is illuminated and actuated by the Holy Ghost that in the midst of all my rejoycing in Christ I have great heaviness and continual sorrow of Heart for the sin and misery of the Jews who are
some the Peoples choice alone though where it may lawfully be had just and regular Ordination should not be neglected seeing none may be himself the sole Judge of his own call and fitness CHAP. XI 1. I Say then Hath God cast away his people God forbid for I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin 1. But what do I by all this conclude that God hath broken his Covenant with Abraham and utterly cast off the People of Israel Not at all For I and all Believing Jews are the Seed of Abraham not cast off 2. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew Wot ye not what the scripture saith to Elias how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying 3. Lord they have killed thy prophets and digged down thine altars and I am left alone and they seek my life 2 3. God hath among the Israelites his foreknown and chosen People And these he doth not cast off though he leave the rest in their Rebellion Know ye not what Elias thought and said of the Israelites in his time That he was left alone as if they had been all Revolters 4. But what saith the answer of God unto hm I have reserved to my self seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal 4. But God knew of more than Elias did He had seven thousand that were no Idolaters 5. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace 5. So now also God hath his chosen Remnant whom his Grace hath brought to Faith in Christ 6. And if by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace But if it be of works then is it no more grace otherwise work is no more work 6. And if they are chosen and made his justified People by Grace and Free Gift for the Merits of Christ then it cannot be by the Merit of our own Performance of the Law And if it be by the Merit of such Performance deserving not Death but Life then it is not of meer Grace or free Gift For what need a man Pardon who desâ—rveth not Punishment or to have life freely given him which is his due for the Merit of his Work For I here give you notice that it is no Works that I speak of and exclude but that which excludeth Free Gift and Grace and not that which suboâ—dinately obeyeth Grace and doth suppose it 7. What then Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for But the election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded 7. The whole Nation of the Jews have not obtained deliverance by the Messiah though they sought and hoped and waited for him But God's Elect ones have obtained it and the rest miss of it because their Sin and Prejudice blindeth them 8. According as it is written God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear until this day 8. As it is written Isa 29.10 Because they would not obey the Spirit of God that would have awakened and enlightned them God hath justly given them up to the seduction of the Spirit of Slumber Stupidity and Blindness from whence it is no wonder that they see not and hear not to this day being deprived of his Spirits Illumination 9. And David saith Let their table be made a snare and a trap and a stumbling-block and a recompence unto them 10. Let their eyes be darkned that they may not see and bow down their back alway 9 10. And David Prophetically prayed for such Judgments on the obstinate Enemies of the Just that for a Recompence of their Malice God would turn their Comforts into Punishments and forsake them saying c. 11. I say then Have they stumbled that they should fall God forbid But rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles for to provoke them to jealousie 11. But what Are they utterly forsaken and cast off And had God no better End herein than their Destruction No such thing But the greater part were permitted justly to drive away the Gospel from them to the Gentiles that these being converted might after occasion their Conversion in the Universal Church 12. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles how much more their fulness 12. And if the Gentiles have been so great Gainers by occasion of the Sin and Fall of the Jews how much more when they shall become Christians will they add to the Glory and Greatness of the Catholick Christian Church 13. For I speak to you Gentiles inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles I magnifie my office 13. I speak this to my own and the Gentiles comfort as their Apostle as well as for the Jews as improving and glorying in that my Office that the Case of the Jews is not wholly desperate 14. If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh and might save some of them 14. And that by glorying in your Faith and hoping yet for their Conversion I might provoke them to emulation and win and save more of them 15. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead 15. For if the Gentiles have received the Gospel and so are reconciled to God by occasion of the Jews expelling it what a blessed State will the Church be in and what a Mercy like a Resurrection will it be to the Jews when they shall come into the Catholick Church 16. For if the first-fruit be holy the lump is also holy and if the root be holy so are the branches 16. For if God hath accepted those Jews that are Believers who are the whole Nation but as the First-fruits to the Lump he will accordingly accept the Nation when they come into Christ as we have done And as he accepted Abraham and their believing Ancestors he will also accept them And if those Apostles be honoured of God as Holy who from them are sent with the Gospel into the World so shall the broken Branches be when they are restored 17. And if some of the branches be broken off and thou being a wild olive-tree wert graffed in amongst them and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive-tree 18. Boast not against the branches but if thou boast thou bearest not the root but the root thee 17 18. The Catholick Church I compare to an Olive-tree The Covenant of Peculiarity is their Constituting Charter It was made first with Abraham the Father of the Jews and next of all the Faithful It was sent to all the World by Apostles from Judeâ— These two are the Root the Jews and Gentiles are Branches The Jews are the first Branches and the Gentiles the Branches of a wild Olive here
fellow-souldier but your messenger and he that ministred to my wants 25. But I thought good to send you back Epaphroditus who is my Brother and Fellow-labourer and Messenger who from you supplied my wants 26. For he longed after you all and was full of heaviness because that ye had heard that he had been sick 26. He longed to be with you and comfort you by the sight of his health hearing that his sickness made you sad 27. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death but God had mercy on him and not on him onely but on me also lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow 27. He was nigâ— to death but God in mercy to him and me recovered him not adding his death to my affliction 28. I sent him therefore the more carefully that when ye see him again ye may rejoyce and that I may be the less sorrowful 28. Note That Mercys restored after Danger affect us more than those continued in Prosperity 29. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness and hold such in reputation 30. Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death not regarding his life to supply your lack of service toward me 29 30. Receive him gladly as returned to you by God and account such honourable for it was for the work of Christ that he willingly hazarded his Life by his Travels and labour to be serviceable to me as your Messenger in your stead CHAP. III. 1. FInally my brethren rejoyce in the Lord. To write the same things to you to me indeed is not grievous but for you it is safe 1. Finally Brethren serve God with joyful hearts That I write to you the same things which I have formerly taught you and warned you of is not through sloth of cowardise in me but for your own safety as fittest for you 2. Beware of dogs beware of evil workers beware of the concision 2. To wit that you take heed of the worrying hurtful sort of Men who live in wickedness and calling themselves the Circumcision are indeed the Concision that cut and rend the Churches 3. For we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh 3. For we are the Children of Circumcised Abraham who worship God in Spirit and Truth and have no confidence in Fleshly Priviledges or Carnal Ceremonious Jewish Worship 4. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh I more 4. Though if Judaism were matter of trust or boasting I have more such cause than any of them 5. Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the law a Pharisee 6. Concerning zeal persecuting the church touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless 5 6. I was Circumcised as the Law required I was an Israelite a Benjamite an Hebrew a Pharisee the strictest Sect in Religion not cold in Religion but a zealous persecutor of the Church which I thought had been against it And as to the outward observance of the Law of Moses I seemed to Men so just and harmless that none accused me 7. But what things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ 7. But I willingly disclaim all confidence in these and reject all as loss that would keep me from Christ 8. Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ 8 9. Yea I reject all as loss and hurtful to me which stand against the excellency of the knowledge of Christ for whom I have readily suffered the loss of all things and count them but as Dung in order to my part in Christ and that I may be found in him 9. And be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith 9. Not having and trusting not in that Righteousness which consisteth in keeping the Law of Moses which is of my own Works and I accounted formerly to be my justifying Righteousness but that which is of Faith in Christ even the Righteousness which is of Gods free Gift by believing acceptance of his purchased and offered Grace 10. That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering being made conformable unto his death 10. By which I shall gain the knowledge of Christ and of the great Mystery of Salvation by him and the powerful work of his Grace and quickening Spirit and preserving Providence answering in his Members that power that raised him from the Dead and a Communion with him in sufferings by which I shall be made conformable to him as Crucified for our sins and thus in all be made as a Member suitable to him that is my Head 11. If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead 11. In hope that by all these means and methods which I account not too dear I may at last attain that blessed perfection in which I shall be also like him as he is now risen from the Dead and glorified in the state of Immortality 12. Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus 12. Not that I have already attained this Conformity to my Glorified Lord or were already perfect by reaching all that I pursue But I run as for this Prize and earnestly strive that at last I may lay hold on and attain the state of Glory to bring me to which Jesus Christ did elect redeem and call me to himself 13. Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before 14. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus 13 14. I know I have not yet attained the end that I ran for even glorious Perfection But this I do not minding the things of the World which I have forsaken but neglecting and forgetting them and with all my might and diligence striving towards the things which are before I press or hasten towards the Mark for that glorious Crown and Prize for obtaining whereof the high Calling of God by Jesus Christ hath encouraged me to seek and hope 15. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you 15. And let all that are sound and sincere Christians holding these things that are necessary to Salvation be thus minded and with joint endeavour confessing our Defects
chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him 5. Consider how God himself confuteth your over-valuing rich men and vilifying the poor Is it not mostly of the poor that your Churches consist Is it not them that God hath chosen poor in the World but rich in Faith to be here made Heirs and hereafter Possessors of that Kingdom of Glory which he hath promised to them that truly love him 6 7. But ye have despised the poor Do not rich men oppress you and draw you before the judgment seats Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called 6 7. Yet you despise the poor whom God himself chuseth and honoureth And doth not your own experience and suffering condemn you Who is it but rich men that oppress you by tyranny and draw you like Malefactors before their Courts of Judicature Do they not blaspheme the name of Christ and reproach your Religion 8. If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self ye do well 8 I persuade you not to hate men for their riches but not to think that these allow you so partial a differencing If you obey God's great Command as the Scripture teacheth you to love all sorts of your neighbours as your selves according to the various degrees of their truest amiableness be they rich or poor you then do well 9. But if ye have respect to persons ye commit sin and are convinced of the law as transgressors 9. But if you thus inordinately respect men differently for their wealth not only the Gospel of Love but the Law of Moses convinceth you as sinners Exod. 23.3 Lev. 30.15 Deut. 1.16 17. 10. For whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all 11. For he that said Do not commit adultery said also Do not kill Now if thou commit no adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressor of the law 10 11. And that Law condemneth all that continue not in all things therein written to do them and we are bound by God's Law inforce to universal Obedience If you keep all other Commands and presumptuously break one you are contemners of the Law and so interpretatively break all 12. So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty 12. And though you are delivered from Moses's Law and the Covenant of Works remember that Christ is your King and Law-giver and you are not lawless therefore so speak and so do as they that are under his Law of Liberty and Grace and shall be judged by it by Justification or Condemnation 13. For he shall have judgment without mercy that hath shewed no mercy and mercy rejoyceth against judgment 13. For though this be a Law of Mercy it will condemn the unmerciful without mercy It hath its conditions of life or death though none but what consist with Grace But the merciful shall find mercy at Judgment And God's mercy in Christ as the cause and their mercy to men for his sake as the condition will prevail against condemning Judgment 14. What doth it profit my brethren though a man say he hath faith and have not works can faith save him 14. Is not a meer wordy Profession an unprofitable thing to your selves as well as to others Will professing Christianity and saying you believe profit you to Salvation if you obey not Christ and live not according to the Gospel 15 16. If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food And one of you say unto them Depart in peace be you warmed and filled notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body what doth it profit 15 16. Will good words cloath the naked or feed the hungry Is it not like a mocking of them 17. Even so faith if it hath not works is dead being alone 17. Even so your notional knowledge and belief and the bare professiâ—n of Faith if it produce not the fruits of Obedience Love and Mercy is but an uneffectual dead thing in it self shewing a dead Soul and is dead as to your Justification and Salvation 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 18. Any one may say to this man if thy Religion be sound it will have life and power and be known by its fruits Canst thou shew and justifie thy Religion or Belief without any good works or fruits as I can do mine by them 19. Thou believest that there is one God thou doest well the devils also believe and tremble 19. It is part of thy Religion to believe that there is One God This is well done it is a most fundamental Truth but it saveth not the Devils that believe it and tremble 20. But wilt thou know O vain man that faith without works is dead 21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar 20 21. But art not thou a vain man that knowest not that Faith is but a dead Opinion uneffectual to justifie and save if it be uneffectual to Works Dost thou not discern how plainly the Scripture confuteth thee Was it not Doing in Faith or a Faith that caused working Obedience by which Abraham was justified who was the Father of the Faithful when he offered his Son Isaac and God said Gen. 22.16 Because thou hast done this thing and hast not withheld thy Son thy only Son in blessing I will bless thee c. 22. Seest thou how faith wrought with his works and by works was faith made perfect 22. You may see that his Faith made him obey God's Command and the obedient working of it did constitute it a sound effectual Faith without which it could not justifie him 23. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God 23. And this is the true sense of the Scripture which saith Abraham believed c. that is he so far believed and trusted God as to offer up his Son and this trust working by such Obedience or this practical effectual trust was so accepted by God that though he was not perfect without sin God accounted him a righteous man that was meet for the free Salvation of his Grace and to be called The Friend of God 24. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only 24. You see then that by such necessary doing God's will which is the product of an effectual Faith and sheweth it to be lively and sincere and not a dead Opinion a man is accounted just by God accordâ—ng to the Covenant of Grace through Christ and not only by bare believing or not by believing only without
obeying 25. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works when she had received the messengers and had sent them out another way 25. And was it not by Doing by Faith or a Faith causing Obedience that Rahab was justified 26. For as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also 26 For as it is a dead spiritless body that cannot stir so it is a dead notional uneffectual belief that commandeth not a man's life and action It 's dead in it self and dead as to mens Justification and Salvation Annotations NOthing but mens misunderstanding the plain drift and sense of Paul's Epistles could make so many take it for a matter of great difficulty to reconcile Paul and James where there is no considerable shew of contradiction I have shewed the scope and sense of Paul before the Epistle to the Romans 1. That his arguing is to prove that it is not the Law of Moses that can justifie any man as a meer doer of it nor any works at all in commutative Justice making the reward to be of debt for the value of the works and not of free grace but that Justification must needs be of Gods free gift and therefore by the Merits of our Redeemer and therefore that a fiducial accepting practical Belief of Gods free Gift Covenant or Promise of Grace and Glory for in and with Christ is the condition on our part to be performed by his Grace which is our Moral Qualification or receptive disposition on which God by his Covenant giveth us right to the foresaid free Gifts Christs Grace and Glory This Faith Paul never described by some one single Physical act of the Soul but as a Moral act of the man as we use the Word in humane converse As if one say if you will trust me as your Physician I will cure you if you take me for your Tutor I will teach you Here to trust or take him signifieth a consenting trust to be medicined and to be taught by such a one If one say to a condemned Beggar trust me and I will give thee a Lord-ship in a Foreign Land it signifieth a trust consenting practically to go with him and trust his Convoy and forsake his own Country And James never questioned this Doctrine But some Vain Men as James calls them misunderstand this and spin us out a Web of their own Vanity feign it to be Paul's Doctrine 1. They say that Paul by Faith meaneth not Faith by which we are said to be justified but only Christ who doubtless is a chief object of that Faith 2. That God the Father or the Holy Ghost are none of the object of Faith as it is justifying 3. That it is not Christ himself as Prophet or King but only as Priest that is this object 4. That it is not all Christs Priest-hood but only Sacrifice and Righteousness that is this object and not his Heavenly Intercession 5. that it is not Christs Sacrifice and Righteousness as meerly meritorious of our Pardon and Life but as it was paid and performed by Christ as our surety in our Legal Reputative Person and so is imputed to us as our own because done by another in our name and stead as one payeth a debt by another that was bound for him 6. That so far as Faith is here meant it is but one single Physical act of Faith in Specie and there they are utterly disagreed 1. Whether it be an act of the understanding or will or both 2. Whether one act can be the belief of many objects viz. of Christs Sacrifice Obedience Promise Pardon Heaven c. 7. Yea many say that it is but one individual act that we are justified by which no mortal man can know the individuation of the Souls acts being obscure and the objects being always many conjunct and they say that it is only our first act of Faith and that all following acts of the same species finding us justified cannot justifie us any more than works 8. They say that Faith justifieth only as an Instrumental Cause and not as a Moral qualifying receptive condition or disposition 9. They say that believing in the Father the Holy Ghost and hoping for Heaven and praying for Mercy and Repenting of Sin and Loving God and our Saviour and his Word and Saints and Thankfulness for Grace and Obedience to Christ and Patience and forsaking all for him are the works which Paul meaneth to exclude from Justification and so is Faith in Christs Righteousness as an Act but not as an Instrument 10. They are utterly disagreed whether Faith justifie by appropriating only Christs active Righteousness or also his Passive or also his Divine Righteousness and Perfection 11. They say that by Imputing Faith for Righteousness is meant that not our Faith but Christs Righteousness is Imputed in it self and not its merited effects only to be our own because we performed it by him 12. They say that it is the very Law of Innocency and Works that justifieth us as having perfectly fulfilled it in and by Christ 13. they most hold that in Christ we have both perfectly kept the Law from birth till death by imputed obedience and yet satisfied for not keeping it by his sufferings as if perfect obedience imputed could consist i th sin 14. They say that Gods corrections are no punishments because else Christs Suffering was insufficient and God should punish one sin twice 15. And that our pardon and justification is perfect as soon as we believe 16. And that no more is needful to our continued Justification than to its beginning 17. And that yet more is needful to our Salvation than to our final Justification Many such humane Inventions man's brain hath spun out and made a Doctrine of their own and called it Paul's And James having to do with carnal Gospellers that thought to be saved for being of a right Opinion and calling this Faith doth 1. Tell them that this is not that true Christian Faith which hath the promise of Justification and Salvation but that that is a powerful practical belief and trust 2. Therefore their Doing that which Faith consents and engageth them to do must justifie that Faith to be sound which must justifie them as the condition of life 3. And that therefore this Efficiency or Doing of this practical Faith is part of the condition of their Justifications and it justifieth the man himself 1. As it justifieth his Faith and so justifieth him to be a sound Believer and not an Infidel or Hypocrite 2. In that the effectual operative nature and consent to obey is essential to that Faith it self 3. In that as a Faith accepting Christ and consenting to obey him as the Author of Eternal Salvation is the condition of our first entring into a state of Life and Justification so our performance of that consent by sincere obedience and perseverance is the condition of our Justification as continued and consummate at
way to death and misery 2. Converting the erroneous sinner is the way to save him 3. One man may be said to save another much more a man himself by converting him without derogating from Christs Salvation but in subordination to it 4. Therefore all Christians but specially Ministers should be diligent and skilful to convert erroneous sinners and the erroneous patient and thankful for their help Note If it be the Gnosticks as Dr. H. saith that James here and Paul in his Epistles so greatly warn the Christians against alas too great a part of the Church Governours Bishops and their Clergys abroad on Earth seem turned very like these by him described Gnosticks 1. In being for Worldly interest Wealth and Pleasure 2. In being for Ceremonies 3. In joining with the Vngodly Enemies of Piety 4. In being Latitudinarians or Licentious against strictness and tenderness of Conscience and Adiaphorists in things not Adiaphorous 5. In being Persecutors And if base underling Gnosticks or Nicolaitans could so trouble the Churches then what a case must those Countrys be in where they are got into the Episcopal Chair and claim the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to execute their Pride and Lusts over Princes and People of all sorts sure Borborites or Gnosticks are not the less such nor the less dangerous for being called Bishops and having Power Wealth and Interest The First Epistle General of the Apostle PETER CHAP. I. 1. PEter an apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia 2. Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ grace unto you and peace be multiplied 1. Peter an Apostle not called the Universal Bishop or Head or Governour of the Church to the dispersed Jews through Pontus c. chosen by grace out of that unbelieving forlorn Nation according to Gods fore-knowledge and unsearchable Counsel to Sanctification by the Holy Ghost and to Obedience and to a State of Reconciliation and Justification by the Merit of the Blood of Christ applied Grace and Peace multiplied to you is my Prayer and Benediction 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 3. Bâ—essed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who out of his abundant mercy for the manifestation and Glory of it hath regenerated us to a living hope even a hope of Glorious Life procured notified and secured to us by the Resurrection of Christ from the dead 4. To an inheritance inccorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time 4 5. Not to such a corruptible defiled fading Inheritance as Earth is to its lovers but to an Inheritance incorruptible undefiled and holy never fading reserved by the Divine Love and Decree and by the Possession Intercession and Promise of Christ for you who are true Believers and are kept by the power oâ— God through that Faith which he hath given you and you keep and exercise to Salvation which ere long will be gloriously revealed to your sight and possession the last time being not far off Note It is revealed already in the Gospel and wil be fully revealed to separated Souls But the full glorious revelation is when the whole Church is consummated 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations 6. In the belief and hope of this glorious Inheritance you now live in great joy though for a little time when God seeth it needful for your good he let out upon you those trying sufferings which are heavy and grievous to the flesh 7. That the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ 7. For as your Faith is a preciouser thing than gold and refined gold is the most precious gold so tryed Faith is the most precious Faith and the tryal of it a greater work than the trying and refining of gold by fire that so it may be found at the coming of Christ a qualification meet for your own praise honour and glory and in you also unto Christ's 8. Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 8. Whom though you never saw in the flesh as we did that followed him yet you truly love and honour And though now you see him not in his glory nor his coming yet your effectual Faith doth so far serve instead of seeing him that you rejoyce by it with unspeakable triumphant joy in hope of that which you shall see 9. Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls 9. And shall shortly receive that great Salvation for which you have believed 10. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you 11. Searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before-hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow 10 11. Of this great Salvation and Kingdom of Christ Incarnate which is dated from his Resurrection and perfected at his next coming many Prophets foretold in their manner and degree and they enquired and diligently searched more explicitely to have known it and the time when it should be when the Spirit in them foretold that the Messiah must suffer and in general that glorious things should follow 12. Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the holy Ghost sent down from heaven which things the angels desire to look into 12. And it was revealed to them that it was not to come to pass in their days and that it was not they but we that should see the Messiah and his special Kingdom and the things which since his Resurrection are now preached to you by us his Ministers with the Seal of the Holy Spirit sent down in a special abundance from Heaven to be the Witness of Christ and the Sanctifier of Souls a mystery so great and of so excellent importance that the Angels think it worthy their search 13. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ 13. Wherefore as runners gird their cloaths to them that they trouble them not do you fortifie your minds
When man consents it is a Law accepted a gift and Testament accepted and a mutual actual Covenant the Law hath its introductive History and Doctrine its precepts prohibitions promises and threats And the Covenant hath the same parts only denominated from mutual consent But because there are Laws of more or less rigor and of various tenours it is the Law of Faith or Grace which is the Covenant Testament and Gospel which is now before us denominated from the Donative and Promissory parts though precept and threatening be included IV. It is of great importance that we err not by giving too little or too much to the sacred Scriptures from both which extreams many dangerous errours How 1. On the left hand those err that deny it to be Gods word of infallible truth intelligible and perfect as to its proper use without humane supplements written or orall Doctrinal or Canon Laws and those that deny it to have infallible ascertaining evidences of its truth These be-friend infidelity heresies prophaness Church Tyranny leaving it to Clergy-men to make us a new Faith New Sacraments and a new Religion at their Pleasure and to persecute good men that dare not renounce the Scripture sufficiency and Christs perfection by obeying their dictates and Cannons as Co-ordinate with Christs if not co-equal These make Church-concord utterly impossible while they deny the sufficiency not only of the essentials but of all the Bible to be the terms of Concord without their supplements or additions as if Christ that is the Author and finisher of our Faith and the maker of his own Church had not so much as told us what a Church or a Christian is or whom we must take for such into our love and Communion nor fixed the necessary terms of Union but left them to none knoweth whom even fallible men lyable to error and Tyranny that can but get uppermost and say then that they are the true Church and the Masters that must be obeyed while they are themselves of as many minds as they are of different Countrys interests and degrees of knowledge and sincerity 2. On the other side those overdo in ascribing to the Scripture who say that God had no Church or the Church no infallable rule of Faith and life before the writing of iâ— and who say that men converted by the Creed Catechismes preaching or tradition without knowing the Scripture can have no saving faith and that think none can be saved that doubt of any Canonical Books text or matter whether it be Gods word or that say Scripture is so perfect that there is no humane imperfection of the Pen-Men founâ— in phrase word or method and that God could not have made it better or that every Book may be known to be Canonical and every reading to be right when copies vary without Historical tradition by its own evident light and that we have no more cause to doubt of any word or matter than of the truth of the Gospel and that Reason is of small use either for the proof or exposition of the Scripture but the most illiterate if he found a Bible that he had never heard of may by its own light know its truth and sense as well as studious learned Men and that no other Books need to be readâ— and that the Scripture is a sufficient teacher of Physick Logick Grammar c. and that nothing is to be used or done in the External Forms Modes and Accidents of Gods Worship but what is particularly commanded in Scripture and that it telleth every man whether he be sincere and justified or not and not only telleth him â—ow to know it by inward evidence with many other such mistakes proceeding from mistaking the use of the Scripture by which its perfection must be measured Which all tend to confusion and at last to infidelity or doubting of the whole when these errourâ— are discerned V. And tho all the Scripture be of equal truth as it is Gods word yet many untruths are in it as uttered by Men and Devils which God truly recordeth And all parts are not of equal necessity or weight And as many err by casting off the Old Testament so others err by equalling it to us with the New It is Gods word left to acquaint us what was heretofore and to shew us how Christ was prophesied of and expected and how the Church was governed in the darker and more servile state and times But we have great cause to take heed of overvaluing its use to us lest we contradict Paul that saith that even that which was written in stone is done away and the Law Changed with the Priesthood and the old and faulty Covenant for a Better of which see the nine first Chapters to the Hebrews c. Judaizers are they that most of Pauls Epistles are writtâ—n against And as John Baptist waâ— greater than the Prophets so the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he Evâ—n the holy Patriarks and David had a far more obscure Revelation of Christ and grace and the love of God and the glory to come then we have And accordingly we should have much more faith holiness and comfort than they It is dangerous making the best of them our Examples in points of faith or duty wherein they came far short of Gospel light and grace God doth not now bear with Poligamy as lie did then nor with such divorces nor doth the Gospel countenance such streams of blood as the Israelites ordinarily shed nor such lies as David was oft guilty of nor such a strange life as Solomon lived I mean that such faults will not now consist with true grace under our fuller light and mercy as would do then to men in a darker infant Age and therefore let us take heed of presuming on their Examples Christ and his Apostles are far fitter for our imitation David fills most of his Psalms with such complaints of his Enemies and curses against them as shew a far deeper sense of the suffering of the flesh and the concerns of this life than Peter and Paul shewed who suffered far more and for a holier cause and rejoyced in tribulation and then is suitable either to the precepts or examples of Christ All was not well said and done by good men which is recited in the New Testament much less in the old So far are they mistaken that say the Jews and Gentiles were bound to believe the Apostles in no more than they proved out of the Scripture that most of the Creed was to be believed by other evidences And Christ and his Apostles gave us so full proof of the truth of the Gospel as that their attestation of the Old Testament is to us a more convincing proof of its Divine Authority than any others Therefore Christians must read and honour the Old Testament and study it but the New far more to which it is that the Heart and Life must be conformed There Heavenly glory shineth far
hand know what thy right hand doth 4. That thine alms may be in secret And thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly 3 4. But tho your good works must shine before men to God's glory yet be so carefully afraid of all affectation of vain-glory to your selves as purposely to conceal all when nothing but your own praise requireth openness yea do not note it too much in your selves to puff you up and then as your hearts and lives are all known to God he will openly reward them to the full 5. And when thou prayest thou shalt not be as the Hypocrites are for they love to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men Verily I say to you they have their reward 5. So let not your Prayer be like the Hypocrites all done in publick as on a Stage to be seen of men I tell you mens praise is all the reward they shall have N. Not but that publick Church-Prayer and Family-prayer are as great duties as secret Prayer But they must not be done for to be thought Religious nor secret Prayer made open or neglected 2. Standing is a lawfull praying gesture in it self But where Kneeling signifieth more reverence it must be preferred in humbling duties 6. But when thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly 6. But do thou pray secretly where only God is witness of thy Prayers and therefore approve to him thy secret desires and heart as well as thy words and believe that God will openly reward thee N. 1. Both publick and secret prayer are our duty 2. Praying only before men is gross hypocrisie But all secret prayer will not prove sincerity 3. They that say We must not serve God for reward oppose Christ and Scripture and all Religion It is not a reward in Commutative Justice as if we profited God But in Fatherly love and justice as pleasing God through Christ as Fathers reward good children and not bad ones 7. But when ye pray use not vain repetitions as the Heathen do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking 8. Be not ye therefore like unto them for your Father knoweth what things you have need of before you ask him 7. When you pray do not so repeat over the same words or lengthen your Prayers with unmeet repetitions as the Heathens do that think canting over certain words or spinning out Prayers to such a length is acceptable to God or as if God were moved by terms or length For God is your Father and knows what you need before you speak and pityeth you according to your needs And your Prayers are not to move and change him but by exercising your own desires and faith and repentance and thankfulness to make you fit to receive his further gifts 9. After this manner therefore pray ye 9. I will give a perfect directory for the matter and order of your desires and prayers and in words fit for your use when you pray but summarily 9 10 c. Our Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy name Thy kingdom come Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the kingdom the power and the glory for ever Amen 9 c. We come not to thee as our unreconciled avenging Judge but as to our merciful Father reconciled to us by Christ The only God whose Glory is eminently in Heaven infinite in perfection of Being and of Power Knowledge and Goodness our absolute owner our Supreme Ruler and our most loving Father by Creation Redemption and Regeneration whose we are and whom we must serve and whom we must Love and Trust we are sinful needy miserable and unworthy in our selves but thy Children by Christ our Intercessor who is worthy whose hearts are by desire towards thee as our God and to the good of others as our brethren as well as by necessity to our own felicity We know that as all things are Of Thee and Through Thee and To thee so Thou art our Ultimate end And therefore we first humbly beg that Thy Great Wise and Good and Holy name may be known and shine forth and be glorified and holily regarded upon earth and not blasphemed or be unknown and disregarded by Atheists Infidels or wicked hypocrites nor the honour of men be set up against thee But that the Nations of the earth and all Societies and our own selves may be wholly devoted and live to thy Glory And our next Petition is that the world or its Societies or our own and our brethrens Souls may not be given up to the wicked Tyrannical Kingdom of Satan or men that are his Ministers and governed by him nor to the Wars bloud and cruelty of such But that thy Divine Government even the Kingdom of Messiah may come on Earth in that fulness as may destroy the Kingdom of Satan that Faith Love and Righteousness may be the constitution of Societies and Souls and the Reign of Grace may prepare us for Glory which we specially pray for And our third Petition is that in this thy Kingdom Societies and Souls our own and others may in disposition be conformed to thy Governing Will and in practice obey it and in Faith Hope and Love with joyful Trust expect the promised reward and patiently submit to thy Fatherly corrections and disposals And that in all these aforesaid three requests this Earth that is grown so near to Hell may be made more like to them in heaven who Know Love and Obey and Glorifie thee with Perfection Unity and full delight And because thou hast made our natures such as cannot but love our selves and hast bound us to seek our own and others welfare and Grace presupposeth Nature and our Being is necessary first to our Well-being Therefore our fourth Petition is that thou wilt support our natures and maintain them by necessary food and sustenance and make us content with thy allowance and save us from covetousness and overmuch love to worldly fulness prosperity and wealth and cause us to subserve thy providence by our wise and diligent labours and not to forfeit thy maintenance by our self confidence idleness or vicious sensuality nor turn our strength to serve our sinful lust And knowing that Holiness and Justice require the punishment of Sin we next beseech thee to look on us in Christ whom thy Love and Mercy sent into the world to be a Sacrifice and Propitiation for sin whose perfect Righteousness and Sacrifice have merited that pardon and grace which he hath given in his Covenant and proclaimed and offered to us all in the Gospel Forgive all the sins of our
