after the Spirit Paraphrase 4. That so all those ordinances of the Law circumcision c. which were given the Jewes to instruct them in their duties might in a higher manner more perfectly be performed by us see note on Mat. 5. g. which think ourselves strictly obliged to abstain from all that carnality that that outward ceremony was meant to forbid them and now to perform the Evangelical obedience that he requires and will accept from us without being circumcised 5. For they that are after the flesh doe mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit Paraphrase 5. For they that are carried by their own carnal inclinations or by customes and habits of sin and the carnall affections consequent thereto do generally mind and meditate on carnal things but they that are led by the Spirit of Christ the duct of the Gospel study and mind those things wherein inward purity and sanctity doth consist 6. For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace Paraphrase 6. And as the Gospel is of force to free from sin more then the Law was so to free from death too v. 2. For that study or appetite or desire of the carnal man bringeth death ch 7. 5. but that will or desire that the Spirit or Gospel infuses into us or the desire and pursuite of Spiritual things see Theophylact brings life and peace that is a vital state of soul under God here and eternall salvation hereafter 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Paraphrase 7. For the carnal appetite is a downright opposition to the Law of God too unruly to obey the commands of God neither indeed can it be brought to that obedience by a bare prohibition of the Law for the swinge of passions and lusts are much more violent then so 8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God Paraphrase 8. And so these men carnall Jewes though they know the Law are very farre from pleasing God see note on Mat. 12. e. from ãâã acceptable to him the Law doth nothing to the justifying of them that are thus farre from obeying the true meaning of the Law 9. But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Paraphrase 9. But ye Christians under the Gospel if ye have any of that spiritual divine temper which Christ came to infuse by his doctrine and example are thereby engaged to all manner of sincere inward purity to mortifie the flesh with the affections and lusts and if ye doe not so ye live not according to the Gospel and if not so ye may thereby know that ye are no Christians Christ will not own you for his however ye have received the faith and are admitted into that number 10. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousnesse Paraphrase 11. But if ye be Christians indeed translated and raised above the pretensions of the Jew to the purity of the Gospel of Christ and your lives be answerable thereto then though being sinners the punishment of sin that is death befall you and so your bodies die and return to dust which is the punishment of sin yet your souls shall live for ever an happy and a blessed life as the reward of your return to Christ in the sincerity of a new and righteous life to which the Evangelical justification belongs 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by the Spirit that dwelleth in you Paraphrase 11. And then even for your dead bodies they shall not finally perish neither they shall be sure to be raised again For the Spirit of God by which you are to be guided and led is that divine omnipotent Spirit that raised Christ's dead body out of the grave and if ye be guided by that animated and quickned by that liveâ pious and holy life there is no doubt but God will raise your mortal bodies out of the graves also by the power of that same Spirit that raised Christ's 12. Therefore brethren we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh Paraphrase 12. By these so many obligations therefore and interests of yours the eternall well-being both of soules and bodies ye are engaged to give over all care of satisfying or gratifying your flesh in its prohibited demands to live no longer in your former habits of sin now ye have received the faith of Christ 13. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Paraphrase 13. For if consenting your selves with the external performances of the Mosaical law circumcision c. ye still continue to commit those sins which that was set to prohibite this will bring all destruction upon you 't is not the Mosaical Law will keep you from ruine But if by the faith and example and withall the grace and assistance of Christ ye shall actually mortifie all the polluted desires of the flesh and live spiritually according to what Christ now requires ye shall certainly rise to the life immortal or live eternally 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God Paraphrase 14. For this being led by the Spirit of Christ living after Christs example and doing what he commands and enables us to doe is an evidence that we and not only the Jewes who challenge it as their peculiar are not onely the servants but the children of God and consequently that God will deale with us as with children bestow the inheritance upon us 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we note d crie Abba Father Paraphrase 15. Nay the truth is the condition of a Jew see note on Lu. 9. 10. is so farre from making men sons of God that at the best it is but a slavish condition to be obliged to those performances which being external as circumcision c. and having nothing of goodnesse in them are done meerly for fear of disobeying and being punished by stoning and the like see Theophylact. Which is just the condition of servants who must doe what the master commands or be beaten if they doe them not and so was fittest for the Jewes an hard stubborn people and accordingly had effect among them they observed what came so back'd but what did not they observed not which is it that denominates the Law weak through the flesh v. 3. But our Christ now hath engaged and drawn us with
thence in the end of that verse where he saith that the words which he spake unto them were spirit and life the meaning must be that Christ spake not of a carnal grosse but an immaterial spiritual eating that is receiving and laying up his doctrine in their hearts and souls and amending their lives by it which is also the true durable profitable eating farre beyond the corporeal external as Christ and his doctrine are the true Manna v. 55. so Ioh. 4. 23. the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit that is the service and worship of God now under the Gospel shall not consist in the external legal performances but extend to the heart and soul those duties of real purity and piety which were typified by those legal shadows So when the Spirit signifies the Gospel as that is opposed to the Law under the title of the flesh Gal. 3. 3. and in many other places this is taken by Analogie from that acception of the spirit for the soul as that is the principle of life and that an inward principle These are the more obvious acceptions of the word which belong to most of the places where the word is used and in most of them the Context will readily determine to which In some few other places it is used in a different sense and notes 6tly a way of dispensation or oeconomy a disposition or course of things as when the Law is called the spirit of bondage Rom. 8. 15. that is the way of dealing with men as with servants as it was with the Jews and on the other side the spirit of Adoption the more ingenuous way of dealing as with sons now under the Gospel And so here when they would as Elias had done have called for fire on the Samaritans Christ tells them they know not of what spirit they are that is they considered not under what dispensation they were Christ came to save c. the course or way of proceedings which the Gospel brought in or was meant to teach men was very distant from that which had been observable in Elias under the Old Testament and consequently they must not do as Elias had done Christ came to infuse and teach by his example and sermons an higher charity even to enemies and rejecters of Christ himself then was thought necessary before They that rejected and scoffed at a Prophet then the Prophet had commission to destroy them and accordingly without farther admonitions calls for fire from heaven to devoure them presently But they that refuse and crucifie Christ are by him prayed for and are by his command yet farther to be preached to and if possible brought to repentance and according to this example so are all Christians to conform themselves and if they do then are they said to be of Christs and not of Elias's kind of spirit of the Evangelical dispensation or oeconomy So 1 Pet. 4. 14. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ c. the Spirit of God that is the same way of oeconomy which was used toward Christ incarnate resteth on you is used among you 7thly It signifies affection temper disposition of any which is a sense lightly varied from the former so Luk. 1. 17. the spirit of Elias is that temper affection zeal that was observable in Elias So 1 Joh. 3. 24. By this we know that God abideth in us by the spirit that he hath given us that is by our having the same temper the same affection which is so observable in God that is that of charity to our brethren v. 23. That this is the meaning appears by comparing it with ch 4. 12 13. If we love one another God abideth in us c. by this we know that we abide in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit So Rom. 8. 9. Ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit that is in the former notion of the spirit for that inward purity and obedience required under the Gospel ye must live pure spiritual lives without which there is no pleasing God v. 8. if so be the spirit of God dwelleth in you that is if the sacred Evangelical temper of which we have the precepts and pattern in Christ continue among you But if any man have not the Spirit of Christ that is if that temper so observable in Christ be not at all discernible in you ye are none of his ye cannot pretend to be Christians or expect to enjoy the priviledges of such and v. 11. If the spirit of him that raised up Jesus dwell in you that is if that divine Godlike temper be constantly in you he that raised up Jesus from the dead that is God will also quicken your mortal bodies give even these mortal bodies of yours a joyful resurrection by his spirit dwelling in you that is by the power of that same Spirit that raised Christ if ye be now animated and quickened by that if that divine temper of his continue in you So v. 14. being led by the Spirit is living according to the pattern set before us by Christ And so the spirit of fear and of power and love c. 2 Tim. 1. 7. are those affections of fear on one side cowardise and timidity and of courage and constancy and adherence to Christ such as was exemplified to us in Christ in declaring and asserting his Fathers will on the otherside In the Old Testament 't is farther used sometimes for skill and abilities Exod. 28. 3. the Spirit of wisdome to make Aaron garments and Exod. 31. 2. Bezaleel is filled with the Spirit of God in wisdome and in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship Sometimes for zeal as 1 Sam. 11. 6. where the Spirit of God came upon Saul and his anger was kindled greatly Sometimes for a Commission to an office or employment as Iudg. 3. 10. the Spirit of God came upon Othniel that is he received mission from God and he judged Israel So upon Gedeon ch 6. 34. and on Ieptha ch 11. 29 and on Samson ch 13. 25. but this still joyned with extraordinary abilities for the discharge of the office and with particular incitations to some extraordinary things which might testifie to men this their Commission from God or to themselves that they are thus designed and qualified for it As appears by Sampson c. 14. 6. where the Spirit of the Lord coming mightily upon him denotes the strength which God gave him to kill the Lion and that an essay of what he should be able to do to the Philistines v. 19. Thus Num. 11. 17. when God takes of the spirit which is upon Moses and puts it upon the Seventy 't is apparent that the Spirit there signifies the Commission or authority that Moses had to govern the people together with abilities to discharge it see Deut. 34. 9. which is there communicated by God to the Seventy as it follows and they shall
popular error being imbibed and improved as farre as it would fairly yield must needs be the defaming of his medicaments and the blasting of his whole profession as one great imposture so after the pains and travail that this work hath cost from the time of the first thought and Designation of it at the beginning of my entrance on the study of Divinity to this present day of the Nativity of it I cannot look on it without some apprehension that it may run the same hazard which we read of the child in the Revelation c. 12. to be devoured as soon as born if one false pretension which hath of late been somewhat prosperous in this Nation and is utterly unreconcilable with the designed benefit of this or any the like work be not timely discovered and removed § 2. And the Pretension is this That the understanding or interpreting the Word of God or the knowing of his Will is not imputable to the use of ordinary means such are the assistance of God's Spirit joyned with the use of learning study meditation rational inference collation of places consulting of the Original languages and ancient Copies and Expositions of the Fathers of the Church analogy of received doctrine together with unbiass'd affections and sincere desire of finding out the truth and constant prayer for God's special blessing on and cooperation with these and the like means but either to the extraordinary gift of the Spirit in Prophesying Preaching and Expounding or to Illumination not Prophetical or simply Extraordinary but such as is thought to be promised to a new life the work of the Spirit of God in the heart of every Saint of his which consequently supersedes the use of all external Ordinances to such even of the written Word of God it self contained in the Canon of the Scripture § 3. Had this Pretension truth in it I must confess my self who doe not pretend to any such extraordinary gift or inspiration obliged to acknowledge the great impertinency of all this insuing work the perfect vanity of the whole design and every part of it and therefore am concerned as far as the hazard of having laboured in vain to examine the grounds and manifest the falseness of this pretension and that in this method and by these degrees § 4. First by surveying the Scripture-grounds or proofs which are producible in favour of it Secondly by setting down the form of sound doctrine in this matter Thirdly by shewing the great necessity of opposing this and adhering to the true doctrine And these are likely to enlarge this Postscript beyond the bounds that would regularly belong to it but will carry their Apology along with them § 5. The first ground or proof is fetch'd by the Pretenders from Joel 2. 28. cited and applied by S. Peter Act. 2. to the times of the Gospel It shall come to pass afterward or in the last daies saith God that I will pour out my Spirit or of my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see visions And also upon the servants and upon the hand-maids in those daies will I pour out my Spirit or of my Spirit and they shall prophesy Whatsoever can be collected from this place to the benefit of the Pretenders will receive a short and clear answer by considering the time to which this prediction and the completion of it belonged and that is expressly the last daies in the notion wherein the Writers of the New Testament constantly use that phrase not for these daies of ours so far advanced toward the end of the world which yet no man knows how far distant it still is but for the time immediately preceding the destruction of the Jewish polity their City and Temple That this is it appears not onely by the mention of Sion and the destruction approaching it in the beginning of that Chapter in Joel which signifies it to belong to Jerusalem that then was but also by two farther undeceivable evidences 1. By the mention of the wonders immediately subjoyned in the heavens and the earth c. as forerunners of the great and terrible day of the Lord the same that had been before described in Joel v. 2. c. and applyed by Christ in the very words to this destruction of Jerusalem Mat. 24. 29 30. 2 dly By the occasion for which S. Peter produceth it Act. 2. 14. the effusion of the holy Ghost upon the Apostles v. 2 4. which saith he was no effect of drunkenness in them but the very thing which was foretold by that place of Joel before that great and notable day of the Lord that was to fall upon that people to an utter destruction This being a prediction of what should come before the destruction of Jerusalem and the completion whereof was so visible and remarkable in that age to which by the Prophet it was assigned and this as a peculiar character of those times wherein the Gospel was to be first propagated by this means to which it had a propriety as a last act of God's miraculous and gracious oeconomy for the full conviction of this peoples sin before they were destroyed it must needs be impertinently and fâllaciously applied to any men or women old or young of this age so distant from that to which it belonged and so well provided for by the ordinary means the setled office of Ministery in Christ's Church as to have no such need of extraordinary § 6. A second proof is taken from 1 Cor. 12. 7. To every man is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for the benefit and profit of the Church But this is soon cleared by the Context which begins to treat v. 1. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of or concerning those that have the Spirit so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the spiritual clearly signâfies c. 14. 37. being joyned with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã prophet and so it is express'd to signify here v 3. where ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã speaking in or by the Spirit is set as an instance of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the spiritual and 't is but a mistake to render it spiritual things the Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã belonging as directly to persons as things being of the Masculine as well as of the Neuter gender Now for these ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã spiritual men or those that have the spirit 't is well known that they were those which for the first planting of the Gospel were by the descent of the Spirit indow'd with extraordinary gifts of miracles of healing of prophesying of speaking with strange tongues which they had never learn'd all which and more are here mentioned v. 8 9 10. and when these are exercised or made use of by any this is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the manifestation of the Spirit the Spirit of God manifesting it self hereby to
Saints of the earth have but a weak claim to one of these and perhaps as weak to the other which is never seated but in an humble breast so if they had the best claim of any men now in the world it would not raise or intitle them to the gift of Revelation any more then of Tongues and Miracles of New light then of speaking Arabick removing mountains or foretelling things to come § 10. Two other places there are in the next chapter Joh. 8. which sound as much for the interest of the Pretenders and signifie as little v. 31 32. If ye continue in my word c. ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free But that must be expounded by another idâome of the Sacred dialect taken notice of and exemplified Mat. 9. Note d. when one thing onely being designed to be said another is premised preparative to it And so here to them that continue in Christ's word that is in constant obedience to it the promise is that the truth shall make them free that is that the doctrine of Christ being thus continued in shall procure them a most valuable freedome To which continuing in Christ's word the receiving the knowledge of the truth being preparative it is accordingly set down before it but not as part of the promise being necessarily presupposed in the condition Christ's word v. 31. and the truth being all one and the knowing it pre-required to continuing in it However nothing of New light can possibly be intimated by this knowing the truth but onely that which by Christ's preaching was made known unto them § 11. The second place in that chapter is v. 43. Why doe you not understand my speech Even because you cannot hear my word But that hath no more aspect on this matter then the former had 'T is only the rendring an account of the reason why Christ's expressions seemed strange unto them why they did not acquiesce in believe all he said unto them but still disputed against it viz. the disagreeableness of his doctrine to their carnal humors and fancies their impatience of such severe precepts as he came to propose to them § 12. Another ground is fetch'd from 1 Cor. 2. in many verses thereof which are sufficiently cleared and vindicated to their proper sense by the several Paraphrases upon them but especially v. 15. He that is spiritual judgeth all things c. But how little that belongs to the justifying this claim will soon be discerned by inquiring who is the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or spiritual there without question such an one as is said to have received the Spirit which is of God v. 12. Such were the Apostles and others of that time which by the descent of the holy Ghost were taught and instructed in all things which belonged to their office to reveal to the world to whom they had Commission to preach And of such an one there is no question but that he ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã discerneth all things comes to the knowledge of all those parts of God's will which have before been kept close with God as mysteries which the Angels knew nothing of but are now by Christ and his Spirit which saith he should teach them all things convincingly made known to have been the subject of the antient prophecies And the arguments that such an one useth to convince others being not fetch'd from humane reason or the Artist's Topicks of probation but only from proofs afforded by this Spirit of God Miracles gifts of Tongues Voices from heaven old Prophecies c it therefore follows that as he by these means comes to know these mysteries so no worldly wise man Philospher or the like called the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã animal man before is qualified to argue or dispute against him And so this hath no propriety or peculiarity of aspect on these future times wherein as that which was revealed to those Apostles is sufficiently communicated to us by ordinary means in the writings of the Scripture so there can be no necessity or use of extraordinary § 13. Others are pleased to argue from 1 Joh. 3. 24. Hereby know we that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us But that will soon vanish if we observe the notion of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Spirit enlarged on in Note on Luk. 9. e. in many places of the New Testament for the temper absolutely or more strictly a gracious pious temper or disposition of minde and so the Spirit which he hath given us may there very commondiously signifie that gratious charitable disposition which being so eminently in Christ is by his example and his precepts recommended and by our continuing in his discipleship communicated to us and wrought in us The understanding it so in that place is very agreeable to the former part of the verse he that keepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him that is every obedient servant of his continueth in Christ that is adhereth to Christ and Christ continueth in him and so he receiveth all gracious influences from him particularly that of charity or loving his fellow-Christians as Christ gave us Commandment v. 23. that special piece of Christian temper so largly exemplified and so strictly required by Christ of all his Disciples And so again we see the phrase used c. 4. 13. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit The ground of that speech is laid v. 12. If we love one another God abideth in us and his love is perfected in us that is our charity to others is an evidence of our continuing to receive divine infusions and influences from God for love or charity is such and that a proof that we have transcribed imitated that love which he hath exemplified to us for this is meant by his love being perfected in us as his sufferings are filled up and perfected in us when they are imitated by us when we suffer for well-doing as he did the end of a copie or pattern being this that we shoul transcribe it and so the taking it out imitating it as we ought to do the only way of giving it its due perfection And so that whole verse is but a Paraphrase on that speech of Christs By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye love one another Christ bringing his scholars and followers up in the practice of this duty beyond all others And upon this is built that which immediately follows and so it must be interpreted by it By this we know that we abide in him and he in us ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã because or that he hath given us of his Spirit that is this is a sure ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by which we may conclude our living like disciples of his our not having forsaken him as other uncharitable Gnostick hereticks appear to have
done and so likewise his continuing to communicate his influences to us as to disciples he is wont that we are like him in this special grace of charity the quality that is so remarkable in him And so this is very remote from the Enthusiast's pretensions § 14. One especial reserve there is still behinde from 1 John 2. 20. Ye have an unction from the holy One and ye know all things and v. 27. in words not much varied and to the same sense The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie and even as it hath taught you remain in him still or as we read ye shall abide in him That the full meaning of the Unction's teaching or having taught them all things is their having been instructed by those on whom the holy Ghost which was to teach them all things had descended and confirmed by the gift of miracles abiding at that time in their Churches hath been shewed at large Note on Act. 10. d. and that takes away all the Pretenders title from this place But beside this it is evident by the Context what it was that this Unction was said to teach them viz. that Jesus was the Christ contrary to the Gnostick hereticks v. 18. which denyed it and are therefore called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Antichrists They saith he v. 19. went out from us these hereticks that denyed Jesus to be Christ But ye have an unction c. and ye know all things the all things here being according to the ordinary Scripture-style to be interpreted only of all those things which are there spoken of Ye have certain and infallible evidences that Jesus is the Christ From whence he immediately concludes again that they that have denyed this are lyars and Antichrists v. 22. and puts them in minde of that which had first been taught them and sufficiently evidenced unto them from the beginning of the Gospels being preached unto them v. 24. in opposition to these false doctrines which had since been infused amongst them v. 26. to whom again he opposeth the unction v. 27. And so still here is nothing in the least degree favourable to the pretensions of the Enthusiast § 15. Some other places I find to be mention'd which are yet farther removed from this matter for which they are pretended as Gal. 3. 14. that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith What is meant there by the promise of the Spirit that is the Spirit promised his disciples by Christ at his parting from the world appears at the beginning of that chap. v. 2 3. viz. the powers of working Miracles c. and so 't is interpreted v. 5. He therefore that ministreth to you the Spirit worketh miracles among you And this may fitly be said to be received through faith both as that is opposed to the Mosaical oeconomie under which there were not then those powers in the Church of the Jews as it is said v. 2. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith and according to Christs promise to believers These signs shall follow them that believe in my name they shall cast out devils c. Mar. 16. 17. And so this place belonging to those miraculous operations of the Spirit in those times usefull for the erecting of a Church can no more be applicable to believers in these times then the speaking of Tongues and gifts of Healing c. which are not imagined by these Pretenders to belong to them by force of this place § 16. Somewhat different from this is that other of Ephes 1. 17. and parallel to that Col. 1. 9. that the Father of glory would give you the Spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of your understanding being enlightned c. In this place there is little of difficulty save that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is not rightly interpreted in the knowledge of him whereas it should be to the acknowledgment of him as the end of the wisdome and revelation not the matter of it That it is so appears by the following words The eyes of your understanding being enlightned that ye may know Where as the enlightning of their understandings is answerable to the Spirit of wisdome and revelation so the phrase that ye may know is answerable to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and so renders ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as it is ordinarly used for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to not in the knowing or acknowledging of him Which being premised the plain meaning of the words is that the Apostle having heard of the Ephesians proficiency in the faith of Christ praies that they may come to farther growth yet even to all abundance of all sorts of Christian knowledge understanding the highest spiritual truths called wisdome and interpreting of Prophecies of the Old Testament called Revelation and both these as extraordinary ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã gifts at that time and so called the Spirit of wisdome and revelation and this for this end that Christ might be fully discern'd and the truth of his doctrine acknowledged by this means in the same manner as ch 4. 11. it is said of Christ that he gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and teachers each of these furnished with extraordinary gifts such as here are named for the building of the body of Christ that is his Church untill we come to the unity of the faith and acknowledment of the Son of God that ye be no more tost c. All which shews the high extraordinary waies that were then afforded by God by the descent of the Spirit for the building of a Church and confirming the faith of weaklings against the invasion of hereticks which fell off and denied Christ and were here by the Apostle pray'd for to the Church of the Ephesians but cannot be extended as a promise to the Enthusiast now that such gifts shall be or are afforded him § 17. Beside these of the New Testament other places are produced out of the Old as from Psal 25. 9. The meek will he teach his way and v. 12. What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse and v. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his covenant But all these belong to a matter very distant from what the Enthusiast pretends viz. the benefit and advantage that accrues to all those that sincerely and diligently observe the laws of God The meek v. 9. are certainly the obedient and so the man that feareth the Lord v. 12 14. and for the promises that belong to such they are all to the same purpose under several expressions God will teach them his way and teach them in the way that
doth sometimes suggest truth and the devil that knows much truth may when 't is not his interest to lie help men to the knowledge of truth and so in the Oracle he often did However that truth is again to be examined by humane rational means not by the Spirit for if it were that second sentence or judgment of the Spirit would again want other means to discern whether that were a true Spirit or no. 2 dly That those Illuminations come not so irresistibly but that they may be opposed by humane interpositions prejudices prepossessions pride opinionating c. and so still it will be at every turn uncertain whether they be thus resisted or no and till that be revealed by some new light also it will still be unevident which is the truth of God to which the Illumination or the Providence assists or directs any And 3 dly that the Illuminations ordinarily afforded by God are proportioned not to his all-seeing knowledge but to our capacities and our real wants and so as his Sanctifying grace is not given in such a degree or manner as to preserve us impeccable so neitheir his Illuminations as to render us inerrable or infallible But it being certain in both that God is not wanting to us in necessaries as he doth not bind himself to abound to us in superfluities the onely conclusion from thence will be that where God affords not his grace he requires not of us those performances to which that grace was necessary and so that he will supply by his pardon what was wanting in our strength and sure he will pardon errors of weakness as well as sins of weakness humane nesciencies as wel as humane frailties and not that he will give all light when by not exacting all knowledge that light was rendred unnecessary for us § 28. 6 thly That God's Illuminations being proportion'd to our wants and not to our ambitions or wantonnesses it will be sufficient that they be afforded to those who are by him regularly called and sent to some office in his Church of instructing and teaching others those others being left to such more moderate degrees which are agreeable to their more private condition and the supplies which are allow'd them from the Pastor whose lips are to preserve knowledge and they to seek the law at his mouth And as this advantage belongs not to the Ahimaaz who runs or assumes authority to himself when he is not so sent but only to him that can shew the regularity of his mission so neither to him unlimitedly but onely so farre as may competently fit him for the discharging his office which is the calling sinners to repentance and directing and confirming them in Christian practice and a moderate proportion of Knowledge may be as competent for that as a greater measure of Illumination he that hears not plain duty from Moses and the Prophets neither will he repent though one were sent from the dead nor to him without use of the ordinary means studie c. nor to him without possibility of error through his humane weakness nor of heresie and even Apostasie through the vicious habits in his own heart which this light doth not dissolve or dispel but leaves to be mortified by other means § 29. 7 thly The sanctifying Spirit of God being received and employed effectually to the mortifying of carnal sins and all filthiness of the spirit also pride obstinacy faction singularity ambition vain-glory sluggishness and all irregular passions and interests c. is an excellent preparative to the receiving benefit from God's illuminations and the truly humble pious man is caeteris paribus more likely to be led into all profitable or practical truths then he who hath all or any of those clouds of darkness in him But this again not so that the pious man shall be able to acquire knowledge without humane means to understand the Bible in the original without many years studying of those languages wherein it was written or to divine the meaning of Scripture without the assistance of those that have searched into the depth of it nor so as to be infallible in what he doth use means to search when those means are perhaps imperfect and will alwaies be so till he comes to the state of Vision and so incompetent to find out the truth or else his parts incompetent for the judging or fathoming of it it being evident in the most pious man what S. Paul personates in himself 1 Cor. 13. that we now see as in a glass darkly and know but in part v. 12. § 30. 8 thly That after all this the common illuminations of God's Spirit are imparted as God's sun and rain to the unthankfull and unjust and wicked as well as to the Saints and holy ones we know the Devils science acquired by natural means is great beyond any mans and could not be so unless either those naturall means were able to carry him as farre as common illuminations doe others or else the illuminations afforded one be also communicated to the other The chief differences are 1. in the use of their knowledge The one useth it to the benefit of himself and others the other useth it not at all to his own advantage but abuseth it to the destruction of others 2 dly The one through humility and many other vertues is kept from assuming knowledge where he hath none or of boasting it where he hath and so is preserved from many errors and foul misadventures which the arrogance of another betraies him to but still these differences and others arise from the qualifications of the recipient not from the degrees of the illuminations If illuminations of themselves were competent to purge the heart and prepare them for that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord it might then be reasonable to extend God's promise of more grace to the Humble by way of reward for their humility to the more illuminated But the use of illuminations being to fit some men to instruct others and that being reconcilable with the eternal perishing of the instructers 1 Cor. 9. 27. there appears not any reason of extending that promise from sanctifying grace to that which is so distant from it the increase of light and knowledge being so frequently what the Apostle affirms in his time the betraying and ruining of humility 1 Cor. 8. 2. that it cannot regularly be looked on as the reward of it § 31. It now remains that in the last place I proceed in few words to demonstrate the great necessity of opposing and rejecting the Enthusiasts pretensions and adhering to the true doctrine And that will be done by considering the dangers consequent to those pretensions § 32. First that of diminishing or increasing the Scripture or Canon of the written word whensoever the Enthusiast who by his trusting on a broken reed is of all men the most likely to fall often shall mistake in interpreting any part of it For the new light if
devils that are his subjects inferiour to him 25. And Jesus knew their thoughts and said unto them Every kingdome divided against it self is brought to desolation and every city or house divided against it self shall not stand Paraphrase 25. If any King mean to uphold his kingdome he will not quarrel and fall out with his own subjects and cast them out which are a doing him service such divisions and civil dissentions as these will soon destroy his kingdome and therefore cannot probably be affirmed of any prudent Ruler or Prince 26. And if satan cast out satan he is divided against himself how shall then his kingdome stand Paraphrase 26. And Satans casting out devils which are about his businesse possessing those whom he would have possest would be such a civill dissension and breach as this This is an argument against you But then secondly 27. And if I by Beelzebub cast out Devils by whom do note g your children cast them out Therefore they shall be your judges Paraphrase 27. Why may not I cast out devils by the power and in the name of God as well as your disciples and countrymen the Jews among you who being evil are therefore more obnoxious to suspicion of holding correspondence with Satans kingdome doe at least pretend to doe When they in the name of God go about to cast them out you affirm it to be by the power of God and so doe I. Why should you not beleive that of me which you affirm of your own 28. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God then the kingdome of God is come unto you Paraphrase 28 But if it be indeed by the power of God that I doe all this call'd the finger of God Lu. 11. 20. then it is clear that although you were not aware of it yet this is the time of the Messias whose mission God hath testified with these miracles and would not have done so if he had been a false Christ And then thirdly 29. Or else how can one enter into a strong mans house and spoyle his goods except he first bind the strong man and then he will spoile his house Paraphrase 29. My dispossessing Satan of his goods turning him out of those whom he possesses is an argument that I have mastered him and so that I do not use his power but that mine is greater then his and employed most against his will and to his damage 30. He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad Paraphrase 30. And 't is proverbially known that he that is not on ones side that brings forces into the field and is not for a mans assistance he is certainly for his enemy engages against him doth him hurt and consequently my casting out devils shews that I am Satans declared enemy 31. Wherefore I say unto you All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men Paraphrase 31 For this speech of yours that I work by Beelzebub let me tell you Pharisees v. 24. that this malitious resisting and holding out against the visible work of God and despising the miracles that I have wrought by the Spirit and power of God v. 28. is such a crime of so deep a dye that it shall to them that continue in it be remissible 32. And whosoever note h speaketh a word against the son of man note i it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it note k shall not be forgiven him neither note l in this world nor in the world to come Paraphrase 32. Whosoever shall say this against the son of man that is shall not receive me as I am the son of man or before I am sufficiently manifested by the Spirit or finger of God to be the Messias he may by want of light or manifestation be excusable and by a general repentance for all his sins of ignorance may receive pardon But he that shall resist the Spirit of God manifestly shining in these miracles wrought by Christ to the astonishment and conviction of all but Pharisees v. 23. and shall impute those miracles to the devil which by what hath been said sufficiently appear to be the works of Gods own power If he repent not particularly of this and come in and acknowledge Christ thus revealed and manifested to him there is no pardon or mercy to be had for him neither in this age nor at the coming of the Messias by him supposed yet future or neither in this life where he shall be punished with spiritual death Gods withdrawing of grace nor in the other where eternal death expects him 33. Either make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt for the tree is known by his fruit Paraphrase 33. For indeed they that doe this that impute the miracles which by the power and finger and spirit of God are wrought by me unto the devil must according to the old known rule of judging the tree by the fruit he understood to affirm the same ill of him that is the holy Ghost whose productions these miracles are as they affirm of the miracles themselves by pronoucing these to be diabolical they do by implication pronounce the holy Ghost to be an infernal spirit and so God to be the devil which is the highest and the most irremissible blasphemy imaginable 34. O generation of vipers how can ye being evil speak good things For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Paraphrase 34. Yee are indeed a wretched sort of people Your language speaks you what you are viz. that your viperous hearts will not permit you to speak any otherwise as how can you is used Jo. 5. 44. and of Christ he could not doe miracles Mar. 6. 5. that is their unbeleif was a let and impediment to him For as your hearts are even so by consequence will your language be and therefore from so viperous a brood no better can be expected 35. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things Paraphrase 35. Every man entertaineth his guests with such provisions as he hath And just so mens words are testifications of what is in their hearts 36. But I say unto you that every note m idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement Paraphrase 36. But deceive not your selves as if words were too light to be accounted for Beleive it words such they may be false blasphemous words such as yours are now v. 32. and such as flow out of the evil treasure of the heart v. 35. shall be most sadly accounted for in the day of judgement 37. For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Paraphrase
