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
you a fuller knowledge that yee may bee more stedfast in faith till at length in a perfect happiness with all other beleevers yee may by experience fully know and comprehend this love of God Therefore hold on and proceed daily in the obedience of faith Vers. 19. And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that yee might bee filled with all the fulness of God Argum. 9. So great is Gods love towards you in Christ and so great is Christs love towards all his and towards you that it can never bee known enough for it surmounts the understanding of both men and Angels and of this I wish you a more full knowledge that yee may persevere stedfast in the Faith That yee might bee filled Argum. 10. All the fulness of God which sufficeth to fill you and fully to perfect salvation is opened and communicated to you in the Gospel that yee might bee more and more united to God in Christ by Faith might more and more partake of holiness or the divine Nature and might become more and more blessed by a more abundant in-dwelling of Christ till at length yee bee filled with it in the world to come in which God will bee all in all to your compleat holiness and happiness which I continually beg of God for Therefore c. Vers. 20. Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly above all that wee ask or think according to the power that worketh in us Hee concludes his prayer with a thanksgiving adding Argum. 11. God is both able to give more than wee ask yea and abundantly more than wee can ask or desire and also so good and free that hee wills what hee can do yea hee hath already exercised both his power and his good will in converting us and also in preserving us Therefore you should bee encouraged to a stedfast continuance in Faith Vers. 21. Unto him bee glory in the Church by Christ Iesus throughout all ages world without end Amen Argum. 12. The everlasting praise of the effectual good will and power of God to the perfecting of Beleevers salvation by Christ shall bee for ever celebrated in the Church And you are bound to subscribe and say AMEN with mee unto this Truth Therefore you should continue and make progress in Faith glorifying God unto the end Some of these Arguments prove that the Saints perseverance is sure and certainly established CHAP. IV. NOw follows the second part of this Epistle wherein hee gives several Precepts touching holiness of life and manners There are two parts of this Chapter in the first hee joyntly exhorts all to the study of Christian Peace and unity in the Church to vers 17. In the other hee gives Precepts to every one severally touching the ordering and leading of their lives holily to the end Vers. 1. I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that yee walk worthy of the vocation wherewith yee are called 2. With all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering forbearing one another in love 3. Endeavouring to keep the union of the Spirit in the bond of Peace As for the first having begun with a grave entreaty and a general exhortation to a holy conversation which indifferently concerns all things that follow viz. that they should bee holy as God who called them was holy vers 1. Hee descends to a particular exhortation unto the study of peace and unity laying down seven special virtues which are necessarily required to preserve the unity of the Church that so concord might abound in all its members The 1 is Humility to which pride is opposite 2 Gentleness to which cruelty is oppâ—site 3 Quietness of mind or easiness to bee pleased to which is opposed rashness or a readiness to bee angry 4 Forbearance to which revenge is opposed 5 Charity whence hee would have the rise of all other virtues especially forbearance to which is opposed hatred of ones neighbour and self-love and without these virtues it is not possible to maintain the unity of the Church vers 2. The 6 Virtue is the unity of the Spirit in the Faith and in its opinions touching things belonging to Religion 7 Peace or external concord and if these precede both the spiritual and external unity of the Church will bee easily preserved it being one and the same labour to keep it and these virtues Vers. 4. There is one body and one Spirit even as yee are called in one hope of your calling The Arguments for this exhortation are fifteen Argum. 1. The Church is one body made up of divers members Therefore you should study the Churches unity and concord One Spirit Argum. 2. The Holy Spirit is one by whom the whole body is quickened and governed Therefore c. One Hope Argum. 3. All are called to one hope of their calling that is to the same eternal happiness Therefore c. Vers. 5. One Lord one Faith one Baptisme Argum. 4. There is one Lord of us all even Christ whom wee are all bound to obey and who should not bee divided in his members Therefore c. One Faith Argum. 5. There is one Faith or one Doctrine which is to bee beleeved and such also is that saving gift of Grace viz. justifying Faith by which wee beleeve Therefore the unity of Beleevers should bee preserved Baptisme Argum. 6. There is one Baptisme both in respect of the sign and the thing signified confirming us all in the fellowship of one mystical body Vers. 6 One God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Argum. 7. Wee have all one God who requires that those that worship him should bee unanimous and wee have all one Father whose will is that his Sons should bee linked together in a brotherly love who in excellency infinitely surmounts all who in his providence sustains and governs all and who in a special manner by Grace dwells in all the Elect Therefore you ought diligently to practize concord among your selves Vers. 7. But unto every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Argum. 8. How different soever our gifts are yet the unity of the Church should not therefore be â— broken but rather maintained because Grace is given to every one according to the measure of the gift which Christ thought fit to bee given Therefore c. Vers. 8. Wherefore hee said when hee ascended up on high hee led captivity captive giving gifts unto men Hee confirms this Argument touching gifts and the different measure of them from the testimony of Psal. 68. where there is a Prophecy first of Christs Ascension then of his Triumphing over his enemies the Devil Death and Sin and lastly of his bestowing gifts for the use of the Church Vers. 9. Now that hee ascended what is it but that hee also descended first into the lower parts of the earth From this Prophecie of Christs Ascension the Apostle proves that wee must first necessarily presuppose
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
â—eing unmindful of the Cross of Christ and unacquainted with those afflictions wherein the Apostle was involved Hee taxes this vanity thus that hee wishes them the happiness which they dream't they had that their happiness might comfort the Apostles who lay in many afflictions Vers. 9. For I think that God hath set forth us the Apostles last as it were appointed to death for wee are made a spectacle unto the world and to Angels and to men Hee shews the afflictions of himself and Barnabas which are called the last of the Apostles because they were called after the Ascension of Christ and by a special command sent to the Gentiles as it is Act. 13.2 14.14 shewing that they were set forth of God in the sight of all as those that conflicted with all kind of troubles Vers. 10. Wee are fools for Christs sake but yee are wise in Christ wee are weak but yee are strong yee are honourable but wee are despised Further hee compares his afflictions with their prosperity and their unequal opinion concerning themselves and the Apostle hee shews in three particulars 1. In Wisdome wee are accounted fools both by the world and perhaps by you that wee run into so many hazards for Christ Yee seem to yourselves and others wise because you enjoy the Gospel and prosperity withall 2. In strength wee appear weak broken with distresses you seem strong and powerful living out of the reach of any the darts of tribulation 3. In honor you shine forth in glory and authority wee in the mean time are ignominious and despicable both to you and others Vers. 11. Even unto this present hour wee both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling-place 12. And labour woâ—king with our own hands being reviled wee bless being persecuted wee suffer it 13. Being defamed wee entreat wee are made as the filth of the world and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day Hee rehearses other sorts of his troubles Wee are saith hee exposed to want and injuries ver 11. It is not by our fault that wee are poor for wee labour with our hands wee suffer injuries but not by our own desert for wee are so far from giving occasion either by word or deed that on the other side wee patiently requite good for evil ver 12 13. Vers. 14. I write not these things to shame you but as my beloved sons to warn you In the other part of the Chapter hee concludes his reprehension of their Schism First by way of exhortation to obedience and the following of him to ver 18. Secondly by threatning a severer discipline unless upon his admonition they repent As for the first hee propounds four Arguments by way of perswasion to obedience Argum. 1. By way of preventing an objection I have not writ these things to shame you but to admonish you Therefore bee obedient to mee Children Argum. 2. I account you and love you as Sons Therefore taking in good part these my admonitions bee obedient to mee Vers. 15. For though you have ten thousand Instructers in Christ yet have yee not many Fathers for in Christ Iesus I have begotten you through the Gospel 16. Wherefore I beseech you bee you followers of mee Argum. 3. After a special manner in comparison with your other Teachers I am a Father unto you because you have been converted by my Ministery Therefore bee obedient to mee and follow mee rather than your ambitious Teachers for I was the Minister of your Regeneration not those ambitious teachers which are at the most but Instructers not Fathers Vers. 17. For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord who shall bring you into remembrance of my wayes which bee in Christ as I teach every where in every Church Argum. 4. To this end have I sent Timothy unto you that I might the more easily procure your following of mee Therefore bee obedient unto mee and follow mee in those things wherein I shine forth to all the Churches by reason of my Apostleship both in doctrine and holiness of life Vers. 18. Now some are puffed up as though I would not come to you 19. But I will come to you shortly if the Lord will and will know not the speech of them which are puffed up but the power As to the other part of the conclusion because some amongst them were puffed up in hopes to escape censure as if the Apostle would not come unto them Hee threatens 1. That hee would come 2. That hee would try whether in those Teachers there bee that Power of the Spirit or meerly the eloquence of words without the demonstration of the Spirit Vers. 20. For the Kingdome of God is not in word but in Power Hee gives an account why hee esteemed nothing of their meer eloquence or their boasting in human wisdom because the Kingdome of Christ and the Salvation or edification of men is not promoted with words or the wisdome of words but by the Power of God Vers. 21. What will yee Shall I come unto you with a rod or in love and in the spirit of meekness Lastly lest any of the Corinthians whether Teachers or their Followers should foment Schism hee propounds this choice to them Whether they would that hee should come to their correction with the authority of Church-censures which hee resolved to do if they further made Parties and fomented Schism Or whether they would that hee should come to their comfort in the spirit of love and meekness which hee intended if they repented Thus hee passes to the Excommunication of the Incestuous Person CHAP. V. THE SECOND ARTICLE CONCERNING THE INCESTUOUS PERSON LEst they should think his Commination vain whereof hee speaks toward the end of the former Chapter he commands that the Incestuous Person be Excommunicated propounding to that end eleven Argum. Vers. 1. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles that one should have his Fathers Wife The first Argument because the Incestuous Person is defiled by an hainous wickedness which the Gentiles will not so much as speak of without detestation Therefore hee is to bee Excommunicated Vers. 2. And yee are puffed up and have not rather mourned that hee that hath done this deed might bee taken away from among you The second Argument is joyned with the reproof of the Corinthians because you ought long since to have grieved for the great offence and to have excommunicated the wicked person and not to excuse his fault by lessening of it or making a jest at it or glorying in it as if you were taken with the fact Vers. 3. For I verily as absent in body but present in spirit have judged already as though I was present concerning him that hath so done this deed 4. In the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ when yee are gathered
defiled with fornication Vers. 15. Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot God forbid Argum. 3. The Faithful which are members of Christ are not by fornication to bee made the members of an Harlot which argument hee sharpens with an Interrogation Therefore c. Vers. 16. What Know yee not that hee that is joyned to an Harlot is one body For two saith hee shall bee one flesh That hee may confirm this argument hee proves from the Analogy of Marriage that fornication with an harlot makes the fornicators one flesh and by consequence the fornicator is made the member of an harlot Therefore fornication is unlawful Vers. 17. But hee that is joyned unto the Lord is one spirit Further hee proves that Believers are members of Christ because joyned by Faith and are one Mystical Body with Christ one Spiritual Body or one Spirit Vers. 18. Flee fornication every sin that a man doth is without the body but hee that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body Hee turns the Position into a Dehortation and adds the fourth Argum by way of comparison with other sins other sins abuse the object without chiefly and principally but fornication abuses its own body and more dishonors the body than any other sin Therefore it is unlawful Vers. 19. What know yee not that your own body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which yee have of God and you are not your own 20. For yee are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods Argum. 5. Our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in us given us of God Therefore they are not to bee polluted with fornication Neither are yee Argum. 6. The Faithful are not their own but purchased with the Blood of Christ Therefore they ought to take heed that they defile not themselves with fornication but rather endeavour by an holy conversation both of body and soul to glorifie God their Redeemer whose they are CHAP. VII THE FIFTH ARTICLE OF CASES TOUCHING MARRIAGE THe Apostle being enquired of by the Corinthians concerning Marriage-Cases in this Chapter hee answers five of their demands Vers. 1. Now concerning the things whereof yee wrote unto me it is good for a man not to touch a woman 2. Nevertheless to avoid fornication let every man have his own wife and let every woman have her own husband The first enquiry is of men unmarried who lived a single life whether it were best for them to marry The reasons of this demand were two the fear of troubles and the fear of defilement in Marriage That which belongs to the first reason wee are to remember that the Corinthians had been a long time in danger of persecution although now they lived prosperously and the most part feared nothing The Apostle answers those that are in such a case if no necessity lyes upon them to marry it is good and profitable not to marry but where there is danger of sinning by incontinence wee are rather to eschew fornication and sin than the danger of troubles in Marriage Vers. 3. Let the husband render to the wife due benevolence and likewise also the wife unto the husband That which concerns the scruple leâ—t any one should think his conscience by Matrimonial Society defiled hee declares not only the conjugal bed to bee undefiled but also the right of the Marriage-bed ought to bee granted to him that seeks a wife whereto hee subjoyns four reasons Due Reason 1. Because that benevolence is due by the Law of Marriage Vers. 4. The wife hath not power of her own body but the husband and likewise also the husband hath no power of his own body but the wife Reason 2. Because by conjugal agreement the husband hath power over the wives body and the wife over the husbands chiefly to avoid fornication Vers. 5. Defraud you not one another except it bee with consent for a time that you may give your selves to fasting and prayer and come together again that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency Reason 3. Because otherwise there would fall out an unjust defrauding of each others part if commerce should bee denied without reason That you may give your selves Hee limits what hee had said with a special exception unless it bee agreed by consent on both parts that for a time they might give themselves to fasting and prayer Leâ—t Satan tempt Reason 4. Because after the set time if benevolence desired bee denied it is dangerous lest Satan tempts the party defrauded for his incontinency to commit adultery Vers. 6. But I speak this by permission and not of commandment 7. For I would that all men were even as I my self but every man hath his proper gift of God one after this manner another after that Hee explains this his opinion touching contracting Marriage and using conjugal society that it is not an universal precept as if here commanded Marriage to all but that the granting or permission is universal only in case of incontinency for plainly if by the will of God it might bee the Apostle could with the Corinthians who moved the question both continence and the advantages of single life which God had bestowed upon him but because the gift of Continence is not given to every one hee saith that hee spake this by permission which hee hath granted Vers. 8. I say therefore to the unmarried and widows it is good for them if they abide even as I. 9. But if they cannot contain let them marry for it is better to marry than to burn From hence hee gathers up the sum of what hee had said that hee might plainly answer those who lived unmarried or Widows it was convenient that they should abide in that state if they could contain if not that they marry For it is better Hee gives a reason because it behoved them rather to beware of burning lusts which defile the conscience with sin than of the troubles of Marriage even those troubles which accompany a married state in times of persecution Vers. 10. And unto the married I command yet not I but the Lord let not the wife depart from her husband The second thing they enquire of is concerning Divorce the parts whereof are two The first is concerning both being Believers whether it is lawful for married Christians to make a Divorce unless the case bee for adultery Hee answers that it is not lawful which answer that hee may confirm hee denies that hee commanded any thing new or from special revelation but that hee repeats an old command by the authority of the Lord who in the Institution of Marriage established that the married should bee one flesh whereupon that separation and divorce is unlawful Vers. 11. But if shee depart let her remain unmarried or bee reconciled to her husband and let not the husband
hee forbids those that are married to put away their Wives so hee saith it is more convenient that they that are single should continue unmarried viz. if they have the gift as hee said before of continency Vers. 28. But and if thou marry thou hast not sinned and if a Virgin marry shee hath not sinned nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh The other part of the answer follows wherein hee teacheth that to marry is not sinful but incident to several troubles concerning which hee will not any further treat lest hee should seem to disswade them from marriage more than was safe Vers. 29. But this I say Brethren the time is short it remaineth that both they that have Wives bee as though they had none 30. And they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not The third part of the answer follows wherein hee commands that whether they married or not they should take heed to themselves that they bee not much moved with the advantages or disadvantages the pleasures or troubles of this short life but moderately bearing prosperity and adversity they should provide for the life which is to come alwaies prepared to suffer sorrowful things and to leave a joyful condition according to the Will of God for this is as much as if they had not Wives as if they wept not c. whilst they using a marriage-state are not hindred in their race to the Kingdome of Heaven but they go forward with all expedition through sorrow and joy through the conveniences and inconveniences of this life all occasions all changes Vers. 31. And they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away The reason of this is laid down Because the good and evil things of this life as a shadow pass away Therefore ought wee to use the things of this life as it were in our passage that they hinder us not in our race Vers. 32. But I would have you without carefulness hee that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord how hee may please the Lord 33. But hee that is married careth for the things that are of the world how hee may please his Wife Hee laies down two Reasons of his counsel about the keeping themselves unmarried First That they might bee freed from trouble which the fear of persecution and of the present condition might cast those that are married into Reason 2. Because hee that is unmarried more conveniently is at leisure for divine imployments or to attend upon the exercises of Religion and more immediately to please God But hee that is married is forced by his Calling to lay out much of his time about earthly businesses and houshold-cares and so in lawful things to please his Wife which care although it may bee obedience where it is performed in the fear of God yet it is not so immediate obedience and so near to God as that which is placed in the exercises of Religion Vers. 34. There is difference also between a Wife and a Virgin the unmarried Woman careth for the things of the Lord that shee may bee holy both in body and in spirit but shee that is married careth for the things of the world how she may please her Husband Hee shews the same difference to bee betwixt the condition of Virgins and Women that are married That a Virgin may with fewer avocations and less difficulty more holily both in body and soul attend to holy imployments because shee hath no family to take care of This is called Holiness not as it is opposite to sin but as opposed to Civil or Common So the Ministery of the Gospel may bee called more holy than any civil Calling But a Wife is usually incumbred with houshold-cares and an indeavour to please her Husband nor can shee so freely have leisure for holy exercises Vers. 35. And this I speak for your own profit not that I may cast a snare upon you but for that which is comely and that you may attend upon the Lord without distraction The Apostle expounds all this his advice that it tends onely to this that they may more conveniently and fitly bee composed to attend upon God without distraction in the exercises of Religion if they have the gift of continency not that hee might cast upon them a snare of necessity to abstain from marriage if they had not the gift of continency Vers. 36. But if any man think that hee behaveth himself uncomely towards his Virgin if shee pass the flower of her age and need so require let him do what hee will hee sinneth not let them marry The Fourth matter that is inquired of is Concerning the duty of Parents in whose power are Daughters marriagable whether advisedly they may give their Virgin Daughters to marriage or not The Answer hath two parts The first upon a threefold supposition 1. If any one is suspected to detain his Daughter from Marriage longer than is expedient 2. If his Daughter have passed the flower of her age i. e. hath attained to the twentieth year of her age and begins to bee more than of ripe years 3. If hee see the mind of the Virgin inclinable to Marriage let him follow the will of the Virgin and his own Let the Daughter and the Son in Law whom the Father shall chuse bee joyned in Marriage the Parent sins not in it Vers. 37. Nevertheless hee that standeth stedfast in his heart having no necessity but hath power over his own will and hath so decreed in his heart that hee will keep his Virgin doth well The other part of the Answer also upon a threefold supposition 1. If the Parent bee perswaded that hee wrongs not his Daughter if hee with-hold her from Marriage 2. If his Daughter have the gift of continence and out of no necessity the Father is moved to seek an Husband for her so that the Parent may determine of his Daughter as hee please 3. If hee purpose to keep his Virgin unmarried hee hath done well saith hee for the advantage of his Daughter Vers. 38. So then hee that giveth her in Marriage doth well but hee that giveth her not in Marriage doth better Whereupon hee concludes in the first case that the Parent does well or for the benefit of his Daughter And in the other case that the Parent does better or that hee more consults the benefit of his Daughter in the mean time hee asserts that there is sin in neither Vers. 39. The Wife is bound by the Law as long as her Husband liveth but if her Husband bee dead shee is at liberty to bee married to whom shee will onely in the Lord. The fifth thing that is inquired of is this Whether second Marriages of Widows are lawful or not The Answer hath two parts 1. Hee saith it is lawful with a limitation if so bee they