and went up into a mountain and sat down there 30. And great multitudes came unto him having with them those that were lame blind dumb maimed and many others and cast them down at Jesus feet and he healed them 29 30. Note How earnestly will men seek for bodily heaâ—th who are senseless of their Souls concerns If Christs Ministers could give all men health and wealth what abundance of followers would they have and who would for this imprison persecute or silence them 31. Insomuch that the multitude wondered when they saw the dumb to speak â—â—e maimed to be whole the lame to walk and the blind to see and they glorified the God of Israel 31. Note Great and sensâ—ble Miracles and 〈◊〉 force men to acknowledge the hand of God and to praise him 32. Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said I have compassion on the multitude because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat I will not send them away fasting lest they faint by the way 33. And his disciples say to him Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness as to fill so great a multitude 34. And Jesus saith to them How many loaves have ye and they said Seven and a few fishes 35. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground 36. And he took the seven loaves and the fishes and gave thanks and brake them and gave to his disciples and the disciples to the multitude 37. and they did all eat and were filled and took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full 38. And they that did eat were four thousand men beside women and children 39. And he sent away the multitude and took ship and came into the coasts of Magdala 32 c. This was the second Miracle of compassionate feeding the hungry Is not Christ in Heaven as merciful and sufficient for Soul and body as he was on Earth CHAP. XVI 1. THe Pharisees also with the Sadducees came and tempting desired him to shew them a sign from heaven 1. Not believing the reports of all his Miracles they desired that they themselves might see some sign from Heaven which might certainly prove that God had sent him thinking that he could not do it 2. He answered and said to them when it is evening ye say it will be fair weather for the sky is red 3. And in the morning It will be foul weather to day for the sky is red and lowring O ye hypocrites ye can discern the face of the sky but can ye not discern the signs of the times 2 3. You can conjecture what weather will be by the sky And is it to you so hard a matter to know by my doctrine and all the miracles and good works that I have done that I am sent of God that you must prescribe what signs God shall shew you from heaven before you will believe 4. A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonas And he left them and departed 4. When your own wickedness hindereth you bebelief you call for a sign from heaven to convince you But I again tell you you shall have no sign but that of the Prophet Jonah He that is filthy let him be filthy still 5. And when his disciples were come to the other side they had forgotten to take bread 6. Then Jesus said to them Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees 5 6. Note Christ doth not bid them to avoid all converse with these men or not to hear them read the Law of Moses but to take heed of receiving any of their false doctrine 7. And they reasoned among themselves saying It is because we have taken no bread 8. Which when Jesus perceived he said to them O ye of little faith why reason ye among your selves because ye have brought no bread 9. Do ye not yet understand neither remember ye the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets ye took up 10. Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many baskets ye took up 11. How is it that ye do not understand that I spake not to you concerning bread that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees 12. Ten understood they how that he bade them not beware of of the leaven of bread but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees 7 c. We are dull of understanding till Christ instruct us and apt to put a carnal sence upon his words 13. When Jesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Philippi he asked his disciples saying Whom do men say that I the Son of man am 13. Note Christ would not so much as urge his own Disciples to confess him to be the Christ till his works were a cogent testimony that their faith might not be precarious nor by bare command but by convincing evidence 14. And they said Some say thou art John the Baptist some Elias and others Jeremias or one of the Prophets 14. Note 1. Men were convinced that he was of God that is the multitude but not the Rulers But they thought he was not the Messiah but some great Prophets Soul in a new body 2. By this it is evident that the multitude then believed the immortality of the Soul else they could not think that those Souls came into other Bodies 15 16. He saith to them But whom say ye that I am And Simon Peter answered and said Thou art the Christ the son of the living God 15 16. Note 1. It was meet that those that were to preach Christ to others should be brought to an open confession of him themselves 2. It s like the rest believed as Peter tho he only spake 17. And Jesus answered and said to him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jonah for flesh and bloud hath not revealed it to thee but my Father who is in heaven 17. It is a point of so great importance to Sanctification Justification and Salvation verily to believe me to be the Christ and Saviour that this faith is the evidence and means of thy blessedness It is not mere man that hath revealed this so as to make thee a true believer but my heavenly Father by my works and word and by his grace 18. And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it 18. And as thou hast consest me to be Christ I will say to thy comfort that as thy name signifieth a Rock or Stone So by thee and thy brethren I will build my Church on this Rock agaist which all the powers of Hell the Devils and wicked men shall not prevail Note 1. It is a great controversie whether by this Rock be meant 1. Christ himself 2. Or the faith and confession of Christ
25. And behold a certain lawyer stood up and tempted him saying Master what shall I do to inherit eternall life 25. To try his skill 26. He said unto him What is written in the law how readest thou 26. Note They err who say that the Law of Moses prescribed not the meanâ— to Eternal Life 27. And he answering said Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul with all thy strength and with all thy mind and thy neighbour as thy self 28. And he said unto him Thou hast answered right this do and thou shall live 27 28. Note This is not the same History that is mentioned Matth. 19.16 there is much of the same and yet much difference There Christ repeateth the Commandments particularly but here the Lawyer repeateth them summarily So Mark 10.17 agreeth with Matthew But that in Luke 18.18 is the same with this and a distinct History Note Whoever loveth God sincerely and his Neighbour as himself shall be saved But this will never be done without Regenerating Grace 29. But he willing to justifie himself said unto Jesus and who is my neighbour 29 Note This overwillingness to justifie our selves is one of the deâ—â—est rooted commonest vices in corrupted Nature 30. And Jesus answering said A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho fell among thieves which stripped him of his raimâ—â—t and wounded him and departed leaving him half dead 31. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way and when he saw him he passed by on the other side 32. And likewise a Levite when he was at the place came and looked on him and passed by on the other side 33. But a certain Samaritan as he journeyed came where he was and when he saw him he had compassion on him 34. And went to him and bound up his wounds pouring in oil and wine and set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn and took care of him 35. And on the morrow when he departed he took out two pence and gave them to the host and said unto him Take care of him and whatsoever thou spendest more when I come again I will repay thee 30 31 32 33 34 35. The Priest and the Levite who should be the most holy and charitable past by him without helping him but a Samaritan one contemned by them as a Heretick or prophane Rustick took him up and helped him Note They abuse the Text that say by the Samaritan is meant Christ and by two pence the Two Testaments c. 36. Which now of these three thinkest thou was neighbour unto him that fell among the theeves 36. Which of theâ— toâ—â— the man for his Neighbour and dealt as a Neighbour with him 37. And he said He that shewed mercy on him Then said Jesus unto him Go and do thou likewise 37. So do thou and though he be a Samaritan a Schismatick a Heretick use him with such charity as thy Neighbour Note Do they so that ruin hunt and destroy such and better men 38. Now it came pass as they went that he entred into a certain village and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house 39. And she had a sister called Mary which also sat at Jesus's feet and heard his word 38 39. Martha was the House-keeper or Owner 40. But Martha was cumbered about much serving and came to him and said Lord doest thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone bid her therefore that she help me 40. The followers of Christ to be provided for were many and the work seemed necessary 41. And Jesus answered and said unto her Martha Martha thou art careful and troubled about many things 42. But one thing is needfull And Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her 41 42. Thou troublest thy self more than needs and unseasonably about many things of less necessity But to learn the way of Salvation and so to be blessed in the Kingdom of God is the one thing of absolute necessity This Mary hath preferred and so shouldest thou and have left serving to the second place And none shall deprive her of that better portion which she hath chosen Note 1. Christ doth not blame Martha for her carâ— and work but for not preferring better Nor speaks this so much to blame her as to commend Mary and to teach us all what to prefer 2. One thing only in a comprehensive sense as containing Salvation and its necessary means is of such absolute necessity to man that all things else should be put behind it 3. Preferring things less necessary though good and troubling our selves about need-nots is a common fault even of religious persons 4. That is a fault out of its due time and place which is a great duty in its season 5. They that prefer and chuse the best shall have the best whoever is against it 6. Even godly persons and near are apt upon cross Interests and Opinions to censure and accuse each other upon mistake when the fault is in the accuser and that to Christ 7. But Christ will justifie the right CHAP. XI 1. AND it came to pass that as he was praying in a certain place when he ceased one of his disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his disciples 1. It seems they had till now been too little and unskilful in prayer 2. And he said unto them When ye pray say Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name Thy kingdom come Thy will be done as in heaven so in earth 3. Give us day by day our daily bread 4. And forgive us our sins for we also forgive every one that is indepted to us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil 2 3 4. See the Exposition of the Lord's Prayer on Matth. 6.9 Note It is evident that Christ gave them this prayer to be used both as a Directory for Matter and Method and as a meet form of words when they pray comprehensively and summarily though not trying them alwaies to use these very words nor to go through the whole Method when occasion confines them to some one branch or requires them to insist most on it much less obliging or allowing them to use no other And so the Apostles and all the Churches understood it The small difference in words between Matthew and Luke are not material save that Luke omitteth the doxology in the end By Debt verse 4. is meant chiefly wrong or sin For so the Syriack signifieth in which Christ spake Though also our obligation to keep the Law of Innocency on pain of death or for Justification is a Debt which God remitteth by the Law of Faith and Grace and accepteth on our part Faith and sincere Obedience for the Merit of Christ who fulfilled that perfect Law 5. And he said unto them Which of you shall have a friend and shall
weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your children 29. For behold the days are coming in the which they shall say Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bare and the paps that never gave suck 26 27 28 29. It is not my case that you have cause to lament but your own and your Childrens for the dreadful destruction that is coming 30. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains Fall on us and to the hills Cover us 31. For if they do these things in a green tree what shall be done in the dry 30 31. Dreadful will be the approaching vengeance For if they thus use me for my good works what shall they endure who by their heinous sin are as wood dried for the fire 32. And there were also two malefactors led with him to be put to death 33. And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary there they crucified him and the malefactours one on the right hand and the other on the left 32 33. Thus for us the Son of God was numbred with Malefactors by the most ignominious death 34. Then said Jesus Father forgive them for they know not what they do And they parted his raiment and cast lots 34. Qu. Was this an absolute Prayer of Christ If so were they not all forgiven seeing he was always heard And doth not he himself foretel their dreadful punishment Ans It is as if he said I am dying to purchase pardon of sin to all that repent and believe I come not to destroy and condemn but to save It is therefore my part to desire their Repentance and Salvation Take them not as unpardonable for they do this in ignorance and unbelief Tender them forgiveness and give them yet time of Repentance and draw thine Elect to effectual Faith and condemn none for killing me that do not after my Resurrection obstinately reject thy offered mercy to the last This also was the sense of Stephen's Lay not this sin to their charge But final unbelief and rejecting grace is the unpardonable sin which retaineth all the rest 35. And the people stood beholding and the rulers also with them derided him saying He saved others let him save himself if he be Christ the chosen of God 35. O unthankful men to turn so many Miracles of Love and Mercy into cruel insulting scorn Reader behold in these Instances the Nature of faln Man and be humbled and fear thy self 36. And the souldiers also mocked him coming to him and offering him vinegar 37. And saying If thou be the king of the Jews save thy self 36 37. N. He came to save us and not himself till his Resurrection How glad would his Enemies shortly be to be saved by him And how will their tune be changed 38. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek and Latine and Hebrew THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS 38. N. As the reason of his death and scorn both of him and all the Jewish Nation 39. And one of the malefactours which were hanged railed on him saying If thou be Christ save thy self and us 39. N. The Cross of Christ was the great scandal to all They thought that he could not be the Christ that did not save himself because they knew not the use of his Sacrifice for Man's Redemption But it shews the power of sin when even a Malefactor crucified shall go out of the World in such reproach 40. But the other answering rebuked him saying Doest not thou fear God seeing thou art in the same condemnation 41. And we indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds but this man hath done nothing amiss 40 41. Wilt thou die in sin Are not we justly suffering for it when he unjustly suffereth being innocent 42. And he said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom 42. Lord I believe that thou art the true Messiah and the promised King Remember me a sinner with pardoning mercy and acceptance when thou reignest in thy glory 43. And Jesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee To day shalt thou be with me in paradise 43. Trust my Promise Thou shalt this very day be with me in a celestial Paradise of joy N. 1. This Example sheweth us what Election freely doth in calling one while another is past by 2. Christ would give this present proof of the virtue of his Sacrifice to call and justifie sinners 3. True Conversion is never too late to the obtaining of Mercy and Salvation 4. True Faith and Repentance how late soever will have its fruits This man was not saved without good works 1. He confest his sin 2. He confest the justness of his punishment 3. He confessed Christ's Kingdom 4. He justified Christ's Innocency 5. He reproved the Reviler and taught him to repent 6. He prayed even to a crucified dying Christ 7. He prayed not for present deliverance but for a place in Christ's Kingdom 5. The departed Souls of the faithful go presently to Paradise 6. This Paradise is where Christ will be with us Some Hereticks by gross perversion joyn This day with I say as if it had been only the day of Christ's speaking this and not of the man's being in Paradise But it is by falsification contrary to the pointing of all Greek Copies and one Copy saith Beza hath That this day 44. And it was about the sixth hour and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour 44. Over all the Land from twelve a Clock till three there was an unusual degree of darkness whether by an Ecclipse or extraordinary Clouds is uncertain But it was not such darkness as is in the night 45. And the sun was darkned and the veil of the temple was rent in the mids 45. Some take the veil to be a hanging but it 's liker it waâ— a wall For the Temple was divided into three parts 1. The outer Court where the Gentiles might come 2 The Sanctuary where the Jews came 3. The inner Sanctuary or Holiest where only the High Priest came once a year If it was the wall that enclosed the Holiest then the rending signified the access we have now to God by Christ If it was the second wall it signified the removal of the Mosaical Separation of Jews and Gentiles 46. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice he said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and having said thus he gave up the ghost 46. N. The certain Glory that Christ expected was by the way of Trusting his Soul into his Fathers hands And what otherwaies have we to die in hope and peace but to commit our Souls with Trust to our Father and our Redeemer and conjoyn the dying words of Christ Stephen 47. Now when the centurion saw what was done he glorified God saying Certainly this was a righteous man 47. See Matth. 27.54 Though Matthew recite his words thus Verily this was the
and said to them murmur not among your selves 44. No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day 43. The objections which you murmur on do indeed require Divine Grace to overcome them and therefore none can sincerely believe and come to me as a Christian except the Father who sent me to save men convince and draw them to me to be saved and all those I will raise to life everlasting 45. It is written in the Prophets and they shall be all taught of God Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me 45. As the Prophets speak of a Divine teaching so it is those that are thus taught of God that come to me 46. Not that any Man hath seen the Father save he which is of God he hath seen the Father 46. Not by a Teaching by seeing him For it is I only that come from him that have seen him 47. Verily verily I say to you he that believeth in me hath everlasting life 48. I am the bread of life 49. Your Fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderness and are dead 50. This is the bread that came down from Heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die 51. I am the living bread which cometh down from Heaven If any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I shall give him is my flesh which I will give for the life of the World 47. I tell you he that believeth on me hath that everlasting Life which Manna gave not for they are dead that did eat it I am the Bread that come indeed from Heaven and give Life not temporary but everlasting not to a few but to the World or universal Church My sacrificed flesh shall purchase this 52. The Jews therefore drove among themselves saying how can this man give us his flesh to eat 53. Then Jesus said to them verily verily I say to you except ye eat the flesh of the Sâ—n of Man and drink his blood ye have no life in you 54. Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day 55. For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed 52. This seemed to them a saying not to be digested and Christ at that time would no further explain it to them than by saying I tell you unless that you live by virtue of my Flesh and Blood received by Faith as food is by your mouth ye have no spiritual saving life It is all they that thus by Faith partake of my Sacrificed Flesh and Blood that have the Title and beginning of Eternal Life and I will at last raise them up to the full fruition of it For my sacrificed Flesh and Blood are truly enlivening and saving 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him 56. He that by true Faith trusteth in my sacrificed Flesh and Blood professeth thereby to be united to me as digested food is to the body whereby I also dwell in him and I will give him the Spirit of Life and he shall live by influence from me 57. As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me he shall live by me 57. As the Father is Essential Self-life and I live by Communication from him so he that is intimately united to me and I to him as food is to the body by digestion by a covenanting lively Faith shall live by me a life of Grace and Glory 58. This is the bread which came down from Heaven Not as your Fathers did eat Manna and are dead He that eateth of this bread shall live for ever 58. I am the true Bread from Heaven who give everlasting Life when your Fathers who did eat Manna died and were not by that made immortal 59. These things said he in the Synagogue as he taught in Capernaum 59. N. Remember it was not those only that had followed him that he spake this to and the following sharp passages but to his auditors at Capernaum 60. Many therefore of his Disciples when they had heard this said this is an hard saying who can hear it 60. N. Christ would not forbear this mysterious doctrine though the hearers could not digest it but would make an ill use of it to depart from him 61. When Jesus knew in himself that his Disciples murmured at it he saith to them doth this offend you 62. What if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before 61. I will e're long ascend up visibly to Heaven And will not that prove that I came from Heaven 63. It is the Spirit that quickneth The Flesh profiteth nothing The words that I speak to you they are Spirit and they are Life 63. And as to your offence at my words of the eating of my Flesh you know that Flesh of it self would be a dead and sensless thing were it not for the Soul that is it's life And so it is not my meer dead flesh that I say shall give you life but my Flesh as it is in dignity the Body of the Son of God purchasing life for the World and as it is accompanied with the operation of the Holy Ghost which animaterh them spiritually who by Faith are united to me And thus not only my flesh but the words that I speak to you are by my Spirit made the means of communicating to you Spirit and Life 64. But there are some of you that believe not For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray him 64. But there are some of you that follow me that are not true believers and therefore have not this quickening Spirit For he knew their hearts and knew who would after betray him N. Though Christ knew Judas and other Hypocrites he did not expel them but sent out Judas to Preach with the rest to tell us how the visible Church will be constituted and must be ordered 65. And he said therefore I say to you that no man can come to me except it were given to him of my Father 65. N. That the word Can speaketh not of Physical power but partly moral indisposition and partly an hypothetical impossibility of event 2. That though Gods grace be the cause of faith no man is deprived of that Grace but by his own wilful sin which maketh him unexcusable 66. From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him 66. By forsaking him they shewed that they were never sound believers 67. Then said Jesus to the twelve will ye also go away 68. Then Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we go Thou hast the words of eternal life 69. And we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ the Son of the living God 67. N. 1. Christ puts
am in my Father and you in me and I in you 20. In that measure that this Spirit of Life is from me communicated to you ye shall Experimentally find that as I am in the Father and act by his Power so you are in me acted by my Love and Power and I in you thus acting you by my Spirit 21. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him 21. This Holy Spirit which I promise you is the Spirit of Love And he that loveth and keepeth my Commandments is he that truly loveth me And though with a Love of benevolence and beneficence I Love many Enemies to their Conversions yet it is only they that thus Love me that shall be Loved of my Father with Complacence and Felicitation And I will delight bless and glorifie them with my Love and make my self fuller known to them 22. Judas saith unto him not Iscariot Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the world 23. Jesus answered and said unto him If a man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him 22 23. The manifestation of my self is not to be by Monarchical outward Pomp which the World expecteth but by Spiritual Gifts and Comforts and Rewards And none are prepared for these but they that love me and keep my words These my Father will Love and my Father and I will come to him by the Spirit and make our aboad with him for ever 24. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings and the word which you hear is not mine but the Fathers which sent me 24. But the World that Loveth me not keepeth not my words And it is the Fathers word and not mine only which they reject 25. These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you 25 26. I tell you all these things with my own Mouth while I am present with you But they shall be better understood and take deeper rooting in your Memory and Affections by the work of the Paraclets the Holy Ghost whom my Father will send in my Name my Agent Advocate and Witness he shall more fully teach you all things and bring all things that ever I said to your remembrances that you may teach and record them to the World 27. Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid 27. And taking my farewell of you I do not only wish but give and leave with you my Grace and Benediction Not such an uneffectual or delusory peace in Sin as the World giveth But the beginning of everlasting Felicity Therefore let not your hearts be troubled or afraid at my departure as if ye were deserted 28. Ye have heard how I said unto you I go away and come again unto you If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I said I go unto the Father for my Father is greater then I. 28. Ye have heard with trouble my words that I go away and come again to you If ye understood this aright your Love to me would make you rejoyce because as I told you it is my Father that I go to And he is greater than I whom he hath made Mediator And the presence of his Glory is better than this base wicked World 29. And now I have told you before it come to pass that when it is come to pass ye might believe 29. I have foretold you of my departure and my sending the Spirit that when it s come to pass your Faith may be helped by remembring my Predictions 30. Hereafter I will not talk much with you for the Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me 30. I shall not speak much more to 〈…〉 my death For the Devil the Prince of the 〈◊〉 and the Romish and Jewish Powers his Agents are ready to Execute what I came to suffer but shall find in me no guilt or desert of suffering 31. But that the world may know that I love the Father and as the Father gave me commandment even so I do Arise let us go hence 31. But that I may shew to Mankind that my Love to my Father and my perfect Obedience to his Commands are more Powerful in me than the love of this Life I shall willingly suffer for Man an undeserved cursed death Arise and let us go to the place where I know Judas will come to apprehend me CHAP. XV. I Am the vine and my Father is the husbandman 1. I am to you like the Vine that giveth forth her Vital juice for Mans life and delight And my Father is as the Husbandman that planteth owneth and disposeth of the Vine and Fruit. Note Whether Christ spake this before they rose from Supper or as they went by the way is uncertain 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and every branch that bareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit 2. All that manifest themselves Christians and are Baptized and Grafted into my Church are to me as the Branches are to the Vine as to Coveâ—ant-insition And every 〈…〉 â—hristia◠〈◊〉 is not sincerely fruitful 〈…〉 superfluous branch And the sincere and fruitful shall be pruned by Instruction Discipline and Correction that they may be yet more fruitful 3. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you 4. Abide in me and I in you As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me 3 4. You are now in some measure cleansed and sanctified by my Word and Grace But do ye think that all your work is done or all your danger over it must be still your care to abide in me by continued Faith and Love and that I may abide in you by my Spirit and Grace For as the branch can bear no Fruit of it self but by vertue communicated from the Stock and therefore must abide in it No more can you except you abide in me 5. I am the vine ye are the branches He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing 5. Your â—â—â—tion and continuance in me must make you fruitful â—or out of me and without my communicated Spirit of Grace you can do nothing that will save you 6. If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and
Christians come to hear and know what may be said they may yield and charge their minds 19. Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice and Cyprus and Antioch preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only 19. Note The calling of the Gentiles was not yet well understand by them 20. And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene which when they were come to Antioch spake unto the Grecians preaching the Lord Jesus 20. Note Whether by the Grecians be meant the Jews that speak Greek or Gentile Proselytes is doubtful 21. And the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord. 21. God blessed their Ministry to the Conversion of a great number to Christianity 22. Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the Church which was in Jerusalem and they sent forth Barnabas that he should go as far as Antioch 22. To confirm them and carry on the work 23. Who when he came and had seen the grace of God was glad and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. 24. For he was a good man and full of the holy Ghost and of faith and much people was added unto the Lord. 23. It rejoyced him to see what Gods Grace had done Note Every Goodman will be glad at the Conversion of Souls and the increase of the Church As Diabolists are grieved at it and fight against it 2. Young Converts need Counsel and Exhortation to be confirmed and persevere 3. Confirmation consisteth in a habitual fixed Resolution or full purpose to cleave to the Lord. 25. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus for to seek Saul 26. And when he had found him he brought him unto Antioch And it came to pass that a whole year they assembled themselves with the Church and taught much people and the Disciples were called Christians first in Antioch 25. Barnabas having sought Saul and drawn him to Antioch for more publick service they two did for a whole year teach much People in the Church-Assembly which it seems was then but one And the Disciples were then first called Christians who before were called by Reprochers but Gallileans and Nazarites and since by Heresie and by hereticating reproaches are called by a multitude of dividing and disgraceful names 27. And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch 28. And there stood up one of them named Agabus and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world which came to pass in the days of Claudius Cesar 28. In divers Countrys especially in Judea should be a death 29. Then the Disciples every man according to his ability determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea 30. Which also they did and sent it to the Elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul 29 30. The Famine being most in Judea the Country being dry and poor and having frequent Famines and many Converts to shew the power of Love having sold their Possessions heretofore for common use the Christians of other Countrys sent them relief by Paul and Barnabas to the Elders of the Church to be justly distributed as there was need Note Whether by Elders here be meant the unordained Seniors of the People Or the Presbyters ordained as such Or as Dr. Hamond thought Diocesane Bishops who yet had never a Presbyter under them and therefore were the single Pastors of single Congregations is sufficiently elswhere considered CHAP. XII Now about that time Herod the King stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Church 2. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword 3. And because he saw it pleased the Jews he proceeded further to take Peter also Then were the days of unleavened bread 1. Note 1. Kings bear the Image of Gods Dominion and have their power from him and not against him and above all men are bound to serve him to the utmost Therefore such Persecutors as Herod being the greatest Traytors against God no doubt have answerable punishment in Hell 2. James that was one who sought to be Chief was the Chief or first of all the Apostles in Martyrdom and drank of Christs Cup and was Baptized with his Baptism 3. To please wicked men this King murdered Saints and displeased God 4. The Holy days of unleavened bread or Easter are celebrated with the Murder of Chrst first and of James after This the Hypocrites holyness 4. And when he had apprehended him he put him in prison and delivered him to four quaternions of souldiers to keep him intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people 4 He set sixteen Soldiers to keep him that after the Passover he might Sacrifice him to the People 5. Peter therefore was kept in prison but prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him 5. The Church for so great a Minister in so great danger betook themselves to their great remedy even constant importunate Prayer to God 6. And when Herod would have brought him forth the same night Peter was sleeping between two souldiers bound with two chains and the keepers before the door kept the prison 6. Just when the Tyrant intended hi Execution c. Note Chains and Keepers are nothing to God 7. And behold the Angel of the Lord came upon him and a light shined in the prison and he smote Peter on the side and raised him up saying Arise up quickly And his chains fell off from his hands 7. Note O how Powerful are Gods invisible Agents in Comparison of Mortal worms 2. It was a gentle harmless stroak that the Angel gave him and such are Gods awakning stroaks 8. And the Angel said unto him Gird thy self and bind on thy sandals And so he did And he saith unto him Cast thy garment about thee and follow me 9. And he went out and followed him and wist not that it was true which was done by the Angel but thought he saw a vision 8. Note Implicite obedience by following Gods call even when we know not whither is acceptable and safe 10. When they were past the first and the second ward they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city which opened to them of his own accord and they went out and passed on through one street and forthwith the Angel departed from him 10. Note 1. Nothing can hold those that God will deliver 2. Angels are ministring Spirits for our good 11. And when Peter was come to himself he said Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his Angel and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews 11. Note We seldom understand what God is doing for us in the beginning of our deliverances as we do at last 12. And when he had considered the thing he came to the house of
have not so much as heard whether there be any holy Ghost 3. And he said unto them Unto what then were ye Baptized And they said Unto Johns Baptism 1. He found some that owned the Christian Profession 2. Note Johns Preaching was that the Messiah is now come and those that Repented and Believed this he Baptized though they knew not that Jesus was he But to many he also pointed to Jesus and said This is he And these Disciples its like were such and had learned no more 4. Then said Paul John verily Baptised with the Baptism of repentance saying unto the People That they should believe on him which should come after him that is on Christ Jesus 5. When they heard this they were Baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus 4. Paul said John Baptized those who professed Repentance and Faith in the Messiah as just now at hand who indeed was Jesus Christ When these Disciples heard that they were expresly Baptized again into the name of the Lord Jesus 6. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them the holy Ghost came on them and they spake with tongues and prophesied 7. And all the men were about twelve 6 7. And the miraculous signal gift came on these men when Paul had laid his hands on them Note The opinion of Matnixius and Beza that vers 5. was the speech of Paul concerning Johns Converts that they were Baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus 1. Is forced and therefore to be suspected 2. It is contrary to the Context For They in vers 3. and and They in vers 5. and Them in vers 6. all plainly speak of the same persons 3. It is contrary to the History of Johns Baptism who Baptized multitudes of the common People Soldiers Publicans and Pharisees upon a meer profession of Repentance and belief of the Messiah at hand and is never said to have Baptized any into the Name of the Lord Jesus 4. Their reason for it is contrary to the Doctrine of Christianity as if Johns Baptism were so much the same with Christs that it is not to be perfected by the later If any one then or now were Baptized only by Johns Baptism he ought to be Baptized again It is essential to Christian Baptism to be Baptized into the Name of the Father and of the Son as buried and risen with him and of the Holy Ghost But Johns Baptism had not all this Therefore it is not the now Christian Baptism 8. And he went into the Synagogue and spake boldly for the space of three months disputing and perswading the things concerning the Kingdom of God 8. Note The Gospel is the Doctrine of Gods Reign by the Messiah 9. But when divers were hardened and believed not but spake evil of that way before the multitude he departed from them and separated the Disciples disputing daily in the School of one Tyrannus 9. The Ears of Christians being unfit to bear their reproaching and blaspheming of Christ he separated the Disciples from the publick Synagogue of the Jews to a private School 10. And this continued by the space of two years so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus both Jews and Greeks 10. By two years Teaching and Disputing the Gospel was spread through all Asia proconsular 11. And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul 12. So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons and the diseases departed from them and the evil Spirits went out of them 11 12. So Many and great were the Miracles and Cures done by Pauls means that his corporal presence could not serve all but by Cloaths sent from his Body they at a distance were cured 13. Then certain of the vagabond Jews exorcists took upon them to call over them which had evil Spirits the name of the Lord Jesus saying We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul Preacheth 14. And there were seven sons of one Sceva a Jew and cheif of the Priests which did so 13. Seven Sons of one of the Jews Chief Priests being Vagabonds Exorcists that pretended to Conjure out Devils seeing Pauls Miracles had like Simon Magus a desire to do the like and thought that saying the same words would serve without the same Faith and Grace as Hypocrites do in the matters of Salvation 15. And the evil Spirit answered and said Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye 16. And the man in whom the evil Spirit was leapt on them and overcame them and prevailed against them so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded 15. Words without Faith would not work to cast out Devils and Christ would not give power to his Name used as a Charm but Satan strengthened the Man to wound and shame them 17. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus and fear fell on them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified 17. This being commonly known the name of Christ was more reverenced and honoured 18. And many that believed came and confessed and shewed their deeds 18. Many Converts openly confessed their former evil deeds 19. Many also of them which used curious arts brought their books together and burned them before all men and they counted the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver 20. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed 19. To shew the truth of their Repentance by the Renunciation of their former delusions and that no men else might be hurt by their ill Books or make an ill use of them they would not sell but burn their Books of Magick and Charms and Idolatrous Rites and Divinations though the price amounted to a very great sum not pretending as Judas that this Money might have been given to the poor This shewed the power of Gods Word and Grace which so prevailed against Delusions and the love of Money 21. After these things were ended Paul purposed in the Spirit when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia to go to Jerusalem saying After I have been there I must also see Rome 22. So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministred unto him Timotheus and Erastus but he himself stayed in Asia for a season 21. Intending to go to Jerusalem he sent two that were as Servants to him in attending and helping him in his Ministry 23. And the same time there arose no small stir about that way 24. For a certain man named Demetrius a silver-smith which made silver shrines for Diana brought no small gain unto the craftsmen 25. Whom he called together with the Workmen of like occupation and said 23 24. One whose Trade was to make either Medals that had the Image of the Temple of Diana to sell or else little Boxes in which the Image of Diana in her Temple was carryed about in Procession by them Note It is wordly interest and commodity and love of Money that causeth Enmity
