you Vers. 10. And if Christ bee in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is Life because of righteousness Reas. 3. Seeing that Christ is in you though your bodie indeed in respect to the remnants of sin not to bee abolished but by death is destined to death and shall certainly dye Yet the Spirit of Regeneration which is given to you is eternal life it self in you or begun in your souls because of the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto you Therefore there is no condemnation unto you Vers. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Reas. 4. The Spirit of Christ dwelling in you will never forsake his habitation but will render you to himself a glorious and immortal receptacle To which end God will no less certainly and powerfully raise even your mortal bodies to life immortal as hee hath raised the body of Christ from the dead Therefore to you there is no condemnation Vers. 12. Therefore Brethren wee are debtors not to the flâ—sh to live after the flesh The Consolation which hee had applied to the Romans from their immunity from condemnation bee draws into use exhorting them to the study of holiness by which they should strengthen their consolation The Arguments of his exhortation are six The first Argument Wee are bound by all means to obey the Holy Ghost continually minding us of our duty both inwardly and by the Word But wee â—re no debtors to the flesh or to serve the lusts of our nature because wee are nothing indebted to that besides hatred and all means of mortification Therefore ought wee to follow after holiness Vers. 13. For if yee live after the flesh yee shall dye but if you through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body yee shall live Argum. 2. If you set up the lusts of the flesh and corrupt Nature for a Rule that you may order your lives according to that yee shall eternally dye Therefore as you would not perish follow after holiness Argum. 3. If you obey the Holy Ghost using onely those means prescribed by it and make use of that power communicated by the Spirit to you that beleeve in Christ for the mortifying the corrupt affections and deeds of your bodies without doubt you shall obtain Eternal Life through the grace of God Therefore ought you to follow after holiness Vers. 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Argum. 4. Confirming the former All that follow the command and guidance of the Holy Spirit testifie themselves to bee the Children of God by virtue of the regenerating Spirit Therefore that you may prove your selves the Sons of God obeying the Spirit of God follow after holiness Vers. 15. For yee have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but yee have received the spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father Argum. 5. Further confirming that they are the Sons of God Because after they fled to Christ and embraced the Covenant of Grace being set free by Faith from the servile fear of condemnation which the Spirit strikes all those with who seek Life from the Covenant of Works and are indued with the Spirit of Adoption from hence the Argument After yee have imbraced the Covenant of Grace by Faith in Christ a servile fear of Condemnation according to the tenor of the Gospel is no more given unto you but the Spirit of Adoption that you may most familiarly call upon God the Father with the people of God every one in his own tongue Therefore you are both the Sons of God and also it becomes you to behave your selves as the Sons of God in following after holiness Vers. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that wee are the Children of God Argum. 6. The Spirit of God seals up in our hearts and witnesses together with our spirits or consciences that wee are the Children of God Wee are therefore bound as it becomes the Sons of God to follow after holiness The second Part. Vers. 17. And if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and Joynt-heirs with Christ if so bee that wee suffer with him that wee may bee also glorified together The second part of the Chapter comprehends the consolations of justified persons by Faith against the sharpness of afflictions in this life Hee premises a Conclusion drawn from what was said before wherein hee proves that they who are justified by Faith are not onely Heirs of God and have right to all his good things but also co-heirs with Christ and brought by Adoption into communion with the onely begotten Son and into the inheritance with him being the Sons of God This is the right of those that are justified to the inheritance which inheritance that they might bee brought into the possession of hee subjoyns the condition of suffering with Christ. And this affords thirteen Arguments of consolation The first Argument of Comfort Communion with Christ in the Kingdome of Heaven and the possession of the glorious inheritance will follow our communion with him in his sufferings Therefore let us comfort our selves in our afflictions Vers. 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to bee compared with the glory which shall bee revealed in us Argum. 2. This is no hard condition because casting up the account I finde that whatever wee suffer in this life for righteousness sake is unworthy to bee compared with the glory that shall hereafter bee revealed and at length bee bestowed upon us whether wee respect the quality of the things or the duration of time Therefore let us comfort our selves in our tribulations Vers. 19. For the earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God Argum. 3. Figurately propounded the whole frame of the world in its kind suffering together with us sustains it self in the hope of the glory of God to bee revealed in the day of judgement and very earnestly as it were with the head stretched out expects that wished-for time Therefore wee also with this hope ought to support our selves Vers. 20. For the Creature was made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope Hee explicates this Argument shewing first that created things are subject to vanity i. e. a corruptible condition and to the abuse of the vainest men who abuse the Creature to all manner of sin and prostitute it to their service to the fulfilling of their vainest lusts Secondly That the Creature is not subject to this vanity willingly or of its natural propensity or its natural use to which it was created of God but for the will and pleasure or the judgement of God which hath subjected the Creature to this curse with sinful man for whose sake the
ought to renounce that yoak Vers. 4. But when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law 5. To redeem them that were under the Law that wee might receive the Adoption of Sons Having spoken of the servile and childish condition of the Church before the comming of Christ as to the outward man for as to the Spirit and inward man the faithful that saw the day of Christ were freed and rejoyced in the Lord now follows the manner of delivering the Church by the comming of Christ. The fulness of time Argum. 2. Now the fulness of time is come which the Father had fore-appointed to the Legal Pedagogie and that Guardianship of Legal Ceremonies is finished Therefore you Christians must renounce the yoak of Ceremonies Sent forth his Son Argum. 3. The Son of God is sent into the world takes upon him flesh and is born of the Virgin Mary and subjected to the Covenant of Works and the yoak of Legal Ceremonies that hee might redeem those that were subject to the Law Therefore yee Christians redeemed from the yoak ought to renounce it That the Adoption Argum. 4. For that end Christ is made subject to the Law that wee might clearly attain to the Adoption or to the Priviledge of Sons grown up held forth under the Gospel Therefore wee being under the Gospel ought to renounce the servile and childish yoak of Ceremonies unless wee would render the benefit of Redemption of none effect to us Vers. 6. And because yee are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Argum. 5. For a testimony of your Adoption and advancement to the priviledge of Sons now grown up God hath given you the holy Spirit by which together with other Sons of God out of Jews and Gentiles yee may call God confidently in every tongue your Father Therefore except yee would carry your selves as unworthy of this priviledge yee must renounce the childish and servile yoak of Ceremonies Vers. 7. Wherefore thou art no more a Servant but a Son and if a Son then an Heir of God through Christ. Argum. 6. Yee are no more in that servile condition under the yoak of Ceremonies but in a free state as Sons grown up and Heirs actually partakers of their Fathers goods or spiritual graces in a larger measure than the ancient Church and that by Christ manifested in the flesh Therefore now you must renounce that serviâ—e and childish yoak Vers. 8. Howbeit then when yee knew not God yee did service unto them which by nature are no gods 9. But now after that yee have known God or rather are known of God how turn yee again to the weak and beggarly elements whereunto yee desire again to bee in bondage Hee upbraids them with their ingratitude reprehending them for their observance of Legal Ceremonies as of daies and months c. in which they were neither born nor educated Howbeit Argum. 7. Before yee were Sons you were in a worser condition than the Jews to wit you were Idolatrous knowing not the true God and serving feigned Idols but now converted from that ignorance yee have known God or rather by the preventing Grace of God known and beloved yee are drawn to God that you might know him and are invested with the liberty of Sons How is it that a fresh as if you had been under no bondage do you turn again to the yoak of abolished ceremonial bondage Therefore this yoak you must renounce The force of this Argument is this yee bear the yoak of Ceremonies having less to pretend for your excuse and with a more signal note of ingratitude than the Jews born and brought up under the yoak Therefore you must renounce this yoak Again Argum. 8. Yee being advanced to the liberty of Sons grown up it is an unworthy thing willingly to return again to the yoak of slavery and to bee willing to bee in bondage Therefore you must renounce this yoak Beggerly Argum. 9. Those Legal Ceremonies the yoak whereof now yee affect although they had their pedagogical use before Christ came yet now Christ is come they have no use but are weak and beggerly rudiments which neither have virtue to justifie nor power to bring consolation nor their old use to prefigure Christ Therefore yee ought to renounce this so unprofitable a yoak Vers. 10. Yee observe daies and months and times and years 11. I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain Argum. 10. Your bondage begun again in the observation of Legal Ceremonies as for example of daies Sabbaths New Moons set Feasts and Sabbatical years c. hath given mee just cause of fear left I have preached to you the Gospel of free Justification in vain Because this is a sign that you are revolted from Justification by Faith or from the Grace of Christ to seek Justification by Works of the Law Therefore unless yee will renounce the Gospel yee must renounce this yoak The second Part. Vers. 12. Brethren I beseech you bee as I am for I am as yee are yee have not injured mee at all The second part of the Chapter follows wherein is contained a loving Exhortation to return into the way and the wholesome opinion of Justification by Grace through Faith without the Works of the Law This Proposition of the Exhortation may bee laid down You must return to my Doctrine of Righteousness by Faith without the Works of the Law bee yee saies hee as I am or bee yee in the same opinion with mee The Arguments of the Exhortation are twelve Furthermore Argum. 1. Because I though in times past a Pharisee have been very stiffe for Righteousness by the Law but now being made a Christian I am as you and I seek with you your salvation no less than you your selves seek it Therefore yee must return to my opinion Brethren I beseech Argum. 2. My fear concerning you hath neither alienated my mind from you neither hath it caused a doubtful judgement of charity concerning you but as Brethren let mee friendly bespeak you and as Brethren let mee beseech you to return Therefore return yee No Argum. 3. My severe reproof ariseth not against you either from anger or hatred who have not privately injured mee at all but out of an earnest desire of your salvation Therefore return yee Vers. 13. Yee know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you at first Argum. 4. I have suffered many things for preaching the Gospel unto you for yee know that I have preached the Gospel to you constantly through infirmities and a contemptible condition as to the outward-man whereunto through afflictions I am driven Therefore return yee to sound Doctrine sealed by my sufferings Vers. 14. And my temptation which was in the flesh yee despised not nor rejected but received mee as an Angel of God even as Christ Iesus Argum. 5. In
