ordinary infirmities in those that differ from us and that wee do not proudly lift up our selves against or above others but that wee condescend to men of low degree so farre as the truth shall give way alwaies bewaring that wee bee not puffed up with an opinion of our own wisdome Vers. 17. Recompence to no man evil for evil provide things honest in the sight of all men Precept 11. That wee do not recompence injuries with injuries and because the flesh is ready to make exceptions hee saith Requite no man evil for evil Providing Precept 12. That following after honesty and innocency of life wee cut off all occasion as well from our-selves of doing evil as from our adversaries of â—urting us or reviling us Vers. 18. If it bee possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men Precept 13. That wee follow peace with all men Whereunto is added a limitation if it bee possible and as much as lies in us that wee use all means of peace and if any thing falls out to the contrary let it be by anothers fault not by ours Vers. 19. Dearly beloved avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord. Precept 14. Forbidding in particular more than before requiring like for like because wee are more prone to revenge Therefore hee friendly forbids private revenge and commands that wee let our anger and the anger of our adversary to cool exciting neither by words or deeds adding a grave Argument because it belongs to God either immediately by himself or else by the Magistrate to revenge all injuries offered unto us What is to bee done in case of unblameable defence is to bee inquired amongst common places Vers. 20. Therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him if hee thirst give him drink for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head Precept 15. Of doing good to our enemies when opportunity and their necessity requires it And this Reason is subjoyned because by this wee heap coals upon them that they may either bee softened as metal is melted in the fire if there bee any ingenuity in them or that their conviction and condemnation might bee made so much the more heavy and that not by ours but their own fault Vers. 21. Bee not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good Precept 16. Tending to the same purpose but more generally That in contending with our enemies wee judge rightly of the victory which is not that wee requite or overcome evil with evil for then wee are rather overcome of evil than overcome but this is the only victory that by doing well we overcome evil and this is the victory which here hee exhorts us to seek after CHAP. XIII HEe proceeds to exhort them that they bring forth fruits worthy of their profession towards the Magistrate and men of all conditions There are two parts of the Chapter The first of Civil Subjection to vers 8. The other of Love as it respects the second Table of the Law Vers. 1. Let every soul bee subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that bee are ordained of God The Exhortation is propounded in the first words That every soul or every man bee subject or subordinate to the higher Powers i. e. To the Civil Magistrate The Arguments of the Exhortation are ten For there is no Argument 1. Because the Magistrate of what kind or order soever is from Gods institution and ordination Vers. 2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation The Ordinance Argum. 2. Because hee that is not subject but resists and opposes the Magistrate sets himself against the Ordinance of God Damnation Argum. 3. Because hee that resists brings upon himself revenge and punishment as well from God as the Magistrate Vers. 3. For Rulers are not a terrour to good works but to the evil Wilt thou then not bee afraid of the Power do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same Argum. 4. Because the office of the Magistrate is ordained of God that it may restrain the evil and punish evil deeds but not what is good Therefore wee ought to bee subject unto him Praise Argum 5. Because the Magistrate confers rewards and praise upon those that do well and observe the Law Vers. 4. For hee is the Minister of God to thee for good but if thou do that which is evil bee afraid for hee beareth not the Sword in vain for hee is the Minister of God a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil Argum. 6. Because the Magistrate is the Minister of God for our good for by the Magistrate God enjoyns us things honest and profitable and takes away those that are evil which is very advantagious to us For hee bears not the sword Argum. 7. Because hee is armed with the sword to punish them that are evil by that authority which is divinely given him Therefore it behoves them that are guilty of evil even in danger of life to fear and to bee subject Vers. 5. Wherefore yee must needs bee subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake Argum. 