those that Paul disputed against had in conceit separated the Law as such from the Promise or Covenant of Free Grace and thought to be justified by the Merit of their Obedience to it III. Perverse Engagement against one anothers Opinions as dangerous hath made Paul's Doctrine of Faith and Justification seem much more difficult than it is 1. It is certain That by Faith he meaneth no one single Act onely as is The believing that Christ's Righteousness is imputed to us as if we were not justified by believing in God the Father or the Holy Ghost or trusting the Promise of Glory or believing that Christ died for our Sins rose ascended intercedeth reigneth and will judge us and glorifie us or by consenting to his Covenant of Grace accepting offered Mercy c. Faith is a Moral act containing many Physical acts of Understanding and Will like a Covenant-consent to a King a Husband a Physician c. It is all that is essentially required in Baptism to the Collation of the Grace there given It is Christianity in consent 2. This Faith is commanded by God and Grace and Glory promised to them that by believing obey this Command which maketh it the Condition or Moral receptive Qualification for this Gift And though God's Grace cause Men to believe yet the Command and Conditional Promise are the Means by which God worketh this Effect And that the Promise be Conditional joyned with threatning to Disobedience is no more needless than the Command or Preaching is 3. Hence Men may claim Pardon upon believing but none can claim Faith by vertue of any absolute Promise of God before he have it 4. Though no Creature can merit of God in Commutative Justice as giving him a Benefit yet they may merit of him as in Governing Justice or Distributive But this is various as the Governing Law is According to the Law of Innocency no man meriteth nor Justification according to the Law of Moses save Christ alone Christ's Merit was in the fulfilling the undertaken Mediatorship which was fulfilling the Law of Innocency which he onely was capable of and Moses's Law and the peculiar Acts of a Mediator This Merit of Christ is the valuable procuring meritorious Cause of all our Deliverance Pardon Justification Adoption c. of which our own Habits or Acts are no Parts nor are at all to be judged to be in stead of any part of the Office of Christ 5. But we are not Lawless but under a Pardoning and Justifying Law or Covenant of Grace which giveth Grace and Glory as is said to them that believe and repent that is pardoneth them and giveth them the in-dwelling Spirit of Love and right to Life if they sincerely trust Christ's Mediation and Promise for it and give up themselves for that end to God their reconciled Father to Christ as their Saviour and his Spirit as their Sanctifier And because God will not give us the free Gift of Christ and Life with him but as first qualified by this Condition of Faith therefore Faith is said to be imputed to us for Righteousness that is This Acceptance of his free Gift in Christ is all that the Law of Grace by which we shall be judged requireth of us that we may be accounted Righteous without Innocency or the Works of Moses's Law or any that make not the gift of Pardon and Life to be of free Grace To have Righteousness imputed is to be accounted Righteous 6. To call Faith a Justifying Instrument is an unapt Speech of Mans vain invention but may be tolerated if they mean but A Moral receptive Disposition unfitly called A receptive Instrument But not in proper sense 7. But though Christ is our Surety and Vicarius poenae in some sense and properly a Sacrifice for our Sin and merited all that we have by his Righteousness yet it subverteth the Gospel and Christianity to teach as some do That Christ did so properly personate every one of the Elect that in the sense of God and the Law though not Physically they all perfectly fulfilled the Law of Innocency in and by him and so are justified by that Law as imputatively being sinless As if that Law had said Thou or thy Surety shall die if thou sin and we are justified by the same Law that condemned us and no Death or Suffering or permitted Sin were any Penalties on us And as if we were at once reputed sinless from Birth to Death and yet must have a Christ to die for our Sin and must daily beg forgiveness of it CHAP. I. 1. PAul a servant of Jesus Christ called to be an Apostle separated unto the Gospel of God 1. â—y an immediate appearance of Christ from Heaven by Voice and Inspiration sâ—â—t to publish the glad tidings of Redemption and Salvation by Christ 2. Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scripture 3. Concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord who was made of the Seed of David according to the flesh 4. And declared to be the son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the Resurrection from the dead 3. Having his Humane Nature from his Mother of David's line 4. But the Power of God which owned him by the Spirit of Holiness and his Resurrection from the dead did demonstrate that he was not a meer Man but Gods own Son sent from Heaven and miraculously incarnate 5. By whom we have received grace and Apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name 5. By whose own heavenly mission I received this favour and honour to be his special Messenger sent to call all Nations to believe and obey the Gospel and proclaim the Glory of his Name 6. Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ 6. Of whom God hath vouchsafed you to be a part being the called followers of Jesus Christ 7. To all that be in Rome beloved of God called to be saints Grace be to you and peace from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ 7. To all in Rome that are the beloved of God called out of the World into the Holy Christian state I salute you by this Benediction and Prayer that the Grace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ and that true Peace and Welfare which is its special Fruit may be yet more upon you 8. First I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the world 8. And first I thank my God through Jesus Christ that as you dwell in that City which is most eminent in the World which is an advantage to the lustre and communication of your Faith so your profession of that Faith is so illustrious as to be famous throughout the World 9. For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his son that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers 10. Making request if by any means now at length I might
and so only to them then it was null to Abraham and it is of no effect to any 15. Becsuse the law worketh wrath for where no law is there is no transgression 15. Because as the Law is made to forbid and condemn Sin so it obligeth Sinners to undergo the Punishment which were no obligation were there no obliging Law And Abraham was not under Moses's Law and so transgressed it not 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 only which is of the law but to that also which is of the saith of Abraham who is the father of us all 16. Therefore this great Promise and Blessing is made to Believers as such that it may be free and of meer Grace that so it may be sure and firm to all the Seed or Children of Promise not only to the Jews that had the Law and were the Natural Seed but to the Gentiles also who have Abraham's Faith and so are his Spiritual Seed who is the Father of all Believers 17. As it is written I have made thee a father of many nations before him whom he believed even God who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as though they were 17. As it is written I have made thee a Father of many Nations and not of the Israelitish Nation only So that though the Gentiles were not then called as now they are by the Gospel yet that God who promised this to Abraham when his Body and Sarah's were naturally past Generation and to Isaac when he was unborn and again when God demanded him as an Offering and thence as it were raised him from the dead that God I say did decree the calling of the Gentiles and spake of that in Promise which was long after to be done 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 18. This was the meaning of Gods Promise to Abraham who against all natural probability trusted Gods Promise and believed and hoped that accordingly he should become the Father of many Nations And that as was promised his Seed should be as the Stars in Heaven 19. And being not weak in faith he considered not his own body now dead when he was an hundred years old nor yet the deadness of Sarah's womb 19. And his Faith was not weak and shaken with the consideration that his aged Body was almost dead and unfit for procreation or that Sarah's Womb was so also 20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in saith giving glory to God 21. And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to perform 20 21. He was not staggered by unbelief unto a distrustful doubting but was strong in Faith whereby he gave God the Glory of his Power Wisdom Love and Truth being fully perswaded that though Nature shewed no probability of it in second Causes the Almighty God could perform all that he had promised 22. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness 22. And therefore this way of glorifying God by the trusting belief of his free Promise was so suitable to Gods Ends and Honour that he accepted it as Righteousness or a sufficient qualification of him that should partake of his free given Mercy though Abraham had no sinless innocency nor could say that he never deserved death 23. 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 23. And certainly God did not leave this on Record for Abraham's sake only as if there had been a Righteousness and right to Life which he only must have and belonged to no other and he must be justified by some odd way proper to himself 24. But this is written also for all us to tell us what Righteousness God requireth and accepteth to our Salvation and that if we believe with trust on his Power Truth and Mercy who raised up our Lord from the dead this Faith shall be imputed to us for Righteousness and we shall be saved by the Sacrifice Merits and Mediation of Christ though our Sins deserved death and neither the Law of Innocency or of Moses justifie us 25. Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification 25. Even our Faith in God by Christ and in him who for our Sins was made a Propitiatory Sacrifice to procure us free Forgiveness of them and was raised again to cause our Justification by uniting us to himself and pardoning our Sin and giving us his Spirit and right to Impunity and Salvation and justifâ—ifying this right and us as our Advocate and by his Sentence as our Judge CHAP. V. 1. THerefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ 1. Therefore I may conclude that being Constituted Accounted of God and judged Righteous by Faith we have Peace with and towards God as Reconciled and Adopted through our Lord Jesus Christ notwithstanding we are not justifiable as fulfillers of the Law 2. By whom we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God 2. By whose mediation it is that we came or had access by Faith into this blessed state of Grace and Gods Favour wherein we now are and greatly rejoyce in hope of the promised Glory of God 3. And not onely so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience 4. And patience experience and experience hope 5. And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad on our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us 3 4 5. Yea more than so but also in all our tribulations which we undergo in the World for Christ and Righteousness we exult with glorying and joy knowing that this tribulation doth by exercise increase our Patience and being tryed our patient and constant suffering maketh us the more certain by experience that our Faith is sound and giveth us experience of Gods supporting Grace And this experience much confirmeth our hope of Gods acceptance and our Salvation which we should be apt to doubt of if our Faith and Gods Grace had not been thus tryed it being easie by self-flattery to think untryed Faith is better than it is And this confirmed hope will never leave us to shame by disappointment for it is accompanied and sealed by that special gift of the Holy Ghost which sheddeth abroad on our Hearts the effects and sense of the Love of God through Christ and so replenisheth us with Reflecting-love to God even as the Summer Rains and Sunshine moisten and warm the Earth and replenish it with pleasant Fruits 6. For when we were yet without strength
in due time Christ died for the ungodly 6. For when we were worthless helpless lost and miserable in the fittest season Christ died even for the ungodly guilty Sinners to recover them to God and save them 7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die 7. For among Men few or scarce any one would die for an Innocent Man though perhaps some few of rare Charity and self-denial would venture on death for a Man of eminent worth and goodness 8. But God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us 8. But the love of God to us was so transcendently declared and magnified that while we were yet Sinners against his Law and him Christ died to reconcile and save us 2. Much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him 9. And if he loved us so far as to give his Son to die for us when we were meer guilty Sinners we may be sure that now he hath made and accepted us as Righteous pardoning all our Sin for the Sacrifice of the Blood of Christ he will certainly save us from Damnation 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life 10. For if God reconciled us to himself by his Sons death when we were his Enemies doubtless he will save them that are now reconciled and pardoned Believers by the Intercession of him that liveth in Glory and is now our Head the Lord of Life by giving us his Spirit and justifying us at last and receiving us to himself in Glory He that loved his Enemies will not damn his beloved Children 11. And not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have received the atonement 11. And now moreover through this reconciliation by Christ which we have received upon our believing God is so far from being our terrifying avenging Judge that he is become our greatest glorying and joy he being our God and we his People and he being our Father and alsufficient Portion and Felicity 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned 12. In all this we have notice of this great Mystery that as Adam was the Root or first cause of Mans Sin and Death and by that one Man sin entred into the World and death by Sin and so all being Sinners death passed upon all even Temporal death actually and Eternal death by the Sentence of the Violated Law as being our due 13. For until the law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed where there is no law 14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression who is the figure of him that was to come 13 14. For it is certain that Sin was in the World before Moses's Law even from Adam's fall And whereas that is no Sin nor imputed to Guilt and Punishment which is against no Law yet death reigning from Adam's fall till Moses and therefore all were under some Law Sin being so far imputed to them though they sinned not themselves as Adam did against an express particular command and penal threatning by supernatural Revelation from Heaven nor all that died e. g. Infants did actually and personally transgress Therefore it was from him as his vitiated guilty Seed that they derived Original Sin and by this vitious nature they at age sinned actually against that Law which they were under and by both were the Children of death so that we may compare Adam as the root of Sin and Death to all with Christ who is to all true Christians the root of Holiness and Life 15. But not as the offence so also is the free gift For if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many 15. But the disparity must be noted For if the sin of one Man had such malignant power and pernicious efficacy as to procure the guilt and death of many we may be sure that the Grace and Mercy of God and the gift of that saving Grace which is from the Merits Intercession and Spirit of Christ shall be more effectual to the Life of many 16. And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences unto justification 16. And there is this further differences that Adam one Man by one sin brought the Sentence of Death on all the World which had not passed else upon us But it is many Sins of many Men which Christ doth deliver us from in the free gift of our Justification 17. For if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ 17. For if one offence of one Man made all Men Subjects to Death by that one much more powerfully and effectually they which receive from one Redeemer abundance of Grace and the gift of Righteousness in the healing and pardoning of all their Sins shall certainly Reign in the purchased and promised life of Glory by that one Saviour Jesus Christ 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to justification of life 18. Therefore as by the offence of one the Sentance of Death was passed upon all his posterity so also by the Righteousness of one as the meritorious and procuring cause the free gift came on all Men for Justification and Life That is A free Gift is made and offered promiscuously to all on condition of believing suitable acceptance and actually justifieth all to Life who so believingly accept it and unthankfully reject it not 19. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous 19. For as by one Adam's disobedience all Men as receiving their Nature from him are made guilty and corrupt and punishable as Sinners so by the procuring meritorious Obedience of one in performing all that was required of him as our Redeemer in perfect holiness of Soul and Life fulfilling the Law of Innocency and of Moses and the peculiar Law of Mediation being obedient to the Death on the Cross shall the many that by Faith receive him be constituted Righteous and so accounted and judged of God even reconciled pardoned adopted and made the Heirs of Life 20. Moreover the law entred that the offence might abound but where sin abounded grace did much more abound
as he lift and giveth them arbitrarily in great inequality He giveth his Mercy to whom and in what degree he please and whom he will he leaveth in their wilful sin and even occasioneth though he cause it not their obduration by such mercies and providential dispensations as he knows they will abuse to harden themselves in sin 19. Thou wilt say then unto me Why doth he yet find fault for who hath resisted his will 19. It 's like you will say If this he so why doth he find fault with Men that want but what he will not give them and are not what he will not make them Doth not all this proceed according to his Will If he would give them all his Grace they would be better 20. Nay but O man who art thou that repliest against God Shall the thing formed say to him that formeth it Why hast thou made me thus 20. Gods Laws and Governing Will which make Mans Duty is resisted by sin but as to the Disposing and Donative Will of God as our Owner and free Benefactor can Man that is a dark and sinful Worm think himself meet to call God to account and demand a reason of his free Gifts why he giveth them to this Man and not to another Darest thou thus dispute with God and ask a reason of his Will which is absolute and the spring and reason of all created good Hath the unformed Matter an antecedent right to any subsequent shape or use and may it say Why hast thou made me thus and not in a nobler form for higher use 21. Hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel to honour and another to dishonour 21. The power that a Potter hath over his Clay is incomparably less than God hath over Man and yet none accuseth him for making one Vessel to serve at the Table and another for a baser use As God had done thee no wrong if he had made thee a Dog or a Toad and not a Man so he doth thee none if he give thee not that undeserved abused Grace which he freely giveth to others that as little deserve it 22. What if God willing to shew hi wrath and to make his power known endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction 22. Shall Man accuse God because he resolveth to shew his punishing Justice and Power on those self-hardening wilful sinners who made themselves Vessels of wrath and fitted to destruction when he hath in long patience and forbearance endured them while they abused Mercy 23. And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory 23. And because he will make known the riches of his Glory in the felicity of those whom he had freely made Vessels of Mercy and had by Grace prepared them for Glory 24. Even us whom he hath called not of the Jews only but also of the Gentiles 24. I mean on all us that are true Christians both Jews and Gentiles effctually called by his free Grace 25. As he saith also in Osee I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved 25. Which purpose of free Mercy to undeserving sinners he expresseth in Hosea 2.23 saying I will call them c. 26. And it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said unto them Ye are not my people there shall they be called the children of the living God 26. And as the words Hos 1.10 shew that God will call even unworthy outcasts and make them his People by free Grace 27. Esaias also crieth concerning Israel Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea a remnant shall be saved 27. Which differencing Grace God expresseth even of the Israelites Isa 10.32 33. that of all their number it is but a remnant that shall escape his Judgment and return from captivity signifying the like difference as to their Salvation by the Faith of Christ 28. For he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness because a short work will the Lord make on the earth 28. Or the Consumption decreed shall overflow in Justice for the Lord God of Hosts shall make a Consumption even determined in the midst of all the Land c. 29. And as Esaias said before Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed we had been as Sodom and made like to Gomorrah 29. And that differencing mercy decreed to save a little remnant the other words of Isay prove Except the Lord c. 30. What shall we say then That the Gentiles which followed not after righteousnes have attained righteousness even the righteousness which is of faith 30. What shall we say then to this mystery of Grace the calling of the Gentile world and the abscission of the most of the present Nation of the Jews which so much offendeth them That the Gentiles who lived in darkness and unrighteousness have attained Righteousness in reality and imputation even that which is by Faith in Christ 31. But Israel which followed after the law of righteousness hath not attained to the law of righteousness 31. But Israel who had Gods own Righteous Law and trusted to be justified by keeping it have not understood the True Law and terms of Justification nor have attained that Justifying Righteousness to which their Law did point them 32. Wherefore Because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone 32. And wherefore have they not attained it Because they understood not that the Promise and Covenant of Grace was the very life and foundation and end of the Law by which they should by faith have expected Justification as Gods free gift to True Believers but thought it must be had by the Righteousness of their own Works in keeping all the Ceremonies and Precepts of that Law For Christ became to them a Stumbling-stone in whom they should have believed 33. As it is written Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone and a rock of offence and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed 33. As it is written Isa 28.16 Behold I lay in Zion a Stone which many will stumble and fall upon though it be the pretious Foundation-stone and a Rock that many shall be split upon though that on which my Church is built and whosoever believeth on him shall not be disappointed nor ashamed of his hopes So that the cause why Israel is cast off is not because God sent not his Son and Gospel to them nor invited them to believe nor gave them evidence of the Truth of Christ which was sufficient to convince a well-disposed mind much less because he hindred them from believing or because he shewed mercy to the Gentiles but because by error they hardned themselves against Christ as not answering their Carnal erroneous
the Judgment of others 1. It is certain that God never meant to restore the Jewish Politie under Moses's Law for that Law is abrogated by Christ and so that Politie It 's Jewish Contradiction of Christianity to expect such a Restoration 2. Much less will God ever confine the Church and Covenant of Peculiarity to the Jewish Nation and take it from the Gentiles and cease Catholicism 3. Nor will God restore and confine the Jews to their ancient Country in Palestine which being such a Country of Wales now barren and about half as big as England would be far from making them a People of eminent Glory in the World but rather contemptible in that respect 4. Nor hath God promised to make the Jews Lords and Rulers over the rest of the Nations of the Earth as the Carnal sort of them did expect 5. Therefore no other calling of the Jews can be expected but that they become Parts of the Catholick-Church 6. It seems to me by History that this is performed long ago the main Body of their Nation being turned to Christianity To which purpose consider these things 1. Myriads were converted in Judea by the Apostles 2. In all other Countries of the Roman Empire the scattered Jews had Synagogues to which the Apostles first Preached and where they first gathered the Rudiments of the Christian Churches 3. A vast Number of the unbelieving Jews were destroyed by Vespasian and Titus when Jerusalem was besieged and destroyed 4. Many more Jews were then converted when they saw God's Judgements executed on them and the Christians spared 5. Vast Numbers of the remainder of the Unbelievers were destroyed by Adrian and the Christians spared and many turned Christians then 6. Since then many have been converted by Solemn Disputes and many Jews become eminent Doctors in the Church 7. They were ever fond of their own Country and therefore we may suppose that as many as could lived there And it 's known that all Conquerours use to transplant only the Rich and Ruling Men and leave the Multitude of the poor Labourers to manure the Ground that it may yield them Tribute So did Nebuchadnezzar And so in England did the Romans Saxons Danes and Normans They left the Vulgar to possess the Land under them or else the Land would have been unprofitable to them It was the Rich and the Soldiers that they drove into Wales so that we are mostly of a British Off-spring Now it is known that in the Days of Constantine and the following Christian Emperours though no Country wholly turned Christian of a long time Judea turned as other Provinces did and had their Bishops and their Patriarch in Councils and proportionably rather more than in other Countries were Christians there So that Judea was Christian as other Provinces were CHAP. XII 1. I Beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service 1. Now to make Application of all this Doctrine fore-written I beseech you as you have a due sense of Christ's offering himself a Sacrifice for our Sins and of the great Mercy of the Gentiles Salvation by Grace and of our deliverance from the Burdens of the Jewish Law those costly Sacrifices of Beasts being abrogated by Christ that you will resign and dedicate your selves to God and as a living holy Sacrifice give up your own Bodies wholly to him even to the Obedience of his Commands and to suffer what he calls you to even to death which will be better than a Sacrifice of Beasts even a reasonable holy acceptable Service of God 2. And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God 2. And now you are called out of the World and made a Peculiar People to God conform not your selves to the sinful Practices of the World but be transform'd from your former Errours and Sins by the renewing of your Minds by Truth and Holiness that you may know by experience the Goodness of God's Ways to which you are called and the Greatness of his Love 3. For I say through the grace given unto me to every Man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith 3. And specially because that the proud over-valuing of Mens own Understandings and thinking that they know more than they do is the common Cause of Errours and Sins of Censures Divisions and Heresies in the Churches I do as an Apostle sent and taught of God admonish and charge you all every one to think humbly of himself and not to think your selves wiser or better than you are but with wise self-suspicion and consciousness of your Ignorance and great Imperfection to think soberly of your selves according to truth and to the degree of Faith and Wisdom given you of God 4 5. For as we have many members in one body and all members have not the same Office so we being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another 4 5. For as the Members of the same Body have great diversity in Number and Office so we though many individual Persons make up one Body or Church in Christ the Head in whom we are united and are related to each other as Members of the same Body 6. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us whether prophecie let us prophecie according to the proportion of faith 7. Or ministry let us wait on our ministring or he that teacheth on teaching 6 7. Seeing it pleaseth God to give various degrees of Gifts according to the dispensation of his Free Grace and not to make all equal in Gifts or Office let all confine themselves to their Measure and Office and that let them faithfully execute Let those that are inspired to speak as from God by Prediction or Instruction speak what God hath revealed to them according to the proportion of their Revelation and Knowledge and no more and not pretend Special Revelation against the sealed Word of Faith Let those that are called to any Special Service for the Church perform their own Office faithfully therein And let those that are called to teach be faithful Teachers Neglect not your own part and invade not others 8. Or he that exhorteth on exhortation He that giveth let him do it with simplicity He that ruleth with diligence He that sheweth mercy with chearfulness 8. He that is to exhort Men to practise what is taught let him do it diligently for Mens corrupt Wills and Affections have need of excitation and Persuasion as well as their Understandings of Information He that giveth his own or the Churches let him do it sincerely and impartially He that is intrusted to govern Chruch or Family let him
kept secret since the world began but now is made manifest and by the scriptures of the prophets according to the commandment of the everlasting God made known to all nations for the obedience of faith 27. To God only wise be glory through Jesus Christ for ever Amen 25 26 27. I conclude as Christ taught us in his Prayer with that which is the End of all Religion and of our Lives and salvation it self the Glorifying of God To him that can make all our Exhortations effectual and is of Power to establish you according to that Gospel which we preach as it is now a Mystery openly revealed which was more darkly delivered from the beginning and not clearly understood by Jews or Gentiles but now is openly made manifest by Christ the Light of the World and his Spirit in his Servants and by the Scriptures of the Prophets now opened and agreeing with our Gospel which by Gods Command we make known to all Nations to bring them to this Faith which now is the eminent and necessary Obedience to the Command and Covenant of Grace I say To God only be Glory as the End of all our Grace and Glory through Jesus Christ whom he hath ordained to be the Chief Means and Glass in whom his Glory shall shine forth to Man for ever Amen ANNOTATIONS WHy do we read so much in the scriptures of the Obedience of Faith Some would not have Faith called Obedience lest that signifie Works Ans God hath not made Believers or Unbelievers Lawless or under no Command No Act of Man pleaseth God whicn is not Obedience to his Will When God sendeth abroad the Gospel or Word of Faith he commandeth Men to hear it believe it and obey it But bare Commanding is not all but with it he giveth convincing Evidence of its Truth and persuading Reasons and Motives to obey it Therefore we translate the same Word sometime believing and sometime being persuaded and the same sometime unbelieving and sometime unpersuaded and disobedient And Christ is called The Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him To say that Faith as it is Obedience is the Condition or Qualification for Salvation but not for Pardon or Justification is a perverse Invention of Mans Brain But cannot Men distinguish between obeying the Law of Innocency or of Moses and obeying the Law of Faith and Grace yea and between obeying this Gospel initially by believing repenting and entring into the Baptismal Covenant which entreth into a State of Justification and Right to Life and the progressive Obedience of performing that Covenant to the End which is necessary to Survivors for actual Glory Christ knew what he said to the Jews This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom the Father hath sent and Paul was sent to the Gentâ—le World to preach the Obedience of Faith that is that Obedience which consisteth in actual Faith performed to the Doctrine and Command of Faith and which hath the Promise of Pardon Grace and Glory freely given for the Merits of Christ The First Epistle of PAUL the Apostle to the CORINTHIANS The INTRODUCTION WHen it was that Paul wrote this Epistle and when these Corinthians were converted to Christianity and what Wealth and Reputation Corinth a Chief City of Achaia was then of I pass by as things presupposed The Occasion of writing this is of nearer concern to be known for the understanding of it It was not unusual with him as to visit the Churches which he had planted so to write to them for their Establishment when he could not be present with them But as to the Matter and Manner of his Writing the Case of the Corinthians was the Occasion 1. There were several Cases which it seems they proposed to him which he resolveth as about Church-Order and Prophesie and Prayer about Eating things offered to Idols about Marriage and Separation c. 2. There were many Scandals among them which he endeavoureth to heal by convincing Reproof as 1. â—actions and Schisms by setting up Teachers in envious Competition 2. Conceitedness of more Wisdom than they had 3. Hearkning to envious Teachers that villified him and defamed his Person and Ministry 4. The favouring of Incest and Scandal and neglect of Discipline 5. Going to Law against one another and that before Heathen Judges when they should have decided their Differences by amicable Arbitration 6. Defrauding and wronging one another 7. Too easie Thoughts of Fornication 8. Scandalous eating things offered to Idols 9. Too much backwardness to maintain the Ministers and the Charges of their Work 10. Prophane Disorder at their Love-Feasts and Sacrament even to partiality and Excess of Drink and scandalous Unreverence for which God punihsed some in the Flesh 11. Overvaluing Gifts and undervaluing lower Christians that wanted them as not enough sensible of the Necessity and Extent of Christian Unity 12. Disorder in their Sacred Assemblies in the Exercise of their Gifts 13. Some erring about and against the Resurrection and others too much hearkning to them These things Paul reproveth and blameth them for not reforming but persuadeth none to separate from that Church for all these Corruptions But by this we may know what must be expected from young unskillful Christians and what Faults will be in such Churches as ours though the Pastors were the best when the Churches were so faulty in the Apostles Time and Presence and how far they are from the Apostolick Spirit Skill Love and Lenity who would Excommunicate all as intollerable Schismaticks who Conform not to all their devised unnecessary Additions and dare not subscribe their Justification or Approbation of all their Forms And they also that quarrel with their Teachers and forsake them when Men of New Opinions and Zealous Confidence tempt them And they that in stead of doing their own part to reform the Corruptions of such Church and in Love and Tenderness to draw Sinners to Repentance do take the dividing lazie Course to separate from such Churches with a few counted the best who will put them to least Labour and Trouble in Discipline Paul himself held Communion with this and other such Churches notwithstanding all these Faults And we find not that he Excommunicated any one though he require them to do it and decreed to do it but on one 1 Cor. 5. and reverst that Purpose I find not in all the New Testament that there was ever two Christian Churches in any one Town or City upon any Difference among them unless you will call the condemned Nests of Hereticks such CHAP. I. 1. PAul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God and Softhenes our Brother 2. Unto the church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be saints with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours 1 2. Paul a called Apostle by the special Electing Will and Favour of
small Injuries or Occasions but beareth forbeareth and forgiveth and doth not think evil of any groundlesly or till constrained nor design evil or hurt against any unnecessarily or unjustly 6. Rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth 6. It doth not rejoice in the Sins that others commit nor in the Wrongs they undergo nor themselves to do unjustly against any or to be prosperous therein against them 7. Beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things 7. It doth by others as we feel we do by our selves that is it bâ—areth with the Faults of Men so far as â—â— not against their own or others good It is inclined to believe the best of all Men till Evidence constrain us to know the worst not neglecting such cautelous suspicion as may save us from rash and foolish trust It still hopeth well of others as far as there is any ground of hope It endureth hurt and wrong from others when it is for their own or others greater good 8. Charity never faileth but whether there be prophecies they shall fail whether there be tongues they shall cease whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away 8. Holy Love is an everlasting Quality and Employment and shall not cease but be perfected at Death and in Heaven But Prophesying Languages Sciences and all the artâ—ficial and imperfect sort of Knowledge which now we have shall cease as useless there 9 10. For we know in part and we prophesie in part But when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away 9 10. For here the manner of our knowing in the Body is imperfect and the measure is all inadequate we know nothing wholly but some part of things and so we speak even in Prophesying and Preaching But Perfection will end all this Imperfection 11. When I was a child I spake as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things 11. As Manhood and increase of Wit and Experience change the Childish Speech Understanding and Thoughts into that which is true and more perfect so much more will the Life to come do 12. For now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now I know in part but then shall I know even as also I am known 12. For our Knowledge now in this Body and World is by imperfect Media as we see things in a Glass and know by Riddles Parables or Similitudes a superficial Glimpse But then we shall know as Men that see each others Faces by intuition Now we know but little Parts and Out-sides and Accidents of things and nothing adequately but then we shall know in the World of Spirits as those Spirits now know us which is better than we know our selves 13. And now abideth faith hope charity these three but the greatest of these is charity 13. I conclude therefore That though now our State of Grace consist of Faith Hope and Love the Greatest of these is Love For it is the Divine Nature the Everlasting Work the Souls Felicity even its Complacency in God and in all his Saâ—nts and all his Works and it is the End to which Faith and Hope are but the Means ANNOTATIONS 1. YEt Faith and Hope have their peculiar Offices which Love alone cannot perform As the Heart cannot do the Work of the Hand or Eye 2. By Faith is meant Believing and Trusting in God through Christ for Grace and Glory And by Hope is meant a desirous comforting Expectation of the Good promised and believed 3. It followeth That he hath the most excellent Knowledge who hath most holly Love And all the Learning that kindleth not this Love is but dreaming doating diverting and deceiving Vanity 4. The English abuse of the Word charity deceiveth many as if it were nothing but Giving to the Poor But it is the Love of God and Holiness and of holy Persons and of our Neighbours as our selves and specially of the holy Celestial Society Christ Angels and Saints 5. By this we see that those Church-Rulers Preacher Writers Disputers and all other Malignants who zealously labour to destroy Love and to perswade Christians to hate and persecute and destroy one another for their selfish Interests Opinions or Factions whatever they think of themselves are Diabolists and Cainnites the Devils Slaves and in his Image do his Work 6. It 's made a doubt by some Whether Faith and Hope continue not in Heaven because say they How shall we know things past as the Creation Flood c. but by Believing And shall we not Believe and Hope for the Perpetuity of Glory But 1. We know not now in what manner God will make known things to us there Whether in seeing him we shall see all things or how 2. However it will not be the same things that are called Faith and Hope which are exercised on Promises and are but Means to that Perfection which is their End So that if you call them by the same Names they will be but equivocal 7. This much tells us what Measure of Faith and Hope are necessary to Salvation viz. so much as shall cause in us sincere Love to God and Holiness and Heaven to one another 8. This tells us what those Texts do mean which promise the Spirit of Sanctification to penitent Believers viz. The Holy Ghost doth but prepare us and open the Door by Faith and Hope that by them as means he may excite holy Love and as a Spirit of Love dwell in us and possess us 9. This teacheth Ministers how to Preach and People what and how to hear read meditate and confer and live and what true Religion is viz. To do all as may most kindle holy Love as we use the Bellows to kindle the Fire Pure Religion and undefiled is to visit the Fatherless and Widows in adversity and keep our selves unspotted of the World 10. This teacheth as what Fear or God to use None that breedeth hard thoughts of God or quencheth holy Love but a Reverence of him and a Fear lest by Sâ—n we make our selves unlovely to him and fall under that Justice is holy and good even when it destroys the wicked Other Fear of God is sinful Superstition CHAP. XIV 1. FOllow after charity and desire spiritual gifts but rather that ye may prophesie 1. The sum of my Advice is That above all you value and pursue Charity or holy Love But desire also Spiritual Gifts in subordination to it and for the profitable exercise of it and therefore prefer Prophecy which is speaking by immediate Inspiration to the Instruction and Edification of others as most profitable 2. For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men but unto God for no man understandeth him howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries 2. For he that speaketh in an unknown Language speaketh not to the Understanding of Man though God understand him