that by the necessity of his office and the Command as also the fear of Gods displeasure Vers. 17. For if I do this thing willingly I have a reward but if against my will a dispensation of the Gospel is committed unto mee My Preaching saith hee if it bee voluntary it shall have a reward but if against my will yet I must discharge it because of the dispensation committed unto mee by the Command of God and that would bee without the glory of my voluntary Preaching If I should unwillingly preach the Gospel as they do who exercise their Ministery not out of any love to God and desire of converting Souls but for filthy lucres sake or out of vain-glory Vers. 18. What is my reward then Verily that when I preach the Gospel I may make the Gospel of Christ without charge that I abuse not my power in the Gospel Now hee saith that hee hath matter whereof to boast against his Reproachers as a reward of his not receiving any stipend from them in as much as hee Preached the Gospel to the Corinthians without charge unto them whereunto hee sub-joyns another reason That if hee had exacted a maintenance there where his Reproachers endeavoured to bring an evil report upon him then hee had abused his liberty Vers. 19. For though I bee free from all men yet have I made my self servant unto all that I might gain the more Hee extends the moderating of his liberty to all sorts of things indifferent wherein hee served not himself but others that hee might gain them Vers. 20. And unto the Jews I became a Jew that I might gain the Jews to them that are under the Law as under the Law that I might gain them that are under the Law That hee explains particularly in three things First that hee did conform himself to the Jew bound as they thought under the Ceremonial Law observing the Mosaical Ceremonies for time and place as the matter required as if hee had been under the yoke of Ceremonies and that hee did by the opinion of the Council at Ierusalem which left to the Jews born under that yoke whereof the Apostle was a free use of Ceremonies for a time but in no wise to the Gentiles Act. 21. 21 25. Vers. 21. To them that are without Law as without Law being not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ that I might gain them that are without Law The second is That conforming himself to the Gentiles which were without Law hee laid aside the use of Ceremonies as one that was without Law but in the mean time hee intimates that hee did not understand the Moral or the law of love which is the perpetual Law of God and Christ from which hee could not bee freed but the Ceremonial Law from which indeed hee was freed that hee might freely for the advantage of the Gospel use Ceremonies or might abstain from using them Vers. 22. To the weak became I as weak that I might gain the weak I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some The third That hee conformed himself to those that doubted of their liberty abstaining from things lawful as they did finally hee accommodates himself in all things indifferent to all men for three causes First That hee might gain as many as possible or at leastwise some Vers. 23. And this I do for the Gospels sake that I might bee partaker thereof with you The second cause That the Doctrine of the Gospel might bee better esteemed of amongst all by his moderate carriage The third cause That serving the advantages of the Gospel hee might bee saved being made partaker of the Gospel with other Believers Vers. 24. Know you not that they which run in a race run all but one receiveth the prize So run that you may obtain Hitherto hee hath insisted upon his own example as the Antecedent of the Argument the force of this example follows or the hortatory conclusion viz. That the Corinthians would labour after temperance and not so mind their meat as to eat with offence that which was offered unto Idols To this end hee shews them that they must run in their Christian Race in which all not one only as it was usual in their sports that run according to the Laws of God were to bee crowned Vers. 25. And every man that striveth for the Mastery is temperate in all things Now they do it to obtain a corruptible Crown but wee an incorruptible And how that comes to pass hee shews viz. If after the example of those that contended in those Noble Games whether running or combating usually celebrated neer unto Corinth they should not indulge themselves in gluttony and pleasures but temperate in all things bearing all things whereby the conquering Crown might bee won In their Isthmian or Corinthian Games the Runners and Wrestlers inured themselves to a most temperate diet by way of Preparation for the Race as now horses are fitted for running The Conquerours in these Games were crowned with Lawrel or Ivy or were honoured with some such like reward After the same manner the Apostle would have Christians most moderate in their using the things of this world and abstinent from whatsoever may stop their course or hinder them in their warfare and that they might obtain an incorruptible that is an Eternal Crown laid up in heaven for all those who strive lawfully and finish their course Hee adds three Hortatory Arguments Argum. 1. Because you Christian Wrestlers may expect a more noble Crown than that corruptible one of those that sport in those Gymnastick Games Vers. 26. I therefore run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the ayr 27. But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should bee a cast-away Argum. 2. From his own example running and acting the part of a Champion and smiting his adversary certainly and seriously I earnestly keep down the body of sin and the old man and the lusts of the flesh that they may bee slain and I compel my body properly so called by virtue of Spiritual Discipline to bee subject to my Spirit Therefore do you the same thing For so the Apostle nurtured his body that in labours and watchfulness and fastings it might hold out in its duty that it might not wax wanton against the Spirit and the body of sin as much as lay in him bee destroyed Lest by any means Argum. 3. From the end of it I keep under the body of sin or the old man lest if I should live otherwise than I advise others to live I should bee a cast-away or as an hypocrite should bee blotred out of the number of the Saints Therefore do you the same thing that I do and to the same end The Apostle here does not oppose Reprobate to one that is Elect but to one that is Approved for as the
as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ. Argum. 8. Christ Mystical or Christ is one Body with the Church consisting of many members and they instructed with variety of gifts Therefore as in the humane so in the Mystical Body there ought to bee concord in the use of gifts Vers. 13. For by one Spirit are wee all baptized into one body whether wee bee Jews or Gentiles whether wee bee bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit Argum. 9. All the faithful are joyned together in the Sacrament of Baptism and the Lords Supper or the union of all the Faithful into one Church and partaking of one life in one body and one Spirit is signified in the Sacraments Therefore you ought not to disagree amongst your selves about the diversity of gifts Vers. 14. For the body is not one member but many 15. If the foot shall say Because I am not the hand I am not of the body Is it therefore not of the body 16. And if the ear shall say Because I am not the eye I am not of the body Is it therefore not of the body Argum. 10. Seeing the condition of the body requires necessarily plurality of members and by consequence diversity it will follow that the meanest offices in the least gifts are as well of the body as the most excellent offices and gifts And if they should exclude themselves they would not do less foolishly than if the foot should deny that it was the hand or the ear deny that it was the eye and for this cause should conclude that it is not of the body Therefore there ought to bee no dissention amongst you because of the diversity of gifts Vers. 17. If the whole body were an eye where were the hearing If the whole were hearing where were the smelling 18. But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body as it hath pleased him 19. And if they were all one member where were the body 20. But now are they many members yet but one body Argum. 11. Even as if the body was one member three inconveniences would follow 1. The rest of the members should bee excluded and the more noble senses ver 17. 2. The change should bee made contrary to the wise dispensation of God who hath otherwise appointed diversity of members ver 18. 3. The change should bee contrary to the nature of an organical body for the very organical body should bee destroyed ver 19. Because God hath made one organical body of many members ver 20. So in Ecclesiastical Functions if there was but one Function three inconveniences would ensue 1. The other offices would bee extinct 2. The dispensation of God would bee destroyed 3. The Organical Church it self would bee overthrown which now consists of many offices united together into one body Therefore concord and agreement is to bee regarded Vers. 21. And the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee nor again the head to the feet I have no need of you 22. Nay much more those members of the body which seem to bee more feeble are necessary Argum. 12. As in a natural body the superiour and more excellent members cannot bee without the inferiour which are most necessary therefore they are friendly each to other so it is in Ecclesiastical functions therefore ought they to bee assisting one to another Vers. 23. And those members of the body which wee think to bee less honourable upon those wee bestow more abundant honour and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness 24. For our comly parts have no need but God hath tempered the body together having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked Argum. 13. As in the body natural that there may bee an agreement those members which are more infirm are most honoured and necessary by the appointment of God so ought it to bee in Ecclesiastical functions Therefore in the chusing of Deacons rather than Pastors care must bee had that other things being alike men of the fairest fortunes may bee elected for the adorning of this inferiour office Vers. 25. That there should bee no Schism in the body but that the members should have the same care one of another Argum. 14. As the Natural body would come to ruine by Schism if the members should strive among themselves and should not regard each other So in Ecclesiastical functions Therefore concord is to bee highly regarded Vers. 26. And whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member bee honoured all the members rejoyce with it 27. Now yee are the body of Christ and members in particular Argum. 15. As amongst the superiour and inferiour members of the body there is a sympathy in joy and grief so it ought to bee amongst the Governours and Ministers of the Church Therefore the greatest accord Hee gives the Reason of it Because yee saith hee are the body of Christ and members in particular i. e. such as ought as members to agree with the whole body the Church and amongst your selves And here is the common Apodosis of the whole similitude taken from the body from vers 12. to this 27. verse Vers. 28. And God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after that miracles then gifts of healings helps governments diversities of tongues Now in order hee reckons up the Ministers of the Church as much as might bee sufficient to restrain the ambition and envy that was among the Corinthians The Authority of Paul by name and of the other Apostles was prejudiced by the subtil and Eloquent Doctors amongst the Corinthians as is manifest in the second Epistle Therefore hee asserts the dignity of the Apostles in the first place as those that were appointed of God to lay the foundation of all the Churches Concerning the Evangelists and Prophets extraordinary either there was no question amongst them or the dignity of the Ministers of the Gospel extraordinary being asserted in the vindication of the Apostolical office concerning the authority and dignity of the Evangelists and Prophets extraordinary whose Ministery was common to all the Churches and subservient to the Apostles it was manifest and apparent enough Secondly Hee determines concerning Prophets by which name as shall appear chap. 14. hee understands Pastors who applied in their Sermons the doctrine to usefulness whose gift was the word of wisdome as verse 8. In the third place hee names Teachers who although they were not eloquent and prudent for the application of the doctrine to all the uses of the Church yet they had a word of knowledge that they were able to apply the general Doctrine to the capacity of the Church These are the functions which were imployed in the Word and Doctrine and therefore the more eminent In the fourth place hee sets down those who in the
the dead Argum. 13. That there is a future Resurrection hee proves after this manner Unless there bee a Resurrection of the Dead what benefit will accrew to those that are tossed with the waves of Persecution for some that are dead i. e. for Christ and the Saints that are dead whose Resurrection while they defend they profess and assert the Resurrection of Christ past and of the Saints hereafter for so the word To bee baptized is taken Mar. 10.38 and the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies for Act. 9.16 And it is absurd that they who suffer Martyrdome for defending the Resurrection of the Dead should bee disappointed of their hope Therefore there shall bee a Resurrection Vers. 30. And why stand wee in jeopardy every hour Argum. 14. Hee confirms in this the sense of his former Argument If it seem not absurd that other Martyrs should lose their labour all Christians will at least think it absurd that wee Apostles should lose our labour who Preaching and hoping for the Resurrection of the Dead are in continual dangers Therefore there shall bee a Resurrection Vers. 31. I protest by your rejoycing which I have in Christ Iesus our Lord I die daily This Argument hee confirms by the testimony of his own experience seriously affirming how certainly hee gloried with the Corinthians in Christ so certainly did hee dayly undergo one death after another for the Gospel being every day cast into new dangers of his life Vers. 32. If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus what advantageth it mee if the dead rise not Let us eat and drink for to morrow wee die 33. Bee not deceived evil communications corrupt good manners In particular hee gives instance of a notable danger in fighting with beasts at Ephesus in a plain sense and as men ordinarily understand this phrase for to condemn to the beasts was an usual kind of death which Christians were allotted to as Histories make mention What need the Apostle undergo this danger To what purpose had this been unless a Resurrection had been to bee hoped and defended Let us eat Argum. 15. If the dead arise not the gluttonous Religion of Epicures was best Let us eat and drink for to morrow wee shall die as some amongst them like hogs began to grunt But this is absurd Therefore the dead shall rise Instead of the Assumption hee forbids that they attend not to these rotten kind of speeches which might infect them either with false doctrine or vicious manners Vers. 34. Awake to righteousness and sin not for some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame Further intimating that the Authors and Fomenters of this Error amongst them were sleeping in their ignorance of God in both bodily and spiritual intemperance of this world drunk with pleasures hee therefore exhorts them that they would awake to righteousness i. e. That they which minded their own matters pleasing themselves in their own wit would shake off slothfulness and imploy their wit about good and holy matters rather upbraiding all of them as a shameful thing to suffer those Atheists the Authors of this error Vers. 35. But some men will say how are the dead raised up and with what body do they come The third part of the Chapter follows wherein hee answers three Objections of the Adversaries The first is this It seems impossible that the dead should arise for how should it bee Object 2. No man can describe with what bodies they shall arise Object 3. Vers. 51. What shall become of those that are alive at the coming of the Lord they therefore because they die not cannot rise again Vers. 36. Thou fool that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die Hee answers to the first Objection It is not impossible that the dead should arise because the seed dies yearly and rises again as it were Vers. 37. And that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body that shall bee but bare grain it may chance of Wheat or of some other grain 38. But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him and to every seed it s own body Hee answers the second Objection That our bodies the same in substance but diverse in quality shall rise again This hee confirms four waies First By the example of Grains of Corn as a bare Grain dry and hard c. It is raised in substance and kind the same but diverse in quality so our bodies the same in substance but of most different qualities shall arise Vers. 39. All flesh is not the same flesh but there is one kind of flesh of men another flesh of beasts another of fishes and another of birds Secondly From the like example of flesh As God can and daily doth produce not onely divers seeds but also divers kinds of flesh for all flesh is not of the same kind so hee can raise the same flesh of the self same man changing his qualities 40. Vers. There are also celestial bodies and bodies terrestrial But the glory of the terrestrial is one and the glory of the celestial is another 41. There is one glory of the Sun another of the Moon and another glory of the Starrs for one Starre differeth from another Starre in glory 42. So also is the resurrection of the dead it is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption 43. It is sown in dishonour it is raised in glory it is sown in weakness it is raised in power 44. It is sown a natural body it is raised a spiritual body There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body Thirdly From the like difference betwixt Stars and terrestrial bodies As God hath beautified celestial bodies with a celestial and terrestrial bodies with a terrestrial glory and hath distinguished celestial bodies amongst themselves with a different glory as is to bee seen in the Sun Moon and Stars So also the body in the resurrection when it is raised it shall differ from it self falling into the grave as that which is incorruptible from that which is corruptible as that which is comely from that which is filthy powerful from that which is weak spiritual from that which is natural That is called a natural body which is quickened by the soul after the manner of living Creatures by means of meats elements c. And that is a spiritual body which retaining the soul is supported by the Spirit of God without means as the Angels Vers. 45. And so it is written The first man Adam was made a living soul the last Adam was made a quickning Spirit Hee explains this last difference betwixt a natural and a spiritual body and proves it because the phrase might seem somewhat harsh by leading us to the first Adam as to the Original of our first State in a natural body and to CHRIST the second Adam as to the Original of our second State in a spiritual body and compares these two in a three-fold