fabrick of the world was created whence Argum. 4. The Creatures are subject to vanity and misery not for their own but our fault and they patiently endure it Therefore much more wee who are subject to miseries by our own fault ought patiently to suffer afflictions under the hope of freedome Vers. 21. Because the Creature it self also shall bee delivered from the bondage of corruption unto the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Argum. 5. There is hope of the Creatures that they may bee freed from that servitude into a state proportionable to the future glorious condition of the Sons of God Therefore much more this freedome may bee expected by the Sons of God Vers. 22. For wee know that the whole Creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now Argum. 6. Wee know that the whole frame of the World from the time that sin came into it to this day doth groan together and travail together that being freed from the burden of mans sin it might bring forth into the eternal light of all the Sons of God a perfect birth Therefore unless wee would call this a vain instinct of nature at the time appointed of God a full freedome of the Sons of God is to bee expected Vers. 23. And not onely they but our selves also which have the first fruit of the Spirit even wee our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of the body Argum. 7. Not onely created things but wee our selves who have received peace and joy the first fruits of the Spirit the pledges and beginnings of eternal life do groan expecting a full manifestation of our adoption in the resurrection of our bodies by the power of redemption wrought by Christ to bee freed from all evils Therefore unless wee undervalue the first fruits of the harvest of eternal life and the desires of the Spirit wee ought to take consolation from the certainty of our freedome Vers. 24. For wee are saved by hope but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth hee yet hope for 25. But if wee hope for that wee see not then do wee with patience wait for it Argum. 8. From the nature of hope which is said to save us because it waits for the fulfilling of the promises to salvation Saving Hope is given to us which is a certain and patient expectation not of visible and present things but of good things to come Therefore unless wee renounce saving hope in our afflictions wee shall not want comfort expecting the freedome that is promised from all our troubles Vers. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what wee should pray for as wee ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot bee uttered Argum. 9. Wee are not alone in our afflictions but wee have the assistance of the holy Spirit our Comforter who supports us labouring under infirmities and instructs us how to pray exciting in us groans which cannot bee uttered being as an advocate for us with the Father Therefore ought wee to take comfort in our afflictions Vers. 27. And hee that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because hee maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Argum. 10. With the prevention of an objection Some might say wee do not discern the feeling of those confused and indistinct groanings The answer affords an Argument of Consolation God which searcheth the hearts well knows the meaning of the Spirit stirring up those groanings in us accepts of them as agreeable to his will Because hee stirs up in the Saints desires according to the Will of God and after his own manner intercedes Therefore being certain that our prayers are heard wee ought to take comfort in our afflictions Vers. 28. And wee know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose Argum. 11. As all things so afflictions work together for the good of them that are justified beleevers Therefore they may take comfort in the greatest afflictions Hee describes persons justified or beleevers First That they love God as those who by faith have imbraced the mercy and good will of God in Christ and cannot but love him from their hearts Secondly That they are effectually called being by the Spirit in the Word moved that they should obey the heavenly calling which invites sinners unto Christ. Thirdly That they are called according to his purpose as the Elect of God out of his meer good will before all time without any respect to their merits or worth and upon that ground they are called that they might bee led to eternal life to which they were predestinated Vers. 29. For whom hee did fore-know hee also did predestinate to bee conformed to the Image of his Son that hee might bee the first-born amongst many Brethren Argum. 12. Confirming the former by an indissoluble chain God hath joyned in his decree of Election and predestination a conformity of those that are justified and effectually called to Christ in his likeness every way viz. of his Cross of his holiness and happiness to this very end that the glory of Christ might more appear whilst hee the chieftain as it becomes the first-born is found amongst his Elect Brethren as in an holy and patient enduring of afflictions so in wearing the Crown of Glory after the afflictions are past Therefore they that are justified ought to take comfort in their afflictions while they behold how they make for their own good and the glory of Christ. Vers. 30. Moreover whom hee did predestinate them hee also called and whom hee called them hee also justified and whom hee justified them hee also glorified Argum. 13. Effectual calling and justification which in this life are granted to beleevers the gifts of God as the rings of an indissoluble chain are so firmly joyned with Election and Predestination before all time and with glorification after all time so that hee which is called effectually and justified may bee certain of his Predestination to Eternal Life and certain of his future glorification with God for ever For whom hee hath praedestinated them hee hath called c. Therefore they that are justified have solid consolation though afflicted in this life The third Part. Vers. 31. What shall wee then say to these things if God bee for us who can bee against us The third part of the Chapter containeth a sixfold triumph of those that are justified by Faith in Christ over the enemies of their salvation To this boasting in God hee premiseth an interrogation to shew the undoubted verity of the whole preceding doctrine which no man could justly contradict what shall wee therefore say to these things In answer to this the triumph of all that are justified by Faith in Christ follows amongst which the Apostle reckons himself and in their names as some leader hee
AN EXPOSITION OF ALL St. PAULS EPISTLES TOGETHER With an Explanation of those other Epistles of the Apostles St. James Peter John Jude Wherein the sense of every Chapter and Verse is Analytically unfolded and the Text enlightened By DAVID DICKSON Professor of Divinity in the University of Glascoe Published for the Benefit of such as desire clearly to understand and rightly to improve the Scriptures JOHN 15.4 Abide in mee and I in you As the Branch cannot bring forth fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine No more can yee except you abide in mee LONDON Printed by R. I. for Francis Eglesfield and are to bee sold at the Marygold in St. Pauls Church-yard 1659. TO THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS MARQUESSE Earl of Kintar Lord Cambel Lord of Lorn c. AND To the most Noble Lord the Lord Archibald Cambell Lord of Lorn his Eldest Son and Heir c. David Dickson wisheth all happiness THe name of Wisdome and Happiness most Illustrious Marquess hath alwaies and every where been very eminent and all men have justly commended him that hath been studious of both But few they are who well understand the things themselves For they that place their Happiness in any thing besides the enjoyment of God in the matter of true Wisdome are much mistaken That indeed is the true Wisdome by which wee are directly and infallibly led to solid and eternal Happiness It is a most sad spectacle and to wise observers not unprofitable to behold the misery of mankind joyned with madness Man is banished from Heaven and as a Vagabond wanders upon Earth tossed up and down with the stings of misery and a certain blinde desire of Happiness inquires after his Remedy But the Felicity hee should seek after above hee looks for among terrene trash and so misseth of it every where For the chiefest Good hee embraceth the meanest things and the deceitful shadows of Vanity By the frequent frustration of his conceived hopes hee is minded of his errour and urged with the perpetual agitation of a restless spirit to seek after the heavenly Country and his Fathers house But hee goes astray from the womb and his errour is endless encreasing and multiplying the miseries that hee flies from The contemplation of Divine Goodness conflicting with mans obstinacy and stubbornness heightens the sadness of this spectacle The fountain of happiness descends from Heaven cloathed with Majesty and Light as with a garment manifesting to those that are in the dark his invisibility to wit his eternal power and God-head shining forth in the works of Creation that hee might invite rebels into favour with him But they either look not towards God or looking to him they acknowledge him not or knowing him in some measure they glorifie him not as God but become vain in their imaginations and bowed downward they cry out Who will shew us any good None seriously pray Lift up the light of thy Countenance upon us God comes neerer in the works of his providence and leaves himself not without witness but communicates his good things to men unworthy gives Rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons filling the hearts of his most ingrateful enemies with food and gladness that they might feel after the Lord and finde him whom they had lost so by the riches of his goodness and forbearance they might be reduced to repentance But they receive these benefits and sacrifice them to gluttony and intemperance And even with these things which Divine bounty vouchsafed arming themselves with the weapons of iniquity they rebel against God But here the Man-kindness of God doth not end but hee comes close to us reacheth forth his hand knocks at every mans breast produceth the Law written legibly upon every mans heart shakes their consciences stirs up their thoughts to summon those fugitive enemies to the Tribunal of Justice to accuse the guilty and convince them of their odious ingratitude takes away all excuse from those that are convicted and all this that men might repent and sue out for pardon But they convinced of their iniquity contumaciously lift up themselves against God fall out with conscience and lay violent hands upon it to bee silent they invade that truth of God written upon their hearts which once suppressed they imprison and with-hold in unrighteousness It s no wonder if God suffer such desperately stubborn and self-condemned creatures to walk in their own waies and leaves them to Satan giving them up to their own corrupt affections Alas Alas millions are lost and will bee so By how much the more this spectacle is lamentable by so much the goodness of God is more lovely which will not endure that Divine Grace should suffer a repulse by those which the good pleasure of God will have to be his own to come to themselves and be saved You will easily affirm that to be a joyful sight which for ever will bless the beholders and make them happy The Eternal Wisdome the Beloved of the Father the Delight of Angels the Light of the World the Life of Men the Son of Righteousness under whose wings is healing and salvation Our Lord Jesus Christ came down from the bosome of his Father Who having discharged the price of our Redemption conquered our enemies gets up into his triumphant Chariot passes through all places where his redeemed ones abide for their sakes hee sets up the banner of his love hee sends forth the voice of saving wisdome in the Gospel of Peace By the Ministery whereof hee opens the fountain of mans misery wider reproves of sin creates in them a sorrow after God holds forth wrath to come and terrifies demonstrates to them their folly unworthiness and impotency to deliver themselves from those evils and humbles them to an abnegation of their own wisdome and strength Hee offers himself a Mediatour for the restoring of amity betwixt God and man provokes in us a thirst after Life and Righteousness holds forth to us freedome from the Law of works as also the ratification of the New and Free Covenant of Grace to which hee causeth them to consent perswades them to embrace Christ that great gift of God and wholly resign themselves up to him Hee exhibits also to them Remission of sins and causes them to lay hold upon it to Justification Hee wills those that are justified to mortifie the old man and enkindles in them no less desire after holiness than after Heaven and Happiness it self Hee requires the fruits of Faith in obedience to the Divine Law and causes them to suck vital juice from the vine which they send forth in fruits worthy of the Gospel Hee commands that every one take up his own Cross which lies in his way to Heaven causing them to observe his commands and after the Lord of Glory bearing reproach for him through prosperity and adversity to pass on unto eternal life This is that saving Wisdome which deceives no man but justifies and blesseth all her Children and in like
