true the joy of the holy Ghost 1 Thess 1. 6. is the rejoicing in afflictions contrary to the joy of the world and so rejoicing in hope Rom. 12. 12. but that hinders not but these phrases being otherwise inclined by the Context may signifie otherwise V. 23. Is sin In this place 't is certain the ancient Copyes generally added that Benediction which we now find ch 16. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Now to him that is able to stablish you according to my Gospel and so on to the end Thus we find it in S. Chrysostome and Theophylact c. And from thence the Posthumous notes under Grottus's name inferre that the Apostle first designed to end his Epistle there But there is no ground for such conjectural inference 'T is certain Doxologies may be seasonaâ—le in other places and not onely by way of conclusion and so we find in the like style 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now to him that is able c. Eph. 3. 20 21. in the middle of the Epistle and so incidently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whom be glory Gal. 1. 5. and more solemnly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now to the incorruptible King of Ages c. 1 Tim. 1. 17. almost in the beginning And it is S. Chrysostomes Note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is customary with S. Paul to conclude an exhortation with prayâ—rs and praises And Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After an exhâ—rtation he alwaies useth to pray The petitory part of this Doxology is contained in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a praying that God who alone is able will stablish them and this so proper to the whole business of the precedent chapter that it cannot without great injustice be taken from it and therefore without examining the reason of its removall for which we have onely probable conjecture it is all reason that it should be fetch'd back from ch 10. 25. and placed here as it ought to be CHAP. XV. 1. WE then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves Paraphrase 1. They that know the nature and extent of Christian liberty ought to help and relieve those that doe not understand it to be watchfull to keep them from falling into sinne and not please themselves too much in reflexion on their own strength and knowledge and neglect or despise others that have not so much 2. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification For even Christ pleased not himself but as it is written The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me Paraphrase 2 3. Let us rather doe what good we can to the edification of other men after Christ's example who did not consider the pleasing of himself but had the same common concernments with the Father that whatsoever befell God fell on him was as tender of Gods honour as if it were done to himself Psal 69. 9. see Joh. 2. 17. 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Paraphrase 4. And if ye think or pretend that those words spoken by the Psalmist belong not to you ye must know that generally such sayings in the old Testament were meant to be our instructions and documents and one principall use of them is that by the examples which we find there of the patience of pious men and of God's relieving and comforting those that want relief we might be confident that God will relieve us also in due time 5. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus Paraphrase 5. And that God for whom we ought to suffer and who will give you that relief give you also the grace of unity and charity such as Christ commanded and expects from you 6. That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 6. That ye may joyne unanimously Jewes and Gentiles into one and assembling together worship and serve the Lord who is both the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Eph. 1. 3 17. in all unity of affections and form of words 7. Wherefore receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God Paraphrase 7. Wherefore in all humility of condescension and kindnesse embrace and succour one another help them up when they are fallen in stead of despising and driving them from your communion after the example of Christ's usage toward men who came from heaven and kid down his life to relieve us and there is nothing by which God is more glorified then this 8. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the fathers Paraphrase 8. And that ye may not think fit to despise the Jewish believers let me tell you that Christ came to them was by God constituted a means or instrument of good to the Jewes in preaching to them the truth of God calling them to repentance and so exhibiting and making good to them the promises made of old to that people beyond all others 9. And that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercy as it is written For this cause I will confesse to thee among the Gentiles and sing unto thy name Paraphrase 9. And on the other side that the Jew may not condemn and reject the Gentile Christian or him that makes use of his lawfull liberty let him know that God hath been most wonderfully mercifull to the Gentiles and made Christ also an instrument of this mercy to them after that the Jewes had rejected him and so hath given them occasion to magnifie his name according to that of Psal 18. 49. I will praise thee and sing unto thee among the Gentiles signifying thereby that the Gentiles have cause to give thanks and praise him 10. And again he saith Rejoice ye Gentiles with his people Paraphrase 10. And so Deut. 32. 43. the Gentiles are bid to joyn with the Jewes in rejoicing and praising God 11. And again Praise the Lord all ye Gentiles and laud him all ye people Paraphrase 11. And so Psal 117. 1. all the nations and all the people of the world are called upon to praise God 12. And again Esaias saith There shall be a root of Jesse and he that shall rise to a reigne over the Gentiles in him shall the Gentiles trust Paraphrase 12. And Isaiah prophesying of Christ ch 11. 10. that should come from David's family under the type of Hezekiah a king of Judah lineally descending from David saith that he shall be for a standard to the Gentiles to whom they may and shall come and trust and relie on him 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power
consideration is the reason why the young children of Christians are admitted to baptisme before they come to knowledge because by their living in the family with Christian parents these children may be brought up in the faith and kept from heathen pollutions and the Church requiring and receiving promise from the parents doth consequently presume they will and by the same reason it is that the children of the heathen are not so admitted 15. But if the unbelieving depart let him depart A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases but God hath called us to peace Paraphrase 15. But now the thing not stated or medled with by Christ and therefore now promised to be defined by me ver 12. is this that in case the infidel will not live with the believer unlesse she will forsake her religion she is not then so enslaved or subjected so farre that she may doe acts prejudicial to her religion and to the betraying thereof for that end that she may continue with her husband but she remains blamelesse if she remain separate from him upon such his desertion But yet above all things that which is most to be observed is that the believing party doe the utmost that is possible to keep peace and agreement with the other not to fall out at all or if they doe to repaire the breach and be reconciled again nay farther not to marry again as long as there remains any hope of returning or reconciliation 16. For what knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thy husband or how knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy wife Paraphrase 16. For 't is possible that the Christian wife may use some means to work upon the infidel husband or the Christian husband on the wife so as to bring him or her to repentance and the faith of Christ and in intuition and hope of this any difficulties would be undergone but when this possibility ceaseth as in case that the heathen party desert or will not live with the Christian unlesse he or she desert the faith of Christ then 't is evident that this hope ceaseth and in this case the Christian party is free from those observances v. 15. 17. note e But as God hath distributed to every man as the Lord hath called every one so let him walk and so ordain I in all Churches Paraphrase 17. Onely according to the lot that any man hath befaln him if it be with an infidel wife or the like let him be content with it and doe as much good in it as he can and not think himself privileged by his being a Christian to throw it off And this every where is my doctrine and I desire it be universally resolved on in all Christian Churches 18. Is any man called being circumcised let him not note f become uncircumcised is any man called in uncircumcision let him not be circumcised Paraphrase 18. If one which hath been circumcised be converted to Christianity let him contentedly continue in it let him never trouble himself to get off that mark from his flesh as some did as on the other side he that is not circumcised when he is converted need not receive circumcision as some required of them Act. 15. 1. 19. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandements of God Paraphrase 19. For such outward things as these on either part are no part of Christianity but the observation of the precepts of Christ is all in all see Gal. 5. 6. and 6. 15. 20. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called 21. Art thou called being a servant care not for it but if thou mayest be made free use it rather Paraphrase 20 21. In what condition of life soever a man is when he is converted to Christianity let him contentedly continue in it and not think that Christian religion frees a man from any obligation that lay upon him before for that is to make Christian liberty a pretence for covetousnesse or lusts or secular advantages see 1 Tim. 6. 5. if either the being a Christian might manumit a servant or free an husband or wife from former obligations He therefore that being a bond-man is converted to Christianity must not think it any disparagement to his Christianity that he continues a servant still nor be solicitous of changing his condition Yet this is not so to be understood but that if by any fair regular means he can obtain his freedome he may then make use of them and preferre liberty before servitude for so he might have done if he had never been Christian 22. For he that is called in the Lord being a servant is the Lord's freeman likewise also he that is called being free is Christ's servant Paraphrase 22. For he that being in the condition of a servant is converted to Christianity doth by his conversion become a freeman in respect of Christ not that he ceaseth to be a servant to his former master or reaps any secular advantage thereby but his advantages are spiritual to wit that by being a Christian he is now delivered from many servitudes that of sinne c. that lie upon all others and to live in Christ's family as one of his freemen though in respect of the world he continue as a servant and so on the other side he that is a freeman and turns Christian becomes thereby a servant of Christ undertaking obedience to his commands though he lose not his liberty in the world by that means By which 't is clear that Christ meddles not with the secular government of the world nor changes any man 's outward condition by his becoming Christian 23. Ye are note g bought with a price be not ye the servants of men Paraphrase 23. On the other side they that have bought out their liberty and obtained manumission having been formerly servants to heathens let them not sell themselves again or revert voluntarily into that condition of slavery but preferre liberty rather ver 21. 24. Brethren let every man wherein he is called therein abide with God Paraphrase 24. And so still as he was when he was converted so set him still abide let not his being a Christian move him out of his state or make him lesse but rather more contented with it 25. Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord yet I give my judgment as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithfull Paraphrase 25. For your other question concerning virgins marrying at such a time as this or of those that are betrothed whether they should be bound to consummate their marriage or no I must say again that I have no command of Christ to build my answer upon yet I shall again give you my opinion in it as an honest faithfull man with all uprightnesse 26. I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distresse I say that it
long haire it is a glory to her for her haire is given her for a covering Paraphrase 15. And women do not but weare it at length and that is decent in them and to what purpose is this but that their haire may be a kind of vaile or covering to them 16. But if any man seem to be contentious we have no such custome neither the Churches of God Paraphrase 16. And if after all this any man will farther contend in this matter all that I shall adde is the constant custome of all the Apostolicall Churches that women in the Churches should constantly be veiled and that may be of sufficient authority with you 17. Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not that you come together not for the better but for the worse Paraphrase 17. Now one thing there is wherein you are much to be blamed that your assemblies are not so Christian as they ought 18. For first of all when ye come together in the Church I heare that there be divisions among you and I partly believe it Paraphrase 18. For first I am told and I have some reason to believe it that there are divisions and factions among you which expresse themselves in your assemblies 19. For there must be also heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you Paraphrase 19. And indeed there is some good use of be made of divisions among Chrâ—stians that so the honest and orthodox may be more taken notice of 20. When ye come together therefore into one place this is not to eat the Lord's supper Paraphrase 20. That which I am to blame in you is that your publick common meetings which should be as at the table of the Lord to eat a Church-meal a common Christian feast are indeed much otherwise none of that communicativenesse and charity among you as is required in such see Note on Act. 1. f. 21. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper and one is hungry and another is drunken Paraphrase 21. For at your feasts of charity accompanying the Lord's supper which were intended for the relief of the poor and wherein all the guests are to be equal no man to take place or eat before another no man to pretend any right to what he brought but every man to contribute to the common table and to eat in common with all others this custome is utterly broken among you he that brings a great deale falls to that as if it were in his own house at his own meal and so feeds to the full whereas another which was not able to bring so much is faine to goe hungry home and so your meetings are more to feed your selves then to practise a piece of Christian charity to which those sacramental assemblies were instituted 22. What have ye not houses to eat and to drink in or despise ye the Church of God and shame them that have not what shall I say to you shall I praise you in this I praise you not Paraphrase 22. This certainly is to doe as you were wont at home and you may as well stay there and doe thus this is quite contrary to the institution of Church-meetings and the not onely sending away hungry but even reproaching and putting to shame those that are in want and are not able to bring any great offering along with them This sure is a great fault among you 23. For I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread 24. And when he had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my body which is broken for you this doe in remembrance of me Paraphrase 23 24. For from Christ it was that I received though I were not present there what I delivered in my preaching among you that Christ when he instituted his last supper took and blessed the bread and then eat it not all himself nor preferred any one before another by a more liberal portion but gave it in an equall distribution to every one at the table and that as an expression and token of his life for all of them without preferring one before another and then appointed all disciples to imitate this action of his to meet and eat as at a common table not one to engresse all or deprive others and so to commemorate the death of Christ and the unconfined mercy of that by this significative typical charity of theirs 25. After the same manner also he took the cup when he had supped saying This cup is the New Testament in my blood this doe ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me Paraphrase 25. And when supper was ended he took also the grace-cup see note on c. 10. e. and delivered it about telling them that this action of his was an emblem of that covenant of grace and bounty which he would sâ—ale in his blood to all without respect of persons and commanding them to imitate and commemorate this impartiall charity of his whensoever they met together at the holy table 26. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye doe shew the Lord's death till he come Paraphrase 26. And doe ye saith he in all your sacred festivals thus shew forth to God and man this gracious act of my bounty in giving my life for my people and continue this ceremony till I come again at the end of the world 27. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Paraphrase 27. So that to offend in this kinde against this institution of this feast by doing contrary to the universal charity designed therein is to sin against the body and blood of Christ to take off from the universality of Christ's goodnesse and mercy in that death of his 28. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. Paraphrase 28. It is therefore fit that every man examine himself throughly whether he be rightly grounded in the faith of Christ of which this Sacrament is an emblem and accordingly when upon examination he hath also approved himself see note on Rom. 2. f. when he is fitly prepared let him come to that table and partake of it in a Christian manner 29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not note g discerning the Lord's body Paraphrase 29. And he that doth come without that preparation and so understands not the truth of Christ's universall mercy in his death signified by this institution of the Lord's supper or consequently receives it not in an holy manner incurres damnation in stead of receiving benefit by such eating and drinking of it 30. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and
