in due time Christ died for the ungodly 6. For when we were worthless helpless lost and miserable in the fittest season Christ died even for the ungodly guilty Sinners to recover them to God and save them 7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die 7. For among Men few or scarce any one would die for an Innocent Man though perhaps some few of rare Charity and self-denial would venture on death for a Man of eminent worth and goodness 8. But God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us 8. But the love of God to us was so transcendently declared and magnified that while we were yet Sinners against his Law and him Christ died to reconcile and save us 2. Much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him 9. And if he loved us so far as to give his Son to die for us when we were meer guilty Sinners we may be sure that now he hath made and accepted us as Righteous pardoning all our Sin for the Sacrifice of the Blood of Christ he will certainly save us from Damnation 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life 10. For if God reconciled us to himself by his Sons death when we were his Enemies doubtless he will save them that are now reconciled and pardoned Believers by the Intercession of him that liveth in Glory and is now our Head the Lord of Life by giving us his Spirit and justifying us at last and receiving us to himself in Glory He that loved his Enemies will not damn his beloved Children 11. And not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have received the atonement 11. And now moreover through this reconciliation by Christ which we have received upon our believing God is so far from being our terrifying avenging Judge that he is become our greatest glorying and joy he being our God and we his People and he being our Father and alsufficient Portion and Felicity 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned 12. In all this we have notice of this great Mystery that as Adam was the Root or first cause of Mans Sin and Death and by that one Man sin entred into the World and death by Sin and so all being Sinners death passed upon all even Temporal death actually and Eternal death by the Sentence of the Violated Law as being our due 13. For until the law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed where there is no law 14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression who is the figure of him that was to come 13 14. For it is certain that Sin was in the World before Moses's Law even from Adam's fall And whereas that is no Sin nor imputed to Guilt and Punishment which is against no Law yet death reigning from Adam's fall till Moses and therefore all were under some Law Sin being so far imputed to them though they sinned not themselves as Adam did against an express particular command and penal threatning by supernatural Revelation from Heaven nor all that died e. g. Infants did actually and personally transgress Therefore it was from him as his vitiated guilty Seed that they derived Original Sin and by this vitious nature they at age sinned actually against that Law which they were under and by both were the Children of death so that we may compare Adam as the root of Sin and Death to all with Christ who is to all true Christians the root of Holiness and Life 15. But not as the offence so also is the free gift For if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many 15. But the disparity must be noted For if the sin of one Man had such malignant power and pernicious efficacy as to procure the guilt and death of many we may be sure that the Grace and Mercy of God and the gift of that saving Grace which is from the Merits Intercession and Spirit of Christ shall be more effectual to the Life of many 16. And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences unto justification 16. And there is this further differences that Adam one Man by one sin brought the Sentence of Death on all the World which had not passed else upon us But it is many Sins of many Men which Christ doth deliver us from in the free gift of our Justification 17. For if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ 17. For if one offence of one Man made all Men Subjects to Death by that one much more powerfully and effectually they which receive from one Redeemer abundance of Grace and the gift of Righteousness in the healing and pardoning of all their Sins shall certainly Reign in the purchased and promised life of Glory by that one Saviour Jesus Christ 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to justification of life 18. Therefore as by the offence of one the Sentance of Death was passed upon all his posterity so also by the Righteousness of one as the meritorious and procuring cause the free gift came on all Men for Justification and Life That is A free Gift is made and offered promiscuously to all on condition of believing suitable acceptance and actually justifieth all to Life who so believingly accept it and unthankfully reject it not 19. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous 19. For as by one Adam's disobedience all Men as receiving their Nature from him are made guilty and corrupt and punishable as Sinners so by the procuring meritorious Obedience of one in performing all that was required of him as our Redeemer in perfect holiness of Soul and Life fulfilling the Law of Innocency and of Moses and the peculiar Law of Mediation being obedient to the Death on the Cross shall the many that by Faith receive him be constituted Righteous and so accounted and judged of God even reconciled pardoned adopted and made the Heirs of Life 20. Moreover the law entred that the offence might abound but where sin abounded grace did much more abound
Law of such a multitude of difficult positive Precepts and Prohibitions making me so much work and so hard is become morally impossible for me perfectly to fulfil Had I been only under the Law made to faln Adam and Noah and all Mankind a great number of Legal Positives and Ceremonials had never obliged me but this Law being made and all these things laid upon me which my corrupt Nature could not fulfil presently my badness and disability appeared in a great number of Acts which now became forbidden sin and in the omission of things commanded even as if you command ignorant weak and il-disposed Men a multitude of such particulars as none but the wise and well disposed will keep it will occasion them to be guilty of a multitude of sins which without those Canons or Laws would have been no sin so my sinful Nature made this Law of Works an occasion of my guilt of a multitude of actual sins which without the Law would have been no sin or not so culpable Besides that the prohibition stirred up my ill inclination and also that I sinned against more knowledge 9. For I was alive without the law once but when the commandment came sin revived and I died 9. For if you suppose me only under the Common Law made to Noah and all Mankind and the Promise made to him and to Abraham before the Law of Moses was made I had not then been under either that Sentence of a Temporal or an Eternal death which by Moses's Law are the wages of many sins not before forbidden But when I am under all those Laws which curse or cut off all that do not the numerous Tasks and Ceremonies there imposed I am then become a dead Man in Law and the Law and sin rise up in power against me and condemn me 10. And the commandment which was ordained unto life I found to be unto death 10. And the Commandment which promised life to them that keep it proved the occasion of death to me 11. For sin taking occasion by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me 11. For my sinful nature called out to so much duty and forbidden so many things being unable to do the duties and prone to the things forbidden by occasion of this Law became the guilty cause of many actual sins of omission and commission and as ill humours stirred by a purge oft rage the more so did the pravity of my nature and so I was made guilty of death 12. Wherefore the law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good 12. Wherefore I testifie that the Law is pure and holy and just and good God justly made it His Wisdom and Holiness shine forth in it If Men be bad and ill disposed God may justly give them such Laws as their badness is averse to keep And he had good and gracious ends in giving it He made it indeed very operous