am in my Father and you in me and I in you 20. In that measure that this Spirit of Life is from me communicated to you ye shall Experimentally find that as I am in the Father and act by his Power so you are in me acted by my Love and Power and I in you thus acting you by my Spirit 21. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him 21. This Holy Spirit which I promise you is the Spirit of Love And he that loveth and keepeth my Commandments is he that truly loveth me And though with a Love of benevolence and beneficence I Love many Enemies to their Conversions yet it is only they that thus Love me that shall be Loved of my Father with Complacence and Felicitation And I will delight bless and glorifie them with my Love and make my self fuller known to them 22. Judas saith unto him not Iscariot Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the world 23. Jesus answered and said unto him If a man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him 22 23. The manifestation of my self is not to be by Monarchical outward Pomp which the World expecteth but by Spiritual Gifts and Comforts and Rewards And none are prepared for these but they that love me and keep my words These my Father will Love and my Father and I will come to him by the Spirit and make our aboad with him for ever 24. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings and the word which you hear is not mine but the Fathers which sent me 24. But the World that Loveth me not keepeth not my words And it is the Fathers word and not mine only which they reject 25. These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you 25 26. I tell you all these things with my own Mouth while I am present with you But they shall be better understood and take deeper rooting in your Memory and Affections by the work of the Paraclets the Holy Ghost whom my Father will send in my Name my Agent Advocate and Witness he shall more fully teach you all things and bring all things that ever I said to your remembrances that you may teach and record them to the World 27. Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid 27. And taking my farewell of you I do not only wish but give and leave with you my Grace and Benediction Not such an uneffectual or delusory peace in Sin as the World giveth But the beginning of everlasting Felicity Therefore let not your hearts be troubled or afraid at my departure as if ye were deserted 28. Ye have heard how I said unto you I go away and come again unto you If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I said I go unto the Father for my Father is greater then I. 28. Ye have heard with trouble my words that I go away and come again to you If ye understood this aright your Love to me would make you rejoyce because as I told you it is my Father that I go to And he is greater than I whom he hath made Mediator And the presence of his Glory is better than this base wicked World 29. And now I have told you before it come to pass that when it is come to pass ye might believe 29. I have foretold you of my departure and my sending the Spirit that when it s come to pass your Faith may be helped by remembring my Predictions 30. Hereafter I will not talk much with you for the Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me 30. I shall not speak much more to 〈…〉 my death For the Devil the Prince of the 〈◊〉 and the Romish and Jewish Powers his Agents are ready to Execute what I came to suffer but shall find in me no guilt or desert of suffering 31. But that the world may know that I love the Father and as the Father gave me commandment even so I do Arise let us go hence 31. But that I may shew to Mankind that my Love to my Father and my perfect Obedience to his Commands are more Powerful in me than the love of this Life I shall willingly suffer for Man an undeserved cursed death Arise and let us go to the place where I know Judas will come to apprehend me CHAP. XV. I Am the vine and my Father is the husbandman 1. I am to you like the Vine that giveth forth her Vital juice for Mans life and delight And my Father is as the Husbandman that planteth owneth and disposeth of the Vine and Fruit. Note Whether Christ spake this before they rose from Supper or as they went by the way is uncertain 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and every branch that bareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit 2. All that manifest themselves Christians and are Baptized and Grafted into my Church are to me as the Branches are to the Vine as to Coveâ—ant-insition And every 〈…〉 â—hristia◠〈◊〉 is not sincerely fruitful 〈…〉 superfluous branch And the sincere and fruitful shall be pruned by Instruction Discipline and Correction that they may be yet more fruitful 3. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you 4. Abide in me and I in you As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me 3 4. You are now in some measure cleansed and sanctified by my Word and Grace But do ye think that all your work is done or all your danger over it must be still your care to abide in me by continued Faith and Love and that I may abide in you by my Spirit and Grace For as the branch can bear no Fruit of it self but by vertue communicated from the Stock and therefore must abide in it No more can you except you abide in me 5. I am the vine ye are the branches He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing 5. Your â—â—â—tion and continuance in me must make you fruitful â—or out of me and without my communicated Spirit of Grace you can do nothing that will save you 6. If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and
this Doctrine and Spirit is not of God But this is the Spirit of Antichrist which you have been foretold should come and is already in the World Note By the Spirit of Antichrist is not here meant the Spirit sent by Antichrist but the same Doctrine that Antichrist will vend and therefore from the sâ—me Spirit that acteth Antichrist which is a Spirit of opposition to Christ And in those times Ebion Cerinthus and many other Hereticks did some deny Christ's Manhood some his Godhead some his Death and some his Resurrection and each part of his Office was denyed That among all there Simon Magus only should be the Antichrist I see no reason to believe of which more before and after 4. Ye are of God little children and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world 4. But your Faith in Christ is of the Spirit of God who dwelleth and worketh in you and you have overcome the worldly seducing Spirit its Doctrines Baits and Temptations for God's Spirit which is in you is more powerful than the Spirit which deludeth the World 5. They are of the world therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them 5. These Seducers are men of a worldly interest and mind and therefore they preach a wordly Doctrine fitted to a worldly Interest and Ear and therefore worldly men believe them 6. We are of God he that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of errour 6. We are of God and can prove our Mission by his attestation to our Doctrine as being from God And therefore all that truly know God will receive and own our Doctrine as God's and us as his Apostles but he that is not of God having not the same Spirit receiveth not the same holy Doctrine nor us Thus differ the Spirit of God and of Errour 7. Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God 8. He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love 7 8. And as true Faith in Christ and open confessing him is one sign so true Christian LOVE is another to know that our Doctrine and Spirit is of God Therefore be sure that you unfeignedly love one another Most certainly LOVE is of God common Love is his common gift and holy Love is his special grace and every one that Loveth Saints as Saints as well as Men as Men sincerely for the Love of God and goodness in them is so far like God who as the God of Nature loveth Nature and as the God of Grace loveth Holiness and therefore is a regenerate Child of God and hath true Faith and Knowledge of God or else he could not love him in his Saints And whatever they pretend they have no true effectual Love of the most Holy God or of his Will who love not his Holiness in his Children and are not dear to one another For LOVE is not a meer quality in God but his very Essence GOD IS LOVE Note I know no sentence more worthy to be written in Letters of Gold or rather written on all our hearts But the other two prime Attributes written in this Epistle must be conjoyned GOD is LIFE LIGHT and LOVE And LOVE is complacency and includeth Infinite JOY or PLEASURE 9. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God lent his onely begotten Son into the world that we might live through him 9. And God's Essential LOVE doth tend to communication he is good and doth good He loveth us not with a barren Love as Hypocrites do but he chose this most woderful glorifying way of publick manifesting his Love to us even by sending his Son into the World that we might live through him 10. Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our sins 10. And the Glory of God's Love to us is not only that he consequently loved us for loving him but that he antecedently loved us that we might love him and while we were in sin and enmity freely sâ—nâ— his Son to be the Propitiation for our sins 11. Beloved if God so loved us we ought also to love one another 11. And Gods great works and glorious manifestations of himself to us are purposely to be as the Seal to the Wax to make us like him in our degree And he therefore chose this astonishing way of revealing his LOVE to us that by it we might be brought to love him and one another for him 12. No man hath seen God at any time If we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us 12. It is God himself that his Love â—bligâ—th us to LOVE But as we see him but in the Glass or Image of his Nature and Holiness in Man so we must Love him 〈◊〉 we see him here even in the Natuâ—e and Holiness of Man And if â—e thus holily love one another as Godâ—â— Image God by his Spirit dwelleth in us for it is his Spirit of Love that maketh us thus Love And his Love to us attaineth its end which was to make us like him in Love O that Christians would study this well 13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 13. By this sure evidence we know that God and we do as it were dwell in each other and have blessed communion because he hath given us this Spirit of holy Love 14. And we have seen and do testifie that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world 14. And we are the Preachers of Faith and Love as we have seen so we testifie that God the Father glorified his Love by sending his Son to be the Saviour of the sinful World 15. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God 15. It cannot be that any man can soundly believe such astonishing Love that God was manifested in flesh or that the Father sent his Son into flesh by his Doctrine Example Suffering Merits Resurrection and Intercession to save us and shall confess this whatever suffering it cost him but that man must needs be possessed by God's Spirit of holy Love and so God dwelleth in that man by his Spirit and that man in God as the great Object of his Faith and Love For with the heart man believeth to righteousness and with the mouth confession is made to salvation Rom. 10. 16. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him 16. And knowing and by Faith believing the Love that God hath to us and hath declared in Christ we again conclude that GOD IS LOVE and he that
and Patience before Reparation of your Losses preservation of your Rights or personal Revenge And therefore when it is not the publick good that requireth it but your own right resist not injuries by any means which violateth Love or Patience If when you are stricken you strike again you do but stir up the person to more wrath to hurt you more when as Love and Patience may make him ashamed that he hath wronged you Revenge will but enrage him and you will suffer more when Love and Patience may win him Yea if he abuse the Law to injure you prefer not the righting of your selves before the winning of him by Love And Patience may cost you less than a Law-suit or Revenge If he injuriously force you to any service bear that and more rather than by striving to violate Charity Note that the Rule here intended by Christ is that we prefer the winning of a man's Soul by Love and the exercise of Patience before our Right and that we bear tolerable wrongs rather than alienate men by exasperation and increase our own sufferings by revenge usually the Patient suffer least and win enemies most But 1. this extendeth not to Magistrates strengthening sin by impunity 2. Nor to private mens pardoning sins against God which is not in our power 3. Nor to neglect the safety of the Commonwealth by favouring evil 4. Nor by the forbearing necessary defence of our own or others lives or welfare against insufferable assaults nor may we give away that which is due to Wives and Children or the poor which is not in our power 42. Give to him that asketh thee and from him that would borrow of thee turn thou not away 42. Note The sense is Be not unwilling to give whâ—re ever thou oughtest but as willing to give as men are to ask And Asking is one part of thy direction to whom to give But this excludeth not the use of prudent reason in our giving 1. We must not give that to one person which we should rather give to others not to the unworhty or unfit because they ask when we should seek after the more needy and worthy that ask not nor must we give that to one that is due to many nor give to do a lesser good when by it we might do a greater nor give that which is not in our power As to the question How much we must give 1. A thousand come far short for one that charitably gives too much 2. Every man should study to do God the greatest service he can with his estate and prudently discern the way 3. The necessities of others must be preferred before our pleasure and unnecessaries 43. Ye have heard that it hath been said Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thy enemy 44. But I say to you Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despiteâ—ully use you and persecute you 45. That you may be the children of your father which is in heaven for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sendeth â—ain on the just and unjust 43.44 God did let out the Israelites to execute so great slaughters on their Heathen enemies that occasioned many of old to restrain Love to too narrow an object and to incline to hatred and hurtfulness to enemies too much But I tell you that you must Love all your enemies according to the degree of amiableness in them that is All men as men All sober moral men as such all visible members of the Church as such And all notably sincere eminent excellent and useful Christians as such And let not enmity to you suspend this Love Tho you be not bound to love all alike nor to trust any mortal man too far And it is not enough that you do your enemies no hurt nor will their hating cursing or spightfull usage and persecution of you excuse you from your duty But notwithstanding all this you must love them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you speak well of them and bless them that speak ill of you and curse you for you are not God's children if you be not like him and imitate him who maintaineth the life health and natural comforts of the just and unjust N. O how little Conscience do most Christians even the Religious make of this command of Christ How freely do they speak evil of their enemies and think themselves excused by saying It is as they are Christ's enemies and not as ours Hate the sin and dislike the sinner as such so you will but love all that is lovely in him and remember that it is Love that must overcome evil and make bad men lovely 46. For if ye love them that love you what reward have you do not even the Publicans the same 47. And if ye salute your brethren onely what do you more than others do not even the Publicans so 48. Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect 46 47 48. If you look for any reward from God it must be for obeying and serving him but to love men for loving you is but to serve your selves and your self-self-love and then you must reward your selves what bad man will not love men for loving him And if as Jews you be kind to Jews or praise honour and love those of your own Sect or Party or Opinion what bad men or Heathens do not the like All out of self-esteem love and honour their party and those of their own opinion But if you will approve your selves the children of God and have his reward Love men for his sake even all men impartially whether they be for you or against you so far as any thing of God is in them whether it be Nature or Grace common grace or special yea for their capacity of being good and doing good hereafter The most full universal Love is that perfection in which you must be like to God Judge of your selves by it and reckon that you have no more Goodness than you have Love CHAP. VI. 1. TAke heed that ye do not your alms before men to be seen of them otherwise you have no reward of your Father which is in heaven 1. Be careful to avoid hypocrisie and a proud desire of praise in your works of Charity You may do it when men see you but not to be seen If you take mens esteem and praise for your reward you forfeit and lose God's heavenly reward 2. Therefore when thou dost thine alms do not sound a trumpet before thee as the hypocrites do in the Synagogues and in the streets that they may have glory of men Verily I say to you They have their reward 2. Make not ostentation of your Charity as Hypocrites They shall have no better reward than the vain-glory which they chuse Alas what a pitifull reward 3. But when thou dost alms let not thy left
former life and the remaining corruption of our hearts and the daily faults that we are guilty of in our state of imperfection And knowing that thou forgivest none but penitent believers and bindest us to love and forgive others as ever we would be forgiven we confess and lament our manifold sins of corrupt nature and practice of ignorance and of knowledge of negligence rashness and presumptuous wilfulness The remembrance of them is our grief and shame we loath our selves for them and earnestly beg to be healed of them we cast our selves by believing Trust tho alas too weak on Jesus our Saviour his Merits and Intercession and thy Love and Mercy and promises in him desiring henceforth to be roled by him and sanctified by his Spirit and Grace And we unfeignedly love and forgive all those that have wronged us we beseech thee therefore charge not our sins upon us but acquit us from the everlasting punishment and all vindictive penalties in this life on Soul or Body And grant the same to all our brethren for whom we pray And because if thou keep us not we shall run on in guilt by new temptations and lose all that thou hast given us We lastly beseech thee to save us from all dangerous temptations either by Satans inward suggestions or outward snares by our own ill inclinations or worldly alâ—urements or by such sufferings as may be too strong for our faith hope and patience or would suppress our holy love and thankfulness and joyfull praise And save us from Satan from our selves our enemies and our friends that would tempt us to any evil and from the sin and misery and thy deserved judgments of which we are in danger And fortifie us with thy confirming comforting spirit And we beg all these mercies of thee to this end that we may employ them with all thy Saints in joyful praises of thy blessed Kingdom and Government in Heaven and Earth and in holy admiration of thy Power and all perfections and in glorifying thy Infinite Goodness and Blessedness with the glorified Society for evermore These are the desires of our Souls and the requests of our lips which we humbly and earnestly in Faith and Hope do present to thee our Heavenly Father by the motion of thy Spirit through Jesus Christ our Intercessor Lord and Saviour Amen Note Reader So perfect is the Method of the Lords Prayer that I had thought to have Anatomized it and set it before thee in a Scheme But I now write for the less learned that cannot well comprehend accurateness They that can may find it done already in my Latin Method of Theology and the lower sort may find such a brief and plain Exposition as such are capable of in my Family Catechism And in both the controversies hereabout resolved 14. For if ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you 15. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses 14. Lest you should think that no qualification for pardon and other gifts are necessary in you I again repeat what selfish nature is loth to observe that tho God be your heavenly Father yet your love and forgiveness of your Brother is so necessary to his forgiving you that without it you shall not be forgiven For if you have not this in sincerity you are not God's children and he is called your Heavenly Father but as offering you his grace But if you have sincere Love with notable defects in your forgiving others God will correct you as Children and will not forgive you some sharp chastisements but make you know that you must love others if you will have the comfort of his love 16. Moreover when ye fast be not as the hypocriâ—es of a sad countenance for they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to fast Verily I say to you they have their reward 16. Do not for to be thought godly seem to be more humbled than you are nor shew that outwardly which should be a concealed secret fast such hypocrites shall have no better reward than the esteem and praise of men which they thus seek 17 18. But thou when thou fastest anoint thy head and wash thy face that thou appear not to men to fast but to thy Father which is in secret And thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly 17 18. But look thou for thine approbation and reward from God and hide from the notice of the world thy private humiliations tho publick humiliations of Churches and Nations and for open wrongs must be publickly shewn and God will openly reward thee 19. Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal 19. Note 1. By Treasure is meant that which a man most loveth and trusteth to for his supply and comfort and practically placeth his chief welfare in 2. By laying up is meant over valuing eagerly desiring and seeking and caring for That which rust moths and thieves can soon bereave you of is unfit to be your beloved trusted treasure 20. But lay up for your selves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through and steal 20. But by Faith place your happiness in heaven and on that lay out your care and love and labour and so use your wealth as God hath promised to reward in Heaven For that treasure is incorruptible inviolable and everlasting Note That tho it be our God and Saviour that layeth up our treasure in Heaven and saveth us freely by Grace yet it is we that are commanded to lay it up and save our selves subordinately by faith hope love and labour which qualifie us as fit receivers of it 21. For where your treasure is there will your heart be also 21. And by this you may know whether you truly place your Treasure in Heaven or on earth Not by your speculative opinion or words for what Hypocrite will not say that Heaven is better than Earth But by the bent of your hearts Your Love Care Trust and hope will be where your Treasure is That which you 1. highliest value practically 2. and most desire and chuse 3. and labour for tho with the greatest care and cost that 's it that is indeed your Treasure 22. The light of the body is the eye If therefore thy eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light 23. But if thy eye be evil thy whole body shall be full of darkness If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness 22 23. As the eye seeth not for it self alone but for the whole body to guide its action so thy understanding or practical judgment is that superiour visive faculty that must guide all thy love and choice and life If therefore thy judgment be sound and thou knowest the difference between laying up a treasure in Heaven and
was imprisoned 25 Then there arose a question between some of Johns disciples and the Jews about purifying 25. N. What the dispute was is uncertain 26. And they came unto John and said to him Rabbi he that was with thee beyond Jordan to whom thou barest Witness Beheld the same baptizeth and all Men come unto him 26. On this occasion they told John how the People flockt to the Baptism of Christ 27 John answered and said A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven 28 Ye your selves bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ but that I am sent before him 27. This doth but confirm what I said of him His Power is from Heaven I pretend to none such as his 29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom but the friend of the bridegroom which standeth and heareth him rejoyceth greatly because of the bridegrooms voice this my joy therefore is fulfilled 29. It is he that is the King and Saviour of the Church I am but his Friend that rejoyce in his Kingdom and Success 30 He must increase but I must decrease 30. His Kingdom and Glory must increase to perfection but my preparatory Ministry will soon end 31 He that cometh from above is above all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth he that cometh from heaven is above all 21. He came from Heaven and therefore is above us all We that are but Men inhabitants of Earth though so far as God inspires us we speak his word yet being of earthly mold speak and do like our selves in a human earthly manner But he that cometh from Heaven doth excel us all 32 And what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth and no man receiveth his testimony 33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his Seal that God is true 32. Wee tell you what God teacheth us in our several measures but he telleth you that which he hath seen and heard in Heaven And yet the most reject his Testimony but they that truly receive it by Faith do in believing him believe God himself that cannot lie 34. For he vvhom God hath sent speaketh the vvords of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him 34. He that is thus sâ—nt from Heaven by God speaketh Gods own Words fully and infallibly as fully known to him and is not like us and other Prophets that have but our limited measures of the spirits for some particular revelation and use 35. The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand 35. The Love of the Father to the Son is transcendent and he hath delivered lapsed Man and all this World into his hand or power as Redeemer Lord and Administrator of all 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the vvrath of God abideth on him 36. He that believeth Christ to be the Son of God and Saviour of the World and with Trust giveth up himself to be taught ruled and saved by him hath a right to everlasting Life by the Covenant of Grace and the beginning of it by the Holy Ghost in him and shall shortly have the full possession But he that by Unbelief rejecteth Christ and his offered Grace shall not see this blessed Life but the wrath of God for his unpardoned Sin and aggravated Guilt abideth on him CHAP. IV. VVHen therefore the Lord knovv hovv the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more Disciples than John 2. Though Jesus himself baptized not but his Disciples 3. He left Judea and departed again into Galilee 1. They knowing that which he knew would exasperate them to avoid Persecution he removed to Galilee till his time came 4. And he must needs go through Samaria 5. Then cometh he to a City of Samaria which is called Sychar neer to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his Son Joseph 6. Now Jacobs well was there Jesus therefore being wearied with his Journey sat thus on the Well and it was about the sixth hour 4 5.6 N. Christ travelled all on foot and had a Body wearied with Travel the sixth hour was noon 7. There cometh a Woman of Samaria to draw Water Jesus saith unto her give me to drink 8. For his Disciples were gone away unto the City to buy meat 9. Then saith the Woman of Samaria unto him how is it that thou beinq a Jew askest drink of me vvhich am a Woman of Samaria For the Jevvs have no dealings vvith the Samaritans 7 c. N. Christ was not so much for separation as the other Jewâ— 10. Jesus ansvvered and said unto her if thou knevvest the gift of God and vvho it is that saith to thee give me to drink thou vvouldest have asked of him and he vvould have given thee living Water 10. N. It was usual to call a running spring living water Christ meant more but she understood him not 11. The Woman saith unto him Sir thou hast nothing to dravv vvith and the Well is deep From vvhence then hast thou that living Water 12. Art thou greater than our Father Jacob vvho gave us the Well and drank thereof himself and his Children and his Cattle 11. N. They made their Honour of Jacob the pretence for not going to Jerusalem he being before Solomon's Temple 13. Jesus ansvvered and said unto her vvhosoever drinketh of this Water shall thirst again 14. But vvhosoever drinketh of the Water that I shall give him shall never thirst But the Water that I shall give him shall be in him a vvell of Water springing up into everlasting life 13. That which I call water is the Spirit of Grace which will give men everlasting satisfaction and joy and leave them no fleshly or unsatisfyed desires 15. The Woman saith unto him Sir give me this Water that I thirst not neither come hither to dravv 15. The ignorant mistaking Gods Grace to be what it is not may ask it so for carnal ends 16. Jesus saith unto her go call thy Husband and come hither 17. The Woman ansvvered and said I have no Husband Jesus said unto her Thou hast vvell said I have no Husband 18. For thou hast had five Husbands and he vvhom thou novv hast is not thy Husband In that saidst thou truly 16. It was not delusoâ—y Equivocation that Christ calls well saying but meant only that Truth not commonly known it 's like 19. The Woman saith unto him Sir I perceive that thou art a Prophet 20. Our Fathers vvorshipped in this Mountain and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place vvhere Men ought to vvorship 19 20. I perceive by thy knowing secrets that thou art a Prophet tell me then whether you Jews or we that follow our eldest Fathers be in the right about the Place of Worship N. This is the use of ignorant carnal people to start some Controversie about Circumstantials or Ceremonies
and I work 17. To save the aâ—licted is a work beseeming my Father and Me whom you oppose 18. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him not only because he had broken the Sabbath but said also that God was his Father making himself equal with God 18. N. Malignants zeal fathereth even error and persecution on God 19. Then answered Jesus and said to them verily verily I say unto you The Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do For what things soever he doth these also doth the Son likewise 19. I tâ—ll you by condemning my Works you condemn my Fathers also For I do nothing but what I know he doth and approveth and he doth them in and by me and I do nothing without him 20. For the Father loveth the Son and sheweth him all things that he doth and he will shew him greater things than these that ye may marvail 20. For the Fathers infinite Love communicateth to the Son that Wisdom and Power by which he doth all that the Father doth and by which you shall see greater things than these and wonder 21. For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickneth them even so the Son quickneth whom he will 21. As the Father is the Lord of Life and giveth and restoreth life at his pleasure so also doth the Son 22. For the Father judgeth no man but hath commâ—tted all Judgment to the Son 22. For the Father as meer Creator according to the Law of Innocency judgeth no man but hath given up the Government of this World to the Son as Redeemer to judg them as ransomed according to that Law and Measure of Grace which they are under 23. That all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father who hath sent him 23. And so it is by honouring the Son that the Father will be honoured and by dishonouring him the Father is dishonoured 24. Verily verily I say to you He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life 24. I tell you if you hear my word obediently and shall believe on God the Father as sending me on the Office of a Saviour you shall have everlasting life by my Merits and Gift and shall not be condemned 25. Verily verily I say to you The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live 25. I tell you that the hour is coming yea now is already come in which it shall appear that the Son of God hath the power of Life and Death Natural Spiritual and Eternal and that they that are dead in Sin and Unbelief shall hear his Gospel and be regenerate and made alive to God and that natural Life shall be restored by him to some Bodies at his own Resurrection and to all at last when he shall effectually call up all the dead to Judgment 26. For as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself 26. As the Father is essential underived self-â—se communicating life to Creatures So is the Son as God and as Redeemer hath the power of giving Life from himself to the redeemed 27. And he hath given him Authority to execute Judgment also because he is the Son of God 27. And as Redeemer being the Son of God in his Divine Nature and his humane Nature advanced into personal Union with the Divine he hath Authority given him to Govern the World and according to the Law of Grace to do justice for the faithful and against the impenitent unbelievers 28. Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in which all that are in their Graves shall hear his Voice 29. And shall come forth They that have done good to the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil to the Resurrection of Damnation 28 29. Let not this seem incredible to you For the hour is coming in which the Bodies now turned to dust shall by the Souls return be revived and hear his voice that calls them up And there shall be a Resurrection of the just and unjust They that have done good according to the tenor of that Law of Grace which they were under shall come forth to a life of happiness and they that have done evil violating the conditions of life in that Law to the Resurrection of damnation 30. I can of my own self do nothing As I hear so I judg and my judgment is just because I seek not my own will but the will of the Father who hath sent me 30. I am not to judge according to the weakness of humanity as Princes govern I do nothing but according to Divine infallible decree and appointment which I assuredly know And my judgment is just because I seek not my own humane will as my rule or end but the will of my Father who sent me that is my Rule and End 31. If I bear witness of my self my witness is not true 32. There is another that beareth witness of me and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true 31 32. If I had no testimony but my own word you were not to take it for credible truth But there is another who giveth you convincing evidences of his truth even my Father by his Voice from Heaven and by his Spirit and Works 33. He sent to John and he bare witness to the truth 34. But I receive not Testimony from Man But these things I say that ye might be saved 33.34 You sent to John and he told you of me as the Messiah I need not his or any mans testimony But it nearly concerneth your own safety to believe him 35. He was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light 35. God set him up to be as a burning and shining light to lead you out of darkness to the Kingdom of the Messiah which you expected And a while you gladly heard that news and were baptized by him Till you were told that I am he and then you turned back 36. But I have greater witness than that of John for the works which the Father hath given me to finish the same works that I do bear witness of me and that the Father hath sent me 36. N. For these works could not be done but by Gods power and will who will not be the worlds deceiver 37. And the Father himself who sent me hath born witness of me Ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape 38. And ye have not his word abiding in you For whom he hath sent him ye believe not 37 38. By a voice from Heaven God testified me to be his beloved Son But indeed you were not the persons that heard it For you
none away till they put away themselves 2. He forceth none to stay 3. It greatly fixeth a Christians resolution to stick to Christ to know there is none else to go to As it resolveth us to look for happiness to God and Heaven because we are sure there is no other 4. sound Faith may attain assurance that Christ is the Son of the living God It hath alwayes objective certainty and a prevalent certainty and a prevalent confidence and may reach to a mental confirmed certainty name as willing followers to their own Salvation and not drive men into the Church or Heaven against their wills 4. And when he putteth forth his own sheep he goeth before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice 4. And as the sheep using to find that their Shepherd hurteth them not but feedeth them and bringeth them to pasture therefore follow him willingly as one that loveth them and is for their good so do Christs sheep believe that he loveth them and is their Saviour and therefore follow him and know his voice 5. And a stranger will they not follow but will flee from him for they know not the voice of strangers 5. And as Sheep like our Dogs have no such confidence in a stranger but fly from him in fear so will true Christians do from false Christs and from false Pastors for their voice is strange to them and contrary to the new nature that is in them and to their good 6. This parable spake Jesus unto them but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them 7. Then said Jesus unto them again Verily verily I say unto you I am the door of the sheep 8. All that ever came before me are theives and robbers but the sheep did not hear them 9. I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture 7. As my Fathers Mission and Witness is the door by which I enter so I being hereby made the Shepherd of the Flock am the door by which all others Pastors and Flocks must enter All that before me pretended to be Christs were but Theives and Robbers and the chosen flock of God did not believe in them nor follow them I am the true Christ and Head of the Church They that believe in me and follow me shall as my sheep be safe and plentifully fed 10. The thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly 10. False Christs and false Prophets have but sought themselves and seduced the people to destruction of Soul and Body I am come to give men spiritual and eternal Life and to raise them higher in Light Life and Love than was vouchsafed to the Church before my Incarnation 11. I am the good shepherd the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep 11. As he that keeps the sheep not as an hireling but as his own will venture himself to defend them from Theives and Wolves so will I lay down my life for my sheep 12. But he that is an hireling and not the shepherd whose own the sheep are not seeth the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep and fleeth and the wolf catcheth them and scattereth the sheep 13. The hireling fleeth because he is an hireling and careth not for the sheep 12 13. He that seeketh his own worldly interest by deceit will shift for himself and for that interest expose the people to destruction as not seeking their salvation but his vain-glory 14. I am the good shepherd and know my sheep and am known of mine 14. I known mine own their persons their hearts and all their concerns with the love and care of a good Shepherd And my grace hath taught them to know me and my Word 15. As the Father knoweth me even so know I the Father and I lay down my life for the sheep 15. As my Father knoweth me with Love and I know the Father so with a special Love I lay down my Life for their Redemption and Salvation 16. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one shepherd 16. And besides the Jews I have a chosen people among the Gentiles Them I must call and gather to me and Jews and Gentiles shall be one Catholick Church under me their only universal Head and Shepherd 17. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life that I might take it again 17. N. 1. It is not unfit to assign causes in man of Gods Love 2. Yet nothing real in God is caused by any Creature 3. But as Gods Love is taken for it's Effects our qualifications are a receptive cause or dispotion 4. And so a cause extrinsical of the Relative denomination of God himself So Christs consent to do the full work of a Mediator was the condition of his peculiar reward which is call'd the Fathers loving him for it 18. No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again This commandment have I received of my Father 18. N. 1. Christ foreknew his Death and Resurrection 2. It was the Law of Mediation proper to him that he should consent so to die and then Rise and Reign as his reward 19. There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings 20. And many of them said He hath a devil and is mad why hear ye him 21. Others said These are not the words of him that hath a devil Can a devil open the eyes of the blind 20. When they understood not Christ they said the man is a distracted demoniack Why stand you to hear him But others were better convinced both by his Words and his Miracles 22. And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication and it was winter 22. N. Christ refused not to be present at this solemn Feast though appointed but by Maccabeus for a thankful commemoration of the repairing of the Temple 23. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomons porch 24. Then came the Jews round about him and said unto him How long dost thou make us to doubt If thou be the Christ tell us plainly 24. Put us out of doubt 25. Jesus answered them I told you and ye believed not the works that I do in my Fathers name they bear witness of me 25. Why ask you me to tell you who believe me not My Miracles done in the Name and by the Power of God are a more satisfying testimony than my words 26. But ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep as I said unto you 27. My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me 26 27 But no wonder that you believe not me for you are not
