opposed not to visible but to naturall They shall be still visible as the body of Christ which yet the Papists make invisible and say it is in the Sacrament really present and yet not to bee seen Spirituall that is subject to the spirit it shall not then need meat and drink and subtill Vers. 45. A quickning spirit Because by the Spirit he quickned himselfe and quickens us now to live the life of grace and shall hereafter quicken our dead bodies at the resurrection Vers. 47. The first man viz. In respect of his substance Is of the earth earthly In respect of his quality c. The second man The Lord in respect of his quality The Apostle speakes here as if there were but two men in the word millions of men came between Adam and our Saviour there are two mediators Adam in the covenant of nature Christ in the new covenant as Adam conveighs his guilt to all his Children so Christ his righteousnesse to all his he was caput cum faedere as well as the first Adam Vers. 50. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God Not the sinfull nature of man as flesh and blood often signifie in Scripture being opposed to Spirit but the constitution of nature or the estate wherein we stand as men flesh and blood qua nunc conditione sunt inherite That is beare that majesty glory and excellency of Heaven Neither doth corruption Nature subject to corruption Vers. 51. We shall not all sleep To sleep here is to rest in the grave to continue in the state of the dead and so we shall not all sleep not continue in the state of the dead But we shall be changed the soule and body shall be separated and in a moment reunited Vers. 56. The sting of death is sinne That is the destroying power he compares sinne to a Serpent The strength of sin is the Law That is 1. In regard of discovery of it the Law entred that sinne might abound 2. For condemnation 3. For irritation it is stirred up and strengthened by this that the Law forbids it Nitimur in vetitum c. Vers. 58. Stedfast A metaphore taken from a foundation on which a thing stands firme or a Seate or Chaire wherein one sits firme Vnmovable Signifies one that will not easily move his place or opinion Abounding Or excelling In the work of the Lord Because of Gods institution as the Lords Supper or day or because done by his strength or for him Labour Unto wearinesse as the Greek word signifies is not in vaine Not shall be the worke is the wages the Lord Or with the Lord. CHAP. XVI Vers. 2. THe first day of the weeke That is the Lords day which institution seemes to be derived from the Commandement of God in the Law twice repeated Exod. 23.15 Deut. 16.16 As God hath prospered him That is according to the ability wherewith God hath blessed him Vers. 13. Stand The meaning is continue be constant and persevere in the faith shrinke not start not aside nor slide from it so stand is taken Col. 4.12 Vers 19. The Churches of Asia salute you Where the Apostle meaneth not that they did by word of mouth send greetings unto them but that all the Churches did approve of them which he saith for their great comfort Rom. 16.16 Act. 16.2.3 Vers. 22 If any man That is That lives in the light of the Gospell love not That is Hate Luke 11.23 Ephes. 6. ult those who make shew of love to Christ with their mouthes Anathema Accursed or execrable Rom. 9.3 Gal. 18. 1 Cor. 12.3 Maranatha it consists of two Syriacke words Maran Lord and Atha he commeth pronounced accursed to everlasting destruction as if hé had said let him be accursed even unto the comming of Christ to judgement It is as much as he is accursed untill our Lord come It was the most fearfull and dreadfull sentence of the Church which it used against those which having beene o◠it did utterly fall from it so as the Church might discerne that they sinned the sinne against the holy Ghost Reduplication in Scripture signifies two things vehemency of Spirit in him that speakes and the certainty of the thing spoken Rom. 8.15 Abba Father in two Languages the Spirit of God is a Spirit of supplication in Jew and Gentile so here cursed in two languages to shew that both Jewes and Gentiles which love not Christ are cursed ANNOTATIONS UPON THE Second Epistle of PAUL the Apostle to the CORINTHIANS VERS III. CHAP. I. THe God of all comfort Of all sorts and degrees of comfort who hath all comfort at his dispose It intimates 1. That no comfort can be found any where else he hath the sole gift of it 2. Not onely some but all comfort no imaginable comfort is wanting in him nor to be found out of him 3. All degrees of comfort are to be found in him See 4. vers Vers. 