fain to die before he entred heaven 21. And having an high priest over the house of God Paraphrase 21. And having one that intercedes for us at the right hand of God and that hath taken upon him the whole care of his Church and of every faithfull servant of his that shall adhere and keep close to him 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Paraphrase 22. Let us serve and worship him unfeignedly being fill'd with faith see note on Luc. 1. a. and h. and having reformed our wicked lives in sincere resolution of heart without which there is no more reception to be hoped for at God's hands Isa 1. 15. then under the law there was liberty to come into the congregation for them that had to uched any impure thing till they were sprinkled with water by the priest and having our actions washed and pure also 23. Let us hold fast the profession of the faith without wavering for he is faithfull that promised Paraphrase 23. Let not all the afflictions and dangers that can approach us move us so much as to waver in our Christian profession which having the hope of eternal life joyned with it is fortification enough against all the terrors of this world having God's fidelity engaged to make good the promise to us 24. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and unto good works Paraphrase 24. And let us weigh and consider all advantages that we can have upon one another to provoke and excite one another to charity and all actions of piety such as are joyning in the publick service ver 25. whensoever we see any thing of fainting or growing cold in any 25. Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching Paraphrase 25. And not suffer our selves to proceed so farre toward defection as to give over the publick assemblies the forsaking of which is not onely deserting of the publick profession of Christ but also of the means of growth in grace but stire up one another to the performance of this and such other duties of confession toward Christ by this argument among others that now their deliverance from the persecutions which so discouraged them is near at hand by reason of the destruction of the enemies of the crosse the Jews and Gnosticks that have caused all these persecutions which therefore would make it unreasonable for them now to give over their constancy and lose all when they are so near the end of their voyage see Rom. 13. 11. and Jam. 5. 7 8. 26. For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth note b no more sacrifice for sins 27. But a certain fearfull looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries Paraphrase 26 27. For if we obstinately commit such a sinne as this defection from Christ and forsaking Christianity as they that forsake the publick assemblies are in danger to doe after once receiving it see note on Mat. 12. h. there is no plea or apologie of ignorance or unwillingnesse for that and consequently as under the Law no sacrifices are to be offered for such nor ever any for Apostates so now there is no way of remission which will be profitable for such all that is to be expected is the judgments and wrath of God such as are like to be sent out speedily to utter destruction against all such enemies of Christ see note on 2 Per. 3. g. and Heb. 6. b. 28. He that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses Paraphrase 28. He that offended willfully and so capitally under Moses's Law was not capable there of any mercy but the thing being proved against him by competent testimony he was to be put to death 29. Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despight unto the spirit of grace Paraphrase 28. How much sadder then will his condition be judged to be who against all light and conviction received and formerly assented to shall thus fall off and by doing so joyn with those Antichristian Gnosticks and Jewes the crucifiers of Christ and enemies of Christians which have despised Christ as vile and nothing worth yea as one that died as a malefactor and so his blood no better then unclean profane blood not such as will bring any benefit to us as it was designed to doe and scorn and reject the Gospel it self revealed to us by the Apostles authorized thereto by the descent of the Spirit on them and other mercies in it so graciously bestowed on us 30. For we know him that hath said Vengeance belongeth unto me I will recompense saith the Lord and again The Lord shall judge his people Paraphrase 30. For we know it is the Lord that said Vengeance c. and again Psal 135. 14. that God will avenge his people his Church and consequently will avenge the cause of those which now suffer among you against their persecutors in his time if you can patiently wait for it 31. It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God Paraphrase 31. To which purpose you may be armed with this consideration that 't is not near so formidable a thing to be persecuted and punished by mortal men as by him that lives for ever see Mat. 10. 20. 32. But call to remembrance the former daies in which after ye were illuminated ye indured a great â—ight of afflictions Paraphrase 32. Now that the being persecuted for Christianity should bring you to this defection there is no reason considering how when you did first receive the faith see Rom. 13. 11. ye indured afflictions courageously and therefore ought not now at last to fail in any reason lest you lose the fruit of all that 33. Partly whilest ye were made a gazing-stock both by reproaches and afflictions and partly whilest ye became companions of them that were so used Paraphrase 33. Suffering most courageously and notoriously your selves and shewing your fellow-feeling and common concernment with them that were thus afflictâ—d 34. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that you have in heaven a better and an enduring substance Paraphrase 34. For first to the latter of them see note on Mat. 7. â— you expressed your sense of my sufferings and perhaps of many others that were in like manner imprisoned in mourning for me and relieving me and for the former ye parted with your worldly wealth which was violently torn from