him that sent me 45. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me 44. To believe in me is not to take my own testimony but Gods that sent me and so is ultimately to believe on him And it is Gods power that you see when ye see my works 46. I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness 46. The world is in darkness and I am sent to be their Light and Teacher to bring them out of it even from the darkness of Atheism Heathenisms Infidelity and unrighteousness 47. And if any man hear my words and believe not I judg him not for I came not to judg the world but to save the world 48. He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judg him in the last day 47. It is not the work that I came for into the world to accuse men as their enemy for rejecting my Word The final rejecters of it will be condemned but not so much by my accusation as by the evidence of Truth and Divine Attestation in the word which they rejected N. It is usual in the Gospel for a comparative negation to be expressed positively as I judg him not that is not chiefly care not Labour not for the food that perisheth that is comparatively let it be least and last Many such there are 49. For I have not spoken of my self but the Father which sent me he gave me a commandment what I should say and what I should speak 50. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting whatsoever I speak therefore even as the Father said unto me so I speak 49 50. It is not the meer word of me as a man but Gods word spoken by me by his command which I have preached And his Word is the cause of and guide to everlasting life N. Christ as man was under a peculiar Law of mediation proper to himself CHAP. XIII NOW before the feast of the Passover when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father having loved his own which were in the world he loved them unto the end 1. The foreknowledge of his approaching departure to the Father caused him in this special manner to shew his love to his disciples 2. And Supper being ended the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot Simons son to betray him 2. N. Sin is the off-spring of a wicked heart and the devil together 3. Jesus kowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God 4. He riseth from Supper and laid aside his garments and took a tower and girded himself 5. After that he powred water into a bason and began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded 3. Jesus knowing that he was presently to take possession of his universal dominion and return to God from whom he came did humble himself to this work of LOVE and SERVICE for an example to them He riseth from Supper c. N. What is meant by Christs coming from God is before opened 6. Then cometh he to Simon Peter and Peter saith unto him Lord doest thou wash my feet 7. Jesus answered and said unto him What I do thou knowest not now but thou shalt know hereafter 6 7. N. 1. We must not refuse Gods Mercies on pretence of humility or unworthiness 2 We must obediently submit to those commands and dealings of God the reason of which we cannot yet understand because it is Gods will and we shall understand them hereafter 8. Peter saith unto him Thou shalt never wash my feet Jesus answered him If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me 9. Simon Peter saith unto him Lord not my feet only but also my hands and my head 8 9. N. 1. It was Peters rashness to resolve against that which he understood not 2. Christ washeth all that have part in him from the guilt and filth of sin 3. It 's lawful and a duty to change a purpose taken up upon mistakes and to break that word which did but express such a purpose There are three sorts of affirming words 1. Assertious saying This or that is true or is not true To violate these wilfully is Lying and in witness bearing it is a heynous Sin We must assert nothing but truth 2. Promises Which if made to God are Vows if to man it giveth them right to what what we promise These bind us as far as we had power to make them And if we had such power and it be about lawful things we may not break them without his consent to whom the promise was made or some one that hath full power over him in that concern 3. There is a Pollicitation or rather a bare utterance of a mans resolution As This or that I will do or give c. This ever in all rational men supposeth many conditions As if God will if I live and be able If the change of things alter not my case If I find not my Reason mistaken c. No Christian may be supposed to say I will do this whether God will or not whether I live or die whatever befal me or though I find that my Reason is an error As in all such cases it is a duty to change a resolution so it is a duty to go against that word by which we exprest our Resolution to change mind word and work for the better is a duty So Peter doth here 10. Jesus saith to him He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet but is clean every whit and ye are clean but not all 11. For he knew who should betray him therefore said he Ye are not all clean 10 11. The washing of the feet only may be as sufficient a ceremony to signifie your cleansing as if I had washt you all over I have done this according to the custome of this Countrey where with going bare leg'd the feet gather dust to shew you that as you have need of daily cleansing from the pollution that you are liable to gather from this world so I am he that condescend to cleanse you from it c. 12. So after he had washed their feet and had taken his garments and was set down again he said unto them Know ye what I have done to you 13. Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am 14. If I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet ye also ought to wash one anothers feet 15. For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you 12 13 14 15. Knowing what pride and uncharitableness mans nature is capable of and what must be the spirit and life of my Ministers I have given you this example to teach you to stoop to
they are burned 6. He that being Grafted into my Church and me and Apostatizeth shall be damned Quest Is this spoken of the sincere or of the unsound and Hypocrites If of the sincere do they fall away to Damnation If of others would they not be burned or damned if they should persevere in their Hypocritical dead Profession Answ First Christ tells us how we may judge of them We know them not to be Hypocrits till they fall off and then we may discern their misery Secondly The Sincere that shall never fall quite away have need of Promises and Threatnings Hopes and Fears to be the means of their perseverance For God fulfilleth his decrees by means Thirdly Whether there be not an initial unconfirmed degree of Grace like Adams which may be lost which else would save though confirmed Grace be never totally lost is a Controversie so ancient and among the wisest and best of men as that it requireth great modesty in the Deciders 7. If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you 7. If ye abide in me and my words abide practically in you you shall be so accepted with God for your Union with me and Interest in me that for my sâ—ke all your just â—equests shall be granted But this priviledge 〈…〉 interrupt 8. Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my Disciples 8. It is not your barren Profession but your greater Fruitfulness in doing good which is the honouring of God who is the Author of Religion and must prove you to be my true Disciples 9. As the father hath loved me so have I loved you continue ye in my love 9. As God the Father hath set his special Love on me and sent me on his work so have I set my special Love on you and chosen you for my Service See that you forfeit not my Love by forsaking me or being unfaithful in my Service 10. If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers commandments and abide in his love 10. The way to continue in my Love is to keep my Commandments for thus I abide in my Fathers Love even his Complacency in me as his Servant by keeping his Commandments 11. These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full 11. My end in all this Counsel to you is but that I may still have joy in your Fidelity and Fruitfulness and you may have fulness of Joy in me and in the Reward of your Fidelity 12. This is my commandment That ye love one another as I have loved you 12. The sum of my Command and Doctrine is Love even that in your entire Love to one another and the Fruits and expression of it you inmitate my Love to you 13. Greater love hath no man then this that a man lay down his life for his friends 13. Mans love of Friendship hath no higher Expression than laying down ones life for his Friends 14. Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you 14. I lay down my life for you and that as for my beloved friends who shall enjoy my friendly Love for ever if you prove my friends indeed and that must be by doing whatsoever I command you and not by bare words and boasts of friendship 15. Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you 15. Though you are my Servants I have a higher name to call you by even my Friends For meer Service signifieth not that endeared intimacy which I have used with you LOVE and Friendship is higher than meer Service and Obedience I have made known to you the Mysteries of God which signifie my Love of friendship 16. Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name he may give it you 16. You did not first begin in Love to me and choose me for your Saviour but I began in Love of benevolence to you and chose you to be my Friends the Objects of my Complacency And ordained you to be my Apostles to Convert the World that you may see the Catholick Church gathered as the setled fruit of your Labours And that whatever Power you ask of God by Miracles or other Gifts to promote your Labour he may give it you 17. These things I command you that ye love one another 17. I mention all this to you to enforce my last and great Command that ye love one another Note Alas how far are the Accusing Slandering Reviling Backbiting and Persecuting Teachers Rulers and Sects from the Nature and Practice of this Love which Christ so vehemently urgeth 18. If the world hate you ye know that it hated me before it hated you 18. When you meet with hatred from ungodly Men remember that I that am the Son of God and never sinned was hated by them before you and you do but follow me and suffer for and with me 19. If ye were of the world the world would love his own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you 19. If you were meer ungodly Wordlings or Infidels the World would not hate you for Godliness or Faith but love you for being like them But they hate you for that Christian Excellency in which my chosen ones excell them And would you not be Better and Happier than they though you be hated for it 20. Remember the word that I said unto you The servant is not greater then the Lord. If they have persecuted me they will also persecute you if they have kept my saying they will keep yours also 20. If you take me for your Lord indeed remember that I have told you that you are not greater than I and look for no better usage of the World than I have found If they have Persecuted me they will Persecute you And if the unbelieving Part reject my Word wonder not if they do so by yours and if the chosen only do receive it 21. But all these things will they do unto you for my names sake because they know not him that sent me 21. It is for my sake that they will Persecute you because they know not God and his Testimony of me 22. If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloke for their sin 22. If I had not spoken to them and confirmed my Word by my Works their sin had not been so great but had excuse Note Here not had Sin a Positive is put for a Comparative Or if I
is his is mine and the Spirit is sent by the Father and by me 16. A little while and ye shall not see me and aâ—ain a little while and ye shall see me because I go to the Father 16. As it is but a little while till I that am now with you shall depart from your sight so it will be but a short time till I shall return from Heaven to which I am Ascending or as some Expound it I shall be a little while dead and a little while with you after my Resurrection 17. Then said some of his Disciples among themselves What is this that he saith unto us A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me and Because I go to the Father 18. They said therefore What is this that he saith A little while we cannot tell what he saith 19. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him and said unto them Do ye enquire among your selves of that I said A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me 17 18 19. Jesus perceived that they understood him not 20. Verily verily I say unto you that ye shall weep and lament but the world shall rejoyce and ye shall be sorrowful but your sorrow shall be turned into joy 21. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow because her hour is come but as soon as she is delivered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world 22. And ye now therefore have sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you 20. You shall have a time of suffering Sorrow while bad Men are triumphing over you and rejoycing but your Sorrow shall be turned into Joy in the sense of my Resurrection and the Comforts of the Holy Ghost and the success of your labours and your own Salvation As a Woman delivered hath joy in her Birth instead of the sorrows of her Travail I my self will again see you when I am Risen and finally glorifie you And then you shall have a Joy which none can deceive you of or diminish 23. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing Verily verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you 24. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full 23 24. You shall not then learn by asking me questions as now But you shall Petition the Father in my Name and he will give you what you need both for your own Instruction and for your Ministry You have not hitherto understood and used my Intercession so fully as you must do hereafter and have nor used to ask in my Name so explicitely as you must do But heâ—erâ—after you must ask in my Name to be heard for my Merits and sake as your Intercessor As thus by fervent Prayer and fuller answers and gifts shall cause your fuller Joy 25. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs but I shall shew you plainly of the Father 25. I have hitherto spoken to you in Parables letting in the Light by such degrees as you were fit to bear But when I send you the Holy Ghost you shall know more plainly the Mysteries of God 26. At that day ye shall ask in my name and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you 27. For the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God 26 27. You shall then put up all your Prayers in my Name which I would not have you so to understand as if the Father himself did not Love you but must be moved to it by me I say more than that I will Pray for you even that the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and believed in me c. Note First I say not that I will Pray is but Christs ordinary use of a Positive phrase for a Comparative it is I say not this only but more Secondly Our Love to Christ as well as our Faith is called the cause why God loveth us Thirdly But this Because signifieth no efficient cause of any thing in God but a Moral Qualification of the receiver called a Material dispositive receptive Cause 28. I came forth from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to the Father 28. Note I have before shewed that this coming from the Father signifieth not any local removal of of the Deity but its Conjunctive Operation on the humane Nature and its miraculous Conception or Production 29. His Disciples said unto him Lo now speakest thou plainly and speakest no proverb 30. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things and needest not that any man should ask thee by this we believe that thou camest forth from God 29 30. We now perceive that thou knowest the secrets of our hearts and what thoughts and doubts they were that troubled us which thou hast now plainly resolved Therefore we believe thou comest from God 31. Jesus answered them Do ye now believe 32. Behold the hour cometh yea is now come that ye shall be scattered every man to his own and shall leave me alone and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me 31 32. As confidently as you speak I tell you the hour is now at hand in which you shall every man be afraid to own me and shall shift for your selves and fly to your Houses and shall leave me forsaken of you all alone But I will not call it alone for the Father will not forsake me 33. These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace In the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world 33. I have told you what is to befal you hereafter that though you will be grieved at my departure you may fetch your Peace and Joy from the Assurance of what I will do for you after my Resurrection You shall have Tribulation to the flesh in the World But let not that dismay you but take comfort in me who have overcome the World even its flattering Tempations and its malicious Prosecutions And my Victory is virtually yours who shall overcome by my Intercession Spirit and Graces CHAP. XVII THese words spake Jesus and lift up his eyes to heaven and said Father the hour is come glorifie thy Son that thy Son also may glorifie thee 1. This Prayer Christ made to his Father lifting up his Eyes to Heaven to teach us to look thither as the place whence God appeareth in Glory Father the hour of my death undertaken for Mans Redemption is at hand Glorifie thy Son by thy Attestation and his Resurrection
the work of Apostleship 19. And for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the truth 19. For their sakes I become a Sacrifice offered to thee that they may by my Doctrine Example and Spirit be also totally devouâ—ed to serve thee 20. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word 20. But it is not for them only that I pray but for all that by their Ministry shall become true Christians 21. That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou has sent me 21. And the sum of my Prayer for them is that as I am so united to thee that what thou speakest I speak and what thou Lovest I Love and thy Works are my Works wrought by thee so they may be one in us and not in any uncapable Center of humane Invention and Usurpation and may all speak the same thing which they have heard from thee by me and may Love what we Love and do our work and not their own That by their concord in Faith Love and Practice the world may be won to Christianity and not scandalized by their Discord and Fractions or by forsaking the true Unity and combining for wordly Interest on worldly terms 22. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one 22. And as thou has glorified me in the World by the Power of working Miracles and gathering Sinners home to thee I have glorified them by giving them the same Power to work Miracles and to call and convert the World that they may be one Body of one Mind and do one work as I have done thy work alone 23. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me 23. That while I work in them by my Word and Spirit as thou workest in me they may be perfected into one concordant harmonious Body united in Faith and Love that this Lustre of their Excellency and Concord may convince the World that thou hast sent me to restore them that are so much restored and that thou lovest them as thy Redeemed Sanctified ones as thou lovest me their Redeemer 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world 24 Father as it was thy Covenant with me as my Reward for Redemption it is now my Will and Desire that all that thou givest me by Conversion as true Christians to be saved may be after death with me where I am that they may see the Glory which thou givest me the sight of which is part of their glorification For thou lovest me before the Foundation of the World and wilt communicate Glory to them by me 25. O righteous Father the world hath not known thee but I have known thee and these have known that thou hast sent me 25. O Righteous Father that world of Men whom thou hast Created have not known thee but I that have known thee have declared thee to them and these my Disciples having known that thou hast sent me have believed my word concerning thee 26. And I have declared unto them thy name and will declare it that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them 26. And I have by my Word and Works made thee and thy will known to them and will do so yet more that the Holy Spirit of Love with which thou hast filled me may be in them and by that Spirit I may be in them CHAP. XVIII VVHen Jesus had spoken these words he went forth with his deciples over brook Cedron where was a garden into the the which he entred and his Disciples 2. And Judas also which betrayed him knew the place for Jesus oft-times resorted thither with his disciples 1. This Sermon and Prayer being spoken after the Sacrament Jesus went to the Garden where he knew he should be apprehended Judas knew the place because Christ oft went thither c. 3. Judas then having received a band of men and officers from the cheif priests and Pharises cometh thither with lanterns and torchees and weapons 3. Note Judas was the Informer that led the Officers such as Constables and the Chief Priests and the Pharisees of their party were they that like Justices furnished them with Commissions and Armed men 4. Jesus therefore knowing all things that should come upon him went forth and said unto them Whom seek ye 5. They answered him Jesus of Nazareth Jesus saith unto them I am he And Judas also which betrayed him stood with them 5 6. Note Christ fled not when his hour was come 2. What a stony heart had Judas all this while 6. As soon then as he had said unto them I am he they went backward and fell to the ground 6. Some of them went backward and fell Note This stopt not them or their Companions 7. Then asked he them again whom seek ye And they said Jesus of Nazareth 8. Jesus answered I have told you that I am he If therefore ye seek me let these go their way 9. That the saying might be fulfilled which he spake Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none 7 8 9. Note Christ was careful for the Bodily safety of his Disciples till their hour came 2. His words of Loosing none are here Expounded as reaching to the body as well as to the Soul 10. Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it and smote the high priests servant and cut off his right ear The servants name was Malchus 11. Then said Jesus unto Peter Put up thy sword unto the sheath the cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it 10 11. Note Peter that before trusted too much to his own constancy now trusteth too much to his Sword without Commission â— Christ would not be rescued from his undertaken sufferings by humane strength 12. Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus and bound him 12. The Colonel with his Soldiers and the Officers bind Jesus as as a Malefactor being slavish Executioners 13. And led him away to Annas first for he was father in law to Caiaphas which was the high priest that same year 14. Now Caiaphas was he which gave counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people 13. The Power was in Caiaphas but his Father in Law was made the way to him no doubt being a forward Actor 15. And Simon Peter followed Jesus and so did another Disciple That Disciple was known unto the high priest and went in with Jesus into the palace
henceforth as the Unconverted Heathens that follow their own false imaginations 18. Having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart 19. Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness 18 19. Their Understanding being darkened and they being meer strangers to a holy living on and unto God because of the ignorance and blindness of their Minds which have lost the very light of Nature and being stupified by Pravity and Custom in sin have given themselves up to fleshly lusts to do the filthiest Acts with greedy desire and delight 20. But ye have not so learned Christ 21. If so be that ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus 20 21. But Christ has taught you and you have learned a clean contrary course of life If indeed you have heard what he teacheth and have been taught the True Doctrine of Christ 22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts 23. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind 22 23. That you put off the old fleshly Mind and Life which is corrupt in disposition and practice by the deceit of sensual lusts And that you be made New Men in the very bent and habits of your Mind with New Judgment and Affections 24. And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness 24. And that you become New Men possest of New Dispositions wrought in you by God according to his Word and for his Glory consisting in Righteousness and true Holiness 25. Wherefore putting away lying speak every man truth with his neighbour for we are members one of another 25. And in particular as parts of your Righteousness see that you avoid all lying and fraud and speak the plain truth to one another for we are all fellow Members of one Body and therefore should not be false and fraudulent to each other 26. Be ye angry and sin not let not the sun go down upon your wrath 26. Anger is given us for the due resisting of Evil but use it not blindly rashly and inordinately to sin much less may you lie down and continue in such sin 27. Neither give place to the devil 27. And do not yield to Satan who by Mens provocations would draw you to sin 28. Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labour working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needeth 28. If any have by want or errour been tempted to steal or take any thing that is anothers against his Will let him do so no more nor by idleness continue his necessities but as he is able labour in some profitable work and that not only to supply his own wants but to relieve as many others as he well can 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers 29. Let no sinful rotten or filthy Discourse come out of your Mouths which will signifie a polluted Heart and may corrupt the hearers but let your words be such as are not only harmless to others but profitable even that which is useful to edification for useless truth it self is not to be chosen 30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption 30. For the Spirit of God which is his Mark and Seal upon you to prepare you for the day of Salvation is a hater of all filthiness and vanity and a lover of Purity and Holiness and Mutual Edification And though he have not Passion and Grief as Men have yet as offended Men will in displeasure forsake that which is filthy and abhorred so will the Spirit of God in displeasure forsake a filthy sinner And that is one of the forest kind of Punishment 31. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil-speaking be put away from you with all malice 31. And Gods Spirit being the Spirit of Love cast away Malice and all that savoureth of it bitterness wrath and hurtful anger clamorous fierce and ill and hurtful words 32. And be ye kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you 32. As having the same Spirit in the same Body be kind and tenderhearted one to another taking the good or hurt of each other as your own And as you can easily forbear and forgive your selves and be willing that others forgive you so forgive one another and that out of the belief and thankful sense of Gods forgiving you much more for the sake of Jesus Christ CHAP. V. 1. BE ye therefore followers of God as dear children 2. And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour 1 2. Having therefore so obliging an example of your Heavenly Father shew that you are his true beloved Children by imitating him and let Love be your very Nature and course of life remembring still how Christ hath loved us and given himself for us an Offering and Sacrifice for our sins with which God was highly pleased in him 3. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness let it not be once named amongst you as becometh saints 4. Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks 3 4. But let not Fornication or any uncleanness or filthy lust be once named among you unless by necessary opposition and detestation for this is the course beseeming all Christians who must be pure or Saints Nor yet use any ribald talk or filthy action nor foolish speaking nor vain jesting or drollery the foam of a light vain wit for these are unbeseeming Holy Persons but rather employ your Tongues in thanks and joyful praise to God and in holy edifying Discourse 5. For this ye know that no whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man who is an Idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God 5. Let none pretend that Christianity by freeing them from the Law giveth them liberty to sin unpunished For if you are Christians the Word and Law of Christ hath taught you that no Whoremonger or Unclean Person or Covetous Person who is an Idolater by loving the World more than God or one that imitateth Idolaters in lusts hath right of inheritance in Heaven or in the holy Church on Earth 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience 7. Be not ye therefore partakers with them 6 7. Let no Hereticks or Libertines deceive you with false Pretences of Liberty for
him so far as he is lovely 4. But Rulers may be obliged to put to death some sinners but that must be more for love to Justice and the Common-wealth than hatred to the man though yet as he is bad some hatred is due to him 10. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him 11. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes 10 11. He that truly loveth his Brother as himself doth shew that he is indeed a knowing and true Christian And he will be free from the scandâ—lous mischiefs of Persecution Oppression and other Injuriousness which want of true Love doth cause in others But he that hateth abuseth persecuteth hurteth or destroyeth his Brother is but a dark self-deceiving Pretender to Christian Faith and Wisdom and knoweth not what he doth himself when he exerciseth his Wit or Power against his Brother for he is blind in sin 12. I write unto you little children because your sins are forgiven you for his Name 's sake 13. I write unto you fathers because ye have known him that is from the beginning I write unto you young men because you have overcome the wicked one 12 13. And this Command of Love and Obedience is such as all sorts of you must receive I urge it on you that are Children in Christ because being washed lately in Baptism and the Blood of Christ from your sins you should love much because much is forgiven you I urge it on you ancient Christians because you have long been taught to know this Commandment and to know the Love of God in Christ which doth enforce it I urge it on you that are strong Christians because you have conquered the Devil who is the Wicked One and the grand Enemy of Love 13 14. I write unto you little children because ye have known the Father I have written unto you fathers because ye have known him that is from the beginning I have written unto you young men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one 13 14. Again I say that you may not neglect it I urge this Commandment of Love and Obedience on all sorts among you On young Christians because to know God as he is Love and a Father to us is your chief Principle of Faith On you ancient Christians because it is your old Religion On you strong Christians because you that have most Strength and Victory over Satan must have most of this Grace of Love and Obedience 15. Love not the world neither the things that are in the world If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 15. And I must accordingly warn you against the Love that is contrary to this Divine Christian Love which is the carnal inordinate Love of this World and Worldly Interest and Things Avoid this with all possible care for in that measure that you thus love the World you are so far destitute of the Love of God else it would prevail against it 16. For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world 16. For All that is the Bait of Sensuality in the World whether it be the pleasures of Appetite Lust and other Senses or the pleasing of a covetous lustful or vain Imagination by the Eyes or Preferment Dominion pompous Living and Pride of Life are none of them the way to Communion with God and Salvation but are the Worldly Interest and Temptation of the Flesh which turn men's hearts to the World from God 17. And the world passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever 17. And the World and all its Pomp Plenty and Pleasure and the Fleshly Lusts that are pleased by it are hastily passing away while they seem enjoyed But the reward and the pleasure of those that do the will of God will have no end 18. Little children it is the last time and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time 18. I yet speak to you as Children liable to Deceit It is now the latter part of the Age of the World And as you have heard that Antichrist shall come so even now there are many false Teachers risen up who in several sorts and measures are Adversaries to Christ which shews us that indeed it is already the beginning of the last Age. Note Of the Controversie about Antichrist see the Notes on 2 Thes 2. there are four Opinions very commonly pleaded for and others by some few I. Most of the old Doctors and Christians that have left us their Thoughts took Antichrist to be a false pretending Christ that should rise up towards the end of the World little dreaming that the Pope was he much less that all the visible Christian Church was then in its most flourishing state Idolatrous and Antichristian as some hold By which it appeareth that it is a Point that Godly Men may be ignorant of for few now but the Papists are of this Opinion II. Others think that Mahomet is the great Antichrist as being that open Enemy of Christianity who by pretending hatred to Idolatry hath set up himself and won more of the World than all the Christian part of the Earth by far III. Most Protestants hold that the Pope is the Antichrist but they greatly disagree of the time when he began to be so Some say at the Churches Deliverance by Constantine which was three hundred and four years after the Birth of Christ Some say About Anno 604. when Phocas named Pope Boniface the Third Universal Bishop in the Empire And thence riseth a Doubt whether the same Claim made not John of Constantinople Antichrist before and so there â—e not two Antichrists And whether the like Ambition made not Cyril Theophilâ—s and other Patriarchs of Alexandria and divers other Bishops to be so many Antichrists Some say He began about Hildebrand's time when the Claim of Universal Head and Vice-Christ over all the World began with Power over Princes which was above a thousand Years after Christ And some few say He began about Innocent the Third when the General Council of the Lateran owned that Power with Transubstantiation and the Murder of Reformers as Hereticks The Reasons for the Opinion that the Pope is the Antichrist you may find in many Volumes and particularly Bishop G. Downame's IV. Others think that Antichrist was a false Christ who was to appear in the days of some of the Apostles or that Generation to seduce the Jews into Rebellion against the Romans to their destruction And they are very confident that John here meant no other than Christ himself meant in
dwelleth in Love as his ruling habit of Soul and practice of Life dwelleth by communion in God as the Eye in the Light and a Friend by Love dwells in his Friend and God by his Spirit of Love in him Note I prefâ—r this Verse before all the Humane Learning in the World 17. Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgement because as he is so are we in this world 17. And our Love is for this blessed effect that we may joyfully now foresee and stand at last before him in Judgment as the Lord to whom by Love we are endeared and united For as his Interest is dearest to us in this World and we obey and follow him in suffering so it is that we may come to him in Glory with whom our Life is now hid 18. There is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear because fear hath torment he that feareth is not made perfect in love 18. For though our darkness and guilt would keep us under terror lest God should destroy us or our weakness make us fear the power of man and bodily calamities and death yet the Love that I speak of hath none of this terrour in it but were it perfect it would fully quiet the Soul and cast out all distrustful painful fear For though cautelous preventing fear of all danger is necessary in this life to our safe avoiding evil and the awe and reverence of God is the duty of every creature yet tormenting or painful troubling fear cometh from distrust and sheweth that our Love is yet imperfect Note This is spoken both of tormenting fear of God and Man of Hell and of Death Sicknesses and Crosses here For he that by Faith is fully persuaded of God's great and special Love to him such as he hath manifested by Christ and thereupon doth love God entirely above all in that measure cannot fear that such a God will damn him or leave him to the malice of Men or Devils and by death it self do him any hurt inconsistent with dearest Love If Wives and Children fear not being murdered by loving Husbands or Fathers perfect Love would make us fully quiet in our trust in God Painful fear of Hell Death Sickness Poverty or Persecutors doth shew a distrust and doubting of God's Love who could sure quickly save us by such a word as made the World and an imperfection of our Love to him as caused by this distrust Fear may stand with true Faith and Love but not with perfect Only I confess sensitive passion through bodily disease or disposition quite differing from rational Fear is a Tyrant which Faith and Reason will not overcome As a man bound with Chains to the top of a Spire Steeple is rationally sure that he cannot fall and yet is terrified with looking down O how should fearful Christians study Trust and Love as their only cure and quieting help 19. We love him because he first loved us 19. And it is the knowledge of God's antecedent Love to us giving us a Christ and Grace and making us love him which thus delivereth the Soul from fear and turneth us to him with love and boldness If his Love had been a meer dependent consequent of ours how uncertain should we be of its continuance 20. If a man say I love God and hateth his brother he is a liar For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen 20. But still I say our Love to God must be shewed in our hearty Love to our Brethren To hate and persecute them yea not effectually to love them proveth him a Lyar who saith he loveth God It is God in his Image that you must love and help He needeth you not but he will make you need one another to try your Love and Obedience to him If you love not his visible Image how can you love the invisible God This doth but detect your self-deceiving Hypocrisie 21. And this commandment have we from him that he who loveth God love his brother also 21. And he â—hat will be the Judge who love him truly hath made this his summary great Commandment that you must love God first and above all and your Brother or Neighbour for his sake as your selves And you love him not if you keep not his great Commandment CHAP. V. 1. WHosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him 1. Note That it is believing God and not Man only a Divine Faith and not a Humane a sincere Faith and not a doubting Opinion that is here called Believing Believing this on the word of our Rulers or Teachers is good but it is but preparatory to Religion and the Belief of God And it is a matter of such great importance to believe it sincerely as God's Word that God was manifest in flesh and appointed Christ to the Office and Work of Man's Sanctification and Salvation that it is not possible but such a sound Belief must fill the Soul with love to God and carry it up to a holy and heavenly state as the Regenerate are Nor is it possible but such should love that Saviour who is the Image of God's Love 2. By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments 3. For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous 2 3. And you must know that it is not all Love to one another or to good People that will prove us regenerate for men may love them as their Friends for loving them or for being of their Opinion Sect or party or for their Interest c. But your love to men as God's Children is sincere and saving when it is God himself that you love most and them for his sake And when his Love maketh you keep his Commandments And his Commandments are not heavy nor have any thing in them which men should be unwilling to keep but should be both our work and pleasure 4. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith 4. God's Spirit is stronger than the evil Spirit that ruleth the ungodly World and therefore all that are truly regenerate do overcome the Love and Temptations of the World though not perfectly yet in prevalency And how do we overcome the World but by firm believing in Jesus Christ and the Love of God that will bring us to a far better World The things believed prevail against the things seen in all that are true Believers indeed 5. Who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God 5. Where do you see any truly overcome the Love of this World but they that believe that Jesus Christ hath purchased and promised and
and not the Holy Ghost's seven Graces that is here meant is after manifested 2. Why they are called Seven some say is because seven goeth for a number of perfection whence the Seven Planets the seven days of the week c. But this is but mens conceit and no part of God's Word Nor can we prove hence that God hath set seven Angels above all the rest But all that we can know of it is that John being commanded to write to seven Churches numbereth the Guardian Angels accordingly from their Charges 3. This is no Prayer to these Angels but a notice that God's Mercies are communicated to those Churches by their Ministry and this message sent by them from Christ The naming of the seven Spirits before Christ is no preferring them as above him But Christ is after named becausse much more is to be said there of him together 5. Why seven Churches only are named men variously conjecture some say because they are spoken of prophetically as in their names seven states of the Universal Church or its notable parts to the end are signified But this being impossible to be proved is rather to pretend another Revelation than to expound this Others say that it being only the Pro-Consular Asia that John wrote to these seven being the Metropolitan City-Churches did comprehend all the rest as parts under them But 1. Tâ—is also is but a Humane Imagination without any proof 2. If they mean that these were then made Ecclesiastical Metropolis's it 's a fiction without and against Historical evidence which tells us of a far later date of Metropolitical Churches 3. If they mean that they were Metropolis's only in a Civil sense and that the Apostles in planting Churches there purposed or ordained that afterwards Church-Power should follow the Order of the Seats of Civil Power I answer 1. That this is a crude unproved Assertion and therefore of no authority or credit 2. And it 's known that it was four hundred years after that this was decreed by a Council as a new thing 3. And this was so far from being Apostolical that it confounded the Church setting in superiority the worst men that could but get into a Metropolis and putting all Bishops and Churches at present under the Power of the People and Prâ—sbyters oâ— one City which was a Metropolis and chose their own Bishop Yea Dr. Hammond thought that then no Bâ—sâ—op had any Presbyters under him and so there wâ—re nâ—ne but his People to chuse him for the Neighâ—â—ur â—ishops did not though they ordained him Yea it turneth Churches upside down at the will of every Emperour Heathen Infidel or Christian who can enfranchise or disfranchise Cities at his pleasure 4. And there is no proof that these seven were all and only the Civil Metropolitical Cities of Asia 3. Both these then being mens unproved Imaginations yea and unlikely it remaineth that these seven Churches were most eminent in Asia both for greatness and those tryals vertues and faults which Christ was pleased to note as the occasion of this message And if he see cause to send a message to seven it belongs not to us to ask him why he sendeth to no more 5. And from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness and the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the Kings of the earth 5. Note 1. By faithful witness is meant the faithful and certain Messenger and revealer of Gods will to man 2. By first begotten is meant both the Greatest and most Excellent and the first in order and causality who Rising from the dead is the cause that we shall Rise 3. He is Prince of the Kings of the Earth not only as Greater than all Kings but as over them all in power by whom they reign and who dâ—th dispose of all Eph. 2.23 Matth. 28.19 Joh. 17.2 Joh. 13 3. Joh. 5.22 Eph. 1.21 Col. 1.15 16 17. Phil. 2.9 10 11. 5. Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood 6. And hath made us Kings and priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen 5.6 To this Glorious Lord and Saviour who shewed his wonderful Love to us by his giving up himself a sacrifice for our sins that the Merit of his Blood might cleanse us from guilt and sin and justify us from it before God and who hath chosen and sanctified us and made us by his Grace a peculiar holy People to God dignified in our Relation to Christ as Kings in honour and brought us near to God like consâ—crated Priests to offer him our daily service acceptable through Christ To him I say shall be Glory and Dominion for ever in the acknowledgement whereof let all his Saints rejoice 7. Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him even so Amen 7. I have oft before enquired whether this Coming of Christ be 1. his Coming by the Roman Armies to destroy Jerusalem 2. Or his setting up Christianity in the World and destroying Heathenism 3. Or his Coming at last in Glory The matter is true as to all the three But the text seemeth most strained by the first exposition and least by the last Every way he is dreadful to his enemies But every eye seeth him not the first way nor did the destroyed Jews acknowledge it to be by him 8. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty 8. I am everlasting before all Worlds and without end and he who hath Power over all Note These words seem to be the words of Christ and not of God the Father And with the sixth verse which ascribeth to him everlasting Glory and dominion do seem plainly to speak the Godhead of Christ 9. I John who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ was in the isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ 9. I John who was your brother and companion undergo the like sufferings as you do in the same belief and subjection to Christ in his Kingdom and in Patient enduring for his sake was in the Isle of Patmos whiâ—her I was banished for my Testimony and preaching the faith of Christ 10. I was in the spirit on the Lords day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet 10. I was there in a transporting rapture by the Spirit of God on the first day of the week called by the Church The Lords day observed in commemoration of his Resurrection And I heard a voice call to me as lowd as a trumpet Note 1. The vain cavâ—l of those that deny the Lords day here to mean the Christians day of holy worship even the first of the week I have fully confuted in