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them c. Plainely noting that he is not fit to comfort others who hath not experience of the comforts of God himselfe Vers. 12. For our rejoycing or boasting is this the testimony of our conscience Here we may see the quiet and tranquillity of a good conscience See 1 Tim. 1.5 The meaning is that of which I boast and in which I trust before God is the testimony of my conscience Vers. 13. For we write none other things unto you then what you read or acknowledge That which you read written is indeed written as well in our hearts as in this paper Vers. 14. We are your rejoycing Or rather boasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the matter and object of your boasting as you are of ours or if we follow our translation the Corinthians shall rejoyce at the last day that ever they saw Paul and Paul in them Vers. 20. All the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen Yea True in the event and reall performance Amen That is Stable and firme as the Hebrew word signifieth that is they are both made and performed in and for him Vers. 22. Given us the earnest of the Spirit But if God having once given this earnest should not also give the rest of the inheritance he should undergoe the losse of his earnest as Chrysostome most elegantly and soundly argueth See Ephes. 1 13.14 Vers. 23. I call God for a record upon my soule Or against my soule it is all one The Apostle the better to perswade men to beleeve what he was about to speake useth an oath and that not a simple one but with an execration added As if he should say saith Estius Perdat me Deus nisi vera dixero Let God destroy me if I speake not truth Onely God in Scripture is said to sweare by his soule as 51. Ier. and 6. Amos since he
the whole latitude of it others circumcision with all the Leviticall rites A wine-presse That is all holy dutyes And built a Tower That is the glorious Temple Mic. 4.8 Not so much in reference to the materiall structure as the Ministry of it the doctrine and discipline of it Ezek. 7.20 Let it out to husbandmen That is commended the Vineyard to the care and diligence primarily of the Church-governours the Priests and Levites and also of the civill magistrate And went into a farre country Some say this is spoken ornatus gratia to fill up the parable it is spoken saith Ambrose secundum opinionem colonorum according to the opinion of the wicked husbandmen Vers. 34. He sent his servants That is the Prophets God raised up in the Church of the Jewes from Samuels time till the comming of Iohn the Baptist. Vers. 25. Beate one Ieremie See 1 Kings 22.24 Ier. 20.2 And killed another The Greek word signifies to murder with cruelty as Esay And stoned another That is killed him with stones 2 Chron. 24.21 Zacharie the Son of Iehoiadab Vers. 38. Expressing plainely in this Parable Gods dealing with Jerusalem and theirs with him and what was the immediate cause of their destruction Vers. 42. By the stone is not meant any particular stone rejected in the building of Salomons materiall Temple as some conceit nor secondly the people of Israel who though contemned for a while yet were afterward advanced but David literally rejected by Saul and the Nobles of the kingdom and Christ typically who was refused by the Jewes but yet exalted and advanced by God to rule in the throne over his Church graciously and over his enemies terribly therefore compared to a Stone because he is the foundation and support of his Church The builders rejected He granteth the Priests this title of chiefe builders in respect of their calling though they sought the ruine and destruction of the Church The head of the corner That is Hee should be the chiefe stay of the building as the Corner-stone upholds the chiefe weight of it Some doe very curiously discourse of the word Corner that Christ was placed in a Corner that He might joyne together two divers walls viz. the Gentiles and Iewes And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken That is saith Grotius he that shall stumble upon Christ yet living shall perceive his own weaknesse to his losse as an earthen vessel struck at a stone But on whosoever it shall fall it shall grind him to powder But he that shall persist in opposing him after he shall be exalted into his heavenly kingdome shall as utterly perish as an earthen vessell on which a great stone is cast from a high place This befell the Jewes when Titus beseeged Ierusalem and will much more befall them at the day of judgement CHAP. XXII Verse 1. HEre is a proposition whereby hee farther condemneth the malice of the Pharisees the summe of the proposition is the same with that which was laid downe before Chap. 20. that many are called and few chosen as is concluded in the 14 vers He illustrates