Baptisme by him delivered to them of which they that were vouchsafed to partake he promised them eternal life here in this world without any danger of death or old age Of this Irenaeus hath spoken at large and Justine Martyr hath given this account of it See 2 Tim. 3. 7 8. CHAP. VI. 1. BRethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are note a spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meeknesse considering thy self lest thou also be tempted Paraphrase 1. When any Christian falls into a fault you that are the governours in the Churches shall doe well not to exercise too great severity on him but either to regaine him by friendly advice or els upon sight of his contrition restore him to the peace of the Church again considering how possible it is that thou also thy self mayst fall into the like sin in time of temptation See Jam. 1. 13. 2. Bear ye one anothers burthens and so fulfill the Law of Christ Paraphrase 2. Ease one another as much as ye can as in a building every stone assists the next helps to bear the weight that lyes upon it and contributes its part to the support of the whole fabrick c. and lay not weight on one another by censuring and aggravating of other men's crimes for so charity requires which is the summe of the Law ch 5. v. 14. 3. For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing he deceiveth himself Paraphrase 3. And because of the assuming haughty Gnosticks among you I shall adde that if any man think highly of himself above other men that man first is nothing his opiniating is an argument of it and besides secondly he brings danger upon his own soul by this errour falls into censuring and contemning of others and into many dangerous sins by that means and so cheats himself and perswades no man else but becomes ridiculous by his vanity 4. But let every man prove his own work and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another Paraphrase 4. But let every man so prove and examine his own actions as to approve them to his own conscience and to God see Rom. 2. note f. and then he shall take comfort in looking on himself absolutely and not only in comparison with others whom he judgeth to be inferiour to him and discerning how he is a better Christian to day then he was yesterday 5. For every man shall bear his own burthen Paraphrase 5. For you shall answer for no man's sins but your own and therefore need not busie your selves about other mens actions but onely your own 6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things Paraphrase 6. He that receiveth the benefit of spiritual instruction from another ought to be very liberal and communicative of all that he hath to that persons wants 7. Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he reap Paraphrase 7. And in this as in all other acts of charity especially of piety toward those that are employed by God let a man resolve that as he deals with God so shall God deal with him as a man's course of life is so shall he speed at God's tribunal 8. For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh also reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting Paraphrase 8. For as he that makes provision and layes out all his care and wealth for the feeding his own carnal desires shall thereby bring losse and ruine to himself so he that liveth according to the Gospel rule of liberality and charity to others ver 6. and laies himself out in works of piety c. shall thereby inherit eternal life 9. And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not Paraphrase 9. And in duties of charity c. which have promises annexed to them let us not be discouraged though we meet not presently with our reward For as if we fall off we shall lose all our reward even for that which we have hitherto laboured so if we hold out constantly we shall be sure to have our reward in that season which God sees fittest for us whether in this life or another 10. As we have therefore opportunity let us doe good unto all men especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith Paraphrase 10. This is sufficient matter of encouragement to us to make use of those abilities that God hath or shall give us and accordingly to expresse our liberality and beneficence to all men but especially to those that are of the family of the Gospel and take pains continually in the work of the Lord in Apostleship c. and whose lot is the Lord who preaching the Gospel are to live by it in all reason see v. 6. 11. You see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand 12. As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh they constrain you to be circumcised only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ Paraphrase 12. They that desire to appear Jewes and comply with them and not to be persecuted by them for the Jewes out of zeal to their law did then persecute the Christians will needs have you circumcised that by that means they seeming earnest for Judaisme not Christianisme may escape persecution from the Jewes see note on Rev. 2. b. 13. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the Law but desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh Paraphrase 13. This 't is clear is the ground of their practice and not any conscientious perswasion of the obligingnesse of the Law for they doe not themselves observe the Law in other things perhaps not in that of circumcision see note on Rev. 2. e. but that they may make a fair shew that way by being able to say that they have made you observe the Judaical law they force you to be circumcised c. 14. But God forbid that I should glory save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world Paraphrase 14. Such complyances and such boastings as these God forbid that I should ever make use of or of any other but only that one matter of true boasting and rejoicing in my sufferings for Christ in my constancy to the Christian religion and discipleship by which the pleasures and honour and riches of the world are become livelesse and untempting to me and I in like manner livelesse mottified to the world and therefore as I profesie not to be wrought on by those motives with which your Judaizing false-teachers are moved so I would not have you cheated by them 15. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing
popular error being imbibed and improved as farre as it would fairly yield must needs be the defaming of his medicaments and the blasting of his whole profession as one great imposture so after the pains and travail that this work hath cost from the time of the first thought and Designation of it at the beginning of my entrance on the study of Divinity to this present day of the Nativity of it I cannot look on it without some apprehension that it may run the same hazard which we read of the child in the Revelation c. 12. to be devoured as soon as born if one false pretension which hath of late been somewhat prosperous in this Nation and is utterly unreconcilable with the designed benefit of this or any the like work be not timely discovered and removed § 2. And the Pretension is this That the understanding or interpreting the Word of God or the knowing of his Will is not imputable to the use of ordinary means such are the assistance of God's Spirit joyned with the use of learning study meditation rational inference collation of places consulting of the Original languages and ancient Copies and Expositions of the Fathers of the Church analogy of received doctrine together with unbiass'd affections and sincere desire of finding out the truth and constant prayer for God's special blessing on and cooperation with these and the like means but either to the extraordinary gift of the Spirit in Prophesying Preaching and Expounding or to Illumination not Prophetical or simply Extraordinary but such as is thought to be promised to a new life the work of the Spirit of God in the heart of every Saint of his which consequently supersedes the use of all external Ordinances to such even of the written Word of God it self contained in the Canon of the Scripture § 3. Had this Pretension truth in it I must confess my self who doe not pretend to any such extraordinary gift or inspiration obliged to acknowledge the great impertinency of all this insuing work the perfect vanity of the whole design and every part of it and therefore am concerned as far as the hazard of having laboured in vain to examine the grounds and manifest the falseness of this pretension and that in this method and by these degrees § 4. First by surveying the Scripture-grounds or proofs which are producible in favour of it Secondly by setting down the form of sound doctrine in this matter Thirdly by shewing the great necessity of opposing this and adhering to the true doctrine And these are likely to enlarge this Postscript beyond the bounds that would regularly belong to it but will carry their Apology along with them § 5. The first ground or proof is fetch'd by the Pretenders from Joel 2. 28. cited and applied by S. Peter Act. 2. to the times of the Gospel It shall come to pass afterward or in the last daies saith God that I will pour out my Spirit or of my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see visions And also upon the servants and upon the hand-maids in those daies will I pour out my Spirit or of my Spirit and they shall prophesy Whatsoever can be collected from this place to the benefit of the Pretenders will receive a short and clear answer by considering the time to which this prediction and the completion of it belonged and that is expressly the last daies in the notion wherein the Writers of the New Testament constantly use that phrase not for these daies of ours so far advanced toward the end of the world which yet no man knows how far distant it still is but for the time immediately preceding the destruction of the Jewish polity their City and Temple That this is it appears not onely by the mention of Sion and the destruction approaching it in the beginning of that Chapter in Joel which signifies it to belong to Jerusalem that then was but also by two farther undeceivable evidences 1. By the mention of the wonders immediately subjoyned in the heavens and the earth c. as forerunners of the great and terrible day of the Lord the same that had been before described in Joel v. 2. c. and applyed by Christ in the very words to this destruction of Jerusalem Mat. 24. 29 30. 2 dly By the occasion for which S. Peter produceth it Act. 2. 14. the effusion of the holy Ghost upon the Apostles v. 2 4. which saith he was no effect of drunkenness in them but the very thing which was foretold by that place of Joel before that great and notable day of the Lord that was to fall upon that people to an utter destruction This being a prediction of what should come before the destruction of Jerusalem and the completion whereof was so visible and remarkable in that age to which by the Prophet it was assigned and this as a peculiar character of those times wherein the Gospel was to be first propagated by this means to which it had a propriety as a last act of God's miraculous and gracious oeconomy for the full conviction of this peoples sin before they were destroyed it must needs be impertinently and fâ—llaciously applied to any men or women old or young of this age so distant from that to which it belonged and so well provided for by the ordinary means the setled office of Ministery in Christ's Church as to have no such need of extraordinary § 6. A second proof is taken from 1 Cor. 12. 7. To every man is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the benefit and profit of the Church But this is soon cleared by the Context which begins to treat v. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of or concerning those that have the Spirit so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spiritual clearly signâ—fies c. 14. 37. being joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prophet and so it is express'd to signify here v 3. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking in or by the Spirit is set as an instance of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spiritual and 't is but a mistake to render it spiritual things the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 belonging as directly to persons as things being of the Masculine as well as of the Neuter gender Now for these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritual men or those that have the spirit 't is well known that they were those which for the first planting of the Gospel were by the descent of the Spirit indow'd with extraordinary gifts of miracles of healing of prophesying of speaking with strange tongues which they had never learn'd all which and more are here mentioned v. 8 9 10. and when these are exercised or made use of by any this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifestation of the Spirit the Spirit of God manifesting it self hereby to
the law of commandements Ephes 2. 15. though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the law of a fleshly commandement Heb. 7. 16. belong to another matter speaking of Melchisedek and Christ typified by him and denotes a law making provision for the mortality of Preists appointing them in succession that Codex or body of Commandements under Moses before Christ's reformation So Phil. 3. 6 9. Heb. 7. 19. And because this Law of Moses was written and set down in the Scripture of the old Testament and so oppos'd in that respect to the law of Nature in the hearts of the Gentiles and all men call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the unwritten law therefore as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or law is used so in the same notions the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 writing is used also Sometimes in the first notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the law or religion of the Jewes So Rom. 2. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thee that hast literally observ'd the law of Moses and art circumcis'd and v. 29. with a little change 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the circumcision in the spirit not in the letter or writing i. e. the Spiritual circumcision purity of the heart and not that outward commanded by Moses's Law So Rom. 7. 6. we serve in the newnesse of the spirit i. e. according to this new reformed law which looks most to inward purity and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the oldnesse of the letter or writing which required external circumcision c. So 2 Cor. 3. 6. God hath fitted and prepared us to be ministers of the new Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of the writing but of the spirit i. e. not of the Law as it signifies the external body of the Mosaical constitutions unreformed but of the Spiritual or Evangelical law the law of faith or the law as Christ hath reformed it or the Covenant of mercy and pardon of sin under the Gospel For as it follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that law as it is in Moses unreform'd by Christ brings death but no life Condemnation but no Justification or pardon unto the world But the Spirit i. e. this new reformed law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gives life enables to gain life to come to Justification or salvation And so again v. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ministration of death in the writing i. e. in the Mosaical or written law as it stands there unreform'd by Christ and opposite to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 8. the administration of the Spirit i. e. this new reformed Evangelical law which either first because it comes neerer to the soul and requires purity there whereas the Mosaical law deals most in external purifications or 2 ly because the Holy Ghost came down first on Christ then on the Disciples to confirm this new Evangelical course under Christ in opposition to the former under Moses or 3 ly because in this Evangelical administration there is Grace given to enable us to perform what is now required and that Grace is a gift of God's Spirit for one or all these reasons I say it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit Thus much in this place of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 law and by occasion of that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 letter and spirit which may help to the understanding of many places and will not need to be repeated again when we come to them Ib. To fulfill The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is answerable to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to perform but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to perfect to fill up as well as to fulfil and so is rendred sometimes by one sometimes by t'other And the Greek it self is so used in like manner when it referres to a Word or a Prophecie then it is to perform to fulfil 2 Chron. 36. 22. 1 Mac. 2. 55. In other cases it is to fill up to compleat to perfect Ecclus 33. 16. and 39. 12. 2. Chron. 24. 10. and Mat. 23. 32. This the ancient Greek Fathers expresse by the similitude of a Vessel that had some water in it before but now is filled up to the brim and again of a Picture that is first drawn rudely the limbs only and lineaments with a cole or pen but when the Painter comes to draw it to the life to adde the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then it is said to be fill'd up This may farther appear by what Christ here adds Except your righteousnesse i. e. Christian actions and performances exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees i. e. go higher then that strictest sect of the Jewes and the Doctors among them thought themselves obliged to or taught others that they were obliged they shall not enter into the kingdome of God passe for Christians here or prove Saints hereafter This same truth is at large exemplified in the remainder of this chapter by induction of several particulars of the Law first barely set down by Christ and then with Christs improvement added to them in this form of speech But I say unto you Thus when Rom. 8. 3. it is said that God condemn'd sin in the flesh i. e. shew'd a great example of his wrath against sin by what Christ suffer'd on the Crosse for our sins the reason of Gods doing so is rendred v. 4. that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordinance of the Law circumcision c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might be perfectly perform'd in us i. e. in a higher degree then by the Jewes it was thought to oblige And that it is the general interpretation of the antient Church-writers especially the Greeks down to S. Augustine may appear by these few of a multitude of testimonies Irenaeus l. 4. c. 27. Dominus naturalia legis non dissolvit sed extendit sed implevit Again sed plenitudinem extensionem Again superextendi decreta augeri subjectionem And again speaking of Christ adimplentis extendentis dilatantis which are all the sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here So S. Basil on Psal 15. calls Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See the Author of the Constitutions l. 6. c. 23. So in Chrysostome Tom. 3. p. 93. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that Christ's giving of Lawes was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that Christ did not here recite all the Commandements of the Decalogue because he meant not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that it was then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Theophylact that Christ came not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When Christ was come our contentions became easier wherefore we had also greater tasks as having greater assistance afforded us And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having a Law more sublime then the old Law viz. the Law of Christ And
to Caesar see Mar. 12. Note a. V. 20. Superscription The tribute-money or denarius that was to be paid to Caesar by way of tribute had on it saith Occo the picture or image of Caesar and in it these letters written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caesar Augustus such a year after the taking of Judea This latter no question is that which is here meant by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inscription or superscription of the coine from whence Christ concludes Caesars right by title of Conquest to require tribute of the Jews V. 31. Resurrection The argument against the living of souls now after death and before the Resurrection which is taken by some see Brevis disquisitio from this place of Mat. 22. 31 32. lyes thus Christ proves the resurrection of the dead v. 31. by this Argument God saith he is the God of Abraham c. long after Abrahams death and God is not the God of the dead but of the living which proof being put into forme must lye thus Abrahams body shall rise and likewise Isaacs and Jacobs therefore the bodies of the dead shall rise The Antecedent is proved thus Abraham shall live again now he is dead therefore his body shall rise That Antecedent thus God is the God of Abraham now he is dead therefore Abraham shall live again now he is dead If this Antecedent were denyed then the plain words of Scripture were denyed and therefore the argument or consequence must be denyed or nothing And that will thus be proved God is not the God of the dead who are so dead that they shall never live again therefore it being granted that God is the God of Abraham since the time of his death it must follow that though he be now dead he shall live again Christs argument being supposed thus to proceed might readily have been answered by them that deny the resurrection of the body in case the continued life or not dying of the soul were granted For they might reply thus Abrahams soul lives all this while since his death and therefore Gods being the God of Abraham granting him to be the God of none but the living doth not conclude that Abrahams body shall rise For he who lives in soul may be saâ—d to be living though his body never rise Now because ' its certain that Christs argument was a good argument concluding unanswerably what he meant to prove therefore the not dying of souls on concession of which the refutation of Christs argument is or may be grounded is not to be thought a truth To this objection against the immortality of souls from this manner of Christs arguing against the Sadducees the answer might be easie enough by remembring the disputers that the Sadducees with whom Christ disputed are not supposed to grant the immortality of the soul any more then the rising of the body and therefore this argument of Christs though it would not hold against him that did acknowledge the immortality and continued life of the soul without ever having the body united to it would yet be a good argument ad homines against the Sadducees and that were sufficient to salve the matter Or secondly that the resurrection of the Body is a necessary consequent to the life of the Soul and that the proving that the Soul lives after death is therefore used by Christ as an argument sufficient to inferre that the body shall certainly revive also But this is not all They that make use of this arguing of Christ to favour their opinion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do mistake the thing that Christ went about to prove against the Sadducees For it being certain that the Sadducees denyed all other life beyond this that here men live in the flesh affirming that there is no spirit no soul of man subsisting after death and in consequence to that that the body after death rots never to rise again 't is as certain that Christ here confronted his argument out of the Law which was the only Scripture which those Sadducees acknowledged against this whole doctrine of the Sadducees not only against one part of it the resurrection of the Body and by that testimony of the Law which they could not deny demonstrated to them that there was another life after this Of this whole matter not only of that which concerned the Body 't is cleer that the Sadducees question and objection of the wife that had seven husbands proceeded concluding as farre as it did conclude but being indeed a very weak ridiculous argument against all future being for if the death of the Husband voyded the relation between him and his Wife as 't is certain it did and he and she live together again any way after this life the Sadducee thinkes that relation must revive also and upon that his argument proceeds and doth so as well that is equally or no worse on supposition of another life of spirits as of bodies spiritualized also For if there were those relations of Husband and Wife in heaven they would sure be there before the resurrection of bodies as well as after unlesse the Sadducees beleived Christs doctrine to be that procreation and the like which could not be done without bodies continued in heaven as here on earth which it no way appears that they did or that that was the thing here particularly opposed by them The only matter of difficulty now remaining is whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which the Sadducees ask v. 23. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Christ undertakes to demonstrate v. 31. doth not peculiarly signifie the resurrection of the Body To which I answer positively that it doth not but denotes another life besides this and after this a continuing or being kept alive by God after departure out of this life As that which is call'd Rom. 9. 17. raising up and in Luke the phrase is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same that there is in the Hebrew from whence 't is cited Exod. 9. 16. to make to stand and is rendred by the Septuagint keeping alive or safe And the literall notion of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goes no farther for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is standing or subsisting and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in composition signifies re or again so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the resubsistence or second state of men that after this life consisting first of the immortality and continuance of the soule in state of separation and at length in the reunion of the body to it whereby it becomes perfect 'T is true it sometimes signifies the resurrection of the Body distinctly but that is when 't is joyned with the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the flesh or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the body or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the dead in the neuter as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies cadavera or dead bodies or when without any of these the context of the Author doth appear to restrain it