more clearly and the wonders of Divine Love are more abundantly manifested and far greater power of the Spirit is given to make all effectual in faith hope and Patience humility obedience and love which now are become the very nature of a true believer The Gospel according to St. MATTHEW That is The History of Christs Birth Life Death Resurrection Ascention Doctrine Covenant Example and Mission of his Apostles to Preach Salvation through him to the World Written by St. Matthew a Converted Publican one of the Twelve Apostles as Tradition saith eight years after Christs Ascention whether in Greek or in Hebrew after translated into Greek is uncertain CHAP. I. 1. THE Book of the generation of Jesus Christ the Son of David the Son of Abraham 1. I begin this History of Christ with the Genealogy or Catalogue of his Ancestors according to the line of Joseph his reputed Legal Father after the flesh so far as to evince that he was the Son of David and Abraham the rightful King of the Jews and the promised seed by their own supputation 2. Abraham begat Isaac and Isaac begat Jacob and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren 2. And Judas begat Pharez and Zara of Thamar and Pharez begat Ezrom and Ezrom begat Aram 4. and Aram begat Aminadab and Aminadab begat Naason and Naason begat Salmon 5. and Salmon begat Booz of Rachab and Booz begat Obed of Ruth and Obed begat Jesse 6. and Jesse begat David the King and David the King begat Solomon of her that had been the Wiâ—e of Urias 7. and Solomon begat Roboam and Roboam begat Abia and Abia begat Asa 8. and Asa begat Josaphat and Josaphat begat Joram and Joram begat Ozias 8. Ahaziah Joash and Amaziah are here passed by perhaps as being by the Mother of Ahaziah of Omâ—i's cursed Line or for other unknown cause Note that the Lawful Succession much more the Grandchild or distant issue it with the Hebrews called the Son or Begotten though not immediately 9. And Ozias begat Joatham and Joatham begat Achas and Achas begat Ezekias 10. and Ezekias begat Manasses and Manasses begat Amon and Amon begat Josias 11. and Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren about the time they were carried away to Babylon 9. They were oft carried away But this was a little before the most notable Captivity 12. And after they were brought to Babylon Jechonias begat Salathiel and Salathiel begat Zorobabel 13. and Zorobabel begat Abiud and Abiud begat Eliakim and Eliakim begat Azor. 12. One old Copy hath before Josias begat Jechim and Jechim begat Jechoniah Dr. H. saith in a very ancient Hebrew Copy of this Gospel this verse goeth and Eliakim begat Abner and Abner begat Azor By either of which the number of fourteen Generations is kept entire 14. And Azor begat Sadoc and Sadoc begat Achim and Achim begat Eliud 15. and Eliud begat Eleazar and Eleazar begat Matthan and Matthan begat Jacob 16. and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ 17. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations and from David till the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations and from the carrying away into Babylon to Christ are fourteen generations 14. I reduce them to fourteen in the recitation for memory sake and other reasons This sufficeth to my intended end 18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise when as his Mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together she was found with Child of the Holy Ghost 18. Note the Holy Ghost did miraculously cause Her Conception without a humane Father 19. Then her husband Joâ—eph being a just man and not willing to make her a publick example was minded to put her away privily 19. Joseph being a good man averse to hurtfulness thought rather to hide all by putting her privily away than to expose her to the shame and punishment due by the Law to such as he thought her to be 20. But while he thought on these things behold the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying Joseph thou son of David fear not to take to thee Mary thy wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost 21. And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins 20 21. Note It was a dream that had its convincing evidence for ordinary dreams give no such certainty 2. The name Jesus a Saviour signified his office which is to save his people from their sins and deserved punishment 22 23. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying Behold a virgin shal be with child and shall bring forth a â—on and they shall call his name Emanuel which being interpreted is God with us 22 23. In all this the Prophecy of Isa 7.14 to Ahaz in how short time God would then deliver them was fulfilled in a farther sense intended by the Holy Ghost than that nearest foretold event Note God with us is God taking our Nature appearing to us and reconciling and bringing us to himself 24. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the Angel of the Lord had bidden him and took unto him his wife 25. And knew her not till she had brought forth her first born son and he called his name Jesus 24 25. Note Tho these words are no full proof that Mary had any other Children after yet at least they make it utterly uncertain and as it is no Article of faith as to the moment of it so neither as to the certainty Yet the Papal Sect have pretended Tradition for it that Mary lived and died a virgin as of so much weight as to hereticate the deniers of it And so they make all the Scripture insufficient not only as to matters of orders discipline and worship but to articles of Faith that they may on pretence of Faith and Orthodoxness destroy Christian unity and Love and exercise domination by excommunicating and damning men on pretended tradition or authority at their pleasure CHAP. II. 1. NOw when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the King behold there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem 2. saying Where is he that is born King of the Jews for we have seen his Star in the East and are come to worship him 1 2. Some time after Christ's birth Astronomers of great note came from the East-country Chaldea or Arabia saying We have seen an extraordinary Star which signifieth the birth of the King of the Jews the Messiah whom they expected and are come to do our homage and honour to him 3 4. When Herod the King had heard these things he was troubled and all Jeruâ—alem with him And when he had gathered all the chief Priests and Scribes of the people together he demanded of them where Christ should be born
saw Simon and Andrew c. And he called them to be Teachers to save Souls And that so powerfully as prevailed with them to leave all and follow him 21. And going from thence he saw other two brethren James the son of Zebedee and John his brother in a ship with Zebedee their father mending their nets and he called them 22. And they immediately left the ship and their father and followed him 21 22. Note His call no doubt did reach the heart what perswasives he before used is not mentioned 23. And Jesus went about all Galilee teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease amongst the people 23. And from that time he went about in that Countrey of Galilee teaching and preaching the joyful tidings that the Messiahs Kingdom was at hand and that his Miracles might confirm his Doctrine he miraculously healed all manner of diseases where he came 24. And his fame went throughout all Syria and they brought to him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments and those that were possessed with Devils and those that were Lunaticks and those that had the Palsey and he healed them 25. And there followed him great numbers of people from Galilee and from Decapolis and from Jerusalem and from Judea and from beyond Jordan 24 25. Note 1. Christ began his great Prophetick and miraculous Works among the poorest contemned part and not in Jerusalem among the greatest 2. The multitude of the miraculous cures and that of old diseases such as Palsies Leprosies c. left no place for suspicion of deceit CHAP. V. 1. ANd seeing the multitudes he went up into a Mountain and when he was set his Disciples came to him 2. And he opened his mouth and taught them saying 1. And seeing the multitude that followed him as admirers and learnerâ— not yet made full baptized Christians he went for convenience of hearing into a Mountain and there being set he taught them as followeth N. Phrases follow the custom of Countreys And so he opened his mouth by that custom was no such absurd phrase as it would be now 3. Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven 3. Blessed are ye my true Disciples though you be poor in the world if you have Spirits suited to your poverty for you shall have the Kingdom of Heaven for riches N. Poor in Spirit signifieth a mind that is above the love of worldly Riches and the sins that Riches use to breed and feed that is Sodoms sins Pride Fulness and Idleness and unmercifulness to the poor and such as are contented with food and raiment having mortified the lusts of the flesh which thirsts after worldly plenty and delight 4. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted 4. Though you are under sorrows now you are blessed if you are godly and have godly sorrow for your comfort will be time enough and full enough hereafter N. There are many sorts of sinful sorrow which have none of this promise such as are the common fruits of overloving some creature and distrusting God But it is holy mourning that is here meant that is for our own or other mens sins and Gods dishonour and displeasure and our want of more grace and for the miseries of the wicked and suffering world 5. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth 5. Though lowly meekness and quiet patience seem a depressed miserable state with men indeed those that are such are the most happy sort of men even in this world and their way is the most probable for escaping of outward suffering while the contrary minded vex themselves with their own impatience and pride and provoke others to hurt them and suffer much because they cannot suffer a little and raising Seditions and Wars do ruine themselves by revenge and ruining others and perish by the sword to which they trust 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled 6. Blessed are you though now you hunger for want of bread if you hunger and thirst after righteousness of heart and life towards God and man as those that would fain be perfect in holiness and doing good to all and that not with a sluggish wish but a desire that useth effectual endeavour For you shall have full satisfaction of all such desires and more than you can desire now when the full are sent empty away 7. Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy 7. Tho God's grace and mercy be free yet men must be fit receivers and not reject it And it is the merciful that are thus blessed as qualified for saving mercy from God while the cruel and oppressors and persecutors and unmerciful reject mercy by their forfeiture and incapacity and undo themselves by hurting others 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God 8. God will not bless impure unholy souls with the light of his Countenance and the comfort of his Love nor dwell with the filthy workers of Iniquity without holiness none shall see God But you whose hearts his grace hath purified from the filth of fleshly worldly lusts and the love of sin are a blessed people for Grace hath fitted you for begun Communion with God here and you shall see him in heavenly glory hereafter He hath not purified your hearts in vain 9. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God 9. Tho peacemakers use to be hated by both extreams and sides of the contentious whom they would reconcile yet they are blessed that do it sincerely from the predominant love of God and Man and Peace for as Children are like the Father so are they to the God of Love and peace who hath reconciled his Enemies to him by Christ 10. Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven 10. Tho men think them miserable that are opprest and ruined in the World they are blessed if they are persecuted for righteousness sake For its Gods cause who will reward them with the Kingdom of Heaven and never let any be a loser by his obedience to him 11. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake 11. Think not that I come to advance you to worldly honour but look to be reviled and persecuted not only by Heathens but by Jews and to have all manner of evil charged on you and reported of you falsly for my sake because you believe me and obey me But in all this you are blessed while your false accusers and persecutors are miserable 12. Rejoyce ye and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets who were before you 12. Though such usage would break the hearts of worldly men and Hypocrites do
on Earth it will rightly guide all the actions of thy heart and life but if thy judgment be blinded in this great affair it will misguide thy love thy choice and all the tenor of thy life If thy judgment then be blind which must guide thee what a miserable erroneous wretch wilt thou be and how dismal will that errour prove 24. No man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and mammon 24. And take heed of the self deceit of Hypocrites who flatter themselves with the hope of having a treasure both on Earth and in Heaven resolving to keep and prefer this world while they can keep it and hope that Heaven will be a reserve when they can keep the world no longer and so they will be as Religious as will stand with their fleshly wordly interest But I tell you no man can serve two such contrary Masters He will love one better than the other or obey and serve one to the neglect and injury of the other You cannot love and serve God as God and yet love and seek worldly wealth and prosperity as your most beloved trusted treasure God will not stoop to the world therefore the world must in your esteem and choice stoop to God and be used for him 25. Therefore I say to you Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your body what ye shall put on Is not the life more than meat and the body than rayment 25. Therefore take this as my special warning Wholly trust God for life and all the concerns of life and shew not your selfishness and worldly love by beâ—ng distrustfully anxious or sollicitous for meat and drink and cloaths If you know not which way to get them God knows which way to give them Your Lives and Bodies are his gift and in his power and did he give you these and cannot you trust him for food and cloathing 26. Behold the fowls of the air for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly Father feedeth them Are ye not much better than they 26. You see that God feedeth the many sort of Fowls that make no store-houses or provision for time to come And God that made you better than they will not neglect you 27. But which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to his stature 27. Study your duty and use just means while you trust on God But your self-troubling distrustful care and thoughtfulness is but unprofitable self-vexation All your care cannot make you any taller of stature nor keep your bodies from decay or death 28. And why take ye thought for raiment Consider the lilies of the field how they grow they toil not neither do they spin 29. And yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these 30. Wherefore if God so cloath the grass of the field which to day is and to morrow is cast into the oven shall he not much more cloath you O ye of little faith 28 29 30. And why do you distrustfully care for cloathing You see the Lilies of the field that neither sow nor spin have yet a more beautifull flower than Solomons most splendid Ornaments could match And doth God so cloth these and other Plants with beauty and sweetness and are you so distrustfull and weak in Faith as to fear that he will neglect you Note That Christ here neither blameth Sowing Spinning or other meet labour nor would have it done imprudently and carelesly much less doth he approve on aâ— idle slothful life on pretence of trusting God Six days must we labour and not eat the bread of idleâ—e Paul saith He that will not work when he can 〈◊〉 him not eat Idleness corrupteth Body and Soul Such Care as we must take to feed and cloath the Poor such at least we may take for our selves But 31. Take no thought therefore saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithall shall we be cloathed 31. Therefore when you have done your duty trust God and do not with murmuring or self-troubling distrustfully say whence shall I have food and rayment 32. For after all these things do the Gentiles seek For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things 32. This is the practice of the Heathens who fear and complement their Idol Gods but cannot trust them for what they want but by self-trusting and self-seeking are drowned in worldly love and care But your Heavenly Father is far better acquainted with all your wants than you are and doth not disregard them 33. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you 33. But I make this promise which you may boldly trust see that you seek first Gods Kingdom of grace and glory and that Righteousness Relative habitual and actual to which through Christ he hath promised acceptance and salvation seek these I say before all worldly prosperity and fleshly interest with your chief and predominant Esteem Choice and Endeavour and then all bodily things shall be given in as additions to the greater blessings so far as God seeth them fit for you and you for them for Godliness hath the promise of this life and of that to come 34. Take therefore no thought for the morrow for the morrow shall take thought for the things of it self sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof 34. Therefore Beg of God your daily bread in saith and in the use of honest labour but take no distrustfull troubling careful thoughts for the time to come It will be care enough to morrow to take notice of to morrows wants and to do to morrows work Every day hath its own duty and difficulty and sufferings must be expected Do not anticipate them and take to day the trouble on your self by care and fear which belongs to the time to come The burden and troubling part by such sufferings as you must expect will come time enough and a days sense of the suffering is enough for one days evil or burden Preparatory notice of death and suffering is usefull but should we foreknow all the particular sufferings that are to come on us it would but overwhelm us by an untimely suffering every day by fear and care of all that which we should suffer but by little tolerable parcels while every day hath its own proportion CHAP. VII JUdge not that ye be not judged 2. For with what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged and with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again 1 2. Make not your selves judges of other men and their actions without a just call and be not censorious medlers nor hold severe condemners of others without proof and beyond cause For
otherwise you must look for severe judgement from God and to be repaid by man and used as you used others 3. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye 4. Or how wilt thou say to thy brother Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye and behold a beam is in thine own eye 3 4. So censorious are hypocrites of others that the mote of a small infirmity or dissent is seen in their eyes as if it were some intollerable thing which they must pluck out as the Pharisees censured Christ and his Disciples for not observing their ceremonies and traditions But if thou know thy self mayest thou not find worse than this in thy self Hath a Pharisee nothing worse than Non-conformity to his ceremonies and traditions How canst thou think his mote of ceremonial or small difference intollerable while thou easily bearest thy own formality magisterial pride and worldly mind and other great and deadly sins 5. Thou hypocrite first cast out the beam that is in thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye 5. Thou Hypocrite first see that thou have no greater fault thy self cast away the beam of pride worldliness formality malignity and fleshly vice out of thy self and then thou wilt be more capable to judge of thy brothers sailings and sitter to reprove him 6. Give not that which is holy to the dogs neither case ye your pearls before swine lest they trample them under feet and turn again and rent you 6. And as it is not every one that is fit to reprove so it is not every one that is fit to be reproved Tho to seek mens salvation by teaching and reproof be a work of great moment when it is used in season to them that are capable of it yet take this rule pretend not duty to teach and reprove when it s clearly like to do more hurt than good some men are hardened soorners and some sensless neglecters and some hateful persecutors To such as those holy counsel doctrine and reproof is but like casting Sacramental or consecrated bread to the dogs or pearls before swine To be thus wise and righteous over much is but the way to perish and be rent or at least made a scorn to beastly men It is no duty where it is no means to good yea to greater good than hurt Note Yet if a slothfull hypocrite shall rashly censure others to be Dogs and Swine and desperate to excuse himself from duty and trouble this is but a doubling of his sin 7. Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened to you 8. For every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened 7. And to obtain grace and mercy to your selves true Prayer is Gods appointed means Ask of God and he will give it you seek diligently and you shall find c. For every one that asketh in sincerity and seeketh with diligence and constancy shall obtain Note That is if he pray to God believing his power and goodness in the name of Christ and trusting in his merits and intercession and this first and chiefly for God's glory and for things spiritual and everlasting and for earthly things as means to these and if he be earnest diligent and constant in such askings seeking and knocking he shall certainly have grace and Glory and all outward things so far as they are sit for him and he for them 9. Or what man is there of you whom if his son ask bread will he give him a stone 10. Or if he ask a fish will he give him a serpent 11. If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him 9 10 11. Do not distrust Gods goodness and willingness to do good All the love that is good in you is but a spark from the God of infinite goodness Therefore if you would not give a stone to your Children that ask bread of you nor a Serpent to that Child that asketh a Fish and if you that are so bad men will give good things and not evil to your Children O how much more abundantly should you believe your heavenly Father ready and willing to do good to his children who ask it of him being fitted to receive it 12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets 12. And as you may gather by your own love to your children what love God hath to you so if you would have God over-rule the hearts and actions of men to love you and do you good see that you first love them and do them good and that is the most probable way to obtain it It is desirable that all men do use you with Justice and Charity Do you therefore be sure so to use all men Not that a man who hurteth himself or would have another hurt him by temptation or sin may therefore hurt another But be more forward to do good than to expect it from others and put your self in their case and do to them whatever prudently and justly you would have them do to you supposing their case and yours were exchanged 13. Enter ye in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way which leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat 14. Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it 13 14. And let not the strictness of the gate and way of life discourage you The gate is wide and the way is broad that leadeth to destruction It is easie to please the flesh and to neglect a holy life and great is the multitude that go this way But do not you follow the multitude in sin unto damnation The entrance into a life of Faith and Holiness is strait and the way is narrow requiring self-denial mortification holy diligence and patient suffering and it is but few that find this way and the life to which it leadeth But life eternal cannot be too dearly obtained Therefore let no difficulties stop you or turn you off N. 1. It is because of our corrupt averseness such as sick men have to a feast and the restraints and sufferings of the flesh that Godliness or Faith is called difficult or strait But in it self and to a sound understanding and will it is the only pleasant life To believe God's love and our everlasting glory must needs be sweeter than to live in guilt and terrour and in despair of any future happiness 2. The Gate is the entrance by conversion into a life of Faith and Holiness as the way and the Devil the
Note It is the part of Learners to ask their Teachers help to understand that which they understand not 37. He answered and said to them He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man 38. The field is the world the good seed are the children of the kingdom but the tares are the children of the wicked one 39. The enemy that sowed them is the devil the harvest is the end of the world and the reapers are the angels 37 c. It is Christ that soweth the good seed by Preaching the Gospel and planting the Churches by himself and his servants The World is the first object of the Gospel preached and out of which believers are gathered The good seed as sown is the Gospel but as springing up in fruit are the faithful who are properly the members of the Church of Christ The Tares as sown are evil doctrines and temptations but as sprung up in fruit are the Children of the Devil who is the father of wickedness The enemy of God and goodness and man that sowed them by himself and his servants signifieth the Devil the time of harvest is the end of this world even the day of judgment The reapers or executioners are the Angels 40. As therefore the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire so shall it be in the end of this world 41. The Son of man shall send forth his angels and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity 42. And shall cast them into a furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth 40 c. So in the end of this World Christ shall send forth his Angels as his executing Ministers and they shall gather out of the world which he is over and specially out of the visible Church all rebellious unholy wicked scandalous carnal men and shall cast them into hell which is likened to a lake of Fire where they shall in torment and a self-afflicting Conscience 43. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father who hath ears to hear let him hear 43. Then shall the righteous who are now obscured by infirmities and malignant slanders and are oppressed in the world shine forth in glory in the Kingdom of Love even of God as their Father in Christ as the Sun shineth in the heavens in resplendent glory As ever you will use your ears or understandings believe and foresee this glorious blessed day to Believers 44. Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a treasure hid in a field the which when a man hath found he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field 44. The way of Salvation by Christ sheweth men the certain hopes of so inestimable a treasure in the life to come as maketh the saithful choose it for their best and part with all the pleasure profit and honour of the world to obtain it 45. Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant man seeking goodly pearls 46. Who when he had found one of geat price he went and sold all that he had and bought it 45 46. Note He that findeth not by faith enough in the love of God and heavenly glory and in Christ the way thereto to make him consent sincerely and practically to sell or part with all the world rather than lose it is not capable of a just title to it nor shall obtain it 47. Again the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind 48. Which when it was full they drew to the shore and sat down and gathered the good into vessels but cast the bad away 47 48. The Church is gathered as men by casting a net into the Sea gather fishes good and bad And at the day of judgment Christ will take the good to heaven and cast away the bad to hell Note 1. It is not to be wondered at that the visible Church hath good and bad 2. Yet this is not the design of the Gospel which is fitted to make all good but by the intrusion of Hypocrites Nor is it an excuse for the neglect of discipline and the just discrimination of the good and bad 49. So shall it be at the end of the world The angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just 50. And shall cast them into the furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth 49 50. These plain and dreadful words more need belâ—â—f and deep consideration than exposition 51. Jesus saith to them Have ye understood all these things they say to him Yea Lord. 52. Then said he to them Therefore every scribe which is instructed to the Kingdom of heaven is like to a man that is an housholder which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old 51 52. All that are furnished with holy knowledge and are fitted to teach others must have an habitual treasure of it in their minds from whence they may be able to open the truth exhort reprove and confute all the erroneous on all just occasions as a House-keeper is stockt for the provision of his family 53 54. And it came to pass that when Jesus had finished these parables he departed thence And when he was come into his own countrey he taught them in their Synagogue insomuch that they were astonished and said whence hath this man this wisdom and these mighty works 55 56. Is not this the carpenters son is not his mother called Mary and his brethren James and Joses and Simon and Jude and his sisters are they not all with us whence then hath this man all these things And they were offended in him 53 c. Note 1. Familiarity breeds contempt It is no impediment to our faith that we saw not Christs person parentage and education 2. Carnal men are not satisfied by the evidence of Divine attestation unless they can give a reason of it and overcome the difficulty and scandal of objections 3. It is uncertain whether Mary had other Children after Jesus or these were his brethren or only his kindred 57 58. But Jesus said to them A prophet is not without honour save in his own countrey and in his own house And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief 57 58. Unbelief made men uncapable receivers of those miracles which else Christ would have wrought CHAP. XIV 1. AT that time Herod the Tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus 2. And said to his servants This is John the Baptist he is risen from the dead and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him 1 2. Note That Herod did believe the Immortality of the Soul else he could not have believed Johns Resurrection 3 For Herod had laid hold on John and bâ—und him and put him in prison for Herodia's sake his brother Philips wise 4. For John said to him It is not
3. Or Peter himself But no doctrinal controversie dependeth on it For all three are certain truths 1. No doubt but primarily Christ is the Rock on which the Church is built 2. And no doubt but Faith and Confession being the condition of our part in Christ the Church is so far built thereon 3. And no doubt but the Apostles are called Foundation stones on which the Church is built and therefore Peter whose name importeth it and was a chief speaker among them as the foreman of a Jury 2. Though the Powers of Hell may seem to prevail as they did over Christ while he was on the Cross they are then next an overthrow themselves 19. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven 19. And hereafter I will make thee a ruling Steward over my Church as it is Gods Kingdom on earth preparatory to the Heavenly Kingdom of Glory and the due administration of thy office by these Keys of Power shall be the ordinary way to Heaven and a forerunner of the finall Justification of the Faithful and of the final condemnation of the Impenitent and ungodly whom by my doctrine and the due application of it thou bindest over to my judgment Note As Peter was the foreman or speaker in their common confession so by Peter the promise is made to them all And to them all Christ after gave this power But he never made Peter governour of the rest of the Apostles Much less the Pope 20. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ 20. N. Because this honour was reserved chiefly 1. To the time of the accomplishment of all the evidences by his Resurrection and Ascension and giving of the Holy Ghost 2. And to the work of the Spirit then on the Apostles by which they were suddenly advanced to a fitness for this work above what they attained by Christs personal teaching them on earth 21. From that time forth began Jesus to shew to his disciples how that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day 21. Note 1. This Christ did 1. To make them know that he knew things to come 2. And to make them know that it was not to reign as an earthly King that he was sent 3. And to prepare them to bear his sufferings and not to expect fleshly prosperity by him 2. It was the Poor that followed Christ and the Rulers and Teachers that crucified him 22. Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee 22. Peter contradicted him saying God forbid Lord favour thy self and expose not thy self to this Note 1. The flesh is ready to suggest fleshly counsel and to oppose all that tends to suffering 2. We have need to be fortified against temptations of loving friends as well as enemies 23. But he turned and said to Peter Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence to me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men 23. He lookt at him with displeasure and said to Peter I say to thee as I did to the Devil when he tempted me Get thee behind me for thou doest the work of Satan the adversary in tempting me for self-preservation to violate my Fathers command and my undertaking and to forsake the work of mans Redemption and Salvation As thy counsel savoureth not the things that be of God his will work and Glory but the things that be of men the love of the body and this present life so it signifieth what is in thy heart take heed lest this carnality prevail Note 1. All things must displease us that displease God and are against his interest and the good of man 2. Even the best men and nearest friends may by temptation and errour be made Satans instruments to do his work in some particulars of great moment 3. Good men do the Devils work oft times when they know it not but verily think it is all for Christ 4. No love or respect to mens nearness or goodness must draw us to flatter them in sin or to speak lightly of it we must not mince it or extennate it because good men commit it we must lay it home on them that would by justifying it make it pass for duty Lest the name of Good men should serve Satan more effectually than men of known wickedness can do 5. It is no railing on just occasions to tell tempting friends and godly men or Ministers that they are doing the Devils woâ—k and are instead of Devils to the tempted To hinder us in Gods work and mens Salvation is to be Satans to us O how many Satans then are called Reverend Fathers who silence and persecute men for Gods work as the whole course of the Papal Discipline and worship manifesâ—â—th 7. It is carnal savouring worldly and fleshly interest too much and the things of God the Soul and Heaven to little which is the common cause of the sinful counsels and course even of Sacred men 24. Then said Jesus to his disciples If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me 25. For whoever will save his life shall lose it and whoever will lose his liâ—e for my sake shall find it 24. Christ took this occasion to preach self-denial to his Disciples saying Let him that will be my Disciple and follow me and expect Salvation by me resolve to deny his carnal self and self-interest and resign himself to me as being not his own but mine Not making the cross but patiently taking and bearing it when it is laid upon him and follow me by sufferings unto glory For this is the method determined by God that whoever resolveth to save his life and not be undone in the world to avoid sin this man shall finally lose his life and life eternal And whoever will lose his life rather than by sin to forsake me and his duty shall find that life with felicity in heaven which he lost on earth N. Christs peremptory terms of Salvation are to prefer it and him before our lives 26. For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul 26. Will it not be an ill bargain to gain all the world for a short time to the flesh and lose ones own Soul and its happiness for ever And what will compensate the loss of the Soul For what price would you sell its happiness N. 1. Men hath a Soul that liveth when he leaveth this world 2. It were a mad bargain to sell a mans Soul for all that this world
ability and stairway took his Journey 14.15 Christ passing into the Heavens committeth to his Servants the Word means and mercies of his Grace that they may improve them till he come by Death and Judgment to call them to account Not giving the same degree of means and mercy to all but to some more and to some less 16. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same and made them other five talents 17. And likewise he that had received two he also gained other two 16.17 They that had the greater means and helps improved them to their own increase of Grace and the good of others and the service and honour of their Lord. 18. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth and hid his lords money 18. Note Tho the least helps should be answerably improved yet the less such as those have who have little more than the Light of Nature excite not men so powerfully to an improvement 19. After a long time the Lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them 19. Note Christ here intimateth that hiscoming to reckon with them would not be hasty 20. And lo he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents saying Lord thou deliveredst to me five talents behold I have gained besides them five talents more 20. I have used them to the increase of thy grace in me and to the good of men and to thy Glory 21. His Lord said to him Well done thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. 21. His Lord who freely gave him his talents to use yet rewarded his faithful usage of them and praised his fidelity saying I will give thee great things because thou hast well and faithfully used the smaller mercies of this life which I gave thee 22. He also that had received two talents came and said Lord thou deliveredst to me two talents behold I have gained two other talents besides them 23. His Lord said to him Well done thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make the ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. 22 23. N. 1. The reward of Glory given for our diligent improvement of the mercies of this life is consistent with the freeness of the gift 2. God himself will praise the fidelity of his Servants as worthy of praise 3. Great rewards will crown the Faithful for little things here sincerely done 4. It is our Lords own joy that the faithful shall enter partake of 24. Then he which had received the one talent came and said Lord I knew thee that thou art an hard man reaping where thou hast not sown and gathering where thou hast not strewed 25. And I was afraid and went and hid thy talent in the ground Lo there thou hast that is thine 24 25. The fear of thy severity made me think it safest to keep thy Money merely from being lost N. Hard thoughts of God makes men backward to his service which is a work of Love and sinful fear is an enemy to holy diligence and fruitfulness 26. His Lord answered and said to him Thou wicked and slothful servant thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not and gather where I have not strewed 27. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers and then at my coming I should have received my own with usury 26 27. Note 1. God will take a slothful servant for a wicked servant unprofitableness and omission of duty is damnable unfaithfulness in us that are but Stewards and Servants To do no harm is a praise fit for a stone and not for a man 2. To confess Gods holy Government and yet to be unholy is to be self-condemning Qu. Doth this Text justifie usury Ans It speaketh of that sort of increase made by exchange and trading without reproof and with seeming approbation Gain by Trading and Merchandize is one sort of Usury all Usury is unlawful which is against Justice or Charity And all other is lawful and some that is a work of Charity is to some a duty 28. Take therefore the talent from him and give it to him which hath ten talents 29. For to every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath 28 29. He shall be deprived of the mercies of this life who improved them not for a better life when he that so improved them shall have an abundant reward the mercies of this life and that to come 30. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 30. N. 1. Omission and unprofitableness is damning sin 2. Hell is called Fire for pain and Darkness for uncomfortableness 31. When the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with him then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory 32. And before him shall be gathered all nations and he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats 33. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left 31 c. The coming of Christ shall be in Glory with all his holy Angels who served him here for the good of his Elect and as Judge he shall sit on his Throne of Glory And all persons and Nations shall be called by him to Judgment and he shall separate them as sheep and goats c. 34. Then shall the King say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world 34. Then Christ shall pronounce this sentence on the Faithful Come c. N. O comfortable words Come Whither To Christ to God to Heaven ye blessed of my Father sure such shall be blessed indeed inherit not only use the Kingdom in participation with the King of Glory prepared for you by eternal Love and Decree 35. For I was hungry and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in 36. Naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came to me 35 36. N. 1. These works are noted as the effects of Faith and Love without which they would have been but dead works 2. The causal for signifieth not any merit by commutative Justice as giving God any benefit But their moral qualification and fitness to receive the Kingdom freely given but on such conditions that we signifie our thankful acceptance by true devotedness to Christ And thus all are judged that is finally justified or condemned according to their works as judged by the Law of Grace and Faith and not by Moses Law or that of Innocency
