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
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
to these vices Therefore hee includes himself in this Exhortation with the rest that the Galatians may more easily receive this Exhortation CHAP. VI. HEE proceeds to prescribe Christian duties to the Galatians much more excellent than those Legal Ceremonies and more worthy of their practice There are two parts of the Chapter in the first hee adds to the former Precepts two other to vers 11. In the other hee compares himself with the false Apostles and deservedly prefers himself before them lest the Galatians by the admiration of those should bee deceived Vers. 1. Brethren if a man bee overtaken in a fault yee which are spiritual restore such a one in the Spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also bee tempted The first Precept concerning dealing gently with the Brethren who fall through infirmity that they bee restored in the Spirit of meekness by those who seem more confirmed in the Spirit but hee speaks especially to the Presbyters upon whom it lyes by duty to recall those again to repentance that are fallen into scandalls by ecclesiastical censures and to restore again the dis-joynted members of the Church into their place Hee commandeth those to use meâ—kness towards them that through infirmity are fallen back and not to deal severely with them which without doubt belongs to those who have the power of punishing sinners There are six reasons of the Precept Reason 1. Because the same may happen through a temptation to any one even to the spiritual themselves Vers. 2. Bear yee one anothers burdens and so fulfil the Law of Christ. Reason 2. Because seeing that it may bee presupposed that sinning Brethren are sorrowful and grieved for their backslidings and sins Therefore it is fitting that sinners which are dejected and cast down in all moderation and sympathy should bee succoured and relieved under their burden And so Reason 3. Because the Law of Love renewed by Christ requireth that from us Vers. 3. For if a man think himself to bee something when hee is nothing hee deceiveth himself Reason 4. Hee that despiseth others that backslide through infirmity and thinks himself more strong deceiveth himself is amongst the weakest yea hee is a man of no strength at all Vers. 4. But let every man prove his own Works and then shall hee have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another Reason 5. Propounded after the manner of a Precept making for the quelling of self admiration and shunning the casting contempt upon a backsliden Brother Because if every one would try himself and examine his actions according to the rule of the divine Law no man would arrogate to himself the praise of holiness from other mens sins but onely from their good actions if hee found any of them worthy of praise This was said against them who never cease to aggravate another mans sin that they may seem more holy themselves Vers. 5. For every man shall bear his own burden Reason 6. Confirming the reason fore-going Because every one shall give an account of his Works to God not compared with others but considered with himself Therefore it is not safe to despise those that are fallen into sin and to bee lifted up against them because in like manner thou art not fallen thy self Vers. 6. Let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things The second Precept belongeth to the people concerning liberality to bee exercised towards the Ministers of the Word that wee communicate coporal goods to them who communicate unto us by their office spiritual things and give themselves to this Work Vers. 7. Bee not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall hee also reap Hee gives six reasons of the Precept which are all extended to liberality in general and do confirm the Precept of Liberality to Pastors the more strongly Reas. 1. Supposing these who are ingrateful towards their Teachers to bee also niggardly and slow to every good Work because the excuses of niggardliness are the delusions of covetous men with which God will not suffer them to delude themselves Whatsoever Reas. 2. Because every one shall receive fruit according to his deeds hee that hath onely received and refuseth to bee thankful shall bee rewarded according to his ingratitude and on the contrary Vers. 8. For hee that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption But hee that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Hee expounds this Argument in particular Hee that bestows his goods or substance and his actions to the fulfilling the lusts of the flesh hee shall of his doing reap corruption But hee that on the contrary layeth out himself and all for the glory of God and promoting the works of the Spirit hee shall bee graciously rewarded with eternal life Vers. 9. As let us not bee weary in well-doing for in due season wee shall reap if wee faint not Reas. 3. Because whatsoever may bee said concerning liberality shewed by any one already as if enough was done by him yet hee must know that good things past are not sufficient unless wee persevere in well-doing Due Reas. 4. Illustrating and confirming the former Because an harvest of rewards shall certainly in due time bee to those alone that persevere in well-doing and faint not or bee weary Vers. 10. As wee have therefore opportunity let us do good unto all men especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith Reas. 5. Because the time of exercising well-doing is short therefore opportunity is to bee observed whilst life and abilities last and to reward them when they are dying is somewhat late Especially Reas. 6. The common bond of nature requireth that wee should bee liberal to all that are in want The bond of brother-hood requires charity towards the houshold of faith therefore how much more doth the bond of a flock towards their Pastor require that hee bee nourished by the milk and the fleece of the flock The Second Part. Vers. 11 â—ee see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand The second part of the Chapter follows wherein after his Doctrine compared with the errour of his Adversaries now hee compares the Teacher with the Teachers i. e. Himself with the Seducers of the Galatians and that for their own edification who admired those glorious Doctors their Seducers Before hee compares himself hee premises the commendation of his sincere love towards the Galatians that hee writ this so large an Epistle with his own hand without the help of any Scribe as a most ample testimony of his solicitousness for their salvation Vers. 12. As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh they constrain you to bee circumcised onely lest they should suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ. Hee begins his comparison and proves the hypocrisie of his Emulators by four signs A fair shew Sign 1. That they study nothing more than to carry