8. Because it is necessary to bee subject not only for avoiding the anger of the Prince and civil punishments but also for the sake of a good conscience in respect to the command of God commanding subjection Vers. 6. For for this cause pay you tribute also for they are Gods Ministers attending continually upon this very thing Argum. 9. Because wee owe tribute to Magistrates as to the Ministers of God who are imployed in the defence of the publique and solely attend that Therefore ought you to bee subject unto them Vers. 7. Render therefore to all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due custome to whom custome fear to whom fear honour to whom honour Argum. 10. Brought in by way of conclusion Because as it is just to give every one his due so also to the Magistrate tribute fear honor is to bee paid Even as all or some of these belong to the Supreme or inferiour Magistrate and their Ministers The second Part. Vers. 8. Owe no man any thing but to love one another for hee that loveth another fulfilleth the Law The second part of the Chapter follows wherein hee handles holiness of life and love as in respect to duties of the Second Table There are six Arguments of this exhortation Except this Argum. 1. Because love is a perpetual debt Therefore alwayes to bee paid Fulfilled Argum. 2. Because love to our neighbour is the fulfilling of the Law Therefore alwayes to bee endeavoured Vers. 9. For this Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not bear false witness Thou shalt not covet And if there bee any other Commandment it is briefly comprehended in
are one body in Christ Therefore all ought to concurre modestly every one for his part to maintain the unity of the body In particular Reason 4. As in the natural body so in the Ecclesiastical body each of the members are not onely of the whole body but of one another or every member is intended to promote the benefit of another Therefore all ought to serve each other mutually promoting the benefit of each other and not proudly and imprudently hinder one another Vers. 6. Having then gifts differing according to the Grace that is given to us whether prophesy let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith Reas. 5. Those divers gifts which wee have are communcated through the Grace and good pleasure of God who hath bestowed them Therefore let us not grow proud but modestly demean our selves Whether Prophesie Hee descends to particular ordinary publick gifts and to each hee prescribes their operations and bounds Hee makes two kinds of functions The first is Prophesie The second of a Deacon Prophesie comprehends the handling of the Word Hee saith having Prophesie let us prophesie according to the proportion of Faith i. e. Let us onely teach that which God hath propounded to be beleeved in the Scripture and that which wee solidly know or beleeve to bee the sense of Scripture Vers. 7. Or Ministery let us wait on our Ministring or hee that teacheth on teaching The second kind of Ecclesiastical functions is that of Deacon which contains all the gifts subservient to the Ministry of the Word as afterward hee declares Concerning which hee prescribes that hee which is imployed in that office would contain himself in it and would not aspire higher unless orderly called Hee that teacheth Hee subdivides Prophesie into the office of Teachers and Pastors By Teachers hee understands those who teach by office and labour in informing of our minds in the knowledge of the Truth and these hee commands that they diligently use their ability in teaching and wholly give themselves to it Vers. 8. Or hee that exhorteth on Exhortation hee that giveth let him do it with simplicity hee that ruleth with diligence hee that sheweth mercy with chearfulness By Pastors hee understands those who exhort and labour in moving the affections and have ability not onely for interpreting the sense of the Scripture but prudently to apply the Word for the present benefit of hearers with stirring up the affections These hee commands to attend to Exhortation Hee that distributes Hee reckons up three kinds as it were of Deacons subservient to the Ministery of the Word The first is of those that distribute i. e. by way of Office they are set over the treasurie of the Church the goods of the Church and the collections of the Saints they dispence to the publick uses of the Church hee commands these that they distribute with simplicity that is with good fidelity without acception of persons and respect to private advantage Hee that Rules The second kind is of those which are otherwise called 1 Cor. 12.28 Ruling Presbyters and by office were set to over-see the manners of the people that scandals might bee avoided and removed from the Church These hee commands that they diligently and carefully attend to their duty Hee that shews mercy The third kind of Deacons is of those who by office were to shew pitty and were set to over-see the poor the sick those that were banished and others that were afflicted in the Church These hee commands that they attend to their duty with chearfulness lest with