37. For words as well as actions are accounted of by God in conferring either rewards or punishments upon us 38. Then certain of the Scribes and of the Pharisees answered saying Master we would see a sign from thee Paraphrase 38. All that take upon them to be sent from God and expect to be received bring some signs with them miracles or somewhat of that nature to give them authority we now desire some such from you 39. But he answered and said to them An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonas Paraphrase 39. 'T is the sign of a wicked infidel people to be alwayes unsatisfied after so many miracles and manifestations sufficient to prove me the Messias still to be requiring more without ever being moved with what you have already For such as you there is but one signe or token or miracle behind that of my resurrection from death after ye have crucified me whereby you shall have my office asserted after I am gone and find Jonas's drowning and wonderful restoring from the whales belly to have been a type of me and that a most significant one 40. For as Jonas was three dayes and three nights in the whales belly so shall the son of man be note n three daies and three nights in the heart of the earth Paraphrase 40. For as Jonas lay buried in the whales belly three daies so shall Christ continue in the grave part of three natural dayes or shall die in one day and rise again the third day after it 41. The men of Nineveh shall rise up in judgment with this generation and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonas and behold a greater then Jonas is here Paraphrase 41. And they that are not convinced and brought to repentance by my resurrection and the preaching of my Apostles which shall be consequent to that their sin and condemnation shall be much greater then that of the Ninivites was for upon Jonas's recovery from the whales belly and coming to preach to them they repented Jon. 3. whereas the resurrection of Christ and mission of the Spirit and preaching of the Apostles over all Judaea after that is a farre greater way of conviction then that recovery and preaching of Jonas 42. The Queen of the south shall rise up in the judgement with this generation and shall condemn it for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdome of Solomon and behold a greater then Solomon is here Paraphrase 42. for certainly here is that which is infinitely more then all that wisdome of Solomon manifestations of God infinitely more discernible then ever Solomons wisdome was which yet was so talk'd of that it brought in forein princes from afarre at the newes of it 43. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through drie places seeking rest and findeth none 44. Then he saith I will return into my house from whence I came out And when he is come he findeth iâ empty swept and garnished 45. Then goeth he and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked then himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse then the first Even so shall it be also to this wicked generation Paraphrase 43 44 45. But to you that having received such means of converting and bringing you to repentance such miracles and particularly casting out devils v. 22. which occasion'd all the discourse since and to which this is annext Lu. 11. 24. have not yet walk'd worthy of them I shall now apply this parable v. 43 44 45. the meaning of which is That this nation out of which I came to cast out the power of Satan and to bind the strong man and take from him his usurped possession and goods for their proper Masters use doth appear so farre to resist all my methods as to blaspheme that holy Spirit by whom I work v. 24. and then what is to be look'd for but that the Devils ejected either by your own children or by me in my Fathers name either out of any single person or nation finding no where else in the heathen world such pleasant desireable habitations of rest and contentment as here among you as a well watered seaâ is the most pleasant shall try their utmost to re-enter here and when they come to doe so finding that Christ hath not gotten any admission they shall with many more worse then themselves make entrance and take a durable possession again and so the state of this people is like to be more desperately damnable then before I came among you it was or then if Satan had never been cast out it would have been 46. While he yet talked to the people behold his mother and his brethren stood without desiring to speak with him 47. Then one said unto him Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without desiring to speak with thee Paraphrase 46 47. Whilst he was on this severe discourse so ungrateful to many of his auditors it happened that his mother the blessed virgin Mary and some others of his nearest kinred were waiting without to speak with him and upon this occasion one of his auditors either to trie what he would say or perhaps to interrupt him in his speech told him that his mother and kindred waited for him 48. But he answered and said to him that told him Who is my mother and who are my brethren 49. And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples and said Behold my mother and my brethren Paraphrase 48 49. To which he presently replied to signifie this office of his to declare the will of his Father to be dearer to him then all relations and withall to shew that obedience to God was the thing above all others most welcome to him in these words Who is my mother c. that is Ye are deceived in me bare natural or secular respects sway not with me in comparison to the gaining of proselytes to heaven 50. For whosoever shall doe the will of my Father which is in heaven the same is my brother and sister and mother Paraphrase 50. becomes thereby the child of God and consequently by that means the brother and sister of Christ and besides Christ is also formed in him and so he is the mother of Christ answerable to the Virgin in whom Christ was conceived And therefore I doe most justly set that valuation on him and in that respect more tend the teaching of such and conversing with them then the paying a civility to those who are in carnal respects nearest to me Annotations on Chap. XII V. 8. Son of man That by the phrase the son of man in this place is not meant Man in common as some very learned men have thought but peculiarly Christ is more then probable not only by these words a greater then the
Paraphrase 1. the night after the Sabbath toward the next morning Mary Magdalen and the other Mary having with them spices to embalm his body Lu. 24. 1. came 2. And behold there was a great earth-quake for the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the dore and sat upon it Paraphrase 2. And when they came they found there had been a great concussion probably of the aire a kind of thunder with which the Angels are wont to appear but withall about the earth at the removall of the grave-stone 3. His countenance was like lightning and his rayment white as snow 4. And for feare of him the keepers did shake and became as dead men Paraphrase 4. they that guarded the Sepulchre 5. And the Angel answered and said unto the women Fear not yee for I know that yee seek Jesus which was crucified 6. He is not here for he is risen as he said Come see the place where the Lord lay Paraphrase 6. He is not here in the grave but according to his own predictions risen from the dead and all that yee can here discern is the place where he lay and the napkins and searcloaths folded up and laid by Joh. 20. 5. 7. And go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead And behold he goeth before you into Galilee there shall yee see him Lo I have told you Paraphrase 7. Go quickly and according to what I have told you doe yee tell the disciples viz. that he hath perform'd his promise in rising from the dead and now will perform that other of going into Galilee ch 26. 32. the appointed place of meeting thither if yee go yee shall be sure to meet him God hath sent his Angel from heaven to tell you this 8. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy and did run to bring his disciples word Paraphrase 8. And being affrighted with the appearance of the Angels but extremely joyed with the news of Christ's resurrection they made all hast to carry his Disciples word of this 9. And as they went to tell his disciples behold Jesus met them saying All haile and they came and held him by the feet and worshipt him Paraphrase 9. fell down and caught him by the feet 10. Then said Jesus unto them Be not afraid Goe tell my brethren that they goe into Galilee and there shall they see me Paraphrase 10. Disciples and kinsmen 11. Now when they were going behold some of the watch came into the city and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done 12. And when they were assembled with the Elders and had taken counsell they gave large money unto the souldiers 13. Saying Say yee His disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept Paraphrase 12 13. And those chief Priests calling the rest of the Sanhedrim together by decree of councell appointed that a good summe of money should be given to the souldiers sufficient to bribe them all to say that 14. And if this come to the Governours eare we will perswade him and secure you Paraphrase 14. the Procurator Pilate's hearing see ch 27. 14. we will perswade him that it was so and keep you from punishment for guarding the tomb no better 15. So they took the money and did as they were taught And this saying is commonly reported among the Jewes untill this day 16. Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them Paraphrase 16. which Jesus before his passion had assigned as a speciall rendezvous ch 26. 32. By this means there were many there besides the eleven perhaps the 500 brethren mention'd 1 Cor. 15. 7. 17. And when they saw him they worshiped him but some doubted Paraphrase 17. And when the eleven were come to him they with an humble obeysance acknowledged him but some of them entertained doubts whether t were Christ or no Mar. 16. 13. 18. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth Paraphrase 18. All authority in disposing all things in or concerning the Church is given unto me by my Father 19. Go yee therefore and teach note b all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Paraphrase 19. Teach all the Nations the Christian doctrine and perswade them to embrace it and to live according to it baptizing c. see Pract. Cat. l. 6. § 2. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway even unto the note c end of the world Paraphrase 20. And whomsoever yee shall baptize take care that they be taught to obey with all diligence all those commands which I have delivered to you And though I shall now shortly part with you yet I will by sending the Spirit upon you to lead you into all truth and by my perpetuall presence and assistance afforded to you and by that authority that I received from my Father and now commit unto you Joh. 20. 21 22. continue with you and your successors unto the end of the world Annotations on Chap. XXVIII V. 1. End If ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifie a distinct part of time and that strictly the evening then it must note that evening as the first part of the first day of the week at which time these women began their journey bought their spices went out of the city stayd all night in the suburbs and very early ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Lu. 24. 1. and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã while it was yet dark Joh. 20. 1. came to the sepulchre and so that will reconcile and connect the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. But ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã may be also taken in a wider sense see Note on ch 14. d. V. 19. All nations What is meant sometimes by the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã nations hath been said see Note on ch 24. c. to wit the tribes and families of the Jewes the regions and cities of Palaestine and though it doe not so here exclusively to the other nations of the world yet neither doth it signifie the nations of the heathen world in opposition or exclusively to the Jewes as elsewhere it frequently doth but primarily and in the first place the severall parts of Judaea and the Jewes wheresoever they are in their dispersions a broad and then secondarily the Gentiles mingled with the Jewes and finally the whole gentile world when upon the Jewes rejecting the Gospel the Apostles depart from them and goe to the Gentiles That this is the meaning of the place I shall use âwo arguments to make most probable First because in other places when the Commission of preaching and gathering disciples is given to the Apostles 't is with a command to goe first
ãâã the apostle Heb. 3. 1. in the same sense as the Great Pastor of his sheep Heb. 13. 20. and the only as Pastor so Bishop of our soules 1 Pet. 2. 25. from whence saith Origen on Mat. 24. Propriè Episcopus Dominus Jesus est The Lord Jesus is properly a Bishop Now what was thus conferred on Christ was also personally exercised by him upon earth whiles he remained here he preached the Gospel instituted rites in his Church to continue for ever called disciples gave them commands used their ministery designed some to certain offices sent out seventy Lu. 10. 1. as Heralds before his face gave them power to cure diseases v. 9. and so committed to them some though but a temporary office or mission which ceased at their return to him v. 17. On others he resolved to instate a larger and more durable power to send them as his Father had sent him to make them his successors on earth but this he did not at this time He sent them indeed the Twelve peculiarly Mat. 10. 5. and that with no small power power to cast out unclean spirits v. 1. and to preach v. 7. and that was the summe of this Mission v. 8. Preach cure cleanse raise cast out devils freely ye have received freely give dispense the powers liberally to the advantage of others which are so freely bestowed on you Proportionably to this and that other of the seventy Lu. 10. it is to be remembred that among the Jewes all sorts of Messengers are called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã So Ahijah 1 Kings 14. 6. is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã an harsh Apostle or messenger of ill news so the twelve spyes Num. 13. were said ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to be sent to explore the land and were as it were a sampler of the Twelve that here Christ sends out on the like account and in the Old Testament the word is no otherwise used Among the Talmudists'tis used of them that were by the Rulers of the Synagogues sent out to receive the tenths and dues that belonged to the Synagogues such as Philo calls ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sent for the monies of the Temple legâad Caium and by the Emperour Augustus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã receivers and in like manner the messengers of the Church that carryed their liberality or letters congratulatory from one to another are by Ignatius called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the divine carriers or Embassadors and so in the Theodosian Codex tit de Judaeis Apostoli are those that were sent by the Patriarch at a set time to require the gold and silver due to them Of these it is observable that when they were thus imployed though not on any very high imployments and but for a short time they yet were furnish'd with letters of Proxy or Attourney that what they did might be done in the names and persons of those from whom they were sent and from thence the Axiom is known among the Jewes that every mans Apostle is as himself to which Christ seems to referre Mat. 10. 14. He that receiveth you receiveth me c. So when Saul was sent by the Jewish Sanhedrim to Damascus Acts 9. he had the letters of the High Priest with him v. 2. And hitherto there is nothing discernible in this word Apostle that hath any denotation of dignity or government that must be fetch'd from Joh. 20. 21. where Christ sends his disciples as his Father had sent him sends them solemnly and with commission in that notion of sending wherein the Procurator or Proconsul is sent to his Province or wherein Moses is sent to the Israelites in Egypt send by whom thou wilt send saith Moses or wherein Kings and Judges and Saviours are every where in the Old Testament said to be sent when they are by God advanced to any Government Thus must Christ mean of himself that he was sent by his father see Mat. 10 40. 15. 24. Joh. 3. 24. 5. 38. 6. 57. 17. 3. consequently thus must it be understood that they are sent by Christ and so Joh. 17. 11. As thou hast sent me into the world I also have sent them without referring to the ordinary ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of the Jewes the messengers of the Patriarchs And so as in the earthly Kingdom the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Rulers or Procurators such was Pilat in Judaea which are next the Regal authority are said to be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sent 1 Pet. 2. 14. so the Apostles of Christ are sent also in Christs spirituall Kingdome sent not before his face as Ministers Disciples the Seventy Lu. 10. 1. and generally messengers are said to be sent but sent as his successors and heires on earth endued with that power by commission from him which he here executed And this is the meaning of the word here which seems not as yet to be bestowed on them by Christ but being after really instated on them 't is here and c. 17. 5. 22. 14. occasionally mentioned and so Mat. 10. 2. by way of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or anticipation as the name Peter is Mat. 4. 18. the title that belonged to them at the writing of this Thus when we read that the Father gave judgement to the Son Joh. 5. 22. we read also in effect that the Son gives judgment to the Apostles Mat. 19. 28. Lu. 22. 30. 2 Cor. 10. 6. when the Father gives the Son power to forgive sins upon earth Mat. 10. 6. the Son gives power to the Apostles to remit sin on earth also Joh. 20. 23. As the Father gave the keyes to the Son Is 22. 22. Rev. 3. 7. so the Son gave the keyes to the Apostles Mat. 16. 19. As the Father gave the Son to sit on his Throne so the Son gave the Apostles to fit with him on Thrones Mat. 19. 28. Lu. 22. 30. As the Father gave the Son to be the foundation or corner stone of the Church Mat. 21. 42. so the Son gave the Apostles to be foundations upon a foundation Eph. 2. 20. the foundation of Apostles Christ being the chief corner stone And so as the Father sent the Son Joh. 5. 24. 17. 18. so the Son sent the Apostles Joh. 20. 21 And from the dignity of this office it is that the very Angel Rev. 19. 20. whose name hath no more in it then ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hath both signifying messengers or legates professes himself to be but a fellow-servant of John and his Brethren that have the testimony of Jesus that is of Apostles and Apostolick men The testification of the resurrection of Christ and the Christian faith to which the Apostles were sent by Christ being as 't is there said the spirit of Prophecy the most honourable office that any mortal can be designed to by Christ and there put in comparison with that joyfull news brought them by that
bear the burthen of the people with thee that is take part of the burthen of ruling them So v. 25. The Lord took of the Spirit that was upon him and gave it unto the Seventy and when the Spirit rested upon them they prophecyed c. that is some gifts extraordinary attended this commission partly to signifie that they were thus set apart and endowed with authority by God and partly to fit them for the discharge of their office conferred on them So v. 26. the Spirits resting on Eldad and Medad was Gods conferring this authority on them to which were joyned also those gifts of the Spirit and they prophecied also and so ver 29. Would God all the Lords people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them that is communicate that power to them which he had given to Moses and qualifie them with extraordinary gifts accordingly So at the making of Saul King the Spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee 1 Sam. 10. 6. some extraordinary change wrought on him by which his commission was evidenced to himself and others and so ver 10. And proportionably in the New Testament Christs Prophetick commission was thus conferr'd on him The Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting or resting on him and above what had before been done to any a voice from heaven proclaiming this Commission to be given to him from his Father and this from Isa 61. 1. is called the Spirit of the Lord being upon him and that explained by his being anointed to preach Luk. 4. 18. and by the Spirit of wisedom c. Isa 11. 2 3. which signifies a commission and all other extraordinary gifts and powers conferred upon him and is called his being anointed with the holy Ghost and with power And so of his Apostles Act. 2 4 their being fill'd with the holy Ghost is their being endow'd with commission from heaven for that sacred function and accordingly they spake with tongues as the Seventy and Saul after the Spirits coming on them prophecied as the Spirit gave them utterance and this as the completion of that promise of Christ that they should be endued with power from on high Luk. 24. 49. or receive ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the power of the holy Ghost coming upon them And so ever after the ordaining of a Bishop in the Church was expressed by his receiving the holy Ghost Other uses there are of the word Spirit which will be discernible by the Context and be reducible to one or more of these but are too long to be more particularly set down here CHAP. X. 1. AFter these things the Lord appointed other seventy also and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himselfe would come Paraphrase 1. beside the twelve Apostles chose seventy others to be to him as disciples were wont to be to Prophets that is to go on his errands as he should appoint them which they did by turns two at once as harbingers proclaiming his approach in every city whither he meant to come 2. Therefore said be unto them The harvest truly is great but the labourers are few pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers into his harvest Paraphrase 2. The province is large and there be many that are ready to receive the Gospel when it shall be preached to them It is needfull therefore to pray to God to incline mens hearts to undertake this office of going and revealing it to them for as yet there are very few for so great a task 3. Go your wayes behold I send you forth as lambes among wolves Paraphrase 3. But when ye go ye must expect to meet with dangers and ill receptions 4. Carry neither purse nor scrip nor shooes and salute no man by the way Paraphrase 4. Yet let not that deterre you or put you upon making provisions before-hand for your journey And as you go spend no time in civilities with any Intend and mind that one business you go about 5. And into whatsoever house ye enter first say Peace be to this house 6. And if the sonne of peace be there your peace shall rest upon it if not it shall turn to you again Paraphrase 6. any to whom peace properly belongs any pious person called by an Hebraism the sonne of peace as the wicked Apostate traytor is the sonne of perdition Joh. 17. 12. any pliable person capable of the blessing of the Gospel dwell there 7. And in the same house remain eating and drinking such things as they give for the labourer is worthy of his hire Go not from house to house Paraphrase 7. Remove not out of one house to goe to another in the same city 8. And into whatsoever city ye enter and they receive you eat such things as are set before you Paraphrase 8. receive without any scruple the entertainment which they offer you 9. And heal the sick that are therein and say unto them The kingdome of God is come nigh unto you Paraphrase 9. See Mat. 3. note c. 10. But into whatsoever city ye enter and they receive you not go your ways out into the streets of the same and say 11. Even the very dust of your city which cleaveth on us we do wipe off against you notwithstanding be ye sure of this that the kingdome of God is come nigh unto you Paraphrase 11. as a testimony of your obstinacy and usage of us Mat. 10. 14. and Luke 9. 5. and as a token to assure you that your destruction is very neer falling on you 12. But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodome then for that city Paraphrase 12. when that judgment comes v. 14. 13. Woe unto thee Chorazin woe unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which have been done in you they had a great while ago repented sitting in sack-cloth and ashes Paraphrase 13. Woe unto you ye cities of Jewry among whom so many miracles have been shewn to work faith in you and so to bring you to repentance and all in vain Had the like been done in heathen cities neer you they in all likelihood would have been wrought on by them 14. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment then for you Paraphrase 14. And accordingly their portion in the vengeance approaching shall be more supportable then yours 15. And thou Capernaum which art exalted to heaven shalt be thrust down to hell Paraphrase 15. destruction and desolation See Mat. 11. 23. 16. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Paraphrase 16. The not hearkning to your preaching the despising of these warnings of yours is the despising of me that have sent you and so of God that sent me and hath destin'd this only
yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needs Paraphrase 8. if respect of friendship will not work upon him yet his coming without bashfulnesse at such a time of night which is an argument of his reall want and of his confidence in him to whom he comes will certainly make him 9. And I say unto you Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Paraphrase 9. And the same effect let me tell you will your constancy and earnestnesse in prayer to God have upon him 10. For every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Paraphrase 10. For no child or friend of God's ever misseth to receive from him what he thus asketh 11. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father will he give him a stone or if he ask a fish will he for a fish give him a serpent 12. Or if he shall ask an egge will he offer him a scorpion 13. If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Paraphrase 11 12 13. There is no feare that God should deny such petitions or give his children any hurtfull thing when they ask that which is good for them And though many things which men aske be not such yet his Spirit and the assistances of that are so certainly so that they will never be denied to them that aske them of the Father 14. And he was casting out a devil and it was dumb and it came to passe that when the devil was gone out the dumb spake and the people wondred Paraphrase 14. And the disease which that devil inflicted on the man deprived him of speech and he cast out the devil and restored the man to his speech again 15. But some of them said He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils Paraphrase 15. But some perswaded themselves v. 17. that all his power was from Beelzebub Mat. 9. 34. and 12. 24. and that he having power of all inferior devils enabled him to cast them out 16. And others tempting him sought of him a signe from heaven Paraphrase 16. Others to make triall of his power desired him to shew them some miracles or tokens of Gods sending him some voice from heaven or the like 17. But he knowing their thoughts said unto them Every kingdome divided against it self is brought to desolation and an house divided against an house falleth Paraphrase 17. To the former of them those that thought he used the devils power to cast out devils he used these arguments of conviction and to the latter his answer is set down Mat. 12. 39. and here ver 29. c. 18. If Satan also be divided against himself how shall his kingdome stand because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub Paraphrase 18. If there be a division among the evil spirits and one devil set himself against another their kingdome cannot long endure For though its possible for the advancing of the devils kingdome one instrument of his may undoe that which another hath done which is not a division but a politick union and conjunction in the same project yet for one to oppose and violently to eject the other see Mar. 1. 25. and to doe his utmost to cast him and his kingdome out of the world this is a division which cannot be imagined among those that are of a conspiracy but only betwixt enemies bent to ruine one another Mat. 12. 27. g. 19. And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils by whom doe your sons cast them out therefore shall they be your judges Paraphrase 19. that which is done by them before your eyes will be an argument of conviction against you 20. But if I with the finger of God cast out devils no doubt the kingdome of God is come upon you Paraphrase 20. But if by the power and spirit Mat. 12. 28 of God it be that I cast out devils then as the miracles of Moses confest by the Magicians to be done by the finger of God Exod. 8. 19. were a certain testimony that he was sent by God to redeem the people out of their bondage So is this a certain argument that I am now sent by God to redeem you if you will believe on me 21. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace his goods are in peace Paraphrase 21. The devil will not be cast out of his possessions unlesse some person arm'd by the power of God superiour to what the devil is possest with come and conquer him 22. But when a stronger then he shall come upon him and overcome him he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted and divideth his spoiles Paraphrase 22. And therefore my casting out devils is an argument that I come with that power greater then any the devil hath and conquer and disarme him and give all that follow me the benefits of that victory to be distributed among them 23. He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth Paraphrase 23. T is proverbially said He that is c. and therefore he that doth not assist but cast out Satan must be resolved to be an enemy of his and not to operate by power from him See Mat. 12. 30. and Mar. 9. 40. 24. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through drie places seeking rest and finding none he saith I will return unto my house whence I came out Paraphrase 24. But to you that have received such miracles of mercy particularly that of casting out devils and made no use of them I shall adde this parable When c. see Mat. 12. 43. 25. And when he cometh he findeth it swept and garnished 26. Then goeth he and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked them himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse then the first 27. And it came to passe as he spake these things a certain woman of the company lift up her voice and said unto him Blessed is the womb that bare thee and the paps which thou hast sucked Paraphrase 27. And about this time his mother and brethren came to speak with him and one came and told him so Mat. 12. 47. and upon mention of his mother a woman there present said aloud 28. But he said Yea rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it Paraphrase 28. But he said Whosoever shall hear and obey the the word of God is to me as dear as mother or brethren Mat. 12. 49 50. and indeed that blessednesse of being an obedient faithfull servant of God is farre greater then this other of having been the person of whose womb Christ is born abstracted or separated
speech must not be that his time of working miracles was not yet come but either that it was not yet the fittest point of time to do this particular miracle but 't would be more fit because more beneficiall when the wine was quite spent or else that 't was not yet his time to do his miracles so openly and publickly as Mary seemed to believe and his kindred after insist on c. 7. 4 but Christ frequently provides against for what reasons see Mat. 8. b. To this latter the circumstances of the Context considered all together doe most encline And accordingly the result is that though he meant to work this miracle yet he would doe it more privately so as it should appear to none of the Guests or to the Bridegroom or to the Ruler of the feast but only to the waiters and his own disciples and mother that came along with him This is manifest by the event for ver 9. the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the manager or orderer of the feast knew it not but only they that drew the water that is the waiters nor is there any farther publick notice taken of the miracle but only that the Evangelist mentions it as a beginning or praeludium of of his ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signes or wonders v. 11. by which by little and little he made himself known to the world and manifested his glory that is made it appear that the Godhead dwelt in him but this not to all but his disciples of whom peculiarly 't is added that they believed on him As for that form of speech ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it is only a form of repressing as much as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã let alone with which 't is joyned Mar. 1. 24. and so is used 2 Sam. 19. 22. Mat. 8. 29. Mar. 5. 7. Lu. 8. 28. to expresse dislike to the proposall in the first In the rest to desire him to let them alone not to meddle with them And accordingly it here signifies Christs dislike of Mary's proposall which was without any care of secrecie publickly to supply them with wine now it was wanting Which manner of doing it Christ dislikes gives his reason for it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 't was not yet fit to doe his miracles so publickly The truth of this interpretation by which 't is granted that Christ did not say that it was not his season to doe the miracle but only not to doe it so publickly is so convincing that Gregory Nyssene rather then he would grant the meaning of it to be that his time of doing any miracle was not yet come thought himself obliged to read the latter part of the verse by way of interrogation also Is not my houre yet come and to interpret it thus Am not I yet of age to be master of my own actions wilt thou rule me now at this age still But there is no need of this altering the punctation Justin Martyr or the Author of the Quaest and Answ ad Ortho. would have it rendred thus literally What is it to me and thee that is the care of providing wine belongs not to thee and me p. 136. But the first interpretation is most satisfactory and beyond exception CHAP. III. 1. THere was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a Ruler of the Jewes Paraphrase 1. one of the Jewish Sanhedrim 2. The same came to Jesus by night and said unto him Rabbi we know that thou art a teacher come from God for no man can doe these miracles that thou doest except God be with him Paraphrase 2. Who durst not be seen or known to come to Jesus and therefore did it by night c. 7. 50. and 19. 9. and said unto him Master we are convinced that thou art sent by God to teach and instruct us in his way for this thy miracles testifie which could not be done without God's speciall hand and would never be allowed by God to confirm falsities 3. Jesus answered and said unto him Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdome of God Paraphrase 3. Jesus willing to undeceive him and that he might not flatter himself that the acknowledging of him to be the Messias or sent from God would be sufficient without the undertaking his service owning and confessing of him in despight of all fear of men without being his proselyte and forsaking his former course tells him positively that unlesse he would be born again which is a phrase to denote a proselyte of Christ and when occasion required forsake all for Christ's sake even his former course of life and dignity in the Iewish state contrary to his coming to him by night and acknowledging him secretly he should not see the kingdome of God be a Christian here which is a priviledge of a greater height then that of being a Iew or a member of their Sanhedrim or a Saint hereafter 4. Nicodemus saith unto him How can a man be born when he is old can be enter the second time into his mothers womb and be born Paraphrase 4. Nicodemus attending only to the literall sound not sense of Christs words asks how a man of full years can again be born 5. Jesus answered Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be note a born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Paraphrase 5. Iesus answers him Except a man be received as a proselyte and that not of an ordinary sort such as are among you Iewes but a Christian proselyte such as are received by Baptisme in the Christian Church so as to undertake the law of Christ and renounce his former whether heathen or Iewish course the first exprest by being wash't in water the ceremony of the Iewes proselytisme now also made use of by Christ by which a man was said by the Iewes to be new born and accordingly so here in an high degree the second by being born of the Spirit entring on a new pure spirituall life and not only passing under those externall washings agreeable unto which it was that Christ's disciples were admitted not only by water as John's and the Iewes proselytes were but by the holy Ghost's descending upon them see note on Act. 1. a he cannot enter c. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit Paraphrase 6. The actions of a naturall man which hath none of this new Christian birth that hath not thus given himself up to a Christian lfe will be but naturall actions at least but externall purifications restraints of sinne in the outward part But the actions of a spirituall person thus born anew from that higher principle a proselyte of Christ's they will be spirituall purifications of the very spirit 7. Marvail not that I said unto thee Ye must be born again Paraphrase 7. And therefore you are not to wonder that I tell you of the necessity of this new birth
26. For as God hath of and from himself power to give life to any thing so hath he given this power to me and I have it 27. And he hath given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the son of man Paraphrase 27. And as I am God-man that is in that I have thus humbled my self to this mean estate which ought not to lessen but rather encrease the account which is due to me in the world my Father by way of reward Phil. 2. 8 9. hath given me all power and authority both now and hereafter in and over his Church And so again in other respects as 1. that men having a mercifull high priest not such an one as cannot suffer or consequently be touched with our infirmities but one that is a man upon the earth in all things tempted like unto us yet without sinne might have confidence of accesse to him in his present government of all things and 2. that men which have bodies and so are visible and are to be judged hereafter as well as Angels may have a visible judge of them and of al things done in their bodies 28. Marvaile not at this for the houre is coming in which all that are in their graves shall heare his voice Paraphrase 28. Let not what I say be matter of wonderment to you for certainly there shall be as certainly as if it were come already a time of generall resurrection for all the dead and an essay thereof shall shortly be seen among you 29. And shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation Paraphrase 29. And the righteous shall have their bodies and souls united in blisse and the wicked shall also have a restitution of their bodies to receive their sentence and punishment 30. I can of mine own selfe doe nothing as I hear so I judge and my judgment is just because I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father which hath sent me Paraphrase 30. My judgment is a righteous judgment and agreeable to my Fathers method and decree that they which believe on me shall be saved and they that reject me damned This my Father hath declared and therefore 't is not the seeking either honour or revenge to my self that I say or doe this but the going according to my Fathers prescript and nothing else 31. If I bear witnesse of my self my witnesse is not true 32. There is another that beareth witnesse of me and I know that the witnesse which he witnesseth of me is true Paraphrase 31 32. If I did any thing that tended to mine own honour and were a single witnesse therein you might reasonably except against it but as that which I doe is not to honour my self but only to execute my Fathers will so for the truth of what I say my Father bears witnesse of me and hath done it already by sending the Spirit and a voice from heaven and giving me power to doe miracles and that sure is a competent testimony which can deceive none 33. Ye sent unto John and he bare witnesse unto the truth Paraphrase 33. And for the triall hereof you have sent to John who baptized me when the Spirit so descended on me and he that saw it testified to you the truth of it 34. But I receive not testimony from man but these things I say that ye might be saved Paraphrase 34. But as for me I need not the testimony of John or any man but yet that you that believe him may believe him of me and so escape and flie from the danger which approacheth you I thus mention to you his testimony which was of such authority with you 35. He was a burning and shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light Paraphrase 35. He was that Elias described Ecclus. 48. by being like fire and his word burning like a lamp and for a while you liked well to hear him but assoon as he testified of me then you presently rejected him 36. But I have greater witnesse then that of John for the works which the Father hath given me to finish the same works that I doe bear witnesse of me that the Father hath sent me Paraphrase 36. But I have no need of that testimony of his for the working of those miracles which God hath enabled me to work is a greater demonstration of my being sent by God then John Baptist's testimony that he saw the Spirit descend upon me 37. And the Father himself which sent me hath born witnesse of me Ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape Paraphrase 37. And God the Father by voice from heaven hath testified of me But ye as according to your Fathers desire exprest Exod. 20. 19. Deut. 5. 25. and 18. 16. ye have not heard the voice of God nor seen his appearance so it appears by your actions ye behave your selves as those that know nothing of God ungodly impious men see 1 Joh. 3. 6. 38. And ye have not his word abiding in you for whom he hath âent him ye believe not Paraphrase 38. And for that only means leaft you the word of God revealed to you ye doe not make use of that or live according to it as is apparent by your not believing on me who have seen and heard and know his will and am sent by God as the only means of declaring that will to you and am foretold in the scripture as the Messias to come 39. Search the scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternall life and they are they which testifie of me Paraphrase 39. Look into and examine the writings of the Old Testament whereon you depend and believe that through performance of the Mosaicall precepts you shall have eternall life And on examination you shall find that all those prophecies are types and fulfilled in me and that all the promises of life there made have an aspect on me the giver of life And ye will not come to me that ye might have life 40. And ye will not come to me that ye might have life Paraphrase 40. But ye though ye look upon these as the repository of your present and eternall blisse and though they direct you to me as the only means to attain it yet wilfully reject me and by that means your eternall blisse also 41. I receive not honour from men 42. But I know you that ye have not the love of God in you Paraphrase 41 42. Alas 't is not your approbation or estimation to be acknowledged or wel-spoken of by you that I contend for while I thus speak But to this purpose I say it By your dealing with me who come with this testimony of my Father it is apparent and discernible how farre you are whatever you pretend from all piety and love of God that this testimony of
come Paraphrase 34. whither I goe ch 13. v. 33. 35. Then said the Jewes among themselves Whither will he goe that we shall not find him will he goe unto note d the dispersed among the Gentiles and teach the Gentiles Paraphrase 35. to the Hellenists will he preach among the Jewes in Europe whose chief city was Alexandria 36. What manner of saying is this that he saith Ye shall seek me and shall not find me and where I am thither ye cannot come Paraphrase 36. What is the meaning of that speech 37. In the last day that great day of note e the feast Jesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Paraphrase 37. On the last day of the feast of tabernacles which was a day of solemn assembly see note on ch 19. d. and on which it was the manner of the Jewes to poure out water solemnly on the altar Jesus on that occasion proclaimed aloud 38. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said note f out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water Paraphrase 38. It shall be ' with him according to what is said Isa 58. 11. He shall be like a spring of water whose water by conduits shall from within break forth in great abundance that is being filled with the Spirit of Christ shall not be able to contain but break forth into all Christian actions and preach the Gospel with all zeal 39. But this spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive for the holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified Paraphrase 39. This saying of Christ belonged to the descent of the Holy Ghost Act. 2. see note on Act. 1. a. and 23. a. which was to be after his ascension and not before 40. Many of the people therefore when they heard this saying said Of a truth this is the prophet Paraphrase 40. that Prophet that Moses foretold us of though that he should be the Messias they did not all resolve 41. Others said This is the Christ But some said Shall Christ come out of Galilee Paraphrase 41. very Messias 42. Hath not the Scripture said that Christ cometh of the seed of David and out of the town of Bethleem where David was Paraphrase 42. David's parents dwelt 43. So there was a division among the people because of him 44. And some of them would have taken him but no man laid hands on him Paraphrase 44. And some of the officers sent v. 32. 45. Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees and they said unto them Why have ye not brought him Paraphrase 45. the ministers of the Sanhedrim sent by them to apprehend him back again without having done it 46. The officers answered Never man spake as this man 47. Then answered them the Pharisees Are ye also deceived 48. Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him Paraphrase 48. Have any of the Sanhedrim or the more famous learned men believed on him 49. But note g this people who knoweth not the Law are cursed Paraphrase 49. But this rout which have never studied the law are apt to run into all giddinesse and follow any false teacher 50. Nicodemus saith unto them He that came to Jesus by night being one of them Paraphrase 50. Nicodemus one of the Sanhedrim he that was afraid to come to Jesus in the day time but came in the night chap 3. 1. said unto them 51. Doth our law judge any man before it hear him and know what he doth Paraphrase 51. This is too hasty a prejudice against him in all reason you ought to hear what he can say for himself and what any can witnesse against him Our law proceeds not against any before we have examined him and taken cognizance of his matter 52. They answered and said unto him Art thou also of Galilee Search and look for out note h of Galilee ariseth no prophet Paraphrase 52. Art thou who art one of the Sanhedrim a follower or favourer of this Galilean Examine all times you shall never find that Galilee hath brought forth a prophet see ch 1. 46. 53. note i And every man went unto his own house Paraphrase 53. And they dissolved the assembly or court and departed Annotations on S. JOHN Chap. VII V. 4. Be known openly The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the New Testament hath divers significations First it signifies ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã saith Hesychius boldnesse confidence fearlesnesse of danger So Joh. 11. 54. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to goe about fearlesly So Act. 28. 31. Phil. 1. 20. Heb. 3. 6. and 10. 35. and 1. Joh 4. 17. boldness or fearlesness when they are called before secular tribunals And so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in two places of the Acts ch 13. 46. where in opposition to the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of the Jewes their virulency contradiction and railing against Paul and Barnabas 't is said that they ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã spake boldly and confidently that speech of the greatest danger that brought all the harred and persecution of the Jewes upon them we depart to the Gentiles So ch 26. 26. I speak ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã with confidence and courage to Agrippa who knows of these things though Festus doe not So Eph. 6. 20. and 1 Thess 2. 2. Secondly it signifies freeness or liberty of speaking saying what a man will so Act. 2. 29. Let me speak ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã freely without any restraint of the Patriarch David and distinctly Elocution such as is promised them Mat 10. 19. Act. 4. 13. for there it is the gift that they prayed for and which discriminated them from other illiterate men and came upon them by the Spirit as had been promised Mat. 10. 19. So 2 Cor. 7. 4. Great is my ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã freeness in speaking largely in their commendation express'd by the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã following Great is my glorying of you so Heb. 4. 16. Let us come to the throne of Grace ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã with freenesse to declare all our wants and requests to God So Philem. 8. haveing in or through Christ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã great liberty or freeness of speech to say or to command him what is fit So 1 Joh. 2. 28. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã we may have freeness of accesse to him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and not be turn'd with shame from him or as guilty persons be ashamed to meet him So again c. 3. 21. If our heart condemn us not we have ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã partly confidence toward God in the first notion of not fearing any danger from him and partly in this latter of praying freely to him asking him what we will as the next words explain it Whatsoever we aske we receive And so again in this latter
