mortalitatis privilegium est licere aâ—iquando peccare See thou doe it not An elliptick and concise kinde of speech in the Greek betokening haste and displeasure at that was done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Papists will needs despite the Angels with seeming courtesies and respects And whereas the Councel of Laodicea saith It behoveth Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to pray to Angels Cap. 35. Surius and Caranza make the words to be Non oportet Christianos ad angulos congregationes facere and the title they make De ijâ— qui angulos colunt in a clean contrary sense to the Councels intention Verse 11. And I saw heaven opened i. e. He saw things done before his eyes as it were so do not we but are left to conjectures Here is shewed saith one the foil of the Beast bearer up of the whore and no question but now highly chafed with her fall This is the last and noblest act of Christs riding for the Dragon and his Vicars utter destruction Thus he Here is shewed saith another Interpreter in what state the Church shall be in upon the ruine of Rome even as a people standing in arms under their General Christ Jesus for a time till the last battle be fought and the enemies destroied Behold a white horse Christ riding as an Emperour triumphing and as a righteous Judge Psal 9.8 96.10 13. Verse 12. His eyes were as a flame of fire A quick sighted Judge an intelligent warriour Counsell and strength are for the war 2 King 18.20 And on his head were many crowns Let the Tripple-crowned Pope look to himself Christ out-crowns him by farre And he had a name written His holy and reverend name Jehovah Jeâ— â—3 importing his Godhead for he is Jehovah our righteousnesse And as thus No man knows the Son but the Father Mat. 11.26 for as God he is incomprehensible Judg. 13.18 What is his name or what is his sons name if thou canst tell Prov. 30 4. Who shall declare his generation Isa 53.8 Verse 13. Dipt in bloud In the bloud of his enemies as a victour returning from a huge slaughter Caesar is said to have taken prisoner one million of men and to have slain as many Mahomet the first Emperour of the Turks to have been the death of 800000 men Turk â—â—st Scanderbeg to have slain 800 Turks with his own hand But our Conquerour shall out-do all these when he shall tread them in his anger and trample them in his fury and their bloud shall be sprinkled upon his garments and he will stain all his raiment Isa 63.3 The word of God Joh. Idiotismus Ioannis Pareâ— 1.1 5.7 Hereby it appears that this was John the Evangelist that wrote this book Verse 4. And the armies which were in heaven The heavenly-minded Hero's that sight his battles are all in his livery horsed and habited as he in whom they are more then Conquerours because they are sure to conquer before they fight Verse 15. A sharp sword The word Eph. 6.17 the rod wherewith he smiteth the earth Isa 11.4 The breath of his mouth whereby Antichrist shall be over-thrown as by force of arms so also of arguments The Nations The Paganish-Papagans See the book entituled Paganopapismus wherein is proved that Papisme is flat Paganisme and that the Papists do resemble the very Pagans in above sevenscore severaâ—l things And he treadeth the wine-presse At Armageddon Chap. 16.16 Verse 16. And on his thigh Where his sword hangs Psal Non minor est virtus quam querere parta 〈◊〉 45.3 to shew that he will keep what he hath gained Vincere sâ—is Annibal victoriâ utinâ—sâ—is said one Or on his thigh quia filiabitur nomine ejus Psal 72.17 the name of Christ shall endure for ever it shall be begotten as one generation is begotten of another there shall be succession of Christs name He shall see his seed he shall prolong his daies and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands Isa 5.10 Confer Gen. 46.26 Lord of Lords This title the Pope usurps but what said Miconius in a letter to Calvin upon the view of the Churches enemies Gaudeo quod Christus Dominus est alioqui totus desper assem I am glad that Christ is Lord of Lords for else I should have been utterly out of hope Verse 17. Standing in the Sun Where he might best be heard as an Herald And he well types out such as by clear light of truth shall make known the certain destruction of the enemies before the battle he fought Vnto the supper of the great God They that would not come to the supper of the Lamb shall be made a supper to the fowls of heaven Verse 18. That ye may eat He alludes to Ezek. 39 4.17 Gog and Magog were a type of Antichrist Behold I am against thee ô Gog the chief Prince of Meshec and Tubal saith the Lord Ezek. 38.3 where if Gog be the great Turk and Meshec Cappadocia where he first setled himself Why should he be called Prince of Tubal also that is of Spain France and Italy as Hierome and Josephus interpret it neither do Bellarmine and Gretser dissent Is it not to shew that after the fall of Babylon the Antichristians shall call in the Turk and other Pagan Princes to invade and distresse the Church that they may all perish together and feed the fowls with their dead carcasâ—â— Verse 19. And I saw the Beast The Churches enemies are even ambitious of destruction Judgments need not go to finde them out they run to meet their bane Verse 20. And the Beast was taken Taken suddenly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propriè dâ—eâ—tur de ijs quos sugiemes arripimus Bez. or as he was flying and so thinking to escape Dio maketh mention of a notable thief that did much mischief in Italy afterwards the Popes seat in the daies of Severus This Emperour used all the means he could to catch him but could not do it Dio. in Severo Quippe qui visus non videbatur non inveniebatur inventus depreheâ—sus non capiebatur saith the Historian But this subtle Beast meeteth with his match and more for he is caught and cast into the lake c. Christ is a conquerour so soon as ever he comes into the field Vexit vidit vicit When the enemies are tumultuating he comes upon them as out of an Engine and hurls them headlong into hell And with him the false prophet This is the same with the Beast only the Pope is called the Beast in respect of his civil power and the false prophet in respect of his spirituall See the Note on Chap. 13 12. These both were cast alive Death shall not end their misery but they shall suffer most exquisite torments Potentes potenter torquebuntur Verse 21. Slain with the sword Not so deeply damned and yet so slain as to be made a prey to the infernall vultures and then the fattest carcase
the motion of obedience to the first mover they passe along from the East unto the West The waters by their naturall course follow the center of the earth yet yeelding to the Moon they are subject to her motions So are Saints to Gods holy will though corrupt nature repine and resist CHAP. VIII Verse 1. There is therefore now NOw after such bloudy wounds and gashes chronicled Chap. 7. Though carried captive and sold under sin yet not condemned as might well have been expected This the Apostle doth here worthily admire Verse 2. For the Law of the Spirit That is Christ revived and risen hath justified me See the Note on Chap. 4.25 Verse 3. It was weak through the flesh Which was irritated by the law and took occasion thereby Verse 4. Might be fulfilled In us applicativè in Christ inhaesivè Verse 5. Doe minde the things For want of a better principle The stream riseth not above the spring Verse 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be carnally The quintessence of the fleshes witinesse or rather wickednesse Verse 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because the carnall minde The best of a bad man is not only averse but utterly adverse to all goodnesse Homo est inversus decalogus Job 11.12 an asses soal for rudenes a wilde asses for unrulines Verse 8. Cannot please God Their best works are but dead works saith the Authour to the Hebrews but silken sins saith Augustine Lombard citeth that Father De ver inrocent cap. 56. saying thus Omnis vitae infid lium peccatum est nihil bonum sine summo bono The whole life of unbelievers is sin neither is there any thing good without the chiefest good Ambrose Spiera a Popish Postiller censureth this for a bloudy sentence Crudelis est illa sententia saith he Verse 9. He is none of his As the Merchant sets his seal upon his goods So doth God his Spirit upon all his people Ephes 1.13 Verse 10. The body is dead Death to the Saints is neither totall but of the body only nor perpetuall but for a season only vers 11. Verse 11. Your mortall bodies As he hath already quickned your souls Verse 12. Not to the flesh We owe the flesh nothing but stripes nothing but the blew eye that St Paul gave it It must be mastered and mortified Drive this Hagar out of doors when once it grows haunty Verse 13. If ye live after the flesh We must not think to passe è coeno ad Coelum to dance with the devil all day and sup with Christ at night to fly to heaven with pleasant wings Beetles love dunghils better then ointments and swine love mud better then a garden so do swinish people their lusts better then the lives of their souls Horat ep 2. At Paris ut vivat regnetque beatus Cogi posse negat That carnall Cardinall said That he would not part with his part in Paris for Paradise But if ye mortifie the deeds c. Either a man must kill here or be killed Camdens Elis Aut for aut feri as Q. Elizabeth often sighed and said to her self concerning the Queen of Scots Valentinian the Emperour dying gloried of one victory above the rest and that was his victory over the flesh Inimicorum nequissimum devici carnem meam said he Be alwaies an enemy to the devil In vita Valentin and the world but specially to your own flesh said Rob. Smith Martyr in a letter to his wife Act. and Mon. fol. 1545. Verse 14. For as many as are led As great men suffer their sons to go along with them but set tutours to overlook and order them So dealeth God by his the Spirit leadeth them into all goodnesse righteousnesse and truth Ephes 5.9 and fetcheth them again in their cuâ—straies Verse 15. The spirit of bondage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 2 Tim. 1.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The law will convince the judgement but 't is the Gospel that convinceth the lust and the affection and so sendeth us to treat with God as a Father by fervent praier Verse 16. Beareth witnesse What an honour is this to the Saints that the holy Ghost should bear witnes at the bar of their consciences Verse 17. And if sonnes then heirs All Gods sons are heirs not so the sons of earthly Princes Jehoshaphat gave his younger sons great gifts of silver of gold and of precious things with fenced Cities in Judâ—h but the Kingdom gave he to Jehoram because he was the first-born 2 Chron. 21.3 Gods children are all higher then the Kings of the earth Ps 89 27. Verse 18. Are not worthy to be c. Heaven will pay for all hold out therefore faith and patience When Saul had the Kingdom some despised him but he held his peace though a man afterwards froward enough What is a drop of vinegar put into an ocean of wine What is it for one to have a rainy day who is going to take possession of a kingdom Pericula non respâ—cit Martyr coronas respicit saith Basil A Dutch martyr seeing the flame to come to his beard Ah said he what a small pain is this to be compared to the glory to come Act. and Mon. 813. Verse 19. For the earnest expectation Gr. The intent expectation of the creature expecteth an hebrew pleonasme and withall a metaphor either from birds that thrust a long neck out of a Cage as labouring for liberty or else from those that earnestly look and long for some speciall friends coming as Sisera's mother who looked out at a window and cried thorow the lattesse Why is his charet so long in coming Judg. 5.28 Verse 20. Subject to vanity The creature is defiled by mans sin and must therefore be purged by the fire of the last day as the vessels that held the sin-offering were purged by the fire of the Sanctuary Verse 21. Because the creature it self See Mr Wilcox his Discourse upon these words printed together with his Exposition of the Psalms Proverbs c. in Folio Verse 22. The whole creature groneth Even the very heavens are not without their feeblenesse and the manifest effects of fainting old-age It is observed that since the daies of Ptolomy the Sun runs nearer the earth by 9976. Germane miles and therefore the heavens have not kept their first perfection Verse 23. The first fruits Which the creatures have not and yet they grone how much more we The redemption Our full and finall deliverance Verse 24 For we are saved by hope Hope is the daughter of faith but such as is a staff to her aged mother Verse 25. Then do we with patience Religious men finde it more easie to bear evil then to wait till the promised good be enjoyed Heb. 10 36. The spoiling of their goods required patience but this more then ordinary Verse 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza Pareus Helpeth our infirmities Lifts with us and be fore us in our praiers Or helpeth
back oft on what they were before calling that they may thankfully cry out with Iphiâ—rates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from what misery to what dignity are we advanced Fulfilling the desires Gr. The wiles of the flesh Now therefore we must as diligently fulfill not the will but the wils of God as David did Act. 13.22 The children of wrath Deires Gregory the great said of the English boyes that were presented to him Angli quasi Angeli And demanding further what Province they were of in this Island it was returned that they were called Deires which caused him again to repeat the word Abbots Geog. pag. 119. and to say that it were great pity but that by being taught the Gospel they should be saved de ira Dei from the wrath of God Verse 4. But God who is rich in mercy Such a mercy as rejoyceth against judgement as a man against his adversary which he hath subdued Jam. 2.13 Verse 5. Hath quickned c. The very first stirrings in the womb of grace are precious to God he blesseth our very buds Isa 44.3 according to the Geneva translation Verse 6. And made us sit together We have taken up our rooms afore-hand in heaven whereunto we have just right upon earth by vertue of the union the ground of communion 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the son hath life he hath possession of it as by turf and twig Verse 7. In his kindenesse toward us We come not to the knowledge of God but by his works And even his way of knowing him we naturally abuse to idolatry Verse 8. For by grace ye are saved So ver 5. and every where almost S. Paul is a most constant preacher of the grace of God as Chrysostome stileth him Sub laudibus naturae latent inimici gratiae saith Augustine The patrons of mans free-will are enemies to Gods free-grace Verse 9. Least any man should boast As that fool did that said Vega. Coelum gratis non accipiam I will not have heaven but at a rate Non sic Does coluimus aut sic vivimus ut ille nos vinceret said the Emperour Antonius Philosophus Valcat Gallic in Avid Cassio We have not so lived and deserved of God that they enemy should vanquish us Verse 10. For we are his workmanship His artificiall facture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or creature that wherein he hath shewed singular skill by erecting the glorious fabrike of the new man Created to good works In the year 1559. there was published a paradox that good works are pernicious to salvation of mens souls David George the broacher of this heresie was digg'd up and burnt at Basile God hath before ordained i. e. By his eternall decree Oar Vivification then is not a work of yesterday but such as God hath with singular complacency contemplated from all eternity rejoycing in that habitable part of his earth Prov. 8.31 Verse 11. Who are called uncircumcision In great scorn and reproach as 1 Sam. 17.26 Howbeit unregenerate Israel was to God as Ethiopia Amos 9.7 And Iether by nature an Ismaelite 1 Chron. 7.17 was for his faith and religion called an Israelite 2 Sam. 17.25 Verse 12. Strangers from the Covenant The Saints only are heirs to the promises but the devil sweeps all the wicked as being out of the Covenant They stuff themselves with promises till they have made them a pillow for sin Deut. 29.19 Sed praesumendo sperant sperando pereunt Having no hope But such as will one day hop headlesse such as will serve them as Absoloms mule served her Master when she left him hanging by the head betwixt heaven and earth as rejected of both Without God in the world Because without a teaching Priest and without law 2 Chron. 15.3 As it is said of the poor Brasileans at this day that they are sine fide sine rege sine lege This was the case of our Pagan Predecessours Verse 13. Are made nigh by the bloud Christ hath paved us a new and living way to the throne of Gods grace by his own most precious bloud O happy lapidi-pavium Joh. 19 13-17 O Golgotha become our Gabbatha Verse 14. For he is our peace That is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our peace-maker and peace-matter When he was born there was among all Nations a generall aut pax aut pactio as Florus observeth When he took his name he would not have it either entirely Hebrew as Jesus or entirely Greek as Christ but both Jesus and Christ to shew saith one that he is our peace that hath reconciled two into one c. Verse 15. Having abolished in his flesh That is by his death in the flesh Colos 1.22 At which time the veil rent and the Ceremonies died only they were to be honourably buried For to make in himself Gr. To create sc by regeneration Gal. 6.15 So by conjoyning he new created them and by new creating he conjoyned them Verse 16. In one body Vbi igitur separatistae saith one Having slain the enmity Not the Ceremonies only as ver 15. but sin that great make-bate that sets God at odds with his own creature Verse 17. To them that were nigh That is The children of Israel a people â—ear unto him Psal 148.14 Verse 18. We both have an accesse With good assurance of successe The Persian Kings held it a piece of their silly glory to hold off their best friends who might not come near them but upon speciall licence Esth 1. Not so our King Oh come for the Master calleth thee Verse 19. Fellow citizens with the Saints Paul as a Citizen of Rome Act. 22. escaped whipping we as Citizens with the Saints escape hell tortures and torments Verse 20. Vpon the foundation Foundation is taken either for Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 Mat. 16.16 or the doctrine of the Scriptures which teach salvation only by Jesus Christ as here and Rev. 21.14 Verse 21. Fitly framed together Or perfectly joyned together by the ciment of the holy Spirit working in the Saints faith in Christ and love one toward another which the Apostle calleth the bond of perfection Verse 22. For an habitation of God c. The Father makes choice of this house the Son purchaseth it the holy Ghost taketh possession of it This happinesse he best understandeth that most feeleth The Cock on the dunghill knows it not CHAP. III. Verse 1. For this cause TO wit That you may be an habitation of God through the Spirit I Paul the prisoner I hold not S. Paul so happy for his rapture into Paradise saith Chrysostome upon this Text as for his imprisonment for Christ Verse 2. Of the dispensation Gr. Oeconomy The Church is Gods house 1 Tim. 3.15 Paul was faithfull therein as a steward Mat. 24.45 Verse 3. As I wrote afore in few Sc. Chap 1.9 2.13 c. Fulnesse of matter in fewnesse of words This is the Scriptures pre-cellency above all humane writings Verse 4. My knowledge in the