rose again 16. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more 16. Wherefore it is the great things of Spirituality and Eternity which we now look at in our Ministry and Life We value no Man on meer Carnal Advantages or Account yea if we had been of those that converst with Christ on Earth in the Body and had eat and drunk in his presence such Corporal Familiarity is ended and is not it that our Faith and Hope and Preaching most respecteth but his Spiritual Kingdom and Glorious Presence and the Means thereto 17. Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new 17. Therefore if any one be a Christian indeed a true Member of Christ he is a new Man as it were new made by Regeneration The old Legal and Carnal Mind and Conversation are ceased his old Mind and Will and Life are changed his fleshly and earthly Mind is become spiritual and heavenly and all is new 18. And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the ministery of reconciliation 18. The Divine Revelation and the Divine Nature in us now causeth us to mind and use all things as they belong to God and as they are all Of Him and By Him and To Him and to overlook comparatively Carnal Interest and as reconciled and brought home to God by Jesus Christ and placing all our Interest and Hopes in him who also hath committed to us this Ministry to draw home the World into this reconciled State 19. To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation 19. To tell them that it was God himself that sent Christ to redeem us and was in Christ reconciling the lapsed World to himself by the Doctrine Merits and Sacrifice of Christ which was performed by his gracious Will for that end purchasing their Pardon and not using them as their Sin deserveth but giving them an Act of Oblivion on condition of Believing Acceptance and hath committed to us the Ministry to preach this Reconciliation to the World 20. Now then we are ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God 20. By all this they that contemn us may see what is the Nature and Dignity of our Apostleship We are sent to Men from God as his Ambassadors to persuade them to believe in Christ As though God himself did beseech you by us his Messengers we pray you in Christs stead who is the Prime and Great Apostle from the Father to be reconciled to God even thankfully to accept his Grace and to give up Heart and Life to him 21. For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 21. For God hath made Christ to be a Sacrifice for Sin who himself was sinless and this in our stead and for our Pardon and Salvation that so in him we might have the Righteousness which is freely given us of God and be Partakers of the Divine Nature ANNOTATIONS 1. THe Socinians strive hard to distort the first part of this Chapter as if it spake of no Heavenly House till the Resurrection Their first Reason is Because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Domicilium is opposed to the Body here and therefore it must mean the future Body But 1. by the Tabernacle of our Earthly House Paul seemeth to me to mean both this Body and Earth together our present worldly state in the Flesh 2. Were it otherwise yet their Conclusion would not follow For the Heavenly State of Glory without a Body may be called our House as contradistinct to this Body 3. Nor is this Objection any thing to the Old Fathers and some present Divines as Dr. Moâ—e c. who think that departed Souls have a pure sort of Bodies above to us invisible either taking with them some tenacious igneous Spirits hence or passing into some Etherial Vehicle there as even Mammertus thought and others who yet assert that Souls themselves are immaterial 2. Their Second Reason is from v. 2. because it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our House which is from Heaven and not which is in Heaven But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oft signifieth the Substance Matter or thing of which another thing is made as we say some things are made from or of Earth Stone Iron Silver c. So here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth necessarily signifie no more but that our House or Building after Death will be Heavenly that is of Heavenly Substance Quality and State 3. And the Context doth confute the Perverters For 1. The first verse intimateth that we shall have the Eternal Building in Heaven when the Earthy Tabernacle is dissolved for the conditional 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intimateth the time 2. Verse 3. signifieth that we shall not be found naked which none could suspect after the Resurrection that believed it but the putting off the Body might make Men fear 3. What else can be meant v. 6 8. by being absent from the Lord while we are in the Body and being absent from the Body and present with the Lord And v. 9. by being accepted of him as the height of our Ambition when we die II. Verse 19. is mistaken by many as if by the World were meant only the Elect because Reconciliation and not imputing Trespasses are mentioned But the Text most plainly tells us of a General Reconciliation and non-imputation to Mankind and a particular to Believers God did so far reconcile and forgive the World as not to deal with them meerly on the terms of the violated Law of Innocency but to give them a Redeemer and a Law of Grace and a Sealed Pardon of all sin and free gift of Salvation by Christ on condition of Believing Acceptance and that is commonly said to be given which is freely by a deed of Gift conferr'd though Acceptance be implyed or exprest as the Condition of enjoymenr and a Man may yet wilfully refuse it or neglect it yea such Conditions aâ—e so naturally necessary that they use not to be expressed Yet no Man is Actually but only Conditionally possest of Pardon and Reconciliation till that Condition be performed Yet God was forgiving them on his part and was not imputing sin and unworthiness of Redemption to them when he gave them a Saviour And yet the work of the Ministry remaineth even to intreat Men to believe and accept this Pardon and Reconciliation as offered and it is then actually theirs when they thus accept it To say that then their Faith doth more than Christs did or Gods Grace is a putid Cavil Their Faith or Acceptance is no efficient
cause at all of their Pardon or Justification It is but a necessary Receptive Qualification he that shuts the Window causeth darkness But it 's sottish to say that he that openeth it doth more than the Sun to cause light which he causeth not at all but removeth the impediment of reception and Faith it self is Gods Gift of Grace though Preaching and Perswasion be the means of working it CHAP. VI. 1. WE then as workers together with him beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain 1. We then whose Office is to subserve Christ so your Salvation beseech you that ye take care that all the Mercy which he hath shewed you in the Gospel and you profess to have received be not in vain and â—â—ustrated by any deceit 2. For he saith I have heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation 2. It is of exceeding great moment to know your time and day of Grace God hath his accepted time and special day of Mercy which all should watch and take as it is written I have heard thee c. And certainly this is your time and day of Mercy while Mercy is so freely and fully preached to you 3. Giving no offence in any thing that the ministery be not blamed 3. Our care is to give no occasion of falling to any nor expose the Ministry to blame or to the hard thoughts of those that should be saved by it 4 5. But in all things approving our selves as the ministers of God in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in imprisonments in tumults in labours in watchings in fastings 4 5. Note What an approved Minister of Christ must endure and do for the Ends of his Ministry if he be called to it 6. By pureness by knowledge by long-suffering by kindness by the holy Ghost by love unfeigned 7. By the word of truth by the power of God by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left 8. By honour and dishonour by evil report and good report 6 7 8. Note By how many means the Work of the Mâ—nistry is promoted and how we must be qualified thereto 8 9 10. As deceivers and yet true as unknown and yet well known as dying and behold we live as chastened and not killed as sorrowful yet alway rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things 8 9 10. Our Life is made up of seeming but not real Contradictions As Deceivers use Craft to huâ—t Men we use our Wit and Skill or Wiles to save Men and yet we deliver nothing but the truth Our Spirit and Spiritual Condition is unknown and yet our Out-side known to many We daily are exposed to the danger of Death and die daily and yet you see we are alive We are oft chastened and yet not killed we are under many Sorrows in the Flesh and yet we continually rejoice in God we are poor and yet God useth us to make many rich in Grace we have nothing and yet by Faith all the World is ours as ordered by God and used by us for our Spiritual Good Love maketh all other Mens Estates comfortable to us as our own and God useth all things for our good 11. O ye Corinthians our mouth is open unto you our heart is enlarged 12. Ye are not straitned in us but ye are straitned in your own bowels 11 12. Our Mouth hath been opened to you in full Communication of the Gospel and our Hearts enlarged towards you in Love and Zeal for your Salvation If yet there be any straitness and defects in you of Knowledge and Love it is of your selves and your own deficiency 13. Now for a recompense in the same I speak as unto my children be ye also enlarged 13. And Justice requireth that as Children to a Father your Love and Kindness be large towards us and that the Fruits of our Ministry in you be not narrow and defective 14. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelivers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness 15. And what concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel 14 15. Let not Seducers or Carnal Interest draw you to Communion with Infidels and Idolaters as if you were inclined to their way or were yet indifferent in Religion Partake not externally of their Sacrifices as if you were of their Society For how can such Contraries as Righteousness and Unrighteousness Light and Darkness Christ and Belial a Believer and an Infidel be united or have special Communion even Symbolical in the things wherein they are contrary 16. And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols for ye are the temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people 16. Will you join the Temple of God and Idols together God hath made you his Temple and peculiar People and promised specially to own you in Communion as your God And will you go to Idols Temples as if your God had Concord and Communion with them 17 18. Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty 17 18. Wherefore go not to the Idols Temples and symbolize not with them in Religion to avoid Persecution but come out from among them as a holy People segregate to the Lord and defile not your selves with their unclean things and then God will own you as his Sons and Daughters while you are pure and cleave to him 1. Note That this Command for the Church to avoid Communion with Idolaters and Infidels is perverted by them that feign it to forbid Communion with Christians and their Churches if they do but differ in some tollerable Opinion or Practice from them which their censorious Ignorance will falsly call Idolatry They call such Differences or Defects False Worship and then say we must not join in False Worship Whereas every faulty Manner of Worship may be called False because it is so far disagreeable to the Rule And no Man offers any Worship to God that is not False if all Faultiness be Falseness But it 's no False Worship that will allow us to separate from Churches or Christians further than they separate from Christ and Christ disowneth them for that Faultiness or than they make any Sin to be to us necessary to any part of their Communion They were very foul Sins even in Worship that the Corinthians were guilty of and yet none was commanded to come out from them And much more are those Papists displeasing to God who cast out
no cause to be ashamed of it But as I spakâ— truly to you so I did of you 15. And his inward affection is more abundant toward you whilst he remembreth the obedience of you all how with fear and trembling you received him 15. And he is greatly affected towards you by finding you so obedient and how you received him and his Message with a careful fear of Gods displeasure and the guilt of Sin 16. I rejoyce therefore that I have confidence in you in all things 16. My expectation therefore of your Obedience dispersing my fear of you and increasing my confidence of your stability doth increase my Joy CHAP. VIII 1. MOreover brethren we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia 1. And I think it meet here to give you notice of the Grace of God on the Churches of Macedonia which appeared in their willing Liberality in our Collections for Judea 2. How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality 2. How that while they were themselves under a great Trial of Affliction and in deep Poverty yet they joyfully abounded in Liberality 3. For to their power I bear record yea and beyond their power they were willing of themselves 3. For they were voluntarily ready even beyond their Power which they extended to the utmost 4. Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift and take upon us the fellowship of the ministring to the saints 4. Earnestly entreating us to receive their Contribution and undertake the administring of it to the Saints at Jerusalem as an Expression of their Communicating Love 5. And this they did not as we hoped but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God 5. And in this they exceeded our hope first giving themselves to God and to us as his Ministers as ready to help us with their Persons as well as with their Purses 6. Insomuch that we desired Titus that as he had begun so he would also finish in you the same grace also 6. And so we desired Titus that as he had begun the motion or this Charity to you he would be at the labour to travel to you and bring it to perfection 7. Therefore as ye abound in every thing in faith in utterance and knowledge and in all dilligence and in your love to us see that ye abound in this grace also 7. Therefore as you are a Church eminent for Gifts of Faith Knowledge Speech Diligence and Love to us see that your charitable Contribution abound in answerableness to your Gifts 8. I speak not by commandment but by occasion of the forwardness of others and to prove the sincerity of your love 8. I do not this as the Master of your Purses by way of command but I set before you the good Example of others and I invite you to give this proof of the sincerity of your Love to me and to the Brethren For Hypocrites will afford us a cheap sorâ— of Love but not a costly one 9. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich 9. And what can be a stronger Motive to you than the Example of Christ who though he was Lord of all the World for our sakes lived in the Body in the Condition of the Poor and this was to procure us the Heavenly Riches So that you relieve him reputatively in relieving his Members and you imitate him when you forsake your own Abundance for the good of others 10. And herein I give my advice for this is expedient for you who have begun before not onely to do but also to be forward a year ago 10. And I am the bolder herein to advise you because you your selves have herein begun and resolved to go on a year ago and therefore it is but agreeable to your own Resolves 11. Now therefore perform the doing of it that as there was a readiness to will so there may be a performance also out of that which you have 11. Therefore now perform what then you readily resolved on according to your ability 12. For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not 12. For if there be a true willingness it will be performed according to a Mans ability and God requireth no more but accepteth the Will for that which we are unable for 13. For I mean not that other men be eased and you burdened 14. But by an equality that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want that their abundance also may be a supply for your want that there may be equality 13 14. Not that I would lay more on you than your Proportion to ease others but that now you abound you may supply their want and that when you are in want the abundance of others may supply your wants 15. As it is written He that had gathered much had nothing over and he that had gathered little had no lack 15. In which I may allude to what is said of the Israelites gathering Manna He that c. Obey God and you shall not want and if you abound what enjoy you of it more than they that have but Food and Raiment God will reduce all his Servants to an Equality suitable to them severally in the Use and End 16. But thanks be to God which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you 17. For indeed he accepted the exhortation but being more forward of his own accord he went unto you 16 17. I thank God that Titus was as forward to move you to this Work as I for he did not only yield to it at my request but of his own accord was forward to go to you about it 18. And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches 28. And with him we sent Luke whose Service for the Gospel hath made him honoured in all the Churches 19. And not that onely but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace which is administred by us to the glory of the same Lord and declaration of your ready mind 19. And who was chosen by the Churches to go with us in this Ministration of your Charity to the Jews that God may have the Glory of this notified Concord of Jewish and Gentile Christians and of your ready Minds to so good a Work 20. Avoiding this that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administred by us 21. Providing for honest things not onely in the sight of the Lord but also in the sight of men 20 21. For I took care to avoid all occasion of suspicion that I should detain any of
supply the Saints Necessities but also cause them to give thanks to God who sendeth them his Mercies by the Hands of Men. 13. Whilst by the experiment of this ministration they glorifie God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ and for your liberal distribution unto them and unto all men 13. The distribution of your Gift will be a convincing Experiment to the Jews that the Gentiles are converted to a loving Union with them and are sincerely subject to the Gospel and that your Faith is not barren but effectual and fruitful 14. And by their prayer for you which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you 14. And it will provoke them to pray for you who greatly value you for the abundant Grace of God which sheweth it self by such evident Fruit. 15. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift 15. And as Gifts and Grace Wealth and willing Minds are all the unspeakable Gifts of God to him we return our chiefest Thanks CHAP. X. 1. NOw I Paul my self bes eech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ who in presence am base among you but being absent am bold toward you 2. But I beseech you that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence wherewith I think to be bold against some which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh 1 2. And having pleaded with you for the poor Christians in Judea let me next speak for my self Though some among you report that my bold Speech to you is onely by Letters and that my Presence is contemptible I will by this Letter also use the Meekness and Gentleness which is according to the Command and Example of Christ in beseeching you not to put me to use that Boldness that else I must do against them that calumniate my Ministry as Carnal and Self-seeking 3. For though we walk in the flesh we do not war after the flesh 3. For though we yet dwell in the Body our Ministry and Life are not from Carnal Principles to Carnal Ends nor by Carnal Means 4. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds 4. For it is not Bribes or Swords or outward Violence but more powerful Arms by which we batter and cast down the Fortresses of Sin and Satan 5. Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 5. It is not Mens Estates or Bodies that we conquer by Fines Imprisonments or Captivity but even the Conceits Opinions and Imaginations of Mens Minds the Logick of Cavillers the Philosophy of Opposers the Pride of Jews and Gentiles and all their Misapprehensions of the Christian Verity and Opposition against it and bringing their Thoughts and Minds into subjection to Christ 6. And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled 6. And tho we call not for Fire from Heaven to revenge our selves and gratifie our Passions yet when the Church is setled in their Obedience so that the Wheat may be separated from the Tales God who hath furnished me with Authority will not deny me Ability to inflict such Penalties as he judgetâ— fit for the Impenitent by delivering them to Satan 7. Do ye look on things after the outward appearance if any man trust to himself that he is Christs let him of himself think this again that as he is Christs even so are we Christ 7. Do you judge by Mens outward Appearance and Ostentation and judge of me by the meanness of my Garb and Bodily Stature and Aspect If it be Pretence of any Gifts or Authority from Christ which puffeth up these Men let them consider whether we have not as much of these from Christ to shew as they 8. For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority which the Lord hath given us for edification and not for your destruction I should not be ashamed 8. If I should say that I can shew more Authority from Christ than they can I should not be ashamed as unable to prove it Yet we pretend to none that is destructive and hurtful to the Church or any of the Brethren but onely to such Power as is to edifie and do good 9 10. That I may not seem as if I would terrifie you by letters For his letters say they are weighty and powerful but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible 9 10. I will not seem to terrifie you by Letters contrary to what I say in presence Though my Accusers say that my Bodily Presence and Speech are contemptible and not answerable to my Letters Note That Tradition tells us That Paul according to his Name was a Man of a very little Stature and his Voice answerably small and it may be that hence they raised this Report of his Presence and Speech 11. Let such an one think this that such as we are in word by letters when we are absent such we will be also indeed when we are present 11. But let such believe that when I come my Deeds shall he as awful as my Words are Note That the thing which Paul would have his Accusers fear was that by the miraculous Gift of the Holy Ghost they should speed as Elâ—mâ—s did 12. For we dare not make our selves of the number or compare our selves with some that commend themselves but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves amongst themselves are not wise 12. I will not imitate them in Self-commendation and Comparisons but it is their folly and self-deceit to measure themselves by their own self-conceit and compare themselves with their own Followers not knowing the Grace of God in others 13. But we will not boast of things without our measure but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us a measure to reach even unto you 13. But I will not boast of any thing done beyond the Province and Measure of Gifts assigned and vouchsafed to us of God as those that would reap the praise of other Mens Labours but of that which God hath really done by us of which your selves are part of our Witnesses 14. For we stretch not our selves beyond our measure as though we reached not unto you for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ 14. You know that when I extend my boasting even to you that I boast not of that which I never performed For you are my Witneses as being the Fruits of my Ministry 15. Not boasting of things without our measure that is of other mens labours but having hope when your faith is increased that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly 15. I boast not of Labour in another Mans Province and of other Mens Performance as these do But I hope that the increase of
and mourning over the Impenitent that have been guilty of those filthy Sins which Deceivers and Idol-Feasts have drawn them to and left I be forced to be unwelcom to such Persons Note I. Though Paul seems to contradict himself in praising the Corinthians so largely in the beginning of this Epistle and describing them so ill in the end yet 1. It is not the same Persons that he praiseth and dispraiseth though of the same Church 2. We must praise all that is good in Men when we reprove the evil II. Note That the very Characters of factious seduced Professors are the Sins here named which therefore we should specially abhor 1. Debates 2. Envying Zeal 3. Wraths 4. Strifes 5. Back-bitings 6. Whisperings 7. Swellings against each other 8. Tumults Yet it is very notable That notwithstanding all these Corruptions and Abuses and filthy Scandals Paul neither separateth nor persuadeth any to separate but leaveth that to the Heretical who used to separate themselves into distinct Bodies for the promoting of their Opinions and Parties CHAP. XIII 1. THis is the third time I am coming to you In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established 1. As the Testimony of two or three Witnesses confirmeth questioned Truth so my second and third Admonition warneth you to prevent Severity 2. I told you before and foretel you as if I were present the second time and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned and to all other that if I come again I will not spare 2. Though I be absent my Writing may pass for warning as if I were present by which I foretel you that if I come I will not forbear to exercise on the Impenitent the Power given me by Christ 3. Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me which to you-ward is not weak but is mighty in you 3. And seeing you call for a Proof of Christs speaking in me you shall have this further Proof the Corporal Punishment of the Impenitent by Miracle or Satans Execution Though sure the Power of Christ attesting my Ministry hath been so fully manifested among you that you should have been thereby convinced 4. For though he was crucified through weakness yet he liveth by the power of God for we also are weak in him but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you 4. For as Christ in the State of Humane Weaknss was crucified but by Divine Power was raised and liveth so as we are conformed to him in Weakness and Suffering we shall shew you that we partake of the Power of God in our Life and Ministry 5. Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates 5. If you question my Ministry do but examine your selves whether you be Christians or not If you are was it not by the convincing Power of Gods Attestation to my Ministry and do you question that which converted you If not you are yet without a Saviour and in your Sins And if you deny Christ in you and his Power shewed among you you may expect that he will deny you 6. But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates 6. And I trust that you shall be convinced that we have not forsaken Christ nor shall be cast off or forsaken by him 7. Now I pray to God that ye do no evil not that we should appear approved but that ye should do that which is honest though we be as reprobates 7. My Prayer is That you may be saved from Sin and Seduction not so much that you may think well of us but that you may do that which is right how ill soever you think of us 8. For we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth 8. For as we have no Authority or Commission to do any thing against the Truth but only for it so we have no desire to do otherwise 9. For we are glad when we are weak and ye are strong and this also we wish even your perfection 9. For how much soever we be vilified or afflicted it is our joy that you are strong and that it is better with you yea it is your Perfection that is our desire 10. Therefore I write these things being absent lest being present I should use sharpness according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification and not to destruction 10. It is to prevent Severity when I am present and the trouble that you and I shall have in Penalties on you that I give you this Admonition by Letter still professing That Christ hath given me no Power of Tyranny or against your own good but only for your Edification Should I claim any other it 's not of Christ 11. Finally brethren farewel Be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you 11. My concluding Valediction is Be compact together in holy Union Rejoyce in the Lord Be of one mind in Faith and Love though you cannot in lesser things Live in peace and then he that would be known to us as the God of Love and Peace will be among you 12 13 14. Greet one another with an holy kiss All the saints salute you The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all Amen 12 13 14. Express Christian Love to one another The Saints here salute you The highest Blessing I can wish you is The Grace of Christ the Love of God and Communication of and Communion in the Holy Spirit Amen Note out of all this Epistle That though proud tenderness of our Reputation be a Sin yet it is a Duty to vindicate it when the Interest of the Gospel and of Souls require it which it did more with an Apostle than an ordinary Minister The Epistle of PAUL the Apostle to the GALATIANS The INTRODUCTION THE Scope of this Epistle is to reduce the Galatians who began to be seduced by those Judaizers that would have not only joyned Moses's Law to Christianity but also would have put that Yoak on the Gentile-Christians And it 's like some Hereticks joined with them To which end he sharply reproveth the unsteadfastness of the Galatians evinceth the non-obligation of that Law and the Carnality of Judaizing and the Spirituality of the Gospel and that he had his Gospel by immediate Inspiration from Christ and that it is not singular from the other Apostles nor dissonant to it self nor to his condescending Practice with the Jews CHAP. I. 1. PAul an apostle not of men neither by man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead 2. And all the brethren which are with me unto the churches of Galatia 3. Grace be to you and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus
Christ to be our Leader and Teacher to sin for it it is he that taught us this And dare you charge Christ with Sin 18. For if I build again the things which I destroyed I make my self a transgressour 18. For if we that have preached Deliverance from the Law and that it doth not justifie us do now intimate the contrary by our Practice we confess our selves Sinners in teaching such Doctrine heretofore 19. For I through the law am dead to the law that I might live unto God 19. The Law it self hath taught me not to trust it for Justification nor to live in the Bondage of it but to look for Life towards God by Christ 20. I am crucified with Christ Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me 20. As Christ was crucified and took away this Wall of Separation and Yoke of Bondage so I am now a Member of his Body the Catholick Church and am dead to the Law and it to me But I have a better Life by which Christ liveth in me both objectively as trusted and loved and efficiently by his Spirit And now it is by Faith in him who loved me and gave himself for me that I live 21. I do not frustrate the grace of God for if righteousness come by the law then Christ is dead in vain 21. I do not by returning to the Law make void all the Design of Grace in our Redemption Christ is dead in vain if Righteousness must be by our performance of the Law of Moses for what need we then any other Sacrifice for sin or to be Redeemed from its Curse CHAP. III. 1. O Foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you 1. So great is your folly in inclining to Judaism that you seem in it as men bewitched and deprived of Reason to turn from Grace to the Law so soon when Christ crucified for your deliverance hath been so plainly preached and set forth before you 2. This onely would I learn of you Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith 2. Do but answer me from your own Experience Have you not received the Spirit your selves some for Miracles or Tongues and the sincere for Sanctification If not you are none of Christs If yea then by what means did you receive it Was it by the Works of the Law you will not say it or was it by hearing the Gospel of Faith 3. Are ye so foolish having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect by the flesh 3. Are you so foolish as having received a Spiritual Doctrine and having received and seen the Gifts of the Spirit by it which are its Seal that you should think it your growth or perfection to turn to the Carnal Ceremonies of the Law which gave you not the Spirit 4. Have ye suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain 4. Will you lose all the sufferings which you have undergone If you turn to the Law you lose them all 5. He therefore that ministreth to you the Spirit and worketh miracles among you doth he it by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith 5. Are the Miracles that are wrought among you and the Spirit communicated to your selves given from God by the Ministry of the Law or its Works or by the Preaching of the Gospel Note That here is a strong Evidence for the Matter of Fact That the Gift of the Spirit and the Working of Miracles were then things certainly existent Else when Paul appealed to these seduced Galatians themselves as to Men that had the Spirit and these Miracles among them and that with the provoking Words of foolish and bewitched how easily would they have confuted him and said They knew of no such thing This had been the likeliest way to turn them from Christianity with scorn to make that his Proof which if false must be so known to them all 6. Even as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness 7. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham 6 7. As it was by believing and trusting Gods Promise that Abraham was accounted righteous so it followeth that it is Believers that are his Seed as Heirs of the Promise 8. And the scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the heathen through faith preached before the gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all nations be blessed 8. And the Scripture foretelling that God would justifie the Heathen as he did Abraham by Faith did in effect preach this Gospel to him then when it 's said In thee shall all Nations be blessed and therefore not the Jewish Nation onely 9. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham 9 So that if the Promise be made to them in Abraham they that have the same Qualification of Faith must needs be they that are blessed in him though they keep not the Law of Moses which Abraham did not nor the Gentile Believers 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 do them 10. For all that trust for Justification and Life to their own doing the Works of that Law and not to the free Grace of God in Christ must needs be cursed and not justified by it For it saith Cursed is every one that continueth not c. which no man doth 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 12. And the law is not of faith but The man that doth them shall live in them 11 12. It 's evident that before God none is justified by the Law For it 's said that The just by faith shall live But the Law considered in it self as distinct from the Promise doth not give Life on condition of Faith receiving it as a free Gift but on condition of doing all that it commandeth Though the Law as subordinate to the Promise be of Faith 13. Christ hath reedeemed 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 13. That Law which curseth us doth not justifie us but so doth Moses's Law and therefore came Christ to redeem us from that Curse suffering as a Sacrifice for us a cursed 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 14. That the Blessing which was pronounced to Abraham as a Believer might come
hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ 3. Thanks and Praise be given to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings in Celestials or Heavenly things which tend to Glory which Christ doth purchase promise prepare and possess for us 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love 4. As he chose us as Members of Christ whom he chose to be our Head before the World was made that we should be holy and blameless both which summarily consist in holy Love 5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved 5 6. Having predestinated us to become his adopted Children to him in and by Jesus Christ of his own free and good Will that so his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in his beloved Son might have the Praise and Glory Note 1. That the Election is from before the Foundation of the World 2. That it is one Decree or Election of God by which he chuseth Christ to be our Head and us to be his Members 3. It is one and the same Election by which God hath chosen us to the praise and glory of his Grace to be saved and to be holy and blameless in Love On Gods part it is by one Act and on our part it is to one state of Blessedness as Generation maketh one Man though as objectively that one have many Parts it may accordingly be named Many and distinguished And the Essentials are given at once though the Integrals and Augmentation be after given by degrees 4. That Love is the sum of that Holiness and Blamelesness to which we are predestinated 5. That we are not onely Predestinated to Life on condition of Holiness but are Predestinated to Holiness it self and consequently to Faith and Repentance and not onely on condition that we believe and repent And so Election is of Individual Persons to Faith Holiness and Salvation and not onely of Believers to Salvation or of Persons to be saved if they believe A Conditional puts nothing into being or act Were the Scripture dark in the Point of Gods free Electing of some to Faith and Repentance more than others of equal Guilt and Pravity Experience might fully satisfie us of it 7 8. In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence 7 8. In whom we have deliverance by Redemption through the Sacrifice of his Blood for our Sins even the forgiveness of all our Sin which manifesteth the Riches of his Grace and Bounty from which this Gift proceedeth in which he abounded toward us in the exercise of that wonderful Divine Wisdom and Prudence in the way of our Salvation by Christ which to search and know is the greatest Wisdom and Prudence of Man 9. Having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself 9. Having now opened to us the Mystery of his own Will and good Pleasure which he purposed in himself but was little known by Jews or Gentiles 10. That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him 10. That when he saw the fit time fully come he might gather into one Universal Church united to Christ the Head as his Kingdom and Body both Jews and Gentiles yea Angels and Men the departed Souls and those on Earth to be One I say in him their Head and King Note Those that confine this to Jews and Gentiles yea and those that exclude Angels force the Text without proof For though Angels sinned not Christ may gather us into one Heavenly Society with them and make us like them himself being the Head 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will 11. In whom also we have our Lot of Inheritance being thereto predestinated by God who calleth whom he pleaseth and worketh all things according to his own Counsel Wisdom and Will 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ 12. That we who were first called and made Believers in Christ might be the First-fruits of his Church and bring him much Praise and Glory by our Service 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise 13. In whom you trusted when you had heard the true Gospel of your Salvation and in and by Christ after you believed you received the great Gift of the promised Spirit which is Gods Seal upon you and the Seal of the Truth of his Promise to you 14. Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory 14. Which Spirit is given us by God as the ascertaining Earnest of our Inheritance to fit us for and assure us of our attaining the Possession of that which Christ hath purchased for those whom he had redeemed to be his peculiar People 15. Wherefore I also after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the saints 16. Cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers 15 16. Hearing of the continuance and increase of your Faith and your Love to all the Saints and not onely to those that conform to your Minds in small or indifferent things do constantly give thanks to God for your Stability and daily pray for you 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him 17. That he that is the God of our Lord Jesus as Man who sent him and raised him from the dead and glorified him would give you yet more of the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation that you may know yet more of the Mystery of his Love in our Redemption by Christ 18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints 18. That your Minds being yet more illuminated you may fullier and clearlier know to what glorioâ—s Hopes he hath called us and what Treasures of Glory he hath promised to his Saints in whom he will be glorified for ever 19. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who