somewhat like the Law of Innocency to Adam though not that same but yet conjunct and subordinate to the Law and Promise of Grace which the Jews should have noted and used it accordingly 13. Was that then which is good made death to me God forbid But sin that it might appear sin working death in me by that which is good that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful 13. What then Is the Law guilty of my sin and death By no means But the inward pravity of my Soul which else would have been more latent unknown and not have brought forth so much actual sin and death did by the good Law of God appear in its proper evil nature and shew how pregnant it was of actual sin and how averse to full obedience and so by producing these actual sins appeared and became exceeding sinful 14. For we know that the law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin 14. For we all confess that the Law being Gods own Law is Divine Spiritual and Pure And the reason why I do not fulfil it and so cannot be justified by it is in my self who in my Corrupt Nature am Carnal and under a Moral necessity of sinning against it predominantly before Grace and in part after 15. For that which I do I allow not For what I would that do I not but what I hate that do I. 15. I may well call it a Captivity or a kind of necessity when my knowledge and unfeigned though imperfect willingness and desire and my hatred of the sin yet will not enable me to be so free from sin and fulfil the Law as to be justified by it much less will the uneffectual convictions and wishes of the unregenerate do this For though I do not in judgment approve my sin and I have a desire perfectly to fulfill the Law of God and I would be freed from all sin yet I attain not this perfection which I desire 16. If then I do that which I would not I consent to the law that it is good 16. Now if I did not justifie the Law as good I should not thus condemn my self for breaking it nor desire thus perfectly to keep it 17. Now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me 17. And because the Understanding and Will are the highest faculties and a Man is in Gods account what he truly would be therefore I may say that though it be my sin to have so inordinate a sensitive inclination and so imperfect a Mind and Will which should better rule it yet it is not such a sin as sheweth the predominant disposition of my Soul and denominateth the Man but is contrary to the resolved bent of my heart and life and therefore the Lord of Grace will not judge me according to that which is but my imperfection and which I more hate than love and would unfeignedly be rid of for it is no reigning sin that I confess 18. For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not 18. For I know that so far as I have any corruption and carnality I am prone to evil and not to good For by the Grace of God I do truly desire perfection it self but I am not able to attain my desire and to be perfect in my obedience 19. For the good which I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do 19. For my Nature being corrupt and my Will but imperfectly renewed though sincere I cannot be as good as I would be nor do all the good which I would do nor avoid all the evil which I would avoid and so cannot be sinless and perfectly obedient 20. Now if I do that I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me 20. Now seeing the main bent of my Mind and Will is for perfect obedience and against all sin and it is by the instigation
expectations For though God would glorifie the riches of his Grace by Jesus Christ yet was it not his Will to reveal him in such visible Majesty and Glory as should of it self necessitate and force Men to believe in him For then Faith would have been no Work of Tryal nor fit for a Reward but such as the wicked and sensual might perform But God would so reveal his Son as that Faith might have sufficient encouragement and help and yet such difficulties as might make it proper to honest Souls and fit for a reward so that those that will be biassed by prejudice and worldly Interest will stumble and fall on the Rock which they should be built on but to them that sincerely trust and obey him he might be the author of Eternal Salvation and be the Power and Wisdom of God ANNOTATIONS 1. THis Chapter is ordinarily misunderstood 1. Because Men observe not what it is that Paul is proving 2. And because they distinguish not God's Acts which he doth as an Owner and Benefactor from those Acts of Justice which he doth as Rector to Subjects under his Laws and Covenants 3. And because they distinguish not the Common Law of Grace made to fallen Mankind from the Covenant of Peculiarity proper to the Jews 1. Many think that Paul here giveth the Reason from God's meer Will and Reprobating Decree why some are Unbelievers and hardned in Sin and are not pardoned and saved when others are 2. And so they think that God pardoneth and justifieth and saveth Men without any Reason or Cause fetch'd from their different Qualifications but meerly from his Will 3. And they think that Esau was not onely shut out from the Covenant of Peculiarity but also from the Commoner Covenant or Law of Grace and was hated to Damnation meerly from the antecedent Will of God But contrarily 1. It is evident that St. Paul is but proving and justifying God's free Mercy in calling the Gentiles while he permitted the obstinate part of the Jews to cut off themselves by Unbelief and wilfully rejecting Christ II. And that he speaketh not at all of any arbitrary Inequality in his Rewards and Punishments but only in his free Gifts all Men should understand that God is to Man 1. Our Owner 2. Our Benefactor 3. Our Rector 1. As an Owner he may do with his own as he will 2. As our Benefactor he giveth many things antecedently to his Laws and many things besides what he there promiseth And as a Lord and Benefactor he distributeth his Gifts with incomprehensible arbitrary variety and none have cause to accuse him for giving another more than them He wrongs not the Stars by not making them Suns nor the Clouds by not making them Stars nor Men by not making them Angels nor Beasts in not making them Men nor Worms or Toads by making them no better And scarce two things in the World are like without any dissimilitude or inequality But when he hath made a Law of Precepts Prohibitions Rewards and Punishments it is his Justice equally to perform them to all according to their Qualifications and Titles He pardoneth all Believers and none else He glorifieth all that are justified and sanctified and none else and giveth the Reason of the different Sentences from their Qualifications and Works Mat. 25. c. which he doth not in his Gifts as meer Benefactor So that he doth not say that the Reason why some are pardoned and saved is not in him that willeth and him that runneth but the Reason why of two ill-deserving Persons or Nations one is overcome by decreed effectual Grace and the other hath not that Grace that so overcometh his wilful Resistance III. And when Paul speaketh of Esau being hated the Text alledged meaneth no more but that the Edomites were exposed to God's overflowing Punishments on Earth and that Esau was less loved than Jacob and he and his Seed rejected from the Covenant of Peculiarity But as it is certain that they were under that Law of Mercy made to Mankind in fallen Adam and Noah so it is not said in Scripture that Esau was damned or void of Saving Grace II. As to the Hardning of Pharaoh and others it being agreed by all sober Christians that God causeth not Sin we need to debate it no further Whether the sense be That he denieth them softning converting Grace when they have forfeited it by wilful Resistance and so permitteth them to be hardned or Whether it be that he doth those good and righteous Acts which he knows they will be wilfully hardned by as Occasions and Objects or both these Here is not the least hint that God damneth any or decreeth so to do meerly because he will do it without any Reason taken from their own Deserts Or that he maketh some Men Sinners or damneth them meerly as the Potter differenceth his Vessels of Clay But only that when all have deserved to be forsaken and condemned and he giveth Common Grace for their Recovery to all why he freely giveth more which shall be infallibly effectual to some rather than to others when those some were no better than the rest It 's said by some School-men That Mens Damnation is caused by Sin but God's Decree to damn them is not nor hath any Cause But this must be more distinctly answered By God's Decree to damn Men is meant 1. Either the Effects of his Will 2. Or his Will it self 3. Or his Will as extrinsecally denominated from the Object correlated to it 1. No doubt but Punishment which is the Effect of his Will hath a Meritorious Cause in Mans Sin 2. The Will of God or his Decree considered as in God is nothing but his Essence which hath no Cause and is not in it self called a Decree to damn Men. 3. The Denomination of God's Will from its relation to the extrinsick Object hath objective Cause the Object qualified Whoever truly repenteth and believeth may be sure of his Justification and it 's sinful to doubt of it on pretence that God may condemn whom he will when he hath told whom he will not condemn And whoever is unregenerate and ungodly may be sure he is unjustified and unpardoned and in a damnable state for God hath assured us of this in his Word CHAP. X. 1. BRethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved 2. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge 1 2. My great desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be converted and saved And it is laudible in them that they have a Zeal of God and his Law and Worship but it is frustrate because misguided by errour 3. For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God 3. For they being ignorant of God's way of Justification and Righteousness intended as the end of the
Sufferings for the recompence of reward is great 36. For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise 36. For it is not enough to begin well It 's like God will yet try you with sharper Persecutions so that you have need not only of Conversion but of Patience to hold out and overcome Temptations that having done the Will of God in all your Tryals and fully manifested your Sincerity by your Constancy you might receive the promised Reward 37. For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry 37. For though to unbelief and impatience it seem long it is but a very little time till Christ will come to end your fears and sufferings and fulfil your hopes And he will not delay or tarry at all beyond the due approaching time 38. Now the just shall live by faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him 38. It is by the firm belief of the Promise of Glory purchased by Christ that the Just do overcome Temptations hold on in duty and comfortable hope and are finally saved But if any man forsake this Faith and its profession either through fraud flattery or fear of men God will forsake him and have no pleasure in him Note Dr. Hammond applyeth it to forsaking Publick Worship as the Gnosticks did which indeed backsliders use to do when such assembling is persecuted And his note should warn them to take heed of such forsaking Publick Worship who live where men are tolerated to be Atheists and not to worship God at all but not to be Christians and to assemble for God's Worship unless they will be stigmatized with the profession or practice of some imposed wickedness though this Atheism and Persecution pretend Christian Order 39. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul 39. But I hope you will approve your selves faithful Christians and not of the loose unstedfast sort who by Sophistry or Persecution are drawn to revolt and turn back to their own destruction but of them who believe with sincerity firmness and constancy to the saving of their Souls CHAP. XI 1. NOW faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen 1. And seeing it is by Faith that you must obtain all this Victory and Perseverance and Salvation it greatly concerneth you to understand rightly what that Faith is by which the just must live and how it differeth from that living by sight and sense on worldly things which is the case and life of the Children of perdition This Faith is the subsistence or firm and confident expectation from God of the things which we believing hope for and which maketh them by the security of his faithful Promise to be effectual Motives to us as if they were even present And it is the convincing evidence or demonstration in the mind of the unseen things which God revealeth by which they prevail with us against all the visible vanities of this World This realizing things future and unseen as certain by God's Promise and over-coming Temptations from things seen and present is our Saving Faith 2. For by it the elders obtained a good report 2. It was by this effectual Belief and Trust in God's Promise for things unseen preferred before things seen and present that the Ancients are said to be approved of God 3. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear 3. How can we know but by believing God's Revelation that Heaven and Earth were compacted and formed by the Word of God so that all this great and well ordered frame which is seen was made not of things which appear Note This latter part is diversly expounded 1. Some as Calvin expound it thus The things that are seen were made to be as a Glass or Image of the things that are unseen That they are so is true but few receive this as the sense of these words 2. Others expound it as equal to the seen Worlds were made not of things seen therefore of nothing or no praeexistent matter This most Protestants receive 3. Others take framing or compacting to presuppose existent matter to be compact and say that was the Chaos in which the form was unseen 4. Others following the Vulgar Latine Erasmus c. translate it the things which are seen were made of things unseen And on this Text and Supposition some build a frame of Philosophy viz. that all things are made or flow from God so as that the nearest effects are the most pure and noble and the remotest most gross and made by transmutation and condensation and so that Earth is but incrassate humor and humor or water incrassate air and air incrassate fire and fire incrassate vegetative spirit and that incrassate intellectual spirit And so that all visible bodies are made of invisible spirit debased which again may be refined to invisibility But these are the frothy dreaming presumptions of unhumbled wits and wise men will rest in the measure of God's Revelations 4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice then Cain by which he obtained witness that he was righteous God testifying of his gifts and by it he being dead yet speaketh 4. By this Faith it was that Abel offered to God a more excellent and therefore more acceptable Sacrifice than Cain By which he obtained God's Judgment and Record that he was righteous and so far was justified by it in God's account God by some notable sign shewing that when he rejected Cain's Offering he accepted Abel's And by this Sacrifice and God's attestation thô his malignant Brother murdered him his acceptance recorded by God in Scripture yet speaketh his honour and our imitation Note 1. That Abel's Faith producing his Offering was not any other but that for which God judged him righteous 2. That the brief History maketh it not fully clear wherein the difference of their Offerings lay save that 1. Abel's being of the firstlings of living creatures was in its nature more excellent than Cain's of vegetable◠2. And the nobler effect shewed a nobler cause or Faith But seeing 1. That it 's most probable that the duty of Sacrificing came from no Original but Adam's Tradition of God's Command 2. And that the use of it under Moses's Law expoundeth it after we may conceive 1. That it was to signifie that Man was to believe that Death was deserved by Man's sin 2. That by Death the Mediator was to redeem him 3. And that as the Beast was offered to God they offered their own lives to him in hope of the Immortality of the Soul and a better life which death was the way to And in this Faith Abel excelled Cain 5. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not