their frowardness they more afflict those whom a disease or poverty or banishment hath already afflicted In all these Precepts hee distinguishes betwixt themselves divers functions by divers gifts and divers subjects setting several kinds of Officers over divers imployments using the like way of commanding in all of them The third Part. Vers. 9. Let love bee without dissimulation abhorre that which is evil cleave to that which is good The third part of the Chapter wherein hee changes the form of command and delivers Precepts touching Christian virtues in number about sixteen Love The first Precept That the signs whereby wee express our love should come from a sincere heart without dissimulation Abhorring Precept 2. That wee so abhorre evil or sin that wee suffer not our selves to bee drawn into fellowship with it And that wee so embrace goodness or virtue that wee suffer not our selves to bee drawn away from it Vers. 10. Bee kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love in honour preferring one another Precept 3. That the love of Christians among themselves which is founded by the bond of Grace should bee as the love of Brethren which is founded by the bond of nature viz. constant and earnest In honour Precept 4. That in the testifying our opinion by outward signs concerning the virtue or worth of any one wee do not expect what is due to our selves but that wee go before others giving them the honour which belongs to them Vers. 11. Not slothful in business fervent in spirit serving the Lord Precept 5. Concerning diligence in the duties which by our Calling are due to God and our neighbour That wee bee not slothful dull and cold as if wee had no mind to the doing of the things but that wee undergo those offices with fervency of spirit and intenseness of zeal taking the occasion of doing well in the just opportunity consecrating this ferventness of spirit to God not to our own private affections Vers. 12. Rejoycing in Hope patient in Tribulation continuing instant in Prayer Precept 6. Concerning remedies to bee used in our afflictions 1. That wee glory in the hope of deliverance 2. If evils increase that wee behave our selves patiently 3. If help seem to bee delayed that wee continue in prayers and give not way to evil Vers. 13. Distributing to the necessity of Saints given to hospitality Precept 7. That wee communicate of our goods to the necessities and want of the Saints especially of those that live amongst us and that wee by our hospitality freely tendered to them succour strangers and those that are banished which come unto us Vers. 14. Bless them which persecute you bless and curse not Precept 8. That wee do not recompence slanders and reproaches the ordinary persecution of the world with revilings again but that wee dissolve them by patience and blessing And because this is very contrary to flesh hee twice commands it and the third time forbids the contrary Vers. 15. Rejoyce with them that do rejoyce and weep with them that do weep Precept 9. Hee commends to us a brotherly sympathy or fellow-feeling as well in the adversities as prosperitie of our neighbour as it becomes the members of the same body Vers. 16. Bee of the same mind one towards another Minde not high things but condescend to men of low estate Bee not wise in your own conceits Precept 10. That wee promote mutual concord and bear
first fruits of Achaia and that they have addicted themselves to the Ministery of the Saints 16. That yee submit your selves to such and to every one that helpeth with us and laboureth Article 5. Wherein hee commends to them Stephanas with his family who in the office of Deacon assisted him that they would have honourable respects to him and his family First Because with the first they gave their names to Christ. 2. Because hee willingly addicted himself in the office of a Deacon to the Church of Corinth and that according to the order which was required in the constituting of Deacons Therefore the Apostle wills them as subject to these that they give them due honour or that which is convenient to their Ministery Hee understands not politick subjection onely in respect to their office but also moral whereby wee shew our selves reverend and obedient to them who excel in virtue In the mean time wee exclude not that subjection which is due to Deacons for their office sake who administer with the rest of the Presbytery about Ecclesiastical matters wherein Stephanas with his family was imployed Vers. 17. I am glad of the comming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied 18. For they have refreshed my spirit and yours therefore acknowledge yee them that are such Article 6. Wherein hee commends their sending of three Brethren from Corinth unto him because they supplied the stead of the Corinthians in visiting of him They are said to have refreshed the Spirit of the Apostle and the Corinthians because as they had gratified the Corinthians who sent them so likewise the Apostle to whom they were sent wherefore hee would have them esteemed so much the more both these and they that were like unto them The third Part. Vers. 19. The Churches of Asia salute you Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord with the Church that is in their house 20. All the Brethren geeet you greet you one another with an holy kiss The third part of the Chapter follows wherein after hee hath saluted the Corinthians 1. In the name of the Ephesians and the rest of the Churches of Asia 2. In the name of Priscilla and Aquila and their families vers 19. 