this proposition by a similitude or parable the sence of which in briefe is this The kingdome of heaven That is the state of the Church A King that is God the Father so called to declare his divine Majestie and to set forth the magnificence of the Feast His Sonne that is Christ. The wedding Feast the glorious excellencies God tenders in the Gospel-ordinances The wedding garment put on by faith including in it conversion The Bride or Spouse the Church The Guests Jewes and Gentiles First servants sent to invite the Prophets The second the Apostles The Marriage eternall life or the Kingdome of Heaven Under this parable is threatned the Jewes destruction Chrysost. Calv. The Jewes have the honour to be first called This inviting to the Marriage feast signifieth our inviting to partake of Christ and his benefits in the Gospel See Esay 25.8.9 and Prov. 9. beg Because in a Feast there is first plentie secondly of dainties The Lord provides dainties for the soules of his people in the preaching of the Gospel 1 the dishes the love of God his free grace and mercy the body and blood of Christ with the merit of it 2. The spirit of God in all the gifts and graces of it is there abundantly powred out 1. This is foode for the soule will feede the inward man 2 pleasant foode 3 will satisfie the soule and answer all the desires of it Esay 55. because it puts it into the possession of that which is its most sutable good 4 It is medicine for the soule Revel 22.5 The refusers are such as come not to Gods Ordinances at all or doe not at all accept of Christ. The man without a wedding garment is one that comes carelesly and unduly to these ordinances and so does not in deede and truth partake of Christ which will breede life in a dead soule Iohn 5.25 It will nourish the soule up to everlasting life Iohn 6.31 to the end 2. To a Feast there is required not onely good fare but good company a voluptuous Roman said he did often eate good meate alone but he never feasted but in good company Heb. 12. All the Saints here and the blessed Trinity eate and drinke with them Thirdly Heartie welcome from the Feastmaker Prov. 23.1 Cant. 5.1 Fourthly All is free cost Esay 55.1 2. Fifthly The continuance of this Feast all the dayes of their life especially the great standing dishes faith in the blood of Christ and communion with God Vers. 2. The Kingdome of Heaven That is the Heavenly by an Hebrew phrase viz. Because it hath a heavenly King Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father in heaven heavenly law a doctrine brought from the bosome of the Heavenly Father the citizens of this kingdome seeke heavenly things and their conversation is in heaven Phil. 3.20 Col. 3â— 1. God reignes in them after a heavenly manner the promises given to them are heavenly Marriage It is prepared in this life consummate in the life to come Vers. 3. His servants The Prophets to call preach or prophesie them the Jewes Vers. 4. Other servants Evangelists Apostles they had a larger promise Dinner Knowledge of God and forgivenesse of sinnes Oxen Strong Fathers of the Old Testament Fatlings The sweet Gospel Killed The Greeke word here is commonly used in Sacrifices and is by translation used for other feasts also for feasts and banquets were wont to begin with Sacrifices Not come Cal'd by Preaching to sorrow obedience The marriage Gregory applyes it to Christs incarnation but it is a spiritual conjunction with Christ. Hilary Calvin Being invited they are guests being come they are brides Vers. 6. And intreated them spitefully As Peter and Iohn and Paul severall times And slew them As Stephen and both the Iames. Vers. 7. Sent forth his armies The Romans who spoyled
profitable living and when they are dead so the Saints they live and dye to the Lord. The Goate on the other side is refractary wanders up and downe and is not for the Shepheards voyce 2. Is a noisome stinking uncleane creature Vers. 34. Blessed viz. In Christ who was made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 inherit or possesse by lot therefore because adopted he doth not merit Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world What then could they deserve these are the causes of salvation that which he addes Vers. 35. I was a hungred c. Are the signes of true faith Christ chooseth workes of the second Table because they are most manifest to the world and pronounceth sentence according to them because they are more visible than faith The causall conjunction for implies the meritoriousnesse of workes saith Bellarmine Answer It is note of consequence and order not of the cause as we say Summer is come for flowers do spring and it is a good tree for it bringeth forth good fruit