here It is ordinary for words to lose their native significations and to be used in a greater latitude then originally belongs to them and so we know ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to be dip'd or wash'd is used not onely of water but of the holy Ghost and fire And then why may not the words be thus rendred ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to whom having dip'd I shall give the piece of bread by dipping meaning putting the hand into the dish and then ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã having dip'd that is put in his hand he gives the crust or piece of bread to Judas telling John at the same time that he that he should next give it to was he that should deliver him up CHAP. XIV 1. LET not your heart be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me Paraphrase 1. As your believing in God my father will afford you many privileges and antidotes against worldly trouble so will also your believing in me 2. In my fathers house are many mansions If it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you 3. And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also Paraphrase 2 3. In heaven there is room for you abundantly as well as for me and so there is no need that I should tell you this truth which otherwise I would have told you and which would give you cause to rejoyce and not be sad at my departure that my going is but as your harbinger to prepare for you and when I have done that then as an harbinger I will come back again and meet you and so introduce you thither Act. 1. 11. 4. And whither I go ye know and the way ye know Paraphrase 4. I suppose you know the place to which I go and the way which will bring you thither also 5. Thomas saith unto him Lord we know not whither thou goest and how can we know the way 6. Jesus saith unto him I am the way and the truth and the life no man cometh unto the Father but by me Paraphrase 6. I am the true and living way sent by my Father to direct all men to that way wherein he expects and requires to be served and there is no other way to come to the knowledge of his will or the enjoyment of life with him but by me and the same way that I go before you 7. If ye had known me ye should have known my Father also and from henceforth ye know him and have seen him Paraphrase 7. If you had thoroughly known me who come onely in my Fathers name and to reveal his will to you ye had also known my Father who being invisible is no otherwayes to be known but as he is revealed in me and now see Mat. 23. note m. although ye never saw my Father yet having seen and known me who am his image ye have both seen and known him 8. Philip saith unto him Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth us Paraphrase 8. Philip not considering the sense of that last speech saith unto him Lord shew us the Father And that one thing the shewing us the Father will sure convince all without any other argument 9. Jesus saith unto him Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me Philip He that hath seen me hath seen the Father and how sayest thou then Shew us the Father Paraphrase 9. I tell thee again Philip I am the image of my Father and so he that hath seen me and heard my doctrine hath seen my Father and knows his will also And after this this of thine is an impertinent unnecessary demand 10. Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me The words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me he doth the works Paraphrase 10. Let me ask you do you not believe confidently that whatsoever I do or teach I do by the Fathers appointment and that it is the power of him that acts in me whatsoever I say or do doctrine or miracles is of him see note c. 11. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me or else believe me for the very works sake Paraphrase 11. Take my word for it but if you will not do so let my miracles demonstrate it to you 12. Verily verily I say unto you He that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also and greater works then these shall he do because I go unto my Father Paraphrase 12. Those that have now been my disciples shall be able to do the same miracles that I do Mar. 16. 17. nay greater upon my sending down the holy Ghost upon you shall speak with tongues c. 13. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son Paraphrase 13. And whatever miracle you shall in my name pray for power to do that I will enable you to do and so by the shewing forth my power in you after my departure glorifie him who hath sent me 14. If ye shall ask any thing in my name I will do it Paraphrase 14. And of this be confident whatsoever miracle you pray for power to do and pray for it in my name grounding your requests on this promise of mine unto you and doing it in order to my service for the propagating of the Gospel it shall be granted you 15. If ye note a love me keep my commandements Paraphrase 15. Doe but ye expresse the sincerity of your love to me by obedience to my precepts 16. And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another note b Comforter that he may abide with you forever Paraphrase 16. And I will ask my Father and when I am gone he shall send you the holy Ghost who for the several parts of his office 1. to intercede as an advocate 2. to exhort 3. to comfort is best exprest by the word Paraclete which in Greek signifies all these three and he when he cometh shall abide with you forever not departing as I now doe but continuing with you as long as you adhere and continue obedient to my precepts v. 15. 17. Even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Paraphrase 17. This Paraclete is the Spirit of my Father that shall lead you into all truth Him carnall and worldly men that value nothing but the visible pomps and powers of the world they that have looked for a temporall glorious Messias shall make nothing of because he is farre from any part of that he is not so much as visible to outward eyes but only by inward effects and so neither known nor valued
he shall hear that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come Paraphrase 13. But when the Holy Ghost comes whose title it is to be the Spirit of truth he shall instruct you what is to be done teach you the full of my Fathers will for the laying aside of the ceremoniall externall law of the Jewes freeing all Christians from that yoke c. For it shall be no private doctrine of his own which he shall reveal to you but either that which I have already taught but you have either not observed or forgotten or that which you are not yet but afterwards to doe how you are to behave your selves in the businesse of the Jewes and Gentiles when the Jewes finally reject the Gospel c. and which I have not yet revealed to you as being not yet seasonable 14. He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you Paraphrase 14. What he doth shall tend to the illustrating of me For he being sent from my Father by me shall in all things accord with me and thereby appear to have his message from me and to declare nothing to you but what he hath from me 15. All things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you Paraphrase 15. And when I say this I mean not so to appropriate to my self as to exclude my Father but because all things are common to me and my Father and because all my will depends on the Father and because 't is my work wholly to attend the will of my Father therefore whatsoever of this nature he shall reveal to you I call that mine and the revealing of this his taking of mine and declaring to you 16. A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me because I goe to the Father Paraphrase 16. Within a while I shall for a time be taken from you then again within a little while after that I shall be with you again before my ascension for it is not possible for me to be held by death I must arise and goe to my Father 17. Then said some of his disciples among themselves What is this that he saith unto us A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me and Because I goe to my Father 18. They said therefore What is it that he saith A little while we cannot tell what he saith 19. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him and said unto them Doe ye enquire among your selves of that I said A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me 20. Verily verily I say unto you that ye shall weep and lament but the world shall rejoyce and ye shall be sorrowfull but your sorrow shall be turned into joy Paraphrase 20. You shall have a time of mourning and the world of joy but your sadnesse shall be soon turned to rejoycing and theirs ere long into heavinesse 21. A woman when she is in travaile hath sorrow because her hour is come but as soon as she is delivered of her child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world 22. And ye now therefore have sorrow but I will see you again and your hearts shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you Paraphrase 21 22. Your sorrow at my death shall be like the womans pangs of travaile but when it shall appear to you that my death doth but usher in my resurrection and ascension as the pangs of travaile doe the birth of a manchild then your sorrow shall vanish in the presence of this joy which shall be a durable joy 23. And note b in that day ye shall ask me nothing Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you 24. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full Paraphrase 23 24. When that Spirit is come he shall have taught you all things satisfied all your doubts and ignorances that you shall not need ask me any more questions After my departing you shall use a new form in your prayers to God which as yet you have not used make your requests to him in my name upon that score of your being my disciples and my giving you this authority and whatever tends to the fulfilling of your joy to your reall good shall be granted to you 25. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs but I shall shew you plainly of the Father Paraphrase 25. My discourse to you hitherto may have had some darknesses in it which I design'd on purpose but the Holy Ghost shall set all before you plainly see note on c. 7. a. according as 't is my Fathers pleasure to have things ordered in the Church see v. 13. 26. In that day ye shall ask in my name and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you 27. For the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God Paraphrase 26 27. And one benefit that by my ascension and the descent of the Spirit shall come to you is that you shall not need my offering up your prayers for you but you may in my name offer them up to God your selves and God out of his love and respect to those that believe on me and receive me as the son of God sent from heaven to declare his will to you shall grant all that you shall ask 28. I came forth from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and goe to the Father 29. His disciples said unto him Lo now speakest thou plainly and speakest no proverb 30. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things and needest not that any man should ask thee by this we believe that thou camest forth from God Paraphrase 30. Now we discern that as thou knowest all things so thou art pleased to reveale all saving truth evidently to us of thine own accord This convinces us that God sent thee and that thou camest to reveale his will 31. Jesus answered them Doe ye now believe Paraphrase 31. You speak a little confidently of your belief now at a distance from danger 32. Behold the hour cometh yea is now come that ye shall be scattered every man to his own and shall leave me alone and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me Paraphrase 32. But the time is now at hand that ye shall flie from me to your homes every one of you and so though ye believe on me ye will not yet confesse me but forsake me and as much as in you is leave
his before v. 20. but now by this sending ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Apostles for ever after sent as Commissioners to supply his place to performe those offices over the world to plant a Church which he being now about to return to his father could not corporally do and so to succeed him in his office and they again to send or constitute others in the like manner see Note on Lu. 6. d. V. 22. Receive ye the Holy Ghost ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã receive the holy Ghost signifies here not the actual giving of the holy Ghost for that came not on them till Act. 2. and they are appointed to stay at Jerusalem Lu. 24. 49. till they were endued with power from above which therefore now before his Ascension they had not received and when the Spirit came it would lead them into all truth and as yet it appears by their question Act. 1. 6. that they were not thus led into all truth but only the confirming to them his former promise and by the ceremony of breathing on them to expresse the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the eternall breath and Spirit of God sealing it as it were solemnly unto them and preparing and fitting them for the receiving of it So saith Theophylact ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The words receive the holy Ghost signifie be ye ready to receive him And again ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. He breathed on them not now distributing the perfect gift of the holy Ghost for that was to be done at Pentecost but fitting them for the receiving of it For though in the next words whose signes c. the power of the Keys or stewardship in the Church were actually instated on them yet was not this to be exercised by them till the holy Ghost came down upon them as Ephes 4. 8. It is first he gave gifts unto men at the descent of the Spirit and then gave some Apostles c. v. 11. This interpretation of this place will direct to the full importance of those words Lu. 4. 49. I send the promise of my father upon you so as to render them directly parallel to this The promise of the Father was the holy Ghost Joh. 15. 26. and the I send upon you all one with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã receive him And then the power from on high in the end of the verse clearly signifies that visible mission of the holy Ghost And all this most aptly delivered for the proof of the words here immediately precedent As my father sent me so send I you intimating that as at his mission from his father to his office he was anointed or consecrated with or by the holy Ghost Act. 10. 38. by descent of the holy Ghost on him at his Baptisme Lu. 3. 23. so the Apostles at their mission or entrance on their power should be consecrated also V. 23. Whosoever sins ye remit That the power of binding and loosing in Saint Matthew first promised c. 16. then farther described for the manner of it c. 18. the power of the Keyes of admitting and excluding out of the Church and so the power of Excommunication put into the hands of the Apostles first and from them communicated to the succeeding Governours of the Church is it which is here given by Christ may appear by the words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã remit and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã retain which are perfectly all one with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã loosing and binding in S. Matthew If there be any difference it is only this that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies to bind ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies to keep bound as well as to bind in which respect ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is here more proper in this place then the other because the order is here inverted and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã retaining put after ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã remitting and so the word which signifies to keep bound is more critically adapted to this place then ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to bind would have ãâã and yet when binding is mentioned first ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the other places is as exact as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã This slight difference being granted the words are otherwise to all uses perfectly Synonymous ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã remit and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã loose especially as applyed to sin both signifie forgiving of it the first referring to sin in the notion of a debt or thraldome to both which it is applied in the New Testament to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã debts Mat. 6. 12. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã captivity Lu. 4. 18. the second to sin in the notion of a band so Gen. 4. 12. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã my sin is greater then can be forgiven So Exod. 32. 21. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã O that thou wouldest forgive them that sin And so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Job 42. 9. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he forgave them their sin by Job that is by his mediation where the Hebrew read ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã God accepted the person of Job So also for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the same Hebrew word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is by the Septuagint rendred by both of them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Jer. 33. 1. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Dan. 10. 8. 11. 6. and so Act. 2. 24. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being holden is set opposite to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã loosing and so must signifie being kept bound and so almost in all other places it signifies to hold fast or take hold of and is sometimes joyned with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as holding fast is preparative to binding Mat. 14. 3. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã laying hold on him bound him and Rev. 20. 2. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he held fast and bound So in S. Basil speaking of the freedome of Christians in their bands he saith they are ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã bound but not capable of binding And accordingly it is affirmed by Theophylact on Mat. 13. that Christs promise of the power of binding and loosing was fulfilled in these words Whose sins you do remit they are remitted c. And therefore whatsoever is brought by some to avoid the force of those places in S. Matthew and to cast off the censures of the Church by affirming that to bind there is to declare forbidden and to loose to declare lawfull being utterly unappliable to this place where it is not whatsoever as there which is more lyable to that misinterpretation but whose sinns c. which is no way capable of it for it cannot be imagined that Christ should mean whose sinnes ye shall declare lawfull or unlawfull by this one method of searching the meaning of these two words in this place is proved utterly uneffectuall Of this see more at large in the Tract of the
also Luc. 3. 16. mentioning both the holy Ghost and the fire too though Mark 1. 8. and John 1. 33. mention not the fire but only the holy Ghost Besides these two speciall uses of the holy Ghosts descending on them one common constant use there was also which belonged to all Christians not only Apostles as appears by Joh. 7. 39. where Christ mentions the Spirit which not only the Apostles but believers in common i. e. all Christians should receive after his Ascension the giving them strength to perform what God now required of them and therefore all that came into the Christian Church as proselytes of Christ not only those that were set apart for the ministery are said to be born a new i. e. received as Christian proselytes and baptized with water and the holy Ghost Joh. 3. 5. not only made partakers of the ceremony of Johns Baptisme water which signifies purging from sinne but over and above that made parrakers of the holy Ghost being received into the Christian Church by those on whom the holy Ghost came down Act. 2. and that not onely for themselves to confirm the truth of Christs preaching and to give them their commission but also to rest upon them as the founders of the Christian Church so that they might communicate the benefit and influences of it to others to the end of the world so farre as was usefull to the condition of every one And that is to fit every one and enable him to discharge that calling whereunto he is admitted As if he be admitted barely into the Church to be a Christian then beside water wherein he is baptized after the manner of all other Proselytes he hath also from God by the Apostles blessing of him the holy Ghost bestowed on him i. e. those benefits of it which belong and are necessary for every Christian viz pardon of sinne and grace to lead a new life and this styled being born a new of water and of the holy Ghost Joh. 3. 5. and is intââted to be an effect or consequent of Christs Ascenââ v. 13 14. after which it was that the holy Ghost came down upon the Apostles here and to be a superior thing and that which more effectually tended to the salvation of believers that is Christians Joh. 3. 15. then either the Jewish or Johns Baptisme which being the Baptisme of water alone was not able to bestow this and therefore it is that they that had been baptized onely with Johns Baptisme Act. 19. were by the Apostles when they knew it baptized farther in the name of the Lord Jesus see c. 2. Note d. In like manner they that were admitted into the Church to any speciall function as to that of Bishops which consisted in the exercise of Censures and in the power of ordaining others or c. 6. to that of Deacons and of Presbyters afterwards who had some parts of sacred functions communicated to them that of preaching the Gospel Act. 8. 12. and of baptizing were thus admitted also by the Apostles and after them by the Bishops their successors by laying their hands on them and blessing or consecrating them that is giving them the holy Ghost also that is that externall commission which here they had by the holy Ghosts descent upon them and also for some time extraordinary gifts of tongues and miracles and prophecying usefull for the discharge of those functions V. 7. The seasons The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which sometimes signifies an opportunity or seasonable time sometimes also signifies a moment or least particle of time Thus 't is wont to be defined ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it is that wherein there is no time And so it seems to signifie here where Gods reserving the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã times and moments in his own hands so that they shall not be known by them seems parallel to the day and hour knoweth no man the day and the times noting a larger proportion of time and the hour and the moment a lesser and accordingly the Vulgar reads vel momenta or moments V. 9. A cloud The appearance of Angels is ordinarily described by a cloud as hath been formerly said and so here the clouds receiving him signifies the Angels receiving him Thus when Exod. 25. 22. it is said of the covering of the arke There will I meet thee and commune with thee from betwixt the two Cherubims c. It is Lev. 16. 2. I will appear in the cloud upon that propitiatory or covering of the ark V. 13. An upper roome It is said by the writer of this book Lu. 24. 53. that the Apostles after Christs Assumption returned to Jerusalem and were ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã continually in the temple praising and blessing God which clearly signifies that the Temple at Jerusalem was the place not of their continuall abode but of their constant daily performance of their devotions see Lu. 2. 37. and so he concludes that Gospel And here where he begins another book and in that the story after the Ascension of Christ and so repeats that again v. 9. c. he adds v. 12. as he had said in the Gospel that they returned to Jerusalem and when they came thither ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they went up into an upper room and there that is in that upper room saith he the same S. Luke that before had said they were continually or at the times of devotion constantly in the Temple all the eleven disciples ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã continued unanimously in prayer and supplication that is did there daily perform their devotions and religious offices manifestly referring to the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or upper room where they daily did so And so ch 2. 1. where they are said to be all unanimously ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã together a phrase to denote their sacred assemblies or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã this sure denotes the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the upper room as the constant place of their daily devotions From the comparing of these two places and the phrases used in the severall places ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they were continually and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they were continuing being perfectly equivalent some difficulty would arise how the Temple should by the same historian be set down as the daily constant place of their devotions in one place and the upper room in the same manner and phrase to be it in the other were not this way of reconciling that difficulty neer at hand taken notice of by some late Criticks but not favoured by others viz that the Temple had many chambers and upper rooms in its circuit which served not only for the uses of the Priests and for the keeping of the holy things but stood open some of them for religious meetings also So 1. Chron. 28. 1. in the pattern that David gave to Solomon we have expresse mention of the Porch and the houses thereof and of the treasuries thereof and of the upper chambers thereof
To the inward that speech of Christ John 7. 38. seems to pertain He that believeth on me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters where the belly denoting the heart or inward part of the man the flowing of the living water from thence denotes some effects of the holy Spirits descent upon and in the hearts of believers the Evangelist there distinctly referring those words to the then-future descent of the holy Ghost ver 39. This he spake of the Spirit which they which believe on him should receive ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for as yet the holy Ghost was not among or upon them because Jesus was not yet glorified Where it is evident that that speech of Christ belonged to some inward gifts in the hearts of men which upon the descent of the holy Ghost upon the Apostles should be powred upon the Christian world convey'd by the preaching baptizing confirming and other ministery of the Apostles their farther instructing them in the Gospel which is therefore elsewhere call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the ministration of the Spirit or means of communicating it to believers What this inward gift is appears in severall places wisdome ch 6. 3. knowledge 1 Cor. 12. 8. and so likewise the assistances of Gods Spirit joyned with his word enaâling humble sincere Christians for the duties of Christian life which are required of them called the renewing of the holy Spirit and joyned as here to the Laver of regeneration Tit. 3. 5. and so the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1. 22. See Note on Act. 1. a. The outward gifts are those ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã gifts of tongues of healing c. And those are evidently called the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the gift of the holy Ghost Acts 10. 45. and that was there powred upon the Gentiles of Cornelius's family immediately on their receiving the faith even before Baptisme And to these belongs another promise of Christ Mar. 16. 17. These signes shall follow those that believe They shall take up serpents c. Now for the resolving of the Quaere what sort of gift it is which is here meant the surest way will be not so to define of either as to exclude the other but to comprehend both under this phrase not that both and every branch of each should be powred on each believer but that they all should be scatter'd among them the inward by Baptisme or Confirmation signed on all and the outward bestow'd on some of them to testifie to all the truth and excellency of the Gospel and to fit and prepare some persons for sacred imployments not all the outward again upon each on whom the outward were bestow'd but some on one some on another the gift of tongues to one of healing to a second of prophesying to a third and they that had most or the highest degrees of these are call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã full of the Spirit see chap. 6. Note b. and note on Eph. 1. c. V. 42. Fellowship The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is to be rendred as from the verb ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not communion but communication by that meaning distribution liberality effusion or participation by which any are made partakers of some gift spirituall or temporall such as here beneficence to the poor c. Thus in Simplicius on Aristot Phys l. 1. describing magnanimous men ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they are saith he content with a little and distribute or communicate readily of that which they have And in Lucian ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã communicating to the poorer sort of what they have and again ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã will he envy him that communicates and gives Where it signifies liberality or giving to the poor Thus is almes-giving defined by the Arabians communicatio in miseriis Abul Faraii de Mor. Arab. p. 29. And thus Cassander out of Chrysostome renders ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Mysteriorum communicationem Liturg. p. 14. As Excommunication is defined by Tertullian exclusion from communication not from Communion as that is now used for the Sacrament à communicatione orationis conventus omnis sancti commercii relegatio a banishing from participation of all prayer assembly and sacred commerce and not onely of the Sacrament so as the word be compounded like exlex without any change of the termination In this notion is the word generally used in Scripture for liberality or some kind of distributing or dispensing to others So here ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã continuing in liberality and breaking of bread and prayers where as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies publick prayers and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the breaking of bread in the administration of the Sacrament so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is the peoples bringing and presenting of the bread and wine and the fruits of the earth for the acknowledging God the Creator of all part of it to be eaten in commemoration of Christs sacrifice and the rest to be distributed among the poor ver 44. Whereupon ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Hesychius and Phavorinus for which the copies read corruptly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to offer or present From which Glossaries these explications also of the word are to be had ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to distribute or dispense ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã participation of the holy mysteries ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to partake ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. They are said to communicate who distribute to one another and they that partake and receive from one another whether friendship or knowledge Whence it appears 1. that the word signifies both to distribute and to receive to make others partake and to be partaker 2 ly that it is appliable to friendship or societie no otherwise then to knowledge or any thing else Thus Rom. 15. 26. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is to make a contribution So 2 Corinth 8. 4. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã charity and communication of administration that is liberality toward the saints So ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 2 Corinth 9. 13. liberality of distribution so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Phil. 1. 5. liberality toward the preaching or propagating the Gospel So Hebr. 13. 16. where 't is joyned with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã beneficence as 1 Tim. 1. 18. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã distributive and communicative are all one so Philem. 6. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is his liberality to the poor by which the bowels of the saints are refresh'd ver 7. flowing from his faith From this notion of the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as it strictly signifies liberality toward the poor may be fetch'd the sense of that Article in the Creed ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the communication or liberality of the saints to note this great liberality here mentioned of the first converts to Christianity in the Apostles time see Philo of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Aegypt in Euseb Hist l.
that is bringing on the person that which is ruinous to himself or on others that which is poysonous or infectious to them And such most eminently was the heresie of the Gnosticks at that time Ib. Bond of iniquity The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies in the Septuagint of the old Testament treason 2 Kin. 11. 15. and 12. 20. and Jer. 11. 9. a conspiracy league or covenant and by it the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is rendred Jer. 11. 19. where Symmachus reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã conspiracy The Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which Isai 58. 6. is rendred ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is saith David de Pomis aequivalent to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and so signifies a binding together of minds and both there and here with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã unrighteousnesse added to it it denotes by an hypallage a most unrighteous impious treason or treachery a villanous piece of hypocrisie as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the mammon of unrighteousnesse is all one with the false or deceitfull mammon Simons designe in this proposall being not to advance Christs kingdome by his having that power of giving the holy Ghost but to set up for himself as he after did in opposition to Christ and to have this addition of miracles superadded to those which by his sorcery he was able to doe V. 29. The Spirit said It may here be question'd what is meant by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Spirit 's saying unto Philip. Some kind of extraordinary revelation it certainly was but whether in a vision by appearance of an Angel or 2dly by a voice from heaven or 3dly by afflation of the Spirit of God after the manner that Prophets received Revelations it is uncertain Of the first sort there are examples in this book ch 10. 3. Cornelius in a vision saw an Angel of the Lord coming and saying to him and so here v. 26. the Angel of the Lord spake unto Philip Of the second at the Baptisme of Christ and at the conversion of Saint Paul And of the third chap. 10. 19. where after his Vision of the sheet as he thought thereupon the Spirit said unto him and the same is repeated again ch 11. 11. so ch 13. 2. as they were ministring that is praying and fasting the holy Spirit said Separate to me Barnabas and Saul Which as it was not in any dream or vision so that it was by voice from heaven doth not appear probable by any argument discernible in the story but on the other side the frequent testimonies of the Spirits revealing by way of Prophetick afflation who should be set apart for the offices of the Church are evidences that it was so here Thus Clemens tells of those times that they ordained Bishops ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã discerning by the Spirit who should be ordained and again that they did it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã having received perfect foreknowledge who should be constituted Bishops as Moses saith he foreknew by revelation from God that Aaron should have the Priesthood and accordingly that without the direction of the Spirit they advanced none to this dignity So saith S. Paul of Timothy that the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or Episcopal office ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã was given him by prophecie 1 Tim. 4. 14. ch 1. 18. that is by Revelation as Prophesying is of things presently to be done as well as predictions of the future and signifies no more 1 Cor. 14. 24 31. then having somewhat revealed to him v. 30. So saith S. Chrysostome ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. The Episcopal dignity being great wanted Gods suffrage to direct on whom it should be bestow'd see Note on 1 Tim. i. e. Thus Act. 20 28. it is said of the Bishops of Asia that the holy Ghost had set them over the flock And in this sense it may fitly be affirmed of Philip that being full of the holy Ghost ch 6. 3. he had the afflations of the Spirit of God such as Prophets and by such an afflation the Spirit here bad him c. Thus Agabus signified by the Spirit that is by prophetick revelation that there should be a famine ch 11. 28. Thus the holy Ghost witness'd in every city that is prophets foretold c. 20. 23. 21. 11. that bonds and afflictions did abide Paul One onely objection I foresee against this exposition in this place that ver 39. it is said that the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip which probably is to be understood of an Angel carrying him away out of his sight and then why should not the Spirit here as well as the Spirit of the Lord there signifie an Angel also especially when there is mention of an Angel speaking to him ver 26. But to this the answer will be very sufficienââf the reading of the Kings MS. be accepted in that verse and that is attested by many other copies own'd by Eraesmus Beza and so cited by S. Jerome Dial. Orthod Luciferian the holy Spirit fell upon the Eunuch c. but the Angel of the Lord caught away Philip see Note i. For then as the Angel bad him go to the Eunuch so he carried him away again which no way hinders but that the Spirit here may be taken in that other sense V. 31. The place of Scripture ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the name of a section or lesser division of Scripture of which there be two in the first chapter of Matthew and so forward The Greeks call them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã partitions or sections V. 33. In his humilition This verse is acknowledged to be a citation of Isa 53. 8. not out of the Hebrew but the Septuagints translation which therefore must be interpreted by looking back on the Original there And that will be best rendred thus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by an assembly so the word is used Jer. 9. 2. and rendred ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã synode that is by the Sanhedrim of the Jewes who had determined to have him put to death and made the people cry out against him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã away with him away with him whereas the Greek seems to have read ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and by judgement ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or the sentence of the Roman Procurator Pilate ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he was taken away distinctly signifying the manner of his being put to death which being so foul and irrationall and strange that he that came to save should not onely not be believed but be also put to death by them be entertained so coldly and used so barbarously the Jewes and Romans both conspiring in it the exclamation that followes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã who shall describe his generation will most probably signifie what an accursed wicked generation was that wherein he was born for so the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã his generation signifies
commission immediately from him such were the Twelve and extraordinarily called S. Paul also The Evangelists were those which were sent by the Apostles whither they could not goe themselves and the Dioecese that belonged to these was the whole world or those speciall parts of it which the Apostles had allotted to one another Beside these the Prophets were those that in particular Churches rueld and taught as Bishops ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã see Note on 1 Cor. 12. d. and over and above had that speciall ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of expounding Moses and the Prophets and demonstrating out of them the truth of Christian religion This was the exhorting and confirming that here is spoken of and which is attributed to them as Prophets not excluding but containing the gift of foretelling things to come also as of Agabus we read c. 11. 28. Agreeably these that are here called prophets are also called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ver 22. governours of Churches see Note on Heb. 13. b. and are accordingly to be resolved persons intrusted with the power of Bishops in particular Churches of Judaea and so members of the Councel at Jerusalem And so when 't is said that there were at Jerusalem Apostles and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Elders ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies not the Presbyters of Jerusalem but Bishops of Judaea and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of them are these two which are here Judas and Silas and that Elder or Bishop of the Church of Jerusalem mentioned Rev. 7. 14. who is said to interpret the vision to John there CHAP. XVI 1. THen came he to Derbe and Lystra and behold a certain disciple was there named Timotheus the son of a certain woman which was a Jewess and believed but his father was a Greek Paraphrase 1. His father was a Greek but his mother an Hebrew named Eunice and a Christian 2 Tim. 1. 5. He therefore a Gentile as appears both by his name which is Greek and by his not being circumcised the eighth day 2. Which was well reported of by the brethren which were at Lystra and Iconium Paraphrase 2. Who was a Christian approved of all in 3. Him would Paul have to goe forth with him and took and circumcised him because of the Jewes which were in those quarters for they knew all that his father was a Greek Paraphrase 3. Him Paul chose to goe and accompany and assist him in preaching which because the Jewish Christians would not let him doe the Proselytes of the gates or uncircumcised being not permitted to come into the same court of the Temple with the Jewes at least they would never hearken to or benefit by his preaching having a special aversion to such he therefore circumcised him his father being a Greek and consequently his not being circumcised in his childhood being known to all 4. And as they went through the cities they delivered them the decrees for to keep that were ordained of the Apostles and Elders which were at Jerusalem Paraphrase 4. which had assembled at Jerusalem in Councel ch 15. 5. And so were the Churches established in the faith and increased in number daily Paraphrase 5. And thus they confirmed the Churches and every day converted many to the faith of Christ 6. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia and were forbidden of the holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia Paraphrase 6. by a revelation such as was mention'd ver 9. see ch 18. 5. to preach 7. After they were come to Mysia they assayed to goe into Bithynia but the Spirit suffered them not Paraphrase 7. over against Mysia they purposed to passe by Bithynia but they received a revelation which forbad them 8. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas Paraphrase 8. And therefore not coming to v. 7. but passing by Mysia they 9. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night There stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying Come over into Macedonia and help us 10. And after he had seen the vision we endevoured to goe into Macedonia assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the Gospel unto them Paraphrase 10. upon discourse resolving from the vision 11. Therefore loosing from Troas we came with a streight course to Samothracia and the next day to Neapolis Paraphrase 11. had a very fair gale that brought us directly 12. And from thence to Philippi which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia and a colonie and we were in that city abiding certain daies Paraphrase 12. a metropolis of one part of Macedonia and this city a colony of the Romans v. 21. 13. And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side note a where prayer was wont to be made and we sate down and spake to the women which resorted thither Paraphrase 13. where by a river side there stood an oratory and thither we went and going in found many women together and to them Paul preached the Gospel 14. And a certain woman named Lydia a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira which worshipped God heard us whose heart the Lord opened that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul Paraphrase 14. a Proselyte of the Jewes was an auditor and by the grace of God she received the faith 15. And when she was baptized and her houshold she besought us saying If ye have judged me to be faithfull to the Lord come into my house and abide there And she constrained us Paraphrase 15. If ye believe my conversion to be sincere doe me the favour to 16. And it came to passe as we went to prayer a certain damosell possessed with a note b spirit of divination met us which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying Paraphrase 16. to the oratory see note a that a young maid that had a prophetick spirit by being possest by some devil Lev. 19. 31. which spake from within or out of the belly of her which had gained her masters a great deal by telling of strange things whether future or otherwise met us 17. The same followed Paul and us and cried saying These men are the servants of the most high God which shew unto us the way of salvation 18. And this did she many daies but Paul being grieved turned and said to the spirit I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her And he came out the same houre Paraphrase 18. that evil spirit that possest her 19. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gaines was gone they caught Paul and Silas and drew them into the market-place unto the rulers Paraphrase 19. the place of judicature 20. And brought them to the magistrates saying These men being Jewes doe exceedingly trouble our city 21. And teach customes which are not lawfull for us to receive neither to observe being Romans Paraphrase 20 21.
ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã So saith Clemens Romanus Ep. ad Cor. that the Apostles constituted Bishops ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã trying or approving them by the Spirit and Clemens Alexandrinus of S. John and the Bishops of Asia here that he did constitute Bishops ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of those that were signified by the Spirit And so this is the most probable notation of it in this place CHAP. XXI 1. AND it came to passe that after we were gotten from them and had launched we came with a straight course unto Coos and the day following unto Rhodes and from thence unto Patara Paraphrase 1. After this sad parting c. 20. 37. from the Bishops of Asia at Miletus c. 20. 17. we took ship and sailed prosperously without any incommodation 2. And finding a ship sailing over into Phoenicia we went aboard and set forth 3. Now when we had discovered Cyprus we left it on the left hand and sailed into Syria and landed at Tyre for there the ship was to unlade her burthen 4. And finding disciples we tarried there seven daies who said to Paul through the Spirit that he should not goe up to Jerusalem Paraphrase 4. And meeting there with some that had received the Gospel and were indued with gifts particularly that of prophecy see ch 20. 23 24. we staied with them a while at lyre and they by revelation told Paul that he would incurre much hazard by going up to Jerusalem and therefore advised him not to goe 5. And when we had accomplished those daies we departed and went away and they all brought us on our way with wives and children till we were out of the city and we kneeled down on the shore and prayed Paraphrase 5. But this moved not Paul see c. 23. 24. but we left that place all of them men women and children attending us out of the city and there on the sea shore we kneeded down and prayed at parting 6. And when we had taken leave one of another we took ship and they returned home again 7. And note a when we had finished our course from Tyre we came to Ptolemais and saluted the brethren and abode with them one day 8. And the next day we that were of Pauls company departed and came unto Caesarea and we entred into the house of Philip the Evangelist which was one of the seven and abode with him Paraphrase 8. Paul and the rest of us that accompanied him whereof Luke the writer of this book was one went from Ptolemais to Caesarea a haven town in Syria see note on c. 18. c. called Strato's tower but rebuilt by Herod and called Caesarea see note on Matth. 16. ãâã and went into the house of Philip he that being one of the seven Deacons was by the Apostles sent out to Samaria and ãâã places to preach the Gospel see note on Joh. 20. 21. and with him we made some stay 9. And the same man had four daughters virgins which did prophesie Paraphrase 9. had the gift of foretelling things to come 10. And as we tarryed there many days there came down from Judaea a certain Prophet named Agabus Paraphrase 10. See note on c. 15. e. 11. And when he was come unto us he took Pauls girdle and bound his own hands and feet and said Thus saith the holy Ghost So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that oweth this girdle and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles Paraphrase 11. after the manner of Prophets of old which often prophesied by syâbols or significant expreâs of what they foretold he took Pauls girdle and bound his hands and feet with it and said It hath been revealed to me by God that after this manner that I have bound my self with Pauls girdle so the Jews of Jerusalem shall bind Paul and deliver him to the Procurator of the Romans to be put to death 12. And when we heard these things both we and they of that place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem 13. Then Paul answered What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart for I am ready not to be bound onely but also to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus Paraphrase 13. Why do you by your compassionate sad disswasions trouble and grieve me who have nothing else to afflict or disturb me but your importunity against my taking this journey For of my self I am most heartily willing to suffer any thing bonds or death it self for the propagating of the Gospel of Christ or for the professing my constancy in it in despight of all persecutions 14. And when he would not be perswaded we ceased saying The will of the Lord be done 15. And after those daies we took up our carriages and went up to Jerusalem Paraphrase 15. laded mules with the goods which we had with us and took our journey from Caesarea 16. There went up with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus an old disciple with whom we should lodge Paraphrase 16. one who had formerly received the faith when Paul and Barnabas were at Cyprus c. 13. 4. who would gladly entertain us at our journeys end 17. And when we were come to Jerusalem the brethren received us gladly 18. And the day following Paul went in with us unto James and all the Elders were present Paraphrase 18. and we went to James the Bishop of Jerusalem see note on 1 Cor. 1â a. who with all the Bishops of Judaea see note on Phil. 1. b. were assembled together that they might in councel consider of S. Paul's businesse 19. And when he had saluted them he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministerie 20. And when they heard it they glorified the Lord and said unto him Thou seest brother how many thousands of Jewes there are which believe and they are all zealous of the Law Paraphrase 20. they blessed God for his wonderfull works wrought upon the heathen Idolaters by his preaching and after that began to tell him what at present would be prudent for him to doe not so much in respect of the unbelieving as the converted Jews of whom there were many myriads great multitudes in Judaea who though they had received the Gospel yet stuck close to the observances of the Mosaicall Law 21. And they are informed of thee that thou teachest all the Jewes which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses saying That they ought not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customes Paraphrase 21. These said they have heard it affirm'd of thee that not only according to the decrees of our councel thou permittest the Gentile-converts to remain uncircumcised but also that those Jewes that are dispersed in Asia and elswhere whom thou hast converted to the faith thou perswadest them that they may leave off circumcision and the other ceremonies of Moses Law 22. What is it therefore
ãâã ãâã ãâã their heads were cut off A privilege which belongs to such in stead of more ignominious punishments So Josephus the Historian born at Jerusalem of the sacerdotal family ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of priests and himself a priest saith Photius Ep. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã had the privilege of a Romane and was called by a Romane name Flavius the praenomen of the Emperour Vespasian CHAP. XXIII 1. AND Paul earnestly beholding the councell said Men and brethren I have lived in all good conscience before God untill this day Paraphrase 1. I have all my life long both when I was a propugner of the Mosaical Law against Christ's reformation and since I have been a preacher of the Gospel acted sincerely and uprightly according to my conscience and consecrated my life to Gods service 2. And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by to smite him on the mouth Paraphrase 2. And Ananias the chief person among the Jewes see note on Lu. 3. c. 3. Then said Paul unto him God shall smite thee thou whited wall for sittest thou to judge me after the law and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law Paraphrase 3. God will punish thee by way of retaliation deale with thee as thou hast done with me thou hypocrite Dost thou sit like a Magistrate or distributer of legall justice and dost thou break the law thy self and command me to be punish'd before thou hast heard the cause see c. 22. 25. 4. And they that stood by said Revilest thou Gods high priest Paraphrase 4. Dost thou speak such contumelious words to him who is the high priest of Gods appointment a sacred person and under God the chief Magistrate among the Jewes 5. Then said Paul I wist not brethren that he was the high priest for it is written Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people Paraphrase 5. I did not know that to be true which thou tellest me that Ananias was an high priest of Gods appointment that he was not so nor yet the high priest put in by the Roman Procurator at this time see note on Lu. 3. c. however knowing him to be a person in authority placed in a judicature as Paul confesseth v. 3. I acknowledge I did amisse and am sorry I did revile him for that is unlawfull by that place of Scripture Exod. 22. 28. 6. But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees he cried out in the councel Men and brethren I am a Pharisee the son of a Pharisee of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question Paraphrase 6. And Paul discerning the Sanhedrim to consist partly of Pharisees who believe another life after this partly of Sadducees that doe not said aloud I am as my father was of the sect of the Pharisees and the main thing that I am question'd for is my believing that there is another life after this which is a pure Pharisaical doctrine which all of that sect hold as well as I. 7. And when he had so said there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the multitude was divided 8. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection neither Angel nor Spirit but the Pharisees confesse both Paraphrase 8. no life after this no immortal Spirit nor soul of man subsisting without a body 9. And there arose a great cry and the Scribes that were of the Pharisees part arose and strove saying We find no evil in this man but if note a a Spirit or an Angel hath spoken to him let us not fight against God Paraphrase 9. Doctors of the Law which were generally of the Pharisees opinion took his part and profest to think he had done nothing amisse and that 't was possible that he had received some infusion or incitation from Gods Spirit or else some voice from heaven or vision by an Angel and if he had 't would not become them to resist his doctrine lest if that were truly revealed to him by God they should fight against God himself 10. And when there arose a great dissension the chief captain fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them commanded the souldiers to goe down and to take him by force from among them and to bring him into the castle Paraphrase 10. to goe to him at the barre where he was as a prisoner answering for himself 11. And the night following the Lord stood by him and said Be of good cheer Paul for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem so must thou bear witnesse also at Rome Paraphrase 11. Paul saw a vision again and God appeared to stand by him and encourage him telling him that he should now receive no farther harm there but as he had defended and avowed the faith of Christ there at Jerusalem so he should live to doe at Rome also 12. And when it was day certain of the Jewes banded together and bound themselves under a curse saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul Paraphrase 12. And he had soon a notable testimony of the virtue of Gods protection over him promised him in that vision for early in the very next morning 13. And they were more then fourty which had made this conspiracy Paraphrase 13. thus bound themselves by oath and execration on themselves 14. And they came to the chief priests and elders and said We have bound our selves under a great curse that we will eat nothing untill we have slain Paul Paraphrase 14. And they came to the Sanhedrim and told some of them what they had resolved on 15. Now therefore ye with the councell signifie unto the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow as though you would enquire something more perfectly concerning him and we or ever he come neer are ready to kill him Paraphrase 15. And therefore desired that the whole Sanhedrim would signifie their desire to the Colonel that he would on the morrow bring Paul down to them to examine him upon some interrogatories And said they by the way before he come neer the Councel-house we will lie in ambush and be sure to kill him 16. And when Paul's sister's son heard of their laying in wait he went and entered into the castle and told Paul 17. Then Paul called one of the Centurions unto him and said Bring this young man unto the chief captain for he hath a certain thing to tell him Paraphrase 17. Captains of the guard and desired him to conduct that young man to the Colonel to deliver a message to him 18. So he took him and brought him to the chief captain and said Paul the prisoner called me unto him and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee who hath something to say unto thee 19. Then the chief captain took him by the hand and went with him aside privately and asked him
men lived and went on in sinne and hostility against him were pleased to have such favourable thoughts toward them see note on Mat. 5. m. if by the satisfaction wrought for our sins by Christ we were then thus farre restored to his favour that he was pleased to propose unto us free and easie conditions of mercy in the Gospell if he then used us so friendly as not to praeclude the way of salvation but called us to repentance with promise of pardon for all past sinnes upon our coming penitently in unto him much more easie will it be and agreeable to that former essay of his goodness to us now after he hath gone so farre with us to rescue us out of the power and danger of our sins by his rising from the dead c. 4. 25. and sending that Spirit by which he was raised to raise us up to a new life And this also as far as concerns Gods part is wrought for us 11. And not onely so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement Paraphrase 11. And yet this is not all but having received these benefits of reconciliation and promises of future salvation if we be not wanting to our selves we have now ground even of the greatest joy and confidence and dependence on God in all that can befall us in this life see v. 3. through this same Christ Jesus who having made peace between God and us and tendred us such easie conditions of mercy now under the Gospell hath also given us a title to all consequent acts of friendship and kindnesse which can be received from God so that all that now befalls us being for our good is consequently matter of rejoycing to us 12. note b Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sinne and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Paraphrase 12. From all which the conclusion is that as by Adam's disobedience to that Law given to him under the penalty of death that is by eating the forbidden fruit sin came into the world and death or mortality by sinne and being come in seized not onely on Adam to whom 't was particularly and expressely threatned In the day that thou eatest thou shalt die the death but upon all meer men also that were after born because all were sinners that is born after the image and likeness of Adam that was now a sinner and had begotten no childe in his innocence 13. For untill the Law sinne was in the world but sinne is not imputed when there is no Law 14. Neverthelesse death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression who is the figure of him that was to come Paraphrase 13 14. For after Adam's time before Moses or the time of giving the Law men sinned and though it be true that sinne is not charged to punishment but when there is a Law to forbid it expresly under that penalty and therefore it might be thought that sinne without the Law would not bring in death into the world yet by the parity of reason all men being Adam's posterity and begotten after the image or similitude of a sinfull parent v. 12. and God being supposed to rule the world still after the manner that he had first explicitely revealed that death that was once come in did lay hold on all that posterity of Adam from that time till Moses when the Law was given and death again denounced expresly though they sinned not against a Law promulgated under that penalty or in that high presumptuous degree that Adam did In which thing Adam is in the comparison the opposite member to Christ the Messias to come for as death which was the punishment of Adam's sin past on all men begotten after the similitude of sinfull Adam though they committed not that particular sin of eating the apple against which the death was expresly decreed and threatned that is though they sinnd not so presumptuously against a Law promulgated under that penalty so justification and eternal life belongeth not only to those who were as Christ perfectly just who have never lived in sinne but cometh upon all others who having not obeyed after the likenesse of Christ doe yet return unto him by faith and repentance and then for the future obey sincerely though not exactly and so in some manner and degree resemble Christ as children doe parents and as mankind did Adam 15. But not as the offence so also is the free gift for if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many Paraphrase 15. In this place there ought to be in ordinary manner of writing another member of the period answerable to the beginning of it v. 12. the 13th and 14th verses being certainly to be read as in a parenthesis after this manner For as c. So c. But the Apostle having insisted on the first part of the comparison thus farre and finding that the grace in Christ rose much higher then the condemnation in Adam he is fain to forsake that comparison and to rise above a comparison and conclude not with a So but with a Not onely so but much more thus The gift communicated from Christ to believers is farre greater then the punishment communicated from Adam to his posterity as sinners for as they were begotten after the similitude of laps'd Adam and so were all sinners as well as Adam so probably were they as great sinners in other kinds as Adam was in that but these to whom the mercy in Christ belongs are not righteous in such a degree as well as Christ 16. And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences unto justification Paraphrase 16. And as in respect of the likenesse the advantage is on Christ's side of the comparison believers being not so like Christ in degree of holinesse as they were like Adam in degree of ãâã so again for the sinne for which Christ wrought atonement the advantage is great again on Christ's side above Adams ãâã not only as by Adam so by Christ but the benefit farre exceeded the hurt for indeed the charge or enditement see note on ch 3. b. and consequently the sentence that was on occasion of one sinne did naturally and by the same reason belong to the condemnation of all others that were born after his image sinners as well as he but the gift that was brought in by Christ pardon for all new creatures was upon occasion of many sinnes and to the justifying of those that were not righteous as Christ no nor as Adam but had been guilty of more then one even of many sinnes And this makes the
which subjects and binds the wife to the husband for of such a law it will be truly said that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it is in validity or force over the man meaning the subject as long as he that is the owner or the Lord liveth That this is the true sense and aime of the words is unquestionable and the latter way of expressing it seems to be the most commodious and easie though the former may possibly be it by an easie and ordinary ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and then ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the law of the man will be a fit phrase to signifie any such law wherein mens interests are concerned Municipall or humane laws which are in force till they be abolished legally V. 4. Dead to the Law That ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã you are dead to the Law signifies the Laws being dead to them being abolished having no power over them hath been said Note a. and may farther appear by v. 6. where the ground of their freedome from the Law is express'd by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that being dead by which we were held where the law being by an ordinary prosopoeia as when sin is said to reigne c. 6. 12. used for a person is said to be dead and to be nail'd to Christs crosse Col. 2. 14. and so under the fiction of a person is more fitly answerable to the Husband whose death frees the Wife from all obligation to him that she may lawfully marry and subject herself to any other and so in like manner may Jewes to Christ upon the abolition of their Law As for the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by the body of Christ by which the Judaical Law is abolished that sure notes the crucified body the death of Christ and is accordingly express'd in this very matter Ephes 2. both by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by his flesh v. 15. and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by the crosse ver 16. and so Col. 2. 14. by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã nailing to the crosse V. 5. Were in the flesh That ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã when we were in the flesh signifies the Judaical state under the Law appears by the whole discourse in this chapter which is of the state of men considered under the Law see Note d. and particularly by the opposition here betwixt this and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã we are freed from the Law For so 't is manifest the opposition stands For when we were in the flesh But now we are freed from the Law And it is thus styled in opposition to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being in the spirit used for them that have received the Gospel and are partakers of the grace which is afforded there to which that they have not attained but are only under the Paedagogie of the Law they are only in the flesh have no other but that weak and corrupt principle of their own nature which is so prone to carnality abiding in them And thus it is used c. 8. 8. They that are in the flesh cannot please God but you are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be the spirit of God dwelleth in you that is if as ye are outwardly professors of the faith baptized Christians so ye are sincerely so such as in whom the holy Spirit of God may vouchsafe to inhabit which will not abide when unrighteousnesse cometh in And accordingly Christianity is call'd the law of the Spirit of life ch 8. 2. and here v. 6. the newness of the Spirit in opposition to the oldness of the letter the Mosaical Law And a peculiar propriety there is in this phrase for this matter in many respects First in respect of the nature of the Mosaical precepts which were external Washings Circumcision bodily rests c. all which are seated in the flesh and so proportionably carnal promises and threats whereas the precepts of Christ go deeper to the mind and spirit require the purity of that and accordingly are back'd with spiritual promises and terrors Secondly in respect of the assistance that Christ affords toward his obedience by giving of his spirit to assist if it be not grieved and resisted our spirits in opposition to which the state under the Law having none of that strength joyned with it may justly be called the being in the flesh To which may be added that one eminent effect of the Spirits descending was the commissionating of the Apostles for their office of preaching to the Gentile world remission of sinnes upon Repentance and in opposition to that the Law allowing no place for repentance for any presumptuous sin but inflicting present punishment on the offender that state may be fitly styled being in the flesh Mean while as there is a difference betwixt the weakness of the natural estate considered without any other aid then what the Law affordeth and the sinfulnesse of carnal acts and habits continued and indulged to and on the other side betwixt the state of a baptized Christian afforded the grace and strength of Christ and of him that makes use of that grace and leads a pure Christian life so the being ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the flesh differs from living or walking ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã after or according to the flesh and on the other side being in the Spirit or being in Christ from walking after the Spirit All which phrases are to be met with here and in the next chapter Here and ch 8. 9. we have being in the flesh and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they that are after the flesh v. 5. that is under the Law not elevated above the flesh or rescued out of the power of it by Christ and c. 8. 1. walking after the flesh and so v. 4. and 12. all in the same sense for going on in a carnal course obeying and following the flesh in the lusts thereof And so c. 8. 9. being in the Spirit or having the Spirit of Christ and being in Christ Jesus v. 2. all to the same sense of having the Spirit of Christ bestowed on us which as it enableth so it obligeth us to walk and lead a Christian life and if we doe so then that is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã walking after the Spirit v. 1 and 4. All which must thus nicely be distinguished or else they will be apt to betray to some mistake V. 7. I had not known It is an ordinary figure to speak of other men in the first person but most frequent in blaming or noting any fault in others for then by the putting it in this disguise fastning it on ones own person it is more likely to be well taken by them to whom it belongs So saith S. Chrysostome of this Apostle ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã when he mentions things that are any way grievous or likely to be ill taken he doth it in his own person And S. Hierome on Daniel Peccata populi enumerat personâ suâ quod Apostolum in Epistola ad Romanos facere
more liberall bands the cords of a man the bands of love ingenuous commands such as of our selves we cannot but judge best to be done and most agreeable to our reasonable natures and to them added as to children the promise of an eternal inheritance upon our obeying of him and for the punishments now left in his Church they are not those servile of stoning and the like but paternal such as toward children removing them from the Table of the Lord by such fatherly discipline frownes and chastisements to reforme them see Theophylact. And so his dealing with us is as with children adopted and received into the family paternal and gracious by which we are allow'd to come unto God as to a father to expect all fatherly usage from him grace and assistance to doe what he now commands us to doe and the reward of eternall blisse able infinitely to outweigh all the carnal pleasures and delights of sin that can solicite us to the contrary And so this is infinitely an happier condition then that servile condition of the Jewes of being bound to doe things which had no goodnesse in them but as they were commanded and had no promise of heaven upon the performing them but punishments upon the non-performance 16. The Spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God Paraphrase 16. And this condition and manner of God's dealing with us under the Gospel see Lu. 9. Note d. is on God's part a sure evidence to our consciences if our filial obedience and being wrought on by these means be the like evidence on our parts that we are more then servants which was the highest that that kind of legall obedience could pretend to even sons of God 17. And if children then heirs heirs of God and joynt-heires with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together Paraphrase 17. And if sons then according to the customes of all nations see note c. heirs of heaven heirs indeed of God the Father and coheirs with Christ coming to the inheritance after the same manner that Christ did to wit by sufferings v. 29. which are proper for sons also to suffer first with Christ and then to reigne with him 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Paraphrase 18. And when I mention sufferings which as filial chastisements must be expected by us from our father the sufferings which at this time lie upon us Christians I must not be thought to look upon them with any sadnesse even in respect of this present life for whatever our sufferings are the deliverance is likely to be so much the more eminent and illustrious and glorious toward us that firmly adhere to Christ perhaps in this life in rescuing us while the Jewes that persecute us and all others that joyn with them are destroyed but most certainly in another that our sufferings will not be thought to bear any the slightest proportion with them 19. For the earnest expectation of the note e creature note f waiteth for the note g manifestation of the sons of God Paraphrase 19. For all the Gentile world are now attending or waiting as it were to see what you Jewes will doe who of you be true sons of God who not that is who will now accept and embrace the faith of Christ who will not their happinesse depending punctually upon the issue of this 20. For the creature was note h made subject to note i vanity not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope Paraphrase 20. For the heathen world hath for these many years been for the generality of them enslaved to Satan and by him to that wretched miserable estate of ignorance and Idolatry and all those vain and unclean bestiall worships and so as many as have gone on in those vile courses have been involved also under that desperate impossibility as to the eye of man of recovering to the least degree of bliss And all this not absolutely willingly or upon their own free choice but by the devils imposing it on them as an act of religion a concomitant and effect of their Idol-worships see note g. in which he commanded all these villanies This makes it reasonable to suppose of these heathens that they are willing to be rescued from lving any longer under these slaveries and the Gospell was the onely means to do that Thus much of the verse seemes to be best put in a parenthesis that so that which follows may connect the 19. with the 20. verse thus The creature attends the revelation of the Sons of God In hope 21. Because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of note k corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God Paraphrase 21. That they also the very heathens shall by the Gospell and the grace of Christ be rescued from those courses of sinne to which they have been so long inslaved into that glorious condition not onely of free men redeem'd by Christ out of that bondage to Satan to live and amend their lives but even of Sonnes of God to have right to his favour and that immarcessible inheritance attending it 22. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together untill now Paraphrase 22. For this is visible enough every where in our preaching that the Gentiles are very forward to receive the Gospell when they hear it while ye Jewes generally reject it and so the Gentile world is as it were in pangs of travaile ever since Christ's time till now ready to bring forth the sons of God the true children of faithfull Abraham when the Apostles who must midwife out this birth shall but preach unto them Act. 28. 28. 23. And not onely they but our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for note l adoption to wit the note m redemption of our body Paraphrase 23. And as the Gentile world do earnestly expect this discovery v. 19. who of you Jewes will receive Christ who not that they may reap their advantage by it have the Gospell freely preached to them so they that have received the faith that are already converted and so have not that want of the preaching or revealing of it have yet another advantage of this revelation viz. to have their persecutions at an end which shall be according to Christ's promise as soon as Christ hath been preached over all the Cities of Jewry Mat. 10. 23. and so even we our selves waite for this season and groan in the mean while under the persecutions expecting one kinde of adoption deliverance from servitude and oppressions the rescuing our outward man out of the afflictions which encompass us at the present see v. 18. and deliverance from which 't is
and denotes those lawes which God had given to the Jewes beside the Moral Law or law of Nature to all the peculiar ordinances of Circumcision c. So Heb. 9. 1. The first covenant had ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ordinances ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã saith Theophylact types institutions lawes as also ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã worships and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã meaning the Tabernacle all which were peculiar to the first covenant the Mosaical oeconomy so Luk. 1. 6. where to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the commandements or Moral Law is subjoyned ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ordinances or Jewish observances And so here ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is the ordinances of the Law or statute-law as it were as that of Circumcision c. which being designed by God to teach them abstinence from all impurity but not so made use of by the carnal Jewes is said here to be perfected and compleated by Christ by his plain precepts of inward purity By this perhaps may be explained Rev. 19. 8. where of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã fine linen pure and white it is affirmed that it is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which may be rendred the ordinances of the sanctuary for so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies Heb. 9. 2 8. that is the garment that the Priest when he entred into the Sanctuary was to wear by the Levitical Law See Note on Rev. 19. a. V. 15. Cry Abba Father The phrase ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã may perhaps best be rendred crying Abba that is Father so as the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã be the Neuter not Masculine gender and the abbreviate of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is by interpretation or which is If that be not it both here and Gal. 4. 6. then as Mar. 14. 36. when it is used by Christ who spake Syriack 't is certain that it was but the same word twice repeated so must it be here and no more then a form of compellation wherein a son expresseth his confidence and dependence on his fathers kindnesse and goodnesse to him or else a form of petitioning as in Christ it was Abba Father all things are possible to thee remove this cup from me And so it signifies no more then to look upon God as children on a father as on one that means all good to us if we be not wanting to our selves referring to his rich Evangelical promises in opposition to the more servile affections of the Jewes which performed those external obediences onely that were commanded under penalties but had no care of purity and uprightness of actions as slaves and not as sons That this should be taken from a Roman form of haeredipetae suing to a rich man for his inheritance is but a fancy sufficiently confuted by this that the crying Abba here supposes having received the Spirit of adoption and doth not prepare for it And so Gal. 4. Because ye are not that ye may be sons God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father where first they are sons and have the Spirit of Christ in their hearts that filial spirit and because they are such God hath sent c. As for that that follows And if sons then heires that is not peculiar to the Romans neither for though among them the children of both sexes were admitted to inherit but among the Jewes the females were not admitted save in defect of males yet speaking here of sons he may very fitly referre to sons among the Jewes and from the law of their inheriting the fathers goods conclude of all children of God and not only of males for that difference is not at all considered here that they shall doe so too that is be heirs also Besides it was a law among the Jewes as well as the Romans that adopted sons in respect of inheriting were equall with naturall and that is the thing that is chiefly here meant by If sons then heirs that is this adoption into sonship is as sure to bring us the inheritance as if we were the natural sons of God V. 19. Creature The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the creation or creature being a general word without a restraint and likewise with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã all joyned to it v. 22. is here set to comprehend all mankind the Gentiles as well as the Jewes and having before spoken of the Jewes here the Gentiles peculiarly Thus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã are all one the creature and the world and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã all the creation as the same is express'd here v. 22. and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã all the world Mar. 16. 15. which is in S. Matthew in the parallel place Mat. 28. 19. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã all nations and so Col. 1. 15. and so also ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the world simply as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã creature here for the heathen world 2 Pet. 1. 4. and elsewhere So ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a new creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. is all one with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the new man Eph. 4. 24. All by Hebrew idiom wherein ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã creature signifies man among their Rabbins as when they say of God ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he shall come to judge the creatures that is men And that this is the meaning of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 1 Pet. 2. 13. every humane creature that is the heathens peculiarly as farre as the Relative ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã subjection will extend it that is to all heathen magistrates in authority over them which is the importance of all v. 17. not all men absolutely but all superiors as it followes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã will appear 1. by the doctrine which he is there confuting that of the Gnosticks which taught liberty and manumission of Christian servants from heathen masters and proportionably of Christian subjects from heathen Kings and 2 dly by the particularity of his care v. 12. that their conversation should be good among the Gentiles that they might not speak ill of them as of evil doers which they would be most apt to doe in case they should withdraw their obedience from their lawfull Princes as soon as they were become Christians and 3 dly by the use of the phrase ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã all men in the same sense for the Gentiles among whom they lived Rom. 12. 17 18. with whom they are there required to live peaceably and to doe nothing but what might be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã good before them From which generall precept the Apostle there immediately proceeds to the same particular which is the matter of S. Peter's command obedience to the supreme power then heathen ch 13. 1. see Note on Col. 1. 6. Ib. Waiteth What is here said of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the expectation of the creature that is of the Gentile world must be understood according to the sacred
and so what they did in that kind they did not willingly as 't is here said but in obedience to this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is the Devil that had gotten such authority among them and kept them in this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã slavery or servitude of corruption doing it in obedience to his commands Thus doth Eusebius l. 4. c. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã tell us of Carpocrates that it was his avow'd doctrine that there was no other way of escaping or appeasing the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã worldly princes as they called them but by paying them their dues by all their ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã unnatural filthinesse And we know 't was most ordinary among the heathen to have sacrificing of men and devoting them prescribed ad pacanda numina to appease those false gods Thus are men said to be caught and held in the snare of the Devill and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã taken alive or captive by him 2 Tim. 2. 26. which concludes them in the state of slaves and servants forever after till by repentance and reformation they get out of it And there is no circumstance in the whole Context that renders this improbable to be the meaning of it but on the contrary this subjection from whence they hope to be delivered is opposed to that freedome which Christ gives and that is from the hands of enemies Luk. 1. 74. that is from Satan c. who may therefore be resolved to be the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he that subjected them That which hath enclined interpreters to apply it to God is first the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in hope which followes it being not imaginable that the Devill should subject them thus in hope c. But that seems to be a mistake the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in hope belonging to the end of the former verse ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã waites in hope all the rest of the 20 th v. being read in a parenthesis as the reason of their waiting v. 19. Secondly the resolving that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã creature signifies the other creatures of God beside man but that hath been shewed to be a mistake also Noted Ib. Vanity ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã vanity hath a double notion one as it referres to the heathen Idols which being ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã nothings are called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã vaine or vanities Act. 14. 14. and so vanity here is all their ignorant filthy Idol-worship and so 't is Eph. 4. 17. where he warneth them not to walk as the rest of the Gentiles do in the vanity of their own minde and so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they grew vain Rom. 1. 21. and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã vaine by nature in the Book of Wisdome speaking of that popular custome of Idolatry that had generally over-run them all and so 2 Pet. 2. 18. Another notion of the word there is as it is rendred by Hesychius ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã wretched miserable And both these may seem to be here put together as the course of the Gentiles was an idolatrous villanous and withall an unhappy wretched course to which the Devill had brought them and God in his just judgements had delivered them up for their despising the light of nature of which some of them were so sensible viz. those that by study of Philosophy or travail into Aegypt where they might hear of the worship of the true God came to any knowledge of the truth that they express'd their dislike of their own wayes and their desires to be rid of these so great burthens that thus press'd down their Soules Thus did Porphyrie and others lament the impurities of their natures which they found within themselves and set up a speciall project and pursuit of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã purgatives and when other helps failed made use of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã magick and sorcery to that end consulted with the Devill to help to make them pure and this as discerning this want of purity to be utterly destructive of that true happiness which as rationall creatures they could not but seek after And in this respect it is that here 't is said of these heathens that they were thus subjected not willingly but through Satan's malice and God's just judgements upon them and yet had some kinde of dark hope that they should have some means allow'd of rescuing them and so did in a manner expect Christ and waite for a reversion of the Gospell when the Jewes had done with it and so as 't is observable in the Acts when he was preach'd unto them and the Jewes together did more readily and universally receive him then the Jewes did V. 21. Corruption ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies sometimes those abominable unnaturall uncleannesses which the Gentiles were guilty of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 2 Pet. 1. 4. the corruption through lust which was in the world the unnaturall lusts among the Gentiles and Gnosticks So again 2 Pet. 2. 12. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã made to corrupt or good for nothing but to corrupt others an expression of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã unnaturall irrationall creatures and again in the end of the verse ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in their corruption which what it signifies may be guess'd by the luxury and licentiousness that followes v. 13. and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã living luxuriously in their deceits or hereticall Gnostick practices so again ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã v. 19. servants of corruption answerable to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here the servitude of corruption in the same sense clearly and this very agreeable to Deut. 4. 16. lest you corrupt your selves c. So Wisd 14. 12. having said that the devising of Idols is the beginning of fornication he adds that the invention of them is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the corrupting of life And in Philo de special leg praec 7. we have ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã corruption fornication adultery severall branches of sinne against that law See Note on 2 Pet. 1. b. and c. 2. b. and Col. 2. h. V. 23. Adoption ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã adoption signifies the assuming those into the number of children which are not so naturally In the 15. v. it is set opposite to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã servitude and v. 21. it is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the liberty of the sonnes of God for they that are adopted if they were servants before are made free men and sonnes together and so here it may signifie the change of state from servitude to son-ship and because it is spoken of in this verse as a thing not yet had but expected by Saint Paul and such as he those that had the first-fruits of the spirit that is had received the Gospell and believed in Christ and so were already Sonnes of God received into his family by adoption therefore it must here be taken in some other notion different from that which is