marry with pious affections and with a person that is a beleever and to one whom shee may by the Law of God for this it is to marry in the Lord so to marry that the blessing of God may bee expected Vers. 40. But shee is happier if shee so abide after my judgement and I think also that I have the Spirit of God Secondly Hee answers although it bee lawful yet it is not expedient for the most part especially when in danger of persecution or in present necessity Because shee shall bee more happy if shee abide in her Widowhood i. e. shee shall live in more tranquillity and void of troubles which second Marriages might create to her Modestly insinuating this his advice concerning the conveniency of it to bee divine hee strongly asserts that it most certainly conduceth to convenience for more is said than if hee had spoken this without extenuation CHAP. VIII THE Sixth ARTICLE CONCERNING THE AVOIDING OF THINGS offered to Idols THe sixth Article of the Epistle follows concerning the avoiding of things offered to Idols Chap. 8 9 10 Vers. 1. Now as touching things offered unto Idols wee know that wee all have knowledge knowledge puffeth up but charity edifieth The disputation which is contained in this Chapter consists in the answering of three Objections from whence it appears that it is not simply lawful to feed upon things offered to Idols The first Objection wee are sufficiently instructed by knowledge concerning the lawful use of things offered to Idols Therefore wee may lawfully eat of them Hee answers by way of concession and correction to this sense although any one knows his liberty in using things offered to Idols yet a bare knowledge is not sufficient unless it bee joyned with charity in use and practice because knowledge without charity puffeth up and makes them proud despisers of the Brethren that know but little but joyned with charity if edifies i. e. accommodates it self for the good of others Verse 2. And if any man think that hee knoweth any thing hee knoweth nothing yet as hee ought to know 3. But if any man know God the same is known of him Hee explains what hee had spoken by distinguishing betwixt him that knows with pride and him that knows with charity to God and his neighbour The one who hath knowledge joyned with pride knows nothing solidly because hee is puffed up with a vain opinion of his own knowledge but the other who hath knowledge joyned with love as hee is taught by God so hee is approved of by God that hee is truly knowing Vers. 4. As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto Idols wee know that an Idol is nothing in the world and that there is none other God but one The second Objection wee know that an Idol hath no divinity in it either externally or internally which is conceived to bee in him by those that offer things to the Idol or is feigned to bee represented in him Wee know also that there is no God but one Therefore seeing the Creatures of God may not bee polluted by us from the fictions of men it is not lawful to feed upon things offered to Idols Vers. 5. For though there bee that are called Gods whether in Heaven or in Earth as there bee gods many and Lords many 6. But to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and wee in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whom are all things and wee by him Hee answers first by concession and confirmation of the antecedent laid down by the opposers For although they may bee in the words and opinion of men and may bee called caelestial and terrestial Gods and many Lords yet there is but one God and Lord viz. the Father by which name wee are brought to the other persons to wit the Son and the holy Spirit who are one God the begining of all Creatures from whom and the end of all to whom chiefly in respect of us who are beleevers and dedicated to his glory and one Mediatour Jesus Christ the same God with the Father by whom as by the Word of the Father all things were created and wee beleevers redeemed by him who therefore is said to bee Lord both in respect of creation and redemption Vers. 7. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge for some with conscience of the Idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered to an Idol and their conscience being weak is defiled Secondly Hee answers by way of limitation denying that this measure of knowledge is in all that are converted because some have not yet manifestly laid down their old opinion concerning Idols but are touched with a certain reverence of the Idol whilst they eat things offered to Idols and so their weak consciences are defiled doubting whether they do well Therefore it is not simply lawful to feed upon things offered to Idols Vers. 8. But meat commendeth us not to God for neither if wee eat are wee the better neither if wee eat not are wee the worse Objection 3. But the eating of meats is in indifferent things placed without Religion in which liberty is granted to us For our eating and our not eating are both alike pleasing to God so far as it is for our health whether wee eat this or that meat Therefore wee are not here to bee barred of our liberty Vers. 9. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak Hee answers that this is true indeed unless in case of scandal yet that hee sins who uses his liberty to the offence of his weak Brother Vers. 10. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat at the Idols Temple shall not the conscience of him that is weak bee emboldened to eat those things which are offered to Idols This hee proves by four Reasons First Because in the praesupposed case the weak one is encouraged and ill instructed by the example of him that eats in the Idols Temple with knowledge without charity to the polluting of himself by eating things offered to Idols Therefore it is not simply lawful to eat things offered to Idols Vers. 11. And through thy knowledge shall the weak Brother perish for whom Christ died Because by so doing hee is destroyed for whom Christ died to wit as much as can bee by the intention and procurement of the practice of them that eat Therefore it is not simply lawful to eat things offered to Idols Vers. 12. But when yee sin so against the brethren and wound their weak conscience yee sin against Christ. Reason 3. Because in so doing wee sin not only against the Brethren whose conscience is wounded but also against Christ because it tends to the frustrating of the end of Christ death viz. so far as hee whom Christ hath redeemed that hee might bee saved hee that eats with offence endeavours what in him
of Faith the same are the children of Abraham Argum. 6. Those alone who are justified by Faith or seek to bee justified by Faith and not by Works are the Sons of Abraham Therefore the onely cause of Justification is by Faith Vers. 8. And the Scripture fore-seeing that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations bee blessed Argum. 7. The Spirit which is the Author of the Scriptures hath known this to bee the Counsel of God that the Gentiles should bee justified by Faith and foreseeing that this would come to pass hee preached the Doctrine to Abraham concerning the blessing of the Gentiles in him as in the Father the example and type of the faithful in him in whom the blessed seed Christ was included as being in his loyns as it is said of Levi Heb. 7.10 Therefore necessarily this way alone of Justification is firm Vers. 9. So then they which bee of Faith are blessed with faithful Abraham Argum. 8. The faithful alone or they which by Faith seek Righteousness do obtain a blessing with faithful Abraham Therefore this way of Righteousness by Faith is onely solid Vers. 10. For as many as are of the Works of the Law are under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them Argum. 9. How many soever are justified by the Law or seek justification by the works of the Law are under a curse because they adhere to the Covenant of Works yet perform not the condition of this Covenant that is perfect obedience to the Law Therefore justification is not of Works but of Faith It is written Hee confirms the antecedent because out of the Scripture Deut. 27.26 Cursed is every one that fulfilleth not the whole Law For they that seek justification by works do not fulfill the whole Law Therefore they are cursed Vers. 11. But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident for the just shall live by faith Argum. 10. The Scripture Hab. 2.4 pronounces that the just one shall live by faith therefore no man by the Law or by Works shall be justified in the sight of God Hee adds in the sight of God because hee doth not deny but that wee are justified by Works in the sight of men For justification before men is nothing else but the acknowledgement and declaration of justification already made by faith in the sight of God by reason of the fruits of faith that are manifested Vers. 12. And the Law is not of faith but the man that doth them shall live in them Argum. 11. Proving the consequence of the former Argument The Law or the cause of justifying by Works doth not consist with faith or with justification by faith because the legal promise is of giving life to him that doth and performeth the Law or to him who hath perfect inherent righteousness For faith bringeth righteousness imputed to them that beleeve in him who justifies the ungodly or bringeth righteousness to him who is destitute of Righteousness from himself Therefore if any righteousness bee given it is given by Faith and not by the Law and consequently righteousness of faith is alone to bee acknowledged Vers. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Argum. 12. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us upon the Cross undergoing a cursed death upon the Cross for us as it is manifest from Scripture which declares that kinde of death which Christ by the Counsel of God was to undergo to wit the hanging on a tree cursed Therefore justification is not by the Law but by faith in Christ who freed us from the curse of the Law Vers. 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that wee might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith Argum. 13. For this end Christ was made a curse that in Christ apprehended by faith the blessing of Abraham i. e. Righteousness and life eternal in the blessed seed might appear to the Gentiles who are destitute of works to which they may pretend to trust Therefore justification is by faith and not by works That wee might receive Hee changes the person and joynes himself and the other beleeving Jews to the beleeving Gentiles adding Arg. 14. Christ for this end is made a curse that all wee beleevers being Jews and Gentiles becoming one seed of Abraham might receive the promised Spirit of adoption by faith Therefore the justification of all us Gentiles and Jews is by faith unless wee affirm that Christ was frustrated of his end Vers. 15. Brethren I speak after the manner of men though it bee but a mans Covenant yet if it bee confirmed no man disanulleth or addeth thereto 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made Hee saith not And to thy seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ. 17. And this I say that the Covenant that was confirmed before of Christ the Law which was four hundred and thirty years after cannot disanul that it should make the promise of none effect In these three verses is Argum. 15. confirming the former Covenants and Agreements justly performed even amongst men cannot bee made void or bee changed by superaddition vers 15. But a Covenant is duely made betwixt God and Abraham for the uniting all the faithful both Jews and Gentiles into one seed Christ an incorporation being made of Christ the head and all his members into one Christ mystical by faith vers 16. Therefore this Covenant cannot bee made void nor by the superaddition of the Law bee changed and so justification by faith shall stand That this Argument might bee understood vers 15. The Apostle prevents an Objection some might say That the way of justifying is changed neither is there the same reason of justifying Abraham before the Law and his posterity with whom the Law was made For latter things use to derogate from former He answers that in a ratified Covenant and now confirmed by Will and Testament nothing even amongst men can bee made void or changed much lesse in the divine Covenant now established after the manner of a Will Furthermore vers 16. hee assumes that so God covenanted with Abraham concerning a blessing freely to be given to those that beleeve in Christ that hee might take into one body his seed which consists both of Gentiles and Jews by the words of the Covenant This hee proves from the words of the promise because God said not to Seeds as if there should bee more seeds to wit Gentiles asunder and Jews asunder but hee said to thy Seed as of one viz. meaning Christ in whom the faithful both of Jews
and hypocritical faith but the lively faith effectually working by charity towards all Saints and openly manifested to mee an Apostle and others Therefore you Ephesians should bee confirmed in the faith Vers. 16. Cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers Arg. 2. You are esteemed worthy that thanks should bee daily given unto God for you even as I do Therefore you ought to bee strengthened in the faith of the Gospel Mention Argum. 3. Because the sincerity of your faith is manifested in the love of the Saints I continually keep you in my memory and make daily mention of you in my prayers begging that the work of God may bee perfected in you and your faith confirmed Therefore unless you think the motion of the Spirit in mee who pray for you bee in vain you ought to have your faith strengthened Vers. 17. That the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation in the knowledge of him Now hee comes to set down the summe of his prayers which hee put up for them wherein are contained the other Arguments for the confirmation of their faith Give unto you Arg. 4. In praying that God would give them the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation hee intimates that they have more and greater causes viz. in the Scripture which is the fountain of Wisdome and the summe of saving Revelation for the confirmation of their faith than they did yet understand You have such and so many Arguments in Scripture for your confirmation in faith that I cannot wish any thing more to the strengthening of faith than a larger measure of the working of the Spirit of God that having more wisdome given you and the mysteries of the word being more clearly disclosed to you you may know what is the mind of God and Christ towards you Therefore even from this my evidence and prayer for you you ought to bee confirmed in the faith The God of our Lord Arg. 5. Drawn from the description of God of whom this gift is craved God who bestows the Spirit of faith or of wisdome on the Saints is the glorious God and Father of our Lord and of all us the servants of Christ who both out of Covenant as hee is our God and out of fatherly affection as hee is our Father will give the Spirit of faith to you upon our request for it Therefore even from those relations which pass between God Christ and you you should bee strengthened in faith Vers. 18. The eyes of your understanding being inlightned that yee may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints Argum. 6. It is not possible that I should express with tongue what and how great those good things which God by calling you to Christ hath commanded you to hope for or how glorious the riches of that inheritance are which is prepared for you in the sanctuary of heaven I only beg that your eyes may bee inlightned that yee may apprehend them Therefore c. Vers. 19. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who beleeve according to the working of his mighty power Argum. 