now come and Gods remarkable judgments upon the whole nation are approaching see Note on Mat. 3. c. which there is no way to avert from any but by beleiving the Gospel now to be preach'd by Christ and amending of their lives 16. Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers Paraphrase 16. washing their net see Note on Luke 5. a. 17. And Jesus said unto them Come ye after me and I will make you to become fishers of men Paraphrase 17. And having fiâ—st shewed them a great miracle convinced them of his divine power he called them to be his disciples telling them that he would employ them in an office of greater importance and so enable them for it that they should be able to win men to righteousnesse as now to get fishes into their nets 18. And straightway they forsook their nets and followed him Paraphrase 18. And upon this command of his immediately they left their imployments and as disciples attended constantly on him 19. And when he had gone a little farther thence he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother who also were in the ship mending their nets Paraphrase 19. with their father Zebedee Mat. 4. 21. and other labourers here mentioned v. 20. all together in a ship 20. And straightway he called them and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants and went after him Paraphrase 20. See Luke 5. a. 21. And they went into Capernaum and straightway on the Sabbath day he entred into the Synagogue and taught Paraphrase 21. a city of Galilee called Capernaum Mat. 4. 13. 22. And they were astonished at his doctrine for he taught them as one that had authority and not as the Scribes Paraphrase 22. And they wondred extreamly at his way of instructing them Mat. 7. 28. For his manner of teaching was not like that of the Doctors of their law who only expound the law and tell them the traditions of their fathers the Jews but he as one that came with power from heaven to give new rules of life delivered his doctrine with great authority 23. And there was in the Synagogue a man with an unclean spirit and he cryed out Paraphrase 23. possest with a devill Luke 4. 33. see Mar. 3. 22 30. which cast him into a fit of epilepsie 24. Saying Let us alone What have we to doe with thee thou Jesus of Nazareth Art thou come to destroy us I know thee who thou art the holy one of God Paraphrase 24. Subdue quell undoe us cast us out of our possesions 25. And Jesus rebuked him saying Hold thy peace and come out of him 26. And when the unclean spirit had torn him and cryed with a loud voyce he came out of him 27 And they were all amazed insomuch that they questioned among themselves saying What thing is this what new doctrine is this For with authority commandeth he even the unclean Spirits and they doe obey him Paraphrase 27. This is more then was ever heard of before and therefore sure his doctrine comes from heaven in an extraordinary manner for it appears that he hath an authority over the devils themselves and they are subject to him 28. And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee Paraphrase 28. through all Galilee a third partition of Palestine called the ambient or circumjacent region of the nations which encompassed Judea See Note on Mat. 4. e. 29. And forthwith when they were come out of the Synagogue they entred into the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John 30. But Simons wives mother lay sick of a fever and anon they tell him of her 31. And he came and took her by the hand and lift her up and immediately the fever left her and she ministred unto them Paraphrase 31. took held of her hand and raised or lifted her up and asâ—oon as he hid so the disease forthwith left her and she was so well that immediatly she attended and made provision for them 32. And at even when the sun did set they brought unto him all that were diseased and them that were possessed with devils 33. And all the city was gathered together at the dore Paraphrase 33. well-nigh all the inhabitants of that place were 34. And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases and cast out many devils and suffered not the devils to speak because they knew him 35. And in the morning rising up a great while before day he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed 36. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him Paraphrase 36. the rest of the disciples whom he had called pursued and sought after him 37. And when they had found him they said unto him All men seek for thee Paraphrase 37. Sir thou art extremely enquired for and sought after by all 38. And he said unto them Let us goe into the next townes that I may preach there also for therefore came I forth Paraphrase 38. for that was the appointment and employment for which I was sent by my Father 39. And he preached in their Synagogues throughout all Galilee and cast out devils 40. And there came a leper to him beseeching him and kneeling down to him and saying unto him If thou wilt thou canst make me clean Paraphrase 40. If it be thy pleasure to shew forth thy power thou art most able to cure me of my leprosie 41. And Jesus moved with compassion put forth his hand and touched him and saith unto him I will be thou clean Paraphrase 41. It is my pleasure be thou cured of thy leprosie 42. And assoon as he had spoken immediately the leprosie departed from him and he was cleansed 43. And he straightly charged him and forthwith sent him away Paraphrase 43. with threats commanding him not to speak of it see Mat. 8. 4. Note b. he 44. And saith unto him See thou say nothing unto any man but goe thy way and shew thy self to the Priest and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded for a testimony unto them Paraphrase 44. See Note on Mat. 8 c. d. 45. But he went out and began to publish it much and to blaze abroad the matter in so much that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city but was without in desert places and they came to him from every quarter Paraphrase 45. no longer with safety come publickly into the city but was fain to withdraw himself into places of solitude see Note on Mat. 8. b. and yet even there the people found him out and in great multitudes came to him from all parts Annotations on S. Mark Chap. I. V. 12. Driveth The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not in the New Testament alwayes signifie according to the literal notation of it to cast out but
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repentance and remission of sins must be preach'd to all nations From whence not onely appears that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place is all the Gentiles but a very fit occasion is offered of interpreting the same phrase again in a very hard place Rom. 8. 22. and 1 Pet. 2. 13. which we shall referre to be explain'd more at large on those chapters Some ground of the use of the phrase in this sense seems to be taken from the Hebrew which uses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies creatures properly for men as being the most excellent creatures And so the Arabick also as appears by one of their Geographers who speaking of cities often saith that there are in it many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is literally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 creatures but clearly signifies men and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every creature is all men in opposition to the Jewes that is not only they but all other nations of men beside V. 18. They shall take up serpents This seems to be prophecied of by that Sibyll out of which Virgil had learnt the substance of that verse of his Occidet serpens fallax herba veneni Occidet The serpent shall die and the deceitfull poisonous herbe that is shall lose their efficacy The Gospel according to S. LUKE CHAP. I. 1. FOrasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely note a believed among us Paraphrase 1. which have in these late years been so illustriously acted among us 2. Even as they delivered them unto us which from the beginning were eye-witnesses and note b ministers of the word Paraphrase 2. Instruments and actors of those things which were the subject matter of this following history 3. It seemed good to me also having had perfect understanding of things from the very first to write unto thee in order most note c excellent Theophilus Paraphrase 3. I thought fit also having gotten exact knowledge of the several passages to set them down by way of history 4. That thou mightst know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed Paraphrase 4. That thereby thou mayest be confirmed in the belief of those things which are supposed to have been taught thee and received by thee to prepare thee for baptisme viz. the principles of Christianity 5. There was in the daies of Herod the king of Judea a certain priest named Zacharias of the note d course of Abia and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron and her name was Elizabeth Paraphrase 5. of the family of Abia 〈◊〉 Chron. 24. 10. that is of the eighth of the 24. courses of the Priests which ministred in the temple by their weekes 6. And they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse Paraphrase 9. sincere upright persons which so lived in obedience to Gods will in all matters of duty without indulgence in any known sinne and to all the Jewish observances as with Gods mercifull allowance to humane frailties is sure to be acceptable in Gods sight 7. And they had no child because that Elizabeth was barren and they both were now well stricken in years Paraphrase 7. And they were childlesse in the same manner as Abraham was for beside the barrennels of the wife they were both of an age conceived to be past child-bearing 8. And it came to passe that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course 9. According to the custome of the priests office his lot was to burn incense when he went into the Temple of the Lord. Paraphrase 9. it was his course to go into the Sanctuary and offer incense there 10. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the note e time of incense Paraphrase 10. And while the Priest offered incense within the people according to the custome were praying without 11. And there appeared unto him an Angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense 12. And when Zacharias saw him he was troubled and fear fell upon him 13. But the Angel said unto him Fear not Zacharias for thy prayer is heard and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son and thou shalt call his name John Paraphrase 13. thy prayer for the people joyned with the incense Lev. 16. 17. and for the whole world as Josephus and Philo say is now most effectually heard God meaning now suddenly to send the Messias and before him his forerunner who shall be born of thy wife Elizabeth and called John 14. And thou shalt have joy and gladnesse and many shall rejoyce at his birth Paraphrase 14. And this birth of a son to thee in thy old age by a barren wife shall not only be matter of joy and exultation to thee but to many others also all that expect the Messias shall rejoyce at this coming of Elias his forerunner 15. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink and he shall be filled with the holy Ghost even from his mothers womb Paraphrase 15. For he shall be a very eminent person abstaining after the manner of the Nazarites and the power of the holy Ghost shall be discern'd to be upon him very early v. 80. 16. And many of the children of Israel shall â—e turn to the Lord their God Paraphrase 16. And being a Preacher of repentance to the Jewes he shall work upon many of them and bring them to repentance and new life 17. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the note f wisdome of the just to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Paraphrase 17. And he shall go before the Messias as his harbinger with the same affections of zeal and courage against sinne see note on ch 9. d. of earnest calling for repentance and reproving even Herod himself and with the same authority and prophetick power which toward Ahab was observable in Elias to whom he hath a greater resemblance then to any of the old Testament to work an universall reformation among the Jewes to bring them to the minding of those things which tend to true justice and not only of externall legall observances to sincere reformation and change of all their evil waies and so fit men to receive Christ on his conditions and to render themselves capable of his mercies 18. And Zacharias said unto the Angel Whereby shall I know this for I am an old man and my wife well stricken in years Paraphrase 18. my wife beside that she hath all her time been barren grown in years also past bearing of children 19. And the Angel answering said unto him I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God and am sent to speak unto
thence in the end of that verse where he saith that the words which he spake unto them were spirit and life the meaning must be that Christ spake not of a carnal grosse but an immaterial spiritual eating that is receiving and laying up his doctrine in their hearts and souls and amending their lives by it which is also the true durable profitable eating farre beyond the corporeal external as Christ and his doctrine are the true Manna v. 55. so Ioh. 4. 23. the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit that is the service and worship of God now under the Gospel shall not consist in the external legal performances but extend to the heart and soul those duties of real purity and piety which were typified by those legal shadows So when the Spirit signifies the Gospel as that is opposed to the Law under the title of the flesh Gal. 3. 3. and in many other places this is taken by Analogie from that acception of the spirit for the soul as that is the principle of life and that an inward principle These are the more obvious acceptions of the word which belong to most of the places where the word is used and in most of them the Context will readily determine to which In some few other places it is used in a different sense and notes 6tly a way of dispensation or oeconomy a disposition or course of things as when the Law is called the spirit of bondage Rom. 8. 15. that is the way of dealing with men as with servants as it was with the Jews and on the other side the spirit of Adoption the more ingenuous way of dealing as with sons now under the Gospel And so here when they would as Elias had done have called for fire on the Samaritans Christ tells them they know not of what spirit they are that is they considered not under what dispensation they were Christ came to save c. the course or way of proceedings which the Gospel brought in or was meant to teach men was very distant from that which had been observable in Elias under the Old Testament and consequently they must not do as Elias had done Christ came to infuse and teach by his example and sermons an higher charity even to enemies and rejecters of Christ himself then was thought necessary before They that rejected and scoffed at a Prophet then the Prophet had commission to destroy them and accordingly without farther admonitions calls for fire from heaven to devoure them presently But they that refuse and crucifie Christ are by him prayed for and are by his command yet farther to be preached to and if possible brought to repentance and according to this example so are all Christians to conform themselves and if they do then are they said to be of Christs and not of Elias's kind of spirit of the Evangelical dispensation or oeconomy So 1 Pet. 4. 14. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ c. the Spirit of God that is the same way of oeconomy which was used toward Christ incarnate resteth on you is used among you 7thly It signifies affection temper disposition of any which is a sense lightly varied from the former so Luk. 1. 17. the spirit of Elias is that temper affection zeal that was observable in Elias So 1 Joh. 3. 24. By this we know that God abideth in us by the spirit that he hath given us that is by our having the same temper the same affection which is so observable in God that is that of charity to our brethren v. 23. That this is the meaning appears by comparing it with ch 4. 12 13. If we love one another God abideth in us c. by this we know that we abide in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit So Rom. 8. 9. Ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit that is in the former notion of the spirit for that inward purity and obedience required under the Gospel ye must live pure spiritual lives without which there is no pleasing God v. 8. if so be the spirit of God dwelleth in you that is if the sacred Evangelical temper of which we have the precepts and pattern in Christ continue among you But if any man have not the Spirit of Christ that is if that temper so observable in Christ be not at all discernible in you ye are none of his ye cannot pretend to be Christians or expect to enjoy the priviledges of such and v. 11. If the spirit of him that raised up Jesus dwell in you that is if that divine Godlike temper be constantly in you he that raised up Jesus from the dead that is God will also quicken your mortal bodies give even these mortal bodies of yours a joyful resurrection by his spirit dwelling in you that is by the power of that same Spirit that raised Christ if ye be now animated and quickened by that if that divine temper of his continue in you So v. 14. being led by the Spirit is living according to the pattern set before us by Christ And so the spirit of fear and of power and love c. 2 Tim. 1. 7. are those affections of fear on one side cowardise and timidity and of courage and constancy and adherence to Christ such as was exemplified to us in Christ in declaring and asserting his Fathers will on the otherside In the Old Testament 't is farther used sometimes for skill and abilities Exod. 28. 3. the Spirit of wisdome to make Aaron garments and Exod. 31. 2. Bezaleel is filled with the Spirit of God in wisdome and in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship Sometimes for zeal as 1 Sam. 11. 6. where the Spirit of God came upon Saul and his anger was kindled greatly Sometimes for a Commission to an office or employment as Iudg. 3. 10. the Spirit of God came upon Othniel that is he received mission from God and he judged Israel So upon Gedeon ch 6. 34. and on Ieptha ch 11. 29 and on Samson ch 13. 25. but this still joyned with extraordinary abilities for the discharge of the office and with particular incitations to some extraordinary things which might testifie to men this their Commission from God or to themselves that they are thus designed and qualified for it As appears by Sampson c. 14. 6. where the Spirit of the Lord coming mightily upon him denotes the strength which God gave him to kill the Lion and that an essay of what he should be able to do to the Philistines v. 19. Thus Num. 11. 17. when God takes of the spirit which is upon Moses and puts it upon the Seventy 't is apparent that the Spirit there signifies the Commission or authority that Moses had to govern the people together with abilities to discharge it see Deut. 34. 9. which is there communicated by God to the Seventy as it follows and they shall