I shall set down some of them to repent to be converted to be transformed to be washed to purifie hands and heart Jam. 4. 8. himself 1 Joh. 3. 3. to be purified with the laver of regeneration by the word Ephes 5. 26. sprinkled in the heart from an evil 〈◊〉 Heb. 10. 22. to be renewed in the mind to put on the new man created according to God Ephes 4. 24. a new creature to be born of the Spirit Joh. 3. 6. to be spiritually-minded in opposition to being born of the flesh and minding fleshly things to be regenerate or to be born again or of water and of the Spirit to be begotten by the word of truth Jam. 1. 18. to be enlightned to revive and be risen with Christ to rise from the dead to be circumcised with the circumcision not made with hands Col. 2. 11. the circumcision of the heart explained by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh that is carnal sins to escape from the wicked generation and simply to escape or to be saved Act. 2. 47. to go out from among them to grow sober 2 Tim. 2. 26. to awake out of sleep Rom. 13. 11. 1 Cor. 15. 34. and in a special Scripture-sense of the phrase to be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5. 20. that is to lay down all that aversation and enmity which they had had formerly to God or by their wicked works Col. 1. 21. had express'd toward him to put off all filthiness Jam. 1. 21. works of darkness Rom. 13. 12. the old man c. Ephes 4. 22 24. and to 〈◊〉 Christ Gal. 3. 27. to depart from evil 1 Pet. 3. 11. to deny or renounce ungodlinesse Tit. 2. 12. to draw nigh unto God Jam. 4. 8. to become servants to God Rom. 6. 22. to take Christs yoke upon us Mat. 11. 29. to yield our members weapons of righteousnesse to God Rom. 6. 13. to be freed from the law that is the empire or dominion or command of sin Rom. 8. 2. to suffer in or to the flesh 1 Pet. 4. 1. referring to sins suffering or dying to and so ceasing from sin See Note a. on that place So to be crucified with Christ Gal. 2. 19. to crucifie the old man Rom. 6. 6. the flesh with affections and lusts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being judged or condemned according to men in or to the flesh 1 Pet. 4. 6. that is judged and executed to carnal fleshly actions so customary among men that they may live according to God in imitation of or compliance with him to the Spirit after a sanctified spirituall manner So the world being crucified to me and I to the world Gal. 6. 14. mortifying by the Spirit the actions of the body Rom. 8. 13. and the members on the earth to be dead to sin Rom. 6. 11. and here being planted together with Christ in the likenesse of his death v. 5. V. 19. Speake after the manner of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is thought to signifie his taking expressions out of common life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of the weaknesse of their grosse or carnal unstandings his using Allegories and figures and as before he had used proofs from sacred types the death and resurrection of Christ applied to his purpose of mortification and new life so now proceeding to vulgar known similitudes taken from masters and servants as Gal. 3. 15. And thus is may fitly be interpreted But it may otherwise be rendred also that the weakness of their flesh be taken in respect of strength to perform God's will and not to understand Paul's language and consequently the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be speaking or requiring from them most moderately by way of condescension to their infirmities requiring the least that in any reason could be required of them so as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 10. 12 signifies that which hath nothing extraordinary in it that which is common among men so S. Chrysostome there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies little short proportionable to their strength So in Demosthenes contr Midiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an humane and moderate consideration So in Horace lib. 2. humanè commodae signifies parum commoda little profitable And if it be here considered how moderate and equitable a proposal it is which here followes 't will be acknowledged that this of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this notion may very well be the form to introduce it CHAP. VII 1. KNow ye not brethren for I speak to them that know the Law that the note a law hath power over a man as long as he liveth Paraphrase 1. But to that which is last said ch 6. 23. of eternal life to be had by Christians through the Gospel ye are ready to object Yea but Christians of your institution doe not observe the Law of Moses and so sin contemptuously against God that gave that Law to Moses nay not onely the Gentiles that are converted to Christianity are by you permitted to neglect circumcision c. and not to become Proselytes of justice Act. 15. but which is more unreasonable the converted Jewes are taught by you that they need not observe the Law of Moses see Act. 21. 