See Luke 7.47 1 Iohn 3.14 Bellarmine urgeth that go you cursed for you have done so and so there is a great deale of difference between the evill and good we do our evills are truely ours and fully evill but our good things are not ours and but imperfectly good Vers. 41. Depart from mee There 's rejection Yee cursed There is malediction Into fire There is the vengeance of that element And everlasting fire There is the continuance of it therefore they dreame that say the Devill shall be delivered at last No naturall but metaphoricall fire that is sharpe punishment for the worme which Esay joynes with it is metaphoricall Esay 66.24 and the Prophet declareth it to be a metaphoricall speech 30. and 33. verses when he compares the Spirit of God to a paire of bellowes wherewith the fire is kindled and addeth also brimstone CHAP. XXVI Verse 2. YE know that after two dayes is the feast of the passeover and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified Gods will was that his Sonne should be offered on the day of the pasover that the old figure might give place to the onely sacrifice of eternall redemption and that all Israel might be witnesse to it Act. 2.23 and 4.22 Vers. 11. The poore you have alwaies with you The world abounds with such therefore you may alwayes do good to them but I am to dye shortly and you can never after performe any such office to mee Vers. 12. She did it for my buriall By this Christ would declare that the precious ointment was accepted not for the savour of it but only in respect of buriall and shew that his grave should yeeld forth a pleasant savour Vers. 13. Wheresoever this Gospell shall be preached in the whole world there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a memoriall of her She shall enjoy the honour of it in all the Churches for ever so long as the Gospell shall continue in the world which will be as long as the world it self continues By this Sentence the calling of the Gentiles is testified Vers. 14. Iudas Iscariot Iudas signifyeth a Confessor Iscariot either of the village where he was born or of the Tribe of Issachar Iachar signifies wages or hire noting unto us Iudas nature by his name Vers. 15. Thirty peeces of silver Zach. 11.12.3 pound 15 shillings as some suppose the price of a servant Vers. 21. And as they did eate he said verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray me That he might make the trayterousness of Iudas the more to be detested he setteth forth the vilenesse of the same by this circumstance that when he sate together with him at the Table he devised treason Vers. 24. It had been good for that man if he had not been borne That is not been A temporall miserable being at the worst is better than a not being but an eternall miserable being is worse than a not being in a Theologicall notion what ever it be in Metaphysickes or Philosophy Vers. 26. As they did eate Word for word they eating which we must interpret out of the words of St Paul 1 Cor. 11. that saith after supper so Luke the Sacrament succeeded the Passover This is my body A Sacramentall phrase the sign for the thing signified as Circumcision is called the Covenant Gen. 17. And the Lambe the Passeover Exod. 12. Baptism the Laver of Regeneration Tit. 3.5 Vers. 27. And he tooke the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying drinke ye all of it Christ in this seemes to have reference to the custome of the Jews for it is an expresse Law among them that of foure Cups all that are present at the Passeover should drink whether they be men or women of perfect age or children especially of the fourth and last Cup. Vers. 28. My bloud of the New Testament That is a Sacrament or Signe in remembrance of his bloud powred out Vers. 29. I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the vine untill that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers kingdom Christ seems to have taken occasion of this from the custome of the Jews in which it was forbidden the Cup being drank up to taste any more wine that night Christ therefore saith that in this he will do nothing against their traditions but so that not only he will drinke no more wine that night but all that time that he is to continue in the world Expositors interpret that of drinking wine new in his Fathers kingdom two waies Chrysostome and some others understand by the kingdom of the Father Christs Resurrection and by the new wine that corporall eating and drinking of Christ with his Apostles after his Resurrection Luk 24.43 Acts 10.40 41. 