means to avert his judgements from the world and shall accordingly bring all vengeance upon the Jewes on their refusall 17. And the seventy returned again with joy saying Lord even the devils are subject unto us through thy name Paraphrase 17. And when the seventy returned they came to Christ and told him with great joy that although it was not part of their commission v. 9. yet they having used his name as afterward Acts 19. 13. against devils it thrived with them the devils were subject to do what they bid them 18. And he said unto them I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaved Paraphrase 18. And he said to them Wonder not at that for it is determined that within a while the Prince of devils shall be dethroned and fall from his great unlimited power in the world as lightning when it flasheth and vanisheth doth that is come to nothing never recollect again 19. Behold I give unto you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you Paraphrase 19. I bestow upon you a power to cast out devils and to be above any harm that any the most noxious creature which the devill may use as his instrument can do unto you 20. Notwithstanding in this rejoyce not that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in heaven Paraphrase 20. you are children and heirs of God set in that right way in which as many of you as shall continue shall inherit eternall life See note on Phil. 4. a. and Rev. 3. b. 21. In that hour Jesus rejoyced in spirit and said I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Paraphrase 21. this is an act of thine infinite wisdom and mercy and condescension to the weaknesse of men mixt with all justice toward the proud contemners 22. All things are delivered to me of my Father and no man knoweth who the Son is but the Father and who the Father is but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Paraphrase 22. I come not in mine own but my Fathers name all my power is delivered to me by him and so my doctrine also 23. And he turned him unto his disciples and said privately Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see Paraphrase 23. It is an incomparable feâ—â—ty you are now partakers of Mat. 13. 17. 24. For I tell you that many Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things which yee see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them 25. And behold a certain Lawyer stood up and tempted him saying Master what shall I do to inherit eternall life 26. And he said unto him what is written in the Law How readest thou Paraphrase 25 26. a student of the Law came to try what his judgement was about the Law or rule of life and asked him what was necessary to be observed to the attaining that eternall life which Christ promised And he answered him The very same which in the Law of Moses is set down as the main substantiall part of the Law which he therefore bid him recite unto him 27. And he answering said Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy strength and with all thy mind and thy neighbour as thy selfe Paraphrase 27. And he recited out of Deut. 6. 5. the known summary of the Law 28. And he said unto him Thou hast answered well this do and thou shalt live Paraphrase 28. the due performance of this is all that I now require of thee to salvation 29. But he willing to justify himself said unto Jesus And who is my neighbour Paraphrase 29. But he willing to set out his own perfections and being confident of his having performed the first part the duties toward God by the exact observance of the ceremonies of the Law made no question concerning that but for the second the love of the neighbour he proposed that other question Who are contained under that title of neighbour 30. And Jesus answering said A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among theeves which stripped him of his raiment and wounded him and departed leaving him halfe dead Paraphrase 30. This question Jesus thought best to answer by a parable saying 31. And note a by chance there came down a certain Priest that way and when he saw him he passed by on the other side Paraphrase 31. And a certain Priest without any knowledge of what had happened at the same time went that way and saw him and would take no pity on him 32. And likewise a Levite when he was at the place came and looked on him and passed by on the other side Paraphrase 32. coming thither in his passage staid so long as to see what condition he was in and having done left him without any compassion 33. But a certain Samaritane as he journied came where he was and when he saw him he had compassion on him Paraphrase 33. But though the Priest and the Levite which were his countrey-men or fellow-Jewes were not so compassionate yet a Samaritan which was not so being of an Assyrian extraction see Joh. 4. 20. and one whose religion separated him from the Jewes Joh. 4. 9. and Lu. 9. 53. was not so hardhearted but assoon as 34. And went to him and bound up his wounds powring in oyle and wine and set him on his own beast and brought him to an Inne and took care of him Paraphrase 34. washed his wounds applied healing things to them and then bound them up cleanly as surgeons are wont 35. And on the morrow when he departed he took out two pence and gave them to the host and said unto him Take care of him and whatsoever thou spendest more when I come again I will repay thee 36. Which now of these three thinkest thou was neighbour unto him that fell among theeves 37. And he said He that shewed mercy on him Then said Jesus unto him Goe and doe thou likewise Paraphrase 37. Take that for an answer to thy question Who is thy neighbour v. 29. For every person that is in want of thy relief although he be to thee as a Jew to a Samaritan upon terms of absolute separation and hostility toward thee must be looked on by thee as the object of thy compassion and mercy and of any charity of thine of which he is capable Mat. 5. 43 44. 38. Now it came to passe as they went that he entred into a certain village and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house 39. And she had a sister called Mary which also sate at Jesus feet and heard his word
most glorious ends to the good of the world determined to deliver me up into thy power to suffer death under thee And this is a great aggravation of the sinne of Judas and the Jewish Sanhedrim he to deliver me up to them they to make thee their instrument to serve their malice in crucifying me not only an innocent person but even the son of God himself This they have had means to know better then thou and therefore though thy sinne be great yet theirs being against more light is much more criminous and shall accordingly be more severely punished 12. And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him but the Jewes cried out saying If thou let this man goe thou art not Caesars friend Whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar Paraphrase 12. This speech of Christs was so resented by Pilate that from that time he was very solicitous to have him set at liberty But the Jewes clamours and threats overaw'd him telling him that this Jesus was a stirrer of sedition and disturber of the government and if he did not put him to death he should not perform the part of a Procurator of the Roman Empire 13. When Pilate therefore heard that saying he brought Jesus forth and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the pavement but note a in the Heâ—rew Gabbatha Paraphrase 13. Syriack 14. And it was the preparation of the Passeover and note b about the sixt hour And he saith unto the Jewes Behold your King Paraphrase 14. And it was the Paschal day of preparation to the feast of unleavened bread and 't was toward noon or midday 15. But they cried out Away with him away with him crucifie him Pilate saith unto them Shall I crucifie your King The chief priests answered We have no King but Caesar 16. Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified and they took Jesus and led him away Paraphrase 16. Thereupon he passed sentence against him according to the votes of the Jewes that he should be crucified and the souldiers v. 23. led him away to execution 17. And he note c bearing his crosse went forth into a place called The place of a scull called in the Hebrew Golgotha Paraphrase 17. And a crosse being laid on his shoulder he was led toward a place called in Syriack Golgotha that is the place of a scull but by the way they met Simon of Cyrene and made him carry the crosse part of the way 18. Where they crucified him and two other with him on either side one and Jesus in the midst 19. And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the crosse and the writing was Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jewes Paraphrase 19. the cause of his death his accusation see note on Mar. 15. b. 20. This title then read many of the Jewes for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city and it was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latine Paraphrase 20. Syriack words but Hebrew letters and in Greek and Latine words 21. Then said the chief priests of the Jewes to Pilate Write not The King of the Jewes but that he said I am King of the Jewes Paraphrase 21. Then they of the Jewish Sanhedrim said 22. Pilate answered What I have written I have written Paraphrase 22. The inscription shall not be altered 23. Then the souldiers when they had crucified Jesus took his garments and made four parts to every souldier a part and also his coat now the coat was without seam woven from the top throughout Paraphrase 23. under-garment see Lu. 23. 34. which was woven all of one piece 24. They said therefore among themselves Let us not rent it but cast lots for it whose it shall be that the scripture might be fulfilled which saith They parted my rayment among them and upon my vesture they did cast lots These things therefore the souldiers did Paraphrase 24. This therefore was exactly according to that prediction done by the souldiers 25. Now there stood by the crosse of Jesus his mother and his mothers sister Mary the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene 26. When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple standing by whom he loved he saith unto his mother Woman behold thy son Paraphrase 26. John he said unto his mother John shall supply the place of a son to thee to sustain thee see note on 1 Tim. 5. b. 27. Then saith he to the disciple Behold thy mother And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home Paraphrase 27. And to John Deale thou with her as with thine own mother whereupon John took her home to his own house with him 28. After this Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished that the scripture might be fulfilled saith I thirst 29. Now there was set a vessel full of vineger and they filled a spunge with vineger and put it upon hyssope and put it to his mouth Paraphrase 28 29. After this Jesus considering that all this while or thus farre all the prophecies concerning him had punctually been fulfilled to give farther occasion to the fulfilling that of Psal 69. 22. he saith I thirst Or seeing that now all was completed save only that one particular prediction he calls for somewhat to drink knowing that according to that of the Psalmist they would give him vineger And accordingly so they did 30. When Jesus therefore had received the vineger he said It is finished and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost Paraphrase 30. And assoon as he had drunk of that he said aloud All prophecies are now fulfilled as farre as belongs to my life and bowing his head as in a gesture of adoration and prayer he said Father into thine hands I commend my spirit and so expired 31. The Jews therefore because it was the preparation that the bodies should not remain upon the crosse on the sabbath day for that sabbath day was note d an high day besought Pilate that their leggs might be broken and they taken away Paraphrase 31. Then the Jews that the bodies of the dead might be quickly taken from the crosse and not hang there on the day following which was the first day of unleavened bread to which this day of the Pasch was the eve or preparation and also Saturday and so a feast and a sabbath together 32. Then came the souldiers and brake the leggs of the first and of the other which was crucified with him Paraphrase 32. The souldiers therefore according to appointment went to take them down and lest there should be any life in them and so being taken down they should run away and escape they brake the leggs of the two thieves 33. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already they brake not his leggs 34. But one of the souldiers with a spear pierced his side and forthwith came there out blood and water 35.
were the first day and the last of the feast of Tabernacles the first and seventh of the feast of Unleavened bread and the day of Pentecost is by the Jews writing in Greek called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great day So it is rendred by the Greek Isa 1. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where we read calling of assemblies Hence is that of Tertull. cont Marci l. 5. Dies observatis c. Ye observe dayes among them he names jejunia dies magnos fasts and great dayes so Job 7. 37. the last day of the feast of Tabernacles which was a day of calling assemblies is there call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great day of the feast See Scal. proleg de Emend Temp. p. 7. 6. V. 35. Saw it This speech of this Evangelist and his so much care in the testifying of this fact from his own sight of it is an argument that he looked on it as a very weighty and considerable passage And so 1 Job 5. 6. he makes use of it as such This is he that came with water and blood not by water onely but by water and blood and v. 8. There be three that bear witnesse on earth the Spirit and the water and the blood and these three agree in one What the particular is wherein the weight of this passage lies will be worth considering And first it is ordinarily affirmed that there is a capsula on the left side of the heart called the pericardium wch hath water in it of continual use for the cooling of the heart and that the coming out of water with the blood here was a testimony of the wounding his very heart the entring of that iron the spear into his soul Against this others have framed an objection that it was not the left but the right side of Christ which was at this time wounded by the souldier and that the Arabick texts generally expresse it so see Kirstenius Arab. Gram. p. 5. and consequently that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the waters flowing out together with the blood could not be any natural effect of that wound But that objection is of little force for 1. such is the posture of the heart in the body rather in the middle then enclining to the left side and 2dly so great is that pericardium as Anatomists find especially after death when the water much encreaseth that if the right side were pierced so deep as to the heart it would send out water And therefore this may first be resolved that this being an evidence of the wounding of the heart and the Physicians Maxime being certain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that is wounded in the heart must certainly die and Sanantur nullâ vulnera cordis ope wounds in the heart are absolutely incurable this flowing of water with the blood was an evidence and demonstration of his being truely dead this one wound being sufficient to secure that if he had not been dead before v. 33. and so the confutation of most Hereticks of the first ages which affirmed him to have suffered death onely in appearance But beside this another conclusion S. John in his Epistle is willing to draw from it viz. that believing Jesus to be the son of God is an effectual means of overcoming the world 1 Joh. 5. 5. for to the proving of that it is that this observation is made use of by him This is he that came with water and blood v. 6. And that argument lies thus The baits or temptations which the world useth are of two sorts allurements of carnall pleasures and terrors from apprehension of persecutions the Gnosticks at the time of his writing that Epistle made use of both these to seduce the Orthodox Christians the all kind of carnall pleasures which they profess'd was one bait and the persecutions from the Jewes upon the Orthodox Christians which the Gnosticks by complying with them avoided was the other temptation Against these two S. John sets up purity and patience as the two prime doctrines and commands of Christ which every true beleever is strictly concerned in exemplified by himself who was 1. pure and sinlesse and yet 2 ly suffered death the death of the crosse and most lively adumbrated by the water and blood which he had observed to come from Christs side in this place The water that was the embleme of all spotlesse purity and the blood was the evidence of his fortitude and constant patience laying down his life for the truth of God and these two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 testifie and declare the necessity of these two and so of overcoming the world in every one that believes aright in Christ And whereas 't is there added that the Spirit testifies also and that the Spirit i. e. the Spirit as a witnesse i. e. the testimony of the Spirit agrees in one with these two i. e. with the testimonies of the water and blood that is thus to be interpreted not only that the Spirit coming down on Christ who was after crucified by the Jewes did testifie that he was the beloved son of God in whom he was well pleased i. e. perfectly innocent though he suffered for sinne but also that the Spirit after the resurrection of Christ coming on the Apostles came as Christs advocate to defend him and convince the world both in that action concerning righteousnesse proving that Christ was a most innocent and righteous person and that other concerning judgment in punishing and retaliating his crucifiers the Jewes and Satan himself destroying their kingdome for their destroying of him see Note on c. 16. a Beside this importance of the water and blood the ancients have observed another also that by a speciall act of Gods providence there flowed at this time from Christs side the two Sacraments of his Church Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. V. 37. They shall look on him whom This is one of the places in which as also Rev. 1. 7. the Evangelist quotes the testimony of the Old Testament not from the Septuagint but from the Hebrew text For in the place of Zach. 12. 10. the Septuagint or Greek translators read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reading it seems 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the mistake of the two letters which are so like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. 40. Linen cloths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hesychius signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by him rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a band or swath so ch 20. 7. and so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the story of Lazarus c. 11. 44. which word is by Grammarians derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mors and so signifies peculiarly those swathes that belong to dead men wherein their whole body was wound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Nonnus In relation to which it is that Act. 5. 6. they are said to wind
To the inward that speech of Christ John 7. 38. seems to pertain He that believeth on me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters where the belly denoting the heart or inward part of the man the flowing of the living water from thence denotes some effects of the holy Spirits descent upon and in the hearts of believers the Evangelist there distinctly referring those words to the then-future descent of the holy Ghost ver 39. This he spake of the Spirit which they which believe on him should receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as yet the holy Ghost was not among or upon them because Jesus was not yet glorified Where it is evident that that speech of Christ belonged to some inward gifts in the hearts of men which upon the descent of the holy Ghost upon the Apostles should be powred upon the Christian world convey'd by the preaching baptizing confirming and other ministery of the Apostles their farther instructing them in the Gospel which is therefore elsewhere call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ministration of the Spirit or means of communicating it to believers What this inward gift is appears in severall places wisdome ch 6. 3. knowledge 1 Cor. 12. 8. and so likewise the assistances of Gods Spirit joyned with his word enaâ—ling humble sincere Christians for the duties of Christian life which are required of them called the renewing of the holy Spirit and joyned as here to the Laver of regeneration Tit. 3. 5. and so the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1. 22. See Note on Act. 1. a. The outward gifts are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gifts of tongues of healing c. And those are evidently called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of the holy Ghost Acts 10. 45. and that was there powred upon the Gentiles of Cornelius's family immediately on their receiving the faith even before Baptisme And to these belongs another promise of Christ Mar. 16. 17. These signes shall follow those that believe They shall take up serpents c. Now for the resolving of the Quaere what sort of gift it is which is here meant the surest way will be not so to define of either as to exclude the other but to comprehend both under this phrase not that both and every branch of each should be powred on each believer but that they all should be scatter'd among them the inward by Baptisme or Confirmation signed on all and the outward bestow'd on some of them to testifie to all the truth and excellency of the Gospel and to fit and prepare some persons for sacred imployments not all the outward again upon each on whom the outward were bestow'd but some on one some on another the gift of tongues to one of healing to a second of prophesying to a third and they that had most or the highest degrees of these are call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of the Spirit see chap. 6. Note b. and note on Eph. 1. c. V. 42. Fellowship The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be rendred as from the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not communion but communication by that meaning distribution liberality effusion or participation by which any are made partakers of some gift spirituall or temporall such as here beneficence to the poor c. Thus in Simplicius on Aristot Phys l. 1. describing magnanimous men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are saith he content with a little and distribute or communicate readily of that which they have And in Lucian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communicating to the poorer sort of what they have and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will he envy him that communicates and gives Where it signifies liberality or giving to the poor Thus is almes-giving defined by the Arabians communicatio in miseriis Abul Faraii de Mor. Arab. p. 29. And thus Cassander out of Chrysostome renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mysteriorum communicationem Liturg. p. 14. As Excommunication is defined by Tertullian exclusion from communication not from Communion as that is now used for the Sacrament à communicatione orationis conventus omnis sancti commercii relegatio a banishing from participation of all prayer assembly and sacred commerce and not onely of the Sacrament so as the word be compounded like exlex without any change of the termination In this notion is the word generally used in Scripture for liberality or some kind of distributing or dispensing to others So here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 continuing in liberality and breaking of bread and prayers where as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies publick prayers and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the breaking of bread in the administration of the Sacrament so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the peoples bringing and presenting of the bread and wine and the fruits of the earth for the acknowledging God the Creator of all part of it to be eaten in commemoration of Christs sacrifice and the rest to be distributed among the poor ver 44. Whereupon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hesychius and Phavorinus for which the copies read corruptly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to offer or present From which Glossaries these explications also of the word are to be had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to distribute or dispense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 participation of the holy mysteries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to partake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They are said to communicate who distribute to one another and they that partake and receive from one another whether friendship or knowledge Whence it appears 1. that the word signifies both to distribute and to receive to make others partake and to be partaker 2 ly that it is appliable to friendship or societie no otherwise then to knowledge or any thing else Thus Rom. 15. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to make a contribution So 2 Corinth 8. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 charity and communication of administration that is liberality toward the saints So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Corinth 9. 13. liberality of distribution so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 1. 5. liberality toward the preaching or propagating the Gospel So Hebr. 13. 16. where 't is joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beneficence as 1 Tim. 1. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distributive and communicative are all one so Philem. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is his liberality to the poor by which the bowels of the saints are refresh'd ver 7. flowing from his faith From this notion of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it strictly signifies liberality toward the poor may be fetch'd the sense of that Article in the Creed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the communication or liberality of the saints to note this great liberality here mentioned of the first converts to Christianity in the Apostles time see Philo of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Aegypt in Euseb Hist l.