or only such as Ebion Cerinthus and others that denyed somewhat of Christ's Being his Manhood or his Godhead or his real Suffering Or those that were for Moses's Law and held that Christ may be denyed with the Tongue in case of danger so that the heart deny him not pretending that God will have Mercy to our selves and not Sacrifice 24. Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning if that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father 24. Hold fast the Doctrine which at the first ye received from us and turn not after Novelties and this will preserve you against Seduction and continue you in the Faith Relation and Love of the Son and Father 25. And this is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal life 25. And if you live by â—aith upon his Promises he will give you Eternal Life which he hath promised whatever you suffer or forsake here in the way 26. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you 26. It is the seducing Hereticks who occasion my writing these Warnings to you 27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him 27. But I hope I need no other Argument to confirm you in the Christian Faith against Seducers than that the Spirit of Christ which is his Witness Agent and Advocate hath through his Apostles Preaching and Imposition of Hands been given to you and among you His Miracles have sealed his Truth before your eyes and his illuminating and sanctifying Grace hath been given you if you be true Believers And I hope you will not deny the Holy Ghost As he is thus the Infallible Objective Evidence of Christ's Truth so is he in you an Efficient Illuminating Teacher and ready within you to plead Christ's Cause and teach you all necessary Truth Therefore you need not any man's Testimony and Teaching as those do that have no other but must take the Word of Man alone Use Christ's Ministers but in due Subordination to the Spirit and quench it not and he will keep you 28. And now little children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming 28. Therefore Children waver not but fixedly abide in Christ and true Christianity that when he shal appear in Judgment we may see and meet him with joyful confidence and not with shame unto Condemnation as Apostates will Note 'T is wonder that he that expounds all this of Christ's coming to destroy Jerusalem by the Romans his Enemies should think that all the Christians to whom the Apostles wrote should then meet Christ or be so much comforted therein when most were like to die first and few living to be much the better for it And Christian Compassion would fill them with Grief as Paul had Rom. 9. and 11. and not make them like men of utter malice to take it for so great joy to have the Jews so murdered when Christ wept over them that foretold it and when the Romans were far more to persecute the Church near three hundred Years And this Exposition leaveth all the Christian World since to this day little more use of the abundance of Motives and Comforts of the New Testament than of the fulfilled Prophecies of the Old Do not Christ's and the Apostles words nearly concern us Or should the Church be moved to Constancy Patience and Comfort chiefly sixteen hundred Years after because a Million of Jews were killed then 29. If ye know that he is righteous ye know that every one that doth righteousness is born of him 29. And as ye believe that Christs is just and a Lover of Righteousness so all that sincerely live a righteous Life towards God and Man are new born by his Sanctifying Spirit to his Image and shall surely be received and owned by him CHAP. III. 1. BEhold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not 1. Let us therefore instead of forsaking Christ admire the wondrous Love of God to us that hath in Christ adopted us to be his Sons Indeed our Dignity is unknown to the unbelieving World for they knew not Christ to be the Son of God and how then should they know us 2. Beloved now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 2. And it is no wonder if our Condition be unknown to the unbelieving World for though we are already the Sons of God and have Right by Promise to future Glory our future Glory is yet unseen and what we shall be doth not appear to the World or to our own sight But we know by faith that when Christ appeareth we that are his Members shall in our several measures be made like our glorified Head in the Perfection both of Soul and Body and place and state of Blessedness For he hath promised that we shall be with him and therefore shall see him as he is and therefore be made capable of such a sight and glorious Communion 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure 3. And knowing that without Holiness none can see God and that it is the Pure in heart that have the Promise of seeing him therefore all that have a true effectual Hope of seeing him will make it their chief care to purifie themselves that such Likeness to Christ may render them capable of such a blessed sight 4. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law for sin is the transgression of the law 5. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin 4 5. For to sin is to transgress and break God's Law for that is the definition of Sin And ye know that Christ came in the Flesh to be a Sacrifice for Sin and to take it away and destroy it and never sinned himself and all this that he might vindicate God's Law and Holiness 6. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him 6. So far as any man is in him and is taught and ruled by him so far is he freed from all sin and all his true Members are delivered from the predominant love and practice of all known sin and are willing to know all that they may avoid it And he that would not know it and when he doth know it doth not hate it more than love it and so far forsake it as to conquer
the length but their hypocrisie and oppressing cruelty Only good is fit to cover evil 15. Wo to you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte and when he is made ye make him twofold more the child of hell than your selves 15. Ye are very diligent to convert men to your Religion and make them more guilty and more fierce against Christians than your selves 16. Wo to you ye blind guides who say Whosoever shall swear by the temple it is nothing but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple he is a debtor 16. By a foolish distinction you feign a man not bound to keep his oath nor guilty if he breâ—k it who sweareth by the Temple and yet say he is bâ—und that sweareth by the gold of the Temple as more holy 17. Ye fools and blind for whether is greater the gold or the temple that sanctifieth the gold 17. Is not the Temple consecrated to God before its Gold which is but an accident to the Temple 18. And whoever shall swear by the altar it is nothing but whoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it he is guilty 19. Ye fools and blind for whether is greater the gift or the altar that sanctifieth the gift 18 19. Is not the Altar consecrated before the Gift on which the gift must be offered if consecrated Qu. Doth not Christ here cross his own Law by calling them Fools and Blind Answ No It is railing and reproach by venting hurtful passion which he forbids But for a Friend or a Preacher to convince men of the folly of sinning and reprove it is a duty 20 21 22. Whoso therefore sweareth by the altar sweareth by it and by all things thereon And whoso shall swear by the temple sweareth by it and by him that dwelleth therein And whoso shall swear by heaven sweareth by the throne of God and by him that sitteth thereon 20 c. The Altar is to be taken as relating to the Offering and the Temple and Heaven as relating to God in the sence of the Oath 23. Wo to you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye pay tythes of mint and anise and cummin and have omitted the weighty matters of the law judgment mercy and saith these ought ye to have done and not to leave the others undone 23. What hypocrâ—ie is it to be precise in Tything and triâ—ing small things and to neglect the great duties of the Law just iâ—â—ging mercy and faithful dealing with all these 〈…〉 which you should have first done with greaâ—est zâ—â—l â—nd care and the small things to come in their proper place 24. Ye blind guides who strain at a gnat and swallow a camel 24. N. They may be â—â—â—rply reproved as blind guides who place their Religion in Ceremonies and small things while they omit Justice Mercy Fidelity and such great duties 25. Wo to you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter but within they are full of extortion and excess 25. You wash the outside of your Cups and Platers but what contain they within but the Drink and the Meat which you have got by extortion and use to intemperance and excess 26. Thou blind Pharisee cleanse first that which is within the cup or platter that the outside of them may be clean also 26. See that thy Dish and Cup contain not the fruit of extortion nor the food of fleshly lust and do thus by thy heart also as well as by thy cup and dish 27. Wo to you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye are like to whited sepulchres which indeed appear beautiful outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all uncleanness 28. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous to men but within ye are full of hypocrisie and iniquity 27.28 So ye are adorned with your outward Ceremonies and Legal and Traditional observances but within are Hypocrites and wicked 29. Wo to you scribes and pharisees hypocrites because ye build the tombs of the prophets and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous 30. And say if we had been in the days of our fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets 31. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto your selves that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets 32. Fill ye up then the measure of your Fathers 29. c. As Hypocrites ye honour by your Ceremonies Words the memory of the Prophets and Righteous men whom your Fathers Murdered and you say you would not have done it and yet you do the same and worse You confess that you are the off-spring of those Murderers and therefore lyable to be plagued for your Fore-fathers sins if you Repent not No wonder if you imitate them and fill up the measure till you be ripe for Vengeance 33. Ye serpents ye generation of vipers how can ye escape the damnation of hell 33. How can ye escape Damnation who are the Seed of such Serpents and Vipers of the same nature and go on in the same way of sin 34. Wherefore behold I send unto you Prophets and wise men and Scribes and some of them ye shall Kill and Crucifie and some of them shall ye scourge in your Synagogues and Persecute them from city to city 35. That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias whom ye slew between the Temple and the Altar 36. Verily I say to you All these things shall come on this Generation 34. c. I foretel you now what will befall you I will send unto you yet greater Prophets c. And thus you will use them And so when you have filled up the measure of your National Sin the Destruction deserved by your Ancestors but suspended by the patienâ—e and long-suffering of God shall be suspended no longer but shall fall on this forsaken Generation and God will remember all at once in the day that he dreadfully destroyeth you N. 1. Whether this Zacharias was the Son of Jehojada in Joash days and the Name of Barachias slipt into the Text by some Scribes conjecture out of the Description of the Prophet Zachary or whether it were any other is of no great Moment 2. The Sins of their Ancestors are said to be punished on that Generation 1. Because it being a National Punishment was procured by National Sins which is made up of many Ages 2. Because Children derive Nature and Guilt in part from Parents Sin and not from Adam onely as the whole History of Scripture sheweth 3. Because they sinned as their Ancestors did The Sin here described is much like theirs now who Canonize the Saints whom their Ancestors Persecuted and Murdered and keep Holidays for them and visit their Shrines and carry their Relicks and account their Names the Honour of their Church and at the same time
him not I shall be a liar like unto you but I know him and keep his saying 54. It is not my own testimony that I plead with you it is my Father that honoureth me whom you should believe because you call him your God But indeed you know him not and therefore understand not his testimony But I know him and should I deny his witness and say I know him not I should be a Liar like you But I know him and his word and keep it 56. Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad 56. Your Father Abraham joyfully believed the promise of the Messiah and so by Faith foresaw my coming and was glad 57. Then said the Jews unto him Thou art not yet fifty years old and hast thou seen Abraham 57. They understanding all carnally thought Christ spake like a distracted Fanatick 58. Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Before Abraham was I am 58. I tell you that before Abrahams days as I was from Eternity so in time I was the promised Messiah in whom Abraham in his days believed I am not so young as you imagine 59. Then took they up stones to cast at him But Jesus hid himself and went out of the Temple going thorow the midst of them and so passed by 59. At these words they took him for a Blasphemer and attempted to stone him to death But he some way hid himself and went out from among them N. That the last part of this Verse is of uncertain authority being not in some ancient Copies CHAP. IX 1. AND as Jesus passed by he saw a man which was blind from his birth 2. And his Disciples asked him saying Master who did sin this man or his parents that he was born blind 2. Was it for any foreseen sin that he would after commit or for his original sin or for any sin of his Parents Or it is commonly held that all punishment is for sin How could that be in this man Not for his own sin for he had none besides his original sin Not for his Parents for God punisheth not one for anothers sin What then was it for N. 1. It 's improbable that Christs disciples thought that this Soul sinned in another body and Christ not reprove them 2. The Disciples knew that Adams sin and our Original pravity or our Parents sin might be punished with as great a punishment as blindness But they seemed to think that so miserable a punishment must be for some extroardinary sin which Christ denieth 3. Jesus answered Neither hath this man sinned nor yet his parents but that the works of God should be made manifest in him 3. N. Christ meant not to deny 1. That he had Original sin 2. Or his Parents had actual sin 3. Nor that these were a cause of his punishment 4. But it was none of these that was the differencing cause why this man was punished rather than others q.d. Though all punishment be for sin and this mans had such a common cause yet no sin was the reason why he was singled out for this suffering But God designed it for an advantage to glorifie him in the mans miraculous cure 4. I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when no man can work 4. God in this man giveth me an opportunity to do the work for which he hath sent me for the sealing of the Gospel and convincing the World And I will take the opportunity for I shall shortly be gone hence And hereby I give you warning to work while you have day for the night is at hand when you shall on earth have time to work no more therefore take your present time 5. As long as I am in the world I am the light of the world 5. God who made me the light of the World will have me shine to it while I am here 6. When he had thus spoken he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay 7. And said unto him Go wash in the pool of Siloam which by interpretation is Sent. He went his way therefore and washed and came seeing 6 7. N. This dirty means was no more than no means as to the sufficiencâ— of Christs commanding power but he will have us use the unlikeliest means that we may be fit receivers 8. The neighbours therefore and they which before had seen him that he was blind said Is not this he that sate and begged 9. Some said This is he others said he is like him but he said I am he 8. They were struck with admiration and had much ado to believe that he was the same man till he himself told them that he was the man 10. Therefore said they unto him How were thine eyes opened 11. He answered and said a man that is called Jesus made clay and anointed mine eyes and said unto me Go to the pool of Siloam and wash and I went and washed and I received sight 12. Then said they unto him Where is he He said I know not 13. They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind 14. And it was the Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes 15. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight He said unto them He put clay upon mine eyes and I washed and do see 16. Therefore said some of the Pharisees This man is not of God because he keepeth not the Sabbath day Others said How can a man that is a sinner do such Miracles And there was a division among them 10. c. N. 1. They first attempted to disprove the matter of fact and when they could not do that they pretended Go is Law to prove him a bad man and consequently that it was not by God that he did his Miracles 2. They that will try the Spirits and Miracles by the Scripture must not misunderstand the Scripture 17. They say unto the blind man again What sayest thou of him that he hath opened thine eyes He said He is a Prophet 17. N. The benefit prepared the man to judg better than they It is a double sin if those should judg ill of Christ who have been delivered by him 18. But the Jews did not believe concerning him that he had been blind and received his sight until they had called the parents of him that had received his sight 19. And they asked them saying Is this your son who you say was born blind How then doth he now see 20. His parents answered them and said We know that this is our son and that he was born blind 21. But by what means he now seeth we know not or who hath opened his eyes we know not he is of age ask him he shall speak for himself 22. These words spake his parents because they feared the Jews for the Jews had agreed already