manner The first comparison is in the opposite state of a natural and a spiritual body The first Adam was made a living soul not giving life which had a life indeed but supported as other creatures are with meat and drink c. And not such as could continue life to the body without nourishment But Christ the last Adam is made a quickning Spirit who could communicate virtue to those that were his by his Spirit that without nourishments of the body the most blessed union of body and soul may bee preserved Vers. 46. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual but that which is natural and afterward that which is spiritual The second comparison in respect to Order The first Adam had the precedency in the natural state of the body The second Adam was latter in the spiritual state of the body for the imperfect state ought to precede so God is wont to proceed to the highest perfection Hee saith not simply that Adam was before Christ but that the Natural state of the first Adam is first in time in Adam in Christ and in us And our Spiritual state which is from Christ is latter Vers. 47. The first man is of the earth earthy the second man is the Lord from Heaven The third comparison in the order and dignity of the person The first-Man meer man is of the earth earthy whose body rose out of the earth and is resolved again into earth upon the substraction of food whereupon hee could communicate unto us nothing but a terrene life But the second Adam is both man and God from Heaven who although hee hath a body from the earth yet because hee is God from Heaven and therefore is called heavenly as hee could support his body that it should not see corruption though in its own nature terrene and resoluble into dust and as it being raised out of the grave hee could make it every way glorious immortal and heavenly not needing earthly supports So in like manner can hee make our bodies such Vers. 48. As is the earthy such are they that are earthy and as is the heavenly such are they also that are heavenly From these hee proves the future mutation of the qualities of the body from earthly to heavenly from natural to spiritual by four Arguments Argum. 1. Such as was the earthly Adam the head of our stock after the fleshly propagation such it became us to bee born viz. mortal Therefore as the heavenly Adam our head in respect to regeneration and glorification is after his resurrection viz. Spiritual glorious incorruptible immortal such shall wee bee that are born again of him after our resurrection Vers. 49. And as wee have born the image of the earthy wee shall also bear the image of the heavenly Argum. 2. From its future certainty As sure as wee bear the image of the first Adam in the qualities of our substance being made conform to him in soul and body so sure shall wee bear the image of the second Adam in the glorious qualities of our substance Vers. 50. Now this I say Brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God Neither doth corruption inherit incorruption Argum. 3. The promises of glorifying our bodies or of bringing us into the glorious Kingdome of God ought to bee fulfilled But flesh and blood i. e. our bodies as now they are corruptible cannot enter into the Kingdome of God unless they bee fitted for that glorious state Therefore our bodies shall bee made meet by the mutation of their qualities to enter into the Kingdome of Glory Corruption By way of confirmation to this reason hee adds Argum. 4. Corruption cannot inherit incorruption Therefore necessary it is that our bodies bee changed in their qualities from corruptibility to incorruptibility Vers. 51. Behold I shew you a mystery wee shall not all sleep but wee shall all bee changed Objection 3. What shall become of those that are alive at the comming of our Lord How shall they arise which shall not dye but bee found alive by the Judge at his comming Hee answers by opening the mystery viz. that all shall not die nor rise again but they shall bee taken that remain alive at the comming of our Lord and changed into an eternal state of immortality either in glory or torments which change shall bee in stead of death and a resurrection Vers. 52. In a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the last Trumpet for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall bee raised incorruptible and wee shall be changed Hee shews the manner of this change that it shall bee in the twinckling of an eye i. e. in a moment all that are alive and dead shall be summoned by a fearful alarum to the judgement of God Vers. 53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality Hee gives two Reasons of this change First Mortality must bee swallowed up of immortality and this mortal body must put on immortality Therefore they shall bee changed that are found alive at the comming of our Lord. Vers. 54. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall bee brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up of victory 55. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Reason 2. The Prophecie of Hosea ought to bee fulfilled chap. 13. v. 14. who fore-told our full victory over death and the grave Therefore they that are alive shall bee changed at the comming of the Lord which shall bee in stead of death Vers. 56. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law That this victory may appear the greater hee intimates the victory wee shall have over sin and the Law without which the grave cannot prevail any thing over us for unless satisfaction bee given to the Law sin wrath and death remain in full power But after satisfaction is made to the Law for us sin and wrath are taken away wherewith death is armed as with a sting which being disarmed is abolished and triumphed over Vers. 57. But thanks bee to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. Hee shews a twofold use of this victory The first is that thanks may bee given to God who hath given us through Christ victory over death sin and the Law yea verily hee hath imputed the victory of Christ to us and hath made it ours for hee hath died for us and by his resurrection hath obtained for us victory over death that hee might make us conquerours Vers. 58. Therefore my beloved Brethren bee yee stedfast unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Another use of this doctrine is this That under hope of the free gift at the day of resurrection wee would persevere constantly in the Faith of the Gospel
the Gospel or the Covenant of Grace through Christ is the Ministring of the Spirit because according to and by that the Holy Ghost is administred whereby the hearer is quickened and strengthened to embrace that which is propounded Killeth Compar 2. Confirming the former The Ministery of the Law of Works or the written Letter onely convinceth of sin and killeth the sinner by pronouncing to him the sentence of death But the Ministery of the Gospel or grace in the New Covenant sheweth liberty from sin absolves the sinner and so brings him life Vers. 7. But if the ministration of death written and engraven on stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to bee done away 8. How shall not the ministration of the Spirit rather bee glorious In Stones Compar 3. The Law of Works which onely administers death for according to this Covenant no man doth obtain righteousness or life was engraven in stones to signifie that the heart by it cannot bee mollified nor renewed but remaineth dead But the Gospel of Grace is writ in the fleshy Tables of the heart i. e. in hearts by the power of the holy Ghost quickened and mollified it is so imprinted that the virtue of divine Grace may bee discerned in all the expressions of the heart Glorious Compar 4. The Ministery of the Covenant of Works which is the Ministery of death to all that have sinned was truly glorious as it appeared in Moses for justice is glorious in punishing of sin But the Ministery of the New Covenant which is the Ministery of the Spirit quickening is more glorious for as in Moses pronouncing the curse of the Law against sinners his bodily glory did shine but O how much spiritual glory doth shine in the face of Christ setting sinners at liberty by his Grace Vers. 9. For if the ministration of condemnation bee glory much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory Compar 4. The Ministery of the Law or the Old Covenant of Works is a Ministery of condemnation for sin therefore indeed glorious But the Ministry of the Gospel or the New Covenant is the Ministery of the Righteousness of Christ and absolution from sin and therefore so much the more glorious by how much absolution and justification do excel condemnation and sin Because by the Covenant of Works wee are all accused of sin wee are all condemned and made obnoxious to death Therefore its Ministery is called the Ministery of sin condemnation and death Vers. 10. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the glery that excelleth Compar 5. The Ministery of the Law although it was glorious was exceedingly excelled by the glory of the Ministery of the Gospel or of Grace that it not deserves to bee called glorious but let it vanish rather in comparison as the glory of the Stars when the Sun appears is obscured But the Ministery of the Gospel is simply and by way of excellency glorious Vers. 11. For if that which was done away was glorious much more that which remaineth is glorious Compar 6. The Ministery of the Covenant of Works in respect to the annexed ceremonies hath onely the glory of temporal dispensation because so long it was to endure whilst men in the infancy of the Church convicted of sins and of their own impotency to deliver themselves were taught to fly unto Christ and as it were by the hand of a School-master might bee led to him which manner of instructing the Church being now at its full growth and continuing under the brightneâ—s of the revealed Gospel is abolished as unprofitable But the Ministery of the New Covenant hath permanent glory until the glorious coming of Christ. Vers. 12. Seeing then that wee have such hope wee use great plainness of speech 13. And not as Moses which put a veil over his face that thâ— children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished Compar 7. The Ministery of the New Covenant is plain and perspicuous so that the Ministers thereof can plainly and confidently preach the way of Salvation having Christ now revealed who in times past being to come was hoped for But the Ministery of the Law as it did appear in the type of the Mosaical ministration was obscure and wrapped up in types Put Hee follows this comparison to the end of the Chapter illustrating the latter part thereof to the last verse in this sense Moses the Minister of the Law turned from the Tabernacle from the Altar from the Ark and the Propitiatory speaking with his face veiled signified to the people and typically related the nature of the legal Covenant of Works and of its Ministery divided from Christ and did also figure out the blindness of the people under the legal Covenant because they did not perceive Christ to bee the end of the Law and temporal ceremonies now abolished Vers. 14. But their minds were blinded for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament which veil is done away in Christ. 15. But even unto this day when Moses is read the veil is upon their heart The Apostle observes that now blindness also may bee perceived in the Iews who while they read the Old Testament they see nothing besides the veil of ceremonies because the veil of ignorance and infidelity remaineth upon their minds which veil represented by the type of the external veil covering Moses his face by Christ is taken away from all the Faithful for righteousness life virtue and lastly all grace and glory is published and communicated to the Faithful in Christ But hitherto this veil doth remain upon the hearts of the unbelieving Iews Vers. 16. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord the veil shall bee taken away Hee hath hope of the Iews Conversion when by the Grace of God the heart of the Israelites or the Doctrine of Moses now veiled should bee turned by them to God i. e. should bee brought according to this typical signification to Christ who is the end of the Law Then the veil of ignorance and of the darkness of ceremonies should bee taken from them as the veil was taken from the face of Moses when hee entred in unto God sitting betwixt the Cherubins chiefly that they might see God their Lord and their Saviour Christ and might acknowledge him to bee the true end of the whole Law Vers. 17. Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty The reason of this is given Because 1. Christ is the Spirit or the Soul of all ceremonies that a spiritual thing is signified by them 2. Christ is also the Spirit or the Soul of the Moral Law because hee fulfilled the Law in whom alone the perfect righteousness of the Law is to bee found 3. Christ
is the Spirit because hee quickens those that believe to new obedience and life everlasting and hee delivereth those from sin and misery for when it is said Where the Spirit of Christ the Lord is or where Christ is there is liberty the liberty is to bee understood not from the obedience of the Commandments but from the ceremonial yoke from the bondage of sin and yoke of the Legal Covenant and all evils which do follow from its violation Liberty I say was given to the Faithful by the Spirit of the Gospel at leastwise that which belongeth to them of right although not alwayes according to sense nor ever before the end of life as to a full possession For although the Spirit with a loud voice proclaimeth that there is a gate opened unto us that wee may go out of prison yet wee by reason of the weakness of Faith do go slowly forth And this is the Explication of the first part of the Comparison concerning the Ministery of the Law Vers. 18. But wee all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Here followeth another branch of the Comparison concerning the Ministery of the Gospel in those that believe which is propounded in this sense But wee that by the Ministery of the Gospel believe in Christ the veil of ceremonies and ignorance the veil of infidelity and hardness of heart also being removed are freely admitted to the clear beholding of Christ and the glory of the grace of God shining in the Gospel as in a glass and beholding Christ by Faith wee are sanctified and more and more made happy in conformity with Christ encreased daily by degrees from one measure of glory and sanctity to another and that by the powerful working of the Holy Ghost Sanctification is called glory because Sanctification is the beginning of Glorification for by that the Image of God is repaired in us which is our glory CHAP. IV. HEE goes on to defend his Ministery There are two parts of this Chapter in the first hee proveth his faithfulness or sincerity in the Ministery by seven Arguments to the sixth verse In the second hee confirms the seventh Argument by answering the objections concerning the scandal of the Cross lying upon him to the end Vers. 1. Therefore seâ—ing wee have this Ministery as wee have received mercy wee faint not Argum. 1. The inward testimony of so glorious a Ministery committed unto mee by the mercy of God is effectual to sustain mee lest I bee overcome in the doing of my duty with the hurthen of evils and that by the measure of grace given to mee I go forward valiantly From hence therefore it appeareth that I am sincere and faithful For modesty sake hee joyneth others but hee himself in the conflict was especially aimed at by his Adversaries Vers. 2. But having renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God Argum. 2. I have renounced ambition covetousness and the other shameful lusts which some secretly indulging do cover this their disgrace in corners under other or the like veils and pretences Therefore I am faithful Not with Argum. 3. I have not walked in craftiness deceitfully handling the Word of God or bending and fitting that to the dispositions of men as the false Apostles do Therefore I am faithful By manifestation Argum. 4. I have carried my self so mildly in the cleaâ— preaching of the Word of God that the consciences of all men are compelled to acknowledge my integrity of which thing also I have God to my witness Therefore I am faithful Vers. 3. But if our Gospel bee hid it is hid to them that are lost 4. In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not leâ—t the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them Object But how comes it to pass that thy Doctrine is not understood by so many wise and potent men if it bee so clearly taught Hee answers that the ignorance of the Gospel so plainly unfolded to them was no argument of the obscurity of the Doctrine but of the incredulity of the hearer and his future perdition from the blindness of unbelievers blinded by the Devil whom the world serves For the Devil further blindeth the blind Infidels lest they should see God offering himself in Christ lest they should behold Christ to their Salvation shining in the Gospel who hath brought forth the invisible God as to our view by his Doctrine and Power manifested in the flesh that wee may behold God in Christ the true Image of God the Father Vers. 5. For wee preach not our selves but Christ Iesus the Lord and our selves your servants for Iesus sake Argum. 5. Of the Apostles fidelity I saith hee seek the glory of Christ alone and acknowledge Christ only Lord in the Church Truly I declare my self and other Teachers not only Ministers of Christ but also of his people that Christ alone may bee exalted Therefore I shew my self faithful Vers. 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. Argum. 6. Confirming the former wherein hee compares his Conversion from Pharisaism to the creation of light out of darkness God who by his Omnipotent Word hath produced light out of darkness by no less efficacy hath hee brought mee lost sinner out of the darkness of Pharisaism and sin and hath so powerfully enlarged my heart illuminated by the light of Christ his glorious Son that I cannot but communicate to others this glorious knowledge of the grace of God given to mee manifestly shining in Christ Therefore it behoveth mee to bee faithful Vers. 7. But wee have these treasures in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may bee of God and not of us Argum. 7. God by shewing my infirmity in all exercises and also by maintaining his strength in mee under frequent afflictions and by keeping mee constant hitherto hath rendred my faithfulness commendable with all men Therefore I can affirm my self faithful The Second Part. Hee so handles this argument that in the mean while hee solves two objections that hee might take away the scandal of the Cross. Earthen Object 1. In the mean while thy condition of life is miserable and contemptible as a certain earthen vessel Hee answers four manner of wayes 1. That it is true that hee is an earthen vessel frail and contemptible but not withstanding hee contains the Treasure of Grace and the knowledge of the Gospel May bee of God Furthermore hee answers that that happened by the Wisdome of God lest the glory of the
The solidity of this his confidence or perswasion is confirmed by seven Signs all which did stir up his mind to faithfulness Sign 1. Is a desire of departing out of this life that hee might obtain immortality or bee endued instead of a corruptible body with immortal glory An Argument certainly of a mind conscious of its sincerity and certified of future happiness Vers. 3. If so bee that being clothed wee shall not bee found naked Hee limits this sign and priviledge of being endued with future glory That it may belong to those onely who departing out of this life to an immortal and immutable state are not found naked i. e. not destitute of that true covering whereby our filthy nakedness is covered which covering is Christ or Christs Righteousness which can alone cover our sins wherein our nakedness consists This therefore is the second Sign of his solid desire of going out of this life and of a mind very conscious of the faithful administration of his office that hee knew himself to bee in the number of those to whom alone the certainty of being cloathed upon with glory belonged to wit of those who are cloathed already with that covering whereby the foul nakedness of sinners is covered i. e. the Righteousness â—f Christ with which except a man bee cloathed in this life hee shall bee found naked in the other and shall remain naked for ever Vers. 4. For wee that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that wee would bee uncloathed but cloathed upon that mortality might bee swallowed up of life Sign 3. That the desire of his departing this life arising from this confidence was holy i. e. it was derived not so much from the weariness of natural life but from the hope of a better This is that which hee saith although hee groan and bee sorrowful in his body yet hee would not bee uncloathed of this body but that this body might bee cloathed upon with immortality and that mortality might bee swallowed up of immortality Vers. 5. Now hee that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God who also hath given unto us the earnest of this Spirit Sign 4. That this desire is not natural but the supernatural work of God stirred up and formed in the hearts of his own by the special work of God It is God that hath wrought formed and created us for this thing His confidence therefore is solid Who also Sign 5. That this confidence of a better life is sealed by the earnest of the Spirit having as it were a taste and experience of that life in the peace and joy of the Spirit i. e. in the first fruits of that happiness which is to come Vers. 6. Therefore wee are alwaies confident knowing that whilst wee are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord. Sign 6. That this confidence is firmly grounded in the certain perswasion of his nigher access to the Lord which should bee vouchsafed to him after death when doubtless even as in one house hee should dwell with God who now in the body is as absent from the Lord. Vers. 7. For wee walk by Faith not by sight 8. Wee are confident I say and willing rather to bee absent from the body and to bee present with the Lord. Sign 7. Confirming the former that hee knoweth himself to walk by Faith in this life and not by sight of the beatifical vision which abideth for us in the life to come who in our sense are absent from the Lord while wee are present iâ— the body Therefore more vehemently and confidently hee did both desire and chuse to go to the Lord rather than to remain in the body Vers. 9. Wherefore wee labour that whether present or absent wee may bee accepted of him That this confidence confirmed by so many signs of sincerity was the impellent cause to his faithfulness in his Ministery hee now expresly declares Because whatsoever change towards life or death did happen to him out of this confidence hee did indeavour to please God with no less diligence than those which contend for honour that both in this life or pilgrimage and in his death or approaching to God hee might bee made acceptable to him Vers. 10. For wee must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that hee hath done whether it bee good or evil His second impellent cause to faithfulness in his Ministery is the consideration of punishments and rewards which abide every one according to their works at the last judgement in which God will inflict punishments upon the wicked but to the godly whose good works after their sins are pardoned onely remain hee shall render rewards Vers. 11. Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord wee perswade men but wee are made manifest unto God and I trust also wee are manifest in your consciences He shews by calling God and the consciences of the Corinthians to bee his witnesses that this Argument hath urged him to faithfulness in the Ministery For the apprehension of that future terrible judgement hath affected this that he exhorted all to reconciliation with God by Faith Vers. 12. For we commend not our selves again unto you but give you occasion to glory on our behalf that you may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance and not in heart He solves two Objections which his adversaries may object against him so earnestly glorying of his faithfulness Object 1. Thou O Paul gloriest some one may say whilst thou commendest thy self Hee answers that hee did not say these things for that end but that the Corinthians may have that for his defence whereby to repress their vain and boasting Teachers who did diminish the authority of the Apostle amongst them and did glory in the presence of men otherwise than their conscience and the truth of the matter did permit For they being destitute of piety or matter of glorying in heart they gloried in their adulterated eloquence Vers. 13. For whether wee bee besides our selves it is to God or whether wee bee sober it is for your cause Object 2. But O Paul thou art besides thy self who doest so openly confute such Teachers Hee answers that hee did not dispute but give a reason of the fact as it did become a wise man to wit that hee uttered those things for the glory of God and their salvation For sayes hee if I praise my Ministery which seems to bee the part of one besides himself I do it for the Glory of God lest my Gospel should bee undervalued If I speak humbly of my self as sober men use to do I do it for your good Vers. 14. For the Love of Christ constraineth us because wee thus judge that if one dâ—ed for all then were all dead The third impellent cause to faithfulness containing a reason of the former saying is his love wherewith hee loved Christ which did cast
