no other Gospel besides that onely true Gospel preached by mee amongst you but all other Doctrine of the Gospel is feigned and counterfeit which doth not accord with my Doctrine Therefore yee must renounce this errour Trouble Arg. 5. Those Teachers which have seduced you are enemies to your peace because they take away from you that peace which the justified by Faith have towards God Therefore yee must renounce their Doctrine Pervert Arg. 6. The supplantours and overthrowers of the Gospel of Christ are those seducers which would seem Teachers For nothing is more contrary to the Gospel concerning free Justification by Faith than Justification by Works Therefore you must renounce this errour Vers. 8. But though wee or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which wee have preached unto you let him bee accursed Arg. 7. If there bee any one who hath preached another Gospel besides that which I have preached unto you hee is obnoxious to an eternal curse I do not except my self yea neither the Angels if it could bee that if I should teach another Doctrine or that if they should propound any other than that which is preached by mee Therefore you must renounce this errour Vers. 9. As wee said before so say I now again if any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that yee have received let him bee accursed Hee urges this Argument that they might understand that hee spake not from any perturbation of mind concerning the curse pronounced against them who preached that any thing was to bee joyned with the Gospel either contrary to or besides the Doctrine which hee had preached Vers. 10. For do I now perswade men or God or do I seek to please men for if I yet pleased men I should not bee the servant of Christ. Arg. 8. From the comparing himself with the false Apostles my Doctrine doth not perswade you that men are to bee heard as the Doctrine of your seducers who alwaies boast of the authority of so many Jews But my Doctrine perswadeth that God is to bee heard I do not seek to please men as your seducers who by seducing you indeavour to make themselves acceptable to the unconverted Jews as to those that superstitiously are zealous of the Law Therefore yee must renounce the errour which they have taught you For Hee confirms this Argument Because if hee had as yet studied to please men as hee did in times past when hee was a Pharisee hee could not bee the servant of Christ but of men viz. of those which hee had endeavoured to please Vers. 11. But I certifie you Brethren that the Gospel which was preached of mee is not after man 12. For I neither received it of man neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Iesus Christ. Arg. 9. My Doctrine is heavenly from the immediate revelation of God not feigned by men neither derived to mee from God by a meer man after an ordinary manner but immediately revealed by Jesus Christ Therefore yee ought to persevere in that and to renounce the contrary errour The third Part. Vers. 13. For yee have heard of my conversation in time past in the Iews Religion how that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God and wasted it In this Chapter hee gives six signs of this matter Sign 1. Is the enmity of his mind which hee bore against Christ and his Church in times past when hee was a Pharisee which mind hee had never changed had not God from Heaven convinced and turned him to the Faith Vers. 14. And profited in the Iews Religion above many my equals in my own Nation being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my Fathers Sign 2. That being bewitched by the knowledge of the Law and zeal of the traditions of his Fathers hee could neither see nor bear the Truth of the Gospel unless hee had been taught by inspiration concerning the Truth much less know and preach the hidden mysteries of it Vers. 15. But when it pleased God who separated mee from my Mothers womb and called mee by his Grace 16. To reveal his Son in mee that I might preach him among the Heathen immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood Sign 3. His wonderful and free calling to the Faith and Apostleship the history whereof is contained in Act. 9. powerfully derived from the predestinating counsel of God which Grace God most clearly manifested in his embassage to the Gentiles and his providence prepared a way to the manifestation of grace in his nativity and education That hee was born of such Parents of such a temperament and constitution of body that hee was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel that hee was a Pharisee that the providence of God concerning him worthy of special observation was apparent in all things and brought it so to pass that hee may say that hee was prepared from the womb and ready to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles so that all things by the counsel of God did make for the preparation of the Apostle to this business I conferred not Sign 4. That being so manifestly convinced concerning the certainty of the voice from Heaven and his immediate calling and being sufficiently perswaded of this hee durst not deliberate of a matter so certain neither hear humane reasons or counsels which might with-draw him from the obedience of his calling Vers. 17. Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were Apostles before mee but I went into Arabia and returned again unto Damascus 18. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and abode with him fifteen daies 19. But other of the Apostles saw I none save James the Lords Brother Sign 5. That being sufficiently by Christ himself immediately instructed in the mystery of salvation hee went not to the Apostles called before him but hee preached the Gospel the three first years of his Apostleship in Arabia and Damascus And after three years comming to Ierusalem hee visited Peter and Iames onely and tarryed with them a few daies and that by reason of that intimacy betwixt them and not for the confirmation of his knowledge Vers. 20. Now the things which I write unto you behold before God I lie not For the confirmation of which history besides those witnesses that now live who could not bee ignorant of so notable a matter hee uses an oath Vers. 21. Afterwards I came into the Regions of Syria and Silicia 22. And was unknown by face unto the Churches of Judea which were in Christ. 23. But they had heard onely that hee which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the Faith which once hee destroyed 24. And they glorified God in mee Sign 6. That hee had publickly taught and that by his Apostolical authority in Syria and in Cilicia all the Apostles and all the Churches approving of it and by name the beleeving Jews who had never seen him but being certified of his conversion from a Persecutor
AN EXPOSITION OF ALL St. PAULS EPISTLES TOGETHER With an Explanation of those other Epistles of the Apostles St. James Peter John Jude Wherein the sense of every Chapter and Verse is Analytically unfolded and the Text enlightened By DAVID DICKSON Professor of Divinity in the University of Glascoe Published for the Benefit of such as desire clearly to understand and rightly to improve the Scriptures JOHN 15.4 Abide in mee and I in you As the Branch cannot bring forth fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine No more can yee except you abide in mee LONDON Printed by R. I. for Francis Eglesfield and are to bee sold at the Marygold in St. Pauls Church-yard 1659. TO THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS MARQUESSE Earl of Kintar Lord Cambel Lord of Lorn c. AND To the most Noble Lord the Lord Archibald Cambell Lord of Lorn his Eldest Son and Heir c. David Dickson wisheth all happiness THe name of Wisdome and Happiness most Illustrious Marquess hath alwaies and every where been very eminent and all men have justly commended him that hath been studious of both But few they are who well understand the things themselves For they that place their Happiness in any thing besides the enjoyment of God in the matter of true Wisdome are much mistaken That indeed is the true Wisdome by which wee are directly and infallibly led to solid and eternal Happiness It is a most sad spectacle and to wise observers not unprofitable to behold the misery of mankind joyned with madness Man is banished from Heaven and as a Vagabond wanders upon Earth tossed up and down with the stings of misery and a certain blinde desire of Happiness inquires after his Remedy But the Felicity hee should seek after above hee looks for among terrene trash and so misseth of it every where For the chiefest Good hee embraceth the meanest things and the deceitful shadows of Vanity By the frequent frustration of his conceived hopes hee is minded of his errour and urged with the perpetual agitation of a restless spirit to seek after the heavenly Country and his Fathers house But hee goes astray from the womb and his errour is endless encreasing and multiplying the miseries that hee flies from The contemplation of Divine Goodness conflicting with mans obstinacy and stubbornness heightens the sadness of this spectacle The fountain of happiness descends from Heaven cloathed with Majesty and Light as with a garment manifesting to those that are in the dark his invisibility to wit his eternal power and God-head shining forth in the works of Creation that hee might invite rebels into favour with him But they either look not towards God or looking to him they acknowledge him not or knowing him in some measure they glorifie him not as God but become vain in their imaginations and bowed downward they cry out Who will shew us any good None seriously pray Lift up the light of thy Countenance upon us God comes neerer in the works of his providence and leaves himself not without witness but communicates his good things to men unworthy gives Rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons filling the hearts of his most ingrateful enemies with food and gladness that they might feel after the Lord and finde him whom they had lost so by the riches of his goodness and forbearance they might be reduced to repentance But they receive these benefits and sacrifice them to gluttony and intemperance And even with these things which Divine bounty vouchsafed arming themselves with the weapons of iniquity they rebel against God But here the Man-kindness of God doth not end but hee comes close to us reacheth forth his hand knocks at every mans breast produceth the Law written legibly upon every mans heart shakes their consciences stirs up their thoughts to summon those fugitive enemies to the Tribunal of Justice to accuse the guilty and convince them of their odious ingratitude takes away all excuse from those that are convicted and all this that men might repent and sue out for pardon But they convinced of their iniquity contumaciously lift up themselves against God fall out with conscience and lay violent hands upon it to bee silent they invade that truth of God written upon their hearts which once suppressed they imprison and with-hold in unrighteousness It s no wonder if God suffer such desperately stubborn and self-condemned creatures to walk in their own waies and leaves them to Satan giving them up to their own corrupt affections Alas Alas millions are lost and will bee so By how much the more this spectacle is lamentable by so much the goodness of God is more lovely which will not endure that Divine Grace should suffer a repulse by those which the good pleasure of God will have to be his own to come to themselves and be saved You will easily affirm that to be a joyful sight which for ever will bless the beholders and make them happy The Eternal Wisdome the Beloved of the Father the Delight of Angels the Light of the World the Life of Men the Son of Righteousness under whose wings is healing and salvation Our Lord Jesus Christ came down from the bosome of his Father Who having discharged the price of our Redemption conquered our enemies gets up into his triumphant Chariot passes through all places where his redeemed ones abide for their sakes hee sets up the banner of his love hee sends forth the voice of saving wisdome in the Gospel of Peace By the Ministery whereof hee opens the fountain of mans misery wider reproves of sin creates in them a sorrow after God holds forth wrath to come and terrifies demonstrates to them their folly unworthiness and impotency to deliver themselves from those evils and humbles them to an abnegation of their own wisdome and strength Hee offers himself a Mediatour for the restoring of amity betwixt God and man provokes in us a thirst after Life and Righteousness holds forth to us freedome from the Law of works as also the ratification of the New and Free Covenant of Grace to which hee causeth them to consent perswades them to embrace Christ that great gift of God and wholly resign themselves up to him Hee exhibits also to them Remission of sins and causes them to lay hold upon it to Justification Hee wills those that are justified to mortifie the old man and enkindles in them no less desire after holiness than after Heaven and Happiness it self Hee requires the fruits of Faith in obedience to the Divine Law and causes them to suck vital juice from the vine which they send forth in fruits worthy of the Gospel Hee commands that every one take up his own Cross which lies in his way to Heaven causing them to observe his commands and after the Lord of Glory bearing reproach for him through prosperity and adversity to pass on unto eternal life This is that saving Wisdome which deceives no man but justifies and blesseth all her Children and in like
other Gentiles I have gained some to God Therefore ought you to hearken to my doctrine Vers. 14. I am debter both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians both to the wise and to the unwise Argum. 14. By the office of my Apostleship and the special command of Christ I am a debter to all sorts of men to preach the Gospel Therefore you ought to hearken to my doctrine Vers. 15. So as much as in mee is I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are at Rome also Argum. 15. I have much respect to you Romans and according to the liberty granted of God as much as in mee lyes I am ready to preach the Gospel no less to you than to others for your salvation Therefore you ought to obey my doctrine Vers. 16. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek I am not ashamed Argum. 16. Although the Gospel which I preach is commonly dis-esteemed and goes along with the Cross yet because it is not mine but the Gospel of Christ holding forth that grace which by him is communicated unto us honourable and glorious whereof I am no wise ashamed Therefore you ought to hearken to my doctrine Power Argum. 17. Confirming what was said before The Gospel which I preach is a powerful and effectual instrument of salvation to every one that beleeves without exception of Nation whether Jews or Gentiles the Jews prerogative being regarded to whom the Gospel ought first to bee preached because of the Covenant long since made betwixt God and the Jews Therefore you ought c. Vers. 17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written The just shall live by faith Argum. 18. Confirming the former In the Gospel which I preach is revealed and discovered the righteousness of God from faith to faith which before was hid under Ceremonies and shadows that is to say That means of justifying sinners which God himself hath found out in which onely wee can stand before God and in which alone hee is well pleased To wit the righteousness of Christ our Lord which is made ours from faith to faith i. e. from faith increasing by degrees from less to a greater measure or from faith meerly onely and not of works or our inherent righteousness Therefore ought you to receive the things which I write with all willingness and submission of mind The second part Hee passeth to the second part of the Chapter wherein hee laies down a Proposition to bee confirmed in the following part of the Epistle which is this That Righteousness which is revealed in the Gospel is the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us by the grace of God apprehended by faith alone and not inherent righteousness in men which is works Or which is to the same sense wee are justified by faith in Christ and not by works The Arguments brought to confirm this Position are ten whereof two are contained in this Chapter one in the second the rest in the third Chapter To all which this dis-junction is to bee premised Either wee are justified by Faith or Righteousness freely imputed or by works or inherent Righteousness The Just Argum. 1. By the Righteousness of faith onely wee obtain life Therefore by the righteousness of faith alone wee are justified for by an indissoluble connection Righteousness and Salvation are joyned together and there is the same reason or ground of both This Argument hee confirms by a Testimony Hab. 2.4 Who rejects those as Hypocrites from life that trusted in themselves or their own works and the righteous by faith hee pronounceth heirs of life onely Vers. 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness Argum. 2. Wee are so farre from being justified by works that the wrath of God openly pursues the unjust and wicked works of all men of the Gentiles and the Jews to wit of those that are out of Christ Therefore wee are justified onely by the righteousness of faith or the Righteousness of Christ apprehended by faith and through grace imputed unto us The Truth Hee confirms this Argument by several parts and first hee shewes the unrighteousness of men in the example of the Gentiles to verse 24. and the wrath of God poured out upon the wicked and their unrighteousness hee further shewes to the end of the Chapter Hee proves the impiety and unrighteousness of the Gentiles inasmuch as the wisest of men to wit the Rulers and Philosophers among the Gentiles with-held the truth in unrighteousness i. e. That true knowledge which they obtained from God through unrighteousness or the pravity of their own will they suppressed and detained in themselves as a captive whilst they neither communicated it unto others nor shewed it forth in works of piety Therefore they are all impious and unrighteous This Argument is much to the purpose for if this bee true concerning the prime part of man-kinde out of Christ 1 Concerning the wisest Law-makers and Philosophers amongst the Heathens much more is it true touching the rest for if the flower and principal part bee corrupted what shall wee think of the dreggs and lower sort Vers. 19. Because that which may bee known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them 20. For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and God-head so that they are without excuse This Argument hee explains two waies First By shewing that the Gentiles had certain remnants of the light of Nature concerning the worshiping of God because that which may bee known of God by natural light was manifest to them to wit The Eternity Power and Divinity of God with the rest of his Attributes which are apprehended by the light of Nature even from the Creation of the World were manifested by the things that were made clearly as in a glass that they could not plead ignorance Vers. 21. Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened 22. Professing themselves to bee wise they became fools 23. And changing the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things Secondly Hee explains the former Argument by shewing that the Gentiles detained and imprisoned the known truth partly in that they gave not God the glory of his Attributes and divine works as also that they were not thankful for his benefits which the light of Nature would have taught them Partly because they became vain in their imaginations and deceived themselves being blind where they seemed most of all to bee wise leaving
shew of good works and they that affect Justification thereby fondly desire to bee justified as it were by works or a shew of good works The third cause because they knew not Christ by reason of his humility and the infirmity of his flesh in whom they should believe that they might bee justified but despised him and to their own destruction set themselves against him stumbling at him as at a stumbling stone Vers. 33. As it is written Behold I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offence and whosoever believeth on him shall not bee ashamed Both parts of this experience hee confirms from the Prophets prediction Isai. 8.14 and 28.16 after this manner Behold I will lay saith God Christ in the Church whose beginning is out of Zion a tryed stone a rock of offence as the incredulous Jews have experienced and whoever believeth in him in the expectation of him that is in his righteousness and life eternal hee shall not bee frustrated as the believing Jews have found by experience And thus the Apostle hath firmly proved that wee are justified by Faith CHAP. X. HEE further prosecutes the argument of the Jewes temporal rejection shewing this to bee the cause in that the Jews foolishly and stubbornly rejected the righteousness of God in Christ. There are two parts of the Chapter In the first hee shews the folly of the Jews to ver 14. In the other their stubbornness to the end of the Chapter Vers. 1. Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might bee saved The Apostle being about to shew the just causes of the Jews rejection hee prefaces as before from his good affection lest any thing should bee thought to bee spoken by him out of hatred Vers. 2. For I hear them Record that they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge Hee shews their preposterous zeal for God to bee the cause of his affection which zeal was worthy of humane commiseration though it was not to bee commended because it did not arise out of knowledge but ignorance therefore it was blind zeal the zeal of fools Vers. 3. For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God Hee proves the folly of the Romans by six Arguments The first Argument Out of ignorance of the righteousness of God imputed to us by Faith in Christ they affected the inherent righteousness of their own works and proudly rejected the righteousness of Christ offered to them Therefore they betrayed their folly Vers. 4. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth The second Argum. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to him that believes i. e. the whole Law is therefore given that men acknowledging their sins manifested by the Law might flee unto Christ and might obtain righteousness by Faith Therefore the Jews did foolishly who making a shew of the Law did not acknowledge Christ which is the end of the Law Vers. 5. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law that the man which doth those things shall live by them Argum. 3. The righteousness of the Law or Works as Moses testifies confers life upon none but those that perform all things that are commanded in the Law which is impossible Therefore the Jews foolishly affected such a kind of righteousness Vers. 6. But the righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ down from above 7. Or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring Christ up again from the dead Argum. 4. The righteousness of Faith as the same Moses witnesseth forbids those that believe in God from being troubled for those things which are so difficult or impossible as to ascend into heaven or to descend into the deep Because seeing Christ hath already overcome those difficulties descending from heaven and rising from the dead to bee any further troubled how to attain righteousness life eternal and freedome from death is no less than to destroy the foundations of the Christian Religion and to enquire how it was possible to descend from heaven or rise again from the dead Therefore the Jews betray their folly who renounce this righteousness of Faith Vers. 8. But what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of Faith which wee preach Argum. 5. The righteousness of Faith as it gives security to those that believe touching the difficulties in the way of salvation so also it holds forth an easie way to righteousness and salvation For the Word of God or the Word of the Gospel the same which the Apostles preached is neer us that receiving it into our hearts wee may acquiesce in it and confess the truth of it with the mouth As if hee should say to us Bee not troubled cast your care upon God and believe him that speaks in the Gospel and shew forth your Faith by your works Therefore the Jews rejecting this easie way of righteousness propounded are very foolish Vers. 9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt bee saved Argum. 6. Opening and confirming the former The sum of the Gospel is propounded under this most sweet condition viz. If thou applyest with sincere affection to thy self the redemption procured by Christ and manifested in his Resurrection by the power of God and studiest to glorifie Christ with a sincere confession without doubt thou shalt obtain salvation Therefore the Jews refusing this condition of Justification and Salvation betray their folly Vers. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation This hee confirms with five reasons The first Reason is From the connection of Faith in the heart and confession in the mouth according to the order appointed by God which is that by Faith from the heart in Christ Jesus wee might obtain righteousness or Justification and that justified by Faith wee might proceed to the possession of Salvation glorifying Christ by confession of the mouth or outward works Therefore they ought to bee joyned Faith in Christ from the heart and confession of Christ in the mouth or inward Faith and outward works ought to bee joyned together Vers. 11. For the Scripture saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not bee ashamed Reason 2. Confirming the connection of true Faith and Salvation from the testimony of Isai. 28.16 which shews that they shall not bee frustrated in their hope or their expected salvation whoever believe in Christ Therefore the connection of Faith and Salvation is firm Vers. 12. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon
earth The Writer is Paul the Apostle who according to the Will of God by Christ speaking from heaven was sent as an extraordinary Embassador to the Church which should afterwards bee gathered to Christ here is authority enough Those to whom hee writes are the Saints and Faithful in Christ at Ephesus who being planted into Christ by Faith were consecrated to the service of God here 's praise enough Vers. 2. Grace bee to you and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ. In the Salutation is contained an Apostolical Benediction in which 1 Hee wisheth the Ephesians Grace that is all heavenly good things which are necessary to Sanctification and Salvation 2 Hee wishes them the special fruit of this Grace to wit Peace or all things which might conduce to their happiness but especially quietness of mind arising from the redemption of Christ which Redemption applied to them by the Word and the Spirit of God would assure them of reconciliation with God and assure them of freedome from evil 3 Hee opens to them the fountain and chanel of this Grace and Peace wished to them viz. God from whom and Christ the Mediatour by whom and for whose sake this Grace and Peace is conferred upon us Here 's good will enough towards the Ephesians And Arguments also sufficient to prepare their minds to receive the following Doctrine with that submission and willingness of mind which became them Vers. 3. Blessed bee the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. After the Preface follows the Thanksgiving containing a Proposition to bee proved in the first part of this Chapter which is this That the Grace of God in Christ ought to bee celebrated with an acknowledgement of Gods blessing towards us in the whole business of the Salvation of Beleevers For our blessing as it hath relation to God is nothing else but an acknowledgement that God is every way the Author of all blessing or Grace towards us In this Proposition hee puts a difference between God the Father and Jesus Christ the Mediator God-man that the person and office of the Mediatour might more manifestly appear And hee calls God the Father the God of Christ 1 Because of that Grace whereby the humane nature of Christ was predestinated to the personal union with the Word his Son 2 Because of the Covenant of Redemption made between God and Christ the Mediatour And then hee calls him the Father of Jesus Christ 1 Because of the eternal Generation of the Son by which the Father hath from all eternity communicated to him his whole infinite essence 2 Because of the personal union of the assumed humane Nature by which the Son of man is made the Son of God The chief Arguments to prove the aforesaid Proposition are Thirteen Hath blessed Arg. 1. The God and Father of Christ hath blessed us beleevers or hath graciously heaâ—t upon us all spiritual and heavenly blessings in Christ. Therefore he is to be blessed or his grace is to bee celebrated by us To this purpose that the grace of God might appear and bee celebrated all the words of this Argument tend every one whereof breathes ouâ— grace For 1. The giver of these benefits is called God and the Father of Jesus Christ and by consequence the God and Father of all us which are in Christ and that from the Covenant made between the Father and Christ concerning us and consequently our Father who with a fatherly affection gives us all things Hath blessed 2. The giving of these benefits is actively called the blessing of God that is the actual or effectual demonstration of Gods grace according to his word in deed towards us Hath blessed us 3. And here is grace For we whom God blesseth are by nature the sons of wrath and liable to the curse of God in whom there is nothing nor can be any thing which can deserve any good With all blessing 4. The nature and matter of the benefits themselves includes grace for a blessing taken passively is nothing else but a benefit taking its rise from meer grace Spiritual blessings 5 Here is grace also For the benefits which are bestowed on us before others are spiritual such as have reference to the eternal salvation of the spirit or soul which do far exceed all measure of proportion to any earthly and temporal works which wee can perform in this body and therefore they are of grace All blessing 6. This tends to grace too Because every spiritual gift which pertains to the salvation of souls is bestowed upon us of which gifts there is none which flows not from the fountain of grace and blessing and is freely given to us without any merit of ours or respect to our works whether they bee knowledge of God or acknowledgement of our sin or repentance or faith or any effect of faith or any good work or intention of a good work all this is freely given by him who blesseth us with all spiritual blessing Therefore they are of grace In heaven Hear is a beam of grace too because these benefits with which wee above others are blessed are heavenly that is they are such as take their original from heaven are conversant in heaven and shall bee compleated in heaven nor do they any wayes savour any thing of our flesh but yet do season to us our condition on earth In Christ Here the whole ocean of grace is opened for all these benefits are ours in Christ who himself is ours and all these are made ours in him as in the root and fountain as in our head and common parent before they come to us that so they may bee derived on us by him in whom as wee are united together wee possess those things wee have and in whom wee have right to those things which as yet wee have not and by whom wee shall hereafter receive those things which remain and as hee hath obtained all things for us so hee keeps both them in himself for our use and us that wee may use and enjoy them From all and every one of which it follows that all our spiritual benefits are free and gracious or effects of meer grace and therefore wee ought to celebrate the grace of God as the fountain and cause of them Vers. 4. According as hee hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that wee should bee holy and without blame before him in love Argum. 1. Confirming the former God actually in time freely bestows all these spiritual blessings upon us in Christ even as before time hee of his grace chose us in him that at length wee might obain these benefits Therefore wee ought to blesâ— him All the woâ—ds of this Argument also are proofs of his free and gracious election For 1. Our election was of God unto life before others our companions who were in the same condition whom God leaving and
and hypocritical faith but the lively faith effectually working by charity towards all Saints and openly manifested to mee an Apostle and others Therefore you Ephesians should bee confirmed in the faith Vers. 16. Cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers Arg. 2. You are esteemed worthy that thanks should bee daily given unto God for you even as I do Therefore you ought to bee strengthened in the faith of the Gospel Mention Argum. 3. Because the sincerity of your faith is manifested in the love of the Saints I continually keep you in my memory and make daily mention of you in my prayers begging that the work of God may bee perfected in you and your faith confirmed Therefore unless you think the motion of the Spirit in mee who pray for you bee in vain you ought to have your faith strengthened Vers. 17. That the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation in the knowledge of him Now hee comes to set down the summe of his prayers which hee put up for them wherein are contained the other Arguments for the confirmation of their faith Give unto you Arg. 4. In praying that God would give them the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation hee intimates that they have more and greater causes viz. in the Scripture which is the fountain of Wisdome and the summe of saving Revelation for the confirmation of their faith than they did yet understand You have such and so many Arguments in Scripture for your confirmation in faith that I cannot wish any thing more to the strengthening of faith than a larger measure of the working of the Spirit of God that having more wisdome given you and the mysteries of the word being more clearly disclosed to you you may know what is the mind of God and Christ towards you Therefore even from this my evidence and prayer for you you ought to bee confirmed in the faith The God of our Lord Arg. 5. Drawn from the description of God of whom this gift is craved God who bestows the Spirit of faith or of wisdome on the Saints is the glorious God and Father of our Lord and of all us the servants of Christ who both out of Covenant as hee is our God and out of fatherly affection as hee is our Father will give the Spirit of faith to you upon our request for it Therefore even from those relations which pass between God Christ and you you should bee strengthened in faith Vers. 18. The eyes of your understanding being inlightned that yee may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints Argum. 6. It is not possible that I should express with tongue what and how great those good things which God by calling you to Christ hath commanded you to hope for or how glorious the riches of that inheritance are which is prepared for you in the sanctuary of heaven I only beg that your eyes may bee inlightned that yee may apprehend them Therefore c. Vers. 19. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who beleeve according to the working of his mighty power Argum. 7. That power of God is unspeakable which hee hath put forth into act in the converting you to and in thus long upholding you in the faith and which hee hath in a manner bound himself that hee will put forth that so by the infinite power and efficacy of his strength beleevers may bee carried on to salvation I onely pray for the illumination of your eyes that yee may know it Therefore c. This Argument hee confirms by a threefold comparison 1. Of the power of God with the adversaries power and with the Ephesians weakness in which respect hee calls the greatness of that power super-excellent which was actually apparent in them that they might know there was no power in Satan the world sin death or any other hindrance without them which the greatness of the power of God doth not and will not for ever overcome 2. Of the powerful work of God in their conversion with the original of that work that is Gods Omnipotency in which respect hee makes mention of the efficacy or working of his mighty power that they might know the work of God in converting them and induing them with faith and holiness was such a manifestation of that working which proceeds from the actual and exerted power of the Omnipotent God as was suitable to Omnipotency and becoming an Omnipotent God in a word it was a work very well befitting God 3. Of the power of God now actually declared in their conversion with that power which God had shewn in raising Christ from the dead 1. That they might know that as a great power was required to a mans conversion regeneration and endowment with faith and other saving graces as to revive one dead and buried 2. That they might know the very same power was exercised in our conversion as in Christs Resurrection 3. That they might understand it was no less easie for God to bring to pass all other things which pertained to the perfecting of our salvation than it was for him to perform the fore-mentioned particulars Vers. 20. Which hee wrought in Christ when hee raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places Argum. 8. Taken from the raising up of Christ our Head Christ our Head who was killed in our stead God raised from the dead in our stead and for our good unto eternal life Therefore you who are his members even in the midst of afflictions and in death it self should bee stedfast in Faith touching your deliverance And set him Argum. 9. From Christs ascension and sitting at the right hand of the Father Christ our Redeemer is ascended into Heaven and reigns with the Father being partner in that great authority that hee might take us into fellowship in that happiness and make us partners of that condition in which hee is Therefore you ought to bee confirmed in the Faith and hope of your future glorification in Heaven unless you imagine Christs dominion is to no purpose Vers. 21. Far above all Principality and Power and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come Argum. 10. Christ even in his flesh is exalted far above all both Angels and Men so that nothing should bee so high so powerful so excellent either in the earth this present world or in Heaven the world to come as that Christ should not bee infinitely higher even as hee is man and therefore there is not any thing wanting in him to the perfecting nor can any thing oppose him to hinder him from perfecting our salvation Therefore you should bee strengthened in the Faith of the Gospel Vers. 22. And hath put all things under his feet
Paul as his Brother not onely for profession of Faith but also for the office of preaching the same Gospel Vers. 2. To the Saints and faithful Brethren in Christ which are at Coloss Grace bee unto you and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Iesus Christ Furthermore the persons saluted are described or the Members of the Colossian Church and are called 1 Brethren Because they are begot again by the same Father to the same hope of the inheritance 2 Holy Because they are consecrated to God and sanctified by the Holy Ghost 3 Faithful Because they were ingrafted into Christ by Faith Lastly By an Apostolical blessing Grace and Peace are applied to the Colossians Grace comprehends all the special effects of Gods favour which by way of Sanctification tend to happiness But Peace comprehends all the degrees of happiness even to perfection in Heaven God the Father and Jesus Christ is counted the Author and efficient cause of good things as hee is the Son and Mediatour hee is after the Father in effecting according to order of working Vers. 3. Wee give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ praying alwaies for you Vers. 4. Since wee heard of your Faith in Christ Iesus and of the love which you have to all the Saints The first way of his confirming the Faith of the Colossians is by giving thanks for their sincere conversion Of this kind there are seven Arguments all which do prove that the Colossians ought to bee strengthened in Faith Argum. 1. You gave mee much cause of thanksgiving and prayer to God after I heard of your conversion to the Faith Therefore even upon this account you ought to bee stedfast in the Faith And love Argum. 2. The sincerity of your Faith in Christ appeared openly in your love towards all the Saints the report whereof came to my hearing Therefore it is fit you should bee stablished in the Faith Vers. 5. For the hope which is laid up for you in Heaven whereof yee heard before in the word of the Truth of the Gospel Argum. 3. I know of a truth that the happiness yee hope for is laid up in Heaven for you and as it were conferred upon you I give thanks to God for that favour Therefore c. Yee heard Argum. 4. Confirming the former You have the unquestionable Word of God the Word of Gospel-Truth for the foundation of your Faith and Hope Therefore ought you to bee stedfast in the Faith Vers. 6. Which is come unto you as it is in all the world and bringeth forth fruit as it doth also in you since the day yee heard of it and knew the Grace of God in truth Argum. 5. The Word of the Gospel whereby yee are converted is the same Gospel which was dispersed abroad to the rest of the world and hath the same efficacy to make you fruitful from the day wherein by Faith yee imbraced the Grace of God which hee hath communicated to other Christian-Churches Therefore it is fitting you should bee established in the Faith Vers. 7. As yee also learned of Epaphras our dear Fellow-servant who is for you a faithful Minister of Christ Argum. 6. Your Pastor Epaphras taught you no other things than wee Apostles every where teach who therefore willingly acknowledge Epaphras our fellow-servant and a faithful Minister of Christ Therefore c. Vers. 8. Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit Argum. 7. You have given a special token of your sincere Faith viz. the demonstration of your Christian love towards mee whereof I have the testimony of Epaphras your Minister which as all the former affords mee Arguments of thanksgiving unto God and of the confirmation of your Faith towards God Vers. 9. For this cause wee also since the day wee heard it do not cease to pray for you and to desire that yee might bee filled with the knowledge of his Will in all wisdome and spiritual understanding The second way of confirming the Colossians Faith and of the Apostles love towards them is his earnest and constant prayer for them excited upon the report of their Faith in Christ and love towards the Saints there are six branches of his prayer 1 I pray that yee may obtain a large measure of knowledge of the Divine Will revealed in the Word of the Gospel concerning Christ and his benefits In all Wisdome 2 I pray that this knowledge may abound in you in wisdome and spiritual understanding i. e. in an holy contemplation of the mysteries of Faith and in a prudent application of knowledge received to practice in the exercise of every virtue Vers. 10. That yee might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God I pray 3 That you may walk or lead your lives worthy of the Lord or as it becomes those that are converted in the sight of God that in all things you may please him Every I pray 4 That you may bee fruitful not in one but in all kinds of good works May increase I pray 5 That you may grow up in experience and acknowledgement of the Divine Virtue through obedience of his Will endeavouring more and more to know love and cleave to him more and more Vers. 11. Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness I pray 6 That such a measure of heavenly strength may bee vouchsafed to you out of the rich treasury of his glorious power that you may bee able to endure any burden of afflictions or persecution with a good courage and that so long as it shall seem good to the pleasure of God not onely without disturbance of mind but with the greatest delight and rejoycing Therefore yee ought to bee established in the Faith unless you think the prayers which the Holy Ghost stirs up in my heart for you are in vain Vers. 12. Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light The third way of confirming their Faith is a thankful declaration of the certainty of our Redemption founded in the Grace of God and the excellency of Christs person The reasons of the thanksgiving are five Reas. 1. Because God the Father hath prepared us to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven This benefit is more especially seen in the following Reasons 1 The donor of the benefit is God the Father the Author and first Fountain of all good bearing a Fatherly affection towards us 2 When wee are said to bee made meet c. Our misery is presupposed and that wee are unfit by nature born wretched and polluted by sin and the sons of wrath 3 Although wee were unmeet yet the Grace of God hath made us meet by an efficacious vocation and regeneration of us 4 The felicity whereunto wee are called is an enduring inheritance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is given by
God is a Mediatour by whom God would have expiation for sin made his life being laid down upon the Cross and expiation being made by his death hee would that reconciliation and a renewing of friendship betwixt God and them should bee made that are the members of the Church no less betwixt God and those members which are in the Earth than betwixt God and those that are in Heaven yea hee would have reconciliation made in himself or by the intuition of his glory amongst the heavenly Angels and earthly men amongst whom by reason of sin there is a natural disagreeing Lastly Hee would have the Elect Angels to bee confirmed whose various and changeable nature is already demonstrated by the fall of wicked Angels and that by a gathering of them together to himself For the Angels are added to Christ as a surplusage in the Covenant of Redemption for the use of his body that is the Church that they might bee ministring spirits for the use of the redeemed ones All which as they did confirm the solidity and certainty of Redemption so the Faith of the Colossians very much in Christ and ought also to confirm ours Vers. 21. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath hee reconciled 22. In the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight The 5. Reason of his thanksgiving is the grace of reconciliation made with the Colossians by name Hee amplifies this benefit by nine Arguments 1 Hee saith that you were sometimes alienated from God strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel and the life of God 2 Yee were not onely born strangers but were made more and more strangers by the custome of sinning 3 Neither this onely but yee were enemies and with an hostile mind did both disdain and speak against God 4 That you were enemies not only in your sensitive appetite and your affections but also in your mind which should bee the most excellentest faculty the Mistress and Captain of all the rest 5 That yee have expressed the enmities conceived in your mind by wicked works 6 That nevertheless Christ now hath reconciled you 7 That hee hath obtained reconciliation in taking upon him in the body of his flesh the humane nature like to us in all things sin onely excepted 8 That by his death hee hath paid the price of your Redemption and Reconciliation 9 That Christ hath determined with himself that at length you should remain holy in his sight and the sight of God without any spot of sin and misery viz. to the day of his comming all which did chiefly make for the upholding of their Faith Vers. 23. If yee continue in the faith grounded and settled and bee not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which yee have heard and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven whereof I Paul am made a Minister The fourth manner of confirming the Colossians faith follows by an exhortation to perseverance in the faith of the Gospel to which hee passeth giving a caution for this end that hee might suspend the benefit commonly applied to them given as it were the Characteristical note of them to whom the benefit of reconciliation belongs viz. That they who have right to these benefits may remain in the faith of Christ upon which the other degrees of perseverance depend The Arguments of the Exhortation are chiefly three If Argum. 1. It is contained in the condition of perseverance Your constancy in the faith of Christ and hope of the Gospel is a sign not onely of your reconciliation made through Christ but also of your holiness and salvation to bee perfected by him Therefore persevere yee In the mean while three things are required to their perseverance 1 That they bee grounded in the faith that is that they lay hold upon the foundations of faith solidly laid in the truth goodness and power of God 2 That they bee settled i. e. Now they are grounded in Christ they may fixedly abide may adhere to Christ and bee joyned to this truth 3 That they resist all temptations with which they may by any manner bee moved from the hope of eternal life or the good things promised in the Gospel The force of this Argument is you shall not possess the good things fore-spoken of except you have persevered in the faith Therefore persevere yee Preached Argum. 2. Of his exhortation to perseverance The Gospel which you have heard from Epaphras your Pastor is the same with the Gospel preached by the other servants of God to every creature through the whole world or all kindes of men Jews and Gentiles without difference Therefore abide you founded and settled in the same faith Whereof Argum. 3. I Paul my self am made a Minister to preach this Gospel to the Gentiles with great approbation from God and his blessing poured upon all that are faithful amongst the Gentiles Therefore persevere yee in that faith Vers. 24. Who now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behinde of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church Hee insists in this Argument and commendeth his Ministry to them by fourteen Arguments all which confirm his glorious Ministry Argum. 1. I Paul in the administration of this Gospel do bear afflictions with joy Therefore my Ministry is glorious Argum. 2. I bare those afflictions for the sake of you Colossians or for your confirmation in the faith Therefore my Ministry is glorious amongst you Argum. 3. Seeing that after the personal sufferings of Christ for our redemption the suffering of the Martyrs remain for a testimony of the truth of Christs doctrine I Paul in some part do so fill up the appointed measure of those afflictions that I am prepared to seal this my Ministry even with my death Therefore this my Ministry is glorious Argum. 4. I suffer these afflictions for Christs honour and his whole Churches edification viz. That his mystical body may bee knit together in faith Therefore my Ministry is glorious All these make to the taking away the offence of the Cross incumbent upon the Apostle Vers. 25. Wherefore I am made a Minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to mee for you to fulfil the word of God Argum. 5. I am appointed a Minister of the Catholick Church and am made an Apostle of the Gentiles both by special authority and divine dispensation Therefore is my Ministry glorious To fulfil Arg. 6. I am constituted an Apostle especially for this end that fully manifesting the Gospel amongst the Gentiles I might fulfil by my Ministry not onely my Office but also the Decree of God and the Prophecies concerning the calling of the Gentiles and the grace of Christ which was to come unto them Therefore this my Ministry is glorious Vers. 26. Even the Mystery that hath been bid from ages and from