sin taking occasion by the Commandement wrought in mee all manner of concupiscence for without the Law sin was dead Reason 2. Because the sin that dwells in us or the habitual pravity of our nature is the cause of actual sins but the Law is not the cause but the occasion to sin not given but taken For sin that dwells in us saith hee or the evil of nature taking occasion from the Law forbidding lust so much the more is inflamed and excited And indeavouring after what was forbidden begat in mee all manner of concupiscence and evil motions against the Law For without the Law Which hee confirms by a sign Because the Law not being known sin lies hid and is as dead but when the Law comes it is stirred up and appears as filthiness is not seen in the absence of the Sun but that arising it appears and stinks not by the Suns fault but by its own Therefore the Law is holy Vers. 9. For I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandement came sin revived and I died By his own experience hee further explains the matter shewing that formerly when hee was a Pharisee and unregenerate in his own opinion hee was alive that is very just and in no wise guilty of eternal death but when his eies were opened by the grace of God the true sense of the Law was unfolded then hee understood the force of sin and that hee was guilty of eternal death Vers. 10. And the Commandement which was ordained to life I found to bee unto death From this experience hee saith that hee learned two things First That the end of the command and the effect was good in it self because the command is good in it self and by it self ordained to life if men obeyed it The other that the effect of the Law by accident was death so farre as it threatned death to the sinner and urges him from justice with the sentence of death Vers. 11. For sin taking occasion by the Commandement deceived mee and by it slew mee 12. Wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandement holy and just and good The third Reason in defence of the Law The sin that dwells in us is the cause of death onely taking occasion from the Law or the command as hee had learned by experience for sin while hee thought of what was forbidden in the Law invited and inticed him to forbidden things and polluted him and so by the Command made him more and more obnoxious to death Therefore the Law is altogether holy and particularly that which forbids Concupiscence is holy just and good because it is given by an holy God according to equity and for our profit Vers. 13. Was that then which is good made death unâ—o mee God forbid But sin that it might appear sin working death in mee by that which is good that sin by the Commandement might become exceeding sinful The second Objection Some might say Therefore hath that which is good been the cause of death Hee answers by rejecting the reproach for the occasion is to bee distinguished from the cause and the use of a thing from the abuse of it Hee therefore acquits the Law and casts all the blame upon the sin that dwells in us Truly saith hee it is not the Law but sin that dwells in mee which is the cause of death and discovers it self to bee sin so farre forth as it is stirred up in mee and kindled by the good Law of God it enkindles rebellious motions to the Law of God and so much the more upon this account doth it cause death that so sin in mee by the Command might appear above measure sinful Which is spoken most seasonably to stop the mouths of all who otherwise would deny inborn concupiscence now natural to all to be sin was it not found to bee the cause of actual sins and death and this defence hee makes for the Law The third Part. Vers. 14. For wee know that the Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin The third part of the Chapter wherein is set down the second head of comfort to those who bewail the imperfection of their obedience to the Law from the Apostles example wrastling with the same evil and getting the victory by the favour and benefit of free justification as appears from vers the last This is the force of the Argument I bewailing in my self the power of sin wrastle against it taking comfort from justification by faith in Christ Therefore you holy Champions take comfort in your wrastling and conflict In the conflict of the Apostle appears a threefold difficulty and a threefold victory in the retreat in all which are mixed some Arguments of comfort drawn from the Apostles experience The first difficulty arises from a threefold contention The first is of the Law and himself I saith hee with the rest of beleevers acknowledge the Law to bee spiritual which wholly favourâ— the holiness of the Spirit of God and is wholly referred to a spiritual course of life But when I look upon my self and compare the imperfection of my obedience with the spiritualness of the Law I am compelled in respect to the Old Man in mee not yet mortified to acknowledge my self carnal and as a slave sold to subjection under sin out of whose bonds I cannot deliver my self but I am carryed away whither I would not Vers. 15. For that which I do I allow not for what I would that do I not but what I hate that I do Hee proves what hee hath said and shews the second contest betwixt his actions and his judgement renewed That which I do I do not approve viz. when I examine my actions to the perfect Rule of the Law I am forced not to approve but condemn many things in my actions The third disagreement hee shews to bee betwixt his actions and his will renewed I do not that good which I would saith hee hindered by the body of death in mee and that evil which I hate that I do failing of the Rule where I would not for I would perform perfect obedience to the Law of God but I fall short and in many things I offend Vers. 16. If then I do that which I would not I consent unto the Law that it is good The first difficulty you have seen the victory follows and three Arguments of Consolation whereby the Apostle comforts himself and the rest of his fellow-combatants Argum. 1. I my self am in the number of those who bewail their imperfect holiness and finde the same conflict in my self as they do from the imperfection of my obedience Therefore they have Consolation that mourn over the imperfection of their holiness seeing they suffer nothing different from other Saints nay not from the Apostles themselves I consent Argum. 2. Of Consolation Because from this conâ—â—ict it appears that sanctification is begun in him that wrastles and a consent to the Law of God that it is holy and good