he hath raised Christ which would be a most heinous crime 16. For if the dead rise not then is not Christ raised 17 And if Christ be not raised your faith is vain ye are yet in your sins 16 17. If the dead rise not and Christ rose not what hope have you of Salvation from sin and death 18. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished 18. Then dead Christians are perished that is If their Souls live not when the Body is dissolved their Souls perish and if the body rise not that perisheth for ever and the Martyrs would be great losers and martyrdom folly 19. If in this life onely we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable 19. And if there be no resurrection or life after this but our hope of benefit by Christ were only in the things and time of this present life none were so miserable as Christians who must forsake all even life it sâ—lf for Christ Note That the thing denied by the Hereticks was not only the resurrection of the body but also all life after this for Soul or Body And so the Apostle joyneth the confutation of both under the name of Resurrection 20. But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first-fruits of them that slept 20. But we have full proof even from sense that Christ is risen and therefore as the first-fruits consecrate the whole so Christs Resurrection being to purchase ours doth prove to our comfort that the dead shall rise 21. For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead 22. For as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive 21 22. For as by Man came death Corporal as well as Spiritual and Eternal by Man also came our deliverance by a Resurrection For as by Adam's sin the sentence of death came on all his posterity as â—â—ch so all that are in Christ shall by him be delivered to everlasting happy life Note That the Resurrection of all Men good and bad is an effect of Christs death and resurrection antecedently to differencing Grace as appeareth John 5.24 25 c. But that it proveth a Resurrection to condemnation is consequently caused by Mens sin and the Apostle here speaketh of the Elects Resurrection to felicity 23. But every man in his own order Christ the first-fruits afterward they that are Christs at his coming 23. But Christ the cause of our Resurrection must rise before us and all Christians at his coming 24. Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God even the Father when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power 24. Then cometh the end of his acquired Mediatorial Kingdom when he shall have reduced us perfectly to God his Father and we shall need his reducing healing Government no more and so God shall govern us in the state of perfect innocency and Christ shall have put down all Rebelling Powers Authority and Rule Note This is a sad intimation that so much of Rule Authority and Power as is here called All will be against Christ 25. For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet 25. For these Powers now mentioned being Enemies to Christ he must reign till they are all subdued 26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death 26. By Enemies I mean all that resist his saving works And of these death is the last 27. For he hath put all things under his feet But when he saith all things are put under him it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him 27. Only God is evidentâ—y excepted who is he that thus puts all things under him 28. And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be all in all 28. When Christ hath subdued all that opposeth his saving mediatorial work Christ as a Creature shall be for ever himself subject to the Deity and shall give up his recovering work tho still it will be our Glory to see his Glory So that the pure blessed Deity will be the felicity of Saints and be all in all 29. Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for the dead 29. And if the dead rise not to what purpose do we in Baptism profess our belief of the Resurrection and resign our Bodies a living Sacrifice to die when Christ requireth it and this in hope of a resurrection signified by our rising from under the Water 30 31. And why stand we in jeopardy every hour I protest by your rejoycing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I die daily 30 31. What folly were it in us Christians to choose a Religion and course of life for which we are in continual danger from the malignant World I protest by the joy which I have in your Christianity that I live continually a dying life that is in daily sufferings and danger of death and preparation for it 32. If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus what advantageth it me if the dead rise not let us eat and drink for to morrow we die 32. If as Men Combat one with another I was put at Ephesus to strive with Beasts or Beasts in the shape of Men what get I by such hazzards and sufferings if there be no life to come Then it will follow that those sensual fools are the Wise Men who say Let us eat and drink and take pleasure to the Flesh while we may for we shall shortly die 33. Be not deceived Evil communications corrupt good manners 33. Let not such evil Principles and Proverbs and talk deceive you Ill words deceive many and draw to ill Deeds and Conversations 34. Awake to righteousness and sin not for some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame 34. Such lewd opinions shew that mens Reasons and Consciences are in a sleep and stupidity awake them and they will lead you from sin to righteousness By this it appeareth that some among you that call themselves Christians have not yet the true knowledge of God and his Will which I say to humble you by shame 35. But some man will say How are the dead raised up and with what body do they come 35. But some of you may the hardlier believe the Resurrection because they cannot tell how the dead are raised and with what body they shall rise 36. Thou fool that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die 36. This is the Objection of a Fool For in sowing though a Seed truly dead be unfruitful yet the Seed is buried and by a sort of Rotting or Corruption seemeth as dead before it spring up unto Fruit. 37. And that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body