of the Son of God who loved mee and gave himself for mee Reas. 3. Confirming the former I being justified by Faith am judicially united unto Christ crucified and in him I am judicially bound to dye unto sin to crucifie the old man Therefore I cannot consent to sin from the principles of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith This is the Reason Christ our Surety on the Cross did not onely expiate the sins of the redeemed but also for their sakes hee promised that they should dye to sin and crucifie their corrupt nature Therefore hee which by Faith apprehending his judicial union with Christ crucified it is necessary also that hee acknowledge his obligation to dye to sin or to crucifie his old nature by the virtue of Christ. Nevertheless I live I justified by Faith am a new Creature by the Spirit of Christ living in mee so that I live not as to the old man but Christ dwelling in mee useth this natural life as his Organ and Member and Effects that by Faith in his strength I may lead this life taking care of all my affairs that I may as it were bring the Spirit into obedience unto God and that out of his same love by which hee dyed for mee Therefore I cannot consent to sin from the principles of justifying Faith The force of the Argument in short is this The Spirit quickens us that are justified by the Faith of Christ to live holily Therefore Justification by Faith doth not give liberty to sin Vers. 21. I do not frustrate the Grace of God for if Righteousness come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain The Objection is removed The second Argument for Justification by Faith and not by the Works of the Law followeth If Justification bee by the Works of the Law the Grace of God is in vain and made of none effect for if Justification bee by Works it cannot bee by Grace as Rom. 11.6 But God forbid that I should make the Grace of God of none effect Therefore God forbid that I should determine Justification to bee by Works For if Argum. 3. If Justification bee by the Law Christ is dead in vain because then both otherwise and more easily Justification might bee obtained than by the death of Christ But it is absurd to say that Christ is dead in vain Therefore Justification is not by the Law but by Faith CHAP. III. Vers. 1. O Foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth before whose eyes Iesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you Because hee knew that the minds of the Galatians were prepossessed with a false opinion Therefore lest they should faint upon the following disputation he by a grave objurgation shaketh them out of their drowsiness and pricks their consciences as it were with four stings For first of all hee calls them foolish and unadvised Because they suffer themselves foulely to bee deceived although not out of malice yet by their own imprudence 2 He calls them bewitched i. e. deluded by the delusions of Impostors 3 Hee objects to them their defection from the saving Truth of the Gospel concerning the Grace of Christ. 4 Hee amplifies their crime from this that Christ was so evidently preached amongst them and his sufferings with the causes of them so clearly explained as if the whole matter as in a painted Table had been set before their eyes The Preface being premised hee goes on to confirm that Justification is by Faith and not by the Works of the Law in four and twenty Arguments Vers. 2. This onely would I learn of you Received yee the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith Argum. 1. Yee have not received the Spirit of Regeneration and other graces by which the preaching of the Gospel is sealed amongst you by Works or by Doctrine received from the Covenant of Works but by Faith or by the Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace applied by Faith Therefore yee are not justified by Works but by Faith Vers. 3. Are yee so foolish having begun in the Spirit are yee now made perfect by the flesh Argum. 2. Although some Impostors have perswaded you that the beginning of Justification is by Faith but the accomplishment of it is to be had from Works yet this opinion is to be condemned of folly because it is impossible that the spiritual way of justifying by Faith should consist with that carnal way of justifying by Works much less that it should take its perfection from this Therefore wee are not justified by Works but by Faith Righteousness by Works is called flesh 1 Because although now this kind of Justification is impossible yet it is a common and foolish surmise of corrupt nature that wee are justified by Works and by the pride and vaunting of the flesh this is every where defended 2 Because all the Works of the unregenerate or a man not justified by Faith all his Works by which hee seeks Justification are meer flesh or the effects of corrupt flesh as they come from those that are not justified It is as absurd therefore to say that a man is justified by the continual violation of the Law or can acquire Righteousness by sinning But as touching Works which follow Justification or the remission of sins they cannot bee the cause of a thing already past before they were or could bee except you take Justification for the declaration of Justification amongst men already passed and pronounced by God Vers. 4. Have yee suffered so many things in vain if it bee yet in vain Argum. 3. If in your foolishness you proceed 〈◊〉 seek for Justification by Works or to bee justified partly by Faith partly by Works yee will lose all the fruit of your constancy hitherto and afflictions which yee have through Faith already suffered for the defence of Righteousness by Faith but I hope better things Therefore yee are not justified by Works but by Faith alone Vers. 5. Hee therefore that ministreth to you the Spirit and worketh miracles among you doth hee it by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith Argum. 4. The Ministers by whom God gives his Spirit and works miracles among you are onely they which teach Justification not by Works but onely by Faith in Christ Therefore Justification by Faith alone is approved by God but not that which is feigned to bee by Works Vers. 6. Even as Abraham beleeved God and it was accounted to him for Righteousness Argum. 5. Abraham although hee did very much abound in virtues yet hee was justified by Faith alone for hee beleeved God and it was imputed to him for Righteousness For God hath promised to bless all Nations in his seed i. e. in Christ. Hee hath applied this blessing which containeth in it self Righteousness and life eternal in Christ to himself by beleeving Therefore wee are justified not by Works but by Faith Vers. 7. Know yee therefore that they which are
faith at length howsoever they are esteemed amongst you shall bee punished by God Therefore bee yee not intangled in the same snares but repent and stand fast in the liberty Vers. 11. And I brethren if I yet preach Circumcision why do I yet suffer persecution then is the offence of the Cross ceased Hee refutes the calumny of his Adversaries and produces Arg. 13. Thou thy self dost teach Circumcision because thou hast circumcised Timothy Therefore undeservedly thou dost accuse us Hee answers by denying that hee taught Circumcision because although hee circumcised Timothy born of a Jewish mother for the use of Ceremonies with the Jews after the yoak of necessity was broken by the Decree of the Synod for a time it was left free yet hee never preached that Circumcision was to bee observed but hee both admonished the Jews concerning the abolition of Ceremonies and taught that legal Ceremonies upon no account should bee received amongst the Gentiles which hee proves because upon this ground hee suffered persecution by the Jews and because the Jews were not offended at the preaching of the Gospel or the Cross of Christ but freely tolerarated the Apostle if withall hee would promote the reception of Jewish customes amongst the Gentiles The strength of the Argument is this I had rather suffer persecution than preach that Circumcision is to bee joyned with the Gospel for if I should conjoyn them the offence of the Cross would cease the Jews would tolerate my preaching of Christ crucified But I dare not in the least depart from the purity of the Gospel Therefore yee must also stand fast in that Vers. 12. I would they were even cut off which trouble you At length shutting up the whole Disputation with an Apostolical Spirit hee both imprecates and denounces destruction to the Impostors by whom the Galatians were deceived The Second Part. Vers. 13. For Brethren yee have been called unto liberty onely use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another The second part of the Chapter follows wherein the reason of his imprecation is given viz. because the seducers called them back and drew them again under the yoak whom God called to liberty under the form of an exhortation hee gives three Precepts concerning the right use of Christian liberty Onely 1. That bridleing the flesh or the sinful lusts of corrupt nature lest that being unsubdued it should draw Christian liberty into a licentiousness to sin they may serve one another in the duties of love Vers. 14. For all the Law is fulfilled in one word even in this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Hee gives two reasons of this Precept 1. Because the Law is fulfilled in love and not in bare ceremonies Vers. 15. But if you bite and devour one another take heed yee bee not consumed one of another 2. Because unless they follow after love they will mutually devour and destroy one another by contentions Vers. 16. This I say then walk in the Spirit and yee shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh The second Precept is for the confirmation of the former that they follow the guidance of the Holy Ghost walking as hee himself out of the Scripture hath suggested to their hearts And that which The reasons of the Precept are six Reas. 1. Because so the lusts of the flesh shall not rule over you that yee may as servants obey its commands Therefore follow yee the guidance of the Spirit Vers. 17. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other Reas. 2. Confirming the former because hee that follows the guidance of the Spirit will become victorious in the contest betwixt the flesh and the Spirit That this reason might bee plain the Apostle presupposes three things 1. Hee that is lead by the Spirit hath his nature partly renewed which is called the Spirit and partly corrupt which is called the Flesh. 2. Hee presupposes these two contrary principles with contrary endeavours to fight with one another that neither good nor evill without opposition and a mutual impediment can bee put in execution 3. Hee presupposes that the Holy Ghost doth help Beleevers in their striving by the Word and Grace From whence it is concluded that hee which hearkeneth to the Spirit will become victorious in striving Vers. 18. But if yee bee led by the Spirit yee are not under the Law Reason 3. Confirming the former Because they that are led by the Spirit are not servants to sin under the servile Covenant of the Law to whom onely the knowledge of sin is vouchsafed but not the victory or strength against sin but Gods Free-men are they who under the Covenant of Grace obtain strength of God for the resisting of sin Vers. 19. Now the Works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Uncleanness Lasciviousness 20. Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations â—rath Strife Seditions Heresies 21. Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revellings and such like of the which I tell you before as I have also told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Reason 4. Because if they do not follow the Spirit but rather the flesh doing the Works of the flesh of which sort hee reckons seventeen they shall not bee heirs of the Kingdome of God Vers. 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is Love Ioy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith 23. Meekness Temperance against such there is no Law Reason 5. Because if they follow the Spirit and bring forth such fruit of whith sort hee reckons nine they will not have the Law against them i. e. cursing them and condemning them but for Reconciliation sake towards God they shall finde the Law their friend Therefore it behoved you to follow the Spirit Vers. 24. And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Hee proves that they shall not have the Law against them because they that are Christs and judicially crucified in Christ for satisfaction to the Law they are also judicially obliged to crucifie the body of sin i. e. corrupt nature with the affections and lusts Wherefore they that actually indeavour to peform that and to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit they cannot have the Law against them as they that now seriously indeavour to promote the scope and end of the Law Vers. 25. If wee live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit Reason 6. Because by the Spirit wee have Consolation Peace and Joy wherein life consists Therefore wee ought to follow the guidance of the Spirit Vers. 26. Let us not bee desirous of vain-glory provoking one another envying one another The third Precept is especially concerning the shunning Ambition with the attendants of that vice viz. backbiting and envy with which evils the Churches used to bee infected But because the Doctors of the Church were chiefly obnoxious
together with Christ by grace yee are saved Argum. 3. In the instant of our Redemption by Christ and Regeneration by the Spirit of Christ wee as dead in sins were quickned together with Christ that is in Christ and by Christ Therefore wee are saved by grace For it is of grace that in the Covenant made between God and the Mediator wee who were dead in sins were given to the Son the appointed Redeemer that by him we might be restored to life It is of grace that in the payment of the agreed-upon price of our Redemption life in Christ who was raised from the dead should be adjudged to bee given to us It is of Grace that in the application of Redemption and in the moment of Regeneration life should bee communicated to us in and from Christ that together with other Saints wee should bee grafted into Christ enjoy the common spiritual life with them and thrive and waxe stronger in him For which reasons our life ever depends on the life of Christ and coupled with it in an indissoluble knot Vers. 6. And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Iesus Argum. 4. God in Christ who was raised up hath raised us up also and in Christ who is placed in the heavens hath placed us together with him Therefore hee hath saved us of his grace For as whatever Christ either did or suffered in our name and place is reckoned ours in Gods account so what ever Christ received in our name and place is reckoned ours also Therefore in the Resurrection of Christ by the Covenant of Redemption the Redeemed did also rise with him judicially or in a judicial way In Christs ascension into heaven the Redeemed judicially ascend with him In Christs sitting or glorious possession of eternal life the Redeemed in a judicial way do sit and are placed with him This right is obtained for beleevers by Christ before faith bee actually given but in conversion this right before obtained by faith by a special act is applied to us that as Christ ascending might say from the Covenant made between God and the Mediator or from the Covenant of Redemption I ascend in the name of the Redeemed for whom I have gotten this right that they may bee reckoned to ascend in mee so those that flye to and beleeve in Christ may say now I have gotten right from the Covenant of salvation made by the Mediator between Christ and the Church that I may reckon the Resurrection of Christ rightfully mine I may reckon the ascension of Christ rightfully mine and so in the rest What abundance of grace is here Vers. 7. That in the ages to come hee might shew the exceeding riches of his Grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Iesus Argum. 5. The end for which wee lost sinners both Jews and Gentiles even after wee have so wickedly led our lives should have salvation bestowed upon us in Christ is that those which shall live in after-ages may see and acknowledge the superabounding grace of God and that by our example they may learn to come unto God who is the fountain of salvation in Christ that they also might in like manner though most unworthy obtain Grace Therefore you are saved onely by Grace Vers. 8. For by Grace are yee saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Hee repeats the proposition to bee proved in the very terms and adds Arg. 6. Yee are saved by faith and therefore by Grace for faith disclaimes our merits and relies only upon the free and gracious promise of God and that God hath appointed faith to bee an instrument of our salvation the nature whereof requires that forsaking our own works and strength our own wisdome and honour wee should go out of our selves and seek salvation in God is also of Grace It is the gift Arg. 7. Neither our salvation nor our faith is from our selves or our own natural strength but like as salvation so is faith the free gift of God Therefore wee are saved by Grace For when the Spirit of God begins to work conversion in us it findes us dead in sins and unless wee are quickned by him wee cannot contribute any thing to our own regeneration or salvation nay wee are not able so much as to act faith on the promises of God unless faith and the act of this faith bee granted us from above Vers. 9. Not of works lest any man should boast Argum. 8. Wee are not saved by works Therefore by Grace for these do mutually take away one another Lest any one Argum. 9. If wee were saved by works and not by meer grace wee might have occasion and cause to boast but this is absurd Therefore c. as in Rom. 3. Vers. 10. For wee are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that wee should walk in them Argum. 10. So far as wee are regenerated so far as indued with spiritual life wee are grafted into Christ wee are the work of God and a new creature being anew created by the power of God alone before wee are able to do any good work Therefore wee are not saved by the merit of works but by meer Grace Created Argum. 11. In Christ wee are created to do good works and by the same grace by which wee are grafted into Christ wee are ordained unto the performance of good works Therefore wee are not saved by any vertue of our good works Hath before ordained Argum. 12. Those works which wee are to do after regeneration are prepared by God that wee should do and perform them to which end our understanding is prepared our will is prepared and formed and power is prepared to bee given us of God who works in us both to will and to do Therefore wee are not saved by works but by Grace alone Should walk Argum. 13. The end of these prepared good works is that being quickned and planted into Christ and new born and justified and having gotten a full right to obtain Righteousness and Salvation in Christ wee should walk in them as in the Royal way and rode to the possession of salvation already bought by Christ and granted to us in Christ Therefore c. Vers. 11. Wherefore remember that yee being in time passed Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision in the flesh made by the hands Argum. 14. Which contains an amplification of Grace towards the Ephesians in respect of their former condition in Gentilisme If you Ephesians bee considered in your special estate as yee were Gentiles your condition will appear so miserable and deplorable that you could not bee otherwise delivered from it than by Grace Therefore the very changing of your condition will evidently shew that your salvation is of Grace Hee sets forth this miserable state in these eight things 1 They were in the flesh living
Christs preceding humiliation that is his incarnation and his abasement of himself unto the common infirmities of the flesh unto the suffering of both soul and body and unto burial Whence is hinted Argum. 9. For the preservation of the Churches unity Christ descended into the lower parts of the earth by this very phrase David describes his conception in the womb Psal. 139.18 and also ascended again for the gathering of the Church into one and uniting it to God Therefore c. Vers. 10. Hee that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens that hee might fill all things From the same prophecie hee gathers that Christ God who descended to bee incarnate or that hee might take flesh was not made another or any other person when hee ascended as God incarnate or having taken flesh upon him that the humane nature assumed did not add any thing to the constituting or perfecting the person of the Son of God but onely was taken into the unity of the person and therefore Christs descending and ascending was the same even as hee that puts on a garment is the same as hee was when naked Furthermore coming to shew the end of his Ascension hee adds Argum. 10. Christ ascended into Heaven that hee might accomplish all things which were to bee accomplished viz. that hee might gather and preserve the Church and communicate unto it what was necessary for it Therefore c. Vers. 11. And hee gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers Hee in part shews how Christ hath accomplished all things as much as is sufficient to his purpose by ennumerating the several orders of Ecclesiastical Ministery some temporary and extraordinary as Apostles Prophets Evangelists ordained for the laying the foundations of all Churches some ordinary and perpetual as Pastors and Teachers instituted for the continuing of the Church Vers. 12. For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ Argum. 11. From the end and use for which Christ did bestow these offices and gifts 1 That the Saints might bee restored even as members loosened and out of joynt set and brought to their proper place 2 That the Ministers avoiding idleness and tyrannizing government should follow the work of their Ministery that so every of the Elect as straying sheep might bee brought home to Christ their Shepheard and abide in him 3 That the whole body of the Church might bee edified and built up and every one make proficiency in Faith and Holiness and to this purpose Christ appointed Offices in the Church that by the help and Ministery of men all the Saints might so grow up together as to constitute one mystical body of Christ Therefore c. Vers. 13. Till wee all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Argum. 12. From the term of the duration of the Ministery This Ministery must continue until all wee Elect come unto the unity of the Faith and the Knowledge of Christ that is not onely until wee bee united to Christ by Faith and Knowledge which is of Faith but also until all wee that are redeemed or that are elected as many as do live or shall live I say until wee all come one after another to a present Knowledge in an immediate vision or to a perfect regeneration and incorporation in Christ when all the Elect being now united and perfected shall constitute one Mystical Christ who shall bee every way compleat and perfect and attain his full stature which shall bee in the resurrection Therefore for this end and purpose that this business may bee advanced wee should strive for unity and concord Vers. 14. That wee henceforth bee no more children tossed to and fro and carryed about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive Argum. 13. From another end of the institution of the Ministery Christ appointed the Ministery that wee should not bee alwaies children ignorant of those things which wee ought to know that wee should not bee wavering and inconstant tossed with the wind of contrary Doctrines that wee should not bee separated from Christ and his Church through unsetledness in Faith that wee should not bee deceived by the subtilty deceit and treacherous seducing of corrupt men Therefore for the furtherance of this end wee should as much as in us lyes endeavour the unity of the Church Vers. 15. But speaking the Truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the Head even Christ Argum. 14. From the third end of the institution of the Ministery Christ ordained the Ministery in the Church not onely that wee might shun seducing but also that wee might follow the Truth of the heavenly Doctrine with charity and so by truth and charity wee might thrive in all virtues into one Christ mystical Therefore for this end wee should study the unity of the Church and charity that Christ our Head might appear excellent among us and wee who cannot otherwise encrease should become strong and mighty in him Vers. 16. From whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh encrease of the body unto the edifying of it self in love Argum. 15. Taken from the description of Christ mystical or of Christ and the Church wherin by a similitude of the natural head and body hee illustrates what hee said touching encrease in charity and the knowledge of the Truth to the advancing the glory of Christ and the good of the Church In this description hee shews 1 That the whole body of the Church depends upon Christ as its head and original and from him all the nourishment of its body that is all saving Truth together with the living Spirit of Christ is derived upon all its true members so that no man knows any thing unless hee bee taught by Christ. 2 That for the diversity of the gifts of the Spirit of the offices and of the condition of every member of the Catholick Church the body should bee fitly framed or composed in the most beautiful and most befitting order and should bee tyed to him and joyned in him by the most strict bond of the Spirit of Faith and of Love also by the several relations partly betwixt Christ and us such as are of the Head and Members the Bridegroom the Advocate the Surety c. Partly betwixt one another such as are the relations of Brethren and Sisters of co-heirs of Pastors and the Flock of Parents and Children c. by all which wee are daily tyed more strictly to Christ and among our selves 3 That there are several bands for the administration of nourishment through which as through chanels or