a mortall man and a Canaanite but yet a most righteous man and a Priest of the most high God by speciall dispensation And that Kedarlaomer and the other Kings that over ran the countrey and spoiled it forbare out of reverence to the man and his office to meedle with Melchisedcehs territories Verse 2. Gave a tenth part of all So to set forth his thankfulnesse to God for the victory The Lord is the man of warre Exod. 1.3 The Lord and Victour of warres as the Chaldee there expresseth it Conquerours should send to him as Joah to David to take the honour of the day 2 Sam 12.28 The very Heathens after a victory would consecrate something to their gods Verse 3. Without father viz. That we finde mentioned in the holy Scripture Hence the Melchisedechian heretikes held That he was the holy Ghost or at least some created Angel Like unto the Son of God As having neither fellow not successour Verse 4. How great this man Was It is goodnesse that renders a man great and the grace of God that ennobleth Isa 43.4 Heb. 11.2 Keep close to God and then ye shall be some of Gods Rabbins as Daniel cals them Chap 9.27 See Job 32.9 Great men indeed not with a a belluine but with a genuine greatnes The tenth of the spoils Gr. The top of the heap Verse 5. To take tithes of the people If tithes be Jewish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 M Harm saith on and yet Ministers must have a maintenance how will men satisfie their consciences in the particular quantity they must bestow upon them The Scripture speaks only of the tenth part Can any shew us where the old apportion is reversed and which is that quota pars now that conscience must rest in Verse 6. Received tithes of Abraham Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tithed or tenthed Abraham by the same Divine Right whereby he blessed him Melchisedech did not take only that which Abraham was pleased to give him but he tithed him saith the text he took the tenths as his due Verse 7. The lesse is blessed c. The Pastour therefore blessing his people according to his office is greater then his people in that respect Verse 8. That be liveth Tithes then are due to the Ministers of Christ that liveth because due to Melchisedech to whom Abraham paid them as a Priest and tith-taker and type of Christ Who therefore should receive them for him but those that are in his stead 2 Cor. 5.20 Verse 9. Levi also paied tithes If any shall object So did Christ also sith he was in the loines of Abraham too It may be answered That though Christ was of Abraham yet he was not by Abraham But Levi was both Verse 10. In the loins of his father So we were all in the loins of Adam when he sell as all the county is in a Parliament-man and sell with him Verse 11. If therefore perfection i. e. Justification sanctification salvation Verse 12. A change also of the Law For we are not under the law but under grace The Gospel is post naufragium tabula a plank after shipwrack and hath its remuneration Heb. 11.6 viz. of grace and mercy by Law here some understood only the law of Priesthood Verse 13 Pertaineth to another tribe That of Judab v. 14. which therefore is first reckoned Revel 7. among those that were sealed as of those that came by Rachel Nephthali hath the first place because in that tribe Christ dwelt viz. at Capernaum Vt utrobique superemineat Christi praerogativa Verse 14. Nothing concerning Priesthood For when Reuben by defiling Bilhah lost his birth-right the birth-right was given to Iosebh the kingdome to Iudah and the Priesthood to Levi. But God translated the Priesthood and settled it upon his Son Christ who sprang out of Iudah in a time when it was commonly bought and sold to the vilest of men and all was out of order Verse 15. After the similitude of Melchisedech i. e. After an order distinct and different from that of Aaron Verse 16. Of a carnall command i. e. External and ceremonial But after the power Both of God the Father who made him a Priest and of God the Son who is the Father ' of eternity Isa 9.6 and a Priest for ever which word for ever the Apostle expoundeth and improveth in the last clause of this verse The power of an endlesse life Verse 17. For he testifieth Hieron Thus the Authour still argueth out of Scripture as knowing that Quicquid non habet autheritaum ex Scripturis eadem facilitate contemnitur qua approbatur Whatsoever is not grounded upon Scripture authority is as easily rejected as received Verse 18. For there is verily a disannulling Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An outing cassating expunging Of the commandment See the Note on Ver. 12. 16. For the Weaknesse and unprofitablenesse sc To justifie sanctifie save Rom. 8.2 though as a schoolmaster to Christ and a rule of life it is of singular use still Verse 19. But the bringing in The Law is a superintroduction to Christ our hope who is the end of the law to every believer Rom. 10. 4. We draw nigh to God Ephes 3.12 Having boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of Christ our high Priest who lead us by the hand and presents us to his heavenly father as Joseph did his two sons to Jacob that the might blesse them Verse 20. Not without an oath A singular confirmation what a monstrous sin then is unbelief Verse 21. And will not repent Will not change his minde upon pretence that second thoughts are better Those that can play with oaths and can slip them as easily as monkies do their collars have nothing of God in them Verse 22. Jesus was made a surety As he was our surety to God for the discharge of our debt the surety and debtour in law are reputed as one person so he is Gods surety to us for the performance of his promises Verse 23. By reason of death Neither their holinesse nor learning could priviledge them from deaths impartiall stroke Non te tua plurima Pentheu labentem texit pictas All our learning also is soon refuted with one black Theta which understanding us not snappeth us unrespectively without distinction and putteth at once a period to our reading and to our being Verse 24. He continueth ever What need then is there of a Vicar as the Pope will needs be stiled An unchangeable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. Impassable He needeth no successour Verse 25. To the uttermost Perpetually and perfectly so as none shall need to come after him to finish what he hath begun He is a thorow-Saviour a Saviour in solidum and doth not his work to the halves Verse 26. Who is holy As the high-Priest of old Lev. 21.18 Exod. 28. Harmlesse Without any birth-blot Vndesiled Free from a stuall pollution without originall blemish or actuall blot 1 Pet. 1.19 Higher then the
his state and hath none to attend him all the while Solomons mother set the crown upon his head so doth the Church upon Christs head in the day of his espousals Cant. 3.11 Verse 11. Thou art worthy If we would have our souls set as a pearl in that faiâ— ring of heavenly courtiers that compasse the lambs throne let us praise God as they do For thou hast created Our service must not be rash but reasonable Rom. 12.1 such as whereof we can render a reason Joh. 4. God hates a blinde sacrifice a Samaritan service when men worship they know not what nor why And were created Gods power put forth in the creation and administration of the world is twice here mentioned as that which can never be sufficiently admired and adored See my Notes on Genesis 1. CHAP. V. Verse 1. In the right hand GR. On or At the right hand There it lay ready but none could make ought of it till the Lamb took it not only at but out of the Fathers right hand and opened it ver 7. A book written This book of the Revelation which till the Son of man had received of his heavenly Father to shew unto his servants neither they nor he as Sonne of man knew so much at least of that day and hour of his second coming And on the back-side As wanting room within Verse 2. And I saw a strong Angel Angels are very desirous to know the mystery of Christ 1 Pet. 1.11 and to profit daily in that knowledge Ephes 3.10 Verse 3. Nor under the earth That is In the sea as Exodus 20.4 Neither to look thereon Or therein because sealed up Verse 4. And I wept Out of a deep desire of knowing the Contents of this book And as our Saviour going toward his crosse turned again to the weeping women and comforted them so he soon satisfied the desire of this his dejected Disciple Tears are effectuall Oratours Luther got much of his it â—sight inâ— to Gods matters by this means So did Melancthon when he wept out those words Quos fugiamus habemus Pontificios quos sequamur non intelligimus It is said of Sir Philip Sidney that when he met with any thing that he well understood not he would break out into tears faciles motus mens generosa capit The Spouse Cant 7.4 seeking him whom her soul loved had eyes like the pools of Heshbon glazed with tears And Daniel had greatest revelations after three weeks of heavines Chap. 10.2 Verse 5. And one of the Elders A common Christian points the Divine to the Arch-prophet whom for present he thought not on Act. 8 26. Râ—m 1.12 An eloquent Apollos may be better informed by a Tent-maker and a great Apostle be comforted by an ordinary Roman Behold the lion of the Tribe of Judah So Moses sets forth our Saviour The root of David So the Prophets They have Moses and the Prophets saith Abraham To the Law and to the Testimony Gen 49.9 Isa 11.1 Luk. 16.29 Isa 8.20 If any speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them nor to be gotten for them Hath prevailed Gr. Hath overcome or surpassed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sc all creatures in worth to do this great work Verse 6. In the midst of the Throne As a fit Mediatour betwixt God and men even the man Christ Jesus who gave a ransome 1 Tim. 2.5 8. c. A Lamb as it had been slain This form of speech is put saith an Interpreter to shew the continuall recent vertue of Christs death eternally effectuall before God as whereby once for all he hath purchased eternall redemption Some think that he still retains in heaven the prints and scars of those wounds that he received on earth in his hands feet and side His glorified body saith one is that golden censer which through the wounds that are in it as thorow chinks or holes fumeth forth alwaies a pleasant and sweet savour in the nostrils of his Father Having seven horâ—s Plenty of power Antichrist hath but two horns Chap. 13.11 And seven eyes No want of wisdome no need of a visible head to the Church or any other Vicar generall to Christ then the holy Ghost called here The seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth Verse 7. And he came and took As Mediatour he took it as God he gave it All things are delivered unto him of the Father and no man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son revealeth him Mat. 11.27 See the Note there Verse 8. Fell down before the Lamb As they had done before the throne Chap 4. See Joh. 5.23 Divine adoration is an honour due to the manhood of Christ also as it is taken into union with the God-head Full of odours Therefore sweet to God because Christ pours unto them of his odours Rev. 8.3 Which are the praiers of Saints That is their own praiers and praises recorded vers 9. And this is added as an Exposition to let us know what is meant by odours See the like Joh. 2.21 and 7.39 Rev. 1.20 Verse 9. And they sung A generall joy in heaven and earth Surely 2 Cor 4. â— it is a pleasant thing to see the light how much more to see the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ What a deal of triumph and exultation is here all the Church over upon the opening of this book upon the receit of this Revelation Should not this excite and kindle in our hearts a more earnest desire of understanding these mysteries Oh I could finde in my heart to fall afresh upon the study of the Revelation had I strength to do it said my Reverend old Master unto me a little afore his death Mr John Ballam I mean Minister of the Word for many years at Evesham where I heard him in my childehood preaching many a sweet Sermon upon the second and third Chapters of this Book A new song For the new work of redemption besides that old song Chap. 4. for that of creation Out of every kindred Let this be noted against the doctrine of universall Redemption that 's now again so violently cried up amongst us Verse 10. And we shall raign on the earth Raign over our lusts raign with and in Christ over all our enemies by a spirituall not secular scepter and at last judge the world 1 Cor. 6.2 Verse 11. Round about the throne and the beasts That is round about the beasts and the Elders Angels encamp about the Saints as ministring spirits and are glad of the office that there God manifested in the flesh may be seen of them and the multivarious wisdome of God in mans redemption be displaied unto them 1 Tim. 2.16 Ephes 3. Verse 12. With a loud voice Betokening their earnest affection which also is here notably expressed by the many particulars they ascribe to Christ as if they could never give
He slept also very unquietly and could not digest his meat c. But to return from whence I am digressed This Neusser when he came to die was thus comforted by the Baker above-said and other his friends Be of good chear brother we shall meet again in Paradise where we will drink with you and take large carouses As for the Dutch Baker that turned Turk his name was John Ferber once of Backnang in the Dutchy of Wâ—rtemberg and when the Emperour of Germany his Embassadours came to Constantinople with presents of Sultan Selymus as they entered the Turks palace amidst many thousand Turks one of the multitude cried out in the Dutch tongue Melch. Adam ubi supra Of what religion are you Which is the first question in the Dutch Catechisme The Embassadours wondered at the words and found out afterwards who it was and that by those words he jâ—ared and derided the Christian religion So did not the King of Morocco above-mentioned for talking with King Johns Embassadours he told them that he had lately read Pauls epistles which he liked so well That were he now to chuse his religion he would Heyl. Geo p. 714. before another embrace Christianity But every one saith he ought to die in his own religion and the leaving of the faith wherein he was borne was the only thing that he disliked in that Apostle This was his Heathenish conceit of that elect vessel who himself counted it a singular mercy and worthy of all thanks that he had grace to change his religion 1 Tim 1.12 13. I was a blasphemer saith he a persecutour and injurious but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly for else it had been the unpardonable sin as Ferbers sin might well be Bishop Latimer in a Sermon afore King Edward tels of one who fell away from the known truth and after fell to mocking and scorning it yet in the end he was touched in conscience for it 2 Cor. 13.8 Beware of this sinne saith he for I have known no more but this that repented What evil soever we doe we can doe nothing against the truth but for the truth saith S. Paul for himself and all true Christians But apostates become altogether filthy Psal 53.3 None being worse then those that have been good and are naught and might be good Ezek. 24 13. and yet will be naught In their filthinesse is lewdnesse their scum boils into them It is with them as in that case Levit. 13.18 19 20. If a man had a bile healed and after brake out it proved the plague of leprosie he was utterly to be excluded These judge themselves unworthy eternall life unfit for Gods Kingdome Luke 9.63 they cast themselves into hell-mouth Heb. 10.39 where they are like to have the greater measure of torment by how much they are fallen from greater hopes and likelihoods of heaven as Adam the more holinesse and happinesse he had the greater was his sinne and misery upon his fall But beloved we are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation though we thus speake saith the Authour to the Hebrews Heb 6 9. Heb. 3 12. Heb. 4 12. Heb 5.4 after he had both bidden them beware of Apostasie and chidden them for their non-proficiency and to awaken them out of their lethargy had set before them the cursed condition of such as commit the unpardonable sinne which begins in apostasie goes on in persecution and ends in blasphemy Deut. 32 5 But this spot is not the spot of Gods children as Moses hath it Fall they may fearfully but not finally they cannot possibly fall so low but Gods holy hand is still lower under them Ioh. 10. Ioh. 17.12 to raise them up again None can take them out of the Fathers hand the Sonne loseth none of those that were given him by the Father but the sonne of perdition who was never of his body though he seemed to be by reason of his office And the holy Ghost the Comforter abides with his for ever He is called an earnest not a pawn Joh. 16.14 A pawn is to be returned again but an earnest is part and pledge of the whole bargain The Papists teach a totall and finall falling from grace The Lutherans are forced to grant a totall though they deny a finall lest they should be brought utterly to abjure that errour that they hold in common with the Papists concerning the efficaciousnesse of the Sacraments Bertius the Arminian sets forth a book with this horrid title De Apostasia Sanctorum and was therefore called by King James bloudy Bertius They deny that the truly regenerate are certainly of the number of Gods elect sith there is not say they so vast a gulf betwixt the regenerate and reprobate Lege D. Prideaux Lect. p. 191. but that they may passe over the one to the other so that reprobates may become regenerate and believers unbelievers for a time at least An uncouth and uncomfortable doctrine Bellarmine saith That which is true grace veritate essentiae only may be lost not that grace which is true veritate firmae soliditatis If by the former he understand common grace by the later speciall grace we are of the same judgement 1. Common grace may come to nothing whether it be such as fits a man for some particular calling only as in Saul 1 Sam. 16.14 And those idle shepherds who lost their gifts Zech. 11.17 Or such as fits him for a common profession of religion only A form of knowledge Rom. 2.20 and a form of godlinesse 2 Tim. 3.5 wherein a man may goe farre doubtlesse as Judas Demas doe much for God as the stony ground suffer much and not shrinke in the wetting as the thorny ground have a counterfeit of all saving graces as the sorcerers of Aegypt had of Moses his miracles be a ring-leader of all good exercises as Joash was the first that complained of the negligence of his best Officers in not repairing the Temple c. 2 Chron. 24.4 5 6. and yet be nothing in truth and come to nothing at length Heb. 6.6 7. 2 Pet. 2.20 2. Speciall saving graces proper to the elect and these are either radicall originall fundamentall serving to the being of a Christian as faith hope charity or secondary flowing from these and serving to his well-being only as joy of faith confidence of hope zeal and fervour of love These are as it were the lustre shine and radiancy of the radicall the beams of the Sunne as those the body of the Sunne the leaves of the tree as those the sap and substance the back of steel that may be put on or taken off the bow Levit. 6.11 13. Prov. 31.18 c. The later we may lose and perhaps irrecoverably Psal 51.12 Not so the former for like the fire of the Sanctuary and the good house-wifes candle it never goes out But though the reins be consumed yet the root
A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION UPON All the EPISTLES AND THE REVELATION of John the Divine Wherein the Text is explained some Controversies are discussed divers Common-places are handled and many remarkable matters hinted that had by former interpreters been pretermitted Besides divers other Texts of Scripture which occasionally occur are fully opened and the whole so intermixed with pertinent Histories as will yeeld both pleasure and profit to the judiciâ—us Reader With a Decad of Common-places upon these ten Heads Abstinence Admonition Alms. Ambition Angels Anger Apostasie Arrogancie Arts. Atheisme By John Trapp M. A. Pastour of Weston upon Avon in Glocestershire Paulum quotiesâ—unque lego non verba audire videar sed Tonitrua Hierom. LONDON Printed by A. M. for John Bellamy at the Signe of the three golden Lions in Cornhill M.DC.XLVII TO THE REVEREND And his much honoured Father Mr JOHN LEY Pastour and Preacher of Gods Word at great Budworth in Cheshire and one of the venerable ASSEMBLY Reverend Sir NOw by a sweet providence is that happinesse put into my hands that I have long wished and waited for viz a fit opportunity of telling the world how highly I honour You and how deeply I stand ingaged unto You. A most able and absolute Divine in another sense then Erasmus tearmed some in his time I ever took You for Abselutae eruditionis pietatis viris Sic scripsit Theologâ—â— Parisiensâ—b Voluit autem alienis ab omni eruditione pietate interprete Melancthone since I first came acquainted with You. And how little mistaken I am therein let Your many elaborate lucubrations say for me those accurate Annotations upon the Pentateuch especially of which precious piece and the thrice-worthy Authour I am eftsoons ready to say Buchol as one did once of Erasmus and his Adagies quis nôsset Erasmum Chilias aeternum si latuisset opus Or as another did of Calvins Institutions Praeter Apostolicas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dugardi mei ingeniosissimum inventum M. Ley was at that time the first President of Sion-Colledge Joseph Scali epist ad Eliam Vinet post Christi tempora chartas Huic peperere libro secula nulla parem Sure I am and not a little sensible that he that here come's after You shall but actum agere he shall but facem Soli Soli inquam in Sion accendere he shall but in nobilissimo theatro seipsum traducere Well he may pick up Praeterita with Drusius or spicilegium post messem with Capellus he shall hardly ever get so near You Val. Max. as the Latine Orator did the Greek Demosthenes Ciceroni praeripuit ne primus esset Orator Cicero Demostheni ne solus Cant. 6.12 But whither or ere I wist hath the just admiration of Your singular worth transported me My design was not to praise You for that were as an Ancient said of Athanasius to praise vertue it self but to professe my deep indebtednesse unto You for Your many fatherly favours and reall courtesies done me since mine adoption Quibus effecisti ut vivereÌ„ morerer ingratus as he said to Augustus Sen. de benef l. 2. c. 12. this being the only wrong that ever You did me that I must live and die unthankfull These brief Notes passeable I say not praisable only for their brevity do humbly beg Your perusall and sitanti sint Your Patronage and surely may they but obtain Your much-desired countenance and comprobation I shall soon say with the Oratour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I fear not any mans censure Whatever else is wanting in them a will I am sure is not wanting of laying forth my small talent to the honour of my Master and the good of my fellow-servants those of mine own particular charge especially to whom most of these things have been delivered and of whom I can truly say as Reverend M. Stock did of his people in Breadstreet London Mr Gatak Abrahams decease That he had rather win one of them then twenty others Now that I may be fit and able to fulfill the Ministery that I have received in the Lord Col. 3.17 â— Tim. 4.16 so as to save my self and them that hear me let Your fatherly benediction and instant intercession to the Father of all the fatherhood in heaven and earth Ephes 3.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Parentela be never wanting to Your most affectionately obsequious son and servant John Trapp Welford this 16. of Nov. 1647. Ad Libellum chartaceum venerando Autori ante manum huic Annotationum parti admotam dono missum Affatio Quae vice Praefationis de Autore Operéque esse possit DOminum Libelle gratulor tibi novum Mihi negatam tu sortem folix habes Viro futurus eximio jugis comes Qui floribus quos fundit seu Britannia Seu Latium seu Palestina simul Graeciâ Te fragrantissimis or nabit instrueâ— Vt olim Acheloi cornu implerunt Najades Qui proprii venustos foetus ingeni Quibus venustiores nullum parturit Magisve densos credet servandos tibi Qui quicquid audit est-divino pectore Linguâ facundâ moribus suavissimis Contrà quà m Sacra jam profitentes plurimi Docere recta callidi non vivere Quà m vellem scitus esse nuno Lìbellulus Forem ut tuae foelicitatis particeps Ejus beandus gestandus manu sinu Tene fidelis quicquid mandârit tibi Furacibus cave sedulus ab unguibus Tibi nè maculas aut foedas labes contrahe Subire vultus ut queas libens meos Abijam Dominum à me saluta milliès THOMAS DUGARD Art Mag. Rector Barfordiae A Table of such Texts of the old Testament as are here occasionally explicated Gen. 5.24 p. 388. Gen. 13.9 p. 330. Gen. 23.2 p. 83. Gen. 25.34 p. 401. Gen. 27.33 p. 401. Gen. 33.9 11. p. 256. Exod. 23.28 p. 517. Exod. 33.2 3. p. 402. Exod. 33.16.17 p. 688. Levit. 2.5 p. 103. Levit. 14.19 p. 459. Levit. 19.16 p. 314. Levit. 19.17 p. 618. Numb 13.16 p. 362. Deut. 27.26 p. 191. 1 Sam. 25.6 p. 653. Job 38.2 p. 671. Psal 7.12 p. 671. Psal 10.3 p. 320. Psal 22.1 p. 356. Psal 26.12 p. 254. Psal 36.10 p. 640. Psal 72.17 p. 581. Psal 39.1 p. 420. Psal 41.1 p. 639. Psal 119.9 p. 329. Psal 139.16 p. 107. Prov. 3.17 p. 635. Prov. 10.2 3. 15.24 p. 635 65. Prov. 20.29 p. 469. Prov. 28.20 p. 161. Eccles 5.6 p. 498. Cant. 1.5 p. 185. Isa 6.1 2 3. p. 433. Isa 14.23 p. 116. Isa 23.18 p. 632. Isa 28 9. p. 64. Isa 45.7 p. 572. Isa 51.18 p. 159. Isa 58.10 p. 636. Lam. 3.36 p. 443. Ezek. 38.3 p. 581. Dan. 4.19 p. 689. Dan 9.21 p. 660. Hos 9.4 p. 103. Zach. 3.9 p. 494. Errata PAg 5 l 25. r. praeripuit p 21 l. 14 r ad p 25 l 12 r langold p. 80. l. 17 r. married couples p 85. l. 10. r. that 's p. 94 l. 5. r bitter p 114 l. 11 r sis