believe according to the working of his mighty power 20. Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places 19 20. And how wonderfully God hath manifested his Power in us that believe in giving us the Spirit of Miracles Tongues Prophecy c. and the Spirit of Illumination Faith Hope Love Joy Patience to go on in Labour and Suffering for Christ suitable to the Power which he shewed in raising Christ from death and advancing him to the Heavenly Glory where he is Lord of all 21. Far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come 21. Far above all the Princes States and Powers on Earth the greatest Conquerors or Monarchs whether those that persecuted him and us or any other even those above us in the World that we are going to Angels or any sort of Spirits 22. And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the church 22. And hath given him power over all things and made him Head of the Church and Lord over all things for his Churches good and the Ends of Redemption 23. Which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all 23. Which Church is his Body Mystical the Celestial Political Society united to and under him in which he attaineth fully the Ends of his Redemption and in whom as glorified with him he is effectively a full and perfect Saviour in whom he will delight and be glorified and God that is all in all things fully manifesteth his Love and Glory Note 1. That the Text distinguisheth Christs Relation to his Church and to all things else He is Head to the Church by vital influx as his Body He is over all things some as Utensils for the Church and some as conquered Rebels or Enemies 2. How little reason the Church hath to fear malicious Principalities or Powers or Great Names or Devils any further than we fear our selves lest we yield to Sin by their Temptations seeing they are all in the power of Christ and under his Feet And therefore our sinful Fear doth plainly prove our Unbelief in that degree that it prevaileth 3. As the same Love so the same Power of God that was glorified in the Miracles and Resurrection of Christ is engaged for and glorified on the Church And this Glory we shall see in the fulness of time though now the Church as Christ on the Cross or in the Grave seem a forsaken shattered desolate thing 4. It is no wonder that Christ taketh what is done to his Church and Members as done to himself and will judge Men accordingly 5. The great Service that Christ requireth of us in the World is to contribute our utmost Labour and Help for the Church he himself needing nothing that we can do CHAP. II. 1. ANd you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins 1. And you who are members of this Church hath he revived and quickned by his mortifying and sanctifying Grace and by absolving you from the Guilt of Death who were in and by your Sin as dead to spiritual saving Good and liable by Guilt to everlasting Death your State of Sin was such a State of Death 2. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience 2. In this Sin you lived in your former Gentile State according to the Temptations and Will of Satan who is by Gods permission the Prince of the Power of the Air and by his Temptations worketh in the unpersuadable Unbelievers and Ungodly against Gods Grace and their Salvation 3. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the children of wrath even as others 3. And we our selves were formerly such as they and lived among them in fleshly Lusts fulfilling the Desires of our Flesh and our own Thoughts and false â—easoning and were by Natural Corruption not onely as Children of Adam but also the Progeny of Heathens the Heirs of Gods Wrath obliged to Punishment by his Justice as other Men and specially Heathens be 4. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us 5. Even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ by grace ye are saved 6. And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus 4 5 6. But God who is very merciful to manifest his own free Love to us when we were as others dead in Sins hath by his own Grace begun our Salvation conforming us to the Resurrection and Exaltation of Christ by delivering us from the Death of Sin and Guilt and making us alive to Holiness and giving us the Earnest and Fore-taste of Glory 7. That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus 7. That in these latter days he might shew forth the Glory of his Grace in our Redemption by Christ in which his Love and Kindness to us is resplendent 8. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God 9. Not of works lest any man should boast 8 9. For your Salvation is of Gods meer Grace and Gift through your Faith in Christ And this is not of your own contriving meriting seeking or effecting but all of Gods own Gift who hath chosen this way rather than that of Works that none may boast and ascribe that to themselves which is due onely to God 10. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them 10. Not that we hereby exclude Good Works by excluding Mans boasting of his own Power or Merits For we our selves are Gods Work new made by Regeneration which planted us into Christ purposely to do those Good Works which neither the Law nor meer Nature enabled and enclined us to do These God hath fore-ordained and prescribed for us to live in and by Grace inclined us to do them 11. Wherefore remember that ye being in time passed Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands 12. That at that time ye were without Christ being aliens from the common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world 11 12. And that you may duely value the Mercy of your Vocation you must never forget that you were of the Gentiles called Uncircumcised by the Jews and had no Knowledge of Christ as
preach the Gospel even that Christ would call and take in the Gentiles into the Catholick Church and Covenant as his peculiar People and make them Partakers of his Promise and Gift of Life in Christ by the Gospel preached to them 7. Whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power 7. Of which Gospel I was made a Minister to dispence it according to that Measure of the Gift of the Spirit by Grace given to me which wrought effectually in me and by me by Doctrine and Miracles to convert the Gentiles 8. Unto me who am less then the least of all saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ 8. To me who am by my former Persecution of the Church the lowest or most unworthy of all Saints is this Favour and Honour freely vouchsafed that I should preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable Riches of Christ 9. And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ 9. And to notifie to all Men the Communication and Communion of this Mysterious Grace which from the very Creation was secretly included as a Tree in the Seed in Gods making the whole World by Jesus Christ even that he would redeem and new make us all by him 10. To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God 11. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord 10 11. That now in this Collection of the Universal Church in Christ as in a Glass or as in the clear Effects the very Spiritual Principalities and Powers above us in the Heavens might see more of Gods eternal Counsel opened and manifold Wisdom displayed than they knew before Note 1. That Superiour Spirits are Principalities and Powers either over Political Societies there or as Rulers over us here below as Guardians See Josh 5.14 Exod. 23.20 23. 32.34 Num. 20.16 Gen. 24.7 40. Psal 34.7 Dan. 10.13 c. It 's like it's both 2. That even Superiour Powers are not Omniscient but may by new Means have new increased Knowledge and therefore Saints in Heaven are not more knowing 3. That it is in Heaven that the Great Ends of God in Redeeming and Gathering his Church are attained 12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him 12. In whom we all that trust in him may come with boldness and confident hope of acceptance to God 13. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you which is your glory 13. Wherefore I beseech you be not discouraged by my Sufferings for preaching to you for it is your Honour to have the Ministry of your Salvation thus attested by me 14 15. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man 14 15 16. For this end I beg of God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom all the Blessed Society in Heaven and Earth is named his Family or of which Christ Jews and Gentiles are named Christians That of his abundant Grace in which he will be glorified he will by his Spirit fortifie your Souls Note 1. It is uncertain whether of whom relate to the Father or to Christ 2. Though Paul speak specially of the Catholick Church of Jews and Gentiles there 's no reason to exclude the glorified Souls no nor the Angels from being part of Gods Family united in and under Christ 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love 18. May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height 19. And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God 17 18 19. That Christ may by the constant exercise of your Faith upon him even dwell objectively in your Hearts as one Friend by Love and Trust doth in anothers and effectively possess and actuate you by his Spirit that by his Spirit and your Faith you may be so deeply possest with the sense of Gods Love that you may be filled with Love to him and one another and it may be the very Habit of your Souls and a rooted Nature in you that so being qualified by this Faith and Love you may be able and fit to measure and understand as all Saints in their several degrees do the vast and wonderful Dimensions and to know the Love of Christ and of the Father in him which exceedeth our comprehensive and adequate Knowledge or which is more excellent than all the Sciences which Heathens and Hereticks boast of that so by Faith and Love your Souls may be filled with the highest degrees of Grace and the Spirit of God 20 21. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end Amen 20 21. Now to that Almighty God who can do for his People exceeding abundantly above all that we can desire or ask believe or conceive in our narrow Thoughts as is intimated even in the Power of Sanctity and Miracles which he exerciseth in and â—mong us now To him I say be Glory in the Church by the Mediation of Jesus Christ in whom â—he Glory of Gods Love shineth â—o us and by whom â—e render Praise to God throughout all Ages World without end Amen CHAP. IV. 1. I Therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called 1. Seeing then the Riches of Gods Grace in Christ is so abundant to you converted Gentiles I that am a Prisoner for declaring this Grace of Christ to you exhort you that you live according to the great obligation of your Vocation 2. With all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering forbearing one another in love 2. Such a Christian Life must be in all lowliness or humble thoughts of your selves your Knowledge your Goodness and your Power and in all meekness or gentleness towards others Love must cause you with long-suffering to forbear one another Note 1. That Forbearance is to be exercised towards evil that is Imperfections in Knowledge Vertue and Duty and tollerable Faults and Injuries against each other Therefore it supposeth us to be all faulty needing forbearance 2. That proud high thoughts of our selves and Contempt Censoriousness and Hurtfulness to others and not forbearing tollerable Offenders are
contrary to Christianity and the Cause of Divisions in the Church And by these the carnal persecuting Seed especially when they invade the Sacred Office are differenced from true Christians as Wolves from Sheep even when as the false Prophets they pretend the Cause and Name of Christ 3. That all this is for want of Christian Love and the Dominion of carnal Self-love and Love to God and to others as our selves must be the proper Cure 3. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace 3. This Love and forbearance must specially be exercised to preserve the Unity of the Christian Church which all must endeavour faithfully to keep And this Unity inwardly consisteth in being all possess'd and governed by One Holy Spirit as all the Parts of the Body are by one Soul and outwardly by living peaceably towards each other especially in our Church-Communion 4 5 6. There is one body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling one Lord one faith one baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all 4 5 6. More particularly in these seven Respects our Unity doth consist 1. The Church which is as the Body of Christ is one Universal Church 2. The Spirit of God which as it were animateth it is One and the same Spirit 3. The Grace and Heavenly Glory which is the Hope of Believers which they seek and for which they forsake the World is One. 4. The Head Lord and Saviour of the Church is One and the same to all 5. The Essentials of the Christian Faith or Creed are One and the same 6. The Baptismal Vow and Covenant and Profession in which we are devoted to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and united Sacramentally to Christ his Church is One and the same to all in the Essentials 7. And all have One God and Father in Christ who is 1. Transcendently and absolutely above and over all 2. And unconceivably penetrateth all And 3. and is in his Essence most intimately in you all and is All in all things Note That in these seven things that Unity of the Church consisteth which is Gods prescribed and conferred Qualification for Christian Communion in Love and Peace And that as Satan useth to undo by overdoing and the Pharisees had more Laws Traditions and strictness therein as needful to Communion than Christ had who would have Mercy rather than Sacrifice So it is by adding a multitude of Ensnaring Canons Customs and Opinions as necessary to Communion that he hath corrupted and torn the visible Church and turned Love and Communion into Wrath and Persecution And yet this Vnity must be kept in Peace and therefore both Persecuting and Contumeliâ—us Turbulent Vnpeaceableness against those that own these Seven Points of Vnion should be avoided by Christians and restrained by Magistrates who must keep the Peace And whenever God in mercy will heal the lacerated Church it will be on these terms 7. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ 7. But though we have all One Spirit and are One in all the foresaid Essentials of our Religion yet this Unity is found in very great diversity of degrees of Grace and both degrees and kind of Gâ—fts Sâ—e 1 Cor. 12. as it pleaseth Christ to distribute them 8. Wherefore he saith When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men 8. As it is said in Psal 68.18 When c. So when Christ ascended he triumphed over Satan Death and Hell and sent down from Heaven the Gifts of his Spirit 9. Now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth 10. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill all things 9 10. And when it is said that he ascended it implieth that he first descended into this lower World into a low Condition and into the Grave And therefore it is the same Jesus who was here humbled in his Descent who is exalted by his Ascent fâ—r above all Heavens which Man doth see or know that thence is the Sun by the influence of its Heat and Light and Motion filleth all below acccording to the recâ—ptiâ—e Capacity of each so our glorified Lord by hâ—s administring Influx might fill all with common or special Grace according to their various receptivity 11. And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers 12. For the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ 11 12. And he gave by Qualification and Mission some Apostles sent by his own Mouth to be the most eminent Attesters of his Miracles Doctrine and Resurrection and Founders of the Churches some Prophets by Revelation and Inspiration to confirm the Christian Faith some Evangelists whose Work was as eminently qualified to go abroad to preach the Gospel and gather Churches or confirm them without being fixed to a special Place or Flock and some Pastors and Teachers called also Bishops and Elders who were set over the particular Churches as their Guides and Instructers as being their special Flocks and Charge And all these Gifts and Offices are given for that Ministerial Work which God who worketh by Means will use to bring on all his Saints towards the Perfection of themselves and of the Church and by the Increase Concord and Sanctity of the Members to edifie or build up this Body of Christ 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ 13. Till by this increase of Number and Holiness and Concord we all Jews and Gentiles make up that Church which in the Vnity of Faith and Knowledge and Acknowledgment of Christ attaineth to that degree of perfection in which consisteth the measure of Grace and fulness of Stature which Christ wiâ—l bring his Church unto which is that maturity which imitateth our natural growth from Infancie to full Manhood 14. That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive 14. That being by Gods blessing by such a Ministry brought up to Manhood we may no longer be like Children who through weakness cannot stand in the Wind but are carried about by it so childish Christians are by every Wind of Plausible Doctrine by the slight subtilty and craft of Men that by pretences of Knowledge Holiness Power or Love lay snares and lie in wait to deceive the weak 15. But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ 15. But though we know but in part
Flesh and not to hate it so must Men do by their Wives as Christ doth by the Church 30. For we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones 30. And as Eve was said to be to Adam Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone so by allusion we may say of the Church and Christ in a spiritual sense 31. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joyned unto his wife and they two shall be one flesh 31. And as it was then said A man shall leave c. so must Believers leave all for Christ as Christ laid down his Life for them and they shall be made as one 32. This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the church 32. This that is said of Adam and Eve and of Marriage did mystically prefigure the Marriage of Jesus Christ and the Church and of this it is that I now speak 33. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself and the wife see that she reverence her husband 33. But though I have turned my Speech to Christ and the Church I repeat my Counsel Let every Man love his Wife with such an entire constant and forbearing Love as he loveth himself and let the Wife see that she live in loving Subjection and Reverence to her Husband CHAP. VI. 1. CHildren obey your parents in the Lord for this is right 1. Let Children be obedient to their Parents under God in obedience to him for he hath commanded it 2. Honour thy father and mother which is the first commandment with promise 2. Saying Honour thy Father and Mother And though general Promises be intimated in the First and Second Commandment this is the first Commandment that hath annexed the Promise of the Land which God was then leading the Israelites to as it is said 3. That it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long on the earth 3. That thou mayst live long and prosper in the Promised Land of Canaan which intimateth also to us Christian Gentiles a Promise of more Prosperity on Earth than disobedient Children shall have and an earthly Curse to the disobedient Note That accordingly Gods Curse on Earth doth usually follow Children that dishonour and wrong their Parents and rebell against them and usually even Earthly Blessings are given to those that honour and obey Parents under God 4. And ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 4. And let Parents remember that Childrens corrupt Nature and Weakness are liable to such Passions as may pervert them and therefore let not your sowr and provoking Government and Carriage tempt them hereto beyond their strength but govern them with Fatherly Love and bring them up to the Knowledge and Obedience of the Lord by wise and diligent Teaching Example Admonition and Discipline 5. Servants be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of your heart as unto Christ 5. And let not Servants think that Christianity freeth them from Service or from Obedience Diligence or Reverence to their Masters though they be Unbelievers but give them all due Obedience and reverent Submission and this in conscience and sincerity as part of your Obedience to Christ who doth command it and will reward you 6. Not with eye-service as men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart 6. Not deceitfully when your Masters see and know what you do meerly to please Men but as the true Servants of Christ with heartiness and in secret things as well as open doing Service to Men in obedience to the Will of God and to please him 7. With good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men 7. I repeat it because it greatly concerneth you that you do all your Service faithfully and willingly without grudging and that not as a bare Service to Man but as a part of your Service to the Lord himself which he hath prescribed and will accept 8. Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doth the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free 8. Be sure of this That your lowest and hardest Service being your Duty is a good Work and such Works of Fidelity in the lowest Bond-servants are accepted of God as well as the more honoured Service of the Greatest 9. And ye masters do the same things unto them forbearing threatning knowing that your master also is in heaven neither is there respect of persons with him 9. And you that are Masters see that you be as careful of your Part to your Servants as you would have them be of their Duty to you and rule them not tyrannically by insulting and passionate Menaces and Reproaches Knowing that Christ in Heaven is equally the Lord of them and you and will not be partial to you for your Wealth or Superiority but will equally do Justice unto all 10. Finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might 10. To conclude Behave your selves in the discharge of all your Duties and resistance of all the Temptations of your Warfare as resolved valiant Christians strong in the Faith and Love of Christ by his powerful assisting Grace 11. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil 11. And with skill and care put on and use the Grace and Helps which God vouchsafeth you which are to a Christian like compleat Armour to a Soldier that you may be able to stand fast against all the Stratagems and Plots of the Devil who seeketh to overthrow you 12. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places 14. For the great Conflict which Christians are engaged in is not meerly against Men but against Devils who by Gods Ordination and the Success of their Temptations are Principalities and Powers and the Rulers of the Persons and Ways of Darkness Ignorance and Unbelief in the World and are spiritual Wâ—ckedness above us in the Air. 13. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand 13. Therefore neglect no part of the Armour afforded you by God but use it all that in the time of Temptation you may be able to resist and conquer the Assaults of Men and Devils and when they have done their worst and you have withstood them you may stand fast in Faith and Holiness and Hope 14. Stand therefore having your loyns girt about with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness 15. And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace 14 15. Stand therefore to your Obligations to Faith and
Holiness 1. See that the firm Belief of the Truth of the Gospel against all Deceivers be to you as a Military Girdle about your Loins 2. And that universal sincere Obedience to God and Uprightness of Life towards all Men joined to your Pardon through the Merits of Christ may be to you as a Breast-plate is to Soldiers in Fight that no Adversary may have Matter of just Accusation against you 3. And that the Gospel of Christ which speaketh Peace to the World and to your selves may so dwell in your Hearts to make you Men of Peace and in your Mouths to invite others to Peace with God and one another that it may be to you as those Shoes were to Soldiers which they put on when they went to War to keep their Feet from hurt and danger 16. Above all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked 16. Above all see that you firmly believe and trust to the Word and Promises of God which will be to you as a Shield or Target to a Soldier by which he is preserved from all the Darts or Shot that is made against him And though Satans Darts be fiery Persecution and fierce Temptations this will defend you and frustrate all 17. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God 17. And trust fully in Christ as your Saviour for Salvation and this will as an Helmet or Head-piece to a Soldier defend your chiefest Part from danger And skilfully use the Word of God indited and sealed by his Spirit which will serve you for Defence and Conquest by the help of the same Spirit as a Sword doth to a Soldier 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints 18. And because you must do all in dependence on God see that you be constant in all sorts or parts of Prayer for your selves and others even such Prayer as Gods Spirit directeth you to by his Word and exciteth you to by his Grace And for that end keep your Minds by watchfulness in a serious praying temper and be not cold or weary but hold on and forget not to pray for all holy Persons and holy things Note That 1. They that scorn praying in or by the Spirit scorn the Work of the Spirit in all acceptable Prayer to God 2. They that forbid Prayer forbid that which God commandeth and his Spirit in us as an Intercessor performeth 3. When God commandeth all Prayer and Supplication we must obey him though any Men would confine us to the Fetters of their narrow defective Words and Books 4. They that hate revile excommunicate unjustly and persecute those Saints whom God commandeth us to love and pray for fight under Satan against Christ 19. And for me that utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel 19. And let me have a special part in your Prayers that I may be freed from silencing Imprisonments and Restraints and may have Liberty and Ability boldly to make known the Mystery of Mans Salvation by Christ 20. For which I am an ambassadour in bonds that therein I may speak boldly as I ought to speak 20. For I am in Bonds by Men though Christs Ambassador even for preaching to Men this Gospel of Salvation But pray for me that whatever it cost me I may do my Duty and speak though forbidden as I ought to speak Note That as God worketh by Men so doth the Devil And therefore it is no wonder that Paul was in Bonds for preaching Salvation and that Men make Laws against Praying and Preaching and if the Devil call it Sedition For really Praying and Preaching do more to destroy his Kingdom and save Souls than Arms can do 21. But that ye also may know my affairs and how I do Tychicus a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord shall make known to you all things 21. And that you may know how all things go with me Tychicus will tell you whom you may trust 22. Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose that ye might know our affairs and that he might comfort your hearts 22. I have sent him that he may represent things truly to you and help to keep you from discouragement or undue trouble for my Sufferings 23. Peace be to the brethren and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ 23. I conclude with this Benediction and Prayer for you That God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will give maintain and increase in you all that confirmed Faith which may fill you with Love and keep you in Peace and Welfare 24. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Amen 24. And let the Grace Favour and Blessing of God be still with all them who love our Lord Jesus Christ with sincere incorruptible confirmed Love Amen The Epistle of PAUL the Apostle to the PHILIPPIANS CHAP. I. 1. PAul and Timotheus the servants of Jesus Christ to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi with the bishops and deacons 2. Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ 1 2. I Paul and Timothy now with me send greeting with this Epistle to all the Saints or Christians which are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons there wishing to them Grace and Peace which are all Blessings in sum from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. Note 1. That Dr. Hammond affirming That Paul meant here all the Bishops and Deacons in Macedonia or a whole Province doth this without any cogent Proof as he saith the like of Corinth Ephesus c. though it may be granted that consequently they to whom these Epistles were written were to communicate them to as many as they could 2. That he contradicteth himself in saying there was but one Bishop in a City when elsewhere he saith there was one of the Jews Church and another of the Gentiles 3. That Paul saith it was the Saints which are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons to wit which were at Philippi with them But sure all that were in a Province so great were not at Philippi And his Conclusion That every Church in Scripture-times had but One Bishop with Deacons his Servants there being then no middle Order in use and that in all the New Testament the Words Bishop and Presbyter signified onely such as we now call Bishops 1. Is contrary to the Descriptions of the Churches of Jerusalem Antioch Corinth c. where in one Assembly there were so many Prophets sit for the Publick Ministry that they needed regulating restraint in Ministring 2. But thus he must maintain That de facto no Church had then more than one Presbyter and so no B ishop more than one sixed
thus press toward the End of our Faith in Love And then if through imperfection of Knowledge you come short and differ in other things while you wait on God in Humility Love and Peace God will in time make you know what yet is wanting to you 16. Nevertheless whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same thing 16. But let all that have attained soundness in these necessary Essentials of Christianity still live according to these Gospel-Truths which we all acknowledge and in Love and Concord practise and promote these things in which we are agreed Note How directly Paul condemneth both Church-Tyrants and Sectaries the former silencing reviling and persecuting and the other reproachfully censuring and separating from those that agree in all here instanced for not consenting to needless Trifles of the Clergies imposition or to the Errours of superstitious ignorant Men. 17. Brethren be followers together of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample 17. God that hath sent me to teach you hath herein also made me an Ensample to you I beseech you therefore herein follow me in humble striving towards Perfection uniting in sincere Christianity and bearing in other things with each other till God teach you the rest 18. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ 19. Whose end is destruction whose God is their belly and whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things 18 19. For many of whom I have oft told you and now mention them with Tears for their own fakes and the Churches do so live as that while they are called Christians they are such Enemies to the bearing of the Cross in following a Crucified Christ that they will suffer nothing for their Faith For taking up Christianity notionally in their Brains without the Life and Power on their Hearts the World was never overcome or their Lust mortified by it so that their Belly or fleshly Lust is the God which they most love and obey and while they glory that they know more of Christian Liberty than we do and so may lawfully please fleshly Lusts it is their Shame and Bruâ—tishness which they glory in and therefore Destruction will be their end 20. For our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ 21. Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself 20 21. But our City freedom Relation Treasure Converse and Business is in Heaven among the Heavenly Society in the Jerusalem above From thence by Faith and joyful Hope we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus who is our Head and Intercessour there and who will not onely receive our Souls at death but will also change these vile Bodies which being made of the low dissoluble Elements are a clog to our Souls and must corrupt like the Flesh of Bruits and will make them like his own now-glorious Body spiritual incorruptible and glorious and this he can and will do how unlikely soever it appears to us by the exercise of his Omnipotency by which he can conquer all Difficulties and Enemies for the accomplishing of the Work of the Salvation of his Church Note 1. That the great difference between miserable Hypocrites and sound Christians is that the former set most by Flesh and Earth and the latter by the Hopes of Heaven to which they subject all worldly Interest and on which and for which they live and labour most as Worldlings do for a Worldly Welfare 2. That a false sensual worldly unmortified Heart betrayeth Hypocrites into worldly sensual Opinions and Heresies and they easily believe all to be lawful which maketh for their fleshly worldly Interests and Lusts because their false Hearts would have it to be lawful CHAP. IV. 1. THerefore my brethren dearly beloved and longed for my joy and crown so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved 1. Note That the most amiable Christians have need of Warning and earnest Exhortation against Backsliding by Temptation and Deceivers 2. I beseech Euodias and beseech Syntiche that they be of the same mind in the Lord. 2. Note It 's like he heard of Contention between these two which he beseecheth them to cease 3. And I intreat thee also true yokefellow help those women which laboured with me in the gospel with Clement also and with other my fellow labourers whose names are in the book of life 3. And I intreat thee my true Fellow-labourer it 's like he meaneth Epaphroditus but uncertain take care of those Women that furthered our Work by entertaining us and suffering for the Faith with Clement and other Helpers who are of the number of those that God will own 4. Rejoyce in the Lord alway and again I say Rejoyce 4. Rejoice in the Interest you have in the Lord his Grace and Protection and Promise of Glory Yea I again urge it on you Always rejoice Note 1. That Christians even in a state of opposition from the World have always greater cause of rejoicing in God than of sorrow for the World Though if they wilfully sin it may interrupt their Joy by making them unfit for it as Wounds and Sickness do the Body 2. That holy Joy in the Lord is that Flower of Religion which all Christians should desire and chiefly labour to attain 5. Let your moderation be known unto all men The Lord is at hand 5. Let all Men see that you put the best sense on all that befals you from God and Man and that you take nothing by impatience or uncharitableness at the worst but can suffer Injuries For God is with you and the day of his delivering you is near 6. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God 6. Let no Want or Danger disturb your Mind with anxious distrustful Cares but in every Case go and open it to God in Prayer for your selves and others with Thanksgiving for what you have received as beseemeth those who truly trust in God 7. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus 7. And by this Lenity of Mind and Trust in God by Prayer the Peace which you shall have in Gods Love to you in your own Souls and in Concord with the Church which is of inestimable value above much notional Knowledge shall as a Garrison keep your Affections from disturbance and your Judgments from Errour through the Grace of Christ 8. Finally brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue and if there
who despised him and killed him and persecuted his Cause and Servants did also destroy the Jews 10. When he shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them that believe because our testimony among you was believed in that day 10. Note The End of Christs glorious coming will be to be glorified and admired in holy Believers as having by his Merit Intercession and Spirit made them by Holiness fit for Glory and in Justice set them above their Persecutors 2. So far were the poore Christians from being then such a Glory and Admiration that they continued above two hundred years after this to be persecuted and made the scorn of the World 11. Wherefore also we pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power 11. We pray that God will fit you by his Grace for this and make you suitable to your holy Calling and fully perform to you all the Purposes of his Love and powerfully finish your Work of Faith Note Worthiness in the Gospel-sense is that Moral Qualification by Grace to which as a Moral Condition God hath promised the Blessing 12. That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye in him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ 12. Note That Sanctifying Grace maketh Christians a Glory to the Name of Christ declaratively as the Cause is honoured in the Effect and they are glorified in Christ possessively as the Means in the End obtained and the Runner in the Prize and relatively as an adopted Son in a Prince that adopteth him CHAP. II. 1. NOw we beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him 2. That ye be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as that the day of Christ is at hand 1 2. I vehemently beseech you that no Pretence either of Spirit Word or Apostolical Letter persuade you that Christs Coming is near at hand and so trouble you and your Faith be shaken when that 's disappointed Note further That it 's more than the Destruction of Jerusalem that is here meant For it will be the Churches gathering together to Christ at his coming 2. And it neither agreeth with the following long Persecutions of the Church by the Heathens nor with Paul's usual Pity to the Jews thus to insult in their Destruction as if it brought a Felicity to the Church like Heaven it self 3. Let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition 4. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God shewing himself that he is God 3. It is dangerous deceit for any to persuade you that the Day of Christ is at hand for there are many things that must first come to pass There must first be a falling away of many from the Faith and that notable Man of Sin must appear who is to be destroyed 4. Who arrogantly opposeth true Christianity and exalteth himself above all c. 5 6 7. Remember ye not that when I was yet with you I told you these things And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time For the mystery of iniquity doth already work onely he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way 8. And then shall that wicked be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming 9. Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders 10. And with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved 11. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie 12. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness Note 1. That Forewarning should be Forearming 2. Both the rise and fall of Sin and Sinners must have their proper Seasons Gods delays are but staying till the due time 3. Removing Impediments is the Prepartory work for future events 4. This great Enemy of Christ is a Man Lawless and made up of Wickedness 5. He must be first revealed and then consumed even by his Word Spirit and Coming 5. Satan will promote this Enemy of Christ with Power Signs and lying Wonders and Deceivableness of Unrighteousness 6. Not receiving the Love of the Truth of Gospel nor heartily believing it but taking pleasure in Unrighteousness prepare Men for damning Delusions 7. God is said to send them such Delusions by penal Desertions and Permissions Readers I dare not take on me to teach you that as true which I know not my self nor yet to pretend that I know more than I do I confess that I am uncertain who it is that Paul here describeth And meerly to know what other Men say of it is no satisfaction to me especially when they so greatly differ as they do 1. Most of the Fathers and Papists think that Antichrist here described is some odious False-Christ who is yet to come before the End of the World I have much to say against that Opinion 2. Grotius thought that this Chapter speaks of the Emperour Caius Caligula chiefly and partly of Simon Magus So much may be said against that as that his Follower Dr. Hammond rejecteth it 3. Dr. Hammond thinks it speaketh onely of Simon Magus I cannot believe that 1. Because really this Simon was no such considerable formidable Person as he describeth him The few Scraps of History of Simon recited by him are very dubious No great or publick History of those Times mention him He was affrighted into Submission and Supplication to Peter Acts 8. He was not thought worthy the naming after in all the sharp Charges against Hereticks in the Epistles The Judaizers are reproved the Concision called Dogs the Troublers Paul wisheth cut off the Nicolaitans named and the Woman Jezebel and many Antichrists mentioned by John the grosser sort of Hereticks smartly described and condemned by Peter and Jude John forbids us to bid them Good-speed Paul bids Men avoid them as self-condemned The Revelation speaketh yet more fully And none of them all mention Simon as the God and Ringleader of them If the Nicolaitans and all those that the Doctor calleth Gâ—osticks were known to be the Disciples of Simon why is that concealed in such large Reproofs and why not called Simonians as well as Nicolaitans If they were not then known to be his Off-spring it seems these Heresies had other Fathers before him more noted