defile themselves The Reasons hereof are eight The first went before lest they bee made partakers of the future wrath hanging over the disobedient Vers. 8. For yee were sometimes darkness but now are yee light in the Lord Walk as children of light Reas. 2. From their changed condition because before your conversion to faith you were slaves and bond-men to ignorance and wickedness but now in Christ yee are beautified with the light of wisdome and holiness that yee should commend this light to others where hee gives a hint of the same Precept affirmatively viz. That they should not walk as the sons of darkness but as the sons of light obeying the word of God which affords light to the right ordering of our lives therefore you should not bee companions of the obstinate Vers. 9. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness righteousness and truth Reas. 3. Because the fruit of the Holy Ghost by whom yee are translated from darkness to light consists in goodness righteousness and truth Therefore yee should bring forth these fruits and not bee companions of the obstinate in the fruits of the flesh Vers. 10. Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Reas. 4. In which hee explains the Precept touching walking in the light Because endeavouring to walk as Sons of the Light yee may experimentally know and certainly try what is acceptable to God what not Therefore bee not yee by walking in darkness of the fellowship of the disobedient Vers. 11. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them Reas. 5. Here also the Precept is repeated and explained Because walking as the Sons of Light yee will not onely not partake of the sins of others but by the example of your holy life you will condemn the sins of others Bee not yee therefore their companions but rather abhor their manners Vers. 12. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret Reas. 6. Because the works of darkness which the rest of the unconverted Heathens secretly commit for their filthiness are not worthy of a Christians ear Therefore you ought not to have any intercourse with their sins but rather reprove them as the Sons of Light Vers. 13. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the Light for whatsoever doth make manifest is Light Reas. 7. Because the rebuke of secret sins which is given by your openly-declared holy life doth prick the consciences of the wicked and doth manifest that their works are evil and this doth very much conduce to their conversion for thus it brings them to the knowledge of themselves Is Light Hee confirms this reason and proves that an holy life is Light Because it hath the property of Light so far as it manifests to the wicked that their works are evil Vers. 14. Wherefore hee saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee Light Reas. 8. Confirming the former Because the voice of the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures or the Prophetical and Apostolical Doctrine both taken together have this tendency and drift that those that sleep and are dead in sins should bee raised to repentance and come unto Christ by Faith that so they may bee enlightened and saved by the Light of Christs Grace Therefore all the Sons of Light ought both in words and deeds to commend this Doctrine to others and propagate it to the salvation of others shunning in the mean while all intercourse with sinners Vers. 15. See then that yee walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise Prec 6. Making for the observation of the former That they should take care to walk accurately as becomes those who are indued with the Wisdome of God revealed in the Gospel and not being deceived decline from the way as those who are ignorant of Gods Will. Vers. 16. Redeeming the time because the daies are evil Prec 7. Having the same drift That they should not suffer their time to bee spent in idleness and pleasures and to pass unfruitfully but with the loss of pleasures or of sluggish idleness or unprofitable business they should take hold of and as it were redeem opportunities of well doing Hee gives the reason Because the times are full of dangers through the malice of men who no one knows how soon may take away their liberty goods yea life it self and deprive them of all opportunity of doing good Vers. 17. Wherefore bee yee not unwise but understand what the Will of the Lord is From this reason hee inferrs a conclusion Therefore saith hee bee wise and not fools observing what God requires of you that yee should perform it diligently without delay while time is afforded Vers. 18. And bee not drunk with Wine wherein is excess but bee filled with the Spirit Prec 8. Forbidding them to bee drunk with Wine or any other drink The reason is because in this drunkenness is the destruction of estates credit body and soul. Bee filled Prec 9. This is delivered by way of Antithesis that rather they should bee filled and exhilerate themselves with the saving water of the Holy Ghost that is they should strive to abound in the experience of joy which is from Gods Spirit in which fulness there is no excess Vers. 19. Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord The reason of the Precept is from those better fruits which spiritual joy produceth such are all sorts of spiritual Songs especially those which are in the holy Scriptures with which they should mutually edifie one another and glorifie God from their heart or spiritual affection A Psalm is a sacred song in general especially that which is by playing on the harp A Hymn properly contains Gods praise An Ode or Song is a common name Vers. 20. Giving thanks alwaies for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Hee shews the special use and end of Christian Songs that wee should alwaies in what condition soever wee are through Jesus Christ give thanks to God our Father for all his benefits The Second Part. Vers. 21. Submitting your selves one to another in the fear of God The second part of this Chapter follows wherein that hee may descend to oeconomical Precepts hee premises an exhortation touching submission to one another in general that still keeping that order which God had placed them in they should each one in his office help one another for where-ever there is love there will bee care to serve one another Hee adds in the fear of God because it is requisite that from this fountain should flow sincere obedience of this Precept from the heart to the glory of God for is is onely the fear of Christ which can bring our fierceness into subjection that wee should not refuse the yoak and can bring down our pride that wee should not bee ashamed to
serve our neighbours Vers. 22. Wives submit your selves unto your own Husbands as unto the Lord. Now follow the oeconomical Precepts 1 That Wives should bee in subjection to their own Husbands chastly sincerely and in lawful things The reasons whereof are four As unto the Lord Reason 1. Because Christ commanded that the Wife should bee subject to her Husband and accounts of that subjection as if shee yeelded obedience to himself and in like manner looks upon the Wives rebellion against her Husband as rebellion against himself Vers. 23. For the Husband is the Head of the Wife even as Christ is the Head of the Church and hee is the Saviour of the body Reas. 2. Because the Husband is in honour and authority over the Wife as the head is over the body Therefore it is meet that the Wife â—â—ould bee in subjection to him As Christ Reas. 3. Because 〈◊〉 will have the Husbands authority over the Wife to â—ee a similitude of Christs authority over the Church And hee is Reas. 4. The same similitude is illustrated As Christ is the Head of the Church for its good so the Husband is the Head of the Wife for her good whom hee ought in all things to defend châ—rish and comfort And as it is expedient for the Church to bee obedient to Christ so it is for the Wife to bee obedient to her Husband Vers. 24. Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ so let the Wives bee to their own Husbands in every thing From these reasons hee inferrs the conclusion that it is necessary for the Wife to bee obedient to her Husband in all things which hinder not her due subjection unto God and Christ. Vers. 25. Husbands love your Wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it Prec 2. Which is given to men that they should love their Wives the reasons thereof are five As Reas. 1. From the example of Christs love towards the Church which love the Apostle commends from these four marks 1 That Christ out of his love offered himself for the Church which was then lost Vers. 26. That hee might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word 2 That hee loved his Church and offered himself for it to the end that hee might sanctifie it or of a prophane and impure Church make it a holy one Washing 3 That Christ doth effectually cleanse his Church by virtue of his blood and of his free promise which hee applies to us by the ordinary means of Baptism and of the Word as by instruments of his Spirit ordained for the confirmation of Faith and the communication of virtue Vers. 27. That hee might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle nor any such thing but that it should bee holy and without blemish 4 That hee hath loved his Church for this end that hee might at length present it glorious in Heaven without any mark or token either of sin or misery and hee will ever prosecute this his work till hee hath brought it to pass Vers. 28. So ought men to love their Wives as their own bodies hee that loveth his Wife loveth himself Reas. 2. Of the Precept given to men touching loving their Wives Because Wives are the bodies of their own Husbands according to that Law of God They two shall bee one flesh Hee that loveth Reas. 3. Because hee which loveth his Wife loveth himself and performs the office of love unto himself for that love of a mans own Wife doth every way redound to the Husbands good Vers. 29. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church Reas. 4. Because it is as unnatural to a Wife and good Husband not to love his Wife as it is to hate his own flesh and it is as agreeable to reason to favour and make much of his Wife as it is to regard his own flesh As Hee confirms and illustrates this reason by the example of Christ which hee wills us alwaies to have in our eye as the most perfect example of love Vers. 30. For wee are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Hee proves that Christ loved us as his own flesh and that it was not possible for him to hate us but hee was as it were constrained out of love to maintain and cherish us because wee are members of his body flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone that is wee are as nearly joyned to him as Eve was to Adam for what Eve owed to Adam in the flesh wee owe to Christ in the regeneration of our spirit and much more In the forming of Eve Adam lost onely one rib but in the reforming of the Church Christ lost his life Onely the matter of Eve was from Adam but the Church hath from Christ its natural formation and spiritual reformation in respect of both the body and soul of every member Vers. 31. For this cause shall a man leave his Father and Mother and shall bee joyned unto his Wife and they two shall bee one flesh Reas. 5. Where hee proves both that the Church owes its beginning to Christ and that Husbands ought to love their Wives even from the institution of marriage which requires that by reason of the streight knot between Husband and Wife a man shall leave Father and Mother and bee joyned to his Wife and they two shall bee united into one flesh by the bond of wedlock by which they now have a mutual right to and power over one another the words of this institution have a typical sense for God in that saying Gen. 2.23 Thou art flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone intended to represent the union of Christ and the Church and to shew that wee are bone of Christs bone and flesh of Christs flesh that is that wee are most nearly united to Christ because in the speech of Adam to Eve it was prefigured that Christ as hee was one flesh with us and made us one flesh with himself by a spiritual wedlock did as it were leave his own Father laying aside after a manner that glory which hee had with the Father abasing himself when hee was in the form of God and taking upon him the form of a servant Also it was prefigured that Christ should leave Mary his Mother that by dying hee might buy the Church to bee his Spouse with which hee would bee one flesh Vers. 32. This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the Church The Apostle viewing this last thing not the carnal wedlock but the union of Christ with the Church calls it a great mystery and lest any one should otherwise understand his saying hee signifies in express words that hee doth not speak this of the mystery touching the carnal marriage of Husband and Wife but concerning the spiritual conjunction of Christ and the Church which is made by virtue of
lot it is not obtained by any humane merit but by free election and once given it is not taken away 5 It is called the Inheritance of Saints because by that wee shall have society with the Saints alone whose communion makes the Inheritance more delightful to us 6 This Inheritance consisteth in the most perfect light viz. of Knowledge Holiness Joy Glory immortal and eternal life Vers. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the Kingdome of his dear Son The 2. Reas. Of his thanksgiving explaineth the former because the Father hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the Kingdome of the Son of his love This benefit is commended to us by these four things 1 Because power is used to our perverse nature and the power of Satan by whom wee are kept bound from whence God by force hath delivered us 2 Because hee hath delivered us from the darkness of ignorance sin and misery 3 because hee hath not suffered us being delivered to wander and erre without a King and defender without governance and society but hath translated us into a better Kingdome i. e. the Kingdome of Light Knowledge Sanctity and spiritual life where wee may safely and securely inhabit that wee fall not back or bee brought again into darkness 4 Because the Kingdome into which wee are translated is the Kingdome of his Son a Kingdome most pleasant to God wherein the Son of God the Son of his love ruleth and reigneth whom the Father intimately loves and doth represent himself a Father in his love towards us whose Kingdome and all things are most beloved by God yea in whose Kingdome all subjects are beloved Sons Vers. 14. In whom wee have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins The 3. Reason of his thanksgiving is the benefit of his liberty from the revenging Justice of God this benefit more especially appears in these five things 1 Wee are not onely kept by force in the power of darkness that wee might bee delivered from thence a greater strength was required but also wee were captives to the Law and Righteousness from whence without a price paid wee cannot bee freed and where that price is already paid there is made already a lawful redemption 2 Wee have this our redemption made by the consent of parties upon the best right 3 Wee have the same redemption in the person of the Son who is our Advocate and hee who keepeth us and all ours 4 Wee have that by the blood of the Son who existing in the image of God i. e. true God hath taken upon him our nature and in that made obedient unto the death of the Cross hath paid the price of Redemption for us 5 This Redemption is free in respect of us who have paid nothing and yet obtain the remission of sins and consequently also free liberty from wrath and death which follow upon sin Vers. 15. Who is the Image of the invisible God the first born of every Creature The 4. Reason of his thanksgiving shewing the solidity of the foundation of Redemption in the description of the excellency of Christ the Redeemer of which description there are twelve Articles The Image Artic. 1. Christ is the most perfect Image of the invisible God not onely because hee is the substantial Character of the Fathers person substantially representing the Father that so the Father cannot bee beholden unless in the Son and brightness of him but also because the incarnate Son hath represented to the world in word and deed in sanctity power and mercy the Fathers Nature Will and Goodness The first born Artic. 2. Christ is the first born of every Creature i. e. begotten from eternity before every Creature and because of his eternal Generation of the Father hee is the Lord of all Creatures by right as the first born in the Law is Lord of his Brethren and the Family Vers. 16. For â—y him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they bee thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him Artic. 3. Illustrating the former Christ is the efficient cause or the Creator of all Creatures For by him were all things created hee amplifies this Article by a threefold distribution of the Creatures 1 From the place wherein they are in Heaven and in Earth 2 From their nature into visible and invisible 3 From the division of Angels both from their dignity office and honourable names From which the glory of Christ appeareth who hath created all From him Artic. 4. Christ is the end of all for whom and for whose glory all things were created For all things whatsoever and of what sort soever were created all these were created for the glory of Christ God-man hee is the beginning and end of all to whose glory it is necessary all things whatsoever in their manner should be serviceable as the means to the end Vers. 17. And hee is before all things and by him all things consist Artic. 5. Christ is eternal because hee in himself was before all Creatures neither is hee any thing changed by the Creatures as to his subsistence By him Artic. 6. Christ is not onely the Creatour but is the preserver and conserver of all Vers. 18. And hee is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first born from the dead that in all things hee might have the preheminence Artic. 7. Christ is the Head of the Church i. e. of his body from whence the vital spirits sense and spiritual motion floweth through all the members who both governeth and defendeth all of them The beginning Artic. 8. Christ is the beginning fountain and spring of the Church viz. that new Adam the root and principle of the regeneration of the Saints by whose virtue all Saints are begotten The first born Artic. 9. Christ is the first born from the dead and the first fruits of them that slept because hee alone hath risen by his own strength and is the cause of the resurrection of the dead to life everlasting That in Artic. 10. Hee hath the preheminence in all and ought to have amongst Angels and men amongst the living and dead And this is the end of the former degrees of the excellency of Christ. Vers. 19. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Artic. 11. Confirming the preheminence of Christ and the dignity of his preheminence because from the good Will of God not onely the fulness of the gifts of the Spirit dwell in the Man Christ but also the God-head it self most fully comprehending all fulness Vers. 20. And having made Peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they bee things in Earth or things in Heaven Artic. 12. Christ by the good will and purpose of
God is a Mediatour by whom God would have expiation for sin made his life being laid down upon the Cross and expiation being made by his death hee would that reconciliation and a renewing of friendship betwixt God and them should bee made that are the members of the Church no less betwixt God and those members which are in the Earth than betwixt God and those that are in Heaven yea hee would have reconciliation made in himself or by the intuition of his glory amongst the heavenly Angels and earthly men amongst whom by reason of sin there is a natural disagreeing Lastly Hee would have the Elect Angels to bee confirmed whose various and changeable nature is already demonstrated by the fall of wicked Angels and that by a gathering of them together to himself For the Angels are added to Christ as a surplusage in the Covenant of Redemption for the use of his body that is the Church that they might bee ministring spirits for the use of the redeemed ones All which as they did confirm the solidity and certainty of Redemption so the Faith of the Colossians very much in Christ and ought also to confirm ours Vers. 21. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath hee reconciled 22. In the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight The 5. Reason of his thanksgiving is the grace of reconciliation made with the Colossians by name Hee amplifies this benefit by nine Arguments 1 Hee saith that you were sometimes alienated from God strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel and the life of God 2 Yee were not onely born strangers but were made more and more strangers by the custome of sinning 3 Neither this onely but yee were enemies and with an hostile mind did both disdain and speak against God 4 That you were enemies not only in your sensitive appetite and your affections but also in your mind which should bee the most excellentest faculty the Mistress and Captain of all the rest 5 That yee have expressed the enmities conceived in your mind by wicked works 6 That nevertheless Christ now hath reconciled you 7 That hee hath obtained reconciliation in taking upon him in the body of his flesh the humane nature like to us in all things sin onely excepted 8 That by his death hee hath paid the price of your Redemption and Reconciliation 9 That Christ hath determined with himself that at length you should remain holy in his sight and the sight of God without any spot of sin and misery viz. to the day of his comming all which did chiefly make for the upholding of their Faith Vers. 23. If yee continue in the faith grounded and settled and bee not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which yee have heard and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven whereof I Paul am made a Minister The fourth manner of confirming the Colossians faith follows by an exhortation to perseverance in the faith of the Gospel to which hee passeth giving a caution for this end that hee might suspend the benefit commonly applied to them given as it were the Characteristical note of them to whom the benefit of reconciliation belongs viz. That they who have right to these benefits may remain in the faith of Christ upon which the other degrees of perseverance depend The Arguments of the Exhortation are chiefly three If Argum. 1. It is contained in the condition of perseverance Your constancy in the faith of Christ and hope of the Gospel is a sign not onely of your reconciliation made through Christ but also of your holiness and salvation to bee perfected by him Therefore persevere yee In the mean while three things are required to their perseverance 1 That they bee grounded in the faith that is that they lay hold upon the foundations of faith solidly laid in the truth goodness and power of God 2 That they bee settled i. e. Now they are grounded in Christ they may fixedly abide may adhere to Christ and bee joyned to this truth 3 That they resist all temptations with which they may by any manner bee moved from the hope of eternal life or the good things promised in the Gospel The force of this Argument is you shall not possess the good things fore-spoken of except you have persevered in the faith Therefore persevere yee Preached Argum. 2. Of his exhortation to perseverance The Gospel which you have heard from Epaphras your Pastor is the same with the Gospel preached by the other servants of God to every creature through the whole world or all kindes of men Jews and Gentiles without difference Therefore abide you founded and settled in the same faith Whereof Argum. 3. I Paul my self am made a Minister to preach this Gospel to the Gentiles with great approbation from God and his blessing poured upon all that are faithful amongst the Gentiles Therefore persevere yee in that faith Vers. 24. Who now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behinde of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church Hee insists in this Argument and commendeth his Ministry to them by fourteen Arguments all which confirm his glorious Ministry Argum. 1. I Paul in the administration of this Gospel do bear afflictions with joy Therefore my Ministry is glorious Argum. 2. I bare those afflictions for the sake of you Colossians or for your confirmation in the faith Therefore my Ministry is glorious amongst you Argum. 3. Seeing that after the personal sufferings of Christ for our redemption the suffering of the Martyrs remain for a testimony of the truth of Christs doctrine I Paul in some part do so fill up the appointed measure of those afflictions that I am prepared to seal this my Ministry even with my death Therefore this my Ministry is glorious Argum. 4. I suffer these afflictions for Christs honour and his whole Churches edification viz. That his mystical body may bee knit together in faith Therefore my Ministry is glorious All these make to the taking away the offence of the Cross incumbent upon the Apostle Vers. 25. Wherefore I am made a Minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to mee for you to fulfil the word of God Argum. 5. I am appointed a Minister of the Catholick Church and am made an Apostle of the Gentiles both by special authority and divine dispensation Therefore is my Ministry glorious To fulfil Arg. 6. I am constituted an Apostle especially for this end that fully manifesting the Gospel amongst the Gentiles I might fulfil by my Ministry not onely my Office but also the Decree of God and the Prophecies concerning the calling of the Gentiles and the grace of Christ which was to come unto them Therefore this my Ministry is glorious Vers. 26. Even the Mystery that hath been bid from ages and from