7. That power of God is unspeakable which hee hath put forth into act in the converting you to and in thus long upholding you in the faith and which hee hath in a manner bound himself that hee will put forth that so by the infinite power and efficacy of his strength beleevers may bee carried on to salvation I onely pray for the illumination of your eyes that yee may know it Therefore c. This Argument hee confirms by a threefold comparison 1. Of the power of God with the adversaries power and with the Ephesians weakness in which respect hee calls the greatness of that power super-excellent which was actually apparent in them that they might know there was no power in Satan the world sin death or any other hindrance without them which the greatness of the power of God doth not and will not for ever overcome 2. Of the powerful work of God in their conversion with the original of that work that is Gods Omnipotency in which respect hee makes mention of the efficacy or working of his mighty power that they might know the work of God in converting them and induing them with faith and holiness was such a manifestation of that working which proceeds from the actual and exerted power of the Omnipotent God as was suitable to Omnipotency and becoming an Omnipotent God in a word it was a work very well befitting God 3. Of the power of God now actually declared in their conversion with that power which God had shewn in raising Christ from the dead 1. That they might know that as a great power was required to a mans conversion regeneration and endowment with faith and other saving graces as to revive one dead and buried 2. That they might know the very same power was exercised in our conversion as in Christs Resurrection 3. That they might understand it was no less easie for God to bring to pass all other things which pertained to the perfecting of our salvation than it was for him to perform the fore-mentioned particulars Vers. 20. Which hee wrought in Christ when hee raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places Argum. 8. Taken from the raising up of Christ our Head Christ our Head who was killed in our stead God raised from the dead in our stead and for our good unto eternal life Therefore you who are his members even in the midst of afflictions and in death it self should bee stedfast in Faith touching your deliverance And set him Argum. 9. From Christs ascension and sitting at the right hand of the Father Christ our Redeemer is ascended into Heaven and reigns with the Father being partner in that great authority that hee might take us into fellowship in that happiness and make us partners of that condition in which hee is Therefore you ought to bee confirmed in the Faith and hope of your future glorification in Heaven unless you imagine Christs dominion is to no purpose Vers. 21. Far 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 Argum. 10. Christ even in his flesh is exalted far above all both Angels and Men so that nothing should bee so high so powerful so excellent either in the earth this present world or in Heaven the world to come as that Christ should not bee infinitely higher even as hee is man and therefore there is not any thing wanting in him to the perfecting nor can any thing oppose him to hinder him from perfecting our salvation Therefore you should bee strengthened in the Faith of the Gospel Vers. 22. And hath put all things under his feet
after the flesh so that they could not please God 2 They were uncircumcised that is had in reproach by the Jews who boasted in an external circumcision made with hands Vers. 12. That at that time yee were without Christ being Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of Promise having no hope and without God in the world 3 They were without Christ or destitute of all actual communion with Christ in the Spirit 4 Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel that is without the Church of God 5 Strangers from the Covenants of Promise that is from all right to apply unto themselves the Covenants and Promises of God 6 They were without any certain hope of future good 7 They were without the true God that is without his knowledge and worship 8 They were worldly or a part of the world which wallows in sin and which is the Kingdome of Satan Therefore that yee are delivered from this so miserable a condition cannot bee any thing else but of Grace Vers 13. But now in Iesus Christ yee who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Argum. 15. If the happiness of this present state were compared with the former state it would bee found to bee so great that it could proceed from nothing but Grace There are eight parts of this Argument every one whereof hath the same tendency 1 The Ephesians who were far off from the Covenant and from the Church and its priviledges are now made nigh their way unto the Covenant and to the Church being laid open which benefit hath for its meritorious cause the blood of Christ for its instrumental Faith whereby they are implanted into Christ and consequently it is of Grace Vers. 14. For hee is our Peace who hath made both one and haâ—h broken down the middle wall of partition between us 2 Christ hath reconciled the Gentiles and Iews to one another hee is a peaceable Mediatour and the very cause of Peace hee hath joyned both his people into one body hee took away the Ceremonial Law which as a body or partition-wall did divide betwixt Jews and Gentiles and was a cause of enmity by his suffering in the flesh hee hath procured this Peace And are not all these of Grace Vers. 15. Having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the Law of Commandements contained in Ordinances for to make in himself of twain one new man so making Peace 3 This is propounded more specially and in express words Christ hath abrogated the Law of Commandements consisting in Ordinances that is the positive Ceremonial Law which was fulfilled by his comming thus that Law being taken away which stirred up enmity between the two people hee joyned them both being reconciled to one another as one new man in himself the common head making one mystical Christ or joyning the Jews and Gentiles as the members of one mystical body into one body hee himself being the Head thereof And here wee may perceive Grace in the highest degree Vers. 16. And that hee might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Cross having slain the enmity thereby 4 Here hee brings another end of the abolished Law that hee might reconcile in this his own body not onely both people to one another but unto God paying the price of their Redemption from their sins by the death of the Cross and removing the enmities between God and his redeemed people by his own death Here Grace also is very conspicuous Vers. 17. And â—ame and preached Peace to you which were afar off and to them that were nigh 5 Here hee declares how this Peace was made known to the world viz. in the preaching of the Gospel by Jesus Christ who as hee was the Author of Peace so hee was the first publisher of this Peace in the Gospel to the consolation and salvation of the Jews who were called such as were nigh because of the Covenant and to the salvation of the Gentiles who were called Aliens because they were strangers to the Covenant Here also Grace shews it self Vers. 18. For through him wee both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father 6 Here hee gives the reason why this Peace was preach'd to both because the price being paid by one Christ there is one way and access opened to both Jews and Gentiles that Gentiles as well as Jews might call upon one Father through one Spirit and therefore Peace was preach'd to Jews and Gentiles Here is nothing but Grace Vers. 19. Now therefore wee are no more strangers and forreigners but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God 7 In this hee gathers by way of a Corolary that the Ephesians are now no more guests or strangers but Citizens of the City of the Saints and of the family of God which also is the priviledge of all us that beleeve Vers. 20. And are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone 8 In which explaining more at large the union of the Ephesians with Christ and the holy Church hee shews that they are living stones of the Temple of God as streightly united with other Beleevers and with Christ as stones are to the foundation of a building And here is a graphical description of the Church in its likeness to a Temple the parts whereof are three 1 The Church is like to the Temple of God whose foundation is Christ not onely upholding the whole building but also joyning together the several walls the Jews and Gentiles and uniting them in himself 2 The Apostles and other faithful Ministers after them are the builders who teach that Christ who alone is able to bear the whole business of Redemption and Salvation is the onely foundation of this Temple and by thus teaching do edifie and build the Saints upon Christ according to the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles 3 The stones of this Temple are the Elect or all true Beleevers who â—re built upon Christ by the preaching of the Truth amongst whom were these beleeving Ephesians Vers. 21. In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord Hee proceeds in his allegorical description of the true Catholick Church and explains four conditions and properties of the Church or Temple of God 1 This Temple is said to bee artificiously made or fitly compiled because the whole building of the Church and all its members are then fitly compacted with the greatest wisdome when Christ and his will is so preached that every Beleever hath his proper place and function according to the quality of the gifts of the Holy Ghost so that some in publick office some in their private calling and all in their several places concur to the edification of the whole Temple 2 This Temple is living because Christ who is the foundation is living and quickening and his true members all Beleevers are living stones being quickened and
course of his conversation Therefore hee was beloved of Paul and had in estimation by him as a Son to whom hee wishes all excellent things from God as hee had done in the former Epistle Vers. 3. I thank God whom I serve from my Fore-fathers with pure conscience that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day By three other Arguments hee endeavours to perswade Timothy of his affection towards him Remembrance Argum. 1. Because hee continually remembers Timothy in his prayers I thank God Argum. 2. Because hee values it as a favour given him from God that hee remembred Timothy for whom hee acknowledgeth that thanks are to bee rendred unto God for it is an excellent benefit and only vouchsafed to the Saints to love the Saints or those whom God loveth These two Arguments hee explains and confirms from this That with a sincere unfeigned mind hee prayed and gave thanks to God for Timothy and hee proves his sincerity from this That not onely in his whole life past hee endeavoured to keep a conscience inviolated lest hee should do any thing against it but also that after his conversion to the Faith in a pure conscience i. e. illuminated by the Holy Spirit and purified by the blood of Christ hee endeavoured to serve God the God of Israel or of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and the God of all the rest of his faithful Ancestors for hee that serves Christ with a sincere mind serves also the Holy One of Israel the Father and the Holy Ghost hee serves the true God three in One and maintains the same true Religion with all the holy Patriarches Vers. 4. Greatly desiring to see thee being mindful of thy tears that I may bee filled with joy Arg. 3. Because hee had an earnest desire to see the face of Timothy that hee might enjoy his company Hee illustrates this Argument from three Reasons of his desire Cause 1. The remembrance of Timothies tears or his most tender affection as well towards God as towards himself for Gods sake from whom when hee was departing Timothy could not bee drawn away but with tears Cause 2. The hope of rejoycing exceedingly when hee should see him Vers. 5. When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee which dwelt first in thy Grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice and I am perswaded that in thee also Cause 3. It was the remembrance of his sincere faith such as was in his Grandmother and mother who dyed in the faith of the Mediator whether before Christ was revealed to them God manifested in the flesh is doubtfull but certain it is that they beleeved in Christ that was to come according to the promises in which hope Timothy was brought up from a childe by his mother and was instructed by her in the Scriptures Vers. 6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands After the Preface four Admonitions follow Admon 1. Inferred by way of consequence from the former That hee would stir up in himself those sparks of his ability in preaching the Gospel and the gifts conferred upon him to this end by the prayers of the Church when in the name of the Presbytery Paul ordained him to bee a Preacher And that hee would boldly manifest the vertue of the gifts conferred upon him in the execution of his Ministry notwithstanding all lets which the flesh the world and the devil might oppose against him Vers. 7. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound minde There are two Reasons of the Admonition 1 Because the spirit of fear by which any one dare not speak and do what hee ought and what hee would speak and do in his Ministry was hee not subdued by fear is not from God nor becomes the Minister of God Of power 2 Because the gift of the Spirit which God vouchsafes to his Ministers is a Spirit 1 Of power and efficacy which dares and is able to oppose it self against every thing that exalts it self against Christ And 2 a Spirit of love which is not drawn away from true love to men And 3 the Spirit of a sound minde which neither with preposterous zeal nor by foolish and carnal love is drawn away from the truth of sound Doctrine but such as renders the minde sound in the Doctrine of faith and the heart filled with charity and enkindles a zeal in the heart boldly to manage the things of Christ and contains all these gifts conjoyned amongst themselves with a sacred tye Vers. 8. Bee not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor of mee his prisoner but bee thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God Admon 2. That Timothy bee not ashamed of the simplicity of the truth of the Gospel nor of the Cross of Christ iâ— his servant Paul but that hee prepare himself to bear afflictions for Christ and accompany himself with those that bear the Cross. According to the power The Reasons of these Admonitions are eight Reas. 1. Because if any thing bee laid upon us to bee born for Christ above our strength The power of God will bee present to help and deliver us trusting in whose power and supported by his aid wee are bound to bee confident and relye upon him above our own strength Vers. 9. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the world began Reas. 2. Confirming the former Because God hath given us eternal life and by his holy calling hath separated us from the world to this very end that wee might confess Christ Therefore wee ought not to bee ashamed of his testimony or cross Not according Reas. 3. Because God freely doth all these things not respecting our works but his own grace and gracious purpose Therefore it is not fitting that wee should bee ashamed of the testimony of Christ or his cross or afflictions for his sake Before Reas. 4. Confirming the former Grace is given to us in Christ before the world began before wee or our works could have any being i. e. before all time Therefore it is not meet that wee should bee ashamed of the testimony or cross of Christ. It is called Grace given to us in Christ Because although wee had not any being yet Christ the designed Mediatour the second person of the Trinity subsisted from eternity who covenanted with his Father for us his Elect before all time and afterwards in time paid the price of our Redemption and in our name received the grace assigned to us by which in time wee should bee called justified and freely saved in due season Vers. 10. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Iesus Christ who hath abolished death