21. and note b. on the title of this Epistle and then how can the Gospel help them to eternall life that thus offend against the prescript Law of God To this third head of objections the Apostle in the beginning of this chapter gives a perspicuous answer affirming that which was now necessary to be declared though perhaps formerly it had not been affirmed to the Jewes at Rome that they were now no longer obliged to observance of the ceremonies of the Mosaical Law Which being to Paul revealed from heaven Ephes 3. 3. among the many revelations which he had received 2 Cor. 12. 7. he thus declares to them preparing them first by shewing the reasonablenesse of it by the similitude of an husband and a wife My brethren of the stock of Abraham ye cannot but know the quality or nature of those lawes which give one person interest in or power over another for I suppose you instruct â—â—re by frequent hearing and reading of the books of Moses that any such law stands in force as long as the person that hath that interest liveth 2. For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the Law to her husband so song as he liveth but if the husband be dead she is loosed fom the law of her husband Paraphrase 2. For it is known of any married woman that by the conjugal law she is obliged to cleave to the husband as long as he lives but upon the husband's death the conjugal law which is founded in his life is dead also and so the wife is absolutely free the law of matrimony hath no force upon her see Gal. 5. 4. 3. So then if while her husband liveth she be married to another man she shall
rather to be imbraced in this place may be conjectured by the nature of the subject which this phrase called according to purpose is set to expresse viz. those that love God which are Christians endued with that grace of charity or love of God which will fit them to suffer for or with Christ and if it doth so doth by that appear to be cordial and sincere not hypocritical And of such constant resolute lovers of Christ it is here said that it is one of the privileges of the Gospel that all things how sharp soever that befall them doe tend to their good And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here one that is called according to purpose one that stedfastly and cordially adheres to God will be directly all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 11. 23. one that with purpose of heart adheres to the Lord. And though Rom. 9. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purpose be clearly applied to God and that in the matter of election without consideration of works onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of God that calls the Gentile Idolaters to Christ when the perverse Jewes are left to themselves yet that which determines it there to God is not onely the matter which makes it necessary but the very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purpose the purpose of God to call the Gentile world to the knowledge of Christ And in other places as there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 3. 11. the eternal purpose of God again or God's promise concerning the severall ages of the world so there is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purpose 2 Tim. 3. 10. which demonstratively signifies a grace or vertue among Christians being joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 long-suffering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 charity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 patience and sure signifies a generall good resolution and purpose of mind having an influence on the whole Christian life and so fit to follow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole conversation next before it CHAP. IX 1. I Say the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience also bearing me witnesse note a in the holy Ghost Paraphrase 1. These things being so that there is no true purity or consequent justification to be had by the Law of Moses nor any way but by Christ whatsoever ye think of me looking on me I know with an evil eye as if I were your enemy I protest before Christ and testifie to you my brethren of the Jewish nation that truth of which mine own conscience in the presence of the holy Ghost that is privie to and searcher of hearts is witnesse to me 2. That I have great heavinesse and continuall sorrow in my heart Paraphrase 2. That the thought of my brethren the Jewes that depend upon the Law and confide in their own righteousnesse and will not be brought to look after Christ and that inward purity by him prescribed in stead of the external circumcision c. is matter of great grief and incessant torment to my soul 3. For I could wish that my self were note b accursed from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh Paraphrase 3. So farre am I from deserving to be thought as I am their enemy that I could be content that I were separate or excommunicate from Christs Church not onely to want the honour of Apostleship but to be the most abject creature separate from the body of Christ the communion of Saints and so delivered up to Satan see note on 1 Cor. 5. e. Or that as Christ being not accursed or worthy of any ill became a curse for us so after his example any the saddest condition might fall on me Or if it were possible and if it might any way tend to this end I could me thinks be content to part with all mine own hopes and interests in Christ even mine eternall heaven and blisse on condition my brethren and consanguineans