from the mountain he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen till the Son of man were risen from the dead 10. And they kept that saying with themselves questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean 10. c. Though he had oft told them of his Resurrection they understood him not 11. And they asked him saying Why say the Scribes that Elias must first come 12. And he answered and told them Elias verily cometh first and restoreth all things and how it is written of the Son of man that he must suffer many things and be set at nought 13. But I say unto you that Elias is indeed come and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed as it is written of him 11. c. John Baptist was Elias not the Soul of Elias reincorporate but he that was meant in Malachi And they have used him as they will do me as Elias was Persecuted by Ahab 14. And when he came to his disciples he saw a great multitude about them and the Scribes questioning with them 15. And straightway all the people when they beheld him were greatly amazed and running to him saluted him 16. And he asked the Scribes What question ye with them 17. And one of the multitude answered and said Master I have brought unto thee my son which hath a dumb spirit 18. And wheresoever he taketh him he teareth him and he fometh and gnasheth with his teeth and pineth away and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out and they could not 14. c. See on Matt. 17.14 N. The Disciples yet had not the full Power that they had after Christs Resurrection 19. He answered him and saith O faithless generation how long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you bring him unto me 19. The want of Faith in you did more to your frustration than the want of Power in my Disciples 20. And they brought him to him and when he saw him straightway the spirit tare him and he fell to the ground and wallowed foming 20. Here is the perfect description of an Epiâ—epsie And the folly of Atheists tells them That Natural Diseases are not to be imputed to Devils That is Because an Axe or a Halter Kills a man therefore the Law the Judges or the Executioner are no causes of it 21. And he asked his Father How long is it ago since this came to him And he said Of a child 22. And oft times it hath cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him But if thou canst do any thing have compassion on us and help us 21. N. It appeareth this mans Faith was weak in saying If thou canst do any thing Yet he had some hope 23. Jesus said unto him If thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth 23. If thy Faith make thee a capable receiver thou shalt find that I want not Power 24. And straitway the father of the child cryed out and said with tears Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief 24. He was afraid of losing the Cure of his Child for want of Faith and yet his Faith was weak and wavering and therefore he said If I had no belief in thee I had not come to thee but I am weak and timerous and therefore pray thee to strengthen my Faith and make up in thy mercy what is wanting in my Belief This is alas the Case of most Christians 25. When Jesus saw that the people came running together he rebuked the soul spirit saying unto him Thou dumb and deaf spirit I charge thee come out of him and enter no more into him 26. And the spirit cried and rent him sore and came out of him and he was as one dead insomuch that many said He is dead 25.26 N. Christs cures seem sometimes to the Flesh to put men into a worse condition than they were before 27. But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up and he arose 28. And when he was come into the house his disciples asked him privately Why could not we cast him out 29. And he said unto them This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting 27. c. N. 1. Even Miraculous Cures may require the use of means and the same means may serve for one that will not for another 2. A double qualification may be necessary one in the Minister and another in the Patient 30. And they departed thence and passed through Galilee and he would not that any man should know it 31. For he taught his disciples and said unto them The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men and they shall kill him and after that he is killed he shall rise the third day 32. But they understood not that saying and were afraid to ask him 30 c. N. Christ saw it necessary often to foretel his Sufferings and Resurrection which is a great argument for our Faith 33. And he came to Capernaum and being in the house he asked them What was it that ye disputed among your selves by the way But they held their peace for by the way they had disputed among themselves who should be the greatest 35. And he sate down and called the twelve and saith unto them If any man desire to be first the same shall be last of all and servant of all 33.34 c. N. They were ashamed to own their Ambition The Pre-eminence among my Ministers consisteth in being the most Humble and the most Serviceable 36. And he took a child and set him in the midst of them and when he had taken him in his arms he said unto them 37. Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name receiveth me and whosoever shall receive me receiveth not me but him that sent me 36 37. Humble and harmless Christians are so dear to me that he that in Love and Mercy receiveth and sheweth Kindness to one of these I will take it as if he did it to my Self and my Father will take that which is done in Love and Obedience to me to be done as to himself If you will be great in my Kingdom and dear to me be Humble and harmless 38. And John answered him saying Master we saw one casting out devils in thy name and he followeth not us and we forbad him because he followeth not us 38. N. Had John been now as full of Love as he was afterwards he would not have forbad this man to do good 39. But Jesus said Forbid him not for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name that can lightly speak evil of me 40. For he that is not against us is on our part 39. N. Men that Preach in Christs Name therefore are not to be silenced though faulty if they do more good than harm Dreadful then is the Case of them that Silence Christs faithful Ministers 40. In point of Service to
well stricken in years 8. And it came to pass that while he executed the priests office before God in the order of his course 9. According to the custom of the priests office his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense 7 8 9 10. Note The Priest went into the sanctuary to offer and the people that while prayed without the Sanctuary not without the Temple In imitation of which our Temples usually are built in three parts The Chancel for the Clergy the body of the Church for the Laity and all below the Font for the Catechumens and suspended who are no communicants as the outward Court was for Gentiles 11. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense 12. And when Zacharias saw him he was troubled and fear fell upon him 13. But the angel said unto him Fear not Zacharias for thy prayer is heard and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son and thou shall call his name John 14. And thou shall have joy and gladness and many shall rejoyce at his birth 11 12 13 14. He was born to an austere life and and to martyrdom yet his birth was joyful though to such a painful life and death for the Churches service 15. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mothers womb 15. Note 1. The best men and most useful are greatest in Gods sight 2. Extraordinary denying the flesh agreeth well with the extraordinary gift of the Spirit 3. Infants may have the Holy-Ghost before it appeareth 16. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn the Lord their God 6. Note To turn many by repentance to God was the effect of the Holy-Ghost and of Johns extraordinary worth and work 17. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 17. He shall be possessed with such fulness of Spirit and Power to prepare the way for Christ as Elias had as is propheci'd in Mal. 4.6 Note By turning the hearts of the Fathers to the Children some think is meant turning the tyrannical oppression of Rulers to fatherly love and lenity to inferiours But Dr. H. more probably translateth it with the Children That is he shall turn Fathers and Children old and young Others say it is but to turn mens minds to the Love of one another and those that disobey God to the true wisdom of just men who obey and trust him 18. And Zacharias said unto the angel Whereby shall I know this for I am an old man and my wife well stricken in years 19. And the angel answering said unto him I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God and am sent to speak unto thee and to shew thee these glad tidings 20. And behold thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak untill the day that these things shall be performed because thou believest not my words which shall be fulfilled in their season 18 19 20. I am one of the many Angels that stand before God and am sent to tell thee this And to reprove thy unbelief And to convince thee for a sign thou shalt be dumb c. 21. And the people waited for Zacharias and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple 22. And when he came out he could not speak unto them and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple for he beckned unto them and remained speechless 21 22. Sanctuary 22. Some Revelation 23. And it came to pass that assoon as the days of his ministration were accomplished he departed to his own house 23. That Ceremonious service might be done by a dumb man but so cannot the Gospel Ministration 24. And after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived and hid her self five months saying 25. Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me to take away my reproach among men 24 25. She retired from Peoples observation and discourse saying the Lord hath shewed me mercy in taking away my reproach 26. And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth 27. To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David and the the virgins name was Mary 26 27. Not married but betrothed 28. And the angel came in unto her and said Hail thou that art highly favoured the Lord is with thee Blessed art thou among women 28. Rejoice for thou art highly favoured of the Lord who maketh thee blessed above all women 29. And when she saw him she was troubled at his saying and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be 30. And the angel said unto her Fear not Mary for thou hast found favour with God 31. And behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son and shalt call his name Jesus 32. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David 29 30 31 32. She understood it not That Glorious Kingdom meant in the promise to Davids seed of which his Kingdom was but a type 33. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his kingdom there shall be no end 33. His Kingdom over the Faithful Israel of God begun in grace shall be Everlasting in Glory 34. Then said Mary unto the angel How shall this be seeing I know not a man 35. And the angel answered and said unto her The holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God 34 35. This shall be done without Man by the Holy Ghost and the overshaddowing power of God and therefore he shall be properly called the Son of God N. 1. Though this give us the most known reason why Christ is called the Son of God in Scripture it is not said to be the only reason excluding his eternal Generation 2. Yet Christ oft calleth himself the Son of Man which signifieth no more but that he was truly a Man and born of a woman 36. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth she hath also conceived a son in her old age and this is the sixth moneth with her who was called barren 37. For with God nothing shall be unpossible 36 37. Note 1. Though Elizabeth was of the Tribe of Aaron and Mary of the Tribe of Judah they were a kin by Elizabeths Mother marrying a Levite 2. Nothing should seem difficult to
and from the sea coasts of Tyre and Sidon which came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases 18. And they that were vexed with unclean spirits and they were healed 19. And the whole multitude sought to touch him for there went vertue out of him and healed them all 14 15 16 17 18 19. O the wonderful mercy of our Saviour to Bodies and Souls 20. And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples and said Blessed be ye poor for yours is the kingdom of God 20. Ye my Disciples though poor in the World Note Matthew more fully repeateth this Sermon than Luke 21. Blessed are ye that hunger now for ye shall be filled Blessed are ye that weep now for ye shall laugh 21. See Matth. 5. 22. Blessed are ye when men shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their company and shall reproach you and cast out your name as evil for the Son of mans sake 22. Blessed are ye though you now hunger weep are hated c. because it is for Righteousness sake 23. Rejoyce ye in that day and leap for joy for behold your reward is great in heaven for in like manner did their fathers unto the Prophets 23. Note But we must see that the cause be good and that our hearts be sound with God in the main and in all other Cases 24. But wo unto you that are rich for ye have received your consolation 25. Wo to you that are full for ye shall hunger Wo unto you that laugh now for ye shall mourn and weep 26. Wo unto you when all men shall speak well of you for so did their fathers to the false prophets 24 25 26. Wo to you ungodly unbelievers though you be now rich and full and merry and well spoken of Not because you are rich and full c. But though you are so because you have no better For mans welfare is to be judged of by what he shall have hereafter and not by what he hath here Note Luke omitteth divers of the beatitudes but reciteth the woes which Matthew omitteth Whether this Sermon was twice spoken by Christ or which is liker but once is uncertain 27. But I say unto you which hear Love your enemies do good to them which hate you 28. Bless them that curse you and pray for them which despitefully use you 29. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also 30. Give to every man that asketh of thee and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again 27 28 29 30. See on Matth. 5. prefer charity and peace before thy right and right not thy self to thy neighbours greater hurt 31. And as ye would that men should do to you do ye also to them likewise 31. Love your neighbours as your selves and make not too great a difference beetwen their interest and your own For justice will not be maintained without Love 32. For if ye love them which love you what thank have ye for sinners also love those that love them 33. And if ye do good to them which do good to you what thank have ye for sinners also do even the same 34. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive what thank have ye for sinners also lend to sinners to receive as much again 32 33 34. All this is but the exercise of self-love and is not so much as vertue much less that charity in which you must excell all wicked men 35. But love ye your enemies and do good and lend hoping for nothing again and your reward shall be great and ye shall be the children of the highest for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil 36. Be ye therefore merciful as your Father also is merciful 35 36. Let your Love and good works be in imitation of God your Father taking his approbation for your full reward 37. Judge not and ye shall not be judged condemn not and ye shall not be condemned forgive and ye shall be forgiven 38. Give and it shall be given unto you good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over shall men give into your bosom for with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again 37 38. God's rewards are sure and full Note The word men v. 38. is not in the Text but They shall give signifieth It shall be given as Luke 16.9 They shall receive you into the everlasting habitations is That ye may be received And Angels are liker to be the Instruments than Men from whom we cannot expect to be measured to as we measure to them Yet the Promise may extend to this that when God seeth it good he will make Men yea Enemies the Instruments of his reward 39. And he spake a parable unto them Can the blind lead the blind shall they not both fall into the ditch 39. He that will be a Teacher of others must himself first understand what he teacheth Teaching-ignorance is the calamity of the Church the deceiver of Souls and the condemnation of the Teachers 40. The disciple is not above his master but every one that is perfect shall be as his master 40. You must look to speed no better than I that am your Master but it will be your perfection to imitate me Learn of me and suffer with me and you shall be blessed with me But some expound it you cannot expect that the Disciples of ignorant Teachers should attain to any higher perfection than their Masters which they gather from the context But Luke useth oft to conjoin various sayings and subjects See Matth. 10.24 41. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye but perceivest not the beam that is in thy own eye 42. Either how canst thou say to thy brother Brother let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye when thou thy self beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye Thou hypocrite cast out first the beam that is in thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brothers eye 41 42. It is of great necessity for Teachers and Reprovers to know themselves and be free from scandals and the crimes which they reprove and not as Pharisees to be loose in Morals and cruel to others while they are zealous for their Ceremonies else their Hypocrisie will aggravate their Iniquity 43. For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit 44. For every tree is known by his own fruit for of thorns men do not gather figs nor of a bramble-bush gather they grapes 43 44. If thou be a bad man thy self and guilty of worse than thou preachest against who will believe thee or expect good fruit from so bad a man Note But Matthew otherwise connecteth these sayings 45. A good
They stop not in sluggish wishes but arise and go to God 2. God is readier to meet and receive sinners than they are to return to him 3. He surprizeth returning sinners with kindness and embraces them who expected frowns and wrath and useth them not after their desert 4. Though necessity and self-love begin conversion God's Love meeteth such and perfecteth it 5. God is reconcileable to the sinner by his goodness though not to his sin 21. And the son said unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy son 21. Note Our own humble and penitent confessions must go before God's forgiveness and entertainment 22. But the father said to his servants Bring forth the best robe and put it on â—â—m and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet 22. Note God findeth sinners in shameful rags and misery but clotheth them as his Children with righteousness and holiness 23. And bring hither the fatted calf and kill it and let us eat and be merry 23. Let us feast and rejoyce for the return of a Prodigal Son 24. For this my son was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found And they began to be merry 24. Note The state of â—â—n is a lost condition and a converted sinner is found and recovered it is a dead condition and conversion is a reviving It giveth the life of Grace in order to the life of Glory God speaketh of himself as rejoycing in a sinners conversion How little cause then have such to doubt whether God will receive them Q. How is God called a Father to wicked Prodigals Ans As his Nature is Love it self and as he made man's Nature capable of happiness and as he hath conditionally pardoned all through Christ 25. Now his elder son was in the field and as he came and drew nigh to the house he heard musick and dancing 26. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant 27. And he said unto him Thy brother is come and thy father hath killed the fatted calf because he hath received him safe and sound 25 26 27. Thy Father hath received him with joy 28. And he was angry and would not go in therefore came his father out and intreated him 28 He envyed his Brother's Entertainment and was offended with his Father's Love and Mercy Note 1. The elder Brother is the Jew who not only in his unbelief despiseth the Gentiles but when converted to Christ is hardly brought to communion with the Gentiles And also all that have from their childhood served God and are ready to grudge at the Entertainment of wicked men-converted Note 2. There is in the best of us though we need God's mercy our selves a disposition to envy his Grace to others Note 3. God is put to bear with the faults of his Children and in mercy to stoop to them in their envy and quarrelsomness with others Note 4. There is a sinful esteem of their own goodness that inclineth God's own Servants even to withdraw and separate from his House because he entertaineth returning Prodigals Thus God is put to bear with all 29. And he answering said to his father Lo these many years do I serve thee neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment and yet thou never gavest me a kid that I might make merry with my friends 29. Note We be apt to overvalue our own service oâ— God and to undervalue his Mercy 30. But assoon as this thy son was come which hath devoured thy living with harlots thou hast killed for him the fatted calf 30. Note 1. Even good men are apt to grudge at God's Mercy to sinners and would not have him so gracious to them as he is and they are not so ready to forgive it but upbraid others with sin which God doth not upbraid them with who hateth it more than we can do 2. Were we in the hands of our best Brethren we should speed worse than in God's hands 31. And he said unto him Son thou art ever with me and all that I have is thine 31. N. 1. Obedient Children are always with God and in his favour 2. What great happiness doth it signifie to say All that I have is thine that is all that thou art fit for and that is fit for thee 3. God giveth suddener Joy oft-times to returning Prodigals than to his Children that have been true to him from their youth 4. Yet the constant safety happiness and peace of those long obedient Children is a greater blessing and good than those sudden Joys of converted sinners 32. It was meet that we should make merry and be glad for this thy brother was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found 32. Note God is pleased to reason his forward Children out of their envious self-esteeming censorious separating quarrelsom distempers and not to let them go and take them at the worst He that will pardon the wicked life of a penitent Prodigal will not rigorously despise a froward wrangling Child And Rulers and Pastors that learn of God will do so too and not as Satans Ministers abhor the faithful and aggravate their infirmities and cast them out of the Church while they connive at the ungodly and encourage them This Parable is very instructive to bad and good and very comfortable to the truly penitent and converted And speaketh God's Mercy to the Gentiles against the froward self-esteeming Christian Jews CHAP. XVI 1. ANd he said also unto his disciples There was a certain rich man which had a steward and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods 2. And he called him and said unto him How is it that I hear this of thee give an account of thy stewardship for thou mayest be no longer steward 1 2. Note We are all God's Stewards our time and blessings are his goods of which we must shortly give account and shall here be no longer Stewards 3. Then the steward said within himself What shall I do for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship I cannot dig to beg I am ashamed 3. Note 1. Nature teacheth all men in danger and misery to save themselves and study which way they may escape and be provided for 2. There is somewhat for our selves to do for our own welfare 3. We must think first what is not to be trusted to and what way we must not take before we think what way to trust and take to I cannot dig c. We cannot save our selves and the World cannot save us therefore to trust to these we are sure will deceive us and is not the way 4. I am resolved what to do that when I am put out of the stewardship they may receive me into their houses 4. I will make me Friends that will receive me when I am cast off Note 1 When we are sure no other way will save us and have found the
to confirm their Faith Amen THE GOSPEL According to St. JOHN CHAP. I. IN the beginning was the WORD and the WORD was with God and the WORD was God 2. The same was in the beginning with God 1 2. The WORD which hath been since incarnate was in the Beginning before the world was made And this WORD was with God yea the WORD was God Thus this same WORD was in the Beginning of Time and causality with God being God 3 All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made 3. He was a causal beginning to the whole Creation for all things were made by him nothing was made without him by the Father in creating or forming the World 4 In him was LIFE and the LIFE was the LIGHT of men 4. Being GOD and one with the Father he was especially LIFE even in and with the Father the Infinite Eternal self-living God and so he was Radically and Communicatively LIFE to the World even Intellectual Life by which he is the LIGHT of man as Intellectual and as Taught by Revelation Note It is usual with the Scripture and School Divines to ascribe by some eminency of attribution LIFE and POWER to the FATHER LIGHT and WISDOME to the Son and LOVE JOY and PERFECTIONS to the Holy Ghost yet so that the same also are attributed to each person in Common And so the WORD is said here to have LIFE as one with the Father and yet eminently to be this LIFE by the way of Intellective LIGHT and Illumination 5 And the LIGHT shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not 5 And this LIGHT shineth communicatively unto this darkned World which receiving it but according to the mode and disposition of the receivers through their wilfull resistance receiveth the Illumination and Teaching so defectively as that most in Judea and elsewhere remain in darkness still 6 7 8. There was a man sent from God whose name was John The same came for a witness to bear witness of the Light that all men through him might believe He was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that Light 6 7 8. God sent John Baptist before us as Elias to Preach Repentance and Faith in the Messiah as ready to appear and as a witness from God to prepare and call the Jews to receive him that was the true LIGHT of the World which himself was not 9 That was the true LIGHT which lighteth every man that cometh into the world 9. He is the true LIGHT who giveth all the world that Light which they do enjoy As the Lord and Spring of Nature he giveth all men their Intellectual Natural Light And as the Repriever and Restorer of blinded Intellects he giveth all men that measure of moral and restored Light and Revelation which they have 10 He was in the World and the World was made by him and the world knew him not 10. He was in the World in a more excellent manner than the Soul is in the Body for the world was made by him and therefore maintained by him and he at last appear'd to the world incarnate and yet the world knew him not in either of his apparances 11 He came unto his own and his own received him not 11. He came in flesh to his people the Jews and they not believing him received him not 12 But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his Name 12. But to as many as took him by unfeighed Consent for their Lord and Saviour even to them that believing him to be the Son of God and true Messiah did place all their trust in him for reconciliation with God and for Salvation to all these he gave Right to the State and dignity of Adoption which he purchased even to be the Sons of God as united to him and Heirs of the heavenly Glory 13 Which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God 13. Who as Children have a like nature communicated from the Parents so have a nature Holy and Divine by spiritual Life Light and Love inclined to do the will of God and to desire things Holy and Heavenly which nature is not produc't of meer natural generation nor of fleshly appetite and senses nor of any meer humane Documents or Laws but is the effect of Gods Grace by his sanctifying Spirit 14 And the WORD was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth 14. And the word that made the World assumed humane nature in which he dwelt as a better Tabernacle than that of shadows and we saw his Glory appearing in this Tabernacle in his Heavenly doctrine Life Mâ—â—acles and Transfigurations which shewed him to be the only begotten of the Father Glorious in the fulness of Grace and Truth which the shaddowy Tabernacle and Ceremonies did but prefigure 15 John bare witness of him and cried saying This is he of whom I spake He that cometh after me is preferred before me for he was before me 15. John pointed to him saying This is he even the King of Israel Though I am before him in time in my Ministry he is before me in Dignity and was before me in time also 16 And of his fullness have all we received and grace for grace 16. And as he is full of Wisdom and love of grace and spiritual life he as our Head communicateth so much as is meet for us and we receive greater measâ—â—e than were given under the Law even measures answerable to his new appearance and Covenant 17 For the Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ 17. For though Moses delivered legal Precepts Types and Ceremonies it is by Jesus Christ that we have Gâ—ace both for holiness and pardon and by him are the Real sâ—bstances which those shadoâ—s typified The measâ—â—e of Grace that the â—aithful had under the Law was through him the promised Messiah and the fuller measure under the Gospel is by his fuller access and communication to us as the Image on the Wax answereth that on the Sâ—gnet 18 No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him 18. How little should we have known of God whom no man ever saw if his Son that is in the bosom of the Father had not declared him and his will to man Note I know not whether these words were the words of John the Baptist or the Apostles 19 And this is the record of John when the Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him Who art thou 20 And he confessed and denied not but confessed I am not the Christ 21 And they asked him What then Art thou Elias And he saith I am not Art thou
my chosen flock nor qualified to believe Were you my sheep you would understand believe and obey my Word 28. And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand 28. To my true flock I will give eternal Life and they shall never be condemned lost or forsaken Nor shall any power prevail against me who will save them 29. My Father which gave them me is greater then all and none is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand 30. I and my Father are one 29 30. God my Father who gave them me to be saved is Almighty and none can overcome him and take them from his saving love And He and I being one they are safe with me 31. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him 32. Jesus answered them Many good works have I shewed you from my Father for which of those works do ye stone me 33. The Jews answered him saying For a good work we stone thee not but for blasphemy and because that thou being a man makest thy self God 31. N. No good work could secure the Lord himself from the rage of ignorant men nor from their accusation 34. Jesus answered them Is it not written in your Law I said Ye are gods 35. If he called them gods unto whom the word of God came and the Scripture cannot be broken 36. Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world Thou blasphemest because I said I am the Son of God 34 35 36. If they may be called Gods that are but Magistrates and men in dignity and power how can you say It is blasphemy for me to say I am the Son of God who am by the Father sanctified to the office of Mediator and sent into the World thereunto N. That Christ here by his pleading for his right to his Title only from his office doth not deny his Title as from eternal generation but only tell them what they were then fit to hear 37. If I do not the works of my Father believe me not 38. But if I do though ye believe not me believe the works that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him 37. If I do not such works as certainly signifie Gods attestation believe me not But if I do believe what those works do surely evidence and then you will confess that God is in me and worketh them by me and that I am in him and approved and acted by him 39. Therefore they sought again to take him but he escaped out of their hands 40. And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized and there he abode 41. And many resorted unto him and said John did no miracle but all things that John spake of this man were true 42. And many believed on him there 39. He avoided their persecution by flight And in the Wilderness where John first baptized many believed on him seeing all fulfilled by him which John had foretold of him CHAP. XI NOW a certain man was sick named Lazarus of Bethany the town of Mary and her sister Martha 2. It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair whose brother Lazarus was sick 3. Therefore his sisters sent unto him saying Lord behold he whom thou lovest is sick N. 1. It 's a doubt whether Bethany be the name of a Town or only of a tract of ground where the Town was 2. It is like that this Mary is not the same with Mary Magdalen 3. It is a word of comfort in all troubles if we can say it is on one that Christ loveth 4. When Jesus heard that he said this sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God that the Son of God might be glorified thereby 4. Gods end in this sickness of Lazarus is not to remove him by death from this world but to prepare an advantage for the glorifying of himself in me 5. Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus 6. When he had heard therefore that he was sick he abode two days still in the same place where he was 7. Then after that saith he to his disciples Let us go into Judea again 5. His love to them inclined him to help them yet he moved not that his advantage might be the greater to shew his Love and Power by raising the dead N. We must not misinterpret Gods delays 8. His disciples say unto him Master the Jews of late have sought to stone thee and goest thou thither again 9. Jesus answered Are there not twelve hours in the day If any man walk in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of this world 10. But if a man walk in the night he stumbleth because there is no light in him 9. As a man that walketh in the twelve hours of day light is kept from stumbling by that light So while my day of work continueth I am safe 11. These things said he and after that he saith unto them Our friend Lazarus sleepeth but I go that I may awake him out of his sleep 12. Then said his disciples Lord if he sleep he shall do well 13. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep 14. Then said Jesus unto them plainly Lazarus is dead 15. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there to the intent ye may believe nevertheless let us go unto him 15. To raise him will more convince you than it would have done meerly to cure him 16. Then said Thomas which is called Didymus unto his fellow-disciples Let us also go that we may die with him 16. Whether Thomas spake this in meer passion Let us die with grief or as expecting Christs death and theirs by the persecuting Jews is to us uncertain 17. Then when Jesus came he found that he had lain in the grave four days already 18. Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem about fifteen furlongs off 19. And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother 18. N. A furlong is six hundred foot 20. Then Martha assoon as she heard that Jesus was coming went and met him but Mary sat still in the house 21. Then said Martha unto Jesus Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not died 22. But I know that even now whatsoever thou wilt ask of God God will give it thee 21 22. N. She believed that Christ could have prevented his death and could yet raise him 2. And that it must be by prayer to God 23. Jesus saith unto her Thy brother shall rise again 24. Martha saith unto him I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day 23. N. The Resurrection of the Body was then believed as an undoubted truth 25. Jesus said unto her I am the resurrection and the life
but have told you the truth I go before you to prepare for your entertainment 3. And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also 3. Fear not that I should leave you desolate I do not prepare a place for you in vain but will come again and take you and all believers to my self as a glorified Society N. Did not many other Texts assure us of the Souls reception to Christ at our death this would be sad to us and make us think he would not take us to himself till his return to judgment But it being then that our felicity will be consummate in the consummation of the whole Church in one body therefore Christ putteth this promise of the fullest perfection for their comfort 4. And whither I go ye know and the way ye know 4. And you are not utter strangers to the God and Place that I go to or to the way 5. Thomas saith unto him Lord we know not whither thou goest and how can we know the way 6. Jesus saith unto him I am the way and the truth the life no man comâ—th unto the Father but by me 5 6. It is to the Father I am going And think not carnally of the place or state or way I am your way and Guide and I am the Truth signified by all ceremonial shadows and I am your Life both efficiently directively and finally you must come to God as your end by me as the only way if ever you will be happy 7. If ye had known me ye should have known my Father also and from henceforth ye know him and have seen him 7. You see me in my bodily presence But if you had known me better in my spiritual Being and in the works which I have done by my Fathers power you would better have known my Father also But as you have seen him in me and my works so henceforth you shall know him more 8. Philip saith unto him Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth us 8. If we might but see the Father it would satisfie us N. Man in flesh would fain live by sight as more satisfying to him than meer faith 9. Jesus saith unto him Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me Philip He that hath seen me hath seen the Fathet and how sayest thou then Shew us the Father 10. Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me The words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me he doth the works 9 10. God is invisible and to be seen only in his works effects and appearances And in what or whom canst thou expect to see him more apparently than in me Have I been so long with you and hast thou not seen and known me If thou hast seen me thou hast seen the notifying appearance of the Father And what other sight of the Father canst thou expect Believest thou not that God the Father is so in me and I in him as that he appeareth to the world by me and though his Greatness shine more conspicuously in Sun and Stars Heaven and Earth yet his Holiness Wisdom and ruling Will and his saving Love to sinful man shew themselves most in me in the words that I speak and the works that I do which it is the Father that worketh in me 11. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me or else believe me for the very works sake 12. Verily verily I say unto you He that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also and greater works than these shall he do because I go unto my Father 11. If you will not believe my own testimony believe me for my Works that I am in the Father and acted by him and he is in me and his Power acteth by me And this Power shall be so manifested that I will enable those that believe in me to do greater Miracles than I have done when I ascend to my Father and send down my Spirit on them by which you shall see that I was acted by the Power of the Father 13. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son 14. If ye shall ask any thing in my name I will do it 13. And you shall find by experience in the answer of your Prayers that I am in God and actuate you by his Power For whatever you ask in my name which is fit to be asked and received I will do it as the Mediator between the Father and you that the Father may be glorified in and by the office of my Mediation and Administration When you find that asking in my name procureth your dâ—sire you may know that it is by me 15. If ye love me keep my commandments 16. And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever 17. Even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you 15 16 17. If you do but love me and shew it by sincere keeping my commandments I will pray the Father and he shall give you the Holy Ghost in an eminent peculiar manner to be a Paraclet or an Agent and Advocate and Intercessor between me and you pleading my Cause with you and the World and pleading your Cause in Prayer with me and my Father To which end he shall as a vital Principle abide with you for ever Even Gods Spirit of Truth who shall teach you the Truth and confute the lying Deceiver The World cannot receive him as an Illuminater and Comforter because not knowing him and being prepossessed with contrary malignant inclinations it resisteth him But he hath in some measure taken possession of you already and ye know and obey him and he dwelleth with you and shall be in you as sent by me and as my Witness 18. I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you 18. Let not my departure too much trouble you I will not leave you as destitute Orphantes but I will rise and see you and when Ascended I will come to you by my Spirit and at last come and take all the Church unto my Glory 19. Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me because I live ye shall live also 19. Though I shall shortly depart out of the sight of this World yet ye shall see me For I am your Head and Principle of Life and as I shall live with God in Glory so shall ye live by Communication of Life from me Note Here we have security for the Souls Immortality and Heavenly felicity If Christ live we shall live 20. At that day ye shall know that I