little cease to sin as the pulse to beat heart to pant c. Verse 6. Say not in thine heart The law preacheth faith in Christ as well as the Gospel Verse 7. Into the deep Those deeps of the earth Ps 71.20 Verse 8. The word is nigh thee Moses meant it of the law but it more fitly agreeth to the Gospel The Babe of Bethlehem is swathed up in the bands of both Testaments he is authour object matter and mark of both Therefore if we will profit in hearing teaching reading we must have the eye of our mindes turned toward Christ as the faces of the Cherubims were toward the Mercy-seat Verse 9. That if thou shalt confesse That is If thou shalt call upon the name of the Lord as it is expounded v. 13. Verse 10. For with the heart c. Pluturch tels us that of all plants in Aegypt Plut. de â—side Osiride that they call Persica is consecrated to their goddesse Isis and that for this reason because the fruit of it is like an heart the leaf like a tongue Verse 11. Shall not be ashamed Maketh not haste saith the Prophet Shame and confusion follow haste and procipitancy Sed Deo confisi nunquam confusi Verse 12. Is rich unto all c. He cannot therefore be poor that can pray for he shall have out his praier either in money or moneys-worth Verse 13. Shall be saved Though he misse of that particular mercy he asketh he is certainly sealed up to salvation Verse 14. How shall they hear c. The word read is of divine use and efficacy but of preaching we may say as David did of Goliah's sword There 's none to that Verse 15. How beautifull are the jeet How much more their faces Surely I have seen thy face as the face of God said Jacob to Esau Gen. 33.10 that is honourable and comfortable We know how Cornelius received Peter and the Galatians Paul till they were bewitched from him Gal. 4.14 But it must be remembred that we glorifie the Word not the Preacher Act. 13.48 Verse 16. Who hath beleeved our report Gr. Our hearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Passively taken So Caesar and Cicero use auditio for report and rumour Some sit before a preacher as senslesse as the seats they sit on pillars they lean to dead bodies they tread on Others rage Tange montes fumig abunt c. Verse 17. By the word of God That is By the Word of Gods command sending out preachers gifted for the purpose and saying to them Goe preach c. Verse 18. Yes verily their sound c. Sonus tonus David saith only Their line Psal 19.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That accurate and artificiall frame of the heaven preacheth as it were the infinite wisdome and power of the Creatour All Gods works are his Regij professores his Catholike Preachers or reall Postilles as one calleth them of his Divinity The world saith Clem. Alex. is Dei Scriptura Gods great Bible with three great leaves heaven earth and hell Verse 19. Did not Israel know sc That the Gentiles were to be called They were oft told it Verse 20. Is very bold So that for his boldnes he was sawn asunder saith Hierom. Verse 21. Stretched A metaphor from a mother CHAP. XI Verse 1. I say then Hath God c. AS I may seem to have said Chap. 10. Ministers must doe their utmost to prevent mistakes Zuinglius when in his Sermons he had terrified the wicked was wont to shut up with Bone viâ— hoc nihil ad te Thou good man I mean not thee Verse 2. Saith of Elias A man of such transcendent zeal that to heighten the expression thereof some have legended of him that when he drew his mothers brests he was seen to suck in fire Verse 3. And I am left alone To withstand and reform the common corruptions Some have commended it to our consideration that from the first service in the Temple when it was built and the time of Eliah's Reformation was about an hundred years And from the Reformation in K. Edward the sixth's daies untill now is about the same proportion of time Verse 4. The image of Baal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to that Lady as our modern Idolaters also call the virgin Mary whom they despite with seeming honours Salâ—zar Iesuita in Prov. 8.19 Ibid ad ver 23. Ibid. ad ver 29. They would perswade the world that Christ by dying obeyed not his Father only but his mother too that she is the complement of the Trinity that she intreateth not but commandeth her Sonne is the most imperious Mother of our Judge with many like horrid blasphemies which I tremble to relate Verse 5. According to the election of grace St Paul was Constantissimus gratiae praedicator as Austin calleth him a most constant preacher of Gods free grace Verse 6. Then is it no more of works Whatsoever conferrumination of grace and works Papists dream of They think that as he that standeth on two firm branches of a tree is surer then he that standeth upon one only So he that trusteth to Christ and works too is in the safest condition But 1. They are fallen from Christ that trust to works Gal. 5.4 2. He that hath one foot on a firm branch and another on a rotten one stands not so sure as if he stood wholly on that which is sound But let them be Moses's Disciples let us be Christs Set not up a candle to this Sun of righteousnesse mix not thy puddle with his purple bloud thy rags with his raiment thy Pigeons plumes with his Eagles-feathers He can and will save his to the utmost Heb. 7.25 Detest all mock-staies Verse 7. Israel i. e. The carnall Israelite He seeketh for viz. Righteousnes and salvation by works Hardened By a judiciary hardnes Verse 8. The Spirit of slumber So that with those Bears in Pliny they cannot be awakened with the sharpest prickles and with those Asses in Hetruria that feeding upon hen-bane Mathiol in Dioscorid they he for dead and awake not till half-hileded Such a dead Lethargy is now befallen Papists Verse 9. Be made a snare As the bait is to the birds Verse 10. Bow down i. e. Bring them into bondage and misery Compare Lev. 26.13 Verse 11. Have they stumbled He that stumbleth and comes not down gets ground Verse 12. How much more their fulnesse O dieculam illam dexter mihi prae laetitia salit oculus How long Lord holy and true Verse 13. I magnifie mine office I make the utmost of it by gaining souls to Christ Verse 14. And might save some Ministers must turn themselves as it were into all shapes and fashions both of spirit and speech to win people to God Verse 15. Be the reconciling Not as a cause but as an occasion Life from the dead That is Res summè bona saith Phocius a speciall good thing Verse 16. If the first fruit be holy Not with
people Verse 4. That I goe also And goe he did Rom. 15.25 Act. 24 17. The very Angels hold not themselves too good to serve the Saints Verse 5. When I shall come c. He was not then yet come into Macedonia neither was this Epistle written at Philippi as the subscription saith a chiefe City of Macedonia Verse 6. 2 Cor. 1â— 15 Yea and winter with you They had ill deserved such a favour of him for the more he loved them the lesse he was beloved of them But he sought not theirs but them Discourtesies must not discourage us from Gods work Calvin though but câ—uâ—lly used at his first coming to Geneva brake thorow all Verse 7. If the Lord permit The Lord ordereth a good mans goings Psal 37. See Act. 16. with Jam. 4.13 It was rather rashnesse then valour in our Richard 1. who being told as he sat at Supper that the French King had besieged his town of Vernoil in Normandy protested that he would not turn his back untill he had confronted the French And thereupon he caused the wall of his palace that was before him to be broken down toward the South and posted to the Sea-coast immediately into Normandy Verse 8. But I will tarry at Ephesus From thence then he wrote this Epistle and not at Philippi as the subscription hath it See vers 5. Verse 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And effectuall Or Busie that requires great pains-taking The Ministery is not an idle mans occupation as some fools think it And many adversaries Truth never wants an opposite In the beginning of the late Reformation Eckius Roffensis Cajetun More Faber Cochlaus Cutharinus Pighius all these wrote against Luther Summo conatu acerrimo desiderio non vulgari doctrina as one saith with utmost desire and endeavour Verse 10. For he worketh c. So doth every faithfull Minister though of meaner parts The Vine is the weakest of trees but full of fruit A little hand may thred a needle A little boat may do best in a low river Philadelphia had but a little strength Revel 3.8 and yet it served turn and did the deed Verse 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Niceph. Let no man despise him For his youth for he hath lived much in a little time as it is said of our Edw. 6. and is an old young man as was Macarius the Egyptian Verse 12. I greatly desired him Paul did not compell or command him as the Pope takes upon him to do even to Princes and Potentates Oh that all Kings would answer him in this case as Philip the Fair of France did Pope Boniface claiming a power there to bestow Prebends and Benefices Sciat tua maxima fatuitas c. Alsted Chronol Verse 13. Watch ye c. Solomons wisdome Lots integrity and Noahs sobriety felt the smart of the serpents sting The first was seduced the second stumbled the third fell whiles the eye of watchfulnes was fallen asleep Verse 14. Let all your things c. Love is the Saints livery Joh. 13.35 Heathens acknowledged that no people in the world did love one another so as Christians did In the Primitive times Animo animaque inter se miscebantur as Tertullian speaketh But now alas it is far otherwise Love began to grow cold among these Corinthians Hence this sweet and savoury counsel Verse 15. To the ministery of the Saints To serve them in collecting and distributing alms to the necessitous Verse 16. That ye submit Giving them due honour doing them all good offices Verse 17. They have supplied viz. Your absence for in them I take a short view of you all Verse 18. They have refreshed Ipse aspectus viri boni delectat It 's some comfort to see a good mans face Sen. Verse 19. Aquila and Priscilla Pauls fast friends and constant companions worth their weight in gold Verse 20. With an holy kisse Not hollow as Joab and Judas nor carnall as that harlot Prov. 7.13 See Rom. 16.16 Verse 21. With mine own hand Well known to the Corinthians to prevent imposture Verse 22. If any man love not That is desperately hate A sin so execrable that the Apostle would not once name it So the Jews would not name leven of the Passeover nor a sow at any time but called it dabar achar Eâ—â—as Thâ—bit another thing Anathema Maranatha Accurst upon accurst put over to God to punish Verse 23. My love c. Though I have sharply rebuked you c. Tit. 1.13 A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the second Epistle of S. Paul to the CORINTHIANS CHAP. I. Verse 1. Our brother IN the faith not in the flesh Sanctior est copula cordis quam corporis Prov. 18.24 Verse 2. From God the Father The Father is the Fountain the Son the conduit whereby all good things are derived to us Verse 3. The Father of mercies Only it must be remembred that as he is Pater miserationum so he is Deus ultionum Psal 94.1 As he hath ubera so he hath verbera Christ is girt about the paps with a golden girdle to shew his love but yet he hath eyes like flaming fire and feet like burning brasse Rev. 1. to look thorow and keep under his enemies The God of all comfort It is he that shines thorow the creature which else is but as the air without light It is he that comforteth by the means It is not the Word alone for that is but as the veins and arteries that convey the bloud and spirits So the Spirit being convey'd by the promises helpeth the soul to lay it self upon Christ by faith and so it is comforted Sometimes comfort comes not by the use of the means till afterwards that he may have the whole glory Cant. 3. The Church found not him whom her soul loved till she was a little past the watchmen The soul is apt to hang her comforts on every hedge to shift and shark in every by-corner for comfort But as air lights not without the Sun and as fuell heats not without fire so neither can any thing soundly comfort us without God Vna est in trepida mihi re medicina Jehovae Nath. Chytraus Cor patrium os verax omnipotensque manus Verse 4. By the comfort wherewith How forcible are right words especially when uttered more from the bowels then the brain and from our own experience which made even Christ himself a more compassionate high-priest and Luther such an heart-affecting preacher because from his tender years he was much beaten and exercised with spirituall conflicts as Melancthon testifieth In vita He was also wont to say that three things make a Preacher Reading Praier and Temptation Reading maketh a full man Praier an holy man Temptation an experienced man Wherewith we our selves are comforted Goodnesse is communicative Mr Knox a little afore his death role out of his bed and being asked wherefore being so sick he would offer to rise He answered that he had
that were morgaged Qui redimit emit quol suum fuit suum esse desiâ—t Hieron Cursed is every one that hangeth The tree whereon a man was hanged the stone wherewith he was stoned the sword wherewith he was beheaded and the napkin wherewith he was strangled they were all buried that there might be no evil memoriall of such an one to say This was the tree sword stone Casaub ex Maimonide napkin wherewith such an one was executed Constantine abolished this kinde of death out of the Empire But what an odde custome was that of the Tibarenes to hang their best friends in courtesie Sphinx Pbilos pag 752. Longas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex ijs literas facere quos chares habtbant Verse 14. The promise of the spirit That is the spirituall promise made to Abraham and his spirituall posterity Verse 15. I speak after the manner I set the matter forth to you by a familiar comparison Though is be but a mans testament William Tracy of Glocestershire Esquire made in his Will that he would have no funerall pomp at his burying neither passed he upon a Masse And he further said That he trusted in god only and hoped by him to be saved and not by any Saint This Gentleman died and his son as Executour bought the Will to the Bishop of Canterbury to be proved which he shewed to the Convocation and there most cruelly they judged that he should be taken out of the ground and be burnt as an heretick anne 1532. Dr Parker Chancellour of Worcester executed the sentence Act. and Mon. 951. and was after wards lent for by King Henry 8. who laid high offence to his charge c. It cost him three hundred pounds to have his pardon Verse 16. Which is Christ Mysticall Christ that is whole Christ for he accounts not himself compleat without his members who are therefore called his fullnesse Ephesians 1.23 Verse 17. Ligbtsoots Har. Prolegom Four hundred and thirty c. This space of time betwixt the promise and the law the divine providence call into two equall port on s of 215. before the peoples going down to Egypt and 215. of their being there Verse 18. Gave it to Abraham Gr. Freely gave it What more free then gift And what better free-hold then the divine promise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 19. Because of transgressions Which are discovered by the Law Sight of misery must go before sense of mercy Lex lux the law is a light saith Salomon which laies all open as I Cor. 14.25 and threatneth destruction to transgressours And it was ordained c. Therefore it is not to be disrespected though we cannot attain eternall life by it In the hand of a Mediatour That is of Moses who was a Mediatour of that communication of the Law to the people Exod 20.19 Christ is the only Mediatour of expiation and of Christ alone some take this text Verse 20. Is not a Mediatour of one q. d. God and men were at odds else what use of a Mediatour sin is the make-bate as being a transgression of the Law But God is one One and the same now as of old in taking vengeance on the laws transgressours Or God is one party disagreeing or displeased Verse 21. Have given life That is have justified a sinner But herein lay the laws weaknesse thorow the flesh Rom. 8.3 Verse 22. But the Scripture The law and Prophets Hath concluded all Gr. Hath clapt them up close prisoners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the promise c. That he might have mercy upon all Rom. 11.32 See the Note there Verse 23. But before faith came c. i.e. Before Christ came Faith is put for the object of faith We were kept under the law As in a prison or garison being circled with a compassing strength The sinner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having transgressed is kept by the law as with a guard or garison that he cannot escape unlesse he be delivered by Christ Verse 24. The law was our schoolmaster Such an one as that that Livy and Florus speak of in Italy who brought forth his scholars to Hanibal and if he had not been more mercifull then otherwise they had all perished Verse 25. But after that faith That is the Gospel or Christ the authour and matter of the Gospel See ver 23. Verse 26. The children of God Gr. The sons of God grown up at mans estate Qui manum ferulae subduxiums who are no longer under a schoolmaster How we are the children of God by faith See the Note on Joh. 1.12 Verse 27. Baptized into Christ And so have had your adoption sealed up unto you like as in the civil adoption there were certain rites and ceremonies usually performed Have put on Christ To justification and sanctification See the Note on Rom. 13.14 this is to be clothed with the Sun Rev. 12.2 Verse 28. Ye are all one in Christ Souls have on sexes and Christ is no respecter of persons Verse 29. Heirs according Heirs are kept short in their nonage and sometimes forced to borrow of servants but when once at years they have all So shall the Saints in heaven though here hard put to 't CHAP. IIII. Verse 1. Differeth nothing from a servant IN allusion whereunto there is written upon the Princes arms Icb dien Daniels Chro. fol 109. that is I serve Henry the second King of England crowned his eldest son Henry whilest he was yet alive which made his ambition quite turn off his obedience Ambition ever rides without reins Verse 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But is under tutours Those under the Law were but Alphabetaries in comparison of those under the gospel the Sea about the Altar was brazen I King 7.23 and what eyes could pierce thorow it Now our sea about the throne is glassie Revel 4.6 like to crystall clearly conveying the light and sight of God to our eyes Verse 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When we were children Gr. Infants babies that must be pleased with rattles so the old Church with carnall Ceremonies Verse 4. But when the fulnesse of the time This answers to that time appointed of the Father vers 2. Plato said that God doth alwaies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth all things in number weight and measure He never comes too soon neither staies he too long Godsent forth his Son Out of his own bosome May not we say as they did sob 11.36 Loc how he loved us This was an hyperbole of love Made of a woman Of the sanctified substance of the holy virgin Note this against Marcionites and Anabaptists Made under the Law Circumcised the eighth day and so made a debtour to do the whole law which he perfectly fulfilled and yet for us suffered the curse Verse 5. To redeem them c. To buy them off who were in worse case then the Turks Gally-slaves chained to an oar That we might receive the adoption