3. In the name of the Brethren his companions who lived in his society Hee wills them as the Eastern manner was to salute one another with a kiss as wee with joyning right hands without deceit or dissimulation and that they perform those things and all other expressions of love holily Vers. 21. The salutation of mee Paul with mine own hand Further hee signs this Epistle being written by the hand of another with a salutation and his own hand that it may bee known to bee his own Because in those times Epistles were feigned in the name of the Apostles 2 Thes. 2.1 Therefore it was needful that by some manifest token they should bee known to the Church Vers. 22. If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him bee Anathema Maranatha In the close of the Epistle hee laies down an Apostolical malediction against the haters and enemies of Christ both secret and open using the words of extreamest execration For by this solemn form Maranatha i. e. THE LORD COMMETH the Church testified that they had performed all the parts of their office towards such a man And for the future by a common consent let him alone and referred him to the last judgement of God or to the comming of the Lord as one that was desperate amongst men In the mean while the Apostle doth not excommunicate hypocrites from the external society of the Church but threatens utter destruction unless they repent Vers. 23. The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ bee with you 24. My love bee with you all in Christ Iesus Finally after his Apostolical benediction by his Authority applied to the Church of Corinth hee signifies his special love towards them that they may bee convinced in themselves that whatever hee had set down in this Epistle whether by way of reprehension or exhortation it came all from his love towards them The Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians Analytically expounded The Contents of the Epistle THe first Epistle did not want its effect amongst many of the Corinthians yet there were some especially vain-talking Teachers who persevered in their contumacy and not onely they themselves set at nought the Apostles Authority but also dared publickly to compare themselves with him and to prefer themselves before him and to diminish the Authority of the Apostle amongst the people with no small detriment and prejudice to the Gospel That hee might restrain these and finde all things at his comming better ordered in the Church of Corinth hee writ this second Epistle which is wholly Apologetical Besides an Exordium and Conclusion there are three parts of the Epistle In the first having removed the scandal of the Cross which was laid upon him and the suspicion of his alienated mind from the Corinthians Chap. 1. 2. Hee defends his Ministery Chap. 2. 3. And proves his constancy and fidelity therein Chap. 4. 5. Exhorting them to bring forth the fruits of his Ministery Chap. 6. And that they would perswade themselves of his good will towards them Chap. 7. In the second part of the Epistle hee exhorts them to make a collection for the poor Brethren the afflicted Iews Chap. 8 9. In the third part hee vindicates his Authority from contempt and the aspersions of false Teachers who laboured to render the Apostle vile amongst the Corinthians Chap. 10. and holily boasts himself against them Chap. 11. 12. endeavouring to render his Authority formidable and also amicable to the Corinthians Chap. 13. CHAP. I. THere are two parts of the Chapter besides the inscription of the Epistle in the former hee removes the scandal of the Cross and afflictions wherewith hee was not long since oppressed to vers 12. In the second part hee removes the suspicion of an alienated mind from the Corinthians to the end The Inscription of the Epistle which is instead of an Exordium vers 1. 2. serves to prepare the minds of the Corinthians for receiving the things which hee wrote intimating five Reasons to that end Vers. 1. Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the Will of God and Timothy our Brother unto the Church of God which is at Corinth with all the Saints which are in all Achaia The first Reason Because Paul the Author of the Epistle was an Apostle of Jesus Christ and of chiefest Authority in the Church Reason 2. Because hee did not assume to himself this honour as certain false Brethren feigned themselves servants of Christ when they were not sent of God but obtained it by the special Will of God Reason 3. Because hee had brought in Timothy with himself to witness against them if they should not admit of this Truth of God written by him