because converted by my Ministery and art bound to lay out thyself and all thou hast in my service much more to receive a fugitive servant upon such equal tearms Therefore c. Vers. 20. Yea Brother let mee have joy of thee in the Lord refresh my bowels in the Lord. Argum. 14. I shall receive fruit of thy Faith in the Lord if thou grant this to mee thou shalt refresh his bowels and mine for Christs sake Therefore Onesimus ought to bee received into favour Vers. 21. Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say The third part of the Epistle follows being the conclusion wherein are four Articles 1 In the first the Apostle professes his hopes of obtaining pardon for Onesimus and of more favour than hee had requested Vers. 22. But withall prepare mee also a lodging for I trust that through your prayers I shall bee given unto you 2 Wherein hee desires him to provide him a lodging that Philemon might know that the Apostle would come to his greater consolation if hee gratified him in the contents of this Epistle In the mean time hee inserts two causes of his deliverance out of bonds which are the gifts and the grace of God or the prayers of the Brethren Vers. 23. There salute thee Epaphras my fellow-prisoner in Christ Iesus 24. Marcus Aristarchus Demas Lucas my fellow-labourers 3 Wherein salutations are sent to Philemon by those which were in Pauls company all which make to the scope of this Epistle as also those which are premised in the Preface viz. to excite the mind of Philemon to receive Onesimus into favour Vers. 25. The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ bee with your spirit Amen 4 Wherein comprehending Philemon and Apphia under his Apostolical benediction hee concludes his Epistle The Epistle of Paul to the HEBREWS Analytically expounded THE CONTENTS ALthough Paul seeing hee knew himself hated by all the Hebrews not yet converted and suspected also by many of the weaker Beleevers too much addicted to the observation of Legal Rites chose to suppress his name in the beginning of this Epistle that without prejudice they might the more easily entertain the Truth yet without controversie hee intimated his name by messengers to some chief and eminent Brethren in the Church to whose hands this Epistle was first to come and that it was known appears in the end of the Epistle But after demonstration of the same Spirit in this as in the other of Paul's Epistles the Authority of the Apostle Peter may satisfie us who by a singular providence of God in the third Chapter of his second Epistle to the same scattered Hebrews witnesseth concerning the Epistle of Paul written to the same which was in their hands and openly acknowledged to bee Pauls which Epistle Peter there commends with the rest of Paul's Epistles as divinely inspired by the same Spirit of Wisdome as now brought into the Canon of the Scripture and unanimously with his other Epistles acknowledged and received by the Church wee must of necessity own this for the very Epistle unless wee will undervalue the faithfulness of the Church and the Providence of God in keeping the Canon of the Scripture and the Oracles delivered to the Church The scope of the Epistle is this To strengthen the Hebrews that were weak in faith and for the most part addicted to legal Rites not sufficiently instructed about the Excellency of Christ and further also troubled every where with persecutions by Infidels and to encourage them against all fear to perseverance in the faith and obedience of the Gospel The parts of the Epistle as of the other Epistles of Paul are two The one for the forming and confirming of their faith to Chap. 12. The other tends to holiness and bringing forth fruits of faith in their lives and conversations Chap. 12 13. As to what appertains to the Doctrine of faith hee instructs the Hebrews how great the Excellency of Christ is in his Prophetick and Priestly Office As for the Excellency of Christs Prophetical Office hee shews it to bee incomparable and far to exceed all both Men and Angels Chap. 1. In the three next Chapters hee makes a fourfold use of this Doctrine in a fourfold Exhortation The first Exhortation is Not to Apostalize from the Christian faith 2 That they detract not from the honour of Christ because of his sufferings in the flesh Chap. second 3 That they constantly cleave to the Profession of the Christian faith Chap. third 4 That they make haste by faith to enter into the rest which God hath promised whilest they hear the voyce of Christ Chap. 4. As to the Priestly Office of Christ That the Iews ascribe not too much to the Levitical Priesthood and pertinaciously adhere to the Ceremonies thereof Hee proves Christ to bee the chief Priest more excellent than any typical high Priest even that true Melchizedeck In the mean time hee rebukes the ignorance of the Hebrews who could not comprehend the things hee had to say touching the Excellency of Christ Chap. 5. From whence hee draws an Exhortation to growth in the knowledge and faith of the Gospel Chap. 6. Hee proceeds to demonstrate the eminency of Christ above the Levitical Priests as well in respect to his Person as also his Priestly Office Chap. 7 8 9. And in the beginning of the tenth This Doctrine hee makes application of exhorting them to go forward confidently and patiently in the profession of the true Religion imitating the faithful Confessors and Martyrs who departed in the faith before the birth of Christ in the latter end of Chap. 10 and Chap. 11. In the second part of the Epistle divers Exhortations to Christian duties are laid down which also may bee reckoned amongst the Uses which hee makes of the former Doctrine Chap. 12 13. CHAP. I. IN this Chapter hee proves by nine Arguments the incomparable Excellency of the Prophetical Office of Christ especially because of his Deity The last whereof is confirmed with eight Reasons Vers. 1. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets Arg. 1. Christ the Son of God is more excellent than all the Prophets by whom God spake to the ancient Church or the Fathers hee hath made our condition under the Gospel better than the condition of the Fathers under the Law For first they were Prophets by inspiration not when they would but as they were acted by the Spirit of Christ and spake as the Ministers of God but Christ is the Son of God and chief of the Prophets who spake by his own Authority no less than in his Fathers Name Secondly Those Prophets were many by whom heretofore at sundry times and in various wayes of Revelation by parts and degrees God manifested to the Church the Doctrine of salvation But the Son is one by whom the Father once fully plainly and finally hath declared to us
Doctrine of Grace not abusing it to the end The first Exhortatory Proposition wherein the Apostle involves himself and other Beleevers is this Yee ought to suffer afflictions patiently and chiefly those which happen to you for the Faiths sake The Arguments that confirm this Proposition are eleven Vers. 1. Wherefore seeing wee also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us This Proposition is inferred from the Precedent Catalogue of the faithful set forth under the similitude of contenders running in a race wee ought casting aside all hinderances constantly to run the race that is set before us Seeing so great Argum. 1. Wee have the examples of all the faithful dead before Christ was exhibited who stand about us while wâ—e run the race in a copious multitude like a thick cloud every one giving his testimony touching the certainty of divine promises touching the excellency of Faith and Gods goodness who will be witnesses against us unless wee go forward through prosperity and adversity in our Christian race Therefore wee ought constantly to go forward through all adversities Lay aside That the Apostle might make the Exhortation easier and them more expedient for this race hee admonishes them of shunning two impediments the one outward the other inward The outward impediment is that which is cast in their way from external things riches honours and other earthly things which ought not to be so much esteemed by us but wee should be ready to renounce them when and so far as they hinder our course in the obedience of Faith for then they become weights which hee commands us to cast away The internal impediment from inbred corruption or concupiscence dwelling in the flesh which naturally cleaves to us and may most easily ensnare us unawares unless wee take heed And wee are said to cast away this sin when wee take not care for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof neither are wee so vehemently desirous of this mortal life but when God calls us wee are prepared to lay down this life for so is inbred corruption cast away that it might not ensnare us in the tryals of Faith for otherwise by no endeavours can it be altogether repressed so long as wee live in the flesh Vers. 2. Looking unto Iesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God Argum. 2. Wee have Jesus Christ the Captain of our Faith not onely for an example but also for a chief help who as hee is the Author so is hee the finisher of our Faith looking upon whom with the eyes of Faith wee shall be able to run the race Therefore wee must constantly go forward through all adversities Who for Hee confirms this Argument by three Reasons Reas. 1. Our Captain by reason of his desire of our salvation comes unto glory by the Cross hee patiently endured the Cross and contemned contempt hee did not value the suffering of reproach that hee might redeem us and return a Conqueror to the possession of his glory and that hee might lead us the same way after him to the fellowship of his glory Therefore Christ being our Captain wee must go forward through the crosses and contempt of the world Vers. 3. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest yee bee wearied and faint in your minds Reas. 2. Such is the excellency of Christ above us such are his sufferingâ— which hee suffered for us from his most unworthy adversaries that our sufferings in our Christian warfare seriously compared with Christs might come to nothing Therefore wee must eye his example and go forward through all adversities Leâ—t in your Reas. 3. Unless yee borrow light from Christ courage and strength through Faith in your race yee are in danger in the midst of your race to bee discouraged and lost Therefore it behoves you constantly to eye Christ your Captain and through Faith in him to go forward in your race Vers. 4. Yee have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin Argum. 3. Yee have not as yet poured forth your life and blood for Christ as you are bound if so his glory required it in conflicting against sin whereto your persecutors have endeavoured to compel you Therefore being ready to lay down your life rather than sin go yee forward through all adversities Vers. 5. And yee have forgotten the Exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children My Son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him Argum. 4. Joyned with a reproof The friendly exhortation of God in the Scripture speaking to you as unto sons requireth of you that yee neither contemn the chastisement of God in the hardness of your hearts neither faint being chastised by reason of the tenderness of your hearts which now yee seem to do having forgotten the divine Exhortation Therefore yee are to bear afflictions patiently and constantly Vers. 6. For whom the Lord loveth hee chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom hee receiveth 7. If yee endure chastening God dealeth with you as with Sons for what Son is hee whom the Father chasteneth not Argum. 5. Confirming the former Chastisement is an effect of Divine love towards him whom God chastiseth For chastening is for the amending of him that is chastised Therefore you ought to bear afflictions patiently Scourgeth Argum. 6. To bear afflictions patiently is a sign of Adoption God acknowledgeth no man for his adopted Son whom hee doth not exercise with sharp afflictions nor is any man excepted Therefore that yee may be found with the mark of adoption upon you and that yee may prove your selves the Sons of God yee ought patiently to bear afflictions Vers. 8. But if yee bee without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are yee Bastards and not Sons Argum. 7. They that are free from chastening or they which do not suffer fatherly chastisement are not the Sons of God they together with hypocrites may have the outward and visible Church for their Mother but they cannot have God for their Father Therefore if you would not be accounted hypocrites and bastards yee ought to bear afflictions patiently Vers. 9. Furthermore wee have had Fathers of our flesh which corrected us and wee gave them reverence shall wee not much rather bee in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live Argum. 8. The Fathers of our flesh had power to chastise us their Sons and it was meet that wee should bear their chastisements yea wee have born them with reverence how much more hath God the Father of our spirits power to chastise us and wee are bound to bear his chastisements patiently Live Argum. 9. Wee shall obtain eternal life if wee have