such intrude or are there permitted No more than you must forsake your own House and Family if he intrude You have right and command to be there tho he have no right 3. Nor doth it make all to be of equal power in Church Matters not bind any to go beyond his Power 1. Of Mans Capacity for Publick Church Communion the Pastors are Judges And if they be negligent it s their sin which will not allow Private Men to forsake the Publick Communion till the Church so far forsake God as to be forsaken by him 2. But Private Familiarity is in Private Mens Power where they may discountenance the Scandalous by withdrawing from them 7. For your selves know how ye ought to follow us for we behaved not our selves disorderly among you 8. Neither did we eat any mans bread for nought but wrought with labour and travel night and day that we might not be chargeable to any of you 7 8. You know what our Example was that ought to be imitated I did not live idly and look that the Church should maintain me nor basely hang on any or needlesly burden them nor take their Bread which I paid not for but while I taught you I laboured and toiled at my Trade that I might be chargeable to none of you 9. Not because we have not power but to make our selves an ensample unto you to follow us 9. My Ministerial Office and Labour made maintenance from you my due but Idleness I saw was a sin that had need of Example as well as Doctrine to subdue it 10. For even when we were with you this we commanded you that if any would not work neither should he eat 10. Note Poor Men that will not work when they can do forfeit the Bread of Charity from Men but Rich Men that live idly do by that sin forfeit their Food and more even their lives and Souls to God but Men may not therefore take it from them 11. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly working not at all but are busie-bodies 11. By disorderly Persons I specially mean such as I hear some among you are who live not in any profitable Trade and Labour but yet are busie but it s about circumstantial unnecessary or unprofitable by-matters Note That as Idleness is a base sin which equals Life and Death so unnecessary and unprofitable Labour is a mis-spending time and a forfeiture of Maintenance as well as Idleness and to make a Trade or Daily Employment of vain or unprofitable Business is but a Cloak of Deceit for an Idle Life The Sloathful and Vnprofitable Servants forfeit Wages Oh what a deal of Business to little purpose hath the World to answer for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not labouring but busily Trifling men will find that God gave them Life and Reason for greater things 12. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness they work and eat their own bread 12. To live on the labours or cost of others through base indulging fleshly ease or unprofitable trifling is so great a sin that I do command you and exhort you by the authority of Christ and as you will obey him that you avoid it and that you quietly and willingly get your own living by some profitable labour and eat not other Mens Bread but your own and that not the Bread of Idleness 13 14. But ye brethren be not weary in well doing And if any man obey not our word by this epistle note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed 15. Yet count him not as an enemy but admonish him as a brother 13 14 15. If after all this the sloathful will not labour though you are not to cut him off from the Church as if it were for rejecting an Essential part of Christianity yet there is a Discipline to be used in the Church towards its Members Set a note of shame upon that Man by avoiding familiarity with him But yet take him not for an Enemy or Heathen buâ— an offending Christian and continue to call him to Repentance Note Qu. But what if it be a Son must the Parents deny him Food Ans If he be obstinate in an idle or unprofitable Life being able for a better 1. The Parents should mark him out to shame 2. And should so far stâ—aiten him in the Quality of his Food and Maintenance as may make his Sloth a penal Suffering to him and signifie their abhorrence of his Sin though they may not famish him to death 16. Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means The Lord be with you all 17. The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand which is the token in every epistle so I write 18. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen 16 17 18. Note We may boldly trust him for our Peace and safety who will be called The Lord of Peace and by the Grace of Christ will be with us and give us Peace always and by all means Amen The First Epistle of PAUL the Apostle to TIMOTHY CHAP. I. 1. PAul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ which is our hope 2. Unto Timothy my own son in the faith Grace mercy and peace from God our Faâ—her and Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 2. Note 1. Apostleship was by Gods Call and Command 2. Christ is the Believers Hope 3. It is meet to have some special endeared Love to those that are our Sons in the Faith converted by our Ministry 4. As the desire of Worldlings is to worldly Prosperity so the sum of all holy Christian desires is Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and from Christ 3. As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine 4. Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies which minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith so do 3 4. Note 1. Whether this imply that Timothy was Bishop of Ephesus is a Question of small moment to them that know what a Bishop then was A Bishop as Dr. Hammond maintaineth had then but one Congregation and no Subject-Presbyter under him He certainly had no Power of the Sword to force Men. He was onely a Guide to Voluntiers and Consenters and not to any against their wills It is certain that every Church had at least one such Bishop I think usually more And no doubt Ephesus had such either Timothy or others If it be Archbishops that are made the matter of this Doubt it 's certain that an Archbishop had no Power of the Sword nor was a Bishop to any but consenting Voluntiers and worked onely on Conscience and not immediately on Body or Purse And I believe that Timothy and Titus and the Apostles were so far Archbishops as that they had
accept it and doth by many Mercies intimate to them that he useth them not according to the meer violated Law of Innocency but on Terms of Grace 4. Few Christians have the face to affirm that this Universal Conditional Pardon and Gift or Law of Grace is no Fruit of the Death of Christ 5. If therefore this Act of Pardon was purchased by Christ and given to all no modest Face can deny that he so far died for all as to purchase for them all that he actually giveth them 6. It is usual to say that we give a Man a Benefit e. g. Life to a condemned Malefactor if it be given him on the fair Condition of his Acceptance and brought to his own Will and he intreated to receive it 7. If any Wrangler say that this is unfit Language to say He is willing that Men shall be saved who offereth them Salvation freely unless he also make them willing Let him confess that it is but the Name that he denieth and none of the Gifts in question 8. And be it known that Unwillingness cometh not from a Physical Impossibility through the want of Natural Faculties as it is with Brutes but from a voluntary Pravity which aggravateth the Sin 9. And the mutable Will of Man is to be changed by Reason And God giveth Men Reasons in their kind sufficient to persuade them to accept of Christ and Life 10. And lastly No Man can say that Adam when he fell had not Grace enough to make him Able to have stood which he might have used and should have done to his actual standing Noâ— that God never giveth such a power to believe or at least to come nearer the State of a true Believer to many that might bring it into Act and do not This much is enough to end this Controversie with modest Wits 7. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher and an apostle I speak the truth in Christ and lie not a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity 7. This Gospel I am appointed to preach to the Gentiles Christ knoweth that I feign not his Commission and faithfully and truly to be their Teacher 8. I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting 8. According to this my Commission I give these Directions following to all sorts First That all Men be much in Prayer to God not onely in the Assemblies but in all convenient Places wheresoever open or secret but that they lift not up to God Hands defiled with any wilful Sin but pure and clean by harmless Conversation and that they come not to God with Wrath against others or with a quarrelsom disputing contentious Disposition but in Christian Love Note That the Ceremony of Lifting up the Hands in Prayer which was an Act of Corporal secondary Worship is lawful and fit where Custom maketh it so and yet is not necessary by Institution as Kneeling also is 9. In like manner also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel with shame-facedness and sobriety not with broidered-hair or gold or pearls or costly aray 9. And for Women I forbid them not all Ornaments specially when they come to the Sacred Assemblies but let them be adorned onely with Attire which expresseth Gravity Modesty and Sobriety not like proud vain or alluring Persons with curious Dressings of their Hair Embroidery Jewels Gold or any over-costly Apparel as those that would seem either Richer or Comelier than they are 10. But which becometh women professing godliness with good works 10. But let them take Good Works of Piety to God and Charity to Man for their chiefest Ornament as they will do if they are true Professors of Godliness It is these in which they must excel the Ungodly and not in Ostentation of Wealth or Beauty 11. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection 11. Let them be Learners rather than Teachers and let them use Silence and humble Subjection and not be over-talkative and masterly specially silent in the Church 12. But I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man but to be in silence 12. I forbid Women to be Publick Teachers and to usurp any Authority over their Husbands or over Men in Church-government but to be quiet silent and obedient Note 1. That Paul forbiddeth not Women to teach their Children or Servants or the elder Women to teach the younger 2. Nor doth he meddle with Cases of Civil Government as whether a Woman may Govern a Kingdom or a City or a multitude of her own Tenants and Men-servants 13 14. For Adam was first formed then Eve And Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression 13 14. For God made the Woman for Subjection by making Adam first and then making her to be for his help And the Woman subjected her self yet lower by being first in the Transgression deceived by the Serpent and then tempting her Husband 15. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in child-bearing if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety 15. Yet though her Sin have brought her low and even under a Curse in the Pain and Peril of Child-bearing she is even in that low and sad condition under Gods merciful Protection and saving Covenant of Grace which containeth the Promise of this Life and that to come if they continue in Faith Charity and Purity with Sobriety Or Though Sin and Sorrow in Travel came in by the Woman yet by a Womans Child-bearing a Saviour came into the World which is some Reparation of the Honour of the Sex And so the Women may be saved as well as the Men by Christ if they continue in Faith Charity Purity and Sobriety CHAP. III 1. THis is a true saying if a man desire the office of a bishop he desireth a good work 1. As for the Office of a Bishop believe it he that desireth it doth desire a very great and excellent work It is not a bare Name Title Dignity or place of Honour and Command but a Work and a Work of great Importance and Labour and Difficulty which every desirer is not fit for Take heed therefore whom thou dost admit 2. A bishop then must be blameless the husband of one wife vigilant sober of good behaviour given to hospitality apt to teach A Bishop must be one 1. That is not guilty of any scandalous sin since his Conversion 2. One that hath not put away his Wife except for Fornication and married another much less that hath two at once 3. One that is vigilant and wholly addicted to do what he shall undertake 4. One that is of a sober moderate temper and not guilty of Levity and Temerity 5. One that is of an Orderly Composed Decent Temper and Carriage 6. By Charity to be ready to entertain Strangers and take in those that are exposed to want 7. One that is fit by Ability and Zealous Willingness to teach the Flock the necessary things
Wealth nor look to this for their Safety and chief Comfort as if it were their best But that they take God for their Portion and Security and wholly trust him for Soul and Body who will give us enough for our Comfort and Content 18. That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate 19. Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they lay hold on eternal life 18 19. That they use their riches to do all the good that they can in the World that so they may be rich in good Works which are a far more excellent sort of Riches than bare Money that they distribute to others necessity with readiness and Communicate with a willing forward mind and not with grudging or backwardness as against their Wills that so they may not lose their Riches but as they love themselves will lay up by them a Treasure for themselves even a good fund and security by coming under Gods faithful Promise for the time to come that so as good Runners lay hold on the Prize they may lay hold on Eternal Life 20. O Timothy keep that which is committed to thy trust avoiding profane and vain babblings and oppositions of science falsly so called 21. Which some professing have erred concerning the faith Grace be with thee Amen 20 21. O Timothy be sure to hold fast and keep safe these necessary Precepts which I have given thee as from God by his Spirit containing the true Wisdom tending to Salvation in trust that thou teach them others But avoid those frivolous Tricks and wordy Arts and disputing strife about their falsly named Sciences even the Logical and Philosophical triflings of Stoâ—cks Peripateticks and all the Sects of Heathen Philosophers in which they think the excellency of Learning consisteth despising the simplicity of Christianity as Ignorance Some Christians being taken with this sort of Learning have been tempted to corrupt Religion by it and to turn such Hereticks as are but Mungrel Christians and not sound and truly such The Grâ—ce of God preserve sanctifie and save thee Amen Nâ—te I have before shewed that it was Philosophers who by their pretence of greater Learning were then the Despisers and Powerfullest Adversaries of Christianity and the generality of them were taken up with meer useless quibling and trifling and striving about Words and barren Notions instead of needful useful Knowledge so that their famed Sciences were but like Dreams and Childish Babling So that it was the Honour of Socrates to call them off to the study of Virtues and things of use whom Plato followed with a mixture of Vanity And a smattering in these Sciences bewitched the Hereticks of that age But Paul doth not hereby condemn the true Philosophical Knowledge of God in his Works nor a carefulness of exact speaking as to Words and Method or the accurate fitting of Words to things and using Art in due measure and in subservance to great and saving Truth But further than it thus subserveth to the Saving Truth of God in Christ and our duty and hopes of Life Eternal all that 's called Learning and Wit is but Fooling ANNOTATIONS PAuls Epistles to Timothy and Titus are the Church-Canons which the Holy Ghost indited And sufficient to their proper use and End tho' still there will be use for Pastoral Determination of such Circumstances as must be varied according to variety of Persons Occasions Times and Places And no Canons of Men that are contrary to any of these Divine Rules I mean such of them as are of universal fixed Obligation are Obligations to the Faithful O how happy had the Church been if these had better observed and the Churches not corrupted or torn by such as by Men are destructively or needlessly added by badness doubtfulness or numbers aâ—â—wering or overwhelming the Consciences of those that are most obedient to God The Second Epistle of PAUL the Apostle to TIMOTHY CHAP. I. 1. PAul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God according to to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus 2. To Timothy my dearly beloved son Grace mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 1. Note 1. It is Gods calling Will and not onely his permitting Will which must warrant any to assume the Sacred Ministry and prove him a true Minister of Christ 2. The Promise of Life in Christ must have Ministers to proclaim it and to preach this is their Work 3. I thank God whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day 3. Note It seemeth strange that a Persecutor and the chief of Sinners should say That from his Forefathers he served God with pure Conscience and to the High Priest That he had lived in all good Conscience to that day Ans 1. Some think he meaneth Since I was a Christian I have served God sincerely as Abraham Isaac and Jacob did Others think he meaneth Not onely since my Conversion but before I designed onely to serve God and though through ignorance I mistook the Matter I did it in zeal to please God and faithfully obeyed my Conscience Which ever be the Sense there is no Doctrinal Difference dependeth on the Controversie 4. Greatly desiring to see thee being mindful of thy tears that I may be filled with joy 5. When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice and I am perswaded that in thee also 4 5. Note 1. Though we must love all Christians with a special Love yet with great difference as they differ Choice Christians and very loving Friends must be loved above the rest 2. The more unfeigned and free from Hypocrisie in Faith and Godliness he appears to be the more amiable is that Christian 3. God often blesseth the Labours and Examples of Godly Women to raise up excellent Instruments in his Church 4. It rendreth a good Christian more amiable and honourable to be the Off-spring of Godly Parents 6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands 6. Note 1. Gods Spiritual Gifts must be used by our own stirring them up 2. It is here controverted 1. Whether it be the Gift of the Ministry and its proper Necessaries that is here meant or the foregoing Gift of the Holy Ghost 2. Whether it be meant of Paul's laying on his Hands for the former or the latter To these it may suffice us to know 1. That Timothy was converted by Paul and then it was usual for Converts to receive the Holy Ghost for some wonderful Gifts by the Laying on of the Apostles Hands And it is not to be doubted but so did Timothy long before his Ordination to the Ministry And who was so likely to do this as Paul
Cruelty when they can get into Power Men of Corrupt Minds reprobate concerning the Faith Unbelievers under the Name of Christians Note That the Names of Jannes and Jambres are taken by Paul from the Tradition of the Jews 9. But they shall proceed no further for their folly shall be manifest unto all men as theirs also waâ— 9. But as Moses's Miracles overcame the Magicians and shamed them so these shall be stopt in the pursuit of their Deceit and Heresie and Opposition to the Truth and shall not proceed much further but God will confound them and manifest all their folly 10. But thou hast fully known my doctrine manner of life purpose faith long-suffering charity patience 11. Persecutions afflictions which came unto me at Antioch at Iconium at Lystra what persecutions I endured 10 11. But for thy establishment I set before thee the example of my ministry Thou hast been fully acquainted with the Doctrine which I have taught with the course and ordering of my Life my purpose and design my faithfulness in my Work my long-suffering and freedom from wrath my love to others my patient suffering my persecutions and sufferings at Antioch and other places where I have Preached and what the Ministry hath cost me 11 12. But out of them all the Lord delivered me Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 11 12. But out of them all God delivered me so that I went on to do his Work Yea such is the malignity of the Carnal World against that which crosseth their Lusts and Errour and Carnal Interest that all that resolve in a throughly Godly Life and not by flattery or sin to comply with the wiles of Proud Ungodly Men but to be true to Christ shall suffer some sort of Persecution 13. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived 13. But the sin which hardeneth these Wicked Men to be Persecutors of Godly Christians will harden them so far as to justifie it and stand to it impenitently and think they do God service by Persecuting his Servants pretending that it 's they that are erroneous and bad men and do deserve it and being deceived themselves will by deceit draw others to do the like 14. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them 14. But do thou continue in that Doctrine which I have taught and thou hast received as assured truth as knowing that thou hadst it from Christ by an Authoriz'd Apostle 15. And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus 15. And from thy Childhood thou hast been trained up in the knowledge of the Old Testament whose Prophesies of Christ and sacred Precepts now Illustrated by the Gospel of Christian Faith are sufficient to make thee wise by the Spirit of Grace in all that 's neeedful to Salvation 16 17. All scripture is given by inspiration of of God and is profitable for Doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 16 17. All those Writings which are of Divine Inspiration are also profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Amendment and Correction and for Education and Discipline in Righteousness that so all Gods Servants and especially Teachers may be compleat and fully instructed and furnished for every good work required of God for the Ministerial Service and for Mens Salvation Note Tho this exclude not the use of any Subservient Arts or Knowledge yet certainly this is little understood or believed by the Roman Clergy who have made it necessary to a tolerated Minister to know and observe their numerous Canons and Oaths Subscriptions and Ceremonies besides many Books of theirs while they admit Priests that are ignorant of the Scripture and forbid the reading of them to the People CHAP. IV. 1. I Charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom 2. Preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine 1 2. So dreadful is the sin Sacrilegiously to deny Christ the Service which thou hast vowed him and art ordained to and to betray the Gospel and Mens Souls by so doing that I do adjure thee with all possible earnestness as before God and as thou wilt answer it to Christ in Judgment when he cometh in the Kingdom of his Glory that thou forbear not by any Persecution as far as possibly thou canst to Preach the Word be instant and urgent in season or fair opportunities yea Out of season necessity must take place of Convenience and Circumstantial Decencies Reprove the faulty Rebuke gross sinners Exhort all Men with unwearied long-suffering and sound Doctrine Note How dreadful a thing it is to cease Preaching the Gospel while we can whatever we suffer for it and whoever forbiddeth it Let them that think that the Apostles onely were exempted from yielding to Mens Prohibition remember that Timothy had his call and Commission from Men Qu. But may not Church Rulers silence Ministers Ans Yes when they so deserve it by doing more hurt than good that Christs Law doth silence them else not Tho they may determine of Place and Circumstances and Magistrates may also dispose of their own free encouragements and may restrain Men from evil doing 3. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears 3. Note 1. That the foresight of Evil times by tempting Teachers should make Faithful Ministers labour the harder in their time 2. It is no new thing for Professed Christians not to endure Sound Doctrine but to follow false Teachers 3. It is by their own Lusts or Erroneous Wills and Choice that Professors are seduced by false Teachers 4. Itching Ears is a dangerous Disease 5. False Teachers may be heaped up and to have the Major Vote when Sound Teachers cannot be endured 4. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables 4. Note That Chuches Pastors and People may turn away from the Truth to Fables 5. But watch thou in all things endure afflictions do the work of an Evangelist make full proof of thy ministry 5. Note That great watchfulness patient labouring and suffering and fulfilling their Ministry approvedly in all Tryals is the Description of a True Minister of Christ 6. For I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand 7. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that
day and not to me onely but unto all them also that love his appearing 6 7 8. Note That 1. Our Ministry and Life is like a Battle Combat or Race for Life or Death 2. Onely they that overcome shall be Crowned 3. Faithful Men may take great Comfort when when â—eath is at hand in the Conscience and review of a well spent victorious Life and Ministry 4. Their Reward will be a Crown of Righteousness given by God as a Righteous Judge on Gospel worthiness tho not on legal merit but supposing free Grace in Christ 5. To love Christs appearing is the effect of a Saving Faith 9 10 11. Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me For Demas hath forsaken me having loved this present world and is departed unto Thessalonica Crescens to Galatia Titus unto Dalmatia Onely Luke is with me Take Mark and bring him with thee for he is profitable to me for the ministry 12. And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus 19 10 11 12. Note That 1. It is not Christ that Demas is said to forsake but Paul and not to turn Worldling but to go about his Worldly Business unseasonably 2. Timothy was not then at Ephesus 13. The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus when thou comest bring with thee and the books but especially the parchments 13. Note The word translated the Cloke is very probably by others translated the Roll viz. of Parchment 14 15. Alexander the copper-smith did me much evil the Lord reward him according to his works Of whom be thou aware also for he hath greatly withstood our words 14 15. Alexander an Excommunicate Man hath much wrong'd me God will reward him according to his works Note Excommunication enrageth impenitent bad Men. 16. At my first answer no man stood with me but all men forsook me I pray God that may not be laid to their charge 16. Note 1. This was not a forsaking Paul's Cause but his Person in danger which is too usual a case Herein he followed Christ whose Disciples all forsook him and fled 2. It 's like Peter was not then at Rome among the forsakers of Paul 17. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me that by me the preaching might be fully known and that all the Gentiles might hear and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion 17. But God forsook me not when all Men forsook me but was with me and strengthened me in Vindicating my Person and Cause that while I was admitted to answer for my self the Hearers might know and fame might tell abroad what Doctrine it is that I suffer for Preaching and so all the City of Rome and others by their report might hear and have notice of it And so I was delivered from the present danger of Death by the Roman Persecutors as from the Jaws of a Lion Note 1. Some think that the words that the Preaching might be fully known refer to Paul's longer time to Preach I exclude not this but prefer the other sence 2. It was not Treason nor sin for Paul to call his Deliverance from the unjust Judgment of the Civil Power his being delivered out of the mouth of the Lion 18. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen 18. And I doubt not but God will still keep me from all the ill Designs and Attempts of Men against me at least so far that they shall not draw me to do evil and will keep me in a state of right and preparation to his Heavenly Kingdom In the hopeful Sence whereof I rejoicingly desire that he be Glorified for ever Amen 19 20. Salute Prisca and Aquila and the houshold of Onesiphorus Erastus abode at Corinth but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick 19 20. Note That Trophimus was sick though Paul had the Gift of Healing because it was not to be common nor at the Will of Man 21. Do thy diligence to come before winter Eubulus greeteth thee and Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren 21. Make hast to come c. 22. The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit Grace be with you Amen 22. The Lord Jesus Christ who is our Mediator and Head and hath purchased chosen and called thee performed for thee his saving Office in keeping thy Soul in Holiness and Peace His Grace which is the greatest Treasure on Earth be with you to keep you and prepare you for Glory Amen Note The Suscriptions to the Epistles are no part of the Holy Scripture ANNOTATIONS FAithful Ministers whose Work is to Preach the Gospel of Salvation should have so much of the Form Belief and Power of it in themselves as to pass triumphantly out of the World in suffering for it and not to think that God useth them hardly And to be satisfied in God's acceptance though their Brethren and Converts should forsake them as the Bishops and Churches of Asia did Paul The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to TITUS CHAP. I. 1 2. PAul a servant of God and an Apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of Gods elect and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began 1 2. Paul c. for the propagating of the Faith of God's Elect and the acknowledgment of that sound Doctrine which is suited to the promoting of godliness in opposition to prophaneness and heresie in hope of eternal life which is the end of all our faith and godliness and all our preaching and suffering which God that cannot lie promised before many Ages past 3. But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour 3. But what he so long ago purposed and darkly promised he haâ—h in the fittest appointed season manifested by his Gospel through preaching which is committed to me by the Commission and Commandment of God our Saviour Note That it is doubtful whether by God's Promise be meant only his secret purpose or by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be meant many Ages ago One of the two it must be for we cannot feign an actual Promise before the world began distinct from his purpose 2. It is not unlikely that he meaneth the Promise first made to Fallen Man of the Womans Seed and after oft renewed and this obscure word was made plain by the preaching of the Gospel upon Christs Incarnation Life and Resurrection c. 4. To Titus mine own son after the common faith grace mercy and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour Note The Church hath but one Faith or Creed common in the Essentials to every Christian 5. For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordain elders in every city as I had appointed thee 5 Note
they be not unfruitful 14. And let all that keep in our Communion as sound Christians see that they live not idly or unprofitably or on other mens cost and labour but that they live in some Trade and diligent labour by which they may be themselves maintained and be fruitful in pious and charitable Communications 15. All that are with me salute thee Greet them that love us in the faith Grace be with you all Amen 15. Note Mutual kind salutations and benedictions are meet expressions of Christian Love The Epistle of Paul to PHILEMON 1. PAul a prisoner of Jesus Christ and Timothy our brother unto Philemon our dearly beloved and fellow labourer 2. And to our beloved Apphia and Archippus our fellow-souldier and to the church in thy house 3. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ 1. Note That to be a Labourer and Souldier and a Prisoner for Christ are the Titles that Paul glorieth in and not in worldly dignities 4. I thank my God making mention of thee always in my prayers 5. Hearing of thy love and faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus and toward all saints 4 5. Note That 1. Paul made particular mention of Persons and Churches yea many of both in his prayers 2. True Faith in Christ will produce Love to him and to all Saints and not only to those of a Party with us 6. That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus 6. That thy Faith may be manifest to be effectual by the evident production of all sorts of good fruits which Jesus Christ hath taught thee and wrought in and by thee 7. For we have great joy and consolation in thy love because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee brother 7. Note That when Faith bringeth forth the fruits of liberal Charity to the relief of others it makâ—s it and the agent much more amiable than when it doth not though it should be sincere and want only ability as a good Tree laden with choice fruit is more lovely than in the Winter Much more than when Hypocrisie maketh Faith fruâ—tless 8. Wherefore though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoyn thee that which is convenient 9. Yet for loves sake I rather beseech thee being such a one as Paul the aged and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ 8 9. Church-Rulers must not plead and use meer commanding Authority when Love and Intreaty is more fit for the end as usually it is with Brethren and worketh more kindly and effectually 10 11. I beseech thee for my son Onesimus whom I have begotten in my bonds Which in time past was to thee unprofitable but now profitable to thee and to me 10 11. Note 1. That true Conversion maketh good Servants as well as good Christians 2. That the faults of converted Servants should be pardoned by us as ours be of God 3. That God's word by a Prisoner may save Souls 4. That a converted Servant should be valued by the greatest Apostle 12. Whom I have sent again thou therefore receive him that is mine own bowels 12. Note How dear are the Souls of the meanest to a faithful Minister and how lovely when converted 13. Whom I would have retained with me that in thy stead he might have ministred unto me in the bonds of the gospel 13. Even thou thy self owest me service while I suffer bonds for the Gospels sake and I would have kept him to do it for me in thy stead 14. But without thy mind would I do nothing that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity but willingly 14. But I would not without thy consent so dispose of one who is rightfully thy Servant though a fugitive that thy kindness to me may not be necessitated by my will but be free as thy own will 15. For perhaps he therefore departed for a season that thou shouldest receive him for ever 16. Not now as a servant but above a servant a brother beloved specially to me but how much more unto thee both in the flesh and in the Lord 15 16. His temporary departure may end in a durable reception and entertainment and that not only as a Servant but a Brother beloved specially by me who converted him much more by thee to whom now he is doubly related both as a Servant and as a Fellow-member of Christ 17 18. If thou count me therefore a partner receive him as my self If he hath wronged thee or oweth thee ought put that on mine account 17 18. If thou judge me to have right in thy affairs by the bonds of Christian friendship receive him if thou wouldst receive me Set thy losses by him and wrongs on my account and I will give thee satisfaction 19. I Paul have written it with mine own hand I will repay it albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides 19. Rather than money-matters shall continue a breach I here give thee a Bill under my hand that I will repay all that he oweth thee tho I might tell thee that thou owest me even thy self 20. Yea brother let me have joy of thee in the Lord refresh my bowels in the Lord. 20. I pray thee Brother comfort me with this expression of thy Christian Love and Forgiveness 21. Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say 21. I write this as encouraged by a strong persuasion that thou wilt not only obey my desire but do more for him than I think meet particularly to urge thee to 22. But withal prepare me also a lodging for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you 22. Note That our deliverances must be expected by the means of the prayers of the faithful 23 24 25. There salute thee Epaphras my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus Marcus Aristarchus Demas Lucas my fellow-labourers The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit Amen 23 24 25. Note Paul was not without fellow-prisoners or fellow-labourers in his bonds The Epistle to the HEBREWS Whether by Paul Luke or whom is uncertain CHAP. I. 1. GOD who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets 2. Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son 1. God who hath not left us only to the light of Nature to know him by his works of Creation but in mercy hath more fully informed us by supernatural Revelation was pleased to do this variously as to Times and Manner and Degree and of old spake to our Ancestors by several Prophets who were the Messengers of his Word But in these last days he hath spoken to us by his Son greater than all Prophets 2. Whom he hath appointed to be heir of all things by whom also he made the worlds 2. Whom he
become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat Note 1. Men ought to grow in knowledge according to the time they have to learn 2. Many after long Teaching are ignorant and must be taught again the same things which they have long ago heard 3. God's Oracles have Principles which must be first learnt 13. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness for he is a babe 14. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil 13 14. Milk is the dyet for Babes and plain things for young and dull Christians harder things will but hurt them These are for them that by long study and practice have got preparatory knowledge and a habit of quick clear and sound discerning Truth and Errour Good and Evil. Note 1. People must be taught but according to their capacity 2. Harder things in Divinity must be taught them that have learned the easier and are fit for them But by hard things is not meant unnecessary curiosities of humane Arts nor unprofitable words or triffling controversies But 1. A more clear distinct and satisfying knowledge of the Evidence of the truth and sense of the Essentials 2. A more orderly knowledge of their method and mutual dependance as one Systeme that as in a Table or Scheme we may set each member in its proper place 3. A more extensive knowledge of the useful consequences of the Essentials and Principles CHAP. VI. 1. THerefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ let us go on unto perfection not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith towards God 2. Of the doctrine of baptisms and of laying on of hands and of resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment 1 2. Therefore supposing the Principles of Christian Doctrine I now pass over such discourse and will go to lead you to some additional knowledge belonging to the more perfect not now discoursing of these Principles as to men that have not received them I mean 1. Repentance and Conversion from a state of Death and from Infidelity and a wicked ungodly life 2. A lively belief and trust in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost 3. The preparatory Baptism of John and the Baptism of Christ which constituteth us professed Christian what profession is prerequisite in the Adult and what Covenant it solemnizeth what Duties it binds us to and what Benefits it delivereth and sealeth 4. The great Gift to Christ's Apostles and Ministers of Authoritative Imposition of hands by which the same Holy Ghost was given to others and Miracles wrought for the confirmation and propagation of the Christian Faith 5. The certainty of a Resurrection and future Life including the Immortality of Souls 6. The final Judgment which will sentence men to their everlasting state and use them accordingly 3. And this will we do if God permit 3. And so I will now pass to some additional further Truths by God's assistance 4. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost 5. And have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come 6. If they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh put him to an open shame 4 5 6. I will not now go back to Preach Regeneration to you that profess to be already regenerate though you are tempted to Apostacy For it is impossible for those that were illuminated to believe in Christ and were baptized and have not only heard of the signal Gifts of the Holy Ghost from Heaven but have themselves had an experimental tast thereof and been themselves partakers of the Holy Ghost as well as seen his miraculous Gifts in the Church and have had an inward experimental tast of the truth and goodness of the Gospel and the powerful preparations and hopes of the World to come If they shall really lose all this and fall from the belief of Christianity to regenerate or renew these men again to saving Repentance seeing after believing Christ to be the Messiah they are turned to take him for a Deceiver and Blasphemer and consent to the pretended Justness of his Crucifixion and so expose him by slander to the same reproach as his Crucifiers did Note 1. That the Apostle speaketh of no other falling away but to Infidelity denying Jesus to be the Christ 2. That it is not Temptation to Unbelief nor a degree of Unbelief mixt with Faith or doubting that he speaketh of but a forsaking and renouncing Christ 3. He speaketh not of the meer denyal of the Tongue in a passion or fear but of the renouncing Christ by heart and tongue 4. He speaketh not of the act of a man in madness or melancholy who is not himself but of a man's deliberate act that hath free use of reason 5. He speaketh of no Infidels or total Apostates but those that had themselves been partakers of the signal Gifts of the Holy Ghost and were convinced by experimental gust of the Truth 6. Therefore it must be noted that not only truly holy persons but abundance if not the greatest part that did but so believe as to imbody with the Church had then one sort or other of these miraculous or rare Gifts for Confirmation of the Gospel which made Christ Matth. 7. bring in the workers of iniquity as wonder-workers in his name and Paul Gal. 3.3 4 5. appealeth to the quarrelsom Galatians which way they had the Spirit and Miracles 7. That this must needs be the same Blasphemy of the Holy Ghost which Christ pronounceth unpardonable For they who had not only seen the Miracles but had the Holy Ghost themselves for some such wonders could not doubt of the matter of fact whether such Miracles were extant or not So that there was no possible way for such to turn Infidels but by believing that this Witness of the Spirit of Miracles was a false deceiving Testimony of Satan and not God's Testimony And this was the Blasphemy against the Spirit Mat. 12. 8. That it is not all that is here meant that such are not to be absolved by the Church which ought but to fore-judge as God will judge as far as they can But that also such can never truly be regenerate and saved 9. The reason is because God giveth Faith by means and the Witness of the Spirits signal Gifts is the last means for proof that God will give them and they that after receiving this reject it by such Blasphemy are forsaken by the Grace of the Spirit whom they blasphemously renounce 10. Crucifying Christ afresh importeth charging him to deserve Crucifixion as guilty of the deceit and blasphemy for which he was crucified So that none that believe not the Spirit 's Miracles in fact