by his Spirit which knowes all the secrets of God as perfectly as our own spirit knowes our secrets 11. For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Paraphrase 11. For as among men the thoughts and great concernments and designes of a man though none else knoweth them yet his own spirit doth so these divine matters though none else can reveal them to us yet his Spirit can 12. Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God Paraphrase 12. And this is that Spirit which we have received the very Spirit of God not the Spirit which suggests worldly things to us that instructs us in those to the end that we may reveal to you the infinite mercies of God toward you which being bestowed on you should not in any reason be concealed from you 13. Which things also we speak not in the words which man's wisdome teacheth but which the holy Ghost teacheth comparing spirituall things with spirituall Paraphrase 13. And as the matter of our preaching is divine and such as was kept secret in God till his Spirit revealed it to us so we proportionably preach it to you not in an humane but divine manner not by using ordinary humane means of perswasion but by such arguments as the Spirit of God in the prophecies of the old Bible and in his descent upon Christ Mat. 3. and by coming down upon his Apostles hath directed adapting spirituall divine arguments to the proving of divine matters 14. But the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Paraphrase 14. But such things as these they that are led onely by the light of humane reason the learned Philosophers c. doe absolutely despise and so hearken not after the doctrine of the Gospel see note on 1 Tim. 1. c. for it seems folly to them c. 1. 23. nor can they by any study of their own come to the knowledge of them for they are onely to be had by understanding the prophecies of scripture and other such means which depend on divine revelation the voice from heaven descent of the holy Ghost miracles c. 15. But he that is spirituall judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no man Paraphrase 15. But he that hath made use of all these afforded him by the Spirit of God viz. prophecies and voices from heaven and such other evidences of divine revelation v. 13. he will be able to understand all these secrets perfectly and being not himself perswaded by any other arguments but onely by those that he hath thus received from the Spirit of God he cannot reasonably be refuted by any other sort of arguments taken from humane reason or worldly wisdome 16. note b For who hath known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him But we have the mind of Christ Paraphrase 16. For who can be imagined to know more of God's mind then he doth who is informed by the Spirit that so he should teach him God's mind Certainly no body And consequently no body can teach you more of the truth of God then we to whom Christ hath revealed his whole will as farre as concerns any man to know have or are able to doe Annotations on Chap. II. V. 4. Demonstration of the Spirit and power That ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã spirit and power may here signifie the same thing as 't is ordinary for two words or phrases to be conjoyn'd the one onely to explain the other may seem probable from the next verse where one onely of them is mention'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the power of God But there is no necessity that we should so interpret it because the power of God in the fifth verse being set opposite to the wisdome of men that is the humane waies of perswasion or eloquence must signifie Gods powerfull waies of perswading the belief of the Gospel and signifying so will contain under it the Spirit and power with the severall notions that may well belong to them as first taking the spirit for the prophecies of the old Bible inspired by the Spirit of God and Power for the miracles done by Christ Thus hath Origen express'd the meaning of them the demonstration of the Spirit that is saith he ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the prophecies which were sufficient to give the reader assurance of the truth of the things that belong to Christ And of power that is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the miraculous stupendious actions of which the footsteps yet remainâ Cont. Cels p. 5. But beside this notion of the Spirit some others it is very capable of as 1. that it signifie the descent of the Spirit of God on Christ joyned with that voice from heaven Mat. 3. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased and after This is my beloved son hear him This may here fitly be called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the demonstration of the Spirit an evidence afforded by God immediatly from heaven of the truth of the Gospel which being joyned with the power of Christ both in respect of his doctrine and his miracles were two heads most fit to be insisted on by S. Paul for the confirming the truth of the Gospel But it may yet farther be applied not to Christ personally but to the Apostles after him and then the Spirit will be the descent of the Spirit upon them and by their imposition of hands the holy Ghosts coming down upon others also Act. 8. 18. and this together with their power of doing miracles may well be their ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or demonstration of the truth of the Gospel and be the thing that is meant here V. 16. For who hath known the That this is a citation from Isa 40. 13. there is no question as also that the first words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for who hath known the mind of the Lord are set down after this Apostles manner out of the Septuagint Now the same Apostle citeth that place again Rom. 11. 34. and there in the latter part also sets down the Septuagints words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and who hath been his counsellour which words being not here read but to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã these other immediately subjoyned ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã who shall instruct him there will be no reason to think these latter words to be another rendring of that second part of the verse in Ifaiah For when the Septuagint had translated it truly out of the Hebrew why should the Apostle who constantly useth the Septuagints translation and that sometimes when that varies from the Hebrew here use a new rendring
are guilty of them nor of any other injustice shall without reformation ever be capable of inheriting the crown which is by Christ promised to Christians 11. And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God Paraphrase 11. And such sins as these were ordinary among you in time of your heathen state but now you have given up your names to Christianity which denounceth judgement against all these your baptism is a renouncing of them all your sanctification by the Spirit directly contrary to it your justification by what Christ hath suffered and done for you see note on Mat. 7. b. utterly incompatible with such impurities and injustices spoken of either in the last or this chapter 12. All things are lawfull unto me but all things are not expedient all things are lawfull for me but I will not be brought under the power of any Paraphrase 12. And whereas your teachers to allure you to sensuall practices tell you first that all meat is freely to be eaten and so sooth you up in luxury and then proceed and perswade you that use of venery is as necessary for your bodies and so as lawfull as eating of meat is I shall tell you first that supposing them lawfull yet it will befit a Christian to abstain from many things that are not utterly unlawfull and secondly that if indifferent things begin to get a dominion over any ãâã men upon conceit that meats are lawfull come to be enslaved to their bellies as of the Gnosticks 't is affirmed that they serve their bellies and that they are lovers of pleasures more then of God this is then absolutely unlawfull 13. Meats for the belly and the belly for meats but God shall destroy both it and them Now the body is not for fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the body Paraphrase 13. 'T is true that meats are by God and nature appointed for the use of men and that the body of man here in this life hath absolute necessity of them And yet to take off our hearts from them we may also consider that in the next life which is a spirituall life this eating and desiring of meat shall be taken away and therefore even here we should keep the flesh in such a subordination to the spirit that we may be able to deny our selves even lawfull pleasures sometimes especially when any occasion makes it more expedient v. 12. But then for fornication whatsoever your former heathen principles or present false teachers the Gnosticks teach you that is no such lawfull or indifferent thing your bodies are to be consecrated to God either in lawfull wedlock or in chaste single life and by being kept pure here must be made capable of rising to everlasting life with Christ hereafter v. 14. 14. And God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power Paraphrase 14. And then God that raised up Christ's pure sinlesse body out of the grave and hath made it a spirituall body shall also doe the same for us though we lye down in the grave also 15. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Paraphrase 15. And this one consideration may have force on you Your bodies expect to rise with Christ as members with the head ye must not then in any reason pollute a member of Christ a devoted consecrated person by such unclean embraces 16. What know ye not that he which is joyned to an harlot is one body for two saith he shall be one flesh Paraphrase 16. That which was said at the institution of marriage in paradise that the man and the wife become one body concludes that the fornicator makes himself one body with a whore 17. But he that is joyned unto the Lord is one spirit Paraphrase 17. As on the other side he that keeps close to Christ's commandements and so cleaves to him Deut. 10. 20. hath a spirituall union with him minds the same things that he minds and so is very farre from these carnall base joyes in which all the Gnosticks religion consists 18. Flee fornication Every sin that a man doth is without the body but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body Paraphrase 18. Be sure therefore that ye keep your selves farre removed from that sinne Most other sins are committed against God or the neighbour but sinnes of uncleannesse are against one's selfe a defiling of his flesh a polluting of that which by chastity and single life is set apart to be a temple of God a place of sanctity and purity v. 29. 19. What know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own Paraphrase 19. Your bodies are by your being Christians consecrated to the service of his Spirit and the Governours of the Church of which sort the incestuous person is thought to be see c. 5. 2. set apart in all purity to discharge that function to which they are consecrated by receiving the holy Ghost This benefit of the Spirit ye have received from God and it is an engagement to you to think your own bodies are not now at your own disposall to use them as you please as in your state of Gentilisme or without that engagement ye might be tempted to imagine 20. For ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are God's Paraphrase 20. For God hath pai'd dear for the purchase of you hath given his sonne out of his bosome and his very Spirit to this purpose to purchase unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works by this price making purchase of our bodies as well as our soules and so engaging us to serve and glorifie him in both and not leaving either of them at liberty for us to dispose of as we please V. 2. To judge That the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies not matters but places of judicature appears by Hesychius ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and authors and Glossaryes generally and so in the sacred style Susan 49. where we read the place of judgement So Judg. 5. 10. sit in judgement and Dan. 7. 10. the Judgement was set that is the Court of Judges And Jam. 2. 6. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã are distinctly and necessarily rendred Judgement-seats And so here the Arabick interpreter renders it by words which are thus in Latine Subsellia Judicii ad mundum pertinentis seates of judgement belonging to the world V. 7. A fault The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is used Rom. 11. 12. and is opposed to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã fulnesse noting there the great paucity of the Jewish converts to
giving sound whether pipe or harpe except they give a distinction in the sounds how shall it be known what is piped or harped Paraphrase 7. This you may discern by an ordinary similitude for when sounds are made by instruments unlesse those sounds are set to some tune no man can tell what to make of it 8. For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself to the battail Paraphrase 8. And particulârly the trumpet which is used to sound alarmes doth so by a particular distinct sound and if that be not sounded no man that hears a trumpet will think himself bound to make ready 9. So likewise you except ye utter by the tongue words easie to be understood how shall it be known what is spoken for ye shall speak into the aire Paraphrase 9. So if you that have the gift of strange languages doe not by that means speak that which the Auditors may understand for to that end sure were those languages given that you might speak to every one in his own language Act. 2. 6. how shall any man be the better for your languages your words shall be poured out into the aire unprofitably 10. There are it may be so many kindes of voices in the world and none of them are without signification Paraphrase 10. There are for example seventy languages and every nation speaks some or other and understands that but ordinarily no other 11. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice I shall be unto him that speaketh a Barbarian and he that speaketh shall be a Barbarian unto me Paraphrase 11. And therefore if he that hath all these languages speak to me in any but that which I understand he speaks to no more purpose to me and I receive no more advantage from him then if a couple of men of severall countreys should talk one to another and neither understand a word of the other 12. Even so ye for asmuch as ye are zealous of spirituall gifts seek that ye may excell to the edifying of the Church Paraphrase 12. So ye also seeing ye would fain have some of those extraordinary gifts of the Spirit see note on Lu. 9. e seek those gifts especially by which the Church may receive edification and advantage that so you may doe somewhat more then ordinary and of that sort is prophesying 13. Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret Paraphrase 13. And in stead of amazing people with strange languages which they understand not let him pray to God for the gift of expounding strange languages that he may help others to understand them that speak thus 14. For if I pray in an unknown tongue my spirit prayeth but my understanding is unfruitfull Paraphrase 14. For if by that gift of tongues I pray in an unknown language my gift or the gift of tongues which is given me prayes but my understanding lies idle see note on Lu. 9. e. does no body else any good I make use of my gift of tongues which I my self understand but I make no use of that understanding of mine to make others doe so too 15. What is it then I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the understanding also Paraphrase 15. What then is it that is most desirable Why that if in praying I make use of the gift of tongues which is intelligible to my self I pray also by my understanding so as he that hath not the gift of tongues is wont to pray that so my understanding my be usefull to others and help them to understand also and so likewise that I may make use of the gift of tongues in singing Psalms and sing also by my understanding so as he that hath not those extraordinary gifts is wont to sing that is so as shall be intelligible to-others 16. Else when thou shalt blesse with the spirit how shall he that occupyeth the room of the unlearned say note a Amen at thy giving of thanks seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest Paraphrase 16. For if thou administer the Sacrament in an unknown tongue how shall the people that receive say Amen at thy administring of it when they understand thee not 17. For thou verily givest thanks well but the other is not edified Paraphrase 17. And in that case how well soever that be done which thou dost yet 't is clear 't is not for the advantage of others or benefit of the Church 18. I thank my God I speak with tongues more then you all Paraphrase 18. I have the gift of tongues more then any of you hath it 19. Yet in the Church I had rather speak five words with my understanding that by my voice I might teach others also then ten thousand words in an unknown tongue Paraphrase 19. But for the benefit oâ others t were much better that I spake though never so little from my own understanding so as he that hath not the gift of tongues is wont to speak so that others may understand and be instructed by me then never so much by the gift of tongues when no man knows what I say 20. Brethren be not children in understanding howbeit in malice be ye children but in understanding be men Paraphrase 20. Brethren 't is a piteous thing to be thus childishly affected see note on Lu. 1. 5. to brag or boast of uselesse gainlesse things such as is speaking what no man understands In respect of sin be as like children that is as innocent as you will but be more mature and manly in your affections 21. In the Law it is written With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people and yet for all that will they not hear me saith the Lord. Paraphrase 21. In the old Testament in the prophecy of Isaiah c. 28. 11. 't is mention'd as a miracle shewed to the people that God would send prophets to them in languages which they understood not and yet that this so great a miracle should not work on them 22. Wherefore tongues are for a sign not to them that believe but to them that believe not but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not but for them which believe Paraphrase 22. By which it appears that the use of the gift of tongues is principally as a miracle and that for the converting of unbelievers but interpreting of Scriptures and teaching Christian doctrines is that that is most proper for believers 23. If therefore the whole Church be come together into some place and all speak with tongues and there come in those that are unlearned or unbelievers will they not say that ye are mad Paraphrase 23. If therefore in a society of Christians and none else all that speak shall speak strange languages what will an ordinary man or an unbeliever think or
eares of wheat and proportionably from other seeds according to the property of each 39. All flesh is not the same flesh but there is one kind of flesh of men another flesh of beasts another of fishes and another of birds Paraphrase 39. And as it is among us one sort of flesh differs very much from another so much more a body of a man here on earth may differ in qualities from a glorified body in heaven 40. There are also celestial bodies and bodies terrestrial but the glory of the celestial is one and the glory of the terrestrial is another 41. There is one glory of the sun another of the moon and another glory of the starres for one starre differeth from another starre in glory 42. So also is the resurrection of the dead it is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption Paraphrase 40 41 42. Two things are observable in the resurrection 1. the improvement of all mens estate who have their part in the resurrection of the just above that which here they enjoy 2. the severall degrees of glory that they then shall have one above another For as heavenly bodies are more glorious then earthly and one heavenly then another so is it in the resurrection And for the first of these which is the chief matter of present consideration the bodies that rise differ from those that died the state of the resurrection differs from that of this life that which was here was a corruptible body that which rises an incorruptible 43. It is sown in dishonour it is raised in glory it is sown in weaknesse it is raised in power Paraphrase 43. The body here hath some dishonourable deformed parts c. 12. 3. others weak and feeble subject to or decayed by diseases and age but the future body is quite contrary glorious and strong 44. It is sown a naturall body it is raised a spirituall body There is a naturall body and there is a spirituall body Paraphrase 44. The body here is sustained by meat and drink but in the future state 't will be a body immortall that wants nothing to sustain it Such bodies indeed there are of both these sorts 45. And so it is written The first man Adam was made a living soul the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit Paraphrase 45. One such as Adam is mentioned to have had Gen. 2. 7. and such as we had from Adam who communicated life to his posterity the other we shall receive from Christ that restores them from the grave when they have been dead 46. Howbeit that was not first which is spirituall but that which is naturall and afterward that which is spirituall Paraphrase 46. The immortal body was not first formed but that which needed sustenance so as without that it was to perish and after that the immortal body is to be returned to us in stead of that mortal 47. The first man is of the earth earthy the second man is the Lord from heaven Paraphrase 47. The stock of the animal life was Adam so called as an earthy man made out of the earth the stock of the immortal Christ the Lord that came down from heaven 48. As is the earthy such are they that are earthy and as is the heavenly such are they also that are heavenly Paraphrase 48. Such a body as Adam himself had such have all we mortal men and such a body as Christ now hath such shall we that live like him according to his example and precept have at the resurrection 49. And as we have born the image of the earthy we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Paraphrase 49. And as we have first been made like the mortal Adam so shall we be made like the immortal Christ when we come to heaven 50. Now this I say brethren that note f flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdome of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption Paraphrase 50. One thing only I shall adde that 't is not possible that these earthy corruptible weak ignominious bodies of ours should come to heaven unlesse they be first changed purified immortalized see note on Mat. 16. 17. e. 51. Behold I shew you a mystery we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed Paraphrase 51. And therefore for those that are found alive at the day of Doom I shall tell you a secret not yet discovered to you that though they doe not die at all yet must they all be changed before they go to heaven these bodies thus qualified as now they are cannot come thither ver 50. 52. In a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed Paraphrase 52. And this change shall be wrought in them in a minute at the point of time when all the world are summoned to judgment for God shall make the Angels sound a trumpet or make a noise like that of the trumpet call the whole world of men that ever was or shall be to judgment and at that instant all that were formerly dead shall arise in immortal bodies and those that are then alive shall from their mortall be changed into such 53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality Paraphrase 53. For 't is most certain and necessary v. 50. that our mortal bodies must be changed into immortal 54. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to passe the saying that is written Dead is swallowed up note g in victory Paraphrase 54. And when this is done then shall that saying of Hos c. 13. 14. be made good that death shall be destroyed for ever never to recover strength again over any thing nothing from thenceforth shall ever die 55. O death note h where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Paraphrase 55. In contemplation of which a Christian may look on death as a hurtlesse thing the sting or wounding power of which is taken away by Christ and so on the state of separation of soul from body that it is such as shall not last for ever 56. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law Paraphrase 56. The only thing that makes death like a serpent able to doe us any hurt without which it differs nothing from a calm sleep is sin as that hich gives sin any sterngth to mischief us is the Law which prohibits it and consequently brings guilt upon us 57. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 57. But thanks be to God who by what Christ hath done for us hath given us victory over sin and death and by the conquest of sin getting out of the power of that hath made death but an entrance to immortality 58. Therefore my beloved
shall be taken away Paraphrase 16. But when Israel v. 13. or their heart v. 15. shall accept of the Gospel of Christ then they shall see and understand plainly what now is so obscure to them 17. Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Paraphrase 17. Now Christ is besides his humane nature indued with a divine Spirit and the Gospel of Christ is called the Spirit v. 6. and where the Spirit of Christ or the Gospel is there is freedome and consequently the vaile a token of subjection also 1 Cor. 11. 10. is taken away 18. And we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Paraphrase 18. And so all we that believe in Christ have that vail done away and doe clearly though not yet so perfectly behold Christ and by beholding him are changed to be like him the doctrine of the Gospel received into our hearts changeth us into other men to such a vision of Christ here in imitating his purity c. as shall be attended with eternal glory hereafter the same Spirit of Christ which worketh the one in us being certain to produce the other also Annotations on Chap. III. V. 1. Epistles of commendations ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in this place are an intimation of an antient custome in the Apostolical primitive Church which ordinarily gave their testimonies to all Christians that travailed from one place to another and recommended them to an hospitable reception The original of this custome seems to have been taken from the heathens who had their tesseras hospitalitatis which from one friend to another help'd them that brought them to kind entertainment and Tertullian continues the phrase contesseratio hospitalitatis Many mentions of this custome we find amongst antient writers In Synesius ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I commend Thaumasius to your friendship c. And in Phaverinus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I commend to your friendship and kindnesse Laurentius who of a long time hath been my scholar And again ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã one commends a man to another when he gives a good testimony of him This was done among Christians by testifying the piety and orthodoxalnesse of any and the agreement with them from whom they come in the same faith And therefore when Fortunius a Bishop of the Donatists affirmed and boasted that their Church was the Catholick Church S. Austin Ep. 163. ad Elâusium convinceth him by asking him whether a Donatist could by his Literae formatae or communicatoriae gain a man entertainment or reception in any Church that he would name to him being confident he could not doe it Thus saith Nazianzen of Julian ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that he imitated many of the Christian rites ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã all humanity charity to them that wanted ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that way of it especially which consisted in sending letters and tâkâns with which saith Nazianzen we use to furnish them that are in want from one nation to another The same saith Zozomen l. 5. c. 5. and Nicephorus Callistus l. 10. c. 21. almost in the same words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã He especially imitated the tokens or tesserae of the Bishops letters by which they are wont mutually to commend those that travell any whither and by that testimony obtain for them all friendly entertainment as for their most familiar acquaintance The same we may find in Lucian in his Peregrinus By which also will appear the antient notion of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not to signifie as Baronius ad an 314. and out of him Binius t. 1. concil p. 271. and Ferrarius De antiq Eccles Epist genere l. 1. p. 45. would have them Epistles by which men were testified to be in communion with the Church of Rome which they never did but when they were written by the Bishop of that Church and neither then any more then those that were written by the Bishop of any other particular Church signified that mans agreement in faith and communion with that particular Church but onely Letters commendatory from one place or Church to another to recommend a person that should travell thither and so obtain for him an hospitable reception lodging diet and all things else that are contained in Zozomen under the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã provision or necessaries that they wanted and this according to the notion of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã formerly mention'd see Note on Act. 2. c. for liberality and beneficence though there is no question but among other degrees of charitable reception that of admitting them to their Churches and Sacraments was included also proportionably to the forms of their testimonies which saith Mat. Blastares were wont to mention the uprightnesse of the persons faith unreprovablenesse of his life and his degree in the Church if he had any See Justell in cod Can. Eccl. Un. p. 132. V. 13. End of that which is abolished If the reading be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã then must Christ which is the end of the law that is the Christian precepts and promises typified by the Mosaical rites and shadows be meant by it but if the reading be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã then will the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or second part of the resemblance be more perfectly answerable to the former thus Moses put a vaile over his own face to signifie that the Israelites would not see the face that is discern clearly the most eminent and principal part of the Law which is now abolished that is of the Ceremonial law For certainly the principall part of that was the inward purity and piety signified and adumbrated by those ceremonies and now taught by Christ more distinctly and plainly and so that covering taken away ver 14. only the Jewes will not see it but as yet their understandings are blinded in the beginning of the verse CHAP. IV. 1. THerefore seeing we have this ministery as we have received mercy we faint not Paraphrase 1. Being therefore intrusted by God with so honourable a charge the preaching of this divine and glorious Gospel of Christ c. 3. 4 and 18. we have been diligent in attendance on our work 2. But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftinesse nor handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God Paraphrase 2. And have been farre from using any of those vile arts which shame might make us disguise and conceal but dealt simply and plainly mixing nothing of our own with the word of Christ but contenting our selves
Paraphrase 14. Is there any reason you should be more inclinable more favourably affected to them that are not Christians to false prophets or teachers then to us Is it possible for you Christians to receive any benefit from such doth impiety advantage justice or darknesse contribute any thing to light 15. And what concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel Paraphrase 15. What agreement of desires can Christ or a Christian have with Satan or a lawlesse man what accord a believer with an unbeliever and such are many of those Gnostick hereticks that are so followed by you 16. And what agreement hath the Temple of God with idols for ye are the temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Paraphrase 16. Or how can ye reconcile Gods temple and the Idol temples Now ye are the temple of God among whom he dwels and walks and owns you for his people as he hath promised to doe to the Jewes upon condition of their obedience to him 17. Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you 18. And will be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord almighty Paraphrase 17 18. This laies an obligation upon you to get out of so wicked company and unclean conversation not to comply with the Heathen Idolaters by going to their temples and feasts with them 1 Cor. 8. 7. but to abstain strictly from such society for upon doing thus depend all the promises of the Gospel of Gods receiving us owning and acknowledging us for his children Annotations on Chap. VI. V. 2. Salvation What ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies hath been often said see Rom. 13. c. Gods rescuing his faithfull persevering servants out of their distresses thus it clearly signifies here proportionably to what it had done in the prophecie here cited Isa 49. 8. In an acceptable time have I heard thee that is in a time that God chose and saw fit for the turn in the day of salvation have I help'd thee and I will preserve thee and give thee for a Covenant to this people a kind of rainbow to the drown'd world a sign of a covenant that God will drown them no more in such afflictions to establish or raise up the earth to cause to inherit the desolate heritages And therefore when he saith now is the accepted time the season that God hath pitch'd on now is the day of salvation the meaning will be that now the time is approaching that the true pure Christian profession thus long persecuted by the Jews and Gnosticks so sharply by which means it comes to passe that many daily fall off to save themselves shall suddainly have respite by the destruction of the enemies every where And so this is a seasonable consideration to back the exhortation ver 1. which the Apostle in all his Epistles did at that time so earnestly presse that they that had received the Gospel and gone on so long should not at last by falling off lose all in the last act see Heb. 10. 36 37 38 that is receive it in vain lose all the benefit that attended it To which purpose the Apostle proceeds v. 3. c. to mention himself and his fellow-labourers as examples to them of those things which were most directly contrary to the Gnosticks first Inoffensive living secondly Constancy and perseverance under persecutions First blamelesnesse of conversation v. 3. For this falling off of the Christians to the Gnosticks was the greatest offence and scandal imaginable to Christianity having so much impurity c. among them then v. 4 5. patience and constancy in all kind of pressures upon which again he subjoins v. 6. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã purenesse and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã knowledge ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã long-suffering patience and perseverance in opposition to the compliances and apostasies of the Gnosticks purenesse in opposition to their lusts and uncleannesse knowledge in opposition to their pretended knowledge of the secret meanings of Scripture just as 2 Pet. 1. 5. we find virtue or courage knowledg ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã continence and patience put together and at length ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the holy Spirit in opposition to their pretences of being the spiritual 1 Cor. 12. 1. And after many verses spent on that subject he looks on those apostate hereticks as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã unfaithfull desertors v. 14. and conjures them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not to encline to them being an heathenish diabolicall sort of people v. 15. with whom being intangled they must absolutely forsake and come out of them as from Sodom v. 17. which is again noted by the filthinesse of the flesh and spirit foul lusts and factions c. c. 7. 1. V. 14. Vnequally yoked The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Vulgar renders jugum ducere which seems to have given occasion to Budaeus and H. Stephanus out of him to affirm that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here in this Apostle is used for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to be in the yoak with another But this is a mistake without any grounds save only the equivâcalness of the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifies a yoak to draw in as well as a ballance to weigh in The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is doubtlesse to be rendred here as in Greek authors it signifies among whom a pair of scales or ballance whose beam inclines or propends toward one part is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in opposition to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã equally inclined both waies or whose beam stands even trutina alteri-jugis ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã non ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a scale that weighs down one way stands not in the equilibration So in Phocylides ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Let the ballance stand even not inclined more to one side And so the sense of the place will be Be not more propense and inclined toward the proposals of these Apostatizing Gnosticks that heresie to which your present leaders would seduce you then you are to us the Apostles of Christ who love you so passionately Which is the argument almost of the whole Chapter Thus in Clements Epistle to the same Corinthians we find a phrase directly parallel to this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã inclining the other way from us that is disaffected to us CHAP. VII 1. HAving therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of God Paraphrase 1. Wherefore having so rich promises made you by God promises of being received by Christ as children into his family but those promises conditional promises made upon condition that you forsake all impurity c. c. 6. 17
18. my earnest exhortation to you is that you purifie your selves from the sins of all kinds that are now crept in among you particularly from the pollutions of the flesh that your idol-feasts are apt to betray you to and of the spirit as pride faction schisme c. preferring false teachers before us which planted Christ among you practising to the end all manner of piety with all diligence see note on Phil. 2. c. 2. Receive us we have wronged no man we have corrupted no man we have defrauded no man Paraphrase 2. The false teachers that you receive so willingly injure you defile you and either defraud or perhaps seduce you into abominable sins See Ephes 4. 22. and 2 Pet. 1. b. But we have been far from doing any of these and therefore are fitter to be embraced by you c. 6. 14. See Rom. note i. 3. I speak not this to condemne you for I have said before that you are in our hearts to dye and live with you Paraphrase 3. I speak not this to bring any evill report upon you for I love you most passionately as I said before 4. Great is my boldnesse of speech toward you great is my glorying of you I am filled with comfort I am exceeding joyfull in all our tribulation Paraphrase 4. My freedom see note on Jo. 7. a. in mentioning your faults is great indeed but withall I am as free in boasting of your obedience and though I have had much grief and fear v. 5. through the sins that were among you yet the joy which I take in your repentance is extreamly more abundant then the sorrow was 5. For when we were come into Macedonia our flesh had no rest but we were troubled on every side without were fightings within were fears Paraphrase 5. For the truth is all our journey long from Ephesus to Macedonia Act. 20. 1. we had a sad time of it for as we met with many oppositions from others so the many fears we had concerning you were very troublesome to us 6. Neverthelesse God that comforteth those that are cast down comforted us by the coming of Titus Paraphrase 6. But through the mercy of God who relieves those that are in greatest want of relief Titus's coming freed us from all 7. And not by his coming only but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you when he told us your earnest desire your mourning your fervent mind towards me so that I rejoyced the more Paraphrase 7. And it was not the bare presence of Titus that was such solace to me but the news that he brought me and with which he himself was so much comforted to wit the news of your panting after me lamenting most sadly the sins that I had in my former Epistle laid to your charge and your earnestnesse for me against those that traduced me 8. For though I made you sorry with a Letter I doe not repent though I did repent for I perceive that the same Epistle hath made you sorry though it were but note a for a season Paraphrase 8. So that now though those directions of mine in my first Epistle brought the censures of the Church upon some of you for so I find they did though but for a time with place for speedy remission upon reformation I have no reason to be sorry for what I did though the truth is I was a while sorry for it and wish'd I had not been so severe 9. Now I rejoice not that ye were made sorry but that ye sorrowed to repentance for ye were made sorry after a godly manner that ye might receive damage by us in nothing Paraphrase 9. But now that I hear what successe it hath found among you what reformation hath been wrought by it I professe my self to rejoyce not that you had the censures inflicted on you but that those censures produced that effectuall reformation and change for you were dealt with according to the custome of Evangelicall Discipline And so 't is clear enough that you have not been damnified by me in this matter but much advantaged thereby 10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death Paraphrase 10. For that Discipline which Christ hath now ordained in his Church see 1 Cor. 5. note c. is very proper to work such change of mind as shall advance to a constant persevering durable forsaking all known sinnes see note on Rom. 10. a. whereas the punishments which are usuall in the world ordinarily end in the taking away of mens lives or somewhat analogicall to them in a lower degree 11. For behold this self same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulness it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what fear yea what vehement desire yea what zeal yea what revenge in all things you have approved your selves to be clear in this matter Paraphrase 11. And an evidence thereof I have in you whose having the censures of the Church inflicted on some of you hath wrought a vehement care to make all right again a clearing of the guiltlesse a displeasure and disdain against the guilty fear of my displeasure desire to give me satisfaction earnestnesse to reform yea to deny your selves lawfull liberties by way of penance for the former inordinacies And so you have done all that is possible toward the acquitting your selves in this businesse 12. Wherefore though I wrote unto you I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong nor for his cause that had suffered wrong but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you Paraphrase 12. When therefore I wrote so sharply to you the interpretation which you are to make of it is this that it was not out of any disposition of severity against them that had committed those crimes the fornicators and incestuous person 1 Cor. 5. 1. the man that sued his brother c. 6. 1. nor out of any partiality of kindness to them that had been sufferers by those crimes him that was defrauded 1 Cor. 6. 8. or disturbed with law-suits before the heathen judicatures v. 1. but onely to expresse my care of you that by my writing to you in that manner you might discern how diligent I am to doe you any good 13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort yea and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus because his spirit was refreshed by you all Paraphrase 13. And by this means I have received much matter of joy hearing what good effects the censures had wrought upon you and this joy was very much increased to see how Titus was joyed and inwardly inlivened by you 14. For if I have boasted any thing to him of you I am not ashamed but as we spake all things to you in truth even so our