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their heads were cut off A privilege which belongs to such in stead of more ignominious punishments So Josephus the Historian born at Jerusalem of the sacerdotal family 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of priests and himself a priest saith Photius Ep. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had the privilege of a Romane and was called by a Romane name Flavius the praenomen of the Emperour Vespasian CHAP. XXIII 1. AND Paul earnestly beholding the councell said Men and brethren I have lived in all good conscience before God untill this day Paraphrase 1. I have all my life long both when I was a propugner of the Mosaical Law against Christ's reformation and since I have been a preacher of the Gospel acted sincerely and uprightly according to my conscience and consecrated my life to Gods service 2. And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by to smite him on the mouth Paraphrase 2. And Ananias the chief person among the Jewes see note on Lu. 3. c. 3. Then said Paul unto him God shall smite thee thou whited wall for sittest thou to judge me after the law and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law Paraphrase 3. God will punish thee by way of retaliation deale with thee as thou hast done with me thou hypocrite Dost thou sit like a Magistrate or distributer of legall justice and dost thou break the law thy self and command me to be punish'd before thou hast heard the cause see c. 22. 25. 4. And they that stood by said Revilest thou Gods high priest Paraphrase 4. Dost thou speak such contumelious words to him who is the high priest of Gods appointment a sacred person and under God the chief Magistrate among the Jewes 5. Then said Paul I wist not brethren that he was the high priest for it is written Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people Paraphrase 5. I did not know that to be true which thou tellest me that Ananias was an high priest of Gods appointment that he was not so nor yet the high priest put in by the Roman Procurator at this time see note on Lu. 3. c. however knowing him to be a person in authority placed in a judicature as Paul confesseth v. 3. I acknowledge I did amisse and am sorry I did revile him for that is unlawfull by that place of Scripture Exod. 22. 28. 6. But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees he cried out in the councel Men and brethren I am a Pharisee the son of a Pharisee of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question Paraphrase 6. And Paul discerning the Sanhedrim to consist partly of Pharisees who believe another life after this partly of Sadducees that doe not said aloud I am as my father was of the sect of the Pharisees and the main thing that I am question'd for is my believing that there is another life after this which is a pure Pharisaical doctrine which all of that sect hold as well as I. 7. And when he had so said there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the multitude was divided 8. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection neither Angel nor Spirit but the Pharisees confesse both Paraphrase 8. no life after this no immortal Spirit nor soul of man subsisting without a body 9. And there arose a great cry and the Scribes that were of the Pharisees part arose and strove saying We find no evil in this man but if note a a Spirit or an Angel hath spoken to him let us not fight against God Paraphrase 9. Doctors of the Law which were generally of the Pharisees opinion took his part and profest to think he had done nothing amisse and that 't was possible that he had received some infusion or incitation from Gods Spirit or else some voice from heaven or vision by an Angel and if he had 't would not become them to resist his doctrine lest if that were truly revealed to him by God they should fight against God himself 10. And when there arose a great dissension the chief captain fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them commanded the souldiers to goe down and to take him by force from among them and to bring him into the castle Paraphrase 10. to goe to him at the barre where he was as a prisoner answering for himself 11. And the night following the Lord stood by him and said Be of good cheer Paul for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem so must thou bear witnesse also at Rome Paraphrase 11. Paul saw a vision again and God appeared to stand by him and encourage him telling him that he should now receive no farther harm there but as he had defended and avowed the faith of Christ there at Jerusalem so he should live to doe at Rome also 12. And when it was day certain of the Jewes banded together and bound themselves under a curse saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul Paraphrase 12. And he had soon a notable testimony of the virtue of Gods protection over him promised him in that vision for early in the very next morning 13. And they were more then fourty which had made this conspiracy Paraphrase 13. thus bound themselves by oath and execration on themselves 14. And they came to the chief priests and elders and said We have bound our selves under a great curse that we will eat nothing untill we have slain Paul Paraphrase 14. And they came to the Sanhedrim and told some of them what they had resolved on 15. Now therefore ye with the councell signifie unto the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow as though you would enquire something more perfectly concerning him and we or ever he come neer are ready to kill him Paraphrase 15. And therefore desired that the whole Sanhedrim would signifie their desire to the Colonel that he would on the morrow bring Paul down to them to examine him upon some interrogatories And said they by the way before he come neer the Councel-house we will lie in ambush and be sure to kill him 16. And when Paul's sister's son heard of their laying in wait he went and entered into the castle and told Paul 17. Then Paul called one of the Centurions unto him and said Bring this young man unto the chief captain for he hath a certain thing to tell him Paraphrase 17. Captains of the guard and desired him to conduct that young man to the Colonel to deliver a message to him 18. So he took him and brought him to the chief captain and said Paul the prisoner called me unto him and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee who hath something to say unto thee 19. Then the chief captain took him by the hand and went with him aside privately and asked him
with the performance of the promise and not onely so but also and over and above it was reputed to him as an eminent piece of virtue And so it will be now in the Gentiles if upon our preaching to them they now believe and repent 21. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him 24. But for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead Paraphrase 23 24. For this is recorded of him for our instruction to teach us how God will reward us if we believe on him without doubt or dispute in other things of the like or greater difficulty such is the raising Christ from the dead which was wrought by God for us and all mankind Gentiles as well as Jewes and our belief of it is now absolutely required of us to fit us to receive and obey him that is thus wonderfully testified to us to be the Messias of the world and that receiving and obeying of him will now be sufficient to the justifying of us without the observations of the Mosaical Law as Abrahams faith was to him before he was circumcised 25. Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification Paraphrase 25. For to this end was both the death and resurrection of Christ designed he died as our surety to obtain us release and pardon to make expiation for our sinnes past to deliver us from the punishments due to sinne 3 and rose again from the dead to open the gates of a cele stial life to us to ensure us of a like glorious resurrection which could never have been had if Christ had not been raised 1 Cor. 15. 16 17 20. And in order to our receiving this joyful benefit of his resurrection other special advantages there are of his rising partly to convince the unbelieving world by that supreme act of power and so to bring them to the faith that before stood out against it partly that he might take us off from the sinnes of our former lives bring us to new life by the example of his rising and by the mission of the Spirit to us whereby he was raised and so to help us to actual justification which is not had by the death of Christ but upon our coming in to the faith and performance of the condition required of us sincere obedience to the commands of Christ So that as the faith of Abraham which was here said to be reputed to him for righteousnesse was the obeying of God in his commands of walking before him c. the believing God's promise and without all dubitancy relying on hâ—s all-sufficient power to doe that most impossible thing in nature and his veracity and fidelity that he would certainly doe it having promised it which contains under it also by analogie a belief of all other his divine attributes and affirmations and promises and a practice agreeable to this belief going on constantly upon those grounds in despight of all resistances and temptations to the contrary so the faith that shall be reputed to our justification is the believing on God in the same latitude that he did walking uprightly before him acknowledging his power his veracity and all other his attributes believing whatsoever he hath affirmed or promised or revealed unto us concerning himself particularly his receiving of the greatest sinners the most Idolatrous heathens upon their receiving the faith of Christ and betaking themselves to a new Christian life and as an Embleme and token and assurance of that that great fundamental work the basis of all Christianity his raising Jesus from the dead whom by that means he hath set forth to us to be our Lord to be obeyed in all his commands delivered to us when he was here on earth the obligingnesse of which is now sealed to us by God in his raising this Lord of ours from the dead and this faith not only in our brains but sunk down into our hearts and bringing forth actions in our lives as it did in Abraham agreeable and proportionable to our faith And as this faith is now required to our justification so will it be accepted by God to the benefit of all the heathen world that shall thus make use of it without the addition of Mosaical observances circumcision c. as in Abraham it was before he was circumcised Annotations on Chap. IV. V. 1. What shall we say then The â—nderstanding of the Apostles discourse in this chapter depends much on a right understanding of this verse which contains the question to which the satisfaction is rendred in the following words And in this verse four things must be observed First that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what say we then is a form of introducing a question and though not here in the ordinary printed copies yet in other places hath a note of interrogation immediately following it as c. 6. 1. and 7. 7. This being supposed the second thing is that the remainder of the verse is the very question thus introduced that Abraham c. that is Doe we say that Abraham found according to the flesh And this interrogation being not here formally answer'd must it self be taken for an answer to it self and as interrogations are the strongest negations so will this and must thus be made up by addition of these or the like words No certainly he did not Then for the third difficulty viz. what is here the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath found that will soon be answered 1. that to find agreeably to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to gain obtain acquire as to find life Mat. 16. 25. 2dly that there must be some Substantive understood somewhat which he may be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have found and that is either indefinitely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which he did find or obtain or else more distinctly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness or justification which had before been named favour approbation with God So we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast found favour Luk. 1. 30. and it seems to be a proverbial form and will then be the same with being justified ver 2. And so the illative particle For concludes Doe we say he hath found or Certainly he hath not found For if he were justified that is if he had thus found which notes finding and being justified to be all one Fourthly then it must be examined what is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the flesh And first it appears to connect with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so it â—â—es 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 found according to the flesh and is not joyned with Abraham our father as in reason it would have been and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interposed if the meaning of it had been our father according to the flesh which being supposed it will likewise follow that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
which subjects and binds the wife to the husband for of such a law it will be truly said that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is in validity or force over the man meaning the subject as long as he that is the owner or the Lord liveth That this is the true sense and aime of the words is unquestionable and the latter way of expressing it seems to be the most commodious and easie though the former may possibly be it by an easie and ordinary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the law of the man will be a fit phrase to signifie any such law wherein mens interests are concerned Municipall or humane laws which are in force till they be abolished legally V. 4. Dead to the Law That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you are dead to the Law signifies the Laws being dead to them being abolished having no power over them hath been said Note a. and may farther appear by v. 6. where the ground of their freedome from the Law is express'd by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that being dead by which we were held where the law being by an ordinary prosopoeia as when sin is said to reigne c. 6. 12. used for a person is said to be dead and to be nail'd to Christs crosse Col. 2. 14. and so under the fiction of a person is more fitly answerable to the Husband whose death frees the Wife from all obligation to him that she may lawfully marry and subject herself to any other and so in like manner may Jewes to Christ upon the abolition of their Law As for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the body of Christ by which the Judaical Law is abolished that sure notes the crucified body the death of Christ and is accordingly express'd in this very matter Ephes 2. both by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his flesh v. 15. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the crosse ver 16. and so Col. 2. 14. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nailing to the crosse V. 5. Were in the flesh That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we were in the flesh signifies the Judaical state under the Law appears by the whole discourse in this chapter which is of the state of men considered under the Law see Note d. and particularly by the opposition here betwixt this and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are freed from the Law For so 't is manifest the opposition stands For when we were in the flesh But now we are freed from the Law And it is thus styled in opposition to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being in the spirit used for them that have received the Gospel and are partakers of the grace which is afforded there to which that they have not attained but are only under the Paedagogie of the Law they are only in the flesh have no other but that weak and corrupt principle of their own nature which is so prone to carnality abiding in them And thus it is used c. 8. 8. They that are in the flesh cannot please God but you are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be the spirit of God dwelleth in you that is if as ye are outwardly professors of the faith baptized Christians so ye are sincerely so such as in whom the holy Spirit of God may vouchsafe to inhabit which will not abide when unrighteousnesse cometh in And accordingly Christianity is call'd the law of the Spirit of life ch 8. 2. and here v. 6. the newness of the Spirit in opposition to the oldness of the letter the Mosaical Law And a peculiar propriety there is in this phrase for this matter in many respects First in respect of the nature of the Mosaical precepts which were external Washings Circumcision bodily rests c. all which are seated in the flesh and so proportionably carnal promises and threats whereas the precepts of Christ go deeper to the mind and spirit require the purity of that and accordingly are back'd with spiritual promises and terrors Secondly in respect of the assistance that Christ affords toward his obedience by giving of his spirit to assist if it be not grieved and resisted our spirits in opposition to which the state under the Law having none of that strength joyned with it may justly be called the being in the flesh To which may be added that one eminent effect of the Spirits descending was the commissionating of the Apostles for their office of preaching to the Gentile world remission of sinnes upon Repentance and in opposition to that the Law allowing no place for repentance for any presumptuous sin but inflicting present punishment on the offender that state may be fitly styled being in the flesh Mean while as there is a difference betwixt the weakness of the natural estate considered without any other aid then what the Law affordeth and the sinfulnesse of carnal acts and habits continued and indulged to and on the other side betwixt the state of a baptized Christian afforded the grace and strength of Christ and of him that makes use of that grace and leads a pure Christian life so the being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the flesh differs from living or walking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after or according to the flesh and on the other side being in the Spirit or being in Christ from walking after the Spirit All which phrases are to be met with here and in the next chapter Here and ch 8. 9. we have being in the flesh and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that are after the flesh v. 5. that is under the Law not elevated above the flesh or rescued out of the power of it by Christ and c. 8. 1. walking after the flesh and so v. 4. and 12. all in the same sense for going on in a carnal course obeying and following the flesh in the lusts thereof And so c. 8. 9. being in the Spirit or having the Spirit of Christ and being in Christ Jesus v. 2. all to the same sense of having the Spirit of Christ bestowed on us which as it enableth so it obligeth us to walk and lead a Christian life and if we doe so then that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 walking after the Spirit v. 1 and 4. All which must thus nicely be distinguished or else they will be apt to betray to some mistake V. 7. I had not known It is an ordinary figure to speak of other men in the first person but most frequent in blaming or noting any fault in others for then by the putting it in this disguise fastning it on ones own person it is more likely to be well taken by them to whom it belongs So saith S. Chrysostome of this Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he mentions things that are any way grievous or likely to be ill taken he doth it in his own person And S. Hierome on Daniel Peccata populi enumerat personâ suâ quod Apostolum in Epistola ad Romanos facere
after the Spirit Paraphrase 4. That so all those ordinances of the Law circumcision c. which were given the Jewes to instruct them in their duties might in a higher manner more perfectly be performed by us see note on Mat. 5. g. which think ourselves strictly obliged to abstain from all that carnality that that outward ceremony was meant to forbid them and now to perform the Evangelical obedience that he requires and will accept from us without being circumcised 5. For they that are after the flesh doe mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit Paraphrase 5. For they that are carried by their own carnal inclinations or by customes and habits of sin and the carnall affections consequent thereto do generally mind and meditate on carnal things but they that are led by the Spirit of Christ the duct of the Gospel study and mind those things wherein inward purity and sanctity doth consist 6. For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace Paraphrase 6. And as the Gospel is of force to free from sin more then the Law was so to free from death too v. 2. For that study or appetite or desire of the carnal man bringeth death ch 7. 5. but that will or desire that the Spirit or Gospel infuses into us or the desire and pursuite of Spiritual things see Theophylact brings life and peace that is a vital state of soul under God here and eternall salvation hereafter 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Paraphrase 7. For the carnal appetite is a downright opposition to the Law of God too unruly to obey the commands of God neither indeed can it be brought to that obedience by a bare prohibition of the Law for the swinge of passions and lusts are much more violent then so 8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God Paraphrase 8. And so these men carnall Jewes though they know the Law are very farre from pleasing God see note on Mat. 12. e. from 〈◊〉 acceptable to him the Law doth nothing to the justifying of them that are thus farre from obeying the true meaning of the Law 9. But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Paraphrase 9. But ye Christians under the Gospel if ye have any of that spiritual divine temper which Christ came to infuse by his doctrine and example are thereby engaged to all manner of sincere inward purity to mortifie the flesh with the affections and lusts and if ye doe not so ye live not according to the Gospel and if not so ye may thereby know that ye are no Christians Christ will not own you for his however ye have received the faith and are admitted into that number 10. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousnesse Paraphrase 11. But if ye be Christians indeed translated and raised above the pretensions of the Jew to the purity of the Gospel of Christ and your lives be answerable thereto then though being sinners the punishment of sin that is death befall you and so your bodies die and return to dust which is the punishment of sin yet your souls shall live for ever an happy and a blessed life as the reward of your return to Christ in the sincerity of a new and righteous life to which the Evangelical justification belongs 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by the Spirit that dwelleth in you Paraphrase 11. And then even for your dead bodies they shall not finally perish neither they shall be sure to be raised again For the Spirit of God by which you are to be guided and led is that divine omnipotent Spirit that raised Christ's dead body out of the grave and if ye be guided by that animated and quickned by that live◠pious and holy life there is no doubt but God will raise your mortal bodies out of the graves also by the power of that same Spirit that raised Christ's 12. Therefore brethren we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh Paraphrase 12. By these so many obligations therefore and interests of yours the eternall well-being both of soules and bodies ye are engaged to give over all care of satisfying or gratifying your flesh in its prohibited demands to live no longer in your former habits of sin now ye have received the faith of Christ 13. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Paraphrase 13. For if consenting your selves with the external performances of the Mosaical law circumcision c. ye still continue to commit those sins which that was set to prohibite this will bring all destruction upon you 't is not the Mosaical Law will keep you from ruine But if by the faith and example and withall the grace and assistance of Christ ye shall actually mortifie all the polluted desires of the flesh and live spiritually according to what Christ now requires ye shall certainly rise to the life immortal or live eternally 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God Paraphrase 14. For this being led by the Spirit of Christ living after Christs example and doing what he commands and enables us to doe is an evidence that we and not only the Jewes who challenge it as their peculiar are not onely the servants but the children of God and consequently that God will deale with us as with children bestow the inheritance upon us 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we note d crie Abba Father Paraphrase 15. Nay the truth is the condition of a Jew see note on Lu. 9. 10. is so farre from making men sons of God that at the best it is but a slavish condition to be obliged to those performances which being external as circumcision c. and having nothing of goodnesse in them are done meerly for fear of disobeying and being punished by stoning and the like see Theophylact. Which is just the condition of servants who must doe what the master commands or be beaten if they doe them not and so was fittest for the Jewes an hard stubborn people and accordingly had effect among them they observed what came so back'd but what did not they observed not which is it that denominates the Law weak through the flesh v. 3. But our Christ now hath engaged and drawn us with
we suffer here our comfort and sure ground of hope and rejoycing is that Christ our Lord and Captain hath suffered before us and which is more for our advantage to assure us of delivery either here or hereafter our crucified Lord is risen again is ascended to the greatest dignity and now reignes in heaven and is perfectly able to defend and protect his and hath that advantage to intercede for us to his Father which he really doth v. 26. to help us to that constantly which is most for the supply of our wants 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or perill or sword Paraphrase 35. And then 't is not in the power of any persecutor on earth to put us out of the favour of God or to deprive us of the benefits of his love to us when Christ hath thus fortified us and ordered even afflictions themselves to tend to our good we may now challenge all present or possible evills to doe their worst all pressures distresses persecutions wants shame the utmost fear and force the sharpest encounters 36. As it is written For thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter Paraphrase 36. As indeed 't is the portion of a Christian to meet with all these things in the discharge of his duty and to have never a part of his life free from them our Christianity being but as it were the passage to our slaughter according to that of the Psalmist Psal 44 22. spoken of himself but most punctually appliable to us at this time For thy sake c. 37. Nay in all these things we are more then conquerors through him that loved us Paraphrase 37. No certainly we have had experience of all these and finde these have no power to put us out of God's favour they are on the contrary the surest means to secure us in it to exercise our Christian virtues and to encrease our reward and so the most fatherly acts of grace that could be bestowed on us through the assistance of that strength of Christ enabling us to bear all these and be the better for them 38. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come Paraphrase 38. For I am resolved that neither fear of death nor hope of life nor evill angels nor persecuting Princes or potentates nor the pressures that are already upon us nor those that are now ready to come 39. Nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Paraphrase 39. Nor sublimity of honours nor depth of ignominy nor any thing else shall be able to evacuate the promises of the Gospell or deprive us of those advantages which belong to Christians according to God's faithfull promises immutably irreversibly Annotations on Chap. VIII V. 2. The law of sin What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the law of sin here signifies is discernible by the phrase immediately foregoing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the law of 〈◊〉 spirit of life by Jesus Christ which unquestionably signifies 〈…〉 then the holy Spirit now under the Gospell which frees us from that which the Law was not able to do So saith Chrysostome and Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The law of the spirit he there calls the spirit or holy spirit And then proportionably the law of sin must signifie sin it self which this holy spirit given by Christ in the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say they hath mortified This those two antients presse in opposition to some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evil tongues which interpreted the law of sin to be the Mosaical Law Of which yet the same Apostle in the precedent chapter saith that it is spiritual v. 14. and holy just and good v. 12. spiritual as given by the spirit of God and the teacher and cause of virtue and holy just and good as giving rules of Piety Justice and Charity and as they add Chrysost t. 3. p. 184. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which hath power to take away sin and Theophyl p. 66. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an enemy to sin And in this sense the phrase is evidently used ch 7. 23. where bringing into captivity to the law of sin is no more then bringing to the commission of sin or as Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the power and tyranny of it V. 3. The flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the flesh in this place cannot so fitly be said to signifie the state or condition of men under the Law mention'd c. 7. Note c. but that which is the means by which occasionally as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes the Law became so weak and unable to restrain men viz. the carnall or fleshly appetite which is so contrary to the proposals and prescriptions of the Law So c. 7. v. 18. I know that in me that is in my flesh that is the carnall part of a man such especially as is there represented and defined v. 14. to be carnall and sold under sinne dwelleth no good thing so here v. 1. They that walk after the flesh are opposed to those that walk after the spirit and that are in Christ Jesus and so v. 4. 5 6 7. where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minde or desire of the flesh is enmity to God direct opposition to him viz. that law in the members warring against the law in the minde c. 7. 23. and v. 8. 9 12 13. And so in this verse viz. that the carnality of mens hearts was too strong for the Mosaicall Law to do any good upon them And so the Law was weak not absolutely but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through the flesh that is The Mosaicall dispensation by the promises and terrors which it proposed was not able to subdue carnall affections to mortifie lusts to bring men to inward purity which to the flesh was more ingratefull then that temporall promises should perswade any man to undertake it when there were not temporal punishments to drive them to it as in case of Concupiscence opposed to that inward purity there were not see Note on ch 7. e. And so 't was not possible for the Law to bring them to any good Christ's reformation was necessary thus to call carnal sinners to repentance V. 4. Righteousness The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is any thing that God hath thought meet to appoint or command his people see c. 2. 26. from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meet or right as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ordinance or decree are from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being pleased or thinking good It is answerable to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Num. 30. 17. Deut. 4. 14 40 45. Ps 119. 12.