and by baptism sealed to you so that there is no need to seek any thing out of Christ that belongs to the full paying the price of Redemption Therefore wee must not depart from him Yee are risen Argum. 7. Yee beleevers by baptism are brought into the communion of Christs Resurrection or his victory that hee gained over death and sin by which yee are not onely risen to newness of life in holiness but also yee shall rise in respect of your bodies to a glorious and immortal life so that nothing as to holiness and eternal life is to bee desired out of Christ Therefore yee must not at all depart from him Through the faith But yet lest too much be attributed to external baptisme from the work as they say done hee requires the faith of God efficaciously working in those that are baptized i. e. That wee beleeve that God who powerfully raised Christ from the dead according to his promises will also effectually raise us according to his promise to all manner of newness of life For by how much the nearer wee imbrace the power of God that raised Christ our head from the dead by so much the more wee shall make progress in newness of life Vers. 13. And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh hath hee quickned together with him having forgiven you all trespasses Argum. 8. God hath made you Colossians in times past dead in sins and lying in the uncircumcision of irregenerate nature partakers of the holy and immortal life of Christ as to right and an inchoate possession all your sins by grace being forgiven therefore as to a plenary remission of sins and to an holy and immortal life nothing is to bee sought out of Christ. This benefit is called a quickning together with Christ although Christ had risen some years before they were converted because in what moment soever any one is by faith united to Christ in the same moment is hee united to him now reigning in heaven yea in his dying burial and rising again after a judicial or forinsical manner so that in all things in which hee hath or doth sustain our person it is no less than if wee had in a Physical manner been present and consented to every act of his in our behalf Vers. 14. Blotting out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nayling it to his Cross. Argum. 9. In which also hee explains how Christ obtained remission of sins for us viz. by taking away the hand-writing in this sense The Covenant of works is an hand-writing established partly in threatnings partly in appointed positive Ceremonials excluding the Gentiles from the Church was against us and contrary to us But Christ hath blotted out this hand-writing taking it out of the way and nailing it to his Cross Therefore you must not look back to the legal Covenant or ceremonial appointments in them to seek for any thing neither must yee depart in the least from the death of Christ by which yee are delivered from that hand-writing Hee compares this Covenant of works with its appurtenances to an hand-writing by which any one bindes himself for the paying of a debt for whosoever are convicted of sin by the light of nature are also by the force of the Covenant of Works obnoxious to wrath and as often as wee are convinced of sin so often also by nature wee confirm the punishment of sin or the condition of the legal Covenant by the judgement of our consciences against our selves as by an hand-writing The conscience of every one performs this much more which hath received the written Law and daily bears the punishment of the Law for the breaking of it But chiefly all justiciaries are compelled to subscribe to this hand-writing who acknowledge no righteousness besides inherent or that which is by works Of which number were those that Judaized and observeers of Ceremonies who adhered to this Covenant seeking Righteousness by works and the appointed Ceremonies For by how much they did indeavour by this means more manifestly to establish their own Righteousness by so much the more openly they did derive the punishment of the Law broken by the force of the Covenant upon themselves For no man enters a Covenant but hee also admits all the conditions of the Covenant The hand-writing is said to bee in Ordinances or rather subscribed to Ordinances so far as they took upon them those commands or Legal Ordinances that they might bee perfected in themselves they did withall oblige themselves to bear the punishment of the breach of those commands Hee calls it the hand-writing against us or contrary to us partly because it separated the Jews from the Gentiles and the Gentiles from the Jews Partly because it was a yoak which neither they nor their Fathers could bear Partly because as often as they did any work of the Law either moral or ceremonial to bee justified thereby so often by the imperfection of their work and the profession of their imperfection in the use of the Levitical Ceremonies they did argue themselves guilty or rather did acknowledge themselves guilty of death As for example when they offered Sacrifices and did repeat them they not onely acknowledged themselves sinners against the Moral Law but did also really confess that their frequent Sacrifices could not purge their consciences from sin and so the hand-writing of the Covenant of works was alwaies contrary to them But Christ hath blotted out this hand-writing and took it out of the way nailing it to his Cross insomuch as hee for the sake of them that were his hath paid for the redeemed the penalty due upon the hand-writing by the death of his Cross and hath compleated and abolished the positive Ordinances concerning those vanishing Ceremonies by the real Sacrifice of his own body once offered Vers. 15. And having spoiled principalities and powers hee made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it Argum. 10. Christ hath brought all the Devils who exercise their power and tyranny upon the Elect overthrown by the price of Redemption paid upon the Cross and gloriously triumpheth over them openly in the sight of God Angels and men whose eyes are open unto their own disgrace and our deliverance Therefore it remains that nothing is to bee sought out of Christ. The Devils are called Principalities and Powers 1 Because in the world they potently exercise authority over all the reprobate children of disobedience and all the unregenerate which do nothing else but execute the will of the Devil 2 Because they are Sergeants executing the judgement of God holding those captive that are not reconciled to God in Christ. 3 Because they fight against Christ the Redeemer neither do they dismiss the redeemed and reconciled from the prison of darkness unless compelled by the stronger power of Christ. They are said to bee spoiled by Christ on the Cross 1 Inasmuch as
decrees and precepts of men as if as yet after the manner of children under Rudiments yee were obnoxious to such sort of Elements The force of this first Argument consisteth in these five things 1 Christ hath fulfilled that which was prefigured by Moses his ceremonies and by his death hath abrogated those typical ceremonies and that shadowy manner of teaching the Church and worshipping God so that the legal Covenant cannot exact any thing more from him than that which was paid and perfected in his death 2 Christ dying all in Covenant are dead judicially with him whose person Christ hath born Therefore the legal Covenant could exact nothing more from them for whose sake Christ dyed than the Laws of men required of those that are dead For all in him are reckoned as dead 3 All ceremonial Precepts in respect of the authority commanding were divine and heavenly untill Christ But now abolished through Christ they cease to bee divine and begin to bee humane elements or rudiments worldly and carnal not so much in respect to the things commanded as to the mundane authority commanding them 4 So long as the Colossians were not converted to Christ but did live in the world as worldlings free from righteousness so they were slaves to devils and men obnoxious to all manner of servitude and to all kinde of evil 5 But now after they were one body with Christ they were made free by faith and also were set at liberty from all evill neither ought they to submit themselves to any yoak unless to that which Christ would have them subjugated and consequently they ought not to bee subject in the business of Religion to the opinions and traditions of men Vers. 21. Touch not taste not handle not Argum. 2. Because those your superstitious commanders and authors of humane decrees by their precise prohibition of things left at liberty do also discover their tyranny and intolerable hypocrisie in the rigid exaction of their commands such as hee recites with some indignation Taste not touch not and the like in which they were not only willing to continue the Levitical Law contrary to the will of God but also to superadde their rigid exactions of the Law which was abolished Therefore do not yee subject your selves to them Vers. 22. Which all are to perish with the using after the commandements and doctrines of men Argum. 3. Because these corporeal things instituted by God to use that at length in using they might bee consumed and perish c. Therefore it is unjust to prohibit their use under the pretence of Religion Therefore do not yee subject your selves to these commands Of men Argum. 4. Because decrees of this sort are not the commands of God but the commands of men according to which God hath declared that he will not bee worshipped Therefore do not yee admit them Vers. 23. Which things have indeed a shew of wisdome in will-worship and humility and neglecting of the body not in honour to the satisfying of the flesh Argum. 5. With the confutation of an Objection because although these observations have a shew of wisdome as part of a voluntary and not compelled worship as exercises of humility towards Angels as of obedience towards the Governours of the Church as somewhat conducing to the mortification of flesh yet in very deed they have onely a meer shew of wisdome and are of no value or esteem before God Lastly so much as they seem to detract from the body so much they adde to the satisfaction of the flesh or corrupt nature which alwayes most earnestly desires in its forgeries about Religion to satisfie itself CHAP. III. THe second part of the Epistle is concerning the endeavours after a Christian life There are two parts of the Chapter In the first are contained general Exhortations pertaining to true piety and holiness of life to Vers. 18. In the other are special Exhortations which belong to certain and particular conditions of men to the end Vers. 1. If yee then bee risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God The general Exhortations are Nine 1 Is to the study of heavenly things that they no longer spend their endeavours and labours in seeking earthly pleasures honours and riches but that they seek Christian vertues and those that pertain to eternal life If yee bee risen The Arguments of the Exhortation are six all which prove that wee ought to study heavenly things 1 In Baptism yee have taken upon yee a resemblance of the resurrection or of pursuing a new and spiritual life and ingrafted by Faith into Christ yee have communion with Christ rising who for the sake of his own as a surety hath risen to spiritual life and hath undertaken to raise Beleevers by the virtue of his resurrection communicated to them Therefore yee ought to indeavour after heavenly things Where Christ Argum. 2. Above i. e. in Heaven Christ as to the local presence of his body is our head and the fountain of all our felicity Therefore that yee may injoy him yee ought to seek things above The right hand Argum. 3. Christ sitteth at the right hand of God by which as man hee hath gotten the highest advancement and a name above every name that he may grant to us all things above Therefore things above are to bee sought by you Vers. 2. Set your affections above not on things on the earth Hee amplifies this Exhortation commanding that they savour heavenly things i. e. that they study to know esteem care for effect and with earnestness pursue those things which pertain to an heavenly life and not those things that pertain to this terrestrial life which although they may be lawful and necessary yet they are to bee looked after by the by onely Vers. 3. For yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Argum. 4. Yee by Faith in Baptism are partakers of the death of Christ and are obliged by the virtue of his death to dye to the world and sin yea yee are dead to them or in respect of them viz. after a judicial and spiritual manner savour not any more those earthly things or serve them Therefore yee ought to savour and follow things above heavenly and not earthly things And your life Argum. 5. Although your life i. e. your Adoption your Righteousness your Inheritance your full Sanctification and Glorification is hid to the world yea to you your selves for the most part for now you receive them onely by Faith and a little possession of first fruits yet it is preserved in Heaven in its causes with Christ hid in God Therefore yee ought to savour and seek those things which pertain to life eternal Vers. 4. When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall yee also appear with him in glory Arg. 6. By answering an Objection arising from the former Argument although your life is now hid yet fully and openly it shall bee
Father Argum. 2. Your sincere Faith which hath shewed it self lively and efficacious by works your indefatigable charity visible in your daily labours and diligence especially in your liberality towards the Saints And lastly your lively hope shewn in patience and suffering afflictions for Christ have left in mee an indeleble impression that I cannot but make mention of them before God and man Therefore it is meet that yee bee strengthened in Faith But hee calls them the virtues of Christ because they did spring from Christ and tend to him But hee saies in the sight of God because they were of that sort which were in the sight of God genuine and no waies counterfeit Vers. 4. Knowing Brethren beloved your Election of God Argum. 3. I know certainly by certain signs that yee are elected and my genuine Brethren in Christ Therefore it is that yee ought to bee strengthened in Faith Vers. 5. For our Gospel came not to you in word onely but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance as yee know what manner of men wee were among you for your sake Argum. 4. Confirming the former I plainly perceive that my Gospel hath been efficacious amongst you for there did accompany my preaching unto you 1 Strength and spiritual virtue to the begetting of Faith in you 2 The Holy Ghost by his inward testimony and gifts withal bestowed upon you did seal the truth received by you 3 Much assurance and perswasion in your hearts did ensue which hath freed you from all doubting 4 Such was the work and presence of God in you that heard as was to bee seen in us Apostles that taught as yee your selves have known Therefore it is that yee ought to bee strengthened in Faith Vers. 6. And yee became followers of us and of the Lord having received the Word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost Argum. 5. Illustrating the former Yee by imbracing the Gospel and firmly retaining it with joy are made in the midst of afflictions both like unto the Lord Christ and us his servants preaching that Gospel with joy in the midst of oppressions Therefore yee ought to bee strengthened in Faith Vers. 7. So that yee were ensamples to all that beleeve in Macedonia and Achaia Argum. 6. Confirming the former Yee were made exemplary to all inhabiting the neighbouring Countries both of invincible Faith and great alacrity and patience in receiving and holding fast the Gospel Therefore it is that yee ought to bee strengthened in Faith Vers. 8. For from you sounded out the Word of the Lord not onely in Macedonia and Achaia but also in every place your Faith to God-ward is spread abroad so that wee need not to speak any thing Argum. 7. Your Faith became most famous not onely in the neighbouring Countries but also in those that are far distant that there is no need of any larger proof Therefore it is that yee ought to bee confirmed in the Faith Vers. 9. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entring in wee had unto you and how yee turned to God from Idols to serve the living and true God Argum. 8. The wonderful power of God appeared in your conversion that the faithful in every place have published the history of the Thessalonians conversion viz. how the Apostle with manifest peril of his life preached the Gospel amongst you and how yee hearing him after a wonderful manner renounced feigned Idols and addicted your selves to the service of the true and living God Therefore it is that yee ought to bee strengthened in Faith Vers. 10. And to wait for his Son from Heaven whom hee raised from the dead even Iesus which delivered us from the wrath to come Argum. 9. Your conversion to God was not without his Son Christ as the unbeleeving Jews falsely boast of their conversion But to God in Christ or to the Father and to Christ as the incarnate Son of God the Redeemer dead and risen for us who shall come from Heaven a Judge to destroy all unbeleevers and to deliver his own from the wrath which is to come upon the rest which Faith alone is saving Therefore yee ought to bee confirmed in Faith reminding those works of God in you CHAP. II. HEE proceeds for the confirmation of their Faith to commend the sincerity of his Ministery and the efficacy of it amongst them and to shew his kind affection towards them There are three parts of the Chapter In the first hee puts them in mind of the manifest signs of his embassage to them to vers 13. In the second hee shews the clear marks of divine Grace in their conversion to vers 17. In the third hee confirms his kind affection toward them lest they should think themselves not enough regarded by the Apostle Vers. 1. For your selves Brethren know our entrance in unto you that it was not in vain Hee recites thirteen signs of his spiritual sincere and divine embassage to them and the faithful administration of his office from the whole time wherein hee first of all preached the Gospel among them Sign 1. Yee your selves are witnesses that our entrance unto you had nothing of vanity nor my Ministery was not without fruit when I began to preach the Gospel amongst you Vers. 2. But even after that wee had suffered before and were shamefully entreated as you know at Philippi wee were bold in our God to speak unto you the Gospel of God with much contention Sign 2. The great persecution which not much before I suffered at Philippi hath not hindred but that I dare preach to you in this present danger For I boldly use liberty of speech trusting in the power of God alone striving earnestly against all enemies Vers. 3. For our exhortation was not of deceit not of uncleanness or in guile Sign 3. Confirming the former The Doctrine Exhortation and Consolation administred by mee was not like the Doctrine of the false Apostles for 1 It was not adulterate and framed to deceive but sincere without any imposture I did neither use nor suffer impurity as the false Apostles in their Doctrine but my Doctrine was without all mixture not handled after a deceitful manner as it uses to bee handled by them which in their preaching endeavour their own glory and advantage Vers. 4. But as wee were allowed of God to bee put in trust with the Gospel even so wee speak not as pleasing men but God which trieth our hearts Sign 4. From the knowledge of my Election and Vocation to so excellent an office wherein the preaching of the Gospel was committed unto mee I have determined to preach the Word of God with an holy and sincere mind and not to please men but God who searcheth the hearts and doth bear mee witness as his faithful servant Vers. 5. For neither at any time used wee flattering words as yee know nor a cloak of covetousness God is witness Sign 5. More especially explicating that which is
Christs comming which will approach before the Antichristian Apostacy from the true Faith of Christ should appear and bee discovered to the world Chap. 2. Lastly Hee exhorts them to Christian duties and namely to Diligence in every ones vocation Chap. 3. CHAP. I. Ver. 1. PAul and Sylvanus and Timotheus unto the Church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Iesus Christ 2. Grace unto you and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Iesus Christ. In the direction of the Epistle the same persons salute the Thessalonians which did in the former Here is nothing said as touching the authority of the Apostle neither in the former Epistle because they were all confirmed sufficiently in this Church concerning Pauls Apostleship onely mentioning their communion with the onely true God and his Son Jesus Christ hee distinguishes this Church both from the assemblies of the Heathens and unbeleeving Jews by wishing them both Grace and Peace hee certifies them of all things which make to eternal salvation and righteousness which are to bee communicated to them from God through Christ. Vers. 3. Wee are bound to thank God alwaies for you Brethren as it is meet because that your Faith groweth exceedingly and the charity of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth In the remaining part of the Chapter by giving God thanks for them hee also confirms their Faith and administers to them comfort against all the rage of persecutors wherewith they were vexed The Arguments of comfort and confirmation of their Faith are eight All which do prove that they ought to bee strengthened in Faith and bee comforted in their persecutions Argum. 1. The condition of your Church if I may judge is most happy in the sight of God wherein all yee none excepted as far as can bee known embrace the Lord Jesus with a sincere Faith and one another with a sincere love and proceed in both virtues daily abounding more and more in both virtues Therefore whatsoever your condition is in the sight of the world yee ought to bee comforted and strengthened in Faith Vers. 4. So that wee our selves glory in you in the Churches of God for your patience and Faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that yee endure Argum. 2. The constancy of your Faith and Patience in the midst of persecutions and afflictions which you suffer is so much that I am compelled to praise you before other Churches and to set you out for an example to others Therefore yee ought to bee comforted and strengthened in Faith Vers. 5. Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God that yee may bee counted worthy of the Kingdome of God for which yee also suffer Argum. 3. Your afflictions which yee suffer by those impious persecutors are a manifest token that there will at length bee a general judgement wherein it shall go ill with the bad and well with the good when you shall be pronounced meet through the divine favour to injoy the Kingdome of God because yee suffer many evils for promoting of it Vers. 6. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you 7. And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall bee revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels 8. In flaming fire taking vengeance of them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ 9. Who shall bee punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Argum. 4. Explaining the former God in his justice will punish in the day of judgement your persecutors and will set you at liberty from all evil Therefore yee ought to bee comforted and strengthened in Faith With us Argum. 5. Yee shall at length obtain together with us and with others the Martyrs of Christ as your fellow-souldiers rest from all evil and misery Therefore yee ought together with us to bee comforted and strengthened in Faith In the Revelation Argum. 6. From those circumstances of the last judgement which makes the revenge terrible that shall bee taken upon them The Lord Jesus 1 shall bee made manifest and visibly come from Heaven a Judge and avenger of injuries 2 The mighty Angels shall accompany him who shall execute the sentence of the Judge vers 7. 3 Hee shall kindle a flaming fire wherein this whole world shall burn 4 Hee shall bee revenged of all those that are found destitute of saving knowledge which is joyned with Faith and Obedience and that have not obeyed the Gospel vers 8. 5 Then the wicked shall bee punished with everlasting destruction 6 This punishment shall bee inflicted by an angry Judge who shall eternally cast them out from his presence From his presence 7 The Lord shall manifest to all how glorious his power is by punishing them mightily Therefore yee ought to bee comforted and confirmed in Faith Vers. 10. When hee shall come to bee glorified in his Saints and to bee admired in all them that beleeve because our testimony among you was beleeved in that day Argum. 7. Of consolation from those circumstances of the last judgement which make the glorious and joyful redemption of the godly For 1 In the same day wherein Christ will destroy his adversaries hee will set at liberty his faithful ones and especially you 2 Hee will communicate his glory to the Saints and will manifest his glory for their glorification 3 His glory shall surpass all our hope and apprehension for Christ shall bee admired in the greatness of his glory communicated 4 Hee will shew his glory in all that beleeve so that there shall bee no beleever wherein Christ shall not bee admired by the way hee gives the reason of this consolation applied to them Because the Thessalonians had beleeved the Testimony of the Apostle preaching the Gospel Therefore hee dare confidently apply the afore-said consolation to them which indeed they shall finde in that day Therefore c. Vers. 11. Wherefore also wee pray alwaies 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 Argum. 8. Of comforting and confirming them in Faith Yee have our continual prayers that yeee may happily attain your end Therefore yee ought to bee comforted in your afflictions and strengthened in Faith There are four Articles of his prayer Artic. 1. I pray that God who is ours by a free Covenant would vouchsafe to make you meet for the vocation or glory whereunto you are called This Article ascribes as well the glory unto which wee are called to the grace or favour of God as well as all the preparation which leads us to it And fulfil Artic. 2. I pray that God would fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness according to his free bounty towards you In which Article hee shews that not onely salvation but all means to