or do they read and not consider it Do they not weigh what is imported by it in sense and meaning It fareth with them as with those to whom Christ said Mat. 22.29 You erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Do they not love it Behold their Plague 2 Thes. 2.10 11 12. Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved for this very cause saith the Text God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve a Lie that they might be damned Do they not stedfastly beleeve what they learn in Scripture In Gods judgement with the foolish and unstable they are suffered to wrest the Scriptures to their own destructioâ— were they never so great wits 2 Pet. 3.16 Do they not study to give obedience unto the â—â—own Truth of it Hee dealeth with them as with Israel Psal. 81.11 My people would not hearken unto my voice and Israel would none of mee Hee counteth himself rejected because his Word was rejected But what followeth vers 12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts lust and they walked in their own counsels But to such as will be Christs Disciples indeed Students seeking to grow in knowledge beleef and obedience of his Word seeking to love him and keep his sayings hee promiseth Joh. 14.26 to send unto them The Spirit of Truth the Comforter the Holy Ghost to teach them all things That is to perfect their knowledge more and more by his Spirit to fill their hearts with joy and comfort according to his Truth and to make them holy more and more And why are all these stiles given Even to shew that such as will have Christs Spirit to work any of these must seek him to work all of these joyntly or not to have him for working any of them at all Neither comfort without truth nor comfort without Holiness The same is it which Wisdome cryeth Prov. 8.34 35 36. Blessed is the man that heareth mee watching daily at my Gates waiting at the Posts of my Doors For who so findeth mee findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. But hee that sinneth against mee wrongeth his own Soul all that hate mee love death Therefore how thou doest hate Death and love thine own Soul how thou standest affected towards Gods and the fellowship of the Comforter the holy Spirit the Spirit of Truth and towards the enlargement of the Kingdome of Christ let thy affection towards the Scriptures more abundant dwelling in thy self and for the Scriptures more free course amongst others bear witness Farewel THE EPISTLE OF PAVL to the HEBREWS WHen Peter wrote his second Epistle to the scattered Hebrews there was extant an Epistle of Paul to those same scattered Hebrews also received in the Church for a part of Canonical Scripture and distinguished from Pauls other Epistles 2 Pet. 3.15 16. Therefore amongst other reasons this may bee one to make us think this Epistle must bee it For it is without reason to think that the Churches should bee negligent in keeping such a Iewel commended unto them by the Authority of two chief Apostles or lose Pauls Epistle and keep Peters which maketh mention of it The sum of the Epistle BEcause the Hebrews were hardly drawn from the observation of Levitical Ordinances unto the simplicity of the Gospel and in danger of making Apostacy from the Christian Faith by persecution the Apostle Paul setteth before their eyes the glory of Jesus Christ in his person far above men and Angels by whose Ministery the Law was given not only as God Chap. 1. but also as man Chap. 2. and in his Office above Moses Chap. 3. Threatning them therefore if they should mis-believe Christs Doctrine Ch. 3 4. and above the Levitical High-Priest Ch. 5. Threatning them again if they should make Apostacy from him Chap. 6. yea above all the glory of the Levitical Ordinances as hee in whom all those things had their accomplishment and period of expiring Chap. 7 8 9 10. Threatning them again if they should not persevere in the Faith of Christ unto which perseverance through whatsoever difficulties hee encourageth them by the example of the Faithful before them Chap. 10 11. and by other grounds of Christian comfort Chap. 12. That so in the fruitful obedience of the Gospel they might follow upon Christ seeking for that City that is to come and not for their earthly Hierusalem any more Ch. 13. The sum of Chap. I. IF you shall make comparison O Hebrews the Ministery of the Gospel shall bee found more glorious than the Ministery of the Law For the manner of Gods dispensing his will before Christ came was by part and part and subject to his own addition not after one setled manner but subject to alteration and by the Ministery of men the Prophets Verse 1. But now hee hath declared his last Will gloriously by his own Son God and Man in one person Verse 2 3. who is as far above not only the Prophets but the Angels also as the native glory of his Person and Office is above theirs Verse 4. For hee is of the same substance with the Father Verse 5. and partaker of the same worship with him Verse 6. The Angels but servants to him Verse 7. Hee is eternal God and King over all Verse 8. and in regard of his Manhead and Office filled with the Spirit Verse 9. Yea hee is Creator unchangeable and everlasting Verse 10 11 12. Joyned with the Father in the government of the world Verse 13. The Angels but servants both to him and to his children Verse 14. The Doctrine contained in Chap. I. Vers. 1. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets ALbeit the Apostle was willing that these Hebrews should understand that this Epistle came unto them from him as appeareth Chap. 10. vers 34. yet doth hee not prefix his name in the body of it as in all his other Epistles that by the prudent dealing of these faithful Hebrews as wee may think others who kept pâ—ejudice against his person might bee drawn on to take notice of his Doctrine more impartially and know his name after they had tasted of the truth from him in a fitter time Whence wee learn 1. That it is lawful for godly men to dispose of the expression of their names in their writings as they see it expedient 2. That it is not much to bee inquired who is the Writer of any purpose till wee have impartially pondered the matter written 3. That it is not alwayes necessary that wee should know the name of the Writer of every part of Scripture for the authority thereof is not from men but from God the Inspirer thereof 1. Hee saith not simply The Prophets spake but God spake to the Fathers by the Prophets Then 1. God was the chief Doctor of his own Church from the beginning 2. And what the Prophets conveighed from God to the Church
him and powerfully seize upon the conscience to cause it acknowledge the Judge represented by the sound of the Trumpet 5. The killing Letter of the Law read out unto us shewing us our Duty what we should have done and have omitted and what we should not have done and have committed without giving any strength to obey for time to come represented by the sound of Words 6. By this Charge and new exaction of the Law an unsupportable weight lieth upon the Conscience pressing it down to Desperation and Death that we would give all the world if we had it to be free of the terror of the Lord and challenge of the Conscience upon so fearful a ditty represented by the peoples entreating That the word should not be spoken to them any more 7. There is an impossibility to help our selves by any thing we can do or to do any thing better than we have done and the seen impotency of our cursed Nature maketh the commandement for time to come a matter of desperation as well as the challenge for breaking the Law in time by gone represented by their inability to endure the thing which was commanded 8. No drawing near to God here such terrour in his Majestie justice being onely seen and no mercy represented by their debarring from touching of the Mountain 9. Such uncleanness and vileness as not onely our selves but our beasts and cartel and all that we have is counted unclean for our cause and liable to the curse with us represented by the debarring of the Beasts from the Mount 10. Such a loathsome abomination in the guilty as the Judge will not put hand on the Malefactor himself nor employ any of his clean Angels but give them over to death if they remain in that estate to be destroyed ignominiously represented by stoning or darting where the stone or darâ— lighteth upon the Malefactor but not the hand which threw it Vers. 21. And so terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake Yet further 11. If God deal with us as Judge and by the Rule of the Law examine our works were we like Moses The meekest men under Heaven the least harmful and innocent in the world richest in good works for service done to GOD and to his Church yet could we not stand before this Tribunal all that ever we had done all our works were not able to free us from the curse of the Law and Gods fearful wrath for our sinfulness mixed amongst our works represented by Moses his confessed fear and quaking 12. And with all this no place to flee unto no place to remain in no company but an evil conscience within and matter of terror without represented by the Wilderness wherein this Throne of Justice was set up And this is the estate wherein we are by Nature according to the Law from which we are delivered by Christ according to the Gospel as followeth Vers. 22. But ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living GOD the Heavenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels This is the estate whereunto we are advanced under the Gospel by CHRIST which by comparison with the former shall be more clear thus 1. Before we come to CHRIST we have to do with God as Judge sitting upon his Throne terrible After we come to Christ we finde God upon a Throne of Grace reconciled unto us resembled by Mount Sion 2. Without Christ we are kept under upon the earth depressed in the valley and may not touch the Mount to ascend But through Christ we get access to climb up towards God and to advance piece and piece above the world and sin and misery towards Heaven resembled by going up Mount Sion 3. Without Christ vagabonds wandring abroad in a waste Wildernesse but through Christ collected together under a head and brought to a place of refuge and rest and commodious dwelling to the Kingdom of Heaven resembled by the City where Mount Sion stood 4. Without Christ exposed to the wrath of the living God Through Christ admitted to remain as reconciled in the City of the living GOD. 5. Without Christ afraid by the terrible sight of wrath and judgement Through Christ brought into Ierusalem the Vision of Peace not onely in this world by faith but in Heaven by fruition resembled by Ierusalem 6. Without Christ heirs of Hell Through Christ Citizens of Heaven 7. Without Christ exposed to the fellowship of Devils in sin and torments Through Christ admitted to the society of innumerable Angels resembled by the inhabitants of Ierusalem on earth 8. Without Christ Angels our foes Through Christ our fellow-Citizens Vers. 23. To the general Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect Without Christ we are scattered as sheep in the Wilderness a prey to all the ravenous Beasts But through Christ gathered together in one to the Society of the true Catholick Church of the Elect under the Government of one Head even CHRIST 9. Without Christ living with the world in the Suburbs of Hell Through Christ made Members of the true Church and Company which is called out of the world by the effectual calling of his Word and Spirit 10. Without Christ forlorn Children who have deprived our selves of our inheritance and wasted all our Fathers benefits on vanities Through Christ our fore-faulting is reduced our inheritance redeemed we brought back to the Family restored to the inheritance dignified with the first-born and made Priests to our God as his portion from amongst men 11. Without Christ living amongst them whose names are written in the earth and whose portion is beneath Through Christ our names are enrolled in Heaven amongst those who are written in the Book of Life elected and predestinated unto Grace and Glory 12. Without Christ without God in the world having God our Judge against us Through Christ we are reconciled to God get accesâ— unto him and have our God Judge of all upon our side to absolve us and to plead for us against all our foes 13. Without Christ we are for guiltiness in the rank of those who are already damned and brethren to those whose spirits are in prison But through Christ we are brethren to those who are already saved whose souls and spirits are freed from sin and misery and made perfect in holiness and glory having the same grounds of right to Heaven through CHRIST which they have who are entered already into possession Vers. 24. And to IESVS the Mediator of the NEW COVENANT and to the blood of sprinkling which speaketh better things than that of Abel He goeth on 14. In our natural estate we are under the Law and the Covenant of Works which bindeth us to perfect Obedience or to the Curse When we come to Christ we are under the Covenant of Grace which proclaimeth remission of sins unto all who are in him 15.