to censure those that are within who belong to your cognizance so for all others they must be referred and left to Gods tribunal many speeches of this kind are taken notice of Note on Matt. 9. d. 2dly Because in the former reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made an answer to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I believe to be without example the question by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being so strong and familiar a negative that generally there is not any negation added to it and if there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would be it most regularly 3dly Because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very frequently an interrogative forme and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the formes of answering the question and that argues the necessity of retaining the second reading The onely difficulty remaining is how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and ye shall take away the evil from among you shall fitly connect with this sense For that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be rendred therefore is not very reasonable and that also which supposeth the right reading to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take away the evil person not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye shall take away the evil thing which we have already with great reason pitch'd on for the true The probablest way to salve this difficulty is either to affixe these last words of the Chapter and of this matter as a testimony out of the Old Testament to conclude and to belong to the whole business of this Chapter that by their obeying his directions in it they should thus put away the evil from among them and secure themselves from the punishments which else might fall on them among whom notorious sinners were thus permitted to live impunè as it had oft fallen out among the Jewes Or else to put the whole 12th verse and the beginning of the 13 th in a parenthesis and not the beginning of the 13 th onely and then to read it in sense thus from v. 11. But now I have written to you not to accompany or so much as to eat or use any familiar converse with any unclean or drunken professor and by so doing ye shall put away the evil from among you secure your selves from the judgements which else you have reason to fear will come upon you then adding the parenthesis in its due place to give an account of his restraining these censures to professors or Christians onely And this seemes the fairest way of composing all difficulty CHAP. VI. 1. DAre any of you having a matter against another goe to Law before the unjust and not before the Saints Paraphrase 1. When there is any matter of controversie betwixt you about your worldly goods I heare that you implead one another see Rom. 3. note b. before the heathen tribunals and use not that method prescribed by Christ to Christians Mat. 18. 15. How dareth any Christian doe thus 2. Doe ye not know that the Saints shall judge the world and if the world shall be judged by you are ye unworthy note a to judge the smallest matters Paraphrase 2. You cannot but know that in the great final judgement of all the world the Saints of God shall bear God company in judging the wicked and if Christians shall then by God be vouchsafed that honour to have any thing to doe in matters of so much higher importance is there any reason they should be deemed unworthy to be intrusted with the judging of worldly differences which are much inferior to those of adjudging of men's eternall being 3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels how much more things that pertain to this life Paraphrase 3. 'T is certain that God's children when crowned by him shall pronounce sentence against the evill spirits and shall they not be thought fit to decide a controversie about an ordinary trespasse among men 4. If then ye have judgement of things pertaining to this life set them to judge who are least esteemed in the Church Paraphrase 4. If therefore there fall out betwixt you any matters of controversie concerning the matters of common life which are to be brought to Judicatures or will not otherwise be composed and if ye doe despise the Governours of your Churches which since these dissensions are come in are quite out of esteem among you so sarre that ye doe not think fit to stand to their sentences or decisions yet sure ye have all reason to referre it to the simplest and meanest Christians or even to set them in the tribunal rather then carry your controversie before the Gentile Courts 5. I speak this to your shame Is it so that there is not a wise man amongst you no not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren Paraphrase 5. My mentioning the meanest and most despicable among you is to make you ashamed of your unreasonablenesse in supposing as by going to heatâ—â—n courts ye must be interpreted to doe that there is no one Christian fit for this employment that is that there is not one man of them that hath understanding enough to arbitrate an ordinary businesse between fellow-Christians whose inclinableness to peace is to be presumed of and then that must needs work somewhat toward the pacification 6. But brother goeth to law with brother and that before the unbelievers Paraphrase 6. But one Christian impleads his fellow Christian and that before Gentiles 7. Now therefore there is utterly note b a fault among you because ye goe to law one with another Why doe ye not take wrong why do ye not rather suffer your selves to be defrauded Paraphrase 7. It is not so well that you goe to law at all it were the part of a more excellent magnanimous Christian spirit to be content to lose somewhat that were his own to bear some injuries rather then to goe to law upon every trespasse 8. Nay you doe wrong and defraud and that your brethren Paraphrase 8. But some of you are so farre from this excellent Christian temper that you are ready to injure others even your fellow-Christians and so ye may gain to your selves care not how you deprive others 9. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankinde Paraphrase 9. This is absolutely unconsistent with the Christians duty or reward Never doe you flatter your selves with a beliefe of the contrary nor permit the false teachers that are crept in among you to give you any hope of it And as for matters of injustice so for all your other Gnostick practices of uncleannesse see notes on c. 5. a h i. and unnaturall lust 10. Nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God Paraphrase 10. Neither they that
are guilty of them nor of any other injustice shall without reformation ever be capable of inheriting the crown which is by Christ promised to Christians 11. And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God Paraphrase 11. And such sins as these were ordinary among you in time of your heathen state but now you have given up your names to Christianity which denounceth judgement against all these your baptism is a renouncing of them all your sanctification by the Spirit directly contrary to it your justification by what Christ hath suffered and done for you see note on Mat. 7. b. utterly incompatible with such impurities and injustices spoken of either in the last or this chapter 12. All things are lawfull unto me but all things are not expedient all things are lawfull for me but I will not be brought under the power of any Paraphrase 12. And whereas your teachers to allure you to sensuall practices tell you first that all meat is freely to be eaten and so sooth you up in luxury and then proceed and perswade you that use of venery is as necessary for your bodies and so as lawfull as eating of meat is I shall tell you first that supposing them lawfull yet it will befit a Christian to abstain from many things that are not utterly unlawfull and secondly that if indifferent things begin to get a dominion over any 〈◊〉 men upon conceit that meats are lawfull come to be enslaved to their bellies as of the Gnosticks 't is affirmed that they serve their bellies and that they are lovers of pleasures more then of God this is then absolutely unlawfull 13. Meats for the belly and the belly for meats but God shall destroy both it and them Now the body is not for fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the body Paraphrase 13. 'T is true that meats are by God and nature appointed for the use of men and that the body of man here in this life hath absolute necessity of them And yet to take off our hearts from them we may also consider that in the next life which is a spirituall life this eating and desiring of meat shall be taken away and therefore even here we should keep the flesh in such a subordination to the spirit that we may be able to deny our selves even lawfull pleasures sometimes especially when any occasion makes it more expedient v. 12. But then for fornication whatsoever your former heathen principles or present false teachers the Gnosticks teach you that is no such lawfull or indifferent thing your bodies are to be consecrated to God either in lawfull wedlock or in chaste single life and by being kept pure here must be made capable of rising to everlasting life with Christ hereafter v. 14. 14. And God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power Paraphrase 14. And then God that raised up Christ's pure sinlesse body out of the grave and hath made it a spirituall body shall also doe the same for us though we lye down in the grave also 15. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Paraphrase 15. And this one consideration may have force on you Your bodies expect to rise with Christ as members with the head ye must not then in any reason pollute a member of Christ a devoted consecrated person by such unclean embraces 16. What know ye not that he which is joyned to an harlot is one body for two saith he shall be one flesh Paraphrase 16. That which was said at the institution of marriage in paradise that the man and the wife become one body concludes that the fornicator makes himself one body with a whore 17. But he that is joyned unto the Lord is one spirit Paraphrase 17. As on the other side he that keeps close to Christ's commandements and so cleaves to him Deut. 10. 20. hath a spirituall union with him minds the same things that he minds and so is very farre from these carnall base joyes in which all the Gnosticks religion consists 18. Flee fornication Every sin that a man doth is without the body but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body Paraphrase 18. Be sure therefore that ye keep your selves farre removed from that sinne Most other sins are committed against God or the neighbour but sinnes of uncleannesse are against one's selfe a defiling of his flesh a polluting of that which by chastity and single life is set apart to be a temple of God a place of sanctity and purity v. 29. 19. What know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own Paraphrase 19. Your bodies are by your being Christians consecrated to the service of his Spirit and the Governours of the Church of which sort the incestuous person is thought to be see c. 5. 2. set apart in all purity to discharge that function to which they are consecrated by receiving the holy Ghost This benefit of the Spirit ye have received from God and it is an engagement to you to think your own bodies are not now at your own disposall to use them as you please as in your state of Gentilisme or without that engagement ye might be tempted to imagine 20. For ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are God's Paraphrase 20. For God hath pai'd dear for the purchase of you hath given his sonne out of his bosome and his very Spirit to this purpose to purchase unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works by this price making purchase of our bodies as well as our soules and so engaging us to serve and glorifie him in both and not leaving either of them at liberty for us to dispose of as we please V. 2. To judge That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not matters but places of judicature appears by Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and authors and Glossaryes generally and so in the sacred style Susan 49. where we read the place of judgement So Judg. 5. 10. sit in judgement and Dan. 7. 10. the Judgement was set that is the Court of Judges And Jam. 2. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are distinctly and necessarily rendred Judgement-seats And so here the Arabick interpreter renders it by words which are thus in Latine Subsellia Judicii ad mundum pertinentis seates of judgement belonging to the world V. 7. A fault The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used Rom. 11. 12. and is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulnesse noting there the great paucity of the Jewish converts to
the passive voice and sense Now the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Hebrews were those portions of land that fell by lot to any in the division of a land or estate as in the first division of Canaan Judah had his lot or portion or division Reuben his and God was Levi's lot or inheritance or possession as we call it So in like manner when in the division of the world into Jewes and Gentiles God chose the Jewes they were said to be his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or portion Deut. 4. 20. and so believers or Christians are now styled 1 Pet. 5. 3. and in a more peculiar manner they that preached the Gospel the Apostles who seem to be here noted by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 raising it somewhat higher then those had had the knowledge of his Will v. 9. and surely are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we v. 12. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first that hoped or believed in Christ and who as such were before others preferred to that dignity And so accordingly have all that have served God in the ministery been called God's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or clergie by whom therefore they are here said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to become Gods peculiar possession or portion But the Kings MS. hath not this word but onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we were called V. 14. Earnest The Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Syriack word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contraxit mercatus est fidejussit to make any bargain as it signifies Gen. 38. 17. a pledge or first part of a payment which is an assurance or security that the rest of the whole price shall not fail to follow This is it which in English is peculiarly called the Earnest that which confirms and assures the bargain And so the Spirit and gifts thereof after the Ascension of Christ poured out not onely upon Jewes but Gentiles is the pledge or earnest paid by God the first part of the price which he hath agreed to give for the bringing in and redeeming the Gentiles out of the hands of Satan and sin to be the servants of the living God Those many other graces and rich treasures consequent to that gift pardon of sin increase of grace and at last salvation it self being the residue of the price and here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our portion or that which we receive in the bargain in this great purchase of Gods his work of redeeming of souls Ib. Redemption What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies will be seen Note on Heb. 10. d. and on 1 Pet. 2. e. Here it must be taken not for the action of acquiring or possessing but the persons that are so acquired all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a people for a possession or which is all one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a peculiar people Tit. 2. 14. that is a Church of pure Christian livers which are here said to be to the praise of his glory as in the place of S. Peter That they may shew forth the power or virtues of him that hath called them out of darknesse into his marvellous light As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ransoming or redeeming that is used sometimes for temporal deliverance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redeeming or rescuing the body out of persecutions and calamities see Rom. 8. Note l. but here for spiritual deliverance from the power of reigning sin as Tit. 2. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redeeming from all iniquity rescuing from all wicked life And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no more then that which is mentioned of Christ Lu. 1. delivering men from their spiritual enemies ransoming them from those servile habits of sinne wherein they lived that they may serve him in holinesse c. Hereby may also appear what is meant by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 day of redemption cap. 4. 30. that redemption which had here been mentioned the redeeming them out of their course of sin to the service of God every one that is redeemed being his goods possession servant that bought him and so the sealing them by the Spirit to the day of redemption there is perfectly agreeable to the sealing them here by the same Spirit v. 13. to this redemption of God's peculiar people God's sending his Spirit and the gifts thereof among the Gentiles which was done at the first preaching the Gospel to them being the marking them out as God's purchase such as are to be servants of his and being so shall be accomplish'd and crown'd by him V. 15. After I heard The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hear is answerable to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that signifies to know as well as to hear and is sometimes rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to know And so it seems to be used in this Epistle ch 3. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If indeed ye have known not heard for his Apostolick Commission to the Gentiles which is the thing there spoken of was that which they to whom he had preach'd must needs known immediately and not by hearsay onely And so here their faith was a thing known by him also and not onely heard though it is also true that their growth in the faith since he was there and the evidences of their charity might be brought to him by the advertisement of others Thus ch 4. 21. If ye have heard him is if ye have known CHAP. II. 1. AND you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins Paraphrase 1. And you heathens lying like so many carcasses desperately gone in all kind of sins see note on Lu. 15. c. hath God quickned and raised to now life v. 5. all between being to be read as in a parenthesis 2. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the aire the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Paraphrase 2. You I say that for so many years together lived formerly securely went on in the Epidemical sins of the nations the customes of the Gentiles world following the direction of your Idol false Gods who prescribed all villany in their worships that is of Satan that hath such power here below and doth still exercise his power among all that have not received the Gospel of Christ 3. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the children of wrath even as others Paraphrase 3. Among whom we of the Gentile Church of Rome from whence I write formerly lived and yielded our selves to those sensual sins and idol-worships which our lusts and our phansies were pleased with and so went on in those heathen customes which did universally overspread them and were born and lived