in the city of Corinth and in all other cities and regions through all Achaia 2. Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ 3. Blessed be God even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of mercies and the God of all comforts Paraphrase 3. I have all reason to blesse and magnifie the name of God which purposely sent our Lord Jesus Christ into the world and by that and his many other gracious acts of his particular providence hath shewed himself to be a most mercifull and gracious Father unto us 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God Paraphrase 4. Who in all the preasures that have befallen me hath eminently relieved and succoured me and by those experiences hath enabled me to refresh and cheer up all those that are in any affliction 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ Paraphrase 5. By this one consideration of which I have had so frequent evidences that according to the proportion of our suffering for Christ Christ doth constantly afford us comforts and reliefs the greater our afflictions are the greater also our refreshments from Christ 6. And whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation and salvation which is effectuall in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer or whether we be comforted it is for your consolation and salvation Paraphrase 6. And so what afflictions soever befall us there is no reason you should be startled or discouraged in your Christian course by that means for sure 't is for your advantage that we are so Our afflictions are matter of comfort to you viz. that you can fall under no persecutions your selves but what ye see us endure before you and those meerly for our doing you good preaching the Gospel to you endeavouring to bring you to repentance and to blisse which is not ordinarily to be come to but by suffering after my example And then the refreshments and extraordinary reliefs that Christ afforded me in all my sufferings those sure will be matter of comfort to you also as a pledge of assurance that Christ will afford you the like refreshments here and reward hereafter 7. And our hope of you is stedfast knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings so shall ye be also of the consolation Paraphrase 7. And of this I make no doubt but that as you have your parts in the afflictions so ye shall also of the reliefs and advantages by suffering 8. For we would not brethren have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia that we were pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that we despaired even of life Paraphrase 8. All this I say by way of preface to this advertisement which I desire to give you of the sharp persecutions that I lately met with at Ephesus the chief metropolis of Asia Act. 19. see note on 1 Cor. 15. d. where I had like to have been brought out to the theatre to be devoured by the wild beasts and indeed had no humane means to avert nor consequently to escape it 9. But we had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead Paraphrase 9. And this advantage I had of it that the more I believed I should be put to death the more I might be engaged by my deliverance never to depend on any worldly trust but only on God who can rescue from the greatest extremity even from the grace and death it self 10. Who deliver'd us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us Paraphrase 10. Even that God who hath actually delivered me out of that imminent danger and so still continues to deliver me and I verily believe will yet longer continue preservations to me 11. You also helping together by prayer for us that for the gift bestowed upon us note a by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf Paraphrase 11. To which purpose I suppose 't will much conduce that you will earnestly pray for me for as the prayers of many are an effectual motive to God to doe what they pray for when by that means the favour being granted to many at once those many shall be all engaged to thank God and magnifie his name so the benefit afforded me in favour to many others viz. to the believers who pray for me and may receive profit by my life may by those many be received with thanksgiving to God in my behalf 12. For our rejoicing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-wards Paraphrase 12. For of this I can say with joy and comfort that my conscience gives me a cheerfull testimony in all my actions that I have had no ends or designes of my own but in a pious simplicity and sincerity of heart not as worldly wisdome would direct but according to the Gospel-rules see note on Heb. 13. d. we have behaved our selves toward all men but toward you beyond all others 13. For we write none other things unto you then what you read or acknowledge and I trust you shall acknowledge even to the end Paraphrase 13. For my writings to you are perfectly agreeable to the doctrine preach'd by me and by you received when I was among you what in my Epistles you read you cannot but acknoweldge to be that which ye have been taught and I hope you will never be drawn away from that acknowledgment 14. As also you have acknowledged us in part that we are your rejoicing even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus Paraphrase 14. This I say because though since these divisions came in among you I have been rejected and vilified by some yet some others of you have acknowledged your selves to take joy and comfort in me as I professe to doe in you and am confident I shall doe when Christ comes to reward his faithfull servants 15. And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before that you might have a second benefit Paraphrase 15. And with this affection of kindnesse to you and perswasion of your kindnesse to me I did designe to come to you that thereby you might be confirmed in that faith and grow in that knowledge which was first preach'd to you 16. And to passe by you into Macedonia and to come again out of Macedonia unto you and of you to be brought on my way toward Judea Paraphrase 16. This I first meant to doe in my way to Macedonia
most acceptable to God and so cannot be better compared then to a meat-offering or drink-offering which being offered for our sins unto God and of the former a part burn'd upon the altar and the rest for the use of the Priest Lev. 2. 3. but the latter wholly consumed on the altar is said to be of a sweet savour unto the Lord and Gen. 8. 20. to satisfie for us and work our peace 3. But fornication and all uncleannesse or covetousnesse let it not be once named amongst you as becometh Saints Paraphrase 3. And for the Gnostick noisome foule practices unlawfull unnaturall riotous lusts let them never get the least admission among you but be utterly detested by you according to that obligation that lies on you as Christians in opposition to the heathens 4. Neither filthinesse nor note b foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather note c giving of thanks Paraphrase 4. And so all unclean gestures and obscene talking or unsavory jests to cause laughter which are all unbeseeming a Christian but purity chastness graciousness of language opposite to the filthiness before or else blessing and praising of God a far fitter subject for our rejoycing 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 of God Paraphrase 5. For by the Christian doctrine ye are assured that he that is guilty of any unlawfull especially unnaturall inordinate lust see Rom. 1. note i. those sins which were used in the mysteries of the heathens is an absolute Gentile person hath no portion in the Church of God under Christ nor inheritance in heaven See note on 1 Cor. 5. 1. 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Paraphrase 6. Let no man flatter you that these are tolerable for a Christian for they are the very sins for which God hath so plagued the heathens as he did Sodome c. 7. Be not ye therefore partakers with them Paraphrase 7. Doe not ye then joyn in their sins that ye may not in their punishments 8. For ye were sometimes darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord walk as children of light Paraphrase 8. For though ye were formerly heathens yet now ye are become Christians and that layes an obligation on you and all such as you to live like Christians 9. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth Paraphrase 9. For that Spirit that God hath sent among us in the preaching of the Gospel being the Spirit of God must bring forth all kindnesse justice fidelity and such like Gal. 5. 22. 10. Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Paraphrase 10. Searching and approving and accordingly practising whatsoever you shall find acceptable to God see note on Rom. 2. f. 11. And have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse but rather reprove them Paraphrase 11. And goe not ye to their heathen mysteries comply not with their close dark abominable practices but oppose and help to bring them to light that they may leave them the secrecy being the onely thing that secures and continues them in them 12. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret Paraphrase 12. For those secret practices are such that they dare not appear in the light and therefore are by the devill who prescribes them as parts of his worship appointed to be used in close recesses which are called their mysteries as the highest but indeed the vilest part of their religion see note on Rev. 17. c. 13. But all things that are approved are made manifest by the light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light Paraphrase 13. But Christianity is a means to discover and display these abominable cheats and villanies as light is the direct means to discover what darknesse hath hid and to make them renounce and forsake it when they see it is seen and abhorred by men 14. Wherefore he saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Paraphrase 14. According to that saying of Isaiah c. 60. 1. Arise be enlightned for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee that is this Christian estate is a lightsome condition and engages every man that expects to have his part in it to get out of all these horrible dark secrecies which are put to shame and discomfited by the light 15. See then note d that ye walk circumspectly not as foole but as wise Paraphrase 15. See therefore and consider how ye may walk most exactly and inoffensively to which end ye will need great circumspection as being placed in the midst of such temptations and dangers by one or other ready to be insnared on every side If your circumpection be not intense enough ye will be insnared as fools in their lusts and complyances which bring such carnal temptations along with them and if ye be over earnest in admonishing them and vehement unseasonably ye will exasperate and incurre the danger Mat. 7. 6. of being rent by the swine 16. note e Redeeming â—he time because the dayes are evill Paraphrase 16. And therefore as you must be sure to preserve the innocence of the dove so ye have need of prudence and warinesse and wisdome of behaviour because the world is at this time full of corruption and of contumacy and persecuting of all good and orthodox Christians 17. Wherefore be ye not unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is Paraphrase 17. And therefore see that ye be not corrupted by their insinuations but let the knowledge of your Christian duty so fortifie you that ye be not befooled or insnared by them 18. And be not drunk with wine wherein is note f excesse but be filled with the Spirit Paraphrase 18. And do not ye like those heathens in their Bacchanals inflame your selves with wine to which all manner of inordinate lust is consequent and then think ye are inspired and able to prophesy by that means but let your hearts be filled with zeal and devotion see note on Luk. 9. c. 19. Speaking to your selves in note g Psalms and Hymnes and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord Paraphrase 19. And let all your mirth and jollity be express'd in the several kindes of hymnes c. that are used among Christians after a pious manner singing and inwardly in your hearts rendering praises to God and not finding out such grosse carnal wayes of expressing your joyes as the heathens use 20. Giving thanks alwayes for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 20. Upon all occasions acknowledging the great and fatherly mercies of God to you through our
though not degree as Christ now lives being by his resurrection placed next in glory to his father in heaven 2. Set your affection on things above not on things on the earth Paraphrase 2. Let this celestial purity be the copie for you to transcribe and not these terrestrial grosser observances 3. For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Paraphrase 3. For ye by your baptisme have vowed to put off your former life and the life which now remains for you to live is that which Christ lives in heaven a life of purity here and of glory hereafter 4. When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Paraphrase 4. And if you live that first pure Christian life after your divine pattern then this ye may be sure of that when Christ comes to judge the world all that shall be found so like unto him shall by him be received into the glory which he himself enjoyes 5. Mortifie therefore you members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is idolatry Paraphrase 5. This may therefore engage you to subdue and bring down all those vitious affections that are in your members and that savour and desire nothing but earthly things I mean adultery fornication and all sorts of unnatural filthiness such as is so ordinary among idol-worshippers the foulest parts of it admitted into their religions See note on Rom. 1. i. and on 1. Cor. 5. 1. 6. For which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience Paraphrase 6. Those sins which have alwaies brought God's judgments down upon the heathens 7. In the which ye also walked some time when ye lived in them Paraphrase 7. Of which sins ye sormerly were gulty when ye conversed amonge the heathens and followed their idol-worships 8. But now you also put off all these anger wrath malice blasphemy filthy communication out of your mouth Paraphrase 8. But now that you are Christians ye are obliged to put off all not only these forenamed but of the other sort of affections all suddain inflammation of anger all rising of it to any height all continuance of it upon you till it be improved into malice and for the tongue let not that be guilty of any unsavoury unclean or reproachfull discourse 9. Lie not one to another seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds Paraphrase 9. Never suggest or say any false thing to the injury of anothe see note on Act. 5. b. for this is a principal part of that heathen course which ye have renounced 10. And have put on the new man which is renewed note a in knowledge after the image of him that created him Paraphrase 10. Quite contrary to that state of renovation which ye have undertaken and which consists in the practice of all Christian vertues after the image of God who is all truth 11. Where there is neither Greek nor Jew circumcision nor uncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond nor free but Christ is all and in all Paraphrase 11. With whom as there is no partiality or difference put between men but all of all sorts even the worst sorts are accepted by Christ so ought it be with us toward all men of what quality soever we must shew all manner of fidelity without any falsness or injustice ver 9. toward them 12. Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering Paraphrase 12. See therefore that ye practise as becomes those who are prized and valued by God that have the gifts of his Spirit poured out for the converting and sanctifying of you and thereby are obliged to all that is most excellent the highest degrees of Christian kindness and liberality that ye think very meanly of your selves be very mild hard to be provoked with injuries never thinking of revenge 13. Forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you so also doe ye Paraphrase 13. Shewing that readinesse to be reconciled to them that have wronged you that ye have found and which it extremely concerns you to find in Christ toward you 14. And above all these things put on charity which is the note b bond of perfectness Paraphrase 14. And over all put on that excellent Christian grace of charity that love of others founded in Christ's love to you and to all others even his enemies which will keep you united one to another in an indissoluble bond much more perfectly than any other obligation can doe or which is the obligation to all mercifulness whether in giving or forgiving 15. And let the note c peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye are called in one body and be ye thankfull Paraphrase 15. And let Christian peace and union see Phil. 4. note b. be the moderator and guide in all your actions and doe all that may tend to that end it being the prime thing to which your Christianity obliges you and your being fellow-members of Christ with all others To which ye may also take in that obligation of gratitude to God who hath been thus mercifull to you and solemnly expects this return from you to be to others as he hath been to you 16. Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdome teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Paraphrase 16. Let the doctrine of the Gospel continue and abide in you and bring forth abundant fruit in all actions of spiritual wisdome that is piety Of this sort is the advising and admonishing of others in all things wherein ye can be helpfull unto them and such is singing in a pious Christian manner see Ephes 5. c. that is blessing and praising God see Mat. 14. c. heartily and affectionately in all the severall waies usual to that purpose see Ephes 5. 19. 17. And whatsoever ye doe in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him Paraphrase 17. And whatsoever ye doe or speak let it be with acknowledgment of the great mercies of Christ to you that hath enabled you to doe whatever it is and for this mercy reached out in him let God the Father have the honour and thanks 18. Wives submit your selves unto your own husbands as it is fit in the Lord. Paraphrase 18. Let the wives pay fitting subjection to their husbands and count it their Christian duty to doe so 19. Husbands love your wives and be not bitter against them Paraphrase 19. And upon the same account let the husbands be kind to their wives and not provoke them by unkind behaviour 20. Children obey your parents in all things for this is well-pleasing unto the
8. V. 18. Power over fire The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Altar here being that whereon the beasts were offered and those beasts to be burnt with fire and that fire being a denotation of the wrath and vengeance of God against the wicked this Angel coming from the Altar and having power over fire is consequently a minister or executioner of Gods wrath upon the wicked impenitents who are those beasts to be sacrificed to God to be destroyed before him V. 20. A thousand and six hundred furlongs That the thousand and six hundred furlongs here do referre to the bounds or extent of Judaea is the opinion of the Learned H. Grotius and his proof for it is because S. Jerome which had lived in those parts and examined it very accurately affirms that Judaea was in length an 160 miles which accounting every mile to contain ten Greek stadia or furlongs amounts to 1600 furlongs But if it be first adverted that the wine-press is here said to be trodden without the city and the blood to have extended to this space of 1600 furlongs secondly that Jerusalem was in the midst of the countrey and consequently that from thence to the utmost bounds of it the space will be but half so much as is the longitude of all Judaea this conjecture will not be so agreeable to this place And therefore it will be more proper and accordant to the Context which speaks not of Judaea but of Rome to applie it to the adjacent Regions about Rome to represent the bloodinesse of the warres and many battails that should in the times of Maximinus Licinius and Maxentius lie so very heavily upon those countries which were parts of the Roman Empire that they cannot be better express'd then by the blood coming to the horse-bridles a vast effusion of blood among the Romans CHAP. XV. 1. AND I saw another signe in heaven great and marvellous seven Angels having the seven last plagues for in them is filled up the wrath of God Paraphrase 1. And I had another vision concerning the judgments of God upon heathen Rome and methought I saw seven Angels with seven plagues all which were to come one after another and between them to divide the tragedy and act all Gods vengeance upon them 2. And I saw as it were a sea of glasse mingled with fire and them that had gotten the victory over the beast and over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name stand on the sea of glasse having the harps of God Paraphrase 2. And methought I saw a great multitude of pure zealous Christians the multitude noted by the sea their purity by glasse and their zeal by fire that had not yielded to the heathen terrors in any the least degree but continuing constant in their purity and stedfast confession of faith And they had in their hands harps such as were wont to be used in the Temple in Gods service called the musical instruments of God 1 Chron. 16. 42. 3. And they sung the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy waies O King of Saints Paraphrase 3. And they sung to Christ the same song or another after that pattern that Moses had done upon the victory and deliverance out of Aegypt when the Aegyptians were overwhelmed in the sea noting their acknowledgment of Gods goodnesse and mercy to them who now they saw would punish and destroy the persecuting heathen Emperors And they magnified the mighty and wonderful works of God his overruling power and fidelity in making good his promises to the Christians his servants 4. Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy name for thou only art holy for all nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgments are made manifest Paraphrase 4. And said Now shall all the men in the world be obliged to fear and dread thee and withall to magnifie thy name This is thine only work O Lord for the nations of the world the Gentiles the Roman Empire shall at length convert to Christianity upon the sight of thy revenges upon them who had crucified Christ both Jews and Romans 5. And after that I looked and behold the note a Temple of the Tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened Paraphrase 5. And then methought I saw the Holy of Holies opened those great mystreries which had long lain hid revealed that is the decrees of God concerning the Romans now ready to come forth 6. And the seven Angels came out of the Temple having the seven plagues clothed in pure and white linnen and having their breasts girded with golden girdles Paraphrase 6. And the sum of them was contained in seven plagues or punishments upon the Roman Empire brought out by as many Angels in shining glorious habits each resembling the High-priest ch 1. 13. see note on Luk. 12. b. coming out of the oracle ver 5. sent by God from his throne in heaven to execute these judgments upon them 7. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven Angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God who liveth for ever and ever Paraphrase 7. And one of the four living creatures attending and encompassing Gods throne by which four Apostles were understood c. 4. 6. and those there having power to foretell things to come was therefore represented to give to these seven Angels executioners of Gods wrath seven vials full of the wrath of the eternal God that is to give them commission for the pouring out of God's wrath upon heathen Rome 8. And the Temple was filled with smoak from the glory of God and from his power and no man was able to enter into the Temple till the seven plagues of the seven Angels were fulfilled Paraphrase 8. And the place where this vision seemed to be that is the Sanctuary in heaven ver 5. was filled with smoak as an expression and consequent of this fire of Gods wrath and vengeance which was like to prove so heavy that the very representation of it was unsupportable no body could endure to come into the Sanctuary whilst that was representing nothing that it would fall very terribly on all them that should come within the reach of it Annotations on Chap. XV. V. 5. Temple of the Tabernacle What is here literally meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordinarily rendred the Temple of the tabernacle of the testimony may thus be collected The tabernacle of the testimony clearly signifies that tabernacle among the Israelites in Moses's time before the building of the Temple called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tabernacle of meeting Exod. 27. 21. and elsewhere the tabernacle of the testimony Act. 7. 44. because God was there pleased to exhibit himself and give testimony of his presence Act. 27. 22. In that there were two regions the first called the Sanctuary the
practise in some external things more then God commands them and impose these upon others as the commands of God when they are only humane ordinances As for the inward purity of heart and actions to which all Gods laws of washings c. all the ceremonial law of legal uncleannesses did referre being but the shadow to pourtray the true substantial purity of the heart and soul the fountain of actions they take no care of them transgresse against this substantial part of religion in the foulest manner and spend all their time in these external superfluities washing of pots c. the ordinances of their Rabbins only 9. And he said unto them Full well ye reject the commandment of God that ye may keep your own tradition Paraphrase 9. And he said unto them Is not this fair worship and serving of God to reject all the prime commands of God the most considerable parts of religion and act directly contrary to them and satisfie and content your selves with some external performances which are not at all commanded by God but only by your selves or your Rabbins 10. For Moses said Honour thy father and thy mother and whoso curseth father or mother let him die the death Paraphrase 10. Exed 20. 12. and Exo. 21. 17. see Note on Mar. 15. b. 11. But ye say If a man shall say to his father or mother It is Corban that is to say a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me he shall be free Paraphrase 11. If when a mans parents want any thing which the son hath and so is bound by nature and the fifth commandment to give it them he can tell them that he hath taken an oath to relieve them he shall be free from the obligation of the fifth commandment See Note on Mat. 15. c. 12. And ye suffer him no more to doe ought for his father or mother 13. Making the word of God of none eâ—â—ect through your tradition which ye have delivered and many such like things doe ye Paraphrase 13. And so by this invention of yours ye free a man from any obligation of honoring or succouring his parents when he hath no minde to it 14. And when he had called all the people unto him he said unto them Hearken unto me every one of you and understand 15. There is nothing from without a man that entring into him can defile him but things which come out of him those are they which defile a man Paraphrase 15. As for your question v. 5. about washing know this that the true and real pollutions which God would have all men to avoid are not those which come from the meats and drinks and such external things but those of wicked thoughts and words and actions those are the great defilements principally aimed at in the legal prohibitions and forbidden by them 16. If any man hath eares to hear let him hear Paraphrase 16. Take notice of what I say though it be contrary to the rules of purity as they are understood and practised by you for this is a Reformation that I am sent to work in your law 17. And when he was entred into the house from the people his disciples asked him concerning the parable 18. And he saith unto them Are ye so without understanding also Doe ye not perceive that whatsoever thing from without entreth into a man it cannot defile him Paraphrase 18. meats drinks c. whatsoever 19. Because it entreth not into his heart but into the belly and goeth out into the draught purging all meats Paraphrase 19. Because his heart or soul being the principal part of him and that which alone is capable of defilement all sin being an act of his will and choise the meats which we take in enter only into the stomach and belly not into the heart and being taken in if there be any polluted part in them that is voided and carried out in the draught and by the purging out those dregs all meats are made clean and nutritive 20. And he said That which cometh out of the man that defileth a man Paraphrase 20. But as in the law of Moses it is observable that the excrements and whatsoever almost comes out of a man polluted all it touched Deut. 23. 13. 21. For from within out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts adulteries fornications murthers 22. Thefts covetousnesse wickednesse deceit lasciviousnesse an evil eye blasphemy pride note d foolishnesse Paraphrase 21 22. So thereby is signified that all defilements of the man are those that come from within him having their beginning from mens wicked will and choice such are evil machinations or conspracies see Note on Mat. 15. e. adulteries fornications homicides thefts inordinate lusts see Note on Rom. 1. h. villanies cheating effeminacy envy and covetousnesse calumniatings haughtinesse or despising of others foolish vain-glorious boasting 23. All these evil things come from within and defile the man Paraphrase 23. These vile things are they that are truly said to come out of the man that is out of his soul betraying themselves by actions and leaving a stain and blemish upon it 24. And from thence he arose and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon and entred into an house and would have no man know it but could not be hid Paraphrase 24. to the utmost parts of Palestine which border upon 25. For a certain woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell at his feet 26. The woman was a Greek a Syrophenician by nation and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter Paraphrase 26. not of the Jewish profession but by religion an heathen born neer the sea shore called Phenicia and Canaan See Note on Mat. 15. 27. But Jesus said unto her Let the children first be filled for it is not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it to the dogs Paraphrase 27. I am first to exercise my office to distribute my miracles of mercy among the Jewes which have alwayes had a neerer relation to God then any other nation and all other nations looked on by them as vile and profane not to be converst with They are first to be taken care for and when they have their fill then the fulnesse of Gods mercy may everflow to the Gentiles 28. And she answered and said unto him Yes Lord yet the dogs under the table eat of the childrens crumbs Paraphrase 28. Though it be so Sir yet that which may be had by another poor creature without prejudice to the Jews is all that I beg of thee and such proportions are allow'd even to dogs when the children have the full meal 29. And he said unto her For this saying goe thy way the devil is gone out of thy daughter Paraphrase 29. And he said The faith exprest by this answer of thine is such Mat. 15. 28. and so much beyond ordinary that it shall not goe