preaching the Gospel and yet not goe over his line that is not run over into the others mans path or race but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã keep within his own white or line which divided his province from other mens on the other side of him CHAP. XI 1. WOuld to God you could bear with me a little in my folly and indeed bear with me Paraphrase 1. The fear that I have that you should be seduced tempts me to doe that which you will be apt to count boasting and think me to be a fool for doing so viz. to praise my self and magnifie the pains that I have taken among you This piece of folly you may doe well to pardon in me 2. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousie for I have note a espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chast virgin to Christ Paraphrase 2. For 't is caused by nothing but my kindnesse to you my zeal to your good and jealousie that other men may get away your love and esteem from me which is a jealousie not so much for my self as for God that he should lose a Church beloved by him For I have been to you as that officer among the Grecians was to their virgins I have taken upon me the educating and forming of you the cultivating and fitting of you the taking care and watching over you that so I might present you a fit and a pure spouse to Christ 3. But I fear lest by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtility so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ Paraphrase 3. But there being such deceivers entred into the Church Simon Magus and his followers using sorcery to beguile and infuse his falsities I have reason to fear that you may be corrupted from that purity and integrity which ought to be in Christians 4. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus whom we have not preached or if ye receive another spirit which ye have not received or another Gospel which ye have not accepted ye might well bear with him Paraphrase 4. For if some other teachers that are come among you preach another Christ shake the whole foundation of your religion promise you more extraordinary miraculous spirituall gifts then those which from us you have received and in summe preach another Gospel to you then you may give me leave it being more then time to magnifie my self and expostulate with you whether they come to you or any one of them with such authority as I come or whether there be any appearance or shew of reason why you should preferre them before me 5. For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles Paraphrase 5. For not to compare my self with the deceivers I may justly compare with the most eminent of the true Apostles Peter and James and John 6. But though I be rude in speech yet not in knowledge but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things Paraphrase 6. And if it be objected to me and perhaps truly that my language hath nothing extraordinary in it yet sure nothing can be objected against my skill my explaining the mysteries of the Gospel see note on 1 Cor. 1. c. but in our preaching and behaviour toward you we are acknowledged by all men not to come short of any other Apostle in any piece of knowledge or revelation usefull for you 7. Have I committed an offence in abasing my self that you might be exalted because I have preached to you the Gospel of God freely Paraphrase 7. Sure it ought not to be esteemed a fault in me and yet I have been guilty of no other that might make me vile in your eyes that I have so much tendred your advantages and so little mine own that all my preaching among you hath put you to no kind of charge 8. I robbed other Churches taking wages of them to doe you service 9. And when I was present with you and wanted note b I was chargeable to no man for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied and in all things I have kept my self from being burdensome to you and so will keep my self Paraphrase 8 9. Nay I have been beholden to other Churches receiving provision from them that I might preach freely to you And when I fell short at my being with you and had not wherewithall to supply my wants yet I made not my wants known I troubled none of you to make it up but as sometimes I laboured with my hands earned my living 1 Cor. 4. 12. and 9. 6. so at other times I received supply from the Philippians Phil. 4. 15 16. as they came from Macedonia and so have neither yet put you to any charge nor mean I ever to doe so 10. As the truth of Christ is in me no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia Paraphrase 10. As I am an Apostle of Christ and as there is any sincerity in me I will not be deprived of this matter of boasting through all Achaia I will receive nothing for my pains or relief in all those regions 11. Wherefore because I love you not God knoweth Paraphrase 11. And doe not think 't is any want of love that I make this resolution God knows that is not the reason 12. But what I doe that I will doe that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion that wherein they glory they may be found even as we Paraphrase 12. But the only cause of my resolution which I will keep stedfastly is this that they that would fain find some fault with me and magnifie themselves before me may not find any ground of doing so but rather find me before them and have somewhat to imitate in me in that very particular wherein they think they exceed me 13. For such are false Apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ Paraphrase 13. For the truth is these men that come to infuse false doctrines into you behave themselves as cunningly as they can and doe labour to imitate and seem to doe those very things that we true Apostles doe 14. And no marvell for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light Paraphrase 14. And 't is no unusuall matter for deceivers and seducers to doe so for Satan himself pretends to doe those things that the good Angels doe makes as if he meant you all kindnesse when he comes to destroy you 15. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousnesse whose end shall be according to their works Paraphrase 15. And therefore 't is not any thing strange if seducing hereticks imployed by him do imitate the actions of the Apostles of Christ but according to the hypocrisie of their actions so shall their ends be 16. I say again let
you with guile Paraphrase 16. But it is by some among you suggested against me that although I never received any pay from you for the preaching the Gospell yet I have cunningly and under-hand gotten a great deal from you 17. Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you Paraphrase 17. If this have any truth in it let it appear have I done this by any of those whom I have sent to you 18. I desired Titus and with him I sent a brother did Titus make again of you walked we not in the same spirit walked we not in the same steps Paraphrase 18. I perswaded Titus to come to you see c. 9. 5. and sent Luke along with him did Titus or the other make any kind of gain of you did he defraud you of ought did not he behave himself just after the same manner as I had done before 19. Again think you that we excuse our selves unto you we speak before God in Christ but we doe all things dearly deloved for your edifying Paraphrase 19. Do not think as formerly ye have done that what I thus say is spoken largely as to take off the objections which you have against me by some fair specious colours and excuses No in the sight of God I speak the very perfect truth and would not say it for my own sake were it not in probability to tend to your good to take you off by my giving this account of my self from the factious courses which through admiration of others mens persons ye are engaged in 20. For I fear lest when come I shall not find you such as I would and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not lest there be debates envyings wraths strifes back-bitings whisperings swellings tumults Paraphrase 20. For I would fain prevent what I see too probable that when I come to you we shall neither of us be much pleased at the meeting not I with you seeing you seduced and corrupted nor you with me when I shall be forced to inflict censures upon you I mean lest these sparks of faction and division that are among you break out into flames 21. And lest when I come again my God will humble me among you and that I shall bewaile many that have sinned already and have not repented of the uncleannesse and fornication and aschviousnesse which they have committed Paraphrase 21. And I be forced to exexcise severity among you to inflict censures on many of those who had formerly offended and been warn'd if not punish'd by my former Epistle and have not yet reformed and forsaken those base unnaturall sins to which the heathen idol-feasts had betray'd them See note on 1 Cor. 5. c. and 2 Cor. 2. b. and c. 13. 2. Annotations on Chap. XII V. 2. A man in Christ What ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a man in Christ here signifies may possibly be guess'd by other phrases of the same making such is that of Saint Luke Act. 12. 11. where 't is said of Peter ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being in himself that is having been formerly in a trance and now return'd out of it and that is call'd being in himself such that Revel 1. 10. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I was in the spirit that is I was in a trance or ecstasie and there received a vision or revelation from God such Mar. 1. 23. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and the same again c. 5. 2. A man in an unclean spirit that is one agâtated with a diabolical spirit rapt and carried to doe things which of himself he would never doe And accordingly here a man in Christ may be one that by the spirit of Christ was thus transported received Revelations from Christ and therefore v. 1. there is mention of visions and revelations of which this is here an instance and so v. 7. And all the circumstances of the Context incline to this interpretation And this is the importance of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ecstasie see note on Mark 3. c. being out of himself transported either by a good or evill spirit when by a good it signifies a prâphetick vision when by a bad a kind of madnesse as in the Daemoniacks though the word is no where in the New Testament used of them and both contrary to the being ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in himself moved onely by that humane principle of reason c. which he hath within him neither ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã nor ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã carried by God nor the devill V. 7. A thorn in the flesh What this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã thorn to the flesh here signifies will be best guess'd from Ezech. 28. 24. where the pricking brier and grieving thorn is set to signifie a sore affliction to wound and torment from the despisers as it there follows or persecuters of Israel And so iâ will here signifie no more but a sad and sharp affliction inflicted on Saint Paul saith Irenaeus l. 4. the last ch and Theodoret and Theophylact on the place by some followers of Simon Magus that is the Gnosticks CHAP. XIII 1. note a THis is the third time I am coming to you in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established Paraphrase 1. I am now this third time about to come among you see c. 12. 14. and this is my solemn second admonition by Epistle which if it be not obeyed will certainly bring censures upon you at my coming 2. I told you before and foretell you as if I were present the second time and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned and to all other that if I come again I will not spare Paraphrase 2. I gave you a solemn warning in my former Epistle which was of the same force as if I had been personally with you and behold now I doe so again and though I am still absent yet this Epistle is to supply the place of my personall presence and therefore I doe now solemnly write and denounce both to those that had then sinn'd and have not wrought any full reformation and to all others that have since been drawn into such irregular courses that with all such I will proceed severely at my coming among you 3. Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me which to you-ward is not weak but is mighty in you Paraphrase 3. And this I shall doe the rather because you are so high as to call my commission for Apostleship into question and to require me to prove that what I speak or doe is from Christ when by that which hath been done already by miracles and other evidences it is most manifest that Christ hath express'd himself to speak to you by me and so to own the doctrine I teach and the authority I pretend to among you 4 For though he was crucified through weaknesse yet he liveth by the power of God
Apostle c. 1. 19. and Act. 15. 6 and 22. and by S. Hierome Apostolus decimus tertius the thirteenth Apostle V. 11. Was to be blamed The Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifies to find out to detect and is sometimes rendred ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is also rendred ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to condemn so Prov. 28. 11. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The rich man is wise in his own conceit but the poor man that hath understanding shall detect him So Ecclus 5. 17. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Detection is very grievous or troublesome to a man that is double-tongued Accordingly the word properly belongs to that charge or blame that falls on an hypocrite when his dissimulation seems to be detected and that this is the meaning of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here appers by that which follows v. 13. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. the rest of the Jewes dissembled with him As for the praeter-tense wherein here 't is set that ordinarily signifies in the sense of the praeteritum plusquam perfectum and so Theophylact here interprets it he had been found fault with or charged of hypocrisie viz. that specified v. 12. not by Paul but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by others that saw the fact but knew not why he did it and so thought it hypocrisie in him to eat with the Gentiles when they of Jerusalem were absent and to withdraw from the Gentiles when they of Jerusalem were present V. 17. Sinners What ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies in this place will best be resolved by the Context which enforceth the sense which I have given it of Gentiles in opposition to the Jewes so v. 15. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sinners of the Gentiles opposite to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Jewes by birth See Note on Lu. 7. b. It is known that the Jewes look'd on all Gentiles with an odium as on those which were of a contrary religion to them and so they did consequently on all those that conver's with them and it was that and not so much their other sins that made the Publicans so odious to them in Christs time and as Christs eating with such and not observing as they thought the Judaical Law made them look upon him as an ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a sinner Joh. 9. 24. so S. Paul's teaching liberty to lay aside the Mosaical performances is here look'd on by them as Gentilisme and so is objected to him in this phrase that he being a Jew born is found ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a sinner that is guilty of Gentilisme under the name of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sinne and that by teaching this to be the Doctrine of Christ he makes Christ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã one that came to assist and contribute to the setting up of Gentilisme against Judaisme This S. Paul that knew what Judaisme truly signified the doctrine of good life in the Old Testament which was by God thought fit to be fenced in by those Ceremonies not placing Religion in the bare observance of the Ceremonies without heeding the substance of them doth with detestation deny ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã God forbid taking the words of the objection as by them that made it they were meant that he taught Christ to be a favourer of Idolaters the worship of the heathen false Gods in opposition to the way of worshipping the true God by himself prescribed to Moses This Paul denies knowing that those Mosaical ceremonies were not the thing wherein abstracted from the inward purity signified desired by God to be secured by them the worship of the true God consisted as on the other side he neither favoured any part of heathen worship or wicked life nor by any thing he preach'd taught Christ to be a favourer of it but directly the contrary All this being thus implied in this form of aversation disclaiming and detesting the caluny in the objection he proceeds v. 18. to a further answer by retorting the objection on such as did as S. Peter had done whose action set down v. 11 12. occasion'd this discourse which brought in this objection first conversing with the Gentiles and then teaching by his example v. 12. that they were not so freely to be conversed with which he justly cals the building again what he had destroyed teaching the unlawfulnesse of a Jewes conversing with Gentiles which from a divine vision Act. 10. he had both by his doctrine practice formerly asserted And this saith Saint Paul is the making himself a transgressor ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the word that is elsewhere used for an Apostate one that forsakes and disclaimes that true doctrine which he had formerly taught and is by way of eminence since applyed to Julian ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Apostate that forsook the Christian faith which he had once embraced And it can be no more strange that this should be applyed to this action of Saint Peters than that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he withdrew himself should be used of him ver 12. when Heb. 10. 38. the same word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is evidently used of the Gnosticks falling off for fear of persecution which is c. 3. 12. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã departing or apostatizing from the living God CHAP. III. 1. O Foolish Galatians who hath note a bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth note b crucified among you Paraphrase 1. What heretick with his sorceries hath brought you off from Christianity to Judaisme again see c. 4. 10. you I say to whom Christ crucified hath been formerly as convincingly declared by our preaching as if he had been set before your eyes nailed to the crosse among you 2. This onely would I learn of you Received ye the spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith Paraphrase 2. I pray let me dispute it a while with you and demand this one thing which may reasonably set an end to the whole controversie The gifts of the Spirit that are in your Church were they there til the Gospel was preach'd to you 1 Cor. 12. 28. was the Mosaical Law able to give you any such privileges to work such miracles among you undoubtedly it was not 3. Are ye so foolish having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect by the flesh Paraphrase 3. And then is there any reason that having by the Gospel receiv'd the gifts of the Spirit and so begun to be a Christian Church thriven and prospered well in that plain way you should now think it necessary to take in the Law as a suppletory to make your selves up with the externall Mosaical carnall rites and ceremonies 4. Have ye suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain Paraphrase 4. You have suffered many persecutions and hardships for Christianity which if you would have Judaized you might have avoided your persecutions generally proceeding
secret will of his of which there can be no cause or motive rendred but his own free mercy and purposed resolution which till now hath been kept as a mystery no man imagining that God ever intended any such thing but which he had long since proposed to himself and referred in his wise dispensation to be performed and delivered out at this season in these last and worst times when the sinnes of men being advanced to such an height it might rather have been expected that God should proceed to execute vengance on them This I say which was the just time that God had resolved on for this purpose to gather together his dispersions as it were and to unite all in Christ to bring into the pale of the Church a whole world of believers the very Gentiles see note on Col. 1. c. all discrimination being removed by Christ through his death and resurrection 11. In whom also we have note c obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will Paraphrase 11. Through the same Christ I say by whom we Jewes have had the will of God revealed to us now above all that we ever had before the Gospel being first preached unto us Act. 3. 26. and those of us which have believed taken possession of as of a patrimony or portion assigned and set apart to God to serve him in holinesse according to the secret counsel of him who had long since decreed and determined this of his own free mercy to us 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ Paraphrase 12. To this end that we that were first converted to Christianity might publish and preach and make known the Gospel to all others and set it out as illustriously as might be 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise Paraphrase 13. By whom also it is that ye Gentiles though after called yet now also having heard and believed the Gospel by which you are escaped out of your idolatrous sinfull course are in like manner secured and marked out by God for good by receiving that Spirit which is promised to believers and which is the mark of all those whom God receives see note on c. 4. 30. k. 14. Which is the note d earnest of our inheritance untill the note e redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory Paraphrase 14. Which is given by God as a pledge or first part of payment of that inheritance which he hath destined to us grace pardon salvation and all the inheritance that God will instate upon his children and this on purpose to purchase to himself a peculiar people living gracious and godly lives which tends so much to the illustrating of his grace and glory 15. Wherefore I also note f after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the saints Paraphrase 15. Considering therefore this mercy of God as to others so particularly to you both knowing my self the good successe of my preaching the faith among you and having received advertisement of your great proficiency in it since the time I was among you and of that insâparable effect and branch of it your great charity to all Christians that want your assistance 16. Cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him Paraphrase 16 17. I cannot choose but as I pray for you continually so give thanks for you to God continually also farther beseeching the same God who is known now to us by a more glorious title then that of the God of Abraham even the God of our Lord Jesus Christ whom he hath own'd on earth and now raised and set at his right hand in heaven and who is the author as of raising Christ gloriously from the dead so of all grace and blisse and glory to all that are obedient to the faith that he will bestow on you all things needfull to a Christian Church the gift of understanding the highest natural and spiritual truths the skill of veiling the highest conceptions speaking parables c. and of understanding and interpreting prophecies and discerning Christ and his doctrine in them See note on 1 Cor. 1. c. 18. The eyes of your understanding being inlightened that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints Paraphrase 18. That by this means of illumination ye may be furnish'd to all spiritual uses discerning throughly what is the benefit of his calling us to Christianity and what the glorious blessed condition of those graces of his which are distributed among Christians here as also of those endlesse joyes which are now instated on all penitent obedient faithfull servants of his as an inheritance to the children infinitely above that Canaan that was bestowed on Abraham's posterity 19. And what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power 20. Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places Paraphrase 19 20. And withall the infinitenesse of his power that hath been engaged in this work toward us believers in subduing our enemies sin and death the punishment of sin and raising us sinners first to a new and then to an eternal life which was a work of the same omnipotence with that which he first evidenced in that miraculous raising of Christ from the grave and exalting him to the highest degree of glory next to himself in heaven An embleme and essay of the methods which he hath now used toward us by the preaching of the Gospel to raise us from the grave of sin to a new Christian life and from thence to a glorious eternity 21. Farre above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come Paraphrase 21. Farre infinitely farre above all those rulers and potentates that have but fading power by whom he was here put to death ye above the highest degree of Angelical powers that inhabit heaven to all eternity 22. And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church Paraphrase 22. And by so doing gave him victory and superiority over all his enemies and constituted him the Prince of his Church who should till the day of doom have in his hands the sole disposing of that every one that is placed in any power therein moving regularly
THE APOSTLE TO THE note a COLOSSIANS COlossae was a city in Phrygia not farre from Laodicea and Hierapolis in the Lydian or Proconsular Asia To these S. Paul had not personally preached the Gospel nor so much as been among them c. 2. 1. but had sent Epaphras his disciple to them and he had converted them to the Faith c. 1. 7. This Epaphras was at the writing of this Epistle from Rome about the year of Christ 59. a fellow-prisoner of S. Paul there Philem. 23. And by him as an eye-witnesse and principal actor in it S. Paul being advertised of the reception of Christianity among them and the agreeablenesse of their actions to their faith sends them this Epistle of consolation to strengthen and confirm them and the tenure and subject and oft-times the expressions of it is much what the same as that to the Ephesians had been and we may thence conclude it to have been written neer upon the same time with that CHAP. I. 1. PAUL an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Timotheus our brother 2. To the faints and faithfull brethren in Christ which are at Colosse Grace be unto you and peace from God our father and from the Lord Jesus Christ 3. We give thanks to God and the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ praying alwaies for you Paraphrase 3. We constantly render God thanks for you that by his grace ye have embraced the Gospel of his son Jesus Christ and in all our offices of devotion we remember you in our prayers 4. Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which ye have to all the saints Paraphrase 4. To which we are the more incited by hearing the news as of your faith so of your charity also and liberality extended to the Christians every where 5. For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel Paraphrase 5. That being an effect of your Christian hope which being fastened on a rich treasure in heaven the reward of all your good works makes you very liberal of your earthly treasure and that is fully agreeable to the doctrine of the Gospel of Christ Mat 6. 20. 6. Which is come unto you as it is in all the world and bringeth forth fruit as it doth also in you since the day ye heard of it and * knew the grace of God in truth Paraphrase 6. Which Gospel as it hath been preached and brings forth this fruit among you and hath done so from the time of the first preaching of it see note on Heb. 13. d. so all the world over where it is preached and received into honest hearts it brings forth the same fruit and by doing so attracts multitudes to the profession 7. As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow-servant who is for you a faithfull minister of Christ Paraphrase 7. This indeed was according to that doctrine preached to you by Epaphras whom we sent to publish the Gospel unto you and he hath faithfully discharged his duty toward you 8. Who also declared unto us your love in the spirit Paraphrase 8. And hath given me an account of your ready receiving the faith and the the effect of that your Christian charity 9. For this cause we also since the day we heard it doe not cease to pray for you and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spiritual understanding Paraphrase 9. abound to all perfection of divine knowledge both in understanding the mysteries of Christianity and in ordering and regulating your lives according to the rules thereof 10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God Paraphrase 10. That your behaviour may be such as is agreeable to the divine promises and precepts of the Gospel perfectly such as God will accept of upon all occasions bringing forth the fruit of Christian living and by that means daily increasing in divine knowledge which as it is it selfe the practice of all vertue so doth it by daily action grow into a habit every day more perfect and complete 11. Strenghned with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long sufferance with joyfulness Paraphrase 11. To which it is consequent that through the grace and divine power of God ye shall be enabled to continue to the end and bear whatever afflictions and persecutions ye meet with in your Christian course not onely patiently but cheerfully 12. Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light Paraphrase 12. And even acknowledging it with thanksgiving as a special mercy and favour of Gods that hath enabled us to bear persecutions and afflictions and so to have our part in that inheritance which is allowed Christians under the Gospel that is to be persecuted here and rewarded eternally 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdome of his dear son Paraphrase 13. That God I say who hath rescued you from a state of ignorance and heathenisme and made you heires of everlasting glory to which he will bring you in the same method and manner as he hath brought his own dearest son who was first crucified then glorified 14. In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sinnes Paraphrase 14. Through whom we have pardon of sin purchased his death and so are redeemed out of the power of Satan and made capable of a resurrection unto life 15. Who is the image of the invisible God the note a first-born of every creature Paraphrase 15. In whom God who is invisible is to be seen and his will clearly declared by the Gospel so that he that seeth him seeth the Father Joh. 149. and who being first raised out of the grave and assumed to heaven as the first begotten from the dead v. 18. hath all power given unto him by right of inheritance as dominion is the birthright of the first-born 16. For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be note b thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him Paraphrase 16. And this very agreeably he being that eternall Word by whom saith the Psalmist were the heavens made and all the creatures in the world both those which are to be seen being corporeal and those which being spiritual as Angels souls of men cannot be seen all these I say what degree soever they are of they were all by him created and therefore are in reason to serve him as the Lord of all 17. And he is before all things and by him all things consist Paraphrase 17. And he hath an eternal being
Context seems not to have any particular aspect on the matter but onely to look upon Christ and to set him up as the one universal redeemer and reconciler of all mankind of the Gentiles as well as of the Jewes and to shew what interest the Gentile world hath in his death and resurrection and therefore I preferre the interpretation first given as being directly pertinent to this purpose and agreeable to the consequents And that will more appear if you look on the place forementioned and parallel to this Ephes 1. 10. where this reconciling of all things in heaven and on earth expressed there by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã gathering into one is called v. 9. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the mysterie of his will according to his good pleasure noting it to be some act of free undeserved mercy imputable to nothing but Gods meer grace and such most notoriously was the calling of the Gentile Idolaters and that a mysterie such as no man ever dream'd of or hoped for before and what that mysterie was is in the remainder of that Epistle largely shewn especially c. 2. 14 16 17. and under the name of the mysterie c. 3. 3 5. viz. the bringing in the Gentiles into the Church preaching ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã among the Gentiles c. 3. 8. the unsearchable riches of Christ And thus I conceive the phrase is to be understood Ephes 3. 15. where of Christ 't is said that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the whole family in heaven and on earth is named by or from him that is surely all the world Gentiles as well as Jewes are now vouchsased by him to be called by his name that is to be Christians called and received into his family V. 22. Body of his flesh The body of his flesh signifies no more than his flesh according to the Hebrew notion of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which as it signifies body so it is oft applied to things which have no body and signifies essence or beeing V. 25. Fulfill the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to fulfill his word is a phrase which we meet with 1 Mac. 2. 55. spoken of Joshuah that for fulfilling the word he was made a Judge in Israel where as the word signifies the will and pleasure of God revealed to him so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to fulfill it is to perform it in a very eminent manner But in this place ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being by the Context confined to another notion the preaching or publishing the Gospel of Christ peculiarly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to fulfill the word of God will be to fulfill that preaching that is to proceed as farre in the preaching of it as by all his diligence and care by himself and others he could doe and so belongs to the preaching it to these Colossians to whom being out of his way he yet had sent Epaphras v. 7. Thus we have a like phrase Rom. 15. 19. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to fill up the preaching or Gospel of Christ that is to preach it from city to city from Jerusalem as far as to Illyricum CHAP. II. 1. FOR I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh Paraphrase 1. For I am willing ye should be advertised how earnestly I contend for you in desire to come to visit you and in prayer and zeal and solicitude for you and for those of Laodicea whose conversion wrought by Epaphras who was sent by me I look upon with much comfort though I never saw any of them as not being able to goe to either of those cities either in my first or second passage through Phrygia of which Laodicea is the Metropolis and Colossae another city Act. 16. 6. and 18. 23. 2. That their hearts might be comforted being knit togeather in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mysterie of God and of the Father and of Christ Paraphrase 2. That they may receive the joy and true comfort which the doctrine of Christ truly taught and practised will yield every one that being first united together in the Christian charity they may be filled with all graces in all abundance and come to know the bottome of this great secret or mysterie of God viz. of the Gospel or Christianity that is of the course which hath more obseurely been taken by God the Father under the Old Testament and more clearly now by God in Christ under the New to bring sinners to salvation 3. In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Paraphrase 3. In which course is wrapt up all the depth of divine wisdome imaginable 4. And this I say lest any man should beguile you with enticing words Paraphrase 4. And this care of mine and solicitude for you I mention that it may make you cautious that no cunning impostor seduce you by saying things that look like truth but are not 5. For though I be absent in flesh yet I am with you in the spirit joying and beholding your order and the stedfastnesse of your faith in Christ Paraphrase 5. For though I am not personally present among you yet by the advertisements I received from Epaphras I understand how all things goe with you and so am in heart or spirit present with you as when Elisha's hear is said to have gone with his servant when he knew what he did 2 Kin. 5. 26. and rejoice much to see the regularity of Ecclesiastical affairs among you and your constancy in the truth in despight of all that have tried to lead you out of the way 6. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him Paraphrase 6. And therefore all that I have to adde is onely this that as you have received commands from Christ for the regulating of your lives so ye be carefull to doe accordingly 7. Rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith as ye have been taught abounding therein with thanksgiving Paraphrase 7. As having not only received the saith at first but having been farther instructed and improved in it as when walls are superstructed on a foundation yea and confirmed in it and therefore goe on according to these beginnings and abound in all Christian practices and let that be your way of returning thanks to God for his great mercies of revealing the Gospel to you 8. Beware lest any man note a spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men after the note b rudiments of the world and not after Christ Paraphrase 8. And take care that no body plunder you rob you cheat you of all that you have your principles of Christian knowledge by that vain empty frothy pretended knowledge and wisdome which the Gnosticks talk of 1 Tim. 1. 4. and 6. 20. taken out of