onely skilful in Divinity and well instructed in the Doctrine of Christianity but also such an one as is skilful to divide the word aright and to accommodate himself to the capacity and edification of his auditors Vers. 3. Not given to Wine no striker not greedy of filthy lucre but patâ—ent not a brawler not covetous 8. It is required that hee bee not given to Wine or such an one that uses to spend the day in sipping and bibbing of Wine No striker 9. That hee bee no striker or prone to strike either his servants or any others Not greedy of filthy lucre 10. That hee minde not filthy gain or such an one that minds his gain to the prejudice of his Ministerial dignity Patient 11. That hee bee just and moderate in bargaining and when it is convenient ready to remit of his own right Brawler 12. That hee bee free from strifes and contentions both in words and blows Covetous 13. That hee bee free from Covetousness not over much solicitous to encrease his estate Vers. 4. One that ruleth well his own house having his children in subjection with all gravity 14. That hee understand how to rule his own family well i. e. his wife children servants if hee have them Vers. 5. For if a man know not how to rule his own house how shall hee take care of the Church of God Hee gives the reason of these requisite qualifications Because hee that knows not how to govern his own house or a little family cannot govern or take care of the Church of God prudently Vers. 6. Not a novice left being lifted up with pride hee fall into the condemnation of the Devil 15. Hee requires that hee bee not a Novice or a new sprig of the Church i. e. newly converted to the true Religion not sufficiently instructed in the mysteries of godliness or confirmed by experience not sufficiently subdued and humbled by the exercises of Christianity The reason whereof is given lest being suddenly elevated to the top of Ecclesiastical dignity and puffed up hee fall into the fault and condemnation of the Devil who by reason of pride abode not in his station and therefore was rejected of God Vers. 7. Moreover hee must have a good report of them which are without lest hee fall into reproach and the snare of the Devil 16. The last qualification is That hee have a good report from them that are without or those that are strangers from the Church i. e. That hee bee of good repute amongst all whose conversation his very enemies cannot justly blame The reason whereof is given lest hee fall into ignominy and reproach and the snare of the Devil who may not onely upon that occasion load his person and office with calumnies and reproaches but render him impudent regardless of his credit and at length dissolute in his conversation Vers. 8. Likewise must the Deacons bee grave not double-tongued not given to much Wine not greedy of filthy lucre As to what is required in the Election of Elders and publick treasurers nine virtues are requisite in them 1 That they bee grave i. e. accomplished with honest manners 2 That they bee not lyars double-tongued or fraudulent 3 That they bee not given to Wine 4 That they love not filthy lucre which may any whit detract from their reputation amongst good men Vers. 9. Holding the mystery of the Faith in a pure conscience 5 That they bee rightly instructed in the Faith or Doctrine of the Gospel revealed from Heaven and that they maintain this in a firm profession together with holiness of life which may bear witness of the purity of their conscience and the sincerity of their Faith Vers. 10. And let these also first bee proved then let them use the office of a Deacon being found blameless 6 That not onely the Pastors and Candidates to higher offices but also that the Deacons bee proved before they are admitted to their function i. e. lest they bee obtruded upon the Church rashly and without their choice but that they alone bee chosen whose former life commends them so that after tryal their fitness appears and such as cannot justly bee blamed Vers. 11. Even so must their Wives bee grave not slanderers sober faithful in all things Because the dissolute conversations of wives and children turns to the reproach of the men hee requires 7 That the Wives both of Pastors and Deacons bee grave endued with honest behaviour not slanderers or such as detract from the credit of their neighbours studious of sobriety as also in all affairs faithful Vers. 12. Let the Deacons bee the Husbands of one Wife ruling their children and their own houses well 8 Hee requires that Deacons bee the Husbands of one Wife i. e. free from the sin of Polygamy 9 Hee requires That they understand how to govern their own family well and to keep their houshold within the bounds of holy Discipline Vers. 13. For they that have used the office of a Deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree and great boldness in the Faith which is in Christ Iesus Lest any man should despise the Deaconship as a mean office hee teaches that they who have well discharged this office are worthy of honour while they manage it and lay a foundation to an higher degree in the Church and finally they gain a large opportunity for the confirming their boldness towards God by Faith in Christ which the faithful administration of their Deaconship as a testimony of the sincerity of their Faith ought to confirm The Second Part. Vers. 14. These things write I unto thee hoping to come unto thee shortly 15. But if I tarry long that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy self in the house of God which is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of the truth The other part of the Chapter contains the principal Articles of Doctrine that are to bee maintained in the Church The first Article comprehends the Doctrine touching the end of this Epistle and especially of the precedent precepts which is this That the rule of governing the Church entreated of by the Apostle bee alwaies laid before their eyes which when hee came hee would explain and confirm as need required and by which rule if hee came not the sooner Timothy might direct the Governours of the Church how they ought to behave themselves in the house of God or in governing the Church The Church of God Artic. 2. Contains the Doctrine touching the excellency of the Church 1 That it is the House of God wherein hee dwells and feeds his family and wherein hee is worshiped 2 That it is the Church of the Living God or a company called out of the world by the Living God besides whom all the Gods which Heathens worship are dead Idols 3 That as the Church is called out of the world begotten nourished and preserved of God by the Truth that it should bee the Church of the Living God so
an one Christ is i. e. how excellent hee is in the offices of his Apostleship or of his Prophetical and Priestly office wherein hee humbled himself and suffered Argum. 1. From Psal. 8.5 to this purpose The man Christ is highly accounted of with God and other men are subjected because of him if the Majesty of God and the Magnificence of his works bee compared with the meanness of humane nature or if it bee considered how great God is and how eminent his other works and how mean and low man is Therefore the excellency of Christ as man ought not to bee lessened with us because of the infirmities and sufferings of the humane nature which hee took Vers. 7. Thou madest him a little lower than the Angels thou crownedst him with glory and honour and didst set him ruler over the works of thy hands Argum. 2. From Psal. 8.6 Although Christ in the time of his humiliation was made lower than the Angels in respect to his sufferings in the flesh yet that humiliation was not perpetual but for a short time and onely in part in respect to the humane nature that suffered Because the price of Redemption being paid hee was raised from the dead exalted to the right hand of God and crowned with glory and honour declared Lord and King over all the works of God Therefore wee ought not to detract from him because of his sufferings in the flesh Vers. 8. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet For in that hee put all in subjection under him hee left nothing that is not put under him But now wee see not yet all things put under him 9. But wee see Iesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that hee by the Grace of God should taste death for every man Argum. 3. From Psal. 8.7 Christ is the Lord of Angels even as hee is man For God hath put all the works of his hands without exception in subjection to him and so amongst the rest Angels Therefore c. But now Argum. 4. Propounded by way of Solution to an Objection Although yet wee see not all things subjected unto Christ in respect to his members which are daily opposed by very many enemies Yet wee see not with the eyes of Faith onely but even the light of reason by many tokens and are convinced by the multitude of miracles Christ after his humiliation below the condition of Angels now crowned with glory and honour in his own person in Heaven and sitting at the right hand of his Father till all his enemies bee made his foot-stool and thus wee see the victory of Christ begun Therefore wee must not detract any thing from the excellency of Christ because of his sufferings either in his own person or in his members A little Argum. 5. From the fore-telling of his humiliation Psal. 8.6 From the decree of God and to the fulfilling the Prophecies of Christ it behoved him to bee humbled and suffer death and to this end in a sort to bee made lower than the Angels that hee might suffer death Therefore c. Taste Argum. 6. Not unadvisedly or compelled by necessity did Christ suffer but freely or out of the gracious good will of God towards us hee tasted death for a short time not for himself but for all us his Sons that hee might bring us to salvation as it is expounded in the following verse Therefore his estimation is not to bee lessened because of his sufferings in his assumed flesh Vers. 10. For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many Sons unto Glory to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings Argum. 7. It was agreeable to the Glory of God who is the Author and End of all things seeing that his justice mercy wisdome power and the rest of his Attributes might bee manifested chiefly by the sufferings of Christ that hee might consecrate inaugurate consummate and every waies make him meet to bee Captain of our salvation the more conveniently by afflictions to bring many Sons his Elect to life and glory not by his Doctrine onely nor onely by the example of his life but also by the merit of his death undergone for the redeeming of them Therefore his excellency ought not to bee abated because of his sufferings in the flesh Vers. 11. For both hee that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one For which cause hee is not ashamed to call them Brethren Argum. 8. The Redeemer and the Redeemed Hee that sanctifies and they that are sanctified not onely by the decree of God and the predictions of Scripture but also from Justice it self are of one and the same Nature of the same Natural lump derived from the same Adam For the Justice and Wisdome of God required that in the humane Nature which had sinned sin should bee punished And therefore required that the Redeemer of men should bee truly man Therefore the reputation of Christ the Son of God because of his assuming the infirmities of humane Nature is not to bee diminished For which Argum. 9. Confirming the former The Messias would bee incarnate that wee might bee his Brethren and that hee might shew forth himself a Brother unto us And although hee is the Son of God yet hee is not ashamed to call the Redeemed or Elect his Brethren Therefore the reputation of Christ is not to bee lessened because of his sufferings in humane flesh but rather ought wee to boast in his relation to us and to glorifie him so much the more because of his sufferings for us Verâ— 12. Saying I will declare thy name unto my Brethren in the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee This Argument hee proves by three Testimonies of Scripture The first is taken from Psal. 22.22 wherein Christ undertakes to pay the price of our Redemption and promiseth to preach the Righteousness purchased by his Obedience to his Brethren the Elect or the Church of the faithful in whose Congregations hee is present by his Spirit even after his ascension stirring up joy and thanksgiving in the hearts of the faithful by the preaching of Righteousness Vers. 13. And again I will put my trust in him and again Behold I and the children which God hath given mee The second Testimony is taken from Psal. 18.3 whence Christ is proved to bee man because put in the number of the Covenanters depending upon God by Faith Again Testimony the third From Isa. 8.18 where Christ is brought in by the Prophet associating himself with Children as his Brethren whom God had chosen and given to him to bee redeemed and saved whom hee presents with himself to the Father to bee glorified Vers. 14. Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood hee also himself took part of the same that through death hee might destroy him that had the power of
Or Reject not God speaking or Refuse not to subject your selves to his word Therefore the Profession of the Christian Faith is to bee held fast As in Argum. 9. From Exod. 17. You ought to attend to the evil example of your Fathers who out of unbeleef tempted God in the desert who in their sight had made proof of his power and goodness as his works testified for forty years Therefore you ought to hold fast the Profession of your Faith Vers. 10. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation and said they do alway erre in their hearts and they have not known my waies Argum. 10. From Psal. 95. Except you continue stedfast in the Faith yee will bee Heirs of the wrath of God denounced against an unbeleeving Nation and you will fall under the same condemnation with your Fathers who affected errour in their hearts noâ— would they learn the waies of God Therefore c. Vers. 11. So I sware in my wrath they shall not enter into my rest Argum. 11. Our of the same Psalm unless you continue stedfast in the Faith yee are in danger to bee shut out of the Kingdome of Heaven or from Gods rest by his oath being provoked to anger Therefore c. Vers. 12. Take heed Brethren lest there bee in any of you an evil heart of unbeleef in departing from the Living God Argum. 12. From the application of the fore-mentioned example propounded by way of Exhortation unless every one of you take heed to your selves diligently of that inbred wickedness and incredulity of heart yee will without doubt fall from the Living God Therefore yee ought with all watchfulness to hold fast the Faith Vers. 13. But exhort one another daily while it is called to day leâ—t any of you bee hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Argum. 13. It lyes upon every one of you not onely to take heed to your selves lest yee faint but also by mutual Exhortations while yee have opportunity to do your indeavour that none of you harden his heart by the deceitfulness of sin in any wickedness lest a defection in the business of Religion insue upon a corrupt conversation Therefore yee ought to endeavour that all and every one of you bee stedfast in the Faith Vers. 14. For wee are made partakers of Christ if wee hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end Argum. 14. No man is truly a partaker of Christ for the present who holds not fast to the end that principle by which wee are supported i. e. Faith by which wee subsist in our spiritual life Therefore ought c. Vers. 15. While it is said To day if yee will hear his voice harden not your hearts as in the provocation 16. For some when they had heard did provoke howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses 17. But with whom was hee grieved forty years was it not with them that had sinned whose carkasses fell in the wilderness 18. And to whom sware hee that they should not enter into his rest but to them that beleeved not 19. So wee see that they could not enter in because of unbeleef Argum. 15. Upon consideration of the circumstances of the Text in the fore-cited Psalm to this purpose From the words of the fore-quoted Psalm vers 15. wee may gather that not all but some provoked God for some persevered in the Faith of the Promises vers 16. but they who provoked God were onely those who from their comming out of Egypt continued in their unbeleef to their lives end and they which thus provoked God hee flew them in his wrath in the wilderness vers 17. And being now condemned of unbeleef hee shut them out from his rest with an oath vers 18. Who seeing from the history wee understand they could not enter into his rest because of unbeleef vers 19. It necessarily follows that you as many of you who are exempted from the wrath of God and exclusion from his rest as desire to bee saved with those that beleeve and would not bee driven from Gods rest with unbeleevers that are excluded it behoves you to hold fast the Profession of your Faith CHAP. IV. Vers. 1. LEt us therefore fear lest a Promise being left us of entring into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it Insisting upon the exposition and application of the place cited out of Psal. 95. hee exhorts them to hasten their entrance into the Rest of God by Faith in Christ By the Rest of God hee means that spiritual and heavenly Rest wherein wee cease from sin and enjoy tranquillity of conscience from peace towards God and safely dwell under his shadow the beginning whereof is in this life and the perfection of it in the life to come Wee enter into this rest more and more by faith till at length wee obtain a full refreshment at the coming of our Lord. The Arguments of the Exhortation are Eleven Being left Arg. 1. In the midst of the threatning Psal. 95. vers ult There is a promise left to us beleevers of entring into Gods rest Therefore you ought to make haste that by faith yee may enter into that Rest. Let us fear Arg. 2. Unless you make haste in the race of your faith to enter into the promised rest there is danger lest by your delay you bee shut out or bee found excluded For a sloathful and idle faith is justly suspected Therefore with fear which whets on diligence you ought to hasten that you may enter into Rest. Vers. 2. For unto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them but the word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it Argum. 3. Confirming both the former seeing the same Evangelical promise upon the same condition is preached as well to us as them and the word heard did not profit them who received it not mixed with faith but onely those that imbraced it by faith It will follow that this promise of entring into rest will neither profit us unless by faith imbracing the promises wee endeavour to enter into rest and on the other side it will follow that the promise will advantage us if wee bee careful to enter in by faith Therefore wee must endeavour to enter in Vers. 3. For wee which have beleeved do enter into rest as hee said as I have sworn in my wrath if they shall enter into my rest although the works were finished from the foundation of the world 4. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wife and God did rest the seventh day from all his works 5. And in this place again if they shall enter into my rest Arg. 4. Wee that beleeve in Christ have an entrance into rest opened to us by faith Therefore let us hasten to persevere by faith till wee obtain a full rest I have sworn Arg. 5. Confirming the former The Lord swearing in his wrath that unbeleevers shall