meeting with God whither every one that sought the Lord was to goe Exod. 33. 7. This we render the tabernacle of the congregation as if it referred to our meeting with one another but certainly it must be taken in that other sense of meeting with God as appears Exod. 29. 42. at the dore of the tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of meeting before the Lord where I will meet you to speak there unto you So c. 30. 36. the tabernacle of meeting where I will meet with thee and so Numb 17. 4. Now this place of Gods meeting with men is so called in two respects 1. Because there he communicates his will makes known his pleasure to them 2 dly Because there by his appointment his Name being recorded or commemorated by men his acts of mercy praised and magnified there he evidences his presence to accept those offerings to blesse those persons Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I record my name or in every place where the memoriall that I shall appoint of my name shall be I will come unto thee and I will blesse thee In the former respect the Tabernacle is called the tabernacle of testimony because of the Arke containing the two Tables wherein Gods covenant or commands concerning men were made known and testified by God and that is oft called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the arke of the testimony In the second respect the Tabernacle is called the tabernacle of the testimony in respect of our acknowledging and testifying and recording of God and Gods owning and recording and blessing of us evidencing and testifying his accepting of us V. 51. Stiffenecked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proverbially signifies undisciplinable foolish people according to a rule in Physiognomy that those that have necks that doe not easily bend are such so saith Adamantius Physiog l. 2. c. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hard-necked persons are indocile and ignorant and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some men have necks that will not bend and this is an argument of folly But I suppose the meaning of S. Stephen is not to be fetch'd from this notation of the word but from the Metaphor of beasts oxen c. that till they be disciplined and accustomed to the yoke are not willing or patient to bend down to it And so hard or stiff-neck'd signifies no more then refractary disobedient undisciplinable and so 't is here set to denote them that doe alwaies resist the holy Ghost in all Gods methods toward them walk contrary to him V. 60. Lay not this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may here be rendred by referring to the use of that word among these writers of lones or sales which were done by weighing out the money and receiving it back again by weight This is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa 32. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I weighed him or I told him out seven shekels whence Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that that is weighed is that that is lent for saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anciently they lent by weight Thus the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is answerable to it is oft rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to weigh out is to pay that is to punish So that the importance of Stephens prayer is that God would not require back this debt that is punish them for this sinne And that this prayer was heard for them that had an hand in Stephens blood appears by Gods speciall mercy to Saul who was a principall person in it and is miraculously converted in the ninth chapter according to that saying of the Father Si Stephanus non or asset Ecclesia Paulum non habuisset If Stephen had not prayed the Church had not had S. Paul CHAP. VIII 1. AND Saul was consenting unto his death and at that time there was a great persecution against the Church which was at Jerusalem and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria except the Apostles Paraphrase 1. And Saul which was after chap. 9. so strangely converted and became so renowned an Apostle was then one of those that liked well the stoning of Stephen and joyned in it ch 7. 58. And at the same time that they dealt thus whith Stephen they vehemently opposed the professing of the faith at Jerusalem and persecuted all that did so And all such but the Apostles particularly the rest of the seven Deacons and diverse others c. 11. 19. went out of Jerusalem and were dispersed into severall places through Judaea and Samaria and as farre as Phoenice and Cyprus and Antioch ch 11. 19. and in all those places those that were thus dispersed being filled with the holy Ghost ch 4. 31. preached to the Jewes and onely the Apostles continued at Hierusalem being not yet all gone out from thence 2. And devout men note a carried Stephen to his buriall and made great lamentation for him Paraphrase 2. And some proselytes that were there see note on c. 10. a. made a solemn funerall for Stephen and mourned at it 3. As for Saul he made havock of the Church entring into every house and haling men and women committed them to prison 4. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where note b preaching the word Paraphrase 4. And thereupon they that were driven from Jerusalem into Judaea and Samaria ver 1. rested not there but went farther off and all the way they went published the glad tidings of the Gospel told every where what they knew of it 5. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them Paraphrase 5. Then Philip the deacon not the Apostle and therefore Peter and John ver 15. are sent to impose hands went from Judaea to Samaria and though the Jews conversed not with them and though in the first going out of the Apostles Mat 10. 5 they were appointed not to go to any city of the Samaritans yet now in this dispersion and persecution from the Jews at Jerusalem v. 1. it was thought fit to preach the Gospel unto them and Philip accordingly preached it in Sebaste an eminent city in Samaria 6. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake hearing and seeing the miracles which he did Paraphrase 6. And all that city were perswaded by Philip to receive the faith of Christ being convinced by the miracles wrought by him 7. For unclean spirits crying with loud voice came out of many that were possessed with them and many taken with palsies and that were lame were healed Paraphrase 7. For out of many that were possest they cast ou◠devils which at their coming out made loud acknowledgment of the irresistiblenesse of the power by which they acted 8. And there was great joy in that city 9. But there was a certain man called Simon which before-time used sorcery in the same city and bewitched
which gives place for repentance and remission upon sincerity of new life and is to be supposed and implied whensoeveer it is not mention'd The promises of mercy and pardon in the Gospel though general being yet conditional no ground allow'd for any to hope for his part of it but upon performance of that condition which again must not be consined to any one notiion of any one Christian virtue Faith or the like but to sincere obedience to the whole Law of Christ and that comprehends all the particulars required by him in the retail or as it is in the gross set down by the most comprehensive words either of Repentance or Conversion without which we shall all likewise perish and we shall in no wise enter into the kingdome of God or of Holinesse without which no man shall see God The not observing of which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the procreative mistake of the many great and dangerous errors in this matter The third thing is that the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness signifies two things either a lower or a more eminent degree of righteousness these two differing one from the other as Justice and Charity appear to differ one superadded to and superstructed on the other and as it is the part of a Judge to consider these severally and as well to reward the higher degree of the one as to acquit the innocence and reward the lower degree of the other so there is a double notion of justifying in Scripture the one for acquitting and pardoning accepting and rewarding in a lower degree which upon repentance and forsaking of sinne and converting sincerely to God is afforded every one through the satisfaction and blood-shedding of Christ under the Gospel another for an higher degree of approving and commending and adjudging to reward and that proportion'd to some eminent act of faith or obedience in case of extraordinary triall such was Abraham's believing in hope and above hope and his obedience to the highest commands leaving his countrey and sacrificing his only son and such were the severall acts of faith mention'd Heb. 11. and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 works Jam. 2. And thus there seems to be a difference betwixt God's imputing no sin and his imputing to righteousnesse the latter being his adjudging to a high reward the former only the forgiving iniquity and accepting in a lower degree the one upon some eminent act of faith or obedience the other upon undertaking new life answerable to these two sorts of Justification And accordingly c. 4. that which is express'd ver 4. by it was accounted for righteousnesse is v. 5. the reward was reckoned noting an eminent reward of some eminent act to be comprehended in that phrase And so sometimes it is in the word Justified and when it is so to be interpreted the Context will generally determine V. 7. Ly As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truth signifies also fidelity or faithfulnesse so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the contrary signifying a lie imports also infidelity or unfaithfulnesse and is here set to signifie that sinne of not making good use of the oracles of God intrusted to the Jewes called their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unbelief v. 3. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unrighteousnesse v. 5. So v. 4. Let God be true and every man a liar that is the unfaithfulnesse of men in neglecting to doe their part doth no way prejudice but rather commend the fidelity of God in allowing them those mercies which they make so ill use of V. 8. And not rather The placing of the words in this verse hath some harshness and consequent obscurity in it The learned Hugo Grotius is inclinable to believe a transposition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cur why thus And why not the rest being read in a parenthesis or why should we not doe evil that good may come But I suppose the more obvious and simple way ought here to be preferr'd and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why from the former verse to be repeated or else the sense so to hang as that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why there shall have an influence here upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not and be thus rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and why not as we are calumniated c. or And why should we not say as we are calumniated and as some say that we say If this latter be it then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say is to be understood from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 following But if the former then the whole oration placed ordinarily in a parenthesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we are calumniated and as some say that we say is as it were the Verb to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why not thus And why should not we say what Paul is affirmed to say but that is calumny saith Paul and in either way the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that follows will be taken in the sense that hath been noted of it Mat. 7. d. for scilicet or videlicet to wit only as a form to introduce the speech following thus Why should we not say as we are calumniated to say to wit Let us doe evil that good may come And so this will be a perspicuous rendring of the verse V. 13. Their throat is an open These three verses that here follow are evidently taken out of several places of the Psalms and other Scriptures and by the Apostle accommodated to his present purpose And by occasion of their being annexed to three verses taken out of the 14th Psalme it hath come to passe that some ancient Latine copies of that Psalme have taken them in from hence added them to that Psalme and accordingly the translation which is used in the Liturgie hath three verses more to that Psalms then the translation in our Bibles doth acknowledge V. 14. Bitternesse The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying deceits was by the Septuagint mistaken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bitterness and continued here from thence in this citation As indeed in most citations of Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles who generally used the Septuagint and of Luke also his companion see Act. 8. Note e. the Hebrew text is not made use of but the Greek translation retained even when it differs from the original Hebrew V. The glory of God The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory or praise being here joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God signifies not that glory which accrues to God the glorifying or praising of his name but that which accrues to man from God and that may be either in this world or in the next the approbation and acceptance of any work here or the reward of it hereafter God's acceptance or approbation here is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the praise or glory
the grace that is given to us whether prophesie let us prophesie according to the proportion of faith Paraphrase 6. And having such peculiar functions to which we are designed differing one from another according to our severall designations let us exercise them to the edification of one another If a man be designed to the office of expounding the Scripture let him take care that he doe it according to that form of faith or wholsome doctrine by which every man which is sent out to preach the Gospel is appointed to regulate his preaching according to those heads and principles of faith and good life which are known among you 7. Or ministery let us wait on our ministering or he that teacheth on teaching Paraphrase 7. If to the office of a Deacon one designed to doe some inferiour services in the Church let him set himself to the discharge of that the Doctor or he that teacheth the doctrine of the Gospal where it is already planted let him busie himself about that 8. Or he that exhorteth on exhortation he that giveth let him doe it with simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercy with cheerfulnesse Paraphrase 8. He that when the doctrine of the Gospel is taught and planted is appointed to preach to them the practical use of it and exhort them to live accordingly let him employ himself thus he that distributes his goods or perhaps the goods of the Church to the poor let him doe it liberally he that is to govern in the Church let him be very carefull and diligent in government he that gives almes which is the duty of every private Christian that is able let him doe it merrily not fearing or doubting that he shall impoverish himself or his posterity by that means 9. Let love be without dissimulation Abhorre that which is evil cleave to that which is good Paraphrase 9. Let your love of God appear to be sincere and such as will abide the triall Ephes 1. 4. Lu. 1. 6. and so also your love to one another let it be unfeigned detesting and flying from every impious practice such as are observable among the Gnosticks and for the true Christian course both toward God and men cleave fast and zealously to it 10. Be kindly affectioned one to another in brotherly love in honour preferring one another Paraphrase 10. Made up of nothing but perfect kindnesse to one another contrary to the envying c. ch 1. 29. in the Gnosticks humble contrary to their fastidiousnesse and pride ch 1. 30. 11. Not slothfull in businesse fervent in spirit note b serving the Lord Paraphrase 11. Industrious and nimble to doe any thing that belongs to your calling and having that earnest affection to God's service that shall inflame and set you most ardently about it and accordingly doing those things that in respect of the circumstances of time and place wherein now you are may most tend to the honour of God and building up of the Church 12. Rejoicing in hope patient in tribulation continuing instant in prayer Paraphrase 12. In the midst of those afflictions that now fall upon you rejoicing in respect of that blisse which we hope for in another world and consequently never renouncing the faith as the Gnosticks professe to doe in time of persecution but persevering constant to the end and in order to that observing your set times of prayer with all zeal and importunity 13. Distributing to the necessity of saints given to hospitality Paraphrase 13. Shewing liberality to all that want as earnest in it as in any thing that brings in most advantage to your selves or in stead of pursuing others v. 14. doing them as much kindnesse as you can 14. Blesse them which persecute you blesse and curse not Paraphrase 14. Repay nothing to contumelies but friendly and kind usage 15. note c Rejoice with them that doe rejoice and weep with them that weep Paraphrase 15. Comply with the condition and state of other men affected with all the good and evil that belongs to them 16. Be of the same mind one towards another Mind not high things but condescend to men of low estate Be not wise in your own conceits Paraphrase 16. Very affectionate and compassionate in your kindnesse one to another pretending not to mysterious knowledge as the Gnosticks doe but behaving your selves as the modestest sort of Christians doe not perswading or concoeiting your selves that you are wiser then the rest of your brethren 17. Recompense to no man evil for evil Provide things honest in the sight of all men Paraphrase 17. Never acting any revenges upon them which you think have done you injuries taking care before-hand that whatsoever you doe it be that which is fit for you to doe before the heathens and which may not disgrace the Christian profession before them or aliene them from it by seeing your lives and actions vile 18. If it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men Paraphrase 18. And particularly as farre as lyeth in you and is possible for you by all actions of meeknesse and charity to procure living peaceably among them 19. Dearly beloved avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. Paraphrase 19. To that end as ver 17. so again not taking the matter of avenging the injuries done to you into your own hands but referting it to the punishment of God or the magistrate under him to whom as he himself saith Deut. 32. 25. it belongs to punish offences 20. Therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head Paraphrase 20. It being the Christian's duty and his only prudent method of overcoming enemies to doe them all acts of kindnesse and charity whereby thou shalt melt them at length be they never so hard-hearted as when an artificer that deals in metals cannot melt any metall by putting fire under it he pours live coals on the top of it and by that means melts any thing that is hardest to melt This figure must be made use of to interpret this place which if it were literally understood might seem to command that foule crime of wishing mischief saith S. Augustine de Doct. Christ l. 3. c. 6. 21. Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good Paraphrase 21. Let not another man's injustice to thee bring thee to that vilenesse of doing the like to him for then hath he conquered the most divine pretious part of thee enslaved thy soul to so vile a sinne but let thy way be that which of all others is most likely to thrive by doing good to him by fair words and deeds to overcome him Annotations on Chap. XII V. 1. Reasonable service What notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we have rendred rational service is here to be fastned on is not