together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Iesus Christ 5. To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may bee saved in the day of the Lord Iesus Argum. 3. Because now besides that ordinary power which you have in the Ecclesiastical Senate viz. you are instructed and obliged also by an extraordinary Power to excommunicate him for truly you have my mind or spirit judgement opinion and authority concerning that wicked person as much in my absence as if I was present Therefore when you are gathered together being fortified by this Apostolical Epistle in which the spirit or mind or opinion of mee an Apostle is contained and by the authority of Christ in whose name the censures of the Church are to bee made that you deliver that wicked one to Satan or excommunicate him Hee sayes Deliver him to Satan because hee that is rejected and cast out of the Church by Excommunication from the Church-dignity of the Saints as to the outward condition of a man the same also is declared to bee as to his outward condition in the Kingdome bondage and power of Satan for to bee a Citizen even in the outward state of the Church which is said to bee the Kingdome of God is a greater honour than to reign without the Church Therefore hee that is Excommunicated hee loses much of his repute and honour and dignity and is reckoned amongst the subjects of the devil Destruction of the flesh Argum. 4. From the end of Excommunication by way of preventing an objection because Excommunication is a means of Repentance and Salvation for truly by this censure the pride of the flesh may bee mortified and the new creature bee saved in the day of judgement Therefore hee is to bee excommunicated Vers. 6. Your glorying is not good know yee not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump Argum. 5. Lest the whole Church should bee infected and polluted by the contagion of so great a wickedness as by a little leaven the whole lump is leavened Therefore the Incestuous Person is to bee Excommunicated This Argument is enforced by repeating his reproof of the Corinthians Vers. 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven that yee may bee a new lump as yee are unleavened for even Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us Argum. 6. Propounded by the continuing of the Allegory because the Christian Church is to bee purged from scandals yea and the hearts of Christians from all the corruption of their old nature with no less diligence than heretofore the houses of the Jews under the Law were purged from common leaven before the Passeover was sacrificed Therefore the Incestuous Person is to bee Excommunicated That yee may bee Argum. 7. From the profitableness of it Yee must endeavour that yee may bee a new and holy society an holy lump or that yee may bee found new creatures really and in deed as yee are unleavened by your obligation and profession or as you are Saints Therefore the Incestuous Person is to bee Excommunicated Passeover Confirming this Argument hee adds the eighth because the thing signified in the Passeover to wit the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ doth not less engage Christians to their duties represented by the celebration and ceremonies of the Feast that is to bee careful that holiness may flourish in us and in the Church than it did oblige the Jews heretofore to observe the ceremonies of the Feast in which the Paschal Lamb being a type sacrificed was set before them Vers. 8. Therefore let us keep the Feast not with old leaven neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sincere truth From hence hee infers as it were by a perswasive conclusion the ninth Argum. That malice and wickedness being put away both from themselves and from the Church and by consequence that Incestuous Person being excommunicated they might worship and serve the Lord cheerfully and holily in sincerity and truth The force of this Argument is this Wee cannot live holily and righteously as the signification of the Feast of the Paschal Lamb typified requires of us unless the leaven of our former life and wicked practices be purged away out of us and the House of God or the Church and unless wee endeavour to keep sincerity and truth in us and the Church Therefore hee is to bee Excommunicated Vers. 9. I wrote unto you in an Epistle not to company with fornicators Argum. 10. Because he before forbad them by his Epistle to have fellowship with Fornicators and by consequence they might understand that Fornicators were to bee Excommunicated from the Church and much more incestuous persons Therefore that Incestuous Person is now to bee excommunicated Vers. 10. Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world or with the Covetous or with Extortioners or with Idolaters for then must you needs go out of the world Lest they should excuse themselves hee shews them that that Precept concerning vicious persons was not to bee understood by them of those that were in the world or without the Church because thus the Apostle had commanded a thing impossible because they must eitheâ— necessarily live amongst such wicked persons or go out of the world for they lived at Corinth the Citizens whereof with whom the Faithful necessarily must have civil commerce remained for the most part Infidels Vers. 11. But now have I written unto you not to keep company if any man that is called a Brother bee a Fornicator or Covetous or an Idolater or a Railer or a Drunkard or an Extortioner with such a one no not to eat Argum. 11. If you have not been heretofore sufficiently instructed in this business at least yee now have my mind which you have heard out of this Epistle that you must not eaâ— with a Professor or Brother that is a Fornicatour and by consequence that Brother is to bee excommunicated who being convinced of his faults by the Church remains still wicked without repentance Therefore now you ought much more to conclude that the incestuous person is to bee excommunicated Vers. 12. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without do not you judge them that are within 13. But them that are without God judgeth therefore put away from among your selves that wicked person Another reason of the Exposition is given by urging the twelfth Argument for excommunicating the incestuous person because from thence that neither the Apostle nor the Church had right to exercise Church Censures upon those who were without the Church but they were left to the judgement of God onely they ought to conclude that to judge of the members of the Church belonged to them Therefore that wicked incestuous person was to bee taken away from amongst them by excommunication which is the scope of the whole Chapter CHAP. VI. THE THIRD AND FOURTH ARTICLE CONCERNING LAW SUTES AND AVOIDING FORNICATION IN this Chapter the third