bee shut out of his rest on the contrary swears that beleevers shall bee admitted into his rest Therefore beleeving Gods Oath let us hasten more and more to enter into his rest The works Hee explains the force of this Argument vers 10. three wayes First by shewing that Gods rest expressed in his Oath Psal. 95.11 is not the rest of the seventh day wherin God rested from the works of Creation because those works being finished from the beginning of the world vers 3. the rest of the seventh day was celebrated as it appears Gen. 2. and so that rest of God is past vers 4. But in Psal. 95.11 David makes mention of another rest Therefore here is not meant that first rest of God celebrated upon the Sabbatism of the seventh day vers 5. Vers. 6. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein and they to whom it was first preached entred not in because of unbeleef Secondly Hee explains the Argument by declaring the consequence which follows from this that unbeleevers are excluded because of unbeleef from entring into rest It remains necessarily to bee gathered saith hee that some i. e. the faithful enter into it For either beleevers or unbeleevers shall enter into the Kingdome of God But unbeleevers shall not enter but are excluded by the Oath of God It remains that some i. e. the faithful enter in Vers. 7. Again hee limiteth a certain day saying in David to day after so long a time as it is said To day if yee will hear his voyce harden not your hearts Thirdly By shewing that the rest of God expressed in his Oath Psal. 95.11 is not that typical rest in the Land of Canaan which hee proves because David Psal. 95.7 8. defines a certain day To day so long a time after the rest of the seventh day and after the peoples entrance into the Land of Canaan viz. the day of Gods patience so long viz. as wee hear the voyce of God so long as wee are admonished not to harden our hearts so long as God offers to men that hear his voice entrance into his rest unless through unbeleef they harden their hearts Therefore by Gods rest the Prophet David doth not understand the typical rest of the Land of Canaan Vers. 8. For if Iesus had given them rest then would hee not afterward have spoken of another day 9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God Whereof hee gives a reason because if Ioshua or typical Jesus had settled the people in Gods rest which David promises then David in no wise would have spoken in the Psalm of another day afterwards but vers 8. hee speaks of it Therefore some rest remains to the people of God promised by David besides that typical rest of the Land of Canaan Vers. 10. For hee that is entred into this rest hee also hath ceased from his own works as God did from his 11. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest lest any man fall after the same example of unbeleef Arg. 6. Gods rest is the ceasing from our labour as God rested from his works or it is a ceasing from sin troubles vexing cares and all our miseries Therefore let us make haste to enter by faith into that rest lest any of us with the rebellious Israelites bee excluded from Gods rest Vers. 12. For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword peircing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Arg. 7. Confirming the former after this manner The word of God which calls us to his rest with threatning of wrath except wee obey hath now no less efficacy to save beleevers and to destroy the unbeleevers than it had long ago let us therefore make haste by faith to enter into that rest lest wee perish as heretofore the unbeleever There are three Epithites of the word 1 It is quick because it doth not lose its efficacy with the Prophets that are mortal who preach it but retains its perpetual force and vertue to all ages Zach. 1.5 6. 2 It is powerful because it is the Power and Arm of God to effect whatever it saith whether for consolation or terror 3 More peircing than any two-edged sword because as a two-edged sword peirceth into the most inward hidden and hardest parts of the body so the word of God by the perfect manifestation of light pierceth into the most intimate secrets of the heart which are meant by the marrow in the bones and into all the most inward faculties of the soul that it may discover the plottings of the sensitive soul and of the intellective what it intends and what it pretends what every one lusts after and by what means it endeavours the attainment of what it intends The word of God I say passes through all the faculties of the humane soul that it may manifest to every one if there bee any hypocrisie or if there bee any root of bitterness or unbeleef lying hid and that it may propose to every one according to the Rule not only what is within in the thought of his heart but also with what intention he thinks and wills so that they who inwardly think of Apostatizing or indulge the seeds of Apostacy within them they cannot avoid the force of the Divine Word or decline its stroak by any Arts oâ— Sophistry Vers. 13. Neither is there any Creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom wee have to do Argum. 8. Confirming the former God with whom wee have to deal when wee have to do with his Word sees all things and what infidelity lurks within us under the vizor of an outward profession because all things even the inward secrets of the heart are naked and open in his sight as when a beast is so divided by the neck and marrow of the back that all its bowels appear Therefore ought wee to endeavour to enteâ— into his rest by sincere Faith noâ— think yee to avoid the power of his threatnings if you do otherwise Vers. 14. Seeing then that wee have a great High Priest that is passed into the Heavens Iesus the Son of God let us hold fast our Profession Argum. 9. Wee have Jesus Christ the Son of God the great High Priest who hath now peirced the Heavens and is entred into his Kingdome that hee may open a passage unto us Therefore holding fast the Profession of our Faith let us endeavour to enter in Vers. 15. For we have not an High Priest which can not be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as wee are yet without sin Argum. 10. By way of prevention of an Objection Although the Majesty of Christ may strike us with amazement that wee unworthy sinners aspire not to that heavenly rest where his
nothing remains but the subduing of enemies and the application of the benefits procured by that Oblation for the good of the Elect. Vers. 15. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us for after that hee had said before 16. This is the Covenant that I will make with them after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them 17. And their sins and iniquities will I remember us more Argum. 11. The New Covenant founded on the Sacrifice of Christ absolutely without any condition promises to all the Elect full Sanctification I will put my Law c. and remission of sins I will remember them no more as the Holy Ghost testifies Ier. 31.31 c. Therefore the Sacrifice of Christ c. Vers. 18 Now where remission of these is there is no more offering for sin Argum. 12. That one Sacrifice of Christ obtains from God full pardon of sins to the faithful under the New Covenant that hee neither leaves any place for the repetition of it nor to any other offering for sin Therefore the Sacrifice of Christ is more excellent than the Levitical The Second Part of the Chapter Vers. 19. Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Iesus The second paâ—â— follows wherein hee brings the precedent Doctrine into use by way of exhortation consisting of divers branches That with confidence in God to ver 23. promoting the work of Holiness in themselves particularly and in all the members of the Church in general to ver 26. they patiently and confidently persevere in the Faith unto the end And briefly this whole exhortation may bee gathered into this Proposition Yee ought with confidence patiently to persevere in your endeavours after holiness The Arguments of this exhortation which prove and inforce this Proposition are nineteen whereof some alluding to types so hee lays them down that withall hee may raise the minds of the Hebrews to the excellency of the thing signified Having Argum. 1. Yee have together with us boldness by Faith in your prayers in this life of entring into Heaven and full possession after this life by approaching unto God himself Therefore ought yee with boldness to persevere in the Faith By the blood Argum. 2. By the blood or death of Jesus Christ as by a full price of our Redemption and Reconciliation this priviledge is procured for you that in all your necessities yee may freely open your minds to God Therefore ought yee boldly to persevere Vers. 20. By a new and living way which hee hath consecrated for us through the veil that is to say his flesh Argum. 3. Christ being made man and uniting himself with us in our common nature hath dedicated his flesh or his humanity to this use that yee with us being advantaged with this communion of nature by his Mediation as by a new way plain safe and living which quickens those that walk in it and refreshes the weary yee may come unto God as the Levitical High Priest entred by the veil into the Sanctuary Therefore ought yee to persevere with confidence in God Vers. 21. And having an High Priest over the house of God Argum. 4. Wee have Christ our High Priest who goes before us in the way bearing the iniquity of the inferiour Priests lest the things which are done amiss by us in our imperfect services might hinder our access to God Therefore c. Over the Argum. 5. Wee have Christ very tender towards us over the house of God who hath power to admit into Heaven whom hee will and of assigning a place to them that are entered as he please and out of the treasury of his grace to bestow upon them as much as can be desired Therefore c. Vers. 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 23. Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering for hee is faithful that promised Argum. 6. The priviledge of a new and sincere heart is given to Beleevers to a full assurance of Faith and a peaceable conscience in Christ and to holiness of life which were signified by the Legal washings yee therefore by Faith apprehending your priviledge with us and applying to your selves the virtue of Christs blood by Faith being assured yee ought together with us in Sanctification of life to approach nearer unto God and to cleave unto him that yee may the more boldly persevere Faithful Arg. 7. God who hath promised all grace to them that hope in him that they may perseveâ—e to salvation is faithful Therefore c. Vers. 24. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works 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 yee see the day approaching Argum. 8. Unless yee diligently take heed that by all waies and means which make for your particular or the Churches perseverance in general viz. by considering one another and exciting one another to love and to good works by attending publick meetings and preserving the unity of the Church c. there is danger leâ—t a separation or Schism follow and at length Apostacy from the Faith as experience testifies in the persons of some Therefore c. So much the more Argum. 9. The day of judgement approacheth wherein to those that persevere in and apostatize from the Faith a reward shall bee given according to their works Vers. 26. For if wee sin wilfully after that wee have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins Argum. 10. Unless yee persevere in the Faith or if after the acknowledgement of the truth of the Gospel wilfully or on set purpose yee fall back from the Gospel which is to sin against the Holy Ghost there remains no more Sacrifice for sin nor by consequence remission of sin if so be yee rejecting Christ and his Sacrifice maliciously there is no more Sacrifice for sin left Therefore lest yee fall into this abysse yee ought carefully to persevere Vers. 27. But a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devoure the adversaries Argum. 11. There abides for Apostates who knowingly and willfully reject Christ and maliciously betake themselves to the adversaries side a fear of the dreadful judgement of God and of eternal fire which shall devoure all the enemies of Christ and chiefly Apostates Therefore ought yee to persevere in the Faith Vers. 28. Hee that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses 29. Of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall hee bee thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith hee was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the spirit of grace
Hee confirms this Argument with six Reasons Reas. 1. Because the contemner of Moses Law legally convicted was adjudged to capital punishment without mercy Therefore much more is the Apostate to be destroyed Trodden under foot Reas. 2. Because the Apostate is no less injurious to Christ as much as lyes in him than if hee should draw him from his Throne and trample him under his feet Blood Reas. 3. Because they esteem the most Holy blood of Christ whereby once as to the outward man or the outward Ecclesiastical Sanctification they are separated from the world and in Baptism consecrated unto God as the blood of some common man Spirit Reas. 4. Because they offer despite to the Holy Spirit as if hee was a lyar who convinceth them of the Deity and Divine power of Christ. Vers. 30. For wee know him that hath said Vengeance belongeth unto mee I will recompence saith the Lord and again the Lord shall judge his people Reas. 5. Because God professeth himself the revenger of all sin and of injuries done to his people Deut. 32.35 36. and much more of so horrible a sin against his Son and also against the whole Church Vers. 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God Reas. 6. Because Apostates have not to do with miserable mortals but with the Living God i. e. him that is omnipotent and alwaies in readiness to revenge into whose hands as into the hands of an angry Judge it is a fearful thing to fall Therefore Apostates must expect nothing but the fearful judgement of God Withall hee propounds Argum. 12. To perseverance in the Faith Wilful Apostacy from the Faith is joyned with so many hainous Reproaches against Christ and the Holy Spirit Therefore take yee heed of Apostacy and persevere yee constantly in the Faith Vers. 32. But call to remembrance the former daies in which after yee were illuminated yee endured a great fight of afflictions 33. Partly whilst yee were made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions and partly whilst yee became companions of them that were so used 34. For yee had compassion of mee in my bonds and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that yee have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance Argum. 13. By suffering persecution for the Gospel yee have long since given a famous proof of your constancy in the Faith hoping for that reward which is laid up for you in Heaven Therefore ought yee hereafter to persevere constantly in the Faith Hee opens this Argument by minding them how presently upon their receiving the Faith of Christ being illuminated by the word and Spirit of God they entred into a fight of grievous afflictions as it were vers 32. Partly whilst they themselves were openly reproached by the enemies of the Gospel and oppressed with all kind of injustice and violence Partly also whilst they out of Christian sympathy joyned themselves as companions to those that were afflicted and oppressed for the Gospels sake vers 33. which hee makes apparent by experience because whilst the Apostle was in bonds for the Gospel the faithful Hebrews sympathized and took the spoiling of their goods joyfully not respecting earthly riches in comparison to the heavenly and eternal inheritance laid up for them in Heaven vers 34. Vers. 35. Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompence of reward Argum. 14. Constant perseverance in the Faith hath a great recompence of reward Therefore the Profession of your Faith is not to be cast away but constantly to be held fast by you Vers. 36. For yee have need of patience that after yee have done the will of God yee might receive the Promise Argum. 15. If yee patiently persevere yee shall receive eternal life which is promised unto you otherwise not Therefore yee ought constantly and patiently to persevere in the Faith Vers. 37. For yet a little while and hee that shall come will come and will not tarry Argum. 16. Yee shall shortly have an end of your labours and yet want but little of the victory yet a little while and God will set you at liberty from all trouble as the Prophet Habak 2.4 gives us notice Therefore ought yee constantly to persevere Vers. 38. Now the Iust shall live by Faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him Argum. 17. The Just shall live by Faith not by the present possession of his hope laying hold upon Life and Righteousness no other waies but by Faith Therefore yee ought to persevere in the Faith that yee may obtain Righteousness and Life If any Argum. 18. Hee that casts away his Faith and is puffed up with carnal confidence of his own strength or rests upon the power of any creature is hateful to God and his Saints Therefore ought yee to persevere in the Faith Vers. 39. But wee are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that beleeve to the saving of the soul. Argum. 19. I am perswaded that wee who truly beleeve are not of those reprobate Hypocrites who in the day of temptation fall away to their own perdition but of those that are elected whereof every one perseveres to the saving of his soul Therefore ought yee boldly to persevere in the Faith CHAP. XI HEE proceeds to confirm his former exhortation to perseverance in the Faith with divers Arguments drawn from the properties and effects of Faith Illustrated from the manifold experience of the Saints The Arguments of his Exhortation are twenty four All which prove that Faith is to bee promoted or that wee ought to persevere in the Faith or live by it in the midst of afflictions Vers. 1. Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Argum. 1. Faith embracing the promise concerning things hoped for makes the things as it were present and gives them a kind of subsistence so far as it applies to us the truth and power of God promising in whose power the things promised are contained and makes us as certain of the event as if the things promised were actually performed Therefore wee ought to live by Faith and persevere in it And the Argum. 2. Faith laying hold upon the Word of God is a convincing demonstration of the truth of things past present and to come which are not seen or appear and are justly esteemed by us most certain because of the undoubted truth of the word of God Therefore c. Vers. 2. For by it the Elders obtained a good report Argum. 3. By Faith Beleevers are commended justified and proclaimed blessed by the Testimony of God as it appears by ancient examples in the Scripture Therefore wee ought to live by Faith and persevere in it in the midst of afflictions Vers. 3. Through Faith wee understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear
Argum. 4. Faith satisfies it self in the word of Almighty God concerning making the world out of nothing or concerning the Creation of all things which wee see out of no apparent or pre-existent matter Therefore wee must live by Faith and persevere in it although wee see nothing of those things which are promised to us in the word of God seeing God can effect our salvation promised to us out of things which appear not no less by his word than hee could create the world out of nothing Vers. 4. By Faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Kain by which hee obtained witness that hee was righteous God testifying of his gifts and by it hee being dead yet speaketh The properties of Faith follow which are illustrated by the special experience of the Saints which hee disposes into four classes as it were for orders sake The first is of those which lived before the flood to vers 8. The second is of those which lived from the flood till Israel went down into Egypt to vers 23. The third is of those that lived at their comming out of Egypt to vers 32. The fourth is of those that lived after to the end The first in the first rank or classis is Abel who is said by Faith to offer a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain not onely â—hat Faith caused that hee should make choice of the best Sacrifice which by the command of God it was lawful for him to offer but especially because by Faith in the thing signified i. e. the MESSIAH the immaculate Lamb of God promised who was to take away the sins of the world hee fastened his eyes and worshiped God in Spirit whereas Cain stuck in the naked superficial Ceremony onely And so Abel is declared justified by Faith God giving testimony of the excellency of his Sacrifice which hee offered By which Faith although dead yet hee speaks teaching by his example all in the Church to beleeve in Christ and to seal their Faith with the Martyrdome of blood if it be the will of God Hence Argum. 5. The faithful are declared just by Faith their offerings are accepted their worship is approved of God and posterity is edified by the example of Beleevers as is manifest by the example of Abel Therefore ought wee to persevere in the Faith Vers. 5. By Faith Enoch was translated that hee should not see death and was not found because God had translated him for before his translation hee had this testimony that hee pleased God 6. But without Faith it is impossible to please him for hee that cometh to God must believe that hee is and that hee is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Enoch follows in the second place who is said by Faith to bee translated into life immortal death or the separation of his Soul from his body not intervening only a change made from mortal to immortal qualifications He proves that this Translation was a fruit of Faith because Enoch pleased God or was approved before the translation of him and without faith it is impossible to please God the reason whereof is given because no man comes unto God or is admitted into fellowship with him unless hee subscribe to the All-sufficiency and goodness of God by Faith so as to apply that goodness of God to himself which is offered him and come unto God desirous of communion with him for it is Faith alone that divests a man of all his own worth and joyns him to God that is merciful and full of compassion Hence Argum. 6. By Faith wee obtain Eternal Life as God hath testified to us in the translation of Enoch who had hee not been indued with faith had not pleased God nor come unto him nor had been admitted into heaven Therefore ought wee to persevere in the Faith Vers. 7. By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his house by the which hee condemned the world and became Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith Noah is the third who warned of God concerning the coming of a Flood many years after believed and feared and by the Command of God prepared an Ark to the saving of his Family whereby hee convinced the rest of the world then living with himself of unbelief and is declared the Heir of that Righteousness which is by Faith in Christ who was represented by the Ark Hence Argum. 7. By Faith wee are to take heed of the anger of God and diligently use the appointed means to Salvation by which diligence wee convince the world of unbelief and slothfulness and testifie the truth of our Faith whereby wee believe in Christ and obtain the inheritance of Righteousness in him as is manifest in the experience of Noah Therefore wee ought to persevere in the Faith Vers. 8. By Faith Abraham when hee was called to go out into a place which hee should after receive for an inheritance obeyed and hee went out not knowing whither hee went 9. By Faieh hee sojourned in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country dwelling in Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the Heirs with him of the same Promise 10. For hee looked for a City which hath foundations whose Builder and Maker is God The second Rank or Classis of Believers which lived to the time of Israels going down into Egypt whereof the first in order is Abraham who by Faith left his Country and followed God into a strange Land leaning upon the Promise of God for an inheritance to bee given him uncertain in the mean time where hee should sojourn ver 8. By Faith also hee sojourned in the promised Land dwelling in Tabernacles as some Pilgrim and Stranger as Isaac and Iacob his Posterity did to whom the same promise of an Inheritance was made ver 9. For hee did not so much look at that typical Land of Canaan as Heaven represented by that Land of Promise which is like a fenced and strongly founded City whose Builder is God and not man Hence Argum. 8. By Faith wee being called of God leave all earthly things and content with our condition being according to the Will of God whatever it is wee sojourn in this world under hope of a most abiding Inheritance to bee possessed by us in heaven as appears in the example of Abraham Therefore c. Vers. 11. Through Faith also Sarah her self received strength to conceive Seed and was delivered of a Child when shee was past age because shee judged him faithful who had promised 12. Therefore sprang there even of one and him as good as dead so many as the stars of the Sky in multitude and as the Sand which is by the Sea shore innumerable Before hee passes from what hee had to say of Abraham hee mentions the Faith of his Wife Sarah whose Faith concurred with Abrahams to apprehend the promise of the numerous Off-spring which should issue from him