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or meat-offering the flour and oyle Lev. 2. 2. of which part was burnt with fire and the remnant was Aaron's and his sons v. 3. And as of the former of these when it was offered by Noah Gen. 8. 20. it is said that the Lord smelled a sweet savour v. 21. and that as a token that his wrath was pacified as it follows the Lord said in his heart I will not again curse the ground any more c. so Lev. 2. 2. the other is said to be an offering made by fire a sweet savour unto the Lord. And accordingly here to the mention of offering and sacrifice meat-offering and burnt-offering is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a smell of sweet savour which notes this death of Christ which is expressed by it to be a means appointed by God for the averting his wrath from us for the appeasing and reconciling him to us as those sacrifices were wont to doe and an engagement to us to live such lives as may be acceptable to God contrary to the noisome lusts ver 3. V. 4. Foolish talking That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies foolish speaking and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the same onely with this addition of designing it as jest to move laughter and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ordinarily interpreted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ridiculous person or one that causeth laughter there is no question But that the text may here reasonably be thought to confine them both to obscene and filthy discourse may also appear not onely by the company that they are set with fornication uncleannesse inordinate lust filâ—hinesse but especially by the reason that is rendred for the abandoning of all these v. 5. For this you know that every fornicator or unclean person or inordinate luster which is an idolater hath no inheritance in the kingdome of Christ or of God Where if â—hese two be not of the same sort with the former belonging all to uncleanness that enumeration in the reason would not comprehend the severals in the exhortation which it must be supposed to doe To this purpose therefore it is first observable of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish-speaking that it is the Scripture elegance to expresse uncleannesse by folly so folly in Israel is adultery and so in Euripides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 matters of Venery are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish and in Aristophanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking folly may be speaking obscenely secondly that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is joyned with it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or and so is but an explication of it as it is by Hesychius rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 levity and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish-speaking so it is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthy unclean speaking thirdly that after all these here is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being in the plural belongs equally to all the foregoing words and that signifying not barely that which is not convenient but indecent foul unbecoming doth by a kind of propriety belong to that of immodest unclean behaviour fourthly by this way of rendring these words all manner of uncleannesse will be comprehended in this prohibition that in the members acted through all the sorts will be comprehended in the three words ver 3. that of unseemly behaviour gestures c. under the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthinesse v. 4. and that of the tongue in the other two words of foolish speaking or jesting fifthly it is ordinarily known how much of the wit and jesting of wicked profane persons consists in this one subject of obscene and scurrilous discourse and so how reasonable it was in the prohibiting all uncleannesse to name that of obscene jesting which I suppose was meant by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putrid rotten communication c. 4. 29. Ib. Giving of thankes What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifies may be matter of some question It signifies ordinarily thanks giving and that belonging especially to God from whom all mercies are received and to whom all thanks are due may be meant here by the word though no mention of God be added to it and so the Context may well bear Let there be no unclean scurrilous jests used among you but rather giving of thanks that is Let the Christians way of mirth be farre from that of obscene wit the recounting the mercies of God in Christ calling you from darknesse to his marvellous light will farre better become a Christian and to this purpose see ver 20. But yet it may be observed what notion there is of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which this word is compounded several times in the Epistles for piety Christian virtue in general Thus c. 4. v. 29. where the corrupt communication is forbidden and in stead of it the good commanded for profitable instruction or edification this is designed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it may give grace that is afford spiritual advantage in increase of piety in the hearers So Col. 4. 6. Let your speech be alwaies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with grace that is gracious pious seasoned with salt contrary to the putrid corrupt mentioned to the Ephesians So Col. 3. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with grace singing that is after the manner of pious gracious persons in a Christian manner and so 't is also Eph. 5. 19. in the reading of the Kings MS. And agreeably to this notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gracious pious woman Prov. 11. 16. And so perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie in this place gracious pious religious discourse in general being set opposite to the filthy obscene discourse preceding and not to be restrained to one species of it recounting the mercies of God V. 15. That The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generally in the New Testament is not to be rendred that but how especially when it follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Luk. 8. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take heed how you hear and 1 Cor. 3. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him take heed how he superstruct And so 't is here to modify the accurate walking and accordingly 't is answered with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that they behave themselves warily between the two dangers of being corrupted on one side and devoured on the other in the first not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as easie seducible people in the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as wise prudent men that can manage their affairs to the best advantage and not run hazards to no advantage V. 16. Redeeming the time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it have a sense very unlike the English words redeeming the time yet cannot well be literally rendred otherwise then either so or buying out or gaining the time Theodotion
men faithfull servants of Christ 4. Rejoice in the Lord alway and again I say rejoice Paraphrase 4. Whatever afflictions befall you in your service of Christ they are matter of continuall rejoicing to you and not any way of grief 5. Let your moderation be known unto all men The Lord is at hand Paraphrase 5. And therefore let your patient enduring of them see note on 2 Cor. 10. a. be discernible to all and to this you may receive encouragement by considering that ye are not likely to expect long I he famous coming of Christ in judgment visibly to punish his crucifiers and to shorten the power of the persecutors and rescue all faithfull patient sufferers out of their hands all the world over in Greece as well as Judaea is now neer approaching see Heb. 10. 37. 6. Be carefull for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God Paraphrase 6. And for this your rescue it will not at all be usefull that ye be solicitous or anxious how to deliver your selves doe but recommend your estate to God in prayer ardently and importunately rendring him your acknowledgements for all the mercies received from him even for your present afflictions with Job see v. 4. and that is all that belongs to you 7. And the note b peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus Paraphrase 7. And this Christian unity and peaceble-mindedness bequeathed to all by Christ and so recommended to you c. 3. 1. c. and c. 3. 15. c. and here v. 3. which is to be preferred before all deep especially pretended knowledg shall be an excellent armature to keep you from all heretical practices and doctrines 8. Finally brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report If there be any virtue if there be any praise think on these things Paraphrase 8. And to conclude I conjure you as you have any care of what is virtuous or commendable that ye so farre remember and consider what I have now said to you that ye adhere to the truth of doctrine in your practice doe nothing but what is agreeable to gravity and sobriety to exact justice and purity or chastity and farther superadde that care of abounding in all Christian virtue that whatsoever is most desirable and amiable in the eyes of men whatsoever most venerably thought and spoken of that ye will propose to your selves as the pitch to be aspired unto by you 9. Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me doe and the God of peace shall be with you Paraphrase 9. What both by my doctrine and practice hath been instilled into you see ye be carefull to perform meaning by my doctrine 1. what I taught in the first preaching the Gospel to you 2. what I have farther revealed in the confirming you and 3. what in familiar discourses I have let fall to you And if thus ye doe that God which is such a lover of peace and amity will abide with you and direct and prosper you in all things 10. But I rejoyced in the Lord greatly that now at the last your care of me note c flourished again wherein ye were also carefull but ye lacked note d opportunity Paraphrase 10. It was matter of great Christian joy to me and than sgiving to God that now after some decay ye have revived you liberality toward me wherein I suppose formerly ye failed not but only wanted ability of shewing it 11. Not that I speak in respect of want for I have learned in what state soever I am therewith to be content Paraphrase 11. Which I say not in respect of any eminent want that I was in at the coming of Epaphroditus see note on Mar. 12. b. for Christianity hath taught me and I thank God I am able to doe it to be very well satisfied with my condition whatever it is 12. I know both how to be ahased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instucted both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need Paraphrase 12. Nay I can contentedly bear a yet lower condition then that which hitherto I have been in And yet the abundance which now I have by your libarality I can make use of to the glory of God It is a special part of that learning with which Christianity hath imbued me to be unconcerned in these outward things of plenty and want and that too whatsoever the circumstances are at what time soever and in what for of adversity soever I am exercised 13. I can doe all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Paraphrase 13. 'T is the great mercy of Christ which hath thus enabled me but thanks be to him I am able to doe all this see 1 Cor. 13. Note i. without much difficulty 14. Notwithstanding ye have well done that ye did communicate with my affliction Paraphrase 14. Yet doth not this at all lessen your kindnesse or charity in sending me that supply by Epaphroditus when I was in some straights 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 only Paraphrase 15. And indeed this was no new thing in you for at my first preaching the Gospel among you when after I had made an end I was departing out of your region you continued so mindfull of me as to send me contributions and having received of me spiritual things communicated their carnal things which no other Church but you had then done 16. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again to my necessity Paraphrase 16. For first while I was at Thessalonica another eminent Christian city of Macedonia and since I came thence more then once you made a collection and sent it to me 17. Not because I desire a gift but I desire fruit that may abound to your account Paraphrase 17. And that I thus commend you v. 14. it is not by that means to draw any more from you that I may have the more but to give you occasion of exercising your liberality the more acts of which there are the richer shall your reward be which it will bring you in from God 18. But I have all and abound I am full having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you note e an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God Paraphrase 18. What you sent by Epaphroditus I received and here signe my acquittance for it see note on Mar. 14. d. and thereby I have all abundance and plenty having received your almes and charity which under the Gospel is the