and gave him to bee the Head over all things to the Church Argum. 11. All our enemies the Devil the wicked in the world Persecutors Hereticks and Impostors the power of sin in us prisons banishments all kinds of death are put under Christs feet that hee may order them and dispose of them to our good and put them under our feet Therefore c. The Head Argum. 12. Christ is appointed Head over all things in the Church that is the Father hath committed the full power and administration of all things unto him that hee onely should bee the most near Head of the Catholick Church for the illumination of the Church and all its members for the vivification exciting to all spiritual duties and preservation of spiritual life in them by the immediate presence and operation of his Spirit in the whole Church and its several members Therefore unless you will doubt of your Heads Wisdome Power and Faithfulness in his office you should bee strengthened in Faith Vers. 23. Which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Argum. 13. The Church is the mystical body of Christ and all beleevers are his members Therefore you should not doubt but hee will look to and have a care of your salvation unless you will deny that Beleevers are his members The fulness Argum. 14. The Church is the fulness of Christ so far as hee is its mystical Head so that hee doth not judge himself to bee perfected and completed till all and every of the Elect bee gathered into one united to him have attained that full encrease suitable to and appointed for every member and till at last they enjoy with him a plenary happiness Therefore you should bee as sure of the perfecting of your salvation as you are that Christ will not suffer himself to bee incompleat imperfect and maimed Filleth Argum. 15. Christ filleth all in all that is according to every Creatures capacity as hee is the God of Nature hee works all things as hee is the Head of the Church hee perfects all things which belong to the Spiritual Life Sanctification and Salvation of Beleevers filling all his members by degrees Therefore it is not to bee questioned but hee will accomplish the begun work of Faith Sanctification and Salvation in you This that hee filleth all in all is adjoyned by way of correction or exposition to the former phrase of the fulness of Christ by the Church lest wee should conceive that Christs or our perfection depends upon any besides himself who of his own free love hath brought this necessity upon himself of communicating himself to us unworthy wretches who stirred up this desire of us in himself who himself hath the power to satisfie this his own desire and who by degrees fulfills his desire of sanctifying us and induing us with Faith and will proceed to fulfil it till hee hath performed all things necessary to the perfecting of salvation and that in all the faithful the greatest and least To him bee the glory of his Grace his power and his constancy for ever and ever Amen CHAP. II. THe Apostle proceeds to prosecute the same Argument proving sometimes in the Supposition that the beleeving Ephesians sometimes possitively that all Beleevers are saved by Grace The Proposition to bee made good is this you O Ephesians are saved by Grace or Beleevers are saved by Grace His Arguments are fifteen upon the last whereof hee insists to the latter end of the Chapter Vers. 1. And you hath hee quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins Argu. 1. If you O Ephesians are considered in the common State of Nature you will bee found to have been in that condition that you could not have recovered thence but by Grace There are seven parts of this Argument every one whereof heightens our first misery and proves Grace to bee the onely cause of salvation Dead 1 In the State of Nature you were not onely defiled with but dead in sin and not onely judicially dead because guilty of or liable to death but also really in effect spiritually dead so that the dead could as easily raise themselves to life or perform actions of being as you could free your selves from this death or do any good deed Therefore you are saved by Grace Vers. 2. Wherein in time past yee walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the Air the Spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience 2 In reference to this natural life you did wholly pass that in sin being wholly busied and walking in them or else waxing worse and worse Therefore c. Of this world 3 You walked in the waies of worldly and carnal men who favour this natural life onely and followed their manners and customes as the rule of life Therefore c. The Prince 4 You followed the Captain of this way the Devil the Prince of unclean spirits who with his Executioners or other evil Angels flying in the Air rules and governs effectually Which worketh 5 The Devil did reign and execute his will in you as now hee doth in the disobedient Therefore c. Vers. 3. Among whom also wee all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of our flesh and of the mind and were by nature the children of wrath ever as others 6 You did fulfil the lusts of your flesh and wallowing in them did commit whatever your vain mind dictated whatever your corrupt appetite and affections of the flesh prescribed To these the Apostle adds himself before his conversion that they might see this Argument propounded in an Hypothesis would serve to confirm the general Thesis Children 7. By nature yee were children of wrath that is guilty of death and liable to divine wrath which God might justly pour upon us even to our utter destruction Hereunto hee joyns all other men as they are considered in the state of nature Therefore wee are beholding to Grace for our salvation Vers. 4. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith hee loved us Argum. 2. God out of his rich mercy and love hath delivered us who beleeve from this most miserable condition Therefore our salvation is of Grace The several parts of this Argument manifest the same God 1. Hee shews God to bee the sole Author of our deliverance who alone is meet for so great a work Rich 2. That Grace might appear the cause of our salvation is mentioned to bee the abundant or rich mercy of God whereby as it were touched with a sense of our miserie hee is moved to deliver us For his 3. The love of God wherewith he loved us from eternity is annexed as the cause both of mercy and salvation Us 4. It was of mercy that God was pleased to take us rather than others and choose us for his sons Therefore c. Ver. 5. Even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us