1. Hee mitigateth his threatning of them for fear of hurting their Faith Beloved saith hee wee are perswaded better things of you though wee thus speak Then 1. A Preacher may threaten fearfully those of whom hee hath good hopes yet with prudency lest hee harm them 2. And people threatned must beware of weakning their own Faith knowing that threatnings are not used to weaken their Faith but to put away security and sloathfulness 2. Hee taketh his assurance of them from such things as accompany salvation Then In the fruits of Faith there are marks and evidences of a mans salvation to bee found which may give a charitable perswasion of their blessed estate to such as know them Vers. 10. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which you have shewed towards his Name in that yee have ministred to the Saints and do minister 1. The reason of his good hopes of them is their bygone and present fruits of love towards Christs name and his Saints Then 1. The works of love done for the glory of Christ or to his Saints for Christs sake from time to time as God giveth occasion are evident marks of a mans salvation and more sure tokens of saving Grace given than illumination and tastings spoken of before 2. No love is to be reckoned for love but working love 3. No works are right works which flow not from love to Christ. 2. Of such works hee saith that God is not unrighteous to forget them and so proveth their salvation because such fruits accompany salvation Then 1. With the grace of laborious love towards Christs Name the grace of salvation doth go in company 2. Justice doth agree with grace in the reward of well-doing because the reward is graciously promised and righteousness maketh promises to be performed 3. The man that loveth Christ in deed and in truth hath that which is most terrible in God for the pawn of his salvation even his Justice 3. These are they whom hee reproved for weakness of knowledge Chap. 5. vers 12. whom now hee commendeth for their good affection and fruits Then 1. Mean knowledge if it be sanctified and sound will be fruitful in the works of love 2. This virtue of love is no excuse for sloathful following of the means of knowledge wee must grow in love and grow in knowledge also Vers. 11. And wee desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end 1. Hee exhorteth to continue diligent unto the end Then 1. The diligent have need of Exhortation to go on 2. Exhortation to perseverance importeth not suspition of falling away but serveth to further perseverance rather 3. No other Tearm-day is set to our diligence but the end No licence to slack or give over 2. The end of their going on in diligence is their full assurance of hope Then 1. Whatsoever measure of assurance men have they may yet obtain a fuller measure of it Still wee must study to grow 2. Constant diligence in the works of love is the ready mean to foster and augment our assurance 3. Christian hope is not a conjecture or probability but an assurance Vers. 12. That yee be not sloathful but followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises 1. Hee setteth the Example of the Fathers before them to be imitated Then 1. So many examples as wee have in Scripture of the godly gone before so many leaders and encouragers must wee reckon our selves to have 2. The painful and not the sloathful are the true imitators of allowed examples 3. In the way to Heaven there are many things befalling us which make it unlikely wee shall come there for which cause there is need of Faith 4. A time must intervene and troubles also ere Heaven be possessed There is therefore need of Patience also 2. They inherit the Promise saith hee Then 1. The most patient and painful servants of God get not Heaven by merit but by inheritance 2. They get not Heaven by merit but by promise Now the promise is of Grace Vers. 13. For when God made promise to Abraham because hee could swear by no greater hee sware by himself 14. Saying surely blessing I will bless thee and multiplying I will multiply thee 15. And so after hee had patiently endured hee obtained the Promise 1. For many examples hee bringeth one of Father Abraham from Gen. 22. vers 16.17 and maketh use of it by application Then because we cannot have all examples at once before our eyes we shall doe well for several duties to have some select examples singled out for our own more ready use 2. He doth not bring forth all Abrahams virtues but such as made for his purpose Then when fit examples are found out those points which most serve for our edification must bee most in our eyes 3. Hee marketh first the Promise made next the confirmation of it by an oath then the fast and constant hold laid on it by Abraham last the fruit of the holding fast Hee obtained the promise Then 1. In the example of Beleevers the nature of the Promise and how they came by it must especially bee marked for helping of our Faith 2. Preachers have Pauls example here how to handle a Text. 4. Hee setteth Abrahams obtaining for a pawn of their obtaining albeit hee knew their Faith should bee weaker in degree than Abrahams Then In making use of examples it must be held for a ground that the honest and upâ—ight imitators albeit weak shall finde the same success that the stronger gone before them have found Vers. 16. For men verily swear by the greater and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife 1. The Apostle being about to comment upon this oath first hee sheweth the end of an oath amongst men vers 16. and then the use of the oath made to Abraham thereafter 1. Men swear by a greater saith hee that the authority of him by whom they swear may ratifie the oath one way or other But God hath not a greater and therefore himself and all his is laid in pawn to make his oath good 2. Hee who is the greatest and giveth authority and weight to all oaths among men must be esteemed worthy to give weight and authority to his own oath This is the force of his reasoning 2. The end of an oath is to end controversie Then This similitude importeth that as long as wee are in mis-beleef there is a controversie betwixt God and us wee testifying that wee are in suspition of his good affection towards us and of his promise keeping unto us and God is offended with us for our wicked thoughts entertained of him 3. God hath sworn his promise to us to take away the controversie Then 1. A man could condescend no further to give his party satisfaction than God hath condescended to satisfie us 2. Except wee will deny God the honour which wee
cannot deny unto an honest man wee must beleeve the sworn Covenant of God and particular Articles thereof 3. Except wee beleeve the controversie remaineth yea and is doubled after the oath Vers. 17. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of Promise the immutability of His Counsel confirmed it by an Oath One of the ends of Gods swearing to Abraham is the Confirmation of the Faithful or the Heirs of Promise concerning the unchangeableness of Gods Counsel in making the Promise Then Every Beleever hath the same ground of certainty with Abraham seeing the Oath sworn to Abraham is sworn for their Confirmation 2. Hee calleth Beleevers by Isaaks stile Heirs of the Promise Then Beleevers are all reckoned by God as so many Isaaks and intituled with Isaak to be Heirs of Abraham with him and Heirs of the Good promised to him and Heirs begotten by the force of Gods Promise and Word and not by the force of nature And certainly albeit the Law serve for a Preparation yet it is the Gospel and the Word of Promise which pulleth in the heart of a man to God in love as a reconciled Father and converteth him Wherefore even because of the Beleevers begetting to God by the immortal seed of the Word of Promise hee may be called the Heir of Promise also 3. By the Oath God declareth himself willing to shew the immutability of his Counsel concerning the Salvation of Beleevers Then 1. As many as beleeve in Jesus and are begotten by the Promise are fore-ordained in Gods Counsel for Salvation 2. The Purpose and Counsel of God concerning such mens Salvation is immutable 3. God will have Beleevers knowing this His Counsel concerning themselves and their Salvation and assured of the immutability thereof 4. Hee will have the sworn Promise made to Abraham and his Seed serving in particular to the Heirs of Promise or Beleevers to make evident this His Counsel to them in particular as well as to Abraham because Hee sware to Abraham to shew them this His Purpose 4. By the Oath hee saith God is willing more abundantly to shew the immutability of his Counsel Then 1. Till the immutability of the Lords Counsel concerning our salvation be laid hold upon Faith cannot be stedfast as the Lord would have it 2. God is willing that wee should look in upon his Counsel by the eye of Faith and read our Names written in Heaven in His Decree and so be made sure 3. The Promise of Salvation or of the Blessing to Beleevers is of it self sufficient enough for Assurance albeit it were not sworn and the Oath is added not of necessity for any weakness of the truth of the Promise but out of super-abundant good will to have us made sure 4. It behoveth to be most pleasant to God that Beleevers have full assurance of Faith and over-come all doubting seeing hee sweareth the Promise onely for this end Vers. 18. That by two immutable things in the which it was impossible for God to lye wee might have a strong Consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the Hope set before us Another end of the Oath is That with assurance the Beleever may have strong Consolation upon solid grounds 1. But how describeth hee the Beleevers to whom this Comfort is allowed Wee saith hee who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the Hope set before us That is Wee who to flee from deserved wrath have taken our course towards Jesus in hope to get the Salvation offered unto us in Him Fleeing for refuge a similitude whether from nature or from the Ordinance of Moses Law Numb 35.6 Giveth us to understand 1. That every true Beleever of necessity must be sensible of his own sins and the deserved wrath of God pursuing him for sin 2. Must have this estimation of Jesus That Hee is both a ready and sufficiently strong Refuge to save a man from sin and wrath when hee runneth towards Him 3. That in this sense of sin and wrath and good estimation of Christ hee set his Face towards Him onely avoiding all by-waies leading elsewhere than to this Refuge and running for death and life to be found in Him 2. Again while hee saith To lay hold upon the Hope set before us hee giveth us to understand 1. That in Christ our Refuge not onely is there deliverance from pursuing Wrath but also eternal life to be found as it is set before us in the Gospel 2. That the Beleever must have Hope to obtain this Offer 3. And as hee is driven by fear of the Law unto Christ so must hee also be drawn and allured by this Salvation set before him griping undeserved Grace as well as fleeing deserved Wrath. 3. While hee describeth the Beleever after this manner as the man to whom all these things appertain hee teacheth us That Whosoever findeth himself in any truth to be such a one as here is described so driven and so drawn to Christ fleeing from Sin and Wrath and running on to Christ in Him alone to be saved may be well assured hee is a man endued with saving Faith One of Abrahams Children An Heir of Promise One of the society of the Saints and fellowship of the Apostles whom the Apostle here taketh in with himself in this Text A Man in Gods Counsel Fore-known Elected Predestinated A Man to whom God intended both to speak and swear in Abrahams person to whom God alloweth both strong Consolation here and the Possession hereafter of whatsoever is set before him in the offer of the Gospel 4. The end of the Oath That wee might have strong Consolation by two immutable things that is Gods Promise and Gods Oath in which it is impossible that God should lie Then 1. The Consolation which God alloweth upon the Faithful is strong able to overcome the Challenge of Sin fear of Judgement Death and Hell and feeling or fearing of any misery whatsoever Other consolations are but weak in comparison hereof and can overcome none of these 2. God hath laid immutable Grounds for this Consolation His unchangeable Promise and His unchangeable Oath 3. God cannot lye nor deceive whether Hee say or swear 4. His nature maketh this impossibility of lying and immutability in promising and swearing 5. God alloweth this strong Consolation to come by Faiths resting on these two immutable things His Promise and Oath So that the less a man apprehend the grounds of his Faith to be solid the less hee shall be comforted and the more hee apply the Promise to himself and apprehend the unchangeableness of the Promise and Oath of God the more strong shall his Consolation be Vers. 19. Which Hope we have as an Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the Veil 20. Whether the Fore-runner is for us entred even Iesus made an High-Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec 1. Hee hath told the solidity of the ground whereupon the Beleever doth
in these words must be this Where remission of sins is already purchased by offering of the true Expiatory Sacrifice as now it is under the New Covenant there no more offering can be for sin any more Then 1. The Apostle acknowledgeth no use for any sacrifice under the New Testament after Christs Ascension else his reason should not hold 2. The sacrifice which is offered to wit the body of JESUS hath already suffered for sin so that now the remission of those that is of sin and iniquity all sorts of the Elects sinnes is obtained thereby already 3. Not onely No Sacrifice is any more to be offered for sin under the New Covenant but also No Offering saith hee bloody or unbloody is to be offered 4. That Church which pretendeth to offer any Offering for sins of quick or dead now under the Gospel professeth That no remission of sin is to be had in such a Church Because where there is remission of sin there is no more offering for sin saith the Apostle expresly Vers. 19. Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Iesus From the by-past Doctrine of Christs Excellency and Riches of Grace which commeth unto us through him hee draweth Exhortations for use-making of this Doctrine in soundness of Faith and the fruits thereof unto the end of the Epistle And first hee exhorteth to seek unto communion with God in Heaven through Christ using the terms of the Ceremonial Law but mixed with words touching the excellency of the thing signified above those Ceremonies to shew the Hebrews that those Ceremonies had nothing in themselves but did serve to represent Christ and his Benefits And so to draw them from those shadows unto the truth of that which once being signified by them is now manifested in Christ. To make the Exhortation to be the better received hee setteth down sundry Priviledges of the Faithful vers 19 20 21. From which hee inferreth his Exhortation vers 22. For the first Priviledge hee saith Wee have liberty to enter into the Holiest That is into Heaven 1. In that hee maketh this Priviledge proper to the Society of Christians himself and others hee teacheth us 1. That so long as men are without Christ they are debarred out of Heaven no Door nor Way open but the flaming sword of Gods justice to keep out every one that shall press to enter before Christ bring them But such as come to Christ by Faith Heaven is opened unto them and the Door cast up for them to enter in who were exiled before 2. Next Hee commendeth this Priviledge by calling the place The Holiest the place where Gods Holiness dwelleth represented by the Sanctuary where nothing can enter but that which is holy Teaching us thereby That the faithful are so washed from their sins through Faith in Christ that God will admit them into the place of his dwelling into his heavenly Sanctuary by Faith now and fruition hereafter 3. Hee commenâ—eth this Priviledge by calling it a Liberty The word properly signifieth Liberty to speak all our mind as hath been marked before Whereby hee teacheth us 1. How wee do enter into the Holiest to wit by prayer sending up our Supplications to Heaven And again 2. That in our prayers to God wee may use freedome of speech telling him all our mind all our griefs all our fears all our desires and even poure out our hearts before him at all times 4. Hee commendeth this Priviledge by the Price of the Purchase thereof even the blood of Iesus Whereby he teacheth us 1. To have this Priviledge in high estimation 2. To make good use of it 3. To be confident of the standing of it and all because it is so dearly bought 5. Lastly Hee commendeth this Priviledge by the Common Right which all Beleevers have unto it the Apostle and these Hebrews as his Brethren and all other of that Society Whereby bee teacheth That albeit there be great difference in the measure of Faith and other Graces betwixt Christians some being stronger some weaker some as Apostles some as these weak Hebrews c. yet all are the children of one Father all are Brethren and all are admitted by prayer to come and enter into Heaven freely to poure out their souls at all times unto God Vers. 20. By a new and living way which hee hath consecrated for us though the Veil that is to say his flesh This is one Priviledge That wee have liberty to enter into Heaven followeth another There is a way made to lead us on thereunto which is Christs flesh compared to the veil of the Sanctuary which hid those things which were within the Sanctuary and yet yeelded an entry through it self unto the Sanctuary So is Christs Flesh the Veil of his God-head which did hide the glory of his Deity from the carnal beholders who stumbled at his baseness and yet opened a door for the spiritual man to look in upon him that was invisible while as hee observed the brightness of the glory of God breaking through the Doctrine and works of the man Christ. 1. Hee maketh the way to be Christs Flesh or Christ as incarnate or Christ considered according to his humanity Because Christs taking on our nature is the onely mean of reconciling us unto God No man ever came to the Father but by him No other Name whereby men are saved but the Name of Jesus Christ. And therefore as in the way a man must enter and hold on still till hee come to the end to the place where hee would be Even so must every man who would be at Heaven begin at Christ and hold on making progress in him still from Faith to Faith from Grace to Grace till hee come to his rest 2. This way of Christs own making hee hath devised it and consecrated it Hee who is the Fathers wisdome hath thought it the best way to bring man to GOD that GOD should become Man that the Word should be made flesh The best way to bring men to Heaven that God should come down to the earth to take on mans nature upon him that hee might make man partaker of the Divine Nature 3. Hee hath consecrated and dedicated his flesh his humane Nature set apart and sanctified himself to this same end that men might make their means with God by him as Man and by the Bands of Nature with him be helped up to the Bands of Grace with GOD by comming to the man Christ might finde God in Christ. 4. Hee calleth it a New Way 1. Because of the clear manifesting of the way to Heaven under the Gospel in comparison of the time of the Law 2. Because a ready plain and safe way without stumbling blocks pits or snares dangers or inconveniences to such as keep themselves therein such as new-made waies use to be 3. Because it waxeth never old is now established and never to be altered or abolished 5. It is a Living Way 1. Because Christ liveth
earthly affections mortified 3. Their encouragement and cause of joy was the sensible feeling within themselves of the comfort of eternal Riches in Heaven keeping for them Then 1. It is the assurance of our heavenly inheritance which must make us ready to quit our earthly moveables 2. Who so getteth a heart to quit any thing on earth for Christ shall have better in heaven than he can lose here 3. GOD useth to give earnest of what he is to give in sensible feeling of spiritual Riches to such as believe in him 4. When men can esteem of things heavenly as they are that is enduring goods and of things earthly as they are that is perishing moveables then shall they readily quit the earthly in hope of the heavenly Vers. 35. Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompence of reward Now he exhorteth them to go on in this â—old avowing of Christ For this Confidence in the Original is such as hath with it a full and free profession of all their faith Then confidence and bold avowing of the truth is required A plain and full testimony must we give to Christs truth our confidence in profession is in part casten when our testimony is sparing 2. The encouragement he giveth is The hope of a reward Then 1. Constancy in avowing of Christ shall be well rewarded although not of deserving yet of Gods grace 2. He that quiteth his profession renounceth the reward promised to the constant Quest. But doth not this exhortation import the elects unsettledness and uncertainty of perseverance I answer Not but onely his weakness of himself and need of such exhortations to further his constancy 2. The danger of dishonoring God in some particular slip or fall is ground sufficient for this exhortation and this is the most of necessity it can import 3. Exhortation being given to the common Body of the visible professors teacheth them properly and not the elect formally Vers. 36. For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise He giveth a reason Because they have need of patience therefore they must not cast away their confidence Then 1. The reward will not be given till a time intervene 2. And troubles will lie on in the mean while to make the time seem the longer 3. Patience is needful as a mean to fit us to attend 4. Confidence of the truth must support our patience 2. The time of their Patience he setteth as long as God thinketh good to employ them and after that the reward cometh Then 1. The time of patience is as long as God hath any thing to do with us in this world 2. Patience must not be joyned with idleness but with active obedience of Gods will as he requireth it 3. After that employment is ended the promised reward is given Vers. 37. For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry He encourageth them to Patience by promise of the Lords coming to relieve them shortly Then 1. The tearm of patience is until the Lord come to deliver 2. The patient attender on his coming shall not be disappointed For he will come and will not tarry beyond the due time of our necessity 3. It should strengthen us unto Patience that the time is short and the delivery certain Vers. 8. Now the just shall live by Faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him How shall they send in the mean time He answereth from Habak 2.4 The just shall live by Faith That is The man who will be found righteous must not look to present sense but sustain his soul with the word of Promise Then 1. In the midst of troubles and Gods felt absence Faith will content it self with the onely promises of GOD. 2. Looking to Gods word by faith is able to keep a soul in life and patience 2. He threatneth the misbelieving Apostate that chuseth to draw back and not live by faith The words of the Prophet are He whose soul is lifted up in him is not upright The Apostle betaketh him to the meaning which being compared with the Prophets words doth teach us 1. That he who refuseth to live by faith is lifted up with the false confidence of some other thing than God He hath some strong hold within himself wherein he doth trust 2. He that lifteth up himself in his vain confidence will draw back from beleeving in Gods word in the time of tryal 3. Hee that draweth back in the time of tryal bewrayeth the want of this sincerity 4. A back-slider from the profession of the Truth is loathsome both to God and to his Saints Vers. 39. But wee are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that beleeve to the saving of the soul. Hee mitigateth the threatning lest hee should seem to suspect them of inconstancy Then 1. Such Threatnings and Exhortations as have been given here do not import the uncertainty of their perseverance who are threatned but standeth with the assurance of the contrary 2. Hee who threatneth should be as wary to weaken his hearers Faith as his own 3. Hearers must understand that the right use of threatning is to rowse men out of security and not to discourage them 2. Wee are not of them saith hee who draw back unto perdition Then 1. They who draw back from constant avowing of the Faith draw near unto perdition Hee that forsaketh the Cross runneth himself on the Rock of his own destruction which is worse 2. The Elect are not of that kind or sort of men who fall into Apostasie unto perdition They may fall for a time but are not of them that draw back unto perdition 3. Wee are of them saith hee who beleeve to the salvation of the soul. Then 1. True Beleevers are of that kind of whom all do persevere 2. Persevering in the Faith is going on to Salvation The Summe of Chap. XI NOw that you may know the better how to live by Faith consider that Faith apprehendeth things to come as present and subsisting by holding them in their original Fountain which is the word of Promise and beholding in the Mirrour of the Word the clear certainty of things as yet not seen to sense vers 1. For so were the Elect Beholders and Partakers of Christ before hee came and were justified vers 2. And so have wee certainty of the Creation of the World of nothing vers 3. By it was Abels person and sacrifice accepted and preferred before his elder Brother vers 4. By it was Enoch made ready for Heaven vers 5 6. And Noah by it saved both in body and soul vers 7. Faith made Abraham leave his Country in hope of Heaven vers 8 9 10. By it Sarah being old got strength above the course of Nature to become a fruitful Mother vers 11 12. All these unto their dying day were contented with the fore-sight of