That is the possession of our adoption the full enjoyment of our inheritance Verse 6. Crying Abba Father God hath no still-born children Paul was no sooner converted but behold he praied Act. 9.11 The spirit of grace is a spirit of supplication Zech. 12.10 And when God sends this spirit of praier into our hearts it is a sure sign that he means to answer our desires like as when we did our children say I pray you father give me this we do it not but when we mean to give them that which we teach them to ask Verse 7. And if a son c. See the Note on Rom. 8.17 Verse 8. Ye did service Here all religious service done to any but God is manifestly condemned as impious whether in Pagans or Papagans Verse 9. Or rather are known of God Whose gracious foreknowing and fore-appointing of us to eternall life is the ground and foundation of our illumination and conversion our love to him a reflex of his love to us Verse 10. Ye observe daies The Christian Church knows no holy-daies besides that honourable Lords-day Isa 57.14 Revel 1.10 and such holy feasts and upon speciall occasions the Church shall see sit to celebrate as Novemb. 5 c. Verse 11. Lest I have bestow'd labour Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even to lassitude as a day-labourer Other work-folks finde their work as they left it â— but a Minister hath all marr'd many times between Sabbath and Sabbath or if but a while absent as Moses was in the Mount Verse 12. Be as I am No longer a legalist as once Philip. e. 5 8. Ye have not injured me at all He was above their bussoneries and indignities Sendeìra â—â— When an ineonsiderate fellow had stricken Cate in the bath and afterwards cried him mercy he replied Tacit. I remember not that thou didst strike me Tu linguae ego aurium Dominus said one to another that railed on him I cannot be master of thy tongue but I will be master of mine own ears One having made a long and idle discourse before Aristotle concluded it thus Plutar. degarrulit I doubt I have been too tedious to you Sir Philosopher with my many words In good sooth said Aristotle you have not been tedious to me for I gave no heed to any thing you said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Momus in Lucian tels Jupiter It is in thy power whether any one shall vex or wrong thee St Paul here shakes off the affronts and injuries offered unto him with as much ease as once he did the Viper Some would have swelled and almost died at the sight of such a thing he only shook it off and there was no hurt done Verse 13. Through infirmity of the flesh That is though much broken with many miseries yet I spared not to take pains amongst you Zachary though he ceased to speak yet he ceased not to minister he took not his dumbnesse for a dismission but staid out the eight daies of his course Luk. 1. Verse 14. And my temptation That is mine afflictions whereby the Lord tempts his feels which way their pulses beat and how they stand affected toward him Which was in my flesh My spirit being haply untoucht For ost the body is weak the foul well Afflictions may reach but to the out ward man sob never complained till he was wet thorow till the waters went over his soul Nor rejected Gr. Ye spet not on as they did that spet in Christs face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even as Christ Jesus Who hath said He that receiveth you receiveth me It was a common saying at Constantinople Better the Sunne should not shine then that Chrysostome should not preach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beatituâ—inia praedicatio B. 30. Verse 15. Where is then the blessednesse q. d. time was when ye held your selves happy in me and blessed the time that ever ye saw and heard me Is the change now in me or in your selves Thus the Jews rejoyced in John for a season but he soon grew staâ—e to them Joh. 5.35 See the Note there Neutrum modo mas modò vulgus Verse 16. Am I there sore become c. Truth breeds hatred as the fair Nymphes did the ugly Fawns and Satyrs the hearing of truth galls as they write of some creatures that they have fel in aure gail in their ears It was not for nothing therefore that the Oratour called upon his Countreymen to get their ears healed before they came any more to hear him to preach faith Luther is nothing else but to derive upon a mans felt the rage of all the Countrey And therefore when one defined the ministeriall function to be Artom artium scientiam scientiarum the art of arts and science of sciences Melancthon said If he had defined it to be miseriam miseriarum the misery of miseries he had hit it Because I tell you the truth He that prizeth truth saith Sir Walter Raleigh shall never prosper by the possession or profession thereof Hist l. 1.0.1 An expectas ut Quintilianus ametur When we seek to fetch men out of their sins they are apt to fret and snarl as when men are wakened out of sleep they are unquiet ready to brawl with their best friends Verse 17. They zealously affect you Depereunt vos as Jealous wooers they would have you whole to themselves without a corrivall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cognata sunt They would exclude us As standing in their way this is the guise of all sectaries and seducers they denigrate the true teachers that they may be the only men Verse 18. To be zealously affected in a good thing In a good cause for a good end and in a good manner There is a counterfeit zeal as it that of the Popish Martyrs or traitours rather of whom Campian in his Epistle to the honourable Counsellours of Queen Elizabeth Quamdiu vel unus quispiam è nobis supererit qui Tiburno vestro fruatur c. As long as there shall be left any one of us to wear a Tibuâ—n tippet we will not cease our suit And not only when I am present Sith even absent I teach and tell you the truth of God by letters Verse 19. Till Christ be formed That you may seek for salvation by him alone Together with the word there goes forth a regenerating power Jam. 1.18 It is not a dead letter an empty sound as some have blasphemed Only let us not as Hosea's unwise son stay in the place of breaking forth of children proceed no further then to conviction much lesse stifle those inward workings for sin as harlots destroy their conceptions that they may not bear the pain of childe-birth Verse 20. And to change my voice To speak to your necessity for now being absent I shoot at rovers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and am at some uncertainty how to frame my discourse to you Verse 21. Ye that desire c. that are
forbid c. The Saints keep a constant counter-motion and are Antipodes to the wicked They thus and thus but I otherwise Whereby the world is crucified I look upon the world as a dead thing as a great dung-hill c. That harlot was deceived in S. Paul in thinking to allure him by laying out those her two fair breasts of profit and pleasure He had no minde to be sucking at those botches He was a very crucifix of mortification And in his face as one said of Dr Raynolds a man might have seen Verum mortificati hominis idaeam the true portraiture of a mortified man And I to the world q.d. The world and I are well agreed The world cares not a pin for me and I to cry quittance with it care as little for the world Verse 15. For in Christ Jesus That is in the Kingdome of Christ But a new creature Either a new man or no man Verse 16. According to this rule viz. Of the new creature Peace be on them Not only in them or with them but on them maugre the malice of earth and hell Verse 17. From henceforth let no man Here he takes upon him as an Apostle and speaks with authority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I bear in my body the marks As scars of honour Paul had been whipped stocked stoned c. The marks of these he could better boast of then those false Apostles of their circumcision And hereby it appeared that he refused not as they did to suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ In the year 1166. the Synod held at Oxford in the raign of Henry the second banished out of England thirty Dutch Doctours which taught the right use of Marriage Alsted Chron. p. 357. and of the Sacraments after they had first stigmatized or branded them with hot irons Iohn Clerk of Melden in France being for Christs sake whipped three severall daies and afterwards having a mark set in his fore-head as a note of infamy his mother beholding it though his father was an adversary encouraged her son crying with a loud voice Blessed be Christ Act. and Mon. fol. 802. Vivat Christus ejusque insignia and welcome be these prints and marks of Christ The next year after scil anno 1524. He brake the images without the City which his superstitious Countrey-men were to worship the next day For the which he was apprehended and had his right-hand cut off his nose pulled off with pinsers both his arms and both his brests torne with the same instrument and after all he was burned at a stake Sculteâ— Annal. In his greatest torments he pronounced that of the Psalmist Their idols are silver and gold the works of mens hands c. I conclude this discourse with that saying of Pericles It is not gold precious stones statues c. that adorns a souldier but a torne buckler a crackt helmet a blunt sword a scarr'd face c. Of these Biron the French Marshall boasted at his death And Sceva is renowned for this that at the siege of Dyrrachium he so long alone resisted Pompeys army that he had 220. darts sticking in his shield Densaâ—queâ—â—rens in pâ—â—â—oâ—e lylvam 〈◊〉 and lost one of his eyes and yet gave not over till Caesar came to his rescue Verse 18. Be with your spirit Spirituals are specially to be desired for our selves and ours Caetera aut aderunt aut non oberunt Other things we shall either have or not want but be as well without them A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the Epistle of S. Paul to the EPHESIANS CHAP. I. Verse 1. To the Saints to the faithfull FItly for it is by faith that we become Saints Act. 15.9 Verse 2. Grace be to you and peace These go fitly together because we must seek our peace in the free-grace and favour of God The Ark and Mercy-seat were never sundred Verse 3. Blessed be God Grattae cessat decursus ubi gratiarum recursus A thankfull man shall abound with blessings With all spirituall blessings Wisdome prudence c. ver 8. a Benjamins portion a goodly heritage Verse 4. He hath chosen us in him Christ was Mediatour therefore from eternity viz. by vertue of that humane nature which he should assume That we should be holy God elected us as well to the means as to the end Note this against Libertines For as they Act. 27.31 could not come safe to land that left the ship so neither can men come to heaven but by holinesse Cyrus was moved to restore the captivity by finding himself fore-appointed to this glorious service 170. years before he was born Isa 44.28 Should not we likewise be excited to good works by this that we were elected to them Without blame Or blot Ephes 5.27 Absque querela Luk. 1.6 Before him i. e. In purity of heart 2 King 20.3 In love In sanctity of life Verse 5. Having predestinated us Interpreters have observed that this word that signifies to predestinate is but six times found in the new Testament never in the old being referred but twice to things Act. 4.28 1. Cor. 2.7 four times to persons Rom. 8 29 30. Ephes 1.5 11. and never applied to reprobates but to elect persons only Howbeit Divines under predestination do usually consider the decree both of election and reprobation The doctrine hereof men should not adventure to teach till they have well learned and digested it In the year 1586. Iacobus Andreas the Lutheran and Theodore Beza conferred and disputed for eight daies space at Mompelier the issue of which conference was unhappy Alsted Chron p. 562. for form that time forward the Doctrine of Predestination was much misused and exagitated Verse 6. To the praise of the glory This is the end whereunto it is destined and hence it is called Predestination Note here that all the causes of predestination are meerly without us The efficient God the materiall Christ the formall the good pleasure of his will the finall the praise of Gods glorious grace Wherein he hath made us accepted Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratificavit Vulgata He hath ingratiated us he hath justified us made us gracious in his beloved sonne our Mediatour And although there be an inequality of expressions in duty Quoad nos in us yet there is a constancy of worth and intercession by Christ propter nos for us Verse 7. In whom we have redemption As captive ransomed at a price What this price was see 1 Pet. 1.19 Should not Christ therefore reap the travails of his soul Isa 53 The forgivenesse of our sins This David counted his crown and prized it above his imperiall diadem Psal 103.3 4. Verse 8. In all wisdome and prudence That properly respecteth contemplation this action Socrates made no distinction betwixt them For said he who so knoweth good to practise it and evil to avoid it he is a man truly wise and prudent Xenophon de dict is Socrat. l 3 Verse
hearts unto the Lord This is the best tune to any Psalm Spirituall songs they are called both because they are indited by the spirit and because they spiritualize us in the use of them Verse 20. Giving thanks alwaies In our deepest miseries let us sing chearfully as Paul and Silas in the dungeon as Philpot and his fellows in the cole-house as many Martyrs in the â—lames as Luther did in a great conflict with the devil Venite Joh Mâ—â—â— loc com page 43. said he to his company in contemptum diaboli Psalmum de profundis quatuor vocibus cantemus Let us sing the 130. Psalm in despite of the devil Happy was that tongue in the Primitive times that could sound out aliquid Davidicum any thing of Davids doing Verse 21. Submitting your selves This is a generall admonition to all inferiours whose duties are afterwards described Thus in the second Table of the Law the fifth Commandment for order and obedience is fitly premised to the following pâ—â—cepts In the fear of God This frameth the heart to a ready and regular submission Hence that saying of Luther Primo praecepto reliquorum omnium observantia praecipitur The first Commandment includes the other nine Verse 22. Wives submit c. This includes reverence obedience c. God hath scattered the duties of husbands and wives up and down the Scritptures that they may search and by learning to be good husbands and wives they may learn also to be good men and women As unto the Lord Who taketh himself dishonoured by wives disobedience And though husbands may remit the offence done to them yet they cannot remit Gods offence but there must be speciall repentance Verse 23. For the husband is the head And would it not be ill-favour'd to see the shoulders above the head Verse 24. Therefore as the Church Denying her self to please Christ making his will her law In every thing In all her husbands lawfull commands and restraints A wife should have no will of her own but submit to her husbands albeit there are that merrily say that when man lost free-will woman took it up Verse 25. Husbands love your wives He saith not Rule over them in answer to submit vers 22. for this they can readily do without bidding but love your wives and so make their yoke as easie as may be columbae trahunt currum Veneris Verse 26. That he might sanctifie The maids were first purified and perfumed before Ahashnerosh chose one But here it is otherwise Sanctification is a fruit of justification The Lord will not have a sluttish Church and therefore he came not by bloud only but by water also that clean water of his spirit whereby he washeth away the swinish nature of his Saints so that they desire no more to wallow in the mire Verse 27. Concil Arausican secund Oanon 12. That he might present As Isaac did his Rebecca adorned with his jewels See Ezek. 16.14 Tales nos amat Deus quales futuri sumns ipsius dono non quales sumus nostro merito saith an ancient Councel Verse 28. As their own bodies No man may hide himself from his own flesh at large Isa 58.7 that is from his neighbour of the same stock much lesse from a wife which is such another as himself Genesis 2.18 nay his very selfe as here Verse 29. For no man over hated No man but a Monk who whips himself or a mad man Mar. 5.5 who cuts himself It was the saying of the Emperour Aurelius A wife is to be oft admonished sometimes reproved but never beaten and yet of the Russian women it is reported that they love that husband best that beats them most and that they think themselves else not regarded unlesse two or three times a day well-favouredly swadled M. Jun in orat Heyl. Geog. Chrysostom saith It is the greatest reproach in the world for a man to beat his wise But nourisheth and cherisheth it As the hen doth her chickens or as the cock-pigeon doth the eggs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Columbarum masculus ipse ovis incubat Chytrae in Levit. 13. Mâ—lanctton Contrariwise the Pie hunts away his mate about autumn lest he should be forced to keep her all the Winter and so becometh the hieroglyphick of an unkinde husband Even as the Lord the Church Loe this is the patern of all true love whether to our selves or others Verse 30. Of his flesh and of his bones Whilest he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 This union is neither naturall nor corporall nor politicall nor personall but mysticall and spirituall And yet it is no lesse true and reall then that of God the Father and God the Son Joh. 17.21 22. For as the holy Ghost did unite in the Virgins womb the divine and humane natures of Christ and made them one person by reason whereof Christ is of our flesh and of our bones So the Spirit unites that person of Christ his whole person God-man with our persons by reason whereof we are of his flesh and of his bones Verse 31. For this cause c. See the Note on Mat. 19.5 and on Gen. 2.24 Shall be one flesh By vertue of that Covenant of God betwixt married couples Prov. 2.17 for he keepeth the bonds of wedlock Verse 32. This is a great mystery To wit this mysticall marriage with Christ It passeth the capacity of man to understand it in the perfection of it Preachers can make it known but in part and hearers can but in part conceive it Let us therefore wait for perfect understanding of it till all things be perfected in Christ Verse 33. Neverthelessâ— q. d. But that I may return to my former discourse from the which I have somewhat digressed for your satisfaction See that she reverence 1. In heart as Sarah did Abraham and she is crowned and chronicled for it I Pet. 3.6 2. In her speeches both to him and of him as the Spouse in the Canticles 3. In all her gestures and deportments for she may scold with her looks c. Vultu saepè laeditur pietas God hath a barren Womb for mocking Michal CHAP. VI. Verse 1. Children obey your Parents AS Isaac did Abraham in submitting to be sacrificed As Christ became obedient even to the death of the Crosse For this is right Good and acceptable before God and men 1 Tim. 5.4 See the Note on Mat. 15.4 Verse 2. First Commandment with promise To wit with speciall promise of long life See more in the Note on Mat. 15.4 Verse 3. And thou maist live long Good children help to lengthen their parents daies as Joseph did Jacobs God therefore lengthens theâ—s in redhostimentum as it were Or if he take from them this long lease he gives them a free-hold of better value Verse 4. Provoke not c. God forbids bitternesse and austerity in husbands Colos 3.19 Masters Colos 4.1 parents here and Col 3.21 Superiours must so carry themselves as to
Deuteronomy Matth. 4. See the Notes there Verse 18. Praying alwaies Praier is not only a part of the armour but enables to use all the rest It is not only a charm for that crooked serpent Leviathan Isa 26.16 to inchant him Flagellum Diaboli but a whip to torment him and put him into another hell saith Chrysostome It â—etcheth Christ into the battle and so is sure of victory It obtaineth fresh supplies of the Spirit Phil. 1.19 and so maketh us more then conquerours even triumphers It driveth the devil out of the field and maketh him flie from us Tanquà m si leones ignem expuentes essemus saith Chrysostome Especially if we go not to the battle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with our break fast as Nestor in Homer but fasting and praying For some kinde of devils are not cast cut but by fasting and praier And watching thereunto That we be not surprized at unawares The bird Onocratalâ—â— is so well practisâ—d to expect the Hawk to grapple with her that even when she shutteth her eyes she sleepeth with her beak exalted as if she would contend with her adversary Let us like wise stand continually upon our guard The devil watcheth and waâ—keth the round 1 Pet. 5.8 Watch therefore Verse 19 And for me Ministers must be especially pray'd for that they may have a door not only of utterance but of entrance to mens hearts and so be able to save themselves and those that hear them In praying for suâ—h we pray for ouâ— selves Verse 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am an Embassadour Venerable for mine age and authority as the word signifieth The ancient and the honourable are usually imploied as Embassadours Cognata sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 old age and honour are akin in the Greek tongue In bonds Gr. In a chain instead of a chain of gold worne commonly by Embassadours and far more glorious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I bear about my bonds saith Ignatius in his Epistle like wise to the Ephesians as so many spirituall Jewels or Ensigns of honour Oh said Alice Driver here is a goodly neckerchief blessed be God for it when the chain was put about her neck That therein I may speak boldly He saith not That I may be freed from my chain but that I may do my office well in my chain Let God serve himself upon us and then no matter what becomes of us Martinus decumbens Domine dixiâ— si adhuc populo tuo firm necessarius nonrecuso Lâ—borem Sever. epist 3. Verse 21. But that ye may know It is of good use to the Church to know the lives and affairs of men eminent in goodnesse and of exemplary holinesse that others may expresse them as Polycarp did Iohn the Evangelist as Irenaeus did Polycarp as Cyprian did Tertullian Paraeus did Vrsin c. Verse 22. Comfort your hearts It is God that comforts by the creatures as by conduit-pipes The air yeelds light as an instrument the water may heat but not of it self When a potion is given in beer the beer of it self doth not work but the potion by the beer So in this ease Verse 23. Peace be to the brethren These only be the children of peace Luk. 10.10 The wicked are like the troubled sea Isa 57.20 which may seem sometimes still but is never so no more are they The peace of prosperity they may have but not of tranquillity Sinceritas serenitatis mater Hence it followeth Verse 24. In sincerity Or Immortality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposite to that Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16.23 A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the Epistle of S. Paul to the PHILIPPIANS CHAP. I. Verse 1. With the Bishops and Deacons THe word Priest is never used at all for a Minister of the Gospel by the Apostles no nor by the most ancient Fathers De 〈…〉 as Bellarmine himself confesseth And yet how â—ager were our late factours for Rome to have priested us all but that God better provided for us Verse 2. Grace be to you See the Note on 1 Cor. 1.2 and on Ephâ—s 1.2 Verse 3. Vpon every remâ—mbrance And no wonder for there wâ—â—e those famous Mâ—cedonians that first gave themselves to the Lord and then to their faithfull Ministers by the will of God 2 Cor. 8.5 See the Note there and compare Isa 50.10 Verse 4. Making request with joy Those that grieve their faithfull Ministers and quench the spirit in them do it to their own singular disadvantage Verse 5. For your fellowship A good man cannot tell how to go to heaven alone No sooner had the Philippians received the Gospel but they were in fellowship to a day The communion of Saints was with them a point of practice as well as an article of belief The apostles Creed was anciently briefer then now The mention of the Fathers being maker of heaven and earth The Sons death and descending into hell and the communion of Saints being wholly omitted haply as implied sufficiently in other Articles But surely if the Creed were called Symbalum as a sign or badge to difference Christians from Infidels and wicked people there was little reason to leave out the Communion of Saints this being a main distinctive character there being no such fellowship as among the Saints Cant. 6.9 Verse 6. Will perform it Or perfect it God doth-not use to doe his work by the halves but goes thorow-stitch with it 1 Thes 5.24 Psal 138.8 Only we must pray as Luther was wont to do Confirm O Lord in us what thou hast wrought and perfect the work that thou hast begun in us to thy glory So be it And as Queen Elizabeth praid Look upon the wounds of thy hands and despise not the work of thy hands Thou hast written me down in thy book of preservation with thine own hand ô read thine own hand-writing and save me c. Act. and Mon. fol 777. Verse 7. Partakers of my grace That is ye communicate with me in my sufferings which he here calleth his grace and tels them vers 29. To you it is given as an honourary to suffer for Christs sake Crudâ—litas vestra gloria nostra Tertull. said those Primitive Martyrs I had rather be a Martyr then a Monarch said Ignatius It is to my losse if you bate me any thing in my sufferings said Gordius to his tormentours Gaudebat Crispin cum tenâ—hatur cum audiebatur cum damnabatur cum ducebatur In Psal 157. saith Angustine Crispina Rejoyced when she was apprehended convented condemned executed Verse 8. I long after you all Here the Apostle practised his own precept of fatherly affection Rom. 12.10 Pray for me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. and Mon. fol 1482. mine own heart-root in the Lord Quem in intimis visceribus habeo ad convivendum commoriendum said Bradford in a letter to his fellow Martyr Laurence Saunders Verse 9. And in all judgement Or Sense The soul also