Context seems not to have any particular aspect on the matter but onely to look upon Christ and to set him up as the one universal redeemer and reconciler of all mankind of the Gentiles as well as of the Jewes and to shew what interest the Gentile world hath in his death and resurrection and therefore I preferre the interpretation first given as being directly pertinent to this purpose and agreeable to the consequents And that will more appear if you look on the place forementioned and parallel to this Ephes 1. 10. where this reconciling of all things in heaven and on earth expressed there by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gathering into one is called v. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mysterie of his will according to his good pleasure noting it to be some act of free undeserved mercy imputable to nothing but Gods meer grace and such most notoriously was the calling of the Gentile Idolaters and that a mysterie such as no man ever dream'd of or hoped for before and what that mysterie was is in the remainder of that Epistle largely shewn especially c. 2. 14 16 17. and under the name of the mysterie c. 3. 3 5. viz. the bringing in the Gentiles into the Church preaching 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Gentiles c. 3. 8. the unsearchable riches of Christ And thus I conceive the phrase is to be understood Ephes 3. 15. where of Christ 't is said that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole family in heaven and on earth is named by or from him that is surely all the world Gentiles as well as Jewes are now vouchsased by him to be called by his name that is to be Christians called and received into his family V. 22. Body of his flesh The body of his flesh signifies no more than his flesh according to the Hebrew notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as it signifies body so it is oft applied to things which have no body and signifies essence or beeing V. 25. Fulfill the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fulfill his word is a phrase which we meet with 1 Mac. 2. 55. spoken of Joshuah that for fulfilling the word he was made a Judge in Israel where as the word signifies the will and pleasure of God revealed to him so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fulfill it is to perform it in a very eminent manner But in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being by the Context confined to another notion the preaching or publishing the Gospel of Christ peculiarly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fulfill the word of God will be to fulfill that preaching that is to proceed as farre in the preaching of it as by all his diligence and care by himself and others he could doe and so belongs to the preaching it to these Colossians to whom being out of his way he yet had sent Epaphras v. 7. Thus we have a like phrase Rom. 15. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fill up the preaching or Gospel of Christ that is to preach it from city to city from Jerusalem as far as to Illyricum 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 Paraphrase 1. For I am willing ye should be advertised how earnestly I contend for you in desire to come to visit you and in prayer and zeal and solicitude for you and for those of Laodicea whose conversion wrought by Epaphras who was sent by me I look upon with much comfort though I never saw any of them as not being able to goe to either of those cities either in my first or second passage through Phrygia of which Laodicea is the Metropolis and Colossae another city Act. 16. 6. and 18. 23. 2. That their hearts might be comforted being knit togeather in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mysterie of God and of the Father and of Christ Paraphrase 2. That they may receive the joy and true comfort which the doctrine of Christ truly taught and practised will yield every one that being first united together in the Christian charity they may be filled with all graces in all abundance and come to know the bottome of this great secret or mysterie of God viz. of the Gospel or Christianity that is of the course which hath more obseurely been taken by God the Father under the Old Testament and more clearly now by God in Christ under the New to bring sinners to salvation 3. In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Paraphrase 3. In which course is wrapt up all the depth of divine wisdome imaginable 4. And this I say lest any man should beguile you with enticing words Paraphrase 4. And this care of mine and solicitude for you I mention that it may make you cautious that no cunning impostor seduce you by saying things that look like truth but are not 5. For though I be absent in flesh yet I am with you in the spirit joying and beholding your order and the stedfastnesse of your faith in Christ Paraphrase 5. For though I am not personally present among you yet by the advertisements I received from Epaphras I understand how all things goe with you and so am in heart or spirit present with you as when Elisha's hear is said to have gone with his servant when he knew what he did 2 Kin. 5. 26. and rejoice much to see the regularity of Ecclesiastical affairs among you and your constancy in the truth in despight of all that have tried to lead you out of the way 6. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him Paraphrase 6. And therefore all that I have to adde is onely this that as you have received commands from Christ for the regulating of your lives so ye be carefull to doe accordingly 7. Rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith as ye have been taught abounding therein with thanksgiving Paraphrase 7. As having not only received the saith at first but having been farther instructed and improved in it as when walls are superstructed on a foundation yea and confirmed in it and therefore goe on according to these beginnings and abound in all Christian practices and let that be your way of returning thanks to God for his great mercies of revealing the Gospel to you 8. Beware lest any man note a spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men after the note b rudiments of the world and not after Christ Paraphrase 8. And take care that no body plunder you rob you cheat you of all that you have your principles of Christian knowledge by that vain empty frothy pretended knowledge and wisdome which the Gnosticks talk of 1 Tim. 1. 4. and 6. 20. taken out of
as the priest in dissecting the sacrifices observes and separates those things which are most secret and closest joyned together 13. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and note c opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to doe Paraphrase 13. And no man shall be able to disguise himself so cunningly but he shall be discovered disclosed layed open and bare as the sacrifice when 't is first flay'd then cut down the back and all laid upon and discernible before the priest 14. Seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Sonne of God let us hold fast our profession Paraphrase 14. On these considerations therefore the rest which is promised upon our constancy and the certain ruine if we doe not persevere and withall having such an example before our eyes Christ that having suffered ascended through the clouds unto the right hand of the Father in the supreme heaven which is a token to us that sufferings are the way to exaltation let us take heed and be sure that whatever opposition or afflictions we meet with in the way we be not discouraged from our course of Christianity and the acknowledging and professing it publickly 15. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with a feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sinne Paraphrase 15. For Christ our high priest that is entred into heaven before us hath also suffered before us all that we can suffer and so will be sure to be sensible of our condition and to assist and aid and relieve us that if we be not wanting to our selves we shall be able to stand 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the note d throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Paraphrase 16. And accordingly let us adhere to him and pray confidently to him make an open free discovery of all our wants and requests to God who though he sits upon a throne yet sits there to hear our requests most freely see Joh. 7. a. to relieve us in a fit season and will do so when we most want and least look for it Annotations on Chap. IV. V. 2. Not being mixed If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the right reading then questionless that being joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the English rendring is proper being not mix'd with faith But it is certain that S. Chrysostome read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Accusative case Plural so as to be joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them who are said not to have been profited This is clear by that passage in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for by not being mix'd they were not profited which supposes the not mixing and not profiting to belong to the same persons And so Theophylact expressely reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon that reading proceeds all his interpretation If therefore this be the right reading as not improbably it is then the rendring is evidently this But the world that was heard did not profit those who were not by faith joyned or united to them which heard Thus Theophylact interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not mix'd that is not united or agreeing by faith with them that heard that is saith he that believed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for these are said to be hearers indeed but breaking off from them To this S. Chrysostome accords in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is that which he saith They heard saith he as we hear but they received no profit do not you therefore think that by the hearing the word preach'd ye shall be profited seeing they also heard but were profited nothing because they believed not What there followes in S. Chrysostome of those that were with Caleb and Ioshuah that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeing they were not joyned with the unbelievers that is agreed not with them they escaped the punishment which went out against them Theophylact professeth not to understand This saith he Chrysostome saith according to his great and deep wisdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he hath not given me unworthy man to understand how he said it Where yet I suppose the riddle not so inextricable viz. that that passage of S. Chrysostome was rather delivered ex abundanti over and above what was necessary to the interpreting of the words then designed to set down who were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he had set down clearly before viz. that the disobedient or unbelieving Jewes were they which being said he farther addes on the other side that Caleb and Ioshuah and those that were with them associated not with the unbelievers c. which certainly was true also for as the unbelievers joyned not with them so neither they with the unbelievers Having thus expatiated he retires again and observes somewhat from the Critical notation of the word He saith not saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they consented not but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they mix'd not joyned not with them in which words he speaks not of Caleb and Ioshuah as in the last period he had done but of those of whom S. Paul spake that is of unbelievers and so I doubt not but that which followes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is corrupt and should be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is they seditiously differed or departed from them who as he addes were all of one and the same mind which he observes on purpose to make the parallel more complete betwixt those provoking Israelites then and the Gnostick hereticks referred to in that Epistle who brake union divided schismatically and seditiously from their Bishops as those from their leaders Caleb and Ioshuah That this was his meaning appears by his conclusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this word he seems to me to intimate a sedition which I suppose a competent evidence that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the right reading The corrupting of which word was it as appears which made S. Chrysostomes meaning so unintelligible to Theophylact it being indeed by this means wholly mistaken by him Meanwhile it is not easie to divine what caused the Author of the Annotations on that place of S. Chrysostome to express his wonder whence that Father took that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adding that it was neither in S. Paul nor in the place of Numbers where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Participle was visible before him in tha◠place Heb. 4. 2. Ib. Word of God That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of God should signifie Christ the eternal Word is not impossible it being among the Jewes the known title of the Messias see Luk. 1. Note b. and to that the mention of eyes v. 13. doth somewhat incline it But this phrase being not elsewhere found in this sense in the New
ye take care that your performances be agreeable to your words see note on 2 Cor. 1. b. that you fall not into lying or false speaking 13. Is any among you afflicted let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalmes Paraphrase 13. Again let your care be that whenever any affliction befalls you your praying to God be the constant effect of it as on the other side singing thanksgivings of your prosperity 14. Is any sick among you let him call for the note e elders of the Church and let them pray over him note f anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord Paraphrase 14. When any man falls into any disease he is to look on it as that which comes from God for some special end of his very ordinarily for some sin of ours committed either against God or man not yet repented of as it ought and because the man so visited may not be so well able to judge of himself but that he may stand in need of spiritual directions and counsel to discern his own guilts and because whatsoever his condition be he may receive much benefit thereby let him call to his assistance some spiritual person the Bishop in every city see note on Act. 11. b. or whosoever is by or under him ordained for such offices and when he hath afforded the sick man his best directions and assistance let him also pray to God with and for him that God will pardon his sins asswage his pains remove the disease and restore him to his former health withall using that ceremony of unction so ordinarily used by Christ in curing diseases and doing it in the name of Christ 15. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sins note g they shall be forgiven him Paraphrase 15. And the prayer of the Bishop c. and of the sick if it come from faith in Christ in the one praying to God in Christ for his recovery and in the sick person from a true Christain penitent heart shall be of force save where God is pleased otherwise to dispose of it for the good of the patient and his own glory to heal and recover the sick see note on Mat. 10. g. and Luc. 13. b. and God shall restore him to his former health To which purpose also it is useful that if upon examination he be found to have committed any wasting sin or sins which probably have brought this disease on him the sick person first fit himself for and then receive absolution from the Bishop 16. note h Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Paraphrase 16. Upon these considerations therefore it will be very proper for all that are in this estate to make acknowledgment of their sins to such as are thus called to visit them and that besides other respects in order to their cure from such diseases as are then upon them by virtue of their intercession to God for those who shall thus approve to them the sincerity of their repentance see Gen. 20. 7. For this is certainly known that the prayer of a man of God to which he is incited by the Spirit as the prophets were when they prayed and as they were under the Gospel who had the gift of miracles see note on Gal. 5. b. will be very effectual even work miraculous cures 17. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six moneths Paraphrase 17. Elias was a prophet and a righteous man but a man for all that and subject to the same afflictions and frailties that we are and yet by earnest prayer he brought drought and famine upon the land for the punishment of the sins of the people that ran idolatrously after Baal and so upon the land of the ten tribes it rained not for three years and an half Luk. 4. 25. and Rev. 11. 6. 18. And he prayed again and the heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit Paraphrase 18. And upon some reformation he again prayed 1 Kin. 18. 45. and he was heard in abundance of rain and fruits 19. Brethren If any of you doe erre from the truth and one convert him Paraphrase 19. To conclude this discourse begun v. 14. let this be remembred and considered by all If any Christian transgresse the Evangelical rule of life fall into sin and any man take him off from that vicious course 20. Let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall note i hide a multitude of sins Paraphrase 20. It is a most excellent glorious work of mercy which he hath wrought the effect of which is that God will free him on whom this change is wrought from death eternal and perhaps from temporal present death through sicknesse fallen on him for that sin ver 15. and besides he will accept and reward that charity of him that hath wrought that good work on him with the free discharge of whatsoever sins he hath formerly been guilty but hath now repented of Annotations on Chap. V. V. 3. As it were fire That the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as fire are to be joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye have treasured up and not with the former the sense doth much inforce and the antient manner of writing without points doth well permit and it hath a special significancy in this place agreeable to the times wherein this Epistle was written For the last dayes being the time of the Jewes destruction see Note on Act. 2. b. and to treasure up wealth as fire being no more then to lay up their wealth so as it should mischief and devour and consume in stead of advantaging them this is here most truly said of the uncharitable and unchristian Judaizers at that time in respect of the destruction of that people approaching where the rich misers were the most miserably harrass'd of any See Note on Rev. 9. c. V. 7. Coming of the Lord The coming of the Lord is here expresly defined by Oecumenius to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the expedition of the Romanes to which he there applies the words of Christ concerning John If I will that he tarry till I come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the time of this life was to him extended untill the taking of Jerusalem and a little beyond it V. 9. Grudge not The practices of the Zelots among the Jewes a little before the great miserable destruction of that people are often mentioned in Josephus and referred to in this Epistle especially and in those of S. Peter written about the same time and to the same persons that this of S. James was viz.