Then 1. Faith resteth on Gods Promise albeit carnal reason seem not to second it 2. Faith maketh us capable of benefits which otherwise wee could not receive 3. The more hinderances that Faith hath it is the more commendable 3. That which upheld her was the faithfulness of God Then 1. The consideration of the properties of God who promiseth is a special help to make us rest on the Promise which Hee maketh 2. Hee that giveth unto God the Glory of Faithfulness shall receive for a Reward the full Performance Vers. 12. Therefore sprang there even of one and him as good as dead so many as the Stars of the Skie in multitude and as the Sand which is by the Sea shore innumerable The Promise was of innumerable Children as the Stars of Heaven And so was the Performance Then Justifying Faith not onely believeth the great Promise of Redemption but also other inferiour promises which depend thereupon the beleeving whereof giveth evidence of beleeving the main Promise of Salvation through the Messiah And therefore it is that by the Faith of such Promises the Faithful are here declared to bee justified Question How can this be that Abrahams Seed should be so many I answer 1. Because the one is as innumerable as the other For they are compared together in this respect 2. Superlative speeches are to be expounded according to the scope and not captiously to be wrested beside the purpose of the speaker and beyond the common acceptation of the hearer Now the scope of the speech is to raise the dulness of the mind in weighty matters to the due consideration of a Truth in the due measure which otherwise should have been undervalued This is the proper intent of the figure hyperbolick in the ordinary use of Rhetorick Vers. 13. These all died in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afarre off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the earth Hee commendeth the Faith of the Patriarchs and Sarah that they dyed in the Faith not having obtained the Promises Then 1. Faith loseth the commendation except wee persevere therein even until death 2. Where we have a word of Promise made to the Church or to our selves albeit we see it not performed in our time wee may go to death in assurance that it shall be performed 3. They who would dye in Faith must live in Faith 2. Though they received not the Promises yet they saw them afar off and were fully perswaded of them and embraced them Then Albeit Faith came not unto a Possession yet it cometh unto a beholding of the Possession comming unto a Perswasion of the Possession and a sort of friendly Salutation thereof as the word importeth such as Friends give one to another whilst they are drawing near to embrace one another after a long time separation 3. They confessed in their life time that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the earth This wee read onely of Jacob before Pharaoh But the mind of one of the Faithful in the main matters maketh evident what is the mind of the rest Then 1. It is the part of true Beleevers to profess their Faith before all even before Idolaters amongst whom they live 2. They who know Heaven to be their own Home do reckon this World a strange Country Vers. 14. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a Country 15. And truly if they had been mindful of that Country from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned 16. But now they desire a better Country that is an Heavenly Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God For Hee hath prepared for them a City From their Profession That they were Strangers hee draweth Consequences thus That they desired an homely Country And if a Country then either their own earthly Country or a better Not their own earthly Country For they might have returned when they pleased Therefore they desired a better Country And if a better Country then an heavenly Country That is They desired even Heaven it self for their Country 1. This deducing of Consequences from the Profession of the Patriarches That they were Strangers Teacheth us 1. So to read the Scriptures as wee may mark not onely what is spoken but also what is thereby imported by consequence 2. That what is imported by a speech is a plain Declaration of the mind of the speaker and not an obscure Deduction as Mockers call it They who say they are Strangers declare plainly that they seek a Country saith the Apostle 3. Yea that it is lawfull to proceed drawing one Consequence after another till we find out the full mind providing the Collection be evident in the course of sound Reason as here it is 2. The Apostle hath proved here that the Patriarchs sought Heaven for their Country because they sought a better than any on earth Then 1. The Apostle knew no place for residence of departed souls better than the Earth except Heaven onely If there had been any other place such as is feigned to be his reasoning had not been solid 2. The Patriarchs after the ending of their Pilgrimage here on earth went home to Heaven 3. Because they counted themselves strangers till they came home to Heaven God is not ashamed to be called their God Then 1. God will honour them that honour him 2. God will avow himself to be their portion who for his cause do renounce the world 3. Yea that the Lord may honour such as honour him hee will even abase himself to exalt them 4. When the Lord hath so done hee thinketh it no dishonour to Himself to do any thing that may honour his servants 4. God did prepare them a City which the Apostle before hath called Heaven or the heavenly Country Then Heaven was prepared for the Patriarchs and the rest of Gods Saints before they had ended their pilgrimage on earth And to put them into Hell or any othâ—r place there must be a Doctrine not from Heaven Vers. 17. By Faith Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac And he that had received the promises offered up his onely begotten Son 18. Of whom it was said That in Isaac shall thy seed be called Another commendation of Abrahams Faith from the proof given thereof in his tryal about Isaac Whence we learn 1. That where the Lord giveth faith there tryal must be expected And the greater faith the greater trial 2. That faith is most commendable when it standeth strong in tryal 2. He is said to have offered up Isaac by faith Then 1. There is nothing so dear but faith in God will make a man quit it at Gods command 2. The Lord counteth that to be done wich a man is about to do Isaac is counted offered because so was he in Abrahams purpose 3. His receiving of the promises is here in another sense than ver 13. For there to
him and powerfully seize upon the conscience to cause it acknowledge the Judge represented by the sound of the Trumpet 5. The killing Letter of the Law read out unto us shewing us our Duty what we should have done and have omitted and what we should not have done and have committed without giving any strength to obey for time to come represented by the sound of Words 6. By this Charge and new exaction of the Law an unsupportable weight lieth upon the Conscience pressing it down to Desperation and Death that we would give all the world if we had it to be free of the terror of the Lord and challenge of the Conscience upon so fearful a ditty represented by the peoples entreating That the word should not be spoken to them any more 7. There is an impossibility to help our selves by any thing we can do or to do any thing better than we have done and the seen impotency of our cursed Nature maketh the commandement for time to come a matter of desperation as well as the challenge for breaking the Law in time by gone represented by their inability to endure the thing which was commanded 8. No drawing near to God here such terrour in his Majestie justice being onely seen and no mercy represented by their debarring from touching of the Mountain 9. Such uncleanness and vileness as not onely our selves but our beasts and cartel and all that we have is counted unclean for our cause and liable to the curse with us represented by the debarring of the Beasts from the Mount 10. Such a loathsome abomination in the guilty as the Judge will not put hand on the Malefactor himself nor employ any of his clean Angels but give them over to death if they remain in that estate to be destroyed ignominiously represented by stoning or darting where the stone or darâ— lighteth upon the Malefactor but not the hand which threw it Vers. 21. And so terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake Yet further 11. If God deal with us as Judge and by the Rule of the Law examine our works were we like Moses The meekest men under Heaven the least harmful and innocent in the world richest in good works for service done to GOD and to his Church yet could we not stand before this Tribunal all that ever we had done all our works were not able to free us from the curse of the Law and Gods fearful wrath for our sinfulness mixed amongst our works represented by Moses his confessed fear and quaking 12. And with all this no place to flee unto no place to remain in no company but an evil conscience within and matter of terror without represented by the Wilderness wherein this Throne of Justice was set up And this is the estate wherein we are by Nature according to the Law from which we are delivered by Christ according to the Gospel as followeth Vers. 22. But ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living GOD the Heavenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels This is the estate whereunto we are advanced under the Gospel by CHRIST which by comparison with the former shall be more clear thus 1. Before we come to CHRIST we have to do with God as Judge sitting upon his Throne terrible After we come to Christ we finde God upon a Throne of Grace reconciled unto us resembled by Mount Sion 2. Without Christ we are kept under upon the earth depressed in the valley and may not touch the Mount to ascend But through Christ we get access to climb up towards God and to advance piece and piece above the world and sin and misery towards Heaven resembled by going up Mount Sion 3. Without Christ vagabonds wandring abroad in a waste Wildernesse but through Christ collected together under a head and brought to a place of refuge and rest and commodious dwelling to the Kingdom of Heaven resembled by the City where Mount Sion stood 4. Without Christ exposed to the wrath of the living God Through Christ admitted to remain as reconciled in the City of the living GOD. 5. Without Christ afraid by the terrible sight of wrath and judgement Through Christ brought into Ierusalem the Vision of Peace not onely in this world by faith but in Heaven by fruition resembled by Ierusalem 6. Without Christ heirs of Hell Through Christ Citizens of Heaven 7. Without Christ exposed to the fellowship of Devils in sin and torments Through Christ admitted to the society of innumerable Angels resembled by the inhabitants of Ierusalem on earth 8. Without Christ Angels our foes Through Christ our fellow-Citizens Vers. 23. To the general Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect Without Christ we are scattered as sheep in the Wilderness a prey to all the ravenous Beasts But through Christ gathered together in one to the Society of the true Catholick Church of the Elect under the Government of one Head even CHRIST 9. Without Christ living with the world in the Suburbs of Hell Through Christ made Members of the true Church and Company which is called out of the world by the effectual calling of his Word and Spirit 10. Without Christ forlorn Children who have deprived our selves of our inheritance and wasted all our Fathers benefits on vanities Through Christ our fore-faulting is reduced our inheritance redeemed we brought back to the Family restored to the inheritance dignified with the first-born and made Priests to our God as his portion from amongst men 11. Without Christ living amongst them whose names are written in the earth and whose portion is beneath Through Christ our names are enrolled in Heaven amongst those who are written in the Book of Life elected and predestinated unto Grace and Glory 12. Without Christ without God in the world having God our Judge against us Through Christ we are reconciled to God get accesâ— unto him and have our God Judge of all upon our side to absolve us and to plead for us against all our foes 13. Without Christ we are for guiltiness in the rank of those who are already damned and brethren to those whose spirits are in prison But through Christ we are brethren to those who are already saved whose souls and spirits are freed from sin and misery and made perfect in holiness and glory having the same grounds of right to Heaven through CHRIST which they have who are entered already into possession Vers. 24. And to IESVS the Mediator of the NEW COVENANT and to the blood of sprinkling which speaketh better things than that of Abel He goeth on 14. In our natural estate we are under the Law and the Covenant of Works which bindeth us to perfect Obedience or to the Curse When we come to Christ we are under the Covenant of Grace which proclaimeth remission of sins unto all who are in him 15.
Yea now under the Gospel coming unto Christ we are in better case than they who lived before Christ because they were bound to all the Ceremonial and Typical Ordinances of the Law under the Old Covenant But we are exempted from that Old Covenant and are entred into the New which freeth us from that yoke which the Israelites could never bear 16. Without Christ we stand alone and none to plead for us before our Judge But when we come to Christ we finde him a Mediator both to deliver us from the Old Covenant and to take burthen for us for keeping of the New Covenant 17. Without Christ unrighteous and unholy When we come to Christ we come to be sprinkled with his blood for Justification and Sanctification also and for receiving of all other benefits bought by that blood He compareth this blood with Abels as speaking better things For albeit we by our sins have made our LORD to serve yea and to dye also ye doth his blood not speak against us as Abels did speak against Cain and the Earth for drawing down of a curse on both But speaketh to GOD still to pacifie his wrath and to pardon us and to our conscience to cleanse it and make it quiet within us From this comparison of men under the Law and under Grace we learn 1. That the impenitent and unrenewed man how secure soever he â—it yet he is in a fearful estate the wrath of the Judge from his Justice Seat being ready to break out upon him 2. That the wakened conscience lying in the sense of its own sins and fear of the offended Iudge is much to be pitied 3. That the holiest man on earth if GOD reveal unto him the terror of his Justice he will be shaken with fear 4. That the onely remedy against the challenge of the Conscience and fear of the Law and Wrath is to have recourse to JESUS CHRIST 5. That he who is fled as a true penitent to JESUS CHRIST for refuge to be saved and directed and ruled by him is a true Member of the true Catholick Church of the Elect whatsoever be mens estimation of him 6. That the more graciously we be dealt with under the Gospel the more must we beware of Fleshliness and Prophanity For to this end all his speech doth tend Vers. 25. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven From these considerations he chargeth them to beware leâ—t they make light account of Christs Doctrine The word importeth a shifting off Christ speaking by some excuse or pretence Then 1. The way to eschew Prophaness and Apostasie is to embrace and make much of Christs speaking unto us in his Word 2. Whatsoever pretences and excuses a man use to cloak his not-giving hearty obedience to the Doctrine of Christ it is but a refusing of him and a turning away from him make of it what he will 2. Hee urgeth this by threatning more certain and heavy judgements than upon the despisers of Moses who is said to speak on Earth because he was but the earthen vessell which carried Gods will to his people and by earthly Types and Figures made offer of Grace unto them But Christ as God by his own Authoritie casting Heaven open in the plainness and spirituality of the Doctrine is said to speak from Heaven Then As much as Christs person is more excellent than Moses and His Authority above his and the Heavenly clearness of Christs gracious Offer above his dark Types As much more heavy and certain Wrath shall overtake the despisers of his Doctrine than the despisers of Moses Law 3. Hee joyneth himself in the same danger with the people if He should turn away or refuse Then Preachers shall do well to lay the edge of their threatnings to their own hearts and to enroll themselves amongst the threatned That bitterness towards the people may be seen to be removed and their own sluggishness may be roused up seeing they have none to preaâ—h unto them but themselves Vers. 26. Whose voyce then shook the Earth But now Hee hath promised saying Yet once more I shake not the Earth onely but also Heaven To put an edge upon the Threatning he sheweth how terrible Christ is in shaking of the Earth by His Voice at Mount Sinai and by the shaking of Heaven and Earth at the Day of Iudgement Then 1. The terrible quaking of the Earth and burning of the Mount Sinai was pronounced by the Voice of Christ who therefore is declared to be the Lord God for so Exod. 19. is he called 2. His Terrour at the Day of Judgement may be seen in that little resemblance of Mount Sinai 3. The Terribleness of Christ should make us stand in awe of His Word Vers. 27. And this Word Yet once more doth signifie the removing of those things which are shaken as of things which are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remain Hee commenteth upon the testimony of Haggai Chap. 1. 6. and from this word Once concludeth that Heaven and Earth shall passe away and be changed at the power of Christs uttering of his voyce That these changeable Heavens and Earth being removed he may make a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein his Subjects and his Kingdome over them may remain for ever setled Then 1. It is a good mean to get the understanding of Gods mind in the Scripture to consider and weigh the force of the words thereof and what they do import by due consequence 2. No more change shall be of any thing after the day of Judgement because Once more and no oftener is Christ to shake the same 3. It is for the standing of Christs Kingdome that the creature is moved shaken and chanâ—ed yâ—ed All things made shall be shaken But Christs Kingdome and the salvation of his subjects shall never be shaken Vers. 28. Wherefore wee receiving a Kingdome which cannot bee moved let us have grace whereby wee may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear From the nature of this Kingdome granted unto us in Christ and from his terribleness he exhorteth us to stedfastness of Faith and humble obedience Hee saith Wee have received it because wee have received the Right and Title by the Gospel and some beginning of it Then As we receive Christ in the Gospel wee receive the Kingdome of Heaven with him in Right and Title yea in begun possession which groweth by degrees 2. Hee requireth of a receiver of this Kingdome a reverent serving of God Then right is given to this Kingdome before our service be done Not because we have seâ—ved heretofore but to oblige us to serve God hereafter 3. Hee will have us to serve God acceptably that is pleasantly and chearfully Next with reverence or shamefastness and godly fear Then 1. It is not enough that wee do
other duties towards our neighbour As for an holy conversation he comprehends that under the endeavour of preserving our selves through the grace of God undefiled from the world or from the defilements which are abroad in the world and from the contagion of other mens sins so that we pollute not our selves with wickedness nor have fellowship with those that pollute themselves in the mire of sin CHAP. II. THere are two Admonitions contained in this Chapter The first is to shun respect of persons especially in Ecclesiastical matters to ver 14. The other to avoid vain boastings of faith where good works are wanting Vers. 1. My brethren have not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons The first vice which he admonishes them to avoid is respect of persons which is committed when in the same cause more or less is attributed to any one than is fitting by reason of something in his person which nothing belongs to that cause So they offended amongst the Hebrews who did magnifie faith in Christ in the richer sort but esteemed the same faith as nothing in the poorer sort so that the rich though unbelievers were esteemed very highly but the poor were accounted though believers of no value but contemned He dehorts them from this vice by ten Arguments Argum. 1. Jesus Christ is glorious and faith in him is equally glorious in all Therefore you ought to beware of respect of persons Vers. 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 rayment 3. And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay cloathing 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 Argu. 2. This respect of persons is condemned even by your consciences which he makes apparent from the example of their practice For rich men unbelievers coming into your Churches haply out of curiosity onely are so publikely honoured out of meer respect to their riches that in the mean time your poor brethren are slighted ver 2 3. He urges this testimony of their consciences by way of interrogation And become Argum. 3. They that respect persons are perverse Judges whose thoughts are perverse not that it is unmeet to honour the rich or more to honour the rich than the poor but that it is unmeet to honour the rich though wicked for their riches sake with contempt of the faithful and godly poor because they are poor For so riches are accounted the sole cause of honouring men and piety is contemned without riches Therefore respect of persons is to be avoided Vers. 5. Hearken my beloved brethren Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him 6. But ye have despised the poor Do not rich men oppress you and draw you before the judgement-seats 7. Do not they blaspheme that worthy Name by which yee are called Argum. 4. By this respect of persons yee dishonour the poor whom God hath honoured by chusing them into the inheritance of his Kingdome by adorning them with better riches than these worldly riches are viz. with the riches of Faith and Love of God and with promises of the inheritance of Heaven which are saving graces Therefore respect of persons is to be avoided Do not rich men Argum. 5. Because by the respect of persons yee are so inconsiderate that yee honour the publick enemies of the Gospel who are honourable neither in respect of Magistracy nor in any other except for riches sake but tyrannically usurp power over you which is not given to them oppress you and accuse you before Judges and draw your bodies to the judgement-seats and blaspheme Christs glorious name from whence yee are denominated Christians which is the highest foolishness Therefore respect of persons is to be avoided Vers. 8. If yee fulfil the royal Law according to the Scripture Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self yee do well 9. But if yee have respect to persons yee commit sin and are convinced of the Law as transgressours Argum. 6. By preventing an Objection Because in this respect of persons yee are by the Law reproved as transgressors For it yee would pay that civil respect which is due to every one according to his outward and civil condition and according to every ones merits yee may be excused if yee would give to men of greater fortune that which is meet and not deprive your beleeving Brethren of that which is equal fulfilling the royal Law of God the King of Kings by communicating to others a measure according to the common rule of love even as your selves may expect a just measure from others then indeed might yee be pardoned vers 8. But when yee give undue honour to rich men but do not give due respect to the poor that are Beleevers in this you respect persons and are held guilty of sin and transgressours of the Law Therefore respect of persons is to bee avoided Vers. 10. For whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point hee is guilty of all Argum. 7. Confirming the former If yee indulge your selves in this respect of persons onely contemning the poor beleevers yee shall be accounted guilty of the whole Law although yee make shew of observing all the other Precepts excepting onely this Because whosoever offendeth in one Precept alone hee is guilty of the violation of all not that all concur in one sin but because there is a conjunction of all the commandements in one rule of justice and in one alone the same authority of God is violated in all and so the general guilt of all the Laws or the curse of God by the violation of one Law is drawn upon you although the difference of the guilt and curse remaineth in special degrees Therefore respect of persons is to be avoided Vers. 11. For hee 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 Hee confirms this Argument in the example of the sixth and seventh Commandement whereof in the violation of either the authority of him that commandeth both is violated Vers. 12. So speak yee and so do as they that shall be judged by the Law of Liberty Argum. 8. Propounded by way of exhortation So ought yee to speak and do especially towards the poor beleevers as knowing that your selves are to be judged without respect of persons according to the Doctrine of the Gospel which forbids respect of persons Therefore c. Vers. 13. For hee shall have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy and mercy rejoyceth against judgement Argum. 9. Unless yee exercise mercy especially