the planting and governing of his Church 11. And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some note b Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers Paraphrase 11. And to that end he hath constituted some to be founders and governours of all Churches see note on Joh. 20. 21. and on 1 Cor. 12. b. others to teach and confirm them when they are founded see note on Act. 15. e. and 1 Cor. 12. c. others followers of the Apostles sent to prech the Gospel where the Apostles could not go see note on Joh. 20. 21. others to reside as Bishops and govern particular Churches and instruct them also 12. For the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ Paraphrase 12. For the holding together the body of the Church to frequent publick assemblies see note on 2 Cor. 13. c. and either for the maintaining the poor by the contribution of the rich see note on Lu. 8. a. or for the supplying all the spiritual wants of the Church and for the building of the Church and farther instructing those that are in it and bringing others into it 13. Till we 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 fulnesse of Christ Paraphrase 13. Till Jewes and Gentiles all coming to the Church and joyning in the same faith and profession of Christ attain to full age as it were and stature such as uses to have full knowledge belonging to it viz. the perfect knowledge of Christ's will revealed to them 14. That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the note c sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they note d lie in wait to deceive Paraphrase 14. Which may secure us from that which we now see is the fate of many viz. to be as children are wont carried from one doctrine to another as a wave of the sea is carried about with every wind that comes sometimes this sometimes another way through the cheats and sorceries used by the Gnosticks and the cunning and industry of such false teachers who are most dexterous in contriving of deceits see note on Jude f. and laying them so that they may get most Proselytes to them 15. But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ Paraphrase 15. But that preserving unity of faith and charity we may improve as members in unity with the head and grow in all Christian knowledge whatsoever 16. note e 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 increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love Paraphrase 16. Christ being that head from whose influence as from the influence of the principal member the body of any living creature is ordinarily compacted and by the supplies that the veines and arteries binding fast the joints afford to every part proportionably to the power or efficacy of the one and the wants of the other doth daily increase and grow till it come to perfect maturity and all this through the mutual amity that is preserved in the body so the whole body of the Church being held together in frequent assemblies ver 12. by every man's doing his best in the capacity he is in towards the service of the Church or by means of the rich men's contributing to the maintenance of the poor accordingly as one wants and the other is able to supply grows into a complete spiritual body fit for the service of Christ and all this by the means of mutual love and charity 17. This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind Paraphrase 17. This command therefore I give you with all earnestnesse in the name of Christ whose Apostle I am that being converted from heathenisme to Christianity ye doe not any longer live after the manner of the heathens in the vilenesse of those practices used in their idol-worships see note on Rom. 8. h. 18. Having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart Paraphrase 18. That long course of sin having blinded their understandings so that they see not that which by the light of nature they are enabled to see and by that grosse ignorance and obduration of heart run into all impiety are farre removed from that life which God and nature requires of them 19. Who being note f past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all note g uncleannesse with greedinesse Paraphrase 19. And in a kind of senslesnesse and benummednesse yield themselves up to all softnesse and impurity to the committing of all inordinate unnatural sins of the flesh 20. But ye have not so learned Christ Paraphrase 20. The contrary to all which ye have been taught by the Christian religion and therefore ought not to permit your selves to be seduced by false teachers the Gnosticks under pretense of Christian liberty to such unchristian licentiousnesse 21. If so be that ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus Paraphrase 21. This certainly is your duty and so you will believe if you have known see note on ch 1. f. and been throughly instructed in the truth of Christian doctrine 22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts Paraphrase 22. To wit that you should change your former course of life and put off all your idolatrous uncleannesses that before you lived in defiled and corrupted by unnatural lusts see 2 Pet. 1. b. which now your false teachers the Gnosticks desire to bring in again 23. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind 24. And that you put on that new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Paraphrase 23 24. And being inwardly and cordially changed to new desires and pursuits conform all your actions also to this new rule of Christian purity and sincere unfeigned holinesse 25. Wherefore putting away lying speak every man truth with his neighbour for we are members one of another Paraphrase 25. To this purpose these so many sinnes will be fit to be avoided at this time First that of lying which is a sin destructive to society and for the restraining of this ye must consider that not only all Christians but all men are members of the same body viz. of mankind and sure one member never speaks false or deceives another member nor consequently must we lie to any man in the world though he be not a
to anger And Psalm 2. 4. whence these words are recited from the Septuagint 't is certain those that are there spoken to did sinne in being displeased at Gods setting up David and their rebellion against him was but an higher degree of it of which he forewarns them in the next words sinne not that is fall not into that horrible sin The second sort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is forbidden in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinne not this being the first aggravation of the fault of anger indulged to that it becomes bitter which is express'd by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 13. 5. an exasperation or paroxysm of this evil humor And the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here express'd by the very same colour that the antient Philosophers the Pythagoreans had thought fit to expresse it by For of them saith Plutarch de Fat am that when they fell into any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contumely through anger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the sun went down they shook hands and were dissolved directly contrary to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or made friends again And so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let not the sun goe down upon your wrath where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exasperation of anger which breaks out into bitter words and so all one directly with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the contumelious behaviour produced by anger the Apostles command is that he that hath been guilty of it must come to temper and sue for reconciliation as the same Pythagoreans did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shaking hands and embracing one another before the sun goâ— down that is either speedily as Christ advises agree with thy adversary quickly or else before the time of solemn praying to God which was constantly at evening and so the exhortation here will bear proportion with that Mat. 5. 23 24. If thou bringest thy gift unto the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee as he that hath been reproached by thee in thy wrath hath leave there thy gift and first be reconciled to thy brother that is obtain his reconciliation to thee and then and not till then thou mayest offer thy gift V. 28. Working with his hands The reason of the conjoining of the prohibition of stealth and the precept of labour will be discerned by remembring the old verse in Phocylides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no way for a sluggard to live but by stealing and acts of that kind And so saith Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stealing is an effect of idlenesse V. 30. Sealed The special use of a Seal and that which in this and other places of the Scripture is most commonly referr'd to is that of a mark or Character set upon wares or commodities that are bought by any and bâ—cause men were as ordinarily bought as any other commodity nothing was more ordinary then to set a seal or mark upon them either in their forehead or some other part to distinguish them from all other mens servants So saiâ—h Theophylact on Rom. 8. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that hath not the seal is not the servant or goods of the Master who is express'd to be so by that seal Thus Rev. 7. 3. the sealing is there accommodated to the servants of God who are there supposed to be bought and are now farther to be rescued out of the temporall ensuing danger and as a token of that sealed in the forehead as servi servants in respect of the originall of the word à servando is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who being spiritually rescued and saved already from the pollutions of the world are now to be delivered from the approaching destruction when without that mark of discrimination the good and ill might all be involved in the same calamity See Note on Rev. 7. c. Thus when Joh. 6. 27. 't is said that God the father hath sealed Christ the meaning is clear that by the miracles which he did and especially by the Holy Ghost's descending upon him with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is he he had owned him his servant Isa 42. 1. see Note on Mat. 3. l. and demonstrated it as punctually as if he had mark'd him in the forehead that this was his anoâ—nted special servant sent by commission from him discriminated from all others and that whatsoever he said was the will and pleasure of God In reference to what was there said of Gods sealing Christ is that which is here said to be understood also For there the Spirits coming down upon Christ was the sealing of him the signifying that he was Gods servant sent on his message to the world and here in like manner the Ephesians are said to be sealed by the Spirit to the day of redemption that is by the preaching of the Gospell and setling of a Church among them which is an effect directly of the Holy Ghosts descending on the Apostles as before upon Christ and an act of the office of the Holy Ghost by which the Ephesians that were believers were demonstratively pointed out to be by God designed to his service to a gracious Christian life and nothing so contrary so grievous to this Holy Spirit as their neglecting and contradicting these designes of God living unchristianly v. 29. By this 't will be easie to underâ—and the like phrase 2 Cor. 1. â—2 where also as here to Gods sealing us is straight added his giving his spirit as a pledge c. So Eph. 1. 13. ye were sealed by the holy Spirit of promise that is by that holy Spirit promised by Christ and in the Gospell called the promise of the father Luk. 24. 49. which wheresoever it is given that is where a Church is setled and established is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pledg or first part of that inheritance or portion which shall hereafter be bestowed on those which by this appear to be received and acknowledged as servant and sonnes of God CHAP. V. 1. BE ye therefore followers of God as dear children Paraphrase 1. Be ye therefore as diligent to render your selves the pictures and resemblances of God which hath thus vouchsafed to be your Father as any children are by nature in the linâ—aments of the face or by institution in the qualities of the minde like to their naturall parents 2. And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and given himself for us an note a offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Paraphrase 2. And continue constant to death in the profession of the Christian faith see note on Rev. 2. b. thereby imitating the love of Christ to us who that he might confirm and seal the truth of his preaching for which he was sent by God offered up his own life was willingly content to die which death of his as it was for our sakes so was it
Leontius de sect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of the heresie of the Manichees which chose the worst things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of each heresie he addes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it abstains not even from Idolatry nor from any sort not shew or appearance but kind or sort of evil V. 23. Whole spirit and The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the all or whole of you the intire or complete man is here divided into three parts spirit soul and body There seems to be a particular mention of each of these in the creation Gen. 2. 7. First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dust of the earth that visible masse the flesh or members that is the body then secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the living soul the animal or sensitive faculty common to man with beasts and other sensitive creatures and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soul which therefore in the New Testament ordinarily signifies the life Luk. 12. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they require thy soul that is thy life from thee So Matt. 10. 39. and 16. 25 26. and elsewhere See c. 2. 8. Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the breath of life the rational faculty capable of divine illumination and so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit or that which was at first breathed into man by God and returns immortal into his hands again And so this may be the full meaning of the words your spirit soul and body that is your rational immortal spirit your sensitive mortal soul and your body the place of residence of both which three make up the whole man the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole of us and so Marcus Eremita 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the three-parted hypostasis of body spirit and soul But there is another notion of the word soul which may possibly make a change in this matter For the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soul Gen. 23. 8. is by the Chaldee paraphase rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the will so it must there signifie for there Abraham communed with them saying If it be your soul we render it mind that is your pleasure your election or choise that is an act of the Will that I should bury my dead out of my sight hear me c. So Ps 27. 12. the soul of my enemies must signifie the pleasure and is rightly rendred the will of my enemies so as they may deal with me as they please and so the same phrase is again used Psal 41 2 So Deut. 21. 14. Thou shalt let her goe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to her soul that is her will whither she please or choose to goe that is freely the will being that free faculty which chuses what it pleases and accordingly the Septuagint read there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free to gee whither she will This Thalassius Cent. 2. 27. calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the practical soul viz. the beginning of Action for such the Will is And that this is the notion of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soul here is the opinion of the most antient writers Origen and Irenaeus as shall anon appear And if it be so then the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 body must be taken in a more comprehensive latitude so as to contain the senses and sensitive appetites that are seated in the body in the notion that the flesh and the members are opposed to the spirit and the mind Rom. 7. and Gal. 5. And then this will be the division of the man the flesh or body or sensitive carnal appetites on one side and the Spirit or upper soul the rational proposals on the other side and the Will or choice that freely inclines to one or the other of these as it pleaseth For the first of these three the Fathers are wont to set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the passions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sensual desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common people of the soul in Maximus Tyrius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the woman-part in Philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the child in us in Simplicius on Epictet p. 70. and again p. 296. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lower foot-part of the soul by which the soul communicates with the body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the unreasonable affections generally among the Stoicks and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unreasonableness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the horse in Socrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beast in Plotinus or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the body enlivened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beasts and fourfooted creatures of the soul which still allure us to bestial things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of man as man saith Nemesius de Nat. Hom. c. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of the living creature primarily and consequently of the man in that man is a living creature For the Spirit they set to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the leading faculty of the soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the intellectual faculty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rider of that horse in Socrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the paedagogue that modulates the irrational appetite and sets it right to that which is profitable in Simplicius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the God in us in Julian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orat. 2. p. 127. the chief part of the soul the daemon that is given to every one dwelling in the top of the body and raising us from the earth to our kindred in heaven the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the masculine part in Philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man in others the inward man in Saint Paul and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the understanding Mar. 12. 30. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same sense v. 33. Betwixt these two then as in the middle of them is placed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that signifies the will the elective faculty called by the Ancients 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the will or choice This Philosophy concerning the parts and division of man Nemesius cites from Plotinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the man is made up of three body soul and mind and he affirmes Apollinarius Bishop of Laodicea to have followed him in it The same we may see in Irenaeus l. 5. c. 9. together with the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the whole of you which we have given Sunt saith he tria ex quibus perfectus homo constat Carne animâ spiritu There are three things of which the entire perfect man consists flesh soul spirit And again anima est quidem inter haec duo aliquando subsequens spiritum elevatur ab eo aliquando autem consentiens carni decidit in terrenas concupiscentias The soul is betwixt the flesh and spirit and sometimes following the spirit is elevated by it sometimes consenting to the flâ—sh fals into earthly concupiscences So Origen l. 1.