that his Glory may be the Glory of thy Power Wisdome and Love to Man 2. As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him 2. As thou hast advanced him to this Power to be the Owner and Lord of all flesh for Disposals Legislation Judgment and Execution to order all things so as may secure the Possession of an Eternal Life of Happiness to all that thou hast given him by effectual Decree to be certainly eventually saved All things being for the good of thine Elect. 3. And this is life eternal that they might know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent 3. And what is Life Eternal but that perfect knowledge of thee which fills the Soul with Love and Joy and the knowledge of thy Glory shining forth in thy Son Jesus Christ with his Body the Heavenly Society And the beginning of this knowledge is the beginning and way to Perfection 4. I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do 4. My Doctrine Example and Miracles have here shewed forth thy Glory I am neer the end and have almost finished that work on Earth for Mans Redemption which I undertook 5. And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own-self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was 5. As I have almost performed my part perform thou thy part of the Covenant of my Mediation and give me the Son of Man a due participation of that Glory which my Divine Nature had with thee from Eternity Note This Text is by divers diversly Expounded First Some say that Christs humane Soul was Glorified before the Word was Secondly The Arians say that he had a superangelical Nature only before the World was which united it self to a humane Soul say some or only animated a humane Body say others Thirdly Others of late say he hath three Natures uniting it self to the Prime Created Superangelical Nature And this uniting it self to a humane Soul and Body say some or to a humane Body alone say others Fourthly But the plain Paraphrase which I have given is the Doctrine of the Orthodox universal Church 6. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world thine they were and thou gavest them me ad they have kept thy word 6. I have made known thee and thy Will to them whom thou gavest me out of the World to be my peculiar Disciples They were thine as their Creator and thou gavest them me to be their Redeemer and I have taught them thy word and they have kept it 7. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee 7. They have known this Fundamentally that I and my Doctrine and Works are all of thee 8. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me 8. Note that Christ insisteth so much on this because to believe that he and his doctrine and Works are all of God is virtually to believe that they are all true without searching after any other Reason of yours For he is mad that believeth not that there is a God and he believeth not a God who believeth him not to be perfect and therefore to be Just Good and True and not the Deceiver of the World 9. I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine 10. And all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them 9 10. It is out of special Love to them for the Salvation and welfare of these that I now pray to thee and not for the meer Worldlings and Enemies of thy Kingdom though for them also I have such desires and Prayers as signifie my common Love and the Elect among them yet unconverted I have such requests for as are suited to their state But these that thou hast given me peremptorily to save are the People of of thy peculiar Love as well as mine And all that I so Love thou lovest also and it is in them that I am glorified and my Person Office and Grace is honoured which others do but Swinishly despise 11. And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee Holy Father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are 11. And now I am leaving the Word but must leave them in it to Tryals and Persecutions while I am with thee And seeing their Union by one Faith and Love is their Character strength and safety without which they will fall into Scandal and dissolution O keep them by Concentring in thee and thy Will and not distracted by humane Devices and Interests that they may be one in Faith Hope and Practice as we are one 12. While I was with them in the world I kept them in thy name those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the son of perdition that the scripture might be fulfilled 12. All that thou gavest to be my adherent followers I have kept in thy Name save the Son of Perdition in whose Revolt and Treachery the Scripture is fulfilled 13. And now come I to thee and these things I speak in the world that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves 13. I Come to thee but I leave them my Word to fortifie them with that joy which they will need in their Afflictions 14. I have given them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world 14. It is not all the World that will be saved by me but a select People to whom I effectually give thy Word and the World hateth them because their Doctrine Mind and Life do differ from the World and they are of another Spirit and Society of which I am the Head 15. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil 16. They are not of the world even as I am not of the world 15. They have work to do in the World from which I do not pray thou shouldest take them but that thou keep them pure from the sins Temptatations and Malice of the World as those that are separa-from it to obey thee as I their Leader am 17. Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth 17. Qualifie and separate them by thy Truth to propagate thy Truth even thy Word which is Truth 18. As thou hast sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world 18. As thou sentest me for the work of a Redeemer into this sinful World so have I sent them for
Resurrection but must Ascend to my Father where my Body shall be a Glorified spiritual body And though I will allow you as much familiarity as shall convince you of my Resurrection yet no more nor such as formerly But go to my Disciples and tell them I take them as my Brethren and am shortly to Ascend where I shall be better to them than on Earth even to him that is my Father by Nature and Merit and their Father by adopting Grace and Union with me through my Merit to my God as I am Mediator and Man and their God through my Mediation Note All true believers should labour to get this most Comfortable text deeply imprinted on their Minds and never think of God or come to him but as here described My Father and your Father My God and your God And thus only to think of Heaven and our change at Death we are Ascending to our ascended Saviour called our Brother and to his Father and our Father to his God and our God Note That there seemeth a great difference between the Evangelists in describing these passages and appearances to the Women and Apostles But it is but because one leaveth out what another mentioneth but not that they contradict each other And if you you take them altogether as one History the order seemeth to be this First Mary Magdalen Johanna Mary of James and Sallome having bought Spices and going to Embalm the Body said who will roll away the Stone for us Secondly When they come they found that the Stone was rolled away for an Angel had done it and with his appearing and Earthquake affrighted away the Soldiers Thirdly That Angel with another saith to the Women fear not I know you seek Jesus that was was Crucified why seek ye the living among the dead he is not here he is Risen Come see the place c. 4. Then the Women run and tell the Disciples They have taken away the Lord we know not where they have laid him 5. Then Peter and John run to see 6. Mary being come back stood weeping at the Enterance and looked back and saw two Angels as John reciteth it 7. Then Mary looked back and saw Christ and at first knew him not and he spake to her as here 8. Then she runs and tells the Disciples that she had seen the Lord 9. Either then or when she was gone Jesus met the rest of the Women and said to them All hail and they laid hold on his Feet and worshipped him and he said fear not Go tell my brethen c. Or perhaps we may make it shorter As 1. The Stone rolled away and the keeper affrighted away 2. Mary and the other women comes and find it so 3. They go in and miss the body 4. Many runs and tells Peter and John 5. They run to see 6. The women Staying see first one Angel on the Stone on the right side and then two one at the head and one at the feet of the place 7. These Angels say all that is mentioned to Mary and the rest 8. Mary seeth Jesus and so do the rest who holding him by the feet he restraineth further corporal contract and speaketh to Mary and the rest all that is mentioned 9. Then she and they tell the Disciples that they had seen him and what he said This seemeth the order of all togegether 18. Mary Magdalene came and told the Disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had spoken these things unto her 19. Then the same day at evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut where the Disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews came Jesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them Peace be unto you 18 19. Note Christ rose and first appeared on the first day of the week If any should question it by cavilling at the Text as doubtful the practice of the Universal Church ever since observing that day without any Contradicting Party proveth it past doubt to all that use sober reason in the case 2. Christ owned their private meeting not reproving the Cautelous fears of Persecutors 3. The first word that he spake to them together or after his words to Mary was peace be unto you Little understood by many Churchmen 20. And when he had so said he sheweth unto them his hands and his side Then were the Disciples glad when they saw the Lord. 20. Several appearances are past by because mentioned by others 21. Then said Jesus to them again Peace be unto you as my Father hath sent me even so send I you 22. And when he had said this he breathed on them and saith unto them Receive ye the holy Ghost 23. Whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whosoever sins ye retain they are retained 21 22 c. Peace is the sum of my Gift and Benediction to you and the sum of your duty to others as my Father sent me into the World to Gather Guide and save his Church as their Head and Mediator so I send you to Gather Guide and Save the Church as my Apostles And breathing on them he said As my Father sent me not with a bare Title unfurnished for his work but filled with the Spirit of Life and Power of Light and Wisdom of Love and Goodness so I will give you the same Holy Spirit and send you furnished with Power Knowledge and Love and not with meer names and Titles as Images I give you Power to Preach the Gospel so effectually as shall open mens Eyes and turn them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God that they may receive really from God and by Sacramental investiture in Baptism from your Remission of Sins and right to the inheritance among the Sanctified by Faith in me To be the Guids of my Church entrusted with Witnessing and Recording my Doctrine Laws and Promises for their Government to the end of the World And with the Keys of Church order as authorized Judges in your several charges who is capable of Church Communion to be received by Baptism restored by Repentance or as uncapable Apostates cast out Together with an extraordinary Power to inflict or to remit bodily Punishment by my rule not at your pleasure but as it shall please the Holy Ghost which he shall give you And I do breath on you to communicate now some beginnings of that Spirit which I will send down on you after my Ascension And so signifie to you that it is a real Qualification and Spirituall that I will give as God when he made Man breathed into him a living Soul that you deceive not your selves and the Church by dead Imaginary and Powerless names The witness of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophesie And of Sanctification And if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his by what name or Title soever he be dignified 24. But Thomas one of the twelve called Didymus
have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you 9. For God whom I serve with a devoted Soul doth know that this your honourable profession of the Christian Faith doth make me the more constantly remember you in my Prayers 10. And request of God if it seem good to him that I may come to you for the furtherance of my joy and your edification 11. For I long to see you that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift to the end you may be established 12. That is that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me 11 12. For I long to see you that by communicating to you what God hath given to me you may be further established and you and I may be comforted in the mutual manifestation of our Concordant Faith 13 Now I would not have you ignorant brethren that oft times I purposed to come unto you but was let hitherto that I might have some fruit among you also even as among other Gentiles 13. I would have you know that as God hath called me to be an Apostle to the Gentiles I oft purposed to come to you though hitherto hindred that I might reap some fruit of that my Office among you as well as among other Gentiles 14. I am a debter both to the Greeks and the Barbarians both to the wise and to the unwise 14. By this my Mission and Office it is my duty to Preach the Gospel both to the learned Greeks and Romans and to unlearned Barbarous Nations 15. So as much as in me is I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are at Rome also 15. Therefore if it be the Will of God that I shall come unto you I am ready as the Apostle to the Gentiles to exercise mine Office by Preaching to you as I have done to others 16. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ For it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek 16. For though a Crucified Christ be to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Gentiles foolishness I am not ashamed most openly to own and Preach this Gospel For the Power of God by this called weakness and foolishness by Men is manifested in it and by it in the Conversion Comfort and Salvation of every true Believer whether Jews with whom it began or Greeks to whom it is now preached 17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith As it is written The just shall live by faith 17. For that sort of Righteousness which God hath made the necessary and acceptable way to Salvation is therein revealed to the World even Righteousness by Faith is revealed to beget Faith in Men by which it is that Men must be justified and saved as was foretold 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness 18. For that Gospel which pardoneth Penitent Believers doth reveal Gods wrath against the Impenitent and Unbelievers who by the love of Sin resist and reject the Truth and continue in ungodliness and unrighteousness 19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it to them 19. For they may know much of the nature and attributes of God as manifested by the light of Nature in them and by the Providence of God among them by which God sheweth 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 Godhead so that they have no excuse 20. For though God and Heavenly things be invisible even his Eternal Power and his God-head yet are they clearly to be seen in the Glass of his Works so that their sin against God thus revealed leaveth them without all just excuse 21. Because that when they knew God they glorified him him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened 22. Professing themselves wise they became fools 23. And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things 21. Because when by his Works and the light of Nature they were forc'd to confess the Divine perfections they yet lived not to his Glory or in holy thankfulness to the God whom they acknowledged but dishonoured him and corrupted their Minds by vain Imaginations and their foolish Hearts were darkened by gross errours 22. And professing themselves to be the Learned Philosophers and Wise Men of the World and contemning others as Ignorant and Barbarous they shewed by their practice that they were Fools 23. For when their Tongues acknowledged the glory of the incorruptible God they worshipped him as in and by the Images of Corruptible Men and of Birds Beasts and creeping things as if God had been like these 24. Wherefore God gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their own bodies between themselves 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the creator who is blessed for ever Amen 24. Wherefore as a just punishment for their wilful sins God lest them to the lusts of the Flesh to base unnatural uncleanness 25. Seeing they confessing the Perfections of the True God yet represented him in the Image of vain shadows and Creatures and so offered their worship to such Creatures and to the Stars rather than to the True and Blessed Creator whom they acknowledged 26. For this cause God gave them up to vile affections for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature 27. And likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust one towards another men with men working that which is unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompense of their errour which is meet 26 27. For this Sin God gave them to base lusts against Nature who in their Religion sinned against the light of Nature both Women and Men burning in worse than beastly unnatural lusts towards those of their own Sex and by being left to that unnatural filthiness were justly punished for their unnatural Idolatry 28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which were not convenient 28. And as their wicked Hearts refused to obey and honour God practically though they did in words acknowledge him God gave them over to a reprobate Mind to do those things which the light of Nature and common Reason do condemn 29 30 31. Being filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of envy murder debate deceit malignity whisperers backbiters haters
of God and Holiness to the love of Carnal Interest and Pleasure and the true state of Spiritual life and Felicity consisteth in the love of God and Holiness and the Souls perfection 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity to God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be 7. Because the Carnal Unregenerate Mind having a predominant inclination to inferiour sensual interests and delights and a privation yea and enmity to things Spiritual and Holy hath thereby an enmity to the Holy Laws and Ways of God and consequently to God as Holy For it is not subject to the Law of God which is quite against their sinful life and inclination nor indeed can be while it so continueth there being a contrariety between their Inclinations and the Law of God 8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God 8. So that they that are Unregenerate and Carnal cannot please God while they are such because they cannot through the perverseness of their own Wills do the things that please him what legal restraint soever they be under 9. But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his 9. But you are not in this Carnal state and under the dominion of the flesh if the Spirit of God do not only provoke you towards goodness but also dwell in you and possess you For it is a powerful Spirit and will overcome the Flesh But if any Man have not this indwelling illuminating quickening sanctifying Spirit he is not a true Christian and saved by Christ He may be baptised and deceive the Church and pass for a visible Member of it and so for a Christian among Men but Christ will not own him as a living Member to Justification and Salvation 10. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousness 10. And if Christ by his Spirit and Government be and rule in you the Body which hath still some inordinate sinful inclinations and backwardness to good shall die for sin but your Spirits being quickened by the Spirit of God unto Holiness and Justification are in a state of life begun and shall not die as the Body doth but live with Christ by whom they live 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that by this same Spirit of life and power raised up Christ from the dead as he hath begun to rise you from Spiritual death in sin and sanctifie both Soul and Body to himself will not only glorifie your Souls but also raise and save your Mortal Bodies by that same Almighty Spirit which raised Christ and sanctified you 12. Therefore brethren we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh 13. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die But if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live 12 13. By all which you may see that it is not to the Flesh that we owe our chief respect care and obedience nor after the lusts of which we should live For it is this sinful fleshly life that causeth death and tendeth unto future misery But if by the Spirit you mortifie those fleshly lusts and deeds which Carnal Men obey and practise this begining of Spiritual Life will end in future life and happiness 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God 14. For as many as are Principled and Ruled by Gods Spirit and Spiritual Law of Grace are Gods Children And God will not forsake lose or destroy his Spiritual Children 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father 15. For the Spirit which you have now received is not that of a Slave which doth no good but for fear of Punishment and the meer Law without Grace could give no better but you have received the Spirit of Adoption which giveth you an inclination of dependance love and trust in God much like that which a Child hath by nature to his Father to the collation of which Child-like love trust and nature the wondrous revelation of Gods love in Christ and the free gifts of his Grace were Spiritually fitted 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God 16. And to have this Spirit of God dwelling in us and sanctifying us is a certain evidence or testimony in and with our own Spirits and Consciences that God doth specially love us and take us for his Children having set his special mark upon us For we could not love him as a Father and he not love us as his Children And this Spirit also helpeth our Consciences to discern and exercise this fealing Grace and to rejoyce therein 17. And if children then heirs heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified together 17. And if this Seal of the Spirit prove us Sons it proveth us Heirs of the purchased Kingdom or Heavenly Inheritance for such are all the Sons of God Heirs of God and Co-heirs with Christ but so that there is a further condition of our possession even that we take up the cross and follow him submitting to be conformed to him in his sufferings if God call us to it that so by the same way we may come to be glorified together with him 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us 18. For though we must suffer in this life with Christ and for his sake and by Gods Correction for our sins having in my reckoning compared them with the promised effects and end I fully resolve the case that they are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which in the Saints shall be shortly manifested nor should they stop any Man from entertaining the Doctrine of the Cross and pursuing his Celestial hopes 19. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God 19. For all the frame of Nature strongly tending to its own perfection and God annihillateth not the Natural or Sensitive Creatures though he dissolve the Composition they do as it were wait for their better state and deliverance from the Curse caused by Mans sins till the manifestation of the Glory of the Sons of God with whom and for whom they shall have their restauration as with Man they fell under the Curse 20. For the creature
was made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope 20. For so much of the world as was made for Man and marr'd or cursed for mans sake so was made subject to this Curse and Mutation not for its own sin nor by its own choice but by the sin of Man even by that God who subjected its condition to the free will and state of Man and so to suffer with and for him but with a purpose to restore it with him unto its integrity 21. Because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondege of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God 21. Because the Natural and Sensitive parts of the World that were subjected to the use of Man and fell under a Curse by Man shall be delivered with Man from that Curse and Bondage and Corruptibility into a state of liberty and useful perfection suitable to the Glory of the Children of God for whom they were made 22. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together until now 22. For it is evident that the whole Natural and Subjective World which was thus subjected to Man and cursed for him is like a Woman in the pangs or expectation of Child-birth and groaneth till it be delivered with us at that time of restoration 23. And not only they but our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body 23. And if this be their case much more do we who have the Spirit of God which is the Pledge Earnest and First-fruit of Glory feeling our selves burdened with sin temptations and sufferings in the World and yet short of our expected Glory feel our selves as a Woman in Travel groaning for deliverance and longing for the blessed inheritance yea even the Resurrection of the Body it self to which we were Adopted 24. For we are saved by hope But hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for 24. For our present state of Salvation is not in sight and full possession but in the hope of unseen things that are promis'd and this hope will bring us to possession But if we had sight and possession of it we could not be said to live by the hopes of it for why should we be said to hope for that which we see and possess 25. But if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it 25. But hoping for that which we never saw or possessed we do with patience under all delays and sufferings wait for the desired attainment and possession 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered 26. And the Spirit which God hath given us helpeth us against our Infirmities of Hope and Prayer and under our sufferings and distresses for we are unmeet judges of our own necessities and condition and the flesh is too prone to desire its own ease and safety But the Spirit of Christ in us teacheth and inclineth us to go to God as to a merciful alsufficient Father and to pour out our Souls complaints before him at least with groans when we cannot utter them with Words and to cry Abba Father and to refer our selves unto his Wisdom and cast our case in trust on him 27. And he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God 27. And God that searcheth the Heart knoweth the meaning of those very groans excited by his Spirit which we want words to express For he knoweth what his own Spirit moveth us to ask and what desires come from himself for as Christ is in Heaven our Intercessor with the Father so the Holy Spirit sent down into our Hearts is our Intercessor with the Father and the Son for as he is Christs Agent and Witness in us to communicate Spiritual Life Light and Love to us so he is a Spirit of Supplication and Adoption in us and the spring of all our holy desires and motions Godward and that only which is of him is accepted of God for he moveth us to ask what pleaseth God and to submit to his Will and returneth us the answer of our Prayers in inward strength and consolation 28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose 28. For we know that all the course of Gods providence and particularly all our sufferings for him do by Gods over-ruling ordination work together for our good even to carry on them that love him to Salvation who are called hereto according to the gracious benevolent purpose of his own Will 29. For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son that he might be the first-born among many brethren 29. For those whom he fore-knew and purposed to glorifie he also predestinated as the way to their Glory to be conformed to the Image of his Son in holiness and patient suffering that his Church as Brethren might be like their Head and eldest Brother 30. Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified 30. And those whom God thus predestinateth to be conformed to Christ them in time he effectually called to repent and believe in Christ and those whom he thus called and made true Christians he justified both making them just by pardoning their sin and giving them his Indwelling Spirit of love and Holiness and accounting them just for the merits of Christ and those whom he thus justifieth he will glorifie with Christ 31. What shall we then say to these things If God be for us who can be against us 31. What then shall we say when we consider all this but with joyful thankfulness conclude that God is for his Saints their Father and Protector and therefore they have no cause to fear any that are against them how great or many or strong soever that is not fear their power so be it we take heed that they draw us not to sin 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things 32. He that spared not his own Son not thinking him too precious a gist but delivered him up to suffer as a Sacrifice to procure the pardon of sin and salvation to be given to all by a Conditional Covenant of faith and acceptance and actually to pardon and save all true Believers that accept him how can it be that he should think any thing else which we need too good for
cause at all of their Pardon or Justification It is but a necessary Receptive Qualification he that shuts the Window causeth darkness But it 's sottish to say that he that openeth it doth more than the Sun to cause light which he causeth not at all but removeth the impediment of reception and Faith it self is Gods Gift of Grace though Preaching and Perswasion be the means of working it CHAP. VI. 1. WE then as workers together with him beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain 1. We then whose Office is to subserve Christ so your Salvation beseech you that ye take care that all the Mercy which he hath shewed you in the Gospel and you profess to have received be not in vain and â—â—ustrated by any deceit 2. For he saith I have heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation 2. It is of exceeding great moment to know your time and day of Grace God hath his accepted time and special day of Mercy which all should watch and take as it is written I have heard thee c. And certainly this is your time and day of Mercy while Mercy is so freely and fully preached to you 3. Giving no offence in any thing that the ministery be not blamed 3. Our care is to give no occasion of falling to any nor expose the Ministry to blame or to the hard thoughts of those that should be saved by it 4 5. But in all things approving our selves as the ministers of God in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in imprisonments in tumults in labours in watchings in fastings 4 5. Note What an approved Minister of Christ must endure and do for the Ends of his Ministry if he be called to it 6. By pureness by knowledge by long-suffering by kindness by the holy Ghost by love unfeigned 7. By the word of truth by the power of God by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left 8. By honour and dishonour by evil report and good report 6 7 8. Note By how many means the Work of the Mâ—nistry is promoted and how we must be qualified thereto 8 9 10. As deceivers and yet true as unknown and yet well known as dying and behold we live as chastened and not killed as sorrowful yet alway rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things 8 9 10. Our Life is made up of seeming but not real Contradictions As Deceivers use Craft to huâ—t Men we use our Wit and Skill or Wiles to save Men and yet we deliver nothing but the truth Our Spirit and Spiritual Condition is unknown and yet our Out-side known to many We daily are exposed to the danger of Death and die daily and yet you see we are alive We are oft chastened and yet not killed we are under many Sorrows in the Flesh and yet we continually rejoice in God we are poor and yet God useth us to make many rich in Grace we have nothing and yet by Faith all the World is ours as ordered by God and used by us for our Spiritual Good Love maketh all other Mens Estates comfortable to us as our own and God useth all things for our good 11. O ye Corinthians our mouth is open unto you our heart is enlarged 12. Ye are not straitned in us but ye are straitned in your own bowels 11 12. Our Mouth hath been opened to you in full Communication of the Gospel and our Hearts enlarged towards you in Love and Zeal for your Salvation If yet there be any straitness and defects in you of Knowledge and Love it is of your selves and your own deficiency 13. Now for a recompense in the same I speak as unto my children be ye also enlarged 13. And Justice requireth that as Children to a Father your Love and Kindness be large towards us and that the Fruits of our Ministry in you be not narrow and defective 14. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelivers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness 15. And what concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel 14 15. Let not Seducers or Carnal Interest draw you to Communion with Infidels and Idolaters as if you were inclined to their way or were yet indifferent in Religion Partake not externally of their Sacrifices as if you were of their Society For how can such Contraries as Righteousness and Unrighteousness Light and Darkness Christ and Belial a Believer and an Infidel be united or have special Communion even Symbolical in the things wherein they are contrary 16. And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols for ye are the temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people 16. Will you join the Temple of God and Idols together God hath made you his Temple and peculiar People and promised specially to own you in Communion as your God And will you go to Idols Temples as if your God had Concord and Communion with them 17 18. Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty 17 18. Wherefore go not to the Idols Temples and symbolize not with them in Religion to avoid Persecution but come out from among them as a holy People segregate to the Lord and defile not your selves with their unclean things and then God will own you as his Sons and Daughters while you are pure and cleave to him 1. Note That this Command for the Church to avoid Communion with Idolaters and Infidels is perverted by them that feign it to forbid Communion with Christians and their Churches if they do but differ in some tollerable Opinion or Practice from them which their censorious Ignorance will falsly call Idolatry They call such Differences or Defects False Worship and then say we must not join in False Worship Whereas every faulty Manner of Worship may be called False because it is so far disagreeable to the Rule And no Man offers any Worship to God that is not False if all Faultiness be Falseness But it 's no False Worship that will allow us to separate from Churches or Christians further than they separate from Christ and Christ disowneth them for that Faultiness or than they make any Sin to be to us necessary to any part of their Communion They were very foul Sins even in Worship that the Corinthians were guilty of and yet none was commanded to come out from them And much more are those Papists displeasing to God who cast out
preach the Gospel even that Christ would call and take in the Gentiles into the Catholick Church and Covenant as his peculiar People and make them Partakers of his Promise and Gift of Life in Christ by the Gospel preached to them 7. Whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power 7. Of which Gospel I was made a Minister to dispence it according to that Measure of the Gift of the Spirit by Grace given to me which wrought effectually in me and by me by Doctrine and Miracles to convert the Gentiles 8. Unto me who am less then the least of all saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ 8. To me who am by my former Persecution of the Church the lowest or most unworthy of all Saints is this Favour and Honour freely vouchsafed that I should preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable Riches of Christ 9. And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ 9. And to notifie to all Men the Communication and Communion of this Mysterious Grace which from the very Creation was secretly included as a Tree in the Seed in Gods making the whole World by Jesus Christ even that he would redeem and new make us all by him 10. To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God 11. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord 10 11. That now in this Collection of the Universal Church in Christ as in a Glass or as in the clear Effects the very Spiritual Principalities and Powers above us in the Heavens might see more of Gods eternal Counsel opened and manifold Wisdom displayed than they knew before Note 1. That Superiour Spirits are Principalities and Powers either over Political Societies there or as Rulers over us here below as Guardians See Josh 5.14 Exod. 23.20 23. 32.34 Num. 20.16 Gen. 24.7 40. Psal 34.7 Dan. 10.13 c. It 's like it's both 2. That even Superiour Powers are not Omniscient but may by new Means have new increased Knowledge and therefore Saints in Heaven are not more knowing 3. That it is in Heaven that the Great Ends of God in Redeeming and Gathering his Church are attained 12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him 12. In whom we all that trust in him may come with boldness and confident hope of acceptance to God 13. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you which is your glory 13. Wherefore I beseech you be not discouraged by my Sufferings for preaching to you for it is your Honour to have the Ministry of your Salvation thus attested by me 14 15. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man 14 15 16. For this end I beg of God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom all the Blessed Society in Heaven and Earth is named his Family or of which Christ Jews and Gentiles are named Christians That of his abundant Grace in which he will be glorified he will by his Spirit fortifie your Souls Note 1. It is uncertain whether of whom relate to the Father or to Christ 2. Though Paul speak specially of the Catholick Church of Jews and Gentiles there 's no reason to exclude the glorified Souls no nor the Angels from being part of Gods Family united in and under Christ 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love 18. May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height 19. And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God 17 18 19. That Christ may by the constant exercise of your Faith upon him even dwell objectively in your Hearts as one Friend by Love and Trust doth in anothers and effectively possess and actuate you by his Spirit that by his Spirit and your Faith you may be so deeply possest with the sense of Gods Love that you may be filled with Love to him and one another and it may be the very Habit of your Souls and a rooted Nature in you that so being qualified by this Faith and Love you may be able and fit to measure and understand as all Saints in their several degrees do the vast and wonderful Dimensions and to know the Love of Christ and of the Father in him which exceedeth our comprehensive and adequate Knowledge or which is more excellent than all the Sciences which Heathens and Hereticks boast of that so by Faith and Love your Souls may be filled with the highest degrees of Grace and the Spirit of God 20 21. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end Amen 20 21. Now to that Almighty God who can do for his People exceeding abundantly above all that we can desire or ask believe or conceive in our narrow Thoughts as is intimated even in the Power of Sanctity and Miracles which he exerciseth in and â—mong us now To him I say be Glory in the Church by the Mediation of Jesus Christ in whom â—he Glory of Gods Love shineth â—o us and by whom â—e render Praise to God throughout all Ages World without end Amen CHAP. IV. 1. I Therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called 1. Seeing then the Riches of Gods Grace in Christ is so abundant to you converted Gentiles I that am a Prisoner for declaring this Grace of Christ to you exhort you that you live according to the great obligation of your Vocation 2. With all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering forbearing one another in love 2. Such a Christian Life must be in all lowliness or humble thoughts of your selves your Knowledge your Goodness and your Power and in all meekness or gentleness towards others Love must cause you with long-suffering to forbear one another Note 1. That Forbearance is to be exercised towards evil that is Imperfections in Knowledge Vertue and Duty and tollerable Faults and Injuries against each other Therefore it supposeth us to be all faulty needing forbearance 2. That proud high thoughts of our selves and Contempt Censoriousness and Hurtfulness to others and not forbearing tollerable Offenders are