that this Promise is made it followeth that it is a Promise on condition of preceding Faith As Vocation giveth Faith which is the Condition of consequent Justification and Sanctification Though all be of Grace God's Wisdom maketh the Condition a means to introduce the rest 11. And they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest 11. And it shall not be doubtful to them whether the Lord or Baal be the true God as it hath been with this unstedfast People who have so long lived in Idolatry For all the Church of Believers from the least to the greatest shall know and own me to be their God and not need to be again taught it as an unknown thing Note That this speaketh not against the necessity of Humane Teaching for it is by such teaching that God is supposed to give them the knowledge of himself Nor doth it mean that it shall be needless to teach the best to know God better for to know him is the sum and perfection of Knowledge and 't is Life Eternal But the meaning is That it shall not be an unknown thing that the Lord is our God 12. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more 12. For the greatness of my Mercy shall forgive all the sins of their unconverted state and not charge them upon them to their destruction and all the infirmities of their regenerate state Note That this Promise of Justification as well as the former of Sanctification supposeth them to be Believers in order of Nature first as the Condition 13. In that he saith A new covenant he hath made the first old Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away 13. This term of a new Covenant implieth that the old one must then be abolished and the time is come CHAP. IX 1. THen verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service and a worldly sanctuary 1. The Mosaical Covenant had its proper Ordinances of Service to God and an earthly temporary Tabernacle 2. For there was a tabernacle made the first wherein was the candlestick and the table and the shew-bread which is called the sanctuary 3. And after the second vail the tabernacle which is called the holiest of all 2 3. This made Tabernacle had two parts In the first called the Sanctuary was the Candlestick c. And within the second Veil was the Holiest of all Note Some out of Philo say that the Tabernacle and the Temple after was made as an Image or Figure of the World and therefore called Worldly the outer part figuring the lower World in which was the Candlestick with six Branches and one in the midst signifying the Planets and twelve Loaves on the Table signifying the Fruits of the Earth The inmost signifying the highest Heavens But 't is presumptuous to trust our Wit too far in feigning Divine Significations And 't is groundless hence to gather that it was called a Worldly Sanctuary 4 5. Which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold wherein was the golden pot that had manna and Aaron's rod that budded and the tables of the covenant And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy-seat of which we cannot now speak particularly 4 5. In it was the Golden Censer for Incense brought when the Priest went in and the Ark overlaid with Gold in which or near it was the Pot of Manna and Aaron's Rod and in it the Table of the Commandments of the Covenant and over it the Images of Angelical Cherubims shewing God's Glory when it appeared to men which also shadowed the Covering or Mercy-Seat 6. Now when these things were thus ordained the priests went always into the first tabernacle accomplishing the service of God 7. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year not without blood which he offered for himself and for the errors of the people 6 7. Into the first part of this Tabernacle the Priests went to perform the ordinary Service But into the second went only the High Priest once a Year but not without the Blood of Calves and Goats which he offered for such sins of himself and the people as were expiable 8. The holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first tabernacle was yet standing 8. By this the Holy Ghost signified that under that Law or Tabernacle-state the Access of Sinners to God for assured Acceptance here and Glory hereafter was not yet clearly fully and with satisfiing Assurance revealed nor by that Law as such conferred for it was reserved to the coming of the Messiah Though the Promise or Law of Grace saved men then 9. Which was a figure for the time then present in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience 9. Which figuratively signified the time then or now present when the Gifts and Sacrifices were offered which could not suffice to perfect the Acceptance of the Offerer with God or to cleanse him from the Conscience and Guilt of Sin 10. Which stood only in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time of reformation 10. I speak not of the Laws of Nature of Godliness Charity Justice and Sobriety which are common to the Jews with us and other people but of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 positive Institutions of bodily Service to God proper to Moses's Law And these Laws in such Outwards as the Body performeth called Rites and Ceremonies Meats Drinks Washings which God indeed imposed on them as a material part of their Obedience but it was as suited to their Carnality and Minority till the Messiah's Reformation set up a better Law and Worship 11. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this building 11. But Christ is come a High Priest of the future Felicity promised in the Gospel even to procure us Grace and Glory officiating in a greater and more perfect Tabernacle even his Body now glorified in Heaven having done his preparatory Work on Earth which was not built as Tabernacles are on Earth 12. Neither by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us 12. And not as the Levitical Priests by the Blood of Goats and Calves offered for Expiation but by obedient and voluntary offering his own Blood a Sacrifice for the sins of the World he obtained his Entrance into the state of Glorious Exaltation there to intercede for us and rule us having here by his Merit and Sacrifice purchased Eternal Redemption
to lay down your lives rather than wilfully to sin 5. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him 5. Have ye forgotten the Lord's gentle words as of a Father to his Children My Son c. Prov. 3.11 6. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth 7. If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons for what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not 8. But if ye be without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons 6 7 8. Note 1. Chastisement is one sort of punishment distinguished from destructive punishment in that it is not only for a warning to others but also for the amendment of the Offender No man correcteth another but for a fault and that maketh it punishment 2. It is not any derogation from the perfection of Christâ—s Satisfaction that we are punished for he never intended to make us lawless or that our sins should not be punished at all His Law of Grace hath penalties annexed A Father hath fatherly justice and punishment for his Children and Christ is not a King without such Justice 3. Even the Sufferings of Martyrs are of a mixt naâ—ure partly for sin even Adam's and their own God not on Earth taking off all the first curse but making a Medicine of it for good and partly for the tryal and reward of Faith 4. Pardon of sin is not perfect in this life else no chastising penalty would remain 9. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live 9. We reverently submitted to the Correction of our Parents whose Authority was less and they were liable to do it amiss And shall we not much more submit to God who is the Infinite Spirit and Father of Spirits as well as of our flesh and is of infallible Wisdom and never doth amiss and will fit our Spirits by suffering for a better Life 10. For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness 10. For they chastened us as fallible and passionate men as they thought good though sometimes in causeless anger but God doth all in Wisdom and Mercy for our good to make us more holy which is to be more happy as liker to himself 11. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby 11. Indeed Suffering as such is grievous as a hurt to Nature and a Fruit of Sin to be chastised It is not to be expected that Pain should be pleasant but it is the Fruit of it which is good which is Peaceable Rigâ—teousness making us more righteous and holy which is Peace to the Soul as Health is to the Body This is the Fruit when we have been tryed and exercised by it 12. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees 13. And make straight paths for your feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way but let it rather be healed 12 13. Therefore seeing Nature is weak and young unsettled Christians are apt to discouragement and fear and fainting labour to strengthen and encourage your selves and one anotheâ— and avoid tempting Seducers and keep under the â—elps in publick and private which God hath appointed for you and avoid all Scandals which may turn the Weak out of the way who already go but lamely in it but rather labour to heal such weakness 14. Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. 14. Let Peace with all men as much as in you lyeth be not only your desire but your study care and diligent pursuit and holiness and purity of heart and life without which none are capable of the blessed sight of God's pleased Face either here by faith or hereafter in glorious fruition Mat. 5.8 15. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled 15. Make it your diligent care that none of you fail of sound believing obeying and enjoying that Grace which is offered you by Christ in the Gospel and you have professed to accept lest any ill and dangerous Doctrine or fleshly Lust or Practice spring up among you and cast you into trouble and danger and the Churches be defiled by them while the Weak and Unstedfast are carried away and catch the Infection 16. Lest there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright 16. Lest Seducers and fleshly Lust draw any to Fornication or any be so prophane and set so light by Christ and Grace and Glory as to lose them all for the base things of the World and to prefer Wealth and sensual delights before them Like Esau that set so light by his Birthright as to sell it for one Dish of Meat Note What a base price all ungodly men do set on Christ and their own Salvation What hath the Fornicator the Drunkard the Glutton the Worldling the Ambitious Proud and Oppressors for all but the base portion of a Beast 17. For ye know how that afterward when he would have inherited the blessing he was rejected for he found no place of repentance though he sought it carefully with tears 17. For the Text tells you that after when he would fain have had that Blessing of Primogeniture which he sold and sought it of Isaac with tears Isaac rejected him and would not retract what he had said of Jacob. Note This intimateth a warning of the danger of the contempt of Grace lest God withdraw the Offers or leave men to the power of Temptation as deserted But 1. It determineth not any thing about the damnation of Esau 2. Nor that he truly repented of his sin against God but only of his loss of the priviledge of the elder Brother and yet could not be forgiven but that this loss could not be recalled 3. Nor that any one that truly repenteth and is converted shall not be forgiven For the contrary is a great part of the Doctrine of the Gospel 18. For ye are not come into the mount that might be touched and that burned with fire nor unto blackness and darkness and tempest 19. And the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more 18 19. For ye are not in the Infant and Wilderness-state of Israel when they must hear from God out of a Mountain on Earth which was touchable but must not be touched and which terrified them with
as himself nor doth as he would be done by 21. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls 21. Also cast away all filthiness out of your thoughts affections speech and practice and all excrementitious naughtiness or that superfluity which is but provision for the flesh to satisfie its lust and with humble tractable meekness receive God's Word not only opinionatively but as the graff is taken into the tree or your food when it is digested into blood flesh thus made an innaturalized Word and so received digested it will save your Souls 22. But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves 22. But to think that bare hearing the Word will save you is but self-deceit There must be inward practice by meditation and outward practice in true obedience 23. For if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass 24. For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was 23 24. An unprofitable custom of bare hearing and not doing is but like a man's looking his face in a glass who so goeth away and minds it no more or forgets it which neither feedeth nor cloatheth him nor cureth his diseases such are these customary dull Speculators 25. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed 25. But he that well considereth the Covenant of Grace or the Gospel which is Christ's Law of Liberty or Liberation giving us deliverance from the Jewish Law and from sin and guilt and wrath and death and dwelleth in the study of it till it turn to spiritual life digested and ingraffed in him and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of that which is required to Salvation even sound Faith Repentance sincere Obedience and Patience this man shall be blessed in so doing Note 1. They grosly deny Christ to be King which say that he hath no Law 2. His Gospel Covenant hath Precepts Rewarding Promises and Penal Threats and therefore is a proper Law 3. It giveth pardon on condition of Faith and Repentance to be performed by Divine Grace and Salvation on condition of added Obedience and Perseverance and so is a Law of Liberty Christ is the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him 4. This doing his commands which is made his imposed condition is the necessary entitling qualification for blessedness Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in by the Gates into the City 26. If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this mans religion is vain 26. If any man among you seem to others or himself to be religious and perhaps of a higher form than others and yet bridleth not his tongue from backbiting slandering or reproaching his Brethren to render them contemptible and unlovely and from speaking ill of men without either truth or a just call this man 's sinful practice doth shew that his Religion is but ineffectual and vain and doth but serve to deceive his own heart For that which doth not save men from sin will not save them from justice 27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherless and widdows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world 27. There is great contending among Christians whose way of Religious Worship is the purest and best pleasing to God That is the pure and undefiled Religion in God's sight who is our Father which is effectual to sound practical Charity and to a pure unspotted holy life even with true Love and Liberality to relieve those that are in distress and to keep heart and life clean from the love of the World and the temptations of wicked worldly men as seeking in hope for a better World CHAP. II. 1. MY brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons 1. And you that profess to believe the Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ which the poorest Christians shall partake of equally with the rich and to which all worldly glory is but vanity must not now make a great difference in the Church between rich men and the poor by a worldly respect of persons for their riches 2. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring in goodly apparel and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment 3. And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing and and say unto him Sit thou here in a good place and say to the poor Stand thou there or sit here under my footstool 4. Are ye not then partial in your selves and are become judges of evil thoughts 2 3 4. If in your Church-Assemblies you inordinately shew respect to men for gay cloathing as rich and set light by men that by their garb seem poor do you not shew a carnal partiality by overvaluing wealth and a Judgment misguided by evil estimation Note 1. That this speaketh not against honouring Magistrates but Riches 2. Nor against a prudent respect to the Rich so far as by their wealth they may be engaged to do more good than others 3. And I think those mistake that rather expound this of meetings of Bishops for Judicature as Dr. Hammond than other Church-Assemblies For 1. If they mean any forcing Judicatures Christians had none such there being then no Christian Magistrates that had the power of the Sword 2. And if Bishops had been like our Diocesans and so distant they could not have travelled so far as such must do to keep up ordinary Judicatures without a total deserting their chief work for their Flocks 3. And as they truly were Congregational Bishops over no more than one of our Parishes their distance between City and City was too great for this without the like omissions 4. Christians having then no Judicial Power but as Arbitrators the Contenders chose what Arbitrators they thought best 5. Their Publick Church-Government was exercised in the same Assemblies which met for Worship which therefore are liker here to be mentioned with respect to their most usual business and not the rarer 6. It is the whole Church and not the Bishops only that is here admonished 7. It is too hard a censure for such men to use as are pleading for too much honour to Bishops to suppose them so early guilty of so much partiality and carnal respect to fine cloths and riches and so much Injustice in Judging as this Doctor 's Exposition doth suppose It 's liker to be the vulgars fault 5. Hearken my beloved brethren Hath not God
Judgment and so of our final Salvation 4. In that sincere Holiness and Obedience is the very matter that must justifie men against the virtual or actual accusation of Satan that they were not holy and obedient but ungodly or hypocrites As Faith it self is the matter of our Justification against the accusation that we were not Believers Now James speaketh of no other Faith than Paul doth But 1. He speaketh of another thing under the name of Works 2. And he speaketh of a working Nature in Faith for our Justification begun and of the Deeds themselves as needful to its continuance And in a word he speaketh of such Justification by no sort or works 1. In opposition to Christ or free Grace or 2. In coordination with him 3. But in meer instituted subordination to him And no Christian must ascribe to any Faith Works or act of Man the least part of the Office of Christ CHAP. III. 1. MY brethren be not many masters knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation 1. And as I thus admonish you against the Errour of Hypocrites who take their dead Opinions and Professions for a Justifying Faith so must I do against another Vice which that sort of Hypocrites are guilty of Their Pride and Self-conceit maketh them think that their knowledge is much higher than other Christians and that they are the fittest men to be Teaching Masters and Reprovers and so they are all forwarder to Teach and Magisterially Censure others and use their Tongue to contemn others as short of them in knowledge and to boast of themselves and all their Talk runs in a Teaching and not a Learning way But I warn you to avoid this proud and masterly spirit for it will make your sin the greater and without excuse and increase your condemnation 2. For in many things we offend all If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body 2. Your zeal goeth out by censuring others as great sinners in comparison of you perhaps for not observing your Ceremonies and Traditions or not taking you for their Teaching Masters But fear sin in your selves yea lest your censorious reproachful unbridled Tongues should prove worse than that which you censure others for He that hath most power to rule his Tongue and sinneth not in words is like to be the most perfect Christian and can rule his actions by the same Obedience and Wisdom which doth rule his Tongue 3. Behold we put bitts in the horses mouths that they may obey us and we turn about their whole body 3. As we rule the whole bodies of Horses by a Bridle in the mouth so could you bridle your mouths it would both signifie a power to rule your lives and much promote this 4. Behold also the ships which though they be so great and are driven of fierce winds yet are they turned about with a very small helm whithersoever the governour listeth 4. So the Pilot by so small a thing as the Helm ruleth great Ships that are under the force of Winds 5. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasteth great things 5. And man's Tongue is but a small part of the body though it boast great things and the Government of that little member is a great part of the Government of the man 5 6. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth And the tongue is a fire a world of iniquity so is the tongue amongst our members that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature and it is set on fire of hell 5 6. The Tongue in the body and the World is like fire among much combustible matter As a little fire kindleth much so this little member doth both kindle defiling passions and guilt in our own bodies and also kindle hatred rage and strife in the World and set on fire the Societies and Affairs of Mankind in the World being it self set on fire by the Devil and used by hellish temptations to hellish designs in diabolical employment 7. For every kind of beasts and of birds and of serpents and things in the sea is tamed and hath been tamed of mankind 8. But the tongue can no man tame 7 8. For all sorts of Animals have been mastered by Man But the Tongue of another who can master when we have so much ado to subdue our own 8 9. It is an unruly evil full of deadly poison Therewith bless we God even the Father and therewith curse we men which are made after the similitude of God 10. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing 8 9. It is to us and in the World an unruly evil till Grace shall tame it and infecteth our selves and the societies where we live with the mortal Poison of many great sins The same Hypocrites who praise God and worship him with it do reproach their Brethren with it not only Men that have some of Gods Image in their natural faculties but those that are Gods true Servants better than themselves who are renewed to Gods Image in Holiness by Grace 10. 11. My brethren these things ought not so to be Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter 12. Can a fig-tree my brethren bear olive-berries either a vine figs so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh 10 11 12. Do you not perceive that your ill reproachful Tongues which vilifie speak evil of and condemn good Christians for not being of your minds do confute themselves when the same Tongues profess to honour God and boast of Wisdom and Religion in your selves If you were as Wise and Godly as you profess your Tongues would not by speaking ill of your Brethren shew the contrary No Fountain sends forth sweet water and bitter fresh and salt no Fig tree brings sorth Olives The tree is known by its fruits 13. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge amongst you let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom 13. Are any among you indeed as much wiser and knowing and excelling others as you would be thought when you censure or despise them Shew it if you would have any wise man believe you not by proud boasting or talking against others but by the true fruits of the Spirit even a better conversation than theirs in all your dealings and by more good works with that humble meekness which signifieth true Wisdom 14. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not and lie not against the truth 15. This wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual devilish 14 15. But if you have a bitter Zeal and envy and uncharitable heart-rising and strife against your Brethren pretending truth Orthodoxness or Religion for your swelling envy and emulation and talking and preaching down Love and Peace to make those that differ from your side to seem hateful or contemptuous in comparison of
of the Keys from the particular Churches among them and instead of it rule secularly by destructive force and prophane the power of the Keys by committing them to uncapable Lay-men to be used suo modo contrary to their nature and end yea against men for obeying God do take God's Name and their sacred Titles in vain for which God will not hold them guiltless 3. Neither as being lords over God's heritage but being ensamples to the flock 3. Nor as if they were Lords of the Church to domineer over the people of God and rule them by the Sword or outward Force or command them by Laws or Impositions of their own besides the Ordering of Christ's own Ordinances in subservient Circumstances for the Churches Edification nor to extort from them a large Maintenance But as becoming Ensamples to the Flock of all the Humility Self-denyal Love and Patience and all other Vertues which they preach Note How can Men be such visible Examples to many hundred Flocks that never knew them 4. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away 4. And though you have no reward from men when Christ the Redeemer and Owner and chief Ruler Lover and Defender of his Church shall come to Judgment you shall receive from him your full reward even a never fading Crown of Glory 5. Likewise ye younger submit your selves unto the Elder yea all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble 5. And as Juniors are usually fittest to be subject you that are young and Inferiors submit your selves to the Teaching and Guidance of the Elder especially the Pastors Yea let all Christians be as teachable and willing to learn and to please the righteous Wills of one another as if they were your Rulers and you their Subjects not insisting too much on your Self-will and Self-interest or Liberty And let Humility which will cause this Condescension and Complaisance be to you as your very Clothing and Ornaments instead of proud Ostentation in Garb and Carriage for God sets himself against proud men to bring them down but the humble he doth countenance and exalt 6. Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time 7. Casting all your care upon him for he careth you 6 7. Seeing then that God's Judgments are abroad in the Earth and it is the Almighty God in whose hand we and all things are humble your selves under his hand that he may exalt you in his appointed time and wholly trust him with all your Concerns and cast away all distrustful Care for his Love and Providence will be your full Security 8. Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roaring lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour 8. Be sober and not entangled with Baits of fleshly Pleasure and be not careless but as always watching for the Devil who pleadeth against you as your Accuser is unwearied in ravenous murderous Rage seeking night and day to deceive you with his Temptations and destroy you 9. Whom resist stedfast in the faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world 9. Be stedfast therefore in the Faith from which Satan by Temptations would discourage you and resist his ill Suggestions occasioned by your Sufferings remembring that it is not your case alone but others also suffer with you Yea all that will live Godly in Christ shall suffer Persecution 10. But the God of all grace who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after that ye have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you 11. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen 10 11. But the God of all Grace who hath already effectually called us into that state of Grace in which we have right and comfortable hope of attaining his eternal Glory by the Redemption and Intercession of Christ Jesus after you have suffered the short time of his Appointment compaginate and perfect you and your several Churches and stablish strengthen and settle you more firmly by the shaking of these Tryals blessed by his Grace And the Glory and Dominion which are his be acknowledged in his praise for ever Amen 12. By Sylvanus a faithful brother unto you as I suppose I have written briefly exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand 12. By Sylvanus a trusty Brother to you as I reckon I have written with sufficient Brevity the scope of all being to exhort you to stand fast and to testifie to you that this Christian Faith which we have preached and you profess is that true State or Kingdom of Grace foretold by the Prophets and expâ—cted by your Fore-fathers and that there is no other Saviour or way of Life and therefore let no Deceivers or Persecutors shake you 13. The church that is at Babylon elected together with you saluteth you and so doth Marcus my son 13. Note Some by Babylon understand Rome But seeing forced Senses are not to be received without cogent Reasons I rather take it plainly for Babylon in Assyria or that in Egypt 14. Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus Amen 14. Let the constancy of your mutual Christian Love be on all meet occasions expressed by friendly kissing of Men with Men and Women with Women being now the ordinary expression of it Holy Peace the Summary of Prosperity be with you all that are the true Members of Christ the great Peace-maker Amen Note 1. That the thing made a common Christian Duty is not Kissing which is a mutable signification but it is Indeared Love exprest 2. But Kissing being then the common signification of Love was a duty where that signifying use by custom was continued as needful 3. That 't is doubtless that all significant actions even in Worship which are mentioned in Scripture are not of standing duty nor such forbidden that are not there mentioned or commanded in particular For when God commandeth in general the expressions of Love Humility Reverence Consent c. he leaveth it to the custom of the Countries or natural Aptitude of the Action or the Consent of many or the Conduct of Rulers by what fit Action these things shall be exprest As Love by this Kiss or by Embracing or shaking Hands and Humility by putting off the Hat bowing kneeling c. or Reverence by the same actions even in Worship kneeling bowing standing prostration being uncovered c. Consent by holding up the hand standing up writing c. But this is no Warrant for them who will invent many practices or things which have no such signifying Aptitude and put on them a signification of their own devising and command this to be used as a Badge and Symbol of Christianity and
and it shall be made so like as that the same men shall inhabit both c. These are doubts which I think it must be the day of performance that must resolve As also whether accordingly there were other Heavens and Earth destroyed for sin before the Creation of this But Christians care should be to be diligent to be found in a state of safety and peace and without spot and blameless and leave unknown things to God and then whatever this blessed change be we shall have our part in it 15. And account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you 15. And think not that God neglecteth you by delays but that he suffereth the wicked World so long that he may gather all his Chosen to Salvation that are yet to be born and called as Paul hath shewed Rom. 9. 16. As also in all his epistles speaking in them of these things in which are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other scriptures unto their own destruction 16. Note 1. They that refer in which to these things and not to his Epistles pervert the Text for it puts in which as contradistinct to other Scriptures and not to other things And it 's many other things much more than these that were wrested to destruction And Peter himself even here speaketh as hard things of this as ever Paul did 2. It pleaseth God to put hard things in the Scripture for our exercise 3. Yet it is mens ignorant instability that wresteth such to their destruction For there is as much very plain as may bring men to Salvation And if as to the difficult parts they will 1. But search as humble Learners 2. And not take on them to know before they do but confess their ignorance it may stand both with Salvation and the Churches Peace 3. And if they must by men be inclined to either side let them say plainly I hold not this by Divine Faith as part of my Religion but as an Opinion on the trust of Man 17. Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness 17. The scope of what I have said is to warn you that having timely notice of all these things ye most diligently take heed lest any of these sensual Professors or Heretical Backsliders or Scoffers deceive you in wavering or unbelief or heresie or sensuality to fall from your spiritual stedfastness in Faith and Hope and Holy living 18. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to him be glory both now and for ever Amen 18. But contrariwise labour diligently to grow in all grace in Faith Love Holiness Patience Hope c. and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ his Person Office Undertaking Performance Humiliation Resurrection Doctrine Example Spirit Intercession Glory Kingdom and Judgment That as Glory belongeth to him you may glorifie him now and in the sight of his Glory for ever Amen The First Epistle of JOHN the Apostle CHAP. I. 1. THat which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life 1. Whereas there are of late many Heresies sprung up about the Person Doctrine and Works of Christ I shall declare to you that which was from the beginning his Godhead or say others that of him which was decreed from Eternity or as others that which is true of him from his beginning or Incarnation and that same Christ whom we have heard and seen with our Eyes and looked on and our Hands have handled even the Humane Body of Christ the Word of Life Or as others that Gospel which we have heard that Person and those Works which we have seen and him whom we have handled as these concern the Gospel of life 2. For the life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness and shew unto you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us 2. For Christ who is Life in himself and the Fountain of Life to us was manifested in flesh and we have seen him and bear witness and preach to you the Eternal Divine Life and Nature of Christ which was eternally one with the Father and was manifest to us 3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 3. I say we declare to you that of Christ which we our selves have seen and heard that so what we had by seeing and hearing you may have from our Testimony who have seen and heard Christ himself and so you may by our communication partake of the same Faith and Grace as we our selves do and may continue in our Communion and that is no other then to have the same Father and Saviour from and with whom it is that we have communication and communion and not to turn from them 4. And these things write we unto you that your joy may be full 4. And the end of my writing this to you is the compleating of your own Joy and Salvation 5. This then is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is light and in him is no darkness at all 5. The first and great part of Christ's Doctrine and our Message is to teach us to know God himself and first that he is Light and in him is no darkness at all Note 1. The Apostle telling us what God is speaketh in the Abstract to let us know that it is his Essence and not a meer Accident that he meaneth And as God's Image in Man's Soul hath three essentiating faculties Vitality Vnderstanding and Will which are eminently self-motions Light and Heat or resembled by these so God is here called LIFE v. 1. LIGHT v. 5. and LOVE c. 4 v. 8. 2. When God is called LIGHT it is spoken but metaphorically and signifieth his KNOWLEDGE or WISDOM as it is his Essence and as Communicative giving the Light of Knowledge to all that have it and wisely Ruling them by his Laws And also the GLORY of this and all his perfections as refulgent to the Creature For Glory and Light are oft the same in sense 3. When it is said There is no darkness in him it meaneth No Ignorance nor Privation nor Vncomfortableness as Darkness is 6. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth 7. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all
him so far as he is lovely 4. But Rulers may be obliged to put to death some sinners but that must be more for love to Justice and the Common-wealth than hatred to the man though yet as he is bad some hatred is due to him 10. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him 11. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes 10 11. He that truly loveth his Brother as himself doth shew that he is indeed a knowing and true Christian And he will be free from the scandâ—lous mischiefs of Persecution Oppression and other Injuriousness which want of true Love doth cause in others But he that hateth abuseth persecuteth hurteth or destroyeth his Brother is but a dark self-deceiving Pretender to Christian Faith and Wisdom and knoweth not what he doth himself when he exerciseth his Wit or Power against his Brother for he is blind in sin 12. I write unto you little children because your sins are forgiven you for his Name 's sake 13. I write unto you fathers because ye have known him that is from the beginning I write unto you young men because you have overcome the wicked one 12 13. And this Command of Love and Obedience is such as all sorts of you must receive I urge it on you that are Children in Christ because being washed lately in Baptism and the Blood of Christ from your sins you should love much because much is forgiven you I urge it on you ancient Christians because you have long been taught to know this Commandment and to know the Love of God in Christ which doth enforce it I urge it on you that are strong Christians because you have conquered the Devil who is the Wicked One and the grand Enemy of Love 13 14. I write unto you little children because ye have known the Father I have written unto you fathers because ye have known him that is from the beginning I have written unto you young men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one 13 14. Again I say that you may not neglect it I urge this Commandment of Love and Obedience on all sorts among you On young Christians because to know God as he is Love and a Father to us is your chief Principle of Faith On you ancient Christians because it is your old Religion On you strong Christians because you that have most Strength and Victory over Satan must have most of this Grace of Love and Obedience 15. Love not the world neither the things that are in the world If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 15. And I must accordingly warn you against the Love that is contrary to this Divine Christian Love which is the carnal inordinate Love of this World and Worldly Interest and Things Avoid this with all possible care for in that measure that you thus love the World you are so far destitute of the Love of God else it would prevail against it 16. For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world 16. For All that is the Bait of Sensuality in the World whether it be the pleasures of Appetite Lust and other Senses or the pleasing of a covetous lustful or vain Imagination by the Eyes or Preferment Dominion pompous Living and Pride of Life are none of them the way to Communion with God and Salvation but are the Worldly Interest and Temptation of the Flesh which turn men's hearts to the World from God 17. And the world passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever 17. And the World and all its Pomp Plenty and Pleasure and the Fleshly Lusts that are pleased by it are hastily passing away while they seem enjoyed But the reward and the pleasure of those that do the will of God will have no end 18. Little children it is the last time and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time 18. I yet speak to you as Children liable to Deceit It is now the latter part of the Age of the World And as you have heard that Antichrist shall come so even now there are many false Teachers risen up who in several sorts and measures are Adversaries to Christ which shews us that indeed it is already the beginning of the last Age. Note Of the Controversie about Antichrist see the Notes on 2 Thes 2. there are four Opinions very commonly pleaded for and others by some few I. Most of the old Doctors and Christians that have left us their Thoughts took Antichrist to be a false pretending Christ that should rise up towards the end of the World little dreaming that the Pope was he much less that all the visible Christian Church was then in its most flourishing state Idolatrous and Antichristian as some hold By which it appeareth that it is a Point that Godly Men may be ignorant of for few now but the Papists are of this Opinion II. Others think that Mahomet is the great Antichrist as being that open Enemy of Christianity who by pretending hatred to Idolatry hath set up himself and won more of the World than all the Christian part of the Earth by far III. Most Protestants hold that the Pope is the Antichrist but they greatly disagree of the time when he began to be so Some say at the Churches Deliverance by Constantine which was three hundred and four years after the Birth of Christ Some say About Anno 604. when Phocas named Pope Boniface the Third Universal Bishop in the Empire And thence riseth a Doubt whether the same Claim made not John of Constantinople Antichrist before and so there â—e not two Antichrists And whether the like Ambition made not Cyril Theophilâ—s and other Patriarchs of Alexandria and divers other Bishops to be so many Antichrists Some say He began about Hildebrand's time when the Claim of Universal Head and Vice-Christ over all the World began with Power over Princes which was above a thousand Years after Christ And some few say He began about Innocent the Third when the General Council of the Lateran owned that Power with Transubstantiation and the Murder of Reformers as Hereticks The Reasons for the Opinion that the Pope is the Antichrist you may find in many Volumes and particularly Bishop G. Downame's IV. Others think that Antichrist was a false Christ who was to appear in the days of some of the Apostles or that Generation to seduce the Jews into Rebellion against the Romans to their destruction And they are very confident that John here meant no other than Christ himself meant in