your prayers be not hindred Paraphrase 7. Let the husbands in like manner live conjugally with their wives and behave themselves toward them as Christianity requires of them or as the mystical understanding of the story of their creation directs providing for them that they want nothing because they are not so able to provide for themselves and considering that they are by God designed to be co-partners with them of all the good things of this life which God bestowes in common on them that so they may also joyn efficaciously in prayers to God first as having this perfect union and community of every thing the want of which would be some hinderance to the joint performance of that duty of prayer and secondly that being provided for by the husband the wise may have no distractions and solicitudes for the world which are most apt to disturb her prayers also 8. Finally be ye all of one mind having compassion one of another love as brethren be pitiful be courteous Paraphrase 8. In brief or to summe up all Let this union of minds be not onely between husbands and wives but among all Christians whatsoever and let that expresse it self in a fellow-feeling of one anothers afflictions in love to all the brethren c. 2. 17. in tendernesse of kindnesse to do good to all that stand in any need of it in humble courteous friendly behaviour toward all 9. Not rendring evil for evil or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing Paraphrase 9. Never permitting your selves in the least degree to act or meditate revenge on any that hath been most in jurious to you remembring and considering the example given you by Christ and the obligation that lies on you as Christians Mat. 5. 44. that so by doing good and blessing others you may receive a blessing from God in this and in another life 10. For he that will love life and see good days let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile Paraphrase 10. According to that of the Psalmist Psalm 34. 12. That the onely way to obtain the blessings of this life and so now under the Gospel of another is observing strict rules of charity and justice 11. Let him eschew evil and do good let him seek peace and ensue it Paraphrase 11. Abstaining from all sin abounding in works of mercy seeking and pursuing of all peaceablenesse with all men 12. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil Paraphrase 12. For God looks propitiously upon all his obedient servants but for all wicked men he sets himself as an enemy against them 13. And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good Paraphrase 13. And so sure are these promises of his to be made good unto you that if you perform your part live blamelesly in a ready discharge of your duty this will be the most probable course to keep you safe from all evil 14. But and if ye suffer for righteousnesse sake happy are ye and be not afraid of their terror neither be troubled Paraphrase 14. But if as sometimes it will fall out you do suffer for this very thing for doing good count this no other then a blessing and therefore whatsoever danger you are theatned with by the power of your persecuters be not afraid or disturbed with it 15. But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready alwaies to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meeknesse and fear Paraphrase 15. But be thankfull to God for all or set up God in your hearts as your God and Lord and whensoever there is occasion confesse him before men and when you are asked give an account of the hope and â—aith you professe with all meeknesse to their authority if they be your superiours the Kings and Magistrates which are set over you and with all care to approve your selves to God see Phil. 2. c. 16. Having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of evil doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ Paraphrase 16. Keeping your selves blamelesse before all men particularly in this of maintaining that duty of meeknesse and reverence toward the heathen rulers v. 15. and c. 2. 12. see note on c. 4. f. that they that accuse you as malefactors or seditious persons may be convinced and put to shame and confesse that the lives of Christians are very honest and inoffensive and that they have most foully calumniated you in saying otherwise of you 17. For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well doing then for evil doing Paraphrase 17. For if it please God that a man suffer innocently there is no matter of sorrow in that there is much more danger that a man by desiring to avoid that should fall into some evil and then suffer justly for that and then that will be a sad thing indeed without any allay or matter of comfort in it 18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickned by the Spirit Paraphrase 18. For Christ is an example of the former in his dying for sins not his own but ours he being righteous died for us who are unrighteous that when we were aliens and enemies to God he might reconcilâ— us to him and give us authority to approach him wherein yet for our example and comfort it must be observed that though as a man clothed in our flesh he was put to death and that innocently to purchase redemption for us yet by the power of God in him he was most gloriously raised from the dead see c. 1. 11. and shall consequently by raising and rescuing us out of the present sufferings and destroying all obdurate sinners shew forth wonderful evidences of power and life 19. By which also he went and preached unto the note f spirits in prison Paraphrase 19. The very same in effect that of old he did at the time in which beyond all others he shewed himself in power and majesty against his enemies but withall in great mercy and deliverance to his obedient servants that adhered to him I mean in the dayes of the old world when by Noaâ— that preacher of righteousnesse he gave those treatable warnings to them that made no use of the light of nature in their hearts to the spirits or souls of those that were then alive before the Floud which God had given them with impressions of good and evill but through their customes of sin were as a sword put up in a sheath laid up as God complains Gen.
all plagues as often as they will Paraphrase 6. And secondly having that power of prayer as to shut up heaven that it should not rain for the same space that Elias did that is three years and an half v. 3. see Jam. 5. 17. and two passages more referring to Moses as first the power to turn the water into blood through all Aegypt and secondly to bring plagues upon them noting by both these that they were a kind of Moses and Elias designed by God one to bring the Jews to obedience as Moses the other to destroy Idolatry as Elias the first the work of the Bishop of the Jewish congregations the second of the Bishop of the Gentiles 7. And when they shall have finished their testimony the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomelesse pit shall note c make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them Paraphrase 7. And when they have spent a good time in discharging their office thus in endeavouring to reduce both Jews and Gentiles and bring them into the Church an eminent instrument of the devils Barchochebah in Adrian's time will gather a multitude of unbelieving Jews unto him and as a wild beast ravine and devour kill and plunder all that will not joyn with him against the Romans and so as histories affirm of him handle the Christians cruelly and hostilely because they would not doe so and unlesse they would deny Christ 8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the streets of the great City which spiritually is called Sodome and Aegypt where also our Lord was crucified Paraphrase 8. And upon this pretence kill them and cast out their carcasses in the streets without burial and this still in Jerusalem that no Prophet might be slain any where else which cannot better be compared then to Sodom for abominable sins of the Gnosticks to Aegypt see note c. on ch 14. for oppressing God's people that is the Christians nor express'd by any character then that which brought all their punishments upon them their crucifying of Christ and dealing in like manner with Christians 9. And they of the people and kindred and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves Paraphrase 9. And thus shall it be the Christians shall be thus slain and cast out into the streets without any compassion or reverence either from the Jews or heathens inhabiting at Jerusalem see note on ch 10. c. as long as that seditious company prevail there 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry and shall send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth Paraphrase 10. And this should be matter of rejoycing and congratulating to the Jews one with another as upon the destruction of their greatest enemies as Elias was counted an enemy to Ahab whom he would have reformed 11. And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them which saw them Paraphrase 11. But after some time their cause should come to be heard before God their injuries to be avenged the Christians of these congregations should begin to flourish again as in a kind of resurrection from the dead by the power and mercy of God and all that saw this and the manner of doing it Christians rescued by the Idolatrous heathen Romans could not but acknowledge it a great work of Gods and worship God for it 12. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them Come up hither And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld them Paraphrase 12. And they were taken up as it were to heaven out of this bloody seditious broil that lay so heavy upon them that is restored to a great and notable tranquillity to Halcyonian days of peace and Christian profession 13. And the same hour was there a great earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand and note d the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven Paraphrase 13. And as they were thus rescued and relieved so the other inhabitants of that place that joyned in that sedition or complyed with them against the Christians v. 10. were destroyed by the Romans a great part of that new city and the inhabitants thereof and upon this the rest turned Christians seeing the prophecies of the two witnesses fulfilled upon those that would not believe or obey them 14. The note e second woe is past and behold the third woe cometh quickly Paraphrase 14. And so this calamity lighting on the Jewes in Adrian's time was in a manner as bloody as that other under Titus and though it came some time after the former yet was not long deferred That under Titus was the 2 d woe described from c. 9. 12 15. to the end of chap. 10. and this under Adrian the 3d set down from the beginning of this chapter and caused by the sedition of Barchochebah v. 7. 15. And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying note f The kingdomes of this world are become the kingdomes of our Lord and his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Paraphrase 15. And this summarily repeated by the sounding of the seventh Angel who was to conclude this whole tragedie For as he sounded thunders were immediately heard that is pouring in of the Roman armies upon them mention'd v. 13. and an immense multitude of Jewes almost six hundred thousand of them slain faith Dio others affirm as many more from the beginning of this warre And as this was done on the seditious Jewes so by this means the Christians especially of the Gentiles came to flourish there more then ever and that whole city became in a manner Gentile-Christian Marcus a Gentile being the one Bishop under which both Jew and Gentile-Christians were united and thus the Church of Jerusalem entred upon her flourishing condition and the faith of Christ got the upper hand so as it never should be destroyed utterly again 16. And the four and twenty Elders which sat before God on their seats fell upon their faces and worshipped God Paraphrase 16. And the four and twenty Bishops of Judaea ch 4. 2. acknowledged this a great mercy of God which tended wonderfully to the prosperity of the whole Church of Judaea under them 17. Saying We give thee thanks O Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned Paraphrase 17. Saying Blessed be God for this infinite mercy of his wherein he hath magnified his fidelity to the Christians and used the Gentile-Romans as his instruments to set up his Christian Church in Judaea 18. And the note g nations were angry
Salvation and glory and honour and honour and power unto the Lord our God Paraphrase 1. Another vision I received much to the same purpose with the former but differing in this that the former looked especially on the city of Rome and the luxury and pride of the inhabitants thereof but this looked especially on the heathen religion there destroyed and exchanged for the Christian but that not all at once but by several steps and degree and first methought I heard a multitude of Christian people employed like the Saints and Angels in heaven singing of Allelujahs praises and thanksgivings to God as to him who had wrought great mercies for them 2. For true and righteous are his judgments for he hath judged the great whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand Paraphrase 2. Magnifying his fidelity to themselves and his just vengeance on the Idolatrous persecutors that had debauched so many to their courses and shed so much blood of Christians 3. And again they said Allelujah and her smoak arose up for ever and ever Paraphrase 3. And again triumphing in this act of Gods that this was like to be a fatal irreparable blow to the Roman Idolatry 4. And the four and twenty Elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sate on the throne saying Amen Allelujah Paraphrase 4. And the Bishops or representatives or governours of the Christian Church in Judaea ch 4. 4. and proportionably to them all other Bishops and the four Apostles formerly mention'd as the planters of the Christian faith in Judaea ch 4. 6. and two of them now in Rome also Peter and Paul gave their acclamations to those Hallelujahs 5. And a voice came out of the throne saying Praise our God all ye his servants and ye that fear him both small and great Paraphrase 5. And all Christians in the world of what quality soever were admonished of their duty and obligation to doe so too 6. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many waters and as the voice of mighty thundrings saying Allelujah for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth Paraphrase 6. And that admonition was presently answer'd with the acclamation of all the nations that is Christian people in them over all the world thundring out Allelujahs to God for this illustrious enlargement of the kingdome of Christ the conversion of that Imperial city to Christianity 7. Let us be glad and rejoice and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her self ready 8. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen clean white for the fine linnen is the note a righteousness of saints Paraphrase 7 8. Which is as it were the marriage of Christ to a lovely spouse his Church and so matter of rejoicing to all that hear of it Joh. 3. 29. which should now be adorned as the Priest entring into the sanctuary under the Law to note the liberty and the privileges which should be bestowed on the Church by the Emperour Constantine 9. And he saith unto me Write Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage-supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me These are the true sayings of God Paraphrase 9. And an Angel bad me take notice of this as of the blessedest happiest change that ever was wrought in the world and happy he that should be a spectator of it Of which yet I might be as confident it would come as if I saw it God having firmly decreed and made promise of it 10. And I fell at his feet to worship him and he said unto me See thou doe it not I am thy fellow-servant and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus worship God for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecie Paraphrase 10. And the joy of this news so transported me that as Abraham for the joy of the good news Gen. 17. 