maintain the Truth against all fear of men Vers. 26. For if wee sin wilfully after that wee have received the knowledge of the Truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sins Another Motive to constancy in the Truth of Religion taken from the fearful case of wilful Apostates who sinning the sin against the Holy Ghost are secluded for ever from Mercy I say the sin against the Holy Ghost because wee shall finde the sin here described not to be any particular sin against the Law but against the Gospel Not a sin against some point of Truth but against Christs whole Doctrine Not of infirmity but wilfulness Not of rashness but of deliberation wittingly and willingly Not of ignorance but after Illumination and Profession Such as Iews turned Christians revolting from Christianity back again to their former hostility against Christ did commit It is true many who commit lesser sins get never grace to repent and many who make defection in some point of their profession may be secluded from mercy thereafter but this sin here described is a wilful rejecting of Christ and the Benefit of his Sacrifice after Illumination and Profession of the Faith of Christ. Then 1. As Apostacy from the true Religion lyeth nearest unto this sin so they who desire to be freed of this sin must be the more careful to be constant in the profession of every point of the Truth of the Gospel 2. If a man reject the Benefit of that once offered Sacrifice of Christ there is no other Sacrifice for sin after that nor any other mean to help him But if a man seek unto Jesus Christ and will not quit Him whatsoever hee may think of the hainousness of his own sins the Sacrifice which Jesus offered for sins remaineth whereby hee may be saved Vers. 27. But a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries Having secluded the Apostate from Mercy hee goeth on in these words to shew his miserable estate Whereof wee gather 1. That the wilful Apostate from the Faith of Christ is also a wilful Adversary to Christ of the highest sort Partaker of Satans sin and Satans Profession 2. That every Apostate of this sort is destitute of Gods Peace self-condemned desperate of salvation hopeless of Relief without all purpose of Repentance or using means of help stricken with the fore-sight of the Wrath coming upon him and made to expect it although hee should dissemble it never so much 3. The Apostates fear shall come upon him judgement answerable to his sin the indignation and wrath of God yea fiery indignation the most terrible that can be thought upon which hee shall not escape but it shall devoute him swallow him up and feed upon his body and soul even for ever 2. In that hee maketh this the judgement of Christs Adversaries Wee learn That the soul which loveth Christ and cannot quiâ— Him cannot endure to think of a separation will not quit the true Religion nor any known point of Christs Truth and is using the means to get Gods Peace albeit it might seem to it self because of the present sense of wrath to be in the self-same estate that is here described yet it is â—ree as yet of the sin against the Holy Ghost and not to be reckoned amongst adversaries but amongst the friends and lovers of Christ how vehemently soever Satans suggestions bear in the contrary 3. In that by setting before them the fearful estate of Apostates from the known Truth of the true Religion hee Laboureth to strengthen them against the fear of persecution Whence wee learn That if Apostates before they make Apostasie from the true Religion did fore-see their own danger as after Apostasie they are made to fore-see their own condemnation all the terrour of all the torment which man could put them unto and all the allurements which this world could give them would not move them to quit the least point of the Truth of true Religion Vers. 28. Hee that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses 29. Of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall hee be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the Blood of the Covenant wherewith hee was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace 1. Hee proveth the equity of their judgement by the proportion of their punishment who despised the Law of Moses Then As sins are greater so must the punishment be greater and the conscience being posed as here cannot but subscribe to the proportion 2. To make the sin appear the better hee pointeth out some particular sins involved within this great sin For clearing whereof it may be asked How can the Apostates tread the Blood of the Son of God under foot c. I answer They cannot indeed by physical action but by doing the equivalent sin they are accounted of God to do it by judicial interpretation Their Apostasie importeth their agreeing to do Christ as much indignity as if they did offer Him this personal violence Their deeds shew that they have this base estimation of Christ and His Blood and no better For what saith the Apostate of Christ by his deed but That Hee is not worthy to be professed or avowed or followed And what is this in effect but to tread Him under all these base things which the Apostate preferreth before Him And so is to be understood of the Blood of Christ and His Spirit Quest. But how can the Reprobate be said to be sanctified by the Blood of the Covenant I answer There is a sanctification to the purifying of the flesh and a sanctification to the purifying of the conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.13 14. The sanctification external to the purifying of the flesh consisteth in the mans separation from the world and dedication unto Gods service by Calling and Covenant common to all the members of the visible Church and it is forcible thus far as to bring a man into credit estimation as a Saint before men and unto the common Priviledges of the Church whereupon as Men so God also speaketh unto him and of him as one of His People and dealeth with him in his external dispensation as with one of His own People In this sense all the Congregation of Israel and every one of them is called holy yea Core also and his followers Num. 16.3 The Sanctification internal by renovation consisteth in a mans separation from the state of Nature to the state of grace from his old conditions to be a new creature indeed By this latter sort a Reprobate cannot be called Sanctified but by the former hee may be called Sanctified and that by virtue of the Blood of the Covenant albeit hee should not get any further good thereby For as the Blood of CHRIST hath virtue to cleanse the conscience and renew the soul which commeth unto it truly and spiritually so it