the word and doctrine because they are wholly set apart to the word and prayer Therefore it is fitting that they should bee liberally maintained Hee calls the stipend given them by the name of Honour because of such moment is their work that it cannot bee valued at any rate And because the stipend which is allowed them is to bee given not upon the account of wages but an Honorary or an honourable reward Vers. 18. For the Scripture saith Thou shalt not muzzle the Oxe that treadeth out the corn and the labourer is worthy of his reward Hee layes down two Reasons of the Precept 1 From Deut. 25.4 Where from the Allegory of an Oxe treading out the corn with his feet God commands that the Pastors of the Church should bee maintained reasoning from the greater to the less Worthy 2. From Levit. 9. or Luke 18.7 Where from the Precept of giving a due reward to the labourer it is gathered from the less to the greater Honour is much more to bee repayed to him who is not an hireling but a Father and a laborious Pastor Vers. 19. Against an Elder receive not an accusation but before two or three witnesses Precept 2. That an accusation against an Elder bee not received or taken for true unless upon the testimony of three witnesses or at the least two worthy of credit it bee affirmed And that which is here spoken to Timothy alone is spoken to all that sit in the Presbytery because other where judgement is committed to the whole Presbytery yea what is spoken here to Timothy is spoken to the whole Presbytery at Ephesus touching the administration of the whole Discipline of the Church Act. 20.28 Timothy the Evangelist in the mean time might exercise extraordinary power as hee was an Evangelist and the Apostles Legate Vers. 20. Them that sin rebuke before all that others also may fear Precept 3. Of avoiding scandals If the Elders or any other in the Church should offend openly that they bee publickly reproved The reason is That the rest may bee afraid being admonished by their example and may take heed to themselves that they do not offend Vers. 21. I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect Angels that thou observe these things without preferring one before another doing nothing by partiality Precept 4. In which by way of Epiphonema hee most gravely charges Timothy and in him all Ecclesiastical Judges that nothing bee done in Church affairs or censures with paâ—tiality or that nothing in these Precepts bee altered upon the accepting of any mans person Vers. 22. Lay hands suddenly on no man neither bee partakers of other mens sins Keep thy self pure Precept 5. That hee do not rashly receive any one into the sacred Ministry without mature deliberation and examination preceding hee do not lay hands which was the sign of Ordination upon any one Hee gives two Reasons of it Neither Reas. 1. Lest if hee should ordain one unfitting in this very thing hee should communicate with him in his sins and by consequence in his punishments Thy self Reas. 2. Because thou oughtest to keep thy self pure from defilements and therefore from the ordaining of an unworthy man If happily the rest of the Presbytery at any time shall determine to admit an unfit man to the Ministry or one that is not approved keep thy self pure neither consent thou but labour by all means so to preserve purity and holiness that thou keep off from all affinity with sin as much as in thee lyes Hee explains the parts of this Precept in the two next following verses the meaning of the latter part of being himself pure vers 23. and shews the meaning of the former part vers 24. Vers. 23. Drinke no longer water but use a little wine for thy stomachs sake and thine often infirmities As to the latter part of the Precept of keeping himself pure because the Apostle knew that Timothy by reason of his earnest endeavours after purity and chastity had been injurious to his own health therefore by the way hee adviseth him that hee do not so understand the Precept of keeping himself pure as to neglect his health and render himself unfit for the works of his Calling but use an holy prudence and in subduing his body by drinking of water to use a little wine as it were physically and for the necessity of health lest if hee should proceed in not favouring his weak stomach and his body labouring under often infirmities immediately the tabernacle of his body should fall to decay and the Church should bee deprived of so profitable an instrument Vers. 24. Some mens sins are open before hand going before to judgement And some men they follow after As to what concerns the meaning of the former part of the Precept Lest hee should partake of other mens sins hee shews that hee spake of open sins which may bee known and avoided not of private which fall not under observation and that hee beware lest hee partake of other mens sins and in laying hands