Saints cannot finde out nor the needs of all men exhaust or consume Vers. 4. And this I say lest any man should beguile you with intising words 5 The endeavour and care of the Apostle is that the Colossians may not bee seduced by the false Apostles and that they might bee fortified against all the Impostures of them who by teaching that which Christ hath not taught did draw the unstable and unwary from Christ partly by Paralogisms and Sophistical Argumentations partly by insinuating and covering their errours with a painted eloquence to which subtilties of the false Apostles hee aims in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beguile and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enticing words Vers. 5. For though I bee absent in the flesh yet am I with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your order and the stedfastness of your Faith in Christ. 6 His endeavour concerning their salvation The joy which he received concerning the Doctrine and Discipline rightly setled amongst them not onely from the relation of Epaphras but from a Prophetical Spirit or the inspiration of the Holy Ghost dictating this Epistle for although hee was absent in body yet hee beholding all things by the Spirit hee did greatly rejoyce upon the observation of the most beautiful order in all Ecclesiastical things and of their solid Faith in Christ So that hee could not but bee careful concerning the preservation of so famous an heavenly work amongst them left this order bee disturbed or his Doctrine corrupted by the subtilties of the false Apostles and arts of the Devil The Second Part. Vers. 6. As yee have therefore received Christ Iesus the Lord so walk yee in him The second part of the Chapter follows in which from his endeavour for their salvation and from the causes of this disputation undertaken against the false Apostles hee inferrs an exhortation to persevere in the Faith of Christ and to beware of corruptions The parts of his Exhortation are five 1 That they hold fast Christ Jesus already received by Faith who is the onely and true Saviour and admit no other invented by the false Apostles 2 That they being ingrafted into Christ by Faith so abide and lead their lives according to his prescription following the guidance of the Spirit of Christ. Vers. 7. Rooted and built up in him and stablished in the Faith as yee have been taught abounding therein with thanksgiving 3 That they endeavour for a most near and firm conjunction with Christ through the strengthening of their Faith according to the Doctrine of Epaphras Hee illustrates this soundness of Faith by a similitude taken partly from the firmness of trees spreading their roots deep in the earth partly from the stability of buildings solidly founded Abounding 4 That they bee not onely confirmed in the Faith but also make progress in it and abound to a fuller knowledge of the mysteries of Christ and that with a daily thanksgiving to God the Author of this so great a benefit Vers. 8. Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. 5 That they take heed to themselves touching seducers who take the people of God by their Impostures as beasts are taken in nets and make a prey of them Hee reckons three kindes of impostures whereof the first is Philosophy or a vain deceit so called not simply but as it exceeds its bounds and aspires to heavenly and spiritual things and doth from the model of corrupt and carnal reason determine concerning the doctrine in the word of God In which respect although it shews openly the form of wisdome yet it is found to bee vain deceit The other kinde is The tradition of men concerning the vain and superstitious rites invented by humane wit The third sort is the injunction of Legal or Levitical rites which are called here the Rudiments of the world because they are the earthly and carnal Rudiments of the ancient people by whom as by a Schoolmaster they were lead before the coming of Christ which after his coming vanished away like shadows Vers. 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the God-head bodily Hee adds ten Arguments of his Exhortation all which prove that they must not go so much as a nails breadth from Christ Argum. 1. It is in vain to seek any thing necessary to salvation out of Christ seeing that in him or in his person the fulness of the God-head hypostatically united to the humane nature is founded so that hee necessarily seeks something to salvation out of God who seeks things that may bring salvation out of Christ Therefore wee must not depart from Christ. Vers. 10. And yee are compleat in him which is the head of all Principality and power Argum. 2. Christ is not onely a most full fountain in himself but also hee fills all the faithful beleeving in him insomuch that hee communicates to them righteousness and life eternal which hee hath in himself first by way of imputation further by the infusion of grace for grace till at length they are perfected Therefore wee must not seek for any thing out of him The head Argum. 3. Hee is the head of all Principality and Power even of the most excellent creatures in heaven and earth partly because hee created and governs all things even the Angels themselves partly because by the influence of his power hee upholds even the Angels and also men communicating to them whatsoever they injoy Therefore from him alone and in no wise from the most excellent Angels do wee expect any good Vers. 11. In whom also yee are circumcised with the Circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the Circumcision of Christ. Argum. 4. The truth of all Legal ceremonies is in Christ for in him the faithful have that which is prefigured by them as for example they have spiritual Circumcision wrought by the Spirit of Christ in the heart which consists in the subduing of the old man or the flesh or the body of sin which Circumcision was prefigured in the carnal Circumcision made by hands Therefore it is not fit that you should in the carnal Circumcision of those that Judaize seek anything out of Christ. Vers. 12. Buried with him in Baptism wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead Argum. 5. Yee that beleeve in Christ are baptized which is the lawful sign of internal Circumcision set up in the place of Circumcision by Christ so that neither the internal thing yea nor the external sign of an internal thing is to bee sought after without Christ Therefore you must not depart from Christ. Buried Argum. 6. Yee beleevers have right to Christ dead and buried and communion with him in his death and burying and so right to all the benefits and effects of his death and burying in baptism
Christ paying the price of our Redemption hath obtained by Covenant of the Father that all the redeemed should bee delivered from the prison of darkness ignorance sin and death 2 Inasmuch as Christ infinite in power when hee had once satisfied justice on the Cross broke the bars and chains of sin judgement and the Law wherewith the Devil held the redeemed bound that henceforth they cannot have any power 3 Inasmuch as hee hath made his redeemed his possession and peculiar people that they might not any longer bee the flock of Satan Christ is said to have made a shew of the Devils and to have openly triumphed on the Cross 1 Inasmuch as hee hath valiantly received overcome and extinguished all their temptations and poisoned darts whether immediately cast by them against him hanging on the Cross or hurled by the poisonous tongues of furious adversaries or brandished by the provocation of the ingratitude of his Disciples flying from him 2 Inasmuch as Christ hath turned the malice of the Devils all their subtilties and machinations by which they sought his life incessantly stirring up their slaves to crucifie him till hee hanged upon the Cross to their own destruction and to the most open ruine of their dominion 3 Inasmuch as hee hath shewn himself Lord of Heaven and Earth by signs and wonders in the very time of his crucifying 4 Inasmuch as hee hath shewn openly his power by converting the thief hanging at his right hand and the Centurion standing at his feet 5 Inasmuch as the price of Redemption being already paid the Conqueror not onely in the sight of God and Angels but also in the sight of these Devils and also in the bearing of all beholders cryed out that his work was finished and that to his own eternal glory and the perpetual ignominy of â—his enemies From which it follows that wee must not depart from Christ for the obtaining of any good or that wee might bee delivered from any evil The Third Part. Vers. 16. Let no man therefore judge you in meat or drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moon or of the Sabbath daies The third part of the Chapter in which by way of consequence hee brings in a special admonition to beware of some special corruptions of the false Apostles The admonitions are three 1 That they do not regard the judgement and censure of any who shall dare to condemn them for not observing of Mosaical Ceremonies as for example for meat or drink or for neglecting an holy-day or an part of any holy-day or for not observing the Sabbath of the Jews Vers. 17. Which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ. The reason of the admonition is Because those Legal Ceremonies were the shadows of future things which were onely to remain until the body or Christ the truth and substance of them should come which therefore ought to cease after his comming Vers. 18. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of Angels intruding into those things which hee hath not seen vainly puft up by his fleshly mind 2 Is That they beware of the worshiping and invocation of Angels For this end hee alledges seven Arguments Argum. 1. Because whosoever doth teach you this worshiping in very deed hee endeavours to defraud you of the reward of Religion or Life Eternal Voluntarily Argum. 2. Because not from the authority of God but of his own will and lust hee doth deliver this Doctrine Humility Argum. 3. Because hee that teacheth the worshiping of Angels doth hypocritically abuse you with the pretence of humility Intruding Argum. 4. Because hee that teacheth the worshiping of Angel proceeds boldly without the light of the Word of God yea without the light of right reason For hee never saw any thing concerning this Doctrine either in holy writ or with bodily eyes or by the light of sound reason Vainly Argum. 5. Because whosoever teacheth the worshiping of Angels is not humble as hee pretends but swelling in his own carnal opinion is most vainly puffed up Vers. 19. And not holding the head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God Arg. 6. Because whosoever teacheth the worshipping of Angels is void of true faith hee is not joyned nor cleaves unto Christ although hee know all other things yet hee is ignorant of the vertue of Christ and the grace that is in him yea hee is divided from Christ our head and doth renounce him From which Arg. 7. Because in Christ alone is the storehouse from which all grace and whatsoever is required to life and spiritual growth is abundantly derived to all his members so that neither is it necessary to ask any thing of the Angels neither can any thing be done in that kinde without dishonour done to Christ either by invoking the Angels or by worshipping them after any other manner Therefore ye are to beware of the invocation of Angels In this Argument by the comparison of the humane natural head Christ is described by a sixfold Similitude 1 As the humane natural head hath a body subject to it so Christ hath the Church subject to him as his mystical body 2 As sense and motion is derived from the humane head to the whole body and so to all its members so sense and spiritual motions are derived from Christ to all the members of the Church 3 As from the humane head the conjunction of the nerves and ligaments which go through the whole body are extended so from the head Christ the holy Spirit flows and faith in Christ and love towards our neighbour which are diffused through the whole body mystical 4 As by those junctures life sense and motion is administred to the whole body so by these all spiritual grace is administred to the faithful 5 As by these the members are compacted with the head and amongst themselves so by these Christ and his members are united 6 As by these in the natural body so by these in Christs body mystical first of all there is made an increase of every member and also of the whole body mystical 7 As there is the increase of nature so here of grace the increase of God i. e. great and solid according to the measure given to every one Vers. 20. Wherefore if yee bee dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the world why as though living in the world are ye subject to Ordinances The third Admonition follows with a reprehension because they had subjected themselves to decrees or humane traditions and doctrines of men determining Religion in those things which God hath not determined There are five Arguments of the Admonition or Reprehension 1 Because yee are freed by the death of Christ from all carnal rudiments of Religion such as Judaical ceremonies so that you have no further to do with them yee ought not to admit the
Mind or Spirit and those closest affections of the Heart or Soul towards any forbidden evil this word will finde out yea it can divide asunder the Soul and the Spirit the Heart and the Mind and tell the man how his Soul or Heart cleaveth to the sin and how his Mind plotteth pretences to hide the evil of it from himself and others even in those sins which have not broken forth but lye as deep in the mind as the marrow in the bones And it can put difference betwixt the purposes of the heart and the thoughts how to compass the design and how to hide the convoy Or those waies how the sinner doth beguile himself and seeketh to blind the eyes of others the Word doth decypher and distinguish all these things which self-deceiving Sophistry confoundeth Then 1. Secret purposes fall under the Judicatory of the Word as well as practices accomplished 2. Pretences and excuses will not put off the challenge of it 3. Nothing remaineth but that wee give up our selves to the Words government flying what it dischargeth and following what it commandeth Vers. 13. Neither is there any Creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom wee have to do To clear the power of the Word hee bringeth in the property of God whose word it is and setteth up the sinners secret thought in the sight of the All-seeing God with whom hee hath to do Then 1. God is the Party with whom the hearer of the Word hath to do and hath his reckoning to make and not the Preacher 2. God joyneth with his Word and giveth it that searching and discovering and peircing virtue 3. Gods omniscience and all-seeing sight should make us look to our inward disposition so shall this and other like Exhortations and Threatnings have better effect and fruit in us Vers. 14. Seeing then that wee have a great High Priest that is passed into the Heavens Iesus the Son of God let us hold fast our Profession 1. Hee giveth them a direction for entring into their rest To hold fast their Profession that is in faith and love to avow the Doctrine of Christ. Then Hee that would enter into rest must bee stedfast in maintaining and avowing the true Religion of Christ. 2. Hee who quitteth the profession of the Truth of Christ taketh courses to cut off himself from Gods rest For if wee deny Christ hee will deny us 2. Hee commandeth To hold fast our Profession Then 1. God will not be pleased with backsliding or coldness or indifferency in matters of Religion because this is not to hold it fast but to take a loose hold which is the ready way to defection 2. There is danger lest our adversaries pull the Truth from us 3. The more danger wee fore-see the more strongly must wee hold the Truth 3. The encouragement which hee giveth to hold fast is Wee have Christ a great High Priest c. Then 1. As wee have need of threatning to drive us to enter into Gods Rest So have wee need of incouragements to draw us thereunto 2. All our encouragement is from the help which wee shall have in Christ and that is sufficient 3. Christ is alwaies for us in his Office albeit wee do not alwaies feel him sensibly in us 4. Hee calleth Christ A great High Priest to put difference betwixt the typical High Priest and him in whom the Truth of the Priesthood is found Then What the typical High Priest did in shew for the people that the great High Priest doth in substance for us That is reconcileth us to God perfectly blesseth us with all blessings solidly and intercedeth for us perpetually 5. Hee affirmeth of Christ that hee is passed into the Heavens to wit in regard of his Manheâ—d to take possession thereof in our name Then 1. Christs corporal presence is in Heaven onely and not on Earth from whence hee is passed 2. Christs corporal presence in Heaven and absence from us in that respect hindereth not our right unto him and spiritual having or possessing of him 3. Yea it is our encouragement to seek entry into Heaven that hee is there before us 6. Hee calleth him Iesus the Son of God to lead us through his humanity unto his Godhead Then no rest on the Mediator till wee go to the rock of his Godhead where is strength and satisfaction to faith Vers. 15. For wee have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities But was in all points tempted like as wee are yet without sin 1. Another encouragement is from the merciful and compassionate disposition of our High Priest whose nature and office and experience maketh him that hee cannot be but touched with our infirmities both sinful and sinless infirmities of body estate or mind Then 1. Hee presupposeth that the faithful are subject to infirmities both of sin and misery and by reason thereof to discouragements and dashing of their spirit 2. Christ doth pitty the infirmities of the faithfull their poverty banishment sickness grief yea their sinful passions and perturbations and short comming in holy duties hee is compassionate in all these Therefore may our Faith gather strength from his pitty to bear these the better and strive against our sinfulness with the greater courage And in the sense of our infirmities wee should not stand back from Christ but go to him the rather as to a compassionate physician who can and will help us 2. To give us assurance of his compassion hee sheweth us that hee was in all points tempted like as wee are yet without sin Then 1. Christ hath experience of all tryals wherein any of his servants can fall of poverty contempt of the world of being forsaken by friends of exile imprisonment hunger nakedness watching weariness pain of body dashing of mind heaviness of hearts dolour anguish and perplexity of Spirit yea of desertion to sense yea of the wrath and curse of God the feeling whereof may justly bee called A descending to Hell Christ in his own experience knoweth what all such exercises are 2. These his experiences and sufferings are pawns to us of his compassion on us in such cases so that wee may as certainly beleeve the compassion as the passion 3. Hee maketh exception of sin whereof hee was free but not of his being tempted to sin Then 1. Albeit our Lord was free from committing sin yet hee was not free from being tempted to sin and so can pitty our weakness when wee are overcome of it 2. His being free of sin is our comfort against sin For if our Mediatour had been defiled with sin hee could not have washed us But now hee is able to justifie us and set us free of sin also Vers. 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that wee may obtain Mercy and finde Grace to help in time of need 1. From these encouragements hee draweth another direction