2. More probably by the kingdom of the Father is meant the kingdom of glory after this life and by the wine he would drink with them that celestiall liquor of sweet joy and eternall comfort which the Saints partake therein with Christ. Vers. 30. When they had sung a hymme c. A hymme is a verse sung for the praise of God Their opinion doth not seeme to be vaine who think that the Apostles at that time sung a great hymme which consists of sixe Psalmes 113 114 115 116 117 and 118. The Hebrews certainly sing this song in the night of the Passeover after the Lamb is eaten Paulus Burgensis thinks that the Apostles rehearsed this hymme according to the custome of the Jews after the Passeover and that this place is to be understood of that which is very probable for since in other things it is manifest that Christ with his Apostles observed the rite of the Jews in eating the Passeover it is not unlikely that he might follow them in this also Grotius saith learned men think that the hymmes were sung by Christ which were wont to be sung at
at mutuall concord among themselves Any consolation in Christ So Chrysostome Calvin Beza and others Ambrose exhortation it signifies both but the first is most received here Any comfort of love That is if you so love me as you desire to bring any comfort to me in my afflictions Any fellowship of the Spirit As if he had said you professe a communion and fellowship I adjure you by this fellowship which you professe to perform these duties of love Bowels and mercies Bowels are any affections mercies are affections toward those that are in any calamity Grotius Vers. 2. Fulfill ye my joy And your own joy and the joy of the Angels in Heaven and the joy of the Bride and Bridegroom That you may be like minded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unanimous as the Vulgar and Beza read of one accord or mind yea una anima as Iunius translates out of the Syriack one soule or as informed with one soule that is as one man in the matters of Gods worship Vers. 3. Through strife or vain-glory out of a desire to crosse or excell another Those two are most hurtfull to the peace of the Church In lowlinesse of mind To both diseases he applies one remedy That which the Apostle here commends the morall Philosophers reckon as one of the most contemptible vices but the Spirit of God here crosseth them the word plainly signifies base-mindednesse when a man is low base vile and abject in his own conceit Let each esteem other better then themselves Non minus verè quà m humiliter as Bernard glosseth because in some gift or other at least in the measure or use another may be better then us Vers. 4. Look not every man on his own things but evey man also on the things of others What will be for my profit or advantage and not what will be for the publike and common good and benefit of others also Vers. 6. Who being in the forme of God There is not a little contestation with Arrians and Socinians who deny the deitie and eternity of Christ about the true meaning of those words who being in the forme of God and a great controversie concerning the right sense of those words thought it not robbery the Greek words import He made it not a matter of triumph or ostentation by which interpretation the Orthodoxe sense of the former words is much confirmed where saith Calvin is there an equality with God without robbery but in the onely essence of God mihi certe saith he ne omnes quidem diaboli hunc locum extor queant Vers. 7. But made himselfe of no reputation Gr. he emptied himselfe se exinanivit Beza ex omni seipsum ad nibil redegit is learned Beza's exposition He did disrobe himselfe of his glory even emptied himselfe as it were of his divine dignity to undertake a base and humble condition for our sakes Verses 7. and 8. And took upon him the forme of a Servant and was made in the likenesse of men and being found in fashion as a man Here is likâ—nesse fashion and forme by likenesse man is described by fashion or shape a man is pictured and by forme a man is defined to be a perfect man Vers. 8 He became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Vers. 10. That at the name of Iesus every knee should bow That is at the consideration of the great Majesty whereto he is now exalted every heart even of the greatest Monarch should be touched with submission and reverence This is taken out of Esay 45.23 Shall give that glory to Christ in our humane nature which is due to Iehovah See Iohn 5.20 21 22 23. Every Knee That is the whole man shall be subject to the authority of Christ the heart to beleeve in him the affections to close with him Vers. 11. Every tongue shall confesse That is avow him openly every tongue shall speake out together as the Greek word notes V. 12. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling Greek work till you get the work thorow Timor tremor Feare and trembling thus differ that timor sit cordis tremor corporis feare is of the heart trembling of the body as Haymo and the ordinary glosse and trembling is wont to be an effect of more vehement feare but when they are joyned together they signifie a solicitude of working with a feare of offending as 1 Cor. 2 3. 2 Cor. 7.15 Ephes. 6.5 Austen rightly observes that the Apostle here alludes to the words of the Psalmist 2. Psal. 11. Vers. 13 Both to will and to due If both be his own workes the desire as well as the deed he must needs love and like both Vers. 14. Without murmuring and disputings That is grudging that he must pay this or doe that muttering and arguing why he should not doe it murmurings are secret complaints one of another like to the grunting of hogges disputings are open contentious and quarrells Vers. 15. That ye may be blamelesse and barmelesse the Sons of God without rebuke That ye may be the spotlesse sons of God Greek that is without all such spots as are inconsistent with your Sonnership Vers. 17. Yea and if I be offered Yea and though I be offered as a drinke offering upon or for the sacrifice Vers. 21. For all seeke their own not the things which are Iesus Christs All not collectively that is all individuals but distributively all of all sorts Christians of all sorts or the generality most Christians as 2 Tim. 4.16 Seeke their own 1. Honour and advancement 2. Gaine 3. Pleasures 4. Ease and safety 5. Satisfaction Their own Not properly Hag. 2.8 Hos. 12.9 but first because they have a civill right unto them secondly because in the opinion of the world they are their own Not the things which are Iesus Christs That is the things of the Church First because the Church is the Spouse of Christ. Secondly because he hath purchased it with his bloud 3. Because of the love he beares to it They seeke not the preservation and propagation of Christs Kingdome more particularly First the pure preaching of the word and right administration of the Sacraments Secondly the truths of Christ. Thirdly the worship of Christ. Fourthly the government of Christ. Fifthly the Ministers of Christ. Vers. 24. But I trust in the Lord The word signifies an assured confidence and is seldome or never used but when the thing followeth which thus is trusted Vers. 29. Hold such in reputation Have them in high honour and estimation for so the word here used in the originall signifieth Vers. 30. Not regarding his life yriacke explaines it thus despised his own soule Calvin exposing his soule to danger CHAP. III. Vers. 2. BEware of Dogs The Greek word signifies to see so 2 Col. 8. so the Latines use video pro caveo Seducers and false Teachers are called dogges First because they
white horse hath a bow and goeth forth conquering in the Ministry that he may overcome either to conversion or confusion Rev. 19.11 The conquerers entred into Rome carried on a white horse The doubling of the word saith Pareus designes his present and future victory And a Crowne was given to him viz. Regall or rather triumphall Vers. 4. There went out another horse that was red This deciphers the Church now red with martyrdome under the ten great persecutions raised up by Domitian Trajane Nero Antonine Decius Dioclesian Maxentius Licinius and other cruell tyrants even untill the times of Constantine the great Vers. 5. Lo a black horse This notes the estate of the Church now blacke and in an afflicted condition by Hereticks which had mingled the truth of pure white doctrine with blacke darknesse of heresies and errours To this horse is attributed a ballance to designe exceeding great scarcity when according to the curse of the Law Levit. 26.26 men shall eate their bread by weight rather saith Pareus a scarcitie of the word Amos 8.11 Mr Mede would have the matter of this seale to bee not famine or dearth of victuall but the administration and severity of Justice through the Romane Empire The colour of the horse agrees saith hee to the severity of justice and the weights are a symbole of justice Vers. 7. Come and see That is come that thou maist see Vers. 8. And behold a pale horse Austen and Beda apply it to the martyring of Saints Bullenger and Forbes to plagues of death Pale The Greeke word properly signifieth Greene as the grosse sometimes it is that dead coulour of herbes that wax dry whence it is sometimes put for palenesse which is the hew of any withering and fading thing so Constance the Father of Constantine the Great was called Chlorus because of his palenesse as Zonarus saith in the life of Dioclesian And hell followed with him Hell the page of death attends him where ever he goes among the wicked sort therefore they