Lord Jesus Christ 57. But by Faith which seeth things to come we give God thanks that will raise us from the Dead and give us final Victory over Death through Christ 58. Therefore my beloved brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 58. And now Brethren make this necessary use of all Seeing our Faith and Hope of a Resurrection and future Life assureth us that none of our Christian Labour or Suffering shall be in vain or to our loss or without a glorious Reward what remaineth but that against all Temptations you be steadfast and unmovable and do Gods Work with all your Power abounding in Labour and Patience to the end ANNOTATIONS AS this Chapter is of great use for our Instruction so it is not without many Difficulties to our Understanding I. It 's needful to be observed into how narrow a room Paul reduceth the Gospel or Articles of Faith concerning Christ and how greatly herein they differ from him that condemn excommunicate or persecute those who believe These and all the Bible besides if they subscribe not to the Truth of all their Articles and Forms superadded and the justness of their numerous Canons II. The Apparition of Christ to the Five hundred and to James seemeth part of that which St. John saith was not by him written So that part of the Evidence of Christs Resurrection should be enough to cause us to believe it III. Though it was but some at Corinth that denied the Resurrection the Church was faulty in bearing with them yet Separation from that Church for their sakes is not required nor allowed by the Apostle IV. The Socinians from the 19th Verse and divers others gather That Paul denieth the Felicity of our Souls before the Resurrection because he intimateth That if there were no Resurrection but only an Immortality of the Soul Christians were the most miserable Men and their Faith and Sufferings vain and they were yet in their Sins c. The Matter is weighty and the Solution hath its Difficulty Some say That because the Heretical denied the Immortality of the Soul as well as the Resurrection of the Body Paul supposeth this and answereth them as to both And they say That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying but to stand up that is to live again includeth the Life of the Separated Soul as well as the Resurrection of the Body Others say That Paul speaketh only of the Man and not of the Soul alone which is but part of the Man Soul and Body are essential to a Man and as a Man he may be miserable because part is so as a Tooth-ach is to the whole Body though the Soul be happy Others say That the Felicity or perfect Man at the Resurrection will be so much greater than that of the Separated Soul before and also that this Separate State is so darkly revealed to us that the Apostle maketh light of it in comparison of the latter The first of these Opinions is not inconsiderable but the chief Answer is by a stricter Exposition of the particular Texts And 1. Verse 19. argueth thus If we believe in and suffer for a Christ as risen who is not risen then he cannot save us either as to Soul or Body and then we are the most miserable sort of Men. For our Hopes in him for the Time and Things of this Life only affords us less than others have his Kingdom being not of this World This Argument is not against but for the Immortality of the Soul So Verse 32. What advantageth it me if the dead rise not i. e. Neither Soul nor Body is advantaged by suffering for a Christ as risen who is not risen V. The Comparison of Adam and Christ is as hard seeming to mean that Adam's Soul and his Posterities as such are not Immortal But indeed it implieth no more than this 1. That it 's called Gen. 2. a Living Soul but Christ the Lord of Life 2. That Adam had but a Soul breathed into him by Creation on Earth but Christ was in Heaven from Everlasting the Living God 3. That Adam propagated only Humanity but Christ also Sanctity and Felicity 4. That Adam by Nature had but a loseable Capacity of Bodily Life continued and Heavenly Felicity and by Sin came short of both But Christ hath Life in himself as the Root of Holiness and Happiness in Heaven which he will give Believers both to their Souls and Bodies and will give a Bodily Resurrection to all Men. VI. Ver. 24. The Kingdom delivered up to the Father is but that Government which Christ useth to recover and save Sinners and is no addition to the Father nor diminution to Christ But as a Prince undertaking to reduce Rebels layeth down his Commission and Arms when he hath done his Work and yet increaseth his own Honour or as a Physician giveth up his Hospital when he hath healed all the Sick And it is like yea certain that when Christs acquisitive Mediation is finished he will still be some sort of Mediator of our Fruition For we shall still behold his Glory VII Ver. 37.39 seem to intimate That the Body that shall rise is not the same that was sowed but such a Body as God pleaseth a new to give Doubtless it is the same in some respect and not the same in an respects And to be able to know just how far it is or is not the same is too hard for us and may be quietly left to the Will of God The Seminal part of the Grain Matter and Form liveth in the new Fruit in which it springeth up as the Seminal part of Man begins his Being in the Womb but the added Mass which makes up the Root the Stalk and Ear and new Grains are all drawn from without from the Water Earth and Air by God and by the Seminal Spirit We see that Men oft grow Fleshy Fat and Lean again and at last die with little but a skinned Skeleton I think few believe that either Men dying Fat shall rise Fat or Men dying Lean shall rise Lean or yet that every Man shall rise with all the Flesh which he ever lived or sinned in and which daily passed away or consumed in Sickness To know how much and what goeth to identifie the Body we must leave to God if we will not pretend to the knowledge we have not Nor is it necessary to believe that all Fowls Beasts and Fishes rise again and go to Heaven which are ever digested and made Humane Flesh The Apostle likening our Bodies to Seed maketh some to doubt whether the dead Body have a Resurrection by any Seminal Vertue as a Natural Cause or only rise by Miracle The latter is most commonly held And yet it is certain that the Soul taketh with it a Love and Inclination to its Body which is a sort of Seminal Disposition And no mortal Man knoweth
believe according to the working of his mighty power 20. Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places 19 20. And how wonderfully God hath manifested his Power in us that believe in giving us the Spirit of Miracles Tongues Prophecy c. and the Spirit of Illumination Faith Hope Love Joy Patience to go on in Labour and Suffering for Christ suitable to the Power which he shewed in raising Christ from death and advancing him to the Heavenly Glory where he is Lord of all 21. Far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come 21. Far above all the Princes States and Powers on Earth the greatest Conquerors or Monarchs whether those that persecuted him and us or any other even those above us in the World that we are going to Angels or any sort of Spirits 22. And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the church 22. And hath given him power over all things and made him Head of the Church and Lord over all things for his Churches good and the Ends of Redemption 23. Which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all 23. Which Church is his Body Mystical the Celestial Political Society united to and under him in which he attaineth fully the Ends of his Redemption and in whom as glorified with him he is effectively a full and perfect Saviour in whom he will delight and be glorified and God that is all in all things fully manifesteth his Love and Glory Note 1. That the Text distinguisheth Christs Relation to his Church and to all things else He is Head to the Church by vital influx as his Body He is over all things some as Utensils for the Church and some as conquered Rebels or Enemies 2. How little reason the Church hath to fear malicious Principalities or Powers or Great Names or Devils any further than we fear our selves lest we yield to Sin by their Temptations seeing they are all in the power of Christ and under his Feet And therefore our sinful Fear doth plainly prove our Unbelief in that degree that it prevaileth 3. As the same Love so the same Power of God that was glorified in the Miracles and Resurrection of Christ is engaged for and glorified on the Church And this Glory we shall see in the fulness of time though now the Church as Christ on the Cross or in the Grave seem a forsaken shattered desolate thing 4. It is no wonder that Christ taketh what is done to his Church and Members as done to himself and will judge Men accordingly 5. The great Service that Christ requireth of us in the World is to contribute our utmost Labour and Help for the Church he himself needing nothing that we can do CHAP. II. 1. ANd you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins 1. And you who are members of this Church hath he revived and quickned by his mortifying and sanctifying Grace and by absolving you from the Guilt of Death who were in and by your Sin as dead to spiritual saving Good and liable by Guilt to everlasting Death your State of Sin was such a State of Death 2. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience 2. In this Sin you lived in your former Gentile State according to the Temptations and Will of Satan who is by Gods permission the Prince of the Power of the Air and by his Temptations worketh in the unpersuadable Unbelievers and Ungodly against Gods Grace and their Salvation 3. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the children of wrath even as others 3. And we our selves were formerly such as they and lived among them in fleshly Lusts fulfilling the Desires of our Flesh and our own Thoughts and false â—easoning and were by Natural Corruption not onely as Children of Adam but also the Progeny of Heathens the Heirs of Gods Wrath obliged to Punishment by his Justice as other Men and specially Heathens be 4. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us 5. Even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ by grace ye are saved 6. And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus 4 5 6. But God who is very merciful to manifest his own free Love to us when we were as others dead in Sins hath by his own Grace begun our Salvation conforming us to the Resurrection and Exaltation of Christ by delivering us from the Death of Sin and Guilt and making us alive to Holiness and giving us the Earnest and Fore-taste of Glory 7. That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus 7. That in these latter days he might shew forth the Glory of his Grace in our Redemption by Christ in which his Love and Kindness to us is resplendent 8. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God 9. Not of works lest any man should boast 8 9. For your Salvation is of Gods meer Grace and Gift through your Faith in Christ And this is not of your own contriving meriting seeking or effecting but all of Gods own Gift who hath chosen this way rather than that of Works that none may boast and ascribe that to themselves which is due onely to God 10. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them 10. Not that we hereby exclude Good Works by excluding Mans boasting of his own Power or Merits For we our selves are Gods Work new made by Regeneration which planted us into Christ purposely to do those Good Works which neither the Law nor meer Nature enabled and enclined us to do These God hath fore-ordained and prescribed for us to live in and by Grace inclined us to do them 11. Wherefore remember that ye being in time passed Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands 12. That at that time ye were without Christ being aliens from the common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world 11 12. And that you may duely value the Mercy of your Vocation you must never forget that you were of the Gentiles called Uncircumcised by the Jews and had no Knowledge of Christ as
to lay down your lives rather than wilfully to sin 5. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him 5. Have ye forgotten the Lord's gentle words as of a Father to his Children My Son c. Prov. 3.11 6. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth 7. If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons for what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not 8. But if ye be without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons 6 7 8. Note 1. Chastisement is one sort of punishment distinguished from destructive punishment in that it is not only for a warning to others but also for the amendment of the Offender No man correcteth another but for a fault and that maketh it punishment 2. It is not any derogation from the perfection of Christâ—s Satisfaction that we are punished for he never intended to make us lawless or that our sins should not be punished at all His Law of Grace hath penalties annexed A Father hath fatherly justice and punishment for his Children and Christ is not a King without such Justice 3. Even the Sufferings of Martyrs are of a mixt naâ—ure partly for sin even Adam's and their own God not on Earth taking off all the first curse but making a Medicine of it for good and partly for the tryal and reward of Faith 4. Pardon of sin is not perfect in this life else no chastising penalty would remain 9. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live 9. We reverently submitted to the Correction of our Parents whose Authority was less and they were liable to do it amiss And shall we not much more submit to God who is the Infinite Spirit and Father of Spirits as well as of our flesh and is of infallible Wisdom and never doth amiss and will fit our Spirits by suffering for a better Life 10. For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness 10. For they chastened us as fallible and passionate men as they thought good though sometimes in causeless anger but God doth all in Wisdom and Mercy for our good to make us more holy which is to be more happy as liker to himself 11. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby 11. Indeed Suffering as such is grievous as a hurt to Nature and a Fruit of Sin to be chastised It is not to be expected that Pain should be pleasant but it is the Fruit of it which is good which is Peaceable Rigâ—teousness making us more righteous and holy which is Peace to the Soul as Health is to the Body This is the Fruit when we have been tryed and exercised by it 12. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees 13. And make straight paths for your feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way but let it rather be healed 12 13. Therefore seeing Nature is weak and young unsettled Christians are apt to discouragement and fear and fainting labour to strengthen and encourage your selves and one anotheâ— and avoid tempting Seducers and keep under the â—elps in publick and private which God hath appointed for you and avoid all Scandals which may turn the Weak out of the way who already go but lamely in it but rather labour to heal such weakness 14. Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. 14. Let Peace with all men as much as in you lyeth be not only your desire but your study care and diligent pursuit and holiness and purity of heart and life without which none are capable of the blessed sight of God's pleased Face either here by faith or hereafter in glorious fruition Mat. 5.8 15. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled 15. Make it your diligent care that none of you fail of sound believing obeying and enjoying that Grace which is offered you by Christ in the Gospel and you have professed to accept lest any ill and dangerous Doctrine or fleshly Lust or Practice spring up among you and cast you into trouble and danger and the Churches be defiled by them while the Weak and Unstedfast are carried away and catch the Infection 16. Lest there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright 16. Lest Seducers and fleshly Lust draw any to Fornication or any be so prophane and set so light by Christ and Grace and Glory as to lose them all for the base things of the World and to prefer Wealth and sensual delights before them Like Esau that set so light by his Birthright as to sell it for one Dish of Meat Note What a base price all ungodly men do set on Christ and their own Salvation What hath the Fornicator the Drunkard the Glutton the Worldling the Ambitious Proud and Oppressors for all but the base portion of a Beast 17. For ye know how that afterward when he would have inherited the blessing he was rejected for he found no place of repentance though he sought it carefully with tears 17. For the Text tells you that after when he would fain have had that Blessing of Primogeniture which he sold and sought it of Isaac with tears Isaac rejected him and would not retract what he had said of Jacob. Note This intimateth a warning of the danger of the contempt of Grace lest God withdraw the Offers or leave men to the power of Temptation as deserted But 1. It determineth not any thing about the damnation of Esau 2. Nor that he truly repented of his sin against God but only of his loss of the priviledge of the elder Brother and yet could not be forgiven but that this loss could not be recalled 3. Nor that any one that truly repenteth and is converted shall not be forgiven For the contrary is a great part of the Doctrine of the Gospel 18. For ye are not come into the mount that might be touched and that burned with fire nor unto blackness and darkness and tempest 19. And the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more 18 19. For ye are not in the Infant and Wilderness-state of Israel when they must hear from God out of a Mountain on Earth which was touchable but must not be touched and which terrified them with