17. fell on his face c. so I could not but fall down to acknowledge my sense of so blessed a news and messenger But when I did so he bid me forbear For saith he I am no more honourably employ'd by Christ then thou art I am now a messenger to make known this prophecie to thee of the conversion of Emperors c. to the Gospel and thou and such as thou Apostles of Christ are Embassadours of as honourable and blessed news as this Let God have the praise of all for to be an Apostle of Christ a witnesse and publisher of his resurrection c. is to be a Prophet sent and indued with the Spirit of God and so as valuable as that office which now I am executing of foretelling things to come 11. And I saw heaven open'd and behold a white horse and he that sate upon him was called faithfull and true and in righteousnesse he doth judge and make warre Paraphrase 11. And methought I saw Christ coming from heaven in a pompous manner riding or sitting upon the white horse as he did c. 6. 2. that is in the preaching of the Gospel and according to his promise and his just judgments against his enemies proceeding against them that is against the Emperour Maxentius see c. 16. 12 14. 12. His eyes were as a flame of fire and on his head were many crowns and he had a name written that no man knew but he himself Paraphrase 12. And methought his eyes were like fire searching to the secrets of the heart noting him to judge and discern who are fit to be destroyed who not and he had many crowns on his head tokens and testimonies of as many victories over enemies whom he had overcome either by their yielding that is conversion or falling before him that is destruction and as a token of those victories he hath a note or ticket by which to receive his reward which no body sees but himself see ch 2. 17. and note i. that is he is acknowledged victorious 13. And he was clothed in a vesture dipt in blood and his name is called The word of God Paraphrase 13. And he was in a royal purple garment noting that regal power to which he was installed as a reward of his crucifixion Isa 63. 1 2. Phil. 2. 9. now to belong to him most illustriously and his name in which he was represented was that known title of Christ The word of God noting that which is now done to be an effect of divine power wrought by his word without any visible working of ordinary means toward it 14. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses clothed in fine linen white and clean Paraphrase 14. And the Angels the ministers of his vengeance attended him in a glorious and splend id manner 15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should smite the nations and he shall
shewing mercy to our brethren a state of flourishing piety magnifying blessing praising God and of charity and mercy to all men which is the summe of this ensuing Vision and as that there so here the conclusion of all V. 3. Behold the Tabernacle of God The meaning of this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold the tabernacle of God with men will easily appear by remembring the affinity of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tabernacle and the Schechinah appearance or presence of God called here ver 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory and oft elsewhere God is wont to be said in Scripture to be present where his Angels appear accordingly the Pictures of the Cherubims in the Tabernacle and after in the Temple were notes of his peculiar presence there And so both the Jewish Temple and Christian Church having the promise of God's peculiar presence is fitly styled his Tabernacle here and ch 13. 6. and elsewhere his house both in the same sense a tabernacle being but a moveable house And then behold the tabernacle of God with men is no more but an interpretation of that which was represented in this Vision viz. that hereby was noted the Church of Christ whose title is Emmanuel God with us or God with men God incarnate and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold is a determination of it to what went immediatly before thus The bride adorned for the husband is the Christian Church see ver 9. And then the promise that follows he will dwell with them c. is his marrying and endowing and living and dwelling with this spouse that is continuing his favour and love and protection to the Church as long as that continues faithful to him performs the duties of a wife obedience and fidelity to the husband And then consequent to that mercy and protection is the cessation of persecutions that follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he shall wipe every tear from their eyes c. remove all cause of sorrow from the Christians V. 8. Fearfull The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cowardly here which are set in the front of all these sins denote the renouncers of Christ in time of persecution set opposite to persevering Christians v. 7. and here clearly signifie the Gnosticks or such as they were whose position it was that 't was an indifferent and so a lawful thing to forswear Christ in time of persecution and to sacrifice to Idols here also noted by idolatry They are farther express'd by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unfaithful that fall off from Christ and more especially by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 detested and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fornicators and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorcerers c. see Note on ch 2. b. ch 9. c. 1 Joh. 4. a. So Tertullian interprets it in Scorp contra Gnost c. 12. Inter reprobos imò ante omnes timidis inquit particula in stagno ignis Ap. 21. among the reprobates yea before all them the cowardly have their portion in the lake of fire V. 10. City That the City is the Church is most evident in this Vision being before called the holy City the new Jerusalem ver 2. Now the wall is that which encompasseth the city keeps all out which are not thought fit to be admitted and guards and secures the city And to this the Christian doctrine is perfectly answerable none are to be admitted or continued there which doe not acknowledge that and so this likewise defends and fortifies the Church from the invasion of Hereticks And he that teacheth any other doctrine let him be Anathema As for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 greatnesse and highness of this wall that signifies the excellence and even divinity of this doctrine admirable precepts divine and heavenly promises And as this is a defensative to the city so the foundations thereof are the several preachings of the Apostles in all their travails which being the same in all places this one wall is said to have twelve foundations ver 14. and on them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb to signifie those doctrines that are not thus founded on their preaching either by word of mouth or by writing deduced from them not to be fit for reception in the Church V. 17. Measure of a man That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the measure of a man referres here to the stature of a man appears most probable by the addition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of an Angel For as here the person seen in the Vision was an Angel ver 9. so Ezech. 40. 3. where there is mention of this measuring reed it was shewed him by a man whose appearance was like the appearance of brasse that is a man in a glorious appearance such as Angels used to appear in And then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or measure must referre not to the cubit immediately precedent but to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or reed ver 15. noting that reed by which he had measured the city to be about six foot long and so the measure or stature of a man or Angel in humane shape as now he appeared unto him That the reed or pole was of this size that is six foot long may be concluded from Ezech. 40. 5. There as here was a man with a measuring reed ver 3. and that reed was six cubits long but that cubit not as 't is ordinarily counted a foot and a half but as it is taken by the measure of that bone which gives the denomination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cubit is the distance from the elbow to the wrist as Aristotle and the Anatomists determine which is in well-proportion'd bodies the sixth part of a man's stature And that this was the acceptation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as among the Grecians so among the Hebrews appears by the account of Josephus De bell Jud. l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where having made the wall to contain 90. turrets each of them 20. cubits long and the space betwixt each to be 200. cubits which must conclude the circuit of the wall to be 19800 cubits he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole compasse of the city was thirty three furlongs which concludes the allotment of 600. cubits to every furlong and that we know among the Greeks contained 600. foot So that the cubit is no more then a foot or the sixth part of a man's stature So when Solinus saith of the walls of Babylon quorum altitudo ducentos pedes detinet that they were two hundred foot high and so Pliny Orosius saith they were fifty cubits broad altitudine quater tantâ four times as high that is two hundred cubits and so saith Herodotus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the height was two hundred cubits That all this measuring of the city is mystically to be understood and not literally there is no doubt but what the mysterie
Lord Jesus Christ 21. Submitting your selves one to another in the fear of God Paraphrase 21. Yielding obedience to those to whom 't is due in subordination to God obeying their lawfull commands upon God's command to honour them but yet not doing any thing in obedience to them which is forbidden by that superior Law of God 22. Wives submit your selves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord. Paraphrase 22. All wives must be subject to their husbands by virtue of the Christian law which in this and other things doth no way disannul but rather confirm God's first institution 23. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is of the Church and he is the Saviour of the body Paraphrase 23. And the same obligation that lies on the Church to obey Christ viz. because he is the head of it lyes on the wife to obey the husband who is the head of the wife 1 Cor. 11. 13. by the law of creaâ—ion which is in force among all nations and as Christ did for his Church so it is the office of the husband as of the head to take care for and secure and defend the body which belongs to it that is to doe all that he can for the good of the wife 24. Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing Paraphrase 24. And this subjection of the wife to the husband is not restrained to some sorts of things but extended unlimitedly to all where there is not a prohibition of some superiour law see v. 21. as the Church is to be regulated by Christ and those whom he hath placed over it in all things 25. Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it Paraphrase 25. And by the same rule of analogie with Christ the husbands are obliged to expresse that care of their wives that love to their good as Christ had to the good of his Church which is his wife for whom he laid down his life 26. That he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word Paraphrase 26. That he might purifie it from all sin to that end appointed baptisme therein obliging us to forsake the devil c. and covenanting to give us grace to doe so and to that adding his word the whole doctrine commands promises of the Gospel as a powerfull means to oblige and enable us to doe so or baptizing us in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost Theophylact. 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Paraphrase 27. And all this that as a wife he may set it out in beauty and comelinesse as a garment come new out of the fuller's hand purged from spots stretched from wrinkles the former newly contracted the latter by long time of custome and habit the former more easy the latter hard to be removed and so not having any of the base pollutions before mentioned v. 5. but that it may be perfectly clean without ever a blemish in it 28. So ought men to love theirwives as their own bodies he that loveth his wife loveth himself Paraphrase 28. And this love of the husband to the wife must be as to a part of himself for so Eve was taken out of Adam 29. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church Paraphrase 29. And not to love a man's self and every part of that is unnatural and therefore every sensible man will love his wife as part of himself endevour her good as Christ doth the Churches with all the zeal imaginable 30. For we are note h members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Paraphrase 30. For he is the head of the Church and we are members of him 31. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joyned unto his wife and they two shall be one flesh Paraphrase 31. And this is the reason of that precept in the first creation that a man shall at marriage put off all other neerest relations so farre as to preferre this newly contracted relation before them all of two to make up one common person Gen. 2. 24. 32. This is a great mysterie but I speak concerning Christ and the Church Paraphrase 32. This place of Genesis is spoken literally of marriage but it hath also a divine secret mystical sense in it to denote first the forming of the Church after the manner of Eve out of Adams side Adam was alone God casts him into a dead sleep then takes a bone out of his side and makes a woman meet for him and she is the mother of all living So Christ being the second Adam and alone also he is cast into a dead sleep on the Cross and then out of his side the Church is formed and she becomes his spouse and so the mother of all living in the spirituall sense See Prosper de praediction l. 1. c. 1. Secondly the conjunction consequent to this marriage between Christ and his Church who are literally one flesh by Christ's assuming our nature upon him and mystically one body by the strict union which he hath made both by infusing his graces as the head to the members and obliging us to continue in him as members in union with and subjection to the head And so the Jewes themselves say of the taking Eve out of Adam's side that it was to signifie the marriage of the most highest God blessed forever who left his father in heaven saith Chrysostome to cleave to this wife this spouse of his the Church 33. Neverthelesse let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself and the wife see that she reverence her husband Paraphrase 33. The short is that by the law of our creation confirm'd and not disannulled by Christ and exemplified to us in his dealings with his spouse the Church every Christian husband is bound to account of his wife as of a great part of himself and accordingly to love and care for her and she back again as to the head behave her self reverently toward the husband Annotations on Chap. V. V. Offering The difference of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 offering and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrifice is ordinarily observable see Heb. 10. where in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrifice and offering v. 5. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Burnt-offering and sacrifice for sinne v. 6. where as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrifice is certainly expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bodies of beasts wholly burnt upon the altar of which therefore no part came to the Priest Heb. 13. 11. so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oblation is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