are often coupled in this booke Death and Hell Some understand by it the grave when they are dead they goe to be buried so some interpret that article in the Creed hee descended into hell That is abode in the state of the dead but he speakes here say some of the wicked and judgements to them therefore it is meant of Hell Brightman would rather have the Grave to be here meant seeing many Saints saith hee dyed among the rest of whom it were wicked to thinke that they were devoured of the Hell of the damned And with death i.e. The Plague The LXX use this word Exod. 9.3.2 Sam. 24.13 It is called mortality by ecclesiasticall writers which now hath passed into many mother Tongues Vers. 9. I saw under the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the word of God and for the testimony which they held That is under Christs protection and custody Haymo Aquinas Beza Pareus Under the shadow of his wings the phrase alluding to the Tabernacle which gave the offerings grace and acceptation Lying under the Altar That is saith Mr Mede upon the ground at the foote of the Altar like Sacrifices newly slaine Vers. 10. And they cryed with a loud voyce This is not to bee understood of the desire of blessed soules or of any proper act of theirs since it will not agree to their felicity but in the same manner that Abells bloud is said to cry because their death being alwayes fresh in Gods fight requires revenge from the divine justice the Saints in the meane time remaining secure That which the propheticall vision representeth is to be understood suitably to Christianity and to the kingdome of God attained by it Since therefore revenge is contrary to the principles of Christianity we cannot imagine that blessed soules desire it but the cry which they make must be understood to bee the provocation of God to vengeance which their sufferings produce So much more pertinently attributed to blessed soules in as much as being acquainted with Gods counsells they approve and rejoyce in his Justice and the advancement of his Church by the meanes of it Vers. 11. And white robes were given unto every one of them A cloathing of Princes in their great solemnities of coronation and triumphs sayes Eusebius they were wont so to dignifie servants at their manumissions with white apparell in token of their new liberty and preferment In the Primitive Church one of the Ceremonies of baptisme was this that the baptized person had a cleane white garment put upon him with these words Take this white garment and keepe it unspotted untill thou be presented before the Tribunall of Christ the Churches meaning was he should continue in that innocencie which he received in baptisme Fulgentes animas vestis quoque candida signat Vers. 12. And the Sun became blacke as sackcloth of haire and the Moone became as bloud This is a circumlocution of the eclipse of these lights wherein the Sun is wont to appeare blacke but the Moone reddish CHAP. VII Vers. 3. TIll wee have sealed the servants of our God in their forebads Amoris singularis curae symbolum sigillum Glossius Sealing was a signe of speciall care Vers. 4. An hundred and fourty and foure thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel The people of Israel was no Church long afore the Gentile Church is called Israel because they were graffed in instead of the Jewes that were broken off That a greater number of the Gentiles shall be saved than of the Jews is truly gathered out of this place But that the elect of the Jews are in a certaine number because their number is set downe and the other of the Gentiles is not is more than the Scripture doth warrant in the enumeration of the Tribes there is no respect had of order to shew that there is no regard had by God of carnall privileges in the matter of salvation This ought to be taken for an indefinite number as well as the 7000. which had not bowed the knee to Baal The holy Ghost is not contented to have named the totall â—um of them that were sealed in Israel but also divideth it into twelve times twelve thousand distributed by equall portions among the twelve Tribes every one of which is mentioned the one after the other with the expression of its particular number this sheweth that the number of the Elect and multitude of Beleevers are measured by certaine proportions which are known to him who is the Author Vers. 5. Judah is first reckoned of all Leahs children because our Lord sprang out of Judah Gen. 49.10 Heb. 7.14 and Nephthali of all those of Rachels side because Christ dwelt at Capernaum belonging to that tribe that Christs prerogative saith Mr Mede might still excell Vers. 7. He omits Dan and reckons up the tribe of Levi not because