Holiness 1. See that the firm Belief of the Truth of the Gospel against all Deceivers be to you as a Military Girdle about your Loins 2. And that universal sincere Obedience to God and Uprightness of Life towards all Men joined to your Pardon through the Merits of Christ may be to you as a Breast-plate is to Soldiers in Fight that no Adversary may have Matter of just Accusation against you 3. And that the Gospel of Christ which speaketh Peace to the World and to your selves may so dwell in your Hearts to make you Men of Peace and in your Mouths to invite others to Peace with God and one another that it may be to you as those Shoes were to Soldiers which they put on when they went to War to keep their Feet from hurt and danger 16. Above all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked 16. Above all see that you firmly believe and trust to the Word and Promises of God which will be to you as a Shield or Target to a Soldier by which he is preserved from all the Darts or Shot that is made against him And though Satans Darts be fiery Persecution and fierce Temptations this will defend you and frustrate all 17. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God 17. And trust fully in Christ as your Saviour for Salvation and this will as an Helmet or Head-piece to a Soldier defend your chiefest Part from danger And skilfully use the Word of God indited and sealed by his Spirit which will serve you for Defence and Conquest by the help of the same Spirit as a Sword doth to a Soldier 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints 18. And because you must do all in dependence on God see that you be constant in all sorts or parts of Prayer for your selves and others even such Prayer as Gods Spirit directeth you to by his Word and exciteth you to by his Grace And for that end keep your Minds by watchfulness in a serious praying temper and be not cold or weary but hold on and forget not to pray for all holy Persons and holy things Note That 1. They that scorn praying in or by the Spirit scorn the Work of the Spirit in all acceptable Prayer to God 2. They that forbid Prayer forbid that which God commandeth and his Spirit in us as an Intercessor performeth 3. When God commandeth all Prayer and Supplication we must obey him though any Men would confine us to the Fetters of their narrow defective Words and Books 4. They that hate revile excommunicate unjustly and persecute those Saints whom God commandeth us to love and pray for fight under Satan against Christ 19. And for me that utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel 19. And let me have a special part in your Prayers that I may be freed from silencing Imprisonments and Restraints and may have Liberty and Ability boldly to make known the Mystery of Mans Salvation by Christ 20. For which I am an ambassadour in bonds that therein I may speak boldly as I ought to speak 20. For I am in Bonds by Men though Christs Ambassador even for preaching to Men this Gospel of Salvation But pray for me that whatever it cost me I may do my Duty and speak though forbidden as I ought to speak Note That as God worketh by Men so doth the Devil And therefore it is no wonder that Paul was in Bonds for preaching Salvation and that Men make Laws against Praying and Preaching and if the Devil call it Sedition For really Praying and Preaching do more to destroy his Kingdom and save Souls than Arms can do 21. But that ye also may know my affairs and how I do Tychicus a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord shall make known to you all things 21. And that you may know how all things go with me Tychicus will tell you whom you may trust 22. Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose that ye might know our affairs and that he might comfort your hearts 22. I have sent him that he may represent things truly to you and help to keep you from discouragement or undue trouble for my Sufferings 23. Peace be to the brethren and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ 23. I conclude with this Benediction and Prayer for you That God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will give maintain and increase in you all that confirmed Faith which may fill you with Love and keep you in Peace and Welfare 24. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Amen 24. And let the Grace Favour and Blessing of God be still with all them who love our Lord Jesus Christ with sincere incorruptible confirmed Love Amen The Epistle of PAUL the Apostle to the PHILIPPIANS CHAP. I. 1. PAul and Timotheus the servants of Jesus Christ to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi with the bishops and deacons 2. Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ 1 2. I Paul and Timothy now with me send greeting with this Epistle to all the Saints or Christians which are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons there wishing to them Grace and Peace which are all Blessings in sum from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. Note 1. That Dr. Hammond affirming That Paul meant here all the Bishops and Deacons in Macedonia or a whole Province doth this without any cogent Proof as he saith the like of Corinth Ephesus c. though it may be granted that consequently they to whom these Epistles were written were to communicate them to as many as they could 2. That he contradicteth himself in saying there was but one Bishop in a City when elsewhere he saith there was one of the Jews Church and another of the Gentiles 3. That Paul saith it was the Saints which are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons to wit which were at Philippi with them But sure all that were in a Province so great were not at Philippi And his Conclusion That every Church in Scripture-times had but One Bishop with Deacons his Servants there being then no middle Order in use and that in all the New Testament the Words Bishop and Presbyter signified onely such as we now call Bishops 1. Is contrary to the Descriptions of the Churches of Jerusalem Antioch Corinth c. where in one Assembly there were so many Prophets sit for the Publick Ministry that they needed regulating restraint in Ministring 2. But thus he must maintain That de facto no Church had then more than one Presbyter and so no B ishop more than one sixed
against each other that was like to cause Schism in the Church 4. Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others 4. Specially take heed of Selfishness which maketh Men over-regardful of all that is their own their own Interest in Honour of Profit or Opinion and to set too light by other Mens yea to set against the Interest of others to advance their own Note That Self-denial and Love or to love others as our selves are the great Means to keep and cast out Schism and the want of them in Clergy and Laity is the common Mischief and Ruine of the Churches 5 6. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God 5 6. Learn this of Christ who being God the Brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Subsistence or Person Hâ—b 1.3 thought it no Robbery to be Equal with God the Father being One with him 7. But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men 7. But yet condescended to assume Humane Nature and so in that which was visible was a Man and a Servant obliged to Obedience in the most humble Instance and so made himself by this humble Self-deniâ—l of no Reputation with the unbelieving World that knew not his Divinity thus veiled yea coâ—nted him a Malefactor 8. And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross 8. And being visible onely in his Humane Nature like other Men he yet further humbled himself obeying his Father by submitting to the reproachful cursed Death of being crucified as accused of Blasphemy and Treason against Caesar 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name 9. Wherefore God hath highly exalted him in that Manhood in which he suffered and hath given him greater Dignity and Honour and Renown than any Creature ever â—ad over them all 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bowe of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth 10. That to his Dignity and Power all Creatures should be subject and Angels Men and Devils should by their submission respectively honour his Name 11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father 11. And that all reasonable Creatures acknowledge Christs Dominion to the Glory of the Father 12. Wherefore my beloved as ye have always obeyed not as in my presence onely but now much more in my absence work out your own salvation with fear and trembling 12. Wherefore as you have always lived in Obedience to Christ both while I was with you and much more since go on and finish or perfect that holy Obedience which God requireth of you for the obtaining of Salvation and that with holy care and diligence and watchful cautelous fear of miscarrying 13. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure 13. Which I may the more confidently exhort you to in hope because you are not the prime Agents required to do this meerly of your selves but onely under God the prime Cause of all Good both of Nature and Grace who doth not onely give you Power but worketh in you both the Act of Willing and of Working of his own good Pleasure 14. Do all things without murmurings and disputings 14. And do all your Works of Obedience to God in Love and Peace with one another without murmuring at your Work or one another and without provoking Wrâ—nglings 15. That ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse râ—tion among whom ye shine as lights in the world 15. That you may be â—nreproveable and sincere the blameless Sons of God in the midst of a naughty crooked perverse Generation or sort of Men among whom ye shine as lights in the World 16. Holding forth the word of life that I may rejoyce in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither laboured in vain 16. That in the day of Christs Judgment I may rejoice not only in the sincerity of my labour but in the success that I have not preached and laboured and suffered without fruit 17. Yea and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith I joy and rejoyce with you all 17. Yea if I suffer death as a Sacrifice for the service of your Faith your Constancy and Welfare will make it matter of joy to me for your sakes 18. For the same cause also do ye joy and rejoyce with me 18. And if my suffering be my joy let it be yours also be not discouraged but rejoyce with me 19. But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state 19. But I hope by the mercy of the Lord to send Timothy shortly to you that when by him I know your State I may have comfort in you as you may have in me 20. For I have no man like-minded who will naturally care for your state 20. For I have no man equal to him in Love to you who will care for your State with such affection even as Nature teacheth Men to care for their Children as themselves 21. For all seek their own not the things which are Jesus Christs 21. For all are so much set on minding their own Matters and seeking their own Interest that it abateth their Zeal and Diligence in seeking the Interest and things of Christ Note 1. That selfishly to prefer their own Carnal Interest to Christs is a certain mark of a Graceless Hypocrite 2. Therefore Paul meaneth not that all are such predominantly but that all too much seek their own and Christs too little 3. But that this self-seeking is the Plague of the Clergy and Church culpably in all in various degrees and predominantly in False-hearted Hypocrites 22. But ye know the proof of him that as a son with the father he hath served with me in the gospel 22. But you know what experience you and I have had of him that with the love of a Son and the diligence of a Servant he hath assisted me in my Ministry of the Gospel 23. Him therefore I hope to send presently so soon as I shall see how it will go with me 23. Him I hope to send as soon as I know and can by him tell you how it will go with me 24. But I trust in the Lord that I also my self shall come shortly 24. And I trust that the Lords Mercy will deliver me and I shall shortly come my self 25. Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and companion in labour and
be any praise think on these things 8. In general to conclude Be sure that you cleave to Truth against Falshood to things seemly and venerable against things shameful to things just against Injustice to things pure against Lust and Pollution to things truly amiable against deceiving Paint and flattering Allurements to things deservedly of good report and approved by Men against Scandal In a word Let all things that are truly virtuous and praise-worthy be faithfully minded and followed by you 9. Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you 9. Practice the Doctrine which you have heard and received from me and the good Example which you have seen in me and the God of Love and Peace will be with you thus walking in Love and Peace 10. But I rejoyced in the Lord greatly that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again wherein ye were also careful but ye lacked opportunity 10. I was glad and thanked God that your Care of my Supply at last revived not that I suppose it dead before but that you lacked opportunity of sending to me rather than Will and Care of me 11. Not that I speak in respect of want for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content 11. I mean not that I so much rejoice that my Wants were supplied For I have learned to be of a quiet and contented Mind in whatever Condition God shall bring me 12. I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need 12. I know how to be in a low and poor Condition without repining and how to have Plenty without sensuality and abuse I have learn'd how to live in every Place and Case both to be fully provided and to be in hunger through poverty to abound and to suffer need and glorifie God in all 13. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me 13. All this is but my Duty and Christ will strengthen me for all that he calls me to 14. Notwithstanding ye have well done that ye did communicate with my affliction 14. But this Communication for my Supply in my Suffering for the Gospel was your Duty and you did well in doing it 15. Now ye Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel when I departed from Macedonia no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving but ye onely 15. I suppose you know that this Honour of Contributing to me was due onely to you when I first had preached the Gospel in Macedonia no other Church doing the like at my departure 16. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity 16. Note How much professed Christians differ in Liberality as they do in Charity 17. Not because I desire a gift but I desire fruit that may abound to your account 17. Not that I am craving more by commending you or value most my own Supplies but I commend and desire your Fruitfulness in Good Works that it may abound to your own consolation when you must be accountable for all to God 18. But I have all and abound I am full having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well-pleasing to God 18. But I certifie you that I received your Gift from Epaphroditus and it was a very liberal Supply to me and to encourage you I add That under and through Christ the great propitiating Sacrifice such Works are the sweet Incense and Sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God 19. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus 19. And my God who employeth me in his Work will see that you shall lose nothing by furthering his Service but out of the Riches of his Glory by Christ will give a more excellent Supply of all your Wants 20. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever Amen 20. Now to God who is Love and a Father to us through Christ be Glory for all his Mercies and for and by all his Works for ever Amen 21 22 23. Salute every saint in Christ Jesus The brethren which are with me greet you All the saints salute you chiefly they that are of Cesars houshold The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Note 1. That Christians were all then called Saints because they were by Profession and Vow devoted to God in the Covenant of Holiness and were not debauched as Multitudes now are 2. That God had his Saints even in a Heathen Persecuting Emperours Family 3. That the Grace of Christ is the Sum of all Benediction on Earth The Epistle of PAUL the Apostle to the COLOSSIANS CHAP I. 1. PAul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Timotheus our brother 2. To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ 3. We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ praying always for you 4. Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which ye have to all the saints 3 4. Note 1. That Faith and Love are the Sum of Religion and greater Riches than all earthly things 2. Love must extend to all Saints and not onely those that are of one Party 5. For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel 6. Which is come unto you as it is in all the world and bringth forth fruit as it doth also in you since the day ye heard of it and knew the grace of God in truth 5 6. Note 1. It is the Hope of Heavenly Felicity which is the End an effectual Motive of Christian Love and Duty 2. It is the true Word of the Gospel that giveth us this Hope 3. This Gospel divulged to the World is fruitful extensively in the number of Converts and intensely in their Holiness when it is so heard as to cause Men to know Gods Grace in Truth 7. As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow-servant who is for you a faithful minister of Christ 8. Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit 7 8. Note It 's like Epaphras was he by whom they were converted or at least their present Bishop 9. For this cause we also since the day we heard it do not cease to pray for you and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding 9. True Converts have need to be prayed for that they may have Spiritual and Practical Wisdom to know the Will of God 10. That ye might walk worthy
the Tenders of Free Mercy and Salvation to Jews and Gentiles nor keep his Elect and Faithful Flock from that Heavenly Glory where Angels and Saints shall be One Blessed Society united in Love to God and each other 21. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled 21. And you who were not onely as all others originally guilty as the Seed of Adam but also of the Race and Society of Gentiles by your wicked Works estranged from God and out of the way of his saving Grace and Enemies to it and him yet now hath he reconciled by Christ and taken you for his Children 22. In the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight 22. By giving up his Body of Flesh to death as a Propitiatory Sacrifice and by justifying and sanctifying you to present you holy and blameless and justified at last before him 23. If ye continue in the faith grounded and setled and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye have heard and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven whereof I Paul am made a minister 23. I say you shall be thus perfected at last if you prove sound confirmed Christians continuing in the Faith grounded and setled and by no Temptation be ever turned from the Hope which Christ hath given you in his Gospel which by Christs Commission we preach to all Men in this lower World which is already happily begun the Church being no more confined to Jews but gathered out of all the Earth to which Work Christ hath Commissioned me who am labouring therein Note That how true soever it be that sound Believers shall be finally justified in Judgment and glorified the Promise giveth them Right to it but on Condition of Perseverance and God useth Conditional Promises to engage us rationally to our Duty and as a Means to accomplish his Absolute Decrees 24. Who now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the church 24. And I rejoyce that God honoureth me to suffer for his Church in so excellent a Work For it is by the Cross or Suffering that God will bring the Church to Glory And as Christ hath perfectly done his own part as the onely Propitiating Sacrifice so I with the rest of his Members must undergo and make up the rest even for the same Churches sake for which he died though not as a Mediator to reconcile God and Man as he was 25. Whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you to fulfil the word of God 25. Of which Church I am made a Servant by Gods appointment and commission given me for you as well as for others that I may fully divulge the Word of God 26. Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations but now is made manifest to his saints 26. The great Mystery of Redemption God manifested in the Flesh as the Head and Saviour of the Church which though not wholly yet comparatively hath been hid from Jews under dark Types as well as more from Gentiles by greater Darkness in all fore-going Ages But now is plainlier made known to Gods Saints 27. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory 27. To whom God of his good Pleasure would specially make known the Riches and Glory of this Mystery of Calling the whole World of Gentiles The Sum of it is Christ among you and in you purchasing giving and assuring to you the Heavenly Glory for which he hath commanded you joyfully to hope Christ the Way Glory the End 28. Whom we preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus 28. To preach this Christ is the Work of our Office warning and teaching every Man as we have opportunity neglecting none of any Rank in all the saving Wisdom of the Gospel that we may present as many as possible perfect to Salvation 29. Whereunto I also labour striving according to his working which worketh in me mightily 29. In this Labour I am employed in which with diligence I strive according to the Grace of him that called me which wrought in me or worketh by me in Power confirming my Ministry by Miracles and Success as well as qualifying me for it CHAP. II. 1. FOr I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh 1. Conflict by Prayer and Care and Study to do them good Note Good Men long for the Good of them whom they never saw 2. That their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ 2. That they may grow up to a State of Joy by holy Union and Communion in Love and to be yet richer and happier in the full and assured understanding and acknowledgment of the Mystery of God's Love and of Christs Grace in the Promises Prefigurations and Performance of our Redemption 3. In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge 3. Though it be not discerned by carnal Men who search more after other Knowledge in the World the depth excellency and benefit of all true Wisdom and Knowledge are comprised in the Knowledge of God manifested in Christ This is the true Philosophy in comparison of which all other is Vanity and Folly 4. And this I say lest any man should beguile you with enticing words 4. I tell you this lest any delude you by the specious ostentation of any other sort of Knowledge called Philosophy or Oracular or Enthusiastical or Pharisaical Tradition as if it were somewhat more excellent than the Knowledge of Christ 5. For though I be absent in the flesh yet am I with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your order and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ 5. For though I see you not I am in the Spirit as if I was present with you affected with Joy to hear of your Order and stedfastness of Faith but yet I know where your danger lieth 6. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him 6. Let it then be your care to hold fast and practise the Gospel of Christ as you have already received him and his Word and turn not to any other way 7. Rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith as ye have been taught abounding therein with thanksgiving 7. As growing downwards in the Roots is necessary to Trees for stedfastness and
fulfil it 17. Note That Bishops or Pastors may have need to be admonished by the People to take heed to the Ministry which God calleth them to and not to slubber it over much less pervert it but fulfil it 18. The salutation by the hand of me Paul Remember my bonds Grace be with you Amen 18. In conclusion I subscribe my Salutation to you Let the remembrance of my Bonds remember you of your Duty to me in Prayer and receiving of this Word Grace be with you is the summary Benediction Amen The First Epistle of PAUL the Apostle to the THESSALONIANS CHAP. I. 1. PAul and Silvanus and Timotheus unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ 1. To the Assembly of Christians associated in the professed Belief of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ c. 2 3. We give thanks to God always for you all making mention of you in our prayers remembring without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our Father 2 3. We thankfully remember your working Faith your laborious Love and patient Hope in Christ which is all seen and accepted by God our Father 4 5. Knowing brethren beloved your election of God For our gospel came not unto you in word onely but also in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake 4 5. For I was assured that God had freely elected you to be honoured as a Church of Christ in that he sent me particularly to you and that with Power of Miracles and pouring out of the Holy Ghost he confirmed my Ministry and caused me to fulfil it as your Experience telleth you 6. And ye became followers of us and of the Lord having received the word in much affliction with joy of the holy Ghost 6. And because he blessed all with such Success that you obeyed our Word and were converted to God receiving the Word in the trial of sharp Affliction and Opposition and yet with Joy and the participation of the Holy Ghost 7. So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia 7. So that your Example tended to the happy imitation of all that now believe in Macedonia and Achaia 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 we need not to speak any thing 8. For from you the Word of God spread abroad even in many other Countries it is known so that I need not tell it them to your praise and their imitation 9. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entring in we had unto you and how ye turned to God from Idols to serve the living and true God 9. They tell abroad themselves what Success we had in your Conversion from Idolatry to the true God 10. And to wait for his Son from heaven whom he raised from the dead even Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come 10. And to wait in Faith and Hope that his Son that is raised from death and ascended will come from Heaven for our Salvation even Jesus who delivereth us from the Wrath that will come on Unbelievers CHAP. II. 1. FOr your selves brethren know our entrance in unto you that it was not in vain 1. For you are my Witnesses that I came not to you in deceit on any false design or manner 2. But even after that we had suffered before and were shamefully entreated as ye know at Philippi we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention 3. But our shameful usage at Philippi did not discourage us but our trust in our God did embolden us to preach his Gospel to you though in a conflict of great opposition 3. For our exhortation was not of deceit nor of uncleanness nor in guile 4. But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel even so we speak not as pleasing men but God which trieth our hearts 3 4. For I came not to you to deceive you into Errour nor to plead for fleshly Lusts nor crastily to make advantage of you to our gain But as God approved and chose me to be put in trust with the Preaching of the Gospel I do it to please him who trieth our Hearts and not to please the Humours and Lusts of Men. 5. For neither at any time used we flattering words as ye know nor a cloke of covetousness God is witness 5. For you your selves know that I flattered you not nor indulged fleshly Pleasures and God knoweth that I made not the Gospel a Cloak to hide any covetous Design 6. Nor of men sought we glory neither of you nor yet of others when we might have been burdensom as the apostles of Christ 6. Nor did I preach up my self for Vain-glory Power or Profit neither with you or any others though as Christs Apostle I might have pleaded my Power and demanded Maintenance 7. But we were gentle among you even as a nurse cherisheth her children 7. But we sought not our Gain and Glory but your Good and that with all the love and tenderness to you as a Nurse cherisheth her Children in self-denial 8. So being affectionately desirous of you we were willing to have imparted unto you not the gospel of God onely but also our own souls because ye were dear unto us 8. So my strong Love to you made me not onely willingly to preach the Gospel to you without any selfish proud or covetous design but you are so dear to me that I think not my Life too dear for you 9. For ye remember brethren our labour and travel for labouring night and day because we would not be chargeable unto any of you we preached unto you the gospel of God 9. Ye cannot but remember my great Toil and Labour how working at my Trade Night and Day because I would not be chargeable to any of you I preached the Gospel to you freely 10. Ye are witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved our selves among you that believe 10. I appeal to your selves and to God as Witnesses that our Behaviour with you was holy just and blameless 11. As you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a father doth his children 12. That ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory 11 12. As you know how tenderly I exhorted and comforted and charged not onely the Assemblies but every one that I could speak to even as a Father will do to every Child that now you are Christians you will live as is suitable to
the God you serve and the Kingdom and Glory to which he hath called you 13. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe 13. And it is the matter of our uncessant thanks to God that you received not the Gospel as Mens Word with a meer Humane Faith and Obedience but as Gods Word with a Divine which it appeareth to be by the powerful efficacy of it on your selves who are true Believers 14. For ye brethren became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen even as they have of the Jews 14. Ye follow the Churches in Judea in suffering by your own Neighbours as well as in the same Faith Note The same Faith Hope and Holiness will meet with the same Enmity in all Countries 15. Who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and have persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary to all men 16. Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sins alway for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost 15 16. Note 1. That the Carnal Church hath been more persecuting and bloody than the Heathens 2. That Christ himself seemed not to them good enough to live or to be endured among them but was murdered as a Traytor and Blasphemer by pretended Law and Justice And Prophets and Apostles had the like usage 3. That bloody Persecution oft goeth with the Carnal Church for a great Duty 4. That God is not pleased with the Persecutors of his Servants though they do it as to please him 5. That malignant Persecutors are oft so mad as to be contrary to all Men or engage themselves against the common Interest of Mankind that they may persecute the Faithful 6. It is the silencing of the best Preachers of the Gospel which hath the heat of their malignant Zeal 7. It is that Preaching which would save Souls which they forbid And because this Preaching is the Means to save Souls it is that Satan aimeth his Militia against it 8. Persecuting and silencing Faithful Preachers is the way to fill up the Sins of the malignant Enemies 9. God useth not to bring the utmost Wrath on Men till they have filled up their Sins 10. How long soever they prosper Wrath will come at last to the uttermost on malignant Sinners and Persecutors of the faithful Preachers of the Gospel 17. But we brethren being taken from you for a short time in presence not in heart endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire 17. But our constrained absence from you in Person not in Heart made us the more earnestly desire to see you 18. Wherefore we would have come unto you even I Paul once and again but Satan hindred us 18. I would oft have come to you and attempted iâ—â— but by Gods permission Satan hindred me by stirring up Persecution and Restraints and making me Work elsewhere by Opposition 19. For what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming 20. For ye are our glory and joy 19 20. For what is that Hope and Joy and Crown for which I labour so hard and suffer so much Is it not your Conversion and Salvation which before Christ at his coming will be my Joy Yes ye are our Glory and Joy that God hath so blest our Labours to your Salvation Note 1. True Ministers of Christ thirst and labour far more for Mens Conversion and Salvation than for Reputation Honour Riches Preferment or Domination 2. Though God will reward Faithful Preachers though they have small Success yet to have great Success to the saving of many is far more comfortable not onely now but at the Coming of Christ CHAP. III. 1. WHerefore when we could no longer forbear we thought it good to be left at Athens alone 2. And sent Timotheus our brother and minister of God and our fellow-labourer in the gospel of Christ to establish you and to comfort you concerning your faith 1 2. Note That in the time of trying Persecutions Christians have special need of confirming and comforting Helps 3. That no man should be moved by these afflictions for your selves know that we are appointed thereunto 3. Note Sufferings for Christ should be so expected that they should seem no strange surprising thing 4. For verily when we were with you we told you before that we should suffer tribulation even as it came to pass and ye know 4. Gods foretelling us of Suffering should fore-arm us for it 5. For this cause when I could no longer forbear I sent to know your faith lest by some means the tempter have tempted you and our labour be in vain 5. Note That though censorious Suspicions of Men be forbidden yet Man is so mutable and weak a thing that loving Suspicions for preventing Hart are necessary to them that have the Care of Men. 6. But now when Timotheus came from you unto us and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity and that ye have good remembrance of us always desiring greatly to see us as we also to see you 7. Therefore brethren we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith 6 7. Note That they that by Affliction are not drawn to Sin are matter of Joy to themselves and their Friends notwithstanding their Sufferings 8. For now we live if ye stand fast in the Lord. 8. Your Stedfastness and Victory is the Joy or Life of our Lives 9. For what thanks can we render to God again for you for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God 9. We can never be thankful enough to God for the Comfort which we have in you 10. Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith 10. Note That the Faith of good Christians is wanting in Act and Object and needeth Increase and Help thereto 11. Now God himself and our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our way unto you 12. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one towards another and towards all men even as we do towards you 11 12. Note That to abound in Love to Saints as Saints and to all Men as Men is the state of true Increase in Grace 13. To the end he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God even our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints 13. Note That it is confirmed Faith working by abounding Love which is the Qualification in which we may stand uncondemned as truly holy before
and followed 2. Simon was revealed before the writing of this Epistle Acts 8. and the Heresies before too common 3. There were seven or eight other Heresies described by Epiphanius as early as the Simonians and Gnosticks and as bad 4. Sure Gnosticism was not then an unrevealed Mystery if it be mentioned as oft as the Doctor thinketh 5. And through Gods Mercy the falling away first was comparatively but of few and not of so great a number of Churches or Christians as was a stop to their Expectation of the coming of Christ It is not noted in Acts 8. that the Samaritans were seduced by him after they believed If it were true that they and some at Rome were what 's that to all the Churches 6. It is above Sixteen hundred years since Simon was revealed and yet Christ is not come How then is that made an Occasion of Mens delayed Expectation 7. That Christs coming signified but the Destruction of Jerusalem is before shewed to be very improbable and fullier might be How many hot Persecutions of Christians after that do all Church-Histories describe in another manner than Simon 's Pranks And what could the Jews do through all the Empire being contemned Vagabonds but by way of Rabble tumult which the Roman Power restrained 8. And it seemeth meer violence to the Text to make him that withholdeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie not him but that thing which withholdeth even the Christians not yet separating from the Jews For 1. There was no set time of separation Paul did it long before the Apostles that conversed with them in Judea and when they did none know And Paul withdrew from them as Obstinacy gave him cause in one Place sooner than in others and never so far but that he laboured for their Conversion Nor were any such direful Persecutions an Effect of that Separation as far as just History informeth us It was the scattered Jews that were the Rudiments of most of the Christian Churches in the Empire to whom the Gentiles were added And this Doctor himself oft asserteth That Rome Alexandria Antioch and such other great Cities had two Bishops and two Churches one of the Jews and one of the Gentiles And the Christian Jews did not separate from their Countrymen of a long time That which the Apostle mentioneth the whole Catholick Church seemeth to be concerned in whereas the little Pranks of Simon Magus were like John of Leyden's and Knipperdolling's and James Naylor's which had a few contemned Followers in a few Towns a little while and then ended in Shame Like the Boys Squibs compared to a War 8. And what Mystery was there in so gross Iniquity as for Simon to call himself God the Father c. any more than to have seen Hacket or a Bedlam rave 9. And if such wonders of deceit had been wrought by him as is here mentioned as should delude those that received not the Love of the Truth to Salvation History would have fullier recorded his Miracles and this Success Even on All them that believed not the Truth but had pleasure in Unrighteousness 4. Some think that Paul here speaketh of a Seditious Ringleader of the Jews that drew them into Rebellion to their destruction and that the fear of some Roman Governour was it that for a time restrained him But this Opinion few follow 5. Lyra and some other Papists think that it was Mahomet that was this great Deceiver and the Antichrist and the Empire that withheld His Reasons are rendred in his Annotations on the Revelations and on this Text And Zanchy was much of the same mind though he thought the Pope was a kind of second Antichrist 6. But the far greatest number of Protestants think that it is the Pope that is here spoken of as the Man of Sin and Son of Perdition c. and that it is the Roman Empire that withheld his Revelation But some few think that it was the Godly Bishops of Rome that for some Ages possest that Seat and many were Martyrs that withheld this Revelation of Antichrist till they were taken away by Death For Men would not believe that the Successours of so good Men could be Antichrist Abundance of Volumes are written to prove the Pope to be the Antichrist and one of the chief by Bishop George Doâ—name For my selfe 1. I can better try him by the plain parts of Scripture than by the hard Prophecies And I can easily see many and great points in which Popery is contrary to the Word of God and I am most moved by such Moral Arguments as Dr. H. More useth in his Mystery of Iniquity And I find enough to settle me against Popery 2. But whether it be he that this Text meaneth or those applied to him in the Revelation I have not skill enough to be sure or very confident And 3. I think a Christian may be very safe without understanding these obscure Texts I long to know God and Jesus Christ better more than to know Antichrist His name is not in the Creed nor is it an Article of the ancient necessary Faith to know who he is so we know the False Doctrines and Practices which we must avoid Perhaps those that have more throughly studied these Texts may know more though I must say that their great disagreement of Opinion discourageth my hopes of full understanding them I think it my duty to confess my Ignorance and not pretend to the Knowledge which I have not They that are offended at this gap or defect in my Paraphrase may turn to many others that know more or are more confident If you say Why were these Prophecies written if not to be understood I answer To be understood by them that can and not to be Expounded by them that cannot And I add that the great Beloved Prophet Daniel thus concludeth Ch. 12.8 9. I heard but I understood not And the Angel said Go thy way Daniel for the words are closed up and sealed to the time of the end And I take it to be no excess of Humility to confess that in Expounding Prophecies I am not so wise as Daniel That Popery is a heinous corruption of Christianity I am past doubt And that it is aggravated by the profession of the Gospel and Fathering their sin on Christ But for the help of those that are more capable of arriving at certainty than I am I will distinctly tell the Reader the Paraphrase of the three most considerable sort of Expositours I. V. 3. Let no Man perswade you that Christs coming is at hand for it will not be till a great part of the Church fall away from Christianity and Mahomet that wicked Man and Seducer be revealed who is a destroyer and shall be destroyed 4. Who opposeth and exalteth himself not onely above all Earthly Powers but above all sorts of Divine Worship both Heathenish and Christian So that as if he were a God he will set up his own Worship as next to the
such intrude or are there permitted No more than you must forsake your own House and Family if he intrude You have right and command to be there tho he have no right 3. Nor doth it make all to be of equal power in Church Matters not bind any to go beyond his Power 1. Of Mans Capacity for Publick Church Communion the Pastors are Judges And if they be negligent it s their sin which will not allow Private Men to forsake the Publick Communion till the Church so far forsake God as to be forsaken by him 2. But Private Familiarity is in Private Mens Power where they may discountenance the Scandalous by withdrawing from them 7. For your selves know how ye ought to follow us for we behaved not our selves disorderly among you 8. Neither did we eat any mans bread for nought but wrought with labour and travel night and day that we might not be chargeable to any of you 7 8. You know what our Example was that ought to be imitated I did not live idly and look that the Church should maintain me nor basely hang on any or needlesly burden them nor take their Bread which I paid not for but while I taught you I laboured and toiled at my Trade that I might be chargeable to none of you 9. Not because we have not power but to make our selves an ensample unto you to follow us 9. My Ministerial Office and Labour made maintenance from you my due but Idleness I saw was a sin that had need of Example as well as Doctrine to subdue it 10. For even when we were with you this we commanded you that if any would not work neither should he eat 10. Note Poor Men that will not work when they can do forfeit the Bread of Charity from Men but Rich Men that live idly do by that sin forfeit their Food and more even their lives and Souls to God but Men may not therefore take it from them 11. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly working not at all but are busie-bodies 11. By disorderly Persons I specially mean such as I hear some among you are who live not in any profitable Trade and Labour but yet are busie but it s about circumstantial unnecessary or unprofitable by-matters Note That as Idleness is a base sin which equals Life and Death so unnecessary and unprofitable Labour is a mis-spending time and a forfeiture of Maintenance as well as Idleness and to make a Trade or Daily Employment of vain or unprofitable Business is but a Cloak of Deceit for an Idle Life The Sloathful and Vnprofitable Servants forfeit Wages Oh what a deal of Business to little purpose hath the World to answer for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not labouring but busily Trifling men will find that God gave them Life and Reason for greater things 12. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness they work and eat their own bread 12. To live on the labours or cost of others through base indulging fleshly ease or unprofitable trifling is so great a sin that I do command you and exhort you by the authority of Christ and as you will obey him that you avoid it and that you quietly and willingly get your own living by some profitable labour and eat not other Mens Bread but your own and that not the Bread of Idleness 13 14. But ye brethren be not weary in well doing And if any man obey not our word by this epistle note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed 15. Yet count him not as an enemy but admonish him as a brother 13 14 15. If after all this the sloathful will not labour though you are not to cut him off from the Church as if it were for rejecting an Essential part of Christianity yet there is a Discipline to be used in the Church towards its Members Set a note of shame upon that Man by avoiding familiarity with him But yet take him not for an Enemy or Heathen buâ— an offending Christian and continue to call him to Repentance Note Qu. But what if it be a Son must the Parents deny him Food Ans If he be obstinate in an idle or unprofitable Life being able for a better 1. The Parents should mark him out to shame 2. And should so far stâ—aiten him in the Quality of his Food and Maintenance as may make his Sloth a penal Suffering to him and signifie their abhorrence of his Sin though they may not famish him to death 16. Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means The Lord be with you all 17. The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand which is the token in every epistle so I write 18. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen 16 17 18. Note We may boldly trust him for our Peace and safety who will be called The Lord of Peace and by the Grace of Christ will be with us and give us Peace always and by all means Amen The First Epistle of PAUL the Apostle to TIMOTHY CHAP. I. 1. PAul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ which is our hope 2. Unto Timothy my own son in the faith Grace mercy and peace from God our Faâ—her and Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 2. Note 1. Apostleship was by Gods Call and Command 2. Christ is the Believers Hope 3. It is meet to have some special endeared Love to those that are our Sons in the Faith converted by our Ministry 4. As the desire of Worldlings is to worldly Prosperity so the sum of all holy Christian desires is Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and from Christ 3. As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine 4. Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies which minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith so do 3 4. Note 1. Whether this imply that Timothy was Bishop of Ephesus is a Question of small moment to them that know what a Bishop then was A Bishop as Dr. Hammond maintaineth had then but one Congregation and no Subject-Presbyter under him He certainly had no Power of the Sword to force Men. He was onely a Guide to Voluntiers and Consenters and not to any against their wills It is certain that every Church had at least one such Bishop I think usually more And no doubt Ephesus had such either Timothy or others If it be Archbishops that are made the matter of this Doubt it 's certain that an Archbishop had no Power of the Sword nor was a Bishop to any but consenting Voluntiers and worked onely on Conscience and not immediately on Body or Purse And I believe that Timothy and Titus and the Apostles were so far Archbishops as that they had