must have force to do that which is less that is purifie the flesh and external condition of the man who cometh unto it outwardly onely as the Types did under the Law whereupon an Hypocrite in the Christian Church must be accounted one of the Congregation of the Saints as well as an Hypocrite under the Law was so called because CHRISTS Blood cannot be inferiour to the Types which were of this force to sanctifie men to the purifying of the flesh Or wee may say more shortly There is a sanctification by consecration when any thing is devoted or dedicated unto God and a sanctification by inhabitation of the holy Spirit 2 Cor. 6.16 17 18. Of the former sort the Censers of Core Dathan and Abiram are called Holy And the reason is given Because they offered them before the LORD therefore they are hallowed Numb 16.38 And in this sense all the members of the visible Church even such as afterwards do prove Apostates are sanctified because they are offered and offer themselves unto the Lord. But the inhabitation of the holy Spirit is proper onely to the Elect and Gods Children Hence learn 1. That all the members of the visible Church are so confederate unto God that it is sacriledge for them not to seek Gods honour in all things or to bestow themselves any other way than for God 2. Men are reckoned by God so to deal with Christ and his Blood and Covenant and Spirit as they make account thereof as they have estimation of Christ and his Blood and Spirit 3. And their estimation is not reckoned by their words or pretences but by their deeds as these do import so are they judged to esteem 4. Because Apostasie from Christ importeth as much as Hee and his Doctrine are unworthy to be avowed or maintained by consequence it importeth also that Christ was not the Man hee called himself and that all his Spirit had taught them was untruth and therefore justly here doth the Scripture challenge the Apostate of counting Christs blood no better than the blood of a common Malefactor and of giving of the Lie to the holy Spirit So fearful a thing is it to make defection from any known part of true Religion Vers. 30. For wee know him that hath said Vengeance belongeth unto mee I will recompence saith the Lord. And again The LORD shall judge his People In that hee proveth the certainty of their punishment out of Deut. 32.35 36. Learn 1. That the justice and constancy of Gods Truth in general threatnings is sufficient to prove the certain punishment of particular sins 2. The punishment of Apostates of one kind may evidence the punishment of Apostates of another kind For it is the Jews Apostasie to Idolatry and worshiping of Images which in that place the Lord doth threaten 2. Hee maketh the knowing of God who speaketh a proof sufficient for the certain performance of his Word Then As men understand Gods Nature so will his Word weigh with them And such as know him best will stand most in awe of him beleeve his Word most Vers. 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the living God From this knowledge of Gods Nature hee pronounceth how fearful a thing it is to fall into the hands of an adversary to be punished Then 1. It is presupposed that such as reject the Mercy of Christ shall not be able to reject justice but must fall into his Hand 2. The eternity of God maketh his wrath terrible For hee liveth for ever to avenge himself on his foes 3. The terror of the Lord what torment hee is able to inflict and that for ever is a fit mean to make men beware to make Apostasie from Christ. Vers. 32. But call to remembrance the former daies in which after yee were illuminated yee endured a great fight of afflictions For a mean to help them constantly to go on hee directeth them to make use of their former patience and experience of troubles for the Gospel Then 1. Even they who have suffered for Christ have need to be stirred up to constancy and to be terrified from Apostasie 2. The more men have suffered for Christ they ought to be the bolder in the profession of his Truth and the more ready for new sufferings 2. He maketh the time of their first troubles to be after illumination Then some do enter into troubles for Religion at their very first conversion and are yoked in battel against persecutors beside other on-sets of Satan and their own nature Vers. 33. Partly whilest ye were made a gazing-stock both by reproaches and afflictions and partly whilest ye became companions of them which were so used He maketh their troubles in their own persons by reproaches and afflictions the first part of their fight wherein they were a gazing-stock to the world Then 1. Such as are called to suffer for Christ are set upon a Theater to give proof of their faith and love to Christ before the world 2. The blinde world wondreth at such as adventure to suffer any thing for the truth of Christ and think but ignominiously of Christ and his cause and of those that maintain the same 3. Reproaches and taunts of the godly by the world are reckoned up to them for parts of their Christian cross and their glory before God 2. The next part of their fight was their partaking with such as did suffer the like Then 1. It is the part of true Christians to countenance them that confesse Christ yea and to joyn with them that suffer for him 2. Communion with the sufferings of others is reckoned up for a part of our own sufferings 3. To suffer patiently our selves or take a part with others in their sufferings will cost us a battel Vers. 34. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance He cometh to particulars and first their compassion towards himself in his bonds is remembred by him Then 1. Compassion with sufferers especially when it is manifested to the afflicted party for his comfort maketh the compassionate person a partaker with the sufferer 2. Such compassion should be remembred by the sufferer thankfully and recompenced by seeking their eternal welfare who have shewed them such great kindeness 2. Another particular is their joyful enduring the spoliation of their goods Then 1. When trial cometh of mens faith in Christ such as minde to be constant must prepare themselves to quit their goods if GOD please so to honour them with employment 2. When we see we must lose our goods for Christs sake or suffer any other inconveniency we ought to do it chearfully and count our gain in Christ more than our loss in the world And if we finde trouble to let our adversaries know as little of it as we can namely seeing there is no cause of grief if our eyes were opened and our