or only such as Ebion Cerinthus and others that denyed somewhat of Christ's Being his Manhood or his Godhead or his real Suffering Or those that were for Moses's Law and held that Christ may be denyed with the Tongue in case of danger so that the heart deny him not pretending that God will have Mercy to our selves and not Sacrifice 24. Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning if that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father 24. Hold fast the Doctrine which at the first ye received from us and turn not after Novelties and this will preserve you against Seduction and continue you in the Faith Relation and Love of the Son and Father 25. And this is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal life 25. And if you live by â—aith upon his Promises he will give you Eternal Life which he hath promised whatever you suffer or forsake here in the way 26. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you 26. It is the seducing Hereticks who occasion my writing these Warnings to you 27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him 27. But I hope I need no other Argument to confirm you in the Christian Faith against Seducers than that the Spirit of Christ which is his Witness Agent and Advocate hath through his Apostles Preaching and Imposition of Hands been given to you and among you His Miracles have sealed his Truth before your eyes and his illuminating and sanctifying Grace hath been given you if you be true Believers And I hope you will not deny the Holy Ghost As he is thus the Infallible Objective Evidence of Christ's Truth so is he in you an Efficient Illuminating Teacher and ready within you to plead Christ's Cause and teach you all necessary Truth Therefore you need not any man's Testimony and Teaching as those do that have no other but must take the Word of Man alone Use Christ's Ministers but in due Subordination to the Spirit and quench it not and he will keep you 28. And now little children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming 28. Therefore Children waver not but fixedly abide in Christ and true Christianity that when he shal appear in Judgment we may see and meet him with joyful confidence and not with shame unto Condemnation as Apostates will Note 'T is wonder that he that expounds all this of Christ's coming to destroy Jerusalem by the Romans his Enemies should think that all the Christians to whom the Apostles wrote should then meet Christ or be so much comforted therein when most were like to die first and few living to be much the better for it And Christian Compassion would fill them with Grief as Paul had Rom. 9. and 11. and not make them like men of utter malice to take it for so great joy to have the Jews so murdered when Christ wept over them that foretold it and when the Romans were far more to persecute the Church near three hundred Years And this Exposition leaveth all the Christian World since to this day little more use of the abundance of Motives and Comforts of the New Testament than of the fulfilled Prophecies of the Old Do not Christ's and the Apostles words nearly concern us Or should the Church be moved to Constancy Patience and Comfort chiefly sixteen hundred Years after because a Million of Jews were killed then 29. If ye know that he is righteous ye know that every one that doth righteousness is born of him 29. And as ye believe that Christs is just and a Lover of Righteousness so all that sincerely live a righteous Life towards God and Man are new born by his Sanctifying Spirit to his Image and shall surely be received and owned by him CHAP. III. 1. BEhold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not 1. Let us therefore instead of forsaking Christ admire the wondrous Love of God to us that hath in Christ adopted us to be his Sons Indeed our Dignity is unknown to the unbelieving World for they knew not Christ to be the Son of God and how then should they know us 2. Beloved now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 2. And it is no wonder if our Condition be unknown to the unbelieving World for though we are already the Sons of God and have Right by Promise to future Glory our future Glory is yet unseen and what we shall be doth not appear to the World or to our own sight But we know by faith that when Christ appeareth we that are his Members shall in our several measures be made like our glorified Head in the Perfection both of Soul and Body and place and state of Blessedness For he hath promised that we shall be with him and therefore shall see him as he is and therefore be made capable of such a sight and glorious Communion 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure 3. And knowing that without Holiness none can see God and that it is the Pure in heart that have the Promise of seeing him therefore all that have a true effectual Hope of seeing him will make it their chief care to purifie themselves that such Likeness to Christ may render them capable of such a blessed sight 4. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law for sin is the transgression of the law 5. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin 4 5. For to sin is to transgress and break God's Law for that is the definition of Sin And ye know that Christ came in the Flesh to be a Sacrifice for Sin and to take it away and destroy it and never sinned himself and all this that he might vindicate God's Law and Holiness 6. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him 6. So far as any man is in him and is taught and ruled by him so far is he freed from all sin and all his true Members are delivered from the predominant love and practice of all known sin and are willing to know all that they may avoid it And he that would not know it and when he doth know it doth not hate it more than love it and so far forsake it as to conquer
into some sins that are to be punished with Bodily Death or â—hame Magistrates must put to death Murderers and other capital Offenders and when Magistrates do it not God will oft times do it without them himself as he did on Ananias and Sapphira and others In this case if one be to be executed by Justice or be under God's Justice that will put him to death you may pray for his Soul but you must not pray for his Life though he repent because it is against God's Law and the common Good And if you should pray for the Recovery of such a man in Sickness God hath not promised you to recover him No nor any of his own Children when their dying time is come 18. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not 18. We know that all that are born of God hate sin and overcome it in the course of their lives and live in no reigning sin which is predominant but only hated infirmities which consist with sincere predominant Faith Obedience and Repentance nor have any sin at all so far as they have the Divine Nature but they watchfully keep themselves from the prevalence of Satan's snares 19. And we know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickedness 19. And though Christ's Flocks here be less than the World we see by experience that we are of God guided by his Spirit obeying his Laws pleasing his Will living to him and hoping for his Glory and that the unconverted World is wholly set on wickedness and mischief so notorious is the difference between the faithful and the ungodly World which foretells the future difference 20. And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the true God and eternal life 20. In a word by all aforesaid we are certain of the truth of our Religion We are sure that the Son of God is come and Christ is he and by his Doctrine and Spirit hath enlightned us to know the true and only God and his Will and we are by faith and the Spirit planted into him who is the Truth even into Jesus Christ So that we are sure it is the true God that we believe and serve and the Gift and Title to Eternal Life that by Christ we do receive 21. Little children keep your selves from idols Amen 21. I speak to you in love as if you were my own Children but with care of you as to your weakness and what temptations the Idolatrous World assaults you with As Christ hath called you out of the World from Idolatry which you have renounced as you love God and your Saviour and your Souls hold close to Christ and return not to Idols nor partake of their Sacrifices nor seem to own them by Idolatrous Communion Amen The Second Epistle of JOHN the Apostle 't is most commonly thought but not certain 1. THe elder unto the elect lady and her children whom I love in the truth and not I only but also all they that have known the truth 2. For the truth's sake which dwelleth in us and shall be with us for ever 1 2. Note It seems this was some choice Woman that was a great support and helper to the Christians and eminent in Piety and stedfastness in the Faith Though some few groundlesly think that it was some Church that he calleth Lady 3. Grace be with you mercy and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Father in truth and love 3. Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and Christ the Son are the true unvaluable Blessings I wish you to confirm you in the two great parts of Religion Truth and Love 4. I rejoyced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth as we have received a commandment from the Father 4. I greatly rejoyced that I found thy Children both holding fast the Christian Truth and living in the practice of it as the Father commanded us to preach and do 5. And now I beseech thee lady not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee but that which we had from the beginning that we love one another 5. The sum of my writing to thee is not any Novelty but the old great Law of Christ Be sure that we keep up true Christian Love which Satan is an Enemy to 6. And this is love that we walk after his commandments This is the commandment that as ye have heard from the beginning ye should walk in it 6. And the Love in which we all must live is our Union and Concord in keeping his Commandments even the same Gospel which from the beginning was committed to us For both new and false Doctrines and a sinful life do break the Union and Peace of Christians 7. For many deceivers are entred into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh This is deceiver and an antichrist 7 For there are many Hereticks now come to that deceiving pass that they deny Christ himself either his Godhead or Manhood or Office or Work yea his Incarnation as if his Body were but a Fantasm These are Deceivers and Antichrists 8. Look to your selves that we lose not those things which we have wrought but that we receive a full reward 8. Look to your selves with watchful care that no temptation draw you to back-slâ—de and you lose all your former belief and labour nor we our ministerial labour on you but hold on that you and we may attain that full Reward that we seek 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son 9. As it was by the Doctrine of Christ that you were brought into your blessed Knowledge and Relation to the Father and the Son so if you fall from that Doctrine you will fall from God himself to whom by Christ you are reconciled But if you abide in Christ's Doctrine you will continue your Relation to the Father and the Son 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed 11. For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds 10 11. As for those Hereticks and Apostates that deny the Gospel or any Essential Part of Christianity shew them no encouraging Countenance Familiarity or Communion otherwise you will be guilty as Partners in their sin 12. Having many things to write unto you I would not write with paper and ink but I trust to come unto you and speak face to face that our joy may be full 13. The children of thy elect sister greet thee Amen 12 13. Note 1. Presence maketh
Forms or Humane Canons it will be no cover for the sin 4. It is the Faith first delivered to the Churches by the Apostles that corrupters deprave and we must contend for and must be the Test of our several differences 5. Keep Faith and Religion sound among its Professors and it will overcome the World 4. For there are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ 4. For there are crept in by little and little as in the dark some men that Christ had before told us should â—rise or God decreed to condemn for their sin ungodly men that though they did seem Christians have turned the Doctrine of God's Grace in Christ into a Doctrine and Practice of Lasciviousness and Licentiousness and denying Jeâ—us Christ who is the only Lord God and our Lord or the only God and our Saviour c. Note 1. One of Satan's chief ways against the Church and Religion is to corrupt it by Heresies 2. Corrupters creep secretly into the Church at unawares and do not openly bring in all at once 3. Though God ordain or decree no man's sin he both decreeth and foretelleth their condemnation for sin 4. It is ungodly mâ—n that are usually the great corrupters of the Church and Doctrine 5. Libertinism looseness and sensuality are the usual dangerous ways of such corruptions as being the way most suitable to man's corrupt Nature and which will have most followers 5. I will therefore put you in remembrance though ye once knew this how that the Lord having saved the people out of the land of Egypt afterwards destroyed them that believed not 5. As the Israelites perished in the Wilderness for Unbelief after all their miraculous deliverances from Egypt so shall revolters perish notwithstanding their Baptism and fair beginnings 6. And the angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day 6. And the Angels that stood not in their integrity but fell by sin God hath shut up as it were Prisoners in Chains though they go about all the Earth with temptations in certain expectations of fuller condemnation at the great day of Judgment 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire 7. As Sodom c. were by fire from Heaven utterly destroyed by God's revenging Judgment 8. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh despise dominion and speak evil of dignities 8. So these Hereticks dreaming of high Wisdom are turned to fleshly lusts and to despise Government and speak contemptuously or reproachfully of Superiors as if Christ hath freed men from Humane Rule and made all equal and all things lawful when yet they deny even Christ himself in some Essentials of his Person or Office 9. Yet Michael the archangel when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses durst not bring against him a railing accusation but said the Lord rebuke thee 9. Yet Michael the chief Angel contending with a Principal Devil about the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple Zech. 3. durst not bring railing accusation but appealed to God Note 1. There are differences and superiorities among the Angels and Devils It seems by Dan. 10.13 21. that Angels have their several earthly Provinces in charge and that Michael was Prince of the Jews 2. The badness and vanity of Malignants will not justifie railing accusation against them when it may not be used against Devils yet their evil must be detected that it may be frustrated 3. By the Body of Moses some understand his buried Body which Satan would have idolized and others his Body in the Basket which Satan would have had drowned But by Zech. 3. it is more like to be the Temple Law and Jewish Policy called the Body of Moses as the Church is called the Body of Christ 10. But these speak evil of those things which they know not but what they know naturally as brute beasts in those things they corrupt themselves 10. But these pretending to know what they do not speak evil of the things which they know not being proud and ignorant of their ignorance but what natural sense or reasonableness constraineth them to know their lust prevaileth against it and they live in debauchery as if they knew it not to be evil Note It 's the common mark of erroneous men to be confident where they mistake and to censure and speak evil fiercely of that which they never understood and to sin against that knowledge which they have or easily might have 11. Wo unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the errour of Balaam for reward and perished in the gain-saying of Core 11. Woe to them for they have imitated Cain in offering God a faithless Sacrifice and envying and persecuting them that do better And they are covetous worldlings that like Balaam would do evil for reward or gain And they have imitated Core in opposing Moses and Aaron Magistrates and Apostles and shall perish as they did 12. These are spots in your feasts of charity when they feast with you feeding themselves without fear clouds they are without water carried about of winds trees whose fruit withereth without fruit twice dead plucked up by the roots 12. These are the disgrace of your Love-feasts and Communion which they turn into a Sensual Feast not fearing prophanation of excess Hypocrites like empty Clouds that water not the Earth but carried about with the winds of worldly Interest or Seduction like fruitless Trees twice dead and rooted up by Apostasie from their first profession Note It is a wonder that the Apostle no more reproveth them for admitting such to their Communion as it seemeth by these words they did 13. Raging waves of the sea foming out their own shame wandring stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever 13. Unquiet fierce and raging persons who while they pour out ill words of others do but foam out their own shame Teachers they will needs be as Stars to the Churches but they are but Erratick Stars or Comets that shall end in endless darkness to themselves while they boast of Light to others 14. And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints 15. To execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him 14 15. Note 1. It 's like this Prophecy of Henoch was received by Tradition 2. This description sure is not of the
that is holy he that is true he that hath the key of David he that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth 6 7. Note Christ is described by his Holiness and Truth and absolute Power of Governing and Judging to awe and to comfort the Faithful 8. I know thy works behold I have set before thee an open door and no man can shut it for thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word and hast not denied my name 8. I know and approve thy Fidelity And I opened thee a Door of Advantage to do good in converting Infidels and to enjoy the comfort of it and none shall shut this Door against thee for thou hast kept some strength of Faith and Courage and hast not denyed me by Heresie nor Cowardize 9. Behold I will make them of the synagogue of Satan which say they are Jews and are not but do lie behold I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee 9. And as for those Hereticks that pretending Judaism corrupt Christianity and are but the Synagogue of Satan I will make them acknowledge the vanity of their Errour and the honour of thy Fidelity and to confess that I have loved and justified thee therein against their Accusations 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth 10. I will give thee a special Exemption from the Persecutions which the Heathens will shortly use to try those on Earth that profess my Name Which no doubt was performed Note Though the best are oft singled out for Persecution usually the most obedient Churches escape above others and most have a hand in bringing it on themselves 11. Behold I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy crown 11. My performance of all this is not far off for the Tryal of the Churches and thy Preservation But see that thou hold fast still thy Innocency Fidelity and Patience that thou lose not the Crown for want of Perseverance Note The best Churches and Christians have need to be warned to take heed lest they back-slide and lose all their labour and reward Even where God decreeth to cause men to persevere he decreeth to cause it by holy fear of â—alling and by the use of Watchfulness and diligent Obedience 12. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God which is new Jerusalem which cometh down out of heaven from my God and I will write upon him my new name 12. Him that overcometh in all the Tryals of this life I will make an honourable Member of the glorified Church called a Pillar as Timothy is called a Pillar and Basâ—s of Truth in the House of God and he shall there dwell for ever And I will signalize him as with a written Name both of My God and of the City of my God the New Jerusalem which is now gathering in Heaven and when it is compleat shall thence come and appear with me in Glory and I will write on him my new Name The Glorified Redeemer Note The whole Name thus set together will be An Adopted Son of God and an Heir of the New Jerusalem from Heaven and a living Member of Christ the Glorified Redeemer 13. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches 13. All that have ears and hear what Christ by his Spirit saith to all these Churches should lay it deeply to heart for their own Instruction and Admonition 14. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write These things saith the Amen the faithful and true Witness the beginning of the creation of God 14. Thus saith he who is the Truth and by whom all God's Predictions are and will be fulfilled the faithful Witness of God to Man by his Word and Sufferings the Head and Chief of all God's Creatures Note This Text is diversly expounded as men's Judgments differ 1. The Arrians hence gather that Christ is but the first of Creatures by whom God made the rest 2. Peter Sterry and that Party who hold three Natures in Christ the Divine the Prime-creâ—ted Super-angelical and the Humane say It is his middle Nature that is here called The Beginning of the Creation of God 3. But the commonest Judgment of the Church is that it is Christ as in both Natures thus called because he is the Head or Chief of all Creatures or say some as he is the Cause and Father of the new Creature by Grace 15. I know thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot I would thou wert cold or hot 16. So then because thou art luke-warm and neither cold nor hot I will spew thee out of my mouth 15 16. I know thy case and course that thou art not for open Heresie or Infidelity but professest Christianity but it is with Tepidity without such Zeal as the Faith and Hope of Christians requireth If thou wert cold and for downright Infidelity or Heresie I would judge thee accordingly And if you were sound and zealous Christians I would own you But being of a luke-warm Indifferency like Hypocrites that profess Christianity with Reserves for Worldly Safety I will disown thee with disdain Note 1. Not that God had rather men were stark naught than half Christians but as if he had said I should sooner have judged thee accordingly and thou wouldst not have aggravated thy sin with Profession of Christianity nor have dishonoured me so much by it 2. God will disown luke-warm worldly Hypocrites not all whose Zeal is defective and are too luke-warm but all that have not so much Zeal as to prefer Christ before the World 17. Because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked 17. Note 'T is like The Ostentation of this Church came from some worldly Prosperity and outward lifeless Formality in Religion with the decay of the Power of it When true Religion decayeth in any 't is usually accompanied with Self-Esteem and boasting when they should learn not to be high-minded but fear When they have turned Religion into a lifeless Image they dance about that Image and honour it 18. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayest see 18. I counsel thee to seek earnestly to me for sound Understanding in the Faith against all Heresie and for the Grace of Confirmation against all deceitful Wavering and Reserves and for
and the last e're long To understand and believe this Prophecy will be comfortable But to keep the Precepts of it avoid the Sins threatned believe the Promise of my Victories and Coming and wait in Patience is needful to all 8. And I John saw these things and heard them And when I had heard and seen I fell down to worshp before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things 8. Note All faulty Worship of Angels is not Idolatry nor maketh a Church Idolatrous It was not Divine Worship which John gave the Angel If really he wrote most of this Book against Popish Idolatry as many think he would never be twice guilty of worse than their praying to Angels and Saints themselves whom he condemned For they worship them noâ— as Gods though amiss John thought Venerâ—tion was the Angels due 9. Then saith he unto me See thou do it not for I am thy fellow-servant and of thy brethren the prophets and of them which keep the sayings of this book worship God 9. See before cap. 19.10 God is jealous of any thing too like Idolatry Note Are Angels our fellow-servants love them then and be thankful to God for their Love and Help and rejoyce in this privileage and think it not unlikely that you should live with them for ever O what a people should we be then in holiness 10. And he saith unto me Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book for the time is at hand 10. The most of it is to be performed ere long in the ruine of the Pagan persecuting Empire 11. He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still 12. And behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be 11 12. I come quickly to fulfil and execute this Prophecy and then I will take and judge men as I find them there shall be no more place for preparation as it was with the wise and foolish Virgins Matth. 25. when the midnight cry was The Bridegroom cometh as I find you I will use you 13. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending the first and the last 13. I am God eâ—â—rnal the first cause and ultimate end of all things able to fulfil my Will and Word 14. Blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city 14. Blessed are they that do what Christ requireth to Salvation in his Law of Grace or purifie their heart and life that they may by his free gift have right to enter into the New Jerusalem and live with Christ for ever 15. For without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murderers and idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie 15. For all filthy cruel persecuting Idolatrous persons and Lyars and deceitful Teâ—chers and Hypocrites though called Christians are shut out of the holy City as Dogs are turned out of the house 16. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testifie unto you these things in the churches I am the root and the off-spring of David and the bright and morning Star 16. I Jesus have sent my Angel to tell these things to John that he may tell them to the Churches of Asia and by them to others the matter much concerning those Churches then alive Take these as my own Words who am the Messiah prophesied of as the Root and Son of David and am the Light of the World sent to teach men the way of life 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say come And let him that is athirst come And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely 17. And seeing Church-deliverance now and the Glory of the New Jerusalem at last are the effects of my coming as my Spirit teacheth men to desire my coming and my Church and Chosen do desire it so let all desire it that wouâ—d partake of that felicity For all shall have it by my free gift who do but bâ—lievingly desire it For I will shut out none but final obstinate refusers 18. For I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book If any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book 19. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy God shall take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city and from the things which are written in this book 18 19. If any wilfully corrupt this Prophecy in words or sense to draw men from believing it to the belief of their own corrupt Additions God will add to them his Plagues and deprive them of any part of the blessings here foretold and shut them out of this holy City of God Note It 's dangerous then to make bold Cabalistical Fanatick Expositions of this Book and to call our own conceits the sense of the Revelation And it 's dangerous groundlesly to expect more Prophecies of God's usage of his Church or to add to any of his Word or dimâ—nish from it and father any of our Errours on Christ and on his Spirit which hath here finished that Book which must be the universal Churches Rule of Life 20. He which testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen Even so Come Lord Jesus 20. Jesus who is the Author of this Revelation surely promiseth that he will come quickly by degrees to perform all his word and chargeth you not to question it through unbelief or to saiâ—t by doubting as if he did fall by his delay And let us all with Faith hope and desire prepare and earnestly pray for his coming Even so come Lord Jesus 21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen 21. I conclude all with this best Request to God for you and Benediction to you that the Grace of our Lord Jesus which is our preparation for Glory and our earnest pledge and foretast of it may be with you to prepare you and Seal you up as the certain Heirs of that Blessed Sâ—ate and save you from all sin and Temptation and Enemies that would deprive you of it Amen An Advertisement READERS I Here give you notice which I desire you not to forget in the reading of this Paraphrase that it is but some General Notes and not a proper Exposition of the Revelations which I offer you And that I here confess to you that very much of it I understand not And if this offend any that say I should have better studied it I only say 1. That you suffer fools gladly seeing your selves are wise 2. That I am far below Dionysius Alexandrinus and most of the Ancient Fathers even Augustine himself who professed that they
otherwise you must look for severe judgement from God and to be repaid by man and used as you used others 3. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye 4. Or how wilt thou say to thy brother Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye and behold a beam is in thine own eye 3 4. So censorious are hypocrites of others that the mote of a small infirmity or dissent is seen in their eyes as if it were some intollerable thing which they must pluck out as the Pharisees censured Christ and his Disciples for not observing their ceremonies and traditions But if thou know thy self mayest thou not find worse than this in thy self Hath a Pharisee nothing worse than Non-conformity to his ceremonies and traditions How canst thou think his mote of ceremonial or small difference intollerable while thou easily bearest thy own formality magisterial pride and worldly mind and other great and deadly sins 5. Thou hypocrite first cast out the beam that is in thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye 5. Thou Hypocrite first see that thou have no greater fault thy self cast away the beam of pride worldliness formality malignity and fleshly vice out of thy self and then thou wilt be more capable to judge of thy brothers sailings and sitter to reprove him 6. Give not that which is holy to the dogs neither case ye your pearls before swine lest they trample them under feet and turn again and rent you 6. And as it is not every one that is fit to reprove so it is not every one that is fit to be reproved Tho to seek mens salvation by teaching and reproof be a work of great moment when it is used in season to them that are capable of it yet take this rule pretend not duty to teach and reprove when it s clearly like to do more hurt than good some men are hardened soorners and some sensless neglecters and some hateful persecutors To such as those holy counsel doctrine and reproof is but like casting Sacramental or consecrated bread to the dogs or pearls before swine To be thus wise and righteous over much is but the way to perish and be rent or at least made a scorn to beastly men It is no duty where it is no means to good yea to greater good than hurt Note Yet if a slothfull hypocrite shall rashly censure others to be Dogs and Swine and desperate to excuse himself from duty and trouble this is but a doubling of his sin 7. Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened to you 8. For every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened 7. And to obtain grace and mercy to your selves true Prayer is Gods appointed means Ask of God and he will give it you seek diligently and you shall find c. For every one that asketh in sincerity and seeketh with diligence and constancy shall obtain Note That is if he pray to God believing his power and goodness in the name of Christ and trusting in his merits and intercession and this first and chiefly for God's glory and for things spiritual and everlasting and for earthly things as means to these and if he be earnest diligent and constant in such askings seeking and knocking he shall certainly have grace and Glory and all outward things so far as they are sit for him and he for them 9. Or what man is there of you whom if his son ask bread will he give him a stone 10. Or if he ask a fish will he give him a serpent 11. If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him 9 10 11. Do not distrust Gods goodness and willingness to do good All the love that is good in you is but a spark from the God of infinite goodness Therefore if you would not give a stone to your Children that ask bread of you nor a Serpent to that Child that asketh a Fish and if you that are so bad men will give good things and not evil to your Children O how much more abundantly should you believe your heavenly Father ready and willing to do good to his children who ask it of him being fitted to receive it 12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets 12. And as you may gather by your own love to your children what love God hath to you so if you would have God over-rule the hearts and actions of men to love you and do you good see that you first love them and do them good and that is the most probable way to obtain it It is desirable that all men do use you with Justice and Charity Do you therefore be sure so to use all men Not that a man who hurteth himself or would have another hurt him by temptation or sin may therefore hurt another But be more forward to do good than to expect it from others and put your self in their case and do to them whatever prudently and justly you would have them do to you supposing their case and yours were exchanged 13. Enter ye in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way which leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat 14. Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it 13 14. And let not the strictness of the gate and way of life discourage you The gate is wide and the way is broad that leadeth to destruction It is easie to please the flesh and to neglect a holy life and great is the multitude that go this way But do not you follow the multitude in sin unto damnation The entrance into a life of Faith and Holiness is strait and the way is narrow requiring self-denial mortification holy diligence and patient suffering and it is but few that find this way and the life to which it leadeth But life eternal cannot be too dearly obtained Therefore let no difficulties stop you or turn you off N. 1. It is because of our corrupt averseness such as sick men have to a feast and the restraints and sufferings of the flesh that Godliness or Faith is called difficult or strait But in it self and to a sound understanding and will it is the only pleasant life To believe God's love and our everlasting glory must needs be sweeter than to live in guilt and terrour and in despair of any future happiness 2. The Gate is the entrance by conversion into a life of Faith and Holiness as the way and the Devil the
World and the Flesh will strive hard against both But Grace will conquer and make all a delight 3. Fewer turned Christians then than did after Christs ascension But if most on earth perish how little is the earth to the vast and glorious regions of the blessed 15. Beware of false Prophets who come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening wolves 16. Ye shall know them by their fruits Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles 15 16. And you must expect the temptation of Teachers falsly pretending Divine inspiration and authority they will come to you with enticing pretences as speaking for God for truth for godliness for your salvation for order peace c. but mischief and hurtfulness is in their heart and design And if you think their pretences too hard for you to confute look to the tendency and effects Thorns and thistles prick and hurt and Grapes and Figs are sweet and nourishing If their Counsel and their practice be hurtfull and destroying they are Wolves and not of God Their bloudy jaws and teeth will bewray them tho in sheeps cloathing If they would draw you to wickedness or turn you from a sober just and holy life or if instead of Love and Peace and doing good they are for hatred contention cruelty oppression unjust silencing excommunicating and persecuting by these fruits you may know them N. Tho every cruel wicked man is not a false teacher nor every man is to believed in all his Doctrines who is loving and godly Yet 1. that doctrine that tendeth to do more hurt than good is naught 2. And usually God teacheth the meek and loving and holy persons all necessary truth and forsaketh most the understanding of the wicked proud and worldly And tho not meer ornamental accomplishments yet the saving gifts of the Spirit go together that is Illumination and holy love and obedience and peace And who can be confident that Gods Spirit teacheth those men the truth above others whom he never taught the knows necessary duties of love peace justice holiness and temperance When their lives tell us that they serve the Devil its hard to believe that they are inspired of God as extraordinary men tho they may preach the truth for reputation and advantage 1. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit 18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit 19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire 20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them 17 18 19 20. As the man is so will he do Therefore by the badness of their fruit you may know that they speak not from the Spirit of God Note That Christ giveth us not this Rule to know ordinary Priests and Preachers Doctrine by For when Rulers and Countreys own sound Doctrine wicâ—ed worldly men will own it for preferment and worldly ends But it is to trie Prophets by who pretend to the Spirits inspiration He that is not ruled by the Spirit is not like to be inspired by the Spirit 2. And tho this hold true as to all wickedness yet the fruit that Christ specially meaneth is hurtfulness As the names of Wolves Thorns and Thistles shew 3. If a good man speak or do ill it is because he is not perfectly good but partly bad For instance The Papal Church pretendeth to the infallible guidance of the Spirit when Pope and Councils agree which is To Prophetical Inspiration beyond the meer improvement of theiâ— own knowledge How shall we know whether their pretence be true 1. We find that they cherish ignorance by forbidding the reading of the Scripture in a known Tongue without a License and praying in a Tongue not understood 2. We find that they divide the Christian world by laying its Unity and Peace on impossible terms even a multitude of their own Canons 3. We find they are adversaries to Catholick love by damning all the Christian world save their own Sect and keeping up their Church and Religion by bloudy Doctrines Inquisitions and Massacres 4. And that it is a worldly interest that is thus managed These being all Wolâ—ish Thorny hurtful fruits disprove their pretence to the Spirits infallibility But it being their interest to be for the Deity Christianity and Immortality of Souls in that they may own the truth And if the Reformed Churches have had some errours it is because they are but of imperfect knowledge and reformation 21. Not every one that saith to me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven 21. It is not verbal professions and pretending to the Spirit or to be Orthodox or to be better than others nor is it formal worshipping God as the Hypocrites do nor honouring me with the lips and knee alone that will save any one but it is only the holy obedient beliver that shall be saved 22. Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderful works 23. And then I will profess to them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity 22 23. Many will then plead not only that they were Bishops or Preachers in the Church but even that they Prophesied and wrought miracles in my name to whom I will say Depart from me all you that lived wickedly whatever you said or did in my name I never owned you nor will I save you 24. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him to a wise man who built his house upon a rock 25. And the rain descended and and the flouds came and the winds blew and beat on that house and it self not for it was founded on a rock 24 25. He that heareth believeth and obeyeth that which I have now taught you is like a wise man c. Note The obedient believer is the only wise man that buildeth the hopes of his salvation on a sure foundation 26. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not shall be like â—ed to a foolish man who built his house on the sand 27. And the rain descended and the flouds came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it 26 27. Note 1. Ungodly men that hear Christs Gospel and obey it not are fools and build their hopes of Salvation as on the sands 2. All mens Religion and hopes shall be tried as a house by Storms whether it be well founded and built or not 3. Grievous will be the overthrow of the religious hopes of all hypocrites and ungodly livers 28 29. And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings the people were astonished at his doctrine For he taught them