side to reverence his own name which was written over it Verse 11. And that every tongue The heathens were wont to say Mutus sit oportet qui non laudarit Herculem Let that tongue be tied up for ever that cries not out with David Vivat Dominus and with Luther Vivat regnet Christus Amen Verse 12. Work out your salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The reason that men still tremble and are still troubled with this doubt and that fear is because their salvation is not wrought out Something is left undone and their conscience tels them so With fear and trembling Opposed to carnall security Those venturous bold spirits that dare live in any evil so it â—are not in their faces and have not a heart fearfull of the least evil aspire not to immortality Verse 13. For it is God which worketh Therefore work out c. As actiagentes moti moventes as the inferiour orbs move as acted by the superiour When God hath tuned and doth touch us we must move and whilest the spirit imbreaths us we must turn about like the mill To will and to doe Sub laudibus naturae latent inimici gratiae faith Augustine who stood so much for grace that the Schoolmen say he yeelded too little to free-will That we live is the gift of the gods saith Seneca that we live well is of our selves De nat deor A base speech So Cicero Judicium hoc omnium mortalium est fortunam à Deo petendam à seipso sumendam sapientiam For which impious sentence Augustine faith of him Eumut faceret homines liberos fecisse sacrilegos De eiv Dâ—i l 5 Verse 14. Without murmurings Gr. Wrath and rancour or discontent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which makes mens lips like rusty hinges seldome to move without murmuring and complaining And disputings Or wranglings about trifles nicities or novelties things whereof we can have neither proof nor profit Verse 15. Blamelesse and harmlesse Gr. Hornlesse or sincere without mixture of deceit or guile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Israelites indeed The sons of God Dignity enforceth duty Remember that thou art a Kings son said he to Antigonus and thou canst not do amisse Without rebuke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such as envy it self cannot justly tax or fasten her fangs on Si Luthero faverem us viro bone quod fatentur hostes c. Tom. 8. Epist saith Erasmâ—â— who yet loved him not Luther is a good man as his very enemies cannot but acknowledge So Bâ—cer Bradford Melancthon c. Christians should excell others standing as standard-bearers higher then others as Saul was by the head and shoulders being without blemish from head to foot â—en 3.6 as Absolom fair to the eye and good to the taste as the tree of knowledge In the midst of a crooked As Noah was righteous in his generation as Joshuah would serve Jehovah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though alone â—â— as David therefore loved Gods testimonies because other man kept not his law as Eliah amidst the Baâ—lites cries Zelando zelavi the worse they were the better was he Baruc kindled himself from other mens coldnesse Aâ—â—endit seipâ—un Trem. and quickned himself from other mens dulnes Neh 3 â—0 As lights in the world Luminaries great lights 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as are the Sun and Moon that give light to others Some wicked have greater common gifts then the godly as many mettals are brighter and more orient then the heavens yet as those mettals are not fit to convey the light of the Sun nay indeed they would stop it so neither are the wicked fit to shine the true light into us Mat. 5. but Christ and Christians those lights of the world Verse 16. Holding forth the word As an ensign 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rather as the hand doth the torch or the watch-towâ—â— the light and so the haven to weather-beaten Mariners Verse 17. Yea and if I be offered Or Be poured out as a drink-offering upon the Sâ—crifice c. to seal up my Doctrine whereby I have brought you to the obedience of faith Bishop Ridley in a letter to Bishop Brooks of Gloâ—ester writeth thus As for the doctrine which I have taught my conscience assureth me that it was sound and according to Gods Word to his glory be it spoken the which doctrine the Lord being my help I will maintain so long as my tongue shall wag and breath is within my body and in confirmation there of seal the same with my bloud Act. and Mon. fol. 1604. Verse 18. For the same cause also c. The hearers affections and endeavours should exactly answer to the affections and endeavours of the preacher as the Elders of Ephesus did Act 20.31 37. And as those religious Romans did Chap. 6 17. and these Philippians 2 Cor. 8 5. Verse 19. That I also may be of good comfort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That I may be inspirited For when Silas and Timotheus were come from these Macedonians Paul was pressed in spirit Act. 18.9 and set vigorously upon the Lords work Verse 20. Like-minded An alter ego to me True friendship transformeth us into the condition of those we love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Eusebius into his friend Pamphilus the Martyr Whence he was called Eusebius Pamphili Hieronym Amicitia sit tantum inter binâ—s qui sunt veri bonos qui sunt pauci Verse 21. For all seek their own If it were so then what wonder if now as was so long since foretold 2 Tim. 3.2 Self must be shouldred out and Christs share studied more then out own all private interests let fall and all self-respects drownâ—â— in the glory of God and the publike good or else we want that pious ingenuity that becometh Saints It is said of Cato that he did toti genitum se credere mundo Eucan That the care of the community lay upon him Timothy was of a choice and excellent spirit that naturally cared for the Churches welfare Few such now a-daies Verse 22. As the sonne with the Father Happy son in such a Father 1 Tim. 1.2 If Jason the Thessalian held himself to happy in his Tutour Chiron Alexander in his Aristotle Paul in his Gamaliel â—indaâ— lib. 4. 〈◊〉 how much more was Timothy in Paul the aged Philem. ver 9. whose not only doctrine but manner of life he knew fully and followed faithfully 2 Tim. 3.10 as a diligent Disciple Verse 23. So soon as I shall see For his life was now in suspense by reason of that roaring lion Nero whom Tertullian wittily calleth Dedicatorem damnationâ—s Christianorum qâ—ippe qui oriontem fidemprimus Romae cruenâ—â— vâ—â— Verse 24. Shall come shortly Whether ever he did come or no we know not Fallitur augurio spes bona saepe suo Good hopes are often frustrated Verse 25. Necessary to send to you It is not meet that a
the heretikes Not but that there is an excellent and necessary use of Philosophy truly so called but the Apostle meaneth it of their idle speculations and vain deceits those aiery nothings as the Apostle expounds himself See the Note on Rom. 1.21 22. And not after Christ The Gentiles then could not be saved by their philosophy without Christ And yet not only the Divines of Cullen Aâ—rippa Bâ—laeus set forth a book concerning the salvation of Aristotle whom they called Christs fore-runner in naturals as John Baptist was in supernaturals but also some of the School-Doctours grave men saith Acosta do promise men salvation without the knowledge of Christ Verse 9. All the fulnesse of the God-head bodily That is Essentially not in clouds and Ceremonies as once between the Cheâ—nbâ—â—s which the Jâ—ws called Shechinah whereunto the Apostle here alludeth Verse 10. And ye are compleat Ye have that true happinesse of a man which Philosophers hunted after in the thicker of carâ—hly vaniâ—iâ—s and lost themselves in the chase Varrâ— makes report of 288. severall opinions that they had about this subject and were out in all whilâ—st they caught at the shadow of â—uits in a â—edge of thorns but could not come at the tree of life Christ Jesus in whom we are compleat Verse 11. Made without hands Oh how honourable saith an Interpreter is the work of morâ—ification even as to make those huge heavens c. By the ciâ—cumcision of Christ Which circumciseth our hearts pulling off chat wretched fore-skin Verse 12. Buried with him in baptisme Which succeedeth in the place of circumcision and is also to us a seal of the righteousnes of faith Rom. 4.11 Of the operation of God In the work of faith God putteth forth the same almighty power that he did in raising Christ from the dead Ephes 1.19 20. See the Note on that Text. Verse 13. And you being dead See the Note on Ephes 2.1 Hath he quickned The first springing in the womb of grace is precious before God Verse 14. Blotting out the hand-writing Crossing out the black lines of our sins with the red lines of â—â—s Sons blâ—nd Verse 15. He made a shew of them A plain allusion to the Roman triumphs See the Note on Ephâ—s 4.8 Christ made the devils a publike spectacle of scorn and derision Tank hlstzâ—o as Tamerlâ—ne did Baâ—azet the great Turk whom he shut no in anÌ„ iron câ—ge made like a grate in fuch sort as that he might on every side be seen and so carried him up and down as he passed thorow Asia to be of his own people â—corned and derided c. Verse 16. Let no man there fore judge you That is Set not up any such for a Judge over your consciences Or if any usurp such an authority slight him according to that Gal. 5.1 Periculosum est in divinisrebus ut quis cedat jâ—re suo Cypr de hor. baptiz saith Cyprian In things of God we should be tender of our liberty Verse 17. Which are a shadow And so a sign of Christ obscurely and imperfectly representing him to the old Church and now abolished by his coming in the flesh In the twelfth year of our Saviours age the same year wherein he taught in the Temple Luk. 2. the Sanctuary was polluted by the casting about the bones of dead men thorow every part and porch thereof at the very feast of the Passeover in the night time This Josephus saith was done by the Samaritans out of hatred to the Jewish services But God had surely a speciall hand in it to shew that people that those shadows were to vanish now that Christ the body was come and shewed himself Verse 18. Let no man beguile you Gr. Brave it over you Confer Exod. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tremel 8.9 Glory over me Gloriam assume supra me as thou hast done over thy sorcerers I gave thee this liberty See also Judg. 7.2 Isa 10.15 In a voluntary humility A proud humility They would not dare to worship God but Angels c. yet wére vainly puffed up by their fleshly mindes And something like this was that of the Baptist in refusing to wash Christ and of Peter in refusing to be washed by him Ioh. 13.8 And worshipping of Angels Setting them up as Papists do for Mediatâ—uâ—s of intercession Let not us acknowledge any other Master of requests in heaven but Christ alone 1 Ioh. 2.1 But what a piece of knavery is that in Surius and Caranza who rendering that passage of the Laodicean Councel Chap. 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christians may not pray to Angels they make the words to be Non oportet Christianos ad angulos Congregatione â—â—facere Christians may not be corner creepers And the title they make Deys qui angulos colunt Of those that worship not Angels but corners against all sense What will they put out the eyes of Goods people As he said Numb 16.14 Or doe they not rather Festucam quarere unde oculos sibi cruant as Bernard hath it Seek straws to put out their own eyes withall Intruding into those things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or invading those things c. blinde and bold busie about such matters as whereof there is neither proof nor profit Of this sort of seducers was that daring Dionysius that writeth so confidently of the heavenly hierarchy The Schoolmen also with their curious speculations and new niceties as Scotellus and others Vainly puffed up by his fleshly minde Corruption is the mother of pride as the devil the father He is the King of all the children of pride Job 41.34 Verse 19. And not holding the hoad This is worse then all the former that they despoiled Christ of his dignity as if he alone were not sufficient to cherish and encrease his Church With the increase of God That proceeds from God that is from the Spirit of Christ the head To which growth is opposed that vain puffing up vers 18. whereby men do not increase but swell Verse 20. Are ye subject to ordinances why doe ye dogmatize or be burdened with â—ites or traditions as they now are in the Papacy Iohn Aunt a Roman Catholike in his humble appeal to King Iames in the sixth Chapter of that Pamphlet thus blasphemeth God D. Sâ—eldens Mak of the beasâ— epâ—deâ—ic The God of the Protestants whom he knows to be the Father Son and holy Ghost is the most uncivil and evil manner'd God of all those who have borne the names of God upon earth Yea worse then Pan God of the Clowns which can endure no Ceremonies nor good manners at all Verse 21. Touch not taste not c. The words of those impostours which are here mimetically or by way of imitation related See the like Eccl. 10.14 where the Wiseman graphically describeth the fools tautologies A man cannot tall what shall be and what shall be who can tell Verse 22. Which all are to perish The very daily perishing of food
because they had the appearance of lying God commanded the Jews to abstain from swines flesh they would not so much as name it Etias Tibisbit but in their common talk would call a sow dabhar Achar another thing Verse 23. That your whole spirit soul body The Temple consisted of three parts so doth man the body is as the outer court the soul as the holy place the Spirit as the most holy So the world is three stories high the earth the visible heaven and the third heaven Verse 24. Faithfull is be c. Praier must be founded upon the faithfulnes of God in fulfilling his promises Hereby faith will be strengthened and affection excited Praier is a putting the promises in suit Verse 25. Brethren pray for us The best may need the praiers of the meanest God will have us beholden herein one to another 1 Cor. 12.21 22. How earnest is that great Apostle in begging praiers Act. and Mon. sol 1565. Rom 15.30 Pray for me I say Pray for me I say quoth father Latimer for I am sometimes so fearfull that I could creep into a mouse-hole sometimes God doth visit me again with his comfort c. Verse 26. With an holy kisse Our very civilities should savour of sactity and our common conversation relish of religion Zech. 14.20 21. Verse 27. That this Epistle be read It is a mattes of greatest necessity and importance that the holy Scriptures be daily and duly read by all A sad complaint it is which reverend Moulin makes of his Countrey-men the Prench Protestants Moulins Theophilus p. 27 8. Whiles they burned us saith he for reading the Scriptures we burnt with zeal to be reading of them â— now with our liberty is bredâ—lsâ— negligence and disesteâ—m of Gods word And is it not so with us at this day Our Ancestours in Hen. 8 cline would sit-up all night in reading and hearing and were at great charges Some gave five marks for a Bible that we may have for five shillings c. Act. and Mon. fol. 750. Verse 28. Amen Amen is 1. Assenting 2. Assevering 3. Assuring A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the second Epistle of S Paul to the THESSALONIANS CHAP. I. Verse 1. In God our Father and the Lord c. AS God is in his people of a truth 1 Cor. 14.25 So are they in God and as Christ is at Gods right-hand so is the Church at Christs right-hand Psalme 45.9 Yea they are in him and part of him c. Verse 2. Grace be to you c. See the Note on 1 Cor. 1.2 And the Lord Iesus Christ Who is both the fountain Ioh. 1.16 and the conduit Ioh. 1.17 For of his fulnesse we have all received grace for grace Grace that is Gods favour and reconciliation For grace that is for the favour and love that God the Father bare unto his son Eph. 1.6 Verse 3. We are bound to thank God Duty is a debt and a good heart is not well till it have discharged it As he that hath somewhat lying on his stomack cannot be at ease till he hath got it up so neither must we till disburdened in sounding forth Gods praises for the good he hath bestowed on us or on others for our use This saith Luther is sancta crapula And it can be no hurt to have our harts thus overcharged Verse 4 For your patience and faith Faith patienteth the heart by putting the head into heaven afore-hand and giving a man a glimpse of future glory Faith drinks to a suffering Saint in a cup of Nepenthes and saith Be of good courage and of good carriage under the Crosse Flebile principium melior fortuna sequetur The right-hand of the Lord can mend all Verse 5. Which is a manifest token The saints sufferings hero are an ocular demonstration of a future judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indigâ—â—atio wherein all their wrongs shall be righted all their labour of love recompensed This held Jobs head above water when else he had been overwhelmed with the flouds of affliction Job 19.25 So Dan. 12.1 2. Though things be otherwise darkly delivered yet when the Jews were to lose land and life then plainly the generall judgement is mentioned So Heb. 11.35 Verse 6. To recompense tribulation To trouble these troublers of Israel and that thorowouâ— all eternity because they would be alwaies troubling Gods people if they might â— as it is said of the Scorpion that there is not one minute wherein it doth not put forth the sting Plin. Verse 7. Rest with us As Noahs Ark after much tossing rested upon the mountains of Ararat as the Ark of the Covenant formerly transportative was at length serled in Solomons Temple The word here used properly signifieth remission and relaxation from hard labour Apoc. 14.13 they rest from their labours Avâ—ow And as the sleep of a labouring man is sweet so here With his mighty angels O what a glorious day must that needs be when to many glorious Sâ—ns shall shine at once The Lord Chris out-shining them all Velut inter stellas luna minores Verse 8. In slaming fire Naturall fire 2 Pet. 36 7. whereby the elements shall melt like scalding lead upon the wicked whiles they give account with all the world on a slaming fire about their ears Of this last dreadfull fire the very Heathen had some blinde notions Esse quoque in fatis meminit c. Ovid Metam lib. 1. Denat deer Luncretius and Tully say somewhat to it but little to the purpose And that obey not the Gospel This is the grand sin of this age Joh. 3.19 No sin will gripe so in hell as this This will be a bodkin at the heart one day I might have been delivered but I have wilfully cut the throat of my poor soul by refusing those rich offers of mercy made me in the Gospel Verse 9. Who shall be punished Here 's the pain of sense eternity of extremity From the presence Here 's the pain of losse which is of the two the greater And from the glory of his power God will set himself to inflict upon the damned such a measure of misery as his power can extend unto Verse 10. To be glorified This is the chiâ—f end of his coming like as he reprobateth some that his mercy in electing others may the more appear To be admired When they shall be seen to shine as the firmament nay as the stars Dan. 12.3 nay as the Sun Mat. 13.43 nay as Christ himself that Sun of righteousnes to the great admiration of all men Verse 11. The work of faith with power Without which power neither the goodnesse of God nor the good pleasure of his goodnesse that is his decree of glorifying us nor the work of saith could be effected Verse 12 That the name of our Lord It is much for the honour of the Saints that Christ shall account himself glorified in their glory Neither is it for their honour only