the Jewes would leave their trust in the Law and in their being Abraham's seed and come in to the Gospel and make use of the privileges that are allowed them there So passionate is my love toward them that I could endure any losse by way of expiation for them to rescue them from their infidelity and the destruction that attends them 4. Who are Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption and note c the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises Paraphrase 4. They being the people to whom Christ was primarily and principally sent the posterity of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and favoured by God for their fathers sakes and honoured with the privilege of being acknowledged as sons or people of God the privilege of having God present among them his majesty shining as it did in the ark 1 Sam. 2. 12. Psal 83. 3. the covenants that is both the word of the covenant and the sacrament of the covenant circumcision and sprinkling of blood Gen. 17. 10. Exod. 24. 8. the giving of the Law to them in tables the prescript manner of worship appointed by God himself and the promises of the Messias c. 5. Whose are the fathers and out of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all note d God blessed for ever Amen Paraphrase 5. They coming from the Patriarchs and Christ the incarnate Son of God coming from them taking his flesh and being born of a Jewish woman though he were above and over all creatures in the world God blessed for ever the title by which the one supreme God was known and express'd among the Jewes 6. Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect For they are not all Israel which are of Israel Paraphrase 6. But whatsoever becomes of these children of Abraham according to the flesh yet for all this the promise of God made to him doth no way miscarry the sins of Abraham's carnal seed cannot make God's promise to be frustrated ch 3. 3. from which place to this the discourse begun ch 3. 2. had been interrupted and not resumed again till now and here resumed and pursued for the promise was not made to his carnal but spiritual seed to believers begotten after the image of his faith the privileges made to Israelites doe not belong to all that are of the stock of Jacob. 7. Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seed be called Paraphrase 7. Nor doth the adoption the second privilege v. 4. or the privilege of being received in by God as his peculiar people belong to all that are come from Abraham for it was once said to Sarah Gen. 21. 12. that the promised seed should be confined to Isaac's line or from Isaac shall come the blessed seed or that shall be the blessed seed that comes from Isaac see note on Mat.
in the city of Corinth and in all other cities and regions through all Achaia 2. Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ 3. Blessed be God even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of mercies and the God of all comforts Paraphrase 3. I have all reason to blesse and magnifie the name of God which purposely sent our Lord Jesus Christ into the world and by that and his many other gracious acts of his particular providence hath shewed himself to be a most mercifull and gracious Father unto us 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God Paraphrase 4. Who in all the preasures that have befallen me hath eminently relieved and succoured me and by those experiences hath enabled me to refresh and cheer up all those that are in any affliction 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ Paraphrase 5. By this one consideration of which I have had so frequent evidences that according to the proportion of our suffering for Christ Christ doth constantly afford us comforts and reliefs the greater our afflictions are the greater also our refreshments from Christ 6. And whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation and salvation which is effectuall in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer or whether we be comforted it is for your consolation and salvation Paraphrase 6. And so what afflictions soever befall us there is no reason you should be startled or discouraged in your Christian course by that means for sure 't is for your advantage that we are so Our afflictions are matter of comfort to you viz. that you can fall under no persecutions your selves but what ye see us endure before you and those meerly for our doing you good preaching the Gospel to you endeavouring to bring you to repentance and to blisse which is not ordinarily to be come to but by suffering after my example And then the refreshments and extraordinary reliefs that Christ afforded me in all my sufferings those sure will be matter of comfort to you also as a pledge of assurance that Christ will afford you the like refreshments here and reward hereafter 7. And our hope of you is stedfast knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings so shall ye be also of the consolation Paraphrase 7. And of this I make no doubt but that as you have your parts in the afflictions so ye shall also of the reliefs and advantages by suffering 8. For we would not brethren have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia that we were pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that we despaired even of life Paraphrase 8. All this I say by way of preface to this advertisement which I desire to give you of the sharp persecutions that I lately met with at Ephesus the chief metropolis of Asia Act. 19. see note on 1 Cor. 15. d. where I had like to