of the blood of Iesus for remission of sins after this hearty application of Christs blood the conscience is furnished with a good answer unto all challenges and so is made good a comfortable conscience absolving the man through faith in Jesus whom it tormented with challenges before it ran to the blood of Jesus for sprinkling Then whensoever the conscience is evil accuseth and vexeth let the vexed heart run to Christs blood and then shall it be free from an evil conscience for the blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all sin Let the heart be sprinkled and the conscience will be good 6. The fourth thing required in him that draweth near as he should is That his body be washed with pure water That is That according to the signification of that Legal Rite their outward conversation be blameless and holy sin being so curbed within that it reign not in their mortal body so foughten against within as it break not forth in scandalous works of Darkness in the actions of the body Then 1. With a sprinkled conscience within men must joyn an holy and blameless conversation without 2. The washing of the conversation without must proceed from an heart sensibly acquainted with the power of the blood of Jesus 3. And this outward holiness of the body must be wrought with pure water that is by the Spirit of Sanctification to distinguish the reformation of a believer from a counterfeit who without may look like a righteous man but within be as a whited Tomb full of rottenness Verse 23. Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised Another Exhortation to avow the faith of Christ that is the doctrine of Christ the truth received from Christ and believed and not to quit it in the time of tryal upon any condition 1. The requiring to hold fast the confession of our Faith or Hope as the word importeth teacheth 1. That a true Christian must not onely hold the truth of Christ secretly but must confess it profess and avow it openly where Gods glory and others good requireth the same 2. That he must look for adversary powers and temptations to take that truth or at least the confession of it from him 3. That in these tryals and essays he must hold the faster gripe and avow it so much the more stedfastly as he is tempted to quit it 4. That when he is put to the tryal of this Confession of any point of his Faith hee is also put to the tryal of the confession of his hope whether his hopes of the promised salvation in Jesus be stronger to keep him stedfast or the terror and allurement from men stronger to make him quit the point of truth converted 5. That nothing but this hope is able to make a man stand out in tryal if hee be hardly urged 2. Hee will have the avowing of the truth of Christ to be without wavering Then 1. Men must so learn the Truth that they need not to change again that is must study to know the Truth soundly and solidly 2. And having learned it must not say and unsay one day avow it and another day quit it For so God getteth not his due glory Beholders are not edified the mans testimony wanteth weight with the adversary But hee must be invincible in the truth who will neither alter nor change or diminish any thing of it for fear or favour 3. Hee giveth this for a ground of constancy For hee is faithful who hath promised That is the promises which Iesus hath made to such as constantly beleeve in him shall be surely performed that no constant professor of his Truth shall be ashamed Then 1. Where wee have a promise of any thing made unto us in Scripture wee may be confident to obtain it and bold to avow our hope thereof against such as would teach us the Doctrine of Doubting whereunto wee are of our selves prone and inclined and against such as shake the assurance of the Saints perseverance 2. The ground of our confidence is not in our selves but in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ who hath promised such graces to his children 3. Our bold avowing of our hope is not a bragging of our own strength but a magnifying of Christs faithfulness Vers. 24. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and unto good works Hee strengtheneth his former Exhortation by giving of directions to further their obedience thereunto And first for mutual up-stirring one of another Whereof wee learn 1. That mutual edification of Christians amongst themselves and sharpening one of another is a special help to constancy in true Religion and a preservative against Apostacy 2. Prudence is required hereunto that mutually wee observe one anothers disposition Gifts Experience Virtues and Faults that wee may the better fit our selves to do good each one of us unto another and to receive good each one of another in our Christian conversing together 3. A godly striving one with another who shall be first in love and well-doing is better than the ordinary strife who shall exceed others in vanity and superfluity of apparel and fare Vers. 25. Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as yee see the day approaching Another mean to this same end is the frequenting of Christian Assemblies and Meetings which may further this purpose of mutual edification And therefore 1. Church-Assemblies must be well kept by such as do minde to prove constant in the true Religion 2. Christian Meetings also of private Christians for mutual conference and exhorting one of another is not to be neglected nor forsaken but to be used for keeping unity in the Church and not to foster Schism or hinder the publick Assemblies 2. Hee taxeth the fault of some amongst them who in Schism or purpose of Apostasie withdrew themselves from all Church-Assemblies and Christian-Meetings and fell back again or were in the way of falling back to the denial of Christ openly Then 1. Separation from the true Church and Christian society of the faithful is a remarkable evil 2. The Schism or Apostasie of others should not weaken us in following any good mean of edification but rather stir us up unto more diligence lest by negligence wee fall peece and peece back after their example 3. Hee maketh the approaching of the day to wit of Gods Iudgement a special motive to use the means diligently and make us constant in the Faith Then 1. The day of Gods Judgement should still be looked unto as a thing near hand even at the doors because it is but a very little and our day shall come yea and but a little time till our Lord shall come to judgement 2. The consideration of the day of judgement is a fit mean to sharpen us unto all good Duties which may make our reckoning to be furthered at that day and to make us boldly
the performance of Gods Promises and in hope thereof renounced the world therefore God honoureth them as his confederates vers 13 14 15 16. Faith made Abraham to offer his onely Son vers 17 18 19. Isaac and Iacob and Ioseph by Faith at their death comforted themselves and others also in hope of the performance of Gods Truth vers 20 21 22. The Parents of Moses overcame the fear of man by Faith vers 23. Moses by Faith got strength to chuse the Cross of Christ before the riches and honours and pleasures of Egypt vers 24 25 26. Faith made him constant in his choise and patient vers 27. By Faith hee got the people of Israel to be saved when the first-born of Egypt were slain vers 28. By Faith the deep Sea gave open way vers 29. High walled Towns were thrown down vers 30. Rachab was saved when others perished vers 31. By Faith numbers of Gods Children did wonderful things and received wonderful comforts and overcame all persecutions vers 32 33 34 35 36 37 38. All these died in the Faith of Christ and were justified albeit Christ was not yet come vers 39. God having reserved the accomplishment of the Prophecies and Types in the comming of Jesus Christ until our time that the Fathers might not get Salvation except by looking to our times and joyning with us in the Faith of Jesus in whom they and wee also are perfected vers 40. The Doctrine of Chap. XI Vers. 1. Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen HEE pointeth out the Nature of Faith to help them to live by it Then Hee that would live by Faith had need skilfully to search out the nature thereof 2. In describing Faith hee ascribeth unto it the property of the Word which Faith layeth hold upon For it is the Word properly which is the substance of things not seen Then There is such an union betwixt Faith and the Word that what the Word is in force and effect that Faith is said to be in force and effect also As Faith honoureth the Word so God honoureth Faith in giving it the like commendation for force with the Word What is the original of the being and existence of any thing but this God willeth it to be or promiseth it shall come to pass or commandeth that it may be Therefore let Faith get a hold of the Promise or Word and it taketh hold of the thing promised by the root thereof And in the hand of Faith doth Truth bud out and flourish unto the ripe fruit of full satisfaction in performance 3. The word Evidence in the Original is a tearm of Logick importing that it is the nature of Faith by dispensation to convince Then It were wisdome for helping of our weak Faith to make Syllogisms from the Word and to reason so convincingly against all opposition of incredulity in us as there might be a consent and yeelding to the Truth extorted from us As for example When wee cannot take to heart the danger wee are in by entertaining any known sin from Rom. 8.13 wee may reason thus The Scripture saith If yee live after the flesh yee shall dye But if I forsake not and mortifie not this known sin in mee I live after the flesh Therefore if I forsake not and mortifie not this known sin I shall die Again the Scripture saith If yee through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body yee shall live Therefore if I by the Spirit mortifie such and such lusts I have Gods promise that I shall live And so in other particulars Vers. 2. For by it the Elders obtained a good report Hee proveth the nature of Faith to be as hee hath said because the Elders were approved of God as blessed in their beleeving who could not otherwise be partakers of the promised blessing in the Messiah to come except Faith had furnished unto them the substance and evidence of that hoped-for blessing Then 1. The Fathers under the Law were endued with justifying Faith and accepted of God even as wee 2. Men how base soever are brought into credit with God and into good estimation with his Church by Faith Vers. 3. Through Faith wee understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God So that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear Another proof to shew that Faith is the evidence of things not seen Because wee can have no other evidence of the Worlds Creation but by looking thereupon in the Word as it were in doing before our eyes Then 1. Faith must not stand whether there be Appearances or Probabilities or not of such things as are promised in the Word or else it could not beleeve the Creation which is the making of all things of nothing 2. The whole works of Creation are Pawns and Evidences of the possibility yea certainty of every thing promised For the works of Creation stand upon no better ground than Gods Word This sentence God shall make our vile bodies like unto the glorious body of Christ Iesus is as powerful to make us so as this sentence Let there be Light was powerful to create Light when there was none before Vers. 4. By Faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain by which he obtained witness that he was righteous God testifying of his gifts and by it he being dead yet speaketh In the Catalogue of Believers he beginneth at Abel the first persecuted man for Righteousness and that by Cain professing the same worship with him Wherein we learn 1. That the wicked may joyn in the outward worship and pure forms of Religion with the godly as Cain did with Abel 2. That Faith putteth the difference betwixt their persons and service 3. That a mans person must first please God before his actions can please him For therefore was Abels Sacrifice accepted because by faith his person was justified 4. Faith maketh Abel still a speaking Doctor to the Church directing all who love to have such a reward to cleave unto God as he did and albeit they should dye for it by the hand of their persecuting and bloody Brethren not to wonder at it Vers. 5. By Faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him For before his translation he had this Testimony that he pleased God Enochs full felicity is expressed by Gods translating of him Then if we ask where Enoch went to we must search for him by Scriptures warrant onely in the company of God the Translator of him For before he was translated he lived a blessed man in fellowship with God And it is injurious to God and Enoch both to put him out of Gods fellowship as not blessed when he is translated 2. Enochs Translation beareth witness 1. That the blessedness of everlasting life with God after death was known in the Old Testament 2. That the Fathers got possession of
receive the Promises is to receive the thing promised or the Promises in performance But here it is to have the Promises first and immediately made unto him Then the meaning of forms of speech in Scripture is to be found by consideration of all circumstances of the place where they are spoken and not of some circumstances onely 4. It serveth to the commendation of his faith that he obeyed Gods command when it seemed to make the promise null Then 1. To adhere to the promise when by appearance of reason it is likely not to be performed is tried faith indeed 2. When Reason sighteth against Faith it is wisdom to quit that Reason which would make us quit the Promises 3. When Gods commandments and promises unto us seem to cross one another it is wisdom for us to justifie them both All his words are truth Vers. 19. Accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead from whence also he received him in a figure Abrahams looking to Gods Fidelity and Omnipotency made him victorious over every difficulty and so to give obedience to this hard commandment Then 1. When we get hard commandments we must lay our reckoning how we may obey them and not how we may shift them 2. Difficulties and impossibilities as would appear must be rolled over upon God 3. Gods Omnipotency maketh that his promise cannot miss but take effect 2. Abraham as he expected so he found He expected Isaac ' s resurrection from the dead and in a figure or similitude be received Isaac back from the dead that is from the jaws of death no less unexpectedly than from the dead Then 1. The Believer shall finde as much as he can expect from Gods word 2. If the performance be not as he doth forecast yet it shall be by a way as comfortable and pâ—ofitable Vers. 20. By Faith Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau concerning things to come Isaac ' s blessing of his sons is said to be by Faith Then Patriarchal benedictions were given by ordinary Faith albeit from the ground of extraordinary revealed truth For faith ordinary believeth Gods truth revealed howsoever ordinarily or extraordinarily 2. In that this example is propounded for ordinary imitation in believing of Gods ordinary revealed word it teacheth us That he who hath the ordinary word of God hath as sure a ground to rest upon as if he had a particular and extraordinary revelation Vers. 21. By Faith Iacob when he was a dying blessed both the sons of Ioseph and worshipped leaning upon the top of his staff Jacob a dying blesseth his off-spring and worshippeth God in bodily weakness Then 1. Faith can look through the cloud of Death and behold both its own and others felicity 2. In the solid assurance which it hath it can worship or glorifie God for things to come as if they were already past 2. It is not said that he worshipped the top of his Staff but upon the top of his Staff leaning for his weakness cause by approaching Death because he would for this fore-seen blessing of God upon his posterity testifie by signs of worship in his weak body how he esteemed of that favour Then 1. Faith will make the body albeit it be weak concur with the Spirit in the Lords worship 2. When the infirmity of the body maketh it unable to concur with the Spirit it must be helped with a stone as Moses prayed against Amalek or staff as Iacob here or any thing else which may enable it to perform the worship the better being put under breast or arms or knees 3. Iacobs bending of his body in so great weakness thereof must bear witness against the prophane ease which many men now-a-days take unto themselves both in private and publike worship Vers. 22. By Faith Ioseph when he dyed made mention of the departing of the children of Israel and gave commandment concerning his bones Joseph also testified his Faith in his death concerning the delivery of Israel out of Egypt by direction giving for transporting his Bones in sign of his assurance of their going to Canaan because God had promised so Then the Lords promises are sure comforts in death whereby Faith both sustaineth it self and is able to encourage and strengthen others And Faith maketh a man to keep them in memory and to make use of them in due time Vers. 23. By Faith Moses when he was born was hid three moneths of his parents because they saw he was a proper childe and they not afraid of the Kings Commandment How great weakness Moses parents did bewray the history maketh evident yet is their faith commended as victorious over the fear wherein their weakness did most appear Whence we learn 1. That nothing is commendable but because done in faith Their natural love is not mentioned but their Faith 2. That God so loveth faith in his children that he commendeth it in the measure it hath albeit it go not so far as it ought and marketh what faith hath and not what it wanteth of the perfection 2. The Evidence of their Faith he maketh this That they were not afraid of the Kings Commandment Then 1 GOD alloweth not that Kings commandments should be regarded when they command impiety and wickedness for then should they be honoured above God if for their commandment we should do that which he forbiddeth 2. Nothing but faith in God is able to make a man overcome the fear of that which Potentares may do unto him And it is a commendable work of faith to get this victory 3. The beauty of the childe stirred up his Parents to this work of Faith thinking with themselves that it behoved to be for some special end that God had so fashioned the childe Then 1. The Lord hath ways enough to excitate the faith of his own and bring it forth to act 2. Where special endowments are given there is good evidence of special employment to follow Vers. 24. By Faith Moses when hee was come to years refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter Moses refusing the honour which hee might have had in Pharaohs Court because it might have hindred him from the honour of one of Gods people is commended for a work of Faith Then It is better to be a member of GODS Church amongst GODS People than to be a Prince in a great Kingdome without the Church 2. Because hee would not have chosen to be the Son of Pharaohs Daughter therefore hee refused to be called so Then That which a man dare not avow himself to be or may not lawfully chuse to be hee must refuse to be esteemed to be hee must refuse to be called such 3. His manner of refusing this unhallowed honour is expounded to be by joyning himself with the people of God and so forsaking of Pharaohs Court Then 1. That is the true way of refusing unlawful honour to quit the place whereunto the unlawful honour is annexed and betake themselves to what they may
The most assiduous and painful setting not of the body onely but the spirit on work because it is a charge of Watching 3. The most dangerous of all Charges because the account of lost souls within the Church shall be craved at their hands whether they have 〈…〉 that which became them to do to save them or not 4. The weightiness of their Charge should affect their people and move them to concur for their parts as they are able for their encouragement 3. Another motive is That they may do their work with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable unto you saith he Then 1. Church-mens chief joy should be their peoples obedience unto Gods directions in their mouth and their chief grief if it be otherwise 2. Whether they will get joy or grief from their people they must do their work and follow their Charge 3. The less comfortable people be unto their Leaders their Teachers and Rulers the less profit shall they have by their Ministery Vers. 18. Pray for us For we trust wee have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly His craving the benefit of their Prayers for him Teacheth us 1. That albeit the Scripture giveth no warrant to seek the benefit of the Prayer of Saints departed or of Angels yet it giveth warrant for seeking of the mutual concurrence in Prayer of those that are living together and militant here on Earth together 2. That the greatest Apostle hath need of the prayers of the meanest Christian and may be helped thereby 2. He giveth a Reason answering all the calumnies which were spread of him by his Adversaries that they might with greater freedom pray for him as for an honest man Then 1. They who are unjustly reported of must comfort themselves in the Testimony of a good Conscience 2. An honest heart may expect the better fruit of their own prayers and others 3. And such as we know are sincerely set to serve God we may with the better courage pray for them 3. He expoundeth what he calleth a good Conscience by saying that he was willing to live honestly Then the purpose desire and endeavour to live honestly is the evidence of a good Conscience and the ground also of the good Testimony because such a disposition escheweth to do evil and is careful to do good Vers. 19. But I beseech you the rather to do this that I may be restored to you the sooner He joyneth a Reason for their own good to pray for him that the impediments of his coming unto them being removed by their prayers he might come the sooner Then 1. When our own good is joyned with the good of such as call for our prayers we have the more inducements to set us on work 2. Many hinderances of our good and comfort do stand in the way which by Prayer might be removed Vers. 20. Now the God of Peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Iesus that great Shepherd of the sheep through the 〈◊〉 of the Everlasting Covenant Now he prayeth for them whom he had in the former words requested to pray for him Then 1. Prayer is a mutual duty and ought to be made by us for such as we desire to pray for us 2. He stileth God to whom he prayeth first the God of Peace To teach us That Peace proceeded from God and is preserved by him in his Church and that it doth please him well that his children should be in peace and should study thereunto 3. Again he describeth God by the great work of Christs Resurrection wrought by him Then 1. As Christs Resurrection is the work of his own power Iohn 10.18 So also is it the work of God the Father in this place For Iohn 10.30 the Father and Christ in power are one 4. The Props of his faith in prayer are first the office of Iesus who is the Great Shepherd of the sheep Then 1. Those who come under the reckoning of Christs sheep are the onely people of whom he by special Office professeth to take charge 2. Howsoever he imploy the Ministery of men to feed his flock under him yet doth he keep the place and stile of Arch-pastor or Great Shepherd to himself 3. People howsoever they be furnished by Ministers yet they have the Great Shepherd to acknowledge and relie upon of whose care and fidelity for their feeding and preservation they may be confident 5. The next Prop of this Prayer is The power of God who brought again from the dead the Great Shepherd Then 1. The sheep must not think to be above the Shepherd but must resolve for bearing witness to the truth to be put to death as he was if God please 2. Nor need they fear to be used so seeing he is risen again because he that raised the Shepherd for the sheeps cause can raise the sheep from death also for the Shepherds cause 6. The third Prop of Confidence for obtaining this Prayer is The blood of the Everlasting Covenant through which he seeketh his petition to be granted Then 1. It is Christs Blood which hath ratified the Covenant and established our Reconciliation to endure for ever because the vertue of that blood is perpetual 2. It is through that Blood that everything is purchased for which we can pray It is the price of the purchase of Sanctification unto us as well as Salvation Vers. 21. Make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen That which he prayeth for here is That they may be made perfect in every good work to do the will of God Then 1. Onely the doing of Gods will and what he hath commanded is to be reckoned for a good work 2. It is not enough to be given to some sort of good work but we must endeavour our selves to work every sort of good work having a due respect unto all Gods Commandments 3. Whatsoever measure we have attained unto we must not stand there but perfection must be aimed at which is still before us until we come to Heaven 2. The way how this may be done he sheweth to be By Gods working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight even through Jesus Christ. Then 1. It is not by any strength of our own whereby good works are wrought but even by the power of God working in us graciously 2. It is through Jesus Christ that this working is procured conveyed unto us and made acceptable unto God 3. He closeth his prayer with ascribing of Glory unto Iesus for ever Amen Then 1. Christ Jesus is true God worthy of Divine Glory for ever 2. The Prayer and Praises which we offer unto God must come from so advised a minde as we may seal the same with Faith and hearty Affection imported in AMEN Vers. 22 And I beseech you brethren suffer the word of Exhortation for I have