rashly on no man hee shews in this that using examination and tryal the open sins of any one that is unworthy may bee known as also the open virtues of men meet to bee admitted to the Ministery of the Gospel For the sins of some Candidates of the Ministery are so manifest that they prevent the examination and judgement of the Church that they may easily bee rejected For before the judgement of the Church can determine about them there is matter in readiness in their open sins for their condemnation or rejection from the Ministery by the opinion of the Ecclesiastical Senate And the sins of otherâ— upon examination premised and the judgement of the Church concerning them being given are brought forth into the light Vers. 25. Likewise also the good works of some are manifest before-hand and they that are otherwise cannot be hid In like manner the virtue of some that are Candidates to the Ministery and their good works are so manifestly known that it is easie for the Church to judge them fit to bee admitted But the works of those that are otherwise or upon examination had and inquisition made are not manifest or so secret that they cannot bee known of men they are to bee left to God nor can they long bee hid but in their own time will bee brought to light that if the Church cannot prevent but those hypocrites are admitted to the Ministery yet care may bee had where they are already made manifest that they bee dealt with according to the Discipline of the Church CHAP. VI. IN this Chapter hee gives seven Precepts to Timothy whereby he may be instrusted in the Doctrine concerning the duties of private persons and the duties of Ministers and how hee ought to behave himself towards the people and towards the Elders Vers. 1. Let as many servants as are under the yoak count their own Masters worthy of all honour that the name of
would bee esteemed either by God or men true Beleevers or not of the number of hypocrites yee ought to beware of Apostacy or seducers Vers. 20. But yee have an unction from the holy One and yee know all things Reas. 6. Yee are furnished with necessary gifts and the aid of the Holy Ghost that yee might know all saving opinions and so might shun the seduction of Apostates Therefore yee ought to beware Vers. 21. I have not written unto you because yee know not the Truth but because you know it and that no lie is of the Truth Reas. 7. Answering an objection I do not accuse you of ignorance by admonishing or writing to you but therefore I exhort you to constancy that I may know that you have known the Truth and are delighted in it Therefore yee ought to hearken to my exhortation And that no lie Reas. 8. Yee being admonished of the Truth may easily discern a lie which viz. being examined by the rule of Truth doth in no wise agree with it Therefore yee ought to hearken to my exhortation for this end that yee may examine and reject that which is false Vers. 22. Who is a lyer but hee that denieth that Iesus is the Christ hee is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son Reas. 9. Those that seduce men from the true Doctrine of the Gospel are the greatest lyers amongst men as the interrogation intimates because they in some way or other deny Jesus to be the Christ for they do not acknowledge such a Christ as the Father offers to us in the Gospel For they openly or secretly invade either his person or his natures or the proprieties of his natures or his offices or his virtue or his efficacy or grace or truth or his glory Therefore yee ought to beware of seducers Hee is Reas. 10. All seducers who draw hearers from Christ in any one Article are Antichrists both denying the Father and the Son and so overthrowing the true Religion and the foundations of Religion with their lies because there is no true God out of Christ For in him dwells all the fulness of the God-head Therefore yee ought to beware of seducers Vers. 23. Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father Hee confirms this reason from the inseparableness of the Father from the Son that no man can have the Father for his God who any way denies the Son because God hath given himself to bee enjoyed wholly by us in Christ and hee is sought for in vain elsewhere or by any other way than wherein hee hath manifested himself to us in Christ who as the image of the Father represents and offers to us whatsoever is necessary or profitable to bee known of the Father to salvation and on the other side whosoever give due honour to Christ as to the Son of God acknowledging him such as hee hath manifested himself in the Scriptures doth also acknowledge the Father and esteem him for their God Vers. 14. Let that therefore abide in you which you have heard from the beginning if that which you have heard from the beginning shall remain in you yee also shall continue in the Son and in the Father Reas. 11. The truly antient and onely Truth of God alwaies constant to it self is this which I exhort you to hold which viz. ye have heard from the beginning of the Gospel not onely preached Christ but also promised and declared by the Prophets in the Scriptures Therefore yee ought to retain that Truth and here hee openly brings forth what hee aimed at or the Exhortation If it shall remain in you Reas. 12. If yee have retained the Doctrine delivered to you by Christ and his Apostles according to the Scriptures yee shall remain in the society and friendship of God the Son and the Father Therefore yee ought to beware of seducers Vers. 25. And this is the promise that hee hath promised us eternal life 26. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you Reas. 13. God upon this condition hath promised us life eternal if wee retain stedfastly the Doctrine of Christ Therefore yee ought stedfastly to continue in the Faith and obedience of Christs Doctrine and beware of seducers who do their indeavour to withdraw you from the Truth And here again the Apostle professes openly his aim in these Arguments Vers. 27. But the anointing which yee have received of him abideth in you and yee need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye and even as it hath taught you yee shall abide in him Reas. 14. That yee may bee kept from seducers yee are fortified with manifold defences For first as for external doctrine yee have received from Christ an unction or the holy Spirit who inwardly teacheth you and confirmâ— you in the Truth of the Doctrine of Christ every one in his measure Secondly That Spirit remains in you who are faithful and is not taken away from beleevers Thirdly Yee have no need of any man that may teach you any thing besides that which the Spirit of Christ hath taught in the Scripture and hath confirmed in your hearts yee have onely need of Exhortation that yee abide in Christ as the Spirit or Unction speaking in the Scriptures and that which is in the Scriptures confirming in your hearts and further instructing you out of the Scriptures doth teach you in all things necessary to salvation which Spirit is Truth i. e. the very truth of the Scripture Which is truth A confirmation and not a lye but a refuter and hater of lyes Therefore yee ought stedfastly to abide in Christ as the Spirit according to the truth of Scripture hath taught you and to beware of seducers Vers. 28. And now Little Children abide in him that when hee shall appear wee may have confidence and not bee ashamed before him at his coming Reas. 15. Whosoever they bee that do not persevere in the Faith of Christ neither abide in communion with him furthermore whatsoever they are in the esteem of men they shall with shame depart from the judgement fear of Christ. But on the contrary those that persevere in the Faith shall confidently stand before him Therefore yee ought stedfastly to abide in the Faith of Christ and beware of seducers Vers. 29. If yee know that hee is righteous yee know that every one that doth righteousness is born of him Exhort 5. Which hee will prosecute in the former part of the following Chapter viz. that they endeavour after Righteousness or that they follow after holiness The Arguments of the Exhortation are fifteen Argum. 1. Confirmed from the testimony of their conscience Hee that endeavours after Righteousness is born of God who is righteous and hath the testimony of his Adoption and Regeneration Therefore endeavour after Righteousness CHAP. III. THe parts of the Chapter are two In the first hee prosecutes the remaining Arguments
of his prayers Therefore for this cause yee ought to beleeve in Christ. Vers. 16. If any man see his Brother sin a sin which is not unto death hee shall ask and hee shall give him life for them that sin not unto death There is a siâ— unto death I do not say that hee shall pray for it Argum. 13. Hee that beleeves in Christ not onely praying for himself but also out of love for his sinning brethren shall bee heard to whom through the merit of sin declining to destruction and perdition God will if hee bee but asked by a faithful man restore him to life Therefore c. Not unto death Hee excepts in case of the sin of the Holy Ghost When a Professor of the Faith or a Brother as to the external communion of the Church falls into open Apostacy from the Faith of Christ and maintains cruel haâ—red against the Gospel and those that are faithful against the light of conscience illuminated once by the Holy Ghost hee commands not to pray for him that commits this sin when it may bee discerned It is called a sin unto death because eternal death follows that sin and hee that falls into it remains in it without repentance until hee is thrust down into Hell Vers. 17. All unrighteousness is sin and there is a sin not unto death Hee explains what hee had said that although all transgression of the Law is sin wherefore it deserves the wages of death yet death follows not all sin because all kind of sin is remitted except this sin which is called blasphemy against the Holy Ghost which was never remitted to any nor never shall Vers. 18. Wee know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but hee that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not Argum. 