Verse 2. Grace mercy and peace See the Note on 1 Tim. 1.2 Verse 3. Whom I serve from my fore-fathers Those twelve Tribes that served God instantly day and night Act. 26.7 That was a desperate resolution of the Heathen Oratour Tâ—l de nat deo l. 3. Me ex ea opinione quam à majoribus accepi de cultu Deorum immortalium nullius unquam oratio aut docti aut indocti movebit I will never stir an inch from the religion of my fore-fathers for any mans perswasion Paul forsook his Pharisaisme to serve God as Abraham Isaac and Jacob had done with a pure conscience Verse 4. Being mindesull of thy tears Timothy was a man of many tears Act and Mon. sol 1457. so was David Paul Luther Bradford of whom it is said that he did seldome eat but he bedewed his trencher with tears and that few daies passed him without plenty of tears shed before he went to bed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Verse 5. In thy Grandmother Lois and mother A sweet happineâ—â—e to any childe to have a good mother and grandmother For these have great opportunity of dropping good things into their little Lemuels as being much about them The mothers of the Kings of Judah are constantly mentioned and as they were good or evil so were their children Partus sequitur ventrem The birth follows the belly Verse 6. Stirre up the gift Blow up thy smaller spark into a flame Grace in us is like a dull sea-cole fire saith one which if not now and then blown and stirred up though there be no want of fuell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet will of it self at length die and go out The word here used by the Apostle is Plato's word The Apostle seems to have bin well read in Plato's writings Verse 7. The spirit of fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called elswhere the spirit of bondage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.15 The law will convince the judgâ—ment but 't is the Gospel that convinceth the lust and he affection Of power and of a sound minde These two fitly stand together Sin unrepented of lies rotting at the heart and by rotting weakneth it as a rotten rag hath no strength Verse 8. Afflictions of the Gospel Affliction is Evangelij genius saith Calvin Hence it is called the word of Christs patience Revel 2. According to the power of God For unlesse he support us by his power we shall never bear up in affliction Verse 9. With an holy calling All that follows to those words in the end of vers 10. Through the Gospel comes in by a Parenthesis and is so to be read Verse 10. By the appearing By his coming in the flesh of which also the Psalmist speaketh Ps 96.13 Brought life and immortality to light As he drew light out of darknesse at the creation And as he then made light on the first day of the week so on the same day he abolished death c. by his resurrection from the dead Ver. 11. A teacher of the Gentiles His writings therefore should be the more highly prized and studied by us Gentiles as being properly ours like as Ps 127. was a Song made specially for Solomon Verse 12. I know whom I have â—rusted Here was not a faint hope or a conjecturall confidence but a plerophory of saith Bernard The reason where of is thus rendered by a Father Quia in charitate nimia adoptavit me quia verax in promissione potons in exhibitione because God who of his free grace hath adopted me is both able and faithfull to fulfill his promises Luth. apud Jo. Manliam That was a notable speech of Luther Ipse viderit ubi anima mea man sura fit qui pro casic sollicitus â—â—it ut vitam pro ea posuerit Let him that died for my soul see to the salvation of it That which I have committed A childe that hath any precious thing given him cannot better secure it then by putting it into his fathers hands to keep so neither can we better provide for our souls safety then by committing them to God Aug de boâ—o persâ—u â—hap 6. Tutiores aurem vivimus si totum Dâ—o damus non autem nos illi â—x parte nobis ex parte committimus We shall be sure to be safest if we commit our selves wholly to God and seek not to part stakes with him therein The ship that is part in the water and part an the mud is soon beaten in pieces Verse 13. Hold fast the sorm The catechisticall principles that method system short summs of Divinity that St Paul had compiled for Timothies use called here not only a form as Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6.17 but a short form or brief method such as hath both perspicuity and brevity Verse 14. That good thing that was c. Thy crown of recompence Revel 3.11 Or thy Converts thy crown of rejoycing Theophyl I Thess 2.19 Or the purity of thy doctrine 1 Tim. 6.20 Verse 15. All they which are in Asia All the Ministers there Revel 6.13 〈◊〉 16. â— â—6 These stats fell from heaven as fast as me fig-tree makes abort with any never so light and gentle a winde Phygellus and Hermogenes Famous only for their recidivation and apostasie Hermogenes took after Hormogeneâ— the retrograde Rhetorician who at 22 years of age was an excellent Oratour but by 24. Mente â—apsus est forgat all his skil â—nd became a very dunce G. Rhodigin l. 11. c. 40. Null à evidente causâ saith mine authour Verse 16. He oft resreshâ—d me Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Poured cold water upon me as that Angel did upon the wracked limbs of Theodorus the Martyr mentioned by Socrates and Russinus in the daies of Julian the Apostate Verse 17. He sought me out very diligently Whit vehement desire and intention of affection not as a coward seeks after his enemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom he hopes he shall never finde but as Saul sought David or as the wise men the babe of Bethlehem c. Verse 18. The lord That is God the Father grant he may finde mercy of the Lord that is of God the Son as Jehovah from Jehovah Gen. 19.24 That he may sinde For his care in finding out me v. 17. CHAP. II. Verse 1. Be strong TOgether with the word there goes forth a power as Luk 5 17. Verse 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commit them to faith full men No talent is given us for private and proper use but that we be trading and transmitting it also to others Synâ—sius speaks of some who having a treasure of abilities in them yet would assoon part with their â—earts as with their meditations c. the canker of whose great skill shall be a witnesse against them Verse 3. Endure hardship Never dream of a delicacy think not to finde God in the gardens of Aegypt whom Moses found not but in the
or bear a torch Judg. 7.7 Baldwin the French Lawyer that had religionem ephemeram as Beza saith of him Mâ—â—â—h Aâ—aâ— for every day a new religion being constant to none became Dâ—o hominibusque quos toties sese lerat invisut Hated of God and men whom he had so oft mocked Theodorick an Arrian King did exeâ—edingly affect a câ—rtain Deacon although an Orthodox This Deacon thinking to ingratiate Euseb and get preferment became an Arrian Which when the King understood he changed his love into hatred and caused the head to be struck from him affirming that if he kept not his faith to God what duty could my one expect from him Verse 38. Who draw back unto Apostates have martiall law they run away but into hell mouth A worse condition they cannot lightly chuse unto themselves CHAP. XI Verse 1. Now faith is the substance HAving mentioned the life of faith Chap. 10.38 and the end of faith or the reward of it the salvation of the soul vers 1 Pet. 1.9 39. he now descends to the description of this glorious grace Jam. 2.1 and saith that it is the substance or subsistence or Basis and foundation of things hoped for It is the same that our authour had called confidence chap. 10.35 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polybius speaking of Horatius his keeping the field against the enemies forces saith that the enemies more feared his hypostasis the word here used his confident binding upon the victory then his strength The evidence of things c. The Index 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the clear conviction by disputation or by making syllogismes from the word Indeed it is the word to speak properly that is the convincing evidence of things not seen but because the word prositeth not further then it is mingled with faith in the heart therefore that which is due to the word is here ascribed to faith Verse 2. The Elders obtained c. Gr. Were attested unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and are here eternalized in this notable Chapter This little book of Martyrs as one fitly calleth it Faith honoureth God and gives him a testimoniall Ioh. 3.33 such as is that Deut. 31.4 God therefore honoureth faith according to â— Sam. 2.30 and gives it his testimoniall as here Verse 3. Through faith we understand It is the nature of faith to believe God upon his bare word and that against sense in things invisible and against reason in things incredible Sense corrects imagination reason corrects sense but faith corrects both Aufer argumenta ubi fides quaeritur Verba philosophorum excludit simplex veritas piscatorum saith Ambrose I believe and that 's enough though I cannot prove principles and fundamentals of faith That the worlds were framed Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—â—abrè sacta Were neatly made up By the word of God By that one word of his Fiat let it be so and so By the way take notice that faith here described is taken in a large sense as it hath not the promises only but the whole Word of God for it's object Look how the Israelites with the same eyes and visive faculty wherewith they beheld the sands and mountains did look upon the brazen serpent also but were cured by fastening upon that alone so by the same faith whereby we are justified we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God and believe all other truths revealed and yet faith as it justifieth looks upon Christ alone not knowing any thing here but Christ and him crucified as is well observed by a learned Divine Were not made of things c. Of any praeexistent matter as Plato held See my Notes on Gen. 1.1 Verse 4. A more excellent sacrifice Good actions and good aims make a man good in the sight of God Cain may offer as well as Abel Doeg may set his foot as far within the Sanctuary as David the Pharisee as the Publican but with different successe God testifying of his gifts By fire from heaven or some other visible expression of his gracious acceptation whereby Abels faith was confirmed touching life and salvation in Christ Being dead yet speaketh Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is yet spoken of Being registred for the first Martyr in the Old Testament as Stephen was in the New and as Mr Rogers was here in the Marian persecution Verse 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By faith Enoch was translated Or carried from one place to another He changed his place but not his company for he still walked with God as in earth so in heaven That he should not see death The Arabick version addeth He was translated into paradise where a plentifull amends was made him for that which he wanted of the daies of the years of the lives of his fathers in the daies of their pilgrimage Gen. 47.9 And was not found And yet the Lord killed him not as the Chaldee hath Gen. 5.24 but took him up in a whirlwinde say the Hebrew Doctours as Elias was That he pleased God He walked with God in all well-pleasing being fruitfull in every good work Col. 1.10 Verse 6. But without faith That is without Christ in whom the Father is well-pleased Ioh. 14.6 For he that cometh to God sc Formâ pauperis that cometh a begging to him in the sense of his own utter indigence as Iacobs sons came to Ioseph and as the Aegyptians hard bestead came to him saying We will not hide it from my Lord how that our money is spent c. Gen. 47. Must believe that he is Zaleucus Law-giver of the Locrians speaketh thus in the proem to his Laws Hoc inculcatum sit esse Deos Let this be well setled in mens mindes that there is a Deity and that this Deity will reward the devout But what an odde conceit was that of the Cretians to paint their Iupiter without either eyes or ears And what an uncertainty was she at Medâ—◠〈◊〉 that praid O Deus quisquis es vel in coelo vel in terrâ O God whoever thou art for whether thou art and who thou art I know not Serviâ—â— in Geâ—â— lib. 1. This uncertainty attending Idolatry caused the Heathens to close their petitions with that generall Dijque Deaeque omnes Hear all ye gods and goddesses And those marriners Ion. 1.5 every man to call upon his God and lest they might all mistake the true God they awaken Ionah to call upon his God Christian petitioners must settle this that their God is Optimus Maximus such in himself and such toward them as he stands described in his holy word Verse 7. Moved with fear Opposed to the security of the old world who would know nothing till the very day that the floud came Mat. 24. Noah trembled at Gods judgements whilest they hanged in the threatnings and was no lesse affected then if himself had been endangered See the like in Habakkuk after that he threatned the Chaldeans Chap. 3.16 and
groaning Job 23.2 Invalidum omne naturâ querulum saith Seneca It is a weaknesse to be ever puling See my Love-tokens p. 44 45. Verse 6. For whom the Lord loves Whom he entirely loveth and cockereth above the rest of his children That Son in whom he is well pleased saith Mercer on Prov. 3.12 whom he makes his white boy saith Theophylact here See my Love-tokens pag. 54.55 And scourgeth every Sonne Laies upon them hard and heavy strokes When Ignatius came to the wilde-beasts Now saith he I begin to be a Christian Omnis Christianus crucianâ—u saith Luther And he hath not yet learned his ABC in Christianity saith Bradford that hath not learned the lesson of the crosse When Munster lay sick and his friends asked him how he did and how he felt himself he pâ—inted to his sores and ulcers whereof he was full and said Hae sunt gemmae pretiosa ornamenta Dei c. These are Gods gems and jewels where with he decketh his best friends Joh. Manl. loc com p. 127. and to me they are more precious then all the gold and silver in the world Verse 7. God dealeth with you c. Corrections are pledges of our Adoption and badges of our sonship One Sonne God â—ad without sin but none without sorrow As God corrects none but his own so all that are his shall be sure to have it and they shall take it for a favour too 1 Cor. 11.32 Verse 8. Then are ye bastards Qui excipitur a numero flagellatorum excipitur â numero filiorum saith one He that escapes affliction may well suspect his adoption I have no stronger argument against the Popes Kingdoms saith Luther then this Quòd sine cruce regnat that he raigns without the crosse they have no changes surely they fear not God Verse 9. And we gave them reverence Pater est si pater non esses c. It is my Father c. This cooled the boiling rage of the young man in Terence Nicolas of Jenuile a young French Martyr when he was condemned and set in the cart his father coming with a staffe would have beaten him Act. and Mon. fol. 837. but the officers not suffering it would have struck the old man The son crying to the officers desired them to let his father alone saying he had power over him to do what he would amp c. And live For corrections of instruction and God never chastiseth but withall he teacheth Psal 94.12 are the way of life Prov. 6.23 and 15.31 See my Love-tokens pag. 25 26 27. Verse 10. After their own pleasure To ease their stomacks vent their choller discharge themselves of that displeasure they have and perhaps without cause conceived against us Not so the Lord Fury is not in me saith he Isa 27.4 Though God may do with his own as he pleaseth yet he doth never over-do For it goes as much against the heart with him as against the hair with us It is even a pain to him to be punishing Lam. 3.33 That we might be partakers thus bitter pils bring sweet health and sharp winter kils worms and weeds and mellows the earth for better bearing of fruits and flowers The Lilly is sowed in its own tears and Gods vines bear the better for bleeding The Walnut tree is most fruitfull when most beaten and Camomile the more you tread it the more you spread it Aloes kils worms and stained clothes are whitened by frosting Verse 11. The peaceable fruit of righteousnesse That crown of righteousnesse wrought out unto us by afflictions 2 Cor. 4.17 These are the preludes of our triumph yea a part of our salvation Look therefore thorow the anger of Gods corrections saith one to the sweetnesse of his love therein as by a rain-bow we see the beautifull image of the Suns-light in the midst of a dark and waterish cloud And look upon these afflictions as on so many wayward and touchy guests which while they stay watch every officer but when they depart they pay freely Verse 12. Lift up the hands Pluck up your good hearts and buckle close to your businesse how else will you runne the race that is set before you as vers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I. Gird up the loins of your minds a drooping spirit makes no riddance of the way Set all to rights as the world signifieth Verse 13. Make straight paths Seek not by-waies those high-waies to hell leap not over the hedge of any Commandment so to escape any peece of foul way but as those kine of the Philistims held straight on their way to Bethshemesh 1 Sam. 6.12 though they had calves at home so let us to heaven though we have divers things to divert us Let thine eyes look right on and let thine eye-lids look straight before thee Prov. 4.25 Verse 14. Follow peace Gr. Pursue it though it flee from you Psal 120.7 I am peace saith David but when I speak of it they are for warre And holinesse Or chastity 1 Thess 4.4 such a holinesse as is opposed to fornication and profanenesse v. 16. Without which The Article may be neuter and then the sense is Without which following peace and holinesse or an holy peaceablenesse none shall see God to their comfort Verse 15. Lest any man fail Or Fall short as Chap. 4.1 See the Note there Short shooting loseth many a game he that in a race lieth down ere he come to the goal gets not the garland Peâ—â—everance crowns all our vertues But it s an easie thing to fall a napping with the foolish virgins yea the wise also slumbered which will prove to our cost when God shall send forth summons for sleepers Lest any root of bitternesse Any scandalous sin to the corrupting of others and the corroding of our own conseiences and out of which we recover not without much adoe till we have felt what an evil and a bitter thing â—inne is as David did Psal 51. Verse 16. Fornicatour or profane He instanceth in some roots of bitternesse Esaâ—'s profanenesse appeared in these particulars 1. In that he was no sooner asked for the birth-right but he yeelded 2. That he parted with it for a trifle a little red red as he called it in his haste and hunger 3. That he did this being as he thought at point of death 4. That he weâ—t his way when he had done as if he had done no such thing he shewed no signe of remorse or regret Hence he is four of five severall times branded with This is Edom. Who for one morsell c. Many such Edomites now-adaies that prefer earth before heaven a swine-sty before a sanctuary as the Gadarens their part in Paris before their part in Paradise as that carnall Cardinall Vale lumen amicum said Theotimus Ambros Farewell eyes if I may not drink and do worse ye are no eyes for me He would rather lose his sight then his sin so will many rather part with heaven then with their lusts