Messengers of Israel and dismissed them safe Therefore vain is the profession of an idle faith That Iames takes Justification for no other than as we have said doth appear from this that he calls Rahab an Harlot or prostitute to filthy lusts Therefore how impossible was it for her to be justified by workes before God but onely by true faith which sheweth it self to be true by works Vers. 26. For as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also Argum. 9. Even as an animate body if it doth not breathe it is dead so faith if it doth not produce works it is dead Therefore vain is the boasting of such an idle faith wherein hypocrites please themselves CHAP. III. THis Chapter contains two Admonitions The first for governing of the tongue to vers 13. The other concerning wisdom which asswages the evils of the tongue and avoids strifes and contentions to the end Vers. 1. My brethren be not many masters knowing that we shall receive greater condemnation As for the first Admonition he commands them to bridle the tongue namely from invective and rigid rehearsals of other mens vices or infirmities Be not saith he many masters i. e. arrogate not to your selves the authority of mastership over others and too much liberty of carping at things as many do but bridle your tongues He confirms the admonition by ten Arguments Knowing Argum. 1. Because that unjust censurers should suffer heavier judgement from God the revenger of injuries Therefore the tongue is to be bridled lest ye suffer an heavier judgement Vers. 2. For in many things we offend all If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body Argum. 2. Seeing that we are all liable to many failings it becometh us to deal more diligently with the infirmities of others not to arrogate the authority of judging without a calling or to shew our selves unjust in judging If any man Argum. 3. If any man know how to govern his tongue he hath this to manifest a perfect or sincere man who can moderate all his actions and on the contrary he that cannot moderately rule his tongue but in all things carps at the carriages of other men hath the sign of an hypocrite Therefore the tongue is to be bridled Vers. 3. Behold we put bits in the horses mouthes that they may obey us and we turn about their whole body 4. Behold also the ships which though they be so great and are driven of fierce winds yet are they turned about with a very small helm whithersoever the governor listeth 5. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasteth great things Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth 6. And the tongue is a fire a world of iniquity So is the tongue amongst our members that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature and it is set on fire of hell Argum. 4. Confirming the former Even as if thou guidest the bridle thou also rulest the horse and if thou rulest the stern of the ship thou dost also the ship even so if thou hast rightly governed thy tongue thou wilt also rule thy whole body and thy outward actions although those instruments are small and the tongue is a small member Therefore c. Boasts Argum. 5. The tongue carrieth it self highly and boasteth it self gloriously that it can on both sides perform much good in speaking the truth in constancy taciturnity courtesie and such like and also much evil in lyes reproaches calumnies and such like Therefore it ought to be governed with great care A fire Argum. 6. Because as a small fire can kindle and devour much matter so the tongue unless it be appeased and bridled can stir up a world of evils and create infinite sins and seeing it is a small part of the body it can involve and defile all the other members and the whole body with wickednesses and set on fire with its wickedness the wheel or course of all natural faculties Therefore it is diligently to be governed Of bell Argum. 7. There is some affinity of an evil tongue with Hell and the Devil whom the tongue is ready to serve and from him to send the flame of lyes calumnies and brawlings to burn the whole world Therefore there is need of great diligence in ruling the tongue Vers. 7. For every kinde of beasts and of birds and of serpents and things in the sea is tamed and hath been tamed of man kinde 8. But the tongue can no man tame it is an unruly evil full of deadly poyson Argum. 8. There is no kinde of beasts but may be tamed by humane reason or art and experience teacheth us that some of all kindes are tamed ver 7. but the tongue no humane reason or art can tame because it is in its own nature an unquiet and an unruly evil full of deadly poyson whereby it brings and is ready to bring deadly mischiefs unto others Therefore ye must diligently endeavour to bridle the tongue by Gods supernatural grace Vers. 9. Therewith bless we God even the Father and therewith curse we men which are made after the similitude of God 10. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing my brethren these things ought not so to be Argum. 9. The tongue is mutable deceitful crafty one while pretending it self to very good blessing God another while openly putting forth its nature expresly by cursing men and God obliquely to whose similitude men are made from the same mouth sometimes sending forth blessing sometimes cursing ver 9. But this is absurd and monstrous which is in no wise to be suffered ver 10. Therefore ye must necessarily endeavour the ruling of the tongue Vers. 11. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter 12. Can the fig-tree my brethren bear olive berries either a vine figs so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh Argum. 10. Confirming the former by a fourfold similitude of a fountain a fig-tree a vine and the sea And he argues from this which is impossible according to nature to an absurdity in manners As it is not naturally that from the same channel of the fountain sweet and bitter water should flow or a fig-tree should bring forth grapes and a vine figs or the same sea should both yield salt and sweet water so reason doth not suffer us to believe that it is the tongue of a regenerated man which although sometimes it blesses yet being unbridled it is carried otherwise to cursing for a bad tree doth not bear good fruits Therefore it becomes the Regenerate to follow the simplicity of holiness in speech and to endeavour to bridle their tongues The second part Vers. 13. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge amongst you let him shew out of a good conversation his workes with meeknesse of wisdom The other Admonition wherein he exhorts to wisdom
wrongs from their Masters Vers. 20. For what glory is it if when ye be buffeted for your faults ye shall take it patiently but if when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God Argum. 2. Confirming the former from the contrary Because it is no glory but a common thing for Malefactors to suffer for their evil deeds but to suffer wrongs for well-doing is the glorious work of grace accepted and approved of God Therefore servants must suffer injuries c. Vers. 21. For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps Argum. 3. Ye are called to bear the Cross and to suffer injuries for the glory of God Therefore suffer ye c. Christ Argum. 4. Christ hath suffered for us from his enemies far more grievous evils Therefore ye are bound for the glory of God to bear patiently the wrongs that are inflicted upon you by your Masters Leaving Argum. 5. Christ in his sufferings hath left us an example of suffering injuries and he will that all believers should be conformable unto him and imitate his example Therefore ye ought to suffer injuries inflicted upon you by your Masters Vers. 22. Who did not sin neither was guile found in his mouth Argum. 6. Confirming the former Christ was altogether without sin but ye servants although ye are free from blame for which ye are afflicted by your Masters yet ye are not free from all sin from all guile in your lips Therefore ye are bound the more patiently to suffer injuries inflicted by men Vers. 23. Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously Argum. 7. Christ contained himself from all requital of injuries and did not revile those that reviled and violently used him Therefore ye servants ought to bridle your mindes not returning evil for evil and injuries from your Masters must be endured Committed Argum. 8. If ye bear injuries by the example of Christ ye have committed your cause to a just Judge God will revenge the injuries inflicted upon you Therefore suffer ye c. Vers. 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousnesse by whose stripes yeâ— were healed Argum. 9. Seeing that Christ hanging on the Cross hath really born and suffered the guilt and punishment of our sins in his own body ye ought not to suspect that God whilest he afflicteth you by the hands of unjust Masters doth as an angry Judge require vengeance of your former sins Therefore being certified as touching the expiation of your sins ye ought to beâ—â— the exercises of afflictions with a more patient minde To sin Argum. 10. For this end Christ hath taken away the guilt and punishments of our sins that the mortification of sin in us and true righteousness covenanted for by his death may be promoted by all means and consequently abstaining from revenge ye follow after patience Therefore injuries are to be born by you c. Whose Argum. 11. There is comfort and healing prepared for you in the stripes and wounds of Christ against all spiritual sickness of the minde and all wounds of the body which either your unjust Masters have inflicted or shall inflict upon you his faithful servants which he confirms in the words of Isa. 53. Therefore ye must patiently suffer injuries from your Masters Vers. 25. For ye were as sheep going astray but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls Argum. 12. Now ye ought to lead another kinde of life than you did in times past For heretofore ye did go astray as sheep in ignorance and sinfulness to your own destruction now being gathered to the Bishop and Shepherd of your souls Jesus Christ ye ought to follow your Captain and commit your selves and all yours and especially your souls to his care and custody Therefore ye servants ought patiently to bear the injuries done to you by your Masters CHAP. III. THe Chapter contains two parts The first concerning duties of the wife and husband The other of common virtues which belong to all sorts of men Vers. 1. Likewise ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands that if any obey not the word they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives The first part of the Chapter Wherein first of all he gives precepts to wives of their duties towards their husbands although they were unbelievers Precept 1. That they be subject to their own husbands and obey them not obstinately refusing their Government Likewise The Reasons of the Precept are three Reas. 1. Because in like manner from the obligation of the Law wives are bound to subjection to their husbands as servants are bound to subject themselves to their Masters although not in the same degree of subjection or subject to the same duties That also Reas 2. Because unbelieving husbands may by the holy conversation of their believing wives be prepared to attend to the word of faith and may be so far won to embrace the faith of Christ that before they hear the word they may love it for the effects thereof which they observe in their wives Vers. 2. While they behold your chastâ— conversation coupled with fear Reas. 3. Confirming the former Because the pure and chaste conversation of believing wives might move their unbelieving husbands to the consideration of the excellency of Christianity whereby the professors thereof were instituted to purity and fear Vers. 3. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiâ—ing the hair and of wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel Precept 2. Concerning the adorning of wives that they be not over curious in the outward adorning of the body indulging themselves too much in the affectation of two much â—eaâ—ness and superfluous trimming Vers. 4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price Precept 3. Propounded by way of Antithesis That they adorn the inward man that is the soul begun already to be renewed by the ornament of vertues namely of a meek and quiet spirit which will make them carry themselves modestly in all things Who is The Reasons of the Precept are five Reas. 1. Because this adorning is incorruptible in respect of the immortal soul and in respect of unperishable vertue In the sight Reas. 2. Because this adorning is precious in the sight of God graâ—eful and acceptable in his eyes whereof it behoves women to have a regard rather than of the sight of vain men that look upon them Vers. 5. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves being in subjection to their own husbands Reas. 3. From
Advocate hee excludes all others for otherwise Christ was not simply our Advocate but one of our Advocates The Righteous Reas. 3. Confirming the former Christ our Advocate is righteous i. e. not onely meet to intercede for sinners by reason of the Righteousness of his person but also righteous in his office who requires nothing of the Father in our behalf but what is justly due to him interceding for us from the covenant and merit of his death Also hee is Righteous that hee might cover us with his imputed Righteousness And lastly hee is righteous who upon the Covenant of Redemption promotes us in the following after Righteousness and raises us up again when wee fall and at length perfectly makes us righteous or holy Therefore beleevers ought both to endeavour after holiness and if at any time they fall into sin to hope for the virtue of Christs intercession Vers. 2. And hee is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but also for the sins of the whole world Reas. 4. Confirming the second reason The death and expiatory Sacrifice of Christ was offered not onely for us viz. elected out of the Jews and converted to the Faith of Christ but also for the sins of all the elect or redeemed in the world Therefore yee ought to beware of the evil of sin which cannot bee expiated unless by the death of Christ but if yee sin yee may confidently expect the virtue both of the rich expiation and intercession of Christ. Vers. 3. And hereby wee know that wee know him if wee keep his commandements Reas. 5. By endeavouring sincerely to keep the commandements of God as by a sure sign yee may know the truth of your Faith or that yee truly beleeve in God and love him sincerely Therefore follow yee after holiness or sin not Vers. 4. Hee that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyer and the truth is not in him Reas. 6. Hee that professes that hee knows God i. e. that hee beleeves in him and loves him and doth not follow after holiness for according to the stile of the Gospel to endeavour sincerely after holiness is to keep the commandements is an hypocrite in whom there is no sincerity or truth of Faith Therefore endeavour after holiness Vers. 5. But who so keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected hereby know wee that wee are in him Reas. 7. Hee that endeavours after holiness proves the sincerity of his love towards God which love is perfected or manifested to bee sincere from an endeavour of keeping the word of God and obeying it Therefore yee ought to endeavour after holiness Hereby Reas. 8. Hee that endeavours after holiness or not to sin or to keep the word of God hath an evidence of his communion with God and knows that hee dwells in Christ by Faith Therefore c. Vers. 6. Hee that saith hee abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as hee walked Reas. 9. Confirming the former whosoever professes that hee hath communion with Christ ought to endeavour after holiness or to imitate Christ in his life and conversation Therefore yee ought to endeavour after holiness Vers. 7. Brethren I write no new commandement unto you but an old commandement which yee had from the beginning the old commandement is the word which yee have heard from the beginning Reas. 10. I require no new duty from you when I urge you to follow after holiness or the observance of Gods commandements but I repeat an old commandement which yee have not onely heard from the beginning from Christ and his Ministers but yee have had it also commended to you out of the Law and Prophets Therefore endeavour after holiness Vers. 8. Again a new Commandement I write unto you which thing is true in him and in you because the darkness is past and the true light now shineth Reas. 11. This Commandement is not old in the oldness of the letter as in times past it was so long as you lived irregenerate under the Covenant of works when the Law did command and conferred no strength to perform but it is now in the newness of Spirit To the performing whereof Christ will administer new grace to you Therefore yee ought to follow after holiness Which What the New Covenant is hee expounds in the next words affirming that the command is new both in respect of Christ who quickens the Commandement and in respect of themselves who were now by regeneration made new Creatures i. e. to whom grace was administred and was furthermore to bee administred to obedience Because the darkness The reason is given to this sense Because yee are not under the Law but under Grace yee are not in a state of irregeneration but are renewed For the darkness of the Legal Covenant and the state of irregeneration are passed away and now Christ who brings life and grace with him and is the true light is risen as the Sun of Righteousness upon you that beleeve and hath both communicated the light and also the heat of life to you Therefore the commandement is new to you that yee ought to bee encouraged to follow after holiness with more alacrity Vers. 9. Hee that saith hee is in the light and hateth his Brother is in darkness even until now The second Exhortation drawing the former to the love of the Brethren The Arguments of the Exhortation are ten besides those two which are next recited and may also bee referred hither Argum. 1. Whosoever professeth himself to bee in the light or regenerate and hateth his Brother hee lies yet unregenerated in the darkness of ignorance and sin Therefore yee ought to endeavour after brotherly love Vers. 10. Hee that loveth his Brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him Argum. 2. He that loves his Brother remains in the light and perseveres in the way of truth in part possessing the lot and condition of the Saints Therefore yee ought to follow after c. And none occasion of stumbling Argum. 3. Hee that loveth his Brother doth neither stumble himself in the way of holiness alwaies seeing whither hee goes viz. to God by Faith in the way of obedience nor is hee an occasion of stumbling to others whereby they may either be drawn into sin or hardened in it Therefore yee ought to endeavour after brotherly love Vers. 11. But hee that hateth his Brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither hee goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes Argum. 4. Hee that hateth his Brother hee wholly lyes and perseveres in sin and swarving from the right way which leads to salvation hee is carried to a precepice not knowing whither hee goes because his mind is darkened with sin Therefore yee must follow after brotherly love Vers. 12. I write unto you little children because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake Argum. 5. O faithful
often with a lively voice partly making it manifest in his whole doctrine that hee is the same which came out of his Fathers bosome and laid open his counsel touching mans salvation Hee that cometh from above hee that cometh from Heaven is above all Ioh. 4.31 3 The Holy Ghost bears record that Jesus Christ is the Son of God partly by his descending upon him in his Baptism partly by his descending upon his Apostles and Disciples in the day of Pentecost partly by inspiring the doctrine of Christ into the Pen-men of the Scripture and by commending it to the world that it might teach men and perswade and confirm them touching that truth as truly divine By which hee may gather a Church and lead it into all truth to eternal life These three are said to bear record in Heaven 1 Because they immediately bear witness from Heaven as from their Throne 2 Because the Majesty of these witnesses chiefly shines in Heaven 3 Because this testimony is not heard observed acknowledged unless by souls lifted up to Heaven Lastly Because this testimony for the most part is perfected in Heaven although it should never bee received on earth Therefore yee ought to beleeve in Christ for his testimonies sake Vers. 8. And there are three that bear witness in earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one Argum. 4. Because three witnesses in earth consent together to prove that Christ is the Son of God viz. the Spirit and the Water and the Blood which are called witnesses in earth 1 Because this testimony is mediate and is produced out of the works which are to bee seen in the earth 2 Because uttering of this testimony is written in men that are in the earth and is acknowledged by the Visible Church Lastly Because this testimony doth not onely sound in the Church but also utters its voice amongst the men of the world and is heard of them to their conviction For 1 The Spirit or manifestation of the Spirit partly in miraculous gifts which are shed abroad in the Church even to the amazement of the world for many years after Christs ascention Partly in ordinary gifts which as yet flourish in the Church and suffice both to testifie that Christ who is preached amongst us is God and to draw an acknowledgement from them who are without the Church that God is in us who beleeve in Christ 1 Cor. 14. Furthermore the operation of the Spirit in the hearts of the faithful doth so quicken the words of Christ and by them doth so instruct comfort and confirm the elect that it leaves no doubt as touching the Divinity of Christ. As for Water which is the virtue of Christ sanctifiing his it so expresly speaks of Christ that those also who are without the Church seeing the light of good works in Christians are forced to glorifie our Father and the Father of Christ who is in Heaven so that also being even perceived in women it brought their unbeleeving husbands to God who at the first did not acknowledge the Word of God 1 Pet. 3.1 Lastly As for Blood which is the price of redemption and the virtue of Christ expiating sins and reconciling men to God that blood speaks better things than the blood of Abel so that it makes the consciences of the faithful quiet and peaceable and opens a way to the Throne of God and so confirms their hearts against the world and all things which are evil in it that they may bee bold and able to resound even with their own blood this testimony to those enemies that hear them in the midst of torments with joy Rev. 12.11 Therefore wee ought to beleeve in Christ as the Son of God Vers. 9. If wee receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater For this is the witness of God which hee hath testified of his Son Argum. 5. For the sake of the testimonies of faithful and true men wee beleeve their assertions Therefore for the sake of the testimony of God which is greater testifying of his Son we ought to beleeve in Christ as the Son of God Vers. 10. Hee that beleeveth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself hee that beleeveth not God hath made him a lyer because hee beleeveth not the record that God gave of his Son Argum. 6 Hee that beleeves in Christ as the Son of God is so much rectified that hee rests in the witness of the Spirit inâ—ardly confirming this truth of the Divine Word Therefore c. Hee that beleeveth not Argum. 7. Hee that doth not beleeve in â—hrist as the Son of God doth really accuse God of a lye because hee rejects the testimony concerning his Son as if it were false Therefore wee must beleeve in Christ as the Son of God Vers. 11. And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son Argum. 8. Those that beleeve in the Son have right to eternal life which is in the Son as in the Fountain Procurer Giver and Conserver given to them by grace and confirmed by the constancy of Gods testimony Therefore c. Vers. 12. Hee that hath the Son hath life and hee that hath not the Son hath not life Argum. 9. Hee that truly embraces the Son by Faith hath also eternal life not onely as to the right of it but also to 〈◊〉 inchoate possession and hee that hath not the Son by Faith or seeks life in another rather than in him is destitute and shut out from all spiritual life Therefore c. Vers. 13. These things have I written unto you that beleeve on the Name of the Son of God that yee may know that yee have eternal life and that yee may beleeve on the Name of the Son of God Argum. 10. For this end all these things are written to the faithful from the Holy Ghost by the Apostle the Pen-man that they might bee certain that they have eternal life already and might more and more beleeve in the name of the Son of God Therefore yee must beleeve in Christ. Vers. 14. And this is the confidence that wee have in him that if wee ask any thing according to his will hee heareth us Argum. 11. Hee that beleeveth in Christ hath confidence in his approaches to God in prayer and that hee shall have Gods favourable ear in every petition which is put up according to the will of God Therefore c. Vers. 15. And if wee know that hee heareth us whatsoever wee ask wee know that wee have the pâ—titions that wee desired of him Argum. 12. Explicating and unfolding the former Hee that beleeves in Christ by knowing that God will bee propitious to him in his lawful or well-ordered petitions hee may also bee certain that the petitions which hee hath offered according to the Promises of God are already granted by him before they bee finished and so hee may bee assured of the success