14. Hee that is regenerate or truly beleeves in the Son of God is kept that hee sin not this sin yea nor doth hee lye alwaies intangled in any sin but by the grace of God and virtue of Gods seed remaining in him keepeth himself lest the Devil touch him to death with his sin Therefore yee must beleeve in Christ. Vers. 19. And wee know that wee are of God and the whole world lyeth in wickedness Hee applies this Argument by way of assumption from the proposition to their comfort and the comfort of the faithful to which hee writes and confirms it by five Reasons viz. that the faithful whereunto hee writes are kept together with himsâ—lf and shall be preserved in Faith and Obedience of the Gospel Wee know Reas. 1. Wee are certainly perswaded of our regeneration Therefore wee are perswaded that wee shall not sin that unpardonable sin neither shall bee in bondage to it but shall bee freed from the Devil fully through Christ. The World Reas. 2. Those that are of the world are onely in the power of that malicious Devil that hee may throw them headlong out of one wickedness into another Therefore wee who are translated out of the world into the Kingdome of God are not in the power of that malicious one but shall bee preserved as the free-men of God Vers. 20. And wee know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that wee may know him that is true and wee are in him that is true even in his Son Iesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life Reas. 3. Wee are certain of the coming of Christ our Redeemer into the world who hath enlightened our minds with his grace and hath given us true Faith in God Therefore wee shall not sin unto death but shall bee preserved And wee Reas. 4. Wee have communion with God and Christ wherein wee are and dwell by Faith Therefore wee shall bee untouched by that sin This is Reas. 5. Christ is the very true God and Life eternal who in himself is Life and the fountain of life to be communicated to the faithful and also the Procurer Giver and Preserver of it Therefore wee are certainly perswaded of our perseverance and eternal salvation Vers. 21. Little children keep your selves from Idols Amen For the conclusion of the Epistle hee proposes a short admonition that they have a care and keep themselves from Idols in the plural number and that from all sorts of Idols which after any manner might thrust themselves into the place of truth or of the true God to draw them from beleeving of the true Doctrine or from the true worship or obedience of God under any pretence whatsoever and that so much the more because these Idols may bee obtruded upon the faithful by the Devil and his Ministers and by all possible cunning Therefore hee the more diligently commands them to watch and to keep themselves from them lest they should bee in any wise polluted by them but by name that they beware of Images wherein Antichrist will glory and by these deceive the world The second Epistle of IOHN Analytically expounded The Contents AS Luke writ the Book of the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles to a certain noble Theophilus for the use of all the faithful So John wrote this familiar Epistle to one Noble and Holy Matrone and her children not onely that hee might appropriate the Doctrine which hee had commended in his former Epistle to the universal Church of the faithful to this private family but also that hee might teach the Pastors how they ought to teach publickly and from house to house from the Apostles example Act. 20 20. The parts of the Epistle are three the Preface containing the direction of the Epistle and Salutation to vers 4. An Exhortation to perseverance in the obedience of the Gospel or a constant exercise of Faith working by love to vers 12. The third is the conclusion Vers. 1. THe Elder unto the Elect Lady and her Children whom I love in the Truth and not I onely but also all they that have known the Truth The direction of the Epistle shews who to whom and with what minde hee wrote this Epistle The writer is Iohn the Apostle who makes no doubt of his authority in this family content with the title of the ordinary and common ministery hee calls himself an Elder by which name hee being now very antient hee also notes his age to the end that his admonition who could not live long by reason of his age might bee the more deeply fixed in them The person whereunto it is chiefly writ is the Elect Lady To signifie civil and due honour hee calls her Lady acknowledging her more happy spiritual condition in the Lord. Hee calls her Elect because in that this Matron had from the sincerity of her Faith declared her self to bee elect a farre more excellent commendation than that shee was accounted a Lady in a civil condition by men Her children are adjoyned because they were partakers with their Mother of the Grace of God in the knowledge of Christ. As for the mind of the