the world to save sinners of whom I am chief Paraphrase 15. O 't is a truth of an huge price and fit to be the onely tradition or Cabala among us Christians in stead of all the Jewish secrets and mysteries that are talked of by these hereticks that Christ Jesus came a Saviour into the world on purpose to rescue out of their evil courses and to obtain pardon and salvation upon their reformation for the greatest sinners in the world of which number I have reason to look on my self as the principal of all others 16. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe in him to life everlasting Paraphrase 16. But being such God hath dealt most mercifully with me called me from heaven whilst I was peâsecuting him that I might be a prime object of his patience and longanimity and in order of time the first that was so miraculously called that so the wickedest of the Gentiles may in me have an example of hope of mercy if they shall come in unto Christ 17. Now unto the King note d eternal immortal invisible the onely wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen Paraphrase 17. Now to the great ruler and wise disposer of all ages of the world Governour and commander of Angels the one true God whose attributes are to be incorruptible invisible and wise beyond all imagination so as none partakes with him and from whom all the wisdome of all others doth proceed 18. This charge I commit unto thee son Timothy according to the note e prophecies which went before on thee that thou by them mightst note f warre a good warfare Paraphrase 18. Now to thee O Timothy thou who wert first converted by me I give this commission as a trust I commit to thee agreeable to the revelations which were made of thee that though young thou shouldst be ordained a Bishop in the Church ch 4. 14. though we find no mention of this in the Acts as we doe of Saul and Barnabas Act. 13. 2. that according to that appointment of God thou shouldst carefully discharge that Episcopal office committed to thee 19. Holding faith and a good conscience which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwrack Paraphrase 19. Holding fast and continuing constant in the true faith and discharge of a good conscience not as some which falling into impure lives have afterward fallen into foule errors in point of faith 20. Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander whom I have delivered unto Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme Paraphrase 20. Such are in the Church of Ephesus Hymenaeus 2 Tim. 2. 17. and Alexander 2 Tim. 4. 14. whom by the Censures of the Church I delivered into Satans power to chasten and afflict them that they may reform and recover from the very ill course in which they are both for faith and manners Annotations on Chap. I. V. 4. Genealogies Most of the divinity of the Gnosticks made up out of the Greek poets Antiphanes Hesiod Philistion c. consisted of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã conjunctions then from them Genealogies how one thing joyns with another and begets a third out of Night and Silence come forth Chaos c. and applies all the Theologie and Genealogies of the Gods in Orpheus c. to the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as they called the Angels see Note d. In reference and opposition to which it is that the Apostle here v. 5. sets down a true Christian genealogie of that excellent grace of Charity so much wanting in those hereticks accordingly as it is produced in a Christian and that saith he is the special genealogie with the study of which we Christian especially they that call themselves Gnosticks need to trouble our selves See Tit. 3. 9. V. 11. Glorious Gospel ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here seems to referre to the schechina among the Jewes which we have often spoke of noting the presence or appearance of God of Christ on the earth among us See Note on Mat. 3. k. and 16. n. V. 15. Acceptation What is the importance of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here must be learn'd from the use of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã among the Jewes especially in the Chaldee idiome where it signifies to receive any thing for undoubted and with an honourable respect the same that they expresse also by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to hear that is obey and believe with the exhibition of honour see Paulus Fagius on the Chaldee Paraphrase Gen. 25. 15. Thus when 2 Kin. 14. 11. the Hebrew reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and the Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã heard the Chaldee Paraphrase reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã received by which appears what is the meaning of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to receive a prophet Mat. 10. 41. which in like manner Luke expresses by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to hear in opposition to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to neglect Luk. 10. 16. to wit to believe and honour him So 1 Cor. 2. 14. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã receives not the things of the spirit that is neither believes nor values them but as it followes they are foolishnesse unto him So Ioh. 1. 12. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to receive is explained by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to believe in the end of the verse and so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã v. 11. where the Syriack hath ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in both places Hence are the Cabalae of the Jewes their receivings that is traditions as to give Eph. 4. 8. is all one with to receive Psal 68. 18. and as in the Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã receipt and gift are all one which they esteem so undoubted and honourable For as the office of the Doctor is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to deliever so of the Disciple ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to receive as in the beginning of Pirche Aboth Moses ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã received the Law from Mount Sina ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and delivered it to Ioshuah And as from the former of these words is the Hebrews ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Cabala their doctrine received and had in so much reverence so from the second is their ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã their doctrine delivered by hand from their antecessors and without writing transmitted to posterity the first expressed in the New Testament often by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the second by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã So that this is the full sense of this place If there be any undoubted dogma worthy of belief any true Cabala this certainly is it that Christ came into the world to save sinners V. 17. Eternal The ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here of which God is said to be the King may possibly signifie the several ages of the world and no
more that being the ordinary notaion of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã age But it is also known what notion of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã there was among the hereticks of those first times set down at large by Irenaeus in his discovery of the Valentinians where there is a great deal of phantastical unitelligible stuffe about the Aeones And therefore considering that the Gnosticks heresie was now abroad in the Church of Ephesus named distinctly in the close of this Epistle c. 6. 20. and referr'd to in a great part of this Chapter v. 3 4 6 7 9 10. and because the Valentinians were but the progeny of these saith Irenaeus and took their doctrines from them and because it hath been already shewn Note on Col. 2. a. and h. that these were the titles of and Angels who were in Ezechiel called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã living creatures and from thence these ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã formed by them it is therefore not improbable that the Apostle might referre to this Theologie of theirs here as he had done before v. 4. by their genealogies And then this will be the meaning of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the King or Ruler or supreme Commander as of the whole world so particularly of the Angels his constant subjects and servants and executioners of his will those to which under the name of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Gnosticks attribute so much To the same purpose is added the incorruptible invisible onely wise God in opposition to Simon Magus whom they taught to be the supreme God being but a corruptible visible man that by his sorcery got the reputation of wisdom among them And the giving glory and praise to him is an antient form of Confession of faith which was wont to be done by way of Doxologie and so is here set as a short Creed against the Gnosticks so as the Doxologie in that form which is now continued in the Church was framed against other hereticks V. 13. Prophecies That the Apostles received frequent revelations and never more distinctly and frequently than to this matter of designing Bishops and Governou s of the Church may appear by many places Thus concerning Paul and Barnabas the text is distinct Act. 13. 2. The holy Spirit said Separate to me Paul and Bânabas for the work to which I have called them and so here of Timothy and c. 4. 14. for that by prophecy here is meant such revelation may appear by comparing 1 Cor. 14. 25. with v. 30. for there what is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to prophesie in the former place and v. 31. is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to receive a revelation in the latter To this sense Saint Chrysostome and Theophylact are clear ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The dignity of being a Doctor and a Priest being a great one wants God's suffrage that a worthy person may receive it thereupon the Priests were made antiently by prophecie that is by the Holy Ghost Thus Timothy was chosen to the Priesthood that is his Episcopacy And so generally 't is said of the Bishops of Asia that the Holy Ghost had set them over the flock Act. 20 28. Thus saith Clemens Romanus of the Apostles that at their first preaching in every region and city ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã They constituted their first fruits making trial and judgment of them by the spirit into Bishops Deacons and again ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã having received perfect foreknowledge that is revelation or prophecy they constituted the forementioned Bishops and Deacons and not onely so for the present but for the next course or succession for so saith he ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Afterward they gave order that if those whom they had constituted should dye other men that were approved by the spirit also should undertake their Ministery or employment So saith Clemens Alexandrinus of Saint ââhn that in Asia he constituted Bishops sometimes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã made up whole Churches ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sometimes ordained some certain persons such as were signified to him by the Spirit See Act. 8. Note f. That this should thus be done in the Apostles time besides the will of God there is this reason also discernible because in the first preaching of the Faith to any City or Region performed by the Apostles in their journeyes as it was necessary that the Apostle before he went away from them should leave a Governour among them so it was not possible in so short a stay as ordinarily was made after the conversion of some in a city to discern by any humane meanes who of those ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã new converts would be fit for that imployment and so this rendred it very necessary that the Apostles either by the discerning spirit which they had extraordinarily bestowed on them or by particular Revelation should thus make designation of the persons But after when Churches were setled and men had continued in the Faith so long as to give testimony of their sincerity and abilities to qualifie them for that office there was not that need of Revelation in this matter humane meanes being in some measure sufficient to direct in it And accordingly by the qualifications which Saint Paul names to Timothy and Titus in their ordaining Bishops in every Church it is evident that they made Bishops upon observation and experience of mens behaviour and abilities and upon the testimonials of the brethren and therefore were forbid to make a novice Bishop that is one lately converted 1 Tim. 3. 6. because of him they could not have this experience or these testimonies and were not afforded divine Revelation in it or any thing proportionable to that Ib. Warre a good warfare What is the meaning of the phrase ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here must be fetch'd out of Num. 4. 3. where the Levites are said to goe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã into the army or host which is rendred by the Septuagint ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to officiate and so Num. 1. 50. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they shall minister and encamp so generally under the Law the ministery of the priests is compared to a warfare the Temple to a camp the inferior officers to watchmen and the like so Exod. 38. 8. when the women brought their gifts after child-birth to the Tabernacle they are expressed by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the warriers that warred in the dore of the tabernacle And therefore it is that 2 Sam. 6. 2. where there is speech of the bringing back of the Arke it is called the Arke of the Lord whose name is the Lord of hosts who dwelleth between the Cherubims that is the Lord of the Arke or Tabernacle the Temple being not then built dwelling in it between the Cherubims and that perhaps is the reason why in Zacharies prophecie which concerns the rebuilding of the Temple he is so oft intitled the Lord of hosts as the title most agreeable to stirre them up to that work so
so much scandal for his former life see Theophylact. 8. Likewise must the Deacons be grave not double-tongued not given to much wine nor greedy of filthy lucre Paraphrase 8. And as for the choosing of the Bishop al this care must be taken so for the Deacons that must every where be constituted to attend the Bishop they also must be chosen grave sober persons not cunning and deceitfull not given to excesse of drinking wine or strong drink those which use not any fordid course for gain 9. Holding the mysterie of the faith in a pure conscience Paraphrase 9. But such as being orthodox in point of faith live pure and Christian lives according to the doctrine and directions thereof 10. And let these also first be proved and then let them use the office of a Deacon being found blamelesse Paraphrase 10. And before any be thus assumed into holy Orders let them be well known and by testimony approved for sufficiency piety and good behaviour and then being found blamelesse persons of good report among all let them then be assumed into Orders 11. Even so must their wives be grave not slanderes sober faithfull in all things Paraphrase 11. So likewise the women that have any office in the Church see note on Tit. 2. b. must be of a grave behaviour not given to slander and calumniate not given to any excesse trusty in all that is committed to them 12. Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife ruling their children and their own houses well Paraphrase 12. And as of the Bishops so of the Deacons let them be those that have not put away former wives upon dislikes and married others see note b. but those which either have not married or lived constantly with their first wives and duly brought up their children and governed their families 13. For they that have used the office of a Deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree and great boldnesse in the faith which is in Christ Jesus Paraphrase 13. For though the office of a Deacon be an inferior degree yet it is a step to the higher and they that behave themselves well in it are fit to be assumed to an higher imployment that of rulers or Bishops that greater dignity in the Church of God see note on Joh. 7. a. 14. These things write I unto thee hoping to come unto thee shortly Paraphrase 14. These brief directions I now give thee for the necessary of thy present employment hoping to come quickly to thee my self and furnish thee with all farther instructions 15. But if I tarry long that thou maist know how thou oughtest to behave thy self in the note e house of God which is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of the truth Paraphrase 15. But if it shall fall out that I cannot come that then by these thou maist for the main be provided and instructed how to discharge the office committed to thee being an office of stewardship or presecture in Gods family the Church not of Idol false but of the one true God the pillar and basis which holds up the truth sustains and keeps it from sinking 16. And without controversie great is the mystery of note f godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into glory Paraphrase 16. The truth I mean of Gods oeconomy at this time which is most precious and valuable and tends mightily to the begetting of all piety and vertue in our hearts And it consists of these so many degrees 1. That God himself took on him our flesh and here on earth visibly appeared among us in an humane shape and did thereby make known his will unto us and that this might be done more convincingly 2 dly the Spirit descended on him at his baptisme and gave testimony of him Mat. 3. 17. and by leading him into the wildernesse to be tempted by the devill convinced him that he was the son of God Mat. 4. and by the power of God upon him he wrought many great and unheard of miracles and so his Apostles after him which testified the truth of all he said and 3 dly in these and in the discharge of his designed office of revealing Gods will unto men he was beheld and confess'd and adored by Angels themselves good and bad fourthly he was by his Apostles preached and proclaimed not only to the Jewes but Gentiles fifthly he was received and believed on by many of all nations through the world and sixthly he was visibly and with a glorious appearance of Angels taken up into heaven there to reign for ever in the glory of God the Father and to exercise power in his Church and by converting of some and destroying of others to propagate his Gospell over the world Annotations on Chap. III. V. 1. A Good work ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here signifies honestum opus a work of some vertue and excellence in itself as being that which is the consecrating a mans life at least the greatest part of it to the service of God to which therefore an immarcessible crown of glory is proposed by Saint Peter as the reward 1 Pet. 5. 4. where as the great reward in heaven Mat. 5. is an argument that the vertue to which it is assigned is a very eminent vertue very acceptable in the sight of God so is this an evidence that the good work here is look'd on as an eminent state of piety so far from being censurable in him that desires it as he ought to doe in order to the glory of God or the love of our brethren or the just provision for their spiritual wants that it is very commendable in him and the desire of it is an act of Christian piety in the more perfect degree as the designing this without putting the flock to any charge is yet more excellent in Saint Paul 1 Cor. 9. 18. And this may be farther evident by the fault of those who forsake this or any other Ecclesiastical office and return to the world ad seculum again such was Demas who had been a fellow-labourer of S. Paul's Philem. 24. Col. 4. 14. but after forsook him 2 Tim. 4. 10. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã having loved this present age or world not that this crime was that love of the world which 1 Iohn 2. 15. is a crime in any Christian but that he betook himself to his own worldly secular affaires again forsaking the attendance on the service of God in his Church as he that marries a wife is said to be solicitous for the things of this world how he may please his wife which love of the world though it be not in it self a fault for then marriage could not be faultless yet if it be the taking one off from Ecclesiastical emploiments which hath devoted himself to them will be a fault in him and that was
Paraphrase 16. For all those writings which either by God's spirit of prophesie or by any other afflation or incitation from God have at any time been written by the prophets c. and as such received into the Canon'of the Jewish Church may by us be profitably made use of to teach us many things that Christ hath taught us to convince us of the grosnesse of many sins which are confidently practised among men to reduce those that fall through ertor or ignorance to build up those that have begun and set out in the way of righteousnesse 17. That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Paraphrase 17. That the teacher or preacher of the Gospel sent and authorized by God may by the study of the Scripture be furnished for all turns enabled to discharge his whole duty toward the souls of others Annotations on Chap. III. V. 8. Iannes and Iambres These names of Iannes and Iambres are not to be met with in the story of the Old Testament but are here taken out of other records of the Jews as divers others things mentioned in the New Testament for example Moses's being brought up in the AEgyptian learning Act. 7. 22. and so likewise his age of forty years v. 23. when he went to visit his brethren which is not in Exod. 2. but in Midrash Rabba Bereschith and so his having beforehand some either instinct or revelation from God that he should be a deliverer of his people which seems to be referred to Act. 7. 25. but is not in the Old Testament they are questionlesse the names of the chief Magicians who did the miracles before Pharaob Exod. 7. Thus in the Babylonish Talmud tr Menachoth cap. 9. it is shewed how Iohanne and Mamre resisted Moses saying to him in the words of the proverb Affers tu stramen in Afraim which is in effect Dost thou cast water into the Sea that is shew miracles here in AEgypt which is so full of Magicians So in the Chaldee Paraphrase of Ionathan Exod. 7. 11. Ianis and Iambres are named and Exod. 1. 15. are said to be Princes or chief of the Magicians In the Talmud they are called sochanne and Mambre in the life of Moses Iane and Mamre in Zohar upon Num. 22. 22. Iones and Iambres in Shalshelet Iohn and Ambrose and in Tanchuma Iones and Iombros Of these and what is said of them in the Hebrew writers see Buxtorf Lex Talmud Col. 9. 545. And among the heathens in Pliny Nat. Hist l. 30. c. 1. there is talk of Moses Iannes and Cabala or as other copies read Iotape which he mentions as Jews that used Magick So in Numenius the Philosopher in Eusebius Praep. Evang. l. 9. c. 8. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. Iannes and Iambres skill'd in the holy things among the AEgyptians inferiour to none in the art of Magick So Artabanus cals them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Priests above Memphis So Origen contra Celsum l. 4. p. 205. citing out of Celsus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the story of Moses and Iannes and Iambres and Palladius in the life of Macarius that speaks of a ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a monument in a garden of Iannes and Iambres magicians in Pharaoh's time but this cannot well be if it be crue which is said by an old Midrash on Exod. 15. 10. that Iohn and Mamre were drowned in the red Sea And to that a MS. Arabick Catena on the Pentateuch agrees in these words Theseare the names of the Magicians which stood up against Moses Dejannes Iambarus and Sarudas and God destroyed them with Pharaoh and his host in the red sea And therefore it is reasonable to conjecture that the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or garden-sepulchre in Palladius should be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã an empty monumet without either of their bodies enclosed in it to record their sinne but not to preserve their ashes To these Apuleius seems to referre Apol. 2. where among the chief Magicians names he reckons Iohannes And to these S t Paul here very fitly compares the Gnosticks their chief founder Simon and Menander and others after him being a known sorcerer see Note on Rev. 9. c. and resistingthe truth by lying wonders as those Magicians did And of him we find that fulfilled in the event which is here foretold v. 9. that he should meet with the like fate and discovery that those Magicians met with Simon came to Rome a second time about the tenth of Nero grew into a great esteem with him by his forceries contended there with Saint Peter as the Magicians with Moses see Prosper de dimid temp c. 13. Duo Magi Phraonis Iamnes Iambres resistents Moisi contra Neronem Petrus Paulus Apostoli at contrariò Simon Magus qui se perdidit Neronem decepit Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh Iamnes and Iambres two Magicians of Pharaoh resisted them Peter and Paul the Apostles came against Nero but Simon Magus was on the other side and both destroyed himself deceived Nero making Simon parallel to these Magicians and accordingly Sue tonius mentions one to fly in the aire in the eleventh of Nero. But then as the Magicians were confuted and discovered when Aarons rod swallowed up their rods Exod. 7. 12. and when they acknowledged the miracle of Moses to be the finger of God Exod. 18. 19. and the boyle was upon the Magicians Exod. 9. 11. So was the madnesse of Simon and his Sectaries manifested to all men when he was cast down by the prayer of Saint Peter And of this these words of Saint Paul are a direct prophesie in this place This history of Simon is thus mention'd by Arnobius l. 2. cont Gent. speaking of Rome In qua cùm homines essent Numa regis artibus atque antiquis superstitionibus occupati non distulerunt tamen res patrias linquere veritati coalescere Christianae Viderant enim currum Simonis Magi quadrigas igneas Petri ore disslatas nominato Christo evanuisse Viderant fidentem diis falsis ab iisdem metuentibus proditum pondere praecipitatum suo cruribus jacuisse praefractis pòst deinde perlatum Brândam cruciatibus pudore defessum ex altissimi culminis se rursum praecipitasse fastigio They that had been used to Numa's arts and antient superstitions the heathen Romans forsook all and followed Christ having seen Simon Magus's Chariot and fiery horses dispelled with Peters mouth and vanish at the name of Christ and seeing him that relyed on his false gods betray'd by them and fall headlong on the ground breaking his legs with the weight and after that being brought to Brunda being tormented and ashamed he cast himself down again from the top of a high house and so persh'd So Saint Cyrill in his sixth Catechism ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. He so deceived the city of Rome that Claudius set him up a statue and after his
fain to die before he entred heaven 21. And having an high priest over the house of God Paraphrase 21. And having one that intercedes for us at the right hand of God and that hath taken upon him the whole care of his Church and of every faithfull servant of his that shall adhere and keep close to him 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Paraphrase 22. Let us serve and worship him unfeignedly being fill'd with faith see note on Luc. 1. a. and h. and having reformed our wicked lives in sincere resolution of heart without which there is no more reception to be hoped for at God's hands Isa 1. 15. then under the law there was liberty to come into the congregation for them that had to uched any impure thing till they were sprinkled with water by the priest and having our actions washed and pure also 23. Let us hold fast the profession of the faith without wavering for he is faithfull that promised Paraphrase 23. Let not all the afflictions and dangers that can approach us move us so much as to waver in our Christian profession which having the hope of eternal life joyned with it is fortification enough against all the terrors of this world having God's fidelity engaged to make good the promise to us 24. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and unto good works Paraphrase 24. And let us weigh and consider all advantages that we can have upon one another to provoke and excite one another to charity and all actions of piety such as are joyning in the publick service ver 25. whensoever we see any thing of fainting or growing cold in any 25. Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching Paraphrase 25. And not suffer our selves to proceed so farre toward defection as to give over the publick assemblies the forsaking of which is not onely deserting of the publick profession of Christ but also of the means of growth in grace but stire up one another to the performance of this and such other duties of confession toward Christ by this argument among others that now their deliverance from the persecutions which so discouraged them is near at hand by reason of the destruction of the enemies of the crosse the Jews and Gnosticks that have caused all these persecutions which therefore would make it unreasonable for them now to give over their constancy and lose all when they are so near the end of their voyage see Rom. 13. 11. and Jam. 5. 7 8. 26. For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth note b no more sacrifice for sins 27. But a certain fearfull looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries Paraphrase 26 27. For if we obstinately commit such a sinne as this defection from Christ and forsaking Christianity as they that forsake the publick assemblies are in danger to doe after once receiving it see note on Mat. 12. h. there is no plea or apologie of ignorance or unwillingnesse for that and consequently as under the Law no sacrifices are to be offered for such nor ever any for Apostates so now there is no way of remission which will be profitable for such all that is to be expected is the judgments and wrath of God such as are like to be sent out speedily to utter destruction against all such enemies of Christ see note on 2 Per. 3. g. and Heb. 6. b. 28. He that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses Paraphrase 28. He that offended willfully and so capitally under Moses's Law was not capable there of any mercy but the thing being proved against him by competent testimony he was to be put to death 29. Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despight unto the spirit of grace Paraphrase 28. How much sadder then will his condition be judged to be who against all light and conviction received and formerly assented to shall thus fall off and by doing so joyn with those Antichristian Gnosticks and Jewes the crucifiers of Christ and enemies of Christians which have despised Christ as vile and nothing worth yea as one that died as a malefactor and so his blood no better then unclean profane blood not such as will bring any benefit to us as it was designed to doe and scorn and reject the Gospel it self revealed to us by the Apostles authorized thereto by the descent of the Spirit on them and other mercies in it so graciously bestowed on us 30. For we know him that hath said Vengeance belongeth unto me I will recompense saith the Lord and again The Lord shall judge his people Paraphrase 30. For we know it is the Lord that said Vengeance c. and again Psal 135. 14. that God will avenge his people his Church and consequently will avenge the cause of those which now suffer among you against their persecutors in his time if you can patiently wait for it 31. It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God Paraphrase 31. To which purpose you may be armed with this consideration that 't is not near so formidable a thing to be persecuted and punished by mortal men as by him that lives for ever see Mat. 10. 20. 32. But call to remembrance the former daies in which after ye were illuminated ye indured a great âight of afflictions Paraphrase 32. Now that the being persecuted for Christianity should bring you to this defection there is no reason considering how when you did first receive the faith see Rom. 13. 11. ye indured afflictions courageously and therefore ought not now at last to fail in any reason lest you lose the fruit of all that 33. Partly whilest ye were made a gazing-stock both by reproaches and afflictions and partly whilest ye became companions of them that were so used Paraphrase 33. Suffering most courageously and notoriously your selves and shewing your fellow-feeling and common concernment with them that were thus afflictâd 34. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that you have in heaven a better and an enduring substance Paraphrase 34. For first to the latter of them see note on Mat. 7. â you expressed your sense of my sufferings and perhaps of many others that were in like manner imprisoned in mourning for me and relieving me and for the former ye parted with your worldly wealth which was violently torn from
be mercifull as God is mercifull or how to love God when he doth so contrary to his commands 18. My little children let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth Paraphrase 18. My dearly-beloved tender Christians let our charity to our brethren shew it self in actions of sincere kindnesse and bounty to them 19. And hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall note c assure our hearts before him Paraphrase 19. And by loving one another thus we are able to discern or judge of our selves that we are such as we professe our selves to be v. 18. and by so judging we shall have our hearts secure and confident that God will hear our prayers v. 22. and Joh. 9. 31. 20. For if our heart condemn us God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things Paraphrase 20. And indeed that this discerning our selves to be such as we pretend our selves to be is necessary to the giving us this confidence toward God appears by this that on the one side our hearts condemning us is a sure argument that God will doe so too and then not hearken to our prayers because he knoweth all things of us that we can know of our selves and on the other side if we have nothing to charge on our selves then we may come thus confidently to God not fearing that he will lay any thing to our charge see note on Joh. 7. a. that we are not guilty of or that he will be wanting to them that walk sincerely before him 21. Beloved if our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God Paraphrase 21. And indeed that this discerning our selves to be such as we pretend our selves to be is necessary to the giving us this confidence toward God appears by this that on the one side our hearts condemning us is a sure argument that God will doe so too and then not hearken to our prayers because he knoweth all things of us that we can know of our selves and on the other side if we have nothing to charge on our selves then we may come thus confidently to God not fearing that he will lay any thing to our charge see note on Joh. 7. a. that we are not guilty of or that he will be wanting to them that walk sincerely before him 22. And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments and doe those things that are pleasing in his sight Paraphrase 22. And he will certainly hear our prayers supposing them such as to which his promise of hearing doth pertain because by obeying him we are qualified to have our prayers heard by him see Jam. 1. 6. 23. And this is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us commandement Paraphrase 23. And one prime part of that obedience is to continue constant in the profession of Christ and perform all the duty owing from us to Christ and our brethren according as he by special precept hath required of us 24. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Paraphrase 24. And he that obeyeth him is really one of those which the Gnosticks pretend to be that is dwelleth or continueth in Christ and consequently receiveth all gracious influences from him as the members from the head as long as that is united to them and that we are such that is that Christ hath not yet forsaken but still continues united to us appeareth by the gracious charitable temper and disposition ver 10 17. which we transcribe from him ch 4. 13. see note on Luc. 9. c. Annotations on Chap. III. V. 8. Committeth sin ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to sin and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to doe or commit sin which appear to be directly the same by comparing ver 6 and 8. and so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã chap. 1. 8. to have sin all one with having sinned v. 10. have a special energie in the writings of this Apostle to denote a deliberate presumptuous commission of sin not every sin of ignorance incogitance frailty but after deliberation an advised commission of it This is here affirmed to be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the committing transgression where ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies opposition or contrariety to Christ's law Justinian renders the word iniquitatem Institut 4. de injur Iniquitas injustitia quam Graece ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã vocant and iniquitas is this opposition or irregularity to the will of God viz. that will of his revealed to us by Christ to which we now professe obedience It is here made matter of some question whether these phrases ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to sin and to commit sin are to be interpreted onely of an habit of such deliberate sin or belong to one single act of it But the resolution is easie that though he that lives impenitently in any habit of known sin be most eminently said to sin and commit sin yet he that is guilty of any one deliberate act is here primarily meant by these phrases This appears by the use of the words in some of the places where it must necessarily denote an act and not only an habit as ch 2. 1. These things I write unto you ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that ye may not sin where it would be unreasonable to think that the holy Apostle designed his Epistle to keep them from habits only and not also from each act of deliberate sin This is again evident in this place for not onely he that lives habitually in sin but he that commits any one deliberate act of it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã committeth a transgression of the Law opposeth and doth contrary to the Law of Christ which severely forbiddeth such single commissions and not onely the habits of them and so ver 5. when it is said that Christ appeared that he might take away our sins and that there is no sin in him 't is evident that he came to take away our acts as well as our habits and that there was no act as well as no habit of sin in him and so in all that follows v. 6 8 9 c. one act of sin is contrary to abiding in Christ that is to adhering to him to seeing and knowing that is to obeying him one act is of or from the devil one act as contrary to that seed that purity that principle of filiation that is in him that is born of God and not only an habit of it V. 9. Born of God What ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being born of God signifies hath been noted Joh. 1. Note b. to have received some special influence from God and by the help and power of that to be raised to a pious life Agreeably ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he that hath been born
much more then those of Ezekiel and Daniel but by him detorted and wrested from their native itelligible sense to far distant purposes This view I shall not chuse to give here out of its place but leave the Reader to make it up by putting together these few notes on the three ensuing Chapters ch 1. g. ch 2. b. d. g. ch 3. a. That the title of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Divine is here given to the writer of these Visions and not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Apostle is not from any imagination of those that affix'd it that the Apostle John was not writer of them but because that title of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã was by the Antients Origen especially bestowed on this Apostle in respect of the divinity and sublimity of his manner of writing observable in his Gospel and particularly becausee he began it with setting down the divinity of Christ whereas others begin with his birth or humanity the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Word was God This title had by the Platonists been given to Orpheus in relation to the book concerning the Gods written by him and so to Linus and Musaeus also those three ordinarily known by the name of Thrologi poetae CHAP. I. 1. THE Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to shew unto his servants things that must shortly come to passe and he sent and signified it by his Angel unto his servant John Paraphrase 1. The prophecie or vision of Revelation of Jesus Christ which as to our great Prophet and Intercessor or Mediator between God and us was put into his hands by his Father that he might as he pleased make known to his Apostles some things that should suddenly come to Passe many of them in the age wherein they lived as his dealing with his crucifiers and their persecutors the Jews and as some of them he made known to them all together whilst he was alive as then near at hand Mar. 24. 34. Luk. 21. Mar. 13. so now he hath thought fit to send a Symbolical representation of the same and all the rest the whole matter of this prophecie by an Angel to John his most beloved disciple 2. Who bare record of the word of God of note a the testimony of Jesus Christ and of all things that he saw Paraphrase 2. That John that had preached or given in his testimony concerning the word of God the doctrine and deeds and sufferings and resurrection of Christ whereby he testified his to be the doctrine and will of his Father and some particulars which he peculiarly saw see Joh. 19. note d. and 1 Joh. 1. 1. not taken notice of by others 3. Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecie and keep those things which are wirtten therein for the time is at hand Paraphrase 3. In this Revelation other prophecies there are and predictions of things future after this of the Jewes destruction and therein mixt the admirable ways of God's providence in permitting and punishing his enemies exercising and rewarding the patience of his servants the constant Christians And so the prophecies here set down of the destructions of the enemies of Christ are matter of comfort to all them are now under persecution and are such as concern every one that now lives to read and observe and to perform whar herein he is admonished to perform For the time is close at hand wherein one after another all those prophecies tending all to set from Gods wonderful providence in punishing his enemies and protecting his servant shall be successively fulfilled 4. John to the seven Churches in note b Asia Grace be unto you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from note c the seven spirits which are before his throne Paraphrase 4. These Revelations which I John thus received I send in an Epistle to the seven Churchess of Asia which I salute my self and am commanded to send them greeting from the eternal God whose name is Jehovah which signifies He that is and was and shall be and from the Angels which attend and wait upon God eh 4. 5. and are as in the Sanhedrim the officers waiting on the head of the Sanhedrim to go on all their messages or as in the Chruch the Deacons to attend the commands of the Governour of the Church and to perform them see Mat. 18. note a. 5. And from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witnesse and the first-begotten of the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood Paraphrase 5. And from Jesus Christ him that testified and made known being here on earth the will of his Father with all fidelity see note a. and ch 3. c. and that being crucified rose from the dead and so as our first-fruits 1 Cor. 15. 20. ascertained our resurrection wherein we his brethren shall be like him our elder brother and hath all power given unto him in heaven and in earth is superiour to all the Princes of this world Dan. 4. 17. whose power or persecutions ye may fear to him that hath made use of that power to express the reality of his love to us in purging us from our sins obtaining justificaâion and sanctification for us by the satisfaction wrought by the shedding of his blood and all the merits of his death and the power of his resurrection and the blessed consequents of it the sending of his Spirit and his own Intercession at the right hand of his Father all consequents of that blood-shedding of his upon which God so highly exalted him above all Philip. 2. 9. 6. And hath made us note d Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen Paraphrase 6. And all this that he might purchase to himself a Church of obedient servants and accordingly he hath now set us apart as consecrated persons such as Kings and Priests were of old to perform daily service unto him and delivered us from our persecutors that we may do so To this Saviour and Redeemer of ours be ascribed as to our eternal God all glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen Which acknowledgment of that disciple of his attributing the same to Christ which Christ teaches us to attribute to our Father in heaven Mat. 6. and which belongs onely to God is a sure testimony that Christ is God see note on Rom. 9. c. 7. Behold he note e cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him even so Amen Paraphrase 7. Behold this is his season wherein he cometh to protect his servants and to inflict vengeance on his enemies see note on Mat. 24. b. as discernibly as when by the appearance of Angels in white clouds