written a Letter unto you in few words Last of all he exhorteth them to take in good part the word of Exhortation from their ordinary Teachers who behoved to dilate and urge and inculcate these things even at length unto them The reason whereof he giveth Because he had written this letter but in few words unto them and might not insist in those points at large as they had need of but behoved to leave this unto their Teachers Then 1. There is need of Preachers by the word of Exhortation to dilate and inculcate that which the Scripture hath in short 2. It is very irksome for men to have their sluggishness stirred up by Exhortation and the same things inculcated again and again But their own profit should make them to suffer it patiently 3. The writing of Scripture prejudgeth not the use of Preaching but 〈◊〉 keep their own room the Scripture serving for a 〈◊〉 laying down of the Grounds to be taught and Exhortation serving to dilate and urge the truth delivered in 〈◊〉 as their case requireth Vers. 23. Know ye that our Brother Timothy is set 〈◊〉 at liberty with whom if he come shortly I will see you From this learn first That the delivery of one Timothy out of the hands of his persecutors should be a matter of comfort and joy unto as many Churches as do hear of it Secondly Good news should be spread abroad and are a fit matter for Christian Epistles Vers. 24. Salute all them that have the rule over you and all the Saints They of Italy salute you From this learn First That as it is the mutual 〈◊〉 of Christians to send forth commendations one to another So is it a Christian duty to carry them not unbeseeming even an Apostle 2. His directing of the people for to carry his commendations to their Rulers maketh it evident that the Apostle ordained this Epistle to be first read unto the People And so was far from their mindes who will not suffer the Scripture to come in the peoples hands Vers. 25. Grace be with you all Amen This closing of the Epistle usuall to the Apostle Teacheth 1. That Grace is the common good of the Church whereunto every Saint hath interest 2. That Grace is all that can be desired For if the Fountain of Gods grace or favour run towards a man what can the man stand in need of which the over-running stream of Gods good will shall not carry â—nto him The Postscript Written to the Hebrews from Italy by Timothy SOme inconsiderate hand hath put to this Postscript appearingly For this Epistle was ordained by the Apostle to carry the news of Timothies Liberation and a promise of his coming unto them afterwards possibly as the 23 Verse of this Chapter sheweth and not to be carried by Timothy And again The Apostle was bound by this Letter to come with Timothy if he had been to come shortly after the writing of this Epistle And thirdly Timothy was not yet come to that place where the Apostle Paul was when this Epistle was directed for then had he been certain of Timothies purpose and behoved if not to go with Timothy yet to have written the reason of so sudden a change of his purpose and written promise or else to have deleted the promise of his coming out of the Epistle by writing it over again or some way else Whence we collect That Postscripts are not a part of the Text nor of the Apostles own writing neither ought they to have such authority or credit as the Text hath which always agreeth with it self as proceeding from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit To whom with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ our Lord be Glory for ever Amen The Epistle of IAMES Analytically expounded The Contents IAmes an Apostle sirnamed Alphaeus from his office of Apostleship did gravely admonish the faithful Hebrews touching divers Christian duties whereby hee foresaw that the Christian Faith would bee adorned and their salvation promoted chiefly for this end propounding wisely those virtues which they seemed to have need of and sharply reproving those vices which they were more prone to or of which they were guilty Every Chapter hath its number of admonitions as is more especially shewn in their explications All which admonitions although they are written for the use of the Catholick Church yet it appears the Apostle would have them read especially by all the dispersed Israelites and those that were converted to the Faith and that were not of which design there are three Characters 1. The general inscription of the Epistle to all the twelve Tribes 2. The common and civil form of saluting 3. The manner of teaching which for the most part is fitted for the shaking off the stupidity of their consciences and stirring up their repentance if perchance any one that erred might bee recalled into the way by this Doctrine which thing is not obscurely signified to be intended by the Apostle in the last verse of the last Chapter CHAP. I. AFter the inscription of the Epistle vers 1. In this Chapter there are three common places or admonitions The first Admonition is touching the right â—earing afflictions or outward temptations to vers 13. The second touching the right judgement of inward temptations to vers 21. The third touching the solid exercise of Religion to the end Vers. 1. James a servant of God and of the Lord Iesus Christ to the twelve Tribes which are scattered abroad greeting The Writer is described in the inscription of the Epistle Iames a servant of God and of the Lord Iesus Christ viz. in the office of Apostleship whereby hee might with authority teach all the Tribes of Israel and admonish them concerning their duties hee calls himself the servant of God to shew that hee serves God the Father by serving his Son Jesus Christ and writes these things by the special authority of God and Christ. Those to whom the Epistle is written are Israelites especially beleevers cast out of the holy land and dispersed through the Regions But as to the hope of Heaven represented by the holy Land gathered to Jesus our Saviour Hee seriously commands and as it is allowed to Christians bids them to rejoyce or greets them with a borrowed form of salutation from the common use of the Heathens but turned into a Christian sense Vers. 2. My Brethren count it all joy when yee fall into divers temptations Admon 1. That they take not ill or impatiently outward afflictions and persecutions for the Gospel but correct this carnal judgement touching those external exercises whereby God tryed or proved their Faith and Sincerity For this end the Proposition is stated contrary to the judgement of the flesh viz. It is to bee accounted matter of all joy or the chiefest joy when yee fall by the providence of God into divers persecutions or afflictions whereby yee may be proved whether yee will even in adversity stick close to God Hee confirms this Thesis with
unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ Grace unto you and peace be multiplied In the first place Peter the Penman of the Epistle in the inscription is described from the Office of his Apostleship that he might give authority to this Epistle Moreover the Hebrews to whom he writ are described first from their outward low condition that they were strangers scattered through the Regions here mentioned not excluding the rest that lived otherwhere The second from the inward spiritual and excellent state viz. that they were elected foreknown sanctified partakers of the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ For to be elected through Sanctification of the Spirit to the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus is to be elected that we by way of Sanctification might come to a full participation of the fruits of Christs obedience and sprinkling of his blood or the imputed righteousness of Christ made obedient to his Father for us unto the death of the Cross And so there are set down four causes of the excellent condition of the believing Hebrews or our spiritual state 1. The election of God he Father comprehending both the eternal election wherein God from eternity would have them before others separated for the obtaining salvation in Christ and that temporal wherein God by an efficacious calling actually separated them from others 2. The other cause is the foreknowledge of God by which he means the act of Divine predilection or eternal love whereby he determined in himself or willed out of his meer love to do good to all his sheep and namely to them 3. The Sanctification of the Spirit by which he means the whole progress of the spiritual change of our state from the beginning of our conversion even unto perfect holiness and glory 4. The obedience of Christ and the sprinkling of his blood whereby is meant both the active and passive righteousness of Christ as some distinguish yea the whole work of redemption together with his application to their Justification and Reconciliation unto God which causes of Salvation are illustrated by naming the three Divine Persons to which distinctly indeed but without division or separation of persons those causes in their order are ascribed whereby we may very easily perceive the distinction grace vertue and the order of their working For fore-knowledge and election is ascribed to God the Father as to the Fountain of our felicity To Christ Reconciliation as Mâ—diator meriting and purchasing that felicity and to the Holy Ghost as an Executor applying that to us And so the causes of our Righteousness and Salvation the original obtaining and application are wholly placed in the alone good pleasure of one God electing us out of his meer favour From whence our efficacious calling flows and true Sanctification as a certain fruit of our election But the onely means whereby the vertue and efficacy of our election to Sanctification and Salvation is derived to us is the mediation of Christ or our reconciliation made in him In the benediction or salutatory prayer he wishes for encrease and multiplication of the effects of Divine favour towards them in all things which may compleat their Sanctification and Salvation Vers. 3. Blessed be God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead The first part of the Chapter follows wherein that he may confirm them in the faith and grace of Christ wherein they stood he thanks God as the Father of Jesus Christ for spiritual benefits in Christ bestowed upon them in this state of grace The reasons of his thanksgiving and also of the confirmation of their faith are sixteen all which prove that they ought to give thanks to God and be confirmed in faith Vs Reas. 1. God hath no less regenerated you than the rest of the Saints yea no lest than the Apostles themselves Therefore ye ought to bless God and to be strengthened in faith The Father Reas. 2. He hath regenerated as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ i. e. he hath by Regeneration put you into the society of the Covenant of Christ and hath received you into the fellowship of Christs Sonship by adoption Therefore c. Out of his abundant Reas. 3. He hath out of his abundant mercy regenerated you i. e. not induced by any deserts nor hindred by any of your unworthiness or ill deservings hath given unto you the benefit of Regeneration Therefore ye ought to bless God and to be strengthened in faith Vnto Hope Reas. 4. God hath regenerated you unto a certain lively hope of eternal life which shews it self in the works of spiritual life Therefore c. By Reas. 5. God hath solidly founded the lively certainty of your hope upon Christs Resurrection from the dead which is both the cause and pledge of your resurrection from the dead Therefore ye ought c. Vers. 4. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you Reas. 6. God hath regenerated you unto life eternal which freely he bestowed upon you by the will and testament of your Father as an inheritance gotten by none of your merits and which is not earthly but heavenly incorruptible undefiled immarcessible excelling all worldly possessions even that condition of life which Adam had in his innocency as that which is incident to no change and whereunto nothing is wanting as to its full perfection Therefore ye ought to bless God and to be strengthened in faith Vers. 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time Reas. 7. God hath bestowed perseverance upon the regenerate and hath established the gift keeping you to salvation as with an armed Garrison and supporting your faith lest ye fail from the way of salvation and that by his most firm decree whereby he hath both prepared that salvation for you and also appointed a certain time for the communicating of it viz. the day of judgement Therefore ye ought to bless God and to be strengthened in faith Vers. 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations 7. That the tryal of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ. Reas. 8. The condition of the faith and grace of Christ wherein ye stand is solid matter of your rejoycing and triumph Now if Reas. 9. The grace in which ye stand administreth to you joy even when ye are tossed with manifold afflictions and sorrows it gives you solid arguments of consolation Such as these four 1. The shortness of your afflictions 2. Intermission of your afflictions 3. And the necessity of them For ye are now in
wishes desires applies and seals salvation to all the faithful and all things which belong to holiness and happiness The second Epistle general of PETER Analytically expounded THE CONTENTS THe Apostle being now nigh unto death seals up this last testimony of his will in this Epistle as it appears in the first Chapter 12 13. vers c. for the use of all the faithful wheresoever and chiefly the Hebrews whose Teacher hee was There are three principal parts of the Epistle according to the number of the Chapters In the first hee exhorts them to persevere in true Faith and Christian Piety Chap. 1. In the second hee dâ—hâ—rts them from attending to false Prophets which hee foretells will arise in the Church Chap. 2. In the third hee seriously admonishes them to beware of those prophane Scoffers who account the coming of Christ to judgement as a Fable in Chapter 3. CHAP. I. THere are three parts of the Chapter In the first there is the Exordium of the Epistle to vers 5. In the second an exhortation to proficiency in Faith and Holiness to vers 19. In the third hee digresses in the commendation of prophetical Scripture to the end Vers. 1. Simon Peter a Servant and an Apostle of Iesus Christ to them that have obtained like precious Faith with us through the Righteousness of God and our Saviour Iesus Christ The inscription of the Epistle contains three things 1. The description of the Writer from his common name Simon and from his Sirname Peter given him by Christ together with his office in the Church Servant and from his special office An Apostle of Iesus Christ whence hee had authority to write 2. The description of the faithful to whom it is written from the excellency of Faith which was bestowed upon them The excellency whereof is propounded by way of distinction from historical Faith 1. That it is precious 2. That it is proper to the Elect not hypocritical 3. That it is equally precious with the Faith of the Apostles he doth not compare the degree and quantity but the quality and nature of the gift because it was given by the same Holy Spirit for the same merits of Christ and to the same good purposes viz. the apprehending of Christ and his benefits 4. That it flows from Gods Righteousness or Faithfulness faithfully performing the free promises made to our Fathers and is derived to us together with all other benefits through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord. Vers. 2. Grace and Peace bee multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Iesus our Lord The third thing in the inscription of the Epistle is a salutation wherein is his prayer and confirmation of it In his prayer hee wishes to all the faithful Hebrews a fuller manifestation multiplication and encrease of all saving gifts of the Holy Ghost and multiplication of peace or of all benefits which conduce to the promoting and perfecting of their present and future felicity and that by the encrease of saving Faith or acknowledgement of God and Christ as they are revealed in the Gospel Vers. 3. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue Hee confirms the hope of his desires viz. that God will multiply grace and peace towards them by Faith in five Arguments Divine Power Argum. 