excellency of the possession 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it denotes wealth plenty and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multitude and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abundant and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rich much all in Hesychius The full notion of it must be fetch'd from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies peculium proprium thesaurus facultates res chara that which is a mans own his treasure his estate any thing dear unto him and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is generally rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 19. 5. Deut. 7. 6. and 26. 18. is 14. 2. and 26. 18. rendred by the Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dilectus beloved and so in Exodus also and accordingly here it signifies a beloved pretious excellent people for which Symmachus puts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Mal. 3. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred by us jewels and by Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHAP. III. 1. PUT them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to obey magistrates to be ready to every good work Paraphrase 1. And let it be thy frequent and special care to exhort all Christians under thee to yield all honest obedience to the Kings and Governors under whom they live and to be ready and cheerfull to the practice of all acts of charity 2. To speak evil of no man to be no brawlers but gentle shewing all meeknesse unto all men Paraphrase 2. very mild see note on 2 Cor. 10. a. and patient toward those that oppose them and truth it self 3. For we our selves were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hatefull and hating one another Paraphrase 3. As remembring that we our selves before our conversion to Christ were as opposite to the truth and as perversly so as any can be now supposed to be 4. But after that the kindnesse and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared Paraphrase 4. But when Christ of his great mercy and bounty to mankind was pleased to reveal himself to us 5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Paraphrase 5. Then out of his free underserved mercy toward us not in respect of nor by way of return unto any good action of ours he rescued and delivered us out of our sinfull courses put us into a state of salvation upon our giving our selves up in baptisme his vowed reformed servants sealing unto us the pardon of all our sins and then bestowing his Spirit upon us to bring forth in us all fruits of new life 6. Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour Paraphrase 6. Which Spirit most plentifully descended on us from God the Father Christ Jesus his Son obtaining that mercy from him 7. That being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life Paraphrase 7. That having our lives amended and our sins pardoned by his grace and mercy we should become as children of God his heirs at present in hope of eternal life 8. This is a faithfull saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be carefull to maintain note a good works these things are good and profitable unto men Paraphrase 8. This is an important special Christian doctrine which I would have thee be earnest in telling men and convincing them of the importance of it that all that have professed to be Christians should make it their principal care to see that all that belong to them together with themselves doe not only live in the universal duties of Christians but also particularly follow some honest labour or vocation v. 14. and Ephes 4. 28. for these are the things that are good in themselves and usefull to mankind of good report in the actors and beneficial to the community keep others from being burthened with the slothfull and enable them to be themselves helpfull to others 9. But avoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and strivings about the law for they are unprofitable and vain Paraphrase 9. As for the Gnosticks that employ themselves in compiling a new model of divinity made up of foolish disputes and of heathen notions of poetical genealogies see 1 Tim. 1. 4. and contentions about the observing the Mosaical Law that Christians be circumcised Gal. 6. 12. and by so doing put themselves out of their calling live idly disorderly 2 Thess 3. 6 11. these spend their time upon vanities that neither themselves nor others are the better but the worse for 10. A man that is an note b heretick after the note c first and second admonition reject Paraphrase 10. Whosoever maketh any division in the Church that teacheth any doctrine contrary to that which hath been taught by Christ and the Apostles and that he may get followers separates from the Church from the communion of Christians there it is thy office and duty toward such an one first to admonish him once or twice Mat. 18. 16. and if that will not work upon him or reduce him then to set a mark upon him as on one which is under the censures of the Church and to appoint all men to break off familiar converse with him 11. Knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being note d condemned of himself Paraphrase 11. Knowing that such a man is a perverse wilfull sinner inflicting that punishment on himself which the governors of the Church are wont to doe on malefactors that is cutting himself off from the Church of which he was a member 12. When I shall send Artemas unto thee or Tychicus be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis for I have determined there to winter 13. Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently that nothing be wanting unto them Paraphrase 13. Furnish Apollos and Zenas the lawyer that are coming to me with all things necessary for their journey see note on 1 Cor. 16. a. 14. And let note e ours also learn to maintain good works for note f necessary uses that they be not unfruitfull Paraphrase 14. But let not only the Gnostciks v. 8. be thus admonished and convinced but let all those also that continue with us all the orthodox Christians be taught by you to set up in themselves and families some honest labours among men to supply their wants and provide for themselves necessaries of victuals c. that they live not like drones on others sweat maintained out of the treasure of the Church but earn every one their own livings 2 Thess 3. 12. 15. All that are with me salute thee Greet them that love us in the faith Grace be with you all Amen Paraphrase 15. all our loving fellow-Christians It was written to Titus ordained the first Bishop of the
your prayers be not hindred Paraphrase 7. Let the husbands in like manner live conjugally with their wives and behave themselves toward them as Christianity requires of them or as the mystical understanding of the story of their creation directs providing for them that they want nothing because they are not so able to provide for themselves and considering that they are by God designed to be co-partners with them of all the good things of this life which God bestowes in common on them that so they may also joyn efficaciously in prayers to God first as having this perfect union and community of every thing the want of which would be some hinderance to the joint performance of that duty of prayer and secondly that being provided for by the husband the wise may have no distractions and solicitudes for the world which are most apt to disturb her prayers also 8. Finally be ye all of one mind having compassion one of another love as brethren be pitiful be courteous Paraphrase 8. In brief or to summe up all Let this union of minds be not onely between husbands and wives but among all Christians whatsoever and let that expresse it self in a fellow-feeling of one anothers afflictions in love to all the brethren c. 2. 17. in tendernesse of kindnesse to do good to all that stand in any need of it in humble courteous friendly behaviour toward all 9. Not rendring evil for evil or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing Paraphrase 9. Never permitting your selves in the least degree to act or meditate revenge on any that hath been most in jurious to you remembring and considering the example given you by Christ and the obligation that lies on you as Christians Mat. 5. 44. that so by doing good and blessing others you may receive a blessing from God in this and in another life 10. For he that will love life and see good days let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile Paraphrase 10. According to that of the Psalmist Psalm 34. 12. That the onely way to obtain the blessings of this life and so now under the Gospel of another is observing strict rules of charity and justice 11. Let him eschew evil and do good let him seek peace and ensue it Paraphrase 11. Abstaining from all sin abounding in works of mercy seeking and pursuing of all peaceablenesse with all men 12. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil Paraphrase 12. For God looks propitiously upon all his obedient servants but for all wicked men he sets himself as an enemy against them 13. And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good Paraphrase 13. And so sure are these promises of his to be made good unto you that if you perform your part live blamelesly in a ready discharge of your duty this will be the most probable course to keep you safe from all evil 14. But and if ye suffer for righteousnesse sake happy are ye and be not afraid of their terror neither be troubled Paraphrase 14. But if as sometimes it will fall out you do suffer for this very thing for doing good count this no other then a blessing and therefore whatsoever danger you are theatned with by the power of your persecuters be not afraid or disturbed with it 15. But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready alwaies to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meeknesse and fear Paraphrase 15. But be thankfull to God for all or set up God in your hearts as your God and Lord and whensoever there is occasion confesse him before men and when you are asked give an account of the hope and â—aith you professe with all meeknesse to their authority if they be your superiours the Kings and Magistrates which are set over you and with all care to approve your selves to God see Phil. 2. c. 16. Having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of evil doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ Paraphrase 16. Keeping your selves blamelesse before all men particularly in this of maintaining that duty of meeknesse and reverence toward the heathen rulers v. 15. and c. 2. 12. see note on c. 4. f. that they that accuse you as malefactors or seditious persons may be convinced and put to shame and confesse that the lives of Christians are very honest and inoffensive and that they have most foully calumniated you in saying otherwise of you 17. For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well doing then for evil doing Paraphrase 17. For if it please God that a man suffer innocently there is no matter of sorrow in that there is much more danger that a man by desiring to avoid that should fall into some evil and then suffer justly for that and then that will be a sad thing indeed without any allay or matter of comfort in it 18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickned by the Spirit Paraphrase 18. For Christ is an example of the former in his dying for sins not his own but ours he being righteous died for us who are unrighteous that when we were aliens and enemies to God he might reconcilâ— us to him and give us authority to approach him wherein yet for our example and comfort it must be observed that though as a man clothed in our flesh he was put to death and that innocently to purchase redemption for us yet by the power of God in him he was most gloriously raised from the dead see c. 1. 11. and shall consequently by raising and rescuing us out of the present sufferings and destroying all obdurate sinners shew forth wonderful evidences of power and life 19. By which also he went and preached unto the note f spirits in prison Paraphrase 19. The very same in effect that of old he did at the time in which beyond all others he shewed himself in power and majesty against his enemies but withall in great mercy and deliverance to his obedient servants that adhered to him I mean in the dayes of the old world when by Noaâ— that preacher of righteousnesse he gave those treatable warnings to them that made no use of the light of nature in their hearts to the spirits or souls of those that were then alive before the Floud which God had given them with impressions of good and evill but through their customes of sin were as a sword put up in a sheath laid up as God complains Gen.
c. and chap. 40. 17. it is rendred bountifulnesse Thus in Aristotle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is defined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rhet. l. 2. c. 7. when any man relieves him that wants not that he himself may gain any thing by it but only that the other may Where the Anonymous Scholiast expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace that is gift and so Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So in Callimachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I wish you may suffer no ill for this mercy to me but that you may be rewarded for your Charity where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is clearly interpreted by almes or mercy So 2 Cor. 8. 1 4. 'tis clearly used for a gift or liberal beneficence to the poor Thus in this Epistle c. 4. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifold grace of God is God's liberality of divers kinds particularly the wealth that he hath given to men as to stewards to distribute to them that stand in need of it and at the beginning of the verse it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every man as he hath received wealth or any other such gift of God So the grace of God so often mentioned is the mercy and gift of God as in the Benedictions The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God's love and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communication after it So Joh. 1. 16 we have received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace mercy liberal effusion of goodnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of and in proportion to his great goodnesse and mercy and abundant charity to us mentioned before v. 14. and after v. 17 where the grace of Christ is set opposite to the strictnesse of the Law which hath nothing of mercy in it Agreeable to this notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it signifies an act of this mercy in God that is a gift is the use of it in this place where the husbands are commanded todistribute to their wives all things that they stand in need of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as copartners of the gift of life that is the wife and the husband are joined together in receiving from God that largesse of his whether it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that signifies life it self as we know it was in the Creation God equally distributed this gift of life to them or as it notes the comforts and necessaries of life the wife as well as the husband hath right of inheritance from God to all the good things of this life as having equally dominion given to them both over the fish and fowle and beasts and hearbs and trees Gen. 1. 28. all which are given them for meat v. 29. V. 19. Spirits in prison For the explicating of this very obscure place the best rise will be that which S. Hierome on Isaiah hath suggested to us by looking on the words of God to Noah concerning the sins of the old world and his judgments designed against them Gen. 6. 3. where considering Noah as a prophet and preacher of repentance to the old world it will not be strange if the expression be prophetical and figurative The Hebrew hath it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the ordinary English render My spirit shall not alwaies strive with man the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Spirit shall not abide in these men perhaps reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lodge or abide The English render the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it came from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disceptavit judicio contendit to contend or goe to law but the word comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a sheath 1 Chron. 21. 27. and is used for a body Dan. 7. 15. my spirit in the midst of my body as being the sheath or receptacle of the soul and so the writers of the Talmud ordinarily use it and Tertullian De resurrect Caro vagina afflatûs Dei Flesh is the sheath of the breath of God no doubt referring to this place and accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is literally to be rendred shall not abide as a sword c. in a sheath For the removing all improbablenesse of thus reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pernoctabit and taking it in the notion of abiding or continuing in flesh and not of striving as the Interlinear and our English render it and as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed would require to be rendred I shall onely adde two things first That the antient Interpreters with one accord agree in the sense of abiding or inhabiting The Chaldee read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This evil generation shall not alwaies remain before me the Syriack and Arabick My spirit shall not dwell in man for ever the LXXII as we said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not abide and so the Latine non permanebit shall not abide This is a strong argument that they who when they meet with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uniformly render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. by words of judging yet rendring this in so distant a manner did not read that word or in that sense but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as all Copies have it in a notion of abiding or being in another And although the Scripture of the Old Testament give us no farther insight into this word then that once we finde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a sheath of a sword once for a body of a men yet by these so distant notions of it we have reason to suppose that there was some original comprehensive notion of it belonging to more or else it could not have been applied in the Chronicles and in Daniel to these two so distant particulars A sheath and a body differ much the one from the other yet agree in this that as one is the repository or abiding-place of the sword into which it is put so the other is of the soul and from this agreement no doubt it is that they are expressed by the same word And then it would be very strange if that word thus common to them should not natively signifie that wherein they thus agree viz. abiding or being put in or kept in or confined to such a place or some such thing 'T is evident that many Hebrew words are of a farre greater latitude of signification and comprehensivenesse then we can by the use of them in the Bible which is but a volume of a narrow compasse discerne or conjecture as appears especially by the use of them in Arabick books which language is certainly but a dialect derived from the Hebrew And therefore it is not unreasonable on the grounds premised and those more then obscure indications in the Bible which we have of it that this should be the native meaning of the Verb though in other places of the Bible we doe not exactly
of Christ so long expected see note b. Mat. 24. b. wherein the obdurate unbelievers shall be destroyed and the believers delivered and preserved we may come with chearfulnesse and confidence see Joh. 7. a. and not be turned with shame from him or as inconstant and so guilty persons be ashamed to meet him 29. If ye know that he is righteous ye know that every one that doth righteousnesse is born of him Paraphrase 29. Resolving of this that Christ is a most just judge and consequently that every upright person is a child of his like unto him and certainly shall be used by him as a son have all protection and inheritance from him Annotations on Chap. II. \1 \2 reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the darknesse or the shadow passeth and the true light already shineth What is the meaning of these phrases is yet a farther difficulty but by analogie with other the like in these books may be explained Christ is called the true light Job 1. 9. Light in respect of his doctrine which was the direction of every mans life and true light in respect of the more imperfect shadows that had been before under the Law Thus when it is said Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ and that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth truth denotes the substance in opposition to shadows the substantial worship in opposition to the rudiments of the Law And this sense is much favoured here by the King's MS. which reads not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 darkness but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shadow which is used of the Law Col. 2. 17. Heb. 10. 1. and so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passeth doth incline for that is oft applied to a shadow my time passeth like a shadow c. but not so to darkness And indeed as light is opposed to darknesse so true light which is somewhat more that in which is no mixture of darknesse is most fiâ—ly opposed to a shadow in which there is some of that mixture 'T is true indeed ver 9 and 11. we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 darkness which may make it probable that it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 darkness not shadow here But that argument is of little force because there the opposition being betwixt that and light simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 darkness was necessarily to be used and by that is meant the darkness of sin in both places the hating the brother but here it being not simply light but with this addition the true light shadow is it to which that is most properly opposed And it need not seem strange that both these oppositions should here be used so neer one to the other it being evident that the doctrine of Christ which is opposed to sin and so to darkness which denotes that is opposed also to the Law of Moses as a more perfect to that which was lesse perfect an higher degree of charity now exemplified and required by Christ to a lower and more imperfect degree of it before required by Moses As for the passing of the shadow and shining of the true light that evidently signifies the abolition of the Mosaical Law and the Christian law taking place prevailing over it Which this Apostle which knew that to be the last hour and so the destruction of the Jewish Temple and consequently service so suddainly to approach could not but know that it was now at hand And indeed the Apostles having received revelations to that purpose see Note on Rom. 7. a. it is here truly said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this true light already shineth the Law was already abolished and only the Christian doctrine in force already And so this is a most commodious efficacious reason to prove and press the matter in hand that if this were a new commandment which here he speaks of and no old Judaical one yet it was part of the doctrine of Christ and that was now in full force over the world the Judaical Law being already abrogated and the destruction of their whole policie very near at hand v. 18. V. 18. The last time That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifies that famous period the destruction of the Jewes will not only appear by comparing that phrase with many other of that kind in these Books the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 end and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consummation of the age and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last daies but also by the whole Context in this place For the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here following ye have heard being a form of citing must necessarily referre us to some prediction that had before been delivered of the matter here spoken of viz. the coming of Antichrist This prediction was certainly that of Christ's Mat. 24. where before this fatal day in three stages of his discourse three several times he toucheth on this matter first v. 5. There shall come many in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many then v. 11. many Pseudo-prophets that is that pretend a mission when they have it not shall arise and deceive many then v. 23. If any shall say Lo here is Christ or there believe them not for there shall rise Pseudo-Christs and Pseudo-prophets and shall shew many signes and wonders so that they shall deceive if possible even the elect behold I have told you before Of the first sort are those counterfeit Christs who pretended soon after Christ's ascension of which it is therefore said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the end is not yet they were to be some years before this destruction Of this sort was Theudas not he which is mentioned Act. 5. 36 37. as antienter then Judas Galilaeus but another mentioned by Josephus under Claudius's reign when Fadus was Procurator of Judaea who saith Eusebius 1. 2. c. 1. a. out of Joseph Ant. l. 20. c. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deceived many Of this sort was the Aegyptian Act. 21. 38. mentioned also by Eusebius 1. 2. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of Josephus And so also Dositheus or Dosthes in Origen cont Cels l. 1. and in Hegesippus apud Euseb l. 4. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and divers others who undertook to be deliverers of the people which is in effect to be Christs as a Christ is defined by S. Luke c. 24. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that should redeem Israel So again in the last place the false Christs false prophets are the like to these differing from them only in the time wherein they should shew themselves viz. after the besieging of Jerusalem v. 15. when upon the sudden raising of it again by Cestius Gallus the Christians fled out of Judaea v. 16. for then was it an opportunity for false Christs to attempt to gather followers and undertake deliverances