are bound to follow after piety and the profession of grace Therefore c. Do not fashion Argum. 4. Seeing it cannot consist with the obedience of children that ye fashion your selves to the former lusts which ruled in you before conversion Vers. 15. But as he which hath called you 〈◊〉 holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation 16. Because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy Argum. 5. Ye ought to answer your holy vocation in all kinde of holy conversation Go forward therefore c. As Argum. 6. Confirming the former There ought to be some similitude betwixt you and the Holy God who hath called you Therefore ought ye to labour after this conformity He confirms this Argument from the testimony of Scripture Lev. 11.44 Mat. 5.17 Vers. 17. And if you call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear Argum. 7. God is the Judge of every mans works and more severely requires holiness from those that draw nigh to him and call him their Father Therefore ye ought to pass the time of your sojourning here in this life in the fear of God Vers. 18. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers Argum. 8. Ye are redeemed from all manner of vain conversation in Legal purifications separated from the thing signified and placed in humane traditions which are of no value although it may be commended to you by the example of your Fathers and by tradition Therefore unless ye would frustrate your redemption ye ought to endeavour after true piety and renounce a vain conversation Redeemed Argum. 9. By redemption ye are the hired servants of God that ye may no longer live according to your own will or the world or the Devil but according to the will of him that redeemed you Therefore ye ought to live in the faith and obedience of Christ. Vers. 19. But with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Argum. 10. The blood of Christ the Son of God dying represented by the typical Lamb is of so much excellency that it far exceeds the most precious things in this world Therefore ye ought to stand in the grace of Christ and endeavour after holiness unless ye will vilifie this price Vers. 20. Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in the last times for you Argum. 11. Although Christ from eternity was fore-ordained to the work of Redemption yet he was not manifested until the last times and that especially for your sakes who were even as the lost sheep of Israel Therefore ye are chiefly bound to glorifie God by your holiness Vers. 21. Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God Argum. 12. Christ was not onely manifested for your good that are believers but also by Christ or the merit and operation of Christ that same faith whereby ye believe in God is obtained and produced in you Therefore it is meet that ye should live to God in holiness Hath raised God by raising Christ the Redeemer from the dead and by glorifying him with that glory which he had with God from all eternity hath demonstrated unto you and to all the world that Christ is truly the Son of God or truly God that your faith whereby ye believe in Christ might be found to be faith in God and so the solidness of your faith might appear to you for your greater comfort and glory Therefore ye faithful Hebrews who live after Christ is risen are so much the more bound to follow after faith and holiness that ye may please God Vers. 22. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently The Second Exhortation more especially to brotherly love There are three branches of this Exhortation Branch 1. That they love fervently not coldly not remisly as if they were ready upon small cause to hate 2. That they love with a pure heart endeavouring the good of one another not onely aiming at private advantage 3. That without hypocrisie they follow after brotherly love loving not onely in word and tongue but shewing love in deed without dissimulation without deceit Souls There are three Arguments of the Exhortation Argum. 1. It is to be presupposed that ye being justified by faith in desire in purpose and an inchoate endeavour through the virtue of the Holy Spirit have purified your souls to the sincere love of the brethren Therefore ye ought exceedingly to love one another Vers. 23. Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever Argum. 2. This brotherhood of believers is more excellent than that which is after the flesh in as much as it doth not rise from natural generation but from spiritual regeneration which requires a more firm mutual and excellent love Therefore ye ought to love one another fervently Word Argum. 3. Confirming the former This fraternity of believers as it hath its rise from an incorruptible principle so it will never perish The word of God which is the seed of our regeneration is not corruptible like the seed of natural generation Therefore ye ought exceedingly and carefully to love one another Vers. 24. For all flesh is as grass and all the glory of man as the flower of grass The grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away He confirms both parts of the comparison from the testimony of Scripture And first he proves the corruptibility of natural seed from Isa. 40.6 which declares the glory of all flesh and consequently all relation of fraternity founded in flesh to be corruptible Vers. 25. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever And this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you He proves that the seed of Regeneration is incorruptible from the testimony of the same Prophet Isaiah because the Word of the Lord abides for ever But he affirms that this is spoken touching the word of the Gospel as the matter stands because the preaching of the truth concerning salvation by Christ vouchsafed to believers is operative for the bringing of believers to life eternal Therefore it is incorruptible CHAP. II. HE proceeds in his Exhortation to duties of Piety and Holiness This Chapter contains four Exhortations Vers. 1. Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evil speakings The first Exhortation is to love and desire of the Divine Word which he had of late commended There are two branches of the Exhortation The first touching the shunning and laying aside the vices that are familiar to corrupt nature