1. The power or effectual grace working powerfully hath bestowed upon you all expedients which belong to holiness or grace to life or peace by the knowledge or Faith of him both in respect of the right to as also the admission of you into the profession Therefore God will encrease and multiply those gifts until yee obtain perfection of life and holiness For there is the like reason for the beginning and progress as touching the favour of God Hath called Argum. 2. God hath called you to virtue or Grace and to Glory or Peace Therefore hee will perfect those things in you to which hee hath called you Vers. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust Argum. 3. Confirming the former God hath given you the promises of the Gospel which as they are very great because of the greatest things viz. of Righteousness and eternal life So also they are precious and mainly necessary to you for the obtaining of life Therefore hee will perform those promises by multiplying even unto perfection those things which hee hath promised That by these Argum. 4. For this end hee hath given both the promises and beginnings of these things promised to you that yee might be partakers of the Divine Nature not as to the essence but as to the virtues and perfections which represent the Nature of God in heavenly wisdome holiness and happiness as in a lively Image Therefore hee will multiply to you grace and peace that hee may attain his end in perfecting of you Having escaped Argum. 5. Now you have escaped from the Kingdome of death and the Covenant of sin being freed from destruction wherein the world lies through lust or concupiscencâ—â— Therefore the same gracious good pleasure of God 〈◊〉 multiply to you grace which is opposed to sin and peace which is opposed to destruction Vers. 5. And besides this giving all diligence adde to your Faith Virtue and to Virtue Knowledge After the Preface hee exhorts them to a serious endeavour of growing in Faith and Godliness reckoning up by degrees the chief Christian virtues whereof the first is Faith which opens unto us the first entrance to God to this is adjoyned virtue or following after Righteousness in general because without Faith it is dead and ineffectual Prudence or Knowledge follows which consists in a fuller knowledge of heavenly mysteries and the application of them to practice Vers. 6. And to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness After this hee requires Temperance whereby every one keeps himself from those enticements whereby hee might be taken off from his duty Hee would have Patience or Fortitude which consists in bearing adversity and not in ceasing from our duty for the evils which pursue us annexed to Temperance and these virtues are four which are commonly called Cardinals to these hee would have three other joyned 1. Godliness which chiefly consists in the very worship of God Vers. 7. And to Godliness Brotherly Kindness and to Brotherly Kindness Charity The other virtue which hee would have added is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Brotherly love whereby wee embrace our Brethren or the houshold of Faith The last virtue is Charity or common love which is to be extended to all men even to enemies Vers. 8. For if these things be in you and abound they make you that yee shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus
his sufferings might obtain eternal life Therefore wee ought to love his adopted Sons or our Brethren Vers. 10. Herein is love not that wee loved God but that hee loved us and sent his Son to bee the propitiation for our sins 11. Beloved if God so loved us wee ought also to love one another Argum. 6. Confirming and illustrating the former God hath freely loved us unworthy and undeserving and also enemies who have not onely not merited his love but have no not first desired it but God hath first loved us and that most exceedingly by sending his Son who offered up himself a sacrifice for the expiating of our sins and for the obtaining all the gifts which are necessary for the preparing of us to the possession of eternal life From whence it follows that wee ought to exercise brotherly love one towards another Vers. 11. Vers. 12. No man hath seen God at any time if wee love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us Argum. 7. Although God is invisible who could never with corporeal senses bee seen of any in his essence yet if wee love one another wee have communion with him and hee dwells in us Therefore wee ought to follow after love Perfected Argum. 8. From our love of Brethren our love is perfected towards God or demonstrated to bee sincere such God accepts and approves Therefore c. Vers. 13. Hereby know wee that wee dwell in him and hee in us because hee hath given us of his Spirit Argum. 9. Wee have not onely communion with God but wee are also brought to a certain knowledge and perswasion as touching our communion with God and mutual inhabitation from this that God hath given his Spirit or the spirit of love to us from which spirit hee himself cannot bee separated Therefore c. Vers. 14. And wee have seen and do testifie that the Father sent the Son to bee the Saviour of the world Argum. 10. From the experience of the Apostles to this sense Although no man hath seen God at any time yet wee Apostles have seen the effect of the greatest love in him viz. that the Father hath sent his Son to bee the Saviour of the world or all his elect children dispersed throughout the whole world neither can wee conceal from men so much good but out of the love which is in us towards the elect Brethren wee testifie boldly concerning that love of God towards men Therefore all the faithful ought to do the same every one according to his measure Vers. 15. Whosoever shall confess that Iesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and hee in God Argum. 11. Inferred from the former and confirming it because not onely the Apostles but also whoever hee bee who out of love to God and the Brethren shall confess both in word and deed the excellency and virtue of Jesus Christ the Son of God as wee do hee hath communion with God as well as wee Therefore yee ought to follow after brotherly love Vers. 16 And wee have known and beleeved the love that God hath to us God is love and hee that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him Argum. 12. Also from the experience of the Apostles to this sense We Apostles being perswaded by experience and faith as touching Gods love to us are constrained both to bear him witness that hee is love it self both in himself and towards others and to love him and his children Therefore all the faithful who beleeve and have experienced the same ought to do likewise God is love Argum. 13. Seeing that God is love it self whosoever constantly abides in the Faith of divine love towards him and in the endeavour both of exercising love towards God and the Brethren hath constant communion with God and God with him Therefore that this communion may remain firm yee ought to follow after brotherly love Veâ—s 17. Herein is our love made perfect that wee may have boldness in the day of judgement because as hee is so are wee in this world Argum. 14. Both that love of God towards us which is to bee beleeved and that love of God which is to bee exercised towards God and the Brethren is known to bee perfect and sincere and is urged to bee fulfilled by us for this end that wee may stand without fear before God in the day of judgement and as now thinking of that day wee may have boldness as if wee were now standing at Gods tribunal Therefore wee ought to follow aftâ—r brotherly love As hee Argum. 15. Giving a reason of the former from the love of God found in us wee firmly gather that wee in this life are beloved of God and are made conformable to God in this world who is love And therefore wee may bee perswaded as by a certain sign that wee are of the number of those to whom there is no condemnation in the life to come Therefore yee ought to follow after brotherly love Vers. 18. There is no fear in love but perfect love caâ—â—eth out fear because fear hath torment hee that feareth is not made perfect in love Argum. 16. Confirming the former The love of God apprehended by faith and kindling love in us towards God and the Brethren doth so confirm us in a sure belief touching our salvation that wee do not fear wrath and judgement and by how much the perswasion of Gods love towards us doth the more ardently excite in us the endeavour of loving God and our neighbour so much the more strongly the fear of condemnation is cast out at leastwise that which is joyned with torment Feareth Argum. 17. As a conclusion deducted from the former Argument whosoever is tormented with the fear of condemnation is not strongly enough confirmed in the belief of Gods love and the exercise of love towards God and the brethren but wanâ—â— further enâ—rease and exhortations that hee may proceed in love to a fuller certainty Therefore all that perceive in themselves this imperfection ought to endeavour after the love of the Brethren from â—he perswasion of Gods love towards them Vers. 19. Wee love him because hee first loved us Argum. 18. The love whereby wee love God is not the cause of the love whereby God loves us but an after effect Therefore let us endeavour from the perswasion of Gods love towards us more and more to love God and by how much the more vehemently wee endeavour to love God in himself and offering himself in his children to bee loved by us wee shall bee so much the more confirmed of his love towards us Therefore yee ought to follow after love Vers. 20. If any man say I love God and â—â—teth his Brother hee is a lyer For hee that loveth not his Brother whom hee hath seen how can hee love God whom hee hath not seen Argum. 19. The boasting of love towards God is vain where there is not love to the Brethren because Gods grace doth
not work the love of God without love of the Brethren Therefore c. For hee Hee confirms this Argument by this Reason Because wee are more moved to love by sight than by hearing hee that loveth not his Brother whom hee hath seen and the Image of God in him hee cannot love God whom hee hath not seen Therefore the boasting of love towards God is vain where love of the Brethren is wanting Vers. 21. And this commandement have wee from him that hee who loveth God loveth his brother also Argum. 20. The same authority of God hath conjoyned the command of both requiring of all that love God that they love their Brethren also Therefore yee ought to love the Brethren CHAP. V. THe principal scope of the whole Epistle and especially of this Chapter is propounded vers 13. viz. that those who beleeve in Christ may know that they have eternal life and that knowing they have life they may more and more believe in Christ. Of the Chapter there bee two parts In the first hee describes the marks of those that are true beleevers or born again who have right to eternal life with an inchoate possession thereof to vers 6. In the second hee propounds the Arguments to move us to beleeve in Christ. Vers. 1. Whosoever beleeveth that Iesus is the Christ is born of God and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him The marks of those that are true beleevers or born again and live sincerely are six Note 1. Hee that is truly faithful or begotten of God beleeves seriously that Jesus is the promised Christ viz. the Redeemer of the world for whosoever solidly receives this truth and applies it to himself acknowledges it in his heart as the Scripture requires is born of God And every one Note 2. Hee so loves God that hee loves the Brethren or those that are begotten of him Vers. 2. By this wee know that wee love the children of God when wee love God and keep his commandements Note 3. Those that are truly faithful do so love the Brethren that they also love God and out of love to God they endeavour to keep his commandements Vers. 3. For this is the love of God that wee keep his Commandements and his Commandements are not grievous Note 4. Explicating the former They that are truly faithful demonstrate the sincerity of their love in endeavouring to observe Gods Commandements out of love to him so that his commandements how much soever they bee hard and unpleasant to the flesh yet they are not grievous but such as they desire most willingly to perform Vers. 4. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our Faith Note 5. Giving the reason of the former They that are truly faithful or born again do overcome the world that is they overcome whatsoever opposes it self to the Spirit of God viz. deceits inticements and the terrours of the world and all hinderances which may draw them from obedience to Gods commandements so that their conflicts bee daily yet they do not yeeld but are sure to triumph as conquerors as often as their enemies oppose them And this Note 6. Explicating the former They that are truly faithful do not lean to their own strength in warring against the world but on Christ by Faith who hath overcome the world in their behalf and doth administer strength to them for the overcoming the world which is the most certain excellent and compleat way to conquer Vers. 5. Who is hee that overcometh the world but hee that beleeveth that Iesus is the Son of God The reason of the victory got over the world by Faith is because it is impossible that any one should overcome the world unless it bee hee that despairing of himself by Faith leans on the sole truth and strength of Jesus Christ as of the omnipotent Son of God who hath not onely overcome the world for his but doth also make all his conquerors The Second Part. Vers. 6. This is â—ee that came by water and blood even Iesus Christ not by water onely but by water and blood and it is the Spirit that beareth witness because the spirit is truth The other part of the Chapter follows wherein hee proves that wee ought to beleeve in Christ as in the Son of God The Arguments are fourteen Argum. 1. Because Jesus Christ is hee who when hee came brought with him the solid substance of Legal Ceremonies as to that which chiefly belongs to the abolishing of sin For hee came with water or with that holiness in himself and virtue for the sanctifying his which was signified by water and washings in the old Law to be in the Messias that was to come when he came And hee came with blood or with a full expiation of their sins by the propitiatory Sacrifice of his blood offered on the Cross for the taking away of the sins of his people Not by water Hee confirms that because Christ came not with one propriety of a Mediatour which is the Sanctity of his Person and virtue of sanctifying his signified by water or legal washings but hee comes also with another propriety which is expiation and full reconciliation signified by the sprinkling of blood or by the slaying of beasts The admirable symbole of which conjunction was the flowing of water and blood out of his side on the cross as our Apostle hath diligently observed in his Gospel Chap. 19.34 That wee may all know that whom Christ justifies hee also sanctifies and on the contrary those whom hee sanctifies the same hee also justifies Therefore yee ought to beleeve in Christ. The Spirit Argum. 2. The spirit witnesseth the same i. e. the manifestation of the spirit in divers gifts poured forth upon Christs Disciples witnesseth that Christ is the Son of God and by its dictate makes this firm in the hearts of those that are faithful Therefore yee ought to beleeve in Christ. Truth Hee confirms this Argument that the Spirit in these operations is true and far from all deceit because it commends nothing to us besides the Word of God or Truth it self Vers. 7. For there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Arg. 3. Because as the three persons of the God-head the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost are one in essence so they also consent together in witnessing to confirm this one thing That Jesus Christ is the Son of God For the Father witnesseth of him 1 Pronouncing with an audible voice both in Christs Baptism and Transfiguration that he was his beloved Son in whom hee was well pleased 2 In the works which hee gave to Christ to finish Iob 5.16.36 Furthermore the word bears record of Christ that is Christ wherein hee is God bears record of himself being incarnate that hee is the Son of God partly affirming that very