For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer 4 5. For all that God hath made for Food is good and clean and not to be refused as in kind unlawful if it be received thankfully as from Gods Gift to fit us for his Service For to such as do thus it is more than lawful even a sanctified Means to sit them to serve God Gods Word allowing and giving it them and Prayer craving his Blessing to that end 6. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine whereunto thou hast attained 6. These things thou must suggest to the Brethren as their Teacher that thou maist approve thy self a good Minister of Christ bred up in sound Faith and Doctrine c. 7. But refuse profane and old wives fables and exercise thy self rather unto godliness 7. But as for the Jewish and Heretical Fancies of Abstinence from Marriage and Meats and the idle Reasons from Tradition or Pythagorean Dotage which they give for them avoid them and let it be thy Business to preach promote and practise plain Doctrine and Duties of Godliness and guide the Flock therein 8. For bodily exercise profiteth little but godliness is profitable unto all things having the promise of the life the now is and of that which is to come 8. For no Corporal Austerities or Exercises in Religion must be overvalued The best of them are of small Profit in comparison of that Godliness which consisteth in Spiritual Exercises of Faith Hope Love and their Expressions But this true Spiritual substantial Godliness is profitable to all that we can justly desire having from God the Promise of all the Good of this Life which is meet for us and we meet for it and of that which is to come after this Life is ended 9. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation 10. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all men specially of those that believe 9 10. And what I say of the Promise to Godliness for this Life and that to come is a Truth most sure and of greatest moment and worthy of our greatest acceptation For it is on the belief of this that we labour strive and suffer trusting on the Goodness and Promises of God who is Life and the Lord of Life and as their Saviour giveth the Mercies of this Life and that to come as Men are fitted for each to all Men all Good being from him to all the World But eternal Good being by his Promise secured to all true Believers which others reject when it is offered them for temporal Good 11 12. These things command and teach Let no man despise thy youth but be thou an example of the Believers in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity 11 12. These things teach commandingly as necessary with Authority And so behave thy self that thy Youth expose thee not to Contempt Be thou an Example in whom all the Believers may see how they should live in thy Speech and thy Conversation in Love and Spirituality in sound Faith and spotless Purity 13. Till I come give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine 13. Till I come be diligent in Reading the Scripture privately for thy self and publickly to Expound it to the Church to apply it by Exhortation and sound Doctrine 14. Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery 14. Neglect not diligently to use and improve those Eminent Gifts which were given thee even with Prophecy of thee as one that would be faithful by the laying on of the Hands of the Presbytery or Elders of of the Church when thou wast called and ordained to the Ministry For neglect quencheth the Spirit 15. Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all 15. Note That even those that are extraordinarily Inspired and Qualified must study hard and wholly give themselves to that and all their Ministerial Work if they would appear good Proficients Therefore those thaâ— have no such Inspiration have need of hard study And they that wholly addict themselves to the Ministry have no leisure for Magistracy or Worldly Avocations Nor can do that for many hundred Churches which required the whole of a Timothy for one 16. Take heed unto thy self and unto thy doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee 16. In sum Take greatest heed First that thy own Soul and Life be Sound and Holy and Undefiled and next that thy Doctrine be so and thou diligently labour in it Continue in this twofold Care and Diligence and thou shalt secure thy own Salvation and in all likelyhood thy Hearers for God will will not deny his Blessing to such Labours CHAP. V. 1. REbuke not an elder but intreat him as a father and the younger men as brethren 2. The elder women as mothers the younger as sisters with all purity 1 2. When Elders in Age or Office transgress use not Magisterial roughness of Reproof but Humble Exhortation as to Fathers And speak to the Younger with Love and Gentleness as to Brethren And speak to the Elder Women as to Mothers with due respect and to the Younger as Sisters carefully shunning all that savoureth of Immodesty or Unchastity in thought or speech or looks or behaviour 3 4. Honour widows that are widows indeed But if any widow have children or nephews let them learn first to shew piety at home and to requite their parents for that is good and acceptable before God 3 4. Let those that are Widdows indeed at once deprived of Husbands and Maintenance being Aged and unable to work be maintained by the Church with due respect But if any of them have Children and Nephews that can maintain them Let these their Off-spring be taught that Piety and Gratitude for all their Parents care of them oblige them to maintain their Widdows and not to cast them on the Church and that this is a Duty that God requireth of them and will accept Note That it is doubted whether these Widdows were Deaconesses or meerly kept for poverty I think that it was the Custom of the Ancient Churches to maintain all that are Poor and Aged and unable to get their own livings but not to maintain them in Idleness but to appoint them to employ much of their time in visiting the sick and poor Women and counselling the younger sort and giving notice of their Wants and Cases to the Elders so that the same Women were also as Deaconesses tho some that were wiser and fitter than the rest might be more specially thus employ'd 5. Now she that is a widow indeed and desolate trusteth in God and continueth in supplications and
2. It 's not to be doubted but Timothy after this had Imposition of Hands at his Ordination 3. It is certain that it was then by the Hands of the Presbytery 4. It is probable that Paul was one of them and the â—â—ief 5. Therefore as the next Verse sheweth that he speaketh of the Spirit or Gift of Sanctification not proper to Ministers so it is certain that Paul meant this but not improbable that he meant the other also but comprehended both 7. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind 7. For though Jews are under the Spirit of Legal Fear and Bondage and Unbelievers have a cowardly Fear of Men this is not the Spirit given us by the Gospel but it is the sanctifying of the three great Faculties of the Soul the Executive Faculty by Holy Power the Will by Holy Love and the Intellect by sound and sober Judgment This is the Spirit of Christ 8. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor of me his prisoner but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God 8. Be not therefore ashamed of preaching and owning the Gospel or of any Suffering that this will bring nor of me who am Christs Prisoner as suffering for his Work But whatever hard usage Men exercise against the Gospel and the Preachers of it be content to bear thy part with others as strengthened by the Power of God 9. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began 9. Who hath saved us from our servitude to sin and Satan and called us out of the World to be a Holy People separated to himself not because by our Works we were a more Deserving People before than others but according to his own Purpose and Gracious Decree of saving us by Christ which he had for us before the World or Ages began 10. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel 40. But now this purpose is opened by Christs appearing in Flesh who hath now delivered us from the Power of that Death which was the Wages of sin assuring us of a Resurrection and hath brought future Life and Immortality to our more full assured notice by his Gospel Note That though the Souls Immortality and a life of Retribution be knowable by the light of Nature yet 1. It is with far less Certainty than the Gospel giveth us 2. And Nature tells us not with any clearness of a Resurrection of the Body 3. Nor doth it give Men â—ear notice of the Conditions of our attaining that Felicity But Christ by the Gospel hath given us assured notice of all this And this is the chief thing in which Christs plain teaching excelleth all the Subtilties of the Trifling Heathen Philosophers 11. Whereunto I am appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles 11. To Preach this and teach the Gentiles I am a Commissioned Apostle and for this I suffer 12. For the which cause I also suffer these things nevertheless I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day 12. But I am not ashamed of my Preaching or Suffering for I know whom I have trusted and am perswaded that he can and will keep me in safety who have committed my self wholly to him even to the great day in which all his promises shall be performed 13. Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus 13. Keep before thee the Form or Summary of Sound Doctrine which thou heardest of me which consisteth in the Articles of Faith and the Precepts of Love of both which Christ is the Object and Sum or which form of Sound Doctrine thou must hold fast by a Firm Belief and Practical Love of Christ and his Cause 14. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the holy Ghost which dwelleth in us 14. That good and sure summary of Sound Doctrine which I committed to thy keeping hold close to by the Spirit of God who dwelleth in us to help our Memory Love and Practice Note Tho it be not certain that Paul meaneth our Creed in the very Words as now we have them it is more than probable that he meaneth the same Articles in Sence which he reciteth 1 Cor. 15.3 4 5. and elswhere 15. This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes 15. I suppose thou knowest that all the Bishops or Teachers in Asia have forsaken me in my Sufferings and rejected my Apostolick Authority or neglect it of whom are c. Note 1. That he accuseth them not of Apostacie from Christ but forsaking him 2. That those that forsake not Christ or his Church may forsake a particular Ruler of it even an Apostle especially if he be in Prison 3. That all the Churches or Bishops in Asia were conjoyned in this sin Sin may have the Major Vote of the Bishops 4. It s like then Timothy was no Bishop of Ephesus which was in Asia for Timothy forsook not Paul 16 17. The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain But when he was in Rome he sought me out very diligently and found me 18. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day And in how many things he ministred unto me at Ephesus thou knowest very well 16 17 18. Note That the particular Acts of Christian Charity are here rewarded with the most Hearty Prayers of the Saints and in the day of the Lord with special mercy 2. That it is no sinful selfishness to return a Special Gratitude Love and Prayer for those that have been specially kind to us in distress especially when by it they manifest a special degree of love and fidelity to Christ CHAP. II. 1. THou therefore my son be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus 1. Let other Mens Cases provoke thee to grow strong confirmed and resolved in the Doctrine Practice Comfort and Patience of that Grace which is treasured up for us in Christ 2. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also 2. Note 1. That the Senior Pastors must train up others to Preach the Gospel And this seemeth the Original of Eminent Episcopacy The Elders introducing their own Scholars were as Fathers to them and fit to be their Guides 2. None should
they be not unfruitful 14. And let all that keep in our Communion as sound Christians see that they live not idly or unprofitably or on other mens cost and labour but that they live in some Trade and diligent labour by which they may be themselves maintained and be fruitful in pious and charitable Communications 15. All that are with me salute thee Greet them that love us in the faith Grace be with you all Amen 15. Note Mutual kind salutations and benedictions are meet expressions of Christian Love The Epistle of Paul to PHILEMON 1. PAul a prisoner of Jesus Christ and Timothy our brother unto Philemon our dearly beloved and fellow labourer 2. And to our beloved Apphia and Archippus our fellow-souldier and to the church in thy house 3. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ 1. Note That to be a Labourer and Souldier and a Prisoner for Christ are the Titles that Paul glorieth in and not in worldly dignities 4. I thank my God making mention of thee always in my prayers 5. Hearing of thy love and faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus and toward all saints 4 5. Note That 1. Paul made particular mention of Persons and Churches yea many of both in his prayers 2. True Faith in Christ will produce Love to him and to all Saints and not only to those of a Party with us 6. That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus 6. That thy Faith may be manifest to be effectual by the evident production of all sorts of good fruits which Jesus Christ hath taught thee and wrought in and by thee 7. For we have great joy and consolation in thy love because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee brother 7. Note That when Faith bringeth forth the fruits of liberal Charity to the relief of others it makâ—s it and the agent much more amiable than when it doth not though it should be sincere and want only ability as a good Tree laden with choice fruit is more lovely than in the Winter Much more than when Hypocrisie maketh Faith fruâ—tless 8. Wherefore though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoyn thee that which is convenient 9. Yet for loves sake I rather beseech thee being such a one as Paul the aged and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ 8 9. Church-Rulers must not plead and use meer commanding Authority when Love and Intreaty is more fit for the end as usually it is with Brethren and worketh more kindly and effectually 10 11. I beseech thee for my son Onesimus whom I have begotten in my bonds Which in time past was to thee unprofitable but now profitable to thee and to me 10 11. Note 1. That true Conversion maketh good Servants as well as good Christians 2. That the faults of converted Servants should be pardoned by us as ours be of God 3. That God's word by a Prisoner may save Souls 4. That a converted Servant should be valued by the greatest Apostle 12. Whom I have sent again thou therefore receive him that is mine own bowels 12. Note How dear are the Souls of the meanest to a faithful Minister and how lovely when converted 13. Whom I would have retained with me that in thy stead he might have ministred unto me in the bonds of the gospel 13. Even thou thy self owest me service while I suffer bonds for the Gospels sake and I would have kept him to do it for me in thy stead 14. But without thy mind would I do nothing that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity but willingly 14. But I would not without thy consent so dispose of one who is rightfully thy Servant though a fugitive that thy kindness to me may not be necessitated by my will but be free as thy own will 15. For perhaps he therefore departed for a season that thou shouldest receive him for ever 16. Not now as a servant but above a servant a brother beloved specially to me but how much more unto thee both in the flesh and in the Lord 15 16. His temporary departure may end in a durable reception and entertainment and that not only as a Servant but a Brother beloved specially by me who converted him much more by thee to whom now he is doubly related both as a Servant and as a Fellow-member of Christ 17 18. If thou count me therefore a partner receive him as my self If he hath wronged thee or oweth thee ought put that on mine account 17 18. If thou judge me to have right in thy affairs by the bonds of Christian friendship receive him if thou wouldst receive me Set thy losses by him and wrongs on my account and I will give thee satisfaction 19. I Paul have written it with mine own hand I will repay it albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides 19. Rather than money-matters shall continue a breach I here give thee a Bill under my hand that I will repay all that he oweth thee tho I might tell thee that thou owest me even thy self 20. Yea brother let me have joy of thee in the Lord refresh my bowels in the Lord. 20. I pray thee Brother comfort me with this expression of thy Christian Love and Forgiveness 21. Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say 21. I write this as encouraged by a strong persuasion that thou wilt not only obey my desire but do more for him than I think meet particularly to urge thee to 22. But withal prepare me also a lodging for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you 22. Note That our deliverances must be expected by the means of the prayers of the faithful 23 24 25. There salute thee Epaphras my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus Marcus Aristarchus Demas Lucas my fellow-labourers The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit Amen 23 24 25. Note Paul was not without fellow-prisoners or fellow-labourers in his bonds The Epistle to the HEBREWS Whether by Paul Luke or whom is uncertain CHAP. I. 1. GOD who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets 2. Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son 1. God who hath not left us only to the light of Nature to know him by his works of Creation but in mercy hath more fully informed us by supernatural Revelation was pleased to do this variously as to Times and Manner and Degree and of old spake to our Ancestors by several Prophets who were the Messengers of his Word But in these last days he hath spoken to us by his Son greater than all Prophets 2. Whom he hath appointed to be heir of all things by whom also he made the worlds 2. Whom he
as himself nor doth as he would be done by 21. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls 21. Also cast away all filthiness out of your thoughts affections speech and practice and all excrementitious naughtiness or that superfluity which is but provision for the flesh to satisfie its lust and with humble tractable meekness receive God's Word not only opinionatively but as the graff is taken into the tree or your food when it is digested into blood flesh thus made an innaturalized Word and so received digested it will save your Souls 22. But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves 22. But to think that bare hearing the Word will save you is but self-deceit There must be inward practice by meditation and outward practice in true obedience 23. For if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass 24. For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was 23 24. An unprofitable custom of bare hearing and not doing is but like a man's looking his face in a glass who so goeth away and minds it no more or forgets it which neither feedeth nor cloatheth him nor cureth his diseases such are these customary dull Speculators 25. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed 25. But he that well considereth the Covenant of Grace or the Gospel which is Christ's Law of Liberty or Liberation giving us deliverance from the Jewish Law and from sin and guilt and wrath and death and dwelleth in the study of it till it turn to spiritual life digested and ingraffed in him and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of that which is required to Salvation even sound Faith Repentance sincere Obedience and Patience this man shall be blessed in so doing Note 1. They grosly deny Christ to be King which say that he hath no Law 2. His Gospel Covenant hath Precepts Rewarding Promises and Penal Threats and therefore is a proper Law 3. It giveth pardon on condition of Faith and Repentance to be performed by Divine Grace and Salvation on condition of added Obedience and Perseverance and so is a Law of Liberty Christ is the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him 4. This doing his commands which is made his imposed condition is the necessary entitling qualification for blessedness Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in by the Gates into the City 26. If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this mans religion is vain 26. If any man among you seem to others or himself to be religious and perhaps of a higher form than others and yet bridleth not his tongue from backbiting slandering or reproaching his Brethren to render them contemptible and unlovely and from speaking ill of men without either truth or a just call this man 's sinful practice doth shew that his Religion is but ineffectual and vain and doth but serve to deceive his own heart For that which doth not save men from sin will not save them from justice 27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherless and widdows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world 27. There is great contending among Christians whose way of Religious Worship is the purest and best pleasing to God That is the pure and undefiled Religion in God's sight who is our Father which is effectual to sound practical Charity and to a pure unspotted holy life even with true Love and Liberality to relieve those that are in distress and to keep heart and life clean from the love of the World and the temptations of wicked worldly men as seeking in hope for a better World CHAP. II. 1. MY brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons 1. And you that profess to believe the Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ which the poorest Christians shall partake of equally with the rich and to which all worldly glory is but vanity must not now make a great difference in the Church between rich men and the poor by a worldly respect of persons for their riches 2. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring in goodly apparel and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment 3. And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing and and say unto him Sit thou here in a good place and say to the poor Stand thou there or sit here under my footstool 4. Are ye not then partial in your selves and are become judges of evil thoughts 2 3 4. If in your Church-Assemblies you inordinately shew respect to men for gay cloathing as rich and set light by men that by their garb seem poor do you not shew a carnal partiality by overvaluing wealth and a Judgment misguided by evil estimation Note 1. That this speaketh not against honouring Magistrates but Riches 2. Nor against a prudent respect to the Rich so far as by their wealth they may be engaged to do more good than others 3. And I think those mistake that rather expound this of meetings of Bishops for Judicature as Dr. Hammond than other Church-Assemblies For 1. If they mean any forcing Judicatures Christians had none such there being then no Christian Magistrates that had the power of the Sword 2. And if Bishops had been like our Diocesans and so distant they could not have travelled so far as such must do to keep up ordinary Judicatures without a total deserting their chief work for their Flocks 3. And as they truly were Congregational Bishops over no more than one of our Parishes their distance between City and City was too great for this without the like omissions 4. Christians having then no Judicial Power but as Arbitrators the Contenders chose what Arbitrators they thought best 5. Their Publick Church-Government was exercised in the same Assemblies which met for Worship which therefore are liker here to be mentioned with respect to their most usual business and not the rarer 6. It is the whole Church and not the Bishops only that is here admonished 7. It is too hard a censure for such men to use as are pleading for too much honour to Bishops to suppose them so early guilty of so much partiality and carnal respect to fine cloths and riches and so much Injustice in Judging as this Doctor 's Exposition doth suppose It 's liker to be the vulgars fault 5. Hearken my beloved brethren Hath not God
not that the outward act of washing the Body serveth to this Salvation nor must you think that God layeth it on any outward Ceremony save as it is the exercise of our Obedience and Faith But it is the faithful answer to God of a resolved Soul in the Covenant of Baptism who when asked doth profess and promise to believe in and give up it self to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and to Renounce the World the Flesh and the Devil Baptism is but the celebration of this saving Covenant and it is covenanting sincerely that is the Condition of Salvation and Washing is but the sign 22. Who is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him 22. And well may I say that Christ's Resurrection saveth sincere baptized Covenanters as God by the Ark did Noah c. when Christ thus risen is gone into Heaven advanced to the highest Authority and Honour all Angels and all Authorities and Powers in Heaven or Earth being made subject as his Enemies to their woe and his Servants to their joy shall shortly find so that he is fully able to give and do for us whatever he hath promised and we need CHAP. IV. 1. FOrasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same mind for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin 2. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God 1 2. Let then the sufferings of Christ have their due effect on you in conforming you to his death that you may as crucified or dead men give over sinning being as dead to fleshly lusts that ye no longer live the rest of your time in the flesh according to the lusts of your selves or any tempting men but wholly live to the will of God as your Rule and End 3. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness lusts excess of wine revellings banquettings and abominable idolatries 3. Alas we did too long live according to Heathen Sensuality and that time cannot be called back even in lasciviousness and lusts either fornication or immodesties that tend thereto and in excess of wine or strong drinks in revellings and banquettings or unnecessary feastings to gratifie fleshly appetite and lusts and in the bacchanals and jovialties of their Idolatry 4. Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot speaking evil of you 4. And though it is monstrous against humanity that reasonable men should thus live like brutes yet they stand and wonder at you as if you were the monsters or strange people because you will not be as bad and mad as they and run with them brutishly against God and Faith and Reason into this sensual excess of sports lust and riot 5. Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead 5. But the time is near when for all this they must come to Judgment and a sad account they must shortly give to the Righteous Judge of all the World 6. For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the spirit 6. But wonder not at their obloquy nor imitate them but look to the Example of the Martyrs and those that are dead in Christ who received and obeyed the Gospel preacht to them that while they were judged and persecuâ—ed in the flesh according to the rage of men they might live in the Spirit unto God and obtain his glory through all such suffering 7. But the end of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer 7. But the time of their foolish rage and of your patient suffering will be but short The end of all earthly things is near therefore let soberness be to you instead of lusts and revelling and fleshly pleasure and by watching and prayer seek and wait for grace and glory 8. And above all things have fervent charity among your selves for charity shall cover the multitude of sins 8. And above all things be sure that you have and carefully preserve and exercise not only peace and mutual forbearance but a special love yea fervent love to one another even to all Christians and specially in your Societies and Relations For as love covereth and not aggravateth faults towards one another so God who hath said Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy and if ye forgive you shall be forgiven will cover and forgive the many sins of sincere loving Christians Note 1. The two Extreams that in all Ages have torn the Church should have regarded these words of Peter 1. The Papal Church-tearers that persecute all that consent not to their Canons Forms and Shadows should have remembred above all things even above your pretended plea for Obedience to you and Decency and Order have fervent Love 2. And the passive Separatists that can find faults enough in the Orders and Forms and Ceremonies of Churches to separate from the Communion of almost all on Earth should have deeplier received such Texts as this above all your superstitious pretences to more purity of Churches and better Discipline have fervent Charity 3. It is but partiality and jealousie of the Cause of Justification against the Papists which maketh some excellent Expositors distort this Text so as to exclude from its sense God's covering of our sins because they consider not aright 1. That Pardon as continued and as renewed for daily renewed sins hath more for the condition of it required in us than the first Pardon and begun Justification hath The first act of sound Faith serveth for the beginning but the continuance of it with its necessary fruits is necessary to the continuance and renewing of Pardon 2. That the Faith which is required to Justification and Pardon is giving up our selves to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost in the Baptismal Covenant That is our Christianity which is not put in opposition to that Love or Repentance which is still implied as part of the same Covenant Consent or its necessary fruit but to the Works of the Law of Moses or of Works or any that are set in competition with Christ and Free Grace If prejudice hindred not men the reading of the Angel's words to Cornelius and of Christ's forgive and ye shall be forgiven and the Parable of the pardoned Debtor cast into Prison for not pardoning his Fellow-servant with Jam. 2. and Matth. 25. would end all this controversie 9. Use hospitality one to another without grudging 10. As every man hath received the gift even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God 9 10. As God hath
or only such as Ebion Cerinthus and others that denyed somewhat of Christ's Being his Manhood or his Godhead or his real Suffering Or those that were for Moses's Law and held that Christ may be denyed with the Tongue in case of danger so that the heart deny him not pretending that God will have Mercy to our selves and not Sacrifice 24. Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning if that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father 24. Hold fast the Doctrine which at the first ye received from us and turn not after Novelties and this will preserve you against Seduction and continue you in the Faith Relation and Love of the Son and Father 25. And this is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal life 25. And if you live by â—aith upon his Promises he will give you Eternal Life which he hath promised whatever you suffer or forsake here in the way 26. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you 26. It is the seducing Hereticks who occasion my writing these Warnings to you 27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him 27. But I hope I need no other Argument to confirm you in the Christian Faith against Seducers than that the Spirit of Christ which is his Witness Agent and Advocate hath through his Apostles Preaching and Imposition of Hands been given to you and among you His Miracles have sealed his Truth before your eyes and his illuminating and sanctifying Grace hath been given you if you be true Believers And I hope you will not deny the Holy Ghost As he is thus the Infallible Objective Evidence of Christ's Truth so is he in you an Efficient Illuminating Teacher and ready within you to plead Christ's Cause and teach you all necessary Truth Therefore you need not any man's Testimony and Teaching as those do that have no other but must take the Word of Man alone Use Christ's Ministers but in due Subordination to the Spirit and quench it not and he will keep you 28. And now little children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming 28. Therefore Children waver not but fixedly abide in Christ and true Christianity that when he shal appear in Judgment we may see and meet him with joyful confidence and not with shame unto Condemnation as Apostates will Note 'T is wonder that he that expounds all this of Christ's coming to destroy Jerusalem by the Romans his Enemies should think that all the Christians to whom the Apostles wrote should then meet Christ or be so much comforted therein when most were like to die first and few living to be much the better for it And Christian Compassion would fill them with Grief as Paul had Rom. 9. and 11. and not make them like men of utter malice to take it for so great joy to have the Jews so murdered when Christ wept over them that foretold it and when the Romans were far more to persecute the Church near three hundred Years And this Exposition leaveth all the Christian World since to this day little more use of the abundance of Motives and Comforts of the New Testament than of the fulfilled Prophecies of the Old Do not Christ's and the Apostles words nearly concern us Or should the Church be moved to Constancy Patience and Comfort chiefly sixteen hundred Years after because a Million of Jews were killed then 29. If ye know that he is righteous ye know that every one that doth righteousness is born of him 29. And as ye believe that Christs is just and a Lover of Righteousness so all that sincerely live a righteous Life towards God and Man are new born by his Sanctifying Spirit to his Image and shall surely be received and owned by him CHAP. III. 1. BEhold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not 1. Let us therefore instead of forsaking Christ admire the wondrous Love of God to us that hath in Christ adopted us to be his Sons Indeed our Dignity is unknown to the unbelieving World for they knew not Christ to be the Son of God and how then should they know us 2. Beloved now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 2. And it is no wonder if our Condition be unknown to the unbelieving World for though we are already the Sons of God and have Right by Promise to future Glory our future Glory is yet unseen and what we shall be doth not appear to the World or to our own sight But we know by faith that when Christ appeareth we that are his Members shall in our several measures be made like our glorified Head in the Perfection both of Soul and Body and place and state of Blessedness For he hath promised that we shall be with him and therefore shall see him as he is and therefore be made capable of such a sight and glorious Communion 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure 3. And knowing that without Holiness none can see God and that it is the Pure in heart that have the Promise of seeing him therefore all that have a true effectual Hope of seeing him will make it their chief care to purifie themselves that such Likeness to Christ may render them capable of such a blessed sight 4. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law for sin is the transgression of the law 5. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin 4 5. For to sin is to transgress and break God's Law for that is the definition of Sin And ye know that Christ came in the Flesh to be a Sacrifice for Sin and to take it away and destroy it and never sinned himself and all this that he might vindicate God's Law and Holiness 6. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him 6. So far as any man is in him and is taught and ruled by him so far is he freed from all sin and all his true Members are delivered from the predominant love and practice of all known sin and are willing to know all that they may avoid it And he that would not know it and when he doth know it doth not hate it more than love it and so far forsake it as to conquer
the Dominion of it and live in sincere and willing holy Obedience in the course of his Life may boast falsly that he is a Christian but indeed hath no true saving knowledge of Christ 7. Little children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous 7. Be not so childish as to be deceived by the vain words of any that pretend to be righteous before God on any account whatsoever while they live in Unrighteousness and predominant sin as if God would justifie the Wicked for their Opinions or Presumptions It is he that being called justified and sanctified by the Merits and Spirit of Christ doth live in a sincere Obedience to him and labours to be like him in Holiness and Love to God and Man whom God will call a righteous man and save him as such when he is Judge 8. He that committeth sin is of the devil for the devil sinneth from the beginning For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil 8. So far as any man sinneth so far he is of the Devil and like him and he is the Servant of the Devil in whom sin is predominant or that liveth in the love and practice of any sin not consistent with true hatred of it and Repentance and the predominant love and practice of holy Obedience And Christ will be no justifying Advocate or Judge of the Servants of the Devil though he may by making them just and holy turn them from the power of Satan to God and judge them just when he hath made them just both by Conversion and Pardon but not before For the Son of God came purposely into the World to destroy the Works of the Devil in all that he will save and not to call the Wicked Righteous 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God 9. He that is truly regenerate by the Spirit is made a hater and forsaker of sin and therefore doth not live in the ruling love or practice of it nor indeed commit any sin in that degree that he is sanctified much less live in wilful gross sin for God's Word and Spirit by which he was regenerate still abide in him And it is a Contradiction to say that at once he is a holy person born of God and yet liveth in reigning sin Note Cannot Here signifieth a Hypothetical Impossibility because 't is a Contradiction and not a natural Impossibility much less Impotency for it is sinning and not forbearing sin that signifieth Impotency And the Contradiction is only on Supposition that he continue sanctified 10. In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the devil whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother 10. It is not by proud Boasting nor barren Opinions that God's Children are known from the Children of the Devil but by the Image of God which Faith in Christ doth cause in his true Disciples He that doth not live in the true love and practice of Righteousness towards God and Man abhorring and avoiding Ungodliness Injustice and fleshly Lusts is no Child of God but of the Devil nor he that doth not unfeignedly love all Christians as Christians and men as men and live in Charity to them accordingly Note That wicked men are called The Children of the Devil because they are like him and do his Will And the World swarmeth with men so like to Devils in Lying Malignity and Mischiefs as maketh it easie to believe that there are Devils and a Hell 11. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning that we should love one another 11. For this is the Message which Christ the Lord of Love did commit to us and from the first we have preached to you that Love is the very â—â—m and End of Law and Gospel 12. Not as Cain who was of that wicked one and slew his brother and wherefore slew he him because his own works were evil and his brother's righteous 12. That we be not like wicked Cain who was of the Diabolical Disposition and Practice and killed his own Brother And Why did he kill him Not for any ill desert nor for any harm that he had done him but because he was bad himself and his Works bad and his Brother 's Righteous and by difference condemned him Note Doubtless God permitted Adam's first Son to be wicked and murder his righteous Brother to shew the World what a state we are first in since the Fall by natural Pravity and that we are as such the Children of the Devil till Grace recover us and to expound the Enmity put between the Seed of the Woman and of the Serpent and to tell us what a War will be continued upon Earth from the days Cain and Abâ—l till the End and that Superiority and Cruelty will usually be against the Righteous whose Victory is mostly by patient Suffering and Death 13. Marvel not my brethren if the world hate you 13. If the ungodly Successors of Cain whose own Works are evil do hate Godliness and Conscience and hate you for them take it for no strange or unexpected thing It hath been so since Cain's days and will be so as Christ foretold 14. We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren he that loveth not his brother abideth in death 14. Love being the great Work of God's Renewing Spirit on the Soul it is by Love especially to all true Christians that we know that we are changed from the Cainish corrupt state of Death into the state of holy Life Whatever else men have if they have not true love to others especially to godly Christians they are yet dead in sin Note 1. By The Brethren here is meant Christians as such Not only those of some Party in Opinion which we like nor only those that are friendly to us nor yet all men or all called Christians alike though all men must be loved as men It is to love God in man and man for his sake so far as God's Amiableness shineth in them specially to love God's Holiness in holy persons 2. It is not all Love to godly Christians as such that will prove us translated from Death to Life but to love them and God in them better than the Pleasures and Wealth of the World The cheap Love of such as wish men well but will be at no great cost or danger for any because they love their Money better is the Hypocrites Love 15. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him 15. Note 1. How dreadful a Sentence this is against malignant or factious Haters of Brethren 2. But the Self-deceit of murderous Hypocrites is by taking Brethren for no Brethren but as the Papists first call them Hereticks