Peter picks out of Pauls epistles as one of the choisest and urgeth it here Even as our beloved brother c. Ingenium est profiteri per quos profeceris saith Pliny S. Peter makes honourable mention of S. Paul so Ezekiel of his contemporary Daniel Verse 16. Wrest as they doe c. When we strive to give unto to the Scripture and not to receive from it the sense when we factiously contend to fasten our conceits on God like the harlot take our dead and putrified fancies and lay them in the bosome of the Scriptures as of a mother when we compell them to go two miles which of themselves would go but one when we put words into the mouths of these oracles by mis-inferences or mis applications then are we guilty of this sin of wresting the Scriptures Cadem Scripturarum faci â—â—s Tertullian speaketh of some that murther the Scriptures to serve their own purposes Verse 17. Fall As leaves fall from the trees in Autumn Verse 18. But grow In firmnesse in finenessâ— at least as an apple doth in mellownesse as Oaks grow more slowly then willows and bulrushes yet more solidly and in the end to a greater bulk and bignes A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the first Epistle generall of S. IOHN CHAP. I. Verse 1. That Which Was from the beginning CHrist the eternall God See the Note on John 1.2 Which we have heard c. The man Christ Jesus the Arch-prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which we have seen And what so sure as sight See Luk. 1.2 This was denied to many Kings and Prophets Luk. 10.24 To have seen Christ in the flesh was one of the three things that Austin wished which yet Saint Paul set no such high price upon in comparison of a spirituall sight of him 2 Cor. 5.16 See the Note there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which we have looked upon Diligently and with delight How sweet shall be the fight of him in heaven With what unconceivable attention and admiration shall we contemplate his glorified body out-shining the brightest Cherub Verse 2. For the life was manifested Christ who is life essentiall swallowed up death in victory and brought life and immor tality to light by the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 Verse 3. Declare we unto you That Theophylus-like ye may be at a certainty fully perswaded Luk. 1.1 having a plerophory or full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of Christ Colos 3.2 See the Note there And truly our fellowship If any should object Is that such a preferment to have fellowship with you What are you c He answereth As mean as we are we have fellowship with the Father and the Sonne Union being the ground of communion all that is theirs is ours Verse 4. And these things Write We Out of the Scriptures those wells of salvation draw we waters with joy Isa 12.4 suck these brests of consolation and be satisfied Isa 66.11 Nusquam inveri requiem nisi in libro claustro Hom. in Genes saith one Chrysostome brings in a man laden with inward trouble coming into the Church where when he heard this passage read Why are thou cast down my soul c hope in God c. he presently recovered comfort Verse 5. That God is light He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light essentiall and they that walk with him must be as so many chrystall glasses with a lighâ— in the midst for can two walk together and they not be agreed Am. 3.8 Verse 6. If â—â— say that c. As they doe that professe to know God but in works do deny him Tic. 1.16 See the Note there And walk in darknesse There is a childe of light that walks in darknesse Isa 50.10 but that 's in another sense I he wicked also that are here said to walk in darknesse have their sparkles of light that they have kindled Isa 50.11 but it is but as a light smitten out of a flint which neither warms nor guides them but dazelleth their eyes and goes out so that they lie down in sorrow Verse 7. We have fellowship one c. That is God and we inasmuch as we are made partakers of the divine nature and are pure as God is pure 1 Joh 3.3 in quality though not in an equality And the bloud of Jesus That whereas Gods pure eye can soon finde many a foul flaw in the best of us our righteousnesse being mixt as light and darknesse dimnesse at least in a painted glasse died with some obscure and dim colour it is transparent and giveth good but not clear and pure light loe here a ready remedy a sweet support The bloud of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin Verse 8. If we say that we have If any should be so saucy or rather silly as to say with Donatus Non habeo Domine quod ignoscas I have no sinne for Christ to cleanse me from he is a loud lier and may very well have the whetstone Verse 9. If we confesse Home agnoscit Dew ignoscit Aug. And Consessio pâ—ccaâ—i est vomitus sordium animae Judah his name signifies confession got the kingdome from Reuben He is faithfull And yet Bellarminâ— saith De â—ustific l. 1. cap 21. That he cannot finde in all the book of God and promise made to confession of sin to God From all unrighteousnesse All without exception why then should we put in conditions and as it were enterline Gods Covenant Verse 10. We make him a liar For the Scripture hath concluded all under sin Rom. 11.32 See the Note there CHAP. II. Verse 1. That ye sinne not PResuming upon an easie and speedy pardon The worser sort of Papists will say when we have sinned we must confesse and when we have confessed we must fin again that we may confesse again so making account of confessing as drunkards do of vomiting But we have not so learned Christ And if any man sin Being taken afore he is aware Gal. 6.1 See the Note there We have an Advocate Who appears for us in heaven and pleans our cause effâ—ctually See Heb. 9.24 Jesus Christ the righteous Or else he could not go to the Father for us See the Note on Joh 16.10 Verse 2. He is the propitiation Heb. Copher He coffers up is it were and covets our sins Psal 78.38 See the Note on Rom. 3.25 Verse 3. We know that we know him By a reflex act of the soul hence the assurance of saith the fruit of fruitfulnesse 1 Cor. 15.58 That we know him with a knowledge not apprehensive only but affective too Verse 4. He that saith I know him Here he disputeth against Verbalists and Solifidians See Jam. 2.14 with the Note there Verse 5. That we are in him In communion with him and in conformity to him Verse 6. To walk even as he walked This is the same with that Col. 2.6 to walk in Christ and with that 1 Pet. 2.21 to follow his
to hell Verse 27. But the anointing See vers 20. It was an aggravation of the fall of Saul 2 Samuel 1.21 as though he had not been anointed so for the Saints to fall their own stedfastnesse Verse 28. Little children abide in him q d. Your enemies are many and crafty therefore keep home keep home this shall be no grief unto you nor offence of heart as she said 1 Sam. 25.31 Verse 29. Is born of him And exactly resembles him as a childe doth his father See 1 Pet. 1 17. and the Note on Match 5.9 CHAP. III. Verse 1. Behold What manner QValem quantum as 2 Pet. 3.11 See the Note on Joh. 1.12 If Jacob was at such pains and patience to become son in law to Laban if David hold it so great a matter to be son in law to the king What is it then to be sons and daughters to the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6.18 The World knoweth us not Princes unknown are unrespected Unkent unkiss as the Northern Proverb hath it After the sentence was pronounced upon Mr Bainham the Martyr Act. and Mon. sol 939. he was counselled by M. Nicolas Wilson to conform himself to the Church To whom he answered I trust I am the very childe of god which ye blinde asses said he doe not perceive Verse 2. What we shall be Great things we have in hand but greater in hope much in possession but more in reversion Let this comfort us against the contempts cast up on us by the world blinde and besides it self in point of salvation For we shall see him as he is Now we see as in a glasse obscurely 1 Cor 13 1â— as an old man through spectacles as a weak eye looks upon the Sun but in heaven we shall see him as he is so far as a creature is capable of that blissefull vision Verse 3. Purifieth himself That 's true hope that runs out into holinesse Faith and hope purge and work a sutablenesse in the soul to the things believed and hoped for Even as be is pure In quality though not in an equality Verse 4. Sin is the transgression As there is the same roundnesse in a little ball as in a bigger so the same disobedience in a small sin as a great Concil Trident. Papists tell us that concupiscence is not truly and properly a sin but S. Paul saith otherwise Rom. 7. There are amongst us that say That originall sin is not forbidden by the Law but sure we are it is cursed and condemned by the law as that which hath in it a tacite consent to all sin Verse 5. To take away our sins Shall sin live that killed Christ Shall I drink the bloud of these men said David of those that but ventured their lives for him Oâ— that each Christian would turn Jew to himself and kill the red cow c. Verse 6. Sinneth not Sin may rebell it cannot raign in a Saint Verse 7. Let no man deceive you As if you might passe è caene in coelum she to heaven with dragons wings dance with the devil all day and sup with Christ at night live ail your lives long in Dalilah's lap and then go to Abrahams bosome when you die These are the devils dire-dawbers that teach such doctrine his upholtsers that sow such pillows Ezek. 13.18 Verse 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that committeth sinne That makes a trade of it and can art it as the word properly signifieth not act it only Is of the devil Bears his image wears his livery is as like him as if spet out of his mouth That be might destroy the Works The devil then hath his works in the very hearts of the elect for whose cause Christ came into the world Verse 9. For his seed The new nature which causeth that sin cannot carry it away without some counter-buffs He cannot sine i.e. Sinningly so as to be transformed into sins image cannot doe wickedly with both hands earnestly Mic. 7. Verse 10. In this the children of God As Davids daughters were known by their garments of divers colours 2 Sam. 13.18 So are Gods children by their piety and charity Verse 11. That We should love c. this beloved disciple was all for love See the Note on Chap. 2.9 Verse 12. Who Was of that Wicked one Tertullian calleth Cain the devils Patriarch Cain is dead faith another but I could wish that he did not still live in his heirs and executours Bucbol Qui clavam ejus sanguine Abelis rubentem uâ— rem sacram circumfâ—runt adorant venerantur who bear about and make use of Cains club to knock on the head Gods righteous Abels And slew his brother Gr. Cut his throat Acerbissima sunt odia ut ita nominem saith one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Divinity hatreds are most deadly Because his own Works c. The old enmity Gen. 3.15 So Numb 22.3 4. Moab Was irked because of Israel or did fret and vex at them as Exod 1.12 yet hey were allied and passed by them in peace and by the slaughter of the Amorites freed them from evil neighbours which had taken away part of their Land and might do more as one bath well observed Verse 13. Marvel not my brethren Sith it was so from the beginning and the very first man that died died for religion so early came martyrodome into the world Verse 14. We know that we have passed Not we thinke we hope c. fortunam rudentibus opâ—â— If we would not have with the Merchant an estate hanging upon ropes and depending upon uncertain windes let us make sure work for our souls This is a jewell that the Cock on the dunghill meddles not with Sensum electionis ad gloriam in hac vita nullum agnosco saith Greevinchovius the Arminian I know no such thing as assurance of heaven in this life Papists allow us nothing beyond a conjecturall confidence unlesse by speciall revelation Miserable comforters Verse 15. Whosoever hateth his brother Not to love then is to hate as not to save a man is to kill him Mark 3.4 Is a murtherer Because he wisheth him out of the world as Caracalla did his brother Geta of whom he said Divus sit modâ— non sit vivus I would he were in heaven or any where so that I were rid of him By like reason we may say that sin is God-murther forasmuch as sinners are God-haters Rom. 1.30 and could wish there were no God that they might never come to judgement The godly man on the contrary cries out with David Vivat Deus Let the Lord live and blessed be the God of my salvation c. Ps 18 46. Verse 16. Because he laid down See the Note on Joh. 15.13 Rom. 5.8 We ought also to lay down our lives If Pylades can offer to die for Orestes meerly for a name or out of carnall affection at the best Should not Christians lay down their own necks one for
See the Note on 2 Ioh. 4. Walk in truth Not walk to the ale-house walk about with tales to shed bloud walk aâ—ter the flesh as too many of our hearers do to our singular heart-break Verse 5. Thou dost faithfully That is out of faith and as beseemeth a faithfull Christian They that give alms c. and not out of faith they do worse then lose their labour for they commit sin Verse 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After a godly sort Gr. Worthy of God as seeing God in them and as beseemeth his servants who are Princes in all lands Psal 45. Verse 7. They went forth To preach and gain souls to God And this they did gratis as Paul because the false-apostles did so at Corinth seeking occasion against the true teachers 2 Cor. 11 12. Verse 8 That we might be fellow-helpers And so receive a Prophets reward See the Note on Mat. 10.41 Verse 9. Diotrephes who loveth c. Ambition is like the Crocodile which groweth as long as it liveth What stirs made proud Paulus Samosatenus in the Primitive Church What continuall quarrellings were there between the Bishops of Coustantinople and of Rome for the primacy and between the Arch-bishops of Canterbury and of York for precedency What a deal suffered learned Zanchy at Argentina from his ambitious colleagues and divers of our English Divines and others from the lordly Prelates Pareus was wont to say That the chief cause of all the Churches troubles was the Church-mens affectation of dominion This trouble-town if we could cast out of the Church said he great hopes there were that we should all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concur and consent in one and the same truth Isidor Pelus â— 4. â—â— 55. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 10. Prating against us One would wonder what he could prate against S. Iohn and yet he did and that maliciously True it is he did but trifle and play the fool as the Greek word signifies in that he prated but he shewed his malice neverthelesse So do the Jesuites as in many other their practices so in this that in their writings against us they confirm that with glorious words and arguments which westick not at to make the world believe that we deny all that which they so busily and so bravely prove and so to make us odious Whereas they leave the main matter in controversie utterly unproved thinking to carry it away with out-facing and great words Verse 11. Follow not Make not such a man as Diotrephes your patern for imitation though he russle it amongst you and will needs be the only man Verse 12. Of all men Of all good men for God reckons of men according to their goodnesse As a good name only is a name Eccl. 7.1 and a good wife only a wife Prov. 18.22 And of the truth it self That 's enough Doth the truth report well of a man then he needs not care what the world can say Yea and we also Which we doe not use to do without speciall caution It is a fault to be too forward to testifie of any Verse 13. I will not with inke In vain is the word written in books unlesse it be also written in our hearts ler 31. Verse 14. But I trust He could promise nothing peremptorily but submits to God See the Note on I am 4.15 Face to face As iron whets iron so doth the face of a man his friend A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the Epistle generall of S. JUDE Verse 1. Iude the servant TO distinguish him from Iudae the traitour lest he should suffer by mistake as Nicolas the Deacon is thought to doe as if he were authour of the Sect of the Nicolaitans which Christ hated To them that are sanctified Or To them that are beloved as other copies have it Preserved Kept by the power of God thorow faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 Verse 2. Mercy unto you c. Mercy from the Father peace from the Son and love from the holy Ghost Verse 3. Of the common salvation That wherein all Saints have a share For the faith That faith of the Gospel Phil. 1.27 the doctrine of faith Once delivered Once for all not â—only as but one only rule but as but once sent to a Nation So that if lost or any way corrupted it will not be given again another edition of it is not to be expected Contend earnestly for it therefore conflict one after another as the word signifies Hold fast the faithfull word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as with both hands Tit. 1.9 See the Note Verse 4. For there are certain men Not worthy to be named as that rich glutton Luk 16. Crept in unawares Stealing their passage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and making as if they minded nothing lesse Ordained to this Gr. Written down enrolled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set down in the black bill Turning the grace of our God Gr. Translating it from its proper end perverting it by arguing from mercy to liberty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the devils Logick Verse 5. Afterward destroied Their preservation was but a reservation as was Senacheribs Pharaohs and theirs whom God threatned to destroy after that he had done them good Josh 24.20 Verse 6. Kept not their first estate Their originall integrity or principality Of this sin of the Angels the cause was the will of the Angels good in it self but mutable and free not by working neither but by not working saith a Divine But left their own habitation Being driven thence and hurled into hell Verse 7. Giving themselves over In scortationem effusae Weatying and wearing themselves out with that beastly sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 babet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—ben l. 13 as did Proculus Messalina and Lais who died in the act of uncleannefle The word here used signifies saith Arctius Scortationi immori contabescere illius dâ—siderio And going after strange flesh See the Note on Gen. 19.5 Are set forth Gr. Are thrown forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For an example Herodotus saith the like of the destruction of Troy that the tuines and rubbish thereof are set forth for an example of this rule that God greatly punisheth great offences Verse 8. Defile the flesh By nocturnall pollutions which we must pray against The devil can fasten that filth upon the soul when we sleep that he cannot do at another time Despise dominion Gr. Set it at nought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seâ— the Note on 2 Pet. 2.10 And speak evil of dignities Gr. Blaspheme glories so the Papists do familiarly those Princes they count heretikes as Henry the fourth of France whom they called Huguenot-dog c. Our Edward the sixt bastard Of Qu. Elizabeth they reported in print some years after her death That she died without sense or feeling of Gods mercies Verse 9. About the body of Moses As desirous thereby to set up himself in the heares of the living There is a
seven golden pipes thorow which the two olive branches do empty out of themselves the golden oils of all precious graces into the golden candle-stick the Church Zach. 4.2 3. So some interpret those seven eyes upon one stone Zach 3.9 concerning the Spirit in his severall operations upon Christ according to Isa 1.2 Verse 5. And from Jesus Christ Who is here set last of the three persons because more is to be said of him both as touching his three-fold office and a three-fold benefit there-hence redounding unto us That hath loved us See Ezek. 16.6 8 9. Christ that heavenly Pellican Pierij bâ—eroglâ—ph revived his dead young-ones with his own heart-bloud He saw the wrath of God burning about them and cast himself into the midst thereof that he might quench it Judah offered to be bound that Benjamin might go free Jonathan perilled his life and quitted his kingdome for love of David Arsinoe interposed her own body betwixt the murtherers weapons and her children But what was all this to this incomparable love of the Lord Jesus When the Jews saw him weeping for Lazarus Behold say they how he loved him When we see him weeping bleeding dying for us Shall not we much more say so Verse 6. And hath made us Kings To rule in righteousnesse to lord it over our lusts to triumph over and trample on all our spirituall adversaries being more then conquerours thorow him that loved us and laid down his life for us that we might raign in life by one Jesus Christ Rom. 5.17 And surely if as Peter Martyr once wrote to Q. Elizabeth Kings are doubly bound to serve God both as men and as Kings What are we for this spirituall kingdome Judg 5.28 And Priests uâ—to God To offer up to him the personall saer fice of our selves Rom. 12.1 the verball of praise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and reall of alms Heb. 1.15 16. See the Note on 1 Pet. 29. Verse 7. Bel old he cometh He is already upon the way and will be with us shortly Let us hasten his coming and say â—s Sisera's mother Why are his chariots his clouds so long in coming Why tarry the wheels of his chariots Shall nail Gr. Shall smite their brests or thighes the elect as repenting the reprobate as despairing Iisdem quibus videmus oculis flemus so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall look and lament Verse 8. Which is and which was The Father is called He that it Exod 3.13 The Son He that was Joh. 1.1 The holy Ghost He that cometh Joh. 16 8 13. as Aretas observeth Verse 9. In the kingdom and patience Christ hath a two-fold kingdom 1. Of power 2. Of patience Nec nisi per aâ—gusta ad augusta c. I have no stronger argument against the Popes kingdome saith Luther quà m quod sine cruce regnat Luth. T 2. then this that he raigns without the crosse The glory of Christs Church said George Marsh Martyr stands not in out ward shews Act. and Mon. fol. 1423. in the harmenious found of bels and organs nor yet in the glistering of mitâ—es and copes c. but in continuall labours and daily afflictions for his Namâ—s sake Was in the Isle Patmos He tels us not how he came thither he boasteth not of his banishment Virtus proprio contenta theatro Vertue is no braggard Verse 10. I was in the Spirit Acted by him and carried out of himself as the demoniack is said to be in the unclean spirit as being acted and agitated by him Sec the Note on 2 Pet. 1.21 On the Lords day The first day of the week the Christian Sabbath Mat. 24.20 called the Lords-day from Christ the authour of it as is likewise the Lords Supper and the Lords Church Kirk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very word here used To sanctisie this Sabbath was in the Primitive times a badge of a Christian For when the question was asked Servasti Dominicum Keepest thou the Sabbath The answer was returned Christianus sum interâ—â—ittere non possum I am a Christian I must keep the Lords-day And heard behinde me Not before me implying that the Spirit calleth upon us being secure passing by and not regarding those things it cals for As of a trumpet To teach us that the things here delivered to the Church must be ever sounding in out ears and hearts indwelling richly in us Col. 3.16 Verse 11. Greg. Mag. Send it to the seven As all holy Scripture so this piece especially may well be called The Epistle of Almighty God to his creature Verse 12. And being turned I saw It is well observed here by a learned Interpreter M. Brightman That every godly endeavour doth receive some fruit greater then a man can hope for John turned himself to behold the man and behold over and besides seven Candlesticks which he had not the least suspition of Verse 13. And in the midst Christ is in the holy assemblies in the beauties of holinesâ—c he walketh in his garden Cant. 6.1 he comes in to see his guests Mat. 22.11 The face of God is seen in Sion Psal 84.7 Agarment down to the fiâ—t As a Councellour Isa 9.6 And girt It implies readinesse nimblenesse handinesse and handsomenesâ—e We also must gird our selves and serve the Lord Christ Luk 17.8 About the paps This implies his entire love seated in the heart Verse 14. White like wooll Noting his antiquity or rather his eternity and unspeakable purity Thales one of the Heathen Sages called God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The most ancieâ—t of Beings Diâ—g Laeâ—â— As a flame of fire Sharp and terrible such as pierce into the inward parts Heb. 4.13 See the Note there Verse 15. And his fâ—et He stood firm then when he was cast into the fire of his Fathers wrath He trod the wine-presse alone and set his feet on the necks of all his and our enemies He lost no ground when he grappled with the devil on his own dung-hill Matth. 4. He will also bruise Saâ—â—â— under our feet shortly Rom. 16.20 As the sound of many waters Audible Som. Scip. terrible forcible Some Catadupes are deafâ—ed by the fall of this Nilus But the Spouse cries out O thou that dwellest in the gardens the companions hearken to thy voice cause â—e to hear it Cant. 8 13. Verse 16. And he had in his right-hand See heere the dignity and safety of a faithfull Minister Whiles a childe hath his father by the hand though he walk in the dark he fears nothing A sharp two-edged sword The word like a sacrificing sword slits open and as it were unridgeth the conscience Verse 17. I fill at his feet as dead The nearer any one comes to Christ the more rottennes entreth into his bones And be laid his right-hand The same right-hand wherein he held the seven starres verse 16. Christus sic omnibus attentus ut â—â—lli dotentus sic curat universos quasi singulos sic singulos quasi