reward of Martyrs they shall be clothed in shining garments that is gloriously or royally and this as a reward of their Christian constancy for they have behaved themselves as they ought 5. He that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the note b book of life but I will confesse his name before my Father and before his Angels Paraphrase 5. He that holds out against all temptations and confesses Christ before men shall be rewarded with the richest Martyrs reward and though he be slain here he shall be sure to gain life by losing it I will make good my promise to this Confessor of mine in confessing and owning him before my Father and his Angels at the day of Judgement 6. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches 7. And to the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia write These things saith he that is holy he that is true he that hath the key of David he that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth Paraphrase 7. Christ that is pure and faithful to us and that loveth and owneth and rewardeth those that continue pure and faithful undefiled and constant to the professing of him that hath as a King see note on Mat. 16. h. supreme independent absolute power and authority put into his hand over the Church of God and so whatsoever he doth shall stand against all controll 8. I know thy works behold I have set before thee an open door and no man can shut it for thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word and hast not denyed my name Paraphrase 8. You have behaved your selves couragiously and so as I approve of and this behaviour shall be a means of enlarging the bounds of Christian doctrine of bringing in Proselytes to Christ in despight of all the cunning or force of the adversary and this because that little Church or host or congregation among you hath been kept entire and neither defiled with the impure mixture of the Gnosticks nor with their doctrine of renouncing Christ in time of persecution but hath held out against all 9. Behold I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Jews and are not but do ly behold I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee Paraphrase 9. And for the Gnosticks that have joined with the Jews to persecute you that have not onely been thus careful to preserve themselves by subtle compliances to appear to be Jewes to escape persecutions from them see note on c. 2. â— being indeed the most polluted villains in the world but farther have joyned with them to annoy the Christians let them know that their cunnings and subtilties shall stand them in little stead the time shall come that they shall see that those which have served Christ most faithfully and couragiously shall fare best even in this world and that Gods love is more useful and worth having then any other acquisition which is gotten with the losse of that and in stead of being able to prevail against you they shall be themselves subdued and destroyed see note on c. 2. l. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth Paraphrase 10. And because you have observed my command of constancy persevered in the confession of Christ even in time of persecution and have been content to suffer for me I will preserve and deliver you from those persecutions which are about to fall upon the Christians every where as a sharp trial to them 11. Behold I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy crown Paraphrase 11. This patience and purity of yours I shall speedily reward Be ye therefore sure to persevere now this little while that all that hitherto you have suffered be not lost and unrewarded as it would if now at last you should fail 12. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my Godâ— and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the City of my God which is new Jerusalem which cometh down out of heaven from my God and I will write upon him my new name Paraphrase 12. He that thus holds out shall be a pillar of the Church and live quietly to perform the office of an Apostle in it he shall no more be disturbed or cast out Mat. 8. 12. And I will acknowledge him as a person truly godly a true member of the pure Catholick Christian Church known by the name of the new Jerusalem descending from heaven see note on c. 21. b. one that is approved by me as a faithful true Christian see note on c. 2. l. 13. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches 14. And unto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans write These things saith the Amen the faithful and note c true witnesse the beginning of the creation of God Paraphrase 14. This is the message of Christ the Amen in whom all the promises of God are fulfilled the faithful witnesse that hath confirmed the doctrine brought from his Father by laying down his life for it and so is a witnesse that deserves to be believed and requires all his disciples to do the like when there is occasion for it he that is the father of the Christian Church 15. I know thy works that thou art note d neither cold nor hot I would thou wert either cold or hot Paraphrase 15. I have examined and considered your temper and find it such as I can no ways like you professe the Christian faith know and receive the Gospel and so are not quite cold and yet have no Christian zeal or love to endure any thing for Christ 16. So then because thou art luke-warm and neither cold nor hot I will spue thee out of my mouth Paraphrase 16. And so you are of a very indifferent temper though there be none of those which directly renounce the faith among you yet on the other side there be none that confesse it with any warmth or zeal and certainly the faith of Christ is such that if it be at all received may deserve our utmost fervency the laying down our life for it and if it be not thought worth that 't were better never to have received or profess'd it at all This indifferency of yours like luke-warm water nauseous to the stomach and cause of vomiting is matter of loathing to God and will bring utter rejection upon you 17. Because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked
held out constant for all those terrors and persecutions and deceits of carnal sins is suddenly to receive the fruits and reward of it 12. And behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be Paraphrase 12. And I shall not now make any longer delaies as hitherto hath by some been objected against the fidelity of my promises 2 Pet. 3. 9. but hasten to reward every man according to his works both good and evil 13. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last Paraphrase 13. I am the eternal God that have descended so low to the very death of the crosse and having been my self tempted am sure not to leave you in calamities I am able to perform my promise and shall not by any means be hindred from it 14. Blessed are they that doe his commandements that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city Paraphrase 14. Thrice happy are they that receive the faith of Christ and live according to those rules of piety mentioned ver 2. and live quietly and Christianly in the Church 15. For without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murtherers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie Paraphrase 15. Out of which all profane wicked persons are to be ejected such are the Gnosticks which cannot be better compared then to dogs for biting and tearing the orthodox constant Christians and are over and above sorcerers profess'd and guilty of all filthy pollutions bloodily minded guilty of Idol-worship and hypocritical treacherous persons see ch 21. 8. and so are but false equivocal members of Christ's Church and shall have no part of the benefit of Christians 16. I Jesus have sent mine Angel to testifie these things unto you in the Churches I am the root and the off-spring of David and the bright and morning starre Paraphrase 16. I Jesus have sent unto thee my Angel with all these visions concerning the seven Churches and all other passages concerning the universal Church of God I am he that am known by the Prophets by these several titles The root of Jesse The son of David and therefore can bring down the mightiest Kings as David did The starre that ushers in the day all lightsomeness and chearfulness into the world see ch 2. note o. 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say Come And let him that heareth say Come And let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Paraphrase 17. And the Spirit of God that dwells in the Church of Christ and adorns and sets it out fits it as a bride for Christ and the Church the Bride it self calls to every man to consider his own safety so farre as to make hast to come into the number of these faithfull servants of Christ And let every one that heareth these visions say the same seeing that important advantages of it and dangers of the contrary and whosoever will may have a chearfull admission to it and to that refreshing assistance of grace and pardon of sin that is reach'd out there 18. For I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecie of this book note f If any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are writ en in this book Paraphrase 18. As for all those to whom this prophecie shall come I conjure them all that they change not a tittle of it and withall that they look upon it as the last authoritative prophecie that is likely to come from heaven to be a rule of faith to the Church What is here said is decreed and setled immutable no man shall be able to avert it and whosoever shall go about to infuse any-other expectations into men then what are agreeable to these visions God shall bring on him the judgments that are here denounced against Gods greatest enemies 19. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecie God shall take his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city and from the things which are written in this book Paraphrase 19. And so in like manner whosoever shall derogate any thing from the authority of this prophecie or take out any part of it or occasion men's not receiving the admonition of Christ here contained in every part thereof God shall cast him off throw him out of the Church account him uncapable of all the blessings which are here promised to the faithfull Christians 20. He which testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Jesus Paraphrase 20. Christ that sent these visions affirmeth assuredly that he will speedily set to the execution of what is contained in them see note on Mat. 24. b. and that infallibly And the writer hereof in the name of all faithfull Christians gives his acclamation Be it so Lord Jesus be it so 21. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Paraphrase 21. I am now to conclude this Epistle to the seven Churches in the solemn form of Apostolical salutation The grace mercy and goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Annotations on Chap. XXII V. 1. A pure river The five first verses of this chapter belong to the businesse of the former chapter the description of the Christian Church in its flourishing condition and ought not to have been divided from it And this first verse hath a nearer connexion with that which immediatly preceded There in the beginning of it is mention of entrance into the Church and who they were that should not be admitted to it Now this entrance we know was by Baptisme and that is sure express'd here by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pure river of water of life The place wherein they baptized was first any great pool of water typified Ezech. 47. 5. by waters to swim in where they might go in as Philip with the Eunuch and be put under water from whence it is ordinarily by the antients call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pool In the times here referred to that is under Constantine the Font was in the Court before the Church Fountain-water running always into it This Fountain-water is in the New Testament called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living water and here by analogie water of life but that with the addition of a mystical sense as when Ezech. 47. 9. it is said that every thing that moveth wheresoever the waters come shall live or when Christ speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 water leaping or springing to eternal life because Baptisme as an initiation into the Church is an entrance into a Christian and eternal life And the water in the Baptistery or Font maintained from the spring is called here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 river a word by which any
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †the Apostle Peter for the Copies ordinarily read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * ap Euseâ— Eccl. Hist l. 2. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * the elect strangers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †of the dispersion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * According to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †to sprinkling * living 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * the deliverance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †being yet a little while perhaps grieved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * but is tried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †may be â—â—ound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * at the revelation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Whom having not known 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * or preservation of your lives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see note on Rom. 13 c. †deliverance v. 9. * toward you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †to what or what sort of season â—he Spirit of Christ 〈◊〉 them pointed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * gâ—oâ—ies after them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †the â—aâ—e things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * which have now been declared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †through or by 〈◊〉 * having gift 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †perfectly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * brought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * As children of obedience not conformed to the desires which were formerly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †But according to the holy one that hath called you be ye also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †this word is not in the Greek * foreknown 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Having purged your minds through obedience of the truth by the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * or durably 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †is withered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * is fallen away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †which is preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * naughtinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be rendred but it may be perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then it must be read drink or suck in * the rational pure milk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Here the Kings MS. addes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto salvation and so the Syriack and Latine * rejected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †with God elect precious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Be ye also built 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or built on him for an holy priesthood for the King's MS. reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †put to shame 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * is the preciousnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †an elect kindred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * a people for a possession †vertues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * revering you by your good works glorifie †Be subject therefore to every humane creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * having liberty lot a covering of wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †is or shall be a reward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * if having offended being buffeted is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or perhaps punâ—shed for it may possibly be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †a reward v. 19. * for you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * it †carried out sins to the tree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * blewnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * gained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †which is in or with fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * gold chains 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †in the sincerity of a meek * of any teâ—ror 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †lovers of the brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * or humble for the King's MS. reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and some Latine Copies humiles †may inherit blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †are to their prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * or Zeloâ—s for the King's MS. reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * an account 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †or hath died for us once for sins for the King's MS. reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * thrâ—ugh the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †or when the long-suffering for the King's MS. reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †delivered in the midst of or through the water see note on Luk. 13. b. and on 2 Pet. 3. d. * The antitype of which baptism now◠†not of the flesh the putting away of fiâ—th 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * inquiring to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Who is at the right hand of God being gone to heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Tom 4 p. 157. li. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * So Guil. Canterus rightly
be mercifull as God is mercifull or how to love God when he doth so contrary to his commands 18. My little children let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth Paraphrase 18. My dearly-beloved tender Christians let our charity to our brethren shew it self in actions of sincere kindnesse and bounty to them 19. And hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall note c assure our hearts before him Paraphrase 19. And by loving one another thus we are able to discern or judge of our selves that we are such as we professe our selves to be v. 18. and by so judging we shall have our hearts secure and confident that God will hear our prayers v. 22. and Joh. 9. 31. 20. For if our heart condemn us God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things Paraphrase 20. And indeed that this discerning our selves to be such as we pretend our selves to be is necessary to the giving us this confidence toward God appears by this that on the one side our hearts condemning us is a sure argument that God will doe so too and then not hearken to our prayers because he knoweth all things of us that we can know of our selves and on the other side if we have nothing to charge on our selves then we may come thus confidently to God not fearing that he will lay any thing to our charge see note on Joh. 7. a. that we are not guilty of or that he will be wanting to them that walk sincerely before him 21. Beloved if our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God Paraphrase 21. And indeed that this discerning our selves to be such as we pretend our selves to be is necessary to the giving us this confidence toward God appears by this that on the one side our hearts condemning us is a sure argument that God will doe so too and then not hearken to our prayers because he knoweth all things of us that we can know of our selves and on the other side if we have nothing to charge on our selves then we may come thus confidently to God not fearing that he will lay any thing to our charge see note on Joh. 7. a. that we are not guilty of or that he will be wanting to them that walk sincerely before him 22. And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments and doe those things that are pleasing in his sight Paraphrase 22. And he will certainly hear our prayers supposing them such as to which his promise of hearing doth pertain because by obeying him we are qualified to have our prayers heard by him see Jam. 1. 6. 23. And this is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us commandement Paraphrase 23. And one prime part of that obedience is to continue constant in the profession of Christ and perform all the duty owing from us to Christ and our brethren according as he by special precept hath required of us 24. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Paraphrase 24. And he that obeyeth him is really one of those which the Gnosticks pretend to be that is dwelleth or continueth in Christ and consequently receiveth all gracious influences from him as the members from the head as long as that is united to them and that we are such that is that Christ hath not yet forsaken but still continues united to us appeareth by the gracious charitable temper and disposition ver 10 17. which we transcribe from him ch 4. 13. see note on Luc. 9. c. Annotations on Chap. III. V. 8. Committeth sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sin and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to doe or commit sin which appear to be directly the same by comparing ver 6 and 8. and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. 1. 8. to have sin all one with having sinned v. 10. have a special energie in the writings of this Apostle to denote a deliberate presumptuous commission of sin not every sin of ignorance incogitance frailty but after deliberation an advised commission of it This is here affirmed to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the committing transgression where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies opposition or contrariety to Christ's law Justinian renders the word iniquitatem Institut 4. de injur Iniquitas injustitia quam Graece 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocant and iniquitas is this opposition or irregularity to the will of God viz. that will of his revealed to us by Christ to which we now professe obedience It is here made matter of some question whether these phrases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sin and to commit sin are to be interpreted onely of an habit of such deliberate sin or belong to one single act of it But the resolution is easie that though he that lives impenitently in any habit of known sin be most eminently said to sin and commit sin yet he that is guilty of any one deliberate act is here primarily meant by these phrases This appears by the use of the words in some of the places where it must necessarily denote an act and not only an habit as ch 2. 1. These things I write unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that ye may not sin where it would be unreasonable to think that the holy Apostle designed his Epistle to keep them from habits only and not also from each act of deliberate sin This is again evident in this place for not onely he that lives habitually in sin but he that commits any one deliberate act of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 committeth a transgression of the Law opposeth and doth contrary to the Law of Christ which severely forbiddeth such single commissions and not onely the habits of them and so ver 5. when it is said that Christ appeared that he might take away our sins and that there is no sin in him 't is evident that he came to take away our acts as well as our habits and that there was no act as well as no habit of sin in him and so in all that follows v. 6 8 9 c. one act of sin is contrary to abiding in Christ that is to adhering to him to seeing and knowing that is to obeying him one act is of or from the devil one act as contrary to that seed that purity that principle of filiation that is in him that is born of God and not only an habit of it V. 9. Born of God What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being born of God signifies hath been noted Joh. 1. Note b. to have received some special influence from God and by the help and power of that to be raised to a pious life Agreeably 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that hath been born
of God is literally he that hath had such a blessed change wrought in him by the operation of God's Spirit in his heart as to be translated from the power of darkness into the kingdome of his dear Son transformed in the spirit of his mind that is sincerely changed from all evil to all good from obedience to the flesh c. to an obedience to God Onely it is here to be noted that the phrase is not so to be taken as to denote onely the act of this change the first impression of this vertue on the patient the single transient act of regeneration or reformation and that as in the Praeter-tense now past but rather a continued course a permanent state so as a regenerate man and a child of God are all one and signifie him that lives a pious and godly life and continues to doe so For so that phrase of being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a child or son of any kind of father signifies a resemblance or similitude of inclinations and actions as a child of the devil is one that commits and so continues to doe Satanical wicked practices and so sons of Belial are vicious persons and so our Saviour interprets the phrase If ye were the children of Abraham ye would doe the works of Abraham but you are of your father the devil that is you doe those things which are imitations of him such things as he doth And so generally in this Epistle he that is born of God signifies a man truly pious an obedient servant of God and such is the subject of this Proposition here when of such an one it is said he cannot sin Ib. Cannot sin What is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot here will best appear by what S. Chrysostome on Rom. 8. saith of the tree in the Gospel where 't is said A corrupt tree cannot bear good fruit nor a good tree corrupt fruit he saith he that saith a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forbids not a change from vice to vertue denies not that to be possible but affirms that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the continuance in wickednesse cannot bring forth good fruit for saith he he said not that an ill tree cannot become good but that remaining evil it cannot bear good fruit So when Rom. 8 7. 't is said that the carnal mind cannot be subject to God Theophy lact interprets it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it cannot whilest it remains such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not that the change is impossible and so again v. 8. when it is said they cannot please God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they cannot whilest they are such And so sure the affirming here of the child of God the regenerate pious convert that he cannot sin is not the affirming that he cannot cease to be what he is cannot fall off from the performance of his duty against which the many warnings and exhortations that are given to pious men ch 2. 1. 1 Cor. 10. 12. Heb. 3. 12. 2 Pet. 3. 17. are evidences of the possibility of it but that remaining thus a pious follower imitator and so child of God that in his actions resembles him he cannot yield deliberately to any kind of sin To which purpose saith Tertullian De pudicitia Haec non admittet omnino qui natus è Deo fuerit non futurus Deifilius si admiserit He that is born of God will not at all admit such sins as these he shall not be the child of God if he do admit or commit them And Lactantius Virtus sine ulla intermissione perpetua est nec discedere ab ea potest qui semel eam cepit Nam si habeat intervallum si quande eâ carere possumus redeunt protinus peccata quae virtutem semper impugnant Vertue is that which is perpetual without any intermission He that hath once undertaken it cannot depart from it For if it have any interval of sin if we can want or be without it sins presently return which alwaies impugne vertue And so S. Hierome on Mat. 7. 18. Bona arbor non fert malos fructus quamdiu in bonitatis studio perseverat A good tree bears not ill fruit as long as it perseveres in the study or love of goodnesse And so S. Augustine Serm. 29. de verb. Apost Talia non facit bonae fidei spei Christianus A Christian of a good faith and hope doth not such things as these that is Homicide Adultery c. In the same sense as Menander saith of the just man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a just disposition knows not how to be unjust In this sense is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he cannot used by Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carnal men cannot doe spiritual things It will not farther be pertinent to enquire whether the sinning here so unreconcileable with a regenerate state be an act only of wilfull sin or an habit because those Apostate Gnosticks to whom this place is opposed and all that went over to them were guilty of more then single acts even of the foulest habits of impurity and persecuting the Christians v. 10. V. 10. Is not of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be of God here◠and chap. 4. 6. and 5. 19. and 3 Joh. 11. is a phrase to signifie one that lives as God requires and approves of a child of God in the beginning of the verse born of God v. 9. a sincere acceptable servant of his that imitates the good 3 John 11. or in brief a good Christian and that not only upon this ground because all Christian vertue is of God but especially because it is agreeable to his will an imitation of that which is most eminently and originally in him And so on the contrary Ungodly living is expressed by the phrase to be of the devil Joh. 8. 44. explained by what follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doing or delighting to doe his desires and his works v. 41. and so to be of the world To this purpose many the like phrases there be observable in Scripture which are set to signifie this as being in God 1 Joh. 2. 5. 5. 20. seeing God 3 Joh. 11. that is having considered and observed God in his actions in order to imitating of them for so to imitate is expressed Joh. 8. 38. by doing what they have seen with their father so again having known God or Christ 1 Joh. 2. 3 13. that is so as to imitate or transcribe what we see in him an evidence of which is as it follows there the keeping his commandements and c. 4. 6. he that knows God and he that is of God are set as directly the same and so v. 7 8. and very often in this Writer So seeing and knowing him together 1 John 3. 6. and especially Joh. 5. 37. to hear his voice and see his appearance for that is there all one with having