denounced against them their hatred to their brethren is as great as that of Cain who slew his brother 6 The sixth vice is Covetousness like that of Balaam who as hee made sale of his tongue so they for filthy lucre adulterated and corrupted the Doctrine of Christ. 7 The seventh vice is Sedition like that of Core whereby they oppose themselves to the true Ministers of the Gospel and by their tumults disturb the peace of the Church who shall perish in their sedition as Core did Vers. 12. These are spots in your feasts of Charity when they feast with you feeding themselves without fear clouds they are without water carried about of winds trees whose fruit withereth without fruit twice dead plucked up by the roots 8 The eighth vice was Gluttâ—ny whereby they corrupted both themselves and others by their evil examples in their Christian feasts which were designed for the encrease of love amongst them but by such like Epicures were turned into feedings of Swine whilst they cast off the fear of God and attended to nothing but gluttony and intemperance feeding their own flesh but not the souls of their Auditors 9 The ninth vice or rather an heap of vices is shadowed under divers similitudes that they were most unfit for the work of the Ministery and indeed reprobate to every good work for as empty clouds carried about with every wind that saving doctrine which they seemed to promise yeelded no dew or showres any where but frustrated the earnest expectation of their hearers and although they bear the shew of good fruit and boast themselves to bee such yet they are but autumne and fruit-spoiling trees because if they promise any fruit yet they bring it to no ripeness or maturity Much rather may they bee called unfruitful in as much as they bring forth no wholesome fruit neither in themselves nor their followers And as trees cut down withered and rooted up they leave no hopes of bringing forth any fruit so they continue in their wickedness dead by nature and by their further wickedness contract judicial hardness of heart as if dead the second time and now given up to a reprobate sense all hope is gone of their repentance and amendment Vers. 13. Raging waves of the Sea foming out their own shame wandring Stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever Lastly Such they are that cannot leave off to bee wicked but like waters of the boiling Sea alwaies they discover their filthiness nor are they more constant in their doctrine than wandring Stars in their motion Against whom hee denounces the most palpable and deep infernal darkness as the just meed of their wickedness Vers. 14. And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints 15. To execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Arg. 6. Whereby hee proves that wee should beware of seducers c. Because Enoch the seventh inclusively from Adam by a spirit of prophecie foretold of the sins of these Impostors and their condemnation in the day of judgement when Christ shall bring along with him myriads of Saints and Angels to execute judgement upon all the ungodly and especially will punish those who have stubbornly used their tongues against God and his most holy Truth Concerning the prophecie of Enoch whether it was written before or no or how the Apostle came to know the Truth of it wee say the same as before that the Spirit of God which spake in Enoch dictated the same to the Apostle even that which by Enoch hee had foretold long before both what and how much hee should commit to writing the same was prescribed to the Apostle Vers. 16. These are murmurers complainers walking after their own lusts and their mouth speaketh great swelling words having mens persons in admiration because of advantage That a conclusion may bee drawn touching the destruction of these seducers according to the prophecie of Enoch and that by consequence they are to bee avoided by way of assumption hee shews these seducers to bee such as Enoch had described them to bee destroyed from four marks 1 The first mark They were murmurers and complainers never content with their condition no waies satisfied concerning the righteous ordinations of God in Church or Common-wealth impatient of any restraint they carp'd at every thing and discommended all things 2 They appointed to themselves a rule neither from divine Laws in divine or Ecclesiastical things nor from humane Laws in humane or civil Affairs but onely their own wills and pleasures 3 Though they were the vilest slaves to their own lusts yet that they might maintain some esteem where there was none to controul their insolency they spake high swelling words in a lofty stile ordered to create admiration with the people 4 On the other side if there were any that they feared or from whom they hoped for any gain those they unworthily flattered highly esteemed them admired them cryed them up they nothing regarding whether they were worthy or unworthy Vers. 17. But beloved remember yee the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ 18. How that they told you there should bee mockers in the last time who should walk after their own ungodly lusts Arg. 7. Wee must beware of seducers because the rest of the Apostles foretold that such Sons of Belial should arise in the Church as Enoch had foretold Vers. 19. These bee they who separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit That a conclusion may bee drawn for the avoiding the forementioned seducers hee affirms that theâ— with whom they had to do were Impostors and that by two marks The first mark That they separated themselves from the true Church of Christ and from the sound doctrine of the Apostles not out of any necessity or from any divine warrant but onely upon their own pleasure that they might not abide under the Lords yoak or his discipline The second mark They were Natural having not the Spirit Because they being void of Regenerating Grace onely savoured and followed the things to which Nature leads or natural Reason not divinely illuminated therefore they were destitute of the Spirit or of the Grace of God sanctifying It remains that sense and the flesh should reign in full power and would force them to all pollutions both of body and soul. Vers. 20. But yee Beloved building up your selves on your most holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost Arg. 8. Proving perseverance in the Faith propounded by way of precept against the contrivances of these seducers Because the Holy Ghost hath prescribed the means by which both they may persevere as also they that have fallen back may bee recovered And hee propounds a Reason whereby they may slight the devices of
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