have been brought out to the theatre to be devoured by the wild beasts and indeed had no humane means to avert nor consequently to escape it 9. But we had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead Paraphrase 9. And this advantage I had of it that the more I believed I should be put to death the more I might be engaged by my deliverance never to depend on any worldly trust but only on God who can rescue from the greatest extremity even from the grace and death it self 10. Who deliver'd us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us Paraphrase 10. Even that God who hath actually delivered me out of that imminent danger and so still continues to deliver me and I verily believe will yet longer continue preservations to me 11. You also helping together by prayer for us that for the gift bestowed upon us note a by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf Paraphrase 11. To which purpose I suppose 't will much conduce that you will earnestly pray for me for as the prayers of many are an effectual motive to God to doe what they pray for when by that means the favour being granted to many at once those many shall be all engaged to thank God and magnifie his name so the benefit afforded me in favour to many others viz. to the believers who pray for me and may receive profit by my life may by those many be received with thanksgiving to God in my behalf 12. For our rejoicing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-wards Paraphrase 12. For of this I can say with joy and comfort that my conscience gives me a cheerfull testimony in all my actions that I have had no ends or designes of my own but in a pious simplicity and sincerity of heart not as worldly wisdome would direct but according to the Gospel-rules see note on Heb. 13. d. we have behaved our selves toward all men but toward you beyond all others 13. For we write none other things unto you then what you read or acknowledge and I trust you shall acknowledge even to the end Paraphrase 13. For my writings to you are perfectly agreeable to the doctrine preach'd by me and by you received when I was among you what in my Epistles you read you cannot but acknoweldge to be that which ye have been taught and I hope you will never be drawn away from that acknowledgment 14. As also you have acknowledged us in part that we are your rejoicing even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus Paraphrase 14. This I say because though since these divisions came in among you I have been rejected and vilified by some yet some others of you have acknowledged your selves to take joy and comfort in me as I professe to doe in you and am confident I shall doe when Christ comes to reward his faithfull servants 15. And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before that you might have a second benefit Paraphrase 15. And with this affection of kindnesse to you and perswasion of your kindnesse to me I did designe to come to you that thereby you might be confirmed in that faith and grow in that knowledge which was first preach'd to you 16. And to passe by you into Macedonia and to come again out of Macedonia unto you and of you to be brought on my way toward Judea Paraphrase 16. This I first meant to doe in my way to Macedonia
and there distinctly specified more than in any other place of the New Testament under the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 6. 20. science falsly so named that is the men that assumed falsly to themselves the name of Gnosticks or knowing men And against some doctrines and practices of theirs he here arms him CHAP. I. 1. PAUL an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ which is our hope Paraphrase 1. I' Paul that Act. 13. 7. was sent out and constitured an Apostle of Jesus Christ according to the designation of him who being God incarnate is both our Saviour and Lord to rescue us from the power of sin and to rule and reign in our hearts even he on whom all our trust and expectation and hope of good is founded and built 2. Unto Timothy my own son in the faith Grace mercy and peace from God our father and Jesus Christ our Lord. Paraphrase 2. To my dearly beloved Timothy whom I first converted and so begat to Christianity I send my heartiest wish of all good from God our carefull and loving father and Christ Jesus to whom he hath committed all power in his Church unto the worlds end 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 Paraphrase 3. This Epistle I now send thee for thy directions in pursuance of that Commission which I gave thee when I constituted and appointed thee to reside as Bishop at Ephesus at the time when I went thence to go to Macedonia Act. 20. 1. that presiding and governing the Church there thou mightest suppresse the seeds of the Gnostick heresie sowed there and keep men within the form of sound doctrine that which in all Churches was delivered by us 4. Neither give heed to fables and endlesse note a genealogies which minister questions rather than edifying which is in faith so doe Paraphrase 4. And warn thy flock not to heed those fabulous pedegrees of the gods which under the name of Aeones the Gnosticks see note on Col. 2. a. talk so much of and so bring in many perplext disputes rather than instruct men in the way of salvation under the Gospel or of Christian doctrine in matters belonging to God 4. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned Paraphrase 5. The substance and perfection or else the designe and aime of Christian duty being charity whose genealogie is this faith unfeigned begets a good conscience that is abstaining from all sin that purity of heart that love of all men 6. From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling Paraphrase 6. Which some aiming not at have gone out of the way to a divinity made up of empty words for so was the Gnosticks see v. 4. 7. Desiring to be teachers of the Law understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm Paraphrase 7. Joyning Judaisme to Christianty undertaking to expound the Law and to find those mysteries in it which are the foundations of their impure doctrines but observe no part of the Law nor at all apply it to the ruling of their lives 8. But we know that the Law is good if a man use it lawfully Paraphrase 8. Which is consequently a grievous abuse of the Law whose whole goodness consists in this that a man order his actions so by it as to abstain from the sins that it forbids and doe the good which it requires 9. Knowing this that the Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawlesse and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for unholy and profane for murtherers of fathers and murtherers of mothers for manslayers Paraphrase 9. It being certain that as good men will perform their duty without any law so the Law of Moses as all other lawes was given to the sons of those excellent Patriarchs because it was foreseen they would not alwaies continue so good and so was on this very designe to keep in order such men as these to restrain such impure Gnosticks as these from the sins they are guilty of and not to stand them in any stead except they live according to it Accordingly you know that Moses's Law is very severe against the rebellious and contumacious against blasphemers and seditious such as Corah Num. 16. 8. called Sinners there and to such are the Gnosticks compared Jude 11. to the impure and such as contemn all that is holy such as Esau to whom the Gnosticks are compared Heb. 12. 16. against parricides and murtherers 10. For whoremongers for them that defile themselves with mankind for men-stealers for lyers for perjured persons and if there be any other thing which is contrary to sound doctrine Paraphrase 10. Against fornicators and those of the foulest sort of those Lev. 18. 22. against those that steal and sell servants Exod. 21. 16. Deut. 24. 7. against false and perjurious persons and generally all those sins and sinners that now the Gospel of Christ makes to be such and these hereticks are noted for 11. According to the note b glorious Gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust Paraphrase 11. According to the Gospel of Christ or of God when he dwelt among us appeared here on the earth for the preaching of which I have been constituted an Apostle 12. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithfull putting me into the ministery Paraphrase 12. And I account it a great mercy of Christ both that he hath given me abilities and that he hath vouchsafed to make use of me for so great a work thinking me a fit person to be so intrusted and setting me apart to doe him service in the Church 13. Who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief Paraphrase 13. Having been so hugely unfit and unworthy of such an honour by my former behaviour whilst I was a Jew blaspheming the name of Christ persecuting the Christians and using them most despitefully Notwithstanding all which God was mercifull to me looked on it but as an act of blind zeal in me and therefore laid it not so to my charge as to deliver me up to my self but recalled me mightily in the midst of my carreer 14. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus Paraphrase 14. Since which time he hath most plentifully poured out on me the gifts of the Holy Ghost and proportionably to them a lively faith toward Jesus Christ and an earnest zeal for his Gospel which hath been wrought in me by his grace 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all note e acceptaion that Christ Jesus came into
away the word ordinarily used in the Canons for excommunication V. 11. Condemned of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-condemned signifies not the man's publick accusing or condemning his own doctrines or practices for that self-condemnation being an effect and part of repentance would rather be a motive to free any from the censures of the Church which were already under them then aggravate their crime or bring that punishment upon them Nor yet 2 dly can it denote him that offends and yet still continues to offend against conscience and though he know he be in the wrong yet holds out in opposition to the Church For besides that there are very few that doe so and those known to none but God and if that were the character of an heretick then none but hypocrites could be hereticks and he that through pride opinion of his own judgment stood out against the doctrine of Christ and his Church in the purest times should not be an heretick this inconvenience would farther be incurred no heretick could possibly be admonished or censured by the Church for no man would acknowledge of himself that what he did was by him done against his own conscience nor could any testimony be produced against him before any humane tribunal no man being able to search the heart It is rather an expression of his separation from and disobedience to the Church and so an evidence of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being perverted and sinning wilfully and without excuse For he that thus disobeyes and breaks off from the unity of the Church doth in effect inflict that punishment on himself which the Church useth to malefactors that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 13. 10. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cutting off from the Church which he being an heretick and therein a Schismatick also doth voluntarily without the Judges sentence his very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heresie is a spontaneous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or excision So saith S. Hierome Whereas fornicators c. are turned out of the Church the heretick inflicts this on himself suo arbitrio ab Ecclesia recedens departing from the Church out of his own choice which departing saith he propriae conscientiae videtur esse damnatio seems to be a condem nation of his own conscience So in the Council of Laodcea Can. 40. after an order that no Bishop shall disobey a citation from the Council 't is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he doe despise it he shall be conceived to accuse himself which is the next degree to self-condemnation So in the African Codex Can. 22. 't is said of a Bishop that appears not on citation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall be judged to have pronounced sentence of condemnation against himself according to that of Apollonius Tyaneus in Philostratus l. 7. c. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that declines a judicature how shall he avoid the being thought to have condemned himself So in the 12 Tables Praesenti litem addicito he that appears not is alwaies cast and so most nations have observed it ut absens causâ caderet ni sonnia nunciasset that the absent should alwaies lose the cause unlesse he gave his just cause of being absent So Regulae ab Abbat Floriac constitutae Qui non comparauerit tanquam convictus judicabitur He that appears not shall be judged convict that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The like phrase we have on another occasion in Iosephus l. 2. c. 12. de Bell. Iud. Oathes saith he were wholy avoided counted worse then perjury 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he say they that is not believed without swearing is already condemned His using an oath condemns him of lying See Marculf form l. 1. c. 37. and Hieron Bignonius on them Steph. Forner Rer. Quotid l. 6. c. 21. Justell in the Notes on Cod. Can. Eccl. Univ. p. 38. By all which it appears that every one which submits not to but separates from the Orthodox Church whose member and subject he is and this every Heretick and Schismatick doth is properly said to be self-condemned His receding from the Church is an evidence that his doctrine or practice is contrary to that which the Church approves and that being received from Christ and his Apostles this singular doctrine or practice of his is condemned by the contrariety to that and himself by his non-submission to the Governour of the Church And therefore though to such an one as to any other malefactor the first and second admonition ver 10. be due which in all that are not reformed by those is wont to bring on the sentence of Excommunication yet there is no need to proceed to that because he by contumacy and non-submission to the Church-ruler inflicts this upon himself The appointment therefore is more agreeable to his case that men avoid him v. 10. as one that is already excommunicate by his own and so needs not the Judges sentence V. 14. Ours The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here are all one with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that are of us 1 Joh. 2. 19. of which he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they remained with us contrary to the Gnosticks that broke off and separated from them Those are described ver 8. and in respect to them peculiarly he commands the doctrine here spoken of of following the businesse of their callings to be earnestly press'd because those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there the Gnosticks that had been professors of the faith wanted that lesson so much But now he extends it to those that are not fallen off to that Sect that they be taught it too that none live idly upon the score of being a Christian or make that advantage of the liberality of other Christians but every man labour to earn his own living Ib. Necessary uses What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 necessary use signifies is manifest by this place of S. Basil in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 560. Edit Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those that were righteous and pious men but poor and not furnished with necessaries continually laboured that they might earn necessary use for themselves Where it distinctly signifies all those thinâ—â—s which are necessary for life meat drink cloaths c. And so Act. 6. 3. the Deacons are set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over this use that is the providing for the necessaries of life for them that wanted out of the stock of the Church THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO note a PHILEMON PHilemon to whom this Epistle was written is said to have been an eminent person in Colossae and so that of Col. 4. 9. inclines to believe where Onesimus Philemons servant is said to be one of them S. Paul had converted him to the saith ver 19. but that not at Colossae for he had not been personally there Col. 2. 1. but in some other place where he had also contracted a friendship with him Onesimus had been his servant