or with thunder and lightning c. he exhibits himself see Dan. 7. 13. and all men shall discern his particular hand in these judgements and all that had to doe in the crucifying of him and all the nation of the Jews whether at Jerusalem or wheresoever scattered see the Premonition and Mat. 24. b. shall discern that these judgements are inflicted on them for their crucifying of Christ and persecuting Christians and shall see what cause they have to lament for their cruel usage of them which now lights so heavy upon themselves 8. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty Paraphrase 8. The first and last letter of the Greek Alphabet is a description of me saith Christ who am before and after all things and so he whose kingdome hath no beginning nor end and am able to secure all faithful servants of mine and to subdue and destroy mine enemies and now mean to evidence some of my royal power in punishing my enemies or ill subjects 9. I John who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdome and patience of Jesus Christ was in the Isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ Paraphrase 9. I John who write this Epistle to you and who with other the faithfull Christian Jewes have suffered persecution and doe still hold out constant and patient through the power of Jesus Christ who now reignes though once he suffered not permitting any temptation to shake my faith or drive me from the profession of Christianity was in the Isle of Patmos banished thither for preaching and promulgating the doctrine and faith of Jesus Christ See v. 2. note a. 10. I was in the spirit on the Lords day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet Paraphrase 10. And being there excluded from the society of men I was vouchafed by God to receive Revelations from him and accordingly I fell into an extasy or transportation on the day of Christs resurrection the first day of the week either the annuall or the weekly festivity set apart to commemorate his resurrection and as upon a festivity I heared the sound of a trumpet Psal 47. 5. or a voice as loud as the sound of the trumpet and that voice behind me Is 30. 21. calling to me unexpectedly 11. Saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last and what thou seest write in a book and send it unto the seven Churches which are in Asia unto Ephesus and unto Smyrna and unto Pergamos and unto Thyatira and unto Sardis and unto Philadelphia and unto Laodicea Paraphrase 11. And that which was said was that he that spâke to me was the eternal God and that I was commanded by him to write down what was or should be at this or at any other time shewed me and to send all together in an Epistle to the seven Churches of Christ in Asia of which Ephesus was the chief Metropolis which accordingly now I doe 12. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me and being turned I saw seven golden Candlesticks Paraphrase 12. And hearing the voice behind me I turned to see who it was from whence this voice came to me And upon this occasion of turning there appeared unto me in the vision the representation in Symbols or visible Hieroglyphicks of what that voice v. 11. said unto me To signifie the seven Churches appeared seven golden Candlesticks 13. And in the midst of the seven Candlesticks one like unto the Son of man clothed with a garment down to the foot and girt about the paps with a golden girdle Paraphrase 13. To signifie Christ that eternall God that spake to me and said I am Alpha and Omega there appeared an Angel in the midst of the Candlesticks like him described Dan. 10. 5. in a very solemn manner habited like the high priest Levit. 6. 12. and 16. 4. to signifie Christ our mercifull high priest who hath compassion on our infirmities and intercedes and prayes for us to be represented by this Angel in an upper garment long such as he used to weare see note on Mat. 5. 6. and girt with a girdle as he was too and that of gold as Rev. 15. 6. after the manner of the high Priest the curious girdle of whose Ephod was of gold blue purple scarlet and fine twined linnen Exod. 39. 5. and by that intermixture of gold discriminated from the girdles of ordinary priests see note on Luk. 12. b. and this belt or girdle girt about the paps 14 15. His head and his haires were white like wooll as white as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire Paraphrase 14. And his appearance from head to foot was like a flaming fire nothing his coming to doe vengeance to consume with the brightnesse of his presence 2 Thess 2. 8. And his voice was like the sound of a great many waters met together or of a multitude Dan. 10. 6. making a huge terrible roaring noise 15. And his feet like unto note f fine brasse as if they burned in a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters 16. And he had in his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword and his countenance was as the sunne shineth in his strength Paraphrase 16. And he held seven starres in his right hand signifying his approbation and care of the seven singular Governors which were placed in those seven Churches represented by the Candlesticks and there came out of his mouth in stead of a tongue or words a sword of such a kind as betokened suddain destructions and the same was signified by his looks which was the resemblance of the sunne when it shineth in its greatest brightnesse 17. And when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead and he laid his right hand upon me saying unto me Fear not I am the first and the last Paraphrase 17. And when I saw Christ thus represented the terrâblenesse of the vision and Christs appearance in it was such that it put me into a fainting fit see Dan. 10. 8. but he held me up and encouraged me not to fear but to trust in him as the eternall God who would certainly doe me no hurt how terrible soever he proved to his enemies putting me in mind who he was the God of heaven though vilified and crucified upon the earth which crucifying of him and proceeding in like manner with his servants is the thing that becomes now to punish and therefore there would be no matter of fear but much rather of comfort and joy to any faithful Christian 18. I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and have the keyes of hell and death Paraphrase 18. Even that Christ which lived here on earth and was
Paraphrase 16. And if this lenity be not speedily mended I will visit and destroy you suddenly by judgments parallel to the sword that fell on those Israelites that were corrupted by Balaams counsell Num. 25. 5. 17. He that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the note k hidden Manna and I will give him a note l white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it Paraphrase 17. And for all those that keep themselves pure and spotlesse from these temptations this compliance and uncleannesse let them know that the joies and comforts that come in to them by the practice of the contrary Christian vertues of courage and purity are though invisible yet far greater then those which these carnal Gospellers enjoy 1 Cor. 2. 9. and besides this portion of inward blisse adherent to the practice of duty at the present prepared for them by God and showr'd down like Manna upon their souls they shall over and above as victors have a ticket given them by the judges to receive the reward that belongs to them the value or quality whereof and their names is written in that ticket have a token or ticket given them with the name of Christ written on it signifying the Christian reward of grace and glory but that such as is not to be conceived what or how valuable it is but by the enjoying of it 18. And unto the Angel of the Church in note m Thyatira write These things saith the Son of God who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire and his feet are like fine brasse Paraphrase 18. Christ that appeared to thee so gloriously c. 1. 15. in token of the judicature which he means to exercise the rewards and punishments which he hath in his dispensing 19. I know thy works and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy works and the last to be more then the first Paraphrase 19. I take notice of your Christian actions and courage in confessing of Christ see note b. and your charity or liberality to the poor brethren and your constancy against all terrors and all these Christian actions daily improving and growing greater and more abundant in you 20. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman note n Jezebel which calleth her self a prophetesse to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto Idols Paraphrase 20. Yet one quarrel I have against you that you permit that heresie of the Gnosticks that take upon them to understand mysteries beyond all others to delude some members of your Church and infuse their false doctrines into them and among others those foremention'd v. 14. of filthinesse and communicating in Idol-worships 21. And I gave her space to repent of her fornications and she repented not Paraphrase 21. And these filthy hereticks have not made use of the warning by me given them to repent but still goe on in their impieties 22. Behold I will cast her into a bed and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation except they repent of their deeds Paraphrase 22. And therefore you may expect that the judgments that shall suddenly fall upon them and all that join with them shall be very heavy if not prevented by their speedy reformation 23. And I will kill her children with death and all the Churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts and I will give unto every one of you according to your works Paraphrase 23. And all that are either leaders or followers in this impietie shall be destroyed to be an example to all the Christian Churches in the rest of Asia that these doctrines and practices may be avoided by them upon sight of my severe visitation upon these which may assure you all you Churches of Asia that according as you behave your selves so you may expect to be rewarded by me 24. But unto you I say and to the rest in Thyatira as many as have not this doctrine and which have not known the depths of Satan as they speak I will put upon you none other burthen Paraphrase 24. But to the rest of you those of Thyatira which are not thus guilty which have not given ear to these secret depths of Gnostick villany to you this acknowledgment and commendation is due that you are such that God requires nothing more of you but perseverance that you hold out untouch'd and untainted till this judgment comes upon those wicked that are now among you and till I come to reward your fidelity and constancy 25. But that which ye have already hold fast till I come Paraphrase 25. But to the rest of you those of Thyatira which are not thus guilty which have not given ear to these secret depths of Gnostick villany to you this acknowledgment and commendation is due that you are such that God requires nothing more of you but perseverance that you hold out untouch'd and untainted till this judgment comes upon those wicked that are now among you and till I come to reward your fidelity and constancy 26. And he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto note o the end to him will I give power over the Nations Paraphrase 26. And they that thus persevere in the performance of all Christian duties pure and spotlesse from all these abominable heretical mixtures they that hold out against all persecutions and temptations firm and spotlesse shall when the daies of persecution are over be made use of to propagate the Gospel to the Nations convert the Gentile idolaters to the faith and become Bishops of other Churches And this they shall doe successefully and efficaciously over the Eastern Nations 27. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron and as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers even as I received of my Father Paraphrase 27. And they that thus persevere in the persormance of all Christian duties pure and spotlesse from all these abominable heretical mixtures they that hold out against all persecutions and temptations firm and spotlesse shall when the daies of persecution are over be made use of to propagate the Gospel to the Nations convert the Gentile idolaters to the faith and become Bishops of other Churches And this they shall doe successefully and efficaciously over the Eastern Nations 28. And I will give him the morning star Paraphrase 28. And they that thus persevere in the persormance of all Christian duties pure and spotlesse from all these abominable heretical mixtures they that hold out against all persecutions and temptations firm and spotlesse shall when the daies of persecution are over be made use of to propagate the Gospel to the Nations convert the Gentile idolaters to the faith and become Bishops of other Churches
would have it but to the constant continual production of them not at a few but at all seasons for so the year being the measure of all time bearing fruit as oft as there be moneths in the year must needs signifie the continual constant fruitfulness of it And this was much for the honour of the tree few trees bearing above once a year few in the winter but this every moneth in the year and so the fitter to denote Christian piety to which our Baptisme engageth us and our living in the Church confirms that engagement on us and both to continue to serve God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the days of our lives Ib. The leaves of the tree The leaves of a tree that beareth fruit are of use to guard and preserve the fruit and besides they are many of them medicinal and so both in Ezechiel and here they are said to be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for healing or medicine That which is most probably here meant by these leaves of this tree of life is the outward visiblenesse and exemplarinesse of piety which accompanies the fruits of it This in single persons is only the shining of their light before men which is of great use to attract others even the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã if that signifie the Gentiles unbelievers here to Christianity who see their good works whereas the scandalous sins of Christians are apt to aliene and deter others from that profession But in a Church these leaves may signifie more also the publick and frequent assembling for the service and worship of God and the Canons and exercise of strict discipline c. And that these latter of the discipline and censures of the Church are meant by these leaves may be collected not only by the usefulnesse of them to the preserving works of piety in a Church as leaves are for preserving the fruit and secondly by the propriety of them in order to cuting of the diseases of mens souls the reforming of lapsed sinners which may here be express'd by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for healing but also by that which follows presently upon it v. 3. which most signally belongs to this matter of Censures see Note e. V. 3. Shall be no more curse That ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a curse or execration is ordinarily taken for the person to whom that Censure or second sort of Excommunication belongs appears by the use of it in other places of the New Testament Thus Rom. 9. 3. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I could wish to be a curse that is accursed from Christ separate or excommunicate from the body of Christ the Church So 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any man love not let him be anathema and Gal. 1. 8. If I or an angel shall teach any other doctrine let him be anathema In all these places the word Curse is clearly put for an excommunicate or accursed person put under the censures or execration of the Church and accordingly here in any reason ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã every curse must signifie every wicked person fit for the Censures of the Church And then the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã shall be no longer must signifie the exercise of such discipline in the Church in excluding all such wicked persons out of it and so to the mention of Baptisme by the river v. 1 2. and of the Christian assemblies by the streets v. 2. adds the use of excommunication in the Christian Church for which we know Ecclesiastical Judicatories were erected in Constantine's time and so continued under the favour of Christian Emperors and Princes By which appears also what is meant by the throne of God and the Lamb in this verse viz. Christian Judicatories for the excommunicating of scandalous offenders where in the power exercised by the Bishops is acknowledged to be the Power of God or Christ and this throne here the same with that v. 1. the power of Baptizing and of excommunicating of admitting and excluding from the Church being branches of the same authority by Christ communicated to the Apostles V. 18. If any man shall add This form of speech here used to conclude this Book is First a Symbolical and prophetical form of expressing the certainty and immutability of this Prophecie and Secondly an expression of the absolutenesse and perfection of it in order to publick use that it should be the one prophecie given to the Christian Church which should bring divine authority along with it sent with a commission from heaven and not only proceeding from a publick spirit but sent out with a publick charge that as Josephus saith contr Appion l. 1. that after the time of Artaxerxes though many excellent things were written yet they brought not divine authority with them nor consequently were so received or believed because there was not then a certain succession of Prophets and no body durst adde or detract or change any thing in the Old Canon after so long a time so though there might be some Prophets after S. John as Justin Martyr tells us that the gift of Prophecie remained in the Church till his time yet this book should be the last and so the close and seal of all publick Prophecie and that therefore no new doctrine was now farther to be expected by the Christian Church and whosoever taught any as a rule of faith and life and pretended Revelation for it should fall under the censure denounced against false Prophets Deut. 13. and under Saint Paul's anathema Gal. 1. 8 9. That this should be only an ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or adjuration of the Scribe as in the end of Irenaeus in some Copies there is an adjuration not to add or diminish and as 't is said in Aristeas that after the translation of the Septuagint Demetrius perswaded the Jews to adde an imprecation on any that should change or add or transpose or take away any word from it was the conjecture of a learned man Mr. Lively and as it may very well be received so need it not prejudge those other importances of it before mentioned THE END Addenda Delenda Mutanda Corrigenda PAg. III. lin 31. for they had r. they that had p. V. l. 7. for of fit r. to fit p. 5. l. penult r. unto thee Mary p. 8. col 2. l. 23. r. providing p. 15. col 1. marg l. 4. r. Dei l. 18. c. 23. l. 7. r. par 3. p. 17. col 1. l. 43. r. Optatus l. 1. p. 18. col 2. l. 7. r. it were of fire p. 19. col 2. l. 43. r. i. e. my self p. 24. v. 32. r. causeth p. 26. col 1. l. 43. r. this p. 29. col 1. l. 45. r. secundum ea col 2. l. 31. r. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã p. 30. col 1. l. 62. r. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã p. 32. col 2. l. 24. r. mine is thine p. 38. col r. l. 35. r. cubit chap. 7. v. 6. l. 6. r. return thee p. 45. col 2. l.
or diminish 948. 2. Added nothing to me 601. 1. Adjure 134. 1. first and second Admonition 721. 2. Adoption 479. 1. spirit of Adoption 479. 1. Adversary 21. 1. 523. 2. full of Adultery 815. 2. Aegypt 919. 2. the Aegyptian 121. 1. 419. 2. 828. 1. Affectionately desirous 666. 2. fight of Afflictions 753. 2. After 562. 1. 599. 1. Aged men 718. 1. Agree 29. 2. witnesse Agreed not 179. 1. beat the Aire 540. 1. Alabaster box 129. 2. before All 350. 1. All men 463. 2. 477. 1. All the righteous bloud 11â 2. All things 63. 2. 187. 2. 616. 2. 651. 2. 656. 2. All these things 172. 1. Allegory 608. 1. Almâs 34. 1. Already 683. 1. Altar 115. 2. 884. 1. 906. 1. under the Altar 891. 2. Ambassadours 578. 2. Amen 558. 1. Ananias high-priest 200. 2. Anathema 483. 2. 873. 1. Anathema Maranatha 566. 1. 948. 2. Angel 281. 2. his Angel 384. 1. a spirit or an Angel 424. 1. Angels 869. 1. with his Angels 545. 2. 677. 2. 852. 2. because of the Angels 584. 1. better then the Angels 727. 1. their Angels 92. 1. Angels of the Churches 384. 1. 869. 1. be Angry 625. 2. Annas 344. 1. Annas and Caiaphas 198. 1. Anoint thy head 36. 2. Anointed 367. 2. Anointed with the holy Ghost 367. 2. Anointing with oile 785. 1. that which is Anothers 244. 1. 245. 1. Answer of a good conscience 491. 1. Answered 145. 1. Answereth to 608. 1. Antichrist 680. 2. 681. 2. 828. 1. 829. 2. Antichrist cometh 828. 1. Antichrists 828. 829. now are there many Antichrists 822. 1. Antipas 859. 876. 1. Apollyon 901. 2. Apostle 770. 1. Apostles 209. 1. 399. 2. 326. 1. 508. 2. 551. 1. say they are Apostles 872. 1. Appearance 674. 1. 683. 2. graves that Appear not 116. 2. things which doe Appear 757. 2. Appeared 221. 1. Appii forum 435. 2. Appoint 350. 1. Appointed 794. 2. not Appointed us to wrath 794. 2. Apprehended 644. 2. Approve 444. 2. 449. 2. Aprons 412. 1. Archippus 662. 1. Areopagite 406. 1. Areopagus 405. 2. Aretas 590. 2. Arimathea 139. 2. Armageddon 926. 2. As of the 270. 1. Ashamed 487. 2. 867. 1. Asia 865. 1. Ask 210. 2. 491. 2. Ask according to his will 840. 1. Ask in faith 841. 1. shall Ask 92. 1. 317. 2. Asleep 670. 2. Assembled together 132. 2. 350. 2. Assembly 776. 1. general Assembly 764. 2. Assos 416. 1. Assure our hearts 832. 2. Attained 487. 1. 644. 1 2. Availeth much 610. 2. Avoid 709. 1. Author and finisher 763. 1. Azor 7. 1. B. Babler 405. 2. vain Bablings 709. 2. Babylon 806. 2. 919. 1. error of Balaam 851. 2. way of Balaam 815. 2. Bands 625. 1. I have a Baptisme 234. 2. Baptist 14. 1. Baptize with water 17. 1. 332. 1. Baptized in the cloud 544. 1. Baptized for the dead 563. 1. Baptized with the holy Ghost 332. 1. Bartholomew 271. 1. Baskets 83. 1. Bear 17. 1. 872. 2. Bear our sins 795. 2. Bear his crosse 138. 2. canst not Bear evill 872. 1. Bear long 250. 2. Beareth all things 556. 1. another Beast 914. 1. who is like unto the Beast 913. 1. Beast which was and is not 858. Beast out of the bottomelesse pit 907. 1. Beasts 780. 1. fought with Beasts 564. 1. four Beasts 884. 2. 885. 1. Beautifull outward 114. 1. Beelzebub 68. 2. Before him 460. 2. Before and behind 886. 1. was Before me 270. 1. Began 145. 1. judgment must Begin 804. 1. from the Beginning 296. 1. 826. 1. Beginning of sorrows 891. 2. Beggerly elements 604. 1. Beguile 655. 1. good Behaviour 718. 2. Behold 779. 2. 795. 1. â Beholding his natural face 773. 2. could not Believe 307. 1. surely Believed 186. 1. they which have Believed 722. 2. Believeth all things 556. 1. Believing masters 703. 1. out of his Belly 292. 1. 338. 2. slow Bellies 717. 1. Beloved 703. 2. Beloved son 19. 2. Benefactors 260. 1. Benefit 704. 1. due Benevolence 531. 1. Beside himself 147. 1. Bethesda 280. 1. Betrayed 88. 2. Better then the Angels 727. 1. some Better thing 759. 2. Bewitched 604. 1. goe Beyond 699. 2. Bind 326. 2. 523. 2. Bishops 636. 1. 795. 2. Bishoprick 334. 2. Bitter zeal 779. 2. Bitternesse 360. 2. 455. 1. was to be Blamed 601. 2. name of Blasphemie 912. 1. Blasphemies 80. 1. Blesse 76. 2. Blessed are 210. 1. Blessed are the barren 264. 1. Blessed are they that keep 856. in thee be Blessed 605. 1. son of the Blessed 179. 1. Blessing 739. 2. cup of Blessing 545. 2. Blind-folded 261. 2. Bloud 456. 1. sweat like drops of Bloud 260. 2. price of Bloud 131. 1. abstain from Bloud 397 2. born of Bloud 269. 1. resist unto Bloud 540. 2. 764. 1. Bloud and water 323. 2. came by water and Bloud 324. 1. Bloud of Christ cleanseth 823. 2. Boanerges 147. 1. Boards 433. 2. Boasteth great things 779. 2. Boasting 538. 1. 782. 2. Boasting of things without our measure 587. 2. Body 465. 1. 625. 1. 674. 1. my Body 131. 1. 465. 1. Body of Christ 465. 1. 851. 1. by the Body of Christ 469. 1. Body of death 465. 1. Body of his flesh 652. 2. Body of sin 465. 1. Body flesh bones 818. 2. Body of Moses 851. 1. Bodies 935. 2. Bodily 465. 1. 654. 2. Bold 586. 2. Boldnesse 834. 1. Bond of iniquity 360. 2. bring into Bondage 600. 1. Bondage of corruption 478. 1. spirit of Bondage 223. 1. Book of life 646. 1. 881. 1. 913. 2. Borders of their garments 111. 1. inlarge the Borders of their 111. 1. Born of bloud 269. 1. 832. 2. Born of God 269. 1 2. 831. 2. Born of water 275. 1. in the Bosome 45. 2. Abrahams Bosome 45. 2. Bosor 815. 2. Bottles 49. 2. deny the Lord that Bought them 873. 2. Bound 422. 2. 902. 1. Bound in spirit 417. 1. Brake the box 176. 2. fine Brasse 868. 2. Breaking of bread 339. 2. true Bread 288. 2. Breast-plates of fire 902. 1. Breath of his mouth 683. 2. Brethren 350. 1. 703. 2. Brethren with me 597. 1. Bride-chamber 49. 1. 275. 2. friends of the Bridegroom 275. 2. Brightnesse of his coming 683. 2. Brimstone 902. 2. Brought forth 149. 2. Bruised reed 68. 1. Buffet 523. 2. Build the house 731. 1. Build thereupon 518. 1. Burned in spirit 409. 1. Burning â19 1. Burst asunder 334. 1. heavy Burthens 111. 1. Busie-body 804. 1. no man might Buy or sell 916. 1. By 450. 2. 679. 1. 818. 2. C. tribute to Caesar 170. 1. Caesarea 409. 2. Caesarea Philippi 83. 1. Caiaphas 198. 1. 344. 1. a Calfe 885. 2. Call by their names 301. 1. Call upon the name 512. 1. Called 99. 1. 704. 2. Called Christians 380. 1. Called a Jew 449. 2. to be Called 11. 2. 26. 1. Calling 811. 1. Camels haire 16. 1. woman of Canaan 80. 2. Simon the Canaanite 54. 1. Candlesticks 869. 2. a Canker 709. 2. Cannot sin 832. 1. Captain 382. 1. Captain of our
ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * Can. 63. * Can. 66. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * by or over against ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â by Bithynia ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * is a prime city of a part ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â a place of prayer was reputed to be or we thought there was an oratory for the Ks MS. reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * assembled there ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â laid hold on ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * court ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã see Mat. 7. note b. â captains ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 10. v. 22 35 36. * beat them with rods ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â washed them ãâã their ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * Explaining ând setting âefore âem that âhe Christ âught to sufâer rise ãâã that this ãâã Jesus Christ whom ãâã declare ââto you ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã worshiping Greciâs see ch ãâã 50. ãâã being inâged ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã wicked âen of the âicers of âeir courts ãâã making ãâã tumult ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã âoubled ãâã world âingenuous ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã who ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â exasperated within him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * seeing their city to be full of Idols â worshippers see c. 13. 50. * this idle fellow â sojouââed there ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * Areopagus veâ 59. â I look upon you as those which are generally given to the Worship of more Gods or dâmons than any ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * Worships or devies ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã see 1 Thes 2. 4. â ye worship and know ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * needing ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â himself giving ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * grope him out ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â taking ãâã notice of doth now command ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * having offered faith unto all ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * In Iliad 1. ãâã 60. l. 27. ãâã 29. * ãâã l. 25. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã p. 15. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * Attie p. 26. l. 44. and p. 19. l. 19. * De Civ l. 18. c. 18. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã p. 5. * l. 2. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * ãâã was ãâ¦ã ed in âââââth for King's and the ãâã Gr. ãâã read ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â ãâã Christ ãâ¦ã * ãâ¦ã â And Gallio being Proconful ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * seâ themselves unanimously ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â forgery ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * in all season I should ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â of a word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * burning in Spirit ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â exactly the things concerning the Lord ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * openly â the brethren encouraging him wrote to the disciples ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * with great vehemence ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â the Christ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Bas Ed. p 124. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * discoursing ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â napkins ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * Jewish exorcists that came about attempted ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â a Jewish chief priest ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * charms or sorcery â shikels * chappels of Dâana ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â work ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * work v. 24. â portion ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * The great Diana Ms. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â the Asian Priests being friendly to him * advised him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * And some of the multitude brought forth Alexander the Jewes examining him â was willing to make apologie ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * And the Register stilled the people and said â is the sacrist * no beady thing ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * the courtdaies are come and the ãâã fuls are present â seek or require any thing ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * accused of a riot for this daies work ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã l. 2. cp ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã l. 10. c. 42 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * Deipnes l. 11. p. 500. Lib. 22. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã l. 40. D. l. 39. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * Antiq. Rom l. 4. * Observ l. 2. c. 13. * l. 6. §. 14. * l. 1. de Natural liberis ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * An. Ch. 57. â 180. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * resolved ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â And Sopater of Beroea accompanied him as farre as Asia ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * on the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * how I have not drawn back or refused to declare unto you whatsoever was profitable and to teach ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â being bound in Spirit I go * appointed you Bishops â govern ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * it is a blessed thing to give rather then receive ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â l. 1. c. 18. Nat Hist l. 5. c. 30. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * See Ensââ l. 3. c. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * plucked snatched ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â See note on c. 15. c. * spake to Paul not to go up ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â having sailed â were quiet ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â bringing us to one Mnason a Cypriote ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * myraids or ten thousands ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â there is nothing of those thing or nothing is true of those thing ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * walkest keeping the Law ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â see note or Mâ 1. b. * âecause ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â ãâã Paul ãâ¦ã to be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * ãâã raise âdition ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â ãâã the ãâã or ãâã sword ãâã ãâã
the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God Paraphrase 11. Bringing forth all manner of Christian fruits those works of piety and charity which are commended by Christ above what was by the Law of Nature or Moses required which may tend to the honour and praise of God 12. But I would ye should understand brethren that the things â which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel Paraphrase 12. As for my self and the things that concern me my sufferings and imprisonment at Rome you may please to take notice that they have tended to the advancement rather then hindrance of the Gospel 13. So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in the note e palace and in all other places Paraphrase 13. For by my sufferings it is that the Gospel hath come to be taken notice of and so to be propagated both to all the officers of the Emperour in the Courts the Romans that act under him and also to all others 14. And many of the brethren in the Lord waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the word without fear Paraphrase 14. And withall many that have received Christianity through the confidence and courage that the example of my sufferings and patience hath infused into them have with much more zeal and constancy then formerly made confession of the faith 15. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife and some also of good will Paraphrase 15. Some indeed envying the dignity which God hath bestowed on me by giving such success to my preaching now that they see me under restraint preach the Gospel of Christ by way of emulation hoping and endeavouring to get that glory to themselves and some doe it out of good liking of what I have done and out of a pious intent desiring sincerely to maintain what I have preached 16. The one preach Christ of contention not sincerely supposing to adde affliction to my bonds Paraphrase 16. The former sort of these doe it out of unkindness to me not out of designe seriously to advance the service of Christ but esteeming of me by their own affections they suppose they shall gall and grieve me thereby and so adde to my present sufferings 17. But the other of love knowing that I am set for the defense of the Gospel Paraphrase 17. But others out of a sincere kindnesse toward me and the Gospel as knowing that what is befallen me is in defence of the Gospel or for my defending it and consequently but duty in me who have not intruded my self but am by Christ from heaven call'd and sent with commission for discharge of this office 18. What then notwithstanding every way whether in note f pretence or in truth Christ is preached and I therein doe rejoice yea and will rejoice Paraphrase 18. And so by one means or other some to vex me others out of respect to the words preached by me doe farther propagate it and though this is by the former sort done maliciously and the good that comes from it be only accidental not intended but only occasioned by them yet 't is matter of rejoicing to me that the Gospel of Christ is preached and published by this means 19. For I know that this shall turn* to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Paraphrase 19. For I am confident by the help of your prayers and by the assistance of the Spirit of Christ attainable thereby that what hath thus befallen me shall be a means of advancing the salvation of many 20. According to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all boldnesse as alwaies so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death Paraphrase 20. As I verily perswade my self and hope that God will so assist me that I shall expresse no pusillanimity in any thing but continue as constant as ever and as bold Joh. 7. a. to confesse Christ and preach the Gospel and so whether by life or death advance the kingdome of Christ by preaching it if I live by signing the truth with my blood if I die 21. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain Paraphrase 21. For as for my self thus it stands with me if I live my life shall be spent in Christ's service and if I die my death tends to mine own unspeakable advantage and joy and to the service of Christ also whose glory may be advanced by my dying his martyr see ver 20. 22. But if I live in the flesh this is note g the fruit of my labour yet what I shall choose I wot not Paraphrase 22. On the other side my living in the flesh is matter of some advantage also life is in it self and for the advantages of serving God and encreasing our crown a desirable thing and so the scales being in a manner even I know not what to choose 23. For I am in a streight betwixt two having a desire to note h depart and to be with Christ which is farre better Paraphrase 23. But I am in a great difficulty equally inclined on both sides on one side having before me the benefit of death as of a returne into my country which is the vision and society of Christ and that very much more desirable both in respect of the glory that will redound to Christ by my martyrdome and the benefit that will redound to me 24. Neverthelesse to abide in the flesh is more needfull for you Paraphrase 24. And on the other side considering the advantage which may accrue to you which is farre greater by my life and that which you can very ill spare 25. And note i having this confidence I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith Paraphrase 25. And on this latter consideration of the want you have of me and the benefit you may reap from my life I am sure that this is the thing I desire and hope that I shall be some time permitted to live as a means of growth and proficiency to you and of giving you comfort in your Christianity 26. That your rejoycing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again Paraphrase 26. That you may rejoice the more through the goodnesse of Christ by reason of me that is of my coming yet again to be present among you 27. Onely let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ that whether I come and see you or else be absent I may heare of your affairs that ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel Paraphrase 27. Onely let your course of life be such as becomes the citizens of this divine city the members of
the Church of Christ whose saith ye have received that whether present or absent I may hear such things of you that I may take comfort in viz. that you have the same affections and common designes all jointly contending the best you can to propagate the faith of Christ to gain men to embrace the Gospel 28. And in nothing terrified by your adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God Paraphrase 28. And whatsoever opposition ye meet with let it not discourage or affright you but look on it only as a signe or testimony that they are wretched obdurate people but that you are the true penâent believers rescued out of the snares of sin and that this testimony is given by God himself of you 29. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not onely to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Paraphrase 29. Who hath vouchsafed you this favour to suffer for as well as to believe in Christ which is a proof of your sincerity and constancy and an instance of God's goodnesse and favour to you 30. Having the same conflict which ye saw in me and now hear to be in me Paraphrase 30. Suffering in the same manner as ye see and hear of me that I suffer Annotations on Chap. I. V. 1. Philippi The Philippians here named must by Analogie with the Corinthians and the rest to whom the other Epistles are address'd be interpreted to be of a larger extent then the inhabitants of that one city and either to contain all the Christians throughout all Macedonia or at least all that were under that Metropolis For that Philippi was such is the distinct affirmation of S. Luke Act. 16. 12. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Philippi is the prime or first city in the province of Macedonia that is either of all Macedonia as one wider Province or at least of one Province of it And it is there added that it was then a colony that is inhabited by Romans from whence it is that v. 21. they speak of themselves as Romans and such colony-cities that were so inhabited by Romans were generally though not onely they pitched on by the Roman Pretors or Presidents to be the cities whither the neighbouring regions should come for justice the places of assises c. and so became the chief cities So Photius ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The city of Philippi being a metropolis of the Province of the Macedonians and this expresly speaking of it as it was in S. Pauls time Act. 16. 21. where the inhabitants of it as of a Romane Colony call themselves Romans So S. Chrysostome on Act. 16. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã S. Luke sets down the places as writing an history and shewing where the Apostle spent any time he names onely the greater cities such are Metropoles and passeth by the rest making Philippi thus named one of those greater And this is supposed by the antient writer under Ignatius's name in Epist ad Tarsens when he tells them to whom he writes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Churches of the Philippians in the plural salute you that is the Churches under that Metropolis And therefore when Philippi is by the Geographers and out of them by the author of the argument of this Epistle affirmed to be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a little city under the Metropolis Thessalonica it must be remembred that that definition belongs to some other time probably long before that of S. Pauls writing here or in the Acts his preaching to them For so 't is certain that this city built and thus named by Philip King of Macedon had formerly been called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and then ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã whence was the proverb ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã because of a golden mine which Appian saith was near it and was then a small city which hinders not but that how under the Roman Empire it might be improved and advanced especially being now a Colony of Romans and being so 't is not imaginable it should be subject to Thessalonica a city in another Region an hundred and ten miles off from it which was no Colony As when in Palestine Caesarea Stratonis became a Colony of the Romans called Colonia Prima Flavia by Pliny à Vespasiano deducta the Prime Colony called Flavia as being brought thither by Flavius Vespasianus it became also in respect of the Ecclesiastical Government a Metropolis under which Jerusalem it self was For that many cities became Metropoles which formerly were not there is no doubt and is affirmed in the 12. Can. of the Council of Chalcedon ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Cities are honoured with the names of Metropoles by the Emperors letters So also Strabo Geog. l. 17. p. 840. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Provinces have been at several times variously divided which concludes the Metropoles to be changed also and l. 13. p. 629. giving an account of the confusion of Provinces by him observed he saith it was caused ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã because the Romans distributed them not according to the divisions of tribes but another way according to the keeping of courts and assises And thus doth Pliny set down for Metropoles of Asia Laodicea Sardis Smyrna and Ephesus upon this onely account that the courts were kept there to which other cities resorted The truth is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which was now changed and advanced into Philippi and a Metropolis of Macedonia by being a Colony of the Romans was originally a city of Thrace and so is affirmed to be by Stephanus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And so Scylax Caryandeus among the cities of Thrace hath ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã next after Neapolis And Eustathius on Dionysii ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to the same effect ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã seating it on the banke of Strymon where Pomponius Mela in his description of Thrace placeth Philippi and so doth Plinie Nat. Hist l. 4. in his Survey of Thrace A Strymone intus Philippi Colonia and so Dio describing Pangaeum Montem in Thrace saith 't is close by Philippi But granting all this of the former times 't is yet certain that at the time of S. Pauls converting this city it was changed from the antient forme first it was a Roman Colony and the inhabitants thereof ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Romans Act. 16. 21. and in that state made a Metropolis of the adjoyning part of Macedonia where the Roman Prefect kept his assises for all that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã According to this Division saith Vlpian in provincia Macedonia Dyrracheni Cassandrenses Philippenses Italici Juris sunt This may be illustrated à pari Nicopolis is by S. Chrysostome affirmed to be a city of Thrace ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and so by Theodoret ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Nicopolis is a city of Thrace but borders on Macedodia in like