Schismaticks Fanaticks Puritans Rebels against the Pope or Church that they may justifie their hating murdering imprisoning silencing and ruining them As the Scribes were loth to know who was their Neighbour so are these loth to know who is a Brother But God will know his Children though men call them by reproachful names Alas for the murderous Generation that preach write and strive to destroy the Upright and say they killed them or ruined them in Love that is they hated them in Love Woe to them when God shall judge them 3. Every degree of unjust Hurt or Hatred is a Breach of the Sixth Commandment But the meaning is not every degree or mistaking wrong is as bad as actual Murder or as sure a sign of Death Alas how few else would live 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren 16. As God hath manifested his Love to us by laying down for us the Life of our Redeemer so if we be God's Children we must learn of him as to love our Enemies so if God should call us to it as needful to better ends than our lives to lay down our lives for Christian Brethren 17. But whoso hath this worlds good and seeth his brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him 17. And if Love must make us die for others surely those have no true Love to God and to the Brethren as God requireth who cannot lay down part of their abundance perhaps superfluity for them but while they are well able yet cannot find in their hearts to relieve them but shut up the bowels of their compassion from them Note O the dreadful account that many of the Rich must give that feast all the year while their poor Neighbours hunger and spend forty times more in needless house-keeping as they call their Luxury than on the Poor 18. My little children let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth 18. Let not your Love be hypocritical which will bring forth no better fruit than good wishes and fair words but shew the truth of it by your cost and real helps 19. And hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him 19. It is by such efficacy and real fruit that we must know that we are true Christians and not Hypocrites and must have assurance that our hearts are true to God 20. For if our heart condemn us God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things 21. Beloved if our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God 20 21. For if our Consciences tell us that our Love is barren and fruitless and so condemn us of Hypocrisie God is greater and more acquainted with our Hypocrisie than our Consciences But if our Conscience truly witness the sincerity of our Love by the fruits of it then this assurance of our Sincerity giveth us boldness towards God 22. And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight 22. And if we do God's Will sincerely in obeying his Commands and the things that please him he will hear our Prayers and grant our just desires and give us that which is good for us whereas if we love iniquity and live therein God will not hear our Prayers Note They that deny that holy sincere Obedience is any condition of God's hearing our Prayers because Faith hath the promise contradict the scope of Scripture 23. And this is his commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us commandment 23. And the sum of all this acceptable duty is but this To believe truly in Jesus Christ our Redeemer our Teacher King and Intercessor and to obey his great Command of Loving one another with all such God is pleased and heareth them 24. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us 24. And if we keep Christ's Commands of fruitful Love in Faith there is a near Communion between Christ and us we dwell in Christ as his Members and he dwelleth in us and his dwelling in us is by the Spirit of Love and Holiness the Seal of his Promise which he hath given us He that keepeth Christ's Commandments specially of Love hath his Spirit And Christ dwells where his Spirit dwells CHAP. IV. 1. BEloved believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God because many false prophets are gone out into the world 1. There be many false Teachers who pretend to Revelation as Prophets who teach you the Doctrines of Sensuality Worldliness and Malice contrary to the Doctrine of Holiness and Love which I have taught you Therefore believe not that every man speaketh by God's Spirit who pretendeth to it nor that every strong suggestion in your selves is from God's Spirit which seemeth such before you try it But try all pretences of the Spirit whether they come indeed from the Spirit of God or rather from Satan or mens own imagination corrupted by pride Qu. How shall we justly try Spirits or spiritual pretences Ans By somewhat that is more easily known and no otherwise And that is two things 1. The common certain notices of the Light and Law of Nature 2. By the Infallible words of the Spirit in Christ and his Apostles and Prophets For both these are the sure Word of God who doth not contradict himself Our gifts of the Spirit are lower than the Apostles and must be tryed by theirs which were given them to record a Rule for us 2. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God 3. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of Antichrist whereof you have heard that it should come and even now already is it in the world 2 3. By this you shall know whether these Pretenders speak from the Spirit of God For the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Christ sent by him to be his Advocate and plead his Cause and do his Work in the World and therefore beareth witness of him If therefore these Teachers truly and openly in the face of danger do own profess and preach Christ Jesus as the Incarnate Word and Son of God sent from Heaven to redeem teach rule and save us this Doctrine is of the Spirit of God But if they deny the Godhead or Manhood of Christ or that he is indeed the true Incarnate Saviour Prophet Priest and King or will not own him in hazards or sufferings but deny him to save the flesh and teach men so to do
into some sins that are to be punished with Bodily Death or â—hame Magistrates must put to death Murderers and other capital Offenders and when Magistrates do it not God will oft times do it without them himself as he did on Ananias and Sapphira and others In this case if one be to be executed by Justice or be under God's Justice that will put him to death you may pray for his Soul but you must not pray for his Life though he repent because it is against God's Law and the common Good And if you should pray for the Recovery of such a man in Sickness God hath not promised you to recover him No nor any of his own Children when their dying time is come 18. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not 18. We know that all that are born of God hate sin and overcome it in the course of their lives and live in no reigning sin which is predominant but only hated infirmities which consist with sincere predominant Faith Obedience and Repentance nor have any sin at all so far as they have the Divine Nature but they watchfully keep themselves from the prevalence of Satan's snares 19. And we know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickedness 19. And though Christ's Flocks here be less than the World we see by experience that we are of God guided by his Spirit obeying his Laws pleasing his Will living to him and hoping for his Glory and that the unconverted World is wholly set on wickedness and mischief so notorious is the difference between the faithful and the ungodly World which foretells the future difference 20. And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the true God and eternal life 20. In a word by all aforesaid we are certain of the truth of our Religion We are sure that the Son of God is come and Christ is he and by his Doctrine and Spirit hath enlightned us to know the true and only God and his Will and we are by faith and the Spirit planted into him who is the Truth even into Jesus Christ So that we are sure it is the true God that we believe and serve and the Gift and Title to Eternal Life that by Christ we do receive 21. Little children keep your selves from idols Amen 21. I speak to you in love as if you were my own Children but with care of you as to your weakness and what temptations the Idolatrous World assaults you with As Christ hath called you out of the World from Idolatry which you have renounced as you love God and your Saviour and your Souls hold close to Christ and return not to Idols nor partake of their Sacrifices nor seem to own them by Idolatrous Communion Amen The Second Epistle of JOHN the Apostle 't is most commonly thought but not certain 1. THe elder unto the elect lady and her children whom I love in the truth and not I only but also all they that have known the truth 2. For the truth's sake which dwelleth in us and shall be with us for ever 1 2. Note It seems this was some choice Woman that was a great support and helper to the Christians and eminent in Piety and stedfastness in the Faith Though some few groundlesly think that it was some Church that he calleth Lady 3. Grace be with you mercy and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Father in truth and love 3. Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and Christ the Son are the true unvaluable Blessings I wish you to confirm you in the two great parts of Religion Truth and Love 4. I rejoyced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth as we have received a commandment from the Father 4. I greatly rejoyced that I found thy Children both holding fast the Christian Truth and living in the practice of it as the Father commanded us to preach and do 5. And now I beseech thee lady not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee but that which we had from the beginning that we love one another 5. The sum of my writing to thee is not any Novelty but the old great Law of Christ Be sure that we keep up true Christian Love which Satan is an Enemy to 6. And this is love that we walk after his commandments This is the commandment that as ye have heard from the beginning ye should walk in it 6. And the Love in which we all must live is our Union and Concord in keeping his Commandments even the same Gospel which from the beginning was committed to us For both new and false Doctrines and a sinful life do break the Union and Peace of Christians 7. For many deceivers are entred into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh This is deceiver and an antichrist 7 For there are many Hereticks now come to that deceiving pass that they deny Christ himself either his Godhead or Manhood or Office or Work yea his Incarnation as if his Body were but a Fantasm These are Deceivers and Antichrists 8. Look to your selves that we lose not those things which we have wrought but that we receive a full reward 8. Look to your selves with watchful care that no temptation draw you to back-slâ—de and you lose all your former belief and labour nor we our ministerial labour on you but hold on that you and we may attain that full Reward that we seek 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son 9. As it was by the Doctrine of Christ that you were brought into your blessed Knowledge and Relation to the Father and the Son so if you fall from that Doctrine you will fall from God himself to whom by Christ you are reconciled But if you abide in Christ's Doctrine you will continue your Relation to the Father and the Son 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed 11. For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds 10 11. As for those Hereticks and Apostates that deny the Gospel or any Essential Part of Christianity shew them no encouraging Countenance Familiarity or Communion otherwise you will be guilty as Partners in their sin 12. Having many things to write unto you I would not write with paper and ink but I trust to come unto you and speak face to face that our joy may be full 13. The children of thy elect sister greet thee Amen 12 13. Note 1. Presence maketh
friendly Converse the more comfortable 2. By Elect Sister here again some think he meaneth another Church but it cannot be proved The Third Epistle of JOHN 't is most likely the Apostle 1 THe elder unto the well beloved Gaius whom I love in the truth 2. Beloved I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospereth 1 2. My love to thee for the Truths sake which thou adherest to maketh me wish earnestly that as thy Soul prospereth so may thy Bodily Health for the service of God and thy Soul 3. For I rejoyced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee even as thou walkest in the truth 3. Note 1. Soul-Mercies are the greatest Mercies and matters of greatest joy for one another 2. Good Reports of our Brethren is a duty tending to the comfort of Ministers and Friends 4. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth 4. Note True Ministers rejoyce more for the welfare of men's Souls than in Preserments Wealth or Worldly Honour 5. Beloved thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren and to strangers 6. Which have born witness of thy charity before the church 5. It is well done of thee as a sincere Christian that thou shewest so much love and help both to the Brethren of the Church with thee and to Strangers in their Banishment and Travels Which divers have here testified before the Church to thy praise 6. Whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort thou shalt do well 7. Because that for his name's sake they went forth taking nothing of the Gentiles 6 7. And if thou further furnish and help them in their Travel it will be a laudable Christian Duty doing as to God's Servants who for Christ's Name sake went out of their Country to preach abroad or were persecuted out and took nothing of the Gentile Christians towards their Maintenance in their Travels 8. We therefore ought to receive such that we might be fellow-helpers to the truth 8. To entertain and further such is part of our duty for the propagating of the Gospel He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall have a Prophet's reward 9. I wrote unto the church but Diotrephes who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them receiveth us not 9. I wrote for them to the Church my Testimonial and desire of their Reception but their Bishop Diotrephes who loveth to rule as pre-eminent among them receiveth nor us Jews or my Letters and Request to the Church for them 10. Wherefore if I come I will remember his deeds which he doth prating against us with malicious words and not content therewith neither doth he himself receive the brethren and forbiddeth them that would and casteth them out of the Church 10. Note 1. By remembring his deeds and words is meant sharp rebuking him before all at least 2. It 's like that this Diotrephes was Pastor or Bishop else he could not have cast such out of the Church At least he was some great man that usurpt that Power But sure no Lay-man did so early usurp the Keys 3. By this we see that the Pride of domineering Bishops began early to be Schismatical and divide the Church by Tyranny Yea it grew arrogant to oppose and reject the Beloved Apostle and maliciously to prate against him There is no Man or Cause so good but a malicious Bishop or other man may prate against it As there are few Mutinies dangerous in Armies unless headed by some Commanders so there are few Schisms much dangerous in the Church but those that are headed by Bishops or Clergy-men 4. It is uncertain whether it was to receive them to Communion or only to Hospitality that Diotrephes opposed But it 's like it was both because he cast out their receivers from Communion 5. It is not certain whether he did it on any difference of Opinion or occasional quarrel but it is most like it was that he was a Gentile Christian and too much despised the Jews as they censured and separated too much from the Gentiles Rom. 14. Gal. 2. Thus Separation on both sides soon began and even Peace-making Apostles could not be heard by the dividers 11. Beloved follow not that which is evil but that which is good He that doth good is of God but he that doth evil hath not seen God 11. Imitate not such proud hurtful uncharitable dividing Examples whatever it pretend to a hurtful uncharitable course is not of God such are not true Believers and know not God aright But it is doing good that must shew that we are of God By their fruit ye shall know them Note Clergy Roman Cruelty by Inquisitions Prisons Ejecting true Ministers c. shews that they are not of God though they pretend Power Order Unity Faith as if it were for God and Truth 12. Demetrius hath good report of all men and of the truth it self yea and we also bear record and ye know that our record is true 12. Both common report and his own good works and our true Witness commend Demetrius 13 14. I had many things to write but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee But I trust I shall shortly see thee and we shall speak face to face Peace be to thee Our friends salute thee Greet the friends by name 13 14. Note Kind Remembrances and Greetings are suitable to Christian Friendship The General Epistle of JUDE most probably the Apostle 1. JUDE the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James to them that are sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ and called 2. Mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied 1 2. Note Men being judged of according to their professioâ—â— all Christians are called sanctified persons 3. Beloved when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints 3. Note 1. The common Salvation signifieth but tâ—aâ— way to Salvation which all must go in that will be savâ—d God's high-way to Heaven Christ and his Gospel 2. The Apostles writing more against Hereticks and Jews than Heathens tells us that the Church hath more cause usually to defend the Truth against pretended Religious Zealots and Sects that are erroneous than against open Pagans who are not animated by so much blind Zeal against them therefore they know not the Churches case who fear none but pâ—ophane Enemies 3. Though Love and Meekness may be predominant in Christians earnest contending for the Faith against corrâ—pting Hereticks is oft a duty But if this be pretended for odious Censures Excommunications Persecutions or dividing Contentions against Christians of the same Faith for their differences about lesser things and for tolerable imperfections or for doubting of unnecessary Opinions Ceremonies
and all men according to your works Note Judging is either Justifying or Condemning and Executing accordingly Our first Justification which maketh us Just and so Accounts us is not according to any works strictly so called unless you will call it a work believingly to Accept a free gift Nor is our Justification in Judgment according to the works of the Law of Innocency or of Moses or any that can be thought to make the Reward not of Grace but of Debt But it is according to our performing the Covenant of Christianity made by Christ the condition of Salvation 24. But unto you I say and to the rest in Thyatira as many as have not this doctrine and which have not known the depths of Satan as they speak I will put upon you none other burden 25. But that which ye have already hold fast till I come 24 25. Note Some Copies have And and some leave it out If it be you and the rest it must mean you Pastors and the faithful People And this would shew that it is not One but Many Pastors that is meant by the Angel But if And be left out then the sense is All you of the Church that are not polluted with this filthy Doctrine which the pretenders to Wisdom call Profound Knowledge but is indeed the Depths of Satan I will put on you no new Doctrine nor Burden but charge you to hold fast that Apostolick Doctrine which you have received and wait in fidelity for my coming who will reward you 26. And he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end to him will I give power over the nations 27. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers even as I have received of my Father 26 27. This Promise is diveâ—sly expounded 1. Some think that it is not the same persons then living to whom it is made but those that in Constantine's time are found persevering shall then be advanced by him to honour and power Others think that it is to the same persons and meaneth buâ— that they shall be made Bishops and convert many Heathens But all the Church could not be made Bishops and Bishops then were the greatest Sufferers and converting is not ruling and dashing them in pieces with an Iron Rod. The Phrase is fetcht from Psal 2. Others think that it is meant of the Heavenly power of faithful separated Souls and that after death the Saints joyn with Angels â—s invisible Rulers of this World And others think that it is meant of a thousand years Reign on Earâ—h before the last Judgment And others think it is meant of the state after Judgment and that the Damned shall be as Slaves to the glorified Saints It is certain that it signifieth a triumphant glorious state in Heaven but the â—est is dark to us I think it meaneth that they shall partake of Christ's Royal Power subserviently in their degree by which they shall now triumph over the World in faith and in time be delivered from men's Tyrannny and at Death initially and at Judgment fully shall with Christ judge the World of wicked Men and Angels which is here called Ruling them And it is not improbable that the miserable damned ones will be in some sort trod down by Christ and his Saints but how we yet know not By the Morning-Star seemeth meant Christ and his Spirit to shine on them in Glory 29. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches 29. Let none take themselves to be unconcerned in Christ's Message to his Churches for it is recorded for our common use and nearly concerneth us all CHAP. III. 1. ANd unto the angel of the church in Sardis write These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars I know thy works that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead 1. To the Angel that is the Pastors and People of the Church in Sardis Thus saith he who is the Lord of Angels and Ministers Note Though the Spirits before were named before Christ it was not as preferring them before him for he is here said to have them as he hath the Pastors I know what thou art and dost and that thou art reputed by men to be an excellent Church but thou art declined to a cold and decayed state even like to death Note Profession and outward Splendor make Churches and persons applauded that wanting the life and power of the Religion they profess are next to dead 2. Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die for I have not found thy works perfect before God 2. Be awakned from thy Self-flattery and Coldness and revive and exercise that Good which yet thou hast that it may be strengthned for I find much Hypocrisie and Formality in thee and not that Soundness Seriousâ—ess and Zeal which God will require 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent If therefore thou shalt not watch I will come on thee as a thief and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee 3. Remember what Doctrine my Apostles taught thee and hold fast that and receive no other Repent of thy Back-sliding for if thou do not awake and watch in holy Preparation I will come upon thee with my Judgments as a Thief cometh on men asleep when thou art most fearless and dost least expect me 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy 4. Though the greater part of that Church be as dead in their declining some few there are yet in it who have kept their Innocency from Heresie Vice and Cowardly Shrinking and these shall have the honourable Reward of their Uprightness for they are worthy of it according to the Law of Grace which promiseth it to such alone Note Yet these few Names are not commanded to separate from the rest 5. He that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life but I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels 5. He that overcometh in this Life of Tryal shall be cloathed with the Glory which signifieth the Reward of Innocency and is the mark of Dignity and Honour for such then was White Raiment and I will own him openly before my Father and his Angels as one who is enrolled as a Denison of Heaven among the Elect of God Note If White Garments now be seemly for conquering Saints they are unmeet for them that are overcome by the World and the love of its Honour Wealth and Power and by fleshly Lusts 6. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches 7. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write These things saith he
the Grace of sincere Righteousness and Holiness that thou bear not the shame of Hypocrisie and halting between Heresie or Infidelity and saving Truth and for the Illumination of my Spirit to know the danger of Heresie and Hypocrisie 19. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent 19. If I forsake you not but shew my love to you it will be by chastening you to revive your Care and Zeal If therefore you love not Chastening prevent it by Zeal and Reformation 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me 20. I have my time of offering Mercy and desiring you to entertain it And if any man hear and obey this Call I will come in by my Spirit and take habitual Possession of him and have spiritual Communion with him and he with me Note Though it be not without the Grace of Christ that we open to him when he knocks and receive his offered special Grace yet in this he layeth so much on Man as to make our Opening that is our Accepting-Faith the Condition of his Entring for a fixed Habitation by habitual Love and Holiness On which account Divines use to say that Faith and Repentance wrought first in Conversion are the Conditions or Qualifications for consequent Justification and Sanctification 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne 21. To him that overcometh all the Temptations of this Life so far as to keep his sincere Faith Love and Obedience to the End I will give a Participation in my Kingdom Power and Glory even as I obtained my Glory by overcoming Satan and the World Note This expoundeth what is meant before by Ruling the Nations with a Rod of Iron c. 22. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches 22. Note Let every man that hath an Ear and Heart lay close to heart these Reproofs Warnings and Promises of Christ to these seven Churches for it concerneth them all Again note that notwithstanding all Christ's Reproofs and Threatnings to many of these Churches he biddeth no one separate from them CHAP. IV. 1. AFter this I looked and behold a door was opened in heaven and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me which said Come up hither and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter 1. After this the Vision that I further saw was as if a Door had been opened into Heaven c. Note 1. Not that Heaven hath a Door but the Vision was to be suited to the Capacity of a Soul in Flesh 2. The Notices which advance Man's Understanding on Earth come all from Heaven 2. And thither must we look and seek if we will know the things of God 2. And immediately I was in the spirit and behold a throne was set in heaven and one sat on the throne 2. And immediately I was in an Extasie the Spirit acting me as above the Body And God revealing things according to my Capacity I thought I saw a Throne the Seat of Royal Glorious Majesty and a Royal Person sat on the Throne 3. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone and there was a rain-bow round about the throne in sight like unto an emerald 3. And the Power and Glory of him that sat on the Throne was represented to me as by the similitude of precious Stones a Jasper and a Sardine And his Glory and faithful keeping of his Covenant was represented to me by the Appearance of a Rain bow like an Emerald in colour round about the Throne 4. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting clothed in white raiment and they had on their heads crowns of gold 4. Note The Apparition being made to him that was a Jew was a Representation of the Jewish Camp in â—he Wilderness with the Tabernacle in the midst â—â—cording to which also the Temple-Worship was â—â—â—med to bear some similitude And the Christian-Assemblies had some resemblance to that Some think it relateth to the Church at Jerusalem which had say they twenty four Elders say some twelve Apostles and twelve Elders others that it is to the Bishop of Jerusalem and four and twenty City-Bishops of Judea who use to sit in Council with him who yet saith Dr. H. were then but the sole Pastors of single Assemblies without any other Elders under them but were after to have such Others think it intimateth that all Churches should unite in such Synods as consist of twelve Teaching Elders and twelve Ruling Elders that are not Teachers Rather all Churches and Pastors are signified by twenty four But all these are but mens unproved thoughts save only that in general the Vision appeared in resemblance of such an Assembly as is here described And it clearly intimateth 1. That the Elders have a proper Dignity and Honour and Power signified by their Seals and White Rayment and Crowns of Gold I would not have ignorant proud Lads that can but get a Lay-Patron to present them to a Benefice where they may live in the guilt of betraying Souls to call themselves these Elders nor to feign in White Rayment that they have Crowns of Gold 5. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne which are the seven spirits of God 5. Note 1. The Glory and Terrour of the heavenly Apparition is thus expressed From the similitude of the Temple-Worship and more fully of the Church-Worship and Sacred Assemblies whence must proceed the Light of Doctrine the Thunder of Reproof and just Censures and the Voices of common Consent and Praises to God Whether it signifie the scorching Lightnings and Thunderingâ— Excommunications of Lay-Chancellors Officials Surrogates Commissaries c. that use an absent Bishop's name over not one Parish only but many score or hundred Parish-Churches I leave to the Arguments of the Affirmers 2. The seven Lamps are expounded of the seven Spirits of God relating as some suppose to the Lamps which were continually to burn before the Tabernacle Exod. 17.20 and after before the Temple And as others think to the seven Deacons at Jerusalem Others think it is the seven Guardian Angels of the Asian Churches to whom John specially directeth all this Book though for the use of all others But of this and other such passages the great doubt is whether really there be not in the Spiritual World which John saw such things as he describeth and the Institutions about Tabernacle Temple and Church-Assembles be not formed to some resemblance of these Or whether all be spoken only of the things below of
on all Jews and Gentiles who are Believers and we might through Faith receive the promised Gift of the Holy Ghost as we have done 15. Brethren I speak after the manner of men Though it be but a mans covenant yet if it be confirmed no man disanulleth or addeth thereto 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made He saith not And to seeds as of many bâ—t as of one And to thy seed which is Christ 15 16. Even Men presume not to violate Covenants And Gods Promise to Abraham was to him and his Seed which immediately was Isaac prefiguring Christ eminently Though as all the Carnal Seed also sprang from Isaac so all Believers be included as springing from Christ 17. And this I say that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the law which was four hundred and thirty years after cannot dissanul that it should make the promise of none effect 17. And so the Covenant to Abraham as the Father of the Faithful including a Promise of Christ and his Seed by Faith was not nulled by the Law which was Four hundred and thirty years after But if Justification before was by Faith it must be so still and so all true Believers justified 18. For if the inheritance be of the law it is no more of promise but God gave it to Abraham by promise 18. For if the Blessing meant in that Covenant with Abraham be given on condition of keeping Moses's Law then cometh it not by free gift as it did to Abraham by that Promise But God gave it freely by Promise to Abraham without his keeping that Law 19. Wherefore then serveth the law It was added because of transgression till the seed should come to whom the promise was made and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator 19. To what use then was the Law given To convince Men of Sin and restrain them from it and make them know the need of a Mediating Saviour whom Moses typified as a Mediator in receiving the Law from the Ministry of Angels 20. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one but God is one 20. Now Mediation is between two Parties Of these that God is one who made the Promise to Abraham and justified him by Faith and surely is not mutable 21. Is the law then against the promises of God God forbid for if there had been a law given which could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the law 21. And hath this One God contradicted his Promises by his Law By no means Therefore he intended not that the Works of the Law should be our justifying Righteousness which it must have been if it could have given Life by the meritorious keeping of it and so God should have overthrown his former way of Justification 22. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe 22. But the Scripture tells us that all Men are under the Guilt of Sin and the Law doth not justifie Sinners that break it Therefore none can be justified by it And this it doth to teach us to look for Life by a Promised Christ 23. But before faith came we were kept under the law shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed 23. But before the Gospel and Christ Incarnate came which now as Objects constitute our Faith we Jews were under the restraint and tutorage of the Law to teach us to wait for Christ who is the Truth and End of the Law 24. Wherefore the law was our school-master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith 24. And so the Law to us Jews was suited to our Youth and Rudeness to keep us as a School-master in a learning and restrained State and prepare us for the Gospel and teach us to look for Justification by Faith in Christ alone 25. But after that faith is come we are no longer under a school-master 25. But now Christ is fully revealed to our Faith we are no longer under that preparatory Tutorage of Moses's Law 26. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus 26. For now all you that are sincere Believers are from under the bondage of legal servile Tasks and Fears and are taken into the Family of God as his adopted Children by Christ whom you believe in And all of you profess your selves to stand in this Relation and Hope 27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ 27. For as many of you as have sincerely consented to the Baptismal Covenant and so been baptized into the Faith of Christ and Relation to him have thereby even put him on as your Garment and wholly given up your selves to him and so as his Members are united to him And all that are baptized have professed this which the Sincere perform 28. There is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus 28. So that the difference between Jew and Greek Bond and Free Male and Female maketh no difference in your Relation to Christ and your Justification and Salvation by him 29. And if ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise 29. And if you be Christ's who was eminently Abraham's Seed in whom all Nations by Faith are blessed then it must needs follow that you also are Abraham's Seed in and through Christ and so are justified as Abraham was by Faith without the keeping of Moses's Law CHAP. IV. 1. NOw I say that the heir as long as he is a child differeth nothing from a servant though he be Lord of all 2. But is under tutours and governours until the time appointed of the father 1 2. As Heirs enjoy not their Estates in Minority but under Guardians are used like Servants till Maturity 3. Even so we when we were children were in bondage under the elements of the world 3. So the State of Legal Ceremonial Bondage was suited to our rude Minority 4. But when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the law 5. To redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons 4 5. But when God who carrieth on his Works from low Beginnings to Perfection saw it meet to use us as at Maturity he sent his Son into the World whose Humanity was made of a Woman made under the Law which he perfectly fulfilled that he might redeem those that were under the Law from its Bondage and Curse that they might henceforth serve him as Sons not in Legal Terrour but in Love and Joy 6. And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father 6. And as Fathers communicate their Natures to their Children and not onely their
Names and Inheritance so God having called you in Christ by Grace into this State of Adoption from the Servitude of Sin and the Law hath sealed you with his Sanctifying Spirit whereby in the Belief of his Fatherly Love to you in Christ your new Natures are inclined to love and trust him and depend on him and seek to him in all your Wants and Streights as Children to their Parents This is your Mark of Adoption Note That as Adoption is taken in two senses and degrees so is the Gift of the Spirit 1. To be so far Redeemed by Christ as to be brought from under Sin and the Law and Curse into a State of Sonship and Life by a Conditional Deed of Gift or Promise that is so Men will accept and not reject the Gift this is a Conditional Adoption and with this there goeth a measure of the Spirits Operation which should draw all and doth draw the Elect to the first true Faith and Repentance by Vocation 2. But to those that thus actually believe and repent and so receive Christ and are united to him is given with him the Gift and Relation of actual Adoption and these have actually the Spirit of Holiness Love and Adoption even possessing them 7. Wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son and if a son then an heir of God through Christ 7. So that now you are not Slaves or meer Servants ruled by constraint of fear and so not under the bondage of that Law which doth work by cursing Terrour but you are Sons and under a Fatherly Government and if Sons then have you right to the Inheritance by Christ 8. Howbeit then when ye knew not God ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods 8. But before you were brought to the true Knowledge of God you Gentile Christians were the worst of Slaves serving them that are no Gods at all and the Jews thought there was no hope of you but by becoming Proselytes to them And now Christ hath delivered both you and them 9. But now after that ye have known God or rather are known of God how turn ye again to the weak and beggerly elements whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage 9. And now you have learned the Knowledge of God or rather were by his free Mercy known first of him and called home by him what should more you to encline to forsake this State of Liberty and of Sons to become Servants under either Jewish or Gentile Bondage or that Law whose Ceremonies were suited to a poor and weak sort of People 10. Ye observe days and months and times and years 11. I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain 10 11. You keep the Jewish Ceremonial Sabbaths Feasts and Fasts as if that Law were obligatory to you This maketh me fear lest I have preached the Gospel to such in vain 12. Brethren I beseech you be as I am for I am as ye are ye have not injured me at all 12. Brethren rejecâ— not my Counsel and Example for it is for your own Interest and Liberty that I speak and not for any Gain of my own Your Dissent doth not hurt me but your selves 13. Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first 14. And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not nor rejected but received me as an angel of God even as Christ Jesus 13 14. You know that I was so far from seeking any Ends of my own when I first preached the Gospel to you that it cost me suffering in the Flesh from Persecutors And though by this I was rendred vile in the eyes of the World and few will own Men in their Sufferings yet you did not for this despise me or reject my Doctrine yea you received me as you would have done an Angel or Christ himself with Kindness 15. Where is then the blessedness you spake of for I bear you record that if it had been possible ye would have plucked out your own eyes and have given them to me 15. How happy did you then think your selves in the Comfort of the Gospel And how is the Case now altered For I testifie for you that your respect to me was so great that you would not have thought your very Eyes too dear to have given me had it been needful 16. Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth 16. And have I forfeited all your Love by telling you the truth which speaketh your Liberty and Peace with God though it may expose you to some suffering from the Jews 17. They zealously affect you but not well yea they would exclude you that you might affect them 17. They sollicit you with zealous Expressions of Love but it is not to do you good nor is erroneous Zeal and Kindness profitable Yea they would cast you out of your Spiritual Liberty and Grace that they might obtain a Mastery in your erroneous affections to them 18. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing and not only when I am present with you 18. Zealous Affections are Good when they are laid out on that which is good But then it should be constant and not liable to be changed by Seduâ—ers if your Teachers be but absent from you and not at hand to confute them 19. My little children of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you 20. I desire to be present with you now and to change my voice for I stand in doubt of you 19 20. You are to me as my Children and I am again in painful care of your Salvation till I hear that you are resolved Christians in sincerity I desire and did purpose to come to you For being in suspicion and fear of you I would know better what to say to you than at this distance I can 21 22. Tell me ye that desire to be under the law do ye not hear the law For it is written that Abraham had two sons the one by a bond-maid the other by a free-woman 21 22. Did you mark and understand the Law which you hear you would not desire to be under it You may read That Abraham had two Sons One by â—agar a Bond-servant the other by Sarah his Free and Lawful Wife 23. But he who was of the bond-woman was born after the flesh but he of the free-woman was by promise 23. Ismael was born of Hagar by ordinary carnal Generation but Isaac was born of Sarah by Gods Promise and his Power above the ordinary course of Nature 24. Which things are an allegory for these are the two covenants the one from the mount Sinai which gendereth to bondage which is Agar 24. Which are to be allegorically understood as denoting the two Covenants One that of the Law given at Mount Sinai which being a Law of Servitude and Fear is well signified by Agar 25. For this