will fall into the judgement and condemnation of God as he hath threatned in the Law Vers. 13. Is any among you afflicted let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalms Admonit 4. Is concerning the manner of carrying themselves in prosperity and adversity but especially sickness whereof there are four branches 1. Touching those that are sick in minde by reason of any affliction that they may pray unto God i. e. in God they may have ease from their trouble 2. Touching them that are cheerful in mind lest they being drowned in security forget God but that they change their chearfulness of minde into praising of God and thanksgiving unto him i. e. that they by some spiritual exercise cherish their chearfulness lest their joyfulness degenerate into fleshly lasciviousness Vers. 14. Is any sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him anointing him with oyl in the name of the Lord. 3. Touching the sick in body that before they fly to Physitians they would turn themselves to God and call for the Ministers of the Church who may stir up repentance faith and comfort in them Furthermore that the Elders pray to God for the sick person Thirdly That if any one amongst the Elders of what order soever hath the gift of healing which flourished in the Church in the Apostles times let him in the name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ who gave this gift use it and by the example of Christs Disciples who Mark 6.13 having received power from Christ anointed many sick persons with oyl and healed them let him anoint him that is sick concerning the restoring of whose health the Holy Ghost hath certified him For it is certain that the Elders which were endued with the gift of healing did not anoint any that were sick but those onely concerning restoring of whose health they were certified by the Holy Ghost Vers. 15. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him He shews that there will follow a double effect upon this unction and prayer 1. If he that hath prayed for the gift of miraculous healing believing by special revelation touching the success this prayer coming from such a faith will save the sick from a bodily disease For the Lord saith he will restore health to him and will raise him up The other effect is this If any special sins have drawn the disease to the sick person God being intreated by the sick and the Elders will forgive them Vers. 16. Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much 4. Concerning the giving assistance to one another in the wounds and burthens of conscience that whether admonished by the brethren of their sins or tormented within by the burthen of sin they would confess their sins one to another and pray one for another mutually succouring one another both by counsel and prayer to God that they might be healed There are four reasons of the branch That ye may be healed Reas. 1. Because so the wounds of conscience and errours of life might be healed with which as with diseases they were sick Much Reas. 2. Because the frequent prayer of a righteous man or true believer stirred up by faith and love availeth much as a special means sanctified by God for the obtaining of things necessary for us Vers. 17. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six moneths 18. And he prayed again and the heaven gave rain and earth brought forth her fruit Reas. 3. Confirming the former because the praying of Elias was efficacious not therefore because it was free from infirmities and passions whereto other believers are obnoxious for he also was subject to like passions But because he prayed fervently in faith according to the will of God revealed to him that the Heavens might be shut and opened Therefore if ye shall earnestly pray one for another he sayes your prayers shall prevail Vers. 19. Brethren if any of you do erre from the truth and one convert him 20. Let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the errour of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins Reas. 4. Because if they admonish one another and confess their sins one to another and be instant in prayers to God one for another and become instruments of God for the converting of any wandring sinner Then they should be for the future instruments of saving the souls of their neighbours from death to which he that erres hastens and also instruments for the future of covering and hiding the multitude of sins of an erring brother who unless he had repented his sins should be produced at the Judgement of God for condemnation and death which now are after the admonition of the wandring person and the repentance of him that is admonish'd covered The first Epistle general of PETER Analytically expounded THE CONTENTS THe scope of the Epistle is to confirm in the faith of Christ the Hebrews dispersed amongst the Gentiles and converted to the Faith and to stir them up to perseverance and progress in faith and holiness of life according to the vocation of every one as it appears from the end and intention of the Epistle Chap. 5. ver 12. For which end thanks being given to God for their conversion he exhorts them in general to an holy conversation and to exercise mutual charity in the first Chapter and in the former part of the second Furthermore he descends in particular to duties of subjects towards Magistrates servants towards Masters to mutual duties of husbands and wives and brethren in Christ as well amongst themselves as towards their persecutors in the remaining part of the second Chapter and in the third and fourth Chapter He prosecutes the same doctrine in the fifth Chapter by instructing Elders in the Church and younger men and men of what rank soever in their duties CHAP. I. THere are two parts of the Chapter besides the inscription of the Epistle In the first by way of thanksgiving for their conversion to the faith he commends the truth of the Doctrine of the Gospel or the grace and the excellency of the condition whereunto by faith they were arrived that so he might confirm them in the faith to Ver. 13. In the second from the mentioning of spiritual benefits bestowed upon the believing Hebrews he draws an Exhortation to the study of piety in general and brotherly love in particular Vers. 1. Peter an Apostle of Iesus 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
heaviness for a short time if need be 4. Profitableness of afflictions which is for the tryal and purifying of your faith that it may be more pure as gold tryed unto your praise honour and glory wherewith Christ will adorn all you holy ones that are of an approved faith at his coming Therefore ye ought c. Vers. 8. Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing yee rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Reas. 10. The grace wherein ye stand lifteth up your mindes above sense to a spiritual contemplation and most sweet love of Christ Therefore In whom Reas. 11. Although ye have neither seen Christ at any time nor now see him yet the faith wherein you stand causeth you to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory which excells all that our words can utter or capacity can comprehend and whereof if ye now glory ye afterwards shall never be ashamed Therefore c. Vers. 9. Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls Reas. 12. Confirming the former By the faith in which you stand even in this life ye receive the fruit reward and end of your faith in this life viz. the inchoate and begun felicity of your souls in the middest of your bodily afflictions Therefore ye ought c. Vers. 10. Of which salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you Reas. 13. From the testimony of the Prophets This grace in which you stand is the very same salvation whereof all the Prophets in times past have prophesied to come in these our times Therefore ye ought c. Vers. 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 He confirms the certainty of this testimony from thâ—se four 1. That the Prophets have not onely foretold concerning this salvation which was to come but have also diligently enquired into this grace and salvation and searched after it that they might foretel it unto us 2. That they did not onely enquire touching the grace of the Gospel that is revealed but also concerning the point of time wherein it should be revealed 3. That they did not depend upon uncertain conjectures in this search but took counsel of Christs Spirit the foreknower and foreteller of all things which was present with them after an extraordinary manner 4. Because the Doctrine of salvation was the same both in our and the Prophets times and is briefly comprehended in the humiliation and sufferings of Christ and in his exaltation or glory following in the effects of Christs sufferings Therefore ye ought upon this account to bless God and to be strengthened in your holy faith Vers. 12. Vnto 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 The same testimony is propounded in the answer of the Spirit which answer brings in Reas. 14. From the prerogative of believers after Christ was offered above the condition of the Prophets unto whom it was revealed That although they should receive the fruit of their faith with us yet they should not see the fulfilling and end of their prophecies but we who were born after Christ was offered by whom the prophecies were for this end uttered that we comparing the prediction with the accomplishment might be confirmed in faith Therefore ye ought to bless God and be strengthened in faith By them Reas. 15. Those things which the Prophets did prophesie by the Spirit of Christ speaking in them the Apostles have told to you by the Holy Ghost sent from heaven Therefore ye may be certain that this is the true grace wherein you stand and therefore ye ought to bless God c. Angels Reas. 16. So great is the excellency of faith and grace in which ye stand that the heavenly Angels themselves desire to look into it partly that they may further enquire into it partly that having looked into it they may more delight themselves in admiring the glory of God in the grace bestowed upon the faithful Therefore ye ought to be confirmed in faith and to bless God But here he alludes to the type of the two Cherubims who standing upon the Ark of the Covenant did turn their faces towards the cover thereof as if they desired to look into it whereby besides other things were signified that the mysterie of the Incarnation of the Son of God and Mans Redemption was worthy the contemplation of the very Angels themselves and their greatest admiration The second part of the Chapter Vers. 13. Wherefore gird up the loyns of your minde be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Iesus Christ The other part of the Chapter follows wherein from the mention of spiritual benefits and demonstration of the truth of grace wherein they stood he deduces an Exhortation to the study of piety and to go forward in the grace of God There are three branches of the Exhortation 1. That as they who are either taking a journey or go about some work that they may be the more ready therein they gird up their loyns so let them gird up the loyns of their minde i. e. refrain and restrain their mindes from all lust whereby they may be hindred from a ready and free serving God 2. That they be sober not onely avoiding intemperance of meat and drink but also all immoderate use of delightful things 3. That they firmly and constantly hope and expect that grace which is now revealed and shall be further fully revealed at the coming of Christ. In which Exhortation is comprehended the whole course of faith and holiness There are thirteen Arguments of the Exhortation all which prove that we ought to go forward in holiness and faith of the Doctrine of gracâ— Wherefore Argum. 1. From the connexion of the Exhortation with the preceding doctrine expressed in the word wherefore the first Argument is drawn Ye ought to be excited and stirred up to all endeavour after piety upon the consideration of the grace in which ye stand and of spiritual benefits bestowed upon you by the faith of Christ Therefore ye ought to proceed with a constant profession in piety and the grace wherein you stand Shall be revealed Argum. 2. The grace now manifested and which at length shall fully be manifested at the approaching coming of Christ ought to excite you to follow after holiness and retaining the grace of God Therefore c. Vers. 14. As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance Argum. 3. By the right of adoption as obedient sons ye
Christ. The Arguments of the Exhortation are fourteen all which prove that wee ought to endeavour after these virtues joyntly Argum. 1. If you have obeyed the Exhortation endeavouring both to have these virtues and to abouâ—d in them yee will prove that your Faith or the knowledge of Christ in you is not idle or unfruitful but efficacious which makes you ready to every good work Therefore yee ought to obey Vers. 9. But hee that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see far off and hath forgotten that hee was purged from his old sins Argum. 2. If yee were destitute of these virtues you will declare that you see nothing afarre off but that you are onely intent upon the things of this world but blind in divine and spiritual things and unthankful towards God by whom yee confess your former sins are pardoned Therefore yee ought to endeavour after these virtues Vers. 10. Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you do these things yee shall never fall Argum. 3. With the Exhortation repeated By endeavouring after these virtues yee will prove your selves to be effectually called and elected and will solidly confirm your selves in this perswasion Therefore follow after these virtues For these Argum. 4. If you follow after these virtues yee shall be preserved from Apostacy or falling back neither will yee yeeld to temptations Therefore yee ought to follow after these Vers. 11. For so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. Argum. 5. So a more abundant entrance into the eternal Kingdome of Christ shall be administred unto you i. e. happiness and that life eternal shall more largely open and unfold it self to you that yee may more freely and abundantly peirce into the inward parts of his Kingdome and enjoy the sense of that life in a more abundant measure Therefore follow after these virtues Vers. 12. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you alwaies in remembrance of these things though yee know them and be stablished in the present Truth Argum. 6. Preventing an Objection Although yee are established in the present Truth yet I being an Apostle have now thought out of a desire of your proficiency it necessary to exhort you which yee should in no wise reject Therefore c. Vers. 13. Yea I think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance Argum. 7. Justice it self by reason of my Apostolical office requires that I excite you to holiness by exhortations and admonitions of this sort so long as I live Therefore be yee obedient Vers. 14. Knowing that shortly I must put off this my Tabernacle even as our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed mee Argum. 8. As the Lord hath foretold I expect after a short time to end my life by a glorious Martyrdome Therefore as it lyes upon mee to exhort you to these virtues so it lies upon you to hearken to my Exhortation Vers. 15. Moreover I will indeavour that you may be able after my decease to have these things alwaies in remembrance Argum. 9. This Exhortation which I have written to you will be profitable to minde you of your duties even after my death Therefore hearken you to my admonitions Vers. 16. For wee have not followed cunningly devised fables when wee made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Iesus Christ but were eye-witnesses of his Majesty Argum. 10. Those things which I have taught you as touching Christs incarnation or his first coming to execute the office of a Redeemer and as touching his divine nature power sufficiency and efficacy to save the people of God are not fables artificially feigned which may be despised or negligently without use and benefit past by but they are serious and certain things Therefore yee ought to hearken to these my admonitions But as those Argum. 11. Yee have been taught by us Apostles both eye and ear-witnesses of the Truth of Christ already demonstrated so that the certainty of this Gospel was so much as were possible to be concerning things done and past For wee Apostles have perceived by our senses the Majesty of Christ to be so great that wee cannot chuse but at the sight bee rapâ— up in an extasie as it is in the history Matthew 17. conconcerning Christs transfiguration Therefore obey my Exhortations Vers. 17. For hee received from God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Argum. 12. Christ in whose Faith and Obedience wee exhort you to persevere hath by the audible voice of his Father speaking from Heaven received a glorious testimony from the excellent glory of the Father that hee is the Son of God wherein as in a Mediatour and Surety for his redeemed people God is well pleased satisfying himself abundantly in his Mediation and purchase Therefore obey yee diligently this Exhortation Vers. 18. And this voice which came from Heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy Mount Argum. 13. Those things are so holy which appertain to the Kingdome of Christ that the place it self wherein those things were declared which are preached by us was after a manner made holy viz. Because of Gods extraordinary voice and the divine glory of Christ there manifested Therefore with greater reverence yee ought to hearken to our Exhortations Vers. 19. Wee have also a more sure word of Prophecie whereunto yee do well that yee take heed us unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts Argum. 14. The Doctrine concerning Christ in whose Faith and Obedience wee exhort you to persevere is confirmed by the testimony of Scripture or a most firm prophetical word Therefore yee ought studiously to obey my Exhortations Hee staies upon this Exhortation confirming the certainty of prophetical Scripture by seven Reasons More sure Reas. 1. Because compared with other waies of revelation it is a most firm medium without and above exceptions whereto other means of revelation no less clear and true are obnoxious But this reason most especially did prevail with the Hebrews who examined visions and revelations made to the Apostles by the Scripture of the Old Testament For the divine authority of the old Scripture was confirmed in their minds some ages before Of Prophecie Reas. 2. That the testimony of foreseeing future Truth hath more evidence in it self of divine operation than the testimony of him who testifies that which hee hath seen or heard being present For no man could foresee this Truth but a Prophet every Beleever could see the Truth fulfilled Which Reas. 3. Because the word of Prophecy is worthy to be attended to by Beleevers into the sense whereof they might enquire to which truth and authority they might subject their consciences
In the dissimilitude betwixt themselves and their promises For they promised liberty to others when they drew them into bondage of sin and they themselves were the servants of corruption both as to their practice and the principles of their doctrine For there is no other Christian liberty than that which brings those that are freed from sin and the servile yoak of the Covenant of works to the free obedience of Righteousness For Hee proves these Libertines with their Disciples to be the most abject and miserable slaves to sin by four reasons Overcome Reas. 1. Because they are vanquished and overcome by sin to whose servitude they yeeld themselves being allured by the deceiveableness of false doctrine Therefore they are truly slaves Vers. 20. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ they are again intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them than the beginning Reas. 2. Because they and their Disciples by Apostacy from an holy conversation fall into a worse condition than that was wherein they lived before they gave their names to Christ. For after they renounced in Baptism the pollutions of the world and through the knowledge of Christ whatsoever betaking themselves into the bosome of some Church of Christ have escaped them if afterwards they be intangled again in those pollutions and have yeelded to them their last end is worse than their beginning Vers. 21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the holy commandement delivered unto them Reas. 3. Proving the former because they knowingly and willingly run as fugitives to the tents of their adversaries from the known way of Righteousness and from the holy commandement once delivered unto them which sin is much more grievous and the servitude harder than if they had never known the way of Righteousness for their condition would be better in ignorance than in Apostacy Vers. 22. But it is happened unto them according to the true Proverb The Dog is turned to his own vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire Reas. 4. Making for removing of the scandal which might arise from their Apostacy because by their Apostacy they shew that they never were of the true Sheep of Christ but in Baptism and a visible sanctity of life wherein they sometimes vaunted themselves to be Saints they shew themselves to have been Sows and Dogs and to have alwaies been so without spiritual and internal renovation of their nature And therefore no wonder if it happen unto them according to the true Proverb As the Dog though purged by vomiting yet hee licks up again that which hee hath vomited and the Sow though washed yet shee returns to her wallowing in the mire So Apostates though they may profess repentance from their sins and Faith in Christ and obedience of his commands yet if occasion serves they turn to their former manners CHAP. III. HEE passes on to another Admonition concerning their bewaring of scoffers who denyed the coming of Christ whose blasphemy hee reproves to vers 11. In the second hee shews the use and fruit of his Doctrine chiefly touching the coming of Christ to the end Vers. 1. This second Epistle beloved I now write unto you in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance 2. That yee may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy Prophets and of the commandement of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour That hee may make a way for those things that follow hee propounds the scope of both Epistles viz. by admonitions to stir up the minds of the truly faithful to constancy in Faith and Obedience to the Doctrine of the Gospel which they had learned out of the Scripture of the Prophets and the teaching of the Apostles Vers. 3. Knowing this first that there shall come in the last dayes scoffers walking after their own lusts That they might beware of Atheists and mockers at piety hee describes such sort of Monsters four waies First From the Antecedent prediction of the Holy Ghost warning thee of the coming and frequency of those wicked scoffers about the end of the world as capital enemies of the Gospel who in the times of the Gospel would make a laughing stock at all piety Secondly From their vicious life that they will lead a life according to their lusts Vers. 4. And saying where is the promise of his coming For since the Fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation Thirdly From their blasphemous speeches that they will also dare impudently to deny the Lords coming to judgement and openly accuse Gods promises of falsitie Fourthly From their pertinacious defence of their blasphemy that they would dare to dispute against the Lord coming as if hee would not come at all but that the world should endure for ever Therefore because many ages being past the Judge doth not as yet come and because all things remain in our times as they did from the beginning of the Creation they make their carnal sense the measure of their Faith and cast the Word of God behinde their backs Vers. 5. For this they willingly are ignorant of that by the Word of God the Heavens were of old and the Earth standing out of the water and in the water Hee reproves these blasphemous Dogs in five Arguments Argum. 1. Because they scornfully reject the knowledge offered them out of Gods word and are willingly ignorant that by the word of God the world was created for if they should acknowledge the Creation to be by the word of God they ought also to acknowledge an end of the world foretold in the word of God The Earth Argum. 2. They are willingly ignorant of and shut their eyes against that constant miracle of the earth rising out of the water and consisting by the water by which it is made solid so that it crumble not to dust when the whole earth by its own nature being the lowest element should sinck and be covered and drowned in the waters In which miracle wee may perceive that nature is governed and establish'd by the will of God alone that it may so continue or otherwise as it shall please God Vers. 6. Whereby the world that then was being overflowed with water perished Argum. 3. That the earth contrary to nature appears out of the waters and that all things do remain alwaies in the same state is evident out of the history of the deluge whereby the former order being changed the world or mankind that then was is perished in those overflowing waters Therefore it is not incredible but that the world passing on shall suffer the change which the word of God hath foretold Vers. 7. But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same word are kept in