spirit of prophecy neither let there be any to favour his fatherlesse children And why Because that he remembred not to shew mercy Psal 109.12 16. This was fulfilled in Haman and is fulfilled in daily experience Hence riches ill gotten or ill kept shift masters so oft It is not true that is commonly spoken Happy is that son whose father goes to the devil for such goods seldome prosper except it be with some odde one Dan. 4.27 that by repentance breaks off and heals his fathers sin by mercifulnesse to the poor and so makes him friends with those riches of unrighteousnesse So our Saviour cals them either because rich men are for most part unrighteous themselves or the sons of unrighteous persons or else unrighteous that is uncertain vain Luk. 16.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc est incertus vanus sallax 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enim ex idiotis mo hebraico ac cipitur etiam pro vero necesserio sumo c. pator Lexic vain deceitfull such as will give us the slip for so the word may be taken according to the use of the Hebrew and Syriack tongues His riches perish by evil travel saith Solomon and he begetteth a son and there is nothing in his hand Eccl. 5.14 For either he leaves it to a prodigall that rides to hell with golden spurs and forks it abroad as fast as the miser his father raked it together Or if he be never so good an husband yet usually he thrives not but moles as snow before the Sun So that a man had better leave his childe a wallet to beg from door to door then a cursed hoard of goods either gotten by evil arts or spared when they should have been spent upon the poor and needy Thus for the life present Mercifull men lay up in store a good foundation both for themselves and theirs As for the life to come They lay hold hereby upon eternall life which by good works is 1. Assured them here Prov. 14.21 Prov. 11.17 Mat. 5 7. Jam. 2.13.2 Enjoyed of them hereafter 1. At the hour of death for when riches shall fail riches well used shall let us into haven Luk. 16.9 God freely crowning his own grace in us 2. At the day of judgement when there effectuall faith shewn by your works shall be found to praise honour and glory before God Angels and men Christ mentioning and celebrating their good deeds only such as they had forgotten 1 Pet 1 7. or thought he had taken no notice of and shall therefore ask When saw we thee hungry and sed thee naked and clothed thee c. But there is a book of remembrance written be fore him of all the particulars Mal. 3.17 Qui non dedit micav non obtinuit guitam which shall then be produced When mercilesse men shall meet with their own measure as Dives who denied crums and could not therefore obtain a drop of water to cool his tongue they shall in vain tire out the deaf mountains to quash them to pieces or grinde them to pouder but will they nill they must receive judgement without merey because they shewed no mercy Then shall Mercy rejoyce against damnation or glory over it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jâ—un 2.12 as over it's adversary A godly man moved with compassion lifts up his head and overcomes the fear of being condemned in judgement He can tender to God mercy and melting-heartednesse and thereby expect the same from him as David did Psal 86.2 Preserve my soul for I am mercifull Alphousus King of Spain was in great likelihood to have been made King of Romans but lost it to Richard of England For being a great Mathematician saith the Chronicler he was drawing of lines when he should have been drawing his purse Daniel hist of Eng fol. 174. and so fell from his high hopes So doth many a man from his possibilities of heaven by busying himself about many things and not attending the opportunites of love and good works Joseph made a gain of the famine and bought up the land of Aegypt so might we of the poor and buy heaven Not for any worth of the work for alas what proportion No more surely then betwixt a kingdome and a nut-shell But because faithfull is he who hath promised who also will do it not to the half as Herod but to the whole of his kingdome Ambition 1 JOHN 2.16 For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world PLeasure profit preferment called here the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life are the worldlings Trinity to the which he performeth inward and outward worship According to the three things which the woman by false suggestion saw in the tree for meat for the eyes and for prudence And according to our Saviours three-fold temptation Mat. 4. Doct. solinu the last whereof by the vain pomp and glory of the world he could least of all endure and therefore bids the Tempter Avaunt Our Apostle ver 13. of this Chapter tels us That a man may be very mortified even a Father and yet very subject to dote on the world which may be fitly likened to the serpent Seytnle whereof it is reported that when she cannot overtake the flying passengers she doth with her beautifull colours so astonish and amaze them that they have no power to passe away till she have stung them Balaam could not but go after the wages of wickednesse the preferment that was profered him Nay Barue a far better man is seeking great things for himself Hezekiah shewing his treasury Jonas over-tender of his reputation Nicodemus for the same cause coming haltingly to Christ as a night-bird and the Apostles strangely transported with an idle conceit of an earthly Kingdome wherein they dream'd there should be as once in Davids and Solomons daies a distribution of honours and officers Hence so many frivolous and fruitlesse questions and requests as that of the mother of Zebedees children put on by her ambitious sons who were ashamed to make the motion Yea many times most unseasonably and unsavourily when Christ had been fore-warning them of his ignominious death and fore arming them against the scandall of the crosse they fell into those absurd disputes who should be the greatest amongst them and have the highest place of preferment as Mar. 9 31 32 33 34. And whereas our Saviour disswaded them this solly and set a childe in the midst of them to learn them lower thoughts S. John soon sated with such sad discourse interrupts his master and laying hold on something he had said v. 37. tels a story of another businesse v. 38. Yea Nazianz. so sowred were they and swoln with this Pharisaicall haven that they were at it again the third time Luk. 22.24 And that 1. After that our Saviour had fore-told them that his
or seek great things for themselves And yet every mothers childe of us are too much the true sons of our great grand-mother Eve and would be more then we are This Nation saith one concerning the wilde Irish as also all other barbarous Nations though they know not what honour is yet they affect above measure to be honoured Three of their Kings being derided for their rude habits and fashions rebelled in Henry the seconds daies Man bears nothing so impatiently as contempt desires nothing so much as respect with others I have sinned said Saul yet honour me be fore the people Jehu must be seen or all 's lost Ho die me aut Pontisicem vsdebis aut exulü 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ' Dio in Nero. I fear lest the fugitives will mock me said Zedekiah This day you shall see me return from Court either high-Priest or an exile said Caesar to his mother Let him kill me so he may be Emperour said she of her son Nero. Ambition rides without reins as Tullia did over the dead body of her father to be made a Queen And where it hath possest it self thorowly of the soul it turns the heart into steel and makes it uncapable of a conscience as we see in Abimelech Haman Athaliah c. All sins will easily down with the man that is resolved to rise In the year of Christ 467. Timotheus Herulus when he could not other wise get a Bishoprick went by night all about the Monks cels in Alexandria and calling them each by his name told them that he was an Angel sent from God to require them to cast out Proterius their Bishop and to chuse in his place Timotheus Herulus And having hereby gained them to his side and gotten a great sort of the rude rabble by gifts and fair promises to adhere to him Funeij Chrouel he invaded the Bishoprick of Alexandria by force slew the good Bishop and six others with him on an Easter-day at the foot of the font whither he had fled for shelter cast out his dead body drew it all about and afterwards burnt it So powerfully did the mystery of iniquity work even in those better times Zene the Emperour laid a paper on the altar that God might write therein the name of him who should be Bishop of Constantinople But Flavitias corrupting the Sextan of the Church caused him to write in his name Niceph. l. 1. and so was made Bishop When none other would lift Hildebrand up into Peters Chair he gat up himself for who could better judge of him then himself Harden thy fore-head saith Calvus to Vatinius and say boldly that thou deservest the Praetorship better then Cato Perfrica frontë digniorem te dit qui Praetor fieres quam catonem Quin l. 9. â— 2 ambition I confesse is not ordinarily so broad spoken but goes difguised Turk bist 515. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. â— 10 Nee ferrs porest Casarve priore a Pom peâ—usve parem Lucan D. heylins Geo. p. 103. under a vail of modesty necessity religion c. as in those that disparage themselves that they may draw in others to commend them as in Richard the third who pleaded the necessiry of the State for his abhorred usurpation And as to S lym â— the Turk and Hismael the Persian who did under the colour and zeal of their religion both pretend just causes of warre although their evil dissembled ambitions desires plainly declared unto the world that they both shot at one and the same mark the extending the bounds of their great Empires There were many pretences given out for the civil warre betwixt Pompey and Caesar saith the Historian but if you 'll have the truth of it the very cause was the desire of preeminence and fole-government The one could not bear a superiour nor the other an equall The same was the ground of all the quarrell of old between the Bishops of Const intinople and Rome as of later time between Francis King of France and Charles the fist Emperour of Germany And is still between the Kings of Spain and other Monarches of Christendom whilest they labour so earnestly the setting up of their Catholike Monarchy When Captain Drake took St Domingo in America 1585. in the Town-hall were be seen the King of Spains arms and under them a globe of the world Camd Eliz. 285 out of which arose a horse with his fore-feet cast forth with this inscription NON SVFFICIT ORBIS The world is not enough for me to conquer This was laughed at Romanoi geminos uuum non caperet regnum quos unum urâ—i reperat holpttium Cyprian as an argument of the Spaniards avarice and ambition which indeed is unsatisfiable One womb could hold Romulus and Remus not one Kingdom Athens could not contain two Alcibiades nor Sparta two Lysandens Alexander would not divide the Persian Empire with Darius Our Henry the second crowned his eldest son Henry whiles he was yet alive Dan hui. l. 100 and that set him a seeking his fathers death He also had made his second sonne John Harl of Cornwall Dorset Sommerset Nottingham Darby and Lancaster Which mighty estate was not a means to satisfie but encrease his desires and make him more dangerous at home Ibid. 114. Ambition like the Crocodile groweth while it liveth or like the Ivy which rising at the foot will over-peer the highest wall Base it is and slavish it will fall down to rise Relat. of West relig crouch and creep to mount Sixtus Quintus saith one was the most crouching humble Cardinal that ever was lodg'd in an oven and the most proud ambitious Pope that ever ware crown And Paul the third saith Thuanus covered his deep ambition for a long time with as deep dissimulation of sobriety gravity sanctimony and bodily infirmity Thuan. bist l. 1. cap. 16. Act. and Mon. fol. 993. whereof when he had once got that dignity he made a full discovery Bishop Bonner at first seemed to be a good man a favourer of Luthers doctrines and advanced he was only by the Lord Cromwell for whom neverthelesse after his execution Bonner had not a good word but the lewdest vilest and bitterest he could speak Ibid. 1087. calling him the rankest heretike that ever lived and that it had been good he had been dispatcht long ago Alsted Chron. p 376. Aeneas Sylvius defended this truth That the Councel was above the Pope and commended the Germans for opposing the Pope But when he saw that this was not the way to preferment he turned tippet taught the contrary Doctrine and became Pope In the inthronization of the Pope before he is set in his Chair and puts on his Triple crown a piece of tow or wad of straw is set on fire before him and one appointed to say Sic transit gloria mundi D. Feat'ey at Sir Humphrey Lindes funeral 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 25.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
that 2 Atheisme in practice so rife in all places for of such dust-heaps that confesse god with their lips but deny him in their lives ye may finde in every corner All places is full of them and so is hell too 1. some think basely of God as if he were altogether such an one as themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act 13. because he keeps silence and bears with their evil manners Psal 50.21 Averroes the Philosopher hence draws an argument against Gods presence and providence here on earth thinks he meddleth with nothing below the Moon because of his slownesse to anger 2. There are again that grant a God but made all of mercy and thereupon lay the reins in the neck to doe wickedly with both hands earnestly as presuming of an easie and speedy pardon Nahum tels us Nahum 1.2 10 That God is jealous and the Lord revengeth the Lord revengeth and is furious c. And that such as these are but as stubble laid but in the Sun a drying that it may barn the better and like grapes let to hang in the sun-shine till they be ripe for the wine-presse of Gods wrath Rev. 1.16 3. Iudas in betraying Christ waâ—â— occasion of his death as man in despâ—iring he 〈◊〉 what in him lay to take away 〈◊〉 life as God D. Stlbs. Eccles 10.12 Serviut to ceant jumenta toquentur Others look upon God as a just Judge and sharp revenger of sinne and disobedience and hereupon could wish for their own case that there were no God This is Deicidium God-slaughter The good soul wisheth with David Vivat Deus let God live and blessed be the God of my salvation But the wicked is a hater of God Rom. 1 30. and to a murtherer of him according to that 1 Job 3.15 He that hateth any is a murtherer This is a high and hatefull degree of Atheisme If a man curse the King in his heart and wish him out of the world the sinne is so hainous that the souls of heaven shall disclose it How horrible then is this same sin against the King of Kings and Lord of Lords 4. Some again have bald conceits of God as if he were an old man sitting in heaven with a crown on his head a scepter in his hand and had the parts and proportions of a man as the Papists picture him God made man after his image and men to requite him will needs make God after their image cast him anew in their base mould and make an idoll of him In they year of Christ 403 this foolish and atheisticall question An Deus corporeus sit Func in Com. Chron. Quia nibil ani mal anima'i superius câ—gitare potest Whether the divine essence be a true body having hands feet c. as men have stirred up great strife among the Monks of Aegypt For the ruder and more ignorant sort of them held that it was so Xenophanes was wont to say That if beasts were able to paint they would pourtray God like to themselves because they could not naturally conceive any â—urther So do these naturall bruit beasts as Peter calleth them made to be taken and destroied speak and think evil of God whom they know not and so utterly perish in their own destruction a Pet. 2 12. 5. Other practicall Atheists there are not a few that deny not God indeed but dethrone him which is as bad whiles they are lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God make their belly their God their gold their god yea the god of this world their god coming to them especially with offers of honours and promotions Ierem. Dike Mal. 3.8 All this will I give thee In too many families saith one Venus hath her altars in the chambers and Bacchus his sacrifices in the butteries which two having made their divident and shared their devotoes alas what a poor third will be left for God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dij stercorarij 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. â—upâ—ter stercorariâ— Rom. 12.1 Thus he Will a man rob his God The blinde Heathens would not deal so ill by their dung-hill Deities Yet ye have robbed me saith the Lord of hosts Not in tithes and offerings only but in offering up your selves your souls and bodies to be a holy lively and acceptable sacrifice unto me yea in loving the Lord your God with all your soul minde and might and your neighbour as your selves which is better then all burnt sacrifices as that Scribe understandingly answered Not but that there may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and â—â—e sacrificing Sodomites as Isa 1.10 Archatheists arrant hypocrites that bring thousands or rams and rivers of oil that offer largely and would give any good for a dispensation even the sons of their body for the sins of their souls Mic. 6.6 71 But they doe worse then lose their labour they commit sinne For Prov 21.27 The sacrisice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord how much more when he bringeth it with an evil heart saith Solomon as thinking to cozen God with a carcase as Prometheus would have done his Jupiter with an outside a forme of godlinesse a shadow of religion Surely God may say to these Atheists as once Isaac did to his father Behold the fire and the wood but where is the lamb Or as Jacob did to his sons that brought him Josephs bloudy coat Luth in decal Here 's the coat but where 's the childe Cainisâ—aa suat saith Luther offerentes non personam sed opus personae These are of Cains kindred that offer to God the work done but themselves they doe not offer they draw night to God with their liâ—s but their hearts are farre from him God also will be as farre from them when they have most need of him as he was from Saul 1 Sam. 28 15. that hypocriticall Atheist God hath for saken me saith he and the Phllistims are upon me so sicknesse death hell is upon me and God hath forsaken me neither is it my Lord Lord that can bring him back to my help and deliverance The Swan in the law was white in feathers yet reputed unclean and unmeet for sacrifice because the skinne under them was black Wash therefore your hands ye sinners but withall cleanse your hearts ye double-minded Jam. 4 8. God is not mocked Gal. 6. not an hypocricicall service accepted dissembled sanctity is double iniquity To end this Discourse and so this first Decad David gives us these sure signs of an Atheist Psal 14. Mâ—rks of an A â—â—ist First A disordered life No sooner doth the fool conceit there is no God but presently follows Corrupt are they and doe abominable vers 1. Yea they prevaricate till they stinke again v. 3 as the old world did that was grown sofoul that God was fain to waâ—h it with a floud All sinne is both 1. from Atheisme for did men believe a God that saw all and would punish all